A Cayde-6 one-shot. I really wanted to write something about Cayde, and this song always reminded me of his relationship with Maya. So here you go.
"If I didn't care…"
The muzzle flare of a powerful sniper rifle flashed against the white surface of the Moon.
"More than words can say… "
Powerful caliber rounds ripped through the stillness to pierce the heads of a roving gang of Hive.
"If I didn't care… "
The shooter grinned with satisfaction as he squeezed off more rounds from his rifle.
"Would I feel this way? "
The roving threat was almost put down, with one acolyte standing alone, growling in protest.
"If this isn't love," another couple vicious shots fired off, "…then why do I thrill," the acolyte hit the dirt,"and what makes my head go 'round and 'round while my heart stands still? "
Cayde-6 glanced up from the scope of his rifle, satisfied with his work. He stood up from crouching on the rock face, his Ghost floating dutifully next to him. It played a song of long before the Traveler's arrival that echoed in the surrounding area. Cayde loved old music, the kind that sounded like it was struggling to hold onto its melody on an old turntable. Luckily, songs like that remained in stasis on log recordings on his Ghost, stored for eternity. He slung his rifle on his back and mounted his Sparrow, rocketing away from the gaping opening of the Hellmouth. He took his time to enjoy the evening, or what he believed was evening on the Moon, riding at a stroll at most. He wasn't terribly concerned with getting back to his post at the Tower.
He rode onto a cliff face, away from any Fallen or Hive, and dismounted his Sparrow, glancing over at the vast emptiness of the pit bellow him. His song was still playing, echoing into the depths, and the sound of very, very distant Hive screams replied to its noise. Cayde paid them no mind. The Hunter Vanguard lifted his right hand up and positioned it as if he were holding another, and he let his left hand hold an imaginary figure close to his form. Aside from the occasional parties during festival weeks, he hadn't danced with anyone in a long time. He began to sway to the music played by his ghost, turning slowly, guiding his imaginary partner in a slow dance. His thoughts were filled with her, his Queen of Hearts.
"If I didn't care… "
Her soft and loving voice played on repeat in his thoughts.
"Would it be the same? "
His face would light up with embarrassment every time she caught him glancing at her (though sometimes she pretended not to notice).
"Would my every prayer begin and end with just your name? "
She shared his love of old music. How they used to dance on the tallest peaks of the Ishtar Collective. He used to lure her to their meeting places with playing cards, the last in the trail always being the Queen of Hearts. Cayde would hold her tenderly and rock with her in his arms as his Ghost would serenade them. He always found a way to put her name in one of the songs. Maya… It made his time as her guard all the more special and dear to his heart.
"And would I be sure that this is love beyond compare? "
Cayde abruptly stopped swaying as heartache started racking his chest, and he sang the last line of their song into the lonely, dead air of space.
"Would all this be true, if I didn't care for you… " he murmured softly, and the song's last notes finished echoing into the chasm in front of him. He lowered his arms slowly, thoughts still fixated on his Queen. How long had it been since she…
He quickly pushed the thought of her departure from his mind. It hurt too much to think about. The "how" was too gruesome, the "why" too complicated. He didn't get to know her beyond her intelligence/studies and her love of music, but he desperately wished he did. Exos don't sigh, but Cayde hadn't always been an Exo, so the gesture made him feel better. It almost made him feel human again. Almost.
"We should probably return to the Tower. It's been three-point-five hours since our departure," Cayde's Ghost interrupted, and Cayde absently nodded in reply. He was fully aware how much time had passed. He always was.