But still, Cinder sees everything, even when Copia and the band ghouls are away on tour. All those pictures and videos flooding in each night. They see Dew’s hands all over him, the fucking audacity, seemingly every chance he gets. Dewdrop, the favorite, so devoted to the band and to his Papa. Standing there so fucking proud in the spotlight at center stage right by Copia’s side. Cinder can feel the smug little ego dripping off of him even through the screen of their phone. 

They see it all, and they can’t help but feel the jealousy bubble up inside them. That feral, territorial side they’d inherited the moment they were reborn as a ghoul, rearing its ugly head and making itself known.

Cinder sees a video, something posted online by a fan, Dewdrop casually slapping Copia on the ass in between songs. A quick little swat to the seat of his pants, making him jump. Putting those hands on him like it's nothing. Cinder feels their hackles raise, hissing at the screen. That little whore of a fire ghoul, they think, baring their fangs in a sneer. He'd fuck anything he could get his claws into if they let him.

Deep down, Cinder knows it's all part of the act. Onstage antics played out for the delight of the audience. Cinder knows that in reality, Dew poses no actual threat, that the little fire ghoul has his own mate waiting for him at home - Aether, the band’s former quintessence ghoul. Knows that Dew loves to play and tease and flirt with whoever will let him, but at the end of the day, he’s purely devoted to his own mate. Still, they can't help but growl, low and rumbling, at the possibility of Dewdrop worming his way into Copia’s bunk out there on the road despite it all.

Maybe it was the time apart that made it worse. The jealousy. Those territorial feelings. Knowing that they were stuck back home at the Ministry while their beloved Copia was out there with him. Eating meals together, sleeping on the same tour bus, laughing and talking and touching while Cinder was so, so far away.

But the moment Copia comes back home, the jealousy subsides. Cinder feels like they come back to their senses immediately the moment Copia sets foot on Ministry grounds and beelines straight into their waiting embrace. They lose themselves in each other immediately, forgetting the outside world as they come back to each other with sweet words of affirmation and plenty of reunion sex. Cinder’s heart feels calm, reassured, every time Copia tells them how much he missed them. How much he missed being theirs.

And now, the final tour has ended and Copia is the new head of the Clergy. He stays home by Cinder’s side, running the ministry as Frater Imperator. No more touring, no more weeks and months of separation. They don’t have to be apart anymore, and Dewdrop, that little shithead, backs off in favor of trying to dig his claws into Copia’s brother, Perpetua, instead. 

Now that Copia is home, Cinder forgets their jealousy almost entirely. They wake up every morning with Copia in their arms, right where he belongs, looking up at them with devotion in his eyes. They fall into their routine easily, spending just about every waking moment together. Now Copia eats his meals with Cinder, confides in them, talks and laughs and jokes with them, falls asleep and wakes up in Cinder’s bed. Right where he belongs. And their heart feels full with love.

Until one day.

That day, Cinder finds Dew sniffing around Copia’s office. They walk in to find the fire ghoul perched on top of Copia’s desk, skinny legs dangling off the edge and swinging back and forth. Yapping away as Copia shuffles through the day’s paperwork. Dewdrop looks up at them with a smug little grin plastered across his face and right away Cinder bristles. 

Get out, get out, get out, Cinder thinks to themself, trying their best to will the little pest away. 

Of course Dew takes it as a challenge, and leans closer to Copia as they chat, golden eyes fixed on Cinder’s, gauging their reaction. And Copia remains clueless through it all, welcoming Cinder into the office with a smile, completely unaware of the disturbance currently being caused by that little brat of a fire ghoul.

Cinder feels that territorial side of their brain nagging at them right away, and they stalk over to Copia, leaning down for a nice, long kiss that he eagerly reciprocates. Eventually Dew takes a hint and fucks off, leaving Cinder and Copia alone again. They have lunch together, chat, and after a while, Cinder leaves Copia to finish his paperwork for the day with high spirits.

That night, Cinder waits for Copia’s return to their quarters, looking forward to spending another night with their beloved. They shake their head, chuckling to themself, feeling silly for letting Dew get to them. It’s been years since their transition, but Cinder feels like they’re still getting the hang of this new life, brought back from the dead to live as a ghoul. It had come with so many changes to get used to, and this new form had come with a heightened everything - physical strength, acute senses, and sometimes, a temper. Especially when it came to Copia. Even more so when another ghoul made moves to encroach on their territory.

Cinder is about to laugh it off, finally convincing themself that Dew really does not, in fact, pose a threat to their relationship with Copia. Despite it all, they'd even go so far to say that under normal circumstances, they actually like Dew. He’s part of their pack. Strong for his size and an incredible instrumentalist. And most importantly, he’s devoted to serving Copia and works hard for the overall good of the Ministry.

But all of those thoughts disappear completely when Copia opens the door and walks in absolutely dripping with the scent of the fire ghoul.

Right away, that acrid scent of smoke fills their nostrils. Their hackles rise, hair standing on end. Their brain shouts at them. His scent is all over him. He’s a threat. A threat to Copia. To their lover. To their most important person. Protect him, protect him, PROTECT HIM FROM THE THREAT. 

Cinder’s brain feels fuzzy as they begin to lose themselves to their instincts, stalking over to scent Copia, sniffing around his suit jacket, baring their fangs at the stench of the fire ghoul all over him.

And that’s when it starts to slip, their carefully maintained human-form, now giving way into something larger, something hellish, something far more beast-like. Fangs growing longer and claws extending. Their ghoul-brain, sending them into a feral episode, is taking over now.

Destroy the threat, find that little fire ghoul and tear flesh from bone. Spill his blood. Protect Copia, defend him. PROTECT him. CLAIM him. Let the others know who he really belongs to. PROTECT HIM. TAKE OUT THE THREAT.

Cinder is almost feral with it, growing nearly twice their humanoid size, now towering over a startled Copia. Chest heaving with great breaths, growling and hissing, claws flexing as they make ready to stalk down the perceived threat and put an end to it once and for all.

But the buzzing in their head subsides temporarily. Just enough for them to hear Copia’s voice calling their name. Calling out to them, calm and gentle, despite the growing severity of the situation.

“Cinder. Cinder!!” Copia’s voice cuts through the fog. It momentarily shakes Cinder free enough to realize that Copia is reaching for them, pulling their hand gently despite their deadly claws, tugging them down to eye level. He gently cups their face in his hands, completely unphased by Cinder’s rage, only just beginning to subside.

“My beloved, come back to me,” he calls, holding Cinder’s face in his hands. “Come back to me.”

And this time Cinder hears him, clear as day. His voice rings out, cutting through the noise and the fog and the jealous rage that had nearly completely bubbled over. They turn to face him, and the look of love on Copia’s face is enough to calm them down for good. Their chest heaves as they catch their breath, as their beast form slowly, slowly reverts back to their human form. As soon as they lock eyes with a concerned looking Copia, Cinder dives in for a kiss. Desperate and hungry. As they kiss, their frantic energy slowly gives way to something more gentle. 

Something apologetic.

As they calm, Copia explains everything. How he’d asked Dewdrop and a few other ghouls for help pulling some heavy boxes out of the cramped archive storage space in one of the abbey’s administrative offices. And that’s when Cinder realizes it, there alongside Dewdrop’s scent were the scents of two other ghouls - Mountain and Aether. Three of Copia’s most trusted ghouls. They’d completely overlooked their scents, blinded by the distraction of Dew’s, already having been on edge from their interaction earlier in the day.

Cinder brings their hands to Copia’s waist, pulling him in close. They nuzzle into the crook of his neck while he speaks gently, explaining the situation, assuring Cinder that none of the other ghouls pose a threat to him. To them. 

They stay like that for a while, Cinder holding Copia close and nuzzling into him, letting their hands wander across his body. Holding him tight and replacing the scent of the other ghouls with their own. Cinder can’t help but to kick up a loud purr as Copia pets their back gently. Reassuringly.

Eventually their touches become more insistent. Cinder’s nuzzling turns into kissing, into gently dragging their fangs across the delicate flesh of Copia’s neck. Inhaling the scent of him. And Copia presses himself closer, presses his hips to Cinder’s insistently. Letting them know that he wants something more. That he wants Cinder to claim what’s theirs.

So Cinder does. They pick Copia up by the waist and deposit him onto the sheets of their bed, crawling over him as he reaches up for them, wraps his legs around their hips and pulls them down on top of him. Cinder is only too happy to oblige, diving in for an open-mouthed kiss. Licking into Copia’s mouth, kissing him deeply, strengthening their bond with each swipe of their tongues. With each press of their lips.

Between kisses, Cinder helps Copia shuck his suit jacket, unbuttons his dress shirt, helps him shimmy out of his trousers and briefs. Until he’s laid bare beneath them with open arms, giving all of himself to his most beloved ghoul.

Later, as they both lay bare beneath the sheets, tangled up in each other, Cinder will press their face into the crook of Copia’s neck once again, breathing in his scent. His scent mixed with theirs. And only theirs. They run their lips across the purple, bruised bite mark they sucked into tender flesh. Their mark that Copia was only too happy to receive. Their mark that Copia begged them for, writhing beneath them, legs wrapped around their waist, as Cinder made love to him.