[center][b][color=black][u]8:36 AM; January 31st, 2026
David's Apartment; Gotham City, New Jersey[/u]
[i]'Sometimes there will be nothing. Sometimes I'm back in the desert. Most of the time? I just wish these bullshit dreams would stop.'[/i][/color][/b]
[color=2E2C2C]"Not a damn thing to do with the numbers. Keep going."[/color][/center]He could've swore a moment ago it was Alkhatu all over again, the constant whirr of the helicopter blades, the blaring music, the beat of the machine gun as he delivered fiery justice onto the city. He jolted up, expecting to find himself still there. Instead all he found was himself in bed, the sheets over his naked form. [b]"Hmmm... Something wrong?"[/b] the man next to him asked.

[b][color=black]"No... No, just a bad dream. Sorry I woke you."[/color][/b] David pulled himself out of bed, massaging his temples and grabbing the bottle of whiskey he kept on his nightstand for occasions like this. [i][color=black][b]'Just your past sins screaming at you to pay attention to 'em, Dave, nothing to be scared of.'[/b][/color][/i] He allowed himself a little chuckle at that. These dreams stopped being traumatizing months ago. Now it was just routine.

[b]"You sure, Dave? You sounded spooked,"[/b] the man, Alan, insisted, rolling over and picking himself up. Alan was a few years older than him, just another hookup in a bar. Most days he'd forget he even went to a bar last night, but David was getting better; he even remembered his hookup's name this time.

[color=black][b]"I'm fine. Was just one of those falling dreams. I get 'em every now and again."[/b][/color]

Alan quirked an eyebrow and for a moment Dave almost swore that he was a long lost relative of Zoey. [b]"That's why you're drinking?"[/b]

David laughed. [b][color=black]"No, this is just step one of my usual morning routine."[/color][/b]

Seemed that didn't appease Alan, judging by the frown he wore now. [b]"Listen, my last boyfriend was a vet. He used to have nightmares and he'd pull this tactic all the time. If you need to talk, I'm here."[/b]

David twitched a bit at that. A vet, eh? He was sort of one. Fought in an armed conflict, was willing to die for his cause (even if his was fairly bullshit), watched a few buddies bite the dust. If he had to be honest, he should have stopped mourning them a year ago. It was about time he moved on with his life. Stopped moping over dead men. But at this point, moping over his past failures was about as routine as brushing his teeth. No point in changing a part of your life if you're comfortable with it. [color=black][b]"Thanks for the offer, but I'm serious, I'm fine."[/b][/color] 

David took another drink, then quirked an eyebrow. [color=black][b]"... So, uh, boyfriend? Now, I don't mean to be rude, but I wouldn't go [i]that[/i] far... Not... Not, uh, yet, anyway. We can... I dunno... See how it goes...? If you want, of course."[/b][/color]

[b]"I'm flattered, Dave, but... I don't think I could be with another man like my last boyfriend again."[/b]

[color=black][b]"Oh... Okay. I understand."[/b][/color]

It was a bit awkward after that. Alan gathered his clothes up and put them on, before heading out the door. David sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation.

[color=red][b][i]'Ha! You just cockblocked yourself! Nice!'[/i][/b][/color]

[color=black][b]"... Yep."[/b][/color]

There was something wrong with him. He knew there was.

[color=red][b][i]'Don't think about why people don't like you, Dave. They don't. Live with it. It's gonna piss you off but you know what? Fuck 'em. The angrier you are, the more damage you can do to Anarkee and [u]all[/u] the criminals in this city. Speaking of, we should go do that, eh? Ehhhhh?'[/i][/b][/color]

[color=black][b]"Fuck off."[/b][/color] With those words, David pulled himself out of bed and got dressed. Hood continued to nag him, but he just ignored it. After brushing his teeth, he went into his living room, where he was promptly ambushed by Max, who jumped up and attempt to lick David's face. In response, the young man knelt down with a smile, stroking the dog's back as Max licked him. [color=black][b]"Yeah, who's a good boy? You're a good boy, yes you are. You wanna go for a walk?"[/b][/color] Max's response to that was a bark and a wag of his tail. [color=black][b]"Alright, lemme get the leash."[/b][/color]

A few minutes later, David was leading Max down the sidewalk. It had snowed the night before, casting a white sheet over the street. A few children were playing, building snowmen, having snowball fights, the usual. David cast a few looks at the scenes, finding himself smiling a bit. It felt good to know that even after all the pain in the world, from the One Week War to all that had happened after it, that people could still find something to be happy about.

Maybe that's what he was missing. He'd been such a downer these last few years, he had almost forgotten what it was like to be happy. Maybe that was Hood's doing. Maybe he was just naturally a depressive asshole. Whatever it was, he was sick of feeling like a buzzkill all the time.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that his reflexes didn't even kick in when he noticed a snowball soaring towards his face; it struck him, bits of snow covering his left cheek. The children across the street laughed, though it didn't sound mean spirited. Then, it hit him, how he could remedy this predicament he was in. David turned to the kids, a scowl on his face. [color=black][b]"Oh, so it's gonna be like that, huh? Not even gonna give me a heads-up?"[/b][/color]

The children stopped laughing. David tied Max's leash around his arm, before reaching down to scoop up some snow, and then throwing it in the direction of the children. One of them was struck in the chest. They all realized what was about to happen, and rushed to grab more snowballs, laughing all the way.

It was on.

David scooped up another handful of snow, running across the street with Max in tow and throwing the snowball at the children while they responded in kind. He managed to duck out of the way of a few of them, but some hit him. The scene in the street was a typical one on a day like this, snowballs flying and laughter filling the air. A young man who figures the world has taken all it can from him, and children who couldn't care less about what the world has in store for them, all joining together to have a snowball fight.

This really was what he was missing, wasn't it?

When it was over, David found himself slumped up against a wall, an ear-to-ear grin on his face and his gut hurting from laughing so hard. [b]"Hey mister!"[/b] David looked up just in time to notice the snowball soaring towards his face. He chuckled as he wiped it off. The young boy gave him a goofy grin. [b]"Thanks for playing with us."[/b]

[color=black][b]"Don't mention it, kid."[/b][/color]