forum The Strangers in the Palace (Closed)(Fantasy)

Started October 31, 2021 by @LovelyRose

tune

(yeah me too. it'll probably all come crashing down when Rin's father and Lysander visit the Palace and either A) Rin tells him beforehand or B) the visit is abrupt and Rin/Arquis didn't know, and so Rin is blindsided and ends up having to spill without any preparation beforehand)

He smiled lightly. "That sounds fine to me. And while we're out, I may slip away for a little bit and meet up with you again later." he had already mentioned this, but he wanted to make sure Honey knew. He was going to duck away to find a present, since he had not had the chance to do so before the date. Therefore,m he wanted to do it now. "And I am done eating, so if you are as well, then we can summon the waiter and pay." he was not leaving a tip, that was for certain. And, if the waiter asked why, he would be elaborating on that. It had been highly unprofessional of the waiter to speak the way he had.

"I know, darling." he said softly, kissing Arquis right between the eyebrows, where that little pinch had gathered. "But I am here to tell you that that is wrong. I am not angry, or upset with you. It worried me, yes. It frightened me a little, yes. But I am not angry with you, my love."

(I think A is more realistic because they'd probably send a letter in advance, however I kinda feel like B is the more interesting option because it'd create more chaos; also I feel like if Arquis knew Lysander was coming ahead of time he'd definitely do something to prevent him from getting there)

"Oh, yeah, I'm good." Honey grinned and patted Ari's hand. "Sneaking off during our date, huh? Well, as long as you're not gonna get into any trouble or anything, I guess that's alright. Don't wanna have to bail you outta the local jail."

He was just teasing, of course. Whatever Ari was up to, though, he really didn't mind. The Kevran hadn't been in Anvillea for long. If he wanted to go sightseeing or drop off a private letter at the post or do whatever it was that he wanted to do, then that really wasn't Honey's business. As long as they reconvened and spent more quality time together, he'd be good with anything.

The waiter came by before Honey could make another joke. The tilt of his mouth told the blond that he was about to make another snippy remark. His smirk only grew when he saw that their hands were entwined. Honey felt his blood boil. It wasn't fair that he felt so superior to them. His instincts told him to lash out, but he took a deep breath and pulled out money to pay his part of the bill. He spread the appropriate amount on the table.

"Do you happen to work up at that inn?" the waiter asked casually while they waited for Ari to pay.

"Why're you asking?"

He grinned as if he'd gotten his answer. "You and that lot all have a similar look. Wanna guess how I know that? I went once. Best night of my life." He shrugged and added, "Surprised she didn't say the same. Then again, she couldn't really say much of anything, after I was done with her."

Done with her. As if she was an object. Honey felt murderous rage flood through him, and he would've actually lunged at the guy if his hand wasn't still woven with Ari's. He could feel himself shaking with anger.

"We're leaving," he snarled. Screw the bill. He wrapped an arm around Ari's shoulders, took his money back, and stormed with his date out of the restaurant. The waiter's laughter followed them out. They hadn't ordered that much; it was hardly enough for an arrest charge. More than likely, the funds would come out of the waiter's pocket, and he'd consider the whole thing even.

Arquis showered his partner's face with small kisses. Them just being there was more than enough. He nodded and pressed closer to him, letting out a quiet, content sigh.

"Love?" he murmured. "If you truly are not upset, then can I ask you for a favor? I… I should eat something, and I would get it myself, but my legs are still…"

(I mean, Arquis doesn't know Rin's connection with the king of Kevra, so he would have no reason to suspect anything. even the name Lysander would be common enough/excusable that Arquis could reasonably go "it's the same name but probably not the same guy" and so just,,,, maybe tell Rin that important people were visiting, but somehow who those people are gets missed? and then they arrive and Rin is just like "shit")

Ari returned the smile, but wasn't able to say anything before the waiter returned. He got his wallet out, and was preparing to pay as the waiter began to speak again. He paused, gently squeezing Honey's hand to try and soothe the anger. His own gaze rested firmly on the waiter, and he glared at the smug man as if the waiter was some sort of dirt that had gotten scraped on his shoes. He did let Honey pull him out without speaking, and once they were out of the restaurant, he wrapped an arm around Honey, frowning as he glanced back at the place. "I'm sorry." he said. "He should not have said that to you. Or any of that. If you would like, I can go back in alone and speak with a manager. They might not be happy with the behavior of their employee." he was still frowning, brows pulled together. Kevra was far less homophobic, and a reputable establishment would not have tolerated such behavior from a customer-facing employee. Transphobia was a little more socially acceptable (though not by much; after all, some of the gods were not cis), and Ari had faced it before, but homophobia was something he had faced less. He wasn't sure of Anvillea's attitudes towards it.

Rin nodded, moving and standing from the bed. "I will go get it. Is there something in particular that you would like, or am I free to grab whatever the kitchens have made?" he asked, kissing Arquis's forehead and giving him a soft, sweet smile.

(ooh hm maybe? I feel like if Arquis saw someone named Lysander from Kevra he'd just be immediately wary, so maybe you're right in that if there was some sort of letter/news sent ahead it wouldn't include the exact specifics of everyone who was visiting, and then Arquis just tells Rin the even more vague details)

Honey didn't say anything for a long minute. Describing what he was feeling was impossible. Churning inside of him was a whirlpool of fury, regret, and shame, all of which was shot through with stinging bolts of self-loathing. Nothing that had just happened was fair. He should've been allowed a single pleasant date with a very kind, charming man. After everything he'd gone through, he thought he deserved that. The only explanation was that the world hated him. Maybe reincarnation was real and he'd pissed off a god in a past life. Or maybe he was just tremendously unlucky.

He ended up tackling Ari in a hug and practically smothering himself in his chest. His cheeks were burning with embarrassment. He shook his head in response to his offer. As nice as it was, there was a high likelihood that the lawyer or employer would call in local law enforcement, and they didn't typically side with people like Honey. The Cecilia Rouge was generally seen as a stain on the village. They'd wanted it gone since the first day it opened. They didn't take kindly to the people who worked there, even though they bought and snuck their services in the dark of night. He knew that for a fact. One of the men on the council had been a client before he'd gotten married.

"Nah, it's okay. Really, it is. I have tough skin. I just wasn't expecting it today, that's all," he said softly, his speech a little muffled by Ari's shirt. "All of it was bad, but that last part was the worst. It was the way he spoke of her. That girl. People have said that shit about me. Used almost those same exact words. I hate it."

There were people walking around them. Staring at them. Whispering. Honey pulled away from Ari, though he kept their hands knitted together.

Arquis shook his head, which made him dizzy all over again. He closed his eyes. "Ah, I do not know. I really am not hungry, but I know I must eat. Perhaps something easy?" He opened his one eye and squinted up at his partner. "Nothing heavy, if that makes any sense? Sorry."

(yeah! like the king says he's coming with a small entourage, but doesn't name everyone in the entourage, and then Arquis is just like "important people" without specifying, and then the king arrives and whoops that's Rin's dad and double whoops, that's his abuser too)

Ari wrapped his arms around Honey, holding him close and just letting the young man stay there in his arms. "I'm still sorry, Honey, that you went through that. Today, and in the past." he said softly, releasing Honey when the blond pulled away. He smoothed his thumb over Honey's knuckles gently. "And, ah, I hope you know I would never speak of you– or anyone –in that way. It is not…" he thought for a moment, trying to come up with the words. "It is not the right thing, I suppose." that wasn't quite the way he had been wanting to say it, but he hadn't been sure of the correct word in Anvillean. So he had settled for the phrasing and words he had used.

Rin nodded. "I understand." they replied, giving Arquis another little smile. "I'll go out and get some food for you, then. I'll be back soon, darling." he bent to give Arquis another kiss, then stood straight and left the room, leaving Arquis to wait.

(yeah exactly!! that's the kind of thing I imagine happens often, he'd basically be like any normal guest so arquis wouldn't spill the specifics to rin because why would he? it's just a normal visitor but then oh no it definitely isn't a normal guy at all)

Honey nodded, looking down at his golden heels. "Thanks. Yeah, it's real screwed up. I'm not an object. That girl isn't, either."

There was a long pause where he didn't say anything. His heart hurt. He hated when people twisted the things he'd done to survive and used them against him. A lot of guys were really into the whole degradation thing. He loathed it. Every insult made his skin crawl. Even thinking of them made him want to gag and sink into his bed, never to emerge again.

"I don't wanna be here anymore. Too many people," he mumbled. His expression brightened, but only by a fraction. "Can we go get that ice cream now? The person who owns that stand I was talking about is real nice. I think he's in Ophia's book club or something."

"Thank you, love," Arquis murmured before Rin left.

The noble bundled up the blankets on the bed and cuddled close to them. This was what he'd done pretty much every night when he used to live alone. He hadn't had a companion or a lover like Rin to hold, so he'd sought comfort from pillows and sheets. That was when he managed to actually sleep, anyways. He often didn't rest at all when he lived at the Palace. His nightmares were the subject of many rumors, or so he'd heard.

(yeah! plus now Rin's scrambling to explain how exactly he's related to Lysander (because he thought he would never have to explain this, so he was honest when he told Arquis that Lysander is related to his father) and basically his lies come crashing down and he ends up spilling everything)

"Yeah. Neither one of you are." he squeezed Honey's hands gently, still trying to soothe him."And yeah, of course we can." he replied, giving the blond a gentle little smile. "We'll go get as much ice cream as you like." he didn't move, though, as he had no idea where they were going. He was relying on Honey to navigate, which meant, of course, that he had to wait for Honey to lead him through the streets. To be honest, he was looking forward to the ice cream. Honey had said it was good, and Ari liked ice cream.

Rin headed through the hallways and down towards the kitchen, humming quietly as he walked. He hoped Arquis would be feeling better after eating. They wanted to go to the village, though of course they would prioritize Arquis's health and safety over visiting the village. If they needed to stay in for the rest of the day while Arquis recovered, then of course they would. It wasn't a problem to do so, to take care of his partner.

(yeah!! man I'm so excited there are so many good things planned for the future of this role play, like I've been slowly piecing together how I want some of the other big reveals for arquis to happen—which relates to that thing we talked about the other day, the reason why they have to go back to the Palace in the first place, I'm really eager for that whole plot line and curious to see what you think of it)

Honey smiled and looped his arm through Ari's so that they walked as a couple. A toddler pointed at them as she passed, and her mother hushed and hurried her along. The blond guided his date down a street lined with shops that had jingling wind chimes and fancy signs. An old man played a fiddle with his granddaughter on their porch, hoping to lure in customers. They'd drawn quite a crowd. The fiddler winked at the young couple as they skirted around the gathered people and headed for a small building. It was really more of a parlor than a stand, but it was rather tiny. The floor inside was made of creamy tile, and the walls were a pale caramel color. When they walked in, a man with salt-and-pepper hair greeted them from behind the counter.

"Honey!" someone familiar called. Ophia was sitting with another gray-haired man, but when she saw them, she stood. She hurried over and gave him a warm, welcoming hug. "Hi, sweetie! I wasn't expecting to see you here." Her gaze slid over to Ari. She stepped back, actually looked at Honey's dress, and hid a smile. "Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your date! You both look very handsome."

"Thanks, Ophia," Honey said with a laugh. "You on a date as well?"

"Oh, no, not at all. We were just here to talk to Abrahen really quick, and then we got sidetracked by ice cream. But it's about time we got going!" The man that wasn't behind the counter came to join her, smiling politely. When she hugged Honey goodbye, the two walked out the door together. The blond glanced amusedly at his date.

“Have a feeling I’ll be asked about that later. She’s kinda protective.”

Arquis tossed and turned, holding the blanket bundle against him. He wasn't tired. Sleep wouldn't have come easy, even if he had been. What was really going on, then, was that he missed his lover. If it were a normal situation, he would've considered that kind of attitude overly clingy and even a bit concerning. They hadn't been gone for long. Right then, however, he knew he was feeling that way because he was struggling. His partner was sweet and gentle and loving, and his own mind was not.

(yeah!! we've got so much cool stuff planned, I'm honestly so excited for it all)

Ari stayed with Honey as they walked through the streets, a soft smile on his own face as he looked about the town. He greeted Ophia with a quick little wave, eyes flickering around the shop and taking everything in. "She might ask, but I'm sure you'll have mostly good things to tell her, I hope?" he smiled over at Honey; sure, it probably would be mostly good things (if not all good things), but it was good that Honey had people who would check in with him. Ophia and Lovey both seemed committed to taking care of the blond and making sure he was safe, which was something that Ari could tell Honey needed.

Rin got to the kitchens, and it took him a few minutes to gather some food. He grabbed a few different options so that Arquis had some to choose from; he knew that even in the best of times, Arquis got anxious about eating, and he wasn't sure if it would be that way now, even though Arquis had been the one to say that he needed the food. That he needed to eat. Once he had collected the food, he also grabbed some water, and then headed back. He opened the door to their room with a smile and a soft "I'm back", and they set the food down on the side table.

Honey grinned at Ari. "Well, I don't know about that, stranger. Date's not over yet. Not sure if I'm full wooed yet."

To show that he was joking, he slid his hand back into Ari's and gave it a gentle squeeze. Then, he pulled the young man over to the ice cream counter. The shop owner smiled at the both of them and swept a hand at the display, clearly allowing them to pick a flavor. Honey peered in eagerly. There were so many wonderful options.

"Strawberry cheesecake," he muttered, reading the flavors, "berry delight, caramel ribbon, lemon sorbet, rocky road, mocha with brownie bites, cinnamon sugar with waffle bits, peanut butter and chocolate, and cherry chip. Goodness. Don't suppose I can have all of them, huh? I'll go with the mocha one, then. That flavor's new."

Upon hearing his partner's entrance, Arquis tried to sit all the way up, but it was too much at once. A wave of vertigo overwhelmed him. He sagged back against his bundle of blankets and took a long, stabilizing breath. As he exhaled, he lifted his hand and gingerly felt along his chest. Even through his shirt, he could feel that there was hardly any fat there. He was mostly skin and bone. That was a good reminder of why he'd asked them to go in the first place. He couldn't avoid the problem when directly confronted with it.

Once the initial dizziness subsided, he very carefully pushed himself into an upright position. His arms shook. Fainting had taken its toll. He combed his fingers through his hair and managed a smile at his partner.

"Thank you, beloved," he said, though it came out as barely a whisper. His energy was sapped. Eating should help replenish his supply. He couldn’t do it just yet. First, he wanted Rin close. He leaned forward slowly and guided him to sit beside him, then wrapped his arms around them.

Ari laughed a little bit, coming over to the counter as well and studying everything inside of it. "These all look excellent." he remarked, shaking his head softly and looking at all the different flavors. "Which ones have you had before?" he asked, looking over at Honey with a soft smile tugging at his lips. "Or which ones would you recommend that I try?" the soft curls of his hair hung around his face, framing his cheeks with soft, dark curls.

Rin snuggled close to ARquis, kissing his cheek. "You're welcome. What would you like to eat, my darling?" he asked, raising his eyebrows a little bit as he studied his partner. "You have quite a few options to choose from, lovely."

Honey fought the instinct to wrap an arm around his waist when he came over. That urge felt so natural. Instead, he turned and reconsidered the flavors. Some of them he'd had, but most of them he has never seen. The shop owner kept a regular three in stock—the caramel ribbon, lemon sorbet, and cherry chip—and rotated the rest. They all used similar ingredients. When there wasn't the mocha kind, for example, there would be plain coffee or vanilla with brownie batter. When they didn't have rocky road, they'd have hot cocoa flavor with marshmallows. That was why he loved this place so much. It was familiar yet full of surprises.

The shop owner, Abrahen, watched Honey curiously. He tapped the top of the case to get his attention and scribbled down something on a notepad. The blond took and read it, then smiled.

"He says that the most popular today has been the waffle one but that he recommends the cherry chip. It's pretty good. That'd probably be my recommendation, too." He pointed out the container of it. The ice cream was a lovely pink hue with chocolate chips dispersed throughout. "Unless you'd prefer something more rich, in which case I'd say the peanut butter and chocolate."

Arquis made a quiet, indecisive humming sound. "Ah, I do not know. Can I ask what you brought? Something with fruit, perhaps, though not yogurt. Granola?"

He felt horribly picky. There Rin was, being an absolute sweetheart and bringing him food after he'd already made such a fuss. He just couldn't help it. As ridiculous and demanding as he probably sounded, if he ate something with too much sugar or calories and they did go to try on dresses, he'd spend the entire day hating himself. Better to stick with something light.

"Or plain toast?" Just saying that aloud felt weirdly sad. He couldn't even enjoy delightful, sweet jam anymore. “I just do not know.”

"I'll have the cherry chip one, then." Ari replied, smiling a little bit and looking from Honey to Abrahen. "That sounds delicious." he glanced around the shop, then at the door. "Honey, can I leave you to do the ordering? I'm going to duck out for a few minutes, but I'll be back before my ice cream can melt." he took a few steps towards the door, giving Honey another quick smile. He was going to go get a gift, and bring it back so that he could give it to Honey while they ate their dessert.

Rin nodded a little, looking over at the tray and the items they had loaded onto it. "Can I butter the toast?" he asked softly. "Just for a little extra protein?" Arquis needed the protein– and the calories –that a little butter would add to the toast. "And I also brought some apples, and peaches, and grapes."

Honey shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Just don't take too long, like you said. Don't want your stuff to melt. It'd still be good, but, y'know, less fun to eat."

Abrahen slid him a pen so that he could write down their orders. It was sometimes easier to point, but the blond would do whatever the man wanted. He scribbled down both flavors and slid the sheet across the glass. The ice cream shop owner went to get some new gloves before beginning to scoop portions into glass bowls. He topped each with an unlit sparkler and a dash of extra syrup that corresponded with their respective types. Cherry chip came with a chocolate drizzle, while the mocha had a little bit of caramel. He made sure to glance at Honey to see if that was alright.

Arquis sighed and buried his face in their chest. "I would prefer it if you did not," he mumbled. "Though fruit really does sound nice. Peaches especially. I might have half of one."

This was making him feel more and more pathetic. What kind of grown adult couldn't handle buttered toast? He should have thicker skin. Maybe Muria was right. All those times she'd highlighted his insecurities and flaws should have toughened him up, but he felt as fragile as a butterfly's wing. It wasn't always like this. There were rare days when he could handle more filling meals or treats, like the cake pop he'd had a while ago. Today was just rough.

Ari nodded a little bit, ducking out of the shop and quickly making his way down to the market. He studied all the vendors, going through the different stalls as quickly as possible until he found what he was looking for: a man selling lovely little music boxes. Ari picked one up, studying it to see if it might be something Honey would like. The body was formed of beautiful dark wood, polished to s shine. The lid was made of crimson metal, with beautiful detailing. When he opened it, it played a lovely little tune. There was room inside for jewelry, too, so he went over to the vendor. "I would like to purchase this." he said, holding it up carefully. "And could I have it gift-wrapped, if possible?"

The merchant, an older man with greying hair, smiled and nodded, naming the price. "And I can indeed wrap it for you." he took it from Ari's hands, and wrapped it to protect it, then put it into a small gift bag. While he was doing that, Ari counted out the money for the purchase, setting the money down on the counter. Once the present had been wrapped, he handed it back to Ari, and took the money. "There you are, young man. Have a good evening."

"Thank you, you too." Ari replied, taking the bag and leaving the shop. He broke into a jog on his way back to the ice cream shop, opening the door quietly and coming over to Honey.

Rin bit his lip faintly. "Are you sure?" he asked, hating to sound as if he doubted Arquis, but also wanting to make sure Arquis ate as much as possible. "Just a little bit of butter?" he grabbed a knife and cut a peach into slices, rather than in half. Perhaps if he cut it in slices, Arquis would eat more of it. He hoped. Maybe this would be a good way to help the nobleman eat, though he wasn't sure.

By the time Ari got back, Honey had received and paid for the ice cream. Abrahen passed the glass bowls over, smiled, and went to clean the counter. Honey handed Ari his dessert and went to sit at the table that Ophia had left. There was a tray of matches on top that could be used to light the sparklers. He took one, struck it, and grinned as he touched it to the tip of the silver stick. Tiny golden sparks began shoot out. They didn't quite reach the ice cream, which was both for safety and for preservation of the flavor. The last thing ice cream needed was a healthy dusting of ash.

Honey had always been kind of fascinated with fireworks. There weren't many authentic, large ones about—mostly only the wealthy could afford them, and even then, they were still a very dangerous and new science—but he'd gotten to see a couple in the air when passing by estates. In Anvillea, they were sometimes used to celebrate the birth of new, healthy noblemen. He wondered briefly if Arquis had gotten that sort of treatment when he'd been born. Maybe. The man did seem like he had a rough home life.

“Your little outing go fine, stranger?” he asked Ari, readying his spoon to dip into his dessert. His smile was almost as sweet as the spoonful that he lifted to his lips.

"I am certain," Arquis confirmed, leaning back against the nearest pillow. He yawned, wincing slightly at the rawness of his throat, and cast a glance at what his partner was doing. His mouth quirked to the side when he saw them cutting the peach. He didn't say anything about it.

"You can have some fruit, too, if you would like," he offered softly.

Ari sat down across from Honey, giving him a grateful smile. "Thank you." he said, lighting his own sparkler and watching it, still smiling. "My outing went very well, yes." he had set the gift bag down on the floor, unsure whether to give it to Honey now or later. Perhaps later, after they had both finished their food? That might be better, rather than interrupting the ice cream. So he just gave Honey another soft smile, then got to work on his ice cream.

"I brought enough for both of us." he replied, setting all the peach slices on a plate and then setting the plate in front of Arquis. "You can eat as many of those as you like." for himself, he put butter and jam on some toast, and then handed Arquis a dry, plain piece. He hated doing it, but he wasn't going to force Arquis to eat anything more. He was just glad Arquis was willing to eat.

Honey was in a world of bliss. The ice cream was fantastic. The mocha was rich and slightly bitter, which paired well with the sweetness of the brownie pieces. While some might consider the caramel syrup to be too much, he thought it was perfect. It added a depth that wasn't otherwise attainable with such chocolate-forward flavors. He sighed dreamily and licked his lower lip. There was no food group as versatile or wonderful as ice cream. He'd eat it for three meals a day, if he could.

"Y'know, if it weren't for cavities, I'd probably have this every single day. I've got such a bad sweet tooth." He paused to watch the sparkler for a second, feeling a swell of something odd inside. His eyes flickered to Ari. This was what a real date was like. And this was what a real crush felt like, too. He blushed. Whatever he'd felt for Myr in the beginning of knowing him, it hadn't been this. No, this was something gentle and pure, and it made his heart flutter.

"Ari," he murmured, then smiled in his happy, uneven way, his dimples appearing. There hadn't really been a reason that he'd said it. He just liked saying his name.

Arquis took one of the peach slices and bit off the edge. Immediately, the sweet, slightly tangy flavor of it danced across his tongue. He had to admit that it was delicious. His stomach growled loudly, and he reddened.

"Goodness," he mumbled, then laughed. He ate another slice after finishing the first. Then, he nibbled at the corner of the toast. Plain. Boring. His childhood self would've hated it, but his adult self was glad for the simplicity.

Ari nodded a little. "Ice cream is delicious." he agreed, smiling over at his date. When Honey said his name, he tipped his head slightly. "What?" he asked, still smiling as he looked at the blond across from him. "Is something wrong?" he kept eating at his own ice crema, the red dye beginning to tint his lips and mouth, just a little bit.

Rin laughed softly at the sound of Arquis's stomach growling so loudly. "You can eat as much as you need to, Arquis." he said, giving him a little smile. "No one here will judge you." their gaze was soft, free of any judgement as they looked over at their partner. "I promise."

Honey tore his gaze away from him and pretended to busy himself with his ice cream. He stole a couple of quick, small glances at his lips, then scolded himself internally. They were on a proper date. He should have some manners. Determined, he spooned a whole cube of brownie batter into his mouth. When he was done with that, he faced Ari and shrugged.

"Oh, nah, it's nothing. I was gonna say something, but I guess I forgot." The words were paired with a casual grin. He adjusted the neckline of his dress. Sitting had made it shift a bit. "Speaking of forgetting, I almost forgot to ask you about something. You and Lovey met up earlier, yeah? What'd you guys talk about? She spill all the exciting secrets of my life? Show you my childhood diary? My metaphorical diary, of course. I didn't have a diary, and even if I did, she wouldn't have it."

Arquis frowned. "Ah. Someone will. Myself."

He picked up another peach slice. That was about three. Or had it been four? How many slices made up half? Had he already eaten too many? How big had that peach been? He glanced at his toast. Already, he'd had at least a quarter of it. Surely, that was too much too fast. He didn't want to devour it.

No. He wasn't going to go down that path. His body was telling him what he needed. He was famished. If he blocked out his fatigue and soft feelings for Rin, he'd be consumed by his hunger. Eating was necessary, and it would make him feel better. He tipped his head against Rin's shoulder and took a deep breath. If they—someone who was shorter than him—could have breakfast and also eat jam with their toast, then he could have some butter on his.

"Love?" He kissed his neck, then let out a shaky breath. "I might have changed my mind. About the butter, I mean. If it is not a bother?"

Ari nodded. "Alright." at the question about Lovey, he hesitated for a moment, thinking of what he could say without giving away Lovey's news about her and Pretty and a baby. "Uhm…she just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to hurt you or anything." he said slowly. "And I asked her what sort of things you might like as a present." Lovey had said that Honey liked things that made music, so the music box would hopefully be perfect. It was lovely, and could be used to store jewelry. Perfect. He just hoped that Honey liked it.

Rin smiled softly, setting his own toast down and nodding a little. "IT's fine, love." he took Arquis's piece of toast, and spread some butter on it. He didn't put much, just a thin layer. Enough that it was there, but not enough to be too much. "Here, darling." he gave his partner a soft, sweet smile.

"Aw! I'm flattered, stranger." Though he said it in a teasing way, he really was quite flattered. That was terribly thoughtful of him. Most men didn't actually care what he liked. They'd do what worked. The bare minimum. "I have your gift. Wanna see it now? Or would you prefer to get it later? Don't wanna embarrass you in public. You might weep tears of joy."

That was all a joke. There was no one else in the shop besides Abrahen, who was working diligently to get the counter and equipment ready for a post-dinner rush. Plus, he was actually nervous about what Ari would think. He wasn't that confident in his gift-giving skills.

Arquis thanked Rin, returning the smile, and accepted the buttered toast. He appreciated the fact that they spread it so thin, though he did still feel a little childish. It reminded him of that trick that parents used to get their toddlers to eat vegetables. They'd finely dice and hide them in sauces or blend them with the batter for treats. The whole idea was that not seeing it wouldn't cause a fuss, which was exactly what was happening here. Though he supposed his issue was more complicated than simply not wanting to eat asparagus or broccoli.

He took a bite. The slightly salty taste of butter was obvious but not overpowering. The fact that he could taste it at all, however, was a little much. He had to remind himself several times that he was underweight before he could eat more. Stuff like this would help him stabilize. Moderation was key. Not eating anything at all was not moderation.

After finishing the toast, he convinced himself to eat the rest of the peach. He'd begun a mantra in his mind. Moderation was key. This was moderation. He was doing well. Fruit and wheat were healthy. There was no harm in indulging in some butter or a treat.

"Alright," he said, then smiled. This was an accomplishment! Eating on his bad days was hard. He'd made progress! And better yet, he was already starting to feel less worn out. Some color had come back into his complexion. "There we are. Done and done.”

Ari smiled, shrugging a little. "If you want to exchange now, then we certainly can." he replied, glancing down at where the gift bag for his present to Honey sat on the floor, just waiting to be opened. He honestly had no idea what Honey could possibly have chosen for him, and was rather excited to find out, too. He just hoped it hadn't been something too expensive; he didn't want Honey to spend a lot of money on him.

Rin smiled softly, having finished his own toast already. "Thank you, darling." he said, glad to see that Arquis had eaten both the toast and all of the peach. It wasn't quite enough, but it was certainly progress. "You're doing so well, my love." he kissed Arquis's cheek, snuggling up to his side.

"Yeah! Let's do it now, it'll be fun!" Honey exclaimed, beaming.

He reached into the pocket of his dress—this was one of the only ones he owned that actually had them, which is partially why he'd worn it—and took out Ari's gift. He set it on the table. There was wrapping paper around it to keep it from breaking. He picked off the layers one by one as if unfurling the petals of a flower. That was actually an apt simile, as the gift was indeed very floral. It was an ornate bottle with a stopper in the shape of a rose. Miniature glass flowers and leaves decorated the sides. Inside was a translucent, colorless liquid.

Honey gently took Ari's left arm and rotated it so that the inner part was facing upwards. Then, he took the bottle and uncapped it. There was a little dropper inside. He picked it up, withdrew a tiny bit of the liquid, and put it on the young man's wrist. A smile formed on his lips as he softly rubbed it into his skin. It was cologne, not perfume. The aroma was floral yet masculine, with notes of sage and something earthy. Honey thought it smelled like a garden or the woods after a light rain. He wasn't sure if Ari would like it the scent, though. Maybe he'd find it strange.

Arquis practically purred at the praise and set aside his plate so that he could pull Rin down with him. He entwined their legs and kissed his lover. His own mouth tasted of peach. He smiled against him and dragged his lips down their neck, whispering words of thanks.

Ari smiled, watching as Honey unwrapped it to reveal the little bottle. Once Honey had rubbed it in, he brought his wrist up to his nose and inhaled, breathing in the scent. "Oh. That smells wonderful, Honey. Where did you get it?" he asked, smiling at Honey. He did indeed like the cologne; and it was nice, too, that it was definitely cologne and not perfume. He didn't have anything against perfume, and had worn it in the past, but some days it was just too feminine of a thing, and wasn't soemthing he wanted to wear regularly. He reached down to grab the gift bag, and set it on the table. "Here, open yours."

Rin couldn't help the smile that flashed over his face, letting Arquis manuever them about, tipping their head back a bit to allow their lover access to his throat. "Ah, darling." he breathed. "Don't use too much energy, you're still recovering." a very romantic thing to say. Well, not really. But it was true; he didn't want Arquis using up all his energy after fainting so recently.