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

Started October 31, 2021 by @LovelyRose

tune

Arquis smiled sweetly when they pressed his hand to his forehead, and he leaned back a little so that he could kiss their palm. He didn't like how nervous they'd been earlier, before he'd left to fetch the doctor. Sure, what was happening to him wasn't exactly pretty. It didn't seem tremendously dangerous, though. Sometimes hair fell out. Maybe it really did mean nothing.

"Oh, my love, I am alright." Softly, he repeated, "I am alright. We will figure this out."

"Okay. Sorry, that was fast, but sometimes it's more cooperative than I expect," Doctor Lavin interrupted. He'd set up some sort of flat, portable scale on the floor. He gestured for Arquis to step on it. The nobleman remained where he was. He could feel his heart in his throat. And though he'd told Rin that he was alright, he really wasn't. He was still dizzy. He didn't think he could stay upright for long enough for the scale to work. Plus, he really just didn't want to use it.

"Perhaps we could skip this step," he suggested mildly, sinking against his partner's shoulder.

——

"Tunnel of Love," Honey wisecracked, grinning. He shut and locked his door behind them. The noises grew louder, and the blond couldn't help but give in and join Ari's laughter. "I should be used to hearing that by now, but every time I swear it gets me. There's always something new. People get into some weird stuff around here. That's the whole point, I guess."

He began to walk forward. As he did, however, there was the unmistakable sound of rubber snapping, like a glove or something similar. He nearly buckled over with laughter and gripped Ari's arm for support.

Rin bit his lip faintly. "Darling, you need to…you can't skip this, love." he said in a soft tone, reaching to gently help Arquis up from the bed. "If you're feeling shaky, I can help support you, but you need to step on the scale, please. I want you to feel better, love, and this is the way to do that. Come on." his voice was soft and gentle, and they kept their gaze resting on Arquis.

Rin smiled a little, then started to shake with laughter. "Oh dear." he repeated, laughing and holding onto Honey. "This might, ah, pose a problem." he said, a grin pulling at his mouth. "I don't think that's just a make-out session anymore."

Arquis let Rin help him up, but the moment he was standing, he began to shake his head. His vision blurred. Whether that was from lightheadedness or tears, he couldn't quite tell. He didn't want to do this. He'd already given the doctor the information he'd requested, and it had been accurate. A month and a half ago, he'd weighed somewhere between one hundred forty to one hundred fifty pounds. That estimate was all the doctor should need. This was cruel and unnecessary, and he didn't want his lover to have to be there for it.

"It is pointless," he insisted, breath hitching. He buried his face in Rin's chest but stepped onto the scale anyway. It wasn't like he could run. They'd all just stand around waiting for him to do it. He didn't have to look at what the scale said. That would make it better, he reassured himself, his distressed gaze lingering on his partner.

The doctor hesitated. "A month and a half ago, you believe you were about one hundred and fifty pounds? Is that what you said earlier?"

Arquis swallowed and nodded. He wanted this to be over with already. Doctor Lavin looked back at the scale, which read approximately one hundred and twenty-six.

——

"Yeah. Sounds like they're really going at it. Let's get out of here before the bed springs start squeaking, yeah?" Just as soon as he'd finished speaking, those noises filled the air. The blond wheezed from laughter and tugged Ari down the hallway. He was honestly kind of impressed. Their beds were high quality. It took a lot to make that much noise. He was also very grossed out.

"Scones," he gasped once they were around the corner, still grinning. "Let's talk about scones. Uh, they've got orange. Maybe. Lavender? Lemon?"

Rin held onto Arquis, his support gentle and careful. At the doctor's words and at the number on the scale, he inhaled softly. "Darling…" that was so little. No wonder Rin could pick him up so easily. No wonder Arquis was so easily tired and light headed. Maybe the hair loss was another symptom of this. Should they have pressed harder to get him to eat? Should they have forced him to eat more? Did they need to do that? He swallowed faintly, looking at his lover.

He was practically cackling as they darted down the hallway, grinning over at Honey. "Orange could be good!" he replied, still laughing. "I don't really know. They all sound delicious, really." he ran a hand through his curls, still laughing quietly at the sounds they had just run past.

Arquis slowly stepped off the scale when the doctor told him he was allowed, still holding onto Rin. He then stumbled onto the bed again and fell onto his back. It was done. It was over with. They could move on with the examination. Relief swept over him, and he gave his lover a grateful smile.

The smile dropped when the doctor softly requested that he uncover his top half.

"What? Why?" he asked, defensively crossing his arms in front of his chest.

The older man lifted the tube of his stethoscope, showing it off to the both of them. "I have to listen to your heart and breathing, which means that I'll need access to most of your torso. I suppose that you do not have to take off your robe, but I will ask that you pull down the top."

Reluctantly, the nobleman tugged down the flaps of his robe, exposing a lot of pale skin. And rib. And collarbone. He was made of sharp angles. The doctor carefully sat on the bed and put the buds of the stethoscope into his ears. He didn't comment on the reddish love bites and patches on Arquis's chest. Instead, he went to work, placing the end of the tool over his heart.

"Can you take a nice, deep breath for me? In, and out. In… deeper than that, if you can. And out. In… and out."

Arquis was trying his best, but he was extremely out of his element. This was all so uncomfortable. He looked to Rin to see how they were handling it.

——

Once they were safely away from the sounds, Honey doubled over. He'd gotten a side stitch from laughing so hard.

"Yeah, something sure sounds delicious!" he snickered. He wasn't even sure what that meant, but he was smiling so hard it hurt. His dimples were out in full force. "Man. Goodness. Nearly died from all that, y'know, loss of oxygen. What a way to go!"

Rin stayed by Arquis's side, holding his hand and wwatching quietly. He gave Arquis a faint, slightly shaky smile, trying to reassure him. They would be fine. Both of them. It would be alright. Doctor Lavin knew what he was doing, and the older man seemed like he was willing to help. Rin just hoped htat the doctor would be able to figure out what was wrong, what was happening to Arquis.

Ari was still laughing, grinning as he looked overa t Honey. "Certainly would have been an amusing way to go. Laugh ourselves to death." he replied, still laughing and smiling.

Arquis could tell that Rin was still worried by their smile. He couldn't really move around much while the doctor was listening to his lungs, so he just rubbed his thumb over his knuckles. This had to be hard for them. He remembered how panicked he'd gotten when they were sick. They must be feeling something similar.

The doctor moved the stethoscope around back, continuing to direct the nobleman's breathing. Once he was finished, he began to take it off and fold it to return to his bag. He stopped when he noticed that Arquis was watching curiously.

"Have you ever gotten to use one of these before?" he asked in that soft, deep voice of his, smiling reassuringly. Arquis shook his head. "Would you like to try? Maybe your partner could use it on you, and then you could switch. I can do some other quick steps in the meantime."

He really hoped that Rin would play along and keep Arquis distracted. This was already stressing the nobleman out, he could tell, and it would be a lot easier for everyone if he was less tense. He went ahead and replaced the ear buds of the stethoscope with some clean ones before holding it out to the bard.

——

Honey finally managed to bring himself down from that burst of euphoria, and he lightly knocked shoulders with Ari. There was still a mischievous glimmer in his brown eyes.

"Yeah. And speaking of going, how about we have a little race? I don't know about you, but that back there kinda got me in the mood for a sprint. Wanna see who can get to the café first?" He fidgeted, clearly aching for a run. "Don't worry, I'll give you directions. It's not far from that fountain we were at."

Rin hesitated for a moment, then took the stethoscope, carefully putting it in his ears and then gently over Arquis's heart. He could hear the nobleman's heart beating, could feel it too, where his fingers were brushing against Arquis's skin. And it did help, just a little bit, but he was still concerned about Arquis, and rather a lot. He didn't know what he would do if something happened to Arquis, or if he died. Gods, if he died. He took a deep breath, pulling the stethoscope from his ears and giving it to Arquis, sitting down on the bed so that Arquis could listen to their heart as well.

Ari laughed, smiling. "Think you'll win either way, Honey, but I'm certainly up for a race if that's what you would like to do." he replied, shaking his head just a little and then reaching up to tie his hair back and out of the way. He didn't want it getting in the way while they ran, after all.

While Rin listened to the nobleman's heart, Doctor Lavin put on a pair of thin, sterilized gloves. He began to carefully examine his patient's neck and jaw, lightly touching his lymph nodes. The next step was checking his stomach. Arquis was still distracted by his partner, so the doctor was free to palpate his abdomen for soreness or swelling. He decided to move on and test for blood pressure. It took him a bit to free the small machine from his bag, but when he finally did, it was the nobleman's turn to use the stethoscope.

Arquis was worried. Not for himself, but for Rin. They seemed upset, and he didn't know how to make him feel better. Before using the stethoscope, he leaned forward and gave him a gentle kiss. He hoped it would reassure them. No matter what the doctor diagnosed, the nobleman was still alive and present.

He moved over closer on the bed so that they were hip to hip, then lifted his partner's shirt. If Doctor Lavin hadn't been there, he would've followed the raising hem with his lips, kissing a slow line up his stomach until he reached his heart. But he couldn't. He put the buds of the stethoscope into his ears and rest the diaphragm on their chest. His favorite spot. He closed his eyes so that he could narrow in on the sound of his heartbeat. It was a bit like a lullaby. One moment, he was fully awake. The next, the stethoscope bell slipped from his grasp, his breathing evened out, and his head dropped against their shoulder.

Doctor Lavin’s brow furrowed. “Did he just fall asleep?”

——

Honey grinned, about to make some sarcastic yet secretly pleased remark about winning, but stopped short when he saw his hair. He stepped closer and lifted his hand. His fingertips brushed against his neck. He caught a strand of hair that Ari had missed and gently slipped it under the elastic band as well. As he was doing that, his eyes wandered over the other man's face, and he felt a flutter in his chest.

"Kiss for good luck?" he asked softly. Ari could easily decline, and that would be alright. He just thought he'd try.

Rin let Arquis listen, his hand resting lightly on top of the nobleman's. He blinked as he realized Arquis had, indeed, just fallen asleep in the blink of an eye. "I, uh, yeah. I…I think he did." he said slowly, gently pulling out the stethoscope and setting it aside. "I…he doesn't usually do this." they looked up at the doctor, anxiety clear in their eyes.

(wait are we not writing Ari and Honey's part anymore?)

The doctor took the stethoscope after Rin set it aside, then folded and stored it back in his bag. They'd already finished with it. He set the blood pressure cuff aside as well. If necessary, they could use it later, but at that moment he wanted to make sure his patient was alright. Rin seemed quite certain that this was an unusual occurrence, and the sudden nature of their partner's exhaustion sure didn't inspire a lot of confidence.

"Arquis?" he called gently, touching his patient's arm. The nobleman didn't so much as stir. More firmly, Doctor Lavin repeated his name, and his blue eyes fluttered open.

"What? What happened?" There was an uncharacteristic, sluggish clumsiness to his tone. He blinked and absently rubbed his face. Something seemed to click. Recognition dawned in his expression. "Oh, goodness. Did I drift off again?”

(shit we are, I'm just dumb and clicked "post" without realizing i had skipped it. sorry!!)

Rin took a deep breath. "You fell asleep in like…a few seconds. Darling, I…" they ran their hands through their hair, still quite worried about their partner. They felt helpless to do anything, helpless to fix this. They didn't know if there was anything they could do, except stand by and hope the doctor could do something to fix this. To find the problem and help Arquis.

Ari swallowed faintly at the touch, mouth twitching in a faint smirk at Honey's question. His eyes flickered over the blond's face, lingering at his eyes and his mouth for longer than anywhere else. "Well…" he pretended to think about it for a moment, gently cupping Honey's chin with one hand, thumb resting on the other man's jawline. "I suppose so." he leaned in to press a soft, sweet little kiss to Honey's lips, pulling away again after a moment.

(oh no you're totally good, stuff happens! I was just worried I'd missed something haha—also for the sake of transparency I'm obviously not a medical professional/this is a fantasy story and so a lot of the details about this aren't going to be as accurate as I would like unfortunately)

Arquis frowned, still feeling pretty hazy and worn out. He didn't really understand the problem, but even in his tired state, he could tell Rin was growing more and more anxious. He wished he could respond to them properly. Make them feel better, tell him what they needed to hear. He just couldn't. His head felt like it was full of fog. Each and every one of his thoughts felt heavy.

"I am just a little tired, love. Just a little. It is not an issue. Everyone gets tired now and again, and… and…" He'd had a point with this, he was sure that he had. Yet he couldn't really remember what it was. What had he been saying? He had no clue. He mostly just wanted to go back to sleep.

Doctor Lavin stood. He pulled the chair from the desk in the room over beside the bed, then sat in it. There was a moment where he didn't say anything. He was recalibrating his approach to the situation.

"Okay. Arquis," he said softly, "the evidence I have gathered over the course of this examination points to you having an eating disorder. Were you previously aware of this diagnosis?"

"What? Oh." Arquis waved his hand dismissively. "It is not… my hair, is the thing. That is what you are here for. What is wrong with it? Have you figured that out?"

He looked incredibly sympathetic. "Malnourishment and nutritional deficiencies can cause hair loss, alongside a number of other signs and symptoms. Many of which you have presented with. Intense fatigue, for example, and lightheadedness."

The nobleman actually smiled and shook his head. "My apologies, but that is impossible. I have already recognized my issue, and I have since begun to correct it. I am getting better. Right, Rin?"

——

Honey chased his lips when he pulled away, wanting more. When he realized he wasn't going to get it, he stepped backwards. That bright, lopsided smile of his was cranked up to the max and aimed directly at Ari.

"Well, now. I must be the luckiest guy in the world, after that," he teased. His cheeks had a slight flush to them. He turned and continued on to the front door, shooting his date a glance over his shoulder. "Sure hope that didn't distract you."

(haha alright! lol that's a mood)

Rin bit his lip faintly as the doctor spoke, taking a deep breath. "Arquis…we've…we've made some progress, but it isn't…it certainly hasn't fixed everything, my darling. It's only been a few days that you've finally started to eat more, and…and more often then not I have to ask you to eat more. You only eat as little as you can get away with, half the time." he looked to the doctor, not able to bring themself to look at Arquis, because they knew their words would hurt their lover. But it was true, and the doctor needed to know that.

Ari grinned back, and then followed Honey to the door. "Distract me? Of course not." he replied, shaking his head at Honey. "I'm quite ready to beat you in a race." he winked, stretching a little bit and looking up at the sky.

Arquis felt his jaw clench, and he gave another stubborn shake of his head. He wasn't sure why Rin would lie like that, but he was determined to prove them wrong. It had been more than just some progress. He shifted away from them on the bed and prepared to defend himself. The doctor started speaking before he could say a word.

"It's early afternoon. Have you eaten anything today?" His tone was kind and free of judgment, but the nobleman felt like he'd been scalded nonetheless. Rin had eaten breakfast. He had not.

"Gingerbread tea," he mumbled, then added, more desperately than he'd intended, "but I ate yesterday! I had some toast and a peach."

Doctor Lavin glanced at Rin before settling his gaze back on Arquis. "Speaking in terms of calories and nutritional value, that is not enough for a single meal for someone your height, much less a day's worth of food. The fact that you seem to feel that it is suggests that your disorder might be escalating. You might want to make progress, but your partner and actions imply that you aren't truly improving.”

"You are mistaken, I am- this is all just-" He pulled his legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. "I am getting better, I am, I-"

"I'm willing to bet that you've experienced the advancement of other symptoms as your condition has worsened. You might feel frequently cold." Arquis always wore suits, hardly ever anything short like that skirt Honey had offered, but that surely wasn't significant. So maybe when trying on smaller dresses he'd complained about freezing. That was just being reasonable. Anvillea was cold! "You might experience or present with mood changes, social anxiety or irritability, or depression." The nobleman had been given plenty of very logical reasons to be upset in the past month. It had nothing to do with what he ate. "Fainting might also occur, if it hasn't already."

Arquis wasn't sure what to say. Except, weakly, "You make it sound so serious."

"That's because it is. I don't mean to scare you, but eating disorders can lead to severe complications. These include osteoporosis, heart issues, other organ damage or failure, and even death."

——

Honey, it turned out, was the distracted one. That wink took his mind completely off of the race. He watched as Ari stretched and tried very hard not to comment on his flexibility. His whole face was pink. He smiled at the ground before absently starting his own series of stretches. Once he was done, he filled Ari in on the path they were going to take. Down through the valley with all the grass, then into the city. Take a left at the fountain, then a right by the fabric shop with a spool of thread as the sign. Go straight until the tea café was in sight. It had a big, fake tea set by the door that kids liked to play on.

Rin took a deep breath, feeling anxiety clawing at his stomach as the doctor spoke, reaching out to take Arquis's hand to try and seek some comfort in the touch of their partner. He didn't say anything, though, just kept glancing between the doctor and Arquis. This was all so much, and he didn't know what to do. What he could say, to any of it.

Ari listened as Honey explained the route that they would take, still stretching out so that his muscles would be warmed up for the run. He knew it wasn't a long or overly strenuous run, but he still didn't want to pull anything. That would be embarrassing, not to mention rather painful too.

Arquis didn't take Rin's hand at first, not until he realized how upset they actually were. His entire expression changed. He moved over on the bed and gently curled his arm around his back, pulling them in so his head was resting on the nobleman's shoulder. This whole time, he'd been acting so selfish. Rin had gone all the way to the village and found a competent doctor to assist him. They'd done nothing but comfort him throughout the day, even when they were anxious. He pressed a very soft kiss to his temple.

"What do I do?" Arquis asked Doctor Lavin, his voice quiet and broken. He didn't want to accept what he'd been told, but ignoring it was only going to make things worse.

"Tomorrow morning, I'll send a specialist up here to speak with you. She's a wonderful person, very knowledgeable in her field. She'll help start to coordinate a meal plan with you and set up dates for regular therapy sessions." He reached into his bag and pulled out a few clear containers, each containing different types of pills. "As for what we're going to do right now, I'm going to start you on some vitamin supplements, and you're going to have to try your best to eat at least two meals before tonight. Do you think you can do that?"

Arquis didn't respond verbally, just gave a quick nod. He knew that if he talked, he'd start crying, and he didn't want to worry Rin further.

——

Honey finally stopped his own stretches. He hadn't run in a little bit, but before that stint, he'd run almost every day. Usually not anywhere in specific. Around the inn, through the prairie, circling the village. He loved the rush of adrenaline it gave him and the fact that he didn't have to think while sprinting. He could just run and run, feeling the wind whip back his blond hair.

"Count us down when you're ready," he said to Ari, getting in a starting position.

Rin swallowed faintly, holding onto Arquis and leaning on his shoulder. "I'll make sure he does." he told the doctor, squeezing Arquis's hand gently. "Thank you, Dr Lavin." they gave the older man a soft, faint little smile, still worried and anxious about Arquis, but feeling a bit better about it now. He was getting help. Everything would be okay.

Ari nodded, and finished his own stretches and got into a starting position. "Alright. Ready?" he waited a moment, taking a deep breath. "Three, two, one, go!" he began to run at the same time that he said go, taking off down the path that Honey had told him to take only a minute ago. His curls, bound back in that ponytail, still bounced and fluttered behind him as he ran, a few falling in front of his face since they had been too short to be pulled back.

Doctor Lavin returned their smile, though his was calm and comforting. It took him a moment to stand—his back had gotten worse with age, which wasn't promising considering he was just barely fifty—and close his bag. Arquis watched silently. He wanted to thank the man as well, but it was strange. Part of him resented him. He really wished that weren't the case.

"Oh, hold on," he said, once he wasn't so choked up. The doctor paused. "We must pay you. How much was that session?"

"Don't worry about that. First checkups are always free. It's my way of encouraging people to pursue the betterment of their health." He took those clear bottles and a glass from the desk. Carefully, he counted out a certain amount of each type of pill, then poured them into the cup. "This will be your dose for today. The specialist, Elsie, will likely give you more tomorrow. Take them with your next meal."

As he was about to leave the room, he paused, giving Rin one last reassuring look. "Both of you take care, alright? And call me back if you need me."

——

It took Honey just seconds for the signal to register, and he took off after Ari. He'd developed a pretty good running form over the years. A poet that had hung around the inn for a while had told him that he ran like a gazelle or deer. In retrospect, that was kind of a weird thing to say, but he also understood it. He ran swiftly, almost flying over the ground. His feet barely touched the earth.

They'd chosen a good time for this race. There was still a very light rain going on, meaning that they'd stay nice and cool without slipping on super wet stones. The blond grinned as a perfect breeze hit him and laughed loudly.

Rin looked down at his hands for a moment, then up at the doctor, giving the older man a faint smile. "Thanks again." they said, still holding onto Arquis. "For everything." he knew that Arquis was probably feeling resentful abuot this, but it would work out in the long run. This was a good thing. It would lead to good things. It had to.

Ari continued to run. He was not quite as graceful a runner as Honey was, but that was quite alright; he didn't need to be. Just a fast runner was all he needed to be for tis to be good. He wanted to win this, which was something he hadn't quite expected. The light rain was certainly wonderful, the light mist dotting his face with cool droplets that kept him from getting hot and sweaty.

The doctor nodded. With one final soft smile, he headed out the door. If he hadn't already scheduled several appointments for the rest of the day, he would've stayed for a little longer. There were several things he didn't get to do that were important, like taking the nobleman's blood pressure or checking pupilary response. He technically didn't need those things to diagnose him with an eating disorder. Still, he'd recommend that Elsie check Arquis's vitals again during their appointment the following day.

Back in the bedroom, Arquis was trying his best to put on a brave face. He rubbed his hands up and down his own arms. He was shivering. Who knew how long he'd been doing that for; it seemed like once the doctor had pointed it out, he'd been nothing but cold. It was also possible that he was shaking because he was upset. If that was the real reason, then it was about to get a lot worse.

"Rin? Are you going to break up with me?" He kept his voice as neutral as he could so that his feelings wouldn't sway their decision making. "I understand if that is what you want. I have failed everything you have asked of me. You said you did not want to watch as I destroyed myself, and I am afraid I have accidentally forced you to do exactly that."

——

Honey ended up tripping on a rock once they got to the outskirts of the village. It luckily didn't send him sprawling, but he did have to take a few moments to regain his footing. He pushed himself even harder than before to catch up. His strong arms sliced through the damp air as his legs kicked out at the cobblestones. He could feel his heartbeat pounding aggressively in his ears. Losing the race would be fine, but he certainly wasn't going to let himself lose by a lot. He didn't want to be completely embarrassed.

Rin watched the doctor leave, then turned to his partner. "I…" he blinked, trying to process Arquis's words. "I am not…I am not going to break up with you, darling. We're going to fix this." they offered up a smile, trying to be encouraging while still feeling super anxious about all of this. "I promise, Arquis. It's going to be alright."

Ari glanced back when he heard Honey trip, but then turned back ahead to keep running. He wanted to win this, if he could. He was alright with losing, but he wanted to win if he could.

Though he appreciated the effort, Arquis didn't really feel reassured. If he could stand, he'd be pacing around the room, his stride short and frantic. He anxiously combed his gloved fingers through his hair. A bit of it came away in his hand, reminding him why he couldn't do that anymore. It wasn't like he was losing all of it at once, but if he kept messing with it then he'd create unsightly patches. Who would want to date someone that was literally falling to pieces? He turned onto his side and looked up at Rin. His blue eyes were dark and serious.

"And if it does not get better? If I cannot be fixed? Do not mistake what I am saying, I am going to try. But I already thought that I was. What if I am destined to be this way? What if no matter what I do or change, I continue to fail? I do not want to trap you into a life with someone like that. Someone like me."

At that last part, he really curled in on himself. Legs drawn in, wrapped in his arms. Head tucked down. His voice was muffled by the neckline of his robe.

"I want you to be happy, my love. But look at you now. You are stressed, and I fear that you feel responsible for me. You are not happy. I do not blame you for it." He bit his lower lip so hard that it paled. "I do not want to breakup, but Rin, if at any point you feel that it would be best for you, then do it."

——

They were getting close to the first turn. The fountain could be seen in the distance, though Honey couldn't yet hear the sound of water crashing into the basin. He wasn't sure he'd be able to hear it even when close. His breath was coming fast, and his blood was pumping hard. Glorious adrenaline was rushing through him. He took the left turn and pushed his body even harder. Just like that, he was in line with Ari, running alongside him rather than lagging behind. In the weak sunlight, his hair looked like white gold, and his skin seemed to sparkle with raindrops. He flashed a bright grin over at Ari before leaning into his sprint, gaining the lead. It was still anyone’s game at this point. He was just glad for the opportunity to show off, even if Ari won in the end.

Rin shook their head faintly. "Don't talk that way, lovely." he replied in a soft tone. "Please, darling. You're going to recover. Everything is going to be just fine, I promise." they reached out to take Arquis's hand again, running their thumb over his knuckles. "It's going to be alright. You're going to recover, and you're going to be okay, and we'll make it to Kevra together." he dearly hoped so, in any case.

Ari returned the grin with one of his own, still running. When Honey pulled ahead, though, there really wasn't anything that he could do to regain the lead. So he didn't, just kept running and watched as Honey took the lead. He took a deep breath, still smiling a bit as they raced along.

Arquis rolled over so that his face was pressed to their chest. He didn't have the energy left in him to catastrophize any longer. For once, he was going to give in and hope that Rin was right. He hummed against his shirt before lifting it to kiss his side. Then, he folded his arms over their stomach and let his head rest on top.

"Mm. And when we get to Kevra," he murmured, "what will we do? You and I, love. What will we do together?"

He wanted a sweet fantasy. Something to hold onto in his dark hours. A story woven out of a future that might never come. He looked up at them through his eyelashes and smiled faintly.

——

The second turn was coming up soon. Honey still had the lead, but his pace was gradually slowing. He leapt off the curb at one point to dodge a man with a cart and bumped into a stranger with a stroller instead. They swore at him loudly. He shouted an apology over his shoulder rather than stopping, but the damage had already been done. He'd lost his momentum. Ari was ahead of him again, and as he rounded the corner to see the shop straight ahead, he knew he'd probably lost. That only made him smile harder. He loved that Ari had gotten so into this little competition.