A/N: Thanks to those who are reading and those who've taken time to review. Seeing that people are enjoying these stories makes me want to keep writing them. There's not much whump in this story. It's more the aftermath but I loved the idea too much to let it go. The prompt was brainwashing/conditioning. Constance has a word with Athos, Porthos, and Aramis after they play a trick on d'Artagnan.
Idle Amusement
"All three of you are rotten, you know that," Constance says, marching into the den, her hands on her hips. The three, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, sit on the couch. They are still on medical leave, recovering from wounds sustained during a mission gone wrong. It was a classic car chase on 294. Porthos was at the wheel, being the better driver, but he lost control in the blinding rain and they were lucky to be cut out of the car with their hearts still beating.
Each has broken bones, internal injuries, bruises, and the like. Their coworkers are taking turns in looking after them while they were at home. There are a couple nurses who come in to help during the day, but at night, d'Artagnan needs help. Often times, it's Treville or Constance.
Tonight, it's Constance and she's apparently discovered d'Artagnan's secret talent, one which even the young man didn't know he had.
"We're bored," Aramis says.
"And this is how you chose to entertain yourselves?" She's used to their antics. They've played the occasional trick on her. None of them as terrible as what they did to poor d'Artagnan though, especially after all he's done to help them. They're lucky Treville knows his men so well. He simply sighed and dismissed a red-faced d'Artagnan.
"Do you have any better ideas? We can hardly move three feet without something hurting. TV is our only entertainment."
"And we've watched everything we can agree on three times," Porthos says.
"Well, find something else and don't take it out on that poor man. He's worn himself out helping you and that's how you thank him?" She starts pacing the length of the den.
"There's nothing else to do," Aramis whines.
"How about reading a book!" She throws her hands up, staring Aramis down.
"Read them all," Aramis answers with a cheeky smile. She's close, oh so close, to smacking him but she knows that there's very little on him that doesn't hurt.
"Play a game then."
"We did," Porthos says. "With d'Artagnan and he was very willing."
"A board game!"
"We can barely move."
"Then a video game."
"Hard to move the controller when you can't move a thumb," Aramis answers, waving a casted hand.
She throws her hands in the air.
"But why d'Artagnan?"
The three shrug their shoulders, giving their best innocent looks. She knows them better. She paces one more round before sinking into the armchair to look at them. They've given up the innocent school boy look, which is good because she doubts any of them ever fit that description.
"How did you even learn to do that?"
They look at each other.
"It was a team effort," Porthos says.
"Oh, I believe that but which one of you actually did it?"
They don't say anything for a long moment. Then Athos speaks, quietly.
"What did he sing?"
"'If I Were a Jolly Blacksmith'. During a meeting with Treville. His phone went off and he broke out into a song and dance. He's lucky Treville knows the three of you so well."
Porthos and Aramis lose it then, knocking into Athos as they hold their bodies against the aches and pains the laughter brings. Athos can't help the smile at the sight of them so happy.
"Do you three know how embarrassed he is?" She stands, looking down at them. Athos stares back, the smile suddenly gone.
Then his phone rings and Constance breaks out in the first couple lines of "Hakuna Matata" moving to the middle of the den to begin the accompanying choreography.
"Hakuna Matata
What a wonderful phrase."
When d'Artagnan runs in, sliding on the wood floor with socked feet, singing the next lines, Athos loses it. It took weeks of work, of planning and waiting, but this moment was well worth it. Not for his pleasure, but for Porthos and Aramis'. He'll make amends to Constance and d'Artagnan later, and offer up Aramis for more babysitting duty to make it up to Treville. But for now, those hypnosis lessons have paid off threefold to see Aramis and Porthos laughing uncontrollably.
"If I were a Jolly Blacksmith" is from Galavant, which is a fantastic series that if you haven't watched it yet, you should.