The Day of the New Faces: X-orcist story.
The Day of the New Faces: X-orcist story.
Previous-
Tw for mentions of loss and religion.
Original Dream by jokublog
Original cross by jakei95
X-orcist au by me and @zu-is-here with the Dream's, Demon's and Desires version being mine.
Synopsis: Cross, the new priest in town, meets and talks to one of the locals. Nothing strange about that, is there?
Happy Halloween yall!
This town had a strange air.
It wasn’t easy to describe.
It wasn't anything anyone had said.
It wasn't anything anyone had done.
It was just there.
As Cross had driven into the town a few short days ago, an off feeling had washed over him.
Perhaps, he'd thought, perhaps it was to do with nerves.
Perhaps it was due to the lack of strongly religious people here.
Perhaps it was part of God's plan for him to be here.
Whatever it was, he was here to do a job now, and he was going to do it well.
His first Sunday sermon.
It was a beautiful old church. Gothic architecture was a truly breath-taking sight. High ceilings with broad arches, vast pointed windows which shimmered like a butterfly’s wing, and old wooden pews, handcrafted and bound. However, despite the size, the room was quite empty. Many stands and shelves were free of the artefacts that once decorated the space. Instead, many had been sold or stolen over the years. One thing that still remained though, was an abundance of old books. Everything from old bibles, to manuals on performing rituals, to guides on weddings and exorcisms. Some privet time sat reading these would be in order for sure.
Cross tried not to let the building nerves bother him, as he walked to the stand. His every footstep created a loud echo through the church. This wasn't something new, these buildings were very open to echoes, but as the people drew quiet, he hated how his footsteps were amplified.
It wasn't all that busy here, but he supposed that was only normal for a small town. Around 15 to 20 people were sitting in the pews, men and women of all ages, some with children. All were watching him closely, as he placed his book down and watched back.
It seemed to be a fairly normal group of people.
He swallowed his nerves and cleared his throat.
"Good morning, I'm Cross and I'll be taking the service today"
You could have heard a pin drop.
The crowd hardly seemed to care about his presence. In the past, he'd been given much warmer welcomes. A friendly hello, an introduction even.
Then again, that's not what the job was about. He glanced over to his new coworker, Error again, only to be given a disapproving stare. Could these people tell that Cross had a weird feeling about them? Were they staring at his scar? Would his black robes have been better than the white ones?
Come on now…best to press on.
He'd opened his mouth to speak when the church doors were opened loudly. Another skeleton walked in, with their eyes locked on the ground. Cross couldn't tell if they were male or female, as they kept their head down and a thick yellow scarf was wrapped around their neck.
Whoever they were, they most certainly weren't dressed for church, as they almost looked like they had just crawled out of a gutter. Trouser legs damp from mud, and jacket grass stained across the sides.
Most people turned their heads to the stranger, as the doors shut themselves with a loud thud.
The stranger said nothing and made their way to the back pew and sat down in silence.
The atmosphere in the church felt strangely colder as they did, but Cross shook it off and started with the Sunday sermon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For the first one that he had done in the while, the whole thing went all quite well.
Despite his best efforts, Cross couldn't help but be distracted by the mysterious latecomer. Throughout the whole service, they kept their face turned to the ground and seemed to hardly move a muscle. Cross wasn't sure if he was imagining this, but he was almost sure they were as still as a statue.
Even as they said their final prayer and everyone started to filter out, they remained where they were.
"...."
"Error...who is that?" he finally asked, when Error came over to blow out the candles.
She simply rolled her eyes.
"That's Dream, him and his brother have lived in this town since they were kids"
Cross looked back at Dream, who was still sitting still.
"Is... Is he OK, do you think?"
Error glanced over before turning back to the candles.
"Neither of those twins was ok... Anomalies both of them"
"Right...." Cross replied, not really putting much stock in the words.
If there was one thing he'd learnt about Error, is that she was quite judgy about the members of the community, dubbing anyone who didn't meet her standards as an 'anomaly' who god should erase. He'd met many like her in the different churches he'd worked in, each more hypocritical than the last.
"I mean... He's not looking great..." He said, still watching as Dream sat stiffly.
Error gave a loud and audible sigh.
"He's been off ever since his brother passed away, but frankly I say good riddance…".
Cross closed his bible.
"Error that's awful of you".
The irritated woman didn't seem to care and finished putting out the candles.
"I'm just saying...."
"He and his brother were a little too close... If you know what I mean".
And with that, she walked into the back.
Cross, however, didn't follow. He just looked back at Dream. He was sure that Error must have been exaggerating that. What she was implying sounded like a childish rumour to him.
Whenever siblings were close people considered it weird, and made jokes.
Cross didn't have a great relationship with his family, but he could still imagine how devastating it might be to lose a twin brother.
From the state he was in, Cross figured that his brother's death must have been recent and he was clearly struggling with it. Loss in any form was a hard thing to deal with. Cross had been there.
The pain never truly goes away, it just becomes one you can live with.
"......"
Carefully, he decided to approach him, to maybe offer some support in this difficult time. It was kind of his job after all.
As he got closer, Dream still hardly moved.
"...."
He stood next to the pew for a few moments, waiting for Dream to acknowledge him in any way. When he didn't, Cross cleared his throat.
"Uh... Hi... How's it going there?" He said.
Dream turned his head to look at Cross and as he did, it became clear how much of a bad state he was in. His face was shadowed and seemed sunken, even for a skeleton. His clothes were even more thread-bear up close, and his mouth seemed to almost have a black stain around it as if he hadn't brushed his teeth in a long time.
But the most memorable thing about his appearance was his eyes. They were a bright and piercing yellow, almost like a vicious snake would have.
"Well... Hello, Mr Priest" he said before tilting his head to the side, causing his neck to crack slightly.
"How may I help you?"
Dream's voice was strange, it sounded polite, but horse and strained, and his movements were jagged and uncanny, he wasn't sure why but they just felt off.
Dream must have been tired, something that the bags under his eyes confirmed. That must have been it, a lack of sleep does a lot to the body.
"Uh... I... I just saw you sitting in the back and wanted to make sure you were alright.."
Dream smiled forcefully sweet and a laugh left his mouth.
"Oh yes... My brother and I always used to sit at the back".
Oh…ouch…poor guy.
Cross gave him a look of sympathy. Everything about this man was a little odd, but grief was a tricky thing, it only made sense that he was acting strange.
"Yeah…I heard about him," Cross said in a softened tone, sitting next to him.
"I'm truly sorry for your loss, what happened?"
"Hit by a car". The yellow-eyed skeleton said in a distant voice. "We'd fought that night and then the car…."
He flinched.
He twitched.
"No more brother, just me"
"In the dark".
Cross nodded, taking in every word. Despite the feeling of tension he got from being near him, that didn't mean that he couldn't try and understand….in some way.
"That sounds horrible, I can understand why it would be hard."
Twitch.
"Your concern is just lovely Mr Priest." Replied Dream slowly, emphasising every word.
"Everything is fine with me, we are just getting on with things"
The skeleton got to his feet slowly and fixed his scarf higher.
"No need to dwell"
He took a few steps away from Cross, approaching the door.
"Because you know…..the dead never truly leave us... " The smile that Dream hit him with sent a chill up his spine, the bright eyes locked with his. A part of him wondered if this was what it was like to lock eyes with a gorgon and feel yourself freeze.
"We'll be seeing each other again I'm sure!" Dream said, chippering his voice:
"It's always nice to make new friends!".
With that, just as he'd arrived he slipped out of the church doors, letting them close with a thud.
This town still had a strange vibe….
This room felt strangely off now…
Cross was left with an odd feeling of raising bile in his throat. He cleared it and walked to the window. Dream was still standing outside, his head turned to the right, eyes locked on the graveyard.
"......"
Cross turned away. It felt wrong to watch a person in such extreme grief.
Cross only hoped he'd be able to help him overcome it.
Glancing through the window once more, he shivered.
Dream was gone.
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the fluorescent lights are not a welcomed invasion to her doe eyes, yet - they’re still wide & observant as ever. she hadn’t really thought too much about what her duties would be, when she took on such a role. yet, somehow she hadn’t expected to have fingers curled ‘round the tepid handle of a shopping cart. peering around a store dripping with civilian life, & normalcy. untouched by the diplomacy or structure of the world they live in. adjacent to them, yet somehow on a completely separate plain. veil & habit concealing her for the most part, she’s gotten a few looks. but the cardinal always treats her well.
she suspects people have the wrong idea, about cardinal copia. she remembers meeting him, for the first time. the way she’d been taken with him. so many had described him in such a manner that gave her pause, before. a cold, neurotic, & freakish man - perhaps awkward.. she knows because her ears are always open, of course. she’s unseen, unheard.... & ever present... yet, it’s like she’s always been able to see inside of his soul. perhaps it’s her intuition, or the way he looks at her - or the way in which she knows him, just a tad more intimately than the other girls... as they have been given assignments together more frequently than the others, around the abbey. obviously, papa emeritus the third was a charming enough fellow. very boisterous, & handsome. many of the girls were quite smitten. though, the cardinal has a sort of charm of his very own. one that appeals more, to her. she finds him quite endearing, actually. the other sisters have teased her, over it - yet, they’re all appreciative of his treatment. & nobody is put off, when he visits the nunnery.
they’re together again, today. they had finished their shopping, and are walking, together to the car they shared. he’s been quite pleasant, today, as usual. he’s a bit nervous - & she doesn’t quite know why. however, she suspects that it’s because of the environment. of course, this is far from the first errand they’ve run outside of the abbey. however, again, she knows the cardinal doesn’t like to be gawked at. he seems a bit more reserved, than usual, out & about. she can sense it at it’s peak, whilst they load the car. the people are aplenty outside, & she can tell he’s just about had it. however, despite this, he doesn’t snap at her. thankful, for her own anxiety is frayed, like an exposed wire. but, she feels like she might be able to calm down, as they climb inside. they were alone now, after all. him driving, of course. yet, when he slides the key into the ignition, the starter does not budge..
she’s frozen, for a moment - lips parted. big eyes wide, as she looks over, at him. all cheekbones & big, hazel eyes. head turning round her neck, as to not make him feel like she’s staring. like she’s expectant, of him. though she can tell he’s unravelling, from the first rattle of the vehicle. eyes flickering minutely. scared, but most of all - worried. she doesn’t want him to be upset. she’s never wanted that. & he’s becoming red in the face. panicked, as he continues to turn the key. “cardinal?” she coos - & while she doesn’t know what instinct it came from (if not genuine care & concern), she reaches over to his knee & places her palm upon it. reassuringly soft. “cardinal..” she tries, softly, again - chin lowered. big, nurturing eyes reaching for him. “hey - it’s alright. why don’t we take a moment, okay?” she gives him a soft, closed lipped smile. thumb brushing his slacks, as she squeezes gently. proceeding a reassuring nod. he’s working himself up... yet, she’s trying to be delicate. not to shame him, for being overwhelmed. “why don’t you take some deep breaths? you’ll be able to think more clearly.” she tells him. twisting, to be more personable. “i’m right here, okay?” honestly, she’s on autopilot. she’s not sure how he’ll respond, however she trusts him implicitly. somehow, someway. she knows the last thing he’d do is harm her.
@xorcists / / heavily plotted, for cardinal copia
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