Yasaka POV
She was surprised when she sensed a human intruding so close to her mansion while she was grooming her tails. There was supposed to be a protection spell that warded people off—yet, it didn't seem to be working on him, as evidenced by his presence. She grew curious. What kind of trick had he pulled?
She silently watched him from behind, hiding her presence and footsteps with extreme precision. If she didn't utter a word, not even a god could sense her. She had learned this technique from none other than Nurarihyon himself. Now then, what are you hiding?
He seemed normal at first glance. Nothing about him appeared unusual—it was as if she were staring at the most human of all humans. She thought she'd seen enough, so she revealed herself to him. But his reaction was strange the moment his eyes landed on her.
It wasn't mesmerized awe, nor fear—but something nostalgic and longing. For a moment, she thought maybe he was looking at something behind her—perhaps the interior provoked such feelings. However, his eyes were locked onto hers. She was caught off guard, though she managed to stay calm—at least on the outside.
Then he called her name. She wasn't surprised by that, assuming he'd heard about her from the Gremory Princess. What struck her as odd, however, was why someone like him—a human—was following a group of devils. Still, that thought was pushed to the back of her mind when she noticed his peculiar reaction.
She hadn't met him before, but maybe he'd seen her from afar and developed a crush or something of that sort. That was why she asked if they'd met before, but he denied it. There was no lie in his words, which perplexed Yasaka even more.
Then he said something even stranger. He knew someone who looked exactly like her—and even shared her name.
She didn't want to believe it. Even if, by some incredible chance, she had a doppelgänger, they shouldn't be a Youkai—she would've known otherwise.
Now she found herself more interested in him. In his history. What kind of person was he? Her curiosity only grew stronger. She even made her favorite tea to serve him. If anyone who knew her had seen that, they wouldn't believe it.
Yasaka was very stingy when it came to her tea. Even when Nurarihyon taught her that stealth technique so she'd have a way to escape dangerous situations, she only begrudgingly served him a single cup. That was it—one cup.
Then she noticed how Kousuke kept glancing behind her. She recognized that look immediately. It was directed at her pride—second only to her daughter: her tails.
She suddenly felt mischievous. He was acting like a man holding in a fart in front of his crush. For a moment, Yasaka forgot about her duty and her age as she teased him by asking if he wanted to touch them.
But his immediate rejection surprised her. She felt an unexpected sting and couldn't help but ask for his reason. Why? Are my tails not good enough?!
Yet the moment she heard his answer, she laughed like he'd just said the funniest thing in the world. There was indeed such a custom among the Youkai—some even took advantage of it to acquire a partner. But she still insisted that he touch them. Maybe then he too would learn to love how insanely fluffy her tails were—like her daughter did.
Though, maybe she'd been a little hasty.
She was caught completely off guard when he somehow blinked into existence right behind her. With her permission, he dove straight into her tails without restraint. Like a man diving into an oasis after half a day in the desert.
She didn't know why, but she found herself relaxing in his presence. Letting down her guard, just a little. She even doubted her own feelings—this unfamiliar warmth that flickered in her chest.
His cheeky grin made the corner of her lips curl upward.
The way he held her tails. The way he spoke. Even the way he smiled.
It all felt... familiar.
A powerful sense of déjà vu overtook her.
And then she realized why.
He reminded her of her late husband.
The pieces clicked into place. Everything suddenly made sense. Earlier, she had been thinking about Kunou—how lonely her daughter must've been growing up without a father figure. And now, this young man had appeared out of nowhere, passing through wards that should have been impenetrable.
Perhaps it was fate. A divine nudge from the universe. If that's the case...
'It would be a shame to let him go.'
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Kousuke Igarashi POV
"So you were here!"
The voice snapped him out of his fluffy-induced trance. Kousuke turned his head with a small, annoyed frown, like someone being pulled out of a dream. It was Issei, looking completely bewildered as he took in the sight before him.
There was Kousuke, buried in the luxurious tails of the Youkai Queen.
They had all been searching for him, panicking after he suddenly vanished. The moment Yasaka's subordinates informed them that a human named Kousuke was inside the mansion, the Gremory group had feared the worst. Rias had even assumed he'd been kidnapped.
And now... this.
He was perfectly fine.
In fact, he was more than fine.
Kousuke looked like he was having the time of his life—utterly unbothered by their concern, his face half-buried in Yasaka's golden fluff. Yasaka herself didn't seem remotely bothered. She smiled at them gently, one of her tails casually wrapped around Kousuke's neck like a scarf.
"Please," she said warmly, "have a seat and make yourselves comfortable."
Issei blinked, utterly dumbfounded. "Bro… are you seriously being pampered by a MILF nine-tailed fox while we were all losing our minds looking for you?"
Kousuke didn't even deny it. "She offered. Would've been rude to say no."
The corner of Yasaka's mouth curled upward as she let out a soft laugh, her tails gently brushing against him. "Such a charming young man."
Rias sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Of course this would happen…"
While the others slowly settled down and accepted Yasaka's hospitality, Kousuke leaned back just a little more into the warmth of her tails. He didn't notice it, but her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer—curious, wistful, and just the slightest bit hopeful.
"Another cup, Kousuke?" She asked.
"Gladly."
And as he took the cup with a small smile, Yasaka's own smile deepened. It wasn't out of politeness, but a warm and genuine smile.