Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Anya, as always, first learnt the news from her Pa.

“Welcome home, Loid!” Yor cheerfully greeted her husband with a warm mug of tea. “Yuri came by and dropped this earlier! I know you’ve been feeling stressed because of your job so I hope this helps! (Don’t worry, I didn’t do anything to the tea packets so I won’t accidentally kill you… I think.)”

Loid gave Yor a genuine smile and kissed her cheek. “Why, thank you!”

“Welcome home, Papa!” Anya called from the couch. She instinctively read Loid’s mind to see if he had any interesting information. Loid’s thoughts were way more intriguing than any soap opera they showed on television. 

“Yuri dropped by… hmm, I don’t think he found anything suspicious in our home. He’s always so easily distracted by Yor. But I can’t focus on Yuri right now when we have more important developments at Eden!”

Anya gasped and instantly sprung to attention. Eden? What had made her Pa so concerned? Was there a bomb? Did Henderson get fired? Or did Sy-on boy get engaged to some random rich girl and had to leave Eden forever so she couldn’t see him again?! (Not that she cared about not seeing him!)

“Transfer students at Eden are rare but I believe they made an exception. This is surely due to the power dynamics going on behind the scenes. In a few days, Anya’s class will have a new addition- the second son of the Lockridges, Andrew Lockridge!”

Andrew Lockridge! Anya’s eyes widened and her heart thumped with excitement. Ooh! Another second son! Power dynamics! Important guy! Operation Strix! Wow-

Wait. Who the heck was Andrew Lockridge?

Thankfully, Loid was doing his usual internal monologue and Anya tuned in. “The Lockridges are a long-established family with enough power to rival the Desmonds. They’re not exactly rivals, but they’re not allies either. However, my sources tell me the Desmond group might strike up an agreement with the Lockridge group. If the Lockridges join the Desmonds in stirring up a war, the consequences would be unthinkable! And we all know that Lockridge’s eldest son and heir, Aaron Lockridge, was recently rendered comatose after an accident (which I’m sure is caused by the Lockridges’ enemies but we have no evidence). So the second son had to step up. Andrew’s been homeschooled for all of his life, and they allowed his admission into Eden mainly for him to build up connections…”

Blah, blah, blah. Anya was certain this was important information but she was already getting bored. Loid gracefully sipped his tea, his relaxed demeanor a complete contrast to the whirlwind going on inside his brain. Anya had long been used to it. Anya popped a peanut in her mouth and continued to listen to Loid.

“It is crucial to see how the Lockridge scion interacts with Damian (even though Damian doesn’t have much power in the Desmond group)...”

Ooh, Pa mentioned Damian! Anya perked up at his name. (She always did that because she had to learn more about him… for world peace, of course!)

“... I suppose if Anya becomes friends with him, it’ll be easier to gain information about his family. We can extend Plan B: The Friendship Scheme to the Lockridges too!”

Ahh, Pa wanted her to form more friendships for the sake of world peace! That was something Anya could do (even if her friendship with Damian was somewhat turbulent). Anya wouldn’t let her Pa down!

“Hmm? Anya, are you alright? You look… determined.”

Loid cut off his monologue when he noticed his daughter’s behavior. Anya beamed at him. “Don’t worry, Pa! I’ll take care of it!”

“Take care of what?”

“I’ll be Eden’s social butterfly!! I’ll make sooo many friends!” Anya patted her chest proudly. 

“Oo..kay?”

The rumor about the Lockridges’ second son soon reached Eden. “Ooh, that new kid! Andrew is the scion of the Lockridges! I think I saw him once at a party!” Becky frantically whispered to Anya during lunch. “He was soo cute but he looked kinda gloomy… but his blond hair was so shiny! And those eyes! They pierced into my soul! So casually devastating yet solemn yet beautiful…”

Anya stabbed her fork into her steak. “Erm, okay, Becky.” She could never understand Becky’s romantic ramblings but she always indulged Becky because they were best friends. 

Becky snorted. “Aww, don’t look at me like that! He’s cute but I don’t crush on guys just because they’re cute. And besides, my maiden heart belongs to Mr. Loid… he’s so strong and handsome…” Becky started cooing about Loid again and Anya put on her usual deadpan face.

Love was weird. Romance was weird. Anya didn’t understand at all. Then an all-too-familiar figure walked past and Anya’s face lit up.

“Sy-on boy!”

“Oi, I told you to stop calling me that!” Damian grouched. His hands were stuck in his pockets as always. 

Anya ignored his request. “Sy-on boy, you’re eating in your dorm again?”

Damian sniffed. “Yeah. The food’s better there.”

Anya would say something about Damian being a picky eater, but as a picky eater herself, she related to him. Still, she needed to get close to him for the friendship scheme. “Aww, that’s sad. You don’t wanna eat lunch with Anya, huh.”

Damian’s face instantly reddened. “DUH! Of course I d-don’t wanna eat with commoners like you!” he spat out. And before Anya could say another word, Damian scampered off. Anya stared at his retreating figure. Sy-on boy sure was weird. Next to her, Becky gave a dramatic sigh.

“Ohh, Anya… you’ve been trying so hard for all these years. It’s really sad, but your efforts are so admirable.”

Anya smirked, delighted by Becky’s praise (even if she didn’t fully understand what was so “admirable” about her efforts). “Heh, it’s all for world peace.”

Becky’s eyes were brimming with tears. “Oh, is Damian so important to you that he’s your entire world? That’s sooooo romantic, Anya! That line is even better than what they show on television!”

Ah, their conversation was getting weird. Anya shoved some potatoes in her mouth. “Anyways, tell me more about that Andrew Porridge guy.”

“B-but we were just talking about Damian! Anya, do you move on that quickly?!” Becky sounded scandalized and upset. 

“Oh, don’t worry,” Anya replied casually. “Damian is still my main goal. Andrew is just… the side mission.”

Becky’s fork dropped with a dramatic clang. “Oh my goodness, is Anya already collecting multiple boyfriends at such a young age? What a bold move! She knows how to utilize her womanly charms! Anya’s growing up so fast!”

Anya stared at Becky, once again confused by her thoughts. Multiple boyfriends? Womanly charms? Anya doesn’t understand Becky at all??

Anya’s class was buzzing with excitement when the new kid Andrew arrived. A cluster of girls instantly swarmed around him, enchanted by his good looks (or whatever). Becky wasn’t fazed though and said she needed to learn more about his personality. Anya had learned an important lesson from her first encounter with Damian, and she swore not to punch this new kid even if he annoyed her. With a big, friendly smile on her face, Anya approached Andrew.

“Hi, nice to meet you!”

Andrew was busy chatting with a few girls. Now that Anya could see him up close, she realized Becky was right- his golden hair was indeed very shiny and almost blinding in the light. He did have an aura of gloom around him (although nowhere near as bad as the class emo George) but he masked it up elegantly. Anya had expected a homeschooled child like him to be spoiled and bratty, but he just looked sad and somewhat bored. To be fair, his older brother was stuck in a coma, so his melancholy was understandable. 

Then Andrew turned around and Anya died on the spot.

… Okay, that was an exaggeration, but it felt like Anya’s heart had died. Or her soul had ascended to heaven in her excitement. Anya could only stupidly stare at the boy, his face being one she recognized and had idolized for years and years. But instead of being behind a screen, he was right in front of her.

BONDMAN?! Anya screeched in her mind, her heart thumping erratically. She froze right there, her jaw dropped in awe. Oh, what a marvelous day! She’d begged her parents to let her watch the live action Spy Wars movie that came out a few years ago, and now his lookalike was right there!

(A few paces away, Damian frowned.)

Anya could no longer keep it in. “Y-you look just like Bondman!” Anya gushed, her eyes shimmering with delight. “So cool!”

Andrew stared at her. “Umm, yeah, my uncle is Bondman’s actor. He’s pretty famous.” His voice was smooth and he sounded mature for his age. Anya couldn’t stop grinning.

“I love Spy Wars!” Anya cried out. She enthusiastically extended her hand. “Let’s be friends!”

Andrew stared at her hand but didn’t take it. Anya immediately read his mind. “Who is this girl? I don’t think she’s from a family that would be useful to us. I’m not here to have fun, I’m here for networking. Wait, I think I remember something…”

Anya smiled even wider at Andrew, hoping to make a good impression.

“... Pink hair, black horns, short stature… ah, I know who she is.” Andrew shuffled and smiled politely at Anya, but that didn’t prepare her for the next sentence that popped up in his mind. 

“She’s Desmond’s girlfriend.”

HEH?!

Anya stood there, completely in shock about Andrew’s misconception of her. Andrew continued, oblivious. “Yup, definitely Desmond’s girlfriend. Everybody I’ve talked to said they’re the class couple. Well, she must be someone really special if Desmond chose her, so I should keep an eye on her. Oh no, she was excited about my looks earlier. That won’t do. I don’t want to be a homewrecker. I’ll have to keep my distance-”

Before Anya’s mind could catch up, another familiar voice appeared in her mind. “Go for it, Anya! The scion of the Lockridge family is right there! Chat with the second son and find a way to visit his home!”

PAPA? Anya frantically looked around but she couldn’t see anyone. Ugh, her Pa was always so mysterious. But now Anya had to do what her father said. Her mind was spinning from all of the information- Andrew being related to Bondman’s actor, people thinking she was Damian’s girlfriend, Pa hidden somewhere at school, Operation Strix, world peace, and-

Anya desperately latched onto her father’s thoughts. Scion… second son… visit his home… memories and missions blurred together in Anya’s mind and the words automatically left her lips before she could think.

“Sy-on boy, can I visit your house?”

The classroom instantly silenced. Ewen dropped his jaw- and his bag. Becky gasped. Damian’s face turned an interesting shade of purple. 

Everybody in the classroom was thinking the same thing: What did she just call him?!

Being the only person in the room who wasn’t stunned into silence, Andrew calmly replied, “No. It’s not open for visitors. Sorry.” He did manage to sound apologetic (which Damian never did).

There was a beat before Damian rushed forward and frantically shook Andrew’s shoulders. Emile and Ewen rushed to restrain their friend without success. “WHAT’S YOUR BUSINESS HERE, PUNK?!” Damian practically screamed at poor Andrew, his face red with anger and embarrassment. 

“I’m sorry?” Andrew yelled back at Damian, baffled. “Did I do a faux pas? I-I didn’t mean to steal your girlfriend from you-”

That somehow made Damian madder. “SHE’S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!!” Damian roared, his hands and feet now red too. “Dammit! Where did you get your dumb intel, Lockridge, because it’s clearly wrong!”

Anya was now panicking. Not only was Andrew’s house not open for visitors, but now Damian was furious for some reason! She desperately read her classmates’ thoughts.

“Wait, whaaaat? I thought she ONLY called our Boss-man Sy-on boy!” Emile was shell-shocked. 

Ewen was somewhat horrified. “HAS DAMIAN BEEN REPLACED?? What does this new kid have that our Boss-man doesn’t?”

“My sweet Anya is toying with the hearts of the adolescent males… Anya, you’re my best friend, but I don’t think that’s right…” Becky’s eyes were glittery like she was watching a soap opera unfold in front of her. 

“Ugh, Damian and Anya’s stupid romance… I can’t relate at all, I’m such a loner…” George was as gloomy as always. 

“Wait, so Damian doesn’t like Anya after all? Ooh, I might have a chance!”

“NOOOO MY SHIP SANK!!”

“Okay, this is entertaining. I’m glad I didn’t skip school today even though I barely studied for math.”

“What sort of dumb nickname is Sy-on boy? And why is she using it for the new kid?”

And of course Damian was hollering, his cheeks flushed as usual. “WHY DID SHE CALL HIM SY-ON BOY?? T-that’s!! That’s my nickname! I’m Sy-on boy! Me! It’s ME!! What right does this idiot think he has, huh?? I’m gonna get him expelled!”

Anya gasped. Her Sy-on boy was trying to get the other Sy-on boy out of Eden? She couldn’t let that happen!

“But, ugh, I can’t! He’s the second son and heir of the Lockridges so we have to be on good terms! Hmph, I’ll show him who’s boss around here.” Damian crossed his arms. “It doesn’t matter if he looks like Bondman! It doesn’t matter if Anya likes him! It doesn’t matter if Anya- if Anya calls him ‘Sy-on boy’...”

Anya’s face lit up. Ah, so it didn’t matter that she called Andrew “Sy-on boy”! Since the same trick had worked on Damian, surely nicknaming Andrew would make him like her. And of course being friends with Andrew was important for Operation Strix, but maybe she could get closer to his uncle, the Bondman actor, and perhaps even get a signature or something! There were so many benefits to befriending Andrew! Anya had to work hard!

Anya’s eyes started shimmering again and Damian’s rage was temporarily quenched by how adorable she looked. But then he remembered who had made her eyes shine like that and immediately scowled. 

“Stupid Forger! She won’t forget me! I’m the second son of the Desmonds! Lockridge doesn’t know who’s coming to get him!”

Thus began Anya’s plan to gain the attention of a certain second son. (Except she’d always had the attention of another second son, whether she knew it or not.)

During math class, Anya speedily finished her exercises (she cheated a little by reading her classmates’ minds. She would’ve defaulted to Damian because his thoughts were the most interesting to her, but today he’d just been non-stop screaming). With a kind smile (or so she thought) painted on her face, she tapped Andrew’s shoulder. “Hey, Sy-on boy! Do you need help?”

(A few seats behind, Damian jolted, jealousy consuming him.)

Andrew turned to look at Anya quizzically. “Thanks, but I’m good.”

During art class, Anya specifically passed tubes of paint to “Sy-on boy”, except it wasn’t the Sy-on boy everybody was used to. Classmates kept on staring at Damian automatically only to realize she wasn’t talking to him. Damian flushed and glared at everybody else. Whenever the words “Sy-on boy” left Anya’s mouth, it took the class all of their willpower to not turn towards Damian. Because currently, Anya’s new Sy-on boy was Andrew. And Damian was left in the dust. 

Damian simultaneously looked like an angry strawberry and a sad pathetic puppy left in the rain. He kept on glaring (longingly staring) at Anya as if he could magically make her notice him. Anya was somewhat aware Damian was angry, but he was always angry so it didn’t affect her as much. Anya was too distracted by the shining presence of Bondman’s actor’s nephew.

During history class, Anya pointed out that “Sy-on boy” didn’t have a worksheet. Naturally, Henderson moved to give Damian a worksheet only to realize Anya was apparently referring to the new student. Henderson, having known the class since they were six, was well aware of Damian and Anya’s dynamic and Anya’s silly little nickname for him. So Henderson was surprised that Anya was using Damian’s (previously exclusive) nickname for Andrew.

“Anya Forger, did you perhaps break up with Damian Desmond? As a teacher, it’s none of my business, but somehow this feels very inelegant… be mindful of your words, Miss Forger.”

In physical education, Anya called out for “Sy-on boy” to catch the ball and both Andrew and Damian ran. They crashed into each other and Anya gasped. Her Sy-on boys had gotten hurt! Damian stood up first, glared at Andrew, and took the ball while making sure Anya was watching. Anya began to sweat. The atmosphere was strangely tense and she knew she was responsible, she just wasn’t sure how exactly. 

None of the kids could catch a break even during lunch. Loid, in his usual server disguise, was snooping around Eden’s cafeteria and Anya gulped. She could feel the immense pressure weighing on her shoulders. She had to make Andrew like her for the mission!

In her desperation, Anya started remembering all of Becky’s ramblings about her TV shows. She had mentioned a couple who declared they were made for each other because their names meant “red” and “blue” respectively… wait, Anya might copy that!

“Becky, I’m gonna talk with Andrew,” Anya declared. 

“Hmm? Are you really that obsessed with him because he looks like Bondman?”

Although Becky didn’t necessarily approve, she tagged along. Anya confidently sauntered towards Andrew’s table. Damian, who was sitting with his friends a few tables away, gritted his teeth and savagely stabbed his steak with a knife.

“Hi Sy-on boy! How’s the food?”

Andrew stared at her, mildly irritated but even more amused. “Hmph, the Forger girl’s talking to me again. I can easily ignore her but this is actually pretty interesting.” “It’s fine, I suppose.”

Anya shot him a winning smile. “That’s great to hear! And by the way, I think we’re fated to be (friends)! Do you wanna know why?”

Damian’s knife clattered to the ground. Ewen grabbed his left arm, Emile grabbed his right, and together they stopped Damian from murdering a certain somebody. 

Andrew decided to indulge her. “Umm, why?”

Anya spread out her arms happily. “Because your name starts with ‘An’ and my name also starts with ‘An’!” Anya scrunched up her nose to remember the dialogue from Becky’s shows. “So, Sy-on boy, we're destined to be with each other! It’s all part of the universe’s plan! Aha!”

At that, Damian stood up, brushed his friends away, and angrily marched towards Andrew’s table. Andrew, who already had an idea of what was about to happen, sighed. “Desmond, seriously, I haven’t done anything-”

“Names don’t mean anything, you dummy!” Damian yelled at Anya, his face flushed. “So s-stop saying you’re destined to be with that kid or whatever! You’ve known him for like three hours but I’ve known you since we were six!”

“Calm down, Sy-on boy-”

“I wasn’t-” Andrew began, then stopped himself. “Oh, sorry. You said ‘Sy-on boy’ and I assumed you were talking to me.”

And then Damian erupted and burnt Andrew alive with his rage and threw his charred remains to Westalis. Okay, that didn’t happen, but Damian’s imagination sure was pretty active.

“KNOW YOUR PLACE, IDIOT!” Damian hissed at Andrew. “I came first, alright?! You can’t compare yourself to me! I’m Sy-on boy!”

Andrew raised his hands, defeated. “Guys, I am literally just trying to enjoy my salad-”

Damian spun towards Anya. “And you! You! If you believe in destined names or whatever, my name should be more suitable! Your name starts with ‘An’ but my name ends with ‘An’! So hypothetically, you can put your name right behind mine. Damian. Anya. Damianya.” Damian puffed out his chest and he looked so stupidly proud of what he’d just said. “See?”

Anya, Becky, Ewen, Emile, and Andrew all stared at Damian. Becky started sniggering.

“Oh my gosh, did you just say ‘Damianya’? All the girls in our class are gonna have a day! You don’t know what you’ve done!” Becky was absolutely delighted. 

“Damianya! Damianya!” Emile and Ewen began to chant gleefully. Andrew rolled his eyes at their antics and just stuffed salad leaves into his mouth. 

Anya’s face had grown inexplicably hot with the “Damianya” cheering. Likewise, Damian’s face had gone from an overripe tomato to a burnt tomato and it appeared his brain was being sizzled too. Damian stared at Anya. Anya stared at Damian. 

And then as quickly as Damian barged into the conversation, he fled. They could see him frantically stab his steak as if it could make him feel better. Ewen and Emile were both teasing him with knowing grins. 

Becky was still clutching her sides and laughing. “Damianya!” she wheezed. “That was priceless!”

“... Sorry,” Anya mumbled to Andrew. “I’m sorry that Sy-on boy can’t be friends with my Sy-on boy.”

Andrew just shrugged. “It’s just the first day. It’ll be fine.” “Okay, I know I came here to establish good relations with Desmond but this is ten times funnier. Desmond’s weakness is his little girl friend (with or without the space) and I am going to exploit the hell outta that.”

Becky, who had just realized something, peered at Anya. “Wait, Anya, so Andrew is Sy-on boy but Damian is your Sy-on boy?”

Anya blinked. “Heh?” She hadn’t realized that. It was a subconscious decision to call Damian her Sy-on boy but it somehow felt… natural. 

Becky hugged Anya and squealed. “Aww, Anya, I knew you were loyal to him after all! Go for it!”

“... Seriously, guys, I just want to survive my first day of school,” Andrew deadpanned. “Why am I involved in your silly lovers’ quarrel?” Anya opened her mouth, but before she could say a word, Andrew cut in with, “I know you’re gonna say you’re not dating. And that is exactly the root of the problem.” Andrew slumped on the table, exhausted. “Please put me out of my misery…”

At the end of the day, after more “Sy-on boy” incidents and everybody being confused about who Anya was talking about, Damian finally decided to confront the issue. Meanwhile, Andrew was simultaneously having the worst and best time of his life. Worst as in being harrassed by Damian for no reason other than existing, and best as in Andrew had the front seats to Damian and Anya’s… interesting relationship. And while Andrew didn’t like being known as “the Second Second Son” or that he was Damian’s “replacement”, it was still better than being seen as “the spare” and a lesser version of his older brother. Eden Academy was not what Andrew had expected but he was growing to like it. 

So Andrew was rather entertained when Damian strode forward and slammed a hand on Anya’s desk. She winced at the loud sound and glanced up to see Damian looming above her. The class watched them with wide, invested eyes. Somebody was shoveling peanuts into their mouth. Another hid their giggles behind their hands. These two provided daily entertainment for their classmates.

“Anya! About Lockridge! Y-you can’t call him Sy-on boy!” Damian declared angrily. 

Anya innocently looked up at him. “Why?”

Damian’s face was so hot it rivaled the heat of the sun. “Because I’m YOUR Sy-on boy, dummy!!”

The room abruptly quieted yet again. The students were all flabbergasted by the twists and turns of today’s events and could only silently gape at Damian. A peculiar atmosphere descended on the class which was broken when Andrew nonchalantly spoke.

“Okay, I get it, you are her boyfriend after all.”

“SHUT UP!!”

“Squee!!” Becky gushed from the sidelines, her cheeks dotted pink with excitement. “Wow, Damian, I can’t believe you can be cool for once!”

“Go get her, Boss-man!” Ewen and Emile cheered in unison, both pumping their fists into the air.

Damian jabbed a finger at Andrew’s chest. “You will never be her Sy-on boy, okay?!” he snarled. Andrew just looked extremely confused.

“Okay?? What do I do about that?”

Damian continued as if Andrew had never spoken. “And you will never be as cool and amazing as I am, so don’t even try to steal her stupid, awful nickname from me-”

“Yeah? I know? I don’t want your not-girlfriend-that-you-clearly-have-a-big-crush-on.” Andrew enunciated each word clearly which only pissed off Damian more. Anya swallowed nervously. Oh no, she didn’t want Damian to be mad! And besides, there were other ways to make Andrew like her. (And Anya didn’t like it when Damian was too angry about something. She just didn’t.)

“Fiiine.” Anya spun to Andrew and exhaled dramatically. “You’re Andrew.” Then she turned towards Damian. “And you’re my Sy-on boy. Happy now?”

Damian smirked and patted his chest. One could feel his immense aura of pride emanating from him. “Aha! See? I’m her Sy-on boy, not you!”

Andrew had been in the class for a short amount of time but he already had a clear idea of what they all put up with daily. Andrew was struggling not to laugh and Anya read his thoughts. “Okay, this is hilarious. I can’t believe the class goes through this entire pantomime every day. Desmond is so insistent about the tiny little things.” But of course he couldn’t say that in front of Damian, so Andrew just sighed and said, “Yeah, go and be content with your so-called dumb nickname. I don’t want it.”

Damian scowled, and everybody knew Andrew had somehow pissed off Damian again. Perhaps Damian would simply get mad at Andrew no matter what he did. “So you don’t want Anya’s nickname, huh? You don’t think it’s worth anything?!”

“Dude.” Andrew stared at Damian, exasperated. “You get mad if I want that nickname. You get mad if I don’t want that nickname. Seriously, just ask her out. And by the way, this is the most entertaining thing to have happened in my admittedly short life so please invite me to your wedding. Congratulations and goodbye.” With that, Andrew causally sauntered away, leaving a flabbergasted Damian behind. 

“I-I… huh?!”

Once Andrew was physically away from the room, all of Damian’s tension leaked away. He was still blushing and furiously refused to look at Anya. Anya considered this for a second, then began to smirk.

“Heh heh, so you like the Sy-on boy nickname! I guess I can call you that forever!”

The tips of Damian’s ears flushed. “Uh, I still prefer Damian. Dumbass.” The last word was added as an afterthought (as if he’d just remembered to add it to not sound so affectionate).

Anya took a step closer to Damian and began to circle him. “Sy-on boy! Sy-on boy! Sy-on boy!” She cried out joyfully, her tone light and teasing. “You’re my Sy-on boy!”

“... You’re embarrassing me…”

Now Anya felt a little bad for making Damian’s heart go through such a treacherous journey. “Well, I can call you Damian!” She stood on her tiptoes and poked Damian’s cheek. “Damian! Damian! Damian! Or do you still want me to call you Sy-on boy?”

Damian thought about it for a second then leaned down. The sudden proximity surprised Anya and it felt like her breath was stolen. Was it just her imagination, or did her heart skip a beat?

“You can call me whatever you like,” Damian mumbled and Anya’s stomach fluttered. All of their classmates cheered and wolf-whistled but somehow Anya didn’t care about them. Damian’s thoughts were loud and clear.

“Honestly, it’s due to this dumb girl that I sometimes believe ‘Sy-on Boy Desmond’ is my name. My name is whatever she decides. It’s crazy how much of an effect she has over me.”

Damian was surprisingly sweet and normal once Andrew was gone. Anya liked this version of her Sy-on boy better.

(Even if he was a little cute when he was jealous…)

(Wait, when did she start viewing him as cute?)

“... I still like calling you Sy-on boy.”

Damian’s gaze was surprisingly soft. “Why?”

Anya grinned up at him. “Because I’m the only person who calls you Sy-on boy! Everyone else calls you Damian. I’m giving you a nickname to separate you from the rest because you’re special to me!”

Damian took a few steps backward, too overcome by his emotions. He raised a hand to his flaming cheeks. “W-watch your mouth, commoner!” he babbled, but Anya could read his thoughts all too well.

“You’re special to me too…”

Chapter Text

Having one’s older brother be stuck in a coma had a variety of impacts. First of all was the insurmountable grief of knowing your brother was as good as dead and would likely never wake up. Then came the frustration of knowing your brother was targeted by a nefarious enemy and you couldn't avenge him due to “lack of evidence.” And of course, the instant pressure from family to step up as the perfect heir when you’d been ignored and stuck in your brother’s shadow for your entire life. 

Oh, and you had to go to school for the very first time. 

That was the life Andrew Lockridge was living. After the initial shock of everything had set in, Andrew was due to set foot in Eden Academy in a month. It hadn’t been explicitly stated by his parents, but Andrew knew his main goal was to befriend Damian Desmond, second son of the Desmonds, who was coincidentally in his year. Aaron’s accident had weakened the Lockridges and it would be wise for them to secure ties with powerful families. 

So naturally, Andrew decided to do some research on Damian. Andrew knew Damian was an Imperial Scholar with zero bolts, a member of the soccer team, his hair was the (unfortunate) colour of a murky swamp- and that was it. Andrew had also been homeschooled all of his life and had no idea how to interact with peers in a school setting. Thus, he called up his governess’ daughter Helen who’d graduated from Eden a couple of years ago.

To Andrew, Helen was like an older sister. With her straight black hair and soft brown eyes, one might assume her to be an elegant, demure young lady. Well, they couldn’t be more wrong. Helen was a rebel with an awfully blunt way of speaking. It was her who taught Andrew how to sneak out from the mansion (to the distraught of her mother who was Andrew’s governess). 

So Helen casually sauntered inside the Lockridge mansion, a glass of red wine in her hand. “Heard you’re going to Eden, kid.”

Andrew stared at the wine. After all of these years, he couldn’t be fazed by Helen’s audacity anymore. “Yeah. I’m there to befriend Damian Desmond. Do you know him?”

Helen arched an eyebrow. “Desmond? Ohh, Demetrius’ younger brother. I was in the same year as Demetrius.”

“Well, that’s useful-”

“He was such a stick-in-the-mud,” Helen complained. “Always quietly studying in his room. He was the first Imperial Scholar in our year, you know. Could’ve been a hottie if he didn’t slick back his hair. And regarding your question,” Helen wagged a finger in front of Andrew’s eyes, “I don’t know Damian personally? But our entire year has definitely heard of him.”

“How so?”

“Oh, like when Damian was eight and he got a girlfriend and we all laughed at Demetrius because he was still sad and single,” Helen said nonchalantly.

Andrew was properly horrified. What sort of kid gets a girlfriend at eight?? Desmond must be a womanizer. I just know he’s going to be unbearable. 

Helen hummed thoughtfully. “I don’t recall the girl’s name, but I think she was a commoner. Oh, apparently she punched him on his first day of school and he instantly became smitten. That Desmond kid sure likes someone who can beat his ass.”

Andrew wrinkled his nose. “They were kids back then, surely they couldn’t be serious-”

“That girl was loudly proclaiming her intention to visit the Desmond mansion.” Helen took a sip of wine. “And they’d also done some cute crap like exchanging handkerchieves. Ahh, puppy love.”

Well. Andrew did not expect Damian to be the kind of scion who would risk it all for a commoner girl at the tender age of eight. Wait, the girl punched him too? Geez, Damian had spicy tastes. 

“Of course, that was just when I was at school,” Helen said. “Things have probably changed a lot since then. I’m old, Andrew. You’re better off finding someone who still studies at Eden.”

So Andrew thanked Helen and she let him have some of the wine (even though he was underage). Andrew was lucky that he was invited to a gathering that his third cousin Colin was attending. Colin was a year older than Andrew and he could provide valuable insight. But when Andrew told Colin (and his father) about Eden and Damian, Colin’s father was confused.

“I thought Desmond’s son had already graduated?”

“No, I meant the second son.” Andrew was slightly irked. He’d never properly met Damian before, but they were both (often forgotten) second sons of their respective families, so he already felt an odd sort of kinship with Damian. Even if Damian turned out to be some crazy dude who enjoyed it when commoner girls punched him. 

Colin pinched the bridge of his nose, then sighed. “Oooh boy. Damian Desmond.”

Well that didn’t sound good. Andrew gulped nervously. “Uh, what about him?”

“You can piss off Damian, but you can’t piss off his little girlfriend,” Colin said flatly. “Or else he’ll murder you.”

Ahh, there was that girlfriend thing again. “I heard about it,” Andrew replied nonchalantly. “Something about him getting a girlfriend when he was eight.”

“Yuuup.” Colin sounded fairly amused. “Anya Forger, a commoner. She’s a pink-haired shortie with two black horns (don’t ask, you’ll understand when you see her). In their first year, Bill Watkins was going to hit her with a ball but Damian leapt in front of Anya and caught the ball for her. The scratches he’d gotten on his palms were so bad, he couldn’t write for three days,” Colin snickered. “And it’s just gotten worse since then. They dance together at every ball and I’m pretty sure they’ve met each other’s parents. Like dude, Damian’s rejected every single girl who’s confessed to him, even ones of our standing. He and that Forger girl are the class couple. They have some true love going on.”

It was in this fashion that Andrew gained more information on Damian. Every single person agreed that he was crazy for his girlfriend. Well, that was good to know. It appeared to be Damian’s defining trait as well. So Andrew made his way towards Eden thinking he did everything he could to prepare for school. 

Except he’d also accidentally caused Damian to break up with his not-girlfriend Anya Forger because she started calling Andrew with her stupid nickname for Damian. And that pissed Damian off. Because Damian was a red-nosed (red-faced) clown in a circus. 

School was not what he expected, but it was pretty funny. And Andrew liked being amused because he was bored to tears at home. At least his new life was entertaining. 

After school, Andrew was assigned to the same dorm as Damian and his friends. To maintain peace, Andrew strategically avoided Damian. Damian seemed too flustered to do anything anyway and quickly retreated to the library to study. Andrew knew he was awfully out of place because his dormmates had known each other for almost a decade. Damian's two friends, Ewen and Emile, took pity on Andrew.

Ewen approached Andrew and patted his shoulder. “Hey Andrew, welcome to Cecil Hall! We’re known as the noisiest hall of our year, so it’s probably quite different from your experience at home.”

Andrew vaguely recalled the drama that had gone on during the day. “Yeah, I can imagine,” he deadpanned. “Is it always this noisy?”

Ewen and Emile exchanged glances. “Well,” Emile sniggered, “none of us have known peace ever since Forger punched Boss-man on our first day of school. But no, it’s not usually this bad. Key word being usually.”

“It’s like a romcom,” Ewen piped in, “except with mild violence and petty arguments and Boss-man blushing his ears off. And oh, this happens daily. Sorry, there’s no escaping it if you’re in the same class with the so-called “Damianya”. Blackbell repeatedly claims that this is her favourite soap opera because she gets the front seats live.”

“Blackbell.” Andrew hunted in his mind for information he knew he had. “Daughter of the CEO of Blackbell Heavy Industries, Becky Blackbell, right? I’ve seen her at a few parties. And she was there at lunch today.”

“Yup, she’s Forger’s best friend. She doesn’t live on campus though.”

“Right.” Andrew turned away. So those two were best friends, Ewen and Emile were best friends with Damian, and they had all known each other since first grade. While Andrew wasn’t self-deprecating enough to call himself friendless, he was homeschooled all his life, and at school he felt like a fish out of water. Thankfully, his classmates seemed decent enough, with Anya in particular being very enthusiastic (almost too enthusiastic), and Damian acting like an absolute fool. Andrew hadn’t fully settled in, but at least the situation was hilarious, and that pretty much made up for it.

Andrew debated whether to tell Ewen and Emile about Damian’s reputation outside of school (and how everybody thought Anya was Damian’s girlfriend), but in the end he decided he wasn’t close enough with them yet. So Andrew said goodbye and retired for that day.

All the Cecil hall boys slept in a big room. Well, that definitely wouldn’t cause any trouble at all. Andrew hoped nobody snored. His bed and trunk looked awkward and barren in its corner, while life was brimming in every other part of the room. There was a football next to somebody’s trunk, colourufl posters plastered on the wall, and heaps of comics on a desk (of course Andrew recognised that Spy Wars cover). Andrew glanced at the window and was surprised to find lumps of something on the windowsill. Curious, he made his way there.

Those lumps appeared to be misshapen paper creatures with squiggly black lines. There were five of them in total, two big ones and three tiny ones. Judging from the simplistic bowtie and curly hair drawn on the two bigger creatures, was this a child’s crude perception of a family? Perhaps this was a gift from somebody’s younger sibling. It was quite adorable. It seemed like somebody in his dorm was sentimental. Andrew’s eyes lingered on those childish yet endearing creatures. 

Wait, why was Andrew spacing out and thinking about family? He had so much to unpack. And he should do it now when the room was empty. Funny how Andrew spent most of his life living with his brother, then alone, and now he was suddenly rooming with a bunch of teenage boys. How fast things had changed. With an exhale, Andrew opened his trunk. 

Nobody told Andrew how distressing unpacking could be. Sure, he’d bought all his favourite books and clothes, and he’d double-checked to make sure he had everything he needed, but still… this was the first time he was out there, alone in the world. His family was struggling, his brother was basically gone, and the weight of carrying on his family’s legacy fell firmly on young Andrew’s shoulders. Plus, he was in an unfamiliar environment with unfamiliar people, and while his dormmates were welcoming, Andrew had never felt so acutely alone. 

Andrew was well aware he was a privileged and sheltered kid. Prior to this, he didn’t have much to worry about. His family was well-off, Aaron was kind and wickedly smart, and Andrew remained quiet in the shadows. Andrew was always polite and well-behaved, and while his parents liked him enough, he knew he wasn’t Aaron. Aaron, the shining gem, the beloved heir, the perfect child. Andrew knew he would never be good enough, but after Aaron’s “accident’, he had to try anyway, because what else could he do?

In fact, Andrew was probably so sheltered that he was upset over something minor like leaving his home for the first time. How utterly foolish of him. These kids had been living in Eden for most of their lives and here Andrew was, being sad and whiny and pathetic. 

Andrew placed his books on his new desk and carefully arranged his stationery. At least his desk seemed less sad and lonely now. Still, it looked quite impersonal. So Andrew carefully took out a framed photo of his family. He was about to set the photo down, but he couldn’t quite tear his eyes away.

The photo was from two years ago. Aaron sat in the middle with Father and Mother placing their hands on his shoulders. Andrew’s parents had that proud smile that they showed to Aaron only. That was when Aaron was still alive and happy. Now, he was a pale, lifeless husk strapped to a hospital bed. It was so unfair. Aaron had his whole life ahead of him. He was so talented and accomplished, but then in a blink of an eye, all of that was gone. 

In the photo, Andrew was next to his mother in a suit that he personally found unflattering. He looked so stupidly young then. It was obvious from the positioning that Andrew was the sidepiece. The focus was on the promising heir, flanked by his beaming parents, and the second son was shoehorned in. Not that Andrew minded terribly. After all, he was used to it. 

Andrew couldn’t stop staring at Aaron’s smile. Two months ago, he was laughing and breathing and walking around. Now Andrew honestly doubted he would hear his brother speak again- 

The door abruptly slammed open. Andrew jerked and the photo fell in his lap. His sentimental monologue rudely interrupted, Andrew whipped his head towards the door- only to see Damian Desmond, the supreme clown. His hair was wet and he had a towel around his neck.

“Sorry for startling you,” Damian replied instinctively. “I-”

Then came the third most embarrassing moment of Andrew’s admittedly short life. (Don’t ask what the first and second were.)

A tear rolled down Andrew’s cheek.

Andrew hadn’t even realized his eyes were wet from staring at his family photo. Oh, great. And now Damian probably thought Andrew hated him so much he started crying like a baby. This was horrifying and mortifying. Andrew genuinely wanted to be swallowed up in a black hole. How was Andrew supposed to befriend Damian now?!

Damian stared at Andrew.

Andrew stared at Damian.

Damian stared at Andrew again, then at the photo in his lap. 

“Oh,” Damian said like he understood everything. “Um-”

“This has nothing to do with you,” Andrew got out in a rush, his cheeks hot and red. He was now uncharacteristically flustered. “I’m not crying because you’re here. I mean, I’m not crying at all-” 

Damian raised his hands, then dropped them helplessly. “I-I knew I was a jerk to you today, and I’m sorry. That wasn’t the welcome you deserved. And… I heard about what happened to your brother. I’m sorry. It must be devastating.”

Andrew’s body relaxed slightly. Damian was suddenly acting a lot more mature now that Anya wasn’t involved. His eyes were forlorn and soft. Andrew cleared his throat. “Yeah, I think you would get it out of all people since you have a brother too. And you’re the second son as well.”

Damian took it as an invitation for the conversation to continue. “There must be a lot of pressure from everyone,” he said cautiously. “And… it’s okay to feel overwhelmed. It’s okay to cry. I can give you some space if you like.”

“No, it’s fine,” Andrew replied immediately. The last thing he wanted was to be left alone in an empty room and spiral into despair again. “Uh, you can sit down. I don’t mind.”

So Damian did. The two boys sat in silence for a while. It was awkward because they barely knew each other (and the day’s chaotic events remained fresh in their minds), yet there was a thread of connection between them. Back then, it was funny when Anya called both of them “Sy-on boy”, but it was a reminder that they were both second sons and had similar family backgrounds.

Damian spoke up first. “... You must really love your brother.”

“Of course I do,” Andrew replied. “Aaron’s never done anything bad to me. When I was a child, he gave me the toys and candy that he received for Christmas. When we grew older, he came to my defence when my parents scolded me. Aaron… is the golden child. He kept our family together. I do love him, but yet…”

Andrew sighed. He didn’t know why he was being so vulnerable to a boy he only met today (and had accidentally managed to offend), but Andrew was exhausted. He needed to speak to someone. He needed to get it out of his system.

“... I was jealous of him,” Andrew admitted, “because he took up all the attention. Granted, he did try to give me some spotlight, but the adults only cared about him. Because he’s perfect. He’s smart. He knows how the real world works, and I’m just a kid. And I feel guilty for being jealous when he’s literally in a coma right now.”

“No, don’t feel bad, because I get exactly what you mean.” Damian patted Andrew’s shoulder sympathetically. “It’s like that with my brother too. He never hits me, he talks to Father for me, all things considered he’s a decent brother… but an irrational part of me resents him. Because he’s everything I’ll never be. He’s a constant reminder of my shortcomings.”

Andrew gave Damian a slight, sad smile. “I guess that’s how it’ll always be for us second sons.”

“Unfortunately.”

They didn’t need words to convey how they felt when they understood each other. Andrew was honestly glad for the company. It was only then when Andrew suddenly remembered his goal of befriending Damian. He was so caught up in his misery that he forgot Damian was more than just a fellow second son he could share his feelings with. Andrew was at Eden for business. And besides, Andrew didn’t like feeling so vulnerable in front of a mere acquaintance. He had to switch the topic.

“By the way, Damian, I’m serious about asking you to invite me to your wedding. I hope you and Anya live a long and happy life together.”

Damian’s composure instantly switched. It was rather comical. “S-shut up! It’s not like that with her! She’s just a commoner!” Damian practically screamed at Andrew. 

“So she’s merely a commoner to you, but to her you’re her special Sy-on boy-”

Damian immediately scowled at Andrew’s teasing lilt. “Not that stupid nickname again,” he grumbled, his face completely flushed. 

“Yeah, yeah, call it stupid when you spent the whole day defending your title.” Andrew nonchalantly moved on to unpacking his other items.

“Lockridge, do you wanna die?” Damian seethed, but it was difficult to take him seriously when he looked like an overripe tomato. 

“Maybe? It depends on the time of day. But honestly, my will to live has increased after the quality entertainment that you and Anya provide-”

Andrew teased Damian for a bit longer, and then Damian finally stormed off to his bed. Andrew watched as Damian went to his bed by the window- wait, Damian was next to those lumpy paper creatures on the windowsill. Meaning it was likely him who put them there.

Andrew, now understanding the situation, smiled to himself. Perhaps the person who’d made the paper creature family wasn’t a younger sibling, more like a fellow classmate from years ago. 

Oh, Damian was definitely whipped for Anya. Funny how literally everybody could see it except for her. Andrew supposed everyone was correct about Anya being Damian’s girlfriend after all.

“Morning, Anya!”

“Morning, Becky…”

“You seem a little tired today, Anya.”

“Yeah…” Anya yawned. “My mind’s about to explode…”

More accurately, Loid’s mind was the one exploding after yesterday’s events. Anya loved her Pa, she really did, but it was so embarrassing when Loid witnessed that moment between her and Damian. And Loid couldn’t even confront her about it because he wasn’t supposed to know, so the Forger family dinner was awkward (and poor Yor was so perplexed). (The TV was playing a romantic drama, which reminded Anya of that awful conversation with Andrew about their names matching and the subsequent “Damianya” chanting. Safe to say Anya immediately scurried to her room after she finished eating.)

Anya did manage to pick up more information on the Lockridge situation. The Lockridges were trying to find evidence on who had caused the accident with no success. Andrew was a well-behaved and responsible child, but he was struggling with the loss of his brother and the sudden pressure. The Lockridges were also worried their enemies might target them and specifically Andrew since he was the new heir. Loid had learned that one of the secret reasons they sent Andrew to Eden was because of Eden’s excellent security. Andrew and Damian were in the same dorm and their families were likely pushing for them to become friends. Except Damian was hostile to Andrew, and it was somehow Anya’s fault.

Anya had a lot of sympathy for Andrew. Although Anya hadn’t experienced the loss of an older sibling, she knew how it felt like to have your loved ones be in danger. To think Andrew didn’t even know who had hurt his family! And since Andrew was the heir now, his life could be threatened. Anya couldn’t help but feel nervous. She’d saved Damian from assassins and kidnappers a number of times throughout the years, and she wasn’t sure if her heart could take more of it. 

Andrew seemed like a kind person. Plus, he was handsome and bore a striking resemblance to Bondman, which gave Anya extra incentive. So out of the kindness of her own heart (and to further Plan B and perhaps meet his uncle the Bondman actor), Anya decided to help Andrew to the best of her ability. 

Speak of the devil. It was then Andrew emerged from the Cecil dorms. A flock of girls instantly swarmed around him and Becky scoffed.

“Geez! He’s been here for a day, let him breathe! Andrew can’t catch a break anywhere. Poor boy, he’s going through a dark period in his life, but these insensitive people just want to get closer to him-”

“I wanna get closer to Andrew Porridge though,” Anya interjected innocently. 

Becky stared at Anya. A second passed.

“Isn’t Andrew supposed to be your side mission?”

Becky wasn’t wrong. Damian was indeed Anya’s main mission, but Anya thought Andrew needed more help at the moment. Andrew would probably love to avenge his older brother and Anya could help him with that. Obviously, Anya couldn’t say that to Becky, so she chose to reply with,

“Yeah, but I’m focusing more on the side mission because Andrew deserves more attention than Sy-on boy at the moment.”

Becky’s jaw dropped and she shrieked, “You’re ABANDONING Damian? After all these years? For a Bondman wannabe?!” 

“Nooo, Sy-on boy is still important to me!” Anya tried to explain. “But Andrew… he’s new here. Like, I wanna properly welcome him into Eden.”

Becky gazed at Anya with suspicion, and then despair. “I guess looks are important to you after all, Anya,” Becky said tearfully, her eyes forlorn. “Not even Damian can beat a guy who looks like your favourite character. I mean, I do think Andrew is cuter than Damian because I like blonds and Damian is a snot-faced jerk...”

Anya wasn’t paying attention to Becky because Damian just appeared with his two friends. The three of them were walking behind Andrew, then Damian hurried forward and dragged Andrew away. Damian said something to the crowd of girls, they instantly bowed their heads and ran away. Andrew gave Damian what was presumably a grateful nod. Hmm, the Sy-on boys were getting along well. Anya was rather pleased.

It was then Anya realized a lot of people were looking at her and Damian. Instinctively, she read their thoughts:

“Haha, Damian said he was Anya’s Sy-on boy yesterday. That’s so corny.”

“Aren’t Damian and Anya dating? Why aren’t they walking together?”

“CAN MY SHIP JUST SAIL ALREADY??”

“I burst out laughing when I was thinking about them at dinner yesterday. And we were eating with the Foreign Minister’s family. So. Embarrassing.”

“That “Damianya” chant during lunch lives rent free in my mind.”

Anya shivered. What was everybody thinking? They were being so weird. After reading the minds of random students, she turned towards her two targets, her Sy-on boy and the other Sy-on boy. As always, Anya read Damian’s mind first, but he was thinking about academics (ugh) and Anya was immediately bored. Her Sy-on boy could be so serious and solemn sometimes. 

Andrew’s thoughts were a little more interesting. “Okay, I think Desmond and I are slightly closer now, but we still have a long way to go. If he’s anything like me, he’s probably tired of people approaching him just to get close to his family- which is exactly what I’m doing. So I need to be careful with my plans. How do I befriend Damian Desmond? How do I get him to trust me?”

It was then that Andrew and Anya’s eyes met. Anya waved, excited. Andrew paused for a second, then waved back. Next to Anya, Becky let out an audible sigh.

“Right, that’s Desmond’s commoner girlfriend. If Damian’s guarded and careful, then his girlfriend is the complete opposite. It’s easier for me to approach Anya. She seems to be Damian’s only exception to a lot of things. There has to be a reason why he’s so attached to her. How does she do it? What sort of miraculous bond do they share? And can I learn anything from her?”

Hit by a sudden bolt of inspiration, Andrew’s eyes latched onto Anya. Anya, although puzzled, didn’t look away. (Becky was internally crying and mourning her beloved ship of nine years.)

“Should I befriend Anya first and see what I can learn from her? She’s precious to Damian, so she can help me proceed with my friendship scheme, right?”

Ehh??

Anya remained rooted to the ground, shell-shocked. What had just happened? Did the tables just turn? Was Andrew using her own cards against her?? 

Anya had two friendship schemes- one with Damian, one with Andrew. Andrew had one friendship scheme, which was with Damiain, but he was now finding Anya for help. Which meant Anya could kill two birds with one stone. She could get closer to Andrew, Andrew could get closer to Damian, and as Andrew’s friend, Anya could get closer to Damian. They would all win, world peace could be achieved, and most importantly, Anya had an increased chance of meeting Bondman’s actor! 

So Anya couldn’t help but show Andrew her infamous “heh” smirk. Upon seeing this, Becky quite rightfully screamed in despair, but poor Andrew hadn’t been more confused in his life. 

“Hmm?? What’s with that creepy smile? Is Desmond fond of creepy smiles? Should I give Damian a creepy smile?”

Anya gasped. Andrew thought she was creepy?! But if he thought she was creepy, he wouldn’t want to befriend her, and then she would never get to see Bondman!

“I have to make Andrew like me,” Anya declared, her expression uncharacteristically solemn. 

“Noooo!” Becky wailed, actually crying now. “Anya, please don’t go over to the dark side, I know you’re better than this, just think of all the years you spent with Damian-”

Damian? Oh right, he was next to Andrew. Damian turned at that exact moment, caught Anya showing Andrew her “heh” smirk, and mistakenly thought it was directed at him. Damian instantly turned away, his cheeks a flaming red. 

“Anya smiled at me. ANYA SMILED AT ME! I-is it because of yesterday? She said I’m special to her! And her smile is so cute! She’s so cute that it’s unfair!”

Anya paused again, her heart thumping for some reason. Becky was still yelling, but Anya had tuned her out. There was something more important occupying Anya’s attention.

So Andrew thinks I’m creepy…

Anya gazed at Damian’s backside, almost longing for him to turn back. Her stomach fluttered.

… But Sy-on boy thinks I’m cute?