Leilani was brightly grinning. She had stood up extra early to make breakfast, had even relied on Colonnello to keep the storm in his slumber.

She was whistling as she put out the last of the apple dishes.

She actually was indeed a bit exhausted, the number of things she had enchanted last night and this morning was insane. She had pushed her magic extra far just for this to succeed.

Her fellow arcobalenos did look slightly interested at the odd choice of breakfast but no one was complaining.

She grinned at the storm that came down extra late.

"Skull?"

"Yes?"

"I noticed you enchanted my clothes."

She hummed "Indeed. A bit of extra practice. I see you could end the enchantment."

"Yes, indeed. You should have woken me up earlier so that I could have done breakfast duty."

"Sure I could have but I took so much care with your alarm."

"I noticed."

She nodded satisfied, "I heard showers with music are very good for relaxation."

he hummed "I destroyed mine."

She had to hide her snicker "Oh? I did choose the song really carefully. Some chinese music should have been good. I really was so immensely impressed with your behaviour I just had to pay you back. So I did my best to dive a little into your culture. it's a bop right?"

His smile was a bit forced "I appreciate your interest. Maybe I can show you a few other aspects after breakfast."

"Ah… but I just love the song so much. Just need some more time to enjoy it."

"Very well."

"ah. I totally forgot to make your tea. I'm so sorry."

"Perfectly fine." he heeded to the kettle to fill it up with water and put it on the stove.

Leilani nodded before she headed to her seat. Actually choosing Nello's lap for the day as she whistled the melody.

She had the feeling she could see a vein on Fon's head slightly pulsating.

Leilani just nibbled on one of the apple slices and had to hide her snicker at Fons face.

The normal whistle tone of the kettle had been exchanged to the same song that was haunting Fon since the moment he had stood up 'Xiao Pingguo (little apple)' from the Chopstick brothers. was ringing out.

She could already see his flames flickering out.

She instantly spoke up "Oh no! Fon you can't."

"I can't?"

"Yes technology is very fickle with magic. I don't think you're far enough… you already destroyed your shower after all."

She could feel how he was forcing his smile into place.

She had to smirk "Would you be a dear and get the milk out of the fridge? I totally forgot that too."

"Naturally." The moment he opened it the fridge played the melody and she was certain she saw the vein pop even more.

Still the martial artist stayed calm as he sat down, taking a sip of his tea, only to stop the moment his favourite mug changed the design to have a moving picture of the band logo, slowly morphing into displaying the music video and playing music as well.

He almost slammed the cup down, taking a moment to calm his irritation before he started to eat his meal.

Just that every last of his dishes had been enchanted.

Leilani was more than just satisfied. Whipping her head to the beat "I even learned the lyrics, Fon. it's very good, isn't it? Want to hear it?"

"Maybe some other time." he forced out.

"Sure, sure." she grinned, just staying silent as she watched him get more irritated every time he did something. Even the milk when he opened it played the song.

Even when he got up to open the cupboard to find a new one, the cupboard played it. Same as every last object he interacted with, solely because she has used Fon as the trigger for it.

Actually… Everyone started to get annoyed with it at his point and Leilani's mood got better by the second.

After breakfast Fon was already pulled aside and she grinned as she heard Lal direct a few chosen words at the storm.

Still… Leilani wasn't done.

"Anyone wants to watch some tv?" she had already started it and to Fons relief the program was normal. At least for now.

She was humming while she cuddled into Colonnellos arms. She knew the next part was mean…. but it was only on their tv. She actually had needed Spanner for that part but he had managed to hijack the connection.

Still… Fon wouldn't know it.

As soon as the advertisement started the music video started to play and Fon was forcing himself to stay quiet only to have his jaw drop open when the girl in the music video got her face unwrapped after her cosmetic surgery.

Originally the plot was that she had been pretty but had chosen surgery to get even more beautiful to get her boyfriend back which instead of making her more pretty had morphed her face into one of the male singers… just that Spanner and Gokudera had tweaked it a little and… Fon's face was now present.

Leilani was snickering as she mirrored the dance choreo. Casually singing the lyrics. She had practised hard for this moment.

Fons flames actually destroyed the armchair he was sitting on "Skull." he gritted out.

"Yeah?"

"What do you want?"

She clapped delightedly in her hands "Stop your bullshit."

"I'm courting you."

"I'm not a princess. Stop it or it gets worse. This is a taste Fon. A little taste. Belief me I got more ready."

He paused, "Am I… bothering you that much?"

"Yes, yes you are. I told you over and over again. You're bothering the fuck out of me. All of this pretentious behaviour? I can't stand it. I don't want it and to be honest? It kinda even disgusts me."

he paused. "But… you're a sky."

"So what? Just because that's what you have been taught doesn't change the fact that it bothers me. Honestly Fon… I'm spending most of my time teaching you all to get rid of the flame bullshit the mafia preaches. Why do you even think I would follow any of your ideologies?"

"But… I want you as my sky Skull. I'm serious."

"And I don't want this. Honestly? The only thing you managed was make me even more reluctant to even consider you."

He was taken back "But I was helpful."

She shook her head "No, you weren't. I don't consider it helpful if someone is ready to wipe my ass. I don't need worship. I don't want it."

"But… Why did you take Colonnello? What did he do?"

Leilani just raised an eyebrow "You have no idea?"

"I don't."

"Well… he actually visited me to tell me that he won't court me as he's aware that I have no interest in getting chained down by anyone. That the whole binding myself to someplace or someone isn't my style."

"But… he's your element."

"Yes, because it was at that moment that he just proved it to me again. He understands me and furthermore? He doesn't pull this kind of bullshit. Nello and I are friends. best friends. He's not my minion or my guard dog or anything. Nello is my Nello and we are friends. That's it. I don't want followers."

"But… we are friends."

"Are we?"

He paused "But ..skull."

"What?"

"We… are here together. You're Helping us. We… are friends."

"I'm helping you so that we can part. That's the objective, isn't it?"

"But…"

She sat up straighter "To be honest? Remember our start? You betrayed me. Remember how you all still tried to force me to comply afterwards? Remember how you reacted to my actual age? We're not strangers but… are we friends? I doubt that. Honestly I haven't even given most of you my number."

Leilani stood up, clapping into her hands as she abruptly cut off all the charms she had casted "I pulled the enchantments back. Don't worry about it anymore. But yeah don't try it again."

The sky was on the way upstairs when she heard Reborns voice, oddly quiet "And what would make us friends?"

She sighed "I already told you what qualities I want in my friends and to be honest? So far not one of you actually showed that you would ever be ready to just join me when I need to do something. You, Reborn, would just chastise me and push your own agenda.

To be honest? It never changed. I don't trust any of you. What I'm doing for y'all… I see it as giving back. you all have helped me in the past and I want to pay my debt back. I'm not saying I hate you but… well… that's it, right? You helped me so I pay my dues. Nothing deeper is going on."

Colonnello threw another glance at the quiet group. To be honest he had expected this. While he knew Skull cared for them and… she did care for them more than she would admit… She was held back by their pasts and more often than not their goodwill or worldviews had clashed.

Skull was in an odd way right. Fon's attempt at courting her did prove it once again. The way Reborn still was struggling to hold back to not destroy what he deemed improper… all of them had vastly different personalities and well… most of them had never learned to back down or figure out compromises.

The rain didn't doubt that the arcobalenos could be amazing guardians,. especially for Skull but… for that? They needed to work. they actually needed to become a group and first and foremost had to understand who Skull really was and how their dynamic could be.

Still he was certain that the group only needed slight pushes. Honestly Reborn and Leilani acted like siblings most of the time. If the sun would ever actually step up to that position while similarly accepting that Skull could handle herself and didn't need anyone directing her but just support… the two of them would bond quicker than anyone could look.

He knew there were fledgling bonds, always had been… but it was their task to figure it out and get over themself to actually make the bond possible. .

Skull wasn't that much of a hermit as she liked to pretend. her flames would probably react the moment she actually felt the honest care and loyalty everyone had for her.

Still it wasn't his task. Same as how everyone had their own tasks to push their flames, they had the task to actually remedy the issues that stood between them and the sky.

They were the best after all… so… what would stop them? It was just a matter of time. He was confident in them.