Naturally Pretty • Damianya Time Skip

Straight Into the Hazel Gold

"Good morning, Professor."

Damian spoke by the door panting, his professor nodding back at him. He rushed to the back where his friends were, taking the vacant seat in their midst. A short "Bossman" escaped their lips and nothing more. The silence between them did not escape his notice which he just ignored for now.

As he started writing in his notebook, Damian noticed a rose sitting under Ewen's desk. He made a hard swallow before glancing to his right. Indeed, there was a quaint box of Ostanian Truffle chocolates under Emile's desk.

Surely for Forger. He still couldn't believe how hard his friends had fallen for Anya Forger. He glanced to the front, wobbling pink head easily catching his eye.

Endearing. He smiled in his own wandering mind. Maybe it's not hard to believe at all.

~~~~~

Lunch came. Damian excused himself to eat in the Imperial Hall while Ewen and Emile raced to the cafeteria with their presents. Being the only Imperial Scholar of Cecile Hall, he sat alone while acknowledging a few important fellow scholars. He ate his usual caviar dish, and while he is unwilling to witness his friends' advances, he still wondered how things were between them and Anya.

After his meal, Damian needed to fetch things from his locker. As he walked, he glanced at a spot in the cafeteria and saw his friends, their heads down before Becky's exaggerated mouthing. Right, if they're ever going to try anything, they'd better be able to tackle Blackbell.

Damian pondered as he exited the place. Where is Anya Forger?

"Are you certain?"

"Yes. I saw the pink-haired girl ascend those stairs so I told him. He followed her."

Damian's head flinched. There's only one girl that came into mind. And a certain 'he' followed her.

Damian watched the two students, possibly his seniors, leave before taking the stairs to the lockers. He's not checking on Anya because he's concerned that someone is trying to ask her out — he's just getting his own things. Luckily, Anya's locker is just near his.

And there, he saw her standing before their lockers, a key on her left hand. Her eyes were on the student waving at her as he was leaving. And a ribboned chocolate bar was held firmly on her right.

Damian felt his body tighten, his mouth flooding with bitter taste.

~~~~~

"Oi, Shrimp." Damian said casually as he stood beside her.

"Oh, Sy-on boy," Anya replied, glancing briefly. "Getting your book for literature?"

"Yeah," Damian heavily laid his bag inside as he sorted that which must be unloaded. "And you? Sparing time to see a someone before class?"

Anya's head whipped toward him, her stare he felt on the sides of his face. "Hold your horses. It's not what it looks like," she said.

"Oh? Doesn't look like that to me." Damian sealed his little cabinet, (slamming) closing it. He faced the girl, chuckling mentally at her irked face, her stance now with a hand resting on her right hip. "Careful, you can get a tonitrus bolt if you get too carried away with your boy."

"Woah, blown-up weird ideas, Sy-on boy. Always the same self-absorbed know-it-all I know."

"First of all, I am merely stating something that is obvious given the context. Second, I am not getting carried away, you naive, stupid, peanut-head." He eyed the ribboned chocolate that Anya was clutching into her chest.

Anya's jaw slacked briefly, seemingly surprised by the young scion's behavior. "I know exactly why I have this chocolate and it is far from what you think about us."

Us, huh? Damian sneered at her. He's already had enough of this conversation.

"Sy-on boy, we were cool the other day, aren't we? Why are you being like this now?"

"I don't know. Maybe because of some peanut-head refusing to admit the obvious?" he hissed. "You know, at the very least, if you already have someone, tell my friends that they no longer stand a chance," he said as his metal lock clicked.

Anya sighed heavily as Damian stepped away. "Wait, where are you going? We need to talk. It's still too early for our next class."

"A Desmond must use his time to the fullest. Staying here with you is a waste."

"You've studied enough, mister top Imperial Scholar. Besides, exams are still in three weeks." Anya's voice softened. "Sy-on, you should come with me," Anya said, grabbing his arm.

If it were any other girl, he would have instantly shoved them off his arm. But with Anya, his brain gets all foggy, his sense of touch overwhelming, and his heart beating faster. Always wanting to say "no" but in the end always responding in favor of what the girl wanted.

The moment she touched him, Damian was instantly pleasantly electrified. Calmed. Enchanted, even. The frustration he was feeling slightly subsided.

"W-Why should I go with you?" Damian asked in a panicked state, his face heating up.

Anya's eyes sharpened. "So I can prove you wrong."

"Hah!" Damian mocked, turning his head the other way to hide his redness. "Prove me wrong on what exactly?"

Not letting go of the scion, Anya moved to face him in the eye. She raised her chin to compensate for the difference in height, making sure her emerald eyes are staring straight into hazel gold.

"That Anya Forger is not seeing anyone, Sy-on boy."

Damn it, Forger. Just the right way to topple a Desmond.

~~~~~