can't leave now, I'm haunted (Open)

Loren not afraid to use every trick in the book Loren hesitated at the entrance to the Rathskeller. Since he’d returned, he’d been slowly reacclimating himself to the Hollowed Grounds. While he’d scraped by in the outskirts of the area—that’s what he’d chosen to call his lost year, for lack of a better explanation—he’d failed to properly explore this place when he first came here and obvious hadn't seen much of it while he'd been lost in his own head. Then, when Edy had taken over, obviously the summoner had avoided this particular spot; he’d been estranged from the rest of the Launceleyns (and that was putting it mildly) at the time, so clearly would not have come here, of all places. Now, he’d give just about anything to have her curse him out one last time. That’s actually part of the reason he’d come down here: people had passed along the rumor that Edy was haunting the tavern she had so loved. Loren seriously doubted it was true. But if there was even the ghost of a chance (pun intended) that it was indeed true, he needed to take it. He wasn’t so naive to think he’d earn forgiveness. But he’d come back too late to say goodbye, or anything at all, and he’d settle for anything resembling closure at this point. Besides, there were questions he needed answers to, and it would be entirely like her to have taken them to her grave. She had always been quite contrary. Worst case, though, he’d scour the place for any remnants she’d left behind. Anything, any piece of her, would be better than nothing. So, prepared for just about anything, he walked through the door. It was the middle of the day—and a beautiful day at that—and no one else was here that he could see. He’d been hoping for that. Making his way behind the bar, he knelt down to see if there was anything there that jumped out at him. Maybe he should’ve been more careful in his wishes: an enormous spider was there, and it skittered around to state at him with eight beady eyes, apparently confused by the intrusion. Loren yelped, and stumbled backwards. He promptly tripped over a stool that had been stored back here, and fell flat on his ass. The spider, for its part, just gave the summoner what could only be described as a curious look, before turning its attention back to a wine barrel that had sprung a small leak. Loren watched, incredulous, as the spider started drinking the booze. Whatever he’d been expecting in here it certainly hadn’t been that.

REXANNA

She hasn’t been to the Rathskeller in what felt like forever, but it had been the first place she’d gone to when she’d arrived. An entire year, and yet so much had happened. Friendships grown, lost, and blossomed, found. From a warbling child with many regrets, standing before Frey without any thought in her mind, to the creature she’d become after breaking out of the Launceleyn Manor after Zariah had tried to imprison her and marry her off. And now, now she was a person with no regrets, not yet anyway.

She enters right when someone falls back, hard, and she knows it’s not Edy — the news having just been spread. Perhaps that, too, is why she’s here. The fire cracker of a woman, first met exploding pumpkins, the next in a series of teeth and skin and a multitude of warm bodies. But still, Rexanna looks, coming up to the edge of the bar just in time to spot the spider skitter off and to find Loren flat on his ass.

And she suddenly looks at him, harder than before, and recalls Remi’s instructions from nearly a year before. To find him, this Loren who held the heart of the alchemist for a time. She supposes it doesn’t matter much anymore, and so she tilts her head and gives him a fanged smile, leaning across the bar slightly. “Loren, was it?” She hums to him, an air of curiosity beneath her exterior.

the penumbra

the moon is drunk with the sins of the sun.

& you stare, and wonder why

the universe never loved you back

Loren not afraid to use every trick in the book A woman had entered while Loren had been staring at the spider. It was hard not to be transfixed by the cat-sized arachnid that was chugging down wine like it had just stumbled out of a desert. The Launceleyn had seen a lot of really weird things in his life, but this might be a contender for one of the weirdest. What was especially confusing was considering where all liquid went: the spider was big, but not huge, yet it appeared to have a bottomless gullet. It was almost a relief to have someone distract him from his thoughts. Or rather, it would've been, but the woman who walked into the tavern knew Loren’s name. And—though he squinted at her just to confirm—he was pretty sure he’d never set eyes on this woman before. Of course it was entirely possible that they’d met when he first came here, but his memory of that period was incredibly fuzzy. He didn’t think so, though. She was short, but her hair and her skin positively shone, and she was quite, quite beautiful. The days when Loren would get tongue-tied in the presence of a pretty girl (or handsome man) were hopefully over, but he was about to find out. “Uh, yes, that’s me.” His voice was quite uncertain, and he was a bit worried to notice the fangs in her smile; it turned what otherwise would’ve been a friendly smile into something downright predatory. He scrambled awkwardly to his feet, not liking being on the ground with her looking down at him. “And you are?” His tone was hesitant, as if he wasn’t quite sure what she thought of him. Probably because he had no idea who she was, what she wanted, and most importantly, how she knew him.

REXANNA

She watches him as he notices her, and she quirks a dark brow at him with the same smile as he squints to her. She’s never met him, but Remi has been incredibly detailed when he had informed her to keep an eye out, and since Rexanna had history of being an informant of sorts, some habits died hard. She watches him with those bright sapphire eyes as he confirms it’s him, and she gives him a small bob of her head, pleased she’d been correct — because after all, it would have been far too awkward after if she’d been wrong.

But he scrambles, and she lets her gaze wander over his height as he stands — quite a bit taller than her, and she peers at him beneath dark lashes for a brief moment before she lifts her head to fully look upon him. “Rexanna Reyes. A friend of Remi’s.” She announces with a small half smile, extending a hand should he wish to shake it. She finds she doesn’t mind if he deigns not to. But she still peers at him curiously, before continuing her explanation. “Last year he wanted me to keep an eye out for you when you had gone missing, but you are quite a difficult man to find.” She says with a small huff of a laugh, a chimes sound.

“Did you come to see who’s running the Rathskeller after everything happened with the Launceleyns?” She tilts her head, before taking a seat at the bar. The Penumbra has no idea that he is one, let alone how many exist in the world.

the penumbra

the moon is drunk with the sins of the sun.

& you stare, and wonder why

the universe never loved you back

Loren not afraid to use every trick in the book Well, Loren got his explanation for how Rexanna knew him soon enough. she was a friend of Remi’s. Unfortunately, that also meant he got his explanation: she was a friend of Remi’s. Even just hearing the name sent a myriad set of emotions coursing through him. Guilt, followed by anxiety, chased by regret, underscored by sadness, they are swirled together in a confusing whole. The news that Remi had sent search parties out after the librarian certainly didn’t help his nerves. He had to take a series of deep breaths to just to keep the panic from rising. Only when he was sure he was under control did he respond. “Ah. I see.” He swallowed past the lump in his throat. “It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Reyes.” He was falling back on the impeccable manners that had been drilled into him since birth, in lieu of knowing how to actually react to this incredibly composed woman. Then he hesitated before asking, “H-how is he? R-Remi I mean.” The librarian barely got the name out, and he knew he had no right to be asking that question. But even if Loren couldn’t get up the courage to talk to his former lover, the Launceleyn could still find out how the other man was doing. Despite everything—or maybe because of it—Loren just hoped Remi was happy. The Attuned had earned that much. As Rexanna questioned the summoner’s presence here, Loren blinked. “No, ah, well, not exactly.” He ran a hand through his hair, suddenly worried about what this woman’s relationship to Edy might have been. It wouldn’t be surprising if the aggressive Launceleyn had made enemies in her time here. Loren didn’t want to think ill of the dead, but Edy was incredibly difficult to get along with, as he remembered. Honestly, he still couldn’t believe she’d been queen. Then again, the same could be said of Zariah. “No, I’m here...I’m here to see if the previous proprieter, er, Edy, well...my cousin? I guess you could call her that. Yeah, came to see if Edy left anything here.” Probably best not to mention the ghost. Then his mind caught up with his ears, and he tilted his head quizzically at the woman before him. “Wait, what do you mean, ‘everything happened with the Launceleyns?’” His eyes narrowed with suspicion. “And what brought you here, if you don’t mind me asking?” Perhaps Loren should’ve asked that sooner. If he hadn't been so distracted with the Remi comment, he would've paid closer attention, but it was too late now.

REXANNA

The Penumbra moves to sit at the bar when he accepts her introduction, and she gives him another pleased fanged smile at the formality of it. “Ah, Rex or Rexanna will do.” She tells him with a playful wink, never having been truly fond of her own last name — not like it mattered much when she no longer held a title in a place where such things mattered. But she focuses on him as he hesitates, trying to make her appearance softer; her Ascended status still new enough that she hasn’t quite grasped a difference between predator and friend.

She contemplates his question easily, rolling her shoulders a bit. “He seems well. A happily married man, now, as far as I know.” She offers easily, not figuring Remi would mind too much. It had been the talk of the town, especially with her own contribution. It also reminds her that she hadn’t seen him in some time, the last being fighting a giant pumpkin, nearly dying, and then soaring when he let her taste his blood.

She shakes the thought from her mind as Loren speaks again, eyes drifting back to him. He explains that Edy was a cousin and she purses her lips slightly, a mix between a small frown and a hint of sadness. “I’m sorry for your loss.” Her voice is a bit softer, more meaningful when she says it, until he narrows his gaze on her after her comment of the Launceleyns. “Ah, when Zariah was queen before disappearing and Edy’s unfortunate demise.” She explains a bit, leaning toward him to give him a small smile. “I worked for Zariah for a time while she was Queen.” She explains as though it were some secret. “That is, until she tried to imprison me and force me to marry into the family.” She glances back up at him with the information, sitting back and draping an arm over the back of the stool — looking very much like a cat getting comfortable.

“I’ve kept a rather wide berth from you all, since.” She says with a small shrug. “But I enjoyed Edy a lot.” She adds with yet another playful fanged grin.

the penumbra

the moon is drunk with the sins of the sun.

& you stare, and wonder why

the universe never loved you back

Loren not afraid to use every trick in the book Loren nodded to acknowledge that he’d heard her comment about the name. “Rexanna, then.” It reminded him that he needed to relax: interacting with people hadn’t exactly been his strong suit, even before he’d avoided them for a year. Choosing to ignore the wink, since he had absolutely no idea how to interpret, he ventured a cautious smile instead. It felt odd, stiff, the muscles not being used in the gods knew how long. He let it slip away quickly, knowing it looked wrong and definitely feeling like it didn’t match his mood. At the mention of the marriage, the summoner’s breath caught in his throat; he still hadn’t quite come to terms with that particular fact. Still, he forced him to croak out a response. “Yeah, I h-heard about that. And...I’m happy for them. Truly.” And he was shocked to discover that—hard as it was for him to say the words—he actually meant it. He wasn’t so naive to think he still had a claim to anyone he’d left behind, so all he could hope for was that those he cared about were happy. There were precious few of them left, it seemed. On that subject, they began speaking of the Launceleyns, and the librarian was shocked when Rexanna offered her condolences. “Oh. Thank you. I...I mean, thank you.” He’d been about to admit that he hadn’t really been close to Edy, but that didn’t seem wise under the circumstances. “Oh right. That.” Loren still hadn’t gotten the full details of that time, but from what he’d heard it had been less than pleasant. Of course, maybe he needed to rapidly reevaluate just how bad it had been: Loren’s jaw dropped as Rexanna casually admitted that tried Zariah to imprisoned the blue-eyed, pale-skinned, shiny haired, woman before him. Perhaps he shouldn’t have been so surprised, though, given Zariah’s tendencies to burn things to the ground when she didn’t get her way. He closed his eyes and his mouth at the same time, and when he opened them, he couldn’t quite meet Rexanna’s gaze. “Yeah that...sounds about right. And I’m sorry. Zariah is...not a good person.” Loren had his fair share of scars from her, that much was true. Then he frowned. “Wait, I thought—” he cut himself off, since he’d been about to say he’d thought she was an Ascended, what with the fangs and all, Probably not the best thing to tell a stranger. “So...you’re an Abandoned, then?” Zariah wouldn’t have tried to marry Rexanna into the family if she wasn’t. “And who did she even intend for you to marry. All of the men are, or well, were…” he caught himself before he could dredge up too many unpleasant memories. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to, well, upset you? Just...sorry. For everything you went through at the hands of my family.” Loren was sure apologizing for a lot these days. Seemed he had a lot to answer for, though, so it seemed appropriate. He raised his eyebrows at Rexanna’s next set of comments. “I can’t say I blame you. Obviously I gave them a wide berth myself.” That was an understatement, for sure. “And by enjoy do you mean…” his voice trailed off suggestively. Edy’s sexual appetite was quite legendary, and she wasn’t too picky in her partners. Regardless, if Rexanna knew his cousin, maybe the blue-eyed woman could give him a hand. “So, did you want to help me search this place?” He gestured at the tavern, with a hopeful look in his eyes.

REXANNA

He gives her a smile yet it feels forced, but she still offers him one in response. But she tells him about Remi’s wedding, knowing that Remi had feelings for Loren once upon a time, and the combination of her and Remi meeting Frey resulted in the removal of it all. But it hasn’t ever occurred to her how Loren might think of it all, realizing it now as he seems to stumble over the words. She gives another small nod in response, knowing it must be difficult to deal with, but time had always a way of being in the way, too.

She gives him another nod for Edrei, feeling a bit of sorrow deep within somewhere, hidden, for the woman she had met a variety of times. But the moment passes, the events of Edy’s passing not much to comment on any further. She imagines if he has something to say he’ll come out with it. But instead, her news of Zariah’s plans seems to surprise him, and he can’t meet her gaze after. Her shoulders rise and fall in another shrug as a smile plays at her lips. “It’s alright.” She tells him, and she means it.

She didn’t particularly care about the entire ordeal anymore. And Zariah hadn’t tied her down to brand her like her husband had, the C visible and bright against her collarbone’s pale skin. The Penumbra has lived through things, and Zariah was merely another tick on the mark. But then he grows confused, something she’s been waiting for, and she nods to him. “Well, I was then. But I left the Manor and went to the Voice and Ascended immediately after. I had hoped it would work to keep Zariah’s paws off me.” She tells him. Maybe she’s feeling particularly worth sharing today, because she brings her hand in front of her and summons a small flickering sparkler of a firework that her sapphire eyes land on. “Somehow I came out of it Abandoned and Ascended.”

But then he asks her who she was to marry, and her eyes lift from the fading firework to scour his face briefly. “She was going to have me marry Peter. With you gone, I think he was the only one, the newest too from what I understand.” She adds, a small contemplative look crossing her face. But he apologizes again and she snorts a small amount through her nose before she shakes her head to him. “Past is the past, right?” She appreciates the apology, but it isn’t his to give. And she agrees, dipping a shoulder to him as though she’s saying “see? You get it!” in agreement to giving them space. It was an entire bowl of soup she didn’t want a part in any longer.

His voice grows suggestive and a smirk crosses her face. “Twice I think, though the memory is hazy. There were many people there.” She winks yet again before another chime of a laugh leaves her. It doesn’t last long as Loren poises a question to her that she contemplates for all of five seconds before she stands from the stool, and rather than walking around the bar, she swings a leg over it and slides over to the other side with him. Clasping her hands together she looks up at him with a nod. “Sure, why not? Don’t have anything else to do. What are you looking for?”

the penumbra

the moon is drunk with the sins of the sun.

& you stare, and wonder why

the universe never loved you back

Loren not afraid to use every trick in the book Rexanna smiled back at Loren, so he must’ve done something right. It didn’t feel that way, but he’d take whatever small victory he could. The next smile she gave him simply puzzled the librarian, but not as much as the woman’s comment that she was fine with what Zariah had done. Loren didn’t know much, but he knew that Zariah’s actions had a way of lasting far past what she’d intended. Of course, that was partially a result of her own stubborn shortsightedness. Still, who was he to deny Rexanna her peace. “If you say so.” His voice came out hesitantly. Then, because even after all this time, he still felt compelled to clean up his family’s mistakes, so he added, “but if there’s anything I can do to make it up to you, let me know.” Some things would never change, it seemed; the Launceleyns had saddled him with a terrible reputation that he’d have to work hard to overcome. He hadn’t helped matters by disappearing like he did. As Rexanna revealed more details, Loren ran a hand through his hair, leaving it sticking up in parts. The Launceleyn didn’t notice, nor did he care. The days of caring about his appearance—not that he’d ever been too concerned with it—were long gone. “Oh. I...see. That would’ve done it, but I guess it all worked out in the end anyway.” Actually, Loren didn’t see, not really, nor did he understand half of what the blue-eyed woman had just said, but he wasn’t going to pry for more details, given Zariah’s involvement in it all. Then a familiar name came up and Loren bit his lip. “People keep telling me about this new relative of mine, but I’ve never met him.” The librarian’s tone came out more exasperated than he’d intended; between Beatrix's dislike of the mystery man, Peter’s complete lack of presence at the manor, and now this revelation that Zariah had not only basically shanghai’d someone into the family for reasons unknown, but also had tried to marry him off to boot, Loren was not getting the best picture of the man. But the summoner would hold off judgment until they’d actually met. At Rexanna’s comment about the past, Loren paused. “For some of us more than others,” he said softly. And even for those who'd successfully left their past behind, remnants of it still seemed to haunt them. Loren himself was a living, breathing symbol of that. He hesitated, not really sure what he was looking for, and wary of saying anything about Zariah for obvious reasons. “I don’t know, honestly. I figure she wasn’t the type to keep notes, but maybe she changed while I was...gone.” Although he really needed to find a better way to explain his absence, gone seemed as good a word as any. “So just anything she left behind, I guess.” Loren shrugged, slightly embarrassed: now that he was forced to say it out loud, it all sounded rather silly. To cover his chagrin, he bent down to look under the bar again, giving the spider a wide berth.

REXANNA

Seeming somewhat unconvinced by her comment, she gives him a softer smile as he lends his help to her. A small nod, an agreement. She doesn’t know what she’d need, and as far as she’s concerned, it’s in the past. But having favor with both the remaining male Launceleyns couldn’t be a bad thing, right? She watches him run a hand through his hair, leaving it sticking up in places while he comments about Zariah and her shoulders roll in another small shrug. “That it did!” She chimes with another small smile. She doesn’t blame him or Peter for any of it — hell, she didn’t even blame Edrei for it either. But what she did blame was Zariah and she was off working with her goddess somewhere far away.

She wasn’t complaining.

Her eyes find him again when he mentions Peter, and she contemplates it for a moment before she puffs a bit of unneeded air from her system. “He’s a very kind man, honestly. Quiet, loyal, just trying to survive I think. You two might get along.” She says gesturing to him, uncertain how it would be. But based off of this interaction she can’t imagine it would go so terribly. “He has crafting and water magic.” She says easily, recalling the bracelet he had made her, swirls of reds and golds and yellows to match the firework display she had shown him.

Her attention flits from him at the comment of the past, absentmindedly running a hand through her bob of hair, acknowledging but not saying anything until he invites her over to search the Rathskeller. She listens to him mention that he didn’t particularly know what he was looking for, but Rexanna believed anything that might have been Edy’s likely would have a mark of sorts to show it were hers. A small wry smile grows on her face as she crouches by the wine spider, at the comment of how much she’s changed, or if she had at all. She didn’t know Edy particularly well, but she did know one thing that had changed.

As nonchalantly as she can, she grabs a small bowl and fills it with a bit of wine and sets it on the edge of the counter top before picking up the wine spider and setting it by the bowl to get it out of the way. “Well, she did get herself a cock.” She hums with a light chuckle of laughter, sapphire eyes darting toward him to see what he thinks. “So that’s something.” She grins before crouching again to reach beneath the bar, feeling with deadened nerves to find anything that might be hiding.

the penumbra

the moon is drunk with the sins of the sun.

& you stare, and wonder why

the universe never loved you back

Loren not afraid to use every trick in the book It seemed there wasn’t anything Rexanna needed right now, for which Loren was grateful. Although he’d offered to help—and although he would’ve done everything in his power to fulfill her request, assuming it wasn’t to like, murder someone—the truth of the matter was he could barely take care of himself and the kids that had been foisted on him. But he tried to make up for the Launceleyns where he could. They left enough destruction in their wake that it was practically a full time job. According to Rexanna, though, Peter (whoever he was), wasn’t so bad. Loren probably should’ve been more circumspect, but he spoke without thinking. “Well that’s good to know, because Beatrix hates him, so I was worried.” Immediately he blushed, and stammered out a more appropriate response. “I-I mean, it’s good to hear that he’s a ah, good person.” Too few of the people who called themselves his family were kind, let alone good. And while Beatrix might pout and whine, Loren trusted the adult Rexanna much more than he did the child, relative or no. It wasn’t surprising that Peter had magic: in fact, it was a prerequisite for being a Launceleyn. However, the actual magic he possessed was surprising. “Oh. That’s interesting. I thought I was the only Abandoned with light magic in the family.” Then, more softly, he added, “at least, the only one still alive.” He looked away from Rexanna, blinking away tears, shocked at the pain even after all this time. Astra was gone, and Loren had long ago given up hope of ever seeing his beloved baby sister ever again. She’d been the only one to treat him well, and her loss stung more than any other. He watched with some interest as she filled a bowl with wine and coaxed the spider out of the way. Huh. Apparently these critters were well known and fairly docile; it was good to know how to deal with them if he ran into one in the future. Now that the bar was safe (from arachnids, at least), he gave it a more thorough search. His hands touched something soft, and he pulled it out gingerly. A pair of fuzzy handcuffs. Of course it was a pair of fuzzy handcuffs. He was too busy shaking his head over them to be paying much attention to Rexanna. So when the woman mentioned that Edy had a cock, he gave the blue-eyed woman a quizzical glance. “Wait...Edy had a pet rooster?” It didn't seem like her to take care of another living thing. Then again, maybe she just held on it for the pun, something very much like her.

REXANNA

“Well that’s good to know, because Beatrix hates him, so I was worried.” She hears him say and she hums a small snort. She didn’t know the child at all, but from what she’d gathered if she were anything like noble children from home, they didn’t like to be bossed around. And someone like Peter trying to do it and deal with being bossed around, likely wasn’t going to end well. “If she acts like a noble child, then she likely hates everyone.” She tells him with a small nod. “He didn’t know when Zariah arranged the marriage that he was going to marry me, and when I spoke to him after he regretted it immensely. He is kind, I think he’s just been hurt… a lot.”

Her tone grows a bit more somber when he speaks of light magic, of being the only one, and he turns from her as it hits a nerve she hadn’t meant to. A small frown finds her face and she looks away from him to move the spider. “I’m sorry.” She offers quietly. “I have fire, fireworks, transmutation, and crafting.” She tells him, knowing most of hers are dark — it suits her, the flame and unbidden phoenix beneath. She is the Penumbra, after all.

She spends a moment then as she watches the spider crawl toward the wine like a drunken sailor before she holds her hands out in front of her, a soft flame glow appears and as soon as it starts, it’s over. A small locket sits in place, small but with enough separation to place small pictures or names should he wish to. She doesn’t know if he’ll like it, but it’s the least she can do. She knows what it’s like to lose everything. She offers it to him with a small light smile, it’s edges gleaming gold in the flickering light of the Rathskeller. “To memories, hmm?” She says after he’s reached in and pulled out a pair of fuzzy handcuffs.

And that is when she explains Edy’s extra bit, and his confusion grows. Could she have blushed, she likely would have before she snorts. “No, silly.” She leans in once more like she’s telling him a secret. She contemplates telling him she got a dick instead, but was a small amount uncertain if he’d understand that one too. “She got herself a penis.” She says before withdrawing. “Probably from Frey if my guessing is correct.” She hums a light chuckle before shaking her head. She crouches once more, moving bottles from beneath the bar until she feels something hidden in the back too, and withdraws a few condoms squirreled away. She stands and glances to him with a light laugh. “I’m going to miss her.”

the penumbra

the moon is drunk with the sins of the sun.

& you stare, and wonder why

the universe never loved you back

Loren not afraid to use every trick in the book Loren hesitated. It was so ingrained in him not to speak ill of the family that he had to fight off his initial response to fervently defend Beatrix’s honor. Not that the child needed it: she had proven quite capable of speaking her mind on more than one occasion. “I shouldn’t be so hard on her. She’s suffered more than any child should, and she thinks she’s very much alone in the world.” Of course, it paled in comparison to the years of torture Loren had undergone—and he too was basically on his own now—but he was trying to be better than his family. As Rexanna explained more about Peter, Loren resolved to actually find the man. He kept getting distracted from that particular task, but it seemed important to do sooner rather than later. “It sounds just like Zariah to go behind everyone’s back and just assume she knows what’s best for them, then expect you to go along without protest.” There was a dark tone in his voice that surprised him. Though maybe it shouldn't given his treatment at the hands of his family. Apparently speaking ill of the family didn’t extend to the former queen; then again, she’d proven time and time again that she didn’t care for the family, not really, only herself and her own reputation and power. “Anyway I’ll seek him out, Peter I mean, and see if he still wants to be a Launceleyn after all that.” If he didn’t, Loren would obviously understand. Even the librarian, who had their blood, wasn’t sure he wanted to be a Launceleyn anymore. Forcing his tears away (something he was well practiced at), he shook his head at her apology. “Don’t apologize. It’s...it happened a long time ago, in a past life.” That was more true than he cared to admit. As the conversation swung back towards magic, Loren felt relief course through him. It was a much safer subject. “Quite an eclectic mix. Let’s see...I mastered summoning, and have a little bit of healing, telekinesis, and creation.” He smiled at the final magic, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “That last one seems quite popular.” Then he looked at her more sharply. “Although I’d be curious to hear more about fireworks magic. I’ve never heard of that one.” And he thought he knew a lot about magic; however, in Caido, he was hardly an expert. The spider proved a welcome distraction from the handcuffs, and he watched its drunken antics for a moment before his eyes were drawn to the glow in Rexanna’s hands. A locket appeared there, and she held it out to him. For his part, he took in gingerly. “Thank you. I...appreciate the gesture.” He could’ve made his own, obviously, but it was the thought that counted. When Rexanna spoke of memories, though, Loren had to look away. He didn’t have very many pleasant ones to dwell on. Still, if they were supposed to be honoring the past, he could think of a much better way. "But I think we can do something my cousin would've liked a little more." Now it was his turn to concentrate, and a knife appeared in his hand. Stepping to the bar, he found a spot in the corner, and started carving out large and blocky letters: EDY WAS HERE AND YOU BITCHES BETTER BELIEVE IT Stepping back to admire his handiwork, Loren nodded. It was a very fitting tribute, especially since it harkened back to his first meeting with his volatile cousin. She’d been loud in everything: life, love, magic, mayhem, family, friends, and everything in between. Glancing at Rexanna, he finally replied to her comment. “To memories.” Then the blue-eyed woman clarified her earlier statement and Loren felt his eyes widen. Then he laid his arms on the bar, lowered his head to the wood, and started laughing uncontrollably. He had no reason to disbelieve Rexanna’s words, and he could all too easily imagine Edy browbeating a god into giving her a dick. In between chuckles, he managed to wheeze out, “Of course she did. Good for her. Bet she enjoyed that.” It wasn’t even the weirdest thing he’d heard since his return, but it might just be the funniest.

REXANNA

She nods her head in agreement with Loren. It had to have been hard, hell — it was hard for her when everyone had left. She understood to an extent, but she also didn’t put a lot of stock into the words. But she begins to speak of Peter again, and she hears Loren’s response when she pauses enough to hear the darkness in his voice, sapphire eyes shooting over to him with a raised brow and a slight fanged smile. “Yep. Exactly right.” She tacks onto it. Zariah had certainly been less than pleased at Rexanna’s refusal. But she didn’t regret any of it.

It is not her place to speak for Peter, but she gives Loren a small smile and a nod. She wanted to tell him that she thinks he would like to, but with Edrei’s death, she doesn’t know where that leaves the kind, scarred boy. And so she keeps her mouth shut at it, nodding along with him when he explains his losses happened a while ago. She understands that too, and lets the conversation shift with that, toward magic and the things she possesses. And she turns, leaning against the bar to face him when he speaks of his own magic. Dark brows raise in response to his own achievements and a grin crosses her face. “I suppose we’d much prefer to have our own ability to create rather than beg others to help.” She jokes with a quiet laugh. At the mention of her fireworks, her eyes sharpen slightly and she beams at him.

But she waits to show him, handing him the locket and seeing the reaction before he hums to separate memories, creating a knife that Rexanna watches him use to carve the words into the corner, and she smirks. “Oh yes, very her.” She gives a light chuckle before she waits for him to step aside. “But it needs a bit more...” She says thoughtfully, before she steps around the bar too, grabbing a glass of water just in case she sets the bar on fire, and she aims a firework at the series of letters, watching the colors explode in a hue of reds, golds, and yellow — searing the boards with a halo of fire burns. Then, just in case she’s begun some kind of fire, she reaches for her own fire magic and snuffs them out.

Sapphire eyes turn to him then with a light shrug. “They get bigger but I’m afraid I’ll have to show you outside where I won’t burn a place like this to the ground.” She jests once more with a playful lilt to her tone before she joins him again on the other side of the bar, discarding the cup of water while she searches the bar, finding the lone few condoms hidden behind it as she explains to him Edrei’s extra addition. She doesn’t expect the laugh, but a grin forms on her face with the chuckles and hums of laughter that erupt from the man.

He has quite a contagious laugh, and she finds herself snickering along with him. “Oh if I knew Edy at all, I’d say that might have been her favorite part.” She says though her own laughter, not entirely slowing down. But she focuses on the task again, kneeling down onto the floor behind the bar, reaching in under it for anything that might have rolled away. “Is it bad that I might be afraid to put my face anywhere near the floor back here?” She laughs to him, based off of what they’ve found.

She does it anyway, pulling her dark hair back and peering into the dark depths below before a squeak of surprise leaves her, and she pulls out yet another wine spider — sizably smaller than the other one, but just as thirsty.

the penumbra

the moon is drunk with the sins of the sun.

& you stare, and wonder why

the universe never loved you back