Cherry Blossoms

                                    

                                          
Quinn and Zephyr finished up with Primo and decided to go for a walk in the woods. It had been a couple of weeks since they’d had a proper catch up and a recharge, so the time spent together would be welcome.
Zephyr had asked for Quinn’s help with Primo because his health was gradually deteriorating and his joints had been giving him problems. He had been making himself some herbal remedies, which had helped a lot, but he needed something extra now.
Quinn’s quintessence magic was different from Zephyr’s. They’d discovered that if they both worked together to heal someone, it was much more effective with the two types of magic which complimented each other. By the time they were finished, Primo was feeling much more comfortable and had gone for a nap to sleep off the effects of the healing magic before his party.
“Maybe we should try to do a session once a week and see how that goes?” Zephyr said.
Quinn nodded.
“He might not need it that often, but we can figure it out.”
They headed to the edge of the woods to the place they’d visited every year for the past ten years. Rosie, Zephyr’s deceased mate, had shared her birthday with Primo. Every year they went there and planted a cherry blossom tree for her.
They stopped when they got to the edge of the gardens where Primo had left the sapling and the tools needed for planting.
Zephyr sighed when he saw the trees that varied in size. The leaves were teased gently by the slight breeze, and the more mature ones displayed their delicate pink flowers.
“She just loved cherry blossoms,” he said sadly. “I miss her so much, even though it’s been over ten years now. Every time I see these trees, it just makes me think of how long it’s been. I don’t think I will ever not feel like this on her birthday.”
Quinn pulled the older ghoul into a hug. He didn’t send him any quintessence though as he knew Zephyr wanted to experience the pain he felt at her loss when he came to visit her cherry blossoms. Zephyr hugged him back and they stood there like that for a while. Quinn could smell the tears that he shed and all he could do was be there for his friend.
He picked up the spade to dig the hole to plant the new tree.
“Is over here a good spot?” he asked.
Zephyr nodded.
“Perfect. When was Ashtoreth’s birthday?”
Quinn stopped what he was doing and frowned. The question was unexpected and so was the sharp stab of pain that went straight through his heart. He wracked his brains, but he couldn’t think.
“I can’t remember,” he whispered. There was only fog when he tried to recall when they had celebrated it. “It wasn’t near the solstice. Or Yule?” he said, more for his own benefit than Zephyr’s. He looked up and met Zephyr’s kind eyes. “Why can’t I remember? When did I stop remembering?”
He felt horrified. He knew he didn’t think about them as much as he had done in years gone by, but he did still think of them often. When did he stop saying a prayer for her on her birthday? For all of them? He couldn’t remember when the twins’ birthday was, either. He felt himself panicking because he realised he was forgetting certain things about them.
How could he do that? What kind of mate and sire was he that he couldn’t remember their birthdays anymore?
Zephyr could see him crumbling, and he hugged Quinn again.
“Quinn, just breathe. Be calm.” He felt Zephyr’s magic and he clung to it, letting it pierce through the haze in his mind. Zephyr chuckled. “What a pair we are. Members of the same club, the club that nobody wants to be in. I can feel you beating yourself up over this, but it was a long time ago. Memories fade.”