Evening My Lovelies
Right, here's the third update for today :) We are SO close to the end of this story
Notes On Reviews:
Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the reviews - (Chapter77) We'll be seeing the King's decision in the next chapter :) (Chapter78) We've got a D'Art focus chapter today which covers a bit as to what's on D'Art's mind. Enjoy the new chapter! x
beeblegirl: Thanks for the review - He's definitely in a spot of trouble but I'm going to keep you waiting on his fate front :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading
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Chapter Seventy-Nine: The Fallout
"D'Art!" exclaimed Porthos with a beaming grin on his face as he and his brothers entered his youngest infirmary room to see the boy lying in bed, awake for the first time in what felt like forever. He could see the alarmingly pale pallor of the boy's skin, along with the glistening sweat coating it and the scrunched up expression on his baby brother's face speaking to how ill and in pain the younger man was feeling and it damn near broke his heart.
"How are you feeling mon ami?" asked Aramis softly as he settled into a chair by the Gascon's bedside. His expression was full of sympathy as he had to forcefully remind himself that he couldn't reach out to touch his brother without causing the Gascon even more pain.
"Fine," grunted D'Artagnan somewhat reluctantly, his tone making his brothers share a questioning look as they copied Aramis's example and settled themselves down by D'Artagnan's bedside, their eyebrows rising after D'Artagnan added, in a slightly spite-filled tone, "So long as I don't move."
Reasoning that his brother's attitude was likely because of his condition Porthos tried not to react to the sharp change in tone from when they had last spoken to the young man, knowing his brother would likely regret how he was acting once he felt better and he had no intention of holding it against the young man, knowing more than well that pain and illness can make people act out of character.
"Is 'Mis going to have to tie you to the bed to get you to stay still?" teased the larger man as he attempted to cheer his brother up, knowing that staying still and in one place was not a natural state of being for the energetic Gascon, only to frown when D'Artagnan offered nothing in way of response, not even a scoff or roll of his eyes.
"Okay… What's going on whelp?"
D'Artagnan's eyes narrowed briefly as he looked at his brother before stubbornly returning to the near expressionless mask he had been attempting to maintain earlier. He had been warned by Gerald that his brothers would likely be back soon but that didn't mean he was exactly ready to deal with them, not after what he had learned.
"Kid?" pressed Porthos as he instinctively reached forward to place a hand on the mattress, only to accidentally catch the side of D'Artagnan's hand, making the Gascon let out a smothered cry of pain as he instinctively tried to shift away after the initial spike of pain, which unfortunately only cause more pain to ignite in the Gascon's body, his eyes screwing shut as he tried to breathe through the pain, ignoring the slew of apologies now flooding from a very guilt-stricken looking Porthos.
He thinks he hears Athos mentioning getting Gerald again and he was quick to grit out a sharp "No," getting the trio's attention right away.
"D'Artagnan," breathed Aramis, his voice once more fully of sympathy, though the Gascon barely pays it much attention.
"There's… Nothing he can do," stated the Gascon through gritted teeth, his tense frame slowly relaxing once the pain fades to a more manageable level, allowing him to open his eyes once more, though this episode has drained him more than he would like to admit and opening his eyes took far more strength than it should.
"I'm so sorry D'Artagnan," exclaimed Porthos as he resisted the urge to reach out once more, knowing he couldn't risk heightening his baby brothers pain once again.
Unable to stop himself D'Artagnan let out a small scoff, "I'm sure you are."
Visibly fazed Porthos blinked, "Of course I am whelp," he said softly, "Why wouldn't I be? I never meant to hurt you."
Since their arrival, the tension in the room had been slowly growing, though the inseparables had been trying to ignore it as they focused on their brother but it seemed that, for the Gascon anyway, Porthos's last statement was the tipping point as his eyes very quickly narrowed into sharp daggers, a look the trio weren't sure they had ever seen aimed at them, at least not since their very first encounter with the sickly Gascon in front of them when he had stormed into the Garrison to accuse Athos of killing his father.
"Corneau!" spat the Gascon, making the three men around him freeze as understanding quickly flooded their system.
Athos let out a mental curse as he took in the furious expression on his youngest brother's face, although despite the anger he was clearly feeling it wasn't enough to erase the pain from his eyes. It became immediately apparent that after waking up Corbett had felt obliged to fill their brother in on what he had missed, not knowing that the inseparables had kept the nature of the author from him.
Part of him wanted to curse Corbett for doing so and another part of him wanted to curse Treville and the King for pulling them away from their brother's side so they weren't there to explain their side to him when he woke, now all the younger man knew was that his brothers didn't trust him with the truth and he suffered because of it.
"D'Artagnan," he started, keeping his voice soft even as his eyes met his baby brother's narrowed ones.
"Don't bother," hissed the Gascon, once again surprising the inseparables by the amount of anger in his tone. "Corbett and the others have told me enough," he stated, confirming their thoughts that Corbett had been the one to spill the beans, not that they could blame the man as he had no knowledge of their decisions and reasoning behind keeping the information from their youngest.
"If you'd let us explain," tried Aramis, only to also be greeted with his little brother's glare.
"No," snapped D'Artagnan as he mentally fought against the hurt bubbling up inside of him, he didn't want to show them how much their decision hurt him emotionally, not when they didn't care enough to at least warn him what was at stake when they left him alone. He had looked weak enough in front of them lately, he had no intention of showing them any more. "You wouldn't tell me when I would have wanted to know so now you can't tell me when you want me to know." Panting heavily as it was taking a great deal of his strength to continue the conversation.
Coming to a decision he turned his gaze back to Athos who was doing nothing to hide the guilt from his face. Ignoring the burst of emotion seeing the guilt in his brother's eyes cause D'Artagnan forced his expression to harden.
"In fact, I'd much prefer you leave."
