Hello all...I don't really know what I was thinking. I'm certainly not a big Duo fan, but this coupling just kinda appealed to me. I got the idea at work, but forgot most of the dialogue by the time I got home…sorry if it sounds a little lame, heh. Once again, the year's AC198. That's all really. : Enjoy!

Perfection:

"It's starting…" Hilde spoke, breaking the warm silence that had enveloped the small apartment for few minutes. With a large, content grin, accompanied by a nod, Duo deftly slid down onto the couch, letting out a long, exhausted sigh as he did so. Once again, the day had taken its toll on him. Who knew that it would ever take so much time and energy to run a scrap yard, or a machine shop for that matter? Sure, he had Hilde there to help him, but business had been booming lately, leaving him with less that his normal amount of excess energy. He glanced over at her, the young eighteen year old was cuddling up in her fuzzy, turtleneck sweater. The sleeves ran to the end of her fingertips, as she balled up the fabric in her palm, smiling as she did so. Pulling her legs up to her chest, she glanced over at Duo, returning his smile.

"I don't know how 'ya can be so warm in your short sleeves! Isn't it freezing in here?" She asked, looking at him as if he were crazy. He chuckled at her comment.

"Cold?! It's like a sauna!" She smiled, then averted her gaze back to the TV as the emcee began to speak, "So…what the heck is this suppose to be about?" The former Deathscythe pilot asked as a hand rose to scratch a lock of his braided, light brown locks. He knew that Relena was holding the press conference for one specific reason. He's heard that much from the radio as he worked. Unfortunately, he missed what that specific detail was among the drilling and clanking of newly oiled machinery and scrap metal.

"…rumor has it she's getting married." Hilde replied, looking back over at him. This took Duo by shock for a moment. His eye's tensed and widened in surprise at hearing such a thing.

"No way! Relena?!" He laughed, thinking on the concept for a moment…
Heh, marriage…I thought she'd be smarter than that…
Duo wasted no time, and spoke his opinion outloud:

"Whoa, who saw that coming…I always thought she knew better…" A smirk dawned on his face as he playfully shook his head in dismay, crossing his arms over his chest as he did so. Hilde gave him an odd glance as he did this, one which he did not leave unnoticed.

"Huh? What's that look for?!" She sighed, and smirked, only half-heartedly.

"It's nothing." She shrugged, lacing her fingers together as she spoke, "…I just thought that it would be good for her, y'know Duo? It must be difficult to handle everything she does by herself." She glanced back at him to see what he thought.

"I guess so. Being alone dose suck…" He agreed, then suddenly opened his mouth as he smugly added, "But why get married?! It's beyond me why anyone would ever want to do that." Duo smirked. It was true!

Getting married…so pointless if you ask me… He thought to himself. I mean sure, it's all well and good at first. You get hitched, get a place, everything seems to be going perfect, then BAM! Reality hits 'ya every time.

"I mean, really, Hilde. Think about it. 'Ya think 'ya love someone, and everything seems so good, and you're so happy…then you start to fight. After a while you're completely sick of the person, and nothing's like you thought it would be! It happens every time!" The boy undid his arms and rolled his eyes. The sheer thought boggled him.

How else can you describe it? I mean, love isn't what it's made out to be at all. All marriage does is legally bind you to someone you're not going to stand in a few years anyway, so what's really the point?

In the meantime, Hilde had sighed, looking back over at him tiredly.

"Well…sure, I've seen that happen too…but who ever said that two people can't live together and make ends meat!" She protested. "I mean, look at us, Duo!" He laughed a little, nodding his head and smiling.

"That's true, I guess, yeah. But it's never as easy as that! I mean, there's always some kind of screwy romance in there to mess things up. You can't seriously think that it'll last forever! That's crazy! I mean, with you and I Hilde, things are different. Even if there was it wouldn't matter, I can see us living like this forever. There's no pressure to make it work out, y'know?" She smiled and nodded.

"I suppose you're right." She replied, looking back at the TV, leaving Duo with his thoughts once again, before quietly adding, "I just always thought it could work. I mean, the key is to marry someone you not only love, but consider as a best friend as well." She laughed at little at this. "I heard that somewhere once…I always remembered it too" The ebony haired girl smiled, then continued watching as Duo thought on this as well. The words had given him serious pause, although Hilde was now oblivious to this:

Best friend? C'mon, how could that ever work out? I mean, there's no love in that. If anyone, Hilde is my best friend...I could never marry her! Duo laughed mentally as he glanced over at her, though. A look of what seemed to be deep thought was etched onto her face…he beautiful, pale skin, complimented well by her dark hair.

Woah... I never really noticed that before… He thought, turning his head very slightly as he looked on. She is kinda pretty, I guess… A small smile crossed his lips; it was true he'd never thought of Hilde as the girl she was.

Well, she really isn't a girl anymore, is she? More of a woman now…a very beautiful woman at that. God, look at her eyes, why didn't I ever notice how beautiful they are before now? He silently questioned, moving back to her words in his mind. Damn it…

Marry your best friend. That's crazy… I mean…marriage is stupid! Things change too fast! I mean, you move in together, then you find out differences, and then everything gets all screwed up… With finances, and work, nothing is EVER what it seems! Then it hit him like a brick in his stomach.

Well…now that I mention it….Hilde and I have lived together almost three years now… and our finances are great. We never bore each other…I feel so…so free around her. It's so…comfortable. It's perfect.

Duo smiled widely as these thoughts raced through his mind. He slid over on the couch, and put his arm around Hilde, very slowly though, so he would not alarm her. She quirked her eyebrow, taken aback by his sudden action.

"Duo..?!" Perhaps he was just a little cold that night.

"Hey Hilde….wanna get married?" He said with a genuine smile and a slight shrug. She jumped at this, rendered speechless for a moment. She opened her mouth, at a completely loss for words.

"D-duo? But—but you just said--!!" The girl protested with a hardened look on her face. However, she could not finish her thought as laughter came from the shinigami's lips. He smiled again with a small shrug of his shoulders:

"C'mon Hilde…it's a perfect. You are my best friend after all…I can't think of living with anyone other than you for the rest of this life. We should make it official, y'know?" Hilde gave him a confused look.

"But Duo….there's more than just companionship that goes into a marriage…there has to be love, too…" The love she spoke of that she had always possessed for him, which he never returned for her.

"Don't you see, babe…?" He asked, smiling wider.

I love her…don't I?

"I do love you. I love you more than anything, Hilde…I don't know how long…but I know that I really do….and it's not one think like I thought it would be, let me tell you!" He added with a laugh. He'd always imagined love to be so phony, so staged. This…what he had with Hilde, was pure, and he knew it, now.

"So uhh…will 'ya?" His voice was now a little shaky with both anticipation and nervousness. At this, she beamed, cuddling closer to him as she did so.

"Heh...of course, Duo. I'd love to." He let out a long sigh of relief. "Jeez, way to make me wait there, babe…" She laughed once and crossed her arms.

"Oh yeah, like you actually had to wonder about what it was I'd say!" Duo scratched the back of his head and grinned sheepishly.

So this is how it's gonna be, huh?

"Yeah well…!!" He smirked as a small gleam of mischief appeared in his bright cobalt eyes. Gently, he swooped in and claimed her lips for a moment, closing his eyes as he took in the spectacular feeling which accompanied their first kiss. It felt so warm, so right. The overwhelming mix of emotions made Duo feel complete, whole…like nothing was missing anymore.

So THIS is what love is…

He pulled away slowly as he smirked with satisfaction. Hilde was still a little dazed at his random act, but shone a warm smile none-the-less.

…it's perfect.