[SWE] The Festival of Lights

Loren almost hadn’t gone. He wasn’t a people person, and he didn’t like large groups—the probability something would go wrong seemed exponentially higher the more individuals were added to the mix—so there wasn’t really anything that would’ve brought him out to this party even under normal circumstances. Beyond that, his circumstances were anything but normal. He’d been avoiding his family like the plague ever since he’d broken with them. Edy, at least, would be in the thick of things at this, no doubt being her usually carefree and reckless and destructive self. But as he’d been sitting in the Atheneum, once again making an effort to figure out where the books had come from and what it actually possessed, he’d come to the realization that if he stayed away because of the Launceleyns, he’d be letting them win. And not once in his life had Loren ever allowed his family to beat him. So instead, he’d steeled his spine and marched out to where the lanterns were flying. He didn’t really know what to expect, but the array of lanterns was dazzling and frankly a bit disorienting. They made a patchwork of light and shadow that made it difficult to see anyone, made him think there were people and things were there weren't’, and made everyone’s form indistinct. In short, he basically hated all of this, but hopefully his eyes would adjust. Craning his head, Loren hoped to spot Remi—unknowing that his lover had fainted—but failed. He did, however, see Edy, and immediately ducked his head and walked in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, he was so focused on getting away from his relative that he nearly bowled someone over. "Oh! Sorry miss, I didn't see you there." His cheeks burned as he stumbled backwards, away from Asavvi. Unsurprisingly, he'd made a fool of himself, but it was hardly the first time and he really didn't care about a stranger's opinion of him. LOREN Not quite an open book