《■ Helpless ■ Gilbert Blythe ■》A meeting with an angel

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Things were slightly awkward in the carriage at first. Which was weird as they always joked around with each other, even more whenever their parents weren't present.

"I'm sorry, Vic, I didn't mean to snap at you." Hamilton apologized, finally breaking the awkward silence. Victoria nodded. "And I accept your apology." She replied.

A few more seconds passed and seeing that the conversation wasn't going anywhere in Hamilton's end, Victoria knew that she had to carry it herself.

"I just don't get why you were so defensive when I asked you about Gideon. Did something happen between you?" Victoria asked, watching as Hamilton visibly gulped.

"Something did happen, we had a bit of a disagreement," Hamilton admitted. He noticed the worried look that Victoria gave him and shrugged it off. "It's nothing to worry about. Trust me, I can handle it." He reassured and offered her a smile which she thankfully returned. This time with no sarcasm behind it.

"Is that part of the reason we're going to Charlottetown? To see Gideon?" Edward asked, finally speaking up. "Part of it, yes. You'll like him, he really is very nice. He's also Welsh, his accent is hard to understand at first but you'll get used to it."

Victoria looked intrigued at that. "He's originally from Wales? How did he end up here?" She asked out of curiosity. "I think because he wanted to get away from his family. They had a bit of an argument." Hamilton said with a frown on his face.

"Was he? Disowned?" Edward asked as he tried to connect the dots. Hamilton started feeling a bit uncomfortable. "I don't think so, I don't know all the details. I think he just wanted to start anew." Hamilton replied. Victoria noticed that her brother wasn't anywhere near excited to talk about his friend in such a deep manner so she decided to drop the subject. She didn't want to make him snap at them again.

Victoria was ecstatic when they finally arrived at Charlottetown as she quickly grew tired of the tight space.

"Can we go to the bookstore first?" Victoria asked as soon as she helped Edward down the carriage. "You and your books," Hamilton said though not in an annoyed way. Despite making fun of his sister, he too loved books as much as she did, especially if it's Shakespeare.

"But yes you can. Take Edward, will you? I'll go buy some things for the harvest. When you're done meet me by the steps at my place. Gideon should be at work for two more hours, I'll be able to pack without disturbing him. You remember the address?" Hamilton asked, finally finishing his rant.

"Perfectly remembered in here," Victoria said with a smile as she pointed towards her head.

Hamilton bid them goodbye and immediately as he left, Edward turned at her with questions. "I don't understand. I thought he was going to talk to this Gideon man, why is he going there when he's not home?" Edward asked to which he received a shrug. "I haven't the foggiest, Eddie."

"He's confusing me. Maybe our brother is wonky after all." Victoria laughed at that. "This is where I got you that book for Christmas," Victoria stated as they neared the bookstore. "I loved that book, I'm not sure whether or not I have mentioned it before," Edward admitted.

"You didn't. May I remind you how gutted you were when you opened your present and found a book?" Victoria said, dropping her voice slightly as they entered. She smiled at the store's owner, the old man remembering her from last time, and Edward quickly mimicked her actions.

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"That's because it's a present. I expected something to play with instead." He replied, eyeing the shelves. His eye caught a particular one. "Romeo and Juliet. Did you replace the last one which that plonker had burnt?"

Victoria shook her head. "No, I did not. I have Hamilton's copy at least. Did I tell you that there were tear stains on the pages?" Victoria said with a chuckle. She looked at the book for a second before placing it back onto the shelf.

"Of course Hamilton would cry over the book. Typical Hamilton being dramatic." Edward said with a roll of his eyes.

"Take that as a lesson, Eddie. Even men can cry and there's nothing wrong with that." She said as she grabbed a copy of 'Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and Other Stories' by Oscar Wilde that caught her eye.

"Then how come I've never seen father cry?" Edward asked, watching as her sister piled book after book in her arms. "Because in society, a man crying is seen as him being weak. Which is why society finds it fine if a woman cries." Victoria stated as she grabbed 'David Copperfield' next and handed 'Little Women' to her brother.

"Here, see if this is to your fancy. I read a copy of it from the library back in London. And do try to see past the fact that it is about four girls, it's a well-written book after all."

"I'm still not understanding the women being weak part. You're a girl and I once saw you punch Theodore Brown when he said that Shakespeare was a horrible writer." Edward said and then placed 'Little women' on the pile that Victoria was going to buy.

Victoria smiled at the memory as well as the fact that Edward agreed on buying the book.

"It's a good thing that there are people like you, Eddie. It would be nice to see a lot more people believing in feminism." She placed a couple of books that she would leave behind back in place, leaving her with six including Edward's.

"But don't you have to be a girl to be a feminist?" Edward continued asking like the young boy he was. Victoria paid for the books and the two continued the conversation as they walked towards Hamilton's place.

"Not really. Men believe in women getting treated correctly and being a feminist as well. After all, feminism is not about being greater to men, but equal to them. People should be treated the same and deserve the same opportunities, no matter the gender, the colour of their skin, religion, social status and etcetera."

"That seems nice, not very attainable though. Society never seems to stop comparing people and labelling them as something." He said. "I think we have to cross the street," Edward warned as he looked to his lost older sister.

"You may be right. Did you want to go anywhere else?" Victoria asked. She crossed the street like Edward suggested and paid great attention to the signs.

"Excuse me, miss, do you know where I can find Bleaker street?" Edward asked as he tried to help his sister. He knew that Victoria would rather get lost than admit that she didn't know where she should go or ask for help. A girl about Victoria's age with blonde hair turned to look at the pair and smiled instantly when she saw Edward.

"Aren't you a cute boy?" She told Edward as she leaned down slightly. Victoria noticed that she sported an English accent as well and saw Edward blush at the compliment.

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"It's not that far away, just across the road, turn left, cross once again and then finally turn right." The girl explained even going as far as motioning with her hands to explain better.

"Thank you so much for your help," Victoria stated. The girl just shrugged. "Anything to help a fellow English person." She said with a cheeky smile. "Have a good day."

They arrived only in a matter of minutes and saw that Hamilton was nowhere in sight. The siblings decided to settle down on the stairs of the apartment buildings.

Victoria decided to spend some of the time by grabbing one of her books and smelling it which caused her to be stared at by Edward. "Why must you do that every single time?" He asked with a sigh.

"There's nothing more satisfying than smelling a new book. Here try it." Victoria suggested as she tried shoving the book under his nose. "What? Get away from me, you nutter!" Edward shrieked as he pushed his sister away. "Oh come on Eddie, don't be a ninny, it's only a book!" Victoria said in a teasing tone.

All of Victoria's laughs and giggles died down when he slapped the book causing it to fly out of her hands.

"You wanker!" She was about to strangle him (maybe not, that's too aggressive) when someone cleared their voice, causing their attention to drift to a man who stood there with the fallen book in hand.

The sight was magnificent. There stood a tall man dressed in a dark green coat which complemented well with his red-brown wavy hair.

Most striking of all was his grey-blue eyes which almost caused Victoria's jaw to drop. He was undeniably handsome, well not exactly. He was more beautiful, like an angel.

"Charles Dickens, huh?" The man asked in a singsong voice. "I ave read a couple ov his works. Very exceptional." He said handing Victoria the book which she hugged to her chest almost immediately. It's then that she was aware of the man's accent. "Mister Gallagher?" She asked.

The man nodded. "Why yes. How are you? No, don't tell me. You two must be Victoria and Edward. Hamilton's siblings." The man guessed the smile on his face ever-growing.

"That we are. How did you know?" Edward asked. Gideon took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair to fix it, Victoria finding the movements enticing. She snapped out of it, knowing full well that the man wouldn't appreciate being ogled at. She wasn't going to turn into Ruby Gillies.

"You three have the same eyes. I know Hamilton's eyes too well to forget. I'm very attentive, I am. And how did you know that it was me?" He asked Victoria as his blue eyes twinkled with happiness.

"Your accent. Hamilton told us that you're Welsh, although I must admit that I thought that your accent would be stronger." Victoria admitted. She was proud of herself for being able to string a sentence together.

"It tends to soften while you're away for some time. That and people don't always understand me so I tend to try and suppress my inner Welsh. Otherwise, no one would know what's going on with me." He increased his accent on purpose to try and prove the point.

"I'm guessing that you have no intention of keeping your British at bay," Gideon said as he leaned against the railing. "Chances are very remote, mate," Victoria replied causing Gideon to laugh. "Didn't expect any differently. Where is your brother, if you don't mind my asking?"

"He was buying some stuff for the harvest and told us to meet him here so that he can get some things from the apartment. He did say that you should still be at work though." Edward explained.

"I should be but I got the day off. I'm the assistant to a man's whose wife went into labour so I got a few weeks off. I think he's going to take time off with his family so he won't need me." Gideon explained.

"Why don't you two go up to the apartment and I'll wait for Hammy here?" He tossed the keys to Victoria and was impressed when she caught them with one hand. "You're welcome to make yourself at home, keep on climbing up until you get to number four."

"Thanks, Gideon," Victoria said, sending him a smile and then grabbing Edward's hand. Gideon waved his hand indicating that it was nothing.

"I really like his accent," Edward said when they entered the building. "It's lots ov fun do-o-en it, it is," Edward stated and then received a hit from Victoria's bag. "That was an awful accent, don't do it in front of him. He'll be insulted." Victoria said with a giggle.

"What do you think of him?" Edward asked. They arrived in front of the door marked with a number 4 and Victoria started using trial and error to see which key fits.

"He's very bubbly. And good looking." Victoria said, murmuring the final bit. Edward still heard it and started to grin at her. "Someone has a crush. Did you forget all about Gilbert? He'll be gutted when he finds out."

"Get in," Victoria commanded when she opened the door. "Guess it's no longer Victoria and Gilbert sitting on a tree.." Edward mocked, Victoria shoved him through the threshold gently. "And you wonder why Hamilton is my favourite brother."

"You, plonker!" Edward shoved her this time and he didn't bother being gentle. That's how Victoria ended up almost breaking the vase in the room.

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Gideon's smile quickly dropped as soon as the young Edwards left. Not that he didn't enjoy meeting them, they seemed like nice kids but because he didn't know what to expect from the eldest one.

When he asked that he would like to hear from him in the letters, he didn't expect that he would actually get to see him so soon. That's how Gideon ended up pacing up and down the front stairs.

He knew that Hamilton wouldn't admit it, at least not immediately. But Gideon knew that if Hamilton didn't feel anything in that way then he would have noticed and not done it in the first place.

Gideon noticed Hamilton first. The English man was walking with a bright smile on his face as he bid a good afternoon to two young women who giggled at the attention.

His smile quickly fell through as soon as they passed and then frowned when he saw Gideon. "Looks like you're happy to see me," Gideon said sarcastically, noticing Hamilton fiddling nervously with his sleeve.

"That's not true. I just thought that those two tossers would have arrived by now." Hamilton said as his brows furrowed with worry.

"Don't fret, darling. They're upstairs. Very entertaining to be around, the girl was shoving a book into Edward's face and almost strangled him when he threw her book down the stairs." Gideon explained with a laugh.

Hamilton smiled fondly at that. "Seems like them, alright. What are you doing here so early?" He asked. He shoved his hands into his pockets to hide his trembling hands as he stepped closer towards Gideon.

"Ms Williams went into labour. I have some time off as he's going to spend time as a family." Gideon stated. Hamilton bit his lip in thought, Gideon finding the action very attractive.

"You can come with us to Avonlea. Mother and father still have some time before returning so I'll have to stay there, and I don't want you to be alone for so long." Hamilton suggested.

Gideon raised his eyebrows. "Join you? Do you think that it's a good idea? After all, that happened." Hamilton looked around to make sure that nobody was listening in. He leaned closer to Gideon and dropped his voice to a whisper. "I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong idea... But I'm not like... that. Maybe it's better to forget about it."

Gideon scoffed. "Forget about it? You fainted after I kissed you, literally." Gideon said causing Hamilton to hush at him. "Quiet down! I don't want anyone to find out." Hamilton said. "Maybe we should finish the conversation inside."

"Inside? Where both your siblings are? Good idea, Hammy." Gideon said. Hamilton grimaced. "I hate it when you call me that."

Gideon grabbed Hamilton by the arm and forced him to look into his eyes. "Loving what you cannot explain is not a sin," Gideon warned to which Hamilton shook his head.

"Well, that's not what the church says, does it? And I don't love you. I don't know you well enough." Hamilton explained, feeling himself heat up.

"It was a figure of speech, Hamilton. Besides, who cares what the church says? Didn't King Harold the sixth create the church of England because he didn't like the rules?" Gideon said.

Hamilton's face scrunched up in disgust. "It's king Henry the eighth, get your facts right." Hamilton corrected, prompting Gideon to laugh heartily. "Excuse me if I offended you. I heard that you bought stuff for the harvest, you gonna do the dirty work yourself?" Gideon asked.

"Not exactly. I'm just going to try and help the help." Hamilton said. "Great. Can't wait to see you all sweaty while you're working." Gideon said with a smirk. Hamilton blushed redder for a second before realising something. "Wait, see me? Does that mean?"

Gideon nodded. "I'm coming with you. That gives me a month or so to try and help you figure out what's happening to you."

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Hello, who is this?

Me?

Me being who?

Your conscience telling you to do something productive for once you fucking procrastinator

Sorry, wrong number.

I'm sorry that I took so long again (shocker, I know). I also have a french exam in 2 weeks and I have barely started studying for it (whoops).

In my defence, I was distracted by my current obsession (5SOS) but tbf, Luke Hemmings is a freaking God and I- rganjdkauwdgwjjahe.

Anyways, hope you guys liked the chapter!!

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    people are reading<■ Helpless ■ Gilbert Blythe ■>
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