[center][color=black][b][u]5:28 PM; January 15th, 2026
Downtown Gotham; Gotham City, New Jersey[/u]
[i]'Making my way downtown, walking fast, faces pass, and I'm home bound... Cue the piano.'[/i][/b][/color]
[color=2E2C2C]"We don't need to know how he met his damned pet! Keep going, find the numbers."[/color][/center]Work went about as well as it usually did. David began to make his way home in full Big Belly Burger uniform, a burger clutched in his hand serving as his dinner. A part of him wished that he had enough money to afford driving his motorcycle everywhere, but it was always nice walking around the city... Well, most of the time. Gotham definitely wasn't as bad off as he remembered it being. He could probably thank... Them... For that. He shook his head to clear it of those thoughts, continuing to walk along the sidewalk and not paying much attention to his surroundings.

That is, until he heard a bark behind him. He turned around, seeing a [url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn-origin-etr.akc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/13001403/Australian-Cattle-Dog-On-White-03.jpg]dog[/url] sitting there, staring intently at the burger he held in his hand. Looking between the dog and the burger, David shrugged, took one last bite, and tossed it to him. The dog ate it up quickly, giving another bark. [color=black][b]"Yeah, you're welcome."[/b][/color] Sticking his hands in his pockets, he continued to walk home.

About a block away, he realized the dog was still following him. [color=black][b]"Hey, don't you have an owner or something? Scram. Get. Shoo."[/b][/color] The dog didn't move from his spot, staring up at David and tilting his head to the side as though in curiosity. David's shoulders slumped a bit. [color=black][b]"... Fine. You can walk with me. But you're [i]not[/i] going to come into my house."[/b][/color] The dog barked at that, picking up the pace and walking side by side with David.

A block later, David found himself occasionally reaching a hand down to scratch behind the dog's ear. After another block, he began to kneel down and pet it a bit while waiting to cross the street. Another block after that, and David began to talk to the dog. Mostly just calling him a good boy, musing on what his name might be. [color=black][b]"I'm guessing you don't have a family? No collar on you, you look kinda grungy too."[/b][/color] The dog just stared at him with a smile, wagging his tail. [color=black][b]"Yeah, I don't have one either."[/b][/color]

Try as he might, by the halfway point of the walk, David was growing quite fond of the dog. [color=black][b]"Hm... What should I call you?"[/b][/color] Obviously, the dog didn't answer his question, but he did look up at him. David thought that the dog quirked an eyebrow at him, as if saying "really? You're asking me, the animal that can't speak?". [color=black][b]"Well, yeah, but... I should come up with [i]some[/i] kind of name for you."[/b][/color] Okay, now the dog really [i]did[/i] quirk his brow at him. [color=black][b]"How about... Max? You like that name?"[/b][/color] The dog, or Max now, barked. [color=black][b]"Alright. Max it is."[/b][/color]

And so, David and Max headed home. As soon as David opened the door to his apartment, Max ran in, jumping up onto the couch. [color=black][b]"Yeah, don't get too comfortable or anything."[/b][/color] David chuckled, heading into the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of whiskey out of the fridge and a plastic cup off the counter. [color=black][b]"Gonna have to get you a bowl, and some dog food. Big Belly Burger isn't healthy for humans, let alone animals, so you can't be having that stuff."[/b][/color] Max let out a small whimper at that.

David turned on the TV, watching the news. He began to drink. As he did, Max stared at him, almost like he was judging his new owner. David looked back at him, rolling his eyes. [color=black][b]"What? You try living my life, see if you don't feel like falling into a bottle."[/b][/color] The dog snorted at his owner, as if unimpressed. [color=black][b]"Yeah, screw you too, pal..."[/b][/color]

David continued to watch the TV. Eventually, the news faded into commercial break... And David immediately turned off the television at the sight of a Kasimir Realty commercial, featuring his mother. Max looked at David expectedly, as if to say "you're gonna tell me, might as well get it out of the way." David sighed. [color=black][b]"That was my mom."[/b][/color] Max continued to stare at David. [color=black][b]"I... Haven't seen her in a while. Haven't seen my... My brother in a while either."[/b][/color]

David remembered better times. Driving around in his Camaro with his brother, the radio blaring Queen at max volume, crumpled paper bags Big Belly Burger in the backseat. Everything was good. The world wasn't in the best of shape, but it would all turn out fine. As long as the three of them had each other, they could topple the world.

And then, everything went bad.

He's still trying to forgive himself for the things he did in the Middle East. But he doesn't think he'll ever be able to forgive himself for the pain he caused his family.

[color=red][b][i]'They deserved it, Dave. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, and stop lazing around when we have a [u]job[/u] to do.'[/i][/b][/color]

[color=black][b][i]'Go to hell, Hood, I'm not in the mood.'[/i][/b][/color]

[color=red][b][i]'Feisty, ain't ya?'[/i][/b][/color]

David didn't reply to the man riding shotgun in his brain, instead preferring to let him steam over being brushed off.

As if sensing David's uneasiness, Max scooted himself up a bit closer, resting his head on David's lap. Smiling slightly, David began to pet the dog, letting out a breath of relaxation. [color=black][b]"... Maybe things won't be [i]so[/i] bad from now on now that I've got someone to vent to."[/b][/color] As he said that, he heard the quiet snoring coming from the canine, and chuckled. [color=black][b]"Even if he doesn't care too much about hearing my complaints."[/b][/color]