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“I’m home, Yor-san.”
The abrupt arrival of his voice caused a violent flinch to erupt through her body, and Yor jumped back against the wall as her hands rushed to her backside. Her knees kissed as scarlet scattered across her cheeks, perspiration beading her temples. A greeting of response clogged inside her throat, but her mouth clammed itself shut as Loid Forger permitted himself into the room. He didn’t seem to give her sudden jump any jarring answer, but if he did he mastered enough artistry to mask it behind a casual glance and a nod of approval.
“Papa!”
On the other hand, Anya abandoned the sofa and the TV before hopping before him, her wide, emerald eyes glossed with enlightenment. Behind her, their dog Bond followed as he made a pair of mighty barks, his tail swinging behind him as he poised himself by the father and daughter. Anya chuckled as Loid returned a greeting, gently rubbing her rosy pink head before folding his coat and hanging his fedora on the rack.
A sense of confidence built itself over his outline, a special sort that Yor was unaccustomed to. The blonde man was certainly a figure of composed gentleman promise, but there was a certain kind of appeal that declared itself uncharacteristically…more handsome.
(Anya’s brows rose at her mother’s description. He looks like normal, she internally dialogued to herself.)
“I hope you had a good day at school,” Loid said, running a hand through his hair. The strands slid against his nails, knuckles grazing his forehead.
“Kids were talking about hearts,” Anya replied, almost robotically recalling the details. “Becky kept saying that there were a lot of couples shows on TV. I saw too—there was a lot of kissing today. Mama had to change the channel because she said it’s too…mature.” She pondered for a moment, balancing her chin on a thumb before raising her head to her father again. “Adults kiss a lot?”
Yor tore herself out of her anxieties in order to clear the topic. “A-Ah, it’s just that there are still scenes that wouldn’t, uh, be suitable for your age, Anya-san,” she explained, as thoroughly as she could muster. She was undoubtedly still a blubbering mess with her hands hidden behind her usual red top, but she was certain that she’d better salvage herself before her awkward disposition could be expanded upon. “Y-You’re too young! I think…”
She didn’t deal with too much of those kinds of content as a child, given her status with her brother and constant need for work, but nevertheless something about it rubbed her the wrong way. Was it actually too adult or was she overreacting a tad bit too much? Was watching adult content at a young age enough to rip off the eyeballs of those who produced those sorts of media for children to consume? Or was she to blame if something such as Anya’s viewing experience got out of hand?
Shoot, come on, Yor! She shook her head—she was just trying her best to expose Anya to better media as her makeshift, temporary mother! Was this process the right way of doing that, perhaps? Goodness, she just couldn’t tell…!
Loid stepped forward. “Yor-san, are you all right? Was there something on the TV that might have, perhaps, disturbed you?”
Yor quickly waved her hands in panicked dismissal. “No-no-no! It’s not that at all!” She then realized what motion she had made and squeaked, immediately shoving her hands behind her again as she slammed her spine against the back wall. The loud bam of impact made both Loid and Anya jerk, and Bond barked as he took a few steps back, tail slouching. Yor began burning up again, and she force-spat syllables out before anything else could infiltrate her agitated self. “A-Ah—forgive me! I-I was just, uh…! I-I was…!”
Her brain struck her with a curse. She was blowing her cover.
Confusion and concern knitted Loid’s brows. “Is there something on your hand?” His eyes lowered to her peeking elbows quizzically.
“Papa, I think Mama wanted to give you something earlier,” Anya notified.
“EH?!”
Now how was Anya able to discern that information?! Because the truth of the matter was, Yor was supposed to give him something.
As a means of repaying him for his hard work she decided to abide by the customs of the upcoming Valentine’s to purchase a simple box of chocolates with her recent salary, a simple gift that could prove enough that she continued keeping him in mind in spite of their fake marriage. It was a lovely box as well—it was a red and pink, heart-shaped container bound with a glittering gold ribbon, resting neatly and spectacularly in the center. Its insides contained two layers of chocolate treats, each one varied in design with numerous kinds of chocolate flavors. Cookies-and-cream, dark chocolate, white chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate with strawberry, chocolate with vanilla, etc.
But the beautiful box might as well have transformed into a moronic mess. And why? Her commute home was interrupted when a van’s driver had lost control over his vehicle, and Yor had to swoop in to rescue a pair of children that hadn’t been observant of the man’s cries of alarm. In the havoc she had saved three lives, but sacrificed her small gift. She hadn’t been in the best mood upon arriving at their shared home, but there really wasn’t much she could do by then.
“Is that true?” Loid asked.
“I-I…Yes.” She finally allowed herself cleanliness, and dropped her limbs to her sides, posture dipping. “I got you chocolates, but they got damaged on the way home. I only managed to keep one piece.” She opened up her right palm, revealing the cracked, crummy texture of an ugly, milk-chocolate biscuit. Textures of road pebbles littered with the crumbs, and instead of smelling of chocolate it more so resembled the aroma of engine smoke. Yor sniffed. “I’m so sorry…!” she whined. “It’s barely consumable now…!”
(As if it was consumable at all.)
“Huh? Ah, you didn’t have to.” Loid accepted the cookie, turning it over as he studied its angles. Miraculously, he didn’t ooze off any irritation, and instead was actually impressed that a survivor existed at all. “You really didn’t have to, Yor. But thank you for this. That was very kind of you to do” He returned his focus to her, a softness befalling his expression as he let a small smile molded off of his gratitude cross his face. “I really appreciate it. It’s the thought that counts, isn’t it?”
She gulped, mellowing down slightly at his comforting choice of words. “I-If you say so…” She interlaced her fingers and pressed them to her chest. “I’m really sorry, Loid-san…!”
“Please don’t be. Ah…” Loid pocketed the biscuit, a soundless chuckle raising his shoulders by a milliliter. “Wait here. I have something for you as well.”
Yor’s skull flew up again. “Eh?”
Loid vanished momentarily to his room, and by the time he emerged he was carrying his own golden box of fresh, collected chocolates. Unlike Yor’s his was less romantic, but the velvety red ribbon still made Yor’s heart melt as he approached them with the object in his hands. He handed them over to her, the gesture short, but it was still as if time froze as she witnessed the object between them. “Here, it’s for you, Yor-san, since you do so much for Anya,” Loid stated, his smile retaining its warmth that made fire burn harsher on her face. “I hope you accept this.”
Nodding stiffly, Yor accepted the chocolates, and for a second it was almost as if their hands on the object sent a wave barreling through her, like a shiver mixed with an electric twitch, dissipating the millisecond he released the box and she brought it towards her thundering heart. With a free hand she arranged her hair, a set of inky black resting behind her ear. “T-Thank you, Loid-san. I-I promise I’ll get you something better soon.”
She allowed her trepidation to simmer down, and let herself crack a similar, small smile as she tightened her hold against the chocolates. They weren’t his to receive, but the sensation whispered of an almost identical passion hugging her heart. It was indescribable, but for what it was, she melted into that cuddle of a pyre.
“You don’t need to force yourself to,” Loid responded, unbeknownst to either of them, also a tiny bit red.
Anya blinked from where she sat atop of Bond, who was switching his attention between Loid and Yor the longer they kept their heed on their feet. “Hey, Bond. Are Mama and Papa flirting again?” Anya inquired with naivety.
The redness disappeared from both her parents as they snapped towards her. “No—we’re not!”