Stockholm syndrome, according to the Medical Dictionary: an extraordinary phenomenon in which a hostage begins to identify with and grow sympathetic to their captor.

Author's note: Everyone knows Dragunov does speak now, so he's not out of character for his only dialogue.

Deeply thanks to Salysha for her proofreading and helping me with my terrible Russian.

Disclaimer: Tekken is property of Namco.

Tainted Heart

Through the small window, Lili noticed that the snow had eased off, as she had been sleeping. She sat up on the velvet sofa and placed a hand on her forehead, remembering that morning, when she had shot at a man.

An unknown soldier had aimed at Dragunov, as he had been fighting another one. They hadn't been Russians, but they hadn't come to release her, either. The door had been open and Lili had gone unnoticed, and so she had disarmed the soldier and pulled the trigger on impulse; though it had been the first time she had held a gun, she had made certain of aiming straight at his shoulder.

Lili breathed at length, aware that she had missed her only chance of escape in five weeks, but she had had an odd urge to save her captor.

She still remembered the visit to Moscow with her father, their walk around the Red Square, and the threat from an unknown man, quietly showing her a gun that he bore under his jacket. He had forced her to remain silent before getting her into a car waiting in the alley. Then she couldn't remember anything else; they must have induced her to sleep under a sedative.

But Lili's most powerful memory was from when she had been in front of her captor: the scar that cracked his fair tissue and those emotionless eyes had stirred both her fear and anger at once.

Dragunov had remained unconcerned, even when he had blocked several hits from her. Despite Dragunov being suitably trained to fight and kill, Lili had mustered enough courage to face him. Dragunov wasn't merciful in the slightest, but he had actually let her go unhurt. As time had gone by, Lili had given up stirring him for a fight to no avail.

Lili missed the life with her father that she had been forced to leave behind, but she would also miss Dragunov after her release. It was complicated and senseless, but utterly true.

Lili glanced around for Dragunov before rising. The place was wooden and not very roomy. It also had several pieces of furniture and a dim fireplace for light. It didn't look abandoned, but Dragunov didn't seem to live there, either. Lili turned the door handle as she noticed that no one else was there, not letting her mind wonder about the reason for the door was open. Lili ran on impulse until she collapsed on the snow, numb and with her sight blurred. Her heart pounded swiftly against her chest, too. Then she noticed someone behind her and turned around.

It confused her to feel pleased that Dragunov had thwarted her escape. With a faint smile, she rose close to him. "I know you'll never tell me, but I've always wondered about the origin of your scar." Lili had never attempted to talk to him before, except when she had inquired about her abduction without success, but his silence wasn't humiliating to her that evening. "I wish I could hear you speak," Lili whispered, no longer feeling menaced at being in front of him. She found herself running her fingers over Dragunov's scar, though he didn't seem to care for her touch.

She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder before she kissed his cheek, so their lips met mildly and then impulsively. Lili had thought Dragunov was heartless, but she felt his heart pounding, as he held her.

It wasn't exactly an order, but their only kiss stirred Dragunov to aim at Lili after he moved her away. Cornered between his duty and an unrecognised feeling, Dragunov hesitated to pull the trigger for the first time. Lili let herself fall on her trembling knees; from the beginning, she had known her end could come anytime. There was a strained silence until Dragunov motioned her to leave as he lowered his gun. He turned his back on her and heard her steps on the snow, but he didn't see the last glance she gave him.

Dragunov sighed with cold breath. He had returned Lili's favour of saving his life.

* * *

It had been several weeks after Lili had been rescued from the Siberian plains when she was riding in their home gardens, under a warm breeze. Since she had barely spoken a word with her father the past few days, she was pleased to have him ride by her side. He had been under pressure for working too much, and it rather distressed her.

She smiled naturally as she met her father's eyes, and he returned the gesture. He was the only one who noticed her beyond what the eyes could see, not through her status as an heiress but through the soul inside. Even so, there was another half of Lili that he didn't know about in the least: it would have disturbed him to learn that she still slipped away slyly to the street fights where she had never been allowed.

A shot caused both horses to rear at once, and Lili and her father lost control on them. She heard the dull sound of a body hitting the ground just before her horse stopped aggressively, making her fall as well. Dazed and with bated breath, she rose before looking around for her father.

"Lili, go hiding! Go now!" he strove to speak as he sat up.

"I won't leave you alone," she said, her cheeks soaked. She noticed blood marring his shirt.

"No, you must go. Run!"

Lili knew she had to follow her father's orders, but she wouldn't leave him easily. She moved backward as she recognized Dragunov's dispassionate eyes, the ones had haunted her through restless nights. Dragunov stared at her; she had been the death of him since the last event in Siberia. "Prostite menya," his eyes asked for forgiveness, holding her chin and rubbing her lips with his thumb before approaching her father.

Her father gasped as Dragunov cocked his gun; the other soldiers who had come with him aimed at Lili at once. She looked confused; she did not know that her father hadn't had any other choice except becoming allied with the Mishima Zaibatsu, and so, he was a part of their crimes.

Lili's father looked down and sighed. He only knew that Russian military had been ordered to overthrow the Mishima Zaibatsu's shady empire, and they had attempted to force him to give up his oil fields by her daughter's abduction. The Mishima Zaibatsu had refused, leaving his life in danger.

Lili wiped her tears away. "I'm sorry," she said, with her fists rising, "this battle is for you, father."

* * *

Breathless and faint, Lili's body trembled as she hit the ground after being defeated by Dragunov. She had tried her talent in fighting for a matter of life or death, and knocking three well-trained men out by herself had stirred her delight. She was fearless and fast, but not experienced enough for Dragunov. He looked blankly at her deed even when she had disarmed him deftly before facing him. Dragunov glanced at the gun as Lili attempted to rise. Then everything happened within seconds: a shot, a gasp, and the blood spilling on the ground.

Dragunov ran his fingers on his jawline before turning around. Lili was kneeling beside her father's corpse, giving Dragunov a look that could shatter stone. He knew wounds were hard to heal, especially when it came to revenge, so she would come to him sooner or later.

Final note: "Prostite menya" means 'Forgive me' in Russian.