#Justice for Terzo

[osiris-iii-bc]

so you really telling me Terzo was the only Papa ingloriously ending his career with betrayal and humiliation after he won a freaking Grammy?! What did he do to deserve that?

SHAME ON YOU CLERGY, HE DIDNT DESERVE THAT.

[j00stkl31n]

🖤My two styles of necklaces🤍

[shinybanette]

Actual image of Ghost taking over my life

[cupidghoul]

So from what I've gathered, Terzo without his papa makeup would look like classic dracula.

I've seen multiple people draw their interpretation of him based off his face shape and such and they all kinda look like him. WHICH HONESTLY? I LOVE THAT, CAUSE LOOK AT HIM!! I just wanted to share cause I thought it was cool :))

[the-hole-in-terzos-shoe]

Besties my brain is hatching a fanfic idea 🧍

[nekronyancer]

So obsessed with baby Cardi he’s such a cutie (and also the way you draw Cardinal Terzo🤭)

Haha thank you.

I actually wanted to give him some justice because the other drawing was just a rushed doodle so here he is in all his glory~

His ass is not listening to whoever is talking to him.

Previous - Next

[skele-bunny]

This thought got implanted in my brain like a chip and it hasn't turned off since.

WHAT the fuck is up with Ghouls and the Emeritus brothers! Sure, it was extremely taboo to date one of your ghouls up until Terzo taking over as Papa but who's to say there wasn't some... Conflicted feelings? Some wantings?

Primo just whispering soft delicacies to Aër, letting his ghoul hold his face so gently before moving down to let his old master rub through the feathers along his body. How Aër would do anything if Primo would ask, even down to damning himself if his Papa so asked. How he'd pick every feather out if it simply made the man happy. Primo always held affections for him, he just never truly knew how to express or have it.

Don't get me started on Secondo and Alpha. You've seen those two. Oh, Secondo had the heaviest hand, but Alpha had the biggest bite. How they'd always be at a head in some decisions, but in the end Alpha would bare his neck like the obedient dog he was. Worshipping at his master's feet, being granted with such privilege to even simply touch him that it burned. Secondo would hold his head down with his boot, yet comment on how much he adored Alpha. He refused to acknowledge his craving towards the ghoul both sexually and romantically.

Of course, Terzo and Omega. Being the first ones to date in secrecy while Terzo was still a cardinal. Like teenagers, giggling as they sneak out and find each other in hallways. Unable to keep their hands and mouths off one another, constantly leaving love letters, gifts, or just detouring from their current task just to see each other if only a quick glance. Such a big beastie who didn't even wait for permission to bring justice into his own hands if someone even looked at Terzo wrong. And Terzo loved it.

Copia was a strange one, outright being involved with ALL of his ghouls. He never minded the questioning, nor did he acknowledge the distaste from the higher-ups as it wasn't proper for a master to be so romantically involved with a "tool" in their eyes. But Copia seen them all more than that. From when he was Cardinal, up to being Frater. He loved each and every one of them, took time to learn them, their interests, what they liked and disliked. What made them feel good, what made them feel REALLY good, and what killed it. Wasn't uncommon to find a ghoul pile with Copia right in the middle.

Then, the two eldest whispering over the same fire ghoul Secondo ignored. Cowbell being the first Alpha even started dating, absolutely obsessed with each other and in such a new light of how the other worked. How Bell loved physical affection, and how Alpha was nothing but an eager to please puppy. And when Phil joined the picture? HAH. Their relationships were separate, but it didn't mean they didn't gossip with one another playfully about their shared partner. When Phil found out about the puppy mentality, he strangled it to the max just to hear those soft whimpers and that soft whisper of "please."

Those damn Emeritus brothers >:(

(this is a queued post don't kill me.)

[ramblingoak]

~~ The Outlaw Brides Masterpost ~~

~ A series of stories set in the Old West...Tragedy befalls the Emeritus family when their abbey is destroyed. Each brother's story will focus on the journey they take to cope with the aftermath and the love they find along the way ~

~ Cardinal Copia x Female Reader ~ After being forced into a marriage with Mr. Saltarian by your father you are sent west to his estate in Nevada.  Along the way you end up meeting one of the cowboys you have always fantasized about… ~ 

Chapters: 1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5 ~ 6 ~ 7 ~ 8 ~ 9 ~ 10 ~ 11 ~ 12 ~ 13

Ficlets:

Little Thief ~ Secondo x Female Reader ~ You had made a name for yourself robbing the casinos that dotted the Old West but after visiting The Ministry and getting involved in a gun fight the man known as Papa gives you another...

The Cardinal's Bride Prelude ~ Copia takes some time away from the others before he decides to follow through with his plan

A Flower Crown for a Cowboy ~ Copia x Female Reader ~ You enjoy a quiet afternoon in a field of dandelions with your cowboy

Napping With An Outlaw ~ Mary Goore x Reader ~ Mary shows up at your door after being injured

I also made a Spotify playlist and a Pinterest board with outfit inspiration pics so please check those out too if you're interested!

Part One / Two / Three / Napping With A Monster ~ A rewrite of parts of The Cardinal's Bride but now they're vampires!

~~ Future Stories ~~

The Morningstar's Bride

Read The Morningstar for a prequel to Terzo's story!

Terzo x Female Reader

You've been on your own for quite some time and have earned quite the reputation for robbing banks. Your latest job is going according to plan until you find yourself face to face with an old lover. Terzo claims to be there to stop you and bring you to justice, but you can see the same twinkle in his eyes that was there when you first met. Will he turn you in to collect the bounty or is it time for The Morningstar to start terrorizing the Old West once more?

The Gambler's Bride

Secondo x Female Reader

Secondo's tale of romance and adventure in the Old West.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

If you'd like to be added/removed from the tag list (or if I accidentally left your name off) of this fic or any of my others please leave a comment or send me a dm! Thank you 💙

My Masterlist ~ My Archive of our Own ~ My Ko-Fi Tip Jar

The Cardinal's Bride and The Vampire's Bride banners are by @ghuleh-recs all other art by @tasty-ribz (thank you guys so much I love you)

[angellayercake]

The way I'm seeing people talk about Terzo recently is making me a bit sad.

I thought all the takes I didn't agree with might inspire me to get back to writing him and do him the justice he deserves but instead it's just making me feel really disconnected. And that is not to say my interpretation is the only right one at all but it's a bit tiring seeing him reduced to just a short twink bottom for omega joke.

I do love ghost as a whole still and Copia too but Terzo is my special guy so yeah just feeling things. And unfortunately those things are just ever growing the pesky writers block

[ghost-in-the-hall]

Dance With Me (Terzo x Reader FLUFF)

Credits to @crowblin for the amazing edit of smiling Terzo

(A/N: I had the cutest idea for this fic, I really hope future me does justice in writing this. The only reason I didn't label this as GN is because the reader does wear a dress to the party, but I kept the pronouns neutral since everyone can wear dresses, obviously. Absolutely no warnings at all, just Terzo and the reader falling in love, dancing being cute, friends to lovers, Primo being a dad.)

You sat in silence as your fellow siblings talked about a party that was going to be held a week from now at the Abbey. They all buzzed with excitement, discussing what they would be wearing, if they were going with anyone or who they hoped they'd get a chance to dance with. "What about you, (Y/N)? Are you going with anyone" Dammit, you were hoping you could keep yourself out of this conversation. You had been planning on avoiding the party all together, not wanting to embarrass yourself due to the fact that you didn't know how to dance.

"Oh, I'm going to be busy that night. Primo needs me to stay late to work on something." Your friends knew how seriously you took your work, and no one was going to question Primo's motives for anything he did.

"Primo loves you, I'm sure if you asked to take the night off for the party he'd let you. Plus, I thought I heard even he was going to be attending this one." You internally grimaced, of course he was. The first time in years he actually decides to go to one of the Abbey's parties when he's your only excuse for ditching.

"I'll see what I can do." You excuse yourself with a smile before heading off. You needed to figure out what to do and you needed to figure it out quickly. There was only one person you could think to turn to at a time like this. You hurried through the halls, eventually finding yourself standing in front of Terzo's office door. You knock tentatively, standing there awkwardly as you waited for him to answer the door. You were surprised when Primo opened the door instead of Terzo.

"Il mio bambino," he smiles at you, "I take it you're looking for Terzo, come in." You enter the office hesitantly, seeing Terzo sitting at his desk. Primo floats past you, back to the chair you assumed he was sitting in prior to your arrival. "Is everything alright (Y/N)? You look troubled my dear." You sigh, not really wanting to admit the reason you were down there. You glance at Terzo, apprehension still apparent in your features, he motions for you to sit.

"I need your help." He rests his elbows on the dark wooden surface in front of him, perplexed by the fact that you seemed serious. You had been best friends with Terzo for years, you never asked for his help on principle. Now, you had gone out of your way to come all the way down to his office, admitting that you needed his help in front of Primo no less, something had to be seriously wrong. "This party next week... I was trying to get out of going. But, apparently, word has gotten around that you're going to be attending." You turn your head to look at Primo. "I'm sorry Papa, I was trying to lie and use you giving me work as an excuse not to go. But, that's besides the point." 

Terzo waves his hand, "hold on, pause. Why are you trying so hard to not go, it's going to be fun! Apparently this is going to be different than Secundo's usual parties."

Primo nods in agreement, "I've been told this is going to be closer to a formal ball than one of Secundo's usual... What do the younger siblings call them? Ragers?" You felt yourself starting to physically sweat. That was worse. That just made things even more terrible than they already were. This now has transpired into something far beyond the casual rhythmic club dancing you were used to seeing at these parties. It was very rare for Secundo to hold formal parties like this but when he did they were as grandiose as anything you could possibly imagine. You paled at the thought of what would happen if you even attempted to ballroom dance, you felt sick at the thought of it. "Il mio bambino, are you alright? You look like you're about to faint."

"I can't dance!" You suddenly blurt out to both of them. "If I go to this party I'm going to be the laughing stock of the Abbey because everyone I know dances in some capacity-"

"(Y/N), I'm sure you're not the only one who doesn't know how to dance." Primo tries to reassure you.

You groan, "I know that, but-"

"You don't want to do anything that could make you look stupid." Terzo finishes bluntly. You nod in response, rubbing the bridge of your nose.

"Terzo, you're the only one I could think of to come ask." You saw Primo's gaze swap between the the two of you, a small smirk on his face as if he knew something neither of you didn't. 

"You want me to teach you how to dance?" You nod bashfully, still not wanting to accept the fact that you needed his help.

"Well, I think it's time for me to take my leave, let you two discuss this in private." He places a supportive hand on your shoulder. "My doors always open if you're feeling overwhelmed and need a break, come by anytime." You smile at him and nod, watching him walk slowly out the door.

"You want me to teach you how to dance?" Terzo repeats his earlier question quietly, leaning back in his chair with a look of pure disbelief on his face.

"Listen, I'm not happy that I have to come ask for your help, but you're my best friend, and I know you know a wide variety of dance styles... So, I'm hoping you won't make fun of me too badly and you'll help me learn before the party." You couldn't meet his eyes, you didn't want to know how he was looking at you.

"First of all, rude ass, I'm not that mean." You can't help but let out a small laugh at him being offended for you even remotely assuming he was mean. "I'm not going to make fun of you for not knowing how to dance, I used to be lanky and awkward and didn't know how to move my body. It takes time, practice, not everyone is born with the ability to dance. But, we have a week, sí? That sounds like a timeframe I can work with." He smiles brightly at you, an expression you try your best to return. It was definitely for the best that it was your best friend giving you dance lessons, but the whole thing still made you incredibly nervous. Terzo stood, you copied his motions unsure of what he was planning. "I think I know a good place to practice?"

"We're going now? Like, right now?" He nods with a confused expression.

"When do you want to start learning? An hour before the party starts?" He rebuttals. He was right, the more time you got to learn the better. You followed Terzo through the winding halls off the Abbey eventually ending up in a large open room that appeared to be used for storage. Your newfound dance partner ventures off into a corner, shuffling a few things around before letting out a sound of approval when he finds what he was looking for. He pulls out a small stand that had an old record player sitting on it, a box of various records to go along with it. "Let's hope this thing still works." He fiddles with it for a minute, eventually having it click to life. A slow, melodic tune fills the room, Terzo dusts off his hands with a smile. You stood motionless in the center of the room, your arms tightening around yourself as nervous tension built in your chest. Terzo shrugs out of his jacket, tossing it over a nearby stack of boxes before carefully rolling up his sleeves. You swallowed thickly, your pulse speeding up for some reason you couldn't place. He steps closer to you, "are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." He takes one of your hands in his, placing your free hand on his shoulder before wrapping his arm around your waist, pulling you close. He proceeds to talk you through a very basic waltz, counting off each step so you'd know how to time it when you eventually started dancing to the music. You noticably cringed everytime you accidentally stepped on his toes. He would just chuckle and wave it off, telling you it was okay and it was all part of learning. Eventually, after a few days of practice, you started to somewhat get the hang of it.

"Good, good, now the next part is very important. You need to stop looking at the floor." He chuckles, causing you to blush slightly.  You made an attempt, your eyes looking at the wall behind Terzo as you mentally pictures the steps. "(Y/N)... Relax." He says with a small smile. You hadn't realized until he said something that you had been holding your breath. He studies your face for a moment, "why don't we take a break for a minute?" Terzo sat down on the floor, a light sheen of sweat covering his skin from the hours you had been practicing that day. You joined him on the floor with an aggravated huff.

"I'm never going to get the hang of this." You say miserably, pulling your knees to your chest and hiding your face in them.

"You're doing great, I never said this was going to be easy. You're already a hundred times better than you were a couple days ago." Terzo slides closer to you, wrapping a comforting arm around your shoulder. You lift your head slightly, meeting his dual colored eyes in the process. You felt... Strange. You were no stranger to physical contact from Terzo, he just always happened to be a very hands on guy, not that you complained. But this made you feel different that anything you had felt towards him before. That tight, thick feeling in your throat was back. The same feeling you got when you watched him prepare to dance with you on that first day. Your heart was thundering in your chest, your hands felt clammy, your stomach churned but not in the sick and queasy way you had experienced before. "I know that by the time the party rolls around, you're going to be even greater at dancing than you could ever imagine." The way he was looking at you, you felt like you were running out of oxygen yet you've never had a fresher breath of air. You were feeling really conflicted.

"Could we pick this up in a couple hours?"

He nods with a concerned expression. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just a bit tired I think." He stood, helping you from the floor in the process. Terzo continued to hold your hand in his, you reluctantly slipped your fingers out of his grasp.

"I'll be in my office when you're ready to pick back up, okay?" You nod, leaving the room before he had the chance to question why you were suddenly acting so strange. Your walk eventually turned into more of a jog as you ran off to the one place that could always help soothe your mind, Primo's garden. As if expecting you he was already there, tending to his plants like he normally was on any given day. The familiarity of this site helped you relax slightly. There wasn't any new thoughts or feelings, new experiences, just Primo and his garden.

"Il mio bambino, I can smell the anxiety coming off you from here." He didn't look up or stop the task he was in the middle of. You started in his direction, Primo could read you like a book at any given moment of course now was no different. You sat on the wall nearest where he was working, the two of you coexisting in silence before he decided to speak again. "What's wrong my dear?" He turns his full attention towards you and you immediately begin to crumble under his loving, almost parental gaze.

"I'm..." You pause, sighing slightly as you tried to find the right words to say. "I think I might have a crush on Terzo, it feels weird saying that out loud. I don't know, ever since he's been giving me dance lessons I feel like he's all I can think about. I've caught myself day dreaming about him for Satan's sake."

"You and Terzo have been very close for a long time, and as far as I know he's one of the first people you've really taken an interest in... Would it be such a bad thing to, dare I say, see where things go naturally." Primo chuckles, he knew how much you hated navigating things that were new. You always seemed to have a step by step plan to resolve every problem you've ever faced, but not this one. Primo joins you on the wall, taking your hand in his, "I think you should just let things take their course. Even an old man like myself can see the way you look at him, you've always adored him even if you haven't realized it until now. Terzo is your person, and I'd venture to say you're probably his. You know him better than anyone, you probably know him better than I do and he's my brother!" He lets out another small laugh before slowly standing up. He offers you his arm, "how about I take you back to your dance lessons?" You link your arm with his, sharing in some pleasant conversation as he walked you back to Terzo's office. He asked how you thought the lessons were going.

"Terzo's an excellent teacher, he's kind and patient, I'm just worried I'm still not going to be ready, we only have a few days left." Primo hums.

"I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit il mio bambino, I'm sure by the time the party rolls around you'll be ready to dance the night away." You reached Terzo's office, Primo knocks on the door and turns to you. "I hope our little chat today ease's your nerves my dear." Before you had time to respond Terzo opened the door, a confused expression on his face when he sees Primo. "I believe they're supposed to be with you." Saying only that, Primo turned to you, bid you farewell, and floated off down the hallway once more.

"I think I'm ready to try again." You say quietly, a meek smile on your face.

"Excellent." Terzo returns your grin, the two of you heading back down to the empty room that had become your dance studio for the time being. You took your position, Terzo's arm securely around your waist, your body almost flush against his. You started to walk through the steps again, trying to stay in time with the quiet music from the record player. Without realizing it you had started watching your feet again. "Don't look at the floor, look at me." His voice was deep, almost commanding. Your eyes snapped up to his, your cheeks flushing at the close proximity. "That's perfect cara mia, just keep your eyes on me." You didn't want to, being this close to him and having such intense eye contact was making you flustered. But, you had completely stopped overthinking your dancing. Before you knew it your clumsy attempt at a waltz had turned into actual dancing. Every shift of Terzo's body guided you to exactly where you needed to be. Over the last few days before the party dancing with him actually started to become fun. He spun you around the floor, occasionally you both would stumble over your own feet but you weren't riddled with anxiety over it anymore. You got one more practice session in the night before the party. You and Terzo planning on meeting at his quarters tomorrow to hopefully calm any nerves you could possibly have before he kissed the back of your hand and left you to your thoughts for the rest of the evening. You found yourself struggling to pick out something to wear. Knowing that subconsciously you were thinking about how you wanted to look good for Terzo made you groan. You knew Primo was right, nothing horrible was going to happen for giving into your feelings. You managed to find a gown you bought a few years ago that you never had gotten the chance to wear. A simple, elegant, black floor length gown. It was perfect. You were in the process of getting ready the next day when you ran into a problem. You couldn't zip up the gown by yourself. You were audibly cursing to your empty room as you fumbled with the zipper. Suddenly, there was a knock at your door. You held the back of the dress together the best you could with one hand and opened the door with the other. There stood Terzo, tie slung around his neck a small boquette of flowers in his hand.

"Hey, perfect timing, I need your help." You hurriedly pulled him inside. He chuckles, pulling the tie from his shoulder and holding it up.

"Good, because I also need yours." You chuckle, you had been helping Terzo tie his ties for years, of course he still needed help. Unfortunately for him your matter was more pressing. You turned, showing him the open back of your gown.

"Do you think you could zip me up? You felt him step closer to you, that familiar buzz spreading across your skin as you felt him step behind you. You glanced at him in the mirror in front of you. He studied your face for a moment, a small smile on his lips. Terzo's fingers were cool as they dragged up your spine, effortlessly bringing the zipper up along with it. After he was done he rested his hands on your waist, admiring the way you looked, how the dress hugged your curves in exactly the right spots. 

"You look radiant this evening cara mia." You can't help but blush at the compliment. You turned, taking the tie out of his hand and placing it around his neck. You tied it meticulously, making sure his collar was neatly folded over, the knot perfectly done.

"Just as handsome as ever." You smile, resting your hands on his chest. You got caught up in his gaze, mismatched eyes keeping you pinned in place. He glanced down at your lips momentarily, your heart rate instantly picking up at the sight. He had just barely started to inch his face closer to yours when you panicked, "these flowers are beautiful!" You caught sight of them on the table where Terzo left them.

He sighs slightly, "they're from Primo. He wanted to apologize for not being able to come see you before the party, but he'll make sure to find you at some point tonight." You take a deep breath, inhaling the flowers sweet scent. "(Y/N)... Would you care to accompany me tonight?" You smile, setting the flowers down and stepping closer to him to adjust his tie once more.

"Nothing would make me happier Terzo." The two of you made your way to the party, Terzo wrapping his jacket around your shoulders because he insisted that you looked cold. You helped him back into his coat, smoothing out his suit before the two of you entered. You took his arm, smiling up at him. The place was already a buzz with energy, Terzo had a talent for being fashionably late. You wandered around and mingled a little. You eventually found Primo, he looked like he was about to shed a tear when he told you how wonderful you looked. Your arm linked with Terzo's once again, Primo passing a knowing glance between the two of you. Terzo turns to you, bowing slightly as he offers you his hand.

"Would you care to dance cara mia?" You placed your hand in, he gently brings the back of it to his lips. He leads you to the dance floor at the start of the next song, pulling you into his embrace. Actually being out on the dancefloor you started to feel nervous. Apparently that showed in your face, "remember, look at me... Only at me." You took a deep breath, hours upon hours of practice taking over your body with ease. He whisked you around the floor, spinning you around just like he had before. He held you close to him, both of you laughing giddily as you danced, drank, and laughed the night away. You and Terzo made your way down the hall, stumbling into each other and giggling. 

"My feet hurt." You groan.

"You always wear heels to the parties, and you always complain." Terzo teases you. He suddenly scoops you off of the ground, earning a startled, happy shriek from you. "You can't complain about how much your feet hurt when you're not using them." You laugh, wrapping your arms around his neck. You walked past Terzo's quarters on the way back to your own, you stopped him.

"Can I come inside?" He smiles as he studies your face.

"Of course you can cara mia." He sets you down for just a moment while he opens his door before immediately sweeping you off your feet again. He flops back onto the couch with a groan, you now seated comfortably in his lap. He smooths your gown over your legs, "I can't get over how beautiful you look in this gown."

"Well you look very nice in that suit." You smile at him, he kissed the back of your hand. "Terzo?" He hums in response to your question. "Can... Can I kiss you?" His hand comes to rest on the side of your face. You could feel his breath against your lips as you got lost in his eyes. Terzo started to inch his face closer to yours, this time you didn't try to look for an escape. Your eyes fluttered shut as his lips finally met yours. You grabbed him by his collar, pulling him as close to you as physically possible as he kissed you. "I'm... In love with you, Terzo... I think I have been for years..." You admit nervously. In response to your confession Terzo kisses you again.

"I was worried you weren't going to feel the same... I didn't want to risk ruining our friendship." You couldn't believe what you were hearing. Both of you had been in love with each other for years, and you both were just too scared and stubborn to admit it. You both gazed lovingly at each other, leaning in for another short sweet kiss before talking the rest of the night, drifting off in each other's arms.

[osiris-iii-bc]

My brain for no apparent reason:

I need to find a way to put the Pyramid Head in the Ghost universe.

[portaltothevoid]

you're losing me part vi -- copia x reader

A/N: thank you for being patient with me! i A LOT of research when into this chapter. if i'm writing about infernals, i gotta do them justice. that being said...

songs: i hope you suffer by afi

warnings: dark magic (whatever you do, do not try this at home), hexing, demons, reacting/dealing with trauma, self-loathing, self-deprecation, angst, i translated the italian myself (shout out to wordreference.com)

word count: 6.5k

taglist: @bitchywitchygardener @copias-juicebox @da-rulah @deetz-ghuleh @fishwithtitz @ivycasket @water-ghoulette

All eyes were on you. You gulped at the discovery of your destiny and the confirmation of your vision. This was all real. It was actually happening. In one day you went from just an average person who wasn’t anything special, or so you thought, to practically becoming the next messiah of the Satanic Church. Your eyes glazed over as you stared off into nothing. Not even the eruption of everyone speaking at once diverted your attention.

Nihil was insisting on informing the other higher-up Clergy members, making Sister Imperator snap back with reasons why they shouldn’t even tell anyone outside of this room. Primo was muttering about herbs for rituals, which was where Secondo chimed in about how you would need to start preparations and how he now needed to research rituals for your ascension, if anything like that even existed. Terzo just leaned back against the wall with a smug look on his face as he watched the chaos unfold. Copia’s fists were balled at his sides as focused on calming himself down enough so he wouldn’t smack that look off Terzo’s face.

Eventually, the noise of the anxious, overlapping chattering and near arguments was enough to overload your senses as they escalated. You started to sway as you felt yourself get lightheaded. As you slightly dipped backwards, Swiss stepped forward to stabilize you by gently holding your elbows, and guiding you to take a step towards the door. You have to rest, he told you. You shut your eyes tightly, the lights suddenly too bright. It felt like you were walking through a dense fog as your legs were turning to jelly. You nodded as you leaned against him, needing support.

“Basta (Enough)!” Copia shouted sternly once he noticed your movements. “This is too much for her body to handle. Nothing needs to be decided right now. We will discuss everything when she regains her strength.”

You pressed your mouth into a smallest smile at his words. You reached for his arm, grabbing the fabric of his cassock as firmly as you could given your state. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Terzo begin to open his mouth. He whipped around and lunged for him, pressing his forearm against Terzo’s neck with his back against the wall. “Qualsiasi tu sia in procinto di dire, non farlo. Ha attraversato abbastanza a causa di ti (Whatever you’re about to say, don’t. She’s been through enough because of you),” Copia snarled, forcing his words through his clenched jaw. 

Terzo managed to wiggle his arm free as Copia applied more pressure to his neck. He then made a motion like he was zipping his lips, raising his eyebrows twice. Copia gave him one more shove into the wall before he pushed himself off of him. As he turned back to you, he straightened his pellegrina. 

You took a few shuffled steps before your knees buckled. Copia rushed to your side, arms awkwardly outstretched in an attempt to catch you. Swiss had a firm grip on you, keeping you upright. He swatted Copia’s hands away as he picked you up to carry you. You used what little strength you had left to wrap your arms around the ghoul’s neck. “’S okay, Copia, Swiss’s got me,” you whispered weakly, trying to lift your head up from his shoulder to look at Copia. 

The ghoul with the white horns held the door open. Once you, Swiss, and Copia were in the hallway, he slammed it shut. Him and the other ghoul followed behind you. Thank you… you thought to all of them just before your head fell onto Swiss’ shoulder and you slipped into unconsciousness. 

~~~

Copia was restless. Once you were safely tucked into bed, and he checked thrice that you were still breathing, he couldn’t stop wearing paths into the floors of his living quarters. Swiss watched him go back and forth, back and forth. The constant eyes on him didn’t ease his anxiety any less. 

Abruptly he gathered his things. “I have to try to help… do, eh, some research or something,” he announced to the ghoul. “Send someone when she wakes up?”

Swiss nodded in response with one of his signature smiles and then swung his legs onto the couch, placing his arm behind his head. He grabbed the remote and began flipping through the channels on the tv.

“Sì, sì, certo, mettiti comodo (yeah, yeah, of course, make yourself at home),” Copia grumbled as he sent you a text for when you wake up. 

Amore, if I’m not here when you wake up, I’m just doing research, figuring out how I can help you. Let me know as soon as you’re up, sì? ❤️🖤 

He hit send and put his phone in his pocket. As he left his apartment, he jumped at the sudden movement of someone right outside his door. He made eye contact with the white horned ghoul who was standing watch outside the door. “Ah, mi dispiace, I, uh, didn’t expect you to be there… I’ll, eh, be back… uh, thank you?” he stumbled over his words as the ghoul returned to his stance with a single nod. His floor was swarming with ghouls. Aside from a Ghost ritual, he didn’t think he’d ever seen this many in one place outside of their own dormitory. At least he knew you’d be safe. 

Inside of going to the library or his own office, he found himself knocking on Sister Imperator’s door.

“Come back later, please,” she called out on the other side of the door.

Copia gently opened it and stuck his head in. “It’s me, Seestor.”

The woman sighed heavily, waving him in with her hand. “How is she?”

“Still sleeping. I couldn’t… sit around and wait. I want to start researching or planning or…” he fretted as he sat down across from her.

“Cardinal. You said it yourself, there’s really nothing we can do right now.”

“But we have to– Should we start with Lilith herself? The history of her descendants? Rituals? Or possession? Is it even that?” his questions flew out of his mouth a mile a minute. 

“Secondo has already exhausted any historical texts we have, that’s how little information there is. This really is… uncharted territory,” she said with distant eyes.

“Was there anything useful?”

“Mentions of a ritual for the ghouls to formally swear allegiance to her, nothing of the actual ritual itself. I’m afraid the texts that we need are in Rome. We can’t exactly ask for all these volumes without raising suspicion.”

Copia furrowed his brow in thought. The wheels were turning as something dawned on him. “Seestor, she has a connection to the ghouls. I don’t know how strong it is, but could we… Is there a way we could break their oath and get them to talk to us? They’ve got to know something about this…”

“I don’t know if they’d be willing to… but that would be a place to start researching, no? Maybe there’s something in the ghoul’s history?�� Copia nodded and went to get up. “But, Cardinal, there’s really not much we can do until she wakes and we know what state she’s in. Even then, we have to wait for her visions to start.”

“Visions?”

“The one thing that was clear across the texts Secondo found was that with any awakening, with any strong connection to a deity… It’s almost like they become prophets. There was no other explanation to the knowledge than had other than it came straight from the mouth of Lucifer or whomever else had… Earthly matters to attend to. Perhaps that’s why there’s barely any information on this…” Imperator mused. “Nonetheless, we have to wait for her. But if she yells anyone about them, it’ll be you Cardinal.”

Copia nodded again as he let Imperator’s words sink in for a moment before he turned towards the door.

“Cardinal?” she called after him.

“Sì, Seestor?”

“As difficult as it may be, it might just be best to busy yourself with your regular work so you don’t get behind. Secondo is preparing a ghoul summoning ritual as we speak. If she really is the daughter of Lilith, she’ll need to know the ins and outs of it and summon one for herself. I can’t imagine what she’s going through. She needs someone. She needs you.” Her usual façade of steel had softened considerably. It was her way of attempting to console Copia. She knew how much he cared about you and she knew he would become obsessive with finding answers. She had to remind him of what was most important right now.

“Sì, I-I understand,” he said with a bow of his head before he scuttled to his own office.

Of course, he wasn’t going there to work on any of his actual duties. He had a small stockpile of books from when he first saw your mark of Lilith. Maybe there could be something of use if he simply looked up the Queen of Demons herself. In any case, he knew researching her and the lore that surrounds her were ways to show respect to her as a deity. No matter if he found anything for you or he didn’t, it wasn’t going to be wasted time. 

Unfortunately, nothing of great use turned up. He decided that in the coming days he would set up an altar for her. If he had a dedicated space for her in his home, maybe it would make contact with her easier for you. Perhaps the answers you needed didn’t have to be found in literature, but from Lilith herself, inciting the visions that Imperator had mentioned. 

Hours had passed by when he switched gears to researching the history of the Ministry’s ghouls, their summoning rituals, and the like. Eventually, the day caught up with him. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes for what he thought was just a moment.

~~~

You had no idea how long you were out for. It took a few blinks of your eyes to get your bearings. The only thing you really knew was that it was nighttime. The only light coming from the glow of an iPad next to you. As you sat up you looked over to see Swiss sitting cross legged on the other side of the bed, frustratingly swiping away at something. Immediately upon feeling you stir, he went on alert.

You’re awake! Even his thoughts were full of concern.

“How long was I asleep?” you asked aloud.

I’d guess about fourteen hours, he thought, glancing at the clock on the night stand behind him. Are you feeling okay?

Yeah, I don’t feel weak or anything. I feel sort of… normal, you thought. Hey, is this the only way you can communicate with me or can you use your voice?

Well, ghouls take a vow of silence out of respect for Lucifer around the Clergy. But now that you’re ascending you can give us permission. We obey you first before anyone else now.

You nodded. “Okay, well, this telepathic shit is still weird for me. So I give permission to every ghoul to speak to me as long as I’m alone, unless I say otherwise.” Your tone was confident, you felt like a real leader. He flashed you his pearly whites while his tail swished happily. “You aren’t servants. You should be held equally to us. Having you here… it’s a gift. I’ll make sure everyone sees it that way.” You smiled warmly at him as you patted his knee. “Do I need to say that in my mind for everyone or…?

“Thank you, Your Eminence. You’ve always treated us like… humans. But no, just speaking it the way you did, everyone heard it loud and clear.”

“Good! And you’re welcome. I mean, you look fairly human. You know, minus the tail and the claws,” you shrugged.

Swiss let out a laugh. “On the mortal plane we have to blend in, so we take a human form. Only a few of our demon qualities remain just to show that we’re hell-sent. If we have to be around humans, like outside of the Ministry, we can retract our claws and hide our tails. Like when we help with Ghost.”

“And you all have your own… abilities? I’m sorry, my knowledge of ghouls really isn’t that in depth.”

He nodded excitedly. “We’ll teach you! And we’ll show you what we can do. So usually each ghoul corresponds with an element. There’s air, water, fire, earth, and quintessence.” He noticed your quizzical look, unsure of the last element he mentioned. “Quintessence is basically like… spirit, I guess? Those ghouls are really good at going between worlds, teleporting, that kind of stuff. It’s more energy based.”

“Oh, so they’re like the psychic ghouls?”

“Kinda! Then there’s multi-ghouls. That’s me. I can do a little bit of everything.” You slowly nodded and ran your hand through your hair. “This has gotta be a lot to take in, huh?”

“To say the least,” you sighed as you widened your eyes for a moment. 

“We’ll have to do like… secret training sessions! We can teach you about your abilities.”

“So you can help me not go all black-eyed baddie when I get pissed off?” you chuckled.

“I think so? Well, I dunno about that, exactly. But we can show you other things you can probably do. I think being the Mother of All, your abilities are kind of like a multi-ghoul’s. Like me!”

“There’s gotta be a way I can control it…” you mumbled, looking at your fidgeting fingers in your lap.

“There is. It comes with time. It’s like when a ghoul is first summoned. Takes them a little to adjust to being here. You’ll see when you summon your ghoul.”

“When I what?”

“You’re gonna have to summon your own ghoul. There has to be one assigned to you and you alone. One that’ll be completely devoted to you. Like how Omega is…” Swiss cleared his throat, knowing that mentioning Terzo was a sore spot. “Well, you know… And I mean, we all are devoted to you, but this one will have a special connection to you. Like if you need help and you call out to any of us, that ghoul will always be the first one there.”

You could only stare at Swiss. He could tell by the way your eyes started to gloss over and became unfocused as you looked away from him. He scooted in front of you, taking both your hands in his. “We’ll help you. I’m sure The Infernals will help you too. You won’t have to do this alone.” 

“Thank you,” you whispered as you leapt forward to engulf him in a hug. He squeezed you tightly and started to purr. 

“Wait, where’s Copia?” you wondered when you returned to your sitting position.

“Oh he’s been in and out, waiting for you to wake up. He probably fell asleep in his office. He’s been trying to research things to help you. I don’t think he’s stopped worrying about you. I should go let him know you’re up.”

You sighed contently, ignoring the pang of guilt that lurked under the surface. You knew Copia was doing whatever he could for you. “Let me text him first,” you said as you reached for your phone. You didn’t even see the text from him when your lock screen came to life. Your eyes turned to slits as a scowl came over your face. Swiss could feel your demeanor change like static electricity before a lightning strike. 

You tried to take deep breaths as you opened a text from Terzo.

Buonasera, la mia bella addormentata (good evening, my sleeping beauty). Just wanted to remind you that you left some things in my office. I expect to see you tomorrow to get them 😘 

You could feel it, a spark in your chest that ignited and slowly was engulfing your body in flames. It almost felt so real, you had scanned your eyes over your body to make sure. That only made you aware that you were still in your dress from the summons, one that you now hated. You clawed at the zipper in the back and tore it off, leaving it in a crumpled ball on the floor. Swiss turned around immediately, giving you privacy while you changed. You just threw on a random pair of underwear, since you were just reminded where your other pair had ended up. Then you put on some black sweatpants and a random tank top, whatever your hand happened to touch first. 

You grabbed a tote bag and opened the bottom drawer of your dresser. You dug around until you took out a wooden box with intricate carvings on it of pentagrams and sigils of protection. While you weren’t a “closet witch” these weren’t things you wanted to leave lying about or to broadcast to anyone you had them. Into the bag, you tossed in a container of graveyard dirt, a jar of rusty nails, a vial of black mustard seeds, a small bag of hemlock, and a vial of thorns you had collected for an occasion such as this. You pawed around in the drawer some more to grab a couple black candles, a black bowl, and your small black cast iron cauldron.

Swiss anxiously shifted his weight on his feet as you packed everything up. “Um… should I go and tell Copia you’re–” he started to say.

“No,” you growled gutturally. “There’s something I have to do first.” 

You stormed into the kitchen. Flinging cabinets opened until you found vegetable oil, chili powder, and crushed red pepper. You turned on the stove, placing the cauldron over the low flame. The white horned ghoul hastily entered the room. Swiss had followed you to the kitchen. “Your Eminence, are you al–”

“Sodo, do I look alright to you?” you snapped. Your eyes turned black as you glared at him. The white horned ghoul, named Sodo, backed away from you, literally almost putting his tail between his legs. 

“What are you–” Swiss started to ask, barely audible.

“I’m doing something I should have done a long time ago. Now, shut up and let me do it,” you snarled. Dutifully, the ghouls went and sat on the couch, but they never took their eyes off you. 

You eyeballed about half a cup of oil and poured it into the cauldron. You tapped the glass vial filled with mustard seeds and they spilled into the oil. Next, you started to lightly sprinkle some hemlock out of the bag before shrugging and dumping almost half of it in. After a couple dashes of chili powder and a generous pinch of crushed red pepper, you counted six thorns from your vial and dropped them in one by one. To top off the mixture, you added a generous amount of graveyard dirt.

You gave everything a stir. Then you marched back into your room to grab a shoebox from the back corner of your closet. Inside were trinkets, photos, memories. You grabbed a polaroid of Terzo you had taken of him backstage on the last Ghost tour. 

You slammed it on the counter when you reached the kitchen. Yanking open the refrigerator, you grabbed a lemon.

“This is quite the potent spell you’re concocting,” a smooth, unfamiliar voice said, making your insides jump. “I’d hate to be on the receiving end of it.” You shut the door and turned to see a man in a regal black suit leaning against the counter. Your eyes darted to the side to see if Swiss and Sodo had reacted yet, but they were perfectly still. “They can’t see me. Only you can.”

Your eyes scanned over his strong frame. His hair was wavy, jet black, and down to his shoulders. He had two ram-like horns jutting out from the top of his head. But his eyes… His eyes were the most intriguing thing about him. They were hypnotizing as they glowed a bright orange, flickering like a burning ember. When he held out his hand, you instantly kneeled and kissed it. “Belial was right, you are respectful,” he muttered to himself, almost in awe, still holding your hand. “I admire that... Do you know who I am?”

“No, I’m sorry,” you said softly, shaking your bowed head as you stood up.

He pulled you flush against him, wrapping an arm around your waist. “Hm, I don’t suppose you would,” he hummed. You didn’t dare to breathe. His eyes of wildfire bore into your blackened ones, into your soul. “I am King Asmodeus,” he breathed through barely parted lips as he released your hand to stroke your cheek. “You really are her daughter. You’re… exquisite.” Being this close to someone else, finding yourself in yet another precarious position, your whole body tensed. 

“Thank… you…” you breathed as your tone had an edge of anxiety to it.

He inhaled a sharp breath and instantly let go of you, taking a step backward. “Forgive me. I was unaware of exactly what had brought upon your awakening. The miasma that surrounds you… Defilement. Guilt.” He paused before he smirked at you. “Wrath.” 

You finally broke eye contact as you took a step back yourself. You toyed with the hem of your shirt, avoiding his piercing stare. He inspected your cauldron and ingredients you had strewn across the counter. “Is this your retaliation?”

“It’s either this or I kill him,” you deadpanned.

Asmodeus let out a genuine laugh. “We can’t have that. Not yet. I’m impressed with your work. Truly.”

Your eyes lifted to his again. “You are?”

“Sweetheart, vengeance is what I do. It’s what I teach. I could feel your wrath. It’s practically intoxicating.”

“I… Will I ever be able to control it?” you mumbled shyly.

“Of course. The ghouls take orders from The Infernal Court, like yours truly. We work through them and will appear ourselves when needed. Your truth isn’t something to fear.”

“I don’t fear what I feel. I–”

“I��m not here to talk about your fears,” he interrupted, his tone gentle yet stern. “Do you feel burning in your chest? In your center?” You nodded. “Good. Never lose sight of that. Wrath sparks the fire, but you have the power to control it. Add air if you need the grandeur. Take it away if you don’t. Add water, add earth to stifle it. Take a moment to focus. Feel it.”

You closed your eyes, breathing into the flames inside you. All you wanted to do was scream and tear everything around you asunder. Asmodeus felt what you were feeling and chuckled. “There. Now pull it back, center it. Breathe.” You pictured flames receding, like a film of the spreading of a wildfire in reverse. You imagined calm washing over you as if someone dumped a bucket of water over your head. Your breathing slowed. As you opened your eyes, the King of Hell before you saw the blackness fade. He beamed like a proud father. “See?”

Chewing on your lip, you nodded. You looked over the kitchen and saw the hex you had in progress. Your eyes scanned over the picture on the counter. You struck the match again and ignited the fire. As you looked back at Asmodeus, your eyes filled with darkness again. He tapped his knuckle twice on the counter. “Beautiful. I can’t wait to see this unfold.” He started to turn to walk out of the kitchen before he looked over his shoulder at you. “You might want to check your dark ingredient box again… I think you missed something.” He laughed darkly as he faded into a black mist.

“You okay in there?” Swiss called out, pulling you back into the present reality. 

“Peachy,” you said as you went back to your box of baneful spell ingredients. Right on top was a bag of deadly nightshade. You’ve only ever seen that in Primo’s case of rare herbs. You smiled darkly before snatching it, grabbing a pair of tweezers from the bathroom, and returning to the kitchen. You delicately plucked three flowers and watched as they fell into the oil. As you stirred it again, you focused your intention for each ingredient, then murmured an incantation. 

“May his plots and schemes

Be ruined by his confused mind.

May his impotence make him scream

And his lover's eyes for him turn blind.

Swiftly he suffers this plight

Feeling my pain as his own

This curse is his blight

As he suffers alone.”

You repeated this over and over staring into the cauldron while the hex oil sat over the flame. After about ten minutes, you took it off the heat to let it cool. You lit two black chime candles in front of you and were reminded of the fire that burned inside you. You snatched the photo of Terzo and held it tightly in your hands. As you stared at it, you repeated your spell three more times before you cut a slit in the center of the lemon. Thrice you folded the photo, making sure to fold it away from you, as you thought of nothing but him suffering just like you suffered. To further drive your point home, you hummed “I Hope You Suffer” by AFI to yourself as you placed the photo inside the lemon. A happily malevolent smile flitted across your face. 

You fanned your blaze of wrath as you danced the rusty nails in your fingers. Every instance of hurt, of pain, of humiliation flickered through your memory. With each one, you held a nail in your palm, branding the energy of your detriments into it. The nails pierced through the rind and flesh of the lemon. Bits and pieces of your rage went with it into the fruit. It then went into a black bowl.

Satisfied with your handy work, you poured the oil out of the cauldron into a jar before you doused the lemon with it. Carefully, you placed it in a cupboard that barely saw any use. You left the lemon there to rot.

Your lungs expanded and deflated. Your eyes were gently shut. You sent a torrential downpour over your internal inferno. The wrath had retreated, replaced by a contentedness that, as of late, had almost become unfamiliar. When you opened your eyes, you felt like you did when you did before you stepped into Terzo’s office; you felt like yourself.

Silently, you began to pack away your magick supplies. When you emerged from your bedroom once more, you could feel the apprehension lingering in the air from the watchful ghouls. The soft caress of guilt swept over you when you remembered how you had snapped at them.

They hadn’t left their spots on the couch so you scooted yourself in between them, grabbing each of their hands in yours. Thank you for being here with me. Terzo told me I have to go to his office tomorrow. I– It set me off, you thought to both of them, fearing if you spoke aloud your emotions would betray you.

We understand, Sodo responded, giving your hand a squeeze. It’s a hell of a lot to adjust to.

How did– You controlled your wrath… Did someone visit you? Swiss tilted his head questioningly. 

Yes…You nodded, curling your lips in. You let go of their hands so you could wring yours in your lap nervously. 

Damn, the Infernals really do like you, Swiss tittered.

Wait, no one’s supposed to know. How did you know? Your eyes felt like they were going to bug out of your head from fear of disobeying your orders.

Ghoul thing. We could smell the sulfur. Depending on the visit, they leave traces of it. Since we report to them from time to time, it’s a way for us to know they were around, explained Sodo.

Your body deflated and relaxed as you let out a sigh of relief. Thank Lucifer. The last thing I need is to piss off Hell’s royalty. I don’t know how I would explain a sulfur smell to Copia… Shit, I should let him know I’m awake. Swiss, can you go get him? The ghoul nodded with a smile before he dashed off.

I’m gonna go back to guarding the door. Give you a minute before he gets here. Sodo told you. When he got up, he put a hand on your shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. You placed your hand on his. 

“Thank you,” you said sincerely. 

Once the door shut behind him, you got up to grab your phone from the bed. This time when you unlocked it, you completely ignored the text from your asshole ex and found one from Copia you neglected to see in your fury. 

I’m awake. Barely know what day it is, but I feel okay. Sending Swiss to get you if you fell asleep. Miss you 🥺

After hitting send, you checked on Cannoli, making sure he had enough food and his water bottle was full. Then you ran out of things to distract yourself.

You plopped yourself back on the couch, head leaning against the back of it. Your eyes shut as you felt this gnawing in your gut. This feeling crept up on you, dancing on your skin like maggots on rotten flesh. 

Terzo’s words replayed in your head: “You utter a single syllable of this to Copia and he’s gone.”

How could you look Copia in the eye after what you allowed to happen? You knew Terzo was manipulating you, dangling the threat of your love being sent away like a carrot in front of a donkey. Why didn’t that set you off? Why did your “awakening” (as everyone seems to call it) have to happen after the act? Now you have to lie to Copia. Lie about what happened. What the hell are you even going to tell him if he asked? Time was running out for you to think of something. 

The weight of everything pressed down on you. You could feel the immense pressure on your chest. It wrapped around your head like hundreds of rubber bands. 

With short gasping breaths you stumbled to the bathroom. The light stung your eyes. The sound of the faucet running seemed deafening. Even still, you felt the cold water on your hands, then your face. You let the droplets slide down, not bothering to wipe it off.. You gripped the sink like it was the only thing tethering you to this plane. Slowly, you brought your eyes to see what exactly was staring back at you. Whoever she was, you didn’t recognize her. Again, a shell of your former self. 

That infuriated you. All of this. It was all because of him. You thought you could change him, you thought you had changed him. You thought you were good enough to make him yours. Only yours. If only you had given Copia a chance first. If only you weren’t swept off your feet by illustrious charm. If only you hadn’t been taken advantage of.

Your breaths started to come out in huffs. The longer you stared at your reflection, the more you could feel the fire burning inside of you, but this instance, it was fueled by self-loathing. 

That was the first time you saw it. You saw the black fire ignite and consume your eyes. You watched as your reflection changed in real time. A gasp escaped your lips as you pushed yourself off the sink, scuttling backwards til you hit the wall. Rapidly, you shook your head and blinked as many times as you could while you sunk down to sit on the cold floor. 

The flames died as tears began to fall. Your head fell into your hands that rested on your knees. A few sobs managed to escape, but that was all you would allow yourself. You covered up the cracks and breaks when you were still with Terzo. You could do it again. You could do it for this. 

You could do it for Copia. 

Aggressively, you wiped away your tears. You stood up to see your guarded self staring back at you. Shoulders back and head held high, you returned to the spot you had occupied on the couch. A façade of confidence wasn’t one you could uphold for long. Eyes closed, you just focused on breathing, in and out, until you heard the door open.

“Amore?!” You heard amongst the sound of frantic footsteps. 

Without thinking, you bolted up, letting your feet carry you until you crashed into his arms. He held you there, one hand holding your head against his chest, the other securely around your waist. Your eyes squeezed shut as you fought back another wave of tears. After a few moments, he gently nudged you a half-step back, so he could take a look at you. Your shakey intake of breath, betraying your desired stoicism. 

He ran his hands up your arms until he lightly gripped your shoulders, mismatched eyes assessing every inch of you. You bit the inside of your cheek, desperately trying to keep your composure. Moving his hands to cup your face, he redirected your gaze to his. He stepped forward, closing any remaining space between the two of you. His mouth dropped open like he was about to say something, but the words were lost. His eyes never stopped searching yours. 

“I’m okay,” you said reassuringly, moving your hands up to hold his wrists. He could only pull you into another embrace, still at a loss for words. You wrapped your arms around his waist, giving him a squeeze, before you wriggled out of his hold. “Come on,” you said, pulling him by the hand, “we have a lot to talk about…”

“I don’t… I don’t even know where to begin,” he said as he took a seat next to you on the couch. 

“Did you know? Did you know any of this was a… was a possibility?” You were too drained to beat around the bush. 

“Sì… eh, well, no. I mean, I only… It was only when I saw your birthmark that I suspected…”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” you practically pleaded.

“I never thought anything would come of it so soon. We wanted to be certain before we–”

“I’m sorry, ‘we’?” you asked with an edge of irritation.

“Ah, shit…” he muttered before sucking in a breath through his teeth. “Seestor Imperator. I might have, eh, mentioned it to her…” You could feel the heat rising in you. “Only to see if there was any truth behind it. Really, it’s only ever been like a myth to us. Like… like how the– the Antichrist is to the others.”

You leaned forward, putting your elbows on your knees as you held your head in your hands. Breathe in. Breathe out. You didn’t need to get angry over this. “I don’t want to be the last to know anymore. I can’t.”

“No, no, you won’t be. Primo and Secondo are looking into the next steps. It– It’s going to take some time.” 

You wanted to tell him everything you learned from Swiss, but was it time? Could you even trust him? Should you go about this all in secrecy? 

Copia’s words pulled you from your internal debate. “You’ll have to summon a ghoul. That’s the ritual Secondo is, eh, preparing.”

You let out a sigh of relief, but Copia interpreted it as dread. “And that takes a while to prepare?”

“We’ll probably be ready in a couple of weeks. You’ll have to practice, so nothing goes wrong.”

A brusque laugh slipped. As if any of Hell’s deities would allow anything to go wrong. They’re the ones who needed things to go smoothly more than any person in this whole abbey. You couldn’t tell him that, though. 

“As far as rituals go, you’ll do great. I know it,” he smiled warmly at you, reaching out for you, but the way you abruptly snapped your head to almost glare at him caused his hand to recoil.

“Why? Because I’m the special chosen one now?” you scoffed.

“Che (what)? No… I’ve seen you work magics and rituals of your own, dolcezza. You– You have a talent.” There was something different in the way you were acting. He knew to tread lightly. He cleared his throat. “Speaking of… I think we should set up an altar for Lilith here. Maybe it’ll help you with your… comunicazione with her.” You only nodded, your eyes showed how your mind was someplace else. “Seestor did mention something about visions.”

“What about visions?” you barked, asking almost too quickly.

“There aren't many texts here with information about ascensions of any kind, but there was a common thread of people, such as yourself, having a strong connection with a deity. It’s as if… Well, I think you’ll act as their vessel to help with, eh, whatever they need done here…” You leaned back with a huff as you crossed your arms. Copia’s brows furrowed. Worry creased his face. The last thing he wanted to do right now was upset you further or overwhelm you. “We don’t have to talk about this tonight, amore.”

“Good,” you mumbled. Because I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up… you thought to yourself. “I’m… uh… I’m getting tired again anyway.”

“Then we go to bed, sì?”

You nodded and got up to brush your teeth, avoiding eye contact with your reflection the whole time. Then you crawled into bed and waited for Copia to follow suit. When he did, he wrapped his arms around you. You could only hope he didn’t notice how your body went rigid at his touch, which was something you felt like you didn’t deserve.

“Stellina?” he asked, his voice showcasing his nerves as his pitch went up slightly.

“Hm?”

“I just… Eh, well, I want you to–” he sighed, frustrated by his fear he wouldn’t be able to articulate what he was feeling the right way. “I know I’m nothing special, but I will always protect you. I’m here for you. Always. You’re safe with me. Do not ever forget that, okie dokie?” 

You placed your hand over his that was draped over you, holding it tightly, but you didn’t dare turn to face him. “You are special, cocco (sweetie/your short and sweet play on his name). Sei il mio tutto (you’re my everything).”

He pulled you closer to him as he kissed your head. “Ti amo (I love you).”

You swallowed hard, hoping to swallow the guilt that was bubbling up inside you. “Ti amo anche (I love you too).”

Copia’s breathing soon relaxed as he fell asleep. Sleep wasn’t coming for you anytime soon. There was no way to cease your racing thoughts no matter how hard you tried. You could only lay there, pressing down on your lips that curled around your teeth, as tears silently fell.  

part v | part vii

[shinybanette]

Funny interaction on the official gherver

[of-dragonss]

Oh! May I request a copia (popia or cardinal your pick!) cuddling with a reader who’s got chronic insomnia? It is 5am for me and copia cuddles sound amazing rn :’)

i am the designated ghost cuddle/comfort fic writer nd i’m not complaining 😎 also my first copia request aahh!! i hope i do him justice with this :’] also i mention Terzo bc the past papas are alive in my head. I WANT TO BE HAPPY!! so au where no one is dead basically if you squint. oh, and copia is the little spoon. you can’t change my mind

☽ ༚  ༵ ۰ ✧ ۰  ༵ ༚ ༵ ۰ ✧ ۰  ༵

— copia (popia) x reader

summary: two sleep deprived, love sick fools cuddle.

Insomniac

Sleep has never come easy to you. You were always awake for long periods of time. Sometimes you’d nap but it wouldn’t be for long. Only up to three hours. Sometimes four if you’re lucky. The ghouls try to help you sleep from time to time. Usually it involved bringing you into a big nest of blankets and soft pillows in their den where you’d be the middle of a giant cuddle pile. The warmth of their bodies seemed to work into lulling you to sleep at first. But you’d wake up only a few hours later, unable to fall back asleep.

Sometimes you’d sneak off into the halls after everyone has gone to sleep to make yourself busy. Be it catching up on your readings in the library, or getting a head start on your chores for the next day that was slowly approaching.

Other times, if you weren’t with the ghouls, you’d lounge in one of the common rooms with the tv on low volume watching reruns of shows or movies.

As you were right now, cuddled up in a cozy blanket fit for the colder months, cup of hot chocolate on the coffee table in front of you as you watched The Nightmare Before Christmas on low volume only you could hear from your spot on the couch as to not wake anyone at 3 in the morning.

The only people you’d suspect to be up right now would be the Ghouls on occasion. You’d never though Copia would be wondering the halls at this time.

“Y/n?” The sound of his heavy accented voice startled you as he poked his head from the door way.

“Papa! I’m terribly sorry if I woke you. I’ll go back to the dorms.” You quietly panicked as you got up from your spot on the couch, embarrassed to be seen by Copia of all people. Truth be told you’ve always had a thing for the man since he came to the Abbey. Before he was appointed to Papa.

“No no, you didn’t wake me!” He chuckled quietly, also seeming to panic as you began to clean your spot. “I have trouble sleeping, you see. So I thought I’d take a walk around. I didn’t expect to find you up though.”

You smiled shyly, feeling your face warm up. In embarrassment? Yes, but also at the attention he was giving you at the moment.

“Ah, i have trouble sleeping, too.” You two have talked now and then in the past. Short conversations, pleasant ones too. You accompanied them on tours as your were a stage technician. Always reassuring him and the ghouls they were fantastic on stage. But you’ve never been alone with him before like this.

“Do you mind if I join you?” He asked, hands clasped in front of him, he wore his red zip up hoodie, paired with his red sweatpants and black t-shirt. His usual casual clothes.

“Um, yes! Of course. I was just watching a movie.” You felt like your were sweating from how hot your face just got from that one simple question. “Here.” You quickly sat on the far right end up the couch, leaving the blanket in the middle. “You can have the blanket if you want. I know it’s cold.”

Copia sat down in the middle, blanket in his hands as he smoothed it out to its full length. “I do not want you to go cold, tesoro. Please, let’s share, yes?” He lifted it up for you to join.

“Oh, um. Okay..” Your voice trailed off at the pet name he called you. You didn’t know much latin or Italian but you’ve caught a few words here and there. Mostly from Terzo who likes to flirt with anyone around him. Scooting to your left, joining Copia in the middle of the couch he draped the blanket over your lap, smiling at you as you made eye contact.

You were sure you’d die of heat stroke by the warmth of the blanket, your knitted sweater, Copias body heat and the furious burning blush that spread down your neck from your face.

You restarted the movie and silently sat in silence for about five minutes until you felt Copia lean closer to you, head dropping to your shoulder, which startled you a little, jumping in your spot.

“Oh, I am so sorry, amore!” Copia sat up straight again, hands tightly clasped together in his lap. “I did not mean to intrude your personal space!”

“No, it’s fine! I just didn’t expect it. You can, uh, cuddle with me. If you’d like! That is!” Satan, can you embarrass yourself more tonight? You felt like you were on fire. If the gates of hell opened up right now under you, you would gladly go in no questions asked.

“I would like that!” A big smile appeared on his face, eyes squinting adoringly at you. You smiled back at him.

“Hold on.” You said as you hurried back to the right side of the couch, nestled between the plushness of couches arm and the decorative, but comfortable, pillow supporting your head and back. Opening you arms for him to join you, Copia wasted no time in nestling practically on top of you, back to your stomach. You wrapped your arms around his torso. He draped the blanket over the two of you once more, grabbing your hands in his large ones on top of his stomach under the blanket.

Smiling to yourself in complete bliss, you focused back at the tv that was still playing the movie. And a few short ten minutes later, you heard Copia let out soft snores as he snoozed away. You knew you wouldn’t be able to fall asleep soon, so you’d just enjoy the weight and warmth of Copia for now.

A soft knock was heard at the doorway to the common room, you looked over and saw Aether and Sodo who were smirking at you. Aether making kissy faces your way. You rolled your eyes at them and stuck out your tongue playfully, careful not to make any movements.

The two chuckled quietly before waving at you as they left. You sighed, looking down at Copia, gently giving the top of his head a kiss, before paying attention to the movie once more. Eventually falling asleep to your favor.

[forlorn-crows]

nice! in that case i'll request omega/terzo just anything random you might think of, no specific prompt because i'm curious about how you imagine them being first

pretty sure this is my terzomega writing debut. i hope ive done them justice--they really are a fun pair!

Omega presses into his back, resting his chin on Terzo’s head. He slips his arms into the sleeves of his ornate papal robes to clasp around his middle, humming a rumbling, contented noise. It’s innocent enough, but to seasoned ears, it’s laced with mischief. 

“Why is it that every time I sit in the front pews you can’t take your eyes off me?” the quintessence ghoul teases. 

“I know nothing of what you speak of, my ghoul,” Terzo chides in reply, feigning disinterest. He smooths his palms over the leather-bound tome full of sermons and ancient scriptures in various dead languages, centering it on the ebony pulpit. 

“Oh, no? You’re very mysterious, Papa, but that white eye is very easy to follow.” Omega runs his hands over his middle, claws grazing the buttons of his shirt.

“Do not taunt me as if you are completely innocent, Omega.” Terzo turns his head slightly, peeking at him out of the corner of his eye coquettishly. “Your mask does not hide your smirk as well as you think.” 

No longer burdened by the fake visage, Omega flashes him a genuine smile, all fang. The big alabaster incisors make him look like a starved but playful tiger, with Terzo as his prey. “Ah, so you were looking.” Omega drops his head down to nuzzle against Terzo’s painted cheek, no doubt coating his own in a smear of black and white. 

Terzo chuckles at the affectionate gesture. “Can you blame me, caro?” He pats Omega’s clasped hands over the chasuble. 

“I have been told I am quite irresistible, yes.” 

The Papa sucks his teeth and scoffs, slipping out of Omega’s hands and turning to face him. He chucks the ghoul under his chin lightheartedly. “Such a humble beast you are,” he teases. 

“I learned from the best.” 

Terzo smirks at that, stepping closer and running his gloved hands up the quintessence ghoul’s sides. Omega mirrors him, resting his hands at the man’s waist and pulling him close. He smells of incense and expensive cologne, but underneath both strong aromas is the scent of arousal, quickly ripening at the closeness of their bodies. 

“I do believe the devil is reaching out to me tonight—whispering in my ear, as it were,” Terzo says in that rumbling, seductive tone. He smooths a hand over Omega’s chest, tracing over the line of embroidered elemental symbols and coming to rest underneath the heavy silver pendant. 

Omega leans in, just close enough to feel a little huff of breath ghost over his chin. “And what is our Dark Lord saying to you, Papa?”

Terzo smiles, playing with the metal symbol, twirling it between his fingers. He runs the tip of his nose along the side of Omega’s—teasing, toying. “He’s telling me to indulge," he purrs. "To sin." He drags his mouth along the ghoul's cheekbone, halting at the shell of his pointed ear. "To live deliciously," he whispers. 

Omega chuckles low in his throat. “You know, I do believe I’ve been ignoring my confessions recently,” he rumbles. He grips a little tighter on Terzo’s waist, leaning into the lips on his ear. “May I divulge to you, Papa?” 

“I was hoping you’d say that, my ghoul.” Terzo pulls him by the necklace over to the confessional booth in the corner of the chapel. It’s a tight squeeze with both of them on one side of the box, but they press close, the back of Terzo’s knees knocking against the small bench as Omega draws the curtain closed. They don’t have to be secretive, not really. But it’s part of the allure, the tongue-in-cheek roles they play. 

Terzo pulls him down into a kiss, licking into his mouth with fervor. Omega returns the enthusiasm, cradling the man’s face between his hands. Terzo fumbles with his robes, rucking up the hem and shucking off the chasuble in one swoop. 

He grabs one of Omega’s wrists and forces his hand to palm at his crotch, cock already tenting against the fly of his trousers. “Look at what you do to me, mi amore.” He grinds into his hand with a groan and captures Omega’s mouth in another kiss. It’s fast and dirty, heavy with need. 

The quintessence ghoul hums against Terzo’s mouth when he feels his cock kick under his palm. “Bless me, unholy Father,” he whispers between kisses, “for I must sin.” He gropes him through the fabric of his pants, stroking roughly once, twice.

Terzo moans long and decadent before pulling away. His lips are spit-slick and pink, now completely devoid of any makeup. Omega supposes it’s smeared across his own face instead. Terzo’s gaze flicks pointedly to the ground and back up again, his white eye almost glowing in the dark of the booth. “On your knees then,” he commands, pressing a single finger into Omega’s broad chest. 

He goes down without a fight, eyes fixed on his Papa’s as he sinks to his knees. “That’s a good ghoul,” Terzo smirks. He strips off the leather gloves, biting each by one of the fingers and pulling them off with a classic flourish. He then makes quick work of freeing himself from his trousers, making a show of pulling his length out and stroking it from base to tip in front of Omega’s face. 

The quintessence ghoul grips the back of Terzo’s thighs, eyeing him hungrily. He slides his hands all the way up to his waist, groaning low in the back of his throat, looking at him reverently. “You’re so small I could just . . .” Omega wraps his hands fully around Terzo’s middle, claws touching together at the small of his back. 

“I am not small, mi amore, you are just a big hellbeast,” he chides, giving the side of his face a firm pat. But he can’t hide the flush that creeps up from under the facepaint, bleeding down his throat in a rosy red. 

Omega hums, sliding his hands down to rest on Terzo’s hips instead, pressing closer to his cock. Terzo strokes a thumb over his bottom lip, through the gray smears of makeup and into his mouth. The quintessence ghoul opens up obediently, lolling his tongue out for Terzo to pet over. He presses down slightly, right in the middle, as if placing a wafer for sacrament. Saliva pools under the digit as Omega looks up at him, excruciatingly doe-eyed. 

“Now, Omega,” he says, drawing out his name in his signature way, smiling suggestively. “Start praying.”

[blackbird5154]

You wonder what turned Terzo from a visionary to a frustrated old man. Isn't that what happens to all of us in the course of our lives? In the postmodern age, when all ideas of the classics and modernism have been debunked and compromised. When any hope for the future is trampled into the mud? When dreaming is called naivety. When every serious idea is turned into a joke. When we are left to watch helplessly the gradual onset of global warming and World War III. When justice and freedom turn into their opposite. When there is no value worth holding on to because you know it will be distorted, perverted and used for evil. When all that's left is to stupidly try to make up for the lack of endorphins.