Warning: This contains smut. If you don't like it, then don't read it.

I know you guys are probably wondering why I'm posting this instead of working on the next chapter for Ventus. I don't really have an excuse other than that this has been floating around in my mind for awhile now, and it wouldn't. Go. Away. So I decided to just get it all out. I honestly didn't mean for it to get this long, but I just kept writing more and more until it got to what you see now. Hopefully you all will enjoy this freakishly long one-shot.

While there may be appearances/mentions of the other canon characters, this will mainly be about Skull and my OC. As for ages, Skull will be physically 24 and my OC will be 22.

I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn; it belongs to Akira Amano. The only things I own are my ideas and characters.

The first time they ever met, Skull had stormed into the gardens in order to get away from everything before he exploded.

He scowled at the rose bush he was crouched in front of, yanking off petals in frustration. Stupid senpai, with his stupid hat and his stupid grin.

The sudden image of that all too familiar smirk crossed his mind, which only served to make him even more annoyed. He tore off more petals, ignoring the sharp sting of thorns pricking his fingers. He knew why he was called 'lackey,' knew it was because he wasn't strong like the others, but after everything they had been through together Skull just wished they would back off a little. For being the strongest people in the world they never seemed to notice that they pushed him closer and closer to the edge. Well, most of them at least—he thought Fon might notice, since the man would try and redirect the others' attention, not that it ever worked, but he appreciated the attempt.

Skull reached to grab another handful when he heard a thump. He jerked his hand back and whipped around.

Oh my god, I swear if he followed me I'm going to...he trailed off.

There, standing close by, was a man, but not the person he was expecting to see—though the fact that he hadn't heard him coming near made his hackles raise. He was thin. His clothes clung to him in a way that said they were a couple sizes too big, and while Skull wasn't the tallest person around, he knew that if he stood up he would tower over the other. However, while he didn't look threatening in the least, Skull had learned first hand that appearances could be very deceiving.

His eyes flickered between the horrified expression to the bag of soil laying at the man's feet. Whoops, Skull winced, looks like I just made the poor guy's job harder than it needed to be.

"S-Sorry. I wasn't really thinking. I don't know why I…" he trailed off, watching the other's reaction, or rather, lack thereof. "Um, sorry."

Skull's ramblings seemed to have broken him out of his shock, though, because the man suddenly fixed him with an unreadable expression.

He tried not to shift at the intense scrutiny, constantly making sure to check that there wasn't anything strange with his expression—he scowled internally, of all days to forget his helmet.

The man's eyes softened slightly. "Is there something wrong?"

Skull blinked slowly and contemplated the question, wondering if the other had managed to see the aching pain that always lingered in his chest no matter what he did and god why wouldn't it stop he just wanted it to stop- before carefully pushing it back with practiced ease and brought up the carefree smile that seemed to fit too tightly on his face.

"What makes you say that?"

The other man crouched down and rested his chin on his hand. "People usually do this," he gestured vaguely to the petals littering the ground around Skull, "when they're upset. If you want to talk, I'll listen."

Skull grinned cheerfully and waved a hand through the air. "Nothing's wrong, really! I was just annoyed and, um, I might have taken it out on the bush."

"Hmm." Something flashed across his eyes and was gone before Skull could identify it. "And why were you annoyed?"

Skull scowled. "Just some guy who's always bullying me and doesn't know when to stop."

He nodded in understanding. "I rather dislike those types of people as well. They tend to pry at things that they should leave well enough alone."

"Exactly!" Skull flailed his arms in the air, scowl deepening. "Everybody has things they'd rather keep to themselves."

The man gave him a small smile. "You're rig-"

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

The sudden shout caused both of them to jump. There was another man standing in the distance and appeared to be glowering at them.

His companion winced. "Sorry. I have to get back to work."

As he was watching the other about to leave, something in him screamed and writhed against his tight control. Skull reached out to grab his wrist before he could reign it back in. "Wait!"

The instant their skin touched flames that Skull always kept on a tight leash surged through him with an almost desperate intensity. He wasn't the only one startled, either, going off the man's expression, and there was an answering touch from the person in front of him.

"You're a Sky…" he said, eyes wide. He could feel the painted mask start to slid off in his surprise but managed to catch it just before it could melt away completely—Skull saw the narrowed eyes and waited in apprehension to see if the other would say anything.

Instead, the gaze hardened into flint. "Is that a problem?"

Skull shook his head frantically. "No, it's just...why do you keep your flames hidden?"

"I haven't…" A pain Skull recognized all too well filled his eyes. "Had the best experiences with Elements."

His lips pulled up into a bitter smile. "Seems we have something in common. I haven't had the best experiences with Skies."

They stayed in silence for a while, Skull just reveling in the fact that he might have found someone who finally understands.

It was an awkward cough that broke it, and Skull realized that he was still holding onto the other's wrist.

"Sorry. I just...I wanted to know your name."

The man tilted his head, amusement glittering in his eyes. "Matteo. My name is Matteo."

"Nice to meet you!" Skull beamed at him. "I'm the great Skull-sama!"

Another shout reached them. "What's taking so long?! Hurry up!"

Matteo ignored the call and smiled at him. "It was nice meeting you, Skull." He was about to turn away, but he must have seen something in Skull's face because he paused. "Will I see you again?"

Skull blinked slowly, then grinned. "Sure!"

He watched the other leave, feeling more content in that moment than he had in a long time.

The second time Skull wandered into the garden, he was in a significantly better mood than before. It had already been a few weeks after the Rose Incident—as he had dubbed it in his head—since he had first met Matteo, and ever since, something inside of him ached with longing.

He glanced around, hoping to catch a glimpse of chocolatey brown hair, and frowned slightly when he didn't see anything.

Another careful look revealed the same thing, so he shrugged and was about to turn around to look in a different area when he heard a rustle. A few, fluttering leaves in the distance caught his eye, and he looked up to see Matteo standing in a tree.

What is he doing?

Skull grinned in amusement and opened his mouth to call out to the other just as he saw Matteo's foot slip off the branch.

Shit! Skull's eyes widened, and he darted forward. He almost made it too, but it was just his luck to trip on a rock. He ended up sliding across the ground just in time for Matteo to land on top of him.

Skull groaned and felt Matteo hurriedly climb off.

"Oh god! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?!"

Skull moved his head to the side so he could see Matteo, who had a hand hovering over him as if he wasn't sure if touching anything would make it worse. He almost snorted. It's strange having someone worry about me.

Skull grinned and sat up, ignoring the twinges in his back. "Ha! It takes more than that to take me down!"

Matteo looked visibly relieved, his shoulder lowering from where they had tensed. "You should be more careful."

This time Skull did snort. "Like you're one to talk. Why were you climbing that tree anyway?"

"Oh, that." There was a rustle of fabric and then a small, grey kitten was suddenly shoved in Skull's face. "Seems this little guy got stuck up there."

Skull looked at the creature that was more fluff than animal. I guess that explains why he didn't try to catch himself. Because he could have caught himself, of that Skull was certain. There were plenty of branches he could have reached out and grabbed, but instead, Skull had seen him curl into a tight ball, which had confused him at the time and was part of the reason he had run forward so frantically. He ignored the pleasured hum of his flames at being able to show that they could protect the other.

His lips quirked up into a grin. "Um, I'm pretty sure it's a girl."

"Eh?" Matteo pulled the kitten away and turned it—her—around to face him. "Oh, you're right."

The kitten gave a pitiful mewl, so Matteo lowered her into his lap and rubbed the top of her head in soothing strokes. Skull saw him pause and slowly lift up the hand that had pet her.

His nose wrinkled. "The poor thing is filthy."

Skull could practically see the gears turning in his head as Matteo looked up at him consideringly.

"Do you...um, would you want to help me give her a bath?"

Skull crossed his arms into an 'x'. "Nope. Nuh-uh. I'd rather not get scratched like crazy."

He twitched when Matteo practically wilted on the spot.

"Ahhh, fine, I'll help. Just stop looking like that," he groaned, gesturing broadly to Matteo's whole body.

"Really?" Matteo brightened immediately.

Skull stared at him with narrowed eyes. He had a feeling he had just been played.

Matteo stood up and began to lead Skull toward the building where all of the staff stayed. Skull took the chance to look around since he had never actually been in this part of the mansion before—not that he had really been able to explore other parts. The only reason he was even allowed here at all was because of his connection to senpai and the fact that Decimo had a bleeding heart.

It was only when Matteo unlocked a door and held it open for him that he paused.

"Wait, we're doing this in your room?!"

Matteo glanced back at him in confusion. "Where else would we do this?"

"I thought, um, uh, nevermind." He rubbed the back of his head, wishing he could also rub away the embarrassment. Don't places like this usually have shared bathrooms?

Giving him another confused look, Matteo walked through another door which Skull assumed led to the bathroom.

He shot a quick glance around the room before stepping to follow. It was...cozy. There were plants littering the entire room, which didn't really surprise him considering the other apparently worked in the gardens, and what looked like a mountain of blankets on the bed, one that looked perfect for curling up underneath. Overall, it gave off a nice, warm feeling.

When he walked into the bathroom, he saw Matteo standing by the sink, using one hand to hold up the kitten and the other to turn on the faucet in order to feel the temperature of the water.

Matteo glanced over at Skull when he noticed him hovering in the doorway. "I don't have any soap that is made for animals, so we'll just have to make do with water."

Skull grinned. "Sounds good. Do you want me to wash her while you hold her?"

Matteo glanced down at the kitten cuddled against his chest and nodded. "Yeah, that'd probably be best."

Skull rolled up both sleeves. "Okay! Let's do this."

Matteo gave him a small smile that was tinged with amusement.

The kitten was slowly lowered into the water, which barely reached up to her stomach, and didn't react—which was strange because he thought most cats hated water. However, it was the moment Skull scooped some water onto her back that the claws came out with a vengeance. With an ear piercing yowl, the kitten starting thrashing in Matteo's hands, acting like they were murdering her rather than just getting her wet.

Skull yelped, more out of reflex than anything else, as one particularly violent swing caught his palm. The pain was gone almost instantly thanks to the familiar tingling of his flames working to heal him.

Matteo started making some soothing noises to try and calm the panicked animal, and when that didn't work, Skull felt a small flare of Sky flames fill the room. It seemed to do the trick because the struggling slowed.

He only spared a brief, curious glance at Matteo before he focused on getting the kitten clean so they could be done with it. His flames weren't absolutely crying and begging to be let out. They weren't yanking and tearing at every amount of self control he had to get to the homewarmthsafety. They weren't.

Matteo yelped when the front of his shirt was suddenly covered in water—Skull accidentally got water in the kitten's ear, and she did not like that at all. His expression was so priceless that Skull couldn't help but snort, and the small glare sent his way only made it even better.

By the time they were done, both Matteo and the kitten looked miserable.

"How did you not get wet?" Matteo demanded, brows furrowed in a scowl.

Skull made sure his grin was that much more teasing because of it, and from the twitch the other gave, he thought he succeeded. "Because I'm amazing."

He saw the calculating look Matteo sent him and watched warily as the other then turned to eye the water in consideration.

Skull's eyes widened, and he backed away with his hands up. "Hey, let's not do anything rash." He laughed nervously.

"I don't know what you mean." The all-too-innocent look would have been convincing if not for the amusement Skull could see shining in the other's eyes.

He fixed an exaggerated expression of pure disbelief across his face, then preened when he saw Matteo's lips twitch into a smile.

"Okay, enough playing around. We need to dry her off before she gets sick."

Skull would have been disappointed if he hadn't seen the smile Matteo was trying to hide as he bent to grab a towel from under the sink. He did let a pout form, though, as he was quickly ushered out of the bathroom.

Once they were in the bedroom again, he turned and made grabby hands toward the kitten. "Give her here. I'll dry her off while you change clothes."

Matteo slumped and gave him a smile, handing over the fluffball and towel. "Thanks," he said and pulled at the shirt clinging to him with a grimace. "I hate the feeling of wet clothes."

"No problem." Skull gave a thumbs up and grinned.

Once the bathroom door was shut, Skull looked down at the kitten in his arms. A pair of grey eyes looked back up at him, and he couldn't help but coo at the adorable sight. He plopped down so he could sit cross-legged and put the little kitten on his lap.

"You're such a beautiful girl." Skull beamed, rubbing the kitten gently with the towel. "When you get bigger, you're going to be an absolute heartbreaker."

A tiny meow was his only answer, and he did not squeal like a teenage girl, anyone who said differently was lying.

"Um…"

Skull yelped and jerked his head to look at the door. The door that was now wide open and had Matteo standing there with a hand pressed against his mouth, shoulders shaking in silent laughter.

"I-It's not what it looks like!"

Matteo raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"I-I wasn't- I mean, I was just..." He waved a hand in the air and glanced between the kitten and Matteo helplessly. "Ugh, just laugh it all up."

Matteo sat down in front of him and ran two fingers along the kitten's head. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. It was...cute."

Skull spluttered and tried to ignore the warmth that bloomed in his chest. "The great Skull-sama is not cute!"

"Whatever you say."

"Hmph." He made a show of glowering and crossed his arms across his chest.

Matteo grinned slightly as he picked up the kitten, rubbing his cheek against a whiskered one. The kitten had both of her eyes closed in contentment and was purring—a sound that reminded Skull of a small lawn-mower.

"Oh, yeah. I meant to ask earlier, but you won't get in trouble with your boss, will you?"

Matteo smiled and shook his head. "No, today is my day off."

Skull relaxed. That would of sucked if he got yelled at.

Now that Matteo was thoroughly distracted by the kitten, Skull let his eyes wander around the room again. There were even more plants in the small room than he had first thought. Skull was surprised he even found room to put anything else there was that many. There was a small night table that looked to be made out of some kind of wood sitting next to the head of the bed. It had, not really surprisingly, a plant sitting on it. The walls were painted a tan color, and it went well with the dark brown comforter covering said bed—at least from what he could see poking out from beneath all those blankets. It sort of looked like a nest.

Skull looked back over when he heard a small gasp and found Matteo staring at one of Skull's hands.

Wide, concerned eyes met his. "I almost forgot. You got scratched, didn't you?"

Skull grinned, shaking the hand in question. "I'm fine. I can't even feel it anymore. Besides, I heal really fast." He gestured widely, making it as dramatic as possible. "Afterall, I'm the Great Immortal Skull-sama."

"Immortal or not, you still need to treat it before it gets infected."

Matteo plopped the kitten in his lap and disappeared back into the bathroom before he could say anything.

Skull slowly looked down at the kitten. "What just happened?"

The small head tilted to the side, and for some reason, Skull felt like the kitten was laughing at him.

There's no way even a kitten was laughing at him, right? Right?

Matteo rushing into the room stopped him from questioning his sanity.

Skull eyed the gigantic medical kit that Matteo set on the ground next to him. The other man apparently knew his way around it, too, because in no time at all he had found the disinfectant and bandages.

Matteo shifted, his hand twitching as if wanting to grab something. "Um."

Skull smiled at the fact that only now was the other uncertain, before holding out one of his hands in offering. Matteo took it in his, and soon, the only thing breaking the silence was the quiet spray of disinfectant and the unrolling of bandages.

Skull angled his head so that it was facing the ground and used the opportunity to observe this strange person in front of him. Sharp eyes were hidden behind purple hair as he took in the other's posture, and he immediately noticed something. Matteo's shoulders were tense. It wasn't obvious, very few people would ever have noticed it, but Skull was an actor. He lived and breathed performance, knew how to make his body tell exactly what he needed it to. It was why he was able to notice little things about other people. He thought about all the possible reasons Matteo could have to suddenly be uncomfortable, and it was sudden because Skull knew that he had been relaxed until that moment. The only question now was what had changed. The kitten was still laying on Skull's lap, so it wasn't that. The medical kit was new, but Matteo had been at ease when going through it. His hands were...Skull paused. The hands were moving with a confidence only practice could ensure, but there was a tenseness to them. Matteo was only touching Skull as little as he possibly could.

Skull tilted his head slightly to the side. He carefully flexed a few of his fingers that were in the other's grasp and watched as those hands froze for a split second before continuing. So that was it. He thought back to all their interactions so far: how when Matteo had landed on him he had almost immediately leapt off in panic, far more panic than if it had just been concern; how whenever their hands had brushed while cleaning the kitten Matteo had flinched. Skull suspected that the only reason Matteo hadn't yanked his hand away during that very first meeting was because he had been surprised by how his flames reacted.

"There, done." The hands were drawn away, and Skull's eyes followed them. "Are you okay?"

The question jerked him out of his thoughts.

How to answer that? Well, playing dumb always seemed to work for Tsuna's Rain Guardian, so...

Skull laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, sorry. I just kind of zoned out."

Eyes stared at him in the way Skull knew he had been doing not too long ago, and with a jolt, he realized that he wasn't the only one adept at reading people.

But if Matteo saw through his mask, he didn't say anything.

Skull took the opportunity to change the subject. "What now?"

Matteo hummed in thought, then looked down at the kitten who had made herself at home on Skull's legs.

He wondered if Matteo heard the silent "we" in that sentence, knew the significance of it. Of the fact that he wasn't saying goodbye, that he was willing to stay. From how the other's eyes brightened ever so slightly, Skull thought he did.

"She's so small. We should go to the kitchen and get her something to eat." Skull stared as Matteo suddenly smiled fondly. "Knowing the Chief, he'll cave and make her something."

"Chief?" he asked.

Matteo nodded. "The head chef, though everybody just calls him Chief."

Skull's brows furrowed. "Why?"

"You'll see." Matteo smiled teasingly, eyes lit up with mischief.

Skull wondered if this was Matteo's revenge for the bath incident. Not that it was actually his fault, he wasn't the one to splash the other.

His lips pulled into a pout, and he wondered what he had just gotten himself into.

Oh well, Skull smirked internally, at least it should be interesting.

On the way to the kitchen, the only people they ran into was a couple of maids. All of whom just smiled and nodded at them, though he did catch a few blushing at the sight of the kitten.

He looked at her from the corner of his eyes. I told you.

As soon as they were in the kitchen, Matteo called out to a man standing in the middle of the chaos. "Chief!"

Once Skull's eyes found the person in question, he could only stare in shock. The man was tall with broad shoulders, and his face seemed to be set in a perpetual glower. The man screamed a lot of things, but chef was not one of them.

No wonder they called him Chief. He looked like he was about to go kill someone. Not that Skull wasn't used to that kind of thing, considering who he hung around with.

At the yell, the man looked over at them. He took one look at Matteo, then the kitten and grunted before turning away.

Skull looked nervously at Matteo. "Was that supposed to happen?"

"Yeah," Matteo said calmly, smiling at him in amusement.

The other seemed to be enjoying Skull's confusion way too much.

Skull leaned against one of the walls near the door to wait because what else was he supposed to do? Based on Matteo's reaction, the Chief was going to do something. It was just a matter of when.

After a little while, Matteo came and leaned next to him on his left, and Skull saw the last little bit of tension that had remained in his shoulders finally leave.

It was like they were in their own little world. People were running past them, back and forth, but never any closer. It was soothing in a way that many people didn't understand. He wasn't a 'normal' Cloud, not like Hibari was. He didn't need actual territory to be content, and he didn't get annoyed by crowding. If anything, Skull felt more at ease with people around. Being alone was what bothered him. That did not mean, however, that he did not have a breaking point. Even he sometimes had to just leave, to find silence in order to calm down before he did something he regretted because people just wouldn't leave him alone. They were always yanking, pulling, trying to make him something he wasn't, always trying to chain him and it drove him crazy and he wants someone to pleasemakeitstopwhywontitstop-

A huff jerked him out of his rising panic, and he sucked in a deep breath as he packed away the anxiety back into its tight, little box.

He looked over just in time to see Chief hand over a bowl of what looked like meat and vegetables to Matteo before he suddenly turned his attention to Skull.

Skull twitched as they entered into a weird staring contest. From the corner of his eyes he could see Matteo looking between them, looking more and more exasperated as time went on. Skull used the time to reorient himself from his near panic attack. It was easier than he was used to—especially with an angry giant trying to burn holes into him with just his eyes. Usually his flames were harder to tuck away once they got to that point. Skull had a feeling it had something to do with Matteo's presence.

The man's glower turning even fiercer reminded Skull that he was, in fact, being glared at and that said man was talking to him.

"If you hurt him, I'll-"

"Ah!" Matteo suddenly rushed between them and put his hands on the Chief's chest, as if that would stop the man's words. The fact that Matteo was willingly touching him said a lot about how much he trusted the man, and Skull blinked in confusion when his chest gave a sharp sting. "It's not- We're not-"

"Hmph." Chief grunted, then shoved two cups into Skull's hands. He gave one last glare at him, ruffled Matteo's hair, then marched back into his battle field.

Skull slowly looked over at Matteo and gapped in shock. "Was he about to give me the shovel talk?!"

Matteo cringed into himself with a slightly sheepish and embarrassed look. "He's, um, very overprotective."

"I can see that! But why did he think that we were…"

"This is," Matteo said, redness spreading across his cheeks, "the first time I've ever brought someone to the kitchen with me."

Skull was not entranced by the blush painting the other's face. No, he was not. "And that's a big deal, why?" he asked.

The blush faded away and was replaced by the fond expression Skull had seen before. "Chief was the one who rescued me when I was in a...bad situation. He's helped me in more ways than I can ever repay. It's because he's here that I see the kitchen as a haven, so me actually bringing someone here is...not exactly an easy thing for me to do."

Skull hummed in thought, ignoring the slightly giddy feeling those words had on him. He couldn't help but wonder what the other had been through. One only got that kind of severe aversion to touch by going through something horrific and enduring it for a significant amount of time. Just the thought of it made his flames seeth in anger. It was all starting to paint a picture he was really not liking.

Matteo was watching him again, probably waiting to see if he would pry, but Skull knew better. He knew what it felt like for people to carelessly trample on things that someone would rather not talk about, so he let his eyes soften and smiled. It was oh so satisfying to see the other relax, knowing it was because of him.

It was at that moment that he remembered he had been handed something, so he looked down to see what was in the cups. The liquid was brown, and he almost thought it was coffee at first—and didn't that bring back horrible memories—but then he caught the scent. Skull could barely even remember the last time he had drank hot chocolate. It was when he was still apart of the circus. Madre was always making it for everybody who worked there, the circus serving as a sort of safe haven. She was his mother in everything but blood.

"Chief makes the best hot chocolate," Matteo said quietly, almost like he knew that Skull's mind had drifted elsewhere.

Skull slowly took a sip and closed his eyes with a hum. It brought back even more memories: of the times she would scold him for getting hurt while trying a new trick, of him ducking under her hand with a laugh, her huffing in annoyance while the passersby chuckled at their antics. It made him miss those times. It was so much easier back then.

Skull opened his eyes and found Matteo carefully watching him, and strangely enough, it didn't bother him. He had grown so used to hiding his true feelings from those around him that it had become a habit, one that was ingrained into his very being, but just this once, he wanted someone to see him, to really see him.

He met those watchful eyes, letting the emotions he was feeling slip past his guard. He saw the eyes widen slightly, but as he kept looking, they softened. Matteo inclined his head toward the door in a silent question, so Skull nodded.

The walk back was silent, but it didn't feel constricting. Not like the aching emptiness whenever he was with the other Arcobaleno, where he always felt the need to fill the silence with an endless stream of comments. He wouldn't stop even when they shot or kicked him. He couldn't stop, couldn't let it come back, needed to drown out the constant screaming of his flames. The more they hurt him, the louder the screams seemed to get until he thought he'd go deaf.

No, this was not that silence. This was Matteo giving him the opportunity to reel back in everything that had escaped while still offering him silent support, Sky flames just on the edge of his, near but not overbearing.

It felt like something was slowly cracking inside him. It hurt. It didn't. He wanted it to stop. He didn't.

The entire time he couldn't help but stare at the other from the corner of his eyes. Matteo glanced back at him, then moved so he was walking just slightly ahead of Skull, allowing Skull to see him better. It helped ease his flames, let him know he wasn't alone. He wasn't alone. Even the kitten remained silent, though that didn't stop her from trying to get to the food, and Matteo had to readjust her a few times so she wouldn't fall in her excitement.

When they finally got back to the room, they settled down in almost the exact same spot, only this time Matteo was sitting next to him.

Matteo set down the bowl and the wiggling kitten, who practically dove into the food.

He stroked a finger down her back. "Slow down, little one, or you'll make yourself sick," Matteo scolded gently.

Matteo let out a huff when that didn't deter her, making Skull chuckle. He handed one of the cups over to Matteo, absently noting that the other had apparently mastered the art of exchanging things without touching.

Skull kept his head facing forward as he watched him and saw Matteo in a similar state to how he was in the kitchen. It was the most relaxed he had ever seen him—not they knew each other very long. He compared Matteo's interaction with Chief to his own experiences and realized that Chief was to Matteo as Madre was to Skull. The thought brought him some level of comfort because it meant that Matteo had someone there, someone who would help him when he needed it. Skull didn't even want to think about how he would have ended up without Madre.

He took in the relaxed posture of the other: the loose shoulders, the hands gently holding the mug, and found that Matteo had a strange way of making Skull feel more at ease. He could honestly say he couldn't remember the last time he was able to lower his guard around another person—he tried, oh how he tried, but everytime it felt like he was cutting deeper and deeper into the gaping hole in his chest, and no one seemed to notice. He wanted this, wanted to keep this feeling, wanted not to be in constant pain even if it was only for a few seconds.

The other still hadn't moved except for a slight curl of his lips, forming a content smile, and Skull made his decision.

"Matteo." Skull made sure to keep his voice low, not wanting to spook him. He waited until the other had turned to him, then slowly reached out a hand. "Can I…"

Matteo eyed the hand warily, biting his lip. He set the cup on the floor and moved his body so that it was facing Skull.

He wasn't exactly sure what the other was looking for, but whatever it was, he seemed to find it because Matteo gave a small, almost non-existent nod—if Skull didn't have his full attention on Matteo, he probably would have missed it.

Skull slowly lowered his hand to gently grab Matteo's wrist, making sure to telegraph all his movements before doing anything. He just rested it there, keeping his grasp loose so Matteo would know that he could pull away if he wanted to, and waited until Matteo had relaxed. Then Skull took a deep breath and loosened the hold on his flames just enough so that they brushed lightly across Matteo's skin.

The reaction was instantaneous. Matteo's whole body jerked, becoming so tense that Skull could have sworn he heard the other's bones creak, and the eyes that had slowly been softening the more time they spent together turned guarded.

Skull knew that a single mistake would ruin everything and that nothing would ever fix it.

"I promise I won't do anything." He tried to pour as much honesty as he could into that simple, little sentence, one that he was sure others had made and broken before. He wanted to prove that he wasn't like them.

Matteo stared at him in silence with those cold, cold eyes, expression erily blank.

The sharp, stabbing pain in his chest increased—rejectednotwantedrejected—and he started to pull his hand and his flames away, ignoring how much his flames screamed and cried, begging the other to accept them. He pulled the mask on tighter until all of his pain was drowned out.

His lips turned up into a smirk—fakefakefake—about to play the whole thing off, when he felt a small brush of Sky flames. Just like that, his body relaxed with an audible sigh. Unlike the first time, which had been accidental, this touch left him breathless with longing. An emotion that Skull could see mirrored in the gaze across from him. His flames preened at having that burning gaze focused solely on him.

Their flames danced around each other, not enough to form a bond, just touching enough to give a soothing warmth. He wondered if he imagined his chest feeling just a little less empty.

"Mrrow."

Both of them jumped and whipped their heads around to see the kitten gazing up at them.

Now that the moment was broken, Skull coughed awkwardly and let go of Matteo's wrist. The kitten scrambled clumsily onto his lap, and he rubbed her on the head as she purred.

From the corner of his eyes he could see Matteo covering his face with a hand, redness peeking through the cracks.

Skull decided to take pity on him. "So what are you going to do with the little lady?"

Matteo wiped a hand across his face as if he could wipe away the blush. "I think I'll keep her. We're allowed pets so long as they don't destroy anything or try to eat people."

He sensed a story there but didn't comment on it.

"I'm not really good with names, though." Matteo admitted with a frown.

Skull's mask was still slightly unhinged from everything that had happened that day, and before he could stop himself, he blurted, "Raina."

Matteo titled his head to the side, and Skull was so glad that his makeup covered up the blush he knew was spreading. All the while, he was desperately trying to ignore those blue, blue eyes staring at him in curiosity. It almost felt like if he stared for too long he'd be consumed. Nothing that made him him would be left untouched, and he found that he didn't really mind.

"Mrrreow."

Matteo chuckled and held up the kitten. "I think she likes it."

As if in answer, the newly named Raina put a paw on Matteo's nose.

Skull felt his eyes soften at the sight. Matteo glanced over at him, and when their eyes met, the other quickly jerked his head away—Skull caught the blush anyway and chuckled.

Okay, so Skull might have been avoiding Reborn just a tinsy little bit.

For reasons entirely unknown to him, Reborn was stalking around the mansion without his beloved fedora. There was absolutely no evidence linking Skull to the theft, but that didn't mean he wanted to be anywhere nearby. Knowing how the other was, he would take out all his frustrations on him, even if he had no proof of who actually did it.

It was also the reason he was running down the hallways as fast as he could. However, just when he thought everything was going okay, Lady Luck decided to smile down on him while yanking the rug right out from under his feet, or in this case, making him crash into someone.

Skull, and whoever had been unlucky enough to join him, tumbled to the ground in a painful heap. He was practically laying on top of the other and felt something hard jabbing him in the chest.

There was a groan beneath him. "Why is it almost every time we meet, I get wet?"

Skull lifted his weight off the person and stared.

Matteo was looking up at him in exasperation, holding a vase of flowers that somehow managed not to break in the fall, and was covered in water and dirt—probably from said vase.

It wasn't until he saw a blush creep up the other's neck and to his face that Skull realized he was staring.

"Ah, sorry. I wasn't looking where I was-" He jerked. How could I forget the reason I'm running in the first place?!

Without waiting for Matteo to answer, he jumped up, dragging the other with him, and sped off down the hallway again.

This time when he turned a corner, he made sure to give it a wide berth so as to avoid another head on collision, and it was a good thing he did because he saw Fon and Colonello walking toward them.

Skull cackled in his head at their surprised faces. What a sight they must have made: Skull running as if the devil was on his heels—close enough—and dragging along someone that looked just as shocked as they did, who was also clutching a vase of flowers to his drenched chest as if it was a lifeline.

Man, he hadn't had this much fun since he quit the circus.

Skull didn't stop running until they got outside, his feet unconsciously taking him back to the spot where they had first met.

"W-What was t-that about?" Matteo panted, chest heaving with each breath.

Skull grinned, still riding the high of adrenaline. "Sorry about that. I just saw someone I'd rather avoid at the moment."

Matteo clutched at his chest, trying to catch his breath. "Is it the person you mentioned before? The one always messing with you?"

Skull blinked, surprised that Matteo even remembered him mentioning that. "Yeah." He grinned, eyes twinkling mischievously. "I may or may not have pranked him."

"Why did you do that?" It would have sounded scolding had Matteo not looked entirely too amused.

Skull scowled. "He's been getting on me about everything, and I just needed a way to vent a little." His lips slowly pulled up into a crooked smirk. "Besides, it's not like he actually knows it was me. I'm way too good at pranks to get caught that easily."

Matteo looked at him, confusion written across his face as he frowned. "Then why were we running?"

Skull chuckled, remembering the look of utter fury that had crossed Reborn's face for that split second Skull had managed to glimpse before he had booked it. "Because that doesn't mean he's not annoyed. He'll probably shoot anything that moves at this point."

"Wait."

Skull tilted his slightly and watched in concern as all the blood seemed to slowly drain from Matteo's face.

"You don't actually mean shoot, as in, with bullets, do you?"

"Yup." He popped the 'p', smile just a tinge crazy—anyone who thought messing with Reborn was a good idea obviously wasn't completely sane, and he loved to mess with him.

"Who exactly is this person?" The question was asked very slowly, something that Skull would have noticed had he not still been relishing in the rush of excitement in his veins.

He said the name without thinking, "Reborn."

The lack of response was what clued him in that something was wrong. He ran through their conversation, trying to find what it could have been, and froze. Crap, I didn't mean to say that. He shot a tentative peek at Matteo and winced at the other's absolutely horrified expression, then, much to his confusion, worry started to overtake it.

Matteo jerked, and Skull only had time to blink before his hand was grabbed tightly and he was being quickly dragged toward the workers' building.

Once in Matteo's room, Skull was pushed toward the bed while the other shut and locked the door—not that it would actually do much if Reborn decided to come after him.

Skull could only stare with wide eyes as the other rounded on him, eyes blazing and flames lashing through the air. Tension was visible along the line of his shoulders, his body practically stiff as a board. The other's fists were shaking with what appeared to be barely contained anger...and panic in his eyes?

Skull opened his mouth to say something, anything, when the other finally snapped.

"What were you thinking?! He could have killed you! You could have died!" Matteo set the vase down with a gentleness that didn't fit his anger and started pacing around the room.

Skull's own worry was growing as he watched the other get more and more riled up.

"Y-You can't...I-I wouldn't-" Matteo yanked on his hair, breath hitching.

Skull's eyes widened as he jumped forward, holding the other's face between his hands.

"Breathe," he said, forcing blue eyes to meet his. He felt a slight flinch but didn't let the other pull away. "Just breathe. In...out...in...out." He slowed his own breathing down, watching as Matteo tried to do the same. "There you go, just focus on my voice."

Matteo took a shuddering breath and slumped until his head was resting against Skull's chest, and despite the situation, Skull was enjoying the contact—going off the content purr, so were his flames.

He kept his voice low and steady as he talked. "I didn't mean to worry you. Sure, he beats me up all the time," the other gave a quiet whimper at that, so he ran his fingers through Matteo's hair to try and calm him—his heart thumping painfully in his chest when the other leaned into it, "but he would never actually try and kill me." I don't think.

He wisely kept that thought to himself.

"How do you know him?" Matteo asked quietly, voice slightly muffled by the fabric, so Skull had to strain his ears to hear him.

"We're…" He frowned. "Actually, I don't know what we are. Colleagues? Acquaintances?"

"How did you two meet?"

Normally, Skull wouldn't answer questions like these, but he noticed that the more he talked, the calmer Matteo seemed to get. "We worked under the same Sky for a while, along with some others."

In that moment, he knew it would be so easy to explain exactly who he was, what role he played in the mafia...but he didn't. He was so tired of people wanting him because of something so stupid as a title, one that brought along more pain than it was worth. From the hints he had left, it was clear that Matteo was raised in the mafia, and that meant he would most likely recognize the name—very few people didn't. However, just once, Skull wanted somebody who wanted to be with him simply because it was him. Call him selfish, but if leaving Matteo in the dark let him have that then he'll scream it from the rooftop.

Part of him knew that Matteo would probably still accept him for who he was, but another part, the more damaged, desperate part said he couldn't chance it.

When Matteo finally pulled away, Skull let him, even as his hands twitched to pull him back in and never let go.

Tired, blue eyes met his. "Thank you."

"I'm here for you if you need it." The promise seemed to shock Matteo as much as it did Skull.

However, Skull didn't regret it, not when he saw those eyes brighten ever so slightly with a smile.

"I should get back to work." Matteo studied him carefully. "Will you…" Will you be okay?

The sheer amount of warmth he felt in his chest at the concern so visible in Matteo's body language, despite the fact that it was Matteo who just had a panic attack, made his flames curl with pleasure.

Skull grinned, letting the warmth shine through in a way he hoped would reassure the other. "I'll be fine."

And for once, he meant it.

It had been a month already since they first met, and it was the best month of Skull's life. The two of them practically spent as much time together as they could, both just enjoying having another person around that accepted them for who they were. During that time, Matteo had slowly gotten more and more comfortable with using his flames around Skull, so it wasn't unusual for Sky flames to be rubbing softly against his. It was something they both found to be soothing. Even without an actual bond, Matteo's flames offered a feeling of peace—Matteo later admitted that Skull's gave him a sense of protection. Though, it was something they had agreed to only do when they were alone since Matteo was still uncomfortable about it and Skull didn't want to push him.

Skull relaxed against the tree he was leaning against with a sigh, letting all his limbs go slack. His eyes were only just barely cracked open, and he fought off sleep even as he yawned. It was a nice day, so they decided to just hang outside—something that Matteo had practically jumped in excitement at when Skull suggested it, even though the other spent most of his time outdoors anyway.

There was a soft breeze that sometimes billowed through his hair, and it helped soothe the heat from the hot, almost humid, air. The only thing really stopping him from finally falling asleep was a particularly loud bird somewhere in the branches above his head. It seemed to take immense joy in annoying him by screaming at the top of its bird lungs. He huffed and wiggled around to get more comfortable, hoping that maybe the stupid bird would finally leave or shut the hell up.

He was just about to move again—now there was something jabbing him in the back—when there was pressure against his leg. He flopped his head to the side so he could look over and noticed that Matteo had somehow shifted without him noticing so that their legs were touching. His eyes followed the leg up to the other's face, but Matteo's gaze didn't waver from his watch over Raina, who was rolling around in the grass by their feet.

Skull hid a grin and pushed his leg back against the other's, watching from the corner of his eyes as Matteo shot a small glance over at him.

The moment was interrupted, however, when Raina decided that yes, now would be a good time to jump on Skull's lap and bite his hand. Matteo quickly covered his mouth as he tried to muffle his laugh at the fluff ball. It had absolutely nothing to do with Skull's totally manly yelp.

Skull was only half paying attention to the little she-devil at that point. The other half was very much focused on the sound of Matteo's laughter, something he had a feeling very few people ever heard.

He smiled at the other, resting his head in the palm of his hand—the one not currently taken hostage by a rampaging kitten. It was much easier to smile now-a-days, easier to, not exactly take off, but relax his guard. "When's your next day off, Matteo?"

"Thursday, why?" Matteo lowered his hand and looked at him, eyes lit with curiosity.

Good, that gave Skull two days to get everything ready. "It's a surprise," he said teasingly.

He chuckled when the other's face pulled into a small pout.

Skull's lips quirked up into a crooked grin. He reached out with a finger to poke Matteo's forehead, making it tilt back slightly. "Nu-uh. Not going to work. You'll find out on Thursday."

Matteo sighed and looked utterly dejected as he picked up Raina, who was still chomping away on Skull's hand. Not that he was falling for it. Skull knew an act when he saw one.

A loud beep stopped anything that Matteo could have said.

Matteo sighed and stood up, brushing off any dirt that stubbornly clung to his pants. He peered down at Skull, eyes swirling with hope as he said, "My breaks over. I guess I'll see you on Thursday?"

Skull gave him two thumbs up. "Yup! Look forward to it."

His only answer was a nod, but the happiness lighting up Matteo's eyes said plenty enough.

As he watched the other disappear in the distance, practically vibrating with barely contained excitement, he realized it was going to be a long two days.

Skull knocked loudly on the door in front of him and grinned when he heard a yelp and then a thump.

There was the sound of shuffling coming closer before the door opened slowly.

He felt his jaw drop at the sight before him. Matteo was staring blearily at him with his hair an absolutely adorable mess, and his T-shirt hanging off one pale shoulder was the one of the most tantalizing images Skull had ever encountered.

This should be illegal, Skull thought as he felt his flames flicker to life at the vulnerable state the other was in and had to force his eyes away before he did something drastic.

"G-Go-" He cleared his throat, silently cursing himself for the stutter. "Go get ready."

Matteo jolted from where it appeared he had slowly been leaning more and more of his weight against the doorframe. He gave a nod and wobbled toward the closet.

Skull hurriedly stepped inside and shut the door, turning away to give the other privacy to change—not that Matteo even seemed to notice in his sleepy daze. When the sound of rustling stopped, he shifted to look cautiously over his shoulder. The sight of Matteo in jeans and a sweater, rubbing at one eye with a fist, wasn't much better for his heart than earlier.

"Where," Matteo covered his mouth as he yawned, "are we going?"

"You'll see when we get there."

Skull quickly ushered him out the door, leading him toward the driveway where he had another little surprise waiting.

One that apparently wasn't well received, going off how he felt the other grind to a halt.

"Please tell me we're not going on that," Matteo asked, slowly turning pleading eyes to him.

He grinned. "Yup."

"Oh god, I'm going to die."

"Don't be like that. I'm an awesome driver." Skull climbed onto the motorcycle, letting out a sigh as he pulled on the helmet that had become so familiar it was practically a part of him. He glanced over at where Matteo was still hovering uneasily and tossed a helmet to him, then held out a hand in offering. "Come on, it'll be fun. I promise."

Matteo stared at the hand in silence, and Skull waited nervously. He wondered if he was the only one thinking about the day that suddenly seemed so long ago. Matteo took his hand then, the real question was if he would do it again.

He waited with bated breath as he watched the other slowly reach out to him. Matteo hesitated for a brief moment before finally, finally, curling his fingers around Skull's, sending a shock through his arm as he grinned—though it was hidden behind the helmet. His flames were practically vibrating in his chest, and it took all his willpower not to let them come rushing out.

Skull waited until Matteo had the helmet on and had shyly wrapped his arms around his waist, before turning on the engine. Its roar sounded like home to his ears, and he could feel his circus persona seeping back in as he yelled, "Let's get this show on the road!"

He gunned it, not going nearly as fast as he usually would—Skull wanted Matteo to enjoy himself, not traumatize him—but definitely faster than what was legal. The arms he had just barely felt before were now gripping onto him tightly, and he could feel Matteo's head pressed firmly between his shoulder blades.

The wind stole his laughter as he drove down road after road. There was something so nice about having that comforting presence at his back. It was freeing in a way, not feeling as if he had to hide away his joy. He wanted it to never end.

However, just like always, no matter how much he wanted otherwise, it always did.

He pulled into a crowded parking lot and skillfully parked the bike in an empty space, then waited patiently for Matteo to unfreeze. He could feel the arms still wrapped tightly around his chest, constricting his breathing a little. Matteo's hands were clutching onto his own appendages in a vice like grip, and when it became clear that the other wasn't planning on moving anytime soon, Skull placed one of his on top.

"Is it over?" The whispered question just barely managed to reach his ears.

"Yeah, it is." He tried not to let the disappointment show in his voice, both at the fact that the ride was over and that the warmth would eventually retreat.

Matteo shakily got off, and Skull quickly reached out to steady him when the other stumbled slightly. Maybe I overdid it after all...

Some of his worry must have shown through because Matteo smiled at him. "That was...something, but I didn't hate it."

Tension that he didn't know he had fled at the confession. "I'm glad." Skull hurriedly packed away the helmets, then gestured excitedly to the building in front of them. "Now come on, let's go."

When they got up to the entrance, Skull couldn't help but keep glancing at Matteo's expression, wanting to know if he liked the surprise.

Matteo's head tilted to the side, brows furrowed ever so slightly. His eyes were tracing along the sign above them as he slowly said, "An aquarium?"

Skull made his body stay completely still, which was extremely hard since he was practically fidgeting on the inside. "I thought you would like it."

"I've never been to one before." Uncertain eyes turned to him, Matteo's feet shifting with nervous energy.

Skull gasped dramatically. "Well, we can't have that, now can we." He gave a playful bow and held out a hand. "Please allow me to rectify this atrocity."

Matteo chuckled, body relaxing as he did, and gently grabbed the hand.

The price of the tickets were entirely worth it when he saw the way Matteo's whole face lit up as they stepped inside. It was just as he remembered it, too. There was a skeleton of a whale hanging above their heads, with ones of smaller fish placed in various spots around it. All of the walls were painted to look like the ocean floor, complete with real coral that partially protruded from the wall.

Matteo gave a tiny gasp as he took it all in and quickly grabbed onto Skull's hand. Bemused, Skull let himself be dragged from one aquarium to the next, watching as Matteo pointed to different kinds of fish, most of which he knew and very few that he didn't—he prided himself on his knowledge of aquatic life.

Matteo turned to him, eyes glittering like jewels in the light. "Which one is your favorite?"

Skull jerked his eyes away from where they had been drawn to Matteo's lips, blushing slightly, then he grinned as he tugged the other down a different tunnel.

This area wasn't as large as the others—not that it really needed to be anyway—and there were only a handful of people currently in it. There were a few different aquariums scattered around the room, but Skull led Matteo to the largest one in the center. In it was a large, red octopus, which had its arms stretched out along the length of the glass.

Matteo stepped up to it and gently ran his fingers against the glass. "It's beautiful."

Skull blinked. "Really? Most people think they're creepy and gross."

"I'm not most people," he said with a smile, and Skull could only stare in awe.

No, you most definitely are not, he wanted to say.

Instead, he blurted out, "I should introduce you to Oodako."

Matteo slowly pulled his fingers away from the glass and turned to gazed at him curiously. "Oodako?"

"My partner in crime. He's an octopus." Skull put a hand on his hip as he boasted. One hand was still tangled together with Matteo's, and there was no way in hell he was going to be the one to let go.

Matteo leaned forward slightly, eyes lighting up as he did. "I'd love to meet him."

"I'll bring him by sometime, then." Skull paused as he thought of something, and his expression turned horrified. "As long as you make sure Raina doesn't try and eat him."

"I'll try," Matteo said, then laughed at Skull's absolutely scandalized look. "Okay, okay, I will. I won't let her eat him."

He turned his head away with a huff. "Hmph, now that let's-tease-Skull is over, is there anything specific you want to see?"

Matteo wrinkled his brows in thought, absently biting his lip. "How about...jellyfish?"

Skull hummed, going through the mental map in his head. The jellyfish weren't that far from where they currently were, so he began leading Matteo through the throngs of people. However, unlike Skull, who was used to large crowds, Matteo seemed to shrink into himself, pressing tight against Skull's side. He glanced over his shoulder and gently squeezed their linked hands. It was...wonderful to watch the way Matteo relaxed with that simple, little gesture. His breath hitched as Sky flames seemed to unconsciously move against his own, and it was all he could do to stop them from latching onto the other's—they whispered at him to letgoprotecthim. Skull shook the thought away and ignored the curious look Matteo sent him.

The only sound was the rumble of people talking around them, children screaming in joy, parents scolding them before they went back to gossiping with the other adults. The jellyfish were a lot more popular, which meant a lot more people. However, years of dodging bullets and kicks had given him a slight advantage in avoiding people, and in no time at all, they were standing at the front.

The look of joy and amazement on Matteo's face was so similar to the children surrounding them that Skull snorted. Why would he bother looking at the jellyfish when there was a much better sight next to him? His eyes traced over the other's face, following the curve of his lips to the eyes that looked like they were made of a purer blue than the water in front of them to the dark brown hair that lay messily on his head. It was one particular strand that caught his attention, just laying there innocently against one cheek. Without thinking, Skull reached out and tucked it back behind his ear.

Matteo shot him a startled look, and he froze, one hand still hanging next to the other's head. They stared at each other: Skull, with his heart in his throat, wondering if he had crossed a line, and Matteo, with a gaze that seemed to see into his very soul. One wrong move from either of them could send everything they had built crumbling to the ground and...Matteo moved.

Skull squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the inevitable pain that would follow, waited for the utter cry of remorse and grief and agony his flames would give at the rejection.

Only...it didn't come.

There was a pressure against his hand, and slowly, ever so slowly as if not wanting to break the illusion, Skull cracked opened his eyes.

Matteo was still staring at him with that calculating look, but it had softened. He had raised a hand and was pressing Skull's against his face, head leaning into the touch.

Matteo's lips were moving, and his mind just barely managed to register the words. "I'm okay with this."

Skull stared, not knowing what else to do.

The other seemed to notice because those lips curled up into a fond smile, the one that had only been reserved for Chief, and let his Sky flames flare out enough to surround both of them in a comforting cocoon.

The touch jerked Skull out of his half elated, half panicked state. Desperately wanting to believe that this was actually happening, he gently rubbed his thumb against the smooth skin as his flames flared in response.

They tangled together in a way that took the breath straight out of his lungs. This went beyond just lingering brushes. Sky flames were curling deeper and deeper into his core, filling up the cracks left by those who thought they could tame the Cloud. They carrassed against him, pulled him into safety, home. His own flames were rising up to meet each stroke, immediately surrounding the other possessively as they almost playfully tugged and poked at Matteo. Skull could feel his eyes glowing with the intensity of his flames before they finally darted into Matteo's core.

The bond snapped into place, and they both gasped at the feeling. He saw Matteo's knees give out and just barely managed to catch him before he fell. Skull let out a slightly hysterical laugh as he practically clung to the other. It was small and would take some time to strengthen, but it was there, oh my god, it was there.

Matteo slowly looked up at him in awe, face lighting up in the most beautiful expression Skull had ever seen, and it just perfect.

He wasn't sure if it was the Sky flames still lingering in his system or the absolutely elated joy burning in his chest that made him do it, all he knew was that his lips were suddenly pressing against Matteo's.

Skull felt Matteo freeze for a split second and then there was a tentative press back. It wasn't the best kiss he had ever had, but he didn't care in the slightest. Every little touch sent shivers down his spine, every little gasp or whine Matteo made had the heat growing hotter and hotter until he thought he was going to explode. He licked those delectable lips, asking for entry into the cavern he knew would taste just as good, and felt them twitch and start to open before there was a cough behind them.

Matteo pulled away from him so fast that Skull thought he heard a crack.

The parents, who Skull had totally forgotten were there, were looking at them aghast, some even going so far as to cover their children's eyes.

Matteo had turned an interesting shade of red and looked like he was about to pass out at any second, so Skull hurriedly grabbed his hand, sent an apologetic look to those around them, and darted away. Thankfully, they made it outside without any further incidents and only stopped once they had reached the motorcycle.

Skull beamed at Matteo as he laughed, though he's not really sure what at. It could have been the parents' expressions or the hilarious look of shame on Matteo's face when he realized they had been caught making out in front of a bunch of kids. Either way, he felt lighter than he had in years.

So caught up in the feeling, he picked the other up in a hug and twirled around, making Matteo let out a startled laugh as he did. Both of them were breathless by the time he finally set the smaller male back on his feet.

"We should probably get back to the mansion before we scar anymore children." Matteo sent him a pointed look that he totally ignored.

Skull stared back at him innocently. "I have no idea what you mean."

His lips twitched as Matteo rolled his eyes.

The way back was both different and similar to the trip there. Matteo was still hanging onto him, but instead of hiding his head against his back the other had his chin propped on Skull's shoulder in order to look around. This meant that Matteo's whole front was pressed against him, which proved to be...slightly distracting.

They made it back in one piece, though.

Skull turned off the engine and glanced back when Matteo lingered on the bike.

The hands gripping his shirt tightened. "Will you come to my room?" he asked.

Immediately, Skull's brain went blank at the statement, and Matteo seemed to realize how it sounded because he let go and waved his hands in the air.

"Wait! I didn't mean it like that!"

Skull chuckled, grabbing the hands in his. "I knew what you meant. You didn't honestly think I was going to leave, did you?" His flames would have gone absolutely ballistic had he tried to leave after just forming the bond, and nobody would want to deal with the aftermath of that.

"I just," Matteo started sheepishly, "wanted to make sure."

He opened his mouth to say something, though he was cut off because his stomach chose that moment to complain.

Skull rubbed the back of his head with an embarrassed smile. "Uh, maybe before that we could get some food?"

Matteo laughed as he stood up from the bike and moved to stand next to Skull. Only this time, he was the one who offered a hand. Skull honestly thought his heart was about to beat right out of his chest, in that moment.

He hurriedly got up and grabbed it, feeling as if his lips would be permanently stuck in a goofy grin for the rest of his life.

However, it wasn't until they were almost halfway to the kitchen that Matteo finally spoke up again.

"You do realize that Chief now has a reason to give you the shovel talk, right?"

Skull tripped on air, just barely catching himself as all the blood drained from his face. "Oh god, he's going to kill me."

The laughter coming from the person next to him was definitely not helping his feeling of imminent doom.

"I don't think I'm hungry anymore," he tried, but the feeling of despair only grew stronger as the other didn't stop walking, no matter how much he tugged at their linked hands. "Matteo, seriously. I'm not hungry anymore." When that didn't work, he moved on to Plan B. "Please don't make me go."

However, the only thing the begging did was cause the other to send him a smirk.

Skull whimpered.

Skull collapsed on the bed and could only muster enough energy to stare blankly up at the white ceiling. At least until the image was suddenly replaced by Matteo's face hovering above his.

"Oh, come on. It wasn't that bad."

"He threatened to castrate me. While holding a knife."

Matteo paused, expression trying to look reassuring. "But he didn't, and even if he tried I wouldn't have let him."

Skull groaned. "I'm never going back there again."

The complaint was cut short when a weight landed painfully on his stomach, and Skull glowered down at the all-too-innocent looking kitten who was sitting on top of him. Raina had definitely grown since Matteo had first found her. She looked less like a fluff ball and more like an actual living creature now. The grey of her fur had also darkened in some places, giving her a rather distinct pattern, similar to a tiger.

Matteo reached out to pet the tiny head, seemingly ignorant of the absolutely challenging look she sent Skull.

He raised an eyebrow. Oh my god, he thought, I am not fighting over Matteo with a kitten.

The devil incarnate must have also gained the ability to read minds because as soon as the thought crossed his mind claws were digging into his stomach.

He yelped, and Matteo quickly detached her from where she was trying to gut him alive.

"I'm so sorry! I don't know what's gotten into her," Matteo said as he panicked, one hand holding Raina, the other hovering over Skull's stomach.

"It's okay. It's just a scratch." Skull smiled reassuringly at the other.

He briefly locked eyes with the kitten and glared. This isn't over. His only answer was her chin raising up, eyes practically daring him to try anything.

Unknowingly, Matteo interrupted their little battle when he held the kitten away from him, frowning. "You know better than that, Raina," he scolded and bopped her softly on the nose.

She laid her ears back and stared at the other with wide eyes, and Skull could see the exact moment Matteo gave in.

He shifted on the bed, trying to get more comfortable, and no, he was not pouting.

Matteo set the kitten on the ground, then sat on the edge of the bed. He was looking hesitantly over at Skull from the corner of his eyes, so Skull turned his gaze back to the ceiling, waiting to see what Matteo would do.

His arm gave an involuntary twitch when a warm hand grabbed his from where it was laying across his chest. Gentle fingers began tracing imaginary lines along his palm, following a pattern only known to the other. The calm, soothing motions, along with the sheer warmth radiating from the grasp, was making it very hard to stay awake. His eyes slowly shut, his body basking in the feeling of flames curling around him. Usually, his flames were almost constantly moving, always shifting through the air, but for once, they were still. It was both strange and relaxing at the same time. Every touch sent tingles straight down his arm, slowly turning his limbs to jelly.

Matteo chuckled quietly. "Are you asleep?"

Skull hummed non-committedly, not wanting to break the spell that had fallen over them.

He let out a whine when the hand let go, then his eyes shot open as a weight settled by his side.

Matteo was stubbornly avoiding his eyes, but he didn't say anything when Skull cautiously scooted closer. As he slowly wrapped his arms around Matteo's waist, he kept an eye on the other's body language, not wanting to make him uncomfortable.

"Is this okay?"

Matteo finally met his eyes, and oh, how they looked like liquid pools of warmth. He nodded and burrowed his head into Skull's chest, body practically melting against him.

Skull let his eyes slowly slide shut again, listening to the calming breaths as he drifted off.

Skull groaned as light shined right onto his face. He frowned and tried to hold onto the last bit of sleep before it slipped right through his fingers. However, any hope of going back to sleep faded when Matteo moved closer and settled back down again with a sigh. Skull couldn't help but smile at the sight.

At some point during the night, their legs had gotten tangled together with one of Matteo's trapped between his. He was using Skull's arm as a pillow—had been for some time if the slightly numb feeling said anything—and was clinging to the front of his shirt with both hands. His lips were slightly cracked open, and watching the rise and fall of his chest eased something in Skull that he hadn't even realize had grown tense. There was also a suspicious weight on his feet that he had a feeling was Raina—though why she would sleep on him, he didn't know.

He pushed back some hair off Matteo's forehead, letting out a breathy laugh as the other leaned into it and seemed to melt even more in his hold. Skull's eyes suddenly lit with mischief as he ran his fingers through the brown strands, dragging his nails along his scalp. He felt the shiver that wracked through Matteo's body before seeing those eyes that Skull had come to adore flutter open.

Blue eyes stared at him blearily, trying to blink away the remaining sleep that still clung to them.

Matteo stretched, limbs shaking with the effort before curling up again and looking at him with happy contentment. "M'rning."

"Morning," Skull said with a chuckle, gently tugging on a strand of hair.

Matteo hummed, and the eyes started to slowly close, so he tugged again to get the other's attention.

"What time do you need to be at work?"

Matteo frowned at him. "Nine," he mumbled, trying to bury his head into Skull's chest.

"It's already eight thirty, so we should probably get up." The answering groan had him chuckling, and he looked at the other in curiosity. "Do you think your boss would mind me hanging around while you work? I mean, as long as I don't disturb anyone?"

Matteo's head popped back up, and Skull could tell he was trying, and failing, to hide the hope and excitement he was feeling. "Probably not. He's really laid back about...everything."

He grinned. "Then it looks like your stuck with me for the day. Besides, it wouldn't really be a good idea to separate until the bond settles." And while that was part of it, it was mostly just an excuse because Skull was one hell of a possessive bastard when it came to the people he saw as his.

Not that it looked like the other cared much. He had a feeling the other was almost as possessive as him, and he said almost because no one, not even a Sky, could beat a Cloud when it came to protecting those he claimed.

The news seemed to knock any last hint of sleep from the other because Matteo hurriedly sat up. Though, it seemed he didn't realize that their legs were tangled together because the only thing that saved Matteo from a painful meeting with the floor was Skull's hand shooting out to pull him back onto the bed.

He vaguely heard Raina let out a surprised yelp but choose to ignore it.

"Ah, thanks." Matteo blushed bright red, this time carefully unlocking their legs before getting up.

Skull raised an eyebrow. "You know, if you wanted to fall into my arms, all you had to do was ask."

The glare—pout—aimed at him only succeeded in making him laugh. With a huff, Matteo climbed off the bed and stalked toward the closet. Skull propped himself up on an arm so he could watch as the other pulled out his work clothes before going to the bathroom. One final glare was all he got before the door shut to the sound of Skull's continued laughter. He flopped back down, still smirking, and tried not to think about the other changing clothes behind that thin door. The faint sound of rustling did not help in the slightest.

He didn't turn when the door creaked open, and only looked over when Matteo was standing next to the bed.

He had his hands on his hips, looking like a mother scolding her child. "You're the one who said we needed to get ready, so get up."

It was Skull's turn to pout as he finally got up, stretching his arms into the air with a loud groan. When he glanced over, he noticed that Matteo was staring at him with wide eyes and rosy cheeks.

He wiggled his eyebrows. "Like what you see?"

Matteo made a sound somewhere between a choke and a whine, and jerked his head so it was facing toward the wall.

Too easy, he thought with a grin.

"We should- we should go get something to eat first." Matteo stuttered, still refusing to look at him.

That suggestion immediately had Skull wincing. "As long as I don't have to go in."

Matteo peeked at him from the corner of his eyes. This time with amusement lining his entire face. "Fine, I'll go in and get the food."

"Thank you!" He beamed, jumping over to give the other a tight hug.

Matteo laughed, pushing against the chest that was slowly working to smother him. "Okay, I get it, so let go. I need to breath."

On the way there, if Matteo thought it was weird that Skull happened to peek around every corner before actually walking around them, then he said nothing about it. It had been a while since the prank, but Reborn could be very petty when he wanted to be, so Skull was not taking any chances.

When Matteo slipped past the doors into the kitchen, he did feel slightly awkward just standing there in the hallway, but at least he was alive and still had all his limbs attached. He shifted from foot to foot, occasionally looking down the hallway in both longer he waited, the more his mind wandered. He thought about that morning, waking up for the first time without feeling guarded with someone nearby. He thought about the way Matteo leaned into his touch, seeming to crave it despite the aversion he had shown before. That thought in particular made his flames seeth, knowing that someone had made Matteo associate any type of touch with pain. The only thing that kept his anger from leaking across the bond was the fact that Matteo had let Skull touch him, that he hadn't flinched away and had even initiated it.

He jumped slightly when the door opened before relaxing once he saw it was only Matteo, who was carrying two plates full of various foods.

The other started to smile at him but stopped.

Matteo stared at him, and he must have noticed the tense line of Skull's shoulders, despite his attempt to hide it, because his expression turned concerned. When he reached Skull, he carefully handed one of the plates to him then held out his free hand, staring intently as he did. As Skull took it, he felt the anger burning inside of him ease up a little. It would never truly go away, not until he saw whoever hurt his Sky burn to ashes.

He was so lost in his thoughts that Skull didn't even realize that instead of going back to Matteo's room, the other lead them back to the tree they had taken to sitting under, one that Skull was beginning to consider as theirs.

The entire way there, Matteo's hand was a comforting warmth as Sky flames rubbed gently along his through the bond, soothing the raw anger ripping at his chest. Skull kept his eyes on Matteo the entire time, almost afraid that as soon as he looked away the other would disappear. He knew that it was ridiculous, but just the thought of Matteo not being there anymore made the empty hole in his chest throb and his flames ripple with frenzied anger.

Once they got there, Matteo pushed Skull so that he was sitting on the ground before joining him, pressing close so that their bodies were touching from shoulder to thigh. He didn't ask any questions, seeming to understand that just being there was enough, and for that, Skull was grateful.

Skull leaned back against the bark, feeling the tension slowly bleed from him the longer he sat there. He listened to the chirping birds, the wind whistling through the leaves and branches, the quiet breathing of the person next to him, someone who had become more dear to him than anyone else.

A gentle nudge in the side had him opening his eyes and looking over at the other, who only gave a pointed look at the plate of food.

His lips quirked up into a smile as he followed the unspoken order.

It didn't take them long to finish eating, and once they did, they hurriedly dropped off the plates back to the kitchen and walked to where there was a small building situated next to the hedge maze, one that he had never been in. He'd always been too afraid to try it because who knew what types of things lived in there. Afterall, Reborn had told him it was fun, and the gleam in those coal, black eyes still gave him nightmares.

As Matteo opened the door, Skull perked up in interest. He was looking forward to this opportunity to find out more about his Sky—and wasn't that something, that he could finally say his Sky.

The room was, unsurprisingly, littered with empty pots and bags of dirt. There were also some rakes and shovels propped up against one of the walls to his left. However, the thing that caught his attention was the table in the middle with three people sitting around it. They all looked up as Skull and Matteo entered, and he could see them eyeing him warily. The recognition flashing through one of the men's eyes had him wincing internally because of course someone would recognize him. He thought the only reason Matteo didn't know who he was was because the other tended to spend most of his time either in his room or outside, away from people. Even when he brought plants inside the mansion, Matteo told him that he would always try to make the visit as short as he could.

The one who had recognized him had short, black hair, though it was starting to turn grey at the roots. He was clearly the one in charge based on how he held himself, and it was no wonder he knew who Skull was because he had probably been working there the longest.

One of the other men got up from the table and approached them. He had blonde hair that was pulled into a short ponytail and was currently scowling at them as he walked closer, which made Skull's hackles raise. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he took in the possible threat and stepped slightly closer to Matteo.

"You're late, brat." The man reached out a hand, most likely to grab Matteo's shoulder, but he froze when a growl echoed loudly throughout the small room.

Startled brown eyes met his, and he watched as the other gulped at the glare. His Cloud flames filled the room, screaming at the perceived threat to his Sky, yelling to protecthimprotecthimprotecthim. The other man took a step back, which was smart on his part since everyone knew better than to test a protective Cloud—it tended to be...messy.

Skull could see a gleam enter the older man's eyes as he hovered over Matteo, wrapping his flames around the other, but he didn't care. Let them think what they want, he growled.

He heard Matteo sigh before he felt a hand push on his stomach. Skull growled again. How was he supposed to protect Matteo if the other stepped out in front of him? It took all the self control he had not to immediately grab Matteo and run.

"I'm sorry about him," Matteo said and gave the man an apologetic smile before focusing on the older man still sitting at the table. "I know I have no right to be asking this, but I was wondering if it would be okay if he hung around while I worked?"

The older man stared between them in consideration, then smirked. "Alright. I'd hate to have a rampaging Cloud on my hands if I refused. Just make sure you get all your work done, got it?"

Matteo nodded. "I will. I promise."

"Then go on." The man shot a glare at the other two men. "And that includes you two. Stop lazing around and get moving."

Matteo quickly grabbed his hand and dragged him to the wall where the bags of dirt were laying on the ground. He picked up two of them, and when he reached for a shovel, Skull grabbed it before he could. He only grinned at the exasperated look that was sent at him.

Skull trailed slightly behind him as they walked outside, trying to buy time before the lecture he knew was coming.

Matteo dropped the bags down next to what looked like a newly planted bush and, without looking up, asked, "Care to explain what that was about?"

He winced. "I honestly didn't know that would happen."

Matteo paused and turned to stare at him, waiting for him to continue.

Skull crouched next to him, staring into blue eyes that just watched him patiently. "It's just...when he reached out to touch you I just couldn't let it happen. Not when I know you don't like being touched." Plus, his flames did not like sharing.

Matteo's expression melted into one of affection, making Skull feel like his chest was blooming with warmth.

"Thank you." Matteo reached out and grabbed his hand, giving it a tight squeeze. "But next time, try not to scare my coworkers. I rather like working here," he scolded, though there was no heat in it.

Skull grinned, and his voice came out teasing as he said, "I make no promises."

The answering laugh made his lips curl into a pleased smile.

"How about you tell me about them?"

Matteo hummed as he scooped dirt out of the bag. "My boss is Antonio. Like I said earlier, even though he comes off as kind of strict and mean, he's actually really laid back."

There was a snort behind them. When Skull turned to look, he saw the man who had tried to touch Matteo standing a few feet away, carrying a rake in one hand and a bag in the other.

"The boss is only like that with you. He's always yelling and getting on me about everything."

The other man who had been sitting at the table walked past them. He gave a short nod to Matteo and Skull and an eye-roll to the other man. "That's because Matteo actually does his work, unlike you."

"What was that?! Say that to my face, bastard!"

Skull stared after them as they disappeared in the distance, one chasing after the other and yelling profanity at the top of his lungs. He looked at Matteo with an eyebrow raised. "Are they always like that?"

Matteo chuckled, shaking his head at their antics. "Pretty much yeah. That was Marco and Luca. Luca was the loud one, and he's always slacking off. It drives the boss absolutely crazy." His voice had turned fondly exasperated as he talked about his coworkers. "Marco is practically the exact opposite. He's quiet and always helps out. Though, that doesn't exactly stop the two of them from bickering like an old, married couple."

"You must never get bored, huh."

Matteo turned to look at him, eyes glittering with mirth. "Never."

They settled into a comfortable silence as one worked and the other watched. Don't get him wrong. He had asked to help but had immediately been refused. Matteo insisted that it wouldn't be fair to the others if he had someone helping him, so Skull leaned back on his hands and crossed his legs. He could feel the warm pulsing of Sky flames occasionally brushing his through the bond, and it made him curious. No one ever really went in depth about what it felt like to be bonded, only that it felt like you had finally found a piece of yourself that you hadn't even realized you were missing, so he wasn't exactly sure what to do with it.

Which meant it was time to experiment.

He stared at the smaller male's back and ever so slowly pushed his flames across the bond, not stopping until he had reached the other's core. He briefly saw Matteo's hands twitch slightly before resuming their work, not once looking over at him. Skull lazily twirled his flames with the other's, dragging them teasingly before giving a firm stroke to Matteo's core. He heard the other's breath hitch and watched in fascination as redness began crawling up that very tempting, pale neck. Skull's eyes started glowing, his flames having perked up in interest at the Sky's reaction.

"C-Could you stop that?"

He tilted his head slightly to the side, eyes still burning. "Stop what?"

"Stop tha-" Another firm stroke had the other taking a sharp inhale.

His flames were purring with satisfaction at the sight before him: Matteo's entire face painted red, his body shaking with each inhale and exhale, pupils blown wide with desire as they locked with his.

"What-" Matteo paused, his body giving another shudder, "What happened to...not disturbing me at work."

"Hmm." He slowly inched closer until he could feel Matteo's breath gently caressing his lips. He learned forward and brushed his lips lightly against the other's, then pulled back with a smirk. "You're right." Skull went back to reclining in the grass, pulling his flames back as he did.

He could practically feel the weight of the disbelieving gaze looking at him.

"That was just mean." Matteo glared, lips pulled down.

It would have worked better if Matteo's face wasn't still burning a bright red.

Skull looked over with a completely innocent expression, which immediately disappeared when he felt a tight curl of Sky flames surround his core. He caught the smug look as the other turned away again.

His eyes narrowed. Oh, it's on.

Before he could do anything, however, he heard the familiar crunching of feet approaching them. They both looked over as Antonio walked closer to them. The man stopped when he was close enough to talk, but not close enough to be considered crowding—that had him snorting; the other man was treating him as if he was Hibari.

"Why don't you just take the rest of the day off, kid?"

Panic flared to life in Matteo's eyes. "Why? Did I do something wrong?! I'm sorry, I'll-"

Antonio waved a hand through the air. "No, no. There's just not a lot to do today, so I figured I might as well give you a break." He pinned Matteo with a look. "Don't think I haven't noticed you overworking yourself lately."

Matteo relaxed, looking slightly sheepish. "Okay, but if you need anything just call me."

"I will."

Before he walked away, Antonio gave Skull a pointed look that was knowing and entirely too amused.

Skull flushed, though it was hidden under his makeup, as he realized that the older man probably knew exactly what had been happening. However, the possibility that he also knew about Matteo's flames made him uneasy.

"What now?"

The sound of Matteo's voice had him shaking himself out of his thoughts. He tilted his head to the side as he considered the other. "We could go back to your room?"

Matteo brightened, warm eyes looking at him in fondness. "Okay."

He grabbed Skull's hand and pulled him up, then proceeded to drag him down the hallways that were quickly becoming a familiar sight to Skull.

Neither of them minded that they spent the rest of the day just lazing around and cuddling. It was also when he found out the other was ticklish, much to Matteo's horror.

He wouldn't trade that day for the world.

Some days were...worse than others.

They were the days when his flames still remembered the tearing and ripping as disgusting flames tried to control him. They were the days when everyone around him pushed and shoved at every little button he had, straining his already fraying self-control.

This was one of those days.

It had gotten better since he bonded with Matteo and finally had someone who could ease the pain, no questions asked. However, this time he couldn't go to the homewarmthsafetly because the others had decided that today of all days would be the perfect time to meet up. Thankfully, it was still in the mansion, so as soon as it was over Skull was belining it out of there, ignoring their calls—he knew if he stayed any longer he would snap. Skull knew that Matteo had the day off, so he wasted no time in bursting through the doors of his room.

The door suddenly flinging open startled Matteo from where he was watering a plant, and he jumped in surprise. The other turned to look at him, eyes carefully taking in his ragged appearance and the almost desperate curling of his flames. As much as it made Skull feel guilty at the fact that Matteo had gotten so good at recognizing those days, he would always feel grateful when the other would just silently raise his arms in invitation. It was only then that the mask would shatter and Skull would rest against Matteo, ear pressed tightly against the small chest in order to hear the luling thump, thump, thump of his heart. Gentle hands would maneuver them so that they were sitting—Matteo on the bed with Skull clinging to him from the ground—never once breaking their contact.

They would spend hours like this, neither moving, just simply existing together.

Raina seemed to sense when he was at his breaking point as well because she would slowly come over and lay next to his leg, her purring echoing loudly in the otherwise silent room.

Skull eventually pulled back. He looked into the soft eyes staring at his face, the other looking to see if he had managed to help in any way. He tried to give his best convincing smile, one that said I'm fine, but knew he didn't succeed when the worry deepened, tainting those blue eyes.

Matteo reached out with both hands, drawing Skull's face closer to him until their foreheads were pressed against each other. He sagged into the hold and let his eyes slowly shut as he leaned in. It had become something of a ritual for them, something to reassure each other that they were there.

When they finally broke apart, Skull gave a small peck to the other's cheek, his lips brushing against the corner of Matteo's.

Just before leaving, he carefully glued back on all the pieces under those watchful eyes—ignoring the pain he knew it caused the other everytime he had to watch Skull put back on the mask that seemed to suffocate him more and more until he could barely breath.

As the door closed, it felt like Skull was also leaving a part of himself behind, something that could only to be reclaimed the next time they saw each other again.

Skull sighed heavily, his head pillowed on his arms as he sat backwards on the chair. He watched as Colonello and Reborn bickered, sometimes throwing a punch or kick at each other, and wished he could be anywhere but there—preferably wherever Matteo was at the moment. He glanced over to where Fon was sitting next to him, also staring with open amusement at the scene before them. He must have felt his eyes because Fon turned to him with a questioning look. Skull just shook his head and let out another sigh.

"Is something wrong?"

He scowled, making sure to keep his voice quiet so as not to attract the attention of the two idiots—not that he would ever call them that to their faces. "No, I just don't know why I needed to come. It's not like we're really doing anything."

"Hmm. That's true." Fon raised a sleeve to cover his mouth, probably trying to hide the smile slowly forming, though Skull still caught it. "Oh, by the way, congratulations on finding a Sky."

The suddenness of the comment had Skull choking on his spit, and he whipped around to face Fon. In his panic, he didn't notice how quiet the room had gotten. "W-What are you talking about?!"

Fon tilted his head to the side, apparently not understanding his reaction. "I noticed the slight difference in your flames a while ago, but I always forgot to mention it. It's not really something you need to hide. I'm happy for you."

"Whoa, whoa, hold up. What was that about the lackey finding a Sky, kora?"

It was only then that Skull noticed that Colonello and Reborn were staring at them. Well, more specifically at him.

Fon looked over at them in surprise. "You didn't notice?"

"No," Reborn said slowly, dark eyes burning holes in the side of Skull's head as if to peer inside.

"Oh, would you look at the time. Gottagobye!" He didn't even manage to stand before a bullet whizzed by his face.

"And where do you think you're going?"

Skull laughed nervously. "Um, you know, just around. Maybe take a nice stroll outside."

Reborn's voice cut through the air like a knife. "Who is it?"

"No one." Skull was tense, his body practically strung up like a tight wire just waiting to snap. He did not like where this conversation was going.

"Oh?"

That single word made Skull tense even more. It was the sound of Reborn slowly losing his patience, and when that happened, things tended to not end well for Skull.

Colonello stepped forward, hands out in a placating manner. "Hey, maybe we should all just calm down."

Reborn turned his glare on him. "Don't act like you don't want to know either."

Colonello matched the glare with one of his own, never one to back down from a fight. "I do, but this is getting us nowhere."

"I have to agree," Fon cut in, expression turning into a frown. "Skull will tell us when he is ready to. We should not force him."

Reborn ignored them both, locking black eyes with defiant, purple ones. "How do you know they're not just using you?"

"You don't know anything," Skull snarled, and he could tell it startled all of them, even if they hid it well. After all, he was the perfectly tame Cloud that never raged at anything or anyone—they tended to forget that he was still a Cloud, despite that.

Skull knew that plenty of people would do anything to get one of them, even go so far as to force a bond—and that brought back horrible memories of his flames screaming in pain as they were torn apart in a one-sided attempt to bond. It had happened after a really bad day, and he had just been done. It was one of the very few times in which he acted like a normal Cloud...and he was actually kind of surprised the Famiglia didn't come after him, but then again, there wasn't really anything left for them to find. Some part of him knew that this was just Reborn's way of looking out for him, protecting what he saw as the weakest member—even though they called him lackey, he was still one of theirs—but this, this was where he drew the line.

Reborn's flames flared in warning, pressing heavily against his, and he pointed a gun at Skull's head. The sound of the safety clicking off echoed ominously in the room. "I will not ask again."

Vaguely, Skull registered the fact that he was standing, apparently having knocked over the chair in his haste to get up, but all he could think about was his anger. His fists were shaking from the sheer force of it, and his flames flared up to match Reborn's, whipping through the air and making black eyes narrow even more. This man...this man who treated him worse than dirt had the gall to demand that he give up his Sky, when he had done nothing to ever help him in all the years they had been cursed together. Now he was threatening to ruin the one good thing Skull had ever had.

No, the world would sooner burn before Skull let that happen.

He was prepared to do as much when Tsuna suddenly came racing into the room, looking around in fear and confusion. "What's going on here?"

Then, Tsuna did the worst possible thing he could have done in that moment: he filled the room with his flames.

The touch of foreign Sky flames against his—especially in his already agitated state—had him hissing at the utterly wrong feeling, and he whipped around to face the intruder, who jolted back in surprise. Another person to his right stepped forward slightly as if to stop him, and his lips pulled back into a snarl as he-

"Skull?"

The quiet voice made him pause, and it was only then that he could feel the confusionworry pouring through the bond. He sucked in a deep breath and, with mounting horror, realized that he had been about to attack Tsuna. His fists unclenched, and his mind noted that the room was shaking—oh, wait, that was him—as he took in the cautious expressions of those surrounding him, all aimed at him. Reborn had yet to lower the gun from where it was aimed steadily at his head. The man had moved so that he was standing in front of Tsuna, blocking him from view, blocking him from Skull.

A warm hand touching his cheek had him flinching away, drawing into himself, but the hand was persistent. It turned his head gently to face the other and forced him to meet calm, blue eyes. A thumb was rubbing soothing circles on his cheek as familiar Sky flames covered him like a blanket, blocking out any other ones that tried to touch him. He slowly felt the shaking stop, and his flames settled under the comforting weight of those that belonged to one of his.

Skull gently pulled the hands away, though he kept one tightly linked together with his. He turned to look over at Tsuna, who was leaning around Reborn with wide eyes.

"Sorry." He winced, knowing that a simple apology wasn't really good enough.

Brown eyes softened. "It's fine. I should have known better than to flare them like that."

Fon stepped forward cautiously, slowly as if to make sure he didn't spook him. "I take it this is your Sky?"

"Yeah." He didn't even bother trying to hide the warmth in his tone as he said it.

Matteo smiled at the others in the room, and Skull would have fallen for it had he not known the other as well as he did. He knew Matteo was uncomfortable, eyes taking on a more calculating light and eyeing all of the exits near them. He had shifted slightly when all the attention was turned on him, edging closer to Skull. Not that he could blame him. Matteo most likely recognized Reborn and probably had a vague understanding of who the others were, which just meant that they would definitely need to have a talk later.

"Hello, my name is Matteo. It's nice to meet you all."

"Sup, the name's Colonello, kora." Colonello beamed, throwing all caution to the wind. He then looked between the two of them in curiosity. "How'd you two meet?"

Matteo blinked at the question and turned to look at Skull, amusement crawling into his eyes. "He was tearing up my rose bushes."

Skull almost snorted at the strange looks they were giving him—he didn't, if only because Reborn was still kind of on a hair trigger at the moment.

"He's a gardener," Skull stated and couldn't help but puff up his chest in pride, which earned him an eye-roll from Matteo.

"Is that so?" The guarded quality of Reborn's voice made him stiffen.

He met the other's eyes, glaring. "Is that a problem?"

Colonello sighed loudly and sent an annoyed look to Fon. "Not again."

Tsuna laughed awkwardly, smile slightly twitching. "I was just about to get something to drink from the kitchen. Do you guys want to join me?"

The simple question broke the rest of the tension lingering in the room as Reborn turned and raised an eyebrow. "Why not just have one of the maids bring it?" he drawled.

"I wanted to stretch my legs a bit, okay. I've been cramped up at that desk all day." Tsuna had a pout, and it seemed all those years of dealing with Reborn as his tutor had given him a slight immunity to the man's deadpan stare.

Fon chuckled, bringing a sleeve back up to his face. "I would like that."

"Sure, I'm in, kora."

Skull frantically shook his head. "Nope, I'm out."

Colonello looked at him in disbelief. "What?! How come, kora?!"

"I refuse to set foot in that kitchen."

"What, afraid?" Reborn mocked, smirking at him from under his fedora.

Skull turned to him and said completely serious, "No, I'm terrified."

That seemed to throw the man for a loop because he kind of just stared at him—ha, he had finally made Reborn speechless.

At least until Matteo finally decided to speak up. "Really, Skull, he's not that bad."

He looked at Matteo with an absolutely aghast expression. "Yes, he is! I still have nightmares about it! I don't understand how someone cutting celery can manage to look so menacing!" Skull insisted.

That made the other pause, but before Matteo could respond Colonello cut in.

"What the hell are you guys talking about, kora?" He looked completely confused, and appeared to be considering Skull's sanity—actually, he was pretty sure they all were.

"My adoptive father works as the head chef."

Colonello nodded slowly. "Okay, but why is Skull so terrified of him?"

Matteo winced and slowly said, "He's protective of me," at the same time Skull said, "He wants to chop me into little pieces."

Reborn smirked, expression turning dark as he said, "Should be fun to watch." His hand whipped out and grabbed onto Skull's wrist, then proceeded to tug him against his will toward his impending doom while Matteo trailed behind next to a confused Tsuna who just looked done with them.

Colonello ran to the front to try and egg Reborn on into another fight, so Skull took the moment of distraction to shoot a pleading look toward Fon. The traitor simply smiled at him serenely and moved to walk on the other side of Matteo.

He sighed. Even though they were all acting normal—or as normal as they could, at least—Skull knew that the others were still curious about Matteo. He knew that eventually they would corner him again and demand answers, something that he was not looking forward to. However, he also knew that if he didn't tell them something, then they would ask Matteo, and that was something he could not allow to happen—Matteo was his, damnit. It was only a matter of time, so he was going to take this short chance of peace and enjoy it while it lasted.

Skull glanced behind him to see how Matteo was faring.

He was tense, tenser than he had been when the two of them first met. All of his movements were slightly stiff, and Tsuna seemed to notice because Skull could see him trying to send a warm smile over at the other, but it didn't seem to be working. He could still feel the uneasiness radiating through the bond, so he sent back reassurancesafetyprotection and saw the other relax ever so slightly. Matteo gave him a small smile, and the other's flames purred with acceptancewarmthlove, rubbing against his like a contented cat. Skull stumbled slightly at the rush of warmth in his chest but managed to catch himself before he fell or did anything else embarrassing, and in his haste to avert his eyes, he accidentally met Fon's gaze. There was amusement and curiosity in his eyes but nothing else, and it made Skull relax slightly. If push came to shove, he might have an ally willing to help him.

It took a shorter time than Skull would have liked to reach the kitchen, and he could only stare at the doors in despair. A swift kick to his back—courtesy of Reborn—had him stumbling through them, just barely managing to catch himself before he fell. No one in the room seemed to notice the disturbance except for the one person he had been avoiding.

Chief glowered at him, probably mad at Skull for daring to trespass in his domain—seriously, how was the man not a Cloud?! However, the glower lifted as soon as he saw Matteo and the others walk in shortly after.

Chief nodded toward them in greeting. "Decimo."

Tsuna smiled the smile that always stunned whoever was on the other end, and Skull watched in horrified fascination as even this monster of a man seemed taken aback. "Hello, Stefano."

Wait just a second. His name is Stefano?! Skull shuddered at the thought of the guy ever being considered a saint.

"What brings you here?" Chief carried on, totally unaware of Skull's internal crisis.

Tsuna gestured to the rest of them. "We just thought we would get something to drink."

Chief grunted and gave a short nod. "What will it be?"

Reborn smirked, tilting his fedora so it covered his face in shadows. "Espresso."

Skull rolled his eyes. No surprise there.

"I'll have chai tea if you wouldn't mind," Fon asked politely.

He was still standing next to Matteo—slightly too close, in Skull's opinion. Their arms were almost brushing whenever one would move. It had Skull narrowing his eyes, but it eased once he felt a gentle touch against his flames again. He huffed and turned his attention back to the front.

Tsuna seemed to brighten at the thought of drinking tea. "I'll have the same, please."

Colonello put a hand on his hip. "Just regular coffee for me."

Skull stood to his full height with a smirk, though he deflated slightly when the full force of that gaze turned back to him. "The Great Skull-sama will have hot chocolate!" The guy was terrifying, but he still made a mean hot chocolate.

He ignored the snort from a certain fedora wearing man who shall not be named because Skull was still pissed at him.

Matteo was looking at him with a smile and that was the only thing Skull cared about. "I'll have what Skull is having."

In no time at all, all of their drinks were ready. The kitchen staff practically tripping over themselves in their hurry because it was a direct request from the Decimo. Though Skull could have done without the heated glare gifted to him by Chief as the hot cup was shoved into his hands—one of these days, no matter how reluctant Skull was about it, they were going to have to sit down and talk because Skull was not leaving Matteo.

Tsuna decided it would be a good idea to relocate and ushered them to one of the empty lounge rooms. The room was painted in an off-white color and had a vase of flowers sitting on the coffee table in the middle of the room—and based on the fond look Matteo sent it, he had probably put it there. There were two couches facing each other, both seating three people comfortably, and a loveseat at the far end.

Skull quickly grabbed Matteo's hand and darted for the loveseat, knowing that the others would probably try to make them sit separately in order to interrogate them. With a mental curse, he skillfully dodged the foot meant to trip him and didn't stop until the two of them had plopped down onto the comfy cushions, their drinks somehow not spilling at all in the process.

He sent a smug look to Reborn, who was currently glaring daggers at him—probably not the best idea, but Skull was not putting up with his bullshit when it concerned Matteo.

"A little warning next time."

Skull glanced over and winced at the annoyed expression Matteo had. He had a feeling that the other knew why he did it—going off the slightly grateful expression—but Skull couldn't exactly blame him for not liking being tugged around.

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry."

"You two seem rather close. How long have you known each other?" Skull could hear the curiosity in Fon's voice as he asked.

And here comes the questions, he thought with a sigh.

Skull tilted his head to peer at Matteo. "A little over two months, right?"

"Two months and eight days," Matteo said, then blushed in embarrassment at the shocked look on Skull's face. "It was...a good day." The blush grew as he turned to look down at his lap.

Skull could only stare with wide eyes, having a hard time comprehending how meeting him could mean so much to someone. There was a painful twinge in his chest, and his vision started to get blurry, so he leaned down so he could press his face in the juncture between Matteo's neck and shoulder, trying to pretend that there weren't tears trailing down his face. He took a shuddering breath when a hand trailed up his back to lay in his hair, gently combing through it. Sky flames were slowly coaxing his from where they were coiled deep in his core, whispering loveaffection. The rest of the room disappeared as he buried his nose against the soft skin, taking in the familiar scent of cinnamon and grass.

"Ugh, please stop with the fluff already." Of course it was Colonello who broke the silence.

Skull pulled away and glared at him, though the effect was kind of ruined with the red eyes and tear tracks in his makeup. "You're just jealous," he said with a sniffle.

Colonello rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. I'm totally jealous that I'm not bawling my eyes out."

Just to spite him, Skull wrapped his arms around Matteo's shoulders and pulled him close. He stuck his tongue out childishly and saw Colonello scowl, opening his mouth to respond.

Fon cut in before another argument could start. "Are you alright, Skull?" Dark eyes were looking at him in concern, and it softened some of his guardedness.

It had him smiling, a real one for once. "Yup. I feel better already."

"Really?" Reborn was staring at him like he had lost his mind. He had his head tilted to the side so only one eye could clearly be seen beneath the shadow of his fedora. "You want us to believe that?"

Skull met his eyes with a seriousness that they rarely ever saw in him. "Yes. I was just...caught off guard, that's all."

"Sorry." The whisper had him squeezing Matteo's shoulder gently.

He moved his head so that his lips brushed against Matteo's ear. He kept his voice low, making sure the others wouldn't be able to hear. "It's fine. I like knowing you care so much."

That had the blush come rushing right back, and Skull hid his smirk in the side of Matteo's neck, though he knew the other could feel it.

He didn't deny it, Skull thought giddily.

He peered out of the corner of his eyes so he could take in the others' reactions. Fon was staring at them with amusement. Colonello also had an amused expression, though his had a hint of annoyance as well. Tsuna was just smiling at them fondly, but Reborn...Reborn was the one he had trouble with. Even on a bad day, Reborn was as easy to read as a stone wall. It made him antsy, not knowing what he was thinking. It always had. He thrived on knowing what people thought of him and using it to his advantage, so finally meeting someone who could keep their inner thoughts hidden had both fascinated and terrified him. The fact that he wasn't shooting at them was a good sign, though.

"Why did you bond with the lackey?"

Skull growled under his breath at the blunt question, though he wasn't really surprised by who finally asked the question on everyone's mind. He glanced over nervously at the person beside him because Matteo had grown oddly still next to him, and froze as his gaze was trapped by the ice shards that were once warm pools of liquid. What made him even more nervous was that it was aimed at Reborn, who met the stare evenly with his default blank expression. Skull shifted forward slightly so he would able to yank Matteo against his side if the man decided to try and use his Sky as target practice.

Over my dead body, he snarled in his head.

Matteo slowly tilted his head to the side and gave a smile that sent a shiver right down Skull's spine. "You want to know why I bonded with him? I bonded with him because Skull is a kind, gentle person who pushes away his own pain in order to help others. I might not have known him as long as you have, but even I can see how much pain you've put him through, see the pain that he's had to endure." The smile grew sharper as his flames flowed through the air gently, but there was edge to them. Come closer, I dare you, they whispered. "Can you? Can you see it? Probably not if it's continued on for this long. And no, he has not said anything directly to me, but I'd have to be blind not to notice it. Have you ever taken a close look at his flames? Really looked? They're hurting, crying out, and none of you have seen it. And yet, he's still here. He's still here because that is the kind of person he is, so I'd appreciate it if you never called him that again."

Silence.

Complete, utter silence.

Every single person was staring at Matteo with varying degrees of shock. Even Reborn's eyes were slightly wider than usual, and it was the most emotion Skull had ever seen from the man.

Matteo held Reborn's gaze for a moment longer before he turned to Skull, eyes softening as he did, then he slowly reached out a hand, hesitating for a very brief second before grabbing the one that lay frozen on Skull's lap. Matteo gently coaxed him up, gave a tight nod to the rest of the room, and led Skull down the hallway.

As soon as the door to Matteo's room shut, he let go of the hand and turned to face Skull.

When Skull's mind finally caught up with his body, he stood there and stared at Matteo. "Wow…That was...wow…"

"Sorry, I didn't mean- I shouldn't have told them all those things, even if they were true. Those were your secrets, and I had no right- I-" Matteo cut himself off, biting his lip and turning his head away.

Skull could only stare. This person—his Sky—had stood up for him against a name that he had grown so used to hearing that it didn't even hurt anymore—not from them, not from anyone. He had walled himself off from that kind of pain years ago. At this point, it wasn't even a blip on his radar, but Matteo had stood up for him. Matteo had stood up for him. Against Reborn of all people. The man whose very presence caused people to faint in fear, and his little, kind, beautiful Sky had growled with as much anger as a wolf protecting her pups. It was...he didn't even have the words to describe the feeling bursting in his chest.

"Skull?" Matteo's voice came out weak, and when Skull focused back on him, he was clenching his hands together in front of him.

Those blue eyes still weren't meeting his, and that was something Skull refused to allow. His Sky had no reason to be afraid, especially not of him, so he stepped closer until their chests were inches apart. He heard a quiet intake of breath, and Matteo's flames gave a nervous twitch before settling again. Slowly, he raised his hands to cradle Matteo's face, then leaned down. As soon as their lips touched all the tension in the other slipped away with a sigh. This kiss was different from the one at the aquarium. That one had been urgent, a desperate need to feel each other, a rush of excitement and happiness as the bond settled into place. This one...this one was slow. It was a reassurance that everything was fine, that nothing could come between them.

Shaking hands reached up and gripped tightly onto his shirt as the other let out a breathless moan. Skull used the opportunity to fully explore Matteo's mouth, sliding a hand through silky, brown hair to tilt his head back even more, earning a whine that had heat going south. The taste was just like he knew it would be: sweet from the chocolate and something that was entirely Matteo. He could slowly feel the other unraveling within his arms, so he rubbed his flames along the shivering ones of his Sky. They would occasionally dart into Matteo's core then dance away teasingly, each time sending a full body shiver racking through the small frame held against him.

Matteo pulled back with a gasp, tilting his head in the most tantalizing way that Skull just had to dart in and bite that pale neck that was practically begging to be tainted. The loud moan had him smirking against the skin, and he was glad the walls were soundproof because if those were the sounds Matteo made from simply kissing, then Skull couldn't wait to hear him scream.

He slowly made his way along the pale canvas before him, making sure to give each spot equal attention, but when he got to a certain spot under his chin, Matteo jerked and yanked on his hair, making a groan slip past Skull's lips.

Oh, what's this I just found, he thought deviously.

He took turns nibbling softly on the spot and biting harder, each time earning him one of those wondrous sounds that Skull was quickly becoming addicted to. One particularly hard bite had Matteo letting out the loudest moan yet, and it was only Skull's fast reflexes that kept the other from hitting the floor as his knees seemingly gave out from under him.

Skull chuckled and easily lifted up his little Sky, carrying him over so he could plop him onto the bed, and Matteo let out the most adorable squeak as he landed. He paused for a moment to take in the sight of Matteo sprawled out on the blankets, his face a deep red that only served in making the blue of his eyes stand out even more. Eyes that were staring heatedly at him, so he wasted no time in joining Matteo. As soon as he was hovering over the other, thin arms came up to wrap around his neck, pulling him into another kiss. Their tongues clashed in another battle of wills, and yup, Skull could definitely feel heat pooling in his stomach. The hand that was slowly trailing down his neck to his chest was also not helping, and when a sly finger brushed against his nipple through his shirt, he groaned and jerked his hips forward. That small brush was enough to send sparks shooting through his vision as he gasped wordlessly into Matteo's mouth.

Skull pulled back and leaned his head against Matteo's shoulder, panting as he tried to real himself back in. His body was shaking from the sheer force it took to not just give in and rut against Matteo like a dog in heat. No, that was something he refused to do to Matteo, not when he deserved so much better.

He reluctantly pulled back, body quivering with the urge to continue where he left off. Matteo still had one arm wrapped tightly around his neck, so he couldn't back away very far even if he wanted to, but it was enough to make eye contact.

"I need-" He gulped when Matteo's eyes glittered heatedly, one devious hand trailing down his chest until fingers curled under the waist of his pants. Skull hurriedly grabbed it and held it still before he could lose his train of thought. "I need to know that you want this."

Matteo paused, his eyes widening slightly, and Skull fidgeted when time seemed to tick by and the other remained still. Worry and nervousness flashed through him, but before he could do anything about it, Skull gasped as Sky flames surged across the bond, surrounding his core entirely with lovepleasurehappinesslove.

"Yes," Matteo breathed, using the hand still clutching Skull's hair to pull him down for a kiss. "Yes, I want this. I want you." The words were whispered against Skull's lips, sending a shiver of pleasure down his spine.

He all but collapsed on top of the other, arms giving out as his flames purred. Any thought of stopping flew out the window as soon as he heard those words. His flames would go on a frenzy if anyone tried to stop them now.

Skull couldn't help but grin happily. "Good, really good."

Matteo laughed, face lighting up with amusement even as he quickly smothered any more words as his lips sealed over Skull's, not that he could have said anything since Matteo also chose that exact moment to wrap his legs around Skull's waist, and oh god, Skull was losing his mind. He groaned lowly, hips jerking forward, and he could definitely feel Matteo's arousal. It earned him a soft whine as the legs tightened, and he felt what little restraint he had left snap.

Making quick work of Matteo's shirt, he moved on to the other's pants, practically ripping the button off in his hurry, which got him another breathless laugh. Hands tugged at his own shirt, so he flung it off all too eagerly, pants coming off just as fast. It left them bare, and they both groaned when Matteo angled his hips so that he could grind their erections together.

If Skull thought Matteo was beautiful before, it was nothing compared to the sight beneath him: half-lidded, blue eyes were glowing with lust and warmth, chest heaving as he stared up at Skull challengingly, a smile tugging at the corner of Matteo's lips. He soaked it all in, trying to sear it into his mind so he would never forget.

Matteo must have felt the longing that drifted across the bond because he drew Skull in for another kiss, lips lingering on his as he stared directly into purple eyes. There was a promise in their depth, one that needed no words, and it made Skull forget how to breath for a moment as he was overwhelmed by the sheer want that surged through him.

He pulled back from the kiss and slowly trailed down, pausing when he got to Matteo's neck as he felt the other's racing pulse beneath his lips. It made him smirk, but he kept moving down until he reached a nipple that seemed to be begging for attention. He quickly took it in his mouth and twirled his tongue around the hardening bud, grin widening as he heard a sharp gasp. The hand still in his hair gave a small yank as Matteo seemed to debate between pushing him closer and yanking him up for another kiss. Small, helpless whines left Matteo's throat as Skull nipped it, the sounds growing louder when he raised his free hand to pinch at the other. Eventually, he pulled back with a wet sound, staring satisfied at the dark nipple.

"Do you have-" Skull trailed off as Matteo reached over into the nightstand before he even finished the sentence. "Someone's prepared, huh?" he teased. It was his turn to laugh then, watching as Matteo somehow turned even redder, the challenging look still in his eyes despite it.

Skull reached for the bottle, but his hand was quickly swatted away. The heat only seemed to grow worse as he watched Matteo pour some in his hand then reach for one of Skull's. The other was meticulous as he carefully coated Skull's fingers, the lube already semi-warm from sitting in Matteo's palm. It shouldn't have aroused him as much as it did, but he could feel his dick twitch in interest, something Matteo must have felt, if the heated look he sent him said anything.

He gulped and shifted on his knees, Matteo helpfully angling his hips to allow for better access as Skull finger's found the puckered hole. He eased one in, biting back a moan at the tightness, and slowly started opening him up more as Matteo sighed and relaxed into the bed. There was a brief wince when the second was added, but before he was even able to say anything, Matteo was already pushing back, trying to pull the fingers even deeper. It was when he had three fingers in, that one accidentally brushed across a spot, and the little mewl Matteo gave as he arched off the bed was his undoing.

Skull tried reaching for the bottle, but was once again thwarted when Matteo snatched it off the sheets. He didn't even have time to complain about it before he was cutting off a curse as a slick hand wrapped around his erection with no warning.

There was a mischievous glint in Matteo's eyes, and it had him scowling half-heartedly.

Oh, that's it. I'm definitely making him scream.

A whine almost escaped his throat when the hand gave him one last tight squeeze before retreating. Legs were already tightening as hips shifted to press Skull's throbbing member to the waiting hole, and it was only through sheer force of will that he made his body remain still, despite how much he wanted to give in to that warmth.

Skull stared down at Matteo, locking their eyes together. "Promise you'll tell me if it's too much."

Matteo's eyes softened. "Skull-"

"No, I need you to promise me."

Matteo observed him silently for a minute before nodding. "I promise," he said, and his voice was filled with all the warmth that his flames were singing through the bond.

Skull sighed, leaning down to kiss Matteo again before slowly pressing forward. He panted as the warmth swallowed him, muscles clenching down on him automatically at the intrusion. Arms tugged him closer so that their chests were pressed together, both of them panting as they tried to adjust to the feeling. Skull groaned when Matteo shifted his hips, the tightness increasing even more until it was almost unbearable.

Skull trailed kisses all along Matteo's face, his cheeks, his lips, his nose, his eyes, praises dripping from his mouth between each breath. "Oh, god, you're so tight. How are you still this tight? And you're so warm. God, I feel like you're trying to swallow me."

"Skull." Matteo moaned, voice cracking as his stared heatedly. "Please- I need- Please, move."

Skull's hips jerked at the sound of his name falling from those lips, a groan building in his chest as he settled his hands on the other's hips. He pulled back until only the head of his erection was still enclosed, then snapped his hips forward. Matteo's head fell back as his hands clutched at Skull. He tilted his hips, trying to find the right angle that would make Matteo beg. A sudden, loud scream tore from Matteo's mouth, making him smirk.

Found it.

He pounded into that same spot, listening to Matteo let out breathless pleas as he writhed, begging him to go faster, harder, yes, right there! His flames were purring, an almost audible sound, so he followed the bond back to Matteo's core and squeezed tightly around it at the same time as his thrusts. The sound that fell from Matteo's lips was almost enough to make him come right then and there. Nails scratched at his back, making it tingle as his Cloud flames worked to heal him automatically, and the already tight heat tightened around him even more.

He could tell that Matteo was getting closer, his hips pushing back shakily at the same time as his legs tried to draw him even deeper inside, so he wrapped one hand around the other's weeping erection, grinning at the near sob it earned him. Blue eyes widened, his back arching off the bed, as Matteo came with a scream. It was too much. Skull let out a loud growl as the other clenched down around him, thrusting as deep as possible as he followed right after.

He pulled out and made sure to collapse on his side so he didn't crush Matteo under his weight. Arms quickly wound around him as Matteo curled up against him, Sky flames lazily filling the room and mingling with his Cloud.

Skull drew him closer, burying his nose in the side of Matteo's neck as he breathed in his Sky's scent, basking in the feeling for as long as he could. The bond was thrumming happily between them, even stronger now than it was before.

However, Skull knew he couldn't hold off any longer.

His shoulders slumped in resignation as he said, "You have some questions."

Matteo pulled back enough so that he could look at him, then nodded, never once breaking eye contact. "I do, but I only want you to tell me what you want to say," he answered, scooting closer again and resting a hand gently against one of Skull's cheeks. "I trust you, so I will wait if you're not ready to talk about it."

Skull allowed himself a moment to simply stare in awe, wondering what he did to deserve a Sky like this.

"No, I want to tell you. I should have told you earlier, before…" He gestured to both of their still naked bodies, feeling slightly pleased when it got him a smile in return.

"It's probably better that you didn't. I don't know what I would've done if you'd waited any longer." The heated look was back, and Skull groaned as he felt pleasure shoot through him again.

Skull shook his head, trying to will away the desire. "Okay, okay, so where should I begin?" He pondered over it for a second before deciding to start at the very beginning. "Well, I never actually knew my birth parents. All I know is that they abandoned me on the side of the road." He felt Matteo's arms tighten, pulling him even closer, but he continued, had to continue; he knew that if he stopped to think about what he was saying then he wouldn't be able to get it all out. "Lucky for me, a circus happened to be passing through, and one of the members heard me crying. It must have been strange, coming across a baby out in the middle of nowhere, especially a baby with such awesome hair as mine." Skull smirked and tugged on a strand of purple to prove his point. "I don't what made Madre decide to keep me, but she did. Pretty much as soon as I was walking, they were teaching me tricks, and I was pretty good at all of them, but my favorite was definitely doing stunts with my bike. No matter the stunt, I always came out of it unscathed, something I later learned was because of my flames. It's how I got the name 'The Immortal Skull', the person hated by death. Everything was going fine, until He came." Hands came up to gently message Skull's tense shoulders, so he sent the other a grateful look as he took a deep breath to calm himself. Even just the thought of Him got his flames all riled up, regardless of the fact that they were on partly friendly grounds at the moment.

"He called himself Checkerface, said he was gathering a group of people to do jobs for him." As soon as the name left his lips, he felt Matteo stiffen, blue eyes wide as horrified realization filled them. Skull trailed his thumb across one cheek, trying to ease away the darkness tainting the clear blue. "I agreed to meet the others, like the idiot that I am. You can probably guess how that went," he said, a wry smile pulling at his lips. "I was a civilian. Worse, I was an active civilian, one who knew nothing about flames at all. They were the best of the best, so of course tension was high with all of us being cramped up in the same house. I was an easy scapegoat. They didn't have to worry about me retaliating since they knew they could handle me even if I tried. Unfortunately for them, I was already a master at pranks, so I got my revenge in other ways. But…" He bit his lip, almost drawing blood if it wasn't for Matteo leaning forward to kiss him. He sighed against the other's lips, then pulled back to press their foreheads together. His next words came out as barely a whisper. "It only got worse after we were cursed. I was never as close to Luce as some of the others, so I wasn't too hung up about her betraying us. I mean, she was a mafia donna for crying out loud. Did they honestly think she was going to tell us the truth? I think they were just torn over being protective because she was pregnant or because she was a Sky, which, again, confused me. I didn't understand the whole importance of finding a Sky, since what little I did know about flames I figured out on my own. No one thought to take the time to explain to the little civilian." He scowled, then his eyes widened as what he said caught up to him. "Not that having a Sky is a bad thing ! I love it, you. I love you. I mean-" He cut himself off to the sound of Matteo's laughter.

"You're rambling, Skull," Matteo said, eyes twinkling with understanding and mirth.

He winced. "Sorry."

Matteo's smiled widened, then he seemed to consider something and looked at him in curiosity. "Have you ever thought of going back to the circus?" he asked hesitantly.

"No," Skull immediately said. "Yes, I've thought about it, but I can't, not anymore. The mafia knows about me now. I can't tell you the number of times people have come up to me because they recognized the pacifier, figuring I'm the weakest so I must be easy to manipulate. I'd just be putting them in danger if I went back." Skull paused as a sudden thought came to him. "But you know, maybe the curse wasn't completely bad."

Matteo's expression immediately darkened as he slowly pulled away to glare down at the sheets. "What do you mean? You would have died if Decimo hadn't found another way."

"I just mean that it let me meet you." At Matteo's blank look, he hurriedly added, "You know, I only met the other's because of it, and I only met Tsuna because of Reborn, and the only reason I'm even allowed here," he gestured to the room around them," is because of knowing Tsuna. If I hadn't been cursed, then I wouldn't have eventually met you."

Matteo continued to stare blankly at him for a few more seconds, making Skull start to squirm, before he snorted. "That has to be one of the cheesiest things I've ever heard in my life."

Skull gave a loud gasp, throwing up a hand to cover his chest. "Only one of the cheesiest. I'm offended."

Matteo laughed and shoved Skull's shoulder hard enough that he flopped over onto his back with a chuckle. A chuckled which abruptly cut off as Matteo climbed on top of him. Blue eyes were staring down at him with something that was decidedly not humor.

Skull gulped when Matteo leaned closer until their bare chests were touching, breath ghosting across Skull's ear as Matteo whispered, "How about I make it up to you, then?"

Seriously, what did he do to deserve this Sky?

Okay, honestly, it wasn't supposed to be this long. More and more ideas just kept coming, so I just rolled with it until it eventually turned into this monstrosity. And it's technically not even finished. There was a couple scenes that I cut out and quite a few that I never even got around to writing. I'll probably just post another chapter, so keep an eye out for that sometime in the future.

I guess this whole just stemmed from my hatred of really short stories where there is just barely enough content to keep you happy, but it would have been so much better if there was just more of it. So, you're welcome, I guess. Even though you probably just wasted hours of your life trying to finish this :)

As for Ventus, I have started on the next chapter, but between school and work I'm not sure when it'll be finished.