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The moment Loid got out of bed that Saturday, he already knew it was going to be an exhausting day, and not because he had a morning mission involving infiltrating a terrorist group and retrieving some data, which was just his usual routine.
No, what made this day different was the announcement Anya had made earlier that week, catching both him and Yor completely off guard.
She wanted to introduce them to her boyfriend.
The memory of that moment lingered vividly in his mind, the second Anya had said it, Yor had lit up like a firework, congratulating her daughter with excitement in her eyes, while Loid stood frozen, staring at them with a blankness he couldn’t fully control.
The only words that had slipped out of his mouth were a simple, stiff ‘I see.’ to which Yor and Anya had exchanged a look confused and perhaps a little amused by his reaction.
He had spent the entire week waiting for this day to arrive, tension coiled around his chest like a rope pulled too tight, and now that it was here, he felt absurdly unprepared.
Loid exhaled softly and turned on the mattress, expecting to find Yor still beside him, but the sheets were cold, meaning she had gotten up way earlier than him. The soft aroma of breakfast drifted from the hallway, pulling him from the bedroom and into the corridor.
Following the scent, he found Yor in the kitchen.
Morning light spilled through the windows, casting a soft golden glow over her figure. She stood at the stove, carefully tending to a pan where two french toasts were being made. On the counter beside her rested a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon, neatly prepared and waiting, the soft steam coming from them lingering in the air.
Loid paused at the doorway for a moment, watching her. Over the years, Yor had learned to cook more than ‘dangerous cuisine’ and despite still having room to learn, she now handled cooking with much more confidence. She glanced over her shoulder the moment she sensed him, and her face blossomed into a warm smile.
“Good morning." She greeted sweetly, her voice light and bright as she turned back to the pan, still focused on not burning the toasts. “Did you sleep well?" She tilted her head slightly in a curious, affectionate way.
He crossed the kitchen with slow steps. “Yeah." He murmured, his voice low and warm, and then, in a small gesture, he slipped his arms around her from behind, embracing her.
Yor let out a soft, surprised laugh when he kissed her neck, the touch of his lips making her shoulders lift in a ticklish reflex. Heat rose to her cheeks, visible even from the side, and she leaned back instinctively into his embrace, though her hands remained dutifully on the handle of the pan and the spatula.
He rested his chin lightly on her shoulder and she leaned slightly against him. “Do you have time to eat breakfast with us before heading out?" She asked, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.
Loid straightened slightly, brushing a hand down her arm as he stepped back. “I probably should eat now." He replied, offering her a small apologetic smile. “I want to arrive early to review the operation with the team.”
He reached up into the cabinet, retrieving a plate, then moved toward the counter and without a word, he served himself a generous helping of scrambled eggs and three strips of bacon, creating a neat arrangement on his plate.
With a quiet metallic clink, he pulled open a drawer to take a fork, leaning back against the counter, shoulders relaxed, ankles crossed and eating calmly as he watched Yor finish preparing breakfast.
If he could choose, he wouldn’t go on the mission, but knowing that wasn’t an option, he didn’t waste time mourning it. Thinking more carefully, it might even be useful not spending the entire morning at home, turning the situation over and over in his head was not best for both him and Anya.
He was pulled out of his thoughts when Yor handed him a glass of orange juice, which he took with a grateful smile, watching her move around the kitchen with efficiency.
She had already finished cooking and was placing the plates on the table, arranging a setting for two. Loid stepped back into the living room and found her smoothing the tablecloth with her hands.
“Will you have time to help me prepare lunch?” Yor asked, glancing up at him expecting his answer while giving the finishing touches to the arrangement.
He simply nodded. “I’ll be finished a couple of hours before our guest arrives." He said, and she watched, almost imperceptibly, as the line of his jaw tightened for a moment. Yor noticed it and returned the smile as she stepped closer and pressed a short, careful kiss to his lips.
“Try not to worry about the guest too much." She told him, peering up with a playful smirk.
He answered with a rueful little grin. “Can’t promise anything."
Before leaving, he asked Yor to say good morning to Anya for him when she woke up, giving his wife one last kiss before putting on his coat and leaving through the door.
He walked out the door, the air of the street wrapping around him, the sky blue. He soon arrived at the designated meeting point, a low, nondescript building, and joined the other agents in the briefing room.
Loid reviewed the mission details with the team, his voice steady as he ran through timings, entry points... He listened to the other agents present their observations and when they got the signal to enter, they left the room in complete silence.
The operation took less time than anyone had expected. The suspects turned out to be a group of amateurs, no one knew how they had gotten the information in the first place with their level.
He handed the detainees over to the custody team, exchanged the necessary paperwork with the lead agent, and took a moment to collect himself before saying his goodbyes, then left the scene behind.
He walked back, reviewing in his mind the sequence he would perform when he reached home: help Yor prepare the meal, receive the guest at the door, sit to eat while they talked, and after that, say goodbye to Anya and see her off as she left for her date with her boyfriend.
It was all planned, and when he arrived home, Yor was watching TV in the living room, she heard him enter and got up and approached him with a smile that seemed to brighten the whole entryway. “How did it go?"
"No problems." His face was as composed as ever and he looked at the living room, Bond laid over the rug as he slept. “Where’s Anya?"
Yor gave him a look and said. "She’s in her room studying.” Loid gave her a skeptical look, both of them knowing Anya was just trying to avoid the questions his father was so eager to ask her about the guest. She had been avoiding them all week, telling him he worried too much and to wait until he met him, although under his gaze, he worried too little.
Without another word, they set about preparing lunch together. The kitchen hummed quietly, the kettle clicked, cutlery chimed as it was arranged, and the soft thud of plates being set in neat rows lent the room a comforting rhythm.
Loid kept glancing toward the hallway every few moments, preparing for the doorbell to ring at any moment, but at the tenth glance, Yor caught his eye and lifted an eyebrow.
“You know, he’s not going to show up any sooner even if you do that." She said, smiling wryly as she adjusted a napkin.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about." He said, and the corner of her mouth twitched with something almost like a smile, but he didn’t bother answering anymore, trying to appear calm.
While they waited for the food to be ready, Loid took the opportunity to fill Bond's bowl, which the dog promptly started to devour.
A few minutes later, a pan-roasted seasoned chicken rested on the serving board, browned to a perfect crisp on the skin, accompanied by sautéed mushrooms that glistened with butter and a neat pile of tender green beans.
They had just turned toward each other to exchange a final, satisfied glance when the doorbell rang. Loid checked his watch and felt a small, inward pleased note at the boy’s punctuality.
He stepped toward the door, intending to be the one to greet their guest, but was intercepted by a blur of motion, which was Anya appearing in the hallway, hair slightly askew while announcing in a rush. "I’ll get the door!” Her voice carried a bright, nervous energy that made Loid’s chest warm.
This was the moment of truth, he had run through scenarios in his head at least a thousand times over the week, so he was ready for anything.
Or so he thought, until the door opened and Damian Desmond stood framed in the doorway.
For a beat, everything flattened around Loid, Damian was impeccably dressed, and bearing an expression that tried to be polite but betrayed a tightness around the eyes, showing he was full of nerves inside. The boy said something with a smile, probably a greeting, but Loid was still caught in the abrupt, vivid impression of him standing there.
It wasn’t until Damian extended his hand that Loid stepped out of the trance, taking the offered hand and returning the greeting automatically. Anya, already chattering, tugged her boyfriend inside and led him toward the living room to meet Yor.
After a few seconds, Loid turned and joined the group, already taking their seats at the table. Damian sat down beside Anya while Yor planted herself opposite him, and Loid took the chair next to her, facing the girl.
They started eating and almost at the first bite, the boy commented that the food was delicious, eyes shining while looking at the plate, to which Anya beamed at him and chirped, proud and a little matter-of-fact, ‘Of course it is, my parents cooked it.’ They continued eating without talking at first, Damian’s leg bouncing under the table as a result of the tension and nervousness that were dancing in the air.
“Then…” Yor was the first to break the polite, slightly taut silence, and Loid was grateful once again for her kind nature for trying to ease the atmosphere they were in.“How long have you two been seeing each other?" She asked, palms resting on the table, eyes bright and genuinely curious.
Anya furrowed her brow for a beat, a small, comic display like she was consulting an invisible calendar, and then declared. "About six months, I think?” She said while looking at the boy.
“Seven and a half.” Damian said calmly and took a bite of his food after clarifying it.
“Sy-on is better than me with dates.” She said it happily and proud and Loid’s chest tightened in a small, private spasm. He watched his daughter glow while talking about the boy and he realized that she’d been seeing someone for well over half a year and he had been… surprisingly blind.
Yor paused for a moment, fingers idly tracing the rim of her glass as if counting something on her fingertips, then she asked. "So… was it before you both became Imperial Scholars?”
Damian answered this time. “A few weeks before.” His voice had a slight formality, but there was a hint of warmth as he looked at Anya, who chimed in quickly.
“It was a pretty chaotic month.” She waved one hand in the air, eyes wide as she painted the memory with exuberant gestures.
Yor’s smile was soft and approving, she nodded while Loid simply inclined his head and took another bite, his jaw working as he chewed methodically.
He turned the conversation gently. “Speaking of Imperial Scholars, how’s school going for you, Damian?" He asked with an even voice, he remembered Anya saying that he often helped her study for exams.
Damian stiffened slightly, the movement was almost imperceptible but Loid saw it. “Everything’s fine." He said. “Eden is demanding, but I just have to put in the time, it’s all about preparing and following the planification.”
The answer seemed to please Loid, a small lightening of his face, the nearest thing to a smile he’d shown since sitting down, it was brief, but genuine, and it seemed to make the boy a bit more relieved.
The conversation unfurled more naturally after that, they spoke about school, about friends, about little anecdotes Anya pulled up one after another. Damian, while reserved, relaxed in and joined to complement her stories while Yor listened with interest and Loid found himself chuckling once or twice at the girl’s enthusiasm.
At one point, Yor leaned back slightly in her chair, folding her hands in her lap, her eyes glinted with mischief as she asked. “So can I ask who made the first move?”
The question hung in the air and Anya’s face lit up instantly, a little light sparked behind her eyes. She began, voice bright and animated, shifting in her chair so that everyone could see her face light up.
“That’s a good story! We were leaving the library after finishing a group project." She said, hands sketching the air. “And then Damian suggested we went to get something to eat." She continued, leaning forward. “To which I said yes, obviously.” She giggled at that.
“I noticed he was especially distracted that day." She added, fluttering her fingers by her temple to show his absent-mindedness. “He kept walking into things and looking at the sky like he’d forgotten how to walk straight, it was hilarious.” Loid watched her, an amused, bewildered expression crossing his face.
Anya narrated with the breathless rhythm of someone retelling a favorite cartoon episode. “He led me to this small café near the river, you know, the one with the crooked sign? And when we sat he was just so absent, I kept poking him to get his attention, but he’d only smile shyly and look at me .”
Just as she was warming up to the heart of the story, Damian unexpectedly cut in, his voice was low and sharp, trying to be composed but unable to fully hide the blush rising to his cheeks.
“Okay, I think that's enough." He said, a small, almost adorable protest escaping him, he glanced at Loid and saw the way the man’s eyes softened.
“But I love telling it! You were so cute when…” Anya’s words trailed, she always loved the buildup.
“Anya, please...” Damian interrupted half-exasperated, half-embarrassed, and it sent a triumphant, mischievous smile across her face. Yor’s own smile widened at the playful exchange.
Later, when they were eating dessert, the conversation drifted to more recent misadventures. Anya was babbling through an anecdote about a small laboratory mishap from the week.
“You should’ve seen Damian’s face." She said. “He looked like he wanted to…" She groped for the right word. “He wanted to tell that other guy to go away, but he was embarrassed to do it in front of the class.” Her expression showed genuine affection.
“It’s not true." He interjected quietly.
“Come on, I didn’t even need to read your mind to know that.” She said it with a laugh, a little wag of the finger aimed at him. The sentence was light, but at the mention of his daughter's powers, all of Loid's alarms went off in his head.
“Anya!” Both Yor and Loid sprang up from their chairs, the sudden movement making Damian start slightly. They turned to look at the girl, who returned their gaze with a puzzled, open expression, as if she’d just said something terribly important and only now realized it. Her face shifted from confusion to a quick, apologetic flurry of motion as she waved her hands and began to explain.
“Mom, Dad, Damian has known for a while.” She said it frankly. Both parents stared at her, stunned, before their eyes dropped to the boy, who raised his hands in a sheepish assent.
“She told me a few months ago…" He offered, trying to keep his voice steady. “Well… it sort of slipped out." He added softly. “But I haven’t told anyone! And even if it seemed strange at first, it doesn’t change how I see Anya at all.” The last part came out quieter, more sincere, and Anya’s cheeks flushed with a pleased, startled glow.
His explanation seemed to calm Yor and Loid, the woman’s shoulders loosened and meanwhile, the man watched Anya with a suddenly serious expression, his mind running through dozens of questions, but he made sure she would read the most important one: ‘Did you tell him about our real work?’ His daughter looked at him and hurriedly shook her head, making a small, emphatic face that said ‘No way, I’m not that big-mouthed.’
They finished the meal without any further incidents, and after promising to Yor that he’d come back again for lunch, Damian slipped on his coat and stood beside Anya, who clipped Bond’s leash on, the dog excitedly barked, tail sweeping in wide, happy arcs and they both waved goodbye.
Once the door closed behind their guests, Loid walked straight to the sofa and simply collapsed. It wasn’t mission fatigue that weighed on him so much as the two hours of conversation that left him pleasantly exhausted and oddly unsettled.
Yor padded over with a tray holding two steaming cups. The kitchen light caught the gentle spirals of steam as she set the tray down and sat beside him, close enough that the warmth seemed to seep into the air between them.
“Well…” Yor turned toward him, smiling faintly at the persistent look of processing on his face. “That was… something.” Her voice was soft, amused.
“It was something…” Loid repeated the phrase, but his mind was still elsewhere, the words were automatic. As Yor reached for his cup and handed it to him, she held it out with both hands, he took it, fingers enclosing the warm ceramic, and brought it up for a sip, the heat sliding down his throat and, for a moment, clarifying the muddle of thoughts.
He set the cup down on the table and looked at her, eyes slightly wide with residual surprise, trying very deliberately to mask the undercurrent of agitation that still hummed beneath his composed exterior.
“I still can’t believe she’s dating Damian.” He said it half-amused, half-disbelieving.
Yor folded into the opposite end of the sofa, one knee tucked up as she watched him. The living room was quiet except for the faint tick of the wall clock until she spoke, her tone light, teasing. “Didn’t you have plan B at the beginning of Operation Strix? This is even better, isn’t it?”
Loid let out a small, controlled snort that was almost a laugh, he rubbed the bridge of his nose with one hand, the other draped over his knee. “That plan meant that Anya would be his friend.”
Yor’s smile broadened, an indulgent, slightly triumphant curve. “Well, technically he’s her boyfriend.” The word landed in the room like a warm pebble dropped into still water and rippled outward. Loid’s face immediately looked unamused and he shot her a look that communicated both mild reproach and incredulity.
“Even told him about her powers.” Loid flattened himself forward, resting his head on his folded arms across his knees. “That means it’s serious.”
Yor eased back so her body pressed against the sofa’s back, palms resting in her lap, she watched him with calm composedness. “I’m glad Anya has someone she can be that honest with, isn’t that good for her?" She said, voice gentle, sincere.
Loid glanced at her. “Becky knows too.” He argumented back.
She crossed one foot over the other and raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, but… it’s different. We know it more than anyone. When you have a secret people can’t know, you at least want to be honest with the ones you love.”
He tapped his fingers once against his knee, a tiny metronome measuring his worries. "Do you think Anya noticed I was uncomfortable during the meal after that?"
Yor’s eyes softened even further, taking in the little tremor of worry under his composed surface. She reached out almost without thinking, laying a hand over his arm. “I think we all noticed, dear.”
Loid exhaled through his nose and allowed a small, reluctant grin to appear. “Well, at least it seems Damian took Anya’s secret better than we took each other’s when we found out.” He spoke with a weary, ironic lift of his brow.
She let out a soft laugh. “Don’t exaggerate, we handled it like adults." She said, chin tilting up with a hint of pride.
“Sure." Loid replied, raising a finger. "But you almost slit my throat with a kitchen knife, remember?” His voice wasn’t accusatory, more amused than anything, but he did instinctively rub the side of his neck as if recalling the cold glint of steel.
Yor huffed, cheeks warming the slightest bit. “Can you blame me?" She answered, half-defensive, half-laughing. Then her expression softened, her eyes drifting toward the window where dusk had deepened into a soft violet glow. “Anyway… I’m glad for her, they looked happy, and that’s what matters.”
Loid let the words sit in the quiet for a moment, the lamp cast a gentle amber across the room, giving everything a certain warmth. “I suppose you’re right…" He murmured, although his conviction wasn’t complete.
Yor, catching that, added gently, looking at the glass pane fogged slightly with the evening chill. "Besides… it’s pretty obvious Damian’s infatuated with Anya.” A small laugh slipped out of her as she recalled the flustered teen’s face.
When she noticed Loid watching her expectantly, waiting for elaboration, she shook her head, amused. “He looks at her the same way you look at me when you think I don’t notice.”
That earned a real smile from him, slow, mischievous, warm. “I do that precisely because I know you notice." He countered in a low, teasing voice.
Yor’s cheeks tinted with a shy blush, and she leaned gently into his shoulder, her hair brushing against his jaw. The contact soothed him instantly, grounding all the swirling thoughts he’d been juggling.
“I guess it just makes me a little sad." Loid admitted quietly, his voice dropping softer, vulnerable in a way he rarely allowed. “Anya’s growing up too fast… don’t you think?”
She lifted her head and looked at him with compassionate eyes. “I’m sure all parents feel that way." She said tenderly.
“You don’t.” Loid added before he could stop himself, tilting his head toward her.
Yor blinked, slightly affronted, lifting her head with a faint frown. “Just because I accept change doesn’t mean I don’t feel…” Her voice thinned for a moment, searching. She sighed, letting her gaze settle somewhere vaguely across the room, on the framed picture of the family on the edge of the bookshelf.
“It feels like just yesterday she spent afternoons binge-watching Spy Wars and dragging her blanket around the house like a cape.” Yor smiled faintly, nostalgia slipping into her expression.
“The first part still applies." Loid noted, chuckling as he remembered Tuesday’s marathon.
“What I mean is that she's simply growing up whether we like it or not, and I'm proud of how we've raised her, she's a wonderful girl.” She looked at him with a smile, and he turned his gaze back to his lap.
“Yeah.” His eyes shined a little bit more, feeling the pride Yor spoke of when he remembered how happy Anya had been during the meal.
Her eyes softened even more at the sight, and then something else appeared in her mind. “And also… look at the other side." She said, turning toward him and reaching for his hand, her fingers trailing lightly across his knuckles in a gesture filled with affection. “We now have the house to ourselves.”
Loid instantly felt the shift in atmosphere, the warmth, the closeness, the quiet hum between them that wasn’t quite present a moment earlier. He looked at her with a slow, deliberate smile as his hand slid around her waist, fingers tracing the curve just above her hip.
He leaned closer, breath brushing her ear, voice dropping to a low, intimate murmur. “What do you have in mind?”
Yor turned her head until their eyes met, her gaze bright, her cheeks tinted with anticipation. Neither of them spoke, they didn’t need to. They just leaned in, slow and unhurried, savoring the closeness, until their lips met in a soft, lingering kiss.
The room seemed to quiet around them, their kiss deepened only slightly while Yor moved to position herself on his lap, lowering her face to bring their lips together again, her hands automatically caressing the back of his neck to keep him close.
And for the first time that day, Loid stopped thinking altogether.