whenever you see a bit of dialogue that might sound a bit hokey or overly expository (i.e. Osric declaring how he feels about his relationship with Xerxes and that they're in an open relationship), just remember that I sometimes edit and add dialogue or scenes based on reader feedback, including comments with misunderstandings about the characters and their motives or previously only-hinted-at traumas (sometimes I have to now show it for people to understand why they act the way they do), and criticism about pacing.
Also TW / CW: SA. This is a survivor story which is non-romanticized, not shown for shock/drama, and is presented non-voyeuristically. I include it to show their pasts, and to show the recovery afterward.