Yeah, I know, updates aren't o ntime, bla, bla bla...

but no ones really revied in a few chapters sooo... thats just how the cookie crumbles.

You know what you need to do ;)


Entry Log 139: 00:41:25

Music is pounding, thrumming through the air, the bass nearly shaking the ground as the camera flickers on. Colored lights flickering over a darkened space, the sound of chatter somehow still heard over the music consuming the air. The feed focuses in on the colorful wide open dance floor currently cluttered with guardians and civilians alike. On the far side of the floor, above the Exo DJ is a name written in neon purple and green. Shattered Moon. One of the only nightclubs in the Last City that ran almost 24 hours a day and catered to the heros that kept it safe. Certain hours only people with an invitation could enter, and according to the clock on the feed, it's one of those times.

Sundance focuses in more to find her partner in the middle of of the floor, his armor and hoodie surprisingly traded out from a button up shirt, though his hood still rests over his head. His hands, bare of gloves, are busy, attached to the back of his dance partner whose own rest on his upper arm and is clasped with his free one near her hip. Skylar has forgone her cloak and her armor, a handkerchief instead wrapped around her neck and a low cut white dress showing more skin than she normally would.

True to their class they move with the speed and grace that's expected, Cayde leading her about with subtle hand pressure and easy footwork. There's something about the way they move that is both dramatic and subdued, the flickering strobe lights matched perfectly with the thud of the bass making them appear to be cut into a stop motion frame by frame scene. He drops one hand, and raises another and suddenly she's spinning around him, the tips of two fingers brushing across his back as she travels the only hint he gets before he's there, caging her once again without a single faltering step. His arm sifts low, settling on her waist and she dips backwards, bending with earned flexibility that nealy has her hair brushing the ground for a moment. Then she's up again, and they're both moving, spinning, gliding.

Skylar's hand caresses the side of his face through his hood as they meet again and his arms pull her closer, opposite temples touching as they move a bit slowly, more condensed in claimed space. Cayde appears to whisper something in her ear, but the words are lost over the music but Skylar's laughter is the response before he grabs her waiting hand and spins her in twice in front of him, catching her with ease once more just as the music comes to a slamming stop and a strobe of color dyes her dress blue and purple for a moment. They're both breathing hard by then as people cheer the DJ on for a good track, and Skylar rests her forehead against Cayde's, closing her eyes for a moment. The Exo smirks slightly, running a hand through her hair before asking her something that she nods to. A moment later he's leading her off the dance floor and the feed follows them, zooming in to catch them in the frame more comfortably. Skylar is still grinning, the ends of a giggle on her lips as she leans into her boyfriend.

"I can't believe you just did that!" she accuses him. "Give me some warning next time!"

"Oh you loved it!" he argues to which he gets a snort of laughter again and he leans more to slightly press a kiss to her cheek. "Go find us a seat, I'll get some drinks," he tells her and she nods her head, breaking off from him and heading off. The Exo stands still for a moment, eyes on her back, watching her hips swing for a moment before Sundance floats close, and chirps almost disapprovingly at him. He's caught red handed but he just grins at the camera and then shrugs his shoulders, heading over to the glassy table in the center that is the bar.

The glass and tables around the bar are lit up with more red and pink than other colors due to the time of year, little paper hearts scattered on surfaces that end up sticking to Cayde's hand when he rests his arms on the table waiting to order. He bypasses the new holiday drinks on the menu that he scans over and catches the bartender's attention. Being a Vanguard does have its advantages, he doesn't even need to say when to start a tab.

"Ushal for me Tom, and a Blue Stardust for Sky," he tells the Awoken man, his hair shaved off on one side. Tom nods his head and grabs glasses right away.

"Didn't think I'd see you out and about for such a day," he banters as he works, picking up a bottle of bright blue vodka. "Did she drag you out here?" his teasing gets the Exo chuckling as he picks off the paper on his metallic skin.

"Naw, not really. She just hinted that she'd like to do something today so I listened."

"Huh, didn't know you knew how to do that."

"Hey! I listen when it's important!" The Exo's defensiveness gets the awoken to chuckle as he sets one drink down and works on the next. Huffing, Cayde taps a finger on the table. "She doesn't often ask to do something like this. Spend an entire day away from the life of a guardian. I figured i could at least give her that..." Not that any of them could ever truly do that but it was nice to pretend, to forget just for a bit. Tom nods his head, probably because he can't really understand but gets it enough to know what he's talking about. He's served enough guardians to have a clue or two.

"Good on you either way," he comments, placing the other drink down, this one bright green. "Here you go, let me know if you want anything else."

Cayde nodded his head and scooped up the glasses before making his way towards the area Skylar had run off to. Even in the lights of such a place her amber lit hair is a beacon to find and the feed zooms in as she lounges against an overstuffed sofa in the back, a table in front of her. As they get closer the shape of her knife comes into view, the weapon sticking out of the carved wood on the table by it's point. Cayde raises his metal brow in surprise as he sets the drinks down.

"Do I want to know why you stabbed the table?" he questioned half amused half wary. Her eyes flicker to him and then the knife and she shrugs her shoulder before reaching before and pulling the blade free.

"A titan, new from the looks of him - came over and said 'I bet you're a warlock, cause you've floated right into my heart'." She made a face at him grimacing like it hurt. "I just thought I should...prove him wrong," she explained a sly smirk etched into her face as she spun the knife by the section hole. Cayde blinked, clearly surprised before he chuckled and shook his head, making his way around the table.

"That poor guy. You probably scared the Light out of him,"he mused, plopping down on the sofa next to her. She just grinned and pulled the skirt of her dress up on one leg to where her knife holster was attached to her thigh and slid the blade back into place. Cayde leans forward and grabs her dink, handing it to her as she fixes her skirt. "Sad I missed it."

"Oh, I think it best you weren't here. He was embarrassed enough without the vanguard being present." She took a sip and leaned slightly against him letting out a small sigh, her eyes looking out over the colorful scene as his free arm snaked around her shoulders. "Thanks for today," she murmured looking at him. The exo rested his other hand on one knee, fingers curled around his drink and tilts his head. Instead of saying something right away, he swoops down and kisses her, pulling back after a few moments and smirking playfully.

"You're welcome Skyla," he whispers near her ear and she hums as they both go back to their drinks. The Exo simply tilts his head and rests it slightly against the crown of her own as she leans on him. "You know it's weird doing something today when for so many years i just teased others. Guess the joke's on me this time. Don't think I mind it though."

"The name is kind of… odd," Skylar put in with a smile. "But I think it's nice, having a holiday that celebrates life instead of remembering those who have passed." As she spoke, the camera picked up the subtle movement of Cayde placing his half empty glass on the table and shifting slightly to dig his hand into the pocket of his pants, pulling it back out fisted. After a moment he pulls back from her, startling her slightly and she gives him a questioning look. He just gives her cooked smile and holds his hand out, fingers down.

"Here, I got you a little something," he offers, and surprise flickers across her face before she holds her hand out below his and he uncurled his fingers. The object lands in her hand with a small glitter from the lights above and Sundance zooms in on it to get a better look. It's a necklace, the chain is silver and the bobble attached to it is a glass orange with golden flecks in it and is shaped into a crescent that's flattened on the back. It's no larger than a strange coin, fitting easily in half her palm and Skylar looks slightly stunned by it.

"Cayde where did you..." it's clear she's never seen anything like it.

"I found the raw stone a long time ago when I was out patrolling in North America. It's not even really a stone but petrified tree sap known as 'amber'," he explains rubbing the back of his neck, looking slightly nervous about the whole thing. "Your coloring always kind of reminded me of it so I took some time to make it look like something. Figured a sky could use a moon." Corny as it may be, his words pull a smile onto her face and she sets her drink down next to his.

"It's warm," she commented, running a finger along the top of the shape. Cayde nods his head, seeming to expect it.

"That's cause it's infused with Solar Light - my Light," he clarified, smiling crookedly as her eyebrows fly upward. He shrugs, trying to make it seem unimportant but clearly it is and he's just losing his nerve. "Just figured it'll remind you to come home safe."

Skylar looks at him for a few seconds before seeming to understand and nodding her head, her fingers curling around it carefully before she leans forward and kisses his jaw. "Thank you, this means more to me than you think Cayde," she whispered closing her eyes. "I love you."

The Exo relaxes, whatever worries he'd had suddenly gone as he runs a hand through her hair before lifting her jaw to have her look at him. No words are spoken, just silent understanding that seems to pass between their locked eyes, a conversation no one else will ever know. Then they're kissing again and this time it's not so brief and their hands are free for the most part, locking and gripping and skimming. When they pull back, a good few minutes have passed on the clock, Skylar is breathing nearly as hard as she was on the dance floor. She smiles at him and then shifts, her back to him and her hand holding out the necklace to him.

"Help me with it?"

Cayde hums in approval and plucks it back up from her hand, unclasping the chain and looping it around her neck to let it rest against her chest. Even once that's done he just presses his face against the back of her head and breaths in, eyes closed, relaxed, his hands on her shoulders and for a moment the world seems to still for them. For a moment the lie their fooling themselves with today is real, and that's all that really matters.