You were always the one who understood, what it felt to be alone…

So I became the Sun to your Moon, to prove I could be there for you.

Reborn woke up back into the real world with a silent jerk. He'd always hated Mist tricks, dreamwalking most of all. But-

He couldn't help the smirk that filled his face at the thought of just what he'd accomplished thanks to said Mist trick.

If he'd known Skull would respond so very sweetly, he'd have pushed this weeks ago.

— Skulls long limbs spread up against the wall Reborn had pinned him to, his head canted to the side as far as it would go to look away.

His face was free of makeup in the dream world for once, completely bare in a way Reborn hadn't seen in years. Vulnerable.

"Why do you ignore me, Bellissima? Why do you avoid my eyes?" Reborn ran one large hand up Skulls side making the other shiver, before pulling harshly on his chin. "You know I can't stand it when you look away from me."

Skulls eyes were closed in defiance against Reborn's subtle demand. His body caught between straining to and away from the Sun, his mouth turned down in annoyance.

It was very cute.

"I'm going to find you bello, you know I will." Reborn pushed closer still, knee sliding up and between Skulls arched thighs drawing out a squawk of surprise from the suddenly straining up man. He could feel how very 'not interested' the other was. "You can make this so much easier for yourself by just telling me where you are ."

'The outrage in his eyes is beyond gorgeous.' Reborn couldn't help but think when those pretty, caustic purple flew open to spit fire at him.

"Get off!" Skull yelped, balanced on his tiptoes to escape Reborns slowly upward moving leg.

"Are you sure, Cuore mio? You seems very… comfortable stretched out on my knee." Reborn ran his teeth along Skulls chest, shirt disappearing with but a thought.

Skulls face burst into color, turning a very fetching shade of peach. "T-that's a completely normal reaction for a guy! I'd like to see what you'd do i-in.. this.. Uh-" Skull's voice petered out into a whine.

Reborn smirked around the nipple in his mouth, teeth closing to pinch at it again delighting in the jerk of Skulls hips against his thigh. He couldn't speak right then unfortunately, but he could show Skull exactly what he'd get if he told Reborn where he was.

Running his clever tongue along the indents he'd made (And what a pretty, almost forgotten sound Skull had made from that, Reborn would have to remember it for later. This entire situation brought all their 'training' into a new light.) around Skulls abused nipple. He looked up while trailing hard sucking bites along Skulls chest.

The Cloud's face was turned down towards Reborn eyes hazy in disbelief and lust that this was all actually happening, that Reborn was actually trying to ravish him. He had his bottom lip caught between his teeth to try and block any sound from escaping. But little huffs and hitches could be heard when Reborn did something particularly creative with his tongue.

But that just wouldn't do. Reborn would see him debauched and ravaged, he'd show Skull just what he was running from.

Hitching his knee up even higher, Reborn heard the cut off high pitched whine Skull made. He trailed those biting marks upwards stopping only when he was eye to eye with Skull. Using the hand not occupied with holding both of Skulls wrists against the wall behind him, Reborn pulled that abused lower lip out from between Skulls teeth.

"Normal? I'm flattered you think everyone would be this easily turned on by me." Reborn started darkly. "Do you think Colonello would let me do this to him? All stretched out like a treat, waiting for whatever I want?"

Skull jerked against Reborn's hold for the first time, hazy lust starting to overwhelm his mind. Reborn grinned internally at the sight.

"Or maybe Fon. Do you think Fon would let me bite him, leave bruises for everyone to see and judge the next day?" He crooned softly. "What about Viper? Would they be turned on if I called them Моя шлюха like you are?"

Skulls breath halted at the words, locking eyes with Reborn's own merciless black ones, speechless.

"Did you think I didn't know what you'd said to me all those years ago? What you wanted me to do to you, what you've wanted me to call you?" He asked. "Of course I knew."

Reborn's free hand ruthlessly hitched one of Skulls legs up along his waist, giving him enough room to push forward against Skulls trapped erection. Skull's reaction was everything he'd ever dreamed of.

Skull almost yowled at the first contact, dream logic was wonderful like that. If Reborn wanted to he could make Skull cum right then, just from that. And he was tempted to, so very tempted to watch Skulls face when he realized what had happened and that he came like an untouched teenager on Reborn's thigh.

But watching Skull writhe around like a cat in heat as Reborn shoved against him over and over again, separated only by Reborn's slacks and Skulls leather pants, was a close second.

"But you wanted to play at ignoring it. Wanted nothing to do with me." Reborn jerked skulls other leg around his waist taking all of the smaller man's weight on himself, crushing him against the wall. "I was willing to wait it out. I'm a patient man-"

"What!?" Skull screeched incredulously. Unable to think or say much else as occupied as he was. The doubt he could hear in Skulls voice on Reborn's supposed 'Patience' wasn't appreciated. At all.

"But not anymore." Reborn bite savagely into Skulls shoulder in revenge for that doubt, ignoring the scream of pleasure/pain above him. "I'll chase you to the ends of the earth if I have to, Skull. You'll never be rid of me."

The next thing Reborn knows is a foot to his chest kicking him away. It catches him by surprise enough that he wasn't expecting it. Looking up makes him catch his breath in awe.

Skulls eyes were incensed purple, Rage sparked around them like purple lightning, his hair lifting with the sparks. His shirt was still gone but the love bites Reborn had left gave Skull a wild appearance. He looked untamed and feral. Every bit the Cloud he'd always been.

Reborn had never been more attracted to someone in his life.

"You fucking, arrogant, bastard. " Skull seethed.

The area around them which had been a calm shade of pinkish purple begin to change. Red hues and black streaks flew through the air. The fuzzy ground under them shook, tearing apart the dreamscape.

"You think just because I find you hot I'd let you do whatever you want?" Skulls hands were fisted at his side shaking. "You think just because I said somethings years ago-" Skull had to stop to take a trembling breath.

Eyeing the distance between them Reborn tried to approach slightly, sliding around to Skulls side and towards him. Skull bared his teeth with a snarl at the movement. Reborn paused thoughtfully, though all he wanted to do was pounce.

Skull as he was right now would be an.. Interesting fight. (Oh wasn't that a thought? Skull in a rage, shirtless and bloody. Tearing through anything in his way.)

"I hate you." Skull bite out. "I hate you, I fucking hate you! For years I tried to be what you all wanted me to be. I was the weakest, I was the fucking Lackey , I was the punching bag and the Loser, the leftover Arcobaleno and the goddamn freak!"

Skull ran shaking hands through his hair. The area around them broke further, holding on by a thread of thought. It wouldn't be long before they had nothing to stand on but vague intentions of floor. It was now a battle of Vipers Mist and Skulls Cloud.

Skull stilled looking straight up at the sky, hands dragging out of his hair to his face. Everything was quiet for a moment, the still night before a tornado ripped through.

Reborn felt.. cautious. Even with everything he hadn't expected- this. Skull hadn't been so close to what he once was in so long he'd, not forgotten, but-

"If you chase me Reborn, you won't like what you find." Skull stated simply, staring into Reborn's eyes with that strange look he hadn't seen in so long. "If you find me at all."

Caught as he was in the purple depths, Reborn felt that he was closer to recognizing what it was he'd seen so long ago looking into Skulls eyes that first time.

Power. Isolation and power. He was looking into the face of a person who had nothing left to give, nothing left to want. Who was so very alone they wanted nothing but the absolution that came with freedom. Enough that they'd run from everything.

Skull held a singular type of power. Just as much as any one of them did. Reborn didn't know why he'd kept it to himself for so long, why he'd hidden it but god did Reborn want .

"I won't run. I won't hide." Skull finished quietly. "But I will never be one of yours. Not after everything you've all done."

"I won't accept that." Reborn stated. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Vipers shadowy figure becoming more solid. "Not this time."

"I don't care." Skull smiled enigmatically. "Stay away from me, Renato. This is my only warning."

Reborn scoffed hands folding behind his back. Viper was waving frantically now, arms phasing in and out of focus.

"And what, exactly, could you do about it?" He just had to stall for a few more moments. Just a little while longer.

"A Cloud is a Cloud is a Cloud , Reborn. Think on that." A sharp grin. "And make sure Viper takes care of Oodako for me, kay?" A wave of Skulls hand sent out purple colored smoke, sending both Reborn and the now almost physical Viper tumbling. Falling down down down like Alice.

The dream shattered—

I got a one track mind since you left me behind, all I can think about, Is how could you, yes how could you not turn when I shout?

The Strongest of the Rainbow Mafia watched silently as Reborn, Sun Flame; Greatest Hitman woke up from his Mist induced dream. They'd tried to convince him to allow someone else to go instead, anyone else. Because letting Reborn chase after Skull had been a mad decision, made out of desperation for some type of answers.

They'd all known it wouldn't go well, but he wouldn't have listened anyway.

Reborn had been almost manic when he'd burst through the doorway. As uncontained as they'd ever seen him be. His clothes were dirty, nowhere near the pristine perfectionist they'd learned to expect from him in every situation. His eyes constantly moved from each of them, counting heads over and over again, always struggling when he got to the last one. Starting over again as if he'd just lost count at some point.

That reminder of how it had been in the beginning, had not been welcome. From any of them.

Known to the rest of the world but unacknowledged between them all, was that Reborn was their undisputed Leader. He had a magnetic charisma that simply pulled people towards him, and despite how much their egos hated to admit it, since they were all the best in their own fields, Reborn was the strongest of them.

After Luce.. he'd been the one to keep them together.

They'd all been so out of it, so lost without their kinda-sky, ( Who to her credit had tried to help. But they hadn't been able to stand being near her, nor her Flames that still tried to reach for them ) bodies that they didn't know how to use, minds and Flames latching onto anything that was familiar enough to feel safe.

Reborn had been then one to rally them. He'd been the one to take charge in the direct aftermath, he'd been the one that helped Viper in their frantic search for answers, held them in his own tiny arms while they screamed at him, at Luce, at the world. Took Viper throwing his worst fears as illusions in his face. Stopped them with bloody hands when they'd tried to rip their hood off, ' Because why not?! Where all stuck like this! What's the point of anything anymore when I'll never be me again!?' He'd sat with them and had let them cry, let them confess how they'd only wanted a Sky. Why? Why did this always happen to them?

He'd smuggled Fon back into China to find his family after they'd all decided to go their own ways, the Storm's legendary cool smashed into pieces as he raged at everything that wasn't explicitly theirs. Unable to find peace long enough to go by plane, since everywhere they went people stared, he'd gone with the Storm by boat, days and weeks passing as he kept the other leashed to rational thought.

He'd kept Colonello and Lal from fracturing apart any more then their bodies had already done to them. Colonello he hadn't even known at the time, only from stories of a cheerful man who loved Lal with the passion of a thousand golden retrievers, but who was one of them now, if for no other reason then he'd tried to save their only female member. He became big brother and commander to the two Army vets, something that they knew how to fall back on. Something he'd had no experience in before.

And Lal.. he practiced for hours with Lal. Day after day he'd push her out of bed, out of the house and make her work with her new Flames. He'd let her beat on him until her Mist and Cloud Flames were just as good as her Rain had ever been. Let her tell them how she was planning on saying yes to Colonello's next date. How she'd bought a dress the color of his eyes and everything, just to make him happy. ..How they had no future now, because what were they supposed to do? They were children.

Verde had been deadly in the direct aftermath. Suicidal and Murderous. They didn't talk about it anymore, but the day after everything Reborn had found him trying to blow up Luce's Family headquarters, screeching in a voice that was so desolate it brought Luce to her knees in front of him begging for forgiveness, was the day that halted his genius mind.

It had been horrible to listen to the sarcastic scientist scream that his life was over. He made things, he didn't use his Flames the way they did. How was he supposed to survive in the Mafia when he was nothing like them?!

He'd had to fight Verde then. In the front lawn of the Arcobaleno Sky's ( but not their Sky ) mansion was the first Clash between them. Verde might not have ever used his Flames like the others but he was a genius for a reason. He was clearly out-classed but fought with a viciousness of a man possessed. And Reborn had let him. Had fought with Verde for long minutes when he could have stopped it at the beginning. Until Verde was all out of steam, numb to everything. Mind blank for once in the scientist's life.

Then he'd helped him. Taken him (And the others.) to Reborns own safe house deep in the mountains. They'd all been so senseless then, they'd have followed anyone that promised safety. He'd hid them there, broken and hurt, and guarded them ferociously. Like a Dragon guarding its horde.

For weeks he ran himself ragged killing off Families that had heard of the new Arcobaleno. Families that came for them, over and over while they healed mentally and emotionally. Reborn fought tooth and nail, proving himself the Strongest in the World, even now, against everyone, all without the Giglio Nero Famiglia's help. He'd made his name and engorged his legend protecting them.

Everyone learned to fear the name Reborn.

But Reborn had been broken too that day. He'd coped with protecting them, the most intrinsic instinct a Sun had. But it hadn't been enough, not nearly enough when they weren't complete.

Like I never mattered, we're collateral when you feelin down, Yet it's back to you, always back to you no matter how it turns out.

Because Skull had ran.

Unlike all of them, the day of the curse Skull had woken up first, only moments, seconds before but it'd been his scream that'd started everything.

Reborn had been the second to regain consciousness, snapped into action by Skulls panic. The others followed soon after, one by one waking to find they had been changed in the worst possible ways.

Skulls Flames had been going out of control, slamming against the roof, raising the floor in uneven furrows, while he'd looked at them all in horror.

Reborn must have seen something in his face that day because he'd lunged at Skull, his tiny body unsteady and unused, he'd missed flying right by Skulls face. Skull had scrambled away from them all, towards the entrance of the mountain ignoring Reborn's demands and Luce's pleas, his Flames blacking the grass that surrounded them all.

The rest of them too overwhelmed with what had happened to try and stop him just sat and watched. With one last terrified expression he'd fallen out of the doorway and they hadn't seen him again until years later.

Reborn hadn't taken it well.

For weeks when he wasn't helping the others or running off the Hitman sent for them, he watched the boundary lines. They all knew he had some kind of warning system, but hadn't known how it worked. But when Viper had finally asked, uncaring but wanting him to stop. He'd told them, black eyes counting obsessively over each of their heads.

He was waiting for Skull.

He couldn't go find Skull, not with them all here and the Families trying to capture them, but he couldn't stand Skull being alone out there either. His instincts warred within him.

Save and Protect.

Save or Protect.

They knew what he'd chosen, since he was there with them. But with the way he prowled around them all, catching and demanding information on their lost member from any of the Hitman foolish enough to not die quickly, they also knew he'd hated it. Having to choose.

Wondering and then having it confirmed that Skull was being run into the ground while they were all safely tucked away in Reborn's territory drove him insane.

They all listened, as much as they could in their own defeated states, on how high the death toll rose. On the family's that got decimated one after the other as they chased the only easily accessible Arcobaleno.

They watched how Reborn seethed.

So yes. They'd seen Reborn this way before. But this situation had the opportunity to be so much worse.

They'd had the Bond before, had known when Skull was scared, when he was angry and when he was lonely. They knew where he was vaguely, knew how far from them he traveled. Knew when someone actually had captured him for a time, how they hurt him with different weak Sky's and when he escaped.

They had nothing now.

Nothing but a consumed Leader who wasn't thinking rationally. A leader who was planning to chase a fleeing Cloud, a fleeing Cloud who they still had no idea why he'd fled. Why he'd decided he didn't want them anymore.

And Aria still wasn't pregnant.

Oh god, Aria.

Reborn was going to kill her.

Everyday I go harder, to get stronger, past my own doubts, get back to you, back to our roots no matter how it turns out.

The atmosphere in the room was tense.

Lal and Colonello sat in a corner huddled alone. Colonello's skin was grey from the fight he'd tried to put up when they realized what was happening. His normally cheerful blonde hair drooped at the top, an almost sickly green-yellow. Lal sat with him, grasping each other's hands desperately. She hadn't felt the break as strongly as the others, still getting used to her original Flames, but she'd seen the aftermath when the others started dropping where they stood.

Viper stood by Fon in the far right corner with Reborn, she'd been the second one up after Fon who still couldn't stand. But Reborn was the one they were all focused on at the moment. He was pacing in front of them all, mind a thousand miles away.

"What did you learn, Viper?" was the first words spoken to any of them since he'd woken up from his and Skull's shared dream.

Viper shifted uncomfortably. "Skull's by a town called Ryazan in Russia.."

"Already?" Fon asked from the sofa. He was still staggered from the short and dirty fight he'd lost with Skull's Flames. "It's been less than 6 hours."

"Yes but we don't actually know his capabilities. Not after what happened.. earlier." Viper tugged down on their hood in a nervous motion. "We have to go into this assuming we know nothing about them. Or him."

"But he is in Russia. Did you find out where he's heading?" Reborn confirmed.

"No." Viper murmured.

"Why." Reborn turned towards them both, his face shadowed by his hat. Leon rubbed against the side of his throat in comfort.

"Because Skull doesn't know himself. He has no long term plans other then 'Go.' "Viper sighed looking down at Fon who'd grabbed their hand when Reborn turned to them both.

"None?"

"No, nothing. It's like he's intentionally not thinking of what he plans to do.." Viper trailed off.

"Because he knows you'll be watching for it." Verde finished for them, voice annoyed. "To think, that idiot would decide to be clever now of all times."

Verde turned away from them all, checking up on the satellite map he had set up on his laptop, in the same area where he'd gone down when Skull had ripped the bond out of him. "Of all the luck.."

Luck doesn't tell me where he is now, Verde ."

"Don't talk to me like that.' Verde snapped. "It's your fault he ran off to begin with. Tell us Reborn, what happened when you went out after him? "

Reborn turned towards Verde silently, stepping towards him on quiet feet, "Weren't you up the quickest Verde? From what Lal said when I returned you'd barely hit the floor before you awake again." Verde looked away. "What does that say about your relationship, I wonder?"

Verde turned back around angrily strading to stand toe to toe with Reborn."You know why he's scared of me, you know exactly why! Don't you dare imply that when you know it's Checker Face's fault!"

Reborn cocked his head forward to show the slight few inches he had over Verde. "Checker Face didn't make you do anything. You did it because you wanted to do it, because you were curious." Reborn's voice was dark.

"I didn't know him then! I had no idea he was our Cloud!" Verde shouted.

"And you apologized didn't you? Condescending scientist that you are, you apologized then didn't even wait to see if It'd been accepted or not, just went on your merry way, happy with a job well done."

"Stop it right now or I swear to god Reborn-" Verde had Reborns lapes in his fistd almost shouting in his face, while Reborn sneered down at him.

"Or what? Will you try to use me for your experiments like you did him? Will you-"

"Stop it! Both of you! This is not the time to turn on each other." Lals voices cut through the raising tension like a shot. "Skull is gone. For better or for worse it's all of our faults." Her hand tightened to a near death grip on Colonello's. The blonde shot a panicked look towards Fon who just shook his head sadly at the women's immense strength. "At least this time we can go after him." Lal's eyes looked at all of them determinedly. "And we will find him."

Reborn stepped away from Verde hands swiping down his front to smooth out all the invisible wrinkles Verdes hands had caused. Verde himself ran a hand down his tired face before slumping down beside Fon, leaving Reborn and Viper the solo people still standing.

"I don't know where he is either. Skull's not stupid. He took all my trackers off before he left the house and I have no idea where he got the bike Reborn saw." His head thumped against the back of the couch. "It's definitely nothing I ever built him."

"Lal?"

Lal turned to look at Colonello beside her who nodded. "I'll call some people.."

"Some people?" Reborn didn't turn back to look at them from where he stood against the large windows.

Colonello answered for both of them. "We have more contacts on the right side of the Law, even after so long. I'll-" Lal elbowed him in the side. "We'll get some of our Cop friends looking. Even if Skull ends up being able to hide from us, it'll be even harder to hide from them."

Reborn nodded and allowed himself a moment to just breathe. Skull would be fine, even as angry as he was, he wouldn't be able to get too far before someone saw him. All they really had to do was wait. This wouldn't be like back then, no matter how much it felt like it. He could fix this.

"Fon?" Reborn questions tiredly.

"I'll contact Kyoya."

Viper shares a look with Lal, then with Verde. "Are you sure that's wise?"

"What do you mean?" Colonello asked confused.

"I mean, are we sure we want to get the Vongola involved in this?" Viper asks the room at large. "Skull has connections with their sister family, not to mention the Varia have been looking for a Cloud Officer for a very long time.."

"Skull's an Arcobaleno!" Colonello snarled at the Miser.

"There aren't any Arcobaleno anymore, Colonello . Were the last generation. When Tsuna broke the curse, he also killed the name. And with Skull breaking his bond with us.." Viper huffed back.

"It means anyone could grab him and as long as he wanted it there wouldn't be a damn thing we could do about it." Verde groaned. "Leave it to Skull to make running away a Mafia issue."

"Agreed." Reborn spoke up over them all. "From this moment on this is an Arcobaleno problem. Don't tell anyone unless you know they can keep their mouths shut under pain of death." Reborn turned back towards them all gun at the ready. "I'll be enforcing it for all your informant's. Don't forget to tell them that."

Italian : Cuore mio - My heart

Italian : Bello - Male form of Beautiful

Italian : Bellissima - Gorgeous

Russian : Моя шлюха - My Slut.