The Darkness in Their Eyes (part 2 of 11)

a Noir fanfiction by Rune Traverse

Back to Part 1
"Mireyu?"

The soft, ever-so-faintly accented voice of her partner echoed slightly 
off the bathroom tiles as Mirelle stepped from the shower, water 
trailing down her nude body in already-cooling rivulets. Pulling the 
curtain back into place, her cool, distant eyes softened for just a 
moment, lips curving upward in a fond smile. She never did get tired of 
hearing her name that way, laden with the accents of Kirika's native 
Japan. Shaking her head to clear it of such nonsense, she answered with 
a questioning sound, voice pitched to carry over the noise of the fan. 
"Ummm?"

Outside the partly-cracked door, a shadow appeared like magic, its 
slightly smaller, softer contours as familiar as the Corsican woman's 
own. Kirika Yuumura's low tone was as calm and even as it ever was; to 
most ears, it would have been completely flat, without any emotion at 
all. Only someone who knew the seventeen-year-old as closely as Mirelle 
did would recognize the soft cheer in her voice, the subtle mix of sound 
and inflection that meant she was content. "The tea is ready."

Mirelle nodded, though she knew Kirika couldn't see it. "I'll be out in 
a minute." She assured her partner. Kirika's shadow shifted, nodding, 
then retreated back into the main part of the apartment without comment. 
The older of Noir's pair didn't mind the silence. It was simply a part 
of Kirika, like her short, thick dark hair, Asian features and brown 
eyes marked with red. The blonde knew without needing to see that her 
partner was probably pouring them some tea, or settled beside the window 
looking for a new art subject. Lifting one of the white towels from the 
wall rack, Mirelle dried off quickly, then wound the cotton cloth around 
her damp locks. If she was lucky, there would be a few more sketches for 
her to see.

Wrapping another of the soft towels tight around her body, she tucked 
the free end casually over the top and slipped from the still-warm 
bathroom into the apartment proper. A warm, steamed-spice scent billowed 
out to embrace her, an undertone of sugar and cookies heavy enough to 
taste on her tongue. It seemed Kirika had found another recipe she liked 
in the books Mirelle had brought home. Though it was only a small hobby, 
the Japanese young woman seemed to like trying out different cooking and 
baking techniques, and Mirelle enjoyed encouraging her as much as she 
could. It was still fun to see Kirika's shy little smile, that rare 
expression she hardly showed anyone. And to be honest, her cooking was 
just as good as Mirelle's own. Her baking was certainly better.

Moving around the half-wall that separated their 'bedroom' from the rest 
of the apartment, the blonde pulled open a drawer in the glossy wooden 
dresser and rummaged through, searching for something she felt like 
wearing. She finally decided on a pair of pale blue jeans, not quite 
tight enough to hinder her movement, but certainly a good fit. To go 
with them, she pulled out a lavender halter top that tied at her neck 
and waist, then a pair of white tennis shoes with matching blue piping. 
Glancing up in the mirror, the Corsican beauty eyed her reflection 
critically for a moment. Yes, this was a good look. They only had a bit 
of light work for today, really – just some minor scouting before the 
true hit later this week. And Kirika really seemed to like the halter 
top.

Maybe we should get her one when we go shopping today. That new place on 
le Rhine looked like it might have a few good outfits, and I know they 
have her size. Mirelle mused to herself, idly running a brush through 
her still-damp hair. She'd been doing her best to 'help' Kirika restyle 
her wardrobe, with rather mixed results. Her partner now had quite a few 
more modern outfits tucked into her side of the large closet, including 
three or four pairs of comfortable, non-pink shoes. Though Mirelle still 
had no success in convincing her to wear anything that showed off her 
lean, delicate body to any real advantage.

Absorbed in her thoughts, the blonde hunted along the top of the dresser 
until she found the pale purple scrunchie Kirika had discovered in a 
boutique a few weeks ago. The small Asian girl may not have understood 
much about fashion, but she certainly had an eye for colors; not only 
did it match this particular top perfectly, but it had just the faintest 
shades of blue in it to set off the Corsican's sapphire gaze. Gathering 
up her long blonde hair, Mirelle pulled the thick, wavy tresses back 
into a simple ponytail, admiring the effect in the mirror for a moment 
before nodding. As usual, Kirika was right. In this outfit, her golden 
mane did look better tied back.

Finally dressed and comfortable, Mirelle trotted into the apartment 
proper on bare feet just as Kirika came out of the kitchen, teapot 
cradled carefully in her hands. A large platter of fresh cookies sat on 
the small, round table between their customary places, full of sugary 
goodness and still warm from the oven. Mirelle paused and raised an 
eyebrow, laughing wryly. "Found something to keep you busy again, hmm?"

Kirika ducked her head a bit, smiling shyly as she placed their usual 
drink atop the table. The teasing wasn't truly something new; Mirelle 
had ribbed her occasionally ever since they met, always with that 
sardonic smile and eyes glinting with sarcastic humor. But after their 
return from the Manor, the teasing had become gentler, more like a best 
friend and a partner rather than a sharp coworker who happened to share 
the same home. Strange as it was, each little joke was precious as gold 
to Kirika. She knew no one else rated teasing in quite the same way, and 
that thought gave her a sense of . . . affection, maybe. A glow of 
warmth and belonging, the knowledge that – if only in one small area – 
she was valued more than any other.

The blonde young woman took her usual seat at the table, and Kirika 
carefully poured the tea, only a very faint lingering stiffness in her 
left side suggesting the injury that could have claimed her life. 
Mirelle's eyes followed the movements almost anxiously, a faint frown 
shadowing the porcelain skin between her eyes, though she looked away 
when Kirika sat down. Okay, so she was still concerned. It was 
justified, she snapped at herself. Her partner had nearly been killed 
saving her life. And any weakness could destroy both of them if they 
were on a job. Still, some emotion was curled tightly in her gut, 
refusing to go away. To distract herself from the irritating direction 
her thoughts were heading in, Mirelle reached across the table and 
snagged a cookie, taking a quick, neat bite. Blue eyes widened, all 
worries vanishing in an instant. "Oh!"

Kirika looked up, face filled with concern. "Is it wrong?" She asked 
anxiously. She'd only tinkered with the recipe a bit, but she hadn't 
thought it would hurt. Were they awful? Her hand touched the table, 
ready to rise, and Mirelle waved her back down, shaking her head. The 
blonde swallowed her mouthful hastily, almost laughing. "No, no, it's 
not bad. These are heavenly, Kirika. What kind of recipe was it?"

"It was in one of those American magazines you bought yesterday." The 
young Japanese assassin blushed, ducking her head yet again. "I added 
some different sugar and marshmallow bits, and not as much chocolate or 
flour."

Mirelle took another bite and smiled, amused by her little partner's 
reaction. "Well, they're wonderful." She took a cautious sip of tea, 
humming appreciatively in her throat at this flavor as well. "You tried 
the new spice blend?"

"Umm." Kirika nodded with a sound of agreement, cheeks still flushed, 
but obviously pleased the blonde had noticed and approved. The fringe of 
her dark bangs flopped forward into her eyes, and Mirelle stomped on an 
urge to brush the adorable wayward hair back behind one ear. Instead, 
she replaced her cup in its saucer and favored the younger girl with a 
faint smile. "Your hair's gotten long again. Maybe we should have Paula 
cut it? We're headed there anyway."

Kirika tilted her head to one side, considering the tips of her thick 
mane briefly. Mirelle was right, it had gotten much longer than normal 
in the last month. The ends were now down a good inch past her 
shoulders. The Japanese young woman ignored a flicker of pleasure that 
her partner was asking her opinion, rather than demanding or choosing 
for her. "I – I think I'd like that." She agreed after a few seconds. A 
smile slightly for just a moment before her serious look returned. "The 
scouting today?"

"The Grayson hit." Mirelle nodded, swallowing the last bite of her 
cookie and brushing the lingering crumbs from her lips. For a 
split-second, Kirika wondered why she was almost jealous of the sugary 
treat, a faint tightening low in her gut only adding to her confusion. 
Why would she want to touch Mirelle's mouth? Shaking it away, she 
listened as the Corsican assassin continued, "It seems simple enough. In 
and out through the building next door – it's being renovated, so no 
real worries about witnesses. Today's just to find the cameras and scope 
out security."

"Eight bodyguards." The dark-haired young woman closed her eyes for a 
moment, reciting from perfect memory. "All armed with semi-automatic 
weapons and supplementary side pistols with a fourteen-capacity clip. 
Four trained in some form of martial arts. Grayson himself carries a 
9mm."

Mirelle inclined her head, her own eyes warming with hints of approval. 
Not that the ability to repeat information was anything new; Kirika had 
a Soldats' trained mind, after all, and she was groomed for assassin's 
work. Still, the blonde couldn't help but smile, ever so slightly. It 
was natural to be proud of a competent partner, she told herself firmly. 
"Don't forget, he's supposed to have a meeting late with some of his 
business partners." She reminded the younger woman. "If any of them show 
up early, we may have to factor them into our escape routes."

Kirika swallowed some of her own tea and nodded, agreeing quietly. For a 
while afterwards, the two of them sat in comfortable silence, the only 
sounds the chink of a cup in a saucer and their own quiet breathing. 
Mirelle was occupied eyeing Kirika's choice of clothing for the day, 
pleased with the results she found. A soft, tank-top style shirt in 
dusty red, perfect for bringing out the reddish highlights in her eyes. 
Khaki cargo pants and brown leather hightops matched just as well, 
showing off the golden perfection of her tanned skin. It wasn't exactly 
what Mirelle would have chosen, but her partner still looked quite good. 
No more silly pink shoes or plain, commonplace clothes. The blonde 
thought with satisfaction. Now she looks prettier, more confident, like 
she should. Her face softened slightly, unconsciously, a new thought 
following the first two as naturally as breathing. Not that she ever 
needed to look prettier than she already is. Irritated, she shook 
herself. Don't be stupid, Mirelle. The fact that she can keep a low 
profile is good for our kind of work.

On her own side of the table, Kirika was content to sit in the golden 
afternoon sunshine falling through the long terrace windows, snacking on 
their tea-cookies and admiring Mirelle's fine-cut figure. The Corsican 
beauty had picked her halter top and jeans outfit, one that showed off 
her lean, athletic body to some of its best advantages. Not that Mirelle 
didn't look beautiful in whatever she chose to wear; this was simply one 
of Kirika's favorites. Purple was a wonderful color to show off her 
sapphire eyes, and pulling back her long, wavy mane made her high 
cheekbones and delicate features all the more striking. Then there was 
her creamy porcelain skin, that strong, graceful hand lifting her 
teacup, the way the bright sunlight gilded a solid line down her elegant 
throat as she swallowed – it made Kirika flush, just a bit, a dizzying 
wash of heat flashing through her. The reaction confused her. Why would 
her body react so oddly? She knew she wasn't ill, and it wasn't related 
to her injuries.

In fact, the stunning sight made Kirika's fingers itch to pick up her 
sketchbook and pencil, but she restrained herself, taking a bite of 
cookie instead. She'd never asked Mirelle to pose for her, partly 
because she was worried it might annoy or insult the blonde Corsican, 
partly because even thinking about it sent a surge of strange, tingling 
energy through her veins. Not that she had never drawn her partner; 
indeed, her fellow assassin was one of her favorite subjects. Instead, 
the Japanese young woman had taken to doing quick sketches while Mirelle 
wasn't paying attention, fleshing them out in loving detail later on. A 
special pad she usually hid beneath all the others was filled with 
pencil portraits of Mirelle doing the dishes and making breakfast, 
Mirelle working on her computer, Mirelle sleeping, and even one or two 
of Mirelle stretched in a sun lounger at the beach. It was the sleeping 
sketches that were closest to Kirika's heart. They were the ones where 
Mirelle was relaxed, peaceful, with her guards lowered and her face 
soft. It made her look almost like a normal girl. A normal angel, maybe. 
The thought echoed softly in the corners of Kirika's mind, quiet and 
wistful.

Mirelle rubbed her hands together to clear away the last of the sugary 
crumbs, gaze falling on the spiral-bound books sitting to one side with 
a pleased expression. "Oh, did you have something new?" She asked, lips 
already curved into a happy smile as she reached forward to pluck the 
top pad from the stack. Kirika glanced up from her reverie, ready to nod 
– then froze, tan face flashing into pure horror. Several smudges of 
pencil lead across the front cover identified that particular 
sketchbook. The sketchbook, with all her precious Mirelle pictures 
inside. She'd been looking at it while the Corsican was in the shower, 
wondering if there might be a way to manage a portrait of that 
particular moment. She must have put it back in the wrong place, the 
young woman realized, jolted with a thrill of fear. If Mirelle saw those 
pictures – instinctively, her hands shot out, grabbing the pad and 
hugging it to her chest. "No!"

Mouth open in a small 'o' of surprise, Mirelle stared, too shocked to do 
more than blink as the sketchbook was snatched from her hands. Across 
from her, Kirika was flushing heavily, obviously embarrassed, holding 
tightly to the pad as though it were a precious treasure. "It's – the 
ones in here aren't done." She half-stammered, voice only slightly more 
strained than usual. "They're – they're ugly, when they're not done."

Mirelle sat still for a few more seconds, completely mystified, but 
nodded slowly. Her little partner was so plainly worried about 
something. Maybe the pictures were a new style, and Kirika hadn't yet 
settled on the technique? That might make them ugly in her eyes, though 
the blonde assassin doubted that was really true. She didn't think 
anything Kirika drew could ever be ugly. Still, she wasn't going to 
needle the small Japanese girl over it. That would be cruel, and she 
would never hurt Kirika that way, not over some foolish curiosity. 
"Okay." Gently, she leaned forward and touched the next sketchbook on 
the pile. "Are these done?"

Swallowing hard, Kirika nodded mutely, still blushing so darkly her 
whole face was red. Mirelle did her best to ignore it, drawing the pad 
to her lap and flipping it open casually. Intently, she examined each 
page, even though she'd seen the first ones before. By the time she'd 
gone through to the new picture – a gorgeous pencil sketch of an orchid 
in full bloom – the younger woman had regained control, the flush on her 
cheeks faded back to their natural golden brown. "This is beautiful, 
Kirika. Are you going to add colored pencils to it?"

Kirika nodded again, loosening her death grip on the sketchbook just a 
bit and ducking her head shyly. Relief radiated from her like a 
touchable wave, eyes so grateful they made Mirelle's heart jump oddly. 
For a moment, the blonde wanted nothing more than to reach out and hug 
her partner, assure her that nothing so silly or trivial would ever come 
between the two of them. Instead, she set the pad carefully aside and 
stood, smoothing out her shirt. "Come on." In the silence, her voice 
sounded almost like an order.

"We have work to do."

Two days later:
Slam!

"Ugh, I can't believe that idiot!"

Mirelle blew through the apartment door like an irritated golden 
whirlwind, nearly flinging the heavy wood back on its hinges. Not 
bothering to turn on the lights, she slammed her purse on the corner of 
the pool table before dropping into her computer chair in a grumbling 
huff. Kirika followed at a calmer pace, closing and locking the door out 
of habit as she flicked on the lights and gently set her Berretta down 
beside Mirelle's purse. Blood had welled and dried in an angry looking 
inch-long cut across one cheek, her newly-trimmed hair slightly more 
wild than usual, but she seemed otherwise alright. One scuffed hand rose 
toward her partner, hesitating in midair. "Mirelle, your arm – "

Glancing down at the fist-sized bruise already purpling savagely across 
her pale upper arm, the Corsican assassin grimaced and shook her head, 
loose blonde hair flying around her face and shoulders. "It's alright." 
She assured Kirika, her tone disgusted. "It doesn't really hurt too 
much." Propping her elbows on the raised border of the pool table, she 
set her head in her hands with a long sigh.

Tonight's job had been ten times as difficult as they had been told, and 
it rankled her. Although their scouting two days ago had pegged the 
video cameras and guard patrols, their client had 'misunderstood' the 
time of their target's business meeting with his fellow mobsters. As a 
result, she and Kirika had found themselves faced with nearly triple the 
amount of guards they'd expected, pinned down in an empty room by heavy 
gunfire while four opponents had closed in for melee combat. Even though 
they'd managed to take out the target and escape, Mirelle still 
considered it a flat-out disaster. In truth, her arm was a solid, 
bone-deep ache from shoulder to elbow, but Kirika didn't need to know 
that.

I will not look weak in her eyes. There was enough of that nonsense 
earlier.

Speaking of her partner – Mirelle glanced up as the faint, familiar 
rattle of the teapot broke the apartment's stillness. Kirika had 
vanished from the main room, though from the quiet sounds in the 
kitchen, she was fixing tea for them both. The blonde sighed again, eyes 
softening as she kicked off her boots. She would've been dead tonight if 
not for her partner, and she knew it. Two of the goons had managed to 
come at her from opposite sides, cornering her between their huge bulk 
and an open door to the hallway full of hired guns. The smaller of the 
muscle pair had given her the love-tap across the shoulder with a nice 
heavy pipe, sending her Walter skittering uselessly across the floor 
before Mirelle had taken him out with a well-placed heel to the throat. 
Unfortunately, that had still left the bigger man, who had grabbed hold 
of her in a massive bear hug, beefy arms trying their best to crush the 
life from her lungs.

She hadn't even seen Kirika reappear, her own opponent having been dealt 
with in a matter of seconds. The blonde's attacker had simply released 
her and slumped over, the bare spine at the back of his neck shattered 
by a single sharp blow. Mirelle had staggered, winded and off-balance, 
trying her best to recover. The fourth hired man that had managed to get 
in the room had come streaking at her, knife glinting in the shadows – 
and a dark-haired blur had stepped between them, dodging the razor-sharp 
edge with almost supernatural speed before launching a lethal attack of 
her own. That final idiot had gone down with hardly a sound, and the two 
assassins had beat a hasty retreat back into the safety of the night.

So a complete and utter fiasco, from start to finish. But they were 
alive, and that was really what counted. And Kirika shouldn't have been 
in there making tea; she had to be just as bone-weary as Mirelle was, 
and wounded besides. Looking up as the younger woman returned to the 
apartment proper, Mirelle felt her lips turn up just slightly, her 
expression contrite. "You don't have to make tea." She said gently. 
Kirika's eyes were downcast, voice little-girl soft. "I – I thought you 
might like some." And I can't help with your arm, hung the unspoken rest 
of the sentence. She sounded almost ashamed, as if she thought she'd 
failed somehow.

Mirelle instantly felt worse. Here she was feeling sorry for herself 
while Kirika tried to take care of her. Some partner she was. Rising, 
she padded across the room, stopping in front of the Japanese assassin. 
"Is that cut the worst of it?" She asked quietly. Kirika hesitated, 
surprised. "There's – a few bruises." The tanned young woman admitted, 
looking instantly shy. "Not too bad."

"Hmm." Mirelle's hand lifted almost by itself, gently cupping Kirika's 
cheek as she examined the wound, sapphire eyes darkened with concern and 
intent. That slice looked like it might still hurt, but it wasn't too 
deep, only a few spots dotted with dark crimson. The bruises must be 
hidden under her thick hair. There didn't seem to be any more serious 
injuries, thank goodness. The golden-tan skin beneath Mirelle's 
fingertips was smooth, unexpectedly soft and oddly warm. Feather-light, 
the blonde ran the pad of her thumb across the cut, her motions fluid 
and soothing. Her voice came out strangely lower than she meant it to. 
"Does it sting?"

"Uh-uh." Kirika barely managed the negative, her stomach fluttering so 
badly it felt like there were a thousand butterflies tucked inside. No, 
the slice didn't sting anymore; it tingled, pleasantly, just like 
everywhere else Mirelle had touched. That by itself was odd. Usually, 
anyone trying to touch her got a bad reaction, possibly even a lethal 
one. She didn't like people being close at all, let alone the 
vulnerability that came with touching her face. So why did Mirelle's 
hand against her cheek feel so very good? Hazy, half-formed ideas 
flashed dizzyingly through her mind – she wanted to nuzzle her face into 
the Corsican's palm, to feel the light brush of that thumb against her 
lips, to simply close her eyes and savor the warmth and caring that 
showed in this one small gesture. What was wrong with her?

"Good." Gently, Mirelle smoothed her thumb over the cut again, unsure 
why she was doing it. A moment ago, she'd only wanted to make sure 
Kirika was safe and unharmed . . . but now . . . she could feel her eyes 
softening, layers of walls and protections falling away in the face of 
her partner's sweet, open expression. Mirelle shook herself mentally, 
puzzled and faintly disturbed. Why did she feel so odd? What was wrong 
with her body? Her muscles seemed loose, disconnected from her brain, 
almost floating – but it wasn't unpleasant. Actually, it felt good, like 
the flash of heat that washed suddenly through her body and picked up 
her pulse for the ride. And her breathing came just a hair faster . . .

She had to stop this strangeness. Now, before – she refused to think 
about that. Her hand fell away from Kirika's cheek, arm moving instead 
to pull the smaller girl into a strong, brief hug. "Good, Kirika. I'm 
glad you're alright." She hesitated for the barest instant, trained 
survival instinct warring with sudden, inexplicable need. The need won. 
"And thank you."

Kirika's breath fell from her as her partner's arm tucked around her, an 
almost inaudible sigh. She wasn't sure what to feel, although relieved, 
pleased, and strangely disappointed seemed to be the most dominant 
emotions. Part of her was nearly dancing with happiness. Mirelle had 
thanked her! Not just thanked her, but checked on her, touched her 
voluntarily, hugged her! Another part seemed relieved that nothing else 
was happening; until she understood these odd reactions, they could be 
dangerous to her, especially if they got worse.

But why was she so disappointed?

In the kitchen, the teapot whistled shrilly, shaking them rudely back to 
reality. Mirelle released the smaller girl quickly, and Kirika hurried 
through the doorway like a startled rabbit, leaving her blonde partner 
to stare after her with oddly conflicted eyes. Shaking her head, the 
Corsican growled soundlessly to herself, one frustrated hand to her 
forehead. She felt like she'd been slapped half out of a dream. What the 
hell was she doing?

The familiar beep of her computer saved her from coming up with an 
answer – which was just as well, since she didn't have one to give. 
Turning with panther-like grace, she settled into the cushioned chair, 
snagging the mouse and automatically clicking on the mail icon. The 
standard couple of security screens and passwords went by in a moment, 
and by the time Kirika returned with two cups of fresh green tea, the 
blonde was already engrossed in their newest job offer. Murmuring an 
absent "thanks" and flashing a faint smile as her partner set one of the 
cups at her elbow, Mirelle scanned the e-mail for a few more minutes, 
then sat back with a sigh. "Well, we've got a new job. But it's – 
unusual."

Kirika said nothing, simply set down her tea and waited with calm, 
expectant eyes. "The target is one Eric Sanders, a leader of the 
militant Aryan National Pride Association in America." Mirelle snorted, 
disgust obvious on her face. "Apparently one of those racist societies, 
white power and other stupidity like that. It should be quick, an easy 
in and out. No more than a few days."

The Japanese young woman nodded. "So what's the problem?" When the 
Corsican raised an eyebrow, a slight smile touched Kirika's lips. Her 
voice was soft. "You wouldn't say it's unusual unless there was a 
problem." She reminded her partner. She could have said more – like how 
Mirelle's tone said she didn't particularly like the assignment, or how 
the way she turned and sat in her chair said she was tense and on edge – 
but those were things that didn't need to be said. Besides, it might 
spook the blonde assassin to know Kirika could read her that way.

"Well, the client needs this done in a hurry. But our target is at a 
retreat with his group for the next two weeks." Mirelle paused. For a 
moment, Kirika couldn't see the problem; with her golden hair and blue 
eyes, the beautiful Corsican would fit right in. And she was good at 
looking innocent and harmless when the situation required it. The target 
would be easy, feeling safe and secure, surrounded by people who felt 
and thought and looked the same way he did –

- oh. Kirika caught sight of her reflection in the darkened window 
glass, but she didn't need it. She understood the problem now. Her 
throat tightened, chest aching painfully, as if her body knew before her 
mind what Mirelle would have to do. "So I can't go with you?"

Part of her was hoping her partner would reassure her, insist that 
although Kirika couldn't help with the actual hit, she could certainly 
come along. Cover the getaway, stay in the hotel – it didn't matter, as 
long as she was there. But Mirelle's soft sigh and sadly-knowing eyes 
dashed that half-formed thought in an instant. The blonde shook her 
head. "No, Kirika." Her voice seemed almost apologetic. "It would be too 
risky. If I'm seen with someone," she hesitated, "non-white, it could 
sink us both."

Kirika nodded miserably, knowing her unhappiness was obvious and – for 
just this moment – not caring. Mirelle was going away, leaving her 
behind again. The forlorn sight stabbed at Mirelle's heart. Standing, 
the Corsican assassin lightly touched her partner's shoulder. "It should 
be quick." She spoke quietly. "Our client's already arranged for my 
entry into the retreat. I'll fly in tomorrow morning, take care of the 
target, and be back in three days."

The pain on the Japanese young woman's face didn't ease much, and 
Mirelle was struck with a sudden, sharp urge to do something, anything 
to make her partner smile. Gently, she ran her fingers through Kirika's 
dark hair, brushing the unruly bangs back from those reddish eyes. 
"Maybe we could go to that little set of boutiques you like, when I get 
back. The ones with the pet store on the corner?"

That got a small, shy half-curve of her lips, a faint sparkle flickering 
in her eyes. Encouraged, Mirelle went on, "And while I'm gone, you can 
relax, do some new sketches or try something new. Isn't there a new art 
store you wanted to take a look at? You can see if they've got anything 
good, maybe grab a few sketchbooks."

"Visit the library?" Kirika finally offered, peeking up at her partner. 
Was Mirelle really trying to make her feel better? The idea – and the 
soft touch of the Corsican's fingers – made a warm glow start somewhere 
in her middle. Mirelle cared! Oblivious to the younger woman's train of 
thought, the blonde nodded, face brightening with a pleased smile. 
"Exactly. And I'll hurry."

"Umm." Kirika nodded firmly back, the agreeing sound underscored by the 
slight, trusting smile that touched her expression. Mirelle released her 
partner and headed for the 'bedroom,' her own smile shifting unseen into 
a thoughtful frown. She disliked making Kirika unhappy, especially when 
it was something she might be able to avoid, but the strength of her own 
concern was almost frightening. The fact that she'd considered turning 
down the job because it required her to work solo, her desire to bring 
Kirika along in spite of the risks, her nagging worries about leaving 
the other young woman alone – all of them were weaknesses for an 
assassin, and Mirelle well knew it. And then there was that whole weird 
moment earlier . . .

Maybe this is just what we need. The two of us apart for a while, doing 
different things for a few days. We haven't really been apart for more 
than a few hours since the Manor, if that. This job should help us clear 
our heads.

We'll be back to normal in no time.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Yeeeeah, right, Mirelle. You keep thinking that. smirk

Hope you guys enjoyed this bit – the third should come a bit quicker, 
since I've already got half of it typed. Next up, the situation from 
Kirika's point of view. And the introduction of the main villain, whoot!

Onwards to Part 3


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