Chapter One

Violet twirled her parasol absentmindedly as she gazed out over the emerald field and caught the first glimpse of her new client's home. Assignments excited her, especially when she got to travel and stay for an extended period.

Her pulse was even and strong as the door before her opened. As she made her introduction she wondered, for the briefest moment, if she had ever felt a moment of nervousness in her life. A rush of adrenaline, fear, certainly - but she didn't think she'd ever felt nervous per se.

As she bowed, she itched with anticipation to know what she might learn from this next assignment. She always did, it seemed. Every letter she wrote brought her closer to him, allowed her to understand him, and herself, just a little bit more.

She rose to meet her new client.

"Auto Memories Doll, Vi-" she gasped, sucking the tiniest bit of air into her lungs before her eyes relayed the visual information before her to her brain where she could comprehend it. She couldn't help it when the corners of her mouth turned upward into a small smile.

"Violet Evergarden, at your service... Major."

An eyepatch covered the eye that'd been injured in the war, but his good eye was as green as ever, and it shone with emotions she could now put names to. His hair, which she'd rarely seen not slicked back, hung over the eye patch in a way that she found peculiar for him but attractive. His left arm too, had been replaced by one similar to hers. He was much the same to her despite those things, and there was no mistaking him. She still thought he was beautiful.

"Violet."

At the sound of her name from his lips she dropped her case and parasol, at the same moment he pulled her to his chest exactly as he'd done when they'd first met. It had been the first time she could ever remember feeling safe, like nothing could ever hurt her again. And it was all because of him. But unlike that dark past, she was older now, she understood more than she ever could have back then. She knew how he loved her, and that she too, loved him. He was the only thing she loved in all the world. It was the truest gift he'd given her. The brooch may have allowed her to hang onto hope, but his love had given her life meaning long after he'd left it. Even if he'd been truly dead, she never would have forgotten him; and in that way, as his mother had said, he'd always be alive, because she loved him.

They held each other far longer than either of them had ever held anyone. Each reluctant to let go, lest it all be a dream. What were words now, when touch could say so much more? Violet had never felt this before, this was new, but also familiar. And she was proud to recognize it for what it was - another way to say, "I love you."

She felt his tears more than she heard them. They were dampening the crown of her hair, and hers were being absorbed into the soft white cotton of his shirt. Her small arms gripped his waist tightly, her hands fisted the shirt at his back. He was warm, so warm and alive. And she cried harder. She wept, as she'd done so many times since she'd been told he was gone, as the pain in her heart began to ease with the balm of his arms wrapped around her once more. She belonged here, this was where she wished to die if she could have the choice.

"Oh Violet," he whispered hoarsely as she sobbed. "My precious, precious flower. Cease this crying, I'm here now. We're together again. Are you not happy?"

"I am. I've never felt so much of it before."

He smiled and finally pulled his head back a little so he could see her face. "Do you want to come inside?"

"Yes," she breathed. "Yes please, Major."

"Now, now. None of that," he chided. "Call me Gilbert. This isn't the army anymore, Violet."

His arms loosened from around her and fear struck her suddenly. She couldn't control it. She gripped him closer again, terrified to release him, to not be touching him anymore, just in case he faded away on the wind and disappeared again to a place she could not follow.

He dried his eyes and chuckled, sensing her thoughts. "Violet, I'm not going anywhere," he assured her. "You can let go. Here, take my hand. Hold onto me tight, now."

She smiled and released him slowly, watching his warm hand move to take her cold one. He hadn't forgotten the state he'd last seen her in, so he didn't even flinch at the hard metal he felt under her glove. They shared that now as well. He took her case and parasol from the porch and brought them inside with them.

"Come. Sit with me."

The cabin was small but comfortably furnished. She thought the couch looked quite inviting. There were soft blankets draped over the back and tucked over the cushions, like a wonderful place to nap or daydream in the lazy afternoon breeze of an open window. She thought about him relaxing on it in the golden hour of the afternoon and blushed slightly at such an intimate image of him. She'd never thought of him like that before; never allowed herself to imagine him alive, replaying only her memories of him when the loneliness hit her hardest.

When she sat beside him, Gilbert allowed her to be close. With anyone else it would have been extremely inappropriate, but he knew they were above such things. Everything they had been through together was a testament to that. This was a special bond, one that he was sure no one else in the world had besides them.

"Do you remember what I told you? When we were in the church at Intense, just before the explosion? You asked what the words meant."

She shifted slightly against him. "Yes. I remember."

"Do you know what they mean now?"

"Yes, Gilbert. I've learned very much since that time."

He nodded.

She sat up a little, startling him slightly. "I wrote you a letter."

"You-you did?"

"Yes. For the air show. The first once after the war ended."

"Oh. What did it say?"

"I can recite it for you, if you like."

"Only if you want to, Violet," he answered softly.

"I do, Major. I mean... Gilbert."

And so she did. She told him how she finally understood what "I love you" means, how much he'd meant to her, and how she hoped to see him again. Gilbert wiped at his eyes as she concluded her recitation of the letter she'd written years ago, only for him.

"But," she paused, "there's one thing I didn't write in the letter. I wanted to save it for when you returned to me."

His good eye widened. "Returned? You knew then, that I was alive?"

"Yes, I knew."

He laughed. "Of course you did. What did you want to tell me, Violet?"

"I wanted to tell you, that I love you too. I love you, Gilbert. I did then, but I did not know it. I still do, and I always will. I have learned there are many different kinds of love, but that you can feel them all for one person. I think it's... beautiful."

Never had Gilbert felt like sobbing for joy so hard in his life. Her words were more than he'd ever hoped to hear her say. He tried to clear the tightness that had formed in his throat. "You still wear the brooch I gave you." He stroked the emerald that hung at her throat tenderly with his fingertips.

"It was all I had left of you that I could touch," she stated.

He squeezed his eyes shut. "Oh Violet."

"Is something wrong?"

"Wrong?! No! Nothing could ever be wrong. Not when you're here with me." He pulled her to his side. She may be a young woman now, but she was still petit and so slight of frame that he easily tucked her into him, and willingly she complied. He could feel her need to be close to him. He felt the same way.

"We have much to talk about, Violet. I'm sure you have a lot of questions for me. We have time. I asked for you to be employed for a couple of weeks. I hope you'll stay. Will you? Stay with me?"

"Yes, Gilbert. I will."

And so they sat. Tightly together on a warm couch in each other's embrace until the bright daylight turned golden, and the sun set and twilight the color of her blue eyes descended around them. The moonlight shone through a window, casting them in its shaft of soft white light. Soon they would need to rise. There was tea to be made, and dinner to be eaten and he would have to make sure she was comfortable for the night in the guest room. But for now, they let the silence ease away the years of pain they'd endured while they were separated. They allowed the warmth of their bodies to thaw the cold loneliness that had weighed heavily on their hearts for so long. Tomorrow there would be time for talking. Nothing about the future would be as easy as this, so they drank in the tranquility while they could.

A/N: Hello all, and welcome to the first fanfiction I found the guts to publish.

I recently binged Violet Evergarden on Netflix, twice, and fell in love with the story and characters. But, in my vain search for good and satisfying stories about Violet and the Major, inspiration struck. This is how I imagined them to reunite. This may be a one-shot, I haven't yet decided. I'm currently reading a lot of fan-made translations of the books online so I might be borrowing some elements from them in the future. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and please review (especially if you would like me to continue)! Constructive criticism is welcome!