Soft Hearts Hold Secrets

A Night Out

"You... live here?"

Muriel leaned over his steering wheel, peering through the windshield and tipping his head up — dragging his awed gaze up the tall skyscraper he had brought his old green truck up to. There was a slight tangle of nerves somewhere deep in his system at the sight of it, of course. Its resemblance to the Palace was striking. The sleek, modern glass windows, the staggering height, the polished look of pretty much everything and anything around it — from the cars to the people. The only thing that kept Muriel from turning around and driving as far away from that place as he could was its tie to Asra. Even as Muriel parked across the building — not allowed in the parking garage without a pass — he pointed out what floor his room had been on with a charming sort of smile. Muriel nodded along, but he still ducked his head as he turned off the obnoxious spluttering of his truck's engine, ignoring the down turned stares of the folks who walked past on the sidewalk.

"Are you sure they'll even let me in?" Muriel asked skeptically, pulling the keys from the ignition. "I'm not... I'm not the kind of person who should normally be here..."

"They'll let you in," Asra promised with a warm smile, his hand settling on Muriel's arm. "You're with me. They won't ask any questions."

Asra opened the door, glancing over at Muriel and offering him a reassuring smile as he slipped out of the car. He stopped off by Muriel's side and waited for him to get out before crossing the road by his side. He wasn't going to go walking ahead without Muriel. Inanna came trotting down by their side, too, and Asra offered his own little smile as he approached those gorgeous glass doors. He pushed open the door and stepped aside to let Muriel and Inanna in first, the 'PETS WELCOME FOR TENANTS ONLY' being blatantly ignored. Asra began inside, looking over at the girl behind the counter. Just as she opened her mouth to point out Muriel's 'large dog', Asra decided to speak instead.

"I haven't been able to talk to you for a while," he said as he approached the desk, having just wanted to find something that he could use to start the conversation that would stop her from commenting on Inanna. "Sorry- you know how work's been."

"Uh... yeah," she nodded, though still pointed at the wolf as she tracked mud into the hall. "You know other pets aren't allowed. I don't want to have to get some security or anything but my boss will get on my ass," she said, offering an apologetic smile.

Asra opened his wallet, though, and after two hundred dollars were slid across the table, they agreed that they could find a loophole that would let Inanna in. Muriel gaped, a guilty sort of look crossing his features at the amount pushed across the counter. It was a guilty look, and almost a sort of coveting one. He watched Asra throw away two hundred dollars without a mere blink of his eye or a downwards curl of his lips. How he wished he could be so... expendable with his own cash.

Asra talked with her for a brief moment or two longer before beginning to the elevator again, taking Muriel's hand to pull him along so he wouldn't be too distracted with the beauty of the place.

"Come on," he said, pressing the button for the elevator, the doors dinging open. A family walked out, giving Asra little smiled and Asra's friend a look of either confusion or disgust. Asra murmured for Muriel to ignore them and stepped inside the now-empty elevator, Inanna settling down beside them. He let the doors closed and pressed the button for his floor, sighing a little.

His gaze drifted lazily about the elevator.
"Sorry about them," he said softly. "This is meant to be a really prestigious place- the only reason people are nice to me is because I live here, so they clearly think I deserve to be here. It's what I hate the most about living here. He squeezed Muriel's rough, calloused hand again, only now realising he hadn't let go of it. "Don't let it get to you."