A/N: And now…! Another one-shot! I hope you'd enjoy it!

Title: A Nura's Woman Of Preference

Rating: T

Genre: General/Romance

Pairing: Rikuo/Tsurara, implied!one-sided!Setsura/Nurarihyon, implied!Nurarihyon/Youhime, implied!Rihan/Otome, implied!Rihan/Wakana

Summary: Setsura ponders whether even the woman of preference is the same with every generation. ONE SHOT

A Nura's Woman Of Preference

Setsura has been serving in the Nura Clan for more than 400 years, and in her years of service, it was not an uncommon knowledge that she had been raising her brow at the kind of preferred woman the Nura men had. She did not hate it… rather, it was rather infuriating and confusing, at first, for her as a woman of action herself, why a man like Nurarihyon, a great youkai of no-boundaries, would choose a passive, overly gentle human woman, over her, a passionate yuki-onna?

When Nurarihyon first asked for Youhime's hand in one of the local bars, Setsura was devastated. Well, that would be an understatement... Although it was clear as day to her that the Nura Clan leader held no romantic interest in her, she never thought in her devoted life that he would actually go for a human. That is aside the fact that she was quite a beauty, and she did earn her respect somewhere along the way, especially with her protectiveness over her son, Rihan – it was quite a feat to see her angry at her own husband for getting little Rihan in dangerous situations. (Probably the only woman Nurarihyon actually feared…?)

The second was not that different from his father too, as Setsura basically raised him with Youhime (then the latter died), until she left the main house. She had seen him bring the beautiful ayakashi, Yamabuki Otome; although a youkai, she came almost no different from Youhime. Both had this irritatingly graceful passiveness and an ability to make the Nura men go head on with an enemy without thinking twice. They were also both too kind for their own good, if not a little too much. It was such a shame though, that Otome left since everyone, including Setsura herself, was very fond of that girl.

She had no idea about this human wife that Rihan had since she had long left the main house by the time that the second married another human. But according to her lady senses, she was probably as meek, gentle, and passive as the first two brides.

It was also because of this annoying pattern she saw with the two, Setsura was sure that the Young Master, would certainly follow his predecessors' footsteps and marry someone with that annoying passiveness. According to her logic, he would also marry a human! After all, his grandfather and father did marry humans!

Now that she thought about it, maybe letting her little girl stay in the main house was not the brightest of ideas she had. She might fall into that category called 'Hyakki Yakou-zoned'. She experienced it before, and it was something she'd never want her dearest daughter to experience.

Ah, now that she thought about it, there was one girl that caught her attention… passive, check!(1) Human, check! The only thing left is for their dear leader to suddenly ask for her hand in marriage. Setsura could feel herself roll her eyes with that. Well, it's not like they would have any other choice, considering the fact that it would be impossible for their clan leader to marry a youkai due to that curse.

Setsura then thought that it served Nurarihyon's blood right, but then, she reminded herself that if not for that curse, Otome would still be alive, and so would be Rihan.

A pink cherry blossom drifted through the air, taking Setsura out of her reverie. She was sitting on her house's porch, a shamisen in hand, when someone spoke.

"Can I talk to you, Setsura?"

Although the voice came from somewhere from the cherry blossom tree, Setsura did not even feel the need to look or check who talked, she knew it too well after all, "You do know that you just talked to me, child of Rihan."

"I have something important to discuss." He insisted.

The yuki-onna continued playing her shamisen once more, "If you're going to ask me if you'd like to make Tsurara a bridesmaid for your wedding with a human, don't you think you'd rather ask her instead."

"Strange," The Third gave her an amused look and smirked, "I have always thought I should at least invite the parent of the woman I'll be marrying, but it seems you're not interested-"

At that moment, Setsura was flabbergasted at his words that she broke the chord of her shamisen, "Ow! You what?"

"Go to your daughter's wedding. Our wedding. She'd love to see you there."

Setsura heard rustling from the tree, and thought that he'd be leaving already. She put down her shamisen and went down to take a little closer look at the cherry blossom tree. Just as she thought, Rikuo was indeed ready to leave her house.

"Wait…!" she exclaimed, earning a glance from the Nura clan leader. She hesitated for a moment, but she had to talk. Holding back was not one of in vocabulary after all. However, with all the things going in and out of her mind, this was the only word she could come up with, "Why?"

Damn, Nurarihyon would have a laughing fit if he found out about this!

Rikuo blinked at her question and said, "Do I really have to answer that?"

"You dolt!" Setsura exclaimed, sending snow balls at her future-in-law (she couldn't do much harm on him, since you know, he's Tsurara's groom…). "Of course you should! At least tell me why you'd want to marry my only daughter!"

"Because I love her. And she loves me. It couldn't get any simpler than that." He said with such breeze, Setsura felt that it was Nurarihyon talking to her about how he loved Youhime. And oh, there goes the shoujo bubbles background too.

"Why?" she asked the young master, "Why Tsurara? Are you not going to choose someone passive? Are you… are you not mistaking this 'love' of yours as 'caring' for your Hyakki Yakou?" she spat, "Tsurara is a very passionate girl and if-"

"Don't you think it's a little too late for you to ask me about that?" he cut her in midsentence, "I've already thought about that myself, a hundred, a thousand, a million times… but it's still all the same to me. I love her, as she is, as she does with me."

These silly children! Talking about love like they know it!

"You did not even answer if you're not-"

"No, I'm not." Rikuo answered with a firm voice, "If I thought Tsurara was just a part of my Hyakki Yakou, do you think I'd ask her hand in marriage?"

Setsura was taken aback by his answer, but she wouldn't show him that. She could not let him have the satisfaction of making her feel uncomfortable!

"How about the curse," Setsura eyed him, "Tsurara won't be able to give you an heir, you know, you'd have to lay with a human sooner or later. You'll only hurt her with that."

With a sigh, Rikuo simply stated, "I'll break the curse."

"Oh you'll break the… you'll what?"

"Yeah, you heard me. I'll break the curse. I'll make sure… that Tsurara won't suffer… I know she'll wait until I find a way break the curse," he turned his gaze at his future bride's mother, who was now looking surprised, "It might not be right now, or in the immediate future... but I will break the curse and make her happy, I will make sure we will be happy."

If there was one moment that Setsura felt the height of his feelings for her child, this was it. There was no fiercer, more determined look in his eyes than what she could see right now. And all of that, for the sake of the cheerful and determined youkai that he fell in love with. And was going to be married to.

"I'll guess I don't have the choice to die early…" Setsura whispered as she watched Rikuo hop off on his hebi, "If you make my Tsurara feel discontent with her own self because of you, I will personally freeze your balls, chop them off, and offer them to any beggar willing to eat anything."

Setsura watched as her in-law-to-be flew off as the dawn broke, she smiled to herself. Now she remembered how Otome was when they talked… It was not because of being a youkai or human, or being passionate or passive, or whatever preference these Nura men had. Because really... nothing actually mattered, so long as they were happy and in love with each other.

"You're back!" Tsurara exclaimed as Rikuo arrived at the Main house. Kappa, Kejoro, Kubinashi, Kurotabou, and Ao also welcomed their leader home.

"How did it go, Rikuo-sama?" asked Karasu Tengu.

"HOLY CRAP… SO THAT HOW IT FELT TO HAVE A LIVE IN-LAW… WHY DIDN'T GRANDDAD TELL ME ANYTHING ABOUT THIS!" answered Rikuo, paling.(2)

A/N2: So how was it? Horrible? Clichéd? Thoughts? Comments? Violent reactions? Reviews are very much welcome! And if you'd like, feel free to read my other one-shots: A Thousand Words (Rikuo/Tsurara), and A Visit Before Marriage (one-sided!Tsurara/Rikuo)

(1)Kana... passive? Are you sure, Setsuna? This is the girl who actively said that Rikuo loves her… according to an omake. You know, that one, with Kana and Yura, woth Kana totally misunderstanding Yura's 'wanting to know more' about Rikuo. Kindly tell me if I'm wrong or not, coz I've heard two different dialogues for the omake. The first one, the one in the WSJ, saying something like 'I know you like Rikuo-kun, I support you in that!' , and in the tankobon, it became, "Rikuo loves me, but I support you!" (just so Tsurara would be out of the way... no really, I'm serious.) If I got it right, it's Vol.5 omake. Ah, I remember the moments I wasn't irritated by her... I liked her during her inner monologue stuff you know, with all the scheming and stuff. Too bad it got pushed aside. -_-

(2)Poor Rikuo... but then again, your grand dad didn't have much of a problem with that, didn't he? (since ya know, he's dead)