and it's hard to dance with a devil on your back

Did they get you to trade
Your heroes for ghosts?

Loren said he did not want to speak, but he placed down his pack. That meant he probably intended to stay at least for a little, right...? Though the words that followed, more flat rejection...Sam found it hard to gauge just how genuine Loren's request to know about his week was. Still, he'd give an answer, if only in the hopes it'd encourage Loren to share his woes.

"Well, I...found Remi, in Torchline." He was aware Loren had history with the Alchemist, so he assumed he probably was up to date with the latest happenings in his life. "He was very cold to me. He's grieving, so I suppose there is a certain amount I could understand, but then he actually tried to kill me, after punching my face so much I was virtually unrecognisable." Sam sighed, touching his nose where the break had been. "...I was very glad I couldn't feel the pain."

He took a breath and looked to Loren, unsure if he should continue, but he had already begun and it wasn't clear just how awful a time he'd had until he included the next part. "When I got home, I discovered my boyfriend cheated on me. So I told him to leave my house...but now it feels so empty."

Samuel

Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?

Cold comfort for change?