Strictly Business - Damianya [Damian Desmond x Anya Forger]

iii - Study Session

Nope. Nope. Nope.

I will not be dating Damian Desmond of all people. I going to do my best to finally get more Stellas and become an Imperial Scholar to attend that meeting and kill that Donovan! I will do anything to succeed in this mission! Just anything except that.

The midterm examinations were in just two weeks and even though it wasn't a new moon and Anya could still cheat, the people in Anya's class are really stupid...

I extracted some money from my bank account and bought a library card so I could study at the library and waited until I was sure I was free for the next 2-3 hours so I could really focus on my studies.

Once I had made sure I had no incoming missions, homework, or plans with Becky, I walked out of my house and headed to the Westalis Public Library. I went alone and minimally dressed. All I carried was my book bag and all I wore was a light pink sweater and some black jeans.

I unpacked my bag and a small chocolate bar and pulled out the 10th grade Maths textbook from Eden Academy. Even though I knew it was a public library,I was still shocked to see the horrible condition of the books as soon as I opened them.

They had torn pages, stains, pages that were still wet, pranks, highlights and graffiti from previous owners of the book. I sighed as I flipped through the pages and tried to understand what was written without either throwing up from the gross stains or getting dizzy from the dark graffiti, making the book barely legible to read.

Anya tried and tried her hardest to read but after some time it grew frustrating. I groaned leaning back in my seat and finishing off my chocolate. I held the book over my head and turned my head high. Although I stopped after a few minutes due to the stares I was getting from people, it was a rather comfortable reading pose.

I went back to the suffering of study before I felt someone take the seat to my left. I shifted a little to the right to give the both of us some space and grudgingly continued my studies. Maths ate away at my head as I simply sat there trying to understand it without any sort of practice.

"I don't get this at all." Anya whispered to herself, gripping her hair out of frustration. "It'd help if I could actually read what's written."

"Do you need help?" I heard a familiar voice say from beside me.

I looked up to see which kind stranger had offered to help but I was shocked to see the second son. He looked equally shocked to see me as well as I tilted my head in wonderment. He was wearing a sleeveless cream sweater on top of a white button-up, pairing it with black office slacks.

"Y-you? I didn't know it was you. Forget I ever offered." he yelped. The scary old librarian hissed from behind her desk making the second son look at her sheepishly.

Well, as bad as Operation Mavro was going, might as well try to initiate Plan B. Oh god I hope I don't mess this up.

Damian's P.O.V

"Wait. Sy-on boy. Actually, I do need help. I can barely understand whats written on here and forget about understanding the maths." Anya whispered frowning.

Oh god why does she have to take my help of all people? How should I have known it was her who was struggling? I should have kept my big mouth shut.

"No way I help you. Now let me study."

"Please Damian?" she said with huge round puppy eyes and pouted lips.

Shit! That was one of the first times she's ever said my name! Why did she have to say it that tone... Why does she have to be so- so cute?

"Oh fine. But don't blame me if I'm not able to teach you anything pinky." I huffed.

"Thank you!" she squealed. I rolled my eyes at her excitement but before I could react she had gotten off her chair and had her arms wrapped around my neck, giving me a tight hug.

I didn't react and simply sat there with my arms frozen above her in shock. Without even realising it I took in a deep breath, calming my now racing heart and inhaling her scent. She smelled like strawberries...

My face grew warm as I felt myself turn a deep shade of red. She did this? Just for helping her study? In a public library?

"S-stop it."
Please don't stop.

"We're in a library!"
Who cares?

"Sorry." she said letting go of me. Immediately I felt colder. Should I have let her let go herself? I couldn't deny I enjoyed the hug, but it also felt wrong for some reason. The way I basically harass her everyday with my harsh retaliations to her innocent words. Was it all just because I had feelings for her?

"Don't do th-that again." I said clearing my throat. "Anyway, what did you need help with?"

"Profit and Loss Percentage." said Anya pulling her book between us on the table.

"Ha! You need help with this? Are you dumb?" I laughed. This was the easiest thing ever! I had scored a 96 on this topic's test yesterday. She'd only gotten a 32.

A certain sparkle left her eyes as she looked up to meet mine. "Sorry Anya's stupid, but she really does need help."

Her words and expression scratched at my heart as I immediately wanted to swallow my words back down my throat. Even I shouldn't have said something like that. But I couldn't just apologise could I? I feel I've never apologised for any of these kinds of fights even once.

I cleared my throat again, this time more harshly. "Let's get started."

She gave me slow nod and turned her eyes back to the book. I studied with her for another hour before she finally started understanding and even solved 5/7 of the questions I gave her correctly.

"Good job." I said awkwardly patting her on the shoulder. "I was really quite easy. You just need to study more." with me.

"Thanks again Sy-on boy. But can I ask, why were you in the library instead of just studying at your house? The books here are horrible. Couldn't you just afford to buy them?" she asked.

"My father is rich, not me. He gives me certain allowance and it's much less than you would think. Besides, I prefer libraries anyway. I'm more comfortable around people." I replied honestly.

"And you're without your friends again. Where are they?" she asked again.

"They weren't in the mood to study since they studied without me already." I said, my eyes falling to my hands. I had a suspicion they'd been ignoring me for some time, but this the first time they'd excluded me from a plan.

"You guys aren't as close as you were back in elementary and middle, are you?" she asked knowingly.

"No... Recently I found out they never really wanted to be friends with me. They only wanted my money and popularity." I said balling my hands into a fist angrily.

However their position re-softened when she laid a palm on them. A lighter tint took on my cheeks once more as she performed the somewhat comforting gesture.

After a moment of the two of us simply just staring at our touching hands, I realisingly pulled them away softly before staring at my watch. It was 8 p.m. already.

"I have to get back to my dorm before curfew. Goodbye Anya Forger." I said dashing out of there. I couldn't take another moment with her before the desire to just take her in my arms and kiss her took over.

I was wrong for feeling these weird feelings. But they felt so right.

(A.N. Jesus this took forever to write.)