#🔪 in character ⨾ Angel of Death﹐innocence shattered﹐soul left tattered. ༊·˚

[girlmaykill]

@chronicparagon - cont.

" . . . " Quite possibly. . . innocent. But, the little lady wasn't out of the woodwork just yet. Rusalka lightly dragged the tip of the blade along her spine, as if warning her that any lie or attempt to escape would cost a life—her life. All that fear & anxiety could very well be an act. " It is not that you can't be here. " She coldly answered, the knife now further pressed onto her skin. " You didn't answer my question. " But, it wasn't a question, was it? Rather, she demanded to know why she was here.

" . . . " Tears, huh? How very curious. Well, she supposed that such a reaction was liable. After all, she was the prey & Rusalka the perpetrator. " 'Passing through' does not seem very believable, miss. It is currently the middle of the night. " Her tranquility was chilling, starkly contrasting the imminent danger the other may face. She maintained a terrifying calmness even knowing that her target could appear at any moment. Rusalka leaned in & perched her chin on her shoulder. It was a strange gesture, perhaps even freakishly odd, especially toward the person whose life she had just threatened. " Miss, tell me the truth & I will give you your life back. " The knife was dragged along her spine once more, this time with enough force to rip through the fabric, though not her skin. " I very much so wish to not hurt the innocent, so I would appreciate it if you told me the purpose of coming here, now. "

[girlmaykill]

" I am not doubting myself. " She shrugged, dismissing the comment. Her role was clear-cut; beauty & charm weren't part of her job description. " Beauty is often used in undercover jobs. I have no need for such things. " She wasn't oblivious to her looks. The constant barrage of unwanted advances from men confirmed her suspicions.

" Hm, so you are saying that my lack of expression is what makes me unapproachable & hard on the eyes? " A 'dead fish' look? Now, that was intriguing. She was certainly easy on the eyes, but her emotionless demeanor & void-like façade might be why her friendships didn't endure. She folded her arms across her chest, tilting her head slightly as she began to think. " I do not see a problem. It is not as if I am searching for female or male validation. "

❝I'm not even thirty yet, I'm not a sir.❞

'Cause that was something to take offense to when you had all of eternity left, right?

❝Now, don't doubt yourself too much. Being very pretty could help with your duties, men are often blinded by such things. Willing to let their guard down for a beautiful woman, happens all the time with the offerings I get.❞

Even he was surprised with how many male sacrifices he got at the hands of some of the more meek seeming ladies. It was truly impressive!

❝Maybe a little less dead fish look in the eye and that'd change things.❞

[girlmaykill]

@wayward-sword - cont.

" . . . " Well, she supposed that eating his food out of the blue would make him upset, but she didn't expect the sudden physical contact. Her cheeks are squished as her vacant eyes stared, soft chewing noises leaving her lips as she continued to finish his meal.

" I'd rather get you something else that is not dry. " Even the texture felt strange in her mouth. " I can take you to a restaurant if you'd like. I can afford it. & get you an actual burger. "

[girlmaykill]

❝ it's not broken, it's fixable. you're worrying too much. ❞

" . . . . " It wasn't her intention to break it. After all, she was hired to be here. It wasn't a usual occasion to serve as a bodyguard, especially for an individual. Her jobs had always been about revenge or eliminating significant threats—presidents, government officials, & the like. It also was not typical of her to break objects since she always had meticulous care during her assignments.

But, the deliciously baked treats on that golden plate—oh, how she wished to have a taste. They were free for guests; however, Rusalka did not consider herself one. She was here to protect, not indulge in her usual cravings. Thus, she decided to be sneaky about it & because of that, she now found herself in this situation with the plate on the floor, chipped & damaged. The sugary treats were scattered on the floor & with a swift motion, they were gone.

Where? Why, in the depths of her stomach, of course!

After she was done eating the entire plate of treats, remorse began to settle in, picking up the plate & inspecting its edges. Hm, clearly chipped with cracks in the center. It didn't seem as if it was made out of pure gold, given its fragility, so perhaps its worth wasn't in the millions.

❝ it's not broken, it's fixable. you're worrying too much. ❞

Her head turns toward the sound of the voice & is greeted by a masked man with an imposing height. There's a tilt of her head, her eyes vacant & emotionless. " Good evening. " She greeted, giving a short bow of her head as she placed the golden plate on a nearby table. " I apologize for the damage, sir. If you'd like, I'd gladly cover the expenses for a new one. " A pause. " As well as delivering the baked sweets I've eaten from a bakery of your choosing. "

[girlmaykill]

" . . . " She doesn't know what to feel. However, there's a strange warmth in the pit of her stomach. But, hey, at least she got a bite out of it, despite the circumstances.

[girlmaykill]

" Look at this, you see this? It was on sale & it's huge. Cream on top, chocolate in the middle & a soft pastry at the bottom. Why be sexually aroused, when you can eat something so much better than sex itself? "

[girlmaykill]

@wayward-sword - cont.

There's something about her stare, the way she looks at him; cold & detached, yet, there was something else in those eyes. " Friend. . . No. " She'd bluntly admit, her body still & statuesque. " You're interested? It doesn't seem like you know her. " He lacked the authoritative air of a law officer; however, there was an undeniable roughness about him that meant he was far more than a normal individual. Even so, she would remain forever lost; a cruel certainty created by Rusalka's very own hands.

[girlmaykill]

" I owe you. How's about lunch? " (Nox)

" . . . . " Food. She absolutely adores food. " I'm expensive. " In terms of food, oh, she indeed is. The amounts of food she can consume in a day makes people wonder if there's a black hole in her stomach. If she could feast on all the delicacies the world has to offer, she would. But, alas, even she has limits. " I want rice, lots of it. . . with all the meat on the menu. &. . . the largest bowl of ice-cream. "

[girlmaykill]

Noticing the moodiness - or rather, lackthereof - of another person was altogether a normal occurrance for the harpy; They did so love to poke and prod, cause mischief and mayhem when the opportunity arose, and they were just chaotic (and foolish) enough to bother a sleeping bear. Or, girl, rather. With dark hair and a flat expression, but a mood they couldn't read, dark and dour. Maybe a few feathers tickling her nose might cheer her up, in passing. Maybe not. Either way, Asuka was going to do it - slide a handful of their feathers under her nose, given that her eyes were closed. She couldn't possibly tell they were there!

Sleeping wasn't something she did often & though she believed she was safe resting at a park, a familiar sensation tingled at the back of her head—the feeling of being watched. It was something she had grown accustomed to. However, instead of the usual prickling needles creeping up her neck, the sensation was more passive, friendlier. . . perhaps, curious. Even so, the gentler sensation still kept her guard up; she was not one to falter in dangerous situations, & whatever this was, she was ready for it.

" E-shoo. . . ! "

Or not. . . When soft, gentle feathers brushed against her nose, a high-pitched sneeze burst from her lips as snot immediately began to dribble down her nose. Her eyes opened swiftly, & she just stared, using her wrist to clean the residue on her nose.

" Was there something on me? " She questioned, examining their form up & down. Hm, what a peculiar-looking individual. She continued to stare, her expression blank, empty of any emotion. " I think you should be careful with who you wish to pull these harmless pranks on. . . " From the very depth of her soulless & unfeeling gaze, there was a hint of a warning. " These places are. . . not safe. " It was a known fact; after all, Rusalka knew that this area was teeming with people like her.

[girlmaykill]

‘ you’re being followed. pretend you know me.’  (From Nox)

" . . . I am aware. " She responded matter-of-factly, turning her face ever so slightly to meet their gaze. Pretending was unnecessary; she was fully aware of who they were & whom they worked for. Dangerous? Absolutely, but so was she. However, she grew ever so curious about the person that stopped her in her tracks. Why care? Why at all, indeed. " I would suggest you don't do such good deeds toward people you do not know. It could certainly get you tortured, killed. . . or both. " Devoid of all emotion, she lightly tapped her heel, placing her hands behind her back & leaning slightly forward.

" You see, the people following me are on the hunt. I am not sure of their reasoning, but it is likely revenge. There's many reasons why someone would come to despise me to the point of wishing my death. So, I would suggest that you retreat. However, having a conversation with me has already placed a mark on you. Best stick to me, yes? "She locked her void-like gaze onto the stranger's eyes, her tone monotone & unbothered. There was something about those eyes; ominous, dangerous & yet, so incredibly sad.

" You're free to leave, of course. Well, I would prefer if you didn't. . . if you value your life, that is. "

[girlmaykill]

@s-talking - cont.

" . . . ? " The sudden stillness that he bore made her confused, almost as if he knew she was already there. His turn made her jolt in response as she swiftly withdrew her hand back & rested it lightly against her hip in case she needed to retrieve her weapon that remained concealed under her clothes. Yet, he stood there, as still as a statue, almost as if he was frozen in place. " . . . " What on earth? She felt the urge to speak, yet silence was all she could muster, matching the statuesque stillness he possessed.

How very elusive, this man was. There was a slight tilt of her head, observing his shivering response & for a moment, it did seem as if he was looking at her, yet his gaze seemed unfocused, as if fixed on something entirely different. Strange, weird, mysterious, all of these words formed themselves inside her head. What was he looking at, she wondered. Ah, but there was no time for an interaction with a stranger. Her time was running short. In a few more minutes, her target will reveal itself & she will have no choice but to do her job.

Finally, after her words broke the quiet, he looked at her. " . . . " Silence greeted her in return, coming to the swift decision to stay silent herself. His gaze, for lack of a better word, was off-putting, almost as if a shadow loomed over her, ready to swallow her whole. For others, fear would have immediately prompted them to walk away, but for Rusalka, such emotions were foreign to her. All she did was just stare back, looking up at him with an unreadable expression.

When he spoke, she leaned against a nearby wall & maintained her steady gaze on him. There was something about his voice & his struggle to talk that brought back memories she'd rather not recall. Yet, she buried such memories deep in the back of her mind. She had a job to do, there was no time. " I am afraid I cannot do that. " That was the only response she could give at the moment. " There is something I must do here & I cannot leave until it is done. "

[girlmaykill]

TAGS #01.

[girlmaykill]

" Cheap food is for those that lack tastebuds. " Her swift, almost loud answer came as she lowered her hand after he moved away, tilting her head slightly at the response. " I was hungry. You had food, so I took it & ate it. It's that simple. " Okay. . . maybe she was a bit of a strange woman, but Rusalka did not see it as an offense. Rather, she was offended by his taste in cuisine! " Anyway, I don't accept your refusal. You must taste proper food. "

"What— Ugh." An exasperated breath leaves him as he attempts to speak but finds his voice muffled by her hand, prompting him to jerk his head back and away from the impediment. "What travesty? It's food. Cheap food. The kinda stuff anyone eats because it's affordable." He squints as he stares down at her. "You're the bigger weirdo. Who the hell devours a guy's lunch and then tries to offer a five star meal as compensation?"

[girlmaykill]

" No. " Came her swift response as she attempted to cover his mouth with one of her hands. " I will not stand for this travesty. " Though monotone in tone, it was clear that she was disappointed by his words. Who in the world would deny a fancy meal? Certainly not Rusalka. " What kind of person would deny a 5-star meal? Weirdo. "

What kind of response was that? When the hell did this weird girl become a food critic? And what business of it was hers what he decided to eat? It's not like he was picky about his food. This was just supposed to be a quick little meal.

"I'm not interested in some kinda gourmet feast. And I don't care for the idea of having you treat me. Just pay me back what you owe and we can call it square." Just a simple burger. That's all he needed. No more and no less.

[girlmaykill]

" . . . I do not believe that being pleasing on the eyes would help me with my duties. " She sighs. " To put it bluntly, I could not care less. " The tone is monotone, just as her expression.

" Now, I do take offense on literally saying I lack comprehension & intelligence. There's a reason I was hired, yes? & it was definitely not because I am beautiful. But, in the terms of intelligence, let's agree to disagree, yes? Thank you very much for your understanding, sir. ''

❝There's something I've always wanted to tell you, and I think you're ready to hear it.❞

A pause and a soft sigh as he brings a hand to rest over his heart. As if he were preparing himself to tell something very important.

❝You're not very pretty... and you're not very bright. I'm so glad we had that talk.❞