Courtyard / Just After Class
Lupa leaned against the fencing post, tail swaying lazily behind her.
Sweat clung to her toned arms, and her gray tank top was stretched tight across her chest.
She had wiped blood from her knuckles like it was just dust.
Her fang-toothed grin earlier had nearly terrified the first-years.
Kain approached with a bottle of cold water in each hand.
He tossed one her way without a word.
She caught it mid-air, eyeing him suspiciously.
"...What's this?"
"A peace offering," Kain said simply, cracking his open and leaning beside her.
"...I didn't know we were at war"
He smirked.
"Everyone's at war. Some of us just know how to hide it better"
Lupa took a sip, eyes narrowing.
"You're weird"
Kain tilted his head.
"And you're not?"
She snorted, glancing down at the bruises on her forearms.
"...That sparring session was boring"
"Then you're fighting the wrong people," he said without hesitation.
"Or they're afraid of going full power with you"
She blinked.
Slowly.
"You say that like it's my fault"
"Nah," Kain said.
"It's his fault"
Her ears perked slightly.
He didn't say Aiden's name.
He didn't have to.
"You're strong. Dominant. Proud. Anyone who's really with you should be ready to throw themselves at your level"
"Don't hold back to 'protect his feelings'"
Lupa stared at him.
"...You're calling him weak?"
"I'm saying," Kain said calmly, "he plays safe with you. That's not what you want, is it?"
She growled quietly.
Not at him.
"...He always says I'm scary when I get serious"
"And you are," Kain said, chuckling.
"But that's not a bad thing. A woman who knows how to sink her teeth in and command respect? That's rare"
He stepped a bit closer, close enough for her to feel his warmth, but not threatening.
"Someone should match your hunger. Not muzzle it"
Lupa's breathing hitched slightly.
Her tail flicked faster.
"...You talk like you know what I need"
"I don't," Kain admitted, with a faint smirk.
"But I listen better than most"
She looked up at him, eyes glowing with challenge.
"...You're dangerous"
Kain smiled, slow and sharp.
"You have no idea"
Just then, he casually lifted his phone, angled it slightly, and clicked a shot of the two of them.
Lupa was still leaning close, ears tilted toward him, sweat glistening on her collarbone.
She didn't even notice the flash.
Kain tucked it away without comment.
[System Notification]
[Lupa. Affection: 24%. Loyalty: 10%. Lust: 20%]
[Emotional Imprint Created: Finally seen. Finally challenged.]
He turned to leave.
"See you, Lupa. Try not to hold back next time"
She watched him go, licking her bottom lip, eyes locked.
"...Tch. Bastard's cocky"
But she didn't stop him.
Nightfall / Theater District
The main hall buzzed with murmurs as students filed out into the cool night air.
Velvet curtains drew slowly closed behind the last group exiting from a late-night screening.
Kain stepped out first.
The warm glow of streetlamps cast soft shadows over him as he adjusted his collar, the scent of popcorn lingering in the air.
At his sides, the girls clustered naturally.
Ruby had her arms crossed but relaxed.
Lyla loops her arm lazily around his.
Beatrix was walking backwards while humming.
Darcy quietly fixes her collar, and Alyssa is still flushed from a romantic subplot in the film.
"I liked the part where the guy actually confessed without whining for five chapters," Beatrix said flatly.
"That's because he had a spine," Ruby said.
"Rare breed"
Kain chuckled under his breath.
"Some men just need a little push"
As the group slowed near the stone steps, the other set of theater doors creaked open.
Aiden.
He stepped out surrounded by his five: Lupa, Aqua, Hazel, Holly, and Nina.
They looked... untouched.
Not by the cold, not by each other.
Just individuals standing near each other, not with.
Nina was already scrolling through something on her phone.
Hazel stretched her arms, stifling a yawn.
Holly glanced up at the stars instead of Aiden.
Aqua rubbed her arms like she wanted warmth but didn't ask.
Lupa just stared, emotion unreadable.
Aiden spotted Kain and offered a half-grin.
"You guys came to the late show too?"
Kain nodded.
"Tradition. I like ending the night with good company"
"Same," Aiden said, though it came out... thin.
Ruby leaned slightly into Kain.
"We should do this again soon. Double feature next time?"
He gave a teasing glance.
"If Alyssa doesn't cry this time"
"I did not cry," Alyssa protested.
Laughter.
Genuine, heartwarming laughter.
Darcy smirked as they began to drift off.
Kain gave a nod toward Aiden, subtle.
Aiden returned it.
Then…
[System Notification]
[Lupa. Affection: 26% / Loyalty: 12% / Lust: 20%]
[Mood: Mild Curiosity. Felt something was missing]
[Aqua. Affection: 24% / Loyalty: 15% / Lust: 15%]
[Mood: Quiet. Stole glances at Kain's group dynamic]
[Hazel. Affection: 12% / Loyalty: 4% / Lust: 0%]
[Mood: Unbothered, but watched Kain's laughter longer than necessary]
[Holly. Affection: 14% / Loyalty: 5% / Lust: 0%]
[Mood: Pensive. Compared group closeness without knowing why]
[Nina. Affection: 13% / Loyalty: 5% / Lust: 0%]
[Mood: Mildly Annoyed. Didn't enjoy the film, noticed Kain's girls more]
Kain's eyes drifted just once, catching Aqua watching his retreating back.
No smile.
No wink.
Just a memory planted.
The seed of comparison.
The first fracture.
Next Day / Early Afternoon
The academy gardens were quiet; most students would either be sparring or studying magic, which made it the perfect time to slip away.
And there, just as he expected…
Aqua.
She sat in the same spot they'd talked just yesterday, but decided to move to the grass as he got closer.
Her legs were folded to the side, skirt brushing the grass.
She didn't notice Kain's approach at first, lost in the wind or her thoughts, maybe both.
Her face carried that same expression.
Loneliness wrapped in discipline.
Kain slowed, stepping onto the grass as the breeze stirred around them.
"You like this spot," he said calmly, voice smooth but warm.
Aqua blinked, startled, then softened when she saw it was him.
"...It's peaceful here. Quiet."
He nodded, taking a seat beside her without asking.
For a moment, silence settled between them, but not an awkward one.
The kind that invites weight.
"You remember what we talked about?"
Kain asked, leaning back against the trunk.
"About warmth. How it shouldn't be feared?"
Aqua looked away.
"I do"
Kain turned his head to her, eyes focused, not predatory, but piercing.
"Then why are you still cold?"
She didn't answer immediately.
Just stared out across the garden, eyes tracing shadows.
"It's not that simple," she said finally.
"Even if I… wanted to be warm… not everyone gives it freely"
"Then maybe," Kain murmured, low and dangerous, "you're asking the wrong people"
Aqua flinched at that.
Not offended.
Exposed.
She turned to him.
"Do you think it's wrong… for a girl to want that? Affection, I mean. Real affection?"
Kain looked directly into her eyes.
"No. I think it's wrong when people ignore it. Or worse, pretend they don't hear the need"
He leaned in slightly, not close enough to be inappropriate, but enough to feel.
"I'd never ignore that"
[System Notification]
[Aqua. Affection: 25% / Loyalty: 15% / Lust: 12%]
[Mood: Vulnerable. Wants to understand this new warmth]
Aqua's lips parted slightly, but she looked down instead of speaking.
Kain leaned back again, letting it simmer.
"It's okay if you don't trust it yet," he added softly.
"But just know it's here. When you're ready"
He stood slowly, brushing grass from his pants.
"I'll see you around, Aqua"
And just before he walked off, he paused, looked over his shoulder.
"Stay warm"
Then he was gone.
She sat there long after, hand gently touching the grass where he had been.
Evening / Dining Hall Balcony, Reserved Terrace
The firelight flickered against polished stone as Kain leaned back in his chair, one arm draped lazily over the rest.
His girls sat around the long table, laughter spilling between bites of perfectly seared steak and golden potatoes.
Ruby was in the middle of a story, something reckless she and Darcy had pulled last week, while Alyssa kept stealing sips from Lyla's glass, and Beatrix rolled her eyes but didn't stop smiling.
Kain didn't say much.
He didn't need to.
Everything around him moved with rhythm.
With ease.
With time.
Three days.
That's all it had been since he met Aiden and his little harem.
Three days, and already cracks were forming.
He swirled his wine lazily, glancing over the balcony edge.
Below, in the quiet courtyard, Aiden was walking with his girls.
Hazel and Holly stuck close to his sides, chatting about something.
Nina was giggling at some half-witted joke he made.
Lupa looked a bit more distant, always scanning like a wolf on edge.
But Aqua… she trailed behind.
Just a few steps, but they mattered.
She looked distracted.
Distant.
Hands fidgeting with her sleeve, eyes not on Aiden, but on the shadows.
Kain tilted his head.
Smirked.
Right on time.
[System Notification]
[Aqua. Affection: 26% / Loyalty: 15% / Lust: 12%]
[Mood: Restless. Yearning. Cold in his presence, warm in memory]
Beatrix caught his gaze and nudged his side.
"Watching your prey again?"
Kain took a sip.
"Just watching someone realize they're starving"
Lyla raised an eyebrow.
"You didn't even touch her"
"I didn't have to," Kain replied calmly.
"I listened"
Darcy chuckled, "That's all it takes sometimes"
His phone buzzed once.
A photo.
Aqua earlier, in the garden.
Her eyes lowered.
Hand in the grass where he had been.
Fragile.
Real.
Exactly what Aiden never noticed.
He saved it.
Not for pleasure.
For precision.
"One by one," Kain muttered under his breath, voice low and silk-wrapped in cruelty.
Alyssa tilted her head.
"Hm?"
"Nothing," he said smoothly.
"Just thinking how lonely it must be… standing next to someone who doesn't see you"
He raised his glass in a silent toast, gaze never leaving the girl trailing behind the group.
This would take time.
It had to.
That was the beauty of it.
Next Morning / Academy Courtyard Garden
The morning sun filtered through swaying branches, casting dappled light over the grass and stone paths.
Dew still clung to the petals, the soft chill of dawn not yet burned away.
And there she was.
Aqua.
Back under that same tree.
Back where her silence had spoken more than her words.
She wasn't sitting this time, just standing with her arms crossed under her chest, her fingers digging slightly into her sleeves.
Her long hair swayed gently with the wind, but her thoughts were clearly storming.
She didn't notice him right away.
She was too lost in them.
Kain approached quietly, his steps measured, confident, but not loud.
Never loud.
He stopped just short of her, enough to be felt.
"You keep finding your way back here," he said, voice calm as morning tide.
Aqua blinked, then slowly turned her head.
"…I didn't think you'd show up again"
He smiled faintly.
"I said I would. And I meant it"
She looked away again, eyes fixated on the soft sway of flowers.
"I didn't sleep well"
"I know," he said, and her gaze flicked back to him.
"Do you?" she asked, defensive but not angry, almost hopeful.
"I do"
He nodded once.
"You were cold again, weren't you?"
She looked like she wanted to deny it.
To scoff or change the subject.
But something in his voice stripped away the defense.
She bit her lip, then said quietly, "…He didn't even hold my hand"
Kain said nothing.
Just let the words sink into the space between them.
"I tried," Aqua whispered.
"Three times yesterday. I even… I brushed against him"
"Reached out when we were walking. He moved away, like it wasn't on purpose, but…"
Her voice cracked slightly.
"It always is, isn't it?"
Kain finally stepped closer, not touching her, just near.
"You ever think," he murmured, "maybe he doesn't understand the value of what's being offered?"
She glanced up at him, blinking.
"That warmth you want?"
Kain continued, "It's not wrong to crave it. What's wrong is when someone sees it… and walks past it"
Aqua's throat bobbed.
[System Notification]
[Aqua. Affection: 28% / Loyalty: 15% / Lust: 13%]
[Mood: Conflicted. Hurt. Seeking emotional shelter]
Kain didn't smirk.
Didn't gloat.
This wasn't the moment for that.
He simply leaned his back against the tree beside her, hands in his pockets.
"It's okay to want more," he said quietly.
"And it's okay to expect something back"
She didn't reply.
But she didn't leave.
When Kain eventually walked off without saying goodbye, this time, with just a subtle glance over his shoulder.
Aqua remained under the tree, staring after him.
Still cold.
But thinking about what warmth really felt like.
The cracks were deepening.
And Kain wasn't even trying yet.
Early Afternoon / Academy Cafeteria Courtyard
The sun was high now, warm and golden, casting clean shadows across the stone-tiled patio.
The outside cafeteria tables were half-full, buzzing with the low murmur of cliques and conversations.
Kain sat alone beneath a large umbrella, half-finished pasta in front of him, expression unreadable.
His phone was in his hand, not scrolling, just turning lazily between his fingers.
His girls had taken his black card to run wild on a shopping spree.
He insisted.
He needed the space.
Bait needs time.
And right on cue… she arrived.
Aqua.
She spotted him from across the courtyard.
Hesitated.
Then walked over.
Kain didn't look up until she was close.
And when he did, his gaze was soft, curious.
"…Hey," Aqua said, stopping just shy of his table.
Kain tilted his head slightly.
"Hey"
She stood there awkwardly, one hand gripping the hem of her uniform skirt.
"The others went to the training hall. I didn't feel like going"
He nodded, like he believed that.
"And here I thought you came just to see me"
Her eyes widened, flustered.
"W-What?! I mean—I didn't—!"
He chuckled, light but smooth.
"Relax. Sit down"
She did.
Slowly.
Not across from him, but next to him.
'Interesting'
She looked down at his food.
"Do you eat alone a lot?"
"Only when I need to think"
He stabbed a piece of pasta lazily.
"Or when the company I want finds me anyway"
Her cheeks pinked slightly, but she didn't look away this time.
For a while, he didn't say anything else.
Just let her settle into the space.
Let the silence stir her thoughts.
Then—
"So," he said, turning his body just slightly toward her.
"What's it like?"
She blinked.
"What is?"
Kain gave her a look.
"You're a half-mermaid, aren't you?"
Aqua blinked again.
Her lips parted slightly.
"No one's asked me that in forever"
"Then that's their mistake," Kain said, tilting his head.
"I'd like to know"
She stared at him, searching for sarcasm or mockery.
She didn't find any.
"It's… strange," she admitted softly.
"I can breathe underwater. My legs change in saltwater. I hear music better in liquid than in air"
"That sounds beautiful"
"It's not," she said quickly.
"It's… isolating. People either fetishize it or ignore it"
Kain hummed.
"Let me guess. He never asked"
Aqua looked away, jaw tensing.
"It's not—He just doesn't think it matters"
Kain leaned forward a bit, his voice lower now, intimate without crossing a line.
"But it does, doesn't it?"
Her breath caught. She didn't answer.
[System Notification]
[Aqua. Affection: 32% / Loyalty: 16% / Lust: 14%]
[Mood: Emotionally stirred. Yearning to be seen]
He leaned back, letting the air between them cool.
"I like knowing things like that," he said casually, as he picked up his fork again.
"It makes a person feel… real"
Aqua stared at him.
Not at his hands.
Not at the food.
At him.
"Do you ever—" she started, then stopped.
Kain raised an eyebrow.
"Hm?"
"…Nothing," she muttered, looking away again.
"It's stupid"
He smiled softly, setting his fork down again.
"It's not. Whatever it is—it's not"
She didn't speak.
But her hand moved just slightly, brushing the edge of the table.
Closer.
Not to the food.
To him.
He grinned slightly, not pulling away, if she wanted someone to show her affection… What's wrong with doing so?
Later That Day / Dormitory Hallway, Outside the Lounge
The sun was starting to dip, casting long shadows through the academy's stone archways. Students passed here and there, but the hall was mostly empty.
Kain leaned against the wall near the lounge door, phone in hand, scrolling through some nonsense just to pass time.
Then—
"Ayo, Kain!"
He looked up.
And there he was.
Sir Dumbass Supreme.
Aiden jogged up, the picture of awkward energy, messy hair, slightly flushed, still wearing his combat tunic from earlier.
The dude always looked like he was five minutes late to understanding the plot.
Kain gave him a slow blink.
"What's up?"
Aiden rubbed the back of his neck.
"So, uh… You got a minute?"
'Here we go'
'Yes, my sweet idiot. Confess your failures to me, the man who stole your girl's attention with a goddamn salad fork and a genuine question'
Kain shrugged.
"Sure. Talk."
Aiden looked around like someone might be listening, then leaned in slightly.
"It's about Aqua"
Kain arched his brow.
"Something wrong?"
Aiden looked painfully sheepish, eyes darting to the floor.
"I dunno, man. It just feels like she's been... distant?"
Kain resisted the smirk that wanted to crawl across his face.
'Distant? Bro, she was three centimeters away from asking me what my love language was'
Aiden continued, nervous.
"She skipped training, didn't eat with us, and when I asked if something was up, she just said she was 'tired.'"
Kain gave a thoughtful nod.
"Tired, huh. Did she look tired?"
Aiden frowned.
"No. She looked fine. Just kinda... thoughtful, I guess?"
'She looked thoughtful because I asked her about her species, you discount Naruto clone'
Kain sighed and rubbed his chin like he was deeply considering it.
"Well… maybe she just needs space. Girls like that tend to carry a lot inside"
"If she's half-mermaid, that means she's been straddling two worlds her whole life"
Aiden blinked.
"She never told me that"
Kain looked him dead in the eye.
"Did you ask?"
Silence.
Aiden opened his mouth, then closed it.
Kain shrugged again.
"Sometimes it's not about being there. It's about noticing the parts of them they don't show to everyone"
Aiden looked stunned, like he just heard God whisper stock tips in his ear.
Kain almost laughed.
"I'd talk to her," Kain added gently.
"But not about what you want. Ask her what she wants. And actually listen"
Aiden nodded slowly.
"Yeah… yeah, you're right. Thanks, man. Seriously"
He clapped Kain on the shoulder before awkwardly shuffling off down the hall.
As soon as he turned the corner, Kain let the smirk out.
'Fucking hell… was Finn this bad?'
The Next Day / Academy Library, Lunch Hour
The soft rustle of pages echoed in the high-ceilinged library.
Light filtered in through stained glass, casting colorful patterns across the stone floor.
It was quiet, sacred almost.
The kind of silence you don't dare ruin unless you're a complete moron.
Which is exactly why—
"Aqua! There you are!"
Aiden ran in like a golden retriever that slipped its leash.
Heads turned.
A librarian snapped her head up like a hawk scenting blood.
But Aqua… didn't.
She sat at the far end of the library, nestled in a reading nook surrounded by ancient books.
A thick volume rested open on her lap.
"Cultural Harmony Between Oceanic and Surface Races"
She blinked once, slowly, before sighing.
Aiden reached her, still breathless, hands on his hips like he'd just finished a triathlon.
"I've been looking everywhere for you!"
"I've been here," she replied softly, gaze returning to her book.
"You didn't come to lunch," he said, squatting down beside her.
"Are you… mad at me or something?"
Aqua's eyes didn't lift.
"No"
Aiden fumbled.
"Because if it's about yesterday—"
"It's not"
A pause.
Then Aiden blurted, "Is it because I haven't, y'know… held your hand or something?"
Dear gods above.
Aqua.exe has stopped responding.
She slowly turned her head to look at him.
"I don't want you to do something because you feel like you're supposed to," she said, voice neutral but cool.
"I want it to mean something"
Aiden looked panicked, like someone just told him love was a test he didn't study for.
"O-Of course! That's what I meant!"
Aqua stood, brushing down her skirt.
"You didn't even know I was a half-mermaid, Aiden. That's something I thought you'd care about"
"I—I do!" he stammered.
"I care about all of you!"
"Then start acting like it"
She turned, heading toward the deeper rows of the library without looking back.
Aiden stood there, wilted.
Behind one of the distant shelves, Kain was leaning against a column with a book he wasn't even reading.
He watched it all with the faintest smirk.
Step by step.
Thread by thread.
'Keep unraveling, golden boy. I've got time'
Later That Day / Advanced Magic Theory Class
The room was already half-full when Kain arrived. Students murmured over notes, scribbled runes across parchment, and adjusted their mana focus stones.
At the back row, his unofficial throne, Kain slid into his seat like a king returning to court.
And just like clockwork…
Aqua entered.
She paused at the threshold.
Her eyes swept the room instinctively.
Aiden, already seated near the front with his usual puppy-dog smile, waved at her eagerly.
Aqua's expression didn't change.
But her feet didn't move either.
For a second, just a second, it looked like she might go to him.
That she'd default to what was comfortable.
Expected.
Then her gaze flicked sideways, toward the back.
Kain looked up from his book slowly, one brow raised, like she was a particularly interesting passage.
Aqua inhaled.
And walked past Aiden.
Right to the back.
Right to him.
She didn't say anything at first, just slid into the seat beside Kain, her posture calm but her fingers curled just a bit too tightly around her textbook.
Aiden stared.
Like someone just stole his lunch and flirted with it.
Kain didn't say anything either, not at first.
He let it settle.
Let it stew.
Then, softly, so only she could hear:
"You always choose the cold, and yet…"
He glanced sideways at her.
"Here you are. Sitting in the sun"
Aqua didn't respond, but her ears were pink.
[System Notification]
[Aqua. Affection: 38% / Loyalty: 25% / Lust: 14%]
[Mood: Conflicted. Heart split between comfort and curiosity]
Aiden was still watching.
He looked like he wanted to say something.
Like he wanted to call her name again.
Kain opened his book wider, smirking behind the pages.
Late Evening / Kain's Room
The lights were low, shadows pooling in the corners of the lavish dorm.
A single window was cracked open, letting in the cool whisper of midnight air.
Kain sat back in his desk chair, legs spread, wearing nothing but tight black briefs and a silver chain that caught the moonlight.
A cigarette hung lazily from his lips, smoke curling upward like a serpent.
He took a slow drag, exhaling toward the ceiling as a faint chuckle escaped his throat.
"Gods… he really said, 'Did I do something wrong?'"
He snorted.
"No, champ. You did everything wrong"
He leaned his head back, eyes half-lidded as memories from earlier replayed in perfect comedic agony:
Aiden stumbled through his words, panicking as Aqua's eyes grew colder.
He asked if she was "on her period."
The silence that followed.
Kain nearly choked on his food, trying not to laugh.
He grinned wider, smoke slipping between his teeth.
"How much of a fucking idiot do you need to be that you can't even read the room?"
Another drag.
Another smirk.
[System Notification]
[Aqua. Affection: 43% / Loyalty: 35% / Lust: 30%]
[Mood: Distant. Her thoughts linger elsewhere]
From the bed behind him, soft sheets rustled.
Ruby's voice, warm, sleepy, called out gently.
"Kain… come back to bed"
Then he heard Beatrix's voice.
"We can go for a few more rounds if needed"
He stubbed the cigarette out on a silver tray.
"I'll hold you to that promise," he said with a grin.