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

Started October 31, 2021 by Deleted user

tune

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Ari laughed a little bit, smiling over at Honey as he sat down by the fire. "Glad you feel a bit better now." he said. "And as for what Arquis and I may or may not have heard…I think that gets to be our secret." he smirked. To tell the truth, he hadn't heard much else, but he liked teasing Honey about it. Clearly something had been said that the blond was embarrassed about.

Rin laughed a little bit. "Hello, Arquis." they stood up to wrap their partner in a hug, kissing the nobleman's cheek softly.

Arquis cupped the side of Rin's face when they went in for the kiss and brought their lips together. They'd done this so many times that it was already starting to feel natural. The soft, loving press of mouth on mouth. They way they folded into each other and moved in tandem. He might not have been the most talented kisser in the world, but he could tell he was getting better at it. There wasn't nearly as much clumsiness or nervous stammering.

Honey was far too busy fretting about what Ari had said to poke fun at the couple. An awkward snort of a laugh spilled out before he could catch it. He cracked a grin and swept his knees to his chest so he could bury his face in them. Hopefully forever. All his life, the blond had been everything he'd needed to be to get by: flirtatious, arrogant, charming, frightened, confident, enraged. He usually had control over how he looked; it had taken so long to perfect his poses, ensuring that every expression and emotion, especially his fear, was attractive. But now, with the others in the room, he could feel all of his masks splitting and falling away. He could just be Honey. Not the sultry, handsome blond who licked the salt from the tops of shot glasses; not the boy who grinned and bore everything. Just Honey.

"Well, that's no fair, is it? You get to know a secret of mine, but I don't know any of yours." He moved over, so close that his left calf was almost touching Ari's right.

Rin hummed faintly, closing his eyes as they kissed each other, reaching up to hold onto Arquis. "Love you." they whispered against Arquis's lips. "Love you so much, darling, I really do." he hummed faintly, arms wrapped around his partner.

Ari laughed softly, looking over at Honey. "You do too, Honey." he pointed out, raising his eyebrows. "Remember? You found out earlier." he wasn't sure if his being trans was truly a secret; it was certainly something that he was private about, not really telling anyone unless he had to or wanted to. He thought it counted as a secret, though.

Arquis rubbed his hands up and down their back a couple of times before whispering an, "I love you, too," in response. They felt so warm and wonderful against him, full of life and joy and love. He lifted him as he had the other night, pressing their foreheads together for just a second before giving Ophia a glance. She walked over and opened a next to the fireplace. He gave her a grateful smile before carrying his partner into the guest room. By the time he settled them on the queen-sized bed, his legs felt like rubber. He laughed and flopped down beside them.

Ophia gave the two of them a meaningful look. "Okay, hold on. House rules. Canoodling is fine. Nothing more, though, alright?"

"Oh, goodness! We would never! Not in your home, I promise! I would not dream of such a thing." Arquis looked positively scandalized, his eyes wide and sincere.

Back by the fireplace, Honey frowned. "Aw, stranger, that's not what I meant. The secrets I was talking about are, like, silly things. Dumb stuff. For example, I was once dared to eat a flower. Stuff like that."

Rin flushed faintly at her words, laughing quietly. "We would not do that in your home, Ophia." they replied, giving her a quick smile. "Thank you for allowing us to stay here." he leaned against Arquis, a faint yawn pulling itself from his mouth.

Ari hummed faintly. "Mm, fine." he thought for a moment, leaning his chin on his hand. "I get tipsy easily and then talk a lot." he shrugged. "Good enough secret?" he smield over at Honey.

Honey was very distracted. The firelight caught Ari in all the right ways, and the blond's gaze lingered for just a little longer than normal. That shirt was quite something. He wished once again that he'd dressed a bit nicer, but then he remembered the ripped side of his dress and was glad for his more practical outfit. He'd left his jacket on the chair, though, which meant his arms were bare.

When he finally remembered to speak, he smirked. "Yeah? Well, we gotta get you nice and drunk then, don't we, stranger? I'm curious as to what you'd spill." He wanted to tease just a bit more, but when Ophia emerged from the room—satisfied with Arquis and Rin's protests—he said her name.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"I thought we decided we weren't staying here."

She sighed. "We did say that earlier, but that was before your attack. I know you don't wanna stay, but it's for your own good. I'm really sorry to use the healer card, but as your caretaker, Honey, I insist for medical purposes that you remain here for the night. With your friends, of course."

He'd gone through so much in the span of one day that he surprisingly didn't argue. There was a storm of emotions brewing within him, most of which were negative. Guilt and fear were the most prominent. Selfish happiness was next. He crossed his arms and cast a glance at Ari.

"Well. If it's just one night, I guess it's okay. But I'm leaving first thing in the morning to go check on everyone."

She beamed. "Excellent! I'm going to go change and get into bed. I'll leave you two out here. There are some more snacks in the kitchen if you get hungry. You're welcome to anything in the fridge. There's some wine in the cabinet, but if you are going to drink I ask you to do it sparingly. Um, what else? You know where the bathroom is, and you can come wake me up at any point if you need to."

She did as she said she would and went to her bedroom, leaving Ari and Honey alone. The latter turned to the other man with a small smile.

"What were we saying?"

Rin snuggled close to Arquis, leaning his head on the nobleman's shoulder. "I'm glad that we have each other." they said softly, closing their eyes and smiling. "And, ah, I love you, Arquis. I hope you know that." they were reasonably sure that Arquis knew, but they wanted to remind him.

"Goodnight, Ophia, and thank you." Ari said as the woman left, then turned back to Honey. "We were talking about how you want to get me drunk and chatty." he replied, laughing softly.

For some reason, that made Arquis tear up. He thought that he would've gotten used to hearing it by now, but it was still as emotional an experience as the very first time. He thought of marriage and of spending the rest of his days in a cottage just like this one but somewhere in Kevra. Of getting to look at and hold his lover without a fear of punishment. Of waking up with him every morning, of shifting closer under the covers. Of a good life.

"I love you," he breathed, tucking his head into the hollow of their neck, then pressing his cheek to his favorite spot. "Oh, Rin, I love you so much."

Maybe they wouldn't get married, or maybe they would. But they had each other then and there. He could hear his partner's heart beating strong in his chest, and it calmed him like a lullaby.

By the fireplace, Honey leaned closer to Ari, one brow cocked devilishly. "Mm, yeah, that's right. I'm very curious." It felt a bit forbidden, but he leaned forward and very gently tucked a curl of his hair away from his face. "Tell you what. Let's keep this game of ours going. Truth or dare, stranger?"

Rin held tightly to Arquis, snuggling close to him. "I love you too." he replied softly, hoping that they would stay together but even if they did not, they had each other for now. They had each other for now and that was what mattered. Not what would happen in the future, but what was happening here and now. What they were doing here and now.

Ari smirked a little, leaning closer as well. "Mm…truth." he replied, cocking an eyebrow and waiting for Honey to pose him a question. Truth. A brave choice, but Ari was feeling brave right now. To hell with it. Why not say truth?

Unfortunately, Arquis eventually had to disrupt the here and now. There was still eyeshadow on his lids, and he had a feeling it would get gross throughout the night. He fondly squeezed his lover's side as he got up and searched the room for something to wash with. There wasn't a bathroom, as the guest bathroom was by Ophia's bedroom, but he did find a few cleansing pads in a cabinet with other medical supplies. He very carefully removed his makeup, then his shirt, which was fancy but a bit scratchy. It was still nerve wracking to be even partially undressed before his partner, but he was trying to be brave.

"Come here, love," he murmured once he'd put out the lights and stumbled back to bed. There was still a dim lamp on in the corner, so he could just barely see the outline of Rin's face.

Thrilled by Ari's choice, Honey steepled his fingers and grinned. "Truth, huh? This'll be fun. Oh, I know. I want you to tell me what you and hot stuff were saying in Kevran at the inn, back when we were all in the bed."

Rin watched Arquis quietly, waiting for his lover to come back to bed. Once he had, they snuggled close to him, smiling a little bit. "Hi." they greeted softly, kissing Arquis's cheek and pulling the blankets up and over the both of them.

Ari cleared his throat, shaking his head faintly. "Uh…he was just teasing me." he replied slowly, looking up at the ceiling, mouth twitching as an embarrassed smile crept over his face. "I have…I…I uh, tend to have a bit of a…thing, for blonds." he finally admitted, a blush easily visible on his cheeks.

Honey was delighted. There was so much potential in what he'd said, so much that he could use to tease the young man. Going straight for the heart of the matter, however, would be too easy. He'd have to drag it out.

"Blondes, huh? Can't imagine why they'd bring that up. Nobody there was blond." He pantomimed thinking, raising a curious brow. His tongue swept over his bottom lip as he counted on his fingers. "Not him, not dreamboat, not you. Well, I guess it'll be a mystery, won't it?"

He tapped Ari's knee to get his attention and winked, showing that he was very much teasing. His grin was crooked and genuine. The firelight made his eyes look warm and enticing, almost like melted chocolate.

"Your turn to ask, by the way."

In the bedroom, Arquis took the blankets and pulled them fully up over their heads, making a sort of tent around the two of them. There was still a bit of light that shone through the fabric, though not much. He entwined his legs with his lover's and finger painted a heart on the back of his neck.

Ari laughed softly, shaking his head for a moment. "No, I certainly have no idea who he was talking about." he replied, giving Honey a slightly mischevious, sideways little smile. "Now, truth or dare?" he raised his eyebrows, a faint blush still on his face as he looked at Honey.

Rin smiled softly, leaning his head against Arquis's chest. "Love you." he said softly, wrapping his arms around his lover and staying snuggled close to him.

Honey rubbed his knuckles along his jaw for a moment, considering his options. There wasn't much they could do in the house at that point, so Ari would have to think of a pretty creative dare. It wasn't that it was super late at night, but he didn't want to bother Ophia while she was finishing her notes for the day. He also didn't want to risk breaking anything she owned. That didn't mean that dares were completely off the table, but it was probably easier to start slow.

"Truth," he decided. His elbow found purchase on the stone edge of the fireplace, and he leaned into his cupped hand.

Arquis shivered, the feeling of being touched on his bare chest and back still a new sensation to him. The hair on his arms rose and then settled as he relaxed with his partner. He started to gently massage their neck, working his thumb a bit harder when he found a knot of muscle.

"Oh, love, you are carrying quite a bit of tension here." He moved his hand down over their shirt, feeling along their shoulders. "Here, too." His lower back was a bit tight as well. "And here. Can I help?”

Ari smiled softly, trying to think of a good question that he could ask Honey. He finally decided to just ask a question that he had been wondering about. "Why do you call Rin dreamboat?" he asked, shifting a bit and keeping his gaze on Honey. Ari would readily admit that they were not, perhaps, the best at this game.

Rin let out a soft sound as Arquis started probing at the knots, and nodded slightly. "Yeah." he rolled onto his stomach so that Arquis could access the spots better, taking a deep breath and running a hand through his hair.

Honey laughed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. That question wasn't what he'd been expecting. "Oh, Rin's hot stuff. Arquis is dreamboat. And, I mean, it's kinda joke, but it's also just 'cause they're so damn good looking. I don't know. I just like nicknames." It wasn't something he'd ever really considered before. He gave people nicknames at random. That was how Pretty had gotten her name. "And I started calling you stranger 'cause we didn't know each other, but now it's more of a joke. Also, that whole, uh, thing in the bedroom. When I was on the desk. And you- you turned it around on me, that was, uh, real good."

He cleared his throat, having gone on for a lot longer than he'd intended to. His smile was immediate and uncontrollable. He tapped his fingers along his now-rosy cheek.

"My turn, right? Truth or dare?"

Arquis hummed, shifted his weight so that his knees surrounded their thighs, and leaned forward to roll up his shirt. He left a brief kiss on the small of their back, smiling, before pressing his palms just above his hips. He'd start at the bottom and work his way to the top. He applied some pressure, massaging with the heels of his hands, and winced in sympathy.

"My love, you really are quite tense. It has been a hard few days." He paused to trace a finger along the ridge of his spine.

Ari nodded a little bit. "I see." he replied, smiling over at Honey. "Makes sense to me." he smirked at the reminder of the desk and how he had turned the nickname around. "And…dare." he smiled a bit, waiting to see what sort of dare Honey would come up with. After all, there was not much they could do in Ophia's home, but he was curious to see what Honey was capable of coming up with.

Rin let out a soft sound, closing their eyes and relaxing a bit as Arquis continued to work on all of this. "Mm. It has." he said softly, a sigh escaping his mouth. He had been sick, and everything that had happened with Honey, and then Ari got here…there had been a lot happening recently.

Honey combed through his curls with his fingers for a moment, thinking hard. He wouldn't want to do anything that crossed any boundaries. His gaze flickered around the room as he considered several possibilities, but then he heard a soft sound from the guest bedroom and smirked. Now, that gave him some ideas.

"I dare you to go interrupt the lovely couple in there." The way he said it was low and conspiratorial, as if he was plotting some grand scheme. "Just, y'know, go see what they're up to. But you can't be weird about it."

Realistically, he knew that there was nothing scandalous happening in there. Rin and Arquis wouldn't break Ophia's rules like that. He was just really curious as to what they were doing. It didn't sound like they were sleeping.

And they weren't. Arquis was using every massage tactic he could think of, slowly pressing and kneading and caressing knots away. He couldn't help but feel that Honey had almost been right with what he'd said earlier. He'd been neglecting his partner. That was a silly thought, he knew, but he really did feel as if he should be doing this sort of thing regularly. Praising them, worshipping him. Treating him with soft love and care.

Ari raised his eyebrows faintly. "Oh, dear." he replied softly. He stood, stretching. "If they get mad at me, I am blaming you." he laughed a little, moving over to the door. He hesitated for a moment, thinking of how best to do this.

Rin was relaxing more and more as Arquis continued his movements; it had been a long time since someone had done this, and it felt really good. "Thank you, darling." he said softly, turning his head a bit to look up at Arquis, a soft smile flickering over his face.

Ari opened the door. "Everything alright in here?" he asked, a touch embarrassed that he was interrupting their time together, but unwilling to chicken out and ask Honey for a different dare. Besides, Rin and Arquis wouldn't be disobeying Ophia's wishes in her home.

Rin sat up a little bit. "Uh…yeah, why wouldn't we be?" they asked, peering back at Ari. The young man was silhouetted by light, as there was more light out in the sitting room than there was in the guest room that Arquis and Rin were in. Rin was rather confused as to why Ari was coming in, but it was fine. It wasn't as if there was anything inappropriate going on.

There was nothing technically sensual about the position they were in, but Arquis for some reason felt like he'd been caught red handed. He was kind of straddling their legs, and both of them were shirtless to a degree—Rin's shirt was only rolled up, but it counted. Plus, his hands were still on his lover's sides, and he'd been halfway through rubbing a circle into his hip when Ari had walked in.

"Um," he said, mind blanking, his face growing hot. He wasn't really sure what to do with the knowledge that Ari was seeing him topless, but he knew he didn't like it. His body was a very private thing for him. Still, he didn't want to be rude, so he scrambled for a response. "Yes, ah, as they said. All is well. Is there an issue out there?"

Honey decided that right then was the perfect time to intervene. He approached Ari and slung his arm around his shoulders in a friendly fashion. "See! I told you that they weren't having sex." He paused when he actually saw the pose they were in. "Oh. Maybe they are?"

"We most certainly are not! I was just- we were- I was giving him a massage!" Arquis exclaimed, awkwardly grabbing a pillow to hide his torso. He was really starting to regret taking his shirt off, but it had just gotten so itchy.

"Yeah? Just a massage? Tell me, bard, is he good with his hands?"

Arquis tossed the pillow at Honey and Ari, flustered. "We are so not having this conversation. Goodnight and go away!"

Ari stared at Honey for a moment, then turned back to Arquis and Rin. He managed to catch the pillow, setting it on the floor. "Yes, ah, my apologies." he said, leaving and closing the door quickly, then looking at Honey. "Done." he was laughing and a bit embarrassed for so obviously making Arquis uncomfortable.

Rin was laughing, sitting up on his elbows as he looked at the door, then over at Arquis. "I'm…not entirely sure what just happened, but I'm reasonably sure that Honey is behind it somehow." he remarked, laughing.

Honey was impressed that Ari had managed to catch the pillow, saving the scene in his memory. It would seem that he had quick reflexes. He pushed the thought aside, however, when he saw that he was laughing. That laugh was like sunshine and all the good things in the world. He blinked a couple of times, feeling oddly breathless, before smiling and looking down.

"Done indeed," he mumbled, biting his lip. His heart was pounding. He walked over to the spot he'd previously been in, this time spreading out on the floor. He rested his head on his folded arms and gestured at Ari to join. "I'm always down for a massage. Just thought I'd let you know. Oh, also, I choose truth. Not gonna let you get payback for that just yet.”

Inside the guest room, Arquis was basically having a stroke. He groaned deeply and pressed his cherry red face into his hands. His mind kept replaying the instant that Ari opened the door.

"I will never live this down," he whispered. "You will have to go on without me. I am going to perish and become a very shirtless ghost. I will haunt Honey for the rest of eternity, rattling blinds and tossing objects. I can never look at Ari in the eyes again."

Ari sat down by the fireplace again, sighing faintly. "I see." he replied, shaking his head a little and trying to think of a truth he cuold ask. "Is Honey your real name, or is it an alias?" he finally asked after a moment. He had noticed that all the people working at the hotel had some sort of themed name, and they couldn't all be their real names.

Rin reached up to cup Arquis's cheeks, bringing him in for a soft kiss. "Darling, I don't think Ari will think anything of it." they replied softly. "He is not going to mock you for anything, if that is what you are concerned about." he ran a hand through Arquis's hair. "You will be alright."

Honey tensed. It wasn't a weird question. Men asked him it all the time. Some had even offered to pay extra if he told them his real name. They said it was better that way, knowing that he wasn't lying to them. Knowing him. All of him. But he'd always declined, then distracted them with a drink, pretty smile, and shift in conversation. Not many people knew his name because he'd run into debt in the past, and if those people ever caught up to him, he'd be in trouble. He and Lovey had outrun them a long time ago, but still. Better to be safe than sorry.

"Nah, it's not my actual name. Someone gave it to me, I think. Said my lips were sweet as honey. He started calling me that, and someone else heard. It just kinda caught on, I guess." He liked the nickname. Other people thought it was hot, but he'd always found it kind of cute. It reminded him of bumblebees and crunchy, sticky honeycomb.

There was a silence as he studied Ari. For some reason, he felt like he could trust him. It was silly. It was dangerous, even. But he found his mouth opening again nonetheless.

"Henri. That's my real name. It's Henri." He hadn't heard it in a long time. Even Lovey called him Honey. "It's pretty close to Honey, but it's just different enough to be safe."

Arquis accepted Rin's kiss with a sigh. "I know. I just was not expecting that, and I… I do not like it. When others see me. When I am observed in such a state without my say in the matter." He closed his eyes, blocking out the candlelight. "It reminds me too much of when I was younger. My doors did not always have locks."

Ari listened, giving the blond a soft smile. "Henri." he said softly, slowly, taking his time forming the shape of the name. "It's a lovely name. Thank you for telling me." he could tell it had been hard for Honey– no, Henri –to tell him, and he wanted to reassure Henri that it was alright. "And…I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to." he smiled again, gaze resting softly on Henri.

Rin nodded slightly. "I am sorry, my darling. I am sorry that it brought back bad memories." he said softly, holding onto Arquis, touch soft and gentle.

The blond was visibly conflicted. A shadow of something had come over him, and he stared numbly at the fireplace for a bit. It felt like a darkness had been set loose within him, curling its tight claws around his heart. This was different than the panic that had seized him earlier. This was guilt.

"I'm not Henri anymore," he mumbled, then groaned, dropping his forehead against the carpet. It hurt to say, but it was true. Henri was the boy he'd been before. Wildly angry and stubborn, reckless and far too trusting. He'd walked shoeless on the outskirts of towns just like this one, staying up for days to find small jobs for himself and Lovey, accidentally getting in scraps with neighborhood kids. He'd been brave but not fearless. He'd sprinted through rainstorms and laughed as he shoplifted and made bets that he couldn't afford.

Henri and Honey were not the same person.

If his childhood self met his current self, he would've hated him. Henri was young and constantly dying, but Henri was free. Honey had some money, but he was caged in his life.

Survivor's guilt. Wasn’t that what this feeling was called? He was ashamed of all the things he'd done to survive. He felt dirty, like every derogatory term he'd been called had crawled under his skin and made a home there. He wondered if he bathed for long enough and scratched his skin raw if his sins would wash away, or if they were forever part of him like his newest scar.

In the other room, Arquis drew closer to Rin, kissing him slowly and softly. His lips parted to explore them, and he sighed when it was over.

"It is alright. The feeling was only temporary." It was much easier, he was finding, to shake things off when he was not at the Palace. The memories still bothered him, but they felt more like nightmares. Here, in bed with the love of his life, things were wonderful.

Ari reached out to gently touch the blond's hand. "What would you prefer I call you, then?" he asked softly. "Henri, or Honey?" he didn't want to upset the young man on the carpet any more than he already was. The best way to do it was to give him a choice. Henri, or Honey? "Whatever you decide, you can change your mind later if you want to." he hoped this was the best way to do this. He just wanted to help.

Rin nodded slightly, returning the kiss. "Good." they said softly, kissing Arquis again. "Are you going to be alright, then?" they wanted to make sure this event didn't send Arquis spiraling again; they didn't want to see him hurting again, even if it was temporary.

The blond sucked in a sharp, almost painful sounding breath and shuddered. That wasn't a question he'd ever been asked. Nobody had ever given him a choice. Henri had gone in the suite of a stranger and come out Honey. He'd died in the bed of another man and been reborn, for better or for worse. He lifted his head and pressed his cheek to his forearm. If his eyes were closed, it would almost look as if he were resting, but he was just thinking.

"Henri has been gone for so long. I don't think I could ever be him again." There was a nearly tangible pain in his voice. He hated what he was saying because he didn't want to believe it. Part of him had always thought that Henri would return. If he just saved up enough money, if he just worked hard himself a bit harder, then one day he could leave and become pure. But his mistakes clung to him like the scent of smoke on cloth; they would always linger, no matter how hard he tried to cleanse himself.

Arquis shifted in the guest bed and kissed him after they finished speaking. He smiled when he moved away for air. "I believe so. It was an unpleasant surprise, but really, I think I am fine." The fact that the lights were dim—and he was under the covers—was helping. He didn't have to look directly at himself.

Ari listened quietly, and gently took the blond's hand. "So do you want me to call you Honey?" he asked, watching the blond without any judgement in his gaze. "Or, if you like, I can call you Henri." he thought for a moment. "Or, I can call you Honey until you feel comfortable reclaiming Henri as your own."

Rin nodded again, giving Arquis another soft little smile, pressing soft kisses to his cheeks. "Good." he replied, voice soft. He wrapped his arms around his lover, beaming up at him.

(idk why but out of most of the scenes we've written this one feels like one of the saddest to me?? like :[ )

Every time they said Henri aloud, a shiver ran down his spine. It sounded so lovely in their accent. He wanted to hear it over and over again. Henri, Henri, Henri. But it should not have brought him so much joy. It was not his name, after all.

"Honey is fine," he answered, and it felt like a disappointment. There was nothing wrong with the name. As he'd thought earlier, he really did think it was sweet. It was also, however, the name that men snarled and growled and spat as they claimed him. Myr was especially fond of it. Honey, he'd call, sweeping his hand under the blond's chin. Honey, we're not done yet. Honey, have you been seeing someone else? Honey, don't make me hurt you. Look what you made me do to you, Honey. Look what happens, Honey, when you don't behave. Don't cry, Honey.

In the bedroom, Arquis rolled in the sheets so that Rin was on top of him, his own smile dazzlingly bright. He had that sudden feeling, that surge of adrenaline that came with being young and in love. It made him feel drunk and ditzy. He laughed unevenly, nuzzled into his partner, and then laughed even more when he felt their arm shift against him. Apparently, he was a bit ticklish. He blushed all over.