Ascendant Path of a Lustful Vampire

Caius laughed a little.

"Thank you for your glowing remarks on my qualities but I HAVE known rejection," he said.

Doran scoffed.

Caius shrugged.

"It's true," he said and there was an earnestness in his words that managed to cut through Doran's skepticism.

Caius might have been blessed with all those features and attributes Doran so eloquently listed out but he had lived years in his past life with even fewer chances with ladies than Doran currently had.

Caius continued.

"People get rejected for various reasons. It's not always because they're inadequate. Affection might simply not be mutual and that's fine. You dust yourself off and it's on to the next to try again until you find that near-perfect match."

Doran smirked and there was less of an antagonistic edge to his words as he said,

"And I suppose, you just happen to have gotten lucky three times so far?"

Caius shrugged.

"The point is, they accepted my affection. You'll find those who will accept yours as well. You can't let one rejection turn you bitter.

You can't let one rejection cause you to undo the progress you've made thus far with your self-esteem."

As he said the last sentence, Caius looked over at Doran showing how he was now turning the conversation to the actual reason Doran had sought him out.

Doran, however, refused to have the conversation changed.

"If you knew her heart was taken, why wouldn't you just say that?" He asked, "Why would you encourage me to go for it?"

"I don't think I 'encouraged' you," Caius said, blanking on when he had actively told Doran to go for it rather than just be passive to the idea.

"W-Well, you certainly didn't stop me," Doran said.

"Why would I stop you?" Caius asked, "It's not really my place to tell you someone's heart is taken. I can't reject you on Aylin's behalf. That'd be silly. You had to face her yourself, tell her how you feel, and hear her response *from* her.

We're more than grown enough for that."

Also, Caius had felt like telling Doran how Aylin felt and acting like her mouthpiece would be too much like what Baler had done in [To Kill A Demon Lord…]. Doran needed to face the object of his affection, profess those affections, and be ready for whatever response he would get.

Doran winced when Caius was talking and he raised a hand to his midsection, rubbing against what was clearly a sore spot from Aylin's attacks.

"Sorry you got hurt," Caius said.

Doran seemed to realize what he had been 'caught' doing and took his hand away from his midsection, clearing his throat.

"It's nothing."

"I take it, you didn't defend yourself," Caius said.

"Never even came to mind," Doran said with a smile that twitched as he winced even more.

"Not excusing what she did but, pro-tip, 'Love' is a pretty strong word for a first-time confession," Caius said.

"I'll keep that in mind for next time," Doran said with a short laugh that stuttered a bit as he tried to avoid Caius's eyes and added,

"You know, for the next girl."

"Hmm, so that's it for the Aylin pursuit?" Caius said.

"Probably," Doran said but it sounded more like a definite that he just didn't want to commit to yet.

Not that it mattered anyway.

Caius nodded.

"Well, getting struck with icy rods while your classmates laugh would certainly put a dampener on any affection. No matter how great," he said with as much/as little levity as the moment required.

Doran smiled.

"Yeah, I can't deny that that influenced my decision. But overall, I've just had the time to think—in between feeling sorry for myself—that I just might not know Aylin Khione enough to profess my interest in her.

And the little I've learned shows she can be cruel and callous. Rejecting me is her right. Physically hurting me is not. If things already start off that way, who knows what the future might hold even if I do get her to accept."

"Oh, I don't know, some people like the pain. They think it's what makes things… fun," Caius said with a shrug.

"Well, no offense, but 'some people' are fucking dumb," Doran said.

"Perhaps," Caius answered slowly.

There was something about his tone that made Doran look to the side at him.

"Oh," Doran said, "I didn't know you were wired that way. My apologies. I can see why you and Aylin will get along."

Caius's lips twitched but he couldn't even deny what Doran said. Sure, pain wasn't exactly his kink, but he didn't hate the idea of engaging in multiple fisticuffs with Delia and letting her get in some hits in the tango of desire they were currently engaged in. Also, he had once enjoyed getting bitten in a very sensitive and private area, so really, who knows?

He chuckled then.

"Well, thank you," he said.

Doran nodded mostly halfheartedly realizing what kind of freak he might be calling a friend. And that was what Caius was; A friend.

"Are you feeling better now?" Caius asked, "Are you again secure about your place at Lochxen?"

"Yeah," Doran nodded, "Yeah, I think I am."

"I really hope your resolve won't be shaken every time a girl tells you no. Statistically, you're likely to still hear a couple more of those before you find your person," Caius said in a sagely voice.

It was something a friend once told him in his past life after his first rejection;

'Keep your chin up, buddy, there are many more to come.'

It sounded somewhat insensitive but it was the truth. One simply must accept it and be open to rejection and also be capable of walking away when it comes.

'Did my life as Kevin prepare me more for this world and this life than I thought?' Caius asked himself.

"That doesn't make me feel better," Doran said.

"What doesn't make you feel better?" Caius asked, confused after getting a bit lost in thought.

"That there'll be more rejections in my future," Doran said.

"The odds show it to be so. I'm just telling it as it is," Caius said mostly in jest.

"Well, I don't like the odds," Doran said.

"Fair enough. You CAN take steps to beat the odds then," Caius said.

"How so?"

"When next you like a girl, get to know her better. Get closer to her. Actually have had a few conversations with her. Gauge any possible interest she might have in you.

The more assured you are about how she feels, the more likely you are to have her accept your confession.

Rather than just blurting it out in a room of your peers to someone who's practically a stranger."

"Wow," Doran said sounding mind-blown and he was only partly joking. Everything Caius had said was common sense and clearly a bit mocking of his approach with Aylin but still, he felt he learned something.

Caius smiled and let the moment of levity settle in more before his expression became a bit more serious.

"And when that moment does come, I beg that you never settle," Caius said.

Doran heard the shift in tone and his smile became a bit stiffer as he looked to the side at Caius.

"What?" He asked.

Caius kept that serious tone as he said.

"You have a lot of good qualities. Your humble background is one of those good qualities, not a detractor from it. If nothing, it highlights how hard you've worked to be here and places you a step above your peers whether you see it or not.

Whoever you choose to confess your affections to next, please let it be someone who sees and understands that about you."

Having gotten Doran started on the path to avoid a devastating future, Caius felt it was only right for him to caution him on partner selection. On that front, [To Kill A Demon Lord…] could not help because that story had gone in a different direction.

Doran took in the words. Took in what they meant and then laughed.

"Then I guess I must look away from Lochxen then," he said like he couldn't fathom finding someone with those qualities among his classmates who were all of Noble birth.

Caius shrugged.

"Maybe," he said, not willing to speak in absolutes, and paused a few seconds before he added,

"But you never can tell."