Damien rapped on her door twice in quick succession. Vera knew it was him because her sharp senses picked up on his scent long before he’d arrive. Her stomach churned, but she answered the door promptly. Maybe a little too fast.

His tall frame came into full view and left her a touch breathless. He had dressed himself in a collared white dress shirt with a black waistcoat bearing gold patterns. Over this, a blue greatcoat. As always, his hair was stylishly messy and starting to get a bit long, now drooping a little past his ears.

In the months since his enrollment, Damien had gained more height and muscle. He seemed twice her size. She must look like a child compared to him. And the thought brought a wave of unwanted consciousness regarding her appearance.

She’d never been one to care overmuch how she looked. But what was this? Anyone who saw them would think him her babysitter.

“So you can clean up well even on your own.” Were her first words.

He grinned at her. “I’m not entirely useless without you, Vee. I can put on my own pants and everything.”

“But not comb your own hair.” She tip-toed and struggled to reach the top of his head, intending to smooth out his messy locks. Though it wasn’t needed, she wanted something to do. She feared she’d just stand and stare if she didn’t get herself focused on something.

Damien graciously bowed for her. He had very soft and silky hair, she noted idly. She wanted to just run her hands through it.

When she was done fussing, he straightened and gave her a cursory glance. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so lovely.” He complimented. “Vee, you were always this beautiful?”

Vera forced herself to stillness. Why did that sound so familiar, those words?

She shook her head clear, not giving it too much though. In truth, she had agonized over what to wear for days, but in the end, it had just become much too cold. She may not be human, and it may not harm her, but she still didn’t like extreme weather. There was no pretty dress adorning her, just a long-sleeved grey sweater hidden beneath a black winter poncho with a matching beret.

Around her neck was a black and red plaid muffler.

It was a very ordinary ensemble.

“Beautiful? Please. It’s just okay,” She played it off casually, but in fact, she liked hearing him say that to her. She wondered if that made her shallow or vain. Even so, she couldn’t believe he’d really meant it. He always talked like that to people, especially women. So she waved off his words, burying herself in her muffler. “Come on, we should get going already.”

At her side she clutched a leather bag tightly. Within it was the dress she would change into when she got inside the school building. She’d chosen it in a hurry as the shops had been facing a shortage of pre-made dresses and the tailors were busy with orders. So it wasn’t like the extravagant violet dress Mrs. Everic had worn to the theatre that day. But it was presentable.

Vera strode past his, only to him to catch her by the back of her coat and stop her dead in her tracks. “What?” She raised her voice at him. She found him staring at her with a smile. His eyes then glanced down pointedly to where he had an open hand proffered at her.

“What is this?” She asked hesitantly.

“My hand. Take it.” He commanded.

“Why should i?”

“I won’t start walking until you do.” That was all he said.

“Ridiculous.” She muttered. “Stop playing around. We’re going to be late.”

“Then take my hand.”

“I don’t want to,” Vera replied stubbornly.

“I want you to.” His eyes were solemn. “What’s the matter? This is a date. People hold hands on dates. It’s common courtesy, really. You have to.”

She was completely flummoxed. “This...you just want to embarrass me!” Vera accused.

He cocked a brow. “Even if I did, what’s the big deal with holding hands? Do you think I’ll get you pregnant?” He gave a smirk. “You’re being quite maidenly for the girl who started kissing me in front of a whole gaggle of women just a couple of weeks ago.”

Vera wanted to shout, “That wasn’t me, it was that dirty poltergeist!”

But the words didn’t come.

Whatever the case was with that, she almost begged him to stop. Just remembering that day made her want to hide in a hole. She shook her head viciously. “I don’t care! I won’t do it!” She would die!

His eyes flashed brightly. “Then you leave me no choice,” The youth spoke with undisguised glee. Then unceremoniously scooped her into his arms.

Shocked silly, Vera was too stunned to even protest.

Damien looked down at her and thought she just looked absolutely adorable. That little hat, her muffler. She seemed so cozy and cute. There was something different about her compared to Dolly’s cuteness. Vera had never shown him herself dressed in casual clothing, not that he could remember.

Since they got stuck together by his father, Damien had seen sides of her he never got to see before then. She was only serving him, but the small things she did and remembered about him made her feel even more like a sister than Dolly.

The gap between this diligent, thoughtful Vera and the cold-faced, sharp-tongued troublemaker he’d always known was infinitely charming and endearing

“You’re going to turn me into a lolicon at this rate, Vee.” He chuckled. “I’ll end up not wanting to give you back.”

I don’t want to go back!

But the words she actually spoke were much different. “Young Master, I do realize I am the very personification of all things charming and sweet, but please. I am an elite maid of the Claybrook family, I treat everyone in such a way. Please don’t make the mistake that you’re special!” She made sure to sound grieved. “Besides, I’m already sworn to Lady Dahlia and Baz to you.”

“So?” He snorted. “We can trade.”

His words stopped her. “Trade?”

He nodded. His gaze turned heavy and intense. “Vee. Be mine”

For a minute, she’d misunderstood him. Then realization kicked in and her brain unfroze. “I don’t think Dolly would agree. Or your mother.”

“It’s not that you’re opposed, though?” He pressed her.

“...I wouldn’t say I have any thoughts one way or the other who I serve.”

“Great!” He shouted joyously. “It’s settled then. You’re my woman now, Vee! You can’t take it back!”

She nearly spat blood. “Hey, watch your phrasing!” She smacked him. “And we haven’t gotten their permission yet!”

“Let me worry about that! Dolly can’t refuse me anything, and all I have to do for mother is let her hug me for a couple days!” The woman was very clingy, even more than Dolly. But as long as he indulged her a bit, this was a done deal.

Vera wanted to laugh. This guy always did things as he pleased. “Ah, whatever. Just let me down already.”

“Nope.” He replied cheekily.

“What do you mean, nope?!” She narrowed his eyes at him.

“I don’t want to. I’m very comfortable like this, thank you very much.” He said and started walking.

“Let me down or I’ll bite you.”

He wasn’t daunted one bit. “Bite my lip.”

Vera found herself cowed by his boldness and laid in his arms silently while hiding herself in her muffler. The halls of her dormitory were full of other girls also departing for the ball. Like Vera, they wore warm casual clothes on their way out and would change into their dresses once they reached the school.

Quite a few young men had littered the halls, too, each one picking up their date.

But no matter if they had a date or not, every woman they passed would turn their heads whenever Damien came into view. Some tried to be discreet and only stole furtive glances. Others stared openly and shamelessly.

Meanwhile, the boys pretended he wasn’t there. It was funny. They, too, looked so young next to him. The difference in muscle tone was clear to everyone. Compared to their lanky bodies, Damien was far more reliable in the hearts of the young women present.

And no one was more keenly aware of the power he hid than Vera. His arms were like steel.

She buried herself even deeper as she became aware of the envious glares of the surrounding girls. It wasn’t like her at all to be so docile. But she couldn’t act tough in the arms of a person who made her heart feel like it was having an attack.

She tried to calm her pounding chest and closed her eyes. Feeling warm and encapsulated in his spicy-sweet musk, she slowly fell asleep.

Vera wasn’t sure how long she stayed like that but it must not have been very long. When she woke up Damien was poking the tip of her nose. She sneezed, then asked, “What were you doing to me?”

He tsked. “You woke up too soon. I was going to pinch your cheeks next.”

“Why? “She squinted suspiciously.

“Because you’re cute.”

“Yes, but who gave you the right to touch me?”

“Better to ask forgiveness than consent.”

“The words of a future rapist.”

He rolled his eyes. “Can’t you just let me spoil you without the caustic commentary?” He sighed.

“Aren’t you scared I’ll turn rotten on you?”

“Impossible,” He walked up the stairs leading to the rarely-used ballroom building. “You’re always been rotten to me.”

Vera motioned for him to put her down. The stares of the surrounding women were starting to hurt. “I treat people fairly, as they deserve to be. It’s not my fault you deserved to be messed with.”

“You spent a whole day undoing the seams to my clothes. That’s not “messing with,” that’s just evil.”

Vera chose not to comment. “I have to use the bathroom to change.”

He nodded. “I’ll meet you near the ballroom entrance. I’m going to drain the snake. If I’m not there, wait for me for a few minutes and then assume I’ve been kidnapped.”

She gave him a dubious look. “That would be a joke from anyone else, but knowing you, it’s a distinct possibility.”

“Especially tonight.” He laughed.

Vera, however, couldn’t find the humor. She recalled the looks of the girls from the dormitory and hurried along.

***

Meanwhile, Damien walked in the opposite direction. The boys’ restrooms were all on one side of the building, which doubled as changing rooms. Though, the boys usually didn’t have to actually use them. Their formal attire was composed of trousers and they can wear a coat over it for the cold.

Girls, however, only really wore pretty dresses. And obviously, they wouldn’t come dressed in them with cold weather like this. Much less wear their high heels in the snow.

What was a little odd was how dead this side of the building was. Now, this building wasn’t often used. But usually, there would be at least a few boys loitering around the restrooms. Either fussing over their appearance like girls or just hanging out.

And wasn’t there supposed to be a teacher around the restroom to supervise tonight? During big events like this, there normally were adults around to make sure nothing too out of hand happened.

Finding it strange but unimportant, Damien approached the first-floor bathroom and turned the knob.

The door creaked open and he was treated to a wonderful sight. Simply put, it was a garden of flowers.

Flowers meaning girls, all pretty little things standing there and looking at him with wicked smiles upon their face. Almost as if they had lied in wait for him.

Damien stopped, his hand still on the door handle. He stared at them a moment, then looked at the door.

BOYS

Their smiles grew.

....Well, well, well.

I’m in danger.

***

When Vera found a group of boys loitering around the girls’ bathroom, she was instantly suspicious. Capturing one of them and doing a quick interrogation, a terrible plot had been revealed.

For whatever reason, it seems like the girls had bullied the boys into switching bathrooms with them tonight. Supposedly, it had started several days prior and was kept secret from Vera and Damien very carefully. Vera had no idea how this escaped the attention of the attending teachers, and in fact she didn’t even see any in sight right now.

But whatever the case was, she knew it couldn’t be for anything good. In fact, she already had some thoughts on their intentions for him.

She quickly doubled back and went in the direction of the boys’ bathroom, opening the door with haste and expecting the worst.

To her surprise, she found something still outside even her expectations.

“Who’s a bad girl?” Damien’s face was a cold mask.

There was a pretty girl bent over his knee, butt naked, crying her eyes out. To her side was a line of such girls. And to the other side were more girls, each one with their heads against the wall. They sobbed quietly and rubbed their reddened exposed rears tenderly.

“M-Me,” The pretty girl cried tearfully. ” I’m bad! I’m sorry! I-I won’t do it again.”

“Yeah, not after I’m done with you.” Damien snorted, the proceeded to spank her harshly. He was merciless as he attacked her bare ass, not at all giving in to her apologies and entreaties to stop.

“What’s going on here?” Vera asked slowly.

His face turned cheerful. “Vee! You’re here!” He tilted his head curiously. “No, why’re you here? And why aren’t you dressed?”

“Nevermind that, what happened?

His eyes turned dark. “You won’t believe it. These kids tried to molest me!”

Vera made an ‘ah’ sound. “That makes sense.”

“...Can you please act like that’s not a normal thing for me?”

36