The Strangers in the Palace (Closed)(Fantasy)

“I had assumed,” Arquis responded, smiling in return. It took him a moment to realize how snarky that might have sounded. His smile vanished. He stammered out an apology before ducking his head and gesturing towards the room. “Please do come in.”

He’d screwed up already. Part of him wanted to start swearing, but he didn’t want to give Ari an even worse impression. He moved to Rin’s side and gently helped to prop them up on their pillow. Their fever was strong enough that he could feel it through his gloves. The nobleman’s brow creased. He took one of their hands in his own and kissed it without thinking. Then, worried that he’d embarrassed them in front of Ari, he backed away. Everything that he was doing felt as if it was wrong. He wished he could shrink into a crack in the floor and disappear forever.

“Would, um, would you like some space?” he asked, voice a soft, low hum.

Ari followed Arquis inside, greeting Rin with a grin and, "Hey, bastard, your lover said you're not feeling good."

Rin let out a laugh that soon turned into a cough. "Dickhead." they retorted, coughing eventually dying back down.

Ari looked over at Arquis at the question, and shrugged. "If you want to leave, you can, but you don't have to." he set the basket down on a table. "I brought some medicine and stuff, by the way. And a poultice that my aunt absolutely swears by for fevers and such." he looked over at Rin again. "Seriously, though, how are you?"

Rin cleared his throat softly. "I…not great." they admitted, tugging the blankets closer around himself.

(oh no ari really is the perfect match for honey)

Arquis watched the exchange in interest. Curiosity quickly changed to amusement, and he stifled a laugh with his wrist. When he heard Rin’s last answer, however, he grew more somber. That furrow in his brow returned. He approached his partner’s side once more and sat on the mattress next to them. Absentmindedly, he gave their shoulder a squeeze. His fingers then trailed up to brush through their hair again.

“My love, would you be alright with taking and using what Ari brought? I know that you do not like medicine, but I had thought… I had hoped that you would trust it more if it came from him.”

He bit his bottom lip, hoping he hadn’t overstepped his bounds by saying all of that. His eyes were wide as he looked to Ari. Not in a childish way, exactly, but rather anxious.

(lmao yeah. Ari, greeting his best friend that he hasn't seen in a year: hello bastard man :D Rin is a lITERAL BASTARD–)

Rin grimaced faintly. "No, I can't…uhm…I can't." he replied, shaking his head quickly. "It's not…it's…I can't." his gaze flickered to the floor, not meeting either of their gazes. He just couldn't. There were too many memories of it all going wrong and ending in disaster and pain, and the idea of taking any– even though he knew neither Arquis or Ari would ever do that to him –was terrifying.

(I caught that 10/10 very funny)

“Oh, Rin,” Arquis sighed sadly. His eyes were already shiny with tears. He wouldn’t cry in front of Ari, though. At least not so soon. He took a breath and composed himself. Was he not a de Vey child? Had he not done this routine hundreds of times before? Wearing masks of formality and distance as easily as he wore gloves. He need not be distant in this situation, but he couldn’t be weepy or dramatic, either. If he could be nothing else, he would be useful.

He looked at Ari with a pleading expression. The man had known his partner for much longer. Maybe he would know what to say to get Rin to understand. He continued to stroke through their hair and left a kiss on his temple.

(dfkjgbadjb also Ari is trans so Rin replying with "dickhead" just makes it a bit funnier)

Ari frowned, sitting down on the bed and looking over at Rin. "Rin. You know that neither one of us would do what Lysander did. These medicines are for healing you, not hurting you." he said. "If you don't take them, you could die. None of us want that." his gaze was steady, resting on Rin.

Rin shook his head faintly. "I can't, Ari." they protested in a faint, soft voice. "It's…there's too much…" they trailed off, gaze flickering down to the floor rather than meet Ari's.

(I love him so much already)

Arquis swallowed around the lump in his throat. He wasn’t sure how to proceed. Begging hadn’t helped, and if Ari couldn’t get them to take the medicine then what chance did he have? The two of them had history.

But that didn’t mean he could just give up. He leaned forward and gently cupped Rin’s chin, tilting their head so that he could see him. It didn’t bother him anymore if Ari saw or judged the gesture. So what if he did? There were more pressing matters at hand.

“What if I were to take it first? The medicine. It is not likely to cause me any harm, not in such a small dose.” If he could prove to them that nothing had been done to the medication, perhaps they’d feel more comfortable taking it. “Would that help?”

( :D good)

He frowned again, lower lip catching between his teeth for a moment. "It's…I…" he shook his head faintly. "I just…"

"Look, either you take the medicine willingly, or I have Arquis pin you down and I force it into your mouth." Ari said, clearing his throat softly. "Your choice, Rin." His words were soft, but firm.

Arquis sent a mortified look to Ari. Pinning Rin down would result in a complete lack of trust. It would be a violation of everything Arquis had tried to prove thus far. His lover wouldn’t feel safe or respected at all. How could he possibly be expected to do such a thing? He didn’t have the stomach for it.

He retracted his hand as if his touch would burn them. When he spoke, his voice had an unmistakable tremor. “I… I do not… I am not sure that I could do that, Ari.”

What if Lysander had pinned Rin down? He couldn’t bear it if he reminded his partner of that disgrace of a man, that utter waste of space. He wouldn’t hurt them.

Ari sighed faintly. "It's not an ideal solution." he admitted. "But if we need to get the medicine in them, it might be the only choice we have." his gaze moved from Arquis to Rin and back, a soft frown tugging at his features. He looked down at Rin again.

Rin looked between the two, frowning. "I don't…"

Arquis felt like he’d taken a hard blow to the chest. His eyes stung as he stared down at his gloved hands. There was no way those hands could be used for such force. He wouldn’t do it. He’d promised himself that they’d never be used for violence against those he loved, even if that violence would help them in the end. It would still be a betrayal of everything he stood for.

He’d have to try something else. Somehow, some way, they had to get through to him. Rin needed the medication badly. Their fever was still far too high, his breath still too shallow. It hurt to even look at them.

Just as Arquis was about to speak, there was a knock on the door. He hesitated for just a second before telling the person to enter. If push came to shove and they were someone dangerous, well, he and Ari could probably take them. Luckily, it turned out to be a familiar face.

“Honey,” he sighed in relief.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Honey responded in his lazy drawl, grinning and holding up a kettle. “Brought tea for our poor patient. Lovey made it. Said she brewed it with love.”

The blonde froze. His eyes—including the bruised one, which looked less swollen than it had the other day—had landed on Ari. They traveled up and down his figure for a long moment. The corner of his mouth quirked up. He let out a low, impressed whistle and propped himself up on the door frame.

“Damn, you guys keep some good company. Got a name, handsome?”

Ari raised his eyebrows faintly. "Ari." He replied simply. "And you are?"

"His name's Honey." Rin said, glad for the distraction. Now they didn't have to discuss the medication. "Honey, this is Ari. He's my friend." He still looked tired, with shadows beneath his eyes and the blankets pulled close around them.

Ari nodded a little. "Honey. Fitting." He remarked, studying Honey for a long moment. He came over and took the tea from Honey's hands, carrying it back to Rin and handing the sick person the cup.

(Ari knows a little bit about Honey already right? didn’t Rin write to him about the situation like the day before he turned up injured in their room? or am I misremembering that)

Honey blinked, unnerved at his lack of a stronger reaction. He’d been expecting a blush or at least an awkward introduction, but Ari had moved on like nothing had happened. And was what that last comment supposed to mean? The teasing slant to his mouth faded. He kicked off the wall and followed Ari to the bed, his gaze not quite leaving the stranger.

Arquis briefly watched Honey before turning to his partner. “It should be easier to take the medicine with tea.” He shifted so that his head was against their shoulder. His hand found that spot, his favorite spot, over their heart. “Please, Rin? Think of how…” He glanced at Ari. While he'd rather him not overhear, he supposed he had no choice. “Think of how it feels when I do not eat. We all have a similar feeling right now. You will continue to get worse if you do not accept this help."

(yeah. He knows what Rin had thought was happening, but doesn't know about Honey turning up in their room or any of that)

Ari stood back a bit to let Arquis talk with Rin, shifting faintly and letting the two interact. His gaze flickered over to Honey; he hadn't meant to be so dry, but he was tired and worried about Rin, and didn't have much capacity for flirting back. Even with cute blond guys. Plus, he was pretty sure this was the same guy that Rin had told him about, which meant there was some potential abuse. Especially with that black eye.

Rin frowned faintly. "That's not…" He took a sip of the tea, looking up at Arquis. "It's not the same." They protested faintly, grimacing.

(ooh that’ll be interesting because Honey will have mixed feelings about that)

Honey watched Ari for just a little while longer. Once Arquis finished speaking, however, his gaze drifted to the nobleman. It then went to Rin, where it stayed for quite some time. The bard looked very unwell. He could certainly see why everyone was so worried.

Arquis’s face crumpled. “I know it is not, love. It was a hastily made comparison. But there are some aspects of it that are similar, and… and I…”

He didn’t know where to go from there. They’d tried so many different approaches, yet none of them seemed to work. It wasn’t his partner’s fault. He’d been traumatized by medicine in some way in the past; it was only natural that the stuff would terrify them. But that didn’t mean that he could go without it.

The nobleman felt like sobbing. That waking nightmare of his was coming true. He would sit and watch them wither in front of him, turning to feverish, sweat-soaked skin and bones. Ari’s arrival, he feared, hadn’t helped. Nothing had. For a single, selfish moment, he wondered if this was some great cosmic punishment for all of his wrongdoings. To come so close to happiness and then fall short felt particularly cruel. Too cruel to be a coincidence.

(yeah. In Rin's defense, he didn't think Ari would ever meet Honey)

Ari looked at Rin. "Look. You just need to take one or two, and that's it. Just one or two, and then you won't need to take any more." he said. "Okay? Does that make sense?"

Rin grimaced faintly. "I…I don't…" he wrung his hands together, still not meeting anyone's eyes. "It's just…"

"Yeah. I know. Lysander was shitty and gave you drugs instead of medication. We know. But none of us would do that to you, and you need to take the medicine. Please." Ari kept his gaze fixed on Rin.

Arquis drew in a sharp, shaky breath and nuzzled into his lover’s shoulder. In the meantime, Honey stepped forward. He gently pulled apart their hands and settled them at their sides. It reminded him of how the bard had stopped him from biting his fingernails, how soft their grip had felt. He gave their arm a light pat.

“Hot stuff, do you really think I’d let ‘em do something like that to you?” He didn’t sound hurt, just sad. “Nobody here is gonna hurt you. Not lover boy, and I’m willing to bet that, uh, Ari here doesn’t want to, either. We just wanna see you healthy.”

“He is correct. It is pure medicine, love,” Arquis murmured. “There is nothing insidious about it. You do not even have to take the kind that makes you sleepy, if you so wish to avoid it. But I do insist that you have to take something.”

Rin's gaze moved quickly from person to person, unable to settle on anyone for long. "I…" he reached out to sip at his tea, brows gathered in the faintest frown. "Sorry." he said faintly, after they had taken a sip of the tea. "I know…I know you wouldn't do that to me, I'm just…"

“Aw, no need to apologize, handsome. It’s alright. I know that you didn’t mean anything by it. I also know that it can be real damn hard to be vulnerable in front of other people. Especially if they care about you. And we do. Care about you, I mean. Which is why we need you to take the medicine, yeah? No tricks, no nothing. I swear it on Sugar’s life.”

Arquis resisted the urge to laugh. Honey looked gravely serious about that last part, his eyes wide and mouth thin. That little dog was clearly very important to him. He wondered where she was at that moment. Perhaps Lovey had taken her for a while.

“Rin, my love,” Arquis whispered. He tipped his head slightly to kiss their jaw. It was then that he realized that the love bites he’d given them the other day were still faintly visible. Goodness. He hoped Ari hadn’t noticed. “Please? You will feel so much better.”

Rin leaned into Arquis faintly, taking a deep breath. "Okay. Okay." they said in a faint tone. "I can…I can take it. I just…please don't…I can't take any of the sleeping kind." he closed his eyes, leaning their head against Arquis's shoulder. "Please. I'll take, uhm, the others. But not any that will make me sleepy."

The tension seeped from the nobleman’s frame, and he curled around his partner. One of his hands cupped their side to pull him even closer. He moved down their body and buried his face in their chest. For just a moment, he let himself breathe. They smelled of sweat. He could feel the way it made their shirt stick to their burning skin.

“Thank you,” he murmured, lips moving against their stomach. He lifted his head and looked at them. Tried to, at least. His vision was blurry.

Honey looked a bit awkward. He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his pajama bottoms and shifted from foot to foot. It wasn’t everyday that he got to see such displays of love. Displays of other stuff, certainly. He’d gotten used to those. He couldn’t even count the number of times he’d found strangers pressed up against one another in corridors, and he’d seen quite a few group sessions. Even been invited to some, though he always declined. Nobody would pay him for those. They were just for personal satisfaction, and, well, that stuff just didn’t please him anymore. He’d only kept doing it out of necessity, which was, in all honesty, quite sad. Once, he’d loved it. Making his lovers happy, making himself feel nice—it had been wonderful. But it’d stopped being good years ago.

Rin reached to run a hand through Arquis's hair, eyes still closed. He was so tired, he really was. He just wanted to get this over with.

Ari took a deep breath, looking away from the scene. He hadn't had a real lover in a while; he was gay, and sometimes men that had been interested stopped being interested when they found out he hadn't been born a man. Other times, before he had gotten his chest taken care of, men he had been interested in had seen him as a woman, rather than as a man. So it was hard to put himself out there to try and find a partner, when so many had turned him down because of something that was beyond his control.

Honey winced. Arquis and Rin were a reminder of everything he’d never had. They held each other as if it mattered, kissing and touching with such care. He suddenly felt as if his very presence was a stain in the room. His loneliness, his bitterness, his starvation of kind touch—they would all corrupt the two if he got too close. Bleed onto them like watercolor paint, spilling out of the roughly-inked, ruined edges of him. His lips twisted and he scuffed his heel on the floor.

Arquis took and kissed his partner’s palm before turning to Ari. “Would you mind mixing the medicine with the tea, please?”

Ari nodded a little, taking the cup of tea and getting out some medicine. "Rin, you can read the labels for each one I add, if you like." he said, giving his friend a quick smile as he set the teacup down and started adding some of the medicines into it. After he added each medicine, he handed the bottle over to Rin so Rin could see just what he had added into it.

"Thanks." Rin said in a soft tone, reading hte label of the bottles.

Arquis lowered his head against his partner’s chest once more, his breathing beginning to even out. He hadn’t slept much the previous night. The prospect of meeting Ari and his concern for Rin had kept him awake. He’d gotten maybe four hours total. It showed. Though he’d never been one to sleep well, the combination of recent stressors, too little food, and a few too many late nights had worn him out.

Honey wasn’t sure what he was meant to be doing. Nobody needed him there. Ari had the medicine stuff covered, and Arquis was there for emotional support. He’d already done what little he could. He felt a surge of something sharp in his chest: loneliness. Always loneliness.

He put on his most convincing, relaxed smile and sauntered over to the door. “Well, looks like you’re all good to go. Should probably give you some space.”

There was some ugly, selfish, stupid part of him that hated Ari. Just days before, he’d had the attention of Arquis and Rin. But now Ari was there like a replacement. A less awkward, less dramatic, less self-absorbed replacement. A replacement that didn’t even seem to like him. Which was sad, truly, because for as much as he wanted to actually hate the stranger, he could see that he was helping. Honey wasn’t.

Ari glanced up as Honey began to leave. "You don't need to. I don't know you, but Arquis and Rin do. If you're their friend, I'm sure you're more than welcome to stay." he said, handing Rin the teacup with the medicine in it, his gaze moving from Honey to Rin. "This is going to taste like shit, so drink it as fast as you can. Just down it in one go."

Rin took the teacup, frowning down at it for a long moment.

Honey frowned slightly, though it was quickly replaced with that same smile. He casually tucked a blonde curl behind his ear and shrugged as if he couldn’t be bothered. In truth, he was very, very bothered. But he couldn’t show it. Not everything was about him, after all.

“Nah. I’ll just be in the way.” He winked at Ari with his good eye. Internally, he was groaning. This whole routine made him want to be sick, but it was necessary. “You gonna stick around, stranger? ‘Cause I’m very available, if you ever wanna have a good time.”

Arquis raised a brow, but he didn’t comment on it. Instead, he gently nudged the cup towards Rin, giving him another series of kisses along their jawline.

Ari frowned a little bit. "I am not interested in sex, thank you though." he replied. He didn't tend to like hooking up with strangers; it was irritating and annoying and he far preferred being with people that he cared about. "I am going to stick around, though. If you want to talk, that's fine, and I think we might both enjoy that. But if you don't, I'm not interested in sex. Sorry." he knew he was coming off a bit cold and blunt but he didn't have the mental capacity right now to flirt back.

Rin stared at the tea for another long moment, before grimacing and tipping it back into his mouth, drinking it down as fast as possible. He set the empty cup aside, grimacing and shaking their head. "That tasted disgusting."

The color and confidence drained from Honey’s face. He felt like an idiot. Nobody normal would want to be with him when he looked the way he did. Black eye, bandaged neck, bruised cheek. Sore wrist and slight limp. He should’ve known. Rin and Arquis didn’t want him; neither did this stranger. Only the bad ones. Wasn’t that what he’d told the bard? The only people that liked him were the violent sort. He didn’t get gentle treatment, hadn’t felt a soft, loving touch in years. Was it so wrong to want it, though?

“Oh,” he said, then swallowed, his voice thick with emotion. Humiliation buzzed in his veins. “Oh, nah, that’s fine. It’s my fault. Bad timing and all that. Shouldn’t have said it.”

Arquis nuzzled into his partner’s neck and murmured a few words of praise. He didn’t doubt their claim. Medicine was often disgusting. He gave them a comforting pat on the arm.

“You have done so well, love. I think you deserve some rest.”

Ari raised an eyebrow faintly. "Oh. No, I think you've misunderstood. It has nothing to do with you specifically, I'm just not interested in hooking up with people I don't know. My response would have been the same no matter who you were." he said, looking over at Honey.

Rin snuggled close to Arquis, grimacing again. "Yeah. 'm tired." he said in a soft, faint voice. "I really am." they cleared their throat, pulling the blankets closer around himself.