💚 Post-Route Muriel | My Muriel Masterlist
theme: How To Comfort A Loved One
Muriel x GN!MC | CW: none
It's My Turn!
You had never seen Inanna act out before. But when you forget to do a beloved activity that brings you both together, you find Muriel pushed off to the floor and the defiant wolf in his place in the tiny floor mattress you three share
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Last night was the most fun you've ever had.
You and Muriel stumble through the front door of his hut. Your arm is slinged around his neck as he supports your weight with his.
You remember his laughs tickling your neck while you defend your sobriety with words slurring every other word.
Muriel carried on into the house, unconvinced.
"Hm, one thing's for sure," his careful whisper is loud in your ear, "Julian is formidable drinker."
The words summon a wave of nausea. You recall the dare. The excitement when you sat down. The regret when Julian swigged his tenth drink with ease. The relief when that man finally slumped against the table an hour later.
"Ugh." is all you manage to say.
You won. But at what cost?
Muriel shakes his head with a laugh. With his forehead against yours, it feels more like a nuzzle. You lean into his touch. His warmth is a balm to your aching head.
"Here, let's get you to bed soon."
Then, he snaps his thumbs. The fireplace fwooms to life. Its warm glow is kind to your eyes. You can see everything once again. Including the shadow stretching out to your feet. There's a sillhouette of one menacing wolf blocking the front of the fireplace, but you can only see the glow of her golden eyes through her shadow-veiled face.
She lowers her head. Is she.. glaring at you? Though she's shorter than both of you, you get the feeling that her golden eyes are staring you down.
"Whorf."
"Out with friends." Muriel says, "Why?"
Inanna lets out a snort that puffs in her chest. Her gaze moves from Muriel to you. She is unimpressed.
Muriel moves to the bed. He is gentle to lower you to the mattress on the floor. You can't help the sigh of relief at the moment your bum touches the mattress. Its softness invites your bones to relax. And you do. A happy hum falls from your lips as you lie down and sink into it. Finally, you can rest.
"Oh."
The crackling of the fireplace quiets your mind. You hear the chirping of crickets. A hoot of an owl. The hushed conversation between Muriel and Inanna. Your eyes begin to grow heavy as the forest's orchestra lulls you to sleep.
"She must've forgot." Muriel says, his volume lowered just enough that you can barely hear, "I'm sure she didn't mean it."
A whine. And stomp of a paw. Your eyes have fallen shut. Your mind is falling away into the depths of slumber.
"Awwour...."
A silent beat passes.
"Then, tell her in the morning." Muriel says, his tone is kind, "I'm sure she'll tell you why."
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My mind stirs to the sound of soft snores and chirping birds.
Where am I? I make a move to toss and turn when the ache in my muscles pinch me awake.
'Ow.'
What the hell? I let out a frustrated sigh.
I just want to go back to sleep. Instead, I force my eyes open to see what the problem is.
The room is dark. The dying embers in the hearth tell me that the flames must have died sometime in the night. I'm on the hard, cold floor.
I deadpan at myself. Well, no wonder why my body is aching.
I move to open my mouth, but a putrid smell attacks my nose. Eugh. I move my hand to smell my breath against it. Meat... Sugar... Alcohol? Had I been drinking?
A furry sillhouette lies on the bed, chest heaving up and down in slow rhythm. It's Inanna. But something is different.
She's sleeping on the side of the bed closest to the floor, which is my side. That's strange. She usually hogs the whole bed by sleeping in the middle.
I peer up to see the rest of the bed behind her sleeping figure.
Everything stops when my eyes catch a glimpse of you. You stir from sleep and turn to face my side of the bed.
Your hair is as disheveled as a rat's nest. Your chest heaves and sinks as you remain in a dreamful sleep.
My heart softens at your adorable face. How cute. You look so calm. So... content. I catch your irises shifting udner your eyelids. And you sigh. I wonder what you're dreaming about?
Then, with eyes still closed, your arm reaches out before you. You hand finds its way to Inanna's fur, and your head follows its lead as your fingers burrow in her fluffiness. Then you bury your head in her fur. You take a deep inhale, and deflate with a contented sigh.
"Muri, Honey." you croak into her fur, "What time is it?"
My mouth twists with a laugh building in my throat, but I bite it back.
Oh well. So much for a blissful morning.
Inanna gets up, without any care that your limpy body plops back into the bed, face first.
An exhale escapes my nose as I smile. You must be so tired after last night.
Inanna inches towards your face and snorts a strong exhale into your face, sending your tiny hairs flying.
"Haawr." She huffs again.
(Wake up time.)
You jolt up. Your bleary eyes adjust to the dark room for a beat. I have to chew my bottom lip as I watch you peer up and look about the room. Its no different than watching a lost scraggly kitten looking for its mother.
"Oh, hi Inanna." You lie back down next to her, "Sorry I thought you were Muriel."
"Hmmff!" Inanna makes a show of turning her back to you.
(Always Muriel!)
I deadpan at her. What does she mean by that?
I lie back down and pretend I'm asleep. There's no way I'm getting caught in that.
But I keep my face hidden away, just enough to watch things unfold.
"Aw, what's wrong, my darling? What's got you in a bad mood today?"
Tiny gusts of wind blows over to my skin as something swishes against the mattress. I smile.
'Darling'. Even if she's mad at you, you always somehow get her tail wagging.
Inanna lets out a yowling yawn. Then snorts again. She lets out a chesty, sniffling exhale. As if she were about to cry.
"Hhmf."
(Nothing. It's not like you forgot anything.)
"Hm? Oh Nana. So upset."
You move in closer, even as she inches away from you, and you catch her in a comforting embrace.
"What's wrong, my baby girl? What's got my baby so upset?"
Her tail wags speed up. Is she... Does she like being called that?
I squeeze further into my hiding spot. I feel like I'm a part of a conversation I shouldn't be hearing. Still...
I clamp my hand over my smile. I'm definitely teasing her about this later.
Inanna lets out another crying snort.
(Always with Muriel!)
She snorts again. Then licks her nose.
(Never my turn.)
I deadpan at her direction. What's that supposed to mean?
Then, I hear you gasp.
"Oh! Nana." you soften at her. You bury yourself deeper into her fur.
"I'm sorry, baby. I forgot your story time."
"Awrf."
(That's right.)
"And your mad at me because I forgot, when I promised you I would, huh."
Inanna sniffles. But her tail wags faster.
(Ywes. You pwomised.)
She lets out a big snort again. Then turns to you, her brows pushed together in her glare at you.
(BUT YOU FORGOT!)
"Harmf."
(Now I'm angy. No talk.)
"Aww I'm so sorry. I actually was going to read to you last night. I was going to wake up after a short nap. But I guess it really got to me. Sorry, Nana."
"Hmff!!"
She inches away again.
"I know, that's my fault."
You both are silent for a moment.
Or so I thought. I crane my neck to catch a glimpse of you, and I see the devious smile growing on your lips as a plan forms in your mind.
"Okay, Nana, how bout this?" you say, "What if you have me the whole day?"
Inanna snorts.
(Not listening.)
"It's my fault for forgetting. So what if I take the day off and we go to the market together?"
Her ear swivels to you, but she remains resolute in "not listening".
"Theeen~" your words take on a sing-sing tone, "We can buy that bear broth crisps that I know you've been keeping your eye on."
Then, her tail starts wagging.
"Aaand, we can go to that doggy day care spa that just opened in the other district--
Her tail limps.
"So that we can go back home and I can give us both a home spa after a round of hunting."
Her tail wags come back with a vengeance, beating again the mattress like a drum. Her body twists into a cresent shape, her head craning so far back that her golden, eager eyes are behold you in excited anticipation.
"We will also be hunting squirels."
Her tail is wagging so fast she's kicking up the floor dust as everytime it beats against the bed.
She snorts.
(And?)
"I'll cook us dinner."
Inanna leans forward with anticipation.
"It'll be roasted rabbit with that sweet potato puree you like."
The two black pools that make up her irises swell and glitter at you with affection. Then, out if nowhere, she stops. Her wagging tail halts mid-air and her breathing freezes.
She's waiting for you. Waiting for one last thing before going in for the final pounce.
I catch you bite your lip. There's a smile trying to break through your expression. As if opening your mouth would release the laugh in your throat and betray the poker face you've maintained thus far.
And it does.
"A-And!!" you clear out the laugh in your throat,
"I'll read you a bedtime story."
"RWAFF RWAFF!"
(YAYYYYY!!)
I smile at the sound. For a moment, you brought out the happy, bright pup that she used to be many years ago.
I had no idea she enjoyed being pampered this much. Maybe I should've been more affectionate with her, too.
You really have a way of bringing out the best in people.
She slams her big fluffy frame against you. No matter how careful she is about it, it send you both tumbling. The laugh you've been stifling breaks through. You're giggling as her big fluffy butt wiggles against you and she covers your face in slobbery kisses.
Sometimes Inanna forgets that she's not a pup anymore. She tries to fit her whole massive frame in your embrace. You wheeze when the full force of her hind legs rests on your ribs. Ouch.
I open my mouth to tell her off, but you return her affections with your arms around her in a tight embrace, inching your body to the side so she doesn't crush you completely. You rub her back affectionately
"I love you, Nana." you mumble into her fur, "I'm really sorry. I never want you to feel neglected."
You pull back to give her a warm smile. But with the previous night of carousing and drinking, it comes off as more tired than you'd like.
Inanna whines and her ears droop at you, sensing this as well.
(I-its okay. I was just kidding)
She regards you with big, sad eyes. A mix of worry and guilt shining in them.
(I don't really need all that. I'm okay if you just want to rest together today. That's all I konda want, y'know?)
You snort, amused at her expressions.
"I know. I'm sorry again, Nana."
You reach out and wrap her in your arms once more.
"We're gonna have the best day today, I promise."
Inanna stiffens. Her golden eyes dart around, a little lost with your response, before the deflated in defeat. That's not what she meant.
My heart breaks for her a little. She forgot that you can't actually hear her.
"Oo, y'know if Muriel's already out, then maybe we can go to my place and freshen up there. And then we can have a nice breakfast before we head to the market, yeah?"
And just like that, her worries melt away and her tail is wagging again. As you lay out your plans, she peers up at you with patient, loving eyes.
I sigh in relief. Looks like the worst part if over.
"Okay, wanna go now? Maybe if we have enough time for today, we can soak in the hot springs--"
The bed shifts. I'm caught off guard when your head juts forward and you catch my eyes open before I get to close them shut.
"M-Muriel?! Have you been there this whole time?"
"...No."
I peek through my closed eyes. And you're in full view of me, staring me down with your hands on your hips.
"Muriel..."
"Mmmff." I turn away from your pointed gaze.
"Not my fault I ended up here." I mumble, "And you guys were arguing so..."
"Well yeah." you say in a softer voice than I did. I almost couldn't make it out if I didn't read your lips, a skill I learned sometime ago because I couldn't hear someone sometimes.
.... Just like what I'm doing now.
A small heat burns my cheeks. Gods, you're so...
If this morning was different--
"And Inanna."
She flinches at her name. Her head droops in apology as she avoids your gaze too.
"Did you... push him out of bed?"
Inanna shakes her head.
You stare her down, unconvinced.
Then she nods. And deflates in further guilt.
You sigh. "Geez guys, what am I going to do with you both?"
Just as Inanna thinks it's all over, you shake your head with a chuckle and beckon her to follow you.
"Alright, come on, Nana. Let's go. We gotta add a new bed to the list too."
"W-What?!"
"Yes." You deadpan at me, "No more having difficulty sleeping or being forced to sleep on the floor, okay?"
"But--"
"Nuh uh. I'm not hearing any of it." You say, "Let's go, Nana. We got a lot to do today!"
And just like that, you're out through the front door, waiting for Nana to finish up before you both leave for the day.
Inanna needs no time to get ready. But I follow her to the front door to send her off.
"Gods..." I sigh. I scratch the back of my head.
"I should really lay her back for everything at this point."
"Whorf." Inanna looks up at me.
(Sorry. For kicking you off.)
"Hm." I chuckle, "Maybe... It wouldn't be so bad to be able to fit all of us into bed."
Inanna continues to stare at me, guilt behind the big, sad golden orbs of hers.
I guess that's not what she meant.
But I have an idea of what she might mean.
I pet her fluffy head without a hint of spite or resentment. After all, it's always more than that. I don't think I want to be mad at her for something like this.
"It's alright, Nana. Really" I say, "You go have fun, okay?"
It is a joy to see her ears perk up and her mouth in an open smile. There's a spark in her eyes that hadn't been there in a long time since I first met her.
I smile back at that warmth.
"Rawrf!"
(Okay!)
And just like that, she's off. Running to your side as you both walk and talk. Your silhouettes grow small with the distance as you both are on your way back to the shop.
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