Chapter Text
Charles awoke to the sound of Erik singing in the shower. It was extremely loud and wildly off-key. It sounded like the mating call of something that had gone extinct millennia ago, probably because its mating call was too mortifying to utter under most conditions.
Charles still thought it was -- cute wasn't the word. Somewhere between tolerable and actively amusing.
"Morning," he shouted.
The shower stopped and he heard Erik toweling off, whistling. "Morning," Erik said. He stuck his head out of the bathroom. "What are you up to this weekend, dear?"
"Nothing I'm aware of. Hiding from the florist."
Erik nodded sympathetically. "Well, it's my fifteenth reunion, apparently."
Charles grinned. "Are those a thing?"
"Apparently."
"I'd be honored," Charles said.
"If you think they're too awful I promise we'll leave."
"It can't be worse than meeting your grandmother."
"Few things are."
"I think I'm growing on her." Charles grinned. "Like that green fungal stuff that grows on bread."
"That's probably how she'd describe it." Erik stood a moment, toweling his hair off, pondering. "She only believes in fiances with two e's. But she did send me a newspaper clipping the other day with you in it, and she'd only crossed out two things in red pen. And I think she's stopped sending me the reports of debutantes."
"You see? Progress."
"My mother loves you." Erik grinned and tossed the towel at him. "She may prefer you, in fact. The other day she called the apartment and I answered and she said, 'Oh, hello, Erik, nice to hear your voice, is Charles there? Could you put me on with him?'"
"You didn't tell me that," Charles said, tossing the towel back. "Sorry about that. I can sow discord, if you'd like."
"I think it's funny."
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure. I want her to love you. Everyone ought to. I do." Erik hung the towel up and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Come here."
Charles climbed over and kissed him. "I do too."
"Love yourself?"
"Love you. Idiot."
"Good." Erik stood back up and started getting dressed. "Also I don't know how to tell you this but the caterer seems to have left eight messages."
"Good Lord."
"I don't know what about. I'm terrified."
"Perhaps we could delete all of them and just have pizza at the reception?"
"That's starting to sound like the best plan."
"If I have to audition one more canape I'm going to shoot something."
"We should have known from the fact that he referred to it as 'auditioning canapes' that he was not the one to hire."
"He seemed passionate," Charles said. He climbed over to the nightstand and found Erik's phone. "I'll listen to them if you want."
"You're a mind-reader."
Charles settled down on one elbow. "If the florist calls you're handling her."
Erik turned and grinned, buttoning his shirt. "What sort of fiance do you think I am?"
Charles deleted a message whose first words had been, "I awoke at 3:04 AM with an inspiration about the crab dip" and grinned at him. "I love you."
"Let's keep reminding ourselves of that as this thing approaches."
"If nothing else the reunion will get us out of everyone's way," Charles noted, deleting a third message. "These things, they say, are about everyone else anyway."
"As long as they don't put up any ice sculptures in our absence."
"That's Raven's entire role in the wedding," Charles said. "Maid of honor, and preventing ice sculptures."
Charles deleted another message ("I am besotted with the potential of quail and melon"). "You know I wouldn't do this for anyone else," he said.
"Do what? Marry me?" Erik asked. "I'd hope not, Charles."
Charles got up, deleting a fourth message, and slipped his arms around Erik as Erik finished tugging on his pants. "You know what I mean."
"I know," Erik said, and kissed him.