No More Pain For This Villain.

"We're just friends," Vexa replied, her tone firm but not unkind. "People make assumptions."

Ren leaned back on the bench, letting the rain soak him further. "Yeah, they do. Sometimes they assume things because they want to believe in something better or simpler than reality."

Vexa turned her head slightly to look at him. "Is that what you do?"

Ren shrugged. "Sometimes. But I try to see things as they are, not as I wish them to be."

There was a moment of silence between them, the rain still pouring down relentlessly. Vexa felt a strange sense of calm in Ren's presence, something she wasn't used to feeling around others.

"You seem to know a lot," Vexa remarked, turning her face back. Ren, on the other hand, felt curious about her.

"Only what I've learned from experience," he replied. "And from watching people. Everyone has a story, you know? Even if they don't always share it."

Vexa glanced at him, the edges of her usual cold demeanor softening slightly. "And what's your story, Ren?"

He smiled, a bit wistfully. "That's a long one. But for now, let's just say I'm someone who believes in second chances."

Vexa nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Second chances... I suppose we could all use one of those."

Ren gave her a reassuring look. "Exactly. And whatever you're dealing with, you don't have to go through it alone. We're teammates, after all."

"Nice try," Vexa said, and Ren raised his brow. All those words and not a single one was able to pierce through her.

He chuckled softly, then sighed and looked up to the sky and then down at the heavy rain.

"You don't smile much, do you?" Ren asked.

Vexa gave it a little bit of thought and said, "Why should I?"

"Why shouldn't you? I'm sure there are things that you feel happy about. Just smiling once in a while won't hurt," Ren said. Deep down, these were not his words but from someone he knew a long time ago.

"Is that why you are always smiling around that girl?" Vexa questioned. Her tone didn't have any specific emotion to it.

"Girl?"

"Raven Larkspur," Vexa reminded. "Isn't she your girlfriend?"

Before Ren could say anything, Vexa added another follow-up question, "How would your girlfriend feel that you are here with another woman, trying to solve her problems in a heavy rainfall?" Vexa seemed like she was teasing, but her face was stone-cold.

Ren, on the other hand, looked at his now wrinkly palm. "She's just a friend, a close one," he answered silently, and he meant it.

"Is that so..." Vexa gave it a thought. "Ha, then those rumors about her warming your bed are false too, right? Or is there truth to it?" And with that, for some reason, she felt a shiver run down her spine immediately.

"Can you repeat what you said?"

Vexa almost flinched away from Ren as she felt like she was suffocating, but she calmed herself almost immediately.

"There's a rumor going around that Raven's sleeping with you in your dorm room, and it's natural for people to make assumptions based off a boy and a girl spending a lot of time together," Vexa explained.

These rumors had been circulating ever since Ren came back from Eshmera. Because no one dared to say anything in front of him, he never knew people talked like this about Raven.

Vexa didn't miss the curling fists and clenching of the jaw as her words fell on Ren's ears.

"Is there any way you can tell me who these people might be, Miss Vexa?" Ren questioned in a very tense manner.

"Rumors have no hands and no legs—who knows who said it first and who's going to be the last," Vexa replied.

Ren's mind raced, his whole life flashing before his eyes. Who might it be? It was easy for Vexa to just say those things, but for Ren, he didn't like the sound of that—someone saying such things about Raven... to Raven?

"Does Raven know about these rumors?" he asked.

Vexa looked at him, this was her first time seeing that kind of expression on Ren's face—an expression he didn't have even in front of death, but here it was, bare naked. "Maybe. Students say these things while sitting right by her sometimes in her classrooms."

"Okay, okay," Ren calmed himself down immediately. He had a lot of things to discuss with Raven, but those would have to wait until later.

Ren took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing thoughts. He couldn't let anger cloud his judgment now. "Thank you for telling me, Miss Vexa. I appreciate it."

Vexa nodded, sensing the gravity of the situation. "Just... be careful. Words can be as dangerous as weapons."

Ren gave her a small, appreciative smile. "I know. And I'll handle it."

For a moment, they sat in silence, the rain continuing to pour around them. Ren's mind was already working on a plan to address the rumors and protect Raven. He couldn't let these lies affect her or their friendship.

"Do you have any other secrets you want to share?" Ren asked, trying to lighten the mood slightly.

Vexa shook her head. "No, I think I've shared enough for one night."

Ren stood up, offering his hand to Vexa. "Let's get out of this rain."

Vexa didn't take his hand, standing up immediately and turning away.

This felt empty, Ren thought.

"Miss Vexa," he called. Vexa turned. "Can we be friends?" Almost unconsciously, Ren asked her.

Vexa paused for a second and replied, "No."

Ren stared at his outstretched hand, his smile fading as he withdrew it. The rain fell harder around him as he muttered, "Fine." Vexa nodded and headed towards her dorm without looking back.

Ren walked towards where Blaze was perched, shaking his head slightly. "Ha, laugh all you want, Smokeball," he said, trying to lighten the mood.

'Ha, why would I?' Blaze responded, his tone neutral, but he fluttered away as if offended on Ren's behalf.

As for Ren,he didn't seem to hate Vexa's answer at all.