When she woke up from her nap, she still had Oodako in her arms. Falco had perched himself on the back of the couch and Nello was sitting in front of her on the floor. His own gaming console in his hands where he played one of his shooting games with headphones on.

But aside from the two no other arcobaleno was present and she had to smile. He kept his promise.

Her hands tightened around her octopus, giving him the appropriate cuddles.

Falco leaned down to gently nibble on her ear and she had to smile. While she lifted one of her hands to scratch him on the spot of his chest that she knew he loved.

She felt movement on her foot and her eyes caught up on Leon who was sneaking up.

She had to giggle, especially when she saw Lichi hiding behind an armchair.

Leilani looked across the room, slowly finding all of the animal companions. Maybe this was the compromise? She could certainly live with that.

The sky patted on her lap, inviting them to get closer.

Oodako, as so often climbed up on her to wrap himself around her neck and the moment her lap was completely free Lichi jumped on it, closely followed by Leon who climbed up on her head.

Kaiman had crawled up on the couch as well, finding his spot on her feet and Fantasma followed quickly in snake form to curl around Leilani's arm.

The sky could only giggle as she tried to give them all attention.

Colonnello had noticed the sudden movement and had paused his game to turn around and watch his sky, a warm smile on his lips but he kept quiet as he saw her with the whole pet zoo.

The cuddle session kept on going even when the rest of the arcobaleno came back for lunch.

Not that Leilani bothered addressing them, even when she threw a stink eye when Viper once again snapped a picture of her.

It was at that point when she gently nudged the animals off herself to make her way into the kitchen to eat the lunch that Lal had made instead of her. So that the sky could get a bit more rest.

She had just finished her portion when Reborn cleared his throat "Skull?"

"Yeah?"

"I would like to try healing you again."

She tilted her head "But you made no progress with your flames yet."

She could hear Lal snicker at the hitman's stoic face.

"Nonetheless. I listened to it when you explained it to Ryohei. I would like to attempt it again."

She scrunched her nose "I dunno."

"I will listen to you and stop immediately. You can order me."

She immediately perked up "I… get to order you round?" a cheshire grin on her lips.

"...as long as it's about the healing aspect."

"I'm down! Want to start now?"

She was already off her seat, bouncing on the spot.

Reborn sighed "I'm gonna regret this, aren't I?"

She just giggled while she pushed her chair in front of him and let herself fall on it again, expectantly extending her hand towards him "The great Skull-sama orders you to take her hand!"

He groaned out "Yes, I'm definitely regretting this."

Colonnello snickered in his own seat but was avidly watching.

The sun gently took her hand in his.

Leilani was still grinning "Just scanning, alright? If you don't manage that you can't heal it."

"I know." and with that she felt his flame flooding in her.

"You're too superficial."

He narrowed his eyes "What do you mean?"

"Search for it. Do I really have to show you, Mr. World's greatest?"

"You're really impudent."

"take it or leave it. You are the one who wants to heal it."

"It needs healing."

"It's fine." She shrugged, "I order you to follow my flames."

Fon was quietly snickering in his tea.

Reborn gritted his teeth but did follow them, actually raising an eyebrow. This was definitely different, very different.

Leilani could feel how his flames adapted and actually had to be satisfied. When he wasn't that full of himself he really wasn't that bad with his flames "So… go back to your own body and feel your own nerves. You need to be able to catch the difference."

He nodded and a few minutes passed while she just leaned back in her chair and watched him trying to figure it out in his own body once again.

He finally opened his eyes. "I'm ready."

"If you say so. Then once again my loyal slave."

"You're pushing this too far."

She wiggled her hands in front of him "Do you want to heal it or not?"

He closed his eyes for a second time and took a deep breath before opening them again, His most charming smile on his lips "Naturally principessa. Your order is my command."

Lal choked on her drink and Verde had to clap her on her back as she still struggled with her cough and laughing.

Leilani's eyes twinkled in amusement as she once again let him take her hand and his flames, goal orientated, manoeuvred through her body until they found her nerves, coiling around them and trying to scan the difference between his healthy ones and her damaged ones.

The hitman actually flinched back, the connection broke off at once as he just stared at her. This… he hadn't expected this…degree… this overall damage. It stretched across her whole nervesystem. They weren't severed but… rips were littering across it, some strings barely functionable, almost seeming rotten so ruptured were they.

They worked, he got why they worked but… he had imagined a few spots that were damaged or a general area but not… everywhere. Not like this. It was worse than he had thought. It was everywhere. It was light damage, sure. They weren't severed but… it was everywhere. Honestly the reason why they seemed to still work that well, even with the hiccups she had on an almost daily basis was due to her own flames that constantly seemed to circle around them, helping impulses translate and jump over the rips. He had felt it and… he hadn't imagined this.

His fist was trembling, so hard was he clutching them together.

Leilani tilted her head, taking his state in before she lifted her finger to poke him on the nose "It's fine, right? You said you're gonna take care of it after all."

"Skull… I… I didn't know."

"You understand now why your method hurts?"

"...I'm sorry."

"It's alright" and her lips curled into one of the warmest smiles he had ever gotten addressed at him.

"It's not."

"It will be."

He paused, took another deep breath "You're right. I'm gonna make it alright."

She nodded, "That's the spirit."

He took her hand again, this time even gentler and the way his flames pushed in was even more careful, heading straight to the first spot.

She watched his progress "You want to try nudging it together… the whole progress maybe like… if you're sewing I guess? Never attempted to take care of this so… use your anatomy knowledge? You know that kind of stuff, right?"

"I do."

"Then try it. I can only tell you if you… well… do the opposite of healing."

"You mean the torture curse?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not going to do that."

She nodded, a bit more sombre than before "I hope so."

He looked her straight into her eyes "I'm not going to hurt you Skull."

She shrugged "we will see."

"I'm serious. I promise you. I'm not going to hurt you."

She averted her eyes "Prove it through actions."

"I will." he spared her doubtful eyes another glance before he concentrated.

It was hard, it was something he really hadn't attempted before and his own flames almost seemed sluggish, almost helpless.

He actually got the gist of why she had said his flames were lacking sentience and were clueless. Her own constantly whirled in her body. They acted and he just knew they didn't do it because she ordered them but because they knew they had to do it to aid her. It was a harsh contrast and he had to admit to himself that he had to work harder.

Something had to change and… even while the match to needle things was ridiculous… he wanted what she had.

It was the first time he actually was able to examine something like this and he really wanted it. He had no idea how he could force his flames to do it but… he would need to keep his mind on the goal. The task she had given him was abstract, same as how her flames worked on their own accord but… he had to do it.

It took a while, most of the time he still spent observing her flames, gently tracing over the damaged part he had chosen, starting to imitate the way her flames worked until he finally felt confident to try to form them.

It was a slow process, insanely so as he didn't want to make any kind of mistakes but… a rip closed off. The next went faster. Still he only focused on the smallest of them, working himself up.

He was actually sweat drenched when he achieved her full hand and had to pull his flames back.

Leaning back in his chair and pulling his fedora down to hide his eyes.

She had been right, it went quicker the more his flames understood the task but… still it took a lot out of him and he had the feeling it was due to him having to order his flames to do every task. They didn't flow flawlessly or acted perfectly to his wishes.

If he achieved sentience… would it be easier? Probably. After all the unnecessary steps he couldn't stop and the way he had to force them in place to not let any kind of mishap happen…. His tight grip on controlling them was what seemed to be the biggest problem.

Leilani wiggled her fingers around as she let her own flames take in his progress. She was actually astonished.

His flames were still not sentient and… she hadn't even thought it possible to heal cruciatus damage with magic alone instead of potions but… this was impeccable work. Honestly even with the setbacks and hindrances they had to work with… Reborn was a monster. A legit monster.

It was insane what he had done and... seriously? What would be the result be when this man actually achieved it? She couldn't quite stop her excitement though. This would be great. She might create an actual monster with what she was doing but… wasn't this half the fun?