My Housepet Takes Care Of Me (TAL AU)

((So I got inspired for a Hamtaro-style pet!AU drabble, with the idea Squirrel!Maru is a very intelligent pet and actually does a TON of stuff around MuYoung's house without the latter being any wiser about it.))

Maru yawned, sitting up and pawing the flakes of hay dust from his ears and fur.

The pet Chachaoong blinked amber-honey eyes open a few times, still drowsy. The sound of a grandfather clock ticked away the seconds and echoed in the silent house, the only other sound Maru's hearing detected being his own heartbeat. The squirrel's long tail uncoiled from his tiny body, Maru stretching his back and tiny arms and legs and straightening out the doll clothing MuYoung had insisted he wear.

He then took his time to leisurely groom himself, dusting his blond and brown fur generously. MuYoung had paid for good quality lining for Marus cage, which he showed gratitude for by sleeping in the bedding instead of roosting up in the faux tree (That he did for daytime naps, instead). The sweet scent of the hay dust added to his own natural scent, which MuYoung insisted was almost like a latte-coffee smell. Maru knew what coffee smelled like, that black bitter fluid his owner loved to drink. He did NOT smell like that stuff, thank you very much.

The sun was just starting to come up, which meant he'd have to get to work as soon as-

"Huaaaahhhhh~"

The squirrel smiled and turned his head to see MuYoung in all his glory, scratching his head and yawning loud enough to wake the household's other pet, Rex. Maru chirped a high noise, bounding up the tree in seconds to the little landing hatch where MuYoung could open the six-foot-tall cage to feed or take Maru out.

"Jus' a min'te, Maru. Gotta-"

A loud thud signaled MuYoung running into the doorframe that led into the kitchen, the bigger Chachaoong man cussing in hisses under his breath as he rubbed his jaw. Maru squeaked in alarm, pawing and rattling the metal frame that his cage consisted of.

"Aughhh...I'm gonna go wash my face, make sure I didn't break a tooth or something..."

Maru chuffed in reply, watching as MuYoung re-entered his bedroom, the sound of the shower being turned on a few minutes later captured by Maru's hearing.

It was then the tiny Chachaoong decided to get to work, throwing himself onto the latch and bullying it open with his minuscule weight, succeeding after a second leap. He tumbled forward and landed on the back of the chair, scurrying and hopping along the furniture as easily as an acrobat, until he reached the kitchen.

He sniffed at the coffeemaker and made a face; WHY did his owner LIKE this stuff?!

But Maru knew his duties. The squirrel scaled the machine, popping open the filter basket tray and grabbing a very wet used coffee filter with sharp-smelling used ground coffee still in it. A tug and it was out, a swing and it went sailing into the trashcan nearby, leaving only a puddle of coffee run-off which Maru mopped up with his tail. Maru then set about grooming his face before climbing up the cabinets for the next part.

MuYoung would never truly understand why it was important that he place the shelf items the way they were, just that if he failed to comply, he'd be chirped at angrily by a moody squirrel.

However it really was important, because Maru could scale each shelf easily and, using good timing, cause an avalanche effect with pulling open the coffee bag and letting it pour from the top shelf into a clean new filter below which would then fall and slide along the ramp of a cookbook MuYoung never used and plop into place in the machine basket. Then Maru could knock over a pitcher of water MuYoung usually kept for refilling Maru's water bottle, that process filling the water reservoir, at which point he pulled everything back into place and hopped down, shutting the lid and basket and hitting the button to start the machine.

'Reor?'

The squirrel suddenly paused, feeling his entire body break into a cold sweat beneath his fur as he slowly turned his head to see Rex hovering over him on the counter.

'Rrrrrrrr~'

SHIT.

Maru squeaked quietly, before it turned shrill as he dove away from the feline bent on eating him. Rex chased Maru around the counter in circles, the squirrel finally diving out through the doorway MuYoung had crashed into and landing with a thump on the floor. Maru squeaked loudly as he ran under the couch, Rex not deterred as the cat easily squished himself down to slip under. The furniture thumped and rattled as the two ran about, Maru finally escaping from under the chair to atop it.

Rex made to pounce, and missed, hitting the cushion which catapulted Maru onto the hatch door, which then banged shut, Maru now headfirst in the bedding as Rex angrily scratched at the wire frame.

"OI!"

MuYoung had finally come back out, hair still damp from his shower, and he picked his cat up by the scruff of Rex's neck. "What are you doing, Rex? I'll feed you in a sec, leave Maru alone." The larger Chachaoong glanced at Maru, snorting as he saw Maru attempting to dig himself free of the bedding. "What, still tired?" MuYoung asked as he opened the hatch and fished out his other pet, Maru squeaking and nibbling on MuYoung's fingertip happily. "Yeah, yeah, I'll get you both fed after I-"

Ding~!

MuYoung paused and turned his sight to the coffee machine, the pot full of delicious dark liquid. "...I guess I'll get you fed now then."

Maru chirped, licking his paws and making a disgusted face as his tongue picked up the taste of old coffee.