past_regret (past_regret) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2014-09-07 10:56:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, aramis, athos |
Who: Athos and Aramis
When: End August pre-plot
Where: A bar
What: Catching up
Rating/Warnings: Low/None
Status: Complete
While the four of them had gotten together for a few dinners and of course he’d seen Aramis at work neither of those situations allowed for much one on one conversation. So in order to make sure that it didn’t seem like he was abandoning the few friends he had Athos had invited Aramis to a local bar where they could drink and catch up.
He’d seen him briefly since he and Porthos had decided they were more than just friends or sleeping buddies but only in passing when he assisted D’Artagnan with the yoga practices. Which seemed to be helping much to their surprise. Entering the bar he took a seat in a quieter area and ordered a beer while he waited.
Aramis was pleased, really, when Athos had invited him out for drinks. It would be nice to get away from home for a bit. Not that Aramis didn’t adore Porthos, but a lot was happening, and some space would be nice for both of them anyway - though Aramis could admit he was clingy.
When he arrived, he at first thought maybe he was early and was about to take a seat somewhere when his eyes caught sight of Athos. Putting on a friendly smile, Aramis walked over and sat across from him. “Lurking in the shadows, my friend?”
“Adds a bit of dramatic tension don’t you think? More like our shared dreams perhaps?” Athos replied with a slight upward twist of his lips. He shared many things with his dream self but he smiled more and, thanks to D’Artagnan, was learning to relax too.
“How are you Aramis? Enjoying domestic bliss?” he teased slightly, though knew the same could be said of himself.
Aramis laughed. “I suppose it is, at that. Though my new round of dreams, I can’t exactly see my dream-self enjoying the lurking as much.” He paused a moment when he got his own pint and he couldn’t help the smile that quirked up the corner of his lips.
“Oh, immensely. To be fair, I’ve been enjoying it for months, now. I suppose now it’s just official domestic bliss.” Aramis shrugged as he took a sip of his drink. “I’m sure at some point he’ll come to his senses and realize he can do better, but, until then, I’m perfectly fine with riding out what I’ve got.”
“Really? Two different dream versions of yourself and then the you here. How are you going to keep track?” Athos asked with amusement in his tone.
“Funny how making things official doesn’t change much a lot of the time” Athos mused before tutting and shaking his head at Aramis, “Nonsense. Porthos is in full possession of all his senses. And while you may have your faults, like most of us do, you are still a good, loyal man. He could not do much better”
“I know. At this rate, I’ll be having an identity crisis in no time.” Aramis snorted, then shrugged, waving his hand flippantly. “You’re too kind.” While he dismissed Athos’s words, truthfully, Aramis appreciated the vote of confidence. For all of his extroverted ways, he was not always very sure of himself.
“Is D’Artagnan running you off your feet? He’ll make you grey before your time, I reckon.”
“We’ll try and remind you who you are, though D’Artagnan is almost convinced we’re going to turn into our dream selves” he smiled fondly, he was silly sometimes but Athos loved him nonetheless. While Athos didn’t always approve of Aramis’ behaviour he knew his heart was in the right place and he was a very good man and loyal friend.
“I prefer to think that he’s keeping me young” Athos replied with a smirk, “Although I admit I’m not sure I was that energetic even when I was his age”
“I suppose,” Aramis agreed, with a shrug. “Though, honestly, I don’t think I’m much different from my dream self at all, really. If you take into consideration circumstances given the seventeenth century compared to now, it’s fairly uncanny. Porthos, too, I think, is rather alike. We all are. You’re perhaps a bit less mysterious in this day and age, but it’s easier to be broody when you’ve got that dramatic flair around you like in the dreams.”
At Athos’s next words, Aramis had to laugh though. “I’m not sure any of us were that energetic. This is why I don’t let him have much sugar when I’m around.”
“Dramatic flair” Athos said amused and smiling, “I think there’s a touch of that to all of us. I do like to think I am lighter than dream me” And he did, though D’Artagnan was making him even lighter. He smiled much more with his boyfriend.
“Yeah, it takes him a long time to wear off a sugar high” Athos admitted, “There’s a few tricks I’ve learnt though”
“Well, that’s what it is!” Aramis said, enthusiastically defending his choice of words. “You know. The ex-wife who keeps trying to kill you, the whole being a count in secret. Being a drunk.” He points a finger at Athos and raises his eyebrows. “Dramatic flair in a nutshell.”
He looked amused, then, over the edge of his glass. “I do hope you’ll spare me the details as to what those tricks are.”
“Or seriously messed up. I think I might prefer dramatic flair” he said with a smirk, “It sounds better at the very least. But the rest of you have your own dramatic flair too, you know” They all had their own stories after all.
“Always with the mind in the gutter” Athos shook his head though his tone conveyed his amusement.
“Yes, I suppose we do. Mine is entirely on purpose, though. I could just as easily forget the dramatics at all and be done with it. The rest of you, I don’t think it would be so easy.”
Aramis shrugged, not even trying to look innocent. “I can’t be entirely blamed. Here you are, living a positively charmed life with a young and energetic man. Anyone who sees the two of you out together automatically makes assumptions about your sex life. Be thankful that I’m merely teasing in my own accusations and implications.”
“I don’t think my dream self tries to be dramatic, it just tends to happen when you have a past like his. Porthos I think choses his dramatic moments carefully and drama seems to just follow D’Artagnan around. At least we are all in good dramatic company” Athos observed with a wry smile.
“Oh I’m thankful for it. Don’t doubt that. I know worse things are being implied and conversed about behind our backs” Athos replied, “I can’t say I spare much thought for it” It had never bothered Athos much what people thought, especially people he didn’t know.
“I’d hazard to say Porthos is the least dramatic of all of us. But don’t tell him I said that, it’ll go straight to his head.” Finishing his drink, Aramis flagged down their server for another round. “Do you think a part of the attraction is dream related? Which I mean with genuine curiosity, I’ve had the same conversation with myself plenty of times. Though I am very happy for you. And for him. I think the two of you are a good pair together. Balance one another out, you know?”
Athos too had considered it, with and without D’Artagnan, “It may be a slight influence but I feel more of a mentor to D’Artagnan in the dreams, I’ve never felt the deeper connection I feel here. Maybe that will change as the dreams go on but something tells me it’s different. Thank you though, I like to think we’re a good match. It certainly wasn’t something I expected but I couldn’t be without him now” It was rather obvious Athos was head over heels in love with D’Artagnan and vice versa whenever they were together. They weren’t big on public displays or anything though they did hold hands a lot but it was the way they looked at each other.
Aramis really did think it was sweet. A part of him was nearly envious of how easily it seemed to come to his friends, this being in love and not being afraid of it. He was trying, of course, with Porthos, but old habits die hard and he still feels weighed down by emotional baggage of years past. Seeing Athos and D’Artagnan gave him some sort of hope, though, so that was something.
“Well, just remember that as your oldest friend in Orange County, when you decide to get married I ought to be best man.”
It had been ridiculously easy to fall in love with D’Artagnan and if Athos’ past had taught him anything it had been to embrace that feeling and throw himself in to it wholeheartedly. Which he had definitely done, he honestly couldn’t and didn’t want to imagine a life where he and D’Artagnan weren’t together. He saw the potential for that in Aramis and Porthos too. Aramis could overcome his own past and Porthos was the perfect person for him to do that with.
“Honestly, I’d do it tomorrow. But D’Artagnan is young, I don’t want to rush him or pressure him into anything too quickly” he admitted honestly. “But when the day comes of course you’ll be my best man”
“Also I’m going ring shopping with you. And possibly helping you pick out a suit. No offence, of course, but you could stand to have a bit more pizzazz about you. Particularly on your wedding day.” Aramis couldn’t help but grin. It was likely he wouldn’t get to do any of that, but he’d have fun imagining it and pestering Athos anyway. He sat back as his new drink was brought over.
“You’d do tomorrow, eh? My God, he really has got you in a frenzy, hasn’t he? I suspect waiting is good. I do love the boy - like a brother, of course - but he’s not quite learned how to handle big pressures yet. Best give him some time, it’s true.”
“I’m not sure ‘pizzazz’ is anything I’ve ever learnt” Athos replied dryly, “Or really wanted to” he added slyly with a bit of a smirk. He nodded thanks as another drink was set down in front of him too.
“It’s ridiculous sometimes. I feel like a teenager” he admitted but nodded, “Yes, time is something D’Artagnan always needs to adjust to things. He’ll learn, as all of us do”
“I think at that age we were all a bit foolish and reckless. He’ll find himself soon enough. He’s got a good companion alongside him to help, at any rate.” Aramis raised his glass in a toast to Athos. “Though he keeps talking about waking up in Paris. I’ve proposed it might be a good trip for the four of us, you know. Sometime down the road when things feel more settled.”
“Well thank you. It’s not just me though, you and Porthos are pretty good friends to have too” Athos told him with a smile, returning the toast. “I know, once he’s sleeping better and we’re all sorted a bit more I was thinking of taking him. It’ll be a good vacation for all of us I think” It might be a little strange to visit places from their dreams, though those places would look rather different.
“I suppose we are. I’m a terrible enabler, of course. I’m sure at some point you’ll turn this around and say I’m an awful role model and I ought to be a better friend,” Aramis teased. “You’re much more consistent. In my experience, people like D’Artagnan and I, who’d rather be impulsive and act on spontaneity, need people to ground us. You’ll be of far more used to him in the long run.”
“Oh you are definitely a terrible enabler and an awful role model but that doesn’t stop you from being a good friend Aramis. You’re just one I have to watch when it comes to D’Artagnan and hare brained schemes or ideas” Athos replied, “I’ll ground you both when you need it”
“Thank you, Athos, for proving how good you are at backhanded compliments. I’m not sure anyone can do it better.” Aramis leaned back a bit, rolling his eyes fondly. “So, let’s see … You’re head over heels in love, I think we’ve got that down. How’s work? Now you’ve been here a while, and all. Settling in all right?”
“It’s a specialty” Athos deadpanned though there was a hint of mischief in his eyes. “Work’s fine. Settling in well I think, it’s never really dull that’s for sure. How about you?”
“I can’t complain, I suppose. I’ve met some good people, after all.” Aramis shrugged a bit. He took a sip from his beer, staying thoughtfully quiet for a moment. “I don’t know. Do you find it never dull? Or is that just because the strangeness of the area has bled into it for you? I just find I’m not doing as much as I’d hoped I’d be. Back at the CIA I was always up to something. Now it’s just … A lot of paperwork.”
"It's not as active as I thought it was going to be but I'm used to a fair amount of paperwork so maybe I don't notice it as much" training new CIA recruits had been fairly paperwork heavy. "I miss the training sometimes" he admitted, "It felt...valuable" He knew he'd been a strange choice to mentor the recruits but he'd been good at it despite his gruff exterior.
“You were good at it,” Aramis pointed out. “You could see through all the bullshit we put you through to find what made us good. I suppose I’m just used to being out in the field more. With my little team. I think if things hadn’t gone … If things had happened differently that one night, I think I might have even had a promotion under my belt. Starting back at square one is abysmal.”
“Thank you” Athos smiled then, “It’s a bigger change for you I know. It won’t be long until you’re making your way up you know, you’re too good for the agency not to utilise better” he advised, “Things will work out okay, I’m sure of it”
“Cheers, then,” Aramis said. He finished his glass and motioned for another round. “Let’s hope you’re right about that, before I go stir-crazy.”