InsaneJournal

Who: Athos, D'Artagnan and Esmeralda
What: D'Artagnan's bored so he and Athos go out and receive unexpected news. And trolling.
When: Recently
Where: The Court of Miracles
Warnings: Low
Status: Log | Complete

D’Artagnan was feeling restless. Since they’d left the Agency there really hadn’t been reason to go anywhere. He found himself pacing the house more often, and his attention span for television was shot again. He couldn’t sit through things like that anymore without driving Athos insane one way or another with his impatience for it to be over. Sometimes it ended on good terms, other times not so much.

He was currently slouched in a chair in their living room lying on his back with his feet over the arm and sifting through mail. “Boring, boring, bill, boring, BORING.” Tossing each item into some sort of organized chaotic system he’d come up with in his head but hadn’t told anyone about. There were bills and junk, they didn’t often go through mail so there was quite a bit of it. Most stuff was done electronically so it wasn’t like they really had to care that much anyway.

They’d had a few cases, but they weren’t so busy they didn’t have time for anything else which was maybe where D’Artagnan was getting frustrated. Athos rather liked the nice pace of cases but he knew his younger husband required more excitement.

“Shall we go somewhere?” he suggested as D’Artagnan made his current state of boredom known, “You can choose and I won’t complain at all” he added to make it more enticing since he wasn’t known as the most sociable creature. He much preferred being at home.

At the very least when it came to working at the Agency they were somewhere. They had to leave the house and be someplace even if it was a boring building with paperwork and dust. Peering over a piece of paper from his pile of mail at Athos with a skeptical look he questioned.

“Not even if I choose something ridiculous like Disneyland?” He wouldn’t of course, even D’artagnan was rather bored of the idea of rides and many thousands of children-but he enjoyed the expressions Athos’s face made when he suggested said ridiculous things.

Athos couldn’t help the grimace that crossed his face but he nodded, “Even that” he said somewhat grudgingly, hoping his husband wouldn’t be that mean but accepting it if he was. He wanted D’Artagnan to be happy. After all he’d thrown the nicest birthday party Athos had ever had and he appreciated the thought that had gone into it.

D’Artagnan grinned at that little wince his poor husband suffered at the mere idea of Disneyland and stuffed creatures that demanded photo ops on a regular basis. He laughed a little and shook his head, giving it a bit of thought as he sifted through some more mail. “The Court of Miracles..?” He peered at an advertisement with a raised eyebrow. “Entertainment, food and happy hour..” He read down the list of things when nacho fries caught his attention. “This could be promising.” He held it up at his husband for him to see.

Athos moved closer to look at the advert, “Sure, let’s give it a go. It’s something for us to do and I am sure there will be something there to entertain you” he smirked, leaning in to kiss him briefly. If it got D’Artagnan to smile a little and not be so bored then it would be worth it and it looked like an interesting place even to him.

If Porthos worked any place other than the agency he’d imagine it to be a place like that. “Really?” Athos seemed to have meant it when he said anything, he was even going along for this club idea. D’Artagnan was fairly pleased with his response and returned the kiss. “ Not gonna wear this though.” He pulled at his lazy house clothes, and slid off the chair.

“Really” he smiled, glad he was still able to surprise his husband. “Me either, let’s get changed into something more suitable for a club” After all if they were going to do it, they should do it properly.

D’Artagnan beamed at that. “Well, you said it. Not me.” He took his hand to lead him off to their bedroom where had a few tight fitting more appropriate bar type clothes Aramis had once helped pick out for him before he realized their real advantage. “Leather pants are still the worst” He made a face, unsure he’d ever get used to the way they felt. “Should we call a car? Both of us can drink then.” He gave his husband a wicked little grin at the idea. Drunk Athos was highly entertaining to him when he was a happy Athos, and he was hoping for one of those with the amount of tight fabric he was wearing to appease him.

Oh Athos truly did appreciate the tight trousers, “Mmm I think they’re the best” he said, letting his hand slide over the curve of D’Artagnan’s ass. “Trying to get me drunk? Because I completely approve of that plan” he added pressing a kiss to D’Artagnan’s lips before grabbing his mobile phone and calling them a car.

That earned him a rather undignified squeak from D’Artagnan that he hadn’t been expecting either. It caused him to make a face and redirect the conversation to drunk Athos’s where it should be. His face touched with a crimson hue. All this time and Athos could still make him blush. “Maybe. I know, I’m bad that way.” He grinned and returned the kiss as he reached for that hand to hold it in his own.

Athos loved that he could still make him blush, it was endearing and very sweet. “Good job I like you bad” Athos said, before speaking into the phone and getting their car ordered. It didn’t take long for it to arrive and they were soon seated in the back and on their way.

That earned his husband an over the shoulder smirk and teasing wink as they waited for the car to take them away from the boredom that was D’Artagnan’s home. He was craving the stimulation. He hadn’t even realized how much, when they got there he was practically vibrating without the drinks. He took Athos’s hand toward the line of people that waited to get in and beyond the velvet rope. They didn’t have to wait long, the guard out front seemed to run on flirting from men and women alike. D’Artagnan abused it a little. Not a gross amount like some of the women who literally rubbed against the man to get in, but enough to get them past the line where he and Athos joined the general audience. “I’ll get us some drinks.”

Athos had to admit he was impressed with D’Artagnan’s flirting, though as soon as they were in he placed a hand around his husband’s waist, staking his claim a little. The ring on D’Artagnan’s finger should do it but he knew better than to rely on that alone. Nodding Athos pressed a kiss to his lips, “Don’t be long” he said with a pat to D’Artagnan’s ass and a slightly sassy look.

It seemed like he had taken notes from Aramis nearly. Most people weren’t that observant, or didn’t care that he wore a ring. D’Artagnan never took it off though, it meant the world to him. It was a symbol of his love for Athos. Flirting meant nothing to him, he hadn’t even given the man a phone number. Half the time he hadn’t been aware he was actively being chatty enough to where the man had mistaken kindness for flirting. He got that a lot, so sometimes he used it to his advantage. He returned the kiss with a smirk of his own. “Think I’d wanna be away from this too long?” He tugged at Athos’s waistband before slipping into the crowd. The music was infectious as he headed toward the bar to wait idly until the bar tender’s attention was in his direction.

It was the joys of advertising. While there were some places that had a specifically campy feel to it, the Court of Miracles was genuine in that it was a small group of Romani running it. And while they certainly had their specific theme of a travelling group with the expected fortune tellers and jugglers, illusions. And of course, the dance of La Esmeralda. Even with the theme and how it often appeared, it more felt as if one was transported back in time just by stepping through the door to a tavern of old.

It was the first dance of the night. The stage set up with it’s traveller’s feel of a backdrop and Clopin introducing her.

“Come on, come all, hurry hurry here’s your chance, see the mystery and romance, come one come all, see the finest girl from France, make an entrance to entrance, dance la Esmeralda… dance!”

With a flash of smoke, Esmeralda suddenly seemed to ‘replace’ Clopin, as she fell into the familiar movements of tambourine and scarves, the Čoček. The dance was in her blood, part of her. When she danced, she didn’t think about anything else, she was swept up in it. And as it ended (for the time being, there were after all three ‘performances’), Esmeralda vanished in a puff of smoke.

To be told by Clopin that Gringoire needed her help at the bar. Unsurprising as the longer they were in the area, the more people came. Word of mouth after all. So quickly switching to something more appropriate for working behind the bar, she made her way over.

“So sorry for the wait.” It was then she noticed that it was D’Artagnan. Someone she had randomly spoken to in France. And the one her mother had said she was to marry. Well, that was certainly awkward but depending on how it went? It could also be quite amusing. “Well a small world indeed, what can I get for you.”

Athos liked the feel of the place, it had an authenticity about it that he hadn’t been expecting and he watched the people coming and going for a while as well as the dancers before he decided he might as well find D’Artagnan at the bar. It was getting busier and it would be easier to locate him than it would for D’Artagnan to locate Athos. Getting to the bar however looked like it might take some navigating.

D’Artagnan looked off at the dancers that lurked around the place, it wasn’t as overwhelmingly club like as some of the places in L.A., and he liked that. It had a more relaxed vibe but the energy was still there. “Two Long Islands.” He tipped up front. Slipped the girl a ten before he’d even been given his total like it were basically nothing. When he glanced up, he could have sworn he saw her somewhere. “Have we met?”

There weren’t really dancers in the typical sense one might expect with a DJ and all the people up and on the floor. Could people dance? Of course but it wasn’t to the modern music but instead more in line with what they themselves played. Everyone had a part. But right. Long Islands. It took a moment before she remembered exactly what went in that but she had it covered.

And then he recognized her. Mostly. Still Esmeralda grinned.

“In Paris. Very small world it turns out.”

When Athos finally made it to the bar he located D’Artagnan chatting to the barwoman, though he arrived too late to hear what she’d just said. Slipping up behind his husband his arm went around his waist, “Everything okay?” he asked just to check. It wouldn’t surprise him if D’Artagnan was getting hit on, he couldn’t really blame them for trying.

Peering over at his possessive husband, he smirked in amusement as he felt his arm. Athos really wasn’t in any danger of having to worry about others, but he got it. He could also be the jealous type in the right situation. “Esmeralda? “ He remembered her, her name was unique enough so it was hard to forget. “Yep. this the girl we met in Paris, remember? One of the few people we met who could actually speak English too.”

Oh newlyweds. She definitely remembered talking to them some while they’d been on their honeymoon. Then again, Esmeralda always was talking people up and getting information, learning, and of course finding ways to make ends meet. It was what was necessary. So instead she just smiled in greeting to Athos. There really wasn’t anything to worry about, even with the news her mother had given her. Still, it probably would be good to warn D’Artagnan in case he heard from his mother. “It turns out the world is smaller as apparently our mothers knew one another briefly.”

“Ah of course” Athos said offering a smile and a nod to the girl, “Good to see you again” How interesting that she had moved here, this place seemed to appeal to so many people. It wasn’t that Athos was worried, he just liked staking his claim and he knew D’Artagnan mostly didn’t mind when he did. Listening to the girl he raised his eyebrows, sometimes the world could really be quite small.

D’Artagnan wasn’t even phased by Athos doing so most of the time. There was the occasional cranky look passed his way, but generally it amused him. This time he was just comfortable. “They did? She never mentioned. Or maybe she did and I didn’t understand. My French is mostly terrible.” He mused with a shrug. “I’m getting better, I can understand more now but I can’t really speak back yet.”

“You as well.” Smiling, she went about making the drinks, though did pause at the comment. Well, that certainly was the opening she needed to tell him about the arrangement. Not that she had any plans on following through, she hadn’t even really been with her mother for years and the arrangement gave her all the push she needed to leave France (well and just hoping for something better elsewhere). Added incentive though. “Yes. Apparently she let my mother and those she was travelling with stay a few nights at her farm with the promise that my mother’s unborn child, or me, would marry her son so she could come back and have stability.”

Honestly, she hadn’t paid much attention beyond to nod slowly and decide that she had certainly ended up in the better situation when she’d gotten lost. And if people weren’t oblivious or got caught up in the arranged marriage part, it was clear in her wording that she wasn’t seeking anything or even had a desire to pursue it given she had rolled her eyes at the end of explaining the situation.

Athos actually chuckled when Esmeralda revealed the arranged marriage, “Well I think we may have thrown a spanner in those works” he said with a smile as the girl. Athos was anything but oblivious so he definitely noticed the way those words had been said and how they had been delivered. She had no designs on D’Artagnan but she may have stories he hadn’t heard so it would be good to strike up a friendship with her.

And of course it was that moment he’d reached for his drink. It was always the ridiculous moments like that. He stopped to stare at he words that came out of her mouth as though there were literal subtitles beneath them. “...Wait what?” He knew they were just a poor farm family, but seriously?

He didn’t seem to enjoy the statement as much as Athos did. He stared up at Esmeralda like a deer stuck in headlights.

She could have left it alone. Really, she could have. But the expression on D’Artagnan’s face was just too much to pass up. If he actually thought that she…. Oh, oh she so needed to play with this. Esmeralda was pretty convinced it would be criminal not to. Especially as it seemed that Athos had picked up on the fact that she genuinely had no intention to make a move on the poor startled man. Still, she did throw a look to him to catch his eye so he would know that what she was about to say was purely her teasing D’Artagnan before adopting a seemingly wounded expression hand to chest.

“You mean to tell me that conversation and moment on the Seine meant nothing to you?”

Really, if D’Artagnan didn’t pick up she was teasing him, well… it wasn’t exactly like she was going for an award winning performance or anything.

Athos threw a wink her way letting her know she could tease his husband as much as she liked, it may be a little mean but it was amusing. He was sure D’Artagnan would agree later.

He bit the inside of his lip to keep from laughing, hiding his smirk behind his drink as he took a mouthful.

When it came to women and subtle, D’Artagnan was pretty damn clueless. Hell when it came to women in general that seemed to be the case too, because he was still staring at the dark haired girl like she had something stuck in her teeth. “I-I don’t..um.” He peered back at Athos for some kind of help but then glanced back at Esmeralda. Athos wasn’t giving her the same kind of death glare he gave anyone else that attempted that sort of thing. “I’m missing something aren’t I?” He looked between the two helplessly and gave a low whining sound of confusion.

So the question was going to be how long could she keep this up, be it before she started laughing or D’Artagnan seemed to pick up that something was up. And oh, he really did seem to be falling for it, the poor dear. At least until he looked at Athos. Okay. He wasn’t completely sure, but given his question? Well…. She could still have fun with this.

“You mean you do not recall our discussion about a menage de trois? You break my heart!”

The comment seemed to catch the attention of Clopin who just quirked a brow at her from behind the two. Really, how was she supposed to just let this pass? Especially as she had the other man’s approval to mess with D’Artagnan for a bit. He really did make it quite easy.

“Poor Esmeralda, I’m sure you remember don’t you D’Artagnan?” Athos asked his husband as innocently as he could, though when he looked at him he couldn’t stop his lips from twitching. He just looked so adorable when he was confused and not quite realising they were both now teasing him.

“I guess not.” D’Artagnan frowned a little. “I remember talking, and then..” Hadn’t they just parted ways? What the hell was this? Some random blackout? ...That wasn’t good. He chewed the inside of his lip as he looked between the two trying to get some read on what was actually happening here. Was this a thing? “I’m sorry.” His brows furrowed as he tried to come up with more words. He found himself unable to form proper words. He shot Athos a cranky look that clearly said this wasn’t helping. “I don’t even remember talking about that.” His eyes settled on her a little less confused. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do here but it’s not working anymore.” Something was up. Athos was helping her (which earned him an unamused look), she was over reacting. He was finally catching on. Something was fishy. “That can’t even be legal.” D’Artagnan made a face thinking about what his mother had done.

And Athos even joined in! But as D’Artagnan seemed confused, like it had actually happened and apologized and then said whatever they were trying to do wasn’t working anymore? Add in the comment on how it can’t even be legal? Well. That basically broke Esmeralda who started laughing some with a shake of her head.

“You really are such an easy mark.” Which led to Clopin admonishing her in Romani about how she shouldn’t torment the customers. Turning her attention back to Athos and D’Artagnan, she bit her lower lip to keep from laughing again. “Don’t worry, I have no desire to marry someone my mother bartered me to before I was born, even if you weren’t married. I just wanted to let you know in case your mother ever mentioned it to you.”

Athos laughed too, tugging D’Artagnan closer and pressing a kiss to his forehead, “Sorry love, you are just too cute when you get all flustered like that” he admitted, knowing he’d have to work to make his husband forgive him completely but more than happy to do so. Putting that aside it was interesting to hear that little bit of news, it was new to both of them.

D’Artagnan frowned at that comment, he was rather cross with the situation. What the hell kind of woman was his mother anyway? He barely knew her. He was the only one not amused with the joke it seemed, maybe later on he’d find the humor-but currently he was too busy being annoyed at the idea. “Good. I wouldn’t expect anyone to follow through with something that ridiculous. It’ll get mentioned to her if she doesn’t first.” He glanced at Athos with annoyance. Clearly a look that said ‘We’ll talk later’ to his comment. The brunette felt awkward. He really had no idea what to do then. Stand there like a dope, move on, what? His brain didn’t seem to want to focus on things properly, so instead of deciding anything he finished off his drink. “Can I get another of these?”

Really, she shouldn’t be so amused at D’Artagnan’s reaction. Poor lamb. Well, she had a feeling that he would move on from it once the initial embarrassment of the entire situation wore off. It was still a bit too fresh for him, clearly. But how could Esmeralda have passed it up? They’d laugh about it later. Or well, Esmeralda and Athos would.

“That sounds fair.” It wasn’t like Esmeralda had known the woman. She barely knew her own mother given she had spent the past half of her life either on her own or with Clopin and the group here. But such was the way of things. “Of course.”

Amused still, Esmeralda made up another drink for D’Artagnan grinning as Gringoire shot her a confused look before handing the drink to D’Artagnan.