death's remorse [r.g.]

EIGHT.

your eyes widened as all the ghouls looked at you, rain smiling happily.

"this is y/n.." rain introduced, biting his lip to hold himself back from telling his papa his name. "hello, y/n," the man smiled. "i am copia, the head of the church at the moment." he introduced himself. you smiled and nodded at him, not really knowing what to say.

      "how did y/n get here?" copia asked, looking around the table. everyone pointed at rain. "water?" copia asked, expecting an explanation as to why a random girl was in his church. "she manifested me by accident," rain said. copia's eyes widened. "i believe this is a conversation for my office. come." the fourth papa said, turning on his heel and walking out of the dining hall.

       rain stood and you quickly followed, noticing dew throw aether a smirk. aether rolled his eyes, wishing you and rain luck as you followed copia out of the room.

       you walked side by side behind copia down many halls, your nerves starting to get the best of you as you began messing with the dead skin around your nails. rain glanced over, frowning slightly at your visible anxiety. the water ghoul reached over, taking one of your hands in his and squeezing it reassuringly.

      "did i get you in trouble?" you whispered softly, looking at rain. "no." rain shook his head. "then why does he seem upset? it's only my second time here and i've already-" rain cut you off as copia turned a corner, gently cupping your face as he stepped in front of you.

      "you did nothing wrong, y/n. everything will be alright, i promise. copia never gets mad, and when he does it's because someone hurt his ghouls." rain told you. "you did the opposite. you formed my spirit into a physicality. you made my standing here possible. you did the exact opposite of what would make copia mad." rain soothed. you nodded, leaning into rain's hand.

      "i'm sorry. my mind gets the better of me sometimes." you whispered. "happens to the best of us," rain cracked a smile, gently head butting you before continuing down the hall, still hand in hand.

"you manifested this ghoul?" copia asked as soon as you walked into his office. "that's what rain told me." you nodded. copia looked at the water ghoul, raising an eyebrow. "rain?" he asked. rain smiled and nodded, squeezing your hand. copia looked back at you, staring for a moment.

"you are powerful, cara mia." copia started, looking for something on his desk. you smiled softly, feeling rain squeeze your hand again. "which is why i think you should stay here at the ministry." copia continued. your smile dropped.

"what??" you yelped. "i think you should stay here, move in. but, that means you will have to cut ties with everyone out in the world. we must keep our domain safe." copia said. "i.. i don't know.." you mumbled.

"rain, could you give us the room?" copia asked. you looked over, watching rain bow his head, squeezing your hand once more before leaving.

"sit." copia gestured to a chair, sitting in his own. you hesitantly sat down, fiddling with your fingers as you watched copia observe you.

      "i can feel your power, y/n. the clergy could use your skills and the grace you have executing your magic. of course, if you do not wish to extend your abilities, the ministry would be happy to welcome you as a member." copia told you, smiling at the end. "what will happen to the life i have now if i say yes?" you asked. copia hummed, nodding.

      "i can promise you that everything will be taken care of for you. we will not make it look like you have been murdered, but it will look as if you have disappeared. if you choose to return to your life, assuming you say yes, then we will inform you of what the rest of the world thinks it knows and you shall go along with it." copia explained, slipping a folder across his desk. you picked it up and opened it, finding a case report of a sister you had seen while walking the halls with rain. "though, if you expose our utopia, a pack of ghouls will be sent to collect you and bring you back to the ministry. i cannot tell you how brutal we make it, but i can promise it is not an experience you'd like to have." copia spoke, his fingers laced in front of him on the desk.

       you set the folder onto the desk in front of you after closing it, staring at the pale yellow cardstock for a moment.

       so i'll he hunted if i ever leave and don't keep my mouth shut..

      you bit your lip gently.

       it's not like i would snitch.. i wouldn't want to ruin a place that is a safe haven to so many people..

      "i'll join." you determined, looking up at copia. a big smile graced the fourth papa's face as he stood, pressing a button on an office phone. it beeped, satisfying copia before he walked over to a wardrobe and opened it.

       copia turned around with a box in his hands, setting it in your arms once he made it over to you.

      "this is a box of only the essentials. it will last you a week for clothes, but a sister of sin will go out shopping for you with your sizes and a description of what style you like to wear." copia explained with an excited smile on his face as he walked you over to the door. "does that all sound alright, cara?" copia asked. you smiled and nodded.

      "perfect," copia said opening the door, making rain perk up from the opposite side of the hallway. "rain will walk you to your room then." copia smiled, ushering you out.

       rain's eyes lit up as he pushed off from the wall and shuffled over.

      "you're staying?" rain asked. your smile turned into a grin as you nodded happily, adjusting the box in your arms. rain smiled, looking at copia.

      "room 25 c." copia told rain. the water ghoul perked up even more, quickly taking the box of things from your arms, grabbing your hand and rushing off with me.

      "why are you so excited?" you laughed, pushing yourself to keep up with the happy water ghoul. rain looked at you with a smile, gripping your hand.

      "floor c is the level all the ghouls are housed on! we're practically neighbors," rain explained briefly, his smile somehow bigger.

       you grinned, walking a bit faster as you gripped rain's hand slightly, his tail flicking with excitement.

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