:The.Day.Nobody.Died:

~Kou stood on the side of the road with the hood to the black Charger open, a sigh resonating from his throat and a hand running through his hair and then over his face...where was he going to get the money to buy oil...the car needed it bad....and what about the half tank of gas, he'd be lucky if he could make the car keep running for three more weeks... After a few moments of staring at the mechanical beast of an engine under the hood he turned around and leaned his body against the grill...where could he work off 6 quarts of oil and a tank of gas...things were going to get interesting really soon...dinner would be dumpster diving again tonight...

The bad thing about moving to a new city, was you didn't know where the hell anything was....and right now...maps weren't helping in the least. With left hand upon the steering wheel and her right playing a havoc game of map juggling and shifting gears; she was becoming frustrated. Eyes darting between traffic, street signs, and the map upon the passenger seat.
She saw the street sign a bit late...she knew she was going too fast to take the turn, after all...wranglers weren't meant to take turns on a dime...but she sure as hell hadn't expected him or his car. And she knew...she knew she was going to hit at least him. ~MERDE! [shit]~ the moment she was spying him she was hitting the brake and clutch unconsciously keeping from killing the engine. Jerking the wheel she missed him by just shy of two inches. Letting the jeep slide to a stop, all she could do was lean forehead against the steering wheel pretty sure she was going to die of heart failure even though she KNEW she needed to be making sure she didn't just splatter him. Pale grey eyes were already prickling with the heat of unshed tears....damn now she was going to cry on top of it all.

~His life flashed before his eyes and it wasn't all that pleasent, he stood there for a long moment, eyes wide, staring at the yellow beast that nearly took him out only seconds before..then ran a hand through his hair and started to walk towards the jeep~ Hello?.... ~His voice was soft and quiet as he stared at her with her head on the stearing wheel..how could such a pretty little thing drive so insanely...He glanced about the vacant street, at least no one else saw her or they would have probably already called the police..~

without ever lifting forehead from steering wheel right hand was reaching out shoving the jeep into neutral jerking the parking brake up...she wasn't going anywhere until her heart began thumping again. She never heard him approach the jeep, and his words didn't register....she just KNEW he was now a grease spot on the road. ~je pense que j'a pissé mes pantalon [i think i just pissed my pants]~ was the only thing that whispered from her lips talking more to herself than to him.

~He started to chuckle a little~ I can understand why you'd do that Ma'am...i just saw my life infront of my eyes.. ~The scare roused his italian accent that was always so skillfully hidden back to the surface of his voice.. his hand moved to touch the frame of the open window~

It wasn't until he was chuckling that she was turning her head, first to peer past her arm with one pale grey eye before turning delicate face completely to rest her cheek against the steering wheel. she was not expecting someone...anyone...him...to understand french. If it wasn't for the charcoal lining of external iris' pale gray coloring could be mistaken for colorless. She was taking a shuddering breath eyeing him fully ~sweet jesu i just knew you were a grease spot~ she was admitting not quite apologetically but vocals proved she was upset at the mere thought of running him over

~He laughed a little more~ I thought i was too, was briefly wondering if it was an improvement but then i realized i was still standing upright ~The accent still lingered in his voice, tainting his words so he no longer just blended in, his smile was warm and comforting~ I always knew i'd die some day bust not by a beautiful woman in a yellow jeep. but ey we all gotta go somehow right?

She shivered, whether it was from witnessing his near death experience at her hands...or the caressment of italian accent that sent chills up her spine was only for her to know. She couldn't help the smile that curled lips at his laugh shaking her head softly ~riiight, you keep laughing...i'm still waiting for my heart to restart~ but at his ending words she was snorting back laughter shaking her head ~I can think of countless other ways to go than being smeared on the road~ she was countering before the smile was slipping eyes filling with sorrow ~I never saw you...~ she was whispering in mute horror

~He smiled and shrugged~ No worries...it happens sometimes...I'm here, i'm alive and i'm breathing...see? ~he extended her hand in her direction as if to show her he was still tangable... She didn't hit the car, he could forgive her the rest...if she did he'd be completely homeless and that...well that would just suck.

she hadn't even stopped to consider his car, she'd been more worried about the life she was pretty sure she'd just splattered on the streets. Eyeing the hand he was extending in her direction but it was the car that was catching her eye please tell me i didn't hit the car she was asking softly finally starting to sit up shoving hands through locks, she had an accent...but unless you knew the subtle hints of french most people just knew...there was an accent there they couldn't quite pinpoint

~He smiled and shook his head~ you didn't hit anyone...The car and I are both fine...no worries ok? ~he shifted a little, his expression warm and inviting he could sense the accent and with her speaking french before it made sense~

She was taking another soothing deep breath eyeing the car one more time before gaze was traveling over his frame as though not quite believing he and his car were okay. Swallowing slightly as eyes settled upon his smile but before she might do or say anything that was idiotic her cellphone was suddenly going off. Mounted to the dash she wasn't hesitating to reach forward and hit the speaker button cutting off the unusual ring tone...oh no, couldn't be a simple tune...but a quote from the movie French Kiss, Kevin Kline's voice suddenly speaking ~I don't like the way you say with your face all screnched up, "you're French, aren't you?"~
Masculine vocals were suddenly purring forth in a musical brogue ~Where might ye be, lass?~
Her smiled was kicking up a notch proving there was affections for the male on the other end ~currently...lost...you're directions suck, mon frier[my brother]~ she was chastising, even though they were mere cousins after spending countless summers within the highlands they'd become stand in brothers. A few quick words in gaelic were exchanged before she was quickly ending the call gaze returning to Kou ~Pardon~ she was apologizing for taking the call

~He nodded, rocking back on his heels with hands shoved into his pockets, eyes glancing around the city he called home....would he ever make it out of here alive...He half listened to the conversation only because it was the only other noise besides the city breathing....and after 4 years of listening to that noise it was a nice break to have something else to listen to~

She hadn't been in the states since she was 5 and her father had passed away. She summered in scotland with cousins that had become stand in siblings, and attended an academe in france that was already molding the business woman she was to be. The face of an angel, but down right ruthless when it came to running a business.
She hated this city though, possibly because she felt lost and according to her upbrining..she was now driving on the WRONG side of the road, which probably explained the wide right turn she'd just made. The moment she was off the phone thou she was glancing to him and his...broken down car...it wasn't that uncommon for a car to break down ~Do you need a ride or something?~ she was asking softly, in both france and scotland....you were safe picking up strangers and giving them a lift...here...she was probably going to get herself killed if left to her own devices...or her ability to trust those she probably shouldn't.

~He laughed and shook his head~ No i need 5 quarts of oil...but that's besides the point ~the car wasn't broken down, it would still run for a little while but it was starting to worry him if she'd hold up much longer~ do you need directions?

when he laughed she was frowning at him not sure she understood what the joke had been or possibly if he'd been making fun of her. Between Europe and the US things were definitely different. She was glancing over her shoulder getting the feeling this particular street wasn't that busy, she was killing the engine of the jeep. Sliding out of the interior one hand upon midthigh to make sure the knee length khaki skirt didn't crawl up high enough for fear of flashing lingerie worn beneath, she was moving towards the back of the jeep. A petite thing, brushing 5'5" at best she had enough curve for the skirt to sit temptingly upon hips and to fill out the fitted t-shirt, with nothing but flip flops upon her feet leaving tanned legs exposed for admiration. The back of the jeep was crammed with various boxes she wasn't hesitating to yank two boxes out rifling around a bit before handing 3 quarts of oil already reaching for a 3rd box to search to see if she had any more quarts. ~oui[yes] where the hell is 5th and Markam?~ she was asking.

~He shifted a little~ Oh you don't have to do this.. ~Stated as the quarts were passed to him...where did this angel come from...~ I can draw you a map if you have a piece of paper..i can promise you won't get lost...

It was nothing to her, the passing of oil from spares in the back of the jeep to him. He needed it...she didn't currently need it...to her; it made sense. It wasn't charity, it wasn't given out of pity...call it building up of good karma to come. She didn't even have to think about the act..she was just digging the quarts out and passing them over to him. But when he was assuring her she didn't have to do it, she was straightening slightly blinking at him as though perplexed ~You need oil...I don't..might need brake pads after earlier...~ small shoulders were rising and falling. Hell anyone who got behind the wheel of the jeep would find out exactly how new it was...not even clocked in 1000 miles on it, it wasn't anywhere near in the need of oil. But when he was asking about a piece of paper to draw her a map..she was being "rude" ~there's a piece on teh passenger seat..~ turning her attention to reloading to boxes

~he reached in, grabbing the paper and then walking back to the mint charger and pulling a pencil out of the console, dropping the hood and sketching her out a map with landmarks written and drawn on it as well then smiled softly~ What're you headed towards there if you don't mind me asking..

She was shoving one box into place before small hand was pushing locks back behind her ear and out of the way, already picking up the 3rd box ~Creegan's...it's a...~ she was frowning quickly searching mind for the correct term frowning slighlty a pub???~ she was offering not entirely sure that was the correct term sliding the box back into place before closing the jeep up

~he nodded~ Ah..that's a new place isn't it? ~He marked the pub on the map with a star and smiled before turning to hand it to her, smile still on his face, the lovely italian accent was fading slowly

she couldn't help but return the smile though heart beat quickened as she was finally noticing exactly how tall he was. She knew she was short, true still 3 inches taller than shana...everyone made her feel short...but standing this close to him..made her feel down right tiny. Nodding her head softly dove grey eyes glancing at the map oui at least my cousins are hoping to have it open by Friday she knew she was lingering..she just wasn't sure why...true the italian accent was part of the reason...but not the whole reason

~He smiled, the accent was fading still from his voice, he shifted a little~ I never caught your name...~the smile still tugged at the corners of his lips..she was pretty..there was something about her...~

It was the way he put it, not quite asking what her name was but hinting at wanting the knowledge. Her smile blossomed as eyes were darting away be it out of coyness or perhaps a bit..shy...laughing softly before eyes were once more meeting his ~Cadee~ she was offering forth

~He smiled and offered his hand to her with another wide smile, the accent re-entering his voice without his permission~ Pleased to meet you Cadee...I'm Kou...