Chapter 14

Leon stood there and watched as Violet's hand slid from Gilbert's cheek only to be caught by his hand and then brought to his lips and blush rising to her cheeks. He couldn't watch anymore, he felt too crushed to really even stand, so he found a bench in the hallway as sat there with his head in his hands.

Gilbert's heart was breaking and melting all at the same time as he pressed her hand to his lips. "The doctors are scything that at best I have three years left... I guess it was just one more reason to let you believe I was dead..." He had smiles before shuttering from the emotional pain. "Did figure out what it means yet Violet?"

Violet bites the inside of her bottom lip and looks down before answering as she tried to think of everything she had learned about love in the last three and half years. "There are a lot of different kinds of love..." Her heart begins to ache as Leon passes through her mind for a brief moment. "When I think about how you said it, and everything you did before and after you said it— I think I understand what you meant back then."

Gilbert swallows before speaking. "I still mean it Violet."

Violet's eyes meet his again and she reaches up to the beautiful brooch he got for her all of those years ago as her heart burns. "I love you too."

He pressed his lips to hers and pulled her closer to him. It surprised her for half a second before she melted into his embrace. For just a moment she forgot that the rest of the world existed. All of the heartache he had been carrying around for the last three and half years lifted when their lips met and so did hers.

When they parted they were holding each other, still forgetting that the rest of the world existed and he spoke with absolute conviction. "Marry me?" He whispers.

Violet half heartedly pushed on his chest. "I just discovered you're not dead..."

Gilbert smiled, a serious yet tender expression as he spoke. "I told you, I don't have that much time left... I don't want to waste anymore of it being separated from you. If that's also what you want..."

"Gilbert..." she leaned in close. "I need to take care of something before I can say yes to your proposal."

He smiles, "Okay, I'll wait. There is a restaurant down the street, with the red and yellow roses out front, I'll wait there."

He left out one side and she exited the other and immediately recognized Leon sitting on the bench, his arms stretched out and head leaning back with his eyes closed as he takes slow controlled breathes.

"Leon—" she carefully approaches.

His eyes open, but he doesn't smile. He looks like that peevish young man she met at the observatory. "Violet. I'm starving. I'm going to go to that café we talked about. Are you still joining me?"

She tries to smile, but cannot seem to get her face to cooperate and it just rests in her usual state. "Yes. Let's go."

They walk in awkward silence to the café, neither one of them speaks until their order has been taken.

"Leon— about today—" she bites her lip again, trying to push away the ache in her heart as she tries to continue.

"Don't worry about it Violet. I already know who you found today. So— let's just have this one little meal together before we say our goodbye." He sounds mad, even Violet can hear the hurt.

Violet shifts in her chair as a gust of wind pushes it's way past them. "How does your arm feel?" She asks.

Leon huffs before answering. "Sore and weak."

Violet shifts her eyes around, noticing they haven't made eye contact since she found him in the hallway. "I thought... I thought I would never see him again..."

"And so you were trying to move on? Was I just the lucky guy who hired you just as you were feeling ready to move on Violet?" His eyes finally meet hers and what she sees is ugly; anger and bitterness.

She was starting to feel mad, so despite her calm demeanor and tone, she was having a hard time getting the words out. "It isn't like that... You and I— we were just starting to— and Gilbert and I— he's loved me for a long time..."

His eyes go wide for a moment as he realized what an absolute fool he is for not telling her sooner. He wanted to tell her now, but realized that would only look like some crazy, desperate, lie. "You love him?"

"Leon—" she nearly choked on her words.

"Just answer the question Violet." He rests his elbows on the table and clasps his hands in front of his mouth as he waits for her answer.

Suddenly the waiter appears. "Your coffee and sandwiches. Is there anything else I can get for—"

"No. Thank you." Leon curt tone nearly enraged the waiter as he left the table.

Watching him now Violet was starting to get angry. "You shouldn't have done that. It was incredibly rude."

"So is not answering a question." He retorts.

She maintains her composure, but she's mad. She would like to slap him, or cry. Maybe both. "You're leaving to go see the other side of the world for an undermined amount of time. When would we even see each other again?"

'Wasn't that exactly what we were going to talk about at this meal?' He thought bitterly before speaking again. "Answer the question Violet."

"Yes!" She yells. She takes a deep breath before continuing at a more appropriate level. "I love him. I've loved him for as long as I can remember, I just didn't know that's what I was feeling, but you did. You knew the night of Ally's comet, you even said so."

He sat back. She was right. He knew then that she was in love with her Major, and now he knows that he has absolutely no chance in hell of Violet Evergarden falling in love with Leon Stephanotis. Everything he thought he had moved past felt like it was being thrown back in his face, and he was less than impressed with himself for how he was treating her, yet, he couldn't stop. Love had made him a fool, and now another woman was leaving him for another man, just like his mother left him to find his father. On top of all that he had fallen for a doll, and it felt as is the rumor he had heard about them was true after all. His words are cold and mean. "Of course you do. I mean, who wouldn't love all of that Bougainvillea money."

She stood, her heart burning as it breaks and she holds back tears. "I don't have to sit here and be talked to this way. Good by Mr. Stephanotis."

As she start to walk away he reached for her arm. "Wait. I'm sorry."

When she sees him her heart continued to hurt, even with the knowledge that Gilbert is waiting for her, this is breaking her heart. Less than an hour ago she was thinking that she might be ready to move on from Gilbert all thanks to Leon. She hadn't been sure how he really felt about her, even after the near kiss last night, and he'd been acting so distant this morning, but she knew he felt strongly for her based off of his reactions now. She sat back down at the table slowly. "I don't want to part on bad terms with you Leon." She whispers as she reaches for her cup.

Leon watches as she brings the cup to her lips, and he envies the cup for a moment before deciding that this was all his fault for not telling her his feelings when he had the chance. "Neither would I Violet. Please forgive my angry words. I know you love him—" He swallows hard before continuing to speak through the lump in his throat. "You two love each other for the right reasons. The Violet Evergarden I've come to lo— know wouldn't have it any other way."

They ate and drank in silence and when she went to pay her half of the bill he put his hand out. "No. It's my farewell gift. Thank you for your work Miss Evergarden, and congratulations on finding your him. I hope—" He started to walk away and winced. "I hope that you have a long and happy life together." He continued to walk away

Violet stood there, tears running down her face as she watched the dark shadow she had turned Leon Stephanotis into hobble away. When he was out of site she rubbed the tears from her face, picked up her case, and started to walk to the restaurant that Gilbert was waiting for her.,

Leon walked and walked with his crutch rubbing a sore spot in his armpit until he made it back to the little house that the Appleton family was letting him stay at and as soon as he made it to the couch he let all the tears he'd been holding in go.