Roman's Orphanage

>Roman stood silently as Cinder mulled over a piece of paper.
>She looked up and grinned, Roman knew it was bad news.
>"I'm sorry, Roman, but we just don't have any extra funds. It looks like you'll have to take a smaller cut again."
>"You've got to be kidding me! I do all this hard work stealing every spec of dust in Vale WHILE keeping those animals in the White Fang in line, and you can't even pay me what I'm worth?"
>"Oh Roman, relax. I'm sure those children won't starve.. Too much."
>Her wicked grin spread across her face as she reached forward to rest her hand on his cheek.
>He slaps her hand away, narrowing his eyes at her
>"How did you..?"
>"Please, Roman. Don't think I'm not watching every move you make."
>He grit his teeth, turning to leave Cinder's private facility and head back to the White Fang.
>Turning his head, he glared back at Cinder just long enough to spit out;
>"Just make sure I keep getting paid."
>".. That's where you found her, didn't you?"
>He stops in his tracks before shaking his head and leaving.
>That was all the answer she needed.
>It was the truth.
>Roman had been secretly providing for one of the many orphanages in Vale for over a decade.
>All the robberies, all the heists, all the accidental killing of a shop owner.
>Sure, he had benefited; designer suits, fancy cigars, custom dust weapon.
>But despite the lavish lifestyle he flaunted, the one thing Roman Torchwick lacked was family.
>Of course, picking up some dame from some high roller casino and putting a ring on it was something any chump could do.
>Besides, he had his girl.
>Emphasis on had.
>When she died, Roman's heart died with her.
>Or so he thought.
>Several years after closing himself off emotionally, a young crime enthusiast found himself in a tough moral dilemma.
>After finishing a heist, Roman had taken cover in an alleyway until the heat was off.
>He was so focused on checking to make sure he wasn't followed, he hadn't noticed the child sneaking up on him.
>When he turned to find himself knee-to-face with her, his heart stopped.
>The poor thing was in rags, and it was hard to guess whether her most recent meal had come before or after her most recent bath.
>Roman bent over and stared into her blue eyes.
>"Well hey there. Are you lost?"
>The tiny girl shook her head.
>"Do you know where your parents are? Do you have parents?"
>Another shake of the head.
>"Do you have a home?"
>And another.
>Roman bit his lip, what could a common criminal like him do for her?
>Suddenly a thought came to him.
>Before his woman had died, they looked into adoption, in fact, the place they looked at was near by.
>He smiled softly, holding his hand out to the girl.
>"Do you wanna go somewhere safe? Somewhere with food, and clothes, and a bath?"
>The girl hesitated, but slowly she put her hand in his.
>Together, they sought out the orphanage.
>Upon arrival, things immediately looked bad.
>The building was in shambles, though still open.
>When they met with the caretaker, she informed him that they'd take her, but they weren't sure they could provide for another mouth to feed.
>Government aid was nonexistent, donations had run dry months ago, and no one was looking to take any of the children off of them.
>They were bleeding out.
>Almost angry that they had managed to pull at his heart, Roman slammed his wallet on the table and gave the shelter enough funds for entire month.
>What he thought was a one-time thing soon began a monthly routine.
>He started pulling off bigger and bigger jobs, keeping just enough to make it look like he was rolling in the dough while in reality, he was giving it to the kids.
>At first, he'd just slap the money in the mailbox at night and be on his way.
>But soon enough, his curiosity got the best of him.
>Who were the snot nosed brats he'd been bankrolling the last few months?
>Did they know that he was the one keeping the roof over their heads and the food in the stomach?
>He started dropping the money off during the day, making sure that the kids got a glimpse of 'ol Uncle Roman.
>But more importantly, he was looking at them.
>Studying, learning, figuring out who these kids were, why they were here.
>One in particular caught his eye early on.
>A tiny little thing, couldn't have been older than 7; hair half brown, half pink with a few streaks of white.
>He swore he saw her eyes change color more than once.
>Over the next few months, he learned each little brat's name, why they were here, what they wanted to do when they grew up, the whole nine yards.
>Except the one with brown and pink hair.
>Try as he might, he could never get the little thing to talk.
>The other kids could hardly stop talking, so this left him confused as ever.
>She was nice and all, always smiling, seemed like the perfect little angel.
>Finally he broke and asked their caretaker.
>"So, what's up with the little silent one over there?"
>"Oh, her? Well, we don't know much about her, to be honest. We're not sure she can even speak. She was just left here, as most of the children were."
>"Can't speak, eh?"
>Over the next few months, Roman did all he could to try and get her to talk.
>But no matter what he did, not a word came out of her mouth.
>He was starting to believe she really couldn't talk.
>Finally, he gave up and threw his hands in the air.
>"That's it kid, I'm throwing in the towel. If you don't want to talk, that's fine, but don't come crying to me when I bring you the wrong ice cream later."
>He swore he saw her eyes change color as she opened her mouth.
>Roman was on the edge of his seat, thinking this was finally it.
>But nothing came out.
>Then how did he know that her favorite flavor was Neapolitan?
>"Did you just..?"
>"..."
>"Ok, ok. You're secret's safe with me."
>As the months passed, Roman's relationship with the girl grew.
>He was almost starting to think of her as his own daughter.
>But he knew he could never expose her to his true life, his life of crime.
>As the two grew older, it was soon approaching the time when the girl was going to have to leave the orphanage.
>It was around the same time that Roman became employed by Cinder.
>As his pay saw a sudden spike, so did the flow of funds into the orphanage.
>But that pay raise would't last.
>The longer Roman worked for Cinder, the less she gave him.
>Soon, he was hardly making enough to give to the orphanage.
>If he didn't find a way to make money fast, they might not have enough to stay open.
>That was when she left.
>The tiny silent girl that he had been watching over for years now.
>With one less mouth to feed, the orphanage could afford to stay open on what Roman could provide them.
>When he heard that she had left, he quickly rushed over there, intent on finding where she went.
>He took a deep breath in front of the door, slowly reaching out to knock.
>"...."
>He turned to find her behind him and the two quickly hugged.
>That was the day she joined him.
>After a quick 'talk,' the pair went back to Cinder's lair.
>When they arrived, they found Cinder, Emerald and Mercury waiting for them.
>"Now Roman, you know I don't want you bringing play things back."
>"She's not a play thing. She's my underling. Cinder Fall, meet Neopolitan."
>The tiny mute curtsied, bowing her head ever so slightly to the elder female.
>The rest, as they say, is history.