#destcember day 10

[etheiryan]

What is Worth Fighting For

“What do you fight for?”

The question of the ages. Posed at almost every guardian out there.

Andal stared her down, forcing Nessa to stay and decide it for herself. “Not what the Speaker says you fight for, not what I say you fight for. What do you fight for?”

The exo was silent. She had been fighting meaninglessly for so long that she had forgotten when she actually had something to fight for.

“Give it some thought, yeah?” Andal clapped her shoulder, a warm smile in place. “Take a break. And that's an order.”

The “Yes sir” came out before she could stop it. Groaning internally, Nessa nearly bolted out of the hall, Andal's laughter ringing out and warming all who heard it behind her.

In her rush, she nearly bowled Shaxx over, who had been coming down the stairs. She skidded to a halt barely centimeters away from touching her hemet to his medallion.

She dimly heard him exclaim something along the lines of her name. Nessa wondered why he was even away from his usual spot, but her mind scrambled back to the objective of “get the hell away from your embarrassment” before she could even respond.

She moved to dodge around her old friend, but he deftly wrapped his arms around her, closing the few-centimeter gap.

Nessa stiffened.

“What's got you in such a hurry?”

When was the last time I had a hug? I can't remember it's all been shooting and running and fighting and trying not to die and-

“Hey.” His helmet is in her face.

Black and white and orange.

Vaguely she thought about how the two of them were some of the very few people who kept their helmets on.

They were moving.

Back up the stairs. Across the plaza. It was late, she noticed.

The glow of the vaults shone into her eyes.

The north wing. Towards…she couldn't remember right then. And she decided she didn't need to. The solid presence of Shaxx's armor grounded her after weeks and weeks of hurling herself through the air.

She closed her eyes. Let the titan guide her where he will.

She was cold. Why was she cold? Exos didn't get bone-chillingly cold, right?

It'd started raining.

Then it was warm. She loved the warmth. It reminded her of things long past, something she wanted to feel again and again.

There was wetness on her face. Yet her hood and helmet covered her face from the rain.

The Crucible Handler never returned to his post that night, and the hunter passed out on a couch, emotionally exhausted.

When the sun rose that morning, it shone on Nessa's cape before she disappeared down the hall.

She saw Shaxx back at his post, yelling at some kinderguardian in the Crucible.

Cayde fell in step with her, rambling about this bet he made with Andal.

Andal’s chocolate-brown eyes looked up at Cayde’s voice, breaking into a smile when he saw the two of them.

Nessa found herself thinking as she watched the other two hunters bicker. What did she fight for?

She fought for all the reasons the Speaker called them guardians. She fought for her friends. She fought for the peace Shaxx brought her, the warmth Andal emanated, the smiles Cayde flashed freely. She fought for the smiles she called precious. She fought for every moment she could just be instead of a pillar.

Some fluff, some poorly written angst if you squint. Aka me not knowing who the fuck I ship Nessa with. I’m actually pretty proud of this one

Anyway, who’s hype for the Dawning?

[flowers-of-io]

#13 Night of the Hunter

For @sylenth-l, who was the first (to my knowledge) to come up with this heartbreak of a ship. And of course, I was right on board.

music

[TW: veins, very mild mentions of corpses]

The campfire painted Pahanin’s face bright orange as he talked, arms flailing in overly theatrical gestures to imitate dragons and wyverns tearing through the jungles of Venus. Shinobu and Andal seemed genuinely interested, watching him with chins propped up on their palms—there was something of that kinderguardian wonder still in Nobu’s eyes—and Eris only nodded politely from time to time, focused on sharpening her knives. Behind him, Nadiya mimicked his every move, causing Micah and Conar to squirm on the ground with hands pressed against their mouths to stifle laughter.

Tallulah stared up at the star-specked sky, her head resting on Caliban’s crossed legs. She could see his face from a weird angle as he smiled indulgently at Pahanin’s twaddle, and his fingers combed mindlessly through her long, ink-blue hair. He looked down at her every now and then, and his optics glinted with a brightness that filled Tallulah’s chest with warmth stronger and more pleasant than the campfire. It was their last respite before heading to Venus—the Speaker had finally relieved her off Vanguard duty for a whole week so she could take part in the Hunt—and Caliban could barely conceal the excitement of being back in the field together. It made her heart flutter. The howling wilds were his home, and only the love for her made him fetter himself to the Tower. Here amongst the pines, soaked with the smell of ash and damp soil, he was a missing piece having finally found his jigsaw.

Their eyes met and Caliban traced his fingers across Tallulah’s face, from the temple down to her smiling lips. Her home would always be with him, she thought, but to watch him here—so radiant and whole—to share his home—she shuddered at the majesty of it, at the honour she was given, at how beautiful he was when he smiled against the backdrop of stars crowning his head.

“Hey, Tallu!” Andal called from somewhere to her left, away from the pool of light that circled the campfire. She lifted her head just and inch and found him staring at her long bow propped up against a tree, poorly-concealed admiration on his face. “Can I try it out?”

“Good luck hitting anything in this pitch black darkness,” Nadiya sneered, and Tallulah felt her lips quirk slightly.

“When I’m back from Venus, we can talk about it.” Andal’s pout was so delightfully childish she could hardly hold back a smirk. “Isn’t it past your bedtime anyway?”

Conar giggled, patting poor Andal on the back, and Eris and Shinobu rolled their eyes almost in unison. Pahanin kept going with his story but his voice was growing fainter with every word now that nobody seemed to be interested.

“I’m hoping for some good views on Mars,” Micah said upon taking a swing from the bottle of contraband vodka they all shared. Her Ghosts—she had five of them, now—all perched up on her shoulders and in her lap like birds on a roost.

“Thought you were rather looking for dead people,” Nadiya snatched the bottle from her hands, “There’s that ruined city in the Meridian Bay, heard it’s a sight to behold. And full of corpses, I assume.”

“Funny how this whole system is just dead people and ruins”, Pahanin said, unexpectedly pensive, watching the flames.

Eris cocked her head at him. “We were dead things once, too. Maybe it is rebirth that comes of ruin.”

“I feel very much alive now,” Caliban smiled, and tossed a twig into the fire. His fingers were tracing the veins on the back of Tallulah’s hand absently. “We’re dragon hunters, kids. Death is overrated.”

Pahanin nodded slowly, but his thoughts were already starside; Nadiya and Conar began laying out a deck of cards, Shinobu played with one of Micah’s Ghosts by chasing it with her finger. Eris returned to her knives, and Andal watched her work with moderate curiosity. The campsite plunged into a sudden silence.

As she stared back into Caliban’s eyes, two bright dots against the encroaching darkness, Tallulah pondered what he would often tell her, stroking her cheek. That she had cosmos on her skin – swirling freckles specking her face, iridescent like a crystal shard; stars that moved across it, rising and waning, impossible to count. She thought of his fingers mapping them, metal against magic.

“I love you, idiot,” he mouthed, and Tallulah couldn’t help the lazy grin that spread over her lips. She knew the way his optics flickered and dimmed, she knew it by heart, like one knows the back of their hand or the rhythm of their own breath. They outshone all the glory of galaxies above—because they were his, here, among the night and wilderness and fire crackling. Her north stars.

______________

A/N: At first I wanted to end it with something ominous but then I thought, no, let them stay happy that one last time.

If you need closure, go read the Tyranny of Heaven loretab. I implore you not to do that.

[destcember2022]

The world only seems to get more complicated these days.  As Darkness looms on our horizon, we find ourselves asking questions: What do we fight for?  Who is our real enemy here?  What does this all mean?

One thing remains clear, even as the paradigms shift before our eyes: our fate lies among the stars.

Destcember is a drawing and writing challenge based on the Destiny universe. This year the stars have revealed 31 prompts (one for each day of December) but remember: we write our own maps. Take inspiration wherever you find it- and at whatever pace you see fit. Write about original or cannon characters, do prompts out of order, skip them where you don’t see that spark- just be sure to have fun!

Please use the #destcember2022 tag and leave a prompt number.  

Be Brave!

Prompt list under the cut!

1)     Sleeping In

2)     Class Warfare

3)     Worm

4)     Eavesdropping

5)     Sin

6)     Saintly Virtues

7)     Music? Something… Classical.

8)     Trespasser

9)     Mistakes Were Made

10)  The Ghost of You

11)  Merriment

12)  Countdown

13)  Roadtrip

14)  Modern Myths

15)  Kell

16)  Missing Moment

17)  Throne World

18)  Volatile

19)  Weaving, Unraveling

20)  Sight for Sore Eyes

21)  Breaking News!

22)  Gambit

23)  Home

24)  Spring Cleaning

25)  Memories

26)  The Harder They Fall

27)  Baby, It’s Cold Outside

28)  Symbology

29)  Torn

30)  Arts and Crafts

31)  New Year’s Resolution

[destcember2021]

Times are changing. The hands of fate turn. Allies rise from unexpected sources, while enemies are revealed from within our own ranks. Plots thicken, intrigue abounds, and deep beneath the surface of Venus, something stirs…

Destcember is a drawing and writing challenge based on the Destiny universe. This year fortune has laid before you 31 prompts (one for each day of December), but remember: Guardians make their own fate. Take inspiration wherever you find it- and at whatever pace you see fit. Write about original or cannon characters, do prompts out of order, even skip them- just be sure to have fun!

Please keep your entries Safe For Work, use the #destcember2021 tag, and leave a prompt number.

Be Brave!

Destcember 2021 prompt list:

1) Ghost Stories  2) Trials 3) O Captain, My Captain 4) As The Crow Flies 5) Wrath 6) Bending and Breaking 7) Trajectory 8) On the Road 9) Mess with the Best 10) I of the Storm 11) Lost and Found 12) Which Witch? 13) Pyramid Scheme 14) Formal Attire 15) Titan Fall 16) Worthy 17) Did You Hear That? 18) Cracked Glass 19) Run! 20) Sleepless 21) Do Not Touch 22) The Masks We Wear 23) Caught 24) Two Birds, One Stone 25) Daydreams 26) Pacifist 27) What If? 28) Gilded Cage 29) Antique Hardware 30) Quarantine Zone 31) Snow Day

[whereisstrider]

TW::: Day 10 : BLOOD : Destcember 2020

An alternate end to the Red War-- Or is it?

[rhulkamania]

Destcember 10: Blood

Father,

I think of you often these days. How I wish I could lean on your wisdom now more than ever.

I’m sure you know, wherever you are, but the Darkness is moving on us. Fear and anxiety spreads throughout the city. I can tell when I patrol. People look at me differently now. What used to be happiness or, at times, reverence, has become pleading.

I do not like this. I would never demand to be lauded, I could not, but my heart bleeds. The dread in their eyes terrifies me because I do not know how to soothe them. I cannot even fix my own fear. I have been fighting the Darkness all my life, but not like this. Never like this.

What would you tell me?

So far, I have done what I reckon you would advise me to. I have appealed to their courage and let them confide in me. Many have cried in my arms. It is a heavy burden to bear, but one I will happily carry. The strong must protect the vulnerable. Always.

Osiris is a shoulder for me to cry on. I know you would not approve of this, but he is my other half. Now more than ever, we need each other. Love will help us overcome this. If we do not have that, then what do we truly have, in the end?

One day, when we have found peace, I shall wed him, and I hope you will understand, then. If not approve, then understand.

He is a light in the dark. Just as the young Guardian that has appeared on the Shore. My savior wolf told me of him. From what I understand, he sounds much like you. The Traveler speaks! To him! Through prophetic dreams.

Perhaps it is time to crown a new Speaker. I truly do hope so. Even if he is not you, nobody could be, then I long to guide a new soul towards his true purpose.

I can only apologize that I never took after you. Even if I wished to, I am not able. But now, here is this young prodigy in need of a mentor. Of a father, perhaps. As you were mine.

I suppose the gift skips a generation!

I hope to see you again someday, if not too soon. And I hope to sense the comfort of your wisdom from the beyond. Wish me luck in my future fathering and fighting endeavors.

Love, Saint-14

[theburninghuntress]

Destcember Day 10: Blood

Some of us live for the speed of it all. When the sheer unadulterated mix of emotion, adrenaline, and excitement is shooting through our veins like bottled lightning as we hit the track. Since the Red War, the SRL hasn't been running as much as it used to. Of course, the racers get it. Us Guardians need to be on our toes at all times. Who knows when the next threat could appear. But some of us need the races to blow off steam.

That's when the races started to happen under the table. Guardians began to organize races away from the eyes of the Vanguard and Amanda. These races are different in other ways, too; people started placing bets recently. Glimmer, armor, weapons, you name it. A whole new group of top racers has begun to appear because of how the rules changed. I'm proud to be amongst them.

See, the tracks aren't set anymore. Without Shaxx's Redjacks thinning the herd, more and more enemies tend to pour onto the field. With every lap, it gets more crowded, and so the racers have to get smart, or they're dead meat. Some of them have started to get really good at shooting while they ride. Others just get better at finding cover or short cuts. Since the track is brand new every time, no one gets to practice, and we all have to adapt on the fly.

Typically around lap three, big enemies begin to appear. Last week, we raced through a part of the Cosmodrome that isn't typically patrolled anymore; by the end, a massive Servitor was bearing down on the finish line. I slid by like the champ I am, but more than a few Guardians needed the rez from their Ghost.

I think that day I won probably about twenty grand in glimmer and a wicked custom hand cannon from Ridell. But what really mattered was the rush we all got. That's why we all got into these races, right?

-An Excerpt From The Journal Of Treya-8

[theforsakenprince]

Destcember Day 10- Blood

The last thing Artemis remembered was falling off of Ghaul’s ship.

Now she lay among the debris of a building, in too much pain to move. She forced herself to open her eyes and take in her surroundings. 

She was sprawled under a bridge, which had probably saved her from being picked off by the Red Legion. Legionnaires and Psions patrolled the streets above her, pointing their weapons at anything that moved. She could feel water from a broken waterway soak into her armor.

Artemis rolled onto her back, ignoring her body’s screams of protest. She managed to haul herself to her feet by leaning heavily on the wall beside her. She managed to walk a few steps before she stumbled and had to stop to catch her breath.

The thing that concerned her most was her connection to the Light. It was gone, like someone had reached inside her and ripped out her lungs. She suspected it had to do something with the Traveler being trapped in a cage, but she also feared that something had happened to her ghost. She hadn’t seen Virgil since she had woken up, and she couldn’t help but fear the worst.

Artemis pressed her hand into her side, and it came away red. She’d seen enough blood to last multiple lifetimes and had gotten used to seeing it. But now, with the Light and her Ghost gone, the sight of it terrified her.

Nevertheless, she wiped the blood from her mouth and forged ahead.

[arcaneglitch]

Destcember Day 12 - Last Man Standing

TYPE: RECORDED SIMULATION FEED [INFINITE FOREST ORGN]

 PARTIES: Two [2]. One [1] Guardian-type, Class Hunter, designate Harley Hayden [AKA Ace] [h]; One [1] Ghost-type, designate Prism [p]

 ASSOCIATIONS: Convergence; Paracausality; Vex; Osiris; Traveler; Infinite Forest, Mercury; Light; Last City, The

 //AUDIO PRESERVED//

 //TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS…/

   [h:01] Play it again.

 [p:01] You’ve seen it 37 times now in multiple variations.

 [h:02] We need to be sure.

 [p:02] I’m sure.

 [silence]

 [p:03] Very well.

 [h:03] It’s dark again.

 [p:04] It always is.

 [h:04] Are we sure it isn’t Convergence?

 [p:05] Data indicates the presence of a concentrated paracausal force that isn’t present in any of the simulations involving Convergence.

 [h:05] Scan for signs of Vex presence.

 [silence]

 [p:06] Scans came up negative. [beat] We should inform Osiris-

 [h:06] Not until we’re sure. We don’t know that this means anything. [beat] Scan for the Traveler.

 [silence]

 [p:07] Scans show no trace of the Traveler’s signature. Just like the other 37 times.

 [h:07] What about life forms? Has that changed?

 [p:08] Scanning…

 [silence]

 [p:09] There are any number of unknown life forms. One human.

 [silence]

 [h:08] It’s me again, isn’t it?

 [silence]

 [h:09] How long do we have?

 [p:10] Unclear. It could be decades in the future. Or tomorrow. There are too many shifting variables. Even the Forest isn’t always certain.

 [h:10] Then there’s a chance it might not happen at all.

 [silence]

 [h:11] What?

 [p:11] More variations are popping up. We should log this for Osiris. I’ll end the simulation. 

 [h:12] There has to be a different one. We just haven’t looked at enough possibilities yet.

 [p:12] Then let Osiris and his Reflections do it. You could spend years looking through them all.

 [silence]

 [h:13] You don’t think there is one, do you?

 [p:13] I think you should prepare yourself for the possibility that-

 [h:14] No. It has to be out there. 

 [p:14] In all 37 simulations, the Light was gone, the City was gone, and you stood alone in the shadow of-

 [h:15] I won’t let it happen.

 [p:15] You have no way to keep that promise.

 [h:16] Then I’ll find a way. [beat] Run it again.

 [silence]

 [p:16] Mark this as the 39th scenario. [sigh] Beginning simulation...

[procrastinating-amphithere]

Destcember Day #10: The Big Bag Theory

"What is taking so long? I just asked you to get me a gun out of my bag and it's been like five minutes" asks a warlock as he rounds to face his friend. The friend in question sits waist deep in a pile of guns, synths, and assorted items, looking both annoyed and confused as they begin to speak.

"How are you doing this? I have been shaking this bag for the last four minutes straight and it never stops spitting out garbage. Is it bottomless or something? Does it contain a portal to the guns and garbage dimension?"

"Oh yeah, it's that bag. Well I have two theories. The first I like to call the Big Bag Theory. I think that I have used so much magic around that bag that some has seeped into its very being over time. It just kept concentrating until it created a pocket dimension with everything I have ever put in contained. No matter how much you take out, there will always be more. Haven't you noticed that some of the things you have pulled out are duplicates of things that you already took out? It must be locked in a quantum state where everything inside both exists and doesn't until you take it out, making it technically limitless."

"Wow, really?"

"Alternatively, I could have told Yew to hide in there and keep transmatting random junk from my vault in as you emptied it out. You know, just to fuck with you. But isn't the magic bag theory more fun?"

The titan glowers at their friend as muffled laughter can be heard from the inside of the very much mundane bag.

[ask-the-smallest-fireteam]

Destcember 10 - What is Worth Fighting For

  What is Worth Fighting For The children of the Last City knew precious little about the Guardians that lived in the Tower above them. They always seemed to be like birds; aloft, unattainable, creatures that could be marveled upon from a distance but rarely understood close up. Children clung to their parents' heels as Guardians passed by, openly staring at people who were machines or substances other than simple flesh and blood. There was, however, a few small, token things known about Guardians. They all harboured a deep love for dancing and music, and you could often find one or two flitting about the outskirts of a festival when it took place, and more interestingly; if one drew a circle on the ground, chances were, Guardians would come and stand in it. What this arose from...well, that wasn't really known. But when children reenacted epic scenes of history, there would surely be circles left chalked on the ground afterwards. Miri had spent less time in normal space-time than she had outside of it that morning, simply because she was blinking everywhere in her excitement. Guardians in the plaza raised a bemused eyebrow but said little else, somewhat used to her antics and the Titan who chased her down the stairs and to the lift which led to the City. "Don't run off when we're down there, okay- Miri. Are you listening?" She'd pressed her face up to the glass window, grinning in delight as the normally distant buildings grew closer and closer, roofs reflecting the morning sunlight. Jackson withstood the urge to roll his eyes. "Miri." She glanced back at him before returning her attention outside. "Yeah, yeah, I got it, no running off. I'll be fine, Jackie." She turned back to him to grin, and he crossed his arms before leading her out of the lift and into a square. Even with the few people there, they were getting stares. Miri's gaze darted from place to place, absorbing all the new colours and sights in utter rapture, even as Ariadne and Jackson's arm pushed her forwards, down a narrow alley.  "We're here to pick up the tech they brought in, nothing else, okay?" She nodded, barely listening. Jackson could probably tell, as evidenced by the quiet sigh he let out. Her gaze roamed across the many faces, curious about the variety of clothes, and colours, and lights, and languages, and by the Light, there were so many people. When did it get so crowded? She giggled to herself, spinning around, and froze as she suddenly caught the gaze of a few children staring openly at herself, and more importantly, Ariadne. She stared back for a moment. They couldn't have been older than 10, and they each held a piece of chalk in their hands. She followed them down, and nearly leapt in delight when she realised what they'd drawn. Circles. Healing rifts, technically, but chances were that they didn't know that. Miri glanced behind her; Jackson was occupied, and he surely wouldn't miss her for five minutes, right? And she couldn't just leave these children waiting. It was easy enough for her to just quietly reach across space, blinking through the crowd and right into the circle. The children surrounding it jumped back, one falling backwards in their shock, each letting out cries of surprise. Miri couldn't help but burst into happy laughter, crouching down and holding a hand out to the little girl who had fallen over.  "Sorry about that, are you okay? I saw your circles and just couldn't help myself." She giggled again at this. The girl blinked up at her in awe before slowly, hesitantly taking her hand. Miri pulled her to her feet easily, nearly lifting her off the ground, astonished by how light she was. "There, no harm done. So-" "Are you a guardian?" A boy behind her asked, and she turned to see his eyes wide, incredulous, but arms crossed in doubt. She laughed, inclining her head, and coaxed Ariadne out of the aether and into the air above her palm.  "I am, yep. This is my ghost, Ariadne. You can call her Ari, if you want." All three children gravitated towards her hand, staring at her ghost, before one reached out hesitantly.  "Oh, Uh...can I touch her?" Miri shrugged.  "Ask her yourself, hm?"   "Um...can I touch you?" The voice was quiet, somewhat confused, and the yelp somewhere between surprise and delight when Ariadne responded with a chirrup of "Of course," suggested that they hadn't realised Aria could speak for herself.  "So, are you a warlock? You have a bond, I think." She smiled, nodding at the little girl from earlier who now tapped her bond.  "A Sunsinger. Wanna see?" Miri sat down cross-legged in the circle, the smile on her face growing as the children followed suit, giggling happily. She held her hands out and reached out, feeling the warmth of Solar Light, and pulled it into wraiths and knots around her fingers to loud squeals of delight.  "That's so cool!" "It looks like the sun..."  "What does it do?" Miri grinned cheekily, ideas coming to mind, and flicked a spark in the girl's direction, where it exploded into dust on her face.  "Whatever I want it to, I think." "Miri, hey," Ariadne floated up to her eye level, blinking at her. "Jackson's trying to call you." She cringed, right, she wasn't supposed to run off.  "Is Miri your name?" "Who's Jackson?" "Is he another guardian?"  "Yes, a friend, and yes," she pointed at each child in turn while answering. "I should probably go back." Said children pouted in response, all babbling about why she should stay, and Miri cringed again as she floated up to her feet.  "Well, I'll need your help getting back, so you can come with me until then?" Tiny hands grasped hers and tugged her back into the flowing crowd before she could protest.  "So, who are we looking for, guardian?" "He's tall, a Titan, and an Exo. Silver, I guess?" One of the boys looked up at her.  "He's one of those robot guys?" She nodded. "They're kinda scary..." Miri couldn't help but laugh at that.  "Jackson's occasionally scary, but really, he just thinks a lot-" "Miri!" She whipped around just as a familiar figure grasped her by the shoulders. "What did I ask you? The one, single thing I told you not to do?" She felt a slight grin appear on her face, sheepish, almost. "....Not run off-" Miri's voice cut out as she felt soft tugs on her robes, and looked down to see the three children hiding behind her legs, looking up at Jackson with...it seemed like fear. She knelt down in front of them. "Hey, this is my friend, the one I told you about. He's good. If you're ever in trouble, always look for him, because he'll never let you down and never leave you alone, even if you're miles away from the City. That's just how he is." A smile crept on her face again as the little girl let go of her sleeve to toddle over to Jackson, inspecting him with all the suspicion in her face she could muster. "Are you a Guardian?" "...Yeah, I am." He answered after a moment, staring. Miri watched him, quietly, for once; he seemed totally out of his element, uneasy with the child watching him with such a piercing look.  "Is what she said true?" "I like to think so." The girl looked at him sternly.  "Good." Miri blinked in surprise as she ran off, waving, and raised a hand in a half wave back.  "So... You had fun then?" She cringed. "They drew a circle and I wanted to get in it, and then they asked about Ariadne and my Light, so I showed them, and they thought it was really pretty, and-"  "I got it-" "Jackie, we've gotta protect them, right?" He blinked at her wide eyed earnestness in what seemed like surprise, contemplating her for a moment.  "I..." "They're the last hope of the City, they're what Zavala's talking about all the time, right? I didn't really get it until now, but seeing them..." She grinned. "It's what we fight for."  Jackson couldn't do anything but nod. If that was what she fought for, then he'd follow. Not like he had anything to defend.

[teechew]

Destcember - Day 10 - What is worth fighting for

Everything.

[kyloxmoegi1993]

Destcember: The First Date

Lacie looked at herself in the mirror and ran her fingers through her dark hair that seemed to compliment her blue skin and blue eyes quite well. She didn't think she was anything special but she supposed she was fairly attractive. She must have been attractive enough to catch the eye of the hunter vanguard. Cayde-6.

She wasn't going to lie, that first visit to the tower and meeting Cayde had sparked something inside her but she never thought she'd have a chance with someone like him. He may not take his job as Vanguard 100% seriously most days but he was still technically her boss and he saw hundreds of not thousands of guardians a day. That hadn't stopped him from coming up to her that evening while she was reading a map of the Moon. She looked up in time to see him swaggering up to her and he was putting on a tough guy act but she could tell he was nervous. After briefly talking about his boredom in the tower and any other subject he finally managed to blurt out that he wanted to go on a date tonight.

She had been confused, very confused, but her heart had skipped beats and she answered a little too quickly and he had agreed to come get her at 7. Now it was 6:48 and she hadn't decided what to wear or how to do her hair.

Kicking her ass into gear she decided on a pair of torn up skinny jeans, tennis shoes, and a simple black tank top with lace trim on the front. For her hair she decided to leave it down for once. She always had it in a bun or a ponytail and decided to be different. She paced around her apartment nervous and at about 7:10 he knocked on the door.

Lacie opened the door and there he stood. He had his usual outfit on but that was okay, and he looked away from staring at the traveler and faced her.

"Wow Guardian...you look incredible."

Heat creeping up across her cheeks she stepped outside and placed her hand over the scanner, locking her door.

"Thank you...you look amazing yourself."

A chuckle slipped out of caydes mouth and he cleared his throat and led the way.

She had a feeling they would end up at the spicy ramen shop. It was his favorite place, as well as hers and she honestly wouldn't have picked anywhere else to go.

She sat down on a stool beside him and after they placed their orders there was a long silence between them, at least until Cayde spoke up.

"So uh... I'm really not good at this type of thing... Um... Wow I'm drawing a blank."

Lacie looked at him and at how flustered he was getting and bit her lip as a question burned on her tounge.

"Cayde...? When you asked me out ...did you want this to be like a business dinner, a boss to employee thing....I mean...what's the reason....?"

He looked at her and she swear if he could blush he would have. He made a weird noise between a cough and something else, took a deep breath, and answered. "I asked you out on a date because... Because I think you are the most attractive and beautiful woman I've ever met and I want to date you Lace...if that'd be alright...if you'd want. I mean it's me. I'm an amazing catch."

Not prepared for that answer she blinked over and over not knowing her lack of answering was making him nervous.

"You can say no. I know I'm not a flesh and blood man but I mean that's something you don't have to worry about..or is it the boss thing? I assure you i-"

"I accept!"

Lacie covered her mouth blushing and looked at him as he smiled and she looked away. 'Stupid babbling idiot...'

"Hey...thank you..."

She looked back at him and returned his smile as he gazed at her his blue optic eyes full of affection.

They ate their dinner laughing and joking, talking about odds and ends and at the end of the night Cayde walked Lacie back to her apartment and they both stood out front.

"I had a really great time tonight Master Cayde....thank you.."

Cayde placed both of his gloved hands on either side of her head and looked down at her.

"You're welcome and just Cayde..."

He had wanted to say more but he lost his train of thoughts finding himself staring at her lips. He leaned on his left forearm and moved his right arm away from the wall and gently strokes her cheek and then ran his finger tips along her lips.

She planted gentle kisses along his fingers and met his gaze.

"You gonna kiss me or not...?" She asked quietly.

"I thought you'd never ask."

He pulled her close to him and pressed his lip plates to her and under the travelers light they kissed. The traveler blessed their Union but they were both too busy to realize it.

After pulling back for a minute, both of them panting, Cayde looked at her and quietly inquired, "So does this mean there's a second date?"

Lacie threw her head back and laughed. This was going to be date one of many and she absolutely loved the idea of being with him and nodded in answer to his question as he grabbed her and spun her around kissing her again.

*End*

I am falling asleep writing this so I apologize if the cutoff is weird. Christmas is next week y'all o.o I'm not ready 😭😭😭 hope everyone has a merry Christmas or happy holidays and y'all be safe.

[woolleyluciscayde]

Destcember Day 10: What Is Worth Fighting For

Honestly I feel like death HOWEVER this topic has so much potential for all the feels so I’m writing this one at my PC instead of my phone so I have all the feels properly typed out without the urge to sleep! So here you all go!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ash sat down on the small set of steps that lead onto the grassy patch she and Cayde had dubbed as their quiet spot. No Guardians ever came through, and if they did, Ash and Cayde weren’t around.

Her mind was racing at a thousand miles an hour. Her thoughts were scrambled and her head was in her hand, feeling confused and upset about the whole situation. She’d just returned from a mission on the Tangled Shore, having just attempted to save a Titan who was stuck in the underbelly of the Jetsam of Saturn. She didn’t think she would have to fight so many Scorn, but by the time she’d reached the distress call, the Titan’s Ghost had been shattered.

And then a Scorn looked her dead in the eye, a frightening look staring her down as she prepared to shoot him before he shot the Guardian.

“You have no idea what you are doing, do you Guardian? What you fight for... your spherical God... that has been less than useful... you have no idea...” He taunted, and then all he saw was darkness. Ash shot him in the head, dead before he hit the ground.

But his words resonated with her. The Traveller hadn’t been the kindest to her, and the only thing she had to thank it for was her second chance at life. But she was still bitter that perhaps if the Traveller had been able to do more, it could’ve saved her fireteam on the Moon.

What was worth fighting for?

What did she fight for?

Who did she fight for?

And like a beacon of hope, a voice called out to her.

“Hey you.” Cayde called to her as he stood in the archway, and her head turned to see her lover stood there, worried. “Holliday told me you saved a Titan who lost their Ghost. Nice going!”

“Yeah. Great.” Ash sighed.

“What’s wrong? You sound upset.”

Ash took a deep breath before she mentally prepared herself to unload her emotional burden onto Cayde, and he already knew she had a lot on her plate that she wanted to talk to somebody about.

“A Scorn spoke to me before I shot him. Made me question things I don’t really consider usually but now I can’t get it outta my head.” She confessed, staring straight out at the sunset settling over the mountains.

“Oh I wouldn’t listen to him. He’s a Scorn after all. You and I both know what assholes they are.” Cayde assured her, squeezing her hand.

“I know. I know. Especially what they did to you...”

“Yeah well, I’m back now. Those Barons might’ve killed me, and shot Sundance, but we’re both alive again. Thanks to you. Still can’t believe you managed to rig Ghaul’s light device to bring us back you know, you’re a real hero.”

“It was nothing. I just... really needed you back with me.”

“And here I am. Listen, whatever that Scorn told you, just ignore him. He didn’t know you like others do, so just put that away in the back of your head, yeah?”

“I’d love to, but he made me question something important.”

“Is it to do with me? You’re not leaving me are you?”

“Gosh no! Absolutely not, I love you too much.”

“Well, whatever it is, just remember you’ve got a bunch of friends who care for you, as well as myself, and we all wanna help you if you need it. And I always want to make you happy.”

It was at that moment that Ash realised that the Scorn was somewhat correct to question her. She needed to rethink what she fought for. She opened her eyes, and gazed back into Cayde’s glistening blue optics, their warm glow easing her worries. Her friend, her lover, her partner. Cayde.

And all of her friends. Spark, Sundance, Ikora, Holliday, Hawthorne, Shaxx, even Zavala to an extent. They all cared for her, and they all were willing to support her.

This, she thought to herself. This is what is worth fighting for.

[zaolat]

What is Worth Fighting For

Destcember Day 10 Vadim (The Speaker) & Maria, Zufash - 576 words

“Father?”

The Speaker looks up from his work and turns, seeing his daughter stir from the nest of blankets she has in the corner of his study.  He turns to face her, a smile on his face beneath the mask.  “Yes, starshine?  Is there something you need?”

She sits up, folding her hands in her lap, and looks at him with eyes that have far too much intelligence for someone her age.  She’s been forced to grow up fast, being born a Guardian.  She hums thoughtfully, looking down at her hands, and then looks up at him.  “Why do we fight?”

He balks in surprise, not expecting such a question from a six-year-old. It’s a question he doesn’t exactly have a concrete answer to.  She knows a bit about being a Guardian, how they fight across the system to push the Darkness and enemies of humanity back.  But the answer is more complicated than it seems.

For now, he’ll give her the answer he usually gives new Guardians.  It’s a good one, and it rings true.

“Maria,” he says, addressing his Ghost, who appears over his shoulder in an instant.  “Close the doors.”

She gives him a nod and the doors leading into the Observatory close, leaving the two of them alone.  Vadim removes his mask and sets it on his desk, walking over to his daughter and giving her a smile.  She immediately raises her arms to be picked up, looking up at him expectantly.

Vadim sighs, shaking his head.  “You’re getting too old for me to pick you up, Zufash.”

Zufash gives a whine and gives him those pleading eyes.  “Pleeease?”

“Fine, have it your way.” Zufash giggles happily as he picks her up, settling her on his hip.  She lays her head on his shoulder as he carries her down the steps of the study, making his way to the open front of the Observatory.  She looks at him curiously as he settles on the edge, the City stretching down before them.  Shifting her from his hip to his lap, his arms wrapped securely around her, her places his chin on top of her head.

“Tell me what you see.”

Her brows furrow as her eyes flicker up to him.  “The City?”

“Exactly.  And what is the City full of.”

Zufash hums before she answers.  “People?”

“That’s right, starshine. We fight for the City, for its people. To keep them safe.  To give them a home without fear.  We fight in the hope that we may one day reclaim our solar system, so humanity won’t all be concentrated in one place anymore.  We fight so we’ll be free.”

The girl seems to be considering her answer, humming softly as she snuggles into her father’s arms. “So that’s why we’re called Guardians. We’re protectors.”

“Yes.  We’re protectors of the people.”  He presses a kiss to the top of her head, and she gives a small giggle.  “Does that answer your question?”

She nods.  “Yes.  But daddy…why do you fight?”

Vadim freezes at the question.  For the longest time, he’d had nothing, personally, to fight for.  Only fighting out of ideology, for the greater good. It sometimes wasn’t enough. Sometimes he didn’t feel like it was worth continuing on, with all the stress he went through.  Still goes through.

But it’s all worth it now. Because now he has something to fight for.

“For you, Zufash,” he mumbles into his daughter’s hair.  “Always for you.”

[theforsakenprince]

Destcember 2020 Masterlist

since I’m going to (try) every prompt of Destcember, it gets it’s own masterlist fuck it

Day 1- Exodus

Day 2- Thin Ice

Day 3- Dearest Wish

Day 4- Eye for an Eye

Day 5- Nightmare Before Dawn

Day 6- Triad

Day 7- Beyond Stasis

Day 8- Tyrant

Day 9- Blooming Gardens

Day 10- Blood

Day 11- Heresy

Day 12- Roses and Thorns

Day 13- Night of the Hunter

Day 14- Geometry of Power

Day 15- Live by the Sword

Day 16- Duality

Day 17- Cupid’s Arrows

Day 18- Rift

Day 19- Prey

Day 20- Little Prince

Day 21- Oathkeeper

Day 22- Iron

Day 23- Wastelands

Day 24- Not Forgotten

Day 25- What’s Inside?

Day 26- Loner

Day 27- A Feast in Time of Plague

Day 28- Vision

Day 29- Shattered Hopes

Day 30- Fire of the Phoenix

Day 31- Arrival