Secret Meetings

Later That Evening

The courtyard was empty under the stars. 

The lamplights flickered against the ivy-covered walls, casting long, secretive shadows.

Kain leaned casually against a tree, one hand tucked into his pocket, eyes half-lidded with boredom.

And then he heard it, soft footsteps. 

A flutter of breath.

Ruby.

She rushed to him like a moth to a forbidden flame, her cheeks flushed, her eyes wide with desperate need.

"Kain…" she whispered breathlessly.

He didn't say a word.

He simply opened his arms.

She threw herself against him, burying her face in his chest, trembling with something between excitement and guilt.

His arms folded around her, slow and deliberate.

"You're late," he murmured against her hair, voice smooth as silk.

"S-sorry," she breathed. 

"Finn... he kept talking… he wouldn't let me leave…"

Kain chuckled low.

"Of course he did"

His hands drifted down her back, tracing her spine through her thin dress, feeling her shiver under his touch.

"But you made it," he said, tilting her chin up with a single finger. 

"That's what matters"

Their lips met, a slow, searing kiss that deepened until she was clinging to him, knees weak, her body molding to his like she couldn't survive without him.

Kain kept it slow. 

Patient. 

Dangerous.

He wasn't desperate. 

He wasn't possessive.

He was in control.

When they finally broke apart, Ruby whimpered softly, resting her forehead against his chest.

"I missed you," she confessed in a broken whisper.

Kain smiled lazily, stroking her hair.

"You can call me when you need me," he said, his voice a low, commanding purr.

"But don't overdo it, Ruby"

He tapped her forehead lightly.

"Finn needs to think you're still his. Don't make it obvious. Understand?"

She nodded feverishly, like an obedient little doll.

"Good girl"

He kissed her again, short, claiming, addictive, then stepped back.

"You should go before the idiot starts looking for you," he said, amused.

Ruby clutched his sleeve, not wanting to leave, but he only gave her a light push toward the shadows.

And she slipped away into the night.

Kain stood there for a moment longer, staring at the spot where she vanished, feeling the dark pleasure coil deeper in his chest.

[ System Notification ]

[ Secret Meeting: Success! ]

[ Buff Activated: +10% Mental Resistance, +5% Charm when Ruby is nearby ]

He laughed quietly.

'Man, Finn really is a fucking moron'

The Next Day

Kain sat in the back of the lecture hall, legs kicked up casually on the seat in front of him. 

The professor droned on about political treaties and ancient alliances, all white noise to his sharp mind.

He wasn't paying attention.

Not when he felt something.

A slight tap on his boot.

He glanced down lazily. 

A folded piece of parchment, half-hidden beneath his foot.

Sliding it up with a smooth motion, Kain unfolded it under the desk.

Ruby's handwriting, delicate and trembling.

"Library, tonight. After curfew. I can't wait to see you again. I'll be careful. I promise"

He smirked, folding the note into his pocket just as Finn, seated two rows up, turned around and grinned like an idiot.

"Hey, bro! Are you coming to lunch with us later?"

Kain gave a lazy thumbs-up, hiding the wicked glint in his eyes.

'Sure, Finn. Lunch. With your girlfriend making the bedroom eyes at me the whole time'

That Night

The heavy oak doors creaked slightly as Kain slipped inside. 

It was dead silent, the lanterns dim, the entire world feeling like it was holding its breath.

Ruby was already there, tucked between two towering bookshelves.

When she saw him, she lit up, the kind of glow no one could fake.

"Kain…!" she breathed.

He didn't let her speak another word.

Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her flush against him, pinning her lightly to the shelf.

Ruby gasped, the breath stolen right from her lungs.

"Shh," Kain whispered against her ear, his breath hot.

"You'll get us caught if you're loud"

Her entire body shivered in his hold, her fingers clinging to his jacket.

Kain tilted her chin up, claiming her mouth in a slow, devastating kiss. 

Teasing her lips open. 

Dominating the kiss until she melted helplessly against him.

Ruby whimpered softly, her nails digging into his back, her knees wobbling under his touch.

And Kain?

He was savoring it.

The danger.

The heat.

The pure, unfiltered control he had over her.

He broke the kiss only to trail his lips down her neck, nipping lightly, leaving a tiny red mark just low enough to be hidden by her uniform.

When he finally pulled back, she was dazed, breathing hard, utterly wrecked by him.

"Good girl," he whispered, brushing his thumb over her kiss-swollen lips.

"You're learning"

She nodded rapidly, tears glimmering in her eyes, from happiness, from need, from worship.

Kain tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear, savoring the way she leaned into his hand.

"Go back first," he ordered gently. 

"Make it look natural. We can't let the moron catch on"

Ruby hesitated, clearly wanting more, but obeyed with a shaky nod, sneaking out the back door.

Kain stayed hidden for another minute, listening to the silence settle again, before slipping out himself, utterly invisible.

[ System Notification ]

[ Secret Meeting: Success! ]

[ Buff Activated: +5% Charisma ]

[ Warning: High-Risk Behavior Detected — Chance of Discovery: 5% ]

Kain just chuckled under his breath.

"5%? That's being generous," he muttered.

"Finn wouldn't notice if I banged her right in front of him"

The Next Morning / Breakfast

Ruby sat beside Finn, laughing sweetly at his dumb jokes. 

Finn was practically glowing, shoving scrambled eggs into his mouth and grinning ear to ear.

"You're in such a good mood today, babe!" he said, bumping her shoulder playfully.

Ruby giggled, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.

Meanwhile, across the cafeteria, Kain lounged with his usual crowd, girls hanging off his every word.

But his gaze cut sharply to Ruby for just a second.

And she?

She caught it.

Her blush deepened.

She squeezed Finn's hand, a little mechanical, a little fake, and looked away.

Finn didn't notice a damn thing.

'Pathetic,' Kain thought, smirking to himself.

He tossed a grape lazily into his mouth, enjoying every second of this sweet, slow, wicked game.

Another secret meeting was already arranged. 

Another night, she would sneak into his arms, desperate for the touch she couldn't survive without.

And Finn?

Finn would probably think she was just stressed about exams.

Two Nights Later

The old music room at the back of the academy was abandoned after dark. 

Dusty, quiet, forgotten.

Perfect.

Kain leaned against the grand piano, arms folded, his eyes gleaming in the moonlight slicing through the broken window.

Ruby slipped in, closing the heavy door behind her.

She didn't even hesitate this time.

She rushed into his arms.

He caught her effortlessly, spinning her once before setting her firmly between his legs.

"You're getting bold," he teased, low against her ear.

She flushed deep red, clutching his jacket tight in her trembling hands.

"I don't care anymore," she whispered.

"I just want you…"

Kain smiled and kissed her without warning.

A deep, open-mouthed kiss that stole every thought from her head.

Her back arched, her body grinding against him instinctively, chasing the heat only he could give her.

Kain's hand slid under her blouse, skimming her bare skin, sending shudders through her body. 

He didn't rush. 

He savored her, pulling every gasp and whimper he wanted.

Ruby broke the kiss first, panting, clinging to him, dizzy.

"Kain… we shouldn't…" she whispered, but even as she said it, she tilted her chin, begging for another kiss.

He chuckled darkly against her throat.

"That's right," he agreed silkily. 

"We shouldn't"

But he kissed her anyway, rougher this time.

And Ruby… melted all over again.

But then they heard it.

Sudden Footsteps.

Kain's eyes snapped open.

Someone was coming.

Fast.

He pulled back, wiping Ruby's kiss-bruised lips with his thumb, making her blink up at him in confusion.

Then, a loud, stupid voice.

"Ruby? Kain? You guys in here?"

It was Finn.

Kain nearly laughed out loud.

Of course, it was Finn.

Ruby froze in terror, but Kain just leaned in, whispering in her ear:

"Follow my lead"

In one smooth motion, he shoved her under the piano, crouching low beside her, hidden by the heavy wooden frame.

Ruby pressed close against him, her breath hitching.

Finn stumbled into the room, looking around blindly.

"Man, I thought I heard something… must be the wind," he muttered.

He wandered closer, right past them, literally inches away.

Kain could smell the cheap beer on his breath.

He casually pulled Ruby tighter against him, her back pressed to his chest, his hand splayed possessively on her stomach to keep her still.

Ruby's heart hammered against him like a war drum.

Finn leaned on the piano, tapping out a horrible, clunky note.

Kain smirked in the shadows.

'Clueless to the very end, aren't you?'

Finally, Finn shrugged and wandered back out, muttering about grabbing late-night fries.

The door slammed shut.

Silence.

Kain didn't move.

Ruby didn't either.

Not until he leaned down and whispered in her ear, wicked and slow:

"Looks like you owe me for saving you…"

He kissed her neck softly, just once, and Ruby shuddered violently against him.

"I'll collect later," he promised.

Later That Night

Ruby's phone buzzed under her pillow.

[ Kain: My Room. Midnight. Don't keep me waiting ]

She bit her lip, heart thundering in her chest.

And of course, across the room, Finn was fast asleep, snoring like a cow, without a single clue.

Midnight

Ruby's heart pounded so loudly she was sure someone would hear it.

But the hallways stayed silent. 

Everyone was asleep.

She slipped down the corridor, bare feet whispering against the stone floor, clutching her thin hoodie tight around her body.

Every creak, every shadow made her flinch, but she didn't turn back.

'Kain's waiting'

When she finally reached Kain's room, she gave the lightest knock.

The door swung open immediately.

Kain stood there, shirtless, his white hair messy, eyes gleaming low in the dim light. 

He said nothing, just held out his hand.

Ruby took it without hesitation.

He tugged her inside, closed the door softly, then pulled her straight into his arms.

No words.

Just arms wrapping around her, warm and strong, gathering her close like she was something precious.

She melted against him with a soft sigh, burying her face against his bare chest.

Kain backed them toward the bed, sinking with her still cradled in his lap. 

He pulled the blanket up around them, wrapping them both in a cocoon of stolen warmth.

She snuggled closer, her fingers idly tracing little circles on his arm.

For a long moment, it was just breathing and heartbeats, tangled together in the dark.

Then Ruby chuckled softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I still can't believe this," she said, smiling into his chest. 

"One week ago… we weren't even close"

Kain smirked, resting his chin on top of her head.

"You mean before you got brave enough to sneak into my room?"

She playfully nudged him.

"No," she said, laughing quietly. 

"I mean… I still remember you bringing beers so we could get to know each other"

Kain's chuckle rumbled deep in his chest.

"You're lucky I didn't drink by myself," he teased.

Ruby smiled, eyes fluttering shut.

"Back then… I think I already wanted this," she admitted, voice shy and warm. 

"I just didn't know it yet"

He tightened his arms around her.

"You were always mine," he said simply, voice low and possessive.

Ruby blushed furiously but didn't argue. 

She didn't want to.

She just snuggled closer, soaking in the feeling of his warmth, his scent, the steady beat of his heart.

Kain kissed the top of her head once, lazily, like he had all the time in the world.

"Sleep," he murmured.

"You earned this"

Ruby smiled, feeling safer than she ever had. 

Wrapped up in secret sin… wrapped up in him.

And for the first time in a long, long time…

She slept without fear.

Morning — Room 309

The soft light of dawn was just beginning to creep through the cracked curtains.

Ruby stirred in his arms, her cheeks still flushed from the night before.

She kissed his chest once, featherlight, then reluctantly pulled away.

Kain opened one lazy eye, watching her quietly.

"Go before the idiot wakes up," he murmured.

Ruby nodded, smiling shyly, slipping out from under the blankets. 

She tiptoed across the room, easing the door open—

BAM!

The door slammed back into her face as Finn barged in like a goddamn wrecking ball.

"YO KAIN!" he shouted, completely missing the panicked Ruby diving behind the dresser.

"I KNEW IT! YOU HAD A GIRL OVER, DIDN'T YOU?!"

Kain stared at him from the bed, utterly deadpan.

Ruby froze, heart hammering in terror, but Finn, true to form, didn't even notice her tucked into the shadows.

Kain sighed, raking a hand through his messy white hair.

"You're loud enough to wake the dead," he said flatly.

Finn just grinned, completely oblivious, and flopped onto the bed next to him.

He kicked his feet up like they were two high school girls gossiping, completely unaware Ruby was holding her breath two feet away.

"Dude," Finn said seriously, "I need advice"

Kain arched an eyebrow.

Finn leaned in like he was about to share national secrets.

"How do you, uh, make a move on a girl?" he asked, whispering like a complete dumbass. 

"Like... you know, kissing... hugging... hand holding and stuff?"

Kain just stared at him.

Blinking slowly.

Processing.

And dying inside.

This was the guy Ruby was supposed to be "dating."

This... imbecile.

He fought the urge to groan into his hands.

"You're asking me," Kain said slowly, "how to kiss and hug a girl?"

Finn nodded eagerly, not catching the dangerous edge in Kain's tone.

"Yeah! You're, like, a legend with girls, man! Help a bro out!"

Kain pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaling sharply.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ruby peeking out from behind the dresser, covering her mouth to keep from laughing or maybe sobbing at how hopeless Finn truly was.

Kain dropped his hand.

Smirked darkly.

"First advice?" he said coolly.

Finn leaned closer.

"Don't fucking announce it before you do it!"

Finn blinked again, tilting his head like a lost puppy.

"...But isn't it polite to, you know, warn them first?"

Kain exhaled through his nose in pure disbelief.

He wanted to bash his head against the wall.

"Finn," he said slowly, like talking to a particularly dense child, 

"Nothing kills the mood faster than saying, 'Hey, can I hug you now?'"

Finn sat there, frowning like he was solving advanced math.

"But what if she's not ready?" he asked, scratching his head.

"You read the room," Kain said flatly. 

"You use your fucking brain. Look for signals!"

"Signals?"

Kain narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah. Like if she's leaning in, laughing, touching your arm. Eye contact, dumbass!"

Finn nodded, trying to process this advanced science.

Kain pressed his hand to his forehead, feeling a migraine bloom.

"And when you move in," Kain added, voice low and sharp, 

"You don't announce it like you're calling a damn baseball play"

"You just do it. Smooth. Confident. Not—" he mimicked in a dopey voice.

"Can I hold your hand now, pretty please?"

Finn flushed bright red, because that was exactly what he had planned to say.

Ruby nearly snorted out loud, having to physically bury her face in her knees to muffle it.

Kain, somehow, kept a straight face.

Finn nodded solemnly, like he'd just been handed ancient forbidden knowledge.

"You're like a... a love guru, man," he said, awestruck.

Kain wanted to strangle him with the bedsheets.

Instead, he leaned back lazily on the pillows, hiding his smirk behind a yawn.

"Yeah, sure. Love guru," he muttered.

Meanwhile, Ruby, still unseen, crawled stealthily toward the door on her hands and knees, her body trembling from holding in her laughter.

Finn, none the wiser, kept babbling.

"So like — should I bring flowers next time? Or chocolate? Maybe write her a poem?! Girls like poems, right?"

Kain stared at him for a long moment.

"...If you write her a poem," he said with grave seriousness, "make sure you have a backup girlfriend lined up"

Finn blinked again, confused.

Ruby finally reached the door, cracked it open with a tiny creak, and slipped out into the hallway, free.

Kain watched the door swing shut softly behind her and allowed himself a small, victorious smirk.

Finn didn't even notice.

He was too busy brainstorming cheesy love poems.

"Roses are red, violets are blue—"

"Finn," Kain interrupted sharply.

"Yeah?"

"Shut the fuck up"

Finn laughed like it was the best joke he'd ever heard.

Kain just dragged a pillow over his face and wondered, not for the first time, how the hell Ruby hadn't just packed her bags and left this dumbass already!"

Oh, wait… he told her to hold on till he gives the go.

Fuck.

Lunch / Courtyard

The sun was high, and students scattered across the academy lawn with their trays and noisy chatter.

Kain sat under a tree, lazily picking at his food. 

Finn plopped down beside him, grinning like a man who thought he had just unlocked the universe's secrets.

Ruby joined them a moment later, tray in hand, slipping into the spot right beside Kain with a little too much natural ease.

Finn, of course, didn't notice a damn thing, still riding the high of his "secret mission."

Kain's phone buzzed in his pocket.

Curious, he pulled it out and angled the screen so only he could see.

[Ruby]:

Thanks for the morning cardio, handsome. I'm still flushed.

Next time, maybe don't let Finn sit on your bed after I've been all over it? Lol.

Kain barely kept a straight face.

He coughed into his fist to cover the low chuckle rumbling in his throat.

Beside him, Ruby smiled sweetly, innocently stabbing a piece of fruit with her fork.

Finn clapped his hands suddenly, drawing attention, well, mostly from Kain, who already regretted existing.

"Alright," Finn said proudly, chest puffed up like a rooster, 

"I wrote a poem!"

Ruby blinked, then quickly hid her face behind her hand, pretending to cough because she already knew this was about to be a disaster.

Kain, deadpan, set his tray aside and braced himself.

Finn cleared his throat dramatically.

"Ahem!"

He stood up, puffed out his chest, and actually started reciting:

"Ruby, oh Ruby, my heart beats for you. Your smile is sweet like morning dew. Your laugh is a melody, pure and true and damn it, girl, I really wanna kiss you!"

The entire courtyard went silent.

Even the birds.

Even the fucking wind.

Kain physically recoiled like he'd been punched in the soul.

Ruby's face turned crimson, partly from secondhand embarrassment, partly from trying not to laugh herself into a coma.

Finn stood there, smiling proudly like he had just won a Nobel prize.

Someone at another table snorted.

Kain dragged a hand over his face.

Ruby bit her lip hard to keep from absolutely losing it. 

She tilted her body slightly toward Kain, pretending to hide her laughter while texting him under the table.

[Ruby]:

If you don't kiss me right now, just to shut him up, I will actually die.

Kain's lip twitched.

Finn finally sat down, basking in his imaginary applause.

"So? Was it good?" he asked eagerly.

Kain lowered his hand slowly from his face and looked at him with the deadest stare known to mankind.

"Finn," he said in a voice so dry it could start fires, "If cringe was a weapon, you just committed a war crime"

Finn laughed like it was a compliment.

Ruby couldn't take it anymore.

She leaned over and tucked her head against Kain's shoulder, hiding her face from the world.

Kain just patted her thigh under the table, dangerously close to laughing himself and muttered low enough only she could hear:

"Don't worry, princess" 

"You'll get your kiss later... when the idiot's not around"

Ruby shivered slightly, cheeks burning hotter than the sun.

Finn just kept grinning, totally oblivious, thinking he'd absolutely crushed it.

Next Class — Battle Tactics

The classroom buzzed with low whispers as students shuffled into their seats, books and training manuals thudding onto desks.

Kain leaned back in his chair near the window, legs kicked out, arms crossed lazily, the picture of effortless boredom.

Ruby slid into the seat next to him, the corner of her mouth twitching upward in a tiny, secret smile only he caught.

Across the room, groups of girls were giggling behind their hands, casting sideways glances at Finn... and not in a good way.

Kain's sharp ears caught the whispers easily:

"Did you hear that poem he did at lunch?" 

"She looked like she wanted to jump into a well afterward!" 

"Poor guy... he thought he was smooth"

Ruby didn't even look at Finn when he walked in, she didn't even breathe in his direction.

And Finn?

Poor bastard was completely oblivious, whistling to himself like it was a normal day.

He flopped down into the desk in front of Kain's and spun around to face him, lowering his voice like they were conspiring against the government.

"Bro," Finn said seriously, "I think I need stronger moves!"

Kain blinked at him slowly, as if trying to understand if this was real life or some fucked up dream.

"Like," Finn continued, earnest as ever, "maybe a second poem?"

Kain stared.

Ruby coughed violently into her hand, trying not to choke on her own spit.

"Or," Finn added brightly, "maybe... flowers? Chocolates? Do girls like it when you, uh... buy them like... swords or something?"

Several girls sitting nearby physically cringed at his words, scooting their desks a little farther away.

One bold girl in the back whispered loudly:

"Bloody fucking hell, someone stop him before he buys a girl a battle axe and proposes in the cafeteria"

Kain smirked without meaning to.

The longer Finn talked, the more the few girls who had been eyeing Kain earlier just straight-up gave up and moved seats, like Finn's sheer level of pathetic was contagious by association.

Finn leaned in closer.

"I'm serious, man," he said desperately. 

"You got, like, a cheat code for girls. You gotta tell me!"

Kain glanced sideways at Ruby, who was doing an absolutely terrible job pretending to be engrossed in her textbook instead of laughing into it.

He tilted his chair back dangerously, hands behind his head.

"Advice number two," he said lazily.

Finn perked up like a puppy.

"Shut the fuck up!"

Finn blinked, confused.

"Shut up?" he repeated.

"Yeah," Kain drawled, "Girls don't wanna hear you talk about buying them swords like it's a business transaction, you idiot"

Finn looked genuinely shocked.

"But... I thought girls like gifts?" he said weakly.

"They like guys who know when to stop talking" 

"They like confidence!" 

"And they really, really don't like getting secondhand embarrassment so bad it gives them PTSD!!!"

Ruby finally lost it; she ducked her head onto the desk, shoulders shaking from silent laughter.

Finn sat there, stunned, absorbing this like it was fucking revolutionary advice.

Kain glanced at the clock, fighting back a grin.

Today was gonna be a long, beautiful day.

End of Class

The bell rang sharply and loudly, signaling the end of class. 

Chairs scraped against the floor as students rushed to escape.

Kain lazily packed up his stuff, Ruby at his side, both sharing little secret glances no one else caught.

The kind of glances that could burn a city down if they were ever exposed.

Finn, however, had other plans.

Terrible plans.

He practically sprinted across the room, sandwich in one hand, crumpled notebook paper in the other, grinning like an idiot.

"RUBY!" he called, way too loud, stopping the whole fucking room in their tracks.

Kain paused mid-shoulder-bag-sling, eyes narrowing.

Ruby froze like a deer in headlights.

The other students, sensing blood in the water, immediately slowed down to watch.

Finn cleared his throat dramatically.

One hand holding out the sad, slightly smushed sandwich like it was the fucking Holy Grail.

And then—

He began to read.

In a shaky, desperate voice:

"Ahem!" 

"Oh, Ruby, sweet and fair. With your soft and shining hair. I offer you this tasty bread. So our love shall not be dead!"

There was a horrified silence.

Some poor bastard in the back audibly gagged.

A girl by the door actually facepalmed so hard it echoed.

Kain stood there, frozen, watching it happen in slow motion.

Ruby looked absolutely mortified.

Her face was stiff, not even looking at Finn, just pretending, very hard, that she wasn't the subject of the most embarrassing moment in recorded history.

Finn beamed like he just dropped the hottest mixtape of the year.

"Uh," Ruby managed, her voice cracking a little, "I'm... not hungry"

Finn's smile faltered slightly.

"But it's turkey and cheese," he said weakly, holding it closer like it would somehow change her mind.

Ruby stepped back so fast she nearly tripped.

The entire class was openly cringing now, muttering things like:

"Bro, just give up…" 

"Secondhand embarrassment is gonna kill me..." 

"Did he just rhyme 'bread' with 'dead'?" 

"Oh my god..." 

"He's a fucking loser, isn't he?"

Kain finally, finally looked away, pinching the bridge of his nose again.

He couldn't save him.

Nobody could.

This was Finn's grave, and he was digging it with a goddamn plastic spoon.

Finn stood there, sandwich still outstretched, looking like a kicked puppy.

Ruby, cheeks burning, mumbled some excuse about homework and bolted out the door, dragging Kain with her by the wrist, like she needed his very existence to shield her from the embarrassment of radiation blasting from behind them.

Kain just let himself be dragged, shooting Finn one last, pitying glance over his shoulder.

Poor bastard.

This was the reason his girl was taken from him in secret.