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

Started October 31, 2021 by @LovelyRose

tune

Rin took a sip of the tea, which stained their lips rather quickly with that soft pink tone. He gave his partner a soft, sweet little smile, looking back at the menu again after a moment. He ordered some food as well, picking a few appetizers for the table to share as well. He let out a soft breath, closing his eyes for just a moment.

Ari studied Honey faintly, reaching out to gently touch the blond's hand. "Honey, maybe no more drinks, please? It's a bit early to be drinking." his voice was quiet, and free of judgement.

Arquis burst into a grin when he saw Rin's lips, and he cupped their cheek so that he could kiss him. It was a very light, brief kiss, the kind that felt like silk or a faint ghost of a touch. He blushed when it was over and instinctively looked around to make sure no one had watched. Luckily, there weren't many other people sitting out on the patio. Most had chosen to be inside due to the lingering chill. The few people that were walking by the restaurant didn't seem to have noticed at all.

Honey jerked his hand away, feeling quite angry. Ari had no idea what he was going through. He out of everyone there had no right to tell the blond what he should or shouldn't be doing. It was none of his business. Honey was prepared to tell him this, but he stopped short, washed in a wave of guilt. He was being rude. Again. There was a better way to handle the situation.

"What, can't I have a little fun?" he asked, tone low and sarcastic. There was a flirtatious edge to it, but it was much less playful than before.

Rin returned the kiss softly, smiling a little bit at his partner. "There we are, darling." he said softly, glancing at Ari and Honey for a moment before his focus returned to Arquis. "I love you." his voice was quiet and sweet, and he leaned his head against Arquis's shoulder for a moment.

Ari took a deep breath, shrugging. "Sure you can. But I wanted to get to know you a bit without you being tipsy and buzzed. But if you'd like to drink instead, then that's your choice and I'll leave you to it." he pulled his hand back, letting Honey think that over. None of his words had been harsh or angry, just soft and matter of fact.

Arquis was glad that his partner's focus seemed to be on him, at least for the time being. It wasn't for selfish reasons. They'd been through quite a lot in the past few days, and while he cared for Honey, he wanted Rin to have some time for themself. His lover was so empathetic that it tended to stress them out.

He lifted his hand to caress the back of his neck, massaging away a bit of tension, then slid his fingers into their hair. "Love you, too, my dear."

Across the table, Honey was having a much less enjoyable time. He looked as if he'd been struck. His hand hovered over his glass, but his eyes—which were very wide—were on Ari. His chest ached fiercely. Whatever response he'd been expecting, it hadn't been that.

"Oh." He cleared his throat and put his hands in his lap, his posture shrinking inwards. "Oh, I didn't- I didn't think that- I don't know if that's a good idea. You getting to know me. I mean, I want it, but- but you saw. Earlier. You saw that. I don't- I'm not-"

Rin melted into him, breathing softly and closing his eyes, just wanting to stay pressed close to his lover. "Good." he said softly. "And, ah…you'll eat at least a little bit, right? Please?" he asked, raising their eyebrows faintly and taking a deep breath. He didn't quite know what to do. He just wanted Arquis to eat a bit at lunch.

Ari watched him quietly, shrugging. "I still want to. But, ah, if you would rather not, then that's okay. I just wanted to get to know you a bit." he smiled faintly. "I don't know exactly what happened earlier, but I don't mind if there's some, ah, trauma that we need to work through."

For once, the idea didn't make Arquis upset. Maybe it was the scenery, the fresh air, or the fact that he felt like an ordinary young man on a normal date with his lover. Maybe it was the fact that the Palace felt like a distant memory, or maybe it was the proximity of his partner. Or maybe he was just lucky. Having lunch seemed a realistic feat. He showered Rin's temple with small kisses before giving them a nod.

"I will. Perhaps not the entire course, but I can manage at least some of it." He placed his thumb in between their brows and gently kneaded some of the tension from there, too.

Honey grabbed at his napkin and wadded it into a ball under the table. He passed it from hand to hand, fidgeting nervously as he tried to figure out what to say. It wasn't that he didn't want to learn more about Ari. He just didn't want Ari to learn more about him. Getting too close inevitably meant that he'd lose interest, especially after he found out what Honey had gotten himself into that day.

"I do. Really, I do. I wanna talk to you, and get to know you, but it’s just- I don't know if I can be what you're looking for. And I don't wanna let you down or lead you on."

Rin smiled softly, humming for a moment. "Good. Thank you, darling." he replied, still leaning into his partner. "I love you so much." their words were soft and sweet and gentle and proud. "And I'm proud of you for being willing to eat your food, too." he smiled again, taking a sip of his tea.

Ari studied Honey quietly. "I get it, Honey. Sort of." he said softly. After all, he hadn't immediately told Honey he was trans; did that mean that Ari had led Honey on? He took a deep breath, running his hands through his hair. "And how do you know what I'm looking for?"

Arquis blushed at all the encouragement. Sometimes, the kind words sounded belittling, making him feel like a child. In that moment, however, they were lovely. He wished they weren't in public so that he could pull Rin into his lap. It was an odd impulse, but he really just wanted to wrap them in a hug.

The waiter came by with the appetizers before Arquis could verbally reply to his lover, so he traced a whole collection of hearts on their hand. The dishes were carefully set out. They looked wonderful, clearly having that rustic, homemade feel.

Honey waited until the man was out of earshot before responding to Ari. There was a rough, humiliated quality to his voice, like he'd been caught in a crime and forced to read his own sentencing. It didn't help that his cheeks were flushed an uneven, splotchy red.

"I don't know what you’re looking for, I guess. But I know it's not me. 'Cause the only thing that I can offer you is the only thing you don't want." That wasn't true. Honey would love to shower Ari with affection and small, sentimental gifts and pretty bits of poetry. He would be thrilled to sketch him with colored pencils as they sat in a shared bed on a lazy morning, would die to be able to call him sweet pet names. But Myr's words had a hold on him that he couldn't shake off. Honey took a swig of his drink to steady his nerves before muttering, "Not good for much else."

Rin smiled softly at his lover again, and then reached out to take a bite of his food. He wanted to enjoy this time together, and so far, he had. He glanced over at Ari and Honey, but didn't speak to interupt the conversation. He could tell that it was an important one, and that it was not one that he should or would interfere with.

Ari listened, keeping his gaze resting gently on Honey. "I don't believe that." he said after a moment. "I think there's plenty you could offer and that you're good for." he took a deep breath, giving Honey a little smile. "Like I said, I would like to get to know you. How would you know it's not you when we don't know each other that well yet?"

Arquis did not avoid looking at his food. He ate in small bites still, but it was progress nonetheless. Every now and then, he'd drink more of his tea, enjoying the warmth and slight bitterness of the berries. It was the perfect drink for a cold day. Maybe not better than hot chocolate, but he appreciated the uniqueness of the flavor.

Honey set his glass down with a ragged exhale. There was nothing left in it. He hadn't meant to drink it all, but he could feel himself slipping back into old habits. One drink was two, two drinks were four, and the next thing he knew, he was waking up in someone else's bed, feeling their breath fan across his shoulder blades.

"I just know." He met Ari's eyes and immediately regretted it. He could tell that there was too much showing on his face. Lovey had said when they were children that he was so easy to read. He'd gotten very good at hiding everything with age and time, but something about Ari drew out his true self. Sorrow thinned his mouth, fear tugged his brows, self-loathing colored his skin.

Honey stood. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he couldn't stand to be at that table any longer. It felt like he was suffocating. As he was about to head off, likely to the bathroom to clear his thoughts, his shirt got caught on his jacket. It rode up, revealing a very fresh, shiny, blistering burn mark in the shape of a hand. He grabbed the edge of his jacket and yanked it, finding himself not only unwilling but unable to look around the table. Nobody had seen, he hoped. It was only for a second.

Rin sipped at his own tea, eating his food and shooting Arquis soft smiles. He really was so proud of his lover for being willing to eat like this; it was a good sign of progress, and one that he was so happy about seeing. The food was good too, which was certainly a bonus to all of this.

Ari's eyes landed on the burn, and he shot up from his seat. "Honey, how did that happen?" he asked, reaching out to the young man but not quite touching him. "What…" he felt like he was a bit over his head right now. Unlike Rinlos and Arquis, he didn't know a ton about what Honey was going through.

Arquis smiled at his lover, genuinely enjoying the meal as well, until he saw Ari shoot to his feet. At last, curiosity convinced him to study their situation, and he couldn't quite tell what was wrong. There was nothing visibly wrong with either Honey or Ari, but both were standing. The blond swallowed, shook his head, and sat down. Hard. A fork fell to the patio, gaining the attention of several passerby. One of them, a little toddler, laughed, and her parent shushed her.

Honey sighed. It was a bone-weary, deep sound, one that rattled the nobleman to his core. Never had he seen someone look so worn out, so defeated.

"Saw that, huh?" Honey asked Ari, tilting his head so that he could see him. As tired as he was, there was a surprising amount of sympathy in his gaze. He reached out and very gently guided the other man back into his chair. "Guess I should've known that this would happen. Jig's up and all that."

Rin's gaze flashed over when Ari and Honey both stood up, raising his eyebrows faintly and studying the two. "What's happened?" they asked, voice quiet and gentle and a little bit concerned as to what was going on. "Ari? Honey?" their voice was still concerned and worried.

Ari slowly sat down, keeping his eyes on Honey. "Honey, what happened?" he asked, reaching out to gently touch Honey's hand, trying to comfort him in some way. "What…how did this…" he was lost and over his head adn that was a bit obvious.

(minor warning just for wound description)

Honey could tell that Ari was rather shaken, so, rather than accepting his comforting gesture, he attempted to soothe him in return. The smile he offered him was genuine and reassuring, as if to prove that he was alright. He knitted their hands together and ran his thumb along his wrist.

"Got myself a little banged up earlier," he said in a tone that was way too casual for the scenario. While his eyes were on Ari, it was clear that he was speaking to all three of them. "Gave our stranger here a good fright, didn't I? It's alright, Ari."

Arquis raised his brows and set down his tea, which he'd forgotten he was holding. "You are hurt?" he asked. The only reason his words were steady was because of shock.

"Aw, just a little, dreamboat. Nothing to get all excited about." He swiveled a little in his seat, still keeping his hand on Ari's, so that he could lift his shirt. The handprint looked worse the second time. It was an agonizing shade of red. The edges of it were peeling slightly, and some were a blackish hue. It couldn't have felt good under all of those layers of clothing.

Ari winced at the sight of the wound, his free hand twitching and clasping for a moment as he sought for what to do now. What he could possibly say or do. "I-I…how did this happen?" he asked, fidgeting with his free hand to try and distract himself a little bit from all of this.

Rin inhaled softly, setting his food aside and leaning forward a little bit. "Oh, Honey…" they breathed. This had been what was wrong earlier. When Honey had insisted nothing was wrong, everything was fine.

Honey looked away from the table, out at the lovely village. "Um, yeah. About that. Let's just say I have a bad past with men. And a bad present, apparently."

Arquis shifted so that his leg was pressed alongside his partner's and put a hand on their shoulder. He could practically feel their worry radiating out like a fever. The situation was bad indeed, and he hoped that the physical touch would ground him. Give him something to hold onto, just in case he needed it.

"There's a man at the inn right now. He's not a very nice man," the blond said slowly, as if he was speaking to a kid. The words tasted like ashes as they left his mouth. "He and I have a real ugly history. He doesn't like it when I disobey. When I step outta line, he feels like he's gotta punish me. And I stepped outta line." Honey shivered. He wasn't cold; he was wearing too many clothes for that. "He said he needed to remind me of who I belong to. Of what happens when I get ideas about dating pretty men."

In this case, he was technically talking about Rin, but Myr's words extended to Ari as well. He'd be punished just the same if Myr had figured out that he was attracted to Ari.

"He branded you," Arquis choked out, horrified.

“Yeah. Yeah, he did.” Honey glanced to Rin, then smiled sadly. Their earlier conversation about being secondhand goods trickled back into his head. He now literally bore the markings of his use.

Rin took a few breaths. "This…I…" this was their fault. If he hadn't come up and pretended that he was dating Honey, then Myr wouldn't have done this. He had been trying to help. And instead they had caused Honey even more pain. Even if indirectly, they had caused this. They had caused this permanent mark on Honey's body. A literal brand. "I'm sorry." he breathed. "I didn't mean to cause this, I thought…" he reached up to hold onto Arquis's hand, squeezing gently and trying to ground himself. If they hadn't made Myr think that he and Honey were a couple, then this might not have happened. He had been trying to protect Honey and instead it had backfired so very, very badly.

Ari covered his mouth with one hand, watching Honey with shock and sadness in his eyes. "I'm sorry." he said softly.

Honey's demeanor immediately changed. While he kept Ari's hand in his own, he moved so that he was looking over at the bard. Determination had steeled his expression and made his posture rigid. There was no way he was going to let Rin feel responsible for what had happened. They weren't. Myr was, as he'd said, the type of person who didn't take no for an answer. He was angry and violent and messed up, and none of that was the bard's fault.

"No. No, no, Rin, listen, he's an ass, alright? He would've done something no matter what. He would've hurt me 'cause I was taking a break. He would've hurt me if he saw me with any of you, or if I spent time with Pretty, or if I started avoiding him. You didn't do anything wrong."

He let the words ring in the air for a moment. Then, once they were settled, he took a deep breath and returned his attention to Ari.

"Sorry I've been so rude. And about all that stuff I said, I'm sorry for that, too. It's just…" For a moment, Arquis—who was both watching the conversation and comforting his lover—thought he wasn't going to continue. But he did.

"That's not all of it. The burn thing, that was some of it, yeah, but, um, tonight. He told me that if I wasn't in my room tonight, ready for him, then he'd do something. He'd hurt Lovey. Or Sugar. And I knew I shouldn't have believed him, 'cause the only power he really has is his fire, and he can't use that if I take it away, but I just froze, you know? And I just thought it would be easier if I didn't risk it. If I did what I'd always done and just took it."

The drink, though he hadn't had much of it, was starting to kick in just a touch. He rubbed his eyes and sighed, repeating, "Just took it. I didn't want anyone to get hurt."

Rin nodded faintly in response to Honey's words, but didn't respond verbally, just breathign and holding onto Arquis's hand. This was so difficult for him to think of, and he still couldn't quite shake the feeling that they were at least partially to blame here. They had done something that caused this to happen, even if Myr would have done it anyway.

"You can spend the night with me." Ari said softly. "Not…like that. But you can spend the night in my room. Sugar too. And…and you can warn Lovey. Or…is there some way you can get him kicked out of the hotel? He burned you, he…" the young man looked concerned and sickened by all of this. Not sickened by Honey, in any way, but that Myr had done this.

Arquis hummed worriedly and wrapped his arm around his lover's shoulders, pulling them in close. They looked so upset that it hurt. He really hoped that he wasn't blaming themself for it, especially since Honey was right. All Rin had done was tried to help. People like Myr were going to do whatever it was they wanted to do, and any excuse or justification would suffice. It just so happened that his lover had been there, that was all. Wrong place, wrong time.

"I could get him kicked out, yeah. But I'm afraid that he'd come back, and, like, threaten to burn the place down or something. I can stop him from doing anything for a while, but eventually I've gotta rest, y'know? And I just can't handle the thought of someone getting hurt or losing their home just 'cause I won't put out."

"There are other people that can keep watch and help the inn stay safe," the nobleman insisted. "You alone are not responsible for it."

"I know. It just seems easier to, um, not make a fuss outta this. Just do what I gotta do for a few nights, let him wear himself out. He always goes away after a couple days. Wouldn't be too long. Nothing I haven't had before."

Rin frowned softly. "I can…I…" he didn't know what he could do. Sure, he could use his own ability somehow, but he hated using it. He knew what it was like to be controlled and terrified, and he didn't like inflicting that on anyone else. He took a deep breath, clearing his throat softly. "There are people whose job it is to keep the inn and it's employees safe, you don't have to do this. Honey, please." they pleaded.

Ari took a deep breath. "My offer still stands. You and Sugar can spend the night in my room, and we'll lock the door so no one else can get in and disturb us."

"Doors are made of wood," Honey pointed out quietly, then bent, clawing at a fistful of blonde curls. It was clear that he didn't know what to choose. On the one hand, he really, really didn't want anyone else to get hurt, and he wasn't sure he could live with himself if something bad happened to his sister. He thought of her crying back at the inn and hated himself. He'd been the cause of that. Maybe he deserved to be punished for all that he'd done.

But he didn't want to get hurt again. He was so sick of it. The brand on his side throbbed every time he moved because of the way his shirt rubbed his skin. His eye was still swollen and tender from the man that had hit him the other night. His wrist ached. The scratches on his thighs stung whenever he walked. It was the most miserable he'd been in a while, and he just wanted to rest. He wasn't sure he could take another night of being dragged around, yelled at, and slammed into surfaces, no matter what he said.

"I don't wanna do it anymore," he croaked, squeezing his eyes shut. "I'm sorry. It's selfish, but I can't do it. I wanna be safe. I wanna be safe, please. He's so rough, and- and he never listens to me. He just- he's so bad when he's angry, and I made him so, so angry, and I- I- please? He said he'd- he'd burn me worse, he's gonna-"

"Deep breaths, Honey," Arquis murmured from across the table.

Ari squeezed Honey's hand very gently. "It is not selfish to want to be safe." he said softly. "Take some deep breaths. It isn't selfish to want him not to hurt you anymore, and it isn't selfish to want him to stop." he tried to reassure the upset, anxious blond across from him.

Honey tilted his head back so he could see Ari. Hearing those words was one thing, but actually seeing them said was another. He let loose a soft, pained sound, nodded, and tried his best to focus on breathing. It wasn't easy, especially not when the waiter came by to hesitantly ask if he was alright. Arquis responded for him and waved the man away. The last thing they needed was a lot of attention.

Eventually, Honey's breathing evened, and he stopped gripping Ari's hand so tightly. It was a miracle he hadn't started to cry, though he didn't look well. He very much wanted to find a corner somewhere, curl up, and wait until this whole storm blew over. He was so tired of being brave and taking the brunt of the blow. Yet there was still so much he had to do before he could rest. It was horribly unfair.

"Uh, alright. Sorry. Alright." He swallowed thickly and shrunk in on himself, feeling suddenly quite ridiculous. What he was about to ask felt incredibly childish. "Do we, uh, have to go back there right now? I know we have to deal with him eventually, but could we stay a little longer? He's not gonna do anything if I'm not there, and I really, uh… I know I've messed it all up, but it would be nice to stay here for a while. Walk around, spend some time together. Time that isn't weird, or tense, or… or…"

"We need to treat that burn, Honey," Arquis reminded him softly.

"We could do that here. I'm sure there's someone that could help, uh, but… I get it if you all wanna go back."

"We don't have to go back right now, but we do need to take care of the burn soon." Rin replied softly. "And you're going to be okay. I promise. We're going to take care of you, and we're going to make sure you don't get hurt by that man again." their voice was gentle, but firm. They were not going to let Myr lay a hand on Honey again.