Chapter Text
Gilbert has seen his fair share of shocking views while working at Avonlea’s Hospital, especially when he’s on ER duty. However, nothing could prepare him for the way his heart almost comes to a stop at the sight of an unconscious Anne Shirley being brought in in an ambulance and hurried into one of the examination rooms, a panicked brunette trailing behind.
Running on pure instinct, he rushes to the ambulance operator and frantically asks what was wrong with the redheaded woman they just brought in—had a rough fall from a tree, a few broken bones, apparently nothing serious, but she did hit her head and was unresponsive the entire ambulance ride so they’re worried about internal damage—and then proceeds to do something he has never done before: he calls in a favor with Doctor Rose.
Doctor Winifred Rose was Gilbert’s first friend when he first started working at the hospital. They were two of the youngest members of staff, they had a similar sense of humor, and they admired each other’s work very much. At first they had mistaken their good chemistry for something more, but after a couple awkward dates they both realized they were much better off as good friends. Up until today, that had meant bringing coffee to each other in the middle of a long shift, exchanging interesting research developments over email, and the occasional shared secret smile at some of the antics of other colleagues and patients. Gilbert had never taken advantage of their friendship until he checked the updated room chart on the computer and saw Winnie’s name assigned to the room Miss Shirley has just been rushed into.
The moment he sees Winifred rushing down the corridor his body reacts before his mind can catch up, and he grabs her arm.
“Gilbert, I don’t have time right n—” she starts to protest, quick to dismiss him.
“I know,” he interrupts, the edge in his voice making her turn to him in confusion. “Winnie, I need you to switch patients with me.”
“What? But—”
“Winnie, please,” he implores. She must feel the desperate energy radiating off him, because her demeanor changes.
“Okay,” she concedes with an odd glint in her eyes. Gilbert squeezes her hand and takes off, leaving a confused—and mildly amused—Winifred calling after him. “I want an explanation later! With details!”
Gilbert pretends not to hear her and heads to the examination room. When he arrives he sees the nurses have already changed Miss Shirley out of her clothes and into a blue hospital gown. The brunette woman that arrived with her is nowhere to be seen, so he can guess they’ve already sent her to the waiting room. One of the nurses finishes setting her IV and informs him her vitals look normal. Gilbert’s heart lurches at the sight of the unconscious redhead lying in front of him, and the pull he feels towards her overwhelms him for a second. He forces his brain to go into doctor mode, knowing he’ll be useless if he lets his feelings overcome him. She’s just another patient. She’s going to be okay.
Gilbert takes a deep breath, and gets to work.
***
After the results of various examinations are finished, Gilbert can confirm that the worst of her injuries are a broken arm, some bruised ribs, and a sprained ankle. She has no internal bleeding, and her unconsciousness is probably just a result of the shock of the fall rather than brain damage. It’s nothing short of a miracle, but somehow it doesn’t surprise him.
He walks back into her room with a smile and grabs her file, ready to tell the nurse she is ready for visitors. That’s when he notices a little detail for the first time.
Anne Shirley-Cuthbert.
…Cuthbert?
Miss Shirley is… married?
Just before his brain can start spiraling, he hears her grumbling and practically runs to her side. As she finally wakes up, she slowly scans her surroundings until she lands on him, and her blue eyes go impossibly wide.
“Gil- Mr- Doctor Blythe?!” she asks, clearly taken aback.
“Good afternoon, Miss Shirley,” he replies calmly. He’s done this enough times to be able to ignore the loud drumming of his heart and look somewhat professional. He can’t ignore the way relief washes over him at the sound of her voice, though. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m… okay, I think,” she looks down at herself and notices the cast on her arm for the first time. “Wait, am I okay?”
Gilbert can’t help chuckling. “For the most part, yes you are. Your little accident in the forest earned you a broken arm, a sprain in your ankle, and a few bruised ribs.” Anne’s horrified look prompts Gilbert to reassure her in a more serious tone. “It could’ve been much worse. Honestly, you were lucky. You came here unconscious, but we’ve ruled out any serious brain damage. Do you remember what happened?”
Anne frowns as she recollects what happened that morning. “I was taking a walk around the forest, for a school project. I was telling Diana about…” she trails off, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. He thinks he sees a faint blush appear on her cheeks, but before he can register she’s frantically looking around the room. “Diana! Oh my god, she must be worried sick. How long have I been… unconscious?”
“You’ve only been here for a little over an hour, I was actually coming in to update your file before letting visitors in right when you woke up,” Gilbert explains. “I’ll tell the nurse to call her in.”
Not long after, a beautiful brunette barrels into the room with tears still in her eyes.
“Anne!” she exclaims, rushing towards her.
“My dearest Diana, I’m so sorry!”
“Are you okay?” she asks. Anne proceeds to inform her of her condition, assuring her that she’s alright given the circumstances.
Diana’s eyes scan the redhead, clearly trying to assess the damage. She finally decides on taking the hand of her good arm. “I can’t believe you’re okay. When I saw you falling from that tree I thought you were going to die,” she wipes the fresh tears off her face. “If you ever do something like that again, I will kill you. I will literally murder you.”
“I know, I’m sorry,” Anne laughs. The movement hurts her ribs and she grimaces. “Ugh. Don’t make me laugh. My body hates me more than you do right now.”
“I could never hate you,” Diana rolls her eyes. Then she turns to the young doctor awkwardly standing by the door with a strange look in his eyes. “I’m sorry, I’ve been so rude. Thank you for taking such good care of Anne, Doctor…”
“Blythe,” Gilbert replies, realizing with a start he hasn’t said a word since the woman entered the room. He swallows the thoughts that are clouding his head and offers his hand. “My name is Dr Gilbert Blythe, and there’s no need to thank me, I assure you. Ms Shirley…Cuthbert seems to be a very resilient individual.”
Diana stares at him with a strange glint in her eyes as she shakes his hand. “Doctor Blythe, huh?” She finally says, casting a knowing look to Anne, who is thoroughly inspecting the cast on her right arm. Gilbert looks at the strange interaction with confusion before Diana turns back to him. “Well, Doctor Blythe, I am grateful nonetheless. Will Anne need to spend the night?”
“No, that won’t be necessary,” he assures them. “She will need to stay so we can finish administering the pain meds and run some tests again, just in case. She should be good to go in a couple hours, though.”
“That’s great news!” She smiles, then looks back at Anne. “What do you say I go home and grab you a change of clothes then? I texted Marilla and Matthew too, I’ll call them and tell them everything’s alright. You should call them later so they believe me, though.”
“You’re a godsend, my dear,” Anne exclaims, smiling fondly at Diana.
“I know I am,” the brunette smirks. “I’ll be back in a couple hours.” Careful not to hurt her, Diana leans in to kiss Anne’s forehead before turning to Gilbert once more, a quizzical smile still on her face. “It’s been a pleasure, Doctor Blythe.”
***
She’s married. Of course she’s married.
Gilbert goes through the rest of his patients in a daze. Luckily, most are simple enough cases and no one notices how distracted he really is.
She’s married to a gorgeous woman.
After an hour or so of prescribing antibiotics and giving some stitches, Gilbert finds himself pacing outside Anne’s room. He can’t bring himself to face her just yet, but he has to. If not because it’s definitely not her fault that he’s having an inner meltdown, then because he’s her doctor and has a duty. He clutches the folder in his arms with Anne’s final test results and discharge papers, and forces himself to calm down and gain some composure. Jesus Christ, Blythe, you never even talked to her for more than five minutes, get a grip. He clears his throat, trying to get rid of the ever growing knot residing there, and knocks on the door.
“Come in!” Anne says brightly from the other side.
When he enters the room, the sight of her almost takes his breath away. She’s laying in bed, trying to read a very worn book using only her good arm. The late afternoon sun is shining directly outside the window, casting a warm light across the room and making her hair look like it’s caught on fire. Even in a hospital bed Anne seems to be a beautiful mythical creature, too radiant to be in such an ordinary and gloomy place.
So much for getting a grip.
“Hello, uh…” Gilbert chokes awkwardly, his attempt at composure thrown out the window already. Anne doesn’t seem to notice, though.
“I believe you may call me Anne, Doctor Blythe,” she says with a smile. “I recall telling you most adults do so, and after saving my life today you’ve certainly gained the privilege of addressing me more informally than my seven-year-old students.”
This makes Gilbert chuckle. “I wouldn’t say I saved your life, you only needed some patching up and a bit of rest. I’ll gladly accept the privilege though, as long as you call me Gilbert.”
“Well, I’m still extremely grateful for the excellent patching up, Gilbert,” she grins.
“You’re very welcome. How are you feeling, Anne?”
“Like I fell off a tree,” she deadpans, making him smile. “But I’m sure it could be much worse.”
“I agree. I’m prescribing you some pain meds in case you have trouble sleeping, though. I’d advise staying off trees for a while too.” He looks at her and the sweet smile she’s giving him makes his chest swell. And then he remembers, and forces himself to look away. “Isn’t your… partner back yet?”
She looks a little confused by his choice of words, and he winces internally. She doesn’t comment on it, though.
“You mean Diana? No, she texted me a while ago.” She nods at an open brown backpack plopped on her bedside table. “My phone fared much better than me after the fall, thank God. Apparently she was stuck in traffic on her way to our apartment. She should be driving back now, hopefully she’ll get here soon. Is it okay if I wait here?”
“Yes, of course! Take all the time you need. I’ll come again when you’re ready to go.” An awkward silence falls between them, and Gilbert clears his throat before nodding at her and turning to the door.
“Gilbert!” She calls after him, and he swears he can hear a hint of hesitation in her voice.
Gilbert turns slowly. “Yes?”
Anne is fidgeting with her hands, looking a bit nervous. “Would you mind... staying for a bit? I mean, only if you’re not busy. Well obviously you must be incredibly busy, that was stupid of me to ask.” She cringes and looks down, avoiding his eyes. “I’m sorry, forget I said anything, it just gets rather lonely in here.”
Gilbert knows it’s not the best idea considering the way his heart is currently threatening to jump out of his body right now, but he already knows he’s incapable of denying her anything. He moves to sit at the foot of the hospital bed and smiles kindly when she looks up, her blue eyes wide in surprise.
“Of course,” he says. “I can stay for a bit, I know the feeling. And I was about to take my break.”
She flashes a grateful smile that completely disarms him. Desperate for a distraction he looks at the book in her lap, smiling a bit when he recognizes the title.
“Pride and Prejudice, I should’ve guessed.”
“I hope you don’t mean to insult my favorite book of all time, Doctor Blythe,” she asks with a raised eyebrow. “It’s saved me from many a dark days in my life, including ones spent in a lonely hospital bed.”
“Oh not at all, Miss Shirley. My courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate me,” he quotes with a smirk. “It’s one of my favorite quotes. It suits you.”
Anne is positively shocked. She was trying to make peace with her—quite possibly unrequited—feelings for Gilbert Blythe, but hearing him casually quoting her favorite novel sends bolts of electricity down her body and her brain suddenly forgets how to function.
“How... what...”
“It was Mary’s favorite book too,” Gilbert says, anticipating her questions. When she looks at him with confusion he elaborates, a sad smile tugging at his lips. “Delly’s mom. She... passed away a few years ago. I read to her sometimes, when she was too tired to get out of bed. She always asked for Pride and Prejudice.”
Anne reaches for his hand and squeezes his fingers.
“I’m so terribly sorry for your loss. Delphine tells stories about her mom sometimes in class. I know how tragic a loss like that can be,” she says earnestly, and Gilbert senses she knows more than she deserves about grief. “I didn’t know her name though, I’m sorry for bringing up painful memories.”
“Don’t be, I actually loved reading the book with her. It took both of our minds off reality for a while. And it made Mary happy, she asked me to make sure Delly’s future boyfriends were up to Mr Darcy’s standards.”
Anne chuckles. “She sounds like a true kindred spirit. I would’ve loved the chance to meet her.”
“She would’ve loved you,” he smiles wistfully before he realizes what he just said. “As Delly’s teacher I mean! She’s become so passionate about learning and exploring the world, and it’s thanks to you.“
Anne ducks her head, slightly embarrassed by the compliment. “I can’t take the credit for that. She’s always been a curious girl, and extremely kind.”
“But your guidance has been invaluable, I assure you. You foster that curiosity and kindness, not every teacher does. Mary would’ve loved that, and she certainly wouldn’t have accidentally insulted you on your first meeting.”
Anne laughs. “It’s water under the bridge. Thank you for your words, it means a lot.”
“I know I already apologized but I really am sorry for what I said,” he adds with a serious expression. “I never wanted to imply I doubt you as a professional, that has never been the case.”
“It’s okay, I promise. I owe you an apology too. I shouldn’t have assumed the worst.” Anne looks down, a sad expression clouding her eyes. “You caught me at the end of an incredibly frustrating day, and I’m famous for my short temper. I really couldn’t deal with another person doubting me.”
“Another person?” Gilbert asks, genuine surprise in his voice. “Who could ever doubt your skills?”
“Oh, believe me, plenty of people,” she laughs bitterly. “Most of the older teachers, some parents… They think my methods are odd. I’ve heard the word ‘preposterous’ thrown around too, they’d rather I make the kids memorize information and call it a day. Miss Stacy, the principal, is usually on my side, but that specific day I felt like I was letting her down too.”
“I can’t believe anyone would ever question your methods when they so clearly work,” he quips, angry on her behalf.
“I’m generally used to it because I usually prove them wrong,” she declares, and her eyes light up with fervor. “I know what I’m doing, and I work very hard to make a difference. I won’t stick to the old methods when I know mine are more effective, I’d change the whole system if I had the chance. Those kids deserve it. I decided long ago I must be a relentless thorn in the side of those who refuse to amend the status quo.”
Gilbert knows he’s staring at her like an idiot, but he can’t help it. Her passion seeps right out of her as she speaks, and he hangs onto every word. He hasn’t felt so drawn to a person in his whole life, and he realizes with a start that he’d happily listen to her plans for changing the world every single day of his life. He’d be right by her side helping put them to practice, too.
“You absolutely must,” he finally says, and he knows he can’t keep the admiration off his eyes. “People can be set in the old ways, but you being in that school and proving how wrong they are is a sign of how movable the world can be. You can’t give up.”
Anne studies him with an odd glint in her eye. “I wouldn’t dare,” she smiles. “I think you’re a kindred spirit after all, Gilbert Blythe.”
“Am I?” He asks, a faint blush covering his cheeks.
“Yes,” she declares without an ounce of doubt.
“Even after that awful first impression?” Gilbert raises his eyebrows.
Anne rolls her eyes. “I think we’ve established it wasn’t either of our best moments.” After a moment she offers him her hand with a teasing smile. “Truce?”
He takes it with a smile. “Truce.”
The contact sends tingles up Gilbert’s arm, and he can’t bring himself to let go. As they look into each other’s eyes, he realizes she isn’t letting go either. Her bright blue eyes are piercing into his, and his heart is in danger of spontaneously combusting. A loud ping brings them back to reality, and they look away from each other with a start.
Anne checks her phone, silently cursing it for breaking the moment. “Oh, it’s Diana. She says she’ll be here in about twenty minutes. Thank God, I miss my shower most dearly.”
Gilbert takes a deep breath and decides to steer the conversation into a safer territory. Anne called him a kindred spirit, and he desperately wants her to be right. She’s married, and he has to get that into his head before he develops stronger feelings for her and ruins his chances at a beautiful friendship.
“That’s great,” he smiles, only a hint of sadness in his eyes. “So… how long have you been together?”
Anne looks at him blankly. She blinks once. Twice. “I beg your pardon?”
Gilbert‘s eyes go wide in panic. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to be nosy. You don’t have to tell me anything, of course. It’s just that you looked very happy together earlier, and I saw... so I kinda assumed you were married…” He’s rambling but he can’t stop himself. He can’t even look at her, he’s so mortified. “Anyway, you make a lovely couple, but I don’t want to intrude, I just…”
He finally stops talking when he hears her yelp, his doctor brain coming back in full force. Then he realizes she’s clutching her bruised ribs, which must really hurt because she’s laughing so hard there are tears streaming down her face.
“You thought… we were…” Another burst of laughter comes over her and she winces. “Ouch! Laughing is really painful, you know? You really shouldn’t be this funny. My wellbeing is at risk, Doctor Blythe.”
Gilbert can’t respond to that, as he is very much frozen to the spot. Anne is trying very hard not to burst out laughing again, but it’s proving to be rather difficult.
“Gilbert, are you okay?” She asks, eyes still full of mirth.
“I’m… and you’re not… but I thought… and your name!” He babbles, still dumbfounded.
“What about my name?” Anne looks genuinely confused.
”When you were admitted and I got your file… your last name is Shirley-Cuthbert!” He exclaims.
“Yes…?”
“It’s hyphenated!”
Realization dawns on Anne and she grins at him. “And your first thought was that I was married?”
“Um, yeah.”
“To Diana?!”
“Yes?”
“Oh my goodness, this is precious,” she wipes the tears off her face with her good hand. “Delphine was right, you really are a moke.”
“Hey!”
“I don’t even wear a ring!”
“You live together! And you were being very affectionate earlier, you even called her my dear! What was I supposed to think?”
“Okay, I can see how that could be confusing,” she admits with a soft chuckle. “To be completely fair, we have been told we act like an old married couple before.”
Finally, Gilbert bursts out laughing too. His head is going in a million directions, and he rubs his eyes trying to make sense of the last five minutes of his life. After a moment he looks back at Anne, who’s still smiling at him teasingly.
“I always manage to put my foot in it with you, don’t I?” He sighs.
“You kind of do,” she grins. “Why is that?”
Gilbert lowers his gaze, feeling hesitant all of a sudden. “I guess… you make me nervous.”
When he looks back up he almost expects her to laugh at him again. Instead, she’s staring at him with an unreadable expression.
“I make you nervous?” She asks, voice impossibly small. Gilbert merely nods at her, a soft smile tugging at his lips. She returns it, a warm feeling spreading through her chest. His hazel eyes are looking at her with an intensity she wasn’t expecting, and suddenly she needs him to know. “My name… it’s because I’m adopted.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. My parents died when I was a baby. I spent most of my childhood in the foster system until I was adopted by the Cuthberts.” She pauses to take a shaky breath, and Gilbert can’t stop himself before reaching for her hand. She squeezes his fingers with gratitude. “My life before them wasn’t… the best, and sometimes… Sometimes I’m having a bad day, and those old feelings come back, and it’s very easy to think I’m not… good enough. And to snap at well meaning guys when they’re just trying to compliment me.”
“Now I really feel like a moke,” he admits.
Anne snorts, then winces again. She slaps his arm. “Seriously Gilbert. Stop making me laugh.”
“I’m sorry,” he looks genuinely apologetic. “You didn’t have to tell me.”
“I know,” she smiles. “I wanted to. And anyway, I like to think the universe decided to overcompensate those first few years of loneliness with a lifetime of joy. The Cuthberts are the best parents I could’ve ever imagined, and I have an excellent imagination. Diana has been my dearest bosom friend since the day we met—nothing more though,” she can’t help but tease him again, which makes him roll his eyes. “I found a job that I love, and plenty of kindred spirits along the way.”
He looks at her then, and he can feel his chest expand with admiration for this strong, resilient, impossibly optimistic woman. There’s a hint of something stronger tugging at his heartstrings, but he decides to ignore it for the moment being. Instead, he looks down at their still interlocked hands and feels a sudden urge of baring his soul to her.
“My mom died giving birth to me, and my dad died when I was in high school. I worked and travelled for a few years , trying to figure out how to move forward, and that’s how I found Bash. Or we found each other, I guess. And he became my brother. I’m thankful for him every day—when he’s not calling me a moke, that is,” he smirks, and her eyes shine with laughter. “It’s not the same, but… I understand.”
Anne has never felt a pull so strong as the one she feels towards this man, like her very soul is begging her to hold him and never let him go. She knew she was drawn to him, she could admit she was attracted to him, but this… this feels like more. She can feel tears about to spill, and she decides to let them.
“I told you. Kindred spirits.”
The smile he gives her is equally bright and watery, and it makes her whole body tingle. She slowly sits up and wipes her tears, ignoring the way her bruised body protests. He still notices, of course, so he scoots closer and gently puts a hand in her lower back to help her sit straighter. When she looks up she notices they’re almost nose to nose, and her breath catches. His eyes betray him and cast a look at her lips, and when he looks back up she can feel her cheeks flushing.
“Can I tell you something?” He asks, voice almost a whisper.
“Yes.”
“I’m really glad you’re not married,” he jokes halfheartedly. His eyes are serious, though.
She can’t find it in herself to laugh or tease anymore. Instead, she slowly leans towards him, and she can feel him leaning in too until their noses are brushing together. She closes her eyes when she feels his breath on her face, and for once her mind is completely quiet, too busy basking in how right this feels.
The sound of a swift knock on the door right before the doorknob starts to turn makes them jump apart. Well, it makes Gilbert jump back to his initial position at the foot of the bed. Anne winces at the loss of his hand supporting her, but quickly regains her composure just in time to see Diana bursting into the room.
“I’m so sorry Anne, the traffic today is insane,” her friend exclaims. Then she notices Anne’s very flustered companion sitting on her bed and can’t keep the smug smile off her face. “Hello Doctor Blythe! Is everything alright?”
Anne shoots her a warning look, but Diana decides to ignore it.
“Hi! Hello, uh, Diana,” Gilbert mumbles, silently cursing his brain for being too… preoccupied to remember how to form sentences. “Everything’s perfect! I was just, uh, here. With the release form. For Anne! I was about to leave, really. My break is almost over and I still have three hours until my shift is over. I’ll go tell the nurse you’re ready to go and, uh…” He can’t stop the smile that spreads across his face when he looks back at Anne, who’s currently staring at him with a very amused expression. “I’ll see you. Soon.”
Her heart jumps a little at the emphasis in his voice, but before she can say anything Gilbert bolts out the door. When she looks back at Diana her best friend is giving her a very pointed look.
“What on earth did you do to that poor guy?”
“Well, thanks to you nothing, really,” Anne jokes.
“Anne Shirley-Cuthbert!” Diana mock exclaims.
“Do you have my clothes? I’ll tell you everything in the car. I’m in dire need of a long, hot shower.”
“I bet you are,” her best friend mutters.
“Diana.”
***
Gilbert Blythe is tired.
He’s finally finished the longest, most strange shift of his life, and he still hasn’t wrapped his head around everything that’s happened.
Anne was hurt, Anne was there, Anne was okay.
Anne asked him to stay. Anne was married, but then she wasn’t.
Anne leaned in…
Anne.
Gilbert is in fact so tired that when he gets out of the building and sees her standing there, looking at him with those big blue eyes, he thinks he’s hallucinating. Surely he must be having some sort of fever dream, because it’s impossible that she’s there, looking devastatingly beautiful in a blue dress, her long red hair falling in curls over her shoulders.
But then he notices the scratches in her face, and the bandage in her ankle, and that big white cast in her arm, and he knows she’s real because he’d never conjure a version of her where she was hurt.
“Anne?” He sounds as dumbfounded as he feels. She gives him a shy smile, and it’s the most unsure he’s ever seen her.
“Hi,” she says.
“Hi,” he replies in a daze. He’s buzzing with emotions, but finally his brain settles on worry. “Are you alright?”
“What? Oh, yes! I’m perfectly fine.”
“Then…” He gulps, trying not to get carried away. “Why are you here?”
“I… Diana talked me into it,” she looks at her feet, her voice quiet with nerves. “Well I wanted… and you said soon. And I didn’t know how soon was soon, and I forgot to give you my number and I couldn’t… I mean, I didn’t want to…”
In other circumstances Gilbert might have been able to tease her or make a joke or, really, just say something. But Gilbert is tired, and in shock, and possibly losing his mind because the wind is carrying the scent of her shampoo and now he knows Anne Shirley-Cuthbert’s hair smells like apples. For some reason this piece of information is what he’s focusing on, and what’s making him struggle to breathe like a human being. This is why he just can’t come up with an answer, so he stands there and she looks at her feet, and the whole situation is ridiculous.
After a charged pause Anne squares her shoulders and takes a deep breath, and when her eyes find his again she no longer looks nervous. She looks resolute and ready for battle.
“This morning before the… tree incident, I was having a major meltdown in the forest. I’ve been really stressed about this big school project, because I wanted everyone who’s ever doubted me to respect me, and to realize they were wrong. I wanted them to see me as a serious, professional woman, a skilled educator, someone they can trust. I’ve always thought being taken seriously was the ultimate goal, and that a single misstep would ruin it forever. And then I literally ran into your arms, and here’s this guy who’s charming, and funny, and… handsome, yes. Don’t let it get to your head! But then you were Delphine’s uncle. And you made a comment, and deep down I did know you meant well but it was easier to be angry at you because then my plan was intact. But then you came back, and you apologized, and then you… kept coming back.”
Anne smiles at him, and it’s not a big smile but it reaches her eyes. The wind is making her hair fly in different directions and when it falls across her face Gilbert has a sudden urge to tuck it behind her ear. Of course, she just does it herself before he can summon the courage to do it.
“I’m not used to pushing people away and having them come back. I told myself you were so often at the school because you’re a great uncle. And you are! You should hear the amazing stories Delly tells in class,” she chuckles. Then she takes a step towards him. “But then you’d look at me like you were… waiting to see me. And a tiny part of me hoped… I mean, as far as I know you hadn’t been to the school that often until…”
“Until I met you,” he finishes for her, finally finding his voice. He takes another step.
“Yes,” she breathes. “But I didn’t let myself think about it, because I thought all my hard work would be dismissed if I were… involved with the uncle of one of my students. A student that, by the way, is a little wingwoman in training, just so you know,” she adds with a smirk.
“Delly?” He exclaims, his mouth hanging open in shock.
“The one and only. She’s been really insistent on talking wonders about you whenever I’m around. I can’t say it didn’t work,” she smirks. Then her face falls slightly. “I panicked, to be honest, and I tried to stay away, and I’ve been moping around ever since. This morning I took Diana with me to the forest, and she called me on my bullshit as she often does. And she was right, because she always is.” She suddenly looks at him with a very serious expression. “But don’t ever tell her I said that because I’ll never live it down.”
“Your secret is safe with me,” he promises, and he’s rewarded with a brilliant smile.
“Anyway…” she trails off.
“Anyway,” he whispers.
“I’ve realized that I was making excuses because I was confused and afraid to get hurt. I’m not anymore. I really like you. And I came here because I couldn’t wait until whenever I saw you next at school. You said your shift ended around this time, and I thought you might want to have some dinner. With me.”
By the time Anne’s done talking they’ve unconsciously moved so close together Gilbert could count all the freckles on her face if he wanted to. The wind makes her hair fall on her face again. This time he does reach for it before she can, tucking it behind her ear as she tries to conceal a soft gasp. From this angle, her eyes look impossibly big and hopeful. He wants to tell her so many things. How he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about her since that very first day. How he’s fantasized about asking her out more times than he can count, and yet this scenario didn’t occur to him once. How she always manages to surprise him, inspire him, keep him on his toes, and he wants her to keep doing that for as long as they can.
“You fell off a tree less than twelve hours ago and you still came back here to ask me to dinner,” is what he finally settles on, voice full of disbelief.
“Yes?” She replies. Then she deflates. “When you put it that way this looks like a terrible idea. You’ve been here for hours, you must be completely exhausted. I’m so s—”
Her apology dies in her throat because suddenly Gilbert is taking her face between his hands and kissing her. His kiss is gentle at first, his doctor brain still somewhat aware that she’s hurt. But then his tongue brushes against her lower lip and she lets out a whimper and the world falls away.
It’s a long while before they finally break apart, both gasping for air and grinning like idiots. Gilbert touches his forehead to hers and caresses her cheek, and for a moment they just stare at each other in content silence. Then he kisses her nose and grabs her good hand, the one that’s not in a cast pressed between their bodies.
“How does Chinese takeout and a movie sound?” He asks, still grinning.
“It sounds positively scrumptious,” she replies, squeezing his hand.
“Can we take it to your apartment?”
“Oh?”
“Unless you really want to explain to my matchmaker of a niece why her favorite teacher is being thoroughly kissed by her uncle in the living room,” he raises his eyebrows.
“Okay, my apartment it is!” She quips, already marching towards his car.
“I thought so,” he smirks as he trails off behind her.
She turns around with a sly smile. “Is the thorough kissing still on the agenda?”
He pulls her towards him and leans in to whisper in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.
“Oh, very much so. Doctor’s orders.”