Fic - Porthos/Aramis - Moments In Time
Title: Moments In Time
Author: themadedevil
Fandom: The Three Musketeers
Pairing/Characters: Porthos/Aramis, Athos. Hinted Aramis/Athos.
Word Count: 2 131
Summary: Short scenes from how Porthos and Aramis met and how they came to be lovers.
Author's Note: I am horribly afraid that this turned out to be complete crap. But I'm posting it anyways, because...I like the pairing too much to not post it.
"Father," Porthos said, jogging to keep up with the priest walking by the dock. The man turned and Porthos held his sword out, hand shaking ever so slightly out of nerves. "I suggest you make no sudden moves and come with me."
Only now does Porthos notice that the priest he suspected of being an old man is roughly about his own age. A priest in training, he thought, walking unarmed and alone by the docks. A stranger to these parts.
Fear was apparent in the man's eyes, though there was an odd sort of acceptance there as well. "Very well, though your time would be better spent praying for forgiveness for your sins, pirate."
Porthos laughed then, grabbing the man's arm with the sword still ready to strike. "Perhaps you do not understand, Father, but this is perhaps the one place where prayer will not help anyone. These docks are controlled by us pirates, and we have no God."
The man gave him a look of sorrow, before bowing his head and following Porthos, muttering what sounds suspiciously like, "You can chose to have one, should you so wish."
* * *
"Father, you must leave," Porthos whispered urgently, an edge of panic in his voice. "This ship will sail no longer, all captives have been ordered to go down with it. Come, Father Aramis."
Aramis' tired eyes stared at him, getting shakily to his feet. "Why not let me go down with it as you've been ordered? Am I only to be transferred to a new ship, to a new hole of darkness where I can do nothing but pray?" He demanded, gripping at Porthos' arm with surprising strength. "I've spent months as your captive and I hardly fear death, and in the face of a new ship to be captive on, I'd rather sink with this one."
Porthos led him out of the hold, "You are to be freed. To return to your Church, should that be your wish."
Aramis gave him an odd look, "Why free me now? My Church did not pay for my release, you refused your captain's order to have me shot, and for what?"
"For men like you to continue to exist. Your faith is stronger than any of the priests I've ever met, your heart as pure. Your Church does not deserve you, but I, a mere pirate, will hardly stop you." Aramis was silent as they reached the deck, Porthos hurrying him down to the dock before any of the pirates could protest. "We're in Paris, go back to your Church, Father Aramis."
Porthos turned to leave, but Aramis gripped his arm once again. "What if my wish isn't to return to the Church, but to join the king's Musketeers?"
"Then I'd say, I'll surely see you again." Porthos replied, starting to pry the fingers off his arm. "Goodbye, Father Aramis. I hope the Musketeers take you in."
* * *
Porthos walked inside the Musketeer Headquarters, coming face to face with several alert and suspicious faces. "I've come to recruit to the Musketeers."
"You've come to the right place," A man stepped forward, "Though why a pirate should leave the seas to defend the king, is a question we'd all like answered. What is your name, pirate?"
"Porthos, and the Musketeers have more to offer than the seas ever will," Porthos replied, "not to mention, I tend to get seasick."
There was a rumble of laughter from the Musketeers, several relaxing and turning to the discussion that Porthos had interrupted. "Porthos," a voice said from the door that Porthos had entered mere minutes before, "I was hardly expecting to see you here. A pirate in Musketeer Headquarters, either you're in trouble or here for the fun."
Porthos turned, surprised at the voice. "Aramis, I'd have thought you'd be back with your Church by now."
Aramis shrugged, a smile on his face, "I took an oath and until such time as there is no king of France, I shall be a Musketeers and a man of God. One can be both."
"This is Porthos?" A blond man stepped close to Aramis, and Porthos realised that they had entered together.
"Yes, Athos. He is an old acquaintance, and one I'd never thought I'd see again. Come, Porthos, let us find a place to talk."
Athos turned towards the Musketeers, "We have a new recruit, men. Find us a tunic and a sword."
They were presented quick enough, and Athos handed them over to Porthos. "You'll get a better sword once you've proven your worth, though you'd have a harder time joining us had it not been for Aramis."
"Thank you," Porthos said, accepting the tunic and sword before glancing at the smiling Aramis.
"Athos, join us if you wish, but we will hardly be long." Aramis said, turning on his heel and leaving.
* * *
"You haven't left your God," Porthos remarked, as they walked back towards the Headquarters, he had noticed the cross around Aramis' neck, but only now did the time seem fit for him to bring it up.
"Did you doubt my faith in the Lord?" Aramis asked, sounding hurt, though his face did not show it.
"You haven't returned to your Church now, last time we spoke to each other you had the chance to return and you didn't." Porthos said, glancing at the faces in the crowd. Anywhere but Aramis. "It is not completely crazy of me to assume you'd have left your faith."
"I left the Church, my faith in the Lord still remains, strong as ever." Aramis said calmly. "A Musketeer is what I am now, and I am glad you have decided to join us. Your tale was as fetching as I expected it to be."
"You thought we'd meet again?"
"I knew it, Porthos. You'd said we'd meet again, I simply decided to believe it."
* * *
"Not bad for a beginner," Athos remarked, laughing as they rode away from the battle.
"Hah! I've had worse than that in the Indian Ocean. Now there's an opponent worth fighting," Porthos remarked, joining Aramis and Athos in the laughter. "Though a compliment nonetheless, and I thank you for it."
"Athos is hardly one for praise," Aramis said, "when I first joined, I thought nothing would get him to admit that I'd make a good Musketeer."
Porthos felt a small twist in his stomach, easily ignored as they rode on. "A Musketeer who takes death as seriously as you. How could you not be of the good ones?"
"He could hardly hold his sword steady at first," Athos said, "Instead of turning him away as we'd usually do --"
"As you usually do? Surely you encourage those who seek to be a Musketeer."
"We tell them to go and train and come back when their sword can be held still in mighty winds as much as in the still air." Athos said with a grin, "But Aramis told me his tale, and I helped him practise. We stayed out of trouble until he was ready, and once he was, he became quite the swordsman."
Porthos glanced at Aramis, who had been strangely quiet since the subject, and saw the man looking back at him. "Well, what could one expect? I was training to be a priest, I had no training in holding a sword. The Church hardly approves of their priest engaging it swordfights and battles."
"And yet you carried a Bible with a gun hidden inside it."
"Since when?" Porthos asked, always once for trinkets.
"I had it on the ship," Aramis responded, avoiding the question with an answer that will surely stray the subject.
"Then you could have been free from the beginning! Why did you not use it?"
"I saw no reason to do so. Had you done as you threatened, I might have felt that the time was right for it to be used." Aramis shrugged, and the rest of the ride was spent in silence.
* * *
Aramis had turned in for the night, leaving Athos and Porthos alone with their drinks and the silence fell heavy between them. Athos, Porthos had been informed by Aramis, took his drinking more seriously than most, but it was a tale for another night.
Now Porthos found himself eyeing the other man, wondering about the relationship between the two men that had become his only company now. Athos caught him staring, raising an eyebrow at the unasked question.
"Whatever it is you have on your heart, Porthos, it is surely better to ask me straight out, unless you plan for it to become a guessing game." Athos said, eyes not leaving the pirate.
"I was merely wondering, what exactly goes on between you and Aramis." Porthos said carefully, trying his best not to back down from Athos' stare. "You seem very close. He is hardly the man I used to know."
"The man you used to know was a captive aboard your ship, if I am not mistaken." Athos remarked, and Porthos found himself colouring. "But to answer your question, there is nothing more there than what you see."
"And what do I see?" Porthos asked carefully, aware that a wrong step here could very well mean the end of whatever this was between the three of them.
Athos eyed him carefully, finishing his drink. "I think that is entirely up to you to decide, Porthos. It is not for me to tell you what you see and don't see."
Porthos nodded, knowing that this conversation, while it had never fully started, was not open for any more discussion.
* * *
"Why are you acting like this?"
"Like what?"
"As though it is impossible for any good to come your way. Even on the worst days aboard the ship, you were not like this."
"Perhaps I miss the sea." Porthos said, strangely quiet in the lazy morning sun.
"Perhaps you do," Aramis said, and Porthos doesn't have to look at him to know that the man is hurt. "Though I do not think that is what is bothering you, Porthos."
"No, perhaps not."
"I hope you know I will always be here should you wish to talk."
"Of course, Father Aramis."
Aramis hit him then, not hard but enough for Porthos to know it would bruise. "Do not call me that, I am no more a priest than you are a pirate. You know this."
"I do." Porthos replied, and they lie quietly for a while. "When will Athos return?"
"He said he wouldn't be long. Be glad we can relax for once, it is rare. You will appreciate these moments after months with me and him."
Porthos laughed, "I suppose so." Another silence stretched between them, before Porthos shifted. "What if it is not talking I wish to do?"
Porthos can sense that Aramis is trying to work out the meaning of his words, and he sighed after a while. "What do you mean, Porthos?"
"What if the issue in my mind is not to be solved by talking?"
"Then I'd ask you to try as hard as you can to put it into words." Aramis said, and he makes it sound as though it easier than anything Porthos has ever had to do. "If words fail you, is it perhaps something you can show?"
Porthos let out a long breath, unaware he had been holding it. "I could show you, though I don't think you want to know."
"Don't be silly, Porthos! Of course I want to know. We are friends, the business with the ship is over and forgotten. Now tell me, or show me. Let me know what has you so down."
Porthos is there before Aramis has completely finished the last word, hovering uncertainly in the air above him. "You must promise not to hate me for it, Aramis." Something flickered in Aramis' eyes, something Porthos can't grasp. "Promise."
"I promise, Porthos." Aramis whispered, knowing that anything too loud would ruin this moment completely. And then Porthos' lips are on his, soft and careful. The complete opposite of his usual nature. To his surprise, Aramis responded at once, just as softly and carefully.
They lie like that until their horses whinny, warning them of the approaching Athos. They sprang apart as though bitten by something. "Athos!" Aramis cried, getting to his feet and dusting the dust off his tunic, "Did you get it?"
"I did," Athos replied, "We need to hurry. The others will want to hear about it."
"Of course," Aramis replied, mounting his horse as Porthos quickly followed suit. "I told you this peace wouldn't last long." Aramis added to Porthos and laughed, urging his horse into a gallop and following Athos.
Author: themadedevil
Fandom: The Three Musketeers
Pairing/Characters: Porthos/Aramis, Athos. Hinted Aramis/Athos.
Word Count: 2 131
Summary: Short scenes from how Porthos and Aramis met and how they came to be lovers.
Author's Note: I am horribly afraid that this turned out to be complete crap. But I'm posting it anyways, because...I like the pairing too much to not post it.
"Father," Porthos said, jogging to keep up with the priest walking by the dock. The man turned and Porthos held his sword out, hand shaking ever so slightly out of nerves. "I suggest you make no sudden moves and come with me."
Only now does Porthos notice that the priest he suspected of being an old man is roughly about his own age. A priest in training, he thought, walking unarmed and alone by the docks. A stranger to these parts.
Fear was apparent in the man's eyes, though there was an odd sort of acceptance there as well. "Very well, though your time would be better spent praying for forgiveness for your sins, pirate."
Porthos laughed then, grabbing the man's arm with the sword still ready to strike. "Perhaps you do not understand, Father, but this is perhaps the one place where prayer will not help anyone. These docks are controlled by us pirates, and we have no God."
The man gave him a look of sorrow, before bowing his head and following Porthos, muttering what sounds suspiciously like, "You can chose to have one, should you so wish."
* * *
"Father, you must leave," Porthos whispered urgently, an edge of panic in his voice. "This ship will sail no longer, all captives have been ordered to go down with it. Come, Father Aramis."
Aramis' tired eyes stared at him, getting shakily to his feet. "Why not let me go down with it as you've been ordered? Am I only to be transferred to a new ship, to a new hole of darkness where I can do nothing but pray?" He demanded, gripping at Porthos' arm with surprising strength. "I've spent months as your captive and I hardly fear death, and in the face of a new ship to be captive on, I'd rather sink with this one."
Porthos led him out of the hold, "You are to be freed. To return to your Church, should that be your wish."
Aramis gave him an odd look, "Why free me now? My Church did not pay for my release, you refused your captain's order to have me shot, and for what?"
"For men like you to continue to exist. Your faith is stronger than any of the priests I've ever met, your heart as pure. Your Church does not deserve you, but I, a mere pirate, will hardly stop you." Aramis was silent as they reached the deck, Porthos hurrying him down to the dock before any of the pirates could protest. "We're in Paris, go back to your Church, Father Aramis."
Porthos turned to leave, but Aramis gripped his arm once again. "What if my wish isn't to return to the Church, but to join the king's Musketeers?"
"Then I'd say, I'll surely see you again." Porthos replied, starting to pry the fingers off his arm. "Goodbye, Father Aramis. I hope the Musketeers take you in."
* * *
Porthos walked inside the Musketeer Headquarters, coming face to face with several alert and suspicious faces. "I've come to recruit to the Musketeers."
"You've come to the right place," A man stepped forward, "Though why a pirate should leave the seas to defend the king, is a question we'd all like answered. What is your name, pirate?"
"Porthos, and the Musketeers have more to offer than the seas ever will," Porthos replied, "not to mention, I tend to get seasick."
There was a rumble of laughter from the Musketeers, several relaxing and turning to the discussion that Porthos had interrupted. "Porthos," a voice said from the door that Porthos had entered mere minutes before, "I was hardly expecting to see you here. A pirate in Musketeer Headquarters, either you're in trouble or here for the fun."
Porthos turned, surprised at the voice. "Aramis, I'd have thought you'd be back with your Church by now."
Aramis shrugged, a smile on his face, "I took an oath and until such time as there is no king of France, I shall be a Musketeers and a man of God. One can be both."
"This is Porthos?" A blond man stepped close to Aramis, and Porthos realised that they had entered together.
"Yes, Athos. He is an old acquaintance, and one I'd never thought I'd see again. Come, Porthos, let us find a place to talk."
Athos turned towards the Musketeers, "We have a new recruit, men. Find us a tunic and a sword."
They were presented quick enough, and Athos handed them over to Porthos. "You'll get a better sword once you've proven your worth, though you'd have a harder time joining us had it not been for Aramis."
"Thank you," Porthos said, accepting the tunic and sword before glancing at the smiling Aramis.
"Athos, join us if you wish, but we will hardly be long." Aramis said, turning on his heel and leaving.
* * *
"You haven't left your God," Porthos remarked, as they walked back towards the Headquarters, he had noticed the cross around Aramis' neck, but only now did the time seem fit for him to bring it up.
"Did you doubt my faith in the Lord?" Aramis asked, sounding hurt, though his face did not show it.
"You haven't returned to your Church now, last time we spoke to each other you had the chance to return and you didn't." Porthos said, glancing at the faces in the crowd. Anywhere but Aramis. "It is not completely crazy of me to assume you'd have left your faith."
"I left the Church, my faith in the Lord still remains, strong as ever." Aramis said calmly. "A Musketeer is what I am now, and I am glad you have decided to join us. Your tale was as fetching as I expected it to be."
"You thought we'd meet again?"
"I knew it, Porthos. You'd said we'd meet again, I simply decided to believe it."
* * *
"Not bad for a beginner," Athos remarked, laughing as they rode away from the battle.
"Hah! I've had worse than that in the Indian Ocean. Now there's an opponent worth fighting," Porthos remarked, joining Aramis and Athos in the laughter. "Though a compliment nonetheless, and I thank you for it."
"Athos is hardly one for praise," Aramis said, "when I first joined, I thought nothing would get him to admit that I'd make a good Musketeer."
Porthos felt a small twist in his stomach, easily ignored as they rode on. "A Musketeer who takes death as seriously as you. How could you not be of the good ones?"
"He could hardly hold his sword steady at first," Athos said, "Instead of turning him away as we'd usually do --"
"As you usually do? Surely you encourage those who seek to be a Musketeer."
"We tell them to go and train and come back when their sword can be held still in mighty winds as much as in the still air." Athos said with a grin, "But Aramis told me his tale, and I helped him practise. We stayed out of trouble until he was ready, and once he was, he became quite the swordsman."
Porthos glanced at Aramis, who had been strangely quiet since the subject, and saw the man looking back at him. "Well, what could one expect? I was training to be a priest, I had no training in holding a sword. The Church hardly approves of their priest engaging it swordfights and battles."
"And yet you carried a Bible with a gun hidden inside it."
"Since when?" Porthos asked, always once for trinkets.
"I had it on the ship," Aramis responded, avoiding the question with an answer that will surely stray the subject.
"Then you could have been free from the beginning! Why did you not use it?"
"I saw no reason to do so. Had you done as you threatened, I might have felt that the time was right for it to be used." Aramis shrugged, and the rest of the ride was spent in silence.
* * *
Aramis had turned in for the night, leaving Athos and Porthos alone with their drinks and the silence fell heavy between them. Athos, Porthos had been informed by Aramis, took his drinking more seriously than most, but it was a tale for another night.
Now Porthos found himself eyeing the other man, wondering about the relationship between the two men that had become his only company now. Athos caught him staring, raising an eyebrow at the unasked question.
"Whatever it is you have on your heart, Porthos, it is surely better to ask me straight out, unless you plan for it to become a guessing game." Athos said, eyes not leaving the pirate.
"I was merely wondering, what exactly goes on between you and Aramis." Porthos said carefully, trying his best not to back down from Athos' stare. "You seem very close. He is hardly the man I used to know."
"The man you used to know was a captive aboard your ship, if I am not mistaken." Athos remarked, and Porthos found himself colouring. "But to answer your question, there is nothing more there than what you see."
"And what do I see?" Porthos asked carefully, aware that a wrong step here could very well mean the end of whatever this was between the three of them.
Athos eyed him carefully, finishing his drink. "I think that is entirely up to you to decide, Porthos. It is not for me to tell you what you see and don't see."
Porthos nodded, knowing that this conversation, while it had never fully started, was not open for any more discussion.
* * *
"Why are you acting like this?"
"Like what?"
"As though it is impossible for any good to come your way. Even on the worst days aboard the ship, you were not like this."
"Perhaps I miss the sea." Porthos said, strangely quiet in the lazy morning sun.
"Perhaps you do," Aramis said, and Porthos doesn't have to look at him to know that the man is hurt. "Though I do not think that is what is bothering you, Porthos."
"No, perhaps not."
"I hope you know I will always be here should you wish to talk."
"Of course, Father Aramis."
Aramis hit him then, not hard but enough for Porthos to know it would bruise. "Do not call me that, I am no more a priest than you are a pirate. You know this."
"I do." Porthos replied, and they lie quietly for a while. "When will Athos return?"
"He said he wouldn't be long. Be glad we can relax for once, it is rare. You will appreciate these moments after months with me and him."
Porthos laughed, "I suppose so." Another silence stretched between them, before Porthos shifted. "What if it is not talking I wish to do?"
Porthos can sense that Aramis is trying to work out the meaning of his words, and he sighed after a while. "What do you mean, Porthos?"
"What if the issue in my mind is not to be solved by talking?"
"Then I'd ask you to try as hard as you can to put it into words." Aramis said, and he makes it sound as though it easier than anything Porthos has ever had to do. "If words fail you, is it perhaps something you can show?"
Porthos let out a long breath, unaware he had been holding it. "I could show you, though I don't think you want to know."
"Don't be silly, Porthos! Of course I want to know. We are friends, the business with the ship is over and forgotten. Now tell me, or show me. Let me know what has you so down."
Porthos is there before Aramis has completely finished the last word, hovering uncertainly in the air above him. "You must promise not to hate me for it, Aramis." Something flickered in Aramis' eyes, something Porthos can't grasp. "Promise."
"I promise, Porthos." Aramis whispered, knowing that anything too loud would ruin this moment completely. And then Porthos' lips are on his, soft and careful. The complete opposite of his usual nature. To his surprise, Aramis responded at once, just as softly and carefully.
They lie like that until their horses whinny, warning them of the approaching Athos. They sprang apart as though bitten by something. "Athos!" Aramis cried, getting to his feet and dusting the dust off his tunic, "Did you get it?"
"I did," Athos replied, "We need to hurry. The others will want to hear about it."
"Of course," Aramis replied, mounting his horse as Porthos quickly followed suit. "I told you this peace wouldn't last long." Aramis added to Porthos and laughed, urging his horse into a gallop and following Athos.