Reading fourth wing and I completely understand where Violet is coming from when her crush on Dain ended.
Even if we didn't have some underlying romantic tension and we were just best friends, you're such a stickler for the rules that you'd let me die before you broke or even bent a rule???
You say how much you care about me and want to protect me, and how much it hurts you to see me hurt but given the opportunity to SAVE MY LIFE you would stand by and do nothing if you had to break a rule to do it.
If it was a world where breaking a rule would lead to execution it'd be more understandable, you're still a coward but fair. But that's not even the case!
I'm the kind of friend that would break every rule to save my best friend, not that I have one anymore, but my point stands.
The person that's supposed to be her greatest enemy and her biggest threat jumped in to save her before you did Dain!
And when he confronted you and asked in plain words if you would've tried to save her, put in his same position, if you had to break a rule to do it, you said no! But it would tear you apart inside.
I would've lost respect for you too. She wasn't looking for a savior, she was prepared to die right then and there. But as her "best friend" and someone who cares deeply for her, you don't seem too willing to actually sacrifice anything for her.
Me personally? Ask me what kind of best friend I am. In my book, if you've managed to make it to the position of my best friend, then I will do anything I can to help you and be by your side. And if someone managed to end your life? Look up Fullmetal Alchemist Mustang Revenge scene.
I'm that kind of friend. So for Dain to in the same night say that he wouldn't save her, and for him to kiss her as if she could just walk past that? Disgusting.
How could anyone truly love someone who wouldn't sacrifice something so insignificant to save their life?
And even when you found out that people tried to kill your "best friend" you didn't try to go after them, you didn't interrogate them, you didn't even give them an angry look. You just said "the game is the game" and continued on making sure Violet was ok.
Xaden was willing to jump in and risk whatever punishment he might face for saving Violet, and he's her enemy! And he's higher rank than you! What does that make the man who claims to be her best friend but wouldn't even consider jumping in?
AND THEN TO TOP IT ALL OFF! The next day you tell her the kiss was a mistake, not because it was impulsive. But because you're her superior officer, and developing that kind of relationship was inappropriate....
Every pair of thighs that were still open for you just closed. Wtf is this man talking about?! You're literally training on dragons, and the training alone gets people killed everyday! But you said that if she gets transferred to no longer be under you, or after graduation then you two can try being together.....
She might not survive to see next week and you're talking about graduation?! And it wasn't that the kiss wasn't as magical as you expected, and that's why you said you two couldn't be together. You said it would be bad conduct, so you shouldn't do it.
That's not even a real rule! Yes, as the superior officer you're expected not to have a romantic relationship with someone in your chain of command. But people literally die so regularly that that rule isn't upheld. They prefer that you don't, but you won't get in trouble for dating someone in your squad. You're just such a damn stickler that you won't even risk it. Dain Aetos you are a coward of a man, and I have little to no respect for you.