What Is Expected
"Anne! Anne, I need to talk to you!"
Anne of Green Gables sighed at the familiar sound of Gilbert Blythe's voice coming from behind her. She turned back reluctantly to face the part of the path that she had just traveled, waiting while the tall dark haired man ran up to stop in front of her.
"Gilbert."
"Anne, you've been avoiding me all summer. What's wrong?" he asked her, his expression clearly concerned.
"I think you know, Gil."
"No, I honestly don't, Anne."
"The rumor in Avonlea is that you plan to propose to me." Her tone of voice clearly made it a statement rather then a question.
Gilbert blinked, uncomprehending for a moment, then his expression turned disappointed. "Oh. Well, that's a shame. I'm sorry, Anne. This certainly isn't how I wanted it to happen. Not at all romantic. I know how important romance is to you."
"It is all right. Romance is important to me, Gilbert. But the reason I have been avoiding you is because I can't accept. My answer is no."
"What? But why, Anne? Is it because everyone knew before you did?"
"No."
"Then what? I thought that you loved me."
"I do love you, Gil. But not the way I know you mean it. Not the type of love that inspires romantic feelings, physical desires and marriage. As important as you are to me, I can't feel that for you."
"..I don't understand, Anne. What are you trying to tell me? That you love someone else?"
"No, I'm telling you that I can't marry you, Gilbert."
"But, I.. Everyone expects it, Anne."
"I know. But it wouldn't be right. It's harder to do what's right for you then what everyone else expects, but that doesn't mean you should give up."
"But, Anne-"
"I would be terribly unhappy, Gil."
That fact seemed to silence him.
"Not because I don't care for you. But because I don't love you. Not like that. I can't. But I do love someone. I'm not alone."
"You do?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
"I can't tell you that. We promised each other that we wouldn't tell anyone."
"But, Anne-"
"No, Gil. I promised. Now I must go. Diana is expecting me at home."
"Alright, Anne. We can speak about this later, though, right?"
"We'll see. ..Actually, could you come by the house for dinner tonight? I'm sure Diana would be glad to see you."
"Are you sure, Anne?"
"Yes, of course I'm sure."
"Then I would like that."
Anne entered her and Diana's home, carefully setting down her armload of books on the small mahogany hall table before entering the kitchen. Diana was bustling about preparing their dinner for the evening, but Anne came up behind her, slipping her arms around her ample waist and affectionately pressing a light kiss to her creamy and smooth skinned right cheek.
"Hello, sweetheart. You look beautiful, as always."
"Oh, Anne, stop it," Diana said, blushing and batting at her with the damp towel in her hands half-heartedly.
"Never." Then, more seriously, "Diana."
"Yes, Anne?" she replied, immediately picking up on her mood through her tone as only a long time partner could do. "What is it?"
"I spoke with Gil today."
"Oh?" Diana blinked, suddenly feeling nervous and scared, even threatened, relaxing again a little when Anne's gentle hands began to rub her arms and shoulders soothingly. "Yes. He proposed like everyone said he would. I turned him down."
"Of course," Diana replied softly, relaxing fully back into Anne's enfolding arms now with a small sigh. "I never doubted. Not really. It is just that…"
"Doing what is expected is so much easier then following your own path? The path that's right for you?"
"Yes. That."
"I know this is right for me. For us. I would walk barefoot and naked through fire for you, Diana Barrey. I love you."
"Oh, Anne.. I love you, too."
"Mmm.. Diana?"
"Yes?"
"Gilbert is coming here for dinner. I think we need to tell him."
"Anne! But we agreed.."
"I know, my love. But if we don't tell him, will he leave us in peace?"
"But can we trust him?"
"If we can't trust Gil, then we can't trust anyone."
"I thought we had agreed we couldn't trust anyone."
"Yes, Diana. But can we really live that way? With no one to help us when we need it? No support?"
"We have each other," Diana said firmly.
"I know, my darling," Anne replied, squeezing her closer for a moment before letting go reluctantly. "I'm going upstairs to change before dinner. Please think about it. Whatever you decide is fine."
Diana banked the kitchen stove and removed the food to the nearby counter, setting the mahogany wood table for three before ascending the spiral wooden staircase to the second floor and entering their bedroom. She knew what she had to do.
She paused in the doorway, leaning against the frame with a smile as she watched Anne change. The slender, beautifully freckled expanse of her lover's back was revealed to her as the auburn haired woman slipped off her dress and laid it aside on their queen-sized bed.
"Anne?"
"Yes, Diana?" she asked while pulling on the form fitting black pants and simple white poet blouse that she usually only wore when they were home alone together.
"Do you really think that we can trust Gil not to tell anyone about us?"
"I do, my love. But if you truly do not feel comfortable telling him, then we will not."
"I trust you, Anne. But if he will not promise not to tell, then we will have to leave Avonlea. Choosing not to tell anyone and hiding from everyone are two very different things. I will not spend my life feeling ashamed of our love."
Anne pulled her long red hair back into a high ponytail before turning to face Diana, beginning to braid it as she spoke. "And I would never ask you to do so, my Diana. As long as we are together everything will be alright."
"I know, Anne. The food is ready and the table is set. I'll just change my dress before Gilbert arrives."
"Of course," Anne replied, placing her own dress in the laundry hamper before sitting down on their bed to slip on her house shoes and watch Diana dress.
"How were the children, Anne? I know being a teacher is hard work. Especially the first day back after summer is over."
"The children were fine, Diana love. Yes, it is hard work. But very rewarding. To sculpt those bright little minds. To teach them things that they don't yet know. It is exhilarating."
"Yes, I imagine that it is," Diana replied while Anne buttoned up the back of her dress for her with the ease of long practice. "Well, shall we go down and wait for Gilbert?"
"Yes, Diana. We shall."
Gilbert arrived for dinner on time, his expression turning surprised when he saw Anne's clothing, but he did not comment on it. She had always been a rebel, after all.
"How are you, Gilbert?" Diana greeted him as the three of them entered the dining room, Anne and Gilbert sitting down as she spoke. She then served the food first to Anne, then Gilbert, followed by herself before sitting down next to Anne. The redhead sat at the head of the table with Gilbert at her left side, Diana at her right side.
"I am well, thank you, Diana," he replied politely, smiling while picking up his fork to begin eating the spinach bowtie pasta, roasted chicken in cream sauce and baked corn. "This is very good. You will make some lucky man an excellent wife."
The air in the dining room was instantly charged with an uncomfortable tension, causing Anne and Diana to set down their forks and look at each other. Anne inclined her head to Diana silently, then she turned her gaze toward Gilbert.
"That is what I invited you here to talk about, Gilbert," Anne stated, her voice soft and calm as her right hand moved to cover Diana's left hand where it rested atop the table beside her. "The reason that I can not marry you is because I love Diana. She is my wife."
"Wh-What? Your wife? Anne, I do not understand this."
"Anne and I love each other, Gilbert," Diana tried to explain to him. "We share each other's lives, our home, and our bed."
"You mean like- like married people do? A man and a woman?" he inquired further, clearly embarrassed at the thought of it, but also wanting the full truth of things.
"Yes," Anne replied with a nod, gripping Diana's hand tighter with hers in a show of obvious possession. "And we understand if this upsets you, Gil. But we must ask that you not tell anyone, and I am quite sure that you understand why. If you do not promise, then Diana and I will have to leave. Neither of us wishes to leave Avonlea, but we will if we must in order to be together."
"I do understand, Anne. I promise not to tell anyone."
"Thank you, Gil," Anne replied, smiling now.
"Yes, thank you, Gilbert," Diana spoke, her expression clearly grateful.
"Of course. I would never want either of you to leave Avonlea. It is your home. Did Matthew and Marilla know? About you, Anne? And what of children? Surely you both want them?""
"Matthew knew of my differences, yes. He was shocked, of course. But he came to be alright with it, and he never told anyone. Marilla did not. She would never have understood this. And, yes, we do want children," Anne agreed softly. "And while my heart would love nothing more then to raise Diana's child, I know that it is not possible. When the time is right for both of us, we shall adopt as Matthew and Marilla did with me. There are many children who feel unwanted, just as I did. Who need someone to love them and give them a home."
"I am sure there are many of them, yes, Anne. And I know you are very capable of loving and caring for children. But if you want a child of Diana's, and she wants it, too, then I am willing to offer my assistance."
"What, exactly, do you mean by that, Gil?" Anne asked him, her voice understandably sharp at such a suggestion. "Because you'll not have my Diana!"
"Of course not, Anne," Gilbert soothed her familiar fiery temper, his expression calm. Though his face did color, flushing as he clarified what he meant to her. "But the solution is obvious. All that you would need is a man's.. my seed to give Diana and you a child. You could do it yourself, Anne. I need not be involved at all beyond my gift. I would like contact with the child, of course. Because the babe will be yours, and I still wish to be close to you both, Anne. I still love you, and if this is what our life will be like from now on, then I can accept it. So long as we can still be friends, family."
"Oh, Gilbert.." Diana breathed, her eyes widening with surprise and clear joy at the thought of it. "Do you really mean it?"
"Yes. If I did not mean it, I would not have offered. I want to help."
"It is a very generous offer, Gilbert," Anne replied, clearly pleased, though she was also more cautious then Diana. "But if we were to have such an agreement between the three of us, it would have to be written down in a legal contract. It is not that I do not trust you, Gil. But something like this would be a serious decision. One with rampant potential for backfire and hurt feelings. I am sure that you would not be angry with me for trying to protect the three of us from any misunderstandings."
"Of course I would not be angry, Anne. I do understand completely."
"Alright. Diana and I will talk about this more later and I will write up a contract agreement for all of us to sign."
"Yes, Anne."
"Well," Diana said with a wide smile, standing up and beginning to clear the table of their dinner dishes as she spoke. "Now that that's settled, who wants desert?"
Anne undressed Diana once more after Gilbert had gone home and they were up in their bedroom, carefully setting aside her lover's dress and under things as she spoke. "Do you really wish to have a baby, Diana?" the redheaded woman inquired, pressing her lips tenderly to the back of Diana's neck. "If you do not, just tell me so. We can still go with our original plan."
Diana smiled, reaching up to take down her long raven hair, shaking it out before turning to face Anne. She wrapped her arms around the other woman, pressing her naked body close to Anne's, laying her head against her left shoulder and closing her eyes. "I am sure that we will adopt children, Anne. But I would like this first one at least to be mine. To be ours. I did not think of it until Gilbert's offer, but that does not mean I do not want it. It only means I never thought it would be possible. As silly as it sounds, I want you to get me pregnant, Anne."
Anne laughed softly at her explanation, but she wrapped her arms around Diana in return, pressing a brief kiss to Diana's forehead. "Very well, my love. I will write up the contract tomorrow. But tonight.. tonight is for us. Get into bed. I will join you in a moment, darling."
"Yes, Anne," Diana agreed, crawling into their bed and beneath the covers. She lay down on her back, instinctively pulling the sheets and fluffy white matching comforter up over her bare breasts. She smiled, though, in an unconsciously seductive way while she watched Anne remove her house shoes, blouse and pants, followed by her undergarments.
Anne joined Diana beneath the covers, drawing the other woman into her embrace. She then drew her chin up with gentle fingers, pressing her mouth to Diana's in a loving kiss. Diana melted against her with a sigh of obvious longing, lifting up her arms to twine them around Anne's neck as their lips moved together with clear familiarity and love. Anne knew that her wife was ready for more when she moaned softly into their kiss, her naked body quivering against Anne's with her desire.
"Anne! Please! I need you!"
Anne nodded down at her, her hazel eyes full of emotions, fierce love and physical longing. "Give yourself to me, Diana."
Diana shuddered beneath her, black eyes lit with love as she gazed up at Anne while opening her creamy skinned thighs obediently. Anne reached for the oil on their bedside table, slicking her fingers, lowering her hand down between Diana's legs and slipping an oily finger inside her wife's body. Diana gasped softly with pleasure when Anne's finger entered her eager sheath, her dark eyes dilating further while she arched her back, hips pushing into her lover's intimate touch with a quiet noise of deep need.
"Anne! Oh, Anne!" Diana moaned again, her body shaking now with her need as Anne began to add a second finger beside the first. "Please, Anne, more!"
Anne nodded, smiling as she leaned down closer to kiss Diana just as she began to thrust the fingers deeper into Diana's body. Then she withdrew them slowly, never fully withdrawing, before abruptly shoving them deep again, causing Diana to cry out with helpless longing into Anne's mouth. Their kiss became heated, both of them fighting for breath during several reluctant pauses. Anne reached over to the bedside table, both of them breathing heavily as she continued to pleasure Diana with the aggressive, rough thrusts she knew her wife preferred while slicking the fingers of her other hand.
That hand slipped down between her own thighs, and she pushed two fingers hard into herself with a low groan of pleasure, both hands moving quickly now as she lowered her head to take the nipple of Diana's left breast into her mouth. She suckled gently on the sweet nub, knowing that her alluring raven-haired beauty preferred as much tender care here as she preferred Anne's roughness between her beautiful legs during their lovemaking.
The touch of Anne's familiar, beloved lips at her breast was clearly enough, or too much, because Diana gave a loud cry of pleasure, her back arching and body tensing as she found her release nearly instantly. Her dark eyes shone brightly, her long hair and warm creamy skin sweat damp as he chest rose and fell rapidly while her intimate muscles rippled hard, squeezing down tight upon Anne's fingers.
The fingers inside Diana stilled as Anne gazed down upon her lover's face with clear adoration and desire while her other hand sped up it's own movements and drove her over as well. She gazed deeply into Diana's eyes with an intense expression of possession before pressing her mouth to Diana's in another firm, though loving kiss.
Anne visibly trembled above Diana, panting softly as she withdrew her damp fingers from her own body. She left her other hand's digits inside Diana for continued intimacy with her wife as she lay down upon her nakedness and drew the covers further up over them both.
Diana smiled when Anne laid down and covered them more with the blankets before laying her auburn-haired head down upon Diana's left shoulder near the sheltering column of her alluring swan-like neck and closed her hazel eyes.
The contrast between their red and black hair gleaming in the moonlight shining through the slightly parted sky-blue curtains on the window was beautiful as they lay pressed close recovering from their lovemaking.
"I love you, Anne," Diana whispered, turning her head to press her soft lips to her lover's forehead gently for a brief few moments.
"As I love you, Diana. I always have. From the moment I met you, I have never wanted anyone else. There could never have been anyone else for me. You are my dark-haired angel."