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

Started October 31, 2021 by Deleted user

tune

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He wrapped his arms close around Arquis, rubbing his back gently and pressing a kiss to the side of his head. He was careul not to touch Arquis's hair, with how it had been falling out earlier. He didn't want to accidentally pull any more of it out of his partner's head. That wouldn't be any good. "Deserve what, my love?" he asked softly, not wanting to assume the wrong thing by what Arquis was saying.

These past few weeks had been so full of ups and downs. They cared deeply for Arquis, in a way that almost frightened them. It had all happened so fast. It had all happened so fast. It was a lot to think about, a lot to try and process. Arquis was such an amazing, yet flawed person. They supposed that anyone was, but still. Anyone could be flawed, of course. Arquis's did not detract from who he was as a person, and yet he had no idea how to help with this eating disorder, how to help with whatever had happened with his father, how to help with anything currently happening. This wasn't his country, and he didn't know how it worked.

Ari blinked at Honey's mention of different nightclothes, trying to figure out what Honey meant. "It…I…your nightclothes are your business." he said slowly, brows drawing together a little bit. "Not mine. I mean, if…if you would like to show me them, then I suppose so, btu…" he stammered for a moment, then exhaled sharply, frustrated with his own inability to not sumble over the words. "Sorry. I don't know what you're asking me, Honey." he looked over at the blond. "If…nightclothes are just pajamas then…it does not matter what they look like to me. If…if you mean nightclothes that are more…revealing, then…I have no interest in…"

"This second chance at life," Arquis whispered. His throat felt tight, and despite the cold air on his skin, his cheeks were still hot. He swallowed. His eyes darted around the room, ensuring that nobody was listening, before closing. Here, in his partner's embrace, he was safe. "This second chance with you, my heart."

He felt he'd probably deserved everything else that had happened to some degree. Maybe not the cruel comments about his body when young, or the horrific things he'd been taught about his identity, but the rest of it was warranted. The intense anger, frustration, and bitterness from Quirisa; Muria's attempt at his life; the isolation from his friends and peers; the stress of his position in the Palace. Even the bullying from the masses. He'd done horrific things in his past, and he should pay for them in every possible way.

As he thought that, though, a part of him wanted to scream. Hadn't he suffered enough? When would it end? He'd endured asthma and panic attacks, frequent nightmares, years of tremendous social anxiety, a disorder that had destroyed his body, and so much more.

——

Honey sighed. It seemed he was very skilled at finding the worst possible thing to say. Killing the moment was becoming his specialty. Maybe Myr had been right; so far, he was pretty bad at traditional dating.

"I don't know what I was asking, either, I guess. I just, uh. I know you're not into the whole, y'know," he gestured wildly, then let his hands drop to his sides. His bad wrist twinged. "But I feel really underdressed. You're here in your nice coat and scarf, and I'm just in plain pajamas. So, I thought that I might offer something to- to-"

He wasn't sure how to phrase it. If he was being honest with himself, there wasn't a way to put it that painted him in a flattering light. Everything he came up with was self-deprecating or just pathetic.

"To sweeten the deal," he finished lamely. "It was the only thing I could think to offer on the spot. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, I just- I kind of said the first thing that sprang to mind. Show you that I wanted to spend more time with you, in a weird sorta way? That what I'm wearing now doesn't mean that I'm not interested. And that I could be a lot better for you in the future? I don't know. I should- I should stop talking. Um. Yeah."

He hesitated for a long, long moment, trying to think of a response to Arquis's words. "I…I do not know what we did to deserve each other, my love. Maybe nothing. Maybe we just gained each other, somehow." he said softly, rubbing Arquis's back gently. He gave the nobleman a gentle smile. "I think tonight you should go to bed early, darling. You need to rest." he kissed Arquis's cheek, the gesture soft and sweet. "And, tomorrow, that specialist will be here to help with your, ah, food issues." he hoped that whoever the person was would be able to help. Arquis dearly needed it, and Rin was not sure what to do to help, only that what they had been doing had not really been working.

Ari listened quietly, then shook his head. "You don't need to change, Honey. I don't mind that you're just in pajamas. What you're wearing does not matter overly much to me. Yes, if you're in something lovely I will compliment you on it, but it doesn't matter to me if you are not." he said, running a hand through his hair and hoping that that made sense to the blond standing across from him.

Arquis thought about their words carefully, melting against him when he felt their kiss. He, in turn, kissed down his neck, then up to their lips, giving them one last peck. When he pulled away to look at his partner, his expression was one of love. It softened his sharp edges, smoothed the crease in his brow.

Maybe Rin was right. Maybe the world didn't work the way he'd been taught, that he needed to earn or deserve love. It was like a gift, and he appreciated it with every ounce of his being.

"Of course," he said, then repeated, "of course. You are right. Rest will be imperative for tomorrow." He took a few steps towards the bed and paused, turning back to his lover. As if the idea was somewhat scandalous, he blushed and asked, "Will you join me?"

——

Honey was an odd mix of embarrassed and pleased. Embarrassed, because Ari had said before that he didn't want to pick the blond's outfits, yet he'd made that comment anyways. Pleased, because Ari was so wonderfully kind, and he was a little awestruck that he'd been given a chance to go out with him.

"Okay. Sorry. I didn't mean to make things weird, I just, uh, well. Like I already said. But thank you," he said softly. "I hope I haven't made you uncomfortable. I know you told me that I should choose clothes that make me happy, but I guess I'm still a little insecure about that."

He smiled at Arquis's kiss, leaning into him a little bit. "Mm…of course I will, my darling lover." they replied in response to Arquis's question. "I will join you. I love you, darling." he followed Arquis to the bed, settling beside him and reaching out to hold onto him. "Get some rest, love." he almost didn't know what to say, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Ari smiled, shrugging a shoulder. "Mm, it's fine. You're welcome, Honey, and I meant it when I said that. Choose clothes that make you happy, Honey. Don't, uhm, don't try to dress to make me or anyone other than you happy. It doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that you like the clothing you wear." he knew that maybe that had not quite sunk in to Honey's mind, but he hoped it would someday.

Arquis yawned and nuzzled into their chest. He kissed his favorite spot, smiled, then kissed it again, feeling a rush of warmth wash over him. Rin calling him their love was such a small, intimate show of affection. It made his imagination kick into action, and he blushed as he thought of what they'd done in the bath.

"I had another dream about you," he said shyly. His palm skimmed over his chest, coming to rest on their stomach. "You, Honey, and Ari were all there, and we were going to—well, I believe we were, I was never quite sure—the beach. You all looked so happy."

His head, which had risen so that he could look in Rin's eyes, fell back against their shoulder. He felt sleep beginning to take him, but he fought it. Soon, but not yet. Not quite yet. They might only have so much time together.

——

"Some days it's kinda hard to know what I like," Honey replied. He tried to say it casually, but there was too much emotion in his tone. He swallowed and looked down.

"Sometimes I think I like dressing pretty, but sometimes it's too much. I don't like dressing casual, but it's usually a lot easier, and it's comfortable, so maybe I do? It's hard to tell. All of this is just so confusing. It was a lot easier when- when-"

How was he supposed to finish that? When men told him what to do? When he didn't have to think for himself? When he didn't get a choice? All of that might've been true, but it was horrible to think, much less say. He sighed and pushed the toe of his shoe against the carpet.

"Sorry. That's all- that's the kinda stuff I should- that's why I need therapy and shit, I know. It's a lot." He shifted awkwardly. "Do you still wanna go? Won’t blame you if your answer’s changed.”

Rin hummed, listening to Arquis's words. "That does sound fun, lovely." he said, rubbing Arquis's shoulder gently with his hand. "But what about you? Were you happy too?" he had not missed that Arquis had said everyone else seemed happy, but had said nothing about himself. They didn't like that. It meant, maybe, that Arquis didn't care about his own feelings, and he wanted Arquis to be happy too. Even in dreams. Maybe especially in dreams.

Ari cocked his head faintly, taking in Honey's words. "I see." he said softly. "And my answer has not changed, Honey. I…I care about you, and I don't mind if you need to talk things through with me sometimes. It is only that I…I cannot do it all the time, because I'm simply not capable of…of…" he trailed off, trying to think of the words but unsure what he was triyng to say.

"Mm?" Arquis's lashes fluttered as he blinked. It took him a moment to process his partner's question. "Oh. Yes, I suppose I was happy. I am not sure that it matters much. It was just a dream, my dear. Not reality."

He yawned and rolled out of Rin's arms so that he could turn off the lights. Hints of starlight came in through the window on the far wall, but the room was otherwise pitch black. The nobleman smiled as he entwined himself with his lover once more. Technically, there was no major difference between them being in the light or dark, but it felt different. It felt private. He kissed his neck and placed his hand over their heart.

——

Honey held up his hands, nodding frantically. "No, no, trust me. I get it. I totally get it. Not your fault. There's only so much a person can handle, and, like, we've just met. It's too much. I know it is. So, let's just, uh, take it, and," he pantomimed throwing something to the side. "There. Outta sight, outta mind. We don't gotta talk about it anymore tonight, I promise."

He didn't know what to do. No matter how much he tried, it seemed like he'd always slip up. He just wanted Ari to like him. For not the first time—and probably not the last, either—he wondered why he couldn't have had a normal life. It was his fault. He'd made bad deals in the past, had gone way too deep into debt. And then, once he'd finally escaped, he'd chosen his career. He'd done this to himself.

He shook his head, clearing the thoughts away. "Uh. I guess we should get going?"

(sorry! school started up recently for me and i've been working)

Rin held onto Arquis, letting things subside into silence in the dark. He was quiet for a long moment, rubbing his shoulder gently as he held onto their partner. "Go to sleep, my love." he whispered, kissing the side of Arquis's head and just holding him. "I love you, sweetheart." he said in a soft tone. "And we are going to be alright." they shifted the blankets a little, pulling them over the obth of them, and settling in beside Arquis so that they could both go to sleep.

Ari gave him a soft smile, letting Honey ramble. "Yeah. We can get going." he took a step down the hallway, and realized he didn't know where he was going. He let out a soft, awkward laugh, running a hand over his hair. "I, uh, don't know which way we are going." he said, shaking his head a little and looking over at Honey wwith an embarrassed smile. "So…lead the way." he gestured vaguely along the hallway, waiting for Honey to take the lead.

(that's alright! there's never any rush, just wanted to give a reminder!)

Arquis tried to do as they asked, letting his tired eyes close and his head drop against his pillow. He kept one arm draped around their middle. His hand stayed over their heart. After a few minutes of shifting around, he pulled his partner closer and kissed his shoulder.

"Mm. Cannot seem to sleep." He flashed a soft smile at his partner, though he didn't think they'd see it in the dark. "I suppose that is what happens when you take a rather long nap. My apologies, love. You must be quite tired. But if you are not too worn out, then perhaps we could, ah…"

——

Honey nodded and took the lead as Ari had suggested. It wasn't that far of a walk to the ladder that accessed the roof. They kept it in a small storage closet under a hatch that was almost always locked. The last thing they needed was for some overeager patrons to get a little too adventurous and tumble off the roof. The only reason there was a hatch up there in the first place was so that someone could occasionally go up and clean. Having too much snow, dead leaves, or dust up there was bound to lose them customers.

The blond pulled out his set of spare keys when they got to the closet, climbed the ladder, and popped the hatch. Immediately, cold air came rushing in. He shivered and shoved the keys in one of his pockets. Then, he lifted his arms, placed his elbows firmly outside, and hauled himself up. There was some ice on the roof that he hadn't been expecting. It made it a little hard to grip, but he still managed. He stuck his hand through the hatch to help Ari, if he needed it.

(alright! Sorry again tho lol)

Rin let out a soft, slightly tired hum when he heard Arquis's words. "Mm, darling." he replied, eyes flickering open. "What is it you are wanting?" he asked, reaching over to gently pull Arquis closer, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. "I'll do whatever you like, provided it doesn't require me to leave the room." he was tired, and while he was perfectly willing to stay up with Arquis, he didn't want to leave the room. They hardly wanted to leave the bed, really, if they were being honest, but they would if Arquis dearly wanted them to.

Ari followed him, eyes studying everything as he passed by it. He followed Honey up the ladder, gladly taking the young man's hand so that Honey could haul him up it. He blinked curiously as his head popped up out of hte hatch, taking in the view of the roof, of the bits of snow and ice, the wind brushing past and the stars twinkling overhead. He was very glad for his coat and scarf now, and he huddled into them as he came all the way out of the hatch.

Arquis blushed when Rin brought him closer, though they likely wouldn't be able to see it. He slid his hands from their chest to their hips and stroked his thumbs along the edge of his shirt. There was a shyness to the gesture. Even when his fingertips did brush skin, he kept his touch soft and light, like he was handling fine silk.

"Ah, no, love. Nothing that would make you get up." He leaned in until their lips were just inches apart. They'd done it many times already, but his heart still fluttered when he thought of kissing. "You have taken such wonderful care of me, my heart. I was wondering if I could, um, repay the favor? We do not have to do anything strenuous, I know you are very tired, but may I kiss you?"

——

Honey, too, was quite cold. Once he'd helped Ari up, he shut the hatch. He could easily open it again when he needed to, he just didn't want to let the inn's warm air out. Heating was expensive.

There weren't that many flat parts of the roof that were safe to sit on. It was lucky he'd been up there before; if he hadn't, he doubted he would've found anywhere suitable. He did know of one spot that was nearby, and began to make his way to it on his knees. He made sure to keep one hand around Ari's back as he went so that he wouldn't slip and fall. The Cecilia Rouge wasn't that big of a building, but falling from two stories would do some serious damage. Not that he knew from personal experience, of course. He'd never actually jumped off of the roof. But that didn't mean he'd never thought of it.

That was a grim thought. He shook it away. He was here to have a nice time with Ari, and that was exactly what he was going to do. After reaching the safe spot, he sat and stretched his legs out in front of him. The sky really was beautiful at night. So beautiful that it almost made him forget how cold he was.

He let out another tired, sleepy hum, kissing Arquis and pressing faintly into their lover's touch. "Mm, darling, what do you intend to do to me?" he questioned with a soft laugh, keeping his arms wrapped around Arquis. "I think that must be my first question, really." his voice was low and sleepy, but not exhausted. Not just yet. He was loathe to leave the bed, of course, but he didn't need to fall asleep just yet.

Ari sat down beside Honey, snuggling close to him without quite thinking about it. It was cold, and Honey was warm. Ari's coat was thick and warm, but that didn't mean he wouldn't welcome another warm body beside his, sharing heat and helping each other to stay warm while they looked up at the stars together. He exhaled softly, looking up at the stars that stretched across the dark expanse of the sky.

"Anything you desire, my love," Arquis replied in a whisper. He cupped their face in his hands and returned the kiss. It wasn't exactly intense, but it wasn't super soft, either. The nobleman wanted his partner to feel his love, his passion, his want. He moved one hand up into their hair and stroked through it. The other hand trailed back down to his hip. He continued what he'd been doing earlier, running his thumb along the hem of his shirt.

He withdrew after a moment to catch his breath and check in on his partner. His cheeks were hot as a stove.

"We could cuddle," he offered, "and I could hold you, or we could kiss, or we could, ah, do something else entirely. If that is what you want. I know you are very tired, my dear, and cuddling sounds just as good to me as anything else."

——

Honey smiled to himself and, without bringing his gaze away from the night sky, reached for Ari's closest hand. When he found it, he gave it a squeeze and then kissed his wrist. He had the urge to throw caution to the wind and pull Ari into his lap. Not for any sort of intimate purpose, of course. It was just that the idea of having him so close was incredibly appealing. But for now, it seemed he'd have to leave it at a kiss. He didn't want to cross any boundaries.

"Just trying to warm you up," he joked as he lifted his head. He finally looked at his date. There were thousands of stars reflected in his eyes, and it made them look like they were sparkling. "Can't have you freezing on my watch, handsome."

He hummed softly, leaning his forehead against Arquis's and exhaling softly. "Mm, darling…I think that I would rather just kiss and cuddle. I am not up for anything more right now, much as I love you." he kisesd Arquis again, leaning faintly into the nobleman's touch. "I do, you know. Love you a lot." he knew that Arquis knew that, but they didn't think that reminding the nobleman of it would hurt anything. Arquis deserved to hear it as much as Rinlos could or would tell him. Rin didn't want to not tell him, after all. That was just not something he was willing to do.

Ari smiled lightly at him, leaning his head on Honey's shoulder. "Mm, well, thank you, beautiful." he replied softly, gaze moving back up to the sky. "Are you familiar with the constellations here? I am afraid that I am not really familiar with your country's constellations, only my own, and those are likely different from yours here in Anvillea." he shifted very slightly, not too cold as of yet. Sure, he could feel the chill in the air, but his coat was warm and so were Honey's arms.

Arquis nodded and stroked a hand through their hair. After a beat or two, he moved away, but only so that he could adjust their position. He was the big spoon this time, the one providing the safety and comfort. It was the least he could offer, after all Rin had done for him.

"I love you as well. So incredibly much, my dear." He laughed softly and kissed their neck, just below his ear. "You make me so wonderfully happy. I do not say that nearly enough, but it is true. You make me want to try things I would have thought impossible, and you give me hope. You are lovely, Rinlos, in every way.”

——

"Constellations, huh?" Honey repeated, letting out a contemplative hum. "Never really been much for astronomy, so I don't think I really know any, like, official ones. I used to make some up when I was a kid, though. This one place we stayed at had a small hole in the roof, and I used to sleep under it when it was summer. Sometimes Lovey and I would have sleepovers, and we'd just make up names of stars and tell ghost stories and stuff. Distracted us from the other things going on that we didn't wanna think about."

He stayed silent on what those things were. This wasn't the right place to let that negativity resurface, and besides, he'd already discussed too many painful memories that day. He wanted to dwell on the happier moments of his past. Carefully, so as not to move Ari's head from his shoulder, he inched a little closer towards the edge of their platform. He then pointed out a series of bright stars in the distance.

"We used to call those the fancy goose. See how they make a neck there, and how there's a little square on up there like a top hat? Lovey always made me do a voice for it and everything."

Rin smiled softly, listening to Arquis's words and curling closer to him. "Oh. Darling, I…" he trailed off, swallowing faintly and pressing a kiss to Arquis's cheek softly. "You…" he did not know quite how to respond to Arquis's words, and he kissed Arquis again, holding him close, their arms wrapped around him. "You are such a wonder, my love. Such a wonder, and I love you so dearly."

Ari watched as Honey pointed out the stars, studying them as he did his best to see what Honey meant. It took him a few moments, but he eventually figured it out, finally connecting the right ones into a goose shape. "Mm…a very nice goose, too." he said with a laugh. "And now I have to hear this voice, Honey, you can't say something like that and expect me not to ask to hear it." his smile was a touch mischevious as he peeked up at Honey.

Arquis kissed his way up the side of Rin's face until he reached their mouth, and he pressed their foreheads together. His eyes closed. All of the sudden, he felt very heavy, like he was made out of metal or stone. He supposed that was just one of the many problems with his weight. He couldn't control his exhaustion; it was an unpredictable thing, that crashed into him whenever it so desired. Napping all day had apparently not been able to stave it off for long.

"Love," he murmured, pausing only for a moment. He wouldn't be able to control whatever he said next. It was a familiar scene, reminding him of when he'd rambled about rings and dresses at Ophia's house.

"My love. Join me in my dreams tonight?" The question was completely nonsensical. Rin couldn't join his dreams any more than Arquis could float straight up into the sky. But, in that same deep tone, made scratchy from tiredness, Arquis continued. "I wish to see you, my dear. I wish to see you in a place where it does not hurt all the time. Where we are not always hiding, or sick, or afraid."

——

Honey made a sound of despair and nudged Ari with his shoulder. He really hoped his blush wasn't obvious in the darkness. "No way. Absolutely not. Never. That voice stays in the past, where it belongs. Trust me, handsome. You don't want to hear it."

He glanced around quickly in hopes of finding something to change the subject, but there wasn't anything that jumped out. That was likely because they were on a roof. Pretty much all they could see were stars and more stars. There was some roof, too, but it wasn't like that was thrilling stuff. He cleared his throat and glanced back at Ari.

"Could you be bribed to drop the goose thing?" He rummaged around in his pajama pant pockets for a moment. The only thing in them was a single spare button. "Ah. Yeah. Great. Any chance you're fascinated with buttons?"

Rin let out a soft laugh at the request, reaching to cup Arquis's cheek softly. "Oh, darling. We will have that someday." he said in a quiet voice. "I promise, lovely, we will have that. It may take a little, but we will have that. It will not be a dream forever." they spoke in a soft, hushed, gentle tone, and he gently rubbed his thumb over Arquis's cheek. He kissed Arquis's forehead, yawning softly. "Go to sleep, dear. I will be here when you wake, though I cannot guarantee I will be in your dreams. That, I suppose, is not really up to me."

Ari snickered, glancing at the button, then back up at Honey's face, arching an eyebrow. "I'm afraid that the button is not a distraction good enough." he replied, laughing and giving Honey's cheek a soft peck. "Now show me the voice." he said, the words soft and not commanding. He didn't want Honey to feel forced, just teased.

(I've been reading about some legal stuff lately and I'm so excited to do the trial! obviously not like an actual trial but you know)

"I hope you are right. I hope we will have it someday," Arquis said drowsily, burying his face in their neck. He tried for a yawn, but it died in his throat. That was where he was currently at—too tired even to yawn. Sleep was approaching rapidly, but before it could claim him, he whispered, "Soon would be nice. I would like to finally be a good partner to you, love."

And then he was out. His breathing evened out, and he was no longer clinging to Rin as tightly. He didn't seem to be having any dreams at all, for how still and peaceful he'd gone.

——

Honey groaned and attempted to toss the button off the roof. It fell straight into the nearest gutter, where it proceeded to rattle around for several long seconds. Though it might've been his imagination, the blond swore he heard a ping as it finally shot out the bottom. Maybe someone would find it sitting in the grass the next morning. He kind of wished it was him, and that this night was already over.

"I'm not gonna do the voice," he huffed, though there was laughter in his tone. His eyes were still full of stars. He reached over as if he was going to tousle Ari's hair, then stopped, smiling, and tapped his lips instead. "Button wasn't a good enough distraction, but I think I know what'd work better. Give me a real kiss?"

(cool!! I know a bit about the legal system as well (at least in the US) so this should be interesting!)

"You are a good partner to me, darling." Rin whispered, even though he knew Arquis was asleep. He kissed the nobleman's forehead softly, snuggling in beside him so that they could go to sleep as well. Despite his concern for his partner, it didn't take him too long to fall asleep, curled up close to Arquis with the blankets wrapped around the both of them.

Ari hummed, cocking his head for a moment. "If I give you a kiss, you'll do the voice?" he replied, mouth quirking into a faint smirk. "That's the deal I want." he even pulled back just a little so that Honey couldn't steal the kiss without agreeing, one hand coming up to lightly cover his own mouth. He was still smiling, laughing a little bit with his gaze fixed on the blond man.

Arquis slept soundly for an hour. During this time, his dreams were rather abstract. In one, all he could hear was a faint yet persistent humming sound. It was as if someone was singing to him through a thick wall; he could make out slight changes in pitch, but no distinct words. The next dream was calmer. He was under a pearl gray sky that swirled with mist. Beneath him were dirt and twigs and small, polished rocks. There was something nostalgic about the setting, but it wasn't quite right. Every time he thought he was close to placing it, something would shift—there'd be a breeze, or a soft cooing sound—and he'd lose his train of thought.

After that hour, he woke. He wasn't exactly sure why. It wasn't like he'd been having a nightmare. He wasn't sweating, or shaking, or gasping for air. He actually felt kind of calm. But he wasn't sure if he'd be able to sleep again, so he very quietly pulled away from Rin and went to the window.

——

"That," Honey sputtered, "is not what I said! Not even close! It was meant to be a distraction, not a bargaining chip! This is blackmail!"

Even as he protested, he could barely keep a grin off his face. He knew he'd do the goose's voice eventually. It was inevitable. Ari would have his way. Honey was too enchanted with him to turn him down. But that didn't mean that he couldn't delay his humiliation, if just for a little while.

"It's real rude to put me in this situation, y'know," he sighed, feigning a pout. "Either I gotta disappoint you, handsome, or I gotta make a fool of myself. And that's just not fair."

Rin was sound asleep when Arquis awoke, curled close to him on the bed. He didn't wake up when Arquis got up, though he did shift when Arquis got off the bed. He seemed to be sleeping soundly, though, his face soft and relaxed in sleep. He really just looked…peaceful. At rest.

Ari snickered, grinning at Honey through his fingers. "But Honey, I want to hear the voice." he replied, pouting a little bit as he looked over at the other man. "I'll give you a kiss to hear it." he blinked innocently, trying to squash the smirk that now threatened to break over his features. "Besides, it's just the two of us up here. No one else is going to hear it. Just me."

Arquis carefully unlatched the shutters and pushed them apart. He stood still for a moment, almost statuesque in the moonlight, his hands frozen in their grip on the windowsill. His dark hair stirred in the occasional cold breeze, though he didn't really feel the chill.

He could leave.

The thought came to him so suddenly that it overwhelmed him. The muscles in his hands tensed, making the wood under his palms creak. He swallowed, but his throat was dry. There was a faint ache blooming in his heart. He unclenched one hand so that he could rub at it, as if that would make the pain stop.

He could leave Rin. It wouldn't take long. Most of his belongings were still in his luggage, and his partner seemed to be sleeping deeply, so they wouldn't realize he'd left until the morning. Maybe that would be for the best. He'd dragged them into so much trouble already. They didn't need more. If he left—if he went out into that icy, dark night, which was just beyond the window—then he might save them a lot of suffering.

——

"Hey, now. Those puppy-dog eyes won't work on me," Honey warned when he saw Ari pouting, wagging a finger in his direction. "I'm immune to them. Very, very immune."

Truthfully, he was very close to caving. He had a soft spot for the other man. Seeing him sad tugged on the blond's heartstrings, even though he knew it was fake. He rolled his eyes, but he was still smiling.

"How about this. I'll do the voice, but only if you do two things for me. First is giving me that kiss. Second is coming on over here. I'm getting cold." He opened his arms invitingly. "What do you say?"

Rin shifted faintly on the bed, mumbling faintly in his sleep. He didn't wake up, just drew tighter into the blankets with a soft, sleepy sound. He looked soft, face free of any worry or tension. Just a soft, relaxed look, his hair spreading faintly about on the pillow as they continued to dream.

Ari smirked. "I'll give you the kiss after you show me the voice." he replied, but moved to snuggle contentedly into Honey's arms, wrapping his own arms around the blond in order to better share their body heat together. "So, let's hear it." he gave Honey a triumphant but sweet smile, knowing he had won this exchange.

Arquis heard the sound Rin had made and startled, whipping his head around to look at them. Relief chased away his guilt when he realized he was still asleep. He turned back to the window and took a deep breath. There was no way he could leave his partner behind. It'd be far too cruel to go without saying goodbye, and besides, he wasn't entirely convinced this whole ordeal was going to turn out badly. Perhaps he and his lover really could live a life of peace and prosperity someday, once this mess was wrapped up.

But nothing could be wrapped up until he told them everything. Rin needed to know what he'd struggled to say in the carriage and the bathroom. They should know the truth. The nobleman recalled his words of writing it down. An idea flashed into his mind. He fetched the bent sketchbook he'd used the other day as well as a pencil, then went to the floor and knelt in a patch of moonlight. His palms were so sweaty that it was hard to hold anything. He had to try, though. He tapped the pencil to the paper as he thought of where to begin. How could he possibly start to explain what had happened?

'Rin. I need to talk to you, but there are things I cannot say in person,' he began, then bit his bottom lip. That wasn't right. He crossed it out and flipped to a new page.

'Rin, my love. You know there are matters that I struggle to speak on. I thought I might write them out, so that I could perhaps-" No. That wasn't it, either. He crumpled the page in his fist and tossed it aside with a frustrated groan.

——

"After?" Honey cried, faking a swoon. He considered toppling over for dramatic effect, but he wasn't sure it was safe and didn't really want to let Ari go. Instead, he planted a quick, sneaky kiss on his cheek. That would have to do, for now.

"Fine, fine. But I'm telling you. Stuff of nightmares. You'll regret your choice. Soon. Really soon." He cleared his throat and hummed, trying to get into the right pitch range.

When he finally did speak again, his tone was high and lilting, almost like he was trying to mimic Arquis. His accent was much more stereotypically posh, however, and had a weird trill.

"I suppose today is a fine day to go to the market, yes it is. Indeed, indeed, and- and-" He broke out into laughter. His normal voice returned. "You didn't give me anything to say! What, was I supposed to improvise?"

Rin continued to sleep, curled on the bed with the blankets tangled around his body. He looked peaceful and soft here, asleep and dreaming.

Ari snickered when Honey started to talk in that voice, laughing when he broke back into his normal voice. "Of course you were! You're the one that told me you could do it! Was I supposed to give you a script?" he asked, grinning at Honey with laughter in his eyes. He was enjoying this so much. He truly was. Just being here, on the roof, goofing about with Honey and just letting each of them be themselves, without any issues.

Arquis tried and tried for another torturous fifteen minutes. Nothing came from his efforts except a pile of crumpled papers and the beginnings of a headache. He wasn't working with a lot of light, and his handwriting was already pretty small. It was bound to happen eventually. He rubbed his knuckles between his brows and stared down at his latest attempt.

'Rin, my heart, I need you to know that I love you, and that I would not be doing this in such a way if there were any other option.' That was all wrong. It made him sound like the victim. There also had technically been other options available, but he'd been too weak to take them. He scrunched that paper and gave it another go.

'Rin, I love you, but I cannot keep going like this any longer.' The nobleman sighed. Again, that wasn't what he wanted to say. It was too dramatic. He swept the paper off of his lap and stood, deciding to get something to drink. Maybe a glass of water would clear his head. Rubbing his tired eyes, he went to the door, then headed off in the direction of the kitchen.

——

Honey wrapped Ari in a bear hug and buried his face in his shoulder. His whole body shook with laughter. It was bright and genuine and felt so very nice, like stretching after a rather long nap.

"Yes! Yes, you were! I'm an actor! I need a script!" he finally said, once he'd caught his breath. He gave Ari a playful poke in the side. "But, y'know, look. Either way, I did my part. Now, come on, pay up."

(sorry for the lack of detail in my replies but Rin is asleep, there isn't much to describe lmao)

Rin slept through Arquis's writing, lying still on the bed.

"Well, I'll keep that in mind for next time." Ari replied, returning the hug and wrapping his arms around Honey, holding onto him. "But fine, I'll pay up." he pulled back just a little bit, then leaned forward to give Honey a soft, sweet kiss. His mouth lingered for a long moment against Honey's, skin warm in the cold night air. He didn't press to try to deepen it or turn it into anything but a soft, sweet thing, easy for Honey to move away from should the blond suddenly change his mind about this. He pulled away after a long moment, a soft smile tugging at his lips. "Was that a satisfactory payment for you?"