The sun was high and scorching in the empty blue sky, a handful of clouds rolling by slowly. It was hot, one of the hottest summer they had in years, in fact. It didn't help even if one was under a shade but it was nothing to Giotto and G as they chatted in a restaurant. Giotto was excited, lips wide as he chattered animatedly and while G wasn't as enthusiastic, he was just as eager as his childhood friend was.

They were both waiting for an friend from a part of the Northern Italy who came down to visit. Each time someone passed through the door, they would perk up to see if it was their friend, but it wasn't each time. Until, they did, that is.

"Sorry! I was caught up at the dock." A red head ducked into the cafe, donned in his usual black cap and a white button down, a jacket and a traveller's bag in hand. Giotto brighten at the sight and stood up, greeting him halfway. "Cozarto! It's been a while!" He pulled the man into a hug, patting him at the back. 

Cozarto laughed and returned the hug with same excitement as G shook his head, Giotto ushering him to sit. "Good to see you again, Cozarto."

"Yes yes! It's very good to see you guys again. How long was it? Two or three years?"

“Two.” G drawled, leaning his cheek against a hand propped up on the table. “Two years since you went for the trip.” Cozarto sounded breathless at that, not believing that it had been two years. “How did it go anyway?”

“Oh it went well, for a part.”

Giotto raised an eyebrow. “For a part?”

“Yes.” Cozarto took off the cap and ran a hand through his hair. “I met up with my family, all of them- extended or not, and found out that-“ He paused and looked around the room before he continued, lowering his voice. He switched into Japanese instead. “That they all have similar flames to mine.” He leaned back slightly as a waiter came to their table and he ordered a cup of coffee.

“Of course, it’s not exactly the same to mine, but you know what I mean. And they are not the flames of skies.”

G and Giotto exchanged a look. Giotto nodded slightly. “So new flames, then.” Cozarto nodded. “In a way.”

“’In a way’?” G piped up.

“I don’t think its new flames. The first flames of skies dated back to the start of civilization, right? That was why people would regards the royal families as Gods or descendants of Gods. I think the flames that ran in my family is no different, because my mother had mentioned offhandedly about seeing my great grandparents doing magical stuffs before.”

“Oh- wow.” Giotto managed out. “We better tell Caelum about this, then.”

Cozarto tilted his head at that. “’Caelum’?”

G sighed. “A new member of ours. He joined two years ago, a month or two after you went on your trip.”

“Yes. He’s currently leading the research on Flames.” Cozarto’s eyes squinted slightly. “I thought Daemon and Alaude are the ones who are leading it?”

“They were, still are actually. Alaude deals with travelling and finding stuffs most of the time, while Daemon deals with people. Caelum pieces everything together.” G huffed as though it pained him to say it, but they knew that he was simply putting up an act. They paused for a moment when Cozarto’s drink came before continuing when the waiter left. “He’s very good at it.” He begrudgingly admitted.

As soon as he finished reading all the books and scrolls they had and managed to control his flames, Daemon had Caelum helping with his research while teaching him tricks he could do with his flames. Alaude, on the other hand, dragged him into undercover missions whenever he could (to gain experience, he said, but it was more like to dominate his time whenever he felt that he and Caelum didn't have much time together). He had taught him self-defences as well.

It was a feat to witness the three of them working together. Well, rarely Daemon and Alaude, but yeah.

“Wow.” Cozarto laughed. “I’m looking forward to meet him now.”

“Oh you’ll like him.” G scoffed, taking a sip on his drink.

“Anyway, why did you say ‘for a part’?”

Cozarto pursed his lips slightly. “Well, I had to reign in my family to make sure none of them spoke of the flames to anyone outside the family. Also because of a box of lost heirlooms that probably has connection with the flames.”

“What?!”

He sighed heavily. “It was from my ancestors, or so I’ve heard. No one know what it was since none could open the box. And somehow, my grandfather decided to sell it sometime years back.”

“So what are you going to do?”

Cozarto shrugged, drinking his coffee. “That’s a very good question.” He leaned back against the back rest, sighing deeply. “I’ve been searching for leads, but nothing so far other than knowing that whoever they sell it to are Italians.”

“Do you need our help?”

He shook his head. “No, thank you. It’s alright. It can wait, actually.” He smiled. “I’m sure you’re pretty busy dealing with the government, aren’t you?”

G choked and laughed while Giotto grimaced at that. “Don’t- just, don’t.”

Cozarto raised an eyebrow, amused. “Why?” Giotto rubbed his temple. “They are…. Insatiable.” Cozarto blinked in confusion as they sat in silence, letting what Giotto had just said sink. It took two full minutes before it finally clicked and Cozarto burst out laughing.

“Oh my god, Giotto!” The blonde covered his face with his hands and groaned into it. “Stop.” He said weakly.

“You- you seduced them! I didn’t know what I was expecting but this- oh god-“ Cozarto slapped his leg, wheezing.

“Cozarto!! I did not seduce them! T-they-“

“Well, although they were the one who dropped hints of wanting to bed you, you did seduced them, Gio.”

“You’re not helping, G!”

-------------------------------------------

Caelum twitched at the words he was writing, his hand slightly smudged with ink. It wasn’t making any sense. Well of course it wasn’t. It was a strange combination of English, Italian and French.

Caelum sighed and closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He placed away the ink and pen away properly before closing the book. Why did he even think of starting a journal in the first place? He was regretting it.

Not to mention he still haven’t finish the research on the side effect of the usage of too much flames at one go.

“I need a break.” He mumbled. He really do need one. He had been at it since way before the break of dawn, having to start writing and researching at the same time as he couldn’t sleep. Two nights. Two consecutive sleepless nights.

“Shut up, brain.” He huffed. Too many thoughts running in his mind, piecing nonsensical things together for no particular reason. Like, why was he even thinking of hypothetical things like what if he pumps flames into a gun or whatsoever.

….

Actually, that was a good idea. He noted it down mentally to find an opportunity to test it.

But for now, he need a breather.

He sighed and pushed himself up, heading out of the room, only to have a maid stumbling back slightly, hands raised to knock the door. Caelum blinked and quickly apologized. “I’m so sorry, are you alright?”

“Y-yes.” The maid stuttered slightly, reeling herself back. “Master Giotto is calling for you.”

Caelum raised an eyebrow. Usual of Giotto to ask a maid to find him instead of coming himself. ‘Oh, right. He mentioned that about guest, didn’t he?’ He scratched the back of his neck. “His office?” The maid nodded. “Okay, thank you.” She smiled and bowed at him slightly before leaving.

Caelum rubbed the back of his neck as he breathed out through his nose. He closed the door behind him and headed down the hall to Giotto’s office. He paused when he was about to knock the door, raising an eyebrow.

Their guest has quite a peculiar flame. He didn’t know what it was, but it felt.. Nice? Well at least he wouldn’t have to worry about them, whoever they are.

He shook his head and knocked the wooden door before turning the knob. “You called?” He asked as he blinked, surprised to see Giotto and a red-haired man, not G, drinking by the couch.

“Ah, Caelum! Come, come!” He let the door swing shut itself and moved closer, the red-haired standing as Giotto introduced them. “Caelum, this is Cozarto. Cozarto, this is Caelum.”

Something sparkled in his maroon eyes, as they shook their hands firmly. “So you’re the Caelum that I’ve been hearing. Nice to meet you, I’m Cozarto, Shimon.”

“Likewise, signore Shimon. I’m Caelum.” If they noticed that he didn’t mention his last name, no one mentioned about it. Cozarto waved his hand, laughing as they ushered him to sit on the couch beside Giotto. “Oh just call me Cozarto. I’ve a feeling that I’ll be seeing you quite a lot after all.”

‘You don’t say..’ Caelum nodded nonetheless.

“Cozarto is the one who gave me the idea of starting this organization.”

“My goodness, Giotto! You still haven’t pick a name? I thought you did, from what you implied in the previous letter!”

Giotto flushed, laughing sheepishly. “I’ve some ideas, but I haven’t exactly decided which yet.”

Cozarto faked a heavy sigh before he turned to Caelum. “This guy here is really bad with names, you know? I remembered that he wanted to name my dog after a gun.”

“Hey, Gunhead is a great name!”

“How is Gunhead a good name?”

“It is!” Caelum couldn’t help but laughed at their interaction, completely relaxed onto the couch. (He would definitely get along with Cozarto just as well as with Giotto alright.) The two friends exchanged a look at that before they both laughed as well. Cozarto shook his head, smiling. "I really miss this." Giotto nodded, sharing the same sentiment easily. The two of them had met years back, having to leave some money for the poor Paolo secretly together, only to have Giotto returning it to him. They both had similar sense of justice, which was why they got along so well. 

Before Giotto's organization started, it was only Giotto, G and Cozarto, all three fighting for the villagers' justice and place, for peace. 

Caelum could feel that he had missed something, but he felt that he was intruding a personal session between them as well. He tried to make himself invisible, which he probably could but he hadn't exactly succeed, but they still remembered that he was there. He listened as they continued to talk about things that few over his head until he couldn't help it but blurted out, "Sorry but what kind of flames do you have?"

Both Giotto and Cozarto paused and gave him a look, Giotto leaning more towards amused rather than surprised. Like he had somehow expected Caelum to ask that question. Caelum wondered if the two of them have some sort of telepathy because Cozarto merely has to take one look at Giotto and realization flitted in his eyes.

“Sure.” Cozarto chirped cheerily and shifted slightly, closing his eyes. Caelum was taken aback slightly at the sudden change because why didn’t the man just tell him, why would he need to show him- oh. Oh.

Caelum’s breath hitched when he felt the air shift, slightly heavier, the ozone he constantly feels around Giotto becoming denser, but none of it felt uncomfortable. He watched with wide eyes as red orbs met his, glowing, compass gravitating all his attention towards the redhead. He could feel himself gaping slightly, but he couldn’t stop himself, neither could he take his eyes off the man.

He felt as thought everything around him was, more concrete, there. That everything was pulled in by Cozarto, that everything else was nothing compare to the Gravity in his eyes.

Then, Cozarto blinked. Caelum snapped out of his trance almost instantly, everything returning to normal (Normal? Nothing is normal here.) He breathed in deeply, not realizing that he wasn’t exactly breathing and slumped back onto the sofa. When did he move further in front? He didn’t know.

“.. Wow.” Giotto laughed from his stomach, clearly in glee but Caelum didn’t know why. Nothing made sense for a moment. Cozarto gave the blond an exasperated look as he shook his head, a smile still present on his face.

“.. What just happened?”

“Nothing happened.” Cozarto said truthfully. “You were just being pulled in by my flames.” Caelum's nose scrunched up at that before he shook his head, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he squeezed his eyes shut. Then he snapped them open. "Oh- Oh." He looked up, metallic blue eyes shining. "You are the- the unknown flame's bearer." 

This time, Cozarto was surprised. "What?" He gave Giotto a stink eye immediately. "You guys wrote down about it?" Giotto coughed and raised both of his hands, a huge grin still present on his lips. "Not me, G suggested it."

"You allowed it." The smile just stretched wider as the blond didn't deny. Before Cozarto could even say anything else to his friend, the ginger snatched his attention.

"Have you named it?" 

Cozarto hummed, shaking his head. "My family members have similar flames to mine, but different as well like the Flames of Sky, which none is named yet. Although," He looked at Giotto. "Giotto and I decided to call it Flames of the Earth." 

Caelum nodded, mouthing the name. "Flames of the Earth. It suits it." 'Similar, yet different from the Flames of the Sky.' He liked it. Intrigued, he continued to ask Cozarto about the rest of the Flames of Earth, very much interested in it given by how he sat in such an alert manner.

Giotto watched by the side, happy to see Caelum's guard dropping little by little for Cozarto. The red head is a great man, trustworthy, even. Caelum had this short of unconscious habit where he puts up an invisible wall towards unfamiliar person, saying lesser and lesser, getting quieter than he was before. It was probably from when he was younger and although it was a good self-defence of sort, Giotto wished to see him more open and less conservative. 

He wanted him to open up to people other than their tightly knitted circle. Perhaps, one day, Caelum would have someone else to trust should they all no longer fits the category. (He knew, knows, that that wouldn't happen, but he couldn't help but fear for Caelum. For them all.) Besides, it was a good sign if Caelum opened up easily to someone. It usually meant that the person is trustworthy. Caelum had that sort of instinct in him that was similar yet different from Giotto's. (Weaker, however.)

He smiled (He prayed), for these peaceful days to continue to the end of the day (for the bond between all of them never breaks).

Giotto, amused, gave him an affirmative, to which Caelum couldn't make sense of. For the pass two years, whenever there was an invite to any sort of ball or party, Giotto wouldn't tell him to go, ask he would, but never tell. He never went, always rejected it as being in a room with strangers never really appealed him. (At least, during Eleanor's wedding, he had somewhat known those who had went.) However, as of that moment, Giotto was telling him to go.

"Why?"

Giotto pursed his lips, eyes glazing slightly. It was either someone told him to, or a sign that it was his intuition that was acting up. Something was probably going to happen if that was the case, and Caelum needed to be there for whatever reason that is. Caelum sighed, resigned. He knew by now that it was better to go with the flow than against it, knew better than defying Giotto's crazily accurate intuition.

"Alright." He ruffled his hair, messy at it already is. Cozarto, who was drinking the vodka at the side tipped it over and swallowed all in one shot. That didn't reassure Caelum if that was the reaction Cozarto would give on the topic of the ball.

"Don't worry. It should be tame, this one. Since the Giglio Nero is the host." 

Alaude took one look at how stiff Caelum was with his crooked tie and shook his head. "What are you doing?" He asked as he reached over and loosen the tie, tying it again for the younger man. Caelum jerked at that and laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. He was regretting slightly on agreeing, but there was nothing he could do. The last time he didn't believe in how accurate Giotto's intuition was was also the time he almost died. 

And apparently, Alaude wasn't happy that Caelum had to participate, more so he himself actually, but he knew better as well. Caelum had never seen Alaude been angry yet silent about something. "Have you been to these kind of events before?"

"Unfortunately." The ginger couldn't help but chuckle as Alaude swiftly pulled at the tie, letting it stay snug under the collar yet loose enough for him to feel comfortable. "Thanks." It was perfect, the tie. "Is it fun?"

"Define fun." Alaude grumbled and crossed his arms, leaning back and gazing sideways into the forest. "It was irritating." He twitched at the memory. There were too many stuck-up rich people, too many who thought that they are anyhow stronger than any of them, than him. It annoyed him to no end, but it was always satisfying when he- all of them- proved them wrong. 

"... You scare them away, don't you?"

He merely flashed him a smirk, to which Caelum sighed in exasperation. "Well, since everyone avoids you, I guess I'll have to stick to you then. Or else you will be lonely." He teased, which earned him a bonk in the head. "Hey!"

Alaude rolled his eyes, amused, nonetheless. "I wouldn't be surprise. You are very awkward alone after all." Caelum pouted at him. He didn't rebut as it was the truth. Not that he wanted to, when they had already reached the destination where the rest were waiting for them. Alaude had decided to drag Caelum away last minute and delayed their time til the point where Giotto and the others had to leave first, leaving the small carriage for them both. (Honestly, Caelum didn't know why. They didn't even do anything but walked one whole round through the mansion before leaving.)

"There you are!" 

He perked up at that, seeing Knuckle by the door. He was alone, the rest of the guardians probably in the mansion already. Knuckle huffed in exasperation as they got out of the carriage. Caelum laughed sheepishly, not knowing how to explain. It wasn't as though he needed to anyway. Knuckle had long know that there was no point in trying to force a reason out from Alaude. Not like Alaude was even going to answer.

The ginger patted Knuckle on the back lightly, changing his focus. "Shall we head in? We are already late." Knuckle turned to the younger man and huffed, nodding. "Yes. It's best not to stall this anymore to the ultimate." He paused, frowning slightly. "... You have to be introduced to the Donna of Giglio Nero." He didn't like that idea at all, but it was what they need to do. The Giglio Nero Donna had hinted it when they greeted her. Giotto wasn't opposing, however. 

Caelum blinked. "Why?"

"I've no idea to the ultimate. Let's go." Caelum hesitated for a moment. He knew that the ball they were participating weren't hosted by some mere group of businessmen and women, no. Mafia. While he had a vague idea of why Giotto would make himself- and the whole group- known to the underground world, it didn't mean that he liked it. (A warning to them all, apparently, that should any of them touch those who he protects, there would be heavy consequences.)

He followed after the priest, taking a deep breath, only for it to be blown away. Everything was beautiful, from the marble tiles to the internal architecture to the chandeliars handing from the high ceiling. It wasn't as though he had never seen such amazing places but it never fail to astonish him each time. Not to mention that every place he went had their own charm.

"Good evening, signores."

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A/N= Eyyyyyyy it's been such a long time. I'm finally free from writer's block AND college. It was... One hell of a semester orz.

*squints at chapter* I hate this chapter. I'm going to post it out of spite. I just keep noticing plot holes *whine* It's going to be a mess if I were to go and correct it. ==ll

Anyways, I might be updating frequently now. Since its holidays now, and I'm actually doing nanowrimo! Day 6 and I'm 3k behind. I'm dying.

I'm actually writing the next chapter as of the moment so it might be out soon :3c

Anyways, hope you guys enjoy and have a good day!

[I apologize for any grammar, spelling, etc. etc. mistakes]