PAIRINGS: Reborn/Skull, Colonnello/Skull

TAGS: Pre-Arco Curse, The Chosen Seven Meeting, Adult Arco, POV Third Person Limited

Swearing

First Meetings, Meet-Cute, Crush at First Sight, Crack, Humor, Fluff

WARNING: Not Beta Read

"Where the fuck are they?" the soldier says, frowning in annoyance, her arms crossed on her chest. How typical. You're a little outside their expectations, and soldiers lose their shit. "Fuck you, like you aren't wondering just that."

"Someone's projecting hard," Reborn says easily, not missing a beat.

Verde scoffs. "Because you're so subtle with your patience wearing thin."

The soldier smiles smugly. Viper snorts, while Fon hides his mouth behind his sleeve, but his eyes crinkle in amusement.

"Are we playing favorites already? Good thing I already despise you all then."

"They'll come," Giglio Nero Donna says placatingly before the others can say anything, a polite smile on her face.

"Mutual," the soldier, Verde and Viper still say over her voice.

She doesn't acknowledge them. "No need to fight, just be a little more patient."

Reborn smirks, sweet and playing nice and fake, feeding his soul with the way they roll their eyes at him. He lets himself sinks slightly against his chair, because clearly the last I Prescelti Sette isn't in any hurry to show up.

Where the fuck are they? Reborn can hardly believe they were chosen as one of the Strongest with the likes of him when they can't even show up in time.

Reborn can believe it even less when he senses them coming while they're barely in the vicinity of the building yet, because they're leaking flames like a fucking broken faucet. He doesn't pay attention to the others exchanging glances, focusing on the Cloud flames instead.

The Cloud reaches the building suspiciously fast, even if they use a vehicle—and if they are, what fucking insane speed is that to drive at—, stays put fifteen good minutes outside, which is the first good point Reborn can give them, because at least they're accordingly careful and suspicious of the situation. They make their way up, their flames overwhelming the closer they get if he was a lesser man, so lacking in any kind of intent he knows they're loose from lack of control, and yet again can't believe they were chosen alongside them.

They all have their eyes on the door before the Cloud even reaches it.

They only peak their head inside first, purple hair striking in the dimly lit room, purple everything—the makeup around their eyes and the tattoo under their cheek and their lipstick—, a couple of piercings completing the picture.

They come in, closing the door behind them, clad in a back and purple leather jumpsuit, black boots at their feet, holding a black and purple helmet against their hip.

Reborn purses his lips, looking him up and down in distaste.

Who the fuck is this fucking clown?

"Whoa," the clown says, taking them in, "if I had known I was on my way to meet the prettiest people in the world, I would have come sooner." He grins, catching Reborn's eye, and winks. Reborn's breath hitches. "Am I fashionably late enough you fell in love with me at first sight?"

Horror grips at Reborn's heart as the clown laughs at his own unfunny joke.

Oh no.

Oh no, he's not going to do that to himself.

Fon laughs. "Hello, and thank you. If you don't mind me asking, you're a man, aren't you?"

"I'm a man alright, but thanks for asking," the clown says, walking forwards like he owns the place, like he can't see the way he sticks out like a sore thumb. He takes the last free seat, which just so happens to be the one next to Reborn, and puts his helmet on the floor. "Hello to you all."

"Who are you?" the soldier asks, skepticism dripping from her voice.

"Do you know where you are?" Verde asks in much the same tone.

"Maybe if you'd shut up he could introduce himself," Reborn hears himself say casually, but to his own absolute mortification, the edge in his voice is unmistakable.

They all snap their eyes at him, not even hiding how incredulous they are. Reborn plays it cool, hiding his mortification, because he'd rather shoot himself in the head before letting them catch on the fact he didn't mean to say his words.

Reborn always means everything he says and does, he's Reborn.

Maybe he should shoot the clown in the head instead.

"Thanks," the clown says, grinning gratefully, looking pleasantly surprised. He leans in closer to him, hiding his mouth to the others with his hand, and mock whispers, "Did you fall in love with me at first sight?"

Reborn smirks, leaning in too, and fake whispers back, "I'm going to shoot you."

The clown bursts out laughing as Reborn finds, horrified, that he didn't mean it.

What the fuck does he mean he didn't mean it? Shut the fuck up, Reborn, and get your fucking shit together. Yes he meant it, of fucking course he did.

This is so not happening, Reborn is so much better than that, can do so much better than that.

A purple fucking clown? Right, as if ever.

"I'm Skull," the clown—Skull—the clown proudly introduces himself, like it's supposed to ring a bell. "Yes, the Skull, the world-famous one, the one and only." He gets no reaction, but puffs his chest out anyway. "Yeah, that one! Amazing, I know." Reborn almost, almost genuinely snorts. "And yeah, I do know where I am. You're here for the meeting too, right? The Chosen Seven meeting thing? I was invited too."

The mood shifts, the others intently looking at Skull, their faces changing for a business like one. Skull's smile strains, and he removes his hands from the table to rest them on his lap instead.

"Skull, is it?" Fon starts, not unkindly, but clearly not about to ask him an autograph. "Listen—"

"What, do I need to show my invitation?" Skull asks, then laughs, but it's off. "Because I did get one. I have it with me too. You know, I figured..." he trails off, shrugging, and averts his eyes from all of theirs.

"Of course not," Reborn says before the others can say anything else. He feels their eyes on him again, but he only looks at Skull. Skull's eyes snap to him too, and Reborn smirks, the uplifting type of smirk. "You came here today at the right time to find all of us here. Hardly what I would call a coincidence."

Skull beams, grinning, and Reborn feels himself dying inside, because of all the things he expected to happen today it wasn't fucking this. Some purple fucking clown showing up out of nowhere, and—and what?

Winning him over in ten seconds flat?

Just fucking shoot him in the head already.

"This is fucking ridiculous," Viper says, standing up on the other side of Skull.

A bullet shatters the window, landing on the table right next to where Viper leans on it with their hand.

Skull startles. "Holy—"

They all stand from their seat except for the soldier, Reborn taking Skull with him, then move away from the table, out of the way of the windows.

"I thought you had that covered?" Fon asks Verde.

"I had. They got through."

"What even the fuck?" the soldier curses under her breath, glaring at the shattered window.

"Handsome, what the fuck?" Skull asks seemingly to himself, looking at the table. He huffs a laugh. "I mean, thanks, I guess, but damn. Oh, right." He looks up at him, and beams again. "Thank you. Twice. For both times, I mean. The both different times. For both of the things—you know what I mean, I'll just shut up." He laughs, then playfully knocks their shoulders together. "You're nice. All tough exterior but not so indifferent on the inside, huh? I like it."

"Everyone likes me, get in line," Reborn says, totally not flirting because this isn't happening, except it is, and it's the worst fucking day of his life.

Skull giggles. "I can believe that."

Reborn almost smirks again, the kind that doesn't make you feel worth less than dirt, but he has much more dignity than that. Instead he steps in front of Skull, while still letting him in sight of the others. "This is how it is," he starts, the threat unmistakable even as he sounds nothing but pleasant. "This is Skull, one of us too, chosen like the rest of us." He lets his flames spread in the air for good measure, looking straight at Viper as he does, but then looks them in eye each in turn. "Let's welcome him warmly."

So much for his fucking dignity.

A/N: eldisadumbass left me a comment saying "reborn and colonello showing up to the meeting and clapping eyes on skull: *cracks knuckles* i've only had skull for a day and a half but if anything happened to him i would kill everyone in this room and then myself" and I found it hilarious so I just had to write it.

I will post next chapter with Colonnello in a couple of days.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Any and all review are appreciated.

Thank you for reading!

- Hope