Cozy In Her Den

## Content Information

Didi had freshened up after her confrontation with Selene and Berry, then picked up some groceries to head to Iva’s place. As always she dressed in layers so she’d be comfortable in the warmth of Iva’s apartment.

She practically bounced up the steps to knock on Iva’s door.

Iva was basically exhausted. It was one thing after another today for her. First, there was the official establishment of Xander Crossman as her campaign among the sparse members of her budding campaign team. It was met with certain opposition, mostly because having a freshmen take on such a role is unbecoming. However, once the lad proved his talent and preparedness to them, they couldn’t object...well, there is one who tried to imply himself as CM before, but that's a story for another time.

Then there was an announcement for a group study in her intro molecular biology and genetics class. She had somehow talked her way out of being the group leader for that one, but only because there was too much on her as it is.

After a number of other problems needing her attention, she had ended up passed out towards the end. She threw away her nice blouse, pants and everything else, threw on a fancy caftan and went on the sofa to go through to read a novel with her airpods on.

That’s how she would be found, she was laid out on the sofa, her snake form emerged sometime during her sleeping, drooping along the side of the couch and her airpods blasting through her mix of songs.

The sleep was quite deep though the rest of the afternoon and inconveniencing a certain unexpected visitor.

Didi frowned and texted, then listened at the apartment building door. She walked around the back and sniffed the air, catching Iva’s scent and none of the sharp warnings of fear or violence. She was probably just passed out.

Looking both ways down the drive to make sure she was unobserved, she hopped into the bushes to strip down and stuff her clothes into her bag.

A moment later, an enormous wolf leapt up to Iva’s balcony, a knapsack in its teeth. She saw the Gorgon there, resting, and she set the bag down and went to slide the door open with her muzzle, hoping it was unlocked.

Unfortunately, the door did not relent with the locking bar still in place, but it caused rattle as it was being pushed open.

It was enough for two of the snakes on Iva’s crown to stir from their slumber. Luci and another particularly solid scaled one who was named Dirk. The name stuck because it was the first snake that would have darted at anyone if Iva was scared, like a short dagger would be used for quick defense. Luci looked at the baloney door and attempted to reach out with their limited reach but bumped Dirk along the way. The two started getting into contempt and disagreement of hissing. It was enough to cause Iva to stir,

“Would you two knock it off, I’m trying to sle--” She murmured before a lash out by Dirk knocked the airpod out of her ear, letting out the subtle blasting of Beautiful Monster as it dropped to the floor.

“Damnit, you two. How many times that I hav--” Iva paused, hearing the rattling from the balcony door. She forwent yelling at the snakes in her hair as she got up and walked up barefoot towards the door. She moved towards the sliding door, as a yawn broke out of her mouth. She paused for a moment and put her hair back to normal, by human standards, before peeking the long blinds.

Fluffy stood there, the eight-foot-long wolf practically filling the balcony. She started wagging as Iva parted the blinds, giving her a big canine smile with bright golden eyes.

There was just air of stupefaction that forced Iva to stand there with any further word or movement. After a brief minute, she had backed away from the blinds and disengaged the locking bar. Iva opened the sliding door with an amused chuckle.

Didi greeted her enthusiastically, getting onto her hind legs and resting her paws on Iva’s shoulders, licking her cheek and then Luci’s face. She carried the scent of earth and the forest, and her own distinctive, warm musk.

Iva snapped out of her lost thoughts with this rather unsuspected affection on her face, and the large weight that threatened to topple her over, and Luci actually wasn’t sure how to handle it enough that Iva managed to hold their head to calm them down, laughing, “Okay okay...I’m awake, I’m awake! Right you, enough. Someone is in a good mood or at least a better one ”

“Always when I get to see you~” Didi replied, before hopping back down to the floor and reaching back out to the balcony to grab her bag, still wagging happily. “``Mmm gnna get dreffed``,” she said, talking around the bag in her mouth and retiring to the bathroom.

A minute later, she emerged in a soft cozy tank top and cotton shorts in the Hellhounds colors. She instantly reenacted the enthusiastic hug and kiss, her eyes shining and joyful.

“Did you get a good nap?” she chirped.

“Yes, until the wake up call..though that was a bit self-inflicted on my part.” Iva looked sheepishly at her phone.

A yawn forced its way out of her as she tried to look like ‘herself’ but failing. It was her body's way of telling her, that’s enough of normal Iva for one day. “Sorry, I guess I was sleeping deep.” She admitted with a drained look.

“Of course you were, you’ve got a lot on your shoulders.” Didi brushed Iva’s cheek with the back of her fingers and met her eyes with a soft expression. “Let’s just sit for a minute and then I’ll make you dinner and tea and spoil you while you relax, okay?”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” Iva gave Didi a chaste kiss. She felt a hint that she could push the kiss further but had no trust in her skill while she’s exhausted.

After she pulled away, her human form receded into her gorgon form as she walked to the sliding door to close it, then plopping herself chaise longue in the main room. Her tail hanged over the side as she lean back to relax,

“The whole situation is...is exhausting. I love being that person, but...too much has been happening at one time.” Iva said with a weary tone.

Didi sat on the floor beside Iva. “I’ll say. You might make it look easy but I know how much work goes into everything you do.” The Gorgon’s tail bent and Didi drew it into her lap, stroking the scales and warming her against her skin.

Times like this, she knew Iva wanted to be distracted, to relax.

“Wanna know why I’m in such a good mood?” She launched into the story without waiting for an answer. “I ran into Selene and Berry on the woods path -- well, I didn’t so much run into them by chance as I went after Selene over something, but it turned out to be nothing, so that part’s not really important.”

“Wait! Back up, you went after Selene?” Iva stood up a little, with her eyes farrowed with concern. The alliance with Hellfire and the unique question that Iva was asked about Didi during the picnic came to mind.

Didi turned to meet Iva’s eyes. “It’s fine, it’s good, this is a good story -- we’re going on a date in a couple of days, us and Berry. Everything’s good!”

“That sounds like a diversion if any.” Iva’s lower body swayed away from Didi’s lap showing her tension. “You sure there wasn’t any other issue that happened before that?” The words come out with just some kind, but stern implement, as if saying, last chance to come clean.

“Iva, it’s okay, I promise, you don’t need to worry.” Didi got up on her knees and turned to face Iva. “The details of why I was upset involve other people’s private stuff. And there wasn’t really a problem, just a misunderstanding, and we cleared it up. She really wouldn’t hurt anyone without a good reason, not seriously. I mean she has a temper and she’s really protective but I’m not gonna judge over that…”

“Alright, alright...I think I get the gist. Just wished you were upfront with me when I asked the first time, that’s all.” Iva stopped the explanation, relaxing against the back of the chair once again. She said nothing more to press the matter, saved for the unspoken question of, “Do I do that to everyone?”

Didi sighed and frowned. “I guess it was a diversion, because you didn’t need to stress about it. I’m not trying to hide things from you, Iva.” Her brow furrowed. Didn’t Iva trust her?

“When something’s concerning me, I would have been more comfortable with a clean answer. I’m not a person of blind faith, Didi...that's a really hard expectation to press on me. It’s not exclusive to you.” Iva gave a sharp sigh as her trust in Didi felt questioned, “I have a history when people try to divert things I asked about, and I wouldn’t have asked if I had no concern on the matter or for you. Sorry...”

With that, Iva’s tail coiled close to Didi's side, finally allowing its natural instinct to seek out something to wrap around. “During a picnic with the Hellfire, Selene asked about you. I have a personal hint that she took a shine to you, and I was hoping that it was in a good way. “ She explained, leaning over the edge of the chair with her shoulder over the side. “Based on your good mood and luxuriously relaxing musk, you seem pretty good spirits after the event.”

The werewolf started to relax, running a hand up Iva’s tail. “I’m sorry I made you concerned. It’s always okay to ask and I’ll-- well I’ll certainly try to be more careful what I bring up when I’m trying to help you take a break from worrying.” She was at least as sad for Iva as for herself that, even after everything, the gorgon still had to be on high alert. She happily followed Iva to the next subject, though, a smile breaking through.

“Yeahhhh I’d say she’s taken an interest in a good way. We’ve generally been on good terms -- derby afterparties, Hellfire monster parties, casual friends who make out. Over the last little while, though, we’ve really connected. She knows I’m a werewolf, by the way, and I know about her. Anyway, we made plans -- with Berry -- to go stargazing in a few nights and have a midnight picnic. I wasn’t expecting it at all, it just kind of happened.”

Her smile was broad and gave the impression that she’d completely moved past the tension of a few moments earlier.

“That sounds like you have a taste for rabbit.” Iva teased. Unknowingly, Iva got a hint back at the picnic while waiting for the gazebo to vacate. Her hair shifted as a certain snake hair seemed excited at Berry at the time. It took every ounce of will to force the creature to revert, but she did get the whiff of rabbit before she settled the naughty one down. Meanwhile, Iva’s tail coiled relaxingly around Didi’s wrist at the time..

“Berry’s a sweetheart,” Didi said, looking a little wistful, wishing she hadn’t washed off quite so thoroughly. Her arm played idly with that coil. “And Selene -- well, you must already know about how she protects monsters. Burgundy mentioned that you and Selene were coordinating on that.”

She paused and chewed her lip, then looked up at Iva. “I know last time we talked about it you said you wanted to leave things between us as like a friends-with-benefits thing, but I also wanted to check in and make sure that this feels good, me going out with them? You’re really important to me...”

“Didi, I might be a descendant of a greek gods, but that’s the line of those pre-Olympian gods that proba--No, I’m pretty sure they didn’t give a shit. For the record, I’m quite polyamorous. So, don’t expect jealousy or mono in that regard. Might be a bit iffy if it's with someone I severely dislike or hate, but that’s a given.”

Iva smiled, relaxed despite her words on the matter. “Yeah, I talked with Selene before. Can’t help, but sense that we have some things in common, outside the fact that we love control. I do appreciate her interest in helping me work towards getting the vermin out of the school that might cause a ruckus. That does remind me I do need to stop by the Hellfire place, to visit Burg and maybe enjoy one of their official socials.”

The wolf grinned at the very idea of a team-up between Iva and Selene, the power of it.

“Good, glad to hear it. All of it. I mean I knew about the poly, obviously, we’ve talked about that. I just want you to know that you’re important to me.” She leaned in closer. “And if you ever do get jealous about my fabulous, romantic date ideas with people I’m dating, you just let me know~”

"If I get jealous or close to it, that would only mean I was outdone and will have to try harder...which means punishment time for you, my fluffy friend♪" Iva said with a leer, promising every fun, aggressive aspect of her words.

The wolf froze and blushed, with wide eyes and a slanted grin that showed one canine. “Um. I meant I’d take you to this private sauna spa thing in the city I found, if you wanted-- but-- mm. Your way is also good.”

“Bribing me with sauna treatments would only do so much, but the effort to sway my wraith is still appreciated. In other words, I would be interested.” Iva chuckled as she pushed herself back against the chair.

Didi laughed herself. “I mean if you got jealous about the romantic dating part of it and wanted me to ask you out!” She shook her head. “But I’m glad it’s a good ``bribe`` idea, at any rate.”

“Glad to hear it. I’m honored to take a romance date if offered,” Iva said matter of factly. “So how’s the new pup? I might have gotten an inking from what happened, though I feigned ignorance on the matter.”

“Well consider it offered, Iva,” Didi replied, with a tilt of her head and a crooked smile. She gave the gorgon’s tail a hug. “We can figure out the details later.”

It took a moment for her to shift mental gears to the topic of her pup.

“Ash is… irritable. Irritated. But I think she’s starting to see some of the new joys of being awakened, too.” She looked out the window as she thought. “I’ve been inviting her out to meet her packmates, and she’s been refusing, but I think I’m going to press a bit harder. If I wait too much longer I won’t be as good a mentor, and I really want her to succeed.”

Didi smiled and looked back at Iva with pride and enthusiasm in her eyes. “I think she will, too. Even before I knew she was to be awakened, I saw the wolf in her. I ``felt`` it. Of course her curse drew me to her, but you can’t fake that. The wolf I’ve awakened is a strong part of her…”

“I think her refusal is understandable, given the circumstances of how she was turned. It wasn’t the best of outcomes.” Iva sighed, but for the sake of Didi’s happiness, she relaxed a bit, “Perhaps you shouldn’t be too hard about the matter. It might backfire. Accepting this stuff takes time more than what we would understand off the top of our heads.”

“When it comes to helping Ash, I’m going to follow my instincts,” Didi said, confident it would work out. “So far it’s gone well. Since the awakening.” She frowned for a moment, then shook her head. “I’ve been helping her manage her new senses, that kind of thing, and she’s asked me to keep helping her.”

She gave Iva’s tail another squeeze. “So, you hungry?”

Iva seems displeased about Didi’s confidence over her opinion, but she’ll let it go as she thinks about the question. “Actually, haven’t eaten since...lunch...this morning? I don’t remember being hungry today.”

“Ivaaaaa.” Didi gave her a look of mock exasperation. “Well, I’ve got you -- I figured it’d be enough for leftovers, but if you haven’t eaten all day, well, we’ll see.” She stood and kissed Iva’s cheek, then went to cook. “You just take it easy!”

“I was planning on it all evening.” Iva said as she slumped into her long chair.

A short while later Didi brought out two plates of sirloin beef with green beans and garlic gratin potatoes. The cooking smells had filled the air in the apartment and the meal promised to be just as delicious, given the wolf’s track record.

Iva groaned as she had dozed off again in her chair, leaving the question on whether not she slept at all the previous night, “Hmmm...this uneasy feeling and sound, what is this…”

“We call that hunger, babe,” replied the werewolf. “Or, as your stomach calls it, ‘grruurrgrggg.’” She set down one plate, then rubbed Iva’s tummy. “Yeah, I speak stomach, I got you.”

“I’m not a bab--Whatever, it’s smells good.” Iva smacks Didi’s hand away and pushes her body upright against the chair and in front of the plate that Didi had set on the coffee table. “It looks good and I have no doubt on the taste. I feel Luci misbehaving too.”

The wolf chuckled and offered a wink to Iva’s headsnake before sitting in another seat.

“Full moon hunt is coming up,” she said. “We’ll be rolling in more bison than you’ve ever seen.” She paused, then gestured with a chunk of nearly-raw meat on her fork. “Well, not literally rolling, not after the first night anyway.” She took the bite and chewed. “Point is, we’ll have plenty to share!”

Iva helped herself to a piece of mediumly done sirloin, “Full moon hunt? I think my expertise on the matter is limited as far as my knowledge on werewolves and traditions go. Most of my knowledge is that you will be gone for a time.”

Didi nodded and sat up a little straighter. “It’s different when we have a new pup, too. I don’t think it’s a ``secret``, exactly, but please don’t go spreading it around.” She paused with a thoughtful expression on her face. “I’ve never thought about putting it into words, but… we have a connection with the natural world, a complicated one. The hunt for prey is really different from patrolling the territory. Both bring us closer to one another, but the hunt is where you learn how to exist in yourself… that doesn’t make any sense, probably. But it brings you closer to yourself and the world outside the pack and there’s just an alignment of every single thing under the moonlight.”

“Sounds really complicated, yet simple. More of the former for me, I’m afraid. Unfortunately, fate did not bless me with a connection or a attunement for nature in a spiritual sense. My best guess is that there is a nature reconnecting through the act of the hunt and contributing to the rules of the wild world. To understand it on a deep level through act and with others which is elevated by the full moon.” While Iva was contemplating her guess, one of the snakes had snatched the sirloin piece that she was holding with her fork. She chastised the snake with a rather displeased bop on its head.

Didi nodded along, then grinned at the snake’s antics.

“I cooked an extra steak, by the way, for snacks or sandwiches tomorrow -- or for feeding naughty snakes right now.”

“They can get their piece of food later, when they let me eat in peace.” Iva sighed, as she continued eating, “I have not rewarded bad behavior before. I won’t start now.”

“You’d be a good dog trainer,” Didi said, before giving it much thought.

“Huh? How did that come about?” Iva responded sheepishly.

Only then did Didi start to turn as red as the rare meat on her plate.

After a short, incoherent sound, she managed, “It’s just -- being thoughtful about rewards and punishments, holding firm so they accept who’s in charge. You have the right temperament. Is all. Is what I was thinking.” Of course, she’d started thinking about a bit more in the meantime.

“Are you saying that you took to me well because I have the…” Iva said jokingly as she sat back from her nearly finished plate, twirling her finger around her dreads.

The werewolf gave her a mock scowl. “Now that’s an insinuation I’m not going to take lying down! Not without a lot more effort, anyway~”

“I don’t feel like making an effort tonight, so what are you going to do about it, hmm?” Iva says with a smile.

“Hmmf. You just finish your dinner and then I’ll show you what a wild and untamed animal I can be. Unless you’re too tired and you just need your rest.” It was half-teasing but half-serious as well; she would happily just hold the gorgon or tuck her into bed so she could recuperate from the day.

“That sounds promising, you’ll have to wait until I feel all these little demons in my head. After that, I’m at your mercy.” The same level of teasing was shot back at Didi, and followed with that signature leer, “Be warned though, I might not be as helpless as you think. I’ll make you stay if you misbehave.” In honesty, Iva had slept most of the afternoon and that messed her usual sleeping schedule...the extra energy needed to go somewhere.

“‘Stay’? Next you’ll be asking me to ‘roll over’ -- I never should have given you ideas,” teased the wolf as she finished her meal.

“Ah, you remembered what happened the last time. Progress.”

*Later…*

Didi was asleep in Iva’s coils, in a long shirt borrowed from the gorgon. She was on her side facing Iva, hugging one of her arms loosely to her chest as she gently snored. Iva had laxed her body around Didi while not quite asleep. She could feel Didi’s even breathing against her body, and some bruises from activities she had good guesses from what happened with each of them.

It was like this...she would be just happy if people left her like this. She would be harmless if she was left in peace like this. No drama, no plots, no threats, just gentle comfort, a normal routine, and without a care for threats around her. However, she wasn’t allowed to be that kind of selfish. All her plots, all her pursuits, and moments of rage seem to be needed to get what she wants. . . A peaceful life. Because of this, there was a unique envy towards her friends like Didi, though the werewolf’s life is anything but normal. Maybe it’s Didi’s cheerfulness, good-heartedness or outlook despite all that happens and dealing with the consequences? Maybe it’s one of those, none of those or maybe more than she can think of right now?

Right now, Iva is too sleepy to ponder further and snuggled closer to the other girl to stop thinking for once. To not think, calculate, and be on alert...Iva treasured these more than her own life, and things will burn in order to keep having these moments. It was her least dangerous form of selfishness.