give me a life time of promises (open)

Loren sighed, and shook his head. "It's alright. If I got upset every time someone said something tactless around me, I'd probably die of the aggravation before long. Plus I'm tactless often enough that it'd be rather hypocritical of me" Giving Maea an understanding and somehow patient look, he shrugged. "I know you meant no harm, and even if you did, words from others can't worse than what I've told myself time and time again." It was depressing and self-deprecating and a little self-hating, yes, but he was trying to power through it, not let himself retreat behind his walls again. As she tried to make him feel better, he smiled sadly. "No offense, but I think Frey is a slightly higher authority than you." Again, that was his attempt at a joke. Too bad his sense of humor had always been sardonic, even when he wasn't grieving. LOREN Not quite an open book