Chapter Text
Incident #6: The day after Chapter 5
Damian was on cloud nine; he had spent the weekend with his mother. They had gone to a nearby city that was holding a festival, and they had a lot of fun together. They bonded and watched movies in their private theatre. It wasn't a huge trip, but it was fun.
The dinner with the Forgers was also fun; he chatted with Anya and ate wonderful food. Seriously, I had once believed that their status as commoners would mean that they had subpar food, but Loid is a better cook than our personal cook! How?! At this point, it would be better if Loid cooked Anya's food than having her eat at the lunchroom.
As Damian came to Eden again after his small trip, he realised something in the first class. Becky, Emile and Ewen were all absent. That meant that he was the only one left to sit beside Anya. And this was history, one of his best subjects. He knew he wouldn't be able to study at all with Anya beside him. Oh come on! I won't be able to study, and not just because of my crush on her. She always keeps doodling or sleeping. I know she'll annoy me unless I stop her.
Of course, he could just... Not sit next to her, but that wasn't an option; he knew it was better than sitting alone, or having someone ELSE sit beside him.
When he reached class, Anya was already sitting beside his seat, dozing off. Her eyes were closed, and her head was on the table.
Damian sat down next to her, sighing at Anya's sleepiness.
Anya was muttering something in her seat. Damian decided to try to listen to what she was saying. I hope she's dreaming about me like how I dream about her.
"Pa- Papa. Don't leave me. I love you." Damian was shocked at what Anya was dreaming about: her father leaving her? Is that why she has been acting weird? Is Pops going to leave her? But that makes no sense; he cares for her. Just yesterday, he constantly worried over her. Is he terminally ill? Wasn't that how her biological mother died? She must be traumatised.
"Hey, shrimp. Wake up, class is starting." Damian shook Anya awake. She instantly straightened up and woke up.
"Oh, hey, Sy-on boy," Anya greeted him as she woke up. Damian was suspicious of her behaviour. He needed to investigate.
Incident #7: 3 days before Chapter 6
Anya had been getting worse. She seemed sadder, more irritable, and generally worried. It was like she was scared of... something.
No one knew WHAT was happening with her. Becky was incredibly worried. Damian was trying to figure things out. Ewen and Emile were trying to help Anya.
Anya was in a different class, so she was alone the whole period. The worst part, the same guy who had said she was trying to use Damian, Baldur Kert, was sitting right behind her.
As soon as the period ended, and the teacher walked out, he went to her seat and cornered her with the wall.
Baldur was seething with rage. How dare she have him reported and gotten 2 tornitrus bolts? He ironically started doing the same thing that got him in trouble in the first place.
He was yelling at her, calling her names. He was trying to get her to hit him; he needed her to be expelled. She already had 5 bolts; violence gave 3 bolts. A single strike would get her expelled.
Baldur yelled, he called her worthless, a gold digger, said she was using Damian, that she was using Becky.
The thing was, Anya barely reacted to everything; she looked uncomfortable, but was just ignoring his insults.
Just as the next class entered, Becky and Damian also came in, and a single insult managed to hit home.
"Your bastard parents probably enrolled you into Eden just for you to leech off Becky and Damian. Your parents would abandon you if you ever got expelled, wouldn't they? You don't fucking deserve anyone." Anya had to hold back her tears. Baldur smirked at her expression. He knew her weakness now.
"You goddamn bastard. Get away from Anya." Damian called out as he grabbed and twisted Baldur's arm.
"Is that any way for a person to act? Are you fucking proud of yourself? Who the fuck says you have the right to tell me that my friend is 'using me' or whatever? You are acting like that isn't the reason everyone has ever gotten close to me; she is the only exception. She punched me on the first day. What fucking nonsense are you spewing?" Damian yelled at him, as Becky comforted her best friend.
As soon as the teacher walked in, a student called out.
"Adam, sir, Baldur has been yelling at Anya for the past 5 minutes; he has been calling her incredibly bad names, way over Eden Academy's limit for verbal abuse. He has already gotten 2 tornitrus bolts for a similar incident just last week, but he is refusing to learn and was doing the same. He was even insulting her parents. Damian was protecting Anya as soon as he walked in." None of them knew the name of the classmate who helped them, but he instantly gained a lot of respect for trying to defend them.
"Is that true, Baldur?" The teacher asked him with a stern gaze.
"W-Well, sir, I wasn't trying to-" Bladur called out.
"YOU WEREN'T TRYING TO WHAT? YOU CORNERED ANYA, AND SHE DIDN'T EVEN SAY ANYTHING BACK." Becky yelled out.
"Keep your volume down, Becky. Baldur, come with me to the headmaster's office. I'll be seeing to it that you are getting 3 tornitrus bolts for this repeated offence. Remind me, you already have 5, don't you? You will be facing the consequences of your actions. Come with me. Now." The teacher called out as he started approaching Baldur. Bladur reluctantly followed him, begging all the way that he was just angry. Begging him to spare him.
"Are you alright, Anya?" Damian asked as he sat down on the seat behind her.
"H-He said that my parents would leave me... He told me I was just using you. You're my friends, Becky, Damian." Anya was near tears, her voice was wobbling.
They comforted her until the teacher came back; he paid no attention to her tears, only asking her if she was alright, and saying she was free to go to the library if she wasn't able to pay attention after all happened.
{A/N: He was being kind and thoughtful, I don't know how to express that properly.]
Anya stayed in class, though she kept her head tilted downwards. It looked like she was affected a lot.
The discussion: 1 day before Chapter 6
At this point, all of Anya's friends were worried.
How could they not be? She had been emotional, irritable, and not acting like herself. It had been nearly 4 weeks, and she was getting worse.
They all met up during the lunch break. Anya had a remedial class, so she wasn't joining them.
"Hey, Becky. Have you noticed Anya's behaviour? She has been incredibly... Worried about her family." Damian asked Becky.
"Yeah, she has been irritable and hasn't seemed like herself. When did this start?" Becky asked.
"From what we've seen, it started a few days after Bossman started tutoring the shrimp." Emile looked lost in thought. He was also eating some gummies, but he abandoned the packet as he thought about Anya.
"Yeah, but we don't really meet her that much when not with Bossman or you." Ewen had a point; the two of them didn't really talk with her as much.
"I noticed it a few weeks ago, back on the first day I tutored her in the library."
"I think she has been that way since a few days before that. She flinched at a comment about her dad, oh my poor Anya, she must be so worried about her home... But why?" Becky started thinking of some possibilities.
"Bossman, did you see anything weird happen when you went to her home for your dinner or whatever?" Emile's question made Damian start thinking. Did something happen? No, I don't think so. But she was staring sadly at Loid while he was talking to his friend. Maybe it had something to do with that?
"She was staring at her dad sadly at times. Maybe it has something to do with her dad?" Damian's theory was the most likely; all of her reactions were mostly based around her father, or around her family generally.
They continued discussing her situation, and they came up with a solid theory. She was feeling insecure about her family because her parents were fighting, and she felt that her dad was going to take her away from her stepmother. This meant that she was worried that her dad would leave her if she tried to keep being with her stepmother.
They decided to talk to her after the weekend. They nodded to each other as Anya came back from her remedial class, only having 15 minutes for lunch left.
The confrontation: 2 days after Chapter 6.
The day had come, they needed to confront Anya and make sure she knew she could count on them, that she could trust them with her worries. And so they could try to reassure her.
Except that something happened that they never expected. When Anya got off her bus, she was incredibly happy and joyful.
"Hey, Becky! Hey, Sy-on Boy and his followers!" Anya's mood had improved a lot; it looked like she was incredibly happy, like something had happened and now none of her worries mattered.
"Oh, Anya, I'm so glad you're feeling better now. We were all so worried." Becky laughed as her worries and their planning all faded away.
"Hey, Shrimp, you're finally feeling better, aren't you?" Damn it, you scared me, Anya. But, now you look so lively... Oh man, your carefree smile makes you look so cute, you're beaming, you're amazing. I can stare at you for hours.
"Bossman is trying to say he's glad you're feeling better, he was soooo worried about you." Ewen was smirking. You little shit, Ewen. I'll get you back for this!
"We were all worried, you weren't acting like yourself," Emile said as he elbowed Ewen, pointing at Damian's murderous expression. I'm glad the shrimp's parents resolved whatever was happening.
"Oh... I'm moved that you were worried for me, but it's fine. It wasn't anything big." Shit, how did they know? Oh no, I should've controlled my reactions to things like how Papa controls his reactions whenever something happens.
"Come on now, Anya. Let's go to class without these idiots. You can't be late, or you'll get another remedial class." At that, Anya immediately rushed to class after taking out her things from her locker. She did not want to miss lunch with her friends again.
The Aftermath: 2 days after Chapter 6
Do they really care that much? They went through the trouble of planning everything. Making a whole plan. Making options and plans for what to say if I react in the most probable ways... It was just like how Papa plans.
It was the P.E. period; they had nothing special today, just warm up, then off to play whatever sports they wanted.
Anya was extremely strong, despite her appearance. Anya and her mother were always given the title of strongest during annual sports day competitions. This also meant that every single Sports instructor wanted her. Of course, her teamwork was always a bit off, so she usually only played solo sports.
Like always, she planned to play Tennis after warm-up. She quickly changed into her P.E. uniform and went off to the grounds for warm-up alongside Anya.
Becky tried so hard, she was so worried, and she even planned everything (except that whole conversation chart like Papa does)!
They walked over to the ground, and many had already started warm-up.
She noticed Ewen, Emile and Damian doing push-ups.
Damian's biceps were on view. Anya caught herself staring at his muscles.
Since when has Sy-on boy been working out?
Is Anya staring at Damian... Ooh, I love their blossoming love story! (This is Becky)
That damn Forger girl is staring at him again! What does she think she is?
Anya... I wish you looked at me like you look at Damian.
I don't get what Damian sees in her; she's nothing special.
I want to be able to come close to Anya, but I know Damian would kill me if I tried.
Look at her, shamelessly staring at Damian
I wish I were Damian, having Anya all to myself.
"Bossman, Anya is staring at you." Anya knew lipreading; she had learned from her Papa's thoughts.
"She might like you back, Bossman. You should try to reveal her feelings." Feelings? What feelings? I know he is my friend. He obviously likes you.
"Shut up, it's not like that, she zones out randomly." Anya was offended but realised he was right. The thoughts were also getting louder... And more weird.
She quickly turned her eyes and attention away from Damian as the thoughts of other girls and boys flooded her mind. She even had to turn her powers off just to avoid weird thoughts directed at her or others. It was uncomfortable, but she didn't care because it was better than listening to all the other people think about the muscles and looks of others.
I'm glad I have friends like Becky, Sy-on boy, Emile, and Ewen. They care so much about me. They wanted to take away my troubles. They wanted me to be happy.
Damian is a lot like Papa; he is good at deduction, and he creates conversation charts as Papa does.
The rest of the warm-up went without issue, as she blocked out all other thoughts. Then, she went to Tennis and again demolished everyone by simply hitting too fast and strong for them to hit it back. Of course, she held back, else she would be like Mama and accidentally slice the ball, or create a fireball.
But, overall, things were better. Her family was safe, and her friends cared about her. Everything was going to be alright.