Heart Attack • Shirbert

• 58 • questions, quotes, and queens

Anne knew the moment she was in was one of a picturesque romance novel. The two characters whose love was borne out of friendship were finally embracing each other, after years of trials and heartbreak. It wasn't a tragical romance, at least not yet.

Hopefully it never would be.

The moment they separated, Gilbert searched Anne's eyes worriedly.

Sure, she had admitted how she felt. But the last time they kissed, she ran away and they fought and didn't talk for months.

He attempted to mitigate the damage, "Anne I'm sorry I got taken by the moment an-"

Anne threw her arms around his neck carelessly and pulled him into another kiss.

Gilbert felt a pure sense of joy as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

They both had the same sense.

Finally.

When a particularly strong mist hit them, they pulled away and laughed together.

Laughter that was a healthy mixture of relief and giddiness from the moment.

Anne jumped into Gilbert's arms to hug him.

She didn't want to let go and let this moment end. She wanted them to stand on this shore for the rest of their lives, embraced and happy. This was a flight of fancy, of course, but Anne was enamored.

Gilbert took the opportunity to quite literally sweep Anne off her feet and spin her around, still laughing with her.

When he put her down and she let him go, Anne knew it was time to have a real conversation.

"Can we sit?" Anne felt slightly shaky from the impact of what just happened. While momentous, it was quite overwhelming.

Gilbert's concern kicked in. Though he felt more sure of their standing, Anne's sudden change in disposition was worrisome.

"Of course."

He put his hand on her back and guided her to sit on the ground.

When Gilbert sat next to her, Anne slid herself so she was sitting right against him, bringing both of them a slight sense of relief once more.

"I have questions."

"So do I."

They looked at each other and laughed. There was so much unsaid between the two and they were both abundantly aware of that.

"You go first." Gilbert offered.

Anne knew she had to start with the most obvious question, "What happened with Winifred? The other day when I came by she was at your home."

Gilbert knew this question was coming, and assumed it would be an early one at that, "I ended our courtship."

"Were you ever planning on proposing?"

Gilbert actually had to consider this, "Early on, I thought it might be possible. But I always knew in the back of my head I could never go through with it. It took getting closer to that moment, and truthfully our time in Toronto, to make me realize it wasn't what I wanted."

"What in Toronto?" Anne prodded, knowing what he might say.

Gilbert knew exactly why she was asking that question, "Aside from seeing I could have a fulfilling career outside of Paris, I saw a whole life there."

He paused, before forming a particularly loving gleam in his eyes, "With someone I truly love."

Anne stared at him, temporarily forgetting her next question, and blindly followed her instinct to kiss him quickly, leaving a stupid smile on Gilbert's face.