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

Started October 31, 2021 by Deleted user

tune

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"Oh, good! I'm glad to hear that I helped. I know," he stepped a little closer so Hayli wouldn't hear, "what it's like to have a sick partner. How hard it is to see them going through something like that, how you'd give everything just to see them get better. I know how it feels to be alone in that struggle, and I didn't want you to have to feel that yourself."

There he was, thinking about her again. It'd been so many years since he'd lost her. He didn't like to think about what had happened, so why was he talking about it? He glanced at the floor, a muscle working in his jaw, and tried to push the thoughts of her out of his mind. It didn't work, of course. He remembered it all, as if she'd passed just the day before. The crow's feet around her eyes from laughter, the smell of her coconut conditioner, the way she'd sang his name. Her favorite pair of overalls, which she'd embroidered with little sunflowers. The smile she'd given Hayli when seeing her for the very first time. The night she'd told him she was sick. He'd known she'd been suffering, that something had been off, but he hadn't known what. When she'd told him her disorder had relapsed, crying, he'd hugged her tightly and said he'd help her get through it.

She hadn't.

She'd started to hide it from him, more so than ever before. He didn't know how to help her. Elsie hadn't been around at that point, and psychiatrists in Anvillea were rare. Eventually, the years of her disorder had caught up to her. One day in winter, he'd walked into the kitchen, and she'd been gone. Cardiac arrest caused by an electrolyte imbalance. That was her official cause of death. To him, though, it'd been his fault. Maybe if he'd loved her harder, maybe if he'd told her more often, maybe if he'd done just a little more research. Maybe she'd have been okay. Maybe she'd have gotten to see her daughter grow up.

He lifted his head to look at Rin and tried for a smile. "Well, I suppose I should leave you be, now, shouldn't I? He'll come back eventually. He will."

——

"You don't think?" Honey wailed, flailing for a moment. His hand almost whacked Ari in the cheek, and he kissed him as an apology. Then, in as close a tone as he could get to an actor performing a soliloquy in a play, he crowed, "Oh, how cruel you are, sir! So rude to your darling Honey, who procured for you the excellent bounty of, uh, one breakfast sandwich. Hm. You know, maybe you're right after all. Well, that only means that I must do better in the future! And bring you, um, a trove of gold? I don't know. A dragon? Jewels of the finest sort, luxurious furs, and, y'know. Stuff."

"I'm sorry." Rin said softly, reading the sorrow in the doctor's features. "And…yes. I hope he will." he replied, shifting faintly. "I just hope he is feeling a bit better than he was earlier." he ran a hand through their hair again, finding themself feeling a touch fidgety for some reason. Perhaps it was because he knew that Arquis was still out there, likely still upset and stressed, and they weren't with him. Had they made the right choice, in coming back here without him? Or should they have continued to look? If Doctor Lavin had seen him, surely Arquis had not been far?

Ari laughed a little bit, listening to Honey's rambling with a soft smile pulling at his mouth. "Ah, of course. But, Honey, darling, I don't need gold or dragons or jewels. I would be quite content with flowers." his voice was soft, turning more sincere at the end of his words. "That is all I would need. Pretty flowers, as a bounty."

Doctor Lavin nodded. When he saw their fidgeting, his expression softened. "I am sure he just needs some time to calm down. There's nothing better for that than a walk and some fresh air. It sure is lovely out."

As if on cue, thunder rumbled in the distance. The doctor frowned, glancing at the ceiling. It hadn't been raining when he and Hayli had made their way to the inn. He couldn't hear any raindrops on the roof, so he assumed the storm hadn't started yet. Soon, then. That didn't bode well. He hoped Arquis wasn't still outside. Getting soaked to the bone would undeniably be bad for the nobleman's health, even more so given the health issues he was experiencing. If his clothes were drenched, then he could tire quickly and faint. He'd once had a patient that'd gone out drunk in a rainstorm, slipped, hit his head, and nearly drowned in a puddle. Of course, he didn't mention any of that to Rin, as it would only make them more anxious.

"Well. It was lovely, when we were out and about earlier. But that does not matter. He has probably found his way inside by now."

——

"Aw. That's cute. And an awfully bad business plan, Ari. You could've made me get you anything. A million coins, three dozen prize-winning geese, a treasure map, a box stuffed full of four hundred ancient artifacts—flowers are tame in comparison. But very sweet. You're sweet." Honey grinned and tapped Ari on the nose. His words had began to run together; he couldn't help it. Being in bed usually made him feel one of two ways, and currently, he was feeling sleepy. He yawned and was surprised to find that it lined up with a clap of thunder outside. Was it going to rain again?

"Huh. Looks like you really are stuck with me. Literally. Sounds like there's another storm coming. I don’t think we should leave the inn.”

(sorry for the wait!!)

Rin grimaced at the sound of the thunder, nodding a little bit. "He'll be back soon." they agreed quietly, doing their best to calm their fidgeting. He exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair and giving Doctor Lavin a quick smile. "Sorry. I'm…a bit scattered today, I suppose." all this stress about Arquis…it was a lot. He loved their partner, and he was willing to undergo the stress and worry, but that didn't make it easy, by any stretch of the imagination.

"Who said it had to be a business plan? And I don't see the problem with flowers." he retorted, giving Honey a faint smile. "And as for leaving…I was not planning on leaving the inn in the first place." not when he was feeling like this, and getting out of bed would be hard enough in itself. If he got up, he would have to contend with his body and he didn't want to do that. So, staying in bed had been his plan for the day.

(you're good!)

Doctor Lavin nodded, offering them a kind smile. "That's reasonable. You two seem like you've been going through a lot, and I'm sure this hasn't helped. But I am sure that he is fine. Really, there's not much trouble you can get into around here. He's probably found his way inside some shop by now to wait out the storm, if he's not already on his way back. He'll be just fine."

Hayli shifted from foot to foot behind her daughter. Though her expression was as stony and unreadable as ever, her movements betrayed her boredom. Standing around and talking to some stranger hadn't been on her agenda today. If only she had a fraction of her father's patience. She couldn't fathom how he stood around all day, talking to patients about minor concerns. At least if he did emergency medicine, then that was exciting, but no. He preferred the boring stuff. The mild concussions, slight fevers, scrapes, and stomach bugs, not the heart surgeries or burn treatments. He could do some of the more intense procedures if necessary—she'd seen him do them occasionally, when the other doctors in the village were busy with more major cases—but he didn't like them. He'd told her that they made his hands shake.

"Waiting for him won't be any fun, though. Tell you what, why don't we stick around for a bit and keep you company?" The doctor glanced down the hall, then sighed softly. "If I'm being completely honest, I'm a little worried about him, too. He's my patient now. Well. Was, I suppose. And it would feel wrong of me to leave without knowing that he's safe."

——

Honey reached up, cupped Ari's face, and kissed him on the chin. He nuzzled against his jaw for a second before pulling away. Maybe it was the cologne on the hoodie, but he smelled really nice.

"Mm. Yeah. There's lots to do here, like puzzles, and cards, and, uh. I could find some way to play music, maybe. Or we could share scary stories. I know some good ones." He yawned and gave him a lopsided grin. "Any of that sound good to you?"

(sorry! I was pretty busy with the end of the quarter and just. wasn't online for a while haha)

Rin nodded slightly at the doctor's words, exhaling quietly at Doctor Lavin's offer. "I…yes. That…sounds nice, actually." he replied in a soft tone, stepping back a bit so that the doctor and Hayli could come in. "Our room is…a bit messy, my apologies for that." he quickly straightened a few things, pulling the blankets on the bed so that they were a little less messy and a little more tidy. "I, ah, well. We weren't expecting visitors." they said, a touch awkwardly. THey had been drilled from a young age that a messy room was unacceptable, even though as royalty he usually was not the one cleaning it.

"Mm, well, I'm afraid that I don't know very many scary stories, but…if you would want to tell them, I will listen." he responded, leaning over to press a soft kiss to Honey's cheek, a tiny smile pulling at his mouth. "And cards sounds like fun as well. What games do you know?" unlike Rin, who knew pretty much every card game under the sun due to his travels, Ari only really knew the ones that were seen as fit for nobility. Fancier, more ornate games, more complicated. More chances for gambling. But he was perfectly willing to learn more, if Honey wanted to teach him one.

(that's alright!)

Doctor Lavin smiled warmly at Rin as he stepped into the room. "There's no need to apologize. My house isn't the cleanest, either. It just happens, when you're busy. Cleaning tends to slip your mind. Though picking up after yourself is important, of course," he added hastily, turning to look at his daughter. She quirked a brow, unimpressed. He sighed. "I'm getting better at it. Really. I-"

He drew in a sharp, sudden intake of breath, leaned over, and grabbed at his leg. Whatever he was going to say trailed off. He hissed out a groan through his gritted teeth.

"Dad?" Hayli asked, concern bleeding into her usually flat tone. She touched his shoulder, but he waved her away, straightening up with a wince.

"It's okay. It's just my knee." His daughter pulled the desk chair out for him. He sat and gave her a grateful nod. Then, he glanced at Rin, his expression somewhere between apologetic and humorous. "You young people and your healthy joints. Wait until you're both my age."

"He has arthritis," Hayli explained dryly. "Probably overdid it on our hike."

"I'm really okay, though. I'm used to it. Now, come on, I don't want to be the only one sitting down. Sit, sit."

——

"Uh, well. Hm. I've played strip poker a couple times," Honey said, his face going hot. "Not sure if that's really a card game, though. More of an activity. An experience, I guess. Let me think. I play a mean game of go fish. And war. Though I'm not sure my sister really taught me to play that one right, and it's not much fun to do with just two people. Two sober people. It's more fun with a crowd."

That list included pretty much all of the card games he'd ever played. There were some others he'd learned that he didn't know the names of, and a few he couldn't remember the rules to. It wouldn't do any good to mention any of those. He smiled sheepishly at the other man, feeling kind of silly for bringing it up.

Rin smiled a little at the Doctor's words, reaching for a chair when the older man doubled over, relaxing a little once Doctor Lavin was seated. "I see." he replied, shrugging a shoulder and pulling over another chair for Hayli, settling it near her father's. After that, though, he realized that there was not a third seat, and pulled over an ottoman for himself. He didn't mind that it didn't have a back. They didn't need one. "Better?" he asked the doctor, raising an eyebrow as a smile pulled at his mouth.

"I, ah, don't think strip poker is a good idea right now." he replied. Even in the best of times, he would have been hesitant, but now? Now, when he was feeling so badly about his body? No. "I have not played go fish in a while. Ah…what about Hearts?" he asked. "Have you ever played that? Or Spades, perhaps?" he tried to think what else he knew that didn't require more players.

"Much. It pains me when I'm the only one seated at a gathering. Makes me feel absolutely ancient." The doctor sighed dramatically and ran a hand through his hair. His daughter rolled her eyes as he gave her a pitiful look. "I know I'm going gray, but I've got life in me, yet."

"You're not even sixty," Hayli grumbled.

"Practically one foot in the grave," he wailed in response, then beamed when he received a sharp glare. "I know, I know. I'm just teasing. But it's nice of you to worry about your old man."

"I'll leave you here to walk back by yourself," she threatened. "I will. I swear. You'll have to hobble."

Doctor Lavin laughed so hard that he almost fell from his chair. His daughter, who'd adopted an exasperated expression, glanced over at Rin. She wondered what he thought of the whole encounter. They'd met very briefly the other day, just exchanging a few words before he hurriedly went to find her father, so she didn't know much about them. They clearly had an unwell partner. Other than that, they seemed friendly enough.

——

Honey frowned and patted his arm. "Aw, Ari, wait. Strip poker wasn't a real suggestion. I know you're not feeling good right now, handsome. I just brought it up 'cause you asked what I'd played before, and that's one of the ones I know. That's all. As for the rest of what you said, uh, I don't know either of those. Maybe we should skip the whole card game idea. Just move on. Don't know what to, but, uh, surely there's something else we can do. Something that's not ghost stories or games. Anything come to mind?"

(sorry!!!)

Rin laughed a little bit at the teasing that the two exchanged, a soft smile pulling faintly at his mouth. He cast a quick glance towards the door, though, still waiting for Arquis to come back. He hoped his partner was doing alright, that Arquis had come inside before the rain got too hard. It wouldn't do the nobleman any good to be caught out in the wet, cold rain that was falling. He shook his head faintly, returning his attention to the doctor and Hayli.

Ari hummed a little. "I could teach them to you." he replied softly. "I don't mind teaching you." he gave Honey a faint little smile. "But, if you don't want to, that's okay too." he snuggled closer to the blond with a soft little sigh, leaning his head against Honey's shoulder and shifting in order to be able to still look at his face.

(you're good!)

Doctor Lavin caught Rin glancing at the door, and his grin dimmed. He could practically feel their nerves from across the room. Hayli must've noticed it, too, because she started to pick at her sleeves. She only did that when she was uncomfortable. When she was young, she'd completely shredded the seams of her shirts and sweaters, and he'd had to sew them all back up. She didn't do that as often anymore, but every now and then he'd find the tear that needed fixing.

"Tell me a little bit about you and your partner," he offered, hoping that talking might lessen their stress. "I know a few things about him, but it's all just medical stuff. I'd like to know more about the two of you."

——

"Mm. Yeah. I don't know. My brain's kinda dumb right now. I mean, it's usually pretty dumb, so I guess that doesn't mean all that much." Honey laughed, mostly to himself, and let his head thump onto the pillow behind him. He shot Ari a playful smile. "Puzzle's still on the table. The metaphorical table, I mean. We don't have a literal table. There's a desk, but that's not- you know what? Never mind. The logistics of the nonexistent table don't matter. It's the thought that counts."

Wow, maybe he hadn't been kidding about the whole brain thing. Nothing he was saying was making any sense. He hoped Ari could comprehend it, because he couldn't, and he was the one who'd said it in the first place.

Rin looked over at the docotr and Hayli again, clearing his throat quietly. "Oh. Rught. Uhm." he thought for a moment. "What…sort of things do you want to know?" they knew better than to mention Arquis's family, or their own, but what sort of things did the Doctor want to know? "I'm from Kevra, originally, if you could not tell by the accent." he gestured vaguely to his mouth, shrugging his shoulders and thinking of what else he could say.

Ari laughed a little bit. "Table doesn't matter." he replied. "And I'm not…too good at puzzles." he admitted with a faint laugh. "So I would prefer we didn't do a puzzle." he returned Honey's smile faintly, closing his eyes again after a moment. "Uhm…" he didn't know what else to say. What could they do, really? If he couldn't even get out of bed, what could they do to take up their time?

"I figured, yes. Your accent is a clear giveaway. I don't mean that negatively. I'm not from Anvillea, either. I've just lived here for a long time. Long enough that my own accent's faded, though I've been told you can still hear it in certain words." The doctor shifted in his chair, which made him wince. His knee was being such a nuisance. He rubbed it with the heel of his hand, but that dull, persistent ache didn't go away.

"Hm, let's see. What do I want to know? How about how you two met? I generally find those stories quite sweet." Before Rin could say a word, he added, "I know he's royalty. Or, well, the closest thing to royalty in these parts. He's very wealthy. Arquis de Vey, son of Muria and the late Aurisi de Vey, brother to Quirisa and Marsiquia. I've visited their Palace before. It's gorgeous. Though I have some stern words for Muria. What kind of mother doesn't schedule her son for regular checkups during his childhood? It would be one thing if she didn't have the funds to do so, but, as I said, they're very well off. It was terribly irresponsible of her."

——

Honey hummed lazily. He dropped the puzzle box he's brought off the edge of the bed and stretched. "Huh. Well. We've burnt through a lot of options, stranger. Guess we could always gossip for a while, but maybe you aren't the gossiping sort. Are you? I kinda am. As long as it's harmless, of course. I don't just go around spreading secrets or, like, personal stuff or anything, that's just mean."

He had a lot of good stories from his past that he could share, if Ari was willing. But he understood if he wasn't into that sort of thing. Maybe he just wanted to be left alone to take a nap. That was okay, too.

(it is, I'm still interested! I've just been pretty busy in the past few weeks, with the holidays + school + work, notebook has kind of been one of the things I've had to let drop for a bit. Sorry to leave you hanging like that, I know I'm usually way more active than this, and unfortunately when I have been on recently, it hasn't been for long, and I hate trying to rush a reply because I don't want to give you absolute shit in response, that's not fair to you)

Rin nodded a little bit, taking in the doctor's words. Yes, he could hear those faint traces of an accent every onw and again, poking through Doctor Lavin's words every now and again. "Where are you originally from?" they asked curiously, fidgeting with their fingers for a moment before settling for lacing them together in his lap, another little exhale leaving him. They weren't sure why they felt slightly nervous about all this, but…ah well. At the doctor's words about Arquis, some color left his face. Had they told Doctor Lavin who Arquis was? Had they said something about the nobleman's history? More importantly…had the doctor said anything? Even in passing? His knee started to bounce, a symptom of the anxiety that had risen in his throat at the doctor's words, the way he had just spoken about Arquis's family when the two of them had tried so hard to keep that knowledge a secret.

"Ah…did we…I cannot remember if we told you that." Rin replied slowly. "And…either way, I must…please do not tell anyone of his presence here. Mine own presence is nothing of importance but his would be." as he spoke, his words quickened, knuckles going white where his hands were clutched together in his lap, fingers digging into his own skin and their accent poking through stronger now, spurred on by the fear in his heart. "No one can know he is here."

Ari laughed a little bit. "Mm, my apologies. I was not very helpful just now, I am afraid." he said, staying snuggled close to the blond man, the blankets and hoodie draped around his body in a protective shell. Something he could hide in, something he could pretend in. "As for gossip…I do not know that I would be of a good…if I would be a good participant. There are too many…" he trailed off, trying to think of what to say, how to say this in a way that Honey would understand. "There are too many secrets that I guard, and many are not mine to tell." most were related to Rinlos. What had happened to them, who they were.

(oh ok, no worries! everyone gets busy now and then haha I just have a hard time figuring out if like someone isn't responding cause of that or if it's cause they're just not into it anymore, and the last thing I'd want is to force you to respond if it was boring you, especially since these messages can be kind of long to read/write sometimes)

Doctor Lavin began to answer his original question, but he stopped when he noticed their shift in mood. They suddenly seemed quite anxious. He offered them a friendly, hopefully soothing smile, the kind he typically gave to very frightened patients. Most of those patients had a phobia of needles, but whatever Rin feared was clearly much worse.

"Oh, I don't know if you told me about his status or anything. I suppose I just kind of filled in the gaps. There aren't that many people in Anvillea named Arquis, and he's pretty, ah, famous for wearing gloves." Famous was a nice way to put it. Really, those gloves were at the heart of a lot of nasty rumors, but he didn't want to bring those up. "I promise I won't tell anyone that he's here, but, well, I'm going to be honest with you. He hasn't done the best job of keeping himself hidden. Anyone could have stumbled into him out there today. And I've already heard some people talking, saying that they've seen a few strangers in town lately. If they connect the dots like I have, then his whereabouts won't be a secret for long."

He hated that he had to say all of that, but Rin needed to be made aware of the truth. Anvilleans absolutely adored gossip. It was perhaps their favorite hobby. He tended to tune it out, but he couldn't help but pick up on some rumors here and there.

"Maybe that would be for the best? If he were to be reunited with his family, I mean. Did you tell them that you two were coming here? If not, they might be worried sick."

——

Honey raised his brows, interested but not willing to push. A lot of secrets were kept hidden for very good reasons, and he'd hate to hold knowledge that could endanger someone's safety or stability.

"Alright. Yeah. We don't gotta talk about that stuff, then," he said, frowning. "I don't wanna pry. Not my business. But, uh, what're we gonna do, then? We've kinda run through a lotta options. And I'm not really that tired right now, so I'd prefer not to go back to sleep. Unless you want to, in which case we can."

(I AM SO SORRY)

Rinlos grimaced, then shook his head quickly at Doctor Lavin's final sentences. "No, you don't–" he broke off with a slightly frustrated exhale, pinching the bridge of their nose as they tried to think of what to say. "His mother is not a kind person." he finally said, slowly. "And we…we came here to hide." their voice quieted and they glanced towards the door, then back to the doctor and Hayli, hands twisting against each other as he fidgeted. "I…if they knew we were here, his mother would send people after us, to bring us back to her." he could not go into detail, but the doctor had to understand. "His…we…" he took a deep breath, shaking their head and hoping that the doctor understood what they were struglging to say.

"'m sorry." he said faintly, closing his eyes and leaning into Honey. "I'm afraid I am not really all that interesting." he let out a quiet laugh, opening an eye to peek up at the blond. "Not right now, anyway." he hated to disappoint Honey like this, not when the other man had been so kind and wonderful this whole time, but yet…oh, this was all so hard. Romance, or whatever this was, was so difficult and he just didn't know what to do about it sometimes.

(haha it's ok! also this is just an idea but what if like Arquis turned himself in? like he saw how much stress the whole situation is causing Rin and how badly he's hurting them so he just does it himself without them knowing, maybe like he sent a letter or something? and then eventually they come to get him, maybe in the middle of the night or something, and Rin/Honey/Ari decide to go to his trial together?)

"She tried to have me killed," came a quiet voice. Doctor Lavin startled, and Hayli let out a startled gasp. Both turned to stare at Arquis. They'd been so distracted with the conversation that they hadn't noticed him slip into the room. He was completely drenched, his clothes clinging to his thin frame, his black hair plastered to his forehead and neck. The chill of the wind and rain had washed him out. That pallid look to his skin gave him an almost otherworldly appearance, as if he was more ghost than man. His hollowed-out cheeks and tired eyes only emphasized the effect.

"Killed?" the doctor echoed, astonished.

"Mm, yes. Quite unpleasant business." He walked over to Rin, but he didn't take a seat. There was a coldness, a distance, to his gaze, and his tone was bitter. "Hello, love. Mind if I take a bath? You might have to move this little rendezvous to another room. I do hope that isn't too much to ask."

——

"Don't say that. You're one of the most interesting men I've ever met. Not the most interest person, though. That honor goes to Pretty. She's got some wild stories from her warrior days. You should ask about them someday. She once scaled a castle wall using a shield. Really cool stuff."

Honey turned his head towards Ari as he spoke, making sure that he saw that he was joking. Pretty was very cool, that was true, but it wasn't a contest.

"You really are interesting, Ari," he said, his voice softening. "I promise you're not boring me. I want to be here. Even if we never decide what we wanna do."

(merry christmas to you too!!)
(Ooh that could be interesting!)

Rin looked up, startled, and lifted to their feet when they spotted Arquis. "Darling, I…" the bitterness, the distance…they didn't know what to do. "Of course you can take a bath. Love, I…" what could he say? They reached out to lightly brush their hand against Arquis's forearm, moving down to take his hand. Their touch was light, easy for Arquis to pull away from if the nobleman needed to. "Arquis." they finally said, hushed and quiet and soft. What else could they say but their lover's name, dropping from their lips like a prayer? "Arquis, lovely, I was so worried about you."

Ari laughed a little bit at Honey's words, raising an eyebrow at the description of Pretty's accomplishments. "That does sound fascinating." he agreed, slowly reaching to run his fingers through Honey's golden curls, feelign those soft strands slide beneath his fingers. "And, well, I'm sure we shall be able to decide what to do someday. Just…not yet." he laughed a little bit, despite the aching pit in his stomach that kept whispering terrible things about him. That Honey was lying to him, Honey didn't like him that much, that he wasn't a man.

(yeah! and then maybe Rin could be kinda conflicted because he's upset with Arquis for going behind their back? but also maybe doesn't know how to bring that up because the trial would already be a lot for Arquis? so it could lead to like some tension and stuff)

That was the wrong thing to say. Arquis withdrew his hand, his gaze hardening, his lips drawing into a tight line. Something about his walk in the rain had changed him. He shoved his gloved hands into his pockets and glared down at his damp shoes.

"I know you were," he muttered, the words stiff. "You always are. That's all I ever do. Make you worry."

Doctor Lavin stood and approached the couple. Hayli also got to her feet, but she stayed where she was. She didn't seem too eager to join this particular conversation. Her dark eyes flickered over the bard's face, then the nobleman's, her own features a mask of stony indifference.

"I don't mean to intrude," her father began, hesitated, and then continued. "But I'm glad that you're alright. After our earlier interaction, I was very concerned."

"Were you? Well, that was terribly kind of you." The nobleman was shaking, and not just from his cold clothes. He was angry. He had no right to be, but he was, and it bled into his every gesture. "I am so sorry to have inconvenienced you in such a way. It appears I have a talent for it. Now, if you will excuse me, I need some privacy. Please feel free to take your leave."

The doctor blanched as Arquis turned and stormed towards the bathroom. He'd been prepared for the young man to be sickly; frail; perhaps even apologetic. He hadn't expected him to be so rude. Lost, he looked at Rin, both brows raised.

——

Honey made a noise that was close to a purr. He loved it when people played with his hair, especially, as he was rapidly discovering, when it was Ari. He raised his hand and tapped the other man's wrist.

"Mm. Use your nails. Like this." He demonstrated, gently running his fingers through his own curls. His nails lightly brushed his scalp, and he let out a breathy sigh. After a moment, he paused and squinted at Ari. "You were saying something. Can't remember what it was, sorry. Man, that feels good. Damn. Can't think straight anymore."

(aah yes perfect!! Happy New Years, btw!!)

Arquis pulling away hurt, but the way the nobleman stomped away was worse, and Rin just watched him go, frozen in place and lost in what he could possibly due now. "I…" he looked over at the doctor, brows gathering faintly and the look in his eyes still a bit lost. "I am sorry, doctor, I…I don't know…" what had happened. What Arquis had just done. Or why? Why would the nobleman do this? Rinlos was just completely lost. Had they said something wrong? Done something wrong? They didn't know. They didn't think they had, but yet…Arquis was so upset, and they seemed to have made it worse.

His fingers clasped faintly, pressing into each other in a nervous gesture he didn't seem to even notice that they were doing, just needing to do something to let out his energy. "I'm sorry." they repeated, glancing over to the closed door to the bathroom, eyes tracing the outline of it for a long moment. What had happened? They knew this morning had been hard for Arquis, but this still was not something they would ever have expected of their lover. Not this outburst, not this anger. He didn't know what to do. Not when the nobleman seemed to want to be alone, and they didn't know what to do about it.

Ari hummed a little, dragging his nails lightly along Honey's scalp as he continued carding his fingers through Honey's curls. "Mm, it doesn't really matter what I was saying." he replied with a soft laugh, a smile pullinga t his mouth again as he continued to run his fingers through Honey's hair. He liked this, at least. This soft closeness and gentle affection that they were sharing. Sure, they had had some difficult things in the past few days– both Honey's and his own –but this was nice. This was soft and sweet and easy.

(happy new year! wait ok so do we want Arquis to have sent the letter while he was out by himself, like maybe he was inspired in the moment by the letters Rin had found the night before? or do we want to wait a little bit?)

The doctor glanced at the bathroom door, then back at Rin. His expression shifted when he saw the way their hands were clasped, going from confusion to determination. Something was clearly bothering Arquis, but until the nobleman was willing to be mature and express his feelings to his partner, he was no longer the doctor's primary concern. There was nothing he could do for the young man when he refused to talk to anyone. Rin, on the other hand, appeared to be in need of some comforting.

"Sometimes people lash out at the ones that care for them because they feel as if they don't deserve it," he said. His gaze briefly flicked to his daughter. She'd gone through a phase like that not too long ago, but she'd finally let him in. That had been a hard conversation for both of them. He swept it from his mind and went on. "Still, he should not have been so cold with you. He should be the one apologizing, not you."

The steady splash of running water began to come through the bathroom door. The sounds of clothes hitting the tile followed, and then a loud, frustrated huff of breath.

——

Honey flashed Ari a lazy grin and, after hesitating for just a moment, took his other hand. He placed it on his upper back, right in between his shoulder blades. If it were even possible, his posture seemed to grow more relaxed, his expression softer.

"Goodness," he whispered, a little embarrassed for some reason, and buried his face in Ari's hoodie. He hadn't had much experience in asking for the things he wanted. It was kind of silly. Feeling shy and a little ridiculous, he quietly added, "That’s perfect. Thanks."

(Sorry, was out of state without any internet access for a while!)
(as for the letters, I'm not really sure. Both could work and be interesting. Idk if having him write it while he was out makes sense, tho?)

Rin looked at the doctor as he spoke, nodding a little and glancing back towards the door. "Right. Of course. I…just wish I were better at helping him, I suppose. I don't really know, uhm, what to do." the admittance was quiet and slow, and he looked frustrated with themself. Shouldn't they know what to do? Shouldn't they be able to provide some measure of comfort to their partner? And yet, they had not been able to. And maybe that was not precisely his fault, but he still felt as if there were something he should have been able to do to help. Something he could have done.

Ari smiled, and began to rub Honey's back gently, still running his fingers through the blond's hair. This was relaxing for both of them, it seemed. This gentle cuddling. "You're welcome." his response was soft and gentle, and he gently pulled Honey a little bit closer, though his touch was still gentle enough that if Honey wanted to move away, it would be easy for him to od so.

(no worries! and yeah that's fair, maybe he could write it later that night when Rin's asleep and then sneak out to take it to the post? like, he acts kind of cold/dodgy all day, and then Rin worries that he's decided that they should break up after all, despite what he said the previous night? and so Rin confronts him the next day all upset, like where did you go last night, and Arquis refuses to explain, so it makes it really dramatic when it's finally revealed what he actually did? idk what do you think)

The doctor frowned and rubbed his forehead, nudging the bridge of his glasses with his knuckles. "Sometimes the best thing you can do for someone is give them space. Whatever he's going through right now, in there—it's not your battle to fight. Or at least, that's what he's decided. And so just give him some room, and when he works through it, he'll come to you. Probably."

"I think he's just being dramatic," Hayli piped up, and her father cast her a disapproving look. She shrugged one shoulder. "What? I just said what we were all thinking. Well," her focus flickered briefly to Rin, "maybe not you."

"You shouldn't say that about anyone. Especially not when you have no clue what they're going through. It's rude," the doctor scolded.

"Whatever. It's not like he heard me. Now, can we go? He's back, and nothing's wrong with him, so there's no reason for you to stay."

Doctor Lavin looked over at Rin, sympathy shining in his brown eyes. "That's up to you. I do not mind, either way."

——

Honey tried to memorize this moment. Who knew how long it would last. Any second, someone could knock on the door, or something could go wrong. Maybe Myr would return, or maybe it'd be something else entirely. Something unpredictable. His life had been full of random events lately, things he never would've dreamed of a month ago.

"You know, Ari, I like you," he whispered, words muffled by the other man's hoodie. "I still can't believe this is happening. I keep expecting to go to sleep and wake up in my room, like this was all just a long, crazy dream."

(yeah that makes sense! Rin's like,, worried and a little panicky that Arquis decided to break it off after all, and Arquis isn't telling them the truth, and yess that shouold work really well actually!)

Rin shot Hayli a small, rather peeved look at her words about Arquis, though they quickly schooled their expression into something more neutral. He didn't want to offend Doctor Lavin by glaring at the man's teenage daughter. It would do none of them any good. He glanced between the doctor and the door, brows gathering together again as he tried ot think of what to do in this situation, what he could say. "I don't…if you would like to stay, then…" they ran a hand down their face, rubbing their temples and shrugging his shoulders. "I don't know." he finally said, shaking his head and fidgeting faintly again, feeling antsy about this. This was so out of the ordinary for Arquis; they didn't like it in the least.

"Mm, well, I like you too, and this isn't a dream. I promise." Ari responded. "It's real." the hoodie was so comfortable, and with Honey in his arms like this…oh, it was just so cozy, really. Cozy and comfortable and wonderful. It had been a while since he had been with anyone in any sort of romantic way, and many of his past partners hadn't been as kind and understanding about his body issues as Honey had been.

(yeah! and Arquis secretly feels really awful and conflicted because he doesn't wanna break up with Rin but he's convinced himself that what he's doing will be best for them, so he refuses to explain until they come to get him for the trial)

The doctor sighed and went to the door. He stepped out for just a moment and returned with Lovey. The blonde was wearing a pink feathered mask, but it didn't hide her obvious excitement at seeing Rin. She beamed and waved, even though she was only a feet away.

"The doctor here said you needed something?" she asked.

"Ah, yes, I was wondering if you could walk my daughter here to the front door. She knows the way back to our house from here, I just, well. These hallways can be a bit confusing."

"And you don't trust this place," she added, which made him blush. He tried to stammer out a protest, but she cut him off. "Oh, don't worry, I get it. We have a certain reputation, and she's young. I understand. I'll help her to the door."

Hayli left with Lovey, grumbling under her breath about not needing a babysitter. Her father tried not to worry too much once she was gone. He'd met Lovey before. The young woman was sweet and a little gullible, but she was also very dependable. She had a hidden strength to her that he wouldn't have predicted. He trusted her to take care of his daughter.

"Alright. Now that we're alone, I was wondering," the doctor lowered his voice, "if I could ask some questions. As a friend, not as a doctor. Well, perhaps as a little bit of both."

——

"That's exactly what dream Ari would say," Honey accused, squinting at him. He poked his cheek and hummed. "You sure feel real. But maybe that's a trick. Maybe I'm able to- what's that thing called? The thing where you- not dream walking, the other thing. The, uh, y'know. Dream manipulator. Active dreaming." He snapped his fingers victoriously. "Lucid dreaming! There we go. Maybe this is a lucid dream. Huh. I wonder if I can do anything I want. Like, uh, summon a horse!"

He sat silently for a moment, concentrating and wiggling his fingers as if he was trying to cast a spell. When nothing happened, he frowned. His hands dropped to his sides.

"Maybe I did that wrong. Horses are big. Might have to go smaller than that. Like pancakes. A whole stack of pancakes. Dream Ari, do you want some pancakes?"

(yes exactly! And by then it's kinda too late for Rin to do anything about it?)

Rin returned Lovey's quick wave, watching as Hayli left, leaving them alone with the doctor. "I…" he took a deep breath. "Sure." he finally replied. "You can ask, but…there are some questions that I can't really answer. For, ah, safety reasons. Sorry." he could not give too many things away, and he wasn't sure what the doctor was about to ask.

They cast another quick glance at the door, worry obvious in their gaze, before they looked over to the doctor again. These past few days had managed to be…so stressful. Between what had happened with Myr, and his illness, and everything that had happened with Arquis…it was stressful and exhausting and now, with Arquis's behavior today…oh, he didn't konw what he could do to help anymore.

Ari laughed a little bit, watching Honey's expression as the young man tried to summon a horse. Then that failed. And Honey offered pancakes. "Mm, well, if you can manage to make some appear, I would love some pancakes." he replied, pressing a soft kiss to Honey's temple in a soft, fond motion. This was so…easy. It was just easy, and he adored it. He adored that he could just lay in this bed with Honey and laugh and tell these easy jokes, and no one would hurt either of them here.