Chapter 10 - Early Call
4.14 am
It's the time Porthos can read on the alarm clock. It's the time he can read on his phone.
The light is too bright in the dark night.
He groans, grumbles, closes his eyes, rubs them.
Aramis shifts by his side, tightens his hold on his arm.
Ever so gently, Porthos disentangles himself, tucks Aramis in so he doesn't get cold.
The phone is still vibrating in his hand, flashing the number he didn't want to hear from.
He's exhausted, a bit hungover.
"Half an hour," Porthos mumbles into the phone as he attempts to put clothes on without waking up his boyfriend.
"Twenty minutes," his Captain replies.
Porthos sighs, agrees.
He writes a quick note for Aramis, tells him to call Athos in the morning, to meet him for a walk, to show him how to care for a dog.
He grabs some chocolate cake for the road and goes outside to face the dreaded snow.