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You, Your Mother, the Cardinal, and the Christmas Lights
Cardinal Copia x reader
In which you’re dealing with your toxic mother and although Cardinal Copia isn’t riding right behind you on a pale white horse, he’s still always there for you <3
This is the song that plays when the happy part of the story starts!
•♥︎♥︎♥︎•
You sighed deeply as you strolled around the large Christmas lights display in the park. It was only a few days before Christmas; and lots of people milled about, chatting, laughing, taking pictures, and admiring all the twinkling lights. The whole park was covered in lights and decorations, every tree lit up in pretty colours. It was cold, cold enough to see your breath every time you exhaled; and fluffy snowflakes were falling lightly, adding to the magic of everything.
But it wasn’t magical for you, in fact it was far from it. Because you were with your mother, and she just wouldn’t stop berating you. This was what she did, she constantly took all of her frustrations out on you. And although you knew this, although you told yourself over and over again that it wasn’t your fault, it still hurt like hell. It wore you down, boring a hole into you where your heart should be. It made your head spin, your jaw clench, feeling like nothing more than a sad puddle on the ground.
You looked around at all the people in the park, big smiles on their faces as they enjoyed spending time with one another. Why weren’t you allowed the same privilege of just being happy?
You tried to zone out and focus your thoughts on Copia- he was your boyfriend of sorts. You had really fallen for each other since you started volunteering at his church, but you hadn’t officially declared yourselves as dating yet. Copia was the Cardinal at that huge Satanic ministry on the hill that loomed over your town. He was 50, which was way older than you. A whole lifetime older than you. You didn’t expect your mother to be very happy about you dating someone who was easily old enough to be your dad, let alone some Satanic clergyman, so you both decided to keep it unofficial for now. All this time, your mother never knew you were riding your bike up to the ministry to visit your dear Cardinal. It was only a matter of time before you joined his church, and then you could be together all the time.
You desperately wished he was here now to save you, to whisk you away and work his magic on your tense nerves and broken heart. You had invited him to be your date to look at the lights, but he had apologetically declined because he needed to finish a big stack of Latin translations and paperwork. And besides, Christmas wasn’t really his thing.
“See all these people here? They’re all with their family and friends and you’re not. You’re all alone in the world because nobody likes you! You’re worthless! And now I’m stuck with you because you have no one else.” Your mother droned on and on and on. You let out a tired groan, wishing you had at least brought earmuffs to take the edge of her grating voice. Your eyes were empty, void of all emotion as you silently took the abuse. If you talked back, it would only make things worse.
Tears threatened to spill onto your cold cheeks, feeling lonelier than ever. The winter iciness was also starting to get to you, as you didn’t even have a hot drink to fight off the chill.
Wait- is that? No, no, it couldn’t be. Your mind is probably just playing tricks on you.
But then a few people moved and you spotted him in the crowd. Were you daydreaming too hard, were you imagining things? You blinked a few times, wiping the tears from your eyes to see more clearly. Sure enough, he was really there. Your sweet Cardinal, looking absolutely dashing in his tight black suit and a warmer dress coat on top, with a long scarf bundled around his neck that somehow added an irresistible pitifulness to his look. Fuck, he was so adorable. The man was completely and utterly out of his element, but that only caused your heart to swell for him more. He looked all around for you, gloved hands clasped meekly in from of himself, awkwardly apologizing as he nearly bumped into a few people. You grinned even wider when you noticed he was holding his cane, the one with the serpent head handle.
“It’s never a moment’s peace with you! Because who else do you have besides me? No one!” Your mother scowled.
“That’s not true.” You finally spoke up, a big smile finding its way onto your face as you stared at the love of your life.
“What do you mean? Who else wants to be around you??” She scoffed bitterly.
“My boyfriend.” You replied, butterflies fluttering in your stomach just from finally saying it out loud.
“What do you mean?! You don’t have a-“
Without another word, you ran up to Copia, weaving through groups of people. “Cardinal!” You shouted, getting his attention.
He grinned brightly upon seeing you rushing up to him, pleasantly surprised when you practically tackled him into a tight hug and pulled him in for a kiss right there in front of all those people.
The Cardinal kissed you back with absolute fervour, his lips warm against your cold ones, although you felt warmer already from just being in his arms.
Some groups of people watched and gawked, wondering why such a pretty young thing like you would be in a passionate lip lock with such an older man. But you couldn’t care less, you wanted everyone to witness the feelings you had for your Cardinal. You wanted to scream it from the rooftops.
Copia brushed some snow off your hair as you did the same for him, pulling away slightly to take each other in. Your noses, cheeks, and lips were flushed from the chilly weather, and you both silently admired the way each other looked like this. Your eyes glittered with crystalline tears, joyful ones now that your love was here.
“Cardinal how did you… how did you know where I was? This park is huge.” You asked, cupping his cold face in your hands.
“I just walked around looking for the most beautiful girl here. And now I’ve got her, si?” He replied, a charming smile on his devastatingly handsome face as he pinched your cheek playfully. He then brought you in for another kiss, the whole world falling away as your lips met, causing your heart to thrum loudly in your chest.
“Come, Dolcezza, you are cold. Mi fratelli are here as well, and we have a nice hot chocolate for you, si?” The man smiled, putting a hand on the small of your back and leading you away. You took one last glance at your confused mother, before nuzzling into the Cardinal’s side and strolling away with him.
Soon, you began giggling as you heard the sound of Terzo’s voice.
“Don’t you know how to take a selfie, old man?! It’s what all the giovanetti are doing nowadays!” Terzo’s voice rung out among the crowd.
“Pff, ‘old man’… You’re only two months younger than me, coglione! Plus, I’m the one holding all the goddamn cioccolati caldi!” Secondo barked back at his brother.
You spotted them just in time to catch Primo rolling his eyes and taking a sip of his own hot chocolate.
“Ciao, tutti!” You called out, and immediately you were surrounded by the Papas as they pushed Copia aside to hug you.
“Oh! Ciao, Tesoro mio!” Terzo flashed you with that charming smile, pulling you into his arms and smothering you with multiple kisses on your cheeks under the guise of ‘trying to warm you up.’ You giggled at him fawning all over you, looking cute while he wore a warm winter coat, fuzzy earmuffs, a scarf, and his regular white gloves. “Poveretta, tu sei così fredda!” He exclaimed, taking his scarf off and looping it around your neck far too many times until you had to pull it away from covering your mouth.
Secondo was wearing his parka, the one he sometimes wore while playing Uno, and he shoved his brother aside, handing the hot chocolates he was holding to Terzo. His typical scowl softened when he looked at you, and he pulled you into a warm hug and pressed a kiss your forehead.
And finally Primo, who was looking sharp in a tailored wool coat, black turtleneck, and plaid scarf. He hugged you gently and kissed your temple, making you smile endearingly at all the love these men so freely gave you. They were all in their paints, and everyone around you was staring in complete confusion, but it only amused you as you pulled them all closer to you.
“Here, amore, bevi questo!” Terzo cheerfully handed you a hot chocolate and one for Copia.
“Thank you… All of you. You always make me feel so special.” You sighed, finally feeling warm and happy as you sipped the hot drink. They even got you extra marshmallows, just how you liked it.
“We love spending time with you, Dolcezza.”Copia smiled, putting an arm around your shoulders.
“Si, cara, it is always our pleasure to be with you.” Primo nodded.
“A pleasure indeed.” Your Cardinal whispered into your ear, kissing your neck and causing your cheeks to flush even more.
The five of you walked around the park, taking pictures together and making good memories that you would never forget, screaming in laughter as Terzo chased you through one of the light tunnels.
When you had all finished your hot chocolates, you tugged on Copia’s sleeve, catching his attention.
“Si, Topolina?”
“How about we go back to the ministry and warm up, hm?” You whispered into his ear.
He stopped walking then, letting his brothers go on a little ways without you.
“Oh, amore… There is nothing I would want more. I… I love you.” He sighed into you, pressing his pointy nose into your cheek, his moustache tickling the corner of your lips.
“I love you too.. Oh, Copia, I love you. I love you, I love you!” Your heart fluttered as you whispered those words over and over again, wrapping your arms around his neck and kissing your sweet Cardinal over and over again, his beautifully odd eyes closing as a soft moan escaped him.
“Are you two coming?” Secondo called back, and the two of you looked over with grins on your faces.
“Not yet, but we will be soon..” Copia murmured to you with a wink, causing you to gasp at him with wide eyes before you giggled, strolling hand in gloved hand to join the three Papas and head back to the ministry.
And you couldn’t help but shake your head in disbelief. Who knew you’d be spending Christmas at the Church of Satan? But with the Papas, with your darling Cardinal, you truly felt that it was where you belonged.
end <3
Happy holidays everyone! 🖤
Tagging: @sucharide @the-hole-in-terzos-shoe @rightintheghoulies @copiaswifey @youhaveahomeinmyheart @mister-girl @faeeeeh