Dear Mari
i am glad you and your team managed to shove the admin duties to the new boss so you can focus on stuff that's more up your alley.
from what i gathered in the past, you and work buddy have a bond, and it goes beyond crisis management. it got you through crises that you might not have got through as easily otherwise, methinks.
now you can cultivate that bond in a more peaceful context. i believe this change will bring more opportunity than loss, in terms of your relationship with him and probably with the entire team too.
you will likely both undergo something of a "mental reset" in adjusting to the different type of work you will be doing together. so it might seem weird at first. it might feel like you are just in the eye of the storm. waiting for the other shoe to drop. but at some point you will both start experiencing security in the new situation and go forward from there.
... my
~ waves ~