I do not own any rights to Gundam Wing or its characters. This work is not for profit. This was part of the Summer of Zechs project on Tumblr & AO3.

The sun was overly bright the day I met one Hilde Schbeiker, with her short cropped hair and annoyingly loud orange tube-top with her covered in glitter blue jean shorts and flipflops. I just knew this kid was going to be the bane of my existence that summer.

I'd hired on at Alliance, the local carwash, for the summer. It was as good a job as any for a soon to be high school senior. But every week Hilde, who worked there full time all year around as her father ran the place, had different colored hair. I assumed I was lucky that when I first met her it was her natural black, I personally think that suits her best.

Today her hair is blue... like peacock plumage blue... it offset her eyes pretty well honestly. Her ever present tube-top was teal and her jean shorts were green. I would never understand why her father allowed her to work that way while the rest of us had to wear these stuffy uniforms. She was a constant distraction to the other men, it disturbs me greatly that both the other teens and the older men were constantly ogling her like she was some kind of delicious dessert. Not that I wouldn't mind a taste if she weren't so prickly... but I am sure -definitely hope- that I don't constantly stare at her like that.

I was forever having to spray my colleges with water to get them back on track for their jobs. Either outside with the hose, or inside with a squirt bottle. I am sure she knew what she was doing too. Her damn little hair-flip she did always gets me. Which she did just now and I have to force myself to look back down at the register and put in the cost for a wash and wax for Mr. Khushrenada. The man's low chuckle reaches my ears and their tips turn pink, but I masterfully complete my mission before looking up at him. "Will that be all?"

He gives me a knowing smile and nods before moving off to the waiting area, leaving his keys on the counter. I pick them up and drive his car through the wash and wax. I look it over to make sure the wax coat isn't bubbled or missing anywhere before I bring the man back his keys.

Hilde is now behind the counter, a much better place for her to be as people can't see as much of her and she won't move around as much with that sexy little sway of hers. She notices me looking at her and smirks before calling me over. With a resigned sigh I head back behind the counter to join her.

"Hey Zechs, dad said you weren't planning on staying once school starts up again. That true?"

I nod my head, "Yes. I'll have too much to do to keep up with a job as well."

Her head bobs in understanding before it ducks slightly and she turns away a bit like she is somehow shy. "Will you be too busy to keep up with a girlfriend?"

I blink at her, "What?"

She turns angry eyes onto me, "You heard me."

"Well obviously I heard you. I just don't understand where that question is coming from."

She worries her bottom lip with her teeth for a moment, her grey-blue eyes unsure. "Um," She hesitates for another moment before seemingly firming her resolve. I am still completely lost. "I was hoping... oh hell. Would you go out with me?"

I blink some more a slow uncontrollable smile lifting my lips. "You want to date me?"

"Yes." Now even her voice was unsure, but I wasn't.

"Why?"

She looked startled for a moment but then smiled softly at me. "Well, for one, your sexy. For two, you're a really great guy. You work hard, you don't let me being me distract you - at least not overly much - and my father actually approves of you. Plus dating a senior has its benefits."

"Benefits?" I raise a brow at her still unable to wipe the growing smile from my face.

"Yeah, you have your license, you actually have your own car, you aren't as stupid and grossly pathetic as the guys my own age. I already know you won't treat me like some kind of object..." With a small shake of my head I cut her off with a soft kiss to those irresistible lips.

"If I agree, will you actually go to dances with me? Let me tell everyone we're dating?" I was amused by her list of 'benefits' as she'd just recently gotten her own license and had her own vehicle as well. But I had to ask, as her last boyfriend, one Duo Maxwell who I am actually good friends with hadn't been allowed to tell anyone they were dating. The only reason I knew was because I'd seen them and asked Hilde herself about it at the beginning of the summer. I had also been there at their break up... it hadn't been pretty.

Her lips tilt slightly at the corners, "Yes. I want you to stay with me forever."

I snort, "Forever is a long time Miss Schbeiker."

"Is that a yes?"

I chuckle, "Yes I will date you. But you're not allowed to harass Duo about it."

"Fair enough." She grins at me as she wraps her arms around my neck. "You know, I think this is the longest I've ever held your attention."

"Oh? Well I'm sure you'll have longer periods of time in the future."

"I'll hold you to that."

And she did. We dated for six years before getting married, our wedding vows consisted of asking each other to 'Stay with me forever' and here we are, four years later, still going strong.