MOMENT
It was just a moment. Just one brief moment in time that would forever be sealed into his brain.
It all started with the drinking
Glass after glass, he would consume his precious red kool-aid to the point where his ADHD-ridden mind could hardly function. And he loved it. He wouldn't drink so much during the days when Jason was a member of the Fifth, but now Jason had disappeared, leaving the Fifth to crash and burn down into the flames of dishonor. He indulged more and more of the sticky substance as the nights stretched on and on. The ones where he was dreaming of the good old days, the ones where he was praised for being part on the fifth, not mocked. The indulgence led to the fits- those ugly anger-ridden hyperactive fits the Kool-Aid would force him into. Sometimes, he would try to control the red hot anger and the pure white sugar, but more often, he let it get the best of him.
There was Gwen, though, kind-hearted sweet Gwen ho would always try to calm him down. She would try to help, soothing him with reassuring comments and speaking calm and gentle. She was a Daughter of Venus, and a very pretty one at that. Her medium brown hair lay at her stomach in no style whatsoever. She had a plain but pretty face with a gentle smile. She wasn't anything like the beauty of Reyna, but she was perfect in Dakota's mind.
"Dakota, calm down." Gwen soothed
"Why? This is the seventh game in a row, Gwen! IN A ROW!"
"I know Dakota, but-"
"KNOW? Dammit Gwen! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Dakota threw his flask to the ground, shattering it into infinitesimal fragments.
"SEVENTH GAME IN A ROW! Gwen! Wake up! Its been five months! He's not coming back! Jason's gone and now we're just the lousy Fifth again! Im SICK of IT!"
"Dakota, we all miss Jason, but we can bring honor-"
"GWEN! ITS NOT HAPPENING!WE HAVE NO HONOR! WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE STANDARD!"
"Dakota-"
"Some centurion I turned out to be." Dakota moaned, sitting down and covering his face with his hands.
"Dakota, you're a great leader."
"How? My cohort doesn't even have the eagle!"
"Dakota, listen to me. You are a good leader. Your legionaries love you and I love you."
"You love me?"
"Yes, Dakota."
He wasn't sure if she just said it to make him feel better, but he wanted to believe it.
