the monsters turned out to be just trees

hope keeps us breathing, just to kill us in the end

"Mmm." Remi hummed, his head tilting softly from side to side as he let his mind wrap around what the Launceleyn was saying. "That I was...just a cog in something bigger never seemed to be much of an injustice. At least, not until I came here and was suddenly flooded with choices about who and what I wanted to be and do." His shoulders shrugged gently. "I think perhaps it was different for me, as a commoner than for someone like you." Remi added gently.

"Oh." The alchemist said softly, colour flushing his cheeks as he too was forced to look away. Remi could only surmise based on their conversation of boyfriends and the like, that Loren wasn't talking about just friends or companions like Astra. "I.." He paused. Swallowed. Tried again. "..." Remi's expression went through several iterations before he just sighed, leaning his shoulder against Loren's and leaving it there. "I'm sorry." He said eventually, instead of all the things he should have said instead.