I'm gonna burn for you

Doomed boy, at war with his sense of duty, his sense of obligation, and a burning desire to not be the hypocrite his father was. Either of his fathers, both absent as they were. He’s his mother’s son, raised wild and strong by his mother’s calloused hands. Really, he has Sedna to thank for all of this. It’s his mother that weighs heavily on his mind and on his heart, though Fuji had returned with word that she was alright. She’s with Halo, they’re okay. Word enough to put his mind at ease, to make him feel less guilty about enjoying himself, living his life. Absolve him of his sins.

What are sins to a heathen, after all?

“As you are, to me.” The words are tender while they hang in the space between them for a moment, before he allows his stoic expression to break. Rakish grin splitting his dark lips, eyebrows wiggling, he can’t help himself. Indulging Ember in a game of chase, bounding after her on long legs. The girl is light and agile, quicker than he’d even pretend to be, but the bruiser is quick on her heels. She knows these halls far better, has the advantage, but Erik is determined to at least keep up.

Skidding through the open door, Erik feels his hind legs slipping– caught on one of the rugs in the hall. Sliding into Ember and pressing in for an unintentionally aggressive kiss, he’d take it as the gods smiling on him in the moment. That, or blame the booze. Either would do– no wait. Fuck it. He doesn’t need an excuse, he likes Ember and she likes him. That’s all he needs. If his paws would fucking cooperate, that is. Regaining his balance and pulling back to kiss the middle of her forehead, before making himself comfortable in the space.

While Erik still felt largely out of place in this environment, finding it all too grand, he’s too wrapped up in Ember to be intimidated. In an easy, fluid movement, he climbs up onto her bed. Allowing his long legs to splay before him, marveling at how soft it is. Watching as she crosses to latch the door, knowing that he needs to keep their activities relatively quiet with the proximity of basically the entire family. “How th’hell do you get any privacy ‘n this house, everyone bein’ so close?” The light catching in his brilliant gaze, letting it linger long on Ember as she moved. He’d make no secret of the way he looked at her.

“Commere,” he speaks gently, beckoning her closer, beginning to gently unwind the intricate braids. Erik would take the request seriously, his touch as tender but loaded. Leaning from his perch on the bed to snag a brush from her bedside table, settling back to carefully detangle Ember’s silken fur. Every touch lingering, Erik takes more time than he needs to. “Th’skjaldmær look suits you,” The smile on his face bleeds into his tone, the last of the braids falling away. A careful pile of the adornments that had been woven into them sat beside him on the bed, beads threaded carefully into chain so nothing would get tangled or lost. Running the brush through her fur, likely far longer than he needs to, there’s something therapeutic about it.

Finally considering it a job well done, he sets the brush aside and leans forward to press a kiss to the side of her neck. “Your people do know how to party,” a breathy chuckle, wine still thick on his breath, words pressed close to her ear. Erik lingers for a beat, before stretching out comfortably on the bed. Reaching to pull the girl closer– make himself at home? Don’t mind if he does.


"Speech"