I probably shouldn't start another story but this idea came to my mind today and I can't wait to act on it. I know this is probably overused but I just wanted to explore deeper into their point of views. Here y'all are:

Disclaimer: Gilbert belongs to Anne and Anne belongs to Gilbert and they both belong to L.M Montgomery

It was a moist, pleasantly-odorous night in early spring. The snow was not quite all gone from the park; a little dingy bank of it yet lay under the pines of the harbor road, screened from the influence of April suns. It kept the harbor road muddy, and chilled the evening air. But grass was growing green in sheltered spots and Gilbert had found some pale, sweet arbutus in a hidden corner. He came up from the park, his hands full of it.

Anne was sitting on the big gray boulder in the orchard looking at the poem of a bare, birchen bough hanging against the pale red sunset with the very perfection of grace. She was building a castle in air—a wondrous mansion whose sunlit courts and stately halls were steeped in Araby's perfume, and where she reigned queen and chatelaine. She frowned as she saw Gilbert coming through the orchard. Of late she had managed not to be left alone with Gilbert. But he had caught her fairly now; and even Rusty had deserted her.

Gilbert sat down beside her on the boulder and held out his Mayflowers.

"Don't these remind you of home and our old schoolday picnics, Anne?"

Anne took them and buried her face in them.

"I'm in Mr. Silas Sloane's barrens this very minute," she said rapturously.

"I suppose you will be there in reality in a few days?"

"No, not for a fortnight. I'm going to visit with Phil in Bolingbroke before I go home. You'll be in Avonlea before I will."

"No, I shall not be in Avonlea at all this summer, Anne. I've been offered a job in the Daily News office and I'm going to take it."

"Oh," said Anne vaguely. She wondered what a whole Avonlea summer would be like without Gilbert. Somehow she did not like the prospect. "Well," she concluded flatly, "it is a good thing for you, of course."

"Yes, I've been hoping I would get it. It will help me out next year."

"You mustn't work too HARD," said Anne, without any very clear idea of what she was saying. She wished desperately that Phil would come out. "You've studied very constantly this winter. Isn't this a delightful evening? Do you know, I found a cluster of white violets under that old twisted tree over there today? I felt as if I had discovered a gold mine."

"You are always discovering gold mines," said Gilbert—also absently.

"Let us go and see if we can find some more," suggested Anne eagerly. "I'll call Phil and—"

"Never mind Phil and the violets just now, Anne," said Gilbert quietly, taking her hand in a clasp from which she could not free it. "There is something I want to say to you."

"Oh, don't say it," cried Anne, pleadingly. "Don't—PLEASE, Gilbert."(1)

Gilbert's thoughts at that moment were of Anne and Anne only. He was going to tell her that he loved her. Had loved her since that day when she had broken her slate over his head. But Anne knew what he was about to say, she didn't want it. He could see the sadness and the faint glimmer of tears in her eyes and he made a decision. Releasing her hand he incoherently muttered "Never mind" and told her that it wasn't such a bad idea to get Phil and go look for violets.

Left alone, he put his head into his hands, sighing painfully. I can't live like this anymore. But Anne needs me as a friend. She doesn't want me as a lover. She's too young right now to get tied down. He listed all the reasons why it was a bad idea to declare his love right now, finally just resolving to be the best friend Anne had. But it almost broke his heart. Anne had wanted to get rid of him, she wanted to escape from him, from his love. He recounted all the other occasions where he had tried to get closer to Anne, mentally and physically and she had pushed him away. Avoided him like she avoided her admirers, the constant stream of them. Wasn't Gilbert any better than that? Wasn't he her best friend?

Anne breathed a sigh of relief as she went back inside. She was sure that Gilbert had been going to mention something sentimental and she couldn't bear it. She was grateful he didn't. Gilbert was the best friend she had. She would break inside if she had to lose him. Maybe she had mistaken his intentions.

It was a happy Anne, that came outside to tell Gilbert that Phil was out with Stella and Pris and would he like to take a walk. Gilbert made sure not to make that same mistake again, seeing how she was pleased with him. She smiled at him again, and he struggled to keep a straight face, and not kiss her there and then.

If Anne noticed that Gilbert's arguments were lacking in his usual vigour, she did not mention it and

they made their way to Patty's Place peacefully. On their way back Gilbert stopped at the old twisted tree Anne had spoken about and bent down and pulled out a few violets, gently arranging them into a bouquet. He offered it to Anne, as a peace offering than anything else and though she did not say anything else, she accepted them and things were the same between them both.

"I didn't know you had a talent in arranging flowers" teased Anne.

"Flowers are the souls of nature, their beauty is fresh and pure, bringing delight to everyone" he imitated Anne's quarrels or debates with him at Avonlea when they used to be enemies.

As his voice became terribly high-strung, Anne punched his arm playfully, "I do not talk like that"

she said indignantly.

He chuckled, hiding the burning sensation he felt on the part of his skin, Anne had punched. "I do remember this very quarrel"

"Debate""Alright, I do remember this very debate, was it maybe the one where you got your desk full of lily of the valleys.?" his eyes twinkled knowingly.

"That was you?. I spent the whole day looking for some secret admirer"

He smiled awkwardly, steering the conversation to more comfortable topics.

"Are you going to the debate club tomorrow?"

"I'm thinking of going, they're saying Mandy Moore has fever so there's someone else coming in for her."

"Could I escort you?" he asked casually. Gilbert had long since discovered that if he wanted to escort Anne anywhere he had to pretend like it wasn't a big thing when it actually meant the whole world to him. They just went together like two friends, despite what rumors would say.

"Of course" she replied and they parted as he walked her to Patty's place and turned back to his own boarding house. Maybe some day Anne could care for him, someday. For now he would be Anne's friend, closes friend that she ever had and would not in any way try to make it more than that.

Chapter Notes: 1 : From Anne of the Island some chapter.