Gale was sure of it: after dozens of failed relationships, he's finally found the one! He'd hum to himself as he prepared a gift. A gift for his beloved. It was exactly three years ago that he'd taken his partner as his Valentine for the very first time. Three years later, he was putting together the most wonderful gift: A large bouquet of red roses, a big teddy bear holding a heart that read "Be My Valentine?", a beautiful custom-made necklace with his and her initials carved into it, and chocolate galore! "Why, I'm sure she'll love it!" He exclaimed as he carfeully placed each item into a gift bag, topping the whole ideal off with a nicely-writted card and a single red rose poking out of the bag.
Gale was truly, deeply in love with his parter since the day they met- it was like love at first sight! When telling the story of their love, Gale would often ooze about how he thinks he'd been stuck by cupid's arrow. Many would argue that he wasn't meerely struck with one arrow. Most weren't so openly passionate about their love as Gale was. If you were to ask Gale why he felt so deepily in love, he'd begin a long rant, listing every single thing that he 'absolutely adored' about his partner!
Gale was practically beaming with joy and raw, child-like excitement as he bounced to his paws after stepping away from his perfect gift. It wouldn't be long before he and his partner were suppossed to meet at their favorite park! Every year they'd meet at this park and exchange gifts before going on a romantic stroll and getting dinner together. This year, Gale was especially excited because he had something up his sleeve- a surprise for his date! He'd hired a group of singers ahead of time to play him and his partners favorite songs as they walked about the park, and he was positive that his partner would adore his efforts.
With a skip in his step, he loaded the precious gift onto his back and used his wings to secure it. He sent a quick text to his partner: "I'm on my way to the park, see you soon! <3". Now he'd walk to the park, where his love awaited him. "Our fourth Valentine's Day together!" He would chirrup to himself as he walked, his tail swaying behing him giddily.
Gale would arrive at the park, and he'd wait at the agreed meeting spot for his lovely date. It had been 5 minutes after the time they agreed to meet, but Gale shook it off! She was probably a little late getting ready! 5 minutes turned to 10, and Gale began to worry. He began to fidgit with his paws and continuously glance around, his hopeful eyes scanning the park parameters for his partner. As he glanced over to the left, he caught sight of a firetruck flying down the street, its sirens wailing. An ambulance followed behind. He checked his phone, and had recieved no reply to his text. He decided to call. He waited, ring after ring, only for the call to time out.
He felt himself enter a cold sweat as he began to pace. "What if-" He stopped himself. "No, I won't assume anything." He'd take measures to calm himself before setting out in the direction of his partner's house. He followed the roads that she'd have walked to arrive at the park. As he advanced on the street, he spotted a commotion in the distance. He'd squint his eyes, but couldn't quite see what it was. He drew forward still, until he could finally make out.. an ambulance.
It was in this moment that Gale began to panic. "Oh my god- What if-!.." He gulped, biting his tongue as he trodded forward in a quickened pace. Finally, he was able to see the majority of the scene, and as he continued to move closer, he careful observed the situation. There were police cars, an ambulance, and a firetruck- probably the two he saw earlier. There was a car pulled off on the side of the road, and two distressed-looking Plate Dragons speaking with some officers. And then there were a group of EMT Plate Dragons, and they were gathered around something- or someone. He was able to venture to the edge of the scene, and he leaned forward as he focued himself on identifying the attention of the medical Plate Dragons.
Eventually, one of the workers stepped aside, and Gale was able to catch a glimpse of what, or who, was on the ground. In that very moment, it felt as though the world burnt down around him. His ears rang- the only thing he could hear was his rapid, unsteady heartbeat. It felt as though a knot formed in his throat, and he was hit with a horrible wave of nausea. His paws began to numb. The Plate Dragon that he saw- strewn along the ground, surrounded by the EMT- was his partner. His love. His entire life.
Gale could only manage to wail in his shaking, unsteady voice as he rushed forward, his gift tumbling off of his back and spilling over the pavement. He'd began sobbing before even realising, and those tears were responsible to blurring his vision, causing him to stumble into many surrounding Plate Dragons as he forced his way through the crowd and to his lover.
He would finally get to her, and he would crouch down, kissing her cheek dearly. "Please- please wake up-..!" He'd choke out. A few of his tears speckled her cheek. Her eyes were closed, and she did not stir. He shook her. "Please..! Please!" He'd beg, burying his face into her fluff. He choked and sniffled as he blinked the tears out of his eyes. He'd spotted something lying beside her- it may have fallen out of her bag. A little red satchel. He'd swipe it over to himself in the midst of his heavy breathing, shortly before being pulled away from his lover. One of the EMT workers placed a blanket over his partner, and he felt his heart wrench. No- she couldn't be gone- she couldn't!
Everything went dark.
Gale awoke in a hospital bed. The gift that he'd packed for his partner was resting on a chair at his bedside, all put together again. The red satchel was beside it. He couldn't help but to sob: the sight of his gifts had brought him back to what had happened. His partner was gone, she was gone and he'd never hold her paw again- never walk in the park with her again. His heart monitor began to beep wildly, and a nurse rushed in, giving him some calming medicine. He asked for the satchel, and the nurse promtly delivered it to his paws. He opened it slowly and carefully- his paws were shaking. Inside rested a beautiful silver bracelet with him and his partner's anniversary date carved into it. He sobbed quietly as he slipped it over his paw.
Gale was released from the hospital a few days later, and he'd calmed down significantly, although he wasn't close to being happy. Over the course of a week, he'd attend his lover's funeral and burial. He finally brought himself to deliver to her his last gift: One half-wilted bouquet of roses, a worse-for-wear teddy bear holding a heart that said "Be My Valentine?", a custom-made necklace with his and his partner's initials carved into it, and an abundance of chocolate that would never be eaten. He placed these items carefully against her grave. When he'd bought those roses, he never would've imagined that they'd be used to decorate her grave.
It was hard for Gale to accept that life moves on without his lover. He continues to wallow in his sadness- event the slightest thing triggering a series of sobs and sniffles as he recalls the best time of his life. How could such a love-oriented Plate Dragon ever move on from something like this?
