Chapter Text
Damian turned towards Mistress Schlag so slowly, it felt like a small agonizing eternity. He didn't dare making eye contact, lest she'd lay down her infamous Tonitrus Strike on him for looking at her wrongly.
"Well? I don't have time to waste waiting for your answer."
Damian inhaled sharply and started to raise his head, albeit he still didn't dare to make eye contact with the most feared teacher of Eden.
"I…"
His mouth felt so dry and he could practically feel his words stuck in his throat in the form of a big clump. The last time he had faced Old Lady Tonitrus he managed to barely escape a bolt. And it was only thanks to Anya Forger and her handkerchief that she willingly sacrificed. All because she noticed that he was freaking out back then. Come to think of it, it really does make sense now… if she really is a mind-reader then of course she could sense all of his panicked thoughts. And yet instead of making fun of him or leaving him to his own demise, she decided to help him out. Even though he was making fun of her only mere minutes prior to that, proclaiming that she'd get expelled from Eden first.
It should have been him. He should have been the one taking the bolt back then. But thanks to her he didn't get the punishment that he deserved. And she really took another step closer to expulsion because of that. And now she had run into the nearby woods, all by herself and in a bad mental state. Because of him. Because he had asked that stupid, stupid question.
Damian clenched his fists. He had to make it up to her somehow.
He took a deep breath in the hopes that somehow, it would loosen up the words that were stuck in his throat. His mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air. Damian has never felt so pathetic before in his life.
Mistress Schlag's lips were drawn into a fine line that was thinner than her patience. Not that she had much of either in the first place. Her expression was as cold and unreadable as ever, but before she could move her hands toward the dreaded Tonitrus box that she always carried around, Damian finally had his breakthrough.
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED BUT MY FRIEND IS UPSET SO I'M GOING TO CHECK ON HER PLEASE EXCUSE ME" he screamed at the top of his lungs, not before turning on his heels and sprinting away into the woods.
He was so dead. Damian didn't even want to think about how many bolts that old hag— wait no, he shouldn't think so disrespectfully about his teachers. He'll worry about it later, he had to find someone he wanted to apologize to first. He didn't want to think about how he proclaimed her as his friend for the whole world to hear. Or his complicated, complicated feelings about, well, everything.
He'd figure it out later. He had other priorities right now.
~~
She was so deeply overwhelmed by her own thoughts and emotions that she didn't notice the person she did not want to see was approaching her. Her eyes were red and swollen from so much crying, Anya wasn't even sure if she could shed any more tears ever again. Only when she was wiping her face and lightly brushed against a small hand, did she notice his presence.
Damian flinched from the light, tingling touch but he tried his best to not drop the handkerchief that he held out for her. Anya didn't say a word; she frankly didn't know what to say. She didn't move a muscle either, stubbornly ignoring the boy who just ruined her life (according to her previous train of thought).
The silence between them was growing more awkward by the minute and Damian could feel his arm cramp up from still holding out the handkerchief. Nevertheless, he tried to fight the growing urge to withdraw his hand. Normally he'd already lash out at her for ignoring his oh-so-kind gesture, but this was anything but a normal situation. Even though he still was confused about what exactly about his wording must have greatly upset her like this, he also understood that now was not the time for their usual bickering.
He took one deep breath. Then another. And another. At this point he was wondering if the clump in his throat wasn't just the stuck words, but his pride he needed to swallow as well.
"Look… I'm sorry for earlier. I really am. I didn't think that my…wording could have hurt you so much. If anything I assumed you would laugh at me for asking such a silly question in the first place. That's how normal people would react, anyway."
He paused for a moment, as though he was struggling with what he was going to say next. A reddish pink was dusting his cheeks.
"Mind reading is pretty cool though, I guess….."
And with that he finally withdrew his hand that still held onto the handkerchief, not because his arm fell asleep, but because he felt so embarrassed about the words that just left his mouth, he gave into the reflex to bury his face into his hands.
It took her a moment to process what he had just said.
SHOCK!! Had Anya just stayed calm and laughed it off like a big girl, then Anya would have been able to keep her secret… Anya isn't a cool liar like Papa after all…
When Damian dared to peek in her direction again, he immediately felt a pit in his stomach. What's with that flabbergasted expression? Was she still mad at him? Did his wording upset her again? But before he could spiral any further, Anya finally spoke up.
"Sy-On Boy, do you promise to keep a secret?"
Her voice was barely above a whisper, she was still drained from her emotional outburst.
"It seems really important to you, so I'm going to keep it a secret. That's what friends do…", he mumbled, not without wondering if she could even hear him considering the loud thumping in his chest.
Friends... Is this the true meaning of friendship?