Evening My Lovelies
Whoop Whoop! We're at over 200 Reviews!
So, we're back with our lovely medic and pup today I'm hoping you're excited!
For some reason, I don't know why, Aramis is having a bit of a banter with a bandit.
Notes On Reviews:
Deana: Thanks for the review - Ask and you shall receive :) Glad you're liking it. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Tidia: Thanks for the review - Athos is going to have to deal with keeping things from D'Art when the boy's better. Enjoy the new chapter! x
GoGirl212: Thanks for the review - Yay I'm glad you're liking it. I love your description of our boy's mindset at the minute :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
pallysdeeks: Thanks for the review - I was tempted to have Porthos hit him but decided against it... There's enough drama going on at the moment without adding that to it. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - I know right! Pissed off Porthos is scary! Porthos understands why Athos kept it silent but it still hurts that he kept it from him. I like your thoughts... though you'll have to wait to find out if you're correct. Enjoy the new chapter! x
FierGascon: Thanks for the review - Aww *gives blanket and pats head* it'll get better eventually I promise! Enjoy the new chapter! x
criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - D'Arts not going to be happy when he learns about it though. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Helensg: Thanks for the review - Oooh now that's a mental image :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
Maryg (Guest): Thanks for the review - D'Arty I love it! :D He's back today so you have that to look forward to. What can we say Athos is a damn scary guy when he's pissed :D I got cravings for cookies unfortunately the shop didnt have any that took my fancy :( ... So instead I'm now writing while munching on party rings... close enough I figure :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
f1gymnast: Thanks for the review - Oh our boys can be quite persuasive when they need to be :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
Celia (Guest): Thanks for the review - Worry not I appreciate reviews of any sort and if it's easier for you to do it in french then go for it :D I'm really glad you seem to be enjoying my stories. Hurt/Comfort stuff is my favourite to read as well, just so much drama involved it gets you hooked. I love writing the brotherly relationships so I'm really happy you enjoy reading it. Protective Athos is adorable and we'll get to see more of it soon :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
Issai: Thanks for the review - Haha hopefully he'll learn that. I almost felt pity for the guy as well, our boys are terrifying when angry. Athos will definitely be regretting not sharing his suspicions. The ladies were shocked but let them do what they needed to. Enjoy the new chapter! x
watlocked: Thanks for the review - Interesting... You'll have to wait and see if you're correct. Glad you liking it all so far. Enjoy the new chapter! x
The dreamer (Guest): Thanks for the review - You'll have to wait and see if you're correct on that idea. We've got some D'Art/Aramis moments today which I'm hoping you enjoy. You're very welcome :) I love having the chance to respond to you lovely people who review. Enjoy the new chapter! x
WelshEssex (Guest): Thanks for the review - Your welcome, we're kinda flicking between the two groups every chapter at the moment so we're back with D'Art/Aramis today and we'll be back with Porthos/Athos tomorrow. Issac and Favier will be back in a few chapters, glad your looking forward to it. Enjoy the new chapter! x
MicheeO: Thanks for the review - Should've expected a random thing from you lol. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - I could tell you were getting a bit frustrated by the 3rd one lol. Glad you liked Porthos and Athos's badass moments/lines. Both men are beyond pissed with whats happened although Athos is hit by guilt as well for not mentioning his suspicions before. I'm loving the whole brat, boy moments from the bandits but I'm also looking forward to our boys finally getting get back at the men for those comments. Porthos is still feeling some of the hurt of Athos not telling him before but he does understand why he didn't say anything. I was going to have him punch him but I figured we've got enough drama going on at the moment so decided against it. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Sorry this was up later than usual I got wrapped up in writing a later chapter.
As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading
Love you all!
Enjoy!
xxx
Chapter Sixteen: Protective Instincts IV
"So," drawled Aramis as he worked to create some more salve for D'Artagnan's burn. The infection in both wounds was alarmingly stubborn and the medic found himself fearing he would run out of herbs before help arrived. "Do I get to know your name or do I just keep calling you number two?"
The bandit watching over him smirked, though there was a flicker of intrigue in his eyes that made Aramis grin.
"Number two?" he queried, mirth quite clear in his voice.
Aramis nodded, "Number two on the list of people I'm going to kill," clarified the marksman, his voice full of deadly promise. "You were number one but then I learnt your boss's name so you got downgraded."
"How lucky of me."
"I thought so."
Aramis's train of thought was interrupted by a slight dizzy spell that caused him to drop what was in his hands and for his hands to shoot up to his forehead in a desperate attempt to stop his world from spinning.
"You're not looking so hot musketeer," mused the bandit as he observed the pale man before him. Over the last few hours since receiving his injury the man had barely stopped to pull the blade out and bandage his wound, choosing instead to focus all of his attention on the dying young man beside him.
"I'm fine," grumbled the marksman, a small bitter chuckle leaving him moments later when he realized just how much like D'Artagnan he had sounded at that moment.
It wasn't that he didn't want to focus on his wound. The medic in him was screaming that it needed further attention but he simply couldn't focus on it. He had no delusions about their current situation, the only reason he was able to treat his brother right now was because he was using his own supplies… when they ran out? Well then it'd truly be up to D'Artagnan to fight.
Most of the supplies Aramis had brought with him had been left in the cave, meaning he had even less to work with and he had absolutely no intention of letting his brother die simply because he wanted to stop the rather cringe worthy feeling of blood trickling down his back.
With his now steady eyes focused back on his work Aramis missed what the bandit was doing until he heard the sound of fabric ripping.
"Hold your arm out and stay still," ordered the bandit quietly as he knelt down by the medic's side, makeshift bandages in hand.
Too confused by the sudden turn of events to question it Aramis slowly forced his arm out, barely biting back a grimace in time as he moved.
"Why are you doing this?" he whispered when it became apparent the bandit intended to rewrap his still bleeding wound.
Shrugging the bandit turned his gave to the trembling, unconscious Gascon beside them. "You seem convinced you can save him."
"I can," growled the medic, though it devolved into more of a hiss when the bandit tightened the knot, securing the new bandages in place.
"Let's just say I'm curious to see if you can actually do it."
There were so many things Aramis wanted to say back to that but before he could pick on the bandit spoke up again.
"And it's Remy by the way, should you feel like number two is too much of a mouthful."
Still a little stunned by the fact that he had not only learnt the bandit's name but that he had also helped him Aramis merely nodded before returning to his work, his arm moving stiffly from the thick padding of his new bandage.
Luckily he was saved from having to ponder his captor's new personality shift for very long as D'Artagnan shifted slightly, groaning as he fought to open his eyes.
Instantly everything else was forgotten as Aramis scrambled up to his brother's side.
"D'Art?" he called gently, wanting… no needing his brother to open his eyes and prove to him that he was in fact getting better… despite every piece of evidence to the contrary.
Thankfully he didn't have to wait long as a few moments later D'Artagnan's eyelids sluggishly fluttered open.
"Hey there," smiled Aramis fondly as he gently brushed his brother's damp hair out of his eyes.
"…'Mis?" groaned D'Artagnan, his voice raspy and alarmingly weak.
"The one and only," grinned the medic, though had D'Artagnan been in better health he would have been able to see how forced that large grin on his brother's face truly was. "Here drink this, it'll help," instructed the senior musketeer as he lifted the water skin to his brother's lips, grateful that his captors had been "kind" enough to supply them with water. Though Aramis had immediately filled it with something to help with his brother's fever and had been steadily forcing his unconscious body to drink it ever since.
D'Artagnan's face scrunched up in disgust, much to the medic's amusement. "…Tastes… wrong," murmured the barely conscious Gascon.
"So I should hope," quipped the medic, once again lifting the water skin to his brother's lips, "It's medicine, it'll help, now drink."
This, strangely enough, seemed to placate his brother as the Gascon said nothing else as he drank the laced water with surprising obedience.
For a few minutes after that both men sit in silence, both taking an immeasurable amount of comfort from the other, only for D'Artagnan to break the silence by finally noticing the worryingly pale completion of his brother as well as the thick wrapping around his shoulder.
"You … hurt?" mumbled the Gascon, his words slow and sluggish as he fought to remain conscious. The pain of his injuries was near overwhelming and it was taking every thing he had not to give in and burst out either screaming or in tears. "…W-What … H'ppned?"
Aramis blinked in surprise. He had thought, given the random and occasionally down right bizarre mumblings that had come out of his brother's mouth over the last several hours while he was unconscious, that the boy was not quite lucid so his noticing his injury was a happy surprise.
"This is the first time you've been awake in hours and that's what you want to talk about?" smiled the medic softly, his deft fingers lightly playing with the ends of D'Artagnan's hair.
Apparently though D'Artagnan wasn't so with it that he caught the teasing tone in his brother's voice, as he seemed to feel the need to explain himself.
"Y-Your… arm… B'ndaged…"
"Nothing you need worry about, its been taken care of," reassured Aramis, guilt settling within him as he realized he had yet to tell his brother that they were currently being held against their will by a seriously dangerous man and his heavily armed group of bandits.
D'Artagnan frowned and was about to question it further when a large yawn cut off his words before they could form on his tongue.
Aramis's chuckled at the surprised expression on the younger man's face, apparently that yawn had caught his friend quite off guard.
"You've been hurt quite bad D'Art," admitted the medic, unable to hide the anger and worry in his voice as he spoke, though he was praying his brother was too out of it to really notice. "You're going to need a lot of rest if you want to heal so why don't you get some more sleep?"
To the sharpshooter's great surprise and even greater amusement the younger man weakly shook his head, his lips forming a small pout as he forced his quickly fading energy to focus on keeping his eyes open.
Chuckling despite the seriousness of their current situation Aramis moved his hand to run his fingers through D'Artagnan's hair, doing his best to swallow the worry he felt building up within him at the heat he could feel coming off of his brother's skin.
"If I promise to tell you how I got this," he says nodding to his damaged shoulder, "next time you're awake will you please rest?"
He wasn't sure if it was the boy's own tiredness or him complying with the barely veiled begging tone in his voice but mere moments after he finished speaking D'Artagnan was once again asleep.
Once he was sure his brother was once again resting Aramis let out a shaky sigh, his good arm coming to lightly rest on his bandaged shoulder, dark spots dancing across his vision as the joint throbbed painfully with each beat of his heart.
"BOSS!" called a voice, startling the medic from his pained haze. Instinctively the musketeer moved to cover his brother even though the person shouting was not talking or directing their words to him and was even moving in the opposite direction to where he and D'Artagnan were being kept.
Never one to pass up an opportunity, especially when it would let him learn some more about his enemies Aramis shifted slightly, making it look like he was still working on D'Artagnan when in actual fact he was straining his ears to hear what was going on.
"You find him?" snapped Quentin's voice, slightly muffled by the distance away from Aramis that he was. The medic tensed as he listened to the conversation, worried that the new arrival in camp had somehow found his brothers and all chances of rescue had disappeared.
Then the logical part of Aramis's mind stepped in and reminded him that Quentin had said "him" meaning a singular man and meaning that his brothers likely remained safe.
"Spent the entire trip back begging but yeah we did, Martin's bringing him in, I rode ahead to let you know."
All attempts of listening in on the conversation quickly vanished when the mysterious "him" was dragged both into camp and off into one of the larger tents on the camps outskirts, Quentin and the man who had brought the news quickly following.
Sighing in frustration at not being able to learn more Aramis returned his focus to D'Artagnan. His body was screaming out for rest but the medic ignored in, not willing to fall asleep in such a hostile environment when his brother was in such a vulnerable condition.
He had no idea how long he had sat there, tending as best he could to the wounds and fever plaguing his brother but the almost peaceful silence was shattered when Quentin threw the man Aramis only knew as "him" down at the medic and Gascon's feet.
"You promised me a musketeer," sneered Quentin as he kicked the sleeping Gascon, making him whimper in pain.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" roared Aramis as he leapt to defend his brother, only to be held back by the bruising grip of Remy and his companions.
"Your comments thus far have amused me musketeer," growled Quentin as he stepped over D'Artagnan to grip Aramis tightly by the chin. "Keep interrupting me however and I will not hesitate to have you gagged or worse."
Having a sinking feeling his captor was not one for making idle threats Aramis settled for glaring at the man while keeping his mouth shut, much to Quentin's approval as he roughly dropped his grip and returned to the other new arrival.
"If you think this covers your debt you are sadly mistaken."
"O-Of course not," stammered the other man and Aramis couldn't help but drop his glare as he stared curiously at the other man. There was something about him that made the marksman sure he had seen him somewhere before but just couldn't place.
"You remember what I said would happen if you failed to pay me what I am owed don't you?" asked Quentin darkly and Aramis almost felt sorry for the other man.
"I-I can get it!" stammered the other man in a rushed panic, his eyes wide with fear, though the bizarre expression that flickered through them whenever he glanced at D'Artagnan was enough to have Aramis fighting the restraining hold on him in an effort to get to his brother's side. "I-I just need some time… Please! I can get it!"
Quentin and indeed the entire camp was quiet for a few moments as the bandit leader considered the statement. "You have twenty-four hours to get me what I am owed or I will do as I promised." The other man significantly paled at this and nodded quickly with an audible gulp. "Martin and his brother will accompany you, just in case you get any silly ideas about skimping out on me. I suggest you get going."