Work Text:
I listened to the radio yesterday, and this song came on... it reminded me of our dear Cardinal and inspired me to write this little one-shot. :)
Please don't be too harsh — this is my first Ghost fanfic, and I think the last time I wrote any fanfiction at all was about 15 years ago!
English isn't my first language, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. ❤️
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Working for Cardinal Copia filled you with great joy. The two of you got along very well — you shared his love for old movies and video games. Often after work, you would join him for a round of Mario Kart or enjoy a slice of pizza while watching classic movies together. As time went on, you couldn't deny that you had developed feelings for the shy cardinal. You tried to suppress them for a long time, but the harder you tried, the stronger they grew. Unbeknownst to you, Copia felt the same way. Yet, with how shy you both were, nothing ever came of it. Copia even sought Primo's advice. For Primo, it was simple: "Just tell her how you feel, fratello," he would always say. "As if it were that easy," Copia would pout whenever Primo told him to confess to you.
Copia always kept his little radio on the desk, turned up to a comfortable volume. Both of you liked having music playing in the background while you worked. Most of the time, the radio played oldies — songs from the '70s, '80s, and '90s. Whenever one of his favorite songs came on, he couldn't help but sing along quietly. It never failed to make your heart flutter.
It was unusual to hear his voice sing ballads or softer tunes, but you loved it. You often found yourself watching him, a smile playing on his lips whenever he sang along.
Recently, though, he had become a bit more vocal — especially with one particular song. You didn't know the name, but it was something Italian. You couldn't understand a single word of the lyrics, except for the occasional "ti amo." You even caught him glancing at you whenever he sang along to that song, and you almost felt as though he was singing it to you.
Today was like any other day. The two of you shared the soft tunes of the radio, working in a comfortable silence. Until that song came on again. By now, you could recognize it within the first three seconds.
A smile formed on your lips as you closed your eyes gently, focusing on the cardinal's voice. He was looking at you — quietly singing to you...?
"Che confusione
Sarà perché ti amo
È un'emozione
Che cresce piano piano
Stringimi forte e stammi più vicino
Se ci sto bene
Sarà perché ti amo"
What a confusion,
Maybe it's because I love you.
It's this emotion
That slowly keeps on growing.
Hold me tight, and stay a little closer —
If it feels so right,
Maybe it's because I love you.
This time, you listened more closely... there were those words again — "ti amo." Even without knowing a single word of Italian, you knew what they meant.
But it was just a song; you didn't know the full context. Still, hearing those words directed at you made you melt inside. So you let him keep singing.
"Io canto al ritmo del dolce tuo respiro
È primavera
Sarà perché ti amo
Cade una stella
Ma dimmi dove siamo
Che te ne frega
Sarà perché ti amo"
I sing along to the rhythm of your gentle breath,
It's springtime —
Maybe it's because I love you.
A star is falling,
But tell me, where are we now?
Who cares —
Maybe it's because I love you.
Copia felt confident singing to himself, knowing you wouldn't understand the lyrics. Still, it felt good to let the words out — the words that reflected his deep feelings for you. He looked at you and saw that your eyes were closed. The sight made his smile grow even brighter, knowing you were listening to his voice. He had sung in front of you many times before, but this was different. It felt different — for both of you.
"E vola vola si sa
Sempre più in alto si va
E vola vola con me
Il mondo è matto perché
E se l'amore non c'è
Basta una sola canzone
Per far confusione
Fuori e dentro di te"
And we fly, we fly, you know,
Always higher we go.
So come and fly with me,
The world's gone crazy, you see.
And if love isn't there,
Just one song is enough
To stir confusion —
Inside and all around you.
Having heard this song so many times before, you began to hum along quietly, adding a soft harmony to Copia's voice. Your eyes were still closed; the words sounded beautiful, even though you didn't understand them.It always gave you butterflies whenever he spoke Italian to you...
E vola vola si va
Sempre più in alto si va
E vola vola con me
Il mondo è matto perché
E se l'amore non c'è
Basta una sola canzone
Per far confusione
Fuori e dentro di te
And we fly, we fly away,
Higher and higher each day.
Come on and fly with me,
The world's gone mad, you see.
And if love isn't there,
Just one song is enough
To stir confusion —
Inside and all around you.
He wanted to move closer to you — the distance between your desks suddenly felt unbearably far. His gaze never left you. He imagined having you in his arms, whispering the very words that carried his feelings.
Ma dopotuttoChe cosa c'è di strano
È una canzone
Sarà perché ti amo
Se cade il mondo
Allora ci spostiamo
Se cade il mondo
Sarà perché ti amo
But after all,
What's so strange about it?
It's just a song —
Maybe it's because I love you.
And if the world should fall apart,
Then we'll just move aside.
If the world should fall apart,
Maybe it's because I love you.
You opened your eyes, and your gaze met Copia's. He smiled even wider and let out a nervous chuckle. You couldn't help but laugh softly as well, leaning forward with your arm resting on the desk, your chin propped up as you listened to his beautiful voice.
"Stringimi forte e stammi più vicino
È così bello che non mi sembra vero
Se il mondo è matto
Che cosa c'è di strano
Matto per matto
Almeno noi ci amiamo"
Hold me tight, and stay a little closer,
It's so beautiful, it almost feels unreal.
If the world's gone mad,
What's so strange about it?
Crazy or not —
At least we're in love.
Copia's gaze softened even more. It almost seemed to him that, even without understanding the words, you were beginning to grasp their meaning.
His heart pounded against his ribs as he watched your lips, curled into a lovely smile.
"E vola vola si sa
Sempre più in alto si va
E vola vola con me
Il mondo è matto perché
E se l'amore non c'è
Basta una sola canzone
Per far confusione
Fuori e dentro di te"
And we fly, we fly away,
Higher and higher each day.
Come on and fly with me,
The world's gone mad, you see.
And if love isn't there,
Just one song is enough
To stir confusion —
Inside and all around you.
He stood up, and you watched him — confused and nervous — as he made his way over to you. He reached out his hand, silently asking you to stand.
Copia pulled you close, and you gazed into his mismatched eyes as he lowered his voice to a near whisper, singing the final words of the song:
"E vola vola si va
Sarà perché ti amo
E vola vola con me
E stammi più vicino
E se l'amore non c'è
Ma dimmi dove siamo
Che confusione
Sarà perche ti amo"
But after all,
What's so strange about it?
It's just a song —
Maybe it's because I love you.
And if the world should fall apart,
Then we'll just move aside.
If the world should fall apart,
Maybe it's because I love you.
You looked at him in awe. You wanted to kiss him, to ask him to translate the lyrics — to confirm that those words truly meant what you thought they did.
"Cardinal... what do these words mean?" you asked softly, your hands resting on his chest.
"Let me show you, cara," he whispered, closing the distance between you. His lips brushed against yours, his mustache tickling your skin. Your heart was beating so fast you thought you might die right then and there. You closed your eyes, anticipating the warmth of his lips — and when it came, it was even more beautiful than you had ever dreamed.
A soft sigh escaped your lips as you returned the kiss.
When he finally pulled away, his arms still held your waist tightly against him.
"Ti amo, Y/N... I have for so long now," he murmured. "But I was afraid to tell you. Ever since I heard that song last week, I couldn't help but think it was the perfect description of my feelings for you."
"I love you too, Cardinal Copia..." you whispered, a single tear escaping your eye. He brushed it away gently with his thumb before kissing you again.
Chuckling, you said, "Could you please translate the whole song for me? And after that... maybe sing it to me again?"
Copia smiled, pressing a kiss to your forehead. "Of course I will. And I'll tell you those words every single day to come."
-END-