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

Started October 31, 2021 by @LovelyRose

tune

When they moved away from each other, Ari looked at the blond with a soft, sweet smile. "Yeah, it was." he agreed, voice soft and sweet and gentle. "It was good." Honey's lipstick had rubbed off onto his own mouth, just a little bit, and he wiped it off onto his own hand, though it didn't erase that smile that still tugged at his lips. "I hope I haven't overstepped any boundaries, though."

Rin wrapped his arms around his lover, holding him close. "What's wrong, my darling?" he asked, holding Arquis gently, but firmly, his arms a solid enclosure around his partner. "Do we need to go back to the bedroom for a while?" he didn't mind if they had to go back; they just wanted to take care of their partner, in whatever way their partner needed from them.

"Nah. You're fine." Honey slumped back and let his head rest on the wet edge of the fountain. His grin was brilliant. The day had started out rough, but it had turned rather wonderful. If he couldn't feel the mist on his forehead or hear the running of water, he might've assumed it was just a dream. He propped his cheek on the crook of his right arm, which was resting on the damp stone as well, and studied Ari.

"I know we haven't known each other for long, but I like you, Ari," he murmured. The refraction of light off of the stones in the basin cast him in subtle, shifting hues of blue. They did nothing, however, to hide the pink in his cheeks. "You're real sweet to me."

Arquis was trembling faintly. He wasn't sure why he was so emotional, but everything just felt so hard. Eating, getting out of bed, moving—it was all so impossible. It didn't help that he knew Divinity, an almost complete stranger, was in the room with them. She probably thought him weak. He swore he could feel her gaze piercing into him and tearing him apart. He'd grown up with eyes on him constantly. Any attention usually felt like bad attention, and as such he'd developed anxiety around being watched.

"Outside?" he asked, though it was more of a plea. The whole situation reminded him of when he and Rin had met. They'd guided him out of the packed ballroom, away from judgmental stares. Not that Divinity was actually looking. It was just the idea that bothered him.

Ari smiled, watching Honey. "Yeah." he said softly. "I…I like you too, I believe." he ran a hand through his hair, keeping his gaze on the blond across from him. "And, I really would like to get to know you better, Honey." this day had been…well, rather enjoyable. Everything had been fun, and Honey was wonderful to hang out with. The restaurant, the ice cream, and now the kisses…it had been wonderful.

Rin nodded, moving away a little so he could open the door and take Arquis outside, out into the fresh air where they could hear nature around them and feel the sun on their faces. "Here we are, my love." he whispered. "We're out here."

Honey laughed, and it was a bright and happy sound. "Oh, yeah, I wasn't, like, proposing or something. We've got a lotta ground to cover. I still don't know much about your life in the country over, and you don't know much about my life outside of my job and stuff."

Maybe, if he hadn't scared Ari off, they'd get to go on more dates in the future. The thought of it made him unbelievably excited. He imagined spending time with Ari in a garden, picking berries by the woods, or going on a stroll. Or maybe they could travel to the beach at some point! Sugar would love to run around on the sand, and swimming would be nice. He imagined relaxing shirtless in a pair of shorts by the waves, tanning in warm rays of sunlight.

He'd said all of that out loud. Of course he had. That seemed to be a habit. He flushed and buried his face in his elbow.

Arquis was leaning completely against Rin at this point. He took a few deep breaths in and out. The outside air usually calmed him, and this time was no different. Nature was grounding. That was why, he realized, he'd probably spent so much time out in the forest instead of at the Palace. Not only was there usually no one around when he was walking or painting in the woods, but it was also very soothing. Inside air was kind of still. Stagnant. Quiet, but in a different way than nature.

"I think there might be something wrong with me?" he started, voice wobbling, then sighed. "It is so hard, love. Everything is so much."

Ari smiled softly, reaching over to put his hand over Honey's. "That all sounds fun, Honey. It really does." he said, still smiling as he looked at the blond man beside him. "And I'm sure that Sugar would love to run in the sand." he found it endearing, how excited Honey was about all of this. It really was adorable and sweet and Ari couldn't wait to see what their future held together.

Rin held onto him, grip firm and yet gentle at the same time. "I know, my love." he whispered. "I know that it is hard for you, and it's going to be alright. I'm here for you, and I'm not going to abandon you or leave you."

Honey slotted his fingers through Ari's and fanned away his blush. "Yeah. Sorry she was being all weird earlier. I don't know what that was about. She usually loves people, even if she doesn't know 'em. I swear we've trained her better than that. I'll have to give her a good scolding if she growls at you again."

Arquis sniffed softly and huddled closer to his partner. Being outside—and in the arms of his lover—was actually helping. He felt ridiculous for getting so worked up so quickly, especially after he'd already thrown a fit earlier. He really was so emotional sometimes.

"Sorry. I am alright. Or I will be in a moment, I promise." He kissed Rin's brow, then glanced down at the ground. "Anvillea is not known for studies in psychiatric science, but I read an article in a book once about, ah, melancholy. I do not claim to have it. I am functional. I can do whatever is required of me. But sometimes, when it gets really difficult like today, it is so hard to find the energy to keep going."

(aww i just realized that Sugar saw Ari as a threat bc she saw him as a strange man)

Ari shrugged. "She was probably just being protective. It's alright. I don't mind, though I would have liked to be able to pet her or something." he laughed a little bit, smiling at Honey again. He couldn't stop smiling, really. Honey was just lovely and handsome and Ari was very much enjoying their time spent together in the village. He had not spoiled Lovey's surprise, and he had no intention of doing so.

Rin kept holding him. "It's alright, darling. And, ah, if you did have melancholy, then that is alright too. We will work through it." he said, rubbing Arquis's back gently.

(yeah haha slightly because of Honey's situation but especially because of Lovey—Sugar's just kind of wary of unfamiliar men that are around her owners)

"Yeah, and usually she'd let you! She's never acted like this before. It was so weird!" Honey exclaimed, though was laughing as well. He wasn't really mad at his dog, just baffled. "You'd think she was possessed or something."

"I do not. I am not, um, like that. Sad, or numb, or, well, I am, but not in that way. It is different," he argued. "I do not struggle with self worth." Well, that was a lie. His face scrunched as he tried to rephrase. "I do not have trouble sleeping." Another lie. "And I do not suffer from a lack of productivity!" That one was true. As far as his responsibilities went, he had always been efficient. He'd basically worked himself to the bone. That wasn't a phrase he liked anymore, now that he'd been forced to confront the realities of his physical form.

Perhaps he really wasn't well. He'd always considered himself to be suffering because of his proximity to the Palace, as if it was some void that absorbed and destroyed happiness. But they were so far away, and he was still struggling with nightmares, fatigue, and self-deprecating thoughts. He knew he'd been through trauma, especially surrounding the loss of his father and cruelty of Muria. To have something biologically wrong with him, though, was slightly different. He didn't like it.

"I am not ill in that way. I am not. I have my thing with eating, I will admit, and the Palace has done me harm. But I… I am not… what do they call it elsewhere? Depressed. I am not depressed."

(yeah i know! i was awwing bc he's trans and she smelled him and was like "man")

Ari shrugged. "Maybe she'll warm up to me." he replied, crossing his legs and laughing again. "I guess she just doesn't like the new, scary man." he shook his head a little, though privately it gave him a warm feeling to know that this little dog had taken one whiff of him and had decided he was a man, even if it meant Sugar didn't like him.

Rin just raised his eyebrows a little, knowing most of those statements were untrue. "My darling, I am not going to try and tell you whether or not you are depressed. But you cannot deny it if you are." he didn't want to try and dictate Arquis's mental health, but he also knew that if Arquis was depressed, it might not go away on it's own.

(oh yeah haha sugar's so cute)

Honey grinned, and his dimples showed. The laugh he let out resembled a snort. "Yeah, not buying that, stranger. You're not exactly the scary type. More like a storybook prince."

Well. That was a totally normal thing to say. The blond tried for a moment to clarify, but all he came up with were awkward, nonsensical ramblings. He cleared his throat and pretended to be very interested in the fountain.

"Uh. Just for my ego's sake, you didn't hear that. I swear I'm not usually so sappy."

Arquis did not reply for a long while. He just stayed in Rin's embrace and reflected deeply upon himself. Once he was done, he stepped away from his partner, sighed, and pressed the backs of his gloved hands to his eyelids. His arms eventually dropped, though his eyes stayed shut. He inhaled, counted to ten, and let it out. That desperate, defensive expression of his had softened to something sweet. He met Rin's gaze and offered him an appreciative smile.

"You are correct, my love. I cannot be certain about every aspect of my health, and if this journey has taught me two things, the first is that I need to be more honest and gentle with myself. The second, of course, is that I love you. And I am no longer as willing to be the type of person to deny himself help if he needs it. You make me want to be better, even in my weakest moments."

(yeah i love her)

Ari laughed a little. "I see." he replied, smiling over at Honey. "That's, ah, we can pretend it didn't happen." he laughed again, though, amused by all of this. He loved those little dimples that flashed when Honey smiled. They were adorable, and Ari loved them whenever they appeared. "Either way, I scare her in some way."

Rin released Arquis as soon as the man stepped away, letting Arquis have a moment to breathe and think. "Yes, darling. That's true." he said, giving him a gentle little smile. "I'll help you, darling. Any way that you need me to."

Honey tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe it's 'cause she thinks you're gonna steal me away. I am her precious owner, after all. She'd be devastated if I were to disappear. Well, maybe not devastated. Probably kinda upset. I think she likes Lovey more than me. Which is really rude, if you think about it! I treat her equally as well. I feed and walk her more! What a little traitor."

Arquis stumbled forward into the safety of his partner's arms again. Rin felt like the home he'd never known. They were comfort and love and guidance, all wrapped up into one wonderful human being. He smiled as he left quick kisses on his cheeks, then wiggled a little in his embrace.

"If you are sure about that, then could I ask for you to carry me once more? Not for long. You were right earlier when you said that we'll need to get there before it is late. And my legs are still, ah, not the steadiest."

Ari hummed a little bit. "Oh? Shall I steal you away then, to test this theory of yours?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at Honey and laughing. "Or is that something that is not alright and I am not allowed to do?" a faint smirk was playing around his mouth, and he seemed very amused.

Rin held him, smiling a little bit. "Ah, my darling." he said softly. "Of course I can carry you." he moved to lift Arquis up, holding onto him and smiling at his partner, now safely secured within his arms. "Let's be off, shall we?" he kissed Arquis's cheek, still smiling as he began to walk towards town.

"Oh, stranger," Honey said, smiling, "you already kinda have. We're out here together, aren't we?"

The blond was normally emotionally guarded. Not around certain people, like Lovey, but around people he wasn't that familiar with. He let them see the sides of himself that he thought they'd want to see, and then he'd block the rest off. It had been different so far with Rin and Arquis, but especially so with Ari. He felt younger and lighter around him in a way that was hard to describe. There was still baggage he had to work through—being with Ari didn't eliminate his troubles—but it wasn't as prominent in his mind.

Arquis let out a surprisingly bubbly, delighted laugh and clung to his partner. "I love it when you do this," he whispered with a grin. His face was pressed into the crook of their neck. "You are so strong, my dear."

Ari laughed again. "That's true." he replied, tucking back a few strands of his hair to keep it out of his face. "I have indeed stolen you away. Far, far from everyone else, so that I can take you to this spot and kiss you." he teased, unable to stop the smile that had taken over his face. He enjoyed being here with Honey. The young man was intelligent and sweet and earnest and Ari dearly wanted to know him better.

Rin smiled, holding Arquis carefully. He knew the main reason it was so easy for him to lift Arquis was because Arquis was so light because he didn't eat enough, but he didn't want to bring that up now, when Arquis was feeling so tired and fragile.

"Well, maybe you should keep doing it, then. While we're here and all," Honey said in as casual a tone as he could manage. In reality, it wasn't that casual at all. He fidgeted with one of the pearls on his dress and cast a shy smile at Ari. "The kissing, I mean. If you wanna. Don't gotta."

Arquis shifted his head so that it was against Rin's chest and listened to their heartbeat. His eyelids fluttered shut. If they were going on a shorter trip, then he'd just fall asleep like that, all bundled up in his lover's arms. But he had promised to walk eventually. About three-fourths of the way through, he followed up on that promise and carefully climbed down. His steps were slow, yet they got him all the way there without incident.

There were actually a couple of dress shops in the village, as it turned out. Two were near where they walked in, and while one looked extremely traditional—even having small paintings of dress-clad women on the outside—the other seemed newer and more accepting. Still, appearances could be deceiving. That was why Arquis nervously squeezed his partner's hand as he stepped inside. Part of him was worried that they'd be kicked out instantly, but when no one yelled at them, he glanced around. It was moderately sized and full of clothing racks with all types of dresses, skirts,and accessories.

"Oh, hey!" someone chirped, and the nobleman resisted the urge to flinch. It was a young woman, probably around Quirisa's age. She hurried up to them. Her hair was thick and black, and she was wearing large glasses. "Here to try stuff on, or are you looking for a friend?"

"Ah… trying on? If that is alright?"

"Yeah, sure! I'm assuming you'll want your own fitting room? There aren't many people here right now—they usually come earlier, but that's okay—so I can give a whole space to just the two of you. Here, come on!"

As soon as she was finished talking, she grabbed Arquis by the hand and basically dragged the two of them across the store. True to her word, they ended up in an isolated room that was a little smaller than a bedroom. There was a bowl of mints on a table in the middle that was ringed by a couple of chairs. Clothing hangers lined the walls, one of which was basically just a large mirror. The nobleman avoided looking at it.

"Okay!" the woman exclaimed. "So, tell me, what're you guys looking for today? Any ideas? Oh, and who's trying on? Both of you?"

Ari hummed a little bit, and leaned forward, sliding his hand through Honey's hair and pressing his mouth to the other man's, his eyes flickering shut. He kept the kiss soft and sweet and gentle, not at all aggressive or anything of that sort. He didn't want Honey to ever feel unsafe around him, and he didn't ever want to make Honey worry that Ari was trying to take more than Honey was willing to give.

Rin smiled, letting the young woman maneuver them around. "My partner is mainly trying them on, though I may try on a few if I see any that I would like to try on." he replied, gently squeezing Arquis's hand in order to try and reassure him that this was alright, that they were going to be fine. "Thank you for your help."

Honey lifted his hand so that his palm cupped the back of Ari's head, then guided him closer. He didn't like hard, bruising kisses, but he didn't mind something a little deeper. His other hand landed gently on the other man's calf. Not his thigh. That might send the wrong signal, and he didn't want to stress his date out.

The woman in the shop grinned and adjusted her glasses. "No need to thank me! It's what I'm here for. Now, normally I'd say you could go out and look around right this instant, but if this is your first time—and maybe it's not, I'm just guessing because he seems nervous—then I'll start by bringing some in. We offer specific tailored measuring sessions, but since we close in about an hour and a half, it'll be a lot quicker if we just use generic sizes. Do you know your dress size?"

Arquis hesitated. "I do not believe that I do. Large, perhaps?"

She blinked, gave him a once over, and then shook her head. "You don't need to adjust for height. We have tall sizes. I'm guessing your tall dress size would probably be a small. Do you have anything in specific you're looking for? Any colors, patterns, or necklines?"

The nobleman desperately wished he'd paid more attention when Marsiquia and Quirisa were choosing dresses. He didn't really know much about them, just that they were pretty. He shrugged, and she turned her attention to Rin.

"What about you? Size? Preferences?"

Ari didn't mind the touch, his hand still in Honey's hair. He very much enjoyed all these kisses, a soft sound escaping his throat as he continued pressing soft kisses to Honey's mouth, eventually deepening it a bit more but still keeping it soft and oh so easy for Honey to pull away from at any time. All Honey had to do was shift backwards and Ari would have released him immediately.

Rin thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. Perhaps a medium?" they replied. "And for styling…can we begin with more simple styles? Perhaps like sundresses?" he glanced over at Arquis, then back at the young woman, knowing that simpler styles would be easier for Arquis to deal with, easier for him to process.

Honey eventually pulled away, but not because of anything Ari did. There was a couple walking by with their kids. The youngest giggled as she passed and pointed them out to her mother, who tiredly gave the two men a stern glare. Her husband made a comment under his breath that the children laughed at. And then, just as soon as they'd come, they were gone. The blond sighed and glanced over at his date.

"It's like they've never seen anyone kiss before," he muttered, feeling quite grumpy. First the waiter, and now this judgmental couple. As much as he loved the village, it cleary had its issues. Oh well. His frown transformed into a smile as he patted his date's knee.

The woman beamed. "Sure! We don't have a whole lot of more casual stuff, but I can start you off with what we do have and go from there."

After she had left, Arquis went to sit in one of the chairs. He wasn't as worked up now that they had a room to themselves, but still, he wasn't exactly calm. A bead of cold, nervous sweat slid down the back of his neck. He looked up and found that he was observing himself in the mirror. Instinctively, his eyes darted elsewhere, landing on Rin instead. They were lovely.

"My heart," he said softly, reaching out for him. “Come sit?”

Ari let Honey pull away, though he stayed close, his hand sliding down to rest at the base of Honey's neck, on the slope where it met the blond's shoulders. "Ignore them, Honey." he said softly. "They'll learn. Or they won't. Either way, it doesn't affect us." he gave the blond a soft, sweet, gentle little smile.

Rin smiled, sitting down beside his partner. "How are you feeling, darling?" he asked softly, kissing Arquis's cheek and taking Arquis's hand, lacing their fingers together and just trying to soothe Arquis. "It's alright if you're feeling nervous. I understand."

Honey shivered at the touch on his bare neck. It was amazing. He grinned for a second before remembering that Ari had something, at which point he scrambled for an answer. His brows furrowed, and that smile dropped.

"Yeah. I know it's not, like, our fault. It just makes me mad. We didn't do anything wrong!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in frustration. "And there they are, scowling like we're scum, like we're beneath them. It pisses me off! Why can't they just mind their own business?"

Arquis seemed to shrink in on himself a bit. "Well, ah, I am not sure. I am nervous, yes, and I feel, um, vulnerable. I believe it might be the mirror?"

It really was bothering him, having it in front of them at all times. Even when he wasn't looking directly at it, he could see his movements reflected in his peripheral vision. When he did accidentally see himself in its shiny surface, he was distressed by what he saw. He didn't exactly look well. Gaunt was a good descriptor. He bit his lip and forced his gaze back to his lover.

"And I worry," he whispered, "that you will not like what you see. Even though you have seen it all before, I still worry."

Ari nodded a little bit. "I know, Honey." he said softly, gently. "I've experienced it before too, in more ways than one." his status as trans made it that much harder to keep it hidden about who he was. Made it harder to keep himself safe while traveling, because he was too much a man to sleep in women's quarters (not that he wanted to) but the mere existence of his body made sleeping in men's quarters dangerous.

Rin cupped Arquis's cheek, smoothing his thumb over his lover's cheekbone. "Darling, I love you." he said softly. "And…I don't think there is anything we can do about the mirror. I'm sorry. And, you are correct. I have seen it before, and I love you, and that will not change. I love you now, and I will love you when you weigh more, too."

When Honey looked at Ari next, his eyes were full of empathy. He shifted so that they were hip-to-hip and, after a moment of hesitation, cupped his cheek. The tip of his thumb brushed away a bit of fountain water that had caught on the young man's skin. It left a damp, glistening patch behind, almost like the trail of a tear.

"I'm sorry about that, Ari. You don't deserve that kinda treatment. And I'm sorry for getting all huffy. I know I shouldn't let stuff like this bother me. That's what they want, after all."

Arquis turned and kissed his partner's palm. "I am trying to believe you, my love. Yet it is hard to fathom. I know that I do not look particularly nice right now, but I am having a hard time accepting that gaining- that changing- that-” He still couldn't really say it. "That, um, growing will make me look any better."

The shop worker entered the room carrying a massive stack of dresses. She was basically bent in half under the weight of it. Arquis stood, about to offer to help, but she efficiently divided and placed all of them on hangers before he could even speak. She pointed out which stack was for Rin and which for Arquis, then left after the nobleman thanked her.

"I suppose we should start," Arquis said faintly, feeling a heavy sensation settle like lead in his stomach.

Ari smiled faintly. "It's alright." he replied softly. "And, yeah. Can we just forget that it happened?" he asked, giving Honey a soft smile. "Move on? Talk about something– anything –else?" he didn't want to talk about hateful people on an evening where they were supposed to be out having fun together.

Rin nodded slightly in acknolwedgement of Arquis's statement, kissing his cheek again, and then stood up. "We should. Would you like to go first, love?" he asked, knowing that Arquis was nervous about all of this.