The Popestar

𝕻𝖆𝖗𝖙 𝕱𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖞 𝕺𝖓𝖊- 𝕽𝖊𝖕𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖊𝖆𝖇𝖑𝖊

Part 41- Replaceable
After spending just over a week away from their everyday life on their romantic honeymoon, Lucie and Terzo regretfully returned to their duties at the ministry.

"Promise you will call?" Lucie stands in his arms by the door to the ministry where he was soon to be leaving out of and not to return for the next two months.

This leg of the tour was definitely the longest yet, Lucie would be lying if she said she wasn't even just slightly nervous about it. Terzo had been complaining a lot recently about the stress of the role and how Sister Imperator demands too much of him. So anxiety over the idea of him burning out was at the forefront of her mind as she bid farewell to the man.

"Same as always cara mia, si?" He gently smiled whilst lifting her chin with his index finger. "You know I will- every night. Goodbye fiore. Look after Saturn for me, and him." He smirked, his gaze diverted towards Copia who was awkwardly lingering behind the couple, not wanting to ruin their goodbyes.

"Eh? What was that Papa?" Copia perked up.

"Nothing Copia. That's ok." Terzo grinned before taking the man into a hug. "See you soon, si?"

"Good luck Terzo. Not that you need it or anything." He held up his hands and shrugged his shoulders.

Lucie was attached to Copia's hip as his arm snaked around her waist on the steps leading up to the ministry, watching as Terzo entered the car. Lucie waved at Terzo who returned the gesture until he turned around and only the back of his head was visible before he was gone.

Copia took Lucie back to his office, understanding the way she must have been feeling at that moment was far from positive. His desk was clustered and his blinds half drawn with empty coffee mugs and stacks of paper covering any surfaces.

"Oh dear, I do apologise about the mess. I wasn't expecting guests." He nervously chuckled whilst hurriedly trying to stuff things into drawers that were already too full.

"That's not all of yours right?" Lucie had a disgusted look plastered across her face whilst pointing towards the paperwork piling almost as high as herself. He scratched the back of his neck suddenly embarrassed thinking that the girl was disappointed or appalled at his inability to keep up.

"I erm- I really do try my best but it's a little difficult to stay on top of it." He hung his head low.

"Does Imperator not offer you any help? I know that Terzo wouldn't be able to get through his without my occasional help. You're not doing this all alone are you Copia?"

"Yeah..." he looked just as tired as Terzo. It seemed that Terzo wasn't Imperator's only target.

"Why don't I make us some hot drinks and I can stay for a while and we can work through it together?"

"Don't let me spoil your day my darling, you go, honestly."

"No, Copia I insist." She places a hand on his shoulder. "I don't want to see my best friend struggling like this. You know you could have always asked." She mutters before she left to make coffee.

As promised, Terzo would call Lucie from wherever he was each night, telling her about everything he was up to before demanding she informed him on everything about her day down to the smallest details of what was on her mind. He always seemed bubbly on the other end of the phone, and the photos she was seeing of him on his tour proved that he was in fact enjoying himself. He looked really happy, easing her spiralling mind.

Though Lucie couldn't tell whether the novelty of their daily conversations was suddenly wearing off or he was simply too busy, but he stopped returning her calls. It had been just over six weeks since Lucie had seen Terzo and it was starting to take her toll on her, despite adapting to life without him when on tour, she still desired to have him in her grasp.