Operation 007 (SpyxFamily)

Ch. 17: Part Four

Anya tried to stay awake while she lifted her fork to her mouth. The rumbling in her stomach motivated her to eat before she went back to bed. She was fairly unaware of the people around her when there was a voice in her head.

'Chihuahua.' Her uncle thought at her, making her jump inside. She willed herself to be still, forgetting to breathe in that moment and resisted the urge to look up at him.

Yuri knew.

Anya expected him to find out what the experiments were for, but it still rattled her to her core.

'Relax', She thought. As long as she stayed calm and un-reactive he wouldn't find out and every cell in her brain, freaking out, opposed what she just told herself. She ignored it and ate her dinner.

Loid entangled Yuri in conversation, but he still managed to try again.

'Chihuahua.' Thought Yuri, a little louder.

Anya kept her eyes on her plate and didn't look at him.

Yuri sighed inwardly that it didn't work. It didn't prove she wasn't an esper, but he would have liked to solve this one. He left it alone when Yor suggested he stay for another cup of tea. He asked discreetly about her assassin work in code, so Anya wouldn't know, but of course she knew.

Yor, answered him as best she could. Avoiding some, skirting around others.

Yuri stood to leave as Anya finished eating and climbed off her seat and took her plate.

Yuri donned his coat as he said his goodbyes to Yor and saw Anya stepping away from the table. A last effort to try again.

'ANYA!'

The sound reverberated through her skull and Anya leapt out of her skin, goosebumps appearing as the dish shattered on the floor. Her head whipped towards him, bug-eyed. Her response startled Yuri as he took a step back and anchored in place.

"Anya! Are you okay?" Loid and Yor said in unison, turning away from the door. Loid lifted the stunned girl away from the sharp slivers that decorated the ground, a quick look at her feet before fetching the broom.

The staring match between Anya and Yuri went unnoticed.

Anya would have cried. Would have run. Would have slammed the door to her room if every part of her wasn't paralyzed from panic and fear. Her heart raced and she felt it might burst. Her gaze held his.

The silence from Yuri's mind was loud and consuming as every thought left him. His brain in frozen shock. He knew it was a possibility, but knowing it was true was a different matter. His processing was slow as the girl by the table watched him intensely. Hands gripped in front of her. Unmoving. He barely saw her breathe.

Terrified.

Anya stood in weighted tension, unable to look away from him. It drew Yuri into the halted moment where sounds were muffled and far away. It kept him rooted there, her gaze holding him in place, making any thoughts to move or speak, falter.

He glanced to his sister, Anya's nervous eyes flicking briefly to her as he did so.

They didn't know, he realized. She never told them. Kept it to herself. Was afraid he would tell them. Uncover everything she'd hid in the dark where they couldn't see it. Afraid he'd make known what he'd gathered at the SSS.

Anya shook her head, ever so subtly, unnerving Yuri. She had heard his thoughts as he considered it. The action, inexplicably swaying him.

He felt he couldn't speak it, looking at her now. Her deep fear of anyone finding out. It felt wrong to divulge her secret when the idea scared her so much. He couldn't do it even as his instincts told him to and forced himself to think through the stupor. He was disoriented as he broke free of the muted bubble that deadened his thoughts and stole his senses. His environment slammed into him and he shifted back into himself. Sounds of clinking porcelain were clearer than before as they slipped into the garbage bin.

He felt Anya's eyes on him as he finally broke contact to look at her parents who were wondering what was going on. The knowledge of what just occurred, only known to the two. The knowledge rampaged through Yuri's thoughts. The knowledge that would continue to rampage for a while yet.

He gave one last look at his niece, a haze still holding him as he reached for the doorknob.

And went home.