Wow this is amazing I hope you continue it in the future

This is the kind of fic that I'd like to see more of but don't see many people attempting. I've always wondered if Hansel and Gretel's fate was unavoidable and if redemption could be possible for them. I think that here where their bloodlust is channeled into safer directions is maybe the closest they could achieve as normalcy. With their experiences I doubt they could be "normal" children.

Balalaika sparing Hansel and Gretel is an interesting take. Her replacing her soldiers is a good idea, assuming she could convince them to cooperate. I wonder if here she saw something familiar in the twins. Though being a soldier is a whole other experience than what the twins faced, in a sense I feel that Balalaika could connect to innocence being lost.

This is a one-shot, but I could honestly see this idea being expanded into a more complex fic. I could see Hansel and Gretel playing along with being Balalaika's children to lure her into a false sense of security. She could have easily killed them but didn't, so they may think they need to wait until the perfect moment to kill her. They could even think Balalaika is just toying with them having shown her power! Balalaika is guided by sympathy though she wouldn't admit it and is distant to the twins for what they did to her soldiers. It would be a relationship that is actually more fragile than it seems until all parties develop genuine familial feelings for each other. Everyone here is a known murderer so they could be a family unit.

The scene with the Mexican cartel was a little weak to me. I don't feel that Balalaika would go into a meeting like this seemingly underprepared. Her army could fight WW3, so I doubt lowlifes could do so much damage. Hansel and Gretel had the element of surprise on their side in their case. While I knew the scene was necessary for Hansel and Gretel to prove their feelings for Balalaika, the setup itself seemed contrived. It was still enjoyable as it was, though.

I think Balalaika has a soft spot for children. She saved one in her soldier days, after all. I think she'd try to save them if they were innocent because look at what she did to Hansel and Gretel in canon. She had no real regrets having them killed for what they did. Accepting Hansel and Gretel as her children after wondering what capabilities she'd have as a parent is sweet. They wouldn't have a typical relationship, but it would be cute to see Balalaika teach them army techniques and such. Maybe Hansel and Gretel could even open up to her about their lives, like what exactly they've felt.

That's beyond the scope of this fic, but I'm glad that I found this.

I think there's great potential in you as a writer. Keep going!

I really wish this happened in the series. The twins should have a better ending than death

I share your opinion. The authors could've done more for those twins, and although I get the intended message, I don't like watching that episode that much after the first time. I've seen this concept before, but I like how you've expanded it.