Tale of the Phantom

It was dark out, the kind of dark that wasn't fresh but well into the night, the kind of dark found deep inside the moon. The only light on the tower deck was coming from automatic lamps over spots where people might trip. The rest of it was covered in shadows, and it might have been a problem if Cayde wasn't a hunter, used to moving around in the darkness for recon. Sundance followed him, the camera showing his back and the cape covering it from her spot feet behind. Cayde wasn't sneaking, his back was straight and he walked with the same swagger he always did, yet his footsteps made no sound. The time clock in the corner read that it had been on for a few minutes now and nothing had truly happened yet.

He moved towards the right hand side of the tower's deck, moving under the overhang of the second floor storage and past the hall entrance to the Speaker's office. His feet carry him to the railing where there's a sturdy, slowly angled overhang on the other side with banners to the left of it.

Skylar is easily identified by her mop of bright amber hair, and the hunter is sitting farther out on the overhang than normal. A knee is bent, pulled close to her chest and a forearm draped over it. Her other arm is behind her slightly, keeping her upright as she had her head cocked up toward the obsidian sky dotted with diamonds.

She must have been what Cayde was looking for because he vaulted over the railing with ease, making little sound other than the squeaking protest of the metal below him. The redhead doesn't so much as move as her mentor saunters over, and without pause, turns away from her and sits down, pressing his back up against her own. The camera zooms out, Sundance flying higher to get a better view and Sterling, Skylar's Ghost, joins her as if to give the two hunters a little privacy.

The young woman flinches slightly at the exo's sudden movement, her arm moving from behind her before it gets sat on. She turns to look over her shoulder, and raises a brow. A close up zoom of her face reveals the still present dark rings under her eyes, barely seen through her blue guardian marking. She looks tired and stressed, the latter probably being the cause of the former.

"Cayde?" The only response she receives is a gentle, easy going hum that poses a question in inflection. "What are you doing?"

The Exo let's that question sit for a few moments, a minute ticking by on the video clock before he finally answers her. "Just thought I'd remind you that when things start feeling too heavy, you've got someone willing to help you stay upright," he mused, the bright lights of his eyes and the one that shines through his mouth nearly piercing in the darkness.

As if to prove his statement he leaned forward and Skylar nearly topples back after him and would have if he hadn't instantly leaned back again to catch her. His rookie lets out a small squeak at the movement before it's followed by a small giggle, much to her embarrassment, but doesn't look back again. Another few moments pass before he prods at her again. "What's eating you Skylar? You should be sleeping, given where you're going tomorrow, you'll need the rest."

He got his answer in the form of a snort. "That's why I'm up," she grumbles. "I didn't sleep before the Raid to The Vault of Glass either." She shifts a bit, letting her weight rest against his back more and sighs. "I'm too nervous...too worried to even think about sleeping"

Cayde nods his head slightly and from the view on the camera, a worry looked flashes over his face. It only lasts a moment, then it's gone and the exo taps his fingers on his own knee in thought. "You've got a good set of guns and top notch guardians backing you up. You'll do fine." He assures her with confidence. "I know you and Corvan aren't the best acquainted but-"

"He was the best choice for the leader," she cut him off with a smile in her voice, surprising him with her answer. "We aren't close, that's true, but it was the right call. Z loses his cool too easily on long missions, Haar is too cautious and Perkins can be reckless. I don't know the other two that well, but I know Corvan can keep his emotions out of his choices and make sure we work together." She didn't sound all that happy about it, but she wasn't angry either. Cayde raised a brow plate.

"What about you?" he asks and Skylar let out a sigh, shaking her head.

"I'm no leader," she whispers. "I don't think I could handle having people's lives in my hands like that. Honestly... sometimes I wonder why I keep getting picked for these things, compared to the rest, I'm not that amazing, I-"

"Bullshit Sky," Cayde cut in, his expression somewhere between angry and disbelief. Then he pauses as if realising what he said. "I mean..."

"Sky?" she questions, peering over her shoulder again, brows raised. The Exo doesn't look at her, the tapping on his leg pausing for a moment. He gave a shrug.

"I heard Winter calling you that and liked it. What? Too personal from your mentor?" he teased. Skylar's brows pulled together, but a smile still tilted her lips up.

"It's something my friends call me, so it's fine. Just surprised me."

In all honesty they had been more than mentor and student for a long time now, Cayde had just never brought it up. "Anyway," he went on, getting back on track as if to put distance from the short tangent. "The fact that you're on the mission means you're just as good as any of the others."

"How do you know?"

"Cause I pick the hunters that go," he says easily, rolling his eyes while his fingers started up flushes, looking embarrassed to not have realized that. "I picked you cause you're the ace up my sleeve. You're not showy or a leader sure, but you've got a furious bravery and a sharp open mind that makes you more capable under pressure than the most I've ever seen. Plus, you're one hell of a shot, so yeah, I'd pick you and not just cause you're my rookie." He glances over his shoulder at her for the first time, a smirk on his face and Skylar stares at him blinking, shock written all over her own. Then, all at once she blushes and quickly turns back around, making the Exo chuckle as he relaxes his neck once more.

"Oh..." is all she can manage, which only makes him continue to snicker. They sit in silence for a long time then. More than ten minutes pass by on the clock as the two hunters watch the sky and get lost in their own thoughts.

Skylar is the first to speak after that, quietly but firmly. "Thanks for having my back Cayde," she murmurs, and Cayde's eyes shift to the side as if he can see her without turning his head again. He hums in reply, taking his time with answering.

"Anytime time Sky, you just make sure to get back here in one piece."

"...Is that an order?"

"Yes."

There's another pause and then Skylar laughs quietly and Cayde smirks again. "Duly noted," she muses and leans back against him again, her eyes shifting back up to the stars. Cayde shifts slightly, evening out her weight with his own and glances up at his Ghost. Sundance blinks, the camera feed flickering for a moment before slowly, the picture fades and turns black.