Fortuito

The beautiful, absent-minded assassin glanced quickly at her wristwatch, staring back at a faint reflection of herself through the glass, as she quickened her steps, carefully so as not to knock over the stack of colorful, well-decorated packages in her other hand. She smiled to herself at the thought of Melinda Desmond's kindness and how much fun she genuinely had in the space of a few hours.

She was glad, however, to be able to return home before dinner, just in time for the familiar afternoon coffee she'd grown to love and crave over the course of months. Not only that, but she felt different as if this experience of being a wife and mother was constantly molding her into a new woman that she did not repudiate or avoid, but was not familiar with. Yor Forger was her identity on paper and she felt like it was gaining a special space within herself as well.

She opened the apartment door deftly, while holding her belongings and various cakes on the other hand. She could hear, while outside, the indistinguishable sound of the television on and an Anya excited by her new episode of Spy Wars. Yor smiled to herself again, entering the residence in small steps, and heading straight for the kitchen counter. She muttered a quick "Good afternoon, I'm home!" while she was very well received by a loving Bond interested in what she had on her hands.

The fluffy dog was wagging its tail from side to side, really glad to see her, which was a happy surprise for Yor. Perhaps he was getting used to her presence and understanding that there was no harm involved, no matter how much the family mother's meager and dangerous cooking skills kept the poor dog away from time to time. Not that she knew that, of course.

"Anya! Come here quickly, I brought you something." Yor called, as she carefully opened the packages. She could smell freshly brewed coffee, as well as see a half-set table in their living room. She wondered where Loid was, curious about his whereabouts. A happy child ran to the kitchen, pausing only to admire the absurd amount of cakes on the kitchen counter.

A resounding "Wow!" came out of her small lips and Anya jumped in the same spot several times. Yor watched her tenderly, smiling shyly at the genuine excitement. She was very reminiscent of Yuri by seeing her stepdaughter so happy and carefree. Her heart immediately raised its temperature, squeezing itself a little as a consequence of the emotions she felt. She knew it, that was the reason for continuing her job, to be able to see the smile on the little girl's face, to observe and provide a pain-free childhood.

"Wow, Mama! Damian wouldn't even come close to this!" The girl said, reiterating her little white lie, as she approached Yor for a quick but warm hug. Anya whirled in glee, running back to one of the rooms she wasn't allowed to enter, but she could knock on the door. The brunette then understood that Loid would be inside his. She began to organize the afternoon coffee table, picking the best cakes from the pile, which was a laborious task. She put all the others in the fridge, catching the scent of something else in the air. Cocoa and tea herbs. Loid had prepared her drink as well and that, for some reason, made her heart clench, once again, in a deliciously good and familiar feeling.

"Oh, Yor! We were waiting for you." The fake psychiatrist spoke, as he crossed the hallway and saw this alluring woman he could proudly call his own, leaning over the low table to place plates and cutlery there. Loid looked away, not returning until she turned, so they were face to face. Yor smiled, thanking him for waiting and also for the drinks, looking genuinely glad to be back home.

Loid went into the kitchen, carefully arranging each drink. Tea for Yor, coffee with some milk for himself, and hot chocolate for Anya, always like that. This familiarity and constancy caught him off guard, bringing up thoughts that clashed strongly with the distant and impassive agent Twilight. It was his important mission, despite everything, that governed this family. And he didn't fail missions. He needed to do his best, day after day, to make it work. And he was counting on his wife and daughter for this.