#shiro-v4

/sharpens knives

I am not going easy on you the next time we play poker, old man.

Her jaw drops open for a moment. Surprise and amusement war and mingle in her expression at the apparent nickname he’s gained. Likely from some Hunters, or New Lights dared into calling him that. Placing her hand on her chest, she leans back with a gasp of only half serious offence on his part. “Banana Bird?! How dare they call you such a thing. Everyone knows the best nicknames for Hunters are either ‘cowboy’ or some sort of animal. But fruit? For shame!”

At his question though, she shrugs. Her smile and the dramatic expression on her face drop. Underneath one is revealed that, while still holding warmth towards him, looks more muted, her smile now mainly just a quirk of the lips. “Ah well. Tower is as busy an’ as weirdly warm and cold at the same time as ever. I envy you really, getting to not be in it all the time and having an actual working excuse.”

squints at

send a symbol to look into cayde’s memories  //  accepting   //   @shiro-v4 ​

everything  was  still  new.  i  was  scoutin’  around  on  my  own,  the  city  was  small,  still  just  beams  &  tattered  tents.  the  vanguard  just  barely  a  whisper  in  the  wind.  it  was  just  me  &  the  wilds.  &  back  then  lemme  tell  you:  they  were  truly  WILD.

i  happened  upon  a  small  group  of  refugees,  humans.  they  were  scared  &  i  don’t  exactly  blame  em’.  they  remembered.  exos  like  us  were  war  machines,   big  cooperation  muscle;  not  much  good  ever  followed  ones  wake.  &  that  was  without  the  light  stirring  the  pot.  normal  folk  were  still  trying  to  scope  us  guardians  out.

then  –  RRR  AA  GG  HHH  !!  (  well…  not  exactly.  )  another  group  slinks  outta  the  bushes  like  the  punch  of  a  bad  ghost  story.  it  didn’t  take  long  after  something  like  the  collapse  for  desperation  to  set  in.  it  made  people  do  things  they  wouldn’t  normally.  it’s  ugly  stuff. 

i  stood  right  in  the  middle,  something  in  me  just  told  me  i  had  to  protect  these  people.  it  surged  &  churned  &  it  straightened  my  spine.  i  brandished  my  pistol  for  the  billionth  time  but  only  the  sixth  time,  y’know?  &  with  me  standing  between  them  it  all  felt  right  …  sundance  fluttered  up  at  my  side  &  i  felt  a  warmth.  a  fire  with  no  burn.  i  started  to  glow … 

.  .  .  they  ran  away.

yeeeeah,  no  grand  shoot  out  story here.  (  but  if  you  want  any  of  those  lemme  know  !  i  got  a  million  of  em’  !  stick  around buddy.  )

the  family  behind  still  didn’t  look  too  keen  on  me.  i  put  my  pistol  away  &  was  gonna  take  my  leave  until  their  little  girl  …  she  ran  up  right  to  me,  grabbed  onto  a  few  of  my  fingers  with  her  little  hand  &  just  ….  smiled.  

i  feel  like  that  was  the  moment,  y’know?

my  moment.

that  i  set  my  path… 

… 

@shiro-v4