“Is that such a bad thing?” 

A frown settled over the cloud’s features, eyes dulling at the mere thought of the lighting guardian who so often slacked off on every duty given to him. “He acts like a spoiled child.” Constantly ignoring orders and never turning in proper paperwork on time--if he ever turned it in at all. The lightning guardian set off every little alarm when it came to Alaudi’s nerves and patience. Even now, just the thought of the younger male had the skylarks hands clenched so tight his knuckles were beginning to turn white. With a sigh he eased his hands and settled them back into his lap, eyes quickly shutting as a way of calming his own self-inflicted irritation by listening to the rustling of the wind as it blew through the trees and garden flowers surrounding them.

“He could do with a little more fear in his life.” And Alaudi was more than willing to be the one to inflict it. 

Not wanting to put himself in an even more foul mood, the platinum blonde quickly dropped thought of any and all of the other guardians living within the vongola estate, turning so that he could look at Elena. He didn’t want to sour her mood as well now that they were finally getting some peace and quite together. 

He knew that the blonde cared for each of them deeply and in different ways. No matter what he said regarding her health, if there was something Elena felt was within her power to help with, she would. Even if the task pushed her above and beyond her own limits, she continued to persevere. 

Elena’s words were touching as the cloud guardian listened to her speak, watching just how strongly her emotions shined through with such an unyielding azure gaze. She was stunning really, like the ocean brimming with energy moments before a storm. Everything about her flowed on and carried into the next, and he knew she meant every bit of what she promised.

“I know you would, ma chérie. That is why I will never allow it to come to that.” 

He would gladly risk his own life one thousand times over before ever seeing Elena put in harms way. 

“Desires and ambitions are only as strong as the willpower you put behind them. Without that they are nothing more than a hindrance. A lie--if you will. More to yourself than anyone else.” Perhaps it was a somber way of looking at things, but Alaudi wholeheartedly believed in it. A person was only as strong as their accomplishments in life.

Sure, that might be saying something for the Cavallone don before him, but the skylark would just feign ignorance. He do so best when it came to the other. 

“Last I remember, you stumbled into it. Like a fool.” Icy hues glanced to the side to take in the older male’s visage as he spoke, lips pulling up into a hint of a smirk. 

“Quite literally, in fact” 

“Hn. A man blinded by too many dreams is a dangerous one.” Dreams were thin, like air, and less predictable than the wind. To dream meant to lose caution, and that spelt death for someone in this line of work. Perhaps that was why Alaudi rarely got along with the mafia don. They were like oil and water--two substances that could never mix no matter how hard you tried to stir them together.

“You can endeavor, yes, but nothing will come of it. I can already assure you of that.”

“Make no mistake, Cheval, I’m not doing this out of personal interest.” To consider it a lucky day would be foolish, but then again the man standing before him often was in the skylark’s eyes. Alaudi just so happened to have some business with Lorenzo as well, so perhaps it was the universes way of helping him kill two birds with one stone. 

Grabbing one of the documents off of his desk, the alouete turned and followed the don out, locking up his office while silently muttering under his breath.

“Nothing could sweeten this.”

Alaudi watched as Elena’s eyes came alight with what he could only assume was such pure and fond affection for his response, enjoying the way his words helped to add a bit of color to the blonde’s cheeks. She would always hold a dear place in the skylark’s heart, even if he didn’t show it at times. This was more due to wanting to keep the other safe from harm than anything else. Some people were better off not knowing that Alaudi had a weakness in the shape of a beautiful flower. 

“You spoil them far too much.” He frowned a little as he spoke, hands moving to rest in his lap as his attention turned back to the sky. 

He knew trying to keep Elena from fretting over each one of the guardians was a task fit for a mad man, and she was as stubborn as a bull whenever Alaudi spoke about it privately. The cloud guardian just didn’t feel as if she had to risk her own health to take care of grown men who clearly had the capabilities to watch after themselves. Even so, he knew it was all simply due to her kindhearted nature, and trying to change that was impossible.

“...and you spoil me as well.” A sigh fell from parted lips as the skylark let his eyes slip shut, taking in just how warm Elena’s own body was as she pressed further against his side. Proof that she was alive and well. Proof that he was still doing his job correctly.

Being able to sit here with nothing but the wind, trees and sunlight to disturb them was more than Alaudi could ever ask for. It meant she was healthy and safe, and those two things were all he could really ever hope for when it came to Elena--or any of the guardians, really--even if Alaudi was hellbent on never letting such a fact be known. 

“Knowing that you are happy is more than enough for me. To ask for anything more would be greedy.”

Alaudi could only chuckle at the bold words presented before him, noting just how cheeky Elena was starting to become with him. It was encouraging to see that she was comfortable enough when alone with him to let her true self shine. Most others not within the tight circle of the inner famiglia found the skylark far too intimidating to even approach—and rightfully so, given the cloud guardian’s reputation.

“You are making it rather hard, are you not?” A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he spoke, easily able to see through the hidden messages within Elena’s question. No simple or obvious response would appease the curiosity within the blonde resting against his side until a true and clearly thought through answer was given.

“Hm. I suppose if complete and utter silence will not suffice….” He spoke much softer now, head tilted back against the bark of the cork oak tree branched out in all directions above them, providing them both with an adequate amount of shade.

“…perhaps a day without worries.” Icy hues turned to take in the visage of the woman beside him as a hand absentmindedly moved to tuck a stray hair back behind Elena’s ear and out of her face. “Not for myself, of course--” That would be ‘improbable’ as well, after all. “—but for you.”

That would definitely suffice as a ‘perfect’ day for the cloud guardian. One in which Elena was not constantly burdened with the welfare of the entire vongola family. It was stressful, and Alaudi knew without a doubt it was the obvious cause for why she fell ill from time to time.

She was as delicate as a flower yet as strong and stubborn as a thorn bush, but even those thorns would not make her invincible.