Yor pulled at the collar of her coat and shivered. What a frigid night to have to go out on assignment, but in her line of work, duty called at all sorts of late hours. The sidewalk was slippery, sleek with wet ice and she cursed under her breath for the lack of grip her heels held. She would have to buy new shoes after this mission, it wouldn't do for her to meet her end because she slipped and broke her neck. How embarrassing would that be after all the battles she's been through? She laughed at the thought as she cupped her gloved hands together and brought them to her face. To be honest though, she welcomed the glacial chill, it helped to take her mind off a certain somebody…at least…for a moment.
Yor stopped and looked up at the hotel sign's bright lights. The Belmond was one of the most luxurious hotels in Ostania, renowned for their VIP clientele and even more so for their discretion of said clientele. That meant it was a golden den for those high up in political circles, the bosses of the underground, and basically anyone who held some type of position with power. Tonight however, that just meant it was to be the final resting place of her next target. A dirty politician who was dealing government secrets to the highest bidder. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath of the icy air, the chill filling her nostrils and clearing her mind.
This is why I do what I do. To rid the world of those that wish to create chaos for self-gain. An image of Anya laughing in Loid's arms as he played with her in their living room suddenly flashed in her mind, and she let out a long exhale. She did what she did to protect innocents like them. To make sure that they woke up every day without having to bear the burdens of the evils that surrounded them. She opened her eyes then, a new calm about her and her lips curled into a soft smile. Opening the door of the side entrance to the hotel she stepped inside. What were they doing this very minute she wondered…was Loid cooking one of his delicious meals or was he struggling to get Anya to do her studies?
"Loid…" She said, the name a quiet whisper. It had been almost a week since their heated exchange in her bedroom and she didn't know what to make of it. He had told her that he wanted to take things slow but she didn't think that meant he was going to be as cold and distant from her as possible. He had barely talked to her since the encounter, couldn't even look at her. Could it be that he was thinking of ending this fake marriage? That perhaps she was too much of a distraction from caring for his daughter? Yor rubbed the bridge of her nose and scolded herself. Now was not the time to think about him. She had to focus, she was on assignment for crying out loud!
Navigating through the near empty hallways, she nodded to the few hotel employees she passed by with a regal attitude, as if she were one of the VIP guests staying at the hotel. People will see what you want them to see, and right now she walked with a grandness to her, beautiful and confident in her form fitted black dress that anybody who saw her wouldn't even second guess that she was not someone of importance. She stepped into the elevator and pressed the button that would bring her up to the penthouse. It was a long way up and her thoughts drifted once again to a certain blond man that waited for her at home. She hated this awkward silence between them. Whenever she tried to pull him aside to talk about what happened he would make up some excuse, "Anya needs me to do this for school," "I need to make a phone call for work," or "I forgot something down at the office." It was the most frustrating situation and she felt helpless as to what the solution would be. She'd never been in a relationship before, should she give Loid space? Did he need his own time to think about—
Yor's thoughts were interrupted as a burning slash ripped through her shoulder. Damn it! She dropped her guard and didn't pay attention when the elevator doors opened! One of the target's guards had thrown a dagger right through her shoulder and started running towards her. She thanked the stars that the blade was short and didn't hit any major arteries. Yor yanked it out, and with speed and precision sent it flying directly back into the man's left eye stopping him dead in his tracks as his body dropped to the floor with a thud. She walked over to the body and ripped some material from his suit, using it to create a makeshift tourniquet to stop the bleeding in her shoulder. It was a shallow wound but it wouldn't do to just have it bleed out. She could hear the footsteps of more men in the hallway running towards her and she sighed, "So much for a stealth op."
It didn't take long for her to finish off the politician's protective detail, about ten men in total but they were nowhere near her level in skill. She reached the penthouse doors and opened them, an older man was already pointing a gun in her direction as she stepped inside. "Who are you? What do you want? Money? I can give you money, just let me walk out of here, name your price."
Yor shook her head, tapping her two slender blades against her thighs. She was not in the business of taking money from bad people and she would bloody her own hands as much as necessary if that meant protecting the smiling faces of those she cared about. She took a step forward and the man shot frantically, yelling desperately for his life. Yor dodged with incredible speed and agility, she was across the room and in front of the man within seconds, she knocked the gun from his hands and placed the point of her blade at his neck, "May I have the honor of taking your life?"
She didn't wait for him to answer and thrust her blade into his neck. It slid through with ease, as if he was made of butter. Blood gurgled in his throat as he tried to speak, and she watched the life leave his eyes. She released the hold she had on him and let him drop. The mission had actually ended faster than expected despite being caught off guard. Yor put a hand to her wound, it wasn't a serious injury, but it would still sting over the next couple of days. She would make quick work of the cleanup and then head home. Home. The thought sent a chill down her spine and her stomach tighten. How could it be that she would rather face a gun point blank than deal with the man that sent her mind and emotions wild?
Anya smiled up at her Papa as he cleared the dirty plates from the table. Another wonderfully delicious meal. She licked her lips happily and slouched back in her chair, her hands rubbing her stomach. Much tastier than anything she ever had at the research center or orphanage. Just another reason why she would never leave this home. She looked at the empty chair across from her and frowned then. Mama was working another late shift. Her and Papa seemed to be missing each other a lot the past few days, their work schedules apparently overlapping. "I miss Mama." She looked up at her Papa and even though he smiled and told her he missed her as well his thoughts couldn't lie.
It's good that Yor had to pick up shifts at work. I can't afford to have her here at the house, even her presence is a complete distraction. No, it's best that our schedules do not sync up at all. The less I see her, the better it'll be, everything is for the sake of this mission.
Anya jumped to her feet in the chair, practically falling on the table worried. What?! Papa didn't want to be around Mama anymore? Oh no, this was not good! If Papa didn't want to be around Mama then that meant their happy family would end! She loved that her Mama was a super assassin, she felt safe whenever she was around. Just last week, it was Mama that saved her from the two scary men that tried to kidnap her! There was no way she could have her go away now. Anya shook her head and set her tiny palms on the table. This was all her fault, it had to be. Papa probably thought Mama wasn't helping enough with her studies so now he was worried about the entire mission! Anya jumped off the chair and yelled loudly so that her Papa could hear her even in the kitchen, "Mama told me to study as soon as I was done with dinner! I always listen to Mama! She's the best!" She ran past him ignoring the surprised look on his face and towards her bedroom. For the sake of this family, she had to keep on studying!
The next day at school couldn't have come quicker and Anya waited out front for her best friend Becky a worried expression clear on her face. If there was anyone who could help her with her troubles at home, it would be her. Becky was knowledgeable in all sorts of things, and she always had an answer for everything. She smiled as she spotted her walking up the school's steps and waved.
"What's up Anya? You look especially frazzled today." Becky looked her up and down before crossing her arms, "What's wrong?"
Anya nodded, "It's my Mama and Papa. I think they're having a fight and I want to help them." She looked up at Becky as if she were the wisest person on the planet, "Tell me, what do your parents do to show each other they care? What is their secret to being happy?"
Becky giggled. "That's easy. They buy each other the most expensive gift possible. The better the present, the more you show how much you love them."
Gah! Anya pursed her lips. She didn't have any money! Maybe if she did, she could have bought Mama a gift and pretended that Papa got it for her. She let out a defeated sigh. There goes that big idea, right down the toilet. She crossed her arms and looked up at the sky. Adult problems were hard. Well, time for plan b she supposed. Just as she was thinking of him, the sound of haughty laughs rang in the air. Anya turned just as a boy shoved past her, knocking her square in the shoulder.
"Watch where you're standing brat." Damian said with a smug smile as he and his two best friends marched forward.
"You walked into her!" Becky called after them sticking out her tongue, only to have Damian wave his arm, not even bothering to turn around. "For the life of me I do not understand why you tolerate him Anya. There are so many other boys you could crush on."
Anya blushed so hard her cheeks matched her hair. "I—I don't have a crush on him!" I'm only trying to be nice to him for the sake of Papa's mission! Of course she couldn't tell that to Becky who only rolled her eyes and giggled as she grabbed her arm, leading them to their first class.
A knock at the door sounded and Loid looked up curiously from his desk. It was almost time for his shift to be over and he had no other patients he planned on speaking with today. "Come in," he answered and one of the nurses peeked her head in, an apologetic expression on her face.
"Loid, I'm sorry but she—" the nurse didn't get the chance to finish when a beautiful woman with soft lavender hair walked past her. The cut of her hair was short and bobbed gently at her shoulders. Her purple eyes were focused on Loid so intently it made him sit up a little straighter in his seat.
"It's okay Joy, she's a…friend." Loid flashed the nurse a reassuring smile and stood up from his chair turning his attention to the other woman, "Please, take a seat." He motioned to the leather chair across his desk but the woman ignored him, choosing to instead inspect the various trinkets and books he had in his office. He nodded his head to Joy letting her know that everything was under control and she took her leave, shutting the door behind her. As soon as they had their privacy Loid turned an icy gaze to the woman in front of him. His voice stern, "What are you doing here Fiona?"
The woman gave him a half smile as she continued to walk around his office. "Is that how you greet an old friend? My, married life must not be going well hmm?"
Loid swallowed his irritation. "Why are you here Fiona?" He sat back down in his chair, clasping his hands together on his desk and waited for her to answer. It only took another few moments until she gave up her feigned interest in his office knick-knacks and took a seat across from him, her eyes once again staring into his. They were cold, bitter.
They were nothing like hers…Loid thought. No, they were the complete opposite of her auburn eyes…her eyes that danced with passion and heat, her eyes that gazed up at him yearningly, innocent and curious with desire as he pulled her into his arms and…
"Are you even paying attention to me?" The memory was jerked from him at the sound of a woman's aggravated voice, and he was immediately brought back to the present. Fiona's violet eyes glaring at him harder now. "This is exactly why the Handler asked me here." She tapped her finger along the arm of her chair and bit the inside of her cheek, "Sylvia seems to think that you might be off your…game. If you asked me five minutes ago I would have said there was no chance in hell that the almighty Twilight was losing it on a case, but seeing you in person…" She raised an eyebrow questioningly, her lips a grim line. "Seems she might be right."
Loid let out an exasperated sigh and leaned back in his chair. "The mission is going fine. Especially when you factor in that we are totally dependent on a child, I can't see it going any better than this. Sylvia knew this was going to be one of those long-game cases. It requires patience and constant modifications to the plan but we are right on schedule with how things should be proceeding. If she had any issues with my handle on it she should have come to me directly. There's no need to send in a baby-sitter. Especially with the SSS being on high alert, it's careless to have two agents meetup."
Fiona studied him and he met her gaze proudly, refusing to give way to her. He was relieved when she looked away first, putting an end to their staring contest. She got up from her seat to stand next to the window, her hands clasped behind her back. "You know…it isn't too late for me to fill in as your wife's role. We could come up with some cover story I'm sure. Either she left the country from a mental breakdown, or she couldn't handle the pressures of motherhood perhaps? Or I suppose...I could disguise myself as her to make things easier." Fiona gave a disgusted look at that last suggestion, as if she had just swallowed something rotten. Clearly she would do just about anything to be a part of this. The woman's ambitions knew no limits. "Either way, having me by your side would be way more efficient than that useless airhead. I read her background report, she has no redeeming qualities or special skills. She's so average it's painful. With us working together we could both drill the girl in her studies and speed up results. There's too much at stake for this mission to fail."
Loid grit his teeth and stood up so quickly from his chair it almost fell, "This mission will not fail Fiona." He could feel warmth creeping up his neck. Normally an insult to an asset of the mission wouldn't phase him in the least. Afterall, who were they to him except stepping-stones to his end result? But for some reason, Fiona struck a nerve when she insulted Yor. Despite what happened between them, Yor's performance as both his wife and mother to Anya played a vital role in the mission. If it wasn't for the fact that she was an absolutely pleasure to be around, and the genuine bond she and Anya shared, who knows if Anya would have even been accepted into Eden Academy to begin with. There was nothing more to be discussed. "Yor has proven to be irreplaceable in her role with this family. That's final."
He was half-expecting Fiona to glare daggers at him but instead she was…smiling. A cold, calculating smile. On any other woman a smile like this would have seemed sultry, provocative even, but on Fiona…it was…malicious. She turned towards him and shook her head, her tongue licking the top of her lips as she sauntered over to him. Reaching his desk, she half-slid onto the edge and leaned towards him. There was something in her eyes now, something wicked. "Tsk…tsk…Oh how the mighty have fallen. You actually like her."
"Don't be ridiculous. She's an asset to the mission. Nothing more."
"You can't lie to me Twilight. I can hear it in your voice when you defend her."
Loid doubled-down and brought his face so close to hers they were only inches apart. His voice was menacing and low, "You of all people should know that I do not, and will not, let anything come before the mission. Are we clear Fiona?" He could tell immediately that his words had stung her. Her eyes had narrowed and her lips pressed tightly together as she glowered at him. For a brief time, he and Fiona had been intimate. She was a rising agent inside of WISE and they had been assigned several cases together. Loid had found her to be physically attractive and after the rush of a mission, one thing led to another. Two bodies searching for release, high off the thrills and exhilaration of a chase. Unfortunately, over time Fiona admitted to having feelings for him and that's when he broke things off, explaining that emotions were a liability to a good agent and she should have known better from the start. It was a cold breakup but necessary none the less. A good spy was only as good as their focus and mindset. Emotions were an absolute nuisance.
They stared at each other with so much anger and loathing, Loid was certain steam was coming out of his ears like one of the cartoon characters in Anya's tv shows. It was getting late and he was growing tired of whatever observational report Sylvia had sent Fiona on. He would give his handler a piece of his mind the next meeting they had but for now he needed to get back home. He and Anya had studying to do. Whether Fiona believed him or not, the mission was always on his mind. He turned away from her to gather up his things when Fiona pulled out a brown folder from the inside of her coat. "I'm not done with you Twilight."
Loid tossed his briefcase in annoyance and crossed his arms, not bothering to hide his aggravation, "Now what?"
Fiona's safe softened, and a coy smile formed on her lips. "Mission details. Sylvia wanted to know if you're still at the top of your game or if family life has put a dampener on your skills. We were supposed to work together on this and I was to report back my findings but I say we make a friendly wager. If you win, I will tell Sylvia that she has nothing to worry about and that Operation Strix is in good hands. But if I win…" She smiled mischievously, "I will inform her that the mission is failing, and she will have no choice but to add me to the operation. I could perhaps play the dutiful nanny." She winked at him and Loid felt irritation like no other.
"What is the mission?" He asked wearily, wanting nothing more than for this to be over with.
"There's a jewelry box that belongs to one Adeline Leigh, an heiress, that we are to apprehend. Apparently, she keeps very "intimate" company with some of Donovan Desmond's closest men and has the list of names inside her precious jewelry box. If we can acquire the names, we can plant more agents amongst those men and gather even more intel."
Loid combed his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. This whole ordeal was ludicrous, teetering on the edge of a woman's total madness, but…if it meant gathering more information on Desmond then it was an objective he could get behind. He wasn't lying when he told Fiona that the mission always came first. Fine, he would play Fiona's game if that meant getting her off his back. He walked over to her and led the way to the door, "Let's go."
Yor glanced towards the clock and wondered if Loid was ever going to get out of bed. It was nearly one in the afternoon, and even though it was a Saturday, this was late even for him. Normally he was up before both her and Anya, with breakfast already cooking. She picked up a couple of Anya's textbooks and stacked them nicely on the table, lost in her thoughts as she haphazardly organized the area. He did call last night saying there was an emergency at the hospital and that a psychiatrist was needed to help with an important case, perhaps it really took a toll on him? Yor couldn't even imagine what it was like to navigate through a person's mind like that. To be able to pull out their most inner thoughts or fears and bring them to light? It was basically a superpower that she wished she could wield. If she could, she sure would like to know what Loid was thinking or why he had been avoiding her like the plague.
She finished tidying up the living room and made her way down the hallway to check on Anya. She had been studying since breakfast, and even though she knew that Eden Academy was a prestigious school, she still didn't quite understand the insane educational curriculum they set for their youngest students. Children should be able to enjoy themselves, play outside. Sure, a steady amount of studying was necessary but the amount that poor Anya had to endure seemed excessive. Of course, it wasn't her place to say anything, she was only playing this woman's mother.
Reaching Anya's room Yor asked her how her studies were going and was greeted with an enthusiastic thumbs up. She is such a diligent young child. Loid really has raised her well on his own. Anya beamed at her as if she had said her thoughts out loud and Yor smiled back. "Why don't we take a break from studying and head down to the market? I think you deserve a treat for your hard work, how do some peanuts sound?" The little girl jumped up and down ecstatic, rushing to her closet to change out from her house pjs. As she let the little girl get ready, Yor backed out of the room into the hallway, bumping into a groggy Loid who was just waking up.
"I'm sorry," She apologized, not really sure why she was so nervous all of a sudden. She looked up at him and even with a tired expression on his face, he still looked ever bit as handsome. He didn't have that masculine, or rugged type of face she was used to seeing in a man...Loid's was softer, gentle even. A type of face one would describe Prince Charming to have in a child's fairy tale book. She giggled inwardly at the sight of his hair though, a messy mop of blond and she suddenly felt the urge to run her fingers through them. "Good morning Loid, or should I say afternoon?" She cocked her head towards the clock.
Loid gave her a half-smile, "I guess I slept in a little later than usual hmm?" He leaned against the side of the wall, arms across his chest, "A case came up last minute that I couldn't ignore but it all worked out in the end, no trouble anymore." He gave her a wink and seemed to be quite proud of himself. Yor didn't quite understand how to interpret that. What worked out? And why was he looking at her like that? She didn't get a chance to ask for more details when Anya came barreling out of her bedroom chanting "Peanuts, peanuts!"
Yor explained that they were just about to head out to the market and if Loid wanted to join them. She wasn't in the least bit surprised when he gave a slight shake of his head and declined. "I need to make a couple of phone calls for work and I think I'd like to have some morning coffee to start the day. You two go on ahead." Yor immediately felt disappointed. What was going on in that head of his? All she wanted was some time to talk to him. If he was feeling any pressure to call off this charade then she had the right to know didn't she? A soft tug at the bottom of her sweater pulled her attention and she was met with Anya's comforting gaze.
"It's okay Mama. Papa is just tired, that's why he doesn't want to go." Yor offered her hand and gave her a smile. How did this little girl always know just what to say to make her feel better? Calling out to Loid that they'd be back soon Yor left with a very excited Anya.
The store wasn't too far from the apartment, about a ten minute walk, and Yor almost lost Anya as soon as they walked through the market doors. The little girl couldn't contain her excitement any longer as she made a mad dash towards the peanuts section. This grocery store in particular had so many different varieties of peanuts that Anya had once referred to it as Heaven on Earth. Yor was practically running to keep up with Anya when she crashed right into a woman who was holding a carton of orange juice, the liquids spilling onto the floor in a wide pool.
"Oh my—I am so sorry! My daughter, she ran off and I was rushing after her, and God I am so sorry. I hope I didn't get any of this on you. I shouldn't have been so careless, I—"
The woman put up a hand and gave a light smile. "It's alright. You didn't mean to run into me, you were just chasing after your lost child."
Yor wasn't sure why this woman emphasized that Anya was lost. She wasn't lost. She simply ran up ahead of her as many children do when they get excited. Maybe she was reading too much into the comment, she did tend to overthink when talking to others, social settings were not one of her strong suits after all. Just then Anya came back to her, clutching at her leg as if she was scared, looking nervously at the woman.
"Oh, this is Anya. My daughter. She gets excited when we come here."
The woman leaned over and poked a finger at Anya's little button nose, which only made the girl draw closer back to Yor. "You know…you look so familiar." Yor watched the woman as she leaned back to her full height, finger on her chin as if she were trying to remember something important. She wore a tight-knit top that hugged a slim body Yor noticed, and she had a classically beautiful face with high cheekbones and soft lips. Her face was framed by a beautiful lavender shade of hair, that seemed perfectly sophisticated on her.
"Anya! That's right! No wonder you seem so familiar, your father is Loid Forger am I right?" The woman bent down to the little girl once again and even though her tone was friendly, it didn't seem to warm Anya. Yor tried to give a calming pat on the child's back before turning her attention to this mysterious woman.
"That's right, although I'm sorry we haven't been properly introduced. My name is Yor Forger and you are?"
"You may call me Fiona. I work with your husband on occasion. Sometimes our assignments overlap, such was the case last night. I hope I didn't tire him too much, we did end up working pretty late, plus, we had a lot to catch up on." Fiona flashed her a smug smile and Yor felt her heart stop. She was the reason Loid was so tired this morning? So that wink from earlier? Was it a mischievous wink that he had been with another woman and he just assumed she would never find out? What case could have kept him up all night that made him sleep well past one in the afternoon? And what did she mean by 'catching up?' Was she insinuating that they were together even after their case?
Yor observed the woman in front her. Fiona was calm, collected, held herself up with extreme confidence. She practically looked like she belonged with the elites in Eden Academy. Of course she was better for the role of playing Loid's wife than she was, how could Yor ever compete with her? On top of that, her and Loid seemed to have a history together. Did they, last night…perhaps? Yor forced herself to stop her train of thought and continued to listen as Fiona spoke.
"Your father showed me a picture of the three of you yesterday, which is how I recognized you. Although, I never took Loid as the marrying kind, especially towards someone so different than he is. Funny how things work out hmm?" Fiona brushed some of her hair behind an ear, glaring at Yor in a way that made her feel uncomfortable. All she wanted to do was run away from this woman and figure out a way out of this whole ordeal. The past week was proof enough that this whole façade was not going to work. Perhaps the story of a divorced woman would be depressing enough to keep the SSS off her back anyway.
Yor was taken by surprise suddenly when Anya stomped her foot at Fiona, "That's because Mama is the best and Papa will never leave her or replace her!" Where the heck did that outburst come from? Yor thought as she blushed at the child's exclamation.
"Nobody is trying to replace your Mother silly girl. Where on Earth would you get that outlandish idea?" Fiona's laugh came out nervous. Were her and Loid close enough that he confided that their marriage was for appearances only? If that were the case, could that have been the reason that Loid was ignoring her the last few days? That he was thinking about replacing her?
Anya continued to glare at the woman and Yor apologized once again for running into her but that they should probably get going before Loid began to worry. Yor had only taken a couple of steps when her heel, still wet from the spilt juice, slipped against the floor causing Yor to fall backwards. Any normal person would have fallen completely on their back but instinctively, with her cat-like reflexes Yor launched into a back handspring, tossing her body into the air with ease and landed gracefully on her feet. Yor cursed at herself for forgetting, she really did have to buy new heels.
When she stood back up Anya was cheering and clapping enthusiastically while Fiona just stared at her mouth wide open in shock. Yor put a hand to the back of her head and let out an embarrassed laugh. "I was a…gymnast back in school. Some habits take longer to die out I suppose."
"I suppose…" Fiona agreed but she eyed her suspiciously. Her lips tightly pressed together.
Yor chuckled nervously again and made her way towards Anya, this time, side-stepping anymore orange juice on the floor before saying one last goodbye to Fiona. She quickly grabbed Anya by the hand wanting nothing more than to leave the presence of that unsettling woman.
Anya angrily plopped another peanut into her mouth as they made their way home. She couldn't believe what was going on in that scary woman's head! She was another secret spy, just like Papa, except she thought that she would have been better suited for the role than Mama! Anya snorted, as if. Mama was not useless like Fiona thought she was. If she only knew that Mama took out bad guys left and right then she would be the one running for the hills.
Another three peanuts went down the hatch and she heard Mama tell her to slow down before she upset her stomach. Anya nodded in agreement but she couldn't help it. She ate faster when she was stressed, and she was indeed stressed! She thought back on Fiona's thoughts as she crunched yet another delectable morsel.
If only I wasn't away on a mission when Twilight entered this stupid marriage. That could have been me! We could have been together like the old days, except this time Twilight would realize that we are perfect for each other. I suppose the brat would get in the way of my Twilight's attention towards me, but if I had the role as her mother in this mission, I'd have her so busy with her studies, she wouldn't have even a spare second to come between us. Damn it, and I should have won our wager last night! Curse him and his stupid disguises. He was able to procure the jewelry box so quickly I didn't have a chance. He won fair and square and made it clear that I was to report back to Sylvia that the mission was in capable hands. He didn't tell me that I couldn't have a conversation with his wife…besides, I wanted to see how pathetic she is on my own.
Anya looked up at her Mama with sad eyes. If only she knew that the mean lady was only saying those things to hurt her, not because Papa actually felt something for that scary woman. But she couldn't reveal anything without giving away her secret and she was warned to keep this power hidden away. It was for her own safety. Besides, what would happen if a top-secret organization found out about her? They would probably run tests on her like some sort of lab rat, lock her up in some secure location, taking her away from any normal chance at life, and that was something she never wanted to go through with again. She shuddered at the memory. Those were crueler days that she hoped she would never return to. Besides, she was enjoying her time at Eden Academy. Despite the tests and the tons of homework she actually had a real friend. And a real...ish family! She couldn't give that up. Not now.
Anya thought back suddenly to something Becky had mentioned when she was giving her advice yesterday, "Mother always seems to enjoy receiving presents after a delicious dinner. ""There is nothing an expensive bottle of wine can't fix!"" Mother always says. Anya grinned and thanked her best friend for being so smart! Perhaps she didn't have any money to buy some jewelry for Mama and pretend Papa got it for her, but maybe she could convince him to take her out to dinner? Maybe all they needed to do was drink the magic wine like Becky suggested and all their problems would disappear! Yes, this plan was sure to work! It had to!
Loid had just finished writing up his report about last night's case when a flurry of pink came barging in the front door. Peanuts spilling wildly as Anya came rushing towards him. He couldn't help but laugh at the sight, what had gotten her so riled up? He didn't get the chance to ask before Anya started to explain at a million words per second.
"We went to go get peanuts at the store and Mama ran into your scary spy—chiatrist partner and orange juice spilled everywhere and then Mama slipped and flew backwards but then she caught herself and did a backflip and landed ten out of ten perfectly, and I think you should take her out to dinner tonight because the mean lady said some things to upset her and now Mama is sad and don't forget to get a bottle of wine!" And as quickly as she started, it was over and he watched in silent shock as Anya ran right past him straight to her bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
Loid genuinely didn't know where to even begin processing everything the girl just threw at him or even what to make of the completely random suggestion that he take Yor out to dinner. And what did a child know of wine? He shook his head, he really needed to stop Anya from watching too much television. He backtracked to the most important fact she had shared…Fiona had met with Yor? But why?
Blast that woman. She must have personally went out of her way to meet Yor even though he was quite adamant that she was an important part of this mission. That stupid reckless…does she not realize that she could be jeopardizing the entire operation? If Yor were to leave now, it would surely be looked down upon by Eden Academy messing up everything they had accomplished thus far. He looked up just as Yor walked into the doorway, and he felt his heart sink. She looked so defeated. Her lips were pouting although she tried to flash him a forced smile and her eyes had also lost their usual glow, and instead flickered like the end of a burning fire, about to fade out.
Whatever Fiona said to her must have struck a nerve for Yor to look like this. He took a deep breath and exhaled in frustration. This wasn't entirely her fault though and he knew it. He played a hand in her ultimately feeling this way. Ever since that night in her bedroom he had been avoiding her and he could sense that she was confused by his distance. Ignoring her for the rest of this mission was not going to cut it. He knew it was stupid to even try. He had to pull himself together and set those pesky stirrings of emotions aside. If he continued down this route of sparing Yor's feelings she was bound to leave this awkward farce and he couldn't have that. There was too much riding on this mission. He needed her happy and a willing participant to continue this show of a loving family. He was WISE's number one agent, it was time he started acting like it.
"Anya said you met my colleague, Fiona." Loid said quietly, "She can be quite brash, I hope you didn't take anything she said to heart." He was met with silence and Yor didn't even bother to look up at him. Damn it. This was worse than he thought, he had to fix this and fast. If Yor left now this mission was done. He walked over to her and gently grabbed her by the waist, turning her towards him. She looked up at him with the saddest eyes.
"Why don't we go out to dinner tonight? Just you and me. I'll call Franky and see if he's up to babysit Anya. After the other night I feel as if I owe you an explanation. Please Yor, give me the chance to make it up to you." He cupped her chin and lowered his lips to hers and kissed her tenderly before pulling back to see her reaction. He felt a soft shudder beneath him as she nodded in agreement. "Wonderful. Let me call Franky and make the arrangements."
It was a few hours later and dinner was going pretty much as he expected. Awkward. Silent. Tense. They were just finishing up their appetizers and if he was going to have 'Operation: Convince Yor to Stay' to succeed, he needed to lighten the mood. He stopped a passing waiter and ordered a bottle of their best red before turning back to Yor with a charming smile. Perhaps a compliment would break the tension? "You look beautiful tonight."
She smiled and looked down shyly at the table before letting out a soft "Thank you."
Hmm…still tense. He had hoped the compliment would break the ice, and she did truly look beautiful. He had surprised her with a new dress custom made from the tailor. He had one ordered just in case an occasion popped up and he figured now was as good a time as any. It was similar to the black one she always wore but this one was of a deep red and brought out the color of her eyes. The crimson color a beautiful contrast on her light skin and in Loid's mind, she looked as if she were wrapped in rose petals, just waiting to be plucked.
"So," he swallowed a gulp, trying to clear his own mind. How was she able to set his mind off so easily? "What did Fiona say when you met? You never did tell me."
He watched Yor shift in her seat uncomfortably, her eyes looking anywhere except to his. "She said…Well, she implied…" Just then their waiter approached the table, presenting a bottle of wine to Loid.
"Sir, a bottle of Edouard Delaunay from Chambertin France. The finest Pinot Noir we have to offer. It will pair wonderfully with the evening's seared duck breast entrée." Loid nodded in approval and flashed a smile towards Yor who still sat stiffly in her chair. After the wine was poured into two glasses, Loid gently urged Yor to continue and was surprised when she immediately downed her entire glass.
That's…very…very…expensive wine and she just drank it like it was juice. He chuckled. She was indeed different, but he liked that about her. She was so down to Earth, so…humble in her personality that expensive wines or fancy restaurants didn't seem to phase her…and Loid found that refreshing. He waited patiently as she poured herself another generous glass of wine. He didn't want to rush her otherwise she might lock up again and tonight was all about releasing the tension between them. She took several more gulps of her wine before she finally spoke.
"Fiona had implied that you two were…together. Not…work related but you know…and I understand we're not," she looked around before bringing her voice to a whisper, "really married but it still hurt I suppose." She reached for the bottle of wine and poured herself a third glass. "And I guess what I'm trying to say is…if you think she would be better suited for you—"
Loid reached over the table and grabbed her hands, holding them tightly in his. He stared into her eyes, commanding her with his own. "Yor…There is nothing between me and Fiona. Nothing, I swear to you. I will be honest that we do have a past but that's where it belongs. We are history. She seems to think we might have a future, but I have made myself clear to her. Which is unfortunately something I have not been with you and for that I am sorry. After my first wife, I never thought I would ever feel again, so the other night…it scared me. But not because of anything you did, but because I'm not sure how to date someone new while also taking care of my daughter. I've never been in this situation before. But Anya has really grown to enjoy your company and so have I. Despite how our paths might have started…I want you to know that…I do have feelings for you and I hope you will continue to play the role as my wife…if you'll still have me."
Her eyes lit up to its full glory once again, the red burning strongly in her gaze, and that beautiful smile of hers had returned. Her cheeks were a rosy pink although Loid wasn't sure if it was from the wine or from his declaration. He had reeled her back in with his story and that's all that mattered. He relaxed in his seat as Yor began to loosen up, recounting the old days where she would take care of her brother Yuri and how it had always just been the two of them. He enjoyed listening to her talk, but above all, tonight's mission was a roaring success...except for the first time in his life, he didn't feel triumphant...I'm sorry Yor.
From the kitchen a watchful eye observed the couple. Reading lips had been the most valuable trait they had picked up along the years. "That was quite the impressive speech, even by your standards Twilight." They watched for a few moments longer before walking back into the kitchen, past the hot stoves and out towards the side exit. They removed their restaurant coat jacket and tossed it in the trash in the alley. A cheeky smile grew on their face as they walked into the cool night air, "And now you have her eating out of your palm like a lovesick puppy. Nicely done Twilight, nicely done."
