Trinity Blood Fan Fiction ❯ Our Little Secret ❯ A Time to Laugh and a Time to Cry ( Chapter 4 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Okay, some of you liked my little story about Leon in the last chapter and some of you didn’t. Most, however, did like it. Therefore, I’ve decided to write a separate story in which Leon is the main attraction sometime in the future, but not until after I finish this one. I would probably get confused and mix content from the two stories. I wanted a bit more humor while they were still in the Vatican, hence the last chapter and some of the events from this one. Please don’t flame me, I tried. If these two chapters don’t make you at least smile, then I will hang up my hat and stick to romance from now on.

Ps: The humor is dialed way down in this one, but I still think it’s funny, so there. (Author sticks her tongue out at those who hate her comedy.) Enjoy those funny parts, because before you finish reading this, there will be a time when you will feel like shedding a few tears. I warned you. You still don’t believe me, fine then, by all means, read on.

The group looked at Esther as if she was gold. Leon was never one to be in any kind of silly situations, not like Abel. Abel was especially curious to know what the Spanish priest felt was so embarrassing that he had to hide it.

“Please Esther; won’t you give us just the teeniest hint? What in the world is Leon trying to hide?” Abel looked at Leon, only to be met by the coldest stare imaginable. He gulped and diverted his eyes away so as not to provoke Father Leon any further. He knew full well, that when faced with situations like this, it was not a good idea to go poking the bear with a proverbial stick.

The professor, on the other hand, was seemingly not aware of this very important rule. “Yes Esther, please do tell us. I can only imagine what kind of predicament Leon could have gotten himself into.”

Father Vaclav expressed his eagerness as well to hear the juicy details of Leon’s embarrassment. “I too would be more than eager to hear of this interesting turn of events.”

“Hey, aren’t we supposed to be here visiting a sick patient!? So visit him already and get off my back, okay!?” Leon was extremely angry by all the stares and the snickers he was getting after this little outburst, and it showed. Even Esther had begun to chuckle a little. “Esther, why the hell are you laughing? Unless you want me to reveal our little secret I suggest you stifle it.”

“Alright!! That’s enough!” Lady Caterina was just barely able to keep a straight face as she brought order to the room. “We will have none of this; we are here to visit one of our own. Let’s give him our full attention.”

Abel looked around the room yet again. A pretty blush had once again crept into his usually stark, white face. He hated being the center of attention. “Um, you guys don’t have to stay here if you don’t want. I’m perfectly alright, really.”

“Don’t be silly my boy. We are your friends and we are only concerned for your health and well-being. Besides, you will need someone to help you get out of this dank hospital room and into the mess.”

Father Wordsworth’s words rang true to Abel, as he pondered just what they would be serving in the mess hall. It seemed as though he were always thinking of food, even in the face of such situations as this.

“Come Abel, let me help you up.” Father Vaclav walked over to the injured priest and put his arm around Abel’s shoulder. As Abel arose, he felt a rush from standing too quickly and he began to fall over.

“Oh no you don’t, not this time four eyes.” Abel would have pulled Father Vaclav over with him, but Leon was too quick for that. He ran over to their side and helped Father Vaclav hold up the woozy priest.

Father Vaclav looked down at the now pale face of poor Abel. “See my friend; you are not yet ready for active duty. Best to take things slow for now.”

“Let’s go see what kind of gruel they’re serving in the mess hall. Whatever it is it has to be better than this hospital food, huh Abel?”

Abel turned his head to the priest standing on his left. He nodded and said to Father Leon, “Yes, I thought I was going to starve to death in here. I tried several times to sneak out, but that beast of a nurse caught me every time. She threatened to tie my wrists to the bed if I didn’t stay put.”

Everyone glanced at the nurse as they walked out of the room. She gave them all a little wink as they left. They all new that it was against the rules for the nursing staff to threaten any patient with restraints, then again, Abel probably would have deserved it. Hell, there were those times that some of them wished that they could tie up the bumbling fool.

He always wreaks so much havoc when he’s having those clumsy little moments. Once when Father Vaclav was trying to recalibrate one of the two weapons that he had sitting on his desk, Abel came bounding into the room yelling something about Sister Kate being after him.

Abel had walked into her room by mistake on the way to his own, which was across the courtyard in the men’s wing of the dormitories. Upon entering, he at once realized that he was in the wrong room when he noticed a scantily clad nun standing in front of him. She had just gotten out of the shower. She was in the process of donning her nun’s robes when Abel barged in without knocking.

Abel just stood there staring at her, his mind racing with semi dirty thoughts. He was still a man after all, he knew he had to guard those thoughts, but wow, she was kind of pretty; and she wasn’t in her holographic form either, which made her look even more so. She wasn’t as lovely as Esther, but he always had a fondness for blondes.

Luckily, Kate mistook the lecherous stare that Abel had been giving her for shock. She quickly put on her robe and stared at Abel with eyes filled with murderous intent. Abel looked up from what he had been staring at just in time to see the look in her eyes. He backed off and tried to explain that it was an accident. Kate yelled at him that he had better run.

Abel ran screaming down the corridor begging her to forgive him. When he reached Vaclav’s office he threw open the door and started trying to explain the reason he was running for his life.

Just then, Sister Kate barged through the door and jumped Abel from behind. He flew forward onto Vaclav’s desk, throwing his weapons to the floor, causing one of them to dislodge a bullet that had been caught in its chamber. A window was shattered, a bone in Abel’s rib cage had cracked, and poor Father Vaclav had to start his recalibration all over again.

As the group neared the mess hall, Abel’s mood perked up a bit. He could smell the deliciousness surrounding the entrance to his favorite place in all of the Vatican. Food was all his hungry mind had a thought for at the moment.

That is until he and Esther reached for a tray at the same time. Their hands touched, and for a moment all else seemed to fade away. They stood their looking into each other’s eyes, holding hands for what seemed like an eternity, but were more like a few short seconds.

They could have stood there like that all day, but Leon noticed the couple holding hands and ahemed them until they finally looked up and noticed him standing behind them. “Excuse me lovebirds, but I was hoping I could get my tray and get some dinner sometime today.”

“What, l-lovebirds, we aren’t…..” Abel’s voice rose a bit louder than he wanted. Everyone turned to stare at the blushing nun and her equally blushing priest.

“Come on Abel I was only joking, lighten up. Jeez you look like your about to have a meltdown. Go sit down at the table and I’ll bring your food over to you.”

“Huh, oh yeah, just make sure you pile it high, okay?” Abel walked over to the table, supported by his favorite beauty. Esther helped him into one of the benches then walked back over to the table so she could grab a tray.

Walking over to where Leon stood piling a plate to the sky with all sorts of disgusting gruel, Esther whispered to him, “You really shouldn’t say things like that to upset Father Abel when he’s injured like this you know. He gets so worked up over the simplest little thing.”

Leon watched her from the corner of his eye, then whispered back, “I noticed you had turned just as red as Father four eyes over there. Is there something between you two that I should know about?”

Esther glanced at the priest, and then she tried to turn her head away to hide her blush. “Why would you be asking me a question like that? Are you jealous or something? There is nothing going on between Father Nightroad and I.”

“Leon set down his plate and grabbed her arm to make her look at him. “I hope, for both your sakes, that that’s true. Do you have any idea what they do to members of the clergy who don’t hold true to their vows?”

Esther shook her head no. “They call them heretics and throw them into jail until their trial before the Cardinals. If they ever even have a trial, half the time they put up so much red tape that the so-called ‘heretic’ just rots away in jail for the rest of their life. You don’t even want to know what happens if your found guilty by the inquisition. Just tread carefully Esther.”

Then he let go of her arm and turned back to the job of getting enough food to fill the never-ending void that is Abel’s hunger. “I’m telling you Father, nothing has ever happened between us.”

Leon glanced back her way. “Good, just make sure that it doesn’t. Be careful Esther, I don’t think that you get just how cruel Francesco and the other Cardinals can be.”

The whole time that they were speaking in hushed whispers a pair of blue eyes were watching them. ‘What’s going on over there? What are they whispering about and why did he just grab her arm like that? She was blushing, could she have a crush on Leon?’ Abel watched as the two AX agents walked over to where he sat.

Esther sat on the far end of the table so as not to draw attention to the incident that occurred earlier. ‘She usually sits next to me, but this time she stayed farther away. I don’t understand why she would not sit by me; does she really have feelings for Leon? If so then what was in her eyes just now when we touched hands? I must have just imagined it, but it looked like her eyes were filled with love.’

Abel glared at Leon as he sat the plate of food down in front of him. “Wow, tough room. I guess you’re mad at me for that comment I made earlier, huh? It was just meant to be a joke.” Then he spoke in a whisper only Abel could hear. “Sorry Abel, I wouldn’t have said it if I knew you had a thing for Esther.” Abel gasped when he heard this. Someone had found out his secret love. He decided he would just try ignoring the priest. He raised his fork and slowly began to eat.

“Well, I guess I better go get some for myself.” Leon walked back over to get yet another tray to fill with his own food. His arm was hurting a little from carrying that huge plate of food for Abel. He glanced back at the oblivious couple and wondered how long it would take them to figure it out. ‘I hope they know what they’re doing.’

Cardinal Caterina looked over at the table where the two of them sat. She noticed how far away Esther sat from the priest and she smiled inwardly. ‘They’re trying so hard to hide their attraction. As long as they don’t give into their feelings, there should be no problem. At least I hope not, my brother would love nothing more than to see some of my most trusted AX members hunted by the inquisitorial department.’

She also noticed that Abel was eating slower than usual, in fact, he was almost picking at his food. She got up and walked over to her friend. “Abel, how are you feeling? You look like your barely touching your food. That’s concerning for any man, but especially for you. Usually, your stomach is a bottomless pit.”

She reached out her hand to touch the priest's face. He didn’t feel like he had a temperature, but she was still concerned. Esther watched all of this with a pang of jealousy. She didn't like when Cardinal Caterina and Abel had these kinds of moments together.

“Don’t worry about me your Eminence. I just have a few things on my mind, like this mission we’re supposed to be on. Here I am trying to recuperate, and all the while, there could be another attempt on his holiness’ life. It’s just so frustrating.”

“Yes Abel, I’m all too aware of this. My brother is so frightened by the attempt on his life and Francesco is not making it any easier on him. He keeps telling him of all the dangers of going out into the gardens on his own, and that an assassin could be lurking in every shadow. I know my brother is concerned for his Holiness’ well-being; however, he’s making my poor little brother even afraid of his own shadow.”

When Esther heard this, she at once felt guilty for those feelings of jealousy she had towards the Cardinal. She rose up to walk over to where the Cardinal stood. “Cardinal Caterina, we are all here for you as well as his Holiness the Pope.” Esther reached out to grab Caterina’s hand.

Caterina stared at her in shock. None of the other nuns had ever done something so kind for her before. They always kept their distance only to speak to her of matters concerning the AX. They never tried to comfort her like this before.

Tears began to well up in her eyes. “T-thank you Esther, this is such a kind gesture.” Seeing that tears had now begun to run down the blonde’s cheek, Esther leaned in and pulled her into her embrace.

“If this is against the rules feel free to punish me later, but right now, I think you’re in desperate need of a hug.”

Everyone in the room was silent as the usually stoic Cardinal let her guard down. She wept into Esther’s shoulder, her cries reverberating on the walls. No one in the AX, with the exception of Abel, had ever seen or heard her cry.

All was silent when she was finally able to reign in her tears. All except for one, small voice which was barely audible.

“Sister, are you alright? Why were you crying?” Caterina dried her tears before turning to her beloved brother. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him. She whispered in his ear that there was nothing wrong and gave him a kiss on the top of his head.

There was not a dry eye among any of the AX members that witnessed this. Hearing Cardinal Caterina cry like that and seeing the embrace between the siblings that transpired afterwards, everyone in the room was awestruck.

“Sister, are you sure you’re alright? You never hug me like this. Did something happen?” Alessandro pulled away from his older sister to see the usually cold, stoic stare she wore had softened into a different look. His mother had always given him that look when she sang to him and tucked him into bed. Alessandro looked into his sisters watery eyes with teary eyes of his own.

“I just had to give my favorite brother a hug. Is there something wrong with that?”

Alessandro shook his head no, and then he buried his face into his sisters Cardinal robes. “T-this is the way my mother would always hug me. Sister, I miss my mother so much.” Alessandro was not the best at keeping his emotions as stoic as that of his older siblings. Softly, he began to cry.

As all of this was transpiring, Francesco walked into the room through a back door. He arrived sometime in between Caterina’s musing of why Esther and Abel were not sitting next to each other and Esther and Caterina’s hug.

“Caterina, what are you doing codling him like that!?” Then he turned to his younger brother. “You’re not a baby anymore; act more like a man, not a child. You are the Pope; you have all of Rome looking to you for guidance, and here you are, crying like a little baby. As for you dear sister, I will talk to you later about this! In future, I demand that you refrain from showing those kinds of emotions in front of his Holiness!”

“Don’t show emotion!? Do you expect everyone in the world to be as coldhearted as you!? And for your information, this is the first time that any of us has ever seen her Eminence show these kinds of emotions! We can’t all be emotionless bastards, can we!?” Leon was livid by the unfeeling comments that this bastard Cardinal was yelling.

Before he could get a response or chastisement by said bastard, Caterina spoke up against Leon’s insubordinate behavior. “Father Leon, no matter how much of an ass my brother can be at times, you will show your superiors the proper respect. If you had any plans for tonight, I suggest you cancel them. You will be cleaning the sanctuary from top to bottom all day.”

Francesco stormed over to the two of them and grabbed Alessandro by the back of his shirt.

“Come with me your Holiness, you have work to do.” As he dragged the poor young Pope out of the doorway and into the corridor, he poked his head back inside to address Father Leon. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you criminal. I will have my own punishment for your insolence later.”

“Francesco, it’s my job to punish my AX members, I don’t go poking my nose into the inquisitorial department, do I?” She glared at her brother with indignant anger.

“Very well Caterina, but you had better keep a tighter leash on that one.” He popped his head back out of the door quickly, so as not to be pummeled by the disgusting food they insisted on serving here. By the stares that the AX members and his sister were giving him, he wouldn’t put it past them.

“The nerve of that guy. Your eminence, are you alright now?” Esther looked around the room to see that everyone had the same mind set as she. They were all angry at Cardinal Francesco’s outburst and concerned for her Eminence.

“Yes Esther, I’m fine. I want to see you in my office tomorrow, there’s a matter I wish to discuss with you." Caterina turned towards the door and started out into the hallway. “Yes your eminence, I’ll come to your office first thing in the morning.”

Then she turned back and addressed Leon. "Father Leon, you know where I stand when it comes to insubordinance. Just the same, thank you for defending me to Francesco." Leon was almost speechless; he had never once heard her say thank you before, certainly not to him. "You're welcome, you know we would do anything for you."

"Yes I know." At that time she walked out the door and down the hall towards her office. Thoughts of the day and the kind gestures shown her by the members of her AX team filled her mind. Her most loyal and most trusted friends would always be there for her, even in times such as this.


Oooh, what’s this, why does her eminence want to talk to Esther? Maybe she wants to tell her, ‘Keep your hands off of Abel, he’s mine.’ Who knows, and you guys won’t know until the next chapter. So what did you think? I know I’m going to get some grief for that bit about Kate, but I wanted something funny to lighten the mood before that crying fit by Caterina and those asinine comments of the bastard Cardinal. You went from loving him in the second chapter to hating him in this one. Personally, I like him better this way, he’s not as OOC. Well, he wouldn’t change over night, would he? Maybe he’ll have a chance to show how much he really cares for his brother later. I’ll probably have to kill off the Pope before Francesco finally agrees to get off his high horse; or maybe I'll just rip him off the horsie myself. He does love his brother; he just doesn’t know how to show it. I guess his mommy never hugged him the way Caterina hugged Alessandro. Please review.

Ps: I loved writing the part about Caterina melting down. She can’t be calm and collected all of the time. The only time we see her otherwise is when she’s scared because the vampires just attacked her home and killed her family. That was so sweet when Abel came to rescue her. Who here wants to be rescued by Abel? Stay with me all the way through to the last chapter; if you guys can put yourselves in Esther’s shoes you just might get the chance for him to rescue you. It won’t come for a while, so don’t worry; this story is far from over.