Soft Hearts Hold Secrets

Safety

Every time that Asra arrived at Muriel's apartment, he'd forgotten how bare and miserable it looked.

He remembered vaguely that it wasn't a welcoming place, and it was easy to tell that Muriel had never exactly settled into it. It was, instead, designed like a temporary home. With enough to get by - enough to survive. Nothing on the walls except a clock and a calendar, with X's to mark when money was due to be paid.

The best part of Muriel's home was that by the time Muriel was getting out his keys, there were scratches from the other side of the door and the sound of Inanna's feet tapping as she dashed back and forth, waiting eagerly for Muriel's return. Asra kept quiet and a few paces back. The journey had been tense and quiet once Asra had gotten past the thrill of leaving and realised that he needed to do more than get them out of trouble for Muriel to forgive him for everything he'd done wrong.

The door finally opened and Inanna came dashing out, running in a circle around Muriel's feet and between his legs. She let out an excited 'arrooo' noise from the back of her throat before Muriel started to shuffle inside and she followed. Asra went obediently after, closing the door behind him and kneeling down to pet Inanna, who had stopped to wait for him.

"Did she miss you that much?" he asked Muriel, offering a smile, attempting to lighten the mood. All other attempts hadn't gone well, but Asra was few things if not persistent.

Muriel shrugged his shoulders as he dropped his keys upon the kitchen counter. His voice left him in a sheltered mumble when he spoke. "She's just not used to being alone for so long."

Ever since they left the party, he found himself reserved and quiet. Gruff and brisk in regard to each and every attempt of Asra's to start conversation. He wanted to respond, he wanted to entertain some aspect of Asra's affection -- they had kissed, after all, an event that Muriel was finally beginning to process -- but didn't have the energy. The spirit.

He was tired from crying. His system felt hollowed out, muggy in the aftermath of his emotional state. Muriel didn't even have the energy to pet Inanna when she trotted to his side and pushed her face into his hand. Just like how, throughout the car ride, Muriel couldn't find the will to undo the tie around his neck and shrug off his tight coat. He still wore both, his hair, for the most part, still slicked back -- out of his face.

Muriel leaned against the counter, his eyes on the floor.

"Are... are you going to stay?" he asked, not looking up from the floor. "You don't have to... if you don't want to. I've got Inanna now so... you don't have to worry, I guess."

Asra slipped off his shoes and left them by the door, starting towards Muriel and reaching up, hands settling on his tie as though he'd read his mind.
"May I?" he asked, voice quiet, waiting until he got a nod or a murmur of approval before beginning to loosen the knot of the tie.

He tugged slowly, careful not to pull it too tight or too suddenly, and let the knot fall loose before sliding the tie away from around his neck. He rolled it around his hand and smoothed out the shoulders of Muriel's jacket, looking up at him with a furrowed brow and concerned eyes.

"I'd like to stay. If you'll have me." He set the tie, rolled up, aside on the coffee table and reached down to pet Inanna while he did, a small smile appearing on his lips. "I can settle on the couch, but I'll stay awake if you need me to. You need your sleep, and I want to make sure nobody comes by."

'You don't have to worry.'

What a pointless thing for Muriel to say. Asra was always worried about him, and he wasn't going to leave him alone here.

Muriel's brow furrowed, his hand absently reaching to touch his chest -- to touch where Asra had so absentmindedly brushed against with his fingers. Muriel liked the feeling of him so close. To feel the magic, buzzing through Asra's fingertips with every accidental grace of contact. To feel his warmth and hear his voice and smell his scent -- so real and so close after days of having none of it. It almost made Muriel forget why they'd been apart...