Chapter Text
Becky’s car was red, big and everything a girl could ever want…but not when said girl is interested in going to camping. “ ugh, there’s mud on the wheels !” Becky cried as she stomped her foot dramatically on the ground, Anya looked at her friend, “ Becky, that’s the point, they’re supposed to be dirty” she deadpanned.
“ besides, I told you we should just stay in your villa, that way we can be clean and mud free” Anya continued as she unloaded their bags from the car and placed them on the ground.
Becky huffed. She had planned this so she could help Damian and Anya settle their…differences in a more intimate and quiet environment.
Anya still wasn’t sure if she could face Damian after what they did. She kissed him and he kissed her back. UGHH, now it’s so complicated, Damian had spent weeks trying to talk to her but Anya had been avoiding him like the plague.
Becky caught on to their searing tension , long story short: she, Ewen and Emile are conducting “ operation DAMIANYA” ! ( credits to Ewen for forming the couple name). Anya got so tired of her best friend trying to set her up with Damian but it was also endearing at the same time.
“ hey, girls !” A familiar voice shouted, knocking Anya out of her reverie. She didn’t have to turn around to know it was Ewen practically clawing his way through the mud to get to Becky. “ hey~” Becky replied in a singsong voice, giving him a side hug that lasted longer than three seconds. Interesting, Anya thought as she observed the two.
“ hey, Anya” a deep voice whispered close to her ear, making her jump as she flailed her arms around to protect herself. Damian looked down at her with a smirk, his dark hair tousled, hazel eyes gleaming with something so delectable-wait ! No, don’t go to the gutters now, Anya !
“ hey…buddy” she laughed awkwardly as she tapped his shoulders. It was so awkward even Emile looked away with a wince. Damian scrunched his nose, wondering what could have possibly possessed Anya to use the term, buddy and act awkward. Anya forger was the least awkward person he’d ever met. She would go up to a stranger and ask if they could be friends.
He didn’t like that one bit. They’re far from “buddies” at this point, Damian finally, finally figured his shitty feelings out and realised that he doesn’t hate Anya forger. It only took twelve years and a forbidden kiss for him to come to this conclusion, thank you for asking.
He just regretted not saying anything to her after that kiss, he’d just stared at her and now, Anya probably hated him.
————-
The sun was lazily sinking toward the horizon, painting the sky in shades of burnt orange and gold, when Damian and Anya finally reached the clearing that would serve as their campsite. Damian hefted the massive tent bag onto his shoulder, feeling like a pack mule.
“So… uh… I guess we should start setting up the tent?” he asked, trying not to sound desperate.
Anya, crouched down and tangling herself in a piece of rope, gave him a slow blink.
“Mhm. Sure. That… works, I guess.”
Damian blinked back. “That works?”
“That works,” Anya repeated, like a mantra, eyes fixed on the rope as if it might suddenly unravel itself and explain the meaning of life.
Damian dropped the bag with a thud.
“Right. So… I’ll start over here, I guess.”
Over by the bushes, Ewen, Emile, and Becky were crouched down behind a tree, whispering furiously.
“See? I told you,” Becky said, pointing toward Damian. “He’s already panicking. Look at him, poor boy. He doesn’t even know where to start with the tent.”
Ewen grinned. “And she’s… well, she’s doing that thing she does. Avoiding him like he’s the plague.”
Becky clapped her hands softly. “Perfect. That’s our window. Time to accelerate the plan.”
Emile frowned. “Uh… accelerate?”
“Yes,” Becky hissed. “Flirt with her. Distract her. Make Damian jealous. Classic bait-and-switch.”
Ewen chuckled. “Speaking of jealousy… remember first grade? When we were all sent to fetch water on our own?”
Becky snorted. “Oh no. Here it comes.”
Ewen grinned. “Damian got lost because Anya couldn’t tell left from right!”
“Hey!” Becky protested, holding up a finger. “That’s not entirely fair. She was five! And very cute, if I may remind you.”
Ewen ignored her. “Anyway, the result was Damian wandering in circles while Anya cheerfully picked flowers because she had no idea she was going the wrong way. Classic.”
Becky covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. “And that, my friends, is why we reverse-engineer. Emile goes flirting. Damian gets jealous. History repeats itself, but with a modern twist.”
“Are we evil?” Emile asked, doubtfully.
“Yes,” Becky said proudly. “But in a fun, very effective way.”
Meanwhile, Damian was crouched over a tangled corner of the tent, muttering to himself. “Okay… okay… poles… fabric… why is camping like rocket science?”
Anya sat cross-legged a few feet away, meticulously inspecting the stakes like they were a rare species of bug. Damian tried to edge closer.
“So… Anya, um—”
“Mmhm,” she replied, eyes glued to a stake.
“Right. So… tent?”
“Mhm.”
Damian exhaled. “Okay… maybe later.” He turned to glance at Emile, who had sauntered up to Anya with the casual ease of someone who had been born to annoy Damian.
“Hey, Anya,” Emile said, flashing a grin. “Need a hand with those stakes?”
Anya looked up, brow furrowed. “Uh… sure.”
Damian gritted his teeth. He tried to move
closer, but Becky leaned out from behind a tree and whispered conspiratorially:
“Tip one, Damian: don’t hover. You look like a lost puppy.”
He scowled. “I am not a lost puppy.”
“Tip two,” Becky continued, ignoring his glare, “a little jealousy is healthy. Watch him squirm.”
She pointed at Emile, who was now dramatically kneeling beside Anya and pretending to struggle with a stake. “See? Your chance to shine.”
Damian’s jaw tightened. “I will not be outshined by him.”
Anya, oblivious to the scheming, had now somehow managed to tie herself in a knot with the rope. “Uh… Emile, can you… untangle this?”
Emile pretended to fumble, deliberately brushing close to her as he worked. Damian’s fists clenched.
“Need… water,” Anya muttered.
“Water?” Emile’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Sure! Let’s get some.”
Damian, trying to maintain dignity, muttered, “I… uh… I’ll go too.”
“No need,” Anya said. “Emile’s fine.”
Becky snorted behind a bush. “Ohhh, this is perfect.”
The three of them—Anya, Emile, and Damian—trudged along the narrow path leading to the stream.
Damian was like a shadow, silently fuming, while Emile chatted animatedly about anything that came to mind, leaning in just a little too close to Anya every now and then.
“You’re always so… organised,” Emile said, handing her the bucket. “I admire that.”
“Uh… thanks,” Anya mumbled, still cautious.
Damian bit his lip, feeling his knuckles whiten.
Becky’s voice rang in his mind: Tip three, Damian—don’t look obvious. Subtle glances, subtle touches. Show her you care without being a stalker.
Damian growled silently. Subtle. Right.
Finally, they reached the edge of a cliff that overlooked a valley so wide it made Damian feel dizzy.
The sky was a dark now, velvet canvas sprinkled with millions of stars.
“There are lots of stars here, huh,” Anya said softly, letting the bucket rest beside her.
Damian, feeling an urge to impress, flopped down beside her and tilted his head toward the sky.
He smiled thinking of the Stella lake at Eden. The first ever field trip where he had fun without worrying about studying.
“Did you know… that some of those stars are so far away, their light started traveling before the dinosaurs went extinct?”
Anya blinked. “Wow. Okay… that’s… interesting.”
They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments, watching the sky. It was just the two of them and the skyline of berlint city . “ it’s crazy to think we’re so far from the city” Damian muttered as he focused on a particularly bright star straight ahead.
He could feel her gaze on him like a caress. “ yeah…the view is to die for though” Anya replied. It was quiet again.Then, a shooting star streaked across the horizon.
“Damian! Quick, make a wish!” Anya exclaimed, her eyes wide.
Damian gave in and he closed his eyes, ignoring her abrupt change in attitude and, without thinking too hard, whispered, “I… want to kiss her.
Again.”
Anya’s jaw nearly hit the ground. “What?!”
He opened his eyes, flushing. “Uh… I mean… just… the wish. Not… literal—”
“Look, Anya,” Damian said, cutting himself off, voice calm but sharp. “About—”
“Yea, lapse of judgment. I get it. We should head back,” she said smoothly, standing up and brushing off imaginary dust.
Damian exhaled, leaning back on his hands. “Yeah,” he muttered, utterly defeated.
Behind the safety of the trees, Becky, Ewen, and Emile were silently cheering. Becky whispered, “Phase one complete. But oh, the fun has just begun.”
Damian, utterly oblivious to the scheming, followed Anya down the trail, his mind a tangled mess of stars, wishes, and the overwhelming desire to somehow make her notice him… just a little more.
And somewhere in the distance, Emile was grinning like a cat who had just knocked over a vase—mission accomplished.