Chapter Text
“What should I do while I wait?”
Damon looked at the other Ultimates scattered around the room, all of whom were preparing for the gaming tournament.
However, one in particular stuck out to him: Eva Tsunaka, sitting on a reclined chair, staring intensely at the gaming console in front of her. He honestly didn’t expect her to show up to this tournament in the first place; she didn’t seem like the type that was into video games, much less a gaming tournament of all things. But after seeing Eva and Cassidy “nerd out” about this game and its attacks, Damon knew he was sorely mistaken.
Still, he wondered why she was so into them in the first place. So after a few (unsuccessful) attempts to get her attention, he not-so-gently tapped her hand, pulling her gaze upwards.
“What?” Eva grunted, clearly irritated she had to pause whatever game she was playing.
“Since when were you so passionate about video games?”
Eva then told him a story (with the power to disrupt the world, as she put it) of how a thrifted gaming console was the sole company she had during her school lunches, to which Damon responded,
“You can just say you like video games, Eva. I don’t need a tragic backstory.”
“No,” she simply stated in response.
“No?”
“That would be embarrassing.”
“More embarrassing than lying about being the Ultimate Liar? Or eating lunch on toilets?”
In response to that, her eyes widened slightly, and she went quiet, refusing to make eye contact with him.
Okay, maybe that was a little too far…
In an attempt to redeem himself, Damon quickly added a “Jeez, I’m just kidding,” to the end of his statement.
“Yeah, I know.”
Did she really?
“It was kinda funny. I chuckled,” she stated blankly, in that usual emotionless tone of hers.
“No, you didn’t?”
“Telepathically, duh. I wouldn’t chuckle out loud. What kind of powerless fool do you think I am?”
“Right. Sorry.”
The way she was playing into the theatrics, Damon found it, in some bizarre way, endearing. But he would never admit that out loud.
“And…you never know…” Eva started, now twiddling with a loose strand of her hair, “Maybe I’ll change my mind and play in the tournament later.”
And then, for the second time during this entire killing game, she smiled again. And while it pained him to say it, and it pained him even more to just think it, it was a good look on her.
He could already feel the heat rising to his cheeks, and he really hoped it didn’t show on his face. He desperately needed to find something else to focus on, anything else which could take his mind off the smiling girl in front of him.
His eyes frantically darted around the room, and that’s when he saw it.
The vent, mostly obscured by Eva’s reclined chair, was open. Moving behind the chair to get a better look, Damon noticed something even more appalling.
Was there a cord tied to it??
To say he was confused would be an understatement. Was this part of the gaming tournament setup? He didn’t understand why an extension cord tied to a vent would be needed for gameplay or music. So what exactly was it doing there?
He remembered Cassidy calling Eva an “honorary co-host” or something along those lines since Eva assisted them in setting up the tournament. And considering she was right in front of the vent, she probably knew something about the cord. So Damon decided to ask her.
“Hey, Eva.”
“Hm?”
“What’s the deal with the vent? Is it part of the tournament setup or something?”
As soon as those words left his mouth, he could see the color drain from her face.
“Y-you…you noticed it…” she started.
“Um, yes? Anyone would’ve if they were standing where I am now. And why is there a cord tied to it? It doesn’t look like it’s connected to anything in the room, so-”
“Stop.”
“Huh?”
“Just stop, Damon.”
The face she made at that moment, coupled with her body language…it was the exact same as when she was first outed as the “Ultimate Mathlete” back at the pharmacy. That’s when Damon realized that he might have discovered something he probably wasn’t supposed to.
“Eva? Mind explaining yourself?” His tone made it clear that it was more of a demand than a question. He wasn’t going to let her run away again.
Eva, looking like she was on the verge of tears, buried her face in her hands.
What is going on with her?!
“Eva.”
She finally looked up at him with nothing but pure panic written all over her face. However, she composed herself just moments later, and took a deep breath.
Pushing up her glasses, she stood up and faced him.
“I…I need to talk to you. In private,” she simply stated. And then she walked out the door.
Damon, still unsure what her reaction was about, followed after. But before he could leave the room, he heard Kai call out to him.
“Damon! Dude, where are you going?! You promised me you’d play!”
Damon glanced back at him.
“I need to talk to Eva. In private.”
“Again?! Come on, man! If you ditch me, bed privileges are over, remember?!”
Damon really didn’t want to sleep on the couch again, but…something in the back of his mind was screaming at him to follow Eva. So he just sighed and responded with, “I know.”
Then, he left the room.