I wrote this a year ago and I almost forgot to post this in time for autumn but here you go, one of my favourite fanfiction I've ever written. The song is be AKMU and called Time And Fallen Leaves, hence the title, I suggest listening to it while reading
I'm walking barefoot through the memories
With the fallen leaves
I'm letting go of the people I haven't been able to forget
I'm walking barefoot through the memories
To the red-stained sky
I'm raising up the people I haven't been able to be with
It is with a sad smile, Flora lets her fingers brush over the canvas, feeling the edges of the dried paint. How long ago was it, that Helia had drawn this painting? She laughs; they still had been in school. Highschool sweethearts. One would suspect being together since they were teenagers their relationship would not last, but it had. It had been an accident, her stumbling over him as he painted and from that moment on, they had felt a connection, seeking each other out.
She takes the next painting, vividly remembering how Helia had drawn this precise painting, one of the ones just barely two years old. She cherishes all his paintings for what they are, memories about Helia she never wants to let go. They had spent so much time together, how could she forget? It hurts to think about it, without Helia by her side, she is only half of who she could be. Whenever she doubted herself, he was at her side, making sure she knew just how much she meant to him.
The room feels too empty without him here. Flora's shoulders sag, tension leaving her body. She still expects him to walk in any second, for him to caress her before he starts working on his next artwork. Her fingers clench around the frame she is holding. There would be no new paintings anymore. Before she can break the glass, she gently puts it back down, scuttling out of the atelier, making sure not to step on anything.
Time passes like water flows
I'm building a dam called memories
There are memories that I couldn't hold onto
It's the reason why I look beyond the horizon again today
"Hey gorgeous" Helia smiled up at her and Flora leaned over him to place a cup on his desk. "Hey handsome yourself" she teased, making him laugh. Helia finished his strokes, then put his brush away. "Your current project? It's commissioned, right?" Flora asked, letting her gaze wander over it. "You can always tell" he smiled at her, giving her a quick peck on the cheek.
"Do you remember the investor at one of Timmy and Tecna's last company anniversary?" Flora snorted. "Do I remember him? Sadly, I do. But it makes sense, the painting will fit him just nicely" She shook her head, he would never have been able to earn the money himself, inheriting the very large fortune instead of working for it. "At least he invested his money in the right art" Even if this painting is commissioned, it's no less than any of his others.
Helia hummed, reaching out for the cup of tea, taking a sip. "Ahh, new blend" he took another sip. "You can always tell" Flora repeated his earlier words. "Each and every single of your blends even if you only made them once" She rolled her eyes, taking a sip from her own cup, cuddling it to her chest, enjoying the warmth. She gave him a kiss, then straightened. "Finish your work then, I'll start dinner" she told him, leaving the room.
I'm walking barefoot through the memories
The colored leaves that embrace me
I'm giving my all as I softly lean on them
"You shouldn't have" Flora groaned while Helia smugly smiled. "I had to; you took care of me when I was sick" he simply stated causing Flora to groan again. "I'm your wife, of course I'm taking care of you when you are sick, 'in sickness and in health' remember?" Helia pulled her closer, hugging her and shushing her with a kiss. "And I'm your toting husband, I'm allowed to pamper you"
Flora rolled her eyes. "Fine, be that way" she huffed, laying her head on his chest, closing her eyes. "Thank you for doing this for me" she murmured, knowing Helia would hear her anyway. "I'll do anything for you" Helia whispered just as quietly. "May I see you blushing?" Flora pressed her face even further into him, trying to hide, then with a little whine, lifted her head, just a little to let him see her rosy cheeks.
"I still love it when you blush, it's adorable" he told her and she started pouting. "I love you" he caressed her cheek, making Flora smile. Her smile grew even wider and she took a step back. "Just you wait" she smirked. Helia's eyes widened realizing Flora was about to pay him back. His own head turned red as she strolled through the door.
I'm walking barefoot through the memories
With the fully ripe scent of autumn
I hold onto my hungry heart and fall fast asleep
"You don't sound well" Helia sniffed his agreement. "Don fee ood" Flora's face showed her pity. "Just stay in bed, I'll bring you some tea, so you will feel better" She leaned over him, pressing a hand against his head. "At least I don't think you have fever, but I'll keep an eye on you" Poor Helia, at least it happened after his commissions were finished, just in time yesterday. Or perhaps it was because he was finally finished, and his body told him to take a break.
She brought him the tea, helping him to sit up. "Ank u" Helia thanked her, inhaling the scent. When it was a bit cooler, he started sipping on the tea. "Are you hungry?" Flora asked. He shook his head "Not et" Flora brushed his hair out of his face. "How does soup sound to you?" Mentally, she went through the ingredients they already have and if they need anything else for her to prepare soup. "Ala Et Sou?" a hopeful look was on Helia's face. Flora nodded. "I think we have alphabet soup"
Helia put his cup on his nightstand, closing his eyes. "Do you need anything else?" Flora wanted to know before she let him rest. "Coission. Ackage. Ost" Helia groaned. Flora nodded. "I'll pack your commissions and bring them to the post office. Anything else?" He shook his head, leaning back down. "Sleep well, love." She stood. "Get well soon" she wished while leaning against the door, then left.
The flowers and trees of my heart are withering
The memories are buried too deep, I can't take them out
It is beautiful that they are asleep in that place
Just the way they are
"Look at the colours, Helia" Flora pointed at the trees. "Autumn is always such an inspiration" he agreed. "Just like you are" Flora turned around to him, when he took her hand, playing with her fingers. There was a serious note on his face and for a moment, Flora worried. "From the moment I first saw you, I felt inspired by your beauty. You constantly awed me, sparking something in me, making me want to stay by your side for eternity. You've inspired me like no one has before" he confessed,
Helia let go of her hand, fumbling for something that is hidden in his pocket and Flora's breath hitched, when Helia got down on one knee. He held out a simplistic ring with a pink stone and Flora's eyes started to water. "Helia…" she gasped, half in disbelief, half in building happiness. "Flora, will you make me the happiest man on earth and marry me?" he smiled up at her. He was sure he already knows the answer, yet he asked anyway. "Only if you will make me the happiest woman on earth"
He slid the ring on her fingers, for a moment, Flora had to gaze at the ring. "You can always tell" she whispered, awed by the ring, her ring. "It fit you" Helia simply replied, knowing it was true, pink was her favourite colour and she never liked gaudy stuff. Once he stood, Flora bolted into his arms, snuggling against his chest. "Thank you, even if you did not need to" Helia pressed his face into her hair. "I wanted to" Of course he did, Flora thought. "Want to go home and cuddle?"
It's sad, it's sad
"Helia, can I talk to you for a moment?" Flora practised saying out loud. Even to her own ears it sounded horribly stilted, too unsure of herself. "Sure, I have time" she heard from behind her and whirled around, squeaking when she realized just who was behind her. "Uhh" was all she managed to say. "So did you not want to speak to me?" Helia asked with a raised eyebrow. "I did" she admitted. Just tell him, she urged herself, trying to make her speak up.
"You constantly amaze me, sparking something in me. Whenever you show me your art, I feel privileged to know someone as talented as you. Your art is so lifelike." This at least, she could say, she's supposed to say more but speaking was not one of her talents. For a moment, Helia is speechless, then he cleared his throat. "Thank you" he seemed genuinely surprised by her compliment, searching her face. He knew she would not joke around for that but is this really what she wanted to tell him?
"I'm so bad at this" she groaned, pressing her hand to her face. "At what?" Curiosity is written across Helia's face. "I'm supposed to be confessing" her voice sounded adorable, exasperated at herself. Why couldn't she just tell him like her friends had done? "Confessing?" there is a hint of hope in his voice. "I'm in love with you" she finally managed to spit out. There, she said it. There is rarely ever something that shocked Helia, yet here he stood with his mouth gaping open.
Meanwhile, Flora is panicking because Helia is not reaction. "Oh, I knew it was a bad idea" she moaned. "Why did I tell him?" She's not even realizing, she was talking aloud. Once more she looked up at Helia, fear flashed across her face when he just stared at her. "Oh no, I ruined it" she cried out loud, taking a couple steps back to flee.
It's only belated, Helia realized he should act instead of gaping like a fish. "Wait" he called out to her. "I'm in love with you, too" he quickly called, not wanting Flora to get away. Flora halted her steps, anxiously looking at him. "You do?" she quietly asked, hope blossoming inside her. Was it true, did she dare hope? Helia took the few steps between them, catching up to her. "I'm sorry, I was just surprised that you would" he apologized.
"In what universe wouldn't I fall for a handsome, kind artist who makes my heart race every time, he asks to draw me" she confessed. How could he imagine otherwise, did he not know the effect he had on her? She was a blushy mess around him. "I always thought I'd annoyed you when I asked but couldn't stop asking you. You've inspired me like no one has before" He barely noticed he had reached out for her hand, but now that he felt her touch, he pulled her closer and she followed willingly, stepping into his embrace.
"I love you"
"As I love you"
I'm walking barefoot through the memories
In the yellow ginkgo tree
I call out to the old memories that are hiding
Waking up without him beside her still feels strange and Flora does not think she will ever get used to it. Moments like this is where she feels the emptiness Helia left behind, misses the warmth of his embrace, snuggling for a couple minutes in the morning until they have to get up. She lets go of a breath she does not realizes she's been holding, realizing how shaky she is and how cold she feels. There is no one she can turn to for warmth.
Her cheeks are wet, tears are trailing down. Flora's is not a loud crier. It's a quiet moment, just for herself, just until she can pull herself together again. She knows she has to get out, has to live her life but it doesn't erase the pain she feels. She can't stop living, Helia would not want this for her and it's only his wishes sometimes that lets her keep going, keep living, even if it is hard.
Everything that she does, reminds her of him, drinking tea makes her remember how Helia could tell all of her blends apart, their couch in the living room how they always cuddle together but it's not something she can just let go and forget. Getting up reminds her that her slippers were a present from Helia and today, when she gets up, she can't slip her feet into them, choosing to go barefoot.
Everywhere she goes in her own, shows her memories, and her chest is aching, her heart is breaking. At the same time, she's afraid, afraid of letting go, stepping out of her comfort zone. Her friends suggested selling her house if it hurt too much but she can't, it's her home. It was everything she and Helia build and could have wished for, working for it together. She can't just abandon it. It's not like stepping out of the house will magically make her pain disappear.
I'm walking barefoot through the memories
With the blowing wind
I hold tight to the eyes that are closed in my heart
Also I'll be trying to upload more if people are still reading my fanfiction here, so let me know, what you like to read as some of my things haven't really gained any traction here (and it's kind of demoralizing to be honest, so I was sticking a lot to the Winx Club Amino for posting)