𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝘼𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 | 𝙋𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙊𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙖

xiii. Will She End Her Days With Me?

A few months later...

Gustave went up to his father's study, holding Phantom in his arm as he knocked on the door. "Papa, what are you doing?"

"I'm just finishing up some work, but you can come in," Erik replied.

"Okay," Gustave smiled, stepping into the room and shutting the door behind him. "That's not a house design."

"No, it's not," Erik said as he closed the little box he was holding and set it on his desk. "Still something I have to work on, though."

"What is it?" Gustave asked with great interest.

"Take a look if you'd like. Just be very careful, please."

Gustave stepped over and set the kitten down before opening the black velvet box. "It's a ring."

"It is a ring, yes," Erik replied, smirking as he watched Gustave try to piece the situation together.

"Are you going to propose?!" Gustave asked a bit too loudly, a wide smile across his face.

"Shh, Gustave!" Erik said as he threw his hand over his son's mouth. "Keep your voice down!"

"Sorry," Gustave whispered. "Are you?"

"I am, yes." Erik couldn't help but grin when he said it out loud. "I'm going to ask Charlotte to marry me."

Gustave grinned. "Really?!"

"Yes, really. I'm not exactly sure when or...or how, but I know I want to," Erik said with a sigh

"What about tomorrow night? She had the art show all day tomorrow so she won't be home," Gustave smiled. "I could help you."

"That's...not all that much time. I don't know if I can do it so soon," Erik stuttered, taking the box back from Gustave and looking at the ring inside.

"Are you nervous she won't say yes?" Gustave frowned.

"A little bit," Erik said softly.
"Of course she will, Papa. She loves you," Gustave nodded.

"I know she does. I'm just nervous."

Phantom hopped up onto Erik's lap and stared at him intently, making Gustave giggle. "I think he's wondering why you're nervous."

Erik smirked and rubbed the cat's head, looking back to his son. "I've never done this before. I'm just afraid I'll say something wrong and mess it all up, and she'll say no, and it'll end there. Like with your mother," he explained.

"I'm sure it won't end like that," Gustave smiled. "She loves you an awful lot."

"I'd like to hope so, yes."

"She's told me so herself."

Erik smiled. "Well, she does tell me that quite a bit too," he said. "I know I'm worrying too much, but I do that about everything."

Gustave nodded. "Charlotte says that a lot too."

"What do I say a lot?" Charlotte asked from the doorway.

"That I worry too much!" Erik said, quickly tucking the box into his suit jacket's pocket. 

"Apparently, you tell my son that as much as you tell me."

"Yes, I do," Charlotte giggled. "Lunch is ready, by the way."

"Perfect. Thank you, love."

"You're welcome," she smiled. "Are you okay? You seem tense."

"I'm fine," Erik said, standing up to give her a quick kiss.