"Somewhere between happy, and total fucking wreck,

Feet sometime on solid ground, sometimes at the edge,

To spend your waking moments, simply killing time,

Is to give up on your hopes and dreams to give up on your..."

Chapter 1: Prologue

"Roman!"

"Yes, Cinder? hahaha"

The orange hair man smiled at the dark haired woman.

Looks like it's going to be one of those days... Said behind the smile.

"I need you to stay after we get done closing down." As Cinder begun talking, Roman started to get... pre-occupied... "I know that you hate staying late but your the only worker at this moment. If you keep it up I might even give you a rais..." She realized that Roman was staring at a couple of ladies that passed by. "ROMAN!"

"Hahaha, sorry just checking out the menu, if you know what I mean." Cinder usually has a calm neutral expression but, had an idea. "Soooo, did I heard something about a raise?"

"Actually..." Cinder smirked. "I was going to, if you could pay attention to what I say and repeat it back to me to earn a raise, easy."

"Okay? Sounds easy enough, what you have to say?"

"I guess you wasn't paying attention, because I already said what I had to say." Roman looked speechless as Cinder started to turn around and walk away. "Well sense you don't know I guess I'll-"

"Wait!" Roman said grabbing Cinder's attention. Shit, what was it? He thought while, Cinder waited impatiently. "You said that..." Roman wasn't sure so he guessed. "A Handsome man like myself deserves a raise..." Cinder looked amused. "Was I close?"

"Not even close." Roman rub the back of his neck and laughed awkwardly as she walked away. "Oh Roman?" He turn his head to let her know he was listening. "Sense business is slow, you'll probably not get paid for overtime."

Great. He thought to himself. "Sounds like fun." Said sarcastically even Cinder heard the sarcasm in his voice but let it slide. Going to be ANOTHER long night...

Later that Night...

It's a late Friday night, Roman just left work then went to store. Honestly, he wanted to get home to his apartment and get some sleep. He lived on the shady side of Vale. Hearing gunshots, people arguing, robberies, and homeless people was normal to him. It's not that he hated it nor enjoyed it, he just grew accustomed to his environment. Wearing a long white coat and black bowler hat also walking with his cane. Sometimes draw attention to himself.

"Yo TorchShit!" One of three mean yelled.

Aw the kids must be out... again. Roman heavily signed. "Isn't it pass your bedtime?" The three men that are in front of him looked pissed off. "3 on 1? That's little much, don't you think?"

"Just shut the fuck up and give us your shit." One of the other guys talked this time.

"My shit?" Said teasingly. "I don't really feel like shitting right now but if you come by tomorrow..."

"One more strike you, ginger bitch."

Roman chuckled a little. "Well I don't see a 'female ginger dog' around here..."

One man recklessly charged at Roman with a knife. Easily, he dodge the attack and smacked the knife out of the man's hand with his cane. "Honestly." he mumbled to himself. Roman used his cane to hit the man's shoulder and dislocate his right shoulder.

The man groaned loud in pain. "Damn it." One of the man partners said furiously. They were going to rush Roman but something stopped them.

"Nuh-uh-uh." Roman smiled while he had his foot on the man's right shoulder and cane pressed against his face. "I wonder if he would like, a new make over on his face." As he smacked the cane he was holding on his forhead. "Or a 'BRAND NEW' arm... If you know what i mean." As he put force on the man's already dislocated shoulder with his leg.

"PLEA-SEEEE... STOP! ARGH!" The man on the floor said slowly.

"Okay we'll do as you say." One of the other 2 men said that were standing still. They both dropped theweapons they were holding. Pleading for, Roman to show mercy.

"Hmmmm." Roman was thinking about letting them go, but he wanted to know one thing. "HEY!" They all looked at him. "Who's the one that called me 'Torch-Shit?" Said with a smile. "I just wanted to give him a reward for such... creativity"

The man walked up to him. "Um, I did Torchw-"

Out of nowhere, Roman 'cane slapped' the young man that, laid him flat on the floor. I think that was a little to much, oh well. Roman thought to himself. "Run along kids I'm NOT in the mood for whatever 'THIS' is." He said while pointing at the man on the floor that he put unconscious.

Both men didn't say nothing, only grabbing their unconscious buddy and started to flee.

"Of all the times too" He said out loud while, looking at bag in his other hand. It look like something is melting in bag he was carrying.

Great...I guess I'll put it in the freezer when I get home. He said to himself, while walking home in his slow and steady pace.

Roman's Apartment...

Roman unlocked the door to his apartment and seen the girl, still laying in the same spot that he left her before he went to work. Laying down on the couch in the living room. The living room isn't big just some medium size TV, a small bookshelf near the one window in the Living room, and a clock above the TV. Wasn't too much stuff because of recent robberies in this apartment building.

He closed to door not too loud but still it woken up the girl sleeping on the couch. She silently yawn, giving Roman a small smile. She tried to get up but slowly went to grab her stomach.

"E-asy, no need to get up." He said while walking in the bathroom to get the painkillers in the cabinet. "Here." He gave her a couple and a glass of water. "I wasn't going to buy you this..." He grabbed some ice cream out the bag. She was reaching for it, but Roman walked away. "But since that 'incident' I had with, three little piggies, it melted. So I'll leave in the freezer if you want it later."

She pouted. and turned her whole body away from Roman. He chuckled a little. He finish putting away all the other stuff he got from the store. "Well, I'm going to get some sleep. So goodnight little shrimp."

As he walked pass her, she grabbed his coat to get his attention. "What you like cotton candy better?" She shook her head 'no' she didn't say anything but moved her hands as if she wanted to write something. "Do you want to write something down?" He asked confusingly.

She nodded. He grabbed his phone from his pocket and gave her it. She typed for a minute, then gave back the phone to Roman. Laying her head on her pillow then closed her eyes.

Roman walked to his room and read the message...

'I hate those nicknames you keep giving me, my name is Neopolitan. But just call me Neo for short. Thank you for taking care of me, goodnight'

"Neo..." He said to himself. He open his door and... "Goodnight Neo."

End of chapter 1 FINALLY! I put this chapter up. XD My grammar is so bad and I needed to check it 100 times when I was done with it... How was it? Need opinions to motivate me to get better. Until next time (Hopefully soon) SEE YA!

Name of the song at the beginning is Survive By: Rise Against (One of my favorite songs)