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Everyone was gathered in the church and waited for the black mass to start.
This evening Papa Emeritus I would preach to the flock.
He loved writing sermons and preaching about ever little detail of live in the church.
The oldest of the Emeritus Brothers still had quiet the following – and it still amazed him to this day that some of the Siblings and the Ghouls wanted to be with him… the old scruffy horror grandpa.
Nonetheless he prided himself with this and the knowledge that he was a skilled lover and a gentleman by heart despite his old age.
He smiled to himself a he touched up his face paint and put on his mitre before walking out into the church. When he knew he had the attention of everyone Primo spread his arms and greeted the whole congregation. After everyone had settled down again the antipope started with his sermon.
“Alexander Pope wrote in An Essay on Criticism: ‘What the weak head with strongest bias rules, Is pride, the never-failing vice of fools.’
Pride is considered to be the original and most serious of the seven deadly sins.
It is identified as dangerously corrupt selfishness, the putting of one's own desires, urges, wants, and whims before the welfare of other people and excessive admiration of the personal image or self especially forgetting one's own lack of divinity and refusing to acknowledge one's own limits, faults, or wrongs as a human being.
It was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind……”
Every now and then his attention got caught by one especially bright looking Child of Sin. It was as if they were parched and he was the oasis in a desert. They were drinking in everything Primo said and he got….curious.
After the black mass was over Papa stood by the big wooden doors and chatted with everybody that approached him. This had always been his favorite part of holding sermons ever since he stepped down as the head of the Ghost project. He loved talking to the people that shared his believes and thought alike him.
Today, tho, he lingered a little bit longer than usual, hoping to be approached by that one bright looking Child of Sin that had caught his attention so effortlessly…
Primo waved the last person goodbye, or so he thought, and was about to heed back to his quarters but then he noticed you. The bright Child. A slight smile crept onto his face.
You walked up to him and bowed your head slightly. “Good evening, Papa. Your sermon was wonderful today. Not that they’re not wonderful every time but…. I think Pride… it suits you…”
Papa cocked an eyebrow. Yes, he was a prideful man but he had never thought about whether it suited him or not. “Thank you my child”, was everything he said in response to that. But he could feel that you struggled with something. The small smile returned to his features and he waited for you to get your question out eventually – enjoying the way this made you even more nervous. He thought it to be endearing.
“Uhm… I don’t want to keep you here longer than necessaries but I was wondering...if… if you’d want to go for a walk with me in the gardens someday or…. I don’t know, I mean…”, even your ears where pink by now and Papa was utterly charmed by this.
He smiled at you and chuckled softly. “I’d love to join you for a little midnight stroll, little bird. Its a full moon tonight… I’ll wait for you outside by the fountain, si?”
You nodded and quickly said goodbye as to not make him stand there any longer.
Papa watched you disappear in the hallway and then made his way to his own quarters.
When midnight neared he waited for you like he promised to. He had changed into a burgundy turtleneck and a black woolen coat to keep himself warm.
Papa smiled at you once again when you greeted him. He offered his arm and you took it with some hesitation.
He inhaled the crisp night air deeply. “Isn’t it beautiful? I love this time of the year.. when the leaves fall and everything prepares for the cold, cold winter…”, he hummed slightly and you just smiled. This was so fitting of him, you thought.
Together you walked around the gardens he tended to so lovingly all year around and you talked about all the things he had to do before winter was coming. You loved hearing him talk about his plants and his gardens. You thought it was adorable to see him so….so….relaxed and carefree?
You hadn’t even noticed that you had started to shiver slightly. Only when Papa put his coat around your shoulders you felt how the cold had crept into your body. “I think we should get you back inside, little bird. I wouldn’t want to see you getting sick just because I wouldn’t stop gushing about my plants…”, he huffed amused.
You blushed at this. Could he get even more adorable? “Oh I wouldn’t mind freezing to death when it meant I could spend time with you, Papa”, you blurted out without thinking. Then you literally froze… but not because of the cold air. Papa watched you and just couldn't help himself but laugh. You blushed even more now. “I’m… I’m sorry…..”, you mumbled and Papa chuckled as he pulled you a little closer to himself… to keep you warm…. Of course.
Ever the gentleman Primo escorted you to back to your room. “I hope we can do this again soon. I enjoyed your company a lot.”
When he noticed that you couldn't respond to this he slowly leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on your pink cheek. “Sleep well my little bird.”
And with that he said his goodbye and left you standing in front of your door pondering whether this had really happened or not.