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

Started October 31, 2021 by @LovelyRose

tune

Rin hummed very faintly, closing his eyes and staying pressed close to Arquis. He was tired from having been sick, and it was so warm and comfortable in here…he was about ready to just fall asleep on his partner's lap. It was soft and comfortable and warm in here, and he loved being snuggled up to his lover.

Ari raised his eyebrows, and moved forward, placing his hand over Honey's and gently pulling the mug away from Honey's mouth. "If you take a sip of this, I will take my cider from your mouth." he threatened.

Honey's grin widened, and he fought Ari for the mug, tugging it towards his own face. "Yeah?" he asked, highly entertained. It was so close that he could practically taste it. "Bet you won't. It's mine now. Say goodbye."

Arquis watched in amused horror from across the room as Honey brought his lips to the rim. Rather than drink it, however, he licked the edge. He cackled villainously when he was done and then took a victory swig. There was no way that Ari would take it back after that. It was as good as his, and he was going to enjoy his bounty in front of the man like an absolute fiend.

The nobleman was about to make a joke about the situation to Rin, but he realized that his lover was almost asleep. His smile softened. Ophia looked over and saw the scene. She took the blanket from the back of her armchair and passed it over. Arquis draped it over his partner, kissed his forehead, and let him rest. They deserved to get whatever sleep was possible, even if it was just a short nap.

Ari almost followed through on his threat, but didn't want to overstep Honey's boundaries. Instead, he pressed forward until his nose bumped lightly against Honey's. "You're trying to steal my drink?" he asked, arms moving to either side of Honey to hold him in place. "What a terrible young man you are. Stealing a man's drink like this."

Rin let out a faint, sleepy hum, snuggling close to Arquis's warm, solid body as his lover held them.

Honey stopped laughing as soon as Ari approached. He was so close that kissing would require just a slight shift. All he would have to do is tilt his head. He was so tempted to do it, to give him a taste of his cider after all, but then he felt Ari's arms and froze. It felt like a trap. His heart thundered in his chest, but he tried to calm himself. Nothing bad could happen to him here. Rin and Arquis had promised protect him, and besides, Ari didn't seem the sort to cause him harm. Then again, that had often been his problem, hadn't it? Not recognizing the sort that would. Not knowing who was good and who was bad because there were so few identifiers.

He still had some control over the situation. He might've been under Ari, but he could change it for the better. They didn't have to stop. He lifted his free hand and ran it down Ari's forearm.

"Maybe move this?" he requested softly. "Bit much."

Ari nodded, shifting his arms around so that Honey was far less caged by them, but didn't move any further away. "Better?" he asked. He wanted to continue this flirtatious banter, but he also wanted to make Honey comfortable, so this was fine. He brushed his nose lightly against Honey's, but didn't try to kiss him.

Honey swallowed and gave their wrist a light squeeze. "Yeah. Thanks." He tried to recall what they'd been flirting about before. A teasing smile curled his lips. He wished he'd kept his gloss on. "And for your information, I didn't steal anything, stranger. I was just thirsty, and there happened to be a nice, hot mug of cider in reach."

Ophia quietly excused herself to her bedroom to write reports of the day, sensing that this wasn't something she should observe. She'd started watching warily when she'd heard Honey ask Ari to move his arms, but it seemed that he'd respected his wishes. As long as whatever they were doing was consensual and neither party was overwhelmed, she didn't really care that they were flirting in her home. She'd seen Honey suffer so much. It was nice to know that he was happy. She would still be in earshot if he were to yell or something were to go wrong, but she didn't want to linger.

Arquis had started to doze off as well. He trusted Honey and Ari to wake him when it was time to go back to The Cecilia Rouge.

"Ah, but that was my mug of cider, and you had your own mug that you chose not to drink from." he countered, shrugging his shoulders. "So I believe that you did steal something. How are you going to make it up to me?" he pouted a bit, lips twitching as he kept them from curling into a smile.

"You didn’t claim it, and it didn’t have your name on it. How was I supposed to know?" Honey's dimples were out in full force. Unlike Ari, he wasn't stopping himself from grinning. "I don't believe I owe you anything, but you've offended me quite a bit with your actions. I think you're the one who's gotta do the making up."

All it would take is one word for that to go from making up to making out. Just one tiny change of vocabulary. He wondered if Ari would catch on, or if it'd been too subtle for him to notice. If it had been him, he wasn't sure he would've noticed much at all. His pulse was pounding; he could feel it in his throat and hear it in his ears. This time, however, it was loud for all the right reasons. The anticipation was delightful.

Ari hummed faintly, eyes flickering for a moment as he considered that. "I don't think I need to do any making up. You're the one who has denied any wrongdoing on your part, when we both know you are at fault here." he replied, quiet and teasing. "So how are you going to make it up to me?"

(as much as I want them to kiss honey unfortunately has had too rough of a day)

"I haven't done anything wrong," Honey insisted. It was the worst possible choice of words because it was the exact same phrase he'd used earlier in his room with Myr. The fight played out in his mind again. Myr grabbing the door when he saw the blond going to get his coat. Myr forcing his way in, slamming it shut behind them. Myr's bright red face, his loud voice hoarse from yelling. Myr grabbing him by his exposed shoulders, fingers digging in, and pushing him to the ground. Myr's threat. Myr's reminder. Myr ripping the dress, Myr leaving the burn.

Honey thrashing. Honey staying silent, because the white hot, searing pain was too much for him to even scream. Honey left all alone, looking like a broken doll.

"Off! Off, please," he begged Ari, his hands weakly scrabbling at his shirt. He realized a second too late that it might've seemed like he was trying to get his shirt off. His hands fell limp against his own stomach, and he shook his head rapidly. "Space. Need space. Please."

(yeah that's what i was thinking too, tbh)

Ari immediately backed off as soon as Honey told him to, backing up and giving Honey plenty of room to process whatever the blond was going through in his head. "Sorry." he said quietly. "I didn't mean to upset you." he wasn't quite sure what he had done wrong, but he was going to apologize anyways. Clearly Honey was upset, and Ari wasn't quite sure how to help.

Honey brought his knees in towards his chest as he desperately attempted to breathe. Nothing was working. His throat grew ragged with the short, shallow draws of breath, and he swore he could feel the brand pulsing on his side. As if Myr was still there, pinning him, snarling like a beast. He gasped and kicked out, his feet connecting with the carpet so hard that the chair actually moved an inch. That inch wasn't far enough. He felt like the walls were closing in, like any moment he'd be trapped, hot breath on his cheek, skirt rumpled and mouth agape in agony.

Ophia was in the room in an instant. When she realized what was happening, she sent a deathly serious look at Ari. She jabbed a finger towards her bedroom. "In there. Now."

Arquis had only just awoken from his very brief nap. He rubbed the blur from his vision and ushered Rin to his feet. The blanket was still draped around his lover's shoulders as he guided Rin away, down the hall.

The bedroom was as charming as the rest of the house. It held plenty of thick, homemade candles, books, and cute paintings on the walls. The bed had a puffy pink comforter on top and heart-shaped pillows. There was a candy jar shaped like a star on an antique desk with a massive journal on top. It was open to a paper with an ink skid slashed across it like a scar. Ophia's hand had likely twitched when she'd heard Honey, and she hadn't had time to fix the page.

Ari immediately complied with Ophia's order, getting up from the floor and coming into the bedroom that Ophia had led them all to. Rin, only barely awake, seemed groggy and out of it as Arquis led them along. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, lookjing up at Arquis.

Once they were all in, Arquis paused, expecting Ophia to come in after them. When she didn't, he turned to Ari, his brows quirking upwards. It was clear he wasn't upset or angry at the other man. Concerned curiosity was the best way to describe what he was feeling.

"What happened in there? I accidentally drifted off. Next thing I knew, we were being ushered in here." He had only gotten a few glimpses of Honey. None of them had been good enough to inform him of the situation. Obviously, something had gone wrong. He could take a guess and probably get close, but he wanted to get confirmation from someone who actually knew what had occurred.

The door was still open. Every handful of seconds, there would come a shaky hitch of a sob, then the hum of soft speaking. He couldn't hear what was being said, but the cadence made it clear that they were reassurances of some sort. His heart ached. Whatever had just gone down, Honey really wasn't doing well. The sounds of frantic breathing told him that he was likely having some sort of panic attack.

"Honey and I were talking. Banter, I guess, and he…I…something happened. He had a breakdown." Ari replied slowly, taking a deep breath. "I didn't mean to upset him. I really didn't." he ran his hands through his hair, shaking his head a little bit.

Rin rubbed his eyes sleepily, trying to focus on the conversation at hand. His brain was still foggy with sleep, and he leaned against Arquis as he slowly began to be able to make more sense of what was going on.

Arquis kissed his partner on the temple to soothe him. Going from a peaceful nap to a painful reminder of their own past couldn't be an easy transition. He partially wondered if he should close the door—both to grant Honey more privacy and to allow Rin some time to adjust—but decided against it. This wasn't their room, after all. He wouldn't want Ophia feeling as if they'd even tried to keep her out.

"Ah. Well, Ari," Arquis began, "I do not think it was your fault. You did not know that your actions would have such consequences."

There was a loud, choked cry from the other room. It was similar to the scream that Honey had let out into that pillow when he was in Rin and Arquis's room. The nobleman winced in sympathy. That sort of scream wasn't easy on the vocal cords. Honey really seemed to be struggling. What specifically had caused this episode was unknown to Arquis, but Myr likely had something to do with it. Only a couple of hours had passed since the branding had happened. He hadn't had much time to process it. None of them had, really, but it was much worse for him. He'd go the rest of his life with his attacker's handprint scorched into his side. Even when it faded, there would still be some scarring.

It took what felt like forever, but eventually the sounds from the living room quieted. For a few minutes more, nothing moved. Then, there was the sound of footsteps approaching the bedroom. Ophia came to a stop in the doorway. She looked just about dead on her feet, but there was a startling anger blazing in her eyes. Arquis prepared himself just in case she had come to accuse them. She didn't. Instead, she crossed her arms and frowned.

"He says he wants to see the bard. Which one of you is that?”

Rin stayed close to Arquis, closing his eyes as the epsiode went on. Ari stood to the side, his arms wrapped around himself. He didn't feel comfortable here, and he still felt like he was in over his head. When Ophia came in, Rin stepped forward. "That's me." they said softly. "I'm a…I'm a bard. The bard." he looked at Ophia, unsure what the correct things to do or say to her was. None of them had harmed Honey, but that didn't mean she didn't have every right to be angry with them all.

Arquis felt his heart begin to race. Ophia cocked a brow, but she didn't lash out or otherwise attempt to harm his partner. She just sighed deeply and took him by the hand. Her grip was surprisingly gentle. She guided him into the other room, giving the the other two a quick backwards glance before disappearing down the hall. They were, that look said, meant to stay put. The nobleman wanted to argue and follow his lover, but he instead sat down on the floor. Someone had to stay there with Ari. If he couldn't be with his partner, then he might as well check in on their best friend.

In the living room, Honey was no longer curled up on the armchair. He was huddled on the floor, his back against it, still shaking from his fit. His curls were plastered to his forehead with cold sweat. He didn't seem to really be looking at anything, but that changed when Rin entered.

"I'm sorry," was the very first thing out of his mouth. It came out wrong and rough, like a gasp after a stab wound. "I'm so sorry, I can't stop screwing everything up, but- but-”

"Honey, remember what we said. Follow the pattern," Ophia soothed and he sniffled, wiping his bloodshot eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm real sorry, Rin, I just- I know you're not- this is so weird, but I just feel so bad, and you- you- you know what this is like, and I wanted someone who knew what it was like, 'cause I don't wanna be judged, and I know neither of them will judge me, but I'm so scared that I've screwed things up with Ari, and I'm really, really sorry, and- and- and I just wanted to see you, I just-"

Ari stayed put, taking a deep breath and shaking his head a little bit. "I didn't mean to upset him." he said softly. "I really didn't. I don't know…if I said or did anything, or…" he trailed off, looking a bit lost.

Rin knelt by Honey, but didn't reach out to touch him. He knew that Honey did not always welcome touch, and they wanted to be conscientious of the blond's boundaries. "Hey. It's alright, Honey. You don't need to apologize. Ari is worried about you, but he isn't going to get mad at you or push you away for having any issues." they said, voice soft and gentle.

Arquis shook his head. "Listen, Ari, it is exactly as I said earlier. I firmly believe that you did nothing wrong. Honey has been through a lot, both in his lifetime and today, and that means that he has a lot of resulting trauma. It is inevitable because of this that he will go through rather dark periods. They might seem spurred by some obvious source or issue, or they might seem completely random. He could be fine one moment and not the next. Nobody can predict when a breakdown like this will occur. All we can do is be there for him in whatever way he needs."

In the other room, Honey deflated. "Oh. I didn't wanna make anyone worry. I'm fine, I can- I can be fine, I just- it's just bad memories, and I can deal with them, but sometimes it's kinda hard. But that's okay! I'm gonna be okay. I am okay!"

Ophia sighed quietly. She wanted to intervene, but she could tell that Honey needed some time with this person. This bard. Whoever they were, it was someone he clearly trusted. She gave Honey a fond pat on the head before heading off to her bedroom to talk to Ari and Arquis.

Ari nodded slightly. "I know. It's just…" he trailed off, shaking his head a little bit. "I don't know. It's just a lot to think about and…and everything." he replied, tugging on a lock of hair faintly as he tried to think about what he could do or say when he saw Honey again.

Rin let out a faint breath. "You are going to be okay, but you're not fine and okay right now." they said gently. "Okay? And you can't be beating yourself up over not being okay right now, because it's a process, and you'll need to work your way to okay."

Ophia came in right after Ari finished speaking. She still looked upset, her eyes full of rage. Arquis half expected her to snap at the both of them, but she just sat on the edge of her bed with a heavy sigh. She felt like she'd aged ten years in the past hour.

"He told me it wasn't your fault," she said to Ari. Her glasses had started to fall down the bridge of her nose. She'd taken them out again when she'd gone in there to help, and she'd forgotten to put them away. "I believe him. You look shaken, and while he's definitely the type to cover for you, his explanation made too much sense to be a hastily-conjured lie."

That was good news in a way, wasn't it? But she still seemed frustrated. Arquis protectively inched a bit closer to Ari. He was clearly overwhelmed. This wasn't an easy situation for any of them, but he could imagine that he still probably felt guilty.

"Have we done something else wrong?" he finally asked. "I am sorry to ask, but you do seem a bit, ah…"

"What? No, nothing. I'm not mad at you guys, sorry. Just the men that did this to him." She swore under her breath, her fists clenching. "I still don't want him going back there tonight. I know he's worried about his sister, but he's not in a good way. He feels like he's messed up. I think he'd do anything if it meant fixing that. Getting the punishment he feels that he deserves. Do you understand? He can't go back like this."

In the living room, Honey was distraught. "I know it's a process, I just- we almost kissed, I think? And then I freaked out, and now he probably thinks I'm overdramatic, or weak, or, or- I don't know. I just wanted to be okay already, just brush it off, but I can't stop screwing things up with him."

Ari nodded faintly. "Yeah." he said faintly. "I understand what you're saying. He could…he could stay here tonight with you, then, if he wants to? It might be better for him." he closed his eyes for a moment, taking a breath and trying to think of what to do now.

Rin nodded faintly, cautiously reaching to brush his hand against Honey's shoulder, touch light enough that it would be easy for Honey to pull away. "It's going to be alright, Honey." he said softly. "And…it might be a little early for kissing anyways. I think you two will be fine."

Arquis worried his lip. "I do not know. He seemed very insistent on checking in on Lovey, as you said. What if him staying only brings him more stress?"

"One night away from there is not going to be the end of the world," Ophia replied matter-of-factly. "She will be okay without him for a day. I just have to convince him of that, which will admittedly be difficult. He's always had such a fear of her getting hurt. He's played protector for such a long time. It's tough for him to switch out of that role."

That was evident in most of Honey's actions. When he'd tried to shield them from the person knocking on the door to their bedroom—even though it had turned out to be his sister—and his insistence that he'd suffer anything to protect the inn staff. When he'd stayed silent about the burn to keep his dog safe. It was really worrying that he saw self-sacrifice as a responsibility; if he wasn't the one that bled, then he'd feel tremendous guilt.

"We could check on her for him? So he wouldn't have to worry." Arquis suggested.

"He said that the guy saw one of you today. I think if you were to go there without him to keep you safe, then he would become incredibly anxious. I don't want you feeling like you're trapped here or anything. You're all adults. You can go where you wish without feeling the burden of responsibility for him. I don't even know how close you are to him; you could just be acquaintances. But if you want to stay and support him, I know he'd appreciate it. As would I, which is why I want to make it very clear that you're all welcome here."

As soon as Rin touched Honey, he crumpled into their arms. At that moment, a hug was exactly what he needed. It didn't feel suffocating. It didn't feel like a trap. It just felt nice.

"I thought he'd like me if I kissed him," Honey admitted in a whisper, as if he was scared Rin would mock him. "I really want him to like me. People mostly only like me when- when I can- but he doesn't want that. So I thought kissing would work instead, if I just- if I did it, then he'd forgive me for being all huffy earlier."

Ari listened quietly to the conversation, biting his lip for a moment. "I can stay here. Wherever you would prefer that I sleep, I can…I can do that." he said softly. "As long as that is, like you said, something that you are alright with." he offered up a small, quick smile to Ophia, running a hand through his hair and looking over at the older woman.

Rin wrapped his arms around Honey, holding him gently. "I know." he said softly. "But you don't need to kiss him for him to like you. I was talking to him earlier, Honey, and…and he thinks you're attractive, and sweet, and maybe a little bit awkward, and he already likes you. He just wants to get to know you. You don't need to kiss him. You don't need to do anything you don't want to do." he didn't want to overstep Ari's boundaries and say anything that the man wouldn't be comfortable with him telling Honey, but he also wanted to reassure Honey.