Violet really tried to ignore it. She turned the radio up extra loud. Completely focused on holding up normality. Whenever anyone tried to even ask how she was feeling she just cut them off or pretended not to hear them.
She didn't want to talk about it. No matter how heavy their gazes were. She wasn't interested in discussing it in any way or even giving them any more information about it.
All of it would go way too much in the direction of her past and she refused to breach that topic in any way.
Colonnello's still guilt ridden face didn't help her whole situation either.
Violet knew she had to do something and there was one thing that would definitely distract every last one of them.
Her pranks had never stopped and some of Fon's glances in her direction did bring her to the conclusion that he might be suspecting something. She was still certain he wasn't sure yet but it didn't matter; a true prankster would never let themself be revealed, they would do the reveal.
Sure, Viper had found out about it but the miser had an unfair advantage. She still refused to let someone else see through her and therefore she had painstakingly prepared for this moment.
Windows were open, the door wasn't locked and even her broom was placed strategically. Violet grabbed the plate of Custard cream biscuits she had prepared for the occasion, several compulsion charms thinly woven over them and she entered the living room, whereas so often the Arcobalenos had found themselves together. Everyone was occupied with their own activity but still spending time as a group.
Violet placed the plate on the table, before sitting down in the free recliner "Colonnello?"
The rain looked up from the gun he had been cleaning. "Yeah?"
"Stop feeling guilty."
"What?" he stiffened "I'm just…"
"Really stop it. It's not noteworthy."
"I still feel sorry about it, kora."
"I should have told you straight away. So it's my fault as well."
"I still threw you in even when you refused."
"And it's not the first time you did stuff like that, so I should have expected it."
"But Violet…"
"Would you still have done it if you knew about it?"
"No!"
"Then stop blaming yourself."
The soldier ruffled through his hair, still conflicted.
Lal who had watched their exchange raised an eyebrow "You're too forgiving, Violet."
"Holding grudges was never my forte."
"You should still let him suffer more for it."
"I see no point in it. His moping is bothering me and I have forgiven people for worse things."
"You mean our former treatment of you?" Reborn addressed the thought all of them had.
She snorted at that "To be honest? If I would make a list of who ever wronged me you all would be more towards the bottom. If I would actually be inclined to give in to any revenge thoughts than Byakuran would have looked like a kitten next to me."
"Any chance you give us names?" the hitman immediately asked.
"No way in hell."
"Why not?"
"It would betray everything I stand for and what I believe in."
"And that would be?"
"You might laugh at it and I don't think any of you would understand but forgiveness is important to me… there is never a reason to let hate fester. After all Love is the the strongest magic"
"...love?"
"Yes, it's the single greatest thing in my armoury, my greatest weapon and I refuse to give up on it. No matter what. No matter what you say nothing can beat love and loyalty" she smiled at them before focusing on Colonnello again.
"So how about you just take a biscuit and we forget about all of this?" she helpfully pushed the plate closer to him.
He sighed but did take one, after all they did look delicious. They tasted even better.
Violet couldn't stop her grin from creeping up "Good natured payback is naturally always an option instead of revenge."
"What…" before he could even finish his sentence his body had already transfigured into a huge canary.
All Violet could do was laugh especially at the alarmed faces of the rest of the group. Viper naturally had their camera ready as always.
"Just a minute" she choked out, still cackling madly.
She knew this shouldn't be as funny as she found it but at the same time it was such an old joke and their faces were just glorious.
It was just amazing to get the thrill of pranking the arcobaleno, even when the pranks were that silly.
True to her words Colonnello had already started to moult his feathers and a short time later he was back to his old self, surrounded by a pile of feathers, staring in betrayal at the witch.
Violet, still giggled while she looked at the former soldier "I didn't think you would actually eat something I gave you after the Bianchi situation."
Reborn leaned forward "Violet, you cook all our food."
"So what? That's the fun, innit?
Fon had gathered himself pretty quickly and looked at Violet with an odd fascination "So it was actually you the whole time?"
She grinned up at him "Hell yeah. Was fabulous how none of you even considered it. By the way Reborn did you like the wrinkle charm?"
"...you did that?"
Colonnellos eyes widened "Wait you're telling me you did that the whole time? You pranked us?"
Her grin just spread further as she looked at him "Why so shocked? You act like it's impressive to sneak into Reborns room."
Reborns eyes widened and he was on the edge of his seat "You were in my room?"
"Around…10 times so far? Did you really think Colonnello would have been able to steal your gun? By the way, the pjs with the little espresso cups are my favourite so far."
And once again Violet left the hitman speechless.
She just grinned "Oh and Colonnello? I had the counter potion for your hair colour... would have worked straight away."
The room was silent, everyone still trying to process how they had been played by Violet again.
Reborn, a hand over his mouth and trying to get over the reveal broke the silence "Well I will make sure that this won't happen again, splendore. No matter how impressive that was, you won't be able to pull that stunt again." but he couldn't deny the fact that it just made Violet even more attractive than before.
"You sure?"
"Yes."
"Why don't you pull your gun out?" her eyes sparkling with mischief.
Reborn hastily pulled it out of his holster, relieved when he found his normal gun. "Good joke."
"Why don't you try shooting it?" her grin stretched over her face almost impossible wide and she watched him with undeniable amusement.
The hitman raised his eyebrow but aimed at a vase, in the knowledge that Violet could repair it straight away. Not that the vase shattered, a cloud of purple glitter exploded over him instead, forming the words 'Mischief managed' in the air before covering him completely and his gun turned into a rubber duck.
"Violet?" the hitman uttered.
"yeah?"
"Run."
She had been ready for this moment and while she sprinted towards the door her broom already shot in her hand and her magic threw the door open while she jumped on it, taking to the sky in a matter of seconds.
She did stop a few metres above the ground to finally let her laughter out. It was actually hard to stay on her broom so violently was she shaking.
Reborn had sprinted after her but it's not like he could reach her. He wouldn't even try shooting at her if he knew where his gun was but still all he could do was stare hopelessly in the air at the madly laughing cloud "You can't stay up there forever."
"We will see about that."
"I promise I'm not gonna harm you, won't you come down now?"
"Never!" she laughed out "The glitter looks good on you."
He just sighed but affection rose up in him, she might have humiliated him but his respect grew even higher for her and it had only been in front of his bondmates that had suffered the same fate the last few weeks.
She had been able to pull this off and he had never even noticed. She had been playing him for weeks successfully and no matter how his current state was, he just couldn't stop his heart from beating faster at the challenge she presented. If he hadn't been certain about his feelings before he would have fallen for her all over again in this exact moment. There had never been anyone who had been able to match him to this degree. while she didn't even know what she did to him, she just constantly proved herself to be his equal.
Violet had gotten her laughter under control, she was still giggling at him though. "What are you gonna do to me if I come down?"
"Find out and come closer."
She thought for a second before she sat up straight on her broom, throwing one leg over and letting herself fall backwards, anchoring herself on her broom with her legs "That's closer" she said and still gigled, while hanging upside down.
"Violet, my revenge isn't that bad that you have to risk your life for it. Could you maybe get back on your broom normally?"
"It's comfy like that."
"Your head is turning red."
"I'm a redhead, so it makes sense to me."
He sighed but he couldn't hide his affection for her, he did position himself below her, in case she would fall. "I only wanted to tickle you, nothing bad."
"Tickle you say? If you want I can put a tickle charm on you."
"Violet?"
"Yeah?"
"You're impossible." he could only shake his head, watching her carefully for any sign of her slipping.
"Don't copy my words. I called you that last time."
"Well it's true, you're a lovely little menace."
"So I'm lovely?" she inquired.
"You know that, it's indisputable. Will you come down now?""
"I don't trust you."
"I promise I won't retaliate."
"You mean not now?"
He just sighed again "I can't beat you, can I?"
"Yeah you can't. How does that feel?"
"Pretty good actually."
That did threw her off and in that split second of confusion, her legs lost a bit of their strength and she fell down in Reborns arms.
He held her firmly, smirking at her and in that second she realised that even glitter didn't make him look ridiculous.
"After all you are the greatest challenge I ever had… and well you did fall for me right now."
She could only open her mouth in protest but the soft, admiring expression in his eyes left her unable to answer.
Violet had just finished her lunch when her eyes fell on the calendar on the wall, displaying today's date as the 23th of april. She bit on her lip ring when she realised what this meant.
"Verde?" she asked, almost hesitant.
The scientist looked up from the book he had been reading while eating "Yes Violet?"
"When are we able to leave again? I mean… It has already been quite a bit of time. Shouldn't our flames have settled by now?"
She could feel their gazes on her.
"Why are you asking?" Fon leaned forward.
"Well forgive me for asking but I do have a life outside of the Mafia and I would really like to be able to pick up on that."
Verde cleared his throat "It's progressing slower than I had thought. While it's getting better and I'm certain we will soon be able to at least have a more significant distance between us it's still too harsh."
"So when will we be able to put distance between us?"
"According to my tests, it will take around one to three weeks for small trips."
"...Could I go to Scotland?"
"No."
Colonnello had abandoned his fork at this point, more focused on the cloud than his leftover food "Why do you even want to, kora?"
"No reason." she stood up, her mood already visibly impaired.
"Violet?"
"I have to feed Oodako." she vanished before they could address her again.
Verde almost felt bad for lying to her.
