Chapter Nine: Protect Her
Gilbert watched from the window as Ada knelt down in her garden to bury Kitty. She had decided to bury the cat just to the left of her rose bushes. Dirt had stained the skirt of her dress as well as her arms as she continued to work. Gilbert had offered to help, but she'd refused him. She had insisted that Kitty's burial be something she take care of on her own.
"It's awful isn't it?" Oscar came to stand beside Gilbert at the window, "Watching her out there burying that cat…"
Gilbert nodded, "She wouldn't let me help her."
"It's just how she is," Oscar set a hand on the window frame; "She's always had certain things she's had to deal with alone."
"Loss is one of those things," Gilbert looked away, "Vincent's lucky I didn't do worse to him."
"Your brother did this then?" Oscar looked to the brunette before glancing back out the window.
Gilbert nodded, "Sick bastard must have a problem with her."
"Well what a lovely time to find out," Oscar sighed.
"What do you mean?" Gilbert looked at the older man.
"With the wedding coming in a few weeks," The blonde kept his gaze focused on his niece as she worked, "And then you going to London."
Gilbert froze, "Oh my God…"
A silence passed between the two before Gilbert leaned against the wall, "I can't leave her. Not now. It was going to be hard before, but now it seems impossible."
Oscar sighed, "Gilbert, you have an obligation to Pandora to-"
"Oh, screw Pandora!" The brunette growled, running his fingers through his hair in frustration.
There was another long silence before Oscar spoke again, "Does Pandora even know about you two?"
Gilbert stopped in thought before his hands fell back to his sides, "They don't."
"Why?" Oscar raised an eyebrow, "Isn't that something you should tell them?"
Gilbert's gaze dropped to the floor, "I'm not sure they'd allow my marriage to her. Pandora always has been a bit…strict at times."
Oscar sighed, "What are you going to do when they find out?"
"As I see it," the brunette slid down to sit, "It's better to ask for forgiveness than beg for permission."
Oscar laughed, "You sound like Oz."
A small smile crept across Gilbert's face, "I suppose so…"
"But that point aside," Oscar crouched down to look at Gilbert more closely, "You have to go. If you want to keep your marriage a secret, you can't sacrifice your job so suddenly."
"Then what the hell am I supposed to do?" Gilbert asked, "I can't just leave her here unprotected with my brother the psychopath wanting whatever it is creeps like him want."
Oscar sighed, "I'm not sure how to answer that."
Gilbert paused in thought before looking back up at the older man, "What if I brought her with us?"
This time, Oscar couldn't keep himself from laughing, "My dear boy, she'd be even worse off in London! Not only is it dangerous, but do you seriously think that Pandora would let you bring her? If you do, you've gone absolutely mad."
Gilbert groaned, "Yeah, I guess you're right…"
Oscar sat a hand on the brunette's shoulder, "Gilbert, She won't be on her own. I'll be here."
Gilbert looked up at Oscar, "Will you keep her safe, Oscar?"
He smiled, "Of course I will, my boy."
Ada stepped into the house and wiped her eyes, "H-Hey…"
Gilbert stood and pulled Ada into his arms, "Are you okay?"
She nodded, "I'll just go take a bath…I'm filthy."
"Would you like anything when you're finished?" Gilbert kissed her forehead, "Maybe we could do something?"
Ada managed a smile and nodded, "That would be lovely."
The two walked through the quiet streets with their arms linked together. Ada leaned her head against Gil's shoulder and giggled as they continued to walk. Lanterns lit the dark street, but despite the hour, the town was still so alive.
An organized fair lined the streets. Venders lined booths alongside shops. Children ran through the street, they're feet clattering against the cobblestones and their laughter bouncing off the walls.
"You act as if you've never seen a street fair before, Ada."
She smiled, "That's because I haven't. I was never old enough to come with Oz when we were little. And when I was finally old enough no one was around to take me."
He chuckled, "Well I guess we should enjoy this to the fullest then."
They stopped and Gilbert lifted her into one of the open carriages that lined the streets. She giggled and clasped his hand as they rode down the streets.
"I've never been in an open carriage before," She smiled as they rode through the streets, "It's nice."
He kissed her cheek and chuckled, "There so much to life that you need to see," He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "So much you deserve to feel."
She blushed and grasped Gilbert's hand tighter, "I only want to experience these things if I can experience them with you."
The carriage came to a stop and a little girl stood beside it, a basket of flowers in hand, "Would you like some flowers?"
Gil stepped down from the carriage and helped Ada out. She smiled and crouched to look at the girl, "What kind do you have?"
The little girl smiled, "Just some white daisies…"
Ada held out a small gold coin, "Two please."
The girl took the coin and smiled before handing Ada the flowers. Ada took one and tucked it into the girls braid before standing, "There you are."
The girl giggled and skipped off into the streets.
Gilbert smiled and stepped closer to Ada, "That was a nice thing you did."
Ada looked up at him, "She's just a little girl. She should be having fun."
Gilbert slipped the daisy from Ada's fingers and tucked it into her blonde tresses, "Why don't you and I go have some fun?"
"I wouldn't even know where to start," She looked around, "There's so much to do…"
He held her hand and looked with her, "You like to dance right?"
She looked at him an hesitated for a moment, "Yes, but-"
"Come on then!" He led her through the crowd towards a well-lit, open pavilion where a crowd of people twirled in joyous circles and clapped their hands.
Ada's heels clicked along the stones as he led her into the pavilion, "Gilbert!" She giggled, "Gil! Gil, wait! I don't know if-"
"You'll love it!" They stopped at the center of the covered area and he pulled her close.
"Gilbert, I don't know how to do this dance!" She called over the music.
He chuckled and encircled her waist with his arms, "That's alright," He half smiled, "I do. Just focus on me."
She locked eyes with him for a moment before nodding, "Okay."
He lifted her and spun them in a tight circle before setting her down. They continued dancing, their bodies in close proximity to one another. Music roared happily through the pavilion as each person moved in a rhythmic dance to the music. Ada had been to parties before, but nothing like this. This was something much more intimate. It didn't matter if the people here knew each other or not. Everyone here was friends.
Around an hour later, the two worked their way from the pavilion. Ada giggled and threaded her fingers through Gil's, "That was so fun."
He nodded and smiled, "Hey, Ada?"
"Hm?" She turned, meeting his eyes.
"There's something I want to show you."
She giggled, "Okay, Sure."
He smiled and walked her down the streets away from the rest of the fair. They walked down the cobblestones and away from the crowd. She giggled as they continued down the street together, still following the lamps until they were standing just a stone's throw from Gilbert's apartment.
She raised her brows and looked at him, "Gil, I hate to break it to you, but I've been to your apartment before. I've already seen it."
He looked at her quizzically for a moment before chuckling, "No, silly. We aren't there yet." He turned towards the forest lining the opposite end of the road and pulled her into it, "Where we're going is this way."
She giggled and followed him, "Okay."
They walked a few yards before they hit a leveled pathway lined with little white stones. Ada giggled again and looked back at him, "What's all this?"
He smiled and continued walking her through the path, "We're almost to the surprise."
They continued to walk until they came to a little white house nestled in the trees. Flowers grew along an archway hovering above the door. Ada stopped, "Gilbert, what is all this?"
He lead her closer to the door, "I was going to save it for after the wedding," He pressed a heavy brass key into her hand, "But I thought now was as good a time as any."
Her eyes drifted down to the key resting in her palm before she looked back at him and then to the house. After a moment, she walked up to it and slid the key into the lock before unlocking it and pushing the wooden door open. The two stepped inside and Gilbert shut the door behind him as she explored the small house.
Ada wondered from room to room, looking at the care that had been put into the small building. In the living room there was a couch along with a chaise and a chair focused around a fireplace. Oak bookshelves came from the wall at either side of the fireplace stacked with several tomes, volumes, and paperbacks. Pictures hung from the wall as well as artwork.
She turned and stepped into the hallway passing a few empty rooms before coming to the bedroom. A simple white bed lay pushed to the far wall of the room, the headboard simple woodwork. Two wardrobes sat on either side of the bed, nightstands built into each one. A few picture frames hung on the wall, showing different scenes of their life in colorless images.
She walked to the window and brushed the curtains with her fingertips, "Did you do all of this?"
"I know it isn't very much," He came to stand behind her, encircling her waist in his arms, "But I thought we'd be happier having a place of our own."
She blushed and turned around, pressing her body to his, "Gilbert…" She looked up into his eyes, setting her hands on his chest, "I love it."
He smiled just before their lips met. She twined her fingers up in his hair and pulled herself close to him. He ran his fingers into her hair and deepened the kiss. She gripped his shirt as they stepped closer to the bed. They pulled apart just long enough for Gil to take a seat at the end of the bed and for Ada to climb atop his lap, straddling his hips.
Their lips met once again, their bodies brushing against one another. Gilbert undid the buttons on Ada's cloak and let it fall in a muted heap to the floor. She giggled and slid off his hat and let it fall to the floor along with his coat. Their bodies wound tightly together on the bed.
Gilbert's hand slowly slid into the skirts of Ada's dress. She shivered as his calloused fingers grazed along her milky thigh. His lips slid down her neck and she tilted her head back, her hair trailing down her back in a golden cascade. She tightened her grip on his brunette locks as he gently nibbled along her clavicle. His other hand came up to caress her breast through the bodice of her dress. She shivered and let out a small moan as the hand occupied in her skirts made contact with her clothed lower region.
"G-Gilbert~" She gripped his hair tighter and slid her other hand down his shoulder, "A-Ah~"
He ran a few more kisses across her collar and continued to fondle her. She slid herself further up his lap, causing him to let out a lustful growl. He gripped her hip beneath her dress and in one swift movement had her pinned beneath him. She let out a gasp and looked up into his eyes just before he froze.
He stared down at her, pinned beneath him and vulnerable. He locked eyes with her before he pulled himself off her and came to sit at the far edge of the bed in an instant.
"G-Gilbert?" She sat up, pushing her skirt down slightly as she did so, "Is something the matter?"
He'd buried his face in his hands, refusing to look at her as he shook his head, "I'm sorry, Ada."
She crawled over to sit beside him and sat a hand on his shoulder, "What for?"
He kept his face hidden and shook her hand off gently, "I must learn to control myself better."
"Gilbert, what are you talking about? It's Fi-"
"I swear," he moved his hands away, but kept his gaze on the floor, "If you value my sanity, you will not say that it is 'Fine'."
She looked at him, obviously befuddled, "I don't understand. You didn't do anything wrong."
Gilbert stood, pulling on his coat and hat, "We should get you back to the Vessalius manor."
"Wait," She grabbed his arm, "Please, tell me what's wrong."
"Ada-"
"Please," She locked eyes with him, "What's bothering you?"
He sighed before sitting down on the edge of the bed beside her, "Ada, I swore to myself I would never be anything less than a gentleman to you. But that," he closed his eyes, "What I just did wasn't right. I should be gentler with you. I shouldn't treat you like anything less than a lady. I don't want to be the kind of man that uses a lady as an object of lust."
"But, Gilbert, I didn't think that of you at all just now."
"Ada," He sat a hand on hers, "It was wrong of me and I'm sorry."
"You're acting as if we've never been intimate before," She looked down, "I don't see why it matters. We're getting married. Married people get intimate."
"But we aren't married yet," He stood, "It's completely improper to do so before marriage."
"Then why did we do it?" Ada stood as well, staring up into his eyes, "Why didn't you say no then? Why is this suddenly such a sin now?"
His gaze dropped to the floor, "Let's just get you home…Alright?"
She paused for a moment before brushing past him out the door, "Alright."
A/N: Longer Chapter. I think the wedding will be next. Credit to Akiho 13 for Gilbert's lust and then regret. There's an actual reason he's more hesitant with the sex thing now, but I can't tell you yet. Review Please!
Love,
Tsukiko-Chama
