Tormented
Special: Crimson Days
Decided to update today for Valentine's Day :D
Don't worry, there will still be an update tomorrow C:
"Any plans for your 'wifey'?" Carina laughed as Akvia choked on his drink, slamming his fist repeatedly onto his chest in an attempt to clear his airway, "oh come on, don't be like that. You know as well as I do that you didn't ask for leave just to sit around and do nothing while Crimson Days is around. The Holiday is a time for 'lovemaking' and the 'sexy' time." She gave the male Titan a wink, "Planning to make another Ora?"
The two Titans were seated in the bar in the lower floor of the Hangar, a single drink in their hands while a couple of bottles were laid out in front of them on their table. At first, the two had planned to call the rest of Fireteam Redacted to join in but after getting nothing but rebuffs and white noise, the two Titans decided that the two of them will just be enough for company. As such, the two had stripped down to casual clothes; Carina in a simple copper shirt and dark pants and Akiva in a dark brown sweats and shirt, and are currently chatting away why lingering near the edge of a buzz. At least, for a little while.
"First off, we're not married so she's my 'girlfriend', not my wife…yet." The female Titan grinned as Akiva coughed into his fist, "and secondly, just because we're going to have a 'special' night together doesn't mean Neve and I are trying to make more kids."
"Pfft, still going to be a fun night for the two of you," Carina laughed as she leaned back in her seat, "I would ask if Aleeza and I can join you two but we decided just to sit back and enjoy the view of the stars in her room."
Immediately, Akiva gave the female Titan a wide-eyed stare, "Wait, you two aren't going to have intercourse tonight?"
"Who said we wouldn't?" Carina snorted, "But it is a strong 'maybe' at this point and Aleeza and I just want to relax. No Darkness. No Fighting. No Action. Just, peace."
Laughing at his fellow Titan's words, Akiva took a sip of his drink before he let out a small hum, "You know, talking about what we are going to do tonight just makes me wonder what the others are planning."
"You mean lonesome number one, two, and three?" Carina smiled as the male Titan let out a snort, "I know for 'sure' that Angel is trying to get flight permission from Zavala to let him head out and stay with the House of Spirits for the rest of Crimson Days but, Ianos and Pluto? No idea."
Taking a sip of her own drink, Carina then heard Akiva let out another hum, "I know for certain that Pluto is going to mourn the loss of Neptune this year."
"Again?"
"The two of them have been together for 'years', Carina, ever since the two of them found their names," The female Titan paused at Akiva's words, "Suddenly losing him like that, it's going to be a few more years before Pluto can move on from the loss."
"What about Ianos?"
Instantly, Akiva paused at Carina's question, causing the female Titan to raise a brow at her fellow Titan's silence, "Well?"
"Well…," Akiva started, "Let's just say that he is going to be doing the same thing that Pluto might be doing this year."
It took Carina only seconds for the male Titan's words to click in her head, "Wait a minute! Ianos had a partner!?"
"Carina," Hearing Akiva hiss between his teeth, the female Titan blinked, bewilderment clear in her violet optics as the male Titan heaved out a sigh.
"Yes and no," Carina blinked once more at the Titan's words, "Ianos didn't really have just 'a' partner, he…" He heaved out a sigh, hesitation clear in his golden hues, "He had two."
Her optics going wide at the new information she just received about the Awoken Warlock, a mischievous smile formed onto her metallic features, a sign that Akiva didn't miss.
"Keep this to yourself, alright?" The male Titan immediately stated, "The only ones that are supposed to know is just Pluto and I so keep this to yourself when Ianos is around. He wouldn't be happy that I revealed that kind of information without his permission, especially since he himself relayed it to me."
"Oh, I will make sure that he doesn't figure it out," Carina's smile stayed on her face, "But I would have 'never' thought Ianos would be the type to start a relationship not with just one but 'two'?" She leaned forward in her seat, "Who were the two men who were brave enough to stand him?"
A laugh escaped from Akiva's lips, "Their names were Ahamri-34 and Zakai. With Ianos, the three of them formed a Fireteam called Fireteam Trinity, mainly for the reason that they were all Warlocks, each attuned to a different light." Watching Akiva take another sip of his drink, Carina waited patiently before he continued, "If I remember correctly, Zakai came first before Ahamri came into the picture. He didn't say how their relationship started initially but as soon as the three of them formed a team, they soon became notorious for being in a polyamorous relationship." Akiva let out a snort, "You should have seen the smile on the kid's face, never seen him seem so happy."
Letting the imagery of Ianos with his helmet absent and a smile on his face, Carina couldn't help but let out a shiver, finding the notion both weird and out of character, "So what happened then? Did the three of them have a falling out?"
Almost instantly, Carina saw the male Titan's eyes turn melancholic, the cheerfulness in his golden hues fading, "No, the Great Disaster is what happened."
Immediately, the female Exo went silent, her violet optics silently reading the honesty in Akiva's eyes. Despite her years, Carina had taken it upon herself to learn about the Great Disaster and she soon learned that the name was more than appropriate. Although at first, the Guardians had the upper hand, the appearance of Crota soon changed all that, easily killing hundreds of Guardians with a single swing of his sword and it didn't help that his Knights also held weapons very similar in function. Within minutes, the Hive Prince had the able-bodied Guardians retreating, forcing them to leave behind the injured and the dead. The death count was so numerous, Carina heard that Ghosts of those who had perished during the Great Disaster can still be found on the Moon to this day.
"Let me guess, they didn't make it?" Carina watched as Akiva nodded, "I couldn't get anymore from Ianos, had to ask Pluto and he had to be the one to tell me what had happened." He heaved out a sigh before letting out a quiet snort, "You know, when you see Pluto and Ianos in action, it would have never crossed your mind that they had suffered such a large amount of losses during their years alive. They seem to have things together and easily keep their mind focused at the task at hand. Makes me wonder what they do behind closed doors."
Tapping the side of her cup as she soaked in the male Titan's words, Carina couldn't help but mentally agree with her fellow Titan. She had seen both Pluto and Ianos fight and even though she hated to admit it, Carina knows she will have to have a few more years of experience before she can even stand her ground against either one of them. Every time Fireteam Redacted would head out on a mission together, more than likely, Pluto and Ianos would be the only ones who would leave the mission without a death. Banged up and bruised perhaps, but more often than not, they would live throughout the mission without a resurrection. Not once had it crossed her mind that Pluto would still be mourning the loss of Neptune or that Ianos even had partners during the years before Fireteam Redacted.
Letting out a small huff at this thought, Carina then shifted her violet optics on Akiva, "So the two of them are going to spend Crimson Days alone then?"
The female Titan watched as Akiva let out a shrug, "Perhaps, but the few years that I have known them, I always see them enter Pluto's room together every time Crimson Days comes around."
Carina blinked, "So what, they sleep with each other?"
The female Exo couldn't help but smile as Akiva let out a sputter, "No! Of course not!" Throwing his arms into the air before leaning back into his seat, Akiva then added, "I have no idea what they do when they enter Pluto's room but I know for sure that it is not 'that'."
Laughing at her fellow Titan's reaction, Carina then lifted up her cup and took another sip, listening to Akiva grumble before she placed her drink back onto the table and let out a hum, "You know, we should do something special for lonesome one, two, and three for Crimson Days."
The female Exo watched as Akiva fixated his gaze on her and raised a brow, "Oh? What do you propose we do? Crimson Days is a day usually spent with loved ones."
"Pah, why do people think that love only sticks with 'lovebirds'." Carina rolled her optics, "Love can be platonic and it can be held between friends. Geez, is that why Guardians are scared to say 'I love you' to friends?"
From the way Akiva took a quick sip from his cup and fidgeted in his seat, Carina didn't need a vocal answer to her question.
Shaking her head, the female Titan took another sip of her drink before she glanced over her shoulder, spying the familiar green and violet form of Spears hovering nearby, "Is there a day that we're free, Spears?"
{"Besides tonight, you're practically free."}
"Perfect!" Shifting her gaze back onto Akiva, Carina beamed, "So it's settled then. We're going to schedule a day where Fireteam Redacted will celebrate Crimson Days together!"
Watching Akiva drain his cup and smack his lips afterwards, Carina then heard him state, "What do you suggest we do?"
Humming quietly to herself, Carina's violet optics lit up as a thought flashed into her mind, "I know 'exactly' what we can do."
Xxxxx
"I can't believe you're actually making me go."
A snort escaped Pluto's lips, the Exo Hunter turning his activated optics towards the male Guardian as the latter stated, "Movie night? Why are we wasting a day of leave watching a 'movie'?"
Like many Guardians, both Pluto and Ianos were given leave during the week long celebration of Crimson Days and as such, when the pair were invited to Aleeza and Carina's quarters for a 'movie' night, the two had stripped away their armor and changed into something more casual. Ianos was wearing a dark azure short sleeved shirt tucked into dark pants, the baggy pieces of clothing easily hiding the boots he wore underneath. His proto-type system was wrapped around his waist and arms, ensuring that the clear mask around his lips were giving him the needed drugs for him to stay pain free. Pluto on the other hand, wore a sleeveless hooded shirt, pulling the hood over his head in an attempt to mimic his cloak. Like Ianos, he wore dark baggy pants over some boots and as such, with the dark hall lights currently off to accommodate Guardians already in bed, the only thing that can be seen from the Exo Hunter were his red glowing optics. As the two walked through the dark hall, both Ace and Nix hovered near their respective Guardian's shoulders however, keeping their light to themselves to ensure their light doesn't bother sleeping Guardians in their apartments.
"What? Would you rather have us head to my room and grieve silently?" Pluto asked, watching the Awoken Guardian pause at his words, "I would rather spend my energy on doing 'positive' instead of feeling the pain of losing a loved one. Movie night with Fireteam Redacted seems the right way to go."
Hearing Ianos grumble under his breath, Pluto couldn't help but let out another snort as the Awoken Warlock eventually let out a defeated sigh, prompting the Exo Hunter to lead the way towards the two female Guardian's quarters. Coming to a pause next to a door moments later, Pluto quietly raised a fist and rapped the metal door with the back of his hand. As soon as the door slid open, both Pluto and Ianos raised a hand over their eyes, Ace letting out a small squeak before gliding behind their Guardian's shoulder.
There standing at the doorway was Aleeza, dressed in nothing but her undergarments.
"Oh, you're here," Pluto heard the female Awoken laugh, "Carina and I thought we had a bit more time before you all came along but guess we were wrong. Come on in and don't worry, I'll get dressed."
Lowering his hand to ensure the female Awoken was out of view, Pluto then reached over and tapped Ianos on the shoulder to signal to the Warlock that all was safe before the pair took tentative steps forward into the female Guardian's quarters.
"What happened?" It was Nix, Pluto feeling his Ghost hover close to his shoulder as he repeated, "What happened? Did something happen?"
"Trust me, just be glad that you weren't able to see that," Pluto muttered, earning a bewildered stare from the viridian Ghost.
"You have to admit though, that body…"
"If I were interested in women, I would make a comment. Since I'm not, not going to make any."
Pluto couldn't help but snort at Ianos' words, "Do you have a certain body 'type'?"
Hearing Ianos go silent, Pluto took it as an opportunity to take in the sight before him. The room they had entered seems to be the living area, the couch in the middle of the room and the blank wall in front makes that apparent. The only source of light is the opened window that expands majority of the wall and the simple lamp leaning in the corner of the room to accommodate the dark corner. To Pluto, it was deemed as casual, too casual for someone as Aleeza and Carina. He had expected something more 'messy', more like, clothes strewn out everywhere, just, signs that the two female Guardians were 'going at it'. Then again, the two could have cleaned their apartment for their guests. Who knows?
"I would say my type is someone who is lean, but not a stick," Pluto shifted his red optics towards Ianos, letting out a blink before smiling at the Awoken Warlock's words, "someone who has a bit of a muscle but not exaggerated."
"So, someone like Matt then?"
"…why did you have to mess it up for me?"
Laughing at Ianos' question, Pluto then walked over to the couch and took a seat, hearing Nix following behind him, signaling to the Exo Hunter to lay out his hands in his lap, spreading out his palms to give a spot for Nix to land and snuggle in. Not long after, Pluto felt Ianos take a seat next to him, turning his gaze towards the Awoken in time to see Ace glide over and snuggle into the crook of his neck.
"You two are here already?"
Shifting his gaze towards the entryway, Pluto blinked as he recognized the form of Akiva walk into a room, holding what appears to be a bowl in his hands, "And here I thought I was running late."
"Pfft, no, you're on time," Pluto stated, "Then again, Aleeza and Carina tried to grab a quickie before we got here."
"Hah! Sounds like them." Akiva walked over and took a seat next to Pluto as Lex glided over and cuddled into the crook of his arm, prompting the Exo Hunter to nod his head towards the bowl the Titan held in his hands, "So, what's that?"
"Oh! This!" Akiva beamed at the Exo, "Imagine my disappointment when they didn't have bagged popcorn. Then I remembered they sell corn in the Market so I went and bought some and here we are!"
Raising a brow at the human Titan's words, Pluto glanced down at the contents in the bowl. To him, it looked fluffy but look ragged, as if it had forced its way out of a small container and to the older Guardian, not really appealing. As if sensing the doubt from the Exo Hunter, Akiva plucked one of the pieces out of the bowl, gave him a smile, and then popped it into his mouth and chewed. Optics going wide, Pluto watched as Akiva popped another into his mouth, enjoying the treat as he continued to stare in awe.
"Hey, rules are you can't eat the popcorn until the movie starts."
As all eyes turned towards the entrance, Angel entered the room, dressed in a hooded shirt and long pants before he took an empty seat next to Akiva as Hope wiggled her way into the back of his hood, "That way, you don't hog it all for yourself."
Watching Akiva give the human Hunter a sheepish smile, Pluto couldn't help but let out a snort when a hand suddenly clamp down onto the Titan's shoulder, causing the latter to jump.
"Ready for the movie to start?"
It was Carina, the female Exo seems to haphazardly put on a zipped up sweater and shorts and holding to what seems to be a black box underneath her arm. Watching the female Guardian give her fellow Titan a smile, Pluto then watched her push herself away from the couch before walking over to the middle of the room and in Pluto's optics, seemingly unfold the black box so that it stands on thin legs. As soon as Carina took a step away to admire her work, Pluto then spied the black lens on the front, prompting the Exo Hunter to turn and raise a 'brow' at the female Exo. This didn't miss Carina's sight.
"This is Pre-Golden Age Tech." Carina's smile seems to broaden as Pluto's optics widen, "Aleeza found it during an expedition into an old city years ago. A projector I believe? She just recently put it back into shape." Pluto then watched her clap her hands together excitedly, earning a small huff from Spears as the latter glided away to the arm of the couch and settled there, "Oh come on Spears, you were just as excited as I were when Aleeza announced she had repaired it."
Hearing Spears let out a small squeal in response to his Guardian's words, Pluto can tell that the Ghost's response wasn't the one that Carina had wanted to hear, as the female Exo frowned at the violet and green shell of her Ghost before she threw her arms into the air and then let out a grumble. This in turn, caused a chuckle to echo through the room, causing all eyes to turn towards the hall only for Pluto to recognize Aleeza, the latter of which had thrown on a long-sleeved shirt and shorts and leaned against the wall of the hall with her arms crossed.
"Come on Carina, let's close the doors and the blinds so we can properly watch the movie in the dark." Watching Aleeza then walk over to the entrance of their room, Pluto then then heard the familiar sounds of blinds fluttering close, causing the room to slowly fade into the dark.
"So, what are we watching?" Hearing Angel's question, Pluto couldn't help but think the same as he watched Aleeza walk over to the projector and seemingly put in what resembled a disk into its side.
"Can't remember the title," The female Warlock let out a hum, "But if I remember correctly, it follows the perspective of two humans on board a ship that is apparently destined to sink."
"Well, that sounds pleasant," Pluto heard Ianos mutter out.
"Wait, is the movie called the Titanic?"
All eyes turned towards Akiva, the latter of which popped a handful of popcorn into his mouth.
"I am. Not quite sure?" The uncertainty in Aleeza's voice was clear, "but it won't' matter as long as the movie is interesting, right?"
Hearing Akiva let out a snort, Pluto couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive, shifting nervously in his seat as the projector filtered out a screen onto the wall and the scene shifted towards the sea. Watching Carina and Aleeza take a seat next to Angel, Pluto couldn't help but jump as a hand stretched out across his chest and into the bowl of popcorn in Akiva's lap. Turning his optics towards Ianos, Pluto was surprise to see the Awoken Warlock lift up his mask and started popping single pieces of corn into his mouth one by one, slowly nibbling on them as the movie continued. Blinking several times at this, the Exo Hunter couldn't help but let his gaze soften as Ianos kept his gaze fixated onto the screen, occasionally letting out murmurs towards Ace as the two silently made commentary towards each other. He hadn't seen Ianos this relaxed in a while.
Shifting his gaze towards Akiva and Angel, Pluto couldn't help but let out a quiet snort as the Titan was shoveling handfuls of popcorn into his mouth, hearing Angel letting out silent protest as he attempted to grab at least a handful for himself. Aleeza and Carina were watching the movie silently, leaning their heads against each other's shoulders as they intertwined their fingers together. Shifting his gaze towards the screen back towards the movie, Pluto couldn't help but let a slow realization hit him; how long has it been since he had sat down with a team and relaxed like this? Free of their gear and for once, not carrying weapons into battles? Able to sit down and not worry about death and discrimination? Listing off the years before the deaths of his previous Fireteam, Pluto can say that it has been 'way' too long since he last relaxed like this and as such, he leaned his head back and let out a sigh of content.
The Exo Hunter knows that realistically, there will be a time when Fireteam Redacted will be no more, that there will come a time when several or all of the team be deceased or the fireteam will simply disband because of eventually disagreements. But for now, he will spend this rare moment and of all the days, on a day when Crimson Days was active.