"Terrence, you got another job." Walking into the living room with a letter in hand, Vincent hands it over to the boy, who examines the contents carefully. "Sounds like a tough one. Want to bring Tyron along?"
"It's just two persons, I'll manage." Setting it aside and turning his attention back to the three playing boys, Terrence closes his eyes for a second to enjoy the calmness and friendly environment before opening them again to look up at Vincent. "Say, the three want to learn to fight as well. Haven't you promised them to do so a while ago?"
"Ah, yes..." Being used to just bringing them hunting with daggers instead of giving them any actual training with their possible choice of weapon, Vincent nods to himself. "Yeah, sure. Let's do that today now, shall we?"
"Hey, you three! Get up and ready, today I'll finally teach you guys to fight!" walking over with a grin, Vincent rests his arm on the wall nearby. "Hurry, it's already the afternoon! Go get yourself a weapon and let's get started before the sun sets!"
"Finally!" Hopping onto his feet before pulling Michael and Mark up as well, Frederick hurries over, dragging the two behind them towards the cabinet of weapons.
Following behind and shaking his head in amusement, Terrence decides to just tag along as his twin had once again gone out to train and possibly kill a few bandits on the way. Stopping before the cabinet, Terrence smiles and bends down to his little brother, who has seen the inside of the box many times. "Do you have anything in mind, little bro?"
"I want the thing Papa V let me play with when you guys just started training!" Giving Terrence a smile back in return, Michael walks over once the cabinet's door opens and grabs the many Shuriken from the little bucket on the wall, showing it to Vincent with a smile. "I want this!"
"Ah, I see you decided to stick with this one, huh? Nice choice, Mikey!" Patting him lightly on the head before making way for the other two to choose, Vincent puts on his signature grin. "Choose whatever you want, you two! You can always change later if you didn't get attached as the rest of us did!"
"I want this!" Praying away the rest and digging out two claw-like dangling things, Frederick smiles up at Vincent. "I don't know how this works, but I like it!"
"Ah, the claws. Sure, why not! It functions a little differently from the rest of them, but you'll do fine." Patting Frederick on the head as well, Vincent huffs fondly before turning back towards Mark. "Anything caught your eyes?"
"Umm... excuse me, Mr. V... but how can I can be a weapon?" Pointing at the folded fan leaning against the wall of the cabinet wall, Mark tilts his head lightly in confusion.
"Oh, you'd be surprised!" Laughing lightly as he hands over the fan, Vincent nods happily before gushing the three out of the door. "Time to train!"
"You guys have fun. I'll be heading out." Grabbing his sword and putting it on his back, Terrence gives the four a small smile after kissing Michael on the forehead and lightly patting him on the head. "Be back soon."
"Good luck, Brother!" waving alongside the rest as he heads out, Michael smiles happily before getting dragged out by Frederick, the boy excited to train. "Let's go!"
By the time he arrives at the town, it is already night. With his cape over the sword, which is really only there in case of an emergency, Terrence looks around before finally finding the address that he is looking for. A house standing between many other residences, if the target makes any loud noises, he'll be screwed.
Looking around the house for any opening before eyeing the tree that reaches the second-floor window, Terrence climbs up before carefully landing on the roof. Swinging himself upside down to look inside the glass, Terrence squints his eyes as he sees a figure moving. Found one.
Sticking his dagger into the gap between the windows, and after a few turns and lifts, pushing the window open, Terrence climbs in without making any sound. Quietly walking into the kitchen with a man cursing at something while drinking beer, Terrence manages to make out one sentence before he makes his way behind the man and slits his throat.
"At least this brat listens, unlike the one that left like a little bitch."
... how can people that think like this become parents? Terrence ignores the anger bubbling up inside him since it's no use. The man is already dead. And if he can find the woman, he can go home to his own family.
"Who are you?"
Looking to the side at a horrified woman, Terrence clicks his tongue. He let his guards down for a second too long. Not saying a thing, Terrence charges forward as the woman runs away with a scream. "Somebody! Help me!"
Gritting his teeth before catching her without that much of a fight and stabbing her through the chest, Terrence drops the body with his own body tense. Someone has got to hear that, and his ears hurt so much from just that awful scream alone.
About to flee the house when seeing people starting to wake up from around them, Terrence is half outside the window when he sees a small figure in the back of the room. He isn't aware that there is another living being in this house... but then again, judging by what the man had said, this is probably... their... no, a kid.
Climbing back and quickly making his way towards the figure that quickly hid away, Terrence takes a deep breath, hoping that no one has the keys to the couple's house, and bends down next to the scared-looking boy backing away from him. Giving him a small smile and taking lightly wiping the blood off of his hands, Terrence looks over and keeps his voice low. "Hey."
"H- hi..."
"What's your name?"
"S- Simon... what did you do to Mama and Papa...."
Terrence paused. He really can't just say that he killed them, can he? No, he actually can, and this is exactly what he did. Well, almost. He can bend the truth just a little bit. "Well... somebody told me that your mama and papa are bad people and needed punishment. So, I did my job and gave it to them."
More like someone doesn't like your parents and wants me to get rid of them, but Simon doesn't need to know that...
"Are you Mr. Grim Reaper? Hermano told me that they collect souls with a sharp thing just like you...." Simon asks lightly as he curls himself up against the wall. "Are you here for me too?"
Slightly taken aback yet biting down a small laugh, Terrence shakes his head. "No, I'm not a Grim Reaper, and I'm not here for you, Simon. I won't hurt you, okay? Nobody told me to do so, so I won't."
"O- okay..." Stepping out of the shadow hesitantly, Simon stares up at Terrence with his orange eyes shining in the moonlight. "I- I actually heard from my Hermano that mama and papa are bad people, so I understand...."
"Oh, I see." Smiling lightly and happy that the kid doesn't seem emotionally dependent on the people he just killed while feeling his anger acting up again from the confirmation that they are awful people, Terrence lightly pats Simon on the head. "Where is your Hermano right now? Can you tell me?"
"He ran away... Mama hit him, and he left... he told me to stay safe and that he'll come back for me one day, but...."
"I see..." Terrence signs lightly before opening his arms and lightly gives the small boy a hug when allowed. With more knocking on the door, Terrence lowers his voice into a gentle yet still quiet tone, he asks with a fond smile. "So, Simon. Would you like to stay here and wait for your Hermano? People are coming, they can help you out."
"Are you going?"
"Mhm. I punished your parents. They won't like me."
"C- can I come along..." Asking in a small and trembling voice, as if waiting for Terrence to disagree and yell at him... no, hit him even, Simon lowers his head with his hands held into fists. "I- I'm s-"
"Sure."
"E- eh?"
"Come one, let's go then." Smiling gently before picking Simon up in his arms, Terrence smiles reassuringly before just as the door finally opens downstairs, running and jumping out of the window he came in through to land safely on the ground outside.
Quickly running with a hood over his head and the cape covering Simon, Terrence quietly yet swiftly makes his way out of the town with Simon staring out from under the cape with wide, surprised eyes and a small smile on his face.
After a fair bit of running, as they make their way into the woods and get on their way home, Terrence pulls the hood off and looks down at the small boy he had been carrying, wondering if all that have scared the other as much as it had scared Frederick before to find laughing boy enjoying himself fully, wrapped in his cape.
"Had fun?" laughing along lightly and continuing to walk in the pitch-dark night, Terrence smiles down fondly as Simon nods his head in a happy manner. "Mhm! We were fast! It was fun!"
"Glad you think so!" Lightly patting the boy's head to find out that Simon seems to really enjoy head pats, Terrence bites down a chuckle. And as he carries the young boy in his arms, Terrence notes to himself that Simon might be the youngest boy he has found yet. And with all the scars over the young boy's body, Terrence signs when realizing he might have just found himself another survivor of something horrible.
"Terrence... another one. Really?" Staring at Simon with a raised brow, Vincent crosses his arm with a sign, leaning his head back against the wall. "What is it this time, buddy? Let me guess, the kid of the victims that you couldn't leave behind?"
"Close... he actually wanted to come with me so..." Sweat dropping lightly as he sets Simon down, who quickly hides behind him once more when seeing the curious faces looking at him from hiding behind the wall, Terrence looks up with a small gulp. "Can I not...?"
"I never said that!" waving his hands around and wishing his voice wasn't too harsh earlier, Vincent quickly walks over and bends down to Terrence's level. "I am not mad, alright? I know you are just worried about them and what might happen if you leave them behind. I'm just more worried about if our house can handle this many people, is all...."
"So, he can stay?"
"Of course, he can." Lightly patting him on the head before giving Simon a small smile as well, Vincent straightens up again and rests his hands on his waist. "Now, go wash up and get changed. You are covered in blood!"
"Yes, sir!" nodding before patting Simon and the head and going to do just that, Terrence lightly waves at the three curious boys, mentioning them to go greet the new boy, which they gladly do.
"Hello! I'm Frederick!" holding a hand out to shake before taking the other's hand into his own and shaking it when he is met with no response and only a confused stare, Frederick grins.
"I'm Michael, and that is Mommy Mark!" holding Mark's hand and smiling over brightly, Michael giggles lightly as Mark signs and shakes his head, smiling over at Simon gently. "I'm Mark. You?"
"S- Simon..." with his cheeks lightly dusted pink and mostly staring down at the hand shaking his, Simon murmurs out before squeaking once more once Frederick pulls him into a hug, followed by Michael, who also pulled Mark in as well. "Nice to meet you!"
"Another one?" waking up from their sleep to be met with a new member... or strawberry currently in their living room, Tyron lightly rubs their head as Vincent shakes his head fondly. "Yup, your brother adopted another one."
"Ah..." Signing lightly yet doesn't really have any negative emotions towards the situation itself, Tyron decides to just head back to sleep before remembering something they deem important. "Are you going to teach him how to fight as well, Papa?"
"Oh, good question...." Walking over and bending down next to Simon, Vincent decides to just ask. "Hey, Simon, was it? Can I ask you something?"
"Yes, mister?"
"The name's Vincent, and the one back there is Tyron." Looking back as Tyron gives a small wave over, which is met with a wave of Simon's own, Vincent smiles back lightly. "I'm training everyone to fight with special weapons. Would you like to join?"
"It's really fun! There is a lot of variety as well! You can choose whatever you want!" jumping up and down with his hand still holding Simon's, Frederick smiles brightly, which is met with a timid one as Simon nods lightly up at Vincent. "S- sure then...."
"Let's go choose one for you then."