#just a little drabble to softlaunch another some weeks of writing before going into radio silence again

[yestrday]

Thinking about Dain being a cousin of the twins, like, he comes to their home once in a blue moon, but when he is in town he will surely invite mc to a night out or for some hanging around; and mc may accept because he is a breath of fresh air, specially with the whole academy being after them.

Of course, Dain may or not harbor the same feelings as their peers, but they don’t need to know that just yet :)!

(I DONT REMEMBER IF DAIN HAD ALREADY APPEARED IN THE ACADEMY AU SO I CAME WITH THIS IDEA IM SO SORRY (＞人＜;))

dainsleif who was a graduate of your academy too, praised for intelligence and good looks. there's no doubt he's a cousin of the twins, with that same shimmery blonde hair and their knack for academics.

after graduating, he got into a university a city over, so he barely sees his cousins anymore. aether speaks fondly of him, talking about how cool and mysterious he is. ("he's so cool, [y. name], i swear! he's got this aura that just makes you... respect.") lumine thinks highly of him too, but she tends to nitpick his flaws more than aether does. ("oh please, he might look cool, but he can barely hold a conversation without making it awkward. he's not really all that.")

dainsleif who shows up at their house impromptu for a visit. you happen to be there too, and you stare wide-eyed at the man whose face you've only seen on picture frames. he stares back at you too, because he doesn't exactly know how to act in front of a stranger.

as he stays in the city, he sees how people of your academy tend to... gravitate towards you. like, literally. after accidentally bumping into you at the grocery, he can see at least five boys from your school lurking around the corners. from that day on, he's offered to escort you whenever you're running tasks outside.

he used to just spend breaks in his dorms, but he finds himself coming back to his hometown these days. his visits come and go, sometimes he'd show up at weekends, sometimes radio silence, but he delights at the opportunity that breaks provide him with. even at his uni, he's worried sick about that little harem of yours. with him by your side, he can at least protect you even outside your school grounds.

he listens to your worries, pushes the cart while you do your groceries, covers your head with an umbrella, keep you close when walking the streets at night... everything to let you know that you will always have him to rely on. not those pesky brats who're too unhinged and obsessed without any care for your feelings. not those brats who get to spend every day and every hour with you at school, who irritate him so much his head boils at the thought of this injustice.

"sometimes i wish i were more like you," you sigh to dainsleif one day. you see it catches dain off by surprise, his eyes wide but flattered at the confession, before they slant into saddened crescents. he turns away from you, facing the gray sky.

"believe me," dain mutters. "you wouldn't want that."

"humble as always. your abilities aren't something to brush off like that."

"... not like that." he looks conflicted as he watches you carefully. his clothes ruffle and fly in the wind, complementing the troubled look in his eye. "there are thoughts within me that... i cannot suppress. thoughts that scare me to even think about. things about myself that i never knew eventually coming to life. it's horrible."

"'cause you're guilty?"

a forlorn sigh. "... because i'm not the man i wish you'd have in the end."