Crochet Class: Ninth Stitch

--- Alia sat in the bar near the docking bay, nursing the drink in her hand. This would be the last chance to relax before the next big fight. Someone had turned on the jukebox and a few of the other Guardians were dancing, dancing for the pure enjoyment of it or dancing to forget, she could never tell. Someone slid into the seat next to her and she moved over to make more room before glancing to see who it might be. “Cayde.” she nodded. “Guardian.” He nodded back before gesturing for a drink. “Meeting over?” “Probably.” He shrugged. She shook her head with a small smile before taking another sip of her drink. One of the frames approached with a glass of glowing green liquid that Cayde accepted gratefully. “Ah, that hits the spot.” He sighed. “Hey, Guardian, you a gambling woman?” Alia lifted an eyebrow. “If you’re trying to get me to make a Hunter bet I’m not interested.” Cayde slapped one hand where his heart would be, assuming an incredulous look. “What kind of Hunter are you?” “Not a gambling one.” She glared. He huffed a laugh. “Now, for some reason I don’t believe you.” Now both pale eyebrows went up. “Oh?” “The biggest gamble of all is that of the heart.” Her mouth dropped open. “Wow. Did you seriously just say that?” “Yeah. Sounded better in my head.” “Really corny.” She agreed. “Like, massive amounts of corn.” He took a sip of his drink. “Still true.” He shrugged, glancing sideways at her. Alia sighed and leaned forward, cupping her drink between her hands. “What are you getting at, Cayde?” “What, do I need an ulterior motive? Can’t just stop by to chat with my favorite Guardian? Have a few drinks? Bond?” She stared at him. “Not buying it, huh?” “Nope.” “This is why I like you, Guardian. No beating around the bush. Straight to the point.” He raised his glass and she clinked hers against it, “I can respect that.” “Uh-huh.” He turned, propping his elbow on the bar to focus the awoken Hunter with his full attention. “So…to the point. It’s whether or not Zavala...” “Whether or not Zavala…?” The Hunter’s voice was dangerously low. Cayde did not seem to notice. “Purrs. See, I have this wager, and man…it’s a big one, going that...” “Leaving now.” Alia slapped some glimmer on the bar and rose. “Come on!” Cayde swiveled on his stool but made no move to follow. “What’s a little gossip between friends?” Alia stopped in her tracks, turned and walked back to fix Cayde with a thoughtful look, her eyes, for a moment, more violet than blue. With a practiced move she flicked her cloak back over her shoulder and leaned over to whisper in Cayde’s approximation of an ear. Cayde’s eyes got wider and wider, his mouth dropping open as she talked. Finally she stopped and, with a knowing smirk, took in Cayde’s expression, nodded once and stalked off with an extra swing to her step. Cayde stared after her until she disappeared around the corner then seemed to realize he still had his drink in his hand and knocked it back in one long swallow before turning back and signaling for another. Resting his elbows on the bar he shook his head ruefully. “Well, I did ask for it.” He accepted the new drink and drained it. “How am I ever going to look him in the eye again?” He complained to the frame. The frame didn’t respond. --- “Never again.” Knight commented sourly. “I think you did well.” May grinned. “Floofed like you’d never floofed before.” Herro chimed in. “Besides, it must’ve been an experience. Warlocks like those.” “One, it’s not ‘floofing’, it’s [i]gliding[/i]. Warlocks [i]glide[/i].” Knight snarled. “And two, being torn between two dimensions is not an experience I would recommend to anyone. Right Alia? Alia, you okay?” The Hunter visibly shook herself, focusing on the group now staring at her. “What? Oh. Yeah, not something I’d want to repeat.” Her eyes drifted back to the dead god’s corpse floating slowly towards the gas giant below. “I’m glad it’s over.” --- “I’m still here, aren’t I?” She asked sleepily, arms clinging to Zavala as though she were afraid if she let go even for an instant she would disappear. He gently brushed her hair away from her eyes. “You’re still here.” “Okay.” She murmured, nuzzling her face against his neck and drifting back to sleep. --- Tenth Stitch: https://www.bungie.net/en/Clan/Post/1371758/226373293/0/0 Master List: https://www.bungie.net/en/Clan/Post/1371758/226373948/0/0