A Group Date
The d'Artagnans' apartment was rather small for eight grown people and a baby, but they managed to make it work.
Aramis was still staying at their apartment while he recuperated.
Athos and Sylvie were the last to arrive. They were greeted by Porthos first. He was holding Marie Cessette who was a bit fussy. "She's teething," he said.
"May I?" Sylvie spread out her hands.
Athos watched mesmerized as Sylvie took the baby into her arms walking across the room to greet Elodie.
"Ever consider havin' one of your own?" Porthos asked.
There was a time when he thought it was possible, but when his first marriage fell apart it was the last thing on his mind.
Porthos just smiled patting him on the back before returning to Elodie's side.
"So, how was your weekend?" Aramis asked from the couch.
"Aramis," Anne scolded him next to him.
Constance walked out of the kitchen. "Dinner should be ready in twenty minutes."
"Well, we both learned neither one of us can cook to save our lives," Athos said.
"I could've told you that," Constance said. "What?" She looked at Athos and Sylvie unrepentantly. "I've known the both of you longer than anyone else in this room."
"Yes," Athos said. "As you said you've known us longer than anyone else in this room. We've known you for longer than anyone else in this room too. You can't cook to save your life either." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder's pulling her gently towards her mindful of her cast and kissed the top of her head.
This caused laughter throughout the room. Then d'Artagnan walked out of the kitchen wearing an apron that said, 'kiss the cook'. "What did I miss?"
TM
They had brought out a card table into the living room with a few extra chairs. Some of them were just using their laps.
"All right, so, I may have burnt an entire baguette and ruined a pot of spaghetti," Sylvie admitted. "Athos however did nothing beyond microwaving a can of clam chowder."
"I made a perfectly lovely picnic," Athos argued.
"Ham and cheese and cookies the caretaker's wife baked. And then it rained on us," Sylvie said.
The couple exchanged a glance remembering what had followed.
"Everything ok?" Porthos asked.
"Other than my father showing up during the weekend, it was perfect," Athos said.
The other three men and Constance made various comments under their breath.
"It's fine," he said to his teammates.
It took a few minutes for the mood to shift, but eventually they were all back to chatting, making jokes and teasing each other.
Athos looked to Sylvie across the table smiling warmly at her.
TM
"Would you like to stay at my apartment tonight?" Athos asked Sylvie as they left the d'Artagnans'. "Or have we reached the limit of two people spending time together who are just dating?"
Sylvie laughed. "Well, I haven't reached my limit spending my time with you."
"Good," he pressed a kiss to her lips. "Neither have I."
"I do need to stop by my place first," she said.
"All right," he started the car and pulled into the road.
"You have a wonderful group of friends," Sylvie said.
"They're your friends too," Athos said.
"Anne is probably the only one I feel unsure about," Sylvie said.
"Anne is very kind once you get to know her. Her upbringing was similar to mine, but it took longer before she was able to break from the classism she was surrounded by growing up and into her adulthood. It can get in the way of her and Aramis' relationship still. And she has a young son with her ex so she has to still deal with him."
"I didn't know she had son," Sylvie said. "Do you want children, Athos?"
"I thought about it a lot when I was married, but after it ended I hadn't thought about it," he said.
"Do you still not think about it?" Sylvie asked.
"I'm starting to think about it," he said getting out of the car with her having arrived at her apartment building.
"I always wanted a bunch of children," Sylvie said.
"A bunch?" Athos' eyes widened.
"Adopt a few. Maybe become a foster parent. I have to introduce you to my class," Sylvie said, school was starting in a week.
"You teach seven year olds?" He asked.
"Yes," Sylvie laughed. "They're harmless."
"So they say," Athos said following her the rest of the way to her apartment thinking of a room full of seven year olds. He couldn't quite hold back the shiver at the thought.
The End