It was dark, and it was in a resort condo. Everyone was sleeping soundly. Except for Duo. He sat in bed for an hour before finally resorting to getting up and walking around. He crept out into the hall and surveyed his surroundings. He came down the hall, facing the back of the couch and the balcony in front of that. The moon was bright and shone through the wide, sliding doors that led to the beach-accessible balcony. What he then noticed was a form curled up on the couch.
It was definitely human, and it was wearing his shirt. One of his fruity Hawaiian shirts with funky yellow flowers on a red background. The being’s legs were bare and pulled up close for maximum body heat. It was Hilde, snoozing on the couch. Duo wondered why she hadn’t hit her own sack instead of the leather couch, although he didn’t know which was most comfortable. Her hair was a bit mussed, as mussed as it could be at its length, and her face was peaceful. The curve of her body intrigued him. She had such a delicate frame; like she could be broken easily. But only she knew her limits, and she pushed them often.
He leaned over the back of the couch and ran his finger over her chin, then softly brushing her bangs out of her face. She was dreaming about him. The distinct curl of her lips as she smiled showed that. It was the same one she sported whenever he made her laugh. Trailing down her cheek again, he slid his fingers down her neck and caressed her collarbone. He didn’t care about what he was doing, he knew that they belonged together, although he outwardly wouldn’t let himself agree. She was just a friend! Yeah, right. A friend just doesn’t give their career, reputation, and life for you. She loved him, and somewhere, he knew that he loved her. But could he love her? Would she end up being hurt like his other loved ones? She’d survived so far.
"Whoever is stupid enough to get close to me shall die!"
Would it be the same with her? He’d done his best to keep her out of trouble. During the war between the Earth and colonies, he’d made her stay out of the service and away from the battlefield. Because she meant so much to him, she was one of the few that truly were one of his loved ones. She’d also gone against his will in order to help them, endangering her life severely. Getting the info on Libra was one thing, almost being killed was another, and doing it behind his back was the kicker. But her eyes were so gentle and understanding. More than once they’d peered into his own eyes so deeply that they seemed to touch his soul. She certainly was not a person to forget.
So she couldn’t pilot a mobile suit, or even hold her own against a doll, but she had power stronger than any abilities Duo had. The power of love and hope. Without inspiration and motivation, what would a soldier be? Hilde may have been short, spunky, and even overlooked, but she was the best friend Duo’d had in a very long time. An ember that glowed in the ashes of destruction; the light for his darkness. She gave life, like a new rain, or a ravaging fire; to demolish the past and make way for the future.
Now, cradled within the folds of his shirt and the plush couch, Duo’s angel lay in ambient moonbeams. They grazed her face and dimly lit the room. Shadows scattered as the silver streams of light pierced the pitch black of night. He leaned against the back of the couch, still running his fingers over her chin and neckline softly. The entire room virtually whispered of soft kisses stolen on starry nights. Duo’s face was so soft and loving as he gazed down upon the love of his life. Her chest rose and sank with steady motions, causing constant ripples of the cloth that constructed Duo’s shirt. The only sounds in the still room was their supple breathing.
Duo looked at Hilde with his vivid cobalt eyes, and sighed, "You mean the world to me, Hilde," he whispered fondly.
She stirred, turning slightly, and Duo lifted his hand back up from her face.
"More than anything. For your undying love, confidence, and everlasting hope for life. I don’t know what I’d do without you."
For a moment, there was no movement. Duo stood up and walked over to the nearby armchair, which held a throw cover. He unfolded it and placed it over Hilde, and tucked it around her. Taking one last moment to adore her features, he left, went into the kitchenette and opened the refrigerator door, sending a splash of light across the floor. There was nothing of suitable interest, except for a bowl of fruit. Duo grabbed a few pieces and turned around, shutting the door with the sway of his hip. With a strawberry in his mouth, he went back down the hallway and looked back one more time, at Hilde. His one and only.