▷ It's you - Ali Gatie

«Nobody feels like you»

A/N - There's a lot of references in this chapter, to Staring/Reflections, AWAE and AOGG books. Let's play SPOT THE REFERENCE!

___

[PLAY THE SONG!]

August 21st

"If you don't keep it down, Marilla's going to hear us"

ANNE SHIRLEY-CUTHBERT would've never, ever imagined, especially months ago, to have Gilbert Blythe lying on top of her, placing feather-like kisses all over her exposed neck.

She has to keep telling him to keep it quiet, though, because he hasn't stopped mumbling non-sense and humming between kisses ever since they started whatever this was.

"She's not home, I saw her leave for the Lynde's while I was parking"

He'd knocked on her door about an hour ago, not wanting to do anything in special. It had been like this for around a month; they'd usually hang out at his or her house and do, well, this. Some other days they would go to the library or their usual spot at their favorite coffee shops; some other days they'd meet their friends here, in Avonlea, or Charlottetown. but it was during moments like this were they could be together in their little bubble of physical affection — outside it and to everyone else's eyes, they remained friends.

"Stalker"

"Just observant" Gilbert points out.

"Shut up, you're just obsessed with me"

"Sorry, it's just that... I've met so many people... " he says between kisses. "But nobody feels like you, Shirley"

"Why are you quoting Ali Gatie?"

He stops her motions and kisses and looks at her, resting his elbow on her bed, but still close to her, leaning his face on his own palm.

"Because I'm a fucking hipster, that's why"

Anne rolls her eyes, letting out an inevitable chuckle that surprisingly, is not a sign of nervousness. After a few weeks of doing... this, she finally feels comfortable around Gilbert again. Physically comfortable, at least — the rest, they'd end up figuring it out.

"You're laughing at me? Or are you impressed at the fact that I can quote not only The Great Gatsby but also hit tunes?"

She gives him the pleasure to hear another or her chuckles and then grabs him by the shirt, dragging his mouth to hers.

"Enough talking. Just kissing"

"Kissing, okay, okay, I can work with that"

Everything seems to be perfect. A perfect atmosphere of intimacy in the perfect security of her bedroom, secluded from the world and everything else; things that don't really matter at the moment.

She keeps her hands on his black T-Shirt, or at least one of the many different black T-Shirts he owns. How many of these does he have? She tries to remember, but she can't keep her mind focused during a situation like this... so she tries to stay focused at the single task of kissing Gilbert Blythe.

But there's one slight problem. Right when her hands are busy playing with the hem of his T-Shirt and Gilbert is about to graze at her ribcage over the thin fabric of the summer dress she's wearing, the door opens.

Anne thought that the worst case scenario would be her adoptive mother walking into the current scene of one of her "friends" on top of her, but she was wrong.

There was something or someone so much worse that Anne had not considered.

"Oh my god" the person standing under the door frame says, almost gasps. "I knew it"

"Shit, Jerry!"

Jerry, with his jaw almost falling off the rest of his face; Jerry, with his eyes wide as saucers; Jerry, with his hand still of the door knob and the other one slowly aiming to cover his o-shaped mouth.

"Get the hell out of here, dude" Gilbert says, in an attempt of trying to fix his hair. "We're like... busy"

"I knew it, I knew you were acting way too civilized around each other. I knew it!"

"Oh, my god" Anne covers her face with her hand to hide her already blushing face and the mix of a nervous giggle playing on her throat and a glare on her eyes.

"So you two are together!"

"Shit-" Gilbert curses. "Jerry, shut up"

"I knew it!"

"Dude!"

"We're not together"

Somehow, Anne's words makes Gilbert's stomach sting. We're not together. She's right — surely, they haven't talked about the nature of their relationship but he'd thought things could slowly develop into a proper relationship. What are we? is something that Gilbert wonders almost every night before falling asleep. Friends with benefits? Friends that make out every once in a while? Almost boyfriend and girlfriend?

Girlfriend. It was a strange word. When he was still a teenager, he had never cared about a girlfriend before. He liked his own company, and every once in a while he found entertainment and fun in some girls, but that was it.

But Anne? As a girlfriend?

Surely, Gilbert had thought about it before. When he was on the course of getting to know her, back in 2018, when he started to feel something for her, it did cross his mind sometimes. He wondered how it would feel like to take her on a date and go to the movies together. But it would be stupid to minimize Anne to "his girlfriend".

Anne was so much more.

Did they really need to label their relationship with a specific term?

"Jerry, close the door, NOW!"

Jerry walks into the room and closes the door behind him.

"I meant leave and then close the door!"

"How long has this... situation been going on for?"

"Since the wedding"

Anne looks at Gilbert, sending him a murdering look. "Gilbert! Don't tell him!"

"Sorry!"

"The whole summer? You've been sleeping with my sister the whole summer and you didn't tell me?!" Jerry asks, although he's not mad. In fact, Gilbert could swear he can read some signs of satisfaction on his face.

"We haven't!" Gilbert suddenly says, We haven't slept together"

"Stop telling him!"

"You haven't...? Wow"

"Because of you people who keep interrupting! Seriously!"

"Go away Jerry!"

With that and after a pillow thrown to the door and aiming right towards Jerry's face, the conversation is over.

Anne sighs. "I'll go talk to him"

___

"Sorry about that. Jerry, I mean"

Anne walks Gilbert to the door about half an hour later. After Jerry's intrusive and unexpected visit, Anne kicked him out of the room and made him swear he wouldn't tell the rest about what he had just walked into.

Still from Anne's bed, Gilbert could hear every word of the siblings' conversation, and even though there was a part of him that agreed, there was another part of him that wanted to know what was so wrong with their friends knowing about them, if Anne and him could be referred as "them", anyway.

"It was worth it" he suddenly says, shaking those thoughts off his head. "Did you see his face?"

"He was so fucking shocked!"

"Isn't he ever going to move out?"

They both burst into laughter, knowing that although Jerry and Ruby have rented a tiny apartment in Charlottetown, Jerry loved it here. As Anne had been saying for weeks, there was no possible way to get rid of him.

Not both of them are standing under they same porch where they had their first real conversation — where everything started. They don't know yet, but right now they're both thinking about the same thing:

if perhaps they're about to truly start something else.

"Ah, I love this porch" Anne sighs as she takes a seat on the steps. Gilbert joins her, sitting to her left.

It's getting dark. There are a few shy clouds up in the sky that are adopting a darker shade of blue as the evening passes. In the porch, there's a green light above them. However, it doesn't separate them anymore — it's not a barrier. Right now, they're closer than they've been in a while and they seem to be motioning more and more towards each other.

"I love this porch, too"

As he whispers his words, Anne leans her head on his shoulder. Had this happened years ago, she'd taken out one of her cigars to smoke and he'd have lectured her about how bad those were for her health. But that habit died long ago — and she doesn't miss it at all; just his company is enough.

"Shirley?" He calls her, making her move and look at him, eyes locked. "Hey, I need to... um- I want to ask you- Can we talk?"

"Yeah?"

Gilbert swallows hard. He'll never understand what is it with him when it comes to Anne. One second he could be the most confident, teasing, mocking boy on earth and the next he could be acting shy and a mostly intimidated because of the way her piercing blue eyes looked at him.

That was the Shirley effect.

"You. Me. A date" he says after exhaling a deep breath. "Whenever you want to"

She laughs; summer breeze making her hair dance. "A date"

"Yes. A date. If you want to, of course"

"Yeah- I" she says. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know" he says. "I thought that maybe..."

"Maybe what?"

Anne asks him this as she follows him with her eyes and watches him stand up. This gesture makes her worry about whatever must be going inside his head, so she stands up as well, standing now in front of him.

"Maybe things have changed" he says, then clears his throat. "For you"

"Change?"

"Like... this whole making out thing and acting as... friends in front of our friends is not bad but... What you said... about wanting me, at the wedding, you didn't mean just, you know, physically, right?"

"No, of course not" she says quietly. "You know that"

"Good because things haven't changed for me and that's... what we have now is great but I want-"

"A date"

"Yeah, a date"

She looks at him, but doesn't give him a verbal answer.

"Eh, no pressure" he says, raising both of his hands as if it was a hold-up. "Only if you want to"

"Of course" she says, giving him a reassuring smile now. "Of course I want to. I'm sorry If I made you think that-"

"No, I'm sorry if I made you feel pressured-"

"I'm not! I'm not pressured. I want to. I want a date with you"

Gilbert smiles, looking down at his feet, then scanning the sight of her from toes to the top of her head. He also tries to wipe the inevitable grin of enthusiasm off his face, but he can't.

"Good"

"So, what did you have in mind?"

"Uhhh... Friday? I'll pick you up, if that's alright?"

"Sure"

He gives her a thumbs up as he walks backwards to his Jeep — just watching him makes her snort a casual laug.

"See you on Friday then" is the last thing he tells him before getting into his car.

Anne doesn't get back inside again until he's disappeared into the road.

So I guess I have a date.

___

August 24th

Three days later, it's Friday and Anne has a date with Gilbert Blythe.

And she's definitely not nervous.

Perhaps just a little.

She checks her closet twice, maybe even more than five times that early evening, deciding on what to wear. Gilbert hasn't informed her about the degree of formality of the situation. A dress? Shorts? Jeans, even though she hasn't wore a pair in years?

Frustrated, and trying to calm down the nerves for their upcoming date, she texts him.

Shirley
what do I wear if I don't even know where we're going?

Gilburrito 💙
you don't have to have everything planned out, shirley ;)

From the other side of town, about a 20 minute drive from Anne's house, Gilbert is trying not to freak out.

Watching his own image in the mirror makes him feel the same way he did as the evening he was getting ready for prom. That was over two years ago. The situation now, however, had changed a lot, and for the good. Anne was aware of his feelings for her, there are no other people involved... so why am I so afraid o-

"How many white shirts have you tried on since you got out of the shower?"

"Fuck! Bash, damn it, could you please knock the door?"

"I'm sorry, did I interrupt your beauty ritual, Blythe?"

Gilbert shots him a glare as he writes a mental note for himself that reminds him he has to buy a lock for his door. Oh, and another one for Anne as well.

"Alright, alright, I'll leave you alone"

"Wait, hold on" Gilbert says, staring at Bash's reflection from the mirror. "How do I look?"

"Decent"

"Decent is not enough!" the boy turns around, pulling the solapes of his clothing. "Is the blazer too much?"

"A bit, yeah. Where are you going tonight anyway?" the man asks, leaning against the door frame.

"Dinner. With Anne"

"Ooooh, I see. You're finally making it official, huh?"

"That's my intention" Gilbert says, running a free hand through his dark curls. "I hope she wants the same"

"So you are freaking out"

"I'm not!" the boy complains, seeing the already mocking look on his friend's eyes. "I'm just a little nervous. It's like I'm confident about what she feels for me but it's a bit hard to... move from one base to another, you know?"

Bash nods, understanding more than Gilbert knows; formalizing relationships is, indeed, a huge step and even though Anne and him have been in love with each other for years —perhaps Anne was the very last one to realize— this date could mark the beginning of a proper relationship.

"So, do I wear the blazer or not?"

"I think I have a better idea"

Bash suddenly disappears, not even closing the door after him and leaving Gilbert in his own for just seconds. The boy takes this little time to look at his reflection in the mirror once again, checking that his face still neatly shaved —even though he shaved this morning— and that every curl is in place, which are not, considering how impossible to tame those were... not that Anne was going to complain about that, or anything else about that matter, though.

The sound of Bash's steps make Gilbert turn around to face him again. The older man hands him a folded, old denim jacket that Gilbert recognizes instantly.

"This is my dad's" Gilbert murmurs. "He's always wearing it in the pictures I've seen of him and mom when they were younger"

"I think he would've loved it if you wore it for your first official date with your redhead dream girl"

"I think he would, too" he says as his fingers trace a path over the old, denim fabric; melancholy in his eyes. "He kept telling me to keep Anne close"

"He was so wise, old John"

"Yeah, he was"

___

Anne is just making her way back to her room after her shower when she bumps into Marilla. The girl expects a lecture about how she shouldn't be walking around the house with just her towel on and her hair dripping water, but instead, she just asks:

"Why are you in such a hurry?"

"I'm- I have a d- I have plans tonight"

Marilla raises a silent, questioning eyebrow.

"Are you going to Charlottetown?"

"Er, no. Well, I'm not sure"

"You're not sure?"

"I'm seeing Gilbert for dinner. He's picking me up but I don't know where he's taking me to"

Anne could swear she's just seen Marilla smile. It doesn't last long, though.

"So you have a date"

"Well- yes. I have a date"

"How convenient, because I have something for you"

Marilla follows Anne to her room, where a paperbag with a familiar logo rests on top of her bed.

"It's from Crocodile's!" Anne's eyes get a bit watery as she grabs the bag. "Matthew used to buy some clothes for me there all the time"

Marilla nods — she knew Anne would like the detail. "Well, open it"

The bag reveals something that she didn't have in mind, but it's the perfect choice for a hopefully perfect occasion.

"It's perfect!" she squeals in a very non-Anne way that makes Marilla aware of the fact that things with the Blythe boy are going pretty well. "Thank you, Marilla!"

"Now don't be late! Text me if you leave town and...

have fun"

___

It's time.

It's time, she thinks, as her eyes travel from the incoming text on her phone screen to her reflection in the mirror once again.

Gilburrito 💙
your chariot awaits

She waves Marilla goodbye as she aims to the door. She doesn't know but her adoptive mother creeps from the curtains just to see her with Gilbert — Rachel Lynde would be proud of her newly acquired gossip skills.

Gilbert turns lifts his eyes from his phone screen as soon as he hears the slam of the main door.

"Hi" she greets him with a toothy grin and her red lips.

Anne instantly feels Gilbert's eyes scanning her body, from the top of her head to her feet and then to her head again. It's the kind of look he's always had reserved for her and only her, ever since the moment they met.

How did I survive two years without him looking at me like this?

She's wearing a long-sleeved, flowy black dress with red roses splattered all over and an accentuated V-shapes neckline; complemented with her usual black purse and her overused platform black converse.

"Shit, you look... nice" he manages to say after taking a deep breath that he didn't even realize he was holding.

"Thanks? I mean, thanks"

She rolls her eyes at his choice of a compliment as she starts walking to the car, him following right after instead of walking to the driver's door. Once the passenger's seat door is open and she's about to hop in, the boy pulls her to him with one of his hands and slams the door close with the other, making her lean her back against the car.

"I mean you look beautiful, Shirley. Beyond beautiful, actually"

"Okay, enough with this first date protocol"

"It's not protocol. I'm just stating some facts. You are beautiful. I think we can conclude that red is definitely is your color" he whispers.

Anne blushes under his flirtatious gaze (and she hates herself for being so vulnerable when it comes to him). She can only hope that Marilla's not watching from behind the curtains.

"See? You blushed, you're getting red everywhere. It suits you"

"You're an ass and you're making me regret this date already"

"Impossible" he says as he opens the door for her. "Shall we go?"

Always the gentleman.

___

"Have you noticed that... we're doing it all backwards?" Gilbert says after a five minute drive of comfortable silence; his eyes still focused on the road.

"Uh?"

"This is our first date. But we're already friends, we've already kissed and we've already confessed our undeniable attraction to each other"

"True" she murmurs.

"Okay" he stops the car, pulling over to the side of the dark road. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Keep driving"

"Shirley" he exhales, body turned to look at her from his seat. "You're a terrible liar"

"I... What if you don't enjoy this date? What is we don't work together?"

"Don't work together? Do I have to remind you that great minds think alike?"

She doesn't answer. Instead, she leans her head on the window, looking at nothing in particular.

"Look, in that unlikely situation... we'll go back to being friends, okay? Don't worry, just relax."

"I don't want to ruin what we have right now. What if it all goes wrong? What if we're risking everything we have?"

"I'm willing to risk it all for you" he concludes as he turns the engine back on and starts driving.

She smiles faintly as he turns the radio on, music playing softly through the speakers.

"You smiled"

"Eyes on the road, Gilbert"

"It's bit difficult to focus on the road with something so distracting to my right"

"Did you eat a compliment book for breakfast or...?"

"Too much?"

"No, I just want to make sure that we're taking things... slowly"

"You didn't say that the other day when I was kissing your neck"

"God, do you ever stop?"

"Okay, sorry. Look, everything will be alright. I booked a table in this Italian place and I thought-"

"You booked a table? What are we, royalty?"

Gilbert shakes his head as he bites his bottom lip, trying not to laugh. "No, Shirley, but I figured you'd kill me if we got there and couldn't find a table"

She nods, impressed at the fact that after all, he's still the person that knows her the best.

"I'm sure I'll love it"

"And calm your ass, okay?"

"Okay"

___

"So... following first date protocol, I guess we should talk about our interests"

Gilbert has brought her to a nice restaurant downtown that she's never been to. It's not the most expensive, luxury one in Avonlea, but not the cheapest either. It's the kind of restaurant that has red checked table mats and waiters that look as if they'd been straight up imported from Italy.

He chuckles, watching how she reads the menu for the third time. "You already know what my interests are, asshole. Besides, weren't you the one who, half an hour ago, said first date protocol sucked?

"I know" she says, her blue eyes popping out the menu. "But pretending we don't know each other is kind of fun"

He looks at her, their eyes locked. By the glimpse of mischief in her eyes he can tell she's feeling more relaxed now.

"Well, Anne Cordelia" he says, wearing an exagerares attempt of a sophisticated look that makes her laugh — also, the last time he ever called her by her name and middle name was years ago, so hearing it again makes her enjoy this even more. "My interests consist on enjoying a glass of fine wine under the moonlight, fixing my mustache and folding all of my shirts and ties, organizing them by color palette"

She has to try really hard not to laugh at him pronouncing palette with a French accent.

"Oh, how interesting, Gilbert!" she says with a fake tone. "I'll have to give you the right on the wine, but I prefer to organize my clothes by material rather than by color!"

"Oh, that's not a problem when all my shirts are 100% silk, Anne Cordelia"

"I'd rather them be 100% off"

She starts laughing, and so does he.

"Damn it, Shirley, that's the worst joke ever, I'm already regretting this date"

She bites her lip, looking down. She's blushing because she's enjoying this date so much and she doesn't want it to end, even though it's just started.

"How many people have you been with?" she asks out of nowhere.

"Scandalous, Anne-girl! You're the first woman I've ever taken on a date"

"I'm serious" she says shyly.

"I am too" Gilbert says after a brief pause. "You're the first girl I've ever taken on a date. A proper one, at least"

"What about Christine?"

"It was all physical, I- I ended things with her after..."

After our first kiss.

"Oh"

Anne keeps her eyes on her lap.

"Shirley?"

She looks up to him then, hazel eyes meeting hers and making her relax a bit under his cautious, tender gaze. She feels relieved the moment she feels how the muscles under her shoulders instantly relax.

"I just... really want to know how many people you've been with" she finally says.

"Oh, well. There's been... random girls... Jane... and then Christine, then you?"

Gilbert pronounces the "you" in such a different way, as if he could make her know that there's never been anyone for him but her ever since they met.

And there will never be.

"That's it?"

"Yeah"

"What about this Ella girl?"

Gilbert frowns a bit at the mention of this girl, as if he was trying to make some memory or to place her in time and space. He doesn't seem to understand why Anne remembers that girl after all this time.

"Oh. Well, I think I met her at Billy's party? Then we made out, but just once"

"Oh"

"What's wrong?"

"How do I know... I'm not just a random girl?"

"First of all, I don't take random girls on a date. I make myself clear whenever I make out with someone just for fun and I make sure that she wants that too, so that no one gets heartbroken"

Gilbert also wants to tell her that it's fine, that she doesn't even have to worry about "other girls" because others girls stopped mattering to him ever since he first laid eyes on her.

"Oh" she says again.

"Look at me"

"It's fine"

"Shirley, look at me. Do you really think... that I just want to be with you for the kissing or the sex part?"

"No, no, of course not! I just-"

"Shirley" he says again — apparently, he's aware of the way this nickname still makes her legs go weak every single time. "You were never just another girl for me, okay? You always were something else. You're one of the people that I care about the most, and I will never, never hurt you or play with your feelings. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I will never ruin that — not again. You know that, right?"

She nods, a bit embarrassed at the fact that for a split second he thought she was unsure about his intentions. She knew Gilbert was a good guy and she knew he loved her —or so he had told her at the wedding—, but somehow, the seventeen year-old Anne inside her head is reminding her that going from one girl to another was a habit for the younger version of Gilbert Blythe.

"You were never just another boy for me either"

"I know" he says. "Are you ready to order?"

She steals a last look at the menu, then puts it down as a smile curves up her lips.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me" seems like a sentence that's not going to leave Anne's mind for a while.

And that was enough reason for her to enjoy this date.

"Why don't you order for me, since I'm not just another girl?"

Gilbert raises his eyebrows — always ready for a challenge.

"Fine"

"Fine"

___

The dinner flies by. Both of them realize that this date doesn't feel like a date at all. Not that they have had other dates with other people to make a proper comparison — Gilbert's never had any of these and neither has Anne, since Charlie and her started dating after exchanging some kisses in their free periods.

Though it doesn't feel like a date, it feels like the perfect moment to ask questions they've always wanted to ask or to know things about each other that they wouldn't have dared to asked when they were "just friends".

"Who was your first kiss?"

"Oh, this girl at kindergarten. Can't remember her name, but she always wore a Spongebob T-shirt"

"How romantic!"

"Yours?"

"Moody Spurgeon"

"What?!" Gilbert gasps, leaning forward in the table.

"Spin the bottle, sixth grade" Anne says, eyes closed because of the embarrassment.

"Oh, my god"

"And your... first time...?"

"This girl back in my old high school. She was cool, but it was just a two or three times things. You?"

"Charlie, my sixteen birthday party" she says. "First heartbreak?"

"You" he says. "And yours?"

"You"

She looks down. She'd been a fool, many years ago, when she thought heartbreak was her 12 year old crush not noticing her. She'd never known or experienced heartbreak until that fateful December night when they shared something too good to be true that eventually faded away.

She used to believe that what happened between Gilbert and her that night was the kind of heartbreak not even time could mend. And even thought they were right here, right now, she wondered if there was still a talk they needed to have, perhaps to seal and give some closure to everything that'd happened.

"Well" he says. "That's another thing we have in common"

Anne laughs with a mixture of melancholy, bitterness and a bit of irony.

"Are you seriously joking about the fact that we weren't talking to each other for almost two years?"

She notices, from the other edge of the table, how Gilbert's expression turns a bit more serious.

"I'm sorry" he mouths. "You're right. I knew we needed have to have a longer version of this conversation at some point"

"Is it the right moment?"

"Sure, why not? Worst case scenario, we'd get mad at each other again and we'd set this whole restaurant on fire"

"At least we wouldn't have to pay for our dinner"

He snorts a laugh. "Are you telling me you want to do a runner?"

"No" she says, putting her fork down. "We really need to have this talk"

"Okay. Let's talk, then"

She looks at him, hiding a smile that she doesn't know where it's coming from.

"I swear I'm not laughing, it's just-"

"You're nervous" he says.

"What?"

"It's your nervous half smile"

"You're a creep"

"You're easy to read"

"Easy to read, huh? Well, you're tapping your feet, smartass"

Gilbert places a hand on his thigh trying to stop how he's nervously shaking his leg and tapping his feet.

"Okay, enough trivia for today. Let's actually talk"

Anne nods. She knows she already told him everything —or almost everything— at the wedding but there was still a feeling of guilt that she needed to let out. Every time she thought of starting something official, real and formal with Gilbert, her mind would take her back to everything that happened between them before the wedding.

"I... wanted to tell you that I understand. I understand why you got so mad at me that one time-"

"I know. I thought we had already talked about this"

"Let me finish. Everything... has been great — dreamy, actually, but... we can't forget, I can't forget what happened between us, Gil"

"I know. Me neither"

"I know we said we wouldn't forget about it, I know we said we'd learn but... I'm scared"

"Scared?"

"I guess I've been delaying this date because I was scared... I was scared it might happen again. That you'll get mad at me or I'll get mad at you and then we'd go back to that"

"Hey" he says. "That's not going to happen. I trust you and I believe in us, so much"

"I know, and I trust you too. But I think we've been acting impulsive and we've been delaying a conversation that we should've had at the wedding"

"You're right. You're absolutely right but we're two assholes and that's just our way of doing stuff. We could've simply just meet, click, kiss and start dating..."

"True"

"But we, Shirley... we're just like this, things between us are complicated and there's nothing we can do about it" he says. "I just promise that I'll never be mad at you again"

Anne looks at him. And this makes her realize that he's not perfect. Just like her, he has his flaws.

"I don't want you to promise me that" she says, taking a shaky breath. "I want you to promise me that... whatever happens between us, we'll never let anything like that happen, that we'll never lose each other"

"Shirley, I promise that even if any of us assholes ruin this date... I'll still be your friend. We'll still send songs to each other, we'll still have our late night rides and our deep crackhead conversations. I promise"

She smiles, and allows herself to enjoy the rest of the dinner with their follow-up questions.

___

"Oh, no sir. Giving me the bill is a bit sexist! Nope, we'll pay separately, I'm afraid. This lady over here hates it when people pay for her food"

"Correct" she nods. "Thanks for remembering"

After paying separately for their food, they leave the restaurant. Gilbert starts walking to some direction without telling her, so she just follows.

They walk together, but not hand in hand. There are not so many people on the streets, just a few couples and perhaps a family or two.

"Fuck, it's cold" she curses. After all, summer was about to end and it was irresponsible of her not to have brought a jacket — Marilla will lecture her about this tomorrow if she gets a gold, she's sure.

"Here, take this"

Being the gentleman he is, of course he had to quickly take his jacket off and place it on her shoulders, rubbing them softly in his motions.

"Ah, Gilbert, I see what you did there" she says narrowing her eyes as she directs her now playful gaze at him. "You didn't tell me where we were going so that I wore this and you could lend me your jacket"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Shirley" he says, eyes kept on the front. "You should see a doctor"

"Oh, I'm seeing one right now. And he's smooth as fuck"

"So it worked" he mumbles.

"What was that?"

"Nothing" he says, scratching the back of his neck. "Oh, look, just got to our next stop"

"Sweet Treats!" she reads from the sign right above her head.

It'd been years since the last time she had an ice cream of from this place. She remembers how she used to come with Matthew during the hottest days of summer.

As she keeps her eyes on the sign, probably taking in the memories of her adoptive father with Jerry and her, Gilbert takes her hand in his, fingers interlocked together.

For a moment it doesn't matter that they've kissed —in both a vertical and horizontal position—. She forgets about those secret kisses and all the other things they've done because nothing feels as intimate as this. He caresses her knuckles with his thumbs and she has to try really hard not to steal a glance at their hands interlocked together.

"The least I can do is pay for your ice cream"

"Okay, I'll allow that" she laughs quietly.

They silently walk into the tiny ice cream shop. Everything is exactly as Anne remembers — nothing had changed and she hopes they still serve her favorite flavor.

"Which one are you having?" he asks as he watches her scan the colors of the ice cream display.

"Mm... the carrot cake one!"

He chuckles. "Of course"

___

They walk together just minutes after that, arms brushing against each other's. The night is a bit cold, but her arms are secured under his jacket and he enjoys watching her comfortable with it.

"I have to say, Shirley" he says. "That your taste in ice cream is fucking amazing — nothing compared to your disgusting taste in shots"

"Oh, shut up"

"Make me" he says, a smile playing on his lips. This dynamic instantly takes her back to Senior year — it reminds her that, even though things are a bit different (for the better, she hopes) now, at least some things stay the same.

She stops in her tracks, making him do so as well.

He looks at her, bewildered in expectation and she does the same — hazel meeting blue...

and she shoves the ice cream scoop on the top of his nose.

"Aw! Shir- Anne, what the hell?"

"That's what you get for being a teasing bitch"

"You're- You're an evil carrot!"

"Well, let's see if you can catch this evil carrot! Race you to the car!"

"Do not run away from me, Anne Cordelia Shirley-Cuthbert!"

She leans against the Jeep, which wasn't too far away from them, breathless. I really need to start doing some exercise. He towers over hers, body pressed against each other's.

"Gotcha"

"I won" she whispers.

"You sure did"

He moves his arms and suddenly cups her face with his hands. They're a bit cold, but she doesn't care — the cold fades away as soon as he starts tracing caresses over her cheeks with his thumbs. He scans her face, once, twice, perhaps even more. She knows he's about to kiss her, and even thought they've kissed before, the feeling stills sends shivers down her spine.

"Are you sure you want to kiss the girl on the first date, Mr. Blythe?" she whispers; their faces so close that he can almost feel her breath on his face.

"As scandalous as it may sound, I believe we've kissed before, Miss Shirley-Cuthbert" he says with cheeky grin on his face as his eyes scan the freckles on her face.

"Really? I don't quite recall" she says, biting her bottom lip to hold back a smile.

"Do you need me to refresh your memory?"

"You're making me blush"

His hands cup her face, forcing her to look straight at him. His left hand strokes her jawline; the right one tucks a wild strand of red hair behind her ear.

"Well, I've been doing that for years now. I don't think you'll mind if I keep doing that from now on"

"I don't know. I guess we'll see"

She turns her face to her left, not letting him kiss her. He simply buries his face on the crook of her neck, mumbling something.

"You're torturing me"

"Who? Me?"

"Let me kiss you"

"Nah" she says, patting his chest now. "I think you need to rock this date out before"

"You're taking this "taking things slowly" very seriously, aren't you, Shirley?"

"Yup"

"Fine, you want me to rock this date?" he asks. "There's still a place we need to go"

They get into his car. However, Gilbert doesn't instantly turn the engine in as he would.

"Check my jacket's chest pocket"

"What?"

"There's something there for you"

"I really hope you're not proposing"

Gilbert huffs as he leans closer to her, dragging her by the solapes of his own jacket and checking the pocket himself. He reveals then a simple, red handkerchief.

"Kinky"

"It's not kinky, asshole. Just a surprise"

"But I hate surprises"

"I'm aware, but you'll have to deal with this just this once"

"Fine"

"Here, let me tie it for you"

"You're such a cliché"

Gilbert drives for fifteen minutes or so. He doesn't talk either, and Anne suspects the reason why he's chosen to stay silent it because if he talked to her, she'll eventually get the words out of him and find out their next and last destination.

Then he stops the car, leaves and helps her out of the car — her eyes are still covered and he guides her steps with his hands on her shoulders.

"Where the hell are we, Blythe? Hope you're not planning on killing me tonight"

"I would never give you the pleasure" he smirks, although she obviously can't see him.

Anne tries her best to concentrate on her other senses. Now that she's out of his car, she can feel the wind, slightly more violent than before, making her hair dance messily. And the smell...

it smells like salt.

"The cliff" she says right before he untied the handkerchief off her eyes.

"You said it was your favorite place in the whole world"

"You truly thought of everything, didn't you?"

"And you don't know the best part yet"

Gilbert leaves her there for a brief moment, looking at the dark sea before her, to her feet. She closes her eyes, and inhales the smell of water, grass and summer air.

This is the best summer of my life.

Anne turns around then to find Gilbert looking for something in the trunk of his car. She watches him with a puzzled expression, not knowing what to expect. He's taking into account every minimal detail, so she expects any little thing that she might have accidentally mentioned and he's remembered.

But it's something way better than that.

"I know wine's way more romantic" he says, pulling out a little fridge and walking towards her afterwards. "But... I'm sure you'll like this better"

"Whiskey..." she begins to say as he shows her a hip flask.

"And hot sauce"

"Prairie fire" they both say at once.

Gilbert gives her a quick smile as he turns around to place the fridge on the grass and prepare two shots for them.

"If you're going to ask if I have problems with alcoh-"

"I love you"

"What?"

Gilbert instantly turns around to look at her. It's not like he hadn't suspected it, and if he's honest, he has, in her own words, "rocked out this date", but the simplicity in which the words leave her lips make him speechless.

He'd been waiting for her to say those stupid, simple, three words for two years. And now, just like that, she was saying them.

"I love you. I'm in love with you. I'm sorry I didn't say it any sooner. You deserve to hear. I love you"

"You didn't have to-"

"I know. But I want you to know. I've been in love with you for a while and you deserve to know. I love you so, so much, I couldn't even comprehend at first, because it was so... strong. I love you. I wanted to tell you at the wedding but I don't know why... it didn't come out. But I felt it then and I feel it now. Gilbert, I love you"

Gilbert Blythe Gad thought of so many different scenarios in which this casual love declaration could've happened. She could've told him at school —although that would've been unlikely, considering that, well, she had a boyfriend—, she could've told him at the wedding —although she did tell him, she just didn't say the word love—, she could've written it in one of those letters he got before the wedding...

But no. She, or life, had reserved those words for this moments — their moment, with Prairie Fire and late-night conversations in his car.

Because that's just their way.

"Are you telling me now because I brought shots?"

"Yes" she says, taking a few steps closer. "Definitely"

She kisses him deeply, intimately, lips sliding. It's a different kiss from the many others they've shared ever since the wedding. Those were angry, rushed, hungry. This was different, definitely. It was calm, safe and familiar.

"You know, Shirley" he mumbles. "I'd wrap my arms around your body, 'cause, let's be honest here, you look smoking hot in that dress, but my hands are busy"

"I love you so much" she says, and he feels her smile during the kiss. "I'm afraid I'm scandalously in love with you, Gilbert Blythe"

"Well, I don't feel the same"

"Asshole!" she tells him, brusquely breaking off the kiss, slapping his arm and almost making him drop the drinks.

"Of course I love you, you idiot! I love you more than anything. I've loved you for years and you can't even imagine for how I've been wanting to tell you. I told you at the wedding and I'm telling you now — I am in love with you, Shirley. You'll have to live with that. I love you, asshole"

Anne wonders if her face could break from smiling this hard. It'd been so, so long since she's felt this happy.

He grins, handing her one of the shots he's prepared. "Well, to honest feelings and to us, I guess"

"To us"

___

Anne Shirley-Cuthbert is trying her best not to fall asleep. After all, they still have to make their way back to town and he has to drop her home.

But she doesn't want to go home.

Not with Gilbert Blythe lying on the grass, not with her lying beside him, with her head on her chest and his hand tangled in her red locks.

The "We have to get going soon" floats in both of their minds, but neither moves until Anne speaks again.

"Gil?" she says, a mix of his name and a yawn.

It's almost 2 a.m. They've been talking for hours and she could stay like this until morning comes.

"Yeah?"

"What do you think... what do we do now?"

"I don't know. What do you want?"

"You"

He leans closer to kiss her forehead.

Oh. Has he ever done this before?

No, he's never done this before.

"All for yourself?"

"Would it be bad if I said I do?"

"No, not at all"

"Then I guess I do. I want you. Just for myself"

"Then let's stop messing around"

She tilts her head a bit to look at him. He's looking at her, and his hand has suddenly stopped making circles in her hair.

"What?" she asks.

"Anne"

"Gilbert"

"Let's make it official"

"Fine" Anne shrugs, as if she was accepting a challenge — and she kinda was.

"Fine"

They both keep their eyes in the sky now. From town, you couldn't really see the stars. Yet cliff was the perfect spot for star-gazing, along with the sound of the waves crashing down below their feet.

"Just to make things clear... this means we... are boyfriend and girlfriend?"

Anne sits up, sitting cross-legged. He does the same.

"Do you want to be my boyfriend? Think carefully, I'm a pain in the ass"

"Hm, yeah, you're a brat, that's true. But I adore you, Shirley" he blushes, but she can't tell under the moonlight. "So, yeah, I thought it was pretty obvious but... yeah, of course I want to be your boyfriend"

"I want to be your girlfriend too" she says, facing him. "Hell, this is super cringy"

"It's not. It's cute, girlfriend"

"Don't call me that!" she nudges his arm with her fist. "Asshole"

"Okay, Shirley"

"That's better"

He grabs her arm and brings her closer to him, both of them end up lying on the grass again. She positions herself on top of him, kissing like they did a few days ago — hopefully Jerry won't interrupt this time.

"Shirley?"

"Yeah?"

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me"

"You've already said that"

"I know. Just a reminder"

She laughs. "You're cheesy"

"Ah, I know. I'm the cheesiest guy on earth, and that's all because of you. Every time we've made out I've played different songs on my head. I'm kinda fucking crazy for you, you know"

"You're unbelievable. Which song's playing now?"

"By your side. It's the song that was playing when we almost kissed back then, remember?"

"Shit, yeah" Anne whispers, remembering every single detail of that night and how they danced beneath the crowd. "It became one of my favourites"

It takes Anne as a surprise how Gilbert starts doing basically what he did that night at the club. He places one hand on her shoulder, that travels to her hand, tracing a path of caresses with his finger through her arm, causing on her the same —or perhaps even more intensified— goosebumps she felt that night.

He interlocks their fingers together with his hand. With the other one, he reaches for her hair and tucks it behind her ear, whispering something in it.

"Mine too. I don't know how I got the strength to control myself and not kiss you that night"

"I would've let you kiss me, you know"

"I know. But now we're free. There are no people we can hurt. It's just you and me"

"That sounds great — you and me"

"It does, yeah"

"We were just like this. So close..."

Anne gives him a quick peck on the lips.

"So tell me, boyfriend. What will happen when summer's over? We just have a few weeks left"

"Oh, nothing — we'll forget about each other and that's it. See you next summer, boom!" he murmurs, although their faces are barely inches away.

"When did you get this funny?" Anne frowns.

"I don't know, I'm just happy — it might have to do with the events of a certain redhead kissing me under the rain in July"

"Cheeeeeeeeesy"

"I'm sorry? You were the one who wrote shit about me for more than a year!"

"Shut up, asshole" she huffs — apparently, not even now that they were dating he was planning on stopping with all the teasing.

"Ah, look! My girlfriend's lovesick"

"Well, my boyfriend's a dick"

"My dick is-"

His girlfriend slaps his arm before he can finish his sentence.

"Shut up! Shut up already! Do you have an answer for everything?"

"So give me your two lips and maybe I'll shut up"

Anne laughs. "Seriously? A trip down memory lane?"

"Just reminding you that you fell in love with my subtle way of showing you songs that told you how I felt"

"That actually does remind me of something" she says, getting something out of her purse as she's still lying down next to him. "I brought something. It's the mixtape you made for me before that summer, the one I found on your desk on prom day"

"Why?"

"Because I haven't been able to stop listening to it ever since I first did"

He smiles as he watches her get her Walkman — the one he conveniently gave her for her 18th birthday.

"Did you mean it?" she asks as she gives him one earphone.

"Every single lyric, Shirley"

She hits play,

and they stay like that for a bit longer — listening to songs that remind them of the past and wondering which ones will tell their future.

___

"Well, I guess I'll see you soon" he says once his Jeep is parked at her driveway.

It's past 3 a.m. and he can only hope Marilla Cuthbert won't kill Anne as soon as she gets back home for being so tremendously late.

"Do you have any plans for tomorrow?" she asks before getting out of the car.

"No?"

"Marilla's out for the day and Jerry's going to be at Ruby's"

"Okay?"

Anne can't help but roll her eyes at his obliviousness sometimes. He can be really slow sometimes.

"You could come over. We'd have the house for ourselves"

"Oh" realization hitting him. "Yeah, yeah, okay"

"Stop drooling, Gilbert"

"I can't, my girlfriend looks way too pretty"

Anne rolls her eyes before finally getting out of the car. She's walking to her porch when she hears the slam of the car's door and a couple of hurried footsteps — she can't help but smile to herself.

"Hey. Good night" he whispers, taking a hold of her arm to make her turn around.

She looks at him in awe before closing the short distance between them. He wraps her arms around her tiny figure and she reacts the same way, getting lost in his embrace, her face buried in the crook of his neck.

"Night"

"I love you" they both say at once, making each other laugh under the moonlight.

___

3:53 a.m.

Gilburrito 💙
excuse me is this anne???

Shirley
what are you talking about
you know it's me

Gilburrito 💙
I know
just checking this is my girlfriends number

Shirley
you're a dork

Gilburrito 💙
is that a good thing or a bad thing

Shirley
a good thing definitely

Gilburrito 💙
I just needed to make sure I wasn't dreaming

Shirley
you're not dreaming

Gilburrito 💙
I love you

Shirley
I love you too 🥰

Gilburrito 💙
wow
an emoji
this is new!!!

Shirley
get used to it 😤🤨🤣😍😗🥳

Gilburrito 💙
who's the dork now

Shirley
not me

Gilburrito 💙
you sure about that

Shirley
no :(

Gilburrito 💙
WHAT IF
i pick you up for breakfast tomorrow
and we solve this through a logical debate
THEN we stay home like u said

Shirley
you're so obsessed with me sir
please leave me alone

Gilburrito 💙
what if i said...
waffles

It takes them hours to finally text each other "good night". After that, Anne sets an alarm for the following day and leaves her phone on her night table.

As she gets comfortable in her own bed, she wonders how many times she's fallen asleep crying over Gilbert. Too many, probably, she couldn't even count them with both of her hands. But now there's a foolish grin on her face that's imposible to wipe off. It's the kind of smile she would've teased Ruby or Diana about. It's the kind of smile that says "I'm disgustingly in love", one that she would always mock...

but not anymore.

And so it begins.

___

A/N

I love, love LOVE this chapter!!!
Look at our cute boyfriend and girlfriend in love 🥺

Thoughts?

Theories?

Whats going to happen next?

What do you want to happen next?

Fave part of this chapter?

Love, blythexcarrots 💗