Lonely.
Well, that was a hell of a way to describe someone on their second day of meeting.
Him lonely?
He was just balls deep inside Lupa, and Beatrix had just texted him that she wanted to spend the night with him.
He gave a short laugh, but there was no humor in it.
"Lonely, huh? That's what you see when you walk in here?"
Her lips parted, startled.
"I didn't mean it like—"
"No, no," he cut in, his tone deceptively calm.
"It's fine. Just funny, really. Esme gets to be your light, and me? I get labeled as 'lonely.' Guess that's about right"
The words weren't sharp, but they carried weight; he made them sound tired, almost wounded.
Veronica's hands tightened around her book, the loose strands of her auburn hair falling across her face.
"…Kain, that's not what I meant. I just… I thought maybe you don't let people in"
He let out a dry chuckle, raking a hand through his hair.
His eyes flicked over her slowly, deliberately, and then away, like he couldn't quite stand to meet them.
"Don't let people in, huh? You make it sound like I've got some tragic story. Like you've already figured me out"
Veronica shook her head quickly, cheeks flushed.
"No—I wasn't trying to… I just—"
"You just what?"
His voice dipped lower, rougher, but not angry.
Just… tired.
Haha…
"Just another person who looks at me and sees something broken?"
Her chest tightened.
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out at first.
The ribbon she always wore was missing, and with her hair spilling loose around her shoulders, she looked suddenly smaller, softer, exposed.
Finally, she whispered, "…No. I don't think you're broken. I just— I was worried"
Kain gave a low laugh, shaking his head like he didn't believe her.
He turned slightly toward the window, as if dismissing her entirely.
"It's fine. I don't expect many to understand me"
"Kain–"
'Hook, line, and sinker. Guilt makes people loyal faster than kindness ever could'
He turned his head back to her, giving her a pitiful look.
"So… You and Esme are a thing, correct?"
She blushed furiously as she lifted her book to cover her face; she was shaking not from fear or anger, but from embarrassment.
"Y-yes"
Kain tilted his head, watching her hide behind the book like it was a shield.
His lips curled, not into a smirk, no, he didn't give her that satisfaction, but into the faintest ghost of a smile that never touched his eyes.
"…That so…"
His voice was low, almost thoughtful.
"Esme must be proud, then. Everyone already sees him as the academy's golden boy. Having you at his side, he sure is a lucky guy"
Her fingers fidgeted against the cover.
"We– that's because he's a good person"
"I'm sure he is," he murmured, pushing off the door and walking past her toward the desk.
He sat down slowly, lazily, like her answer didn't matter, but his next words slid under her skin anyway.
"Tell me, Veronica… Do you ever feel like you're just… part of the scenery? A pretty support piece for someone else's spotlight?"
Her breath caught.
Her loose hair shifted as she shook her head quickly, but the denial came too late.
The pause before it said more than her words.
"I-I'm not—"
Kain let out a quiet laugh, cutting her off again.
Not cruel, not mocking.
Just… heavy, tired.
"Relax. I'm not saying you're useless. I'm saying you're wasted"
That landed.
He saw it in the way her shoulders stiffened, in the way her ribbonless hair fell forward to curtain her face, like she wanted to disappear but couldn't quite turn away from him.
"Esme doesn't see it," Kain went on, softer now, almost casual.
"Not yet. But I do. And you know it… Don't you?"
Her lips parted, trembling.
For a moment, she looked like she might deny it again, then closed her mouth, clutching the book tighter to her chest.
Kain leaned back in his chair, letting the silence stretch, letting her own thoughts do the work for him.
'There it is,' he thought.
'The crack in the glass'
WHACK!
Before she abruptly smacked him.
'What the?'
"JERK!"
Kain blinked, head tilted, cheek stinging faintly where her palm had connected.
"…The hell was that for?"
Veronica's chest was heaving, her auburn hair a wild curtain around her face as she glared at him.
"For talking like that! For— for twisting things!"
She pointed her book at him like it was a weapon.
"Esme doesn't treat me like scenery! He's always believed in me!"
Kain stared at her.
Then, slowly, he laughed.
Not mocking, not cruel, just low, deep, amused.
"You've got a spine after all. Good to know"
Her lips pressed tight, heat rising in her cheeks.
"I came here because I was worried about you. And you… You just—!"
"What?"
He leaned forward now, elbows on his knees, eyes narrowing in that lazy, unreadable way.
"Made you think? Or made you mad because I wasn't wrong?"
Her throat bobbed.
She didn't answer right away, couldn't.
The silence between them was sharp, heavy, broken only by her quick breathing.
Finally, she huffed, snapping her book shut with trembling hands.
"You're impossible"
Kain leaned back, stretching like her outburst hadn't touched him at all.
But the corner of his mouth twitched, almost, just almost, into a real smile.
"Get used to it"
Veronica turned toward the door, muttering under her breath.
"You're such a jerk…"
He watched her go, the loose swing of her hair, the faint tremor still in her shoulders.
His eyes darkened, thoughts curling like smoke.
'She'll hate me for that… but hate sticks just as deep as anything else. And hate can turn to affection with enough time'
He leaned back in his chair again, exhaling slowly, the sting on his cheek still lingering.
"…Cute"
[System Notification]
[Veronica Hana | Affection: 2% | Loyalty: 0% | Lust: 0%]
[Emotion: Anger]
[Thought: "Jerk. I thought he was kind…"]
"Still, isn't her affection meter low?"
He did a weird hand gesture and pulled out her meter for Esme.
[Esme Jack]
[Affection: 90% | Loyalty: 90% | Lust: 5%]
[Status of Love: Puppy love]
He sighed as he stood up, walked towards his kitchen, and poured himself a cup of wine.
"Well… my mood sure is sour now…"
[Buzz!]
"Huh?"
He pulled out his phone and saw that the message was from Beatrix.
Beatrix:
A Pic: In nothing but a trenchcoat in front of his door.
"Will you let me in, Kain~~"
"And suddenly my mood just went up!"
He set the glass down with a soft clink, the faint scent of red wine and cedar filling the air.
His room was dim, not dark, just bathed in that late amber hue from the desk lamp, which made everything feel quieter than it was.
Another buzz.
Then a knock.
"It's open…"
He looked at his phone.
She just asked if she could open the door to… enhance the mood.
It clicked open with slight glee as he set his phone down.
He felt his chest start to beat with excitement at what he was seeing.
The trench coat barely clung to her frame, glossy in the light.
Her cheeks were flushed, not from embarrassment, no, Beatrix didn't embarrass easily but from anticipation.
She leaned against the doorframe, eyes half-lidded, voice a silk thread.
"Miss me?"
Kain tilted his head, swirling the wine lazily.
"Barely had time to"
She smiled at that, a cat's smile, wicked and knowing.
"Then I'll make up for it"
She stepped in, the soft sound of her heels against the wooden floor barely audible over the faint hum of his phone buzzing again somewhere behind him.
He didn't look away from her.
"Drink?" he asked, already reaching for another glass.
"You read my mind," she purred, slipping the coat off her shoulders and draping it neatly over the back of his chair.
Beneath, nothing but black lace and a dangerous confidence.
He poured slowly, the sound of the wine filling the silence between them, that heavy, intimate quiet that only exists when both people already know what's about to happen, but neither says it yet.
Beatrix reached for her glass, then paused mid-motion.
Her eyes flicked to his cheek, the faint red mark standing out against his skin.
Her smirk faltered, just slightly.
"…Who hit you?"
Kain arched an eyebrow, taking a slow sip before answering.
"Occupational hazard"
"Uh-huh"
She leaned closer, studying it.
"Looks like a handprint"
He exhaled through his nose, the ghost of a smile curling at his lips.
"You jealous?"
Beatrix gave a small laugh, but her hand reached up, fingertips brushing his cheek.
"Maybe," she murmured.
"Maybe not. Depends on who left it"
Her touch lingered.
He didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
Just let her trace the shape of the faint bruise, watching her expression change, amusement giving way to something softer.
"That's a shame," she said finally.
"Someone hitting a pretty face like yours"
He chuckled, low and quiet.
"You'd be surprised how often it happens"
"Mm~"
Her breath hitched a little as she leaned in closer, her hand sliding down from his cheek to the side of his neck.
"Maybe I should fix that"
He tilted his head slightly, eyes half-lidded, that faint, dangerous calm never breaking.
"By kissing it better?"
Her lips curved into a slow, sultry grin.
"Exactly that"
And when she kissed him, soft at first, like testing the temperature of water before diving in.
He didn't resist.
The taste of wine still lingered between them, bitter and sweet, and when she deepened the kiss, his hand moved instinctively to her waist, drawing her closer with a kind of practiced laziness that felt both real and rehearsed.
When they broke apart, Beatrix's breath trembled faintly against his jaw.
"Should we… move to the bed?" she whispered.
Kain didn't answer right away.
He just watched her, the way her breath trembled, the faint uncertainty that cracked through the confident mask she always wore.
Then, without a word, he brushed his thumb along her jaw, once, before tracing the edge of her lower lip.
Beatrix's breath caught.
"You look so cute," he murmured, voice quiet, steady, "trembling when I haven't even done anything yet…"
Her lips parted as if to respond, but no words came.
That was all he needed.
In one fluid motion, his hands slipped beneath her thighs, lifting her effortlessly.
She gasped, arms instinctively looping around his shoulders.
"Relax," he said softly, almost amused, as he carried her toward the bed.
The lamp's glow bent around them, throwing long, restless shadows across the floor.
When he set her down, it wasn't rough, but there was weight in it.
Beatrix's fingers brushed his collar, tugging him down again.
The next kiss wasn't shy.
It wasn't careful.
It was a hungry and quiet inevitability.
When they finally broke apart, both of them still breathing hard, Kain stayed close, eyes half-lidded, studying her expression with a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"…Better?" he asked.
Beatrix laughed softly, her voice still shaking.
"Just shut up and take off your shirt already!"
He chuckled at Beatrix's impatient demand, the sound rumbling through his chest.
He leaned back slightly, grabbing the hem of his shirt.
In one smooth motion, he peeled the fabric up and off, tossing the shirt carelessly aside.
Beatrix couldn't resist reaching out to run her fingers over his chest, feeling the firmness of his muscles.
Kain's skin was warm to the touch, igniting a fire deep within her core.
Her wandering hand drifted lower, teasing along his stomach, feeling it tense under her touch.
Kain smirked at her brazen exploration, enjoying the feeling of her soft fingers on his skin.
He reached out to grab her wrist, pulling her hand up to his mouth.
Keeping his eyes locked with hers, he placed a hot, open-mouthed kiss on her palm, his tongue flicking out to taste her skin.
Beatrix shivered at the intimate gesture, a thrill running down her spine.
Emboldened, she leaned in, pressing hot, open-mouthed kisses along Kain's jaw and down his neck, her tongue darting out to taste his skin.
Kain tilted his head to give her better access, a low groan rumbling in his chest.
His hands slid down her back, cupping and squeezing the firm globes of her ass.
He ground his hips against hers, letting her feel the growing hardness of his cock straining against his underwear.
Beatrix moaned into his neck, feeling that familiar heat building between her legs.
Her hands slid around to grip his back, blunt nails digging into the firm muscles.
She nipped and sucked at his pulse point before soothing the sting with her tongue, leaving a mark of possession.
"You're playing with fire, little minx," Kain growled, squeezing her ass harder.
Beatrix just smirked at his warning, her eyes glinting with mischief and lust.
She rolled her hips deliberately, grinding against the thick bulge of his cock.
"Then you have to punish me~" she purred sultrily.
With a low, feral growl, Kain captured her lips in a bruising kiss, all tongue and teeth.
He dominated her mouth, his tongue plundering and claiming every inch.
At the same time, his hands made quick work of removing any clothing, desperate to feel skin on skin.
Soon, they were both bare, their naked bodies pressed flush together.
He could feel her hardened nipples digging into his chest, her slick heat painting his throbbing cock.
Breaking the kiss, he flipped her over, pinning Beatrix beneath him on the bed.
He grabbed her thighs, pushing them up and apart to spread her wide open for him.
He rubbed the swollen head of his cock up and down her dripping slit, coating himself in her slick arousal.
Beatrix gasped and writhed beneath him, trying to push her hips down to take him inside.
Patience worn thin, Kain lined himself up and slammed his thick length deep into Beatrix's tight heat with one powerful thrust.
A guttural moan tore from his throat at the exquisite feeling of her walls gripping him like a vice.
"Fuck, you're always so goddamn tight, like this cunt was made just for my cock," he grunted, starting to piston his hips at a relentless pace.
Beatrix cried out in ecstasy, her back arching off the bed as Kain began to pound into her.
The obscene sound of skin slapping against skin and their wanton moans filled the room.
Kain hooked Beatrix's legs over his shoulders, nearly bending her in half, allowing him to drive even deeper into her core.
"That's it, take this dick! Scream for me while I ruin this hungry little pussy!"
Beatrix screamed in pleasure as Kain relentlessly slammed into her.
His thick cock stirring up her insides and hitting depths no one else ever had.
Her nails were digging into the bed sheets as she gripped it for support.
"Yes, fuck me harder! Ruin me with that big, fat cock!"
She shrieked, her cunt clenching and fluttering around him.
Kain snarled at her wanton cries, spurred on to fuck her even harder and faster.
The bed creaked and shook beneath them from the sheer force of his thrusts.
Beads of sweat rolled down his chest and back as he put every ounce of strength and stamina into claiming her so thoroughly.
"Take it all, you cock-hungry slut! This is what you needed, isn't it? To be split open on my thick dick and used like the desperate little fucktoy you are!"
He punctuated each word with a brutal thrust, his heavy balls slapping lewdly against her ass.
Beatrix could only wail in rapture, her pussy gushing and squelching obscenely around the pistoning shaft plowing into her.
She locked her ankles behind Kain's back, urging him impossibly deeper.
"Y-YESSS! I'm your slutty little cocksleeve, Master! Use me, ruin me, fill me with your seed!"
Kain could feel Beatrix's pussy starting to convulse around him, her body tensing as her climax approached.
He leaned down, turning her over to capture one of her bouncing breasts in his mouth, sucking and biting at the stiff peak, sending jolts of painful pleasure straight to her core.
His hand slid between their sweat-slicked bodies to frantically rub at her clit, pushing her closer to the edge.
"That's it, cum on this fat cock like the desperate whore you are! Squeeze the fucking life out of me with this tight little cunt!"
He growled around a mouthful of her breast.
The feeling of her velvet walls rippling and fluttering wildly around his pistoning shaft pushed Kain over the precipice as well.
He slammed into Beatrix one last time, his cock erupting like a geyser deep inside her spasming pussy.
Beatrix shrieked as she came undone, her vision whiting out from the intensity of her release.
She could feel Kain's hot seed flooding her insides, painting her walls with his essence.
Her cunt milked him for every last drop, greedy for his cum.
Kain slowly pulled his softening cock out of Beatrix's well-used pussy.
He groaned at the sensation of her tight walls clinging to him, not wanting to let go.
Once he slipped free, he sat back on his ass, holding his sensitive, cum-coated cock pointed towards her face.
Beatrix lay there panting for a moment, feeling empty and stretched, with Kain's thick seed slowly leaking out of her raw, twitching hole.
The sight of his spent cock, dripping with their combined juices, snapped her back to attention.
She crawled towards him, her eyes locked onto his cock, a hunger burning in her gaze.
"Clean up the mess you made, slut," Kain commanded, his voice rough with satisfaction.
He tapped the swollen, sensitive head of his cock against Beatrix's full, pouty lips, leaving streaks of their essence on the soft skin.
"Lick it all off like a good girl. Taste how well we fit together"
Beatrix eagerly parted her lips, allowing the tip of Kain's cock to slip into the warm, wet cavern of her mouth.
She swirled her tongue around the head, savoring the unique musk of their combined arousal.
Beatrix could taste herself on him, a tangy, sweet nectar that made her moan around his softening length.
She began to lick and suck at his sensitive cock, cleaning it thoroughly just as he ordered.
Her tongue traced along the underside, lapping up the streaks of cum that had dripped down his shaft.
Beatrix took him deeper into her mouth, her lips stretching around his girth as she bobbed her head, slurping lewdly.
Kain groaned, his hand fisting in Beatrix's hair as she worked over his cock with her skilled mouth.
He could feel himself starting to stir and harden again, amazed by her insatiable appetite.
"Fuck, you love choking on my cock, don't you, you dirty girl?" he slowly thrusts into her hot mouth.
"Such an obedient little cockslut, always ready to serve"
His balls tightened, the pressure building once more as she expertly pleasured his sensitive flesh.
With a guttural moan, he thrust forward, burying his cock deep in her tight throat as he erupted.
"Fuuuck, swallow it all, you dirty cockwhore!"
Kain snarled, his hot seed shooting down her eager throat in thick spurts.
Beatrix eagerly gulped and swallowed around him, determined to milk every drop of his essence.
As his climax subsided, Kain slowly pulled his softening cock from her mouth with a wet pop.
A thin strand of cum connected the tip to Beatrix's swollen, spit-shined lips.
He smirked down at her, taking in her debauched appearance - hair mussed, face flushed, and mouth agape, still drooling his seed.
"Lick your lips clean and show me you swallowed it all like a good slut," Kain commanded huskily.
Beatrix obediently ran her tongue along her plump bottom lip, scooping up the stray drops of cum, and moaned at the taste.
She opened her mouth wide, showing Kain her empty throat as she swallowed, his thick essence sliding down to warm her belly.
"Mmm, thank you for the protein shake, Master~" she purred sultrily.
"Your cum tastes even better than I remembered. I could get addicted to this flavor"
They looked at each other before they burst out laughing.
Kain wiped a tear from his eye.
"Let's clean up, okay?"
Beatrix gave him a cute giggle as she nodded her head.
"As you wish"
Five minutes later…
Beatrix, in Kain's shirt and shorts, was pouring herself a cup of juice.
"So it was Veronica that slapped you? Why?"
Kain let out a sigh as he made himself a sandwich.
"Well, you know how it is. Sometimes the truth is a bit hard to swallow"
Beatrix tilted her head, her damp black hair falling over her shoulder as she watched him spread the sauce on his sandwich with practiced calm.
"What truth exactly?" she asked, voice light but her eyes sharp.
Kain gave a half-smirk, half-sigh.
"I might've said something about her and Esme's little perfect couple act"
Beatrix blinked, then laughed softly.
"Oh gods, Kain… you didn't"
"I did," he replied flatly, raising his sandwich like a toast.
"Apparently, questioning their fairy-tale romance was an act of high treason"
Beatrix shook her head, smiling despite herself.
"So, what did you say?"
Kain bit into the sandwich before answering.
"That she's wasted on him. I can see the level that she reached with her healing. Compared to him, she's the one who deserves better"
Beatrix's eyes softened a little, though the smirk never faded.
"And she smacked you for it?"
"Full swing," he said with a small chuckle, tapping his cheek where the faint red mark had been.
"Didn't even hesitate"
Beatrix sipped her juice, still smiling.
"You know… maybe she needed to hear it. You have a way of ripping the bandage off"
He gave her a look, not quite grateful, not quite smug, but something in between.
"You defending me now?"
"Always," she said without hesitation.
Then, quieter, "Even when you're a menace"
Kain let out a low laugh, setting his plate aside as he leaned back against the counter.
"Loyal and honest. Dangerous combination."
Beatrix met his gaze, her grin softening into something gentler.
"Only for you"
He studied her for a long second, the way his shirt hung loosely on her, the way her eyes glowed under the lamplight, and then smiled faintly, the kind of smile he rarely gave anyone.
"Guess I'm lucky, then"
She stepped closer, setting her cup down.
"No," she whispered, brushing a strand of hair from his face, "we're the lucky ones"
He didn't answer right away, but his hand found hers, squeezing lightly, his usual quiet way of saying I know.
"So… what do you plan to do?"
Kain gave her hand a quick kiss before pouring himself a cup of wine.
"Well, tomorrow is going to be the third day of knowing her. I should get to know her better"
Beatrix gave him a quick peck before she picked up her trenchcoat.
"You gonna ask Alyssa to teach you the way of a noble to appear more charming?"
Kain gave a low chuckle as he swirled the wine in his cup, watching the crimson liquid catch the light.
"Appear more charming?" he repeated, glancing over his shoulder.
"Haha. No. I don't wish to bother her with something like this"
Beatrix smiled as she slipped her arms through her coat.
"So you'll rely on your natural appeal then?"
"Worked on you, didn't it?" he shot back, eyes gleaming with mischief.
She froze for a second, then huffed with mock offense.
"You make it sound like I didn't have a choice"
"You didn't," he said simply, taking a slow sip of wine.
"You saw me and thought: that man's going to ruin my peace forever"
Beatrix crossed her arms, pretending to glare, but the faint pink rising in her cheeks gave her away.
"You really don't know when to shut up, do you?"
Kain smirked.
"Not when I'm right"
A moment passed, soft, easy silence filling the space between them.
The light flickered, brushing their faces in gold.
Finally, Beatrix exhaled through her nose and gave a little laugh.
"So tomorrow, huh? Veronica's in for a surprise"
Kain arched an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"You don't exactly get to know people the normal way," she teased.
"You peel them open until you find what they're hiding"
He shrugged.
"That's how truth works"
Beatrix smiled faintly, stepping toward him one last time.
She rested a hand on his chest, feeling the calm beat beneath her palm.
"Just… try not to scare her off, okay?"
He caught her wrist gently, his voice dropping low.
"No promises"
Beatrix rolled her eyes but kissed him anyway, short, warm, grounding.
Then she slipped away, heading towards the door.
"Goodnight, Kain~"
Kain raises his glass in mock salute.
"Goodnight, Beatrix"
Then she was gone, leaving Kain alone with the faint scent of her perfume and the dying warmth of laughter still clinging to the air.