du_vallon | (no subject)

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Weeks after he's managed to give back wings that don't belong to him, Porthos remembers what Ishiah had offered, during their conversation. If ever he has problems, if ever he needs help, the door is open. After what happened to Aramis and after all the things he's said, Porthos is feeling pretty clear on the fact that he's got issues that he needs help in solving. Without much actual knowledge of where Ishiah lives, he's used to finding out information about people and gets his information soon enough.

He leaves a message for Ishiah to meet him by the beach, where Aramis tends to shy away from. Though Porthos is hardly dressed for it, he still thinks the sights will keep Aramis a slight distance away and that's where he waits on a bench, comfortable in his cotton trousers and a short-sleeved shirt that shows off the strength in his arms.

Things are speeding up so fast and Porthos hardly understands any of them. He thinks it's time to bring in help before they get so mad that he loses track of them.

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Although the opportunities that Ishiah gets in Darrow to mentor someone directly are few and far between compared to Manhattan, it doesn't stop him from doing everything he can to find opportunities to impart experience and knowledge. When he receives communication from Porthos, it doesn't matter that they hardly got to know one another when they met previously. Instead, the calculus is simple — Ishiah can help, and at little risk or cost to himself.

Which is why he leaves for the beach shortly after receiving Porthos' message. His skin is already fairly tanned from the summer sun, but Ishiah wears a hat anyway to remain a little less conspicuous. Just in case Porthos has any worries about being spotted or recognized by his friend.

"Hello, Porthos," Ishiah greets in French when he approaches, nodding his head respectfully. "I hope today finds you well."

Porthos is grateful for the French, seeing as he'd rather not have to think twice about anything he plans to say during this conversation. "Thanks for coming," he says, making room on the bench as he slides over to the side. "Figured you might be a good person to talk to about this." Not only is Ishiah from the future, but he's not exactly a normal human being, now is he?

Porthos rubs his palms over his thighs, gnawing on the inside of his cheek as he wonders how to broach the issue. "Aramis, he almost died," is how he starts. Best to dive in. "Something called a vampire tried to chew him up."

Ishiah seats himself down on the bench, slow and with smooth movement. Somehow, there's something that he senses in Porthos' stance, a stiffness that encourages Ishiah to treat the other man with care. A bird with ruffled feathers.

That Porthos views Ishiah as a potential source of sound advice piques his interest further, folding both hands and resting his elbows on either knee.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Vampires can be quite troublesome — if you haven't taken care of it already, I can try to hunt that individual down," Ishiah offers, before raising his chin. "Though I assume that isn't why you called me here."

"Nah, we figured it out pretty quickly," Porthos says, but what Ishiah is talking about is actually closer to the issue than he even realizes and Porthos grimaces to think about it. "Trouble is, Aramis wants to take up his hand at hunting the things. It takes a chunk out of his neck, nearly kills him, and he wants to hunt the things," Porthos says, airing his grievance sharply. "I don't get it. And the thing is, he says he wants a long and happy life outside of it," he breathes out sharply. "But that's more mystery to me. Beyond not even knowing if it's me he has in mind." There's a lot that's troubling Porthos about all this and it's plain to see from his tone and his face.

"It's not a bad idea to at least be better equipped against such creatures, should you ever encounter them again. Although I'll agree that trying to hunt them down isn't the wisest answer right away. And it does seem to clash with the notion of wanting a long and happy life. It's easier to hide from the evil in the world than to try and take it down," Ishiah says, his eyes trailing curiously after the tightness in Porthos' face. It's not at all like the expression the man wore the last time Ishiah saw him, even though a pair of wings is arguably just as unsettling as a vampire attack might be.

Crossing his arms, Ishiah leans back in his seat. He's never been one for ignoring the elephant in the room.

"You sound as though you want little more than for that life to be lived by your side. Which is a fair desire to have."

Porthos snorts, not wanting to say that Aramis is rarely wise in his endeavours, but Ishiah doesn't know the man's history and they're not here to talk about all of Aramis' ill-thought of affairs with women in Paris (and a man who, while nameless, Porthos has suspicions about). He shrugs when Ishiah hits the issue on the head. "Even back in Paris, I'd have been at his side for our whole lives. Athos, too," he says, loyal to a fault even when their fearless leader isn't with them. "Here, it's no different," he lies because it is different, he just can't quantify it.

And sometimes he wonders how different it really is. "The way I figured it, Aramis would go to the church or take a wife and have children and I'd be his friend and he'd live, long and comfortably. Now? Now he wants to do something that might get him killed, much sooner than I'd like," Porthos says. "It'd have scared me before, but now, it actually terrifies me, thinking of having to bury him."

Ishiah listens, pressing fingers against the curve of his lips as Porthos talks. While Ishiah isn't always good at drawing inference, with some idea of Porthos' motivation in mind, picking up on the right words isn't difficult.

"You sound as though, indeed, you are most comfortable being at his side — and that you would hope that he can be satisfied with the same. If Aramis were indeed to take a wife and have children, is that a change that you would be happy with? It could be that your fear is being driven by something uniquely... passionate," Ishiah says, tilting his head in consideration. "Your fears aren't unfounded. Aramis needs to be spoken with. But perhaps there's something else driving your worry. Would you be more willing to face dangers if you were reassured that he'd be at your side? The both of you are Musketeers, after all. That is not without risk."

"I'd be happy for him," Porthos insists, because it's true. "No matter what, I'd be happy if he's happy. I know he wants kids," he says, because he'd seen how Aramis was with Henry and with other children. "I always figured one day he'd leave the Musketeers and have them, but now? With this plan in place? I can't see that."

He exhales deeply. "The worry being a Musketeer's a known thing. I can fight a Red Guard or a criminal any day, I know how to and we're evenly matched," he insists. "Vampires? I'm not sure either of us would ever be on even ground," he says. Porthos scratches at one of the scars on his forehead, giving Ishiah a worried look. "Passionate how?" he asks, wary about what he means.

"I do agree that bringing up children responsibly requires forming a certain type of environment for them. One that's safe, supportive, and largely free of danger," Ishiah nods. "Those are the ideal conditions — not necessarily limiting factors, but if they can be afforded, I believe they should be." He folds his hands together, thinking about the way things are in Darrow. It's a better environment for children than many Ishiah has seen in his life.

Turning to watch Porthos rub at the scar on his forehead, Ishiah tilts his head, forgoing subtlety in favor of driving to the point.

"Vampires and children aside, the passion that I mean is a romantic one. Tender when all is peaceful, but easily agitated. The motivation drawn from a love that's deep-seated, but not quite as settled as the love between family," Ishiah says, dropping his chin in a hand. "I only suggest this because the very concerns you raise are similar to those I felt for my partner before we consummated our relationship. Concerns that I still have from time to time."

Out of nowhere, completely smacking him in the face, Porthos thinks that he could give children that sort of environment. It's something he's never considered before, but now that it's come up, he can imagine it -- him, sort of, in a fatherly role. He tries not to linger too long, though, because he doesn't know that he'd be any good at it, even if he bears some of those traits.

He keeps brushing his thumb, thinking that he might as well be honest and that Ishiah will be the second to know apart from Allison, but deserves to. "It's consummated. Physically, at least," he allows. "It's a bit more complicated because we love each other and have for ages, but now there's more to it. It's not serious, though. We still see and sleep with other people. I don't think Aramis has intended to stay with one person since he was sixteen," he says, not to judge or accuse, but merely to be honest.

"Sounds familiar," Ishiah remarks lightly. While he hadn't been half as willing to yield or compromise in beginning his relationship with Robin, the love had started long before then, coupled with the realization that Robin wasn't the sort to settle for a monogamous relationship. At least, Ishiah thought that he wasn't, until Robin had held out and proven himself capable of it.

Ishiah wasn't the type of person who overly enjoyed having people jump through hoops to prove themselves, but for the sake of finding comfort in the relationship, he'd needed to set those boundaries.

"But I will say that it's easy for anyone to continue with old habits. That doesn't mean that they can't change, or aren't worth revisiting, especially in the event that such a change takes place in a relationship," Ishiah points out, lacing his fingers together. "Setting parameters can help. Putting your emotions fully on the table, desires and everything, can help. Just a thought. You aren't speaking as someone would if they weren't taking things seriously, after all."

Porthos can't help the raise of his brow, giving Ishiah a sheepish little smirk. "I mean, it's not like I can mind too much right now, given that I'm still sleeping around myself," he points out. "I don't know. It's complicated, is all. Before I got here, I met someone who made me start thinking about a life with someone in it, permanently. She's not here, but...I don't know, it made me think of it."

"And if there's anyone I'd spend my life with, it'd be Aramis," Porthos says. "Not that either of us know what to do about that. Things are different in the future. Besides, I don't think he's ready to settle, even if he still gets to sleep around. He's got a wild spirit, Aramis."

"Still sounds familiar," Ishiah decides, but at least there's enough self-awareness in Porthos' words for him to back down a little with the advice. Until he knows either of the men better, further advice would draw upon assumptions. Ishiah would rather not overstep if he can help it. "My own fiancé has quite the wild spirit. Wasn't prepared to settle until many, many years had passed, and even then, I confess I wasn't sure of his willpower."

Raking his fingers through his hair, Ishiah leaned back. "At any rate, I'm sure the both of you will have plenty to discuss in the months to come. As for the vampire, I can help to train either of you, if it's desired. I'm quite familiar with such threats, having faced them for most of my life. What lies out there isn't limited to vampires, either."

"Is that common here?" Porthos can't help but wonder with genuine curiosity. "You're the second man I know who's either engaged or married to another man. I mean, where I come from, that's something you get beaten in a dark alley for or strung up in punishment," he says, stomach fluttering slightly to think of such a consequence happening to him as a result of doing nothing more than loving Aramis.

Though, that's paling, now. "Sorry, other things?" he asks darkly. "As bad as those vampires?"

"It's fairly well accepted here, although there are still plenty of people who are uncomfortable or unfamiliar with the concept. Over the course of history, most of the traceable condemnation of homosexuality has stemmed from cultures heavily influenced by Abrahamic religions," Ishiah says, frowning slightly at his own explanation. There is still a sort of discomfort that stems from criticizing the practice of religions that Ishiah still ascribes to, and the ever-present knowledge that there may be some other shortcoming that Ishiah has himself supported without being fully educated on the topic. "Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are among the largest of such religions today. The culture itself has spread far beyond the religion, although the tide seems to be turning back nowadays, as you can see when you compare Darrow's attitude towards homosexuality to that in France at the time that you lived. Not that this world necessarily has a direct connection with that history, but the commonalities are great enough that it would be feasible to believe that some similar process took place in this society."

Ishiah's hands tightened briefly.

"There are threats greater than vampires, yes. Not all are necessarily malicious, but it's good to be aware of their presence."

Porthos scrubs his hand over his face as he wonders which is the more immediate threat. If Ishiah is right, then he doesn't need to worry about being shot in a firing line, but at the same time, that worry isn't ever going to completely go away. "Okay," he says with a firm nod. "Seeing as Aramis wants to hunt vampires, we should focus on vampires. What do I need to know? What should I get for the battle?"

"The answer varies, depending on the type of vampire. There are some who would be felled by a stake into the heart. Others who are weak to sunlight. Still more who need to be completely beheaded. There are a lot of details and intricacies that you should keep your eyes open for, and I think the best way to share those with the both of you would be to sit down with some illustrations to show you the defining features of each," Ishiah says, raising a brow. Leaning back on the bench, Ishiah crosses his arms over his chest, frowning thoughtfully. "I could teach the both of you over the course of the next few weeks. We could even go out on hunts, if you want first-hand experience — which will prove invaluable, and might be easier with myself at your aid."

He chews at his lower lip and thinks it over, giving a nod of his head. "Maybe we could save the hunts for a while," he says, feeling like that might be a bit too much, too soon. He breathes in deeply and tells himself that this is exactly what he'd wanted. He'd wanted to do research, him and Aramis, and make sure that they were ready for this. "Tell me the truth," he says bluntly. "You think we can do this and survive, if we're smart about it?"

"You can certainly survive, but the likelihood of managing this line of work without major injury to self depends heavily on how much effort you are willing to put in," Ishiah says, keeping his words clear and unyielding. "Without innate strength on your side, what will become your assets in this lifestyle are knowledge and cleverness. Humans are capable of outsmarting most species, even those who have lived for far longer, who have experienced much more. But it must not be through relying on luck."

"We're both soldiers," Porthos says, firm and devoted to that much. No matter what happens, he knows that he and Aramis will work as hard as they need to, even if he's not entirely keen on this new life that's been thrust on them. "More than that, I'd do anything in the world to keep him safe," he says, flushing in his cheeks for it.

The declaration is one which gives Ishiah pause, even after many years of understanding that humans are prone to speaking in hyperbole. The problem stems from having met too many people willing to push that line too far on behalf of a loved one. The Leandros brothers were an example, and Ishiah always wondered what would happen if one truly lost the other.

"I'll do my best to teach the both of you how to keep one another safe, then," Ishiah promises, hoping that matters won't ever escalate to the point of needing to make a difficult choice.

Porthos nods, firm and fast, and he's grateful for the help. "Thank you," he says, utterly sincere in his reply and meaning. "Aramis will probably thank you, too, even if he's a stubborn arse who should have spoken to you ages back," Porthos says, given that Porthos still doesn't understand why Aramis won't ask the man any questions. "Sometimes, I don't know what goes on in that brain of his."

"Men will have their pride," Ishiah points out, lifting a brow. "I'm not without my own bouts of stubbornness, when the moment suits me. But what's important is that you two continue to communicate, and continue working to find compromises. In that way, you will at least be in sync with one another, which will make you doubly as strong when you decide to pick up those swords for your newest battle."

He turns his gaze forward, glancing briefly down each alley in easy sight.

"And if we always knew what our loved ones were thinking, perhaps it would be a far less colorful world."

Porthos can't help his amused laugh, raising his brow. "I try and love that man as easily as I can, but he's..." He shakes his head, searching for the right word and being, again, grateful for Ishiah for picking French to speak in. "High maintenance," he settles on with a knowing nod.

"If he spends a significant amount of time every morning coiffing his hair and arranging his outfit, then we may have somehow found men of the same ilk," Ishiah says with a small nod, smile curving up at the corner of his mouth. While there's no one quite like Robin in the world, Ishiah appreciates empathy when he can find it.

"He does spend a bit of time on his hair and his outfit, yeah, but so do I," he admits, gesturing to the curls of his hair and the clothes which he equally fawns over. "I take pride in wearing things because it took me a long time to earn them. I think it's respectable to spend the time on them. Aramis just thinks he looks good. Thing is, he's sort of right."

"There was a time when I would have spoken out very vocally against any form of vanity, but these days, I see it as largely harmless," Ishiah admits, rubbing briefly at his neck. "If Aramis feels that he looks good, then let him feel that he looks good. So long as he's not delaying a hunt by staring at his reflection in the mirror, then there are worse things to obsess over. And, I suppose it provides you with something to enjoy as well."

Porthos flushes red in his cheeks and though he's not going to deny what Ishiah is saying, he's still a little embarrassed when it comes to actually acknowledging this. "Yeah, he's not entirely bad to look at when he spends a little time taking care of himself," he agrees. "And you should never tell him that."

Ishiah briefly shakes his head, offering a slight smile. He has absolutely no interest in hearing the intimate details of other people's relationships, although he's happy to provide advice where it can be helpful.

"I don't usually dole out too many compliments based on people's appearances, so don't worry. Personal preference," he says. "And I'm a decent secret-keeper as well."

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