The Nanny // Faye Yoko AU

Chapter 4 Nannyvision

Mikey jerked slightly when her mother spoke, the tension evident in her small frame. Yoko noticed the shift and glanced over at the young girl. Is this really the best place for this... conversation? Yoko thought to herself, then turned to Faye. "Is this the best place for this conversation?" she asked, her gaze flicking meaningfully toward Mikey.

Faye followed Yoko's glance and looked at her daughter. After a moment, she spoke softly but firmly, "Go upstairs, Mikey."

"I'm fine," the young girl replied, her voice steady, though there was a subtle defiance in her tone.

Yoko quickly thought of a way to coax Mikey upstairs without making her feel like she was being dismissed. Looking up at the mansion with a playful expression, Yoko mused aloud, "I wonder which room is Mikey's."

Mikey narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Yoko, clearly not buying into whatever game she thought Yoko was playing. Her gaze was full of doubt, already questioning the nanny's intentions.

"The one with the lace curtains...? That must be it!" Yoko said proudly, as if she had figured it out.

"What? NO!" Mikey practically shouted in shock, her face scrunching up with indignation.

Faye, watching the exchange, couldn't help but smile, realizing Yoko's clever ploy. She knows what she's doing. "Her room is on the back side of the house," Faye said, amusement flickering in her eyes.

Yoko grinned, her smile growing wider as she leaned into the playful banter. "Ah! The window with the flower box! I saw that earlier."

"I don't have flowers!" Mikey snapped, clearly frustrated now. She wanted to be like her mom—tough, unbreakable. Flowers outside her window didn't exactly scream "badass."

"Well then, I guess I don't know which one..." Yoko said with mock embarrassment, pretending to be flustered by her mistake.

Without warning, Mikey grabbed Yoko's hand, pulling her toward the staircase with a huff. "I'll show you!" she said, half annoyed, half determined, dragging Yoko along like she was personally offended by the misunderstanding.

As Yoko passed by Faye, she caught her boss's eye. Faye's expression had returned to its usual coolness, but there was something softer in her gaze. "My study. Ten minutes," Faye said, her voice low and commanding, as Yoko followed Mikey up the stairs.

Yoko gave a quick nod. No problem, boss, she thought, already knowing that the real conversation—the one that truly mattered—was about to happen.

Faye's gaze lingered as Yoko and Mikey walked away, watching them with an intensity that suggested she was still deep in thought. There was something about Yoko's presence that stirred something in her—a cautious hope, perhaps, but buried under layers of doubt.

A chuckle broke through her thoughts. Adam. She'd nearly forgotten he was still there, leaning casually against the parked car. "I like this one," he said with a grin, clearly amused by the dynamic he had witnessed. "Try not to scare her off."

Faye turned her sharp gaze on him, her expression serious, her tone cold. "If she can be scared off, she doesn't belong here."

Adam raised his hands in surrender, but the smirk on his face didn't falter. He was about to walk away, but he just couldn't resist teasing her. "Did she smell like oranges, boss?" he quipped with a mischievous grin before taking off in a run, knowing full well Faye wasn't in the mood for games.

Faye sighed, her lips curving slightly, but the smile never quite formed. That damn Adam. He always had a way of getting under her skin. But deep down, she knew he wasn't wrong to be cautious—everyone who entered their world had to prove they could handle the pressure. And Yoko? She had passed the first test, but the real trials were just beginning.