Evening My Lovelies :)
OMG 30 chapters! I'm loving that you're all still sticking with me for this and we're also sooo close to both 350 reviews and 20k hits so keep 'em coming :D
This chapter wasn't originally planned, but I figured we needed a break from all the serious drama... plus D'Art's back!
Notes On Reviews:
Deana: Thanks for the review - Glad you liked it, I think Aramis was surprised as well :D Enjoy the new chapter! x
Tidia: Thanks for the review - They're actually quite close to each other, which they're going to find out tomorrow but yeah I haven't given any of them an easy ride this story :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
Debbie (Guest): Thanks for the review - Wow that seems like a lot of effort, sorry about that! You're review was not the thing I should have been reading just before bed as I ended up lying there for a bit trying to figure out if I've ever seen him actually treat a wound on the show or not lol I'm planning a musketeer binge watch very soon so maybe i'll keep my eye out and let you know. I think I just refer to him as a medic as I read a lot of musketeer fic's before I started writing and just figured that if he's one in other peoples he must be one in the show... oh well it works regardless :D Yep all our boys (and gal) are feeling the whump :D Enjoy the new chapter! x ... Ohhh no I've just realized he does treat a wound! He's the one that stitches up Porthos in the commodities episode where they end up in Athos's old home with Bonnaire! (I'm way too happy I remembered that lol)
criminally charmed: Thanks for the review - I'm so mean to our boys lol :) ... Viv's conscious does she count? Enjoy the new chapter! x
watlocked: Thanks for the review - Why thank you :) I finally made my Marcel decision today so we'll be seeing the start of it tomorrow :) We're sticking with Porthos and his group today and things are getting a bit emotional so i hope you like it. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Issai: Thanks for the review - Haha Well I'm honored that despite the early hour you decided to read instead of heading back to bed :D Medic mode Aramis is always super fun to write as he gets to be all snippy and rude and everyone just has to go with it XD Glad you liked the Favier/Issac relationship, I really like showing the other close bonds in the regiment aside from our lovely boys so I'm always really happy when my attempts to do so go down well with you lovely people :D We're going to see a bit more of guilty Athos plus some banter from our boys and a snuggly moment today :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
Maryg (Guest): Thanks for the review - Mwhaha I know, I'm so mean :D D'Art's actually conscious today which should be fun, plus we're getting a bit emotional which I'm hoping you'll enjoy. Don't worry too much about the wait between peace and more whumpage... I'm too mean to let them stay safe for too long :) Enjoy the new chapter! x
f1gymnast: Thanks for the review - Gotta love medic mode :D I get to write Aramis as snippy and rude as I like and then everyone else has to obey him, always fun XD We'll be back with Treville and his lot tomorrow but today's pretty focused on our lovely pup who's finally woken up. We definitely haven't seen the last of Daviau yet but it'll be a little bit before he shows up again. Enjoy the new chapter! x
MicheeO: Thanks for the review - Hmmm I'd be more worried for poor Favier as he's not a 'key' character and I've been known to kill of non key characters :) ... Not saying that's what I have planned. I haven't quite decided if he's going to live or not at the moment. Enjoy the new chapter! x
Lilac Lavender: Thanks for the review - Yeah poor Aramis probably hasn't slept properly for some time... unless you count passing out when D'Art was treating his wound before they got to Paris but even that was a while ago. I was going to have him pass out but I figured I'd given you all enough heart attacks for the moment and as I have some planned for coming chapters I should let you all recover before we get to them. Oh the Cardinal should definitely pay for it all but I don't know if the King will let them all go off to a resort... Maybe just a couple of weeks off spent in Athos's room (he has the better wine) drinking and having snuggly puppy-pile moments. I'm glad you liked the little Athos/D'Art moment (even though the pup was unconscious) Porthos is doing okay now which is all that matters... I just figured that men who were stupid enough to somehow lose to Aramis and D'Art when their conditions were what they were probably wouldn't be smart enough to carry around stitches. I'd be worried about Favier as well... I haven't decided his fate yet but I have been known to kill off non key musketeers before so who knows. We'll be getting to Blaise and the trail tomorrow, we're sticking with our pup and his group today. Enjoy the new chapter! x
As always much love and many thanks for following/favouriting/reviewing/reading
Enjoy!
xxx
Chapter Thirty: Sickly Pup
Stars, that's what greeted a groggy D'Artagnan when he was finally able to force his eyes open. At first, seeing them sent a wave through the young Gascon, as he didn't remember being outside so didn't understand why he was able to see them.
Eventually though his fever-dulled mind caught up with the situation and he remembered riding out to look for his brothers, saving Porthos's life and enduring the stinging disappointment of his mentor's reaction to seeing him.
What he didn't remember however was how he ended up in the stream he was currently in. Wincing at the pain in his body and the pounding of his head D'Artagnan forced himself up into a seating position, his eyes staring, thoroughly confused, at the water lapping around hips.
"You're awake!" exclaimed a voice, startling the sluggish Gascon from his attempts at working out how he ended up in the water. The sight of a clearly drained, but beaming young woman, greeted him when he turned his head towards the voice.
"Umm"
"How are you feeling?" she asked, completely ignoring his confusion and surprise at seeing her
"Wet," responded the Gascon bluntly, cheeks flaming in embarrassment when he realized his had voiced the sarcastic thought. To his great relief though the woman was undaunted by his response and merely grinned brighter and let out a small chuckle.
"Well you are in a stream," she teased, offering a hand to help the young man up.
Staring at the hand D'Artagnan almost took it before he realized he had no idea who she was. He doubted Athos's was that pissed at him that he would leave him alone in a river with a stranger but he still couldn't help the defensive tone in his voice as he asked after her identity.
The woman blinked in confusion and worry for a moment until her cheeks turned pink as she realized she'd practically attacked the newly awakened young man before her with questions before even introducing herself.
"Vivienne, I was being held at the compound. Your friends Athos and Porthos got me out."
For a few seconds it was D'Artagnan's turn to blink in confusion but before too long recognition lit his eyes, "Marsac's sister? Aramis's friend?"
Vivienne flinched at the mention of her brother's name but nodded regardless, once again offering her hand to the Gascon who took it without hesitation this time. The slippery ground of the stream only added to the boy's struggles as he tried to stand and even with Vivienne's help he stumbled more than once, something his chest wound and ribs really didn't appreciate. Eventually though he was able to get his trembling legs underneath him enough that he was able to climb out of the stream with Vivienne's help.
The sight he was met with when he stepped out made the Gascon's heart clench in fondness. There, by the dwindling fire was a sleeping Porthos nestled securely into Athos's side, the swordsman's head resting on his as if he had been watching over the man when he had fallen asleep.
The makeshift bandage he noticed around Porthos's arm worried the fevered Gascon though the fact that Athos was sleeping told him the wound was not a life threatening one.
"Athos fell asleep while keeping an eye on Porthos," explained Vivienne quietly as she helped the Gascon to sit down by the fire. The boy's skin was still very hot to the touch and she was definitely having to force herself not to stare at his muscled, yet clearly injured chest, but the young man was significantly cooler then he had been when they placed him in the river several hours ago.
"Porthos passed out as Athos was treating his wound and Athos didn't want to leave him so I volunteered to watch you. Next thing I know the pair are snuggled up like that, fast asleep."
D'Artagnan felt an amused grin tugging at his lips as he thought of the ammunition he now had to tease both men with, but then he remembered the last conversation he had with Athos and the grin quickly turned into a pained grimace.
"What's wrong?" Vivienne asked worriedly having noticed the expression on his face. "Are you hurting?"
"…He hates me," muttered the Gascon quietly, sounding so heartbroken that Vivienne was extremely tempted to gather him up into a hug, though she reframed, not sure how the boy would take it.
"No he doesn't" she protested quickly, her eyes flickering over to the sleeping pair, not wanting to wake the men when they were finally getting some rest.
D'Artagnan shook his head, instantly regretting it as the whole world spun and he felt like he was about to be sick.
"Breathe," soothed Vivienne as she gently rubbed the young man's back as she waited for the dizzy spell to pass.
"…You heard him," sighed D'Artagnan sadly, continuing as if the dizzy spell had never happened. "A reckless fool…" he chuckled brokenly, "I couldn't sit and do nothing, I needed to help and I'm a fool?" He sounded so small and lost that this time Vivienne gave into her urge and ignored both their injuries and pulled the Gascon into a tight hug, ignoring the water dripping onto her shoulder. She didn't know if it was water from the stream or tears from the Gascon but she knew better then to question it, choosing instead to simply hold him.
"Sorry," D'Artagnan mumbled a couple of moments later as he pulled away, his cheeks burning from his embarrassingly weak moment.
"He refused to leave your side you know," Vivienne said with a soft smile, brushing off D'Artagnan's apology without another word.
"Who?"
"Athos. As soon as we got you settled he refused to leave your side for anything. The only reason he actually ended up moving was because Porthos's wound needed seeing to. Had he not fallen asleep you'd probably be talking to him about now."
"Oh," D'Artagnan said, warmth filling his chest that had nothing to do with the fever he had yet to beat.
"You two must be close for him to be so worried," Vivienne noted with a small grin, "How did the two of you meet?"
"He challenged me to a duel to the death," answered a voice that was not D'Artagnan's. The stunned Gascon twisted, wincing slightly as he did so, and was met by the pain-filled, tired eyes of his mentor.
Vivienne watched the two men's staring standoff for a few moments before deciding they needed privacy to talk so after offered up an excuse of gathering more firewood for the dwindling fire she disappeared.
After a few minutes of awkward silence D'Artagnan decided to speak up, hoping that if he kept the conversation away from him then he wouldn't be subjected to another round of Athos's disappointment.
"How's Porthos?"
Athos looked down at his sleeping friend with a fond smile, the larger man now had his arm thrown over Athos's waist as his sleeping mind tried to keep the source of warmth from leaving.
"He's healing, we had to cauterize his wound so we'll need to keep an eye on it for any signs of infection."
D'Artagnan barely held back a flinch at the word infection, just knowing that his friend would use it as a way to direct the conversation back to his actions.
True to expectations Athos had an inquisitive look over the sickly Gascon before speaking, "How are you doing?"
"…m'fine," shrugged D'Artagnan, the response pretty much automatic by this point as he only realized it was the wrong thing to say when the words had left his mouth and Athos was sending him an unimpressed look. "…Pretty sure there's a drummer in my head and my body feels both too cold and too hot, but I feel better then I did when I left," amended the boy, his scolded expression drawing a silent chuckle from his mentor.
"Hopefully we can bring your fever down a bit more before we have to leave," nodded Athos, a slight hesitance in his voice that D'Artagnan would have picked up on had his mind not been dulled by fever and pain.
D'Artagnan, still feeling like Athos hated him, said nothing in response, choosing instead to nod and fiddle with the cast on his broken hand.
After another few minutes of awkward silence Athos sighed, his eyes full of regret as he said, "I don't hate you."
"What?"
"I… heard what you were talking about," coughed Athos, clearly embarrassed at admitting to eavesdropping. "I don't hate you."
For the umpteenth time since waking D'Artagnan felt his cheeks burning. He couldn't believe Athos heard his confession; it was bad enough that he hadn't been able to stop himself from speaking it in the first place but now to know that Athos had heard him…
"D'Artagnan?"
"You erm… weren't supposed to hear that,"
Athos's lips quirked upwards at the boy's embarrassment, "I know. But the fact remains, I don't hate you."
"But…"
"D'Artagnan," sighed Athos, successfully stopping the ill boy before he could start ranting. "My words, while spurred by worry for you, were unnecessarily harsh and I can only apologize for them."
D'Artagnan blinked, thoroughly thrown by his friend's words, "So…" he said, his voice hopeful, "Does that mean you're not mad?"
"Oh I'm furious," corrected Athos, lips quirking upward again as D'Artagnan slumped. "You shouldn't have been riding and you know it."
"But I saved Porthos's life!" exclaimed the boy, instantly regretting the dramatic arm wave that accompanied his words as it sent a shockwave of pain through his body that he only just managed to stop from showing on his face.
"Be that as it may…"
"That man would have killed you all had I not been here to act!"
"I doubt that…"
"You're in no condition to be fighting either!"
"…Are you guys seriously arguing over who's injured more?" enquired the groggy and slightly pained voice of Porthos.
D'Artagnan beamed, all traces of irritation, anger and pain gone as he saw his friend awake and well.
Athos huffed, looking down at his brother, "I was merely apologizing for the harshness of my earlier words."
Porthos grinned weakly as he untangled himself from Athos and sat up, "Sure, that's what it sounded like," teased the larger man, chuckling lightly as both of his friend's blushed.
"You merely decided to wake at the wrong moment," shrugged Athos, his eyes fixed on D'Artagnan whose energy seemed to be rapidly leaving him.
"Right," drawled Porthos, absently rubbing the newly cauterized wound. "Can't you both just put it behind you? We 'ave more important things to worry about."
Athos shrugged again, "I've said my piece."
"So no lecture when we're back in Paris?" asked D'Artagnan hopefully, his expression drawing another chuckle out of Porthos who couldn't resist smirking dangerously at the young man.
"Oh there's no getting out of that whelp, just wait 'till 'Mis learns what you did. You'll be getting a triple lecture."
Groaning D'Artagnan let his head sink to his chest, this time pulling full out laughs from his friends.
"Get some sleep D'Art," said Porthos softly, all trace of teasing now gone from his voice, "You look like you're about to collapse and we don't need that heart attack again."
"Sleep," ordered Athos when he noticed the boy was looking at him for confirmation that their talk was over, at least for now, and so he was okay to rest. The Gascon, not wishing to incite Athos's anger further, complied without question, internally grateful for the order as his whole being was screaming out for rest so within mere moments of lying down he was completely asleep.