Finn's fourth Girl
Kain leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching Darcy fidget on his bed.
She bit her lip and finally spoke up.
"Why... why aren't you trying anything?"
Above her head, the system flickered:
[Darcy: Affection towards Kain. 90%]
[Darcy: Loyalty to Kain. 10%]
[Darcy: Affection towards Finn. 98%]
[Darcy: Loyalty to Finn. 89%]
Kain's eyes sharpened for a fraction of a second.
Tch.
Figures.
Her heart was almost his, but her loyalty still chained her to Finn.
Until that number hit zero, he wouldn't touch her.
Not yet.
He tilted his head, voice dropping into that calm, cold tone that made people shiver.
"Forget the games, Darcy," he said.
"Why are you really in my room?"
No bullshit.
He wouldn't let her dance around it.
Darcy swallowed hard.
Her fingers dug into the blanket under her, eyes darting around like she could find an escape.
Finally, she said, "Only fair if I get a question too"
Kain smirked.
"Fine"
Without hesitation, he peeled off his shirt, tossing it carelessly onto a nearby chair.
Then, just as casually, he unzipped his pants and let them drop, leaving him in nothing but low-slung black boxers.
Darcy made a strangled noise.
"W-What are you doing?!"
Kain shot her a flat look as he slid into bed.
"Getting ready to sleep. What else?"
Darcy's cheeks turned a deep, burning red.
She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Instead, her mind betrayed her, dragging her back to yesterday.
The sounds she heard.
The way he made those three girls scream, cry, and beg.
The way she had broken down outside the door, her own hands trembling between her thighs.
Kain watched the realization hit her like a truck and chuckled low in his throat.
"You already know the answer, don't you?" he said lazily, stretching.
Darcy gripped the bed sheets so hard her knuckles turned white.
"You're a piece of shit," she hissed, her voice trembling.
"How could you backstab your best friend like that?"
Kain's laugh was low, dark, and amused.
"Please," he said, turning his head to smirk at her.
"You're no better"
Darcy stiffened.
"You're keeping things from Finn, too. Every second you spend in this room, every thought you have about me…"
"You're lying to him just as much as I am"
She opened her mouth to argue, but nothing came out.
Because deep down, she knew he was right.
The silence between them stretched out, thick and hot.
Kain simply rolled over, resting his head on his arms.
"Sleep or leave," he said without looking at her.
"Your choice"
Darcy stayed frozen where she sat, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs.
[Darcy Mood: Torn / Flustered]
[Darcy Affection +2]
Kain didn't even hide his grin as Darcy, face burning, stiffly laid down beside him on the bed.
She kept her arms tucked close to her body, glaring at the ceiling like it had personally wronged her.
Kain, ever the opportunist, opened his arms invitingly, cocking a brow.
To his genuine surprise...
Darcy hesitated, then gave in.
With a huff, she scooted into him, resting her head lightly against his chest.
He chuckled low, wrapping an arm around her.
"So warm," he murmured, his voice dripping with amusement.
"Shut up," Darcy snapped, voice sharp, but not nearly as cold as before.
It almost sounded... embarrassed.
Kain smirked to himself.
Progress.
The room grew quiet except for the faint sound of their breathing.
His hand slowly, lazily traced patterns along her back, feeling her shiver at his touch.
Darcy shifted against him, whether intentionally or not, her hips brushing his side.
A soft, almost inaudible moan escaped her lips.
She quickly bit it back, face flushed to the roots of her hair.
Kain's eyes gleamed with mischief.
He shifted too, grinding against her, just enough to make her gasp, her legs tightening around him instinctively.
The air thickened, charged, and hungry.
Another breath, another movement, and this would spiral into something they couldn't take back.
KNOCK.
KNOCK.
KNOCK.
"Yo, Kain!" Finn's cheerful voice rang out from the hallway.
"You in there? I need your advice, man!"
Kain cursed under his breath, immediately feeling Darcy tense like a startled cat.
She bolted upright, eyes wide with panic.
Without a word, she activated a stealth spell, her body shimmering, and dove into Kain's closet, slamming the door shut behind her with barely a whisper of noise.
Kain wiped his face with his hand, muttering, "Unbelievable," before dragging himself off the bed.
He opened the door a crack, leaning lazily against the frame.
Finn beamed at him, completely oblivious to the chaos he had just cockblocked.
"Bro! I'm gonna ask Darcy out!" Finn said excitedly.
"I just... kinda need your advice, you know?"
"Like, should I be direct? Play it cool? Maybe get her some flowers or something?"
Kain stared at him for a long moment, deadpan.
Inside the closet, Darcy was holding her breath so hard she looked like she was about to pass out.
Kain suppressed the wicked grin threatening to spread across his face.
He shrugged.
"Flowers sound good. Girls like that cheesy crap"
Finn laughed.
"Knew I could count on you, bro!"
Kain just hummed, waving him off.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Kain turned back toward the closet, a devilish smirk on his face.
"Well, well," he said, loud enough for her to hear.
"Looks like you're gonna have a big date soon"
From inside, he swore he heard something heavy hit the wall.
And he laughed.
Sure enough, after a minute of heavy silence, the closet door cracked open just a sliver.
Darcy's flushed, embarrassed face peeked out, her eyes narrowed into an angry glare, but it was useless now.
He saw it all: the way her chest heaved, the faint tremble in her hands, the barely-restrained heat swirling in her.
Kain smirked, lazy and cruel.
"Back already?" he drawled, voice low.
"Is my closet not to your liking?"
Darcy scowled harder, muttering something vicious under her breath as she crawled out, trying (and failing) to look dignified in nothing but her stealth gear, which clung to her curves a little too well after all the heat they'd built earlier.
She stomped across the room, looking everywhere but at him.
Kain chuckled darkly, not moving from his spot.
"You know..." he said, voice teasing, "You're already cheating on him, and you're not even dating yet"
Darcy stiffened like he'd shot an arrow right between her shoulder blades.
"You're a piece of shit," she hissed, cheeks burning.
"And you're in my room," Kain shot back smoothly, pushing off the wall.
"Moaning, grinding, sneaking into closets, hiding from your little boyfriend"
He smirked wider.
"Who's worse?"
Darcy turned around, furious, but the anger didn't reach her eyes.
There was something else brewing there now.
Hunger.
Desire.
Need.
Kain crossed the distance between them easily, stopping just inches from her.
He looked down at her, eyes half-lidded.
"You sure you want to keep lying to yourself, Darcy?" he whispered.
She didn't answer.
Her body answered for her, swaying slightly toward him.
Kain's smirk softened into something darkly triumphant.
Without warning, he reached out, slipping a hand around her waist and pulling her flush against him.
She gasped, but didn't pull away.
Instead, her hands fisted weakly in the fabric of his shirt, like she was trying to convince herself not to give in.
"You're warm again," Kain said, voice a rough murmur against her ear.
"Shut up," Darcy breathed, trembling.
But there was no venom in it.
No resistance.
Kain chuckled, low and wicked.
"You know..." he said, tone dripping heat, "The closet's still open if you're feeling shy"
Darcy growled under her breath, and then, finally, surrendered.
She crushed her lips against his in a fierce, desperate kiss, all pretense forgotten.
Kain caught her easily, lifting her slightly, deepening the kiss with a hunger that had been simmering under his skin for far too long.
'She's mine,' he thought, with dark satisfaction.
And this time...
No idiot was going to knock on his door and ruin it.
(Seriously he reinforced it with magic)
Darcy melted against him, their kiss deepening until neither could pretend anymore.
Kain's hands roamed freely now, bold, one sliding down her back, the other gripping her thigh, pulling her tighter against his body.
Their breathing grew ragged, hot, and loud in the heavy air.
Darcy whimpered into his mouth when he nipped her lower lip playfully, her legs trembling against his hips.
The flush on her cheeks was near feverish, and Kain, devil that he was, couldn't help but chuckle darkly against her lips.
"You're shaking," he teased, voice thick with heat.
"Am I that scary, sweetheart?"
Darcy only whined in response, clinging harder to him as if her body was answering for her.
He easily flipped them over so she was pinned beneath him on the bed.
He drank in the sight: her flushed face, the dazed, wanting eyes, the desperate heaving of her chest.
He leaned down, lips brushing against her ear.
"You're so noisy," he murmured.
"Someone might think you want something from me"
A broken moan slipped from her lips before she could stop it.
Kain laughed low, loving how honest her body was compared to her stubborn mouth.
He ground against her gently, deliberately, making her back arch with a sweet, helpless whimper.
Darcy grabbed fistfuls of his shirt, her voice hitching in her throat.
"K-Kain—"
"Mmh?" he hummed teasingly, kissing along her jawline, down her neck.
"You gonna beg, sweetheart?"
Her whole body trembled under him, nails digging into his back through the fabric.
The bed creaked softly under their movements, the room filled with the sounds of heated breathing, soft whimpers, and Kain's wicked chuckles.
He slid his hand up her side, fingers tracing the barest edge of skin beneath her shirt, slow, almost maddening.
Darcy gasped again, hips twitching.
She was right at the edge, and so was he.
Kain shifted, nudging her thighs apart just a little more, his mouth returning hungrily to hers.
But then Darcy stiffened.
Her hands pressed weakly against his chest.
"Wait..." she whispered, voice trembling.
Kain froze instantly.
His eyes met hers, dark and unreadable for a beat.
Then, slowly, with a small, knowing smile, he pulled back, sighing almost lazily.
"Fine," he said, voice low but teasing, not even pretending to be upset.
"Such a cruel little thing. Leading me on like that"
Darcy flushed deeper, burying her face in her hands.
Kain only chuckled again, genuinely amused now.
Without another word, he shifted back, pulling the covers over them both.
Then, to her complete shock, he wrapped an arm around her waist, dragging her firmly against his chest.
She yelped, but he only patted her head, slow and almost... affectionate.
"Relax," Kain said, voice softer now.
"Not gonna do it... unless you ask"
Darcy let out a half-hearted growl, but it melted quickly as his hand stroked through her hair in gentle, lazy motions.
The warmth was unbearable, and not just from their bodies.
It was him.
Solid, steady, infuriatingly comforting.
Darcy realized, heart pounding, that she wasn't used to this kind of warmth.
Not from anyone.
Not from Finn.
Not from her so-called friends.
Nobody.
Only Kain.
And somehow...
That scared her more than anything.
Still, she didn't pull away.
She let him hold her, let herself be held, even as her face burned, even as her heart twisted painfully in her chest.
Kain said nothing more, just kept patting her head like she was something precious.
And somewhere between the lingering heat and the steady thrum of his heartbeat, Darcy finally drifted off to sleep.
Safe.
Warm.
Utterly trapped.
Morning
Kain stirred, the sunlight creeping across the floor and brushing against his cheek.
He blinked lazily, letting out a quiet breath.
His hand reached over to the side of the bed.
Empty.
He turned his head.
Darcy was long gone.
But something small and silver caught his eye on the pillow beside him.
A single coin.
Kain stared at it for a beat, then–
He laughed.
"A silver for a night of cuddling?" he muttered with a smirk.
"She's got nerve, I'll give her that."
He flipped the coin between his fingers, then slipped it into his pocket with a shrug.
(He wore pants because she asked him too)
"Guess I'm running a damn inn now"
He threw on his uniform, black and sleek, jacket unbuttoned like always, and ran a hand through his messy white hair.
The hallways were lively as usual.
Students buzzed with energy, professors pretended not to be annoyed by it, and Kain.
Kain just looked like he owned the damn place.
When he stepped into the cafeteria, three familiar faces waved him over.
"Kain!" Ruby called, her signature sly grin already on.
"You're late," Beatrix scolded, though her eyes were soft.
Lyla just slid him a coffee.
No words.
Just understanding.
He dropped into the seat between Ruby and Lyla, already reaching for the toast.
"So," Kain began, stretching his arms behind his head.
"Wanna hear what Finn did two days ago?"
Beatrix sighed.
"Is this going to ruin my appetite?"
"Oh, absolutely"
They leaned in as Kain launched into a dramatic retelling of Finn's classroom disaster.
How he accidentally set off a smoke trap meant for training, getting locked in the supply closet, somehow managing to insult three professors in a single sentence.
By the end of it, Ruby was crying from laughter, Lyla had snorted coffee, and even Beatrix was hiding her smile behind her hand.
But then—
Out of the corner of his eye, Kain saw it.
Finn.
Across the room.
Holding a massive box.
Labeled "SKYFURY PYROTECHNICS / HANDLE WITH EXTREME CAUTION"
Kain stared.
Blinked once.
Twice.
And sighed like a disappointed parent.
"…No."
Ruby followed his gaze.
"What the hell is he holding?"
Beatrix's eye twitched.
"Is that a firework box?"
Lyla didn't even look.
"He's going to destroy something, isn't he?"
Kain finished his coffee in one long sip, wiped his mouth, and stood.
"I'm gonna go put out that fire before it starts"
"You mean stop him?" Beatrix asked.
He smirked.
"No. I'm going to try and help him"
He walked off, hands in his pockets, humming a quiet tune.
'Because sometimes the cruelest thing…is letting the moron learn the hard way'
Late morning / Combat Tactics Class
The warm hum of magic shields and the sharp clang of training weapons filled the air as Professor Rowe (Professor Varro was out sick) gave a half-hearted lecture on "not dying horribly"
But in the back of the class.
Four seats were grouped like a throne of chaos.
Ruby, legs crossed, eyes sharp.
Lyla, calm as a pond, sketching idly in her notebook.
Beatrix, posture straight as steel, arms folded.
And Kain, lounging with a smirk, hands behind his head, eyes half-lidded but always watching.
Finn was late.
Again.
After he told Kain that he could handle everything.
"Five gold says he got cold feet," Ruby whispered.
"Nah," Kain said with a low chuckle.
"If he didn't want my help today then he's following the blueprint I gave him last night"
"You gave Finn a blueprint?" Beatrix raised an eyebrow.
"A verbal one"
"So… chaos," Lyla said without looking up.
Before anyone could bet on how big the disaster would be—
The door slammed open.
Finn stood there.
Sweaty.
Panting.
Slightly singed.
"Guys… GUYS. I DID IT!"
The classroom fell silent.
Kain tilted his head lazily.
"You did what? Forget how to use a door again?"
Finn puffed out his chest.
"No! I asked Darcy to join my harem!"
The three girls' eyes narrowed at once.
"And?" Ruby asked coolly.
"She said yes!"
He beamed like he won the damn lottery.
But then paused.
"Kind of"
Kain leaned forward, fingers steepled.
"Define 'kind of,' genius"
Finn scratched the back of his head.
"Well, I… I sort of dropped the fireworks box mid-sentence"
"You lit a firework during a confession?" Beatrix asked, horrified.
"I— It was for the atmosphere!"
"Did it explode?"
Lyla asked with the weight of someone who already knew the answer.
"Into a food cart," Finn muttered.
Kain whistled low.
"Bold. Explosive. Idiotic"
"But she said yes!" Finn insisted.
"After she stopped screaming"
Kain chuckled, shaking his head.
"You're something else, man"
Ruby leaned toward Kain, voice like velvet.
"Should we be worried?"
"No," Kain said, watching Darcy enter the classroom a moment later, cool and composed.
"She gave him a pity yes. I saw the coin she left me this morning"
The girls smiled knowingly.
Not a word of disrespect from them.
Just shared looks.
Lyla even reached over and straightened Kain's collar.
"Poor Finn," Ruby whispered.
Kain smirked.
"Yeah… poor bastard's digging his own grave"
An Hour Later / Class Ended / The Courtyard
It was lively, full of chatter and clinking trays.
Students lounged under trees, sprawled across stone benches, or claimed their usual spots.
Finn sat at the center of chaos and comfort at one of the larger stone tables near the fountain.
His tray, loaded with a tower of food that somehow balanced meat skewers, curry rice, and a comically large strawberry milkshake, was untouched for now.
To his left sat Ruby and Beatrix, laughing about some inside joke involving spell misfires.
Ruby leaned close, her nails tapping against his shoulder as she teased him, while Beatrix bounced with every giggle, eyes always on Finn.
To his right were Lyla and Darcy.
Lyla was feeding him bites of grilled fish with chopsticks, pretending to pout every time he tried to do it himself.
Darcy, stoic as ever, sat quietly, though her hand was on Finn's thigh under the table.
And across from him, Kain, arms folded, smirked in amusement.
"You look like a man living every bard's ballad and every poor guy's nightmare"
Finn leaned back, eyes half-lidded, soaking in the moment.
"This is heaven, Kain. Actual, literal heaven"
Ruby rolled her eyes with a smile.
"If it's heaven, then why are you sweating every time Darcy glares at you?"
Darcy said nothing.
Just sipped her drink.
The glare was real.
Lyla grinned.
"Because it's cute! He gets all flustered like a squirrel in a thunderstorm"
"I do not!" Finn squawked.
Beatrix reached over and tucked a napkin in his shirt like a bib.
"You do, love. But we like that about you"
Kain leaned forward.
"So... which one of you is winning the Finn War today?"
All four girls paused.
Looked at each other.
Then, in perfect synchronization, turned to Finn.
"Me," Ruby said with a smirk.
Beatrix chuckled, "Obviously, me"
Lyla sighed as she opened another sandwich.
"I don't care about winning. As long as I get him"
Darcy glared at Kain, already knowing the games he was trying to play.
"He's already mine. The rest of you are just leasing time"
Finn choked on his milkshake.
Ruby was already patting his back, mock-concern in her eyes, but a devil's grin tugging her lips.
"Easy. Don't die before dessert."
Kain leaned back, fingers steepled, watching the chaos unfold.
He hated how good they were getting.
Ruby was playing the flirt.
Beatrix, the doting one.
Lyla, affectionate and chaotic.
All of them moving like gears in a machine.
His machine.
And yet, it grated.
Too well-oiled.
Too smooth.
They were supposed to pretend.
He stood up suddenly.
The shift made the girls glance his way, instinctively.
He gave a small nod.
Just the tiniest jerk of his chin.
Ruby blinked, but she was already rising, brushing imaginary lint from her skirt.
"I gotta pee," she lied, and was gone.
Darcy rolled her eyes, expertly sliding her leg over Finn's lap and adjusting herself so he wouldn't notice the whisper of movement.
Her fingers brushed under the table, a distraction.
Two minutes later, Beatrix stood, stretching her arms and moaning softly.
"Too much rice. Gonna walk it off"
Finn waved, mouth full of curry.
"Bring me a pudding if you pass the vending machine!"
Another glance.
Lyla stood, pulling his milkshake close and slurping dramatically.
"Oops, you're out. I'll go grab a new one!"
Darcy's hand pressed harder on Finn's thigh.
He barely noticed.
Across the courtyard, Kain disappeared behind the old building, the girls meeting him one by one, lips stained with sweetness, lies, and a little hunger.
They didn't speak much.
Just eyes.
Touch.
Breaths.
And when it was done, again and again, they returned to their places like dancers in a never-ending waltz.
Darcy bit her lip, for she never left Finn's side.
She leaned in, brushing a strand of hair from his eyes, her voice as cool as ice.
"You okay?"
Finn smiled, dazed and happy.
"Yeah… just tired"
She kissed his temple.
Just for 0.2 seconds.
Kain finally returned, face unreadable, hands in his coat.
"You good?" Finn asked.
Kain gave a grin so small it barely counted.
"Yeah. Just had to do a bit of exercise"
Ruby bit her lip.
Beatrix wouldn't meet Kain's eyes.
Lyla licked her fingers clean.
Darcy never blinked.
The Classroom Bell Rang, Signaling the Start of the Next Class
Finn, looking a little disoriented from the chaos of lunch, slowly made his way to the classroom.
His mind lingered on the laughter and teasing.
The girls had always been a handful, but he wouldn't trade them for anything.
Meanwhile, Kain was back in his room.
He was rummaging through his things, humming to himself.
The door to his room creaked open softly.
He turned around to see Darcy slipping inside, her movements subtle but deliberate.
"Should've locked the window," Kain murmured with a smirk.
"But, I guess I'll have to start locking everything now"
Darcy raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she leaned against the doorframe.
"You think that's funny?"
Kain chuckled softly, leaning back against his desk as he folded his arms.
"Oh, I think you're the one who should be asking questions, Darcy. You're the one who snuck in"
She didn't answer right away, letting the moment linger.
Her eyes narrowed slightly before she finally spoke.
"You're making a joke out of everything. Getting Ruby, Lyla, and Beatrix to do what they did at lunch. Was that really necessary?"
Kain raised a brow, clearly amused by her sudden seriousness.
"What can I say? Sometimes, the girls just want to have a little fun, and I'm happy to oblige"
He shrugged nonchalantly, but his eyes sparkled with something darker.
"After all, it's all about what they want, right?"
Darcy didn't like the way his words settled in the air.
She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a softer tone.
"You didn't even try to hide it, Kain. You had them play their parts in front of Finn, making sure he didn't catch on"
Kain's smirk didn't falter, though there was a glint of something else in his eyes.
"Darcy, I've already told you. You're not exempt from my love either"
He leaned forward slightly, his tone almost teasing.
"In fact, you could've joined us anytime. I offered you last night, but you turned me down, didn't you?"
Darcy stiffened, but only slightly.
She avoided his gaze, not wanting to show him how much his words affected her.
"I'm not like them, Kain. I'm not some... liar, I made a promise"
Her voice was firm, but there was a tremor beneath it, a hint of uncertainty she didn't want to acknowledge.
Kain chuckled, a low sound that sent a shiver down her spine.
"You could've chosen me last night, but you chose Finn. What's changed, Darcy?"
His eyes bore into hers, a mixture of curiosity and challenge.
"You think you're loyal to him? Does he really have your heart?"
Darcy's breath caught, but she didn't back down.
She had always been cautious with Kain, even when her emotions tried to betray her.
"You're just trying to mess with me, aren't you?"
Kain stood up, slowly circling around her.
"I'm not trying to mess with you, Darcy. I'm just telling you the truth"
"I told you last night that you could have more if you wanted it. And when you said no, I respected that"
He stopped in front of her, his face inches from hers.
"Don't pretend you don't want this, Darcy. I know you better than anyone else"
The tension between them thickened.
Darcy could feel the pull of his words, the weight of his gaze, but she held her ground.
"You've got a twisted way of showing affection, Kain"
Kain smiled, his expression softening for a moment.
"You're not wrong about that"
His voice lowered, almost teasing.
"But if I was lying about you wanting more… then why are you in my room, alone once again?"
Darcy's heart raced.
She knew he was right, but she wasn't ready to admit it.
Not yet.
"N-no that's not"
Kain chuckled again, pulling back and giving her some space.
"It seems you already decided"