Caleb blushes at Michael's warmth. He hadn't realized how big of a deal that'd sound like, but now that it's been said, and Michael's reacting, yeah. That makes sense. Michael's had kind of a shitty life before Darrow, and it sounds like he had few friends, few people who valued him. And Caleb does. He sees Michael as one of his closest friends here — or maybe one of his closest friends ever.

"I promise I won't pat your boyfriend," he says, grinning for the first time since he'd come into the shop that day.