Gil, coming out of his room, knows nothing of any of this. All he knows is that he's just been met with a vision he thought only existed in his dreams.
"Anne," he says, and his tone is warm and pleased, for the moment, "you're--
"No," she says, looking down at herself with a wry smile.
"It was from Bar, I suppose. I went downstairs dressed as normal, and it changed into this as soon as I set foot inside. People said it was for All Hallow's Eve."
Her smile, when she looks back up at him, is brilliant.
"And thank you, Gil. It was nice of Bar to dress me up as the Lily Maid, wasn't it?"
"Oh, you must! You'll like her, I'm sure. And I'd tell you who to look for, but I'm not entirely sure what it is she looks like. She said that she was blonde and wore a tutu, though, so I suppose that might be enough."
"Anne," he says, and his tone is warm and pleased, for the moment, "you're--
stunning
gorgeous
beautiful
perfect
"--glittering."
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"Lilly is glittering people downstairs. I happened to catch some of it."
Not from Lilly, exactly. But still.
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And then in occurs to him that this is not the way she usually dresses. "Is Lilly handing out clothes as well?"
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"It was from Bar, I suppose. I went downstairs dressed as normal, and it changed into this as soon as I set foot inside. People said it was for All Hallow's Eve."
Her smile, when she looks back up at him, is brilliant.
"And thank you, Gil. It was nice of Bar to dress me up as the Lily Maid, wasn't it?"
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Gilbert is not at all certain he likes the idea that Anne has been dressed like this in front of the entire bar.
"You've always made an enchanting Lily Maid. And I'm glad to not have to rescue you from a bridge this time."
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"So am I," she says, laughing, and holds up an edge of her skirt. "I'd hate to see this get all wet."
And then, remembering their last conversation, she makes an extra effort to keep her voice warm and her smile sincere.
"So be sure to avoid Lilly if you go downstairs." She hesitates, biting her lip for a moment, before looking up at him with earnest gray eyes.
"Gil--I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lost my temper at you, before. It was very wrong of me."
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"Anne, I should be the one apologizing. I'm sorry. I should know you can take care of yourself."
But he really can't help it if he worries. Especially since he's not entirely sure she can. Anne has had rather a lot of close scrapes.
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"And...it's nice to know I have you to look out for me, Gil, when I'm thoughtless. But I am sorry for making you worry."
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"I'm beginning to wonder whether the door will ever open for us again. I've stopped checking it, because it hurts too much when it doesn't open."
She sighs, a little, and then brightens, that smile springing back to her lips and eyes.
"Never mind that. We're doing pretty well for ourselves anyway, aren't we?"
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"I suppose we are," he says, cheerfully. "We've certainly met some interesting people."
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Glitter sparkles on her cheeks, and then she comes back to herself.
"I met Meg tonight, as a matter of fact. She's very nice."
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He's also fighting an urge to brush at the glitter on her cheek.
"Did you? I should very much like to meet her sometime."
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Anne laughs, delightedly.
"Oh, you must! You'll like her, I'm sure. And I'd tell you who to look for, but I'm not entirely sure what it is she looks like. She said that she was blonde and wore a tutu, though, so I suppose that might be enough."
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"You're not sure what she looks like? How is that possible? If you just met?"
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