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Valentine's day at Eden was a unique experience. As much as the school valued discipline they could not deny the teenage desire to attempt to involve themselves in romantic relationships. For the two days leading into the fourteenth of February they allowed student's to express their love through gift giving, of course PDA was still forbidden on school grounds. Along with these practices student's thoughts were full of anxiety and desire, and those thoughts were loud. Anya knew this, so she made sure get permission to carry Advil from the nurse.
The Sun was barely in the sky when she arrived in the staff parking lot; school started earlier for high school students and Anya made sure to get there earlier so that she could get a good parking spot. After getting her permission paperwork Anya made her way to the tea garden. It was cold outside but Anya kept herself warm with her imperial cape.
When Anya arrived at the fairly barren garden, most of the plants going into hibernation, when she spotted her Boyfriend sitting there before her, prepping a hot kettle of tea. Anya smiled even with him not noticing her yet, then she approached him.
"Sy-on!" Anya greeted him as she sat down with him, "you're early!"
Damian smiled, "course I am, can't have you beat me every day," then he picked up the kettle and poured Anya some tea, "you look cold, I made jasmine."
Anya blew a bit on the tea before taking a small sip, the heat tingling through her body, "I just got here, you're probably way colder!" She teased.
Damian took a sip of his tea, "all that maters to me is you."
"Is this because of Valentine's day," the telepath asked, "or because you wrecked my transmission a year or two back?"
"Ha, so you still remember that…" Damian winced.
"You're never driving my car again," Anya sighed, "speaking of valentine's day-"
"I have no intention to bother you with love notes all week," Damian explained, "we're dating after all, no, I have a gift for you to be delivered on the day when we have a lovely dinner date."
"What's the gift?" Anya asked.
"Secret," Damian answered, I ordered the gift months ago and had Jeeves wrap it so this way not even I remember what it is, no reading my mind this time Anya!
"Damn it," Anya muttered to herself.
"I think I've out smarted you, Anya," Damian boasted.
"Don't think you've won, I'll find out what gift you got me, one way or another!" Anya declared.
"So, I imagine you'll be as secretive of what you got me?"
SHIT! Anya forgot to make him a gift. She was panicking but thankfully he did give her an out, "Yeah! and you'll never find out what it is!"
"Want to wager a bet?" Damian asked.
"Do you even have to ask?" Anya smirked confidently.
"If I find out what you're giving me before Valentine's you have to teach me how to drive in a manual," Damian wagered.
"On my car?" Anya winced.
"On your car." Damian insisted.
"Fine, but if I win," Anya thought, "you have to get me anything I want, no mater the price!"
"No problem," Damian smirked, "since I'll win."
"And what if neither of us get it, or we both get it before the day?" Anya asked.
"If we both get it, it's who gets it first, if neither of us get it, we both lose," Damian decided.
"Deal," Anya held out her hand for Damian to shake.
"May the best win," Damian shook her hand.
With that they went their septate ways to plan. As Anya began heading towards her locker a feeling of evil overcame her. There was no way Damian could find out her gift because she didn't have one yet, meanwhile all she had to do was find Jeeves and get him to think about the gift. Simple given she was granted unlimited access to Damian's estate, however Damian might think of that, he was smart enough to get around her schemes before, so she had to play it safe.
Anya arrived at her locker around the same time as Becky did hers. Stuffed in Becky's locker was what looked to be about a hundred love notes addressed to her.
"Morning Becky, you're here early," Anya observed as she unlocked her locker.
"I was hoping to get here before the Locker Rush, but no luck," Becky sighed, removing a binder from her bag labeled "Blackmail" on the side, "I'm going to have to file all these away, it's the same boys every year."
As Anya's locker opened a folded note on lined paper fell out and landed on the floor.
"Oh, what's this?" Becky crouched down to pick the note. She unfolded the note and skimmed it, "wow Anya, looks like you got a secret admirer."
Anya didn't care one bit, her mind was still on the bet, "cool, cool, Becky, I am so FUCKED."
"Whoa, Anya, language!" Becky pat her best friend on the head, "talk to me, what's wrong?"
"I forgot to get a valentine's day gift for Sy-on!" Anya cried.
"It's okay, Anya, it's Damian, he'd love you even if you were a sociopathic terrorist," Becky half joked.
"It's not okay!" Anya collapsed into her bestie's arms, "I made a bet with him that if he could figure out what I got him he'd win and if I don't get him anything that'd be cheating!"
"Ah, so it's your pride on the line," Becky sighed.
"Well that and my car," Anya added.
"Ah, so he asked you to teach him to drive," Becky tried to close her locker but all the notes were in the way, so she struggled.
"It cost four-thousand dalc to replace the old transmission, I don't need him to ruin the new one!" Anya exclaimed.
"You cried over that for weeks," Becky recalled.
"I remember the sound of it crying out for help, my poor baby!" Anya cried.
"But didn't Damian and I pay for that?" Becky asked.
"That's not what matters, please help me," Anya begged.
"Fine but only because, I love you, and I love your relationship," Becky rolled her eyes, "lets talk at lunch."
"okay," Anya smiled, "I'll see you there!"
Damian sat down in his Classical Language class with Becky, both of them having gotten less than great scores on the test and now stuck in the F-Class. Sometimes even Anya's genius can't help. Becky was board by this point in the day, so she decided to stir trouble.
"So Damian, did'ja hear?" She asked with a signature smile that told him she was aiming for a show.
He rolled his eyes, "no what?"
"Someone left a valentine's note in Anya's locker," Becky smirked.
"You know, Becky, why should I care?" Damian asked, "Anya and I have been dating for years now, she is as loyal as a golden retriever."
"You're no fun anymore," Becky frowned, "I miss when you were a jealous lunatic."
Damian chuckled, "give it time, maybe one day you'll be the tsundere."
"As if," Becky laughed, "no, I'll know my person as soon as I see them."
"Keep saying that," Damian sighed, "I suppose I should thank you, if you hadn't been so adamant about me and Anya, I may never have accepted my love."
"Sounds like you've been thinking," Becky sighed.
"You could say that…" Damian leaned back in his chair, having finished his assignment, "I want to merry her."
"You're not going to do it on valentine's day, are you?" Becky exclaimed quietly.
"No, but I will purpose soon," Damian responded.
"Wait… are you asking for my blessing?" Becky asked.
"In a way, I already have from her parents," Damian reasoned, "you matter so much to her I think you deserve to be asked."
Becky had to take a deep breath to contain her excitement, after a moment to gather herself she spoke as if she had been rehearsing this for ages. "Well Damian, I'd say hurt her and I'll kill you, but you have proven yourself worthy of my Anya, and her love. You have my blessing."
"Thank you," Damian responded.
Damian let the excitement sit while Becky finished her work before asking, "so have any idea what Anya's getting me?"
Becky thought about it, "I think I do, thanks to you."
"What does that even mean?"
Lunch came as swiftly as the bird's wing, Anya sat patiently in her normal spot where she'd usually eat with Becky. As she sat Arnold approached her.
"Forger, good to see you," he started.
"And you, Arnold," Anya deadpanned.
"i hope she got my note," his thoughts betrayed him, causing Anya to lose interest.
"So, you're not sitting with Damian, did something happen?" he asked.
"I'm eating with Becky today, is that a problem," Anya glared at him.
"I was just wondering," Arnold lied.
Anya reached into her bag and pulled out the note she had found in her locker, "Do me a favor," she smiled handing him the note, "find Sy-on and read this aloud to him, I'm sure he'd love to hear it."
"But-"
In a single moment Anya channeled her mother within her death glare. Her eyes darkened and sharpened to pierce his soul, forcing him to comply and leave her alone.
"G-good talk," Arnold shook before leaving.
"Tell yourself that." Anya grumbled. Recently she had become more protective of her relationship. She loved Damian so much and the thought of anyone else in her life disgusted her.
At last Becky arrived, sitting next to Anya.
"Was that Arnold, was he crying?" Becky asked.
"He's just upset he only got second on the classical language exam two months ago," Anya lied, "I put him in his place to say the least."
"Damn Anya, you are cold," Becky commented, knowing exactly what Anya actually did.
"I am loyal, that's it," Anya responded, "so, did ya think of any ideas?"
Becky responded, "one actually, I think you should purpose to Damian."
"See, Damian was planing to do that soon," Anya replied, "I don't want to take that from him."
"Whatever happened to the Anya who'd rush to beat him to the punch!" Becky cried, "you need to wake up, stop being so… Damian."
Anya thought, "you're right, lets purpose before he can!"
"Lets ring shop tomorrow!"
The night of the dinner arrived and Anya was ready. They sat down at a small table in the corner of a restaurant. The two of them finishing up the most wonderful meal, Anya's favorite. Damian smiled thinking of his gift, he had just remembered today, and Anya smiled in tow.
"Anyway, did you know Arnold left a note in my locker?" Anya shifted topics.
"Becky made me aware of the note, not who sent it," Damian responded.
"Strange, I ordered that he read it to you," Anya joked.
"Well he won't be bothering us for long," Damian joked.
"oh, we're going that route?" Anya blinked, "I can call up Mama's boss and have it done quick-"
"I didn't mean kill him!" Damian cut her off, "but there is no way he'd bother us when we get married."
"I suppose," Anya sighed, finishing her meal, "I was hoping to kill him."
"You're out for blood I guess," Damian responded.
"You remember what he did…"
Damian shuttered, "y-yeah, I do."
"Then lets move onto gifts!" Anya changed her mood back to happy.
"So, Anya, do you want to go first, my gift comes out with desert," Damian smirked, hiding the fact he couldn't guess Anya's gift.
"Heh, couldn't guess could you," Anya smiled before sliding a small box over to Damian.
He carefully picked it up and opened it to find a white gold ring with two small amethyst Gemstones in it. He was shocked, by the gift, it wasn't something he expected.
"Wow Anya, no I would not have expected this!" Damian's face lit up.
"I know you wanted to be the one to purpose but-"
"Actually… This is kind of awkward," Damian stated before desert came out, along with it a box, inside a beautiful Emerald ring, a diamond floral pattern on rose gold made up the rest of the ring. "Surprise," he smiled.
Anya's eyes lit up, then filled with tears, "you didn't…"
"Anya, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me, without you I'd likely be dead. I want to keep you in my life as long as I live in it," he spoke honestly, from his heart, "Anya Forger, will you merry me."
Tears of joy ran down Anya's face, "guess I lose the bet then," she joked.
"If you lose, then I lose as well," Damian responded, "so is that a yes?"
"Depends, what's your answer to my proposal?" Anya choked out.
Damian picked up the ring Anya gifted him and placed it on his finger, "it will always be yes."
"Then that is my answer as well," Anya smiled, getting up inviting Damian to join her. They embraced each other and shared a short kiss. It was everything then the kiss broke as Damian put the ring he got for her onto her finger. Then Anya looked at the desert Damian ordered. "You got peanut ice cream for us!!!"
"only the best for my fiance," Damian smiled as they both sat back down.
"So, engaged at nineteen," Anya laughed, "how did a little telepathic orphan girl pull this off?"
"Who knows," Damian responded, taking a spoonful of ice cream and feeding it to her, "but I'm glad you did."
Anya ate the ice cream and lit up, "It's so good!"
Damian smiled at her joy, he truly loved her, "so I was thinking wedding at the end of May, I've already drafted a committee for planing the wedding, of course we would have final say."
"Classic Sy-on, already planning…" Anya joked as she ate.
"Wedding are big ordeals, somebody has to take initiative," Damian responded, "I'd like you to have the best wedding ever."
"Just like my parents wedding!" Anya pointed out.
"Yes, I noted the people in charge of that one as well and made some choices," Damian responded.
"So who is all on the list?" Anya asked.
"Becky is head of the committee, My mother, your father, and your mother, among others are also on the committee," he explained.
"I can't wait," Anya smiled tenderly