cloudy with a Chance of freedom

chapter 23

Fon was worried, and even Verde was showing open concern. And if the mad scientist of a Lightning was picking up that something was wrong with Skull, then there was definitely something off.

It wasn't until he was much closer to the Cloud that he realized what was going on.

Skull was desperately trying not to sleep, and it was starting to affect him.

Fon came up with a simple, if effective plan to find out what was going on. Out of all the Arcobaleno, Skull had always been the best at hiding his real self from others.

The martial artist distinctly remembered one painful morning when he walked in on Skull attempting to bandage what were clearly broken ribs unsuccessfully. He had kept protesting he was fine right up until Fon had literally carried him and dumped him on the floor in front of Reborn before making sure the arrogant hit man knew of his condition. Considering Skull had trouble breathing until that point, there was no way he could keep hiding how much pain he was in with any real success.

Reborn had humored Fon, with everyone watching impassively the entire time thinking Fon was overreacting...right up until Skull abruptly passed out when even a fraction of the pain was alleviated from his body. The flat, shocked look on Reborn's face had said volumes as they quickly divested the stubborn Cloud of his usual outfit...only to stare in horrified silence at the sheer number of scar tissue all over his body.

The broken ribs were the least of the damage on Skull.

Fon hid a frown. Reborn had spent the better part of a week and they had put Skull in a medically induced coma. It had taken Verde a full day to figure out what exactly Skull had in his blood that ate up the drugs that kept him out cold. Viper nearly had an apoplectic fit finding out he had enough basilisk venom in his blood to kill fifty grown men, as well as just enough phoenix tears to keep him alive.

None of the Arcobaleno dared to call Skull weak ever again after realizing the extent of his will to live. A lesser man would have curled up and died long ago, but Skull had survived and came out swinging out of pure stubborn will.

Reborn had been far gentler when 'disciplining' the so-called Lackey of the group, and not even Colonello gave Skull as much flack after that day.

Which was why Fon loaded himself up with as much high-proof alcohol as he could get his hands on, waited for their weekly sparring session over the weekend and after quickly putting Skull to the ground three times (the minimum requirement they had agreed on for the session to end) produced the booze.

Skull took one look at it and laughed bitterly.

"I was that obvious, huh?"

"You forget, we saw the scars left behind a long time ago," said Fon calmly. There was no judgment, no sympathy, and most of all zero lack of pity.

Skull took the bottle being offered, before downing most of it in short order. It took three more before he started talking, and once he began he couldn't stop.

Fon was a quiet observer, letting Skull vent whatever it was that had been bothering him to the point of nightmares and a distinct desire not to sleep just to escape them.

Of course the memories of what happened the first time would catch up to him at the worst possible moment. Fon should have guessed Skull had been holding back the memories of the war and the hell he went through as "Harry Potter" for so long that it started to rebel.

The fool was far too good at suppressing his Cloud instincts to the point they snapped violently when pushed too far.

Fon let his friend (and soon to be brother) get it all out, rubbing his back and letting the Cloud lean on him.