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Finals have just finished and Mr. Henderson had given out all the summer homework. Emile and Ewen were talking about summer plans like going hiking and whatnot— but he couldn't be bothered to listen. He was going to finish his summer work before any recreational activities take place. Of course, those would have to wait after martial arts training, piano lessons, violin lessons, French literature tutoring...
"Can we come too?"
He looked up and noticed the lit up green eyes with the bright smile he's seen everyday for the past 12 years. They belonged to the one and only: Anya Forger. She really was strange— seeing as she's the only one who's ever had Damian red in the face (both after being punched once in his life and some other reason he wouldn't dare admit).
They've made up over the course of growing up together. Despite her inelegant, raucous attitude, Damian found himself slowly being immersed in everything that has to do with her. He'd be unknowingly humming the old Spy Wars theme song during piano rehearsal, buying peanut packets from the vending machine to snack on while studying, and even using pink and green sticky notes.
Of course, these didn't pass by the ever-observant Becky Blackbell. Ever since she's noticed (regardless of her personal feelings about it), she's been subtly trying to get their groups together so Anya could notice it herself and make the first move— which she did, which was why they were friends now, but Damian believes he made the first move because he forgave her first.
"It's alright with me, how about you, bossman?" Emile asked.
"Do what you want," he replied, turning his attention back to packing up, "But don't expect me to give you a ride or anything."
He gave her a ride.
Long story short, Becky's car (suspiciously) got a flat tire on their way to Anya's place, but she didn't want her to miss out. So instead, she had someone call Damian and had him pick her up instead.
"Bye Papa! Mama! Bond!" He heard the young maiden call out. "I'll be heading off now!"
Damian caught a glimpse of her parents. 'They look nothing like her' he thought. He assumed Anya looked like her biological mother— although, he didn't dare question her about that.
"Sy-on boyyy!" He never understood the nickname. "Thanks for picking me up!"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." 'She's in my car.' "Is that all you're bringing?" 'SHE'S SITTING NEXT TO ME.'
Anya was wearing a simple coat and some hiking pants. It was far from the expensive track suit and hiking boots Damian was wearing, but to him, her smile was the most priceless thing anyone can wear.
"Yeah! I'm sooo excited to see the waterfalls! Do you think the lake there has fishes?"
"Well, it depends on the—"
"Is this a pantry?! IN A CAR?!"
Sometimes he wonders how he's patient enough to deal with her.
They arrived at the site they were going to hike towards Ostania's famous Hydra Falls. Since their group consisted of fairly important (and rich) people, they were able to rent out the entire place so they wouldn't have to see a bunch of tourists.
"Bossman!" Emile and Ewen called out, "Oh, and Forger? I thought you were coming with Blackbell."
"Oh! Becky's car got a flat tire so she asked Sy-on boy to pick me up instead!" She answered as she patted Damian's shoulder.
"I had to listen to her blabber about this new anime she's been watching for 2 hours. Something something about assassins, I think." He remembered every single thing she talked about in that sweet voice of hers.
"OH, YOU MEAN 'THORNS OF A ROSE'?! I WATCH THAT TOO!" Ewen beamed.
"REALLY?! MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IS—"
"I'M HEREEE!" A familiar voice shouted.
"BECKY!" Anya rushed to hug her best friend. "Your car is ok!"
"What, did you think it was sick or something? It was just a flat tire." She laughed as she hugged her friend back. "How was the trip with Damian? Did he tease you or anything?"
"Sy-on boy is a great listener! He said I could watch the upcoming Thorns of a Rose movie in their private cinema!" Her eyes glittered like newly polished emeralds. Damian would let her live there if that meant seeing those eyes everyday.
"Bossman is playing favorites," Emile cried with fake tears and his hand on his chest.
"Shut up."
The crew started heading towards the famous Hydra Falls. The weather seemed to have favored them, seeing as they weren't sweating incredibly but also not freezing to death.
"What would you guys do if someone got lost?" Emile asked.
"Why would you ask that? Feels like a bad omen..." Becky muttered as she tried to shoo the mosquitoes away.
"I mean, there's nothing wrong with being prepared." Ewen helped her up a steep step. "I'd call out for them, obviously. Although, you'd be stupid to actually leave the group in a forest this big."
"I would just blow the whistle Sy-on boy gave me!"
Everyone turned their heads toward the girl who was proudly holding the whistle necklace hung around her neck. Well, everyone except for the boy in question.
"I told you to keep it hidden until actual emergencies, you dimwit!" The flustered scion exclaimed and went on ahead.
"Yep, definitely a favorite."
There wasn't much to see during the journey. Aside from the occasional swearing from Ewen who kept being followed by a wasp and the amount of times Anya had almost slipped on the wet rocks, the way there was... pretty uneventful.
At least, it was what Damian wanted to say.
They've just crossed the other side of the deep river that rivals Eden's infinity pool. Just as Becky took the last step off the slippery rocks—
His eyes widened as he heard it. The girl who had just been screaming her head off because of the wet stepping stones was completely silent. His favorite voice was replaced by a loud splash and a floating brown backpack with a sheep keychain.
"ANYA!"
He couldn't think of anything else.
"BOSSMAN!"
Anya had lost her balance for real.
'How did I not notice? WHY did I not notice?!'
He threw his backpack somewhere towards his friends' direction and immediately jumped into the deep river.
It was dark.
Worse, it was silent.
'WHERE ARE YOU?'
Nearing the river bed, he caught a glimpse of a tiny reflection of light. Was it the whistle he gave her? Was it a coin some other tourist dropped? Damian prayed it was the former.
Once his hand reached the familiar cloth texture, he yanked it up towards the surface and gasped for air.
"ANYA!" Their friends exclaimed and pulled them out of the river. Damian was panting heavily but he couldn't be bothered by that at all. Was Anya alright? Was she even breathing still?
"Move!"
They put her on a flat surface slightly far from the river banks. He checked for any deep wounds, and thank the heavens there weren't any, but—
"SHE'S NOT BREATHING!"
Remembering everything he learned from medics class, he tilted her head up and put two fingers near her throat. He pinched her nose and gave her two rescue breaths before intertwining his hands and doing chest compressions.
"1... 2... 3... 4... 5..."
"IT'S NOT WORKING!" He didn't have to look at Becky to know she was crying.
Damian did it 4? 5? He didn't even remember how many times he had to give her 2 breaths and a round of chest compressions. All he wanted was for Anya to wake up, to see her smile at him again.
'Was I too late?' he thought, vision blurring, 'Wake up... please...!'
As if on cue, the petite figure in front of him coughed out water and slowly sat up straight.
"...you guys are so loud..." a soft voice muttered.
"ANYA!"
He didn't care how obvious he was anymore.
He didn't care how bad he would be teased by his friends anymore.
He didn't care about his pride anymore.
Damian pulled Anya into the deepest hug he could muster. His face was buried in her neck and he could feel the water trickling down from her back to his trembling hands. He was glad that the river water had kept his tears hidden, although he was pretty sure Anya could tell because of how warm they were against her skin. But it didn't matter.
He could finally feel her heartbeat again— and this time, it was right next to his.
"You're such an idiot, you know that?" He tried to keep himself from sobbing any louder as Anya weakly smiled and hugged him back.
"Thanks for saving me... Damian."
Damian swore he almost collapsed.
Saying he loved the sound of his name in her voice was an understatement. If he could frame a sound and put it in a national museum, he'd do it with no hesitation.
"ANYAAA!" Becky pushed him away from her. "I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE ALIVE!"
"Ow— Becky you're crushing me—!"
"Thank god you're safe, we'd all have died if your parents found out," Ewen commented, "That was so cool of you, bossman!"
"Yeah! You just jumped in there and saved her!" Emile exclaimed, fists pumping the air, "You were like 'Move!' and just did CPR without stopping!"
Mind finally clearing, he had just realized what he had done.
So for the rest if the trip, the two of them looked like matching strawberries.
"Ahh, we finally made it!" Becky gleamed, "Hey, Emile! Ewen! Help me set up the picnic! Those two need their rest."
"I swear, she's more of a bossman than bossman..." Emile whispered.
"WHAT WAS THAT?"
"COMING!"
And so, Damian and Anya were left alone looking like two lost kids who accidentally ate chili peppers.
"S-So, uhm..." Anya fiddled with her fingers. "Hydra Falls was named that b-because it has nine waterfalls falling into the same lake, r-right?"
"Y-Yeah," Damian replied, looking away from her.
. . .
"About... y'know... t-the thing with the CPR..." he sighed, "I-I'm sorry."
Anya stopped playing with her fingers and inhaled deeply. She put herself in front of Damian and put his hands in hers.
He couldn't help but get lost in her eyes again. Her face was still red (he didn't know if it was from running out of breath or being flustered) and he was pretty sure his was too. He loved the way the wind blew her still-wet hair. He loved the way the sun reflected in her eyes. He loved the way she held his hands that were so big compared to hers.
He loved her— Anya Forger.
"Sy-on boy... Your thoughts are so loud, you know? It's written all over your face," she chuckled.
That smile again. He was so close to losing that just a few minutes ago. How could he have ever taken it for granted?
As if time had stopped for them, Anya interlocked her fingers with his and tiptoed to reach his face. Eyes closed, silently... her soft lips touched his; and Damian could melt right at that moment. He swore he could still taste the freshwater from when she fell into that river— an event he was slowly starting to believe was a blessing in disguise.
Anya pulled away, grinning as she always has, "Now we're even!"
He chuckled, "You owe me 4 more."