Ari laughed a little bit. "You can braid it, then, if you like?" he pulled a hair tie from his pocket, offering it to Honey with a soft, sweet little smile. "Just to keep it out of my face." he would still have to dry it when they got back to the hotel, but it was alright. His hair would survive being wet.
Rin let out a soft breath. "Darling…" he trailed off, unsure what they could say to help Arquis. "What I'm saying is true, my love. You are beautiful and lovely and I care deeply for you."
Honey gladly took the hair tie and glanced around for a place that they could sit. What he found instead was kind of embarrassing. There were in fact other people in the shop, and most of them were staring at the pair. Luckily, none of the gazes seemed malicious, but they did make him feel as if they'd seen something private. He grinned apologetically and ushered Ari over to a bench in the corner that was shielded by a shelf. Instead of sitting normally, he threw his leg over the side as if he was riding a horse, then patted the spot in front of him.
"I'll have you know I'm pretty good at this," he said proudly. Lovey had needed her hair braided a lot as a kid. They hadn't had the money for regular haircuts or a lot of time to do it themselves, so she'd often kept it pretty long. They both had. Honey just kept his down; he didn't mind it in his face when he ran, which was his sister's biggest complaint.
Arquis moved and warmly embraced his lover once more, feeling sorrow swell within his chest. He wasn't going to cry, but he kind of felt like it, all brittle and blue inside. The feeling passed. He withdrew after giving Rin a grateful kiss and looked over at the dresses. His fingers trembled as he tried to grasp the zipper to the one he was wearing. When he finally found it, he lost hold almost instantly because of his gloves. Their fabric was silky and, as a result, slippery. He couldn't seem to take the dress off.
"Love? I have asked too much of you today," he mumbled, "but could you undo this?"
Ari sat where Honey had gestured for him to sit, smiling a little bit. "Thanks,Honey." he said, taking a deep breath and shifting a little bit. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again, stretching faintly. His dark curls were still very wet, hanging about his shoulders in damp, curly strands.
Rin held Arquis when the nobleman came over for a hug, smiling a little when Arquis pulled away. "Of course I can, darling." he moved behind Arquis and unzipped the back of the dress, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to Arquis's back. "There you are, my love. How's that?"
Honey began to thread his fingers through those dark curls, straightening them by tugging gently. It had been a while since he'd done Lovey's hair, but his muscle memory was still strong. He started to do a fishtail, then undid it and went for a rope braid instead. The sections were thicker, and it would be easier to undo the style later. While he was working, he made sure to lightly massage Ari's scalp, even sweeping his thumbs against the nape of his neck.
Arquis gasped when they kissed his back and breathed out a soft, "Oh." His eyes were wide, and his cheeks flooded with color. He clearly hadn't expected that, though he'd enjoyed it very much. This was made clear when he whispered, "Beloved, that spot is sensitive. Like my neck."
Had Rin asked something else? He couldn't be sure. All he knew was that the dress, now unzipped, was beginning to slide off of his shoulders.
Ari's eyes flickered shut again, and he took a deep breath. The massaging and touches felt, well, wonderful. They really did. "Thank you, Honey." he said again, shifting in his seat a little bit but not moving around too much. He didn't usually have other people messing with his hair, but it felt amazing.
Rin laughed softly. "Ah, that's good to know." he replied, running his hands through Arquis's hair. "Now let's get you into the next dress." his suggestion was soft and gentle, and not at all pressuring.
Honey's braiding paused for just a moment, and in a low, teasing tone, he murmured, "You're very welcome, handsome. Always nice to have such a willing participant."
He kept braiding, though at one point—when he noticed he wasn't far from done—he started to undo part of it. Ari seemed so relaxed. It was a good look on him. The blond would hate to deny him a few more minutes of calm.
"Tell me if I'm being too rough, okay? Don't wanna hurt you, stranger."
Arquis nodded and went to the other dresses. There was so many that he couldn't count them on one hand. The next was almost as bad as the second. Garishly orange with a huge bow—who in their right mind would pick such a thing? He put it aside and studied the next one. A shocked sound escaped him. He stepped out of the one he'd been wearing, which was already falling off, and into the new dress. It was a black velvet slip with a very low cut back that was only covered by a thin web of crystal beads. He couldn't even feel insecure in it because of how ridiculous it was, though he was a bit chilly.
"I am not sure that this counts as casual." Amusement bled into his voice. He saw himself in the mirror and broke into laughter. The skirt of it went mid thigh at best. It reminded him of something Honey would wear. He glanced at Rin, prepared for them to join in on his laughing fit.
Ari smiled a little, eyes still shut gently as Honey continued to braid his hair. "I'm fine. It doesn't hurt." he replied, letting out a soft, faint little hum. He didn't move, just stayed relaxed and calm as Honey's hands moved through his hair, braiding it gently. He knew the people in the shop were watching them, but he didn't really care.
Rin looked at the dress, raising his eyebrows and letting out a soft laugh. "Perhaps not, but it, ah, looks lovely." he replied, their mouth pulling into a smile as they looked over at their partner. "It really does look good on you, my love."
(just for fun I'm gonna start sending some of the names of the dresses, in case you wanna see what they look like! this one is called 'reel you in' on the dollskill website)
Honey hummed as he reluctantly finished the braid, then slumped forward. His pose was a mimicry of the one he'd done earlier; his arms were around his shoulders, his cheek pressed to the side of his neck. He yawned and snuggled just a bit closer.
"Absolutely drenched, aren't you?" he muttered after a moment. "Just soaking wet. Really should get you a change of clothes. Don’t want you catching a cold.”
"I think you are a liar," Arquis replied, still grinning. "Look at it! A pillowcase might cover more! I feel as if I am wearing a hand towel. A very soft, bejeweled hand towel. What if I were to wear this during a night out? I would freeze!"
As if to demonstrate, he tried to give a little bit of a twirl, then immediately had to shove the skirt down. He laughed until he was completely out of breath. Why the shopkeeper had picked this one out, he had absolutely no idea. It was all just terribly amusing.
(alright! thanks!)
Ari smiled, reaching up to rest his hands on Honey's arms. "Mm, I'm fine." he replied, keeping his eyes closed. "Don't worry about it, Honey. I'll let you know if I start feeling too cold." he was still smiling, gently tapping his thumbs against Honey. "What about you? Are you cold, Honey?"
Rin laughed, grinning over at his partner. "No, I'm not a liar. Sweetheart, it looks lovely. It's supposed to be small!" he reached out to trace the neckline, tugging lightly on the fabric.
"So cold!" Honey groaned, though it was really more of a whine. "It was a mistake to wear a dress. I mean, I look hot, but I should've worn something with sleeves. How was I supposed to know? I don't control the weather! It was sunny!"
He slouched further against Ari, attempting to steal his warm. As he did so, he realized something. "Am I being too clingy? Or, like, uh, touchy? I know some people don't like hugs and shit, I just, y'know. I haven't had a lot of them. Doesn't really come with the job."
Arquis went cherry red. "Rin!" he laughed, his hands flying up to cover his upper chest. "Love! What are you doing?"
He hadn't actually meant for them to like the slip. When he'd first seen it, he'd thought that it was hilarious. Something to lighten the mood after he'd brought it down. But what they'd just done was, well, interesting. It inspired in him a desire to take the dress off. Which was a very, very bad idea, but oh-so enticing. He blushed so hard that he was sure his partner could feel the heat from where he was standing. What a silly thought he'd just had. Ridiculous.
"I, ah, should change, should I not? I do not want to stay in one for too long," he said and was immediately mortified. His voice had cracked. "Goodness. Well. That was attractive."
He laughed a little, wrapping his arms around Honey to help warm him up. "It's fine, Honey." he replied, smiling a little bit. "I don't mind." he paused for a moment, then gave Honey's temple a soft, quick kiss. "Don't worry about it." he could feel, though, that Honey was indeed cold, and he gently rubbed the blond's arms to help warm him up. "Let me know if you're too cold, alright?"
Rin laughed, grinning at him. "Darling, it looks lovely. Well, seductive, rather. But it looks good, my love." he snickered at him, mouth twitching into a faint smirk.
Honey beamed at the caresses and the kiss, feeling for some reason a little smug. Maybe it was because he had Ari's attention to himself, while the rest of the shoppers just had to watch from a distance. That was probably it. He wasn't the jealous type, but he loved being treated with such adoration.
"And what if I tell you that I am?" he mumbled, shifting closer to Ari. "What're you gonna do about it?"
Arquis lightly swatted their arm, though he was glowing from the compliment. "Seductive! Rin! I am a gentleman, you know," he teased, fanning himself with a hand. "My poor, well mannered mind cannot handle such lascivious remarks! You are going to give me the vapours!"
Ari laughed, tightening his grip on Honey. "I'm not quite sure, Honey." he replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Might have to kiss you silly just to warm you up with a blush." his tone was teasing and light, and he was smiling as he looked at the blond, arms still wrapped closely around him. "Right here on this bench."
Rin snickered softly. "Mhm, that's right. Seductive." he replied, just as teasing as Arquis. "You're a seductress, my good gentleman, and you are going to make all the men– and most of the women, too –chase you, and then where will I be?"
Honey laughed, but there was an odd twist of something in his stomach that he didn't like. It wasn't what he'd said, or even the way that he'd said it. The problem was that they were in public. He'd had men make requests to him before, describing all the things they'd to do to him in broad daylight if he'd only let them. They'd wanted a crowd. He'd wanted the exact opposite. For anyone to see the side of himself that he'd kept private for so long—well, it would've been humiliating. He knew the situation with Ari was different, but still, there were eyes on them. Just minutes ago, he'd liked that people were witnessing the two of them together. But that was when they were mostly just hugging. In his experience, kissing almost always led to making out, and making out led to staggering towards beds, someone's fist in his hair, the other hand around his neck. And that was something he didn't want any of these shoppers to see.
He realized he'd probably gone too long without giving a response and, after swallowing, shifted in Ari's arms. "Yeah. Anything you like, stranger. Anything you need."
Arquis's smile softened, and he stepped forward, forgetting that he was in such a silly dress. All that mattered was that Rin was in front of him. They could've been alone in the universe, in that instant.
"Oh, my heart," he murmured. "You would be by my side."
And then, he remembered that they'd been playing. Snapping back to the moment felt like being dunked in a freezing lake. He matched Rin's smirk and added, "Perhaps we should buy this dress and bring it with us. You seem quite, ah, interested in it."
Ari caught on after a moment that something in Honey's demeanor had shifted, especially once Honey actually spoke. "Oh. No, Honey, I…I was only teasing." that last sentence had been too much, he knew that now. He shouldn't have added it, and now he didn't know what to do. "I, ah, I don't need anything, Honey. I promise that I do not."
Rin blinked at him, the teasing broken, and smiled softly. "Of course I would, my darling." at the question, he stepped back and let his gaze move up and down Arquis's body, slow and careful as he took in the whole sight. "You look absolutely amazing it it, my love, but if you do not like it or do not wish to wear it, then we do not have to get it. Your opinion is the one that matters here, not mine."
Honey breathed out a massive sigh of relief, all of the tension bleeding from his frame. "I wouldn't mind it, y'know. Kissing. Just, uh. Not here. I have a bad, uh, thing with that. Not into it."
He'd had nightmares about doing his job in public before. Occasionally, they were so bad that he wasn't able to sleep for a couple of days. It was panic-inducing, being surrounded by looming, judgmental blurs of faces and outstretched arms, even if he knew that it was all in his mind. How could he possibly rest after experiencing that? So he'd stay up for a while, and eventually he'd get so tired that he'd have to crash. By that point, he was usually too exhausted to have any dreams at all. When he'd told Ophia about this cycle—reluctantly, of course—she suggested that he start going to therapy. She also offered to set up an appointment with a mental health professional. He'd denied both. Spending money on something he could handle on his own was wasteful. He was fine. Or so he'd thought. Nowadays, he wasn't so sure.
Arquis blushed when Rin looked at him like that. He had to admit, his partner had a way of making a man feel special. He almost felt attractive. Almost. Maybe the length of the dress was getting to him; maybe the inevitable frostbite was already nipping at his mind. But he did feel kind of alluring.
"How about we put it in a 'maybe' pile for now?" he suggested. "And then we can see how we feel about it later? I do also want to see you try something on in this session, my love. If that is something you also want."
Ari kept holding him close, letting Honey speak without interrupting. "I understand, Honey." he said softly. "I won't kiss you here if you do not want me to." he gently carded a hand through Honey's hair, touch soft and gentle. Honey could easily pull away if he wanted to, and Ari would release him the second Honey began to. "Alright?"
Rin smiled. "Sounds like a good place to put it. And, ah, I was going to wait until you were finished, but if you would like me to try them on now, then I can." he replied, looking over at his own pile of dresses, then turning their gaze back to their partner. "I am fine with whichever you prefer."
Honey nodded. Ari's reassurances did make him feel better, but he was beginning to feel a little tired, too. And the longer they sat there, the colder he was getting. He yawned and glanced around. The shop they were in sold fruit-based items. There were baskets of oranges and apples, packed cases of berries, fresh, gooey cobblers with mounds of ice cream on top, and hot ciders being sold to soggy customers. One woman was feeding her toddler grapes, and a drenched teenager was eating jam from a glass jar. The apparent owner of the shop, a tall, plump man with gentle green eyes, waved at the blond. He offered a weak smile in return, then snuggled closer against his date.
"Ari?" he mumbled softly. There was a note of hesitation in his voice, as if he were afraid to speak. "I know you were joking earlier, but I'm really cold."
Arquis pondered that for a moment. "I have many more to try, and I am afraid that you will not get to put on any of yours if we wait until the end of mine. The shop worker did say that we only have an hour and a half, and it has likely already been twenty or thirty minutes. Could we try some on at the same time, perhaps?”
Ari considered that for a long moment, gaze flickering around the shop. "Alright. I'll, ah…I am going to get you some cider, then." he didn't want to kiss Honey when the idea had distressed the blond so much; it was not that he no longer wanted to, it was only that he didn't want to overstep the boundaries that Honey had established. He let go of Honey. "I'll be right back." he did press a soft peck to Honey's forehead, before going over to the shopkeeper and getting two cups of hot cider, bringing them back and holding one out to Honey. "There you are."
Rin nodded a little bit. "Alright, let's do that." he moved over to his own pile, and began looking through it to find a dress. He ended up just grabbing the first one, and began to change into it, humming very faintly to himself as he did.
(this dress is called 'Sosana - Off-Shoulder Floral Print Lace-Up Ruffled-Hem Layered Maxi Dress')
Honey tried to call out to him before he walked away, but it was too late. He accepted the cider when it was handed to him. The aroma of cinnamon and apples was incredible, and he was glad to find that it was nonalcoholic. The last thing he needed was to get buzzed. He wanted to remember the day as clearly as he possibly could. Maybe if he did end up having to go back to his job, the memory of the date could be a safe place to retreat to mentally.
"Oh," he said, suddenly a bit shy. "Thank you. I didn't mean to make you, um, go do that. I hope you didn't feel like you had to."
Arquis hurried to change into his next dress. And oh, did it make him feel pretty. The fabric was white with patterns of pink roses and flowers, and the skirt and shirt sleeves had gorgeous ruffles. In the back, there was a crisscross of laces. He gave an experimental spin. A bubbly laugh burst from his lips as the dress puffed out, and he covered his mouth in surprise. Pure happiness was still a relatively emotion. He was getting used to it.
(dude that's gorgeous, how do you find these? now I want a pretty dress, fuckk)
Ari sat down beside him, smiling softly at Honey. "It's alright. I wanted one for myself anyway." he replied, kissing Honey's cheek softly. "Hopefully it will help you warm up." it was a nice, hot drink, with that hint of spice that cinnamon always provided. It was delicious, and it certainly helped to warm Ari up. He just hoped it did the same for Honey. He didn't want the blond to catch a cold.
Rin smiled at his lover as Arquis twirled, tying the laces of the back of his own dress. His was a deep navy, with a short skirt that went to his mid-thighs. The back was similar to a corset back, with a bow at the base of his spine. The front was a v-neck, with spaghetti straps to hold the dress up.
(isn't it pretty?? I just search key words for the type of dress I'm looking for—like, this one was 'pink floral off the shoulder dress', I think, but you could look up anything, even going based on aesthetics like 'dark academia gown' or 'picnic dress' and get some solid results)
Honey, still looking a bit worried, thanked Ari again before lifting the cup to his lips. The cider was the perfect temperature, and he drank a good quarter of it in about five seconds flat. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. The drink was already starting to warm him from the inside.
"Hey, Ari?" he asked, tone somewhat drowsy. Hot drinks tended to make him sleepy. "What's it like where you live? Is it a lot different here?”
Arquis twirled until he was dizzy, then stopped, laughing breathlessly. His dark hair was all sorts of messed up. There was an uneven blush spreading across his face, but he didn't notice it in the mirror. That was because he wasn't looking at himself. His full attention was on Rin.
"Ah. Wow." He cleared his throat, trying not to make it obvious that he was staring and failing miserably. That dress was simply incredible on him. His gaze flickered down to their legs, then up to that V-neck. He fanned himself. The room suddenly felt warm. "You look ravishing. Truly, my love. And this is only the first. Goodness."
(yeah! ooh alright!)
Ari hummed a little, considering the question. "It's…there are quite a few differences, yes." he replied slowly, a little unsure how to answer it. "There is less…outright distaste and hate for people like you and I, or people like me." gay, or trans. "But that doesn't mean there isn't any. It's just…ah, quieter, I suppose. Less obvious." he shrugged his shoulders a little. "The weather is pretty similar, from what I've seen. Though, our religion plays a larger role than here, from what I know at least. We have our gods, and our saints, and we pray and leave offerings. I know Rinlos carries some items meant for worship, and I carry some too. It's just a part of our lives."
Rin grinned at him, doing his own little spin. The silky material of the skirt fluttered up around his legs as he did, and he paused to look over at Arquis again. "You look absolutely wonderful too, my dear." he replied, smiling over at Arquis as they studied the long dress the nobleman wore. "It's lovely."
Honey winced when he brought up religion. "Yeah. There's not really, like, a big religion here. There aren't really gods or anything, at least none that people actually believe in. People have small rituals and myths and stuff, but I've heard very few stories of real worship or anything. Nobody prays."
The lack of religion wasn't why he'd grimaced. It was a much different worry. He'd heard tales of certain religions being very strict, some to the point where celibacy until marriage was necessary. Others banned drinking or swearing. Honey knew he wasn't exactly the picture of purity, and he wondered whether Ari's religion would conflict with his past. His present, even. Who knew if he could ever give up his work.
"Stranger, uh, are your gods gonna have a problem with me? With us?" That wasn't the way he'd meant to phrase it at all. "Not that there's an us. Just, uh, like, are we all good? Chastity's not really my thing."
"Mm?" Arquis glanced down, as if he'd forgotten what he was wearing. He waved a dismissive hand. "Yes, yes, I suppose it is nice. But just look at you! Do you like it? If you cannot tell, love, I am quite besotted with it."
"Uhm, no." he replied slowly, taking a deep breath as he thought about it. "They don't really care about that whole…thing. Chastity. That's not…there are no rules about anything like that." he didn't quite know how best to answer, but he tried. "They aren't restrictive about that sort of thing. As long as sex is done with consent, and both parties are able to consent to each other, then they don't really care."
Rin smiled softly. "Yes, it's rather lovely, isn't it?" he played with the hem of the skirt a little bit. "And I do like it, but I think yours is absolutely wonderful too."
Honey set down his cup, which was empty. He'd drank it all rather quick. "Okay. I see. Well, uh, that's good. Don't wanna cause any trouble."
Outside, the rain was finally beginning to let up. Thunder rumbling in the sky told the blond that it wouldn't be falling lightly for long. Soon, he felt, there'd probably be a downpour even stronger than before. It might last for twenty minutes, or it might last for most of the night. There was no way of knowing. If they wanted to safely get back to the inn before nightfall, they should leave soon. He hopped up off the bench, steadied himself, and grabbed the present. The music box was still safe inside.
"We might have to make a break for it. I don't wanna get caught in whatever's coming next. When storms are bad around here, they're really bad. Dangerous. Hail and lightning and everything."
Arquis startled when he heard thunder, then shook it off with a smile. His focus went back to his lover. "Thank you, my dear. We make quite a couple, dressed in such a way." He walked closer and draped his arms around Rin's neck.
Ari nodded, finished his own cider. He reached out to take Honey's cup so that he could return them. "Alright. I'll return these, and we'll head out." he returned the cups quickly, thanking the owner of the shop, then came back over to Honey. "Let's go, then." he gave Honey a quick, brilliant smile. "Ready?"
Rin laughed, wrapping his arms around Arquis. "We do. We both look absolutely lovely. Especially you, my dear. You look ravishing." the dress, with its long length, made Arquis look sweet and lovely. Not that Arquis ever looked less than lovely.
"Ready," Honey said, seized Ari's arm, and took off running. The door banged shut behind them as he sped along the streets. With the drizzle, slick cobblestones, and his heels, every step was a hazard, but he managed to keep his balance. Ferocious wind whipped his blond curls back and reddened his cheeks. Raindrops bounced off his bare shoulders.
They went through the village and the fields, and then, after what seemed like no time at all, the inn was in front of them. The blond laughed loudly as he stumbled to a halt. He braced himself on the wall of the building, right by a bush of red flowers, and wheezed for air. He ran regularly, but that didn't mean doing it in heels was easy.
"You," Arquis huffed accusatorily, feigning indignance, "are a flatterer. A charmer. A rake. And also terribly handsome. Come here, sweet talker. Let me see if your lips taste as honeyed as your words."
It was perhaps one of the most ridiculous things he'd ever said, and he found himself grinning as it came out of his mouth. He laughed softly as he gently tugged Rin in. His lover still tasted faintly of butter and bread. The nobleman sighed appreciatively as he melted into the kiss.
Ari ran with him, holding onto Honey's hand to try and keep up with him. Once they had arrived at the inn, he turned to Honey, breathing a bit hard. He was used to running, but not usually for that long, in the rain. "You alright?" he asked, panting slightly as he looked at the blond. "Your feet don't hurt too much, I hope." he gave Honey a quick smile.
Rin laughed, returning the kiss as his eyes slid shut. He held onto Arquis, hands resting lightly on the other man's shoulders. "We need to finish trying on dresses, my love." he murmured against Arquis's mouth, pulling away after a moment to look up at the nobleman, their gaze soft and loving.
Honey bent and rubbed his ankle. Now that Ari had mentioned it, he was feeling sore. Heels definitely weren't meant for running. Then again, they weren't meant for much of anything practical. They even hurt when he wore them normally. Maybe, he thought, he should stop wearing them. Switch to something more practical, like flats.
"Aw, they're alright. Thanks for checking in." He pointed at the front door with his chin, still massaging his calf. “Wanna go inside?"
Arquis looked a little disappointed. He did so love kissing them. "Alright," he mumbled, though he snuck in one last peck on the jaw. His lips curved into a small smile as he returned to his stack of dresses.
There were a lot left, but he didn't like several. Some were too gaudy, while others were too plain. One had an unsightly pattern of green polka dots around the middle, while another had too many ruffles to count. He put aside a slinky silver number and glanced over his shoulder at his partner.
"Have you found any others that you like?" he asked curiously.
