A/N Well, what can I say, as much as I love to torture the guys I'm a sap and wanted to give them a break. This is sort of a Valentine's reply to LadyWallace's fic called "Dear Fangirls". It's absolutely hilarious and if you haven't already, you should totally read it! Basically, I heard out the complaints in the first 6 chapters and well, this is me trying to make it up to them even if just a little.
Enjoy!
Valentine's Day, the day of the enamoured, the day for the romantics, the day for people who wanted to do something special for those that had their heart. Every year, the four musketeers celebrated it in their own way, each one preferring to do something else.
There was D'Artagnan, planning for days ahead how to make this year special for Constance now that they were together. There was Aramis and Porthos, neither having a special someone in mind but planning to make as many women happy as they possibly could before collapsing. Athos just shook his head at his moron friends and preferred to spent the evening at home in peace with a few nice bottles of wine that magically appeared each year with his name on them. Even Planchet got the day off so he could spend it any way he preferred, usually finding some female company for the night because even servants had their needs.
It appeared that all of their usual enemies decided to celebrate the day as well as nothing went wrong for them. The Cardinal left Paris with Rochefort 2 days ago and wouldn't return for a week while Buckingham stayed back in England for once, surely wooing his own entourage of women. The King and Queen were too busy giving each other coy looks to sent the musketeers on a mission and Treville knew he could relax for at least a day when he didn't need to worry about his men either getting killed or horribly injured or getting tangled in intrigues that would cost them their heads. All in all, it was a great day to unwind and gather up strength to face whatever would start going wrong tomorrow.
D'Artagnan was buzzing with excitement. He had been saving up for a few months to be able to put his plan into motion and he couldn't wait to see Constance's smiling face by the end of it. A few days ago, he sent her the first note, he only signed it as her secret admirer but knew she'd understand who it was from when he added a single red rose in full bloom, she loved roses. The next day, she received another note, this time with a short poem praising her beauty, D'Artagnan had asked Aramis for help and the former priest helped him word what he wanted to say better. Once again it wasn't signed but it mentioned something that had happened which only they knew about. On the third day, the day before Valentine's, he had sent her a necklace. It was made of gold with a few petite precious stones cascading down in a V shape. D'Artagnan knew that it wasn't anything special compared to the fantastic jewels Constance got to see on a daily basis being the Queen's lady in waiting but it was the best he could buy with his money and after all, it was the sentiment that counted. In the evening he received a note in return, thanking him for the tokens and promising to wear the necklace next time they saw each other. It wasn't signed but it didn't need to be, Constance had spritzed it with her perfume that D'Artagnan loved so much and even Porthos didn't have the heart to mock him when he saw the youth practically floating as he smelled it every so often with a grin on his face.
Knowing that as much as he loved the other musketeers, their house was hardly a romantic heaven, D'Artagnan had gotten a place for the next day where he could stay with his beloved Constance without being disturbed. Sending the last note on Valentine's, he let her know where to meet him giving her one of the two keys, and promptly left to finish his last preparations.
He had decorated the room as best he could with a few bouquets of various flowers in strategic places that made the air sweet but not oppressingly so. Currently, he was lighting the last candle, he had several on the floor, the window, the table that bathed the room in a soft glow now that it was getting dark. Once the room was ready, he changed into his fancy clothes and did his best to put his unruly hair into some semblance of order. Looking himself over in the mirror, he had to admit that the atmosphere was doing its job. Sitting down on the bed carefully, he got ready to wait for his beloved to arrive.
It didn't take long before he heard the lock being opened and the soft footsteps of his sweetheart. He gasped when she entered the room. Constance was absolutely stunning, her dress accentuated her slim figure and ample bust, her hair cascading down her pale neck which was currently adorned with the necklace. It looked even more beautiful on her than D'Artagnan imagined. She took the room in and smiled at the young man who stood up once she entered. It was obvious that he took the time to prepare everything and in that moment, Constance felt her heart swell for D'Artagnan even more. As cocky as he could be, he had the heart of gold and made her feel more appreciated than any man had ever attempted to make her feel before. He had chosen his better clothes just for her, she knew how much he hated their restriction, and generally went out of his way to make this day special.
He stuttered about how beautiful Constance was and deciding that for once, she wouldn't be the one talking but acting, she walked up to him and kissed him gently on the lips. She felt his hand caressing her cheek lovingly as their lips touched and smiled. Yes, tonight would be something to remember and hold her through on all those lonely evenings in the palace.
Back home, Aramis and Porthos were doing some last minute grooming of their own. To them Valentine's was about showing women how much they were loved and since there were plenty of women in Paris that weren't married, they had their work cut out for them. Looking at each other and complimenting the choice of attire of their friend, they grinned and finishing the gift in their kitchen, left to go to their favourite house. The Madame was already waiting for them, after all this was a tradition the two rarely broke, and smiled as Porthos drew her into a passionate kiss. Usually she didn't get together with the customers but even she needed to feel wanted from time to time and let him. Once her head stopped spinning, she heard the giggling of the girls inside that couldn't wait for the two to join them.
Since nobody usually visited her house on Valentine's but these two, the preparations had been made to spend the evening downstairs. There was no need to use the private rooms after all as the two were shameless before each other and it spared time. Besides, like this they could make sure that none of the girls felt left out at any moment. Ushering the men inside, she barely got a word out before a few of the bolder girls drew them onto the soft pillows scattered around the floor and began undressing the musketeers. Laughing gently at the clothes that were practically flying through the air, she left the room to leave them to it. Tonight wasn't about a paid service, God knows those two spend the majority of their pay in her house anyway, it wasn't about the girls selling their bodies to willing men. Tonight was for free to remind the women that men desired them not just because they could be purchased but simply because they were women and deserved to be loved. Tonight, every girl would get pleasure in some form even if Aramis and Porthos couldn't walk straight for a week.
Peeking inside, she noticed that the men were already fully naked and while a few girls were taking care of them, Porthos was gifting any woman he could reach with his all consuming kisses that left them breathless while Aramis put his ambidexterity to rather good use. Yes, when she returned the next morning, she would find them all passed out on the floor in happy exhaustion. She knew she could leave them alone as she trusted the two with her girls and locked the front door behind her. Tonight, she could go spent the evening with her own husband without having to worry.
Back in the house, Athos had just returned from his patrol and sighed happily at the peace and quiet that greeted him. Taking off his doublet, he walked into the kitchen and let a small smile grace his lips. The others might have gone out to pursue different company than his own but they didn't leave him unsupplied. A rather delicious smelling dish was waiting for him, obviously they left not so long ago, and Athos knew that it would be his favourite without even checking. Next to the plate, there were a few bottles aligned and upon further inspection, Athos found out they were the expensive brand that he loved above all else but couldn't really afford most of the time. Sitting down he tore into the food with gusto, savouring each bite. Once he was done, he kicked off his boots and rested his feet on the table by slouching in his seat. The position was incredibly comfortable and ignoring the cup, he got a bottle and drank right from it.
This was heaven. He didn't need to think about anything, didn't need to worry about D'Artagnan, didn't need to remember anything but the sweet taste of the food and wine. Nobody would disturb him, nobody would see. Letting his guard down completely, he smiled broadly and hugged the bottle close to his chest in content.
"And they think I'm too lonely on Valentines, pffft! I've got you my sweets and all of you lovely girls who'll take good care of me without me having to do a single thing!"
Chuckling merrily, he took another sip and relaxed completely, slouching even lower. He loved Valentine's.