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Muriel and I unceremoniously stumble out of the portal and collapse in a heap onto the cobblestones, tangled up in each other’s limbs. We had just come back from the realms of the Arcana - the realms “beyond”, as Khamgalai had called them. I look back over my shoulder and I swear I can see a hint of Khamgalai’s warm smile next to the stoic demeanor of the Hermit.
And then the portal is gone.
We wordlessly untangle our limbs and help each other stand. After a quick survey, it appears that we’re alone on an empty street. I open my mouth to say something, but instead I can only utter an airy “oomph!” as a large, blurry form barrels into me and I’m knocked back down.
It takes a moment for my mind to catch up with what’s going on. I feel a rush of panic - are we under attack?!
“Inanna!” Muriel exclaims, and my panic dies away immediately. It is in fact Inanna, staring down at me from her spot on my chest, crushing me beneath all her muscle and fur. She stares into my eyes and licks my face repeatedly. I’ve never seen a wolf look happier. I’m afraid her tail will wag itself right off her body.
Muriel calmly lifts her off of me, ignoring her whines, and sets her down beside us. Then he helps me up again, but pauses when his gaze falls on my shirt, eyes widening. I look down too and see bloody pawprints.
“Are you alright!?” Muriel calls out and drops down to examine Inanna. Now that I look closer, I can see she’s covered in blood.
“Not hers…” Muriel says after a beat, shoulders relaxing.
“Then…whose is it?” I ask.
We take stock of our surroundings. The portal let us out at the outskirts of Vesuvia. And the city itself…
“Oh,” I say softly.
Rooftops are shattered, thick, twisting plumes of smoke rise everywhere I look, red paints the stones, viscous and slimy-looking, and there are strange shadows flitting between ruins.
“It’s so quiet,” Muriel observes. He’s right; we should be able to hear people and traffic, if not screams and panic. But we hear nothing but eerie silence.
“How long, exactly, were we on the other side?” I ask, rhetorically.
Muriel doesn’t respond, he merely looks grim.
“Khamgalai could have warned us,” he says, finally.
“I think she sort of did,” I reply.
“We need to find survivors. If anyone’s left, they’ll be at the camp.”
He’s doing a good job of hiding his panic, but I can see it in his eyes. We’re both thinking the same thing: what about our friends?
We begin heading for the forest and the temporary basecamp set up surrounding Muriel’s hut. On our way, we cut through the fields just outside the city. It would be safer than going through the city proper, or so we thought.
Beside us, Inanna starts growling low in the back of her throat and Muriel holds out an arm to stop me. Ahead of us, sprawled in the valley, is a huge basecamp, red flags fluttering in a weak breeze.
“Well, we found people, at least. And now we know where the blood on Inanna came from.” I try to manage a light chuckle, but it sounds pained instead.
“Lucio’s army,” Muriel says, eyes turning cold.
But nothing’s making any sense. Last time we saw this group, they were a disorganized rabble. Yet here they are, the smoke of dozens of campfires staining their blood-red banners.
“How long were we gone?” Muriel asks, echoing me from earlier.
“We need to find Nadia. Now.”
We rush towards the forest, keeping low and giving the army a wide berth. As we approach our camp, all is quiet. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like there are any soldiers here, yet. But all the wildlife of the forest is silent, as if they’re hiding from something terrible.
Muriel is quietly ruminating in worry beside me. I stop us both for a moment and try to reassure him.
“It’ll be okay. Nadia and Asra and everyone will be there, they’ll know what to do.”
Muriel doesn’t meet my eyes and mumbles, “I hope you’re right.”
“Hey,” I breathe. I reach up and touch his face, gently guiding him to look down at me. His eyes flutter shut briefly as I stroke his cheek with my thumb, his expression softening. When his eyes open again, they’re looking at me.“They’re smart and scrappy. They must have seen this coming. They’ll be there.”
“Yeah…okay.”
He gives me a weak smile that I match, and we continue on. When the hut finally comes into view, we notice bright campfires, hear chatter, and smell cooking meat. People murmur to one another in astonishment as we pass by. From within the crowd, I see a familiar shock of fluffy white hair.
It’s Asra!
“Is that…it is! Muriel, MC, you’re back,” Asra exclaims, rushing towards us. “Inanna, you found them - what a good girl! Nadi! They’re back!”
Someone calls out to fetch the Countess. Asra throws his arms around both of us, hugging us tightly. Muriel’s face flushes red and he squirms out of Asra’s hug.
“Wh-what are you doing?” He cries.
“Hugging you, silly! You’re alive and you’re back. I’m so relieved,” Asra laughs. There are tears in his eyes. “We were all so worried.”
“There are a lot more people here than before,” I remark. “Where did they all come from?”
“You mean…you don’t know? Muriel, MC…it’s been a week since any of us saw you. I knew you had each other, but still…it’s been a long, long week. We didn’t know when you’d be back.”
My stomach drops, and from Muriel’s expression, I can tell he’s feeling as shocked as I am. I search for words, but find none.
Just then, the crowd quiets as Nadia approaches. Portia is hot on her heel. There’s bright smiles on their faces, and when Nadia reaches us, she moves to hug us as well. This time, Muriel was prepared for it, though he still looks flustered. Asra lets out a bright laugh.
“You’re here,” Nadia breathes a sign of relief. “Perhaps it is cruel of me to keep sending you into danger. Yet you always come back…I strongly suspect that is because you have each other’s support.”
She steps back, wiping a tear from her cheek. Portia beams up at us - her eyes are glistening as well. She takes Nadia’s hand and says, “But next time, we’ll be right beside you. We’re all so glad you’re both back now, though. A lot has happened.”
Muriel untenses and slowly reaches out to rest a hand gently on Nadia’s shoulder. He addresses both women as he replies, “It’s good to see you too. I…I mean it.”
My heart swells and I can only agree. Seeing Vesuvia like that, the army in the fields…I can’t put my relief into words. Nadia must understand what I’m thinking.
“You must have seen them on your way here - Lucio’s army.” She pauses and raises her voice for all in the camp to hear. “Fear not. Prakran reinforcements are on their way, and we shall hold firm against any aggression until then.”
She turns back to us. “Now, come. We have some catching up to do.”
Nadia, Portia, and Asra lead us back through the camp to Muriel’s hut. We pass through a flurry of activity - everyone, including the older children, are preparing for battle.
Inside the hut, which is still serving as a makeshift headquarters, Julian is waiting, pouring over a pile of notes and maps. He looks up as we enter and beams at us.
“Welcome back!” he cries out, throwing up his arms in celebration.
Inanna immediately makes herself comfortable near the fire, licking herself clean. Portia makes us some hot tea, which tastes like heaven after what we’ve been through and the news we just received. Nadia’s earlier poise has slipped away, revealing exhaustion. They all look tired; even Julian is uncharacteristically quiet and reserved.
“I will admit,” Nadia begins. “The past week has been challenging for all of us. Asra said you got the better of Vulgora, but they dragged you through a portal?”
“Yes. We were stuck in the magical realms until just now,” I say.
“Well, that explains how a week flew by for us in no time for you,” Asra says. “Time moves differently there. It gets funny between realms.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Julian’s face scrunch up in distaste at the talk of the magical realms. Asra shoots him a glance, and Julian’s expression snaps to a chaste flush comically quickly.
Asra sighs, running a hand through his hair, and continues. “I waited a whole night for you to return, but when you didn’t, we had to evacuate the city.”
“Even with Vulgora gone, Lucio’s army has moved swiftly. Perhaps it will be easier if I show you…” Nadia says, directing us to the table Julian is seated at. We examine the maps and notes detailing Lucio’s army and the boundaries of our respective camps.
“That’s…a lot of mercenaries,” I say dejectedly.
“Indeed. We have done our best to disrupt their supplies and pick off stragglers where we can. However, Lucio knows the position of this encampment. We can’t exactly hide with so many refugees from Vesuvia taking shelter here. Incompetent though he is at running a city, Lucio knows his way around a battlefield. If he truly wishes to conquer nearby towns and cities, we are an obstacle to him.”
Muriel’s eyes widen at the implications of Nadia’s words.
“Then you think he’ll attack us here, in the forest.”
“Yes.” This time, Julian speaks up. “The only reason he hasn’t yet is because we have the home-terrain advantage. The topo-trump card, if you will. The…oh forget it,” he tapers off, head sinking down into his hands. He must be tired, if he’s running out of obnoxious puns. Portia pats his shoulder sympathetically.
“But Lucio won’t hold off for much longer. We think he’s ready to attack,” Asra picks up the thread.
“How much time do we have?” I ask.
“Based on our most recent reconnaissance…we have until tomorrow morning,” Nadia reports, grimly.
My heart sinks again, and I reach out for Muriel’s hand. He squeezes it in return and I can feel him shaking. All I want to do is curl up into him and sleep, stroke his hair, and listen to his heartbeat - safe from the world - but I hold firm.
“I know this is a lot to take in, you guys just got back, after all,” Portia says quietly. She moves over to Nadia, reaching up to massage the latter’s neck and shoulders. “But…”
“But we need your help, Muriel, MC,” Nadia finishes, placing her hands over Portia’s.
Muriel looks down at the map for a long moment, thinking. Then he looks to me, catching my eyes with his. My heart flutters. He holds my gaze steadily for a beat, then nods.
To my surprise, he gives Nadia a small smile before addressing her. “You…you’re a good leader. Smart and brave. The least I can do is support you.”
“Seconded!” I exclaim, taking Muriel’s hand again.
“I…Thank you, Muriel. Truly,” Nadia says, blushing lightly.
Muriel suddenly flushes much deeper, as if just realizing what he said. He looks away from Nadia quickly, returning his gaze to me. I smile warmly at him and squeeze his arm.
I’m a safe space for him when he’s uncertain, I realize, not for the first time, but it makes my heart sing nonetheless.
“A-anyways. MC and I have it handled. Right?” he asks.
I beam at Muriel and press a quick kiss to his cheek, which only makes him blush harder.
“Of course! We’re in this together.”
Nadia collapses into a chair with relief and returns to the map. The plan she lays out is simple and strong. All we need to do is hold off until the Prakran reinforcements arrive. But, she explains, the sooner we can knock Lucio out of the running, the better.
“That’s where the two of you come in,” Portia proclaims.
“We need you to challenge Lucio,” Asra says, tentatively.
“Oh, we’ll kick his ass!” I exclaim.
“That’s the spirit! Way to go, you two!” Julian calls out.
“Yes, we will. He’s gotten away with all of this…all of this death and destruction for far too long,” Muriel says, angrily. The conviction on his face…I can’t help but be a little proud. He’s come a long way from the timid man he used to be. Months ago, he would have retreated into the darkness, running away from all of this. But now…
“W-why are you all looking at me like that?” he says, surprised.
Muriel’s cheeks flush as I lean in towards him, smiling.
“MC? Hey, what are you -”
I run a hand through his hair, pulling his head down to me.
“You’re cute when you’re determined, you know?”
And then I kiss him, hard. He only jumps slightly before he melts into my touch and returns my kiss with equal passion. His hand comes up to cradle the back of my neck and warmth floods through me.
When I finally pull away, he’s adorably flustered, and everyone else is politely averting their gazes and looking at the map, though I see a definite twinkle in Asra’s eyes.
“So!” I slap my hands on my thighs, trying to get back on track. Despite my best efforts, the warmth I felt is still seated in my core. “What’s the plan, exactly?”
Nadia goes over the plan with us, with help from the others. Muriel and I are to lead the charge onto the field. As Nadia continues to explain the plan, Muriel and I steal glances with each other and subtly touch the small of each other’s backs, or place our hands on each other’s legs, seeking comfort in each other’s touch. We go over the plan several times, until Asra suggests we break for the night.
Muriel and I wander the camp for a little while, taking in the sights and sounds. He shyly talks with a few strangers as we pass by. I smile at him the whole time.
Then we see Julian sitting at a campsite with Nazali. They both wave us over enthusiastically.
“What do they want?” Muriel asks suspiciously.
I laugh, taking Muriel’s arm and reply, “Who knows? Should we go see?”
“Alright, I guess that’s okay…if you want.”
Ooh, he’s so cute when he’s flustered. And I don’t exactly want to discourage his new-found social skills. We head over to their campsite.
“Ah! The man of the hour, the myth, the legend! The -” Julian hiccups, cutting himself off.
Nazali holds up a hand and says, “You’ll have to excuse him. He’s on his…fifth? Salty Bitters.”
“Fourth, I’ll have you know! I was on a pirate ship once, this is nothing. Besides,” he grins, nudging Nazali in the ribs. “You’ve been keeping up with me pretty impressively, Dr. Satrinava.” He tries to wink, but it looks ridiculous when he’s wearing an eyepatch.
Muriel snorts,” Right. Sounds like you’re saying we should leave.”
And yet, he carefully settles down on a log next to them. Julian laughs and offers him a drink. Muriel eyes it for a moment, and then takes it, knocking it back without hesitation. He sputters, coughs, and pushes the glass away in disgust.
“I could have warned you, but it is much funnier that I didn’t!” Nazali grins.
Julian just chortles and offers another drink to me. I consider it for a moment, then take it. I keep eye contact with Julian the entire time as I drink it down as fast as I can. For a moment, all I can taste is a slight bitterness. Then a hellish sensation of burning, sour, and dirt attacks my tongue and throat. The after taste is saltwater, and I wheeze, eyes watering. Muriel knowingly rubs my back, while Julian cackles and Nazali smiles in sympathy.
“Want another?” Julian asks.
“Absolutely not,” Muriel and I answer in unison. “What is that stuff!?” I ask.
Nazali responds, fixing themself another. “I believe the story goes that the Great Gold Sparrow, Scourge of the Seventy Seas, He Who Slew the Great Beast, Destroyer of Ports, Greatest Pirate of Our Age…peed into a cup and made his enemies drink it. Thus, Salty Bitters.” The end of Nazali’s tale is punctuated by them sliding another drink to Julian.
“That…what? No. That is absolutely not how it goes!” Julian exclaims.
“How does it go, then?” Muriel surprises me by asking. He has a faintly amused look on his face.
“Well-” Julian begins. He takes a deep breath, then pauses. “I can’t quite, er, remember right now. But! Remind me to remember later, and I shall remember it right up for you.”
Muriel snorts and looks over at me expectantly, and I settle down beside him. Almost immediately, he wraps his arm around me, pointedly not looking at our company.
“So,” Nazali begins again. “Ilya here informed me that you were in ‘some scary magic hell dimension’, I believe?”
“That’s what he called it?” Muriel raises an eyebrow.
“Well? Am I wrong?” Julian challenges.
Muriel thinks about this for a moment, then shakes his head and responds, “It was…different from here, but…”
“Different?” Julian and Nazali both lean forward in the same way, and I’m struck by their similarities.
“It wasn’t terrible. I got to see someone I thought I’d lost.”
“Well then. To those we’ve loved, and those we’ve lost.” Julian smartly pours us glasses of water and raises his Salty Bitters in a toast.
After, Muriel clears his throat and slowly pulls the both of us to our feet.
“Well, we should get to bed. Goodnight.”
I look up at Muriel, slightly confused. I’m not that tired yet, but it looks like he wants to go, so I nod and smile.
“Big day tomorrow! Don’t be hungover for it, you two,” I playfully tease Julian and Nazali as we turn to leave, hand in hand.
Muriel doesn’t stop until we’re out of sight, on the edge of camp.
“Did you want to check in on Asra before we turn in?” I ask, confused about where we’re headed.
“No. There’s…something I wanted to talk to you about. I-if…you don’t mind.”
“Oh. Alright…”
He lets out a sigh of relief and leads me deeper into the forest until we reach a familiar place. It’s the clearing where the Heart of the Forest died, and it’s alive with magic. Colourful swirls of mist and light dance among the canopy of the trees, and mushrooms glow like dim lanterns along the ground. It’s alive and healing…it’s beautiful. Muriel lets go of my hand and paces around the clearing, muttering to himself and collecting flowers as he goes.
“Muriel? What’s wrong?”
He shakes his head in response, so I step forward and reach out to grab his shoulder. Suddenly, he turns around, blushing brightly.
“I love you!” he pronounces.
I stare at him blankly, my mind struggling to catch up with what he just said.
Did he just say…?
“You..? You love me?”
His blush grows even deeper, but he’s looking right at me, earnestly, and I know he’s never been more serious.
“I love you,” he confesses again, with no other explanation. He shifts back and forth, like he’s waiting for my response.
“I love you, too!” I blurt out.
“You…what?”
I step forward and press a hand against his chest, looking up at him.
“I love you,” I say more quietly, more sincerely this time.
He stares at me, speechless. He looks so handsome in the moonlight and all I want to do is kiss him all over.
“You do? Are you sure?”
“Of course I do. I think I have for a while now…Ohhh, can I just kiss you already?” I press into his space, closing the remaining distance.
“Y-you…I mean…uh…yes,” he replies, shakily.
I wrap my arms around his shoulders and kiss him harder than I ever have before. The flowers he gathered fall to the ground as he pulls me closer, closer, until he’s lifted me right off the ground and into his arms. I can feel the strength of his body supporting me, which only increases my desire. I cling even tighter and kiss him over and over, more and more deeply. His lips part for me, and we continue until we’re both breathless. Not wanting the moment to end, I kiss my way along his jaw to his neck, where I begin gently sucking at the skin there and ever so softly kneading with my teeth. He smells of pine sap, wood smoke, and of course, myrrh. My head is spinning, I feel drunk with my love for this man.
He loves me. This grumpy, pessimistic, shy, wonderful, handsome, kind, brave man loves me.
A low groan escapes his throat, rumbling beneath my lips. His hand comes up to cup the back of my head.
“MC…” he breathes.
I finally come back up for air, looking him in the eyes again. Muriel’s cheeks are flushed for other reasons now, and he stares at me in wonder.
“T-thank you,” he says awkwardly, setting me back down and gently smoothing my clothes, but his hands don’t leave me just yet.
“For what?”
“...Letting me love you.”
“That’s the easiest thing in the world, Muriel,” I tell him. I kiss his cheek, and finally step back.
Together, hand in hand once again, we head back to camp and our tent. Sleeping next to Muriel, sharing a bedroll, and generally sharing each other’s space has gotten much easier over the last few months. It feels natural, now. Even occasionally flopping on top of him to sleep doesn’t feel amiss. He’s so big, it doesn’t bother him.
We settle in, and Muriel opens his arms to me, wordlessly. He doesn’t have to say anything - I swing myself over and cuddle up against him, burying my face in his strong arms. I feel his body curl around me reflexively, his hips in line with mine. He kisses the top of my head and murmurs something sweet into my ear. But I miss what he says because I’m so content and comfortable with him, I’m drifting off to sleep before I can help myself.
The next morning, the battle takes place. It’s quick and messy. Our friends and the refugees fight side-by-side, sharing courage and determination. We’re all driven by a common goal: we can’t let Lucio win. Nadia’s speech before the battle was rousing, finishing with an unforgettable final remark.
“So go out there, and show Lucio how real Vesuvians party!”
Muriel and I take off for the fields, ducking through the forest with our small guard. We pass Asra and Julian, who are fighting together as a pretty impressive team, despite their constant bickering and banter. Like an old married couple, I realize.
Asra shoots fireballs and spears of ice, which rocket past Julian and strike their target. Meanwhile, Julian is surprisingly acrobatic, kicking legs out from under soldiers and dispatching them once they’ve fallen. In a break in the fighting, Julian turns back to Asra with a huge goofy grin on his face, full of pride. But before he can say anything, Asra grabs him by the collar and I think he’s about to reprimand Julian for getting in the way of his magical attacks. Instead, Asra plants a messy, passionate kiss right on his mouth. Julian splutters for a second, before wrapping his arms around Asra’s waist and lifting him slightly. Just then, more soldiers enter the clearing.
“Hey, lovebirds! Heads up!” I call out to them. They look up just in time to spring back into the fight, while looking mildly embarrassed to have been caught kissing.
“Idiots,” Muriel mutters, exasperated. But he’s got a little smile on his face.
I can’t help but laugh as we continue on. Asra and Julian’s energy bolsters my own. We round another path and run right into -
“Inanna!” Muriel shouts.
She’s howling and snarling, bounding over fallen logs. And surprising us both, Volta is riding on her back! But behind them, mercenaries are closing in. Muriel and I spring into action immediately, guiding Inanna away and towards a hidden pit-trap. Inanna must know it’s there, because at the last second, she veers off and ducks out of sight. The soldiers that were hot on our heels are charging too fast to realize what’s happening. They tumble down, down, into the deep pit. Trapped!
Inanna trots back into the clearing, and Volta slides off her back. Muriel checks the wolf over and looks satisfied.
“Oh! Ooh, thank you! You saved Volta and all her new friends!” Volta exclaims.
“Um, all your new friends?” I question her.
“Oh yes!” Volta lifts her arms and an entire nest of squirrels and chipmunks poke their heads out of her collar and sleeves, chittering. “They share their acorns with me, so I must protect them!”
Muriel and I are dumbstruck, but we have to continue on. As we head towards the fields, I turn to ask Muriel, “Will Inanna be okay?”
“Yeah. She’s smart and fast. She survived a hard life before we met, she knows how to handle herself. And if things get too…rowdy…she’ll retreat. I trust her.”
Reassured, I hurry onward, out of the forest, and right onto the bloody battlefield. Our goal is to get to Lucio, so we plunge forward, searching for him. Muriel catches spears and snaps them in half, ducking and weaving past soldiers. I’m right beside him, weaving spells and firing magic arrows. Together, we’re unstoppable.
But, just as we’re about to be pinched between two groups of mercenaries, the Prakran reinforcements arrive and come to our rescue. But there’s no time to celebrate. We head for the enemy’s basecamp and to Lucio.
But he’s not there when we arrive. He escaped, and I would bet he’s headed to Vesuvia. Muriel swears under his breath. We won today. The forest is safe, and so are the refugees. But Lucio is still out there, and if he makes it to the city…
“Muriel! MC, you’re safe!” Asra calls out to us as we reenter our camp.
Julian waves at us from behind Asra, and Volta beams at us from a pile of foraged berries. Nadia and Portia are there to greet us, too. I also see Nadia’s family chatting amongst themselves further into the camp. Even Valerius is present and accounted for. I’m so relieved they’re all safe.
“Go, get some rest. You’ve earned it, both of you,” Nadia tells us. I open my mouth to protest, but she holds up a hand, stopping me. “No buts. We’re all going to do the same. Thanks to you, we’re safe here now and can afford to take the night off. We’ll debrief and regroup tomorrow. Now, go on!”
Muriel and I exchange a glance. Can’t argue with that, can we? We head back to our tent, and once we’re there, I realize it’s just me and Muriel. Finally - some peace and quiet. But my heart is still racing, adrenaline running through my veins.
“It’s over,” I whisper, collapsing onto our bedroll.
“It’s over,” Muriel agrees, moving to lay down beside me. He pauses, cheeks suddenly flushing again and I realize at the same time - this is the first time we’ve been alone, properly, since last night. Since…
I lightly rest my hand on his, and he squeezes my fingers.
“So…” I begin, teasingly. I can’t stand the silence between us anymore. “Still love me?”
Muriel looks taken aback for a beat, then throws his head back in a startled laugh,“Yes!”
The humour fades from his eyes as he turns back to me. He takes my hand in one of his, my face in the other, and says, “Always, MC. Always and forever. I’ve learned to stop doubting you. It always just makes me look foolish when you prove me wrong.” He leans forward to kiss me, lightly.
“Finally! I’m always right, you know,” I say with a wink.
Muriel’s mouth twists into another smile and he replies, sincerely, “Yes, you are.”
Now it’s my turn to blush and splutter,“Wait, i-it was a joke! You aren’t supposed to agree with that!”
“Well, I do.”
Muriel flops back against the bedroll, grinning. He visibly relaxes, letting out a relieved sigh.
“Hang on, you’re going to bed fully dressed?” I ask playfully.
“I always do…” he begins. Then he catches my eye and gets flustered.
“Let me help you with that.” I settle down beside him and start unlatching his cloak, gently placing it aside.
“I-I know how to undress myself!”
“Really? Because it looks to me like you had no intentions of doing that.”
His face blushes even deeper, but he slowly sits up, watching me. He makes no indication that he wants me to stop, in fact, he leans in a bit closer. If he were frozen like a frightened deer, or he pulled away, I would stop…but he merely looks intrigued. And he’s still staring right at me, not saying a word. His gaze is steady.
Next, I go for his boots. One at a time, I slip them off and set them outside the tent with my own.
“Are - are you done yet?” he asks.
“Not quite. Do you always wear a full outfit like this to bed?”
“I used to.”
“Muriel!”
He scratches the back of his head sheepishly, but there’s a smile dancing on his lips.
“I didn’t see the point, but…” He looks back at me with what I can only describe as wonder. “I do, now.”
My cheeks flush in response. We’ve both gotten so used to the other in the last couple months, but being with him like this still makes my heart soar. I’m reminded again of how far we’ve both come since we met. Well, reunited, I guess. He hasn’t shied away from my touch in a long time. In fact, he initiates them now, too.
He leans forward, gaze now fixed on my lips. I know he’s trying to distract me, but I can’t help myself. I kiss him first, sliding right into his lap.
He lets out a surprised, muffled grunt and melts right into the kiss like he always does. His lips part for me readily. I tangle a hand in his hair, scraping my nails lightly along his spine, and he leans further into my space. Our space, now.
“MC, I -”
Snap.
I pop one of his buttons open, grinning in victory as I pull away from the kiss. The look on Muriel’s face looks a lot like a pout. Yep, he's pouting.
“That’s not playing fair,” he says.
“Yeah, well. Neither is trying to distract me,” I tease.
He lets out an exasperated laugh, and lets me finish unbuttoning his shirt. I carefully slide it off his arms and fold it neatly. I feel the heat of his gaze, watching me intensely as I do so. A thrill races up my spine as I sit back to survey my work. His broad chest is slowly rising and falling with even breaths, skin gleaming in the moonlight filtering into our tent. I’m briefly mesmerised.
And now, there’s only one piece of clothing left… We both glance down at his pants.
After an awkward moment, he says, “I’m wearing underclothes!”
“I-I wasn’t sure!”
“W-why wouldn’t you be sure?!”
“I-I don’t know, we haven’t been able to do our laundry in a couple days, I thought…I’m sorry!”
“I’ve been washing them when I have a bath. Wait…”
He looks dubiously down at my own waist, then back up at me, cocking an eyebrow in accusation. I’m blushing harder than I ever have, and I scramble for words.
“No, it’s not what you think! I-I-I….oh, nevermind.”
We both pause, then burst into laughter at the absurdity of the situation. I should be mortified at my slip-up, but I’m not. Because Muriel makes me feel at ease, no matter what’s going on.
“Maybe we should ask Nadia for some pajamas, tomorrow,” I suggest.
“...I don’t mind.”
“You don’t mind what?”
“...Anything. If…if it’s with you.” He meets my eyes again, cheeks flushed. But he’s calm as he regards me.
“Oh,” is all I can manage for a minute.
Oh…
“I don’t mind, either,” I finally say, edging closer to him again. He leans in, too, and our lips meet once more.
When we break apart, he regards me and stammers, “I could just…take them - my pants, I mean - off myself…but…um…I think…I think I…want you to. Is-is that okay?”
I think my face and ears are actually on fire now.
“Oh! Ah, yes of course. I really like it when you ask me for things that you want, Muriel,” I reassure him.
“I-I like it, too. You know, when you ask me for things that you want, too.”
I beam at him and press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. Gods, I love this man!
“I know, and I’m glad. Then…maybe while I help you with these,” I gesture to his pants, “You can help me with my clothes?”
“Alright.” He smiles at me warmly, and leans forward to kiss me while we help each other undress.
I feel his warm hands begin unlacing and unbuttoning my clothes, gently and surprisingly deftly peeling the layers off. Meanwhile, not wanting to reach out blindly and grab something I don’t mean to, I press my hands against his chest, and slowly slide my fingers down over his abs, past his belly button, until they reach the waist of his pants. Then, I carefully feel for the buttons and undo them - all four.
My pants are all that’s left now too, so we slowly get to our knees, still not breaking our kiss. I gently pull the waistband of his over his hips and down. He does the same for me, and I wiggle a bit as he carefully works my tighter-fitting pants over my upper thighs. He giggles a bit at this against my lips.
Finally, our pants are discarded, all that’s left are our small clothes. We break apart and regard each other, flushed for several reasons. Muriel seems stunned as his eyes glide over my mostly-bare skin. I shiver a bit, both from his gaze and the cool night air, and Muriel notices immediately. He pulls me towards him and wraps his arms around me.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“Yeah,” I breathe. “More than okay. Are you?”
“Yeah,” he agrees, smiling. “But, um…what now?”
I realize he doesn’t want to stop, but he’s looking for guidance. And consent. My heart flutters in anticipation, giddiness rising in my stomach. I decide to list the options, just in case.
“Well, we could…keep going and take off the rest. Or, we could stop now and get some sleep. What would you prefer?”
“W-what happens if we…keep going,” he asks, looking as flushed as I feel.
“We don’t have to do anything. But we could…be together. M-make love. I would like that, if you want to,” I say, stumbling a little on the words, but trying to impress that there’s no pressure. I do want this, but more than anything in the world, I want Muriel to be comfortable.
This could be so much more embarrassing or awkward, but it’s not. Muriel doesn’t panic as I say these words, instead he leans in towards me again.
“I think…I would like that. It feels…right. I…want to be with you tonight. Besides, we have no idea what’s coming tomorrow and - w-wait! That’s not the only reason why though…”
I
smile at him, placing my hand on his face. “It’s okay, Muriel. I understand and I couldn’t agree more.”
We meet again in a kiss, but this time it’s different. There’s more passion, more hunger. Our hands move faster this time, roaming all over. Wherever Muriel touches my skin, it feels like it burns - in the best way possible. Our small clothes are gone now, leaving us truly bare for the first time in each other’s presence. We break apart for air, and our eyes are locked.
I reach out and take Muriel’s hands in my own, deliberately placing one over my chest and one just above my backside.
“You don’t have to ask permission anymore,” I tell him. “You can touch me however you would like. I want that.”
A low sound escapes Muriel’s throat and his eyes flutter. His whole body relaxes notably, including his hands. He leans back in to gather me towards his body and presses his face into my neck, kissing and sucking there.
I can feel his firm, strong body beneath mine. I can feel his heart pounding. I can feel his mouth on my neck and earlobe. I moan lightly, which seems to spur Muriel on, delighting me.
“I-I want that too,” he tells me, breathlessly.
So I do. I roll onto my back and pull him down with me, feeling him all over. I scrunch my hands up in his hair, lightly drag my nails down his spine, I cup his backside with both hands - it’s just as firm and wonderful as I’ve been picturing - and pull his hips towards mine, angling mine upwards. He starts lightly, but quickly melts back into my touch, moaning softly.
I shift my legs and just as I feel his hardness graze my thigh, he pulls back suddenly.
“-Ah!”
“Oh, Muriel, are you okay? Did I do something wrong?” I ask quickly.
“No. N-no, it’s not that it’s just. I…I think you should know that I…I haven’t done this before. Any of this. It’s my first time,” he admits slowly, looking away from me.
I smile up at him and laugh lightly, “That’s okay! It’s my first time, too, you know.”
“I-it is?” His eyes snap back to mine.
“Well, as far as I can remember. You know, since…then,” I murmur. He nods in understanding, brushing some hair away from my eyes and stroking my cheek. I continue, “And just so you know, I think you’re doing amazing so far.”
“Thanks. I think you are, too…I love you, MC,” he says.
“I love you, too!”
“Do you want to keep going?” he asks after a beat, a little eagerly. So cute!
“Yeah, I do. Please.”
“Me too.” He smiles and dips down again to kiss me.
This time, I guide his hands lower. He allows me to place his large fingers, rough with callouses from years of hard labour, between my legs. I feel more than hear his sharp intake of breath against my lips and mirror it as he takes over the touch. It’s a little clumsy at first, but then he finds a comfortable rhythm. Heat and desire build and build in my core.
I wait, patiently, for him to return the guidance, not wanting to simply reach out with grabby hands. He remains distracted by our kisses and how he’s touching me for a few moments, but then takes one of my hands in his own and guides it down his own body until we reach his pubic bone. He leaves my hand there, patting it lightly in consent and I struggle not to giggle against his mouth.
I control my laughter, and slide my hand through the soft, curly hair there and suddenly get an idea.
“Muriel? Can we trade places?”
He nods, and wordlessly flips us over. Now I’m looking down at him, gazing into his gorgeous green eyes. He’s looking up at me with such vulnerable wonder and admiration, and I feel my own eyes well with happy tears. Before he notices, I dip my head down towards his crotch.
“H-hey! What are you doing?” he exclaims.
“It’s alright, I’ll be gentle,” I say reassuringly, patting his stomach like he patted my hand. We both giggle this time. “Is this okay?”
“Y-yeah.”
“Tell me to stop if you want,” I instruct, and trust him to do so. Then, I carry on with my plan.
I properly take in the full length and size of him for the first time. I knew he’d be big - the man is 6’10” so it’s just basic proportionate anatomy. But…
“Wow,” I breathe, looking back up at his face. “Nice work.”
He splutters, flustered. “W-what?! I don’t have any control over…c’mon MC.”
I laugh, and he laughs too. Then, I turn my attention back downwards and slowly, carefully, place my hand around his shaft. I hear his sharp intake of breath and pause, waiting for him to tell me to stop. But he doesn’t, so I move my hand a little, pulling back the soft-looking skin. I glance up to his face to find him watching me intently. There’s a silent question in my eyes, and he nods slowly.
I take him into my mouth and slowly, gently begin working my lips and tongue over the top portion, using my hands for the rest.
His body goes completely stiff and he whimpers. I look up to find his head thrown back and mouth slightly open. I continue for a few minutes until he’s shaking. Not wanting to overwhelm him, I stop and climb back up to be level with his face.
“Hey,” I say softly. “How are you?”
He lifts his head and meets my eyes with such emotion that I feel my throat clench.
“I’m…” he starts. “I’m really good. I didn’t…didn’t know I could feel like this. Feel so…good.”
“You deserve it, Muriel. You deserve all the pleasure in the world. And I want to give it to you, if you’ll allow me.”
He nods, swallowing hard. “Only if…you let me do the same for you. Cause you deserve it, too, MC. You deserve everything.”
I hide the tears in my eyes by kissing him, hard. As we kiss, he flips me over again and asks, “Can I?”
I know what he’s asking, but all I can do is nod. He slides down and surprises me by dipping his face down between my legs without hesitation. I feel his mouth on me a moment later, and jump. He pulls back immediately, but I quickly reassure him that I’m alright.
“Please keep going,” I plead.
And he does. Again, it takes him a few moments to find a good rhythm, but when he does, I’m left gasping. I’m amazed that we can find such a good physical connection and find our sync so quickly, given that this is our first time together - or at all. But this just reminds me once again that we’re made for each other.
He continues for a bit longer, his tongue lapping over just the right place, his hand moving in tandem. I’m writhing beneath his touch, and I gasp out his name. I reach for his hair, and tug on it a bit.
“M-Muriel. I-I want you now, please,” I ask.
He moves back up to be level with my face, slight confusion in his expression.
“W-what do you mean?”
I reach down with my hands and guide his hips and throbbing shaft between my legs, trying to show rather than tell. I can tell he gets my meaning by the way his eyelids droop and the low moan that escapes his mouth. But he reaches out, stopping me.
“Wait, I think you should be…uh, on top,” he says, flipping us once more. “S-so you can have, you know, more control of how, ah, deep…oh gods.” He laughs at his own inability to get the words out.
“You’re right,” I chuckle lightly. “This will be easier for both of us. Can you help me out?” I gesture down between my legs.
He smiles up at me and, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, presents two of his fingers. I think, if I let him, he would enjoy being in control of the whole situation. But for now, we’re an equal team. Still, I bend my neck and take his fingers into my mouth seductively. I keep my eyes locked with his.
When they’re sufficiently slick, he pulls his hand back and directs my lips to his. As he does, his now-wet fingers find the heat between my legs and ever-so-gently begin to massage and open me. When I’m ready, I position myself above him.
“Ready?” I ask.
“Yes,” he breathes out.
He takes my hips with both of his strong hands, helping me ease down onto him. I use my hand to guide his shaft. We make slow progress at first, and I wince in slight discomfort.
Muriel looks a bit panicked.
“Are you okay? We can stop!”
“No, no, I’m great,” I reassure him.
And I mean it. I dip my head down for another heated kiss. He relaxes against my mouth and before we know it, I’ve slid down onto him. Not all the way, but almost.
He whimpers and gasps, clutching at my back and hair and I can’t help but gasp as well. Then, slowly, ever so slowly, I begin to rock my hips. Instinctively, his hips move forward and back with mine and my head spins with pleasure. I grind down on him a bit harder, a bit faster, and his whimpers increase in volume. His hand slips down between my legs and I nearly shout.
“You’re amazing, Muriel. I love you so much,” I pant.
“Ah - MC. I love you. Ahh - I love you. I love you!”
It’s like we were made to do this. I pick up the pace, and Muriel’s hips buck in time with mine.
Muriel makes a choked sound and I look down to make sure he’s okay, and when I do, our eyes lock. I see that his skin is flushed and sweaty, and his breaths are coming quickly. I’m sure I match him perfectly.
“
Muriel…you’re doing so well.”
“MC…I-I…oh…MC - Ahhhh - !”
His head snaps forward and his eyes roll back slightly. He abruptly stops moving and I feel his entire body stiffen beneath me. Inside me, I feel pulsing and warmth. The understanding of what’s happening crashes into me, and I’m sent over the edge, too. His pleasure is my pleasure, and vice versa.
We collapse against each other, still panting. Muriel withdraws and looks down, concern etching his handsome features.
“I’m sorry, MC, I didn’t mean to…do it like that,” he says quietly.
“Oh, my love, you have nothing to apologize for. Everything’s okay. Everything’s amazing, in fact.”
He smiles at me, and we share one more kiss before helping each other clean up. Finally, letting the cool night air soothe our overheating bodies, we curl up together to sleep. I don’t think either of us has ever been this happy.
“T-that was…um. Can we do that again soon?” Muriel asks, sleepily. His voice is muffled against my hair.
I laugh and snuggle against him even closer.
“Absolutely.”
The following morning is a harsh snap back to reality. All I want to do is bask in the honeymoon glow that Muriel and I are both experiencing today and climb on top of him again, but there’s too much to do. We allow ourselves a few extra minutes of kissing and whispered promises before we finally get dressed and get up.
We try to keep our feelings and giddiness under wraps and I think we do a pretty good job. The touches and glances we exchange aren’t more than normal. But nonetheless, I think Asra can sense what’s up. He’s far too intuitive for my liking. Every time I look over, he’s smirking that cat-like smile at both of us. At one point I have to bite back the urge to ask him how sharing a tent with Julian is going, but I know that would give me more trouble than satisfaction.
The next few days are a blur. Our rag-tag army plans to lay siege to the city and flush Lucio out by the end of the week. We’re so busy preparing, Muriel and I hardly have any time to ourselves during the day. In the evenings, we catch up on missed meals and enjoy spending time around the campfire with our friends.
But when full darkness finally falls and we retreat back to our tent…we spend plenty of time eagerly exploring each other’s bodies and learning what pleasures we can elicit from the other. Every night before we fall asleep is bliss. I feel so lucky we get this time together amongst all the chaos.
There are no more hesitations with undressing. And we certainly have no need for pajamas.