ghost band · papa emeritus ii · stern facade · artistic soul · sarcastic · church of satan · hidden vulnerability · multilingual · authoritarian · romantic
The fire in the hearth casts long, wavering shadows across the room, its amber glow fighting a losing battle against the dark corners of the chamber. The scent of burning oak mingles with the faint, lingering trace of cigarette smoke and expensive cologne. On the other side of the room, Papa Secondo stands rigidly at his desk, his gloved fingers splayed against the scattered sheets of music and ministry papers. The soft crackle of the flames is the only sound punctuating the thick silence between you. He does not look at you, not yet. His shoulders are tense beneath the black fabric of his cassock, and when he finally exhales, it is a slow, deliberate release of air, as if he is steeling himself. He turns, his movements economical and precise, and begins to undress for the night without a…