A/N: Honestly, this is the second version of this chapter, but I liked it better than the original. If anyone wants to read the original version I will post it in my Idea Dump.
Chapter Four
The panic was kicking in.
Skull fought not to tremble as he flew down the road on his bike, mind flitting through a million thoughts and yet settling on nothing at all.
For years he had dreaded seeing his family, all the while yearning for it more than he yearned for the end of their curse. Up until his banishment, his entire life had been built around protecting the family and the legacy his parents had built so that his siblings would never have to fear being dishonored or mistreated. Everything in him had been honed around it, around their safety and happiness, so much that he'd barely even noticed that he'd placed Magnus in that group until it was too late.
Until the man had torn his heart from his chest and crushed it, sick of the betrayals and the secrets. He'd understood it at the moment, honestly he had, but at the same time it had hurt him in a way that he'd never expected.
As Skull, he'd been free to be whoever he wanted to be and he'd become a melodramatic crybaby who hid his face from the world rather than face it. Hw whined and complained, building his mask on variations of his love's own, as well as dramatized renditions of people he'd met since then. He crafted it and honed it so well that many didn't know it was a fake until he'd already slipped past their guard and slit their throat. It was what had made the other arcobaleno realize that he could be dangerous.
Yet he knew that his family, particularly his siblings, would see it all automatically.
The pain, the anger, the betrayal, and loneliness would be laid bare for them all to see and he wasn't ready for that.
Probably never would be.
It made him feel like the coward Colonello and Reborn always accused him of being.
Arriving at the Sawada residence, he parked his bike and for a moment, allowed himself to breathe, resting his head on his handlebars in weary resignation. His arms wrapped themselves around his middle in a sad parody of a hug, memories bombarding him in a torrent of bottled up emotions.
His parents. Their cold condemnation.
"How dare you embarrass our family that way!" His father roared, glaring at him with a hatred in his gaze that he'd never seen directed at him. "To dare flaunt your dalliance with that creature as war builds on the horizon, despicable!"
"Don't call him that! Magnus has done nothing but help us!" He snapped back, feeling his heart break at the genuine disgust in the elder male's voice.
Why?
Why was falling in love with someone who loved him back so wrong?
Why didn't they love him like they loved his siblings?
Why wasn't he good enough?
His mother joined the tirade, her voice soft, but no less painful.
"You would choose that creature over your own family?"
"Mother, I-"
"Would you?"
"I love him," He whispered brokenly, watching as disgust flashed in both of their gazes. With a bruising grip, she forced him to meet her eyes, the identical pools of blue, cold and dark, with a gleam of pity hidden in their depths.
"You don't know what love is. That...man will take everything from you."
She wasn't wrong.
He saw his siblings, their love for him and their admiration of him.
"Did you really slay you first demon at eleven?"
Alec shrugged slightly at his baby brother's question, even as Izzy and Jace both nodded eagerly.
Max beamed.
"That's so cool. I can't wait to fight my first demon."
Izzy snorted. "Alec would kill it before it ever laid a hand on you."
Jace chuckled and Alec flushed slightly. Max just grinned at him, yet they all knew it was the truth.
Still a flood of warmth filled him as he watched the three of them.
This. This was his reason for fighting.
Magnus.
Magnus.
Magnus was the first and only person he'd ever dared to let into his heart, even with his former crush on Jace. He'd loved Magnus more than he'd ever loved anyone else, and that love had only grown over the years they'd been apart.
And now, he was here. Just as handsome as he'd been all those years ago.
By the angel, he really wanted to run and every instinct he'd honed over the past two decades screamed at him to do so. Instead, he took a fortifying breath and removed his helmet, unmounting his bike just as everyone else arrived. Slipping back into his showman persona, gestured to the front door grandly.
"After you, Decimo-san!" he greeted and the teen blushed slightly, ducking his head.
"T-Thank you, S-Skull." He replied leading everyone inside.
It was a tight fit, but Nana seemed overjoyed at the amount of guests, automatically flitting away toward the kitchen to get a pot of tea (and an espresso for Reborn.) Once everyone had a refreshment in hand, he found himself face to barrel to Reborn's gun, the hitman's dark eyes stoic as they met his.
Beside him, he saw Jace and Magnus stiffening, and Izzy's whip slowly uncoiling from her wrist. He stilled them with a look, turning back to Reborn to push the gun away.
"What do you know about the Shadow World?"
The hitman scowled. "Lackey, we are the shadow world."
Skull smirked while Fon rolled his eyes, taking over the explanation, "Not quite, Reborn. What Skull is talking about is the things that make mundane myths. Vampires, werewolves, the like."
The sun's scowl deepened. "Fairytales." He deadpanned and Jace snorted, raising an eyebrow when the man turned the weapon on him. Skull's gaze went cold, and for the first time he was able to see a glimmer of the brother he'd lost behind that mask.
His parabatai.
Violet eyes, hard and unyielding, bore into deep onyx, their owner straightening from his slouch to his full towering 6'4, painted lips pursing.
"Reborn." Each of the arcobaleno stilled, their gazes turned toward their youngest as a voice so unlike their lackey's spilled from those lips.
Deeper than they'd ever heard it, a low rumble in his chest. Izzy smirked.
"Done playing now, Alec?"
He didn't respond, never turning his glare from the sun's dark ire-filled eyes, after a moment, the hit man sneered and lowered the gun. "Explain, Lackey."
Skull felt his own ire rising, his eyes narrowing dangerously at his...friend. "My name," He snarled, "is Alec Lightwood. And I am not your Lackey, Renato."
Jace echoed his expression, glaring at the dark haired man that had insulted his parabatai.
A gasp sounded.
"Ano, Skull?" The cloud turned to the young decimo, who was staring at his hands stunned.
Following his gaze, the cloud froze, then cursed violently in every language he knew, his body tensing with the need to run.
Around his wrists, interspersed with his ever-present violet cloud, were bright orange flames.
TBC...