#father figure copia

[lightbluuestars]

if you are open to writing something soft tonight, perhaps some gentle father figure copia headcanons? :) I like to HC that the Ministry has dorms for Siblings of Sin that study and practice there.

gentle father figure copia my beloved! hope you like <3

checks in on you every single day (unless he’s on tour, then he’ll message you and make sure you’re okay)

will teach you lots of things, or help you out with them if you’re struggling. he’s super good at math, by the way. so he’s always the one to go to when you need help

if you have trouble sleeping, he’ll provide you with some sleepytime tea and tuck you into bed. he’ll stay with you until you fall asleep (or he falls asleep)

if you have any sort of troubles (physically or mentally), he’s always there to listen to you, and he will offer advice or anything he has that he knows will help

lots of physical affection, but if you don’t like that he does things for you instead (like, sure everything you need is organized and stuff because he wants good things for you)

big mama bear energy when you get sick, will not let you leave your bed at all (bathroom the only exception) and makes a ghoul stay in your room to ensure that happens (ps, the ghoul lets you get out of bed because it must be terrible to be bedridden all day)

very very very good hugs, envelops you in his arms, and his hugs are nice and warm

teaches you how to take care of his rats, and trusts that you’ll be a very good caretaker for his furry children when he’s away on tour

[copias-juicebox]

[cumulo-ghoulll]

Incorrect Ghost Quotes‼️

(pt. 40)

Phantom: *drinking alcohol past his bedtime*

Copia: Phantom! Is that beer?

Phantom: Um . . . no . . . ? It's apple cider vinegar! I'm just really conscious about my gut health! Ehehe . . .

Copia: *disappointed dad face*

[zeldabotwbrainrot]

can you do copia with a teen reader who is being bratty and refuses to sleep? <3

“Go to bed young child, make me old man”

.

.

.

.

You’d gotten the zoomies, it wasn’t your fault but now you were running around the ministry a very tired and worn down Copia chasing you. Being one of Copias eldest you were suppose to be more of a role model but your hyperactive brain wasn’t the best.

“Mia figlia please I’m tired let’s go to bed”

You looked at him hurt and whined crossing your arms stopping your zoomies. You were so tired but the zoomies kicked in. Copia went over and picked you up.

“Cmon bed, and remind me to tell Zio Primo no more fizzy drinks before bed”

You whined more trying to fight back, tiredness winning as you dropped off to sleep in his arms. He laid you down and laid with you making sure you were safe. You were prone to nightmares because of your overactive imagination so he’d always stay with you unless Terzo or primo were available.

Fin

[ficandkaboodle]

Analyses of Most Ghost Characters be like…

Terzo was a tragic and extremely deep figure who, based off observations provided by his ghouls and Bishop Necropolitis, was a brilliant mind whose ideas were bastardized and squandered, which resulted in a disappointed and bitter husk of a man who still made an effort to display kindness. However, we will likely never truly know the full story of who he was because he lied so damn often.

Most of how we perceive Secondo is arguably the result of Sister badmouthing him as well as ghouls being brutally candid about how he acted in interviews. However, there’s reason to believe Secondo might’ve been just as multifaceted as Terzo, in that he wasn’t being his complete self to the audience. There’s evidence that could suggest Secondo did not enjoy being Papa in its entirety so much as the perks, which were ironically also hindered by him being Papa at the end of the day. It’s not hard to interpret him as someone who might not have enjoyed being a part of the bloodline at the end of the day because of what it meant he had to sacrifice.

Copia is a manchild, likely as a result of how he grew up: Orphaned, likely a social outcast, very likely undiagnosed. As a result, he might’ve become convinced that the only way to rise above it was to become someone worthy of adoration: Papa. But even after he ascended, his troubles didn’t stop: He had to learn his parentage, didn’t address the fact that his brothers were now dead, and spent the last few months he had with the woman he now knew was his mother dissociating because he developed a fear of death. This fear, mind you, that easily ties back into the theorized likelihood that he placed his self-worth into his success. And this is before getting into his willingness to be a puppet —

Papa Nihil’s complexities come in the form of his tendencies to escape reality and the consequences these brought. He was very likely an absent father, which would have had effects on his sons (say, attention-seeking tendencies; a distrust in authority; abandonment issues). In fact, the only things he seems to seek from his youth is his extremely short-lived music career and his unstable relationship with a woman who ultimately kept quiet about their son(s) they conceived together and ultimately played his lust and delusions against him to play nepotism. And by leaning into this, he got his own children killed. He only “became a father” after he died, and it’s sad that he actually seems his most lucid then. What’s all the more mind-boggling and makes you wonder about his tenure is his ability to be in the moment and try and convince Cardi to learn to do the same. It makes you curious: Was Nihil actually a good Papa when he wasn’t distracted?

Sister Imperator is willfully emotionally constipated and will justify it as being “for the good of the church”. She has definitely been affected by her decisions and what she’s done, from her relationship with Nihil to her giving up her babies and watching them at a distance, only interacting from a work standpoint. She lies, keeps secrets, has people killed off, all to tie her spawn into the position as Papa, which is curious considering her position means she’s already above the station of Papa. She does care about Cardi, but she doesn’t care for him the way he needs to be and, as a result, arguably only exacerbates his anxious tendencies. She’s an extremely interesting character but it’s so easy to water her down to just being manipulative and evil.

………………

Analyses of Primo —

Primo is fucking crazy man I don’t — Like, he might be a serial killer; he would punch a panda for profit; we aren’t even entirely certain he’s human like I would legit headcanon that Primo is a changeling and the fandom would run with it because what choice do we have, he honestly actually could be!!!

[thelampisaflashlight]

Thinking about the imps. Let's go.

[For those unaware of and/or new to the imps, they're these little guys I decided sometimes pop out of the portal with the ghouls. They're kind of like their familiars, but it gets slightly more complicated than that sometimes. Anyway, just imagine them as weird cats and it's all good.]

-Starting with the original imp, Dewdles is Dew's imp, who, unlike a majority of the other resident imps, didn't pop out of a portal with Dew when he was summoned... because Dew wasn't summoned.

In my current lore, Dew was a hybrid (human mother, demon father) and didn't inherit much of his ghoul parent's features or abilities... until he accidentally got sent to hell after sustaining a fatal injury.

When he got pulled back to the surface thanks to his demonic blood reviving him, Dewdles tagged along with him, and has been his constant companion ever since.

-Dewdles is a very wiggly, wobbly little guy, being a water elemental, and isn't great at maneuvering on land, so Dew carries him around a lot as if he were a small dog.

Additionally, when he's not in the water, Dewdles seems very round and pudgy due to his fins drooping, but it all fans out in the water.

His fins are sort of akin to the extra skin of a flying squirrel and allow him to float on the surface of the water and glide through it rather quickly when he wants to... though he can be rather lazy, and prefers to cruise along atop the other imps instead.

-Speaking of other imps, Rain's imp, Drizzle, ironically, cannot swim.

Or at least he cannot swim well.

Due to a pocket of air inside his body, he is unable to submerge properly, and when he does, he often drifts along at an angle.

He can float just fine though, and with Dewdles weighing him down, he can even dip down in the water a bit better.

-Aether's imp doesn't have a name, although he probably thinks he does, with how often he's called "Handsome".

He's built like a cross between a bulldog and a capybara, and looks a little bit like a character out of Lilo & Stitch, with a pleasant, calm demeanor.

He doesn't appear much, preferring to stick to Aether's shadow, but will occasionally plop himself down on his lap during late nights at the infirmary.

-Mountain's imp is probably the weirdest out of the bunch, being the most cryptidlike, and appearing to have an almost otherworldly aura about them, making many wonder if they're really an imp or something decidedly more ancient.

They do eat rocks though, so it's hard to say how accurate that assessment is.

And lastly;

-Despite not being a ghoul, Copia has an imp... he just doesn't realize it is one.

There's this one really scraggly looking "cat" that keeps showing up in his office and "meowing" at him, and he can't quite figure out why everyone thinks it's a demon.

His name is Jeepers and he has thumbs, like, actual opposable thumbs, not just an extra toe bean, and has a tendency to sit like a man.

He also watches TV and is toilet trained.

Not litter box.

Toilet.

But he's "totally a very cool and smart" cat.

[da-rulah]

Heads Will Roll - A RHRN Inspired Short

*MAJOR RITE HERE RITE NOW SPOILERS AHEAD*

Do not read on if you don’t want to be spoiled. It’s literally the biggest spoiler in the movie, and I am giving you plenty of warning. Seriously. If you read on and get spoiled, don’t come crying to me in my ask box. I am warning you.  

A/N: This is my own continuation of the ending of the movie. An alternate ending, if you will... It includes spoilers from the final scene, arguably one of the biggest spoilers, and continues from there. Yell at me in my ask box if you want, but this was fun to write...

Rating: Mature Word Count: 1.5k

Warnings: Mentions of blood, violence, panic attacks

S P O I L E R S A H E A D 

The empire is now built.  

And he’s so proud of himself. It’s been a long road, he’s worked hard; even cut down people who got in his way... But he’s here now, and despite the sudden passing of his mother, he can’t help the rising feeling of accomplishment – nay, smugness that sits in his chest.  

Of course, his mother stands beside him now as a spectre, joining his father on the spiritual plane that seemingly only he can see into. He wonders why that is sometimes, but it’s a minor detail and one he’s grateful for. At least this way, his mother hasn’t truly left his side. But he does wish his damned father would.  

“We seem to have remodelled here,” Copia remarks as they stand in the hallway of the Ministry; all those months of touring, he wasn’t aware of the changes. He likes them, more to his taste. It’s as if they were made with his ascension in the ranks in mind. He must thank Saltarian for that later. “Good, good...” 

“Well, I’m not in charge anymore,” Sister Imperator sighs dramatically, a little bitter than she can’t continue her role from beyond the grave. But it is what it is, and she’s sure her son is going to do a good job in her place. 

“No, you are not,” Copia gleefully quips, clicking his shiny new shoes together to assert his power.  

“I hope that this new guy doesn’t disappoint like you did,” his father, Papa Nihil grumbles beside him. Copia’s shoulders sag in annoyance, his eyes rolling as he turns to Nihil. 

“Really?” As if he hasn’t been the most successful Papa to date, selling more records, larger tours and spreading the unholy word further than his predecessors – but most importantly, escaping with his life... “Go necro-charge yourself,” he jabs, his polite way of telling his father to piss off and reminding him that he is in fact dead, and has no authority anymore. 

“Oh shut up!” 

“You shut up,” Copia retorts somewhat childishly, a petty little argument starting.  

“The two of you, just stop it. This is done! Just stop it...” Copia raised his hands in surrender, turning back to the doors in front of them.  

“Old habits; they die hard,” Nihil grumbles.  

“Old guys in habits die harder...” Sister comments, pressing her lips together in a tight line as her brow furrows. Copia looks back to his father guiltily, his gaze turning to the tiled floor in front of him. Yeah, didn’t he know it...  

But he couldn’t allow himself to think about that just now. If there was anything he had learned in recent months, it was to not dwell on the past. No matter how dark, no matter what he had done... And he had done some bad things.  

Images of blood-stained hands flashed through his mind, the noises of anguished screams, the silence that had followed... He couldn’t let that haunt him anymore.  

He shook his head of the thoughts, straightening his new expensive suit jacket. The jewels that hung from it rattled against his chest, and he straightened his back to give an air of importance and authority, ready for what was to come.  

“Oh look, here he comes...” Sister Imperator clasps her hands together, wringing them nervously as she hears the footsteps approaching on the other side of the door. Copia lifts his chin, waiting, trying not to show his own nervousness to see the figure approaching, a shadow on the other side of the stained glass doors. The light filters through, turning the end of the hall red which does nothing to quell the anxiety.  

As the new head of the Clergy, he would have thought somebody would have told him who was to be Papa. Frankly, he thought it would be his decision. But the choice had been made long before Sister’s death, and without her knowledge also. It had Saltarian written all over it. He liked to... mess with people.  

The hall fell silent as the shadow figure stood proudly behind the glass. A mitre already sat atop his head, which now he thought about it, was unusual. There had been no ceremony, nor reveal yet. This guy must have some balls to don the Papal robes so soon.  

The shadow reached for the door handles on their side, the knobs squeaking as they turned agonisingly slowly. Copia had to swallow the lump in his throat, reminding himself to stand tall and proud. He was Frater Imperator now. He was in charge.  

The doors swung open, and there he stood, a sickly smirk on his face.

Copia audibly whimpered, losing his balance and stumbling backwards. The panic set in quickly, his chest heaving with heavy breaths that couldn’t get enough oxygen into his lungs no matter how quickly they tried. He managed to regain his footing quickly at least, eyes wide and jaw dragging along the floor while his head swam.  

Beside him, his mother’s hand slapped to her mouth, somehow making a noise despite her no longer being a physical being. Even Nihil was stunned into silence, his brow furrowed with deep lines of confusion.  

Copia had never been so terrified in all his life. Somehow, he thought his demise would have been a kinder end to his own reign than this.  

The new Papa looked nowhere else but at Copia, his eyes glaring at him as if lasers would shoot from his pupils. That smirk still sat on his face; a face that was painted with crisp black and white.  

As he stepped forward, Copia resisted the urge to run. It was all he wanted to do but when it came down to it, his fight or flight response had withered into the third hidden option; freeze.  

Papa walked slowly, deliberately, his gaze never wavering. Copia couldn’t help but stare straight back but he couldn’t meet his eyes... Not after what he’d done. Even when Papa came to a halt a few feet from him. 

“Buonasera, fratello gemello...(Good evening, twin brother...)” The smugness in his voice reflected how Copia had felt moments before. But now? That had dissipated. Nothing but terror remained. “I look forward to working with you, eh?” 

Copia couldn’t speak. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t even look in his eyes...  

Instead, his stare was focussed on the garish, ugly, deep red scar that ran in a clean line around his neck...  

How could he not have seen this? So many signs he had ignored... Wilfully ignorant to all of this. Perhaps he had been living in denial, brushing any and every small clue aside so his own guilt would not get the better of him, and he could forget what he'd done.  

The scratch marks on the inside of his final resting place, the mortician who swore his foot had twitched in the morgue... It was Saltarian who insisted the movie be called ‘Rite Here, Rite Now’; his song. Even the music video served as foreshadowing, literally enacting his spirit rising from the dead...  

Copia felt like a fool. Had he not been so wilfully blind, maybe he would have seen it. Maybe he could have stopped it.  

But no, now he was staring directly at the result of the most evil deed he had ever committed; murdering his own twin brother. He could only hope he didn’t remember...  

“Terzo, what a... surprise...” Imperator stuttered beside Copia. Clearly, she had also been kept in the dark on this one...  

Terzo finally tore his gaze from Copia, instead smirking down at his mother who had too been instrumental in his untimely end.  

“Buona sera mamma, (Good evening mother,)” he greeted, sickly sweet and filled with patronisation. “You look well,” he joked. You know, because she was dead...

“S-so do you,” she smiled, her lip twitching. Terzo opened his arms to hug her, and with hesitation, she followed suit. 

“Oh, wait...I forgot,” he stopped, lowering his arms and leaning towards her with a shit eating grin on his face, “sei morto ora (you are dead now).” 

He took a step back, clearing his throat and turning back to Copia. “So, here we go again, eh?” 

“I-I suppose...” Copia choked out, still in shock.  

Copia and Terzo had always had a difficult relationship... Terzo was older by mere minutes, and when they had been born, Nihil had given his son the next title in line, only to give the second, smaller, weaker twin a name to match; Copy. Copia had always been treated as the weaker, the lesser of the two by their father. Their mother, however, had pitied Copia from the start and sided with him wherever she could. It had fuelled so much competition, so much resentment that it led to Terzo’s own end...  

To say their relationship was fraught was a severe understatement.  

“You boys... will have to learn to work together,” Sister Imperator warned, watching warily as the tension between the brothers built.  

“Oh, sí, we can work together, can’t we fratellino?” Terzo slapped his brother’s arm in fake encouragement.  

“S-sí, of course...” 

“Molto bene! (Very good!) I promise, best behaviour. Even little Cardi here will learn to work alongside me,” Terzo leaned forward, staring menacingly into Copia’s eyes with the smug smirk from before and getting into his personal space in a display of defiance. 

“Or heads will roll...” 

[jessicafangirl]

Copia spent a lot of time alone growing up and had no father figure to speak of. His brothers didn’t know about him yet nor did his actual father who wouldn’t have been that big a help anyway.

Copia found his father figures and his role models in movies and tv. He saw the style and sophistication of Vincent Price and the way Christopher Lee held himself like royalty and could work a cape like it was a set of wings.

He saw the way David Bowie could command a room and be a King in lace and velvet.

He saw Peter Sellers win the hearts of all the ladies by being funny and charming. Maybe a little clutzy was okay.

It built a foundation for him to work on over the years but he still always felt like that little boy that was made fun of for being awkward, for being different, and he never let go of the things that brought him comfort…the video games, his favorite juice box, and the movies.

When he stepped on stage for the first time he remembered all they taught him. And while he was in front of that audience he hoped he made them proud.

[bloodonmysqueegee]

I HAD AN EPIPHANY. I COULD BE TOTALLY WRONG BUT LISTEN

I'm pretty sure we're headed in the direction of the new guy being Copia's twin brother. It's what it all points to. But then why show hints of Secondo so much?

I also remembered that theory about V being Secondo's child, but what if both things were (kinda) true?

Maybe instead of actually being Sec's child, he was just RAISED by him (possibly along with Copia??)

Because we know damn well Sister and Nihil never did much to help

WHAT IF the whole fandoms idea that "the brothers raised each other" IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE CANON!!

This means that V could've adopted a lot more traits from Secondo just by virtue of seeing him as a father figure

This could also mean Perpetua and Copia really did spend a lot more time with the other brothers than we thought (especially cuz terzo would've been on the younger side too so he could've helped/ also had to be raised by his older brothers) THINK OF THE POTENIAL STORIES YOU COULD TELL FROM THIS!! THIS COULD BE RE AL

Anyways go look at my art while I evaporate

[gravehags]

son of perdition

Pairing: Cardinal Copia x f!Reader (Curator!Reader)

Rating: Teen

Tags: tw descriptions of vomiting, copia being a care giver, confessions and revelations, antichrist copia, curator reader series lore

Words: 1,717

Summary: And Hell followed with him.

a/n: copia is going to fist fight imperator in the street while curator reader fist fights nihil. terzo is filming the whole thing in 4k.

~~~

You don’t even last twenty-four hours with the secret Sister Imperator has burdened you with before it comes crawling back out of your gut at 3 am.

You’re already gagging when you throw the covers back and stumble into the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet in time. It takes four heaves to empty your stomach until it spasms inside you and comes to a stop as you cry and drool and spit pathetically, hunched over the bowl. You don’t even hear Copia get up, let alone hear him come into the bathroom and lean over you to flush the toilet and push your hair back.

“Poverina,” he murmurs, gently easing you backwards to slump against the cool tile wall. You’re still looking at the toilet warily as he grabs a rag from the counter and wets it, bringing it to your mouth. When you finally look at him - the way his brow is furrowed as he kneels in front of you cleaning you up - another loud sob is wrenched from you.

“Amore, what is it? What’s wrong? You were acting so strange all day before we went to bed. I know you, dolcezza, this is no stomach bug,” he says, dropping the rag as tears continue to pour down your face and he gently holds your chin, “What happened?”

None of what I’m about to tell you can leave this office.

You look at the worried face of the man you love.

He would tell you.

“C-Copia,” your voice is hoarse, “we need to talk.”

Copia looks at your tearful face and to the toilet and his eyes get wide.

“Amore, you’re not…”

“No!” you blurt out, “But…that’s part of it. Eugh…let me brush my teeth and we’ll get back in bed. I’ll explain everything, I promise. I promise, my love.”

He nods and reaches his hands out to haul you off the bathroom floor and gives you one last curious glance before shuffling back into the bedroom. Once you’ve completed your task and give yourself a long, hard look in the mirror you shut the light off and walk back to bed. Copia is sitting up with the covers pooled around his waist and your eyes flick to the tattoo on his pectoral as lead settles in your empty stomach. When you crawl in beside him he gently takes your hands in his and you take a deep breath.

“I…I don’t even know where to start.”

“Tell me everything from the moment you left my office yesterday, amore mio.”

“Right. Right. I uh. I got an email yesterday morning from Sister Imperator saying she wanted me to come to her office to talk. I thought I was, y’know, getting fired or something. It wasn’t that though. She told me…ugh,” you squeeze your eyes shut and reopen them with another deep breath, “She told me that I was…chosen. By Satan.”

“For…for what?”

“To…ugh this is so fucked up…to carry your child. She said that's why she hired me.”

The look of abject horror and fury on Copia’s face would make you physically recoil if he weren’t gripping your hands so tightly.

“She said what?” he breathes, and you swear his white eye flashes in the dim light of the bedroom. “Why the fuck…how could she say…unless...”

A self-deprecating little smirk slowly twists his lips and he exhales angrily through his nose.

“Copia she said–”

“--that I’m the Antichrist, sì?”

You’re floored. Sister Imperator had acted like this was an enormous secret that Copia was not aware of.

“Y-yeah. Yeah that’s what she said, Copia how–”

He gives you a sad smile.

“I told you I was always treated differently as a child, huh? People either treated me with kid gloves or complete derision. I’m not an idiot, I figured it out young. These, eh,” he raises his hands and displays the distinct scars on them, “were kind of a giveaway. It should be a great honor to know that the Unholy Father is…your father but all it ever did was give me grief. Eh, I suppose it beats Nihil refusing to accept that I’m his kid. Sathanas has at least been there for me - perhaps not physically but spiritually.”

“I was going to ask,” you start quietly, “I mean…you call the papas your brothers and for the longest time I just thought that was because you’ve known each other for so long but…the eyes…”

“You don’t know how the other kids at the abbey would torment me - knowing I was an Emeritus son but never being acknowledged by Nihil. Being hated by Nihil. Nothing’s fucking changed, I guess,” Copia mutters, “Nihil must have roped my mother into some ritual where he was possessed. Sathanas, what I wouldn’t give to have known her. It’s been a long, lonely life, amore. I just wanted someone to love me. Five decades on this earth of nothing but dalliances and heartache and then came…you.”

Copia looks at you with such tenderness you nearly start crying again. The truth about his mother is ready to leap from your tongue when he speaks again.

“You never saw me as, as a tool, or an inconvenience, or, or anything special–”

You’re horrorstruck.

“My love, you are more special to me than I can possibly put into words–”

“Yes, but as you said - special to you. Important to you. Not important to the faith, or important to some agenda being kept from me by the Ministry elders, eh? That was part of the gift of you being from the outside. I had a clean slate.”

“Even though apparently I was destined to be with you all along,” you say, brow furrowing, “Makes you wonder if…”

“Don’t think that,” Copia says quickly, quietly, and deadly serious as he grips your hands once more, “Amore, the most important tenet of my religion is that of free will. Nobody made you accept this job or made us fall in love. Per favore, don’t ever question that. The powers of the Olde One are great but he cannot manufacture emotion where there is none. I swear to you, amata mia.”

You nod, tears once again filling your eyes. Copia raises your hands to his mouth and kisses them.

“Anima mia,” he says, voice cracking, “Tell me…be honest. Does this news change how you feel about me?”

“Never,” you breathe, without a second thought, “Copia, nothing could change how I feel. I…I’ll be the first to admit I don’t fully understand it - not yet - but my love, you could bring about the end of days and I’ll walk into hell with you, hand in hand. I’d do anything for you, but…”

“What, what is it?” his shoulders tense and his grip on your hands tightens.

“Copia I don’t want a baby. Ever.”

His posture sags, clearly showing his relief.

“And amore I do not want anything that you do not want. Fuck the horrific reason Imperator said you were hired. And if putting your foot down was not enough for her then let her try to tell us both how she’s going to force a pregnancy on you, huh? How dare she. How dare she. Free will. Control over our own bodies. How could she twist His message like this? Not on my fucking watch.”

You give him a small smile, relief flooding your veins before you pause. You’ve revealed almost all to him but one thing still lingers. Part of you tells you to hold off, to wait until a time when you’re both less exhausted. Before you can second-guess yourself though, you speak.

“Copia, there’s something else. About Sister Imperator.”

“What’s that then?”

You hesitate, wondering if it’s wise to divulge all the secrets she shared with you. You know it’s a matter of when, not if, she will make you pay. When you look into his anxious gaze, your heart clenches. He deserves the truth. Damn the consequences.

“She’s…your mother, my love. I’m so sorry.”

He goes quiet, looking down to where your fingers are entwined with his. It takes a minute before he speaks again.

“I think part of me always knew,” he murmurs, “She’s always been there, every step of the way. I just don’t understand why it had to be kept from me. Why she couldn’t…why she couldn’t love me outright. Like a mother should, huh?”

“I don’t know,” you say, “It’s…it’s clear she cares about you deeply but I can’t speak to her motivations. She’s a complex woman.”

He snorts softly, a small smile on his face.

“That’s putting it lightly. Well that’s a conversation for another time, my brain can’t process anymore bullshit right now. Eh, what a night. Didn’t think when I was listening to you puke that this is where things would end up.”

Your stomach does another somersault.

“Ugh don’t remind me. But Copia,” you reach up to cup his cheek and he leans into your touch, “Thank you. And I love you. For everything you are and everything you’ve done. Eternally.”

There’s no mistaking the glisten of tears in his eyes this time as he leans in to softly kiss you. When he gently pulls away he rests his forehead against yours.

“We’re taking tomorrow off,” Copia murmurs, “And we’re getting out of the abbey. I’ll text Imperator in the morning to tell her, and if she has a problem I’ll just say that if she doesn’t fuck off I won’t, em—’deceive people with signs and wonders, or sit in the temple of God and claim to be God himself’, eh?”

The laugh that comes out of you is hoarse and tired but genuine.

“Blackmail feels very Antichrist-y of you, my love.”

“See, I’m already great at this. Fear the trembler of nations,” Copia growls, dragging you down onto the bed on top of him. Laughing, you prop your chin up on his sternum.

“Kingdoms to fall one by one?”

He nods, smoothing your hair back.

“Exactly, amore. But first eh, let’s get some sleep.”

“Anything you say, Your Eminence.”

“Oh no, dolcezza mia. Not mine. All yours.”

You yawn and curl into his side.

“Goodnight, my love.”

Copia leans over and turns off the lamp, sighing heavily.

“Buonanotte, amore.”

You dream of hellfire.

You sleep more soundly than you have in a long, long time.

[emeritus-fuckers]

copia as a dad but imagine, OUR dad, found family kinda trope within the ministry🗣️

i got carried away - rat

Frater Imperator becoming your father figure

He/him pronouns used for Frater Imperator.

Copia's new job was... a lot.

Sure, his mother's ghost was there to help out, but with his habits to avoid work and procrastinating, he wasn't handling the big change too well. He couldn't thank his ghouls and ghoulettes enough for their support (even though some of their "help" wasn't exactly helpful).

He tried his best, he really did! Even if it wasn't all that clear for most in the Ministry. Some Siblings would even gossip about how Copia would only slack off in his new position, completely ignoring what he went through. Usually they'd get their mouths shut by a ghoul giving them a warning growl. While Copia and the ghouls didn't start off too well, as he would try to appear more spooky than he was in the beginning, but he's gotten close with them over time, which resulted in the demons being very protective of him now.

Naturally, he wasn't the only one going through big changes. Everyone in the Ministry was going through changes, especially you. A young, barely adult, freshly joined Sibling of Sin, escaping the outside world. Perhaps you left because your family was terrible. Maybe you were all alone and had no family. Maybe you loved the band and wanted to become a part of the Ministry in hopes of meeting them. Whatever reason you had to join, you were young, lost and naive, not really knowing just how exactly the Ministry functioned.

Surprisingly, in the tornado of his new responsibilities, Copia noticed you. Maybe you've seen him before, maybe you haven't. If you did know him, he didn't notice you give any reactions that fans would typically give. You just seemed... lost. Nervous.

And there was something in your mannerisms that reminded him of himself just a few years ago, when he became the singer of Ghost. On one hand, he remembered those times fondly. On the other hand, they filled him with unexplainable dread and anxiety. With you, however, those times filled him with a dose of... protectiveness. A need to help you. He had his mother and his ghouls to help when he was a mess like you, maybe if he tried hard enough, he could help you like they helped him.

At first, he just kept an eye on you through a ghoul or two. He didn't want to stress you out, and his free time was severely limited. It was best to ask someone he could trust to take care of you from a distance.

The first time you actually talk to each other is after one of the Dark Masses he performed. He missed his paints and robes, but he knew that was for the next Papa to handle. And while he was getting ready, Copia was happy to still remain a satanic Priest and lead Masses. It had a sense of... familiarity to it.

During the Mass, he noticed you looking uncomfortable. And so, after having Rain find you, he carefully approaches you and tries to comfort you. Of course, you're a bit startled at first, the very head of the Clergy is speaking to you, after all. But you can see rather quickly that he's not there with you as Frater Imperator. No, it's just Copia. Not Papa Emeritus IV, not the Cardinal, just Copia. A tired, but kind old man.

You ended up just talking that evening. Neither of you remember what you talked about, exactly, but it was a nice night. One you both looked back on fondly.

It became a habit, eventually. To hang out after Mass. Always in the same spot. Copia would try to offer you advice and support. And you grew close. You looked up to him, just like he once looked up to Sister Imperator. To his mother.

And then you let the word "dad" slip out. Admittedly, both of you froze up a bit in that moment before Copia chuckled nervously and admitted that he didn't really mind if you called him that. He was happy to be able to help you in any way. And despite being a rather goofy man, there was always some wisdom to many of his words.

Neither of you caught the exact moment you started calling Copia dad on a daily basis or seeking him out in need of help. It just developed naturally, that bond between you two. Some even thought that perhaps you were a lost child of his, considering how you two would often pretend to work while hiding in his old room to play video games together.

It all just... made sense. Clicked.

Copia's new job was... a lot.

But he would gladly take on more responsibility for your sake. He liked being a father to you. It sparked joy in his heart.

And for some reason, his dead mother nagged him a little less if he skipped work because of you...

~

Written by Nosferatu.

[dantesunbreaker]

Hey Ghestie! If you are currently taking requests, may I please have some headcanons for how Copia & Secondo (individual headcanons for them ofc) act as father figures to a Sibling of Sin 🥺 preferably one w/anxiety and is touch starved totally not projecting

Fatherly Papas

Of course Ghestie! Though I took the liberty of doing all the Papas because I also could use some fatherly Primo in my life. Also I'm posting this while on mobile so I am scared to see what it looks like when I get back to my computer 😅

Primo

There are many days spent working in Primo’s garden together. Not only just because Primo needs help with the physical labor in his older years, but because it is a quiet relaxing activity that gives you time to bond with each other

Physical touch is often, ranging from small reassuring pats on the hand to warm heartfelt hugs pulled tight to his chest. Primo wants you to physically feel the promise that he will always be there in your time of need

Sits and listens to you troubles as an active listener, asking questions that get to the root of the issue and then offering what advice and comfort he can if and when needed

Primo knows the signs of when you are getting burnt out or straining yourself too much while working and will bring you tea or treats that help you relax

Is beyond touched and flattered should you ever give him gifts on Father’s day, might even get a bit emotional. Will thank you by pulling you in for a hug followed by a chaste kiss on either the cheek or forehead. There is no toxic masculinity in him, so Primo is very open to giving kisses in non romantic relationships

Secondo

Secondo told you that you were always welcome to come to him in times of need, he never really expected much to come of it

On occasions that Secondo catches you in the halls or in public and notices you displaying signs of anxiety, he is quick to step in and help. Starts with a call of your name as to not spook you before putting a firm yet comforting grip on your shoulder

Even Secondo will admit he is not the best at comforting others, especially with his words. But that does not mean he will not give it his all

Brings you to his office so you have a private place to let go, sitting in silence as you let out whatever has been causing you to struggle

Once you have gotten everything off your chest, Secondo will pull you in for a tight hug, paying no mind to whether or not you are soaking his robes with tears

Will hold you for however long you need, a warm and comforting embrace that makes you feel safe and accepted 

As you are pulling away from the hug, Secondo will look you in the face while telling you how proud he is of you. Tells you that he sees everything you do, how hard you work, and he could never feel anything but pride at that. Success or failure, does not matter, Secondo will also support you and always be proud

Terzo

Absolutely wants to be seen as a sort of  “fun dad”, and always tries going out of his way to keep you smiling even when you really don’t feel like it

Terzo is very open about all sorts of physical affection and never holds back. Will give you as many hugs as you need, will brush your hair if it helps you feel calm, greets you with a kiss on each cheek, anything that you need Terzo would try to give you

Always wants to be caught up on whatever is happening in your life whether it be big or small things. If something important happens that Terzo doesn't know about it kind of crushes him because he will feel like he is failing as a paternal figure

Good active listener when you come to him needed to vent, responds with concern and empathy and always asks if you want advice for the issue or simply to get it out

Whenever Terzo catches you having anxiety attacks or getting over worked, he stops everything to whisk you off to do something more fun and relaxing. Sometimes this means impromptu trips to theme parks

Totally also gives you extravagant outfits for your birthday and Christmas

Copia

Equally touch starved, expect that when Copia provides comfort that it will entail a fair amount of physical affection

When walking together, Copia will place a hand either on your back between your shoulder blades or on your opposite shoulder 

Copia is also not always the best at comforting with his words, but his awkward ramblings and signature Copia noises are comforting enough at times

Makes you promise to come to him if you are ever struggling with anxiety or any other mental strain. Does not matter what time of day, Copia will always set everything aside to be there for you. Whether you just need someone to vent to or if you are seeking advice, he is there to offer what help he can

The times you come to him crying, Copia will hold you tight to his chest and softly reassures that you can get through this and that he is with you every step of the way

Honestly, the type of guy that would also treasure anything you ever make for him. Instead of hanging drawings on the fridge, he will hang them in his office. Also the type that would cry at your plays or dance recitals should you ever have anything of that nature. The ghouls go with Copia to keep him from making too much of a scene

Introduces you to the rats as “their much larger and less hairy sibling”, immediately feels nervous about it and will give you a look that says he is waiting for your response. It will make his day if you are on board with being a big sibling to his rat children

[kabukiaku]

Saw your character ask game. Thoughts on Copia?

Copia 💙 Character Ask Game

How I feel about this character

What a guy, Copia is. He's absolutely adorable. I may not talk about him as much compared to Terzo, but he's been the most fleshed out Papa in Ghost history so far. He was such a silly goof in his cardinal days, and he was still just as silly but now with a more imposing look as Papa. I really love his wardrobe. Lowkey jealous he got so many outfits compared to the other Papas! Guess we can thank the band's budget for that one. He's such an entertainer, I love hearing this guy talk nonsense.

All the people I ship romantically with this character

Aether, and Dewdrop.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

I love the idea of him and Primo being the closest, and most supportive brother...although given Primo's age he was lowkey a father figure to Copia.

My unpopular opinion about this character

Despite all the talk of him being a total RIZZLER in streets and in the sheets, I could HONESTLY see him as aroace. Like, him not being interested in a relationship at all. He's just all talk for fun, but he cannot for the life of him try in dating, much less the spicy activities.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

I would've wished to see an actual reaction from Copia to the previous Papas getting killed? Like goddamn. I guess the closest would be that Metalhammer magazine cover where he's holding Terzo's head and there's just this look of horror on his face (that photo fuckin BREAKS ME DONT TALK TO ME GOD-)

[zeldabotwbrainrot]

“Goodbyes Are Difficult, Si?”

Warning: some angst, explanation of Sei, murder of Imperator well accidental murder

Blood pounded in Seis ears as she ran after the ghouls. What were the doing with her Uncle Copia!

“What do you think your doing! Let him go!”

Sei grabbed her uncles wrist and managed to pull him away. The ghouls growled but before they could do anything Imperator stepped out.

“I knew you would be trouble…though…being Secondos child I would have expected more.”

Sei was shaking and clinging to Copia. She’d already lost her father, her mother and her Uncle Primo. She wasn’t losing her Uncle Copia. Copia put a reassuring hand on Seis shoulder telling her it’s ok. Luckily some ghouls were very loyal to Copia and had come backstage.

They were tall and menacing, most had been brought up by Sei in her Cardinal position. Imperator rolled her eyes, but before she could even command the ghouls to do anything the youngest and most bloodthirsty demon pounced on her tearing her up, the other ghouls joined in on eating the flesh and bones ridding of evidence. The ghouls that had grabbed Copia seemingly broke out of some sort of trance.

Imperator. It was all her fault. Sei looked back at the stage quickly and looked at Copia. He smiled and gave a small nod as she rushed out and bowed. Taking the microphone in shaky hands she smiled.

“Ladies and Gentlemen and everyone in between it may sadden you that my dearest uncle Copia has retired. However I will be stepping up and taking his place as Papa..it’s the beginning of a new era.”

After the ritual she left the stage to find Copia and the ghouls gone. A small sticky note with Copias had writing was stuck to a beam holding the stage up.

My dearest Sei. I’m sorry but we must continue to Emeritus tradition. I know. It’s old and outdated, but so is Nihil. Goodbyes are the hardest..si?

Fin

[deakyjoe]

Do you mind if I ask a question about the band Ghost please?

I’m (very confused) around the numbered what seems like lead singers? Are they all the same person but different times/phases? Not sure if it makes sense. I find it so interesting when you post about them but I just can’t figure it out!

Oh my god, my time has come… here is a guide to the Papas (lead singers) of Ghost:

So first off let me start by clarifying that the band members of Ghost (Papas as lead singers and Nameless Ghouls as instrumentalists and backing vocalists) are all characters. They’re a group of folks in masks and makeup. There’s a lot of lore and backstory around the band but we won’t touch on that too much here. I’ll just talk about the Papas - the anti-pope leads. (Also the following will contain Rite Here Rite Now/Ghovie spoilers!!)

Ok so the lead singers we’ve had in Ghost so far have been Papa Emeritus I (Primo), Papa Emeritus II (Secondo), Papa Emeritus III (Terzo) and Cardinal Copia who was eventually promoted to being Papa Emeritus IV. These lead singer characters are all half brothers (their father is Papa Nihil who we’ll discuss briefly later) and all pretty much have their own albums (few EPs and live albums in there too but I won’t bore you with those).

All the lead singers of Ghost, all Emeritus brothers, have been played by this guy - Tobias Forge!

He writes and sings all of the songs, does the majority of studio work too from what I understand. So whilst there have been several “different” lead singers of Ghost due to the role being taken over by new Papas, technically they’re all Tobias in masks.

First Papa we had in the early days (around 2010 - 2012) was Primo (Papa Emeritus I). He’s the hardest to find photos/footage of since it was the beginnings. I always affectionately refer to him as “The Old One” since he was supposed to be about 80. His album was Opus Eponymous.

Next up we had Secondo (Papa Emeritus II) for a couple years (around 2012 - 2015). His face is the one that makes an appearance on a lot of Ghost merch I find. I think of him as “The Bald One” (lovingly of course). His album was Infestissumam.

Then we had Terzo (Papa Emeritus III) for a while (around 2015 - 2017) before he was dramatically ripped off stage and (maybe) decapitated. He’s only supposed to be 3 months younger than Secondo. I call him “The Hot One” because he’s fine as hell. His album was Meliora.

Then there was a dramatic shift in the way things worked. We were out of Emeritus brothers as they kept “retiring” (supposedly according to the lore) but it’s okay because a lovely little Cardinal came along to save the day! Introducing: Cardinal Copia!! To me he’s “Just A Little Guy” which is the most accurate description of him you’ll ever hear I promise you. (Also when Copia took over it was revealed that the previous Papas had been “killed”.) His album was Prequelle.

Eventually Copia was promoted to being Papa Emeritus IV (it had been pretty heavily implied up until that point that he was also an Emeritus half brother) which meant he could wear the Papa paints now. Also Copia is my personal favourite. Copia got a second album with Impera.

We had Copia from 2018 - now (he’s just been promoted again to Frater Imperator so will probably no longer be frontman for the band). This means Papa Emeritus V will be introduced at some point (probably Copia’s twin which was a detail revealed in Rite Here Rite Now - the recent Ghost concert movie).

But going back to Papa Nihil (the father of all the Emeritus brothers). I would like to make it clear that Ghost formed in 2006 and released their first demos in 2010 but according to their lore they go back to at least the 1960s. Which is when Nihil was frontman for the group. Nihil is not played by Tobias Forge, he’s had different actors for both his old and young versions, but his songs are sung by him (e.g. the hit song Mary On A Cross). Nihil has not been lead singer for the band on stage at any point (though he does make appearances and play the sax at some of them). Nihil has an EP called Seven Inches of Satanic Panic (“originally” from 1969 and then “re-released” in 2019) which features Mary On A Cross and Kiss The Go-Goat. (Also has an additional song revealed recently - The Future Is A Foreign Land.)

So essentially all the Papas are different characters but all played by the same guy. They have different faces (masks) and makeup, different personalities, different mannerisms, and slightly different singing voices (Tobias switches up the way he sings songs slightly between Papas) as well as talking voices. There’s way more to it all (which you can read about on any fan website, or even Wikipedia,) as the lore is pretty extensive for a silly little satanic band. I’d recommend watching The Chapters on YouTube if you’re interested in more. Also Papaganda Parts 1 and 2 which are pretty funny. There’s also a few helpful videos on YouTube that discuss the Ghost timeline in way more depth.

Sorry if this was a little too much rambling but it’s difficult to be concise with Ghost. Hope this all makes sense. Thanks, anon, for the question as I love to talk about anything I’m interested in!!

[katz-rambles]

Hiii I hope that you're doing amazing.

Can I request a fluff fic where reader is Copias daughter and after he summons Phantom they start to fall for each other. Maybe something like forbidden romance trope. I would be so grateful if you'd write that. Byee 😊😊

Yes!! I'm not the best at forbidden romance, but I'll try my hardest. 💗

2.8k words. It's not the best, and I didn't write it amazingly but I hope it's good, Anon!

(fluff, my take on a ghoul summoning, Google translated Italian. <- Please correct me if it's wrongly translated!)

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚˚₊‧꒰

Today is the day. The clergy meets together in the abbey to summon a new ghoul. A day you finally get to attend. The walk to the room is almost painfully slow, the energy is building inside of you and it makes each step you take feel like forever. Not very many people are awake at this time, it’s almost midnight. Most siblings have retired to their rooms and the ghouls are in their den. There’s only a small handful of people still awake, half of them are meeting in this room.

“Where is this room?” You can’t help but ask, your father looks behind him to look at you. He looks around before answering you. “It’s not a place most people get to be in, you see. It’s been hidden away so curious siblings don’t stumble upon it,” Copia explains, pausing between some words to take a breath. He grabs your hand and pulls down a hall you swear wasn’t there before. The hallway itself is eerie looking with tall dark walls that seem to never end, stained glass with pictures you can’t figure out line the rooftop, and if it weren’t for the moon shining through you would have never seen them, there’s doors placed among the walls, and they’re clearly old, the wood is chipping off and the door knob is rusted. The hall just never seems to stop going.

Copia places his arm in front of you and you slow your pace. In front of you both lay tall double doors with writing on them, it’s old and not in english or italian so you aren’t able to translate it. The horrid creak that comes from the door opening pulls you from your thoughts and back down to reality. As soon as you step inside you can feel the shift in the air surrounding you, it gets colder and heavier, pressing down on your shoulders while sending a chill down your spine. There are windows that follow the intricate brick pattern, lining the walls and then stopping when they reach a tall altar of sorts. Candles lay on the altars, there’s three of them from the looks of it and then there’s one big one that sits at the back of the room. All sorts of gifts and pleasantries sit at the bottom and even some on the top.

“Papa. Sister. I’m glad you could make it,” Someone you don’t recognize extends his hand to you and you politely shake it. He places a candle in Copias hand and than one in yours. When you scan the room you can see the start of a summoning circle, a large pentagram made out of a chalk has been drawn. There’s candles surrounding it, one set on each point, all different colours. There’s two empty points and you place your candle down on one of the points, when you set it down the candle changes from the normal white wax to a diluted green. Copias change as well but into a deep blue. Symbols are drawn beside where your candle sits. Each symbol meaning something different.

The top of the pentagram has an arrow-like symbol, it represents spirit. Going clockwise the next almost looks like a disfigured number four, it represents water. Next is an odd shape that you don’t know quite how to describe, it kind of looks like a K, it represents fire. The one after it almost looks like an upside down cross, there's a circle that sits on the top of the symbol, this one is earth, the one you placed down. The last one looks almost identical to the one before it, just larger, this one has to be air.

Now that all the candles are set, one by one, they start to flame up, each flame a different colour as well. The candle for spirit, the wax is the same egg white it was when placed but the flame is a blinding white, the one for water has a deep blue and the flame has turned in to a dark blue that casts a light that looks like the sea, the candle for fire is a bright red and the flame burns the brightest and hottest, easily overtaking the candles around it, the earth candle has gone into a diluted green and the flame almost the same shade. The light cast by earth's candle looks like vines crawling up its point of the star, the candle for air has gone yellow, it looks like the same shade kids draw the sun in, and the flame is the same shade, it’s not as bright as the flame for fire but it’s just as hot.

“I think we are ready to begin,” One of the people in this room announced to the rest. A giddy feeling starts in your stomach, your first summoning. You grab the outreached hands on either side of you and when everybody is ready,chant begins, a language you can’t understand nor follow along with, you awkwardly look around, your fathers following along, but when you look over you see someone else who isn’t saying anything and you two sheepishly exchange smiles and look back. At least you’re not the only one who hasn’t been here before. One by one the points of the star get brighter and the middle of the pentagram seems to be losing light despite the burning flames. The chant continues, getting louder by the second. The middle gets darker and darker until it looks like you could fall into it, or something could come out of it.

An odd noise comes from the hole and you find yourself and the person from before giving each other confused looks and awkward shrugs. You almost scream when a shadowed figure escapes from the whole, desperate screams follow as it climbs out. That must be the pit that the ghouls have told you about. The candles start to get brighter, but the one representing spirit seems to be the brightest. The figure pulls itself up and out of the hole, almost as quick as it opens it closes, leaving the screams to be silenced. The flames dim back down to how they were before, and then they all go out, leaving a thin veil of smoke to cover the figure.

“It’s done,” Someone says, but you’re too focused on trying to process what the fuck just happend, and you’re glad to see the other person just as confused as you are. You let go of the hands that you were holding and cringe at the sweat that's started on your hands.

You start to move over to the person when you’re stopped by a loud sound, a mix between a growl, a scream, and a screech. It’s deafening and horrifying. You force yourself to look over and see that the veil of smoke has lifted and the figure, which you can now fully make out as a ghoul, lays in the middle. You try and get a better look at what is going on, you see one of the people here has grabbed a blanket or a robe, you can’t really tell right now. They lay it on the Ghoul and your father sits in front of it. He’s talking to the ghoul but he’s sitting in such a way that you can’t even try and read his lips. The ghoul seems to relax a bit at his words and sits up, pulling the blanket over to cover itself.

As the ghoul responds, Copia ushers two of the people over and they take the ghoul with them, to get fitted anc cleaned, you assume. When the ghoul leaves people start to disperse and you quickly follow after Copia. “What the fuck just happened?” You ask, your voice much harsher than you had ment it to be. “A summoning. We got the ghoul. That’s it. It tends to be a bit shocking the first time, but you’ll get used to it,” Copia explains, not in as much detail as you would want but you let it go and start to walk back to your room.

—

After the summoning you see the new ghoul, or as he's now called, Phantom, around quite often. More often than you see the others, but he's new so he's looking around. You don't blame him, this place is huge. Though you've never seen a ghoul near the siblings quarters before, that was a shock.

You won't complain, if anything he's kind of cute. He's almost like a puppy. Though you've never actually talked to him, you've just seen him from afar. If your father caught the way you looked at him, you're sure he'd lecture you on spot.

This morning wasn't going to be any different, you'd get dressed, go to breakfast and do whatever had to be done. That was until you got about half way to the dining hall and came face to face with Phantom. He's not too much taller than you, so it's not quite as intimidating as it would be if he was somewhere near Mountain's height.

He's looking right down at you, even through his mask you know he's looking at you. “Sister, you're Copias daughter,” He states, it's not a question so you assume he knows, you're not quite sure what to do now so all you can do is nod and hope you don't seem like an idiot. He tilts his head to the side and back to the middle, almost like he's searching for something on you. He leans down so you two are actually face to face and he places one of his hands on your cheek, making sure his claws don't scratch your skin. There's a loud noise that comes from down the hall and you both look over and when you look back he's gone. Deciding to try and continue on with your day as normal, you go down to the dining hall.

You take your seat with some of the siblings you've grown quite attached to. You tap one of them on the shoulder, someone you'd call your best friend, Isabella, when she looks over you start to recount what happened just a few minutes ago. “Really? I mean.. maybe he's just trying to get to know you, you were at his summoning. Maybe you should tell your dad,” She shrugs, obviously just as confused as you are about this. Other than that odd interaction the rest of the day goes smoothly, until it doesn't.

Again, he's there again. Almost like he knew you would be there. This time he doesn't wait for you to come up to him, by accident or not, he goes straight over to you and leans down once more. This time you don't try to avoid his gaze, you stare right back. “Hello?” You sheepishly try to start a conversation with him, hoping to get more than just a few words out of him. He doesn't say anything back to you, just a smile, with the charcoal shade of his skin it looks like he has too many teeth with the way they're such a contrast to each other. He places a hand on your shoulder, the contact is warm and, against your better wishes, starts to create little butterflies in your stomach.

“Phantom! Come on, you don't want to be late for your fir- oh.. Sister, I didn't realize you two were talking,” You watch as Rain starts to stumble over his words, and Phantom lets go of your shoulder and smiles at you once more before leaving with Rain. That was by far one of the weirdest things that had ever happened to you.

You decide to go talk to your father about it. It's probably just because he's a new ghoul and has curiosity, and like Isabella said, you were at his summoning. The door to your fathers office is a tall dark oak door that has a plaque with the words “Papa Emeritus IV'' labeled on it. When you open the door the first thing you notice is how ungodly warm it is inside his office. “Dad?” You call out and hear a thunk noise from the side room and see him quickly scramble out with a pile of paperwork in his hands. You chuckle and grab some of it to place it on his desk.

After you two get sorted you start to tell him about what's been happening. “La mia amata figlia.. (my beloved daughter) I think he likes you,” He chuckles and grabs his pen. At his words you feel like your eyes bulge out of your head. You open your mouth to say something and then close it again, like a goldfish. “Wha- He.. huh?” You stumble over your words, your mind going blank as you try and think of the right words to say, yet they never come.

That didn't clear anything up. But you couldn't help but feel a little happy that he might like you, you were there when he was freshly pulled from the pit, and even though you didn't realize at first, you were the first person he looked at, and even with him wounded and dirty, he still looked beautiful. You can't help but feel guilty for the way your heart races and your cheeks warm at the thought. You hope you get to run in with him again.

There's a soft pattern of rain hitting the window when you lie down in your bed, the sound soothes you. As you start to feel your body relax your mind drifts to the strange interactions you had today and the talk with your father. You haven't seen Phantom much, not until today, so what ever changed.

The next day goes the same, except this time when you run into Phantom, it's on purpose. You see him in the hall and decide to go up to him. “Hey, Phantom, right?” You tap his shoulder and when he turns, you're surprised he didn't give himself whiplash, you have to cover your mouth to stifle the laughs at his reaction. “Yep, that's me,” He gives you one of his smiles, the ones that seem like he has too many teeth. You two manage to have a pretty nice conversation, and the whole time you're trying to keep your heart rate steady, it feels like your heart may pound out of your chest at this rate.

“So, are you going to talk to him again?” Isabella sits down beside you and raises her eyebrows and wiggles them and you scoff and gently smack her. “I don't know,” You sigh and she chuckles. She rests her head on your shoulder and looks up at you. “You should. I saw the way you two talked today. He likes you,” She says with an eager smile when you agree to talk to him again.

When you go and look for him, he isn't anywhere to be found. Not in the hall, or the practice room. You can't find him. It's strange, you've even checked the garden. You're just about to go back to your chores when you feel a pair of hands on your waist pull you back. One of the hands leave your waist and cover your mouth. When you look back, ready to punch whoever it is, you see Phantom behind you. The first thing you notice is how he isn't wearing his mask. He puts one of his hands on your face and leans down to you. This time it's direct eye contact.

His eyes are a comforting shade of purple, almost lavender. It looks like he's scanning you. “Phantom?” You reach up and press your hand on his face and he leans into your touch. You can hear him purring and it reminds you of a cat. “Hi,” He leans in so your faces are closer together. He rests his forehead against yours and you move your hand down to his neck. “You were there, weren't you?” He asks, his brows furrowing and his lips pursing when you nod. He pulls you closer, and hugs you tightly.

“I like you, sister,” He sighs and takes a deep breath through his nose, taking in your scent. “I know I shouldn't, but I do,” His voice gets lower against your neck, and you place your head against the crown of his head. “I like you too, I don't think I should though,” You laugh and you can feel his lips curl into a smile against your skin. He lays his forehead back against yours. “Then no one shall know,” He whispers and you nod. His lips press against yours, it's slow and gentle. When you pull back he gives you one last smile. “No one shall know,” You giggle and let him kiss you once more.