A Child's grace...

Chapter. 01

The weight of a life - one thing a taker of existence can ever think about, for if he did, how would he do his job?. They must never think of them as people, they must never think of the family and friends left to mourn. To them it is simply a target, a target that must be disposed of, for they have crossed whatever invisible line that was drawn that tells a good Mafioso to stop, and a bad one to step over.

Targets don't have names, or ages, they don't have friends, and they don't have family - those who have a black mark over their heads will be gotten rid of, will be taken out, and should they fail someone else will do what they couldn't, for no one can escape the men in suits that act like gods; passing out death sentences with the same morals their pawns do - to them life is nothing.

People are either useful, or they aren't, the lines dictating that are thin and rare, partly unknown to the victims, but that's the world they lived in, the unspoken rules are to never be crossed, to never be forgotten, because if you did, then one day you'd be here and the next you'd be gone.

Reborn hadn't been any exception to this when he first joined the underworld - he was one of the smarter ones, keeping his head down to the higher ups, while showing just enough potential, though not enough to get him killed, or earning himself any unwanted attention. The teen had worked his way up the ranks from slightly cocky lackey to trusted subordinate, But that was a life time ago - he was no longer the boy he used to be, he had grown up, and had started to see his boss differently.

He had been hesitant, extremely so, to except this job - he had been doubting this famiglia for a while now, and didn't know if he wanted to pass that man's judgement. He was a firm believer on instinct and he had no idea why he was ignoring his - moving with silent speed, though no trace being left on the seemingly clean pavement. Passing lamppost after lamppost as he stuck to the shadows, ducking away from the only light that that was offered on this dark night, his suit bleeding into the blackness as his footsteps were nonexistent, while he reached his destination. A family sized house coming into view.

Ignoring the churning of his stomach he bypassed the fence, quickly walking up the lawn as he made his way to the backdoor, Leon crawling down from his shoulder as he neared. Shirting his partner into a thin long poll, and as soon as it was in his grasp, stuck it into the lock, twisting and turning it while trying to be as quite as possible. Taking the chameleon out as he heard one definite click, soundlessly huffing as Leon turned it's form one last time; a gun, that fitted perfectly into the man's hand.

Turning the metal handle Reborn crept through the door, being met with a darkened kitchen. Rounding the table he tried not to look at the fridge's plastered door; that was full of small 'I love you' notes and to do lists, reminding him further of what he was taking.

Opening another barrier in front of him, he ghosted down the corridor; knowing the outline of the house from his contacts information. Slowing his breathing so he couldn't be heard, he continued on, nearing the sitting room as the faint noise of the television seeped out from under the door, as did the light. Soft hushed voices interwoven, though the hit-man chose this time to become deaf - not wanting to hear the voices of dead men talking.

Giving Leon a light squeeze in warning that it was time, his partner answered by vibrating his shape. Reborn nodded, lowering his fedora as he opened the wooded barrier and stepping into the room, the aroma of coffee and perfume hitting his noise as he walked forward, the fluffy carpet under him wholeheartedly accepting his footsteps as his shoes sunk into the floor.

Going undetected, obsidian orbs narrowed on the sofa that was faced away from him, two heads peeking over the top as one seemed to be leaning on their partner, their eyes probably stuck on the moving pictures in front of them. Pushing any unnecessary thoughts out of his head, the Mafioso lifted his gun tightening his grip one last time before he hocked his finger over the tiger, listening to his heartbeat before he pulled.

A pop cut though the air; the bullet easily hitting it's target as blood started to ooze and spurt out of the top of the head, crimson liquid soon covering Blond stumpy locks. The person beside the corpse tensed, but never got around to voicing their scream as another bullet was shot from it's muzzle - the figure slumping after the process repeated. The bang shattering anything that used to homely about this room, the soft feeling was replaced. Those pleasant smells being overthrown by gunpowder and iron.

Slanted eyes widened, turning on his heels as he heard tiny footsteps on the staircase; he hadn't been told there was anyone else here, he thought it had just been the two. Waiting through bated breath as a boy appeared at the door, stumbling backwards as he saw the strange men, his gaze shifting from the tall figure, to the smoking gun. Fear swimming in chocolate iris' as his shoulders started to tremble. Gritting his teeth and gathering all of his courage, he ran past the man, running barefoot to where he remembered his parents would be, their 'movie night'.

Reborn was stunned, looking over the small boy who was wearing very baggy pyjamas which was covered in Teddy bears, the cuffs on his arms and legs turned up, as the sleeves were obviously to big for him, which was an understatement - he was completely drowned in it. Watching as the kid recoiled upon noticing him, he got sight of large child like eyes, and unruly hair that stretched out in all directions, while his face was frame by brown bangs. To shocked to stop the child when he bypassed and made a beeline for the murder scene.

Cursing his temporary shutdown, Reborn turned, watching with an unreadable expression as the brunet ran to his parents, tears springing to his eyes as he shook them, pleading with them to wake up, blood starting to cover his hands from the interaction.

The hit-man would be having words with his boss; he knew that bastard had known that he wouldn't kill target's with children, and because of that he knew that the information had been withheld from him. Footnoting that for later, he went to the subject at hand, walking into the room with long strides as he made his way to the child "Their dead." he started, his answer being an adamant shake of the head.

"N-no, mummy promised!, she promised that we wouldn't be alone anymore!, that daddy would stay home longer!" the brunet whimpered, sobs wrecking through his small frame as he clung to his parents; their bodies still warm to the touch "They promised!"

The hit-man's jaw clenched; this was why he never wanted to see the victims family - it meant having to look at the results of his handiwork "Their gone." he ground out, his voice staining to keep steady. This was meant to be an easy in and out job, not this, and if he didn't have enough problems the neighbour's could have already called the police by now, he can't stay here much longer.

"But why?" the brunet demanded "Why?, I don't understand!. I don't understand!" he cried, his eyes stinging painfully as he turned to keep them open, not willing to give any kind of opportunity to the man in front of him, knowing instinctively not to let his guard down.

Reborn let out an involuntary sigh; not even he had the answer to that sometimes. Changing Leon back into it's animal form, it climbed up his arm, taking his place on his shoulder, as he felt an emotion he hadn't felt in a very long time; guilt. Avoiding the weight of his chest, he made his way to the soiled sofa, rounding the furniture as he leaned in, pulling the boy away in a soft but demanding hold. The child instantly tensing, struggling against those hands "W-what are you doing?, Let me -"

"Be quite" he hushed, standing the boy be hide him as he leaned in; looking at the woman who had long brown hair, her locks laying over the mans chest and shoulders as they were both holding each other. With one final glance he went about taking off their two wedding rings, and the woman's necklace before handing them back to the brunet, all the while trying to limit the contact he had with the two bodies.

Feeling the metal in his hands made reality hit harder for the nine year-old, who lost all strength in his knees and fell onto the carpet, clutching the jewellery to his chest, the uneven edges of gold digging into his skin.

"Is there anything else you want?" Reborn asked, earning the child's attention, who blinked past the haze that had started to consume him.

Speaking past a dry throat, he swallowed "W-what?" the brunet repeated, who had newly formed tears rolling down his puppy fat cheeks.

The hit-man stopped himself from retorting, he had no right to go off on one; like he was the being put out by this, the boy wasn't at fault, he was "You can't stay here" he informed, "Sorry, kid, but your now a walking target."

The child stilled visibly, unsure of what to say, if he should be saying anything "Will - do-do you want to shot me too?" he asked, something he knew he shouldn't voice; it was like tempting fate - but for some reason he couldn't feel scared, he wasn't scared of it anymore.

Reborn blinked, children really were to honest for their know good "If I wanted you life you would be dead" he replied "And I don't kill brats." he added absentmindedly, he had done a lot of things in his time, and he knew that he was defiantly going to hell, but now that he was strong enough to make his own choices he would be damned if he would play into his boss' hands, not again.

"I-I' am not a brat!" the brunet exclaimed through a coarse tone, his body going numb as he tried to scowl, though the best he could do was pout, though his features softened after a moment "If-if you not gonna kill me, and I can't stay here where-where am I meant to go?" he whimpered, turning to the only thing that made even a little sense in his mind.

The hit-man was getting more and more confused as the conversation went on; the kid asks if he wants to kill him, which proves to the raven head that the nine year-old does understand what death is, and what he had done to his parents, then the brunet tells him off like he was at the playground - and Reborn didn't care what the situation it was every child, heck, nearly every man feared him.

Pulling on a mask of cockiness, that had irritated all who had seen it, grunted "Learn to listen. I told you if you wanted to take anything with you because you'll be leaving with me"

It was the brunet's turn to be puzzled - this really couldn't get any weirder, the man in front of him had nothing to gain from taking him with him - what did he want from him?, no, the child didn't trust the raven head as few as he could throw him, he was dangerous; the kind of men his parents told him to stay away from. Putting his mind to work, he allowed the many sobs and hiccups that came from his mouth as he tried to work out what the other wanted, a new found weight on his shoulders that he hadn't known possible until tonight, as his heart seemed to ache as he looked at the killer "A-are you going to sell me?"

A/C -

You know, I can't even remember what I was doing to think this up, I thought about it a few days ago but haven't been able to write for it since; though I really shouldn't be adding more to my ever growing work load, good grief. So I while I was rewriting the small paragraph I had done on paper I completely redid it, I wanted it darker, you know?, I mean Reborn's a hit-man but I don't think anyone really takes that to seriously...

Well I hope its worth the four hours it took to write; I tried to make it interesting...but I'm worried its boring...but I guess I've done all I can, I'm also concerned that I've made the boy to mature again, gez I suck, but I think when you first find out someone's you care for is gone,...it doesn't sink in, you know?, so I'll be working on that later on *Sigh*.

Oh and fun fact here, this story started with the title 'Sins of the father, sins of the mother ...'

Anyway I don't really have to much else to write, so I'm gonna live it there at that.

I Apologise if there are any mistakes in my spelling/ grammar, or if you find anything I have written offensive.

Thank you to everyone who added 'A Child's grace' to their favorites/ alerts or who took the time to review, you also have my gratitude for reading.

OW