Note: ^^_^^ My first Darker Than Black fanfic.

Disclaimer: I got no hands claiming this anime/manga. This is done for the sake of killing the boredom & entertainment.

H E A R T L E S S K I L L E R

Slap! Slapped across the face. Pain. The pain seeping in her cheek. He had an emotionless expression but she knew that he was mad at her. He was like a trainer to her. She was like the apprentice. An incomplete contractor she is.

I hate you! I hate you all contractors! You do not hesitate to kill!

It was too late. Suou had to take that back for she is also one. She had been in refuge with July, Hei and Mao. She has a mission- to meet her twin Shion. She really missed him, her mother and Dr Pavlichenko. She couldn't fathom why the CIA and The Syndicate were so obsessed about gaining control over these contractors. Heartless, cruel contractors. And now she is one but an incomplete one.

Thinking about her life made her shudder internally but sometimes she was emotionless. Mao truly understood her situation. July was there to comfort her, at least. But Hei…..It was difficult for her to allocate Hei in her life. Their prime encounter wasn't a pleasant one. It involved the murder of another contractor whom Suou trusted- April or Bella, as Suou had known. And it was also him, who killed her beloved father, Dr Pavlichenko.

It was all very lucid. Back in Russia, at the snowy forests. Hei killed Bella right in front of her. He was after the meteor core that was closely attached to Suou. The pendant around her neck was what Hei was seeking for. He wanted it and he needed to kill Yin, or known as Izanami by the CIA and The Syndicate.

Suou Pavlichenko remembered it too well. Hei ambushed her at an alley. He wanted the meteor core desperately. He even threatened to kill her. The brave girl defended herself with words but obviously he could outsmart her. He began ravaging the pockets of her clothes before feeling every part of her body and unintentionally grabbing her right breast- which caused her to scream.

You pervert! Molester!

In the end, Hei saved her from the team of men looking for them. It happened too fast and until today, Suou has no idea why she trusts him. She hates him more than anything but deep down she felt that he could be trusted despite the fact that his appearance is shabby and rather peculiar. Her labeling of Hei as a 'good-for-nothing drunk' really suited him. She couldn't fathom why he couldn't even have the effort to shave. His messy jet black hair was also unsightly to her.

The Russian redhead teenager thought that her virginity would be wasted when Hei captured her. He had seen her nude and it was unpleasant. She was so thankful that he hadn't done anything to her or else she would have cut herself with depression. But as a half contractor, she began to be more stoic and emotionless.

Hei taught her simple martial arts and the ways to survive. She credited him for that but she still loathes him. He had been sadistic towards her whenever she argued with him or slacked in one of the simple tasks that Hei set out for her. The way he slapped her hard across her cheek and the unforgettable moment when he threw her roughly out of their refugee hut under the bridge. The pain was excruciating but she tried her best to tolerate the pain as an apprentice to this sadist.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Suou Pavlichenko had blown it again. She had failed to carry out the task that Hei had told her to do. He clearly commanded that she was not to use her contractor ability but she did and now she had to face her punishment.

The frightened girl ran as fast as she could from the group of ruffians who were angry at her. She was only trying to help the poor kid who was being tormented by that irresponsible and rude group of people. The huge mistake was using her abilities to defend herself, something that Hei had forbidden her to do. She ran into a lonely alley and she stood there silently. They ran passed but didn't notice her.

Her heart was beating really fast and she prayed that they would never return. She got out of the alley and ran back to the refugee hut under the bridge. She knew he would be punishing her today. He had been observing her from a distant.

The redhead panted hard when she entered the hut. Hei was anticipating her. And his usual stoic expression had been replaced with slight fury.

"You don't understand do you?" he asked.

Suou caught her breath and replied, "I'm sorry, Hei. I didn't mean to screw up the mission."

Hei roughly grabbed her shirt collar and stared into her eyes. Suou had to get ready for the worst. He was about to slap her but he held back, then threw her roughly to the ground.

He looked elsewhere. Suou was confused.

"I'm sorry, Hei."

Hei didn't respond and walked away. They didn't talk for the rest of the evening. Suou was confused. Why did he hold back from hitting her?

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

The sun was about to set. Suou was exhausted from the training. She lay down on the couch and stared at the ugly ceiling. She was breathing hard. The hut was as silent as a graveyard. July was seated alone on the floor. Mao was lazing on the floor. Suou was sweaty and she felt awfully smelly.

"Where did Hei go?" Suou asked.

Mao replied, "I have no idea. But he will be back really fast. I don't think he would be after Yin yet."

Suou nodded but felt slightly irritated when Mao mentioned that Hei was after Yin. Yin used to be Hei's woman, as how Mao had told her. She knew Yin was a doll but she couldn't quite understand the tern 'woman'. She wondered how this Yin looked like. She bet Yin was beautiful, voluptuous and curvaceous, unlike her. She hated herself for still appearing like a little girl to him. That could be a reason why he didn't hesitate to hurt her like a raging out of control parent.

She tried to shake off the feeling of slight envy towards Yin but she couldn't. She thought she hated Hei but all of a sudden, that feeling began to fade away at the course of time.

I hate you! I hate you all contractors! You do not hesitate to kill!

You pervert! Molester!

Yet, Suou felt uncomfortable whenever Mao brought up the topic about Yin. What was it that made Suou feel this way? Most of the time she was expressionless or sad but know she began to feel envious of that girl. She wasn't a complete contractor, obviously but why does the topic about Yin affect her like this?

Half an hour later, Hei returned with a plastic bag of groceries. Suou's appetite remained unchanged. She wasn't looking forward to eating. Hei locked the door and walked pass her. He placed the groceries at the table.

"I've bought some food. Eat up."

Suou stubbornly replied, "I'm not hungry."

Hei began to set out the food on the table. They were mostly instant noodles and rice crackers. Suou would love to try out foreign food but she wasn't in the mood. She shut her eyes and thought about Shion.

The man grabbed a can of soda and said, "You have to eat or else you won't have the energy to fight."

Still, the girl was stubborn.

"Make me."

Hei said, "Eat up, Suou, please?"

Suddenly, Suou could feel her heart pounding hard. He had called her by her name. That was the first time he had formally called her by her name.

"I…don't feel hungry," she replied shakily, slightly afraid if he would come over and beat her up.

However, Hei just went over to her with a can of soda and said, "Drink up, at least."

That, she couldn't deny. She was thirsty indeed. She sat up and stared at Hei. She hated his facial hair and his messy hair. It was bad enough she hated him for being rather sadistic toward her and he appears as a shabby drunkard. She stretched out her hand and held the soda can. She lifted the ring and the lid opened. She drank a bit and at the corner of her eye, she saw Hei's lips curling a bit. Was that a smile?

She turned to look at him and his face was stoic again. He walked away, leaving her dazed on the couch.