Hidden and Silent (SpyxFamily)

Ch. 8: Part Three

There it was.

Demetrius was surprised his father waited this long to send the next warning. He must be feeling patient. He must think Demetrius was just being a rebellious teenager, easily disciplined and easily reformed.

Somehow, it always surprised Demetrius when his father displayed his lack of knowledge about his sons. For all his plans, ideals, and the meticulous way he did and carried everything out, he had certainly let his sons fall to the wayside in that regard. He took them for granted. That they'd be there when he needed them, that they'd do as he wanted.

And until Damian had been kidnapped, that had been the case.

The other students seemed concerned when their homeroom teacher announced Carter was in the hospital. Some genuine, others more surface level.

Carter wasn't dying, but he almost had. Something had made him terribly sick, some rare illness or other. This was Donovan's doing. He caused this sickness and Carter's last breath was ensured unless Demetrius went home, at which point his father would fly in specialists to cure Carter.

The teacher encouraged the students to send a card or flowers to lift Carter's spirits and brighten his hospital room.

Pointless gestures.

With both his usual seat mates gone, Demetrius had his desk to himself and leaned back comfortably. He would have to find someone else to toy with. His "friends" were gone, and Demetrius ignored the pitying looks from his classmates at the supposed sadness he must be feeling.

At school, Demetrius might be what one would call "popular". For his grades, his intelligence, and his looks. He was fairly well-known and people he didn't know would greet him in the halls, girls he had never seen would flirt with him, and guys he'd never talked to, looked up to him.

Usually, Demetrius found this amusing and it gave him abundant opportunities to play with them. But right now, it was simply annoying how, instead of their usual chatter, they gave condolences, or told him "Carter's going to be okay."

Carter was going to be okay? What were they? Idiots? Outside of the hospital, they'd never see him again unless it was in a casket.

He avoided talking to them, tired of their tiny brains he usually had fun manipulating.

After school, the Forgers came to pick him up with Anya in the backseat. She was looking rather depressed and leaned against the opposite door, fiddling with her uniform.

Demetrius got in.

"How was school? Anything interesting?" Mrs. Forger said from the passenger's seat.

"Not really." Demetrius said and turned his attention to Anya. At the zoo a couple days ago he had (and still did) regretted getting himself involved with her and her problems. It wouldn't be so annoying if she hadn't been so attached to him, and while it rankled him, he had done it for a reason.

She was another Esper and his good sense raked at his brain, reminding him of that.

He hated good sense.

"We were thinking we'd eat out today for an early dinner, what do you think Demetrius?" Mr. Forger suggested, but it was more of a heads-up than a question.

"Sure." Demetrius said.

He could eat.

———————-

Despite Donovan who they had to deal with, and the concerning disposition Anya had taken lately, Yor could appreciate that they still found time to be a family and spend an evening together at a restaurant. It couldn't have been too long, but since the second kidnapping, worrying over Anya, and the dead ends that left nothing to go after Donovan, it felt like it had been a while since they'd eaten out. It wasn't a particularly important thing to Yor, but it was nice to do once in a while.

"Here you are. My name is Jacklyn and I'll be serving you this evening. I'll be back in a couple minutes to take your orders." The waitress deposited the foursome at a square table and handed them menus before checking on another group.

Yor sat opposite from Anya with Loid on her right and Demetrius on the left. Anya stared blankly at the menu in front of her. "Are you hungry, Anya?" She asked and her daughter gave a concerning, indifferent shrug. She didn't look up at Yor who lamented the lack of proper attention that Anya needed. Yor talked and spent time with her as much as she could, but it wasn't enough with how much Yor and Loid had on their plates. Albeit, it was difficult to pinpoint how to help Anya when she was so closed off about everything.

After minimal waiting the waitress returned and took their order's, promising drinks in a couple minutes.

The best course of action Yor had at the moment was to be attentive and supportive, but as things stood now, Anya didn't even seem to want that. It was Yor's fallback whenever she didn't know how else to proceed and her once guaranteed strategy was failing like a parachute ripped through with a gigantic hole. Loid didn't know what to do either, try as he might to understand her, and the worry and guilt that nothing was working only grew as most of their attention was pulled towards Donovan. In fact, the more attention they diverted to Anya, the more distressed she seemed to be.

Yor smiled pleasantly as the waitress returned and handed her a jasmine tea. Jacklyn distributed the other drinks and Demetrius beheld his root beer float like he wasn't sure what he'd just ordered.

Anya didn't touch her chocolate milk. She was rather listless. More vacant than usual.

Yor stirred her tea absent-mindedly, wholly unsure how to engage her. Anya didn't respond to much these days. It felt like Yor's relationship with her daughter was thinning like a worn out blanket and she had no idea how to repair it. Yor was no seamstress. How long could this go on for? Yor was worried this would continue for a quite a while if Anya remained passive.

She gave the tea another light stir before taking a thoughtful sip.

"Wait." Loid suddenly stiffened the same moment Yor startled, pulling her cup away from her mouth. It was subtle, but it tasted funny. She knew this taste.

In her peripheral vision, she saw a hand go for the root beer float and immediately she leapt. "No!" Yor shot a hand out, covering the top of Demetrius' cup, forcing it back down to the table before he could drink it, and Loid yanked Anya's glass away from her though she hadn't touched it. With a hand still on the root beer float, Yor whipped a look at Loid who met it knowingly.

Soft murmuring spread amongst tables nearby and Loid and Yor straightened, smiling away any awkwardness. "Found hairs in our drinks." He said and they sat down.

Demetrius sighed disappointed at his root beer.

"We should leave." Yor suggested

"No. I've got a better idea. Wait here." Loid said, standing up, and left the restaurant with no other explanation.

Yor looked between the kids. "Don't drink those." She said.