Warning: This chapter will have mentions of abuse.
'The six-year-old girl's stomach turned, she looked over at the clock that read '5:54AM'. She had to get up for school soon, hopefully her parents didn't wake up during that time as she knew for sure that they would argue, and that always turns into a problem about something she did. She quietly slipped out of her bed, and grabbed her clothes for the day. She chose a pink shirt t-shirt and some jeans. After she changed, she walked up to her mirror and quickly pulled the brush through her hair. She stared at herself in the mirror, she wasn't anything special. She knew this, it had been drilled into her head from the moment she was born.
She froze up when she heard her parent's door creaking open, and her father, hungover from the last night walked into her bedroom. He looked around the room for a moment before he saw her getting ready for school.
"Good morning, girl." He said and then turned and left, her stomach stopped turning. This morning is a good morning, assuming her mother didn't wake up and start in on her father.
"G-Good morning, daddy!" She said, cheerfully. Happy that this morning would be a good morning, maybe if she was lucky she wouldn't need to make breakfast herself. But even if she did, she wouldn't mind as at least her father was in a good mood. She walked out of her room and into the bathroom and brushed her teeth, she knew that if she didn't problems would arise and she didn't want that.
When she went out to the kitchen, her father was already cooking something on the stove. It smelled like blueberry pancakes, which were her favorite. It was one of the few good things in her life, food. She would often overindulge herself, so she was a little bit overweight, but not horribly so. She walked over to the table, and sat herself at it, and awaited the food. She knew her father would give her food, he was often the only parent who would. Her mother was terrified of her little bit of pudge, so she wouldn't feed her. It was times like that she was grateful her school legally had to feed her, because she was convinced if they didn't, she wouldn't eat.
She ate the pancakes, the food her father made was always the best in the house. In the off chance that her mother did cook and let her eat it, it was always either undercooked or overcooked. It wouldn't matter though, if her mother was proud of it she had to act like it was good until her father came in and told her mother just how disgusting it actually was. Her father sat across the table from her, and ate with her. They chatted about normal things, schoolwork, friends... etc. Before she knew it, it was 6:45AM, and she had to head out to catch the bus.
"Okay, I'll see you when you get home sweetie. I love you." She couldn't help but smile at the words, she was so happy. She wasn't told this often, so hearing it was like hearing words for the first time. She smiled, and struggled not to cry.
"I love you too, daddy!" She said, as she ran to the door and walked out, she didn't even care that she had to go to the bus stop by herself, her dad loved her! This, in her little six-year-old mind, made up for the beating the night before.'
Annie woke up after that laying in the bed, she felt the tears running down her cheeks. One the other bed, on the other side of the room laid Anya, who was sound asleep. Anya was about the age Annie had been when she learned she had to take care of herself, otherwise her parents would become angry. She turned and looked at the alarm clock, it read '5:54AM'. Annie chuckled as she quietly slid out of bed, she couldn't believe the chances. She didn't bother getting dressed, she walked out wearing her long, flowing white nightgown. Loid was awake in the living room, it's not like he slept much anyways. He was surprised to see the girl, and walked closer.
"Are you okay, Annie? You look like you've been crying." He asked concerned, his thoughts made her tear up more 'Why is she crying? I don't like seeing her cry... She's just a child, I wonder what's bothering her...' her mouth was extremely dry, she couldn't figure out why. She remembered something her therapist said in her past life. "You should talk to people who care about you, it can help you heal." she would say, every time that she would talk about being distant from people. Her eyes teared up again, and this time she began full blown sobbing. Covering her eyes with her hands, Loid was startled. Annie was usually so composed, almost adult-like. This was a wake up call for him, Annie, she was just a fifteen year old girl. She was still a child.
"I-I... I had a dream about my father." She admitted, and Loid's heart sunk. He didn't know what her relationship with her father was, he barely knew anything about her or Anya. He walked forward and wrapped his arms around the trembling frame of the girl. Who began crying into his chest.
"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked, and she nodded softly as they walked over and then sat down on the couch. "What was he like, was he a good person?" Annie couldn't help but laugh at this idea.
"No, he was... he was an awful person." She admitted, looking over at him with a mix of sorrow, grief and anguish swirling around in her eyes. "He would beat me." She admitted, this revelation surprised Loid. His heart dropped into his stomach, he couldn't fathom the idea of a parent physically hurting their child. It disgusted him, and he felt nothing but sadness for the girl. "But there were times where he was nice, like a real parent... Like he actually loved me." She said, her voice shaky and barely above a whisper. "I can't forget everything he did to me..." she said, hanging her head in sadness. "But I can't help but love him, and want to see him again. I somehow miss him despite everything he did to me." She wiped the tears from her eyes, and Loid rubbed her back in a caring matter. This was new to her, she wasn't used to positive physical touch.
"P-Pa..." She said, slowly turning to him with a sad expression all over her face. "I... I think I need to see a psychiatrist." She said, looking at him with a determined look on her face. She couldn't let this get in the way of the main plot of the story. Loid thought for a moment, before nodding slowly. Telling her that he would do what he could. He then stood up, and turned to her.
"I was thinking about making blueberry pancakes for breakfast, how does that sound?" He asked, looking at her with a soft smile on his face. She smiled back, blinking the tears out of her eyes. "... Just so you know, Annie. Even thought it's only been a few days since I adopted you... I already consider you and Anya my daughters." These words took Annie by surprise, she looked up with the shock written all over her face. But then that shock turned into plain out happiness.
"Thank you, Pa." She said, and then stood up, wiping her tears and then walking in to the bathroom, cleaning herself up so she doesn't look like she had been crying for days, on days. After she had done, she walked into the bedroom to wake up Anya, but Anya had already been awake. When Annie walked into the room, she ran over and hugged Annie tightly.
"I'm sorry, big sister Annie." Anya said, and Annie glanced down in confusion before picking her up. And putting her on her hip.
"Why are you apologizing, Anya?" She asked, blinking with surprise.
"I'm saying sorry because I heard you talking to Papa." Anya snuggled into Annie's neck, giving her a loving hug. Annie laughed and rubbed Anya's back in a loving way. She then turned and carried Anya to the bathroom to get cleaned up. It was points like this in which Loid was glad that Anya has a sister, he wouldn't be able to comfortably bathe her because she is a girl. After they were done, Annie blow-dried Anya's hair, and got her dressed in her clothes. They both came out after this and began eating. After they were done, Annie began doing the dishes and then there was a knock at the door. Loid walked over and opened the door to see Yor standing there, cheerfully.
"Good morning!" Anya said, running past Loid and to Yor, who giggled and smiled at the cheerful young girl.
"Good morning, Miss Anya!" Yor said back, and they then let her inside. "Loid... about the uhh... sleeping arrangements..." Yor began, but Loid cut her off to put any worries of hers to rest.
"Separate rooms, of course." He started, turning to look at the woman, who he couldn't help but notice how beautiful she really was. The light from the windows were shining in, making her black hair glisten like the galaxy, and her crimson eyes stared through him. He had to get himself together, he'd been with several women for the mission, but for some reason Yor just... really took the breath away from him. "W-We'll share one for appearances when company comes to visit."
"Welcome to Anya's house!" Anya exclaimed, and Annie came out from the kitchen, and then began scolding Anya for her impolite words.
"Anya, this isn't only your house, it's Yor's now too!" Annie exclaimed, as Anya looked somewhat embarrassed. Yor laughed it off, and then walked more into the house.
"It's alright, it's a lovely home though and I'm happy to be living here!" Yor exclaimed, and left some boxes on the floor and counters. Anya grabbed one and began helping Yor bring her things into the house.
"I'm so happy to have a Mama now!" Anya said, cheerfully. Yor repeated her words with a soft blush on her cheeks, and Loid then butted in.
"Oh, I meant to tell you." Loid said, holding the marriage certificate in his hands. "I got our marriage certificate backdated a year. I'll come up with an excuse for your brother as to why we haven't been living together." Yor nodded in agreement with an 'okay'. As Loid carried some boxes into the room, Anya picked up a box and began carrying it towards the room.
"Ah, Anya no! Those are..." 'All my poisoned weapons...'
SHOCK! Annie laughed as Anya stared in disbelief as Yor took the box from Anya, and then they began carrying other objects in.
"Now that we've sorted all the boxes out, how about we practice the interview?" Loid suggested, and Yor nodded in agreement. She sat on the couch with Anya and Annie while they waited patiently for Loid to return. "I'll ask the questions. Anya, what do you do while you're not at school?"
"... Since Papa leaves Anya and Annie home alone, I watch TV and feel sad as Annie does the chores." Anya said, without skipping a beat Annie sweat dropped. She thought that Anya's intellect was also affecting her common sense, turns out that it's just because she's a child.
"No, no... Not a good impression." Loid admitted, and then turned to Annie, who awaited the question patiently. "What do you do on your time off?" Annie was actually tongue tied, she didn't know... She sat there for too long thinking of something reasonable.
"Uh... go on vacation...?" She replied, questioningly. Loid's face had betrayal written all over it, as he had thought that Annie would've been the easiest to get a good response from.
"No, no... close! But, no." Loid stated, and then turned to Yor, who sat on the couch patiently. "Mrs. Forger, please describe your parenting style?" Yor was silent for a moment, before speaking up.
"Uhh... Strike first, strike hard, no mercy...?" She asked, and at this point Loid tossed his clipboard to the side, standing up and walking away.
"Well, this was hopeless. No way we'd pass the interview." He said as he walked away. "So much for Eden Academy."
"Loid, wait! Don't forget how much this meant to your wife!" Yor cried out in worry and concern, preparing to follow Loid.
"All right. We're going out!" He said suddenly, and rushed them to get ready. Annie rushes to get Anya dressed into something suited for the public, her usual attire consisted of a raggedy-looking brown dress with a white bow on the chest part, but to be going out she needs to look presentable. Luckily, they both had gotten a ton of new clothes recently as they needed a new wardrobe desperately. Anya's dress is a knee-length pastel blue dress with a pink and sky-blue floral pattern adorning it. Her pastel pink hair, which is usually in a flowy bob is tied up into two flowy pigtails. She stared at her reflection, doing poses jokingly as Annie quickly pulls a white cropped cardigan over her shoulders and buttons it. Her shoes were her usual, with white socks folded over with black mary-janes.
"You look cute, Anya!" Annie said, and then Anya looked at Annie with wonder in her eyes.
"What kind of dress are you going to wear, big sister Annie?" Annie thought for a moment before going to get dressed she came out wearing a knee-length, flowy sundress that was a pastel lavender color, she kept her flowing pink hair down, but it was tied back into a flowing waterfall braid. Her shoe wear matched Anya's. They walked out, and Loid and Yor kind of stared for a moment, most likely because they were in awe of how beautiful their newfound children were. They then left, when they were walking down the street, Anya was the one to decide to break the ice.
"Family ooting, yay! Family ooting, yay!" She'd exclaim happily, Annie found it hard not to love her so much. She had siblings in her past life too, but she never had a good relationship with them. So she was glad that she gets a re-do at a life in general.
"It's outing." Annie said, and then looked at Anya. "Try again, family out-ing." Annie sounded it out for Anya, and Anya looked up and then repeated what she said.
"Family outing, yay! Family outing, yay!" Anya cheered with the correct word, she smiled brightly and Loid watched as he was going to begrudgingly correct her, but Annie did it for him. Perhaps he could take some of Annie's actions as advice. "Mama, will you hold my hand?" Anya asked, holding her hand up to Yor.
"Oh, I would like that very much!" Yor said cheerfully, wrapping her hand around Anya's small one. 'I'm happy to see them getting a long, at least.' Loid thought, as they continued walking. 'Aww her hands are so tiny! It takes me back to when I would hold my little brother's hand.' Anya looked up with an expression of appreciation on her face. 'He was delicate like this too, I remember I hugged him too hard and broke two of his ribs!' Anya's appreaciation turned to fear and she let go of Yor's hand, running away a bit. "Anya?" Yor asked, sadly before turning to Loid. "W-Where exactly are we going?" Yor asked.
"I get all kinds of tickets from my connections at work..." Loid said and Annie walked over and looked at the tickets.
"Opera? Anya's going to fall asleep at that..." She said with a sweat drop, and then she laughed and scratched the back of her head awkwardly. "Hopefully she won't snore." She joked, in which Anya took personally.
"Anya doesn't snore!" She exclaimed, defensively, and Annie just laughed in response before walking with over and picking Anya up. They soon approached a large building that Annie recognized as an art gallery. She looked at the art peacefully while Anya ran off to look at other art.
"Papa!" Anya randomly called out, getting the attention of both Annie and Loid, and Annie's face turned pale and she went and scolded Anya before she said anything.
"Anya, I know what your going to say. That isn't appropriate." Anya looked up at Annie flustered, and nodded. Annie from then on stayed with Anya so she could whisper her inappropriate observations to her.
"Annie... someone stole it's head!" Annie resisted the urge to laugh, and looked at Anya disapprovingly. Loid, on the other hand was staring in disbelief as Yor seemed absolutely enamored by a picture of an execution via guillotine. After this, they approached a political speech, and listened how the politican went on about how there was no reconciliation possibility with the West. Annie thought this was utter bull crap and obviously an excuse to continue a useless war. Annie listened on to the other's thoughts without much issue, but Anya had begun stumbling about, her nose beginning to bleed.
"Anya!" Annie cried out and caught her as she fell. She then picked Anya up and then looked to Yor and Loid. "We should leave, I think this is too much for Anya." Loid nodded, acknowledging that Anya is just a small child. Yor followed closely behind.
"I don't like this place..." Anya said sheepishly, as Annie took out her handkerchief and wiped the blood off Anya's face.
"Sorry, that did get a little scary, didn't it?" Loid said worried and Yor glanced at the girls.
"Let's go find a place for her to rest." Yor said, and then they all began walking away. After a few minutes, Anya perks back up.
"I'm hungry!" She exclaims, and Annie giggles. Yor smiles and Loid asks.
"What? I thought you were tired." And then they head off towards a restaurant. Once they arrive, Loid informs the waiter that they have a reservation under the name Forger, a table for four. They go to the table, and they sit down. They wait patiently as they go over the menu. They ordered their food, and Loid immediately had to scold Anya to eat all of her food, not just the nuts. And Yor was... staring at the knife. He was content when he saw Annie, eating like a normal person. He decided to just eat. After thinking for a bit, Loid's happy attitude dissipated and Yor noticed this. Concerned she looked towards Loid.
"Um, Loid... maybe we should get some air?" Yor suggested, and Annie nodded in agreement. So they stood up and walked outside. They looked over a railing as the air blew through their hair. While they were discussing things, Annie randomly remembered what happened at this point. She looked down just in time to see a man snatch a woman's purse and run away. Before anyone had a chance to do anything, Yor jumped over the railing.
"Unforgivable!" She shouted as she went after the man, but to no avail. She lost him without much of a chance. She quickly went to check on the woman, and Annie tried using her mind-reading to find out where the man was, Anya, who was getting kind of sick again, but Anya was able to pinpoint him.
"Papa!" Anya randomly said, and then pointed towards the bakery. "I want cake!" She demanded, and that's when Loid saw him. 'You can't fool me, pal. You might've changed your clothes, but it's hard to change your gait.' He quickly handed Anya to Annie and placed his hat on Anya's head. He then charged over a railing, and landed right on top of the thief. Knocking him out cold and retrieving the woman's purse.
"Thank you, Yor." Loid suddenly said, while they were standing with the elderly woman who just informed them that the money was important because she was going to give it to her grand-child. "Today really put the winds back in my sails, now I know what you mean by that 'let's get back to work' feeling." Loid admitted, and Yor become flustered, and they stared at eachother for a few moments.
"Mama and Papa are flirting..." Anya stated, and they shot back with protest and surprise.
"Anya, leave them alone! They were having a moment!" Annie teased, and they all began playfully bickering until they heard a soft giggling from behind them, they turned to see the elderly woman smiling brightly.
"What a lovely family you are..." She said and then waved them off as they walked away. Once they made it back to the house, Annie found herself staring at her newfound family. She couldn't help it, tears began welling up in her eyes as she began softly sobbing. She tried to hide it, but her family noticed. And rushed to find out what was wrong.
"N-Nothing's wrong..." She began, wiping the tears from her face. She then looked back up with a smile. "I'm just so grateful to have you all in my life."