The Strangers in the Palace (Closed)(Fantasy)

“Message? I don’t think so, sorry. I know he sent that note with the art stuff and the chocolates before that, but I haven’t heard anything else since then.”

Lovey began to distribute some blankets and two thermoses of hot tea. She also scooped up some candles with a tray of matches. Arquis declined the former but accepted the latter. They had enough candles in all of the gift baskets, but they needed something to light them with.

After she was finished, she paused. “Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Honey at all today.”

"We left a message for him with Divinity, last night, and…" he trailed off, taking a deep breath. "Right. He's not in any of the…he didn't come back last night?" they asked, taking the tea and taking a small sip of it, waiting for Lovey's reply.

Lovey looked between the two of them for a moment. Then, something dawned on her. She laughed and aimed a bright, teasing smile at Rin.

“You actually like him, don’t you? I’ll bet that’s why you’re asking all of this! Well, I’m sorry to say that you’re right. He didn’t come back last night, but don’t worry. That happens a lot. He’ll get all wrapped up with a new visitor, and then I won’t see him for a few days. But I promise that he’ll be around again eventually.”

That didn’t sound good. It reminded Arquis too much of something he’d dealt with himself. Disappearing from the outside world for a while due to the presence of another. He sent a concerned glance towards his partner and sat next to him, giving them a warm hug.

Rin leaned against Arquis faintly. "Right. Well. When you see him, can you tell him we'd like to speak with him as soon as possible? No strings or anything attached, we just want to talk." their voice was quiet, and they hoped– prayed –that the guest Honey was with was a good person.

“Of course! Though a bit of warning, I’m not sure when that’ll be. He once spent a week with a man from pretty far away. A whole week!” Lovey clapped a hand over her lips and giggled. “Sorry, I’m not meant to share potential identifiers; guests are supposed to be anonymous. Pretend you didn’t hear any of what I just said!”

“We will not tell a soul,” Arquis promised. He wondered whether or not they should tell Lovey of her brother’s situation. She seemed rather unaware of what might have been going on, and while he hated to shatter her innocence, he knew Honey’s safety was a priority.

“Yay! Thank you!” She did a little wiggle of her shoulders, as if changing into her professional facade. “Was that all you wanted to talk about?”

"Of course. Well, when he has time, it would be nice to speak with him." he replied, glancing at Arquis for a moment. Should they tell Lovey about what they suspected was happening? Or should they bring it up with Honey first? They wanted to speak with Honey first, but…at the same time, the young man could be in danger.

“And there is not, by any chance, a way that we could figure out what room he might be in?” Arquis knew as soon as he’d said it that he’d gone too far. He’d asked it politely, but that didn’t stop Lovey’s expression from changing. She looked suspicious of them, which was, given the situation, incredibly ironic.

“I don’t think so. I’m not sure where he is, but even if I did know, I wouldn’t openly disclose that kind of information to guests.”

“We mean your brother no harm, Lovey. As my partner said, we just want to talk.”

Something softened in her face, but she didn’t let her guard down fully. “Sorry, but the answer is still no.”

She turned and walked back to the door, where she fiddled with the stitching on one of the blankets she’d brought. He heard her sigh under her breath. For a tense second, he thought she was just going to walk out, but then she looked back at them.

“Can I at least ask what this is all about? If Honey did something dumb, then I need to know.”

"We…" he looked at Arquis helplessly, then back at Lovey again. "We just have some questions. And…some suspicions, I guess, but we'd rather confirm them with him. Just in case we're wrong." they spoke slowly, considering each word before it left their mouth.

Lovey looked frightened. “Suspicions? Listen, if you think Honey hurt someone or stole something, then you’re wrong. He’s not like that. He can be kind of crass sometimes, but he’s a good person, I swear.”

“Lovey, I think you are misunderstanding us. We are not here to cause any sort of trouble for you or your brother.” Arquis was using his no-nonsense, official de Vey voice, similar to the one he’d used in the carriage with the nosy stranger. He then softened and gestured to her with his free hand. She came to perch on the farthest corner of the bed. He supposed that it was only fair that she wouldn’t want to sit closer. She was nervous and probably having a terrible day, and he didn’t doubt that men had been bad to her before.

“We think that Honey might be in a bit of trouble,” Arquis began. He trailed off when he saw her eyes widen.

“Trouble? What did he do?”

Rin winced faintly, thinking for a moment, then finally decided to just tell her. "We…ah…we noticed that he's wearing a lot of nude make-up, which…which is usually used to cover bruising, and he's…there are very defensive reflexes, too." he recongized some of them. The deflections, the shying away when someone got too close. He had done that for so long, and he hated to see those symptoms in someone else.

Lovey tilted her head, confused. “So, you think he got in a fight or something? I don’t think he’d do that. He’s pretty strong, but he’s never really been big on violence. He used to run away when we’d get in fights as kids.”

The mental image of young Honey sprinting away from a furious Lovey was almost enough to make Arquis laugh. Almost. The subject was a bit too grim for humor, though.

“That is not quite it,” he said gently, giving her a soft look. “We think it is possible that someone—or multiple people—might be hurting him.”

For a minute, she didn’t say anything. Then, out of nowhere, she laughed so hard that she nearly fell off the bed. She grinned at the two of them and hopped up, her skirt fluttering about her ankles.

“You’re joking, right? This is all some sort of joke?” When Arquis didn’t laugh, her smile dropped. “Oh. I mean, it’s really sweet that you guys are concerned, but Honey’s fine. He’d tell me if there was something going on.”

“The bruises?” Arquis prodded.

“I don’t know. Maybe he was experimenting with someone. I don’t really like to think about that sort of thing—it’s weird, you know? He’s my brother. But I’m sure he’s fine. He’s super strong.”

Rin really, really hoped she was right. "Yeah, but…it's just that…" he trailed off, taking a deep breath. "We'd still like to talk about it with him. Just in case." because he knew that just because you could get out, didn't mean you would feel like you could. He could have ended things with Lysander earlier than he had, but he just hadn't known how. Didn't think he could. And he knew how easy it was to get trapped like that.

“Like I said, it’s very sweet that you two are concerned for him, but I really do think he’s alright. I won’t stop you from talking to him about it, though, because I can see that it’s bothering you.” She was speaking in an almost motherly tone. There was nothing condescending or rude about it, but it sounded like she was soothing a child after having a nightmare or reading a scary book. “If I see him around, I’ll send him your way.”

“Might I ask that you not inform him of the subject matter beforehand?”

“Of course. I’ll make something up.” With a final smile in their direction, she bounced over to the door. “Food will be by relatively soon! We’ve also got a few fires going in certain rooms, if you get super cold. But the heating should be back on before too long.”

“Thank you, Lovey,” Arquis responded. Once she was gone, he turned to look at Rin, worry creeping over his features. “That does not bode well. Any of that. He disappears for days—or weeks—at a time? It sounds quite bad.”

Rin was quiet until Lovey was gone, a faint grimace pulling over his features once she was gone. "It does." they agreed softly, shifting in order to snuggle closer to his partner. "And…and I hope she's right, that he's just experimenting, consenually, with painplay or impactplay, but…" he trailed off, shaking their head faintly.

Arquis nodded, though the nod was interrupted by a shiver. He groped around until his hand caught one of the corners of the blankets Lovey had left. One was a thick, heavy, fuzzy quilt. He pulled it up over him and Rin, creating a mini fort by pinning it to the wall with a pillow.

“We will talk to him,” Arquis promised, “and ensure that everything is alright. As for now, there is nothing more we can do about it. Our primary concern should be staying warm, and that, I feel, will require some sharing of body heat.”

Of course, that was a partial truth. He mostly just wanted an excuse to kiss his partner good morning and lighten their mood. After one deep kiss, he moved downwards, mouthing over the skin until he reached their sternum. He noticed that the marks had turned a lovely shade of purple, which made him smile fondly.

“Was that alright, love?” he asked in that somehow-still-gravelly morning voice. His hand went to gently cup their jaw.

Rin took a small sip of his soup, snuggling close to Arquis and happily accepting the kiss. "Mm, that was perfect." he turned to nuzzle into the hand on their jaw, mustering a small smile. "And I am sorry that I am…that I ruin the mood with talking about Honey, it is only that I am worried for him."

(wait did you mean tea or did I accidentally put soup somewhere in here)

Arquis kissed them again, square on the chest, but didn’t go any further. He had the feeling that it wasn’t what he needed, not right then. Unless they told him otherwise, he was going to start being a perfect gentleman.

“No, my dear,” he curled his hand into their hair, lovingly nudging it into place, “do not apologize for that. You have ruined nothing. It is a very serious situation, and I am also very concerned. But we will find him, and when we do, we will make sure that he is alright. If he is not, then we will help him work through it.”

One blanket apparently wasn’t enough. Arquis reached out until he felt the bedsheets and pulled them up around himself. He wondered if the cold was affecting him more so than Rin, or if they needed more warmth as well.

(shit im an idiot, for some reason I remembered there being soup??? but yes, it was tea lmao)

Rin was a bit chilled, yes, so they sipped at their tea and snuggled closer to their lover. "Alright. Thank you, darling, for being so understanding." their voice was very soft and gentle, and they closed their eyes, seeking the comfort and warmth of Arquis's embrace.

(it’s not like an edited story so there are always gonna be some consistency errors and stuff, you’re totally good!!)

Arquis was warm for a little while, but eventually he ran out of tea. Body heat and blankets could only work against below freezing temperatures for so long. He sighed, pressing his face into their stomach.

“Lovey did say there were rooms that had fires, did she not? Perhaps it would be a decent idea to find one. I do not wish to see other people, but…” But the cold was getting to be too much. He was shivering slightly again, and though his lungs were in decent shape, he was beginning to get worried. He left a kiss near their hip and looked up at him, begging with his eyes.

“Perhaps Honey will be in one of them.”

(yeah lol, sorry about that tho)

Rin nodded slightly. They had finished their tea as well. "Of course. Let me put a different shirt on, and we can head out." they got out of bed, tucking the blankets back around Arquis and stripping out of their shirt. They shivered faintly, grabbing a sweater and putting it on as quickly as possible. "Come on, let's go find a fire." he grabbed his shoes, sliding them on his feet to help protect them from the cold floors.

Arquis was faintly grumpy in the way that only the cold could make him. He sluggishly rolled out of the blankets and grasped at his own suitcase in a distinctly clumsy fashion. This sort of weather was nice when he was prepared for it, but he felt terribly underprepared. He hated being underprepared.

After putting another shirt on over his original shirt, draping a blanket about his shoulders, and stuffing a pair of socks on his feet, he looked over at Rin. “I do not think I will make the journey. It is much too far,” he said with a mock sigh, then smiled an uneven, hopeful smile. “Might I ask you to carry me? If it is not too much trouble, of course.”

Rin laughed a little, coming over to Arquis. "Of course I can, though you will have to open the doors for us, since my hands will be full." they replied. They bent, carefully sweeping Arquis up and into their arms, carrying him bridal style. "Just try not to move too much, I don't want to drop you." he kissed Arquis's cheek softly, and headed towards the door.

(okay so my brain??? keeps trying to say "ooh but what if Ari x Honey somehow" and like. idk, man. it would certainly be cool but I have no fucking clue how it would happen lmao)

(I’m not gonna lie I’ve had that exact same thought several times—hypothetically we could open a different roleplay chain for them once Ari actually gets there and just keep up with the timing/pacing of it all)

Just like that, Arquis was absolutely glowing with happiness. Before he opened the door for his partner, he littered their face with kisses, giving him a particularly hot one on the mouth. He laughed when he broke away and twisted the door handle. There was something so fun, so freeing and gentle about being carried. It was the safety of being tucked up against his lover’s chest, the giddiness of being held as if he weighed nothing at all.

The closest room with a fire was a small lounge behind the front desk. Inside was a large, very soft ring of couches that looped around a massive fireplace. On the couch was a very pretty couple who were, by the looks of it, quite interested in one another. The two split up when they saw that they had company. One gave them a little wave and a wink, while the other woman pouted. She got up and stormed out. Her partner followed.

There were two other people left in the room. A very tall, shy-looking guy was next to a red headed woman with a stud in her nose. Arquis suddenly felt very awkward in Rin’s arms, and he shrunk into them, wishing he’d remembered to grab a mask. The strangers weren’t wearing one, either, so it seemed like they were in the clear. He gestured to an empty spot on the couch.

(lol. yeah that would be interesting!)

Rin carried him into the room, not really caring about the couple that left. He sat down on the couch, shifting them so that Arquis was settled in their lap. "Here we are, darling." they whispered, leaning over for a kiss. "Better now?" they gently rubbed Arquis's arms to help him warm up, smiling.

(also not gonna lie writing Honey’s dialogue is super fun so I’d be thrilled to do that more)

Arquis was surprised at the surge of emotions he felt when they set him down and began to rub at his arms. His breath hitched just softly enough that nobody else would hear. He moved around in his lap to press his back further into their chest. Rin was warm. Arquis felt like a moth zooming towards a bulb, but instead of light, he was seeking heat.

“Mm, yes. Wonderful. You are my savior, love.” That part was said with a soft, genuine smile. He patted their forearm with obvious admiration. When he continued on speaking, it was in a low whisper. “So strong, so courageous, with such a beautiful mouth.”

(lmao nice)

Rin smiled happily, kissing Arquis's cheek. "Ah, darling, if you say so." they replied, leaning their chin on Arquis's shoulder, then pressed the side of their head to the side of Arquis's, staring at the fire and watching the flames flicker. "I'm glad you are feeling better, though."

“Oh, I was never feeling poorly. That was a fib to acquire free transportation,” Arquis said with a quiet laugh, the kind that rumbled deep in his chest. He brought a hand up to cup their cheek and traced his fingertip down to his collar. Then, he untied the blanket around him and draped it over Rin’s shoulders. It was big enough that it covered the both of them.

The other couple in the room got up and left after just a minute. Apparently, the shyer of the two had gotten nervous, and he apologized to his partner as they walked out. His girlfriend was very sweet to him, shaking her head at all of his apologies and giving him a comforting hug. Arquis was glad to see that there were more couples like him and Rin at the inn; that it wasn’t all heat and passion and desire.

An unknown amount of time passed before there was an odd click in the corner of the room. Arquis, who’d been dozing off against his partner due to the cozy heat, startled. When he realized what it was, he eagerly tapped his partner on the shoulder.

“I believe that was the heating, my love. Would you like to return to our room? Or would you prefer to stay here?”

"No, better as in warmer." he replied with a laugh, kissing Arquis's cheek again. He kept holding his partner, going into a soft, semi-doze himself. He let his mind wander, soothed by the heat and Arquis's body pressed against theirs. When Arquis spoke, they slowly blinked their eyes open, looking at him. "We can leave if you want to. I don't really care." they said softly.

“Well, if this is about what I want…” Arquis murmured. Like he was moving in a dream sequence, he smoothly slipped out of their lap and arranged himself so that his knees were bracketing their legs, his face inches away from theirs. He was still having a hard time coming to terms with the idea that he was allowed to want anything, but it was getting easier. Everything was easier, when he was surrounded by happiness and warmth and a person that he had so many different, pleasant feelings for.

He gently reached and took Rin’s hands, settling them against his own waist. And then, quite teasingly, he bit his lip. The flickering light from the fireplace cast soft shadows over his face and illuminated strands of his dark hair like a crown.

“I want you. Is that alright?” That was his way of asking permission to kiss them.

Rin smiled, gently rubbing his thumbs against Arquis's waist. "Of course it is, darling." they replied, smiling up at him and holding him. They really did like this; they liked being able to sit with their partner, liked being able to snuggle and hold him in the warmth of this room.