The Light In The Sky (Cardinal Copia X Gender Neutral Reader)

Chapter 5/ Cardinal Copia

It was nearing the end of dinner and everyone was starting to finish up their plates and putting them in the center for the kitchen staff to deal with. When you had finished up your own you then put your plate over with the others and stood up from you chair.

"Thank you for the meal tonight, now I'm going to hit the hay, it's been a long day and I'm beat." You spoke as you gave a polite bow to the others at the table.

"Alright Sirius, remember to report to the main hall tomorrow for your duties." Sister said as she looked at you.

"Will do sister, thank you for the reminder." You responded before turning to look at Copia. "Good luck with the rest of your night, and remember if you need anything ever I'm always free... Except for when I'm sleeping." You said the last part with a chuckle, now turning to leave as you gave a wave goodbye.

"Thank you Sirius, I'll keep that in mind, goodnight and sleep well!" He said as he watched you go. A bit of nervousness creeping back in him now that your gone.

The other ghouls started to disperse back to their rooms to chill for the night, Copia soon following suit after a few words with Imperator about his day.

As he started down the hallway to his corridor he suddenly heard a voice behind him, causing him to stop.

"Copia, may I have a word with you?" Nihil said, now standing next to him.

"O-oh uh- ya... What is it? Is something wrong?" Copia said, his hands going back to fidgeting with one another as his anxiousness grew again.

"You're not ready." Nihil spoke, his eyes staring into copia's. "Sister keeps insisting you are, but I know you're not."

Copia just looked at him, unsure about what to do or say. "I-I... Why do you think that? If I'm anything like my brothers I-"

"You're nothing like your brothers cardinal!" Nihil said, cutting Copia off. "You're immature, reckless, and make nothing of yourself." Nihil continued, now glaring daggers at Copia.

"Papa I- I'm sorry... I'm going to be like them, no... I'm going to be better... Just give me a chance." He spoke, his voice shaking as he held back tears.

"If I had a choice I'd say no, but I don't, so don't let me down... Cardinal." Nihil said as he turned away from the man, now heading off to his courters.

Copia just stood there, he didn't know what to think or how to feel. He thought maybe being the frontman of Ghost would prove to Nihil he was capable, that he wasn't just taking up space when he was his right hand man.

He slowly turned, now entering his room as he processed what just happened. He went to his closet taking off his cassock and replacing it with a black T-shirt and red sweats.

He sat on his bed as he pondered the day's events. He couldn't shake off the conversation with Nihil, so he tried thinking of positive things instead. That's when his mind wondered to you. He thought of how helpful you were, how you made sure he felt acknowledged instead of just throwing demands at him and leaving him be.

He then thought about how you cared to know him, how instead of getting impatient and annoyed with his weird personality you enjoyed his company and generally wanted to be around him.

He felt himself start to relax a bit as he remembered your words, how you stated it was all going to be okay. His body now laying back on his bed as he looked up at the ceiling.

He wasn't sure if he cared about Nihil or not, if his words mattered to him, but he did know who's words did, and they were yours.

He wanted to prove Nihil wrong, yes, but he also wanted to show you that he was a worthy member to the group, that he wasn't anything Nihil makes him out to be.

He continued to lay there as he thought about everything until eventually sleep snuck up on him, his eyes shutting as he rested in his dark grey bedsheets for the night, his first day as the frontman of Ghost coming to an end.