Speak to Me - Outskirts of London [Lili]

[Donald Finn O'Neill-Kirkland]

Miles or kilometers away from the fair (and painfully gloomy) city of London were acres of splendidly divine nature. Though the clouds still pepped the sky as it did in the bustling city, the environment still had an air of peaceful bliss. The cab ride from the edge of urban civilization to the semi-settled outskirts was throwback in time; the gears of the clocks shifted, ushering in a slower, more manageable pace. Donald didn't mind - by God, he didn't mind at all. The retreat was desperately needed to get away from a few troubles from home. Though the reality was simple that, he managed to ease in another convincing reason to travel. Miss Lili, the girl who he had met a while back. Their friendship was... well! Quite something! There was an obvious yet subtle chemistry between them, somewhere in the middle camaraderie and the prospect of 'something more'. The gentleman in Donald applauded the former while the nerves could not make up its mind about the latter. There was something both exciting and daunting about the prospect of that said 'something more' - something so hazy, so unexpected that it was a little hard to point the finger at a specific, responsive emotion. But it was much too early for that, yes! This was just a hang out. They were taking a spontaneous backpacking trip to explore the (seemingly) unspoiled plains of nature (that was probably once a bloody battleground during the revolutionary war). Donald and the recently-discovered Irishman of a cab driver shared many, many colorful stories during the trip. Of course, Lili was no stranger to being a talkative lass herself which made the ride all the more enjoyable. Aside from the boisterous laughter and the smooth fluctuations and intones of the voice during intensive story-tellings, Donald occasionally stole glances at the blonde who sat a seat away from him. The way she laughed--... "Ah, here we are. Middle of no where fer ye folks." Donald eagerly took off his seatbelt and leaned in to give the man a pat on the back as the initial gesture of thanks. "Ye've properly escorted us wi'out runnin' te any trouble, hah! 'Tis a blessin' we weren't caught by the shades wit' yer speed, mate." Thereafter, Donald quickly got out of the vehicle as he slipped his backpack on to open the door for Lili. The motivation behind the haste was due to what he had told Lili earlier about "being fast enough to get the door for her". Though she seemed to have doubted his speed (she was probably intent on opening the door herself), Donald greeted her with a grin on her side of the car and awaited for her to step out before closing it. "Fast one is on me this time." He announced proudly as the cab driver exited the car, smiling toothily at the two. "A true Irish gent, ain't ye!" "Ye've got it, me skin." Donald cheerfully replied, "The tans've got no light te us Irish! But thanks again mate, 'twas fantastic ride. Congrats again te yer new daughter and best wishes te yer wife." Donald straightened up a bit and then beamed at Lili. "Well, ready te embark on a new adventure? Te right our own epic in the vast lands oer' England."

Tag Me skin - my brother Tans - British Shades - Police officers

By Captain of BTN and OTE || Only for Icy's Use

[Deleted]

Oh God, the journey to the outskirts alone was an adventure in of itself. Though Lili guiltily had to admit she only barely ran it by Vash, promising to be home by a certain time, giving him her contact information, and briefly stating she was going out with a friend – mind you, all on paper and not in person – she found that just the cab ride into the outskirts was worth her small bit of deception.

He was going to be so angry. That or he’ll just collapse and fall asleep someone. The last few days seemed to be taking an exceptionally hard toll on her brother, and most of his time home was spent in bed, punctuated by the occasional break to eat or otherwise take care of himself.

It was a needed break from the grey of London, for both of them to be frank. Whereas Donald must have grown so restless in the city as proved by his response to the idea, Lili simply couldn’t keep herself happy with merely the nature found in her little corner at the end of the rainbow. The smallness of home… she missed it. This was about as close as she could get to it, and what a sight it was. As said before, the journey certainly was enough to make it all worth it.

The land outside of London was a gorgeously pristine green, plants flowering back to life as winter slowly began hibernating itself. Warmth and activity was slowly returning to the British Isles.

And goodness, the cab ride!

The way Donald’s face lit up when he discovered their driver was a fellow Irishman! She’d grown quite attached to Donald’s accent over the course of their friendship. He was very fun to listen to, the way the tones and inflection of the Irish dialect flowed which in itself was enough to make a lot of what he said quite funny, even if in reality his word were simply lame.

Take that feeling, but double it. The driver’s voice was not as smooth, but Lili was trapped in between two lovely speakers, interspersed with words of her own when she found herself an opening between the two talkative men. They went back and forth trading stories as if they’d known each other forever, similar to her own first impression of Donald! He seemed to just naturally command the attention of strangers, which explained the relative ease with which he warmed up to her.

Sometimes, though, she had to admit the banter was a little hard to follow. Though, she was proud to say that after listening to Donald speak as much as she did, she was getting much better at picking out words and understanding the bits of slang through context! Despite the progress, she had to reason that the natural flow of their conversation was much too natural for her to interrupt with questions.

"Ah, here we are. Middle of no where fer ye folks."[/I] Intoned the cab driver as he pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road.

The cab eventually stopped some way from the bustling city. Lili looked out the window: water off in the distance to one side, vast landscape to the other, dotted by buildings whose heights were dwarfed by the unseen skyscrapers of London. Dear God, she would see trees now…

“I don’t think I’ve taken a cab with someone quite as social as you.”[/b] Lili complimented, after Donald had said it own thanks. “Or maybe I’ve just had bad luck with drivers! Not many seem to enjoy the small talk. Thank you for the wonderful conversation.”[/b]

She reached for her door as Donald slipped out, but wait--!

Her door was opened the second his was closed. Woah, hold on—what? Really, Donald? Indeed, it was him, holding her door open like the gentleman he was with a cheeky grin on his face.

Hah! She didn’t expect him to take her challenge so seriously. What she said was barely even a challenge, ’Feel free to open the door if you can beat me to it,’ were her words. Well! He certainly taught her something today, and that was in addition to being incredible speakers and bright-eyed people, the Irish could also teleport.[/b]

She returned the grin with one of her own as she stepped out of the vehicle and into the crisp air. “Why, thank you Donald!” She said, with feigned dramatics.

The two Irishmen continued their conversation until, unfortunately, the driver had to take his leave. She congratulated him just as Donald had, sending him a wave and a smile in thanks for his time, effort, and conversationalist nature.

With the car then slowly driving out of sight, Donald adjusted the backpack and his posture. They had the day to themselves and a country to explore, and complete and utter freedom.

"Well, ready te embark on a new adventure? Te right our own epic in the vast lands oer' England."[/b][/I] He questioned, smiling brightly.

“I sure am, and I hope England’s ready for us!”[/b] She was just as excited as he was. And adventure would be incredible, here in the place where adventures were defined by the world’s most precious of stories. The greatest epic ever known to man was waiting to be written, just over those rolling hills.

[Donald Finn O'Neill-Kirkland]

The driver grinned toothily at the two, receiving their gratitude with his own kind of appreciation. The man nodded and adjusted the cap on his head. "Well, well! 'M jus' th'bloke that enjoys te speak durin' long drives. But surely ye've got a lotta good fortune ahead o'yeh. Smooth sail with the sweet bird, Donny, son." Donald chuckled heartily and smiled politely in response. Those words could loosely be translated as the cab driver insinuating something romantic between the two. Frankly, Donald wouldn't object to that but also had no expectations for the day either. If he had learned anything from his past, it was to not get tangled in extraneous things--at least, there had to be under a suitable standard. "Well! Rest assured yeah? There's no way I caen't. Now drive safely. Who knows what ye'll see down the road, old chap." "I've driven fer years!" The man exclaimed as he stepped in his car and closed the door. "I'd be more careful about ye by foot!" The ginger adjusted his backpack straps and then stole a grinning glance at Lili before looking back. "Scouts. I know whot 'm doin'." The two shared a short laugh--as Irishmen, they had their ways of understanding each other's nuanced expressions. A wave and a honk of the car, the cab driver drove off shortly after. From the distance, the car revved on as a trail of dust followed its wake. "That rascal..." That was the one thing he loved about talking with other Irish people. Though English was their tongue, the way the Irish spoke had importance. Every intone, swing in tones, emphasis on words, and quirky sayings had some sort of subtle meaning underneath. One would have to be a native or well in-tune with the culture to fully grasp the meaning. Since it was an innate 'program' in Donald, he was able to extract some interesting viewpoints from that indefinitely satisfying conversation with the driver. He kind of felt bad for Lili though since she was probably not so sure of what they were talking about most of the time. Following his question was a sprightly answer from Lili. He expected no less, after all. In all honesty, he was sort of pleasantly surprised when she agreed on going on this random trip. Most of his 'breather' outings were usually by whim and rarely had he ever had anyone accompany him. “I sure am, and I hope England’s ready for us!” "Believe me, they're ready." Donald chimed in sprightly as he put his hand above his eyes to shield the peering sun rays. "Say, what shold we do first? Hike up forward an'.. figure out things from there? Te be honest, er. I daen't have much o' a sense o' direction ye see. All I know is..." He pointed at a direction from where the sun rises, "That is most definitely East."

Tag Me skin - my brother Tans - British Shades - Police officers

By Captain of BTN and OTE || Only for Icy's Use

[Deleted]

Luckily for both Donald and the cab driver, the suggestive slang with which the man spoke flew completely over Lili's head. Unaccustomed to words she did not specifically study, all she could really register were the most basic and innocent definitions based on the context of their speaking-- but then there was that mischievous expression that made her wish more than anything that she could comprehend everything she heard. She hated being left out of the loop, but there was nothing she could do about it except continue her studies and hope she could make more progress. She laughed slightly, just a bit nervously. It was like listening to a foreign language she had no experience with, sometimes. His worries about her not understanding them were not without truth.

When the two exchanged a final conversation and farewell, and the driver was now out of sight, she couldn't help but comment. "Listening to you speak was incredible enough-- having a buddy for you to chat with is even better. Do you even realize how much fun you are to listen to?" Well, that was done. It was time for them to get going. They had an entire day ahead of them to do as they pleased, and a vibration coming from her cellphone in her purse signaled the start of Vash's bombarding of her with calls and texted. She bit her lip, reached into the phone, and casually turned it off. she'd deal with hi later, but boy was she not looking forward to that.

They needed a little bit of height to figure out where everything was. They were still fairly close to the water, but had little as far as GPS and compasses were concerned. It didn't even occur to her to pack more than a couple of snacks, just in case starvation threatened to become a problem. "Okay, well-- if that's East then..."

She had a map in her mind, with the cardinal directions planted in the corner in a compass. If that was East, then the direction she now pointed to was North.

((I'm so sorry for the short posts. I really just want to get replies out so my threads contiue right now but I swear the quality will get better. ;;; ))

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[Donald Finn O'Neill-Kirkland]

Donald laughed cheerfully at Lili's comment, the creases of his dimples forming. "Nothing like a conversation between congenial brothers mm? Ye should go to the Emerald Isles one of these days. In Belfast, it's all about this--from pubs te the street corners, all ye hear is the brogue of the Irish. Except there's a bit more gutter in it, something the Dublin folk can't stand. The fine chap was one of th'more understandable Northern men, otherwise it'd sound like Icelandic." Another laugh.

Foreigners especially had a say about the rhythm of his brogue. Naturally, he thought nothing of the way he spoke but others thought he endeared them--most of the time. The notion never failed to make him laugh or smile on the thought that something so unforced and passive could make others intrigued or happy. Being a people-pleaser, Donald was gladdened more by Lili's smile than admittance. Then he heard a soft, tremulous sound that could only be a vibrating cellphone. He gave his pants pocket a nice pat to make sure it wasn't his; often, that meant business. Thankfully, it wasn't the case. He'd hate to cut this pleasant outing short.

"Something wrong?" He asked politely. Not that he wanted to pry, but people usually don't turn off their phone the moment it goes off. He could only assume it was someone she wanted to avoid. Of course, the other assumption was that she wanted to devote her attention to him. The latter was flattering but was probably a presumptuous thing to think. Donald would bet his dice on the former for the sake of the brush of red that dared to flush his cheeks. To save himself, he inwardly concluded that he was merely curious. 

Waiting for a response, he looked out to the horizon, at the verdant trees that swayed to the breeze. A pepper of tiny dandelions stayed still, its bright little heads peeking at them curiously from its distance. The susurrous mimicked the sound of rolling waves to the will of the wind. That made him miss the sea. For a moment, he almost forgot who he was with and felt a nib of guilt on the rosen tip of his ear. 

"Say, let's not worry about directions until we get lost," Donald chimed in. "From the looks of it, everything is grand from every direction. Why not take a mug and go at a path, senseless?"

[Deleted]

442 Words Donald + Lili Note: N/A

What? Go to Ireland? It was beautiful over there, surely. What place could call itself an "Emerald Isle" without being beautiful? Even gloomy, grey London was beautiful in its own right. "I could hardly follow you and the driver, Donald." She smiled, slightly forced and sheepish. "If it sounds like Icelandic, I'd really be in trouble." It was hard enough simply coping with British English. If she ever went to Ireland she was going to take her brother with her or, heck, even Donald-- but that was far down the line. The last thing she wanted was to be helpless at the feet of a new country. It brought back a few unwanted emotions and reminders of more uncomfortable times. "I'll listen to you a bit longer, alright? When I begin to pin down all of your meanings and words I'll see the island for myself." She offered, and then she glanced down at her phone with a... regretful and disappointed look. Leave it to Vash to make her feel regret for being adventurous, but that was his job, wasn't it. "There's nothing wrong, no. Just, my brother is..." She bit her lip and turned her phone back on. She seemed to be struggling with what to do next. "I'm sure if I call him he'll just continue to bombard me with texts and calls, but if I ignore them he'll do that anyway." She couldn't do it. Ignoring him was too much. "I'm sorry, I need a moment." She dialed Vash's number and held the device to her ear and mouth, walking away some several meters to ensure some privacy. Her frantic responses to Vash's interrogation possibly spoke volumes of just how much this adventure was discouraged by him. "I-- I have my phone. That's why I'm calling you. Yes, I have GPS, I won't get lost-- Ich gehe mit einem Freund. Oh no..." That was the wrong thing to say. There was a very clear distinction between a male and female friend that sent Vash into a fit. She fell out of English into German and all her words from there on were lost to the Irishman. "Bruder-- you're overreacting, please..." Her protests fell on deaf ears, apparently. She stood there, listening, defeated. "I'll be home tonight, nothing will happen... I promise. Tonight. Ah, depending on travel time it might be later? Midnight at most, we're just outside town." Another span of pauses. "I'm sorry, I should have gave more of a warning. Yes. I'll be home later, I promise." Finally, they hung up and Lili heaved a relieved sigh, then grinned. "That went better than it could have."

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[Donald Finn O'Neill-Kirkland]

Icelandic! Hah, that was the first time he had ever heard that one. That reminded him a little bit about the volcano incident from a couple of years back, but more specifically, the video of the bloke and his declaration of hatred against the tiny island country. 'Oi hayte Oiceland' echoed the dismay from the entire United Kingdom that coughed and hacked on a fistful of soot and ash. Donald wished he could remember the name of the volcano, though he was sure that he could jabber on some gibberish and still sound like he knew how to pronounce it---ah! That was what she meant!

Donald let out a golden laugh. "I can assure ye, it's not that washed over. Tourists usually A, really love it," he flicked up two fingers, "or B, get really miffed by it. But ye've been mentally conditioned by me, so ye shouldn't have much trouble. Besides, ye wouldn't sicken their--I mean ye wouldn't get 'em in a snit if ye ask them to slow down. I'm sure they'd know with yer accent, though I can't say th'same with every person out there."

That was just a mild disclaimer for the other Irish folk that had a short fuse, and there were a big enough handful to be worth warning about.

He could tell she was a little meek on the prospective 'language barrier'. He didn't blame her at all. The Irish accent varied from region to region, from the stereotypical Irish accent in American cinema to the Irish accent that ran on the engine of a motorboat. With all that in mind, he did admire her a little more for leaving her home country to be out of her domain of conversational comfort. Why, if he was trying to speak in German as a second language (something highly improbably at this rate) in Germany or wherever, his speech would be halved--no, quartered into pieces. That would be the last thing he would want.

"Of course, yes, as it should," he replied. Donald couldn't tell if that was an indication if she was going to go to the Isles by herself or with him. Well, there was only one way to find out. "Tell me when ye think ye've got a good hand with the brogue n' vocabulary. I'd be happy te take ye on a tour up North."

Her worried expression about her brother made him pause his thoughts. She had a really protective older brother. If the older brother was that restricting, Donald was surprised to see that she had been able to make it this far without any fear. Then again, she wasn't sixteen or anything. Still, he wasn't moved against the act of protectiveness, for he had siblings too. There was a moment when he thought of Aoife but it was her dismal expression that projected into his mind. A sinking feeling choked him with a sting of guilt. He had never been as protective of others as he had wanted. The consequences had been taxing on him, little by little, with every day he walked as a free man.

"Sure, yes, take yer time," he offered, putting his hands into his pockets with a reassuring grin. He stood for a little bit looking at his polished shoes first before turning his head to take a gander at the horizon. Donald knew it wasn't the most beautiful vista but one gaze into nature's harvest and nest gave him a moment's respite. He tried his best to not try to eavesdrop on Lili, but he was able to catch her rebellious hushes of German.

I'd run away, he thought to himself, to live by the sea and open sky and prairie. Away from MI6, and people, and justice and despair and... him. With Rover and--.

He heard footsteps smoothing over grass. Donald glanced at Lili and initially made a weak smile. That was timely.

"What can ye say about men," he began with a shrug of his arms and an empathetic look, "They don't trust the unknown, but aye, if he knew me, I'd never let anythin' happen te ye. Suppose I meet the fellow to easen up the tense muscles on shoulders from shrugging 'no' all the time." He gestured her to move forward with him.

"But I'm glad things worked out. I'll get ye back by a princess' curfew. I have kin just like that. An older brother aen' two older sisters, one more kindly radiant than the second. The second melts everything she touches with her ire."

[Deleted]

488 Words Donald + Lili Note: N/A

“Don’t get me wrong, I love listening! It’s the… understanding part.” Conditioned by him, that would help. If she had a friend from every corner of the globe she could be conditioned to explore the world. It wasn’t simply Irish that held interest. She had listened to people come to Switzerland attempting one of the various dialects, and the different patterns of speech were somewhat fascinating to her. But here she was now, steeping into those big shoes all on her own, the foreigner learning something brand new. She knew all too well how utterly incomprehensible certain regional dialects of German alone could be. Coming to England was an adventure she never wanted to repeat. Her initial experience was utterly nightmarish and tearful, requiring her brother to drill into her as much English as he could, himself being fluent enough by this time to damn near sound native – almost. There was a hint of origin in his voice for those who cared to listen, while the Swiss in Lili was still thick and obvious. Understanding was imperative, she never wanted to experience that same feeling again. "Of course, yes, as it should. Tell me when ye think ye've got a good hand with the brogue n' vocabulary. I'd be happy te take ye on a tour up North." His offer was lovely, she considered accepting but there was plenty of time to wait for the perfect time. “If I don’t go myself one day, I’ll be sure to find you. I’d need someone familiar to keep my company, after all.” She didn’t expect it to happen anytime soon. Perhaps by the time that plan panned out she’d have known Donald a few years and would have no need to feel guilty for taking a small holiday for touring across the water. "What can ye say about men. They don't trust the unknown, but aye, if he knew me, I'd never let anythin' happen te ye. Suppose I meet the fellow to easen up the tense muscles on shoulders from shrugging 'no' all the time." “My brother doesn’t trust anyone, none of my friends.” Lili admitted. “He’d have a heart attack knowing I’m here with some man he doesn’t know, yes, which he knows I currently am. He doesn’t like any girls I’m friends with either.” She recalled Elise and Vash’s sneers of distrust. “I have a ‘coworker’ I collaborate with on projects, he calls her a bad influence!” She breathed a small sign. “I could be best friends with the Lord Himself and he would still call him untrustworthy, I guarantee it.” She shrugged and returned her phone to her purse. “He stopped protesting only because he knows there is nothing he can do from this distance.” A sneaky plan. She felt a little bad…. Almost. “It sounds like you have quite a family, Donald. I’ve only got the one brother, I’ve always wanted a little sister though.”

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[Donald Finn O'Neill-Kirkland]

It was nice to hear about someone caring about her that much. He was sure she already knew that. Briefly, he wondered how differently his teen years would have been if there was such a person as that in his life. His palms began to ache, as if he had strangled someone's neck. Donald shoved his fists into the pocket of his jacket.

"Quite th'family indeed." Donald confirmed with ease. "It gets tiring sometimes too. I've only got one younger sibling--half sibling. In fact, all of them except fer me twin are half-blooded. My father is very traditional with marriage. He was probably inspired by Henry the eighth."

He chuckled at the thought of his father. There was love for his father, but also shame. Their relationship had been strained for nearly a decade, and there was no emollient to soften its faltering strength. The memory that reoccurs the most is the grim, disappointed expression of his father. That alone was enough to make Donald want to steer away from him.

The talk about his family filled him with a sullen emptiness. Donald didn't want to talk about it any further, lest it'd ruin the mood of their little outing. He made a small smile as he ambled on the trail with her, making no hint of his discontentment.

To undercut the brief silence, he began, "Well, they're all back in London. They're too far te say a thing now, aren't they?"

There was a crinkle in the corner of his eyes when he grinned at her. "Say, I actually know a really grand waterfall. It'd be a smashing place te take photos in. I promise ye'd be blown away."

Though his memory was good, he was last here as a tot. This place was a national park of some sort, or a hiker's trail. He could see a few other people ahead in their visors and backpacks. It was spring when he was here with his mum and sister. He keenly remembered this waterfall because Aoife pushed him into the pool. Aoife was scolded for days.

"It's a long walk. Think of all the calories we'll burn." Donald said as he adjusted his backpack straps. "We'll make it up by eatin' some cake right after."

[Deleted]

That many half siblings?

Then again, blood didn't always denote who was family and who was not. She and Vash were the perfect examples of that. Adopted siblings who couldn't be any closer if they happened to actually be related. Family didn't need blood to be family. She was tempted to ask what they were all like. She'd only heard him describe his fiery twin, but he didn't seem very eager to continue the subject. She didn't blame him, it was a day for them to hang out without the family weighing down on them.

"Well, they're all back in London. They're too far te say a thing now, aren't they?"

Hah! Vash tried. Failed, but bless his soul, he tried. If these was ever a time for Lili to feel a shred of remorse for anything it was this moment, where Vash would be huddled up at home polishing his rifle, prepared to take a shot at the man who dare steal away his sister to the countryside without permission. If it were Elise he might have been merciful, but her partner-in-crime was still too terrible an influence to be hanging around Vash's angelic baby sister.

"True - if my brother heard you say that..." She joked. "That won't fly, you're incredibly lucky."

Too far away for action.

"Say, I actually know a really grand waterfall. It'd be a smashing place te take photos in. I promise ye'd be blown away."

Ahhh... she loved waterfalls. Her face lit up joyfully the moment he spoke of it. "Blowing me away hasn't been much of a challenge for you today." Not to mention the idea of cake at the end of the day. Gosh, she hoped he wasn't kidding. She was craving, now.

"I'm going to hold you to that, I hope you know." She grinned. "No take-backs."

[Donald Finn O'Neill-Kirkland]

“Lucky.” Donald repeated, looking forward with a grin. It was the most stereotypical word to describe an Irish person and their worship around luck. He wasn’t denying the culture of his roots though; in fact, he felt as if he had used up the most of his luck as a kid. There had been too many accounts when he had nearly died as a kid, mostly due to his own stupidity or the recklessness of others. They told him to count his blessings, and he did.

Still alive though. Damn. What’s going to happen when it runs out? This wasn’t a pretty thought.

. "Blowing me away hasn't been much of a challenge for you today."

Donald swallowed a laugh, and it came out as something in between a cough and a simper. Was that flirting? Or was she just saying that? He had no idea. His debonair had netted him a lot of attention from girls, young and old. Yet, when it came to flirting and ‘speech with intention’ statements, he was always at a loss. After all, sex and relationship has never been his first proposal when it came to conversing with a woman. So really, the art of all that would lead to sex and relationships has become a fleeting art to him.

Because in all honestly, he really didn’t want to remember.

Back to Lili’s comment though, he merely laughed. He concluded that it was a compliment. So he blew away a cute girl like her—indeed, he was quite lucky.

“No take-backs,” Donald confirmed with a nod. “It’ll be me gift te you. And it’d be greatly rude to take back a present.”

He off-mindedly made a shoulder shrug and then slid his hands into his pocket. “Sure it’s not diamonds or anythin’. But ye didn’t seem to be like the ‘glitzy’ type of dame. In advance, I hope ye won’t be too offended with my humble present te you,” he continued, “Seein’ how I’m technically going te borrow it from Mother Nature herself. I’m sure she won’t mind.”

As he thought the waterfall, his heart became warm with nostalgia. The feeling was deep, rolling in like a tide. He could remember the sound of the rushing waters in his head, the sound of the stream tumbling down in a might outpour. The sound of the water had always brought a great peace of mind. Although he already kind of spoiled it, here was he hoping that she will enjoy it too.

[Deleted]

It might have been a flirt, it might not have been. Lili's expression whilst vocalizing the phrase had been entirely innocent, with no trace of any sort of ulterior motive. Perhaps she was just a good actress. Her intent was genuine, however, in that she meant to grant him a compliment with honesty. This was the first real adventure she'd been on with a guide, many attempts earlier having resulted in her getting lost somewhere along the way. The travel alone was worth the price she'd have to pay upon returning home.

There couldn't have been a better gift for Donald to want her to see. Lili loved Nature, from the critters that crawled along through the grass and soil, to the trees that towered high into the sky. Natural formations were beautiful creations painted on the canvas of earth's landscapes, and few things gave her more joy than beautiful scenery - the plant life was usually just a bonus that she could have a physical hand in growing. His observations had been rather spot on so far. Lili was not much of a jewelry-lover. It was hard to wear much when anything she wore on her wrists and hands risked being dirtied by her work. Alas, he decorations were usually hairpieces. They were the jewelry for her.

"I don't mind humble. It's the simple things that are the best."

Water announced the presence of the waterfall-- or a river. It was quiet, but strong and persisting, as if nothing the world threw at it had been able to touch it. The falls may have been secluded enough to protect it from whatever threatened it, and this was a good thing. She'd have hated to go and see whatever had given her companion joy, only to find it gone. That would have put a damper on the trip.

And who would want to spoil this?

[Donald Finn O'Neill-Kirkland]

"Yes, indeed," was his reply. That was a reply that fell strangely short, as if the spirituality of the forest lifted away the rest of his words. Donald had a penchant for being a chatterbox, but there was more solace in the scarcity of words. His concision was rare, and it fought him like an internal disease. He wanted to say more, but there was just nothing to say. Donald struggled some--to speak his mind on things, and things, and other things but to no avail. The foliage and shrubbery, fawn and fauna, and all of the forest's rustling ambiance robbed him of thought, and all of the taint and stress with it.

For once, he could walk, breathe, and live as just a man. Not an agent, or a murderer, or a criminal, or any of that sort. Just... a man, walking with a woman. Thank God for this. He needed this so badly.

He took more notice of the crunching of grass underneath his feet. From the distance, he can hear a low rumbling, rolling noise. It sounded as if it had come from straight out of his mind. Donald favored himself with a smile before looking over at Lili to see how she was doing. Then he took up a brisk pace and moved a overhanging branch upward to reveal a view of the waterfall. The sound of those tumbling billows of riverspray was as comforting as a mother's coo. (Well, if anything, any mother other than his mother, but you get the point).

"Well, here she is!" he announced, his eyes lit up. "So, do you want te do somethin' crazy?"

[Deleted]

Lili was not a stranger to the beautiful sights of nature. Home was full of extravagance and glory at any time of the year, from snow-capped mountains, evergreens, fields of flowers that bloomed in the spring, and any number of other events that could turn the gloomiest of days into the best time anyone could have. Her time in the United Kingdom was not filled with such natural gorgeousness, having been mostly confined to the city with little chance for vacation or holiday. As Lili stepped out of the foliage and into the sight of the waterfall, she could only utter a small squeak of delight. This was not the most impressive waterfall on the planet, not by any stretch of the word. It was, however, quiet and distanced, and looked pristine. It was almost as if it hadn’t been touched by human intervention in years.

"So, do you want te do somethin' crazy?"

Lili turned from the sight in front of her to face the Irishman, her face pink from an overjoyed blush. “Crazy? Like what?”

Ahh… she wished Vash cold see this. She’d hope if he could that the waterfall could make him feel as relaxed as it made her feel. Vash was always so uptight and grumpy, as if he could never smile. Indeed, smiles were a rarity even she got to see. She imagined he was constantly bothered by something, and surely her presence here didn’t help… but she couldn’t keep herself cooped up forever for his sake. The outside world called to her, demanded she listen to it and respond. She couldn’t simply reject nature. In that case, it was up to Lili to take her brother by the hand and lead him into happiness, one step at a time. Having been introduced to this beautiful place by Donald, she now had a first step.

[Donald Finn O'Neill-Kirkland]

He knew she'd say that! Well--there was no better response!

Donald took a lasting glance around the area, and then took off his backpack, followed by his coat. After curling the coat in a bunch, he ambled over to the fallen log. Promptly, he stuffed the things in the hollow opening. Donald slipped is shoes off and then neatly set it on the side next to an innocent looking rock that would probably dissuade any shoe thieves. He straightened himself, rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt, put his hands on his waist, and then eagerly smiled at her.

Right! Er--he forgot that she probably didn't know what that smile meant. No no--it was one that was full of eagerness! Passion! Excitement! Yes, and no, not that kind! (Most likely, because such a thought does not easily cross his mind, and for such a sinful thought to pass with Lili as the passenger, then he'd be as sun-kissed as a ruby lit on a Sunday afternoon. Not that anyone needs to know that!)

He gestured at the waterfall, arms stretching to showcase the incredible vista of the cascading waters.

"There's a trail o'er there. Lovely, but a little dangerous. For a florist, that is," he teased. "But I'm sure ye have the soul of an adventurer, and say, it's no wonder why yer brother's so protective."

Despite sounding so confident, his heart was at a flutter. Nervousness had him tangled in a silken web. It was a strange, feeling, almost foreign. There was so much weight on that one answer he wanted to hear. He swallowed that feeling and then securely set it aside. At least, he thought he did.

There was something more to her, he knew there was. Well. Maybe if she will give him the chance, he will find out.