PLEASE NOTE: I do not give permission for any reproduction or re-adaptation of this story in any way, shape, or form. I feel like I shouldn't have to say this because it's obvious, but here we are.
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June 06, 1943; Sunday (Some Random Alley Street Market)
The map in Krista's hands crinkled as she closed it and shoved it away into her messenger bag. She looked around at the chaotic, pedestrian filled alley as she walked through just out of curiosity. To her left woman sat cross legged on the ground, a blanket before her filled with housewares laid out in an organized spread. To her right, two teenage boys offered shoe cleaning.
She accidentally made contact with the taller boy after he sent a shrill catcall her way. "How ya doin' beautiful?" he asked in choppy English.
"Excellent," she answered truthfully with a bright smile, tossing a playful wink in his direction. She laughed to herself at the stupid, crooked grin plastered on his face and continued walking.
She'd made it to the end of the alley, and nothing was catching her eye. Honestly, she was looking for something unique to use as an ashtray as dumb as that was. She and Hans had been using a glass that she had swiped from the kitchen downstairs. She sighed, and ran a hand through her hair. Just ahead, she noticed a middle-aged woman planted atop a royal purple rug with golden tassels on each short end. She looked up at Krista with the palest, iciest blue eyes she'd ever seen. More pale than Dieter's even.
When she opened her mouth to speak, she was caught off guard by her hypnotic tone. "Is a look into your future what you desire?" She asked Krista in beautifully accented English. "Free of charge," she added.
Ehh, what the hell. Why not? "Sure," Krista answered simply.
"Please sit," the woman said softly, gesturing to the cushion that sat on the ground opposite her.
Thankfully, she had made the decision to wear a pair of pants so sitting on the ground was no problem.
"What is your name, my dear?" She reached to her side and grabbed a stack of rectangular cards.
"Krista," she replied, keeping her eyes trained on whatever it was that the woman was doing. She began to shuffle the cards, and Krista found herself endlessly fascinated by her methodical nature.
She caught a glimpse of a face of one of the cards, and it clicked. They were tarot cards that she was shuffling about. She fanned all seventy-two of them out in her hands, and looked down at them briefly, then back to Krista. "I would like you to take a good look at these cards for a moment." Krista complied. "Now Krista, I'd like you to close your eyes and channel your intuition."
Krista closed her eyes and cleared her mind, except the spread of cards.
"Take your time if you need, but when you're ready, I'd like you to choose one card... Whichever card speaks to you."
She took in several deep breaths as her mind quieted. When she peeled her eyes back open, she went to the middle, and chose the card that had more of its back exposed than the others. She felt a strange flutter in her stomach when her fingertips met the card. Did that mean that her intuition had led her correctly? She handed the card to the woman after stacking the rest of the cards back together and placing them back at her side.
The turned the card face up to herself before showing it to Krista and smiled happily. "Two of Cups," she said, placing it directly in front of Krista. She gazed down at the tattered card, and wished she knew what the subject matter symbolized.
A figure of what appeared to be a man stood on the right side of the card holding a golden goblet-like cup with the other hand extended to the woman figure on the opposite side. It was a lot for her to interpret, but it looked as if the man was reaching for the woman. "Is there a budding romance in your life at present?"
She'd never really thought of it that way, even though the feelings she had for Hans were impossible to tuck away any longer. "Yes," she answered with a nod.
"This tells me that the person you have in mind have a strong physical and emotional bond with you. But something tells me that one of you is apprehensive about confessing those feelings."
That seemed fairly accurate; scarily accurate even.
"This card calls for unity; Unity of souls specifically. I feel that there may be a committed relationship looming on the horizon."
Krista's heart started to race.
"The person you have in mind feels the same way as you do," she continued. "You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. You're truly meant to be with this person."
"Wow," Krista muttered airily, turning her attention back to the card.
A long red fingernail tapped the lion's head at the top middle of the card. "The lion here represents sexuality, and I can see that you're a very attractive woman. Your person is greatly driven by his sexual desires for you."
A grin pulled the corner of Krista's lips upward. "I'd say so."
The woman nodded, letting her finger slide down to the very middle of the card. "You can see that this figure is offering his hand to the woman over here," she said, tapping the woman figure with her nail. "This seems to me like he is ready to take the next step and join two hearts as one. I'd be so bold as to say that he is in love with you."
So much to digest, so little time. She had just taken in so much that she couldn't even formulate any questions. "You really think so?" Krista asked, looking up at the tarot reader.
She nodded slowly, and extended both palms to Krista. She grasped Krista's hands gently. "Absolutely. You'd be insane to let this one slip away. I can see the smile on your face when you picture him." She released Krista's hands, and folded her own in her lap. "It gives me comfort that your intuition led you in a positive direction." She clapped her hands over hear heart, the rings on her fingers clashing together. "Fresh love warms my heart."
"Mine too," she said, glancing down at the card once more.
"Thank you for giving me your time, Krista. I wish you the best of luck with your soulmate." She offered Krista a smile and replaced her hands in her lap. Krista stood up and adjusted her bag. "Have a blessed day."
"Thank you. You too," she said, smiling to herself as she turned and returned from the way she came.
Her footsteps felt lighter, and her insides felt warm. She had given a fair amount of thought to their potential as a couple. She felt herself day by day growing to like the thought of being his 'girl' more and more. Soulmates seemed a little extreme, but maybe the woman was right. She recalled the very first time they locked eyes in that bar. It was an instantaneous attraction that hit her like a lightning strike.
Despite Hans's reputation for being an obsessively career driven womanizer, Krista saw the light in him. She was able to see beyond the radical Nazi ideals and questionable loyalties, even if it was wrong. She could see his empathetic nature beneath the surface when they were alone.
Hans had the same desires as most humans. He wanted to both be in love, and be loved. Her assumed one night-or day rather-stand with him had flourished and evolved into somewhat of an actual relationship. They were sexually drawn to each other, but it was more than that. There was a strange emotional bond they seemed to share that strengthened every moment they spent together. She thought she had just been imagining everything for so long, keeping in mind what Dieter had said about Hans and his woman some time ago. But he treated her too well to just dump her when she had reached her expiration date to him. It seemed stupid to go through all the emotional hassle of admitting how he felt if she was just his whore.
-
7:45 PM (The Saint James)
The pillowy clouds that danced in front of the blinding sun had since faded into a sheet of overcast grey as far as the eye could see. Krista's fingers graced the smooth metal of the balcony door handle and turned it before allowing herself outside.
She rested her hands flat on the railing and took a long, deep inhale to fill her lungs fully. It was refreshing, but it the fresh air didn't ease her mind like she had hoped. The stress of her status quo was beginning to weigh on her. She hadn't seen the inside of her home for a month.
The last time she visited, she had left behind her watch and phone, for obvious reasons, and relinquished temporary control of her body shop to her partner, Alex. There were the girls she had made friends with at the club, and Hans of course, but she felt alone. She had no contact now with anyone from her 'real' life, and the only family she had was impossible to find.
Strong hands skated down her arms as a gentle weight pressed into her back. "My love," floated into her ear sending a delighted chill down her spine. Those same hands coasted down atop hers, their fingers spreading Krista's and slipping in between. With a gentle nudge of his nose, she angled her neck to him for a kiss. He complied, dotting a trail of the sweetest kisses from her jawline down to her shoulder. Their knuckles clashed together as she squeezed his fingers between hers, a soft hum of contentment forming on her lips.
"What are you doing here?" Krista asked him, releasing his fingers and spinning around in his arms. She landed face to face with him, despite their inch difference in height. "I didn't think I was going to be able to see you until tomorrow," she said, her eyes flicked briefly down to his lips, then back to his eyes.
"Surprise," he said with a breathy laugh, lifting one of her legs around his hips and pulling her close. "You get two nights in a row."
His breath tickled her lips as he hovered over them, awaiting her next move. She inched forward, their lips meeting for the first time in what felt like an eternity. "I'm glad you're here." Her voice was hardly above a whisper as her arms encircled his neck in a loving manner.
She could feel his lips bend into a smile against her skin, and she followed suit happily. Krista tucked her face into his neck to hide the giggle that she couldn't suppress. He wove his fingers into her hair and inhaled the scent of her perfume that still remained after the day.
Regrettably, he pried himself from her comforting body to lead her back inside the room. "I'm assuming you haven't eaten anything yet."
"You're learning," she praised, closing the door tightly behind them. She didn't eat until after her shift was over on most nights. Therefore, she would eat very late at night, which was just unacceptable to Hans.
"I brought you some dinner."
"You didn't have to do that. But thank you," she thanked appreciatively, striding over to the bed to lie on her side smack dab in the middle of it. The way he treated her was foreign to her. Of her two 'serious' relationships, she'd never been treated like she was this precious thing that needed to be protected at all costs.
"Wine?" He held up a corked bottle of red and a pair of glasses.
"Yes, please." Krista propped herself up on her elbow and accepted what was presented to her.
Hans lay beside her and sipped a slow sip from his glass. "So. Your birthday is approaching, and I'd like to do something nice for you."
"You already do too many nice things for me, really."
He shook his head, because he wasn't having it. "Nonsense. You deserve it."
Krista's smile faded and she looked down at a nonexistent snag in the bedspread.
"Is something wrong?" Concern painted his words.
A deep breath filled her lungs before she began to nervously gnaw on the skin inside her cheek. "I don't… celebrate my birthday."
"Why ever not?" This was confusing to him. What woman didn't enjoy her birthday?
"You're in a good mood. I don't want to ruin the energy right now," she dismissed, raising her glass to her lips and taking a drink.
"Nonsense. Prying is not my intention, but I will admit that I am curious."
She sighed, exhaling through her nose. He'd get it out of her one way or another. "Because I haven't had anyone care about it in ten years. I know I'm old enough now that I shouldn't care about that, but it still hurts."
His features softened as she looked down again, just to avoid eye contact. He hated to see her upset because it upset him nine times out of ten. "The pain is only an illusion."
She forced a smile, finally looking up at Hans. "I appreciate that," she said quietly.
"I, however would very much so enjoy celebrating your birthday because I want you to know that you're wanted here. I want you, Krista." It was much more than that though. He wanted to be with her.
"You're not going to give up are you?"
He shook his head. "Unless you're absolutely adamant, in which case I will do nothing."
She loved that he was trying. "I don't want you to be mad, but I'd just rather not… I'm sorry…"
"I understand." He reached out for her, his palm meeting the side of her face. "I apologize for bringing it up."
Krista placed her empty wine glass on the floor, and shifted herself to rest her head in his lap. "It's alright. You didn't know. It's not usually something that comes up."
Hans let his fingers absentmindedly comb through Krista's hair as she lay there. He looked down at her with a smile of happiness. She was a very intellectually sharp girl, but he was banking on her not being able to speak Italian. "Significhi molto per me… Ti voglio un mondo di bene."
June 19th, 1943; Saturday Night (Last call at Red's)
Sequins of sapphire blue glistened and sparkled against Krista's sunkissed skin as she strutted her way down the hazy hallway that led to the VIP rooms. For the fourth time that night, she had walked down that hallway, her slender frame swaying seductively atop her eight inch Pleasers. She made a special point to sway her hips as she walked, as it always helped her tips.
She led her customer down another hallway with four rooms attached, two with their doors open. She slinked her way inside, standing at the door as her customer entered. The door clicked closed, and she turned around as he sat on the deep purple loveseat positioned before an elevated stage.
Her other VIP customers of the night all thought the same thing: They thought that they were in love with her, and that a trip to a private room would make her feel the same way. Good luck, boys. This man was quite the contrary. He played it very cool and wasn't grabby or pushy. He was much more well-mannered toward the dancers than most of the guests and his respectfulness was much appreciated.
Krista swayed her hips as she slowly walked her way behind him. "You've been so kind to bring me back here," Krista-Nina- began in German, running her hands down his shoulders and letting her fingers meet the insignia on the collar of his grey SD uniform tunic. "And you haven't even told me your name."
"Sturmbannführer Stage," he answered smoothly with a grin.
"Would you like me to dance for you?" she asked, walking back around the loveseat to face him.
"Actually, I ordered bottle service. I thought you could share a drink with me."
Internally, she sighed a sigh of relief. She was ever so thankful that she had been blessed with a no strings attached VIP for once. "Absolutely," she said, smiling.
He patted the space beside himself, and she seated herself with perfect, ladylike poise. She crossed her legs politely, her knees brushing his. He dropped his arm lazily atop her knee as the door opened, and one of their bottle girls slipped in. She was bearing a metal bucket filled with ice surrounding a fresh bottle of champagne and two flutes. "Thank you Ruby," Krista thanked, watching as she placed the items down on the stage.
Stage handed her a healthy stack of francs and nodded with a smile. "Thank you."
She hid her shock as she watched Ruby exit the room and close the door behind her. That had to have been at least enough to pay a month's rent. If that was how he was tipping the bottle girl, she could only imagine how he'd tip her. "Shall I?" she asked, gesturing to the bottle.
"Of course," he said, lifting his arm to allow her up.
She popped the cork out, and it sailed off to who knows where to likely never be found. She poured the bubbling alcohol into each glass and handed one of them to him. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Krista said, sitting beside him again. "What should we drink to?" She asked him, her fingers clasped around the stem of the glass.
"The beautiful girl's birthday." He rested his arm over her legs again as he eyed her.
"Who told you it was my birthday?" She asked as their glasses clinked loudly.
"My sources," he teased.
She didn't tell anyone it was her birthday. Perhaps it was just a lucky guess. "Well, thank you." She smiled politely and took a small sip because she already felt like she had had too much to drink. "However, flattery will only get you so far, Sturmbannführer. I'm already taken."
He laughed softly and took a sip. "Damn shame. Who's the lucky man?"
Krista rolled her eyes and let her head tilt to the side slightly. "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."
"Try me."
Krista bit her lip when the image of his kind and loving face placed itself in the forefront of her mind. He was truly a treasure. "Standartenführer Landa," she replied, smiling brightly.
"Ahhhh, I see. I had a feeling that you were Krista."
"Nina to you," she corrected.
"Give him my best, will you?" Stage took another sip from his glass, followed by another.
"I will do that."
The harsh knock on the door startled Krista and she stood up, her glass still in her hand. She pulled open the door to be greeted by the club manager, Red. "Last call, girl. Wrap it up. I want to get out of here before one."
"Can do," she said, turning back around when Red set off to the next room.
She crossed the room back to the young major, both hands on her glass. "I hate to do this to you, but it's last call. All of us go on stage for one last song before we call it a night. You should come watch." She suggested, swallowing the remnants of champagne in her glass.
"That's quite alright. I just wanted to share a drink with a beautiful woman." He pulled a stack of neatly bundled francs from his pocket and handed them to her when her hands free of her empty glass.
"That's incredibly kind of you. It's a nice change of pace." Krista led him outside and down the hallways that led back to the main floor. "Do you have a first name, Sturmbannführer Stage?" She asked, pushing a bouncy spiral of her blonde hair away from her eyes.
"Kurt. Kurt Stage." He extended a hand, and she shook it courteously.
"Well, Kurt Stage, it was a pleasure to meet you tonight. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening."
"Same goes to you." He wasn't a man of many words and there was just something… peculiar about him. He offered her a head nod, and disappeared into the crowd as he headed to the exit.
Krista simply shook of her strange encounter and waded through the sea of customers standing by the stage to get to the locker room. After a quick makeup touch up, it was back to the floor. Time to close out the night and go home.
-
Red's dancers sat in the locker room following their fruitful final set, scrubbing their makeup from their faces. Locker room banter was all around her and she remembered how much she missed it. She looked in the back corner of the room to see one of the dancers with an ecstatic smile as she tossed banknotes up into the air and let them cascade freely down onto her. It reminded her of her first thousand dollar night. She recalled upturning the garbage bag on her bedroom floor while Three Days Grace poured from her computer speakers. It felt so surreal to her at the time to have that volume of dollar bills, and she was intoxicated by it. 'Make the money, don't let it make you' was what she repeated to herself on nights like that. She vowed to not give the 'fast money' a chance to change her.
She blinked a few times as she was sucked back to the present. The stack of bills from Major Stage sat in her lap like a weight. She was curious about the amount and was dying to count it, but it would have to wait until the morning. She was exhausted and craving a shower to wash the night away.
She counted out and distributed her tip out for the night and headed out to the street where her escort was waiting.
Red was given permission to be in business past curfew for morale boosting purposes with one stipulation. Each dancer was required to be escorted home by an officer following the close of every shift.
Hauptsturmführer Schäfer waited for Krista outside, a lit cigarette hanging from his lips. "Miss Nina," he said, tipping his cover to her in a polite manner.
"How are you tonight, Hauptsturmführer?" Krista asked in German as she began her short journey to the hotel off of Avenue Bugeaud.
He nodded and took a puff of his cigarette. "Not bad, my lady. And yours?"
"It was a good night," she smiled to the captain. "I can almost get that Cartier bracelet for my sister," she said happily.
As they walked, she looked up at the sky and wished that she could see the stars because they made her feel slightly less homesick. The hotel was in her sights before she knew it, and she flipped her bag open, fishing out a handful of folded up francs. "Oh this is too much," he said, looking down at Krista's hand.
"I had a good night. And I appreciate you walking me home. Take it," she shoved the folded wad into his hand and closed his fingers around it. "I'm serious. Get something for your girl."
He bowed his head and pocketed the money. "Thank you, Nina. I hope you have a great night."
"You're welcome. You too."
Krista's legs were heavy beneath her as they carried her up three flights of stairs to her room. A tired sigh left her slightly parted lips as she unlocked the door and let herself in. She did an about face and was met with a dark room, with five candles strewn out near the balcony. She dropped her bag on the floor and cautiously walked further into the room.
The glow was warming, and she was drawn to the flickering flames that danced in the gentle breeze that flowed in from the open balcony doors. Casting a quick glance to the bed, she noticed a bundle of beautiful pink Old French Roses with their tightly bundled petals. She cocked her head and approached the open doors. She should have known. "Hey there." She leaned against the door frame, the candlelight illuminating the right side of her body.
Hans turned around, straightening his uniform. "What's all this?" She questioned, although she already knew.
"Happy birthday, Krista." His words greeted her ears pleasingly, like a warm, unexpected hug.
"Hans…" She approached him, not hesitating to wrap herself around him.
"I know what you said. But you should have known that I wasn't going to listen to you." He chuckled against her neck before dropping a lingering kiss there. His arms pulled her slender but muscular frame to his, the medals pressing into her.
"Well thank you… No one's ever done anything like this for me. You treat me too well."
"I'm simply treating you how you deserve to be treated." He began to sway her slowly, and he was quick to duck his head and place a deep, emotion filled kiss to her soft lips. "Dance with me," he whispered against her lips in German.
Her arms slid from around his neck, one of her hands finding his. Their fingers slipped together and their palms pressed into one another. "I really enjoy the relationship we have, but have you ever taken a step back to think about the consequences?" Her eyebrows knitted together in the center of her forehead as she moved her head to put herself in his line of vision. "You're breaking so many rules by being with me… Probably laws even… You could lose everything because of me."
"I have, but I'm not concerned about that." Hans had given the risks of their relationship a fair amount of thought. He was putting a lot on the line for this woman, but he didn't care much these days. He cared not what his colleagues had to say about her, because he didn't believe a single word. They called her whore and a slut because of her occupation, and they were corrected every single time. 'She's simply an entertainer. She entertains', was his usual retort. He knew what her job required, but he trusted her with every fiber of his being because he knew it was just work. Maybe it was too soon to place that sort of trust in a woman he'd only known for a few months, but the connection he felt pulling him to her was unexplainable.
She could only manage a weak head shake and a quiet chuckle. "You're crazy."
"Maybe," he said, still swaying slowly with her around in a circle. "But when you find a connection like ours, you'd be even crazier to not do whatever it takes to keep it protected."
She swallowed, ignoring the gradually increasing speed of her heart beat. "How much are you willing to risk?" she asked quietly, almost afraid of the answer.
He smiled genuinely as he released the hand he was holding and held her face in both of his hands. "Everything," he replied as his thumb brushed over her cheek.
She almost couldn't believe her ears. He'd spent so much time building up his career, and gambling on all of that was just too much. "Hans… You're really serious about this aren't you?"
He dropped a kiss to her lips and let her warmth flow into him. "I meant every word." He caught her lips one more time before pulling away to take in the glimmer of her green eyes in the moonlight. "You've never really, truly been loved. I can tell."
Krista should have been offended by that, but he was right. Her ability to speak reflected the scattered thoughts in her brain, and nothing came out. "I…"
"I know what you're thinking, but I want to hear you say it." His eyes were locked with hers, and it was like he was looking directly into her soul.
Heat rose to her skin as he heart pounded, striking itself angrily against her ribcage repeatedly. The words were in her throat, she could feel them. She wanted to say it, but her voice still refused to function to its full capacity. She shook her head. "I don't want to admit it. Because if I do, it's out in the open."
"I know how you feel about me. I don't want you to continue to hide it."
The words formed on her lips finally, but they didn't come out as she expected. "I think I'm falling in love with you… And that scares the shit out of me."
"It shouldn't," he tried, bringing her chest back into his with his arms protectively around her body.
"It does though," she said, inserting her face into his neck.
"Because of who I am?"
She answered hesitantly. "Yes… There are a lot of eyes on us."
They were constantly being watched while they were in public, but Hans didn't think that was a problem. He found the envious glares rather endearing. "I don't want you to worry about that." He lowered his voice, his lips grazing the shell of her ear with their movement. "I can't lie to you. The feeling is mutual."
A deep vermilion blush warmed her cheeks as she wound her arms around his neck and squeezed.
She thought her mouth was closed and she said it inside her head, but Hans heard her barely detectable whisper. "I love you."
Those three words sounded like a symphony composed by the finest, and she didn't even intend for them to be heard. "Say it again," he murmured against her skin.
Oh fuck… he heard that?! "What?" Krista pulled away from his neck abruptly, her eyes wide as saucers and her cheeks splashed with vibrant red.
"Say it again," he repeated, connecting his eyes to hers.
She shouldn't be stunned like she was, but she couldn't help it. She simply stood there with parted lips as she counted the beats of her heart in her head. "I love you," she finally repeated, still surprised at how it felt spilling from her lips.
"I never thought that would sound so beautiful coming from you." He had been waiting so long to hear her words reflect her actions. "Ich liebe dich," he mirrored, taking her hands in his. "I don't know what kind of spell you put on me, but I've never felt for a woman like I feel for you."
'Two of Cups… this card calls for unity of souls specifically…' echoed in her subconscious.
'You have everything to gain and nothing to lose… you're truly meant to be with this person.'
-
Author's note: I borrowed Sturmbannführer Kurt Stage (pronounced similarly to Shta-guh if I'm not incorrect) from the film 'The Twelfth Man' who was played by Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. However, I don't feel that that warrants a crossover classification… or does it?
Also, 'significhi molto per me… Ti voglio un mondo di bene' to the best of my knowledge translates to 'You mean a lot to me… I love you a lot / I want a world of good for you'. If I'm wrong, I sincerely apologize, and PLEASE correct me. Same goes with anything else written in any language other than English.
I will also say that these two falling in love was not in my original plan for this story, but I felt like it would make the ending more interesting, so here we are.
As always, thank you for sticking with me thus far, and thank you for reading!