Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I hope Anya doesn’t mind me picking her up from school today. I was able to leave work early due to a Garden assignment I finished sooner than expected. She is currently at an age when kids want to be more independent and not treated like a little kid.

Grabbing Anya’s hand, I feel a familiar stickiness. “Anya, I thought I told you to wash your hands after art class.”

“I did, then I awarded myself with candy.”

Taking a napkin and a water bottle out of my bag, I use them to clean her hands.

“Mame Mame!” An unfamiliar woman approaches me. She came from a car in the pickup lane; she must be another student’s mother. Her hair is short yet styled like a classic movie star; her dress and makeup are impeccable. Like most Eden moms, she is practically perfect. “Can you remind Anya’s mother that she needs to come to the PTA meeting? It’s not appropriate to send the nanny.”

“I’m Anya’s mother.”

“Oh, I get it, a younger model, you really shouldn’t say that when you look nothing like the kid.” The woman rolls her eyes, “Despite that, please pass the message on to the real mother.”

“Oh, umm.” Shocked, I look between Anya and the woman. How should I handle this? I don’t want to bring up Anya’s mother being dead in front of Anya. It really isn’t this woman’s business either. I take a few steps closer to the woman and away from Anya. “You see, Anya’s birth mother is not…alive.”

“Then her Father should be the one going to meetings. We don’t need opportunists sullying our meetings and influencing our high-status members.”

Melinda warned me about people like her. If anyone questions why Anya belongs at Eden Academy or I belong by her side, don’t entertain them more than necessary. They are only acting out due to insecurities. Melinda told me what to do in situations like this. Just get their name, leave, and tell Melinda, who will talk to them in private.

She is such a kind person, I feel silly thinking Melinda was offering to kill the other parents when she first mentioned helping me. Though all she is doing is talking to them in private to remind them of their manners. After talking to her, they came back to me in tears over being rude, and they left for a few months. She must have a marvelous way with words.

“Don’t be mean to my Mama!” Anya storms up to the woman. “You mean old lady.”

The woman looks at Anya in disgust and sneers before opening her mouth. “You”

“Are leaving” I firmly finished her sentence before she could insult Anya. She glared at me and walked closer to us. If only there weren’t any witnesses, she wouldn’t be so confident. If only I could handle this situation the way I know best. However, I could pop a tire without anyone noticing. It would be a small thing, but it would be something.

“If the rumors are true, at the rate your daughter keeps on collecting tonitrus bolts, you will be leaving first.” She smirks, “Being rude to your elders will earn you one. I have half a mind to report this behavior to the principal.”

“You only having half a mind would explain a lot of your behavior.” Melinda Desmond stands behind the random mother. “Since I witnessed the entire scene and only saw you go out of your way to insult both of them, and you resorted to threats when asked to leave.”

“Mrs. Desmond, I was just asking for the child’s real mother to come to the meetings. They escalated this.”

“A family determines each member’s role, and Yor is Anya’s mother. Don’t police others’ families.”

“But Mrs.Desmond, Eden Academy is a family-focused institution. How can a child from a non-traditional family be a good influence on all of the other children?”

“Yor is an excellent mother. If you have a problem, we can discuss this later.” Melinda frowns and narrows her eyes.

The woman pauses, “No, I understand.”

“So you have no problem apologising.”

“I am sorry for my behavior, Mrs.Desmond.”

“You are apologizing to the wrong person, Mrs. Mayolds.”

The woman bites her lip and looks uncomfortable. Slowly, she turns towards me. “I apologise for my behavior.”

“Be more specific and sincere,” Melinda commands.

“I am sorry for insulting you and your family, along with making assumptions about you. It was wrong of me.”

Melinda coughs hard, and the woman continues,

“And as Anya’s mother, you are welcome to PTA meetings.” She pats my arms and smiles, “I hope you can forgive me for my past behavior.”

Fear is in her eyes, though I am not going to ease her nerves, especially before she apologizes to Anya. I gently motion for Anya to move forward. “You forgot to apologise to my daughter.”

She gives a strained smile, “Thank you for reminding me.”

“At her level,” Melinda chimes in, reminding the woman that she is still being watched.

The woman struggles to squat down in her dress to meet Anya’s eye level. “I am sorry for threatening to tell the principal that you were rude and get another tonitrus bolt.”

The woman tries to stand up, and Melinda coughs hard again. What a subtle way to threaten someone. I could learn a few things from her.

“I am also sorry for insinuating that you were a bad kid and a bad influence on others. You are a good kid, considering Mrs. Desmond cares so much for you.” The woman pauses for a moment, waiting to hear Melinda’s cough. When the cough doesn’t happen, she gets up and hurriedly walks away with her head down.

“Yor, I am so sorry that happened to you; some people don’t know how to behave anymore.” Melinda gets closer and gives me a small hug.

“It’s alright, thank you for standing up for us.” I sigh. At work, I never have to feel defenceless. If someone messed with me or others, they died by my blade. Though in these situations, using violence would only hurt Anya in the long run. If I had even punched that woman, Anya would have been kicked out of school. Then Loud wouldn’t want a violent wife, and he would divorce me. Though if I secretly paid her a small visit later tonight with a gift, that might be different, since it couldn’t be tied to me.

“It’s always a pleasure to support a friend. It’s been too long since we both met up.”

“Yes, I miss you too. We should meet up sometime soon.”

“I happen to have an opening this Sunday if you would like to have brunch.”

Anya grabs my arm, “Mama is busy with Anya on Sunday.”

“We are hosting an art show of everything Anya made in school this year on Sunday. It’s just a few people coming, but you’re more than welcome to come. You can even bring Damian too.”

“An art show?”

” Loid says it’s supposed to increase her confidence in a fun and positive way. He is also very proud of everything Anya makes and wants to show off her work.”

“That sounds fun. What a great idea.” She grimaces, “Both Damian and I will go.”

“Great, the show starts at twelve, we are having sandwiches and snacks.”

“That’s perfect, I will see you then!” Melinda waves and starts to walk towards the school with her bodyguards. She has a lot of security; if she comes with Damian, there will most likely be more. I need to tell Loid. We need to order more food. Is our home safe enough to host them? Is her security team going to search our home before their visit? What if they find my weapons? Her visit could expose my secret. She’s my friend, but maybe I shouldn’t have invited her. Though I can’t uninvite her, and I don’t want to uninvite her. Melinda is a good friend, and I want her to be there.

“Wait, you forgot to tell her the dress code. I will do it.” Anya runs past the bodyguards and to Melinda. Melinda bends down, and Anya whispers something in her ear. She is so serious sometimes. Melinda nods her head and whispers something to Anya. “Thank you!” Anya yells as she runs back to me.

“Is everything ok?”

“Yes, but Anya needs to go home now to see Papa.”

“Alright,” I take Anya’s hand and I walk her home. Her hands are so small it’s hard to believe she is six years old. Yuri was significantly larger at that age. Maybe she needs to eat more. I should talk to Loid about this. She sings the theme song of Spy Wars, which is always a sign that she is planning something mischievous. Sometimes I wish I could read her mind. Anya starts to giggle.

“What’s so funny?”

“It’s a secret.”

She is so different from Yuri. He was constantly looking for my approval and never got into any mischief. Anya is so playful and not afraid of getting into trouble. Her creativity has no bounds, and she loves playing pretend. She probably whispered to Melinda about a new make-believe game. Yuri never played make-believe.

The only time he acted up or played make-believe was on Mother’s Day when he was ten. Instead of celebrating our mother’s life and memory, he gave me gifts. It was like he thought I was his mother, not his sister. I was so upset with him back then. I yelled at him that our mother will always be our mother and that he can’t disrespect her like that. It was one of the few times I ever yelled at him.

Yes, I did everything for him that I do for Anya,, but this is different. Yuri and I had a Mother we both shared. She loved and cared for him; I saw it with my own eyes. Anya, knowing Loid, most likely had a loving mother as well. Both Anya and Yuri lost their mother around the same time. The only real difference is that I know Yuri’s mother and that I am his sister. Yet that makes all the difference in what I am to them.

Maybe I was too hard on Yuri back then, but I am his siste,r not his mom. I can see why he was confused, but I had to correct him. To Anya, I am her mother. It’s my official role in her life, and I love it. Just like I love being Yuri’s older sister. Taking care of a little person and dealing with their fun games and jokes brings a specific type of joy. Seeing them grow and develop is so rewarding. It’s even better doing this with another person.

Loid is a dependable and active parent. The art show is just one example; he planned and organized the entire thing himself. Unfortunately, the party landed on my birthday due to scheduling conflicts with most of our guests. Though Loid said he is planning a nice family dinner for us on Monday, I am looking forward to it.

Anya giggles again. What does she have planned?

 

Melinda POV:

As First Lady, I had to endure countless threats, failed assassination attempts, and encounters with spies fearlessly. Though now I am reduced to a shaking mess at the thought of visiting my sons at school. Dr. Forger recommended I see my sons more often after discussing my anxiety around them. Right now, I am at the stage where I park outside their school for a few minutes a day, building up the courage to go in.

Yor is walking with Anya. She must have left work early to do this. She interacts with Anya so effortlessly.

Mrs. Mayolds is approaching them —a recipe for disaster. I recently heard that she was bad-mouthing Yor recently. Talking to her was on my to-do list, though it seems like I need to do that sooner than anticipated.

“Deep breath, Melinda”, I take a deep breath and open the door.

Dealing with Mrs. Mayolds is child’s play compared to others, though it looked like Yor needed help. When I first entered the capital’s social life, I was just like Yor, unsure of how to stand up for myself. Though by the time Anya is Demitoriasu’s age, Yor will be a force to reckon with. Young, fearless, strong, hardworking, loyal, kind, and with a good moral compass, she is someone you want in your corner.

She also has a great mother; her relationship with her family is something most would envy. Far too many marriages are held together by Eden’s strict policy requiring students to belong to a traditional family. Mrs. Mayolds is rumored to be in one of those unlucky families: a cheating husband and a wife stuck with him, unless she risks her children’s future. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a happy home life. I empathize with her, but that does not excuse mistreating others out of jealousy.

Mrs. Mayolds is stubborn when it comes to understanding that you should treat everyone, at the very least, with basic respect. Though both her understanding and apology still doesn’t seem sincere enough. I should talk to her later about the correct way to behave. I watch her scurry away before approaching my friend. We talk for a bit, and she invites me to a small party at her house, where they are showing off Anya’s schoolwork. It’s obvious how proud both Yor and Dr. Forger are of Anya. Every once in a while, during my sessions with Dr. Forger, I spot a new crayon drawing on his desk. He must have a folder of it at work that he looks at when no one is looking.

My Donovan used to be like that when Demitoriasu was a baby. He would keep our family portrait in his breast pocket so that we would be close to his heart. By the time Damian was born, he had changed; he was more paranoid, more alien-like. Whenever the kids tried to get close to him, he said it would create liabilities that would put them at risk. He barely wants to look at them now. How can I believe he is the same man I married —the man who wanted to make a better world for our kids? People look at me like I am crazy when I mention aliens, but how else can I explain that change? How else can I explain the dead-eyed look on my eldest son’s face? How else can I explain why a family that supposedly has everything is so hollow?

So who cares about the security risk? My family is on the brink of ruin. I am going to that party. I need to see what a normal family is like; it has been too long since I have seen anything like the Forgers. Caring and loving without fear or catering to public perception. Just genuine familial love. I could learn so much from them. My family could learn so much from them. My sons can see what life can be, instead of constant work and seeking approval.

Maybe I can copy the Forgers and hang up some of the boy’s work, to show them how proud of them I am. However, I would need to receive some of their work first. I would also need to talk to them in order to take them to the party. Waving goodbye to Yor, I walk to the school with my security escort.

I can do this. They are just my sons. They love me like I love them. This is a completely normal thing to do. I can do this, I can do this,…. I can’t do this. Reaching the gates, all of my resolve leaves me. What if they don’t want to go with me? What if they go and get hurt?

I am about to stop when a tiny hand pulls my skirt. It’s Anya motioning me to come closer. Bending down, Anya whispers, “The art show is a super secret surprise birthday party for Mama. You got to show up early at eleven thirty with everyone else. Ok?” She has such a serious expression on her face.

“Ok, thank you for letting me into your surprise.”

“Oh, and the dress code is centi-formal.”

“Very fancy, can I still bring Damian?”

“He’s ok.” Anya turns away while screaming, “Thank you!”

She is such a fun girl. I wish my boys behaved more like her. So far, she has been a good influence on Damian. I watch as she runs back to Yor, and I regain my resolve to see my sons. There’s no time better than the present to mend relationships.

Chapter Text

Melinda pov

It is strange to have a hallway in your home that you are unfamiliar with. Ever since we moved into this estate after the war, I have avoided my husband’s office and spare rooms. Anything could be behind the solid oak doors I am passing. My heart starts to beat faster as I try my best to keep my pace steady. The sound of my heels clicks and echoes, so any change in speed would make my fear known from far away.

His office should be on the sixth door to the right, and it will only open after knocking the correct code. To prevent spies from breaking in and catching Donovan by surprise, his team implemented a secret knock that varies with the time of day, reason for entry, and relationship to the person in the room. It took over a week to learn all of the relevant knocks. I refused to make our sons learn the coded knocks; I want them to be as normal as possible. Also, nothing good will come from them being in those areas that require codes. Thankfully, Donovan did not challenge me on this. Instead, he just stared blankly at me before silently walking away.

I stop in front of what I believe to be the sixth door. The hallway is so dark that the dark doors are hard to differentiate from the decorated walls. Pausing, I go over the code in my head, getting it wrong is an enormous headache. Last time I made a mistake, I was interrogated for ten minutes before they believed I wasn’t a spy disguised as myself. My hands start to shake. This isn’t good; it could mess up the required rhythm.

“Deep breath, Melinda,” I whisper to myself before knocking.

“Enter”

Only Donovan is in the room. He is sitting behind his desk at the center of the room. His expression is blank, and his posture is more stiff than usual. He is upset.

“Donovan”

“Melinda”

I lower my gaze and sink into the chair in front of his desk.

“Do you know why I summoned you here?”

“No,” I lie, knowing the only times that Donovan reaches out to me are to reprimand me for breaking security protocols. He knows about my visiting my sons and agreeing to go to the Forger’s party. I grind my teeth in anticipation of him treating me like a disobedient child instead of his partner.

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m your wife.”

“What does that have to do with this conversation?”

“Because you aren’t treating me like one. We are supposed to be able to talk to each other without all this red tape.”

“Considering the security breach you are planning to involve my sons with, I am being more than lenient.”

“It’s not natural how we are raising them. How is spending time with their Mother a bad thing?”

“We have enemies.”

“We are also human, not having any meaningful relationship will damage them beyond repair. Just look into our oldest son’s eyes! There is no spark or life behind them.”

“There is nothing medically wrong with Demitoriasu.”

“It has been years since I saw him smile. The last time I heard him laugh was when he was six years old.”

“He is still alive and healthy. Smiling and laughing are not requirements for life.”

“Do you remember the night we first met?”

He goes silent and frowns, so I continue.

I was telling fortunes in exchange for donations for the local hospital during a street festival. We made eye contact, and you immediately tripped on your shoelaces while walking over. Then, when you got up, you went right up to me and said, As you can see, I already fell for you. Please take pity on me and tell me your name.” I paused and looked my husband in the eye. His expression didn’t change from earlier. “I laughed in your face, but you kept flirting with me. Eventually, you asked if you could get your fortune told in exchange for dinner. When I said yes, you had the goofiest smile on your face.” Tears well in my eyes as I think of my sweet, funny Donovan, while being stared down by the alien Donovan. Of course, he isn’t having any reaction; he wasn’t the Donovan there. They are so different from each other.

“You’re off topic again.”

“No, because of your humor and smile, I fell in love with you, and we were so happy. Life was so good back then. Don’t you want them to have that too?”

“Think logically.”

“I want to give our sons a life worth living. How can we give them the best life possible if we aren’t in their lives? On our tenth date, you mentioned that you loved to cook. Have you ever made your sons a meal?”

“We have people to cook for us now.”

“Apparently, we have people who will raise our kids, too. However, I want us to be those people. I want a normal family.”

“We can never be normal.”

“We can be a family who loves each other, that's all that I want. I want my sons to tell me how their school day was. I want to know their favorite colors, foods, and games. I want my sweet, caring husband back.”

“You want too many things.”

“You were supposed to come back to this family after you resigned.”

“I have other obligations.”

“What about the obligations to your family?”

“What do you think I am doing now? I am protecting our family from your recklessness.”

“Reckless, you really think that of me. Because you once called me spontaneous, courageous, and strong-willed. I haven’t changed; you did! You once loved writing poetry, telling jokes, and being a hands-on father. I am acting on behalf of our sons’ mental health, which you apparently don’t care about.” I stand up from the chair and stare the alien down. He is silent for a few moments.

“Change is important. The man I was before would have died multiple times over if I hadn’t adapted and grown.”

“Are you happy?”

He sighs, “Melinda.”

“Answer me honestly, if you are happy, then you win. If not, please let me try to help our sons. You loved your childhood and your family growing up, please let our sons love theirs.”

“Leave.”

“Answer me.”

“Leave.”

“If I walk out of this room without an answer, I will leave you and take the kids.”

“You can’t leave me.”

“Watch me.” I start walking towards the door and reach for the door handle when he stops me with his words.

“Damian already had one attempt on his life this year despite attending one of the safest schools in the world. How do you plan on keeping them safe? If you divorce me, the kids will be kicked out of their school, which will not only negatively affect their academic future but also their safety. You won’t do that.”

“Donovan, we both want what is best for the kids. Please trust me enough to make one decision on how we raise them. I will stay if you let me be in their lives. Though if I can’t be in their life regardless, there are other safe schools besides Eden. I would rather they be happy out of the country in boarding school than miserable here.”

“You can continue regular visits with both sons and go on approved visits with their peers. In exchange, we keep being known as a happy family, and you take at least one bodyguard with you or one of our sons when you leave the estate.”

“It’s a deal,” I walked out of the room without shaking his hand. This is the most we talked in years, and it was terrifying. A part of me feels like I should have left him and taken the kids with me. Yes, there would be a scandal, but there would be freedom.

The boys could be normal, make friendships not based on their social standing, and live without fear. During the summers, I could take them camping as my parents did with me. /it would be so much fun to teach them how to make a tent, make a fire, and go fishing. At night, we would roast what we caught and then make s’mores while we tell each other campfire stories. My Donovan told the best scary stories. He could give me goosebumps in the hottest of weather. I wonder if the boys would have liked his stories or if I would have to comfort them. If he scared them too much, I would fake scold him in front of the kids. Then he would apologise to the kids, while bringing them into a big hug and kissing their foreheads, like he used to do with Demitoriasu when he had a nightmare.

As soon as I get to my room, I start uncontrollably crying. I miss my Donovan so much. I hate this alien replacement of him. Sometimes at night, when I am alone with my thoughts, I wish the replacement would die so I could mourn the husband I loved so dearly. So my sons and I can move on with our lives without any shame or scandal.

Wiping the tears off my face, I go to my desk to finish matching my sons’ artwork to some frames. I have to put in the work to make my family as close as I always wanted us to be. After I hang up my son’s work, I need to strategize our plan to visit the Forgers.

Yor’s POV

Walking into the apartment with Anya, I see Loid already in the kitchen making us dinner.

“Hi, Yor, how was your day?”

“It was good. I ran into Melinda today.”

“Melinda took care of a mean lady who was being mean to Moma.”

“Someone was harassing you?” Loid looks at me with concern.

“It’s nothing.”

“No, it is important, do you want to talk about what happened?”

“Another Eden College student’s mother didn’t think I was Anya’s mother and said some rude things.”

“She was really mean and ugly.”

“Anya, that’s not nice.”

“She wasn’t nice to us.”

Loid puts down the knife he was using to cut carrots and stands beside me, “Anya, just because someone is mean doesn’t mean you need to be mean in return. Sometimes it is better to be the bigger person and, if needed, bring up their behaviour with the school.”

“Loid, that's too much, besides Melinda took care of it.”

“Melinda took care of it?”

“Yes, and to thank her, I invited her to Anya’s art show.”

“Second son is coming too.”

“The former first lady and her son are coming to this house.” Loid's face goes a bit pale as his eyes dart around the room.

“Don’t worry, she is really nice and is really excited to see Anya’s work. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course, you can invite anyone you like. I just want to get a deeper cleaning of the house done before the show.”

“Thanks, Loid. Do you need any help in the kitchen?”

“No, I’m good. Can you start helping Anya with her homework?”

I start helping Anya with her math homework as the smell from the kitchen grows more and more mouthwatering. Smiling, I feel part of a loving family.