Cain's Links
Absolutely. Can't. STAND. Zaidon.
He tried to get along with him at first when they were little kids but living around him proved difficult. The bullying would only happen when they weren't in front of adults (mainly emotional, the most physcial it would get is a lot of jabbing and pushing) and Zaidon eventually got all the other neighborhood kids to pick on Cain for awhile as well. Besides Emi that is.
Non of the adults ever found out or really cared much it seemed.
To this day Cain still wonders why someone as lovely as Emi would date someone so vile as his own brother. Because to him he truly is an abomination of a living thing.
Their relationship is very strained and tense now. If they must pass each other in the halls then they dont dare acknowledge each other.
once cain had been integrated into their family zaidon had started to feel very bitter. he felt resentment, hatred, and even jealousy to a certain degree.... and ended up treating his new little brother like garbage
couldnt stand how bright and innocent Cain was, and just how weirdly he now fit into their family dynamic. honestly to him it felt more like he ruined it. Zaidon still wanted to be that only child who had his parents attention and wanted to live up to their expectations on HIS own. Now he had to share the stage with a brother he never even wanted or knew about previously, not to mention it made his parents unhappy having to take care of another child
he just wished cain was gone even from back then, and even now that they no longer live with their parents, zaidon dislikes that they work in the same place. he can feign being nice to him in the presence of others but he avoids him if needed. that doesnt mean that he'll hold his tongue from saying something nasty everynow and then
Emi was one of the few persons to be kind to Cain as a kid and considers her to be a close friend, perhaps even family. She used to stick up for him when Zaidon and the other kids would bully him, and that led to them spending time together (Cain staying over at her house, getting his hair braided despite it being really short then and other things like that)
Her trusts her opinions now more than anyone and will go to talk to her when he's feeling down usually.
She's always thought that he was a nice kid when she first met him, it was just sad for her to see how he was treated and how her ex talked about him when they were younger, as if he was a burden or something which confused her.
She helped Cain raise his self-esteem back up a bit and pretty much helped him grow considering how baffling his family life was. Not only after hearing about the horrible things Zaidon would do to him and suffering the emotional abuse first hand it was no wonder they broke up. She still dotes after Cain even now though and still worries for him.
He's somewhat of a little brother to her,
He really didnt understand Sabu at first, and still honestly thinks he doesnt. People like Sabu always confuse Cain, he can never quite tell what theyre thinking and when Cain says one thing Sabu goes to complete opposite direction. There's never any real bad intention to it which helps, but Cain can't help but still want to try and know more. And that has led to him maybe sort of having a crush. I mean he didnt want to make his feelings final... and just because Sabu makes his heart skip when he pays attention to him and stuff.... it doesnt mean that he.... lik es ..... h ... i .m..... ha
Though Sabu doesn't know as much as Emi does about his past, Cain does feel a swell of happiness when Sabu acts coldly towards his brother. Zaidon never did like when he wasn't able to visibly get under someone's skin.
He also worries very much that he might lose Sabu one day, since it seems that any good person he gets close to eventually leaves him one day. (his mom, grandmother, raphael etc)
Sabu doesnt dislike Cain, but he also doesnt quite tolerate him per se. He enjoys his company and finds it amusing to catch him offguard. They have a lot of differing opinions and reactions to situations but for some reason they still click really well.
Sabu can be a bit hard on Cain at times but he means well, his personality just doesn't lend itself to truly comfort him. He's always been quite blunt and forthright so he was never one for being overly comforting.
He actually really enjoys hearing Cain talk, especially considering that Sabu himself doesn't talk much. But he'd never let the other know that.
He first saw Ahriel in his town's annual Parade. He'd looked so strong and cool and powerful then. Having only ever seen or heard about the Elite 7 on the news and such he'd grown to admire them for being so free and helping people.
But once he saw them at the Parade first hand he'd been over the moon. It took nothing more than a smile from Ahriel (who was rumored to RARELY smile) and a pat on a head to make him want to be in the Elite as well.
He greatly looks up to him, to an almost embarassingly cute extent, and now that they work together somewhat his admiration grew. He was delighted that Ahriel had eventually recognized him, but of course things are still strict and profressional between them. But to work int he same place as one of the heroes you admire? Oh the thought always makes Cain's heart swell.
He actually hadn't recognized Cain at first having that it'd been a long while since the Parade and Cain was much older now, but Ahriel is wise and more or less instantly realizes the other has some form of high admiration for him, which he things is endearing, amusing even
Ahriel's been somewhat of a teacher to him, and even on some level, a decent older brother figure to him and he's actually proud to have trained him, even if he can be a bit strict on him at times
Though he might be close to Emi, Gale is for sure his best friend. He was one of the first persons he ran into on initiation/trainging day and helped steel his nerves. They got along super well super fast and started hanging out together from then on.
Though Gale does know about his past he doesnt know the exact details. That doesn't stop Cain from having to hold the other back whenever they regrettably see Zaidon in the halls though. Gale has threatened to both beat him up and beat up his whole family, much to Cain's amusement.
As much as Cain would love that he'd prefer to have his buddy NOT be fired and out of the force. Otherwise who will he continue the Gale Cain Train with?
Gale was the one to start the 'Gale Cain Train' movement and even went as far as to nickname the other Candy Cain. Though Gale can sometimes be a little slow or dense he usually tries to pick on on the others feelings and enjoys riling him up or having the two of them pull some shenanigans to get Cain's mind off serious matters.
Cain adores Kami despite his brash and angry personality, because for one he's very honest and 'aggressively cares' as he once described to the other before being hit in the shoulder. Immediately after he was offered some of Kami's lunch in apology, which greatly amused him.
Cain is decently close with Kami, enough to the point where Cain can annoy him and not feel hurt by his insults and shoving. Cain likes to visit the Bureau of Info mostly to see him and a few others, because he's not really a library kind of person, he enjoys socializing with the people there.
Kami can usually tell when he's feeling odd or down and gives him advice when needed. Otherwise he gets a rough pat on the back and a 'stop moping over my documents i need to work rn'
Kami merely tolerated him at first since he really gets annoyed by people that act fake, but he soon realized that was something Cain does on a surface level. He'd hoped the first few times they met the other would be offput but his loud personality and leave him be, but Cain kept sticking around to pester him and before he knew it they'd be having lunch together or Cain would stop by to check on him.
Though he doesn't know much of Cain's past he can usually tell when he's feeling down just from one glance at the poor fool. This resorts to him becoming the resident mom and comforter for awhile.
After he gets over the whole 'humans are disgusting monsters phase' he's at first annoyed by Theo if only because he sees a bit of his old self in him, but he also remembers he grew from that and in a way he can't help but feel a bit endeared about the little guy.
He genuinely wants the kid to have a confidence boost though, he seems so unsure about everything, which once again really annoyed him at first.
still editing yeehaw
Besides Ahriel, Raphael was the second closest thing Cain had to an actual father figure. He'd also first seen him as a kid in the parade, a feeling of excitement bubbling in his chest at the thought of being like them someday.
Years later, on his first day of training he'd run into Raphael in the halls, his beauty and power practically dropping off of him in waves. And gods was Cain charmed.
Raphael was definitely a mentor and teacher to him, from whom he learned a lot. His death had left him greatly depressed for a long time, which Sabu, Emi and Gale had to get him out of. Though he hides it, he's still bitter and mourning over it under the surface.
It honestly started to make Cain wonder if he'd lose every good person that walks into his life.