Hidden and Silent (SpyxFamily)

Ch. 14: Part Four

       She tagged him.

'Okay. . .' Damian thought as he came to an abrupt stop. He knew telepathy had to have advantages, but it was almost spooky how Forger was just. . .always there. Was this cheating? Should Damian be questioning the morality of this?. . .

. . .

. . .

Nah.

Damian cast his field of vision about for a quick assessment of everyone's position and settled into a general mode of guarding the border. Both teams had significant casualties and both their numbers were halved down or so.

The red team seemed to adopt a more cautious approach and Damian and other teammates danced with their enemies, watching and waiting for who would make the next move.

Damian didn't expect it to be Forger.

From his peripheral vision, he saw the pink hair streaking away and as he had seen yesterday, he was surprised how fast her stubby legs could go. He couldn't look away. It was like Forger had been in hibernation and Damian was hypnotized by the unbelievable sight of her speed. Watching her weave. Albeit with that same look of consternation like she was gonna be sick, but he thought it was the most breathtaking thing he had ever seen.

Even when she got caught.

Unfortunately, even mind reading, it seemed, was not enough to evade most the team running after an intruder who had easily tagged out several of their teammates. She was sent to jail.

And it was just what Damian was hoping for.

With a small smile fighting to twitch up his mouth and a careless step across the line, a hand tagged his shoulder and he let out a mock sigh.

"Aww." He said half-heartedly. "Oops." Damian lifted his palms up as if to say 'What can ya do?' And stuck his hands in his pockets as he strolled confidently to the jail. He cut straight through the enemy's territory to where Forger sat against the wall with her knees to her chest.

She had seen him coming and as she watched him near, her face fell with apprehensive nerves, her mouth turning severely downward. With every step, she was asking him not to come closer and Damian sweat dropped, once more asking himself if this was really a good idea.

Nevertheless. . .

Damian came within feet of her and ignored her fingers digging into her legs, her mouth tightening in discomfort, and her gaze averting away. She had tensed in her unease as if she couldn't unlock her muscles enough to move. As much as it bothered him that she was upset this much by being around him, he had to be grateful that it would keep her there for the next moment.

She stared resolutely at the floor like she might be sick, tensed into a block of unmoving ice. Damian couldn't hear her breathing as he sat next to her.

"H-hey." He stammered, all confidence draining.

She said nothing. As he had expected.

Damian wasn't sure what to do now. He'd thought about how to get this point, and after that. . .not so much. What was he even trying to say? What was his goal? He just wanted. . .to be close to her. He wanted. . .things to be okay. He didn't want her to worry, he didn't want to it ruin their friendship, and he never wanted to see her freak out like that again.

. . .

. . .Because they were friends.

But how could he say all that? He was so sick of this. Of the lab somehow still interfering with their lives and the seemingly endless strain it put on Forger, on himself, and why couldn't things just go back to normal? Why couldn't Forger just be comfortable around him again?
What could he say to make her feel better? He had nothing. He told her everything was fine and she didn't believe him. He told her he'd keep her secrets and Forger still avoided him. Why did nothing work?!

Damian glanced at the other prisoners scattered across the wall and kept his voice low. He just came out and said it. He didn't have a lot of time to work with here. "How do I fix this? How do I get you to trust me?" He asked calmly. Nonchalantly, as if his heart didn't pound painfully on his ribs and his breath didn't pause between each intake.

Anya jolted as if he'd poked her with a hot iron and her eyes flicked to him briefly. When she took too long to answer, Damian continued.

"I trust you." He muttered grumpily, slumping against the wall to cross his arms and ankles that stretched out. "It's kinda hard not to after. . ." Another glance at the kids. "Ya know. . ."

He wasn't looking at her, but he felt her shoulders rise defensively.

Damian sighed, his face scrunching. Forger could read his mind, but he had a feeling this wasn't going to go anywhere if he wasn't honest. "I don't. . ." He shut his eyes tight, regretting this already and sighed again. "I don't like it when you do that. . ."

Forger gave another nervous flick his way.

"I thought. . .after that place. . ." Damian fumbled. "That we were friends. Be—because. . .you. . .ever since then, it's like I've been. . ." How could he say this without sounding entirely and utterly embarrassing? "I've been. . .alone. . ." He ground out, finding no other way to say it. "I can't describe it!" He suddenly said angrily, surprising more than himself at his tone when Forger flinched. "I mean—I mean. . .we. . .were. . .together there at least, and. . .and." Damian could feel his face heating and hear his words devolving into near unintelligible mumbling. "I don't like it when you're not around. . .or when you avoid me. . .or whatever. . ."

Damian couldn't look at her and his warm face turned away, though he could feel her eyes on him.

"Y-you. . .you abandoned me. . ." Damian muttered, his shoulders raising as if they could shield him from his own embarrassment. "I get why you're freaked out, but you can trust me. . .I p-promise. . ." He whispered. His head roared, his chest constricted, he thought his blood would burst his head open, but despite it, a small piece of him shivered at the confession. At the relief of getting it off his chest.

Damian wasn't surprised at Forger's silence, but it had never felt so painfully obvious. So damning. He felt no more movement from her, the barest breath to pass her lips, and the mental preparation for this exact dread that twisted his guts and crushed his throat wasn't enough.