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ghouliaxghuleh · 1 year

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As Above, So Below

// Chapter One \\

Pairing(s): Papa Emeritus III/Reader, Mary Goore/Reader (Eventual) Tags: Discussion of Death, Angst, Mostly set up for later chapters tbh. SFW (not for long, i promise) Word Count: 3.7K Summary: Right before his death, Terzo asks you to protect something for him. Fast forward a few years and you're still in possession of a strange magical box that cannot be opened on your own. However, on one very strange day, it all changes when you cross a line with Papa Emeritus the Fourth, and he sends you down to the catacombs...

You think about your last conversation with Papa Emeritus the Third often. It plagues your mind the way a bad after taste lingers in your mouth long after consumption, leaving you with a bitterness that's both hungry and suffocating. It was one that only made sense now in grief, the hidden meaning of his carefully chosen words clearer to your wiser ears. Terzo was an open book yet shrouded in mystery, never truly revealing his true wants or motivations. The way he danced around the topic in conversations had led highly ranking members of the clergy to underestimate him, but you knew the truth.

Terzo was clever, there was no man nor devil whom he couldn't convince to do his bidding. Yet he stood before you that night a desperate, broken man, closer to human than you'd ever seen him, and it felt like sobering up after a night of heavy drinking. Everything that came before felt like a fairytale shrouded in a translucent veil when standing in the pale light of a backstage dressing room.

He spoke of his impending death so casually and nonchalantly, if you hadn't been paying attention, you might have thought he was speaking on the tour.

"I feel a storm coming, Sorella," His smokey voice called out to you from across the room, mismatched gaze staring at you from the dirty mirror on the wall.

The adrenaline of the pre-ritual was gone, the light overhead flickering as the atmosphere in the room began to shift with Terzo's mood. You could see the trouble brewing behind his blue-green eye, the concern he tried so desperately to hide. To someone who didn't know the middle Emeritus brother, they might have mistaken his expression was one of annoyance, but many nights spent in close proximity led you to the truth in his character, the mysterious front man.

"Papa, does something worry you?"

You knew the answer already, but you could see the way the muscles in Terzo's shoulders tensed when you stepped closer. Compared to his brothers, he was kind and comforting, but he was still the devil's son. He was flighty, prone to acting on impulse to avoid situations he got himself into. You wondered if he would flee now, uncomfortable in the solitude of the dressing room.

"For just a moment," He said, voice soft and his eyes flickered up to meet yours, "let me speak."

You waited behind him patiently, feeling the nerves wash over you as he turned away from the mirror, slowly stalking towards you, muscles shifting beneath the material of his stage costume. His gloved hands grasped yours, the white silk soft against your palms as he rubbed comforting circles against the back of your hand.

"When we get back to the Ministry, I need you to do a favor for Papa, ey? It is very important," Terzo's eyes were pinned on yours, hands gripping yours a bit firmer as his lips titled down in a slight frown.

"There is something I need you to keep safe for me," His hands released yours, one slipping into your hair to cradle the back of your head. "A wooden box in the chapel, beneath the floorboards by the altar. Imperator cannot have it, nor the Cardinal, or Nihil. I need you to keep this secret for me, Sorella."

"Of course, Papa."

Your response was breathless as he pressed soft kisses against your exposed throat, lips trembling but not enough to draw attention. You could feel his staggered breath against your throat and foolishly mistook it for lust as Terzo pulled your body against his, his nose buried in your hair.

"There is someone else with the key, but promise me until the time comes, you'll keep it safe, okay?"

He kissed you that night as if he was going to be the last time he ever would - mostly, because it was. You didn't realize it at the time, how rapidly your lover was being ripped from your arms. When he took the stage that night as Papa Emeritus the Third, you hadn't expected him to leave it Terzo, yanked from his pillar by the ministry and whisked away without so much as a goodbye. In the rush of confusion and chaos, you hadn't realized Nihil had taken the stage, too busy chasing the clergymen through the maze of twisting concert hallways.

It was too late, however. Terzo knew that - but you didn't. The moment he stepped onto the stage it was over, perhaps even before that. From that point on, the sun never shined as brightly, nor felt as warm against your skin. The flowers did not bloom so brightly or as long, and the leaves from the tree shriveled fast as winter came early. Papa Emeritus the Third was beheaded in the night, and his elder brothers followed him to the grave immediately afterwards.

A new era had come upon the ministry and with it, and usurper.

Pale light washed through the elegant stained-glass windows of the ministry, casting a mirage of muted colors across the cold stone floors and up the engraved walls. The morning was quiet as the cold December chill seeped through the walls, the clock on the wall ahead of you displaying the time as 7:58 AM. It was only a short walk to the chapel from your small room, so you weren’t worried about being late as you stepped out into the hallway. You quickly made sure your habit was in place, glancing over your shoulder as you grew weary of Sister’s Imperator’s presence. Or, more precisely – the lack of it.

You were used to her lurking in the hallways on the mornings of sermons, ready to punish any sibling that happened to stumble out of bed late. She seemed particularly keen on catching you, however. It seemed impossible to evade her watchful eye. Imperator had always been a bit of a pain in the ass, but since Copia had taken over as Papa Emeritus, she seemed to gain delight in being allowed to punish as she pleased. All of your siblings knew that it didn’t matter what she didn’t – Papa would forgive her. He always did.

On a day such as this one, however, her disappearance was unnerving. It was a Hunter’s Moon tonight; therefore, the morning’s sermon would be a very important one. There was no doubt in your mind that Papa would choose a prime mover, a title you’d once respected and coveted. The very idea of being chosen as his prime mover, however, left you slowing in your pace as you approached the chapel.

It was not that you had issues with Copia – in fact, since ascending the papacy, you’ve found him more tolerable. His newfound confidence and time on tour had refined him into a man more benefiting to lead the ministry. The siblings had come to love him, and the word of Ghost was reaching a broader audience than it ever had. Truly, he was a good Papa, but the idea of pledging yourself to him eternally left you with a sense of persistent unease.

It was like an itch you couldn’t scratch, a nagging headache that wouldn’t go away. You were careful to avoid spending too much time in the light of Copia, weary of drawing his attention. He knew that you had pledged yourself to his predecessor, you could tell by the way he looked at you with an expression of pity. No, he would not take you as his prime mover. Besides, it was in poor taste to take the prime mover of a predecessor, and Copia was a man much concerned with his reputation.

You forced yourself onward, pushing the thought of prime movers and the past away from your mind as you entered the chapel. Many of your siblings were already sitting, chatting quietly to themselves. There was a small spot in the second to last row open, and you quickly scooted in, scanning the crowd for any sign of Imperator, who might have caught you sneaking in. Yet, among the crowd of habits and vestments, you don’t find her familiar form. More alarming, even Nihil seems to scan the crowd with a distant expression of worry as he sits next to the altar, oxygen tank rattling noisily.

You looked at the sibling beside you, a newly confirmed sister who seemed to beam in the dim candlelight, gripping the edges of the dark bench excitedly as she extended her neck to gaze above the sea of heads.

“Excuse me, Sister,” You asked, voice quiet and almost lost in the conversations around you.

The girl looked, bright eyes filled with curiosity as she smiled, “Yeah?”

“Have you seen Imperator this morning? It was strange not to see her in the hallways on the way here.”

The sister looked into the distance, mouth parting as she thought quietly. You couldn’t recall ever meeting the sibling before, but you were sure you’d seen her a handful of times in passing. She’d come back with Papa after the Imperatour, and though it had sent Imperator into a fit for several hours, she’d been allowed to stay and as far as you knew, had spent the time laying low. Papa seemed relatively indifferent towards her as he was you, but she seemed excited to see him.

“I don’t think I have,” She said after a moment, returning her eyes to yours, “maybe she’s out right now.”

It seemed too good to be true to imagine that Imperator would leave you alone after so long of breathing down your neck, but you had little time to ask the sister more as Papa stepped up to the stone altar, the energy in the chapel steadily rising.

“Sathanas, isn’t he beautiful, Sister,” She whispered from beside you.

You looked upon the face of Papa Emeritus the Fourth and tried to find something beautiful amongst the painted features. Sure, it was there, yet every man seemed so dull in comparison to Terzo, who wore his age with confidence and spoke with elegance and determination in every word. Perhaps to some Copia’s endearing nature was charming or beautiful, but to you it was nothing more than awkward.

Even as Papa, you couldn’t help but see the Cardinal who used to ride around the hallways on a tricycle. Whatever had happened to him in the wake of the tour, however, changed him in a way that made him almost unrecognizable. He seemed to shape shift with his ascension, shedding the persona of the cardinal and stepping into a new one.

“Long Live Papa Emeritus.”

The chant rang heavily in the smokey chapel as incense filled the room. The morning light was filling the room with a dreamlike wash of color as Copia stepped behind the altar, pausing briefly to gaze upon the stone statue of the Unholy One. There was a pleasant buzzing that seemed to run along the floor, the result of the upcoming hunter’s moon. Everything was stronger, magic more potent and every ritual ten times deadlier. It was both a night of celebration and one to fear, for an unguarded sibling could fall prey to an attack by the ghouls.

In a place where sin was celebrated and often encouraged, there had to be some sort of structure that kept people from doing whatever they wanted. At the start of Secondo’s reign, he’d made it clear that sin was encouraged so long as it wasn’t hurting anyone (at least without their consent). On a night such as a hunter’s moon, however, all bets were off as the ghoul’s became something more animalistic and dangerous.

It was not a night to be running around alone in the abbey. There were precautions in place, curfews carefully placed yet loosely followed. There would be no help, either. Tonight, Papa would take part in his own rituals with his prime mover, oblivious to the chaos that might erupt around him. Without Imperator either, you couldn’t help but gulp nervously as Copia began his sermon.

The haze of grief had made the last few months feel like sleepwalking. You stood in the midst of the fall without remembering the summer, or the spring. How long had it been since you were conscious of your day, took delight in the little things that once fascinated you, since you walked in Primo’s gardens and felt the warm sunshine against your cool skin? Life before felt so far away now; it seemed as though you only blinked and suddenly Copia had become Papa, and Terzo was entered into the catacombs beneath the ministry.

There was once a time you were permitted to lounge beside his tomb, but Imperator grew impatient and Copia, pliant as ever, had sternly yet softly asked you not to spend any more time in the catacombs. After a few weeks, you’d noticed the entrance to the third Emeritus’ brother’s tomb had been sealed with several padlocks. The message had been sent loud and clear, but it didn’t stop your longing, nor the festering rot that had begun to take hold in your gut.

In your sunless world you were wilting like a flower, crumbling at the seams as fresh roots tried pathetically to take hold of the new soil. There were no goodbyes, no grandiose ceremonies or period of mourning. It was true, you didn’t really take issue with Copia, but you found yourself locked in a persistent bitterness towards him that seemed to swell with each passing day. He might not have swung the sword that beheaded Terzo or killed the other brothers, but you held suspicions that he knew, or was at least slightly complicit.

It was a common rumor amongst the siblings around the ministry. Gossip was a commodity during the cold weather, the rapidly chilling air forcing you all inside. Cabin fever was inevitable, and every year the same rumors seemed to roll back around just as the seasons did. They ranged from harmless – such as one you’d heard last year about Primo tending to a secret flower garden, or that Secondo had a secret interest in romance novels (but if you ever asked, he would have denied it, or said that he was too busy to read.

Then, there were the darker ones, passed in hushed voices at cramped tables during lunch. They always left you looking over your shoulder as you left, paranoid of silly gossip. You’d heard at least a dozen times that the ghouls ate people – siblings that crossed them, or naïve newcomers who did not know, or that siblings who misbehaved enough were used as sacrifices. There was one, however, that ignited a fire in your body so intense it was though every ounce of your blood had reached a boiling point.

You first heard it last winter. A fierce snowstorm had kept you in for almost three weeks at that point, and even Imperator seemed to grow antsy with claustrophobia. The large ministry had seemed to shrink during your isolation, and there was hardly a moment of silence to be found amongst the many hallways. The sun had set hours ago, the night young as you gathered around a small fire in a common area with three other Sisters. You’d spent the last hour trading stories of various excursions with other siblings, the ghouls, and of course, Papa.

You tried not to grimace when they spoke in detail of Copia’s prowess, thankful for the inclusion in the late-night chat and desperate for the company. It wasn’t that you particularly enjoyed being around others, but you did miss the companionship. It was relaxing, a moment of respite amid a long winter. It wasn’t longer after that the conversation fell short, a brief moment of silence passing between the three of you before one of the girls, Catherine, spoke.

Her voice was soft as she stared at the crackling fire, light hair almost amber in the orange glow as her dark eyes watched the open flame dance.

“I heard this in the hallways, when I was helping Imperator clean her office late one evening,” She began, her voice wavering as she glanced over at you, “it was some of Terzo’s ghouls. I haven’t seen much of them these days, so I was surprised.”

You’d perked up at the mention of Terzo, your abrupt movement noticed by the other sisters as they casted a swift glance in your direction. It was true, since Terzo’s death that many of his ghouls had returned to hell, choosing to leave rather than follow Copia. Some had stayed, taking new names with pride despite joyously tormenting the cardinal just months prior.

“One of them said it was Copia who ordered the deaths of the previous Papas.” “Imperator would never allow that,” One of the other sister’s spoke, her voice riddled with disbelief. “No, not if it didn’t benefit her.”

Tense silence fell on the room as you all came to a mutual conclusion. At first the notion that the quiet cardinal could somehow be a murderer seemed impossible, but the Imperator – you’d never been able to quite figure her out. You could admit that she was motivated her own wants, but did her loyalty to Nihil keep her murdering his son, if it somehow helped her?

Your eyes found Copia’s, his intense gazed settle intently on you as he finished his sermon. You watched them narrow beneath his face paint, confusion flashing briefly on his features before returning to neutrality, returning to his spot behind the altar.

“It is an important night, my children. He has gifted us a beautiful moon, go forth into the evening and celebrate in sin. We shall bring about a new era to this ministry, and to this world, so it his will.”

Around you, siblings begin to stand as the chatter returns, the mass concluded. You quickly tried to emerge yourself into the crowd, desperate to escape Copia’s watchful eyes as they followed you. It was though he had sensed your thoughts from across the chapel, your stomach twisting as siblings crowded around the exit. You couldn’t escape him fast enough, the echo of his footsteps followed by the excited murmurs sending your heart into a frenzy.

“Sister Trinity,” Copia’s smooth voice glided across the crowded like the wind did, sweeping over the chaos and capturing the attention of the majority of the crowd.

It was the moment people had been waiting for – his chosen prime mover. There’s a sigh of disappointment amongst some of the other siblings as the chosen sister stepped forward, her face bright and smile wide as she approached Papa. His attention shifted to her, eyes finally leaving yours. You took advantage of the distracted bodies around you, slipping between them and out into the nearly empty hallways outside the chapel. The moment you crossed the threshold it was hold as though a weight lifted from your chest, and you heaved in a deep breath, sucking the air in through your nose and holding it for a moment, willing your racing heart to slow.

You were thankful, at least, since Copia’s selection of a prime mover meant he had less time to worry about you. You weren’t used to being watched so intently by him, having grown used to the subtle coldness you attributed to your relationship with the youngest brother. Feeling his eyes on you throughout the sermon only heightened the unease you felt when you first stepped out of your room.

Against your better judgement, you let yourself slip back into thought, heading back towards your room to prepare for your duties. The sun had risen higher in the sky, the colors of the stained glass brighter against the ministry floor as you pondered the worst. You were prone to overthinking, which Terzo had tried desperately to free you of. Even his kindest words and softest touches could not drive out the worry that had been steadily nagging at you.

It'd been years since he left you now, and you haven’t gotten any closer to figuring out what he meant, or why he wanted you to protect that old box so badly. You’d found it one evening after Copia had left for tour, the Imperator away to see the cardinal off at the start of the tour. You’d taken advantage of the solitude and slipped into the chapel late one night, quickly locating the loose floorboard.

It was locked and, just as his tomb, presumably enchanted with magic to keep the wrong person from trying to pry it open. It was clear to you upon first looking at it that it wasn’t something you were going to be open, so you quickly replaced the floorboard and cradled the box in your arms in a blanket as you returned to your room. For a while, the secrets of it had enchanted you, allowing the hope of opening it one day to motivate you in the days following his death.

As the months passed on, you’d steadily shoved it into the back of your mind, nestling it safely beneath the floorboards under your bed. Every sibling had their own hiding place, most known to the Imperator but she’d foolishly believed she found your ages ago. Not even your closest friends knew about the box, quietly under your floor. Terzo trusted you to keep it safe, specifically from Copia, Imperator, and Nihil. What it contained that he wanted to hide from them so badly was beyond you. Sometimes you wondered why he had not trusted such a task to one of his ghouls, who had followed him since the day he became Papa. You never had time to ask him, of course, before he died.

You entered your room and immediately crawled under the bed to retrieve the item, a thin layer of dust and dirt covering the surface that you quickly brushed away. There was a barely noticeable vibration coming from it, as if coming to life in the warmth of your palms. It was the only thing you truly had left of him, the only thing that Copia did not know about.

You’ve kept it safe all this time, but the wait was starting to weigh in you, hope rapidly dwindling as you came upon another arduous winter. What other option was there, however?

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lilspacewolfie · 1 month

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A fallen angel in his lair...

My devil!terzo for my fic

#ghost #the band ghost #terzo #papa emeritus iii #artists on tumblr #devil terzo tag #I love the acoustics tour mask so much #theres just something about it #my art

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madscientiststoybox · 3 months

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i got the red devil bear! his name is Terzo :] here he is at the mall chilling with his friend simply named "The Killer".

#January 13th 2024 #tag: terzo #devil bear #devilishly cute bear #build a bear #build a bear devil bear #what do i even tag him as lol #toys #plushie #stuffed animals #plushblr #cw food

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papasmicstand · 11 months

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My Writing:

Struggling to Procreate the Unholy Bastard (23 chapters/complete)

-You have been the Cardinal’s Prime Mover for two years and have yet to conceive. The elder clergy are losing patience. What lengths will you go to to secure the Emeritus line, and what will it cost you?

TW: Non-con, self-harm, character death, blood (see AO3 for full tags)

Tied As One Infernally - A Dracopia Story (7 chapters/ongoing/slow burn)

-Cardinal Copia is really struggling to be a vampire. He's disgusted by blood and by himself. Did I mention he's in charge of the infirmary? To combat his feelings he starves himself, or sometimes he is able to feed but purges later.

TW: Bulimia, anorexia, Non-con, blood (See AO3 for full tags)

The Celi-Bet (5 chapters/complete)

-The Papas undertake a ‘No Nut November’-esque challenge to raise money for the church. Will any of them make it?

TW: Abstinence, Failed abstinence (see AO3 for full tags)

The Devil's Lace (3 chapters/complete)

-An illness hits the band as they return home from the road. It’s lucky really, had it struck during the tour it would have been devastating. But it may take more than medicine to help the ailing musicians…

TW: Non-con elements, vomiting (see AO3 for full tags)

The Morning After (One shot/complete)

-It was the morning after the Spring equinox party and it had been epic. You shifted uncomfortably in the large bed, it felt like you were surfacing from a coma. What did you do? More importantly, who did you do?

TW: Non-con elements, infidelity (see AO3 for full tags)

Papa's Purple Pastrami (One shot/crack fic/complete)

-Papa takes out his pent up sexual tension on an innocent pastrami melt.

TW: Masturbation, sandwich defilement

Will you spill the wine? (One shot/complete)

-An embarrassing accident for Papa Emeritus III somehow devolves into in a smutty game.

TW: Piss (see AO3 for full tags)

Series - Cum-pletely Fucked - Unplanned Pregnancies in the Abbey

Part 1: You Get Me Closer to God... I mean Satan (One shot/complete)

-I offer you a virginal Cardinal Copia. He's madly in love with you and ready to be deflowered.

TW: Vomiting (see AO3 for full tags)

Part 2: Trifecta (One shot/complete)

-Copia had told you that the four Emeritus brothers had undergone a special communion with the dark lord, and that they would only be capable of siring children during Prime Mover rituals. You believed this because none of them had produced offspring, although they were all sexually active. And in Terzo’s case, extremely active... So, why are you in this predicament?

TW: Angry sex, vomiting (see AO3 for full tags)

Part 3: Vessel of Possibilities - A Choose Your Own Adventure with Terzo (4 chapters/ongoing)

-An encounter with Papa Emeritus III leads to a possibly life-altering decision for you. You are in control, so proceed as you wish.

TW: Unplanned pregnancy, abortion (see AO3 for full tags)

#cardinal copia x female reader #the band ghost #pilf #ao3 #richly endowed #fanfic #ghost smut #terzo x reader #papa emeritus iii x reader #papa emeritus x reader #papa emeritus i x oc

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copias-sewer-rat · 8 months

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Against the forces of Heaven and Hell, just us.

PART 1|PART 2|

Sometimes the friendships that you least expect to stick are the ones that stay with you the longest. It is up to you to keep them, cherish them, be sincere with your words and everything will be fine.

⸸tags: Good Omens AU, a tiny bit of angst, sexual innuendos and foul language, Copia shenaningans related to series and book Crowley. Around 5.6K words.

⸸ my masterlist ⸸ ⸸ read it on Ao3 ⸸ II. ME AND THE DEVIL

“But in the end it’s only a passing thing, this shadow; even darkness must pass.”

J.R.R. Tolkien. The Lord of the Rings.

----

Terzo Emeritus never wanted to be Papa. His father knew it and still, once his brother’s time was up as the head of the Satanic Church, Papa Nihil did not hesitate to give Terzo the position he knew he hated above all else. Being Papa had taken his two older brothers away and the youngest Emeritus did not want the same fate for himself, but he did not have a choice.

He wasn’t a bad Papa. His attractive appearance and charming personality had brought many new siblings of sin to the church. Nihil and Sister Imperator were delighted because of that. What they didn’t know, however, was that every night Terzo Emeritus cried himself to sleep, longing for the brotherly love that had been taken away from him so violently.

During his time as cardinale of the church, Terzo was instructed in every skill vital to the papacy. This instruction occurred in different seminars and monasteries all over the Italian country. However, he was naturally gifted in the ways of the satanic ruling, having observed his two brothers masterfully take care of the position while he was still a young boy who hugged their legs in fear. That mastery provided Terzo with more than enough room to practice his favourite hobby: fucking.

Terzo proudly had a long list of satisfied lovers under his belt. These lovers were the perfect distraction from his shitty life, the one that he hadn’t chosen for himself. Every time he fucked someone, the screams of his name in pleasure became the opium that kept him sedated from thinking about anything else, but all drugs have their downtime. Once the lover for the night was gone, Terzo was left on his own dark room, alone and afraid. The cold emptiness of the bed made Terzo’s bones ache and the hole on his heart got deeper and deeper. He thought of his brothers then. Were they so afraid and lonely as he was when they were Papas? And if that was the case, why did he never notice their pain? He could have helped, maybe if he did, they would still be right beside him and he wouldn’t be so terribly alone.

----

Rome, 1994, a calm and chilly October night. During one of his nightly hunts for a lover, Terzo’s steps led him to tavern, busy enough to find a fitting candidate to calm his mind for at least a few hours. The place was full enough to feel lively and cheerful, but not enough to feel drowned by the masses — not that Terzo cared much, he adored the masses—. He was hopping to become the center of attention the second he stepped in, the skull makeup that marked his position as the ‘highest’ member of the Satanic Church perfect and pristine. Despite that, there already was someone keeping everyone’s attentions. At the far corner of the bar there was a man dressed in what seemed to be a very expensive all-black Italian suit. His hair was pulled back with hair wax in a neat way, small sunglasses covering his gaze from the group of people that surrounded him. The first thought that came to Terzo’s mind about the stranger was that he was able to fully see everyone, but that nobody could truly see them. His second thought was that he wanted the earth to swallow him whole.

As if they had been reading Terzo’s thoughts, the stranger tilted their head upwards, looking directly at him. The people around were talking lively and didn’t even notice that their attention had shifted elsewhere. Furthermore, Terzo could have sworn that the stranger’s eyes glowed under their glasses. With a haste that was unlike him, Terzo approached the bartender, asking for a Bloody Mary, extra charged. He was going to need it. Sipping on his drink, Terzo started assessing his ground for the night, trying not to care about the stranger, who seemed to be back into the thrilling conversation with their many adoring fans.

There were a few people that caught Terzo’s attention: a tall dark man that looked like could crush him with his thighs, a couple of girls, probably best friends, who could be easily persuaded to corruption, but he finally decided on a lonely brunette that seemed to need the company that he could offer. So, with his characteristic charm he approached her.

“What is doing pretty little thing like you in a place like this all lonely? Please allow me to accompany you.” Terzo began. “Would you like another drink? My treat of course.” He continued, seeing that the lady was about to finish her rum and coke. The perfect excuse.

“Mmm, to be truthful, I am getting thirsty and this drink is all water by now. The company is just the cherry on top…” The girl teased, winking at Terzo. Bingo.

“I will be right back then. The same?” He asked and the girl nodded with a witty smile.

It took Terzo exactly a minute and twenty eight seconds to get the girl her drink, but when he got back the lady wasn’t alone, the stranger was talking to her, buttering her up. Terzo was furious, but he was also willing to prove that he was the better player.

“Hey, dolcezza (sweetness), here you go. A sweet drink for an even sweeter lady.” The stranger seemed to look at Terzo behind their glasses, brow raised.

“Were you with this man, cara?” The stranger asked.

“No, actually we just met. He offered to buy me a drink and to keep me company.” The lady explained.

“Ah, do you mind if I accompany you? It is quite lonely tonight for me as well…” Terzo was fuming at this point, but he was willing to accept the challenge. Whoever got the girl for the night would win and the other… well… would run away with their tail between their legs, lonely and humiliated.

“Of course, friend. No one wants to be alone on a night as beautiful as this.” Terzo spoke, an aggressive grin adorning his mouth, an acceptance of the challenge. The stranger nodded in appreciation.

“Grazie mille (thank you very much). Why don’t we introduce ourselves? That would warm us up a bit.” The stranger said, sipping on their red wine.

“I will start then!” The girl said. “My name is Aurora, but all my friends call me Ro.” The stranger smiled, delighted. Before he could say anything Terzo spoke.

“Ma chel bel nome! (It is a beautiful name!) It fits you perfectly.” The girl blushed a bit, a mixture of her growing intoxication and Terzo’s words. “My name is Terzo, Terzo Emeritus, but you can call me whatever you want, tessoro.” The stranger stiffened a bit to the mention of Terzo’s name, but he didn’t give a lot of importance to it. Maybe they knew who he was and that would give him the victory.

“And my name is Copia. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Copia took Ro’s hand and kissed it slightly. She giggled at the gesture. She was definitely enjoying the attention.

*cough* “Well, if we want to keep this moving, why don’t we play a little game?” Terzo suggested. “Two truths and a lie perhaps?” Ro put her hands together in excitement.

“Yes! I love that game! Whoever looses each round has to down their drink though! That makes it more interesting.” Ro proposed.

“Ah yes, it is as if you were reading my thoughts, cara.” Copia agreed.

“I will start then!” Ro stated. “One, I have broken almost every bone in my body… Two, I have never had a boyfriend… Three, I am not actually Italian!” Terzo blinked slowly, she was good.

“I will guess first, then.” Terzo spoke. “Mmm, it would be impossible for a beauty like you to have never had a boyfriend, but maybe you are a bit picky… You are definitely Italian, more specifically from Napoli, my ears do not lie about accents.” Terzo stopped, looking at Ro completely, from her very cute heels to the last hair on the top of her head, observing every part of her, making her blush again. “You are pretty fit, I assume that you practice some sport so you probably have broken a few bones, maybe most of them is a bit exaggerated but you can never know.” Terzo stopped again, pondering his options. “The lie is the bones one…” Terzo looked at Ro, tilting his head a bit, waiting for a response, turning then to Copia.

“I actually agree with him.” Copia said.

“Merda (shit).” Ro says, downing her almost full rum and coke. “That is going to hit hard later.” She laughed.

“As I have made all the effort, allow me to be next one.” Terzo said, Ro nodded and Copia extended his hand as if to say ‘go ahead’.

“Oh, let me get another drink first. You think about it!” Ro said, running towards the bar.

“You have a pretty good intuition… We will see if you are as good of a liar.” Copia teased, making Terzo close his fist in anger. He was having none of it, he was going to make them both tumble before him, drunk and pathetic.

After a couple of minutes, Ro came back, drink in hand, this time seemed to be a vodka lemon.

“Ready?” She asked.

“Of course. One, I am terribly good in bed. Two, I am the leader of the Satanic Church. Three, I have two brothers.” Ro laughed awkwardly, going a bit pale.

“I mean, it seems obvious, no? As extravagant as you look with that makeup, you cannot be the leader of the Satanic Church… that is the lie!” Ro responds, lightly hitting the table with her palm.

Inside, Terzo was laughing. He felt bold, powerful. He wanted to scare her a bit, but then, he looked at Copia. He was grinning, two shinning fangs poking from his painted upper lip. What froze Terzo in his spot was that he could actually see Copia’s eyes now, they were piercing his soul. One dark and the other white, just like his…

“You had two brothers, that is the lie.” Copia responded and Terzo went even whiter than he was with his makeup. Ro looked at both of them, blood rushing to her head.

As a response, Terzo drowned his Bloody Mary, which also made Ro down her drink, fear visible in her eyes.

“Okie dokie, my turn then.” Neither Terzo nor Ro moved, their drinks were empty, but it didn’t matter. “One, I own a 1968 Maserati Ghibli. Two, I have lots of friends. Three, I am a demon from Hell.” Ro didn’t even attempt to answer, she stood up from the table and left, stumbling into a few chairs on her way.

Copia was looking at Terzo, directly at him, he had taken his glasses off and now Terzo could see him.

“You are a demon… I am you don’t have many friends, that’s the lie…” Terzo said with a shaky voice.

“Correctto! (Correct!) Now I suppose I must down my drink.” Copia laughed, drinking the whole glass of red wine and subsequently savouring a few drops that had fallen on his chin. His tongue was long and a bit pointy, almost serpent-like.

Terzo said nothing, he had no words left. He knew of Hell, of course, he was its representative on Earth, but he never imagined to encounter a proper demon on Earth.

“You are a pretty interesting man, Terzo Emeritus. Even since you entered the tavern I could feel your presence amongst us, trying to hide in the darkness.” Copia spoke. “I know your soul is not tainted, even though you have been told so… but, I can feel the thunder that is breaking in your heart. I can see through the scars inside you…” His words sounded almost lyrical. Terzo Emeritus felt as if he was floating on a cloud, completely mesmerized by the demon in front of him.

“I-” He tried to say.

“Your brothers send their regards to you, Terzo. They miss you dearly.” Copia smiled.

“What- My brothers? What are you saying…” Copia rose from his seat.

“We will see each other again, do not worry, everything will be answered. Until then, enjoy…” Copia snapped his fingers but nothing happened. They took their exit, putting their glasses back on their face and smirking devilishly.

Terzo could not believe it. His brothers were…ok… in Hell but ok. Tears started forming in his eyes, there was no chance he would let them out though, not in public at least. He rose from his seat and as elegantly as he had entered, he exited.

“Hi! Sorry that I left so suddenly. I don’t know what came over me…” Aurora ambushed him at the door. “I know this is a bit sudden but I think you are pretty cute, could you perhaps show me those skills you were talking about earlier?” This definitely was Copia’s doing. There would be time for happy tears latter, now it was time for a celebratory fuck.

----

Maybe in you imagination Hell is like this awful place: torture, lava and heat everywhere… well, it is like that, don’t get me wrong, but it is more than that. Hell has changed plenty throughout the centuries, each time adapting to what Hell felt to humanity while period on Earth occurs. During the begging of the Industrialization, Hell looked more like a factory and in the last few decades it has turned its appearance into that of an office, one which you can never leave.

“I cannot believe that that fucking rat of a demon did it…” A bald man with skeleton makeup and horns shouted from the depths of a tiny office in Hell, watching static on an old television.

“He was our best chance fratello (brother), and he delivered.” A white haired man with wings and also skeleton makeup mumbled back.

“I just wasn’t sure about him, you know that you cannot trust their kind…”

“He has come a long way and now we are his equals, the least he could do was to hear us out.”

“Did you give him the scroll he wanted already?”

“Not until he puts us in contact with Terzo, like properly in contact.”

“Bene (good), we will make that old man regret his fucking decisions.”

----

30/8/2023

'Today Terzo Emeritus came to the store asking for Copia, again. As always, he was trying to flirt with me, saying how cute I looked with my reading glasses, how the light of the antique shop made my features even more beautiful. I cannot lie, I blushed a couple of times. On one of those times Copia came into the store, fists closed and steps heavy. He smiled at Terzo and asked him with a teethy smile to talk to him outside, to which Terzo agreed. He winked at me goodbye and I stayed inside organizing a new crate of antiques that had arrived just this morning. I don’t know what they talked about outside but when Copia entered again, this time alone, his cheeks were flushed and he had taken his glasses off. I greeted him with a smile but he just huffed and went to the kitchen. I worry about Copia, I don’t know if Terzo is the best company for him…'

You sigh. Terzo is a bit of a handful, but Copia seems like he always has a good time with him, so you at least tolerate him.

“Angel, what are you doing?” Copia pokes their head through the kitchen door.

“Oh, nothing special, just writing on my diary as always.”

“One day you need to let me read it. I am sure it is quite interesting…”

“Not really, but we spend a lot of time together. Most of the things I write about you already know…”

“Most!?” he says a bit offended “Is there something you are not telling me angioletto?” In a blink of an eye Copia is right in front of you, observing your every move, every flinch, every blush. The latter occurs, pupils dilating, one of the many perks (or curses) of your human disguise.

“Of course not! Why would there be?” You squeak. Copia looks at you with his lips and eyes squeezed, trying to discern if you are actually telling the truth.

“I know there is something that you are not telling me, I won’t force you to do so, however. Just know that I am always here to listen. I have pretty big ears just for that!” Copia mocks, putting his hands behind his pointy ears.

“What are you? The wolf from the stories? Will you try to eat me or something?” You say, and it sounds more flirtatious than expected. With regret, you back up instantly, waving your hands in a negative motion. Then, there is Copia. Their mouth is slightly open, blush adorning their cheeks, glasses slightly tilted and his white eye is visible, the pupil very much dilated. If you didn’t know better, you would said that he has suffered a short circuit.

It is even more evident when Copia vanishes in a cloud of smoke accompanied by a loud ‘poof’. You panic, he hasn’t done that for years. This will cost you an expensive dinner.

A light sound of steps echoes through the back of your store, getting more and more distant so you follow, you won’t let Copia escape that easy from you apology. The kitchen is empty so you try the storage room, the broom closet and lastly the upstairs bedroom. There, in a red scarf you use during mornings when it is chilly outside is a tiny brown rat with black spots on their eyes, tail, hands, feet and nose a light shade of pink, curled up in a ball. With all the gentleness you can master you pick up the cute rodent, cupping your hands as if they were a nest.

“Oh my dear! I am so sorry. It wasn’t my intention to make you transform. Please forgive me.” You weren’t quite sure what you had done for Copia to turn into a cute rodent after so long, but you knew it was quite embarrassing for him to do so. “Please turn back into your own self! I will do anything, I will even do the apology dance… please dear…” You murmur that last part, getting the little rodent close to your cheek, nudging at it lovingly. Its fur is soft and it smells like coffee. Copia probably had an espresso before coming to the store.

The rat that until then had been completely still rises to stay on two feet and smells your face, tickling it with its little whiskers.

“I’ll tell you what, if it makes you come back to normal sooner I will do the apology dance right now!” Placing the little rodent back to their self-made nest you back up, allowing them to see you fully and then you begin to dance:

“I am so sorry…” You sing while you swing your hands to the sides.

“I was in the wrong…” You continue putting one feet forward.

“It was a mistake…” Now the other feet.

“So now I dance…” You twirl.

“The apology dance.” And finish with a low bow.

Suddenly, from the red scarf appears cloud of smoke and a cross-legged demon seated on top, clapping.

“Truly beautiful. Each time you do it better angel. It wasn’t necessary for you to do the dance though, I just got a little flustered. Maybe I am under the weather or something.” The demon adverts their gaze as they speak. You smile candidly, you now that there is something else under those words, but if he doesn’t pressure you to show him your diary, you won’t tease him about this.

“Well, at least you are back to normal… Oh! I forgot to ask as you ran off so suddenly. What did Terzo want?” Copia exhales and comes down from the table where the red scarf laid, now a mess under the weight of his human bottom.

“You know that I have been helping Terzo and the band to prepare more music.” You nod. You hadn’t seen him much these last couple of weeks because he was very busy recording music with Terzo’s music group project, Ghost. “Well, the new record is almost done and after that there will be a new tour coming. He wanted to let me know that it will be happening sooner than expected, probably next month, so I will be leaving for a while.” Your expression changes then from that of a smile to a neutral expression.

It pained you immensely that Copia had to leave to tour again. You would be alone for months and it terrified you. Copia’s companionship had become your reality, your safe haven. Ever since he ‘took’ you from Heaven itself you two had been together, side by side, through the good times and the not-so-good ones. It was true that you both had your own hobbies and such, but you were always close, meeting for dinner or just to chat a couple times per day — and in the incredibly good days you would spend the entirety of the day together.— Copia touring was a completely different scenario. He would be gone for so long, he probably won’t have the time to call you much —it has happened before and he had to do the apology dance because you were worried sick constantly— and your intrusive thoughts would win again, making you cry like a toddler that has lost their parents at the mall.

It isn’t that you don’t trust him, well, you mostly do, but his nature is what worries you. According to Terzo, while on tour, Copia had the reputation of becoming some sort of sexual beast. Everyone wanted a piece of him and you were jealous. You had no reason to, of course, but you were. Thoughts of Copia sharing what you could not have with a random human that desired him was too much, but you never told or will tell him that. He is your friend and sometimes when you are not sure about your own purpose and everything is dark he is the light without whom you cannot see, he becomes your beacon of light, your anchor that grounds you to reality and without your anchor you fear you will sink sooner or later.

There is a realisation then, you have been quiet for a while and Copia is looking at you with worry but still waiting patiently for you to speak.

“I- It will be sad being here all alone again, I will miss you. Despite that, you have to go. You love being on the road with the band, you have said so many times. You will have the best of times!” A bitter smile adorns your lips and you advert your gaze. Copia keeps looking at you with worry, their glasses now on their hand.

“You could come with us… I am sure Terzo won’t mind and the ghouls want to meet you.” He whispers and it breaks your heart. ‘I wouldn’t be able to take it, dear. All those fans adoring you, begging for you to be with them and you complying to their most intimate desires… It would break me seeing it.’ You think, but instead you say:

“You know it is not for me dear, and I have things to do. There are still so many clues to find to the mystery to be solved. We are so close, I can feel it.”

“Angel, it has been like this for more than two thousand years… We know what is happening, there is a bet between Heaven and Hell. They are playing with humans for their own amusement… We know that.” You frown at Copia’s words.

“Dear…” You say very slowly and with a hint of anger. “We have talked about this before. There must be something that started this bet and if we find it maybe human will be free from their games, the bet will be over. However, if we don’t do anything humans will continue to be the pieces of this twisted game.” Copia crosses his arms.

“Frankly, I cannot even begging to comprehend why you still take Heaven’s side in all of this.” He says with a bit of poison on his tone and you scoff at his words.

“Do not change the subject!” You exclaim, your tone a louder than you expected. “I am still an angel. God must have some divine plan that will make sense in the end, she must have. I just don’t like how it is being done, I want to change it and you know that.” You explain but even you don’t believe your own words, they are simply an excuse for the pain you feel.

“You are so incredibly blind angel…” Copia says and the tears forming on your eyes are unavoidable so you turn your back on Copia so he doesn’t see how hurt you are. A gasp can be heard, Copia wants to say something but his breath halts for a second, leaving the room in complete silence. “Just… think about it, please.” Then Copia is gone.

If only he knew how much you thought about it.

----

“Is it really going to happen?” You beamed with excitement.

“Yes, any minute now. I was hopping to show you earlier, but there hasn’t been a good time for it. Despite that, we needed a break from the investigation so I made time for it.” Copia smiled, his cheeks red from the cold.

“Are you sure that you are ok? You seem to be handling the cold worse than me.” You grabbed Copia’s hands, trying to heat them with your own. Copia didn’t move for a second, his cheeks got even more red so you rubbed them with your own.

“I- I am okie dokie. Do not worry about me, angioletto.” He smiled at you, his eyes reflecting the light of the full moon, which was almost lost behind the very dark clouds that were covering the skies. “And more so, it needs to be cold for it to happen.”

You were so very excited. Snow was the first thing that Copia had taught you about Earth but you hadn’t been able to see it until now. You had been too busy investigating the locations of more scrolls, asking for help to translate them and trying not to get caught by Heaven and Hell —although the last one was the easiest to achieve. Your investigation had led you to Romania, a beautiful country with stunning buildings, charming nature and very friendly people. Copia had eventually found you there, same as all the previous times and you always fell into the same routine. He knew a lot about Earth and humans and you were really eager to listen. He had taught you about food, costumes, languages and such. Well, he didn’t actually teach you, he showed you. You thought you knew it all from the books you had read up in Heaven. The truth was that you didn’t know anything until Copia. He took you to eat, to public events, to social gatherings and markets. You didn’t remember ever having true fun until you met him.

“I actually wanted to also add to this little event with something of my own.” You rose your gaze, Copia had cut his hair a bit and was rocking a bit of a beard, but he was still the demon that you had grown so fond of. “We have known each other for a while now…”

“Around two hundred and fifty years or so.” You interrupted him and Copia laughed.

“Yes, I guess it has been a while…” He stopped for a moment, reminiscing about the time that you had known each other. “… and you really don’t know much about me.” You gave him a single nod. “Well, while we wait for the snow to fall I will entertain you with my story. W-well, i-if you want to hear it that is…” He stuttered as he enveloped your hand in his. “I would love to know more about you my dear, please, do tell me your story.” You said as Copia did gentle circles on the back of your hands.

“Si (yes), em, I am not exactly sure where to start if I am being honest…” He gave you a dry cackle.

“Maybe the beginning?” You teased and he laughed again.

“Vero, vero (true, true). You are completely right.” Copia smiled and then started his story.

“The first thing you must know is that I wasn’t always a demon. I imagine that you already knew that or you at least had thought about it. I wasn’t anybody important up there really, just an angel that helped with what they could. I was content, I really was, but inside of me there was something missing or better said, I felt like I lacked something essential to my very being. I didn’t know what it was. Then God created humans and everything began for me. I adored humans, I spent hours looking at Adam and Eve, observing their mundane lives in paradise. One day, they started something that intrigued me deeply. It is funny, I remember so vividly even today. You see, one afternoon Adam grabbed Eve by the hips and led her so as her back was pressed to the nearest tree, and then he started kissing her. When she jumped into him and he started thrusting into her I was completely hooked. It wasn’t only the nastiness of the act that entranced me, but also the feeling of closeness and love that they were sharing, pure and beautiful.” Copia stopped for a bit, gathering his thoughts. Your mind was racing at that point, you were so similar to Copia… it scared you so very much, but at the same time it made you feel like you belonged somewhere, with someone.

“I caught myself wanting to see them doing it more and more each time, their love and passion was contagious. I wanted to have that connection with someone. I know that angels aren’t supposed to have those sorts of feelings, it is not in us but I wanted it so badly that it intoxicated me to the point in which God found out about my lasciviousness. I was doomed, I felt that there was something wrong with me for wanting it and I fell. I wasn’t following God’s plans for me and she punished me for it. I was devastated but there was nothing I could do so I moved on. After a few years on Hell I was assigned to Earth… Hell itself isn’t the best place, I also felt like I didn’t belong there so maybe Earth would be the final destination, the place I could call home.” He stopped again to look at you. You smiled and he smiled back. It was ok for him to tell you all that, he knew, it was ok…

“I learned so much from humans, it felt like back when I was observing Adam and Eve. That curiosity gave me life, happiness and a a sense of purpose. One day, something happened to me, something I didn’t expect, I felt… infatuated… with someone. Her name was Sarah. She was one of the nicest humans I had met and to be completely fair the scriptures got our story all wrong. Sarah was engaged several times, but she wanted to be with me. I didn’t kill any of the suitors, I just nudged them away with some trickery. Well, then this guy came around, he was pain. Tobias or something I think his name was. He plotted alongside archangel Raphael to kick me out and bind me. In short, their plan worked, I was separated from Sarah and that is how I got to Egypt and how I met you in Alexandria. And that is mostly it, you know the rest.” As if on cue, snow started to fall and you both looked up to the skies, glowing with hundreds of little crystals that lighted the night.

“You were right” you sighed “I was going to like the snow.” Copia looked at you with a loving expression.

“Was it everything that you hoped for?” You looked back at his eyes, they were gleaming alongside the cold flakes.

“Even better… and…” you hesitated for a moment “I am sorry for what happened to you, it was unfair. If it is of any consolation, I yearn for some kind of connection too. When I get a bit of it I feel like a human that hasn’t drank water for days, I need it to live and I take and I take until I feel satiated. That feeling has been better since I met you though, so grazie (thank you).” You confessed and you can see tears forming in their eyes.

“Wow, you truly have a way with words mio caro angioletto (my dear little angel), and prego (you are welcome).” You nod, Copia nods back with a big smile and for a while everything stays silent, the only sounds around were those of the nearby animals crushing the falling leaves under their paws and the water sounds of a nearby brook.

“I forgot to tell you…” Copia breaks the silence “…when I fell I was given a new name thought I never liked it so I kept my angel name, Copia. As I was one of the earliest angels to fall, I became one of the Princes of Hell. My demon name is Asmodeous and I am the Lord of Lust.”

----

I didn’t make anything up but I had to pick Copia to be Asmodeous because you know this fic is about lust but it is so funny that he had beef with a man named Tobias!? Like I fucking cackled like a seagull when I found out, it was too perfect. ANYWAY, there is more content coming soon, probably later tonight with a couple of drawings for the Emeritus’ brothers hehe. Hoped you liked this chapter and as always comments and feedback are greatly appreciated. I am already writing a part three as well as a short side story with our obliviously-in-love couple and their shenanigans. Have a good one!

----

TAGLIST: @o-zenith-o @creamo-for-primo @booklover1984 @somuchnerdiness-solittletime @rightintheghoulies @funfetti-furby @strawberriiblossoms @liefleifleaf @gothicwonderlust

(*if you want to be part of my taglist interact with THIS post*)

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gothdaddyissues · 6 months

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WIP Whenever

I was tagged by @writingjourney - I know I'm hella behind with my writing because life has been shit for the last little bit, quite frankly. But I've been pecking away at the next chapter of The Devil Came to a Small Town, so here's an excerpt from that:

“Copia AND Imperator, both late?” Sister Ren remarked, “That never happens. How come? Is it because of his new girlfriend?”

Aether’s head shot up from behind the laptop screen, his eyes wide in surprise. “Huh? What?”

“It’s all the Siblings have been talking about this morning,” Ren said, “The rumor is he’s got himself a girlfriend in town. She owns the magic shop or something?”

“You mean Miss Izzy?” Aether was confused.

“Yes, that’s her name!” Ren replied. “You picked up Brooke and Sarah from there the other day, right? They said her and Copia were all lovey-dovey on the phone.”

This was enough to get Terzo to stop scrolling and look to Aether. “Oh really?” he smirked, his eyebrows raised. “I had no idea things were moving along so quickly!”

“They aren’t,” Aether stated.

“You sure about that?” Terzo asked.

“Yes, of course! He wouldn’t hide that from me. He couldn’t hide it from me!” Aether insisted. “I mean, yes, he’s got a crush on her, and she likes him too. But she’s not his girlfriend.”

Terzo chuckled. “Not yet.”

It was Secondo’s turn to laugh. “This is Copia we’re talking about, Terzo. If it’s left up to him, he’ll be pining over her forever. Perhaps if this woman has enough interest to make the first move, he’ll bumble his way into some sort of relationship, but otherwise, I doubt he has the balls to step up.”

“Don’t be unkind, fratellino,” Primo said softly, not even looking up from his book, “He is quite smitten with this lady.”

“And you forget how suave and charming Copia used to be back in the day,” Terzo added. “He was quite the famous Romeo, remember? Ladies falling all over themselves for him. All he needs is the right woman to bring that side out of him again, eh?”

“Ancient history,” Secondo scoffed, “That Copia is long gone. If we see him and this woman together before Yule, I’ll be shocked.”

Terzo yanked his feet off the table and sat up in his chair, giving his brother a sly look. “Is that so? Would you like to make a wager on that?”

I'm tagging: @copiousloverofcopia @lokihutchersonmellark and @deetz-ghuleh (if you want to and/or have something to share!)

#WIP tag game #ghost fanfiction #ghost fanfic #my fanfic

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thschei · 3 months

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youtube

I was carried on a wolf's back To corrupt humanity I will pummel it with opulence With corpulence and greed In God you trust My mummy dust Dust... My mummy dust Your cavalier of crapulence To this feast of rapacity I'll bury you in treasures Just to feed your incapacity Dust... You're the possessée of avarice I'm the ruler of the earth I will smother you in riches 'Til you choke on sordid mirth You are summoned in cupidity From purulence and lust I'm the magnet for stupidity And divine, you feel my thrust In God we trust My mummy dust In God we trust My mummy dust

#erin talks #video #erin's music rec tag #the song ever #I would've linked a live performance but I couldn't really find a good terzo one...#but the way he growls 😳#like 2 yrs ago I saw a tweet that was like 'I'm a little concerned that I listen to mummy dust so much that it's giving me a degradation #kink' & I haven't stopped thinking about it this entire time 😭#for me it's more deus in absentia . bc . well I can talk about it another time #but mummy dust feels more like the devil is chiding all of humanity for our flaws & gloating about his influence over us #to be selfish and greedy and cruel . so it doesn't feel like I personally am being degraded . you know?#Youtube

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kissingghouls · 1 year

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Let the Poison Spill

Chapter Eight - Wrong (ao3) // (previous chapter) // (list)

Cardinal Copia x Reader, Terzo x Reader

summary: Your routine in the Order is about to change. (3400 words)

tags: NSFW, MDNI, 18+, Copia x Reader, Terzo x Reader, Secret Society, Horror Themes, Blood, a tiny bit of magic?, more tags on ao3

Sister Imperator almost caught you.

It was one thing to be found outside of your room after curfew, but getting caught by Imperator would’ve meant explanations and punishments you couldn’t handle. You held your breath, waiting for her to pass while considering praying to every god and devil you could think of. The soft click of her kitten heels made their way down the hall and out of earshot before you let yourself breathe again.

It wasn’t like you were sneaking out for fun, you weren’t even granted that luxury anymore. Ever since that trip to the archives, you were doomed to spend the last few moments before first light with Secondo. As a grumpy, bossy, bitter old man he was hardly your first choice of companion. Secondo didn’t trust anyone as far as he could throw them—least of all you.

For the last few days, the two of you had been secretly meeting in various empty spaces of the abbey. Any quiet space served as a makeshift examination room, as though you were receiving regular checkups from a doctor. He fed you different tinctures and potions, some of which were the most disgusting things you’d ever had to choke down, but you received no sympathy from the stoic man. He’d watch you with his arms crossed over his chest and a deep frown setting creases in his forehead while absolutely nothing happened. There would be another ten minutes of him tearing through Ritual books in the hopes of finding out just what the hell was going on with you.

You were grateful for his help, of course, even if it did come at some odd magical cost. But he insisted everything stay private; he wouldn’t even let his own brother accompany you on these little visits. Apparently, he trusted Terzo even less than you, so there was no one around to hold your hand while Secondo drew your blood day after day.

“Sit still, Sorella,” he grumbled harshly.

You were trying. You were really trying, but the needle burned under your skin. You could have sat still if he didn’t have you perched on a desk built for an eight year old or let someone comfort you through all this. Just as Terzo wasn’t welcome to join you, you weren’t “allowed” to tell anyone else, not Mary and definitely not Copia. You began to suspect if Terzo hadn’t been Papa he would be left completely in the dark.

The only shining spot was how amused Secondo had been when he heard about Terzo and Omega’s outbursts. It was the only time the old man had offered you anything close to relief with a throwaway comment that Quintessence Ghouls—Omega in particular—had a flair for the dramatic.

When he finished, you pushed the sleeve of your habit down before hopping off the desk. Secondo busied himself placing drop after drop of your blood into concoctions he refused to tell you anything about. He waved you off dismissively, practically shooing you from the room.

It was a long walk from the Ministry Academy to the library. The pathway that led back to the main building had been cleared of snow overnight, the morning sun already working at whatever places the shovels had missed. The sidewalk was wet with slush, the mounds of snow framing the trail leaking thick rivers onto the pavement. The spiderweb pattern of pathways cut a deep trench through the piles of snow framing the edges of the grass. You didn’t have the chance to explore much of the grounds between your baptism and the ever-unfolding mysteries of the Order. Aside from the Academy, most of the other buildings dotting the hill remained unknown.

You really hoped someone would give you a straight answer about something soon.

“Wow, you like shit,” Mary said dryly as you dropped into the uncomfortable seat across from him. Mary looked like he always did, of course. But it was hard for anyone to see dark circles under your eyes when your face was painted like a skull.

You didn’t bother hiding the exaggerated eye roll or the glare that followed, shooting a hateful look across the office. He wasn’t wrong; not that you’d ever admit it. You knew your eyes were sunken and red and your cheeks were puffy no matter what you’d tried.

Sleep had been the furthest thing from your mind lately, a distant wish you weren’t sure you could have managed even with a sedative. Not with the ever growing list of threats you now had to deal with. Injury-causing nightmare. Lake monsters. Angry, suspicious Ghouls.

Your life was getting so fucking weird.

Having the body of the Anti-Pope curled protectively around you as he snored didn’t help either.

“Well? Let’s hear it,” Mary started, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked at you expectantly, one eyebrow raised like they were about to hear the greatest story ever told.

“What?” you grumbled, reaching for a cup of coffee that had become too cold to drink long before you made it to the library.

“What’s your brilliant excuse for waltzing in late with no sleep?” Mary pinned you with an expectant look, head tilted to the side enough that is hair fell over his eyes.

“I—” Your mouth went dry immediately. Even if you could explain, you weren’t sure how much information you were allowed to share.

“I don’t have an excuse, Mary,” you finally admitted with a shake of your head. You could pin the whole thing on Terzo, or Secondo, or the monster in the lake, but you’d still be late for work. It really wasn’t Mary’s business where you’d slept or where you’d been. “But I am sorry.”

Mary sighed and pushed an old, heavy book toward you. He settled back, sizing you up before he spoke. “Look, I know it’s none of my business,” he started slowly and held up his hands in surrender. “But for the time being you should tell whoever you’re fucking to not keep you up all night.”

“What?” you squeaked, nearly choking on your coffee.

“Kitten, believe me I’m all for whatever you’ve got going on. But this shit?” He tapped the book in front of you. “You can’t take it lightly.”

You looked down at the weathered, old text. “What is this?”

“They’re Rituals,” he said flatly. “If you want me to be able to teach you—the thing about ritual work—it’s all tied to your emotional state. So, if you’re not sleeping, if you’re not taking care of yourself, you could get seriously hurt.”

“Mary, I was a little late for work. I don’t think you need to be worried—"

“I’m saying this shit is dangerous. For all of us,” he snapped. He heaved out a heavy breath and shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe I should be worried. I’m not exactly thrilled that we’re already approaching the subject. Clearly, you’re not ready for this, but Sister Imperator didn’t really leave any room for argument—”

“Sister Imperator?”

He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “She came to see me—well, more accurately she fucking tracked me down last night in the catacombs and basically demanded I start teaching you ritual work. Which, listen, I am more than happy to do, but this…this isn’t nearly enough time.”

You slumped against the back of the chair. “I don’t understand any of this. Why would she come to you about me?”

“About both of us, Kitten.” He paused, chewing the corner of his lip as he searched for the right words. “The Order is…planning something and whatever it is she clearly wants you and me to be a part of it.”

“Let me guess—a secret, important Ritual?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Apparently not so secret?”

You rolled your eyes in return. “Relax, I heard about it from a friend.”

“You must have friends in high places,” Mary grumbled. They perked up and looked around the room before leaning forward and whispering, “Is it Secondo? Are you sleeping with Secondo?”

“Even if I was, do you think I’d tell you?”

“It’s probably better if you don’t sleep with him. That dude parties. Also, he’s allegedly super terrified of commitment.”

“Wow. Remind me to never tell you anything.”

“Tell me or don’t, Kitten,” he said with an easy shrug. “But I’ll warn you, secrets like that don’t secret for very long in this place. Sooner or later, everyone will know your business.”

“People in a secret society can’t keep their mouths shut?”

He laughed. “Not about sex. But if you don’t want to gossip, we should get to work.”

Mary made a show of retrieving a key from the drawer in his desk, somehow shoving it into the pocket of their tight jeans. He motioned for you to follow, leading you to that same small room with the elevator that led to the archives. He was practically bouncing on his heels, excited to finally have a chance to show you the great chamber below. You didn’t have the heart to tell him you’d already been down there. With a smile, you followed him into the tiny cage and waited quietly as it rattled down the cable to the floors below.

“Kinda thought you’d be a little excited,” he said as the two of you reached the bottom.

“I am, I am. I’m just tired. This is amazing, Mary. Thank you.”

“You’re a shitty liar,” he snorted. “Your fancy friend already brought you down here, huh?”

You shrugged as he shoved you out of the elevator.

“I’m gonna figure it out, you know,” he warned. “Not many people have a key to the archives.”

“Can’t be that special if you have one,” you teased.

“Finally, she bites back!” he said and fondly tousled your hair. “You wanna start with a summoning?”

Rituals were far less exciting than Mary had led you to believe. All their threats about danger played on your mind as you shuffled through book after book in a chilly corner of the archives. It had been days of extensive research leading to blurred vision every night as you trudged back to your dorm to collapse. Mary warned you it would only get worse.

The long days left you no time for yourself, let alone anyone else. There were no more notes left on your bed or summons to the Cardinal’s office. Even Secondo’s check-ups had stopped. You barely saw anyone but Mary between breakfast and bed. You wouldn’t have had the strength to keep up with whatever game the members of the clergy were trying to play against each other anyway.

There was a silver lining to the endless streak of exhaustion. That horrible nightmare had not yet repeated itself. Instead, you were left dreamless each night, a blank void of nothing taking the place of the strange and vivid images that usually filled your nights.

The bruises on your arms and legs slowly faded. The angry red scrapes around your hips had also healed, making that particular secret a little easier to keep and carry. It didn’t stop Secondo from eyeing you suspiciously any time you crossed his path, but that was much easier to handle than the hateful looks Omega shot you any time he could. They were so blatant Mary’s friends had noticed the animosity from across the dining hall, but you didn’t have any satisfactory answers to their questions. You didn’t have satisfactory answers to your own questions.

There was an extensive section on Ghouls in the archives, but it was hard to explore under the ever-curious eye of your mentor. You were supposed to focus on the task at hand, but how were you supposed to clear your mind and fill it with incantations while the Order continued to deny the one thing they’d promised you? Mary had finally had enough when you managed to start that third fire, sending you away to cool off mentally and physically.

Your fingertips hovered over the titles in the section you’d been trying to run through for days. There was no way you’d be able to concentrate with so many questions bouncing around in your head. You knew the reason your rituals weren’t producing results had very little to do with your lack of talent or training, but the idea of telling Mary everything was just as unsettling. He gave up trying to figure out what was distracting you several days ago, or so you thought.

“Alright, spill,” he demanded.

“Fuck!” you shouted, nearly dropping the book you were inspecting. You turned to find Mary behind you leaning against the stacks with his arms crossed. Devious little shit.

“You’ve been far more interested in Ghouls than Rituals, so tell me what’s really going on.”

You hung your head. “Maybe I’m just curious.”

“If that was the case you would’ve just asked, Kitten. This is…something that’s scaring you.”

You sighed, letting your shoulders slump as you rested your head against the shelf. “Something happened the other day,” you admitted. “I haven’t been able to figure out what it was or who to ask. I don’t even really know how to explain it.”

“Hey,” he said softly and moved closer. “Whatever it is, we’ll handle it, ok?”

“I don’t even know where to start,” you mumbled, shaking your head. “Omega doesn’t like me. That’s obvious by now, yeah?”

Mary nodded. “It has been brought up a couple of times.”

“A few nights ago, he grabbed my arm and…I don’t know…he did something. Then he started screaming at Terzo, telling him I’m ‘wrong.’”

“What do you mean wrong?” Mary asked loudly.

You reached out and smacked his arm. Hard. “Keep your voice down. I don’t know what he meant. He was just upset and then he was in Terzo’s room and Terzo,” you paused to let out a breath. “He yelled back at him, and he was so angry. He grabbed him by the throat and threatened him.”

Mary raised an eyebrow. “And why were you in Papa’s room?”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Mary. That’s your takeaway?”

“I’m just surprised! For what it’s worth, Omega’s never really liked sharing him, but he’s never attacked anyone over it. As far as I know—”

“You are focused on all the wrong things.”

“No, no, I’ve got it. The lake tried to drown you, you’ve pissed off Omega, and you’re fucking Papa. Are you trying to fill out a bingo card or something?”

“That’s not fair, Mary.”

“You might want to get used to it, Kitten. What do you think is going to happen when the rest of the abbey finds out what you’ve been up to?”

“This is exactly why I didn’t tell you—”

“Sister Imperator,” Mary said a little too loud, their body straightening at the sight of the nun.

“Mary,” she said flatly, nodding as you turned to face her. “Sister, might I borrow you for a second?”

You swallowed your argument and forced a smile. “Of course, Sister Imperator.”

“I’ll keep working on this,” Mary called after you, but it failed to comfort you.

Sister Imperator’s mouth made a straight line as she punched the buttons in the elevator. She didn’t say anything as the cage rattled and creaked its way above ground. The harsh grind of the breaks, a high-pitched squeal pierced your brain as the car jerked to a stop. She remained silent as she made her exit, pausing only momentarily to make sure you followed.

She led you out of the library and through the gilded halls of the abbey. The touches of gold glittered in the sunlight, a fresh shine someone had to rub into them each day. In the main hall, the white eye of Papa Emeritus III followed you across the marble floor as you struggled to keep up with the nun. She moved quickly, taking two steps for each of yours as she powerwalked toward her office.

The room hadn’t changed in the passing weeks, the dark wood still warmed by the touch of firelight. But this time Ghouls did not occupy the room. Cardinal Copia turned toward the doorway as Imperator opened the door and ushered you through.

Fuck.

The Cardinal remained stone-faced, eyes widening only slightly at the sight of you. It was enough of a gesture to tell you he didn’t know what this was about either. You weren’t exactly sure what would happen if Imperator had found out about the two of you. If it was even a problem.

You settled into the chair next to him, stomach turning as the nun took a seat at her desk with a groan.

“Seems I’ve found you both just in time,” she began cryptically. You dug your nails into the arm of the chair as she stared at you, an unmistakable look of disappointment in her eyes. “I should have known Mary wouldn’t take this seriously.”

“Sister,” Copia said softly. “Might I ask what this meeting is about?”

She sucked her teeth and narrowed her eyes at him. “Well, if you’d give me a moment, I could explain. Or do you have somewhere more important to be, Cardinal?”

“No, Sister. Mi dispiace,” he replied solemnly. His jaw tensed, muscles flexing as he grinded his teeth to keep quiet.

She leaned back in her chair, a sick satisfaction on her face. Folding her hands on the desk, the nun eyed you both before she spoke again. “Cardinal, you will teach the new Sister the Rituals.”

Copia’s jaw dropped in confusion. “Mary is her mentor.”

“Mary can’t handle the responsibility,” she snapped. “If they want to dick around in the archives, they can do so alone. I expect results from you, Cardinal. Quickly.”

He looked back and forth between the two of you. “Sister, it is dangerous—”

“Cardinal, if I wanted to hear excuses, I would’ve asked your opinion. It’s not up for debate, for either of you. You will instruct the girl and Sister, you will do as he says.”

He huffed out a defeated sigh. “Yes, Sister Imperator.”

“Good. That’s all,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

You blinked, watching as Sister Imperator snapped a pen from her desk and started writing, immediately forgetting either of you were there.

The Cardinal stood and offered you a hand, his eyes trained on the ground. You let him help you to your feet, his fingers soft and warm in the absence of his gloves. He gave your hand a soft squeeze before dropping it to follow you out of Imperator’s office.

“Well, Mary’s going to be pissed,” you said quietly once you’d made it far enough away from the nun’s office.

“I suspect Mary will have their own part to play in this soon. As will you,” Copia replied tersely.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, Sorella.” He shook his head and turned his gaze on you. “It is nice to see you again, dolcezza.”

You felt your cheeks heat up, skin going pink with his words. “I’ve been here the whole time.”

He cracked a smile. “Apparently, you’ve been in the basement playing with Mary.”

“That is such bullshit, you know? We’ve been studying this whole time. Mary was doing exactly what she asked.”

“I think you’ll find Sister Imperator only cares for her version of the truth.”

“You really do let her talk to you like that, don’t you?”

“You haven’t been here long, Sorella, but I can assure you it is not worth arguing with her.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

He smirked. “Do you care about my feelings, dolce?”

“Maybe.”

He searched the hallway before bringing a hand to your face, gently swiping a thumb over your cheek. “It is sweet of you to worry, but I can assure you nothing Imperator says or does can hurt me.”

You nodded once and leaned into the Cardinal’s touch. “I still don’t have to like it.”

“I—”

Copia jerked his hand away as the sound of footsteps rounded the corner. Two Ghouls breezed past, neither paying much attention to you or the Cardinal. He shifted away from you, shaking his head at your raised eyebrow. The Ghouls pushed through a door at the end of the hall, but Copia kept his distance.

“Meet me in an hour at my quarters?” he asked softly.

“You don’t waste any time, huh?”

He smiled and shook his head. “I have rituals to teach you, Sorella.”

“I’m so sorry. I thought—”

He pushed a strand of hair behind your ear as he leaned in close. “Wear something comfortable.”

#my fics #my writing #cardinal copia x female reader #papa emeritus iii x female reader #copia x reader #terzo x reader #the band ghost fanfiction

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