The Frist Kiss 🥀 | 19/11/24

oes he also fancy wine ... ?

Oh he does. If he gets the wine kisses then?

. . . ( negotiable ) . yes—

"Can i get one now...?"

a stare with widened eyes will meet the other . Of course he was fooling around but - the question caught him off guard .

oh, w- well . . .

he'll nervously chuckle .

"You look like if I wanna eat you.. Just a small little kiss." He said, oh the wolf in him was longing and he stepped a little closer.

That was rather unexpected-- ? Gio was staring , unsure of what to do. Well, when was the last time they had a proper interaction without the worry of everything they're involved with ?

who would've thought the cardinal can be bashful?

He chuckled again .

nervously .

“ i- . . . ahm . ”

He felt how nervous he was and so he got an idea. "It's your birthday that's my gift for you. So, close your eyes.. And trust me. Do you?" He gently touched his suit jacket looking into his eyes.

. . . I never told you that. ”

who told Peter it's his day? He's staring curiously as much as he is becoming more shy . such rare occasions of him being humane. . .

“ I- I don't think I ever told you -- ah, — haha— ”

he stupidly chuckled, looking down in shyness.

But is he kidding? Peter is fooling around, yes ?

Not his present self told him this, indeed he never did but his past self. And now he saw a glimpse of that one in him. Softly he cupped his cheek.

"A beautiful man with a pony tale.. I used to sit often at night on the fire place, laughing, chuckling with a glass of wine." Remember the watch you have gifted me? Sometimes i wish you would remember me a little." That's when he used the chance of surprise and placed a small but soft brief kiss against his lips.

"Happy Birthday, Gio." He whispered meeting his gaze with his Vagulf eyes. They always showed when he had too many emotions.

He was babbling words out of the small surprise. Then , his voice faded to silence when he heard what he said.

then, he felt his... lips .

he wasn't fooling around...

. . .

   . . . ? to his little. . . present .

he uses the watch . . .

Peter uses the watch . . . 

    . . . he really cares ?

maybe, somehow, Peter had brought the doctor out and not the priest. He wasn't wrong; after all, hes just nothing but a dead doctor behind that holy facade. . . .

       he was silent .

       w- what . . .

did they just -- 

       did ( they ) just -- ?!

The cardinal's lips parted but did not uttered another word. Blinking several times, Peter surely would see his surprise .

    He was too . . . stunned .

Yes, he cares a lot, he always had and he had always wanted Gio to be part of his life no matter in which form. Gently he brushed over his hair on his side and kissed his forehead. 

"I didn't wanted to kiss your past self first. It hadn't been right. In the end we are here and I wanted to give you this gift. It belonged to you." He said and made now a step away so Gio could adjust himself again." Sometimes I even don't know if you want to have my affection. Your past self does. I look at you and I do see you. I see you.. I want that you know this. As much as you see me." Gently he touched his own collar and sigehd. "Yes, we are part of this, these clothes and everything we in there together, but in the end we are who we are. You are Gio the man I also know from the past and I am Peter... I can be myself with you two. Thats a gift." Soft blue eyes meeting his. "Tell me, how do you wanna spend your birthday with me? Tonight I will travel to your other self. But right now... tell me how do you wanna spend this day with me and I will make it happen."

Peter always cared . . . oh, he knew he did and yet he's still so scared of ever admitting he did cared ( too ) .

He always . . . wanted to let the other know him ; see him . Hence, the watch . He knew pulling Peter closer to the gravities of his present will hurt him .

Maybe , in the past , he can be there for him the way that Peter is there for him in the present.

Maybe, somewhere else.

he too, had always loved the wolf.

but then , an interruption .

    Peter's words were interrupted as a firm hand held on his arm with an unusual gentleness from the cardinal. then ,

the wolf was pulled close without another thought. Gio leaned close, pressing their lips together again, his eyes shut. But then he politely inched away his face, eyes opened to search his cerulean hues.

He didn't had to stop.

He wanted to know that-- the doctor was there, too.

He wasn't prepared for this pull, suddenly it was Gio who grabbed him and when this did happened Peter first didnt know how to respond, his lips they he kissed him felt so good. And is heart and soul had ached for this too long and now when it happened and Gio pulled away, looking ino his eyes as he did in this moment he had to adjust himself for a moment. He saw the doctor too, waiting longing. It was like the past and present time were merging together for this special moment.

And that's when he lunged again forward and kissed him, wrapping one arm around his waist to keep him close. The kiss was long waited between them and Peter wanted that he would feel him. Then he let go off his lips and pressed his nose into his neck. 

"I see you, I feel you. Both of you." His doctor, his Gio.

The cardinal didn't spoke but his gaze remained soft. An unusual sight, it is. But as his lips was favoured, he couldn't help but softly exhaled and allowed the other. He'll lean in to his kiss, reciprocating the gesture himself; his other hand carefully slid to his back, holding him close as he did. He can't help but to allow a tear to roll from his eye.

And all this, from a harmless joke. He never thought Peter would still be serious, after all those years he tried to push him away.

and now he failed to.

Maybe, just— maybe, Peter might get an odd shift of the presence he was holding.

a strong scent of rose and summer breeze, and a silent cardinal in his hold.

 “ . . . after all this time? ”

a nervous question came from a gentle voice.

pale, lifeless eyes stared down at him, strands of hair misplaced and covering his eyes while his long, brunette hair was poorly held together by a loose ribbon to tie it.

bruised lips, and signs of beating present on his neck and cheek.

The doctor stood there wearing the black robes of the . . . Sistine ?

it felt like a hallucination; the doctor and the priest merged in one —

ah. the coldness and haze that surrounded the light from outside the window.

   Giovanni's mind palace.

   finally . a door opened.