𝑰'𝑫 𝑭𝑶𝑳𝑳𝑶𝑾 𝒀𝑶𝑼, shirbert

21. 𝑩𝒂𝒃𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈

"WHY EXACTLY do we have to babysit?" Gilbert asked as he looked down at Delphine, who was in his arms. Anne sat at the table, looking down at the instructions Bash had written down.

"We'll only be gone for a few hours, Blythe. Babysitting won't kill you. My mom and Elijah are at Green Gables preparing for Christmas." Bash looked between Anne and Gilbert, subtly pointing out the unusually quiet house.

"I trust you two to take good care of her." Marilla said. Bash and Marilla were going to Charlottetown to run errands, and chose Gilbert and Anne to babysitting Delphine, despite their lack of taking care of a baby together.

"Delphine loves to spend time with us, ain't that right Gilby goo?" Anne said, snickering at the name she had heard Bash use on multiple occasions. Gilbert presses his lips into a thin, straight line, annoyed with the nickname.

"Stop calling me Gilby goo." Gilbert complained, frustrated with the laughing coming from the people in front of him.

"Well, Bash and I will be on our way. Behave, and if Rachel Lynde arrives, run." Marilla warned, opening the door and stepping outside.

"Run fast." Bash laughed, following after Marilla and shutting the door behind him. Anne looked at Gilbert, who was frozen with Delphine in his arms.

"I never thought about Mrs Lynde showing up..." Gilbert trailed off, his eyes wide with concern.

"She's not going to show up. Wait...Gil. Are you scared of Mrs Lynde?" Anne asked, pointing at Gilbert. He remained silent, bouncing Delphine. She burst out into laughter, holding onto the table to keep her upright.

"Oh...oh god...y-you're scared of her!" Anne laughed harder, collapsing to the floor. Gilbert peeked over the table, seeing Anne clutching onto her chest as her laughter piled up.

"I'm not scared of her. I'm scared of losing you...to her. She'll tear us apart in two seconds and you know it." Gilbert said, making a face when Delphine started to move in his arms.

"You could never lose me to Rachel Lynde. I'm not one for following any rules, or listening to people's orders- especially not Mrs Lynde. Did I ever tell you about the time she called me ugly." Anne grumbled, lifting herself off the ground and dusted off her skirts.

"Trust me I know that- wait she called you ugly? You're far from it." Gilbert said, giving Delphine to Anne. Anne took Dellie from Gilbert, and set the baby on her hip.

"Do you think it's weird that they trust us to be in a house by ourselves?" Anne asked, watching as Gilbert poured himself a glass of water.

"It's...definitely weird, but they aren't very strict when it comes to us. Water?" Gilbert asked, grabbing an empty glass after he set his full one down.

"Yes please. You see, Marilla is very strict about everything, just not you." Anne smiled, grabbing her glass of water from Gilbert when he held it out to her. He grabbed his glass and sat down at the table, taking a swig of it before setting it down gently.

"I can't blame her for that. I'm a gentleman- I know that because I've heard multiple older women say it at church." Gilbert smugly smiled. Anne rolled her eyes, but quickly softened when Delphine started to snore. Anne looked down to see the baby asleep. She gently walked to Delphines room and put her into the crib. Anne closed the door and quietly walked back to the kitchen. She sat down at the table to see that Gilbert's smirk never left his annoyingly cute face.

"You have a lot of...confidence." Anne concluded, taking a sip of her water. She set the glass onto the table with a thud, looking at Gilbert who was shaking his head.

"Not confidence. Just knowledge." Gilbert winked.

"Knowledge? Knowledge of what? What does knowledge have to do with anything?" Anne asked, laughing loudly. Gilbert laughed, shrugging his shoulders.

"I don't know." Gilbert frowned. Anne shifted in her seat, finding it uncomfortable. She hadn't got much sleep the night before, too caught up in a book.

"I'm gonna go sit on the couch." Anne said, getting up to head into the parlor. Gilbert followed after quickly, tripping over his feet like a drunk person. Anne sat down on the couch, propping her head up with her arm, which was leaning on the armrest. Gilbert sat next to her, side eyeing her as she yawned.

"Did you get any sleep last night?" He asked, looking at her drooped face.

"Not really. I stayed up most of the night reading." Anne laughed, shrugging her shoulders.

"Maybe you should get some sleep now. I can watch after Dellie." Gilbert suggested, already standing up to get Anne a blanket.

"It's fine Gilbert. I'll be fine." Anne reassured, hiding the yawn that came out of her, but Gilbert could see right through her.

"Just sleep. I know you don't like others telling you what to do, but could you maybe make an exception for me?" Gilbert asked, holding a blanket out towards her.

"I guess I can." Anne sighed, grabbing the blanket from him. She draped it over herself, the blanket immediately setting with the air with Gilbert's scent. She closed her eyes, warmly smiling.

Gilbert softly walked out the room but cringed when he heard Delphines loud wails. He rushed to Bashs room and gently took Delphine out of the crib.

"Shhh. It's okay. Anne is sleeping and we do not want to wake her up Dellie. She'll get all feisty and take her anger out on me- because she can't take it out on you." Gilbert pointed at Dellie, who grabbed his finger and bit it.

"Ouch. I see you might be picking up on Anne's ways, little lady. She's never bit anybody before, but I'm sure she'd do it." Gilbert laughed, pulling his finger out of Delphines mouth. Delphine clapped her hands together, giggling.

"Don't go around slapping people with slates please. I've told you the story already but when you're older I'll tell it again so you remember." Gilbert told Dellie as he made his way to go check on Anne

"Gilbur." Dellie tried to pronounce his name as she tugged on his hair. Gilbert hissed in pain. She had a lot of strength for a baby.

"Dellie don't do that! It's Gilbert by the way. Isn't bash trying to teach you how to pronounce things properly? I'll have to talk to him about it." Gilbert asked in a whisper, pulling Dellies hands from his hair. Gilbert quietly stood outside the parlor, seeing Anne fast asleep. Her hair was in her face, red curls falling over her mouth. The sunlight peeked through the window, lighting up her face to make her look ethereal.

Gilbert stood there looking at her. He knew it would come off as creepy that he was watching her sleep, but the pool of light that seemed to glow around her made it seem as if angels were real, and one was resting in front of him.

"Beautiful." Gilbert whispered.

Dellie smacked Gilbert on the head, seeing Anne stir on the couch. Gilbert stumbled back, coming back to the present. He saw Anne had moved and he darted into the kitchen.

"That was a close call, Dellie." Delphine giggled and Gilbert couldn't help but smile along with her.

AUTHORS NOTE
not much shirbert but
gilbert with dellie >>>