AN: Really loving how many of you got baited by a red herring last chapter ;D

[Part 2] begins next chapter. I've removed the [Parts] in the chapter titles and the synopsis since that was mainly for me to keep track of the secrets and reveals and in which arcs etc.

Can you believe when I first wrote the outline for [Part 1, I looked at it and thought "Hmm, this would make for a good one-shot"? And here we are 34k words later LOL. I can't find a good stopping point so here's a monstrous 9k chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 6 Consolidation

Loid and Yor had already cleared out Yor's room while Yuri went to gather his things and left it looking nearly brand new by the time he returned. Considering Yor had her heightened sense of smell, Loid had wondered if her brother would have this trait as well. But on a second thought, he would also buy into any lie Yor told him, so his heightened sense of smell probably wouldn't pose an issue for them.

The first thing Yuri did when he hauled his luggage into the room was narrow his eyes in suspicion and ask, "Why does this room smell like you, Sis?"

Loid, who was walking Anya to her room, lingered back to hear Yor's response.

"I lived here when I first moved in because I was too shy to share a room with Loid."

Loid was expecting something ridiculous but he still gaped at the absurdity of this excuse.

When you first moved in? Yor. You do know scents don't linger for that long, do you!?

Yuri sweatdropped, paled, then blushed, his knees giving out as he slammed his fists onto the floor with his face full of tears.

"S-S-So are you telling me that you're no longer shy to share a room with him!? You're fine with sleeping with him now!? D-Do you also do those…THINGS together!? Is that what you've been getting into when I wasn't around!? Yooooorrrrr!"

Thank god he believed it.

"Papa." Anya called out to him.

"Yes?" Loid turned his attention back onto his daughter and followed her to her room.

"What things are Uncle Yuri talking about?"

"Urk–" Loid rubbed his forehead in exasperation, a little lost for words. Was 6 years old too early for the talk? When do kids get the talk anyway? Were there any manuals in the library that discussed parental subjects like this? He should also talk with Yuri sometimes to make sure he refrained from talking or thinking about those THINGS in the presence of his daughter.

Anya glanced at the direction of Yuri's new room as the dust particles in the air around her head sparkled. Why Loid never noticed this odd phenomenon until after he found out about her secret, he had no idea. She then turned back to Loid and asked with an innocent look, "Are Papa and Mama gonna shack up?"

"What!? No! Where did you learn that from!?"

"Becky said that's what a man and a woman do when they sleep together."

Damn you Blackbell, influencing my daughter like that!

Loid sighed, a long, dragged out sigh, suddenly feeling ten years older. "Listen. There's no shacking up or thing to be done. Don't listen to everything Becky says. And try not to listen to Uncle Yuri('s thoughts) either. They're dangerous."

"Like Mama's?"

"Yes, but a different kind of dangerous."

"Okie." Anya climbed into her bed and hefted Agent Penguinman beside her to cuddle with. "Promise you and Mama won't fight?"

"We're going to sleep, not going to war."

"But you and Mama both had things underneath your pillows ever since Mama was diss charred from the hospital."

Of course Yor would do the same.

So she hasn't completely let down her guard around me, yet.

That's good. Perfect, even. I can work with that.

Sleeping on the same bed may be awkward, but if we both treat it as sharing a bed with an 'enemy' rather than sleeping together as a couple, it'd be much easier to bear with. Because we wouldn't worry about anything inappropriate happening with an enemy. We'd be too busy watching our backs.

"Inaprocreate?"

"Go to sleep, Anya. Didn't you wanna play with Franky? He'll be the one picking you up from the school bus tomorrow so you'll be able to hangout with him."

Because I have something to do tomorrow after work.

Anya gasped. "A super secret m–" she darted her eyes towards Yuri's room cautiously, "Bondman's mission!?"

Yes. For the sake of world peace.

"Yes. Weren't you waiting for that episode? I'll let you watch Spy Wars as much as you want if you behave."

"Okay! Anya will stay with Scruffy!"

He did say that sleeping with Yor would be easy, but apparently his body didn't seem to think so.

As soon as they were alone in Loid's room (which was now their room), both dressed in pajamas with weapons stashed somewhere on their bodies, he was hit with a wave of panic as the situation finally dawned on him.

Sharing a bed.

A man and a woman.

Both wearing thin garments that couldn't provide any protection if they were attacked.

Vulnerable. Exposed.

Except their weapons.

A silenced gun and a pair of long needles.

Hidden underneath their pillows as the two lay above them with one hand tucked beneath the pillow, ready to draw their weapon at the slightest sign of the other making a move.

Loid was flooded with jittery nerves that made his whole body feel like it was trembling, be it from the panic, excitement, or unease, he had no idea. He shouldn't be feeling like this. It was just sharing a bed. It wasn't like he was sleeping with her. And even if he was, he had slept with a ton of people from all age, nationality, and gender, so it wasn't a big deal if he had to-

NO.

He gripped a lock of his hair.

Stop thinking of those THINGS. Loid. Twilight. Anya might hear you!

Yor shifted, and Loid instantly gripped the handle of his gun, his heart starting to race.

Her nightgown, soft, fluttery, like a wisp of cloud, brushed against his back with her movement.

It felt like fingers dancing along his arms, like ants crawling around his inside. The hair on his nape stood on its end and he froze, not daring to move a muscle.

Great. Now his heart was racing for a totally different reason.

Get a grip, Twilight. You're acting like an inexperienced virgin. Might I remind you that she's your FAKE wife? FAKE! And what does that mean? That means she's just a tool for your role as Loid Forger. You're Twilight, a spy. You're NOT Loid, a family man and a loving husband. The woman beside you is just another tool you will dispose of once your mission is done. Do NOT get attached.

Once Operation Strix was over, he would have no use for her or for this family. He couldn't let an enemy go out of his sight knowing his secret, so he would have to eliminate her. It didn't matter if her motive was benevolent; it didn't matter if both of them were fighting for the same thing: World Peace. At the end of the day, they were enemies from rival countries. That was the truth behind their relationship. The only thing that mattered was the roles they were playing. Nothing else mattered. Not their feelings on this matter, not their hopes and dreams for the future of this family…

So get rid of those feelings, Twilight. Lock them up like you've always done in the past and…

Yor shifted her leg, her dainty little feet accidentally grazing his shin, and all thoughts about missions and spies flew out of his mind.

Goddammit.

Loid was right beside her.

Oh god.

Loid Forger was sleeping right beside her.

This must be a dream.

The first time she slept next to a man, and it had to be with a loving husband who was already giving her butterflies in her stomach every time he so much as gazed at her with his gentle blue eyes, and who also happened to be Twilight, an enemy she nearly killed and who nearly killed her, and somehow that made this situation even more thrilling.

A chill of excitement.

A rush of adrenaline.

Exhilarating.

It was like she was back on the battlefield, facing down countless enemies as her body shivered with pleasure with every neck she slit, every heart she punctured.

Her eyes shimmering with vigor, her lips quirking up with joy. The joy of cleaning up trash, and the joy of plunging her sharp blade into the bodies. Ah. How she relished that sensation. Soft skin and flesh giving way to her weapon. So fragile, humans were, and yet so brimming with life. How beautiful the blood looked as it spurted out of the neck in an arc like a painting that belonged at an art museum, falling atop her and drenching her in its warmth. How pleasant the melody of their screams and cries for help, for forgiveness, for revenge, so soothing in her ears they belonged to an opera, in place of whatever lullaby that came out of the opera singer's mouth.

Opera.

...Opera?

That's right. Opera. The one I went with Loid and Anya on our first outing.

Loid and Anya.

Yor realized with horror that she was so immersed in her mind that she had completely forgotten about where she was, who she was.

What are you thinking, thinking of stuff like this when Anya is sleeping nearby!? What if she heard you again!?

And Loid is right beside you! You gotta keep your guard up in case he–

Yor immediately curled her fingers around her needles when she felt Loid shift his posture. She held her breath, waiting, focusing on her senses… A minute. Two minutes. Three minutes felt excruciatingly long. There was no more movement from Loid's half of the bed, so she exhaled inaudibly and relaxed her stiffened body, shifting into a more comfortable posture and releasing her hold on her weapon.

But then her feet accidentally grazed Loid when she moved, and her breath hitched. He moved again. And her heart skipped a beat. She moved to grab her weapon. And he responded by moving as well. Which prompted her to tighten her grasp on the handle and tense up, and he–

"Let's just go to sleep."

Loid finally said after ten rounds of back-and-forth exchanges.

His heart was already racing from the idea of sleeping next to the deadly Thorn Princess and the alluring Yor, and every exchange of movement and response made it skip a beat. If this went on any longer, he feared his heart would skip so often it reduced blood flow to his brain and caused a stroke.

Which he hoped to prevent.

"R-Right. Let's go to sleep," Yor mumbled.

Loid willed himself to not move, which came easily to him since he once had to disguise himself as a corpse to infiltrate a gang showdown.

Yor seemed to be trying her best to remain still as well.

An hour later, she moved.

Loid moved also to grab his gun.

But this time, she boldly turned so she was facing his back and…hooked a leg around his hip.

Loid's face turned an impressive shade of red, his body stiff as a board.

One of her arms came around his midriff, her fingers resting on the exposed skin of his abdomen. Light as a butterfly, soft as cotton, like she was just teasing him, tickling his inner desire for physical contact, and for the pleasure he had been denying himself for months due to the mission. The touch burned through his skin and made his blood run hot with the urge to drag her hand across the rest of his body. What would it feel like if she pressed just a little harder, roamed just a little higher? What if her hand daringly went down instead? What if–

Twilight. NO.

Her body was pressed tightly against his back, her warm breath ghosting over the back of his nape and turning it as red as his face.

Loid wiped his sweaty palm on his pants but rather than returning to grab the gun, he left it down there.

Stop it. Don't think about those things. She's just a tool. Don't get attached. Keep your feelings lock- Ack!

That voice nibbling at the back of his mind finally shut up after he locked it up instead.

His mind was already a jumble of hodgepodge. He didn't need another annoying voice that sounded irritatingly like his own voice berating him and ordering him around like a fussy mother hen.

Sleep. Go to sleep.

It wouldn't do for Yuri to see you looking like you haven't slept a wink tomorrow morning.

Loid squeezed his eyes shut and tried to relax his whole body while ignoring her searing touches.

Think about something else. Anything.

He thought about his upcoming meeting with his Handler tomorrow. 1800 hour at Safehouse B. Yor should already be home so he could afford to halt the surveillance until Sylvia had finished briefing him on his next mission.

Yor breathed.

Loid gritted his teeth, digging his toes into the sheet with effort.

He thought about Anya and her power. She said she escaped, so the organization that created her must still be out there, perhaps even searching for her relentlessly. Knowing what she knew ever since meeting him, he definitely couldn't let her go after Operation Strix ended. It was too risky (plus, he didn't want to). But how should he explain to WISE that he wanted to keep this girl? Should he reveal her secrets to them?

No. Best case scenario, they either recruit her or continue letting him watch over her, trusting his ability to ensure she didn't expose their secrets. But in the worst case scenario, they silence her because she knew too much. And that was something Loid couldn't risk, even if it was only a one percent chance. He couldn't gamble with her life like that.

So, keeping quiet about her power. That seemed to be the wisest decision for him. Having a child in the most prestigious school in all of Ostania was surely a trump card WISE couldn't afford to discard as eagerly as they do with anything else. Just think about the possibilities that lay ahead. All the friends and classmates from esteemed families and teachers in high standings. The school was a treasure trove of intel and doorways, and Anya was the only one who could open that door and hold it open for them, as long as she didn't get expelled.

Yes, if he pointed this out, WISE should allow him to continue living as Loid Forger with Anya as his daughter. This would ensure Anya's happiness and, most importantly, her safety, especially since her organization was still out there.

Loid's breath evened as his eyes melted shut.

He was so exhausted, and the warmth clinging to his body felt so good. No wonder Anya loved to cuddle with her penguin. Having someone, something, snuggle up against you was a pleasant sensation. Like you were protected, loved.

Protected. Loved.

Like his mother did all those years ago.

Letting him sleep cuddled up against her while humming that lullaby.

How did it go again?

O sweet prince of mine…

Beneath their silver shine...

Yuri was a jumpy mess the next morning.

His eyes had dark circles under them like he was the one who had trouble falling asleep rather than Loid.

When Loid and Yor emerged out of their room together, he tripped over nothing and fell and rolled back onto his feet smoothly.

When they stood next to each other while brushing their teeth, he broke the glass of milk he was holding and injured his hand.

And when Yor leaned forward to fix Loid's tie for him, Yuri bumped into a vase of peonies nearly knocking it down if not for both Loid and Yor teleporting to it just in time to catch it.

"Yuri, are you okay?" Even the oblivious Yor noticed something was off with her brother.

Yuri glared at Loid. "I'm fine. Totally. It's not like I had trouble sleeping because I kept hearing sound from your room half past midnight. Nope. Not at all." He smiled reassuringly at Yor, who nodded like she hadn't sensed the sarcasm dripping in his voice. "By the way. Remember what you promised me?" He tapped his cheek.

Loid lifted a brow.

Yor's lips parted slightly. "Ah, yes. I almost forgot. Congratulations on your promotion."

She leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss onto his cheek.

It was just a kiss between siblings. Nothing wrong with that.

And it was just on the cheek. No big deal.

But when Loid saw that, he couldn't help the ugly emotion that rose within him.

When he saw them supporting each other's drunk self during his first meeting with Yuri, he felt envious.

Now, he felt jealous.

"Yor?" He called out to her. At her questioning gaze, he winked, jutting his chin at her and flicking his head to gesture her over. "A goodbye kiss, if you don't mind?"

Yor exploded into a blushing mess.

Yuri exploded into a jittery mess.

Anya watched from the side while eating a bag of peanuts like this was some sitcom show.

"Y-Yes, of course." Yor stalked towards him with the face of someone walking towards her death, which honestly was kinda sad to see. She had rejected his past two attempts to kiss her. Was he that bad of a kissing partner?

She stood there with her chin lifted and eyes looking anywhere but his face and his lips.

Loid leaned in close, his lips closing in on hers, wrapping his hands around her slim waist to support her trembling body while casting a glance over her shoulder at Yuri.

It was a glance that portrayed a lot of things.

Including 'Do you mind?'

At first, Yuri met his gaze dauntingly, but the more Loid shortened the distance, the more he looked sick to the stomach.

Finally, he lost his cool.

"Damn you Loidy!"

He burst out the door, and Loid used the chance to tilt his head just slightly so his kiss landed on her cheek, while also taking her distraction as an opportunity to plant a bug beneath her collar.

"Sorry," he said to her after leaning back. "Had to make it believable."

A look of disappointment crossed Yor's face before it flickered away, her blush deepening.

Oh?

"R-Right. Of course. I'm g-going to work."

She quickly left the house with her head down, hiding her red face.

Was she…anticipating it?

Loid felt a pinch in his sleeves and looked down.

Anya was staring at him expectantly.

"Peanuts?"

"Weren't you just eating–"

The empty bag sat on top of the pile of garbage in the bin.

Loid sighed.

"Okay, I'll buy you peanuts as long as you don't tell her." He tapped his ear.

Anya exploded into happiness.

1800 hour at Safehouse B

"Good day, or should I say, good evening, Agent Twilight."

A quirk of her red lips was all the hint of a smile Sylvia was willing to give him when Twilight entered the secret entrance to Safehouse B.

This next mission isn't an easy job then.

"Hi, Handler. What's the mission?"

"Straight to the point as always, hm? It's good to know your failure last time hasn't dampered your enthusiasm." Sylvia gave him a file with a grave look. "I'm going to need you to give your a hundred percent on this next mission. That failure is behind us so don't dwell on it too much."

Twilight opened the file to the first page, his eyes widening when he saw a profile picture of a familiar face.

Brown hair, brown eyes, and a contagious grin.

That's the guy who came up to me for my autograph during Anya's celebration at the castle.

"One of our spies was captured by the SSS and is currently locked up in a cell at the SSS building. Usually, we would've considered him a lost cause and given up on him. But not this time. He has procured critical intel about Donovan Desmond we cannot afford to give up on. Your mission is to infiltrate the SSS headquarters and break him out. His execution date is set in the far future as the SSS try to make him spill what exactly it is that he managed to obtain, so you'll have plenty of time to mull over and formulate a plan. You're the only one with enough skills to pull this off, so we're counting on you, Twilight."

Twilight was no stranger to SSS's interrogation tactics. Torture, blackmail, threats, they weren't afraid to resort to underhanded tactics to achieve their goal. Many of their most resilient spies ended up giving in after the SSS was through with them.

He may not know this fanboy spy well enough, but from the looks of it, he didn't seem to be the resilient type. Of course, Twilight could be wrong. He shouldn't judge people by their appearance, especially spies and secret agents who could easily change their appearances within seconds. But still, he couldn't afford to take his sweet time in case this spy gave in sooner than expected.

"Also, the police closed your daughter's kidnapping case and turned it over to the SSS, so most likely someone at the SSS found the case suspicious. You should watch your back. You know what happened better than I do, so if you accidentally left behind any lead that could give anything away, I strongly advise you to get rid of it now before it destroys you."

Lead?

Was letting an enemy live after she found out your real identity considered a lead?

Twilight forced down the laughter bubbling up inside his throat and focused on recalling the events, going over everything to ensure he hadn't missed anything.

Nguyen kidnapped Anya because he recognized her from back then. But from the police reports he had Franky make copies of, neither Edgar nor Karen admitted to have been involved, which meant he was right in believing in their cowardice. They weren't a threat, and the only threat, Nguyen, had already been eliminated. So there should be nothing for the SSS to find.

Unless…

Yuri wouldn't just let it go after his sister got shot, so it was very likely that he was the one, or at least involved in, investigating this case.

Knowing him, he would take any lead he could get. Even if it were a baseless suspicion, he would use everything in his repertoire to chase it down and dissect it thoroughly, not allowing a single thread of clue to escape his grasp.

Underestimating a fanatic like him was the kind of mistake that could lead to his death. If Yuri was going to go all out, then Twilight must meet his endeavor with equal effort.

But to put his plan into motion, he would first need to trust Yor fully, or at least, as fully as possible.

When Loid finally returned home, Yor was already home and so was Anya, who had been dropped off by Franky after hanging out with him and Bond at the park. Yuri wasn't home yet, apparently having to work overtime at his boss' discretion.

The first thing Anya did upon seeing him was run towards Yor.

But Loid wasn't about to allow the same thing to happen twice.

He yanked on the back of her collar and lifted her off her feet as her grabby little hands desperately grasped air.

"Papa! You meanie!"

Nope. Not happening again.

"Loid, you're back! How's work today?" Yor came to greet him as usual, as if nothing changed between them, as if they weren't enemies. But there was a glint of suspicion in her eyes that showed she wasn't so dense she'd believe psychiatrist work was all he did today.

"It was fine. One of my patients had recovered completely and he wanted to thank me by inviting me to a party in the near future."

"I...see." Yor frowned, probably wondering if it really was just a party or if it were an excuse for him to disappear on a mission in the future.

Good. Keep guessing.

The less she knew, the better. He only revealed Operation Strix to her because she was involved.

"Ah." Loid closed in and reached out to retrieve the bug. "You got gunk on your neck."

He was expecting her to back away with a guarded expression, put up her hands in defense, or even strike him in retaliation, misreading his intention as an attack on her person.

He wasn't expecting her to remain rooted in her position and blush from her face to her ears and down to her neck.

"...Yor?"

Yor jolted as her eyes zeroed in on his face, darting down to his lips briefly, before she backed away so fast it was as if she was sliding on water.

"S-Sorry, Loid, I was c-careless," she mumbled with her head down, fiddling with her fingers before her chest. This reaction seemed genuine, which didn't make any sense.

Did she really just fall for this again AFTER knowing I'm a spy!?

Anya nodded at him from behind Yor.

She really did!

Loid suppressed the urge to facepalm as he shoved the bug into his pocket.

Is she dumb or clueless? I can't believe she managed to become one of the best assassins in Ostania by being this dense… This isn't normal.

But then again, Yuri believed everything Yor said without a second thought, no matter how ridiculous her lies were.

So I guess it runs in the family.

The next morning, he used the same trick to plant the bug underneath her collar. This time, Yuri didn't even try to initiate a staredown with Loid when he asked Yor for a goodbye kiss. He was out the door before Loid even asked, to the relief of both parties.

He leaned in close, and since he was nearly a head taller than Yor, this angle and proximity allowed him a good glimpse at the gap between her v-necked collar and her chest. Loid swallowed, forcing down the burning ardor that surged from the pit of his stomach and focusing his gaze onto her lips.

Yor, who was already blushing before he had even done anything, was also looking at his lips.

Regrettably, Loid dragged his gaze away from her plump, kissable lips and pecked her cheek while his nimble fingers sneaked the bug beneath her collar. Her skin was soft but he could feel the bumpy scar he left on her underneath the cheap foundation. The ragged edge of the scar was so out of place on her smooth skin that it brought a frown to his face as his heart suddenly throbbed.

He decided to ignore it.

"Stay safe," Loid whispered in her ears and smirked in satisfaction when she shivered and her ear reddened. He knew he shouldn't act on his feelings (?) for her since at the end of the day she was just a fake wife and her days were numbered, but that didn't mean he wasn't allowed to take advantage of his role as a husband and tease his wife every now and then.

Especially since she didn't appear to be repulsed by his action, if the steam rising from her head was any indication.

"R-Right. I will. You t-too, Loid."

She ducked her head and practically scampered out of the door, leaving Loid alone with Anya, who had a devilish grin on her face.

"...What?" Loid's lips twitched. Just who in the world taught this girl to smile like this? It was honestly kind of creepy.

"Nothing." Anya snickered darkly as she left the house, leaving Loid looking after her small stature in concern.

Once again, Twilight had the skin-colored speaker plugged into his ear as he kept track of Yor's conversation while hiding on a nearby rooftop with a telescope in his hand and observing her every move through the window. Nothing suspicious came out of his surveillance yesterday, but he couldn't let down his guard yet. He needed to test her more.

At around lunch time, Yor received a call from Director McMahon's office phone rather than her desk phone, and this piqued his interest. Seeing her disappear into his office, Twilight immediately set down his telescope and focused on the conversation feeding into his ear.

"S-Shopkeeper."

"Hello, Thorn Princess. How are you faring? I've heard everything from Matthew. If you need more rest, don't be afraid to ask."

"Oh no! I'm already recovered and I'm ready to take on any mission you have for me!"

The Shopkeeper chuckled. "It's good to hear that you haven't lost your enthusiasm after losing to Twilight twice."

"I'm sorry… I–"

"Don't worry about it. If killing him was this easy, he would have been long gone by now."

"R-Right…"

"What's more important is that you don't let this get to you and hinder your ability to do your job. I've decided to give you a month of break so you can gather yourself and return fully prepared to take on the next target."

"Thank you, Shopkeeper!"

"Of course. You're our most prized assassins and we can't afford to let anything happen to you."

Twilight narrowed his eyes.

Was she really? Or was he just spouting lies to keep Yor obedient and loyal? After all, everyone was expendable. Twilight himself was a living proof of this verity.

Before he was blackmailed into becoming a spy, WISE's greatest agent was a woman who went by the codename "Eventide." She went into retirement six years ago without being granted permission and ended up becoming the most hunted traitor in all of Westalis, but her absence didn't change a single thing. WISE was still operating covertly, missions were still being carried out and completed, just not at the same speed and efficiency as before, and new agents were still being trained and added to the taskforce at regular intervals.

No one person was so important the world couldn't operate without. Not Eventide, not Twilight, and certainly not Thorn Princess. Plus, Garden wasn't known for having a single amazing assassin but rather multiple.

"By the way, do you remember anything else about Twilight that stands out and can be used as a lead to track him down? Aside from his thigh wound."

Twilight curled his hand into a fist. If Yor was going to expose him, now was her opportunity.

"Um… Aside from his fake face and voice, I guess… He came off to me as a cruel and ruthless villain. He was threatening my family and using them to make me lose my cool, which he succeeded, but… I dunno if he was just acting when he threatened them but in case he's not, he's probably an absolute scumbag in his real identity as well!"

"I see…"

"I'm sorry that I couldn't get any more information on him… I was careless and showed him an opening which he took and shot me…"

"Don't worry about it. This much information is plenty. We have all the time in the world to catch him. If one client was able to get intel on him, then why not two? Or three? As long as we're patient, he will eventually slip up and give us yet another opportunity to assassinate him. It's hard to keep up an act for your entire life when the whole country is out after your blood."

"You're right."

"Well then, enjoy your break. Do not overexert yourself. We need you at your peak performance when you return."

"I will!"

The call ended right here.

Twilight waited until Yor left the office before picking up his telescope and continuing watching her through the lenses.

The tight ball of tension within him eased up a little after this conversation, but he couldn't trust her fully yet. No. Not yet…

"I mean, if she didn't expose you when she had the perfect opportunity to do so, then I see no reason to continue to be suspicious of her."

Franky and Twilight were hiding in an alleyway where they knew Yor would walk past on her way home from work. Franky was, once again, disguised in the SSS getup, which meant he finally got to wear his handsome mask again.

"But she could have been waiting to expose me later because she'd expect me to monitor her somehow."

"But didn't you say she wouldn't do anything to hurt Anya? Wouldn't exposing you mean taking her daddy away from her? And I thought she didn't notice you put the bug on her?"

"That's true… But–"

"And does she look like the type of person who's shrewd enough to think this far ahead?"

"Well, she can be bright when she wants to be."

Wow, look at him defending his wife. Yet he still insisted on not having feelings for this fake family of his.

Franky rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, make sure you follow the script, Lieutenant Mop."

Twilight shirked as soon as Yor entered their sight, leaving Franky spluttering at the audacity of this man. Someday, he would make this guy regret taking him for granted. He swore on his pride as an informant!

"Excuse me, Ma'am. May I have a moment of your time? I need to ask you some questions," Franky whipped out his fake badge and spoke with a deeper voice.

"Q-Questions?" Yor looked like she nearly jumped out of her skin when Franky intercepted her in the alley. Why she was so scared when she was the one with the skills to murder him and dispose his body, Franky had no idea. Fortunately, there was no one around to see him masquerading as a SSS officer. But unfortunately, this meant there was also no one around to see him being killed by her hands, if something were to go wrong. Out of the two of them, it was Franky who should be scared.

Hopefully, Twilight had enough camaraderie in him to save his reliable and trustworthy informant a second time.

"We've received intel that a Westalian spy named Twilight had recently gotten into a fight that left a scar on his face. Since he can disguise himself as both a man and a woman—" like that one time he dressed up as Franky's crush* to help him practice his lines, "—we've been questioning every citizen who has a scar on their face."

Thanks to Twilight secretly changing her foundation to a cheap brand that was known for its bad quality products, the foundation she used to cover up her scar had already chipped off by the time she came upon him.

"Ah!" Yor lifted a hand to cover her scar as if she hadn't realized it was visible and waved her hands frantically. "I-I'm not Twilight!"

"That's what everyone says." Franky took a menacing step towards her and sneered when she backed up. Twilight, who was hiding nearby, probably thought he sneered for the sake of his villainous role, but he just found it funny that a world-class assassin like her was so easily intimidated. "Can you prove you're not Twilight?"

"Well… My… My face isn't a mask!" Yor pinched her skin just to make a point.

"That doesn't prove anything. No one has seen Twilight's real face. He could be a woman for all we know. Do you know what we typically do with people we suspect as spies?" Franky took another step towards her. "We lock them up in a cell and torture them day and night until they break. Even now, their cries are ringing in my ears. But since you're a beautiful lady, I'll go easy on you. Point us to someone who you suspect might be a spy. They don't even have to be Twilight. Anyone suspicious will do. And I'll let you go. But if you can't do that, then..."

Yor trembled when she heard the cackling spilling from his lips that sounded like it came straight out of hell.

"I-I…don't know anyone who might be a spy…"

"Do keep in mind that getting caught lying will only add to your crimes."

"I'm not lying!" Yor gritted out, lifting her head to meet Franky's glare defiantly. "I don't know any spies. If I do, I'd definitely report them because I don't condone any espionage! I love this country and I love my family! If there are any spies seeking to cause chaos and destroy this peace, then I will personally see to it that they get what they deserve!"

Loid chose this moment to reveal his presence.

"Excuse me, Officer. I'm her husband, Loid Forger. What's the issue here?" He walked up to Yor and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, bringing her closer to his chest protectively, while his other hand made a discreet sign at Franky to let him know the operation was over.

"I just found it suspicious that a beautiful woman like her has such a massive, ugly scar on her cheek. What kind of husband would let his wife parade around the city looking like this? As her husband, you should do something about that unless you both want to be arrested for suspicion."

"Yes Officer. I'll keep that in mind."

"You're free to go."

Loid waited until Franky was out of sight before turning to Yor and bringing a hand to her cheek, tracing his finger along the rough edge of the scar. His heart wrenched painfully at the sight of her beautiful face marred by such atrocity, all because he was too daft to see more than two steps ahead.

"I'm–" He began to apologize, but Yor interrupted him with quiet sob. "Yor?"

"I-I'm so sorry." Tears tumbled over her eyes, trickling down her cheek and along the edge of her jagged scar to drip down her chin. Yor brought a trembling hand to cover his own over her scar as her entire frame quivered in his hold. "I was careless and a-almost got myself arrested. I d-don't know what I would do if my oversight c-caused them to suspect you too and– Oh god… If both you and I got caught, what would happen to Anya? I can't let her… She'll become an orphan again… I can't…"

Loid never saw her as the fragile woman her deceptive appearance indicated. She was a strong woman, both mentally and physically, and could handle everything thrown at her. No insults and bullets could get to her (Camilla and he could attest to this). But for the first time, he felt like he was seeing something vulnerable, something she never showed to anyone because she couldn't. She had to be strong, for herself, for her brother, for her country, for her fake family, and she was so used to keeping up this appearance that when she finally broke down, all the emotions she kept bottled up ended up spilling at once like a dam collapsing.

He was like this too, wasn't he? After losing everything to the invasion, he used a fake identity to join the military and toughened himself up through countless training and battles. He lied and murdered without batting an eye, all the while keeping his sorrow and anguish bottled up inside. And when he finally saw his friends again, the friends who he thought had died back then, he burst into tears, letting his real self beneath the hardened shell see the light of day once again. Fake smile became genuine; lifeless eyes radiated with verve. It was surprisingly easy for a killing machine to return to being the crybaby he was.

And seeing Yor break down in front of him and willingly show him her vulnerable side, as if she didn't feel the need to hide from him, as if this was how much she trusted him, a spy and her enemy, Loid was hit by a range of emotions. The urge to protect her, open his heart to her, and wholeheartedly let himself become Loid Forger, not Twilight the spy, just Loid Forger, the husband of Yor Forger. He wanted to hold her in his arms, make her bury her face into his broad shoulders, and whisper comforting things into her ears while rubbing soothing circles onto her back.

Even though she was just a fake wife, even though any feelings he had for her were doomed to be thrown away the moment his mission ended, he couldn't help but reach out his hands and do exactly what he had envisioned.

Yor made a subdued "oof" sound when Loid pulled her into his chest and gently pressed her face into his shoulders.

"It's me who should be sorry," Loid mumbled against her ear. "I'm sorry for leaving this scar on you and causing you shame in public. I shouldn't have made that move on you in the first place, because I need you alive. I need you."

"F-For your mission?"

That wasn't the only reason he wanted her alive, but dare he admit it? Dare he come to terms with his feelings for once in his goddamn guileful life?

She knows I'm a spy and am only using her for my mission, but she still puts this much trust into me… The least I can do is show her a little sincerity.

The Twilight in the past would have scoffed and mocked him for falling into temptation and letting emotions cloud his judgment. He would have felt giddy that Yor was this trusting of him, because this meant he could use her trust to manipulate her into letting down her guard when dealing with him so he could eliminate her effortlessly after Operation Strix was over.

But Loid didn't want to be Twilight at this moment.

He just wanted to be Loid Forger, the husband of Yor Forger, and answer her question with steadfast honesty.

"Yes, but that's not the only reason." Loid took a deep breath and pushed her back slightly by her shoulders to look into her teary crimson eyes. "Because I…have a favorable impression of you, Yor Forger."

His gaze wandered from the blush rushing up her neck to the ugly scar. What he wouldn't give to remove this blemish from her beautiful face. This was his fault. He was entirely to blame. An urge appeared for a fleeting moment and Loid allowed it to carry his body forward.

To his surprise, Yor turned her head slightly and caught his lips with her own before he could kiss her scar.

"Umf!"

Both backed off at the same time with their faces aflame, taken back by the accidental kiss.

It couldn't even be called a kiss, just a mere contact between lips.

But it meant so much more to Loid, and he wanted, needed more.

He leaned forward and paused just an inch away so she could push him off if she didn't want it. And he'd be totally fine with it. After all, he had already been rejected twice. A third rejection wouldn't hurt. He was still her enemy who nearly killed her, so it would make total sense if she didn't want to engage in any intimate acts with him. Plus, she was always so shy when it came to shows of affections, even his fake "I love her" during his first meeting with Yuri had her blushing and borderline freaking out.

But Yor didn't refuse and back off. The blush on her face was so red he could literally feel the heat emitting from her skin, yet she didn't respond with her usual violence. Her eyes fluttered shut as she crashed her lips against his in her hurry, pushing him with one hand on his chest until his back hit the brick wall of the alleyway.

Loid's mind lurched to a halt.

Wait. What?

0.02s

She's kissing me!?

0.05s

Pull yourself together, Twilight. You're Westalis' best agent. You've kissed countless women for the sake of a mission. A kiss or two is nothing to you.

0.1s

Twilight Mode Engaged.

Once the initial shock died down, Loid allowed himself to relax against the wall and focus on her soft lips that brushed against his slowly like they were dancing a waltz, swaying with the music. This was even better than what he had dreamed of. Her taste, her scent, her touch, all too overwhelming but he wasn't stopping, and neither did she have any intention of breaking off.

They started out slow, testing the waters, tickling each other's boundaries. Smiling into the kiss, he ran his fingers through her hair and adeptly tugged her hairband loose, letting her long tresses cascade down her back. He massaged her scalp as he parted her lips with his tongue, drawing a moan out of her that had him tightening his hold on her waist to clamp down the urge to yank her hair to see what other noises her pretty little mouth could make. The long lashes of her closed eyes fluttered against his cheek as she welcomed his tongue into her warm mouth, her hands sliding down his back, everywhere she touched feeling like lava scorching his skin, and digging her fingers into his hip.

The thought of her using too much strength and breaking his hip bone crossed his mind before he was distracted by her nibbling on his tongue to make him withdraw, which she took as a chance to sneak her tongue into his mouth, growing more confident and moving with a sense of fervor, hunger, like she wanted to swallow him whole, and he happily let her overpower him and dominate this kiss.

Her techniques were nonexistent and it was delightfully obvious that she was carried by passion alone, but even this was way better than any kisses he had had in the past. None had sparked this flame of avidity within him, this burning zest that licked up his spine and made him feel hot and feverish. Was this what being intoxicated felt like? It had been so long since he had gotten drunk.

Loid didn't know if this was her first kiss or not, but regardless, she was unexpectedly bold, not that it was unwelcomed. A woman who knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to get it was always a major turn on, especially a woman who was usually shy and reserved like Yor was. A confident woman was sexy. A confident woman who could kick his ass and dominate him in a kiss? Now this was just plain arousing.

With one hand supporting the back of her head, his other hand rose to her collar to retrieve the bug and let it slide into his sleeves before cradling her cheek with his thumb resting on the scar, tracing its bumpy edge and etching its details into his memory. A glaring reminder of his blunder, and a warning of what could result from his heedless actions.

Loid broke off the kiss just long enough to mutter an apology against her glistening lips. "I'll buy you a scar removal gel on our way home."

Yor breathed heavily and stared vacantly at him before chuckling and hitting him in the chest so hard he got the wind knocked out of him. Knowing her, this was probably her idea of a love tap.

"Now isn't the time for this. But I appreciate it." Her eyes gleamed with fondness as she said, "And I have a favorable impression of you too, Loid Forger."

"Really?" He asked with child-like wonder.

"Yes. Why else do you think I kissed you?"

"Because I'm a good kisser?"

"And I'm supposed to know that without kissing you?"

"…Because I'm Twilight who's had many experiences with kissing."

It felt different admitting it vocally. It was more thrilling, more dangerous, and made him feel more pregnable, even though she already knew his secret and he wasn't saying anything new she didn't know. He hadn't realized how much courage it would take to say a few simple words until now.

But there. He'd said it. All his cards were on the table. It would be hard to cut her out of his life once this mission was over, but he'd worry about that when the time came. And if he played his cards right, he wouldn't even have to remove her from the Forger family.

Yor's wide eyes softened and her lips curled into a teasing smile. "But apparently not much experience with sleeping with women."

Oh no, she did not just–

"Excuse me, miss? I'll have you know I have plenty of experience in bed! I was just…" His mind staggered to formulate a reason, an excuse. "...Distressed because I was still wary of you."

Yor giggled which gradually turned into a full-blown laughter, complete with tears gathering in her eyes and hands cradling her stomach. Seeing this candid reaction of hers made him crack a smile as well.

"Let's go to the pharmacy." Loid handed her hairband back to her and held out his hand, his smile widening when she placed her hand over his.

Yor lowered her head and brushed a lock of hair to the front so it framed her face and covered her scar as he began to lead her out of the alleyway.

"Once again, I'm truly sorry about that scar." The sight of her hiding her face made his heart twinge with guilt.

"Loid, do you remember what you said that night after I blamed myself for stabbing your leg?" When he didn't answer immediately, Yor continued. "You said 'If we were to continue like this, it's inevitable that we might be forced to hurt each other again in the future to keep up our cover. When that happens, don't blame yourself, and I won't blame myself either.' I don't blame you for giving me this scar, because this is the kind of life I signed up for. Don't be afraid to hurt me, Loid. Twilight. I'm not that fragile."

She lifted her head to meet his gaze and Loid nearly faltered at the intensity in those crimson eyes. It was this zeal, this fire she had in her eyes that drew him to her like a magnet. It was always there. When Murdoch Swan made Anya cry, when Loidman tried to kidnap Princess Anya during their castle celebration, when he and Franky disguised themselves as SSS officers and threatened to harm her family after finding out Yuri was in the SSS… It was always when someone disrupted the peace of their little pretend family, the fake family he grew to love and care for. He thought he was doing a sublime job keeping his emotions out of this, but unknowingly he was falling for her more and more with each and every incident.

Loid was the first to break off their eye contact, sighing in a rueful, proud way. "You're right. You signed up for this when you agreed to be my wife, so it's too late to back off now."

"I will never. I promised, didn't I?" Yor held up their clasped hands and gave his hand an experimental squeeze, the wedding ring he bought her after his proposal glimmering in the twilight. "Even in sickness or in sadness, no matter what hardships await us, I will be there for you and you will be there for me."

If Loid was still hesitant about his feelings for her, this was the moment that sealed the deal for him.

That fire in her eyes, the devotion evident in her words, and that bona fide grin.

Twilight had fallen.

Loid crushed the bug and threw it away into a garbage bin.

He had fallen for her.

On a day when Yuri wasn't home, Loid gathered Yor and Anya into the living room while Bond trailed after them curiously.

"Alright, people. I believe we're all aware of the danger we're in," Loid announced as he clapped his hands to get their attention.

Living with a SSS officer, and the whole kidnapping thing raising the SSS's suspicion.

Anya nodded, and Yor nodded too, but cluelessly.

It's fine. I'll include her in the loop later.

"So we're going to come up with codenames."

"Yay! Codenames!" Anya jumped up from the couch with her hands in the air.

"But I already have one," Yor said.

"Yes, but we need to make one for…another purpose. This has to be a codename only we would recognize, and it has to be something we can say in everyday conversations without drawing suspicions." Loid pointed a finger at himself. "I will be Bondman. It's something that would seem natural for either of you to say, due to Anya's love for Spy Wars."

"Ah, then I will be…Rose." Yor decided.

"Anya wants to be Anyaman!"

Loid snorted. "The point of a codename is so others can't recognize you."

"Awww." Anya pouted, her eyes rolling around as she pondered. "Ah, then I want to be Peanuts!"

Loid facepalmed. "Okay, alright, fine. It suits you."

"And Scruffy is Scruffy!"

"Some people already know we call him Scruffy, so it won't do." Remembering Franky's nickname while disguised as a SSS officer, Loid suggested, "How about Mop?"

"A scruffy mop! I like it!" Anya giggled. "Bond is Bond, and Uncle Yuri can be Chihuahua man!"

"Chihua–" Loid spluttered. "Why?"

"Because he always calls me 'Chihuahua girl'!"

"Okay… Let's just call him Chihuahua then." Loid glanced at Yor to check if she was fine with this.

She was already shaking with silent laughter.

"Well, that's settled then. Do you know what it means to give someone your codename?"

This question was directed to Anya.

He could literally see the question marks filling her head.

"Giving someone your codename is associating your identity to this name. It's a sign of trust. And to never betray this trust, we must all agree to be as truthful and honest with each other as possible. There will be no more lies within this family, unless absolutely necessary."

Anya cocked her head to the side. "What's absoul looty nest cherry?"

"It's like not telling someone your plans to surprise them with a birthday party," Loid explained.

"Or telling someone you like their new haircut even though you don't, so you don't hurt their feelings," Yor explained.

"Oh, so… No more lies?" A familiar smirk began to crawl up Anya's face.

Loid suppressed a chill.

"Yes, no more lies."

"Does this include Bond?"

"Well, I don't think a dog can lie. But I guess, yeah, this includes Bond."

Anya suddenly stood up and jumped off of the couch, running to stand beside Bond with a hand gesturing to him.

"Papa! Mama! I intraduce you to Bond!"

She grinned wickedly.

"A doggo who can see the future!"

AN: *Twilight dressed up as Franky's crush, Monica McBride, in Chapter 18.5

If you're disgruntled by the length of this chapter, then blame these two lovebirds for taking 2.5k words just to fall asleep *rolls eyes*

I wasn't planning on writing for the Yoright ship when I outlined this story, but the characters just sort of...wrote themselves. If they want to have some intimate moments this badly, then I'm not against giving them a nudge...