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It had only been about three months since Twilight and Thorn Princess admitted their love for one another and revealed to each other their true identities. The pair had fallen deeply in love with one another and had grown attached to family life together with Anya and Bond. With Operation Strix drawing near its end, and the revelation between them allowing them to be honest and open with one another, they both decided they wanted to stay as Mr. and Mrs. Forger; not only just on paper anymore.
Upon a new revelation, Loid and Yor could tell that continuing on in their double lives puts not just them, but the whole Forger family, at great risk of danger. They felt it best to finish Twilight’s mission and retire to settle down, but breaking it to their superiors posed a new obstacle for them.
Loid and Yor each reached out to Handler and Shopkeeper, requesting to meet with them at the Forger residence. It was the safest place to meet without arousing suspicion, and Anya would be sent to stay at Becky’s for the evening. Although an unusual request, both agreed to meet at their home. Unbeknownst to their superiors, the couple had set it up to where Handler and Shopkeeper would meet face to face.
The evening of the meeting arrived, and as both Handler and Shopkeeper entered their home, tension filled the entire apartment. Poor Bond, who was unable to be taken with Anya, feared the presence of the two guests and hid himself away in her room as he could vaguely predict something big was about to happen. Awkward, uneasy introductions amongst the adults were exchanged. Loid escorted both superiors over to the dining room table.
Shopkeeper and Handler sit across from each other, with Loid and Yor sitting together at the head of the table; a long, dead silence amongst them.
“What purpose did you have for asking to meet Thorn Princess?” Shopkeeper asked dourly. “I didn’t realize we’d be having company.”
“Likewise.” Handler says, apprehensively.
“W-well, Loid, my husband, and I were hoping to wanting you two to meet.” Yor said timidly.
“Is that all?” Shopkeeper scoffed.
“No, sir. We also have a few matters we’d like to discuss with both of you here.” Loid says, coming to aid Yor from more intense questioning.
“You might as well just say your peace. I have many things to do, Twilight, and I have no time for dilly-dallying.” says Handler.
Yor looks to Loid anxiously. He takes her hand in his and gives her a soft smile, signaling her that everything will be okay.
Loid clears his throat.
“Yor and I called for this meeting to declare that we have revealed our true identities to one another, and we…” He trails off, looking at his beautiful, angelic wife as she returns a soft smile. “We’re in love.” The couple share a soft gaze. “I love Yor with all my heart. Being with her has made me feel a sense of happiness that I haven’t felt in a long time. I’ve neglected my own peace for so long, but Yor is that peace for me. Anya as well.”
Handler pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs. Shopkeeper maintaining his stone-like demeanor looks directly at Yor.
“Thorn Princess? You feel the same way about this man?” A slight hint of anger in his tone.
“I do. I love him. Loid- Twilight has been very good to me throughout the course of our marriage thus far. He’s the one man who’s able to accept me as I am.” Yor says sternly. “I’m grateful to have him as my husband. I wouldn’t want to be with anyone else.”
“Mrs. Forger, you understand that your family unit was created solely for your husband’s mission, right? He’s supposed to finish his mission and move on to the next; leaving you and your daughter behind. Everything you know is built upon lies.”
Shopkeeper chimes in, “Not to mention, Mr. Forger, that your wife has been a contract killer since she was a child?”
“We’re both fully aware, but Loid and I have agreed to be open and honest with each other. We know our individual pasts are checkered but we both did it to help bring peace and safety to others.” Yor states.
“That’s part of why we asked you both here. After Operation Strix is finished, I wish to put my resignation as a spy. I wish to continue my life with Yor and our children.” Says Loid.
“I as well, Shopkeeper, wish to resign from The Garden.”
Dead silence fills the room again.
“Children?” Shopkeeper asks.
“What exactly are you playing at here, Twilight?” Handler asks furiously.
Yor gets up from her chair and walks to her and Loid’s now shared bedroom and comes back with a folder. She pulls out a photo and lays it at the center of the table. It’s a photo of an ultrasound from the Berlint hospital, depicting a tiny grayish blob. Both Handler and Shopkeeper stare in utter shock.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” Handler shouts as she strokes her temple, while Shopkeeper stares daggers at the young couple.
“How could you be so careless, Thorn Princess?! To let yourself fall prey to the first man to show you any attention?!” He rises from his seat, “And you…” he points to Loid, “You deflowered one of my top assassins… Agent Twilight. Now she bears the bastard child of a man from the West.”
Yor’s eyes darken at his words, “My husband is a good man, Shopkeeper. I may not know much about love, but I’ve come to know about family. Our family is a product of two warring sides that want the same things, but have demonized the other side based on greed and bloodlust. If the two of us are able to work past that, why can’t our organizations do the same?”
“We wish to let our children grow up in a world where they don’t have to cry. They can be safe knowing that their parents are here to protect them, unlike how we were both brought up in this world.” Loid says, looking to both superiors.
Shopkeeper sits back down in his seat. The room goes back to being dead silent again. Handler takes a deep sigh.
“Fine, Twilight.” She says, “I accept your resignation. You will finish Operation Strix. I will have to talk to the higher ups about this, which will be a pain, but we’ll find a way to make it work. The only on the condition I make, is that should anything happen to both of you, I will become your children’s guardian.”
The Forgers look at one another and nod in agreement to her condition. Shopkeeper feels a sense of guilt for his words, but knows that he mustn’t endanger the live of innocents.
Shopkeeper chimes in, “I wish to be apart of that agreement. If your words are true, Thorn Princess, that you two have worked past your differences, then I believe we can as well.”
Handler smirks, “Sir, are you saying you’d like to coparent the Forger children, should tragedy strike?”
For the first time, he softly smiles.
“Yes, I am. Miss…?”
Handler leans over the table and extends her hand to him.
“Sherwood. Sylvia Sherwood.”
He extends his hand to hers and they shake.
“Call me Shopkeeper.”
“Well Shopkeeper, it seems we’re now godparents.” She chuckles.
He returns a soft smile.
“It seems indeed we are.”
Both Loid and Yor stare awestruck at what has just occurred; a newfound bond has been forged between their organizations. The two superiors later leave the Forger home and go separate ways, but not before planning to meet for coffee later that week to discuss potentially working together in the future.