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“Golly,” Jake said after about 5 minutes of silence. Jane and Roxy looked over at him with a sorrowful air around them. “Hard to believe it’s been a whopping three years since Strider passed.” He said, exhaling.

“Come on, Jake,” Jane started. “You were probably the one grieving the most. Don’t act like it doesn’t hurt,” she told him. Roxy downed another shot of vodka before speaking.

“Aw come on Janey, lay of him. Er, off. He culd be a silent suferer. Could, suffferer. Uh, sufer? Fukc it.”

    Jake looked down at the table they were sitting at. He fiddled with his shot glass full of vodka, and shook his head. Jane was right, he told himself. It hurts. But I can’t be crying.

“Strider wouldn’t want me breaking down,” he said. “He’d say I was uncool,” he told them. Jane stifled her voice, keeping it from a yell.

“Well, he’s not HERE anymore, is he?” She asked. Jake looked up at her with confused and shocked eyes. “Jake, it won’t kill you to cry. You’re not as tough as you think,” she told him. He looked back at his shot glass, a look of guilt and distress on his face.

“I would think Dave would be grieving more. They were brothers,” he argued.

“But Dirk didn’t die for Dave, did he?” She asked. Jake’s breath caught in his throat. Damn, she was right.

    Dirk had died saving Jake from a gunman. Jake closed his eyes as the memories flooded in.

“Leave me alone,” Jake said with a shaky breath. He felt his back hit the wall and he tried to keep his breathing stable.

“We’ve heard that you’re a whiz with a gun,” the man said.

“Who are you talking about when you say ‘we’?” He asked. The gunman smiled.

“Me and my boys,” he said. He pointed the gun at Jake’s chest. “Now mini meat, why don’t you teach us those tricks of yours? Y’know, come quietly?” He suggested, shrugged, putting a smirk on his face.

“Not in a blue moon,” Jake refused. The gunman’s smirk disappeared and was replaced with a scowl. “Who knows how you’ll use those tricks?” He asked.

“Oh, so you’re gonna be like that, huh? Well, why don’t I just put these little bullets in your chest? Make you bleed a pretty red?” He asked. Jake pressed himself against the wall.

“Only if you’ll do it to me first,” Dirk’s voice ran out. He stepped from the shadows in front of Jake.

“Strider! You ninja!” Jake gasped. Dirk leaned back and Jake planted a kiss on his cheek. The gunman looked at them in disgust.

    Dirk watched the gunman and kept his eyes on the gun, which was now almost touching Dirk’s chest. Dirk kept his breathing stable, and his orange eyes were wide open in determination. Adrenaline kicked in, and his heart began to pump faster.

    The gunman turned his head, like he was getting ready to leave. He moved his weight from foot to foot, his hand shaking slightly.

“Fuck! Well, just to make sure you don’t say anything,” he loaded the gun. “Good day and good night ‘Strider’,” he pulled the trigger. Dirk’s eyes went back in his head.

    Dirk crumpled to the ground, and the gunman took off running. Jake screamed and knelt down to Dirk. Dirk looked up at him in pain, and Jake took his shades off, revealing his eyes.

    Dirk felt weak, and his chest hurt. He felt tired, but he kept on staring at Jake. A wet feeling appeared on his cheeks, and he looked up to see Jake crying, a sobbing mess.

“Man, you’re...so uncool,” Dirk let out a dry laugh. His whole body ached from that. Jake nodded.

“Dirk!” Dirk’s eyes widened. “Dirk, I’ll get help, I’ll..I’ll carry you to help!” Jake sobbed. Dirk smiled.

“Heh, you actually called me by my name, that’s cool,” Dirk took a deep breath. He felt his heart slow. The bullet did hit one of his major arteries, he was sure of that at least.

    Jake pulled Dirk up and slung his arm around his shoulders, and Dirk tried his best to stand up. They hobbled out into the public, where people swarmed. A few people called 911, and others used their jackets to try and slow the bleeding. Dirk pulled Jake over with a weak grip. Jake held his breath.

“Heh, this is going to be so uncool but,” Dirk’s eyes went glassy. “I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be laying here, so I’ll just say it now,” he looked at Jake. “Love you, Jake,” he said. Jake nodded and leaned down over Dirk, kissing his nose.

“I love you too Dirk, I love you too,” he cried. “Please don’t go,” he begged. Dirk wasn’t focusing on anything at this point.

“That’s...not in my power. Tell Roxy and Jane that I’ll miss them and-” he coughed up blood. “Shit, that’s gonna stain your shirt, sorry…” he whispered. Jake caressed Dirk’s cheek. Dirk gave him one last smile, and he inhaled slowly. When he didn’t exhale, Jake shook him, but was pulled away by a man.

“DIRK? DIRK! DIRK NO!” Jake screamed.

    Jake shuddered as that memory flew through his head. Roxy placed a hand on his arm softly.

“Rememberin’ it?” She asked. Jake nodded and gulped down the vodka in his shot glass. Jane gave him a comforting smile.

“It must be hard remembering that, isn’t it, Jake?” She asked. He nodded, and felt tears pricking the sides of his eyes. Jane nodded and closed her eyes. “Go ahead and let it all out,” she encouraged him.

“I guess, I should have said something more to him,” Jake confessed. “I should have asked him more questions, I should have spent more time with him,” he vented.

“Jake,” Jane started. He shook his head.

“No, don’t. Gadzooks I was an awful boyfriend to him. I was so insensitive towards his feelings and so selfish. I should have told him my feelings more towards him.” He told them.

“Jake, dun beat yourself up about it. Don’t.” Roxy told him. He looked at her.

“But what if he died thinking that my love towards him wasn’t real?” He asked. Jane got up out of her chair and walked over to him. She gave him a hug, silencing him. She swayed from side to side slowly.

“He knew you loved him, he knew that more than anything else. Now, Jake, what do you say that we all calm down and go watch some home videos of us all going places together?” She suggested. Roxy smiled.

“It sounds like a god idea! Good,” she said. Jake nodded and stood up, pushing his chair in.

“Sounds like a rip snortin’ good time, Jane!” He said. Yeah, he thought. Dirk would want me to be happy.