Author's Note: Going back through this story with a fine-toothed comb has made me wonder if I should have kept writing. I think there would have been plenty more to tell if I think about it. What do you think? Worth it?
"Forgive me."
He thought he felt a flutter of lips pressed soft and chaste against his own. Maybe the sweep of eyelashes against his cheek or it might have been a tear, but Duncan was too tired to force open his eyes. The only thing he could find to concentrate on was the back of his eyelids and the heavy weight of sleep holding him against the firm comfort of his mattress. He turned his face into the soft feathers of his pillow and yawned.
"I love you always, Duncan; no matter what is yet to come. You're everything that's beautiful in my universe and the other half of my heart."
When the Hunter did deem it necessary to open his eyes, the space in the bed beside him was empty. Closing his brown eyes to bright sunlight shining through the double paned windows along the back of his room, the Hunter yawned and ran his right hand over the expanse of space where he'd expected to find her, muttering in sarcasm, "Mornin' Bailey."
It was late afternoon; she'd probably been up for hours by now. Duncan told himself he wouldn't hold it against her. But if there were one thing he wanted for her to learn it would be a healthy appreciation for sleeping in on the days the Vanguard gave her for rest.
Stretching for a moment before making himself sit up, Duncan threw his feet over the edge of the bed and ran a hand through his tangled bangs. A quick glance at his nightstand revealed Bailey had done what he'd asked and taken Eyasluna with her when she'd gone. He tried to pretend he didn't realize she'd taken the other gun, as well.
He thought, vaguely, he'd need to remember to ask Kellin to borrow one of his old hand cannons until he could retrieve his Palindrome. It wasn't a given someone else would have wandered so far beneath the moon's surface to have found it yet. Maybe… If the gun was gone, he supposed he could head out to the Cosmodrome that afternoon to work towards scraping together the marks for purchasing another, but he wasn't resigned to such an inevitability.
Sliding a pair of dark sweats over his hips and pulling an old white t-shirt over his shoulders, the Hunter wandered over to the sink in the far corner of the room. His reflection in the mirror gleamed back at him, and the young man looked away just as soon as he could to splash some cold water on his face. He'd had dark circles beneath his eyes, and his hair was dirty, matted down against his skull from where he'd laid his head against the pillow.
Smirking for the knowledge it was standing so far on end because Bailey had her hands tangled up in it for half the night, the Hunter took a moment to run some water through his sandy blond locks to help tame it down. Slathering toothpaste on his toothbrush, Duncan brushed his teeth before running a hand, again, through his still tangled but now less unruly hair.
He'd shower later; he decided when his stomach growled in anger. Realizing he had probably been put to bed without dinner the night before, Duncan sighed and wandered out into the living space he shared with Kellin and Amri. It was a dormitory intended for six but, as they were a Fireteam of three, the bedrooms furthest down the hallway was left unused.
Kellin was lounging on a couch with his arm wrapped lazily around Reyka's shoulders. Her head was tucked underneath his chin, and she seemed to be dozing against his chest. Amri was sitting at a desk pushed against the wall opposite Kellin. Ash, a Hunter the Exo had rescued from the wilds a few months prior, was leaning against the edge of the desk, watching the Warlock work. She had a book open in her hands like she might have been cross-referencing something for the Exo.
When Duncan walked in, Kellin whistled low and deep, shaking his head, "You look like hell. What'd the Warlock do to you?"
The question hung heavy in the open air as everyone seemed to contemplate the hidden, unintended meaning of the Titan's words. As Amri looked up from his desk, the pen in his hand hovered above his notes. Ash was worrying her lower lip; she seemed frozen and uncertain what it might take to settle the tension. Even Reyka, who Duncan had considered to be asleep, lifted her head off of the Titan's chest to get a better look at the Hunter.
Scratching his chest in the place above his heart, Duncan smirked, "Kep' me up all nigh', if tha's wha' yer askin'."
Kellin laughed, "You and me both."
Reyka rolled her eyes, smacking Kellin on the back of the head in defense of her Fireteammate and dear friend. She muttered, "Why would you even say something like that?"
Ash exhaled a sharp breath, blushing a furious shade of red despite the darkened chai color of her skin. She let her amber eyes fall back down to the book open in her hand and pretended to be reading it.
Only Amri seemed unamused by the joke, scolding, "What happened yesterday is no laughing matter, mate. Whether we are speaking of it directly or not."
"Oh, lay off her, Warlock," Kellin said. He'd wrapped his arm back around Reyka's shoulders, though, and Duncan could tell his heart wasn't really into extending his argument with the Exo. Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, "Or did you forget about how you and Bailey already made up this morning?"
"Is that why Bailey was so upset?" Reyka asked of no one in particular. When no one replied, she shook her head and pointed an angry finger at the Warlock, "Amri, you know better than to lecture Bailey!"
"So, I'm the one at fault?" Amri replied, exasperation evident in his tone.
Duncan crossed the room to one of the cupboards he expected to be empty but had decided to search anyway, if for nothing more than to find something to do with his hands. "Alrigh'. Knock it off, everyone. It was an acciden'. I scared 'er, rushin' around the corner like I did."
"Accident or not, nothing explains her possession of that gun," Amri reminded. And if the Exo could scowl, Traveler knew Reyka and Kellin were getting the worst of one now.
Closing the cupboard door, Duncan looked down at the ground before casting a nervous glance at the couch and letting his gaze wander over towards Ash. His voice was quiet when he wondered aloud, "If we're gonna have this conversation, shouldn' we talk abou' it somewhere more private?"
"Kellin already knows," Amri dismissed. "After what happened to you, how else do you think she ended up in your room? Last night, if I'd had it my way, she would have been turned over to the Vanguard immediately."
The room was silent as the Hunter bit his tongue, seething. The young man turned to look over at Kellin. Duncan was not going to let himself lose his temper with Amri; that was a certain sort of spectacle which did not happened all too often. He understood the Exo was feeling defensive and his actual irritation was directed at Kellin, not Bailey. Besides, when there were disagreements among the three them, normally they were between a Titan and a Warlock. The Hunter would be left in the middle to mediate.
With a single look of encouragement from the Titan, Duncan felt his expression soften. Taking a few deep breaths as he clenched and unclenched his hands to fists at his side, Duncan sighed and tried to lighten the mood, "Thanks for tha' Titan, keepin' Amri from turnin' 'er in. I can' imagine las' nigh' woulda been as much fun af'er she'd gotten a lecture from Ikora."
"Oh, of course!" Kellin smirked. "But the rest of us migh'ta gotten some better sleep."
"Kellin!" Amri and Reyka snapped at the exact same moment.
It was the Exo, however, who continued, "I'm not going to let you make light of the situation; not this time. You saw Duncan with your own eyes! He was half dead when we brought him back."
Reyka stood up from the couch, reaching her hand out for Ash but keeping silent. The younger Hunter followed after her mentor, letting the Awoken Nightstalker lead her back to Kellin's room. Duncan remained silent, watching them go. He almost wished Reyka would have stayed. Their Titan could always keep his temper better when she was near. And if Kellin couldn't find something to be worked up about, neither could the Hunter.
"Oh, it wasn't that bad, Amri," Kellin continued after he'd heard the door click shut behind his girlfriend and her charge. "Duncan was puttin' on for Bailey's sympathy, just the same as he always does."
"You can't honestly believe that," Amri growled, shaking his head in exasperation. He'd raised his voice. Duncan closed his eyes when he noticed the way that the Warlock had clenched his hand to a fist.
He was too hungry to deal with the role of mediator between the Titan and the Warlock. Couldn't they wait until after breakfast? Or, he supposed, lunch.
"C'mon, Amri. She's Duncan's girl and that practically makes her one of us," Kellin tried to explain. Sighing, the crimson-haired Awoken stood up from the couch to stand beside the Hunter and place a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "You can't just condemn her because you don't like her gun."
"What makes you think this argument has anything to do with her?" Amri had turned to face them both. His voice was an eerie sort of calm, considering the argument Duncan had been bracing himself for. "The only point I'm trying to make is that you ought not to joke about something so serious. She's going to have to get rid of that gun or it could absolutely destroy her."
Both men were silent.
"What do you have to say, Hunter?"
Glancing up at Kellin who was still staring at Amri, Duncan sighed, "I know all of tha'. Bu' I made her a promise tha' I'd look after her. She's mixed up in somethin' I didn' expec', sure, bu' I can' turn my back on her. No' now."
Duncan watched Amri's reaction as he agreed. Then he turned to Kellin to find a similar response. The Fireteam seemed to react to the word 'promise' and the Hunter was reminded in an instant of what the word meant to all of them. They shared an unspoken promise to look after one another. The three were a family in whatever mixed up sort of way it was possible to be such a thing upon the doorstep of the end of humanity.
The Hunter softened his tone, confessing, "I know she can' keep tha' gun. Bu' she's gonna need help gettin' rid of it. We can' ask her to do tha' on her own. She needs me. Us. All of us to help her."
Amri seemed uncomfortable. He appeared to be considering an appropriate response before Kellin interrupted, "Well, she'll have us, at least. The Hunter and me. I won't walk away if Duncan believes there's still somethin' that can be done."
Surprised by the Titan's rather selfless declaration, Duncan turned and glanced up at his friend. He didn't know what to say, so he offered Kellin a knowing smirk, nodding his head before deciding honesty was his best response. Crossing his arms over his chest, the Hunter replied, "It's likewise, you know. Nex' time Reyka needs to bail you outta trouble, Bailey and I'll owe ya."
Kellin scratched the back of his head like he was nervous or maybe a little bit like he wanted to confess something as well. It almost made Duncan wonder what had really gone on while he'd been sleeping. But when the Titan's amber eyes looked across the expanse of counter space separating the two men from the Warlock, the Hunter let his gaze follow. Duncan's eyes met Amri's but the two remained silent.
With a heavy sigh, Amri looked away to cross his arms over his chest. He mumbled what was almost inaudible, "I've made a few promises of my own that will need to be honored. But I didn't bring you lot back to the Tower to abandon your hopeless selves for the wrath of the inner intricacies of Hive sorcery."
"What'd he just say, Hunter?"
Duncan was smiling. He couldn't contain the happiness and relief he felt to know his Fireteam was behind him and that wonderful, fiery little Warlock he felt so lucky to call his girl, and someday soon he'd make his wife. If there was a way to break the hold that gun had on Bailey, Duncan was sure they could find it. And if there wasn't a way, he would make one.
He swore he would make one.
"He's gonna help," Duncan said, smiling at Kellin.
"He might have figured it out without your help, mate," Amri met the two other members of his Fireteam with bright eyes. "Although, Traveler help us if Kellin ever figures out how to understand us. So much of the happiness I derive from finding new ways confusing him would be forever lost."
Duncan let the words wash over him, already thinking of Bailey and what this next step in their adventure might be like. Now that he knew her secret, there were glimmers and flashes of the dark Guardian that came to his mind with immediacy and urgency; like the way her eyes would glow with an eerie edge of, well, something after she'd been through the Crucible. Or the way her voice had sounded the day before, high pitched and menacing and not at all her own.
But there were other moments; memories neither the Titan nor the Warlock could understand. The way she curled her fingers around the collar of his shirt when she would fall asleep. The way she was always trying to keep her hand in his. The way her eyes lit up every time she told him she loved him, like she was surprised by herself. Surprised by them, a Hunter and a Warlock finding something more to exist for than pressing back the Darkness.
Ignoring Amri's rather obvious jab at him like it was of no more importance than whether or not he was joining the Titan for an afternoon in the Crucible, Kellin laughed, "Aww! Everyone's made up and the band's gettin' back together! Wouldn't be as much fun if we didn't bring you, Amri, for your Firebolt grenades. Best thing about havin' a Warlock, them Firebolt grenades."
Duncan sighed, watching Amri wander around the counter to stand nearer to the Hunter and Titan who were his best friends and also his greatest sources of worry. His voice was lighter now when he thought to add, "I'm useful for more than just grenades."
The Hunter listened to the door down the hallway open and heard two sets of footsteps padding soft but sure back towards the shared living space. Reyka cleared her throat, catching the Titan's attention. Her arm was linked with Ash's and together, the pair of them made for a rather impressive spectacle. Both Hunters were two of the tallest women Duncan knew. He wasn't short, unless you asked Kellin, which no one would ever do, but Ash was as tall as he was and Reyka was just a few inches shorter than her.
Reyka's voice was low, an indication she was pretending to be unimpressed, when she asked, "Has everyone made up in here?"
"No one was fightin', babe," Kellin shook his head. "We were just takin' a vote about who's the best sniper!"
"Oh, that's Reyka," Ash smiled in a matter of fact manner.
"Reyka couldn't hit the broadside of a Kestrel if my life depended on it," Kellin replied. "I would know; haven't trusted her to watch my six fer the last three Iron Banner tournaments."
Duncan watched the way Reyka's bright blue eyes narrowed for a split second, like she was considering whether or not to murder her boyfriend, before she protested, "If you hadn't been standing so close to the Warlock I was shooting at, you wouldn't have taken any residual damage from the explosive rounds!"
"Easy, children," Amri shook his head. "Votes were cast and we've agreed I'm the best sniper."
Raising an eyebrow at Amri, perhaps the best Guardian he'd ever known to hold a sidearm, Duncan smirked. Ash had cocked her head to the side, inspecting the Exo like she'd just learned something new about him. But Reyka wasn't interested anymore, it seemed, in discussing the obscurities she was smart enough to know hadn't actually been the topic of conversation. Her voice was impatient when she asked, "What was all of this really about? We aren't still mad at Bailey, are we?"
"Nah," Duncan shook his head. He looked at Kellin for a brief moment before letting his gaze settle on Amri, "I mean, Kellin migh' be a little sore he didn' ge' his beauty sleep. But no one's mad at Bailey."
"Duncan," Reyka rolled her eyes at the other Hunter and shook her head like she was disappointed in him. She looked up at Kellin before her features softened and she asked in an innocent tone, "Titan, have you asked him?"
"Well, no. Not yet."
"Why not?" the Hunter almost pouted or, at least, she'd gotten about as close to pouting as her angular features would allow. Crossing her arms over her chest, she rolled her eyes, "Kellin, how you manage to function on your own, I'll never understand."
"There were far more important things to discuss than askin' Duncan to be Ash's mentor," Kellin narrowed his eyes, pretending to be irritated with the Awoken Hunter still pouting up at him.
"Wha'?" Duncan couldn't help but be surprised by the request.
Misunderstanding the Hunter's question, Kellin said, "Things like who's the better sniper."
"Ash needs you to be her mentor," Reyka interrupted the Titan. Pushing the girl forward so she was standing in front of Duncan, Reyka stepped closer to Kellin but Duncan wasn't paying them any attention.
Instead, he was inspecting Ash. As the tall young woman stumbled forward, she righted herself before she could topple into him. Her amber eyes were wide with embarrassment and the Hunter thought he could make out a faint hue of red spread across her high cheekbones, but it was always hard to tell when she was blushing for the rich color of her skin. A few wisps of her dark hair had fallen out of her braid to obscure her face. As they stared at one another, she seemed unable to decide what to do with her hands so she settled for loose fists at her sides.
Crossing his arms over his chest, Duncan raised an eyebrow and looked around her to ask of Reyka, "Aren' you already doin' tha'?"
The room was silent as Reyka turned to glance up and over her shoulder at Kellin, accusing, "You really haven't told him? Not anything?"
"He's been asleep," and the Awoken lowered his voice to mutter, "or otherwise indisposed," before returning to his normal tone and volume to finish, "for the past day."
"And before tha' I was on the moon," Duncan added.
"Yeah," Kellin reiterated. "And before that he was on the moon!"
"Well, now's your last chance," Reyka smirked.
Admittedly quite curious of what Kellin might have to tell him, Duncan was more unsettled by the silence engulfing the room. Weighing his options, he decided to try to lighten the mood, "Yeah, now's your las' chance. You wai' any longer and I'll leave for the cafeteria. There's nothin' to ea' in these damn cupboards and I'm starvin'."
"Well, ya see," Kellin paused as he began scratching the back of his head. Casting a nervous glance down at Reyka, he sighed and pointed an accusatory finger at his girlfriend, "It's all her fault!"
"Oh, fuck you!" Reyka spat, her pale blue eyes alight with the fiery manifestation of her momentary ire. "This is your fault, too! How dare you try to throw me to the wolves!"
Ash squeaked when Reyka dove at the Titan and started pounding her fists against his chest. She, the younger Hunter, brushed past Duncan, headed for the side of the counter nearest Amri, to put both a Warlock and another Hunter between herself and the bickering Awoken couple.
Amri tried to capture Reyka's attention in his most soothing voice, "Calm down, dear."
Watching Kellin find her wrists to keep her from pounding them against his chest, Duncan felt his jaw drop when he heard the Titan's next words. He could only watch the smug smile settle on his best friend's face when he leaned down to tease his girlfriend, "Getting this worked up isn't good for the baby, Reyka darling."
Reyka turned purple, stammering, "Y-you! Don't call me that!"
Duncan put a hand on the counter to steady himself when the first words out of her mouth hadn't been to contradict what Kellin had just said about a baby. He ran a hand through his messy blonde hair, annunciating each syllable and sound, "Wait, what?"
And, without missing a beat, Ash patted his shoulder with enthusiasm, "Oh, Duncan! Your accent, you almost sounded like a real Guardian."
Kellin let Reyka's hands go, pointing at Ash as he proclaimed in a proud voice, "Atta girl! That's right; he did sound like a real Guardian!"
Duncan shook his head, looking at Reyka like this was some sort of a joke and a stern enough look from him could get her to confess to his Fireteam's prank. When she straightened her back and smoothed Kellin's sweater, which was several sizes too large for her, over her hips, Duncan took a step closer to Amri and Ash. He looked at the Awoken Hunter again before his eyes wandered south to settle on her stomach like there would be some affirmation for him there.
When Reyka seemed to notice what he had done, the grey-skinned Awoken pointed at him and growled, "And fuck you, too, Duncan! I'm not that far along!"
Throwing his hands up in mock surrender, Duncan started to step away from her, shaking his head. He was trying to fathom some sort of apology to make up for what he'd just inadvertently done when Kellin teased, "C'mon, forgive 'im, Rey. Ya gotta understand, there was a lot of food in these cupboards when he last saw 'em."
Reyka turned purple again, this time directing her rage at Kellin as she demanded, "Is this what I have to look forward to? Twenty eight more weeks of you being a right asshole?"
When the Titan tried to catch her, she dodged him with expert poise, landing beside Duncan. He could tell she was far more irritated than she'd let on; there were the beginnings of tears clinging to the corners of her eyes. Placing a tentative arm around her shoulder, he pulled her against his side and soothed, "Shame ya had to go ge' yourself tied to Kellin."
Reyka looked up at Duncan before patting his hand where it rested on her bicep. She laid her head against his shoulder and nodded, "A right shame!"
"Poor Reyka," Duncan sighed, really pouring it on.
"Easy, there," Kellin frowned, crossing his arms over his chest in a terrible attempt at seeming unperturbed by being made to watch his best friend put his arm around his girlfriend. But Duncan knew Kellin better than most; there was a line, sure, but he was still rather far from crossing it.
"Le' this be our firs' lesson, little Hunter," Duncan turned his attention back to Ash, letting Reyka go so he could place a hand over his heart in mock-solemnity. Shaking his head to stifle a laugh, he explained, "No good can come from gettin' yourself wrapped up with a Titan. Only trouble."
"All trouble!" Reyka affirmed, allowing the Titan to pull her up against his chest. He kissed her forehead and she patted the side of his head a few times.
"But a fun bit of trouble, right?" Kellin pouted at Reyka.
"Yes, dear," Reyka responded, trying to sound perturbed but unable to hide her smile.
Ash, on the other hand, surprised everyone with her exclamation of, "You'll do it, then; finish my training? R-really?"
Duncan smiled for the reassuring squeeze Amri gave his forearm. He could sense the Exo was pleased he'd agreed to finish what Reyka could not. Nodding, the Hunter assured, "Yeah, of course! No' your faul' my Titan can' keep his hands to himself."
"Duncan!" Reyka sighed, shaking her head in exasperation.
"C'mon, little Hunter," Duncan pushed himself away from the counter, ruffling Reyka's hair as he did so. He looked over to Amri and offered the Exo a reassuring smile. Duncan knew Ash meant a lot to his Fireteam's Warlock; he wouldn't have agreed to her asking Duncan for help otherwise. So he'd needed to find a subtle way to let the Warlock know the Hunter would be in good hands; he'd take care of her. Nodding at Ash, he explained, "Since there's no' a decen' bi' of food lef' in this dormitory, le's go have a bi' of fresh air and leave the Lovebirds to their leisure."
As she tagged along after him, Ash sighed, "You can call me Ash, you know."
"Nah!" Duncan glanced over his shoulder to find Kellin leading Reyka back to the spot on the couch they'd been sharing earlier. While sliding on a pair of shoes, he held the door open for Ash, letting her pass through. He held back a smile. The Awoken Guardians seemed content to stay behind from the cafeteria, so Duncan looked back at Amri to offer, "You comin', Warlock?"
Amri nodded, following after the pair of Hunters.
Duncan turned back to Ash and explained, "I'll stick with little Hunter 'til you graduate."
"Then what do I call you?" she raised her eyebrow at him, crossing her arms over her chest. Before he could respond, she filled in, "Big Hunter?"
Duncan bit back a laugh, wondering aloud, "You sure you were mean' to be a Nigh'stalker? Sass like tha' suggests you migh'ta made for a better Gunslinger."
"There's still time for you to change my mind," Ash smiled up at Duncan.
Amri pressed past the Hunter and shook his head, "Are you sure you're up for this, mate? You're not too old to keep up with Ash, are you?"
Duncan just laughed, following after the Warlock and the Hunter. Too old? He'd show the Warlock too old!
It was early the next morning when he woke up to the opposite side of his bed empty he finally thought to be lonesome for Bailey.
He was awake so early, before the sun was up, on that particular morning because he'd agreed to take Ash out to the Cosmodrome for some preliminary patrols to gauge where she was at with her solar skills.
Despite Ash's desire to be made a Nightstalker, Duncan and Ash had agreed over their late lunch the afternoon before he would teach her what he could about Solar Magic and all the finer points of Gunslinging. She only needed to demonstrate mastery of one subclass to be assigned to a Fireteam and Gunslinging, in Duncan's humble opinion, was as good a skill to master as Nightstalking.
Not to mention the important fact that Duncan had never condescended to dabble with Void Magic and, therefore, would have made for a poor candidate of a Hunter to teach someone else how to Nightstalk, as it were.
Once Reyka could return to the field, the girls could work together again and finish up Ash's studies with Void Magic. He'd reasoned to the young woman she could be trained and ready as a Gunslinger before Reyka could pick out a name for her baby; Ash would have a Fireteam of her own before Kellin had the crib put together. Though, knowing Kellin, if a crib was to be constructed, the baby would be lucky if that work was completed before he or she would be brought home to it.
Stifling a yawn, Duncan shook his head and stretched the stiff muscles of his neck before standing up. He pulled his arms back and over his head, working all the tired from his limbs, and hurried into his armor. He was expected in the Hangar in fifteen minutes; it wouldn't serve to be late for his first outing with his new protégé. Deciding it was too early to send a message to Bailey, Duncan pulled a pair of black boots over his dark grey trousers and reached for his sniper rifle.
As he pulled the gun away from where it rested on the wall, he noticed a silver Warlock bond fall to the floor. Picking it up, unable to hide the devilish grin as he thought about how it must have ended up there two nights before, he tossed it across the room so it landed with a soft thud on his pillow. Considering all the ways he could tease Bailey about losing track of her things in his room, Duncan strapped the sniper to his shoulder.
It might be fun to see what she'd be willing to do to get her bond back… He'd have to think carefully about his options before he let her know he'd found it.
Feeling for the empty place at his waist where his hand cannon should have been, he sighed. Remembering he would need to borrow one, he felt reassured for the dim light coming from the shared common room. It meant Amri was already awake. Though, he reminded himself, Amri didn't sleep; he was always awake.
"Mornin', Amri," Duncan greeted, fishing an apple out of a basket on the counter. Polishing out a smudge by running it over the material of his sleeve, he took a bite.
The Exo straightened his shoulders, seeming to be surprised by the Hunter's sudden entrance into the shared common room. Raising an eyebrow in suspicion as Amri shuffled some loose paperwork around, almost like he was trying to hide his research, the Hunter watched the Warlock turn around to reply, "Good morning."
Noticing one of the old texts was lying open, Duncan picked it up and looked at the cover to determine what it was. There was no title, which meant it must have been a personal journal or memoir. The book was open to a passage signed by a man named Jaren and it reminded the Hunter of something he'd come across in Bailey's research. Hiding a smile, Duncan asked, "You helpin' her on yer own or because she asked?"
"In my own way, I suppose I've been helping her all along," Amri said, pushing two pages of notes towards Duncan which he'd written himself. On the top corner of the page was a list of books written in Bailey's handwriting.
Duncan smirked.
"Forgetting something?" the Exo teased, pointing to the empty holster at Duncan's waist.
"Oh, yeah. Ya think I can borrow a hand cannon?" the Hunter smiled like he was innocent, like he wanted the Exo to know how much he deserved to be helped. He took another bite of his apple and raised his eyebrow for good measure.
Shaking his head, Amri's eyes seemed to glimmer with amusement as the Exo held out his hand to summon Edward. The Ghost listened to his Guardian's simple command, "A hand cannon for Duncan, please."
"Down and Doub'?" Duncan feigned surprise. Placing his hand over his heart and bowing in a manner that could be construed as nothing but sarcastic, the young man teased, "Amri, you spoil me."
"Beggars can't be choosers, mate," the Exo chuckled.
Duncan took the hand cannon from his Fireteammate and placed it into the empty holster at his waist. His eyes gleamed as an idea came to mind, "Say, wha' if Ash and I go-"
"Don't say it," Amri pointed at Duncan with a menacing finger. His eyes were dull. "I'm trusting you to look after her; not drag her into the Hellmouth."
"C'mon, Amri! You le' her ou' with Reyka how many times?"
"She's got a better sense about her than you do," Amri countered, turning around to resume reading whatever text he'd left open on his desk.
"No', it seems, where Titans are concerned."
Amri didn't laugh.
"Nothin' bad's gonna happen to the little Hunter while she's ou' with me," Duncan reassured, hoping Amri could understand his seriousness. When he seemed to interpret the Exo was unconvinced, the Hunter clarified, "Besides, it's obvious she's somethin' special to ya."
Duncan watched Amri's demeanor change, the way his shoulders seemed to tense. He seemed uncomfortable as he turned back around to look at Duncan, muttering, "How do you mean?"
Smirking, the Hunter shrugged, "How many little girls've you brough' back to Tower? And Ash is the firs' one tha' sticks around?"
Not denying or confirming anything, Amri shook his head, "Just look after her, would you?"
"Yeah," Duncan agreed. As he pushed through the door and into the hallway outside, he turned over his shoulder to add, "You jus' make sure her boyfriend doesn' figure ou' how you feel."
Hurrying down to the Hangar, Duncan finished his apple just as he was rounding the corner to his Fireteam's bay. Brown eyes settled on the dark grey jumpship he'd had for many years. Ash was already there, sitting up on the edge of Amri's workbench with a mug of something warm looking which she'd brought to her lips.
"Good morning!" she greeted as soon as she'd noticed him, though not so quick she'd slurred her words together. She'd sprang to her feet like she was supposed to stand up to greet him.
Duncan waved a patient hand in her direction and laughed, "Si' down, little Hunter. We've go' plenty of time fer you to finish a cup of coffee."
He watched her smile, lowering her chin. As she hopped back up onto the table, she seemed to remember she'd brought a mug for him. Hasty and precise, she picked it up and clarified, "For you."
Lowering his chin in silent thanks, he tapped the rim of his mug against the side of hers before taking a sip of the dark liquid. It was warm and strong, about the only two things that mattered to him in a cup of coffee. After a deep breath, he pointed at her scout rifle and asked, "You like scou' rifles or did Reyka tell ya you do?"
"Huh?" Ash blinked, setting her mug down to run her hand over the pink scout rifle she'd used for the past several months.
"You ever tried ou' a hand cannon?"
"No," she said, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear.
Duncan finished his coffee and put the empty mug down next to Ash's. Drawing the gun he'd borrowed from Amri off his belt, he turned it over a few times before looking at his new student.
"Well, there's a firs' time for everything," Duncan smirked, putting Amri's hand cannon into her open hands. He noted the way she looked confused when he grabbed her pink scout rifle so, raising an eyebrow, he poked a bit of fun at himself, "Besides, this'll make me look pretty tough, wha' with the lovely shade of pink and all."
"Pink or no, I'm not sure 'tough' is quite how I'd describe you," Ash murmured, following after the older Hunter as he hopped up on the wing of his jumpship.
Reaching down to help Ash up, Duncan sighed, "Easy on the sarcasm; sun's no' even all the way up ye'."
It was late evening when the pair of Hunters returned from the field. Duncan had taken Ash to the Hellmouth, despite all of Amri's wishes he wouldn't. Spinning the familiar Palindrome with a skillful flourish of his wrist before returning it to the holster at his waist, Duncan hopped off of the wing of his jumpship to land on the ground. Then, being the gentleman he was, he turned around to offer his hand to Ash.
She hopped down to the ground, landing beside him, but ignored his hand. Her voice was quiet but Duncan could read her sincerity, "Thanks for the lesson, Mr. Baird."
"It was a pleasure, Miss Rao," he said, mocking her formality by using her given name, as well.
"Tomorrow afternoon, then?" she asked, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. When she tried to hand Amri's gun back to him, the older Hunter waved it off.
"You hang on to tha'," he said with a smile. "Amri doesn' need it and I dare say yer gonna be pretty good with a hand cannon someday, whether ya le' Reyka make up yer mind on it or no'."
Ash's cheeks flushed red. Duncan smirked. This little Hunter would need to learn to accept a compliment; just one lesson in the field and he could already tell she was going to be too good of a Guardian to be so shy. Modesty wouldn't become her.
He could see a future Fireteammate in the making in this one, someone he'd trust to watch his back and who was patient enough to look after Kellin. Deciding he'd have to offer his honest assessment to Amri, if for no reason other than affirming he was going no to make sure Ashari was ready to be one of them when she learned what was required.
"Tomorrow, then?"
"I'll see ya tomorrow," Duncan nodded, his eyes settling on the shadowy figure of a Warlock waiting near the doorway of the Hangar bay. He thought of Bailey, of course, but judging from the way he noticed Ash's shoulders tense, he understood this Warlock was hers, an Awoken Guardian named Rancourt. Keeping his voice low, he offered in the most casual tone he could manage, "Ya know I'll walk ya back to yer dormitory, righ'? Or mine if you'd rather check in with Amri firs'."
She looked away but he caught the faintest beginnings of a smile before she'd managed to hide it. Her voice was just a whisper, "Thank you but I'll be alright."
Duncan nodded, watching her go. The way she seemed to recoil from the male Warlock's arm around her shoulders like he was a nuisance to her made the Hunter frown. He wondered if she felt for the Exo the way he felt about her. With a sigh, he called out after her, "Ash! Dus' off yer boots! Wouldn' wan' Amri to know I took ya to the moon. I'd never hear the end of it."
She turned around, exaggerating the way she stomped her feet on the ground, offering, "He's going to know as soon as he sees that Palindrome!" But she waved to him nonetheless.
Duncan just laughed and watched Ash go. Seeing the other Warlock made him wonder what Bailey was up to. He hadn't seen her the day before, which wasn't entirely out of the ordinary. She was a very busy Warlock, what with all of her research. But Duncan missed her, though he wouldn't have admitted to it even if the alternative was facing an entire platoon of Dreg with no gun.
"Al?" he wondered, watching the way Albert hovered to life out of the safety of his armor. His white-blue light illuminated the Hangar, which was growing dim as the sun slid behind the mountains.
"Yes, Guardian?"
"Will ya send Bailey a message for me?"
"I could be convinced," the Ghost teased, hovering into and out of Duncan's reach as the Guardian tried to capture him to expedite having his message sent. When it seemed the game had ended, Albert came to a rest on the table next to his Guardian before agreeing, "What should I send?"
"Ask her if she's missing her bond," the Hunter smirked. "And then ask wha' she'd do to ge' it back."
"You're an animal," Albert accused. "I'm not sending her that!"
"Why no'?"
"It's rude!" Albert said with a finality that left little room for argument.
With a sigh, Duncan nodded his head and crossed his arms over his chest. As he made to leave the Hangar and head towards his dormitory to clean up, he decided, "Then ask her if she wants to grab some dinner."
"Very good," his Ghost agreed.
"I'll ask her abou' her bond myself."
"You're impossible," Albert muttered but he sent the message along anyway. Duncan and his Ghost had been together long enough to understand each other better than anyone else either of them knew. Albert had established his own relationships with all of the important people in his Guardian's life. He was well accustomed to making excuses to Bailey to make up for his Hunter's poor behaviour.
The pair was halfway back to their dormitory when Duncan grew impatient enough to ask, "Well, wha'd she say?"
There was a long silence so pronounced Duncan stopped walking and turned around. Albert, who had been hovering rather near to him, crashed into the Hunter's chest plate. When the Ghost looked up at the Guardian, Duncan wasn't sure if he'd explain why he'd crashed into him or answer his original question.
"The message won't go through, Guardian."
Duncan inhaled and as the breath filled his lungs the entire rest of his universe felt like it had come crashing down around him. If the message wasn't being received, he knew it could only mean one thing.
Bailey wasn't in the Tower.
And there could only be two reasons for that…
"Try again?" Duncan muttered, reaching with an absent minded hand for the wall beside him for support. He already knew Albert wouldn't be successful.
"Guardian, I've tried six times already."
"The Vanguard?" he wondered, more to himself than to his Ghost.
Albert flashed a light over Duncan's face, meant as reassurance, but the Hunter could only close his eyes as he listened to the Ghost's reply, "She hasn't been assigned."
"Then the medical wards?"
"Nothing."
Duncan breathed a silent sigh and took off running, not in the direction of his dormitory but in the direction of hers. If Albert was even still following behind him, the Hunter didn't know. He had only one thing on his mind and it was finding her and making sure she was alright.
"Bailey!"
He was knocking on the door with urgency. It was, in retrospect, more forceful than was really necessary. But he still remembered what she'd tried to do the night before and, armed with that knowledge, he could only expect the worst. He had to see her with his own eyes. He needed to feel her small frame tucked safe within his arms.
"Bailey?"
A female Hunter with powder pink hair opened the door. Duncan pressed past her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder to move her aside without hurting her. He was already halfway to the Warlock's door when the other Hunter's voice reached his ears, "What do you think you're doing? You can't just barge in here uninvited."
"He is invited."
Duncan turned around to face Reyka. She was standing beside him, placing a reassuring hand on his forearm, but he could see the concern written across her stern features as plain as day.
"Where is Bailey?" he asked.
"I thought she was with you."
Duncan pulled his arm away from Reyka's grasp and wrenched open the Warlock's door. A single glance inside confirmed his worst fears. The room was in perfect order which was not at all the way Bailey would have left it if she'd gone out for patrols or left for the archives. The way she kept her space was best described as organized chaos; a perfect balance between clutter and disarray with a system or organization only she could discern.
He knew she wasn't in the Warlock halls; her books were stacked in neat rows across her shelf and the bag which would have contained her notes was hanging empty over the side of her straight backed chair. And he knew she hadn't simply gone out. Everything was so eerily tidy Duncan had to step forward and through the open doorway to process it all.
He ran his hands through his hair in frustration before clenching his right hand into a fist. It was Reyka's voice pulling him away from all of the hurt and anger and confusion and, well, the everything he was feeling all at once. She had her hands on his forearm, looking up at him with a worried expression, "What's going on, Duncan? Wasn't she with you?"
"Bailey's gone," he whispered, feeling his heart clench when he picked up Eyasluna from where the gun had been left on her desk. Like a taunt, a torture that this, his gun, would be the only real proof she had really gone. When he picked it up, a single piece of paper was lying underneath.
"What have you done to Bailey, Hunter?" the girl with pink hair accused from the doorway.
Duncan ignored her to read across the slip of parchment in the Warlock's even hand, "Forgive me, Duncan."
He crumpled the paper into his fist. Where had he heard that before?
Reyka kicked the door closed so only she and Duncan were inside. Duncan watched her take the gun from his hand, turning it over and inspecting it. When she looked up at him, her piercing blue eyes had the faintest glimmer of fear evident within. With a hesitant tone, she confessed, "Bailey was upset when she came home yesterday morning. She wouldn't talk to me. Kellin said she'd had a disagreement with Amri. I-I'm sorry Duncan. I thought..."
But she never said what it was she thought.
Duncan didn't respond but took Eyasluna back from Reyka when she offered it to him. He pulled his arm away from her and made to open the door so he could leave.
"This is about Thorn, isn't it, Duncan? Is Bailey in trouble?"
He hesitated before nodding, "Seems like it. Bu' she can' have gone far. I'll bring her home, Reyka. I promise."
