The Strangers in the Palace (Closed)(Fantasy)

“You can use my bath now, if you would like,” he offered. “The Palace has been gifted a lot of handmade soap over the years from local shops hoping for an endorsement. I have not opened most of them, so you would have a lot of options to choose from. There is a rose and vanilla bar, a pumpkin cinnamon body wash, some honey and butterscotch soaps, two or three floral body scrubs, something called bath oil, bath salts, and about a million other products that I have not touched.”

The thought of all the soaps amused him. He couldn’t for the life of him figure out where to put all of his excess conditioners and lotions. He’d even collected several boxes of perfumes and colognes. Most of the time, he tried to distribute them in guest bathrooms so that they wouldn’t go to waste, but there were only so many guests a year.

He got up from the bed, nodding slightly. "Are you sure about that?" they questioned, raising their eyebrows at the nobleman with a bit of uncertainty. "I would not want to intrude on your space." even though he already had been for the past 24 hours, he didn't want to intrude any more than was necessary.

“Of course not, please go on ahead. I am not using it,” Arquis responded, gesturing with a hand to the bathroom door. There were still curls of steam coming out from when he had had the water running. That meant that there should be hot water rather quickly after it was turned on again; Rinlos would not have to wait long for it to fill up, even though it was cold out.

He had the fleeting thought that they would have to undress in order to bathe, but he shoved it down immediately. It was highly inappropriate to think of him in such a way. Disrespectful, even.

“I will stay out here and do some reading to pass the time,” he said, grabbing for the first book in sight. It was the book of love poems again, the one that Rin had read the other day. He resisted the urge to swear.

Rin smiled softly, heading towards the bathroom. "My thanks, Arquis." he replied softly. "There are clean towels in there that I can use, yes?" they paused at the doorway, looking back at the noble with raised eyebrows. He didn't want to get out of the bath, only to find he had nothing to dry themself off with.

“Yes, there should be plenty. Let me know if you have more questions or need anything else.”

Arquis flipped open to a random page in the poetry book and was disappointed to find an abstract poem about love and music. He moved forward a couple pages to one that he had marked: a poem about a romantic in moonlight. There was a sweetness to the words that always made him sentimental, and he thought the rhymes scheme was lovely. He thumbed the side of the page with a soft sigh, pleased but admittedly a little bored. Listening to Rinlos had spoiled him, apparently; he didn’t enjoy reading nearly as much when it was his own voice in his head saying the words. He lacked their musicality.

Rin closed the door to the bathroom and started the hot water, humming very quietly to himself as he stripped out of his clothes, setting them aside. They grabbed a bar of soap and some shampoo for their hair, setting them where they would be able to reach once they were in their bath.

Arquis tossed the book to the side and cast a glance around his room. That boredom had overwhelmed him, and he was now desperate for something else to do. He considered taking another book from his shelves but decided against it. What he needed was something less imaginative, more hands on. He needed to paint.

But there was nothing to paint, not in the closed space. The view from the balcony was alright, but he knew he shouldn’t go out. For starters, he had to be around in case someone entered. He also knew that he shouldn’t go out in his condition without at least a scarf and coat.

The balcony was not an option, then, but there wasn’t much else to consider. He tapped his hand uselessly on his knee. The sensation soothed him. Boredom was much nicer than panic, especially after the hectic morning he’d had.

He eventually slipped into the bath, and remained in the hot water for a while, scrubbing himself off and washing their hair, using the soap and the shampoo. Once he was finished, he pulled the plug so the water could drain, and wrapped the towel around their body, scrubbing over their skin to dry off.

At some point during his contemplation, Arquis began to doze off. His breathing slowed gradually. The first time he closed his eyes, he assured himself that it was just for a little bit. Technically, he wasn’t wrong. He blinked until he awoke again, though his consciousness didn’t last long. Soon enough, he was curled in on himself, his cheek pressed against his pillow. He only woke back up when he heard the drain of the bath. It took him some time to remember where he was and what he was doing, but eventually he straightened himself up and wiped the sleep from his vision.

“Is everything alright?” he called in a slightly slurred tone, wondering how much time he had missed. It felt like it had only been a few seconds. His head felt muzzy from the brief nap.

Rin looked around the bathroom and realized that they had quite forgotten to grab a fresh set of clothing. He didn't want to put dirty clothes back on. They cleared their throat, wrapping the towel around their waist. "Everything is fine! Only…I wonder if you would be kind enough to place my bag at the door? I forgot to bring a clean set of clothes in with me." they called back, running a hand through his damp hair.

Arquis blinked tiredly. It took him a second to process their words, and when he did, he called back, “Of course, please give me a moment.”

He scooped up his bag and did exactly as they asked, shuffling over to the door and placing it on the floor outside. It made a quiet noise as it touched the ground. Tiny clouds of steam from the bathroom seeped out and curled around it.

“It is right outside,” he said, his voice a little louder than usual to avoid being muffled by the door. He then realized what their lack of clothes would indicate, blushed, and added, “I am going to close my eyes. Tell me when I can open them.”

Rin laughed a little. "I have a towel around my waist, it's nothing scandalous." he replied, opening the door and grabbing the bag, then closing it again. "You can open them again, though, if you like. I have my bag." they set it on the counter, digging through it to find their clothes. It did not take them long to locate underthings, a shirt, and a pair of pants, pulling them on, then finding his comb and dragging it through his hair to get out all the knots.

Arquis only opened his eyes once he heard the door shut. “I would argue that it is somewhat scandalous,” he returned, bemused, “seeing as you would have been half unclothed. We might be faux married, but that does not mean I can see you in such a state.”

Goodness, what a mental picture that was, though. He pinched himself on his wrist for thinking of it and went to his wardrobe, where he fetched a pair of slacks, a long sleeved shirt, and a vest.

“Stay in there for a bit longer, please. I am going to change as well.”

He switched into his new outfit as quickly as possible, shedding his bathrobe and nudging it to the side. He kept the gloves from earlier on; they were clean enough, and he really was not in the mood to see his hands again.

"Ah…" Rin trailed off, cocking their head faintly, then shrugged. "I suppose you have a sharper sense of propriety than I do; I had a towel on, not like you would have seen my– ah, anything below the waist, which would have been good enough for me." they put away the comb, waiting for Arquis to tell them that they could come out of the bathroom. It was slightly amusing to them, that Arquis was more worried about seeing Rin half unclothed than Rin was.

“Well, people are not always comfortable with their bodies,” Arquis replied, his voice a little softer than before. “It was not just a matter of manners. I did not wish to make you feel vulnerable or ill at ease.”

He was glad they could not see his face, not at that moment. His words, he was certain, were steady enough, but his face would have revealed too much. He knew what it was like to be at odds with his body. And he also knew that it wasn’t always easy to expose it to others.

He finished adjusting his tie, pushed away from the wall he’d been standing against, and walked to his bed. “You can come out now, if you are finished.”

Rin came out of the bathroom, setting his bag on the floor. "I…appreciate the care, Arquis. And thank you for bringing me my bag, as well." they gave the nobleman a quick smile, stretching faintly. "The bath was nice as well." his hair was still damp, a few strands clinging to the back of their neck.

Arquis studied him for a beat, his blue eyes following the beads of water that slid down their neck. He tore his gaze away and gave them a nod.

“I am very glad to hear it. If it were an ordinary occasion, I would be offering to show you more of the Palace’s luxuries, but I am afraid that we do not have that freedom.” He looked down. For some reason, he could feel his pulse hammering away in his chest. “It is quite a shame. A lot of the Palace is quite beautiful to observe. Not every part, but I do find the library rather lovely.”

He dipped their head faintly. "It is quite alright. I would enjoy seeing more, but I understand that that is not possible." they gave Arquis another soft smile. "Libraries are wonderful, but I understand." he laughed a little bit, running a hand through their hair again. His hand came away damp.

“They are wonderful, aren’t they?” he murmured, entranced by the state of his hair. He had to wring his hands together to stop himself from brushing it away from their forehead.

When he realized that he was staring, he swallowed and looked at the floor. “Libraries, I mean. Quite wonderful. And ours is rather well-stocked, though I am always searching for more copies to add to it. I myself do some book binding and repairs, and, ah-“ He cut himself off, embarrassed at his rambling, and sighed.

Rin laughed quietly. "Yes. I do not get the chance to visit them often, as I am on the move so much, but I enjoy reading when I get the chance to." they said, drying their palm on their pant leg. He smiled again, looking at Arquis.

Arquis bit his lip and stood suddenly. The movement made him a little dizzy, though it was much more manageable than before. He started towards his shelves, though his shoulder bumped his harp, and he startled. The strings of the harp made an almost unnoticeable sound. He tried not to look at it as he kept on forward.

“I do not get to do much reading anymore, either,” he admitted, fondly brushing his fingers down the spines of a stack of books. “I have not truly enjoyed a book for some time now. There have been lecture notes and letters and such, but the last time I really found one pleasing was when you read to me.”

Their gaze flickered to the harp at the sound it made when Arquis bumped it, then his eyes moved back to Arquis. "I see. I enjoyed reading for you, even if some of the more antiquated words of your language were…difficult for me to fully understand." he could remember tripping over a few different unfamiliar words.

Arquis turned around and, more out of necessity than anything, spread his arms out on one of the shelves. His elbows and forearms were practically propping himself up, as he was placing almost his entire body weight onto them.

A stray bit of sunlight from the window caught in the crook of his neck. As he breathed, it shifted upwards, setting his blue eyes alight. He bit his lip again before breaking out into a smile.

“You did wonderfully, Rin. If I had not already known, I would never have guessed that the book was not in your birth language. I am sorry, however, if it was difficult to read.”

Rin caught their breath very faintly as the light caught over Arquis, playing through the nobleman's eyes and across his throat. "It was not that difficult, I only stumbled a few times." They replied, approaching Arquis. They didn't come too close, but they were closer than they had been, that was for certain.

Arquis’s smile blossomed, and his eyes tracked their movements as they walked over. He dragged his hand through his hair, unconsciously mimicking Rin’s earlier actions. Sometime in the near future he would have to get a haircut. It had grown slightly longer than he liked it. He let his hand wander down to his neck, where it unknowingly traced the edge of his jaw.

That weird feeling in his chest was back; it seemed to grow with proximity to Rin. He could not seem to remember what they had been talking about. Everything felt light. Perhaps, he thought, it was a lack of air. He tugged loosely at his tie until it came undone, but that did not solve the problem. It did not really feel like a problem at all.

“My apologies, what were we discussing?” he asked breathily, his voice sounding unfamiliar to his own ears.

Rin took a deep breath, faze moving away for a moment. "Ah…the poetry. Language." He replied slowly. Their hair was still drying, and was faintly wavy from the damp. It was always like that after a bath or shower, or if there was high humidity. Their own voice was quiet as well, and they took another faint step closer without quite meaning to.

“Right,” Arquis murmured, taking them in, “of course. Poetry.”

He leant forward without meaning to, tilting his head ever so slightly to the side. His unfastened tie brushed against one of the buttons on his vest as he adjusted. He was still a little surprised that he was taller than Rin, even after spending a fair amount of time with him, and he had the strangest urge to lift their head with his fingers.

If his heart had been racing before, it was nothing compared to how fast it was going then. He could feel his pulse beating in his temples and hands and feet, and it encouraged him to do something, anything. But he kept his composure.

He gestured to his shelves with a free hand. “Do you see anything you like?” His voice was low and unsteady. “You could take one, if you so desired.”

They were close enough now that Rin knew all it would take was for him to lean forward, and they would be kissing. They cleared their throat faintly, trying to banish that thought from his mind. Arquis was his host and nothing more. They knew that. He looked at the books on the shelves, eyes flickering along the covers. They rolled up the sleeves of their own shirt, suddenly feeling a bit too warm. "Ah…I am unsure yet." They replied, gaze meeting Arquis's for a long moment.

Arquis eventually let his gaze drop, and it caught on their exposed forearms. A soft sigh escaped his lips. They were so much closer than he had thought; he could actually feel their body heat. He would just have to move forward. That was all it would take, and then he could kiss him. He let the scene play out in his head for a flash of a second, imagining tangling his hand in their hair and kissing him senseless. But that would definitely cross a line, wouldn’t it? What if he didn’t want it? What if it upset them? He couldn’t bear it if he hurt him.

Still, they were so close. And hadn’t Rin been the one to come closer? Perhaps not. He couldn’t remember much of anything anymore. It was hard to focus.

”Rin,” he whispered. That was all he said; that was all he could think of to say.

Rin's gaze remained on Arquis's as he did his best not to move forward again, not to close that gap between them. "Yeah?" he breathed in response, their eyes dipping to the nobleman's mouth for only a moment before moving back to his eyes again. This was such a bad idea. For so many reasons. Arquis was an Anvillean noble, and Rin was…Rin was part of the Kevran monarchy. Rin was a bastard, and Arquis was…well, not, as far as RIn knew.