Drac Ch19
#19 of Drac
The next few days were tiring in the extreme. Nereen helped Dienza every day after work to carry his belongings into his new apartment, and each of the three nights they'd share the effort of cooking dinner. The third day was easier, as Risa had no plans for the evening and helped Dienza carry some of the heavier items such as his bed and furniture. Dienza and Nereen both exchanged a silent glance, surprised at how strong Risa was. 'So would you like to stay for dinner?' Nereen asked. Dienza's eyes widened from across the room, thankfully out of Risa's sight where he knelt on the floor unpacking the last of his clothes. 'Oh, sure!' Risa answered. 'If you're both sure I wouldn't be imposing?' 'It's fine.' Nereen assured her. 'You helped out, and you're gonna be Dienza's neighbour after all. It's the least we could do to say thanks.' 'Well okay then.' Risa nodded, turning and meeting Dienza's gaze as Nereen unpacked a box that contained their cooking gear. Dienza stood and smiled awkwardly. 'I guess I made a good first impression huh?' He scratched his head and blushed silently. 'Or did you just fall for my mother's inescapable charisma?' 'A little of both I guess.' Risa shrugged. 'What were you planning on cooking?' 'A nice baked dinner.' Nereen smiled. 'I'll get it started. Dienza, you should go shower. You still smell like a hard day's work.' 'Yea it's funny.' Dienza smirked. 'You'd think being promoted to manager would mean less of that. Boy was I wrong.' With that he carried the clothes he had unpacked through to the living room on his way to the bathroom. He dropped the clothes onto the bed and glanced towards Val, curled up and asleep on one of his pillows. Once he had showered and dressed, he lowered his hand to just above the rattis' head and clicked twice. Val stirred and jerked suddenly, calming back down once she noticed it was just Dienza. 'What's happening?' She asked, yawning and stretching out. 'Dinnertime.' Dienza replied. 'And we have a guest. One of the new neighbours.' 'Is she gonna eat me?' The rattis asked as Dienza scooped her into his hand. 'Only if you behave yourself.' Dienza replied. He carried her out to the kitchen and stopped in the doorway. Risa and his mother were sitting across from each other at the table staring intently into each other's eyes and... arm wrestling. 'You got some... impressive strength.' Risa spoke through gritted teeth. 'Not too bad yourself.' Nereen replied, straining just as much. 'Okay.' Dienza approached slowly. 'How the... hell did this come up?' 'Just a sec.' Nereen growled, tensing suddenly and pushing Risa's hand down a critical few inches. Risa winced as her hand hit the table. 'Not bad old lady.' The younger woman panted. Grinning and brushing the hair out of her eyes as they let each other go. 'How does someone like you get upper body strength like that?' 'Oh you know.' Nereen shrugged. 'Lots of housework, single mother, pretty much what you'd expect. How about you though? Your job must be either very strenuous or very easy if you can manage to be as strong as you are.' 'Fantastic.' Dienza shook his head. He set Val down on the counter and looked at the pan sizzling full of steaks on the stove. Val looked at Risa nervously, blushing with wide eyes when Risa met her gaze and winked. 'Who's the rat?' Risa asked. 'I like her hair.' 'Her name is Val.' Dienza answered. 'I rescued her from an owl one night while I was half hungover and half drunk. She's fast becoming a smartass little bitch.' 'Learning from the best of course.' Nereen added, returning to the stove and adding a pot of vegetables to boil. Val seemed too nervous to speak further, instead slinking to stand beside the stove and watch the meat cook. 'Dienza always was a cynical bastard.' Risa giggled. 'Badass too. I remember the year I started high school, the first fight I saw anyone get into was him and someone else. I have never seen anyone so thoroughly humiliated. Can you still fight, Dienza?' 'Ricky had it coming.' Dienza shrugged, letting a small curl reach his lips. 'And I dunno. Maybe I guess. If I had to. Why? You gonna arm wrestle me next?' 'No, you and I go full contact.' Risa retorted. 'You look like you'd be fun.' Nereen put a hand to her mouth and tried not to laugh, prompting Risa to realize what she'd said. She turned a shade of bright pink under her fur, making Dienza also try not to laugh before the three of them burst into a fit of laughter. Another few minutes later, the food was ready and Nereen composed herself enough to serve up their three platters.
An hour later, after they'd finished eating and cleaned up and Risa had spent a good ten minutes playing with Val, the time came for them to call it a night and start seeing to nightly routines. Risa thanked them for letting her stay for dinner, which she had thoroughly enjoyed, and Dienza thanked Risa for helping him move his belongings. Dienza made sure Val was back in his room where she could sleep until he'd determined the micen situation in that apartment and then made ready to drive his mother home. 'So that Risa had a good bit of strength.' Dienza remarked on the short drive to the old house. 'I'm still trying to work out how you beat her but you couldn't lift my bed frame?' 'Don't be a dope.' Nereen rolled her eyes and smiled. 'She let me win that. I saw the little eye roll she gave me right at the last second.' 'Wait, what?' Dienza shook his head. 'Why would she? She was competitive. Always. Classic case of little sibling syndrome if I ever saw one. She wouldn't deliberately lose.' 'Obviously she would.' Nereen responded. 'Maybe she just didn't want to hurt me.' She rubbed her arm a little as the van pulled up outside the house. 'In any case, she seems like she'll be... an interesting neighbour to say the least.' 'Oh for sure.' Dienza nodded. 'And her dad owns the building, so I get to play keep her happy.' 'You're the right man for that game.' Nereen remarked as she slid out of the van. 'Have a good night.' 'On that note... I'll do my best.' Dienza replied with a dry smile. Nereen laughed and waved as he pulled off the kerb and made a U-turn to head back to Desio.
As soon as he stepped back into his apartment, he sighed and slumped. Thankfully it was a Friday night so there was no worry of work the next day. But this was also the first night he'd be sleeping here. It felt unusual knowing that he was in a building full of strangers, and that his mother was not going to be two rooms down. He wondered how she would be feeling now as he headed towards the sink and stopped short at the table. He didn't know why Nereen had insisted he take this. The table had been hers as long as he could remember. She could just as easily pull a stool up to the kitchen counter itself, but it still felt so strange. Then he realized, of course. He was worried. There were other tenants here, a neighbour he'd already met and more he'd meet in time. But now she was over there in that house on her own. For the time being at least, he resolved to visit her every day. He made his way to the bedroom, noting how bare the living room was at this point and noticed Val in the middle of the drawer tossing and turning. He knelt down and carefully scooped the rattis into his hands before lifting her to his chest. It looked like she was having a nightmare. He set her down on his pillow and laid himself down on the other side of the bed, carefully resting his hand on top of her. Within ten minutes he had fallen asleep.
It was almost ten by the time Dienza woke up. He was curled up on his side and had his arm propped under his head. Something moved against his chest and he blinked his eyes open and looked down. Val had crawled between his arms and was snuggled against his chest just under his neck. A sweet if dangerous place for her to be when they were both sleeping. 'Wake up, dope.' He muttered, leaning his head down and nudging her with his chin. 'Hnnn... I don't wanna...' Val murmured back, burrowing deeper into his fur. 'Stay. It's warm and soft here.' 'I have to pee.' Dienza retorted. 'Roll away. Or watch.' 'Then I'm watching.' Val muttered back. 'Get off me you perv.' Dienza scoffed and lifted Val to one side. He sat up and dropped her into the warm spot he'd left behind where she murmured happily and curled back up before heading into the bathroom. Ten minutes later the leona had dressed in a pair of shorts and was staring into his pantry. It was almost empty save for a box of cereal and a packet of chips. He did have milk, but at the same time he couldn't quite muster the motivation to move. He'd forgotten to make sure he had the most important thing of all for any decent start to the morning. There was no coffee. No kettle. Two crucial things he'd forgotten to arrange before his first night here. 'Daaaaammmiit!' Dienza shouted into the near empty cabinet, before heading back to his room to find a shirt. 'Rat! Wake up. I'm heading to the mall to buy some essentials.' 'Why do I need to be awake for that?' Val murmured. 'Don't open the door for strangers.' Dienza continued. 'I'll be back shortly.' With that he left the rattis curled up on his bed and headed back out to the kitchen. His ear caught the faintest sound of footsteps just as he stepped inside. He smiled to himself and kept going, locking the door behind him. Later today Val would finally get her practice at hunting micen. Desio apartments was even closer to the mall than where he used to live, and the walk there wasn't even two minutes. It was quite literally on the other side of the road but for the entrance being located in an off street. He was in and out within five minutes and back on his way home with a package of fresh coffee and a new kettle. He hummed to himself as he opened his door and stepped into his apartment, taking a moment to register that it was not locked...