The light's hurting Skull's eyes, but everything's hurting his eyes lately, because he's not sure how many hours of actual sleep he's managed to get since the curse. Not many. And what little amount of sleep he does manage to get is never of the resting, peaceful kind.

He sits at the kitchen's table across from Colonnello who looks just as desperate for sleep too, and yet his eyes are painfully awake still. Awake with pain too, he would know.

They're both in their pajamas, surrounded by an eerie silence because it's the dead of the night, and it only makes him more aware of the fire in his lungs every time he breathes, of raw muscles stretched taut and screaming in pain every time he moves, of the continuous stealing of his flames by the pacifier like he's being split in two. Colonnello gave up holding himself upright from the beginning, slumped over the table, his head resting on his folded arm, but Skull's still putting up a fight, only allowing himself to rest his head against his hand, his elbow propped on the table.

"When's the magical milk's supposed to knock me out to blissful sleep again?" he asks, swaying his glass of milk, half full still. He thinks he'll throw up if he drinks any more of it, if he puts anything at all in his stomach right now.

Colonnello huffs a tired laugh. "That's what my parents made me drink back when I used to wake up at night for no reasons when I was a kid. Worked well enough back then."

"You used to wake up at night when you were a kid?"

"Yeah, my dad used to joke and say I just didn't get out of the habit from when I was a baby. And my mom would always play along and say it was fine as long as I didn't pick up the crying again too." He rolls his eyes, but he's smiling, prompting Skull's own smile.

"Lame jokes."

"You tell me. But yeah, the milk thing actually used to work nine times out of ten. They'd stay with me and we'd just talk until I fell asleep again, and I'd wake up back in my bed the next morning." He snorts. "That is, until I started putting on some weight, and then they started making sure I got my ass back to my bed myself."

Skull laughs, making Colonnello laugh too. "Harsh."

"Tell me about it, I'm never getting over it."

"You grew up well and loved, huh?"

Colonnello hums, shifting his head to catch his eye. "Yeah. You?"

"I mean, it went to shit real fast, but yeah, got myself a couple of good years first."

"Sorry to hear that."

"Eh," he dismisses, giving up and slumping over the table too, in much the same position as Colonnello. "I wasn't going to let that stop me. Didn't let it stop me."

Colonnello smiles. "Sure didn't. Good for you."

"Tired, huh?" Skull asks after a lull in their conversation.

"Exhausted," Colonnello says, averting his eyes and heavily letting his head lean against his arm. "I'd kill for some sleep right now."

He seems to lose himself in his thoughts for a bit, an absent look on his face, his eyes seemingly not actually looking at anything in particular. But then something catches his attention, and Skull's arm twitches, the one he's not resting his head on, all too aware all of a sudden of his short sleeves shirt leaving his skin bare.

Colonnello reaches out, letting go of his glass of milk, while Skull feels like holding onto his own is the only thing grounding him right now. Colonnello brushes his knuckles along a small scar in the middle of his arm, from a glass shard this one he thinks, with a barely there touch, maybe asking for permission.

He moves downwards when Skull doesn't say anything, doesn't pull away, tracing the scars along his way with his fingertips. It's a soft and light touch leaving goosebumps in its wake, and sparkles of electricity that light his cells alive and make him shiver. But it's thorough and focused too the way he traces his scars so painstakingly slowly like he wants to commit them to memory, like he wants to brand them with his touch, and it leaves fire in its wake that dries his throat and makes him want for more. Sometimes his nails graze his skin, Skull's breath stuttering at the friction that zings up his arm then, and he hopes Colonnello can't hear it.

Colonnello warps graceful fingers around his wrist, and it's a searing heat the weight and warmth of his hand around his wrist, one that seeps through skin and bones and spreads and brands and throbs, his whole body alight and alive, and it's a welcome relief and reprieve from the red-hot throbbing assaulting his body ever since the curse. Colonnello strokes his thumb back and forth along the scar inside his wrist, right along a vein, and Skull thinks it's the scar that caught his attention to being with because he just keeps touching it, like Skull isn't trying very hard and failing to pretend there isn't thousands of butterflies in his stomach right now, and his heart isn't trying to beat right out of his chest.

With the part of his brain still somehow working, he thinks maybe Colonnello thinks this is the bad kind of scars. Skull can't remember for the life of him how he actually got this one, but he knows it isn't that, and he makes a note to himself to bring it up to him just in case there is a need to clear things up.

"You know, I've noticed before, but you run really hot." Skull almost doesn't hear him, so focused as he is on that steady back and forth of skin against skin. Funny how such a small touch is all he can feel, all he can think about. "And I might really like it because I'm the exact opposite."

Skull blinks, tearing his eyes away from his wrist to look at him. He almost says it, but then thinks better of it.

Colonnello has never felt anything but warm to him, but he's not sure if it's something he can handle admitting right now.

"And of course, I've noticed the scars too," Colonnello continues, shifting his head once more to catch his eye, and a zing of panic courses through Skull. His face isn't giving anything embarrassing away, is it? "You could have fooled me thinking you were a soldier too."

Skull opens his mouth, but thinks better of it again before trying again. His voice won't embarrass him either, will it? "Define soldier? You can find a lot of soldiers that have never worn the uniform too. Life can be a bitch like that."

Colonnello laughs, but there's a something that turns his eyes darker. "True. So you're saying…?"

"Oh no, I'm not. I lucked out just enough I wouldn't call myself a solider. These," he starts, looking back at his arm, at Colonnello still touching his wrist, and if he realizes just how hard it makes thinking for him then he's a fucking tease, "are mostly from my stunts. Some from the mafia, but that's just on par with the course, right? Nothing from the darkest, fucked up corners of it I know exist." He laughs. "Some are just because of my tendency of doing and getting involved into stupid shits though."

Colonnello clicks his tongue, but it's playful. "Is that anything to be proud of?"

Skull laughs harder, unrepentant and unapologetic, grinning cheekily at him.

He almost chokes on his laughter when Colonnello lets go of his wrist, reaching out for his face instead. He brushes his knuckles against his cheek, right under his eye, a curious movement to it, suddenly curious eyes taking in his face like he's seeing it for the first time.

"What?" Skull asks, fighting back a rising blush.

"What?" Colonnello shots back casually. "When else do I get to see your face like that?" Skull actually needs a moment to realize what he's talking about. Right, he's not wearing any makeup or piercings right now. "Actually, let me see it better?" Colonnello asks, propping himself up on his arms, but Skull crosses his arms on the table, and firmly hides his face in them. "Aw, no—" he laughs.

"Shut up."

"Aw," Colonnello says again, like a chided child. "I like making you blush and all shy though, so I don't know." And like an asshole, he grazes the outline of his ear with his nails, like Skull doesn't already know he's blushing to the tip of his ears. He shivers, and tries to hide his ears in the safety of his arms too as best as he can. "What's there to be embarrassed about?" Colonnello suddenly asks as he threads his fingers in his hair, the teasing in his voice gone, replaced by something soft and fond. "You're just as pretty without makeup too, I promise."

"Yeah, I know," he says, and can just see Colonnello rolls his eyes. "So you better mean it."

Colonnello hums, and Skull bites his lip, his stomach twisting a little. "Your eyes are even prettier than usual, actually." Skull holds his breath. "I guess because there's less purple to compete with, so they draw the eyes even more?"

Skull carefully takes a peak at him, and upon making sure he does mean it, promptly hides his face again.

Fuck.

Colonnello laughs, but it's something breathless that makes his stomach flip. "Fuck," he breathes out, and when he speaks again, he sounds closer, like he's maybe back resting against the table again. "You're adorable."

All the while he never stopped running his hand through his hair, and he still doesn't stop when a comfortable silence settles over them. It feels so nice and lulling, Skull almost purring when Colonnello lightly scratches his scalp with his nails, and for a moment he thinks he might just be able to catch on some sleep tonight.

But then the moment's gone even when Colonnello has still to pull his hand away, and the steady white-hot throbbing from the godforsaken pacifier around his neck takes over his senses again. Lal said Verde said the pain should lessen soon, but it doesn't feel like it is.

"It hurts," he hears himself say, not having meant to say it, his voice barely above a breath.

Colonnello says nothing, and Skull thinks he didn't hear him. But then a wave of Rain flames washes over him, and he jolts, almost tearing up at the instant relief it gives him.

Colonnello doesn't stop there though, spreads his flames all over his, wraps his Rain around his Cloud, and then, gently tucks his flames within his, in a place that feels his to occupy, like it was just made for him.

Oh.

Skull slowly sits up against his chair, wide-eyed, grateful and dumbstruck.

It's the first easy breaths he's taking since the curse.

Colonnello sits up against his chair too, grinning widely. "It helps, doesn't it? I've actually been meaning to thank you for doing it to me too back then, but I just couldn't seem to find the right moment for that."

Oh.

Skull winces, feeling warm on the face, his stomach twisting uncomfortably. He looks away. "That's good, because I did that for entirely selfish reasons, so, you know." He shrugs stiffly, then clears his throat. "There's nothing for you to thank me for." He cries out in pain when Colonnello kicks him under the table. "What the hell?" he shouts, glaring at him. "What was that for?"

"Who cares why you did it for? You did it and it felt like a godsend, and that's all that matters to me."

"But… I mean, I did—"

Colonnello bursts out laughing. "What, so you are going to pass yourself as a saint?"

"No! That's not—!" He cuts himself off, and takes a deep, calming breath, closing his eyes. "You know what, I'm not going to fall for your teasing anymore," he says in a calm, steady voice.

"What, not even for my pretty face?"

"Shut up, Colonnello." He crosses his arms on his chest as Colonnello shuts up, though while clearly stopping himself from laughing again. "Do you want to hear what I have to say or not?"

"Yes, I'm all ears and ready to be enlightened by you, Skull. Ready when you are."

Skull rolls his eyes, but then still drops the act, leaning his arms on the table. "When I did that back then… I did mean to also give you an excuse to leave the mansion, to stay away from the others for a bit." He frowns, swinging his leg back and forth, thinking about how to best put it, only absentmindedly noticing Colonnello curiously leaning forwards, resting his arms on the table too. "It's like… that was awkward, right?" he asks, catching his eye. "Having to suddenly be the outsider like that." Colonnello's eyes widen, and Skull gives him a small, knowing smile. "So I thought, you know—" he shrugs again. "I thought it wouldn't be the end of the world if you didn't have to adjust to it right there and then. If you could do it later, with fewer odds for it going terribly because of everyone's currently shit circumstances. And so!" he chirps, overly cheerful, grinning too wide, not knowing what to do with the intense look Colonnello's giving him. "I guess I'm okay with you thanking me for that if you really feel like thanking me for something right now."

It doesn't do the trick, not right away, blue eyes intent and heavy on him, but not unpleasant, and he tries to not fidget under their scrutiny too much. Then the literal softest look he's ever seen Colonnello with takes over his face, and Skull just about melts, and it's even harder to stay still under his gaze, fuck.

"You're surprisingly considerate, aren't you?" Colonnello asks, his voice like honey, feeling like the sweetest caress on his skin, but no, Skull can't let himself be distracted, because what was that?

He huffs, pouting. "Why can't you ever only just give me a straight, proper compliment? You're the shy one, aren't you?"

"And your face is just as pretty with makeup."

Skull hurries to hide his face in his hands again, almost slamming them against his face, and then almost slamming his head against the table as he lowers his head against it. "Nello!"

Colonnello bursts out laughing, of course, because he's a tease and it's not fair and Skull hasn't one shy bone in him, he swears, but then it's hard to mind it when Colonnello whispers a soft, earnest, heartfelt "Thank you" in his ear, making him even more of a mess.

And all the while their flames have been snuggling close, warming him up from the inside out.

They both catch on some sleep that night.

Skull's heart leaps in his throat when he catches sight of Verde. He's all over him before he realizes, holding his face between his hands. "Fuck, Verde, you okay? Have you been sleeping at all?" They've all been looking terrible since the curse, but Verde's pale skin and the dark bags under his eyes are on another level entirely, making his throat close up.

"Are you worried about me?"

The way he asks it makes him pause, then flush a bit. "Of course I worry about you." He sheepishly lets his hands fall away from his face. "Sorry about that."

"It's fine," Verde says, smiling. "It's good to know you do."

Skull huffs a little, sitting across from him at the table. "Why do you guys keep saying that? And I thought I was the insecure one." He frowns at Verde's lone, empty glass of water. "Did you order yet?"

"Are you hungry?"

"Um, yes, and so are you. You're not leaving this place until I've seen you eat a full meal. Excuse me," he calls out to a nearby waiter, raising his hand.

"I meant, are you still able to eat?"

He winces. He isn't, but… "It doesn't mean we should just let ourselves starve, right? Just a little," he compromises.

The waiter walks up to their table before Verde can say anything, though he didn't seem about to refuse, and Skull orders for both of them, choosing the lightest meal on the menu that should be the easiest on both their stomach.

"How have you been?" Verde asks, trailing his eyes on his figure. "Anything noteworthy to share?"

"Nothing you don't already know, I'm sure. Because that's what you've been doing, right? Working? Researching?"

"Yes."

He huffs disapprovingly. "You should be resting too! Or taking it easy at the very least. But…" Verde tilts his head curiously "… thank you," he breathes out, heartfelt. "Lal said you said it should get a little better soon. It helps to know it will."

"I see. To be perfectly honest I was just satisfying my own curiosity—"

"Yes, yes," Skull cuts him off, grinning. "I wouldn't ever dare think you're actually a nice and caring person, don't worry."

Verde purses his lips, but his features soften as a little smile pulls at his lips. "You seem to be able to take it easy surprisingly easy. Or concernedly easy, I suppose."

Skull keeps the grin on his face, but it's hollow and painful. "I'll tell you what, Verde. You've always been curious about my immortality, right?"

"Yes?"

"Well, congrats for now getting to experience it for yourself for a bit! Except you eventually get to die of it, you lucky bastard. How does it feel?"

Skull watches the waiter bring them their orders with a bit of relief even if he's the one who started the conversation, but it doesn't stop Verde from speaking up, "I see," he says again as the waiter puts down their plate in front of them. "Now you put it like this, indeed I suppose this isn't really anything new for you. But it could mean just as easily that you may be having it even worse than the rest of us right now."

"It could also mean I already know how to deal with it," he dismisses quietly, Verde's eyes uncomfortably boring into him.

"Do you?"

Skull starts digging in his food, hoping it's an obvious enough hint, and just in case it isn't, looks up with what he hopes to be a convincing enough grin. "So, what's up?"

Verde blinks, then flushes a little, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Right. Thank you for coming, for starter."

"Sure," he says, smiling, then points his fork at Verde's plate. "Don't forget to eat."

"Right. Just remember it's on you if I end up puking."

Skull laughs, wrinkling his nose. "Disgusting. Maybe let's not talk about puking while we're eating, thanks."

"I just wanted to check up on you in person too, even if the others already did."

Skull misses a beat. "Yeah?" he breathes out, warm and fond. "It's good to see you too, Verde."

"That and… it appears I've wronged you during our time together, though I doubt there's anything I can say the others didn't already tell you."

"It's okay," he says, trying not to grin too widely at his plate. "It's enough for me to know you feel the same. Though I do want to say—well, it feels like you guys thought I was angry angry with you, right?" Amusement flickers across Verde's face, and Skull raises his eyebrows. "What?"

"Is there any other way we could have felt? Seeing the circumstances in which you left us like that, that is. I reckon it was inevitable for it to sting a little."

Skull blushes bright red, spluttering, "That's—I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean it to be taken like that. That's why… that's why," he starts again with a subdued voice, averting his eyes, "I want to make it clear I like you guys. And I was always going to come back eventually. Say it to the others too for me, alright?"

"I think they'd rather hear it from you too."

"Verde—" he whines, catching his eye.

Verde laughs, seemingly surprising himself, bringing the back of his hand to his mouth. He leans back against his chair, putting his fork down, and he didn't eat much, but ate at least a little, just like Skull asked of him. "I won't say much then, but at least have my apologies. That… making you go through a hard time was never my intention."

"Thank you." They hold each other's gaze, a soft smile on Skull's lips before he nods at Verde's plate. "Done?"

"Yes."

"Well, you're still not going anywhere until I'm done too, because you're coming back with me first before going back. You need to sleep too."

Verde tiredly rubs the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. "You're still able to sleep?"

"I at least lie down and close my eyes, yeah. I won't have to tie you to the bed, will I?"

Verde scoffs, but there's amusement in his eyes, and Skull grins.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Any and all review are appreciated.

Thank you for reading!

- Hope