Love mends even the broken parts
As Maea apologized, Loren forced himself to lower his gaze. To look directly at her. To sigh, and lay a gentle hand on her knee. "It's alright. Not your fault, and you don't need to apologize." Despite the tears still streaming down his cheeks, and the quiet tone to his voice, he did his best to reassure her that she shouldn't feel bad about any of this.
Giving her knee a gentle squeeze, he even tried to muster up a smile. It was weak, and didn't reach his eyes, but it was there. "I...at least I don't blame myself for any of it anymore." Sighing, he stroked Astra with his free hand, hoping to alleviate the worry he could see in the luxere's eyes. "It's just, well. It made it hard for me to...be open."
Giving her knee a gentle squeeze, he even tried to muster up a smile. It was weak, and didn't reach his eyes, but it was there. "I...at least I don't blame myself for any of it anymore." Sighing, he stroked Astra with his free hand, hoping to alleviate the worry he could see in the luxere's eyes. "It's just, well. It made it hard for me to...be open."
loren