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

Started October 31, 2021 by Deleted user

tune

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(yeah, so they watch Arquis be taken away all shocked and heartbroken, and then they decide to go to the trial even though they're still really upset?)

The doctor nodded. While he didn't fully understand what Rin and their partner were going through, that line about Muria trying to kill Arquis had given him a better idea. He sat back in his seat and absentmindedly rubbed at his bad knee. He furrowed his brow, but not from pain. In truth, he was unsure what to do in this situation. Normally, if he knew a patient had been mistreated by their family, he would encourage them to seek psychiatric and therapeutic help. He'd also offer to report their case to the authorities and go with them if they needed support. None of that would really work with Arquis, at least not in his current situation.

He shook his head and gave Rin a gentle smile. "Right. Well, my first question isn't about him. It's about you. I can't imagine how stressful this all must be for you, how heavily it must weigh on your shoulders. So, ah, how are you really doing?"

In the other room, Arquis turned the tap off and settled into the bath. He took a deep breath, then closed his eyes. He felt awful. It made him want to cry. But he couldn't, because he was also extremely angry, and the two canceled out. He was angry at almost everything. At the situation, at his mother, at the doctors and their pitying looks, at his ugly hands and horrible body, and, most of all, at himself. He wasn't angry at Rin, yet he'd been so cold with them. Of course, he knew it was for the right reasons—his walk had given him time to think, and he'd started to develop the beginnings of a plan—but it still made him feel terrible.

A voice began to come through the bathroom door. He could hear it better now that the water was off. It was the doctor, asking Rin how they were doing. He strained to hear his partner's response.

——

Honey wiggled around for several seconds, mumbling fake spells that he'd made up on the spot. He eagerly glanced around. Nothing had changed. There was no magical stack of pancakes sitting on a table, waiting to be eaten. He let his head thump back against Ari's chest with a groan.

"Aw, man. I mean, look, I'm very glad you're real and all. Very glad. But, like," his voice took on a slightly whiny quality, "pancakes!"

He took a moment to mourn the loss of his nonexistent pancakes. Sure, he was glad to have his actual power, which allowed him to prevent others from using their abilities. It certainly was useful. But summoning pancakes from thin air was just so much cooler. He wished he'd had a fear of pancakes growing up.

He sighed. "And, look, I know that we just ate. I know that. Lovey used to say that I thought with my stomach and not my head. Which is harsh, but also very true. Where was I going with this? Hm. I don't remember."

(yeah! and they're just, like,,, super anxious about the whole thing and worried that Arquis is going to die, and they still haven't been able to make up?)

Rin exhaled, still fidgeting with their hands. "I'm…I'm tired." they finally said in a soft tone, closing his eyes for a moment. "I love Arquis, I do, it's just….there is so much going on right now, it feels like, and it's exhausting. We have another friend who is going through some…some hard things," Honey, "and it brings up bad memories for me. And then, I…Arquis has been so opposed to accepting help about his eating habits that it's so…I love him, but it's a bit tiring to have to remember if he's eaten and how much, and then have to practically beg him to eat more than two bites of dry toast…" he trailed off, covering their face for a moment and just taking a few more breaths. "Plus, of course, everything that's happening with his family, and all of that…" they loved Arquis and they were willing to go through these things for him, but at the same time…oh, it was tiring.

He hated feeling this way; Arquis was not trying to be a burden, and he was not trying to frustrate Rin, but at the same time, it was tiring and frustrating. Especially when he had to track Arquis's food intake the way he did. Especially when if he asked Arquis if he had eaten, the nobleman would lie about it, or exaggerate the amount to make it seem like eh had eaten more than he had.

Ari laughed softly at Honey's seeming disappointment over the lack of pancakes. "Ah, too bad about those pancakes." he said, then cocked his head faintly. "Are you telling me you're hungry again?" he questioned, unsure what else Honey would be trying to communicate to him. What else would the blond be trying to say? All the talk about pancakes must have made Honey hungry again. Which, to tell the truth, was understandable; talking about food had a bit of a tendency to do that to anyone, really.

(yeah, and then of course Ari and Honey want to help Rin, but it's hard because they're not Arquis and they don't know how to make the situation better so they just support them through the trial as best they can)

Arquis didn't hear the entirety of what his partner had said, but he'd heard enough. His heart sank, and he did, too, inching down until he was fully submerged in the water. His eyes stung as he opened them and stared up at the blurry ceiling. Every movement, no matter how slight, sent ripples across the surface, obscuring the world above. He tried to stay as still as possible, but it was hard when he was so terribly upset.

He was a burden. They'd said as much, hadn't they? He'd worn them out with his family drama and bad habits. It was all too much. He was too much. They never should've started dating. Rin would be much happier and healthier without him. Every day, they woke up and gave him their all, and what did he offer in return? Love? His partner could find that elsewhere, with someone much better. Somebody that didn't exhaust them; somebody who didn't have so much tiring baggage.

His chest was starting to hurt. He realized that he'd been holding his breath for too long; spots danced in his vision. He pulled himself out of the water with a gasp, then took several shuddering breaths. As his vision regained clarity, so did his head. He knew what he had to do. It wouldn't be easy, but it was the best plan for everyone involved. Especially Rin.

In the bedroom, the doctor nodded at Rin. The expression he was wearing was one of empathy. He hadn't been in their exact situation, but he'd lived through some of what they had. Years ago, in what felt like another lifetime, he'd been in his position. Scared and stressed and so, so tired. Trying his best to help his lover that refused his assistance. It was a lot to deal with, and some days, it felt like the suffering would never end; that they'd be stuck in the dark days forever.

"Trust me, I understand what you're feeling. You may feel guilty for having these thoughts—it might seem like you're not supporting your partner unconditionally. But this is an incredibly difficult, strenuous situation, and you're doing the best you can. It's okay to admit that you're tired, or that you need some help. You don't have to be alone in dealing with it all."

——

Honey laughed and hid his face in Ari's stomach. The tips of his ears were red; he was blushing. "Nah. I mean, kinda? I'm pretty much always hungry. But it's okay, really. I'm all good. I'm too comfy to get up now, even for pancakes."

Visions of breakfast danced through his head, which was a little ridiculous, considering they'd literally just finished eating. Still, he couldn't help but dream of blueberry waffles, chocolate chip pancakes with whipped cream smiley faces, and golden brown toast. He paused, glanced at the other man, and raised his brows.

"Okay, quiz time. Favorite breakfast item of all time. And you've gotta say the garnishes and side dishes, too."

(exactly! And then after the trial, Arquis and Rin go back to the Palace (idk what happens with Ari and Honey at that point; they tag along too, maybe, or?) and we get Rin's father visiting with Lysander in tow?)

Rin nodded a little, eyes moving to the bathroom door again, then back to the doctor. "I love him." he repeated. "It is only that…that it is so much." was that unfair? Arquis had always supported them, had listened to them and comforted them when they spoke of Lysander, had never brought up the secrets Rin kept…oh, but here Rinlos was, talking about their partner like this. They ran their hands through their hair, closing his grey eyes for a moment and shaking his head. "I'm tired. I'm not going to step away from him, but I am…I am so tired, at the same time. I just wish all the trouble and the drama would stop. Just for a bit. It…feels like I can't catch my breath, because there's always something happening. Either with him, or with…with a friend who's been struggling recently…" they couldn't say anything about Honey's problems, nothing specific, but that was part of this. Honey's troubles had dredged up old memories and pain, and it felt so selfish to bring up any of that around the blond. It wasn't Honey's fault that his troubles reminded Rin of things.

Ari laughed a little bit, cocking his head faintly at the question. "Hmm. Let me think about that for a moment." he replied, squinting a little bit as he tried to think of how to respond to Honey's question. "Favorite breakfast food…I don't really know, to be honest. Breakfast isn't something I really…devote a lot of time to thinking about, I guess." he didn't usually eat a big breakfast, didn't usually have a giant meal. Just some eggs, maybe, or a muffin. Something like that.

(wait so what if the trial happened at the Palace? and then Honey/Ari could stick around for a while after before eventually going back to the inn? maybe they could return when Arquis decides to hold some kind of formal event—like a ball or festival or something—which Rin's father and Lysander could also attend?)

"It's like drowning," the doctor murmured. The subject was hitting very close to home. "Just as you think you're going to break through to the surface, a new current comes in and pulls you down. I know the feeling. You want to rest so badly, but there's no end in sight, and sinking—letting them go—is so much worse than swimming. So you keep going for as long as you can. And it wears you out. You want them to be healthy so badly, but you can't force them into wanting help, or even just telling you the truth. It's such a hard situation to be in. It hurts. They're the one suffering, but in a way, you are, too."

In the bathroom, Arquis tuned out the other conversation and stared down at his hands. They always looked so strange underwater. If he squinted, he could pretend they weren't his at all; that those scars didn't belong to him. He imagined a life without them. All those nasty rumors wouldn't have been spread around, distancing his few remaining friends. There would've been no bets or games about who could take his gloves off. He might not be happy, exactly, but things would be different. He would have one less thing to feel insecure about.

——

"You don't know?" Honey mock wailed, as if it was the most tragic thing he'd ever heard. He rolled onto his back just so he could fling his arm over his eyes. It didn't really work. His forearm awkwardly slapped into his face, then flopped off, kind of like it was made of rubber. He made a disgruntled sound and looked back at Ari.

"That's okay. A lot of people don't really think about food that much. I just like to. Even though I can't really cook. I think I maybe want to learn, and not just cause I wanna someday cook for my neph- niece. Nephiece? Niecephew? My sister's kid."

(ooooh that could work really well!! I really like that!)

Rin's shoulders sank faintly, and he exhaled, looking up at the ceiling so that they didn't have to make eye contact. "Yeah." he said softly. "I thought we were making progress, with his food thing, and…and then we're not. And he won't…he won't see it and I know he's not trying to be this way, I know he's not trying to cause problems, but…" he closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose and just trying to think of how he could say this. He loved Arquis, and he wasn't going to walk away from him, but this was hard. "And then…" he trailed off, not sure what else they could even say at this point. And then what? What could he say that would explain anything that the doctor or himself had not already said?

Ari laughed a little bit, smiling over at Honey. "Nibling, I think, is the term a lot of people use for that." he replied, shrugging a shoulder. "And I think you should learn to cook, if you're interested in it. Why not?" he shifted a little, but didn't really move from his position, laying on his side with the hoodie snuggled around his body.

(yay! honestly I'm pretty excited I think there'll be a lot of interesting backstory stuff revealed)

"Well, he has made some progress, hasn't he? Even agreeing to see Elsie is a move in the right direction. He may still be struggling with accepting that he needs help, but he's starting to take steps that seem promising."

Doctor Lavin smiled over at Rin. He could tell they were still very distraught, and he wanted to reassure him. It was strange, how often that happened. He supposed that was partially the result of fatherhood.

"As long as he has a strong support system, I have faith that he can heal. It's not going to be an easy journey, nor a short one, but I really do have hope for you two. And speaking of you two, look, Rin, when I said that thing about the support system, I didn't mean just you. You may be in a relationship, but he's going to need other people to help him, too. Friends, family, that sort of thing. It'll take some of the weight off your shoulders. Trust me, trying to do it alone doesn't work." He cleared his throat and looked down. His glasses slid down his nose. He took them off and rubbed his eyes. Softly, he repeated, "It just doesn't work."

——

Honey hummed thoughtfully. "Yeah. I don't know about nibling. That sounds like a teething baby. Nibbling, y'know? Hm. I guess I'll see what Lovey and Pretty say about it."

He paused, trying to remember what else Ari had asked about. Something about babies? That didn't make sense. What had they been talking about? He snapped his fingers as he remembered and grinned.

"Cooking!" he said. "Right! Yeah, well, I've tried it before, and, uh, I'm not very good. I can make pancakes and some simple stuff. Anything else, and I kinda burn it. Or it's inedible. I have a tendency to get distracted. Which is annoying, 'cause I'm good at some stuff, like reading people. It's just so hard to stay focused sometimes."

(same! This should be exciting!)

"I know, it's just…his family isn't…" they trailed off, trying to think of how to say this. "His family is not very good or supportive towards him, and the friends we have are…he doesn't want to talk about it in front of them. I assume because he thinks it makes him look weak, or something of that nature." he closed his eyes for a moment, shaking his head. "I don't know. I know he can heal, I'm not saying that he won't make progress, it's just that…that the progress is very slow, and it's…exhausting, sometimes." it was just tiring. He loved his partner, he really did, but it was so…so tiring, especially when Arquis wouldn't tell them the truth about whether or not he had eaten that day.

Ari laughed softly when Honey seemed to lose his train of thought, smiling as the young man stammered until he regained it. "I get that. Do you not use timers, for the food? Or are those just not helpful?" he knew cooking could be difficult. He didn't do it very often, but, like Honey, could cook relatively simple things. He was also capable of following a recipe, if need be, though he did not do so very often.

(man Arquis is gonna be so cold for the next little while though poor Rin)

"Is it, now?" Arquis asked coolly. He was standing in the doorway to the bathroom in a bathrobe and some pajama pants that the cleaning service had washed for him. They'd been folded and left on the counter, which was fortunate considering he hadn't thought to bring any with him. His eyes flickered from the doctor, who looked startled, to his partner. "How very kind of you to talk about me while I was right in the other room."

"Nothing they said was meanspirited or offensive. He's just worried about you," the older man argued. He pushed his glasses up with his knuckles and stood. "Listen, whatever it is that you're going through, don't take it out on them. Don't lash out. You'll regret it."

Heat blossomed in the nobleman's cheeks. He felt absolutely vile, like he was the worst person alive, but he had to keep going. This was part of his plan, and he had to get through it, no matter how badly it made him feel. Guilt gnawed at his chest as he spat, "Why, doctor, that sounded like a threat."

"What? I would never threaten a patient!"

"Mm. Right." Arquis was trying to feign indifference. He hoped it was working. In the background, he heard the water draining from the bath, and he wished he'd stayed in just a bit longer. This was miserable.

——

Honey sighed, a little embarrassed. "I mean, one time, yeah. I set the timer up, and then I went into the other room to grab something. It was this gorgeous ribbon that I wanted to tie around my neck—I'd taken it off while I was cooking, cause I didn't want it to dip into the batter or anything. But when I went to grab it, I saw that Divinity was there, and I thought I'd talk to her. So I did. And then Pretty came in with this guy that'd been asking around for me. I didn't really wanna talk to him, but, y'know, he had this earring on, and I could tell he was rich. He was dressed plainly enough, beige pants, loose shirt, clearly wanting to blend in. That earring was his only mistake. It was real gold, had this emblem and everything. He wanted me to go with him right then and there, but I turned him down, 'cause I was cooking. And he asked me, 'Is that why there's smoke coming out of the kitchen?' By the time I got back in there, well, those muffins were burnt rocks. Turns out that I'd set the timer wrong."

(aw man)

Rin's lips parted when they heard Arquis's voice, turning to him. "I'm sorry, love, if I hurt you." they said softly. "I love you. You are not a burden, darling." he wasn't sure why Arquis was behaving like this. "I…" he trailed off, inhaling softly and standing, taking a few steps over to the nobleman. "How are you feeling?" Arquis had been so stressed earlier, and they wanted to see if, maybe, he was feeling better now. By his behavior, Rin didn't think so, but…maybe it was just a misunderstanding. Maybe Arquis thought that Rin had been saying mean or terrible things about him.

Ari started to laugh again at Honey's story, shaking his head a little bit. "Oh, Honey, no wonder you're saying that you're bad at cooking!" he replied, doing his best to squash the smile tugging at his lips, but rather unable to. "You set the timer wrong, and you missed it." he thought for a moment, cocking his head. "I know what we can do. Not today, but at some point. We can try cooking something together. See how well we do with our abilities combined."

Arquis's lips wobbled, and he forced his gaze to the floor. Rin knew him too well. If he kept looking at them, they'd see the regret in his face, and he couldn't let that happen.

"That is always the question," he spat. "How are you feeling, Arquis? How sick are you? Are you about to break? I am very tired of it. I am not a child, or a little glass figurine you have to carry around in your pocket. I am a grown adult!"

"You're certainly not acting like one," the doctor muttered. The nobleman's eyes widened, and felt genuine anger rush through him. That wasn't good. If he stayed calm, he could refrain from saying anything truly harmful, but if he lost his head then he could really hurt someone's feelings. He wanted to create a distance between himself and Rin, but he didn't want to devastate them.

"How dare you," he snarled, straightening up to his full height. He was the tallest one in the room, though he was admittedly not very frightening in his fluffy bathrobe. "This is my room, and I will not be insulted in such a manner."

"Your room?" The older man stepped forward. Angrily, he repeated, "Your room? This room belongs to the both of you. Look, I don't know what happened between when I saw you earlier and now, but you're being extremely unfair to your partner. All he has done is support you, and this is how you repay them? How about a little gratitude?"

"I do not have to stand here and listen to this!" Arquis wanted to curl up somewhere dark and stay there forever. This wasn't what he wanted at all, but it was what needed to happen. It was what was best for Rin. "If you do not leave me be, then I will go, and I will find somewhere else to stay. And you two can continue to have your little discussion about me."

——

Honey grinned and wiggled his brows at Ari. "Oh yeah? Cooking together, huh? What're we gonna make? Something steamy?" He let out a laugh to show he was joking and nuzzled into Ari's chest. It was painfully obvious that he liked being the little spoon. "It'll probably have to be pretty basic, 'cause stranger, I can't stay focused when I'm around you. Or in general. Focusing isn't one of my strong suits."

Which, like he'd said, was frustrating. He had a really hard time sitting still, with rare exceptions. His mind was always going. That was one of the reasons he'd had to switch jobs so many times that one time he'd taken a break from his usual gig. He just didn't think like other people did. It made everything more difficult, but he didn't want to think about that anymore. He wanted to think about Ari and how nice it was that they were cuddling.

Rin drew into himself a little bit, eyes flickering from Arquis to the doctor and back, studying his partner. "Arquis, would you just tell me what's wrong?" he asked. "We weren't…we were just talking. We're both worried about you, love." he didn't know what was wrong, or why Arquis was behaving like this. What had happened, for his partner to be saying and doing these things? "I was asking if you were okay because you were so upset earlier. Is it a bad thing now for me to check in with you?" he couldn't help the little bit of hurt and anger that had leaked into his voice as he spoke. He just didn't understand why Arquis was behaving like this. Why he was antagonizing both them and the doctor in this manner.

"Hmm, I'm sure we could find something easy to do." he replied with a smile. "And something relatively quick, too. Maybe cinnamon rolls? Those are not too hard, and they are delicious, too." he had made cinnamon rolls a few times. Always while following a recipe, and under the watchful eye of a friend who enjoyed baking. But he was sure he would be just fine with just the recipe. He knew enough about it to do so now. "Or even just bread." he shrugged a shoulder, gathering Honey closer and curling around him a little bit. He enjoyed being both big spoon or little, and so he had absolutely no problem with cradling Honey like this.

"Perhaps it is a bad thing, seeing it is all that you do. You are not my partner, you are my caretaker," Arquis snapped, and then, after realizing what he'd said, froze. His eyes widened. He clasped a hand over his mouth, feeling guilt stab at his heart. That was too far. He'd wanted to put some distance between himself and Rin so that it'd hurt less for them later, but he didn't want to break up with him. He couldn't possibly go through that.

"You didn't really mean that," Doctor Lavin said softly. He didn't want to intrude, but this was going downhill fast, and he could tell there was something larger at play.

"I- Rinlos, listen, I-" Arquis felt like he was choking. He couldn't meet their eyes. The room seemed like it was getting smaller and smaller, and it spun as if he'd gone on a wild carriage ride. He realized that he was about to have one of his episodes. That wouldn't do at all; he couldn't faint in front of them again. But he wasn't sure where else to go. He needed space and privacy to collect himself, and there wasn't anywhere in the inn he could think of on the spot that would grant him either of those things.

——

Honey considered the options presented. Bread seemed as if it'd be easy, but he knew there were some complicated steps involved, like using yeast and letting the loaf prove. As for cinnamon rolls, he had no clue what steps went into making those. They were delicious, but he'd never even thought about making them before. He knew pastries were hard to bake, but did cinnamon rolls count as pastries? He wasn't sure what qualified an item as an official pastry, versus what was just a dessert. Maybe the amount of butter?

What he ended up saying had nothing to do with baking. In fact, it wasn't really words at all. When Ari drew him closer, he breathed out a sigh of contentment. There was something about being held like this that just made everything better. He felt loved.

"Hey, handsome," he began hesitantly, "I know you can't stay here forever. At the inn, I mean. And if all goes well with that deal on the house Lovey got, then I won't be staying here for much longer. But if you wanna come back and visit me sometimes at the new house, well, I- I think that'd make me pretty happy."

Rin blinked at Arquis a few times, mouth parting as he processed their partner's words. "What are you talking about?" they said, slowly, staring at the nobleman with confusion in his gaze. What was happening? Their hands started to fidget together faintly as he studied Arquis, lost and unsure what to say in response to Arquis's words. "I don't…I don't understand what you're talking about, darling." he cleared his throat faintly, brows furrowing as he frowned at his partner. He didn't understand what Arquis was talking about. Was the nobleman truly that upset that Rinlos had discussed everything with the doctor? But…no, that could not be it. That could not be the entire reason that Arquis was upset, that was simply…it could not be true. Arquis was not like that.

Ari listened to Honey's words, humming faintly. "I can't stay here forever, you're right." he would have to return home at some point, though that did not necessarily have to be soon. He had plenty of time before he had to return home. For now, though, he could stay for a while. He smiled a little, though, at Honey's invitation. "I…I think I would like to come and visit, when I can." he replied. "But Kevra is…pretty far from here, so visits aren't exactly something I would be able to do spontaneously." especially if his father did end up letting him be his heir. That would certainly complicate things. For now, Ari was relatively free to travel, but that could all change easily if his father changed his mind.

Arquis winced at the word 'darling,' a term of endearment he'd come to love, and turned away. He wrapped his arms about himself as if that would stop him from shivering, but it didn't work. He wasn't cold, just miserable and frightened. His plan felt right, yet also terribly wrong. If he could, he'd abandon it completely, but he knew this was for the best.

"I need some privacy," he said, his voice almost breaking but not quite. "Can you give me that?"

The doctor stepped closer to Rin and, after hesitating for a moment, placed his hand on their shoulder. He gave it a soft squeeze. "Do you have anywhere to go? Someone else you can hang around for a bit?"

——

Honey tried not to frown. What had he been expecting, for Ari to move in next door? His life was back in Kevra. The blond didn't know much about that life, but maybe that was on purpose. Maybe there wasn't a whole lot of room in his everyday routine for young, flirtatious men from a less than socially acceptable background. Would Ari be like one of his clients, then? Only visiting when it was convenient for him, making Honey fall for him repeatedly and then leaving him behind? He wasn't sure if he could take that kind of constant heartbreak, not after all that he'd been through already.

"Oh. Yeah. That's okay. That makes sense," he murmured back. Despite his efforts, disappointment had seeped into his tone. He attempted a smile. "It's just, uh, I'm gonna miss you around here. And Rin, and even Arquis. All of you guys. I know I haven't been around you for very long, but it's been nice."

Rin hesitated for a long moment, then nodded. "I can…I can go to Ari's room." he replied slowly, swallowing and running his hands through his hair. "If…" he trailed off, looking over at Arquis for a long moment, lips parting. But he didn't know what to say. Arquis was upset, and unwilling to accept any kind of comfort from Rinlos, and they didn't know what to do. "I'll…" he paused for another long, long moment, exhaling shakily, and then he slid on his shoes and moved towards the door. He cast another glance back at his partner, still trying to figure out what he could do. Nothing. Nothing, apparently. Arquis didn't even want them near. So he left, closing the door quietly behind him.

Ari nodded a little. "I know. I'm sorry. But it's not like we're leaving tomorrow. We still have some time before any of us need to leave." he replied softly, beginning to stroke Honey's hair again, nails scratching lightly against the young man's scalp. "I'm sorry, though. That we'll have to leave eventually. I…I'm sorry. I just hope we get to enjoy the time we do have left here."

The doctor watched as Rin left, then turned on Arquis. His glasses flashed in the faint light from the window. He yanked them off and began to polish them with his shirt, swiping in short, angry circles.

"Listen, young man, I'm going to give you some advice that I wish I'd had when I was your age. Never, ever take your anger out on your partner like that. Have a conversation with them, tell them what's wrong, work it out together, and then move on. That is what he," he pointed at the door, "deserves. Because he is a good partner to you."

"I know," Arquis admitted. Now that Rin wasn't in the room, there was no reason to keep up his act. The fake fury in his face faded, and he sagged against the nearest wall, exhausted. "That is precisely the point."

"The point?"

"Yes. Doctor, would you mind?" He gestured half heartedly in the direction Rin had gone. "I truly would like some space."

Dazed by the sudden switch in attitude, the doctor did as he asked. Once he was gone, the nobleman went to his desk, pulled out a clean sheet of paper, and began to write.

——

"It's okay. Really, Ari, it's not your fault. Your life isn't here. I know that." Honey lifted his own hand, but rather than messing with Ari's hair, he cupped his cheek. He brushed his thumb over his temple and smiled a little sadly. "I just like being around you, that's all. You're a good guy."

He took a deep breath. Things were getting a bit too depressing. Ari was right; it wasn't like he'd be leaving tomorrow. They should enjoy however much time they had left.

"Hey," he said a few seconds later, his smile growing, "maybe I'll start a garden here. That way you'll have to visit."

(I am, yet again, very very sorry. I've got a lot going on rn but I'm still sorry for leaving you hanging like this)

Rin hesitated for a long moment, then headed for Ari's room, walking through the hallways with his arms wrapped loosely around his stomach. He didn't know how to process this. What was going on with Arquis? What…what was happening, that their partner had behaved like this towards them? They paused outside of Ari's door for a long moment. He could hear, faintly, the sound of Ari and Honey talking together, and he was loathe to interrupt them.

Ari smiled a little, leaning into Honey's palm, and nodded a little. "Mm, yes. I'll visit to take care of your garden, make sure you're keeping it pruned and nice." he replied, laughing a little bit. "Maybe make some changes to it to make it even better." he liked flowers. Liked digging in the earth and feeling cool dirt on his palms, and then, later, watching things bloom from where he had planted them. It was a feeling he loved.

Rin knocked on the door, finally, waiting for one of them to open it. He hated to interrupt, but he did not want to linger here awkwardly, either. And he could not go back to his and Arquis's room. Arquis…Arquis did not want him there any more, and while they did not understand why, if the nobleman wanted space then he would have it.

(oh no you're good! there's no rush! is everything okay??)

When Ari said that thing about visiting, Honey beamed. He didn't know the first thing about how to maintain a garden. Sure, he knew about fertilizer, watering, and basic lawn work. But growing flowers and herbs was a different story. Some plants were delicate. He'd heard people talk about roses before, and they sounded like a nightmare. If Ari wanted to do the work for him—growing all of those picky plants—then he'd gladly let him.

He started to reply, but the knock made him lose his train of thought. His brows pinched together. They hadn't asked anyone to come by, had they? He didn't think so. That meant that anybody could be at the door. More confidently than he truly felt, he rolled off the bed and onto his feet, then strode across the room. He twisted the knob and yanked it open. His expression grew even more confused. Rin looked to be alone in the hallway, and they seemed upset, with their arms wrapped around his midsection. Where, he wondered, was his partner? Had something happened?

"Hey, hot stuff," he said, but it was lacking his usual teasing tone. Softly, he added, "What's the matter? Where's your boy toy?"

(Yeah, everything's fine, I just have a lot going on with work and classes rn)

Rin paused for a long moment, trying to think what to say. "He's in our room. I…" he trailed off, brows gathering together and his shoulders pulling in a faint shrug. "He…"

Ari sat up, looking over. "Rin?" he asked softly. He got up from the bed, coming over to stand beside Honey. "Come in. You don't need to talk out here." he reached out to gently pull Rinlos into the room, leading him over to sit down on the bed. He studied his friend's face for a long moment, then pulled them in for a hug, rubbing their shoulders gently. "It'll be alright, Rin. I promise." his voice was gentle and quiet; clearly he had been able to read something in Rin's expression, the kind of easy reading that came from years and years of close friendship.

Rin relaxed when Ari's arms wrapped around them, leaning into the other man and holding onto him. "I don't know what's going on." they admitted in a faint tone. "But he won't talk to me."

(oh okay! that's understandable, life can get pretty busy sometimes)

Honey followed Rin and Ari to the bed, but he didn't join them; he wasn't sure that he was welcome. They seemed to be sharing some sort of moment, the kind that resulted from years of friendship. The last thing he wanted was to intrude, so he stood there silently for a bit, his gaze darting between the two of them. Eventually he sat on the edge of the mattress, careful not to move the comforter too much. He didn't want to take attention away from Rin.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, words slow and hesitant. "Did you get in a fight?"

He hadn't known Arquis for long, but the nobleman didn't seem like the type to give his partner the silent treatment. He'd talked about them so fondly when they'd hung out alone the other day. Had he been faking that affection? The blond couldn't think of a good reason as to why he might have done so.

Rin looked over at Honey, shrugging faintly. "I don't…I don't know." he replied, brows gathering together for a moment. "He…he just…I was talking to the doctor about everything that's been going on, and he overheard, and he got…I don't know. He was so upset and I…I don't know why." they stayed pressed close to Ari, who continued to hold onto his friend.

Ari looked over at Honey, a soft note of worry in his eyes as he gently rubbed Rin's shoulders, trying to soothe his friend's pain and upset.

Honey frowned. "You were talking to a doctor? Ophia?" He shook his head, then smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. The specifics didn't really matter. What was important was making sure that Rin was alright. "I'm sure he's just working through something. Not right of him to take it out on you, but, well, hey. Nobody's perfect. He'll come around, I'm sure of it. And if he doesn't, then you've got Ari and I here for you, and maybe we could go talk some sense into him."

He moved closer to Rin and Ari on the bed. He considered wrapping them in a hug, but he wasn't sure that'd be very comfortable. Instead, he placed his hand on Rin's arm and gave it a comforting squeeze.

“Just give it time,” he said. “It’ll all be okay, I promise.”

(I'm so, so sorry, and I know I keep saying that, but I really am)

"Not Ophia." Rin replied, shaking his head a little and staying close to Ari. "I just…I don't know." their brows pulled together in a faint little frown, and he exhaled, resting his forehead on Ari's shoulder. "I wish I knew what was going on." because he didn't. Not really. All they knew was that Arquis had been so upset with them and they were not really sure that they deserved that. He had not meant to hurt Arquis, if indeed he had done so in discussing everything with Doctor Lavin. It was just that everything was so stressful, and they were struggling to process it all, struggling to know what to do with it all, nd the doctor had been there, and willing to listen, and…oh, they just wished they knew what to do to fix this. Was there any way that they could fix it?

Ari rubbed Rin's back gently, looking between Honey and their friend for a moment, then refocusing on Rin again. "I know, but…it's Arquis's own falt for treating you like that, and it's up to him to make peace with you now. You've done nothing wrong, Rinlos."

(oh hey! no worries! hope you've been doing alright!)

"Yeah. He's right, Rin. You and Arquis have had to deal with a lot, and it's not fair that he got upset when you decided to talk to someone about it. You need support, too," Honey argued. When he realized that he was getting a little too heated, he took a deep breath. The color in his cheeks started to fade. "Sorry. It just doesn't sound like he's being very good to you right now. I know he's got a lot on his plate, but he can't just act like this and expect everything to be fine. You've taken such good care of him."

He was beginning to think that his anger at Arquis reached deeper than he'd previously suspected. He wasn't just mad at him because he'd messed up and hurt Rin, though that wasn't great. Truthfully, he was mad because it was very possible that Arquis was discarding them. Maybe he'd gotten what he'd wanted from them—a fun fling, a couple nights in bed—and this was his way of cutting him loose. It was cruel and twisted, and if it was the truth, then Honey loathed him for it.

(I'm okay, just really busy with irl stuff. I'm sorry I keep vanishing on you)

Rin nodded a little. "I know. I just…" he still wished there was something he could do or say to fix this. Surely, if Arquis's behavior was caused by his own actions, then he could fix it. He just needed to find the right thing to say, the right thing to do, and everything would be smoothed over and fine again. Right? "I should be able to fix this. If I hadn't…"

Ari exhaled faintly, shaking his head just a little bit and pulling Rin closer. "Rin, he is not Lysander." his voice was quiet, meant for Rin's ears, though Honey could likely hear. "And his reaction is not your responsibility nor your fault. If he has a problem, he needs to communicate it with you."

When Rin had been with Lysander, so much of the time when Lysander was angry, it fell to Rin to pacify the older man. To apologize and grovel and promise to fix things, promise he wouldn't do it again, promise he was sorry. And he was used to that and this was that same old behavior resurfacing. That same lean towards taking the blame onto himself, to think he could make everything right again even when it wasn't his fault.

(that's okay! you don't have to worry about that, I know life gets busy and this is just for fun, it's not a top priority or anything)

Honey felt a shiver run down his spine, and he rubbed his right arm with his free hand in an attempt to ward off the sudden chill creeping over his body. Maybe Arquis wasn't trying to cut Rin off, but that didn't mean that what he was doing was right, either. He'd really shaken them. He needed to realize that his actions had deeper consequences.

The blond wasn't sure where he fit into this conversation. He wanted to reassure Rin, but they already had Ari for that. Ari knew more about his life than Honey probably ever would, which was both a good and bad thing. There were some things that Rin just didn't need to dig up for him. That meant, however, that he didn't feel like he had a place in this scene. He didn't really know who Lysander was, even if he could make a guess. He wasn't sure how to make him feel better. So he just stayed quiet. He lifted his hand from Rin's arm and slowly shifted away on the bed. Eventually, he figured Ari would signal for him to leave, and he'd give them some privacy.