Mammon answers the door reluctantly.

The prince had people search for Reborn, because it turns out the guards weren't after Skull, but Mammon still didn't let Reborn go back to castle. Reborn protested because the prince is clearly smitten, Colonnello backed up his older brother and even Skull encouraged it.

Mammon finally admitted that running someone down with a hoard of guards isn't exactly what someone in love does and maybe, just maybe, it's less of the prince being smitten and more because the prince is humiliated that Reborn ran away.

They all agreed to lay low, stay out of the way and wait for the commotion to die down.

Then the prince sends people out to find the owner of the fedora dropped at the bottom of the castle's front steps. Reborn assures them that he hasn't written his name on the hat in any way and there's no way the prince could connect it to him.

Unfortunately, everyone in this town knows Reborn, so the prince is very quickly pointed towards their house.

Reborn is hiding in the attic when Mammon begrudgingly invites the prince inside.

"I have quite a few sons," Mammon admits, patting Colonnello's shoulder. "This one and Skull as well of course. He's in the kitchen getting refreshments." Technically not a lie, just an omission.

Skull steps into the sitting room and sets down a tray of tea which he pours with shaking hands. Mammon glares at him sideways for giving something away and Skull hurriedly leaves it and backs out of the room. He doesn't go far but he's too nervous to stay there with the prince and the guards standing around.

"Thank you," Prince Bermuda says when he accepts the tea from Mammon. "And there's only three of you?"

"Oh," Mammon tuts. "My spouse died suddenly a few years back you see. Good person, good person. Sad to see them go." Mammon dabs at their eyes from under their hood and adds in a few sniffs for extra measure.

"My condolences," Bermuda offers but isn't distracted in the least by an awkward topic. "And this spouse, they left you only two sons?"

"Skull is my son from an earlier marriage," Mammon says, voice still thick with 'sadness'. "Colonnello is a stepson but it makes no difference to me. We're all family here."

"How wonderful," Bermuda murmurs and takes a sip. "A close family. Of only three."

Skull swallows thickly and Colonnello wipes his sweaty hands on his pants. Mammon stays steady like always, a solid presence that helps the two calm down a bit.

"I do apologise for the lack of treats," Mammon says, hoping small talk will chase the prince off. "This lack of hospitality is no way to greet a prince-"

"So you know I'm a prince?" Bermuda muses, setting his tea down. "Strange. Then why are you lying straight to my face?"

"Lying?" Mammon gasps. "I would never do such a thing. What makes your royal highness think that I would be so-"

"His name is Reborn, isn't it?" Bermuda interrupts. "I've heard many things from just about everyone in this town. Please, explain to me why are keeping him from me, and perhaps I will forget your ... lack of hospitality."

Mammon puts down their tea as well. "There was a family emergency and we unfortunately had to leave as soon as possible. It was not meant as a slight towards you."

Bermuda narrows his eyes. "Is Reborn sick or injured?"

"No, he's healthy," Mammon assures, watching Bermuda's reaction closely. "The matter is sorted now, but my son is rather...sensitive, you see. He was worried you wouldn't like him after he left in such a manner."

"May I see him?" Bermuda requests.

Mammon hesitates for just a second. "I'll get him right now. Colonnello, perhaps you should show Prince Bermuda the lovely gardens."

The room stands only when Bermuda does out of curtesy and Colonnello leads them outside while Mammon makes their way into the hall where Skull is hovering.

"What's wrong?" Skull whispers as they take the stairs.

Mammon doesn't reply and they spend the rest of the climb in silence. Mammon opens the attic door and Reborn looks up from where he's sitting on a box of old clothes.

"Did they buy it?" Reborn asks. "I saw Colonnello leading them around." He gestures to the window.

"It's fine," Mammon starts slowly. "The prince isn't upset, he just wants to meet you again."

"Oh," Reborn murmurs softly. "Okay." Reborn stands and moves to them. "Why do you look so nervous then? Isn't this a good thing?"

Mammon runs a hand over their face. "Shit. Fine, I'll say it. I want you to be happy. Do you want this?"

Reborn starts cooing.

"Shut the fuck up," Mammon snaps. "Yes or no, asshole?"

Reborn's smirk falls away and he becomes serious. "True love doesn't exist. Not pure love, not without ulterior motives. But sometimes ... I really do think I'd die for you idiots and not regret a single thing."

Reborn glances to the window, where Colonnello's voice is coming through. Skull sees Reborn's fingers half curl into fists.

"He's okay," Reborn says. "For you, I'd take a lot worse."

"You don't have to," Mammon insists.

"I want to."

"You shouldn't want to."

Reborn laughs. "Mammy, really, I've thought this through. You don't have to worry."

Mammon nods sharply. "Yes. Well. If you want to come back then you tell me."

Reborn opens his arms for a hug.

"I'll push you down the god damned stairs, boy, don't think I won't."

Skull follows them back down and thinks about the nights he snuck into Reborn's room, about Colonnello joining them soon after because Skull is never quiet enough. He thinks about whispered conversations, about dreams where they travel the world together, about the messy stack of paper in the back of his wardrobe with lists of places in a chaotic mix of their handwriting.

Skull thinks about rescuing Reborn from dragons and feels a little sick.

Fon sips his tea serenely and the two women don't move, kneeling with their heads bowed.

Fon sets down the cup after a while. "And you are certain that the burst of magic lead back to the youngest?"

They both nod once in unison, not even a rustle of cloth to give them away. Fon sighs and gracefully stands from the floor cushion, shaking out his sleeves and moving to the window. He stays silent, thinking things over. Kyouya may enjoy the form of a beast but Fon is tired of his twin shedding fur everywhere.

His eyes flicker when he sees the gold drenched carriages slowly make their way up to the castle. Fon imagines that man wrapped in traditional red instead of white and tells himself that he won't. He's lying.

"The wedding. Take a brother to keep the target calm."

The wedding comes quickly but Reborn moves faster. He sends carriages full of gold to Mammon's house, one after another until Mammon reluctantly has to turn them away because there's no more room. Colonnello is drafted for the palace guard and Skull is given a tailored suit for the ball scheduled a month away, just for him, just so Skull can finally dance like he's having a seizure.

Reborn keeps a perfect smile on his face through the entire day of his wedding, barely a week since Bermuda came to the house. Sometimes fond with love in his eyes, other times too wide like he can't believe it's really happening.

The rest of his small family, relegated to the back of the procession where the unimportant people sit, loudly applaud Reborn for his acting when they spot a particularly wholesome expression. Reborn gives them side glances when he hears but doesn't break character to bow at them like he wants to.

Reborn waves and acts charming, accepting well wishes from the crowd even as he inwardly mocks them. People whisper, gossip, scream that this is perfect, like a beautiful fairy tale.

That night, the castle doesn't light up with fireworks, but instead burns down with fire.