Soft Hearts Hold Secrets

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Muriel didn't know if he had any sort of dreams or not -- there was no pictures nor memories hanging over in his head when he awoke... but there were certainly feelings. Warm feelings. Nice ones. The kind that blooms through one's chest nice and slowly -- like it was meant to be savored. Muriel's dream-warmth was like the comforting buzz of magic... but injected into his bloodstream, sent to circulate around his whole system. At the same time, it danced across his skin and wrapped him up. It was a comforting pressure against his body, but at the same time it was a gentle yet intimate grace of a touch.

Whatever the feeling was, it had been too good to be real. Muriel figured it was a dream -- at least his tired system did as his senses slowly unfurled themselves from that nice, long slumber. His brain felt sluggish once he finally managed to wake up, his eyes still closed but delicately beneath a bright ray of sunlight that had risen up and across his face. He turned his head a little, brows furrowing as he felt soft fabric against his face. Muriel gave a low grumble to himself, figuring it was nothing as he began to turn around on his side -- away from the sunlight. However, he stopped, his eyes snapping open when a powerful rush of confusion flushed down through his previously calm system.

The first bit of confusion came from the lack of creaks in the mattress when Muriel shifted. The next came when he didn't feel any low ache or crick in his neck and back. The next, however, had come from something very real, very warm, and very solid pressed up against his side, keeping him from turning all the way. It was the same something he could suddenly feel tangled up with his legs and wrapped around his waist. Something that radiated that warmth and comfort from before -- the one he thought had been a dream.

Muriel didn't know what he expected that presence to be, but he felt his entire body seized at the sight of Asra pressed up to his side -- head on his chest, one arm wrapped around Muriel's torso, legs pulled up and tangled with his own.

"Asra?" Muriel said before he could stop himself, his voice louder than he expected it to be. He jumped a little at his own volume, wincing when he watched Asra's brow furrow as he began to stir. Inanna, who'd been tucked beneath the covers by the foot of the bed, popped her head out from the blanket, turning around to see what had been the matter.

It was then everything came rushing back to him. The robbery, the note, the blood and the lobby, the shower, the drink, and then...

He was in Asra's bed.

He was in Asra's bed.

"Oh my God," Muriel said, once again out loud.

It took Asra a few more moments from then to stir. He was first disturbed by the movement, his brows furrowing as he readjusted and got comfy again after a moment, though his attempt at relaxing again was interrupted when Muriel's voice came to him- foggy and distant, so he couldn't understand what he said or who said it. When Muriel had pulled back, though, the sun was uninterrupted as it streamed through the windows, shining onto his face and into his closed eyes.

He grimaced, pulling back, moving his heavy hands to cover his eyes. A low groan slid past his lips at the unusual heaviness of his body, his lethargy. He hadn't been asleep for long. He was guessing it was only around eight or nine in the morning, and he hadn't slept until at least half past four.
"Mm..." he moved a little closer to Muriel, until the sun wasn't shining in one of his eyes, and managed to peek up at his company. "Morning."

His throat was a little dry, so his voice came out hoarse, and his eyelids were still heavy with sleepiness. He was a few seconds away from rolling over and passing out, but he had to admit that seeing Muriel made this early wakeup a little more pleasant.

His room was hot- he'd almost forgotten how warm it could get if he left open the windows or forgot to turn on the fan, and he must have been too exhausted to do so the night before. At least he'd taken off his shirt before going to bed- better that than being fully dressed. He couldn't imagine that Muriel was too comfortable in this heat, but he supposed living at South End had given him a tolerance to it.