Chapter Text
Around an hour had passed with very few words spoken. Copia had made Terzo some tea which he scarcely sipped at, and it was likely he was only drinking as a nice gesture. He was as quiet as the Cardinal had ever seen him, his entire personality drained into seemingly nothing.
Aether had remained in the car and Copia thought of him often. Perhaps he was waiting for a sign to come in, or perhaps he was attempting to gain the courage. Whatever the reason, Copia felt bad for him. He felt responsible for what happened, even though it wasn’t his fault in the slightest. Being a ghoul meant servitude and who would he be to deny Imperator of a task she had given him?
“Hey, Terzo?” Copia said at once, correcting his posture at the slow gaze of the other.
“Hm?”
“Would you be willing to speak to Aether?”
A moment of silence rung out between them, Terzo’s eyes averted toward the fireplace as though he were pondering something. Surely he didn’t have tough feelings toward Aether. The Terzo the Cardinal knew would have been more understanding, more reasonable than that. But the look on his face was confusing and might have suggested otherwise, to Copia’s dismay.
“Look, he feels fucking awful for what happened. He feels guilty, but I told him you would forgive him-“
“Forgiveness wasn’t yours to give,” Terzo snapped, shooting a curt glance in Copia’s direction.
The look and tone took the Cardinal by surprise, and he had to nearly adjust his jaw as it seemingly dropped to the ground. Terzo maintained his cold gaze, the bright white eye more fiery and hateful as ever.
“I’m…sorry. I didn’t know that you would- that you would feel that way about it. He’s your best friend.”
“I know that. I just…” He stands, pacing the room slowly, arms wrapped around himself in a bear hug. “I don’t know how to comprehend this, how to…adjust. Losing Nihil was nothing to me. He was an absent father, let us be raised by whatever Sister of Sin he was fucking at the time while he galivanted around with Ghost or stayed in his office. Primo was the one to read us bedtime stories. He tucked us in, made us lunch, wrapped us little presents he had found around the ministry with newspaper when it was our birthdays. Secondo…he was my confidant. He knew everything, all the secrets I held tucked away from everyone else. Six months’ age difference and you would have thought it was twenty years.” Terzo chuckles lightly. “They were all that I had for decades. And now poof…”
Copia’s head hung. Although he had been alone for most of his life, this was brand new to Terzo. It was true that the newly dethroned dark Pope was withdrawn from most emotional relationships with others. But at the end of the day, he always had his brothers to come back to. They were who he laughed with at dinners, discussing the events of the day. They were who he could trust when there was no one else to confide in.
“But you must understand whose fault this really is. Aether adores you. You are that brother to him. You can’t afford to lose one another as well.”
The words seem to have struck a chord with Terzo, as his head popped up in realization. He couldn’t afford to push someone away in a time like this. Allies were scarce and they still had much to do when it came to taking Imperator down. He would need friends, and burning bridges never helped to win a war.
“You’re right,” Terzo exclaims with a sigh. “Did he bring you here? Is he outside?”
“Still in the car, I would assume.”
“Can you…bring him in for me?”
With a nod, Copia exits the cottage door and makes his way back down the drive. Through the windshield, he spots Aether, who immediately makes reluctant eye contact with him. He straightens in the seat, silently willing an update from the Copia with each step.
“How is he? Is he alright? That’s such a stupid question. I can’t believe I asked that. Of course, he’s not alright. How is he taking it?”
“He wants to speak with you.”
“Oh no…he hates me, doesn’t he? Am I going to be exiled? Am I going to be sent back to Lucifer? Am I-“
“Aether,” Copia exclaims quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder through the car window, “it’s not like that. I assure you. Go. Your brother needs you.”
The ghoul’s face lights up, instant relief shining through the parts that were veiled with his mask. Hopping out of the car quickly, he jogs up the drive and into the house without knocking, a gesture Copia chuckled at the sight of.
Choosing to give them the privacy they needed for such an emotional conversation, Copia leaned against the car, taking in the night sky which was seemingly more beautiful than before when his heart was full of dread. Things still were not in perfect order and there was still much left to grieve, but Terzo was alive and safe for now.
The only thing left to handle for the time being was making sure Imperator does not find out that Terzo escaped. Though his brothers’ passing was unfortunate, it would largely work to their advantage in the way of shielding this secret. Two bodies out of the three was more doable than zero, and the ministry’s personally hired mortician had already been paid a pretty penny to keep quiet about what he saw. Anything after was solely a waiting game.
After a little over fifteen minutes, Aether came out of the cottage, an unreadable expression on his face. When he approached Copia, the hug he gave the much smaller man was that of pure gratitude. The men were silent in their embrace, Aether’s large arms squeezing the Cardinal nearly to the point of breathlessness, but he did not complain.
“He told me what you did for me, defending me the way you did.” Aether pulls away, looking Copia directly in the eyes now, hands on both his shoulders. “Thank you, truly.”
Copia smiles and nods, the emotional levee nearly breaking inside of him. Throughout all of the overwhelming events and news, it had dawned on him that he hadn’t actually given himself the time to properly react. Being strong for Terzo and Aether while maintaining his façade for Imperator and Nihil had worn him down and the veil was beginning to slip.
“You can go on inside. I am needing to run back to the ministry for a while anyway. I am going to tell Imperator that you have chosen to spend a couple of nights away to relax and have some time to yourself. Terzo and I discussed it and thought that it would be a good idea for you two to spend the weekend together to catch up and help each other through everything. Is that okay with you?”
The Cardinal’s heart filled with joy at the news. After the time he had spent away from Terzo, wondering with each passing moment whether his lover was even alive, it would feel nice to spend some quality time together. Afterall, the months they had been in one another’s presence during tour was spent surrounded by fans and ghouls. There was never truly any privacy.
On top of things, Terzo would need someone. Having your title stripped from you and your family murdered was not something a person should go through alone. At least this way Copia could keep an eye on him and be available if he was needed.
“Thank you so much, Aether. You really are a wonderful friend to Terzo. He is lucky to have you.”
“Hey, I’m your friend too.” He grazes Copia’s bicep with a friendly punch which may have been with more force than intended.
“Of course!”
They parted ways with little communication and Copia re-entered the cottage once more, finding Terzo standing by the fireplace with a glass of wine in hand. He looked more peaceful than before, eyes still slightly swollen from before, but looking more like himself.
Strolling up beind him quietly, Copia places his arms gently around Terzo who leans his head back onto Copia’s shoulder in response. Both emit a sigh, thankful that the day is finally coming to an end. As long as there were no more surprises or hiccups, they could begin to move on and process everything that has happened.
It was a tricky feeling; to be so relieved by something working out but disappointed by something else failing. Any time the flash of Terzo with his brothers in the great hall or at sermons popped into Copia’s mind, he was forced to shut it out. That could be saved for another time.
“I know I haven’t had time to say it, but I am really glad you’re here.” Terzo mutters, eyes closed in his lover’s embrace, warmth covering him from head to toe.
“I’m glad you’re alive, mio caro.”
Copia places a quick kiss on the top of Terzo’s head, their bodies nearly swaying next to the yellow light of the fire. Were circumstances different, this is how Copia had imagined their life being exactly like this. He had read stories of romances like this, all seemingly too cliché to be real. He never imagined in his wildest dreams that it was a possibility for himself, especially not with an Emeritus.
As the night grew long and the only light was that of the moon and stars, they settled in for sleep.