David remained pinned on the couch for what felt like an eternity, though it was probably only a couple of minutes. Lira's coils were warm, smooth, and impossibly strong, yet never painful. She kept him gently trapped beneath her, golden eyes sparkling with amusement as she watched every shade of red bloom across his face.
Finally, with a soft, satisfied hum, she loosened her hold just enough for him to sit up. The moment he did, she casually looped one coil around his waist again — not tight, but clearly possessive — as if marking her new territory.
"There we go," Lira said cheerfully, slithering back a little to give him some breathing room while still keeping that single coil in place. "Much better. Now, why don't you show me around properly? I'd hate to accidentally knock over any of your precious servers while making myself at home."
David scrambled to his feet, face still burning. He took a shaky step away from the couch, only for her tail to follow smoothly, staying looped around his waist like a living leash.
"R-Right… tour," he mumbled, voice barely above a whisper. "Just… please don't touch anything in the basement. That's my workspace."
Lira smiled sweetly and gestured with her tail tip for him to lead the way. "Of course, Daaavid. I'm a very respectful roommate."
The next hour was pure torture for David.
He showed her the kitchen first. Lira immediately tested how well her coils fit around the island counter, her long body looping elegantly while she opened cabinets with the tip of her tail. "Oh, you have a mana-stove! How quaint. I prefer flame runes myself, but this will do nicely."
Every time David tried to create distance, her tail would gently tug him back or brush against his leg. When he showed her the bathroom, she peeked inside and commented with a teasing lilt, "Plenty of space for two… though I suppose I'll need to be careful with the shower. My tail does take up quite a bit of room~"
David's face stayed permanently flushed. He kept his eyes glued to the floor, stammering explanations about hot water runes and mana-heated floors while internally screaming.
Internal monologue:
She's everywhere. Her tail is literally following me around my own house. Every time I move, I feel her scales. Why does she keep saying my name like that? And why does it sound… nice? No! Bad brain! She's a stranger! A government-assigned stranger who's now living with me!
By the time they reached the spare bedroom (which was now clearly going to be hers), David was exhausted from constant blushing and awkward small talk. Lira looked perfectly at ease. She tested the bed by draping part of her tail across it, then turned to him with a bright smile.
"This will work wonderfully. Thank you for being such a gracious host, Daaavid."
"I-I didn't exactly have a choice…" he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
Lira chuckled and slithered closer again. Before he could retreat, her coils gently guided him to sit on the edge of the bed while she loomed over him in that elegant, teasing way.
"True," she admitted, voice dropping into a playful purr. "But you're handling it remarkably well for someone who clearly never expected company. Tell me — do you always get this adorably flustered, or am I just special?"
David opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. No coherent words came out.
Lira laughed softly and finally gave him a bit more space, though her tail stayed draped across his lap like a warm, heavy blanket. "Relax. I'm not here to devour you… at least not today. The Integration Program just wants us to learn how to live together. Who knows? You might even enjoy having a roommate."
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of awkward domesticity.
David tried to retreat to his basement to check on the servers, but Lira followed, her long body filling the stairwell. She watched with genuine curiosity as he adjusted glowing mana crystals and rune circuits, occasionally asking innocent-sounding questions that somehow always circled back to teasing him.
"You spend all day down here alone? No wonder you're so tense. A little company might do you good."
When evening came, David attempted to cook dinner — a simple stir-fry with enchanted herbs from his garden. Lira insisted on "helping," which mostly meant her tail handing him ingredients while she lounged on the couch and commented on his technique.
"You're very precise with the knife. Almost like you're afraid of making a mistake~"
By the time they sat down to eat (Lira's coils neatly looped around one side of the table), David was mentally and emotionally drained. He kept his eyes on his plate, eating in silence while Lira chatted lightly about city life, her old apartment in the monster district, and how refreshingly quiet his house was.
As night fell, mana-lamps inside the house glowed to life with soft golden light. David stood up to clear the dishes, desperate for any task that let him move.
Lira watched him for a moment, then spoke in a gentler tone than her usual teasing. "You know, Daaavid… I didn't ask for this assignment either. But since we're stuck together, we might as well try to make it pleasant."
She paused, golden eyes softening just a fraction. "I promise I won't bite. Unless you ask nicely."
David nearly dropped the plates.
That night, he retreated to his bedroom earlier than usual, locking the door out of pure habit even though he knew it wouldn't stop a determined lamia. He lay in bed staring at the ceiling, heart still racing from the day's events.
From the living room, he could faintly hear Lira humming to herself as she arranged her belongings. Her coils occasionally brushed against furniture with soft, rhythmic sounds.
David pulled the blanket over his head.
Internal monologue:
This can't be real. There's a lamia living in my house now. She keeps wrapping me up. She keeps teasing me. And tomorrow… and the day after… she'll still be here.
He didn't sleep well.
In the quiet darkness, Lira's golden eyes gleamed faintly as she settled into her new room, a small, satisfied smile on her lips.
The first day of cohabitation was over.
Many more were just beginning.