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"Of course we don't want you around, Muddler."
"You're useless."
"Why are you always following us? We don't want you here."
"You're a dead weight, Muddler."
Muddler whimpered and tried to chase after his friends through the dark, thick fog, but his steps were heavy and it felt like he was trying to push through swathes of heavy duvets. His eyes stung with tears. He knew he was useless, he knew. Please don't leave him behind. He was sorry. He would be better. He would do better. Please. He was so scared. Don't abandon him here. Please. Please. Please.
Muddler sucked in a terrified breath as he shot up from his bed. He sat and looked around, panting, his eyes darting around, terrified. He was safe, still in his coffee tin, surrounded by his buttons. He lifted his paw to his face and found tears already streaming down his cheeks. What a terrible dream! His friends had left him behind. They'd never really do that to him... Or would they? A cold chill gripped him and he scrambled out of his bedsheets, and fell onto the floor with a thump.
He climbed up the side of his coffee tin and poked his head out of the top, lifting the lid with one paw. He saw his uncle, Hodgkins, at the helm of the ship, steering, with his back towards Muddler. Moomin sat at the side of the ship, staring dreamily at the slowly rising sun. Muddler sighed in relief at the sight. They hadn't left him alone. But where was Joxter? Muddler stood on his tiptoes to try to look further afield, but he couldn't see him anywhere.
"Hup. Pfft. Looking for something?"
Muddler squeaked and jumped as Joxter's voice called out to him from inside his coffee tin. He wobbled dangerously but managed to steady himself before he jumped down. Muddler looked around and couldn't see Joxter anywhere.
"U-um... J-Joxter? Excuse me please but where are you?"
A long, sleek black tail emerged from underneath a pile of cushions near his bed and waved lazily. Muddler approaches the cushion pile and hesitantly removed one cushion to see Joxter's face peering back up at him. Muddler blushed at the piercing blue eyes and clutched the cushion nervously to his chest.
"What're you looking for?"
"W-well-, I was looking for you, Joxter."
"Me? Why, I'm flattered."
"Joxter?"
"Yes?"
"Excuse me please, but why are you in my coffee tin?"
Joxter's eyes flicked away from Muddler. If he didn't know better, Muddler would say he almost looked embarrassed. Joxter thwapped his tail lightly on the floor.
"Sometimes sleeping near someone else is better than sleeping alone."
Muddler's eyes widened. "You wanted to sleep next to me?"
Joxter hunched his shoulders defensively, as though preparing to be scolded. Muddler knelt next to him and shyly reached out to run a paw reassuringly through Joxter's hair. Joxter flinched slightly but didn't move away.
"I had a nightmare tonight too." Muddler whispered. "I was looking for you and the others because I-I was scared. And alone."
Joxter closed his eyes and leaned into Muddler's paw. "I was trapped." He finally admitted. "I couldn't get free and there was nobody to help unlock the door. Then I woke up."
"Oh, Joxter!" Muddler cried and flung his arms around his friend. "I would never let you be locked up like that!"
"You won't be with me forever." Joxter said into Muddler's shoulder as he let himself be hugged. "I'll be alone again at some point. You won't be able to help me then."
"I will! I will! You'll never have to be alone again if you don't want to be!" Muddler insisted, hugging Joxter even tighter.
"You'll leave me eventually." Joxter said stubbornly.
"That's not true at all! You're the one that's going to leave me!" Muddler couldn't help but cry.
"What makes you say that?" Joxter asked, completely, genuinely confused. "Muddler I would never leave you."
"Excuse me please, Joxter, but you really would! You've never particularly cared to stay with anyone before and I-I'm- I'm just useless! There's no reason for me to be an exception at all!"
"Of course there is! You're my friend!"
"But you must have left behind friends before?" Both of their voices were raising in pitch and volume, hysterical.
"No!"
"W-what?" Muddler gasped. "You must have had friends before!"
"Hup. Pfft. I don't know how you came to that conclusion."
"Well, of course you must have, you're so adventurous and charming and easy-going!"
"You think I'm charming?" Muddler could feel Joxter's grin widen as his face was still pressed against his shoulder, although his grip on Muddler's coat and his shaking shoulders gave away how he truly felt. Muddler felt his face heat up despite this.
"O-of course I think so. Y-you'll never have a p-problem finding new f-friends, where-wherever you decide to g-go."
"I thought you wouldn't leave me?" Joxter whispered.
"I would never! But it's in your nature to travel around wherever you please, isn't it? A-and I doubt you'd want m-me tagging along and slowing you down." Muddler felt the sides of his mouth tug down even as he attempted to give a reassuring smile. Joxter's head snapped up and he stared at Muddler with wide, startled blue eyes. Muddler blushed as Joxter's sharp blue eyes pierced through him.
"Muddler, you're a genius!"
"O-oh! Excuse me please, Joxter, what do you mean by that?"
"Hup. Pfft. We can travel together!" Joxter chirped. "Then neither of us will be leaving the other!"
Muddler's eyes burned with tears for the second time that morning. "Y-you would want to travel with me? Oh, Joxter, are you quite certain you're not making a dreadful mistake?"
Joxter shrugged. "I'm not particularly attached to travelling. I just don't like being expected to be somewhere so I try not to be anywhere."
"O-oh."
"Would you come with me, Muddler?" Joxter asked. "If I did end up travelling again? Or would you stay with me, if I didn't leave?"
"Would you want me to?" Muddler squeaked.
"Hup. Pfft. Why would I ask if I didn't want you to?" Amusement filled Joxter's previously shocked eyes, but Muddler wasn't laughing.
"Do you mean that?"
"Yes, I mean it."
"Oh, Joxter!" Muddler flung his arms around Joxter again, causing him to topple backwards onto the floor of the coffee tin. Then he grabbed Joxter's lapels and dragged him forward to press their lips together. When Muddler opened his eyes, he saw Joxter's dopey face gazing at him with a half-closed dreamy grin. Muddler blushed and giggled. "W-was that...okay?"
Joxter opened his mouth to answer but only a single choked sound came out before he hooked one claw under Muddler's collar and pulled him closer to continue what they started. That was as good an answer as any.
Where they went didn't matter, as long as they were someplace nobody expected them to be, together.