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"You know what, fuck you."
The sudden snap of anger and sharp words of the generally gentle creature made Terzo froze for a second.
"What?..." He asked taken aback by the reaction.
"I said fuck you. I get it, you're not comfortable with people knowing... About us but... I don't know. It seems like, maybe you're just ashamed."
The initial surprised emotions quickly turned to annoyance and anger. "We've already talked about this before caro..."
"I know! But you keep saying the same shit each time."
"It's because it's-"
"Because you are ashamed."
"That's not true!"
Omega scoffed. "Literally how is it untrue?"
"I..." Terzo started but his mouth quickly closed. His mind failing him in this crucial moment, he was never good to begin with in arguments.
"See, Emeritus III would never acknowledge sleeping with a ghoul... Loving one. Do you really care more about your fucking social status than me? It's been 2 years Terzo... I'm patient alright, but it's exhausting." Through his anger, hurt was clearly noticable and tears we're visible at the corner of his eyes.
"Omega... that's not... Is that truly how you think i view you?"
"Well is it wrong?"
"Of course it is!"
"Show it then!" A low growl came from the ghoul which made Terzo take a step back and raise his hands in front of him defensively.
The view of this reaction made the ghoul's sound completely stop and his ears pinning down lower against his skull. His tail came wrapping itself around his leg before he walked backwards a few steps creating a large space between the two. The ghoul seemed hurt that Terzo had been scared of him, at least enough to trigger a reaction.
The anti-pope lowered his hands slowly and looked distraught with his own reaction. He didn't know why he tried to protect himself, he never did, never had to and trusted Omega with his life. He would never hurt him. So why was this his reaction? "I didn't-"
"If I'm so special why am I secret?" Omega spat out, tears rolling on his cheeks, before turning around and bolting out of Terzo's room.
He heard Terzo call out for him from the room, asking for him to come back, ordering him to come back. Ignoring the orders made the ghoul's body feel like it was on fire from the inside, he was dangerously pulling at the chains of his contract on earth.
The physical pain was bad enough but it was always better than the emotional turmoil that his mind was left in. He never liked to argue with Terzo, he loved him more than anything. He just wanted to feel loved in return.
The two hadn't interacted with eachother since Omega had blown up at Emeritus III. Since then it had been almost 4 days. While the ghoul was desperate for an interaction, he didn't make any move to do so. Avoiding like the plague places Terzo frequently went to and ignoring the messages he sent. He simply stayed in his room practicing his instrument or passing the time with whatever hobby allowed him to stay as far as he could of Terzo. The only times he did leave his room was to go to the ghoul's den to hang out with his friends or to work at the Infirmary -though thankfully he wasn't that needed most of the times.
Alpha knew of the argument from Terzo, on the second day, asking him to bring Omega to his office so he could see him. He told Omega about the request but at the growl he made Alpha wasn't going to press on the matter more. The fire ghoul could not care less about why Terzo and Omega, seemingly really good friends, and from what he stumbled apon sometimes probably more, had fell out and he wasn't the type to force someone who didn't want to talk about it to. He simply told Terzo that Omega didn't want to see him, which wasn't a lie. It was simply not said with words.
"Hey Meg!"
"Oh hi cowbell , what's up?"
"Papa's at the door waiting for you." He said with a smile.
Clearly he didn't seem to have noticed the lack of interaction between the two lately.
Omega's face immediately darkened and he crossed his arms. "Well you can tell him to go away."
The lanky ghoul looked confused but shrugged and walked back the way he came from.
He quickly found Omega again not even 2 minutes later in the small kitchen of the den. "Um... He told me he wasn't gonna go away until you showed up... what's going on with you two?"
The bigger ghoul emitted a low growl, letting the tea he was making sit on the counter and walked towards the main entrance without answering cowbell's question. Leaving behind a very confused percussion ghoul behind.
Omega opened the door and was met with the sight of a tired looking Terzo. He looked like he was about to speak when Omega cut him off with a sharp tone.
"What do you want?"
"Meg, it's been 4 days..."
"And?"
"And we need to talk about it..."
"No-"
"It wasn't a question Omega. We will talk about it, for real."
Omega lightly snarled. "Alright Papa."
Terzo waved the title off. "None of that, meg. I know you're frustrated but don't give me that attitude please."
The ghoul nodded and exhaled the pent up emotion. "Alright well then Terzo, where do you want to talk?"
"Right, come with me." He took Omega's hand and led him away from the ghoul's den.
Omega expected to be led to Terzo's room -a place not many had access to- but he was surprised when they took a turn in the opposite direction. They went to the practice rooms where Terzo pulled him in one of the cubicles. The Pope had placed a projector in the small room, it projected the cosmos above them.
Omega wouldn't acknowledge it right away but, it was a nice gesture he appreciated. Terzo made the effort to try and make the ghoul more comfortable.
Even if it was only a projection, the fake stars did help his nerves calm down. Emeritus sat down on a soft pile of blankets he had previously layed out on the floor and patted the space next to himself. The ghoul stood still next to the door for a moment before sighing and taking the offer to sit.
They both stared at the ceiling for a while, simply enjoying the way the stars seemed to dance around them. Terzo cut the silence, his voice soft but still loud enough to be a contrast to the environment they were in. "You know... I'm not very good with words."
The ghoul hummed in a flat tone his agreement.
"But I mean them. Each one of them Omega, when i say that i need you with me, i mean it. When I say that I love you, I mean it. When i say that i would never be ashamed of you, of being yours, I mean it. More than anything."
Omega stayed silent thinking about what Terzo said. He knew his words were true, they always were. He had a lot of flaws but he certainly wasn't a liar, he was also terrible at lying to begin with. "…Than why?"
"Because I'm scared Love."
"You keep saying that but... What are you even scared off?"
Terzo stayed silent for a moment. "Everything."
"That doesn't tell me anything Terzo."
He sighed and pushed some hair out of his face. "I know, i know... I'm sorry. What i mean by that is, I'm scared of what will happen. Not in a social status kind of way, you know i really don't cared about it, but at how people will react i guess..."
When Omega didn't say anything he continued.
"There was rumors of Secondo sleeping around with his ghouls from times to times and well of course he was, you out of anyone would know..." He let out a huffed laugh that quieted quickly. "And it wasn't... how do i say it... appreciated. Besides no one really... Um had a relationship that was more than that... Well like what we have anyway. At least not to my knowledge." He looked at the Quint and let his tumb caress the top of his hand. The touch was gentle and keep Terzo focused on the conversation. Omega didn't pull back from the touch, he had missed it no matter how much he tried to deny it.
"I'm scared of what they'll do, how they'll react. I keep thinking that there's a possibility that when the council finds out they'll send you back to the pit, take you away from me. Most human jobs don't allow boss and worker relationship... I don't know how different that would be for us."
Omega thought for a moment staring at the projected stars, meeting Terzo's mismatched eyes after a short silence. "...you said 'when'?"
"I wasn't planning on keeping our love to ourselves forever amore." He responded with a smile before adding, "it's not because i wanted it to be secret... It pains me as much as you. The only thing keeping it under lock is fear amore."
"Oh."
He put a hand on the Quint's cheek. "I love you Omega, believe me when i say that i wasn't doing it out of shame or to play with your feelings."
"I believe you Terzo... But do we really have to keep it to ourselves? I really don't think the clergy would send me back. It would be too much work for them to summon an entirely new ghoul, quintessence even more. If it's imperator you're scared of, i also don't think she'll care that much, even if she's allergic to you being happy."
The anti-pope chuckled and thought for a moment. "I mean... I guess we don't have to."
That made the ghoul's tail wag behind him. "Let's just not scream it on rooftops, alright darling?" Terzo laughed. "It's better if we don't say anything, just... You know allow ourselves to be more intimate when other people are around."
Omega smiled. "Yea and I'm not one for announcements anyway. It's always so awkward."
Terzo nuzzled himself on the quintessence ghoul's chest. After a short silence as the two hugged, Omega kick in a low purr.
"Terz?"
"Yea?" They both spoke in a soft tone.
"I'm sorry."
"What for?" The human moved his head slightly to look up at the other man.
"I'm sorry for starting an argument and ignoring you... And for scaring you, i didn't mean to."
"I'm just glad we worked it out, it's all good now. Although i should be the one apologizing, because i should have been more aware of how you were feeling and because i truly didnt mean to flinch the way i did." Before the ghoul could refute his words he continued. "You know i didn't mean to, I'm not scared of you, I'd never be. I don't know why i reacted like that-"
His rambling was interrupted by Omega nuzzling his head to Terzo's. "I know" The quint kissed the other man's hair. "I know" he repeated.
Terzo stayed silent for a while, hugging his lover tightly. Soon enough, Terzo climbed his way onto Omega's lap. "I really missed having you close."
The ghoul smiled. "For my personality or my body?"
"You know, a bit of both. Though i have to admit i also missed those fangs of yours." He emphasized by taking a fang with two fingers and gently tugging from side to side, making Omega's head follow the motion.
The quint pulled away and locked eyes with his lover. "You're incorrigible."
"I mean do you want to correct me?" The sly grin on Terzo's face was enough to make the ghoul cackle.
"Don't start something you can't finish love."
"I could totally finish it."
Omega kissed the anti-pope, which had the man practically melting. When he pulled away his face was plastered with a soft smile. "No you wouldn't be able to, you look exhausted, let's get you to bed."
Terzo playfully whined like a child. "Fine, but only if you're coming with me."
The ghoul got up still holding the man in his arms bridal style. It made Terzo yelp and grip tighter his hold on his boyfriend.
"I can walk amore."
"I know" Omega smiled fangs flashing in the deem lighting on the cubicle. "But i also know you love not being able to walk."
Terzo smirked at the second meaning the ghoul was referencing.
"You're right."
Omega opened the door the best he could, without dropping the human in his arms.
"You know what?" The anti-pope nuzzled himself in a more comfortable position, his head resting on Omega's chest.
"What?"
"I love you."