Astonishing Autumn
Author's Note: This fic's premise operates on the presumption of Tommy's passing, which the English-language dub went out of its way to avoid, but was more ambiguous in the original. Enjoy the story and R&R.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of the Pokémon franchise.
Pairing: Established John x Tommy.
Summary:
Ghosts on the porch in autumn.
"You chilly?"
"It's nice of you to notice, but you don't have body heat anymore, remember?"
"No." Tommy dashed off and came back with a blanket. "But there's more than one way to stay warm!"
John sighed appreciatively while Tommy wrapped the blanket around him.
His neighbour rubbed his eyes because all he saw was a blanket flying out from inside the house and landing on John's shoulders. He shook his head. It must have been the poor light. The only light source other than those inside the house was provided by the Pokémon Trainer's Gourgeist as he sat alone on the rocky porch, and that was rather dim.
Well, she was technically Tommy's Gourgeist. But the neighbour didn't know that.
Ghost Pokémon? Sure, that was normal!
Free-range ghost children? Not a common sight!
Satisfied he was mistaken, he collected the last of the autumn leaves into his sack of leaves, stood up his rake, and returned to the sanctuary of his own abode to laze in front of the fireplace.
Young bones may be primed to resist the cold, but not this old bloke's!
John waited for Tommy to move. A necessity born of the circumstance.
Only Tommy could control when he was tangible or intangible. John couldn't initiate physical contact. If he tried – as he'd done after Tommy appeared to him by his hospital bed – he might lean in for a kiss and fall through Tommy, his face meeting the linoleum (or in this case, the porch).
So Tommy led. Although John didn't feel any heat, he still felt Tommy's touch so long as Tommy wasn't distracted. The fingers ghosting and occasionally ghosting though his cheeks when Tommy got caught up observing the love of his life and afterlife.
"Tommy…" John whispers.
Tommy kisses him briefly. Fragilely. "I love you, John. You're my Cutiefly."