Through Time and Light [Cayde-6 Fanfiction]

Chapter 17

The days after their mission on Io passed in a blur of routine and quiet moments stolen away from the ever-present duties of being Guardians. Despite the victory over the Taken, Liv couldn’t shake the sense that something larger loomed on the horizon—a storm gathering just beyond the edge of sight. And though Cayde’s reassurances calmed her in the moment, the future still weighed heavily on her.

But for now, in this fleeting calm, Liv was determined to savor every moment she had with Cayde.

It was late evening when Liv found herself standing on one of the Tower’s higher balconies, the soft wind carrying the faint hum of the City below. The stars twinkled overhead, and the moon cast a silvery glow across the sprawling landscape.

Cayde joined her a moment later, his usual confident stride softened by the tranquility of the night. Without a word, he slid his arm around her waist, pulling her close as they both leaned against the railing, looking out at the world they had sworn to protect.

"Not a bad view, huh?" Cayde said, his voice quiet but playful.

Liv smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "Yeah, it's beautiful. It's easy to forget sometimes, with everything going on, how peaceful it can be here."

Cayde chuckled softly. "Well, if anyone deserves a little peace, it's us."

For a long while, they stood in comfortable silence, the warmth of his arm around her and the quiet hum of the city below grounding her in the present. But as much as Liv wanted to hold onto the moment, the thoughts that had been gnawing at her surfaced again.

"I've been thinking," Liv began, her voice tentative, "about... us. About everything that's happening."

Cayde turned slightly to look at her, his expression soft but serious. "Yeah? What's on your mind?"

Liv took a breath, gathering her thoughts. "I just... I know we've talked about the future, about facing whatever comes next together. But Cayde, I can't help but feel like... like something's coming. Something big. And I’m scared I won't be able to stop it."

Cayde's grip on her waist tightened slightly, and he was quiet for a moment, as if weighing his words carefully. "You’re thinking about what you know, about... my future."

Liv’s throat tightened, and she nodded. "I don’t know how to stop it. And the closer we get, the more real it feels. I can’t lose you, Cayde. Not now. Not after everything."

Cayde turned fully to face her now, his hands gently cupping her face. "Liv, look at me." His voice was firm but filled with warmth. "We can’t live our lives in fear of what might happen. I’m here with you now, and that’s what matters. We’ll face whatever comes, but I need you to trust me—to trust us. We’re not going down without a fight, and you know that."

Liv searched his eyes, the sincerity and determination in his gaze grounding her once more. She wanted to believe him, wanted to hold onto this moment and forget the fear that haunted her.

"I do trust you, Cayde," she whispered. "I just... I want more time. I want more of this. Of us."

Cayde’s expression softened, and he leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to her lips. "We’ll make the most of every second we’ve got," he murmured against her. "Starting with right now."

Liv’s heart swelled at his words, and she kissed him back, her arms wrapping around his neck as she let herself get lost in the warmth of his embrace. In this moment, there was no fear—only the quiet, steady beat of his heart against hers and the knowledge that, for now, they had each other.

The next morning, Liv and Cayde were summoned to the Vanguard’s war room. Zavala and Ikora stood before a large holographic map of the system, their faces grave as they reviewed the latest intelligence reports.

Liv felt the weight of the room’s tension as soon as she stepped inside, Cayde by her side. Something had changed, and it was clear that whatever the Vanguard had discovered, it wasn’t good.

Zavala turned to face them, his expression as stern as ever. "We have a problem," he began without preamble. "The Red Legion has been stirring again. Their movements suggest that they’re planning something large, potentially a direct strike against the City."

Liv’s stomach twisted at the mention of the Red Legion. They had been a constant thorn in the Guardians' side, their attempts to seize control of the City and the Traveler thwarted time and time again, but this felt different—more coordinated, more dangerous.

"Great," Cayde muttered, crossing his arms as he leaned against the table. "Just what we needed. More Cabal to deal with."

Ikora shot him a sharp look before continuing. "It’s not just the Cabal. Our scouts have reported increased activity from the Fallen as well. They’re mobilizing in ways we haven’t seen before—coordinating across factions. Something’s bringing them together."

Liv frowned, stepping forward to examine the map. "Any idea what’s causing this? Why now?"

Zavala’s gaze was grim as he answered. "We believe they’re preparing for something. A larger force is at work here, and if we don’t stop them, they could launch an all-out assault on the City."

Liv exchanged a glance with Cayde, who had lost his usual smirk. The gravity of the situation settled heavily on her shoulders. This wasn’t just another mission. This was war.

"We need to be ready," Zavala said, his voice hard. "We’ll be sending strike teams to key locations across the system to disrupt their plans. We can’t allow them to unite under a single banner."

Cayde straightened, his expression serious. "Looks like it’s time for the A-team to save the day again."

Liv nodded, already feeling the adrenaline kick in. "What’s our assignment?"

Zavala pointed to a section of the map—an outpost on the moon of Titan. "You’ll be leading a team to Titan. We’ve detected an unusual energy signature coming from one of the abandoned Arcology buildings. We believe it’s linked to the Red Legion’s plans. Your mission is to infiltrate the site and destroy whatever they’re working on."

Liv’s jaw tightened. Titan had always been a challenging environment—its methane oceans and crumbling infrastructure made it a dangerous place to navigate, even without the Red Legion’s interference.

"We’ll take care of it," Liv said firmly, exchanging a determined look with Cayde. They had faced worse together, and they would face this head-on too.

Later that evening, as they prepared for the mission, Liv found herself back on the same balcony where she and Cayde had shared so many quiet moments. The stars twinkled overhead, a reminder of the vast universe they were fighting to protect.

Cayde joined her a moment later, his arm slipping around her waist as he pulled her close.

"Ready for another round of ‘Cayde and Liv vs. the universe’?" he asked with a wry smile.

Liv chuckled softly, leaning into him. "I’m always ready if I’ve got you by my side."

Cayde’s smile softened, and for a moment, they simply stood there, enjoying the peace before the storm.

"I meant what I said earlier," Cayde murmured, his voice low. "We’ll get through this. Together."

Liv turned to face him, her hands resting on his chest. "I know. And no matter what happens, I’ll fight for us. For you."

Cayde’s gaze held hers, the weight of his affection clear in his eyes. "You know, I never really thought I’d find this—find someone like you. But now that I have... I’m not letting go."

Liv’s heart swelled, and she reached up, pulling him into a soft kiss. When they finally pulled away, Cayde rested his forehead against hers, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Let’s make it through this, Liv. And when we do... I want that future we talked about."

Liv smiled, her voice equally soft. "Me too, Cayde. Me too."