Chapter Text
Their trip back was long and uneventful, after they had delivered the message crucial to their mission.
After all the excitement they had encountered, adrenaline was starting to wear off and they were groggily making their way though the maze of woods as a "shortcut" back to the main road. Aramis yawned, cricket's chirps in the dead of night slowly lulling him to sleep as he horse rocked him with each step. Athos was in front, D'artagnan in the back, and Porthos laughing to himself on the right. Wait. What? Aramis tilted his head as he looked on in confusion.
Porthos was nudging D'artagnan's horse along the path and had D'artagnan's horse pull up beside Aramis keeping the same pace, but D'artagnan's head was down. Aramis almost wondered what his friend was doing until he saw D'artagnan's eyes were closed. A short burst of panic coursed though him as he ran a mental list of injuries D'artagnan might have received earlier until he heard Porthos let out a laughing whisper. "Didn't even know people could sleep upright."
He's sleeping on his horse? Aramis leaned down on his own horse, letting out a small sigh as relief swept over. "Apparently not." Aramis grinned as their companion began slowly leaning down onto his shoulder.
Porthos silently pulled the horses reins from D'artagnan's loose grip. "I'll leave you two lovers to enjoy your midnight stroll then." Porthos grinned at Aramis, who was rolling his eyes as he shook his head, quiet laughter escaping his lips. D'artagnan shot up as soon they stopped laughing, fumbling to stay on his horse as he slowly regained consciousness.Looking between the two, he frowned at their all too knowing smirks and raised eyebrows. "Wasn't sleeping... just thinking." D'artagnan scrubbed his eyes, blinking furiously as he snatched his reins back from Porthos's now open palm. He straightened up and was soon at a quicker pace behind Athos, who hadn't even turned around since they got on their horses.
"Yeah? Thinking 'bout what then, hmm ?" Porthos was back at his side, leaning his head over to make eye contact again.
"Um...things?"
Porthos glanced to Aramis on D'artagnan's other side, failing to hide a smile as he scoffed. "Just be glad his sword's faster than his train of thought." Aramis called out, now back at D'artagnan's left. "Hey! You're telling me you two aren't at all tired from earlier?" D'artagnan retorted, waving his left arm in an attempt to knock off Aramis's hat. Aramis let out a laugh as he swayed back, one hand gripping on the reins tightly while the other held his hat in place.
"'course! Don't think anyone of us expected 'em to launch gunpowder from the rooftop." Porthos laughed again as he ruffled D'artagnan's hair, now bringing the attention away from Aramis. He cleared his throat, nodding at them and leaning in. They all followed, straining to hear his whisper."Though I'd give up all the wine and gold in the world to see Athos's face after the maid locked 'im in the hen house again." They all let out a snicker as they leaned back onto their own horses, loud voice in front of them making them jump and look up at their friend. "If I recall correctly Porthos," Athos looked over his shoulder, growing smile clear on his face as he continued, "You're the one who took the key from her and shrieked like a banshee when one of those same chickens jumped onto your cloak." He turned back around smiling, hearing Porthos let out a grunt as Aramis and D'artagnan lost it next to him.
"You know I don't like birds!" Porthos muttered, staring daggers at his two friends who bit their lip to stop themselves from grinning. "And the damn thing nearly scratched my neck into shreds after Aramis tried 'soothing' it!"
Aramis stopped laughing, lifting an eyebrow as he crossed his arms, pretending to be hurt. "As if i would be able to tell which of the hens would react to having their wings touched" He sassed, earning another quiet laugh from D'artagnan.
"Keep your eyes open for an inn or at the very least some type of shelter." Athos called out again, as they stepped out onto the road, now cleared from the large forest. Stars glittered overhead, sky lighting their path with moonlight. "The horses will need their rest."
"Just the horses?" Porthos glanced over at D'artagnan, who began yawning and rubbing his eyes again. D'artagnan froze mid-yawn, and gave a hard glare in response, shoulders tense. Porthos grinned at how quickly he could get him worked up, still childlike and stubborn.
"I think I spot one, off to the side over there" Aramis broke through the silence, pointing far off down the path towards a small, darkened home. It looked abandoned.
"Hang on, that one's closer by the look of it." D'artagnan pointed to the side of the road, into the thick trees that broke off into a path. Through the darkness of night they all saw the small box of light, their beacon for a place of rest. Athos nodded and pulled off to the side, dismounting and others following suit. There was a small path, too small for horse riding unless they all wanted tree branches instead of necks.
The path was long, almost hidden away if not for the small light in the distance. It would have been impossible to find this place during the day, since it went back into the deep forest before coming to a clearing, house in the middle. "Seems alright, glad to be on my own legs after the long ride" Porthos sighed, tying down their horses to a post near a water trough. A small rock wall met their path, acting as a short fence, no higher than their waist. The sign that read "Inn" on a post by the fence was dusted over slightly, but they paid no mind as the thought of a warm room and bed seemed like divine paradise at the moment.
Aramis walked slowly behind D'artagnan with his arms behind his back, wincing when D'artagnan stumbled on a root. "Soo...just thinking then? Not that you're tired, though." Aramis held out his arm when D'artagnan tripped again, only to have his arm waved away.
"I'm not..." D'artagnan lazily looked over, stretching as he walked. Struggling to stifle his yawn, he failed only for the sound to be followed by a sigh as Athos rolled his eyes and stopped walking, turning around to face his men. "Porthos."
"Right." Porthos nodded his head in agreement and crouched over with his knee on the dirt path. Blocking the way for the others, D'artagnan stopped in confusion blinking rapidly again as Aramis simply nodded and stepped off to the side. An owl flew by, staring at the group, its cry echoing through the dark. "Alright then lad, up you go" Porthos spoke again, still not standing.
"What ?"
"Hop on." Aramis motioned to Porthos, side stepping around the two as he walked over to where Athos stood not far off.
"I can walk you know" D'artagnan crossed his arms and huffed, still not budging.
Athos sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing full well how long it would take before the hard-headed Gascon finally gave in. "Yes, and you'll walk right into the ground if you don't get on and shut up." He stared D'artagnan down, giving him the commanding look he typically reserved for Porthos and Aramis when they weren't behaving.
"But..."
"You heard 'im. Shut it." Porthos called out again, clearing his throat as he waved towards his back. Reluctantly, D'artagnan gave them another look before positioning himself over Porthos. Wrapping his arms over Porthos's shoulders and carefully around his neck, he let his head fall over his arms as Porthos grunted and got to his feet, walking to the others. "Thanks but," D'artagnan yawned, head still lolling next to Porthos neck, sighing as he closed his eyes. "M'not...tired..." Came the last few words, murmured into the cloak as he drifted off, finally asleep.
Silence enveloped them as they finally turned down the path and spotted the building where the light had come from."Pfft, exhausted is more like it" Porthos scoffed, fixing his grip on D'artagnan, who hadn't stirred in the slightest. It hadn't even occurred to him easy it was to carry him, it only felt as if he was carrying a younger brother home. That, along with how light he actually was compared lugging home Athos and Aramis, just emphasized how young his friend actually was
Athos sighed, opening the gate for them. "Its understandable, anyone would be if they had to scramble after the both of you when the horses managed to 'get out somehow'."
"You do have a valid point..." Aramis nodded, crossing his arms. "Porthos did it."
Porthos gasped, nearly letting D'artagnan slip from his grasp as he stopped. He glared at Aramis, lowering his voice to an angry whisper as to not wake his sleeping friend. "You swore! What happened to making an oath?" The two began bickering, both in hushed whispers as Athos held the door open to the Inn. "Porthos-"
"What'd you mean now we're even? There was never an even to start with!"
"Aramis." Athos sighed.
"There was too an even! What about back a the barracks a few weeks ago? I was the one who had to take that crusty-"
"For the love of-Will you two get inside already? I'm not a damn doorstop!" Athos hissed quietly, rubbing a hand over his face as the two finally stepped through the doors. Taking off his hat, he walked up to the front desk, fighting the urge to slap both of his friends heads. Children, He thought. I'm surrounded by children.