#it’s what anne shirley cuthbert would want from me

[terrainofheartfelt]

The Jeopardy contestants just embarrassed themselves by not knowing anything about Anne of Green Gables so I called them Philistines and my dad said “Liz, would you lighten up?” and I went: “No!”

[lillipad72]

The Annotated Anne of Green Gables ~~ a special rereading

CHAPTER II ~~ Matthew Cuthbert is Surprised

"The little birds sang as if it were/The one day of summer in all the year."

These verses at the beginning of Chapter II come from a long verse parable by James Russel Lowell, "The Vision of Sir Launfal," published in 1848. I could not find much besides a quick synopsis of the poem, but we can learn much from it. This poem is a twist on the classic Grail story. Sir Launfal decides not to search for the Holy Grail after a dream causes him to realize that the real meaning of the Grail is charity. These verses come as Matthew travels to pick up an orphan boy from the train station only to discover our heroine, Anne Shirley, waiting instead. While the verses perfectly describe the beautiful spring day of the setting, the poem as a whole fits into the theme of the novel. It was the charity in the Cutherberts' hearts that led them to find their Holy Grail, Anne, even if it wasn't the orphan boy they thought.

"Her face was small, white and thin, also much freckled; her mouth was large and so were her eyes, that looked green in some lights and moods and gray in others. So far, the ordinary observer; an extraordinary observer might have seen that the chin was pointed and pronounced; that the big eyes were full of spirit and vivacity; that the mouth was sweet-lipped and expressive; that the forehead was broad and full; in short, our discerning extraordinary observer might have concluded that no commonplace soul inhabited the body of this stray woman-child."

This is the introduction and description of Anne Shirley! While there is so much here to unpack, I'll leave that for another day; for now, I will discuss L.M. Montgomery's inspiration for the appearance of Anne. I knew about this before, but this book pointed it out, and well, I love this fact! So Montgomery said she saw a photo of a girl in an American magazine that she then used as a model for Anne. Montgomery said she had no idea who the girl was and if she had any idea that her face was the model for Anne. Well, that girl has been identified as none other than Evelyn Nesbit! The exact photo is above! For those of you unaware of the lovely Evelyn, she was a chorus girl and model in New York City at the beginning of the 20th century, but she really became famous when her husband, Harry K. Thaw, murdered Stanford White. (White was a famous architect who designed such buildings as the Pennsylvania Station in New York; he is also a character in the Gilded Age on Max). Nesbit alleged that White raped her when she was a minor and that she had told her husband that, causing him to shoot White to defend her honor. The trial would go on to be called "The Trial of the Century" (despite it only being 1907), and Nesbit was the star witness in her husband's defense. Her fame would rise, and she became a star in vaudeville. Another fun fact is that she (according to her grandson) received $25,000 from her husband after the trial, and she donated it to the anarchist Emma Goldman (who I really suggest looking into; her work was fascinating). Anyways, all that to say: I wonder what L.M. Montgomery would have thought if she knew that Evelyn Nesbit, a woman of 'loose morals,' was her inspiration for the appearance of Anne?

I was going to write as well about a few song lyrics that appear in this chapter, but I talked too much already I feel, so if anyone wants to know about the lyrics, let me know

next chapter

[magneticflower]

My AWAE Fics

Anne with an E, would you be so kind as to distract me?

Staying home from school to be there for his father in his final days, Gilbert Blythe finds himself with a nearly daily visitor in none other than Anne Shirley Cuthbert. She simply wants to hand off the materials that Mr. Phillips insisted she deliver herself and be on her way, but Gilbert takes it upon himself to do his best to make her stay longer as a much needed distraction, if you will. Set in season 1

Dragons come in Many Forms, Even if the Knight Stays the Same

Anne Shirley-Cuthbert gets herself into another sticky situation when her curiosity gets the best of her and the printing press pays the price. She would most certainly not concede to being a damsel in distress, but let's just say it's a good thing that her knight always seems to have excellent timing. Set in Season 3

"I'm not exactly a Take Notice type of Guy."

What if Gilbert Blythe let his jealousy take over for once? What if he did want Anne suggested but changed the person it was? Basically, what if Gilbert Blythe decided he was a Take Notice type of guy if it was for the right girl. A twist on 3x01. (A part 2 for this is in the works-- yes, even though it has been a minute )

[annie-shirl]

Okay babies, first girl on here is the cutie in my pfp

Anne Cordelia Shirley Cuthbert (Awae) was an orphan girl mistakenly placed in the Cuthbert's siblings' house. They decided to keep her and raise her.

Anne of Green Gables (books and movies) and Anne with an E are different in forms but not in essence.

The canadian movies' adaptation are closer to the books' story : a slice of life about a girl finding a family and friends and making her way into the world. It is light-hearted (until book 4 I think ? And 3rd movie), cozy and reassuring (okay Matthew and Ruby die but I swear the story is still very wholesome). I stopped at book 3 tho bc book 4 is about Anne after college and I'm not done with my cursus studies yet and I need to parallel her story, it feels right to walk together on the path of life or whatever

What makes me say Anne stays Anne throughout adaptations is the fact I can identify to Anne with an E, Anne of Green Gables movie and Anne of Green Gables book

•Anne with an E was my very first adaptation of Anne I saw, (back in 2020 covid first quarantine in the country I live in) and I got OBSESSED. This Anne is passionate about books, stories, writing, nature, collecting things on the floor and magic in mondain. She has a sharp moral compass and is always ready to defend social causes she considers important. The only difference between us is that she is as extroverted as I am introverted. But I admired the way she would leave a mark on all the minds of people she met. Also I was a hot-headed teen once too and was pretty much subject to strong emotional releases. Turns out I was autistic all along and Anne is very autistic coded too so it made me happy to share another feature with her kcjdjdkd (also Amybeth McNulty did an amazing job as Anne🌸)

•I think book Anne was my second representation. A new edition was coming out and the covers were too gorgeous to not buy them. Also I wanted to read the books so much since I hyperfixated on the show for a long time. I read book 1 in one night, sobbing by the end at 3 in the morning bc Matthew died (it was awful I was shaking). I then read to the 3rd book, and seeing very emotional Anne becoming calmer, getting a scolarship, fighting for her education even when she was struggling with money, working with kids, making it to college, renting a house with her friends and working on the side made me feel SO SEEN. I officially started working at 15 and never stopped until I was 21. I worked in a fast food, then with kids. My family doesn't have a lot of money so I had to handle myself most of the time, with scolarships, my savings and random babysittings, especially when I started my art school journey. That's why I want to read the 4th book once I finish my cursus. Cause we're so similar I want to keep this feeling of walking side by side.

•Anne from the movies is a cutie. She's a bit sillier than Awae but the core remains. She's a hot-headed red head full of dreams and ambitions, who's following her heart whenever it is possible. Then comes the war but her determination remains. She is strong, she is goal oriented and she gets over the obstacles on her way, helped by her two arms and solid shoulders. I like to imagine that's how I've been until now, a fighter.

Of course, other characters are lovely but Anne will remain the little girl I was and hopefully, the determined woman I could become 🌸

My father watched Anne with an E, he cried all of season 3 and said Anne reminded him of my sister and I and that was probably the nicest thing he could have said about me ever

Anyways, I love Anne ♥️

[arcturusreads]

A Number of Proposals

pairing: anne shirley cuthbert x gilbert blythe word count: 1062 words request: yes/no prompt/summary: Gilbert never knew how many proposals Anne had actually received until now. Set after Gilbert's second and most successful proposal in Anne of the Island. a/n: crossposted on my ao3 account: saiwriteswords

“I must be honest with you, Gil, your proposal was by far the best.” Anne had a dreamy smile on her face.

There were two weeks left before Anne and Gilbert would be separated until Christmas. She would be off to Summerside school and Gilbert would be off to Kingsport. The two of them were trying to fit in as much time as they could before their separation. Marilla had been incredibly lenient with Anne and her chores, knowing that the newly engaged pair wanted some time together and Anne couldn’t have been more thankful.

They’d decided to spend this particular afternoon in a quiet, shaded part of the field that was part of the Blythe’s land. They knew that they wouldn’t be disturbed here. Gilbert had sat leaning against an old tree that had been there for as long as he could remember, with Anne’s head in his lap. He couldn’t help but run his fingers through her red locks. He’d paused after her statement though and chuckled.

“The best? How many other proposals have you had, Anne-girl?”

Gilbert had been aware of the proposal from Roy, but he’d thought that had been it.

Realising her faux pas, Anne sat up and faced Gilbert, taking one of his hands in hers. She hadn’t exactly told him about her other interesting encounters. “Oh, they were so silly, Gil. I don’t even think they were serious.”

Gilbert just laughed, pulling Anne closer to him and kissed her. “Anne-girl, I don’t care if you had a million proposals before me. I’m just glad that I’m the only one you said yes to.”

“I was hardheaded the first time you asked, Gil. I thought you’d given up on me, you have no idea how happy I was when you proposed again.”

“Not half as happy as you made me, Anne. I’ll never forget that day for as long as I live.” He pulled her in for another kiss, his thumb stroking her cheek. “But you’ve made me curious, what exactly were these other proposals like and who were they from?” There was a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Anne’s cheeks nearly flamed as red as her hair, “Oh, Gil. That really isn’t important.” To say that she was embarrassed by her history of proposals was an understatement. They weren’t remotely what she had imagined proposals to be and now, being engaged to Gilbert Blythe. Her Gilbert. None of them mattered to her anymore.

“Oh, come on, Anne. You can’t give a man half a story!”

“You must promise not to laugh, Gil. They were all so embarrassing, even more so now when I look back at them.”

“I solemnly swear to you, Anne-girl, not a hint of a smile will pass my lips.” But Gilbert had a feeling that it was going to be difficult to keep that promise.

“Well, there was Charlie Sloane…”

Gilbert spluttered; he’d always known that Charlie’d had a soft spot for Anne, but he hadn’t realised that there had been a proposal.

“It was whilst we were at Redmond, and it was terribly dull and not at all romantic. He asked if I could ever be Mrs Charlie Sloane.” Anne shook her head at the memory. “He seemed to think it was a given that I would say yes to him and after that, well, you must have noticed he didn’t seem to be quite as eager to talk to me.”

Gilbert had realised that there’d be more of a frosty air between the two of them during their time at Redmond, but he hadn’t though too much about it. Inwardly, he was just happy that Charlie had backed off.  

“And then there was Billy…”  That was one proposal that Anne did have a giggle at when she thought about it.

“Andrews!?” Gilbert was slightly shocked. He hadn’t even known that Billy Andrews was interested in Anne. He had never shown interest in her before.

Anne tried to bite back a laugh when she saw the incredulous look on Gilbert’s face, it mirrored her own at the time. “Yes. I had Jane around one night when we were back from Redmond, and she told me that Billy had asked her to ask me if I would marry him.”

Try as he might, Gilbert couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him. It was a hearty, deep chuckle coming from his chest and Anne hoped that she would be able to hear it for the rest of her life.

“I’m sorry, Anne, but are you telling me that Billy Andrews got his sister to propose to you?” He couldn’t stop laughing.

Anne covered her face with her hands and giggled with him. “It was the most peculiar proposal, Gil. And Jane wasn’t at all impressed with me when I said no.”

“I should think not, she obviously was very invested in this relationship.” Gilbert grinned at her. “Were those all of them, apart from Roy and myself?”

“Oh, there was one more.”

“My my, Anne Shirley, it’s a wonder I ever stood a chance with all of these suitors.”

Anne just rolled her eyes and playfully slapped his chest. “It was whilst I was doing some supply work over Summer. I’d only spoken to the man a handful of times when he comes up to me one afternoon and asks if I’d like to marry him. He told me he was going to have a house soon and that he thought I would make a good wife. It was rather peculiar.”

“It doesn’t take much to fall in love with you, Anne.”

“Oh, I don’t think any of those men were in love with me, Gil. Silly infatuations maybe or they just took pity on me. I think I would have made a horrible wife to all of them.”

“And what about me?”

“To you? I don’t think I’ll be a horrible wife, Gil but I’m afraid to say that I probably won’t be the perfect wife you’d expected.”

“Anne Shirley-Cuthbert, you’re my perfect wife because you’re you. There is no one else I would rather spend the rest of my life with. But you have to make me a promise.”

“Of course, Gil. What is it?”

“You have to promise to write to me if you have any more proposals at Summerside. A man needs a good laugh whilst he’s studying.”

[fangirlofbasicallyeverthing]

'Cause I see, sparks fly, whenever you smile (Chapter 1)

(Based off of Sparks Fly - Taylor Swift)

After S3

Gilbert’s POV:

It was finally the day.

The day Gilbert had counted days, hours, minutes, seconds toward.

The day he got to see his Anne again.

They had been communicating through letters back and forth for three months, and it had made Gilbert all the more restless to have Anne is his arms again.

He stared out of the window of the train and watched the passing scenery, and sighed, but knew that all of this waiting would be worth it in the end.

Gilbert stepped off of the carriage he had caught at the train station, and walked up to the steps of where Anne was boarding.

It was where they had first kissed.

He heard the door slam open, disturbing him from his though, and before he knew it, he had his arms wrapped around Anne once again.

He spun her around, her face pressed into the crook of his neck.

“I missed you.” she whispered, softly pressing her lips to his cheeks.

“Not nearly as much as I did,” he whispered back.

She pulled away from him as he set her down. “ Are you really going to make this a competition as well?” she said trying to hide a smile.

“Absolutely,” he smiled back.

Anne POV:

Anne had never imagined that she would ever be loved or be in love.

Her younger self simply thought that she was too homely.

Never would her younger self imagine, even with a scope for it, that the love of her life would be none other than Gilbert Blythe.

She smiled as she glanced down at their interlocked fingers, and turned her attention back at the curly haired boy, who was passionately talking about medical school and the things he had learnt.

She carefully observed him, the way his face lit up as he got excited, his brilliant hazel eyes, shining in the golden sunlight, as her mouth spread into a soft smile.

She hadn’t realized that she had completely zoned out while admiring him.

“What?” Gilbert questioned, turning to face her.

“Huh?”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I’m…um…admiring you?” She stuttered and grinned sheepishly.

“Admiring me?” He raised his eyebrows, his face spread into a coy smirk.

Anne felt the crimson blush spread into her cheeks, her face warming up, as she glanced down.

She heard him chuckle, as he leaned over to peck her on the cheek, stopping on the train station platform.

She looked up at his face, and felt his lips press onto hers, letting herself sink into the embrace.

“I love you, Anne Shirley-Cuthbert.” He whispered against her lips.

Never in a million years would she have imagined that Gilbert Blythe would say that to her.

But she couldn’t deny that she loved him just as much, even if he had called her Carrots.

I wasn’t so sure if I wanted to make a series, and am still not completely sure, so I might drop this, but if you guys have any ideas on what to add for future chapters, I’m open to suggestions.

Signing off,

fangirlofbasicallyeverything

[rebeccapearson]

2022 in gifs

tag your favorite and most popular posts from each month of the year

I was tagged by @supervalcsi , thank you so much for the tag!! 

January: most popular: mary’s outfits in 2x01 for @maryycrawley  favorite: "we’re gonna get you fixed up, alright?” 

February: most popular and favorite: “I served in a company of heroes.”  

March: most popular: darcy and lizzie favorite: lewis nixon + sunglasses (because of...reasons)

April: most popular and favorite: “isn’t that right, babe?” for @hbowardaily (this wrecks me)

May: most popular: bill guarnere & joe toye favorite: band of brothers + the four elements (& this set, because I can’t not include it!)

June: most popular: anne shirley cuthbert (my most popular set of 2022) favorite: jack & rebecca pearson (i miss my parents!)

July: most popular: eddie munson in the hellfire club favorite: ladies of lost + colors abound for @ladiesoflost (my first rainbow set, and I was/am so proud of it!)

August: most popular: “it’s called wounded, peanut.” for @hbowardaily favorite: bill guarnere’s laugh (this set makes me so happy) also!! this is the month that I started making headers :)

September: most popular: “what would i do without george luz?” favorite: in these bodies we will live/die (what can I say? I love my angsty sets)

October: most popular: gilbert blythe (probably also my favorite, but I want to mention another set lol) favorite: currahee

November:  most popular: “you wanna know if they’re true or not, the stories about me.” for @hbowardaily favorite: lewis nixon + suspenders (again, because of reasons)

December: most popular: this set for @hbowardaily favorite: “each would have to rejoin the world as best he could.” (I really stepped out of my comfort zone with this one and tried some new things, and I really love it!) also this belle french set <3

[theducks-111]

What I want:

Most people my age want something

An aspiration

They mainly want cars, and clothes, and furniture

What I really want is to have had a good childhood

I can't even explain or comprehend how much I grieve and long for having a good childhood

But I'm going to try

It shakes me

And it is the worst grief I have had since the passing of my father

But I'm grieving me

I'm grieving the happy child that would stay happy because there wasn't something deeper for her to realize

Because I was happy sometimes

But I look back and that happiness is ruined due to all the context I now have

That the mommy in my head

That I longed for

Was never real

That the world's I built in my head weren't real

Every child has an imagination and probably an Imaginary friend

But I lived in my imagination

It kept me alive

How I got so invested in fake people and I would integrate their lives in mine and speak to them all day

The pandemic especially made this worse

Because there wasn't anyone else to see or talk to

So I spoke and played and interacted with them all day everyday often without interruption

To this day, I still sometimes find myself imagining one of them combing their fingers through my hair in order to fall asleep

And I always feel so ashamed

Because they aren't real

It wasn't real

Nearly all my joy from ages 9-14 came from these imaginary people and places

Before I got joy and care from my father and my ignorance

After I just sat and cried

And I feel as though I am not allowed to mourn these people because

They

Weren't

Real

None of it was ever real

And I also grieve that I needed to have them in the first place

Because I was just a baby

Even before 9 half of my life and days were with these people

I was so often neglected or abused that I had to make up people to love me

Think about that

I needed to make people up for them to love me

How could I have ever been so awful and unlovable that I had to make up a family who would love me

Who would comfort me

It hurt that when I read and watched Anne Shirley Cuthbert talk to Katie

I see myself

Because you watch that and she seems crazy and pitiful

But I did that too

I did that so often that even now I struggle to keep friends because I forget to engage

Because with them, I could just speak without effort

And with real people you need to reach out and they don't say all you want and need them to

It is a habit I have struggled to unlearn

To the point where it just seems easier to go back into the nook in my brain where all of them live

Where there isn't anything wrong with me

Where I don't talk to much or about the wrong things

Where they hold my hand and hold me when I need them too without getting angry or saying anything was my fault

It is very safe

It is very safe there

Most people my age want a car or a home or new clothes

But I just want them to be real

[literaturewithliz]

Hi there Liz! It is Sarah here, I was wondering that if I can have a romantic and platonic Anne with an E, Cobra Kai, Bridgerton and Never Have I Ever ships please?

Physical Appearance: I have long brown hair with blonde highlights, ocean blue eyes with bluish-purple glasses, I have a curvy but lean body with strong calves thanks to the years of dancing (cheerleading and ballet), horse-riding, running and jumping, I am 5'1 feet tall, I have pale-tan skin with freckles on my face and also I got random moles and freckles on my arms and legs as well and people say I got a smile that can brighten up any room.

Personality: I am an open-minded, kind-hearted, optimistic and friendly girl with a love of learning things like zodiac signs, MBTI types, crystals and Disney etc. I can be very impatient, stubborn, naive and I am also in the spectrum so I can be blunt and quirky only because I see the world in a different way from other people but I see the good in people no matter what and I am loyal and dependable to my friends and family and when someone hurts my friends and my family I can be fiercely protective all over them.

My type for a perfect person: I just want to be my best friend and partner in crime, I want a gentleman or gentlelady who will be proudly hold my hand and being glad that I am their girlfriend, I want someone to bring me flowers and compliments everyday and being the mother/father of my future kids someday and treat me like a queen all the time.

Sexuality and Pronouns: Bisexual (Both male and female preference) and She/Her

MBTI Type: INFJ-T

Big Three: Sagittarius sun, Cancer moon and Aquarius rising

Moral Alignment: Lawful Good

Enneagram Type: Type 2 (The Helper)

Temperament Personality Type: Sanguine-Choleric (The Influencer)

Hogwarts House: Slytherin

Likes: Singing, dancing, acting, writing, reading books, typing, watching Disney movies, Zodiac signs, MBTI types and crystals.

Dislikes: Mean people, vegetables, yelling, someone who hurts the ones I love the most and bullies.

Random Facts: I've been in the school musical productions for 5 years and my childhood nickname was Sarah-Bear.

Thanks for the requests Sarah!

Anne with an E (platonic)

I match you with Anne Shirley-Cuthbert!

I think y’all have so much in common! Your attitudes are very similar. Your shared love of learning is something you both bond over. I think you both are very loyal, and that makes you two very good friends.

Anne with an E (romantic)

I match you with Gilbert Blythe!

Gilbert adores your intellect, and you two have such interesting convos together! I think he most definitely supports all of your hobbies and interests. I think your loyalty to those you love is something Gilbert admires and looks for in a partner.

Bridgerton (platonic)

I match you with Penelope Featherington!

I think that you and Pen are so similar in the way you think! Your love for learning and words in general is something Penelope can relate to so well. I think your loyalty to those you love is something Penelope admires so much, and wishes she was more like that.

Bridgerton (romantic)

I match you with Colin Bridgerton!

I think he adores your intellect! While books and reading aren’t really his thing, he would want to hear you talk about what you love! You said your ideal partner would be your best friend, and I think Colin fits the bill. He has no shame for anything involving him, and that includes you!

Cobra Kai (platonic)

I match you with Miguel Diaz!

I think you two have so much in common it’s crazy! Your loyalty to the people you love makes you two very compatible as friends! You two give off sibling vibes, I’ll be honest. Also, I feel like Miggy would be such a Disney nerd secretly!

Cobra Kai (romantic)

I match you with Tory Nichols!

You two have a lot in common, but it’s in your differences that I see chemistry. Her fierceness paired with your sweetness gives such power couple vibes, I think. You mentioned you like to act? I think she supports it 100%. She would be at every play, if you perform.

Never Have I Ever (platonic

I match you with Aneesa Qureshi!

I think you two have a lot in common, starting with your dislike of mean people. You two shoot bullies down together all the time! (Verbally, of course). You also said that yo enjoy singing, and Aneesa is so a karaoke person, I know it.

Never Have I Ever (romantic)

I match you with Fabiola Torres!

I think you two would be sooo cute! I keep thinking about how you want to settle down with kids someday, and I think Fab is perfect for that! She adores that you are dependable, and feels very safe with you. Once you tell her about your childhood name, she doesn’t call you your actual name anymore.

Thanks for the asks! Your an awesome human being!

[the-romcommunist]

a list of my comfort shows:

fleabag - phoebe waller bridge, i want to be you when i grow up. The writing, the acting, the comedic beats, need I say more. I could analyse this show for forever and still wouldn't get bored. The juxtaposition of fleabag and her deflection through comedy with her grief is so poignant, it always makes me feel all the Feelings™️

normal people - genuinely the most perfect book to tv show adaptation i have ever seen. usually, the book or the show is better but in this case, the book and the show add to their respective counterparts, its crazy. also, the acting by daisy edgar jones and paul mescall is so well done. I have watched normal people so many times that i literally watch the show on shuffle. my thought process: "hmm today feels like an episode 8 type of day"

leverage - everyone go watch that show rn, its so fucking good, every single season slaps. are you aware of how rare that is?? and the fact that this show aired on television while actively criticising every major organisation is insane. i genuinely believe that if i hadn't already been radicalised, just from looking at the world around me, this show would have pushed me over the edge. i love my criminal found family. the depth and nuance to all their relationships but also how campy and fun the show is makes for such a fun watching experience. i have such a good time every time i watch because, let’s be real, who doesn’t love a good heist.

teen wolf - but especially season 3. the downside of making season three such Good television is that it ruins the rest of the series. nothing else after or before season three of teen wolf can live up to the standard set by season three. also, dylan o'brien in season three? man really brought out the big guns, and I love that for him

skam - literally any version, i have watched each remake so many times. this show drives me nuts, when i fall into a skam phase, i fall deep. it happens like once every two years, and for like 2 months straight, i don't watch anything but skam. i don't know why i like skam so much, it just makes me feel so comforted.

veronica mars - does kristen bell age? I mean, she looks the same in veronica mars and the good place. anyways, veronica mars. it is everything riverdale wished it could be. it's one of the only shows i've seen that, while catering to a teenage and young adult audience, doesn't talk down to their audience. and i love that while there's the overarching narrative, it's also a procedural so every episode is different. means that you can just pick and episode and watch it. it also means that some episodes let the teenage characters actually be teenagers (ahem, unlike every other teen drama show)

anne with an e - anne with an e just makes me want to enjoy my life. especially the mundane, quiet, small moments that i otherwise don't think about. anne shirley cuthbert is such a vivid character, i almost always watch a couple episodes of awae when i'm sick. probably because i first watched it when i was sick. the show, while not all happy go lucky, makes me feel like i’m getting the media equivalent of a warm hug.

arrow - but only season 1, 2 and 3. sometimes i just want to watch something that really doesn't require you to pay attention. maybe i’ve just finished exams and my mental bandwidth is like, -1, in which case i only have the energy for something like arrow. there’s nothing more to it than what’s being told to you on screen and sometimes that’s all you need (or all you can handle)

shameless - i don't know why this dysfunctional family brings me such comfort but it does. i just love watching the family dynamic. clearly. looking over this list, i am realising that found family is exactly what i look for in everything i watch. watching the effects that every character has on each other is so interesting but the shows also just so funny? i mean come on, there’s no other show that does recaps as well as shameless does. also, the best enemies to lovers arc ever executed on screen? ian gallagher and mickey milkovich, hands down. for a show that’s so coarse, they gave these two such a heart warming arc.

the OA - i am so jealous of britt marling's mind. she's a genius. the tone of the OA is so different to anything else i have watched, it’s so refreshing. the only show that i feel maybe has a similar tone is mr robot, but while mr robot has you constantly on edge and wary of everything that’s happening on screen, the OA is calming. the chinese box narrative structure is done so organically and so kindly (?? it’s the only word i can think of that fits) you can’t help but feel for the characters, no matter how much of an asshole the character is. in fact, this show might have actually changed my mind on a whole lot of things regarding how we treat others. again, the found family aspect is present, front and centre. then there's the romance between OA and Homer. it is so pure. I can't even articulate my feelings about this show, it's so mind bendingly good

[dailyanneofgreengables]

Chapter 3: Marilla Cuthbert is Surprised (part 1)

Marilla came briskly forward as Matthew opened the door. But when her eyes fell on the odd little figure in the stiff, ugly dress, with the long braids of red hair and the eager, luminous eyes, she stopped short in amazement.

“Matthew Cuthbert, who’s that?” she ejaculated. “Where is the boy?”

“There wasn’t any boy,” said Matthew wretchedly. “There was only her.”

He nodded at the child, remembering that he had never even asked her name.

“No boy! But there must have been a boy,” insisted Marilla. “We sent word to Mrs. Spencer to bring a boy.”

“Well, she didn’t. She brought her. I asked the station-master. And I had to bring her home. She couldn’t be left there, no matter where the mistake had come in.”

“Well, this is a pretty piece of business!” ejaculated Marilla.

During this dialogue the child had remained silent, her eyes roving from one to the other, all the animation fading out of her face. Suddenly she seemed to grasp the full meaning of what had been said. Dropping her precious carpet-bag she sprang forward a step and clasped her hands.

“You don’t want me!” she cried. “You don’t want me because I’m not a boy! I might have expected it. Nobody ever did want me. I might have known it was all too beautiful to last. I might have known nobody really did want me. Oh, what shall I do? I’m going to burst into tears!”

Burst into tears she did. Sitting down on a chair by the table, flinging her arms out upon it, and burying her face in them, she proceeded to cry stormily. Marilla and Matthew looked at each other deprecatingly across the stove. Neither of them knew what to say or do. Finally Marilla stepped lamely into the breach.

“Well, well, there’s no need to cry so about it.”

“Yes, there is need!” The child raised her head quickly, revealing a tear-stained face and trembling lips. “You would cry, too, if you were an orphan and had come to a place you thought was going to be home and found that they didn’t want you because you weren’t a boy. Oh, this is the most tragical thing that ever happened to me!”

Something like a reluctant smile, rather rusty from long disuse, mellowed Marilla’s grim expression.

“Well, don’t cry any more. We’re not going to turn you out-of-doors to-night. You’ll have to stay here until we investigate this affair. What’s your name?”

The child hesitated for a moment.

“Will you please call me Cordelia?” she said eagerly.

“Call you Cordelia? Is that your name?”

“No-o-o, it’s not exactly my name, but I would love to be called Cordelia. It’s such a perfectly elegant name.”

“I don’t know what on earth you mean. If Cordelia isn’t your name, what is?”

“Anne Shirley,” reluctantly faltered forth the owner of that name, “but, oh, please do call me Cordelia. It can’t matter much to you what you call me if I’m only going to be here a little while, can it? And Anne is such an unromantic name.”

“Unromantic fiddlesticks!” said the unsympathetic Marilla. “Anne is a real good plain sensible name. You’ve no need to be ashamed of it.”

“Oh, I’m not ashamed of it,” explained Anne, “only I like Cordelia better. I’ve always imagined that my name was Cordelia—at least, I always have of late years. When I was young I used to imagine it was Geraldine, but I like Cordelia better now. But if you call me Anne please call me Anne spelled with an E.”

“What difference does it make how it’s spelled?” asked Marilla with another rusty smile as she picked up the teapot.

“Oh, it makes such a difference. It looks so much nicer. When you hear a name pronounced can’t you always see it in your mind, just as if it was printed out? I can; and A-n-n looks dreadful, but A-n-n-e looks so much more distinguished. If you’ll only call me Anne spelled with an E I shall try to reconcile myself to not being called Cordelia.”

“Very well, then, Anne spelled with an E, can you tell us how this mistake came to be made? We sent word to Mrs. Spencer to bring us a boy. Were there no boys at the asylum?”

“Oh, yes, there was an abundance of them. But Mrs. Spencer said distinctly that you wanted a girl about eleven years old. And the matron said she thought I would do. You don’t know how delighted I was. I couldn’t sleep all last night for joy. Oh,” she added reproachfully, turning to Matthew, “why didn’t you tell me at the station that you didn’t want me and leave me there? If I hadn’t seen the White Way of Delight and the Lake of Shining Waters it wouldn’t be so hard.”

“What on earth does she mean?” demanded Marilla, staring at Matthew.

“She—she’s just referring to some conversation we had on the road,” said Matthew hastily. “I’m going out to put the mare in, Marilla. Have tea ready when I come back.”

“Did Mrs. Spencer bring anybody over besides you?” continued Marilla when Matthew had gone out.

“She brought Lily Jones for herself. Lily is only five years old and she is very beautiful and had nut-brown hair. If I was very beautiful and had nut-brown hair would you keep me?”

“No. We want a boy to help Matthew on the farm. A girl would be of no use to us. Take off your hat. I’ll lay it and your bag on the hall table.”

[sweetbuckybarnes]

One of Us

Pairings: Gilbert Blythe + Anne Shirley

Summary: Based on ABBA song "One of Us" , was originally angst with a happy ending Shirbert fic, but turned into this somehow...

They passed me by, all of those great romances

You were, I felt, robbing me of my rightful chances

My picture clear, everything seemed so easy

Gilbert held his head in his hands, his elbows resting on the table. Mary would berate him for putting his elbows on the table, it made his heartache, he'd always miss her.

The thought of losing Anne forever broke his heart, he'd never see the world the same if he lost her from his life. But if he moved to Paris and married Winifred Rose, his friendship with Anne would be over...

Now that he thought about it, he didn't get an answer from Anne when he asked her if she had feelings for him.

Even if she didn't, there was no way that he would be able to go into an unhappy marriage. He'd rather be an unwed bachelor (similar to blessed Matthew Cuthbert), than in a loveless marriage. Sure, he could come to love Winnie, but it wouldn't be of the same volume that he loves and adores Anne.

Now, Anne was going to Queen's, moving to the city of Charlottetown. If Anne felt the same for him, then he didn't care if they were in a long-distance relationship (as he would be attending the University of Toronto when the end of summer arrived). At least he knew that Anne was his. His Anne-girl.

My picture clear

Everything seemed so easy

And so I dealt you the blow

One of us had to go

Now it's different, I want you to know

Anne has put the tart shells into the oven to bake, a peace offering for Diana. She refused to part ways from her bosom friend so awfully.

Just the look on Diana's face, when she threw her half of the heart locket to the ground and ran away in tears.

Even thinking about it now, brought tears to Anne's eyes. Anne now wished she was a better friend.

Gilbert came in, after knocking on the wood of the screen door. Made some stupid comment about her cutting onions, and wanting to borrow cufflinks from Matthew.

The man in question walked in with his prize radish and some fabric over his arm for Marilla.

"I'll take the fabric to Marilla, and Gilbert wants cufflinks," Anne said, only just holding in her tears.

Gilbert was proposing to the blonde woman she saw on his arm at the Country Fair.

Since she realised her feelings for the young man, she only wanted what was best for him - even if that meant she would be miserable for the rest of her life. Gilbert's happiness was all that mattered. If that blonde city woman was it, then so be it.

One of us is crying, one of us is lying

In a lonely bed

Staring at the ceiling

Wishing she was somewhere else instead

One of us is lonely, one of us feels lonely

Waiting for a call

Sorry for herself, feeling stupid, feeling small

Wishing she had never left at all

Anne handed over the fabric to Marilla as she passed the woman at the top of the stairs. The velvet-like blue fabric was the last thing that Marilla needed to make Anne a new dress.

"Anne, are you alright?" She asks, gently resting a hand on her adoptive daughter's shoulder. Anne gave a stiff nod and headed to her room to finish packing for later this week.

Marilla sighed, remembering what she was like after her brother died and had to turn down John. When she got downstairs, she saw Matthew handing cufflinks over to Gilbert - and she now knew why Anne was in the 'depths of despair'.

She'd heard Anne's exclamation of love for the growing boy, and felt her heartbreak for Anne when Gilbert stepped out with a full-grown lady. If John (or even Mary) was still here, he'd've probably have smacked Gilbert up the back of his head by now.

I saw myself

As a concealed attraction,

I felt you kept me away,

From the heat and the action.

Just like a child

Stubborn and misconceiving,

That's how I started to show

One of us had to go.

Now I'm changed and I want you to know.

Anne was putting some of her books into her suitcase, as she took out the dress that Marilla had made for her and left it hanging on her wardrobe door. The base of her dress was complete, and with the remaining fabric, Marilla would have it complete in time for her to go to Charlottetown.

As she's packing her things, the hand-drawing of her and Diana is between her fingertips. This caused more tears to run down Anne's cheeks and made her collapse into heavy sobs and gasping breaths.

She missed sitting on her bed and collapsed to the floor in a sobbing heap - similar to the way she'd collapsed in front of Marilla when she first came to Green Gables.

One of us is crying, one of us is lying

In a lonely bed

Staring at the ceiling

Wishing she was somewhere else instead

One of us is lonely, one of us feels lonely

Waiting for a call

Sorry for herself, feeling stupid, feeling small

Wishing she had never left at all

It's no surprise that a loud thud from upstairs had sent Matthew rushing as fast as he possibly could. The thought of an injured Anne swimming around his head.

Gilbert was rushing after the man, worried over Anne. It was little things like this, where he knew that he would never truly be able to go through with marrying Winnie. He can care for Winnie, but it is not in the way that he cares for Anne.

But the first person to rush into Anne's room was Marilla, seeing the sobbing girl on the floor brought the memories back when Anne first came here as a skinny and hopeful girl.

"Anne," Marilla sighed, easing her way onto the floor and wrapped her arms around the girl. Anne started to curl up into a ball and leaned against Marilla.

Matthew silently went over to the other side of Anne and gently wrapped his arm around Anne, as he quietly handed over the handkerchief that had been in his pocket. It was slightly mucky from fixing one of the cart's wheel, but Anne still took it and wiped away the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

Gilbert stood in the doorway to Anne's room. There was a white dress hanging on her wardrobe (he could easily imagine Anne in a white dress, he'd be happy for her, no matter who she marries), there was a cushion sat on her bed 'Anne of Green Gables' embroidered on it. Strings of dried flowers and plants hanging by her chest of drawers, a half-packed suitcase of books sat on her bed. He also saw the dictionary that he had gotten her the first Christmas he came back.

By her feet was a slightly broken picture frame, in it was a sketch of Diana and Anne on a happier day. He wondered what on earth had happened between the two that caused Anne to be sobbing on the floor, heartbreaking sobs leaving her that utterly crushed his heart.

Never left at all.

Staring at the ceiling

Wishing she was somewhere else instead.

One of us is lonely, one of us feels lonely,

Waiting for a call,

Sorry for herself, feeling stupid, feeling small.

Anne sat up, wiping away the tears, rubbing her runny nose. Matthew was gently rubbing her back, as Marilla motherly stroked the braids hanging over Anne's shoulders.

Gilbert felt like he was intruding on a private moment with Anne and her adoptive parents.

He fiddled with his fingers, watching as Anne calms down and wipes away the remaining tears from her cheeks. The cufflinks in his pocket that he is borrowing from Matthew feel like there are millions of bricks in his pocket, weighing him down.

How on earth could he ever think that he could move on from Anne? How? He'd rather be a bachelor than in a loveless/unhappy marriage.

[justapurrcat]

cheesecake, strawberry shortcake, angelfood cake, princess cake, coffee and fairy cake :)

Awww thank you sweetie 💜

Cake Shop Asks

Cheesecake: What is your favourite sweet treat?

Tiramisù. Absolutely tiramisù (I wrote a whole story about it hahaha).

Strawberry Shortcake: Name five of your favourite fictional characters.

Lenù Greco, Immacolata Greco and Lila Cerullo (these three are all from the My Brilliant Friend books), Anne Shirley Cuthbert, Mr. Darcy.

Angelfood cake: Tell us a cringey childhood story.

There are so many... okay, uhm, back when I was around six or seven years old there was an event at my school and we were all supposed to wear a white t-shirt, but I didn’t have one, so I wore a sleeveless shirt. A teacher saw me and told me that I was ugly because I was skinny and apparently my arms showed that too much and it seemed to bother her, especially when compared to my, in her own words, "fatter" friend. I cringe so much everytime I think of that not only because of the embarrassment I felt, but also because how stupid of a teacher/human being do you have to be to say shit like that?

Princess cake: Name some of the things you wanted to be when you grew up.

A princess, a witch, but also an actress (a musical theatre one) and a writer.

Coffee cake: How do you usually take your coffee/tea?

I don’t drink coffee, but I’m definitely a teaholic! I like sweet, fruity/flowery teas and usually I put a teaspoon of honey in it, no sugar nor milk (but I use sugar if there’s no honey available), while for infusion, if the taste is not too strong, I also add a sprinkle of ginger.

Fairy cake: If you could live in one imaginative land (eg: from a book, movie, etc), where would it be and why?

Probably the Fairy Oak one, you could say that those books shaped my cottagecore witch fantasy hahaha~ I mean, look how cute the illustrations are!!!

[arcturusreads]

Miscalculations of Mistletoe || Shirtbert

pairing: anne shirley cuthbert x gilbert blythe word count: 3472 words request: yes/no prompt/summary: It's Christmastime and Anne is in charge of planning Barry's Department Store Christmas party. And as usual, Anne might have just taken on a little too much work. Between assignments, lectures, her shifts at the store and party planning and might need to accept a little bit of help... even if it is begrudgingly a/n: Happy December everyone! I hope you guys enjoy this one and let me know If there re any other Christmassy prompts you'd life for these two x ao3: saiwriteswords

Anne loved autumn. Anyone who knew her knew that. She felt that it was a season full of magic, showing how even endings can be beautiful. It brought to life the beauty of the colour orange, making that particular redhead feel a little less hatred towards her hair colour. But as much as she loved autumn, she had to spread some of that love to winter because it gave her Christmas and there was no holiday that Anne loved more than Christmas. Which was why, when she was tasked with throwing Barry’s Department Store Christmas gathering she jumped at the chance. She’d flung into party-planning mode straight away. The budget wasn’t a huge issue, perks of being best friends with the owner’s daughter, and that left Anne with endless possibilities. Mr Barry just wanted a party large and extravagant enough to express his thanks to all of the staff after what had been a hugely successful year for the business.

Sitting in the break room one afternoon during her lunch, Anne was flicking through her Pinterest board looking for some more inspiration. She hadn’t noticed someone sitting down next to her on the circular table until they cleared their throat.

“Afternoon, Anne.”

Anne jumped slightly as she looked up but the shock morphed into a look of annoyance when she saw who it was. “Oh. Hey, Gilbert.” She looked back down at her phone.

She hadn’t realised that he was working today. She usually checked the rotas to know when to avoid him, or at least that’s what she told herself. Diana thought it was so she could make sure Gilbert was in at the same time as her, which Anne refuted. She tried to ignore the disappointment she felt when she saw that he wasn’t in on the same day as her.

“What are you up to?” Gilbert asked, peering over at her phone as Anne pulled it towards her chest.

“Nothing,” she answered quickly but Gilbert continued to look at her with expectant eyes. He could be as stubborn as she was when he wanted to be. “Just planning the Christmas party,” Anne looked back down at her phone, hoping that he would now leave her alone since she’d given him an answer.

“Oh yeah, Mr Barry asked if I could help out with that.”

“Wait, what?” Anne’s voice was shrill as her head shot up.

Gilbert looked a little confused at her reaction, “I thought he had mentioned it to you. He just thought that since it was a pretty big event you might be some help with a few things.”

Anne shot him a glare and pushed her chair away from the table, getting ready to go back to her shift. “I don’t need your help, Gilbert. You can tell Mr Barry that I’ll be fine but thank him for the offer.”

Shoving her phone back into her locker and tying her apron back around her waist, Anne stomped back onto the shop floor, trying to calm down and putting her best customer service face on. She would have accepted help from any other member of staff, heck even Moody would be great and everyone knew that boy would forget his head most days if it wasn’t attached to his neck. But under no circumstances would she ever accept help from Gilbert Blythe of all people.

Ever since they had met at the Freshers’ Debate Society Social during her first week of uni she had vowed to be sworn enemies with him. He’d had the audacity to call her Carrots. Just because of her hair colour! Diana had tried to point out that it’d been pretty late into the evening at that point and he seemed a little tipsy but Anne didn’t care. From that moment onwards, she made sure she was always on the opposite side of an argument to him. Not wanting to deal with working together with him.

The job at Barry’s had come up at the perfect time for Anne. Money was tight during her first semester as she juggled paying for her rent and a whole host of textbooks her lecturers had assigned her and didn’t seem to be in the university library. Diana had mentioned that there were a few openings since quite a few of the summer staff had left and Anne was thankful to have a job that was flexible around her uni hours that paid decent money. The only downside was that Gilbert also needed the money and ended up getting a job there as well.

Now midway through their second year, Anne still couldn’t stand Gilbert and he didn’t seem to get the message. He would greet her every time they were on a shift together, if they bumped into each other on campus he would ask if she wanted to study with him. Anne wasn’t sure how many other ways she could tell him no. She wasn’t going to stick around just to let him poke fun at her.

She wasn’t being completely honest with herself though. It wasn’t just because she thought Gilbert would make fun of her. Anne hated the way she felt when she spent any time in Gilbert’s vicinity

“Excuse me? Do you work here? I was just looking for this blender, I was wondering if you had any in stock?”

Anne pulled herself out of her thoughts and far away from any wanderings about Gilbert Blythe and went to help the middle-aged lady.

--- --- --- --- ---

A week had passed and Anne hadn’t made as much progress with the party planning as she’d hoped. Every single one of her modules has an essay due within two days of each other, three people had called in sick at work so she was asked to cover and she was barely getting any sleep. So, on a Sunday evening in the library where Anne was trying to finish one of the many essays she had due, Gilbert Blyth was the last person that she wanted to see.

“What are you even doing here?” Anne asked exasperated and she pulled her hair into a messy bun. “The medical books are nowhere near here.”

“Yeah but the aircon is always on over there and it’s freezing as it is. The English and History sections are the toastiest places to study and then I saw you and thought we could keep each other company. I even bought you a coffee.”

He pushed a red takeaway cup towards her. Anne hadn’t even realised that he had brought it with him. She eyed it suspiciously before looking back up at him. “Thanks.”

“Does that mean I can stay?” Gilbert grinned at her, and Anne couldn’t help the somersaults that had begun to take place in her stomach.

“Sure, fine,” she mumbled, taking a sip of the drink. Peppermint latte. “How did you know this was my favourite?”

Gilbert’s face reddened and he shrugged his shoulder before quickly pulling his books and laptop out of his bag. They worked in silence together for another hour and a half. Neither of them disturbed the other. Anne actually found the company quite soothing. She’d studied with a few other people on her course but she either struggled to get any work done or just felt like the silence was a little too awkward. With Diana, they always managed to find a good balance between talking and work. Gilbert made her just feel comfortable in the silence though. They’d looked up at each other a few times and he would just smile before turning back to his screen. Those smiles made Anne take a bit longer to get back to focusing on her work though.

The typing from Gilbert’s laptop stopped abruptly as he stretched his arms above him, yawning in the process. “Busy?”

Anne looked up at him for a moment, “I’ve got essays due in.”

Gilbert rolled his eyes, “I meant in general.”

Heaving a sigh, Anne shrugged her shoulders. “Kinda, I guess. There’s just been a lot going on and it’s felt like a mammoth task trying to balance it all.”

“I could help,” there was a twinkle in his eye that Anne didn’t exactly trust but she didn’t say anything, allowing him to continue. “Well, how’s the Christmas party planning going?”

Anne just groaned and dropped her head into her hands. She rubbed her face before finally looking at him. If she told him it was going badly then she was basically admitting that she should have accepted Gilbert’s help when he’d offered.

“That bad?”

“I never said that!” She snapped and immediately felt bad. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap like that. Things have just been a little… stressful and it’s not exactly been easy to keep everything under control.”

It was something that Marilla had always chastised her over, taking on too much and then not having the time to do it all. But Anne couldn’t help it. She was over-enthusiastic and just wanted to be able to do everything. To this day, she would still say that it was unfair that there weren’t enough hours in the day to fit in everything she wanted to do.

“I can help if you let me?” Gilbert’s voice was soft, not accusatory. And when she looked up at him, all she saw was kindness in his eyes and concern across his face. And for some reason, all Anne wanted was to be wrapped up in a hug by him.

“Sure you won’t mind?”

Gilbert chuckled softly, “I wouldn’t have asked otherwise. Come on, we both need a break from work so how about you tell me what’s left to be done.”

Gilbert was happy to just take direction from Anne. She already had the entire vision planned out and it was the execution that she needed help with. Divvying up the workload between them both had ended up making her feel so much better by the time she’d gotten home. Anne felt like she finally had a little more breathing space, all of her tasks felt that little bit more manageable.

--- --- --- --- ---

The end of the semester could not have come any sooner because with it came the end of Anne’s assignments. Revision over the holidays was something that she could cope with but she was just glad not to have to worry about another deadline for a while. She wasn’t going to have the chance to rest though. The next day, she was wide awake at 5 am, ready to start decorating for the party.

A marquee tent was going to be put over some of the Barry grounds with a dance floor put down, a stage and seating for dinner. All of that was being handled by an external team but it was down to Anne and Gilbert to sort all of the decorations out and that was not going to be an easy feat.

Hearing a knock on the front door, Anne opened it to see Gilbert on the other side. Cheeks tinged pink from the cold and holding two cups of coffee.

“Morning, Anne. Are you ready to go?”

Anne bit her lip for a moment, looking at Gilbert. His dark curls were messier than usual, a scarf draped around the back of his neck and that same smile on his face that made her brain go fuzzy and her body tingle.

“Anne?” Gilbert arched a brow. He hadn’t heard her be this quiet for this long before.

Anne kicked herself for being caught staring at him. “Oh, uh, sorry! Yeah, I’m good. Just need to grab my bag. The decorations are being delivered today, right?” She was flustered as she grabbed her bag from beside the door and bustled outside, locking the door behind her.

“Yeah, I got an email saying they should be there between 9 and 11. I’ve got the ones that were delivered to my house in the car. So, we’re all good to go.” He handed her the cup and she murmured a thanks.

Gilbert had gotten into the habit of grabbing coffee for her. Since they’d met in the library and he’d offered to help again, they’d ended up studying regularly together. Anne found herself enjoying the time they spent more and more. Gilbert had a calming presence about him, an energy that she just wanted to wrap herself in. It was easy to talk to him, to get to know him and she regretted not talking to him more in the past.

When they got there, Anne immediately busied herself, organising the workers that had arrived to put the marquee up. Gilbert stood back in awe, watching as Anne took control of the situation at hand. After a few hours, his phone rang with the delivery driver saying that he was at the front of the Barry estate with decorations and needed some help in knowing where to put them.

Anne had been wrapped up in arranging the centrepieces for the tables and hadn’t even realised that Gilbert had disappeared until she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see a very sheepish-looking Gilbert and immediately knew that he’d done something wrong.

“What have you done?”

Gilbert feigned offence and stepped back, “Me? Nothing, nothing at all.” He rubbed the back of his neck and wouldn’t meet Anne’s eye.

“Drop the act, Gil,” Anne crossed her arms. “What did you do?”

“Uh,” he ran a hand through his hair, unable to stop fidgeting. “You know you told me to order 5 bunches of mistletoe?”

“Mhm,” Anne slowly nodded. She already didn’t like the sound of this.

“I may have accidentally ordered 5 cases…” He winced.

Anne took a deep breath through her nose, “How big are these cases, exactly?”

“Hmm,” Gilbert looked around the top of the marquee. “I’d say enough to fill the whole ceiling… and then some…”

“Gilbert John Blythe!” He winced slightly as Anne used his full name. “What are we meant to do with that much mistletoe?”

“Kiss?” He’d said it before he’d realised what had come out of his mouth. Both of them reddened and he began to stutter. “Uh- not us. I mean, not that kissing you would be a bad thing. But I just- yeah you know people… at the party, kissing. Actually, you know, I don’t think there are any workplace romances going on… I heard Charlie’s thinking of proposing to his girlfriend which seems kind of crazy since they’re only 19 but each to their own and-“

“Gilbert,” Anne cut off his babbling, her cheeks still burning. “You figure out what to do with all of the mistletoe and I’ll sort everything else, okay?”

She didn’t wait for his answer as she spun on her heel and carried out decorating. After three hours, and Gilbert still trying to tackle the mistletoe issue, Anne grabbed her bag. “I’m gonna head off, it’s that’s okay? I’ve got to go and grab the desserts from the caterer and then I was planning on getting ready. Do you need me to stick around for anything?”

Gilbert looked up from the second box of mistletoe, still struggling to figure out what to do with it all. “No no, you’re all good. Do you want me to drop you back?”

“Oh, no, Diana’s home so she’s gonna take me. Good luck with the mistletoe.” Anne gave an awkward wave before scurrying off. She hadn’t been able to shake the awkwardness away since Gilbert had mentioned kissing her. It was an image that she couldn’t get out of her head and the sooner she got away from him, the better because she didn’t know if she could stop herself from acting on her thoughts.

--- --- --- --- ---

After grabbing trays of desserts from the caterer and dropping them into the Barry House kitchen where the buffet was starting come together, Anne spent the rest of the evening getting ready with Diana. It was 7.30 pm by the time they both managed to make it out of Diana’s room and towards the marquee.

The party had been in swing for half an hour and Anne could hear the swathes of people and the music as she approached. When she finally stepped into the marquee she grinned at the sight. This was better than she had imagined. As she glanced around, she saw that Gilbert had seemingly found a way to use all of the mistletoe. Thankfully he hadn’t covered the entire roof of the tent with it, but there were pieces dangling all around. The rest, he had managed to wrap around all of the fairy lights that Anne had covered the walls with. It looked beautiful, framed with the glow of the lights and Anne had to admit that it made the entire marquee look even better than what she'd originally planned.

“Anne! You look, wow…” Gilbert stood in front of her in complete awe. She’d picked out an ice blue chiffon and tulle sheath dress with spaghetti straps. It was covered with beading of the same colour, with a small train. Her hair had been curled, with some of it pulled back out of her face and Diana had lent her a silver chocker.

“Thanks, Gil. You don’t look too bad yourself,” Anne tried to brush off his compliment but it was making her insides soar. She couldn’t help but appraise him either. A white shirt with sleeves rolled up, grey checked suit trousers and brown shoes. It was a simple outfit, but she could have easily stared at him all night.

Gilbert put his hands in his pockets and swung back and forth on his heels. “Do you maybe want to dance later? With me that is.”

Anne didn’t get a chance to answer him as she was pulled away by Tilly who wanted to tell her what an amazing job Anne did with the party. It wasn’t until after the buffet was cleared away that Anne managed to catch Gilbert again.

“Hey,” she pulled his arm and navigated towards the edge of the marquee so they wouldn’t be disturbed. “Sorry, Tilly kind of pulled me away earlier and I didn’t get a chance to speak to you properly.”

“No worries, I just wanted to know if you’d want to dance with me.” He bit his lip as the words quickly tumbled out of his mouth. He’d felt a lot more confident earlier in the evening but that had soon dissipated.

Anne was hesitant before she finally answered, “Sure.”

People had already started to move onto the dancefloor as a slower song began to play. Gilbert placed a hand on the small of Anne’s back, which she automatically leaned into, and led her onto the dancefloor. He moved both his hands to her waist when they found a spot and she wrapped hers around his neck.

The first few moments felt awkward between the pair of them before Anne finally erupted into a fit of giggles. Slightly alarmed, Gilbert stopped swaying before Anne shook her head and gently made him move again. “Sorry, I just laugh when I get nervous.”

“You’re nervous?” He arched a brow, eyes roaming over her face.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been this close to you.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

Anne tilted her head to the side as she thought about it, “I don’t think so.” She finally whispered. “You did an amazing job with the mistletoe.”

“You really think so?”

“Mhm, I’m sorry for yelling at you about it. I just don’t know how you managed to go from 5 bunches to 5 cases.”

“I didn’t read the website properly! In my defence, they didn’t make it very clear.”

“I feel like a doctor should be paying more attention to detail.”

“Good thing I’m not qualified yet then,” Gilbert replied with a smirk.

Anne just stuck her tongue out at him. The two of them carried on teasing each other and dancing. As the end of the song drew nearer, Anne finally tore her eyes away from Gilbert and saw that he had slowly veered them towards the edge of the dancefloor.

“Any reason you’ve moved us from the heart of the party? I don’t think the dancing is over yet.”

“I just couldn’t stop thinking about something and I didn’t think you’d want everyone to see…” He cupped her face in his hand, stroking her cheek with his thumb and praying that he hadn’t misread signals. When Anne didn’t pull away from him, Gilbert finally took the last leap and kissed her.

The kiss shocked Anne at first but she soon snapped out of it, pulling Gilbert closer to her. When they broke up, both of them wore wide grins across their faces and Gilbert looked up, Anne following his gaze.

“I knew the mistletoe would come in handy.”

[fangirlofbasicallyeverthing]

"Cause I see sparks fly, whenever you smile" (Chapter 3)

After S3

Pairings: Anne Shirley-Cuthbert x Gilbert Blythe

CHAPTER 3

Anne’s POV

Anne stepped out onto the platform and looked around.

She was back home and simply couldn’t wait to return to Green Gables and see Matthew and Marilla again. 

Gilbert would be staying back home with Bash and Delphine, but all of them would be coming over for dinner tonight. 

Gilbert grabbed the bags off of the train and looked around.

“Bash should be here any moment now.” He said, watching the road, as Anne wrapped her arm around his. 

They waited for a bit, and after what had seemed like ages, Bash finally turned around the corner.

“Gilbert!” He exclaimed, hopping off of the cart and pulling Gilbert into a bone-crushing hug.                “How you been?” He didn’t wait for an answer though, and turned to Anne, giving her a hug as well. 

Gilbert picked up the bags and tossed them into the cart. “ C’mon, let’s go.” He helped Anne up into the cart before climbing up himself.

“How is Delphine, Bash?” Anne asked, turning to him.

“She has grown much since you last saw her!” he said, smiling at the thought of his young daughter. “ She can even say a few words!”

“Oh, I simply cannot wait to see her again!” Anne exclaimed. She watched the green foliage that passed by them and couldn’t help but remember the first time she had come to Avonlea, on this very same path, as they passed the Lake of Shining Waters.

“It’s truly wonderful to be back in Avonlea!” 

They passed through the White Way of Delight, which was bursting with blossoms, and as they drove near the coast, she could hear the crashing of the sea waves. Now, she felt as if she was truly home.

Gilbert’s POV

Gilbert was overjoyed to be back home. 

He had missed Avonlea, but the reason that he had been so excited was that it meant that he and Anne could spend more time together, after spending months apart, only keeping in touch through the long letters, which seemed like they arrived after an eternity. 

Now, as they neared Green Gables, he thought of the times when they were younger when Anne had first moved here. 

Gilbert hadn’t realized it when he was younger, but he had been smitten with Anne since the moment he first saw her in those woods that morning before school.

He helped Anne get down from the cart, before taking her bags out. 

“Do you want me to carry them for you?” He asked her, hoping not to waste even a minute apart from her.

“No, I am quite capable of myself.” She replied, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

He watched as she ran, clutching her suitcase, with her hair blowing behind her.

“See you later!” she yelled, giving him a quick smile before she knocked on the door.

Gilbert smiled, as he knew things would be different now that they were back home.

ok, so haven't been posting updates for a loooooong time. I apologize, schoolwork got the best of me. This chapter is pretty short, but I promise to update more often now that summer is starting

Signing off,

fangirlofbasicallyeverything

[seawolvesanddragons]

AWAE 25 Days of Christmas  Day 15: “Please Don’t Leave”

Anne Shirley Cuthbert was a passionate yet introspective individual, which meant that she was prone to long meanderings through nature at any time of the year, rain, sun, or snow. 

The latter of this, though, had the unfortunate consequences of bringing with it sudden bouts of illness. 

Anne awoke one morning to find her throat felt a little sore and her head warm. She drank some extra tea at breakfast and continued on with her chores. By lunch she was coughing every few minutes. By dinner, she was so fatigued she could hardly keep her eyes open, and when Marilla checked her forehead, it was hot to the touch. 

The next day she was hardly able to get out of bed. The day after that was spent in fits of restless sleep, her fever spiking as Anne began to grow incoherent. 

On the third day, Matthew went immediately for the doctor in Charlottetown. Marilla stayed back with Anne, trying to break the fever. 

It was a ashen-faced, worried Jerry who knocked on the door of the Blythe household at noon that third day, with Marilla’s plea for any help. 

  Mary, Gilbert, and Bash wasted no time returning with Jerry to Green Gables, where a harried Marilla greeted them. Mary wasted no time taking over the household chores, as Bash alternated between helping Jerry and taking Marilla into town for whatever medicine she needed. 

It was Gilbert, along with Marilla, who took over the brunt of watching over Anne during the two day wait for the doctor. A brutal snowstorm had swept across the island, making travelling nigh impossible. 

As they waited, they tried everything they could to get Anne’s fever to break. She had barely been conscious the last few days, mumbling things incoherently. A few times, Gilbert had heard her spelling out words, to his amusement. Other times, she sounded like she was crying in fear. Those moments turnt his stomach, and filled him with a terrible feeling of helplessness. 

It was sometime between the fourth or fifth day when Anne’s fever finally began to wane. It was still high, far too high, but this small victory felt like a triumph to the weary caretakers. 

Marilla left to go help Mary prepare food - whether for breakfast, dinner or supper Gilbert honestly couldn’t tell you - but Gilbert stayed behind with Anne. He was afraid that the moment they left the fever would spike again, and this time it wouldn’t come back down. 

Gilbert patted her forehead with a damp cloth, talking to Anne idly underneath his breath. 

“If this were anyone else, I’d say you learned your lesson about taking long walks in the snow, but knowing you, you’ll walk right back into a snowstorm the moment you’re on your feet again,” Gilbert shook his head again. “It’s very inconvenient. What if you have to keep missing school? Then how will you beat me fair and square?” 

Anne turned her head towards him a little. Her eyes were still closed, but she mumbled something incomprehensible. 

“Sorry, I think this is one time where you don’t get the last word,” Gilbert told her. He left the clothe on her forehead, leaning forward so his elbows were resting on his knees. Slowly, careful not to wake her, he took one of her hands in his, running his thumb across the back lightly. 

“You had us all really scared, Anne,” he whispered. “You have to beat this thing soon, for Marilla and Matthew’s sake.” 

There was a creaking noise from the doorway as Jerry lingered there, something akin to cautious hope in his eyes. 

“Ms. Cuthbert said Anne was feeling better?” 

“Her fever stopped climbing,” Gilbert explained. “She’s still very sick, but it’s a good sign.” 

“Good,” Jerry smiled. “That’s good to know.” 

Gilbert nodded, unsure of what else to say. Doctor Ward had given him some tips on how to discuss patient prognosis with their family, but this was a unique situation. Anne was - well, Anne was at the very least a close family friend. And Gilbert knew Jerry, if only tangentially. He had never really known quite what to think of the Cuthbert’s farm hand, who didn’t go to school with them but had his own odd relationship with Anne. 

For the longest time, Gilbert’s only knowledge of Jerry was that he was the boy who cut his and Anne’s goodbye outside that cafe short. Gilbert had wondered once or twice what he might have said had Jerry not pointedly ended the conversation. 

“Ms. Cuthbert and Ms. Lacroix said the food will be ready soon,” Jerry added. “Said to fetch you to get something to eat.” 

Gilbert nodded, releasing Anne’s hand with no small amount of reluctance. 

Anne mumbled something, frowning in her sleep as she tossed and twisted in the sheets. 

“Anne?” Gilbert asked, nerves kicking into high gear. Was she having another nightmare? 

“Don’t leave,” Anne mumbled, her words muffled slightly by the pillow. “Please, don’t leave.” 

It was probably another hallucination or dream- Anne’s eyes were still closed, she was absolutely asleep. But Gilbert was incapable of ignoring such a pitiful little plea. He glanced helplessly at Jerry. 

“I’ll bring you up some food,” Jerry offered, his foot already halfway out the door. 

“Thanks,” Gilbert said, already turned back to Anne. He pressed the clothe to her forehead again. 

“Ok, you got your wish,” he whispered, brushing their fingers together again. “Did you want to spell out some words again, for entertainment? How about impossible, to describe you? I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-L-E.” 

There was another word to describe her, of course, one with four letters that any child could spell. But Gilbert wasn’t ready to say that one out loud yet. 

“You have to get better first, Anne,” he promised. “Then, one day, I’ll tell you.”