revivalproject | Even When We Win, it Seems Like All We Do is Lose

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Even When We Win, it Seems Like All We Do is Lose

WHO: Cayde-6 and you I guess
WHERE: Deep End and outside around the city like a maniac
WHAT: Paranoia? What paranoia? Also scooping out any stragglers stuck in this snowy mess
WHEN: During the Storm
WARNINGS: N/A
NOTES: Will match pose prefs

I. The Deep End

"I'm sure Europa gets worse," the Exo says as he tries shoving the edges of a mattress back into place from where the wind had attempted to blow it loose from the hole he'd accidentally blown out in the hallway outside of the bar. The tarp definitely wasn't doing anything but he's sure no one's using this bed anymore and it's done well enough for a quick fix.

"There we go," he says, dusting his hands off and looking rather proud of his efforts. So many things can be solved with mattresses! Who'd have thought?

He stops by the window that he usually leaves open as his choice entrance and exit, now closed against the flurries, squinting out at the whiteness before turning to step into the welcome warmth of the bar. "Lakes don't freeze all the way through, right?" he says, peering at the great glass windows across from him and the watery life beyond. The unsettling feeling that they might just burst and flood everything is a lot stronger with all the craziness. Maybe he just needs a drink.

II. Open Arms of the Storm

Somehow, being outside doesn't feel as bad as staying inside. Outside, you didn't have to worry about anything collapsing or caving in. You were already in it. Sure, it's a terrible idea but there's something about the wild winds and the frigid temperatures that stoke something in the Exo, a thing he can't quite explain, but it counters the unsettling and inexplicable sensations he's had.

Unfortunately it does nothing for the ghosts with a lower-case 'g', and he's learned from the first storm to save his bullets no matter how bad the visitors got. But then they'd only got sneakier since Taniks. The latest card played has been a low blow however, and not one he'll admit to anyone if he can help it.

Running? Is that what he's doing? No, he'll deny that too. No point in running from an apparition that can appear wherever, heedless of the churning winds. He needs to keep himself occupied, keep his mind busy. Find any other fools out here that're built less sturdier than an Exo, for starters. That's a good excuse.

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Good man, considerate like that. Gladio poured himself a stiff measure and then let his eyes turn to the tank.

"Yeah, something blue-green. Jumped at me out of the ice. Clearly a predator. Aquatic too. And I didn't realize this wasn't just some tank in the wall. Hmmm. Guess we need to come up with a way to help it. How big is this thing?"

"Huh. Nope, haven't seen that one." Cayde smirked as he looked towards the window again, the expression faltering just a little at that. He gestured loosely.

"What, you never saw it from up top?" Cayde, you're the only one that goes roof scaling on a daily basis. "It's framed by all the buildings that make up this block. Pretty nifty."

"Nah, don't go up that high. Honestly, other than here and my apartment with Noctis, I don't spend a lot of time in the tower at all. Still..."

Gladio reaches out for a pitcher of water, dips his finger into it, and then starts to write on the counter with a finger. Maybe his math isn't the greatest, but it's still useful. He can do some math.

The Exo squinted at the water-writing. Eyew, math? Why? Cayde shrugged and took another drink from his glass, optics sliding towards the ceiling because there was absolutely no reason that it was going to collapse in on them. There was at least another floor or two above.

He drained his glass and set it down, debating on another round, but he knew it wasn't going to do anything. Drumming his fingers on the counter, he stepped around the counter. Keep himself busy, keep his mind off things that shouldn't be bothering him. He went to poke around by the fishtank.

There, he thought he had a viable answer.

"Presuming the blizzard isn't too far out of the normal winter averages, the tank should be fine. Lots of depth of water there, plus pressure, so freezing would only be the top several feet most likely."

Cayde sputtered a laugh, still doing a fish count. He hadn't gotten a chance to stock it up lately but Salem wasn't as frequent a snacker as Grogu had been.

"You were seriously working that out? Well, good thing we've got a couple floors over us from the top then," he chuckled, straightening up. He tried not to think about what would happen if the top floors got compromised. The bottom floors were already kind of damp as it was but having water below you wasn't as bad as above.

"I'm not a math prodigy," Gladio answered with a shrug. "And it's been almost twenty years since I took the relevant classes. So sue me for trying to help out."

But he smiles and follows that with some drink. Used brain cells, now time to booze them.

"Pff, I was more amazed you were even bothering." Working out the math of things was never going to be something Cayde would default to. That was more a Warlock's route.

He stepped away from the tank, pausing to look at the crooked dart board he'd carved out so long ago. You couldn't even see the hole that went straight through the wall behind it now that the gaping hole in the hall was plugged, though sometimes if the wind got gusty enough it'd slip through enough to set the target rocking.

At least Gladio was at ease. Really, there was no reason not to be. Another dumb Storm with a capital 'S', but at least the moon hadn't been screaming or he'd have been outside a lot sooner.

"You're the one that asked," Gladio pointed out with a chuckle. "And I'm more than just a Shield."

But yes, he really was at ease here. He didn't have much in the way of powers he needed, he'd learned with the last storm to keep a spare weapon in his room to fall back on, and he was rather sheltered here.

"I'm worried about everyone out there though."

Cayde shrugged, leaving it at that. He started back towards the bar counter, sidestepping the creakiest part of the flooring as he had the sudden thought that his weight might compromise it.

"Yeah. I'd hope people managed to get inside. Was thinking of doing a sweep though, just to make sure. I can manage the cold at least."

"I'd join you, but flesh and blood," he says with a sigh, shaking his head. "It's one of those situations I'm not so useful in."

"Eh, can't be helped. I wouldn't tell people to go out in this either way. From what I can remember of Europa, this happened on and off. But I guess that's to be expected on a frozen moon."

Cayde chuckled dryly as he went over by the door, looking at the window across from it, but the scenery beyond was lost in white. He flicked a look down the hall, eyeing the puffs of snow that spurted from around the mattress he'd shoved into the hole in the wall.

"You should leave trail markers," Gladio says after a moment. "To mark your path. Been watching out a winder from time to time. When it really blows, it's almost white out conditions. And if you find people, you'll want to get them somewhere quick. So you need markers."

And that won't be easy.

"Markers would be handy but if people can't even see one foot in front of 'em I don't know how helpful that'd be. I'll figure something out though. They'd have to be bright and we don't have many options there."

He stiffened as he caught movement towards the back of the bar then. The man standing there wore the same hood as him, and a glance his face might almost resemble Tony's for the mustache and thin beard. He watched Cayde with hollow eyes, the Exo forcing out a sigh to release the tension already built up in his chest.

"Hey Andal. Here for a drink? I recommend the Corellian ale, price's gonna go up cuz I'm down to the last few bottles."

"Damn I hate these storms. I stowed rope in the Arminger. Could have strung it between sticks or something."

But of course he couldn't offer that at this moment. And then... Well, and then. What the actual fuck was going on here.

"Didn't know new people came in during storms?"

"Not new," Cayde said carefully, the look around his optics tightening even though he still wore a smirk. It wasn't the first time Andal had come by during these storms, and the fact that his best friend was being used in this manner made the Exo want to put a bullet through the head of whoever was toying with them, all the more.

"Not surprising you're enjoying being here. You never were crazy about being part of the Vanguard," the ghost finally said.

Cayde snorted, stepping away from the door to head back towards the bar. He cast a brief look at Gladio before he busied himself with going through bottles. "Is that all you're here to talk about? That's no big secret."

Wait, it's not someone here? Gladio looks to it, shocked.

"Didn't know we could see other people's storm spirits."

And that was unnerving as hell.

Right, Gladio hadn't been here for too long. Cayde gave a nod. "Happened before, long time ago. They weren't nice then but at least this time around they're not attacking."

He paused to eye Andal across the room. "Are you? If you're looking for a tussel, we do that outside."

The ghost shook his head. "You know you only accepted the position out of guilt."

"Lost dare. You lost first, 'member? Not that I'm proud of that, or losing you."

"Lost me twice. First to the Vanguard. Then to Taniks."

Attacking? Damn but Gladio's hand was going to the long knife at his side. He didn't like that idea at all.

"So what, it's here to hurt you with words? Seems pretty pathetic," Gladio pointed out.

"Right?" the Exo chuckled, but it was a half-hearted thing. Words still could hurt more than any gunshot or knife, and the reminder from Andal rubbed salt in an old wound that Cayde knew would never fully heal.

But the real Andal wouldn't hold it over him, would he? The real Andal knew the risks they all took. None of that reassurance brought him back though.

It felt like the ghost knew that as he met Cayde's glowing gaze, silent for a time.

"Still wearing my gear? Shameless."

That got the Exo to snort, cracking a grin. "Told you I would. It's good gear!" He poured two glasses, even knowing the ghost wouldn't be partaking with him, but he picked one up all the same, lifting it up as a toast.

The ghost stared a moment longer before turning and abruptly fading out, tattered cloak and all.

When the ghost left Gladio looked right at Cayde, his expression a bit blank, but really mostly just controlled.

"Hard, losing good soldiers you stood beside. I'm sorry. Toast to his memory?"

For all that Cayde no longer had lungs, he still heaved a believable sigh once the ghost was gone.

"We're not soldiers, we're Hunters. Guardians. Bunch of independent bodies that the Vanguard has to try prodding into certain directions now and then, but at least we're all good at banding together when we're needed."

He gave Gladio a nod as he still held his glass. "Andal was a friend, a brother. Shouldn't have gone the way he did, not to someone who we thought we'd killed."

Well, those sounded like Hunters in the way Gladio knew them back home, and he respected that.

"You can't save everyone. It's the hardest thing about being out there. Even those you care for the most. Bet he knew that."

"...yeah." They all knew it. But they got cocky too. Curse of being a Guardian, knowing death didn't have a hold on you anymore so long as you had your Ghost. Their mistake, not thinking that others might find ways around cheating death too. Andal didn't have to pay for it though, he shouldn't have had to.

Cayde tipped his glass back, draining it in one go before setting it empty on the countertop.

"But just 'cuz we can't save everyone doesn't mean we don't stop trying." He reached for the bottle, deciding against putting it away and instead leaving it by Gladio. "I'm heading out. If I don't get back before it gets dark, feed Colonel, would you? Her feed's in the back."

"Exactly," Gladio says, before throwing back his own drink. "That sounds like the last decade of my life."

Then he nods and sighs. "Yeah, I'll do that. If you're not back even then, I'll see about taking her back to Noct and mine's place. Will be warmer with us in there."

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