The Popestar

𝕻𝖆𝖗𝖙 𝕱𝖔𝖗𝖙𝖞 𝕿𝖜𝖔- 𝕴𝖙'𝖘 𝕿𝖗𝖚𝖊

Part 42- It's True
Lucie didn't know what to do for the best. On the flight home Terzo didn't say a word. He felt numb, like he could feel no form of emotion. He was trying to process what had happened but it all just seemed like a very bad dream to him. Sure he had his doubts about what would happen when his time was up without any progeny, but this was never supposed to happen.

When they arrived back at the ministry he began packing his bags immediately.

"What are you doing?" Lucie cooed, rubbing his back as his aggressively slammed things into his suitcase.

"Fuck this. I'm going to stay with my mother for a while." He huffed.

"Wait...you're leaving? Will you come back?" Lucie's frown grew larger at the thought of not seeing him again for she had to stay here for work.

"I'm not sure." He didn't look up as he continued stuffing more into his bag- by the looks of it, he'd be gone for a while.

"Terzo please...it's not my fault."

"I didn't say it was your fault." He stopped, suddenly realising that the silent treatment he was giving Lucie was far from fair. He hung his head lower and sighed. "I'm sorry. But staying here would be the worst thing imaginable for my mental state right now tesoro." He softly chuckled, the first time he'd smiled since the incident. "I fear I may just 'accidentally' murder somebody. There's nothing stopping you joining me, you know that."

"I can't just stop working. And after the conversation I overheard, Sister made it clear that I'm on thin ice. I support your decision, but I'll have to stay here." She looked disheartened at his choice to leave the ministry for a while, but she understood why, he nodded in response.

"Si, si. Well, you can visit me at weekends I suppose? I have to put myself first right now, you must understand how difficult this is for me to process. But that doesn't mean I don't want to be with you- in fact...I need you more than ever Lucifer. I've proven that without you I..." He broke down a little.

"Terzo...slow down, just breath ok? Look at me." She said lifting his sunken head. "You're doing so well getting through this, of course I understand. Do you want some space or do you want to talk?"

"Do you mind if I can just have some time, I'd rather be alone right now."

"Of course. I'll be in the lounge if you need me." She patted his thighs before leaving him by himself.

He sat on the floor, his knees tucked up to his chest and his face in his hands whilst gentle sobs left his throat. He thought this was all he ever wanted- freedom. But it had hit him what losing his title entailed. Never again would he lead mass, never again would he get to make decisions for the bettering of the ministry, never again would he get to perform. He would never perform again. Ever.

This hit him hard, after all that is what he was good at, that's what he enjoyed doing every night. He felt annoyed at himself for feeling and thinking so negatively whilst in the role. Although he knew this was the start of a new chapter for him, it's difficult letting go of something that you built your entire life around, something that you were truly good at, something you'd worked so hard towards.

He said his goodbyes to Lucie before driving to Francesca's for the foreseeable future.

Almost a week later Lucie found Primo sitting outside and sighed, slumping onto the bench next to him. He placed his book face down beside him so that he didn't lose his page and turned to Lucie.

"How is he? Have you spoken to him?" He eagerly asked- he was worried about his brother.

"Not since yesterday. He's not really saying anything whenever I try to speak to him. One word answers, a question at best."