Danke Schoen (Thank You)

He met her on the corner of the street.

A whoosh of sudden traffic, he pulled her back by the arm.

"Dankeschoen," said a familiar voice from years ago. His blue eyes met her emerald ones in shock. The girlish pink dress he remembered so well had lengthened into a young women's daytime suit.

Introductions. Explanations. Vash was gone on business. She was going to the movie theater. Alone? Yes.

Pause. Pedestrians surged by, crossing the street. She pushed her hair behind one ear.

What business did he have in town? Nothing much, simply buying the newspaper, cigarettes, and back to his flat.

Mischevious sparkle in her eyes caught him off-guard.

"You must come with me." The impetous tug at his sleeve belied her age. "Please? I hate going to the cinema by myself."

It became a habit. Ludwig showed up at the corner and they crossed the street together. She preferred the second balcony of the theater, three seats down from the aisle.

Popcorn became his favorite flavor.

Springtime grass stains everything.

Ludwig thought he'd never get the stains out of the picnic blanket, white now with green streaks. A fairy tinkle of a laugh.

"Come, Ludwig!," she said, pulling on his sleeve. A maroon pixie danced in front of him with emerald pools of eyes. He couldn't say no. He never could.

"Wait!" he said, surprised at his own smile. Head cocked to one side, she stood like a questioning bird.

Trees in the field never looked so promising. He scrabbled for his pocket knife. Flicking out the well-worn blade, he scraped away at the bark. Lili giggled.

He stepped back.

"L. B. + L.Z "

The heart was slightly crooked. Ludwig thought it was perfect.

Paris. Ludwig never enjoyed walking down the sidewalk as much as he did, then with the warm, small hand inside his. Occasionally, she skipped next to him, skirts swishing. Store windows gave her an awed expression he wished to bottle.

Blushes. Hand-holding. Even at eighteen, Lili looked a fresh sixteen. It gave him no end of trouble with his conscience. Yet Ludwig swore he was younger than she, every time she glanced at up at him. Blushes erupted on his face, and he shivered inside every time she leaned on his shoulder.

"Ludwig?" she asked, fingers trailing shapes on his hand.

"Ja?"

She looked up, meeting his eyes.

"Danke." A smile spread across her face.

"Für was?" he asked in wonderment.

She gaze down, cheeks pink.

"For being with me."

Ludwig knew he would never get used to how much power her tiny hands had over his heart, wreaking the sweetest havoc with it.

Strawberry chapstick. Lips so small and trembling it pierced hot daggers into Ludwig's chest. God forgive him, how he loved her candy kisses.

"Was ist das, liebling?" he asked, holding her sparrow-thin body as it trembled against him.

"Ich liebe dich," was whispered against his coat.

His throat closed and his heart grabbed him. He tried to answer, choked-up. Impossible. He held her closer. Face buried in her cornsilk hair, he whispered his broken reply.

"Ich...ich liebe dich auch...so viel."

Standing above the small granite stone, the grass growing over the sides, he leaned on his cane. Years had weathered him, but the stone was smooth. He visited often to clean it.

"Dankeschoen, darling…" he said, memories dancing around his head. "Auf Wiedersen."

A/N: Hopefully, this will be a collection of Liechtenstein (multiple pairings?) one-shots based around the writing exercise "listen to a song, and write a one-shot for as long as the song plays." Haha, I know how I am with limits, so we'll see how this goes...

This fic is based on the song, "Danke Schoen" sung by Wayne Newton. It's a lovely, retro, 1940's swing-era love song with German as it's center! Unwittingly perfect for Ludwig

and Lili! I encourage you all to listen to the song, as you read or just in general, thinking of this pair...*sigh*...they have captured my heart...:-)

The (choppy?) style is different for me...experimentation, yay? :-S I would love to know what you thought, whether it worked or not.

Constructive critiscism to OMG LULZ is welcomed. :-)

Danke schoen - Thank you (Formal, I believe, as in Thank you, rather than Thanks)

Ich liebe dich auch...so viel." - I love you too...very much.