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Aramis had been acting quite secretive these past few days. Porthos and Athos were suspicious of him, but could not for the life of them figure out what their third was planning. Luckily for them they didn’t have to wait much longer.
Porthos and Athos were cuddling on the couch, watching the news with sad frowns on their faces, pained by all that was going on in the world. Porthos had made himself comfortable against the armrest of their couch, with Athos resting his head on the bigger man’s lap. He sighed softly in contentment as Porthos carded his fingers through his long hair.
“You should get a haircut, love. It’s getting long.” Porthos murmured, before leaning forward and pressing a gentle kiss on Athos’s forehead.
“Hm,” Athos let out, a shy smile covering his features. “You love my hair.”
“I do.”
The door of their apartment opened and Aramis entered, a wide grin on his face as he held an enormous package in his hands. “I have something else you’ll love!” He exclaimed, putting his gift down on their dining table. It was just as big, the corners of the rectangular package sticking out over the edge of their round table.
“What have you got there, ‘Mis?” Porthos asked, gently lifting Athos from his lap before making his way over, Athos following suit.
“Open up and find out!”
Porthos looked at his lover in surprise. “This is for us?”
Athos let his hand hover over the packaged gift. It was covered in light blue wrapping paper with little cartoon horses on it, and he let out a huff of laughter at the cuteness of it.
“Of course!” Aramis pulled Porthos close for a quick kiss. Athos hovered close by, diverting his gaze from the blatant show of love. Though he was officially in a relationship with the two of them, he often still felt like an outsider. Due to Athos’s asexuality, he was often in a different room or out of the apartment altogether when the other two cherished each other’s bodies. On top of that, he always carried with him a basic sense of not-belonging, a feeling of being unlovable, courtesy of his ex-fiancée. Aramis noticed Athos withdrawing himself and tutted, pulling the shorter man close to him and promptly kissing him as well.
“I thought it was time to get something for the three of us.” He explained, then waved in the general direction of his gift. “Now, open up! I’m eager to see your reactions!”
Porthos didn’t need to be told twice, and pounced on the paper like a lion on its prey. He ripped it to shreds, overwhelmed by curiosity what Aramis had been planning all this time. Athos joined him not too much later, though he was kinder to the wrapping paper, cautiously peeling the corners.
Soon it revealed what seemed to be a painting. Athos already recognized his horse, Roger, on it, and cast Aramis a surprised look. Aramis smiled at him in return, and Porthos soon finished unwrapping it completely.
“Wow-“ He said, absolutely in awe at the beauty in front of him. He lifted the painting up high, allowing both Athos and Aramis a good look at it. The painting depicted the three of them on their horses, smiling at each other, love clear on their features. It was extremely detailed, down to the scar on Athos’s lip and the individual hairs of their beards.
“Wow.” Athos echoed, taking in the beauty that was the three of them together with their beloved mounts. “How did you-“
“D’Artagnan’s girlfriend, Constance.” Aramis started to explain. “I had mentioned the idea of a gift for you two a few times, and D’Artagnan said his girlfriend’s an artist. I contacted her and she was in love with the idea.”
“She- she didn’t mind three guys together?” Porthos asked, hesitant. Though they were out in their stable, they still tried to keep their relationship under wraps in public. Not everyone was as accepting of guys in a relationship, let alone three dating each other at once.
“Not at all.” Aramis assured him.
“I love it.” Athos whispered, letting his fingertips trail over the painted versions of his lovers. “It is beautifully done. Though, I wish she’d have left out my scar.”
Though his beard covered most of it, Athos was still embarrassed by the scar covering his upper lip. He’d been born with a cleft lip, and had once told them that he’d been bullied because of it at school. His parents too had used his birth defect to justify the way they preferred his brother over him. It was only after he’d met Aramis and Porthos that he’d begun to tolerate the scar. They adored it, and him even more so. Still, it was an insecurity and having it so blatantly pointed out in a painting stung.
“Oh, shut up.” Porthos said, but there was no anger in his voice. He pulled Athos in close for a kiss, let his tongue run over the marred flesh.
“Fidget looks amazing,” Aramis continued once Porthos had managed to make Athos smile shyly once again.
“Look at Flip!”
Their horses were on another level of beautiful. Constance had put hours of hard work in their shiny coats and long mane. They looked almost real, the way they were painted.
“I love all of it.” Athos whispered. “Thank you, Aramis. This is the best present ever.”
“Where will we put it up?”
“Well-“ Aramis started. “I was thinking we replaced the photo of us two in our bedroom, with this.”
“No, you can’t-“ Athos immediately interjected. He didn’t want his lovers to throw away such a gorgeous photo just to include him.
“Yes, I can.” Aramis grabbed him gently by the shoulder. “You’re a part of us now. It’s not just Porthos and I. It’s the three of us together.”
Porthos caught on to what Aramis intended. There were pictures of him and Aramis all over the apartment, some of them with their horses. There were pictures of Athos and Roger together. But there was not a single picture that had the three of them together. The painting was an ideal way to really include Athos in their relationship.
“Still, you can’t throw away such a beautiful photo.” Athos persisted.
“And I won’t.” Aramis assured him. “We’ll probably put it somewhere else. But you are just as important to me as Porthos.”
Athos didn’t reply, too overwhelmed with finally feeling loved and included to do so. He pulled Aramis in a hug, pressing him tightly against himself, before reaching out to include Porthos as well. The three of them held each other, the love they felt for one another perfectly displayed in the painting.
