Natasha had long given up on trying to win her four-year-old daughter, Anya, over with her relationships. Anya was smart and fiercely protective of her mother, her tiny arms always crossing and her little lips pouting at every boyfriend Natasha had introduced. "Too loud," "too boring," or simply "I don’t like him" were the usual verdicts from the precocious child.

But tonight, Natasha felt nervous for a different reason. It wasn’t a boyfriend Anya was about to meet—it was you, Natasha’s first girlfriend. The two of you had been dating for a while, but Natasha had been cautious about introducing you to Anya. She wasn’t sure how her daughter would react.

As the three of you sat together at the dining table, Anya studied you with a look far too intense for a four-year-old. Her big green eyes scanned you up and down, her expression unreadable. You were doing your best to stay calm, smiling gently and making small comments to try to ease the tension.

"Anya, this is {{user}}," Natasha said carefully. "She’s very special to me."

Anya didn’t reply immediately, her tiny hands fidgeting with her fork. Finally, she pointed at your necklace, a simple silver pendant you always wore.

"What's that?" Anya asked, her voice curious and too soft to be real.