Work Text:
Loid sighed as he sat down at the couch. It was the first time that he had allowed himself a moment to not do anything. Before he was doing bills, or anything else, he could think of to do to keep busy. Earlier he had taken Anya to the park, but only briefly because it was far too overcrowded for either of their likings.
"Hehe..." A tiny giggle could be heard from the other side of the couch. When Loid looked over, he saw mischievous green eyes peering over at him. He narrowed his eyes at her, before averting them once more. Loid was not certain if he should acknowledge her or let her keep staring. When Anya giggled again, Loid picked up the remote and paused the television.
"What are you doing, Anya?" Loid asked, standing up from the couch to walk over and approach her. Anya looked up at him with enthusiasm in her little eyes. She looked up at him expectantly, as though she anticipated something. "Hmm?"
"Silly papa," Anya declared, earning a confused look from Loid. He had not thought that he had done anything silly. But, before he could ask what she meant, she was running around his legs. Little circles around his feet.
"Hey, hey, stop that!" Loid let out an exasperated sound as she ran around him in circles. At this rate, Loid was getting dizzy, but he could not move at risk of squashing the tiny blur of pink rushing around him. "I'm going to f-f-faall!"
And just like that, Loid lost his footing and stumbled backwards. Though, naturally, he managed to reduce the damage by landing on his posterior instead of to the back of the head. With an absolute lack of remorse, Anya rushed into his lap. Like she was a cat that had just received a little bed to curl herself up in.
"A-Anya, sheesh..." Loid grumbled as he watched Anya plop her little body in his lap. She turned her head and rested her temple against his torso. Her chubby cheek brushing against his stomach.
"Papa..." she murmured. It sounded like she had tuckered herself out. "I love... love papa."
Loid felt his cheeks flush somewhat. Of course, there was nothing unnatural about a daughter telling her papa that she loved him. And naturally, he should be able to say it back... right? The tradition did not come quite so easily to him as it seemed to for her. Loving was a subconscious thing that he knew he did as naturally as breathe. Yet to actually place it in words felt somehow foolish.
Loid exhaled through his nose. Gently he held her closer to his chest. Anya peered up at him and then he planted a tiny kiss on her little forehead. What an adorable daughter he had. A sweet innocent daughter. One that he intended to cherish and protect for the rest of her life.
"Eepy..." Anya murmured aloud. Then she rested her tiny face back against her papa's chest. But it was clear she was fighting to stay awake. It was a few minutes to 5:30 PM. It was not bedtime, but it was getting close.
"Then go to sleep, Anya..." Loid told her in the softest and most gentle voice that he could muster. "I will be here when you wake up, holding you close."
"But..." Anya half-whined, half-murmured in her current state, "It's too early... and I feel like I didn't do enough at all today. If I go to sleep... the rest of the day will be gone."
"That's okay, Anya. There's no sense in pushing yourself when you're sleepy. Might as well sleep so that you will have the energy to do the things that you want to do tomorrow, don't you?" The hypocrisy in his words was clear to himself, but he hoped his little daughter may still be too young to notice.
"Mm." Anya was getting too tired to argue. Not to mention, a part of her must have realized that he was right. "Okay, papa...
I love you."
And, with that, Anya closed her little eyes. Her plump little face remained snuggled up against her papa's torso. And here on the ground, Loid gently closed his eyes as well. Here they would be comfortable in one another's presence. Ever so gently, holding one another.
"I love you too." Then, he allowed himself the rest that he so desperately craved, Loid allowed himself to fall asleep as well.