When Leilani woke up her face was smushed against Nello's chest, her throat dry and her face was itching from too many dried tears but a hand was gently running her back up and down.

She slowly lifted her face up to stare directly at Colonnello's wide awake once. He had a soft smile on his lips "Morning."

She mumbled an answer back, her fist lifted up to rub over her eyes.

Colonnello actually had to look away as his heart pinged. He had been used to Skulls face, as he had more than often woken up with her next to him but in her actual body? It hit different. Her hair was standing up even more than yesterday. his own shirt hanging loosely from one shoulder, barely covering her chest.

He grabbed the almost empty water bottle from the nightstand to hand it to her. She didn't even protest, just chugged the rest down.

Colonnello didn't ask how she was doing, he didn't address the sparkle in her eyes that was still missing. He knew it wasn't time yet. They would talk but not right now, right now the only thing that mattered was getting her back on track.

"You want to wash your face?"

She nodded slowly while already crawling out of bed, struggling slightly to operate her feet.

Colonnello himself didn't wait any longer either, jumping out of bed and joining her immediately in the bathroom at the pleading eyes she shot at him.

Two toothbrushes were placed on the sink, both still packaged, a blue and a purple one. Apparently Yuni had done more than just made sure that the house was clean.

Skull leaned onto him while they freshened up. His hand almost automatically held her hair back as she spit out the toothpaste. Emptying his own mouth before he started to pluck out leftover leaves out of her hair.

"Skull, kora? You alright with going downstairs? I bet Yuni organised food as well."

"Sure" she answered but she was chewing on her lip.

"Do you want to change?"

She shook her head, feeling actually way more comfortable in his T-shirt. It was silly but it calmed her down, gave her some kind of reassurance and grounded her to not have her thoughts wander. She wasn't ready yet to unpack everything.

She just silently took the spare contact lenses that Colonnello always kept on him and placed them in her eyes.

"No problem, kora." He smiled at her his hand on her back as they went back into her room, only stopping so that he could pick up his jacket again and throw it over.

His hand was still on her back when they slowly made their way downstairs, his flames gently washing over her the whole time.

The moment they stepped into the kitchen all heads turned towards them. Colonnello just shook his head, mouthing 'Not yet' at them.

Reborn narrowed his eyes slightly but didn't comment on it "Morning."

Skull mumbled an answer back.

An echo from the group followed, everyone still staring at her though and she turned her body slightly more towards her rain.

Colonnello smiled slightly in the round "Morning, kora." his eyes wandering over the filled breakfast table "We've got milk and chocolate?"

Lal jumped up, already having the milk from the table in her hand and pulled out a few bars of chocolate from one of the cupboards.

Colonello looked thankful at her "Pots?"

She placed the ingredients on the counter as she pulled one out of another, already grabbing a whisk as well.

"Thanks, kora."

He slowly pushed Skull forwards. Heading towards the stove and while he was already starting on the chocolate she had turned around, not willing to really face the gazes of the other arcobalenos. So she leaned her face against his stomach.

Colonnello didn't mind, one of his hands just buried in her hair, slightly massaging her as he heated up the milk and put just the right amount of chocolate in. Skull always made her hot chocolate thick. It was more like chocolate with a dash of milk than anything else.

He casually turned on the radio as well, to give her mind to focus on something while the arcobalenos were quietly holding a conversation. The rain knew their attention was on the tiny sky though.

He smiled at Fon when the martial artist gestured towards the cupboard where the cups were placed in and he carefully emptied the pot into an especially big one. He himself would definitely opt for coffee today. It had been a short night, not that he regretted staying up.

He ignored the second free chair as he balanced the cup and sat down, pulling Skull with him so that she sat on his lap. He handed her her cup and untangled his hand from her hair to instead place it around her stomach.

The sky just cupped the mug with both hands, almost seeming to hide her face behind it. He didn't let that bother him though, neither that nor the obvious stares they got when he started to arrange breakfast on his plate one handed.

He ignored the questioning glances while he started to eat, regularly lifting his fork to Skulls lips and she didn't protest against the food just quietly nibbling on whatever he gave her.

The table conversation had started again, everyone avoiding the elephant in the room though until Verde cleared his throat "Skull."

Colonnello narrowed his eyes slightly but the scientist ignored him.

"Skull. Problems occurred as you got further away from us. We started to shrink back again."

Skull chewed on her lips, her mug still protectively held before her face. her voice was quiet "I never tried it on anyone else… sorry."

Fon spoke up before Verde could proceed "We understand. We are grateful for your attempt. There is nothing you have to apologise for."

Skull kept hiding though, still chewing on her lip.

Viper casually made Verdes breakfast flow into his mouth to keep the scientist from talking.

Reborn leaned forwards "If it's alright with you we would appreciate it if we could stay together for the time being until we found a solution."

Skulls' eyes wandered up, her head leaned back as she looked up to her rain.

Nello just gave her a reassuring caress over her belly "Would be like a prolonged sleepover. You know… no work interrupting. We can make a gaming marathon… have a bonfire. Stuff like that. You always wanted to fill up a whole week, didn't you?"

Her eyes were searching for him but in the end she nodded "Alright."

The breath everyone let out was almost too noisy but full of relief.

Fon smiled a bit more freely "So. We were about to get acquaintances to collect our belongings and send it via mist. Any preferences for who should collect yours?"

Skull stayed quiet for a moment. "Enma."

"Enma?"

"Yeah." Skull didn't even move her finger as her phone appeared before her, finally setting her cup down but instead hiding behind her phone to text the earth.

Viper cleared their throat "Inform me when Enma's ready."

Skull just nodded, before exchanging her phone for her cup again.

Reborn opened his mouth but before he could ask the sky about her wellbeing Colonnello just shook his head.

The hitman raised an eyebrow but the rain's eyes were unrelenting.

The hitman sighed before leaning back and taking his espresso up again.

The whole group turned back towards their former conversations, still glancing at the uncharacteristically quiet sky but following Colonnellos wishes. After all he was the one who knew Skull better than anyone here.

They were in the process of cleaning up when the messages from their acquaintances started to come in and while Viper started her portal business, the rest of them had moved into the living room.

Skull was still glued to her guardian's side but did grab Nello's back before he could do it. A questioning glance she threw at Nello but he just nodded.

She quickly pulled out the several sets of clothes that were vastly too small for him now and her cloud flames washed over them. Holding them up after a moment to test if she had gotten the size right.

Nello thanked her quietly.

Lal furrowed her brows "Wouldn't it be pointless? I mean… our sizes don't stay the same as well."

Skull's voice was still rather quiet when she answered "Clothes don't have to change anymore. If you want to be frozen in time, never ageing or adjusting until you die then sure… I can do that."

"There is a difference?"

"Yes. A big one. Living beings and objects need different approaches."

Colonnello again pleaded with his eyes for her to let it rest for now. It wasn't time yet. Not when Skull was still so quiet and when he still had to use his flames constantly to keep her afloat.

She wasn't ready yet to face any of it. Not yet.

So as soon as her bag appeared he pulled out her switch, pulled her on the couch and watched her as she started her latest game.

He knew the arcobalenos were waiting, they wanted answers. They wanted to find out how she was doing and especially search for a solution but he knew that Skull still needed a moment and he would do his damn best to give her it.