Wishbones and Cracked Skulls

Chapter 02: Somewhere over the Rainbow (Part I)

(Where everyone in I Prescelti Sette finds Skull irresistibly cute)


~Red~

"So, like this?" Amethyst eyes with specks of amber looked at him in guidance, attentive and focused only onto him.

The attention was gratifying, and if it weren't for Fon's tight control over himself, he would already be a preening peacock. He lets his lips quirk higher instead. Warmth feeling his chest and lingered as a snuggly embrace.

With utmost care and gentleness unbecoming of his professional occupation, Fon grabbed Skull's right wrist and lowered it by an inch, his touch lingering for a few seconds to enjoy skinship with his beloved Sky. The wrist looked dainty and frail engulfed in his hand, noting once again on how small Skull's hands are compared to his own, skin paler and surely easy to bruise. But Fon knows, despite their delicate breakable appearance, these hands are fully capable of caving in steel doors off its hinges with one punch. Truly, even without the flame reinforcement, his raw strength is phenomenal and fully capable of rearranging a human's anatomy.

Not that he would, Skull is far too gentle hearted for such barbaric acts of violence, besides, he has Fon who could do it for him, with already bloodied hands who had only known violence since young. The martial artist is already reeling, in the fact that these hands of his could be soft and gentle, that he is even capable of being delicate that doesn't involve an instant painless death. Fon keeps discovering new things about himself after meeting Skull.

Fon still can't believe that there would be a Sky that would be able to handle his Storm, after so many years spent searching and at some point giving up, that he would find his Sky in a civilian stunt rider with mysterious and extraordinary combat skills.

Not to mention, that his Sky would be someone so welcoming to Fon's admittedly overwhelming attentiveness – "You mean obsessiveness, Fon, obsessiveness is the word." "Shut up Sinclair, like you're one to talk." – and give him attention in return.

The new center, the eye of his Storm.

"Oh, so a bit lower?" Skull mumbled more to himself than to Fon.

Fon steps away and watches fondly as the stunt man poke his tongue out from his lips in concentration, engaging to the stance that he just showed three minutes ago and then perfectly executing a series of swipe, guard, finger jab, kick, guard, palm strike and a punch.

Like always, when he's done with the execution, Skull asks for his critics right away, eyes sparkling in the way that he knew that he did a great job and wants Fon to praise him.

It takes his everything not to coo like an overbearing Auntie to his Sky.

Many would attest that Fon is an individual who does not casually hand out complements even to his most respected opponents – targets – but he learned to do so because it makes Skull happy to be praised for a job well done, even over the tiniest of approval could lift the brightest smiles from his face. It came natural for Fon to praise Skull, even before when he learned that the stuntman was his Sky and just when they barely knew each other, it just felt right to do so, to encourage the younger man when he was still dipping his toes on the underground business he got himself to. The Skull from back then looked incredibly perplexed, anxious and flustered whenever he gets an approval, but now, it seems like he has gotten used to being complimented a lot, and even looks forward for it, bestowing them a smile that shamed Yang'asha herself.

(If Fon found out where the scum who hurt his Sky so, so much to make him feel so small and anxious by a simple praise, then Fon would have to revisit every lesson he had with human anatomy to make them hurt and not die immediately. But the cur dying is the least of his problems, the strongest Sun and the second coming of Da Vinci are willing to do repairs so they can all have some fun with the bastard.)

Fon cleared his mind with an exhale, giving an apologetic smile to a suddenly pale Skull, Skull who has most likely adapted to them suddenly leaking murderous intent, just smiled back, although a lot dimmer than before.

Now, that won't do.

"As I expected, this form is very suitable for you. Not to mention that you picked it up rather quickly than I had as a child."

"…Really?" Doubt came first in those beautiful eyes, then scrutiny and lastly, slight acceptance.

Fon lets his smile grow on his face. "Yes really, it took me five minutes while you only needed three."

He blinked owlishly, purple lashes kissing away at his flushed cheeks, his lips making a small 'o' before the blush intensified twofold. He ducked away slowly, and oh by the Gods, gave Fon a shy heartwarming smile.

Where is the camera when he needed one, hmmm… maybe he should ask Verde for a small one that he could have in his person for situations like this, the only bad thing with that exchange is that the good doctor would ask copies as compensation for his tech.

But that can be arranged.

"Thank you Fon, it's all because you're a very great teacher. And wow, you did this when you were younger, I can see that, you are a prodigy after all. Oh wait, now I'm picturing a smaller version of you doing these katas, oh my gosh you must have been so cute as a child!" Then he suddenly froze from his speech and threw a wild look at him. "Not that y-you aren't cute now o-or anything! I mean y-you look cute b-but you're more handsome rather than cute! I mean, you just act so c-cute sometimes specially when you're drinking great tea, and, and you just make this face and ohmygodnowI'mramblingsoI'mshuttingupnow."

Please, Fon would beg to differ that his Sky is the one deserving of the adjective 'cute', but a large piece of him is preening for being called handsome in Skull's own sweet mouth. Fon knows that he is attractive, many comments about it has come to his ears many times from both men, women and the lot, but it somehow felt different coming from his Sky's mouth.

"Well," He starts, appearing nonplussed to settle down Skull's nerves. "I'm glad that you find my appearance to your liking." If possible, Skull turned even redder with a squeak, the fetching color now crawling down to his neck and to his ears.

"But shall we continue the lesson?"

"…Yes please."


~Orange~

Luce finds Skull a mystery.

A Cloud but has so many unCloud-like tendencies. Friendly, gentle and non-volatile. The man even has sewing, embroidering and crocheting as a hobby. But most of the mystery that surrounds him is more on the fact that Luce cannot see him.

She had tried many times and failed to see into Skull's future and the only reason she knew him before Checkerface was because the others' visions have glimpses of him here and there, sprinkled through in clips but not quite solid as she would like.

That made Luce a tad wary of him and the unknown variable that he brings, but even so, 'The Fated Day' is still in their future, she had seen it in hers, she had seen it in all the others except for Skull's, it is imminent and an unchangeable in the weaves of faith. No matter how many times Skull had change certain events by making unseen decisions, the future remained the same and solid even through other dimensional lenses.

So that is why Luce is not quite worried with the unknown variable that is Skull.

And it is certainly hard to be cautious of him when he is such a sweetheart.

"You're doing great Miss Luce. You just need to improve more on your back stitch's spacing and maybe… try to make it straighter." He said the last part softer to make the truth less burdening to Luce. It was honestly cute. "At least it's not tangled anymore that's for sure." Skull cheered quietly. "Just practice more and I'm sure you'll be able to do it perfectly in no time."

A soft smile graced his unpainted face and without the dramatic makeup, Skull looked younger than ever, boyish and charmingly cute. Luce ignored the subtle gestures of Renato, Fon and Viper, most likely taking another candid photo of their youngest with the new hidden camera that Verde gave them.

"Thank you, Skull. I'll make sure to practice well then."

Not that she could blame them for being besotted, the youth is incredibly adorable at the best of times and a warm soul. It still befuddles Luce why they orbit around the Cloud like they were courting him, treating the man as if he was a sought after Sky. The group have stopped lingering around her for quite sometime after a mission that had gone awry. It hurt at first, but the rejection didn't sting as much as she thought it would. Luce already has a complete set of elements, the others must have discovered this and is now respectfully moving away. That's the only reason she could think of as an explanation to their current almost silent treatment.

After all, the World's Strongest Cloud couldn't possibly be a Sky.


~Yellow~

Renato smirked wider than ever, and no he is not smiling, Skull in his own personal apron, black with purple trimming, while Renato had black with yellow trimming on his person. Skull had made it for him after the perceptive stuntman noted his enjoyment for cooking and baking. It's not like Renato was hiding his interest either, he made it known by taking charge of his own meals and actually doing the cooking.

Like the naïve – sweet – man that he is, Skull tried to cook for everyone in the house, but after the others didn't bother to try his food out of paranoia and distrust, surprisingly, the youth managed to grab the situation quickly and didn't try to cook for anyone again and only for himself. The wonder of it all is that he didn't push any of them and didn't even get offended when some of the words thrown at him made to cut through flesh.

(Renato noted the resigned acceptance on Skull's amethyst eyes back then, it was gone in a blink and brushed off with an easy smile. And now, all Renato wanted to know was who in God's green earth made his Sky be used to verbal abuse like that to shrug it off like it was nothing.)

It was that moment, Renato learned that Skull wasn't much of an idiot as he appeared to be. From then on, Renato began noticing that Skull is quick to adapt to the environment he is in, taking in observations and assessing how he should make his move in order to not step on any of their toes. As much as Renato claimed to be a mind reader, he really is not, it all came together by the power of observation and deduction, but Skull is different in that regard. Other than being perceptive under the cowardly clown mask, he also seemed to have a supernatural sense when it came to emotions or even sometimes thoughts. That is why Renato is very suspicious and cautious of the stuntman at first, the man is a mystery and not a part of their world, he could be hiding something from them, because how the hell did Skull knew that Renato has a pet chameleon when no one else aside from himself knows it.

Now, he can chuck it up to Sky flame bullshit, because how else could he rationally explain it. The Sky flame still holds a lot of mystery behind it, like how the Vongola has the famed Hyper Intuition and the ability to freeze flames, like how the Giglio Nero has foresight of all things. Who knows what the Sky flame did to Skull's senses, what Renato could gather however, is that Skull can use this almost empathic/telepathic ability passively. The Harmony factor combined with the Propagation factor of Skull's Cloud flames might have boosted his attunement to the world around him to a terrifying degree, coupled with the not so savory past the man had been hinting might have jumpstart his want to protect his life by being hyper aware of his surroundings. It was called 'Dying Will Flames' for a reason, Skull's resolve to survive is strong, and from the interog—questions they asked him, Skull activated his flames when he nearly died as a child, he never really fully disclosed how that came to be. But from Viper's foul countenance alone, it is enough to deduce that the incident was very upsetting.

(Skull was very afraid at the sound of gunshots – or just extremely loud explosive sounds – and even faints when he hears it or he would become completely catatonic. It earned him more ridicule at first, but when Lal pointed out that Skull has the symptoms of a triggered PTSD, considering his youth – 19 according to Viper – Renato, Lal and Verde (who was extremely reluctant) switched out to more quiet weaponry until the youngest got used to it. Luce didn't have to coax them to do that, something, Sky flames, just compelled them to make the stuntman more comfortable. And due to their – harsh – exposure therapy sessions instigated by Lal who has actual professional experience, Skull hardly flinches at the sound anymore. That is enough of a clue to a violent past, not at all like the civilian they thought he was.)

"Come on Ren, let me have a taste." Skull, a man who still doesn't make any sense to Renato, managed to make the sound of whining melodious. Damn him and his stupidly pretty voice and his stupidly pretty pouting face. It was cute. And Renato is supposed to be the type of man to not find anything or anyone cute, even in the privacy of his own mind.

Damn Sky, his Sky, for being distractingly pretty.

(It was the first impression Renato had of Skull when he finally took off that damned helmet. His ridiculous purple hair was a wild halo around his face, bright amethyst almond-shaped eyes with starbursts of amber swept a glance over all of them, his long and equally purple lashes brushing against his high cheekbones, aristocratic nose scrunching up as plump purple painted lips sets into a nervous grin. Skull's expression was a grimace, but that didn't detract any of his outward beauty, only enhancing how young he is. So, the word 'pretty' came to his mind rather quickly. That, and his toned physique from the skintight body suit he wore, Renato still wonders how Skull made spandex and leather work, certainly a few people could, but the man pulls it off like it was nothing.)

But thanks to that, his mind didn't wonder to happy murder crimes for scummy child abusers.

They were both sitting across each other, their respective desserts in hand, that, in a series of convoluted events, they ended up making a cake with one another in mind, it was Luce's idea to stop Renato and Skull's argument in the kitchen that if not for the intervention, would have blown up the said kitchen.

In Renato's opinion, it was all Skull's fault. The infuriating youth just had to open his mouth and say that he wants to bake Colonello a cake as thank you for helping him fix his bike. Renato had challenged the idea seeing the blonde soldier was the one who broke it in the first place. Then the man said that that didn't matter anymore and what's important is Colonello said sorry and helped. Renato proceeded to insult his intelligence and naivety, Skull got offended, and now it devolved into a bake off, to make a cake that the other would like.

It was all ridiculous and tedious but Renato couldn't really care since he is very competitive.

(Mission accomplished. Colonello was completely forgotten and out of his head. Only Renato occupied him now seeing that laser competitive focus.)

"Oh? Wanting for a swift defeat?" Renato said while simultaneously plating a generous slice of Brown Butter Peach layered cake. He did a wonderful job at the icing if he does say so himself, the peaches and the blueberries on top where immaculately set on the butter cream icing, the caramel drizzle completes the beauty of the round cake.

Skull's nose scrunched up at the taunt, but otherwise didn't say anything and took the plate. He in turn hands over an equally generous slice of what looked like a Tiramisu Cake.

"By the way this is not Tiramisu," The man grinned impishly, pulling at the piercing in his lower lip.

Renato took the plate carefully, dark eyes roaming the ganache laden cake with dark chocolate flakes sprayed on top. "What is it then?"

Skull's grin widened. "Have a taste first and I'll tell you." The wink he added had no right to be charming and compelling. And cute.

Renato proceeded to do just that with his fork while not breaking the stare with his Sky.

He lost the competition when he blinked and registered the strong taste of coffee and chocolate in his tongue, it was sweet but more on bittersweet, the taste of coffee strong and it deeply reminded him of—

"Espresso."

"Ding, ding, ding, ding. Correct, but not quite. It's actually an Espresso Martini Cake, so how is it? It's my first time baking it by following the recipe. I just thought you would like since you have an addiction."

"Not an addiction."

"Whatever, so how is it? Good? Bad? I tried adding the coffee I usually brew for you since you seemed to like that, is it too bitter? Sweet? I hope the Kahlua didn't make it too bitter. Maybe I messed it up. Sorry about that and your taste buds. I'll just admit de—"

Skull's nervous rumble filled the kitchen and Renato let him run his course while the hitman (quickly) finished the slice, and now aiming to get one more cut of that delicious cake. As expected, like any other food the man makes, there are traces of Sky flames on the pastry, making it taste even more heavenly.

It's an orgasmic experience to eat the Sky's food even Verde would not pass it off in the middle of a breakthrough in his experiments. Not only does it taste marvelous, the latent flame traces added to the dish is like an extremely rare garnish, the intent clear in every meal and dessert made by Skull's hands. Of wishing for their enjoyment and satisfaction for the food. Of care, affection, friendship, and something else so deep that it threatened the growing ball of sun in his chest to implode and wreck Renato whole.

The regret of not tasting the first meal Skull cooked for them is deep. But there's nothing Renato could do about being extra cautious over a new foreign environment.

"Hey!" A pale hand takes hold of Renato's cake slicing hand, he could have dodged it, but he didn't. Like every part of the man before him, it was damningly pretty.

Renato stared head on to the owner of the beautiful hand, confused amethyst eyes bearing into his coal black ones. The hitman resolutely did not giveaway anything on his face, body controlled to portray casual indifference.

He still needs to find out how the man could read him so well after all. Renato needs a solid logical conclusion other than the sky flame bullshit logic.

Slowly but surely, under a few seconds, realization crossed over those mesmerizing pair of eyes and Renato is treated to the sight of a flustered Skull. He watched in amusement as pink cheeks turn into a blooming red, a pleased shy smile easing its way to purple painted lips.

"I'm glad that you like it." Oh. Oh wow. Skull looked at him under his lashes, the stuntman's other free hand rubbing at the back of his neck. For sure brushing at the beauty mark on the man's nape.

A few subtle gestures and the sight before him is forever captured in a photograph. The only issue now is how to sneak it off without Verde's notice. This one would be Renato's favorite of the week that's for certain.

Renato only grunted as a reply, ignoring the heat in his ears. It's a blessing that his complexion is not one for obvious blatant blushing, not that he could not hold down a flush mind you. His eyes continued to drink in his Sky's happiness, while taking a bite to the sweet ambrosia.

"Try it." He nudged the beautiful slice of peach cake to the stuntman, which Skull nodded to.

"It looks great Ren, wow! I can only hope to be decent at best."

Renato's eyebrow twitched in irritation at the self-deprecation that the stuntman seemed to excel at.

"Just shut up and eat it already."

"Okay, okay, no need for threats." The man placated and proceeded to take a bite of the dessert.

To say that Renato felt like he run a high adrenaline kill in a public international event successfully, is an understatement, he felt the heat on his ears intensify and go down to his neck, his heart beating fast while his mind tried to process the situation once again. And once he did, Renato proceeded to take more pictures with the hidden camera because Mio Dio, the image painted right in front of him is something he does not want to forget.

Fuck.

"Oh gosh this is sooo… by the Music Gods, holy." The bliss in his face is apparent, the glow in those unearthly eyes are nothing else Renato had ever seen, as he stared back, he could only see himself reflected back.

"I lost."

"Wait wha— hey! Yours are really great, it's—"

"Shut up and take the win. You better store this cake's recipe to memory or I'm going to shoot you. Store the cakes on the fridge as well while you're at it and they better not be eaten by someone else."

With that, Renato walked out of the kitchen not forgetting to get a drink in hand, leaving a sputtering Skull behind.

Why did his Sky have to be so cute?


~Green~

Verde examined the results before him, the photographed evidence dotting the screen of his monitor and casting his face to an eerie clinical glow. His brows furrowed minutely, a hand absentmindedly reaching up for his tall coffee mug that he was sure he placed on top of a petri dish that is on top of a research paper about the comparison of flame purity and output from generational active flame users to the newly active flame users.

The feeling of finding out that it was empty was not a new one but it is no less irritating than the first experience.

He sighed, he really doesn't want to get up and start the coffee machine again. Tch, this is all Fon's fault and his spiteful hate to any drink that is not tea and water, the brute just had to break 8E4NZ – his coffee making and delivering bot – in half on 'accident' by 'tripping' on a wire that he did not saw. Quite frankly, Verde calls bullcrap on that, because he had seen the man dodge flying objects while doing jump ropes. That man has extraordinary perception and balance, so there is no way he would 'trip' by a simple wire.

With a grumble and much reluctance to part ways on a scientific tangent discovery, he saves his current findings making backups under tight lock and key of encryption key after encryption key, just to be sure, he added his own flame signature sample as further identification. Verde got up from his chair, stretching his back as he goes to get some of the stiffness out.

His chair was pushed aside and as he turned around, his eyes caught something or rather, someone that wasn't supposed to be there. His heart picked up just by the stimuli of seeing that welcomed face, mind gaining clarity and the fog of sleep ebbing away from his brain as he focused at the peaceful sleeping face of his chosen Sky, taking in the minute twitches, the smile and the way he curled up like a cat on the sofa, hugging the complimentary pillow close to his chest. The sofa was installed after the many times the scientist caught the stuntman sleeping in his lab at the oddest places, he did it to not get a repeat of the time Skull slept inside a cryo bed, where he was supposed to place the cadaver in, to say the least, the man almost ended up as a cold corpse giving everyone a scare after hours of looking for him just to find him in a container meant for preserving bodies. How Skull went out of it unscathed even after hours of freezing cold and lack of oxygen is still an unanswered medical phenomenon, too bad the others doesn't want him to explore the idea with a willing – oblivious – Skull.

Verde during his lapse in recollection, subconsciously went closer to the sleeping man, his finger already reaching out to trace the long lashes that touch the stuntman's healthy cheeks. After all this time, he still can't make any concrete logical sense of how Verde find everything about this man fascinating and he can't help but analyze every single detail he had observed and store it in his mind, not a difficult task with his eidetic memory. It fascinated him how looking at the man felt like taking a direct shot of caffeine in his bloodstream. Increased heartbeat, fast breathing, increased mental alertness and physical energy, all of these occurring to him with a higher rate than just what coffee and tea could. It felt liberating to be in his presence alone and even more so when Skull's attention is solely focused on him, those central heterochromia eyes only reflecting him and only him even as he rambled jargons that would fly over the stuntman's head that would lead him to asking and launching Verde for another spiel that he would continue to listen to.

It felt right to be seen by him, exhilarating in a way that Verde only ever felt after a huge discovery or a successful experiment.

He had thought that all the stories of other elements finding their own Sky are just exaggeration, how finding them felt like rediscovering themselves, finding a new home, how they wish to always stay by their Sky's side, to always keep them safe and to always make their Sky smile. All of these appear to be non-sensical ramblings of flame drunk fools to Verde, fools who allow their base instincts to take hold and guide them. He had mocked them for being easily swayed by someone's will.

That's why Verde was entirely alright of not finding his own Sky to belong to, he does not want to be limited by anyone, to be controlled and directed and be used as a shield. Verde was gleeful for being too strong and too smart for any ambitious Sky that tried to poach him. His Lightning too used in going through its own circuit, unwilling to bend and be redirected by any Sky that tried and failed.

But after meeting Skull, Verde tried his hardest to ignore his curiosity for the civilian World Strongest 'Cloud', deeming him unimportant and a fool in the way he carried himself. Then the scientist properly got to meet him after five weeks of indifference, when he stumbled upon him in the garage, the man tinkering away at his modified personal bike with the expertise of a well-learned mechanic. His curiosity peeked, Verde tested the man's knowledge by asking a question that was answered correctly and succinctly without much thought. Before he knew it, Verde began asking more questions that Skull answered enthusiastically as he worked, hours passed before Verde found himself carefully connecting the wires intended for adjustable headlights while debating the sustainability and feasibility of electric-powered mobiles. The discussion prolonged well into the night and only stopped when an alarm blared to signify Skull's show was about to start within 2 hours. The stuntman parted hurriedly with regretful eyes and a smile on his painted lips that promised a next time.

Verde could only watch him go with a deep sense of lost.

The whole night while he conducted experiments and research in his lab, his brain and body worked while half of his mind wandered. Skull, for all his foolish appearance, is actually quite intelligent, and when Verde asked where he learned it or did the man studied for it, the then Cloud answered with an ashamed smile and replied a 'no', that the man isn't able to get formal education. Only being taught by the other circus members to read and count and speak in different languages. All other knowledge is all acquired to reading books that he could get his hands on or personal life experience. It astonished him of course, Skull is smart, maybe average at best, but intelligent enough to keep their discussion going. His knowledge maybe lacking or incorrect in some margin, but that is to be expected of someone who did not undergo formal education.

Verde's fascination towards the man escalated.

(He started lending books to Skull to read when the other asked for any reference where he can learn more about machines. Whenever the purple haired man has interest in certain subjects and wishes to learn more, he would always ask Verde for any book suggestion and Verde would answer, it developed in him lending his own and escalated into actually buying books for the man. Verde would say it was for the sake of educating someone to be less moronic, and not at all because of the grateful smile he would give him after five minutes of adamant refusal.)

From then on, he'd gravitate towards Skull when he wished to be social or explain his current projects. There was never a second that Verde caught disinterest in the man's countenance, only awed fascination and sometimes veiled fear to his more dangerous works. It's also bonus that the man is an excellent coffee and tea brewer, both Sinclair and that dratted martial artist would practically inhale their preferred drinks while making sappy eyes to the clueless fool.

And when the truth revealed itself that Skull is in fact also a Sky, something in him clicked, an answer to the unending questions and equations.

A Sky.

How blind can he be to not see that a mile away? To not make that conclusion right away.

(But he'd never met a Sky who did not actively tried to pull him in, to wrangle his flames, intrude his system, force themselves on him. Hurt him. Even Luce, as much as she did not try to force herself on him, the times she would brush her flames on his is uncomfortable to the highest regard, specially a Sky in her caliber. And as an internal flame variant, Verde is sensitive to such overtures. Skull never tried anything, and knowing his annoying oblivious nature in anything that concerns himself, the man does not have any idea that he is being flame courted albeit subconsciously.)

It was an oversight from all of them.

But nonetheless, Verde didn't reject the idea of having Skull as a Sky. In fact, much to his horrified realization, he felt ecstatic to the turn of events. How having Skull as his Sky felt right.

A groan halted his thought process. Looking down, he watched purple lashes flutter before opening to hazy amethyst eyes.

Verde opened his mouth.

"How long have you been here?" 'And why didn't you inform me?' Was asked silently from a second of eye contact.

Sleepiness lingered in Skull's eyes yet they were focused on Verde, a slow fond smile stretching at the stuntman's lips.

"I—" A yawn. "I don't know… and I just don't want to disturb you. I know that you don't like being interrupted." He blinked, tears welling up in his eyes before rubbing it off.

"I see." Discreetly, Verde started taking photos from his hidden lab cameras. He can't pass up a sample of proving a (his) Sky's physical charm and its association to flame attraction and flame purity.

(Skull is attractive, this is a clinical and objective fact. His physicality embodies the golden ratio – Verde had checked the proportions from his eyes to his feet – that to human minds, equates to beauty. Added to that, is his unique and exotic coloring, and it clears away to an unobjectionable fact to Skull's physical beauty.)

"I'm just gonna sleep here, oh, thank you." Verde covers him with a fuzzy green knitted blanket, a gift that came from the man himself.

The precious sight of seeing his Sky bury himself to a cocoon is quickly added to the list of growing evidences.

He yawned again and more pictures were discreetly taken.

"If ya need coffee," He gave another sleepy smile. "There are three thermoses filled with them behind you. G'night Dr. V."

And he's asleep again, leaving Verde to his own mind.

Ah. He turned around and found the thermoses, all green and most likely containing the ambrosia Skull deigned to give him.

So, this is the 'adorable' they speak of.

Warmth spread in his chest as he walked towards the table and opened the container, the smell of nicely brewed coffee wafted to his senses, making feel more awake.

And this is what being adored feels like.

A smile tugged from his lips, as he went back to his work with the coffee.


Yan'asha – the Goddess of Beauty by the Miao people in China. There is an 88 ft statue built to her likeness at Jianhe City as a tribute to the Miao people's rich culture.

A/N: I gave in and did it, since you guys seemed to like the AU so much and the brain rot is getting me. This was supposed to be tacked into chapter 18 but it got out of hand and became 5k+ words worth, damn, where did that come from. Hope u guys enjoy this one!~