Love mends even the broken parts
Letting out a huff of laughter at Hotaru's inquiry, Loren shook his head. "Hardly." Expression amused, he shrugged. "My father was, though, as was my stepmother, and they refused to part with their family. So off we went." There was a wry tone to his voice.
As the conversation moved on to home, or more accurately, the lack of it, he paused, sensing how important it was to her. And to him, of course. Hesitating, expression thoughtful and distant, he finally shook his head. "Not yet. Maybe not ever."
Taking a deep breath, he gave her an inscrutable look. "But I'm trying harder here than I ever did in the Hollowed Ground. Maybe this time it will stick." His voice was firm on that point, and something stubborn flickered in his eyes and appeared in the way his jaw feathered with tension.
Smirking at the promise in her gaze, he simply led her on to the next stop on their impromptu and admittedly enjoyable tour. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't preening a bit, both from her attention and because he had the chance to show Halo off a bit.
Finally stopping at an unassuming set of double doors, he pushed them open, revealing the small and enclosed courtyard that held their newly refurbished training grounds. "Our renovated training grounds. I made the practice dummies myself." Grinning, he pointed at them. Then he gestured for her to take her time in examining the space.
As the conversation moved on to home, or more accurately, the lack of it, he paused, sensing how important it was to her. And to him, of course. Hesitating, expression thoughtful and distant, he finally shook his head. "Not yet. Maybe not ever."
Taking a deep breath, he gave her an inscrutable look. "But I'm trying harder here than I ever did in the Hollowed Ground. Maybe this time it will stick." His voice was firm on that point, and something stubborn flickered in his eyes and appeared in the way his jaw feathered with tension.
Smirking at the promise in her gaze, he simply led her on to the next stop on their impromptu and admittedly enjoyable tour. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't preening a bit, both from her attention and because he had the chance to show Halo off a bit.
Finally stopping at an unassuming set of double doors, he pushed them open, revealing the small and enclosed courtyard that held their newly refurbished training grounds. "Our renovated training grounds. I made the practice dummies myself." Grinning, he pointed at them. Then he gestured for her to take her time in examining the space.
loren
