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Damian Desmond wakes up and he knows he’s on the top of the world. It’s finally his first day at Eden Academy and he knows he’s going to be an Imperial Scholar, just like his father and brother. The world is in the grasp of his tiny 7 years old hands and he will be the greatest politician to ever exist, he knows it.
He munches on his breakfast and his gaze lingers on the empty chairs surrounding the dining table. It doesn’t matter because his uniform is all ironed up by the maids and Jeeves tells him he looks good in it.
It doesn’t matter when he arrives at the school gate and all he sees are people his age with their parents, laughing and smiling with such warmth Damian could never feel in the harsh coldness of the Desmond household. He forces his gaze ahead, at his bright and glorious future and covers the sound of laughter out with his excessively loud exhaling because today is his day.
He does not bat an eye at the vacant seat next to him when he gets to the hall. He does not care when no goodbye or good luck is said when his name is called. He stuffs his hands in his pockets and tug his lips upwards to a smug smile because this is definitely and surely and absolutely and whatever synonym he knows, this is indeed his day.
He knows his dashing good looks are attracting extra attention so it isn't surprising when a cute girl with pink hair and green eyes stares at him for a beat long.
Said cute girl sends a flying punch to his precious face and Damian cries and sobs and wails like he never has before. The punch did not even hurt that much and he’s dying of embarrassment so he cries even more because this is the only chance he can, an excuse to sob his heart out. Because it did matter, it truly did matter to him.
As Damian blinks his tears away he realises it would be far too suspicious to be crying this long because of a weak punch. So he swallows the boulder in his throat and glares down at the girl, but his face is heating up and he can feel the eyes of his classmates on him.
Damian is glad when he gets to the medical room and the scent of bandages and disinfectant sprays calm him down. The nurse asks him who his parents are to inform him and he averts his gaze in shame. She seems to understand and looks at him with pity in her eyes. He hates it and suddenly the room is not calming at all and he wishes he can go home or anywhere to escape the sympathy he doesn’t need.
Damian hates photos because he is standing in the corner all alone and pathetic while parents around him smile affectionately at their children. He puts on his best smile and fixes his hair because no motherly hands will reach out and do that for him.
Damian goes to his dorm and muffles his face in a pillow so that nobody will hear him when he sobs.
He’s on the top of the world, isn’t he?