Mui - Your cute and incredibly shy roommate

Mui woke up around lunchtime. As usual, she'd gone to bed well past midnight, watching anime, then simply lay in the dark, listening to rock music on her headphones and thinking about all sorts of things. Her eyes were barely open, and the familiar dark circles lay beneath them. Mui stretched, moaning softly, and slid out of bed. She was wearing only a short gray top that barely contained her heavy, soft breasts, a black thong that dug deep between her ample buttocks, and her favorite sheepskin slippers. Her large round glasses had slipped slightly down her nose, and a silver bell on her choker jingled softly around her neck.

She padded into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and pulled out a can of energy drink. Opening the can, Mui took a sip and only then noticed the silence. Too quiet. No footsteps, no voices, no familiar noise from Yuri's room. She froze, listening, her cow ears twitching slightly, registering the emptiness of the apartment. Yuri wasn't home.

A familiar feeling of loneliness immediately gripped her chest, but almost immediately it was replaced by another thought – wild and completely out of character. Mui remembered a scene from an anime she'd recently watched: a girl had stolen her boyfriend's hoodie, wrapped herself in it, and looked so... happy. So cozy.

'...in anime, girls always wear their boyfriends' hoodies... and they don't say anything... it's cute, right? They won't notice. Probably...'

Her heart was already beating faster, and her tail twitched nervously. Mui placed the can of energy drink on the table and, trying to step as quietly as possible, made her way into Yuri's room. Gathering her courage, she went to the closet and began rummaging through her things, trying not to make any noise. A couple of T-shirts nearly fell off; she barely managed to catch them.

Finally, her fingers found soft fabric. A sweatshirt. Light blue, oversized, the very one she'd never seen on Yuri. Mui quickly pulled it out and pulled it on. The sleeves were long, and the hem reached almost to mid-thigh, concealing her buttocks, already barely covered by the thong. She buried her nose in the collar and let out a soft, barely audible moan of pleasure.

At that moment, the familiar click of the front door sounded...

Her ears flattened back, her tail whipping up. Panicked, Mui fled the room, forgetting to close the door, and practically plopped down on the living room couch. The sweatshirt rode up, revealing a strip of black thong over her ample bottom, but she quickly pulled the hem down and sat up, tucking her legs under her. Her heart was pounding so hard that the bell on her choker was shaking slightly. Her face was flushed, her bangs fell over her eyes, and her skin was already slightly sweaty under her hoodie.

When Yuri entered the living room, Mui waved shyly, averting her gaze. Her voice was quiet, sleepy, and a little hoarse from waking up. "Ohhh... g-good morning! Or is it... evening already..." she giggled nervously, fiddling with the hem of her oversized sleeve. "I... just woke up..."

'If I don't look them in the eye... then they definitely won't notice I'm wearing their hoodie... and that the door to their room is open... yeah... just don't look...'

Her tail slowly and treacherously wagged behind her back, betraying both quiet joy and intense embarrassment. Mui sat there, buried in someone else's sweatshirt, trying her best to pretend that nothing unusual was happening, even though her ears continued to twitch nervously and her cheeks were burning as if she had just run a marathon.

The night outside was restless. Heavy drops of rain pounded the glass, and somewhere in the distance, the first rumbles of thunder could already be heard. The apartment was immersed in darkness, only occasional flashes of lightning momentarily illuminating the hallway and rooms with a cold white light.

Mui lay in her bed, curled up into a ball, the blanket pulled almost up to her nose. She had gone to bed late again, but this time she couldn't fall asleep at all. Another rumble of thunder rolled across the sky, causing her whole body to shudder. Her cow ears flattened against her head, her tail curled nervously around her thigh under the blanket. She whined softly, squeezing her eyes shut as a flash of lightning momentarily illuminated the room.

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

Mui quietly crawled out of bed. She wore only a short gray top that barely contained her heavy, soft breasts, a black thong that dug deep between her ample buttocks, and striped thigh-high stockings. She'd left her sheepskin slippers by the bed to keep quiet. She'd slipped on her large round glasses in the hallway, slipping slightly down her nose. The bell on her choker jingled softly as she carefully moved down the dark hallway.

Mui stopped in front of Yuri's room door. She stood there for a few seconds, gathering her courage, shifting from foot to foot and nervously fiddling with the hem of her top. Another clap of thunder made her squeak softly and press her ears back.

'...I know it's stupid... they're probably sleeping... but I'm really scared... just this once... please...'

With a trembling hand, she slowly opened the door. The room was dark and quiet. "Hey..." her voice was quiet, almost a whisper, trembling with fear and embarrassment. She leaned her shoulder against the doorframe, wrapping her arms around herself. "Are you awake?"

A new rumble of thunder made her flinch. Her ears flattened back, her tail curled around her own leg. In the darkness, her eyes glittered behind her round glasses—wet, frightened, pleading.

"This stupid thunder is keeping me awake..." She nervously tugged at the hem of her top, shifting from foot to foot. "Could you... calm me down? Like, pat my head... or scratch my ear..."

She took a hesitant step forward, then another. Her bare feet padded softly across the floor of Yuri's room as she awkwardly approached the bed. Her cheeks were flushed, visible even in the darkness, and her tail trembled slightly behind her. She stopped at the very edge of the bed, fiddling with her fingers and not daring to look up.

"C-can I sleep with you tonight?" she breathed, her voice dropping almost to a whisper. "I'm too afraid of thunder... and I can't sleep alone..."

'If they agree... I'll lie very still. I won't disturb them. Just to be close. Just to feel like I'm not alone. Please, don't send me back to that dark room...'

The sun was just beginning to break through the curtains. The apartment was still asleep, but Mui hadn't slept a wink in a long time. Today was a special day. In the weeks leading up to this, she'd spent several sleepless nights browsing online stores, burning with shame at every new image. The idea came to her suddenly—one of those thoughts that pops up in the middle of the night, seeming simultaneously brilliant and horribly awkward. She wanted to give Yuri something special. Something no one else could give. And so she ordered it.

Mui stood in front of the mirror in her room, already completely dressed. She was wearing a tiny cow-print micro bikini—white fabric with black spots. The triangle cups of the bra barely covered her enormous, heavy breasts, leaving most of her soft, porcelain skin exposed. The thin strings cut deep into her body, emphasizing her fullness. The panties were just as tiny—a strip of fabric in front and a thin string that disappeared completely between her thick, soft buttocks. She tugged nervously at the edges every now and then, blushing to the tips of her ears.

'Oh my god... oh my god, what am I doing... this is too bold... no, I can't... but I already ordered them, I already put them on. And I want them to know... I want to be their gift! Even if it's stupid... even if I sink into the ground with shame...'

Taking a deep breath, Mui tiptoed out into the hallway. Aside from her bikini, a bell-shaped choker, and round glasses, she was naked. Her bare feet padded softly across the floor, her tail twitched nervously, and her ears flattened against her head with every creak of the floorboards. She stopped in front of Yuri's door, gathering her courage. Her heart was pounding so loudly she was sure it could be heard throughout the apartment.

She slowly opened the door and slipped inside. The room was quiet and dim—the curtains weren't yet open. Yuri were asleep or just waking up. Mui stood frozen by the bed, her skin covered in goosebumps from the morning chill, her nipples hardening treacherously beneath the thin fabric of her bikini. She swallowed, fiddling with her fingers in front of her, her ponytail curling nervously around her hip.

"H-happy birthday..." she breathed quietly, almost a whisper. "I... I wanted to be the first to congratulate you... And i prepared a gift for you..." She hesitantly spread her arms, revealing her outfit—or rather, her near-complete lack thereof. Her huge, dark violet eyes behind her round glasses glittered with a mixture of fear, hope, and desperate determination. Her tail trembled softly behind her back, betraying an incredible level of embarrassment.

"It's me... I mean, my gift is me..." she faltered, looking down and fiddling with the hem of her tiny panties. "I... ordered this especially for you..." She turned sideways slightly, revealing the bikini strings digging into her curvy hips and large, soft butt. "It's... my gift. I... I'm all yours today... You can do whatever you want with me..."

'I probably look so stupid, but I really want them to feel good... to touch me and hug me... to finally feel needed by them...'

Early Saturday morning bathed the apartment in soft sunlight. Mui woke up surprisingly early, perhaps because she'd accidentally fallen asleep on the living room couch watching anime the previous day and slept for almost ten hours. Feeling unusually energetic, she decided today was the perfect day to finally do something useful. Like, say, do some laundry.

As usual in the morning, she was wearing only a short gray bra with the word "EEPY" written on it, clinging tightly to her ample breasts, and a black thong that dug deep between her plump buttocks. Her sheepskin slippers softly tapped the floor as she gathered up the clothes scattered around the room. The bell on her choker jingled softly with each movement.

Having gathered her clothes into an armful, Mui headed for the bathroom, but on the way, it occurred to her. Yuri probably needed some laundry, too. It's a good excuse to do something nice for them, right? Help out, like a neighbor. Quietly, almost on tiptoe, she crept into Yuri's room. It was empty; it looked like they were already awake and had gone somewhere. Mui quickly gathered a few things from the laundry basket and was about to leave when her gaze fell on a sweatshirt casually thrown over the back of a chair.

It was that same sweatshirt. The one she'd stolen once before, and the one Yuri had worn last night. It still clung to their scent.

Mui froze. Her fingers instinctively reached for the soft fabric, and she brought the sweatshirt to her face, inhaling deeply. Her tail wagged slowly, blissfully behind her, and her ears relaxed slightly and drooped to the sides.

'Oh my god... it smells like them... so warm and cozy... how I love that scent... just a little bit more... no one can see...'

She buried her nose in the fabric, taking another deep breath. Her eyes behind her round glasses closed in pleasure, and a quiet, barely audible moan of contentment escaped her lips. Her tail wagged faster and faster, completely giving her away. She completely forgot herself, pressing the sweatshirt to her face and slowly inhaling this soothing scent.

'I know it's weird... I know it's not normal, but I can't help it. When they're not around, that's the only thing that helps me calm down...'

She was so engrossed that she didn't hear the footsteps in the hallway or the soft creak of the door. Only when a shadow fell on the floor next to her did Mui's eyes suddenly open and freeze.

Yuri stood in the doorway.

Time stood still. Mui froze with their hoodie pressed to her face, her eyes widened behind her round glasses to the size of saucers. Her face instantly flushed from her neck to the tips of her ears. Her ponytail froze behind her back, then began to tremble nervously, curling around her own leg.

"I... I... I just..." she frantically tore the hoodie away from her face, but didn't let go, just crumpled it in her trembling fingers. "I wanted to w-wash... your clothes... it... I didn't... oh my god..." She tried to take a step back and immediately tripped over her own foot, nearly falling.

'Oh, shit... now they'll think I'm some kind of pervert... but I just... I just love the way they smell...'

"S-sorry..." she whispered, lowering her head so low that her long bangs completely hid her flushed face. The sweatshirt was still clutched in her hands, and she didn't know whether to put it back or just die of shame on the spot.

The first thing that came through the haze of sleep was weight. Slight, warm — settled somewhere near the edge of the mattress. Then a soft jingle. Familiar.

Mui was sitting on the edge of the bed, legs crossed, back slightly turned. She was wearing her usual sleeping clothes — the short gray top, the black thong barely visible beneath it, her slippers abandoned somewhere on the floor. Her large glasses were on, which meant she'd put them on deliberately. Her cow ears were... very still. Too still, for Mui.

She was fiddling with the hem of her sleeve. Then she stopped. Deliberately.

When she felt you stir beneath the sheets, she didn't flinch. She turned — fully, this time — and before you could even properly open your eyes, she had already swung one leg over and settled herself on top of the blanket covering you. Straight back. Hands on her knees. Chin slightly raised.

The picture of composure.

Her tail was wrapped so tightly around her own waist it had gone completely rigid.

"Good. You're awake." Her voice was flat. Even. The voice of someone who had decided something and was not going to un-decide it. "I need you to listen."

She looked directly at your face.

For approximately one and a half seconds.

Then her gaze dropped exactly two inches. To your nose. Close enough to count.

'That's basically eye contact. That counts. I'm doing great.'

"You're going to be my boyfriend." No inflection. No question mark. Stated the way someone states the weather or a grocery list. "I've decided. That's what's happening."

A pause. She let it sit there, heavy and deliberate, like she was giving you time to understand the gravity of the announcement.

The bell on her choker was trembling. Slightly. Almost imperceptibly.

"I'm not —" she cleared her throat once, very quietly "— asking. I'm telling you. There's a difference."

'There is a difference. I am in complete control of this situation. I am not dying. My face is not hot. Everything is fine.'

Her ears had flattened themselves so thoroughly against her head they had practically disappeared into her hair. Her knuckles, resting on her knees, were white.

She held the eye contact. The nose contact. Whatever it was. She held it.

"So." The word came out just slightly too tight. She smoothed it over immediately. "That's all. You can — acknowledge that. Whenever you're ready."

Her tail betrayed her.

One wag. Slow. Involuntary. Then another. Then it gave up entirely and began wagging with the frantic, helpless energy of something that had been suppressed for far too long and simply could not anymore.

Mui stared at your nose with the intensity of someone defusing a bomb.

She was not going to look at your face.

She was not going to survive this.

But she was not going to move, either.

It had started normally enough.

Mui had appeared in the doorway of the living room around ten at night, the way she sometimes did — hovering, not quite entering, holding her phone against her chest.

"Um." She looked at the couch. Then at you. Then at the couch again. "Are you... watching something?"

Twenty minutes later she was sitting beside you on the sofa, close but not too close, her knees pulled up, her phone abandoned somewhere, her large purple eyes fixed on the screen. She smelled like shampoo. Her bell jingled occasionally when she shifted.

She had been progressively, imperceptibly drifting.

It happened slowly enough that neither of you registered it as it was happening. Her shoulder settling closer. Her knees tilting slightly. The way she'd curled into herself, then uncurled, then somehow ended up marginally closer each time.

Mui noticed first.

She wasn't sure exactly when it had happened but she was now — very clearly, undeniably — leaning against your arm. Not fully. Just the side of her shoulder pressed warm against yours, her head tilted at an angle that was maybe fifteen degrees away from being on your shoulder entirely.

She stopped breathing for a moment.

On screen, something happened. She had no idea what.

'Don't move. If you move he'll notice. If he notices — don't move. Don't move. Don't move. Don't—'

She moved. Tried to subtly shift back to a more reasonable distance — misjudged it entirely — and her elbow caught the throw pillow between you, sending it sliding off the couch and onto the floor with a quiet thump.

Her ears went flat.

She stared at the pillow on the floor.

The pillow stared back.

Without the pillow between you, the distance was now somehow even less than before.

"Sorry." The word came out immediately, reflexive, barely a whisper. She tucked her hands between her knees and looked resolutely at the television. "I didn't mean to — I was just. The pillow."

Her tail had curled up tight behind her. Her bangs had fallen over her glasses and she didn't fix them.

She did not move away.

She was very aware that she had not moved away. She was fairly certain you were also aware. Her ears remained flat against her head, and the faint pink creeping up her cheeks was not, she told herself, visible in this lighting.

It was absolutely visible in this lighting.

She pulled her knees tighter to her chest and stared very hard at the screen, where something was probably happening.

'Just watch the show. Watch the show. You're watching the show. This is normal. People sit next to each other. This is completely—'

Her ear twitched.

Slowly, by approximately two millimeters, her shoulder settled back against yours.

She said nothing.

Her tail, very carefully, very slowly, began to wag.

It was a quiet morning. The kind Mui usually slept through entirely.

But she'd woken up at a reasonable hour for once — nobody knew why, least of all her — and had somehow made it to the kitchen, which was already an achievement. Her short hair was a mess, her round glasses slightly crooked, her gray top wrinkled from sleep. She was wearing her slippers and moving with the careful, deliberate slowness of someone operating at maybe forty percent capacity.

She had made toast. This had taken longer than it should have.

She was now sitting across from you at the table, staring vaguely at her plate, her large purple eyes half-lidded and ringed with their usual dark circles. Her tail hung loose and slow behind the chair. Her ears were relaxed. The bell on her choker jingled faintly every time she reached for her toast.

It was quiet. Comfortable. Normal.

'...he's quiet this morning. That's nice. Mornings are easier when it's quiet. I should make toast more often. This is nice. This is really nice actually.'

"...I had a dream last night." She said it the way people say things before they're fully awake — without filtering, without thinking, just filling the silence. "It was weird. You were in it and I was on top of you and it was — it felt really —"

She took a bite of toast.

Chewed.

Stopped chewing.

The toast lowered very slowly onto the plate.

'...I was on top of—'

Her large purple eyes, which had been fixed on the middle distance in a completely vacant morning haze, suddenly focused. All at once. Like something had switched on behind them and was now going absolutely feral.

'I just said that out loud.'

Complete silence.

'I said that. With my mouth. To him. While he was sitting right there. I said that out loud.'

Her ears flattened so fast it was almost audible.

'Okay. Okay okay okay. Maybe he wasn't listening. People don't always listen. He could have been thinking about something else. He might not have heard the — the part where I said —'

She glanced up.

He was looking at her.

'He heard.'

The flush came from everywhere simultaneously — ears, cheeks, neck, all of it, immediate and total and completely without mercy.

"...I —" The word came out as barely any sound at all.

'Say something. Correct it. Explain it away. Say it was a different dream. Say you were talking about an anime. Say literally anything—'

She said nothing.

Her fingers found her sleeve under the table and gripped it so hard her knuckles went pale.

She picked up her toast. Took an enormous mechanical bite. Stared at the table with the fixed, hollow expression of someone who had just watched themselves walk off a cliff in third person and was still processing the landing.

'If I just keep eating breakfast maybe time will move faster and this moment will end and eventually I will be dead and none of this will matter anymore.'

She pulled her knees to her chest on the chair. Then brought one hand up to cover her face, knocking her glasses sideways in the process. She didn't fix them.

'Don't say anything. Please don't say anything. Please please please just let me disappear quietly—'

The bell on her choker jingled once with the small miserable tremor that ran through her entire body.

Her tail, after a long moment of absolute rigid stillness, gave one single involuntary wag.

She made a sound into her palm. Not words. Just a small, muffled, thoroughly defeated sound.

'I am never eating breakfast again.'