5A/N This continues the storyline from my 2018 and 2020 Advent phics, "Evergreen" and "Silver & Gold". Again, it is not necessary to read those, but there are mentions, so it might help if you want a full picture of the overarching themes and stories. Thanks for reading and enjoy!
Happy Holidays!
"Come along, Gustave. This is no time to dawdle. Your mother is expecting us in an hour and I have no wish to stir her ire."
"Sorry, Papa," the boy's answer came in a breathless exclamation as he puffed to the masked man's side. "I was just admiring those lights across the way. They're so sparkly!"
"And we have plenty of sparkling lights at home, my boy, no thanks to the massive tree you were so insistent upon," Erik grumbled, pulling the brim of his fedora low and hoisting the bag of gifts higher on his lanky shoulder, the result of a father-son outing that Christine had insisted would be the perfect opportunity to feed the bond. Heavens knew he loved that woman more than life, but ever since he had slipped that ring on her finger a week ago, her…ideas were driving him further and further out of the comfortable solace he had built over the last decade.
"You've had a son for ten years, Erik, and been a father for less than six months. Despite what you may believe, our engagement does not magically transform you into the perfect paternal specimen. You need to build a relationship with your son.
He had sputtered in protest. "But…but the entire tree escapade!"
"Was a wonderful start," she soothed with a smile, her diamond winking up at him in the candlelight as she placed a loving hand against his cheek. "But more is required….most of all, time." Glancing up at him from beneath dark lashes. "The effort is what counts the most, my love. He appreciates that more than you realize."
Releasing a sigh, he folded her into his arms. "As always, you are correct ange." The porcelain shifted against her curls as he blew out another breath. "What else did you have in mind?"
When she pulled back, her smile was positively conspiratorial. "Well, Christmas is a mere week away and while I am long finished with my gift shopping, something tells me you and Gustave have not even begun."
His gaze dropped pointedly to her hand. "You are not satisfied with that?"
Her eyes lifted with her shoulder in a half-shrug. "I prefer to think of our engagement as an extra holiday blessing?"
Anxiety spiked in his gemstone eyes. "And the people..."
"Yes, I suppose there is that.." she conceded, glancing up at him. "Perhaps you could go today? It is nearly closing time and the crowds are sure to have thinned…"
"Christine…"
"Erik, you must learn how to exist in public, at least somewhat. You cannot be a fragment beyond the mirror for the rest of your days"
"It has served me very well thus far."
"Thus far, you have been completely alone," she shot back, the words softening so as only to bruise, not batter. "You are to be a husband and you are already a father. I want us to be able to spend time together in the world Erik, as a family should." The corners of her lips tipped up in a hint of a smile. "Did you not even tell me as much all those years ago? 'I want a wife to walk with on Sundays'."
Already he could feel his resolve crumbling under her pretty words and idyllic fantasies turned real. "You know I want nothing more."
"Good." Her smile grew bright as she smoothed her hands down his back, knotting them at his waist. "Then take Gustave out shopping. Please, darling? It would mean so much to him."
He chuckled despite himself, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "You know I can deny you nothing, Christine. Have it your way, then. I shall accompany our son, briefly, to complete his- our-," he amended at her lifted brow, "Christmas shopping." The words tasted foreign on his tongue, but not altogether unpleasant, made sweeter by the radiant smile earned from his fiancee's lips.
"Is that everything?" Gustave's voice called him back to the present.
"Hmm? Oh, yes. Unless there is something else that you need?"
The boy shrugged. "I've been to every store you sent me to." His brow furrowed, "Are the horses all right? When you insisted on staying with them once we got here, I used the extra change you gave me to buy some apples."
"Well..they..seem to be just fine." Erik stammered, averting his eyes as the boy offered the fruit to one of the carriage horses, who eagerly chomped it down. "One can never be too careful, you know."
"I'm just glad they're okay." Gustave murmured, stroking Ceasar's velvet muzzle. He had instantly taken to Erik's prize horse, named for his old friend in Paris. The feelings were highly mutual, given Cesar's delighted chuff, nosing the boy's pockets for further treats.
"Let us be off then," Erik worked the reins, preparing to climb into the driver's seat when something caught his attention across the square. He watched in silent observation, hat down, chin tilted, as the wares were displayed and demonstrated in a most satisfying manner, brow furrowing as his lips shifted into a thoughtful frown. Intriguing idea, that…
"...Gustave…"
"Hmm?" Matching eyes swung to his as Gustave shifted his attention from the horse to his father. "Have we forgotten something?"
"Very nearly," Erik answered, reaching a hand into his cloak and withdrawing a small sack of coin. "Do you see that vender across the way?" At the boy's nod, the masked man dropped the bag into his hands. "Run over there and purchase every item he has."
Gustave's eyes widened as the weight of the money settled in his small hands. "All of them?"
Erik gave a slow nod, lips tipping up as a brilliant plan took shape in his mind. "Every last one."
Spindly hands greeted Christine as she stepped through the door to Erik's home upon returning from tea with Ms. Fleck and some of the other performers she had befriended since arriving at Phantasma. A brief squeak of surprise escaped her lips before it was effectively smothered by another pair. Recognition dawned instantly and she gave in with a sigh as her arms raised to encircle boney shoulders.
She allowed herself to be kissed once, twice…a fourth time before stepping back and grinning up into the face of her captor. "If this is how I stand to be greeted upon coming home, perhaps I should leave that much more."
Erik gazed down at her, a hint of a smirk playing over his mouth. "I am simply following tradition."
Her perplexed expression lasted only a moment as she followed his glance upward. "Mistletoe! How festive. Well done, my darling." She stepped around him, fingers working the buttons on coat. "How was your outing with Gustave."
He shrugged, "Well enough, I suppose." Assisting her out of the heavy wool, he set it aside before taking a seat on the settee. "I do believe it would be fair to say that all holiday purchases have now been made."
"Excellent," Christine remarked, moving toward the kitchen. "I think a cup of tea sounds lovely, don't you? Have you seen Mary? No bother, I am perfectly capable of brewing one for myself."
"Ah….Christine…" Erik sprang to his feet, following her steps. "That's not necessary."
"Erik, really," she admonished, turning to him with an exasperated sigh. "I was not always a Vicometess with servants at my beck and call."
"I'm fully aware," he countered, taking a step closer, then another and another until she was backed against the doorframe. "In any event, I gave the staff the evening off. Gustave is spending the night with Gangle and Squelch, and you and I…well" His smirk returned as his eyes darkened, roved over her face. "We have a few holiday traditions of our own to catch up on."
Head bent, he leaned closer, but one touch of a delicate hand to his chest prevented the promise of a kiss fulfilled. Christine glanced up, then slightly down to catch his eye. "Mistletoe again? I appreciate the thought, Erik, but isn't one in the foyer enough?" Her gaze tracked beyond him then, noticing the pattern that had gone unseen before. "Erik…what did you do?"
Not giving him a chance to answer, she ducked beneath his arms and took off down the hallway, stopping every so often to examine her surroundings. A trip up the stairs followed, with stops to inspect every eave, every doorway. "Erik!" she called, speechless when he finally appeared at the top of the stairs. "What in God's name have you done?
He glanced away, guilt coloring his exposed features. "I simply thought it might be festive?"
"F-festive?" she stammered, turning in a circle, arms akimbo while visually combing every exposed beam and door. ``It's…mistletoe….and it's everywhere! What could have possibly possessed you?"
He withered slightly under her exasperation, shifting from one foot to the other like Gustave did when he sought trouble. "I do apologize, Christine. It seems I may have been a bit…hasty in my assumptions."
"But..why?" she finished weakly, arms falling to her sides.
Her fiance was quiet for a moment before admitting, "I suppose I simply wanted every opportunity to kiss the woman I love under it. I spent so many years watching others have their chance at the opera and now that I have someone who loves me..well, let us just say it seemed foolish of me to waste the opportunity."
"Oh, Erik…" A watery smile manifested before fading into astonishment. "But….every room?"
"Yes, well…" He ascended the top step with a deep swallow. "I admit I may have gone a touch overboard."
"Ever the romantic, my Erik," Christine mused as came closer, taking his hands. "Where did you even find so much mistletoe in the first place?"
"Easily enough," he supplied, twining long fingers through hers, drawing her near. "Gustave and I happened upon some in the market today and I suppose you could say I was inspired." His chin tipped up as he reasoned, "and this is not even all we have."
Christine blinked up at him. "There's more mistletoe?"
"Quite a bit, actually," he stated, his tone so matter-of-fact that she was not sure whether to laugh or cry. "I had the boy purchase every piece he had."
A bark of laughter escaped the soprano as she settled her head against the phantom's chest."I…don't even know how to respond to that statement," she chuckled into his waistcoat. "Nor do i want to."
She felt his rumble of amusement as the next words echoed through to her. "So I suppose our evening will be spent undoing my holiday faux pas then?"
WIth a sigh, she lifted her head to face him, meeting his expectant gaze as an idea of her own took shape. "Soon enough. But first, come with me." Seizing his hand in a burst of motion, she swept past him, nearly dragging him down the stairs.
"I see," Suspicion colored his tone as she brought them to a halt before the entry, under the very mistletoe that had started this wholly strange affair. "And what are we doing here?"
"We can't very well let it go to waste, now can we?" she reasoned, reaching up to wrap arms around lanky shoulders, drawing his head down to press a quick, potent kiss to his lips. Taking his hand again, she led them to the living room where another bulb hung, reaching up on toes again for another pass of lips, though this time, he reflexively tilted his head down for easier access.
It continued to the kitchen- another kiss, slightly longer, a bit deeper.
The parlor- longer still and with a hint of fire.
The music room - an overture of breath and heat and bodies pressed together against the doorframe.
The library, adding the caress of hungry fingertips, pushing silk aside, finding tastes of skin beneath.
The study, the dining room, the hall, the sunroom, around the corner and up the stairs again - on and on and on again until Chrisitne pulled them, breathless and smiling to the door of her bedroom.
Erik stopped, the unspoken question laying this between them.
She stared up at him with luminous eyes, fading a bit when she sensed his hesitation. She knew they both looked a bit worse for wear- his hair tousled and his cravat was gone (lost somewhere in the hall, if memory served her right). Her day dress hung a bit loose off one shoulder and her chignon boasted a few less pins, but somehow it seemed inevitable that they were hurtling to this moment, ten years in the making, and she would be damned if she let it slip through their fingers.
Forcing the brightness back to her face, she glanced up at Erik, who still waited by the doorway. "DId you say Gustave is with Dr. Gangle and Mr Squelch for the night?"
He started, clearing his throat as his eyes averted as he scrambled forward. "Yes…but Christine, please believe me, I never assumed tonight would go this far-"
"Erik." She stopped with his name, a loving hand to his forearm. "I know." she said, simply, sliding her fingers down his arm to join with his. "I know."
He flashed a half-smile at her, an apology and a question all in one. "I also know," she continued, "that I no longer wish to sleep alone."
He drew back, drew away. Too much, too fast. "Christine…"
"We known each other before Erik," she whispered, tracing her fingers over his. "You asked me last week to stay and I accepted. Tonight," Her brown eyes flicked up to his then, calm depths to panicked oceans. "I am asking the same thing of you."
She watched as his eyes fell closed at her request, could almost see that brilliant mind of his processing the situation, computing for an answer that would leave both of them satisfied.
"Yes," he whispered back, giving the only response that would. "Christine, if you are absolutely sure…"
"I've never been more certain," she responded, kissing him again, coaxing his lips open to her, for her, drinking deeply of the spicy sweetness that only he could give.
She drew away, keeping his hand tightly encased in hers and nodded up at the bulb hanging overhead. "Oh, and Erik? Do bring that, will you?"
He glanced up, but retrieved it and handed it over. "What are you going to do with it?"
Her smile was positively wicked. "I have a few ideas." She kissed him then, wiping the confusion away in the most delightful way before pulling him inside and toeing the door closed behind them.
Sort of a humorous aside: The title was crafted upon attempting to keep with the theme of "color" but related to Christmas. if you don't know, "Bough" and "Blackthorn" are both synonyms for mistletoe, so it's basically just "Mistletoe of Mistletoe." Truly original, I know... XD
Thank you for reading and please leave a comment if you feel so inspired. It truly means the world! Happy Holidays!