Falling petals

What are you?

"Mihk..."

Raphael did not know what to do or say. He can only watch his friend hold his daughter in such a heart wrenching manner. This was the second time he has seen his friend let loose like this and that first time was when Aurora fell in her coma.

"Papa..."

Sakura could not think of anything else to say, she was still in confusion about this whole interaction and just decided to lightly pat him.

Hectic knocking on the door broke the awkward situation and gave Azrael an excuse to leave the situation. Sakura watches him open the door and then he opens it wide enough to let a puff of grayish hair and golden locks enter the room one by one.

She watches how disheveled and messy he appeared, something she rarely saw. He was always meticulous and steady.

"Mihk..!!"

He made hesitant steps toward the bed and midway collapsed to his knees. Everyone there was startled and worried something happened to him now until he spoke.

"Ah. Thank the gods."

The relief that washed over him made his legs weaken. They watched the corners of his eyes redden from unshed tears. Raising a trembling hand to cover them. Sakura can see his limbs trembling and his unsteady yet relieved words to see her father awake.

"Thank the gods you woke up... I-I would not know what I would have done if you remained in that state..."

It was visible when he clenched his teeth after he spoke. Sakura didn't know if she saw right or not, but saw a tear slide through his covered eyes.

"I wouldn't know what to do... I don't think I would be able to keep my sanity if another of my family members ended up in that state..."

Sakura's eyes widened in realization. Her mother was his adopted sister, a sister who grew up with him and who he cherished as family, yet while he believed she finally had her happy ending, she fell terribly sick and didn't die, yet lived as a comatose state, no better than dead.

'The fear of watching a man who grew up like a brother end up in such a state as his sister... not even knowing what can be done to save either of them when all the healers around, all those royal doctors could not find anything... I bet he was reaching a traumatizing state of mind at this point.'

Sakura noticed her father calming his own personal state of mind and looking at his brother in law with a sad knowing smile. He as well pieced together the reason for his old friends reaction.

"Seraph... I'm sorry for worrying you."

His voice finally being heard after a few days of silence. Albit raspy and groggy from his days of slumber and the nonstop crying. But nonetheless it was his voice. His words, his tone.

Raphael quickly grabbed a glass of water and helped him drink it by bringing it to his mouth and personally held it there until he finished it. Uriel held unshed tears when he entered the room behind Seraph. Yet wept with a smile when he finally saw Mihkael awake again.

He walked forward and checked him. He saw that there was no harm to the body, only a bit malnourished and dehydrated but other than that, he was perfectly healthy. He was looking at Uriel with a smile filled with apologies but held reassurance that he was fine. His eyes opened and he spoke.

All which indicated he was truly awake, he was fine. When that thought entered everyone's heart, the redness of unshed tears and those who did shed tears all did so in relief, and joy. That at least they haven't lost him either, that their youngest brother in arms hadn't left them as well.