Papa's New Assistant (Papa Emeritus II)
Pairing: Papa Emeritus II/Reader
Warnings/contents: NSFW, rough absolute hump-machine Secondo
Word count: 5.149
BASED ON THIS ASK
AO3 link
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“Sister (Y/N). Thank you for coming on such short notice.”
You closed the office door behind you, before bowing down respectfully.
“You wanted to speak to me, Sister Imperator?”
“Yes, yes”, Sister Imperator confirmed, “Indeed. As you may know, the position of Papa Emeritus II’s personal assistant is still unoccupied. The position is not exactly the most sought after, I’m afraid.”
You nodded thoughtfully. “I have heard about that, yes.”
Her lips formed a straight line, as she gave a single nod. “Exactly. Now, I have called you here because you are an exceptionally diligent Sister within the ministry. Eager to learn, willing to help fellow siblings of sin in need. Even if a day should get longer than usual, your positive attitude never falters. The others should take you for an example, really. But- I haven’t called you here solely to sing your praise, no.”
You waited patiently for her to continue.
She cleared her throat, and spoke further. “I’ve been wanting to assign the position of Papa’s personal clergy assistant to you, Sister.”
You raised your brows. “To me?”
“Indeed. I think you would be a good pick for this task.”
“I feel honoured, Sister Imperator, really. But I’m not sure whether I will be able to serve the position well-”, you spoke softly, uttering your concern. Sister Imperator cut you off.
“I am sure you will grow with your responsibilities, Sister (Y/N). I would ask you to at least give this new position a chance. You are desperately needed.”
Thinking for a second, you furrowed your brows. Resistance was pretty much futile, that much you knew. And apart from that- how bad could it be to just give it a try? You smiled softly, bowing down slightly once more. “I will give it my best.”
Sister Imperator declared her approval by clapping her hands together gleefully. “Delightful! I knew I could count on you, dear.”
You’d been briefed about your daily tasks and duties by Sister Imperator, and she had given you a few books and documents that might come in handy for you. Your daily schedule would look quite different from your previous one. Not that you’d mind, of course. Maybe this would be a bit of fresh air in your life.
Turning another corner in the hall, you finally arrived at Papa Emeritus II’ study. Straightening your gown and habit, you took a deep breath and gently knocked on the door.
“Come in!”
The voice was muffled by the thick wooden door, but it was no less strong and determining. Here we go, you thought and carefully opened the large door.
Entering his study, you presented yourself with a polite expression and a respectful bow. “Good morning, Papa. Sister Imperator has assigned me the position of your clergy assistant.”
As you looked back up from your bow, you could see him sit at his desk, mismatched irises piercing through you. His expression was as grim as always. Many siblings of sin had been sent running by these eyes, but not you. You merely reciprocated the eye contact with a gentle gaze.
Papa Emeritus II rose from his seat, and walked towards you. He stopped several feet in front of you, eyeing you up critically. “What is your name?”, he asked.
“I am Sister (Y/N), Papa”, you responded.
“(Y/N)...”, he repeated with a low voice, barely more than a rumble. “Very well.”
Without any further words, he turned on his heel and lifted his hand with a flick of his wrist, motioning you to follow. He led you to the neighboring room, to a shelf full of documents. "You are familiar with Latin, yes? These documents have been rediscovered fairly recently, but they're all over the place. Sort them."
You nodded. "Would you like me to sort them by subject, age or alphabetical order?"
Papa looked at you, expression unchanging. He seemed to think. "I think it would be best to combine these three options as well as possible."
"Yes, Papa. I will get to work right away."
You rolled up your sleeves and started sorting the scattered piles of documents. You started by sorting them by subject, first roughly - then reading into them a little bit, adjusting the order. Secondly, you sorted the individual piles by alphabet. Luckily, their age was for the most part about the same. Making sure to touch the old parchment with the greatest care and caution, you neatly stacked them next to each other. It must have taken you a good while, but finally you were finished. You put small post-it notes on the piles, displaying their subject and went back to the other room, to inform Papa.
Announcing your return with a small knock on the door frame, you stood and waited for his attention patiently. He took a few seconds to finish whatever he had just started, until letting his gaze travel to you. "Yes? Do you need help?"
"I have finished my task. I would merely ask you to perhaps have a look at it, and to let me know whether I have done it correctly", you responded.
He raised one eyebrow, but raised from his desk to follow you to the shelf nonetheless. His eyes scanned the piles, and he flipped through the documents. You were amazed by his quick reading. Latin truly must have been his speciality.
At last, he let go of the papers and gave a single, approving nod. "I have nothing to correct here. Good work."
You bowed your head respectfully. "How can I be of further service?"
The remaining tasks he gave you were no issue for you either, you followed his instructions diligently and the rest of the day went by smoothly. He sent you off in the evening and you spent the rest of your evening relaxing in your room.
This is how it pretty much went for the days and weeks to come. You could see why your fellow siblings of sin were hesitant to work with Papa Secondo, he wasn’t the most… approachable member of the clergy. But you didn’t mind. He was very determining and stern in his tone, but he gave clear instructions. And if you got something wrong, he corrected you with patience. His criticism was always constructive, even on days where his mood wasn’t the best, which you appreciated.
It was another regular day in his study, when you assisted him in translating and organizing Latin scriptures for the black mass. Every now and then he grumbled, shifting through the papers, taking notes. Meanwhile, you were silently working on a document about the deeper meaning and interpretation of the seven sins. The hours went by and afternoon turned into evening, while evening turned into late evening, making the workday much longer than usual.
"Sister (Y/N)", Papa's voice suddenly broke the silence, "Could you have a look at this paragraph?"
You hurried over to his side and looked at the text he was pointing at. "Yes?"
"I feel like it should be translated as 'good come to those who relish in the sins known to us by heart', but it does not sound right to me. What is it that feels off?" He massaged his temple with two fingers as the corners of his mouth twitched downwards.
Looking at the words carefully, you brought your fingers up to your chin, pondering over the translation. "I see what you mean. Maybe we can translate it a little more freely? I've been taught that sometimes, it's the better alternative for the sake of aesthetics."
Papa nodded slowly. "Go on."
"Perhaps, 'good come to those who relish in the sins we all know by heart'? It could work well, considering that it's spoken to the members of the sermon", you implied, leaning over the document a bit more to get a better look at the remaining text passages. Your shoulder gently brushed against his as you leaned over the desk. “Oh, pardon”, you smiled at him apologetically, but continued to look at the documents. From the corner of your eye, you felt like you saw him tense up, his eyes staring at the papers in front of him. You paid it no further mind, and focused on the translations.
The remainder of the work day was fairly short lived. You could tell that Papa had lost his focus, and probably developed a nasty headache. But you did not stop your work until he told you to.
“Sister, leave it be for tonight. It’s been a long day, and I will need you back here tomorrow. Preferably not absolutely sleep-deprived”, he groaned, massaging his eyelids.
Bowing your head respectfully, you obliged. “Of course, Papa. Good night, rest well.”
With that you left his study, and went for your quarters.
Papa Emeritus II sat in his office chair, trying to regain his focus. It was a hopeless case, and he knew that. He kept wondering about the actual cause of his distraction, but in the end he just assumed that it was because of the long day. He sighed, and leaned back, closing his eyes for a short moment. His mind went back to the moment when you had stood directly next to him, and accidentally touched him when you leaned over the documents on his desk. There had been something about that moment. He was pretty sure that the two of you had never had any physical contact before that, so maybe it has just been unexpected. Papa shrugged it off as a side effect of his stress, and finally got up to return to his quarters as well.
That night, however, he had a dream. He dreamed that you were in his study, just like every day. But this time, your hands were all over him, as you stood behind him sitting in his office chair and gently massaged his shoulders. He could hear your sweet, gentle voice, but it sounded distant. As your hands traveled down his chest and he could feel your hot breath on his ear, it felt as if he was on fire. Before anything more was revealed to him, he woke up. That dream left him with nothing but confusion and lust. Maybe he had been too preoccupied with work recently. Maybe he should call one of the sisters to his room, for relief? But no, the thought did not please him. He decided to ignore it, and fell back asleep.
The next day, you made your way back to Papa Secondo’s study. You felt a little more tired than usual, admittedly. While you had managed to get enough sleep, your body still reminded you that working for this long was not appreciated much.
With a gentle knock, you let yourself back into his office.
"Good morning, Papa. I hope you slept well", you chirped, giving him a warm smile.
"Good morning, dear Sister. I slept fairly well, apart from a strange dream. Thank you", he replied.
"Oh, I hope it was not a nightmare of some sorts?"
He went quiet for a few seconds. "No, I wouldn’t exactly call it that. It was not a bad dream."
"Then I'm glad", you replied, gathering up the papers for today.
Papa nodded thoughtfully. "Let us get back to work, Sister. There is still a lot to do."
The days went on, and with united forces you managed to tame the chaos of translation just in time for the black mass by the end of the week. After that, the days weren’t quite as long. But you felt like the air had changed around you, around the study. Sometimes you felt Papa Secondo's eyes pierce through you as you were focused on your work, but when you looked over to him, he was always focused on his work. You didn't mind him looking at you, of course. Only the eeriness of the way he did it made shivers run down your spine. You just hoped that you hadn’t unintentionally drawn his rage upon you, even though you wouldn’t even know what you possibly could have done.
Every now and then, there would still be long workdays. On these days, at some point, he'd always send you off to your room, remaining in his study alone for a little while longer. You paid it no mind, thinking he'd just want some alone time outside of his rooms.
But, oh, he had much different thoughts cursing through his mind. Ever since he has had that wicked dream, he'd ever so often find himself enraptured by your mere presence. As soon as his focus got lost in the late nights, it wandered to you and only you. Images flashed in his mind, where he'd see himself taking you, discovering every inch of your body, having you whimper and moan beneath him. It's not like it was only because of that dream, though. He hadn’t expected anything much when you had first stepped into his office many many weeks ago, assuming that you'd most likely either not live up to his expectations, or quit relatively soon. He was willing to accept that a sister could only do so much, knowing very well that his work could be a little much for a simple member of the clergy. But you on the other hand were different. Eager to learn, calm and quiet but unafraid, focused and diligent. Always stepping into his study with a smile, never letting his grim expression irritate you. Your knowledge in Latin came in handy, and it was more than the average sibling of sin had. He figured that this was most likely the reason Sister Imperator had chosen you for him.
Papa Emeritus II had started wanting you for more than just his daily work, though. And day after day he’d tell himself that next time, he’d have you. The moment you'd leave his office, he'd be frustrated with himself, that yet again he hadn’t managed to get closer to you. What was it that was stopping him? Was it the fear of rejection? He couldn’t tell. He'd never had this issue with any of the sisters. He was used to just taking what he wanted, but with you it was different.
In the mornings he’d wait impatiently until you entered his study, your ‘good morning’ sounding like music to his ears. And he loved how your scent would fill the room bit by bit, if you moved a lot and talked a lot it would grow even stronger. He enjoyed your overall presence, and your polite distance only made him crave you more.
You on the other hand were oblivious to Papa Secondo's internal struggles. His face did not give away much and you didn’t dare to assume or interpret anything weird into his behaviour. You'd heard about him, sure. That he'd had many, many sisters and even more women outside of the ministry. That he'd treat himself to maybe two or three sisters at once sometimes, and he'd take them like another would go about eating their dinner. He treated lust and desire as a very casual thing, and at the same time relished in it. You had heard that it had led him to… lose focus for a period of time.
But the Papa Secondo you had gotten to know as of recently seemed so different. He was working hard and the sermons he led were outstanding, inspiring one to ponder about some things a little more deeply. Every now and then he would keep eye contact with you for a nearly painful amount of time during a sermon. You tried to keep your composure but it still made you feel a little strange.
He was a man you certainly looked up to in a few ways, but mostly for his amount of knowledge and his occasional wisdom. You had learned a lot in the time you'd worked with him so far, which you appreciated immensely. Furthermore, his aura was rather interesting than appalling to you. You felt that there was something about him to figure out, like a man full of secrets. You'd simply brush off comments from the siblings with a laugh, never minding their inability to understand how you could work with him.
One day, however, everything changed.
It was another one of those long days. Latin scriptures waiting to be sorted and translated had piled up on Papa Secondo's desk, and you spent the majority of the day working through them. By evening, the piles were organized and clean, like perfect little bundles of smooth parchment. The translations had gone relatively smooth. Turns out, the two of you made a good team when it came to working on translations of the old scripts. Nonetheless, it had been a lot, and a glance at the clock told you that it was already way past your usual working hours.
Papa Secondo leaned back in his chair with a rumbly sigh of relief. “Finally. I think that would be it for now.”
“Yes, thank goodness. I believe staying focused wouldn’t have worked out for much longer. There’s only so much a human brain can take, after all”, you replied with a small chuckle.
He nodded and hummed in agreement, while his eyes followed you as you tidied up some last few things, getting ready to take your leave. After a bit of cleaning and stacking books back into the shelf, you stood in front of his desk and respectfully bowed your head to bid him goodnight. As you looked back up at him, however, he was staring. He was staring intensively. It felt like his eyes were piercing through you, nailing you to the ground you stood on. His gaze seemed cold and unforgiving, and the movement of his jaw suggested that he was grinding his teeth.
“Papa, please pardon me for asking, but… is everything alright? Did I do anything to anger you?”, you asked hesitantly.
He kept glaring for a moment, until he lowered his gaze a bit, and exhaled loudly through his nose. “You did not anger me, sister. Never have. But I’m afraid that… not everything is alright”, he grumbled, as he rose from his seat.
“What is it, Papa? If I can be of any aid, please do tell me.” You grew worried.
With slow, heavy steps he walked around the desk, to face you directly. His grim expression never changing, his gaze barely softening.
“It’s you, sister”, he said in a low rumble.
“Me?”, you asked in shock, your heart skipping a beat, “I’m sorry for upsetting you- what can I do? Where did I make mistakes?”
Papa Emeritus II shook his head slowly. “As I said, no mistakes have been made. It’s not about what you do, it’s about who you are, what you are. And I am growing tired of letting this distract me any further. I refuse to let it feed my frustration and tension.”
He stepped even closer now, never breaking eye contact.
“I don’t understand”, you mumbled, starting to feel a little intimidated.
“Enough of the empty words now. Let me show you what has been on my mind, sister”, Papa Secondo growled.
Before you even knew what was going on, he grabbed you and pulled to flush against his chest with a rough, quick move, simultaneously knocking the air out of your lungs as your chest collided with his. He held you close with one hand on your back, applying just enough pressure to tell you that resistance would be futile. His other hand reached up to the back of your head, entangling in your hair and tugging your head back, making you whimper a little. Any further noises of yours were quieted as he slammed his lips onto yours without a warning. The kiss was hungry, needy and felt almost primal in nature. You were too stunned to even react. He pulled away for a brief moment, looking for any sign of disgust, rejection or disapproval on your face - but all he found was utter confusion, and a blushing mess. He leaned down to your ear, and whispered: “If you do not consent, sister, please let me know. I would hate to push you into something you don't actually want…"
It took you a few seconds to finally get a hold of yourself. "I- I don't know what to say. I didn't know- I mean, I never thought you'd feel this way about me", you admitted, stammering a bit.
He smiled a little. You couldn’t recall ever having seen him smile, even if it was just a little bit. He took a strand of your hair and twirled it between his index finger and his thumb. "I didn't exactly plan or calculate my attraction towards you in any way, and yet… here we are", he tilted his head a little, and stared deeply into your eyes, "So, what do you say?"
His mismatched irises pinned you down. You felt like you were close to melting into a puddle on the floor. You'd never considered this a possibility, but in that moment, every fiber of your being screamed "yes".
"I think… I feel similar, Papa", you said, with your voice barely being more than a whisper. Your cheeks were burning up and your heart was threatening to burst out of your chest at any moment.
The pleased shimmer in his eyes was like a spark igniting a flame, and the deep growl he produced was surely enough to make a sister lose her footing.
He trapped you in another heated kiss, holding you so close that you feared you might get crushed against him. But truth be told, you didn’t mind one bit. You gently placed your hands on his chest and let yourself get lost in the moment. His hand was still tangled in your hair and his grip tightened. He brushed his tongue against your lips, initiating a deeper kiss, which you happily went along with.
Papa spun the two of you around, backing you up against the edge of his desk. Sliding one hand to the back of your thigh, he lifted you up to sit on the tabletop. As your hand reached behind you looking for stability, you came in contact with all the piles of sorted papers, making you flinch away.
Papa Secondo broke the kiss, looking at the occupied tabletop with a grunt. He reached behind you and swiped the papers off the furniture with one swift move of his arm, sending them flying across the room. He pushed you back a bit, spreading your legs so he could settle between them, pinning you against the wooden surface.
His mouth wandered to your neck, where he started kissing and biting on your skin, earning small moans and whimpers from you. His left hand groped your breast through your clothing, while his right hand was stroking up and down your thigh. He seemed desperate to touch you anywhere, everywhere he could reach. As he moved even closer to you, you could feel evidence of his desire pushing against the fabric of your underwear, subsequently rubbing against your most sensitive spot. Your tunic was already pushed up, pooling around your hips, exposing your thigh-high stockings and your garters. Papa's eyes wandered down, catching a glimpse of them. He seemed to be fond of your choice in undergarments, since he uttered something between a satisfied hum and a feral growl.
"I'm really sorry, sister", he panted, "I cannot wait any longer." Fumbling with his robe and then his zipper, he freed himself, and pushed your panties aside. He rubbed his tip up and down your folds, making you moan softly.
"So ready for me already, Sister. Delightful."
You put a hand over your face, slightly embarrassed at his remark. At this point, you must have been red as a tomato. A dissatisfied grunt escaped his throat.
"Do not hide from me. I can see you. I can feel your excitement", he hissed. With one swift, merciless thrust he pushed into you. You screamed at the feeling of being stretched this suddenly, your thighs shaking uncontrollably as your body tried to adjust to his size in the short given time.
Papa Secondo didn’t move for a good moment, relishing in the sight of you struggling to take him. The fire in his eyes grew bolder, and his pupils dilated. The only sounds filling the room at this moment were his heavy breathing and your tiny whimpers.
His hands went to support your shaking legs, guiding them to wrap around his hips. "Relax, sister. You're doing well", he hummed, sliding his gloved hand underneath your tunic to gently stroke up and down your sides. "I've been patient with you, but I refuse to restrain myself any further. I hope you're ready."
His voice was deep and menacing, just like his gaze upon you. He pulled out almost entirely, only to thrust back into you with full force. You yelped, whether it was out of pleasure or pain, you didn’t know. It felt like both. He started off slow, but soon picked up a merciless pace, and you grabbed the edge of the table in an effort to counter his movements. The heavy furniture creaked under every thrust and you prayed that it would withstand Secondo's blind sexual rage. He could not keep his hands at the same spot for too long, longing to touch you everywhere he could. His eyes spoke for him, and they clearly showed that his hunger was not being stilled, in fact, it was only growing.
He grabbed a fistful of your tunic and tugged it upwards. "Off with it", he growled. You lifted your arms and flinched as he tore it off over your head in one swift, rough movement. Tossing it aside with a snarl, he let his gaze wander over the newly exposed skin. Your bra was still blocking his eyes from devouring you fully, and while you were partially grateful for that, you knew it wouldn’t last long. Grabbing you by the side of your neck, he pulled you up towards him, capturing you in another heated kiss. His other hand wand wandered up your back and undid the clasp of your bra. Cool air hit your chest as he tore it off your body and tossed it aside to join your tunic on the floor, making you gasp. He used the opportunity to shove his tongue into your mouth, capturing yours in another uncoordinated dance. You wrapped your arms around his neck, moaning into the kiss, as his thrusts changed pace again. He pulled out slowly, and thrusted back in with a harsh snap of his hips.
Papa Secondo growled, breaking the kiss. "Wonderful, Sister (Y/N). Marvelous. But I want more. I need more", he groaned into your ear. His voice sounded close to feral at this point, sending shivers down your spine and making you clench around him. Lifting you up by your bottom, he swiftly carried you across the room, pinning you against one of the book shelves. The wooden planks pushed into the skin of your back, as he continued his rough thrusting. His face paint was a little smudged in some places, and he breathed heavily. The determined look in his eyes told you he was far from done, however. His mouth latched onto the flesh between your neck and shoulder, and you yelped as he bit down, sucking on the skin, eager to leave his mark. You feared that you'd end up breaking if he continued like this, but at the same time, the balanced mix between pain and pleasure drove you insane. His thrusts became faster and harder after a while and his eyes grew cloudy with lust. His thumb traveled between you and started rubbing your clit in skilfull circles, well calculated. He knew exactly what he was doing and it had you approach your release at a rapid speed. You looked at him with pleading eyes and he gave a single nod. "Come undone, Sister. You may."
Digging your nails into his shoulders, you let your orgasm rush through you. It had you scream out, and Papa bit down on your neck again, grunting as he felt you clench around him. He picked up speed even more, mindlessly ramming into you. The bookshelf was shaking and creaking with every thrust, a few books tumbling down around you. His grip on your body tightened and you were sure his fingers would leave marks on your thighs and your behind, just like the ones he'd left on your neck already. You moaned and mewled, desperately holding onto him as he quickly approached his own peak. And soon, he did - with two deep, powerful thrusts, bottoming out, growling and moaning, producing a guttural sound you'd never heard before. You could feel him throb inside you as he filled you, a seemingly never-ending spill of his seed flooding your walls. After a long moment, he ended his peak with a few slow, shaky thrusts, and finally stilled. He rested his forehead on your collarbone, breathing heavily. Silence followed as both of you tried to catch your breaths.
"Was that alright, Papa?", you asked in a breathy voice, cracking a small smile.
He answered with a long, deep hum. Then, he carried you over to an armchair and sat down, leaving you to sit on his lap. He was spent, but satisfied, and let his gaze wander over your body lazily. You'd been stripped of everything but your panties, stockings and garterbelt. His gloved hands tenderly stroked your thighs, as well as up and down your sides. You sighed contentedly.
Papa Secondo pulled you closer, so you were resting against his chest and wrapped his arms around you.
"Sister (Y/N), can I ask you something?", he asked in a raspy voice.
"Yes, of course."
"Do tell me… have I been too rough with you?"
You were surprised, to say the least. There was a genuine tone of concern in his voice.
"Well, truth be told, Papa… you were not exactly gentle with me", you admitted, laughing shyly. You felt his body stiffen against you. "But… that does not mean I didn’t like it."
He let out a deep chuckle. "If I weren’t as spent as I am, I would take you again right here, sister", he growled into your ear, sending another deep red blush to your cheeks.
"If you allow, Papa, I wouldn’t mind doing that again sometime."
"Good", he hummed, "Because I'm not done with you yet."
You chuckled bashfully, and let your gaze wander across the room.
“Ah, Papa- there might be something we should attend to. Again”, you said.
“Hm?”
“All those papers we sorted today.”
His gaze followed yours, stopping at floor level next to his desk.
“Satanas, I’ll be damned.”
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don't ask me about secondo ever or you will hear me rambling out a whole character analysis for two hours because I am DEDICATED to this man, he is my wife.
EDIT – Okay you did it.
Some SFW Secondo HCs:
had to deal with the highest expectations out of the brothers, being older than Terzo and a lot younger than Primo it was clear that his Papacy would be of importance and Nihil expected him to excel while not necessarily providing the necessary guidance (especially when Terzo turned out to be more rebellious in nature)
being Nihil’s “favorite” did not come with all the benefits one might suspect, no more attention, no more love or care, only more work and pressure within the clergy
outside of the family many people never realised how he suffered from this neglect and exploitation and therefore do not perceive his trauma as that, often mistake his character for being cold/aloof when really he is just masking extremely hard and trying to appear unaffected and professional
while he was prepared for his future role, he quickly realised that his needs weren’t of importance, only his work and his rise within the clergy and so he learned that it is better not to ask and appear weak (so they don’t consider him unfitting)
while Primo did the best he could to replace their absent father, the clergy’s demands on the future Papa never allowed him to be quite the father figure that he wished he could be for his younger brothers – Secondo had to learn fast how to take care of himself and how to protect his younger brother from the clergy’s influences
despite detesting the clergy’s inner mechanisms, Secondo is a man of duty and has accepted that he was put on this path in Lucifer’s name
just before and after becoming Papa he quickly learned that bringing in own ideas just leads to dismissal and that being Papa made him a vessel for the ideals of the clergy which he grew to detest (“I’m a marionette”), also quickly learned that it is wiser not to rebel against them
this made him worried for Terzo who already had a lot of plans for his own Papacy that weren’t in line with the clergy’s agenda
through it all he found a lot of solace in his faith, is the most spiritual out of all the Papas with a special fondness for the modern symbolism of Baphomet that represents balance and wholeness (“And he's as macho as he is connected to the softer, more feminine part of himself” X), something that means a lot to him who is caught in a lot of turbulent emotions, this spirituality and also his high level of literacy is pretty evident in his music
therefore: best spiritual guide/advisor out of all the Papas, knows the right quotes and the right words to provide comfort and reassurance to bring you back on your path, way more empathetic than people give him credit for based on his cool demeanour, even though he is someone who quietly reassures you and uses a more reason based approach
because of all of this he has grown to be a very measured man who will always weigh reason and emotions against each other, rarely will you see him lose his temper on the outside, being in control of his emotions is important to him because that way he can have a sense of power he lacked when he was younger (also means he cannot let loose and relax easily, this man is TENSE and his shoulders hate him for it)
if someone wrongs him that person will get the cold shoulder and honestly, being the object of his scorn is worse, disappointing him is worse than his anger and he never forgets anything, this man has a whole drawer of receipts
doesn’t hate anyone as much as himself, the top spot is however taken by his neglectful, uncaring father who never knew how to act like a parent
if he does lose his temper it will usually not be on behalf of himself but someone else he truly cares about (his brothers, his lover, his protégés etc) and even so his anger is not the loud, yelling or violent kind but the kind that sends chills down your spine (his looks alone can kill and he finds the perfect sharp words to hurt you)
soft-spoken (not quite as much as Primo though), very calculated and minimalist in what he shows on the outside but his words usually hit where and how they’re supposed to (just listen to his voice on Infest and some of his speeches on stage, it’s quiet and haunting)
very much a quality over quantity sort of person – good food, good drinks, nice clothes he can wear for a long time, simple luxuries that go a long way and add to his comfort
big earth sign energy when it comes to his habits, works hard, has high expectations, good with money, particular about how he does things but generous with those he loves
good luck trying to get this man to open to up to you, he will not overshare and you have to pry every bit of more intimate personal information out of him, especially about his childhood
however, he is a very willing and patient teacher if you want to learn about his special interests or happen to sit in one of his classes, especially if you show potential and interest
self-sabotages a lot, especially when it comes to romantic relationships, for flings he avoids anything too intimate which extends to his preferred sex positions as well as kissing, when he notices he could really like someone he will find reasons why it doesn’t work (commitment issues), scared to be hurt and also scared to inflict pain and false hopes on someone else
when he does fall for someone and overcomes his fears he is the most loyal and supportive partner, you will be surprised by how loving and gentle he is with you, by how romantic he is (not in the cheesy way but in that soft, caring way who wants to love forever), pays close attention to your needs and preferences and never forgets anything
love languages: shows love with acts of service, gift giving and also quality time, likes to receive physical touch (loves to cuddle but is hesitant to initiate, would never admit how much he loves kisses to his face and hand holding but you can tell after some time), quality time and words of affirmation (so many times until he finally believes them)
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something so precious
Pairing: Cardinal Copia x f!Reader (Curator!Reader)
Rating: Teen
Tags: reader being sad and lonely, comfort from darling Copia, terzo being a scheming little matchmaker, mention of RATS OHWHOOOOAHHHH
Words: 1,461
Summary: When Terzo asks you to eat dinner with the rest of the abbey, how bad can it get?
a/n: I hc Copia as being an extremely lonely person, particularly when he's a Cardinal, so naturally he would be the best person to receive comfort from when you're feeling isolated and alone.
divider by @gothdaddyissues!
“Terzo?” you ask, leaning back in your squeaky leather chair. “Why do none of the siblings speak to me?”
Papa Emeritus III, currently sitting on your desk twirling a pen between his fingers as he hides from whatever duties Imperator has requested of him on this day, stops his movement and looks at you askance.
“Well obviously, bella,” he starts in that smooth voice you’ve come to recognize as the signature tune he uses when he wants to convince someone of something, usually involving accompanying him to bed, “it is your immense beauty. Your stunning intellect. Your–”
You lean forward in your chair abruptly with a tired expression on your face.
“Cut the bullshit, please,” you say, snatching the pen out of his grasp, “I’ve been here almost a month and not a single person other than you, the other papas, Cardinal Copia, and Sister Imperator has approached me. Are my vibes that bad? Is it because I’m not a member of the church?”
“Eh…” he begins hesitantly, “the best guess I have is because you’re basically upper clergy, dolcezza. Most siblings don’t casually associate with anyone higher in rank unless it’s for…” his painted lips quirk into a lascivious grin, “...other reasons.”
You frown. “Upper clergy? How exactly am I upper clergy? I’m literally just an employee?”
“Well,” he says, hopping off the edge of your desk and slipping into the chair opposite you, “a cardinal once held the position you do. Performed the same duties you are performing. Therefore in a way, your status is equal to that of a cardinal. Capisci?”
“Oh,” you say, somewhat deflated. Terzo immediately picks up on your tone and hops out of his seat to stand by your side and take your hands.
“Come to the dining hall tonight, eh? I know you’re content to eat alone in your rooms but it will be good for you, I promise.”
You’ve been avoiding the dining hall like the plague since you got here, preferring to eat your sad bowls of cereal on your couch every night. Maybe it would do you good to have an actual square meal. You nod at him and he beams, squeezing your hands.
“Bene! I’m sure you will find your place at the abbey soon, mia ragazza.”
He pats a gloved hand on your cheek and bounds out of your office to go cause mischief elsewhere. You sigh deeply and prop your elbows on your desk.
“It will be fine,” you murmur to yourself before turning back to the work you had abandoned when Terzo came in, “you will be fine.”
—
This, you decided, was the worst fucking idea.
When you first walked into the vast dining hall you were taken aback by its beauty. Paneled walls lined the room and a dramatic arched wooden ceiling soared above you. After you finished gazing at your surroundings, you were hit with the fact that half the room was staring at you.
Oh fuck, you think, skittering over to the food line in an effort to blend in better. You gratefully take your bowl of hearty vegetable stew and sizeable hunk of crusty bread and turn around to face the room. Siblings eye you, whispering amongst themselves and suddenly you’re struck with the worst pit of anxiety in your stomach. The room is filled with a number of tables in varying sizes and as you scan the room, your heart sinks when you realize there are no empty tables. Shuffling with your food into the center of the room you’re about to panic and give up entirely when you turn to a four-person table in a corner with one occupant.
Cardinal Copia.
He’s hunched over his bowl, delicately spooning stew into his mouth when he spots you hustling towards him. Dropping his spoon, his mismatched eyes go wide as you approach the table, jaw falling open slightly.
“Can I, um,” you begin in a hushed voice, “can I sit with you?”
A beat passes and you’re starting to wonder if he heard you when he rockets out of his seat, straightening his black cassock. Before you can say anything he’s drawing a chair out for you, gesturing for you to sit.
“Please, signorina!” he says in a hushed, almost reverent tone as you take a seat. “Your company is eh, most welcome.” Copia returns to his own seat and gives you a nervous little smile that makes you smile in return. Graciously, he upturns your glass and fills it with water from the carafe sitting next to him on the table.
“Thank you,” you say, mirroring his hushed tone. “Thank you so much. This place…this place is like high school all over again,” you say in a rush as you finally spoon some much needed quality food into your mouth.
“Is it?” he asks, “I ah…wouldn’t know.”
You cock your head and your brows draw together.
“How so?” you say, leaning forward to take another spoonful of the delicious stew.
“I completed all my schooling within the church,” he says, pushing a carrot around his bowl.
“Oh! Were you raised in the church then?” you ask, truly intrigued.
“Sì…in Roma. I’ve been groomed for this position,” he sighs heavily, “my whole life.”
You had no idea the depth and breadth of the church’s reach throughout the world. Truly it both baffled and fascinated you. Not knowing quite what to say to his revelation, you both continue eating in silence.
“How are you…how are you liking it here?” he asks with a hint of concern.
“It’s beautiful. I can’t imagine a prettier place to live and work.”
“That’s not what I meant, signorina.” His eyes, particularly the white one that almost glows, burn into yours.
“I…” your voice chokes up a little so you clear your throat, “I don’t have a lot of people to talk to. No one will speak to me, you know? I left all my friends behind and I’m so isolated now and–” you cut yourself off, feeling the tears welling in your eyes. He looks startled by your confession, and reaches a gloved hand across the table to take yours. When he looks at you with more softness than you have seen from anyone in a very long time, you let out an embarrassing sob.
“I know,” he whispers, thumb stroking your knuckles. “Believe me, signorina. I know.”
You wipe your tears with the cloth napkin at the table almost viciously, feeling humiliated that you’ve let Copia of all people see you like this. You hold him in such high esteem and you cringe at what he must think of you now.
“I’m sorry,” you blurt out, removing your hand from his. “I…Christ this is so mortifying.”
“Not mortifying at all, signorina. I asked you a question and you answered with your heart. I…want to be someone you come to when you are feeling like this, sì?”
You nod, smiling at him gratefully as you watch him pick up his hunk of bread. He’s so…so wonderful and empathetic and charming and lovely and…and he’s currently picking apart his bread into tiny chunks and placing them within his napkin.
“Um,” you begin inelegantly, unsure of how to proceed, “what are you doing?”
“Hmm?” he looks up at you and his cheeks redden when he realizes you’ve been watching him. “Oh I…eh…”
You nod conspiratorially. “Midnight snack, huh?”
His painted lips twist into a smile and he chuckles, causing you to smile again.
“Not for me…for my bambini.”
“Peculiar babies who eat table scraps, no?”
“Eh…they’re…they’re rats.”
He’s positively glowing with embarrassment but your smile gets even wider.
“Oh!” you cry, clapping your hands together, “tell me about them! Can I meet them?”
He swallows several times before cracking a nervous half-smile.
“Sì, of course! They are such sweet little things…”
He’s got such a fond look in his eye, but you’re not sure if it’s regarding his rats or you. The thought makes you flush and look down at your lap.
“I’m glad Terzo told me to come to dinner tonight,” Copia says in a small voice, smiling at you. Your eyes widen at the revelation but you say nothing, simply mirroring his grin.
“He’s Papa for a reason,” you state simply. “Are you done eating? I’m dying to hear more about these babies of yours.”
Hours later, the two of you are the last people to leave the dining hall after being ushered out by irritated siblings. When you part, it’s with the promise that you will one day soon visit Copia’s rodent children. You bid your soft goodbye, hand lingering on his bicep when you thank him for his time and you begin the walk to your quarters.
Maybe the abbey isn’t so bad after all.
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