Girl's Night Out

by 78meg9

Lili knows her big brother means well, but sometimes she feel trapped under his strict rules. Thankfully, her best friend Michelle knows just how to have a fun time! (A look into the girl's lives before they became awesome girlfriends a long way down the road. When Lili still had a crush on Matthew and Michelle was clueless)

Liechtenstein and Seychelles, my favorite power couple! I do hope ya'll love them as much as I do.

Regardless, this is a first for writing Liechtenstein and Switzerland, so I really hope I got them (close) to right.

I do not own. Enjoy!

---

It was a clear day over the Zwingli household. The head of the house, Vash, was cleaning out his gun for the third time. When questioned, he replied that a clean gun is a happy gun, and if you did not leave his house immediately, you would see how happy it was. His little sister, Lili, (the only other resident of the house) was sweeping up the kitchen. She hadn't been instructed to per say, but there had been a few crumbs here and there and her Germanic blood would not allow for it.

The silence was welcome, not as if there was ever much talking. One could even hear the birds chirp despite the closed and locked windows. However, where there is a silence, there is always something to break it. Today the intrusion came in the form of the telephone ringing.

Being the one closest to the phone, and being the only one in the house who actually got phone calls, Lili picked up the nearest handset. "Hello, this is the Zwingli residence" She said, following her brother's strict rules on answering the phone.

"Lili! It's me!" The voice on the other end answered, smile practically carrying through the line.

"Oh hello Michelle. How are you?"

"Just fine, but I didn't call for pleasantries! Guess what's on tonight?"

Lili did not have the slightest clue what her friend could be referring to. If she had to guess it was a television special on Michelle's favorite celebrity of the week. Nevertheless, she tried to guess for conversation's sake. "The newest Johnny Depp movie?"

"No better!" Michelle squealed. "The royal wedding! It premieres tonight! Only the single biggest event to happen in England since, ever! Well, maybe not ever. That might have been the queen's coronation. Or perhaps when..."

Crossing out of the kitchen and into the hall, Lili made her way to her bedroom. Sitting on her bed she tried to get comfortable. Knowing Michelle, it might take a while for her to get back to the point.a

"Actually, it might be the Olympics taking place there in a few years. You know what? This is the twenty second most important thing to happen in England!" Michelle exclaimed, finally deciding. "You have got to come over and watch it with me! Maybe I could call Bella to come watch as well."

Chewing on her lip, a habit Vash would always be demanding she stop, Lili tried to come up with nice reply. It's not as if she did not want to go. She really did, even if the royal wedding did not hold much interest to her. The problem was Michelle was staying with her dad Francis that week. Lili did not mind Francis. Who did mind (quite a lot might she add) was her brother. The only times Lili was ever allowed to stay over at Michelle's was when she stayed with her other father, Arthur.

Lili finally decided for the direct approach."Bella is not going to be around actually. She is going to be out with Vash tonight. And I can't come over either."

"Why not?" Michelle asked, sounding a little hurt.

"Well, um, you know my brother doesn't let me stay over when your at your dad's house. I would like to come, really! But I'm afraid to even ask."

Michelle did not respond for a moment. Right when Lili had thought she hung up, she gasped audibly into the phone. "I've got it! You say I'm at Arthur's this week!"

"You want me to lie to my brother?!" Lili cried, immediately clamping her hand over her mouth and lowering her voice. "You want me to lie to my brother?" She whispered.

Michelle didn't appear fazed at Lili's panicked tone. "Oh honestly, its not that big of a deal. I can just come pick you up, and you say we're going to Arthur's. Quick and easy! It's a good thing Vash is going out tonight. If you stayed home he would call for a sitter."

Lili didn't bother to respond to that, knowing full well Vash would have actually called a sitter, despite her being fourteen years old. Normally she didn't mind. Bella was the one who babysat her, and was one of the nicest people Lili had ever met. They always made chocolates together and played games. It was easy to forget her brother did not trust her enough on her own when it was her friend that was with her.

However, Bella was not going to be around for the same reason Vash wouldn't. Lili shuddered to think who she would end up with instead. "Okay..." Lili finally replied. "I'll tell him we'll be with at your fathers house. Um, are you one hundred percent sure this is a good idea?"

"Of course Lili!" Michelle chirped. "Alfred and Mathew are staying there, and I'm sure I can get them to cover for me if your brother decides to call in the middle of the night, again. What time should I pick you up?"

Five was agreed for the ideal pick up, since the wedding took place at seven, and Michelle hung up with a cheery 'See ya later~'. Sure, she doesn't have to lie to her overprotective big brother.

Taking a deep breath and steeling herself up for the worst thing she has done all this year, Lili left her bedroom to talk to Vash. Vash did not even look up as Lili explained who had been on the phone.

"Michelle invited you to a sleepover at her house? On this short notice? No, I'm afraid you can't. You know how I feel about Francis"

Lili had expected a refusal at first. Vash always refused letting her go anywhere unless he had been able to scope out the scene days prior, and was readily available to scare off anything or anyone who stepped to close to her with a loaded gun. She wondered what life would be like when she started dating.

"But Michelle isn't going to be at Francis' this week." Lili explained. The lie passed through her lips with ease, almost scaring her with how easily she had managed it. "She's at her other dad's house, Mr. Kirkland's."

Vash looked doubtful. "Are you sure?" He asked. "Completely sure?"

Swallowing the lump in her throat as the truth now seemed to well up inside her, Lili quickly replied with a yes.

"Alright then" Vash said. "You may go. But I will have to call Arthur first, as much as I would rather not."

Lili's eyes widened and she gasped. Vash gave her an odd look. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Fine! I'm fine!" Lili stuttered, seeing Michelle's reassurances crumble. And so early in the game too. This is why she never lied before. Now she was going to be grounded forever and ever and her brother was never going to trust her again. "I, uh, just have to go tell Michelle I can go. You know, I haven't hung up yet and uh haha..." Her voice faded off into awkward chuckles as she backed out of the room.

The second Lili made it to the hallway, she broke into a run. She dashed into her room, breaking one of the plentiful house hold rules by locking the door, and quickly dialed Michelle's number again.

"Michelle!" Lili whispered urgently the second the ringing stopped. "My brother is going to call Mr. Arthur-"

"Lili?" A startled voice on the other end asked. Lili's pulse quickened for the second time that day. Oh just dandy, now Monsieur Francis was onto her as well. What would he do? Would he tell her brother? Was she over thinking this? Maybe he didn't know. Maybe he was just confused. But now she had to lie more than she already had to! Oh this was quickly going downhill.

"Ah, hello Monsieur Francis! It is Lili. Could you possibly put Michelle on the phone?"

"Of course" Francis replied. "Let me just find her. Now what was this about Mr. Arthur?"

"I, um, needed to ask him something." Lili said nervously. "But my brother was the one who wanted to talk to him."

"Oh really? Well, couldn't he just call himself?"

"No, he couldn't" Lili squeaked. "It would be, um, awkward."

Francis chuckled. "Of course. Ah, here's Michelle. Michelle, Lili's on the phone."

"Got it!" Lili heard in the background. A second later the sound of the phone being handed off echoed in her ear, quickly replaced by Michelle's voice. "What's up?" She asked.

"What's up? What's up?!" Lili cried, feeling herself on the edge of panic. "Michelle, my brother is going to call Mr. Arthur! And your Papa is onto to us!"

For all the worry Lili was caught up in, Michelle didn't seem the least bit fazed.

"Oh don't worry about that" she started nonchalantly. "Papa already knows."

Lili squeaked once more, but Michelle only continued on. "He never minds stuff like this. In fact, he gave me the idea. And I already told you, Alfred and Mathew are over at Arthur's. They'll cover for us."

"How do you know?" Lili asked. "They've never had to deal with my brother before! He'll want to talk with Mr. Arthur and if I know one thing, it's that he will not be as lenient with lying like Monsieur Francis!"

Michelle might have been rolling her eyes, but over the phone it was hard to tell. "You say that like you've never meet Alfred. I'm telling you, for all his downfalls, he's a pretty great big brother."

"And what does that have to do with anything?" Lili demanded.

"He'll do what ever he can to help out his little sister! Which is me of course. So hurry up and give the phone to Vash, or we just might miss the wedding." And before Lili could protest, Michelle hung up the phone.

Lili sighed, letting the call end and made her way to the door. Upon opening it, she came face to face with Vash.

"Why was your door closed?" He asked. "Was it locked? Lili, you know how I feel about-"

"Nope, not locked!" Lili chirped. "Just closed. Sorry. Here's the phone. Bye!" She ran off down the hall.

By the time she had fallen into the kitchen, Lili was panting. Working herself into a panic was rather energy draining. She took a precious minute to catch her breath. But when she did she felt more in control of the situation. Michelle was right, this would all work out fine. No need to freak out over every little step.

At least that's what she told herself as she eyed the kitchen phone. Her fingers twitched, desperate to know what was going on. Though bad for her stress level, it would undoubtedly be easier to control the damage if she could hear what goes wrong. Giving in, Lili sprung for the phone.

"-Lili? Oh yes isn't she just the most lovely young girl! Best keep her from that bloke on Country Drive. You know how Antonio is with children."

Oh god. Lili nearly dropped the phone. Alfred was exercising his most outrageously fake English accent. Unsure if she was going to laugh or cry, Lili carefully placed her end on mute. There was no way her brother was going to buy this.

"Lillian is very well behaved. And if you would please keep that type of discussion to a minimum, I would be content." Well apparently she was wrong. "Now what is this about Michelle staying with you as opposed to Francis?"

Unconsciously, Lili's hands tightened around the spiral cord connected to the wall. Oh please, please think of something decent, Alfred please- "Staying with me? Oh! Ahaha- um..."

Well there went everything she had ever hoped for. Alfred's last mumbled bits distinctly lost any trace of British and instead went straight back to his native American dialect as Lili's heart tumbled into her stomach. But just as she had given up hope, a new voice jumped on the line.

"Oh hon hon, because I am staying here of course! You don't think so low of me to actually leave my daughter home alone, do you?"

Lili jerked her defeated head up, new hope filling her heart. Was that who she thought it was?

"Francis" Vash hissed over the line.

"Do not fret!" Came the nasally reply. "I am merely here for a day's time. Michelle is going to stay longer than me and she is going to be dreadfully lonely being all alone on such a lively Saturday night. Surely you know something akin? I mean, you wouldn't be so cruel to leave your sister alone to clean whilst you went out on a date-"

"Stop speaking" Vash barked. A second passed by, counted easily by the baited breaths of all those waiting to hear what Vash would say. "I certainly never leave Lillian home alone. She is coming over to your house tonight, is she not? I expect her home by ten sharp tomorrow morning."

A sharp click indicated Vash had hung up. Lili breathed a sigh of relief, accidentally re-pressing the mute button.

"Ha! You totally owe us, Lil" Alfred laughed, back to his normal accent.

"You doesn't owe us anything" Mathew reprimanded. "Just say hello to Michelle for me, okay Lil?"

"Certainly" Lili promised. It was easy to smile when the heavy weight lifted itself from her chest. With an echoing click, both the brother dropped off the line, leaving Lili to go pack her bags. She had a royal wedding to prepare for!

Michelle picked her up at five, breezing past Vash's insist license inspections and trick traffic law questions. Lili felt the slightest bit bad for how flustered her brother looked as she was dragged out the door without a proper goodbye. She hoped he could let himself enjoy his date and not worry about her. Bella would not be pleased to forgo her fondu reservations because her friends were having fun without her.

"So?" Michelle asked, naturally bouncing in her seat while concentrating on the fast moving traffic. "What did I say? Alfred pulled through!"

"It was Mathew if anyone" Lili said shyly, tucking her hair behind her ear. Michelle spared her friend a glance.

"Ew, don't blush like that. He's my brother!"

Lili's face lit up bright red. "That's not what I meant!"

"Lili's got a crush~"

"No! Stop!" Lili wailed Michelle was unrelenting in her teasing, laughing at her friend as they pulled up to a stop light.

"Yes! A big ol' crush on Mathew Williams, the only one in this world as polite and quiet as you"

Lili's scream of frustration was muffled as she pressed her face into her hands, desperate to hide her increasingly reddening face. Laughing again, Michelle turned to look out her right window, not really thinking. Her mirth died a little as she recognized who had pulled up next to their car.

"Great." She muttered. "Mean Queen at ten o'clock"

Lili looked about, finally taking notice of the bright red, expensive looking sports car. "Oh no"

Almost as if she felt their gazes, Nataslya Pennihat turned her head, managing to swish her hair perfectly at the same time. She popped an obnoxiously loud gum-bubble as she looked at them. Lili sank low in her seat. Well that was certainly one way to put a damper on the day. She could hear more than see Nataslya revving the engine to her Ferrari in an attempt to challenge them.

To be honest, as much as she wanted Michelle to gun the gas, she knew Nataslya was only trying to rile them up. Lying was more than enough rule breaking for one day. Or at least, that's what she told herself right up until the light turned green and Michelle floored it.

"Michelle!" Lili screeched, wildly trying to grab a hold of any handle she could.

"Sorry!" Michelle apologized, quickly bringing the car back to the posted speed. "I had to. I needed to get her back for wearing that stupid purple knock off of my dress!"

Lili gave her a horrified look. "But we could of been-" She quickly checked behind her and around all sides of the car before whispering, "pulled over"

Michelle glanced around as well. When she deemed the coast clear, she let out a nervous laugh. "Thank god no one was around"

Lili sucked in a breath, deciding to put her foot down and face her friend. "That was fortunate. But no more bad things, okay? First I had to lie to my brother and now this! What is we end up in jail before we even watch the wedding?"

Michelle bit her lip to keep from giggling. They wouldn't got to jail for speeding. But even then, she could tell Lili was serious. She was right, at this rate they would certainly miss the entire intro. "Okay, I promise."

[=]

The car eventually slowed inside the uptown part of the city, stopping outside a plush building with condos on every floor.

Lili had always loved visiting Michelle when she stayed with Francis, though she rarely was able to. Monsieur Francis worked for an upscale fashion magazine and as a result lived in quiet the spacious, well decorated apartment.

Michelle had her own room with her own television and computer and whatever else she asked for. Mathew had a place as well, shared with Alfred whenever he came (though as far as Lili had gathered, he didn't often stay with anyone but Mr. Arthur). It was in Michelle's room that Lili abandoned her pink bag and stood awkwardly to the side as Michelle knocked pillows this way and that, running out to pop popcorn and gather enough chocolate to put even Vash's secret stash to shame. Finally both girls became situated as the wedding began to play. They only watched two hours worth before Lili's eyes began to grow heavy with boredom and her stomach began to rumble.

Around six-thirty, the large condo began to smell of expensive cooking, and when seven rolled around, Lili was all but trying to nibble on the ice-cream pillow.

Noticing her, Michelle laughed. "Having a nice snack?"

Lili dropped the pillow, red faced. "I wasn't gnawing on it! It's not what it looks like-"

"I would say", a voice interrupted from the door. "That you are more than ready for a homemade french dinner?"

"Papa!" Michelle shouted, jumping up. Lili noted that she did nothing to hide the plentiful snack carnage that now lay discarded on the floor.

"Get washed up," Francis said, quickly hugging his excited daughter. "and tell Lili that the kitchen is always open for those who believe in more than just American junk food"

Michelle looked at him strangely. "We don't own any American junk food" Francis put on a well practiced fake sad expression.

"Yes, but Alfred always manages to find a way"

"True. Come on Lili, the bathroom's this way"

Lili trailed her friend out, meekly waving to the blond already retreating to the kitchen. Within moments they were back in the bedroom, plates piled high with delicious, unknown cuisine.

"Do you not eat together?" Lili asked, confused.

"Sometimes." Michelle explained. "It's not like Arthur's, where we're all forced around this huge, stupid table and eat as awkwardly as possible. Papa knows how his kids think"

Lili reflected on her response for a moment. Vash always had meals with her in the dining room. She never minded though. Sitting at the polished table always made her feel like a princess. But occasionally, she wished to steal away in her room with no company but the birds at her window.

Lili wondered briefly if Vash would ever go for something like eating in her room. She nearly laughed out loud. He would probably think she'd choke by herself, or worse- attract mice.

She finished eating quickly and began to look around Michelle's room as she ate, trying to find the telltale signs of rodents that Vash would always swear would get in if you dropped a crumb on the carpet.

As far as she could see, there were no perfect mouse holes in the walls nor little plates of cheese sitting about. If Lili was honest with herself, she was a little disappointed. The mice in the shows always looked so cute!

"What are you looking for?" Michelle asked, mouth full.

Lili answered her friend's question with anther question. "Don't you have mice?"

Michelle chewed and swallowed over a laugh. "Mice? Honestly Lili! They would have to climb a long way to get to this apartment floor."

"Oh. Okay" Lili mumbled, still not over her disappointment.

They fell into a comfortable silence for an hour after that. Michelle turned on the television and flopped in front of it, while Lili picked out one of the few books on the book shelf. The two would have been glad to stay that way if it not for a knock on the door.

"Girls!" Francis called.

Michelle turned down the television. "Yeah, Papa?"

"What do you think of going out for ice cream?"

Francis had the mind to move out of the way as his daughter flung open the door, Lili in tow.

"Was that really a question?"

"I guess not" Francis said with a smile. "Lili, it's alright for you to come out to town with us?"

For a moment Lili felt flustered. She didn't really understand why Francis was asking now if things were alright with her brother, after being in on the lying and whatnot. But she supposed he had to take up the position of a responsible adult at some point.

"I'm sure he won't mind" She replied timidly.

"Off we go then!" Michelle cheered, and they were on their way.

[=]

Holding a double-decker vanilla cone, Lili realized she quite liked staying with Michelle and her papa. It was nice, talking and eating at a little table at a small ice-cream parlor.

From where they sat, Lili could easily see everyone who walked by on the adjacent sidewalk. Children with their parents, couples holding hands, her brother looking straight at her-

Lili screeched and ducked under the table. As an afterthought, she pulled Michelle down with her.

"What?" Michelle asked, trying to understand her friend's panicking demeanor.

"Across the street!" Lili sputtered.

Michelle popped out from under the table to get a look but Lili grabbed her jacket before they could be caught. Francis looked down at the two of them, wisely not asking.

"Oh my god, it's your brother! Why is he here?"

"I don't know!" Lili whined back, aware she sounded pathetic but electing to ignore the fact in favor of more pressing matters. "He was supposed to be on the other side of the town. You don't think he saw me, do you?"

"I'm not sure" Michelle said. "He isn't blowing his top and shooting up the place. But who knows, he might just be too shocked to comprehend his perfect little sister lied to him"

"Michelle!"

"What?"

"You aren't helping!"

"Sorry" Michelle apologized, looking sheepish. Silence descended, broken only by Lili's panicked breathing.

Michelle dropped a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Hey" She whispered, rubbing her back. "Don't worry Lil, we'll be A-okay! We made it this far, haven't we?"

Lili had to agree. The world wouldn't fall down on her now, would it?

"They're on their way over." Francis informed.

Lili watched in horror as Vash began to cross the road. His date, Bella, walked beside him. She was saying something to which he was nodding to show he was listening. Whatever she was saying had her smiling widely, eventually leading to her threading their fingers together.

Despite herself, Lili smiled. Vash was looking both extremely thrilled and uncomfortable. She was happy for him.

But just as quickly as it had come, her smile vanished as the couple chose a table not even a stone's though away from where Francis sat pretending to read the table cloth.

Lili was in a panic. Should she try to sneak out? Should she stay put? What was she going to do?

Fortunately, or unfortunately if you were Lili, the decision was made for her. Michelle's loud sneeze to her right alerted Vash's ever trained ears to recognize something wasn't right. He looked around sharply before his eyes rested on the two girls under the short table cloth.

"Lili?" He barked, the question easily turning to the form of a command and Lili knew she was in deep trouble.

She shimmied out on her hands and knees, followed closely by Michelle, and came to stand meekly in front of an astonished Bella and equally shocked Vash.

"Surprise..." She muttered as quietly as she could get her voice to go.

Vash's dumbfounded look took route in always available surface anger. "Explain"

Lili's gaze dropped to her shoes as she stuttered out an answer.

"I really wanted to go out with Michelle. But I couldn't because she was with Mister Francis and you would never let me go so I..." Lili swallowed the lump in her throat. "I said that she was with Mr. Arthur instead."

"You lied to me"

Lili's eyes stung at Vash's response. She had known what she was doing to entire time, but her brother stating it aloud was like a slap to the face. And Vash didn't give her long to recover. "Get your coat, we're going home"

"But-"

"No buts Lillian"

"No, I am not going home!" Lili shouted, stamping her foot to the floor. "I, I lied. I did and that was wrong. But I had a good reason to! Monsieur Francis is a great guardian and he was nothing but kind. And even more so, the constant rules you implicate, though understandable- they're suffocating. So I'm not going home to be babysat because your scared of what might happen when you're gone!"

Vash looked affronted and Lili suddenly felt her resolve crumble. Everyone in a five mile radius was staring at her and she just wanted to crawl under a rock and die. She backed down quickly, moving away from the sudden sadness in her brother's eyes.

Bella stood as Vash elected to carefully lower himself into his chair once more. She looked back and forth between the two siblings before coming to a verdict on the best course of action. "Vash" She said, laying a hand on his shoulder. "This has been a wonderful date, but I think now is a perfect time to call it an end. I wouldn't mind driving you home, if you don't mind that is"

Vash nodded slowly, letting himself be helped from the chair. He glanced at Lili briefly before sighing. "We will have a serious discussion on this tomorrow morning"

"Goodnight Vash." Lili called to his retreating back. "I love you!"

"He actually listened to you?" Michelle asked, sounding rather flabbergasted.

"I think he did" Lili said. She picked at her shirt as a nervous habit. "I'm afraid that's what I should have said from the start"