By: TooniverseTraveler
Franky Franklin stared at the clock on the wall of the hotel room, his leg bouncing nervously as he glanced over at Anya. It had been three days—three very long days—since Loid and Yor had left on their "family ski trip," and they hadn't heard a single word from them since. The storm had hit hard, and despite the efforts of rescue teams and local authorities, the roads were still blocked.
Now, Franky was stuck watching Anya—alone.
"How did I get roped into this?" Frank muttered under his breath, running a hand through his already disheveled hair.
Anya, who had been sitting quietly on the hotel bed with her dog, Bond, perked up. Her large eyes blinked curiously at him, but she remained silent. Well, mostly silent.
Frank's thoughts echoed loudly in her mind. This is bad. What if something happened to them? What do I even do with a kid? His inner monologue was a jumble of worry, fear, and mild panic. Loid's going to kill me if anything happens to her. I can't handle this responsibility. What if she wants to go outside? What if she gets bored? What if I lose her?
Anya stifled a giggle, her small hand patting Bond's head. The large, fluffy dog wagged his tail lazily, blissfully unaware of Frank's growing anxiety. But Anya wasn't worried—not yet, anyway. She had a plan. Or, at least, the beginning of one.
"Franky," Anya piped up suddenly, swinging her legs off the bed, "we're going to find Papa and Mama!"
Franky's head snapped up, his eyes wide. "What? No, no, no, no," he said quickly, waving his hands in front of him. "We're not going anywhere! You heard what the people on the news said, right? The roads are completely blocked. There's nothing we can do until the storm clears."
Anya pouted, crossing her arms. "But Papa and Mama need help! Bond and I can find them!" She glanced down at her dog, who seemed ready to go along with whatever Anya decided.
Frank stared at her, his expression a mixture of disbelief and dread. "Anya, you can't just go running off into a snowstorm. That's dangerous! We have to stay here and wait for the authorities to clear the roads. Besides, how would you even know where they are?"
Anya just smiled, tapping her temple in that cryptic way that always made Frank uneasy. Of course, she couldn't tell him the truth—that she had read his mind and the minds of everyone else in the hotel, picking up on their worry about the missing skiers and the blocked roads. She had already heard the hotel staff discussing the situation in the lobby earlier that morning.
Why does this kid seem so confident? Frank thought, staring at her with growing suspicion. Does she not understand the seriousness of this?
Anya tilted her head, still grinning. "I just know. Bond knows too." She gave Bond an affectionate pat on the head, and the dog barked softly, as if agreeing with her.
Frank groaned, rubbing his temples. "Look, Anya, I'm sure Loid and Yor are fine. They're probably just stuck somewhere safe, waiting for the roads to clear. The last thing we need is to make things worse by wandering around in the snow. We have to stay put, okay?"
Anya's lips formed a small pout, her plan not going as smoothly as she'd hoped. Maybe I can't tell Franky the whole plan. But I can still try it later. He won't even know... she thought, already plotting ways to sneak out of the hotel with Bond.
But Frank's worry wasn't the only thing on her radar. The entire hotel was buzzing with tension. People in the lobby were whispering about the storm, some of them anxious about loved ones who had gone missing on the ski slopes. Hotel staff were frazzled, doing their best to keep guests calm while managing the storm's chaos. Every mind Anya tuned into carried the same thread of concern—no one knew when the roads would be cleared, and no one had any information about the missing skiers.
Bond, sensing Anya's mood, nudged her with his nose, as if to reassure her that they'd figure something out.
"See? Bond knows we can help," Anya said confidently, standing up from the bed. "You'll see, Franky!"
Frank groaned again, leaning back in the armchair with a heavy sigh. "Why does your dog always act like he's in on something?"
Anya just giggled, her mind already running through possible ways to get out of the hotel unnoticed. Maybe the back door? Or the kitchen... if we sneak past the workers, no one will see us...
Frank stared at her, narrowing his eyes. "What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing!" Anya said innocently, but her mischievous smile gave her away.
Frank stood up, his arms crossing over his chest. "Look, kid. I know you're worried about Loid and Yor. I am too. But we can't go running off in the middle of a snowstorm without any idea where they are. We have to wait for help, alright?"
Anya stared up at him, her large eyes blinking, and Frank could see the gears turning in her head. He didn't know how, but somehow, this kid was always two steps ahead of him. It made him nervous.
"You promise you won't try to leave?" he asked, pointing at her suspiciously.
Anya nodded, though her fingers were crossed behind her back. "I promise," she said sweetly.
Frank wasn't convinced, but there wasn't much more he could do. I really hope I don't regret this, he thought, sitting back down and rubbing his face.
Anya turned her attention back to Bond, petting him as she leaned down to whisper in his ear. "We'll wait till later, Bond. We'll find Papa and Mama."
Bond barked softly in response, his tail wagging slowly.
The day stretched on, tension mounting in the hotel as the storm outside showed no sign of clearing. Frank's nerves were shot, and Anya could sense his mounting frustration. But for now, she would wait. Wait until the moment was right to put her "rescue plan" into action.
She was, after all, a master spy like her Papa—or at least, she liked to think she was.
Loid stared at the small window, barely able to see through the frost-covered glass. Outside, everything was buried in snowdrifts, and the path back to the inn where Anya was waiting seemed like an impossible distance.
"We need to find a way out," Loid muttered, more to himself than to Yor.
Yor, who had been quietly tending to the fire, looked up, her brow furrowed in concern. She had been thinking the same thing—Anya must be wondering where they were, and Frank, well... she didn't trust him to handle Anya's energy for more than a day. It had already been three.
"You're right," she said softly, though her voice was distant, her mind preoccupied. Every time she glanced at Loid, her thoughts returned to the kiss from the previous night. She hadn't meant to do it—her intoxicated state had pushed her into a moment of boldness, but now... now, she couldn't stop thinking about it. Every time their hands brushed or he stood too close, her heart sped up. She felt clumsy, overly aware of her own movements and his proximity.
She glanced at him now, watching as he focused on the problem at hand. His expression was sharp, thoughtful, as he stared out at the snow. "If the door is completely blocked," Loid continued, "we'll need another way out. Maybe through the roof or a higher window... but the snow will make it difficult to navigate."
Yor swallowed hard, trying to focus. She needed to get her mind back on the task. They had to return to Anya, and this wasn't the time for silly distractions. Still, every time Loid moved, she found herself hyper-aware of his presence. The brush of his arm as he passed her earlier had sent a shiver through her, and she could feel the heat creeping up her cheeks now as she remembered it.
Loid noticed her silence and turned to look at her. "Yor?"
She blinked, startled. "Y-Yes?"
"You seem distracted. Are you alright?" His voice was calm, but there was concern in his eyes.
Yor nodded quickly, trying to suppress the flutter in her chest. "Yes! I'm fine! Just... thinking."
Loid raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. "We need to come up with a way to get through all this snow. I can't risk waiting much longer to get back to Anya."
Yor bit her lip, her thoughts swirling. She could do it—she could use her skills. The problem was, Loid didn't know about her... other life. He didn't know she was more than just a clumsy civil servant. But the need to protect Anya outweighed everything else. If using her abilities could get them out of this situation faster, maybe it was worth the risk.
"I could..." Yor hesitated, glancing at Loid nervously. "I could try help to clear the snow... with my strength and yours." Her voice was soft, as if she was unsure how to explain without revealing too much.
Loid looked at her, his eyes narrowing slightly in thought. "Your strength?"
Yor swallowed, forcing herself to continue. "I'm... a little stronger than most people. I think we could clear a path through the snow, at least enough for us to get out."
Loid studied her for a moment, his calculating mind turning over this new piece of information. He hadn't known Yor to be physically strong in any obvious way—at least not in the normal sense. But he had noticed small things. The way she moved with surprising agility, the way she seemed to handle more physically demanding tasks with ease.
He nodded slowly. "Alright. If you think you can do it, we'll try that. But be careful. The snow is packed high, and it could be dangerous if the structure shifts."
Yor nodded quickly, grateful for his trust. "I'll be careful."
Together, they moved toward the door, where the snow was blocking any exit. Loid stepped back to let Yor take the lead, his gaze steady on her. Yor took a deep breath, trying to calm the rapid beating of her heart. She could feel Loid's eyes on her, watching, and it only made her more nervous.
This time, she didn't have the excuse of whiskey to explain her actions. Her hands felt clumsy as she reached for the door, but she shook it off, focusing on the task ahead. She had to keep her mind clear.
With a sharp, practiced motion, Yor pushed against the door, testing the weight of the snow. The pressure was immense, but she knew she could handle it. With another push, she applied more force, her muscles tensing as she shoved against the snowbank that was trapping them inside. The snow groaned under the strain, shifting slightly as she cleared enough space for them to squeeze through.
Loid hands joined hers. He was impressed by the ease with which she handled the task. "You're stronger than you let on," he said, his voice calm but curious.
Yor blushed at the compliment, her clumsiness returning as she almost lost her grip on the door. She fumbled for a moment before righting herself, feeling foolish for being so distracted. "Ah, well, it's nothing... really," she stammered, trying to brush it off.
Loid stepped closer to help, his hand brushing against hers as they worked to widen the opening. The brief contact sent a spark through Yor, and she almost dropped the handle again, her heart pounding in her chest. She tried to focus, but all she could think about was the warmth of his hand, the way he had looked at her with that same calm intensity the night before.
Why was this happening now? Why couldn't she just act normal?
"We should be able to get out now," Loid said, pulling her from her thoughts. He stepped back, nodding toward the door. "But we need to move carefully. The snow could shift at any moment."
Yor nodded quickly, grateful for the chance to focus on something else. Together, they slipped through the narrow opening and into the cold, snow-packed world outside. The air was biting, but the storm had passed, leaving the landscape eerily quiet.
As they made their way through the snow, Loid's hand brushed against her arm again, steadying her as they navigated the difficult terrain. Every touch, no matter how brief, sent her pulse racing, and she couldn't stop thinking about the kiss. What did it mean? Did he even remember? Was it just the whiskey, or was there something more?
Loid, for his part, seemed as focused as ever on the task at hand. But every now and then, he glanced at her, his expression unreadable. Yor's thoughts continued to swirl, her clumsiness creeping back every time their hands or arms brushed. It was going to be a long trek back to Anya, especially with her heart racing at every step.