To Kill a Mockingbird (Roman/Elyss)

These days, Roman was perfectly content to spend his time peacefully, the way any grandfather would want to. He had no true right to be called that, of course, but Abalia seemed to encourage it among the children, and he was perfectly content in that. However, when he received a request for his presence, he wasn't one to waste any time. The children were with their mother, so it was only Roman himself at the gate to the Kyoraku estate, dressed neatly and professionally as he greeted the visitor in question.

"Afternoon."

He wasn't much of a talker, but years alone on the road would do that to anyone. Besides, Roman was many things, but a mind reader wasn't one of them. Whatever was on her mind, he assumed she'd lay it out.

"How familiar."

Roman studied the woman a while longer, hand already on the guns he carried with him. Anything he might have been thinking about this matter was hidden behind the plain, cold expression that he wore.

"Abalia wouldn't be too happy with me. I've killed a lot of people for her sake, so I can't say I'd kill someone she likes."

And yet, Roman didn't turn away, didn't make to leave. His hand didn't even leave the gun at his hip, as if he were ready for her to try something at any moment. He had to imagine there was more to this than some simple suicide request.

It may have displeased Abalia to kill a friend of hers, but Roman would far sooner kill Elyss before he was removed from her life, before he was taken from his place protecting her children. The moment Elyss had moved to attack him, Roman had already drawn his gun, pulling the trigger without a single moment of hesitation. As he did so, the world seemed to shatter, the breaking of glass ringing through the air as golden lines spiderwebbed through the air like cracked pottery from the barrel of his gun.

His eyes had grown cold, but not empty. There was a cutting sharpness to them as he watched his opponent, fully prepared for a continued attack from her. He knew perfectly well that she was taking this entire bout seriously. It wasn't simply from their prior conversation. Roman recognized the eyes of someone fully committed to their aims.

So, he would do the same. If she wished to push him to kill, then he would kill. That was how he had always operated.

"Because if I died, I wouldn't be able to protect Abalia anymore. Protecting her, and her family, is what matters to me more than anything else. I don't like the idea of killing you. But your ideals, the people you love, take precedence over things like morals."

His hand was still on his gun, unwavering as he stared down Elyss. He was a man of conviction, a man who'd given up everything and become a criminal for the sake of the girl he saw as his own daughter. That hadn't changed, and it would never change. To Roman, it simply wasn't worth clinging to thinks like that.

"After a while, you grow numb to it. Not because it's easier, or because it's suddenly 'okay,' but because you know the only other path just isn't an option."

"I hate killing too."

She told him to continue, and he knew that she'd come at him whether or not he agreed. Without any hesitation, Roman once again fired toward Elyss, the golden energy splintering out once again as it seemed to break through the world itself to reach Elyss. This was what she wanted, he had no intention of denying her that. But he was willing to chat, at least.

"When I was a kid, I wanted to be a hero. Save people, all that. I planned to join the fire department right out of school and everything. But that didn't quite work out, so I started traveling, picked up a few things."

He pulled the trigger again, every shot still genuine and filled with the intent to kill.