Chapter Text
Eric Forger, a little boy no older than six sat in a meditative position as he read one of his father's medical books on incisions and where to properly cut to avoid arteries and excessive bleeding. His blonde hair was an inch in length with fringes touching his brow and parted in the middle, showing inquisitive yet calm almond-shaped green eyes on a stoic face. He was so engrossed in the book he did not notice a tall blonde man with blue eyes enter his bedroom.
"Eric, what are you doing up there?" The man is called Loid Forger, he is Eric's adoptive father.
The boy craned his neck back as he looked up, or rather, down from where he sat on the ceiling reading the book. "Exercising my telekinesis while reading one of the medical books I stole from your room without asking again." He answered, unashamed as his father gave him a blank stare.
Loid sighed, "At least you admit it. Come down from there, your mother will be back any moment now."
"Got it." Eric floated down, flipping himself upright as he stood on his feet once more.
Eric is a telekinetic, a test subject formerly named 006 who escaped the lab with his younger sister around a year ago. After being bounce around foster care for several months, Loid Forger found them and adopted them, unknowing of their origins until a week ago during one of Eric's emotional distresses that set off his dangerous abilities.
The father observed his son's power, still getting used to seeing it in action, but not afraid of it. In fact, Loid encouraged this as a way to siphon the ability to avoid another buildup of pressure. As long as Eric did this in the safety of their home, out of the mother's sight, Eric is stable and Loid won't have to worry about Strix as much.
Loid is in truth a Westalian spy named Twilight, who was sent by WISE to probe an Ostanian political figure named Donovon Desmond in an effort to subvert war between East and West. Unfortunately, getting close to the reclusive man proves difficult as he only attends social gatherings at Eden College where his sons currently live and study at. In order to succeed the mission, Twilight needed to assume the identity of a civilian father raising two children, one of whom he enrolled at Eden College and must turn him into an Imperial Scholar to attend those gatherings where Donovon is seen. Which is the sole reason why he adopted Eric and Anya as his own to ensure world peace between the nations.
Loid guided his son into the living room where his daughter, Eric's little sister, Anya sat in front of the television watching her cartoons. He stared at the youngest of the family with fondness that can hardly be considered fake. While the mission mainly required one child to help him get inside Eden, Anya was a surprise as Eric would never have gone with Loid if Anya couldn't come along. Despite the unplanned adoption of a second child, Loid's glad that Anya is here. Loid would never admit it out loud, but he cares about both of his children and wants to keep them both safe from those that wish them harm.
Anya glanced up at her father and smiled brightly. Loid returned her smile with his own. Anya has no clue that he knows about her and Eric's origins or about her brother's power. From what he read from the journal that once belonged to late scientist Tobias, Anya was the Subject 007 who failed to develop a power whereas Eric succeeded. Despite her hyperactive personality, Anya is normal compared to her brother.
Even though his superiors have put Subjects 006 and 007 on the 'must find and bring in' list, Loid is hesitant to follow that order as he has no intention of turning either of them into weapons. He learned their terrible secret, yet he cannot share his own as it would put them both in danger and add more stress to his emotionally destructive son. The last thing he wants is his son and daughter learning of his life as a spy.
Or rather, that is what the children want him to believe.
Anya giggled softly at the tv, her father's thoughts have been everywhere, but the main things she can pick up on are how much Loid Forger cares about her and Eric. Anya didn't come out of the lab as a defective experiment. She is actually a telepath, an individual who can read the minds of living creatures, be they human, animal or bug. The daughter learned a long time ago never to reveal her power as others would despise her. The only one who knows and accepts her abilities is none other than her brother Eric, her best friend and protector.
When they first met Loid Forger, she immediately read his mind and found out he is a spy on a mission to protect world peace from an evil bad guy boss hellbent on bringing war between the two countries. She shared this knowledge with Eric whose main priority is ensuring their safety and getting the best grades to become a doctor someday. While her brother has made conscious effort to avoid being dragged into his father's other missions, Anya is determined to help Loid Forger in whatever she can to succeed for world peace.
Three Forgers sat on the couch watching the evening news report on a mass killing involving the bodies belonging to an extremist group called Red Circus.
Eric frowned, "Red Circus. Should we be worried?" He asked his father who sat between his children.
Loid rested a hand on Eric's shoulder, "Of course not, this was probably an internal dispute gone too far." Though even he had to be wary of every organization hell-bent on violence and bloodshed. Last thing he wants is any of these groups coming near his kids.
Eric hummed and bowed his head, "You're right, I'm not old enough to get worked up over these weirdos." 'At least not until they come after me.'
"Papa, I wanna watch cartoons." Anya said, tired of watching boring news channels.
"Not yet." Loid said as he fixated his gaze on the television. This is how he gathers intel from the news media, he just needs to read between the lines. But Anya's teary-eyed stare made him relent, "Alright, go ahead."
Anya's face brightened before she hopped off the couch and ran towards the tv and turned the knob to her favorite show.
The front door opened, "I'm finally home." Yor Briar Forger, Loid's 'second' wife and adoptive mother of Eric and Anya entered the apartment. The mother of he Forgers clutched her paper bag, walking very slowly with her face pinched in severe agony.
"Welcome ba-" Loid paused when he saw his wife's expression. She looks very unhappy, angry even.
"Here's-" Yor wince in severe pain as she set the grocery bag onto the kitchen counter, "-the milk...and the eggs."
"Oh, thanks for picking that up." Loid approached his wife, "Are you...not feeling well today?"
Yor panicked internally, "Me? No, I'm fine." She denied, using all of her willpower not to cry out in pain radiating through her body. 'I can't tell him I'm in intense pain because I was killing a bunch of terrorists and one of them just shot me in the butt and expect some follow-up questions! I mean, I treated it, but OW!'
Anya caught the tail end of Yor's thoughts and her mouth fell open in shock, 'Mama was shot...by a gun?' She slowly approached her mother, "Mama, are you dying?"
"Please, don't worry Anya. I'm not dying, Mama's just...really tired right now." Despite the pain killing Yor, she assured her daughter, "I should probably head straight to bed." 'It'll help. I just need to sleep it off. I'll be better in the morning.' At least that's what she's hoping for as she entered her bedroom.
Eric caught Yor's slow jerky movements from where he sat on the couch. He chose not to comment as he had a feeling that their mother, the world's most powerful assassin known as the Thorn Princess of Garden, must've acquired an injury from her most recent job. If she were to explain what happened, she'd have to reveal her secret as the deadliest hitwoman to ever exist. However, the only ones who are aware of Yor's true identity are Eric and Anya.
While Eric mulled over his mother's job hazard, Loid had a look of worry and panic when he assumed that the reason for her bad mood is because he is putting excessive work on her. Anya was internally praising Yor's resilience to gunshots and how nothing can bring her down. The telepath turned to her father upon hearing his overactive thoughts and how he's barking up the wrong tree with his crazy assumptions.
Eric yawned as he and his cat, Honey Ninja, stretched out their limbs simultaneously.
They all went to bed hoping a good night's sleep would alleviate Yor's mood.
Unfortunately, that wish went down the toilet.
Yor was completely disheveled and her face scrunched up from the literal pain in her butt.
Loid saw this and immediately came to the conclusion that she is still angry with him.
'Didn't seem to help.' Husband and wife thought at the same time at their separate predicament.
"I hope you slept well." Loid greeted in an attempt to smooth things over.
"Uh, yeah, I slept alright. Ow." Yor stiffly answered while cradling her poor left butt-cheek.
Loid decided to do what any good husband would do and cheer her up. "Hey, since we're both off work today, I think we should go on a date."
This caught a blushing Yor by surprise as she squeaked, "Uhhhhh-a date?"
"To show my appreciation for everything you do." Loid explained with a heart on his chest, "You deserve it Yor. I want you to relax and feel good about yourself."
Yor blushed hotly, "Oh, I, uh..." Then she remembered her coworkers talk about how their date nights go, but Yor never spoke of her own with them, which made the others suspicious.
A blue onesie Anya exited her room with Bond padding behind her.
Loid realized he was being pushy and hasty with his sudden proposal, "Um, if you're not feeling up to it today, we don't have to go."
But then Yor perked up with clenched fists, "I'll go! I can't afford to pass this up! It's a perfect learning opportunity!" A pump of adrenaline added to her declaration helped her forget the pain, at least momentarily.
"Learn what?" Loid was confused by what Yor said.
Yor turned around and dashed to her room, "I'll go change, be right back!"
Anya raised her hands and jumped up and down excitedly, "I really wanna go too Papa! A date sounds super fun!"
Then Loid shot down that idea, "I'm sorry, but we won't be bringing you with us. It's a date, you know."
Anya visibly deflated at the rejection.
The last bedroom door opened to reveal a sleepy boy with a black cat on his shoulders. He had a messy bedhead, and his face was lethargic as he struggled to open his eyes. "What is..." He yawned, "...all the shouting about?" He struggled to speak as he leaned on the doorframe on the verge of unconsciousness again.
Later while it was still morning, Franky was called in to babysit the kids while the parents went out on a date.
Loid wore a navy-blue suite with a black fedora, shoes and leather gloves while Yor had a blue sundress with white low-heeled shoes and a sunhat.
Franky stood on the high step with Anya and Eric beside him as they bade the couple goodbye.
While Yor's butt screamed in pain, Loid gave the kids and Franky a final warning, "Be good while we're gone."
A still sleepy Eric waved at them, "We got things here." He suppressed another yawn that wanted to escape him. He really wanted to return to bed right now and not see daylight for another month.
"Now Yor, why don't we take our leave?" Loid snapped his fingers, and their ride slid up beside them.
Yor was conflicted and in agony, she did not want to hurt his feelings for this kind gesture, but her poor butt can't bare to handle more trauma. Suppressing her discomfort with an iron fist, she made a request of her husband, "Loid...I... I'd much prefer it if we walked around instead."
This caused all of Loid's careful probability and planning every scenario to drop from 862 to 68. '794 plans gone in an instant.'
Despite the wrench in his plan, Loid maintained his composure, "Yes, of course, a casual stroll together sounds lovely."
With that, the car drove away and the couple walked beside each other. Eric, Anya, and Frank watched from where they stood in front of the apartment.
"Mama and Papa make me worry." Anya said, still perturbed over Yor's injury.
"They've got enough on their plate without a kid like you worrying about them too." Franky stated as he prepared to head back inside.
Eric nodded, "He's right, they're adults, they can handle themselves." He rotated his shoulders, "I'm going back to bed." The thought of his bedsheets made him feel happy. Just to curl up under the covers and sleep.
Anya then remembered the latest Bondman episode where the agent has to tail his target and never let them out of his sight. This presented a rare opportunity to test her shadowing skills.
"Scruffy Head." Franky turned and saw Anya standing firmly at the bottom of the steps, "I wanna tail Mama and Papa."
Eric gave her a tired look, "Let's not." His body cried for his bed.
Normally, Franky would shoot down that idea, but he wanted to see what moves Loid uses to impress the ladies. He leapt down from the top of the steps with a grace no one expected, "Are you being serious right now, because that sounds like a lot of fun to me! I'm in!"
"Yeah!"
"Hey, hold on. you're supposed to be babysitting us." Eric reminded Franky.
Franky grinned, "No one said it had to be at your house specifically."
"Yeah, but-"
Franky ignored the kid and turned to Anya, "Only problem is, your Papa is a pretty sharp guy. We'll have to make sure he doesn't see us. We'll use disguises."
"Right!" Anya exclaimed in excitement.
Eric groaned and sighed at these two as he ran a hand down his face. He might as well come along to provide adult supervision for these two.
Thirty minutes later, all three of them changed into their disguises.
Frank had overalls, a mustache, beard and green cap with the letter 'F' on it. Eric was half tempted to take a marker and write a sentence that ended with '-uck my love life.'
Anya wore a red trench coat with sunglasses and a headscarf around her head.
Eric had a straight fringed raven colored wig that ended below his chin, square-rimmed glasses over his green eyes, and his regular clothes.
"I think that get-up will draw more attention to you." Franky stated when he saw Anya's disguise. She looks like a little girl playing dress-up.
Out of all three of them, Eric stood out the least.
"You're not gonna wear a dress?" Anya asked since no one would expect Eric to look like a girl.
"The skirt will slow me down."
Thus commenced the mission to shadow Loid and Yor.
All three hid behind the wall. Franky inwardly smirked as he waited to see what seduction techniques Loid uses on the ladies. Anya struggled to read their minds at a long distance. Eric leaned against the wall, not even bothering as he yawned heavily with a book propped in his hands, hoping it will help keep him awake for the duration of their crazy outing.
Unfortunately, and predictably, Loid spotted them instantly. 'What do they think they're doing? She must be pretending to be a spy. I don't see the fun in that. Franky and Eric are with her, so it should be okay.'
Yor noticed something off about Loid and gritted out through her pain, "Something wrong?"
"No, everything is just great." Loid hastily said, mistaking her pained tone for displeasure for his silence and lack of attention. "How about a little shopping?"
Unfortunately, the stylish pant Loid showed Yor were too tight in her opinion and would put pressure on her wound. So sadly, she turned down the offer to try them on.
The three shadows peeked at them from behind the outdoor mannequins. Well, two of them peeked, one fell asleep while standing up with a book in his hand.
Then came the movie theater featuring a dramatic film called 'REN-AI.' However, Yor could not sit on her gunshot butt at all. 'I can't sit on my butt.'
Franky sobbed into a handkerchief as he watched the movie. The Forger siblings conked out in the seat next to him.
Then they went to the low-lit jazz club where Yor was met with the same problem. 'I can't sit on my butt.'
Franky and Anya spied through the holes of two fliers. Eric was face down with his flier covering his head as a pseudo blanket for his ongoing nap quest.
Then the pond where Yor stood straight on the rowboat with Loid begging her to sit lest she fell in. 'I can't sit on my butt!'
In a swan peddle boat, Anya spied through binoculars, Franky ogled two pretty women passing them on their boat, and Eric slept to the gentle rocking motion on the water.
And then the spa where Yor refused the massages as it will expose her wound.
Franky took this opportunity to get a massage from a woman's soft hands while Eric softly snored on one of the spa tables. Anya whispered fiercely at her cohorts to get moving when Loid and Yor left the establishment.
They caught up with the couple at the zoo where Yor invertedly scared a bear who was peacefully sitting on their undamaged bottom. 'My butt's killing me!'
Franky, Eric and Anya watched through the animal face cutouts.
By the time evening fell, tension between the couple reached its max. Yor endured so much pain that she could not focus on the date. Loid's stress over Yor's supposed bad mood did not help matters at all.
Meanwhile, the three shadows tailed them from behind the shrubs. Franky laughed hysterically, "Loid always tries to act all cool, but he can't get anything right today! What a loser!"
"Says the guy who can't even get a date himself." Eric muttered, much to Franky's chagrin.
"Yeah, why does your personality stink?" Anya added as she gave him an unimpressed stare behind her sunglasses.
A tick mark appeared on Franky's head, "If I can't get ladies to like me, at least let me enjoy his failure every once in a while!"
"Pathetic." The siblings said together.
"What did you say you little hellions?" Franky's voice rose as he stood up, completely forgetting their objective.
'They're starting to become a distraction.' Loid noted as he had a difficult time focusing with those three following them. He turned to Yor with a gentlemanly smile, "So Yor, why don't we have some dinner?"
Yor smiled through her pain, "Sounds good."
They made it their reservation. This time, Yor could not avoid sitting. Instead, she hover-sat just an inch above the chair.
Unfortunately, the three shadows could not enter due to a dress code and policy banning children from their establishment.
"You heard the man. Give it up." Franky said as he held Anya's hand.
Eric sighed in relief, "Thank goodness. Let's go home." He really wants to sleep in his own bed. The naps throughout this day did not help his mood at all.
They left the restaurant with Franky adding, "I'm starting to get kinda bored."
"You and me both." Eric agreed since he finished his book three naps ago.
Suddenly, Anya picked up on someone's thoughts, 'The Thorn Princess?' She gasped and looked around for the owner of those thoughts, 'What's she doing here?'
Anya pulled Franky and Eric to a stop and turned back to the restaurant.
As fate would have it, one of the Red Circus men was a waiter at the restaurant. He survived the massacre and got the Thorn Princess in the butt with a single bullet and left the building. Seeing her again after what she did to his fallen brothers, he cannot let this opportunity pass. He'll finish the job.
Anya listened to those evil thoughts as she pulled up her sunglasses, 'There's a bad guy in the restaurant!'
On one hand, he doesn't stand a chance against Yor's fighting prowess. But if she defeats him singlehandedly, Loid would find out and divorce her.
"C'mon small fry, let's skedaddle." Franky called out.
Eric nodded, "He's right. Dad will be cross at us for leaving the apartment."
"No way!" Anya cried out, she can't leave their parents to that Red Circus creep. It will undo everything.
Franky stared at Anya, believing that she's worried Loid and Yor will split despite not being a real family. But considering her persistence, he resigned himself to his fate.
"Franky, don't you dare." Eric warned, cranky and irritable for moving around all day.
Franky clapped his hands together, "Okay, next game is called 'infiltration.'"
Anya pumped her fist in the air, "In-filly-tration."
Eric facepalmed, mentally cursing his fate as the only adult here.
Thankfully, Franky had spare black stealth uniforms on him. Anya wore a cloth over her hair accessories, elbow-length shirt, fingerless gloves, shorts, boots, belt and toy gun holster on her right thigh. For Eric, his resembled Twilight's right down to the headgear on his head and a cloth mask pulled over his nose and mouth.
"This is so stupid." Eric commented with his arms folded as he leaned against the stone wall while Franky worked the grate to help them sneak through the air vents.
"Where's your sense of adventure?" Franky asked, doing another double take at the shocking resemblance between Twilight and his son. 'They've gotta be related.'
"In bed waiting for my corpse." Eric deadpanned at their so-called babysitter.
Anya grabbed her brother's hand and stealthily drew in his palm in haste, "Please brother, for the mission?"
Eric's eyes widened as he translated the message.
'RED SURCUSH, MAMA DANGER, INSIDE.'
'I can't believe this.' Eric seethed in annoyance as he realized the Red Circus terrorists they learned about on the news last night were their mother's kills. What's worse, is that one of them got away and is now inside waiting to kill her.
Eric sighed as he pushed himself off the wall, "Fine, but I'm taking up the rear." Last thing he wants is to lose sight of his sister. Plus, he needs her to lead the way to the Red Circus man.
Anya nodded as Franky opened the grate and hopped in with Anya crawling in from behind, followed by Eric.
Meanwhile, the Red Circus man known as Samuel just finished death squeezing poison from a puffer fish into a martini glass to serve to the Thorn Princess. After passing it to the waiter who will deliver death to the hitwoman, he grinned victoriously.
Directly above Samuel, up in the air vents, Anya read the enemy's mind and felt terror for her mother. "Hurry up Scruffy Head." She whispered to Franky leading the way.
Unfortunately, Franky did not pick up on Anya's mood. "Cool your jets, we're infiltrating the place. Gotta be slow and steady."
Eric scooted beside his sister, 'What's happening?'
Anya frantically drew her message into Eric's palm. Her movements were so fast and jittery, he struggled to follow.
'PO_SON D_INK TO MAMA!'
Eric's eyes widened, 'Where?' If he can find the waiter taking the poison to their mother, he can just trip him and spill the drink onto the floor.
Anya shook her head, she can hear her parents' thoughts but had no idea where inside the restaurant they were located or which one is bringing the poison.
Eric's heartbeat picked up, causing his power to fluctuate throughout the kitchen adjacent to their left. The chefs paused in their work when the lights above them flickered violently.
Eric watched his sister's anxious expressions. They can't speak, or they'll give away their location. 'Mom's a top-class assassin, she'll be aware if there's poison. She has to know she's in danger.' They could not do anything from where they were, and the most Eric can do within this small space is pray.
At the table, Yor picked up the martini glass with an intrigue look. "My, I never had a drink that looked or smelled like this."
'No, Mama! You can't drink that!' Anya screamed in her head, her voice locking up as she clenched her brother's hand.
Yor downed the poison in one elegant go.
Anya's mouth fell open in despair.
Yor gently set the empty glass down with Samuel watching from behind a curtain with a large grin. She was frozen for a moment as the poison coursed through her body, numbing her senses, and dulling the pain in the ass. Her face literally brightened up in joy and relief as she allowed herself to finally sit in the chair. 'The pain in my butt is completely gone! I feel a hundred times better! Though I still feel kinda tingly.'
With the pain gone, her mood became much better, "Honestly Loid, I'm so excited for the meal!"
This caught Loid by surprise, "Oh, I'm glad to hear it." 'Glad she's feeling better. Is the drink that strong?'
Samuel stared at the unfazed Thorn Princess in pure shock at how she still survived poison.
Anya had an expression that held a combination of shocked and disturbed. "She drank it, but she's okay." She whispered very quietly to her brother.
Eric's forehead touched the metal in relief, ready to pass out right there in the vents. 'So she built up an immunity to all poisons to the point of drinking it raw. Way to go Mom. This metal feels comfortable.' He thought to himself as he felt his eyelids get heavy.
"What's up kids?" Franky asked his charges, not realizing one fell unconscious again.
Loid and Yor's meal carried on pleasantly.
"I wonder what the kids are doing?"
"Probably torturing Franky again."
Anya sensed Samuel's thoughts and what he plans on doing next. She gasped and pinched Eric's ear really hard to wake him up.
"Hm?" Eric grumbled as he massaged his ear.
Anya drew another message into his palm.
'BOMB.'
Eric eyes widened before Anya pointed at the storage closet below the grate beside them.
They faced each other and nodded, the siblings slipped out of the vent, leaving Franky by himself as they gracefully landed on the ground with Eric's power.
The two Forgers entered the storage closet where Anya gathered the items she saw in Samuel's mind. Together, the two powered-up heathens followed the step-by-step instructions from Samuel's mind on how to make a tiny bomb but with less fire power. Anya added in some peanuts to make it smell nice.
While Eric set up the trap, Anya took a bottle of olive oil and coated the floor outside the closet. Once the bomb and a couple of weighted items were inside a roasting pot, Eric levitated it onto the top shelf closest to the door and connected them with a single string.
The siblings hid behind the furthest end of the storage closet. Anya giggled behind her hand as Eric shushed her, though he is smirking behind his mask. They heard Samuel slip on the olive oil before he opened the door. With an echoing 'thunk,' he was hit square on the head with the roasting pot, sending him on his knees before he picked up the small cannister. A moment later, it trembled in his hand, then BOOM!
The door behind Samuel was blasted open, the shockwave caused a tremor throughout the establishment, but no one paid much mind as they believed something just fell.
Crisped up and disheveled, Samuel laid on the ground in shock. "A peanut bomb?"
A blade touched Samuel's neck, freezing him where he laid on the ground as he registered a small body sitting on his back with their boots planted beside his head.
"Perhaps we put in more than we expected." A voice belonging to a small boy said with a sigh, "Still, much preferable than what you were planning to do to the Thorn Princess."
"Wha-" Samuel cut himself off when another set of boots approached him. They stopped, and he looked up to see a toddler in a clack stealth outfit with sunglasses and a gun pointed at his face.
"You're a part of the Red Circus." Anya stated in a threatening tone, shocking Samuel, but she wasn't done, "Today's lesson, is you better stay away from Ma-From that lady. Got it? There won't be a next time." She holstered her gun and marched around Samuel. "If you were smart, you'd totally stop being a bad guy forever and focus on making Catherine a happy lady."
Samuel's mouth fell in shock at how this kid knew about his girlfriend. But before he could voice his surprise, the blade pressed closer to Samuel's jugular. "For the record, all I wanted to do today was take a nice, relaxing nap. If I ever see you near the Thorn Princess again, you'll be taking a long dirt nap. Understand clown?"
Samuel was without a voice as fear paralyzed him when he felt the deathly aura of the demon sitting on his back.
"Brother, let's go." Anya ordered before Eric gracefully lifted himself off of Samuel and literally floated away from the terrified man. Then he casually tossed the butter knife to the side. With this incident, Samuel made a conscious decision to retire from Red Circus and live a boring and ordinary life with his Catherine.
The siblings crawled back into the air vents and caught up with a frantic Franky before they made it back outside where their parents had an evening stroll together.
"Uninterrupted bliss. Nice." Eric stated as he crouched beside his sister as they fist-bumped for their success.
"You two vanished. Please don't do that again." Franky deadpanned at the kids who left him hanging.
Meanwhile, with the couple, Yor no longer suffered pain and Loid could finally relax knowing his wife is enjoying herself. They stopped at a spot where they had the magnificent view of the city at night. The gentle breeze blew past them as they took in the sight of their home.
Yor sighed as she held the metal rails, "Thank you so much for today Loid. Ever since I was little, I spent a lot of time caring for my brother or working, so I rarely had the chance to have fun." She paused as Loid came to stand beside her, "That's why...everything you did today made me really happy." She faced him with a blushing smile, "If you don't mind, I'd love to do it again sometime." 'When I don't feel like death.' Yor genuinely appreciated Loid's gestures, and she wants to enjoy them to the fullest without suffering the torment on her butt cheek. She feels guilty for hiding the reason for her embarrassing discomfort, but she fears the moment he finds out, he will divorce her and he will demand she never come near Anya and Eric. She loves her children very dearly, and it would break her heart to be separated from those little angels.
Loid felt relieved at Yor's suggestion, immensely glad that he hasn't messed anything up on their date. Despite the kinks during their outing, they were still able to enjoy their time together. He took a moment to look at her; no longer was she tense and unhappy. In this light with a calm breeze moving her raven hair, she looks very beautiful and serene. Any man would have fallen for her right then and there, even Loid. However, he consciously reminds himself that they are a pretend family. He can't allow any emotion to dictate his actions. While he can admit to having some affection for Yor, he dares not cross that line lest he jeopardizes the mission.
Yor pointed at the Ferris wheel in the distance, "Hey look, there's a carnival in town."
Loid followed her gaze, "Is there now? Let's go check it out." A great way to end their date.
But then...
"Hey Papa and Mama I wanna go ride on the Ferris wheel too!" Anya exclaimed, completely blowing their cover as she stood out in the open, waving her arms while wearing her stealth uniform.
Franky hissed from the bushes, "What are you doing? We're tailing them! Be quiet!" He then made a noise in his throat when Eric stepped out and trudged over to the bench beside Anya and laid down on his stomach to snore. "Eric, don't fall asleep on the bench...and don't give me the middle finger!"
The next morning came, and the pufferfish poison went away. Poor Yor suffered the agony on her poor butt cheek once again.
Loid stared at her disgruntled and agitated face in confusion.
Eric laid in his bed sound asleep and blissfully dreaming.
OMAKE
Why was Eric so sleepy for the entirety of this episode?
The evening when Yor came home after getting shot, Eric decided to commence his training to become a doctor. Ever since his small internship at the hospital with his father, Eric learned that most surgeries last from 12-20 hours. While there are rotations and breaks, the best surgeons, mainly the core players in charge of the operations, never leave their spot nor do they sit down for more than five minutes. From what he understood, they have built up tolerance, they stay hydrated, they can listen to music, and they run on adrenaline to stay present and in control. He didn't ask if any of them wore a diaper though.
So, when bedtime came around, Eric stood in the middle of his room and began his tolerance to stay upright and not sleep. 'The best surgeons never sleep!' Eric thought firmly to himself as he glanced at the penguin clock.
7:15pm
Eric took this moment to practice his fencing drills and martial arts, running on pure adrenaline as he hoped. The aches in his limbs kept him awake and alert like he wanted. He paused to take a breath and wipe the sweat from his skin before checking the time.
9:36pm
Eric rested his muscles and read the next chapter for his next classes. Though they didn't begin this portion of their lessons, it didn't hurt to get ahead and be prepared for the future. When he felt himself begin to drift, he stood up and began to pace around the room with a flashlight attached to his head and the textbook levitating in front of his face.
12:52am
Eric fought the yawn that wanted to escape him as he stood on his head while doing a crossword puzzle with his power.
1:28am
Eric furiously did stretches to alleviate the tension in his muscles, his head dropped as his eyelids became heavy once again. But the boy slapped himself awake every time until his cheeks became numb.
3:27am
Loid left the bathroom after answering nature's call and noticed the light peeking out from beneath Eric's door. He quietly entered his son's room and saw a flashlight on the ground. He picked it up before he felt something touch his hair. He touched the foreign object and realized it was a knitted scarf. He turned towards the ceiling and made a noise in his throat when he felt momentarily frightened by what he saw.
There was Eric, flat on his back on the ceiling with tape peeling his eyes open while knitting a VERY long scarf that floated and circled around the room. Though his fingers followed the repeated pattern, and his eyes were wide, he was completely unconscious with his mouth parted in soft snores.
Loid quickly got over his shock before he pulled the chair underneath his son and carefully peeled the boy off the ceiling. He laid the boy under the covers, gently took the tape off his eyelids, and stealthily pulled the knitting needles from his fingers. He paused when he realized Eric's hands are still going through the knitting motions.
The spy sighed and shook his head at his quirky son before rolling up the ridiculously long scarp and setting it on the desk where he saw a line written down repeatedly. 'The best surgeons never sleep.'
Loid's eyebrow twitched before he wrote down a message on a sticky note and attached it to that paper. 'The best surgeons are mindful of their sleep health.'
When Eric finally awakened to the incoherent shouting outside his room, he was still sleepy as he pushed the door open with Honey Ninja on his shoulders.