Title: Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Belarus/Japan, Greece/Japan.
Rating/Genre: R/NC-17. Modern-AU, Drama. Crossover(?)
Summary: In which The Bride seeks to right the whole, bloody affair. Loosely based on Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill.
Warnings: Some violence, sex and character death(s).
A/N: "You should write a Kill Bill crossover AU fic with Japan as The Bride LOL" was a random prompt my friend dared me with. Add that to some late-night inspiration... and well, this ficlet happened.

~.*.~

There might have been a time where he would call them classmates; strangers who had met on the first day of spring, in a drab classroom where the teacher had droned relentlessly on a subject both of them had no real interest in. She had abruptly stood up from her seat, and walked out of the classroom mid-way through the teacher's dreary explanation of Milton (or is it Voltaire? It's hard to remember now). As school prefect, it was expected of him to follow after her, to gently reprimand her and have her to return to class and promptly apologise to Mister Phineas for her rudeness.

Instead he found himself unable to say or do any of the sort, when faced with her alone in the hallway, her icy-blue eyes boring into him like the coldest winter storm.

"Why do you still follow them, like sheep blindly led to the slaughterhouse? They are only using us. Using you."

He didn't understand what she'd meant then; probably still didn't quite understand later on over the years.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not certain what exactly you're referring to. However, you're still breaking rules, so please, if you may, do return and apologise to–"

She only snorted, disgusted. Turning on her heel, she stormed off, flicking her long, blonde hair over her shoulders. A single act of defiance and contempt.

"Don't be so naive," was all she said before she rounded the corner and disappeared from sight.

~.*.~

There might have been a time he would call them allies; comrade-in-arms and partners. Not by choice, not at all. But he wouldn't deny that she was good team-mate – fighter who was more than capable of holding her own. And she, even she wouldn't deny that together – he wielding his katana and she, her double daggers – they were a force to be reckoned with.

Like silk and steel. Beautiful and deadly.

(He would learn later on that 'Bill' had a penchant for giving out pet names to 'family').

~.*.~

There might have been a time he could call them... well, they weren't lovers, no. It was really only that one time; a drunken night out in the city that somehow led them to a love hotel, their limbs entangled with each other between the sheets. He had no recollection of the night (lies, he dreams of it on occasion).

She doesn't speak of it.

They weren't lovers, no, not at all. But ah, there was that other time too, while on a mission in Siberia (okay, so that's two times; he can't recall all the times they've had sex, he's getting older, see).

Trapped in an abandoned shed; a blizzard storm wailing, billowing mercilessly outside. It was cold, so cold and they had no fire, nothing but the haystack, nothing but their clothes to keep them warm. Nothing but each other.

She had initiated it, and he... well, he supposed he'd never been opposed to it, if the moment ever arose. She was so soft, her breath warm and enveloping. Her fingers danced over him, carding through his hair, scratching over his skin, their lips and tongues locked in a sloppy kiss.

When the storm had receded in the morning and the sun finally broke through the heavy clouds, she was all dressed, ready to return to the task at hand once again.

They never spoke of that night.

~.*.~

"You haven't changed at all, Kiku." Her voice cuts through his thoughts. She coughs, hacking up blood down the front of her dress, the ribbons now ripped to shreds. She is lying pinned against the ground, maples leaves scattered all around her like blood-stained confetti.

A vein under his left eye twitches as he tightens his jaw. But he doesn't falter, the blade of his katana still pointed mercilessly at her. Her smile grows a little wider, trails of crimson streaming from the corners of her lips.

"Was he a screamer in bed too, like you?"

The blade wavers ever-so-slightly, his grip tightening around the hilt.

Herakles' face – smiling as he proudly showed Kiku the sandcastle he'd built, only to have a wave crash into it. They laughed, kicking and sand at each other like children at play.

Herakles' face – grinning, alluring, as he nibbled at Kiku's kiss-marked neck, drawing sharp gasps of pleasure from him. The air was thick and heady with the scent of sex, of sweat; burning, aching pleasure coiling and gnawing within his belly and–

Herakles's face – his lover, his groom, pale and cold now eyes staring ahead, staring at nothing. They had waited so long for this day. A wedding, a union. Theirs.

"He must be," she continues, her icy-blue eyes overbright.

Lying in a pool of blood, Herakles' green eyes was blank now. Lifeless.

"He was screaming when I ran my knives into him... Aaahhh!"

Kiku drives the katana deep into her; cutting and splitting her flesh open from throat to navel.

There might have been a time where he could call them allies, perhaps even friends.

But there is nothing in his heart now, nothing but the bitter sense of her betrayal, and the overwhelming need for revenge.

Turning on his heels, The Bride flicks the blood off his katana, sending the leaves whirling into the air, and leaves the broken, unmoving body lying in the mess of red, gold and orange.

One down, five more to go.

-End-

:::

In this AU, 'Bill' is Ivan, and Natalya and Kiku are assassins working under him. In the original Kill Bill, The Bride seeks revenge against Bill and his group of assassins for murdering her finance and family/friends. I tweaked that a little here - Natalya unintentionally fell in love with Kiku, is crushed and heart-broken when Kiku falls for Herakles instead and decides to retire from his job as an assassin. Ivan gets upset/angry because his little sister's feelings are hurt, and they murder Herakles (and all guests) on Kiku's wedding day. And now Kiku, The Bride, is out for revenge.

As strange as this short fill is, I hope some of you will enjoy reading this ^^;