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"Erina, darling," Robert interrupted the comfortable silence in the den, setting down the glass of after-dinner wine he had hardly touched, his eyes fixed on where the fireplace reflected on the fine crystal.
It had been too long since they’d had a moment like this. Calm, peaceful, familiar. The world moved too fast these days, but the den in the Joestar manor was a place where all else was shut out. Robert would be away for months sometimes on business in America, and elsewhere abroad. It was only better when his dearest friend held the seat beside him.
Erina Joestar, the wife of his late beloved. Or rather, widow. They bonded deeply over their shared lost love. It was many years after his death that Robert had admitted it to her, a sobbing mess in this very room. She took it gracefully, and held him with all the kindness and softness in the world.
"I understand why you'd fall in love with him," She'd said. Robert, in that moment understood why Jonathan would have loved someone like her, too. They had the same type of kindness in them. The same type of love.
"Yes, Robert?" Erina turned the page of her book, not looking up from it.
On second thought, he picked the glass of wine up again and took a deep gulp. They didn't call it liquid courage for nothing, did they? It was silly how nervous he was over a single question.
When he didn’t respond after a moment, Erina finally lowered her book to her lap, thumb marking her place between the pages, "What is it, dear?"
Robert swallowed audibly.
"There's… something I've been meaning to ask you. Or, suggest, perhaps," His eyes stayed on the glass, and he felt the warmth if the fire suddenly intensified on his face. "A discussion, I suppose…"
Erina slid her bookmark into her book, setting it on the small table between them, and took off her reading glasses. He had her full attention.
With all of the willpower in his body, he met her gaze. It wasn’t something he could say so casually without even looking her in the face. His heart bumped and thumped in his chest, practically vibrating his whole body.
“Well, It’s, er,” He faked a cough, clearing his throat, “Joseph turned four years old already last month,” He started, and Erina patiently waited for him to continue.
“It’s– I’ve been thinking. About the future, about his future. Our future.” His eyes inadvertently slid to the side, and he twisted the stem of the wine glass in his hand, “I can’t help but think, if you’ll excuse my bringing it up, about young George, and his father.”
Erina’s hands clasped each other a little harder where they were folded in her lap, and her brow furrowed just the tiniest bit.
“Well, George grew up without so much as a father figure in his life, and I’m afraid poor Joseph–”
“Robert,” Erina cut him off, “a father figure? Don’t be foolish. You know you were there for him,” She scolded him.
He couldn’t help but to grin sheepishly. The idea of Jonathan’s son being like his own son was like a butterfly in his chest. He’d felt much more like an awkward uncle, wanting to be hands-on and present, but not wanting to overstep a boundary. He had loved George like a son.
“But poor Joseph, I’m away more frequently than I used to be. Lord knows I run into trouble,” He continued, and Erina smiled this time. Oh, did she know how much trouble he could get in. “I want to support him, and you, as much as I can, even when I’m away. I’ve already missed too much. I know it’s early to be thinking about this kind of thing, but I'd like to make him heir to my estate.”
Erina’s eyes softened, and she reached across the small table to rest a hand on his arm, “I think that would be lovely, but you’re right that it’s a bit early. He hasn’t even started school yet, he could hardly take care of a business.”
They shared a quiet moment to laugh, and Robert’s hand rested on top of hers.
“Well, that’s only a part of it. I didn’t think you’d object to my giving him anything, it’s just,” His mouth suddenly felt dry again, “my way of wanting to.”
It seemed obvious, but she tilted her head in silent question.
To him, it was the natural call and answer. Erina was the dearest person in the world to him, if not tied with Joseph, and Elizabeth, too. They shared so much time and love and family. Her family was his family. She was his family. They knew each other in ways that no one else knew them. In their many long years together, they were in some ways closer than either of them had been with Jonathan. Their shared love of him brought them together in a way that so few people had experienced. She’d said herself, he was as close to the father of her child as someone could have been.
It was so obvious.
“Erina,” Robert got up from his seat to kneel in front of Erina in her chair. He took her hand in his, and with a sudden surge of confidence he asked, “Erina Joestar, would you marry me?”
For a long moment she just stared at him. The confidence he’d found slowly leaked out of him, until his face went from bright red to pale as a corpse when she suddenly started laughing.
“Oh, Robert, what in the world are you talking about?” She wiped a tear from her eye.
Robert shook the mortified look from his face, letting go of her hand and stood, jamming his hands into his pockets, “W-well, you know, I, uh…”
“Oh no, darling, forgive me, come back,” Erina beckoned him back to her with expectant hands, and he shyly took a step forward, freeing a single hand and letting her drag him back in front of her by it. “Just what’s gotten into you, then? Marry you? Where has all this come from?” She couldn’t help another soft chuckle.
“W-well, It’s like I said,” His fingers twitched as she rubbed the back of his knuckles lovingly, “You and little Joseph, you’re my family. My only family. ‘Course I know that, and you know that, but I figure, having something like that on paper would do my heart a lot of good. I-I wouldn’t be expecting any usual marriagely-type things from you, no, things don’t have to change a bit. A-And of course you can say no, I’m asking, not telling, but–”
“I think that sounds nice, Robert.”
“But I’d like you to consider, is all. You don’t have to answer right now, neither, you can think on it if that’s what you need. For as long as you like, really, there’s no rush! I’ll be supporting you and Jojo as much as you need either way. I’m gonna be more present for him, I know I’ve been gone so much and he needs–”
“I said yes , Robert.”
“He needs– I–You, what?” His other hand had at some point left his pocket to nervously tug at his hair, and when he realized what she’d just said both of his hands fell limply to his sides. “You will?”
Erina stood and cupped Robert’s burning cheeks between her hands, “Of course I will. You’re right. You’re family, and I think it would have made Jonathan very happy. He wouldn’t trust me with anyone else.” Tears rolled from Robert’s eyes over and between her fingers. “I love you, Robert.”
“I love you too, Erina,” Robert sniffled, before flinging his arms around her and sobbing openly. “Bless you, bless you…” He whispered into her shoulder, and she just smiled and held him, swaying gently.
“I suppose that’ll make me Erina Speedwagon-Joestar-Pendleton, now, wouldn’t it?” She laughed, and he held her tighter.
“Actually, I was thinking Robert Speedwagon-Joestar,” He mumbled against her.
“Oh, now doesn’t that sound lovely”?