can't look in on one way eyes

He shifted his weight, waiting for the girl to appear. It's true, he's been wrapped up in family business. Hell, even the last time they'd been to the Hallows, Erik hadn't been able to spend time with her. Keeping his father stable, keeping the man on a short leash, making sure that he didn't do anything too out of pocket. Is it his job? The bastard prince actually... yeah, he assumed it was now.

After a few moments of sweating, a few moments of worrying she didn't want to see him, Ember comes to meet him. She'd filled out in all the right places-- hey, him too. A rakish grin washes over his rough features, tail twitching at his haunches. Erik has the good graces to at least look sheepish about having left her for so long. "Family's kept me busy, y'know how they are." His tone is gentle, near wistful. Between his mother's departure and his father's requests, the last six months had been a lot.

"I brought y'something that might make up for it?" Tilting the satchel slung across his chest to reveal the top of a bottle of sake, a little smile playing across his lips. "'m movin' north, Em." Tone a bit quieter, a bit more somber. He'd grown up significantly in the time they'd been apart, even if he didn't want to admit it. Taking a step toward her, testing the waters. Hopeful, but he won't press.

"Erik"