Chapter Text
Damian was at his desk late that night, studying as usual by the light of the dormitory lamp as Ewen and Emile slept soundly on their beds. Or, at least, he was trying to study.
He couldn’t concentrate at all, not when the image of that pink-haired uggo (who he definitely did not like) with her family continually popped into his mind. They all looked so… happy.
He felt a twinge of envy at that. I wish Mother and Father cared about me like that…
No! What are you thinking! He immediately shut down that train of thought, you’re a Desmond! Don’t envy the commoners!
He looked down at his meticulous notes with a tired sigh, who am I kidding, I’d sell my soul to have anyone in my family look at me like that.
Reluctantly, he admitted to himself that he wished he could have a life like hers. I bet she doesn’t have a care in the world. She doesn’t have to worry about tarnishing her family name, or living up to these high standards all the time.
It was then that he felt his eyelids grow heavy, and as much as he tried to fight it, he couldn’t resist the temptation to fall asleep right then and there.
~ ~ ~
Anya could hear her papa’s disappointed thoughts at her most recent batch of test scores as she began to drift off to sleep.
“She barely passed any of these! I know she isn’t the brightest, but if this keeps up, she won’t be able to get more stellas, and I won’t be able to get close to Desmond and the mission will fail and Donovan might start another war and…”
She stopped paying attention to the endless storm of worried thoughts that circulated throughout the mind of Loid Forger at all times, and drifted off to sleep, absentmindedly thinking, I wish I was smart like Sy-on. Then I could help papa more on his mission.
~ ~ ~
Damian awoke in an unfamiliar room. It mostly consisted of toys and a few stuffed animals, namely, a large, stitched-up, blue and white penguin that looked like it had fought a battle with a ferocious beast and barely survived, and an old, well-loved, turquoise and pink chimera plushie that he had evidently been sleeping with.
He jolted upright in a panic. Where am I? Have I been kidnapped?! Calm down, I’m not tied up. I’ll see if I can leave the room and investigate.
He got up and stopped when he was in front of the door. He heard voices. One was a man, the other was a woman. He couldn’t quite make out what they were saying from where he was, not when he had just woken up, so he turned the doorknob and stepped outside. Whoever kidnapped me must be dumb. No ropes, no chains, the door isn’t even locked…
The first thing he noticed was that he was in what appeared to be an apartment. There were two doors with nameplates at the end of the hallway, one on each side. He looked back and saw one on the door of the room he woke up in. He didn’t pay attention to the names on them. He also noted that across the hallway was a small bathroom.
He looked to the other end of the hallway and saw a living area, dining area, and a kitchen. There were two people there, and they were… Mr. and Mrs. Forger? What are they doing here?
Mr. Forger was in a chair in the living area, reading the newspaper, while Mrs. Forger was folding the laundry. He walked towards them and Mrs. Forger immediately noticed him and smiled warmly.
“Oh, she’s already awake? She usually sleeps in for another half-hour.”
…she? Damian thought, confused, as a giant, fluffy white dog padded towards him, nudged him with a “borf!” and stood in front of him seemingly waiting for something. Does this thing want to be pet or something? Might as well…
He reached out a hand and pet the thing, momentarily mesmerized by the softness of the dog’s fur. Snap out of it Damian! You need to focus! Find out what’s going on!
Mr. Forger, finally noticing him, or at least finally paying attention to him, put his newspaper down and stood up. “She’s up oddly early. I’ll get started on breakfast.”
Damian heard him continue to talk, seemingly to himself, about what to make for breakfast. If Mrs. Forger heard him, she paid him no mind.
It was then that he was hit with a realization: he had just heard the voice Loid Forger without the man even having to open his mouth to speak. …what?
Damian felt more confused than he’d ever been in his life.
“Why does Anya look so confused this morning?” Then Damian heard a sigh before Mr. Forger continued, “I can never read her. I feel like I’ve failed as a spy for being unable to read Yor and Anya at this point. Maybe one day…”
The man then began to focus on prepping whatever he’d decided to make for breakfast, but Damian’s mind was reeling. A spy?! Anya’s father is a spy? And why would he mention it out in the open like that? Does Mrs. Forger know? Is she also a spy? And… wait. He mentioned Anya, he looked around the room at the thought, but didn’t see her anywhere. Where is she?
Yor, noticing his confusion and panic, asked, “Is everything alright Anya?”
Why was she talking to him as if he were…? Wait. It hit him like a punch to the gut. No. No no no no no. This can’t be happening!
Damian ran to the bathroom he spotted earlier in a panic and looked in the mirror.
He saw pink hair, and a pair of large, green eyes staring back at him.
That was the last thing he saw before he passed out cold.