The Black Rogue (Cayde-6 x OC!Jesse Cascade)

Chapter 1

It's been years since Jesse told Cayde her name, and they became best friends real quick. She would help the Exo Hunter out of the Tower every so often, allowing him to stretch his limbs and get some action. The Taken War and Cayde's bet with Lord Shaxx happened a few years ago, which both won't forget; neither will Jesse. She watched the spectacle with amusement before Cayde offered Shaxx a ride back to the Tower afterward. Jesse has been working with the Guardian for a long while now, both teaching each other new techniques and powers. The Guardian is one of Jesse's most trusted friends besides Cayde. Speaking of the Hunter Vanguard, the male comes walking up to her as she looks out at the Last City while she leans against the railing. An arm wraps around her shoulder as a sigh reaches her ear, a content sigh. She looks up at Cayde with a smile before looking back out at the city.

"How'd the meeting go?" Jesse wraps an arm around his waist as they both lean into each other. A groan leaves Cayde as the female chuckles. "That bad, huh?"

"You have no idea. And to top it off, my favorite Ramen place is closed. The meeting ran long enough for them to be closed. What kind of bullshit is that?!" Cayde whines slightly before feeling a pat on his chest.

"I think you'll do fine for a night without Ramen, Cayde." Jesse smirks slightly at him before sighing. "Think you can handle the paperwork while I'm gone?"

"Wait... Hold up... Where are you going, Jess?" Cayde looks down at her as she sighs.

"Commander Zavala wants me to go check out some things in Cosmodrome. He's got the Guardian looking else where and is running out of trustworthy people. I don't know how long I'll be gone and I can't tell you either." Jesse watches as his blue Exo eyes flicker across the horizon before looking at her again.

"I don't like this, Jess. You never go anywhere without me or the Guardian." Cayde turns her more towards him as she grabs his face.

"I'll be fine, Cayde. Don't worry about me. Jax will be with me. He'll be chatting my ear off since he can talk again." Jesse lets go of Cayde's face as she steps back. 

"I still don't like it. Just remember--"

"Folding isn't an option. I know, Cayde." Jesse feels a finger on her lips as he looks at her with his head tilted.

"If you would let me finish. Just remember... Ah, forget it. I forgot what I was gonna say." Cayde turns away from her as he lets go of her. "Just be careful out there, alright?"

"I always am." Jesse furrows her eyebrows as he walks away from her, Sundance not too far behind him. Jax pops up next to her.

"He was acting weird, Jess." Jax looks to Jesse as she nods, slightly pursing her lips.

"Yes, he was. We'll worry about that later. Let's get some rest."

The next morning, Jesse heads out to the Cosmodrome with Crimson in hand. She walks around the area of Old Russia wearing a bored look. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until she saw Cabal standing around an old warehouse. She shrouds herself in Void as she leans around the corner to see what exactly they are doing. Her eyes narrowed underneath her helmet as they were near an old satellite tower. They were tinkering with it until Fallen started pouring in, attacking the Cabal on site. She takes note of it and walks away. Why are the Cabal messing with an old satellite tower? Those things haven't worked in years. 

Jesse starts to head towards her ship before she feels a bullet burst through her shoulder, making the Hunter cry out in pain. She hears a sizzle before a grenade goes off, discombobulating the female. An arm wraps around her waist, hastily getting her into her ship, making Jax transmat her to the tower. She tumbles into the Hangar as her vision is still out of focus as her ears continue to ring. Blood poured out of her shoulder from the wound, Jax trying to patch it up only for it not to work in his favor. She sees a shadowy figure run towards her before another comes dashing up to her and picking her up. Jesse feels her head spin as she slowly starts to hear voices.

"I found her in Cosmodrome with Cabal and Fallen nearby. She took a shot to the shoulder and a grenade blast. I got her into her ship and told Jax to transmat her here."

"Thanks, Guardian. I owe ya one. I need to get her to med bay before she loses more blood. Think the Fallen hit her with one of their new weapons. Negates any Light."

"C-Cayde..." Jesse's vision slowly comes back to her as she sees the face of her best friend.

"Easy, Cascade. I have you." Cayde jogs carefully but quick to med bay as he carries the female. If he had a heart, it would be pounding hard and fast into his chest. 

Cayde gets her to their friend, AJ, as he starts to work his magic. Jesse had finally passed out but was still in the clear. The Hunter Vanguard stayed nearby as he watched AJ put gauze and a wrap around her shoulder after putting a liquid onto the wound. The Exo feels a hand on his shoulder as he looks to Ikora. The Warlock Vanguard smiles softly at Cayde as she looks over to Jesse. The male Hunter pats her hand on his shoulder as he sighs.

"What the hell is going on, Ikora? She's not like the Guardian. Why send her out on her own? Zavala should know better." Cayde looks to his Vanguard friend as Ikora sighs.

"There's been an influx of Cabal landing in Cosmodrome, but we are unsure why. Zavala thought it would be a quick in, find information, and quick out. There's more to this than meets the eye. Find out what it was when she wakes up. I'll let Zavala know what is going on if the Guardian hasn't yet." Cayde watches her leave the room as AJ walks over to him.

"What's the verdict?" The Exo watches as he smiles softly.

"She'll be fine. Give her a day or so for the antidote to work, and Jax will be able to do the rest. She should wake up in about an hour or so."

The Hunter Vanguard sits beside Jesse's bed in a chair as he leans back into it. He crosses his arms across his chest as he racks his head for an explanation for the influx of Cabal. There was no reason for it unless they just wanted to be a pain in the ass. He glances over at Jesse as he is highly confused as to why she would allow herself to get hit. She was always vigilant after she had her helmet shattered years ago. Cayde leans over and grabs her hand to hold it. Something in him always stirred when he was around her, and he had an idea of what it was, but he was an Exo. A machine. Jesse was human, flesh, and blood. He sighs before he feels her hand slightly squeeze his. His eyes light up as he looks towards her face, seeing cornflower blue eyes look towards him.

"You and sighing don't work well together. How many times do I have to tell you this?" Jesse watches him as he chuckles and stands up to sit on the edge of the bed.

"And how many times do I have to tell you to stay out of trouble?" Cayde slightly touches her forehead as he moves her bangs away from her face.

"Touché." Jesse groans in pain as she moves her shoulder the wrong way. A hand touches her stomach as she looks back up at Cayde.

"Don't move, Cascade. You took quite the hit." The male Hunter looks at her as she sighs, laying back against the pillows. "What did you find?"

"The Cabal were messing with an old satellite tower that doesn't work anymore before Fallen came crashing into their party. What would they want with an old satellite tower?" Jesse furrows her eyebrows as she looks back at the Exo.

"I have a feeling there's more than what  Zavala and Ikora are telling us." Cayde slightly narrows his eyes.