Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Gundam Wing Characters…other companies own them…I am broke.

A/N: This is about five years after the Endless Waltz

E-mail: violetangel3@yahoo.com

“The Joy of Life is Living”

The joy of life is living,

The joy of life is giving,

I know it seems crazy

But this mask I’ve set in place

A smile is always on my face.

*~~~~*~~~*~~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~*~~~~~*~~~~*~~~~~*

“Relena.” Duo sighed. He was really is going to have get over his feelings for her. When he had taken up the job to be Relena’s bodyguard he thought this would be the easiest job in his life. All he had to do was watch over a spoiled brat who stalks Heero, his best friend who was also like him, a Gundam Wing Pilot, and that was it. It was easy until one day he discovered a new side of Relena, the woman side.

Duo sighed again frustrated that he could not tie his tie. The tuxedo Duo was wearing was void of white and consisted of red and black from his neck on down to his feet. His hair in its usual braided style hung down his back. Duo gathered up the courage walked down the hall and knocked on a door.

The joy of Life is living

The joy of Life is giving

I know it seems crazy

This new feeling is making me hazy

But as I ‘m seeing you tonight

In this new light

My heart is not beating right…

~*~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~

Relena opened the door only to stare in the face of a smiling Duo. Relena’s heartbeat went faster and she felt butterflies I her stomach. Telling herself to calm down she asked,

“What’s wrong Duo?”

“Hey, princess I was wanting to know if you knew how to tie a tie.”

“Come on in Duo.” Relena spoke in a half laugh at the desperate look on the pilot’s face. Relena watched as Duo strode into her room. He had grown up since the final battle with Marimea. He was taller and more muscular-Relena remembered when she had stumbled across him working out when he had first become her bodyguard…Man, was he a sight to behold! The muscles in his arms and his pectorals were something else! Relena snapped out of her reverie and walked over to Duo.

“Okay, hand me your bow tie.”

“Yes ma’am” Duo mocked saluted

Relena took the tie and began tying it around his neck. She smelt a whiff of cologne the smell suited him it smelt like Brute. She looked up into Duo’s amethyst eyes and she felt weak at the knees. Relena quickly looked back down at her task. Duo could never like a girl like her. Relena sighed.

“What’s wrong princess.”?

“Nothing…Duo I’m just tired.”

“Cheer up just think…”

Relena laughed loving Duo all the more because he always made her laugh! Loving!! Relena mentally corrected herself. She like him, yeah, loved him more…like a… NO! she liked him only as a friend or a-a-a brother…right???

“I’m done Duo.”

“Thanks…ready to go!”

“Yeah.”

(At the banquet)

The joy of life is living

The joy of life giving

As I dance to this tune with you

Trying to cheer you up to so you won’t be blue

The joy of life is living

The joy of life is giving

Duo watched enviously as all those suitors pawned over Relena. The princess, the golden-haired beauty, Duo looked at his glass of champagne in his hand. Duo rolled his eyes remembering the scene in Relena’s bedroom when he had looked in her eyes it was all he could do from kissing her. Her laughter made him feel warm inside. Duo sighed knowing that a girl like her could never like a guy like him. Princess to merchant, Pacifist to Destroyer, and Goddess of Life to the God of Death, he was cursed death angel were she was an angel. Duo glanced around the ballroom and saw red as a man seemed to be harassing Relena. Duo walked up to the couple and putting his glass in the man’s hand asked Relena to dance giving him an imitation of Heero Yuy’s famous death glare. Then Duo swept Relena off in a waltz.

Duo then swept Relena off in a waltz. Relena never felt so lightheaded; she was glad Duo had rescued her from all those men. Relena felt Duo pulling her closer and she gladly let him, she rested her head on his chest and she felt his soothing arms around her. She instantly felt as if she was in a dream only her and Duo dancing in the room to a steady waltz, which now had changed to a slow body dance.

Duo moved toward the balcony with Relena in his arms swaying to the music. He was surprised when she rested her head on his chest, so he pulled her closer breathing in her lilac smell.

“You know this is better than watching a movie.”

Relena chuckled as she glanced up at Duo and was surprised by an unreadable expression in his eyes.

I am going insane

Trying to refrain

From loving/falling for you

I know the Joy of life is living

And trust me I’m always giving

So I’m letting this mask fall

So you will see my soul

Now Behold!!!!

The true me….

~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~

“Duo…?” Relena whispered, “What’s happening to us?”

“I don’t know.”

“I have never felt this way before.”

“But what about the thing you had with Heero?”

Duo looked to see clear pain in Relena’s eyes.

“Not even with Heero…he didn’t…he didn’t think that our love would be the best thing for the colonies…”

Duo dared not to hope….

“What feeling are you talking about…Relena?”

The joy of life is living

The joy of life is giving

I know this is crazy

But this mask set on my face

Is now out of place…

“Relena, what are your feelings for me.”?

Relena stared into Duo’s eyes for once not seeing him not as the happy-go-lucky man but as the human with feelings. His eyes told volumes of stories: pain, loneliness, fear, heartache, trust, …love?

‘For who?’ Relena wondered

But if you return my feelings to me…

Relena wondered if she should tell Duo her feelings for him. Relena gathered her courage took a deep breath and prayed to the God in heaven Duo felt love for her too.

“I… Duo I fe…fee…feel love for you.”

“What?!’

“I love you, Duo.”

Duo searched her face see the emotions in her eyes…so see if he was imagining things. Duo cupped her face in his hands and looked deeply into her eyes. It shocked him deeply at what he saw there: pain, loneliness, fear, hope, trust and love…love for him Duo Maxwell, God of Death… the Destroyer. He brought her close to were their noses were touching and he looked deeply into her eyes and whispered on her lips.

“I love you…too!”

Duo crushed her to him and claimed her lips passionately.

(After the banquet)

I’ll be as happy as can be

Relena laughed as Duo twirled her around in his arms. This man, this handsome man was her prince, protector but more than that her love. Relena looked up at the sky and saw a shooting star making a wish that Heero can discover what did she had found. She wrapped her arms around Duo’s neck and as she looked into her eyes she let herself break free from her chains as Queen Relena, Princess of Peace. Relena was bubbling over with laughter and love. No more Prime Minister, now she was a woman full a passion and in love!

She is so beautiful and she is all mine. Duo looked at the shooting star thanking Hero for the precious gift he had left behind. He looked back deeply into her eyes letting himself drown in pleasure as their lips met under the moonlit sky. A sweet melody arose from two doves as they announced their mating season

Since the Joy of Life is Living

Since the Joy of Life is Living.

~Fin~

<Ending stinks> anyway….that was my first fic about Duo and Relena. The poem I created myself. Thanks for reading it…constructive critisim appreciated. Well, anyway I’ll write a sequel if you want me to.