Of Sunny Days, Maple Leaves, Snowflakes and Cherry Blossoms

Part Five: Re:Summer

A.N. Last part, yay. Just like what I've said in the beginning. Please don't hate me... Drop me a comment of your thoughts, if need be, yes? I like hearing from people :)

Arigatou for reading Of Sunny Days... *\(^o^)/*

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It's summer again and Ash awakens to Gary dressing up formally for a certain occasion. He looks at the calendar just beside the mirror, and frowns significantly at the date that meets chocolate eyes. "That day again, huh?" He voices out loud, but Gary ignores him to find a pair of socks somewhere in the back of their shared closet. When Gary emerges once again, the ravenette tackles him into a bone-crushing hug. "It's okay, Gary. I'm here for you. I always am."

It's days like this when whatever Ash said didn't matter because the emerald-eyed boy has resolved to blocking out everyone and anyone. Tears stream down a pale face before they're wiped away immediately, and Ash wishes from the bottom of his heart for Arceus to give him the power to be able to do something, but he just can't. The Pikachu Trainer instead follows his lover to "that place", noticing the glance a pair of emerald orbs made towards a commerative family photo as they exited their house.

Gary uses his trusty garden scissors to snap a dozen of particular flowers from their garden and arranges them into a bouquet. The tears won't stop falling. They never did, ever since the incident happened. Misty, Brock, May, Drew, Cilan, Iris, Barry and Dawn are already waiting across the street, ready to accompany the couple to their destination via on flying Pokémon. Ash knows having company on sad days like this is helpful, because then Gary wouldn't feel so miserable. Altogether they fly to Pallet Town, with Ash's mother and Daisy waiting in the vicinity of where they land.

There is a forest filled with oak trees in Pallet, and within these woods a secluded portion of land lays, enclosed within long patches of grass and daffodils. Here he lies, asleep Gary likes to think, but he knows reality wouldn't permit it. He's gone already. Gone like the summer sun when autumn comes around. Gone like the maple leaves when winter makes itself known. Gone like the snow when spring decides to stay. Gone like the scent of freshly-bloomed flowers when summer seizes the day.

On this day, Gary, his friends and his remaining family gather to commemorate the two year anniversary of a very loved and important person to them all. Tears are once again shed for the passing of a loved one; the most coming from Gary and of course, Ash's mother. Kind words for Him are reiterated once more, and Ash knows that though time heals all wounds, the memory of a loved one will never leave you alone. If only memories were enough to humanize those who are already gone. Ash gives hugs to all his friends, his beloved mother and his one and only true love in hopes of cheering them up as well. He never really did like sad days. He hates crying in front of people, no matter how ignorant they are.

The group disperses and waits out back to leave Gary all alone with the tombstone, but Ash sticks around just in case Gary loses himself again. He absolutely detests seeing Gary so broken. This is why every year, he promises to love him more and more and more, as though his love alone could fill the dark void gaping in the Pokémon Researcher's heart. Ash walks towards the sobbing brunette and instinctively embraces him for a long period of time. "I love you." He whispers, shaking as he holds his beloved in his arms.

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I love you in the summer, when the sun shines brightly and beautifully.

I love you in the fall, when the maple leaves drift down towards the dirt ground.

I love you in the winter, when it's cold and snowing slowly.

I love you in the spring, when different kinds of pretty flowers bloom all around.

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I love you.

Spring, summer, winter, fall. No matter the season... I'll love you through it all.

I love you Gary. Always... always and forevermore.

...So don't cry anymore, because I am here.

I am here.

I. AM. HERE.

I loved you last year, this year, and the year after that. I'll love you all year, every year, no matter what.

...So don't cry anymore, because I love you as such.

Don't cry anymore, because I love you so much.

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I love you.
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I love you.
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I love you.
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Let him go...

I'm still here.

I'll always be here...

...always be here... always...

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Gary remains silent and gently breaks away from the hug to retrieve the bouquet he left at his feet. He trudges depressingly towards the tombstone and places the bouquet to its left, among with the many, many flowers Ash's friends, Daisy and Ash's mother brought along with them. "I l-love you t-too, Ash," he sobs back to his love, before kissing the tombstone and walking away with a heavy heart to leave. "I love y-you too... I l-love you a-always. And I'll...

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...I'll n-never let go."

Once Ash is alone with tombstone, he too sheds tears for the name that is written upon it. He takes a hold of Gary's bouquet and kisses every single flower, twelve in total. Ash doesn't want to be left behind by his friends, and so he takes one last glance at the grave before laying the flowers back into the position where Gary left them. One osiria bloom falls out of the bouquet; red backs encasing white petals naturally shaped into a heart.

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"I promise to love you all year, every year, even when I'm gone."