A/N: Set season 2. Warning for dark content.
I am about to die
That's what Roman is telling himself as he kneels on the hard ground, his hands on the back of his head. He can't afford to let himself have hope. Hope leads to terror. Better to pre-grieve the end of his life in advance.
He wonders who will give his eulogy. Kendall, probably. His father will be so furious with him. Typical Romulus, can't even do a simple business deal without getting himself killed. Will his mother even bother to attend the funeral?
He knows he's been a shitty person. If he gets out of here alive — which he won't, can't think like that — he'll try to be better. He'll be nice to his siblings and tell Gerri how he really feels.
There's a man next to him on the floor, his hands shaking behind his head, who looks about the same age as him. I'm not even 37 yet, this is so fucked— He had always thought that he would die in some kind of masturbation accident, not by being gunned down in a third world country after being lured there by a fucking prince. He can't stop making crude jokes even in his own head.
The other man catches his eye and mouths English? Roman assumes he means Do you speak English? not Are you English? which is more complicated to answer. He gives a tiny nod. The man leans in to whisper to him. We can take them.
This could be a trick, he could be one of them. Before Roman can weigh up his options, one of the gunmen storms over to them, shouting in what is presumably Turkish — why didn't I bother to learn any other languages? — and pointing the gun at Roman. He bursts into sobs immediately. This is it. He's never felt such pure, unbridled terror before.
The gunman is still shouting as he switches his aim to the other man, who is also sobbing. Maybe they'll kill him instead, just to make a point. Roman will be splattered with his blood and have to carry the guilt forever.
"It was me," he yells, although he's not sure if the gunman can understand him. "He didn't do anything. It was me." If he's going to die he might as well go out doing something heroic, make up for his pathetic excuse for a life.
The gunman points the weapon at Roman. He closes his eyes and tries to picture his siblings so they'll be the last thing he thinks of. ShivKendallConnorShivKen—
The gun collides with his head and he blacks out. When he opens his eyes only a couple of seconds have passed, or that's how it feels, but he's lying down in a different location now and the man he was talking to is nowhere to be seen.