I do not own destiny

He couldn't help himself. Ever since he had spoke with her... Ever since Elsie Bray had told him how he could make the limb work, he had been slightly obsessed with his project. He watched her from afar, never too close because he had noticed that the distance he and Kira had followed her from before wouldn't work anymore. He had almost been spotted way too many times to count. He watched as she always took simpler missions, gather this, steal this from the fallen or the hive, never anything big like the strikes that he knew the city conducted.

He watched as she tried to reason time and time again with the fallen, even going to the point of which she had shown them she had come unarmed. That time she had barely made it out of the situation alive. She had approached an Archon Priest and had attempted to speak with him about some supply caches he had stolen. He didn't care though, he just tried to kill her. Her sense of self preservation seemed to be lacking though it seemed. Even as he was swinging limbs to try and take her out, she was still pleading with him.

She got hit one good time and had been flung against the wall. He had jumped down and prepared to intervene, but she stood back up. He felt a shift in her energy and he knew she was done reasoning with the Archon. He had been caught off guard by her sheer strength. It was different from Kira's on many different levels. Kira had always been able to use the Fist of Havoc, but never at the scale Ashura could. She slammed her fists down and he steadied him as the ground shook around him. The slight realization that she could have ended his very existence just as easily as she had that Archon? Mesmerizing and haunting at the same time.

He had fought with other guardians before, but there was something different about this one. Perhaps she truly was the one from Osiris' prophecies. He flinched slightly as she continued to lay waste to all fallen who attacked her, but he knew that it was only because they had attacked first. That had been almost a month ago and she was currently on yet another one of her supply runs. This time she was in hive territory, he was going to assist her if the need be, but he would prefer to keep back.

He watched as she looked towards one of the hive tunnels and he sighed, he supposed that it was time to show her he was hanging around. There was no way he was going to be able to follow her in there without being spotted by her or the hive. He jumped down from where he had been hiding and she turned to him swiftly, gun raised. He smirked at her and knocked his knuckles on the barrel of the hand cannon. "You can shoot me if you like, but then I wont be able to help you down there." He mused and she stared at him oddly for a moment before she glared at him.

"You're the one who has been following me!" she accused and he crossed his arms over his chest. He was slightly disappointed that his presence had indeed been noticed. Perhaps he was getting rusty with his tracking and observational awareness. "So, you saw me and never said anything?" he mused and she shook her head. "Judging by that response you're a stalker and have been following me for some time." she bit out and he chuckled lightly. "But no. I never saw anything, I just... felt a presence, like someone was watching me and I could never tell where from." She sighed and he nodded.

"Kira would have wanted me to keep an eye on you." He said simply and she gave him a dirty look. "Is that the only reason?" she said and he could sense the amusement in her tone. He stepped closer to her and she stood her ground and stared back up at him. "Is that all you want it to be? Seems you want more." He mused and she rolled her eyes at him. "As if." She scoffed and a wicked smirk crossed his lips. Oh this was too easy. "So that would mean the way you were staring at my ass back in the reef was a fluke?" he asked and a deep red blush coated her cheeks.

"I didn't do that!" she protested in a squeak, but he was only more amused by this. "So this..." he began as he held up his arm and a crow swooped down to land on his arm. "Never happened?" he asked and the bird opened its mouth dropping a chip into the palm of his hand. "Ok ok!" she stammered and he chuckled and handed the chip back to the crow. There was nothing on there, she just couldn't tell he was bluffing. He scanned over her dark red face with a smirk.

"What do I need to do to have you never bring that up again?" she pleaded and he thought it over for a moment then he looked back to her. "I want to accompany you on some missions. I want to teach you." He said and she visibly stiffened. "Prince Uldren... I cant... If I am seen with you it could get me into trouble." She said and he shrugged. He didn't care, the rules didn't apply to him. "I honestly don't care for whatever little rule your commander set about you being near anyone from the reef." He said and she bit her lip and rubbed the back of her hand nervously.

"I can teach you how to speak Eliksni." He said and she looked up at him with furrowed brows. "Fine but if we get caught I'm calling you out on being a stalker." She warned and he could only smirk at this. He reached out to offer his hand as a gesture of their deal, but the moment their hands touched it was like a static shock had jumped through him and he looked at her in confusion, wondering why the hell she had shocked him, but the same confusion was plastered all over her features as well. Well this was definitely odd.

"So..." he said trying to recover from the oddity that was the shock. "Do you have any stories about Kira you would like to talk about?" he asked and she offered him a smile. "Only if you share some of yours." She wagered and he nodded. She went on to tell him about a time where they had gone back to Venus and where she had been snooping around in an old archive there and Kira had pissed off a Vex Minotaur. She proceeded to describe in great detail how Kira had been so infatuated with the vex to the point of where she had been on this minotaur's shoulders riding him around like a bucking bronco trying to hack into his software.

He released a laugh at this, not just a small one either a deep one that rumbled in his chest. He looked down to see if she were going to continue her story but she were staring at him with a sort of awe in her eyes. "What, I can laugh." He muttered indignantly and she smiled brightly up at him. "I know... I know I was just caught off guard. I didn't think you would be so comfortable around me." She managed and he scoffed at her. "I'm a walking asshole, but I do have feelings as well." He said and she nodded. "Yeah I know but I was just surprised." She managed and he rolled his eyes.

"Did she ever get the data?" he asked and Ashura laughed this time, and he now understood why she had probably stared at him so oddly when he had laughed. Her laughter made his heart race and he couldn't calm it. "No she didn't, but she managed to get the core from his chest. It sits on my desk in my room like an old world lava lamp." She mused and he nodded. "Was she still collecting vex Hobgoblin arms?" he asked and she looked at him oddly. "She was doing what?" her voice sounded so shocked that it amused him to no end.

"Yes, she-" he paused right there. He was about to discuss the limbs and he needed to steer clear of that. Kira had always told him that if she ever lost an arm she wanted a vex one. But there was another story he could tell Ashura. "She knew some guy on I think it was Io, who had lost a limb to the vex. She would send him crates upon crates of the things just to mess with him. Needless to say we would get angry voice messages of the man screaming at us because, and I quote: 'This isn't funny and the predicament he is in is a serious one'. She kept doing it anyways, much to my sister's dismay. The man has such a grating voice." He chuckled and she smiled up at him.

"She really was something else... wasn't she?" she asked and he couldn't help the nod. "Kira was an incredible researcher. She was studying the possibilities of creating an Exo guardian a Vex body. She was obsessed with it to the point where she had actually been trying to make a prototype." He said and It was Ashura's turn to nod. "Yeah. In our past lives, she worked in the Braytech facilities all over the system. There was always something new for her to learn and something else for her to try and build." She said and he offered her a small smile.

"Do you miss her?" she asked him and he looked up to the darkening sky. He couldn't hide it, he missed her with everything he had. "I miss her every single day." She said and he looked back down to her. He patted her on the head softly as they walked. "As do I." he sighed and she just continued to watch him. "Do you think she could maybe come back one day?" she asked and he pursed his lips at this. "I'm not sure. Do you know anything about her ghost?" he asked and she shook her head. "Well... if it isn't destroyed there is a high possibility, but if it is lost in the vault... I wouldn't bet on it coming true. I've heard the stories of Saint-14 and the fact that even though he sent his ghost away, they found it and destroyed it anyways. The vex are cruel that way." He sighed and she nodded.

"They truly are." She sighed and he looked down at her once more. "I hold on to that hope though. She... She would be the one that could pull it off. She would be the one that would bend time and space to her will just to be able to come back and make those dumb ass faces at me once more." He chuckled and she looked up at him, the sadness in her eyes held the slightest hint of amusement. "She definitely would. I would be willing to bet she would be the one to do it. I still have no idea how all of us got home that day." She sighed and he frowned at her.

"None of us do. All four of us just... fell from a vex time gate. Literally into the laps of the vanguard pretty much." She said and he couldn't help the amused twitch of his lips. She noticed this and gave him a nasty look. "What the hell is funny about that?" she growled and he held up a hand in defense. "Just hear me out." He said as he attempted to compose himself, but the thought was just too funny to him.

"What are you willing to bet that now whatever is down there is haunted now." He said and she looked at him with that same dirty look. "Look, what I'm saying is... Kira would be the type that if you killed her she would haunt you for the rest of her existence. What if she is down there right now haunting the vex in the Vault for the rest of eternity?" He asked and the slightest bit of humor flew through her eyes. "Oh... Oh no. she would be down there randomly closing and opening their time gates and they'll be wondering what the hell is going on." She released a laugh and he couldn't help but feel relieved she wasn't upset anymore.

"Yelling at Atheon and telling him she hopes he falls off his platform." She mused and he released a small chuckle at this. "Yeah... I feel like that is what is going on down there right now." He said and she nodded lightly. "That will definitely keep me from thinking about anything darker." She sighed and he nodded. He knew how that felt, wondering about the truth of someone's death and never truly knowing. It was a miserable existence.

:-:-:-:

For the longest time they just roam and collect supplies with each other. There was nothing else they would do, just this. Well, that and talk or argue. He had already been teaching her Eliksni but she wouldn't use it. She wanted to keep repeating it over in her mind or let him speak to the fallen. He watched her for a moment then sighed. She was picking random rocks up off the ground, looking at them and setting them down. "What on earth are you doing?" he asked and she rolled her eyes at him. "Nothing, couldn't you tell?" she asked and he ignored the snotty attitude that escaped her.

He held back any irate comments he wished to share with her, because if she wanted to be that way he could too. "Is there something wrong?" he bit out softly and she frowned up at him. "No... Not with you." She sighed as she continued to play in the dirt before her. He pinched the bridge of his nose softly, this was going to be annoying. "Fight with me. You obviously have some things to work out, so we might as well spar." He said and she looked at him oddly. "I am willing to teach you how to fight like the awoken do, would you like to try?" he asked expectantly. She didn't seem to like the tone of his voice then either and he just couldn't win with her today.

He feels like they can genuinely have some sort of friendship, but right now she just doesn't seem to have any interest in coming out of whatever place she is at in her mind. She stood and walked away. He followed her despite her demands that he stay away. He heard her gasp for breath and he rushed over as she began retching. Inky black oil splattered the ground and he rushed to her side. She just kept retching and he was disgusted by the sheer amount of the oil that had accumulated. When she finally stopped retching, she slumped weakly against him and he pulled a cloth from his pouch to work on cleaning her up.

"You aren't disgusted by me?" she managed as he rolled her onto her side and began cleaning it off of her face the best he could. "Oh, you're absolutely disgusting." He sighed and she still managed to stare up at him angrily. "Well, that's my honest opinion, but then again I've seen more disgusting things in my life so you're good." He said and she slapped his arm gently. "You just like making me mad." She grumbled and he patted her on the back as he helped her sit up. "Kira drank radiolaria once. Began hearing voices and one day we wake up and she's full blown nude in the bathroom yelling something about how she couldn't see her veins and that she should be able to see the paths of time within them." He mused and she looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"Don't worry, Petra found her, not me. But once her little space trip ended she ended up throwing it up all over the bathroom floor. That was a horrifying sight to behold honestly." He sighed and Ashura struggled to sit up. "Kira was basically a mad scientist, there is no other way to describe her." He mused as he helped her to her feet. "Um. Yeah, that she was. She had all this secret research that makes me wonder if she were ever successful with any of it." She sighed and he nodded. "I believe she may have been successful with some things." He offered and she nodded to him silently.

He couldn't tell what she was thinking, but he felt like it might have been about some of the vex projects Kira had been working on in secret. She wouldn't even let him in to see her journals or anything of the sort, and she was mad with the scribbling just like he was from what he had seen. "Do you know where her journals are?" he asked suddenly and she shook her head. "No, they vanished from her room while I was in the infirmary. Someone stole them or something." She sighed and he narrowed his eyes. "Or someone is using them." He offered and her wide eyes shot over to him.

She seemed to think it over for a moment before she looked back over to him. "I think I may know who took them." She said and jumped to her feet. "Wait... you're just gonna go?" he asked amusement filling his being. She offered a regretful look only to keep running. "Wow. I see how it is. Just gonna take off in the middle of a conversation." He mused as he made his way back to his own ship. That woman was just... odd. Slightly bipolar, and possibly ADHD worthy, but still odd. He watched as her ship vanished over the horizon and he turned to see a small dreg watching him carefully.

"What?" he asked and the dreg hissed at him, waving its arms in the air as if to shoo him away. He quirked a brow but started to walk away. Only... a rock hit him in the back of the head and he turned towards the little shit but it scurried away from him swiftly. He thought about leaving once more, but he saw that it had stopped to look at him as if it wanted him to follow. He shrugged and figured why not? He followed it down into an area underneath an old rusted building and he slightly felt as if it were a trap. He pulled his blade from his thigh and held it up, forcing his energy into it and causing it to glow. He used it to look around the area, only to see a vandal with an arrow sticking out of it.

He furrowed his brows as he crouched before the dead vandal and touched the arrow gently before he pulled it from the corpse. It burst into flames and he threw it down to the ground, a small phoenix rising from the ashes when it had gone out. "Prince Uldren. What a surprise..." He turned around to see the warlock standing over him. "That dreg was supposed to bring her to me, not you. But you shall suit my needs well enough." The man sighed and he stood and looked at him oddly.

"Osiris. What a pleasure. What do you need of me?" he asked and Osiris made a small noise under his breath. "I need her to stay alive. As long as possible preferably." He sighed and Uldren watched him carefully. "There's going to be a time where her life is in grave danger. I cant exactly disclose the full details, but I know she will die." He said and Uldren nodded. "Half the time she hates me, so I mean there's not much I can do about it." He grumbled and Osiris didn't say a word. He didn't make a move or anything, which was odd because usually when he got cocky with the man he would at least get some sass or an indignant response back.

"Does it have to do with the leg?" he asked and Osiris still didn't say anything. He was starting to get irate with the old man and wanted nothing more than to leave. "I have seen darkness. It will consume her. Smother her light like a black hole. I've had dreams of her drowning in the darkest sea. So, I do not know if it is going to be caused by the leg, or if the darkness itself will consume her but it cant happen." He said and Uldren nodded, he was grateful the man finally said something.

"What else have you seen?" he asked and Osiris grunted softly. "I cant tell you anything about yourself." He said and Uldren rolled his eyes. "I didn't want to know about me. I know full well that I will die someday and that I will have no say in how I go. Which is fine by me, because I will fight to my last breath." He said and Osiris watched him carefully. "I can however tell you some things." Osiris said and Uldren looked back over to him, taking his eyes off the small phoenix that watched him from the ground, keeping the room lit well enough.

"I can tell you about things to be wary of. Spades and a bell. Those two will set off a chain reaction that will get many people killed." Osiris said and Uldren rolled his eyes inwardly at the cryptic old man. "What a prophecy to behold." Uldren grumbled and Osiris rolled his eyes this time. "Well how about this one you ungrateful shit." Osiris grumbled and Uldren scowled at the old man. "The vault will open again."

Uldren didn't like that one, but he already knew that one was coming. He wondered if Ashura were going to delve once more. "Any more?" he asked and Osiris watched him with an amused look in his eyes. "A Vex Oracle will rise and alter the paths of all the timelines, doing everything that the Vex Minds could never succeed at." Uldren watched the man for any signs of deceit but couldn't find any. So that was a good one. "While I am grateful for the prophecies, I believe it is time for me to go." He said and Osiris watched as he turned towards the stairs that led out.

"Oh, and Uldren," he started his tone more serious this time. "A small Glint of light will be your best friend." Osiris said and he offered the man a two fingered wave before he exited the building. That damn cryptic old man never really made any sense. A 'glint of light'? he had no idea what the man could be talking about in the slightest. Nor did he understand the Spade and Bell reference. Perhaps the old man was just screwing with him.

:-:-:-:

"Where did you go." He called out in slight irritation. She had just been right in front of him and then she had vanished. The small woman didn't say a word when she took off either. He came around some debris from a plane and saw a dreg before her, but the moment the dreg saw him it scurried away to hide. She looked over at him and he could feel the agitation from her gaze alone. "What?" he asked, he didn't know the thing was going to run away. It wasn't his fault. "You scared him away." She sighed and he quirked a brow at her. "Well, then call him back to you. Use what I taught you." He said as if there were no other reasonable option, cause there wasn't. She could speak the language.

she turned towards the dreg that was hiding behind a panel of airplane siding, watching them ever so carefully. He listened as she tested the words on her tongue, she may not feel like they were the right ones, but to him they were perfect. He felt that same pride as he had when Kira had proven she was an unstoppable force of nature. She looked over to him and he nodded, urging her to speak the language louder, so the dreg could hear her better. He could see that little glimmer in her eye and he wanted to smile, but he hid it.

He watched her as she spoke to the dreg, it was definitely an interesting spectacle. She spoke the Eliksni language so fluently, but so shyly that it was odd. The dreg responded but spoke one word of the English language. "Help." He watched as Ashura motioned for the dreg to come to her and he couldn't help the small twitch of his lips as she looked back at him with excited eyes. He offered her an approving nod and she smiled up at him. "Can you hand me my medical kit over there?" she asked and he looked at the odd carry case. He picked it up and made his way over to her with it. "Thank you." She said softly and he watched her as she had the dreg lay down so she could help him. "I'm going to help." She said and the dreg blinked at her, but then he pulled the cloth from his armor away from the wound.

Uldren grimaced slightly as he saw how deep the wound was. Deep penetrating wound across his side that looked like claw marks. "It looks like he got into it with the hive." He said and she nodded. "Looks like he found a thrall faster than he was." She offered as she pulled a suture set from the case by her feet. "Would you like to sit?" she asked and before he could respond, her eyes jolted to him. "You're towering and scary. Have a seat." She said and he scoffed. "Please?" she asked softly, and he watched her for a moment before he sat. Since she had asked it so kindly of him he mused. "Where did you learn how to heal by hand?" he asked and she glanced over at him. "I believe it was a skill in my past life. Perhaps I was a medic." She said and he nodded, he had already known this but was curious to if she knew. "I see."

"Prince Uldren... do you have any memory of your past life?" she asked suddenly and he glanced over at her. "I had no past life. I was born like this. Queen Mara is my twin sister, just as Kira was yours." He said and she stopped sewing for a second to process the information, but then she nodded. "I see." She said as she continued to work on the small fallen before her. "Do you have a ghost?" she asked and he hesitated then shook his head. Technically the only ghost he had was Pulled pork and that was not in the sense she was talking, even though he had gifted the small ghost a shell representing the reef a while back. He had been so proud of it too.

"I see... do you know CPR?" she asked and he blinked at her, wondering why she was asking so many questions. She smiled softly at him and he couldn't help the small flutter in his chest. Whatever that was, he needed it to stop. "Would you like me to teach the awoken medical skills?" she asked and he watched her with a frown because they weren't supposed to be seeing each other. "You could teach me, but then I could teach them." He offered and she nodded. "That sounds ok." She said and he nodded. "So when are you going to tell your sister you've been running away to hang out with me?" she asked in slight amusement and he smirked at her. Oh if only she had known.

"She knew the first day. She also knows every time we fight." He said and she blushed lightly as she bandaged the dregs side. He watched her as she helped the small dreg up and she watched it stretch to see how it felt. "Et... Yu?" he managed and her eyes lit up, Uldren saw this and he motioned for her to respond, it was only polite to respond to someone when they asked your name. "Yu... Ashura." She replied and the dreg spoke her name softly, then threw his hands in the air. "Yu Colt." He said and she offered a hand to him. It reached and touched her hand lightly before turning to Uldren and watching him hesitantly. He reached a hand out to the dreg as well, but was not given the same soft grace of the hand but more so a smack.

He chuckled and looked the small creature over. He asked him if he would like to return to the reef with him, and that there were other fallen there so he wouldn't be alone. The small creature seemed to perk up at this and replied joyfully. He liked that the dreg was so happy to return with him, Ashura would like this as well because then he would be safe and well taken care of. 'Brother, are you going to be back soon? We have something we need to discuss. I have been avoiding the topic for a while, but I feel like it is time.' Her voice echoed in his mind and he sighed softly. Was it so wrong if he didn't want to leave? He looked over to Ashura, who was watching him with a spacey gaze. He chuckled and reached down to place a hand on her shoulder lightly.

The moment he touched her she jumped to her feet and turned around to face him. She looked him up and down swiftly, then smiled at him softly. Even though she could be annoying and space out, he liked her. She was a breath of fresh air, one could say. Just as Kira had been and that was what he needed. He needed someone to keep him on his toes ever since Kira had passed. He had been lonely and bored and despite the fact Nina hung around him like a dreg to ether, she was no Kira.

"Would you like to spar before I have to go?" he asked and she blinked at him in confusion. "Where are you going?" she asked and he chuckled softly. "I have to return to my sister, let her know I am alright." He said and she sighed, he quirked a brow at this. "You really like my companionship, don't you?" he asked with an amused smirk. She seemed offended by this accusation too. "I never said that." She shot back and he quirked a brow. "But you aren't denying it either." He pointed out and he chuckled when she released a small huff and rolled her eyes. "No, I keep you around because you teach me things." She said and he gave her a look that screamed amusement, but also told her he knew she was full of it.

"Pretty sure you're full of shit just like your sister, but we will ignore that." He chuckled and she made a face at him. His heart ached because this was one of the exact faces Kira would make at him and he missed her. He missed every goofy ass face she would make to the point where even Nora had gotten irate from it. He chuckled to himself softly, catching her attention once more.

"When will you come back to spar with me?" she asked and he felt that annoying flutter in his chest once more. He liked the idea that she wanted to continue to meet with him. "Not sure, you just said you only like me because I teach you things." He chuckled softly, only for her to close the distance between them and jab a finger into his chest. He reached and grabbed the offending hand gently, a light feeling in his chest as he did so. "And you don't keep me around for learning purposes?" she asked and he smirked as he leaned closer to her, the faintest waft of a floral scent reached his nose and he wondered where it came from.

"You need me far more than I need you." He said and she stared at him with her mouth open. She was obviously offended by that comment and when he played it back in his head he would have been too. He really could be a dumbass sometimes. She seemed to look him over before she had figured out what to say. "Says the one who has one life, but doesn't know how to save it." She snapped and shoved him lightly, removing her hand from his grasp.

"Really? Says the one who has as many as her ghost can give? Zombie brat." He said with a prod at her chest plate. "Look here... you're about to meet the floor again." She snapped and he smirked as he thumped her forehead gently. Her eyes lit up and he knew they were going to spar when their little spat was over. "I think you will be the one to meet the floor." He said nonchalantly and she lunged for him, which he was expecting. He swept out of her grasp with a chuckle. She aimed a punch at him and he deflected it with the back of his own fist. He greatly enjoyed when they would spar, every point of contact in their fights made his soul light up. He didn't understand it, but it was exciting to actually feel. To actually look forward to being near someone like this. It felt foreign and like a form of intimacy he couldn't describe.

She dropped down and tried to sweep his legs out from under him, but he jumped at the last second and spun to the side. She backflipped out of his range when she saw him lunge for her. There was something beautiful and raw when it came to hand to hand combat, something fighting with weapons could never supply. She spun and shoulder charged at him, but much to her surprise he crossed his arms over his chest and it halted the majority of the force only causing him to slide backwards a few feet. She jumped backwards away from him and tried to charge him again, but he waited until she got close, grabbed her shoulder and flipped himself over her only to spin and plant both of his feet into her back.

He could only smirk at her as she panicked. When she realized why he had done that, she narrowed her eyes at him before fighting to disperse the energy he had accumulated. His eyes widened as she used her whole body to ram him over. He looked up from where she had him pinned to the ground, thinking she had won but she was sorely mistaken. He snaked his ankle under her leg and flipped her onto her back, using his knees to hold hers down and using one hand to hold her arms over her head, his blade gently to the nape of her neck.

He couldn't help the smirk as he looked down on her. His eyes scanned over her disheveled appearance and he couldn't help but admire the woman beneath him. Dirty white hair splayed all around her, her soft pink lips shining at him from where she had licked them to keep them from chapping and making that odd feeling in his chest return once more. Those metallic eyes searching his soul and digging in. He couldn't explain this feeling, and while he enjoyed it... it scared the shit out of him because he had never felt this way before. He swallowed lightly and tried to regain himself before he spoke.

"Getting better." He said as he moved to let her go, but the moment she started coughing he grabbed her quickly and helped her get to her knees. She continued the deep painful sounding coughs and he could only comfort her with a hand on her back. "Is this my fault?" he asked, his heart racing as she continually coughed and struggled for air. He didn't like this... he wanted nothing more to help her, but the leg wasn't ready yet. And he was scared... that was something he didn't say lightly either. When her coughing spell finally ceased he rubbed gentle circles on her back.

When she looked up at him with those tear filled eyes it felt like his heart stopped in his chest. He didn't want her to hurt anymore... He pulled a cloth from his hip pouch and began wiping the oily substance from her lips gently. "You've seen this before?" she asked softly and he nodded. He had to offer some assistance... even if it were only hope. "There are two people I know of that can help you." He said softly and she watched him with curious eyes. He pushed himself to his feet and offered a hand silently. She grabbed his hand and he pulled her to her feet, he looked over her and narrowed his eyes slightly. It wasn't in anger or mistrust, he was just curious.

"The first who can help you... He's a murderer. And the second... I'm completely unsure if he even knows what he is. He's a murderer as well, but I don't think you can lessen the blow of it any more even if you were to say it was an accident that it happened." He bit out softly, hating that he even had to think about the incident once more. He had worked so hard to try to put it out of his mind but he lived with it every day... the fact he was a murderer and had tried so hard not to be.

He was startled by the gentle touch to his forearm and he looked down at her. The pity in her eyes was too much for him and it actually made him angry. Why the hell would she pity him? "Uldren... we are... friends, right?" she asked and his eyes softened slightly. "Honestly... I don't know what we are. We are supposed to be enemies, but we have both defied direct orders to steer clear of one another." He sighed and looked off towards his ship where the dreg was exploring the inside. He really didn't know, so there was no lie there.

"Would you want to be my friend?" she asked and he quirked a brow at her. He wanted to be her friend, but he wasn't sure that was all he wanted and that thought alone scared him. "And if I said no?" he asked, that usual haughty tone back in his voice. This seemed to actually upset her, judging by the irate posture and the arms crossed over her chest. "Look here... if you don't want to be my friend, I'll have to kick your ass. You obviously care about me, even if it is a tiny bit." She said and he smirked at her. He liked that she thought this of him, that he cared for her. He felt like he did, but he wasn't sure what it felt like to care for someone other than a sibling. "Obviously you hold yourself in higher regard in my eyes than you actually are." He mused, his usual taunting tone back. He couldn't hide the amusement in his eyes either.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" she asked and he shrugged, a smirk on his lips. He enjoyed getting her so riled up. "Look here, I didn't even ask for this screwed up friendship. You're the one who kept showing up everywhere I went." She snapped and he closed the distance between them swiftly. A mere few inches between them and he could take in every feature of her angry face. "But you never said no." he said and she glared at him. "I think I figured out why. You were trying to use me... for my knowledge." He said and she sneered at him.

"What knowledge could you have?" she snapped and he grabbed her chin in his left hand as gently as he could manage as he leaned closer and stared her right in her eyes. Their faces were so close he could feel her breath on his lips, this sent a different feeling through his chest and he hated it. "I'm clearly smarter than you think." He said and she smirked at him. "Of course, but even then, Lion is smarter than you take him for as well." She spat then scoffed. "So, saying you are smarter than I think could be saying you are the same level of smart as Lion, which is about as smart as a sack of potatoes." She said with a shrug and he smirked, but this one was sinister.

"Of course. But I have the knowledge of how to save you and where to find the person who can." He bit out and all joy in this little game ended when she looked up at him with those sad eyes. "But you aren't going to tell me, are you?" she asked and he brushed his thumb over her cheek gently, searching her eyes for anything she was feeling. "You already know one, but they honestly have no real reason to help you... And the other... well. I need you to kill him, just as much as Cayde needs you to." He said and she furrowed her brows. "Taniks?" she asked and he nodded. "Yes.. he definitely needs to go." Uldren sighed and she watched him carefully. "Who is the other?" she asked and he patted her on the head gently, his fingers trailing over her cheek once more as his hand dropped.

"I'd love to help you, but you have to earn that trust first." He said softly, his soul hurt because he trusted her, but he didn't trust her not to leave. He couldn't handle it if she left too. It had already been a huge blow when Kira had left. He started to leave, but a gentle tug on his cloak caused him to turn and see she had a hand gripped firmly in the cloth. He could feel her desperation.

"Please tell me..." she whispered and his eyes darkened when he turned to face her fully. "No." he muttered sharply and yanked his cloak from her grasp. He wanted to get away from her so he didn't say anything to upset her further. "Uldren please!" she begged and a stabbing pain ran through his chest. Her tone was so broken and he hated it, he hated that this was all she wanted. She didn't care for him or his feelings in the slightest, it was all about her. He grit his teeth and he turned towards her. "You want to know why I won't help you?" he snarled and she flinched away from him.

He grabbed her arms roughly to keep her from backing away and she winced. He hadn't meant to hurt her... "Do you really want to know?" he snapped and she nodded, and he could tell she was trying to fight off the tears. "Fine." He spat, but the grip on her arms didn't relent. "I refuse to help you because everyone I help with this little issue leaves. They leave. Without a word. My services are not for free, my assistance is most definitely one of a kind and to abuse my very small amount of kindness is to disrespect me." He snapped and she reached out to touch him, but he released her and stepped away from her. He didn't want her to touch him right now.

"And no doubt you will do the same." He growled and she watched him with hurt eyes, his were equally hurt though. "What makes you think that?" she asked and he scoffed. "Your sister did it." He snapped and she bit her lip. "How so?" she asked and he ran a hand through his hair. "She abandoned me to go to you. Why do you think I've been hanging around you? I've been trying to figure out what made her leave and abandon her Queen and Prince." He snapped and she stepped closer to him. He didn't understand why she was so adamant on being this close to him.

"Well... did you figure it out?" she asked and he thought it over for a moment only to nod. "Yeah... I did." He muttered as his angry eyes softened slightly. "And I also figured out why you were so willing to try to be friends with me." He said and she crossed her arms over her chest gently. "And what exactly was that reason." It wasn't a question. She was demanding that from him. "Please tell me, because even I don't know." She snapped and he curled up his lip at her. "You tried to befriend me to try and get me to pity you so I would help you with your leg issue." He said simply only to be sent stumbling backwards, a searing pain in his jaw. He stared at her in nothing but shock. "If only it were that damn simple!" she snapped and he immediately regretted what he had said. Perhaps he was wrong this time.

"That wasn't it?" he asked and she aimed another hit at him, but he caught this one. He held that wrist gently, attempting to reach for her with his other hand, but she swatted that one away. "No! That wasn't it at all!" she snarled and ripped her wrist from his grasp. "Unless you have come to apologize, don't seek me out anymore. Fucking prick." She snarled and turned away from him. "Ashura." He called out to her, but she continued walking away. His heart raced in his chest and he watched her go, the panic setting in as she gave him one last nasty look before she took off in her ship.

He placed a hand over his heart and he couldn't help but regret how he had treated her and everything he had said. Fear... this was something new to him, but this wasn't just any fear. This was irrational fear and he knew deep down it was caused by Kira leaving. Somehow this was different though, his heart clenched at the thought of not seeing her again. He just felt... like utter shit honestly. He couldn't describe it any other way, other than calling himself an asshole who jumped to conclusions. He needed to stop doing that. He looked to the small dreg watching him silently and he motioned for him to get back in the ship. He was going to go see his sister, maybe she could help him make sense of his own idiocy.

:-:-:-:-:

When he arrived home, he could tell his sister had been talking to the guards. They all watched him with careful eyes, he supposed his beloved sister had told him of his escapades with the small hunter. That aggravating woman, always telling everyone everything and getting in his business. "Perhaps you are the aggravating one, brother." His sister called out to him and he watched her with a calm gaze. "What was the fight over this time?" she asked and he scoffed lightly. "I'd rather not discuss it." He grumbled and she snapped her fingers at him. "If you don't I will have Petra discuss it with her." The Queen threatened and he narrowed his eyes at her. A small smirk crossed her lips at his sudden anger concerning the girl.

"So it was your fault." That wasn't a question either, she knew. "You tell me, our bond is... bothersome at times." He grunted and she waved for him to come sit next to her. "Brother... where do your loyalties lie?" she asked and he stared at her in surprise. "With you, my sister." He said and she nodded. "Then hear me out. You do not have to suffer alone in this life." She said and he furrowed his brows at her. "Brother... I would recommend apologizing to her. She is an asset to the reef." She said and he frowned she wasn't making any sense.

"What do we need her for?" he asked and she gave him a look that told him not to question her. "Her medical skills could help us." She said and he frowned. "So, you want me to use her, the way I assumed she was using me?" he asked and she shook her head. "You can continue to meet with her, but protect her. And maybe when she is ready to do so she will forgive you for your insolence." She said and he narrowed his eyes at her, only to have her shining blue eyes cut right back into his.

"You feel differently towards this twin than the previous. I do not believe you actually do understand what you feel, but do not push her away. Maybe she can help you realize you are allowed to feel, dear brother... and not just anger and sass." She said softly as she patted his shoulder before she stood to walk away. "Sister?" he called and she turned to look at him. "Would you consider us friends?" he asked and she watched him in confusion. "Brother, you and I are, at the very least, friends. You are my most trusted advisor and I only want the best for you." She said and he nodded. "And... what of Ashura and I? Kira and I?" he asked and a small smile graced her lips. "Brother. You treated Kira like she was our younger sister. Ashura seems to be something different." She said and he nodded as he stood to make his way to his own room.

"Perhaps, dear brother, that is why it angered you so heavily when you thought she was using you to save herself." She said and he nodded. "I suppose. And what if she learns the truth that I could save her life and refused?" he asked and she smiled at him once more, but this one was softer than the last. "Then you explain to her why. And you help her." She said and he nodded, but he couldn't help the stinging feeling that Ashura was just going to abandon like everyone else that he had helped had. The thought alone stung

"Trust in her." Mara called out to him as he walked away. She looked over to see Petra lingering nearby, as was Nina. She motioned for the two of them to come over to her and they did. They sat beside her and Petra had this shit eating smirk on her lips. "He's in love with her isn't he?" she whispered and Mara chuckled softly and shook her head. "Oh, you have no idea. I sit here every day and feel everything he feels. I know when he is with her without even seeing them together." She mused and Petra smirked at Nina.

"Pay up, I told you." She said and Nina rolled her eyes and offered the Rose haired woman the glimmer. Mara shook her head at the two of them. "Don't bet on my poor brothers love life." She sighed and Petra smiled at her softly. "I can't help it if someone so smart can be so dumb. He makes for easy money sometimes." She mused and Mara sighed. She looked towards Nina and the woman just watched her silently.

"I need you to keep an eye on Ashura. I have been hearing chatter that some of the guards here are not pleased with her and Uldren talking. One in particular I need you to follow." She said and Nina nodded. "The one who is ranting about how 'that broke down bitch will never be her sister'?" Petra asked and Mara nodded. Petra released a sigh and Mara watched her silently. "That one is brash and dangerous. She is one of Uldren's Crows so I had been lenient with reprimanding her, but I feel as if she may cause trouble." Mara saind and Nina nodded once more.

"Yes, my queen. I will take care of her if the need arose." Nina said and Mara narrowed her eyes at her. "If she attacks Ashura, you do not kill her. Uldren is already suspicious of you and will kill you." Mara warned and Nina looked down to her fingers. "I know this..." She whispered softly and Mara looked up to the sky. "At the time, I did not understand why you had done it. Nor had I understood how you could. But... the moment I was visited by the emissary of the Nine, I understood." Mara sighed and noted the look of shock and fear that crossed Nina's features.

"I'm not going to kill you Nina, you don't have to worry about that." Mara mused and Nina seemed to calm down slightly. "So you remember what you did. And that is fine, because I assume you know why you did it as well." Mara said, holding up the strange coin, looking it over with curiosity still lingering in her gaze. Nina was ashamed of that coin and it showed. "I want to see the scar you have to bear for all eternity, your curse." Mara demanded softly and Nina nodded as she stood and looked back to see if the two of them were going to follow her.

Mara gave Petra a glance, but they followed the woman. "Petra, we do not hate her for what she did, remember this." Mara said and Petra nodded as they made their way into Nina's personal room. Piece by piece her armor dropped and her shame surfaced. Nina pulled her shirt over her head and covered her exposed breasts as Mara stepped closer to her. Elegant fingers traced over the wound on the upper right side of her chest. The scar ebbed the faintest hint of starlight, the wound never healing properly and causing a ethereal violet scar to remain for all eternity.

Mara mused lightly, a small huff of air escaping her as she motioned for the woman to dress herself once more. "She bears the mark of Sjur, the mark that all who survive her wear and there are only two in this world now." Mara stated, knowing full well for the longest time that she had been the only one to survive Sjur Eido. She traced the scar on her hip gently, eyeing the other two women in the room. "You are bound to me forever, you realize this?" Mara asked and Nina nodded.

"Good. Now go make sure that fool doesn't kill my Queen of Kells." She commanded and Nina nodded as they left the room.

:-:-:-:

Uldren was searching for her, Nina had warned him that one of his own was going after Ashura and he had agreed that they needed to go warn her as well. But since she was refusing each and every one of her transmissions, he had to go see her in person. He also knew this was going to end in a fight because after the argument last week she wouldn't even look at him. He pulled his hood over his head and searched the civilian part of the city for her, which was an aggravating task as is due to all the people. He slightly cursed Nina for chasing her towards this area of the city.

He heard her voice and he approached a small home where she was talking within. Nina made herself known to him and he looked her over. "Anything yet?" he asked and she shook her head. "No, I haven't seen Kali." She said and he nodded. "Neither have I, but she could be using all these people for cover." He sighed and Nina made a noise of agreement before looking over to see Ashura leave the home. She glanced his way and he could feel the distaste in her glare.

He just wanted to help her. He stepped forward and called out to her, but she ignored him and continued walking. He pressed through people and rushed to get to her as she approached the elevator. "She's here!" Nina called out and his eyes went wide. He glanced over to her and she had fear on her face as well. "She's up there, Eris just saw her." Nina said and he lunged to stop the elevator doors from closing. His heart was racing and he didn't even bother to conceal his fear. Ashura seemed to see this just as the doors closed because her eyes swam with confusion just as the doors shut.

He pressed the button repeatedly and jumped in the second elevator up, Nina close behind. When the doors opened his eyes widened as he saw Ashura pull the blade from herself and stab Kali. He reached for her as she fell and he put pressure on her wound. "M-my prince...?" Kali called out as she stared at him in shock, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. It seemed she couldn't understand why he would go for Ashura and not her. "Nina. Handle that." He said and she stared at him wide eyed. People began gathering around and he looked up to see the vanguard leaders standing over them. Cayde-6 and Zavala took grabbed Kali and drug her away, she was screaming and fighting the entire time.

He watched as the medical staff rushed over to him and had him help lift her and place her on a stretcher before they carried her away. He looked up to Ikora, who was watching him intently. She crouched next to him and helped clean the blood off his hands. He couldn't find words, nor could he hear anything she was saying over the thumping of his heart in his ears. When the adrenaline of the situation died down she repeated that Ashura would be just fine and he could only nod as she helped him to his feet.

"Who is that woman and why did she attack Ashura?" she asked as he followed her. "She was one of mine. She didn't like that I was teaching her." He said and Ikora nodded. "Now listen, I don't approve of your methods of defying a direct order to stay away, but she has been doing better. I feel like she has something to look forward to so continue teaching her, just don't cause any more trouble. Zavala will not be as kind." She said and he nodded. "You two should go before he gets back or her brother shows up. Loki is always one to pick a fight over his sisters." She said and he nodded as he turned to Nina.

"Transmat us out." He said and she nodded and held up her ghost. It grabbed them and teleported them into her ship, where he slumped against the wall. He buried his head in his hands and grit his teeth. "You love her." Nina said and he looked up at her. Love? He didn't know what that felt like. So he could neither confirm nor deny her accusation. "I don't know what that feels like." He said and she smiled softly as she sat down next to him. She patted his knee lightly and he watched her silently. He didn't know when he had come to like the woman beside him, but it was hard not to. Not that he would mention it to her. She was this calming presence, that even though he had his suspicions on what she had done, but he couldn't prove those.

So he chose to have her as something of a friend. She had thrown herself in front of enemy fire and helped him up when he fell. That was something in his eyes. "What does it feel like to love someone?" he asked and she offered a small sad smile. He didn't think he was going to like the response, but he wanted to know. If that was what he felt for Ashura he needed to know so he could find a way to show her. His eyes dropped to his hands and he released a small bitter laugh. Kira would be getting exactly what she wanted too, damn woman playing games with him from beyond the grave. Foolish woman.

"It's hell." She said and he blinked at her. "Being in love is absolute hell. Especially when you see the one you love all the time and it is like they don't even care you exist." She sighed softly and he frowned. He wondered how long she had felt this way. "How did you know you were in love with Zavala?" He asked and a small blush covered her cheeks. "I'm only asking you this because any time I ask my sister what the hell is going on with me she gives me some cryptic bullshit and walks away. Petra just taunts me about it." He sighed and she smiled lightly. She knew this it seemed, he mused with a shake of the head.

"Butterflies..." She said and he furrowed his brow at her. "I felt butterflies, or... a fluttering in my chest and stomach. A strange sense of excitement when he was near." She sighed softly and he contemplated this for a moment. Perhaps that feeling in his chest that he felt when she was near? Was that what that was? He looked over to her and raised a single brow. "What makes you think I love her?" he asked and she released a small laugh. "My prince, If I may be blunt?" she asked and he waved a hand at her, telling her go ahead.

"You cant stop touching her. There's always an excuse for you to get closer to her." She said and he opened his mouth to deny it but her smile only grew. "You cant deny it, because you know that every chance you get you touch her, even if it is just a simple gesture like a ruffle of the hair, a pat on the shoulder, or even offering your hand to help her up... you do it because it means you get to be close to her." She said simply and he scowled at her. "Not to mention the fact that you always pull her close to you, I saw it myself once. She gets all flustered and I think that's why you do it."

"Bite me." He grunted and she smiled at him. "So. I supposedly love her... If that's true, how do I tell her?" he asked and she shook her head. "That one I'm still working on. I know some women like gifts though." She offered and he nodded as he looked out the window of the ship. "She will be ok, she always is." She said and patted him on the knee as she stood. He wanted to see if it were true. He wanted to know if he loved her, so he was going to go see her when she was better.

:-:_:-:

He followed them from afar, just grateful that she was up and moving around once more. He had been concerned when Nina had told him that her ghost was beginning to have trouble healing her due to the leg. His eyes saddened at this. He still had no luck in perfecting the leg, he looked down to his hand which had been severely burned from his latest attempt. He rubbed his thumb over the palm of that hand and sighed. He looked back up to them and was mildly amused when she was turned his direction. He had been following them for quite a while and it seemed she had noticed.

He bit his lip to hold back the smirk that threatened to show itself the moment her silver eyes locked with his. Her hands were on her hips and she looked mad. She would be ok, he was just trying to make sure she was ok. "Uldren... you can't be serious. Eight months... this has gone eight months. Eight.... Months... why can't you just leave me alone?" she snapped and he removed his helmet and respirator with a smirk, this time he couldn't hide it.

"I don't think you actually want me to, though." He said as he made his way over to her. He scanned over her features, drinking them in before he spoke once more. "No... I promise you I do. I taught you all my medical skills... so what more do you want from me?" she snapped, but before he could respond, he heard movement and tackled her out of the way of a dreg. She stared up at him in shock for a moment before he stood and offered one hand to her while he rolled his revolver around on his finger from his holster and took aim. Ashura glared at him when he turned back towards her. What had he done to piss her off now? Maybe she was still mad that he had been following her again, he mused.

"What do you want with me?" She pleaded and he furrowed his brows, she was begging to understand this. But so was he, he didn't understand this either. He stepped closer to her and he opened his mouth to speak, but he caught a knife that had been thrown by a vandal between two fingers. He turned his head to the side slightly and the irritation in his eyes said more than the Eliksni words that escaped his lips. "Pitiful fool." Most of the group of fallen scurried away but the vandal stood and tried to challenge him. There was a very slight regret, that flit through his eyes before the vandal's blade found its way into its forehead. Her question still stood, despite the momentary distraction and he fully intended on answering it.

"What do I want from you?" he asked softly as he stepped closer to her once more. His fingers reached up and touched her cheek gently, the familiar light filling his chest, only for her to flinch away. He didn't understand why she would flinch away like this. He had never hit her out of anger, he had never intentionally hurt her... his heart ached at this and he wondered if she could see the pain she was causing him with this one simple movement.

"I asked my sister about this... because even I don't know... Ashura..." He pleaded and he watched as her eyes widened ever so slightly. "Please... Do me a favor... tell me why... Why am I so inclined to seek you out? What do I want from you because I don't know." He said softly and the urge to press his forehead against hers fought its way to the surface. He didn't though, but he did run his bare thumb over her cheek and watched as her eyes softened slightly. She frowned and spoke, but those words they felt like they had a deeper meaning. "When you figure it out, let me know... you clearly know where to find me." He watched as she walked away from him and he yearned to touch her once more.

There was something about the gentility of his touch when it came to her that he craved. He watched her vanish from sight and he sighed, looking down to the hand that held the burning from where it touched her. "What do you feel?" Nina asked and he looked over at her, his mind swimming with the all too familiar word vomit he had to fight back. "I feel... loss." He said and she offered a small smile as she made her way over to him. "Loss every time she leaves." He sighed and she offered another smile. "I understand that." She said as she looked up to the sky.

"I feel like every time I get close to him, my soul yearns for him to notice me... He offered me his hand once, and it felt like butterflies had filled my being. It is utter insanity what another person can do to you without even trying." She mused and he looked over at her once more. They definitely had some things in common. "You are right about that one. I had no intentions of ever... falling in love, as you've called it. I planned on being alone my entire life." He said and she repressed a laugh at this.

"Fate has other plans for you."

:-:-:-:

He had sent Nina to watch after her, just in case anyone else had plans to finish what Kali, his former Crow couldn't. He looked down at the leg he had been working on and sighed. He had used his technology to determine the resistance of each kind of tubing he had brought back and it seemed that for each element they each had a differentiating resistance. Which he had used to develop his own kind of tubing. The experimental tube had blown in his hand and he was still learning from that mistake. He thought back to what Elsie Bray had said and he nodded to himself.

He knew there was something out there stronger than the light and he briefly wondered if he could use something that could contain it to successfully build the leg. He shook his head and knew that he shouldn't be going out and delving into what his sister would call... Tomfoolery. Man how he was aching for some of that right now, but not on the scale of trying to tame the darkness. A wave of amusement flickered through his mind and he knew his sister was paying attention. 'May I go see Ashura?' he asked internally and he could feel the exasperation from his sister in his mind.

'Don't stay out too long, you know she does have other things to do than fool with you.' She said and he smirked. 'Getting tired of all my feelings sister?' he asked her and the amusement flickered through once more. 'If I didn't have this connection with you, I wouldn't even know you had any other than sass.' She shot back and he chuckled at this. 'Well I think the only way you will ever get rid of me in your head is if I dared to try and keep you out, or if I kicked the bucket, but yknow... I don't plan on dying.' He thought to her as he closed the leg once more and he sighed.

He felt like he would never get it finished in time. he stood and made his way to the ship bay and entered his ship stopping by the computers to send Ashura a request to meet. A few minutes later, she responded telling him she was headed to the Hellmouth on the moon. He slumped into his seat and sighed. Of course she would be heading to the one place he would rather die than see again. He entered the coordinates and let the ship carry him there, because if he were to drive he would not go there. When he hovered overhead, all the feelings of that day came rushing back.

Despite his distaste for most guardians, he hadn't meant to kill them... he had called out to them to get them to leave. Those stubborn fools stayed though and he ended up killing them. Petra took full blame for it, which she never had to but since she was the one who had made the order she felt it was her responsibility. He watched as Ashura made her way over to where he was landing his ship. The moment he stepped out, she greeted him but none too kindly. This stung more than he would have liked it to.

"Uldren." He opened his mouth to respond, but combined with the unwanted feelings of being in this place and her angered tone, he closed it right back. He didn't want to be here at all, and he figured she could tell judging by the way she was looking at him. "How is the Queen?" she asked and he watched her with cautious eyes. Her tone was softer now, and he couldn't help but wonder what game she were playing at, being rude then nice.

"Wondering when you are going to return." He said, his voice betraying no emotion towards her. He couldn't let her know how he was feeling, he wanted to but there was too much that he felt for any of it to make sense. He looked around once more, wanting nothing more than to leave this place. "Would you like to talk in your ship?" She asked and he nodded. He made his way back into his ship and sat down and waited for her to follow. He watched her as she entered, he leaned back in his chair and propped his head on his hand, waiting for her to say something... anything at all.

She just continued to stare at him and he could see it in her eyes. She was drawn in by him as well it seemed, it was good to know the allure was mutual. He could feel her eyes trying to subtly roam over his form, only to stop when they met with his eyes. She bit her lip and this amused him to no end, so he shot her a slight smirk. "So, you don't completely despise me..." he sighed softly and she gave him a dirty look. "What is that supposed to mean?" she asked and he shrugged the shoulder his head wasn't propped up on. That caused her to give him another look.

He took a deep breath and sighed. He wanted to explain some things to her. He wanted to be open and honest. Nina had drilled that part into his head repeatedly. 'Just be honest with her and yourself. Don't just tell her things you think she wants to hear, be truly open and honest with her.' So he was going to do it, he was going to tell her some things. He looked up to see she was getting more and more curious with every second that passed and a nervous feeling took over him.

"Ashura... I don't mean to be a burden on you... it's just..." he watched as the look in her eyes began to soften more. She seemed to have been anticipating this more than anything. He couldn't help the relief that washed over his form at this. She wanted to discuss something as well, which was good. They needed to clear things up and fast before it all got out of hand and she was hating him again. He opened his mouth once more, but a voice cut him off.

"Brother. What is your location?"

He sighed and turned to face the hologram of his sister. "Oh... Ashura..." the hologram of the queen greeted and Ashura smiled at her gently. "Your Grace." His sister looked at him, curiosity burning in her gaze and he frowned at her. 'Forgive me brother, I was worried. You felt... sad.' She said and he offered her a small smile. 'I will be fine, dear sister. We were just going to discuss some things we have needed to for a long time now it seems.' He returned and she just watched him for a moment before offering a polite smile.

"Beckon me back when you have finished your conversation, brother. Sorry to interrupt." she said and her image flickered from sight. He turned to face her once more and he was caught off guard by how carefully she was watching him. As if at any given moment he would turn on her. He stood and stepped closer to her, so close he could smell that floral scent once more and it calmed him. He reached up to her and gently brushed his fingertips over her cheekbones and down over her cheeks. Brushing the hair from the side of her face. He could see all the emotions in her eyes at this point and he was relieved to know she had the emotional disaster in her mind that he did.

He felt the need to speak to her, tell her things that he had never told anyone else. The desire to see what it felt like to kiss her was troubling and it was overwhelming his common sense and sense of control. She looked so perfect and innocent in that moment and he just felt like he would corrupt her if he kissed her right now. He needed to get away from her for a while. He reached and placed his hands on her sides, his fingertips brushing over the plates of her mechanical arms. He didn't like those things, but he knew he couldn't force her to get rid of them it wasn't his place.

He lifted her and her reaction was quick, her arms wrapped around his shoulders and she tried to pull herself closer, her mechanical leg rubbing against his own. He swallowed deeply and began to walk with her. Before she could even complain he had set her down right outside his ship. The dejected look on her face hurt his soul, but he had to do it. They weren't together and if he were to act on his impulses now he knew there would be backlash. He wanted to do things right and take this slow. He wanted to make sure that whatever this was between them wasn't just some... love/ hate buildup that just turned in to sexual tension, as Nina had so blatantly put it.

"Forgive me. I have to go." He sighed and ran his fingers over her cheek once more.

:-:-:-:

She had called out to him this time, which she had never done before. It had always been him seeking her out or demanding she come meet him somewhere. Why she had called him to Venus he had no idea. Perhaps it was where she felt closest to Kira anymore. He could understand that, seeing as her light still flickered beneath the surface here. He knew it was most likely only her residual light in the vault, but it was still comforting, nonetheless. She reached down and dipped her fingers into the water's surface only to splash her fingertips into it soon after. He cleared his throat and she looked over at him slowly, it hadn't startled her so she had already been aware of him.

He made his way over and sat on the large flat rock with her. They must have just sat there in silence for at least fifteen minutes before she looked over at him. He could tell she had many things on her mind, this was nothing new anymore. He continued to wait, wanting to see if she had any real reason to bring him to her, other than just enjoying his presence. That was all he was doing, enjoying the soothing flare of her light as it radiated off of her. He leaned back, his hands flat on the rock to support him as he relaxed. It seemed she was unaware of the lack of space between them, as she had brushed her fingertips over his only to move her hand.

"Uldren... Can I ask you something personal?" she asked and he glanced over at her. She was looking up to the sky once more, her posture was similar to his own. Relaxed and unbothered. "It depends." He mused and she sent a look his way that caused his chest to flutter. He didn't think she meant to come off as such, but the look was the most sultry, smoldering look he had ever received in his life and It shook him to his core.

"Go ahead and ask." He mused and she shook her head gently. She seemed to think it over a while before she seemed to have found the right words. She looked back over to him and he furrowed his brows slightly as she asked her question. This was not one he had ever thought he would hear from her. When she said it was personal, she wasn't lying. He couldn't tell if Nina had told her something that he had said, or if this was a general question she had come to on her own.

"Have you ever been in love before?"

He didn't even have to think this over. "No. I have never been in love." He said and she nodded as she looked back to her bare toes which she had put in the water. "I have. In my past life... I don't remember much of him, but I know he was a wonderful man. He too eventually left though. Everyone leaves at some point." She sighed as she kicked water up into the air. He knew this was true, but it wasn't in the same sense as hers.

"Not everyone has to leave." He said softly and she dropped her foot back into the water. She didn't make eye contact with him and everything went silent once more. "May I ask something personal?" he asked and she looked over to him. "It depends." She returned, same tone and everything and he couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him. He watched as she adjusted her earbud, the music escaping it lightly. "What are you listening to?" he asked and she handed him the other wireless earbud. While he didn't usually listen to music, and most definitely not this kind of music. He assumed this had a deeper meaning for her, judging by the lyrics alone.

"I see your monsters... I see your pain... tell me your problems... I'll chase them away. I'll be your lighthouse. I'll make it ok... When I see your monsters... I will stand there so brave and chase them all away."

He liked those lyrics though, they were simple yet they held so much power. It felt like a vow almost. A vow to protect their lover from everything that came at them. He scanned her over once more before he handed the earbud back to her. If she would give him the chance, perhaps he could be that for her. "What was your question?" she asked and he looked over to her with a small frown. "When you fell in love how did you know?" he asked and she furrowed her brows at him, looking for further explanation.

"I'm trying to differentiate what I felt for Kira, with what I feel about this person I met. I either want something to come of this or these feelings to go away. I feel like I am going insane because I can't tell what this is and Nina keeps telling me that she thinks I'm in love. I've never felt that other than for a sibling but all I know is it pisses me off to no end." He mumbled softly and she watched him with a small smile on her lips.

"Sometimes being friends with someone can feel like it is more than just that. I know that one for sure. I have someone right now who tells me he loves me, but I don't think he does. I think it is just the fact that he loves everything about me and it makes him feel like he is in love." She sighed and he listened silently. "Now... I for one, I think that maybe love does come in different forms. But... there is something I have been feeling as well, but I don't understand it either. This is different from the love I knew before. Anytime I am around him, I just feel like... I feel like I am home. Like he is where I am meant to be." She said and he resisted the urge to show his distaste. She didn't feel that way around him, it was always a battle between them.

"I see." He said, his voice betraying nothing to her. "I have to go," he said after a few minutes of silence between them. He wanted to know if what he felt for her was this... love... but there was obviously someone else who had caught her eye, so he was going to leave her be. He stood and she called after him but he didn't stop. "Uldren!" she snarled and he stopped at this one. "What is wrong with you?" she snapped and he frowned.

"I don't know, but I have to go. I will let you know when we can meet soon." He said and turned away only for her to grab his arm tightly and he looked back at her. "I will see you after a while, Ashura I need to think." He said softly and she released the grip on his arm. She did, however, reach up and touch his cheek gently. "I hope you figure out whatever it is that you are going through because I see you and your struggles. I need my friend to be ok." She said softly and he sighed as he felt her fingertips leave his cheek.

:-:-:-:-:

He stared at the woman before him, he did not like that she had just showed up. "Nora," he greeted and she offered a small smile as she sat next to him. "Do you love her?" she asked and he sighed as he looked up to the sky once more. "If I could just not hear that question one more time I think I would be able to figure this out." He grumbled and she offered him a small smile. "I am delving with a few of The Seven tomorrow. We are going into the Vault of Glass." She said and his head snapped up at her.

Ashura had just been on Venus when he spoke with her... "Is she going in with you?" he asked and she offered him a small knowing smile. "No as far I know she wants nothing more than to stay as far away from there as humanly possible." She said and he relaxed a little. He didn't want her to go down there. "Why are you going?" he asked and she looked back up to the sky. "I want to die my final death the way I see fit." She said and he nodded. "You want to go out knowing you did something to impact the world positively." He said and she nodded.

"Honorable, but dumb." He said and she released a laugh at this. "Somehow I knew you would say that. And not because it was you who said it, Ashura said the same thing. She even told me that she had warned the vanguard to the fact that I was going down there to die. It was almost as if she didn't realize who I was." She mused as she picked imaginary strings off of her robes. He shook his head at this, even he knew that the vanguard were going to let a lightbearer do as they pleased to an extent. She was one of the oldest guardians, she had been right there with the speaker when he was preaching off of crates and everyone called him a fanatic.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked and he looked over at her. "If you ever need me once more, please do not hesitate to download my consciousness from the Braytech facility on Europa." She said and he furrowed his brows. "That wasn't a question." He pointed out and she rolled her eyes. "No, that was a demand. And the thing that was going to be a question is now a demand as well." She grumbled and he chuckled lightly.

"For the love of everything that is holy... Fight for that girl. Give her gifts, tell her how you feel, I don't care just do something. She is losing her mind running around wondering what it is that you want from her. But first you better apologize to her for being such an asshole." She sighed as she rubbed her face. He rolled his eyes and she swatted him on the shoulder. Nora was the closest thing he had to a mother and he was sad to see her go. It was her choice though, so the least he could do was respect her wishes.

"Ok Nora, I can do that, for you." He said and she smiled at him as she stood. "One last hug for an old warlock?" she asked and he stood and hugged her tightly. "Of course, and I look forward to the day we meet again." He said and she smiled. "Only if you promise it wont bee too soon, and you'll have babies to talk about." She mused and he rolled his eyes. "With this world?" he scoffed and she laughed lightly. "Just promise me you'll find your happiness?" she asked and he offered her a small smile. "Of course. I will do everything I can to find it." He assured her as she turned to leave once more. Her image vanished as she stepped away from him and he shook his head.

The woman was always trying to meddle in everyone elses lives.