To say Yor had been acting strangely today would have been an understatement.

To be fair, Loid only started noticing her off behavior after she 'd come home late; that, in itself, wasn 't unusual ' employees at the City Hall office could have it pretty rough, sometimes ' but the expression she 'd been wearing had certainly been foreign on her face.

She had smiled warmly at him, like she often did when their eyes met, something that never failed to make his cheeks heat up no matter how much self-control he tried to muster. But this little smile of hers had been off, the strangeness of it too small to really be able to pinpoint, yet important enough to leave him unsettled; it felt like she 'd been consciously trying to look relaxed, to make herself appear more natural than she really felt.

Her movements were stiff, too ' and while she hadn 't lost any of her natural grace, there was something irregular in the rhythm of her gait, an oddity in the way she held herself more rigidly than she usually did.

He 'd wanted to ask her, then.

Was she alright? Had she encountered any problems at work?

How could he help?

But he 'd taken one look at her face again, had taken into notice the edge of exhaustion in her eyes, and the questions melted away from his tongue to be replaced with another.

'Would you rather stay home tonight? I can go to Eden alone. '

Her smile turned more genuine. 'I 'm fine. If we have the time, just let me take a shower and change. I can 't let you go there alone ' we need to make the best impression for Anya. '

Her voice was the same soft melody as always, the pace of her words unperturbed. Somehow, it failed to soothe his uneasiness, and instead amplified it tenfold. Pretending to busy himself with the mail of the day, he checked the time and then watched from the corner of his eyes the dark-haired woman remove her heels from the tip of her feet, and walk to her bedroom.

Three weeks ago, Eden Academy had invited all parents to the prestigious yearly gala that would occur within the school 's very halls ' along with an opera and a charity auction, the event was mandatory to those who hoped to mingle along with the highest members of the society and put in a few good words for their precious child. Donovan Desmond would be there, too; this would be the first time in months the man would make an appearance, and the first time in that same time span that Operation Strix had a chance to progress.

The apartment was disturbingly quiet, without Anya ' she had gone along with Bond at Franky 's place to spend the night there, since children weren 't allowed at the gala. The man had requested the usual, absurdly high amount of money in exchange for his services, and despite his numerous warnings about not getting attached, Loid was no fool ' Franky had fell for Anya 's charms like they all had, and had quickly taken to becoming the fun, weird uncle that tried to make her laugh with silly inventions and lame jokes.

He was pulled out from his musings by the door of the bathroom opening, and Yor emerging from the room in a cloud of steam.

She looked beautiful, as she always did; she 'd applied lipstick matching the color of her eyes, an enthralling swirl of ruby and crimson that seemed impossible to look away from. Her dress was lovely, too: long drapes of mull were wrapped around her slender frame, stopping just above her ankles, accompanied with narrow sleeves that dropped slightly as it reached her wrists, and a high, round neckline.

Loid blinked. The clothes were ' gorgeous, truly. It fitted her perfectly. But it wasn 't the ones she 'd planned to wear for the gala. He knew, because they'd ordered it together, specifically tailored to Yor 's liking. She had opted for a long, backless dark silk chiffon gown that fell to her feet. It had a slit along the left side that rose until mid thigh, was adorned with roses-shaped embroidery around a deep V neckline, and offered winged sleeves that gave her the allure of a nocturnal angel.

'I thought there was another dress you wanted to wear tonight? ' he asked with practiced casualness, holding out her coat for her to take and wrap herself in ' the air was viciously cold, tonight.

She chuckled, a fake, tense little sound that held no chance to be compared to genuine, amused embarrassment. 'Ah, it must have slipped my mind. I was afraid we 'd be late, so I forgot about it and took the first dress I was able to get. '

This, too, was a lie ' when they 'd gotten her dress, he 'd watched her put the gown on a hanger, and display it on the door of her closet, her hands hovering admiratively over the material and his mouth pulled into a fond smile. He gave an understanding nod, partly because time was of an essence tonight, and mostly he didn 't wish to force her to answer to him and make her uncomfortable for the rest of the night.

But Yor was acting strange, and Loid was more than determined to find out what was wrong with his wife.

The car ride was silent, rhythmed by the motor 's purr and the passing of other cars. Again, that was nothing really out of the ordinary for them; Loid and Yor were both quiet people, after all, and neither of them felt the need to fill in the void with awkward conversation starters or jokes about the weather. And yet this silence felt different ' more tense, like both of them were waiting for the other to say something about this strange atmosphere shifting between them, but with neither willing to take the first step.

They were nearing the Eden Academy 's ground, and Loid clenched his jaw ' there was no way he was about to willingly ignore her discomfort for the next few hours.

The mission was crucial, yes. But he wouldn 't do it at the expense of her well-being.

'Are you alright, Yor? ' he asked softly, keeping his eyes on the road ' he didn 't want her to feel pressured into hiding her expression, but it also made it easier to school his own into a mask of neutral patience.

She 'd been lost in her thoughts, and his voice seemed to bring her back from a faraway reality. 'Oh, I- yes, I am. I 'm sorry. This was a long day. '

That, at least, was what he guessed to be the truth. Guilt pulled at his stomach. 'I 'm sorry. I shouldn 't have asked you to come. '

'Of course you should have, ' she replied with her characteristic gentleness, turning her head to look him in the eye. 'You don 't have to do everything alone. '

He was saved from an answer by the sight of Eden 's majestic gates, and swallowed back the words that were awaiting behind his lips.

Neither do you, Yor.

The buzzing chatter that reached his ears upon entering the hall was a painful reminder of just how

big

the school was. Scanning the crowd in a futile attempt to take note of Desmond 's location, Loid was easily able to count at least several hundreds of people walking around and shaking hands, all wearing the distinctive sneer of wealthy people who loved to pretend they were better than everyone else while showering the people with power in simpering admiration.

They were welcomed with a speech ' honeyed words to thank them for participating in one of the school 's most importants events of the year, wishes of success for their families and children, respectful requests to participate in the auction to help with the academy 's foundings and thus encourage a better environment for their star pupils. Loid listened to it all half-heartedly, preferring to study the people he could see while trying not to look too distracted.

It felt like a breath of fresh air when the headmaster finally stopped talking, nodding respectfully under a bow of applause and exiting the stage. Yor had not moved for the entire speech, he 'd noticed; she 'd kept her eyes on the man the whole time, and anyone who would have looked in her direction would have thought she was merely paying the utmost attention to the oration, but Loid knew better ' there was a distinctive wanness to her skin, and her eyes held the feverish shine of glass.

Unease morphed into fully fleshed concern.

'Are you alright? ' he repeated, hand reaching up to the small of her back in what was intended to be a gesture of comfort.

But Yor tensed as soon as his skin came in contact with the dress, and he froze, too, both at her reaction and at the strange feeling under the pads of his fingers. The fabric of her dress felt almost damp, as if it 'd been in contact with Yor 's hair after she 'd washed it and forgotten to dry it properly.

The problem was that Yor had not washed her hair before leaving.

A couple went to them before he could remove his hand or wait for her answer, and Loid bit back his question, offering an absent-minded smile at the strangers who 'd taken to bragging about their children 's results. He kept his hand at her back, but not touching, just barely hovering over her dress. It felt like an eternity passed by before the two of them were finally left alone again, and only then Loid dared to pull his hand away.

His heart dropped as his fingertips came back stained with faint red.

'Yor? ' It was his voice who 'd uttered the word, but he hadn 't felt himself pronounce it, still numbly trying to make sense of the sickening shade coating his skin.

She turned back, and glanced at him in genuine curiosity before she followed his gaze. He saw the exact moment the realization set in. Her eyes snapped back to his, wide and frantic for barely a fraction of a second, and he knew she could read the hundred questions his own gaze harbored.

'A-ah, I 'm very sorry, Loid ' she said before he could even think of what to say. She was back to her overly-polite self, cheeks red in embarrassment yet face pale with panic. 'I think I 'll have to excuse myself to the bathroom for a few moments. I'll be back soon. '

'Yor, ' he tried again, stomach rolling unpleasantly when she moved out of his way instead. 'What 's going on- '

He blinked, and she was gone.

He cursed under his breath. It did nothing to make him feel better.

Fate seemed to be in the mood to laugh at him, it appeared, since Desmond appeared at this precise moment, already followed by ambitious and greed-driven couples, moving across the crowd who parted at the very sight of him like the Red Sea.

It was his first opportunity in weeks. In months. The very appearance of his target was a taunting sight, a painful reminder of just how important his mission was, how crucial its success remained. Loid looked back, then, in the direction Yor had disappeared to, hoping to find a familiar mop of hair or an elegant silhouette moving around.

It was never really much of a choice, was it?

There was no one in the women 's bathroom. Loid was almost glad for it, in fact, because it would have been terribly awkward to meet a lady other than Yor inside. But it still meant that his companion was missing, and he doubted very strongled she would have simply gone back to their car.

It was pure instinct that drove him to check the men 's bathroom as well, just in case, and he was immediately rewarded by the sight of a closed stall amidst absolute silence. There wasn 't even the whisper of a breath in the room, despite Loid 's measured panting.

He called out her name, quietly, and was answered with a short intake of breath.

Heart aching, tidal waves of unbridled worry rolling through his bones, he walked to the stall, and knocked softly against the door.

'It 's just me. Can you open the door? '

'I 'm fine, Loid. I just need a moment. '

Frustration welled up at the tip of his tongue. He swallowed it back. He had no idea why she was acting like this, what was the cause of it, and he hated it ' he was supposed to be observant, to see the details and draw the most efficient conclusions. But when it came to her, he was at loss; his brain stuttered, his heart fluttered, and years of training would melt away at the mere sight of her. It would have been almost cute, any other day ' but right now, it only contributed to her obvious discomfort, because he didn 't know what to think, didn 't know

how to help

.

'Is that why you 're hiding in the men 's bathroom? ' he asked instead, trying for a light-hearted tone and only half-succeeding, only to be met with silence.

He placed his palm on the door, despite knowing it was futile. In another place, he would have found the act disgusting, as well, but he doubted that any of the academy 's rooms were anything less than completely pristine. 'Please, Yor, talk to me. '

Finally, the door creaked open. Her face was pale, under the luxurious neons, her hand gripping the handle in a white-knukled hold. He was surprised she hadn 't pulverized the wood already.

'Tell me what happened, ' he pleaded in a whisper, even as she shook her head.

Yor almost looked apologetic. 'I can 't. '

Can 't, or won 't?

'Then tell me this, at least ' you 're unwell, aren't you? Are you injured? '

Her silence seemed to stretch into infinity ' he could almost see her think, watch her ponder whether to deliver another half-hearted lie he would either point out immediately or accept with burning reluctance, whether to simply deliver the truth as it was and take the risk of revealing what she 'd been so intent on protecting. But then, finally, she gave a small nod, barely noticeable and yet the meaning of it so heavy it made him dizzy with relief ' she was willing to trust him, at least with a fragment of truth, and that would be more than enough if it allowed him to help her.

'I 'm alright, ' she said, almost immediately after, like an afterthought that was utterly unconvincing. 'There was a small ' incident, at work. '

He hummed, knowing he sounded entirely disbelieving, but too preoccupied with trying to assess her state to really care about his tone.

'This school has an infirmary, on the second floor, ' he informed her. 'Let 's go there and see if there 's anything there that could help you. '

Her eyes widened. 'But the gala ' '

'The gala will wait, ' he interrupted kindly. 'There 's no point in staying there if you 're feeling unwell. Come on. Let 's get out of here. '

Loid took her hand, slowly, gauging for a reaction, awaiting a refusal. She stared at their intertwined fingers with astonishment, as her cheeks retrieved some of their original color, but made no move to retract her hand.

He ignored the flutter in his chest when she gave a light squeeze back.

He navigated them through the halls, melting within the shadows to evade the occasional wanderers chatting around the corridors, and led them to the infirmary. Yor didn 't ask how he knew the path to the room so easily, despite supposedly being unfamiliar with the school 's layout ' or maybe she simply did not care, and he was certainly glad for not having to come up with yet another lie in order to cover his tracks.

He was being a hypocrite, was he not? He seeked the truth from her while hiding his own.

The room was locked when they finally reached it. Loid paused for a moment, wondering if he should pick the lock in front of his companion, when Yor moved forwards and reached out to the door with her free hand. She closed her fist around the metal lock, and

squeezed

. Iron turned to dust under her fingers within mere seconds, and it took him everything not to break in a cold sweat at the reminder that his own hand could very well meet the same fate, should she desire to.

Not that it really worried him; had she wanted to actually hurt him, she would have been able to do so a

very long

time ago.

The infirmary was bathed in moonlight when they stepped inside ' Loid closed the door, and suddenly it was like they had walked into another realm, cut off from the rest of the world. They could still hear the orchestra being played from the main room, distant and muffled behind the walls of their figurative bubble.

The beds were child-sized, and rested much too low for him to get a proper look at Yor; he asked her to sit on the desk instead, her back facing the huge, pale window.

'I would like to look at your back, if you 'll allow me. '

She hesitated. 'And if I don't want to? '

His throat tightened. He recognized her question for what it was ' a test, an attempt to determine just how much he would accept from her, how much he would push before accepting to stop.

'Then I won 't, ' he promised.

It was the truth, and she seemed to accept it as such.

'Would you help me with the zipper, please? she requested quietly, staring straight in front of her, and he obliged.

He almost stopped at the sight of a bandage on her skin. By the time he 'd pulled the zipper down entirely, the morbid realization as to why she 'd been so off had settled in . The gauze was loose, and bloodied.

He knew she 'd heard the small hitch in his breath ' she could be as attentive to details as he was, and while he 'd always had an excellent control of his reactions and emotions, it simply never seemed to apply to her.

'I wasn 't able to wrap it well, ' she explained simply, like she was talking about the weather. 'I was mostly concerned about not getting blood onto the dress. '

She paused, and let out a small sigh. 'I think I 'll have to look out for stains anyway. '

His voice felt thick. 'We 'll take it to the dry cleaner tomorrow morning. '

Whatever she had been looking for, his words seemed to be the correct answer; she relaxed minutely under his gaze, and turned her head to the side, watching him from the corner of her eyes as he inspected the bandages on her back further.

'I might have to remove the dress, ' Yor commented, sounding somewhat conflicted at the idea.

'If we want to rewrap this correctly, I think it would be best, ' Loid nodded apologetically. His head was spinning, and his mind was still reeling from the sigh of her wound, attempting in vain to find explanations for its presence. 'I 'm sorry, I know this must be uncomfortable ' '

She stood up before he could say anything more, and peeled her dress off her shoulders, allowing the gown to slide to the ground and remaining only in black, sportive underwear. To be fully honest, Loid didn 't even consider the idea of blushing at the action, too preoccupied with the prospect of her injury to really think about the more intimate connotations of their situation.

He did, however, feel the blood quite literally drain from his face as he took in the sight before him.

Yor 's body was a canvas of colors ' the expanse of her skin was nothing but blooms of bruises and angry marks; there were bursts of blue and purple sharp against her pale skin, a crimson-stained yet firmly wrapped bandage around her left leg, as well as the loose gauze he 'd already seen clumsily arranged around her midback.

The last-minute dress change made more sense, now; her injuries would have been glaringly obvious with her original gown. A wave of white-hot fury and nausea washed over him as he recognized the marks of a shoeprint across her ribs.

He wanted to ask her a hundred questions, to get from her lips a thousand answers; yet the words remained stubbornly stuck in his throat, and only one made its way through the dam of his mouth.

'Yor- '

'

Please

, don 't ask. ' There was a hard edge to her voice, a foreign desperation to her tone. Even as she stood before his eyes, she was resolutely avoiding his eyes, looking intently to the side. Her mouth was set into a tight line ' her shoulders, hunched with tension.

Asking was his job; discovering, his mission. Even as

Loid Forger

, he had to look out for suspicious individuals, potential threats; and Yor, with her obvious lies, her brother 's well-concealed job and her newfound injuries, was now a person of interest.

But for now the only thing that really mattered was the vision of Yor, basked in blood and moonlight ' a brave, selfless woman that was nothing like him, and who yet appeared to keep secrets as deep as the ones he hid himself. At this precise moment, with blood on his fingers and darkening shapes littering her skin, she looked nothing like the gentle woman he 'd married for the sake of his mission ' and yet there was no mistaking her. It was Yor, for all intents and purposes, who had crushed metal with bare fingers moments ago despite keeping the most gentle hold on his hands, who had just shown him more courage and honesty than he had ever offered her.

'Because you won 't tell me, no matter what? ' he asked pointlessly, a beat later. He understood that, no matter how frustrating it could be. He 'd been in her situation, many times ' and he still was. He busied himself with getting a roll of fresh gauze and disinfectant, thankful for the temporary excuse to look away from her wounds, a sight that did nothing to soothe away the boiling rage within him ' not directed at her, of course,

never at her

, but rather at the people who had dared hurt her this way.

'No. '

Loid glanced up at that. Yor had turned her gaze back to him, and was staring with such raw vulnerability and open honesty that his heart ached all over again with the need to touch her and ease her pain.

'Because if you asked, ' she started, her soft voice cracking mid-sentence, 'I think I 'd want to tell you everything. '

He thought about the countless hours he 'd wasted in the middle of the night, wondering about the reaction she would have if he told her about his real job, and remembered himself dreaming about the sound of his real name on her lips. There was no word truly strong enough to describe the utter yearning that inhabited his chest, that fickle, stubborn feeling that made him long for affection ' not one directed at the mask of Loid Forger, nor at the shell of Twilight, but

him

, the simple man behind it all, the man who 'd forsaken his own name because he 'd craved for peace more than anything in the world.

Yor and Anya had given him all of that. They 'd made him feel human, competent in a way he 'd never felt before; after so long of feeling cut off from the world, they 'd pulled him into their bubble, and had turned their cover into a genuine relationship.

They 'd made him feel safe.

And he would be damned if he did anything that caused either girl not to feel at least as safe with him.

'Okay, ' he finally said, as he gestured for her to sit on the desk once more. He took a cotton ball, sprayed it with a generous dose of disinfectant, and waited for her to obey before stepping behind her once more.

'Okay? ' Yor parroted numbly, voice weak with confusion. She didn 't flinch when the cotton came into contact with her wound.

'I won 't ask. '

'Why? '

'Because you told me not to, ' he told her, simply.

Asking was his job ; discovering, his mission. That was his mantra. But Operation Strix was a mission as equally important, if not more. For this, he needed the perfect cover ' and for such a cover, he needed Yor to feel safe and happy around him. So, really, if he agreed to turn a blind eye to her suspicious activities '

It was only Twilight doing his job, and Loid Forger tending to his wife 's needs.

Yor didn 't answer him, but let out a shaky breath.

'What about Anya? '

'She doesn 't need to know anything about this, ' he promised gently, as he reached around her to wrap gauze against her cleaned wound ' it looked like the slash of a knife. 'We 'll make sure you hold off any strenuous activity for the few next days ' ' or rather weeks, if he had any say in it, but he doubted Yor would accept to remain idle for so long ' 'and if she starts to sounds too suspicious, we can always say you sprained your ankle. '

'I don 't know if she 'll buy it, ' she chuckled, the sound of it infinitely pleasing to his ears. 'She is extremely bright. '

A distinct memory flashed into his mind: Anya, running around with a cardboard box stuck on her head, slamming head first into the couch and falling to her back without being able to get up.

The reason? She 'd been chasing after a spy and had needed a disguise.

'She has ' her moments. '

Once he was satisfied with the bandage around her back, he moved around to the front of the desk, kneeling in front of her to get a look at her injured leg. That one had been wrapped tightly, and the firm lines of gauze spoke of experience. It clearly wasn 't her first time tending to her own wounds.

'You must have a lot of questions, ' she murmured, and he glanced up at her.

She made quite the sight, midnight-tinted hair crowned in moonlight, her eyes almost glinting in the obscurity of the room.

'I do, but ' whatever you 've been doing, ' he said softly, 'I 'm sure you had your reasons. '

She tilted her head, ever so slightly, like she was trying to understand the very core of him ' and for some reason, it sent a burst of urgent courage through him, as he added carefully: 'Besides, we all have our secrets. I have a few on my own, and I 'm not entitled to knowing yours. '

It was more than he 'd ever revealed to anyone since he 'd left his own identity behind. But then again, Yor wasn 't just anyone.

Something both dark and vulnerable flashed in her eyes. With a hand that held a small tremor, she reached out to him, and cupped his cheek in the utmost tenderness.

'I can 't help but wonder how I was able to meet someone as incredible as you. '

He rose, his own hands trailing up her body in the ghost touch, brushing against her thighs and her arms to come and rest on her shoulders. A hand went to the junction between her neck and shoulder, his thumb delicately sweeping against her collarbone; the other joined the hand on his cheek, trapping it under his fingers.

'You know, ' he murmured back, 'I wonder the very same thing about you every day. '

Her skin was boiling.

They stayed like this for a while that could have either lasted a minute or an hour, staring at each other in an attempt to decipher the strange soul they were looking at ' but a loud bang made them jump apart, followed by applause and polite cheering; fireworks had just started outside.

'We should go, ' she whispered regrettably, even as he mourned her touch already. She was already slipping back into her dress, and he offered to help her with the zipper. She held hair up while he pulled it up, her cheeks dusted with pink, and he had to bite back a small smile at the idea that

this

, of all the things that had happened tonight, was making her blush.

Loid nodded. 'We should go back to the car. It 's already late, so it shouldn 't be a problem to leave now. '

'We can stay longer, ' she argued with a shake of her head. 'You said you wanted to see that boy 's father, didn 't you? Anya 's classmate? '

'I might have changed your bandages, but that won 't be enough. You 'll need antibiotics and ' '

'I 'm fine. I feel better, now ' and this night is one of a kind. We can 't leave too soon. '

She caught his dubious expression, and smiled reassuringly. There was none of its previous tightness, no fake lines in the arch of her lips ' only genuine affection.

If only for this, he was willing to make a compromise with her. 'What about this: if we see Desm- I mean, Damian 's father, then we 'll try to talk with him. If we don 't, we 'll go home. '

'All right. '

He opened the door for her, and she went past him before pausing at the door frame, and glancing at him. She looked lighter, now, almost relaxed if not for the pain he imagined she was still in ' she was less coiled springs ready to bolt at the first show of additional pressure, and more

Yor

.

'Thank you, ' she said, the gratitude almost burning.

Words failed him, so he offered her a smile as an answer, and placed a hand on her back ' this time, mindful of her injury.

The darkened halls of the academy offered them a convenient excuse for proximity, and they walked close enough for their shoulders to brush together with each movement.

It turned out Desmond had already left by the time they returned, which appeared as both a disappointment and a relief. He could almost feel the guilt rolling off Yor 's frame in waves, and reassured her that they 'd get plenty more opportunities to meet the man.

The car ride back home was, once again, silent ' but the comfortable kind, this time, not the heavy quiet that had made the hair at the back of his neck raise as if a bomb had been about to explode.

A thought crossed his mind, and he called out her name gently. He knew she wouldn 't be comfortable with him bringing up the subject again, but he

needed

to know.

'What about the people who did this to you? '

A dark look crossed her face.

'They won 't be a problem anymore, ' she replied vaguely, and Loid tampered down the urge to press for further information and nodded instead.

He knew what it meant ; and while he was glad that she risked no direct retaliation, it also felt utterly infuriating to think he wouldn 't be able to get a hold on the fools who had dared doing this to her.

'If you get injured again, ' he requested, feeling oddly self-conscious, 'will you please tell me? I... won 't ask questions. '

She did not answer immediately ; but when she did, her voice was a little choked up. 'I will. '

He wasn 't sure what to say but opened his mouth anyway, only for her to speak again.

'Will you? ' she asked back, shy yet determined. 'Will you tell me if you 're hurt, too? '

There was no need to even think about the answer.

'I promise. '

It was risky.

But her smile was worth it all.