Be My Light// Papa Emeritus IV

VII

As I walked through the garden, which contrasted of multiple different flowers; I came across an injured kitten curled up apon the pebbles, who was whining and meowing in pain. The grey skies had already made my day dreary, seeing this adds on to my depressing mood. The flowers and the gray sky juxtaposed. The kitten seems to be albino, its fur a bright shade of white. His glossy red eyes make him look monstrous.

Picking it up gently, I checked its injuries; also learning that its a boy. "You poor thing," I spoke. Exiting the garden holding him closely to my chest. The weather is warm, now its coming close to winter. The cat has missing patches of fur, so I'm sure he's cold.

I made my way into the ministry, searching around for a towel, or blanket of some sort. Ah, here it is. I wrapped the kitten in a towel tightly but not too tight and retreated to my room.

"My, what do we have here?" Inperators voice boomed from behind me as I opened my bedroom door.

"Ah, hello Sister." I smiled, trying not to make the cat obvious. "Its nothing, just a- an injured bird I found. It hurt its wing so, Ill be fixing him up." Im a horrible fucking liar, shit.

"Awh, that poor thing," She tried to move the blanket, which would reveal the cat, but I backed away.

"Id rather you not disturb him, or else he might get- fiesty."

"Ah, farewell my dear. And please, do tell me how he heals later on."

"Will do." Imperator walked off, her heels echoing throughout the halls. Damn, she bought it. I let out a sigh before retreating into my room. Placing the kitten on my bed, I unraveled him from the towel, laying him on his side. His missing patches of fur were red and irritated. What do I do? I panicked for a moment before hearing a gentle knock on my door.

"Tesoro?" Papa.

"Just a minute!" I yelled, which caused the kitten to stress which made him start meowing loudly. "Shh shh!"

"Is everything alright, mia cara?"

"Everything is fine!" I groaned.

"I'm coming in." Papa burst through the door as I struggled to hide the kitten, failing. "Is that a kitten?" I nodded. "Oh my Satan, I've always wanted a kitten!" He exclaimed childishly.

"Careful careful! He's injured. " I stopped Papa from touching him. "We need to take him to the vet."

"Oh! Um, you hold him, I'll drive." Wrapping the kitten in the towel once more, Papa and I retreated out the door and into the car.

20 minutes of driving passed by and we quickly ran into the vet, claiming it was an emergency. "Do we have a name?" I shook my head. The workers immediately took him in and told us to sit in the waiting area.

"I'm quite scared," I admitted. I tend to get overly anxious about things which makes me nauseous.

"I am too, even though I just met the poor guy." Papa agreed. 30 minutes passed by and the vet walked into the room.

"Hello, please follow me." He said, guiding us to the room where the kitten was resting. His left leg in a cast.

"Will he be alright?" I asked.

"He'll be more than alright. Nothing more than a broken leg and scarring from the missing fur, but other than that, he is perfectly healthy."  Unholy shit, thank Satan.

"Oh, thank you so much!" The nausea from being so anxious dissipated.

"I'll prescribe some pain medication and a cone and he'll be on his way." After signing some papers, which made the kitten a "member" of the vet, getting prescription meds, and a plastic cone, we were sent on our way home. He looked happier than ever, Papa I mean.

I held him gently in my arms the whole car ride back to the ministry. He slept delicately in my arms, seemingly he might not have gotten a lot of sleep. It was as if he fit perfectly in my arms.

"We need a name," I placed him down gently onto my bed, watching him get comfortable. He struggled to walk with his new cast and cone, but he looked like a dork when he walked.

"Zero," Papa blurted out.

"Oh my Satan, Genesis." I squealed.

"Beelzebub."

"Ooh I like that. What about Asmodeus?" I raised a brow.

"Yep, its settled. Asmodeus it is," Papa nodded.

"He looks like an Asmodeus."

"Its his eyes." Asmodeus limped around my bed, hitting his cone on nearby obstacles. "I'll tell Sister Alice to order some- cat things."

Of course, Sister Alice went a bit over board with the request. She bought two bags of cat food (or chow), a multitude of different toys, a cat bed, a cat stand (or cat tree), a cage/carrier, a self cleaning litter box, multiple different types of food and water bowls, and different brands of cat treats. Papa and I spent most of the day putting everything together, finding a place to put the cat tree (after arguing who gets it).

We decided that I get the cat tree and one bag of cat chow; both of us splitting the bags because Papa wants to feed him.

"He sleeps in my room," Papa fought.

"I found him." I bounced back.

"Its my ministry!" Papa groaned.

"No its not, its Imperators!" I crossed my arms over my chest.

"So what? I was here first!" Papa threw his head back and ruffled his hair before throwing his hands down to his side.

"Does that really matter?" I shrugged.

"Yes, yes it does."

"Ill get him Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday; you will get him Thursday, Friday, Saturday; and Sunday- I don't know."

"Its fine, you can have him on Sunday. I don't really mind."

"Awh, are you sure?"

"Si, I'm sure." Papa smiled warmly. There he goes again with his eyes, lulling me in once more. "I'm gonna miss this little guy when I leave." Leave?

"When you leave? Leave for what?" Confusion filled my tone of voice. Papa caught on to that, his eyes slowly widened, albeit he tried to hide it. He failed, I could see right through him, like a window.

"Have I not told you?" His voice shaked.

"No no, don't you try and stall. Told me what..?" I sat up straighter.

Papa let out a shaky sigh. "The ghouls and I are leaving to go on tour; for 8 weeks."

"8 weeks are you serious? Oh I'll be bored out of my mind!" 8 weeks seems like a long time, which it is. What shall I do for the remainder of the time Papa is gone? "Have you gone mad?"

"Shh shh, I know; I apologize. I should have told you sooner, cara. But it is done." I could hear the sorrow and shame in his voice. The pure guilt has already begun to take over him.

"I won't speak to you for 8 weeks?" This makes my heart shatter into millions of pieces. Papa and I have gotten closer, what if that falls after tour? What if we go back to what we were before? Barely conversing. Short, simple sentences. I don't want to go back to that.

"You can use the phone?" He suggested. Papas voice was sympathetic.

"Im terrified of that thing. I dont know how to use it." I was never allowed to use the phone growing up, plus it always made loud ringing noises so I never stepped 3 feet towards it.

"I'll teach you how to use it. There is no need to be afraid, mia cara, for that phone will be the reason we still talk."

"Si, thats true."

"See? Everything is going to be a-ok."

"I'll still be missing you."

"And I'll still be missing you too, tesoro."