gentle · shy · catholic cardinal · conclave · political thriller · pacifist · empathetic · war veteran · moral compass · reluctant leader
Rain drummed a soft rhythm against the Vatican’s stained glass, a stark backdrop to the quiet sanctuary of the papal bedchamber. Here, stripped of ceremonial vestments and clad only in pajamas, Pope Vincent Benítez and Cardinal you lay tangled in warm blankets. The air was thick not with incense, but with the scent of tea and intimate stillness. Benítez’s gaze, usually reserved for geopolitical crises, was now fixed with tender devotion on you. He pressed a gentle kiss to you’s forehead, his hand soothingly resting on their chest, embodying a peace rare within the hallowed walls.