Disclaimer: I don't own Angel Sanctuary.
AN: I will explain the setting in the middle of the story. Also, flames are very welcome.
The gardens of Heaven were always something to behold. It was gorgeous, filled with trees and shrubbery that seemed to have not a dead leaf on them. Just beautiful green leaves and flowers…
"It's a nice day, isn't it, Katan?"
The cherub only smiled, and Rosiel laughed, carefree. This is perfection, thought Rosiel. He began to sing a little tune, and the cherub smiled at him once more.
"Katan, why are you so quiet? You've been so quiet ever since…" Rosiel broke into a bigger yet also sadder grin. "Lucky I was there, huh Katan?"
The cherub nodded slowly.
"Well, that's in the past." Rosiel brushed it off too easily. "You know now that I never wanted you to leave me. Come on, let's go play hide and seek. You used to like that game, when you were a little boy, do you remember?'
The cherub looked away, as if he was reminiscing.
Flashback
"Rosiel-sama, are you…bored?" A little boy with silver hair asked.
"Yes, sadly I am, Katan. Why, do you have anything in mind?" Rosiel teased, smiling at the little cherub.
"Uh…I just…" The cherub had slightly colored pink cheeks now.
"No need to be embarrassed, Katan." Rosiel encouraged, his beautiful eyes looking directly at the little boy.
"Do you want to play hide and seek?" Katan said quickly, closing his eyes and praying hard that Rosiel would play with him.
"Do you like that game?" Rosiel asked. A brief crestfallen look passed the boy's face, but it quickly disappeared.
He nodded.
"Very well then, but only if you hide. I'll count to twenty now."
The cherub broke into a huge grin, one that Rosiel had to smile at. Katan then ran, searching for a hiding place while Rosiel humored the child by closing his eyes and began to count out loud slowly.
"I always found you back then, Katan. Do you want to see if your skills have gotten better?"
The cherub merely grinned and disappeared. Rosiel sighed and counted out loud, closing his eyes. Just like before, he felt happy and contented, with his cherub right here and happy. No more insanity, no more pain…just him and his beloved cherub.
From a window inside the palace, Raphael and Michael watched Rosiel talk to himself and smile.
"It really seems as if Katan is there…" Michael mused. He stopped when Rosiel suddenly closed his eyes and began counting. "Hey, what's he doing, Raphael-kun?"
"He's playing hide and seek with 'Katan' now, Mika-chan." Raphael replied sadly, yet he was still smiling.
"Don't call me that… He's never going to recover, is he?" Michael said softly.
"Not unless he faces reality." Raphael answered, remembering what had occurred about a month ago.
Flashback
Rosiel was searching for Katan, and he bumped into Raphael in the process. "Have you seen Katan? I told him to leave me for good, but I forgot to tell him something." Rosiel asked, without even acknowledging Raphael's name.
"Hmm? Last time, I saw heading to his room this morning, asking for a bottle of pills for his supposed psychological fever." Raphael answered, remembering that Katan had asked for a bottle of pills for a fever he never had. The eyes of both men widened in realization of what had just happened. They ran in the direction of Katan's room. Rosiel outran Raphael out of terror and concern. He burst into Katan's room, where the latter lay on the floor. There was vomit on one side of the room, and half the bottle of pills had been downed. Rosiel ran to the side of Katan.
"Katan, Katan! You fool, wake up! You can fix him, right Raphael?" Rosiel wailed.
"Fix?" Raphael frowned at the choice of words, but quickly shook it off. "It seems like he has been dead for at least two hours now. I don't think…Not unless…" Raphael replied. "Not at the rate my power is right now."
"Shh…Katan, it's all right now." Rosiel cradled his beloved cherub.
Raphael frowned, as this could have adverse effects on the already half-mad man cradling the cherub.
A week later, Raphael and Rosiel crossed paths again. This time, Raphael was with Michael.
"Good morning, Raphael-chan, Michael-chan." Rosiel greeted, a cheerful smile on his face.
"Rosiel-sama, I offer condolences for… You know…" Michael said.
"Condolences? For who?" Rosiel asked, his brow furrowing in an attempt to remember who had just died.
"For Katan…" Michael whispered hoarsely.
"What are you talking about? Katan is right here." Rosiel snapped, gesturing at empty air beside him. "He's silent now, but that doesn't mean you can ignore him."
Raphael and Michael were both stunned. "Is Katan a ghost now, Raphael?" Michael whispered.
"…"
"Should we tell him?"
"I don't think he'd believe us even if we did." Raphael answered. "But it's worth a shot."
"Rosiel, uhm…" Michael began.
"What?"
"Katan is dead now. You found him in his room, after he committed suicide, remember?" Raphael replied as gently as he could.
"No, I made it in time. Don't you remember, Raphael? You even saved him. I'm eternally grateful for that. Come on now, Katan. We don't want to be late for that meeting." Rosiel answered somewhat cheerfully. "That wasn't a funny joke, either Raphael-chan. If you ever attempt to fool around about that again… I will personally make sure you will not survive another day." He called.
"WHY THAT-?!" Michael was about to skewer Rosiel with a sword, but Raphael held him back.
"Mika-chan, don't…"
"All because Rosiel told Katan to piss off…" Michael said, folding his arms. "Katan must have really loved that nut-case Rosiel, huh? A one-sided love…"
"No, you're wrong, Mika-chan. It wasn't one-sided."
"How do you know?" Michael demanded. "Rosiel TOLD Katan to leave."
"Yes, but if it was one-sided, Rosiel wouldn't have an imaginary Katan with him at all times right now, would he, Mika-chan?"