Our Rose [Ib Fanfiction] [On Hold Permanently]

Chapter 3

Well, I've been away a long time. I'm sorry about that. But in my time I have thought that if I make them go through the same route as last time it might be a little predictable. So, I'm changing the way they go through the Art Gallery. c:

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As Garry and Ib stepped that green door, now done with the green rooms, they entered a yellow space. Ib halted and Garry raised his brows at her. "It's a bit backwards. Before... the green rooms and the cat rooms had swapped places. I suppose it isn't a big deal, but it's odd." Ib sighed and looked around the  yellow area. To the far right she saw lips sticking out from the wall.

Ib felt her hand be squeezed by Garry. "T-That painting!" He almost squeeked.

The first time they had met, the moment Garry had tried to be the man and appear brave to Ib, that painting spat at him and made him scream. Ib found it funny thought, but Garry didn't see the hilarity in it, not back then and certainly not now.

"Garry, it's just a painting that spits. If you avoid the spit, you avoid the pain." Ib chuckled and Garry pouted at her. 

"B-But..." Garry sucked in some air, puffed out his chest and led her through the centre. Toward the end, Garry's courage failed him as a hand stuck out and tried to grab him, causing him to scream like a girl.

"Oh so manly." Ib giggled and Garry looked away, blushing with some tears from the fright. Ib felt bad for teasing him, so pulled him closer for a kiss on the cheek.

But Garry had managed to turn his head at the wrong time, and then they had locked lips. Ib was wide-eyed, not petrified but still shocked. Garry was stunned himself. And, as quick as the kiss had happened it had stopped.

Ib's head was low as she muttered "This way." And pulled Garry along the yellow carpet.

"Ib, have you ever had a boyfriend?" Garry asked suddenly as they stood before the 'Liar's Room'. The question threw Ib a bit off but she nodded slowly. "Have you kissed before?" Ib nodded slowly again, her face going deeper into a red shade.

"Have you had sex?" Garry asked with a shaky, nervous voice. She looked at him, her rose seemed to match his cheeks just as hers did. She smiled softly. "No, I've been saving that for someone really special. None of them were that special." Garry looked back at her, her words must have struck him as odd and even touching; whether they were about him or not he was still smiling with a loving gaze; one Ib saw exchanged between her parents many times.

Ib was amazed to find herself giving the same look back to him, she didn't notice she was doing it.

She eventually tore herself away and back to the task. "W-we should g-go in this room." She stuttered, feeling a whole lot more nervous even with her fingers intertwined with his.

The six portraits of black mannequins hung eerily with their colourful clothing. Each said something different, Ib let go of Garry's hand and ran to touch the Brown Man. "He tells the truth." She muttered and read the inscription.

From the statue, go east 4 steps and north 2 steps. That's the answer! Ib read it in her mind, then stared at the words trying to remember this part from the past. She looked back to Garry, who was smiling widely. "The Brown One does tell the truth, I know it. Follow me!" Ib half yelled and pulled him through the door. At the far end, a few paces away from the back wall, was a statue.

"Ib, c-could we kiss again?" Ib stopped herself, swearing she wasn't imagining what he just said. "I-I mean, that time was an accident b-but I liked it and I wanted t-to try it a-again..." Garry fumbled with his words, his face bright red and Ibs cheeks matched.

Ib turned around and faced him, he didn't look her in the eyes and this annoyed her. She bit her lip anxiously as she grabbed his cheeks and made him look at her. Garry smiled shyly and leant in a little, Ib met him halfway and their lips met again, except this time it was less of a surprise. Ib felt how soft his lips were, how hers melted into his and the warmth radiating off of Garry. "Nngh." Ib moaned and pulled back, breathing hard. "N-No more, we need to continue." She looked at the statue with a flustered face. Garry nodded and let his hand drift down to hers.

Ib, with Garry in tow, led him to be directly in front of the statue. Her hand was shaking slightly so Garry squeezed it gently. Ib smiled subtlely and led Garry four paces to the right then two steps forward. Ib let go of his hand and knelt down, flipping the tile to expose a small number, '4'.

Ib was begining to remember the equation she was given at that odd yellow door. She knew the answer and exclaimed it to herself. "One hundred and sixty-six!" She yelled with a smile. Garry looked down at her and smirked. She's a bright girl when she needs to be. He thought to himself proudly.

They both left the statue room and left the idea of the kiss behind. Ib, seemingly forgetful, acted as though it never happened whilst Garry was wondering when they could do that again. Even now, he was eyeing her up and down noticing the changes in her body. She was so much taller, slimmer and her figure was more womanly. He blushed when she turned and caught his gaze, her big maroon eyes and long sleek brown hair that fell to her shoulders because it was tied up with bangs on the side. Now he finally noticed that her hair was a different style, she had bangs and a side-fringe which allowed you to see more of her face. Garry felt the overwhelming feeling to kiss her again, but he let it go for now.

Garry clutched her hand again as they exited the statue room and walked to the yellow door together. He looked down to her, though not as much as he use to, and grinned to her. Ib smiled back as they kept walking, taking note of things she never saw before as a child. He was still tall and he seemed more muscular, his biceps were tuned nicely. Ib wrapped her hand around it and he looked down at her, blushing. She looked into his sapphire eyes, his purple hair falling over one eye and making her own face grow warm with how beautiful he looked right now. The fantasy was short lived though as they entered the next room. Ib shook a little at all the black mannequins in here.

"I've never seen this room before." Ib stuttered and Garry sighed, like he had expected this. "All the rooms from here on are probably different now." He mumbled and held her closer to calm her down. One of the mannequins twitched and moved its hand, causing Ib to scream. "It's coming this way!" Ib pointed out and Garry pulled his sleeve up, reassuring her he would protect her. He pushed the walking headless woman back when it came to close and it fell to the ground, shattering.

The mannequin that had fallen hit other mannequins and knocked them all down, causing a big glassy mess around the room with a door that led out. Only one other door it seemed. Garry led Ib around the mess and to the other door with a comforting grin.

"See Ib, I'll protect you!" He shouted and Ib smiled happily. "Thanks Garry, you're really br-" She stopped and her smile fell as she pointed behind Garry, stuttering. "G-Garry... b-behind you!" She yelled, frozen. When Garry turned, he was faced by a huge porcelin monster, all in black and made from all the mannequins that had smashed. He walked to Ib, heaved her up into his arms and burst through the door. "We gotta run this time." He squeaked as they ran down the long hall thay were met with through the other door.

Garry looked down and Ib, ironically, had passed out. He saw another door down the end and ran to it, shutting the door behind them and locking it. They were safe for now.

Garry set Ib down in this quite dark room with one portrait of flowers as the main piece. I seemed familiar and he put their roses in the vase. Garry set his coat over Ib, though it didn't fully cover her this time around. "How nostalgic." He murmured and lay beside her, watching her sleep. With all of it going on, he felt himself nod off with her, the last thing he felt was Ib wrapping her arms around his torso and her legs across his hips like he was a big teddy bear.

Yes, how nostalgic.

But also, how sweet.

Garry leant his head down in his haze before he dropped off into a sleep and kissed her forehead. "Sleep well." He whispered then fell to sleep beside her. This was a perfect time to rest.