#copia in a turtleneck….. so handsome…..

[i-hold-horrors-hand]

Baci Sotto Il Vischio

Mistletoe fluff with the Papas and their Prime Movers.

Chapter 3: Terzo and Cassie

(Also readable on AO3)

  Cassie stretched as she entered the suite of rooms she shared with her husband—the old papal suite of one Papa Emeritus the Third. It'd been a long day, and she was eager to relax in bed with him. However, as she made her way into the bedroom, she noticed that he wasn't there.

Odd. He was usually there before she was, waiting for her. "Keeping the bed warm", as he said. But apparently, not tonight.

Wondering just where the hell he was, Cassie noticed a small folded up piece of paper, tied with a small purple ribbon. Untying the ribbon and unfolding the note, she smiled to herself.

Be at the gazebo in the garden at 7:00. I will be waiting, my love.—Terzo. (PS: wear that new dress. You know the one ;) )

She did indeed know which dress he was referring to—a wintery pale-teal dress that she'd bought recently, with white fur trim along the wrists, hem, neck, and attached hood. Terzo had said that it made her look like "that Disney princess in that movie with Idina Menzel, but prettier."

Thoughts of relaxing were now gone as Cassie changed into the dress and hurried out of the papal suite, pulling on a pair of gloves as she went. She didn't want to keep her husband waiting, and she herself was eager to see what he had in store for her.

  The snow crunched under her boots as she made the trek through the garden, an excited spring in her step. The dress was insulated enough that she barely noticed how cold the air was, and her excitement wasn't letting her focus much on it anyway. She was preoccupied with meeting up with Terzo for what was—knowing him—most likely a romantic little surprise.

And he didn't disappoint.

As she neared the gazebo—which was decorated with strings of lovely pale white lights—she saw Terzo standing in it, waiting for her. Upon spotting her, he waved and gestured for her to join him, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Cassie practically skipped the rest of the way, pulling up the skirt of her dress a bit so she wouldn't trip.

Taking hold of Terzo's outstretched hands, she paused to get a good look at him. He cut a fine figure in a white turtleneck sweater, a deep indigo-black vest and matching pants completing the look, with a matching jacket with white fur trim keeping him warm. He looked stunning. As usual.

"Buonasera, darling." He kissed her forehead sweetly. "You look beautiful."

"And you look handsome as ever."

Terzo waved off her compliment, as if to say 'I know', and pulled her closer. "Are you ready to know why I called you here?"

Cassie nodded.

"Look up."

Cassie did so, and smiled. Above them, hanging down from the centre of the gazebo, was a little sprig of white-berried mistletoe, decorated with a small red bow. Of course. She'd been expecting something like this—whenever this time of year rolled around, Terzo wasted no opportunity to get her under the mistletoe. It was one of his favourite traditions. And hers, too.

Looking back at her husband, Cassie reached up a hand to cup his cheek, and leaned in to kiss him. Terzo slid his arms around her waist, pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss, holding her tightly.

"You old romantic," Cassie giggled, once they'd pulled away.

"Oh, but it gets better, dolce."

"Does it?"

Terzo smirked as he stepped back briefly, reaching to press a button on something that Cassie hadn't noticed until just now—Copia's old boom box. Momentarily, she wondered if Copia knew that it was missing, before the sounds of an instrumental version of a romantic carol pushed that thought away, replacing it with one of wintertime romance.

"Dance with me, my love." Terzo held out a gloved hand to her, mistmatched eyes shining with heart-bursting affection.

"Don't mind if I do, tesoro." Cassie took his hand in hers and put her other one on his shoulder, staring into her husband's eyes as they began to spin and swirl around the gazebo.

  Relaxing in bed together could definitely wait. Right now, they were going to dance the night away.