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"I've come to rescue you, Princess Honey!"
"Bondman!"
Loid smiles, amused. "Quite the efficient one, your Bondman," he looks over at Anya curled into his side on the sofa. Yor giggles as she sips her tea, curled around their daughter on her other side.
Anya yawns, and nods hard. "Bondman is the coolest!" A tiny fist victoriously - albeit weakly - punches the air.
"Okay. But that was it for today. Bedtime for you, now."
"Nooooooooo."
"Yeeees." Loid mimics, and grins when Anya cackles. He scoops her up in his arms. "You can watch reruns and read the comics all you want tomorrow."
She yawns again, and by the time he rests her on her bed, she is fast asleep - and one of her little hands clutch the collar of Loid's t-shirt like her life depends on it.
He huffs. "Let go, little one," he whispers, and tries to dislodge her fingers, but then her face scrunches up like she is about to cry, so he stops right away.
Okay then, he chews on his bottom lip. I suppose I'll wait.
He kneels and sits on the floor next to her bed.
"Loid?" a hushed voice reaches him from the door. He glances over sheepishly, and half-shrugs. "She's caught my shirt," he whispers loud enough for Yor. "You go on to bed. I'll catch up."
Yor smiles her soft little smile, and heads to their room.
Loid rests his head against the mattress, and attempts to free his collar every now and then, halting each attempt when Anya makes a sleepy, disgruntled little noise in response. Soon enough, he gives up, and closes his own eyes to rest them.
"Papa..."
He blinks awake, and checks the clock - and realizes he had fallen asleep for around fifteen minutes. He also realizes the tiny hand gripping his shirt has loosened its grip and dropped, and he lifts her dangling hand with a finger and rests it on the bed next to her.
Anya curls up, a little frown on her face even though she is asleep. "No homework..."
Loid huffs, and stands. He caresses her hair, and flicks the lamp off.
He has barely stepped out of the room and grabbed the doorknob behind him when-
"Opayshun Sticks gonna fail?"
-he freezes on the spot.
What?
He whirls around - Anya is still asleep, but her lips move around unsaid words.
Twilight does not dare move, watching and listening for any hint that he may have heard her wrong, but Anya quietens soon, and falls peacefully asleep.
He stares, and shakes his head. There is no way he could have ever let something that sensitive slip. It must be something else. A misunderstanding, somehow.
It has to be. There is no other option.
Twilight closes her door behind him, and Anya's voice rings inside his head over, and over, and he talks his mind into shutting up all the way to his bed.
He climbs in, slipping into their blanket. Yor wakes up halfway, gives him a sleepy smile, and opens her arms, and he all but falls into them - curling around her, he hopes she remains oblivious to his racing pulse.
-
"I'll be back early into the evening, okay?" Yor kisses her daughter's forehead. "Be good for Papa."
"I will!" she chirps, and screeches when she is lifted into the air without warning - Twilight scoops her into an arm, and extends a packed lunch bag with his other. "You forgot something."
"Oh, thank you, Loid," she takes the bag and stands on her tiptoes to peck his lips. "Have a good day together!" She scurries out the door, and Twilight leans on the doorframe as they wave her off.
Anya grins at him, all smug. "Sappy."
"I didn't even do anything- oh well." He taps her nose, and closes the door. "Are you still hungry? I baked some brownies earlier this morning."
Anya gasps in delight and screams right into his ear.
"I'll take that as a yes," he says, unfazed, and sits her in her chair at the table.
I hope this goes well.
Anya eyes her father as he plates up her dessert and brings it to her.
"So, uh. Anya."
"Mmn?" comes the response from an already full little mouth.
"I needed to talk to you about something. Don't worry - I'm not mad, not at all. I'm just...confused, I think." Bewildered and completely clueless and worried as shit is more like it. I went through two whole years of memories for hours and came up empty. Please, please tell me I just misheard you. That I was overthinking things because it's a habit. Anything.
Anya's hands slow, and she chews more carefully than she ever has any time Twilight has asked her to.
"Okay, Papa," she nods once she swallows her mouthful.
Twilight gazes at her, brows knit deep in thought.
"I tucked you in last night," he starts, softly. "Do you remember?"
Anya scrunches up her nose, and shakes her head. "I remember hugging you," she says. "But I don't know when I fell asleep."
"That makes sense. You were out like a light."
"Huh?"
"I meant, you dozed off within a minute or so," he smiles. "Did you sleep well? Were you dreaming?"
Anya stares ahead, thinking hard, then shrugs. "I'm not tired, and I don't remember."
Twilight nods, and runs his fingers through his hair, ruffling it up a little. "Okay," he nods. "I was beside you for a while. You'd grabbed hold of my shirt, so I waited until you let go."
"Oh," she murmurs, sounding a little confused. "Sorry, papa."
"What? No, that isn't something to apologize for," he pats her head. "I didn't mind in the least. That isn't what confused me. It's just..." he takes a breath. "You were talking in your sleep again, and something you said stood out to me."
Anya gazes up at him, waiting for him to continue.
"Opay- I mean, Operation Sticks, or something, is part of what you said."
Her eyes immediately go wide. Twilight raises his eyebrows, and he does his best to ignore his goosebumps.
"Where have you heard that phrase before, Anya?" he asks, careful to keep his voice gentle and open. "I don't think it comes from Spy Wars."
Anya says nothing - only stares at him, her little hands curled into the tightest fists she can muster.
"Hey," he frowns in concern. "Are you okay?"
"A-Anya..." she tries. "Anya was um...was...playing a game! At school! Like- like Bondman! He goes on missions, and they all got cool names, so- so..."
Twilight's heart drops.
"That is a lie," he says, quiet yet gentle still. "Don't be afraid, Anya. You can be honest. I promise, whatever the truth is, I will not be mad at you in any way." He reaches out and tenderly caresses her hair - and winces when he realizes how tense his daughter has turned. "Hey," he murmurs. "May I hold you?"
Anya nods, and hides her face in her little hands, trembling as though trying to keep a flood of fear at bay. Twilight immediately reaches over and curls around her, and carries her close and safe to the sofa. "It's going to be okay, Anya. I promise, I'm not going to be mad at you. I would never knowingly hurt you, ever."
I' m so sorry - I'm so, so sorry - please don't cry - I didn't mean to hurt you - what do I do what do I do what do I DO-
"Ssshh, my little one. Take your time, and relax. I'm here. Talk to me when you're feeling better." He snuggles into their favorite corner of the sofa, and rests her little head over his heart.
I didn't mean to make you cry, I promise - I was just worried- was I worried? Was I scared? I just want you to be safe. What if I made a mistake? When did I make the mistake - I can't remember, I can't figure it out. Maybe it was just- maybe I should just leave it alone, this was a stupid question and it's probably something harmless and I'm so sorry-
Anya takes shuddering little breaths, listening to the steady beats of her father's heart - and the torrent in his mind.
She tangles a tiny fist in his shirt, and presses her face into it.
"Don't be s-sorry, Papa," she chokes out.
Twilight stills.
What?
"Don't be sorry," she says again, and curls in on herself.
"Anya," he murmurs, quietly. "I never said-"
"I can hear everything you think," her voice trembles, on the verge of tears.
Twilight is silent. Anya dares a peek up at him, and lets herself relax a smidge when she sees him watching her in disbelief instead of the anger she had been afraid for.
"What do you mean...you can hear everything I think?" Does she mean that literally? How is that even possible?
"I mean that literarel- I mean- lituh-"
"Literally?"
"Yeah! Y-yeah," she nods.
He blinks.
Anya follows suit - then, as though his silence had boosted her confidence, she straightens up in his lap.
"Think something, Papa," she says quietly. "I can poorve- po- I can show you! Think a thought all quiet and I'll tell you what you thought."
In a heartbeat, his mind says: I love you.
"I love you," her little shoulders sag in some relief, and a tiny smile shines out through her tears.
Twilight freezes for the second time in two days.
"Are you telling me that you love me?"
Anya shakes her head, slowly. "You said it first, papa."
"Okay," he replies automatically, and tries to ignore his building pulse. "Let's...try a few more, are you okay with that?"
Anya almost deadpans at him, but her mouth remains firmly closed, and she nods.
"Okay."
The sky is green today.
"The sky is green today!" she chirps, and rubs at her eyes. "Wait-" she twists around to peek out the window to check.
His jaw drops. "Anya..."
Anya turns back, grinning, but dims the moment she sees the shock on his face.
"How...how is it that you're able to..."
She curls up immediately, and clutches his shirt again.
.
"I'm going to kill them all."
"P-papa?" she squeaks, and tries in vain to wriggle out of his hold. She settles for being able to look at his face, and pales at the sight.
Twilight is calm, even as his eyes burn in a quiet, all-consuming rage, and he wraps himself closer around his daughter - but then he snaps back to the moment, and takes a guilty peek down at her in his arms. "I'm sorry," he says. "Pretend I didn't say that."
"You're..." she sniffles. "You're screaming. My head hurts."
All at once, his mind goes quiet. "I'm so sorry," he relaxes his hold.
"Wait," he blinks. "So if I understand right, you've been able to hear people's thoughts for a long while."
Anya nods against him.
"You were able to hear me from the moment I met you."
She nods again.
"You know who I am."
"Twilight!"
"Oh," he leans back. "oh, no. Oh, goodness, I'm so sorry."
Anya tilts her head, confused. "Huh?"
"You heard everything," he almost cries. "I had thought about letting you go, about trying again with some other child, I-"
"Papa?"
"I picked you out of that place for my benefit," he looks at her, pain and guilt filling his gaze. "I picked you and then I put you in danger and let you get kidnapped- you knew it was me when I told you to go to the police!"
He brings up his hands to cover his face, but they do not hide the growing tremors in his arms and shoulders. "I had so many thoughts - I treated you like an object for- is that why you cried so suddenly? So often?" His hands remain over his face. "It makes sense, now - it all makes sense - oh, god. I've hurt you so much, and yet- and yet..."
Anya watches in shock, and her father gently moves her off his lap and sits her next to him, before curling up completely as though he is trying to hide.
Within moments, she hears the clear sound of stifled, stuttering sobs.
"Papa!" she shakes his knee, her own tears starting to rush down her cheeks. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry - I didn't wanna hear everything, I promise! I can't help it, please-"
"It's not your fault," he chokes out, before running his hands through his hair, making a visible effort to calm down. He wipes his cheeks and rubs at his eyes before he meets her gaze again. "You heard me think the same way I can hear you speak. It could never be your fault."
Anya inches closer, and places her little palms on his knees.
"You knew all my names from before," she says quietly.
"What?"
"All my names, from all the people that took me home before you," she looks up at him. "And- and when I wanted to go home with you after you beat up the bad people, you took me home anyway."
She crawls into his lap, and nestles in when his arms wrap around her. "You're the best papa in the world," she snuggles closer. "When you came to the big place with all the kids, I was so excited because we were going on a mission together! Like- like a spy mission! And all the people that took me home before, they didn't like me because I cried a lot. And if I cried, they would all tell me to go to my room, and if I cried too much they would take me back to the big place. But when I cried in front of you, you gave me peanuts, and you took me out with you, and you picked me up when I was tired! And all the other people, they were always angry with me, even if I didn't touch anything. But I've had so much fun with you! And- and you know, some of the people, they had another kid in the house already. So that must mean they liked kids, but they hated me. But I'm your first kid, and you've only made me cry one time, and never after that time, and I'm always so happy with you! So- so it's okay, because you weren't my papa when you picked me, and I wasn't your baby, but now you're the best papa ever, and I'm your baby! And you love me! You keep saying that over and over all the time in your head!"
Twilight, watching his daughter with wide eyes, blinks, taken aback. "I do?"
Anya gives him the most deadpan stare her little face can manage. "Like, all the time, Papa. You said you loved me when I woke up, and then when I got out of bed, and then when I brushed my teeth, and when I hugged you, and-"
"Okay, okay, I got it," he laughs, and rubs at his eyes again. His cheeks and nose are red, and he sniffs as he gazes at the little bundle in his arms. "I'm sorry if that gets annoying."
Anya shakes her head hard.
"Nobody ever said that to me before you, Papa."
Twilight bites his lip, blinking back more tears. "Okay," he breathes, and gently strokes her mop of pink hair. "But are you sure you're okay with me being your father? Don't lie to make me feel better - I promise I'm not going to leave you. I will only try and make it up to you in case you aren't happy with all this. I suppose you're happy with Yor at least - which makes sense, because she doesn't have a lying bone in her body, and I'm sure she's loved you since day one, so..."
Anya stares at him.
"...hm?"
"You know, for a super cool spy, you can be really dumb."
"I- oh, boy." He facepalms. "Okay, message received, loud and clear."
"What's the message."
"You're happy here." Anya narrows her eyes, and he splutters. "And- and I should not leave you no matter what."
"And everything will be fine."
"And everything will be fine," he grins as he repeats after her.
Anya beams at him, an infectious joyous energy in her smile - and for the first time, Twilight lets himself smile just as wide, even as he tenderly cups her cheek in his hand.
"I love you," he says, fervently.
Anya giggles, and immediately launches herself at his neck, wrapping her little arms around his head. "I know!" she squeals, then pets his hair. "And I won't tell anyone else about anything, papa, I promise," she nods.
"Oh, I know," he kisses her hair. "If there is one child in this world I can bring myself to trust, it's you."
Anya hugs him tighter.
"Papa?"
"Yeah?"
"Teach me to be a spy!"
"No."
-
"I'm home!" Yor announces in delight, closing the door and shrugging off her coat.
Twilight pops out of the kitchen, Anya giggling atop his shoulders. "Welcome back," he smiles. "Would you like some tea?"
"Yes, please," she beams. "Did you two have fun today?"
"We talked and talked and talked! And then we went out to the park, and then we watched Spy Wars, and Papa baked more brownies!"
"What'd you talk about?"
"Bondman, mostly, plus stories from school," Loid grins as he brings the tea out to the table. "Nothing you haven't heard before, Yor. I was just catching up with everything I missed because of work."
Anya hugs his head, and plants her little hands in his hair. "Papa carried me up here for three hundred hours! And he isn't tired yet!"
"She means three hours." He lifts her off his shoulders, and sits her in her usual spot next to Yor as they take their seats.
Anya promptly clambers over and sits in her father's lap like he is her throne.
Yor giggles. "I can see you loved all that time together. I'm so glad!"
"Can I sleep next to Papa today?"
"Of course!"
"Oh, but then..." Anya sticks a finger on her chin, and tilts her head up as though she is deep in thought. "Papa won't hug mama if I'm there."
Loid immediately goes red in the face. "Hey!"
She continues with a dramatic gasp. "He won't even kiss mama! That's okay, I can sleep in my room-"
"Anya!"
"Mama look, Papa's gone redder than your sweater!"
Yor, though just as red, laughs enough to double over. Loid flumps back against the sofa and hides his face in his hands.
You tiny little devil.
Anya giggles, and pats his stomach. "I love you too!"