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

Started October 31, 2021 by @LovelyRose

tune

Honey's eyes widened, and he swallowed hard. Ari didn't sound like he was upset, but the blond was worried that he'd brought up some bad memories. He quickly shifted to where he'd been sitting before, then, just for good measure, moved even further. His hand slipped from his cheek and landed in his own lap. He almost started to bite at his nails. Luckily, he caught himself before he did. They'd been sitting on the ground for a while, and he didn't want to pick up any germs or dirt. That would surely gross his date out. It also wasn't sanitary in the slightest.

"Sorry. Yeah. Sorry about that. Yeah, nah, you're right. Bad subject. Uh. Thinking of a new one. Any second now, and I'll just, y'know, come up with a great topic, and then we can discuss it. Anything at all."

There wasn't a single thought in his head besides the incident. It was suddenly all he could imagine. He grabbed and tugged at a curl of his own hair, as if that would somehow help.

Arquis wasn't sure how to answer Rin's question. Part of him wanted to just get it over with, but the majority of his mind really, really didn't want to start changing in front of him. Even though it was nothing new. There was something different about it being out in public, while it was still light outside. He walked to the stack of dresses and stared at them for a long minute, making up his mind. Then, he wordlessly reached for the first, unbuttoned his jacket and shirt, and tossed them to the floor. His skin prickled from the sudden chill. He carefully slipped the thing over his head. Once it was on, he undid his pants from underneath, kicking them out and away.

The dress—a soft, ballet slipper pink number that went to below his knees—was a touch too big. Not big enough to hang off of his frame, but it didn't fit quite right. He turned to look at Rin, not realizing that the zipper was still open. His cheeks were more pink than the dress.

"I have a feeling that this is not my color," he said awkwardly. There was nothing to protect himself from, but he crossed his arms over his chest nonetheless.

(oop i realized that earlier i said he had only a brother and then later i said only a sister so now he has both lol sorry)

Ari reached out to take Honey's hands, wanting to stop him from tearing at his hair. "Hey, it's alright. I'm not upset." he said softly. "We can talk about something else, and it's not a problem." he wasn't quite sure what was going on. "Have I told you anything about my siblings? I have a brother and a sister, and they're both younger than me." he cleared his throat faintly, thinking about what he could say next. "My sister is a menace to society, and my brother is a bit of a pushover. They're twins. Thick as thieves, and they get into trouble all the time."

Rin had turned away to give Arquis some privacy, and when he heard his lover speak, he looked over at him. "Darling, it isn't zipped." he replied softly, coming over and zipping up the back, then stepping back so that Arquis could see himself in the mirror. "And it's alright if you don't like it."

(it's fine!! i'm pretty sure there are also like a bunch of inconsistencies in honey's backstory so it happens haha)

Honey relaxed. He listened to what Ari was saying with a soft yet curious smile. Once he was done, the blond replied, "They sound chaotic. That reminds me of, well, my other sister. I haven't thought about her in a very long time." The way he was speaking showed that whatever he was remembering wasn't bad. He sounded nostalgic. "She passed when I was extremely young. Natural causes. Nothing anyone could have done. But she was always getting into trouble, throwing fits and stealing people's lunch money. She used to braid Lovey's hair, and she would call me Hen. Just Hen, like I was a bird."

Arquis shuddered when he felt them touch the zipper. There was something strangely intimate about having his hand that close to his skin, right between his shoulder blades. He cleared his throat, not quite realizing that he'd begun to smile, and looked at the mirror. His face immediately fell. He'd been right. The dress wasn't his color at all. It made his pale complexion look even more washed-out and accentuted the uneven blotches of his blush. The cut of the skirt was also weird. His legs looked like thin toothpicks coming out of the bottom.

"Oh. I look awful," he whispered, instantly reaching around to fumble with the zipper. The dress came off without much effort. It pooled around his feet. He put it back on the hanger and went for the second option: buttercup yellow with thick shoulder straps. Definitely not. The one behind that was long and dark blue with a halter top. As soon as it was on him, he actually began to laugh. Running up the right side of the fabric was a slit to show off his leg.

"Goodness. Quite breezy.”

(yeah lol I've done my best to keep Rin's backstory consistent, but I'm pretty sure there's at least one or two slip-ups in there. it's fine tho lol)

Ari nodded a little. "She sounds sweet." he didn't ask what she had died of; he didn't want to bring up any painful memories for Honey. "My siblings are hellions, but I love them anyways." it was hard, though, knowing that his parents could well choose his younger brother over him as an heir, and for the simple reason that Ari was trans and his parents didn't like that fact.

Rin let Arquis make his own judgements about the dress, and smiled when this third one was on. "Ah, darling. What do you think of it?" he asked, coming over and looking up and down his partner, taking in the sight of Arquis in that long, lovely blue dress.

(yeah with these sorts of things it's not like we've planned everything out in exact detail, so it's all memory based and it's already been a couple of months since we started)

Honey smiled, mostly to himself. "She was. But like I said, it was forever ago. I'm not torn up over it. Sometimes, I picture her watching over me, and it's, well. It makes me feel better. Even though I don't really believe in any sorta religion or afterlife, it's comforting to think she might be out there somewhere."

Arquis had to admit that he liked the way Rin was looking at him, though he was still feeling somewhat self-conscious. He returned to the same spot as before and looked at his reflection. His lips parted in shock. That first dress had been hideous on him, but this one was gorgeous. The way the fabric was draped over him gave him a svelte figure, and the color of it brought out the blue of his eyes. The slit was also interesting. He'd thought it would've looked silly, but he found it kind of appealing.

"This one is alright," he murmured, then glanced at Rin in the mirror.

(yeah lol)

Ari smiled at that. "Yeah. I mean…Kevran's have our faith and beliefs, and it's comforting. To think of dead loved ones still being out there somewhere, watching and waiting for us." he ran a hand through his hair, letting out a slow, soft breath and keeping his gaze on Honey.

Rin watched him, and smiled. "It looks lovely on you, Arquis." he said softly, glad that after the frustrations of the first two, this one looked so lovely and wonderful. The long skirt helped draw the eyes up and down Arquis's body, making him look taller and accentuating his form.

Honey moved so that he was beside his date again, all of his previous nerves gone. A calm had fallen over him. He gently caught the hand that Ari had been running through his hair, then held it to his lips and pressed a kiss to his wrist. The aroma of the cologne was still strong, even when outside.

A soft rain started. At first, the blond hadn't noticed it because of the mist from the fountain, but eventually full-sized drops began to land on his dress. He laughed, startled, and looked up at the sky. What he saw was breathtaking. The golden-orange hues of afternoon were battling with gray storm clouds, almost like a fire shining through smoke.

Arquis blushed and turned away from the mirror. The dress swished around his ankles as he walked over to his partner, revealing pale flashes of his leg. His heart beat faster in his chest as he approached. Proximity could mean that Rin would see more of his flaws, but, he reminded himself, it also meant they could hold him. He took their hands and placed them on his own waist, smiling shyly.

"You really like it?" he asked, searching his face.

Ari smiled, and looked up when Honey did. "Oh. It's lovely." he commented softly, eyes moving over the clouds and the colors of the sky, taking it all in. "Though, ah, if it gets any heavier we may need to go inside somewhere." he laughed a little, the rain already beginning to lightly dampen his hair, raindrops sticking to his curls in soft, glittering droplets.

Rin smiled, hands settling on Arquis's waist. "I do, my darling. Do you?" he asked, raising his eyebrows and still smiling. He really did think that it all looked lovely and wonderful, and he was so glad that Arquis seemed to like it as well.

Honey grinned and turned to look at Ari, already prepared to deliver a cheesy response. The words died in his throat. The young man was gorgeous. Those raindrops looked almost like a crown, and for a moment, he could easily imagine him as the ruler of some mystical, enchanting kingdom. He really did seem like someone from a storybook, way too good to be true. It didn't help that there were small rainbow hues refracted in some of the drops, either. That was an extra nice touch.

"Yeah. Might have to do that," he mumbled, not really sure what he was agreeing to.

"I think so. Yes, I do. I feel strange?" Arquis hummed and leaned in, leaving a series of kisses on their neck. He only drew his head back to finish his thought. "Handsome, in a way. This is a bit, ah, provocative."

Ari smiled over at him, reaching out to gently run a hand through Honey's hair, those blond curls soft beneath his fingers. "Mhm. Where would you like to go?" he asked, still smiling gently at the blond man.

Rin hummed softly, still holding onto his partner's waist. "You look very handsome in it, my love." he said, smiling again. "And yes, it is a little provocative, but it looks amazing."

The light drizzle turned into pouring rain, and Honey, still flustered, rocked forward onto his knees. He lifted his arm over Ari's head to stop him from getting drenched. A bolt of lightning arched across the darkening sky. That storm from earlier was apparently coming back in full force.

"I don't know, but we gotta decide quick!" he shouted, voice barely audible over the sound of distant thunder. He fumbled for the slick edge of the fountain and pushed himself to his feet. Unfortunately, the ground was so slippery that his heels skidded, and he ended up nearly crashing down. He barely managed to right himself in time. He protectively scooped the gift bag up, shielding it with his body—and quite thankful for all the layers of tissue paper inside—before offering his hands to Ari.

Arquis cast a bashful smile at Rin. "Amazing? Thank you, love. I just, ah, well. It is a lot of leg."

His legs he was somewhat alright with, but his hips were always a source of insecurity for him. He tipped his head to look at them in the mirror. The fit of the dress accentuated them. He ran a flat palm over his left hip, as if he could smooth out the curve there, and frowned slightly. Then, just out of habit, he gave it a squeeze. His brows furrowed slightly.

"A lot of hip, too," he said, and it was meant to be joking but wasn't.

Ari fumbled as he reached to support Honey, taking his hands and searching about. His eyes landed on a shop, and he quickly led Honey towards it, laughing as they ran through the rain together. He opened the door and gently pushed Honey inside the shop, closing the door behind them and shaking his head a little bit to help dry his hair, dark curls flicking water about the room.

Rin caught the way Arquis seemed not to like that part, and he reached out to take his partner's hands. "My love, it looks amazing. Your legs and your hips. It gives you curves, and that is the point of the cut of the dress. But if you do not like it, then that is fine too."

Honey burst out laughing once they were inside. His hair and dress were drenched, but the bag thankfully seemed alright. Not caring who saw, the blond lunged towards Ari and swept him into a hug. Adrenaline still thrummed in his veins.

"You're like a wet dog!" he howled, breathless from laughter. His hand tousled Ari's messy, soaked curls, and he grinned.

Arquis grimaced. It wasn't that he thought curves in general were unpleasant. On someone else, he was sure that the fit of the dress would look incredible. The problem wasn't the clothing. It was his body. Everything looked wrong on him, even the most beautiful items. He couldn't believe he'd thought it was handsome before. Now that he was seeing himself—really taking in his reflection—he could easily find all of his flaws.

"I did like it," he said sadly, already starting to reach for the zipper. His hands hovered for a moment. He didn't speak as he switched to gently take Rin's wrists instead and guided their palms back to his hips. His eyelids fluttered shut. Maybe it wouldn't work, but he wanted to try and feel himself like they saw him. He knitted their fingers together and ran their combined hands slowly up his sides. Then, just before his upper chest, he started to trace them back down. The fabric of the dress was soft and sleek.

Ari grinned at him, laughing. "I can't help it! My hair is longer and it catches water!" his curls were already soaking wet, the soft ringlets dripping with water as Honey ran his hands through it. "It'll be wet for hours now." his voice took on a slightly complaining note, and he shrugged his shoulders.

Rin let out a soft, saddened breath at Arquis's comment, and let Arquis hold onto their hands and move them as he wished. "Darling, you look lovely. In this dress and in anything else. Please, please believe me in this. You look fantastic."

Honey stifled another bout of laughter and began to sweep strands of his date's wet hair out of his face. Once he was done, he cupped Ari's cheeks and, as sweetly and softly as possible, planted a kiss on his forehead.

"Aw, stranger, don't get your feathers ruffled. Maybe we can do something about it. You want it braided? I can do that. Or I can put it up. Or I can do none of that, and you can walk around looking like the very handsome, very soggy young man you are."

Arquis opened his eyes, and he honestly just seemed sad. This was a quiet, longing kind of sad, the type that made him feel shaken on the inside. He let their hands go and attempted a smile. It looked like it hurt.

"You say such kind things, my heart," he murmured. "I only wish that I could see myself in the way you describe me. I tried. But all I felt was… was…”

Ari laughed a little bit. "You can braid it, then, if you like?" he pulled a hair tie from his pocket, offering it to Honey with a soft, sweet little smile. "Just to keep it out of my face." he would still have to dry it when they got back to the hotel, but it was alright. His hair would survive being wet.

Rin let out a soft breath. "Darling…" he trailed off, unsure what they could say to help Arquis. "What I'm saying is true, my love. You are beautiful and lovely and I care deeply for you."

Honey gladly took the hair tie and glanced around for a place that they could sit. What he found instead was kind of embarrassing. There were in fact other people in the shop, and most of them were staring at the pair. Luckily, none of the gazes seemed malicious, but they did make him feel as if they'd seen something private. He grinned apologetically and ushered Ari over to a bench in the corner that was shielded by a shelf. Instead of sitting normally, he threw his leg over the side as if he was riding a horse, then patted the spot in front of him.

"I'll have you know I'm pretty good at this," he said proudly. Lovey had needed her hair braided a lot as a kid. They hadn't had the money for regular haircuts or a lot of time to do it themselves, so she'd often kept it pretty long. They both had. Honey just kept his down; he didn't mind it in his face when he ran, which was his sister's biggest complaint.

Arquis moved and warmly embraced his lover once more, feeling sorrow swell within his chest. He wasn't going to cry, but he kind of felt like it, all brittle and blue inside. The feeling passed. He withdrew after giving Rin a grateful kiss and looked over at the dresses. His fingers trembled as he tried to grasp the zipper to the one he was wearing. When he finally found it, he lost hold almost instantly because of his gloves. Their fabric was silky and, as a result, slippery. He couldn't seem to take the dress off.

"Love? I have asked too much of you today," he mumbled, "but could you undo this?"

Ari sat where Honey had gestured for him to sit, smiling a little bit. "Thanks,Honey." he said, taking a deep breath and shifting a little bit. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again, stretching faintly. His dark curls were still very wet, hanging about his shoulders in damp, curly strands.

Rin held Arquis when the nobleman came over for a hug, smiling a little when Arquis pulled away. "Of course I can, darling." he moved behind Arquis and unzipped the back of the dress, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to Arquis's back. "There you are, my love. How's that?"

Honey began to thread his fingers through those dark curls, straightening them by tugging gently. It had been a while since he'd done Lovey's hair, but his muscle memory was still strong. He started to do a fishtail, then undid it and went for a rope braid instead. The sections were thicker, and it would be easier to undo the style later. While he was working, he made sure to lightly massage Ari's scalp, even sweeping his thumbs against the nape of his neck.

Arquis gasped when they kissed his back and breathed out a soft, "Oh." His eyes were wide, and his cheeks flooded with color. He clearly hadn't expected that, though he'd enjoyed it very much. This was made clear when he whispered, "Beloved, that spot is sensitive. Like my neck."

Had Rin asked something else? He couldn't be sure. All he knew was that the dress, now unzipped, was beginning to slide off of his shoulders.

Ari's eyes flickered shut again, and he took a deep breath. The massaging and touches felt, well, wonderful. They really did. "Thank you, Honey." he said again, shifting in his seat a little bit but not moving around too much. He didn't usually have other people messing with his hair, but it felt amazing.

Rin laughed softly. "Ah, that's good to know." he replied, running his hands through Arquis's hair. "Now let's get you into the next dress." his suggestion was soft and gentle, and not at all pressuring.

Honey's braiding paused for just a moment, and in a low, teasing tone, he murmured, "You're very welcome, handsome. Always nice to have such a willing participant."

He kept braiding, though at one point—when he noticed he wasn't far from done—he started to undo part of it. Ari seemed so relaxed. It was a good look on him. The blond would hate to deny him a few more minutes of calm.

"Tell me if I'm being too rough, okay? Don't wanna hurt you, stranger."

Arquis nodded and went to the other dresses. There was so many that he couldn't count them on one hand. The next was almost as bad as the second. Garishly orange with a huge bow—who in their right mind would pick such a thing? He put it aside and studied the next one. A shocked sound escaped him. He stepped out of the one he'd been wearing, which was already falling off, and into the new dress. It was a black velvet slip with a very low cut back that was only covered by a thin web of crystal beads. He couldn't even feel insecure in it because of how ridiculous it was, though he was a bit chilly.

"I am not sure that this counts as casual." Amusement bled into his voice. He saw himself in the mirror and broke into laughter. The skirt of it went mid thigh at best. It reminded him of something Honey would wear. He glanced at Rin, prepared for them to join in on his laughing fit.

Ari smiled a little, eyes still shut gently as Honey continued to braid his hair. "I'm fine. It doesn't hurt." he replied, letting out a soft, faint little hum. He didn't move, just stayed relaxed and calm as Honey's hands moved through his hair, braiding it gently. He knew the people in the shop were watching them, but he didn't really care.

Rin looked at the dress, raising his eyebrows and letting out a soft laugh. "Perhaps not, but it, ah, looks lovely." he replied, their mouth pulling into a smile as they looked over at their partner. "It really does look good on you, my love."

(just for fun I'm gonna start sending some of the names of the dresses, in case you wanna see what they look like! this one is called 'reel you in' on the dollskill website)

Honey hummed as he reluctantly finished the braid, then slumped forward. His pose was a mimicry of the one he'd done earlier; his arms were around his shoulders, his cheek pressed to the side of his neck. He yawned and snuggled just a bit closer.

"Absolutely drenched, aren't you?" he muttered after a moment. "Just soaking wet. Really should get you a change of clothes. Don’t want you catching a cold.”

"I think you are a liar," Arquis replied, still grinning. "Look at it! A pillowcase might cover more! I feel as if I am wearing a hand towel. A very soft, bejeweled hand towel. What if I were to wear this during a night out? I would freeze!"

As if to demonstrate, he tried to give a little bit of a twirl, then immediately had to shove the skirt down. He laughed until he was completely out of breath. Why the shopkeeper had picked this one out, he had absolutely no idea. It was all just terribly amusing.

(alright! thanks!)

Ari smiled, reaching up to rest his hands on Honey's arms. "Mm, I'm fine." he replied, keeping his eyes closed. "Don't worry about it, Honey. I'll let you know if I start feeling too cold." he was still smiling, gently tapping his thumbs against Honey. "What about you? Are you cold, Honey?"

Rin laughed, grinning over at his partner. "No, I'm not a liar. Sweetheart, it looks lovely. It's supposed to be small!" he reached out to trace the neckline, tugging lightly on the fabric.

"So cold!" Honey groaned, though it was really more of a whine. "It was a mistake to wear a dress. I mean, I look hot, but I should've worn something with sleeves. How was I supposed to know? I don't control the weather! It was sunny!"

He slouched further against Ari, attempting to steal his warm. As he did so, he realized something. "Am I being too clingy? Or, like, uh, touchy? I know some people don't like hugs and shit, I just, y'know. I haven't had a lot of them. Doesn't really come with the job."

Arquis went cherry red. "Rin!" he laughed, his hands flying up to cover his upper chest. "Love! What are you doing?"

He hadn't actually meant for them to like the slip. When he'd first seen it, he'd thought that it was hilarious. Something to lighten the mood after he'd brought it down. But what they'd just done was, well, interesting. It inspired in him a desire to take the dress off. Which was a very, very bad idea, but oh-so enticing. He blushed so hard that he was sure his partner could feel the heat from where he was standing. What a silly thought he'd just had. Ridiculous.

"I, ah, should change, should I not? I do not want to stay in one for too long," he said and was immediately mortified. His voice had cracked. "Goodness. Well. That was attractive."