As always, thank you to my beta and everyone who reads this story. I'm still amazed by the popularity of this thing.
Now... Well, the moment you've all been craving, lol.
Entry Log 95 - 00:43:56
The world is covered in white. Snow drifts down around the camera feed, coating the main plaza of the tower in a dusting of sparkling ice crystals. Such weather normally causes the world to seem quiet, as if the blanket of snow muffles everything, but that's not the case now. Spirited music plays through speakers, the chattering and laughter of guardians and civilians alike see to it that The Dawning is anything but quiet.
It's halfway through the week long event, and Guardians out in the field have had a chance to make it back to celebrate. Everyone is in high spirits as dark blue and gold banners flutter in the wind with tiny silvery lights making patterns on walls. Cayde leans on the railing that overlooks the area, dressed mostly the same though he's ditched his armor and cleaned up a bit for the formal event below. It's not often that guardians are seen in anything but armor and weapons, but this one time of the year has them pulling out barely used garments made of softer material and brighter colors.
Some dance around in the designated area, laughing and moving so differently it's easy to tell who's a hunter and who's a titan. Others simply stand cluttered in small groups, holding glasses of colorful liquids or packages wrapped in glittering paper. Cayde hums quietly along to the song playing at the moment, upbeat and speaking of friends and crazy plots.
"I see a certain hunter..." Sundance' voice coos teasingly on the mic and Cayde blinks, on point instantly like a hunting dog.
"Oh?"
"Mhm. To your left," her directions are vague but the camera still finds her, as does the Exo. Against all the white, her bright amber locks are all too easy to see. She's wearing a cloak, as normal for all hunters, but this one is white and lined with fur. A blue design is etched on the back, and the hood is pulled up to keep the light snowfall off. She's not in armor either, and it's almost weird to see her not in pants, but the hunteress has dawned a dark blue dress with a flowing skirt that ends at her knees. It's long sleeved and simple, the neck covered up by the furry scarf of her cloak. She's got one of her armour belts resting at her hips, knife at the ready if needed, and she still has her boots on though the black leather and silver metal look spotless from this distance. It's notable that there are three orange slashes going diagonally across one of her boot's legguards. Vermilion Stripes. More than likely other pieces of her armor hold the same sign of mourning and honoring a fellow fallen hunter.
"She looks nice tonight," Sundance chirps and Cayde nods slightly, watching.
She's not alone in her little corner of the plaza, in fact her company is surprising. Corvan is there, and neither hunter seems tense as they speak, a small box in his hands with ripped open paper. Skylar is smiling as they talk, moving her hand animatedly and getting a laugh in return from her friend. Friend. It's easily to tell the Blade Dancer has forgiven him, at least a bit.
After about ten minutes the two hunters part ways and Corvan makes his way towards a table with food on it while Skylar stays put, sipping on the drink in her hand. Only then does the Exo finally move, making his way over to her. She sees him coming when he's nearly there and raises her free hand in a small wave of greeting.
"Make it out of the bunker did you?" she teases once he's standing next to her. Cayde rolls his eyes and smirks.
"Zavala's not that much of a slave driver. I think he wanted to spend some time with Winter since she made it back this morning." After all, The Dawning is about celebrating and connecting with loved ones, there aren't many that can say they get to spend it will blood relatives. Skylar gives a small nod of her head.
"Yeah, she said much the same to me when I saw her." Her golden eyes glance over the Exo for a moment before going back to the sea of dancers in front of them. "You cleaned up nice," she muses and takes a sip of her drink. Cayde chuckles slightly, a nervous edge to it. He's not used to such forward compliments and knowing how she feels about him doesn't help.
"Could say the same of you," he commented, shifting a bit, his eyes tracing the profile of her face as she watches people dance. He doesn't say the words, doesn't need to with how his eyes linger. He likes the look of her, thinks she's pretty if anything. He let's the silence hang for a time between them, listening to the music for a while before he clears his throat. "I think we should talk Sky," he murmurs lowly as to not draw anyone else's attention. She peers at him from the corner of her eye before nodding her head slightly and Cayde leads her off the main floor and towards the front where the overhangs are. The feed follows them as they pass under the shadow of the second floor terrace and come to the railing where Skylar normally star gazes. She doesn't jump over the railing like normal though, and instead just leans her forearms on the top rail, looking over the city with a soft smile with her hand still clutching her glass nimbly. Cayde joins her quickly in much the same stance, and while he looks like he wants to say something, the Exo stays quiet and his Ghost takes that time to float above and in front of them for a better shot.
Skylar doesn't seem in a hurry either and instead outstretches her left forearm into the space beyond the railing, palm up. After a moment, purple light forms an outline around it, thrumming in a spectral way before she curls her fingers in and the outline of a bow made of void energy appears for a moment, the deadly angles of it trademark for Nighstalkers. A parting gift for Skylar from Tevis, she'd told the Exo. He'd given her the last of his Light and while it wasn't a lot, it did give her the ability to use Shadow Shot, just nothing else it seemed. A 'trump card' he had told her.
"You know...I keep thinking about how if I hadn't had this, I might not have made it back," she remarked quietly, turning her wrist and thus the bow. Cayde frowned slightly, looking at her from the side.
"What do you mean?"
"When I came through the portal there was a Gate Lord waiting for me," she told him. This must have been new information not spoken yet because Cayde looked startled, jaw ajar slightly in surprise. "The damn thing almost blasted me right back through the portal and Traveler knows where that would have sent me...but my leg was hurting and it made it hard to run, made my blade useless." She bent her elbow to bring the bow up in front of her face. "But I had this and it was like...Like I could feel Tevis' hands on mine helping me aim. Took it down in one shot." She stared at the energy weapon for another moment before relaxing her hand, the void light dispersing in seconds leaving only a residue of its glow behind on her hand.
"You didn't think that was important to tell me?" Cayde asked, frustration edging his voice. Skylar just smiled slightly looking at him, which had him pausing again.
"Not at the time. We both had enough to… deal with that night I think." She was right. That night had been about Tevis, not her, but Cayde still didn't look too happy about it. Maybe he realised just how easily he could have lost her too. "You know... He said something before he gave me his Light," she commented. Cayde blinked, brow plate raising in the Exo's only way of showing curiosity.
"Yeah? What was that?"
"He told me to tell you… 'Treasure every moment, because it might be your last... and stop fretting you stupid bucket of hardware.' Sounds like him huh?" she mused, laughing slightly and taking another sip of her drink. Cayde didn't join in with her on that, a flicker of seriousness passing over his features before he looks out over the city and hums.
"Yeah... yeah that certainly sounds like him." He taps a metal, ungloved finger on the railing and if it had been flesh, it might have been too cold to the touch given the icicles that hang from it. "He's right though. I've been 'fretting' as he called it. Worrying about things that I shouldn't, things that make it hard for me to be sure I deserve what you've so willingly given me." At his change in topic, Skylar's breath hitches slightly, surprised, but she doesn't make a big deal out of it, simply returning her arm back to the railing along the other one.
"Should I take a guess and say this has to do with you being an Exo, Cayde?" she asks, pressing her lips together. He taps his fingers on the bar again and sighs, which was more than enough of answer for her. Skylar frowns slightly but nods, understanding at least, but not happy. "Tevis said you'd say that… He knew you knew how I felt. Had for while." she sighs, gripping the top rung with her free hand and leaning backwards till it was pulled straight, her feet back on the heels of her boots as she uses the time to set her drink on the pile of boxes behind her. She pulls herself back upright after a moment, finished stretching, hands both free now. "Do you want to know what I told him?" She's not looking at him, which seems to help as the Vanguard leader shifts again, tugging at his hood slightly. He can't help himself either way.
"I get the feeling you'll tell me even if I dont, which I do." He gave her a smirk and she snorts, pulling her hood back and off as the snow has stopped for the moment. The tiny gems dotting it randomly sparkle in the late afternoon light as the fabric folds onto her back.
"I told him, you're more human than some actual humans I've met," she murmurs, biting at her lip as she thought. "You might not have skin and bones Cayde, but you have your humanity. You hide it well but you feel just as much as I do. You worry and care and get angry. I've seen the scars on Corvan's face that prove that." A smile curves her lips up as she spoke lightly of her mentor punching her friend square in the face. "You've always been there for me and as I said before, I probably wouldn't still be here if it weren't for you. I think maybe the term 'human' is kind of a state of mind in this age. You say you don't feel it's fair to me because you're not organic, but you've treated me better than any human or Awoken ever has." She turns her head, catching his bright eyes in her own and her smile widens at his dazed look. "So why wouldn't I willingly give it to you?"
Cayde's eyes search hers, the serious undertone of the conversation not lost on him. "And what is it you're exactly giving me?" They had never really said what 'it' was, but it was pretty clear either way. Skylar smirks, realising he was only half joking with her about needing clarification. Half. She tilts her head and reaches out with her closest hand and ran the pads of her fingers over the back of his nearest hand, ungloved for once and showing off the synthetic material that made it up. The faintly glowing edges of the microchip etched circuits lining smooth warm material thats softer than metal, more pliable, but still not skin.
"Not much I'm afraid. I only remember the last two years of my life as a guardian, my first name… a few distant unpleasant memories." She keeps her eyes on their hands as she spoke, fingers tracing over one of the circuits that runs up his pointer finger. "It's not much, but you can have all of it, we can try, if you want." She's leaving it up to him, no guilt, no strings, just a simple offer to try. Cayde has never been good at being vulnerable, but the way he looks at her hand tracing his, makes him seem that way. Laid bare to the huntress he trained, befriended and let consume his mind.
Somewhere behind him the song changes on the speakers, a soft, slower one, with thrumming guitars not unlike the one in Cayde's room. The Exo closes his eyes for a moment and lets out a long breath that puffs out in a white mist, before reopening them.
"Hunters aren't supposed to be good at speeches Sky," he murmurs with a tease and she snorts, laughing slightly. He shakes his head slowly, looking out over the city. "You know… When I was human, I apparently had a son," he remarked suddenly, throwing Skylar off who raises her eyebrows in surprise. "I have this half ruined journal that I woke up with, and I can't remember him but I apparently wrote to him. His name was 'Ace' and I have no idea if he was actually real or not. Sometimes I still write to him because I want him to have been real." Cayde blows out another long breath as if saying that had relieved him of a great weight. "Tevis was the only person who ever knew about that and now, you do too." He looks back at her, blue connecting with golden orange. "Does that bother you?"
For if Cayde had a son in his former life, it was a given that he'd been with someone as well. Loved someone before, even if he couldn't remember her. Skylar hummed, eyes flickering away for a moment, looking up straight at the feed his Ghost was recording before looking back at him. "We all had lives before these ones. Who's to say what they were or who we were?" She shook her head, smiling. "So no, it doesn't bother me, after all, after everything I've seen, after Crota… I know Tevis is right. I could be gone tomorrow or next week, I have no idea, neither do you. So why worry about what we no longer have and just enjoy what we do?"
Her words appear to leave the Exo speechless as he stares at her. The music drifting like the wind all around him, the words echoing about two very different people who just happened to crash into each other and found out they fit perfectly where they were. Eleven seconds pass on the time clock before Cayde does anything, letting out a small chuckle and flipping his hand over to catch her fingers between his and lock them in place. Leaning over slightly he presses his forehead into her temple, the slope of his horn curving against it. Skylar is smiling, eyes looked at him from the side, her fingers tight around his as he takes in a breath.
"Then that's what we'll do Skyla," he whispers, a name never heard before, so close to her real one but that sounds entirely different. It sounds like silk instead of a sharp edge. It sounds like home. Skylar doesn't comment on it, though more than likely she will later, but for now she just rests her head into his in silent agreement. The chorus of the song is playing in the background, uplifting and beautiful and like all hunters Cayde can't stay still for very long. He pulls away gently after only fifteen second have passed on the timer, and then tugs at her hand, a nonchalant grin cresting his face. "Dance with me." It's not a question, in fact he doesn't even give her time to really protest as he pulls her away from the railing. Not that she seems to mind.
"What? Cayde you never dance!" she points out. "Do you even know how?" she gets a string of laughter in response and Cayde looks back at her, eyes glowing brighter than before with excitement.
"Who do you think I am Sky? We're hunters and you're a Blade Dancer. We're going to knock their socks off."
That gets Skylar laughing too because this is the Cayde she knows and cares for, and he's ridiculous and kind all at once. She doesn't protest at all, doesn't even agree, just walks with him back towards the central plaza with their fingers wound together. The music is somehow perfect despite its age and the fact that it's ending. Because it's not their end, just the beginning, and as they walk the tune and words fade with the feed as Sundance gives them what little privacy she can.
As always some lore has been slipped in there. We don't know a whole like about how each class operates other than the fighting styles and for me, the Vermilion Stripes were really important for hunters. We don't know a lot about hoe guardians mourn, but we know hunters do for fellow hunters.
Also, it should be mentioned that awkwardly, Skylar's original pet name was 'Ace', thanks for making that inappropriate Bungie...
I like 'Skyla' better anyway :P
What do you guys think?
DROH
