Little Push
Finn lay crumpled on the ground like a discarded ragdoll, wheezing faintly, still grinning like a fool even with blood trickling from his nose.
He passed out as soon as the girls rushed over, thinking that they were coming to help him.
Unfortunately for him, the girls rushed to Kain's side, their hands greedily tracing his body, whispering sweet, filthy promises into his ears.
They weren't afraid.
They were excited.
They could hear it already, even without touching him.
The wild heartbeat, the crackling magic in his blood.
And they wanted it.
Desperately.
Kain's gaze cut through the moment and landed on Darcy.
She stood frozen, trembling, torn between horror, confusion... and that traitorous longing building deep in her gut.
Without a word, Kain reached into his jacket and pulled out a small glass vial, bright blue, glowing faintly in the morning sun.
He strode toward her, his steps slow.
When he stopped in front of her, he pressed the vial into her hand, his fingers brushing hers, sending a jolt up her spine.
His voice was low, rough from exhaustion and frustration:
"Pour it on him," Kain said, nodding at Finn's broken form.
"It'll heal him... and he'll forget the entire fight"
Darcy's fingers closed around the vial on instinct.
Kain leaned in, so close that Darcy could smell the blood, the sweat, the raw energy pouring off him.
"And you..." His eyes burned into hers.
"You can pretend to date Finn while being with me"
Her breath hitched.
No jokes.
No smirks.
Just cold, brutal honesty.
Kain stepped back without waiting for her answer.
The girls giggled excitedly as they clung to him.
He said nothing more.
He let the door swing shut behind him with a soft, heavy click.
Inside, the girls could already be heard, laughter mixing with low, breathless moans as Kain finally, finally let loose his lust.
Darcy stood there.
Alone.
Potion in hand.
Face burning.
Her heart was pounding so loudly she could barely hear herself think.
She glanced down at Finn's unconscious body... then back at the door.
Behind it.
Pure chaos, pure hunger, pure Kain.
And she whispered to herself:
"Goddamn you, Kain Crowhurst..."
She stood frozen, her fingers clutching the potion so tightly it felt like it might crack.
Finn groaned softly on the ground behind her, utterly forgotten.
The moment the door swung shut, the girls didn't even bother making it to Kain's room.
Ruby shoved him against the wall, her lips crashing onto his with a desperate hunger.
Lyla clawed at his jacket, tearing the fabric clean off, while Beatrix dropped to her knees, her hands running up the inside of his thighs like she was worshipping a god.
Kain didn't resist.
No.
He was too pent up.
Clothes were torn.
Buttons were scattered across the floor like shattered teeth.
The walls shook with the force of their bodies colliding again and again.
Ruby moaned loudly as Kain grabbed her by the waist and lifted her effortlessly, pinning her to the wall.
Lyla whimpered, biting her lip, her hands roaming his body like a woman starved.
Beatrix gasped as Kain turned his attention to her next, dragging his hands through her hair and yanking her into a searing kiss.
And Darcy—
Darcy stood outside.
Her legs were weak.
Her face was burning.
Her heart was hammering so loudly she swore the whole dorm could hear it.
The sounds were obscene.
Slaps of flesh against flesh.
Moans that shook the walls.
Breathless cries of "Kain... more... please..."
They weren't even trying to be quiet.
They wanted her to hear.
They wanted the world to know.
Kain.
He was claiming what was his.
Darcy squeezed her thighs together, feeling heat bloom in places she didn't dare acknowledge.
She should move.
She should pour the potion on Finn.
But her body.
It wouldn't move.
All she could do was listen.
Listen to the way Ruby screamed his name.
The way Lyla sobbed in pleasure.
The way Beatrix cursed and begged between desperate kisses.
Darcy's fingers trembled.
Her throat was dry.
And her heart whispered a terrifying truth.
She wanted it.
She wanted him.
She wanted to be dragged into that chaos, slammed against the wall, kissed breathlessly, ruined by him like the others.
Inside, Kain made a noise so loud that it rattled the door in its frame.
The girls whimpered his name.
Darcy leaned her forehead against the door, her knees buckling.
And outside, lying broken and forgotten, Finn snored softly, still leaking blood onto the grass.
Hours Later
Kain stumbled out of the building, breathless.
His shirt was torn open, bruises already forming on his throat and chest, his hair a wild, sweaty mess.
But his smirk.
It was pure satisfaction.
Behind him, the sounds of the girls still gasping and whimpering echoed faintly.
The air was thick with the scent of sweat, pleasure, and victory.
He took a deep breath, stretching his arms above his head lazily, as if he hadn't just ravaged three desperate women against the walls like a beast.
That's when he saw her.
Surprised that she hadn't left.
Darcy.
Collapsed on the ground, her face redder than the setting sun, her legs trembling, her fingers twitching.
It was obvious what had happened.
Obvious.
Kain couldn't help but let out a low, deep chuckle.
"So fragile," he muttered to himself, amusement thick in his voice.
He bent down, plucking the forgotten healing potion from where she had dropped it, her fingers too weak to even hold it anymore.
Then, casually, like he was picking up a piece of trash, he walked over to Finn's broken body.
Finn, bless his stupid soul, was still bleeding from his nose, his jaw crooked, his ribs a colorful mess of bruises.
Without much ceremony, Kain popped open the potion and poured it over Finn's face.
Instantly, the wounds began to close, the bones snapping back into place with sickening pops.
Finn groaned weakly, still unconscious.
"Idiot," Kain muttered under his breath, almost fondly.
He slung Finn over his shoulder with ease, like carrying a sack of potatoes.
As he started walking back toward Finn's room, he cast one last glance over his shoulder at
Darcy.
Still collapsed.
Still gasping.
Still trembling from what she had heard, what she had seen, what she did.
Kain smirked.
There was no fear in his eyes.
No hesitation.
He knew now.
Darcy wouldn't say a word.
Not after what she had just witnessed.
Not after she saw what he had done to his so-called "best friend," simply for daring to mock him.
She was his now, whether she realized it or not.
Kain adjusted Finn on his shoulder, whistling a low, lazy tune as he disappeared into the dormitory halls.
Behind him, the night was still heavy with the sound of his victory.
The Next Day / Morning
Kain stood in front of the mirror, shirtless, bruises already fading thanks to his internal healing magic.
His eyes were half-lidded, bored, but satisfied.
The system screen floated lazily beside him:
[Affection/Loyalty Status Update]
[ Darcy ]
[Affection: 0 -> 30] [Loyalty: 0 -> 10]
[Mood: "Trembling Confusion"]
Kain smirked lazily at the display.
Not bad for a single night's work.
He stepped out of his room, walking out into the hall.
Immediately, he was greeted by the sight of Ruby, Lyla, and Beatrix, each one glowing, practically radiating satisfaction, their eyes sparkling.
Ruby skipped up first, grinning like she was about to pounce on him again.
Beatrix followed, swinging her hips exaggeratedly.
Lyla just gave him a half-lidded look, biting her lower lip before quickly looking away, cheeks flushed.
They surrounded him, brushing against him casually, touches that would have been innocent to anyone else, but Kain felt the burning need buried just beneath their skin.
He said nothing.
Just walked.
Let them orbit him like moons around a dark sun.
And then, Finn appeared.
Poor, dumbass Finn.
He stumbled down the hallway, completely oblivious to the tension that made even the walls sweat.
He grinned, slapping Kain on the back (earning a death glare from Ruby that he, of course, did not notice).
"Yo! Bro! Thanks for saving me yesterday, I think I pissed you off during that match, huh?"
Finn laughed like an idiot, scratching the back of his head.
"What makes you say that, buddy?"
Finn let out another chuckle.
"I mean, I woke up in my bed, I think I passed out"
Kain chuckled as he continued walking, "Oh, don't worry about that, okay?"
"Okay!"
Ruby leaned in and whispered in Kain's ear, just loud enough for him alone:
"We want more, Kain…"
Beatrix and Lyla nodded subtly behind her, eyes sparkling with promises.
Kain could already hear the faint ding of their Affection meters vibrating.
[Status Update]
[ Ruby, Lyla, Beatrix Mood: "Desperate Hunger"]
Kain hid a small smirk behind his hand.
Meanwhile, Darcy trailed awkwardly behind the group.
Her hair was messy.
Her face was red.
Her legs were shaky.
Every time Kain's eyes casually flickered to her, she would look away, cheeks burning hotter.
She remembered yesterday's events very clearly.
Kain slowed his steps just a little, letting Darcy catch up.
Without turning to her, he spoke low enough only she could hear, repeating the same words she tried so hard to forget.
"You can pretend to date Finn… while being with me. Your choice"
Darcy nearly tripped.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
But she didn't say anything.
She didn't reject him.
She didn't run.
Another ding echoed in Kain's mind.
[Darcy Mood: "Nervous Excitement"]
Kain smirked lazily again.
The day had just begun.
And he hadn't even started playing yet.
Class
Kain leaned back lazily in his seat, arms crossed, one leg kicked casually over the other.
The classroom buzzed faintly as students trickled in, Finn bouncing happily between Ruby, Lyla, and Beatrix, laughing like a damn fool.
The girls, on the surface, were sweet, loving, and doting.
Beatrix brushed invisible dust off Finn's shoulder with a gentle smile.
Lyla leaned close, laughing at his jokes that weren't even funny.
Ruby tucked her arm through his, giggling like a schoolgirl.
Any normal man would be eating up the attention.
Finn?
Finn just grinned like a golden retriever, completely unaware they weren't even looking at him.
Meanwhile, Kain's gaze lazily flickered to the side, where Darcy sat stiffly, pretending to focus on her notebook.
Kain smirked.
'Time to have some fun'
He stretched his legs forward until his foot barely nudged Darcy's under the desk.
At first, she didn't react.
Playing dumb.
So he did it again.
This time letting his foot slide slowly up her calf, just a little, just enough.
Darcy's shoulders stiffened immediately.
Her hand jerked slightly, snapping the tip of her pencil with a tiny crack.
Kain chuckled under his breath.
Only she heard it.
Only she knew.
[Darcy Mood: "Flustered Panic"]
He leaned closer, his voice low and lazy.
"You're acting strange, Darcy. Feeling sick?"
His eyes gleamed.
Darcy whipped her head to glare at him, cheeks burning, but the second she met his gaze, the fire turned to ash, her eyes darting away.
Kain's smirk widened.
But then something tickled the edge of his mind, a faint beep from the system.
[Darcy Affection: 70%]
He frowned slightly, mind flickering back.
'Wait... 70%?'
They had only known each other for... what?
Five days?
The girls had told him yesterday was Thursday, meaning today was Friday.
Five days.
And yet, somehow, Darcy's Affection, once frozen solid at 0, had skyrocketed.
Not instantly, but not slow either.
It didn't add up.
Normally, Affection rose steadily, little by little, like a fire slowly warming frozen ground.
But Darcy?
It was like her ground had already been cracked, waiting for him to plant the final seeds.
Kain rested his chin against his knuckles, eyes narrowing slightly.
'Was it tied to her life?'
'Was it tied to her heart?'
'Or was it something else... something hidden even deeper?'
The system chimed softly again.
[Darcy Mood: "Anxious Curiosity"]
He caught her stealing glances at him.
Fidgeting.
Biting her lip.
Kain chuckled softly again, almost to himself.
Darcy was already slipping into his world, whether she realized it or not.
Meanwhile, Finn continued to laugh like a jackass, completely oblivious to the thick, tense atmosphere hanging over the classroom like a storm cloud ready to break.
Kain watched them.
Ruby resting her head against Finn's shoulder, Lyla clinging to his arm, Beatrix giving small, bashful smiles, all lies.
All for Kain.
And somehow, Darcy was slowly, unknowingly joining their ranks too.
He closed his eyes, a satisfied smirk dancing across his lips.
The game was still his.
And no one, not even sweet, naive Darcy, could escape him.
An Hour Later
Class finally dragged to a miserable end.
The second the bell rang, Finn shot up from his seat like a dog finally let off its leash.
Kain stood up slowly, stretching lazily until his joints popped.
He caught Darcy out of the corner of his eye, still pretending not to look at him, even though her body was angled so hard in his direction she was practically falling out of her chair.
Cute.
He threw his arm around Finn's neck casually, dragging the idiot closer.
"Hey, dude," Kain said smoothly, his voice just loud enough for Darcy to hear.
"Feel like skipping the rest of today?"
Finn blinked up at him.
"Eh? Skipping? Is that even okay?"
Kain gave a lazy, almost shark-like grin.
"Of course, it is, but after the ass-kicking you took, I figure you deserve a reward"
"Come on, let's check out the market. Buy some gifts for the girls. Call it... good karma or something"
Finn's eyes lit up immediately, the concept of shopping and spoiling his 'girlfriends' appealing to his goldfish brain.
"YEAH! Bro, you're the best!" Finn pumped his fist.
Kain resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
Behind them, Darcy hastily packed her bag, too hastily.
She knocked her pencil case off the desk and had to scramble after it, her movements stiff and rushed.
Kain didn't say anything.
He didn't have to.
[Darcy Mood: "Suspicious Curiosity"]
[Darcy Affection: 74%]
They left the school grounds without issue, Finn chatting mindlessly the entire way, while Kain tuned him out with an occasional, "Uh-huh," or "Yeah, totally, bro."
Meanwhile, Darcy followed them at a careful distance, pretending to window shop whenever Finn turned around, but could not fool Kain for a second.
They crossed the stone bridge into the market district, colorful stalls lined the streets, vendors shouting, the air thick with the smell of roasted meats and fresh pastries.
Kain paused at a stand selling cheap jewelry.
Finn immediately gravitated toward a hideous pink bracelet covered in rhinestones.
Kain slapped the back of his head lightly.
"You're buying for women, Finn"
Finn laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.
"I thought it was cute, y'know?"
Kain snorted.
"Yeah, if you want them to throw it in your face"
From the corner of his eye, he spotted Darcy hiding behind a fruit stall, trying to pretend she wasn't staring holes into his back.
He smirked to himself.
Turning back to Finn, he slapped a hand down onto his idiot friend's shoulder.
"Lesson one of gift shopping, Finn," Kain said in mock seriousness, "if you wouldn't wear it yourself to a funeral, don't buy it for a girl"
Finn blinked slowly, trying to process that.
Kain sighed.
"Forget it. Just pick something shiny and expensive"
Finn nodded as if Kain had just given him ancient forbidden wisdom.
Behind them, Darcy was very obviously pretending to pick out apples, dropping one, then two, as she kept sneaking glances their way.
[Darcy Mood: "Conflicted Admiration"]
[Darcy Affection: 78%]
Kain slipped his hands into his pockets, feeling completely at ease for the first time in days.
The beatdown he gave Finn had been brutal, yeah.
But maybe this was the right balance, a little pain, a little reward.
He caught sight of a velvet choker at another stand, black with a single blood-red gem in the center.
Ruby would love that.
He bought it without a second thought.
Finn stumbled next to him, struggling under the weight of five huge shopping bags already.
Kain snickered.
"Man up, Finn. You're the one with three girlfriends, remember?"
Finn grinned brightly, completely missing the jab.
Darcy, now trailing even closer behind, looked like she wanted to say something.
Then stopped herself, her face coloring slightly.
Kain smiled to himself.
'Good girl'
He watched Finn argue with a street vendor over the price of a single pink scarf.
(He was losing badly.)
Meanwhile, Darcy had gotten really bold, creeping within five paces of them now, pretending to admire a rack of fake crystal charms.
Kain had enough of these games.
He waited until Finn launched into a tragic monologue about how "a scarf is a scarf, bro!"
Then casually peeled off to the side, disappearing behind a stall selling roast chicken skewers.
Darcy blinked when he vanished.
Confused, she shuffled closer.
Only for Kain to suddenly appear behind her, bending low so his mouth was just beside her ear.
"Looking for someone?" he whispered.
Darcy yelped, the apples in her bag flying everywhere.
Kain laughed, not meanly, but sharply, teasing.
He caught one apple casually before it hit the ground.
"You're not exactly subtle, y'know," he added, tossing the apple back into her bag.
Darcy flushed deep red, glaring up at him.
"I-I was just... shopping"
"Uh-huh"
He smiled, slow and dangerous.
"You've been 'shopping' for exactly one banana, half a pear, and a stare so intense I'm getting sunburnt"
Darcy opened her mouth, then closed it again.
Kain leaned down even closer, until their noses almost brushed.
"You wanna come clean," he said smoothly, "or you wanna keep playing spy?"
She stiffened, then looked away, muttering under her breath, "I'm... just curious about you"
[Darcy Mood: "Nervous Curiosity"]
[Darcy Affection: 81%]
Kain grinned wider, feeling the system hum pleasantly in the back of his mind.
"Curious, huh?" he murmured.
"Careful, Darcy. Curiosity's dangerous around me"
He straightened, flicking her forehead lightly.
"Come on. Let's talk somewhere quieter"
Without waiting for her response, he grabbed her wrist, not rough, not gentle, just firm enough to make it clear she wasn't getting away.
Behind them, Finn was still at the scarf stand, now somehow haggling himself into buying three scarves instead of one.
"Moron," Kain muttered fondly under his breath.
He dragged Darcy down a narrow side alley, away from the crowded main streets.
The air grew cooler, shadows deeper.
Only then did Kain stop, releasing her wrist.
He turned and leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed.
"So," he said lazily, "what's the deal with you?"
Darcy hesitated, hugging her bag to her chest like a shield.
Kain tilted his head, studying her.
"You've known me, what, five days? And your Affection meter's already hitting eighty percent.
Her eyes widened.
"My... what?"
Kain smiled.
"Don't worry about it," he said.
"Just means you're either really lonely..."
He leaned in closer.
"...or really easy to impress"
Darcy sputtered.
"I-I am not—!"
Kain just laughed.
"Relax. I don't mind. Honestly, it's kinda cute"
He pushed off the wall, stepping closer again, making her back up against the stone without even touching her.
"And besides..." he added, voice dropping low, "if you're that curious about me... maybe I'll let you get closer"
Her breath hitched.
[Darcy Mood: "Flustered Excitement"]
[Darcy Affection: 84%]
Kain smirked.
"But first," he said, straightening up, "you gotta earn it"
He tossed her a small bag, one of the shopping bags Finn had abandoned earlier.
"Help carry Finn's crap back to the dorms," he said dryly.
"Team bonding exercise"
Darcy caught it automatically, still staring at him like he'd grown horns.
Kain winked at her.
"Welcome to hell, recruit"
He sauntered past her, whistling, back toward the scarf stand, where Finn was now frantically trying to explain why he needed a fourth scarf.
Darcy stood frozen for a moment, then, with a frustrated little groan, chased after him.
Hours Later / Mostly Finn Wasting time
They almost made it back to the academy.
Almost.
They were passing a busted fountain near a side street when the thugs showed up, a gang of low-level punks.
"Yo, fancy boys!" one of them barked, blocking the road.
"Hand over your wallets and your girl, and maybe we won't feed you to the dogs!"
Finn, ever the genius, raised his hand like he was in class.
"Uhh... we don't have any dogs?"
Kain actually chuckled at that.
Darcy, smart enough, immediately backed closer to him.
The thugs glared, and one of them, a wiry guy with wild hair, slammed a glowing stone into the ground.
There was a BOOM of magic, the stone cracked open, and a monster clawed its way out.
A twisted, armored lizard twice Kain's size, dripping black venom from its jaws.
Darcy gasped. Finn finally shut up.
Kain just sighed.
"Man..." he muttered, cracking his neck.
"They don't even know what dogs are these days"
[Danger Detected: B-Rank Monster "Corrupted Fangbeast"]
[Threat Level: Medium]
One of the thugs cackled.
"Too late to beg, little man!"
Kain tilted his head lazily.
Then moved.
One punch.
The lead thug's jaw shattered, teeth flying like popcorn kernels.
The others barely had time to blink before Kain was on them, kicking the second thug through a brick wall.
A third tried to run. Kain grabbed him by the back of the neck and slammed him face-first into the pavement.
[System Notification: Hostility Neutralized - 3/3 Thugs]
The monster roared, finally noticing the fight.
Kain turned to it, cracking his knuckles.
"You gonna bark all day," he said coolly, "or you gonna die?"
The Fangbeast lunged.
Kain grinned and met it halfway.
Darcy got her daggers out in case the beast got too close.
Finn looked ready to piss himself.
Kain finally grabbed the monster by the throat, lifted it clean off the ground, and slammed it into the floor, hard enough to crater the street.
The monster gurgled once.
Then went still.
[B-Rank Monster "Corrupted Fangbeast" Defeated]
[EXP Gained]
[New Title Earned: "Monster Breaker"]
Kain wiped blood from his knuckles, breathing steadily.
He turned to Finn and Darcy, who were staring at him like he had just invented gravity.
"Finn," Kain said casually, kicking one of the unconscious thugs toward him.
"Report this shit to the city guards. Monster summoning is illegal"
Finn nodded frantically, scrambling to pull out his academy badge.
"And you," Kain added, looking at Darcy.
She stiffened immediately.
[Darcy Mood: "Awestruck"]
[Darcy Affection: 89%]
[Finn Mood: "Fearful Respect"]
"You go with him. Make sure he doesn't sell the report for candy or something"
Finn turned bright red.
"I-I would never—!"
Kain shot him a look. Finn shut up instantly.
He turned and started walking away toward the academy gates.
But not before tossing a lazy grin over his shoulder.
"Don't take too long," he said.
Darcy immediately chased after him, dragging Finn by the sleeve.
Finn, looking utterly defeated, whined under his breath:
"Man, why is he so cool?"
Kain heard it and smirked to himself, rolling his shoulder.
Hallways
Kain pushed open the door to his room, rolling his shoulders lazily, ready to crash for a few hours, before he froze mid-step.
Darcy was already there.
Sitting cross-legged on his bed, hands folded primly in her lap, looking way too pleased with herself.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Not that I mind the welcome party," he said dryly, "but why the hell aren't you with Finn?"
"I did tell you to report the whole attempted robbery and the illegal beast summoning thing"
Darcy smiled sweetly.
"I already did," she said.
"Filed it with the city watch, made sure Finn didn't sell the story for bubblegum or whatever you were worried about"
Kain blinked once.
"...Damn," he muttered.
"You might be useful."
[System Notification: Darcy Loyalty +5]
[Darcy Mood: Proud]
Still, he narrowed his eyes at her, stepping into the room and kicking the door shut behind him.
"Alright," he said, voice low and playful, "so what do you want then, Little Miss Overachiever?"
Darcy didn't flinch.
She tilted her head, studying him like an ancient puzzle.
"Who are you?" she asked softly.
Kain chuckled, sliding closer, hands in his pockets.
"Kain Rei Crowhurst," he said easily.
"Pretty sure you knew that already"
Darcy shook her head.
"That's not what I meant"
Her voice dropped.
"No human can move that fast. No human can kill a B-rank monster without magic"
She looked up at him, biting her lip.
"You're a monster too, aren't you?"
Kain smiled.
He took one step closer.
Darcy flinched, too late.
He reached out and pushed her lightly onto the bed, pinning her there with nothing but the weight of his gaze.
"Maybe I am," he murmured, smirking down at her.
"But who's the genius who walked into my den late at night?"
Darcy's face turned scarlet.
She squirmed slightly under him, but didn't pull away.
[System Notification: Darcy Affection +10]
[Darcy Mood: Flustered]
Kain leaned closer, voice a lazy drawl:
"Now the real question is..."
He paused, watching her chest rise and fall faster.
"...what are you gonna do about it, Little Mouse?"
Darcy opened her mouth, probably to say something brave.
Only a faint squeak came out.
Kain chuckled, straightened, and turned toward his closet like nothing had happened.
Leaving Darcy sitting there, cheeks burning, hands gripping the sheets.