"You know what I meant." Giving her a glare, which is ruined by trying to hide the smile as his lips curl up, looking her over. In truth, he isn't sure that he might ever see her again, and now she's standing here outside the Academy. "I stripped off all my leather and buckles and knives," he points out, waving a hand down the length of himself as if to prove it. "All to come meet you," he adds, shaking his head as he comes down the lane towards her.

"I've definitely been looking forward to seeing you. I took off some five pounds of steel to come meet you. What does that tell you?"

Grinning at that as he snorts, glancing back at the place. "Yeah well, that's me? I guess? Damned if I know. The old man died," he says, making a face. That's a way to word it. "And so I guess it's ours. I don't think any of us asked."

And now he knows he's going to, though who to ask? Mom might have a clue.

"Well you surprised me." It takes him a moment and he remembers his manners. "Come on. Before we're seen and then I have to do introductions. Or well, I guess you know who they all are."