Disclaimer: I do not own Blood+ or any of its characters.
Ever since David's childhood, his father had been nothing but a shadow on the wall, an image engraved in his deepest memories. He never remembered his old man in any special events in his life. Not even when he joined the organization to fight for the cause. But why would he remember? His father is long gone, leaving nothing but an unfulfilled goal.
But despite the absence of his father, he still left an impact on him. His unfulfilled goal molded David's path. Yes, he was nothing but a shadow on the wall, but he was a shadow that watched over his child. Yes, he was only an image in the boy's deepest memories, but he was an image that haunted him. David didn't give it much thought. He decided to take his father's place. But unlike his old man, he felt nothing of his father's passion and he did not understand his dedication. David didn't know why he died for the cause. He didn't know why he dedicated his whole life in protecting that girl. He wouldn't lie. He hated her and he embraced that truth but his father felt otherwise, and he did not understand why. But that's why he followed, because he wanted to know. He knew he had to set aside his emotions if he truly wanted an answer.
It didn't take long for him to see it, though. Soon enough, David saw those monsters with his own eyes. He felt them rip his skin apart. He saw them feed on his companions. But through the horrors he witnessed, he finally found out why his father protected her. He realized that she is the only one capable of defeating those creatures and it is his role to be her caretaker. And having known that, he let go of his hatred and embraced his destiny. He willingly became a shield. Not because he needed to know what his father had stood for, that emptiness had been filled already, but because he held the same ideals his father held onto.
He dedicated his life to it, more than his father ever did. He didn't even thought about raising a family for he knew that if it were to happen, he would only neglect them and worse, history might repeat itself. He spent every second protecting the weapon, he survived all kinds of deaths in hope that she'd be able to defeat those creatures. All the strength he had, he spent for the cause. Every breath he took, he took for the cause. It was difficult and time consuming but he believed in the cause the way his father did. And no matter how much it pained him physically as well as emotionally he still fought for it.
But much to his dismay, the sole reason for his existence vanished before his very eyes. The path he walked for so many years seemed to have reached its dead end. And suddenly, his days felt wasted. And for the first time in his life, he felt as if there is nothing left. Everything he lived for, gone. He didn't know what to do. And he had no father to turn to.
With that in mind and the whiskey tingling his lips, he smiled bitterly. Realizing that throughout the years, the organization hadn't really brought him any kind of joy. In fact, it brought him nothing but misfortune, ranging from his father's demise to the destruction of the organization itself. Pathetic. To think that all this time, he's been drinking himself to oblivion because of the very same organization that destroyed everything he ever lived with and for. He wanted to convince himself that his drinking is a way of celebrating but he knew better than to lie to himself. He is doing it because without Red Shield, he is nothing. And what better way to show one's insignificance than drinking until it hurts no more. He looked at his reflection in the amber liquid. It appeared distorted but it didn't betray the hopelessness in his face. He wondered how his father would react to his foolishness. He was sure that he would be very disappointed to see him in such a sorry state but he still drank the whole glass dry. After all, why would it matter? His father is long gone, leaving nothing but an unfulfilled goal to burden him with.