Class / Combat Theory
The door slammed open.
Aiden marched in like a storm cloud with legs, hair disheveled, eyes bloodshot, and desperation clinging to him like a second skin.
All conversation died.
Heads turned.
There she was.
Lupa, sitting near the window like nothing had happened, tail swaying gently behind her.
Elegant.
Untouched.
A lie.
Aiden's fists clenched.
"LUPA!"
She blinked up at him, calm as ever.
"Good morning, Aiden"
"Don't… don't say it like that!" he barked, voice cracking.
"You were with him! That blue-haired bastard! You let him touch your ears!"
The class gasped.
Sacred kitsune territory, everyone knew.
Lupa rose to her feet gracefully, her expression unreadable.
Then she turned, not to Aiden, but to Aqua, who was sitting just a few desks away.
Everyone's attention shifted like a synchronized wave.
Lupa stepped toward her, took a slow breath… and bowed.
"I'm sorry, Aqua," she said gently.
"Back then… I didn't understand why you left him. Why you did what you did"
Aqua's eyes widened slightly.
"I judged you. I thought you were weak. But now… now I understand"
She looked up, ears lowered in shame.
"I understand what it's like to be touched… seen… wanted by someone like him"
The room was dead quiet.
Even the instructor at the front had frozen mid-sip.
Aqua stood up slowly, smiling with a softness that only the guilty could master.
"I'm glad you understand," she said simply, her voice genuine.
"It means a lot"
She gently placed a hand over Lupa's, and the two girls shared a moment of silent unity.
Meanwhile, Aiden looked like someone had just ripped out his soul and handed it to him in a souvenir cup.
Aiden staggered.
"Wh-why… why would you both fall for him?!"
"Because, unlike a certain loser, he knows what he wants!"
Aiden felt another collapse in his heart as he ran out of the classroom, lightly brushing against Kain, who dropped his bag and ran after him.
Courtyard
The courtyard was quiet, save for the soft rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of birds.
Aiden had run all the way here, out of the classroom, past the gates, past the murmuring crowd, until he found himself beneath a tree, chest heaving, heartbreak clinging to him like a soaked coat.
Kain found him there.
Calm.
Composed.
Like always.
He approached without a word and stood beside Aiden, letting the silence hang until it hurt a little less.
Aiden wiped his eyes, not even bothering to hide the tears.
"I really thought she was different…"
Kain didn't say anything at first.
Just stared ahead at the fountain in the center of the garden, watching the water bubble and fall in slow, peaceful arcs.
Aiden's voice cracked.
"After what Aqua did… I thought I'd never trust anyone again, and I let myself believe again"
Kain nodded slowly, hands in his pockets.
"I get it. When someone breaks you like that, even letting yourself hope again feels like a risk"
Aiden laughed bitterly.
"Yeah, and I lost the gamble. Again"
"You didn't lose," Kain said softly.
"You loved. You gave. That makes you brave, not stupid"
Aiden looked at him, eyes raw.
"But it hurts so damn much"
Kain turned to face him, his tone gentle.
"Heartbreak always does. But it doesn't keep you. Not unless you let it"
Aiden clenched his fists, knuckles white.
"Why does it feel like everyone else wins, and I'm just the guy left behind? Like some joke no one told me"
Kain gave a quiet, almost wistful laugh.
"Yeah… life has a cruel sense of humor sometimes"
There was a pause.
Then, Kain reached out and gave Aiden a reassuring pat on the back.
"You need to get away from this for a bit. Clear your head"
Aiden blinked.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean," Kain said, offering him a faint smile, "come with me tonight"
"Let's go somewhere. Somewhere loud, maybe stupid, definitely distracting. Let it all go for one night"
Aiden hesitated, then let out a shaky breath.
"You think that'll help?"
Kain shrugged.
"It won't fix everything. But it's a start. And hey, what are best friends for?"
Aiden managed a ghost of a smile.
"Thanks, Kain"
"Don't thank me yet," Kain said with a quiet chuckle.
"You haven't seen the kind of night I'm planning"
The two of them stood in silence again, the breeze ruffling their hair as the sun dipped just slightly lower in the sky.
Later That Night
The street lights flickered like half-hearted promises.
Laughter echoed from every corner, drunk nobles, street performers, and wandering souls pretending they weren't broken inside.
Kain leaned against a pillar, watching Aiden nurse his third mug, as if it were the last friend he had.
The poor bastard was slumped on a bench nearby, red-eyed and completely defeated.
"She said I was different…" Aiden mumbled into his cup.
Kain nodded slowly, offering a kind look.
'You were. Most guys don't crash this hard over a hug'
"I… I saved her, man. From that bastard noble. She was scared, and I was there, and I thought—we had something, you know?"
Kain sighed softly, crouching beside him like a patient therapist.
"You did, Aiden. You really did"
'For like, five minutes. Long enough for me to whisper a few truths into her ear'
"I thought she was special. That she was different from Aqua…"
Kain's jaw tightened, only slightly, only for show.
"She was. I mean, Aqua cheated on you while still dating you. Lupa? She just… made a choice"
'A very well-informed, manipulated, emotionally stirred choice, guided by yours truly'
"I never even got to touch her ears, man…" Aiden added, almost whispering it like a confession.
Kain blinked.
That explained everything.
"She let me hug her once… it was a side hug," he sniffled..
"She said I made her feel safe, but he made her feel seen…"
Kain put a hand on his shoulder, eyes full of fake wisdom.
"You were her shield, Aiden. I was her mirror"
Aiden blinked in confusion.
"Huh?"
"Don't think about it too hard," Kain said gently.
A nearby hostess winked at Kain.
He offered a polite nod, already cataloging tonight's options for entertainment.
"You know what we need?"
Kain said, standing up with a stretch.
"Drinks, music, maybe someone who doesn't speak the same language, real therapy"
Aiden gave a ghost of a smile, standing up to pat Kain's back.
As they walked down the alleyway toward a bar glowing like a sin beacon, Kain slung an arm around Aiden's shoulder.
"You're gonna be fine," Kain said reassuringly.
'Eventually. Or never. But I'll get a laugh either way'
And just like that, the devil led the sheep into the night, smiling, joking, and already planning how to twist the next knife just deep enough.
Hours Later
Kain had a plan.
A solid one.
Bar one.
Aiden cleaned up, slapped with cologne so strong it burned Kain's nose, and coached through three pickup lines.
First girl, a waitress with kind eyes.
Rejection.
Second girl, a traveling mage with a staff taller than Aiden's self-worth.
Rejection.
Third girl, a bard with low standards and a broken lute.
She laughed.
Bar two.
Kain was sweating now, not from effort, but embarrassment by proximity.
He watched as Aiden tripped mid-sentence while introducing himself to a dancer and somehow spilled his drink on her shoes.
She threw the shoe at him.
Bar three.
Kain resorted to Plan Z, the pity angle.
"This guy just got cheated on. He needs kindness"
They gave him hugs.
Sympathy.
One girl offered a healing potion.
But no numbers.
No chances.
'Is he wearing anti-pussy cologne? How does one man repel affection like it's cursed?'
Cut to Aiden crying in a booth, face-down in a plate of sweetbread, wailing like a wounded calf.
Kain sighed deeply, spinning a glass in his hand.
'No wonder it was so damn easy. Of course, they cheated on him. Look at this mess. I'd cheat on him, and I'm not even dating him'
Later… Much later, Kain walked the dormitory path with Aiden draped over his shoulder like a sack of depression.
The guy was deadweight, muttering Lupa and Aqua's names between hiccups and breath that reeked of cheap wine and cheaper failure.
"Am I unlovable?"
Aiden mumbled.
Kain stared ahead, silent for a moment.
Then grinned to himself.
'Yes. Absolutely. But I'm not gonna say it out loud. I'm not a monster… technically'
He dumped Aiden on his bed, pulled the blanket over him, and took one last look at the idiot's passed-out face.
"…I should charge you for emotional labor," Kain muttered, turning off the light.
Then, with a tired sigh and smug smile, he walked out of Aiden's room.
Kain's Room
The door clicked shut behind him.
Kain exhaled and tossed his jacket on the chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
His room was dim, quiet, so after a night of babysitting, heartbreak, and secondhand cringe.
He wanted a drink, so he walked into his small kitchen, opened a cabinet, and poured himself a cup of wine.
From the bed, a soft rustle.
Ruby stretched, the blanket slipping as she sat up, wearing nothing but his shirt, loosely buttoned and hanging off one shoulder.
Her hair was a wild mess of blonde, her lips curled in a sleepy, sly smile.
"Hey baby~"
Kain chuckled as he gave a quick kiss.
She savored it before she hugged him from behind.
"Are you going to steal Holly, Hazel, and Nina from him as well?"
Kain simply drank his wine as he spoke.
"When the fucking moron actually has the balls to date them, you kept tabs on them while he dated Aqua and Lupa, right?"
Ruby rested her chin on his shoulder, arms still wrapped around his waist as she swayed with him gently.
"Mhm. Hazel cried twice. Holly almost confessed but chickened out. And Nina?" She smirked against his neck.
"Still thinks being mean to him is flirting"
Kain swirled the wine in his cup, eyes half-lidded with amusement.
"He's got three girls orbiting him like moths, and all he does is complain about the heat," he muttered, downing the rest of his drink in one slow motion.
She pushed him onto the counter and straddled his lap, their foreheads almost touching.
"I love this side of you"
Kain raised an eyebrow, eyes locking with hers.
"I know"
Ruby bit her bottom lip, then leaned in for another kiss, slower this time, deeper.
When they parted, she whispered, "So, who are you targeting next?"
Kain let the silence hang for a breath, then gently guided her back into the bed with a devil-may-care smile.
"Whichever one is unlucky to date him next"
His hands moved swiftly, pulling the white shirt off Ruby's body, arms raised in compliance.
The soft fabric fluttered to the floor, leaving her bare and vulnerable in the low light.
His eyes roamed over her, drinking in the sight of her breasts, already hardening with anticipation.
Without a word, he tugged his shirt from the waistband of his pants, discarding it carelessly on the pile of her underwear.
His trousers soon followed, joining the growing mess of discarded clothing.
Ruby barely had time to process the assault on her senses before Kain was upon her.
His large hands slid up her thighs, pushing her legs apart to accommodate his eager exploration.
Her soft moans served as his only encouragement as he mapped every curve and valley of her body with desperate, hungry touches.
Their lips met in a fierce kiss, tongues tangling in a primal dance that left no room for conversation or gentle caresses.
It was raw, animalistic.
As Kain's thick cock pressed against her, seeking entrance, Ruby arched her back, her gaze locked with his.
His thick, pulsing cock nudged against Ruby's slick, eager entrance as he prepared to thrust inside her.
With a sudden, powerful push, he buried himself to the hilt within Ruby's welcoming heat, a low groan rumbling in his chest at the incredible sensation of her tight, wet passage.
"Fuck, Ruby," Kain grunted, his voice strained with pleasure as he ground his pelvis against hers, his cock throbbing deep inside her.
Ruby's back arched, her breasts pressing against his chest as she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him in deeper.
"Mmm, Kain," she moaned, her nails digging into his back as she rocked her hips against his.
"Your cock is so big, stretching me so good..."
Kain's hands gripping her hips tightened, his fingers digging into her skin as he began to move, his powerful thrusts driving deep into her slick folds with each stroke.
"Feels so damn good..." she panted, her hands sliding down his back to grab his ass, urging him to drive deeper.
"Harder, please, fill me up..."
Kain's pistoning his cock into Ruby's eager pussy with relentless, brutal strokes.
Ruby's nails dug deeper into his flesh as the intensity mounted, her inner walls clenching around him in a vice-like grip.
"Yes, just like that... Ahhn, I'm gonna cum, Kain!"
Kain snarled, his thrusts becoming erratic as his own climax built, the pressure in his loins reaching a boiling point.
With a piercing cry, Ruby's body seized, her pussy fluttering and squeezing around Kain's cock as she orgasmed.
The sensation of Ruby's pulsing walls rippled through Kain, her climax milking him mercilessly as he chased his release.
He plunged deep one final time, spurting his hot seed inside her.
As the last waves of his orgasm subsided, Kain collapsed onto the bed beside Ruby, his breathing ragged.
She curled into his side, one leg tossing casually over his as he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close.
Kain's eyes grew heavy, his eyelids fluttering as he succumbed to sleepiness.
With a contented sigh, he nestled into the pillows, already half-drifted into a drowsy state.
Ruby snuggled against him, resting her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
A small, satisfied smile played on her lips as she felt his body relax in her embrace.
Morning
The light through the curtains was pale and indifferent, casting soft shadows across the floor.
Kain stood in his small kitchen, shirtless, hair still damp from the shower, nursing a cup of bitter coffee.
The scent filled the quiet, mingling with the faint trace of last night's perfume still lingering in the air.
Ruby was already gone, silent as always when she left early.
No note.
Just her usual lingering warmth in the sheets.
He stared into the dark swirl of his cup, letting silence stretch.
Then—
Knock.
Knock.
He sighed, set the mug down, and opened the door.
Alyssa stood there.
Pink hair in soft curls, sea-blue eyes bright, dressed in casual noble elegance.
She stepped in without waiting, lips already finding his as she pressed him back against the wall.
He kissed her once, slowly, then gently stopped her with a hand at her waist.
Her eyes narrowed just slightly.
"Hm? Something wrong, love?"
Kain exhaled, voice calm.
"Two things. Been on my mind a while"
She tilted her head, curious but not annoyed.
"Do you still talk to your brother or father?" he asked, tone level, but there was a flicker behind his eyes.
She blinked, then smiled.
Not sweet.
Not coy.
Proud.
"No. Not since they laid a finger on you"
Kain studied her, the weight behind her words, how firm they were, unflinching.
"I meant what I said that day," she continued softly, fingers brushing the spot on his chest where the bruises used to be.
"They touched my man! That was their mistake"
His throat tightened for a second.
He didn't show it.
Just nodded slowly.
"And the other thing?" she asked, voice gentler now.
He hesitated.
Just a breath.
"Do you regret choosing me… over him?"
Alyssa didn't scoff.
Didn't sneer.
Her smile was calm, fond, and even.
"No, not once have I ever regretted choosing the man I call my love"
She looked up at him, fingers lacing behind his neck.
"My love, body, and soul are all yours, till the end of time"
Kain didn't reply immediately.
Just met her eyes.
Then: a quiet smirk.
"Good. Because I wasn't planning on giving you back"
She grinned and brushed past him into the kitchen like she belonged there.
"I'd like to see you try"
Breakfast
The dining hall buzzed with the low murmur of students starting their day, but in the back corner, one table stood out for how quiet it was.
Aiden sat hunched forward, poking at a half-eaten plate of eggs.
His shoulders were low, his eyes tired, and his mood distant.
Hazel leaned her cheek into her palm.
"You look like a kicked puppy"
"I'm just tired," he mumbled.
"Maybe because someone drank an entire cupboard last night," Nina added, glancing at him.
"He dragged your sorry ass back here, you know"
"Who?"
Aiden asked.
"Your best friend," Holly said softly, smiling a little.
"We're grateful for him, Aiden. He's always there when you need him most"
Nina gave a firm nod.
"Yeah. He even messaged us to make sure you were okay. Not everyone would do that"
Hazel crossed her arms.
"For someone so damn smug, he's surprisingly reliable"
Aiden gave a faint laugh.
"Yeah… he always shows up when it counts"
From his corner seat in the hall, Kain gave a casual wave with his coffee, his hair tousled and eyes calm.
A mask of the perfect friend, nothing more, nothing less.
Nina rose and moved to Aiden's side, brushing imaginary lint from his shoulder.
Her tail swayed before slowly curling around his wrist.
Aiden blinked.
"Nina…"
"Don't overthink it," she muttered, cheeks slightly red.
"Just… don't shut us out, alright?"
"We're with you," Holly said gently.
Hazel clicked her tongue.
"You've got three girls already worrying themselves sick, so don't you dare try to keep us at a distance, okay?"
Aiden smiled, small but genuine.
[System Notification]
[Nina. Affection: 80% Aiden | Loyalty: High | Lust: Medium]
[Hazel. Affection: 80% Aiden | Loyalty: High | Lust: Low]
[Holly. Affection: 80% Aiden | Loyalty: High | Lust: Very Low]
Kain took another sip of his coffee, watching it all unfold with a relaxed smirk.
Playing the perfect friend… always paid off.
Lunch / Just off Academy Grounds
The city hummed with noon energy.
Kain walked with an easy stride, hands tucked in his coat pockets, a rare calm in his posture.
Around him, the girls formed their usual formation, Ruby on his arm, Lyla and Alyssa just behind, Darcy scrolling through her phone, and Beatrix trailing close, ever the vigilant knight, even off-duty.
"You've seriously never seen Star the Skylord?"
Ruby asked, staring up at him like he'd just confessed to eating kittens.
Kain blinked.
"I don't do space soap operas"
"It's not a soap opera," Beatrix jumped in, adjusting her white cloak.
"It's a tale of honor, legacy, and... okay, yes, laser sword melodrama, but it's good!"
"Beatrix cries every time the old master and dog die," Darcy added, grinning.
"Only because it's noble!"
Beatrix huffed, cheeks pink.
"They sacrifice themself with honor!"
Kain raised his hands.
"Alright, alright. I'll watch it. Can't say no to my loyal knight"
Beatrix beamed.
Lyla looked up from her nails.
"Food first. Movie second. I'm starving"
"Alyssa found a place two blocks over with steak bowls," Darcy chimed, waving her phone like a guidepost.
As they walked, Ruby leaned her head on Kain's shoulder.
"You're actually going along with our plan today. What gives?"
"Trying something new," Kain said.
"Being agreeable"
"Who are you and what have you done with our Kain?"
Lyla teased.
He ruffled her hair as they grabbed a table on the patio of a cozy lunch spot.
Kain sat in the middle again, Ruby next to him (still stealing fries), with Beatrix and Alyssa flanking the opposite side.
Darcy and Lyla filled in the ends, already locked in a debate over movie snacks.
"So after this, we go watch Ruby sob into her popcorn," Alyssa said, stirring her iced tea.
"I don't sob," Ruby muttered.
"I... get misty"
"You ugly cried during the frog prince remake," Beatrix said, smiling.
"And what a beautiful message of transformation that was," Ruby countered with faux elegance.
Kain simply smirked, taking a sip of his drink.
"You all bicker like a dysfunctional guild"
"Correction," Lyla said. "
We're your dysfunctional guild"
Beatrix gave a firm nod.
"And loyal to the last"
There it was again, that moment.
Soft.
Unspoken. Safe.
It felt effortless for all the schemes, the masks Kain wore, and lunch with his girls.
He sighed, a rare, contented sound.
"Alright," he said, "one space drama coming up. Just don't make me hold anyone's hand when the robot dies"
Ruby smirked.
"No promises"
And with that, they finished their meal amid teasing, laughter, and that rare sliver of peace before chaos inevitably found them again.
After the Movie / Theater Courtyard
The theater doors creaked open as the credits rolled, soft orchestral music still lingering in the air.
Kain and his girls stepped out first, sunlight warming the stone beneath their feet.
Emotions clung to them like static.
Ruby was clinging to his arm, eyes puffy.
"I still don't get why the dog had to die and come back as a ghost? That's cruel"
Darcy looked stunned.
"He forgave her... after she buried him. That's sick"
Alyssa clutched Kain's other arm, pressing her cheek against his shoulder.
"I hate movies that make me cry like this"
Lyla, ever the composed one, tried to keep her cool, but she was dabbing her eyes behind her hair.
Beatrix made a sound like a wounded animal.
Kain?
He just sipped from his soda, quietly grinning.
"You all said you wanted to watch this, saying it was going to be fun"
"It was for the most part!"
Lyla snapped, pointing an accusatory straw at him.
"I guess so," Kain replied, deadpan.
"I do think the robot deserved more justice"
They all groaned in unison.
Just as they began to calm down, the front doors swung open again.
A familiar voice:
"Hey—wait up!"
The girls turned as a figure jogged up, Aiden, still wearing that slightly frazzled expression he couldn't quite shake.
He was flanked by Nina, Hazel, and Holly, all bright-eyed and clearly trying to lift his spirits.
"Oh, hey!" Kain said with that perfectly timed, warm grin.
"Look who's finally back among the living"
"I wasn't gone," Aiden muttered, rubbing the back of his head.
"We're just catching a movie. Nina wouldn't stop bugging me about it"
Nina grinned and flicked her tail.
"You promised. I'm cashing it in"
Hazel nodded.
"And we're enforcing it"
"I brought snacks," Holly added, holding up a small bag.
"And backup tissues"
Kain stepped aside to let them pass, clapping Aiden's shoulder as he did.
"Good man. This one's brutal though, so no shame if you cry"
"I don't cry during movies," Aiden said defensively.
Kain raised a brow.
"Sure"
As the theater doors closed behind them, Ruby leaned up, whispering, "You think he'll cry?"
"Oh, absolutely," Kain smirked.
"Right when the dog says goodbye the second time"
Beatrix whimpered.
"Don't remind me…"
They chuckled as they walked down the cobbled path, laughter trailing behind them.
Kain's Room / Night
Smoke curled from Kain's lips as he leaned back in his chair, wearing nothing but black briefs, a half-dead cigarette hanging between his fingers.
On the bed, Aqua and Lupa lay passed out, tangled in sheets, limbs limp, breath soft.
He exhaled slowly, staring at the ceiling with a smirk.
He hadn't expected to see Aiden with the others, bright-eyed and smiling like an idiot.
As if his life was being rewarded by the heavens again.
Kain chuckled.
"That dumbass thinks he's healing just because they smile at his dumb jokes"
He leaned over, flicked the ash into an empty cup, and checked the system.
[System Notification]
[Nina | Affection: 5% | Loyalty: 5% | Lust: 5%]
[Mood: Conflicted. Soft]
[Hazel | Affection: 5% | Loyalty: 5% | Lust: 5%]
[Mood: Nervous. Protective]
[Holly | Affection: 5% | Loyalty: 5% | Lust: 5%]
[Mood: Quiet. Distant]
"Heh…"
He took another drag.
"They'll be gone soon, Aiden. Just like the others"
Kain grinned, eyes flicking toward the bed as Lupa let out a small sigh in her sleep, whispering his name.
He didn't reply.
He just smiled.
And lit another cigarette.