My Prime Mover
Papa Emeritus l (Primo) x Reader
Summary: Sunshine wanted the truth to Primo, but it was more than she could've imagined. Especially since all Ghouls knew except her.
Warning: Angst, mentions of death (of a child and mc), 5 stages of grief, and eventually comfort.
Words: 2.1k
Mountain was always the first Ghoul awake, while every Ghoul ate breakfast, he was off to Primo's room. The Earth Ghoul always helped the oldest Emeritus out to his gardens each morning, as the Ghouls watched.
Almost all Ghouls knew why he helped Primo, except for Sunshine. She was a newly summoned Ghoul, as she watched every morning. She had heard horror stories about the Papa, that his cruelty knew no bounds. Yet, Mountain made him look like a fragile, broken old man.
Whenever the Earth Ghoul was questioned about it, he would always reply that it wasn't his story to tell. It always made Sunshine frustrated, so as she sat with the Ghoulettes watching the pair, she sighed loudly.
"What's wrong, Sunshine?" Cirrus asked, looking up from her breakfast, tilting her head to the side.
Sunshine crossed her arms, nodding towards the window showing the garden, "Those two. I don't know why Mountain does it every day."
Cumulus looked up at Cirrus, her shoulders dropped as the two looked at each other in sorrow. Sunshine instantly knew there was something more than just two friends going to the garden.
"What is it?"
"You were never told…" Cirrus sighed, standing up as she motioned for Sunshine to follow, "Come on, you're going to learn either way."
Cumulus stood up and followed Cirrus into the living room as Sunshine scrambled after the two. She was excited to finally learn the truth, but nervous by their solemn tones. As the three reached the living room, Cumulus grabbed a scrapbook from behind a couple of books.
Sitting down on the couch, Sunshine was in-between Cumulus and Cirrus as the Ghoulette put the scrapbook onto Sunshine's lap. The cover of the book was plain, only with the name Y/N Emeritus scribbled on the front.
"Who is Y/N?" Sunshine asked, gaining no response as Cumulus turned to the first page.
The first page had a single photo, though it was big enough to take up the whole page. The photo looked old, its age apparently by the looks of it. A younger looking Primo stares lovingly at a Sibling, who smiles brightly into the camera.
"Long before Copia became Papa, there was a person. Their name was Y/N, and they were a Sibling. They came to the Ministry, offering their skills in exchange for shelter. Primo was under Papa Nihil's wing then, he had been taught his purpose and he followed it without question," Cirrus explained, pointing to the Sibling as she turned to the next page.
The next two pages held a couple of big photos, with small photos placed randomly. The most eye-catching one was Primo obviously upset at what looked like Dew and you laughing at him.
Cirrus continued, showing the other page where a photo of you two kissing laid peacefully, "They maddened him, he infuriated them, but respect grew to admiration and admiration to love. Does it surprise you that Primo loved?"
Sunshine stared at the joy in the photos, Primo looked like such a different person. There was a gentleness to how he cupped your face, love hidden in his closed eyes. She swore to Satan that they were two different people. The Primo she knew held no joy, no love, he was stone cold. Yet, the Primo held so much love.
"They were meticulous and gentle, strong willed, stubborn, fearless." Cirrus smiled fondly, thinking about you as she turned the page. The next page had you holding a baby with Primo, "It began with an infant, orphaned at the Ministry's steps."
The baby was clearly neither of yours, it didn't look like either of you and didn't have the Emeritus mismatched eyes. Yet, you two looked so happy to hold the baby, to have the baby in your arms. The photo was clearly taken from gardens, with all the flowers around.
"Papa Nihil had taught him duty, Satan, and the church, but Y/N showed him that he was more than an instrument for the church. They had one life and they wanted to share it together," Cirrus cleared her throat, catching Sunshine's attention again as she focused on the other page.
It was clear that some time had passed, the baby looked older. Not enough to be a toddler, but he had more hair. You stood with the baby in your arms in an apartment, though Primo wasn't in sight. Sunshine guessed he was the one taking the photo by the joy you had in your eyes as you looked at the camera.
Slowly, Sunshine held Cumulus' hand as she sniffled. She could sense how much her fellow Ghoulettes loved you, just by how the two radiated comfort by talking about you.
"They called the boy Malacoda and he called Primo, father. In his joy, Primo thought to abandon his Papa title as he had abandoned Nihil's ways."
Cirrus flipped the page and the two pages were composed of photos of the three of you. Your son slowly aging with the photos till he looked around the age of seven. Even as he wasn't your biological son, he looked similar to you two.
Sunshine smiled at the happiness of you and Primo. She had never seen the Papa with a smile, much less the smile he had in the photos. She saw Cirrus and Cumulus smile at your joy, Cumulus wiping some of the tears that pooled at the edge of her eyes.
Cirrus slowly closed the scrapbook, even though there were more pages as she spoke sadly, "That joy ended as it began, with their son. When Malacoda followed his father back to the Abbey, Primo could not protect him and Y/N could not save him."
Sunshine gasped, covering her mouth in shock as Cumulus hugged her. Cirrus looked down at the scrapbook, tears threatening to escape from the Ghoulette as she tried to keep it together.
"Malacoda died in Y/N's arms. Primo wanted their forgiveness, but they knew there was nothing to forgive and that giving up his title would be no absolution for him," Cirrus sorrowfully explains, her head leaning onto Sunshine's shoulder.
"What happened?" Sunshine asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She was afraid that Primo would hear her, despite being out in the gardens.
"They returned to the lives they once led. Y/N became a Sibling again and Primo returned to being Papa," Cirrus answered, "Though, it didn't last long. Just like Malacoda, Primo couldn't save Y/N."
By now, tears were falling from the two Ghoulettes as they thought about you. Sunshine opened the scrapbook again and flipped through some of the pages. Slowly, there became less and less photos till they stopped. Despite there still being more pages, they remained empty.
Some of the photos were just Malacoda, others held a ton of Ghouls, like Alpha and Mountain. In every photo, there was so much joy. Sunshine could feel the love from the photos, especially from the Ghouls towards Malacoda.
There were some photos with the other three Papas, all looking younger. Even Secondo looked happy to be with his nephew, a small smile on the Papa's face. Yet, in all the photos, Sunshine didn't see Papa Nihil.
"Primo shut us all out, he insisted on being alone," Cumulus cries, wiping the neverending tears, "We all grieve differently, but he… He didn't want any support."
Standing up, Sunshine made her way to the gardens. The two other Ghoulettes tried to stop her, calling out to her as she carried the burden of the scrapbook with her as she entered the gardens. Mountain was standing by as Primo made his way around the garden, mumbling something to himself.
Mountain went to step in front of Sunshine, not wanting to let her bring the scrapbook near Primo. She quickly stepped to the side, rushing over to the Papa as she kneeled down, offering the scrapbook.
"Papa," Sunshine whispered, handing him the scrapbook as he shakily held the scrapbook, "You deserve to hold this again."
Primo says nothing as he opens the scrapbook, taking out the first photo. A slight smell of lavender came from the photo, calming the Ghoulette down as she stared at the eldest Emeritus.
"Tell me, does it still smell like lavender?" Primo asks, not daring to take his eyes off of the photo, "Or has that long passed with my amore?"
"I can still smell the lavender."
Primo walks over to a large tree, closing the scrapbook as Sunshine slowly follows. In the corner behind the tree, the Ghoulette sees two graves. Moss covered, cracked tombstones with pedals from the tree falling onto them. She quickly notices that it says Y/N Emeritus on one and Malacoda Emeritus on the other.
With the help of Mountain, Primo sits down in front of the graves. He silently pats the spot next to him, offering the spot to Sunshine as she quickly takes it. The Papa slowly opens the scrapbook again, putting the photo back on the first page.
"Y/N was the love of my life, I loved them with everything I held. This photo was taken a couple of months after they became a Sibling," Primo explains quietly, a soft smile on his face as tears kissed his Papal paint, "I forgot how beautiful they were. Mi mancano. I haven't spoken about them since…"
Sunshine finished his sentence, "Their death. Papa, you must understand, the others miss them too. You are not alone in your grief."
Primo scoffed, tears angrily spilling into the grass below, "How would you know? You never even met them."
"I miss them. Y/N and Malacoda both," Mountain admits quickly, afraid that it'll send him back to Hell, "Malacoda was such a sweet boy, he had your green touch and I loved visiting. I miss Y/N's gentle touch, their cooking."
Primo squeezed his mismatched eyes shut, tears falling fast as Mountain looked away. Despite not seeing it, Sunshine knew that the Ghoul was crying. It was the first time she had ever seen him cry.
"You're right, I never met them. I never got to, but I see everyone's love for your son and Y/N." Sunshine stopped herself, thinking about what she wanted to say next before continuing, "Papa, do you want to talk about them? If you want, the others can join."
Primo opened his eyes, looking over at the Ghoulette with the soft eyes she only saw in the photos. Sunshine bit back a shocked face, as she awaited his answer.
Slowly, Primo nodded, "I would enjoy that. Thank you, Sunshine, for all of this. I almost forgot…"
Sunshine pulled out the photo of you and Primo kissing, admiring it before handing it to the Papa with a smile. She quickly spoke, "You don't have to go through it alone anymore."
"Oh mio Primo Motore," Primo sobbed, holding the photo close to his heart as he leaned forward, "Mi dispiace, mi dispiace tanto. Ti prego, perdonami."
"There is nothing to forgive," Cirrus spoke quietly, making the three look up from the graves, "Y/N knew that. It wasn't your fault."
A couple of the Ghouls found themselves around Cirrus, some with forgiving smiles while others held tears in their eyes. Even some of Primo's Ghouls, who Sunshine saw a lot of in the photos, were there.
"We all loved Malacoda and Y/N. I still remember when they first became your assistant," Omega started, looking at the grave as if it'd raise you from the dead, "The yelling from your office was crazy, though you never fired them and they never quit."
"You're not alone, Papa, all of the Ghouls, even the other Papas, were touched by Y/N and Malacoda."
Primo placed the photo back into the scrapbook, laying it quietly against your tombstone. Tears wet the grass underneath the Papa as he gripped his robes tightly.
"It's okay, Primo, everything will be okay. We are going to get through this together. Just like Y/N and Malacoda would want," Alpha speaks quietly, "And when you are ready, when you are done here on this Earth, our Lord is awaiting with those two."
Primo doesn't stop the sob that falls from him as he thinks about you. You were waiting for him weren't you? You were with Malacoda, waiting at the edge of death for him. He could see your smile as you held a laughing Malacoda in your arms.
"You aren't alone."
I got inspiration from Destiny 2, but this made me tear up. I hope you all enjoyed it!
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