High School DxD: Fox of Ill Omen

Issei

A few days had passed since Irina transferred in, and we were currently in the homeroom at school. 

The class was deciding who would participate in which activity for the upcoming sports festival.

The room buzzed with energy as people got excited and argued over which activities they wanted to do. 

“I can do it! I’ll do the scavenger hunt!” Irina shouted, raising her hand high.

Irina raised her hand high without the slightest hesitation.

She seemed completely unbothered by drawing attention to herself in a class full of people she had just met.

She had already settled into our class with an impressive ease.

Given how energetic and bubbly she was, it wasn’t surprising.

The girls liked talking to her and getting to know her.

The boys liked her because she would talk to anyone and was beautiful.

She was quickly becoming one of the most popular people in class. 

And while everyone else seemed more or less involved with picking out events for the sports festival, I was laid out on my desk, sighing into my folded arms.

The reason for my mood was an issue at home with the girls.

After Irina moved in recently, so had Gasper.

And it was great that he finally moved in with the rest of us.

He had been staying alone in the old school building since he was unsealed.

I didn’t think it was the best place for him to get over hiding from everyone.

Now that he was with the rest of us, we could push him out of his comfort zone more so that he could grow past his hikikomori status.

But my issue was with the girls.

Or rather, the number of them.

Normally that wasn’t something I would imagine myself thinking.

There was no way that I wouldn’t be happy to be surrounded by plenty of beautiful girls. 

At first I thought that it would be paradise, but I realized an issue. 

I was starting to feel a little isolated at the house.

The problem was that Gasper and I were the only guys in the house. 

Irina, Asia, and Xenovia would spend time together praying and talking about random things like school, food, clothes, Church stuff, and more. 

None of that was an issue, but when I tried to enter the conversation, it would feel like I was intruding.

And Yuki-san and Koneko-chan had been spending time together as well.

Even if they weren’t talking, if I tried to start a conversation, it would feel like I was intruding on something.

The other day I had walked past the living room and saw them sitting on a couch together.

Yuki-senpai was reading a book while Koneko-chan was sitting on her lap with a plate of snacks.

I had started to approach them to talk or just hang out, but stopped when Koneko-chan shot me a look that made me head the other way.

Yuuto-san would spend time with each of the other girls, so she wasn’t really in a group, but she always seemed to already be doing something with someone else.

And if I went to the Onee-sama pair of the group, they would also be having their own girl talk!

The only difference is that I’d feel more pathetic whining to them about being bored.

This wasn’t happening all the time.

I would still train with Yuuto-san, watch TV with Asia and Xenovia, play board games with Koenko-chan and Irina, but the moments where I felt like an outsider as a guy were noticeable.

I had been hanging out with Gasper more as the only other guy in the peerage, but he could only spend so much time around people before going back to his room to hide.

It made me realize that becoming a haram king was a more distant goal than I had originally thought it was.

I was floundering now, dealing with joining conversations with girls, and I would need to be able to handle multiple women at once as a haram king.

I didn’t know what to do.

Should I research clothing brands or find an interesting store to talk to them about?

When they move to feminine topics, I get completely lost.

I’m having problems even when living an ideal lifestyle. 

I still got along with everyone just fine.

There were meals together, hanging out together, jokes, arguments, stupid stuff, and sometimes ecchi situations that every boy dreamed of.

But living with everyone had made me notice the moments I felt out of place. 

A voice called me out of my thoughts.

“Hyoudou.”

I lifted my head from my desk. 

Kiryuu stood at the front by the blackboard, chalk in hand, looking at me with the calm gaze of someone who had already decided my fate.

“Yeah?”

“Your uniform is torn under your armpit?”

“Eh? Seriously?”

I immediately raised one arm to check.

I saw that there wasn’t a tear.

I realized too late that I’d been played.

“Thank you for volunteering. It’s decided.”

She wrote my name on the board under one of the events.

“That shouldn’t count! You tricked me!”

I slumped back into my seat and crossed my arms.

I’d been thinking too much, and Kiryuu noticed that I was distracted.

“Doesn’t matter, you raised your hand,” she said, waving me off. “You’ll be doing the three-legged race. As for your partner…”

Kiryuu looked around the room.

All of the girls looked away so that they wouldn’t make eye contact with her and be chosen.

I felt wronged as everyone besides my peerage members and Irina looked away.

Then Asia timidly raised her hand.

“Perfect. She will have Asia be your partner for the race,” Kiryuu said with a nod. 

I looked at Asia, who gave me a small smile.

Even if I was tricked, this was pretty much the best outcome. 

I didn’t have to get tied to some random guy, and I got to be Asia’s partner. 

Kiryuu looked at me, saw my expression, and sighed like she regretted helping me in any way.

“…I don’t get why I try to help you.” She muttered, shaking her head

I ignored her. 

Irina, meanwhile, continued happily volunteering for anything that sounded remotely fun.

Xenovia was also volunteering for several events, but she seemed to be looking at it as a competition to win. 

The rest of the day passed fairly quickly.

Classes finished up without incident, and we met for club activities but didn’t have too much to do.

By evening, things had settled into the familiar rhythm at home.

Dinner had ended not long ago.

The smell of food still lingered faintly in the living room.

Dishes had mostly been dealt with, and the dining room had been put back together after our meal. 

Buchou, Gasper, Asia, and Yuuto-san had already gone elsewhere.

But the living room still had the rest of us in it. 

Irina and Xenovia were on one side of the room, still talking about school activities and talking competitively with each other, even about events the other wasn’t in.

I was sitting on the sofa across from them, half-listening and half-not as I recovered from eating too much.

Koneko-chan was sitting by herself on one of the armchairs with a plate of sweets she had been slowly eating since we finished our meal. 

Her tail was draped over one of the armrests, flicking back and forth as she ate. 

Yuki-san was sitting on the longer couch.

She had an elbow propped on the armrest and was resting her head on that hand.

She was reading a book she held with her other hand.

She had one leg folded under herself, and her tails were spread over the cushion next to her.

Akeno-senpai was in the kitchen, drying the last of the dishes as she hummed quietly to herself. 

She would glance over at the rest of us with a smile every so often.

It looked like the smile she liked to use when she started to tease someone.

That was always dangerous.

_______________________

Akeno

I stood by the countertop with a dish towel in hand as I watched everyone settle and begin to relax after dinner.

Xenovia-chan and Irina-chan were both full of energy.

Ise-kun was relaxing on a sofa resting after our meal.

Yuki-chan was reading another book as she lounged on the couch. 

Koneko-chan wasn’t glued to Yuki-chan’s side for a change and was eating sweets quietly.

She had been much closer with Yuki-chan recently.

They had been spending more time together around the house, and Koneko-chan was being more affectionate with Yuki-chan as well.

If I hadn’t already known about her little crush, then I would have noticed it right away from how she had been acting.

Sadly for her, it seemed that Yuki-chan didn’t see her as more than a cute kohai and a friend.

She hadn’t reacted to Koneko-chan’s physical proximity with anything more than platonic interest.

It made me wonder if she really didn’t have romantic interest in anyone, as she said. 

Koneko-chan wasn’t being very subtle with her interest.

Maybe Yuki-chan was pretending not to notice in hopes that she would give up and move on.

If that was the case, she should just let Koneko-chan know so she’s not wasting her efforts for nothing.

It would be cruel of her.

But Yuki-chan was a complicated girl.

There was probably something going on with her that I didn’t see yet.

But I’d figure it out eventually. 

I dried another cup slowly and smiled to myself.

In the meantime, though, there was no reason not to cause some trouble.

Especially with Rias gone for the moment.

And there was a very particular kind of fun in teasing three people at once.

If I played things right, I could tease Yuki-chan and Ise-kun while also stirring some jealousy in Koneko-chan.

I set the cup down and moved towards the couch.

Yuki-chan looked up as I approached.

She had a wary look already at my approach. 

She was learning.

“Akeno-san?” she asked.

I smiled sweetly.

Then I sat down in her lap, sitting sideways.

She moved her tucked leg out of the way in time before my weight landed on her.

She dropped her book, and it landed on the floor with a thump as I settled over her.

The reaction around us was immediate. Ise-kun’s mouth fell open.

Irina-chan blinked, eyes wide. 

Xenovia-chan looked interested but didn’t react too much.

Koneko-chan froze with one of her sweets halfway to her mouth.

And beneath me, Yuki-chan went still, and I could tell she didn’t know what to do.

It was a rather cute reaction.

Her tails twitched behind her.

“Akeno-san,” she said again, her voice more cautious. “What are you doing?”

I let out a pleased hum as I settled more comfortably against her.

I leaned closer and moved my arm closer to her, around her shoulder casually.

“Well, Koneko-chan has been sitting here all the time lately,” I said. “So I thought it would be fine if I took a turn.”

As I said it, I glanced at Ise-kun with a grin.

That made him flush in exactly the way I hoped it would.

Yuki-chan followed my gaze and noticed it too.

“If you want to sit on someone’s lap,” Yuki-chan said with a sigh, “I’m sure that Issei-san would be happy to volunteer.”

Good.

She wasn’t upset with me for doing this.

That meant I could tease her more. 

I made a wounded face and leaned against her, putting my head on her shoulder.

“How cruel, Yuki-chan. Am I not allowed to enjoy time with you?

I brought my other hand up to her chest and started tracing lines near her collarbone with my nails.

She stiffened immediately.

“Why does only Koneko-chan get special treatment from you?” I murmured.

Yuki-chan’s eyes flicked toward Koneko-chan.

I smiled at Koneko-chan as I saw that she had schooled her expression pretty well.

But I noticed the crushed biscuit she had been holding when I had first sat on Yuki-chan’s lap on her plate.

I looked back at Yuki-chan as I continued.

“You wrap your tails around her,” I said softly. “You let her sit with you whenever she likes. It seems unfair, Yuki-chan.”

I kept tracing my nails over her, and I let my hand dip lower on her chest as I spoke.

“Akeno-san, that’s different.”

Her voice had gone more tense. 

Ise-kun was staring harder now.

I leaned my head on her shoulder.

Her fox ears twitched.

One of her tails lashed once against the couch.

“And why is that? You should wrap your tails around me too,” I said. “Then we can put on a little show for Ise-kun. Didn’t I suggest that before?”

That got a reaction from all three of them.

Ise-kun got a small nosebleed.

Koneko-chan set her plate aside as she glared at me. 

Yuki-chan leaned back, though with me in her lap there was not much room for her to retreat.

I leaned to her ear and lowered my voice enough that the others would not hear.

“Yuki-chan,” I whispered, “you know what I want.”

She went still.

I smiled against her ear.

“See, you do know… I want to flip that switch you have.”

Her reaction was immediate.

She quickly turned her head towards me.

Her eyes were slightly narrowed when she looked into my eyes.

That hungry edge I had been looking for was in her gaze as she looked at me.

It made the back of my neck tingle pleasantly.

For just a second, it looked like she might forget the rest of the room existed.

Then Koneko-chan moved towards us.

_______________________

Issei

Koneko-chan stood from her seat and quickly crossed the room towards Yuki-san and Akeno-san.

One second Akeno-san was in Yuki-san’s lap, leaning in way too close, and the next Koneko-chan had grabbed her.

Akeno-san paused and turned towards her.

“Ara?”

Akeno-san sounded genuinely surprised.

Then Koneko-chan hauled her off Yuki-san's lap with a strength that made the sofa shift.

She placed the stunned-looking Akeno-san down on the cushion beside Yuki-san.

“…Not allowed,” Koneko-chan muttered.

“Ara, that doesn’t seem fair, Koneko-chan,” Akeno-san said, narrowing her eyes at her.

Koneko-chan ignored Akeno-san and turned back to Yuki-san.

Yuki-san still looked a little dazed and she seemed confused by Koneko-chan’s actions  

She looked mostly composed again, but still looked a bit flustered.

Koneko-chan took one of Yuki-san’s hands.

“…Come on.”

Yuki-san blinked. “Koneko?”

“…Akeno-senpai is being a bad influence.”

“I think that Yuki-chan will disagree with that,” Akeno-san muttered.

Koneko-chan tugged Yuki-san forward.

And Yuki let herself be pulled up off the couch.

“Wait—where are we going?” Yuki-san asked.

“Away from lewd senpai.”

“I prefer seductive. Ise-kun can be the lewd one.” Akeno-san replied. 

“…Same thing.”

Koneko-chan started leading her out of the room by the hand while muttering under her breath.

“…Too close... Taking my spot...”

Yuki-san looked back over her shoulder once with a faintly bewildered expression that only made the whole thing feel stranger.

And then they were gone.

The room was quiet for a second.

Then Akeno-san sighed dramatically and slumped against the sofa.

“That was rude of her,” she said, then muttered to herself. “I’ll have to wait until she’s not around next time…”

Irina was still watching the doorway.

“Is that sort of… thing… normal around here? Was that flirting?” she asked, still watching the door.

Xenovia crossed her arms. “It happens occasionally, when Akeno decides to bother someone.”

Akeno-senpai put a hand to her chest.

“Xenovia-san, how cold.”

“It’s true.”

“It was only some simple teasing.”

“You whispered something suspicious to her.”

Akeno-san’s smile grew.

“And it worked great.”

My face flushed slightly as I recalled how Akeno-san had draped herself over Yuki-san.

The dangerous smile on her face as she whispered something into Yuki-san’s ear.

Then Yuki-san had looked at her much more intensely before Koneko-chan had pulled Akeno-san off of her and dragged her away.

“I barely got started,” Akeno-san lamented. “I didn’t even get to tease Yuki-chan properly. And I hardly put on a show at all for Ise-kun”

“I’m just glad Buchou didn't walk in during that,” I muttered. “Especially if you would have said it was for me again.”

Akeno-san tilted her head at me sweetly.

“But that would have been even more fun/”

Irina looked between us with interest and confusion.

“I still don’t understand this house very well,” she admitted.

“That is fair,” Xenovia said.

I rubbed my face hard with both hands.

Akeno-san had always liked to flirt and tease both Yuki-san and me.

Now that we all lived together, I felt like these sorts of situations would only become more common.

Akeno-senpai still looked unapologetic.

“Really, Koneko-chan is getting territorial.”

“I think she’s just not a fan of those kinds of situations. She always berates me if I make certain comments,” I replied.

Akeno gave me a wry grin.

“I don't think that’s exactly it…”

Before I could even decide whether or not I should ask what she meant, Xenovia looked toward the doorway Yuki-san and Koneko-chan had disappeared through, then back at the rest of us.

Her expression was perfectly serious.

“So,” she said, “does this mean anyone is allowed to sit on someone’s lap now?”

I covered my face again.

I would have to clear up that misunderstanding, or she would spread it to both Irina and Asia.

And I knew that Akeno-san wouldn’t be of any help.

Maybe I should have hung out with Gasper after dinner.

Then I remembered the scene of Akeno-san pressed close to Yuki-san and realized that thought was wrong.

There really were too many girls in this house, even if thinking that felt wrong.

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