Short Ficlet - Anne of Green Gables

[stoney321]

Is there such a thing as schmoopy angst? Hmm. inlovewithnight? I reread some of those Anne fics you recced a while back, and got caught with an idea. Since all of the other AoGG fics were for you, this one is too. And the only other person on my flist that can see an Anne/Diana story, floweringjudas.

Hmm. General audiences, and for those not familiar with Anne of Green Gables, shame on you. :-D Set in Canada about the turn of the 20th century.



Anne was home from Queen's College for the winter, and the only person that mattered at this instance was the bundle of furs flying over the snow to the kitchen door. Anne dropped her sewing and burst through the back door, barely caught in time by the welcoming embrace of her bosom friend, Diana Barry. The girls lost their balance and tumbled into the snow, laughing, and hugged each other tight.

"Anne Shirley, you've been home for two hours and you haven't come to see me!"

"Oh, Diana, Marilla thought I'd catch my death from traveling and from being out in the cold, so forgive me, only wild horses and the wooden spoon of Marilla Cuthbert could ever have kept me from you."

Anne laughed and kissed Diana's nose, red from the cold, and finally felt like she had come home. Diana wrapped her arms around her dearest friend and gave her a squeeze.

"Diana, you'll be soaked to the bone! Come on inside. Marilla is with Rachel Lynde, so we can have a nice long chat all to ourselves."

Hand in hand the girls trudged back up through the snow and into the warmth of the kitchen, where Anne helped unravel Diana from her snow-covered wrappings. With hot drinks in hand, they curled up together on the large chair next to the fire, Matthew's chair, while Diana listened with wide eyes to Anne's stories of school.

"Oh, Anne, you sound so busy. School work, parties, new friends..."

Anne threw her arms around her friend, held her tight, and gave her a kiss on her cheek, and fervently whispered in her ear, "Never! No one could ever take your place, Diana Barry. I love you more than anyone in the entire world, even more than I loved Matthew-"

Anne flushed and stopped speaking, then rested her head on her friend's shoulder. She laced their fingers together and admired how they looked. "Now I want to hear all of the town gossip. Tell me everything you're thinking right this very minute."

"I'm thinking how wonderful Christmas will be now that Anne Shirley is home."

*~*~*~*

Mrs. Barry let the girls stay in the guest room at the end of the hall, if only to spare the house from their late night giggling. Diana climbed off the large bed to change into her nightdress. Anne realized she was staring and chirped into conversation about Josie Pye's latest exploits. Diana, now dressed, crossed back to the bed and handed Anne her gown.

"Well, you can't expect more from a Pye. Oh, hurry, Anne. I'm cold and need you to keep me warm."

Diana burrowed into the feather bed, her back to the wall and waited. Anne turned her back and quickly pulled her dress off and rolled down her stockings. She suddenly felt self conscious at her lack of womanly curves. Diana had filled out, was plump and soft and hugable, and Anne was aware of all of her sharp angles.

"Oh, Anne. I wish I wasn't so fat. I'm absolutely turning into a cow, but I can't help it! Why can't I be willowy and graceful like you?"

With a squeak, Anne pulled the gown quickly over her head and dove into the blankets, hiding her face in a pillow. "I'm not willowy or graceful, and I'm all elbows and blotchy skin, and you are the most beautiful girl in the world and how could you tease me, Diana?

"Anne- . Anne, I can't speak to you with that pillow over your face. I'm dumpy, and mother had to let out the seams on three of my best dresses and I even have pudge on my elbows. See?"

Diana held the offending joint out for Anne's inspection. Anne pulled pillow off her face, blew a stray lock of hair off her nose, and looked at the allegedly plump elbow.

"You are a silly creature, and I love you for it." Anne kissed Diana's elbow, then flopped back on the pillows with a sigh. "I'll forever look like a young girl, awkward limbs and spotty faced."

Diana laughed and hugged her friend, snuggling them both into the bed. Diana had shared a bed with her sister for years, and thought nothing of close contact. Anne, who had been orphaned, abandoned, and abused, and had wandered through most of her life alone until Diana had become her friend, was keenly aware of the excitement of being held. Diana was soft and warm, and immediately relaxed. Anne's hand crept up and held on to Diana's wrists, criss-crossed at Anne's chest. Diana lifted her head briefly to plant a kiss on Anne's cheek.

"I'm so glad you're home. I can't tell you how much I've missed you. I've missed my Anne."

Anne's heart thudded painfully in her chest at the words "my Anne" and whispered, "Always. I'll always be your Anne."

A short while later, Diana lay on her back, deep asleep, and Anne lay propped up on one elbow. She carefully reached over and brushed a stray lock of hair off of Diana's forehead, and wrapped one of the dark, glossy curls around her finger. Anne lay back down, buried her nose in Diana's hair, twined their fingers together, and fell asleep.

Comments

[serenelystrange.livejournal.com]

The only thing I know about AoGG was learned from the short lived PBS animated series, lol. Regardless, I thought it was a sweet story, :)

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

They had an animated series? I didn't know that! I only know of the CBC/PBS version with the wonderful Megan Follows!

(and thanks)

[serenelystrange.livejournal.com]

Yes they did, it was called Anne of Green Gables, lol, I'm pretty sure, and it was on PBS and GBH channel 2 around here. It was actually pretty cute, :)

[cherusha.livejournal.com]

Hooray! I love Anne and Diana's relationship. Reminds me of myself and one of my earliest childhood friends (who, incidentally, was from PEI). I imagine I was the Diana to her Anne.

And I even choked up a little with the Matthew mention. Still remember crying over his death the first time I saw the television series.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean. My friend Chrissy is like that, too, but I think she's Diana. I'm pretty hyper and long-winded, but not all angles, so...

matthew! Oh, I still cry at that. Because I am obviously a boob.

(How were you the Diana? I want details!)

[cherusha.livejournal.com]

Oh she was the more adventurous one. The one with her head in the clouds, the lit geek (even so young). I was more the follower at that time.

(Matthew was the best ever!)

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Gotcha. *dies hair red*

[cherusha.livejournal.com]

No! Your beautiful hair! Don't kill your beautiful hair. :P

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

*points to freckled nose instead* Okay. And can I avoid the mouse in the pudding bit, too?

*pushes your glasses up on your nose a bit and smiles*

[inlovewithnight.livejournal.com]

Awww! ::snuggles story close:: That's just lovely. The voices and tone are perfectly LMM. And yes, Anne very much needs cuddles.

:) So sweet!

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

She does! She needs cuddles and love, and I think a part of her would love Diana a bit more, but I don't know how to WRITE that and-

Man. I am a DORK today.

[nikitangel.livejournal.com]

Oh, that was so sweet! A nice peek behind what we got to see in the books.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much!

[blueswan9.livejournal.com]

Lovely ficlet, Stoney. Very sweet and winsome.

You've made me want to dig out my LMM books.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

*cough* guess what I'm re-reading? *cough*

I love Anne... I love Emily and Ilse best of all, but oh, ANNE! *hugs you*

[janedavitt.livejournal.com]

That was sweet; I'm a huge fan of the books and somehow this really worked for me.

The best adaptation IMO was the BBC one with Kim Braden though; she really nailed it...

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Jane. And if I remember correctly, we friended each other over Anne? :-D And I've not heard of that adaption! *rushes to Netflix*

[janedavitt.livejournal.com]

We did! It was a long time ago; I was only little ; might be as much as 25 years ago... Okay, let me check

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187699/

1972!

It's not a movie though; it was a six parter on every Sunday night iirc.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Oh, what a shame! It looks like there are no copies available to the public, and the imdb boards have people raving about how excellent it was.

I love the Sullivan productions, but I think the reason I love the Emily of New Moon books the best is due to the darker nature. Not so saccharine.

It seems the version on the BBC had Marilla a bit more austere, which would fit the books moreso, and then, make her finally coming to terms with loving Anne much more sweet.

[janedavitt.livejournal.com]

I wish they'd bring it out on DVD but the more recent versions are so popular they probably won't...

And, yes, Marilla was quite grumpy, just like the books, until she mellowed.

[sambony.livejournal.com]

This was just lovely. I tried a while back to find some good Anne of Green Gables fic but was unsuccessful. Do you have any recs?

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you! You know, I couldn't find any stories, so I wrote some. But I'm always on the look out. I know inlovewithnight knows some good ones. I'll come back with links when I get them!

Not to toot my own horn, but I have a few others in my memories.

And thanks again!

[sambony.livejournal.com]

ooh, I will definitely check the stories in your memories! Thanks!

[lettered.livejournal.com]

This was lovely, too. I like how it can be read as sweet, intense friendship, but also a relationship with possibly a little more, different kind of tension in it, too. And I can see that, because of how you put it here: Anne, who had been orphaned, abandoned, and abused, and had wandered through most of her life alone until Diana had become her friend, . . . Anne is such a bright spirit that it's really easy to forget how awful her life was before, and while she's obviously hungry for love, the books and movie don't really go into the physical aspect of that much. I can just see her now, the thrill of being touched.

Also loved this: and you are the most beautiful girl in the world and how could you tease me, Diana? Anne was always convinced when anyone said anything good about her appearance (except about her nose) they were secretly making fun of her. I think I never really realized how insecure and hungry for approval she was (probably because I still tend to think about it and the characters the way I did when I was first introduced to them. Nice to see from a more mature perspective).

Really beautiful job.

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

There was also a huge improvement in my writing ability from the earlier ones, IMO. I'm so glad that you, as a fan, appreciate this. It makes your feedback all the better, thank you.

For me, I could never let go the awfulness of her earlier years. The pain of losing Matthew, as well. When C(K)atherine was so angry with her and Anne had to let her in on the ugliness before the sunshine... Well, I could identify with both of them - the need for someone to have a scratch or marr to really accept them?

And lovely Diana with her ready-made love for a girl who would let her be a little silly. Anne outgrew Diana early into their relationship, but I loved her for her loyalty, you know?

You have absolutely made my day today, I have to tell you.

[lettered.livejournal.com]

When C(K)atherine was so angry with her and Anne had to let her in on the ugliness before the sunshine...

It's interesting, because I think there's no way I'd enjoy the story as much if Anne was always happy and loved from the very beginning, but I find it easy to forget once I'm wrapped up in the story. What's interesting is that she turned out so absolutely fabulous--despite having a warm and loving home in later years--when the first part of her life was so awful.

I loved her for her loyalty, you know?

Yes, exactly. It's more important, imo, to have a friend who can engage your heart than your mind.

You have absolutely made my day today, I have to tell you.

You have mine too though. It's so wonderful to finally get some great Anne fic, and to reimerse myself in my love for it. It always makes me feel . . . well, strangely fresh, like I have a tomorrow with no mistakes in it . . . yet.

[cordelianne.livejournal.com]

You totally nailed the Anne/Diana friendship perfectly with just that hint of something more. Because of their intense romantic friendship - which I LOVE - it's not a huge leap, in modern times, to imagine their friendship being more than platonic. I think your fic has that perfect balance.

In a zine I did years ago, I had a section of "Lesbian subtext quotes taken wildly out of context" - there really are a lot!!

This final moment is just GAH:

She carefully reached over and brushed a stray lock of hair off of Diana's forehead, and wrapped one of the dark, glossy curls around her finger. Anne lay back down, buried her nose in Diana's hair, twined their fingers together, and fell asleep.

I've friended you because of the Anne love and because I've enjoyed your more recent posts too! And this is the last of me spamming your old entries. :)

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Hi! What a nice thing to wake up to: all of your lovely replies! I'm glad you liked these little things - I really should go back and tweak them a bit - I was still learning how I write (still am, actually) and re-read this one, in particular, and want to ... I don't know. Tighten it up?

The Anne/Diana relationship is such an important one to me - those were the first books that were mine and mine alone in my girlhood. ANd for the lesbian subtext in books... Heh. I was going for that pretty heavily here, and have another flister in school at Oxford who has written several things for school on just how much there is IN context! :D

And welcome aboard! I have a "no worries" policy about friending - it's YOUR reading list, so if I'm no longer your cup of tea, feel free to knock me off, no harm no foul. Thanks again for all the nice things you said about my Anne fics. *beams*

Oh My Anne...

[drvsilla.livejournal.com]

Well of course I had to go see that as you know of her if you'd written of dear Anne.

This series (books) I remember so well- cherish them- and later the miniseries was one of the first things I was able to watch unfettered with full parental approval. Heh.

I love the exhuberance and the flowy-flowery language you use here: the full names, the affectionate banter, the wonderfully exaggerated examples Anne colored so well.

Also, the relationship between her and Diana always made me flushed and pink-cheeked when I thought of it, even as a girl reading the books. There was part of me that always-- not wondered-- but simply assumed, about the two of them, and felt it was perfectly, wonderfully right. I got that same sense from your little bit, here. Their complaints and physical differences- what they don't see in themselves- hee, yes, that indeed.

Ah, lovely. Now I'm all awash with details and moments from the books, and grinning for it. :D

Anne lay back down, buried her nose in Diana's hair, twined their fingers together, and fell asleep.

=]

Re: Oh My Anne...

[stoney321.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I definitely intended that implication in this little piece. I don't know that LM Montgoomery intended that, but as a modern girl reading them, I put my own little inferences on the story as I read.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and leave feedback! I really appreciate that.