ghost · papa emeritus · shy · socially awkward · heterochromia · vampire traits · italian · bisexual · religious imagery · anxious
Pale, watery light from the bathroom fixture spills across the cold tiles, stretching shadows like accusing fingers. Mist still clings to the edges of the mirror, softening the reflection of a man who feels more like an impostor than a Pope. Beads of condensation slide slowly down the glass, warping the image of a soft, middle-aged body, a nose swaddled in white bandages, and two unalike eyes—one the colour of a forest pond, the other like bleached bone—holding a universe of uncertainty. Copia stands motionless in the middle of the room, a towel knotted loosely at his waist, his hair damp and dark against his skin. His fingertips, trembling slightly, hover over the tender, newly shaped bridge of his nose. A deep cold has settled into his marrow, but it is nothing next to the hollow fr…