Through Time and Light [Cayde-6 Fanfiction]

Chapter 15 A New Beginning

The quiet rooftop under the stars marked the beginning of something new between Liv and Cayde. Their bond, forged through countless battles and tempered by the looming threat of fate, had now grown into something deeper, something that neither of them could deny any longer. The mission was behind them for now, but in the peaceful nights that followed, their relationship began to blossom in ways Liv hadn’t imagined when she first arrived in this universe.

Several days passed since their quiet rooftop date, and while life at the Tower continued as usual—missions, reports, and the endless threat of the Darkness—Liv and Cayde stole every moment they could together. Nights became their time, where they could escape the weight of their duties and simply be together.

One evening, after another mission had taken them far from the Tower, they found themselves sitting by a fire in the middle of a quiet, moonlit field. The sky stretched endlessly above them, the stars twinkling like tiny lights scattered across the darkness.

Liv leaned back against Cayde, who had his arm wrapped around her, holding her close as they stared into the crackling flames. It was a rare moment of peace, one where Liv could finally let her guard down and enjoy the simple pleasure of being with him.

“You know,” Cayde began, his voice low and relaxed, “I never thought I’d be here—like this. With you.”

Liv smiled, turning her head slightly to look at him. “You mean sitting in the middle of nowhere after nearly getting blown up by Vex? Romantic, right?”

Cayde chuckled, tightening his arm around her. “Okay, yeah, not the setting I had in mind. But I mean... this. Us. I never thought I’d care about someone like this again. Not after Ace...”

Liv’s smile softened, and she shifted so she could face him more fully. There was something in his tone that tugged at her heart, a vulnerability she didn’t often hear from him. “What do you mean?”

Cayde’s gaze drifted to the fire, his usual playful demeanor fading as he thought about his words. “I’ve been around for a long time, Liv. I’ve seen people come and go. I’ve lost a lot of friends. And somewhere along the way, I kind of... stopped letting people in.”

Liv’s chest tightened. She knew Cayde had a history, one filled with loss and heartache, but hearing him speak about it like this made it feel even more real.

“I didn’t want to get close to anyone,” Cayde continued, his voice quieter now. “Didn’t want to feel that pain again, you know? But then you showed up, and... I don’t know. You just... broke through all of that.”

Liv reached up, gently cupping his face in her hand. “Cayde...”

He turned his head slightly, pressing a kiss to her palm. “You’ve made me want things I didn’t think I could have anymore.”

Liv felt her heart swell, the warmth of his words sinking deep into her soul. She had never expected this when she first found herself in this universe. But now, being here with Cayde, she couldn’t imagine wanting anything else.

“I feel the same way,” she whispered, her voice soft. “I didn’t think I’d ever find someone who understood me like you do. But you... you’re everything I didn’t know I needed.”

Cayde’s eyes softened, and for a long moment, they simply looked at each other, the crackling fire and the quiet night wrapping around them like a warm blanket. Then, slowly, Cayde leaned in, capturing her lips in a gentle, lingering kiss.

It wasn’t like their first kiss—filled with urgency and unspoken feelings. This one was slow, deliberate, a kiss that spoke of everything they had shared and everything that was still to come.