LOREN
Loren couldn’t remember who knew what about his magic. Apparently, Peter, despite being kin of a sort and a fellow Abandoned, didn’t know the whole scope of the summoner’s abilities (though he had a vague recollection of offering to heal a split lip). That wasn’t surprising, since when they’d sparred Loren had held back and tried to keep his full strength to himself. Plus, a lot of his abilities were new. ”I can heal you of anything short of a mortal blow, yes. In addition to my summoning, and my newly developed water magic, which we share, I have healing, and a small amount of telekinesis and creation.” Those last two, at least, he’d shown the other man during their one training session.
At the adopted Launceleyn’s question, Loren shook his head. ”If you tell me where and what you want me to heal, all I’d need to do is touch you briefly.” Hopefully that would be okay. Giving the other man a hesitant look, the summoner bit his lip. ”I can also heal any scars you might have. If you’d like.” It would be Peter’s choice: after accidentally erasing Amalia’s scars, Loren wasn’t going to do that without permission ever again. Still, the other man’s hands were heavily scarred, so the summoner wanted to at least make the offer.
Normally, Loren would’ve let the conversation about his love life drop. However, from the way the adopted Launceleyn was acting, Peter seemed to think he’d done something wrong. This topic wasn’t off-limits, though just awkward. Letting out a huff of laughter, the summoner gave the other man a gentle smile. ”No need to apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m just...not very good at opening myself up to others.” That was an understatement.
But Loren was trying to get better at it; in that spirit, he took a deep breath and steeled himself to tell the whole story. ”Well. I ah, kissed someone at the beginning of LongNight. And then after I burned down the Rathskellar I uh, well, I got a bit drunk with the people who’d been there with me, and one thing led to another, and ummmm we had a threesome.” His voice was practically coming out strangled with embarrassment. However, he wasn’t done yet. ”And then, uh, I stumbled across the guy I’d kissed and ah, we...we slept together.” Laying it all out like that made the summoner realize how bad it sounded and he flushed a furious crimson.
Thankfully, Peter was equally awkward as he spoke about his boyfriend, whose name was apparently Adam. It was enough to help Loren recover at least a little bit of his dignity. He coughed to clear his throat. ”Of course I’m interested. Why wouldn’t I be?” He went through his interactions with the adopted Launceleyn but couldn’t think of anything the summoner had said or done that would give the other man pause. ”I’d love to meet him. And I’m glad you two are happy together.” That's what it sounded like at least.
At the comment about Adam maybe having a few bones to pick with the Launceleyns, Loren’s eyebrows rose. ”Well. Hopefully I can show him, and you, that I have very little in common with Zariah and the rest of my relatives.” Even now, it seemed, the echoes of his cousin’s reign of terror were haunting the summoner, even after everything he’d done for the people of the Hollowed Grounds.
The mistake was easily corrected, and Loren grinned at Peter as they resumed planting. It was easy enough to keep blasting holes with his water magic. ”I used to be a farmer, so I know more than I ever wanted to know about planting.” Along with a lot of other things: it was why the summoner’s knowledge base was so eclectic. As the other man explained the world he’d came from, the summoner gave the adopted Launceleyn a gentle smile. ”I’m sorry. That sounds...desolate.” However, now that the door was open, Loren was going to see what he could find out about his sort-of kin. ”If you don’t mind me asking, what was your life like before you came to Caido?” It was always a fraught question, especially since the other man had clammed up about his past last time they’d spoken.
At the adopted Launceleyn’s question, Loren shook his head. ”If you tell me where and what you want me to heal, all I’d need to do is touch you briefly.” Hopefully that would be okay. Giving the other man a hesitant look, the summoner bit his lip. ”I can also heal any scars you might have. If you’d like.” It would be Peter’s choice: after accidentally erasing Amalia’s scars, Loren wasn’t going to do that without permission ever again. Still, the other man’s hands were heavily scarred, so the summoner wanted to at least make the offer.
Normally, Loren would’ve let the conversation about his love life drop. However, from the way the adopted Launceleyn was acting, Peter seemed to think he’d done something wrong. This topic wasn’t off-limits, though just awkward. Letting out a huff of laughter, the summoner gave the other man a gentle smile. ”No need to apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m just...not very good at opening myself up to others.” That was an understatement.
But Loren was trying to get better at it; in that spirit, he took a deep breath and steeled himself to tell the whole story. ”Well. I ah, kissed someone at the beginning of LongNight. And then after I burned down the Rathskellar I uh, well, I got a bit drunk with the people who’d been there with me, and one thing led to another, and ummmm we had a threesome.” His voice was practically coming out strangled with embarrassment. However, he wasn’t done yet. ”And then, uh, I stumbled across the guy I’d kissed and ah, we...we slept together.” Laying it all out like that made the summoner realize how bad it sounded and he flushed a furious crimson.
Thankfully, Peter was equally awkward as he spoke about his boyfriend, whose name was apparently Adam. It was enough to help Loren recover at least a little bit of his dignity. He coughed to clear his throat. ”Of course I’m interested. Why wouldn’t I be?” He went through his interactions with the adopted Launceleyn but couldn’t think of anything the summoner had said or done that would give the other man pause. ”I’d love to meet him. And I’m glad you two are happy together.” That's what it sounded like at least.
At the comment about Adam maybe having a few bones to pick with the Launceleyns, Loren’s eyebrows rose. ”Well. Hopefully I can show him, and you, that I have very little in common with Zariah and the rest of my relatives.” Even now, it seemed, the echoes of his cousin’s reign of terror were haunting the summoner, even after everything he’d done for the people of the Hollowed Grounds.
The mistake was easily corrected, and Loren grinned at Peter as they resumed planting. It was easy enough to keep blasting holes with his water magic. ”I used to be a farmer, so I know more than I ever wanted to know about planting.” Along with a lot of other things: it was why the summoner’s knowledge base was so eclectic. As the other man explained the world he’d came from, the summoner gave the adopted Launceleyn a gentle smile. ”I’m sorry. That sounds...desolate.” However, now that the door was open, Loren was going to see what he could find out about his sort-of kin. ”If you don’t mind me asking, what was your life like before you came to Caido?” It was always a fraught question, especially since the other man had clammed up about his past last time they’d spoken.
look at how a single candle can both
defy and define the darkness
defy and define the darkness
