we can't make any promises now

This was going nowhere, this conversation that went in painful circles that deepened the cracks in Loren’s soul each time they passed over them. There was only so many times he could rebuff Remi before eventually the Launceleyn would just fall silent. If the other man was determined to keep reaching out then the librarian knew he couldn’t stop that. But he didn’t have to take the metaphorical hand being offered. There was no maybe about that: Loren was fully convinced of that, and nothing would sway his opinion on the matter. However, he wasn’t going to try to change Remi’s mind anymore. In fact, Loren wasn’t going to do much of anything but stand there, answering in short snippets, too tired to do anything else, even walk away at this point. “Good. You’re better for it.” Remi was married to someone he couldn’t help but love (if Loren knew Ronin and the alchemist at all anymore, he knew that much), and despite whatever other difficulties the man before the summoner might be facing, Remi would always have that. He didn’t get it. The other man simply couldn’t understand, not having forgotten Loren as the alchemist had, just how much damage the Launceleyn caused with his desires. “But not with me.” The only good news about this whole situation was that the summoner could prevent Remi from seeing just how destructive Loren could be when he grew careless and dared to dream. LOREN Not quite an open book