Chapter 132: Visit Your parents

The air beyond Daniel’s table felt different, lighter, though still buzzing with the aftermath of laughter, ale, and music. The festival stretched on in glowing loops of light and song, lanterns hanging from ropes like captured stars.

Ronan slowed his pace as they moved away from the center of the festival. He looked between Orion and Sophia, both of them quiet, their faces brushed by lanternlight, their expressions almost soft. Orion still had color in his cheeks, the aftertaste of ale and Daniel’s praise lingering like a bruise he didn’t know what to do with.

"Have you seen your parents?" Ronan asked, his tone casual, though the question carried a weight that made Orion pause mid-step.

Orion blinked, his expression turning thoughtful, then faintly regretful. "No," he said, shaking his head. "Not yet."

Ronan gave a small hum that was neither disappointment nor approval...just understanding. "Then go. They’ll want to see you tonight. You never visit them and since you’re here...why not? Let them know you’re okay and that your best friend is taking care of you."

Orion glanced away, the lanternlight catching the slight furrow between his brows. "It’s been a long day, Ronan. I don’t want to..."

"To what?" Ronan interrupted softly.

"I..."

"Remember you can’t lie, brother." Ronan told Orion with a small smile.

"Fine. I just don’t want to see them. I mean...I’ve always..."

"...felt their deaths were your fault." Ronan supplied for him. "But they are not. Visit them, Orion. I’m sure they’ll want to hear from you especially in the day they died so they know you are doing better."

The words hit harder than they were meant to. Orion was just now exploring a festival that he had started and he wasn’t sure he still had the courage to face his parents grave. He couldn’t lie to Ronan also. Sophia who had been listening to their conversation turned to Ronan.

"I’ll make sure he goes," she said finally, her voice gentle but firm. "You have my word."

Ronan’s mouth curved into a faint, tired smile. "Make sure you do that. If you can convince him to attend the festival then you can convince him to visit them." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

That earned him a small glare from Orion, but it lacked heat.

"Don’t glare at me brother, that’s not going to do anything." Ronan said with a laugh. "Well, this is where I say goodnight."

Sophia frowned slightly. "Goodnight? You’re leaving the festival already?"

"I’ve got things to do tomorrow," he said lightly, waving a dismissive hand. "And we leave first thing in the morning."

Ronan was going to the forest of Nirvana to see if they could identify the reason for so many Skylur sightings recently.

"You are really retiring just like that?" Orion asked him.

Ronan chuckled at the shock in his words. "I know how weird it is for something like that to happen okay? But I am."

"No flings? What about your numerous partners? You are just going to go without seeing anyone?" Orion asked him.

Ronan laughed. Truthfully, he was getting tired of the flings. He wished to have something like Brynhild and Lysander did and even Tobias and Sam even if their relationship was complicated. And from what he was seeing, Sophia and Orion belonged together. The nating mark wasn’t present yet but it was obvious with hiw they gravitated towards each other. There was a spark there. One that he was sure would light up with time.

"I’m taking a break from sleeping around." Ronan told him truthfully.

"Really?" Orion asked him like he could not believe his ears.

"Fuck you brother, you behave like you don’t know I’m not lying." Ronan said to him.

"That’s because it’s extremely rare for you to do so. Is something the matter? Did something happen?" Orion asked him.

"Nothing happened. And nothing is the matter. I feel like taking a break. At some point, meaningless hookups loose their appeal. I’m at that stage." Ronan said with an exagerrated shake of his head.

Orion stared at his friend like he was gazing at a stranger. Before he could speak up again, Ronan gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"No need to get so worked up over me. We will see each other tomorrow and besides, this shouldn’t be shocking to you at all." Ronan told him. "I did tell you that I was getting tired of it."

"Yeah, but I thought it was a joke." Orion told him.

"Yeah...it wasn’t a joke." Ronan told them. "Anyways, I’ll see you guys later. I need to go clean my eyes. I saw Eldric and his mate hooking up again a corner and that wasn’t a nice sight. I think we should start putting up signs to ensure those people cover up their junks when they are alone. How they are always horny...I wouldn’t know."

"And Eldric missed the elders meeting. He’s been avoiding me." Orion said with an eye roll.

"That’s because he knows what he did. Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow. And Sophia," Ronan called to her.

"Yes?"

"Please ensure that my idiot friend enjoys the festival. I’m sure he’ll make an excuse at some point to get away from here but ensure that he doesn’t. He should spend every moment of tonight here and he should visit at least half of all the stalls." Ronan said to her.

Sophia gave him a from look as she saluted. "Yes, captain."

Ronan chuckled as he waved at them, moving in the direction of his home.

"That reminds me, we need to go catch some moonfins. You promised that we would see them at night." Sophia told Orion as she took his hand in hers.

Lie.

"Sophia, that was a terrible lie." Orion groaned at her.

"Well...maybe I lied about you promising but I planned on going back to the stall when the festival began. And we are going there together." She told him with a smile.

There was only one reason why Orion was still willingly participating in the festival and it all had to do with the woman dragging him behind her.