LOREN
Yeah, it was a long list and Loren wasn’t sure he was any more comfortable with it than Peter was. One day he’d get used to having all that power at his fingertips (and he certainly didn’t mind using it). But that day was not today. Instead, the summoner just nodded at the adopted Launceleyn’s request for healing and to keep his scars. As the other man raised his hands, Loren raised his own.
However, Peter was trembling, and the summoner frowned. He recognized the signs from his own previous aversion to touch, and the last thing he wanted was to cause the other man more distress. Something deep within the summoner’s magic shifted, and a pulse of sky-blue light lifted from his fingertips and coursed over to the adopted Launceleyn’s hand; it crept up the other man’s arm and through his body before settling into the scratches Peter had described earlier. Loren’s eyes widened in shock. ”Huh. That’s new.” He gave the adopted Launceleyn a sheepish look. Guess the summoner didn’t need to touch to heal after all.
Yet another fun new ability to play with. He didn’t know what all these developments meant, not really, but he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Strangely enough, it was almost a relief to talk about sex and love rather than magic. Loren didn’t really want to unpack all the new abilities he was manifesting, not until he’d put a little distance between himself and LongNight. Time enough for stressful experimentation later. Maybe he didn’t have to talk about his dalliances, but increasingly the summoner found he wanted to. Bottling it all up was way harder than letting it out. At Peter’s tentative question about having fun, Loren let out a huff of laughter. ”I...I did.” No one was more surprised than him.
”Of course I want to hear about it. You’re family.” The words came out with a swift certainty. If Edy could see him now, she’d probably smack him. All she had wanted was for the summoner to feel a part of the Launceleyns. It was his tragedy that he hadn’t learned his lesson until after her death. As the other man continued to speak about why he was reluctant to bring up Adam, or bring the boyfriend around, Loren’s breath caught in his throat. Ah. The summoner kind of understood the problem.
Sighing, he ran a nervous hand through his hair. Apparently, he still had a lot of work to do on rehabilitating his image—something he would be the first to admit he wasn’t particularly good at or well-suited for—even though people told him he shouldn’t beat himself up for Zariah’s actions. ”With Rexanna.” That’s right, Loren had heard all about it. ”You can love whoever you want. Should be with the one you love.” He gave the adopted Launceleyn a gentle smile. ”All...all I want is for my friends, family, and loved ones to be healthy, safe, and happy.” It manifested in the worst possible way, sometimes, but it was the single driving force behind most of his words and actions. That and the need to be accepted.
Yeah yeah, the summoner had been a farmer. ”Ai was a farmer, a good one ai’ll hav’ ye know. Ai worked ta’ land wit’ the best o’ ‘em, oi did, mark me words.” Even after years, the accent fell easily from his lips; then again, he’d been a spy as well, trained to slip into and out of roles with ease. He didn’t draw upon either of those backgrounds often these days, but that didn’t mean they were forgotten. He flashed Peter a cheerful grin.
It slipped away as the adopted Launceleyn talked about his past. Seeing as Loren was focused on his magic, it took him a few strides to realize the other man wasn’t by his side. Backtracking, the summoner turned to look at Peter. Unfortunately, Loren didn’t catch all the nuances of what the adopted Launceleyn was trying to tell the summoner. However, he caught enough, and he could see how difficult it was for the other man to say even that much.
”I’m sorry you went through all that. And we don’t need to talk about it if it makes you uncomfortable.” Loren’s voice came out as low and soothing as he could make it. He paused, studying the other man's features. ”They’re not here. Those people, those men. I am though. Adam is. Rexanna is.” From what the summoner knew, all those people—and probably more that he didn’t know about—cared about Peter. ”You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.” The other man didn’t need to be afraid anymore.
However, setting off on a path not preordained or set by others was terrifying in its own right. Loren knew that feeling intimately, struggled with it every day. But he was walking down it, and it felt good.
However, Peter was trembling, and the summoner frowned. He recognized the signs from his own previous aversion to touch, and the last thing he wanted was to cause the other man more distress. Something deep within the summoner’s magic shifted, and a pulse of sky-blue light lifted from his fingertips and coursed over to the adopted Launceleyn’s hand; it crept up the other man’s arm and through his body before settling into the scratches Peter had described earlier. Loren’s eyes widened in shock. ”Huh. That’s new.” He gave the adopted Launceleyn a sheepish look. Guess the summoner didn’t need to touch to heal after all.
Yet another fun new ability to play with. He didn’t know what all these developments meant, not really, but he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Strangely enough, it was almost a relief to talk about sex and love rather than magic. Loren didn’t really want to unpack all the new abilities he was manifesting, not until he’d put a little distance between himself and LongNight. Time enough for stressful experimentation later. Maybe he didn’t have to talk about his dalliances, but increasingly the summoner found he wanted to. Bottling it all up was way harder than letting it out. At Peter’s tentative question about having fun, Loren let out a huff of laughter. ”I...I did.” No one was more surprised than him.
”Of course I want to hear about it. You’re family.” The words came out with a swift certainty. If Edy could see him now, she’d probably smack him. All she had wanted was for the summoner to feel a part of the Launceleyns. It was his tragedy that he hadn’t learned his lesson until after her death. As the other man continued to speak about why he was reluctant to bring up Adam, or bring the boyfriend around, Loren’s breath caught in his throat. Ah. The summoner kind of understood the problem.
Sighing, he ran a nervous hand through his hair. Apparently, he still had a lot of work to do on rehabilitating his image—something he would be the first to admit he wasn’t particularly good at or well-suited for—even though people told him he shouldn’t beat himself up for Zariah’s actions. ”With Rexanna.” That’s right, Loren had heard all about it. ”You can love whoever you want. Should be with the one you love.” He gave the adopted Launceleyn a gentle smile. ”All...all I want is for my friends, family, and loved ones to be healthy, safe, and happy.” It manifested in the worst possible way, sometimes, but it was the single driving force behind most of his words and actions. That and the need to be accepted.
Yeah yeah, the summoner had been a farmer. ”Ai was a farmer, a good one ai’ll hav’ ye know. Ai worked ta’ land wit’ the best o’ ‘em, oi did, mark me words.” Even after years, the accent fell easily from his lips; then again, he’d been a spy as well, trained to slip into and out of roles with ease. He didn’t draw upon either of those backgrounds often these days, but that didn’t mean they were forgotten. He flashed Peter a cheerful grin.
It slipped away as the adopted Launceleyn talked about his past. Seeing as Loren was focused on his magic, it took him a few strides to realize the other man wasn’t by his side. Backtracking, the summoner turned to look at Peter. Unfortunately, Loren didn’t catch all the nuances of what the adopted Launceleyn was trying to tell the summoner. However, he caught enough, and he could see how difficult it was for the other man to say even that much.
”I’m sorry you went through all that. And we don’t need to talk about it if it makes you uncomfortable.” Loren’s voice came out as low and soothing as he could make it. He paused, studying the other man's features. ”They’re not here. Those people, those men. I am though. Adam is. Rexanna is.” From what the summoner knew, all those people—and probably more that he didn’t know about—cared about Peter. ”You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.” The other man didn’t need to be afraid anymore.
However, setting off on a path not preordained or set by others was terrifying in its own right. Loren knew that feeling intimately, struggled with it every day. But he was walking down it, and it felt good.
look at how a single candle can both
defy and define the darkness
defy and define the darkness
