Hello everyone~ Long time, no see! I just got home from a two-week trip to Japan. It's good to be home, despite the number of ways that Japan is MUCH better than the U.S.
Anyway, this was a request from Me1anch0licholic. I hope this is what you wanted! =3
Ever since she met that man in 1939, Luise knew that Kiku would change her life.
She met him when her boss had decided to forge an alliance between their countries. She'd dressed in her military best, knowing that, as a woman, it would be hard to convince a man that she was worthy of her title. But, aware of Japan's traditional ways, she made sure to be wearing a dress, so as not to imply a disregard her place in society as a woman. She was strong, yes, and a leader to boot—but by no means a rebel.
She'd risen as he entered the room, seen how his eyes widened ever so slightly as he saw her, from her green beret to her knee-length military dress right on down to her black, laced up military boots. He looked her up and down before looking in the eye with the faintest ghost of a smile.
"Who would have thought the great Third Reich that I've heard so much about is headed by a woman?" He extended a hand to shake.
She took it with her own half-smile. "You don't sound that surprised."
"In Japanese culture, we believe that women are the stronger sex. Even in the days of the samurai." He withdrew his hand. "Honda Kiku, Empire of Japan."
Luise gave him a nod. "Luisa Beilschmidt, Nazi Germany."
"Nice to meet you. Would you like to take a walk?" At Kiku's blank stare, she added, "Not for personal reasons, of course. I have yet to introduce you to my ally."
"I see." Kiku nodded. "May I assume we are speaking of the Kingdom of Italy?"
"The very same. Although he is a very casual fellow. He may insist on just 'Italy', or even his human name."
"How very intriguing… if we are to become allies on this day, I would ask that you simply call me Japan."
"Even though you are the elder of all three of us?" Luise asked with a smile.
A smile which Kiku returned. "You've been studying my culture."
"I do my homework. As does my boss, and most Germans for that matter. I apologize in advance for Italy's… carefree manner."
"Indeed." Kiku paused before asking, "And what shall I call you, great Nazi Germany, leader of the so-called 'axis' powers?"
Luise gave him a level stare, compromising no authority but never intimidating, as she said, "Germany will do."
And they did become allies that day, in what became known as the Tripartite Pact. The world was shocked by the sudden rise of Japan into the alliance, but the United Kingdom and France, ever weary of Germany's every move, never made any move in response. Even after Luise successfully wooed Russia into a nonaggression pact, no one spoke a word.
It wasn't until the invasion of Poland that a declaration of war was made. By then, despite cultural differences (and mutual racism), Luise and Kiku had become fast friends. That is, as friendly as nations can be.
"Let them come," Luise had said when Kiku told her of the United Kingdom and France's declaration of war. "Their time to act has passed. There is no winning this war for them now."
That was the first time Kiku realized, in his own mind, how much he relished in the ambitious gleam in her eye and soul. He also realized how feisty she became under the influence of much alcohol. The modesty disappeared. She let loose her true colors, showing the world how invincible she truly believed she was.
And, for the most part, she was arguably the most powerful force in the world. She had technology other countries never before dreamed could exist. The allies were (not happily) surprised by the introduction of the U-boat, which swept the seas and gave a land-locked nation the power to almost fully control the sea.
And, despite the constant rumors of Italy being a bit more than an ally to Luise, Kiku found that the more time he spent with her, the more he grew to like her as more than an ally.
He found her very attractive. She was strong, independent, and that made her sexy to him. She didn't need a man to rule her. She and her boss worked as equals, sharing ideas and opinions about everything from the war to art to the nature of humanity. Kiku respected, and sometimes even envied, that.
It was a warm summer night, as Germany planned its invasion of France, that it all happened.
There was alcohol in Luise's breath when she visited his hotel room in Germany, still in a cocktail dress from the political gala, her heels hanging from the index and middle fingers of her left hand.
"Such a late visit," Kiku commented as he opened the door for her to enter.
She giggled, such an uncharacteristic sound, as she asked, "Did I wake you?"
"Not at all. I was just finishing up some documents." He went to the kitchenette as she sat down on a loveseat. "Would you like something to drink?"
"No thanks, I think I've had enough." Luise giggled again, and Kiku was unsure whether he liked the noise. He settled on getting her a glass of water and sitting down on the couch across from her, placing the water on the small table beside her on his way.
"I take it the gala went well?" Kiku asked politely.
"Mm," Luise hummed. "Spectacular. Everything is going as planned."
"I am glad to hear it." A silence passed between them, in which Luise leaned back on the couch with her head facing the ceiling.
After about a minute, Luise stated to thin air, "I'm not blind, you know."
Shocked, Kiku gaped. "What do you—?" He was cut off by Luise abruptly standing, crossing the distance between them, grabbing his loosened tie, and straddling him on the couch. Kiku was too shocked to say or do anything, his eyes wide.
"I see how you look at me," Luise purred, her eyes gazing sultrily into his. He stammered a bit at this, and she shushed him with a single kiss to the side of his neck, as close to his collarbone as she could reach with his dress shirt on. He felt a rush of heat course through his body, pooling into one area. "And the truth is…" Luise nipped his ear once before whispering into it. "I've been looking at you too."
As she began untying his tie, Kiku felt his breath hitch as his nether regions twitched a bit painfully. "G-Germany-san! Are you—ah—sure this is a good idea?"
Luise responded by throwing his tie to the ground and working on the buttons of his shirt, suckling on his neck in the process. She stopped long enough to say, "For tonight, it's just Luise." Then she continued about her way, Kiku now enthusiastically joining in.
It was not the only night they were to have. Their relationship soon escalated into something neither of them had a name for. They weren't in a relationship, but they did seem to trust each other more than they trusted anyone else. The closest term to describing their complicated interactions are maybe "close friends with outstanding sexual tension". The first night was all about lust. But as more nights happened, both could feel that it was becoming something more.
The invasion of France was quite successful. Luise grew cocky, something Kiku knew would be her downfall one day.
"He's mine," she said, still naked from their escapades that night. The pre-dawn glow came in through the curtains of her bedroom window, casting a dim light on her curves. "Mine at last. Now he will feel what it was like to be me, all these years, groveling to someone who you loathe to the core…"
Kiku responded by running his fingertips up her side, from her hips to her waist and up to her hair, brushing her bangs from her eyes. "Does anyone ever tell you how beautiful you are?"
Luise blushed slightly, the corners of her lips curving slightly up. "You've never said that before."
"It's true." Kiku kissed her softly, pulling back to give her a soft smile. Her blush deepened as her eyes grew wide. "You are one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen."
Luise shook her head at that. "You only say that because we share a bed."
"And you think I would share a bed with a woman that I do not find attractive?"
"I think men will do anything to share a bed with a woman." Luise turned onto her back, staring at the ceiling. "I've dealt with men all my life. For a while I had to pretend I was a boy, just to be taken seriously and not be taken advantage of. My brother has been very good at protecting me all these years."
Kiku wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her into his chest and embracing her. "You need not fear me. This… arrangement we have… it is mutual. And I will only continue it if it is what you wish."
Luise let herself be pulled into the hold, wrapping her arms around him as well. He was so warm, his skin so smooth…. Luise was used to hairy German men, and Kiku's lack of body hair was a welcome surprise. She felt warm, outside and in. She'd never before felt so at ease with another person. What was all this about anymore? Was it still just lust? Was this friendship?
Could it be love?
1941 brought new struggles to the war and to Luise and Kiku.
"Verdammt!" Luise shouted one night, punching the wall in anger. For once, Kiku's visit to her home was not about sex; she'd needed someone to vent to. It was a warm June night, and she was, for lack of a better word, pissed. "What the hell are they thinking? Invading the Soviet Union! We have to take down our targets one at a time. We haven't yet brought down Britain, and we can't afford a two-front war!"
Kiku sat silently, allowing her to continue to vent her frustrations. She plopped down onto the bed beside him, where they now sat side by side, and buried her face in her hands. Kiku placed a hand on her back, rubbing it soothingly. "If this is meant to work out, it shall," he offered sagely.
"But it's not," Luise said, pulling her face from her hands to give him a grim look. "And it won't."
She was right. Although somewhat successful at first, the Russian winter soon came to claim many German lives as the Soviets burned down every target the German army went after. But that was not the only thing that went wrong in the winter of 1941.
Luise felt her stomach drop in the late afternoon of December 7, 1941, as she received news of the Japanese attack. Kiku had rushed in soon after, his look mirroring her own terror and doom.
"We… don't have a chance… do we?" Luise asked, her body growing weak from the strain on her resources.
Kiku, also feeling the sadness of his people weighing on his shoulders, looked away from her eyes. "I'm afraid… I don't believe so."
Luise did what she'd never done before, not in her many years as a nation. She felt her chest ache, knowing the feeling that was coming over her, as she'd felt it not 25 years earlier. She felt the sinking defeat in her gut, and fell to her knees. Before she could even process her own emotion, she felt the tears spilling down her cheeks silently.
Kiku knelt down beside her, pulling her into an embrace. "It's not over yet," he assured, kissing the top of her head. "We're still alive, so we still have fight left in us. I will not stop until I lay dead."
Luise nodded, leaning into his touch. "I… I can't afford to lose. Not this time. Not again."
"None of us can…" Kiku wanted to feel hopeful, but the feeling just wouldn't come. Deep down, he knew the war was over for her. He still might have a chance, what with only one enemy. But America would be Luise's third.
The next few years proved haggard for Luise. Every time Kiku saw her, she was a little more weary, beaten down. Dark circles began to frame her eyes. Her posture, once tall, proud, and strong, now sank, carrying the weight of all her casualties and quickly depleting resources. Their furtive meetings became almost entirely abstinent, becoming more about the comfort of each other's presence. Kiku would reassure her with words he didn't believe, just to try to see the spark in her eyes that he'd come to fall in love with. But it was no longer there.
D-Day, they called it. Landing upon the shores of Normandy, the Americans defeated the German troops, despite the staggering number of their own casualties. After that day, Luise completely gave up hope of winning the war.
Kiku himself was mostly able to keep America off his land, but America's "island-hopping" technique proved successful. Every day America grew closer, his blood boiling with vengeance for those who had lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor.
It ended sooner than Kiku could process. V-day, they called it. V for victory. With his ally fallen, and his other surrendered, Kiku knew his time was limited. But this did not stop him from fighting.
No, he kept fighting till the bitter end. Until the bombs dropped and he could no longer stand. His was called V-J Day. Victory in Japan.
Luise was allowed one visit to the hospital. Only five minutes. She walked in, the guards then leaving her alone with the man no one knew was her lover. She sat down slowly beside him, her aches and pains prevalent in her every move. Her skin was pale, the normal pink tint to her cheeks now almost grey and sunken. She looked thin, frail. The sight made Kiku want to grab her, hold her for the rest of time. But he knew what she knew.
"Long time," she said softly, almost casually. "You put up one hell of a fight." Kiku didn't say anything, instead staring out the window. She smiled and continued. "I'm proud. They wouldn't let me come see you until you surrendered. And, as much as I missed you… I'm glad it took so long."
Kiku spoke, and the words came out sharper than he had anticipated. "Did you come to say goodbye?"
She was silent for a minute. Then he heard her breath become shallow, and when he looked over to her, tears had sprung into her eyes. "I… I heard their plans for us. And… we won't be seeing each other." She wiped her eyes, but to no avail. "Why am I so sad? Aren't we… just allies?"
Kiku smiled softly. "I would be offended if that is what we called each other. We are friends, at least."
"Kiku…" Luise looked straight into his warm, rich brown eyes, her own crystal blue still teary. "Did you ever… love me?" Her voice shook with fear, sadness, uncertainty.
With a soft laugh, Kiku took her hand in his, placing a small kiss on the back of it. "Always."
Luise's tears started anew as she buried her face in her hands. "I love you, Kiku… I don't know how… or when it happened…"
"Shh…" Kiku cupped her face with his hands, pulling her to him until their foreheads touched.
Luise sniffed once, then began, "I—"
"Time's up."
Kiku released Luise, leaning back in his bed. If there was anything left to preserve, it was Luise's reputation. "You should go. Europeans are not known for their patience."
Luise nodded, standing. "I… I guess I'll see you around." She turned to leave, and then it hit her. She truly realized she might not see him for years, maybe not ever. She wasn't sure how much longer her life would last. She turned back around, leaned over, and kissed Kiku on the lips, urgently, softly, longingly. Then she pulled away.
"As long as I live… I will wait for the day we meet again." She smiled then, the first genuine smile Kiku had ever seen her give. Then she turned around and walked away.
Many years went by before they ever saw each other again.
Kiku made his peace with America, who he now came to refer to as Alfred. They even became something of friends, as Alfred set up a defense military just in case anyone ever "messed with his bro Japan". Alfred's obsession with ending communism meant Kiku was usually up-to-date with news of mother Russia… and Germany. Japan eventually told Alfred of the affair that he had with Luise. Alfred was shocked at first, but came to accept it to the point of mocking him jovially about it.
The Soviet Union slowly fell apart, and suddenly Kiku was faced with a question he never thought he'd hear Alfred ask.
"Wanna come with me to Germany?"
Kiku had balked, wondering if the world wouldn't protest his presence. Even if the world had forgiven his doings in the 40s, Kiku found he could never fully forgive himself for what he'd allowed to happen. He was ashamed of his past.
"Don't worry about it, dude." Alfred patted his shoulder. "They're all cool with you. Besides, you'll be with me!"
"I don't know… It might be too… inappropriate…"
"Dude, do you wanna see your girlfriend or not, man?" Alfred looked him in the eye.
Kiku thought about this. Seeing Luise, after all these years… "Okay. I will go."
When they'd arrived in Berlin, the streets were filled with Germans and Americans alike, protesting to "bring down that wall". Alfred's president was there to oversee the destruction of the Berlin wall, and the reuniting of long-separated family.
In the chaos of the crowd, cheering as construction men tore down the wall brick by brick, Kiku struggled to find that familiar blonde bob. He felt a tap on the shoulder, and turned around to see, once again, the most beautiful woman in the world with fighting spirit in her eyes.
Kiku smiled. "It's been a long time, Luise."
Luise smiled right back, pulling him down by his shirt into a deep, fierce kiss. The kiss echoed her years of longing, the distance only increasing her love for him. Even after all that time, nothing had changed between them.
She pulled back, looking into his eyes and giving him a cocky grin. "That was worth the wait."
Then they stood, side by side, hand in hand, for the wall to come down so that Luise could once again see her brother, and her family would be complete.
A/N: I hope that story didn't jump around as much as I feel it did… I feel like I should write a multi-chapter story based on this, as I've come to love Germany/Japan.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the story!