A/N : I've had this in mind for quite some time now…doing a real story on how Vongola came to be and G and Giotto's friendship…(I went back and looked at my other fic 'Vongola' and realised it was terribly sucky, so I decided a new fic was in orderXD) and the latest manga chapters just spoiled it): Well, never mind then. I suppose I'll try to fit the whole Cozart thing into my storyline, and if it's really impossible to do so, well treat my story as AU then. I hope it won't come down to that…that all said, please enjoy!

Disclaimer: Yes yes, I own this fic. And nothing else. Happy?

Vigilantes

Chapter One: The day we met was not of fate

The dying rays of the fiery ball of light leaked over the horizon and painted the whole sky a glorious red and orange. The benign light shone down on the people of the little town. Shop owners were closing for the day, children were rushing out of the school gates, and fathers hurried to go home.

For some, it seemed that they were in no hurry to get home. Young couples strolled leisurely on the streets, holding hands. Shop owners smiled and chatted with each other as they pulled down the shutters, breathing a sigh of relief at the end of a long day. Nothing was out of place. The townsfolk were busying about their usual activities and going about their lives – is that so, really?

Look again.

Where were the loving couples walking on the streets? Where were the shop owners? Where were the people rushing to get home? Where did they all go?

Giotto stood at the entrance to the little town, eyes wide and mouth agape in shock. He stared at the empty streets (which were previously occupied by the townspeople) unblinkingly for several seconds until he concluded he wasn't seeing things.

How in the world… do they move so fast?

Behind him, his father wiped his forehead wearily.

"Oh dear… Signor Martelli did say that the townspeople here were a little wary of outsiders, but I hadn't expect this."

The 8-year-old turned back to stare at his mother at her words, his face filled with confusion.

"I guess we'll just have to make our way in…"

The sandy-haired man sighed as he nudged his still frozen son along and his wife followed closely. As the family of three walked down the street, distrustful eyes watched them from between partially closed doors and gaps between boarded up windows, emanating a hostile atmosphere. It seemed that should the family make any inappropriate actions that should be deemed as suspicious, the townspeople would pounce on them.

Giotto and his parents continued walking uneasily and when they finally reached their new home, the sandy-haired boy let go of his breath that he hadn't known he had been holding.

"Mama, why are the people here so strange?" He couldn't help but ask as his parents busily unpacked their belongings.

His mother sighed briefly and paused to think of how to properly word it to her son.

"The people in this town…" she started slowly, "have met some very bad people from outside. They did a lot of bad things to the people here."

"So after that, the people here don't trust anyone from the outside anymore?" Giotto's eyes were wide in curiosity.

"Something like that." His mother answered absently before turning back to her unpacking.

Left with nothing to do whilst his parents were busy, Giotto looked out of the window and was rather surprised to discover the previously empty streets filled with people again, all going about their own businesses as if nothing has happened.

If the people here wouldn't ever accept us, what would we do?

Giotto was in fact much more mature beyond his years. He thought a lot of things that children of his age never thought about. Perhaps it was him helping out in his parents' work since he could remember. Despite both his parents being doctors, they weren't extremely well-to-do; in fact, they were just getting by.

If it wasn't his parents' almost free treatment to all, it was their generous hand at helping those who were poorer than them. But Giotto never felt any resentment at his parents' over-generosity. Because he could see for himself the grateful looks of their patients, the long string of thanks from the poorer ones, and it touched his little heart. His parents had always told him to help whenever they could because they were better off.

After all, his mother always said, "Kindness begets kindness. You never knew when you would be the one in need. Try putting yourself in their shoes and help as much as you can."

He smiled.

When I grow up, I want to be just like Papa and Mama. I want to make everyone happy.

~X~

A week after they have moved into this strange little town, the people still viewed them with guarded eyes. Even though his parents explained to him the reason behind it, Giotto still didn't quite understand why. This was the first time he was going to school as he was previously home-schooled, and that seemed to further distance him from the rest. The other children of his age didn't want to play with him. He wished that the people here would stop glaring at them. It… it felt uncomfortable.

He smiled as he helped his father set up his clinic for the day. He was reveling in the cheerful bird calls that rang in the refreshing morning air when he saw a group of boys chasing after a red-haired boy around the corner and they happened to be heading his way. There were scratches all over the boy's arms and legs while the pursuers looked pleased, albeit a little red-faced. They were all jeering and telling the boy to stop.

Giotto frowned slightly. It was clear as light what was happening. It was an obvious case of a group of boys who decided to pick on a boy who was smaller in size. This was bullying, wasn't it? His parents had always told him that picking on the weak is the most despicable thing a person can do. As the group of the bullies and the victim drew closer, he could make out that the boy seemed to be around his own age.

Then the maroon-haired boy bumped into him. He wobbled on his feet slightly but did not fall. The boy, however, ended up sprawling on the ground in a most undignified heap. This little collision obviously cost the victim as the bullies caught up. Then, when they were almost on him, Giotto decided (upon a sudden burst of justice) to stand up to what he viewed as outright bullying.

"How can you team up on someone smaller than you?" He mustered enough courage to speak up to the big bullies. Taking the chance, the boy took to his heels and sped off. Whilst making his escapade, he spared a glance in Giotto's direction. For a fleeting moment their eyes met, sandy ones into reddish ones, before the boy turned and fled.

Giotto now faced off the bullies alone as they mocked him to vent off their anger for letting their victim get away.

"I recognize you. You're the little boy from the family who came last week. You damn outsiders who have come to defile our town. We don't welcome you, scram!" They were advancing on Giotto (who suddenly realizing the enormity of the bullies, began to back away in fear) and was about to pounce on him when his father appeared, wondering what took his son so long.

Immediately when they saw the stern adult, they fled. His father walked over to him, a little irritable.

"I thought I told you not to talk to the people; the townspeople don't like us."

Giotto looked at the ground meekly.

"Yes, Papa. I'm sorry."

He gulped slightly at the thunderous expression on his father's face. Looks like he wasn't in a good mood… Well, he'd be careful to stay out of his way then. He took a seat, pondering about the boy he had just met. In that instant that he got a quick glimpse of the other's face, he was shocked to discover a vivid mark that ran across one side of the boy's face.

He took it to be a tattoo immediately because that's what it looked like. His mother had once told him that only people in mafia got tattoos. That all said, he didn't understand what mafia was and according to his mother, it was a group of bad people who killed (which he didn't quite understand either) and… well, did bad things.

Giotto wondered if that boy was in the mafia. He thought that he looked like a normal person, not like bad people that his mother described. Bad, as he understood it, hurt people and –

"-Giotto!"

He jerked out of his thoughts to see his father staring at him impatiently.

"How many times must I call you for breakfast? Quick, your mother's waiting."

If anything, Giotto thought that his father looked even angrier. He swallowed. Oh dear. He quickly scuttled in after his rather annoyed father.

I hope that he doesn't scold me later…

~X~

Later on, Giotto was exceptionally quiet during breakfast, careful not to make his father's anger escalate any further. His mother looked a little puzzled at the silence as Giotto was usually very chatty during mealtimes.

When they all finished the meal, Giotto's mother walked out and saw a woman walk in with a sniffling boy that had a huge gash on his arm. Giotto came out just as his mother set the boy down on a nearby chair. Even as young as he was, he didn't miss the way the woman peered around their clinic distrustfully and the stiff expression on her face.

He watched his mother bandage a boy's arm gently, careful not to cause the boy any more pain than he already felt. He looked from the wincing boy to his mother who stood at the side with a disdainful expression on her face.

When his mother was done, the boy quickly scrambled off the chair and the lady curtly gave her the money and left without turning back. Giotto was taken aback by this cold behavior. For an instant it seemed to him that the lady viewed any contact or interaction with them like disease, ending their businesses quickly and escaping as far as they could. He felt a little hurt at what he saw as clearly rude behavior. He wondered when the townspeople would finally start to like them.

He really hoped that he didn't have to wait long.

~X~

Presently, there was a loud crash and Giotto looked up curiously. The red-haired boy whom he saw earlier dashed out of the provision shop opposite the clinic, a huge loaf of bread in hand and took to the streets. The shop owner, a cranky old lady ran out after him, waving her stick angrily.

"Hey, wait! Stop running! You haven't returned me the money from last time!" She rasped in sharp Italian.

The boy yelled back as he ran, "Next time I will, Signorina!"

The old lady gave an exasperated sigh as she went back to her shop, panting slightly.

"Really, all he knows is to bully an old lady…" she muttered under her breath, though not seeming particularly furious at the loss of a huge loaf of bread (which Giotto presumed hadn't been paid for), more annoyed than actually angry.

Around him his new neighbours shook their heads and Giotto strained to listen to their words.

"That boy … I hear he doesn't have parents, that's why he's like that…"

"Si, si! Someone should take him in hand…"

Giotto turned back into the clinic. He wasn't one who gossiped (or listened to any of those, for the matter).

A/N : There you have it. The first chapter. I'm really so sorry that this was so incredibly boring. I promise that it'll get better and better…really! Don't kill me, please(: Please review and tell me what you think and whether you all actually mind if I didn't fit the whole Cozart thing into my story^^ I'll only continue if I know that people are reading this and want to see more:D Anyway, you will review, right? -gives best puppy eyes- Pwease?

Edit: Thank you, Shizuka Sato, for your valuable inputXD I have corrected the mistakes. (: