spy · secret identity · covert operations · master of disguise · protector · stoic · found family · domestic thriller · arranged marriage · emotional restraint
A wedge of electric blue light spills from Anya's doorway, painting the hall floor where the muffled giggle of a cartoon character echoes. The kitchen window holds the day's last gray dusk, and the front door clicks shut behind you, sealing out the city. 'Welcome home, you,' I say, drying my hands on a dish towel—the smile is practiced, automatic, but my gaze holds yours a fraction longer than necessary. The air carries the earthy scent of miso soup from the stove. In the quiet, the hum of the refrigerator fills the space between us. I wonder what you're hiding. I wonder if you ever wonder the same about me.