Butterflies~~ Shirbert

Chapter sixteen: Wherever you are is my home

He began making his way back to Anne who was waiting patiently in the parlor whilst reading a novel on bird calls.
Gilbert held out the spoon which she drank off while he held it, never moving her eyes from the book in her lap, completely enraptured by it.
Gilbert looked at how focused she was and laughed.
"What is that book about."
He sat on the floor in front of the couch she was sitting in, his legs crossed.
Anne held up a finger to shush him.
"I have to finish this page."
Gilbert laughed and watched her as she continued reading, her finger tracking the words. He observed her lips as she mouthed the words, it made his heart flutter, it was these little quirks that he was just now learning about her that made him adore her even more. Wait adore, what, no he corrected himself, he just liked these things, in a friendly way.
After a moment, Anne shut the book and looked straight up meeting his eyes.
"This book is extraordinary, who knew so many birds could exist each having their own unique call," she continued, wide eyed, "some birds migrate as you know," Gilbert nodded confirming her assumption,
"Isn't it utterly fascinating to think that a bird you see flying above you in the sky, just a typical crow, could have travelled all of Canada, or even farther, in that case."
Gilbert looked at Anne in his usual adoring way. Anne's heart fluttered as she looked at him, why did he always look at her like that, it swept her off her feet every-time, leaving her confused in the end.
"What?" She asked.
The change of her expression knocked him out of his dreamy eyes and into curious confused ones.
"What?"
Anne paused for a second furrowing her eyebrows.
"Why are you looking at me like that."
Gilbert blushed then looked down, he saw this as a teasing opportunity. He looked up and raised an eyebrow, then questioned in a voice dripping with fake oblivion.
"Like what." He bounced his eyebrows as he asked.
Anne just opened her mouth for a second then pursed her lips knowing that since he was teasing she probably wasn't going to get an answer out of him.
Gilbert then changed his face to look at her like he did before.
"Like that."
"Care to describe what you mean."
He raised an eyebrow smirking.
"Like I'm," she says in a higher voice before she gets official lost in his eyes.
"Like your," he encouraged her to continue.
"Um, actually never mind."
She bit her lip then looked away, she didn't know what to say. What if her suspicions of what his gaze meant were wrong, how would she play that off, what if she was right, that would be even worse.
Or would it?
Gilbert continued looking at her, he had a feeling he knew what she might have said.
He reached forward and but his hand on her knee, his touch drawing her eyes to him. Both of them found it difficult to breath because of the contact. Sparks flew everywhere as Gilbert took a breath and said.
-He said.
The boy closed his mouth and removed his hand. He couldn't get it out, he didn't even know what he would say,
Your the most beautiful being I've seen in my whole life.
He didn't think he could get it out, although he had written a compliment in her textbook, he was definitely having a brave moment, and that boldness was rare.
Anne tried to hide the look of disappointment, as he moved his hand away and didn't say anything.
They looked away from each other shyly.
After a few moments Anne couldn't take the tension anymore so she changed the subject.
"Can you get me lord Tennyson from the book case please."
Gilbert furrowed his eyebrows for a second then realized what she meant. He smirked at her then stood up and fetched the book. Anne opened it as she scooted over on the couch. She patted a space next to her, there wasn't much room but they managed to fit.
The sides of their bodies were touching, each of them blushing ferociously because of it. Gilbert turned to look at her smiling, she looked over at him bashfully her dimples deepening as she grinned back. Anne looked down and Gilbert forced himself to look away scratching the back of his neck. All Anne opened the book it flipped open naturally to her favorite chapter. She began to read fluently, Gilbert found himself looking over at her more and more, as if one magnet was attached to her and the other to his eyes. He couldn't pull his gaze away.
After about five minutes of reading Anne pulled her gaze away from her novel. She looked at Gilbert who was already looking at her, a fact that made her catch her breath.
"Okay your turn."
She said policing the book in his lap. Gilbert just looked at her. Suddenly his thoughts wandered back to his months on the ship. Those months were some of the hardest in his life. Not only was the death of his father very fresh and especially painful, but he was away from one of the only things that brought him joy. Anne.
There wasn't one day he didn't think of her, one minute even, it felt as if he was going insane missing her incessantly. As if reading his mind Anne asked.
"Why did you come back from the ships Gilbert, I mean you were seeing the world, seems much better than a one room schoolhouse and a town full of small minded people."
Gilbert smiled and laughed softly.
"It was better if you put it that way, but I had to come back."
Gilbert wanted to tell her that he cane back for her. But he knew it might scare her off, it would be too much, so he kept quiet. Still a bit startled by her seemingly knowing that he was thinking of the ships he began reading.
"I am strangely glad to get back to you again,"
Anne looked up and made eye contact with him. Gilbert with his eyes furrowed listened as she quoted.
"And wherever you are."
Gilbert's eyes were wide open, his mouth agape slightly.
Anne's voice was low and quiet drawing him in. He felt as if he couldn't resist leaning closer to her. Anne noticed Gilbert inching closer, and she was shocked to find that she was also doing the same. Their minds told them to move away. But their hearts over ruled for once, as Gilbert whispered the finale of the sentence.
"Is my home."
Both of their breathing depended as it sped up. Never loosing eye contact. Suddenly Gilbert lost control, his mind lost control and the only he could say was.
"I can back for you, Anne."
Anne's eyebrows shot up, her eyes wide. Both of them blushed deeply. Suddenly they heard a door creak from up the stairs. They looked up to see Mathew shutting his door quickly, his face racked with guilt and embarrassment, he cursed himself for eavesdropping. Mathew practically forced himself to open the door again and face the teenagers. He cleared his throat and awkwardly smiled at them walking down the stairs.
He walked into the kitchen before Anne said anything to him. Once in the kitchen He moved his head and was immediately encountered with a slightly flushed Marilla.
Marilla walked over to him and said quietly.
"I don't believe in eavesdropping Mathew but, did you happen to see what just happened."
Mathew nodded quickly.
Marilla didn't know what to say, she indeed trusted Anne and Gilbert but also they were teenagers, with hormones, the age could be rather unpredictable.
"Do you think we ought to talk to Anne about it."
Mathew looked over at the two teenagers sitting there gazing into each other's eyes, he had a feeling if they said anything Anne would push Gilbert away. Which was the last thing Mathew wanted.
He shook his head.
Marilla just huffed and walked away, not knowing how to display her emotions at the moment. She looked over at Anne and Gilbert, Anne looked down at her fiddling hands, looking as red as her hair. Gilbert was staring at Anne, his eyes read love, adoration, all in all the two of them reminded her a lot of John Blythe and herself, when they were sixteen. She smiled sadly recalling her tragical romance. She wished with her entire being that she hadn't denied her feelings so. If she had accepted that she loved him, she knew her life would have turned out her differently. But then again she mightn't have had Anne, and Anne and Gilbert might not have met each other she knew all was for the best, even though it hurt her so.
~
After a couple of awkward minutes passed, the love interests turned to see Marilla Cuthbert walk into the parlor. Both of them turned and then looked at each other for a split second as if to decipher if Marilla had seen them so close. Anne raises her eyebrows as she looked over at Marilla with a expectant smile, waiting for Marilla to say what she needed to say. Gilbert day up straight and glanced from Anne to Marilla over and over again.
Marilla cleated her throat and asked turning to Gilbert.
"Would you like to join us for dinner."
Marilla had a knowing smile on her face that rose heat to Gilbert's face as his complexion turned rosy.
He turned away for a second in an attempt to recompose himself then looked back at Marilla with a polite smile on his face, a blush still dancing on his cheeks.
"Actually it's probably better I get back to Bash and Mary."
Marilla nodded her head then said with a kind smile.
"Well just know you are always welcome here, and we aren't rushing you out our doors or anything."
Gilbert smiled then said.
"Thank you, Ms. Cuthbert."
Marilla raised her eyebrows in correction.
Gilbert quickly said flustered.
"Oh I mean Marilla."
Marilla laughed slightly then walked back to the kitchen.
Gilbert turned to Anne who was already looking at him. In fact she had been staring at him during his whole conversation with Marilla.
"I uh," Anne started to say. "Umm," she closed her eyes laughing softly in embarrassment at her struggle to form words, "walk me to school in the morning?"
She asked, Gilbert said quickly after.
"Anne you really should stay home and rest."
Anne shook her head then said determined.
"I will not let you beat me in class Gil."
Gilbert melted as she called him his new nickname.
"Your health is more important Anne, and I'm sure once your back you'll beat me, with the satisfaction that I had an advantage of an extra day."
Anne pondered that for a second.
"That does sound appealing, but I'm still going Gilbert no talking me out of it."
Gilbert signed in defeat.
"Okay well I'll be here early tomorrow to walk you then."
"Don't sound so disappointed."
Anne said with her eyebrows raised. Gilbert quickly said with his eyes opened.
"Oh trust me I'm definitely not disappointed, I just signed in defeat considering there was no way I could convince you to stay home. Come to think of it you could probably talk me into almost anything, your my weakness Anne Shirley Cuthbert."
Anne laughed at how fast her spurt it out but once he got to the ending she turned quiet. Gilbert smiled as Anne blushed.
"And my strength."
He finished. Anne's mouth dropped open slightly, Gilbert began standing up still watching her, he smiled looking at her. Anne was frozen, she looked like she was in pure shock. He winked then saluted good bye walking himself to the door.

Minutes later Anne's position has hardly changed.
Marilla walked over with a confused look as she saw the girl.
"Anne?"
Anne looked up her cheeks turned apple red.
"Um"- Marilla decides not to comment on her expression assuming that it probably has something to do with the blushing curly headed boy who had previously walked out of the door, a wide smile playing on his lips.
"Dinner is ready."
~
After dinner Marilla helped Anne up the stairs to her desk so she could do her homework. Well, she didn't actually have homework but Anne was determined to get better at her spelling by practicing the word lists over and over again.
She began pulling her work out when something caught her eye. It was a jar, she pulled it out to find that it was peanut butter.
She found herself blushing uncontrollably,
How does Gilbert Blythe manage to make me blush without even being near.
She smiled as she put it back in her basket.
She lit a couple of candles as the sun set, maybe if she had more light in her room she would be able to focus on doing her work and not on the hazel eyes that kept filtering her vision making everything look a rosy shade. She gave up and hobbled over to her clothes trunk on one leg. She reached in and grabbed her night gown.
Once changed she layed down in her bed after Marilla had tucked her in. As she stared at the ceiling she found that the white ceiling kind of looked like a familiar brown haired boy. She shook her head to get the image of him out of her mind, she turned her head to her candle that sat on her bedside table and watched the flame. After a couple of seconds she noticed something, the blaze too looked like Gilbert. Ahh. She groaned covering her face with her hands.
Brain stop it, don't you know I don't like Gilbert Blythe.

That's all for today folks I hope you enjoyed. I want to thank you so much for getting #2 on shirbert. I know for a lot of people this isn't a big deal but for me it is and I'm freaking out. Not only that but this story almost as 1k reads, I mean I am shocked! Writing can be difficult at times especially when I'm having a bit of writers block but wow it can be very rewarding, thank you all so much you keep me going and I am forever grateful for that;)❤️ anyways now that I'm done gushing, a new chapter will be up tomorrow!
Published aug, 28 19