Chapter Text
Chloe was not like most children her age.
Chloe, 6, was once an orphan, until about six months ago. A man named Brett Yang came to adopt her, and now, they were living together in a comfortable, beautiful flat that overlooked the city, offering a gorgeous view of the city’s iconic Ferris wheel in the distance.
Her adoptive father, Brett Yang, introduced himself as a psychiatrist to most people who met him. He lived just downtown from his clinic, his favourite café was across from a bookstore, and the tailor shop where he gets his suits was within walking distance of his flat. He made a comfortable living off his clinical work, though he indulged sometimes in the arts, being especially fond of classical music.
Brett was a charming, amenable man, with a fondness for bespoke suits and a softness in his voice that was kind to children, and charismatic to other adults. He had a friend who ran a little music supply shop—Shaun—whom he was close with, and Chloe thought he was a rather fun man. Brett was well-liked by their neighbours, and he was always so very kind and capable.
If one were to ask Chloe what she thought of him, she would tell them that her adoptive father, Brett Yang, was a liar.
From the moment she met him, she knew—
Brett Yang was a spy tasked with the mission to gain intelligence on one of the most powerful men in the country. The only way for him to get close to the man, however, was by meeting him at a prestigious school for prodigy musicians—Eden Academy. The man had a son set to attend the same school, and would only appear to the public during parent-teacher conferences, and school assemblies.
That was where Chloe came in—Brett adopted her to gain access to Eden Academy, for the sake of gaining information.
Well, Chloe showed up at her orphanage one day with only the clothes on her back, and a violin case. She could probably do that. After all, she fluked her informal ‘audition’ the day Brett came to adopt her.
“How about this one? She showed up here with a violin case, for crying out loud.”
The man looked at Chloe with a raised eyebrow, and the little girl took a sharp breath.
“I can play.” She said, getting up from her seat, and Brett blinked at her as she picked up her violin case, her heart thundering in her ears as she held it up to her neck the way she saw it on TV.
Brett’s eyes narrowed on her.
Her chin’s not on the chin rest.
Chloe adjusted herself accordingly.
And the shoulder rest is backwards.
“Oh, oops.” She said, turning the shoulder rest around, and Brett’s eyebrows lifted in surprise.
I wonder if she knows where to put her fingers for the A major scale, at least.
Chloe put the violin back on her shoulder properly, and held the neck tentatively.
Open string.
She played the open A string, and the interest in the man’s eyes only grew.
“Oh?”
First finger, B.
Chloe began to play a scale, taking the information from Brett’s head, and with each passing moment, the man grew more and more impressed.
“Play something for me?” He asked, and her voice only barely managed to shake.
“What song?”
“Piece,” Brett corrected her gently, “And… how about the Bach double?”
“Um, okay…” Chloe said slowly, and much to her relief, Brett began to think about how to play the piece.
She copied what he did, and a thought occurred to her.
Hey, I really, really like playing the violin.
Brett’s growing smile told her that she was doing well, and Chloe couldn’t help but smile, too. Maybe if she stayed with Brett, she could learn more about the violin.
“I’ll adopt her,” Brett said, and from then on, Chloe called herself Chloe Yang, and her life under Brett Yang’s roof began.
According to Brett, he was a widower, and Chloe was his only child with his late wife. Music had been her passion, and all she wanted for Chloe was to feel the same love she had for classical music. That was why Chloe was learning the violin, a little link between father and daughter, and Chloe found herself enjoying the days spent with Brett learning how to play the violin.
“You know,” Brett laughed one evening, and Chloe didn’t know that hardened, professional spies could still laugh like that. “You’re already playing so much better than me.”
“Really?” Chloe asked, and Brett nodded, ruffling her hair. Chloe giggled as Brett smiled down at her warmly.
“Really.” Brett nodded. “You’re amazing, Chloe.”
Brett’s hand felt warm on her head, and Chloe sighed happily.
Brett’s laugh was nice. It was kind and—if she could let herself imagine for a moment—full of love, and she wanted to make it stay.
Maybe they can make it work.
Maybe Chloe can have a family again.
In place of an entrance exam, Eden Academy first held auditions. Chloe did her best, and after a rigorous audition (one with a lot of mind reading), Brett and Chloe stood in front of a wall of papers, looking for her name.
I have to be here, I have to, Chloe thought as Brett scoured the long, long list of applicants. If I don’t, he’ll send me back.
Chloe bit her lip, watching as Brett squinted at the papers through his glasses, and she held her breath.
Please, if there’s anyone out there, please let me in.
“Chloe!” Brett suddenly cheered, and Chloe shouted in surprise as he hoisted her up into the air. They definitely attracted stares because of it, but right now, Chloe couldn’t care less as Brett looked up at her, stars in his eyes. “Oh, you did it!”
“I—I did it?” She asked, awed, and Brett nodded.
“You passed the audition!”
Her eyes lit up in delight, and Brett spun her around, laughing delightedly. Chloe dissolved into giggles as he pulled her in for a warm hug, and she hugged him back.
I don’t know why I’m feeling this way, but my heart’s about to burst.
Chloe stopped, blinking up at Brett as he sighed fondly, setting her back down onto the ground.
I shouldn’t be this emotional. I shouldn’t be letting my feelings get carried away.
Chloe could hear the distress in Brett’s mind—the cacophony of stress and frustration that came with that momentary lapse into genuine humanity, and her heart ached for him.
She couldn’t begrudge Brett of simply being human—of having feelings.
He was her father, for crying out loud. The least she could do was—
“Dad?” She asked softly, and Brett stopped, blinking at her in surprise.
She called me Dad.
I did, Chloe thought, as Brett knelt down slowly to meet her eye to eye.
“Thank you for being so happy for me.” She said, and oh, the heart wrenching way Brett’s eyes grew watery was enough to pull tears to her own eyes.
All of this felt new—it felt so nice.
If this was what having a family was like, then Chloe had to keep it—no matter what.
“It’s only natural.” Brett smiled like it really was natural, and he ruffled her hair again. “Thank you for working hard too, Chloe.”
He offered her his hand to take as he stood up again. “Let’s get some ice cream to celebrate, why don’t we?”
“Yeah!” She beamed, and took his hand.
The next hurdle in their journey was an interview at Eden Academy. Somewhere deep inside her, Chloe was grateful there wasn’t an exam that went with it, too, but an interview was probably harder than that. The interview apparently required two parents to be present, and Chloe realised that Brett would have to find someone soon for that.
“Hm?” Chloe looked up from the music score she was trying to read (there was a little cheat sheet Brett wrote for her next to her on the coffee table) at the sound of the doorbell. “I’ll get it.”
“Chloe,” Brett began, but Chloe was already making her way to the door and opened it. She was surprised to see Shaun standing in the doorway, and he gave her a friendly little grin, ruffling her hair in greeting.
“Hey, is your dad here?” He asked, and Chloe nodded, gesturing behind her at Brett, who sighed in relief, slumping back in his seat as he lowered the papers he’d been reading. “Hey, man. I see you got my files.”
“Yeah, I was wondering how we can pull this off.” Brett frowned, gesturing for Shaun to step into the flat. “Chloe, could you close the door behind him, please? And let me answer the door next time, alright?”
“Okay.” Chloe nodded, shutting the door as she was told as Shaun sat down next to Brett with a deep sigh.
She settled down on the carpet in front of the coffee table across them, picking up her violin from the table to start plucking at it absentmindedly.
“So, a spouse, huh…” Shaun sighed, leafing through papers. “You’d wanna pick the least suspicious woman on this page if you’re going to live with her.”
“Don’t you think I already know that?” Brett grumbled, and Chloe perked up.
Were they choosing a mother for her?
She set her violin down on the table to listen to them talk intently.
“How about her? She seems nice.”
Brett frowned at the paper Shaun held up to him, and scowled.
“I think I’ve seen her at the grocery once, cussing up a storm.”
“Yikes.” Shaun snickered, and went back to reading the paper.
Chloe looked at Brett curiously as she watched his brow furrow more and more.
I mean, it’s not like I mind being with a woman, I suppose, I’ve done it before and I can do it again. She heard his head mumbling petulantly. But I’m gay… and if I’m getting married, then…
“Oh.” Chloe lit up, catching the men’s attention, and they looked at her with eyebrows lifted. “I want another dad.”
“Huh?” Shaun blinked at her as Brett’s eyes widened, his face turning red.
“I want another dad.” Chloe repeated. “Please?”
“Another dad?” Shaun turned to look at Brett. “You, uh, you okay with that?”
“All these years of friendship, and you never knew I swung that way?” Brett laughed behind his hand, his cheeks still red, and Shaun gasped, slapping his forehead.
“I totally forgot!” He exclaimed, and Chloe giggled as he hurriedly gathered the papers together. “Dude, warn a guy next time, hey!”
“In my defence, I thought you already knew,” Brett shrugged, and turned to Chloe. “I’m surprised you knew. It’s like you can somehow read my mind.”
“Oh, um,” Chloe blushed. “I just… I just thought… that if having one dad was already this wonderful, I wanted to have two dads instead.”
That wasn’t a lie, not really—her time spent with Brett was nothing short of wonderful compared to her life back in the orphanage. Brett made her happy, made her feel safe—so the least she could do was return the favour however she could.
If he preferred men, then Chloe would absolutely have another father.
“Aw, that’s sweet.” Shaun smiled at Brett, who laughed fondly behind his hand. “Okay, I’ll try again and look for single guys, too.”
“Thanks.” Brett smiled, and Shaun beamed at him.
“Though, of course, if you run into someone yourself, I’m not gonna complain!” He laughed, “Okay, Chloe, what do you want for dinner? I’ll cook!”
“You will not.” Brett deadpanned, getting up before Shaun could, and the man burst out laughing, “Stay right there, I’m making dinner.”
Shaun shared a grin with Chloe, who beamed back at him happily.
“You’re a great kid, y’know?” He told her, as she cocked her head at him. “You’ll make Brett and your future father very, very happy.”
As it turns out, Chloe’s future father was named Eddy Chen.
Eddy Chen was a government office worker on the early shift, clocking out in the afternoons to work as a luthier’s apprentice until the end of the business day, and during some weekends.
The Yang family met him one day, when taking Chloe’s violin to the luthier Eddy worked for.
“Chloe, could you come here for a moment?” Brett asked, wincing, and Chloe pouted in thought as she came over. “May I see your violin?”
“Here.”
Brett looked her violin over, and inspected it carefully.
“So this is the violin that you’ve had since you were at the orphanage, huh?” He asked, and Chloe nodded wordlessly as he turned it around in his hands. “So that means this violin’s never been looked at by a luthier?”
“A loo-tier?” Chloe repeated, and Brett laughed fondly.
“A luthier.” He said gently, getting up. “Your tone’s a little off, so I thought we should go see a luthier and have this fixed up.” He explained, “A luthier is a trained professional that fixes violins. Never try fixing it on your own, okay?”
“Oh, okay.” Chloe nodded as Brett gently packed away her violin into its case. “Are we going now?”
“Yeah,” Brett nodded, “I’m pretty sure the luthier nearby is open on Saturdays.” He gave her a sweet smile, and shut the case with a satisfying click.
The String Department was a beautiful, marble-floored strings shop a few minutes’ walk away from the Yang residence, and Chloe’s jaw dropped as they strode into the shop. There was a window at the back, right underneath a tastefully elegant sign that bore the shop’s name, that allowed visitors to see the luthier’s significantly less elegant (but no less beautiful) workshop behind the storefront. There was a man in the back working on a violin with careful concentration on his face, and Brett lit up.
“Oh, Olaf’s in.” He said cheerfully, as Chloe cocked her head at him. “He does look busy, though…”
“Do we wait?” Chloe asked, and Brett nodded, setting Chloe’s violin case down on the centre table.
“You can have a look around, if you like.” He said, and Chloe nodded eagerly, hurrying off to the side to look at some of the cellos up on display. “Just don’t touch anything!”
Brett smiled fondly to himself as he watched Chloe inspect the cellos with great interest—
“Oh, hello!” A young man greeted him suddenly, and Brett only barely managed to keep himself from jumping as he turned to see a brunet standing behind him. The young man had a piece of masking tape stuck onto the front of his dress shirt with the name ‘Eddy’ written on it, and Brett blinked at him blankly.
The brunet—well, Eddy, Brett supposed—laughed sheepishly, turning pink.
“Sorry, Olaf’s a bit busy right now, but if you’d like, I may offer my assistance?”
How did he get there without me noticing? Brett thought in mild panic, and Chloe whirled around at the sound of Brett’s distressed thought. She hurried over to him, worried, but then she saw Eddy, she blinked in surprise.
“Oh, thank you.” Brett quickly recovered, gesturing at Chloe’s violin case. “You see, we’ve got an old violin we’d like to have a quick check-up on. My daughter’s tone sounds a little off when she plays, so I was worried there may be some issues with the sound post or the bridge.”
“I see.” Eddy hummed, “May I have a look?”
“Of course, here.” Brett nodded, ushering Eddy closer to Chloe’s violin case, and the little girl stood aside as Brett opened the case for Eddy, gesturing at the violin. “Here it is.”
“Do you know the maker of the instrument?” Eddy asked, picking up the violin carefully to inspect it.
“No, unfortunately. There’s no tag inside, either—perhaps someone took it out.”
“That’s a shame.” Eddy shook his head, turning the violin around. “It’s beautiful, though. I bet this would make a lovely sound after a touch-up.”
“That’s what we’re hoping for.” Brett gave him a little grin, and much to Chloe’s surprise, Eddy’s cheeks turned pink.
Oh, he’s cute. Eddy thought, and Chloe lit up.
Someone who likes Brett!
Chloe bounced on her heels, hoping desperately that Brett would see her, as Eddy picked up her bow, tightening it with a little hum. Brett spotted Chloe, and he raised an eyebrow at her quizzically.
None-too-subtly, she pointed at Eddy, who—mercifully—didn’t seem to notice, and Brett’s eyes widened.
“Dad!” She mouthed, “I want him!”
“Chloe,” Brett hissed quietly, “You can’t just pick people like that!”
“Hm?” Eddy cocked his head at them, but Brett shook his head, laughing softly.
“No, it’s nothing. My daughter is always excited to see someone play.” He said smoothly, and Chloe’s expression flattened at him.
Dad is a liar.
“Oh, I’m not very good,” Eddy laughed nervously as he began to tune the violin, and he winced slightly. “I think I see what you mean.”
“Yeah,” Brett nodded, “Is it the sound post?”
“Hm.” Eddy played the beginning of Meditation, and Brett hummed as he listened to the man play. “I don’t think so. Might be the bridge.”
“I see.” Brett replied as Eddy set the bow down to inspect the bridge, and nodded.
“Ah, there we go. The notches have gouged down too deep—that’s why the sound’s a bit weird.” He smiled fondly. “It probably doesn’t help that the neck is just a bit shorter than standard violins.”
“We’ll need to have the bridge changed, then?” Brett asked, and Eddy nodded. “Could you change it?”
“Unfortunately, I’d rather not.” Eddy laughed nervously, “I’m still just Olaf’s apprentice, so—oh, here he is now!”
Brett turned to see the luthier—Olaf—step out from the door connecting the workshop, and the man lit up at the sight of Brett.
“Oh, Brett Yang! Wonderful to see you again—it’s been years!”
“Hello, Olaf.” Brett greeted him pleasantly, and they shook hands. Eddy stood back, sighing dreamily, and Chloe looked at him curiously as Brett and Olaf launched into light conversation.
Brett Yang, huh… he’s pretty cute, and he seems to know his stuff about the violin. I wonder what it would be like to have a boyfriend like that?
Chloe’s eyes widened, unmindful of Olaf and Brett moving to her violin to discuss it.
Eddy peered at Chloe, and when their gazes met, he jumped, but offered her a kind smile.
Oh, but Brett mentioned that this girl was his daughter. I guess that means he’s married…
Eddy’s shoulders slumped slightly, but his body language betrayed nothing else about his disappointment, and Chloe knew she had to act.
Eddy seemed nice, after all—Eddy could treat Brett well, she could feel it.
“Ah, yeah, Eddy’s right, all we need to do is to replace the bridge and change the angle slightly…” Olaf hummed, unmindful of Eddy and Chloe’s secret, one-sided conversation, and Brett nodded, giving Eddy an impressed little smile. Eddy blushed, unable to keep himself from smiling as Olaf raised an eyebrow, also beginning to smile.
Come to think of it, I’m pretty sure Brett is Eddy’s type… poor thing should really get a boyfriend soon, so he’s not always thinking about work.
Oh, even the luthier wanted them together!
“Oh, I’m so lonely with only a dad.” Chloe sighed dramatically, making a show of stumbling forward to lean on Brett’s leg, and Brett jumped, looking down at her in surprise. “I’d love to have another one, wouldn’t it be so nice to have another one?”
“Chloe—what—” What the hell, was the rest of Brett’s sentence, but he decided not to say it out loud. Not like Chloe wouldn’t hear it anyway, but Brett didn’t know that.
“Oh, that’s right, Brett, how’s your wife?” Olaf asked, a little louder than necessary, and Chloe lit up as she looked at the luthier.
That little girl seems keen on getting them together. I have to help!
Thank you, luthier! Chloe thought in delight as Eddy looked at Brett pleadingly, as if asking if he was single.
“Well, um, she’s already passed away.” Brett said, and Eddy almost visibly heaved a sigh of relief. “All I had left was Chloe when we moved here, but I really want to keep my wife’s dream alive.” He patted Chloe’s back, chuckling softly. “And, well, it seems she misses having a third person around the house.”
“Well, Eddy, why don’t you ask Brett about your little boyfriend predicament?” Olaf asked cheerfully, and Eddy jolted, stammering in embarrassment as he turned red. Brett turned to look at Olaf quizzically, but the luthier gave him a wink. “Have a moment to chat with Eddy here; let me have a look at your girl’s violin.”
Olaf gave Chloe a little thumbs-up, and she beamed at him delightedly before he picked up her violin and the bow. He strode back into the workshop with a little wave at Brett, Eddy, and Chloe, and when the door shut behind him, Eddy groaned, running his hands through his hair, messing it up.
“I’m so sorry,” he sighed apologetically, “Olaf shouldn’t have butted into your businesses like that.”
“No, it’s fine, what’s the matter?” Brett asked, and Eddy rubbed his arm.
“You see, um, my co-worker is throwing a big dinner party, and I said I’d show up with a boyfriend.” Eddy mumbled, and Brett and Chloe looked at each other in surprise. “Thing is, my co-workers think it’s weird that a guy my age doesn’t have a partner yet, they say it’s a waste of my age, and it could be a source of suspicion, especially when, y’know, we’re on the brink of war.”
Eddy sighed again, shaking his head.
“I just want to play the violin and fix violins in peace, that’s all…”
Chloe deflated at Eddy’s dejected tone—when suddenly she heard his thoughts pour into her head.
And also, I can’t keep my assassin job safely if I’m under surveillance for suspicions of espionage…
Assassin?
Chloe’s eyes widened, boggling at Eddy as she saw him flexing his hands—which looked particularly calloused, come to think of it.
I mean, most of my kills are bloodless anyway, because of the strings I use, so I think it won’t be as difficult, but…
Chloe looked up at Brett in shock.
He seems harmless enough, Brett thought, and Chloe boggled at him.
He fell right for it!
“Well, actually,” Brett began, and Eddy blinked at him. “I’m in a bit of a predicament as well.”
“Really?” Eddy breathed.
“You see, it was my late wife’s wish for Chloe to love classical music, and recently, she just passed the auditions for a school she had dreamed of her going to.” Brett explained, “Unfortunately, the interview that follows suit is… not so inclusive of single parents like me.”
“Oh, that’s terrible.” Eddy deflated.
“Which is why, if it’s alright with you,” Brett shrugged, “Do you mind pretending to be my husband for the interview?”
“H-husband?” Eddy gasped softly, turning red, and Chloe winced at the way the younger man’s head seemed to fill with scrambled, flustered thoughts. “I-I—well—um…”
“Of course, I’m more than happy to play your boyfriend for the dinner party too.” Brett smiled, and Eddy spluttered even more.
I’d be stupid not to take it. It’s such a huge bonus that he’s handsome, to boot! Eddy thought.
Chloe watched as Brett patiently waited for Eddy to calm down, feeling her heart thundering in her ears.
I suppose cohabitation with Eddy is fine—he’s easy on the eyes, too. Brett thought. Of course, I’d still have to run a background check on him, but this is a good start.
“A-alright!” Eddy stammered, and Brett smiled—a real one, Chloe knew, as he held his hand out for Eddy to shake. “I-I’ll do my best!”
“As will I.” Brett replied as Eddy shook his hand. “It’s a pleasure to work with you, Eddy Chen.”
“Please, just Eddy,” He laughed, “I hope I can call you Brett, too?”
“But of course.” Brett grinned, and lifted Eddy’s hand to kiss it. Eddy immediately turned red again, melting into a proverbial pile of mush and embarrassment, and Olaf finally emerged from the workroom, delighted at the sight.
“I think you’ve reached an agreement?” He asked, and Brett nodded, smiling neutrally as Eddy stood back, hands on his burning cheeks. “Happy for you, Eddy!”
“Th-thanks,” Eddy stammered, and he looked down at Chloe. “Um, sorry to intrude on you and your dad, Chloe.”
“It’s no problem at all.” She replied, stars in her eyes, and Eddy lit up in relief.
“I-I’m glad!” Eddy laughed softly, and Brett smiled at them both warmly. Eddy smiled back at him, and let Chloe take his hand. He chuckled as Brett approached them, and Olaf huffed fondly, shaking his head.
“You know, the three of you look like such a perfect family.” He said, and Brett and Eddy shared a little laugh as Chloe nodded eagerly. “And the little one looks excited to have you around, Eddy!”
Well, Olaf was right—but he was probably thinking she was excited for the wrong reason.
Chloe looked like a child happy to have two parents again, but Chloe was not like much children her age—
A telepath, a spy, and an assassin, right under the same roof, bonding together over their favourite instrument in the world—how exciting!
One thing (impressing Eddy’s nosy City Hall co-workers) led to another (explosives and fistfights), and the next thing Chloe knew, she had two fathers (even on paper!) and Brett and Eddy were none the wiser about each other’s true identities.
Overall, it seemed like a fun time, Chloe thought, smiling to herself as she watched Brett and Eddy awkwardly tiptoed around each other, trying to gauge each other’s sensibilities without giving away their own.
It was kind of hilarious, really, and something about it never failed to make Chloe smile.
If this was what having a family meant, then Chloe wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Somewhere in heaven, a deity of love grinned widely, and got to work on giving one special little girl the happiest family she had ever known.
(Oh, and the fact that their assigned soulmate couple would get together as a result of this was just the cherry on top.)