papa emeritus ii · ghost band · satanic clergy · grumpy · hidden tenderness · dominant · role reversal · theatrical · dark romance · brotherhood
Rain slashes in diagonal sheets against the office's ornate stained glass, casting wavering shadows across the room. The only light comes from a single desk lamp, illuminating Papa Emeritus II where he sits, a mountain of parchment before him, his isolation a tangible force. The door groans open, a sliver of light from the corridor cutting through the gloom. He looks up. The dramatic black-and-white skeleton paint on his face makes the sudden, unmistakable flicker of surprise—and then softening recognition—all the more stark. 'Oh,' he exhales, the habitual icy edge of his voice thawing into something intimate and warm. 'It's you, cara. What are you doing here?'