My Tropetember 2023 contribution for the prompt : Reunion.
I'm sorry for the mistakes, English is not my native language. I hope you like it.
Disclaimer : Spy x Family belongs to Tatsuya Endo.
His Daughter's Wedding
Loid rearranged his mask. He looked at himself one last time in the mirror. The disguise he wore was perfect. No one would recognize him as a seventy year old man. It had been two days since he returned to Ostania and reserved a hotel room. He would leave in the evening.
Even though he had not come back for ten years, he had to be careful that no one knew he was there. After all, everyone thought he was dead. His mission ended ten years ago. War had been averted and Loid Forger had to disappear. To avoid arousing suspicion, Loid had to die in a serious car accident. By killing Loid the family father, he once again became Twilight the spy who had to carry out a new mission. Because even if the war had not happened, peace was a fragile thing that had to be preserved at all costs.
He was used to this situation. Execute a mission, disappear when it was completed, then execute a new one. But this mission to Ostania had lasted several years. It had lasted eight years and he had done the only thing he was forbidden to do. He had come to love Anya as his daughter and he had fallen in love with Yor. The fake family he had created had become his real family. For the first time in years, he had been happy. But reality had finally caught up with him and his mission was over.
Separating from Anya and Yor had broken him. But he had to do everything to protect them and ensure that they lived in a peaceful world. He knew Franky was watching them from afar. He had tried several times to tell him what had become of them, but Loid had never wanted to listen. It was too hard. Franky was the only one who knew what Yor and Anya really meant to him.
Then, two weeks ago, Loid came across a newspaper article announcing the wedding of businessman Damian Desmond and Anya Forger. How ironic, Loid had thought, that Anya would marry Desmond's son. By reading this article, all the decisions he had made to that point, all his resolutions, everything had disappeared. He had to go to the wedding and be there for Anya.
He left the hotel and got into the car he had rented. He arrived at the place where the wedding was to take place. It was a beautiful hotel on the outskirts of town. It was an exceptional place for an exceptional wedding. He entered the room where the ceremony was to take place. He looked around the room. He recognized several political figures as well as businessmen. Since it was Damian Desmond's wedding, it was not surprising to see this kind of guest. In the distance, he could see Yuri taking a seat in the front row. Next to him was :
"Yor," Loid whispered.
His heart increased. He knew he would see her, it was inevitable. But he had not expected to feel something so strong. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. She smiled, happy to be at Anya's wedding. Loid took his eyes off her. He had to be careful not to let her notice him. She would be suspicious if she saw a stranger watching her.
He went to sit at the back of the room. From where he was, he had an overview of the entire ceremony. The music started and Anya appeared. Her wedding dress was both simple and elegant. She looked like a princess. Loid felt a pang in his heart. If things had been different, he would have been there to take her down the aisle. He could not help thinking of the time when she was still a little girl that he had adopted to accomplish his mission. He had not expected that she would find a place in his heart and that he would come to love her as his true daughter. But he had to disappear from her life, he thought bitterly.
Anya walked past him and her eyes met his. She opened her eyes wide and froze for a second before she pulled herself together and walked towards Damian. Nobody noticed anything. Did she recognize him ? It was impossible. He had always been a master of disguise and no one could recognize him. However, it was not the first time that Anya understood things that no one else could. The ceremony began and after saying their vows, Damian and Anya were declared husband and wife. All the guests stood up and applauded them.
~00~
Loid had been at the wedding reception for almost an hour. It was time for him to leave. He had taken enough risks. He had managed to avoid Yor. He knew that if he spoke to her, he would risk revealing everything to her and never wanting to part with her. He left the room and headed towards his car.
"Chichi !"
His heart gave a leap in his chest. He should not stop, he thought. He had to keep moving and pretend he had not heard her.
"Chichi, stop !"
Loid stopped walking. He looked at Anya and smiled at her.
"I'm sorry, but you've got the wrong person."
Anya shook her head violently and looked at him intensely.
"Stop lying. I know it's you."
Loid was about to answer her but Anya cut him off.
"Why did you leave ? Why did you abandon us ? I knew you weren't dead. I always knew it. I've been looking for you for so long. Everyone thought I was in denial."
Tears flowed down her cheeks. Loid's heart broke. It was because of him that she was crying. He could not bear to see her like this. He could not continue lying to her. He approached her and took her in his arms. After a while, she finally calmed down.
"I'm sorry Anya. I wish things were different."
"I know you had no choice. And I know why you had to leave. But the last few years have been so hard without you."
Loid opened his eyes wide. She knew ? Did she know about everything ? He had always known she was special and he had once again had confirmation of it. Anya snuggled up a little more into her father's arms. She felt safe, something she had always felt with him since the day he took her from the orphanage. She felt like she was going back ten years ago when they were a family. Chichi, Haha and her.
"I would like you to stay with us."
"I would like that too. But it's impossible."
Loid pulled away slightly and looked at her tenderly.
"I'm proud of the woman you've become."
Anya smiled. Suddenly, they heard footsteps approaching them.
"Anya !"
Anya wiped away her tears and looked at Damian.
"Here you are. I was looking for you everywhere."
Anya moved away from Loid and went to join her husband.
"I was saying goodbye to my father's friend."
Damian greeted him and thanked him for coming to the wedding. He knew this meeting was important for Anya.
"Maybe we'll see each other again someday ?" Anya asked.
"Maybe."
Loid smiled one last time and continued on his way. He could hear Damian asking Anya if she was okay after meeting her father's friend. Attending the wedding, even if he knew there was always a risk, he had not expected such a turn of events. But even though his reunion with Anya had been short-lived, he was happy. For a few minutes, it felt like everything was back to normal. He held his daughter in his arms and he was able to tell her that he was proud of her.
During that day, he was able to see the two people he loved and knowing that they lived in a world in peace and in security was what gave him the strength to move forward.
The end