Asked out of boredom for a topic and my youngest sister-in-law requested a Spy X Family fic that included a nightmare and enough fluff to make her cry. Hope you like it, Lucy!
"Mama!"
Anya races to the side of the black haired woman calmly washing that evening's dishes. Her short arms latch onto legs much longer than her.
"Oh!" Yor exclaims as she fumbles to hold onto the soapy plate. She manages to place it safely into the sink and wipes her hands on her apron as she turns to her daughter with a gentle smile. "Miss Anya, you need to be careful. I could have gotten hurt if I was holding something sharp when you hugged me." 'Thankfully it wasn't one of the prepping knives. I sharpened those enough last night I could've easily lost a finger.'
"EH?!" The pinkette buries her face into her mother's skirt. "I'm sorry, Mama! Please don't lose a finger!"
Yor takes Anya's tiny shoulders in her hands as she kneels down to the little girl's height. With kind touches she wipes away tears and pinches at tiny cheeks to tease out a smile. "There, there, Miss Anya. There's no harm done. Your mama is tougher than she looks, right?"
"Right!"
Mother and daughter share a hug as the clock rings out to signal the arrival of 8 o'clock. Anya graces her mama with a smile and giggle, but her attention is quickly stolen by the thoughts of someone approaching their front door.
'These terrorists are getting more bold with every passing day. At this rate, its beginning to cause strain and suspicion with Operation Stryx. Keep it together, Twilight.'
"Papa!" Anya dives out of her mother's arms and bolts for the door. The doorknob turns with the jingle of keys, but the esper is quick to yank open the wooden barrier separating her from her father. "Papa is home! Welcome home!"
Loid blinks, his hand still outstretched from where he'd been holding onto his key. "Anya..." His daughter smiles up at him, and while he's tempted to return one in kind, he knows he needs to remind his daughter of the rules of the house first. "How many times have I told you to have Yor answer the door? What if I had been a stranger? A bad guy from Bondman?" 'The last thing I need is her to be taken again. The success of Operation Stryx lies with her.'
"Oh, Loid! Welcome home!" Yor calls as she pokes her head out from the kitchen. "I'm so sorry, she moved before I could react. It's like she has a built-in radar for you. She always knows when you're almost home."
Anya pales. 'Ah! Please don't be mad, Papa! Don't think I'm weird and send me back!'
"Well, I suppose I can't fault her for that then." Loid grabs his daughter under her arms as he steps across the threshold. "But perhaps next time you can use that radar of your's to tell Yor I'm coming home and she can get the door for you so you don't develop any bad habits, hm?"
"Okay, Papa!"
"Now, young lady, it's bedtime and you don't have your pajamas on." Anya is placed gently on the ground after getting a hug from her father. "Go on and get ready for bed. You have school tomorrow."
"Yes sir, Papa sir!"
Loid watches the pinkette scamper down the hallway and heaves an exhausted sigh once she is out of earshot.
"Rough day at the office?"
The man looks to Yor as she's hanging up her apron. "You could say that. Several of my patients decided today was a good day to try and get physical with me and a coworker of mine." He had no intention of telling her that he'd just spent several hours with Franky, scoping out a warehouse where a group of rouge military men were about to make a big profit by selling noxious gas pellets to an underground crime syndicate. At Yor's concerned look, he's quick to reassure her. "No harm done, I promise. We're fine."
"If you're sure." His wife turns back to the kitchen, opening the fridge to begin pulling dishes out. "I saved you some food from dinner. I can heat it back up for you if you would like."
Loid waves her off as he heads towards his bedroom. "Thank you, but I think I'll go on to sleep tonight. It's been a long day. Goodnight, Yor."
"Goodnight, Loid."
Anya hears as her father walks down the hall and hurries to jump into bed with Director Chimera. She hushes the plushie, pulling the comforter over her head and wiggling to find the perfect sleep spot. "Papa had a bad day so we have to be very quiet," she whispers to her beloved toy.
So she lays there, counting sheep like Mama had taught her to do. She doesn't wake up when Papa comes in to check on her before he goes to sleep himself. She doesn't budge when Mama comes in to give her a peck on the head before leaving for her secret work. Anya sleeps peacefully and soundly long into the night, until she's woken up with a fright.
'What was that?' The little esper rubs at her eyes with a limp fist that isn't holding onto Director Chimera.
"PUT HER DOWN!"
Anya jumps at the shout, now fully awake and clutching her toy close to her chest. 'Papa?'
The pinkette climbs out of bed and hurries to the hallway with plushie in hand. She knows her Papa never raises his voice when she's nearby. It wasn't gentlemanly. Something has to be wrong with him, she's sure, and she needs to help him.
'Let her go!' "ANYA!"
As quickly as her stubby legs can carry her, she reaches the door to her father's room and opens it without hesitation. Several boxes litter the room that she knows hold all kinds of spy things like she's seen on Bondman, but they don't keep her attention for long. Her eyes are trained on the thrashing figure on the bed.
"STOP IT!" he yells again.
His voice makes Anya wince from its volume in the bedroom, but she scurries onto her father's bed anyway, poking his back that faces her.
"Papa," she calls. "I'm here." His shouts and panicked thoughts bombard her mind that's filled with worry for her Papa. Tears fill her eyes as she shakes at his shoulder. "Wake up, Papa! Wake up! I'm right here!"
Loid sits up with a start, almost knocking his daughter off the mattress. He lunges forward as she squeals from the impact, bringing her close to his chest and pounding heart.
"I'm here, Papa!" Anya cries. "Anya's here."
"Anya," he breathes out. Loid clutches his daughter close. She's in his arms. They didn't take her. They didn't take his baby away from him. "I was so worried."
Tiny hands reach up to pat at his sweaty face. Catching tears, he realizes.
He catches her hand in his, bringing it to his lips to kiss the back of it. His daughter is too precious and innocent for someone as broken and old as him, he thinks. He leans back to cup her face and stare into watery eyes.
"Papa?"
Twilight breathes deeply to steady himself. He can't break in front of her. He can't break at all. Not like this. Never like this.
He has to be strong for the mission. For her.
"I'm sorry, darling. I didn't mean to frighten you." He pets her soft hair, noting from the sweet coconut smell that Yor must've given her a bath today. "I'm alright now, I promise." "I'm just so glad you're safe. I can't lose you again."
"Papa?"
"Yes, lovely?"
Anya fidgets with her plushie's arm for a moment, not meeting Loid's gaze. "C-can... Can Anya and Director Chimera sleep with you tonight?"
The secret agent is taken aback by the request. He wants to say "no" right off the bat, his room is filled with dangerous equipment and weapons and ammunition for God's sake, but as he looks into those watery jades he knows he can't deny her request.
"Of course. Just be quiet so we don't wake Yor, alright?"
He's met with a whispered cheer as his daughter moves to make herself comfortable under the blankets and as he lays back down himself, she wastes no to curl up next to his chest with her best friend.
"Goodnight, Papa," she yawns as he pulls the comforter over the two of them. "I love you."
Loid's breath hitches in his chest because the fact that this little girl, this precious child, would love the shell of a person that he is, would never cease to take his breath away.
He presses his lips to her temple and holds her close, feeling her breathing from his hand on her small back and the puffs of air against his chest.
"Papa loves you too. So much." "Sweet dreams, my love. I'll keep you safe for as long as I live."
Remember that you're not alone and you have people behind you, cheering you on, as you continue throughout this life.
~Bless, Alpha.
