Just Trying to get a Smile

I find it so ironic that amongst Twilight, Yor, and Yuri, Twilight is the one with the most visibility of exactly what his organisation does and stand for, and is the most bought into his work.

He KNOWS they aren't "good" people who always do the "right" thing. And he understands that he can't live with a clean conscience. But he genuinely believes that the steps he takes are necessary and someone has to do it. And he takes it in the direction of his primary principle – peace. And in completing the missions, he always takes the path of least harm. He doesn't use that to forgive himself. He just doesn't like causing more harm than is strictly necessary to complete his job. Even cold, aloof Twilight was reluctant to find a wife for Ops Strix.

But despite having a personal core set of principles, Twilight is the one who will struggle the most when it comes to choosing between his family and his work.

On the other end of the spectrum, Yuri is the most disillusioned of the three. He is also aware that he's getting his hands dirty, but he has his eyes somewhat closed to the realities around him. His job is justified. His hatred is justified. His actions are justified. By whatever means, keeping his country safe matters. Even if it's from someone who doesn't pose a real danger.

He isn't all shit. He is slightly brainwashed, but he also has a core set of beliefs. The whole point of the chapter with that slanderer that Yuri stalks and catches is that he doesn't want that slanderer's father to suffer emotional pain. Yuri's core is family. Even during the pizza party, he makes Loid eat the pizza, but doesn't even let the pizza man talk to Yor.

So, despite being ready to go all in, and truly believing he's wiping out traitors from his country, if it comes to family vs. his job, there'll be zero reluctance or hesitation in his decision. Yor comes first. Always.

Yor is in between. She is too trusting. The two men in her life aren't completely wrong. She's gullible and naive. She believes everything told by the shopkeeper, never questioning that she needs his permission for building new friendships, and fully trusting that whatever job she gets has been carefully vetted. She believes that the lives she's ending are lives of bad people. Despite believing that they deserve to die, she has a core principle of giving painless deaths (I get a feeling that when she makes an exception, it's going to be brutal. And I think it's probably going to be when she discovers project Apple).

So, she has large blindspots about her work, is extremely dedicated, truly believes that despite considering herself a monster, she is ending lives of those who are worse monsters, but when it comes to family, she'll also always pick family first.

May your fingers dance along the letters upon your device with ease, may the devil of distraction stay far from you, and may your work not need much editing.

First of all, I'm going to forever laugh at Twilight's answer. I mean doesn't he worry how he sounds? "Not if you're a good girl?" You're a single dad, my man. They'll report you.

Also, his face. Since the very beginning, he's put in zero effort to charm Anya. He is very much Twilight with her - grump and all. If anything, now when they are alone and he smiles at her, those smiles are real. He's never pretended to be affectionate with her. Every moment of affection between the two is always real. That makes me feel things, happy and sad and scream things. :(

So, this is real: