[Rem]

Eric was quiet a moment, appraising Mikey with an unreadable expression, then grinned. "Nah," he said with a shrug. "You just ain't got anything to prove." He reached out and tussled his hair with something not unlike affection. "One of the things I like about ya." He turned, then stopped before the door, lips pursed and held up a finger. "Hold on." His head turned back to Mikey and he looked him over a moment. "Something's missing. Wait here." He headed back to the store, disappearing into it's recesses, near some shelves on the back wall, perusing them briefly before moving over to the cashier. He was back only moments later, having purchased whatever it was he'd selected. "Turn around." It was obvious he wasn't moving on until Michael obeyed his command, and he waited for him to do so. He then slipped something around his neck -- reflected in the mirror on the shop door, it was a delicate silver chain, on which hung a crimson-red ruby, nearly the same rich hue as Eric's hair -- and fastened it, his fingers brushing over Mikey's collarbone as he moved the stone to hang perfect and straight. "There..." Smiling, he leaned over the boy's shoulder, his hands on his shoulders, and whispered in his ear, so close his lips brushed his skin. "Now it's perfect." A collar might have been more expected, but this was more...appropriate, he felt. He straightened and pushed open the door, walking past Mikey out into the night. "Come on, it's not far from here." He smirked. "You think you can walk okay or do you need my arm, princess?"