Chapter Text
"Hello?" Athos answered his phone without thinking, assuming that Porthos was calling to check on Aramis.
"Hey," Athos cringed once he heard his hoarse, congested voice.
"Porthos, you sound awful!"
"Yeah, seems like I've managed to pick up the cold that's been going around at the station. The Captain's sending me home. Just wanted to check to see if we needed anything at the store."
"You should just come right home and I'll run out to get you some soup." Athos answered, then sighed, "We were afraid you were coming down with something."
"I can stop on the way home. I'm going right by the deli. Don't want you to have to run back out. I know you're writing..."
"Don't be silly, you're obviously more important." Athos huffed. "But I guess I could call in an order for soup."
"That would be great, I'll just have to run in then. Hey, what do you mean 'we' thought I was coming down with something? Who and when?"
"Aramis and I, we thought you sounded like you were starting to get sick last night. We were hoping we were wrong. I'm sorry that we weren't. "
"Don't know how everyone knew I was getting sick but me." He mumbled more to himself than Athos. "Well anyway, I'll be home in 20 minutes or so."
Athos met Porthos at the back door, taking the deli bags and his coat as he kicked his shoes off and then guiding him to the kitchen table. He had a mug of hot honeyed tea waiting and quickly served some of the soup into a bowl before sitting down with him.
"I am sorry you're ill." Athos offered sympathetically. "Is there anything I can get you?"
Porthos shook his head, "This is perfect, thanks. Is Aramis sleeping?"
Athos nodded, "He's in the middle of his afternoon nap."
As he started to slowly feel better Aramis had fallen into a fairly predictable pattern and they had adjusted their routines around him. Porthos was usually the first one up in the morning, he'd start coffee for Athos and himself and then bring Aramis some tea and medication before he left. After taking them, Aramis usually slept for a couple more hours. Athos would have coffee with Porthos and go to his office to write until Aramis woke again.
Once Aramis came downstairs they'd have breakfast together. Aramis would then settle in on the couch happy to be out of his room. Athos would putter around and chat with him, getting things ready for lunch and sometimes dinner. After Athos made lunch Aramis would fall asleep on the couch for an afternoon nap that lasted 3-4 hours and Athos would go back to his writing.
They'd all have supper together when Porthos got home and the three would spend the evening in each other's company(sometimes with the company of D'Artagnan and Constance) until they sent Aramis off to bed and followed close behind.
"Good," Porthos sighed. "Don't need him up and fussing over me."
Athos smiled, "I'm quite sure he will be anyway."
"How is he today?"
"Better, his cough seems to be improving and he's stronger." Athos answered. "Dr Lemay is coming to see him again tomorrow night, he's hoping he'll let him go back to work next week."
"That's good." Porthos nodded and returned to his soup. Once he finished it and the soup, he brought his dishes to the sink and started towards the stairs, "Sorry to interrupt your work Athos, thank you for the tea and the company."
"Porthos stop, you know it's not a problem. I am only sorry that you're sick." He handed him a glass of water. "All the cold medication from Aramis' room is now in the medicine cabinet." "You should probably take something."
"I will, thanks." Porthos accepted the glass with a smile.
"Are you working tomorrow?" Athos asked hesitantly.
"Nah, Captain doesn't want me back til Monday. "
Athos smiled approvingly, "I'm glad to hear that. Then you can get some rest."
"What about you? You've lost as much sleep as I have lately. Don't want you getting sick too."
"I am fine," Athos reassured, "Aramis is sleeping well now. My job is much less demanding and I can rest whenever I need to. And I do not have Charon coughing and sneezing all over me."
That stopped Porthos in his tracks, "Flea, already?" He looked surprised.
Athos smiled, "She called just after I talked to you. She was concerned, she made herself available for anything we might need. She's even delivering dinner tomorrow evening."
Porthos grinned, "Is it her chili? Her chili is to die for!"
Athos chuckled at his enthusiasm, "Yes I believe it was. She said it was your favorite, and that it would work wonders on your congestion."
"It is pretty spicy, " Porthos grinned before turning away from Athos coughing harshly into his sleeve.
"Get some rest my friend." Athos put his hands on his shoulders and gently nudged him along. "Call me if you need anything at all."
Porthos nodded his thanks and made his way slowly up the stairs, realizing how much his whole body ached. He stopped in the bathroom, found some cold medicine in the cabinet and headed to bed. He thought about stopping to shower, but it suddenly seemed like too much effort.
He shed with work clothes, pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a tee shirt and slid into bed. Before he let his eyes close he noticed that Athos had left both a pitcher of ice water and a box of tissues on his bedside table. He smiled fondly at the thoughtfulness as he drifted off and was snoring within moments.
Athos retuned to his office after taking a quick peek at sleeping Aramis. His phone beeped and he saw that he had a text from Constance and that he had missed one from D'Artagnan, both asking after Aramis.
He sent a reply to both
Aramis is doing well. Cough seems to finally be getting better.
Patient #2 just came home from work and is headed to bed.
D'Artagnan's response came first -
Maybe you should wear a mask
Constance replied a minute later -
Handwashing Athos! It's your only hope. I'll call you after work.
He smiled at their responses and settled back at his desk.
"I didn't hear you get up." Athos commented joining Aramis in the kitchen.
"I figured you must still be working, thought I'd get dinner started, since I'm not a complete invalid anymore." Aramis smiled, his voice still a bit raspy, but definitely stronger. "Did you have anything in mind?"
"There's some soup from the deli, and some fresh bread I thought maybe ham and cheese."
"I didn't hear Porthos come in, is he upstairs?" Aramis asked after noticing his coat and shoes by the back door.
"He came home early today..." Athos began.
"He's sick isn't he?" Aramis interrupted.
"Athos nodded, "Unfortunately he is, he's upstairs asleep. The Captain sent him home early."
Aramis frowned, the worry evident on his face. "How sick is he?"
"It's just a cold, but he did seem quite miserable." Athos shared his frown.
"I feel terrible, I hope you don't get sick too."
"Aramis, this is not your fault. You didn't get Porthos sick, I believe that Charon deserves the credit for that."
"But still, you know Porthos never gets sick. It's only because he was so exhausted after last week, neither of you got much rest..." He sounded dejected.
"Aramis," Athos squeezed his shoulder. "It is not your fault Porthos is sick and I am definitely fine."
"He's not feeling guilty is he?" Porthos' congested voice came from the doorway.
"You know that he is." Athos answered.
"Porthos, how are you feeling?" The worry was evident in Aramis' voice.
"Aramis, it's just a cold. I feel like crap but it's nothing serious. And it's definitely not your fault."
"But last week..."
"Everybody gets sick at some point Aramis, and this thing has been going around at the station for a couple of weeks. If you want to blame someone blame Charon. "
Aramis sighed, "You're ok?"
"I am, I promise." He smiled and sidled up to Aramis, putting his arm around his shoulder.
"I hope so, " Aramis leaned into him. "You know how I worry."
"I do, but you don't need to. I'm more worried about giving this to you while you're recovering." Porthos smiled and gave him a quick squeeze before suddenly pulling away and sneezing into his shoulder. "Excuse me."
"God bless you." Aramis frowned again as Porthos sniffled.
Athos handed him a box of tissues from the counter with a sympathetic look. "Why don't you two go have a seat in the living room while I get dinner started." They started to protest but he ushered them off to the couch, delivering them both mugs of tea while they waited for supper.
They joined him in the kitchen once the soup was ready. Porthos just picking at his soup. Aramis watched him closely throughout the meal. "You're not working tomorrow are you?"
Porthos shook his head. "Nope, I'm off until Monday."
"That's good," Aramis nodded approvingly. "Maybe when Lemay comes too see me tomorrow he can see you too..."
"Aramis, there's no need for that. I just have a cold, not pneumonia. I'll probably just spend the day upstairs in my room."
"Why would you do that?" Aramis demanded.
"Because the last thing I want is to do is give this thing to either one of you. I'm probably already spreading my germs around..."
"Porthos..." Athos began but was quickly interrupted.
"That is ridiculous!" Aramis insisted. "You just spent a week taking care of me, there is no way that you are going to be stuck hiding away in your room!"
"It's not hiding Aramis, just want to keep my germs to myself..."
"Porthos, I'm sure we will be fine. We just want you to be comfortable and be able to rest. If you don't find Aramis too annoying we can set you up on the opposite end of the couch." Athos grinned as Aramis made a face.
"I am never annoying!" Aramis huffed and turned to Porthos. "You will come down tomorrow?" He asked and Porthos nodded. "Good, because if you didn't I'd just come up to your room and sit with you there all day!"
"I wouldn't test him Porthos, I'm sure he would do it." Athos grinned, "Though that would make things much quieter down here."
"Fine then, I'll definitely come down." Porthos sighed dramatically and grinned
Aramis made a another face at Athos and turned to Porthos. "I'd feel much better if you were here with me. You know how I am, I need to know you're alright."
"I am, but if it will really make you feel better, I'll come down. But I'm definitely staying at the other end of the couch. I just don't want to take a chance at passing this on to you, or Athos."
Aramis' expression grew serious. "Thank you, I appreciate it."
"That will be much easier then, both of my charges together in one place." Athos smiled. "Much easier to keep you both out of trouble."
Both men laughed and Porthos turned to Aramis with a grin. "Maybe, if I'm feeling up to it we can build blanket forts. It's what Athos and I did when we were sick together as kids."
"Really?" Aramis asked grinning, this was a story he had never heard. "I never made a blanket fort."
Athos smiled and nodded, "I believe it was when we both had the chicken pox when we were nine."
"It was," Porthos smiled. "And then there was that time I went on vacation with your family and we both had fevers. Remember at the hotel?" He looked to Athos who nodded in agreement and turned back to Aramis. "Everyone should get to build a blanket fort Aramis."
He brought his dishes to the sink and turned back to his friends. "I'm heading back to bed now, but tomorrow," he yawned. "Blanket forts!"