Why won't you get away from me?
Leeched on my skin like a bad disease.

Figured when I left, you'd let me be
Instead you follow like a lovesick puppy.

Reborn had always watched Skull.

From the moment they'd been introduced that fateful day so long ago, Skull had been in the corner of his perception. He'd find himself watching the stuntman, never intentionally, but it happened so often that the others begin to take notice of his wandering attention. It'd never been brought up and Skull hadn't seemed to notice it himself, despite how often it happened. So nothing really came of it.

But it made no sense.

Reborn was the Best of the Best. He'd crawled and murdered his way up the treacherous mountain that was the Mafia to be the best. He'd fought for everything he'd ever wanted, so to be invited to the I Prescelti Sette, something he'd only only ever heard rumors about?

It was a dream come true. It quieted the soft voice of doubt in his head that always tried to remind him he wasn't anything special, just some gutter rat playing dress up, waiting for someone to see what he actually was and throw him out.

(Not that they could throw him out, he'd kill them all before the thought ever crossed their minds but logic never seemed to work on that voice. Childhood trauma was irrational that way)

Finding out they'd admitted a mostly catatonic civilian Cloud of all things, had been a slap in the face.

The teen had appeared with Checker Face weeks after the first meeting had taken place, unmoving against all their very vocal protests. He'd sat there with unseeing eyes the color of his flames and said nothing. Hours went by as they argued at Checker Face, the man seemingly amused by them all, before he'd simply left them there mid a one-sided argument from Viper on how they had not been paid to be a babysitter.

Leaving the Cloud who hadn't made a move since he'd been stashed in a corner chair. He'd looked.. broken, Reborn remembers thinking at the time. Small for a teenage boy, eyes cloudy and unresponsive. His hair had been ridiculous even for Flame actives. Candy colored purple and too long for any self-respecting man who wasn't Fon.

They hadn't known he was a civilian at that point. Hadn't known anything about him yet, only that the Cloud they'd been going on missions with suddenly wasn't good enough and this kid had taken his place. It'd taken a solid thump by Luce to stop Verde who'd been about to try and 'wake' the new Cloud up, before they'd all focused back in on what exactly they were supposed to do.

He hadn't cared at the time, just another loser in the long line behind him but Luce had been interesting to watch. She'd seemed uncertain almost. Wavering in her decisions.

(They hadn't found out until it was all over and they had been betrayed, that Luce couldn't See, Skull.

Ever.

He was invisible to her no matter how hard she searched for him. It didn't matter if the vision was what they were going to have for dinner the next day, or if it was about a mission they needed to complete, Skull wasn't there.

But...

Skull made Luce interact more with the rest of them. Be more present in the now, then in a future they couldn't see.

Since she never knew what he'd do, she had to be more attentive if for no other reason then to stop the others from going to far. She told them, later, it had been the hardest thing she'd ever done. Having to be there with them, interact with them in a way she hadn't ever planned to, and then trick them? She'd hated Skull for forcing her to know them, love them, for a very long time. It's why, she'd confessed, she'd allowed them all to treat him so very badly for so long. Because it was so much easier to sacrifice people you don't care about to death, then it was to do it to people you love.)

She'd walked towards him slowly, the rest of them sprawled out around the room like annoyed cats and hesitated before touching him. None of them had held their breath, they were to good for that. But a healthy respect for Clouds was the opposite of stupid and if this kid had replaced the positively prickly Cloud they'd had before… well it was only smart to be wary.

Luce's hand had hovered uncertainty above the kids shoulder for a few moments before softly clasping it. They all stilled, their focus honed in on where the Sky of their group was taking her life in her own hands.

Nothing happened for a few seconds and they all wound down from the tension in the room minutely. Luce herself had slowly relaxed when the cloud had done nothing to react to her presumption in touching him. Much more confidently she brought up her other hand to under his chin, trying to tilt his head up so she could hopefully get a good look at his pale face, maybe try and find out what his name was.

But the Cloud, apparently, had other ideas.

The moment Luce's hand had reached for his neck the Cloud jerked back out of her reach. Toppling over the chair he'd been pushed into, he crab walked /almost/ along the ground. At first he'd kept those unique eyes locked on Luce, not seeming to notice how very quiet the room had turned after the crash of the chair meeting the floor.

He'd scrambled away running up against Fon's legs.

Reborn had seen a lot in his time. He's seen terror in the face of death, and he'd seen Fon be that face of death. But he'd never seen someone who so obviously had no idea what was going on scream so melodramatically after looking up into Fon's face.

The kid had screamed like he'd seen the grim reaper himself heading straight for him, with every fear he'd ever had following in its wake.

It was hilarious.

Fon's offended expression just made it all the more priceless. Seeing how the man prided himself on being different then the entity of his very Cloudy family, that this kid took one look at his face and screamed in horror took everything that was Fon and made it Hibari.

"Who the fuck are you all?!"

Reborn arched an eyebrow, "You don't know?" The kid looked over towards him, those absurd eyes wide with surprise. They only widened further when he took in the man who'd spoken.

Reborn puffed up subtly at the glance over he got from the kid, Fon seemingly forgotten for the moment. He did cut a very impressive figure so it was it was only natural for the Cloud to turn speechless.

"Are you seriously wearing a fedora? I thought only old people wore those anymore.." the Cloud blurted out amazed.

Reborn could feel his spine straighten and his teeth grit, 'this fucking kid!' He glared at the cowering Cloud.

Beside him, he could hear Verde's snickers. The man having also insulted his hat the moment they met, he'd only survived because they needed that idiot savant of a scientist.

They could probably get another Cloud. They'd already gone through one. What was one more? Third time's the charm after all.

Advancing towards the cloud Reborn savored the panic that appeared in his eyes at the sight of the gun. "Viper, go find Checker Face. Tell him we need another Cloud."

Reborn smiled darkly as he cocked the gun, "The one he gave us had an accident."

The kid had ducked under Fon's legs by this point to hide behind the exasperated Storm.

But he couldn't shut his mouth to save his life apparently, "You know you'd be a lot scarier if your shirt wasn't sunshine yellow."

Reborn twitched as Fon stared at him from where he was being used as a shield. The bastard was probably laughing.

"Please. Come out and tell me all about what you think of my wardrobe. I promise to listen intently before I kill you." he said completely un-sincerely.

"For some reason, that has everything to do with the giant cloud of death you radiate, I don't believe you." was the smartass reply.

"That's to bad. I'm a very forgiving person though so I'll forgive you if you move. Out. From. Behind. Fon."

"Again. For some strange reason I feel that's a giant ass lie."

"Strange. Come here."

"Fuck off!"

Reborn annoyed enough at getting talked back to from some no-name Cloud from some no-name Family he'd probably never heard of, lunged at him and Fon.

Fon clearly not expecting this jumped straight up to avoid the irritated Sun. Leaving the new Cloud to his fate as he screeched about betrayal and tumbled ass over first with Reborn falling over after him.

•x•

It had taken all of them to pry Reborn off the Cloud long enough to learn his name, that he had no idea who any of them were, that he had no idea what Flames were and that he wasn't Mafia in the slightest.

After that little tidbit of a bombshell he'd proceeded to insult Reborn's hat again, call Viper a scrooge after they'd refused to help him against Reborn, shied away from being anywhere near Verde for unknown reasons despite all their demands of why, had ripped Fon's changshan on his way down dodging Reborn's grasping hands, and finally he'd broken Luce's entire table from being thrown into it by Reborn (Skull had argued viciously that it was Reborn's fault the table broke not his!) and still couldn't SHUT UP.

That first day started the downward spiral of how Skull's life in the Mafia, and in the group known as the Arcobaleno, would go for the next 30 years.

It also started his slight obsession with watching Skull. Because that day, before any of them had talked to Skull, before he'd opened his mouth and derailed all of their attention, there'd been a look in his eyes that Reborn had recognized.

He hadn't known what it was, not really.

But he'd seen it.

And he'd never been able to forget that look when Skull turned into the Great Skull-Sama. Or when Colonello came and that something traveled further and further back.

Reborn never stopped watching.

DON'T YOU SEE? I MAKE YOU WEAK.
Stumbling around trying your damnedest just to find me.

Oh, I'll be the death of you
If you wish to see this through.

He'd seen it again their first time out together as a group with Skull.

It wasn't a mission thank god, even he wasn't sure if he'd be able to make sure the kid survived with no prior training with the missions they went on. Thankfully, for Luce's peace of mind at least, their first time out together is at a semi-formal ball.

They'd (and by they he means everyone but him) had to force Skull into a tuxedo. It had taken too much time and money according to Viper, Reborn's humble gun skills, and a very pouty Skull before they'd been able to stuff him into the limo with no simple way to escape.

Reborn had been on his phone the first time it'd happened, ignoring the conversation around him until a snort from the seat opposite his in the limo caught his attention. Looking up he caught the surprisingly amused eyes of Skull.

Glancing him over Reborn was impressed to see Skull looked more like a Mafia Prince then he had since they met. One of his long legs was crossed over the other at the knee, he had a palm held under his chin as he looked over their companions. Those unique eyes flicked from one person to the other with a cynical light in them before looking back towards Reborn.

Skull blinked slowly, almost languidly before he looked away again back towards the window.

But Reborn couldn't get that look out of his mind, it was so different then everything Skull had shown them since they'd met.

"Find something humorous, Skull?" He made sure to keep his voice low, so the others didn't turn their attention to them.

Skull glanced back towards him without turning his head, a small, dare he say, smirk twisting his lips into an attractive expression.

"Nothing much really. " Skull murmured back.

"Oh? Then what has that look on your face?" He inquired.

Skull covered his mouth with his hand to hide his smile before nodding towards Verde.

Reborn turned just slightly, looking like nothing more than a reposition for comfort towards whoever might be looking, and casually looked towards Verde.

Who had over 20 (if he was counting them all correctly and he was) syringes hidden under his jacket. Sighing Reborn turned back towards the window and met amused purple eyes in the reflection.

"And you all wonder why I refuse to be alone with him." was the only response he got.

They share no more words after that, only an eye roll from Reborn and a snicker from Skull.

He doesn't see Skull for almost the entirety of the rest of the night. He's not looking, of course. It's just a casual acknowledgment towards one of his fellows not being in the open, but it is curious. How can someone as loud and outrageous as Skull just fade into the crush of bodies surrounding them?

It's uncanny how long it takes for Reborn to spot Skull. He's in the chandelier, high above the rest of the rabble watching over them all like some kind of Trickster god. All long limbs and impossible colors. Their eyes met and Reborn raises a glass towards the Cloud, before turning and leaving out the back.

His heart is racing wildly and he can't understand why.

He keeps out of sight for the rest of the evening much to the disappointment of the young Ladies and Gentlemen of the Mafia ball, but he never stops watching where the Cloud lingers..

DON'T YOU SEE? YOU MAKE ME WEAK.
Distracted from my own agenda with reality.

oh, you'll be the death of me.
Yes, you'll be the death of me..

Months later he's cursing himself to hell and back, wondering why he ever thought that Cloud had anything different about him at all.

He's just come back from saving that stupid, ignorant Civilian again, when he can't take his mouth anymore.

He'd been running it constantly since he'd seen Reborn, it seemed like every thought that ran though the kids head was thrown back up for no other reason then to hear himself talk. Everything from where they kept him, to who he thought their buyer was, why they targeted him to begin with, that he thinks their money laundering scheme was horrible inept and that they'd only caught him because he'd wanted to be caught.

That last part is the final straw for Reborn.

He whips around towards Skull, dark fire in his eyes and backhands the cloud as hard as he can. The kid goes flying to the ground lip already dripping blood from Reborn's conscious use of Flames and stares up at him.

For a split second he can see that same look that he still can't describe enter Skulls eyes before it's banked down as deep as it can go. Reborn feels a twitch of something in his chest when he looms over Skull, the other cowering before him but ignores it.

It's an insult to their name that this civilian Cloud is one of them. And he has no problem telling him as much.

"You will be silent."

Skulls mouth snaps shut before he can say anything. He starts pushing himself back frantically when Reborn stalks towards him.

"I don't know what you did to get here, I don't care what you held over Checker Faces head that he'd allow someone like you in but- LISTEN TO ME." He snarled when Skulls face turned mulish at the end.

"I-" grabbing that that stupid hair Reborn slammed him face first against the ground. "Don't-" he slammed him against the ground again, "Care-!" Slamming down one last time he paused to hear nothing. Skull wasn't trying to weakly protest anymore.

Turning the idiot Cloud over he looked at the bloody face and god be damned defying eyes, and sneered. "But if you make us have to save your sorry life again?" Reborn hunched over Skull, face inches away from the silent Cloud. "I will leave you to die. Do you understand?"

The Cloud said nothing just looked at him with those eyes. The ones he'd seen the night he'd been dropped in their laps, in the limo, in a thousand other times and nodded.

Stepping away from the prone body Reborn turned away and fixed his sleeves to hide his shaking hands. Something had just happened there. He didn't know what but something had irrevocably changed between them that night.

The walk back to their vehicles was silent.

Skull instead of getting into Reborn's car to head back to the manor as was usual after one of his kidnappings, quietly turned towards his motorcycle and got on it. Placing his cracked helmet on he turned the gas a couple times to see if it still worked and took off without a word.

It would be months before Reborn saw their Cloud again, covered in white pasty makeup and scars he knows he has from getting his face smashed into the ground by him, and almost 30 years before he saw that look in his eyes turned towards him once more.

The others saw it sometimes, he knew. Fon when they drank tea together in the mornings, Lal when they went to the practice arena together. Luce saw it the least of them all besides Verde, who was in last place for only seeing it the once. Viper saw it the most after himself. Or he'd used to be the one who saw it the most, the one who looked for it.

But after that night..

After that night he never saw it again until the Curse was broken and he was watching Skulls back as he left like the devil was on his heels.

But gods how he'd missed it.

Now you're standing in front of me
And like a hawk I am on you maliciously.

You cry out to remember the beginning
When we hurt each other's hearts for a living,

It's a slow fire that burns in Reborn as he makes his way back to the mansion. He knows what's waiting for him there. A room full of powerful people who'll want to know just what the fuck had happened to their Cloud.

But it's the empty place where Skulls bond had been, one he hadn't even really felt was there until it simply wasn't anymore, that tore at his mind. And it ached.

When Luce has broken their bonds it hadn't felt like this. They had all known, every last one of them, that something was going to happen. You don't just get a Sky dropped on you for being powerful. That wasn't how it worked.

So they had all known it was some kind of trap, they just hadn't known it would be even more supernaturally insane then the Flame Mafia. Turning into babies hadn't been a possibility at the time.

Death? They could try. Imprisonment? Easily escaped. Forced Harmonization? Ridiculous.

The gist was they'd all held something back from 'Harmonizing' with Luce. She'd never noticed but, well, without her Visions Luce wasn't the most… present person. She had her own special brand of arrogance they'd all banked on.

Where Luce's broken Bond had felt like someone had cut off some skin, easily healed if painful due to all the nerve endings. Skull's Bond on the other hand was.. almost shredded.

Like instead of using scissors to cut it he'd somehow taken it by the root and pulled until some part in the middle snapped off in uneven, jagged strips. Leaving some parts so short they were raw while others moved in the provincial breeze.

He'd always known Skulls use of his Flames were unconventional by Mafia standards but this was just unnatural.

Reborn stumbled against a tree letting himself rest for a few moments before pushing on. With Skull gone he needed to be with his other Elements. With all of them together it might soothe the edges enough they could figure out what the hell just happened and what they were going to do.

Falling to one knee his mind flashes back to the satisfied smirk Skull had (probably) unknowingly worn when he'd been on his knees in front of him. He'd never let anyone touch his hair the way Skull had minutes ago. Never been on the receiving end of one of his favorite humiliating positions, one he'd put Skull in often.

He could feel the blood rushing to his face just from the memory alone. It was horrid. He hadn't blushed since he'd been a child, he'd been the seducer since they'd learned what that fucking word meant! But the Lacky
somehow gets to him in that position and he can't cope?

No.

He was Reborn. He would not let that idiot get away with treating him like that.

Maybe he wanted Skull. He could deal with that. He knew himself well enough to know when denial wasn't gonna cut it, and after 40 years of careful denial to come crashing down by a little hair pulling? From Skull of all people?

No.

Reborn smiled grimly to himself as the door to the mansion finally came into view.

No, if Skull wanted to finally play after so long of acting like there wasn't anything between them, then Reborn would oblige him. But there was no way in hell he'd be winning at the end of it all.

Reborn had a Cloud he'd wanted for a very long time to catch.

Oh, Don't you get it?
Why can't you learn?
I have these feelings that won't stop til you're hurt,

Please try to grasp it
I'm feelin too
Because I realize I can't live without you.