Brittlby, if you like the idea, we could say that our characters met before the main IC thread.  We'll say that they know and recognize each other in the main IC thread, likely know each other's basic capabilities by the time the Main IC thread happens, and don't do much more than smile and wave to each other since they recognize each other, and that way we can play out a meetup in detail in the side IC thread that won't be overly important until introductions are mostly over.