I'm gonna burn for you

What he had considered was doing "okay" was actually highly impressive to Ember. Erik had stepped up to help raise his half-siblings after Tenshi died and he continued to hold a prominent place in his pack. To any girl, these would have all been major green flags, and Em saw Erik in a special kind of light. Devoted, supportive, compassionate—paternal, even. It made butterflies rise in her belly watching him care for the pups with Henbane. The reasons why were lost on her, maybe it was because he was very cute like this, or maybe it's because she's also a little hazy from the night's events, but those other thoughts would be getting too far ahead of herself.

Halfway up the stairs, Em felt the playful nip and tug of teeth on her braided tail, earning him a yip of surprise and a teasing leer back at him, flicking her tail at his nose again. "You’re gonna get to play with my tail in a minute, silly boy. And you are important to me," she replied with the same earnestly in her voice. She chided him in jest, but really Em loved to see Erik in his natural, playful, raw self. It was a side of him she’d only gotten to see when they were alone. He made her feel special knowing how few wolves ever got to see the real Erik like she knew him. Talk about feeling important!

Ember looked back at Erik with a bold grin and flicked her tail at him again, brushing his chin and nose with her silky fur. "You wanna unbraid my tail, Erik?" Em’s words spoken with a lyrical tone to them, tempting him, before giggling and adding, "Better keep up then!" And then Ember was off, prancing down the corridor towards her room, leading Erik on a play chase. Every so often she would glance back to see how close he was to catching her, her long legs making short work of the path to her bedroom with her runic necklace bouncing against her chest. She leaned against the bedroom door and when Erik got close, she pushed it open and stepped inside, inviting her Viking man in with a quick kiss to his lips and sultry bedroom eyes.

Ember’s room was still very much the way she’d left it—a unique blend of passions, like perfumes and fur oils on the same desk as designs for weapons and steel samples. Her canopy bed had been made up with fresh linens and fluffed pillows. Her balcony door was opened to allow a coastal breeze to waft in and cool the bedroom from the summer heat. "Make yourself at home." Ember quietly closed the door behind them, sliding the latch into place to ensure their privacy. Now it was just the two of them alone for the first time tonight. The candles in sconces keeping the room lit a dim orange light. It made Erik’s eyes and crystals seem to blaze with a fiery life all the more prominently, captivating, alluring.

Sauntering slowly over to him with a gentle sway to her hips, Em looked up at Erik’s ruggedly handsome face with an affectionate smile, just happy to be with him and have him in her room again. "Would you like to help me unbraid my tail now, Erik?" Em turned her rump towards Erik, offering him her tail braided up in his family’s style. Sure, she could’ve done it herself, but it was much more fun to have him help her.

"Ember & Erik"