Angel Sanctuary Fan Fiction ❯ The Twelve Days of Christmas ❯ Partridge ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Introduction: As they don't give nearly enough space in the summaries to properly explain this monstrosity, I thought a brief (?!) introduction was in order. This story will include twelve drabbles, as you might have guessed, each based around one of the verses of the Christmas carol `The Twelve Days of Christmas'. Generally they'll be based on the religious symbolism behind the verse (I probably didn't research this thoroughly enough...), though some of them may play with the actual wording of the verse as well - and some might not seem to have anything to do with either, because... I'm a bad, bad girl, heh. They'll all be focusing on the relationship between two characters, though not all of them will be romantic (okay, so you could probably interpret most of them that way if you really wanted, hee). In addition to friendly or familial relationships, anything goes romance-wise - there will be about an even number of heterosexual and yaoi drabbles, and expect to see some yuri as well. (Well, I say `yaoi' and `yuri' because these are really the appropriate Japanese terms, but actually I'm afraid to say that none of these will contain anything beyond kissing. [watches mournfully as all the readers click the `back' button]). Other than that, I'm gonna be posting a drabble a day so some people may have trouble keeping up, but I'd really love it if you made an effort to review every chapter, even if you only want to leave a one-liner, 'cus I'm an impressionable idiot who depresses herself thinking her writing is crap if she doesn't get lotsa reviews, heh.

AN: And now, about this actual chapter (don't worry, you'll get to read it eventually!). This one is Rosiel/Katan, and it's one of those ones that's probably not romantic, what with Katan being a kid at the time it's set (though even so there's a certain amount of ambiguity there, since I love them as a couple sooooo much, hee). It is now my embarrassing duty to say that I never did find out what the partridge symbolizes (really shoulda consulted more sources), but I can tell you that `my true love' supposedly refers to God, or the love of God. Anyway, this drabble isn't my very favorite, but nevertheless I hope people can manage to enjoy it :)

One x Partridge

Morning dawned bright and clear in Heaven on Christmas day. But then again, Inorganic Angel Rosiel mused over his coffee, when did it not?

Somebody had really outdone Himself this year, he thought. The ground as far as his eyes could see was covered in a thick layer of glittering white snow, perfect and pure, which did not melt even though the weather was as comfortably warm as always. The walkways were conveniently clear of the stuff, because there could be no disgusting gray slush trodden underfoot on Heaven's sidewalks. Rosiel found the whole scene somehow vaguely grotesque, and he turned away from his balcony to finish his breakfast.

Things that pretend to be beautiful... But he pushed the thought away. Today was not a day for dark thoughts. A faint smile came over his face unbidden as a first strain of song reached his ears; they must already be warming up. Leaving his meal half-eaten, he slipped a small package from the table beside him into his pocket and was out the door.

At this ceremony in the High Church of Raquia, the front aisle was traditionally set aside for Rosiel, two whole pews to himself. For the sake of balance he left them both empty, and sat in the closest balcony to the left of the stage instead. From here he could get a much truer sense of the atmosphere of the place, and could see what interesting people had decided to show up.

Directly behind his empty row sat the Great Seraphim Metatron and his caretaker, Sevothtarte. Rosiel's grin was a bit morbid as he watched them; Metatron was so cute... that it was almost scary... Next were the Elemental Angels - or Angel, at least. The rebellious Michael and Raphael had opted not to come, unsurprisingly enough, and of course Uriel had not been present since time out of mind. Rosiel wondered what Jibril was thinking, all alone there; he wondered if, perhaps, she was beginning to get frightened...

How sad, he thought wryly. No one comes to church anymore... And in addition to all the empty seats - and the fact that the Great Seraphim was a mere infant - the Great Thrones, two rows further back, was a homicidal maniac... Rosiel wasn't sure if he could remember a time when the ranks of Heaven had been more depleted...

Then, at last, the murmurs from the curtained area behind the stage fell silent. The crowd, which had not been making much conversation as it was, grew quiet as well as they noticed the change. The hush became so complete as the choir filed out that Rosiel could hear the swish of their robes.

There was a respectful pause after they had all taken their places, but gradually the music began as first one young angel and then another opened his mouth and sang. In an ancient tongue they declared: `Holy holy, hallelujah, On this day our savior comes, He is born again...'

Rosiel had barely begun to scan through the group of children before he found him. Amazing how, in a sea of blond heads, he could pick him out so easily. His expression softened without his even realizing it as he watched the boy raise his clear voice in praise of God...

In due course the music came to an end, to be greeted by a smattering of appreciative murmuring and light applause. Rosiel exited the room discretely, by taking the long way around the back of the pews, so that he arrived in the main corridor at the same time as the choir master and his students. The man jumped to see him approaching, and attempted to salute him and bow to him at the same time.

“R-Rosiel-sama! Do you require anything?” Rosiel allowed the Virtues-class angel a small and firmly business-like smile.

“Actually, yes; I have some rather tedious errands to do today, and if you're done with these students, I could use a page. That one will do,” he added with a casual wave.

“Of course!” The teacher turned to the boy and, to Rosiel's amusement, leaned down to whisper a few frantic words to him before handing him over.

They walked in silence down the hall. Rosiel fidgeted with the package in his pocket. Eventually he murmured, “Have you been having a good Christmas?”

Katan grinned, as a slight happy flush colored his face. “Definitely,” he whispered back.

TBC