Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them. [Backdated to May 17th, 2015]

[pontmercyfriend]

Marius does not lie when he tells Dorian to expect the same treatment as Flavia upon his own birthday.

The week before, he made the point to walk to his favorite book store and purchase a few volumes he felt the mage would appreciate very much; a history of the world in general, a collection of ghost stories and folklore centered on Darrow traditions and mythology, a history of magic and its varied traditions through a myriad of cultures, and, a personal, recent of Marius': The Portrait of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. (And perhaps Marius might have also decided upon this as a gift for the shared name between the protagonist and his friend, having felt a twinge of playfulness at the thought at the time.) On the top rests an intricately designed card, composed of various serpentine images. Marius hopes Dorian will like it.

This afternoon, Marius carries the newly-wrapped packages as he makes his way to the seventh floor of Dimera, to Dorian's rooms. He owes much to his friend, really, and he hopes this parcel of texts will help show the other man how much Marius appreciates his companionship. He struggles a bit trying to balance the books, all of which vary in thickness, as he walks, nearly stumbling into the wall on more than one occasion.

But eventually, he manages to make his way to number 32 without further hassle. Shifting the books in his arms, he knocks three times.

"Dorian?" He calls out. "It's Marius. I have your birthday present!"

Comments

[propertool]

Southerners, Dorian thinks, though Marius is not rightly a southerner. Close enough for Dorian. "They don't have baths where you're from? Or you've just never gone to a public bath? Or is it like here, with the private running water and whatever? It's still hard for me to remember how all this works in your world."

Dorian presses his lips together to avoid an indulgent smile at the thought of Marius being dragged off to a swimming pool or the like. Would he be just as shy about that?

"We've had some drinks. He's a clever lad. And knows how to drink better than to answer the question, 'what will you have?' with 'the red stuff' or 'the white stuff.' Maybe I should worry more that he is a bad influence on me, or likewise, but I've not yet gotten into trouble with him that I could not get myself back out of."

[pontmercyfriend]

"Well, we had public baths, in Paris," Marius explains with a shrug. "And most people had their own tubs and barrels at home. But in the time that I'm from, bathing, specifically, bathing often, wasn't as seen as the light that shines upon it today. People did it rarely." He shrugs again. "And I was poor, so, more often than not, I bathed with cold water, alone in my room." He manages a small smile. "It's not glamorous, by any means. My time is caught somewhere between the even more distant past, and this modern age, if that makes sense."

Marius has thought about going to the public pool on multiple occasions, just to teach himself how to swim. But the thought of modern swimwear makes his cheeks redden again.

"Grantaire has turned drinking into an art," Marius says with a knowing smile. "I'd say, from what I do know of the two of you, you are mutually capable of being bad influences." He winks after he says this, just to assure Dorian that he is, indeed, joking.

[propertool]

Dorian's face turns hot at Marius' reminder of what Dorian's wealth had once afforded him at home in Tevinter, and some of the nastier things Dorian had said to Blackwall about his personal hygiene upon meeting him. Dorian had been in the habit of a bath twice a day -- morning and evening. Not everyone could afford or get to such luxuries in their lives.

Dorian leans his head against Marius' shoulder, feeling exhausted and boneless from too much wine over too many hours.

"What a depressing thought. You sitting in a freezing cold tub all alone in some country that can't even grow a decent palm tree. You must make up for it while you're here."

[pontmercyfriend]

Growing up in his grandfather's house, Marius had access to clean water and baths as often as he liked. He chose to separate himself from that home, and in doing so, carved out his own poverty in the process. Living on his own taught him to appreciate the little luxuries, such as access to clean water. Seeing Dorian's face burn, he looks at him in concern, before tilting his head to allow more space for his head on his shoulder.

"My family was wealthy, back in Paris," he says. "I chose to leave, and thus, I became poor. You get used to cold water, after awhile." He leans back against the couch, trying to comfortable with Dorian leaning on him. "I do appreciate baths here. I like being able to soak for as long as I please."

[propertool]

Marius' shoulder is surprisingly comfortable, for as thin as he is. And Dorian is, perhaps, more drunk than he first assumed he was. It would make an excellent napping spot, and Dorian finds it suddenly unfair that he's not sure whether or not Marius might put up with that from Dorian. Marius is a good friend, but Dorian hasn't had many friends. He doesn't know where to expect them to draw a line.

He gives a very, very long sigh and refuses to move his weight from Marius regardless.

"So you say. Let me tell you, I've been traveling for years now, much of that camping, and I will never, ever get used to a cold bath. Ever. This isn't hyperbole. This is me recognizing a great truth about myself. That I am a spoilt little shit."

[pontmercyfriend]

From his years of knowing Courfeyrac, Marius is more used to weights on his shoulders than one might expect. Many a nights, he's wound up shouldering Courfeyrac's head when he's drunk too much. Dorian's head on his shoulder doesn't bother him in the least, therefore. He is perfectly fine with being a pillow for a friend, if that's what they need at the moment.

He suspects, given the state of Dorian's sobriety, the man is liable to fall asleep at any given moment.

"Cold baths are really great during the summer though," Marius points out. "Especially in a city like Paris, where, in July, insects would wind up stuck to your skin for all the sweat you've gathered."

"And even if you are spoiled, you're still a great friend Dorian," he tells him.

[propertool]

Dorian gives a long, loud yawn, with a jaw wide enough to bring water to the corners of his eyes. He stretches his hands out in front of himself before relaxing against Marius' warm shoulder again.

"What a delightful mental image," Dorian laughs. "You're very generous, though. Great? Seems a bit too superlative for someone like myself."

Dorian's body threatened another yawn.

"If I should fall asleep on you, just lock the door on your way out, would you? I may have done a little too much drowning my sorrows earlier."

[pontmercyfriend]

"Well, those were the delightful summer months in Paris," Marius says with a grin and a start of a shrug, before remembering that Dorian's head rests on his shoulder. He stops before he disrupts Dorian's comfort levels. He hopes.

"You are great, Dorian," he assures him, earnest with every word. "Really. Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise."

"Noted," he nods. "Would you like a blanket or a glass of water for when you wake up?"

[propertool]

The smile that Dorian graces Marius with is gentle and too-warm from sleep, a half-formed and sloppy thing unlike the crafted expressions that usually rest on his features.

"If I stop to tell one off, I'll have to tell off them all," he says, sleep weighing his voice down. "I think ... water. They tell me it keeps the headaches away better than anything else."

[pontmercyfriend]

"Well, they deserve to be told off, all of them," Marius assures him, moving to let Dorian's head droop on the pillow beside him. The other man clearly could use the rest, and Marius doesn't want to get in the way of that. He moves to drape a blanket over Dorian's shoulders, smiling down at the other man.

"You get some rest," he tells him. "I'll make sure to get some water for you, before I leave. It does help, with headaches I've found. Also, fast food works wonders on an aching stomach."