"It's hard to forget someone who gave you so much to remember."
The night wind blew over the Tower on the eve of the Festival of the Lost. It was enough to make a man shudder, but Banshee shuddered not; The Exo helped hang decorations around the Tower, he even wore a mask to celebrate the occasion.
"Don't hang those here." Lakshmi ordered.
Banshee looked at Lakshmi in disbelief. "I thought you liked the Festival?" He moved his feet to her.
She stood erect, much like a soldier. "The Future War Cult doesn't allow such festivities within its order; now I ask you kindly to take your décor and leave."
"Hmph, I remember when you loved holidays."
"Times have changed, I suppose…" Her voice was so distant, it made Banshee's chest ache. A small hand gesture by Lakshmi drove Banshee to leave the club house. The Gunsmith's long walk back to the other decorators was short; his hands letting loose of the banners that had the Festival symbol printed upon them, the soft sound they made as they touched the ground was almost audible to Banshee but not enough to grasp his attention.
"I remember…" He whimpered to himself, walking over the fallen décor. When he returned to his shop, the Gunsmith sat on the floor behind his large metal stands, closed his eyes and went on a trip to better times…
He remembered when she woke up on that dreadful night; her loveliness in the lantern light. Her sheen overwhelmed him, when she spoke, the words were like fire to his innards.
"H-hi," She spoke quite nervously, seeing Banshee stand before her.
"Hey," He helped Lakshmi from the cot, her eyes gazing into his. "You have a name, or do I call you 'nurse'?
"My name is Lakshmi."
"The name's Banshee-12."
Lakshmi's eyes widened at that number. "Twelve?" She flabbergasted. "Why so many wipes?"
"Don't remember," He said. "A shame isn't it, I know." He noticed his arms around Lakshmi's waist. "Do you mind if I hold you like this?"
Lakshmi chuckled lightly. "I don't mind at all." She wrapped her arms around his torso, bringing Banshee closer.
For a while the two stared at each other, embraced in Cupid's ribbon of love. They touched heads and began to rock back and forth in a small dance. Their music was the taps of the rain and the crackling of the oil lantern; to them there was nothing that could break this bond, it was almost magnetic.
"If I could kiss you I would…"
"We could…" Banshee closed in on her mouth, where a pair of lips ought to be and in his head kissed the lovely Exo.
Lakshmi complied with Banshee and did as he did. When they parted, Lakshmi looked at her fellow Exo astonished, how he could come up with such a way to make her feel the way she did was overwhelming to her circuits.
"You know, I've been wanting to meet you for a long while now…"
Banshee asked, "How long a while?"
"Ever since you came to the station that one time with that wounded soldier…"
"Heh," He chuckled. "I knew I recognized you from somewhere."
Lakshmi looked at him surprised.
"I never forget a pretty face…"
"So you'll never forget me?"
"Never in a million wipes."
The cold autumn wind crashed against his right side as he spoke those words. He sighed opening his eyes and seeing the backend of his shop.
"Banshee, what're you doing sitting around?" Asked Cayde as he swung over to the Gunsmith's shop. "We have decorations to hang up!"
Banshee looked down a bit. "Right…" He said staggering to his feet.
"Everything alright, buddy?"
"Yeah, just a lose bolt or something…"
Cayde looked at him concerned. "You should get that check out."
"I'll make sure to do that." He said as Cayde placed some banners on Banshee's stand.
Banshee looked down at the banners, near disgusted, as the Hunter Vanguard walked away. "It's never been the same." He muttered to himself. "Not since Nova…"