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Yuri was walking Chloe home after their shift ended late, and he hadn’t said a single word since they’d left work.
“Hey. You okay?”
“Yeah, I was just…” He looked at her and sighed. “The Captain said something about choosing who you want to be, and it reminded me of Loi-Loi’s speech to that chihuahua’s friend. It wasn’t… bad.”
Chloe smiled at him. “That’s true. It was a good speech. I fully expected a condescending political lesson, but he prioritised the child. I betcha it's gonna sit in the kid’s head for a long time. Your brother-in-law’s a good man.” *
Yuri stared and then shook his head. “Well, I still don’t like him. I don’t understand what Sis sees in him.”
Chloe’s laugh rang out in the silence of the night, and he tried to shush her.
“Yeah, you’re right. A tall, handsome doctor. Conducts himself with dignity. Well-groomed. Adores his daughter. Great cook. Kind. Wise. Why’d anyone like him?”
He gulped down the venom that rose in his throat.
“You think he’s perfect?” He asked indignantly. “Are you in lo–”
“Yep, he is. You can hate it all you want, but he’s absolutely perfect for Yor.”
He continued to fume, murmuring about “Loi-Loi”.
“I’ve thought about it a li’ll,” she said. “And I have an exercise for you.”
He glowered, knowing he won’t like her next words.
“I’m gonna describe something. Tell me how it makes you feel. Imagine Loid Forger is hugging Yor."
Yuri gnashed his teeth. “And?”
“Rate that scenario out of 10. How d'you feel about it?”
“Minus infinity.”
Chloe chortled. “You're adorable when you act this childishly.”
Yuri scowled.
“Now, imagine Yor walks into her home, trips at the door, and falls into his arms.”
Yuri froze. “I think you can find your way home yourself. Bye.”
Chloe dragged him by the arm. “Oh c’mon! Trust me a li’ll. I’m not doing this just to torture you.”
“Just?”
Chloe giggled. “Well, maybe a bit. But trust me. This’ll help you. Just rate it.”
“Still minus infinity.”
She lugged him ahead while talking.
“Okay. Now, imagine he wasn’t by the door when she entered the house. She tripped, fell, and broke her wrist.”
Yuri stopped in his tracks, giving her a murderous look. She smiled back, unfazed, and tried to push him ahead.
Chloe sighed when he didn’t move an inch.
“Okay, okay. It’s not over yet. You got angry way too early. So. She broke her wrist. Loid rushes over, inspects it. Tells her it’s not broken, only a li’ll twisted. He bandages it tightly. Helps her put her things away. Cooks her favourite dish. Keeps talking to her the whole time, distracting her from the pain. And she’s laughing with him, the wrist completely forgotten. Now? Rate it?”
Yuri paused. “4?”
Chloe smirked.
“Okay. Yor got a nightmare. Wakes up terrified, and he hugs her. He takes her to the kitchen, makes her tea. They both talk ‘bout it, and she feels better. They end up talking for two hours, and then go back to bed, and she actually gets a good night's sleep. Rating?”
“4.5”
“Yor’s in a situation where her safety is threatened. Maybe some stupid terrorists point a gun at her, and Loid stands in the way of that threat. Rating?”
“Chloe, come on! That’s not fair.”
“Ra–ting.”
“7”
“Okay. Yor buys Anya lots of cakes and ice cream and candy and nice toys and they–”
“2”
Chloe chuckled. “Well, at least it’s not a zero, you complete baby. And Anya really enjoys spending time with her Mama. Anya gets a sweet at school. She knows it’s Yor’s favourite, so she brings it home. Rating?”
“6”
“You’ll like this one. Yor didn’t come home on time. Loid's worried and tries to track her down. He’s held up by the SSS and made to wait. When he finally meets her, he immediately pulls her into a hug. Rate it.” **
“You are– I won’t– That isn’t okay!”
“Yuri,” she said. “Just suck it up and rate it.”
“I hate it! She shouldn’t have to depend on anyone else when I am there.”
“Gotcha. Then the same scenario, but you’re dead. A colleague killed you ‘coz you kept giving stupid answers to her questions. Now rate that scenario, Yuri.”
“Fine. 7.”
“And in all the other 2s and 4s, if you’re dead, do the ratings change?”
“…”
“Yuri, I swear, I’ll smack you.”
“Yes.”
“God! You’re so frustrating. It’s like I'm pulling your teeth out. Tell me how the ratings change!”
“Okay fine! I am happy that she’s taken care of. I am happy that she’s loved. I just don’t like that I–” His voice broke, and he whispered, “I don’t like that I am not the one taking care of her. I don’t like that she doesn’t need me. What if… what if she forgets me?”
Chloe rubbed his back. “You’re such a mean person, Yuri. You really think the worst of your sister.”
His head snapped up. “No, I don’t.”
“Yep, you do. You think her love is so weak that new people will take it all up, leaving nothing for you. Tsk, tsk, tsk.”
Yuri clenched his fists, but she continued.
“To be honest, I’ve seen this before. Callan, my college friend – you know her. When she was thirteen, her mom died, and her dad remarried two years later. She hated the new lady and half-siblings. After a lot of work on her own feelings, she realised she felt replaced. She talked to her dad, and they started spending more individual time. She eventually gave her new mom a chance, and they are quite close now.”
“Touching. And what does that have to do with me?”
“That’s what Loid’s to you. He’s this weird stepfather person. And Anya’s your step-sibling. You feel Yor is making a new family, and you’re being replaced. You feel like she’ll forget her first child.”
“Chloe. I. Am. Not. A. Child!”
“Sure, you are. You're Yor’s itty-bitty baby.”
“I am not!”
“I can’t even imagine what’d happen if they had another child. Might be hilarious to see you jealous of a literal newborn.”
“Chloe. I’ll kiss that awful Loi-Loi. But never, ever, ever, ever talk about my sister having his baby. Ever.”
Chloe howled with laughter.
“Oh, you should, oh, ha ha, you should’ve seen your face. Ow, my stomach hurts.”
She continued sniggering.
“Crazy woman,” he mumbled, stifling a smile.
After she reined in her laughter, she asked, “So? How d'you like my theory? Aren’t you glad you have such a wise friend who made you see the light?”
Yuri rolled his eyes. “Thanks. I hate it.”
Chloe smiled. “Good. Think about it later. Spend some one-on-one time with your sister. And give your BIL and niece a chance. They’re good people.”
Yuri made a face.
“And try to be happy. Unlike you, your sister wants that. If she found out you have friends, and you’re enjoying your life, she’d love that. If she found out you had a girlfriend, she’d be excited to meet her. She wouldn’t be crying like a toddler.”
“I am not a–”
“A child? You are. There are people around you who treat you well, who respect you, who’re waiting for you to grow up, and who tolerate that you're batshit crazy. You should be nicer to such people.”
Yuri mumbled under his breath.
“What was that, Yuri Briar?”
“Not when those people are super-bossy!”
“Super-bossy? Me? Who keeps trying to remind me he's a Lieutenant? You think that cancels out that you're a baby?”
“You call me a baby one more time, and I’ll have you–”
“Executed? I’d like to see you try.”
Yuri huffed.
“You seem to forget that you barely have any seniority over me. It’s one rank. I’ll catch up. Then what?”
Yuri stayed silent.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. The great Yuri Briar is speechless? We should note down the date. It'll go down in history.”
“Shut up, Chloe.”
“He, he. Not gonna happen. And what was that with Harrison today? Did you really get into an argument over a sandwich?”
“He isn’t supposed to eat at the desk and definitely not over mine. When I’d borrowed his pencil, he blew a gasket and broke my chair! And now he–”
“That one’s on you. That pencil’s important to him.”
“What!? Are you mad? Okay, you don’t know what he said. He…”
Yuri complained, and Chloe teased him the rest of the way home.