Luck O' The Irish

Another night with his partner in crime had been successful. It was business as usual between Aidan and Moriarty; the gruesome twosome picking off another target that had been requested by a paying customer just days before. Normally, Aidan would send a few goons to do the job, but he needed to get rid of the boredom he was going through. And what better way to kill it than do some killing himself? This particular hit had been extra bloody, all for the simple fact that this target was mighty difficult to find. They’d put up a good fight, but weren’t close to a mach for Mori and Aidan. Moriarty had just holstered his weapon when he turned to Aidan with a grin. “Looks like you owe me two grand.” He really did lose that bet in seeing how many bodies they could tally to each kill. Aidan, sadly enough, was just one body short.

Still, he’d been more than happy to accept his fate in losing, even going as far as to offer another grand for the fun of it. Gathering up their belongings was an easy task, even though they barged in with barely nothing to their name. While Moriarty came in guns blazing, Aidan took the more subtle approach; leaving his victims skewed where they once stood. Of course, he had a handgun just in case things went wrong, but Aidan always gotten a better thrill out of hand to hand combat. Battle scars was something he’d shown off conceitedly.

Just when things seemed to have come to an end, a door suddenly creaked open, and came a voice that neither of them expected to hear at all. “Daddy?” A small voice, filled with both fear and somnolence, came from behind the murderous men. The both of them looked down at the small girl with the long blonde hair and sleepy blue eyes, wondering how this particular intel had been missed. Aidan, though bloodied and still staring down at the seven year old, offered her a smile as he knelt down until they were at eye level. “Did the noise wake you up, love?” He questioned.

"Yes…"

"Sorry 'bout that." No he wasn’t. Wanting to tell the girl that he’d killed her father with his bare hands was something he would have done without missing a beat. But there was something in him that prevented him from doing so. He could tell that she was frightened by the way her arms and shoulders help shake the rest of her frail body, and tried to calm herself down from it. Holding his hand out to her, he said, "Why don’t I walk you back to bed, hm?" His smile meant one thing, but his eyes told another chilling tale of what was working in that mind of his. Moriarty could only watch silently as the little girl took the man’s hand eventually, almost in a state of stunned curiosity of what was coming next, if anything at all.

Aidan's clutched her hand supportively as he stood. His eyes flashed over towards Mori’s in the hopes that he would wait for him in this very room. This silent exchange went on for a moment before spoke again. “I’m Aidan…What’s your name?” He asked.

"Melody." The young voice returned.

"Nice to meet you, Melody." Aidan had been so patient with the young girl, for this was probably the first time he had to handle a child so randomly. She’d been unable to grasp this moment the entire time due to her sleepy state, but what was she to do if she couldn’t do anything to bring harm her way? He wouldn’t harm her like he’d done the others, right? One could only hope not…Melody lead the man towards her room, and for a moment, she could see his bloodstained attire underneath the dimmed lights in the hallway. Her expression had suddenly changed into fear, but didn’t do much after that.

"Are you The Boogeyman?"

The question had surely caught Aidan off guard, in which he could only smile at the name given. He liked it. Why would she ask that, he thought to himself. “What makes you ask that?”

"Because Daddy says that he comes for people when they’re being bad." Melody had explained herself while climbing into her bed and wrapped herself in the sheets so snugly. Maybe she was about as tired as she looked. Or maybe she’d been stupid to not realize the fate she'd been placed in. Aidan didn’t give a shit about it either way. "Were you being bad?" He asked curiously. She shook her head. "No…I try my best to be good. Even when Santa is watching me."

”That’s very nice of you…” He had grown tired of this exchange, and could only hope that she didn’t notice him place his sidearm in his lap. “But you go back to sleep, okay? Your Daddy will be home in the morning.”