The days after mother was murdered were quiet. They were spent wandering the streets and getting food and water wherever they could be found. Renato made it by easily enough–he had the smarts to be able to do so–but life on the streets quickly wore him down. It didn't help that he had to keep running from the men that had killed his mother.
(Flowers. Why were there flowers? They bloomed, tiny red blossoms that spread outwards from his mother–so beautiful. Why was she crying? There was a hole in her chest, where had her heart gone?)
They were persistent, Renato would give them that much. They seemed to be able to find him just about every other day. It forced him to be on constant watch and to never sleep in the same place twice.
(Something cold was pressed to the back of his head. "What do you think you're doing, kid?")
It was inevitable that they would corner him eventually. They did so, nearly three months after their first encounter at the site of his mother's murder.
(His back was pressed against brick and he couldn't move and he was trapped and he was going to die he didn't want to die someone please help he didn't want it to end here)
Renato supposed that he should count himself lucky that Feliciano showed up when he did, that he took down the mafia goons with a couple quick shots. He should count himself even luckier that Feliciano took notice of Renato, that he saw potential there were everyone else saw nothing more than a street rat.
("Well, well, well… Who're you? You're the brat that has the Silencia Famagilia so up in arms? The one that got away? Hm… You're not half bad for a brat.")
That was how Renato got picked up by a hitman. That was how he got started on the same path. That was how Renato started to learn how to kill.
But Renato had to draw the line somewhere.
(Mother surrounded by flowers–red red red–where has your heart gone, sweet mother? Why is there a hole in your chest?)
…
Feliciano held a gun out in front of Renato. "It's about time I taught you to shoot. Your knife work is coming along alright and you've completed the other work I've given you just fine. Take the gun."
Renato looked at the gun and scowled, onyx eyes smoldering as he stared at it. "No," he said, conviction in his voice, "I refuse."
Feliciano raised a brow and snorted. "Really now, boy? You've come this far and you're not going to learn how to shoot? You can't be a hitman without knowing how to shoot."
"I can," Renato said stubbornly, "And I will. Just watch me."
Feliciano stared at him for a moment. Then he placed the gun down on the table and started to walk towards the door, "Fine, fine. If you want to get yourself killed, then do so. We'll keep working on your knife play then. You'll come to your senses eventually."
…Only he didn't. One month passed, and still Renato refused to learn how to shoot. Two months and nothing. Three months and Feliciano started getting frustrated.
"Why won't you shoot? Huh, boy? I've picked you up off the streets and you're going to go off and get yourself killed, you ungrateful thing! Shoot already!"
"No! Never!"
Renato was nothing if not stubborn.
(Sweet mother, why did you lie? Why did you tell me that you would never die? Sweet mother, I can't breathe. Red flowers are blooming and their scent is killing me. Sweet mother, tell me, where did your heart go?)
Feliciano growled and set the gun down on the table. He stormed out of the apartment they were staying at and left Renato alone. Renato merely huffed and picked up a book to read while Feliciano was gone. He would calm down after a while and come back. Then they would work on something other than guns.
Renato hated guns.
(Sweet mother, sweet mother, where did you go?)
Renato leaned back in his chair when he heart the door open and didn't bother looking up. Feliciano was the only person it could be, so why bother? He had probably stopped fuming and finally decided to return home.
"Welcome back."
"Would ya look at that? Looks like old Feli has a kid! Do ya reckon he's an apprentice?"
….That was not Feliciano.
Things happened quickly after that. There were shots fired. Renato moved from his chair and ducked for cover. He downed one of the men with a knife. The other disarmed him in retaliation.
They wrenched his arms behind his back and held him so he couldn't move. They put a gun to his head and oh god, they were going to kill him weren't they? Renato didn't want to die. He still had so much he wanted to do. He was going to be a hitman, wasn't he? He was going to be the best in the world. He couldn't die here, he couldn't.
There was a gun on the table. The handgun that Feliciano always tried to get Renato to take.
(There is a hole in your chest and red flowers are blooming)
He got free and lunged.
(They grow from the floor beneath you)
They shot at him and hit him in his side.
(They're beautiful, did you know that? So beautiful)
He reached and picked the gun up.
(They're red like roses are supposed to be)
He turned and aimed.
(Sweet mother, they're going to kill me)
His side was killing him.
(Mother, please, mother)
He fired the gun.
(Forgive me)
…
Feliciano returned to the sight of Renato kneeling in a pool of blood with two bodies around him. One of them had their throat slit and the other had an entire magazine's worth of bullets in their chest.
He said nothing as he took the empty gun from Renato's hands. He said nothing as he helped Renato stand and took him to get him cleaned. He said nothing.
Renato was the one who said something.
"Feliciano? Can you teach me to shoot?"
AN: This was inspired by a post on tumblr. Katekyohrscenarios was doing a questionnaire thing and one of the questions, question #17, was to give a random fact about themselves. Reborn's fact was that he hated guns when he was younger because someone he cared for was killed with one. That response spawned this one shot. So, enjoy? Leave a review maybe? Feliciano is a total badass hitman teacher btw.