Chapter Text
Roman did not expect any visitors today. Lately it had been very quiet in his isolated hallway, and though he knew he was under constant surveillance, he had started to miss the guards who used to watch over him. He guessed they were all reserved for Remus now.
Roman was not much of a threat when he wore his muzzle. He did not resist. He did not try to scream. He was cooperative and easy to experiment on. Like a good puppy. Because he had learned that to resist meant to suffer. But if he behaved well then... it would still hurt. Just less, he supposed. Less than how Remus was hurting, that he was certain of.
So it would be an understatement to say he was scared excited when the doors to his long hallway opened.
He noticed a man coming toward him.
He looked... different. Roman could not quite explain it, but this man did not resemble the other scientists in their white coats. It did not change the fact that he was a scientist in a white coat, so naturally, almost automatically, Roman pressed himself fully against the wall behind him, his eyes wide like an animal caught in the wild.
The scientist sat down slowly, right in front of the containment glass, and looked at Roman.
"Hello there," the man said calmly. "From your alertness, I take it you were not informed about our meeting today?"
Roman did not respond.
"I am sorry. With your brother, the conversation seemed to flow a little easier," he said with what seemed to be a small smile. Roman looked at him with discomfort. He had seen his brother? Was he okay?
"Oh, please, do not worry. I promise he is safe," the man said, then paused as if realizing he had just lied. "Well, as safe as he can be." Roman looked away from him. Maybe he was the same as the rest after all. But then, he had called Remus a ‘he,’ which was unusual.
Or maybe he was just new.
"My name is Logan. Logan Astoria. And I know that your name is Roman Caballero. Were your parents Spanish?" Roman raised an eyebrow as if to ask, ‘why do you care?’
"There is not much information about your past, before the disasters you and your brother caused prior to your capture," Logan said carefully. "You two were only seven when you were brought here. And yet, no one seemed to care enough to ask who you were before... all this." He gestured toward the containment.
"Your brother was not very eager to tell me anything," he continued with a small shrug. "Actually, I did not even manage to ask that question before he became too unstable to speak."
Roman tilted his head with worry.
"I talked to him about the day you two were taken," Logan explained.
Roman felt his body shiver. He had never truly forgiven himself. He did not think he ever could. On that day…as a kid…he wanted to believe so badly that he and Remus would be okay. That they wouldn’t need to run away anymore. That they’ll both be safe-
Logan clasped his hands together loudly, snapping Roman out of his flashback.
Roman’s eyes widened in disbelief.
How rude.
"I did not mean to startle you. But that was probably the most effective way to help you ground yourself," Logan said, writing down a few notes in his notebook. "But it is quite interesting how you and your brother have completely different reactions to me mentioning it. You seem more calm, more…internalised.” he hummed. “Is that purely because it is impossible for you to express emotions through words? Or is that a survival method? Be a good boy and you’ll get a reward of not dying or maybe one needle less during the experimentation?"
Roman did not move. He just stared at the man in the coat. He could not allow himself to be vulnerable with him like that. Logan was taking notes, after all. Probably for documentation, for the other scientists. Would they come for him soon for more experiments? Was Logan only pretending to be kind? To be interested in him as a person?
Most certainly. They all did. Those men always did. He was not seven anymore. He could not afford to be so naive. His belief that people were good was the very reason they were where they were. He turned away, facing the wall.
"I understand," Logan said, standing up slowly, his back aching from sitting on the floor too long. "Well, I believe that is enough for today. Thank you, Roman, for your cooperation." He turned and walked toward the exit.
Roman turned around once again, and kept looking at him until he was completely gone.
Cooperative? Roman thought to himself. He had barely been cooperative at all.