[The fact that he just supermurdered Morgana over an agonizingly long period of time and it also almost ended the wholeass France is so funny HE REALLY JUST DID ALL OF THE WRONG THINGS POSSIBLE IN HIS ATTEMPTS TO DO RIGHT. Oh Jacopo.
Morgana really got such a raw end of a deal but sometimes misery makes things inescapable even when exit hatches eventually appear. Lucas does not know the extent to which Morgana was out there having a horrible time and also orchestrating her own continued misery in her spite, and that is probably for the best. So many things from his end are so hilariously uncomplicated. It's why he can still do things like WALK ANYWHERE WITHOUT AN OUNCE OF SHAME, and enjoy witnessing all of these little interactions. A lovely place where nothing bad has or will ever happen, indeed.
At some point, between shops and small talk, he'll ask:] How many have come to visit?
[Himself and one other girl, but surely others, if this is a space existing between and beyond times and places. As for the question, when it's posed, he just looks faintly thoughtful despite not really needing to consider his answer.]
I don't really need anything that I was looking at. [Because most of it was for Nadia who isn't even dead yet.] Unless you feel like playing another song on a lute?
[ LUCAS IS FREE AND YET NOT... CAGED... IN A DIFFERENT WAY... Who knows. Well, Jacopo doesn't always understand Lucas' mental landscape. Whether he feels shame or guilt, he only cares that Lucas can assess and decide on reality and truth.
Quietly and dismissive, like he doesn't want to talk about the first visitor much, ]
You're the second.
[ And maybe he'll have more guests in the near future, he doesn't know. To him, they appear without him being aware. Subconscious invitations sound stupid to him, after all. To him, they show up without notice and he has to entertain them.
But he finds that he doesn't hate it. This is his dream after all and he's content spending the warm days with people he cared about. It's perfect that way.
A shrug when Lucas says he doesn't need them and he can surmise that he had been thinking of Nadia. Understandable. He would be hoarding it all until she showed up. The request comes as a surprise, drawing out large eyes from him. ]
[this is one of my favorite jacopo icons he is such a little guy. pinches his cheeks (face)
ALSO IT'S FINE. Is it not the case that everyone is caged in one way or another regardless... At least he's having a good time in his cage. Maybe one day the doors will open and he will be able to access and decide on reality and truth with a clear mind once more, but that is just his Scawwy arc.
That said, since Lucas can pick up on his seeming reluctance to delve into the matter of former visitors in any great detail, he'll stay his curiosity. There's a flicker of it in his expression, but he's rather masterful at shelving it.]
I'm a little surprised... Perhaps the rest will come later, then? [THE REST. Listen people loved hassling Jacopo in Heaven, more will undoubtedly appear. But he'll skim past that so he can enjoy Jacopo's expression instead. Funny little guy.]
Is it so surprising? You play well, and it's been a long time since I've heard you.
[ YOU SAYING THIS AS I THINK ABOUT BEING IN THE LIVESTREAM WITH NAT... READING HIM JUST HEADSHOTTING THE MC WITHOUT A WORD BECAUSE WE WENT OUT OF ORDER. your detox lucas
Hopefully, Lucas understands, though Jacopo in general is someone who likes to keep a lot of things inside and die with them. This especially, her... How she arrived and left, he'd rather keep to himself for now. It wouldn't be respectful and polite to a guest if he were to lament and crumble over someone not even here.
Everything else comes easier, instead. ]
You make it sound like it's inevitable. [ Feigned annoyance and weariness. ] But all right. We can borrow a lute from a troubadour after we pay a visit to that building you're curious about.
[STOP THESE TWO THINGS CAN JUST EXIST CONCURRENTLY IT'S FINE IT'S FINE.......
Lucas does understand, at least. Sometimes there are just things you don't want to talk about. He also has his share of secrets; he doesn't often pry into those that other hold close. Golden rule... Jacopo's really out here like I CAN'T GET MY MENTAL ILLNESS ON MY GUEST who is already mentally ill himself.
He just looks amused over the feigned annoyance and weariness, in any case.]
You're very kind to humor me; thank you, dear. [He does not question why Jacopo doesn't OWN ONE... Lutes just come and go in little pockets of fabricated reality, it's fine. But he'll just nod at that and then move to start heading in the direction of the church! Local church man constantly attracted to churches news at 11.]
It looks like a lovely building even from the outside.
[ HE ISN'T MENTALLY ILL IN THIS CASE, HE JUST YEARNS FOREVER... AND IS INCREDIBLY LONELY... That is too pathetic for anyone to see.
Every time Lucas called him "dear," he felt very small even though he's older than him. That doesn't change here, either, and earns a small frown as usual. As if he wasn't frowning already, but perhaps it's the way the inner corners of his eyebrows twitch.
Anyway, the church is here. It's beautifully built with a mixture of cultures blended together thanks to where this island resides. ]
It is a work of art. [ That is the most he's impressed by. ] They're not holding mass, so we can take a look inside.
[ He gestures up the steps, to the large double doors. ]
[IS HE NOT JUST A BASE LEVEL OF GENERALLY MENTALLY UNWELL!!!!! well i guess perhaps not after going through the spin cycle of reincarnation a few times... or maybe it has made him worse. In either case, Lucas wouldn't judge him for his sad lonely yearning behavior, but it is fair to keep those things private.
Lucas really does have a way of making himself seem like he is so much older than his meager 22-and-change years though, it's so funny. Old of heart and soul... It's because he's so close to being Old Yellered. If he notices anything in Jacopo's expression over the use of his usual endearment, he does not make any move to address it aloud.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS CHURCH.]
Oh! I'd love to...
[Trotting up the steps after him!! He moves to open the doors first because he is EXCITED and will probably walk his way inside regardless of what sight he's met with. WHAT SIGHT IS HE MET WITH.]
[ They both can keep it inside. Jacopo fortunately will never act untoward unless he gets cursed to shit.
It is also due to the lifespan, Jacopo understands, but he's still older than him... While not significant in the amount of years, it should be something? Maybe? But to the church.
Lucas opens the non-pearly white gates. It's the Cattedrale di Monreale, though more humble in art at the moment because the pope hasn't descended upon these lands. There are some echoes of what's to come since Jacopo had lived during the time where this cathedral was transformed by the Holy See.
Jacopo has not much to do, so he stands there with his arms crossed when they walk in, footsteps echoing in the high ceiling space. It is an incredibly holy sight, but he feels nothing aside from general admiration for what mankind built. ]
SHOULD IT BE SOMETHING. Maybe. It's fine, sometimes a guy's just spiritually old. TO THE CHURCH. Cathedrals are so beautiful and hashtag aesthetic, it's incredibly rude.
Jacopo can stand there and feel nothing outside of the general admiration for what mankind built, but Lucas, being an extremely religious person just in general, is absolutely moved by the architecture and overwhelming AURA this building has. Despite his general tendency to be vibrant and teasing, he also falls into the hush and awe of a church setting with ease.
He'll take the chance to just kind of wander up the aisles, looking at the high arches and beautiful windows. Even with less art because of the lack of pope, the building itself is grand in that way that just inspires silence. Architects and ye olde construction workers were wild man. Eventually, as he reaches out to lightly touch a pew, he'll speak.]
...It's gorgeous... Our churches are nothing like this. I don't think I would ever leave, if they were.
[It's because they do not have the kind of population that needs so much damn church in one church, nor do they have the kind of religious history and marriage between religion and ruling power that led to extravagant cathedrals becoming a thing, but he does not know that and is thus mostly just envious in a nonserious way.]
[ Churches and cathedrals truly aura farm to hell. Christianity's impact to the arts probably can never be overstated, which Jacopo understands yet still has not found God in such a holy place. The sound the polished tiled floors emit with each tap of their soles, the weight of the air which carries a scent of gold-coated brass and weathered granite, and the light that filters through the few high windows do give an awe-inspiring sight.
What art of the saints and the savior depict a story and perhaps... Some of their eyes are fixated on the followers. For in this house, everyone is part of one body. This is lost on Jacopo, who is non-religious, but he does feel that there is something to holy places despite desecrating them before for profit. Nothing is indisputably sacred to him, but he gets it in spirit. ]
Maybe if you begged the clergy, they'd let you stay even though you look far from being impoverished and needy right now.
[ He does remember seeing Lucas at his worst... Most a memory that Lucas doesn't remember and claim isn't his. Jacopo follows, keeping his hands to himself. ]
Honestly, this place looks more like a treasure trove than a place of worship to me.
[ While this memory cathedral hasn't transformed into the beast of Sicilian architecture, it is still... Grand. Beyond is the mosaic of the savior though the earliest attempt at mosaic art, mister Jesus Christ of disputable race. He's a brunette, though. Under him, a couple of his followers and a few known Saints are etched in. Greek is written at the peak of this mural.
I think the royal family should have weaponized faith. Their shortsightedness costed them. ]
[WHY DO THEY NEED THIS MUCH AURA FOR (there's god involved) maybe so... Maybe so......... Christianity has done much harm so the least we can do is co-opt its aesthetic for unholy sacrilegious purposes.
Jacopo's really out here having Religious Lite experiences. Just the awe of any grandiose and cool-lookin' building without feeling the EYES OF GOD upon him. Lucas just laughs, lifting his hand from the pew to wave it in gentle dismissal even though they are both joking.]
I don't believe I've ever looked needy enough to be taken in by the clergy. [Well. Arguable, but it's true that even when he was on the run he still dressed like a person from Chedis. A noble with a dirtyass cloak but still someone from Chedis.
BUT, there's some amusement over the remark. A TREASURE TROVE. It's true...]
It does feel like a presentation of some sort, though I think the grandiosity adds to a sense of divinity. [He and so many other people. He'll stop for a bit below the mosaic art, looking over the writing and the depiction. He still does not know who Jesus is.
THEY REALLY SHOULD HAVE THOUGH GOD THE ROYALS ARE SO STUPID.]
Is that a custom of the faith here? I'd like to try, certainly.
[ Whatever he believes in the supernatural is superficial, despite being a walking testament to powers beyond. He has never met god until... Well... He went to another Heaven, likewise never meant the devil... Until one Satan crashed that Heaven. It's hard to stay religious seeing two teenagers beef it in the church.
All men are just men under the eyes of god. Jacopo only raises his eyebrows at Lucas' dismissal. Sorry, he still thinks you can be pathetic enough to be taken in. ]
The religion here often talks about freeing yourself from worldly desires, but you see places of worship dressed up and down like this.
[ Should holiness be defined in such a way? By mortal eyes and depictions? Well, he supposes there's no other way for them to build. They can only build within the scope of their understanding.
He waves him to follow and takes a path to the side of the church, away from the nave. There's a small fountain here. ]
It is, yes. The water is blessed by the clergy and used for sacraments. It's supposed to purify you.
[IT IS HARD... Lucas fortunately comes from a reality in which there are many gods and not just one, so he's fine just looking at Alex and Jonas and being like "this specific Heaven sure has its quirks" and maintaining his absolute awe for the more distant, colder gods he keeps inviting into his life that may or may not even be real. Probably at least one is real but which one? A good question.
DON'T JUST RAISE YOUR BROWS AT HIM THOUGH listen here. He is, but Jacopo doesn't have to point it out or not allow Lucas to escape into the comfort of denial.]
One can hardly free oneself from worldly desires when they reside within that world. I think that's quite a silly doctrine... As long as a person does no harm to others, they ought to be free to live their lives in what way they see fit. [Lucas from the faith of "god says day drinking is okay" WOULD think that.
But he'll follow along after, glancing to and fro as they go, taking in the details both big and small of the impressive architecture. SOAKIN IN THOSE CHURCH VIBES...]
Will you guide me, then? [Guide him in this magic purified water sprinkling, Reverend Jacopo.] What's the proper way?
[ It must be nice to fortify your cocoon of denial, but Jacopo isn't going to talk about how a man in need doesn't need to be groveling on the floor. He can still be standing tall, come from wealth, and still seem needy to the clergy. ]
It's the doctrine of the Holy here, though the laymen aren't expected to follow it 24/7. In spirit, it's what you strive for.
[ Even the fountain is BEAUTIFUL with its running little water. It just looks like plain water, but apparently it is holy and blessed as all church water is. Jacopo drips his fingertips in the water.
Normally, you would draw a cross onto one's forehead, but he just flicks the water at Lucas' face. ]
Che Dio Onnipotente ti benedica. Nel nome del Padre, e del Figlio, e dello Spirito Santo.
[ Flicks more water at him three times. Begone, demon. Perhaps they shouldn't be playing with holy water. ]
[He is like Mothra, building up a crazyass cocoon so he doesn't fragilely implode every other step he takes...]
Even the most devout do stumble from time to time, so I suppose it's good that the goal itself counts for something seemingly anywhere you look.
[This water is perhaps just normalass water but it comes from a beautiful fountain, at least. Very scenic out here in these hallucinatory halls of this remembered church. Lucas watches Jacopo with some curiosity as he works which means he gets water flicked squarely in the face for that first pass, making a little startled sound that becomes a faint laugh as he holds his hands up to ward off the rest. It's a lighthearted gesture; droplets still manage to hit him, dotting the white of his clothing.
Despite being the human equivalent of a demon, he is not actually supernatural, so any holy water real or imagined doesn't melt his skin from his bones.]
I see, I see! So that's the proper way... Well, I do feel quite purified now. But can you purify yourself?
[ It is afterlife water, allegedly blessed by an afterlife clergy. Whatever Jacopo decides to remember of his homeland, with what he kept locked deep in his heart and mind, is real here.
You detailing that he does not burn even though Jacopo was wondering, amused. He is disappointed? Unsure... Unsure. It would have been funny. ]
If your question is a serious one and not one for jest, yes. Holy water is free to use to bless oneself.
[ Jacopo dips his fingers back into the water, but instead of flicking water onto himself he properly makes the shape of the cross on his forehead. Wow, that's so different? ]
[THE AFTERLIFE CLERGY. The priests are busy even in hallucinationtown... It really would have been funny, though. And fitting. Maybe there is a version of events where he realizes he's an insane serial killer and his guilt manifests in holy water doing him damage, like the hospital fire that killed his ass in silent hill.
For now, he just watches Jacopo PROPERLY PURIFY AND BLESS HIMSELF LIKE HELLO.]
There seems to be a discrepancy between your styles of blessing...
[He'll wander up to the water after, though, and dip his fingers in as well, if only to pay a bit of proper respect to whatever god may have resided here in life. Fingers to his own forehead and shoulders, and then to the palm of each hand. As he does so, a bit idly:]
[ Oh, Lucas. You are... You are. I hope that hits him in his AU where he's a vampire with Viktor or something.
He arches an eyebrow when Lucas mulls over the difference in blessings. What's the problem? He doesn't see one. ]
The priests do sprinkle holy water sometimes. [ They both don't know that during the lockdown priests be shooting babies with a water gun. ] Or they do what I did. It all depends. I don't know the specifics.
[ A shrug. Is it a big deal with Lucas isn't part of that world? Or this religion? Jacopo paid proper enough respect, even if it came off as teasing. Crossing his arms, he takes in Lucas question and finds that he has no personal answer.
His gaze casts to the decorative tiles that make the floor, then toward the host chiseled in marble behind the altar. Framed by angels and saints, it is hard to apply human emotions and personality to the sight yet they can only describe and answer using the words and emotions they have. ]
Morgana always damned me to Hell, so I imagine a just one. On the other hand, many people talk about God's benevolence and how He will forgive us if we genuinely repent.
[HE IS........ STOP NOT THE GUILT he's just hanging out in (looks at writing) jacopo's basement that apparently doesn't exist.
THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE BABIES GETTING SHOT WITH HOLY WATER DURING LOCKDOWNNN imagine being able to say that was how you got baptized. Hilarious.]
For someone who doesn't know the specifics, you could certainly explain enough away to convince others of the opposite.
[A light little tease, but then he lapses into a bit of momentary silence as he considers this answer. Morgana... You are so full of the grudge. Lucas is not in his guilty Catholic era so he's not out here thinking that Jacopo isn't the one between the two of them who deserves such insane condemnation even if it's TRUE, but he does still think Jacopo a much better person than he seemingly finds himself to be.]
...I do believe that "just" and "benevolent" are two traits that often coexist just fine, whether in mortal man or in the divine, really. Perhaps the god of this space is both. [And then:] You only imagine, though?
[ Morgana said a lot of things... She didn't mean it at the time, but it rings true now more than ever not just for him but probably for Lucas, too. ]
I've heard and knew enough. Hard to really turn a blind eye when you're born in a country that would be entrenched by this faith.
[ At least the second time around he had to live alongside mafia lifestyle and the roots of Catholicism. It still didn't mean much to him when his life with underground criminal syndicates goes against all that was Holy and objectively good.
It seems that no matter the life, setting foot in the church is a comedy. A satire, he thinks. ]
I only see what is in front of me and for the most part it hasn't been acts of God or the divine. The priests talked about how God gave up his one and only son for all of us to be cleansed of original sin or whatever, but that didn't change that my life was my own.
[ Bettered and ruined by his own hand. Jacopo gazes upon the statue with its palms raised, holy stigmata bare, and the chiseled tears on Christ's face look so real... Like they could have been shed for the world that would turn him into a sacrificial lamb. ]
... If God was so just, then I wouldn't still be here. [ His tone is quiet, almost resentful. Despondent. Questioning. In a quick turnaround, his voice is back to being the usual, casually rude though approachable. ] Pretty little place, though. The architecture is influenced by a handful of different cultures that once took root in Sicily.
[Morgana was going through it... NOT THE CATHOLIC MAFIA THOUGH god he's just living slightly adjacent to the big G in every lifetime, even if it's in a comical way.
He follows Jacopo's gaze up to the statue that he does not fucking recognize because Virche's version of Catholicism is actually not very Catholic at all and he has no idea who Jesus is, but he's still the sort of person who's susceptible to the inherent holiness in displays of religious imagery, no matter what type of religion he's witnessing. It does give one pause - draws him into a bit of contemplative silence as he turns the words over in his head before glancing back.]
True enough, no one determines the path that you walk besides yourself, even if you have guidance. I believe that's an important part of humanity, as well.
[Freedom of emotion, freedom of thought. NOT THE SUDDEN DEPRESSION THOUGH. He frowns a little, his brow knitting just faintly after the quick flip between serious and flippant. A bit quietly:]
You still have some of the same habits even now, I see. [He thinks so unkindly of himself. Wild. But he turns his head back toward the front of the building at the question and speaks a bit louder.] I don't know that it would be welcome to offer prayer to a god I know so little of. Do you think it would be well-received?
[ Italians have to be Catholic by birth. Almost 75% of Italy is Catholic.
It's hard not to think that this is a holy place and the memorabilia around are meant to guide the mortal realm, but this isn't the mortal realm. It's the afterlife echoing humanity and Jacopo may have been influenced by religion if the cathedral can manifest with such clarity, regardless of his actual beliefs. Maybe the teachings, or simply how it's a place that gave Morgana comfort, stuck with him.
If he did good and right by God's doctrine, would it be the same as doing right by her...? Not that it matters in the end what his intentions were. SOMETIMES, YOU ARE DEPRESSED. And you know how he responds to Lucas pointing that out?
He shrugs. Again. With a knowing smile... Some things stay the same. ]
Why wouldn't it be? [ Jacopo takes steps back to the nave, crossing the aisles as he does. He pauses when he's at the center, looking back over to Lucas to see if he's going to follow. ] If this God is so benevolent and kind, then all are welcome to His home.
His Italian blood summoned the cathedral... Or maybe it really is just something to be said about the all-encompassing nature of some of the things one is raised with or around, regardless of the ways that they choose (or don't choose, or choose not to) interact with it.
There is a little hum in response to Jacopo's knowing smile and shrug; a neutral sort of note that meanders a bit, in the same way that he meanders after Jacopo as he heads to the nave. He is a follower at heart. If other people have somewhere they want to lead him to, he tends to go.]
I suppose we'll find out quickly enough if this God isn't benevolent and kind, depending on how He may react to a prayer from someone who isn't His, then. [Said with a little flicker of a smile, amused. He is the most heretical devout.]
Are there any special customs to adhere to when offering prayer here?
[ Humans absorb much more than they think they do. They don't know what they miss until it's gone and sometimes they don't realize it until it's far too late. Sometimes, they never know.
Jacopo is often contemplative and pensive, even if he misses some crucial things, but with company he can be in the moment. He stands there to the side by one of the pews, arms crossed as he settles on against its panel. ]
You make the sign of the cross to start and to end. [ He doesn't demonstrate because he did it earlier with the holy water, even if it was to bless himself for fun. ] It must be obvious, but the god here is masculine and is often called Father. You can pray while standing, sitting, or to be even more reverent then you use the kneeler.
[ Lazily, he waves a hand toward the pew, but low. For the front benches, the kneelers are separate and stored underneath to pull out. ]
Back in the day, they went without. [ A snort. ] Seems like even the church innovates.
Of course the church innovates. After all, it was still made by humans, even if they worship the divine.
[And humanity is nothing if not innovative in all of the best and also worst ways. Lucas moves over to one of the pews, not bothering to pull a kneeler out since there is only one god he'd bother to get on his knees for. He does take a seat, though, looking up toward the ornate carvings and unfamiliar imagery at the forefront of the church in silence for a few beats.
But he raises his hands after that to make the sign of the cross, and then folds them together and lowers his head in prayer. Despite being a bit of a fish out of water with this religion in specific, it's not like he's a stranger to faith itself or all the ways in which it tends to work. Needless to say, it's quite a comfortable place for him to slip into.
He'll stay like that for several minutes, and remembers to do the sign of the cross again at the end when he finally lifts his head.]
...I'll admit, our dear Gabriel has left me feeling a little spoiled.
[Imagine praying to god and god is like "what's up" real not clickbait about it.]
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Morgana really got such a raw end of a deal but sometimes misery makes things inescapable even when exit hatches eventually appear. Lucas does not know the extent to which Morgana was out there having a horrible time and also orchestrating her own continued misery in her spite, and that is probably for the best. So many things from his end are so hilariously uncomplicated. It's why he can still do things like WALK ANYWHERE WITHOUT AN OUNCE OF SHAME, and enjoy witnessing all of these little interactions. A lovely place where nothing bad has or will ever happen, indeed.
At some point, between shops and small talk, he'll ask:] How many have come to visit?
[Himself and one other girl, but surely others, if this is a space existing between and beyond times and places. As for the question, when it's posed, he just looks faintly thoughtful despite not really needing to consider his answer.]
I don't really need anything that I was looking at. [Because most of it was for Nadia who isn't even dead yet.] Unless you feel like playing another song on a lute?
no subject
Quietly and dismissive, like he doesn't want to talk about the first visitor much, ]
You're the second.
[ And maybe he'll have more guests in the near future, he doesn't know. To him, they appear without him being aware. Subconscious invitations sound stupid to him, after all. To him, they show up without notice and he has to entertain them.
But he finds that he doesn't hate it. This is his dream after all and he's content spending the warm days with people he cared about. It's perfect that way.
A shrug when Lucas says he doesn't need them and he can surmise that he had been thinking of Nadia. Understandable. He would be hoarding it all until she showed up. The request comes as a surprise, drawing out large eyes from him. ]
You want me to play?
no subject
ALSO IT'S FINE. Is it not the case that everyone is caged in one way or another regardless... At least he's having a good time in his cage. Maybe one day the doors will open and he will be able to access and decide on reality and truth with a clear mind once more, but that is just his Scawwy arc.
That said, since Lucas can pick up on his seeming reluctance to delve into the matter of former visitors in any great detail, he'll stay his curiosity. There's a flicker of it in his expression, but he's rather masterful at shelving it.]
I'm a little surprised... Perhaps the rest will come later, then? [THE REST. Listen people loved hassling Jacopo in Heaven, more will undoubtedly appear. But he'll skim past that so he can enjoy Jacopo's expression instead. Funny little guy.]
Is it so surprising? You play well, and it's been a long time since I've heard you.
no subject
Hopefully, Lucas understands, though Jacopo in general is someone who likes to keep a lot of things inside and die with them. This especially, her... How she arrived and left, he'd rather keep to himself for now. It wouldn't be respectful and polite to a guest if he were to lament and crumble over someone not even here.
Everything else comes easier, instead. ]
You make it sound like it's inevitable. [ Feigned annoyance and weariness. ] But all right. We can borrow a lute from a troubadour after we pay a visit to that building you're curious about.
[ For? Some reason? He doesn't own one? ]
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Lucas does understand, at least. Sometimes there are just things you don't want to talk about. He also has his share of secrets; he doesn't often pry into those that other hold close. Golden rule... Jacopo's really out here like I CAN'T GET MY MENTAL ILLNESS ON MY GUEST who is already mentally ill himself.
He just looks amused over the feigned annoyance and weariness, in any case.]
You're very kind to humor me; thank you, dear. [He does not question why Jacopo doesn't OWN ONE... Lutes just come and go in little pockets of fabricated reality, it's fine. But he'll just nod at that and then move to start heading in the direction of the church! Local church man constantly attracted to churches news at 11.]
It looks like a lovely building even from the outside.
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Every time Lucas called him "dear," he felt very small even though he's older than him. That doesn't change here, either, and earns a small frown as usual. As if he wasn't frowning already, but perhaps it's the way the inner corners of his eyebrows twitch.
Anyway, the church is here. It's beautifully built with a mixture of cultures blended together thanks to where this island resides. ]
It is a work of art. [ That is the most he's impressed by. ] They're not holding mass, so we can take a look inside.
[ He gestures up the steps, to the large double doors. ]
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Lucas really does have a way of making himself seem like he is so much older than his meager 22-and-change years though, it's so funny. Old of heart and soul... It's because he's so close to being Old Yellered. If he notices anything in Jacopo's expression over the use of his usual endearment, he does not make any move to address it aloud.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS CHURCH.]
Oh! I'd love to...
[Trotting up the steps after him!! He moves to open the doors first because he is EXCITED and will probably walk his way inside regardless of what sight he's met with. WHAT SIGHT IS HE MET WITH.]
no subject
It is also due to the lifespan, Jacopo understands, but he's still older than him... While not significant in the amount of years, it should be something? Maybe? But to the church.
Lucas opens the non-pearly white gates. It's the Cattedrale di Monreale, though more humble in art at the moment because the pope hasn't descended upon these lands. There are some echoes of what's to come since Jacopo had lived during the time where this cathedral was transformed by the Holy See.
Jacopo has not much to do, so he stands there with his arms crossed when they walk in, footsteps echoing in the high ceiling space. It is an incredibly holy sight, but he feels nothing aside from general admiration for what mankind built. ]
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SHOULD IT BE SOMETHING. Maybe. It's fine, sometimes a guy's just spiritually old. TO THE CHURCH. Cathedrals are so beautiful and hashtag aesthetic, it's incredibly rude.
Jacopo can stand there and feel nothing outside of the general admiration for what mankind built, but Lucas, being an extremely religious person just in general, is absolutely moved by the architecture and overwhelming AURA this building has. Despite his general tendency to be vibrant and teasing, he also falls into the hush and awe of a church setting with ease.
He'll take the chance to just kind of wander up the aisles, looking at the high arches and beautiful windows. Even with less art because of the lack of pope, the building itself is grand in that way that just inspires silence. Architects and ye olde construction workers were wild man. Eventually, as he reaches out to lightly touch a pew, he'll speak.]
...It's gorgeous... Our churches are nothing like this. I don't think I would ever leave, if they were.
[It's because they do not have the kind of population that needs so much damn church in one church, nor do they have the kind of religious history and marriage between religion and ruling power that led to extravagant cathedrals becoming a thing, but he does not know that and is thus mostly just envious in a nonserious way.]
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What art of the saints and the savior depict a story and perhaps... Some of their eyes are fixated on the followers. For in this house, everyone is part of one body. This is lost on Jacopo, who is non-religious, but he does feel that there is something to holy places despite desecrating them before for profit. Nothing is indisputably sacred to him, but he gets it in spirit. ]
Maybe if you begged the clergy, they'd let you stay even though you look far from being impoverished and needy right now.
[ He does remember seeing Lucas at his worst... Most a memory that Lucas doesn't remember and claim isn't his. Jacopo follows, keeping his hands to himself. ]
Honestly, this place looks more like a treasure trove than a place of worship to me.
[ While this memory cathedral hasn't transformed into the beast of Sicilian architecture, it is still... Grand. Beyond is the mosaic of the savior though the earliest attempt at mosaic art, mister Jesus Christ of disputable race. He's a brunette, though. Under him, a couple of his followers and a few known Saints are etched in. Greek is written at the peak of this mural.
I think the royal family should have weaponized faith. Their shortsightedness costed them. ]
Want to sprinkle some holy water onto yourself?
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Jacopo's really out here having Religious Lite experiences. Just the awe of any grandiose and cool-lookin' building without feeling the EYES OF GOD upon him. Lucas just laughs, lifting his hand from the pew to wave it in gentle dismissal even though they are both joking.]
I don't believe I've ever looked needy enough to be taken in by the clergy. [Well. Arguable, but it's true that even when he was on the run he still dressed like a person from Chedis. A noble with a dirtyass cloak but still someone from Chedis.
BUT, there's some amusement over the remark. A TREASURE TROVE. It's true...]
It does feel like a presentation of some sort, though I think the grandiosity adds to a sense of divinity. [He and so many other people. He'll stop for a bit below the mosaic art, looking over the writing and the depiction. He still does not know who Jesus is.
THEY REALLY SHOULD HAVE THOUGH GOD THE ROYALS ARE SO STUPID.]
Is that a custom of the faith here? I'd like to try, certainly.
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All men are just men under the eyes of god. Jacopo only raises his eyebrows at Lucas' dismissal. Sorry, he still thinks you can be pathetic enough to be taken in. ]
The religion here often talks about freeing yourself from worldly desires, but you see places of worship dressed up and down like this.
[ Should holiness be defined in such a way? By mortal eyes and depictions? Well, he supposes there's no other way for them to build. They can only build within the scope of their understanding.
He waves him to follow and takes a path to the side of the church, away from the nave. There's a small fountain here. ]
It is, yes. The water is blessed by the clergy and used for sacraments. It's supposed to purify you.
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DON'T JUST RAISE YOUR BROWS AT HIM THOUGH listen here. He is, but Jacopo doesn't have to point it out or not allow Lucas to escape into the comfort of denial.]
One can hardly free oneself from worldly desires when they reside within that world. I think that's quite a silly doctrine... As long as a person does no harm to others, they ought to be free to live their lives in what way they see fit. [Lucas from the faith of "god says day drinking is okay" WOULD think that.
But he'll follow along after, glancing to and fro as they go, taking in the details both big and small of the impressive architecture. SOAKIN IN THOSE CHURCH VIBES...]
Will you guide me, then? [Guide him in this magic purified water sprinkling, Reverend Jacopo.] What's the proper way?
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It's the doctrine of the Holy here, though the laymen aren't expected to follow it 24/7. In spirit, it's what you strive for.
[ Even the fountain is BEAUTIFUL with its running little water. It just looks like plain water, but apparently it is holy and blessed as all church water is. Jacopo drips his fingertips in the water.
Normally, you would draw a cross onto one's forehead, but he just flicks the water at Lucas' face. ]
Che Dio Onnipotente ti benedica. Nel nome del Padre, e del Figlio, e dello Spirito Santo.
[ Flicks more water at him three times. Begone, demon. Perhaps they shouldn't be playing with holy water. ]
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Even the most devout do stumble from time to time, so I suppose it's good that the goal itself counts for something seemingly anywhere you look.
[This water is perhaps just normalass water but it comes from a beautiful fountain, at least. Very scenic out here in these hallucinatory halls of this remembered church. Lucas watches Jacopo with some curiosity as he works which means he gets water flicked squarely in the face for that first pass, making a little startled sound that becomes a faint laugh as he holds his hands up to ward off the rest. It's a lighthearted gesture; droplets still manage to hit him, dotting the white of his clothing.
Despite being the human equivalent of a demon, he is not actually supernatural, so any holy water real or imagined doesn't melt his skin from his bones.]
I see, I see! So that's the proper way... Well, I do feel quite purified now. But can you purify yourself?
[STOP PLAYING WITH HOLY WATER.]
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You detailing that he does not burn even though Jacopo was wondering, amused. He is disappointed? Unsure... Unsure. It would have been funny. ]
If your question is a serious one and not one for jest, yes. Holy water is free to use to bless oneself.
[ Jacopo dips his fingers back into the water, but instead of flicking water onto himself he properly makes the shape of the cross on his forehead. Wow, that's so different? ]
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For now, he just watches Jacopo PROPERLY PURIFY AND BLESS HIMSELF LIKE HELLO.]
There seems to be a discrepancy between your styles of blessing...
[He'll wander up to the water after, though, and dip his fingers in as well, if only to pay a bit of proper respect to whatever god may have resided here in life. Fingers to his own forehead and shoulders, and then to the palm of each hand. As he does so, a bit idly:]
What was the god people prayed to here like?
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He arches an eyebrow when Lucas mulls over the difference in blessings. What's the problem? He doesn't see one. ]
The priests do sprinkle holy water sometimes. [ They both don't know that during the lockdown priests be shooting babies with a water gun. ] Or they do what I did. It all depends. I don't know the specifics.
[ A shrug. Is it a big deal with Lucas isn't part of that world? Or this religion? Jacopo paid proper enough respect, even if it came off as teasing. Crossing his arms, he takes in Lucas question and finds that he has no personal answer.
His gaze casts to the decorative tiles that make the floor, then toward the host chiseled in marble behind the altar. Framed by angels and saints, it is hard to apply human emotions and personality to the sight yet they can only describe and answer using the words and emotions they have. ]
Morgana always damned me to Hell, so I imagine a just one. On the other hand, many people talk about God's benevolence and how He will forgive us if we genuinely repent.
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THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE BABIES GETTING SHOT WITH HOLY WATER DURING LOCKDOWNNN imagine being able to say that was how you got baptized. Hilarious.]
For someone who doesn't know the specifics, you could certainly explain enough away to convince others of the opposite.
[A light little tease, but then he lapses into a bit of momentary silence as he considers this answer. Morgana... You are so full of the grudge. Lucas is not in his guilty Catholic era so he's not out here thinking that Jacopo isn't the one between the two of them who deserves such insane condemnation even if it's TRUE, but he does still think Jacopo a much better person than he seemingly finds himself to be.]
...I do believe that "just" and "benevolent" are two traits that often coexist just fine, whether in mortal man or in the divine, really. Perhaps the god of this space is both. [And then:] You only imagine, though?
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I've heard and knew enough. Hard to really turn a blind eye when you're born in a country that would be entrenched by this faith.
[ At least the second time around he had to live alongside mafia lifestyle and the roots of Catholicism. It still didn't mean much to him when his life with underground criminal syndicates goes against all that was Holy and objectively good.
It seems that no matter the life, setting foot in the church is a comedy. A satire, he thinks. ]
I only see what is in front of me and for the most part it hasn't been acts of God or the divine. The priests talked about how God gave up his one and only son for all of us to be cleansed of original sin or whatever, but that didn't change that my life was my own.
[ Bettered and ruined by his own hand. Jacopo gazes upon the statue with its palms raised, holy stigmata bare, and the chiseled tears on Christ's face look so real... Like they could have been shed for the world that would turn him into a sacrificial lamb. ]
... If God was so just, then I wouldn't still be here. [ His tone is quiet, almost resentful. Despondent. Questioning. In a quick turnaround, his voice is back to being the usual, casually rude though approachable. ] Pretty little place, though. The architecture is influenced by a handful of different cultures that once took root in Sicily.
Are you going to go offer some prayer?
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He follows Jacopo's gaze up to the statue that he does not fucking recognize because Virche's version of Catholicism is actually not very Catholic at all and he has no idea who Jesus is, but he's still the sort of person who's susceptible to the inherent holiness in displays of religious imagery, no matter what type of religion he's witnessing. It does give one pause - draws him into a bit of contemplative silence as he turns the words over in his head before glancing back.]
True enough, no one determines the path that you walk besides yourself, even if you have guidance. I believe that's an important part of humanity, as well.
[Freedom of emotion, freedom of thought. NOT THE SUDDEN DEPRESSION THOUGH. He frowns a little, his brow knitting just faintly after the quick flip between serious and flippant. A bit quietly:]
You still have some of the same habits even now, I see. [He thinks so unkindly of himself. Wild. But he turns his head back toward the front of the building at the question and speaks a bit louder.] I don't know that it would be welcome to offer prayer to a god I know so little of. Do you think it would be well-received?
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It's hard not to think that this is a holy place and the memorabilia around are meant to guide the mortal realm, but this isn't the mortal realm. It's the afterlife echoing humanity and Jacopo may have been influenced by religion if the cathedral can manifest with such clarity, regardless of his actual beliefs. Maybe the teachings, or simply how it's a place that gave Morgana comfort, stuck with him.
If he did good and right by God's doctrine, would it be the same as doing right by her...? Not that it matters in the end what his intentions were. SOMETIMES, YOU ARE DEPRESSED. And you know how he responds to Lucas pointing that out?
He shrugs. Again. With a knowing smile... Some things stay the same. ]
Why wouldn't it be? [ Jacopo takes steps back to the nave, crossing the aisles as he does. He pauses when he's at the center, looking back over to Lucas to see if he's going to follow. ] If this God is so benevolent and kind, then all are welcome to His home.
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His Italian blood summoned the cathedral... Or maybe it really is just something to be said about the all-encompassing nature of some of the things one is raised with or around, regardless of the ways that they choose (or don't choose, or choose not to) interact with it.
There is a little hum in response to Jacopo's knowing smile and shrug; a neutral sort of note that meanders a bit, in the same way that he meanders after Jacopo as he heads to the nave. He is a follower at heart. If other people have somewhere they want to lead him to, he tends to go.]
I suppose we'll find out quickly enough if this God isn't benevolent and kind, depending on how He may react to a prayer from someone who isn't His, then. [Said with a little flicker of a smile, amused. He is the most heretical devout.]
Are there any special customs to adhere to when offering prayer here?
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Jacopo is often contemplative and pensive, even if he misses some crucial things, but with company he can be in the moment. He stands there to the side by one of the pews, arms crossed as he settles on against its panel. ]
You make the sign of the cross to start and to end. [ He doesn't demonstrate because he did it earlier with the holy water, even if it was to bless himself for fun. ] It must be obvious, but the god here is masculine and is often called Father. You can pray while standing, sitting, or to be even more reverent then you use the kneeler.
[ Lazily, he waves a hand toward the pew, but low. For the front benches, the kneelers are separate and stored underneath to pull out. ]
Back in the day, they went without. [ A snort. ] Seems like even the church innovates.
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[And humanity is nothing if not innovative in all of the best and also worst ways. Lucas moves over to one of the pews, not bothering to pull a kneeler out since there is only one god he'd bother to get on his knees for. He does take a seat, though, looking up toward the ornate carvings and unfamiliar imagery at the forefront of the church in silence for a few beats.
But he raises his hands after that to make the sign of the cross, and then folds them together and lowers his head in prayer. Despite being a bit of a fish out of water with this religion in specific, it's not like he's a stranger to faith itself or all the ways in which it tends to work. Needless to say, it's quite a comfortable place for him to slip into.
He'll stay like that for several minutes, and remembers to do the sign of the cross again at the end when he finally lifts his head.]
...I'll admit, our dear Gabriel has left me feeling a little spoiled.
[Imagine praying to god and god is like "what's up" real not clickbait about it.]
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