Gil walked over the green school campus with a large book underneath his arm. He had just come back from Ruby's place in which Ruby had showed him their library. Usually Gil didn't care much about books and libraries, but this one was really impressive. All the walls had been painted in brightly coloured patterns and images. Ruby showed him the gigantic shelf which was filled with books about flowers and nature. Gil immediately noticed the painted flowers and trees matched the subjects of the books in the shelfs. Books about underwater live were surrounded by a stormy sea with uprising waves. Gil quickly figured that books about animals would be close to the paintings of the horse and the dog.
Ruby proudly told him that she and her mom had painted it all themselves. Gil had looked at her in disbelief, wondering out loud how they would've been able to reach the ceiling, since it was covered with paintings as well. Ruby had just smiled at him, before she made a loop of her hair and threw it in the air. The loop got stuck behind a lever and suddenly Gil could notice multiple levers, hooks and pulleys hanging everywhere through the entire room. Gil was impressed when he saw how Ruby elevated herself with her own hair.
"It's also a great way to get to the book you want," she had said to him high above the ground. For a moment she looked through the shelves, running her finger over multiple book covers, until she had finally found the one she had been looking for. Gil saw her coming back down with the book in her hands.
"Here, you can have it if you like," Ruby had said while she reached it towards him. Gil had been stunned once more. Not by the book, but because she was still so generous towards him. She had still taken him inside her house and both her parents seemed to be fine with it. Not once they showed any sign that he wasn't welcome anymore or that they feared him. Unlike back in Auradon, as Gil could notice once more how people went silent when he passed by. Gil had never thought he would be longing back to a library.
Gil knew that Harry enjoyed the frightful looks on people's faces. As long as they were backing off Harry knew he had control over them and he could take whatever he wanted from them. Gil had to admit, he had used this method quite a lot on the Isle. He just had to mention Gaston was his dad or that he was part of the pirate crew and most people immediately gave him what he wanted. Gil had used this to his advantage, until he finally realized they only cooperated in the hope he would leave them unharmed. After this discovery Gil tried getting around without using fear as a weapon, even though it still had been the easiest way to get food when he had no money to show for it.
In Auradon Gil also learned it didn't really matter anymore if he fed on those fears, when two guys quickly made room for him when he passed by. Since Ben had announced to be watchful for Gaston and his sons, everybody suddenly seemed to recognize him. As if the word violent was written on his face. But Gil didn't want to hurt people anymore. He had never wanted it to begin with, but in Auradon it should not be necessary, like it had been on the Isle of the Lost.
Gil looked down at the book he carried in his hands, for a moment staring at the multiple flowers that were pictured on the cover. He recognized the yellow daffodil, the lovely daisy and of course the bright red rose. He didn't feel like going back to the pirate ship just yet, knowing he wouldn't be able to flip through the book in peace there. Jonas and Gonzo had been really annoying lately and Gil feared they would take the book if he showed it to them. Gil honestly wanted to go to Evie's cottage, meeting up with Jay and show him what he had learned today. But Uma and Harry commanded him to stop slacking off, so he figured it would be best to go back to the Lost Revenge soon.
Gil decided to sit on a lonely bench underneath a tree, a relatively hidden place where not a lot of people would notice him. He didn't want to scare people away and also didn't want others to pry on him. He rather ignored all that as he opened the book on his lap. Gil couldn't believe his eyes once more when he started flipping through the pages. He thought Ruby had shown him all the different plants by now, but the book told him he only knew a handful. Gil turned some other pages, this time searching for a particular one. He stopped when he reached the chapter about the desert plants and trees. He looked down at a very peculiar plant. It didn't have any leaves, but just many thick spines sticking out the long green stem. Cactuses they were called.
After Gil asked her about plants in the desert, Ruby regretfully admitted they didn't have any of those kinds in their garden. That's why she brought him to their library, so she could still show them to him. That's where Ruby gave Gil the book. Gil remembered how she stood before him with the book reaching towards him. She had looked at him with a kind smile and compassionate green eyes. She didn't give the book to him out of fear or in the hope he would leave, she had done so because she wanted to help him. Ruby had showed him the chapter with the desert plants, explaining to him what she knew, while they looked at the different drawings and pictures of the plants together. Gil smiled again when he sat underneath the tree on his own, grateful to learn not everyone would ran off by the sight of him.
Belle looked at him from a distance again, but this time with less hesitation. She had wanted to talk to him, wondering what was going on in his head. She had hoped she would've been able to talk to him in the safety of her own palace during their meeting. She had almost given up when Ben informed her the guys had already left and only Uma and Mal were still in the meeting room. But Belle had quickly made up her mind. She refused to hide behind the castle walls, frightened that Gaston would suddenly show up. She had always spend days through the village among the town folk and she wouldn't stop doing so. She didn't grant Gaston the pleasure to think he had any control over her. So she went searching through the City of Auradon in hope to find Gil somewhere. Finally she had found him, curled up on a bench in a shady place and, to her amazement, reading a book.
Gil quickly looked up, when he sensed someone coming nearer. This time he immediately recognized the woman as Belle and he quickly looked away again. He acted like he was focusing on his book, showing he wasn't looking for any trouble. It usually worked on the Isle. Breaking eye contact made people less hostile. Which was one of the reasons why Harry liked to stare at people intensely.
"Gil?" Her soft voice made the blond look up, still not sure how to react. She didn't look mad, like the others had been. She actually looked rather concerned and also a little bit unsure.
"Hi Belle," Gil greeted her back and slowly a smile appeared on the woman's face.
"You're reading a book?" Belle carefully started the conversation. She tried to peek at the pages, hoping to see what kind of book Gil was reading. Gil chuckled a bit, already feeling a bit more at ease. He had been certain she would immediately ask him about his dad, even though he would've not been able to give her any answers.
"Actually I'm just looking at the images," Gil confessed. "I never understood how people can get through a book without pictures." Belle laughed a little, for the first time seeing some resemblances to Gaston.
"You could use your imagination," Belle answered him. It had been her usual reply. She always responded in a similar matter when kids told her they didn't like reading, but rather watched a movie. Most kids shrugged it off and turned back towards the television anyway. Gil however frowned up to her, thinking about it for a short moment.
"I've tried to imagine what the outside world looks like for years now," Gil said to her. "I want to really experience it from now on."
Belle smile slightly to the boy again, a little guilt filling up inside her. Gil wasn't like the kids that were born in Auradon, even though he also seemed to differ from the kids that came from the Isle.
"You're right," she said softly to him. Her feeling of guilt became even stronger when she saw the gentle smile on the boy's face.
"How are you feeling?" Belle asked him after a short silence. It wasn't just because she wanted to change the subject. She wanted to know how he was doing, it had keeping her up late at night. It had been why she had been looking for him and why she wanted to talk to him.
"I'm alright," Gil answered and simply shrugged. Belle took a step towards the boy. She had not been looking for him all day to get such a simplistic answer.
"All those things that happened between you and your dad cannot been easy for you," Belle continued and this time she could immediately see the change on his face. Gil looked down at the book on his lap, his eyes filled with guilt. He didn't want to talk about what happened anymore, even though he knew it had been inevitable.
"I wanted to know if you were doing okay?" Belle continued and Gil looked up to her. Her voice sounded soft, not strict or mad. For a split second Gil wondered if she really cared for him, but he quickly scrapped this idea.
"I'm doing alright," Gil repeated himself. Belle sighed and realized this method wasn't working as she had hoped. Instead Belle peeked over the pages once more and could read the word 'desert'.
"You're interested in the desert?" Belle asked cheerful, hoping she could make the conversation light-hearted again. It seemed to work, since the hurt quickly disappeared from Gil's eyes.
"It's actually the plants in the desert," Gil answered her and turned the book inviting towards her, as if he wanted to share it with her. Belle took her change to sit beside him underneath the tree. Belle was still surprised when Gil softly shoved the book towards her.
"Jay comes from the desert, so I asked Ruby if she could tell me more about it," Gil explained to her. "I wondered what Jay's world looks like, even though he told me he's never been there himself. I wonder if he knows about cactuses." Gil shoved the book even closer to Belle and pointed at the drawing of the plant. "They're actually really interesting. They don't have any leaves, but they still can grow these pink flowers while blooming. They also barely need any water to survive."
Belle could see the wonder in his eyes. From their first meeting Belle had learned Gil showed no violence at all. Once more the boy opened up to her and instead of the arrogant nonsense of his dad, he was talking passionately about a desert plan.
"Jay?" Belle softly repeated the name. "You mean one of Mal's friend? The boy who became such a great asset to the Auradon Fighting Knights team."
"That's the one," Gil answered, suddenly beaming with pride. "He actually has this huge tourney game over a few days. With Jay on their team the Knights are definitely going to win."
Belle smiled with him. She could notice how talking about Jay gave him a certain glow. A dreamy smile on his face while he looked at nothing in particular. Belle had seen certain expression before. It usually meant said person was in love. Belle couldn't help to feel a little concerned, remembering how Gaston acted on his feelings of 'love'.
"You don't think they'll win?" Gil suddenly asked and Belle looked up. She hadn't even noticed she had been lost in her own thoughts, probably with a worried expression on her face.
"He immediately choose your side," Belle spoke her thoughts out loud. "After Jay told us that you have been siding with your dad, he said right after you would do us no harm."
The same hurtful expression appeared back on Gil's face, but this time he didn't look down. The mentioning of Jay even brought a slight smile on his face.
"I didn't mean to," Gil softly spoke. Belle could see the honestly in his eyes, just like she had seen the first time they had spoken. All doubt she might have had faded away.
"I know," Belle answered him. "Jay already convinced me." Gil dared to look up at her again only to see she actually smiled at him.
"Jay always does that," Gil said to her. "Jay always knows what to say to others."
Belle could see the boy's face glowing once more, making it obvious there was definitely something going on between the two of them. She didn't want to pry, still a little concerned what his reaction would be. The boy might get mad at her if she suggested he was in love with another guy.
"You seem very fond of him," Belle tried carefully. Gil turned towards her, suddenly smiling brightly at her.
"Yes, he's my boyfriend," he answered without hesitation.
Belle blinked in confusion. She wasn't surprised by the answer, but she was by the way he had spoken. There was no doubt in his voice, no fear in his eyes anymore. Belle then smiled up to the boy. Gaston's son was in love with another boy and somehow it made her filled with joy. Belle watched the kid she had feared for quite a while, scared for what he might be capable of. But all she could see were eyes filled with wonder and a heart that was experiencing it's probably first love.
"I could tell," Belle said smiling to him. Even though Gil had said it so confidently before, Belle could still see how he let out a sigh of relief. She was glad to see him smiling again, reassuring her he really was doing alright.
"What else can you tell me about the desert plants?" Belle asked and Gil's face lit up immediately. He flipped through some pages and then pointed at the drawing of a plant with many small, green leaves and pink flowers sticking out on several places. Belle could read the name oleander besides the drawing.
"This plant looks beautiful, but Ruby told me it's actually really poisonous," Gil started his explanation about the plant.
Belle enjoyed listening to his stories, as it seems the boy was quite talkative. He didn't shy away anymore, but also listened carefully when Belle read a part of the informational text that was written besides the images. Belle still didn't understand what drew her towards the boy or why she suddenly felt responsible for his wellbeing. She could only tell she was indeed drawn towards the kid and somehow the kindness in his eyes and his eager to learn gave her hope.
Those two are still so challenging to write. Somehow it's very hard to estimate how they would react to each other.
I hope you all enjoyed chapter 2.
Thank you to everyone who already showed support to the first chapter. It really means a lot to me.
