Of Sunny Days, Maple Leaves, Snowflakes and Cherry Blossoms

Part Two: Autumn

A.N. Second part!!! XD I might just post the next part tomorrow haha. Yayyy~

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Ash loves Gary during autumn.

He loves the way Gary poses to survey the pink heavens, with Pidgeots and Fearows starting to migrate, old and young alike as they flap their chestnut-feathered wings to freedom.

He loves the way red leaves fall down to the ground, and how they dance along in the wind with Gary in the middle of it all. When the Oak teen is at work, he would reach out to catch one of them, hold it next to his face and commit to memory the pattern of its veins and the hinted yellow tints along its edges for research. At naptimes when the Pokémon Researcher rests his head on Ash's lap, the younger boy occasionally finds leaves in Gary's hair. He combs at chocolate spikes with a hand and smiles at Gary's peaceful face before leaning down to give him a kiss. The leaves smell like the emerald-eyed boy's vanilla shampoo.

Ash also loves the way Gary's muscles tense up when he rakes away the many maple leaves falling at the backyard of their house in one big pile. "Deciduous trees are troublesome," Gary complains, and he sends a negligent biting look at Ash who is standing next to the sliding door, laughing at his lover's predicament. When Gary's not looking, Ash would jump into the pile, hiding behind the maple tree to avoid the emerald-eyed boy's wrath. Gary never catches him, fortunately. He just rakes the outlying leaves back once more, the hazel-eyed boy snickering like mad at the mumbled words of annoyance.

In the morning, Gary would curl up like a Sandshrew everytime he wakes up freezing. Ash forgets the guy has a soft side, so he climbs back into bed to hug the brunette close to him. He whispers an "I love you", falling asleep to the sound of Gary's soft snores. Gary still shivers nonetheless. Ash couldn't confidently say it was all because of the brunette's sensitive skin.

During the maple-leaved season, the two would take walks at Route 6 between Driftveil City and Mistralton Cave in Unova, or at the routes to and from Laverre City in Kalos. The trees in those particular places are plentiful, and Ash especially enjoys walking with Gary through the leaves, kicking them and listening to the distinctive crunching sound made beneath his lover's shoes.

Sometimes the two would hang around for long periods to watch the lovely sunset, which deeply coincides with the red and yellow hues of tree foliage. "It's so beautiful," Ash remarks, everytime. The hazel-eyed boy has learned to appreciate life's beauty, for he knows one day he'd most certainly not be around to see it. Eventually they leave with fruitful memories of the day; the Pikachu Trainer asleep on Gary as they fly back home.

The last harvest of the year before spring comes again is always memorable during the fall. Patches of pumpkins and corn line up, ready to be uprooted and sold to retailers. Sometimes Ash and Gary help out farmers, especially Whitney's family who owns a farm. The Miltank feast on the remaining green grass, while bundles of hay are stored proportionately for the winter. They dislike Ash somehow. It's Gary who manages to tame them all with his natural charisma with Pokémon. "Lucky bastard," the ravenette mutters, but he smiles nonetheless at the aforementioned bastard, the only one he could love. Bastard though he is, Ash still loves Gary anyway. Forever and always.

Social gatherings and festivals are a must during autumn, so Gary always invites Ash to the annual float and lantern festival, celeberated at their beloved hometown of Pallet. The normally quiet city becomes jubilant and carnivalesque as their local inhabitants rejoice in the merry occasion. Ash always admires Gary's figure as the older boy walks through the busy streets in traditional festive clothes. They eat toffee apples, try goldfish catching, shoot bottle targets and memorialize the many Pokémon-like floats passing through the city and the luminous lanterns drifting off to the midnight sky. Sometimes Ash catches fleeting glimpses of girls giggling at none other than Gary Oak. He sends them ruthless glares, but it doesn't stop them from ogling the famous Pokémon Researcher. "He's MINE," he roars possessively, and as though on cue, Gary turns away from xray eyes. 'He's mine. He's still mine. He'll always be mine.'

Accompanying fall are the fireworks atop Lumiose City, which the Ketchum teen and his boyfriend has seen every single year for the last seven years. Ash remembers fireworks when they first got together, and so every anniversary, they made it customary to watch the sky light up with several colours of the rainbow. Multicoloured highlights of green, blue, yellow and red paint the sky like glistening glitter. Everytime Ash looks into Gary's emerald eyes he could see hints of flashing colour reflected deeply in them. "I love you Ash." Gary whispers as Ash hugs him from behind. "I love you too, Gary... always." The younger always replies.

Autumn. The season of the everchanging pigments of leaves, from red, to orange, to yellow and brown as they gravitate slowly towards the ground. A visualization of warm colors bursting dramatically as one takes their first step outside their door. Autumn, the season for slowing down, with migrating birds, chilly mornings and annual celebrations.

Oh yes. Ash loves Gary during autumn.

He loves him so, and he'll love him always, for as long as he is around.