#bdg roman

Everybody's favorite scar boy has a heart-to-heart with Shauna.

I figure they both have a pretty close sibling relationship which started soon after Shauna joined the gang and began training. Unlike Roman, Shauna managed to gain the rank by besting another Hyena and replacing them. When she starts training the others have already been in training and since she was quite litterally a leg behind the others her confidence would waver fast. The only person she can even slightly rely on is her partner Vanya who is naturally gruff and cold towards the replacement. This insecurity only amplifies as she meets the golden children Roman and Maddox who she doesn't interact with other than seeing them during meals or passing them in the halls. Once or twice she speaks to Maddox during training who has always been a bit loud but kind but Roman is an terrifying looming figure. She sees him in training and the closest thing to interaction is exchanging a word or two or a single glance. He's older than her, he's already tall and isn't done growing, and the only thing you can make out about him is his eyes but the few times she's heard his voice its been dry and quick.

So when she's having a breakdown outside of the sparring room the last person she expects is Amell's one-man army to sit down beside her and ask her what happened. Before she can stop herself it all floods out, she feels like an outcast and she doesn't know what she's doing there. Demetria has told her so many times she is there for a reason but she doesn't know what that is and she's scared. She knows there isn't room for being soft but she isn't sure if its more scary to have to block away that fear or give into it and end up dead. She isn't sure if she's already dead but uncertainty is horrifying.

When she finally stops ranting Roman reaches out emotionally. He has been nothing but a statue at the very top of a pyramid. Carved and made to be inhuman like some sort of greek sculpture. And for the first time, he looks human, he's a young man not just a pair of eyes and a quiet voice. His skin is imperfect with humanity and experience that curves around a mouth that quirks up and down with emotion. She sees Roman as Roman for the first time and when he pulls his mask back up after a few seconds, he stays human in her eyes.