scope for the imagination //awae//

seven

"You know I talk too much, honey come put your lips on mine and shut me up."

Soon it had been several weeks since Anne and Gilbert had made up, and things started to feel normal again for the both of them.

Anne was back at the library as much as she could manage, and Gilbert spent his breaks chatting with her, the pair even going to Green Gables every so often.

He was restacking a set of teen fiction novels when Anne came in again. He watched her wander around with the same look of wonder that she always had every time she entered, and he couldn't help but smile.

Admitting to himself that he liked her proved to be
a conflicting situation, because on one hand he knew she didn't feel the same, but on the other hand it was a whole lot easier to fall deeper and deeper and love with every little thing she did.

Every time he caught himself staring at her, he'd notice something new. Like the way she'd tuck her loose hairs behind her ears when she was reading or the way her eyes lit up when she'd finished a book.

Gilbert wanted to look away, to save himself from inevitable heartbreak, but it was exceedingly impossible for him to tear his eyes away from the girl. He'd sometimes wondered what it would be like if she actually liked him back, but he ended up pushing those thoughts aside because he knew it wasn't worth risking their friendship.

Unfortunately, Gilbert was torn away from his daydream like state as Bash called out for him.

"Hey Blythe! It's your break time!"

Gilbert snapped his head back, and blushed as he yelled an incomprehensible "thanks!" back to Bash.

He made his way over to Anne, who was trying to reach a book on her tiptoes. Gilbert smirked, deciding to have a little bit of fun. He reached above her head and snatched the book just as she was about to grab it.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, out of breath.

"What?" Gilbert smiled innocently.

Anne huffed. "I believe you are holding my book, Gilbert."

"Oh this? My bad, I'll put it right back." Gilbert walked slowly towards Anne, placing the book on top of the shelf altogether. He looked down at her with a satisfied smirk, finding it adorable how her brows furrowed.

"Ugh, do you have to be so insufferable, Gil?" Anne rolled her eyes.

"It's my job to annoy you, you said so yourself." Gilbert leaned closer.

"Aren't librarians supposed to help people get books, not make it harder?" Anne huffed.

As she quipped back at Gilbert, she noticed just how close he was. His face was only a couple inches away and she could see the different hues of brown, hazel, and green that mixed to make up his irises.

Once this dawned her, she turned a deep shade and desperately wanted to look away. But, she knew that's what Gilbert wanted and she never backed down from a challenge, especially not when it came to him.

So she stood her ground, and ignored the painful tugs in her heart inching her closer to him.

Gilbert was surprised that she hadn't turned away yet, and the little voice in the back of his mind was yelling at him to close the gap, but alas the boy shoved that voice deep down and carried on as if nothing had happened.

"I should, but that doesn't mean I have to," he drawled as he picked up the book and dangled it above his head.

Anne's eyes darted around the room while Gilbert's followed hers in curiosity. Finally, her gaze landed on him and lingered before she quickly leaned up to his ear and whispered, "Are you sure about that Blythe?"

Shocked by her sudden boldness, Gilbert unintentionally brought his hand down which Anne took advantage of as she expertly swiped the book right out of his hand with a confident smirk.

She immediately hopped a step back and patted his chest lightly as she said, "Thanks, Gil."

He was still very much in shock with his typical confident attitude replaced by a spluttering, blushing one instead.

Anne skipped away, feeling victorious. Little did she know that Gilbert was far from done, and that she had just begun the war that would leave the two's hearts on the line.