Love mends even the broken parts
Loren actually barked out a startled laugh at Hotaru's suggestion. "That's not so far from the truth." Then he flushed a little. He finished his glass as well to prevent himself from saying anything else too stupid.
Shaking his head, he smiled faintly. "Actually it took me quite a while to learn how to let people in. I still struggle with it." He gave her a chagrined look. "But mostly my problem is that I never trust that they'll stay. Or..." Voice trailing off, he looked away.
Letting out a huff of laughter, he shrugged. "I have these pesky things called morals." Grinning, he gave her a pleased look. "Luckily, I also happen to be quite a skilled healer, so it worked out for everyone." Obviously that good cheer disappeared when she brought up his family. "I've been officially disowned, though thankfully they've been more tolerant of me than usual. And I'm powerful enough now that they can't mess with me." His tone was unbothered, and his expression indicated that he wasn't particularly worried about them.
As she spoke of her losses, her dead children, he felt his heart clench. Giving her as sympathetic, comforting, and understanding a look as he could manage, he simply listened to her until she finished. "Gods. I'm so sorry. No one should ever have to go through something like that." His voice was soft. Shaking his head at her next comment, he reached out to lay his hand on top of both of hers. "You don't need to apologize to me. Not for that. Never for that." On that, he was firm.
Holding her hand, his mouth twisted into a mockery of a smile. "Enough time has passed that the pain isn't as raw. Right afterwards, though, I was a wreck." He laughed, though there was little humor in it. Still, he felt no shame in admitting his weakness.
Shifting so that she'd be more comfortable (he hoped), he squeezed her shoulders gently and gratefully. "I have no doubt. Sadly, it would be impossible to convince anyone that I'm a knight or a gentleman." Grinning weakly, he turned slightly so he could face her. "I'm glad you found me too." It again came out with that sort of awkwardly earnest sincerity that he really wished he could hide under something cooler and more collected.
Clearing his throat, he chuckled weakly. "Seeing as you didn't come here for me, what were you looking for?" He raised his eyebrows, more than a bit curious about her presence here.
Shaking his head, he smiled faintly. "Actually it took me quite a while to learn how to let people in. I still struggle with it." He gave her a chagrined look. "But mostly my problem is that I never trust that they'll stay. Or..." Voice trailing off, he looked away.
Letting out a huff of laughter, he shrugged. "I have these pesky things called morals." Grinning, he gave her a pleased look. "Luckily, I also happen to be quite a skilled healer, so it worked out for everyone." Obviously that good cheer disappeared when she brought up his family. "I've been officially disowned, though thankfully they've been more tolerant of me than usual. And I'm powerful enough now that they can't mess with me." His tone was unbothered, and his expression indicated that he wasn't particularly worried about them.
As she spoke of her losses, her dead children, he felt his heart clench. Giving her as sympathetic, comforting, and understanding a look as he could manage, he simply listened to her until she finished. "Gods. I'm so sorry. No one should ever have to go through something like that." His voice was soft. Shaking his head at her next comment, he reached out to lay his hand on top of both of hers. "You don't need to apologize to me. Not for that. Never for that." On that, he was firm.
Holding her hand, his mouth twisted into a mockery of a smile. "Enough time has passed that the pain isn't as raw. Right afterwards, though, I was a wreck." He laughed, though there was little humor in it. Still, he felt no shame in admitting his weakness.
Shifting so that she'd be more comfortable (he hoped), he squeezed her shoulders gently and gratefully. "I have no doubt. Sadly, it would be impossible to convince anyone that I'm a knight or a gentleman." Grinning weakly, he turned slightly so he could face her. "I'm glad you found me too." It again came out with that sort of awkwardly earnest sincerity that he really wished he could hide under something cooler and more collected.
Clearing his throat, he chuckled weakly. "Seeing as you didn't come here for me, what were you looking for?" He raised his eyebrows, more than a bit curious about her presence here.
loren
