Chapter Text
That Forger girl was going to be the death of Damian.
As if a school camping trip wasn’t adventurous enough, Anya decided she wanted to explore the woods. Something about nature and dogs and butterflies. And of course Damian had to go with her, because he knew this commoner girl would not survive the wild. Anya Forger would cry she didn’t get a measly macaron, so what would happen if she fell into a river like Damian did? What would happen if she fell and scratched her knee? And, God forbid, she saw those stupid, terrifying worms? At least Damian had been on a field trip. He seriously doubted Anya, with her parents being a mind doctor and a clerk, had experienced even a taste of real danger. Those silly peasants knew nothing. Somebody had to step up for them.
And that was why he, the second son of the Desmond family, was going with the peasant girl.
Anya gleefully skipped across tree roots, and turned to look at Damian. “Hey, Sy-on boy, thanks for worrying about me!”
Damian’s cheeks instantly flushed. “I never said anything about- LOOK OUT!”
He grabbed Anya’s arm and yanked her away from a low-hanging branch. “Are you blind?! Stupid girl!” He grumbled. But despite his harsh words, he was concerned for Anya. You could’ve hit that tree, and you could DIE, and I DON’T WANT YOU TO DIE!
“I don’t need words to know that you’re worrying about me,” Anya said airily. “And besides, I don’t die that easily!”
Damian puffed his chest. “Hah! The only reason you’re not dead yet is because I’m here!” He boldly declared.
A drop of water fell on Damian’s nose, and he jumped. The two stared up at the rapidly darkening clouds. Damian instinctively shot a look at Anya- not because he liked her or anything, he just didn’t want to soil his family’s reputation, but why oh why did his chest feel so tight and weird?
“It’s raining. We should go back,” Damian said coolly, or as coolly as he could when he was totally-not-worried about Anya Forger. Without even thinking about it, he stretched a hand towards Anya. “Let’s go.”
Anya stared at Damian’s hand stupidly. She tilted her head like an adorable puppy, and Damian felt heat rise to his cheeks again. “W-what are you looking at?” He burst out defensively.
Then came the loudest, most terrifying sound Damian had ever heard. It was as if the sky had broken into two, and everything was crashing down, all of the screaming and shrieking, and Damian felt a sudden urge to bury his head in the ground.
But Damian abruptly realized he was wrong. Thunder was only the second most terrifying sound he’d ever heard. Anya’s screaming was the first.
“ANYA!” Damian cried out in a panic. He swerved around, desperate to find her. A glimpse of too-familiar pink caught his eye, and he hurried towards it.
“EEEK!”
Damian could only watch in horror as Anya tumbled down a slope. Even though Damian knew it was a stupid thing to do, he stumbled after Anya. He narrowly avoided losing his balance and his shoes skidded along the wet dirt. “Anya!” He yelled again.
A peal of thunder rang through the air, and something warm suddenly collided with Damian. His arms automatically found their way around Anya. Anya was covered from head to toe with mud, and his uniform was definitely tainted by now, but Damian somehow found that was the least of his worries. It was certainly peculiar, because he usually cared a lot about his expensive clothes and appearance. But the only thing that mattered to him was the sobbing girl in his arms.
“Thunder… loud…” Anya sniffed. “I’m scared…”
Anya lifted her head, and Damian felt his heart break. It was her stupid crying face again, with her big watery eyes and trembling lips that almost made Damian want to cry himself. Her cuteness was his weakness. Anya was always the one who made him do stupid things. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
“S-stop crying!” Damian huffed, his heart thumping madly. “It’s just thunder! It can’t hurt you!”
“B-but I’m cold…”
Damian was so caught up in his concern for Anya that he totally neglected they were both getting drenched. A violent shiver tore through him.
“Urgh! Let’s find some shelter.” Damian grabbed Anya’s wrists and practically dragged her along. She was still weeping and hiccuping, and guilt consumed Damian like a tidal wave. He was a Desmond! He was supposed to protect her! Now she was crying and he couldn’t do anything to stop it. What sort of weak person was he?
Somehow, they managed to find a small cave to hide in. Damian helped Anya in first, then he sat by the entrance of the cave. “They’ll find us! It’ll be okay!” He exclaimed loudly.
Anya rubbed her nose with the back of her hand. “I want Papa and Mama… and Bond… and Becky… I miss them…” Tears trickled down her red cheeks, and all traces of her smugness and bravado at school were gone. To Damian, Anya was just a helpless, terrified little girl without all the people she sought comfort from.
A clap of thunder sounded. Anya shrieked and curled up in a tiny ball, and Damian couldn’t take it any longer.
He firmly clasped Anya’s hand. She looked up, surprised. “Your father and mother might not be here, or that Blackbell girl either, but I’m here!” Damian passionately declared. “And I-I’ll protect you! So don’t be scared!”
A flash of lightning illuminated Anya’s pale face. Damian’s words seemed to have shocked her enough that she stopped crying. Anya tried to laugh, but it came out as more like a sob.
Still holding her hand, Damian sat down next to Anya. Anya cautiously shifted aside to make more space for him.
The next peal of thunder came, and Damian suppressed his urge to flinch. He was totally, definitely not scared of thunder! He was a strong boy! He was the second son of the Desmonds! He wasn’t going to run towards Father crying for help because Father would be ashamed of him! A-and, besides, if he couldn’t protect that crying girl next to him, then what could he do? The thunder continued to rumble, and Damian subconsciously squeezed Anya’s hand. He totally wasn’t shaking in his fear. He totally didn’t want to cry.
But Damian couldn’t hide it from himself. He was scared of thunder.
…
But it wasn’t like anyone would ever know, right? Damian had to be brave and smart in front of Anya. If he was panicking, then she would panic too, and nothing good would come out of that. And Damian really couldn’t stand that terrified look in Anya’s eyes. So, of course, Damian had to lie for Anya’s sake.
(And he also wanted to look cool in front of her.)
“Hey, Sy-on boy?” Anya’s voice was uncharacteristically soft, probably due to her fear.
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
“Mmhmm.”
And so the two of them sat in the musty cave and stubbornly held each other’s hands. And not once did they let each other go.
Contents:
1. Your Hand in Mine
Anya is scared of the thunder, so naturally Damian holds her hand to reassure her. And naturally, Anya finds out Damian is also scared of the thunder, and is only pretending to be brave for her sake.
(Based on the light novel!)
2. Blank
Anya tries to read Damian’s mind to collect information about his father, but Damian’s mind just turns blank when she approaches him. Awfully convenient for the sake of world peace, don’t you think?
3. Hair
Damian gels his hair for photo-taking day. Anya laughs at him.
4. Fake Dating
Damian realizes he can’t get his father’s attention even if he does well in his studies, so he tries a different method - by pretending to date a commoner girl. Anya agrees on the condition Damian lets her visit his house. But is it really as simple as that? (Aged up)
5. To Protect and Be Protected Part 1
Damian Desmond would die today at sunset. And only Anya Forger could save him. (Angst / Comfort) (Aged up)
6. To Protect and Be Protected Part 2
Through Bond's power, Anya learns that an attempt will be made on Damian's life. Anya tries to save Damian from his assassination attempt, but she falls unconscious and Loid saves both of them instead. Damian is very shaken and has a one-to-one talk with Loid about his family issues. When Anya wakes up, she asks to see Damian. (Angst / Comfort) (Aged up) (Happy ending)
7. August
Eighteen-year-old Damian and seventeen-year-old Anya enjoy one last summer together before Damian gets married off to someone else. (Post everything) (Aged up)
8. Warmth
Anya is cold. Damian has his Imperial Scholar’s robe. You can guess what happens next. (Aged up)
9. Swear
Damian Desmond learns to say “fuck”. That’s all. (Aged up, crack)
10. Soulmark
In a world where people get soulmarks on their 16th birthday, Damian is anxiously waiting for Anya to get hers to see if they match. What he doesn’t know is that Anya won’t turn sixteen for quite some time. (Aged up, Soulmate AU, light angst with a happy ending)
11. Doze
In which Anya is sleepy in class and Damian pretends not to care (except he does).
12. Trash
“Do you always name your trash?”
“Well, I did name you Sy-on boy.” (Fluff)
13. Headpat
Anya notices Damian wants a headpat.
14. A&D
Damian, Anya, and their two handkerchiefs. Alternate version of what could’ve happened in Ch 61 with the Old Lady Tonitrus terrorising the first years. (Fluff)
15. Fluster
Anya and Damian try to out-fluster each other while studying. (Aged up, Dating)
16. A Similar String
Damian Desmond could not be more different from Anya Forger. He was boastful, awfully blunt, sweated over his grades, had abandonment issues, wanted to impress his father by becoming an Imperial Scholar- wait, Anya swore she had a point. (Aged up, light angst, fluff).
17. Who Would?
Anya doesn’t like Damian. At least, she thinks she doesn’t. She scornfully wonders if anyone actually likes that spoiled brat, but her rhetorical question turns out to be… not so rhetorical after all. (Angst)
18. We Could Be The Way Forward (Fake Marriage AU Part 1)
Agent Starlight (real name: Anya Forger) and Agent Midnight (real name: Damian Desmond) are given a task: to pretend to be a married couple. The catch? They’re feuding highschool exes.
(Aged up, fake marriage, crack, angst, drama, fluff)
19. Bee-loved
It's a lovely morning in Eden Academy, and you are an unusually large bee. (Fluff, crack)
20. Hot Chocolate
Damian notices Anya is cold at school and this bothers him more than it should. Thankfully, he has a sweet solution. (Fluff)
21. A Moment in Time
A day in the life of two dating Imperial Scholars. (Fluff, high school)
22. I'm In Your Twitch Chat
Anya is nineteen and a Twitch streamer. Damian “Not a Simp” Desmond is her top donor who never speaks in chat. (Modern / College / Twitch streamer AU, Crack, Fluff)
23. Knuckles To Your Lips
The history of Anya’s fist and Damian’s face over the years. (Fluff, light angst with a happy ending)
24. Piggyback
Anya tries to befriend Damian, Damian overthinks, Anya gets hurt, Damian helps Anya. A very typical fluffy scene. Oh, and he carries her on his back. (Fluff, crack)
25. Damian Is Not A Dog
When Damian asks Anya for the name of her dog, she accidentally replies with “Damian”. Shenanigans occur. (Fluff, crack)
Ch 26: Melted In The Rain
It was raining the day the scientists stole Anya in front of Damian. (Aged up, amnesia, angst with a happy ending)
Ch 27: Rice
Anya Forger only eats omurice from the school cafeteria during lunch. Damian thinks about it more than he should. (Fluff, Aged up)
Ch 28: Something Keeps Me Holding Onto Nothing
After a period of pretend dating, Anya and Damian break up. It’s her who cries. (Fake dating, aged up, angst)
Ch 29: Trajectory
In the end, it’s still a ball, a boy, and the girl he wants to protect.
All the ways that dodgeball match could’ve ended. (Fluff)
Ch 30: Bloom
It's a beautiful spring day when Damian falls in love for the first (and the last) time. (Pure fluff, highschool)
Ch 31: Blackboard
Damian hates being on blackboard cleaning duty, but why is Anya just so short and why can’t he stop himself from helping her? (Fluff, aged up)
Ch 32: Paper Cut
“Anya doesn’t like you after all.”
Her words hurt him like a paper cut. That is to say: it shouldn’t have hurt him at all. (Fluff, cute)
Ch 33: A Little Like This
It happened a little like this.
Damian’s changing feelings for Anya as they both grow up. (Fluff, coming of age)
Ch 34: Smile
Anya has a soft, special smile that she only wears when she’s truly happy. And that smile’s never been directed at Damian.
Or: Anya and Damian had a big fight as kids, they don’t talk anymore, and Damian learns the opposite of hate isn’t love; it’s indifference. (Bittersweet, angst, whump)
Ch 35: Cast
Damian breaks his arm in a soccer match. Anya wants to leave her name on his cast. (Aged up, fluff)
Ch 36: Excuse
The rain is a convenient excuse for Damian to walk Anya to the bus stop. (Damianya Week 2022 Day 5: Storm/Sunshine, fluff, aged up)
Ch 37: Favourite Mistake
Damian does not like making mistakes. He, however, has a favourite mistake- Anya Forger. (Angst)
Ch 38: You Never Called It What It Was
Anya is frustrated with her fake boyfriend, but not for reasons you might expect. (Fake dating, aged up, unrequited, angst)
Ch 39: Gifts
Damian, irrationally, gives gifts to Anya. Is that supposed to mean anything? (Fluff)
Ch 40: In This Soundless World
“But sometimes,” Anya dragged her words for dramatic effect, “when I’m around you, your thoughts feel like fireworks.”
Or, Anya’s ears start hurting in the cold and Damian helps her with it. (Fluff, aged up)
Ch 41: Beat
When Damian stands up for Anya, her heart starts beating faster. Just a little faster. (Fluff)
An extension of Ch 70-71.
Ch 42: Pink
Loving Anya Forger was pink— because it was a pale imitation of romantic love. (Fluff, angst, unrequited maybe)
Ch 43: Childish
There was something silly yet endearing about liking someone when you were too young to understand what liking someone meant. (Fluff, hurt/comfort)
Ch 44: One Thump at a Time
Anya doesn’t understand romance. But then Sy-on boy smiles, and for some reason, her heart thumps. (Aged up, fluff)
Ch 45: Strange You Never Knew
"Damian," Anya says. "I noticed you don't get jealous anymore." (Aged up, fluff)