Rin bit his lip faintly. "Are, uhm, are you sure?" they asked. He hated asking this but it was important. He wanted to be sure. He didn't want to pressure Arquis unduly and trigger a breakdown or a full-day obsession, but at the same time, he knew that Arquis needed to eat. That was so important, it really was. He reached out and gently took Arquis's hands to keep him from yanking at his body as he knew the other man was prone to doing.
Ari watched Honey, shaking his head very faintly. "Just give them some time, Honey. Rin might need a little bit to get himself together."
Arquis inhaled softly when they took his hands, unable to speak. Rin was so good to him. He bent to kiss his knuckles and didn't immediately lift his head. When he spoke, it was still in that position, his creased brow pressed to their wrist.
"I am, my dear." His voice was quiet yet certain. "This is not a battle that I will win. Later today, it might be better. I have faith that things will improve. But I know my mind. If I eat right now, I will be miserable."
There was a pause as he struggled with what to say next. He knew how this all sounded, and he had to admit, it didn't seem great even to him. It was worrying, yet it was the truth.
"You told me to let you know if I ever got off track again." He was speaking earnestly, directly from the heart. "That is why I am telling you now. I want you to know. In the afternoon, I will try my best to recover. I promise."
Honey groaned. Ari was right. He was being selfish. They needed time. He just couldn't stop thinking of worst case scenarios. Everything could go wrong if he wasn't there. At least if something bad happened while he was around, he could help fix it. He could do nothing while he was a decent walk away.
"Sorry. I just…" He shrugged. "I'm trying to be patient. It's tough."
Rin nodded slightly. "Okay. Thank you for expressing this to me." he said, giving his partner a soft smile and leaning forward to kiss his cheek. "You don't have to eat anything right now, but, ah, I would like it if you ate later, then." he smoothed his thumbs over Arquis's knuckles, still gently holding his hands.
Ari nodded a little bit. "Yeah. It's alright. I get it." he said. "But we'll just have to wait for a bit longer."
Arquis went pink and gave them a small, fond smile. This had been a challenging morning for the both of them. He loved them dearly for listening and understanding. Others would have become impatient and punished him for not following their rules, but his partner was so gentle. He swept them into a hug, then left a smattering of tiny kisses all over his jaw.
"Thank you," he whispered, "I love you so much. I will have something later."
Honey sighed dramatically. His lips formed a pout. Waiting got old very quickly, and they'd already done so much of it. He was going to have an aneurysm if they had to stay for fifteen minutes more. Down he went into another chair. He drummed his fingers along the armrests, shifted, and tossed his head back. This wasn't even anxiety. It was an itch, an urge, an impulse. He needed to go.
In the end, he succumbed to impatience. He poked his head in the bedroom and blurted, "Sorry! I know I shouldn't interrupt, but, uh, how're you two doing? Everything good? About ready to head off?”
"Thank you, love." Rin replied. There was silence for only a moment, and then Honey was poking his head in and speaking. Rin suppressed a sigh, turning to Honey and giving the young man a soft, quick smile. "We'll be ready in a few minutes, Honey. Can you give us a few more minutes?" their voice was polite, but still firm. They didn't want to upset Honey, but they were also a touch irked by the interruption.
Ari sighed when Honey got up, flopping down into one of the chairs to wait. He didn't mind waiting, but clearly Honey had.
Honey nodded rapidly and flushed. There was a note of irritation in Rin's tone. His heart sank. He felt like he'd been scolded, even though what they'd said hadn't been that harsh. He shifted from foot to foot in the doorway before stepping away. Instead of joining Ari in the living room, however, he just grabbed his jacket from the ground, slipped it on, and made his way to the entryway. He knew they'd wanted to leave with him, but honestly, he had to go check on his sister. His mind had convinced him that something terrible had happened. He'd arrive to find The Cecilia Rouge in flames, or Sugar would have been stolen, or Lovey would be missing. Something was bound to go wrong.
"Sorry. I'll see you later," he mumbled to Ari, opened the door, and stepped out. The morning air was heavy with the scent of rain to come. He zipped his jacket to his chin and hurried down the street.
Arquis heard the door shut, but he thought it was just Ophia returning from her house call. He tugged his lover more deeply into his embrace and gave him another kiss, this time on the lips like earlier. They tasted of sour fruit. It was lovely.
Ari sat up when they realized Honey was leaving, frowning a little bit. "Honey–" but the blond was gone before Ari could think of what to say, much less finish the sentence aloud. He stared at the door helplessly, unsure what the best thing to do here was. Should he follow Honey to make sure he didn't get hurt? Or should he wait for Arquis and Rin to be ready and go with them?
Rin returned the kiss softly, then pulled back. "We should get ready to go, darling." they said, a touch reluctantly. "We can continue this back at the hotel."
Honey wove through the familiar streets by himself, passing the community garden and one of the smaller markets. A woman at a booth waved at him as she set out a tray of bracelets. He flashed her a grin but kept moving. There was no time to stop. He should've left long ago. He never should have stayed at all. If his sister got hurt, it'd be entirely his fault. He should have gotten Myr kicked out. He should have insisted that Lovey and Sugar come with them on their outing. He should have done a million things differently, yet all he'd made were poor choices.
In the guest room, Arquis sighed, nodded, and caressed their cheek with his thumb. He wanted another kiss, but they were probably right. They'd stayed at Ophia's for long enough. He picked their plates off the bed—his was still otherwise untouched—and brought them to the kitchen. Though he hated to waste food, he didn't see much of a point to leaving it in the fridge, so he threw his meal out and washed the dishes. Once he was finished, he entered the sitting area and looked at Ari. Honey was nowhere to be seen.
"Hello. Is Honey in the washroom? Or," he remembered the sound of the door shutting, "has he gone?"
Rin came out to the sitting area, coming over to Ari and Arquis and rubbing their eyes. "I hope I didn't upset him." he said slowly, remembering what he had said to Honey and hoping that they had not been too harsh to the young man.
Ari sighed. "He, ah, left. I think he wanted ot get back to the hotel to check on Lovey and Sugar." he replied, standing and running a hand through his hair. "So, we should probably head out now. We won't catch him, but we'll get there eventually."
(oops I just realized I may or may not have forgotten to include that Arquis is wearing a shirt again, he wasn't during the night but he is now for sure)
Arquis took his partner's hand and kissed his palm. "You did nothing wrong, love. He was being impatient, and you were not impolite. But yes, Ari is correct. We should depart."
He quickly gave the house a once over to make sure they hadn't left anything. Luckily for them, they hadn't exactly gotten the chance to bring overnight bags or supplies, so there was pretty much nothing to forget. As soon as he was sure that they were fine to leave, he guided Rin to the door and out into the street. It took him a moment to remember which way they'd come. Things looked so bleak in the pale light of morning, as if all the color had been leeched from the sidewalks and buildings. Even the flowers looked dull.
The Cecilia Rouge wasn't as far away as he'd remembered it, for some reason, which was nice indeed. A light drizzle began about halfway into their walk. Arquis laughed quietly and shielded Rin's with his forearm. By the time they were at the doorstep of the inn, the rain was coming down in buckets. The nobleman pulled his lover and Ari inside as fast as he could. Much to his surprise, Honey was at the front desk with his sister. Lovey hurried forward and offered them a stack of heated towels from the spa.
"Oh, you're all going to catch cold!" she fretted, patting the noble's head, face, and neck with a warm cloth. Honey awkwardly shuffled up to them as well. He seemed calmer. Sugar was flopping about in his arms, wagging her tail at Ari.
(jsdhgkbj mood lol)
Rin stuck close to Arquis, laughing as the rain began to pour harder, plastering their hair to their forehead and running down their cheeks and throat, collecting on his skin. He gratefully took a warm towel from Lovey, smiling over at her. "Thank you, Lovey." he said, still smiling.
Ari was absolutely soaked by the time they arrived home, laughing nonetheless. His curls were drenched and hanging longer than normal, the weight of the water trying to straighten them out. That white shirt of his, drenched with rain, left little to the imagination as a result of his thorough dousing. He shook his head quickly, shaking off droplets of water that had collected on his head.
Lovey clucked her tongue. "Really, now, you wouldn't have to thank me if you weren't out and about in this weather! I know the storm came on fast, but still. You're all soaked through!"
Arquis took the towel from his lover's grasp and, with an adoring smile, began to dry their hair. As he was doing it, he leaned in and pressed a kiss to his mouth. He then moved lower, dragging his lips down, catching beads of rain on their throat. He laughed when he reached their collarbones and stepped away to continue with his task.
Honey blushed terribly when he saw the state of Ari's shirt. He hid his face in Sugar's fur, though that solution didn't last for long. The little dog barked happily and leaped over to Lovey. She continued to bark somewhat aggressively at the four men. Arquis paled slightly and stepped behind his partner.
"Woah, Sugar! What's gotten into you?" Honey scolded. The puppy growled. It was so high pitched that it basically wasn't threatening, but she was clearly guarding the young blonde woman. "Sorry, she's not usually, uh, like this. Sugar, c'mon, they're not a threat. They're not gonna hurt her."
"Oh, it's nothing. I guess she's just being protective." Lovey smiled quickly and tipped her chin at Ari. "Speaking of protective, I need to talk to you."
"Lovey," Honey groaned.
"No, no, I insist. If you're going to be taking my brother out on a date, then I've gotta do a little interrogation. It's my sisterly duty."
Rin inhaled softly at the drag of Arquis's lips against their throat, eyelids fluttering and he reached out to hold onto his lover. "You, my darling, are a troublemaker." he said, laughing softly and kissing Arquis's cheek, smiling up at the other man.
Ari took a towel, and began to work on mopping himself off, drying his hair and skin and trying to dry his shirt as well. "Ah, alright?" he said slowly, gaze flickering back and forth from Honey to Lovey, finally settling on Lovey. "Can the talk wait until after I have changed, though?"
Lovey tossed her head back as she laughed. It was both a pretty sight and sound. "Of course! I'm not gonna make you sit around in soggy clothes. Go get yourself all nice and dry, and then come to my room. Here, I'll write down the number for you."
She bounced over to the front desk, snatched a pen with a heart-shaped topper, wrote something down and hurried back. She slipped the paper into his palm. On it was, as she'd promised, her room number. Honey put his head in his hands. All of those years he'd spent protecting her, and now she felt like she had to return the favor. What questions was she even going to ask?
"Pretty's gonna take over here for me while we're talking. I'm gonna go ahead and put Sugar in my room, let her get comfy. See you in a bit!"
It seemed that boundless energy ran in the family. She carried the small puppy away, leaving the other four behind. Honey stammered something about changing as well—despite the fact that he wasn't wet—and left.
Arquis slipped his arm around Rin's waist and pulled them close. Their clothes were still drenched. They provided a nice yet odd texture as he moved in and kissed along his jawline.
"Mm, troublemaker? I like the sound of that."
He took the paper, glancing at it for a moment, then heading out to go to his room so he could change. His soaking wet clothing was sticking to his skin in ways that were rather uncomfortable, but it was alright. He was going to change soon. Once he reached his bedroom, he wasted no time in stripping out of his wet clothes, setting them on the edge of the bathtub to dry, and then got out fresh, clean clothes. He grabbed some comfortable pants, and a soft green sweater, which he pulled down over his chilled skin. He then headed into the bathroom, and dried his hair with a towel.
Rin laughed again, shivering faintly and curling closer to Arquis. It probably wasn't the best thing for them to be cold and wet, considering how recently they had been sick. "Mm, I am sure you do, but can we go and change now?"
Lovey waited for Ari in her bedroom, which was very well decorated. She took pride in having this cute little nook in the inn to call her own. Her curtains were salmon pink, translucent, and strung up with faux pearls. On her bed was a silky comforter stuffed with feathers as well as several cute pillows, and her nightstand held a variety of vintage makeup products. The lamp in the corner was tall with a magnificent shade; it cast heart-shaped patterns all over her walls and tidy wardrobe. Her shoe rack was simple and organized.
She put Sugar in a cream-colored dog carrier before settling on her mattress. A nervous energy ran throughout her. If Ari was truly a good person, then perhaps she could ask him for some advice. She had a secret that she'd been keeping for a while, and she was excited to share it.
In the lobby, Arquis nodded and scooped up his lover. Carrying them bridal style didn't work very well last time, and it didn't work this time, either. He laughed softly as he staggered with him down the hall. He didn't even make it to the bedroom before he had to set him down. Sadly, they would have to walk the rest of the way. So much for chivalry. He guided them to the suite and began to undress once the door was closed.
Ari finished drying off and changing, and put on a fresh pair of shoes, then headed to Lovey's quarters. It didn't take him long to make his way through the halls, knocking on the door of her room and waiting to be let in. He didn't want to just barge in on her, even if he knew it was highly unlikely she would be changing or doing anything that she would be embarrassed about if he were to see.
Rin laughed when Arquis had to set them down, walking beside their lover back to their room. Once there, he begna to take off his clothes, grabbing soft, warm, and comfortable clothing to wear instead.
Lovey opened the door almost immediately and stepped aside to let him in. She'd lit a candle while waiting. The air smelled of rich, velvety cocoa. She hoped that was alright. Some people had allergies to scents and candles, and, well, she just wanted this conversation to go well.
"Hello!" she chirped as she bounced back to her bed. Her slippers were fluffy and lavender. They matched her long, pretty purple nightgown. Her blonde curls were loose over shoulders. "You already know this, but, um, I'm Honey's sister! You can call me Lovey. I like animals, sweets, and I have too many favorite colors to count!"
Now that her basic introduction was out of the way, she could get onto what really mattered. She adjusted her skirt nervously and offered him a sweet yet curious glance.
"So. My brother's been through a lot. And, um, I really, really don't want him to have to go through any of that again. I need to know what your intentions are. If you want anything sexual, then you're going to have to cancel the date. He'd probably lie to you and say that he's ready for it, but he's not."
In the other suite, Arquis accidentally caught a glimpse of his partner while they were changing. He yelped and shoved his face in the crook of his arm. He'd dressed relatively quickly and had wanted to ask after their plans for the day. What he’d glimpsed instead was unexpected.
"Sorry! That was unintentional!"
Ari listened to her words quietly, and shook his head. "No. I don't want…sex is not something that I want from him." he replied with a quick, soft smile. "Sex is something I don't want unless or until there's an emotional connection between us, and he and I don't have a deep enough connection yet for me to want sex." he hoped this made sense to her. "And, even if I did, I am an adult and perfectly capable of waiting until he is truly ready for that."
Rin laughed softly. "Darling, you have seen me naked more than once already, I really don't mind." they replied, finishing getting dressed and coming over to him.
Lovey bit her lip and tucked her legs up under herself. She wanted to believe him, and it was in her nature to trust in people. Over the years, however, she'd been taught the danger of easily accepting answers. Her trust had to be earned.
"I know this is all probably kinda odd to you," she started, clasping her hands together in her lap. "I mean, like you said, the two of you aren't that close. You haven't known each other for long, and here I am, interrogating you like you're gonna get married or something. Thanks for being patient. And also thanks for your answer. If he's gonna be going on dates with anyone, it needs to be someone that respects his needs."
Arquis flushed and groaned. He drew them into a hug to rest his cheek on their hair. "That was different!"
Ari shrugged slightly. "It's alright." he replied, giving her a quick, soft little smile. "I don't mind, ah, answering questions, if that's what you need from me to trust me. It's normal to be a bit protective over your siblings." he was, a bit, though his siblings were very self-sufficient and didn't need his help or protection.
Rin laugehd again, wrapping their arms around him and holding onto him. "Maybe so, but your embarrassment is still amsuing, my darling."
The young lady smiled at him in return. He seemed like a sweetheart. Looks could be deceiving, but her instinct was telling her that he was genuinely kind.
"Can I ask you a little more about what your plans for the date are, then? If you have any, that is. I know sometimes they're kinda spontaneous."
She was going to add more to the question, possibly asking about dining plans, but was interrupted by a bark. Sugar was clawing angrily at the walls of her crate. Lovey stood and went to get her puppy. The dog growled at Ari as her owner brought her back to the bed.
"Sugar, not again! He's not gonna hurt me," the blonde soothed. She suddenly looked nervous, yet it wasn't the bad sort of anxiety. There was a touch of excitement to it. She smiled awkwardly at Ari as Sugar wiggled and snarled. "Sorry about her.”
In their own room, Arquis made a noise of protest and, grinning, kissed messily along Rin's jaw. "Amusing! Certainly not, my love." He playfully tickled his side before teasing a finger across his lower lip. "We were interrupted earlier, were we not? What a shame."
Ari cautiously reached out a hand to let Sugar sniff him; maybe that would help? "Honey had a restaurant in mind to go to, and we might get ice cream, too. Beyond that, though, I'm not sure." he thought for a moment. "Ah…I did want to get him a small gift, though, and I was wondering what sort of thing he might like? Because I do not…I don't want to get him something that will make him spiral in some way."
Rin laughed at the tickling, squirming just a little bit. "It certainly is!" he retorted, smiling at his lover. "And yes, it is quite a shame. We had to cut ourselves off so quickly."
Sugar very much did not appreciate being offered the hand to sniff. She eyed it suspiciously and eventually barked at him again, though she didn't bite. There was the distinct impression, however, that she might if she got the chance. Or if Ari got too close her owner.
"Sugar, stop it!" Lovey looked apologetically at him once again. "Sorry, she's just been so overprotective since I- um, well. I think, uh, that ice cream is a wonderful idea, and it's sweet of you to want to get him a gift. He'd probably love anything, if I'm being honest. We didn't have a lot of money growing up. He's not super materialistic or anything. You might not wanna get him something expensive. He'd probably feel indebted to you if you did. Flowers are also kinda questionable. They'd likely be fine, but, um, I imagine he used to get a lot from his clients, since we sell them here. Champagne and chocolates are also probably bad for that reason. If you wanted to get him something art related, that might be cute? He likes drawing and stuff. Oh, and things that make music! Wind chimes and music boxes. He used to be fascinated by those when we were kids, and sometimes I still catch him looking at them when we go into town."
Lovey stopped and wrapped her arms about herself. She felt a bit unwell. The longer she'd talked, the worse it'd become. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
In their suite, Arquis beamed. His lover seemed to be in a better way than the previous night. He loved seeing them smile and laugh like that; it warmed his heart.
"So quickly, indeed," he repeated, his smile curling into a soft smirk. "That really is too bad."
Ari pulled his hand back again, clearing his throat faintly. "It's alright. And I'll keep that in mind. Figure something out." he replied, giving Lovey another quick smile. "And, ah, are you alright?" her behavior seemed a little bit off, but then again, he didn't know her taht well. Maybe it was normal?
Rin stayed snuggled close to Arquis, looking up at him happily. "It certainly is." he hooked a finger in Arquis's collar. "I suppose we must resume it now." he leaned closer, eying Arquis's lips, a smirk pulling at his own mouth.
