NOTES:
This small plot bunny bit me after posting this prompt on the kink meme . ?thread=669190#cmt669190
"Athos is sick or has been poisoned and the other three musketeers look after him. Somehow there is 4 in a bed cuddles (I don't know how they all fit, perhaps it's a big bed or they are in a pile on the floor in front of the fire). Looking for oodles of hurt/comfort. Pre-slash can go up to and including kissing but no further.
Bonus points for Athos feinting on duty."
It's not a complete fill but has cuddles. Not beta-ed. If anyone want to write what happens before this scene, feel free to as long as you link back to here.
Setting: All four Musketeers lying on the floor in front of the fire in one of their rooms. Athos is lying in Aramis's arms with d'Artagnan on his other side. Porthos is behind Aramis. It is the night after Athos was poisoned, he fainted during a duty and Aramis worried himself silly as he couldn't do anything to help. D'Artagnan and Porthos found who did it and he ended up dead as he tried to escape capture.
Aramis looked down at the man sleeping in his arms. Athos was sleeping now, breaths deep and even now, thank goodness. Was it only a few hours ago that the man was slumped against his chest, breath ghosting against his neck with each strained and panicked exhalation?
The arm across his waist disappeared as he felt Porthos behind him shift to poke at the fire above their heads. Satisfied that the fire wasn't going to kill them whilst they slept, he settled again, pressed against Aramis's back. Noticing he was awake Porthos whispered into Aramis's ear
"Go to sleep 'Mis. He'll be fine now. You don't need to watch over him all night."
"I know Porthos," he replied, whispering across his shoulder. "But I can't stop thinking about what happened. I can stitch up wounds, but that poison just made me feel so helpless." He hugged Athos carefully tighter and buried his face in his hair, blinking back tears.
"It won't happen again, 'Mis. We found the guy who did this and d'Artagnan put his sword though his heart." Porthos looked towards the youngest member of their group, lying fast asleep on Athos's other side, hand resting over Athos's heart, feeling every breath and heartbeat, even as he slept. "D'Artagnan's not worried and you know how much he dotes on Athos. Why not follow his example and go to sleep?"
"Sleep 'Mis," a tired third voice joined in their quiet conversation, "you're thinking too loud." The slightly slurred voice came from Athos, eyes still mostly closed with only a sliver of blue showing. His mouth was upturned slightly, seemingly happy at waking up in the middle of a warm pile of his brothers. "'M not going anywhere. Go to sleep 'Mis." And with that his eyes closed completely again and he settled back into an exhausted sleep.
Behind Aramis, Porthos was laughing silently; he could feeling the rumbling through his back.
"That's you told!" Porthos smirked. "You'd better do what he says."
For the first time since Athos collapsed, Aramis allowed a small smile to grace his face and he relaxed into the body behind him. With Porthos holding him and he holding Athos with d'Artagnan at Athos's other side, he finally found himself allowing sleep to overcome him. He slept to the sound of the soft breathing of all his brothers.