Aguri Yukimura didn't even blink, at the bloody, injured woman who found herself on her doorstep.
Really, stranger things have happened to her. After the Reaper, nothing such as this can even phase her.
“Are you okay?” She asks her. The woman shakes as her wide, watery eyes meet hers. Her coat is ruined, ripped and white and blood stained, and Aguri reaches out to touch it; where the dirt and blood lines it, staining her hands as she felt for a wound. “You've been stabbed, haven't you?”
“Please,” the woman begs, jolting under her hands like a live wire. Aguri blinks, looking down at her. Such a clear blue for eyes. “Please, help me. Heal me.”
Aguri hums, a smile curling her lips. “Of course. Don't worry. I'm a doctor — of a sorts.”
The woman nods, thankful, and her hands go to clutch at her. Blood being swiped with each fist she furls, clinging to her white lab coat. They match, she thinks, looping her arms under hers.
“Let's get you inside.”
Helplessly, the woman nods.
The smell of antiseptic has always been calming. Usually, though, Aguri is patching up herself. The woman groans under her, and Aguri smiles again at the sound.
“You're very lucky.” She informs her. “The knife missed your vitals. You'll live.”
Ah, but it sounds so clinical, doesn't it? To soften the words, she threw in another smile. Never showing her teeth, unless she was laughing. And she wasn't laughing now; it would be inappropriate to, even if she did find the whole thing a little amusing.
“Now, then.” Aguri huffed something close to a giggle, because she couldn't help it, really. Some of her amusement had to leak out; but it still wasn't a laugh, and so she counted that as a win. “What are you doing here, Assassin-chan?”
The woman jolts. Going to stare at her with wide eyes. Aguri Yukimura laughs outright at her surprise, soft and barely there. A polite sound, because Aguri is always polite. But still a laugh, because really, how could she hold it in at such a look?
“A-Assassin?”
“You don't need to pretend.” Aguri denied. “ ‘I knew what you were when I picked you up’ .” She quotes. She is a literary teacher, after all. Even if that is not all she is. “Let's skip this song and dance, hmm?”
“How’d you know?” The woman's gaze goes guarded. Her hand lingers at her thigh; a hidden weapon, perhaps? But Aguri is not really afraid to die, so she doesn't pay it any mind. It would be a shame to leave her sister and the Reaper, but everything else— a non issue.
Besides, she doesn't think she'll shoot. She doesn't seem the type, really. (They never do.)
“That wound… isn't it self inflicted?”
She flinched. “So you could tell that much. How come you didn't guess a suicide attempt?”
Aguri hums. “The whole thing was suspicious from the start. Why not go to a hospital in that case? Why come to me, unless you knew I could help? How could you know I could help, unless you researched me? Unless this was planned?”
She whistles. “Clever, clever.”
“I try to be.” Aguri agrees. “You didn't answer my question, however.” She reminds her. “Why are you here, Assassin-chan?” And Aguri smiles, pressed lips and bright eyes, staring at her steadily. The assassin's lips wobbled, a little, torn between acts. “If you tell me, maybe I'll help.”
Her blue eyes stared at her. Trembling ever so slightly. But completely, and totally calm. “I'm here to assassinate your fiance,” she finally answers, sighing. “A man like him makes enemies, you know.”
Aguri thinks of the Reaper. She's never been able to do anything for him, except sit there and look at him, except talk. And maybe what she did was important, yes, no matter how small it was, but helplessness gnawed at her. She thinks of herself, too. Letting her fiance smack her around. Letting him abuse her. And maybe it's not her fault, but she wishes she could do something regardless. Change this story. Rewrite how it ends.
She smiles, bland and polite and a little bit empty, but warm, at this assassin in her home. She is a quite beautiful assassin, all things considered, just like the Reaper was a very charming man. Dangerous , sure, maybe. But looking into her eyes, Aguri sees someone lonely , too.
“What can I do to help?” She asks her.
The assassin's eyes widened. “ Help ?” She repeats, “Just like that? You don't have any questions?”
Aguri laughs. “No, not really.” She denied. “You targeted me to get close to him, right? I'm not as dumb as I look, you know. You already called me clever. You need me for your plan. Wouldn't it be better if I was a willing accomplice?”
She studies her. “Yes, I suppose so.” She agreed. “My name is Irina Jelavic. But a cute thing like you can just call me Irina-chan .”
Aguri flushed. “Irina-chan, then,” she smiles. “How are we going to kill my fiance?”
Irina's eyes gleamed like gems, as she told her.