When we heard about monsters coming out portals into our world, my friends and I thought that this was the end. Surprisingly, they weren't here for war, the “monsters” were hardly monsters, women - dare I say VERY beautiful women, had used magic to come to our world. This first group, were very forward with the knowledge of their people, offered to teach magic, their biology, anything we wanted, in return for a new home. Of course, humanity agreed quickly.
    Wave two showed up a short hour later, with a tide of hunger and lust. I was lying low, inspired by others on the internet to pursue my hobbies. I was in no rush to find myself a wife. There were still plenty of women on the prowl for men with compatible “spirit energy” as they called it. A sort of life force of us human. When humans learned of why they were so hungry for men through demonstration, and then by teaching from these monster girl scholars, we understood why they came here. Their supply of human men ran dangerously low in their realm, so they came here.
    After that two week time of everything on earth being shut down because “HOLY CRAP MONSTERS AND MAGIC ARE REAL!” The monster girls had integrated into society and things returned to semi normality. As did my life. After finishing my backlog of homework, hobbies and games, I finished college, dodging hellhound rape, yeti hugs and cheshire tricks for my final few terms. I got a full time job in IT, and started renting an apartment. The job was nice, paid well and I’m pretty sure I only got it because the tanuki wants my dick. The apartment was a cozy one room.
    “Want me to set you up with a date yet?” The neighbor manticore, Alison, asked me. “I know a lotta girls trying to find a man like you.” Luckily she was already married, I don’t think I could fight her off; unlike that kobold who lives a floor down.
    “Not yet. I want to figure out if I want to stay in this job and if it is gonna be stable to support-”
    “Oh come on, Anon. You’re just scared.” She teased.
    I grunted and walked past her smug look and entered my apartment. I flipped the lights on and got to work preparing a dinner for one. I quickly realised that I would need to venture out to buy more food. I groaned, going out meant fending off more girls. It was tiring trying to hang onto my virginity with a death grip. But, a man's gotta eat.
          The drive to the grocery store was easy enough, no one jumped in front of my car to stop me, thankfully. It was a smaller, local store, the meat and produce was all very high quality so I chose to shop here, despite the slightly higher price. I wandered inside and got to shopping. I mostly got the usual mundane things like chicken and bread. I meandered through produce past the new monster cultivated fruits that I didn't recognize. I ignored it, I didn't think I need to put demon energy into my body right now. I started picking through apples, looking for the ripest fruit. A woman walked up next to me and started looking at the citrus.
          “Excuse me, can you tell if this is still good? I don’t work with limes often,” she asked, turning to me.
          I took the limes from her, my previous experience in service industry kicking in. “They’re too yellow and hard, you want the light green, soft ones.” I looked up at her. The first thing I noticed was her hair, or should I say her snakes. About eight of them, two dangling in the front, by her face, staring right at me. Their white bodies shining from the overhead lights. The woman wore sunglasses so I couldn’t see her eyes, and a blue casual dress. Her lower body turned into that of a snake, also white. A medusa. I turned back to the limes and grabbed a few ripe ones for her, trying not to be overcome by her beauty. “These are what you want,” I tried to hand her the limes back.
          “You are not afraid of me?” confusion showed across her face. All of her snake hair turned to face me, coming over her head and around it, as if curious to see me.
          “Should I be? I don’t usually fear beautiful women.” My filter had completely shut off for just a moment, enough for me to flirt. I screamed internally.
          Her face turned beet red. The snakes were really interested now and the tip of her tail wagged. She crossed her arms and turned away from me. “Well, I-I- you- should, uh, should be.” She took the limes from me. We both got even redder as she accidentally touched my my hand in her haste. She slithered away quickly. I finished my shopping quickly and headed to check out. I got into line and waited for my turn. Who should get in line behind me, but that medusa.
          Everytime I glanced in her direction, she would quickly turn away, her snakes however were uncooperative and kept looking at me. Her face was still kind of red. It was really cute. It came to my turn, so i pulled out my card. The medusa was close to me now. I looked around and I noted that people nearby were uneasy. Luckily for them, I was holding all of her attention. My aching heart told me to talk to her, but my brain and memories told me not to.
          I listened to my brain.
          Taking my groceries, I turned back to her. She didn’t look away. I gave her a smile and left.

          I sat at home, at my small table, still embarrassed about my encounter at the store. “A woman that gorgeous has to be married,” I told myself, “Hopefully her husband doesn’t find me...” I put in my headphones as the volume of my neighbor’s lovemaking increased. Sounded like Alison next door gave her husband a triple dose. I think she gave some spines to the holstaurus two doors down some as well. I was glad that I lived on the edge of this block of apartments. I went to bed with an aching heart.

          I came home late that friday, had a server go down because of some dumbass in accounting. Still not sure how he had access to those files that should only be open to those in IT. As the manager, it was on me to get it fixed the day of. Even though it was 20 till five. Luckily that gremlin and another one of my underlings were nice enough to stick around and help me. I paid them both with pizza. It was 7:30 when I got home, and I was ready to sleep. I trudged up the stairs to my level. I was stopped by the holstaurus, Haley, “Here, Anon,” she handed me a bottle of her milk. “Thought you might want it since you’ve got that new girlfriend and all.” She gave me a big smile and headed back inside before I could ask who she was talking about. Haley held the extra key to my apartment and I held hers, just in case either of us ever lost a key.
          Alison’s husband, Brent, was fiddling with the lock to his apartment, looking like he was heading somewhere. “Think you and Alison could keep it down a little tonight? I haven't been sleeping well recently,” I joked.
          “You know that I can’t control that woman. But I’ll tell her you asked,” Brent replied with a smile. “Mistress says we should go on  a triple date sometime, us, Haley and Jim and you and this new girl.”
          I looked at him blankly. “What girl? I don’t have a girlfriend.”
          Brent scratched underneath his marriage collar. “Mistress told me a woman came by looking for you. We assumed she was your girlfriend.”
          I thought for a few seconds, “Musta been a delivery girl, I’m expecting a package soon. I’ll talk to you later,” Brent waved as he left. I unlocked the front door and walked in. My room looked a lot cleaner than when I had left this morning. Probably just going crazy, I thought. I took a sip of the milk and put it in the fridge. I was surprised by how good it was, seemed like the legends were true about the taste, unsure about how it would effect my ‘spirit energy’ or whatever. I ate a few crackers and went to room to sleep. I opened the door and scooted in.
          “You are late,” a familiar voice said softly. I looked up to see the medusa, wearing one of my shirts, lying on my bed. She hugged my large stuffed shark closely. “I was starting to think you would never come.”
          I sat at my computer chair across from her and started taking my shoes and socks off. “What do you want from me?”
          “I want you.”
          I looked up at her. Although the room was dark, I could see her emerald eyes staring at me, “I don’t know why you’d want someone like me. You can do way better than-”
          I was cut short by her tail quickly wrapping around me and pulling me to the bed. I was on my back, with her over me. I avoided her gaze. “The way you looked at me, Anon, I felt like a girl, instead of a monster,” her hand gently pushed my chin, forcing me to face her, “Why would I not want a man like that?” She kissed my chin, then my lips. “Why so, hesitant, dear? Let me give you my love,” I turned away from her again, desperate to escape. She looked like she had a realization in that moment, “Who hurt you?”
           “Women I fell for in the past.”
           She tightened her grip on me a little bit, hugging my body with her cool, smooth being. “That holaustarus said she suspected that much. Here,” her grip loosened and released me. “Change out of those uncomfortable clothes and come lie down.”
           I sighed. There was no getting rid of her. “Haley gave you the key to get in, I assume.”
          “Yes. She seemed to worry about you, a very nice girl.”
          “Yeah, she’s sweet. Gave me a bottle of her milk today because of you.”
          “The manticore next door gave me some of her spines as well. I will not use them on you unless you ask.”
          “How did you find where I live?”
          “I saw your license at the store. I apologize, but I could not go on without seeing you again,” I finished changing and lied down on the bed next to her. “Now, please, let me mend your broken heart and make you feel loved. Do you enjoy lying in my coils?”
          “Yeah it was nice...” I whispered sheepishly.
          She leaned into my ear as her snake body wrapped around me, leaving my arms free this time. “Good,” she smiled. “You will keep me warm and I will keep you feeling loved,” she rested her head on my chest and wrapped her arms around me. Her snakes rested on my body as well, stealing my warmth, “Sleep well.”
          “You too,” I whispered, pulling a blanket over us.
          Despite my neighbors, it was the best sleep I ever had.

          I woke up without the warmth of a partner in bed with me. Once I had come to my senses, I smelled food. I found the medusa in the kitchen, still wearing my shirt and a small skirt. A stack of pancakes on a plate nearby. “Right on time, dear, good morning,” she turned to me with a big smile as she put the last of the pancakes on the plate. She had already set up the table for us, I was waved over to eat.
          “Good morning. I just realised I don’t even know your name, lady,” I sat down across from her.
          “Selene.”
         “Well, good morning, Selene,” we ate quietly, making small talk and lame jokes. Her tail was wrapped around my leg the entire time, as if severing that would mean I was gone forever. “What are we doing today?” I asked I after finished eating.
          “Back to bed, dear?” She mused. I didn’t have time to respond before she planted a big kiss on my lips. Her long tongue attempted to invade my mouth. She pulled away and pouted. “Still resisting my love? Maybe I should use the spines on you. Or turn your limbs to stone. Or just the old fashioned hold you down with my tail.” I didn’t like the way she and her snakes looked at me.
         “Please, Selene. I can’t move as quickly as you in a relationship.”
          “But why not? You energy is screaming at me that we are completely compatible, like I was made for you and you for I.”
         I moved to the couch, she followed quickly, allowing me a small amount of space. I sighed. “I want to love, to be loved. But I’ve been hurt so many times that I don’t think I can love again. I don’t think I deserve love, either. I’m just-”
            “Stop,” Selene looked like she was about to cry. “Please; I cannot bear to hear you talk like that,” She pulled me into a big hug. “You deserve every bit of love that I give you. I will spend everyday reminding you until you believe it!” I pulled away from her and looked into her eyes. I didn’t have words for her. I placed my head on her lap, looking up at her. She placed a hand on my head and one on my chest. “Lie here as long as you wish, darling,” She whispered. I simply nodded in response and closed my eyes.
    Selene ran her fingers gently through my hair while we rested in silence. Everytime I opened my eyes, she was smiling at me. I couldn’t help but laugh. “Here I am, falling for a woman who broke into my home just for the chance to see me again. Let her sleep in my bed with me and fed me breakfast.”
    She laughed in response. “I hope you can forgive me for entering like that. I was hoping to surprise you in some way.”
    “Well you certainly did.” I checked my phone. 8:40. We had gone to sleep early, so I wasn’t too surprised.
    “Can you explain more of your realm’s technology to me?” Selene asked.
    “What do you mean? My phone?” I asked, trying to sit up.
    She wrapped her tail around my waist, forcing me back down. “All of it. In my home lands we have nothing like phones or ‘tee vees.’ I wish to know more.”
    “Ah, well, this is a smartphone,” I handed her my aging Android device. “I can call, text, browse the internet or use apps on it.”
    I looked up at her. She looked overwhelmed. “Explain further, please.”
    I spent an hour detailing how each of these things works, as simply as I could. I found it more difficult that usual, using terms that anyone could understand. Selene was obviously smart, but she had no frame of reference for electronics. The only thing I could think of was magic, but I had no idea how monster magic worked, I knew she had innate magic in turning people to stone, but she didn’t seem to know other magics. I had no frame of reference for her to tell me about magic either. I was familiar with Dungeons and Dragons magic, but this was REAL magic. That was weird to think about.
    “Magic being... real now is so weird for me,” I told her.
    “Why is that? Are you not happy about it?” She crooked her head in confusion.
    “I guess I should be? Though knowing me, I won’t be until I’m throwing lightning bolts at bandits.” I joked.
    “Combat magic is one of the most difficult types to learn, if you really wish to learn we could try to see if you have the gift of magic. Starting with illusions or summoning elements is a good idea.” She sounded completely serious.
    I had to think about it, ”I think I’ll pass. I doubt I’m special enough to be good at magic.”
          She moved a hand to caress my face. “You speak so low of yourself, why is that?”
         “Depression with a combo of low self esteem that has been a problem for me for a long time,” I reached up and touched her face, “I’ll try to stop being so negative towards myself. For you.”
          “Thank you, dear. Now, show me more of your technology,” she finally let me sit up.

    I spent the rest of the day teaching her about the TV, phones and video games. She got sucked into playing the first Zelda game for hours. I checked my phone: it read 9:35. “Do you want me to take you home at some point?” I asked.
    Selene pausd the game and looked at me. She hesitated, “Do you desire for me to go?” It was obvious that she didn’t want to leave.
    “N-no... I was just wondering if you wanted to go home at some point.”
    “The feeling I get here, when I spend time with you... This is the closest I have ever felt to truly being ‘home’ ever since I came through the portal. I only have had a place where I live before now.”  She looked so guilty, as if she had done something wrong.
    “Where do you live now?” I placed my hand on her shoulder.
    She moved my hand to her face and closed her eyes. Her snake hair all fought to touch my skin as well. “As a medusa, I am very solitary and my eyes do not adjust well to bright light. I live with five other girls in a small house. The only way I can get some peace is locking myself in a closet. Sadly, because of my size, I cannot fit into most closets.” Her head moved to my shoulder as she smiled. “But here... I feel peace. No more oni and orc drinking contests, no jinko sparring, no cheshire tricks. Just me and you, my perfect, quiet, man.”
    I wrapped my arm around her. “Well, I guess we had better go collect your things tomorrow then, huh?”
    “Truely? Do you mean it?”
    “Yeah, I can’t have my woman in a place like that.” I hardly had time to finish before being constricted.
    “Thank you, Anon.” With a kiss on the cheek, she hugged me very tightly. I struggled a bit, trying to hug her back. Her tail squeezed me tighter, restricting my movement more. She breathed in my ear, “Struggling will only make me want you more~” She dragged me to bed quickly.