A/N: Thank you Suzy Apple, Musketball1, pallysAramisRios, and SnidgetHex for reviewing! Here's some Athos. ;)

Summary: Athos hasn't been with the Musketeers very long, but he finds himself taking on an unusual duty.

Pre-series

"Foundations"

Athos strode across the garrison yard toward one of the storage outbuildings to change into a padded vest for that morning's training. Captain Treville had recognized his skill with a sword and wanted him to pass on some pointers to some of the younger men.

He slowed his pace as he spotted a broad-shouldered musketeer standing awkwardly by the posted duty roster. Treville had been called away on urgent business early and so instead of performing muster in person, he had tacked an assignment sheet on the post beneath his office. Athos had only been with the regiment for a month and so did not have much seniority, but he would not abide men not pulling their weight, so he adjusted course and approached the man.

"Is there a problem?"

The musketeer flicked a look at him then back to the parchment. "No," he said gruffly. Yet he continued to just stand there, looking awkward.

Athos took a moment to study him. Based on his bearing and slightly darker skin tone, Athos guessed he did not come from a noble family like so many of the commissioned musketeers. Captain Treville recruited talent where he saw it, regardless of lineage.

"You can't read," he guessed.

The man stiffened. "I've always gotten my orders directly."

Athos nodded. "What is your name?"

The musketeer scuffed the toe of his boot in the dirt. "Porthos."

Athos turned to scan the duty roster for the name. "You are to muck out the dragon dens."

That was the lowest drudgery work, and yet Porthos huffed in apparent amusement.

"You find that funny?" Athos remarked.

The corners of the man's lips quirked upward. "It's Aramis's way of getting me more experience with dragons."

Athos knew of Aramis, another of those special recruits Treville handpicked, one of the first musketeers and a dragon rider.

"Thanks," Porthos said, then headed off to do his work.

Athos went to do his.

While mucking out dens and stables was manual drudgery, standing on the night watch was Athos's idea of mental drudgery. But as a new recruit, it was one of those duties he just had to bear on occasion.

The late evening was quiet as Athos sat near the archway for the third night in a row. The watch was cutting into his drinking time, which he resented, though he endured the inconvenience stoically.

A shout went up in the street, and Athos stood, hand going to the hilt of his sword as two men rode up on horseback. In the waning light, he recognized them as musketeers. One was slumped forward over his steed's neck while the second was leaning over the side from his and grasping the bridle of his companion's horse to lead it.

"What happened?" Athos demanded as they rode into the yard.

"We were attacked on the road. He's been shot."

Athos reached up to help the injured musketeer down and turned him toward the infirmary. He had just gotten him onto a bed when Treville hurried in. The captain took one look at his injured man and then barked at Athos,

"Get Aramis."

Right, he was the regiment's resident medic.

Athos left the infirmary and headed to Aramis's room in the barracks. He could see candlelight glowing around the edges of the closed curtains and knew he was still up. Athos banged the side of his fist on the door.

A moment later it opened and Aramis peered out.

"A musketeer has been injured," Athos said without preamble.

Aramis's expression immediately sobered and he turned back to the room. "Sorry, Porthos, we'll have to cut tonight short."

Athos arched a mild brow as he peered past Aramis to where the large musketeer was sitting at the table, a book laid open in front of him. Aramis nudged past Athos and hurried toward the infirmary.

Athos lingered. "Aramis is teaching you how to read?" he asked, idly curious.

Porthos closed the book and avoided his gaze, shifting his shoulders as though embarrassed.

Athos cast a glance over his shoulder at the yard. With the commotion, the gate had been closed and secured, so Athos supposed that meant the watch was no longer necessary.

He turned back to Porthos and gestured to the book. "May I?"

Porthos whipped his gaze up in surprise but didn't protest as Athos let himself in and took the other seat at the table. He wrinkled his nose at the choice of reading material—a Bible—but nevertheless opened it up and proceeded to resume Porthos's lesson.

It was a couple of hours before Aramis returned, sleeves rolled up and face drawn with weariness. He pulled up short at the sight of them.

Athos stood up. "Apologies for monopolizing your room." He canted his head at Porthos and made to leave.

"It's no problem," Aramis said as he passed.

They didn't speak of that night, but a while later when Aramis was away on a mission, Athos picked out a book from his meager collection and made his way to Porthos's room. Porthos looked surprised to see him.

Athos held up the book in his hand. "I thought you might want a change of reading material for a few lessons while Aramis is away."

Porthos regarded him carefully. "You offering?"

Athos shrugged.

Porthos stepped back to let him in. "Aramis does only have Scriptures and prayer books," he admitted. "Not that there's anythin' wrong with them," he added hastily.

"Well, this is Antoine de Nervèze and his early works of tragic love," Athos replied.

Porthos's brows quirked. "Tragic love, huh?"

Athos merely shrugged again and went to take a seat at the small table in the room. Porthos picked up his coat piled on a second chair by the bed and tossed it onto the mattress, then dragged the chair over to sit as well. Athos was impressed by how much progress he'd made over recent weeks. Porthos was a quick study. The first few sentences he read were halting in nature, but Athos supposed that had more to do with being self-conscious, as he eventually found a rhythm. When he stumbled over a new word, Athos patiently sounded it out for him. And instead of simply asking what it meant, Porthos tried to work the meaning out himself from the context, and Athos filled in the rest once he'd gotten the gist of it.

And when he left Porthos's room that night and passed the captain in the yard, Treville didn't comment on it, but neither did he fill Athos's schedule with the night watch anymore.

The next time he posted the duty roster, Athos watched Porthos wait until he was the last one to go look, and then he stood in front of the parchment, face lighting up.

"Mucking out the dragon dens again?" Athos asked.

Porthos grinned. "Inventory and cleaning of the dragon tack room. Gotta get familiar with the equipment."

Athos never ceased to be amazed by the young man's determination to learn.

"When you're done, we could work on your swordsmanship," Athos offered. "If you're interested."

Porthos gave him a toothy grin. "When I'm done, I'll teach you how to fight without a sword."

Athos silently scoffed at that. But then Aramis strode over and slung an arm over Porthos's shoulders.

"Porthos could teach us all a thing or two about hand to hand and how to win a fight down in the dirt when one's weapon is out of reach." He gave the large musketeer a hearty clap on the back. "I'll join you this afternoon."

Athos shifted in discomfort at that, subtly chastised. Porthos had spent all this time willing to learn new things; Athos supposed he wasn't too proud to do the same.

"This afternoon, then, gentlemen."