A/N: I'm sorry if its been too long! To be honest, I was still debating if it was going to be turned into a long story, as I wrote it initially as a oneshot. However, after a week, I decided, what the hell, let's try it out after all those lovely comments! I can't thank you all for the wonderful favorites and follows as well! On the other hand, by the time I was writing, I was already busy with studying for my winter exams (let me tell you this, a lot of people cried that month, it was terrible) and I wrote it during stressful times (sorry if it turns to be a sloppy second chapter). By the time the exams were done, I was so tired from stress, I took a break, and then there was vacation and busy with flights and stuff. So this is a Christmas gift!
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
At his loud outburst, the eyes that had snapped towards him immediately soured in distaste, and Skull knew- through various experience with different crowds- that he already had them hook, line, and sinker. Hiding his mirth at the mixed layers of surprise, wary and distrust, Skull took the remaining seat by the table with a carefree smile. Observing through his purple locks at his future companions, Skull hid his surprise when he caught the sight of the many familiar faces gathered in the room. He contemplated the interesting situation.
As on the other side of the table sat the great martial artist of the Triads, Fon. Calmly regarding him with his red sleeves covering the bottom of his mouth, tipping his head in a polite nod when their eyes met. There was no recognition from the martial artist of the east; something Skull was rather glad about. After all, he had quite the target on his back after he stole a few valuable artifacts that wasn't just limited to gems from the Chinese branches. More than just a few, now that he thinks about it. He's pretty sure he robbed them blind of at least 24 million yuan.
Not that, that was very important to Skull. That was more of a Cheshire Cat problem whose always forced to escape China every time a member of the Triad caught wind of his appearance. And during that fiasco, Fon was just one of the many assassins hired to either capture or kill him on sight. That man was quite talented if his furious chase across the building roofs of Guangzhou were to say anything. He had barely escaped the man. It was only through his skills as an escape artist did he manage to lose him. If they were ever in a fair fight, Skull was sure that he'd have his ass handed to him.
Trailing his eyes away from the martial artist eventually, Skull rested his sights on the figure beside him. It was the cloaked individual with the mysterious vibe and Skull admired the triangular tattoos adorn their cheeks.
So this was the cunning illusionist he's heard so much about in the underground circuit; the greedy informant that sends people crying to the floor at how much they charge their clients. Viper. One of the best, they've whispered, if not THE best in the arts of gathering intel. Skull didn't know them on a personal level, but he's heard enough to be careful around the other and to keep an eye out for potential leaks about his nightly counterpart.
On Skull's left was Verde, the Leonardo da Vinci of their time, pushing up his glasses as he watched Skull with a clinical gaze. Skull flashed his typical daredevil grin usually preserved for his stunt shows at the green-haired male that immediately scowled at him. In the underworld circle, there were multiple rumours about the man that included one about how the scientist had vanished a group of people to conduct his experiments in the name of science.
And the one beside him was...a Giglio Nero Donna? A pregnant Giglio Nero Donna? Skull tugged at his purple locks at this and the woman that was a distinguished Sky only smiled back brightly at his suddenly shy counterfeit. He hid the twitch of his eye, hoping to Hermes that she didn't know about the red diamond he stole from the famiglia in his earlier, inexperienced era. When he recklessly stole anything of interest and hadn't known all the facts about the mafia to know that the Giglio Nero was ridiculously powerful and that their Skies were renowned as seers.
She probably knew, he sighed mournfully.
He shuffled in his seat at the ongoing silence, making sure to create a nervous tick for the others to file away. Like Mr. Hitman over there, Skull mused, glancing over to the only well-suited individual in the room. Reborn, the World's Greatest Hitman, glaring at him in all his glory. Shadowed eyes analyzing every nook and cranny of his being, coming to some kind of conclusion when his eyes darkened for a microscopic moment, before dismissing him without another thought.
To which, Skull, finds frankly hilarious. Mentally cackling like the madman he was and giving a good few imaginary slaps to the knee, Skull proceeded to preen at his obvious brilliance. The irony, he thinks as he glanced back and forth in a manner of unease to smother the glee he truly felt.
They didn't have a history together, but the fact that they both held the respective titles of 'The World's Greatest' in the underworld spoke for itself. Anyone with that title would be inclined to have some considerable degree of respect and acknowledgment for the individual, Skull knows he does. Who wouldn't? That man was a killing machine, one of the best of the best, and a near 100% success rate in his missions. On the other hand, Reborn was by no means a thief- and in that field, Skull was much more superior.
In the end, despite not having any real solid connections, they did have a passing conversation or two at one of the banquets he stole from. It wasn't anything spectacular, just a gala that had been organized by a famiglia that Skull hadn't been bothered to learn much about. He had been in disguise, walking across the ballroom floor as a bland looking man, holding a couple of passing conversation with a few others before he eventually spoke with Reborn himself. It was brief, and Reborn hadn't realized anything as of yet as they conversed. And just as the rumors go, the man was as extraordinarily dangerous and sharp-minded as they said. Always on the edge whenever he spoke with people, never trusting.
Picking up information with each sentence spoken from the people around him, analyzing and solving. Like a mathematician, he deduced with a hidden smile. By the time Skull had switched to Cheshire and stolen a gorgeous amber, balancing fluidly on a crystalline chandelier grinning his signature grin, Reborn had already connected the dots to his earlier false identity. Smirking knowingly with a purposefully open respect for him prior to tipping his fedora in greetings, as did Cheshire who had conveniently worn a top hat that day to return it. And that was it. Nothing special, only an acknowledgment from one individual to another.
And now, the man that was revered to be a human lie detector and the greatest hitman in the world, one of the best of the best, dismissed Skull who was the Cheshire Cat in disguise. Skull leaned back with a pleased smile concealed as a nervous grin.
There was only one person that Skull didn't recognize, and it was the woman in the military attire sitting ram-rod straight in her chair. Brows furrowed at him as if she disapproved at whatever she saw before following the hitman's example and turned away from him. From the description alone, Skull could make a logical guess that she was apart of some military organization, and by her uniform, the COMSUBIN.
What a powerful group of people they make, Skull concluded while observing them. And a colorful one too, he couldn't help but add. Like the colors of the rainbow.
He bets his fortune that the colors the individuals were associated with were their corresponding dying will flames. Skull was decked out in purple for god's sake, that must amount to something, no? Not the smartest move if you were up against an opponent and wanted to keep your flame-type a secret. However, for people like Reborn and Fon who are known to be powerhouses and destructive forces of nature, it was the first sign that they should probably run and run now.
Skull sighed quietly, earning another frown from the blue-haired woman which he steadily ignored, focusing on what's in front of him instead.
The silence.
The silence that was steadily growing more boring with each passing second.
As if someone had read his mind, the pregnant Donna spoke up.
"I see that everyone made it!" She gushed, smiling harmlessly at the group. "I would like to introduce myself before we start. I'm Luce of the Giglio Nero, and I am honored to be working with all of you in the foreseeable future."
Skull eyed the military woman and found that she wasn't surprised by this information. He noted down the fact that she was used to the ongoings of the underworld, which shouldn't be as much of a surprise either in the first place. The COMSUBIN were rather known to be heavily involved in mafia affairs that combat against them.
Nobody spoke, choosing to stare apprehensively at the woman, which didn't faze Luce at all as she broke out a basket from beneath the table. Lifting it up to show the rest like a proud mother displaying her cub, she smiled, "And to welcome everyone, I baked cookies!"
There was such a wondrous tone to Luce's voice that Skull found the rest of them relaxing as she placed the basket in the centre table, but the wariness was still there as they eyed the cookies with mild suspicion. It was Verde who eventually acted upon the quietness as he pushed up his glasses in irritation.
"Verde. Scientist." The green-haired man said in a clipped tone, earning a bedazzling smile from Luce that made the man look away, albeit reluctantly.
With someone finally taking the initiation, everyone else followed suit.
"My name is Fon." He smiled as he lowered his red sleeves with a polite bow of his head.
"Viper." The illusionist deigned, refusing to say anything else.
The uniformed woman straightened when it was her turn, "Lal Mirch of the COMSUBIN."
Looking up from underneath the shadow of his fedora, the hitman followed, "Reborn."
Everyone turned to look at him.
Skull grinned wide and foolishly.
"I'm the Great Skull-sama! The best stuntman in the world!" At that one introduction alone, Skull found their eyes excluding Luce's own, narrow.
Reborn especially as he scoffed out loud.
"A civilian." He concluded, taking another calculative look before his eyes darkened with malice.
Internally, Skull hummed to himself at how effective the plan was turning out to be, yet partially vexed at how fast they deemed him and his career as a stuntman to be something inferior to them. The nerve and arrogance, he hissed inaudibly at everyone in this room.
"Do you at least know about flames," Reborn demanded testily with his fedora tipped low.
"Flames?" Skull echoed him in confusion, furrowing his brows in effect. Just to spite him and everyone else, Skull reached out to grab one of the cookies that the others been avoiding like the plague and nibbled it with wide blinking eyes.
Reborn twitched, and growled, "This lackey-"
"Now, now everyone." Luce tried to appease but looked elated that Skull ate one of her baked goods. "I'm sure we can work something out. Skull might be a civilian, but he was very much invited to this meeting today."
She rested her eyes on Skull with a sparkle in them, "I'll personally inform him about what's going on, so leave that to me. Cookies and drinks?"
And with that complete change of topics that made Skull nearly twist his brain over, the conversation finally took a turn as the people gathered eventually succumbed to Luce's hospitality. Reborn even requesting an espresso from the Donna after their own tense interaction upon her insistence causing, dare Skull to say it, the hitman to be charmed when she complimented his sideburns. By the end of the day, half of the future team called the I Prescelti Sette had disregarded him as he stayed in the shadows, horrified (petulant) by himself. And when the five individuals finally left the cottage with instructions to meet again in a different location and were expected to live with each other, Skull finally picked himself up. It was a warm hand touching his shoulder that made him stop and remember that he had a Donna to discuss with. Craning his head upwards, he was met with Luce's kind smile.
Staring deep into her sapphire blue eyes and the dimensions reflecting back at him, Skull could only chuckle.
"Of course you would know who I am," Skull said playfully, the lost and conflicted expression he had used until now melting away into a lazy, Cheshire grin.
She huffed out a laugh and added teasingly, "And of course you would know that I knew."
"Was it your predictions?" Skull couldn't help but ask, and Luce nodded.
"Although, I've only seen you wandering and stealing away on rare occasions." The Giglio Nero Sky explained, and he hummed.
"That's a bit unfair, don't you think?" Skull mused to himself, pouting at having been revealed so quickly.
Luce shook her head fondly as she brushed a hand across her pregnant belly, "If I hadn't had my sight, you would have fooled me just as well as everyone else."
Skull openly preened, rising up to bow courteously at her with all the grace he's trained himself to be.
"Skull, stuntman and occasional thief at night. It's very nice to meet you, Luce de Giglio Nero." He introduced once again causing the older woman to giggle.
"Luce is fine, Skull. It's nice to meet you too. Your work as a thief and stuntman is truly magnificent to witness. A work of art, really. " She praised with a closed-eyed smile.
Skull puffed his chest out proudly at her words, "Thank-"
"And I would be delighted to discuss the red diamond you stole from us a couple of years back."
"...you?"
After promising Luce that he'll eventually return the red diamond, trying not to flee the room as fast as he could when her face had gradually darkened while maintaining a perfectly polite smile on her face as she explained it had belonged to her family for generations; Skull had kissed the back of her hand as expected of a gentleman before leaving the premise for his safe house.
It went perfect, he purred to himself. Hearing the voice of Agate singing praises at the back of his head like the time he completed his first show, face sweaty and dazed with euphoria. The same face that went splat on the ground when one of the acrobats slapped him in the back in Bravo. The ensuing silence that drifted across the expanse will never fail to make Skull embarrassed. It didn't help when the entire circus teased him for days after that particular event, and Agate and the dancers were no better, cooing whenever he sulked at being reminded of it.
However, Skull should have expected the results. He is the World's Greatest Thief, and that didn't entail just stealing things. Being a thief was much more than that. It was to have the ability to blend in with the crowd and become one with it. It was to be flexible as you switch from one persona to another. It was too adapt, and adapt well. Hiding truth with lies and lies with truth. Those are the principles of Cheshire Cat, the phantom thief. In the end, it was all a disguise for his grand performances. As long as Skull showed the world what they wanted to see, there was no reason for them to delve further beneath the mask.
On the other hand, he knew as Cheshire Cat he was by no means the strongest fighter out there (if you excluded his overwhelming strength), leagues behind what people like Fon stood for- lethal and skilled, or even the mad geniuses like Verde. However, he was THE phantom thief, one field that even Reborn acknowledges he was stronger in and that changes a lot of things. It means that he was distinguished, one of the best of the best, the most skilled in the thieving arts. One of the World's Greatest.
Skull was sure that everyone that he had met in that table alone was skilled in their own respective fields, and him being a thief was his. And it showed that he was the best when he could fool even the greatest out there, and Skull knew if Reborn demonstrated his own specialty, he could potentially end up dead just like the corpses that lined behind the man's footsteps.
Humming thoughtfully to himself, Skull grabbed a satchel from the closet once he made it inside the dingy apartment. He moved across the room to throw his bag on the table top, grasping the zipper and pulled. Eyeing the content in his bag for a moment, Skull started searching frantically for his notebook buried under his pile of stuff that ranged from his stuntman gear to his multiple Cheshire Cat attires. Pausing briefly over the wooden box the size of his torso resting at the bottom, Skull traced it gently with gloved fingers before moving on, pulling the notebook from where it was hidden underneath a t-shirt.
It was worn with the pages torn and wrinkled, and if Skull wanted to investigate closer, there was probably food stains too. He ignored them, flipping to the back of the notebook while mindful of all the extra papers glued or stapled into it before he paused at the most recent page. Grinning, Skull pulled out a blueprint tucked inside, unfolding it to spread it out on the table as he gazed calculatingly at it alongside the page filled with frantic words.
Temporarily putting the meeting behind him, and the red diamond he needs to return, Skull grinned behind his gloved hands.
He'll only have a week left before the next meeting happened- where they'll be stuck together for god knows how long to act as a pseudo team- and another week before his next stunt show.
So why don't he make the best of it?
The wind was upon his face as he rushed across the rooftops. The clacking of his shoes hitting the air as he jumped, letting himself fly across the gap between the buildings with his apparels fluttering behind him. Landing smoothly on the other side, Cheshire huffed with a smile, straightening up to brush his messy black hair away from his face.
He patted down the military tailcoat he wore for today, flattening the creases on his sleeves with the best of his abilities, sniffing disdainfully when one of them refused to bend to his will. Reaching his hand up, Cheshire adjusted his new mask over his eyes, different from his last one as his current one consisted only of a smooth black surface with protruding patterns running along the corners of his mask. Less flashy than most of his gentleman suits but still gorgeous as he made his way towards the edge of the roof.
It was midnight, distant sounds of cars driving by and whispered words of night dwellers marching home from below his feet. The city lights cast shadows across his face as he took in the beautiful sight of the nightlife, uncaring that he stood on the house of the Vittone Famiglia, ready to steal a new gem.
Giving a wide grin as he lifted his heels off the floor, Cheshire plunged himself over the edge. It was freefalling from there on as Cheshire held out his hands to his side. Falling for just a moment before he latched onto the edge of the windowsills that stuck out, gloved hands slapping against the concrete as his body swung towards the building.
Just as he planned, the window was left open as he threw himself into the opening, soundless as he rolled back onto his feet to swirl and stare face to face with a frightened-looking guard.
Cheshire grinned.
The man gawked.
"Sorry!" The thief said brightly in the face of the fish flying mouth of the Vittone guard.
The man could only utter a confused 'huh' before Cheshire seized him.
Whistling, Cheshire straightened the man's black suit, adjusting the tie on his collar as he closed the door on the knocked out guard sprawled over the dirty laundry in the washroom in nothing but his underpants. Whispering a few apologies with a sheepish grin, Cheshire shut the door with a click and turned around with a stern face as he made his way down the hallway.
A couple of guards nodded at him along the way, not paying much attention to his overall reason for being here as he nodded back. He reached the artifact faster then he expected as he closed the door behind him, eyeing the occupants in the room. The Vittone guards inside looked surprised by his appearance.
"Is shift over already?" One of the two guards asked as he pulled his sleeves back to check his watch skeptically.
Cheshire shook his head gruffly, "No, but the boss wanted more men by the east wing."
"Boss said so?" The other asked, already moving from his station along with his partner as they made their way towards him.
The thief nodded as he jerked his head towards the door, "I'll take over your patrols, for now, wouldn't want to make boss wait."
The two men readily agreed as they exited the door, giving a last parting nod before they disappeared behind the crack, leaving Cheshire alone in the room shrouded in darkness save for the patches of moonlight intruding in between the blinds. Grinning, Cheshire strolled towards the benitoite resting inside the glass showcase, its rich range of purple and blue hues shimmering underneath the moonlight. Inside his chest, Cheshire felt giddy as he started practically skipping towards his prize, passing a large pillar while doing so. And re-emerging from the other side, Cheshire has entirely transformed, having stripped off the guard's suit from his person back to his military tailcoat in swift fashion. He kept the dull brown contact lenses to hide the amethysts behind the mask.
"Hello, beautiful." Cheshire purred as he kneeled beside the podium, placing the folded suit gently in front of his shoes.
Admiringly, the thief pulled out a glass cutter from beneath his sleeves, something that still baffles people when he gets caught in the act or was short in alternatives. Placing the suction part of it in the middle of the glass box surrounding the gem, and fastening it tightly, Cheshire started to move the cutting element in a circular motion. Keeping in mind that if he removed the glass from its place, the alarms would trigger. They should really updated their security, Cheshire couldn't help but think as he smirked, grabbing the handle of the suction. Adjusting his grip and tracing along the white lines created by the circular motion, Cheshire pushed. With a quiet pop, the glass piece came out of its place.
"Perfect."
Reaching out carefully to grab the benitoite between his fingers, Cheshire gave a satisfied grin.
"Now then." He sang, twisting to face the tall window with the gem clutched to his chest and the moon rising high outside.
"It's time to depart, no?"
A wicked grin was on Cheshire's face as he gazed from across the streets towards the mansion that was currently going amok with alarm. Rolling the benitoite between his fingers as he giggled underneath his breath like a child on helium, congratulating himself on a well-done heist.
A pause, raised eyebrows growing wider by the second as he turned to look towards the darkness of the building wall next to the door of the rooftop. Where a shadowed silhouette was watching him with his arms crossed, dark eyes flashing from beneath a fedora, a dissatisfied glare in his eyes.
How unusual, Cheshire hums with a faint flicker of annoyance.
"Oh?" He sang with an enigmatic grin. "Mr. Hitman. What a lovely surprise."
Reborn said nothing other than to stand straight and prowl forwards blank-faced, and it was only by the aura of the other (irritated and disbelieved) that Cheshire got a sense of what he was feeling, but not exactly what he was here for. The phantom thief raised his head to hide his wariness and distaste at the sight of the hitman who had essentially dissed him as Skull. Going for a look of forged merriment instead.
"Now, now, if you walk towards me like that, I'll misunderstand, you know." Reborn raised an unimpressed brow, but Cheshire continued cheerily. "No? Then are you here for a hit? For my head? I'm flattered really, but I'm not quite as much as you think I'm worth, Mr. Hitman."
Reborn raised his other brow and said flatly, "Your bounty is worth more than a million."
"Who? Me?" Cheshire touched his chest, playing for a fool as he tilted his head down, fluttering his eyelashes beneath his mask.
The hitman rolled his eyes at him, clearly not impressed. Cheshire pouted while turning to face him sideways, muttering sourly, "It's not like you're any better from what I've heard."
Reborn said nothing other than to snort at his comment, and before they knew it, a silence befell over them. Cheshire internally sighed at the tense situation, smiling at the hitman through his confusion as he observed the hitman that stared pointedly at him, specifically at his attire, narrowing particularly at his purple linings.
"So, what exactly are you doing here if you're not here for my head? You don't seem like the type to show yourself without reason." Cheshire placed a hand on his waist, a friendly smile on his lips.
Opening his mouth to quip another sly remark at the hitman's ongoing silence, Cheshire fell short as his teeth clicked together at the older's sharp demand of "Did you turn down the invitation."
Cheshire blinked, "Pardon?"
Reborn only glared harder, "For. The. Meeting."
This...was interesting. Cheshire refrained from covering his mouth to let out a muffled chortle, going for an innocently confused expression. Asking himself if the World's Greatest Hitman was demanding the World's Greatest Thief if he denied the invitation to the summit? When he already went as Skull?
The situation was hilarious but delicate if the menacing look from underneath the fedora said anything. All the while insightful, Cheshire hadn't realized the respect Reborn had for people could reach such depths. The rumors of his egotistical endeavors were quite renowned- single-handedly annihilating mafia forces, women falling before his feet, an inverted sun- Cheshire had expected something entirely different. And after his interaction with Reborn as Skull, there wasn't much that would have convinced him otherwise that the stories weren't true. Turns out Cheshire had judged too quickly as he observed the hitman that stood tall opposite to him.
Inwardly, Cheshire still huffs that the man was an asshole.
"Meeting?" He indulged questioningly. "I don't believe I've been to a meeting in a while. I've been quite busy stealing the riches in the world if you recalled."
Cheshire wonders if Reborn could tell when white lies were applied to the battlefield. By the tinged aspect of annoyance rising around the Italian, Cheshire concludes that he probably could. Yet, when Reborn didn't speak up, the thief's lips quirked. He mentally checked the advantages of using white lies against the hitman.
After all, Reborn was asking the Cheshire Cat if he'd gone to the meeting. The answer was as simple as that: No, he did not.
He had gone as Skull.
It was both a lie and a truth. In most cases, this would still be considered a lie, but if Cheshire convinces himself enough that this was the real and that was the reality, then it was true. Cheshire didn't go, Skull did. That was the truth.
A truth that Reborn was reluctantly accepting if the unsatisfied stance he held said anything. Shoulders drawn tight behind him as if ready to snap and grab the gun hidden behind his breast pocket to aim at him. Instead, the man seemed to resolve himself, turning to leave frostily. The thief popped an 'o' in surprise, wondering why he would go so soon.
Cheshire tilted his head, "Was that all? Over such a simple inquiry? That doesn't seem like you at all, Reborn."
Perhaps it was the use of Reborn's name that finally made him look sharply over his shoulder. Obsidian eyes flashing with brief annoyance before it smoothed out to an unreadable look that even Cheshire had trouble identifying.
"I needed to confirm something." The man replied cryptically.
Enough to warrant a personal visit? He refrained from shaking his head incredulously, crossing his arms to deliver an encouraging smile befitting of a pampering aunt towards that of a child. Oho, Reborn's glare. Terrifying.
"And did you find what you needed?" Cheshire asked curiously.
Reborn glanced at him passively before eventually looking away, "Yes."
"Oh?" The phantom thief tilted his head up expectantly. "And what did you find?"
The dark veil over the hitman's eyes showed nothing, other than thin-lipped agitation.
"A missed opportunity." Reborn spat out, turning his head away to step down the rooftop as silent as he appeared, leaving the thief to stare at the empty spot quite mystified.
Cheshire gripped his chin in a contemplative manner. Lips twitched upwards as he analyzed the rather abrupt and sudden conversation he'd just have with the hitman. The phantom thief hummed, brushing his gloved hands holding the benitoite gem between his fingers through his hair, and lowered it. Flexing his now empty hand with the gem nowhere in sight, Cheshire smiled.
It seems he's got to adjust a bit.
Skull raised his brows, eyes snapping back and forth between the big ass mansion and the paper in his hand with great skepticism, wondering if he was given the wrong address. Unlikely, considering he was dealing with someone akin to royalty in the mafia. And he should have expected it from the last place the meeting was held at.
The mansion was white, surrounded by a body of forest that hid distant views with a grassland facing the summit where they've been the last time. Two stories high with a distinct colonial style, and the artist in Skull couldn't help but whistle at the architecture. Whoever designed it is very good, and he was sure that when summer comes in, it'll be even more beautiful than it already was. It would be the most expensive place he'll be residing in as of date.
Not that he wasn't rich, he didn't do at least a hundred heists for nothing after all, but he just used it differently. Skull was never the one to waste away his money without reason, and being a thief didn't affirm a long-term settlement. He drifted. From town to town, to this country to that, driving down a stretching road and sailing across the seas. Roaming freely and without worry. A true wanderer. The only real thing he spent his money on was for Agate and the circus, safe houses, his equipment for both his life as a stuntman and a thief. A couple of causes that suited him now and then, orphanages among other things. Other than that, he was only in it for the thrill and laughter.
"You're...Skull, no?" Turning at the polite inquiry, Skull was met with the sight of Fon standing poised behind his back, hiding behind his flowing sleeves.
Skull de Mort shrieked.
"W-W-Where the heck did you come from!" He yelled, pointing rudely at the martial artist that only smiled at him.
"My apologies, I didn't mean to startle you." Was his closed eyed reply, and Skull called bullshit. The man was reeking with sharp curiosity and amusement.
Skull dragged a hand over his chest to still his 'thumping' heart, "D-Don't do that, the Great Skull-sama didn't like that."
Fon only chuckled, "Of course."
As the two arrivers fell into a companionable silence, Skull took note that the martial artist was observing him subtly from the corner of his eyes. In a way that resembled Reborn's analytical stare, but calmer as the martial artist took in whatever he found before trailing away casually. It wasn't a complete dismissal, Skull mused, but the subtle hostility in the older's frame had dimmed somewhat.
"Why don't we go inside and save them the hassle of waiting any longer?" Fon advised sagely.
The only reply that Skull gave him was a nervous stutter of, "Sure."
At that, Fon hid a smile as he walked towards the entrance, "You really are a civilian, aren't you?"
Skull, seemingly frazzled, puffed his chest in bravado, "Skull-sama is not afraid of you!"
"I didn't imply that," Fon assured with a raised hand.
"Oh," Skull faltered, rubbing the back of his neck in puzzlement. "Then, uh, yes, I'm what you call a 'civilian'. Luce explained the whole...mafia...thingy."
Fon nodded as he opened the door to the mansion, a concealed air of pity for Skull while doing so. The thief wrinkled his nose at that. They entered the doorway together, but Skull was quick to be left alone by the threshold as Fon continued without him, taking his time alone to observe the mansion. It was just as magnificent inside, with a wide staircase in the middle of the entrance that split in the middle towards the second floor. There were antique paintings on the walls and a chandelier with diamond crystals that made Skull droll with the need to steal them. To pick them one by one and scurry away.
"You're late." A voice barked, and Skull swiveled his stare towards Lal Mirch that frowned heavily at them. She crossed her arms over her chest, military straight.
"Sorry." Fon apologized for the both of them, tucking his hands together underneath his sleeves. "I had prior engagements to attend to before making my way here."
Lal huffed as she grabbed her duffle bag off the floor, paying no mind to them any longer. The military woman brushed her hair aggressively before stepping up the stairway. Luce who had stood beside the other female beamed at them.
"You've arrived!" Luce noted, shuffling forwards delicately with her hand resting over her baby bump.
Fon nodded politely, albeit distantly towards the Giglio Nero Sky.
"If you're wondering, your stuff arrived a couple of days ago in safe conditions." She continued brightly, turning towards Skull who was still hovering by the threshold. "Yours too, Skull."
Her eyes twinkled at him when he nodded back shyly, lips quirking before turning her gaze back towards Fon. "I'm afraid most of the others have already chosen their rooms, so I hope whatever you get is satisfactory," Luce informed with a worried crease of her brows.
The martial artist's shoulders dropped at her worry, a gentle smile on his lips, "No worries, Miss Luce."
Without further ado, the member of the Triads left to walk up the stairs with an assessing gaze at the decor, braided hair swishing back and forth as he ascended. Both Luce and Skull watched him go as he disappeared around the corner, and when he did, the Sky whirled towards him radiantly. Distantly in the back of his head, the stuntman tilted his head at the Sky attraction hitting him like a bird hitting a window pane. A finger tapped once at his thigh that went unseen from Luce's sight.
"Skull." She chimed gently, and Skull walked up to her after a moment, shuffling through his satchel at the same time.
The stuntman watched as Luce curiously took in the box he retrieved from the bottom of his satchel. It wasn't big, only as big as the size of his palm as he placed it in her held out hands, grinning jovially at her.
"A gift to commemorate our moving in," Skull explained shortly and smiled as she opened the lid of the box.
She paused, sapphires widening before a serene smile reached her lips, a bell-like chuckle escaping her lips. It was the red diamond he stole years back, tear-drop shaped as the gem sat snuggly between the white velvet cushion. Sparkling beautifully, Skull observed as an afterthought and mourns all over again at letting this masterpiece of a gem go from his collection.
"Thank you, Skull," Luce said softly after a while, a finger tracing the curve of the gem. "Was it hard getting it back?"
Skull shook his head with sheepish amusement, "Never sold it. To terrified after I realized who it belonged to."
Luce blinked, processing his words before she covered her mouth to laugh. The stuntman pouted, moving to shoulder his satchel as he touched the ledge of the staircase, and threw his head up to the air petulantly.
"Ha ha, laugh it up. The Great Skull-sama's gonna find his room now!"
At his sullen yell, Luce closed the box with a teasing smile, "Don't give yourself a fright while doing so!"
He mumbled as he slouched up the stairs, trying not to smile as he went left, the opposite direction of where Fon went. The hallways that greeted him was long and spacious, with doors lining on the right only and more expensive art pieces hanging on the left. He made his way down the hallway, noting that most of the doors were open save for the one by the end of the hallway. Skull curiously peeked in on the first open door, allowing a choked sound to escape his mouth when viper suddenly appeared in front of him in a dark cloaking mass.
"Mou." Was the other's only reply, mouth set in a heavy frown before shutting the door in his face.
The thief raised his brows.
"Well then." He muttered, taking heed to ignore the next open door.
Reaching the end of the hallway, Skull grasped the handle of the last door, unfastening it. The room was spacious (the same size as his last apartment with the rooms combined) but bland as his first opinion, to customize Skull reckons, and a big comfy bed in the middle. It contained all the essential things one would need if someone were to live there; a closet, a bathroom, and a table by a big landscape window. Thoughtlessly, Skull dropped his satchel on the bedside to walk towards the window and peered out of it. Forest, he took note with a pleased hum. Good for escaping through if he needed to run or disappear as Cheshire.
"Lackey."
Skull stiffened at the voice, turning slowly. The stuntman groaned internally when he saw Reborn again standing by his doorway. When will this man stop already? Skull straightened awkwardly, waving.
"Hey, Reborn!" He tried.
The Italian tilted his head, sweeping his eyes over Skull's bedroom half-heartedly.
"Seems like we'll be neighbors." The hitman replied distantly.
Skull cursed his luck with displeasure curling in his chest. Instead of sighing outright befitting that of a gentleman thief, Skull wilted on himself like a child finding out his favorite toy had been snatched away, "Oh."
Reborn narrowed his eyes and scoffed, "Pathetic."
"H-Hey!" The purple-haired stuntman tried his best to appear taller. "The Great Skull-sama is not pathetic!".
A silver gun was suddenly cocked in the air, "Ho? Want to say that again, lackey."
Skull cowered but he would not go down like this, "Skull-sama is NOT pathetic and is NOT a lackey."
The man eyed him, tipping his fedora up with his gun, before aiming it at Skull.
He shrieked, "OH MY GOD, I'M SORRY SENPAI, DON'T SHOOT!"
Reborn paused blandly, chin tilted upwards, "Senpai?"
Skull, who had dived towards the edge of the bed for some sort of makeshift shield, peeked over the edge.
"S-Senpai? As in...senior?"
"I know what it means." The hitman snapped, breathing in deeply.
"Reborn?" Skull echoed anxiously when the hitman didn't speak, wondering what exactly the man was thinking.
The reply he got was the long strides of the hitman's legs, a blank stare, and a hand seizing his collar. Skull stopped himself from kneeing the bastard between the legs, instead, gripping the wrist holding the stuntman up dramatically. What the heck? What is up with Reborn's strength to hold him up as if he weighed like nothing? Skull could do it easily too, but it was only because of his Cloud flames that he could lift a hundred pound man easily. Reborn did it without the help of anything.
Skull yelped, meeting eye to eye with the dark obsidians that narrowed down at him.
"You better watch yourself, lackey." Reborn began bitingly, earning a gulp from the other. "Your pathetic attitude will get you nowhere other than an early grave in this world. And if you believe that you're worthy of being here, then your sorely mistaken."
Reborn shoved him away roughly, the younger grasping at empty air before falling flat on his ass. The suited man turned to the side, fedora tipped up to show his disdainful glare, "It's about time you start learning your place."
Skull watched mutely as Reborn left, sitting on the floor with a frightened look on his face and his mouth set in a straight line. He leaned back, head resting on the floor to clear his head, an arm thrown over his eyes to hide them in a haggard state. The sound of a door closing resounded outside his bedroom, and for an instantaneous moment, his lips changed. Stretching wide and far across his face as it curved into a crescent moon, flashing all his teeth no doubt. Skull moved his arm away to drag a hand over his face, covering his Cheshire grin but ending up flashing his laughing amethysts instead.
This was the most fun he's had in years, Skull couldn't help but giggle, more than the last heist even! Flashing a mischievous grin, Skull raised the arm that wasn't draped over his knee when he sat up, lifting his finger up to his face.
"Isn't that right, handsome?" He questioned innocently.
If Skull had a death wish then this was surely it as the chameleon that gazed back at him only flicked his long tongue in reply to his question. Yes, if anyone were to have witnessed what had transpired, then he did indeed just steal Reborn's pet lizard. Well, not stolen- borrowed was the correct term as he couldn't really keep the chameleon, no matter how cute the animal was.
The opportunity was too hard to ignore when he had been snatched up by Reborn, having caught sight of the green chameleon at the corner of his eyes, resting at the brim of the man's fedora. When their eyes met in that split second of being dragged into the air, Skull had been sold. Having put his plan into motion by slipping a hand up to grab at the chameleon when Reborn threw him onto the floor and let Reborn leave in the pretense that Skull was a hundred percent intimidated.
Skull clicked his tongue at the chameleon, "Your owner is a real asshole, you know that?"
The chameleon didn't even blink and still managed to convey his message of bemusement disturbingly well.
The thief shook his head, " Forget it, you verdant cutie."
Skull looked around him theatrically, scouting for any potential eavesdropper before leaning closer towards the chameleon- jeez, he should really figure out what his name is- and grinned slyly.
"Let me tell you this though," Skull laughed, "You're in for a hell of a show."
A/N: Sorry if it was a sloppy second chapter, even I was unsatisfied with this overall chapter, but I do have the third chapter in mind that will perhaps be better, haha. I wrote this using Grammarly however. NEVER AGAIN. It restricted my writing style to such a degree that I wanted to bang my face against the wall. Repeatedly
Explanations:
Their meeting - It was awkward, purposefully, with a lot of silence. I've been through situations where that was the exact outcome when meeting a new group of people, and combined with paranoia? I groan.
Reborn's unexpected appearance to Cheshire - I always saw Reborn as the Hakuba/Shinichi of the story, except, more hostile?
Luce - She loves her cookies.
Skull's acting - I tried to write Skull's character as his actual character in the story, so when he flips to Cheshire, it's more distinct. Thought it would be a cool writing style.
Dialogue - I'm very bad at dialogue. My condolences to my readers to read such horrific lines.
Leon - Yes, Skull stole it for shits and giggles.
On a side note, I also wanted to mention that I had another plot idea that I've been working on. It involves Skull as well, but I wasn't sure if it would be a good idea. It goes like this (as in, this was the exact rough draft summary I wrote on a whim to base my idea on, it's ugly I know): I pulled a Brian O'Connor on Skull. As in he's an undercover agent working for the feds, investigating a smuggling ring organized by a crime boss also involved in stunt shows, and somehow gets roped into Checkerface's fucked up game. While still in his persona as Skull de Mort. He groans at having to add a few more years into his covert operation. Fuck.
Yeah. That's it.
MERRY CHRISTMAS ;)