Dave Strider sank into the leather chair in his office. Normally by this time he'd already be home, but he needed to confirm something. Apparently, his prized Con Air bunny had been stolen. Shit like this he had to check this out himself. Clicking the mouse, his screen lit up and he typed his password (turntechgodmode, just for the irony of never having used it in this universe). He pulled the flash drive out of his pocket and put it into his computer. It took a minute before he could click on a certain video clip of security footage. It was short, only a few minutes long, and it seemed like nothing was going to happen at first. Towards the end, however, the bunny on screen is suddenly gone and no traces or person are seen.
Dave sighed. He knew flashstep when he saw it, and that was definitely Bro. If it'd been anything else, say one of those terribly shitty outfits from the movie, literally anything else in that museum, he would've made some huge deal about it.
"someone call the presses get the media all on this thievery bullshit" and, eventually, it'd all be forgotten by either having it returned by Bro, or something bigger taking control of everyone's attention. Dave took his phone out of his pocket and sent a message letting the museum staff know this was a matter he could handle himself.
Setting the cell phone down, Dave put his hands to his face and shut his eyes. Dammit. If memory served him correctly, this had to be the birthday trade thing. It had to, meaning Dave would probably never get the bunny back. He grabbed the shades, from Ben fucking Stiller himself, and held them in his hands. No. These were a gift from John. A gift from his best friend, too bad said friend was from another fucking universe entirely. God, did he miss John.
Although Dave couldn't remember everything, he knew enough to where the missing pieces didn't matter. Yes, he remembered the game, some stuff about trolls, but mostly he knew the end where he died and came back out a god. He knew about his friends, of course, even though here they didn't know each other. Hell, based on the way things seemed to have changed, two of them were mostly like dead.
He wiped at his eyes, rubbing at the wetness collecting in them. He is Dave motherfucking Strider, one of the richest and most sought-after men. Yet he would give up all of that up to have things like they were before the game fucked everything over. He knows Bro is going to play the game and soon. Dave knows he'll get dragged into it as a guardian and that he'll probably die. Oh well, it's not like he hasn't lived and died numerous, different Daves, even once going by the name Davesprite.
(You try to forget some of those memories, considering seeing Bro dead back then was heart-wrenching enough, but now that he's the only one you've got left to protect? Even you'll admit that it's caused an emotional breakdown or two.)
Now you're Dave Strider and you're crying, sobbing into you hands and tears leaving trails down your cheeks and on your nose and hands but you don't care. You don't care about the fact you are, indeed, crying. You could care less about any of your stupid bullshit about feelings and crying right now, you just miss the old way of life so much. You miss the friends you don't have anymore. You miss being guided by Bro because half the time you feel like he's still leading you anyways, considering how better off he is at everything.
You are Dave Strider and you realize one thing you were wrong about Bro. He gets feelings and doesn't try and pretend like they don't exist. He doesn't mind showing emotions, something you thought was a disease for any Strider. God, how wrong you were all those years. But you also realize Bro got one thing wrong about you. He underestimated just how much you do care for some things. Like right now you're crying because of a damn stolen bunny that held too much sentimental value for one universe alone to hold.
You're pretty sure Bro just doesn't understand how much you care for him, too. The first time you remember crying, just uncontrollably crying like this, is when you found him. A few memories had already shaken loose and at the time you became obsessed with movies you knew John had loved. Then you found him, mostly like in the same way Bro found you. At that moment, when you first saw him with his tiny baby shades on and you realized that was your Bro, you couldn't help yourself. Tears were streaming down your face, and you picked him up and held him close promising that you would keep him safe. Promising that you would keep him safe from everything that took him away the first time.
You sniffle and wipe at your eyes again. Bro is going to play the game and nothing will stop that. This whole bunny fiasco just proves it. This time, though, you will be a hero. You'll make your old Bro proud and let this one grow to be him. This time around, you'll make sure they win.
Your name Dave Strider and you vow to keep everyone safe and alive this time. Especially your Bro.