AN: This one wasn't initially intended to be this dark (or this long), yet it's become one of the most twisted relationships I think I've ever written. It is obviously mostly Moxxi/Nisha (because I wanted to do a little one-shot for sheer self-indulgence that somehow turned into this), but may eventually contain other ships. Since it's still in progress, the ending keeps changing, so we shall see what becomes of this twisted little couple (including a possible sequel if things stay how I'm currently planning). I will try to update as regularly as I can, but I can't promise I'll be like clockwork because I've never actually posted a story that wasn't already finished beforehand and I tend to be a bit inconsistent with my writing schedule, and as you can all tell from my lack of recent updates in the last few months, I've been very busy, so sorry in advance if some chapters take a while! Normally I wouldn't even consider posting an in-progress story for these reasons, but I wanted to show that I'm not totally dead. xD I'll try to check back more often than I have been, though. Also, there will most likely be fluff eventually, but I'm not sure how long it'll be before their relationship becomes even slightly fluffy. Until then, while this first chapter doesn't include too much, if any, of either, enjoy the forthcoming drama and smut! ^ w ^

Warnings: graphic violence, sex with extra kink, possible triggers for domestic abuse, foul language, general disturbing content (sometimes for humor, this is Borderlands after all), and obviously lesbians.

Peel off my skin
Make me helpless
Taste my body
Let me die
In your sweet embrace
~ "My Perfect Love" by Elis

Nisha, taking a day off from her duties as Sheriff, strode into a familiar Hyperion building, one she had entered many times that most wouldn't be allowed within at least ten miles of. Once she was near the office of the Hyperion president, Handsome Jack, just outside the door, the two guards were the first that didn't automatically let her inside. "Come on, boys. You know me. Let me in."

"I'm sorry, Sheriff, but he said not to let ANYONE in." One of the guards said.

"Usually I'm the exception to that, so step aside, or I'll have to make you, and believe me, you don't want that."

"He said specifically not to let you in." The other added.

Nisha was surprised, and a little suspicious. He always told her about business meetings and the like that she shouldn't interrupt so that she knew not to visit then. There was only one other thing she could think he wouldn't want her walking in on, and she might kill him herself if it was true. She folded her arms, glaring at the guards. "Did he happen to say why I wasn't allowed in there?"

One guard swallowed hard, knowing full well her reputation, and hoping he would make it out of this conversation alive. He knew the answer, and he knew she wouldn't like it. "No."

Nisha studied his mannerisms and movements, judging if what he said was the truth (it wasn't), then turned to the other guard. "Then what about you? Maybe you know."

That guard was just as terrified. He knew what was happening behind the door as well. When he opened his mouth, however, before any words could escape, a loud female moan could be heard from behind the door. "Oh, Jack!"

The Sheriff's gaze narrowed even more as she pulled out her two pistols and shot both guards in the head, killing them instantly. She then kicked the door open and aimed them both again; one at Jack, and one at his female friend. Both were mostly naked and were rushing to put clothes on again, and one could only assume they had been in a much more compromising position before they heard the first gunshots. "You bastard."

"I swear, it's not what it looks like!" Jack looked over at the woman, then back at his long-time girlfriend. "Okay it's entirely what it looks like. But look at her, who wouldn't want to hit that? Come on, even YOU might!" He thought for a moment. "Actually I would like to see you do that."

Nisha fired another headshot, taking out the other woman. "Sorry. I don't sleep with corpses."

Jack was startled when he heard the shot. "JESUS, would you warn me before firing that thing?!"

"I don't indulge cheaters either." She cocked the pistol and held her aim steady at his head. "How long have you been doing that?"

"Doing what? It's not like-"

"DON'T try to make excuses! Be honest, or I pull the trigger right now." Her finger twitched slightly, making Jack cringe. "Have you done it with any other bimbos?"

Jack thought for a moment, unsure of what the right move would be here. She was great at telling liars, and he wasn't always good at lying, and if she caught him, she'd shoot him. On the other hand, if he told the truth, and told her there had been two others, both within the last month, she'd probably shoot him then, too. Maybe if he pulled out some of the old Handsome Jack charm. He inched towards her as he spoke. "Come on, they were just a little bit of fun. You know I only lo-"

She fired a shot that grazed his ear, missing on purpose just to scare him. He held onto where it hit and yelled profanity as she moved her aim back to his head. "They?! Don't lie to me!" By this point, she was fighting back tears. He obviously didn't love her, but she had loved him, and he played her like a game of Bunkers and Badasses. She lowered her gun and put both back in their holsters, knowing that if she stayed much longer, the tears she was holding back were sure to fall. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he made her cry. "Have your little whores. I'll find someone else, perhaps even in Sanctuary." Nothing would piss him off more than if she dumped him for a bandit.

"You think they'll let you in there?! You're my girlfriend! They'd shoot you on the spot, you idiot!"

"Don't make me pull out the gun again." She turned and headed for the door, but stopped just before leaving. "If you try to take Lynchwood from me for this, I won't miss next time. I promise you that."

"What makes you think you'll be able to get to me, eh?! You no longer have security clearance!"

"If you think I can't pick off every single guard you put out to block my way, you are sorely mistaken. I'm not the Sheriff just because you gave me the title." She continued through the door and out of the building, keeping her emotions well contained as she passed by the myriad of guards and Hyperion personnel. She had to get him back. Killing him wasn't enough. Revenge had to be sought, and knowing how jealous he tended to get (especially if he did love her at all, despite doing what he did), she knew the perfect way to do it. She just had to find someone suitable for the part that had to be played.

Before again leaving Lynchwood, Nisha ditched her more formal attire that clearly reflected her power and position in favor of an old outfit that would blend in much better. She informed Deputy Winger that she was taking a vacation of undefined length, warned him that if she came back and the place was a lawless and chaotic shadow of what it currently was that she would personally see that he got fired (literally), then began making her way to Sanctuary. She, of course, had to pass through The Dust, and heard a voice with a thick country accent from a mechanic's shop in the middle of a junkyard. "Why do you care so much if I'm a little stick figure like you?!"

Nisha looked over and saw a large, hefty woman arguing with another woman that looked to be about a third of her size.

The other voice lacked the heavy accent, and looked familiar, but was too far away to see that well. "Because it's not healthy being how you are, Ellie! I've never starved myself or done anything I shouldn't do." The smaller woman folded her arms. "Besides, I've told you before, there's nothing wrong with putting a little effort into your appearance, nor with showing it off."

Ellie scoffed. "Yeah you know all about showing it off, don'tcha? You've shown it off to half of Pandora! You don't even know who Scooter's and my daddies are."

Moxxi may be pretty open about her sexuality, but she always hated having it thrown in her face. She may be easier than most, but she wasn't as easy (nor sleazy) as people seemed to think she was. Her eyes narrowed towards her daughter and she shouted, "At least half of Pandora WANTS to see me! You can't even get a bandit to give you a cat call unless he's trying to win a bet after downing a few gallons of Rakk ale."

Ellie was getting hot under the collar, but in her naive mind, overflowing with ignorant pride, she was still convinced of the opposite of what her mother had said. "That's better than all the diseases I'm sure you've had over the years, not to mention kids!"

"If I didn't have those kids, you wouldn't exist! Scooter wasn't bad, but YOU practically ripped me in half! And I'll have you know that I choose my partners very carefully. I've never gotten an STD in my life!"

So it was a mother-daughter fight, albeit an odd one. Now that brought back memories for the hidden listener.

"Carefully, eh? What's your requirements? Has to be breathin'? Or will you do it if he's dead, too?"

"I may be pretty open-minded and I have done a lot of strange things in my sex life, but I've NEVER been a necrophiliac!"

"Just because you haven't done it doesn't mean you wouldn't."

Was it not for the makeup, Moxxi's face would have been bright red with her brewing anger. When she again spoke (or, rather, shouted), she had become angry enough that her native accent, which matched that of the larger woman, showed itself. "This is NO way to talk to your mama! I came here to try and make peace and you HAD to turn it into a fight! Well I'm going to be the bigger person here and leave! Goodbye!" She turned and walked straight to the open exit of the junkyard, where she had a car parked.

Nisha quickly hid behind some nearby junk as the woman turned towards where she was, not wanting to be caught spying. When Moxxi reached the exit, she was mumbling angrily to herself and didn't even notice the woman she passed no more than a couple of feet in front of. Once she was closer, Nisha was finally able to identify the mystery woman, not only from a past attempt on her life, but as a popular brand label that was plastered all over Pandora. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise. She could kill two birds with one stone, one being more literal than the other. "Moxxi. It's been a while."

Moxxi turned to finally see her, too flustered to even begin to place Nisha, especially after so long. They hadn't seen each other, nor spoken at all, since Moxxi had nearly killed her back on Helios. "What? Who the hell are you?"

"Forgive me. You seem a bit...distracted, so you probably don't recognize me. I'm Nisha. We used to see each other a lot, back when Jack hired me on as a Vault Hunter."

Moxxi squinted at her in thought, trying to place her. "Nisha..." Finally, it clicked, her accent finally fading back to normal. She had been on Helios when she tried to kill Jack, and was likely nearly killed herself. While the woman could potentially be here for revenge, she decided it would be best to keep her cool and act normal, just in case, and avoid mentioning that incident, just in case. "Ohhhh! That was from back before he become a total ass."

As happy as Nisha usually was to defend him, she couldn't right now. The more time passed after walking in on him with whatever bimbo that was, the less concerned she felt for his well being, and the more she wished she hadn't hesitated and shot him right then and there. "Yeah, pretty much."

"What are you doing here then?"

"He drove me to come here. Or, more accurately, he drove me to try and go to Sanctuary."

Moxxi's eyes narrowed at her. Nisha used to work for Jack. Who's to say she didn't still? "Why are you going there? It's just a dirty junk heap with a slightly lower murder rate than most other places."

"We had a little falling out."

Moxxi's attention was officially piqued. Judging by Nisha's body language (her folded arms, her annoyed expression, the way she said that last sentence), something juicy had happened. Her lips curved into a slight grin as she leaned against the car and folded her arms as well. She simply couldn't resist. "Well now, that sounds bad. Tell me all about it, sugar."

Nisha sighed, but figured she might as well. Moxxi seemed to know about Sanctuary, so perhaps she could help her get in. A sob story usually worked best to get someone to help you. "Shortly after you tried to blow him up, he came running to me, and we've been together ever since." She paused, then spoke again before Moxxi could try and say something else. "I paid him a surprise visit earlier today and found him with another woman."

Truthfully, Moxxi wasn't surprised in the least. He was so arrogant that he probably thought he could get away with it. To this day she suspected he might have been unfaithful when she was with him. Usually accusations of infidelity with no real reason meant that they were feeling guilty and wanted to have a reason to end it so they could feel better about themselves. Still, she was sympathetic to the woman in front of her. She'd had her fair share of proven guilty cheaters as well. "Aww, I'm sorry, sweetie. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Actually, there is something." Given both Jack's and her own personal history with Moxxi, she was a prime candidate for pissing him right off as much as possible. Just the fact she was dating one of his exes would be bad enough, but the fact that she, who usually would have just killed Moxxi on the spot and called it good, seemingly forgave her and chose even her over Jack would just drench the wound in salt and lemon juice.

"And what is it?"

"I've come up with an idea of how I can get back at him." Nisha wandered slowly towards Moxxi as she continued. "I want to make him jealous; show him that he can't play me and have me come running right back." She stood right in front of the other woman, barely a foot away from her. "Care to fake a date with me?"

Moxxi raised her hands and set them on Nisha's shoulders, grinning. The woman was undoubtedly attractive enough, and obviously could be pretty fun behind closed doors. She couldn't let her guard down just in case it was a trap, but it was well worth a try, especially if it was to hurt Jack. "Sugar, I'll do whatever you want to get back at that Handsome Jackass."

Nisha smirked, satisfied with how fast her plan was coming together, and all before she even got to Sanctuary...which reminded her of another little issue she had to work out. "Think you can get me into Sanctuary, too? They're bound to know who I am. No way they'll let me in."

"Even if they do, you're not Nisha. You're now Veronica, and you're my new girlfriend." Moxxi winked, then walked passed her and got into the car. Nisha climbed in as well, and she couldn't help but notice how much of a strut Moxxi had. "My son owns the Catch-A-Rides, so I get free cars.

"Well that's useful."

"Yeah, not that I really leave Sanctuary all that often. I've got a bar to run." She started the car and took off. She drove a decent speed, but was far more careful than most, considering most would just drive randomly, run into everything, and hope they made it to their destination alive. Nisha found this slightly refreshing in the way of Moxxi clearly actually had a little common sense, but also a tad boring. After a short while, it seemed Moxxi decided the same thing. "Ugh. I hate long car rides." Just then, her foot stomped the gas pedal and the car zoomed ahead. She pushed a button and activated the booster, making it shoot passed anything and everything at top speed. She got a small grin, then turned towards a pack of skags that was gathered at the bottom of a small hill. By now the booster had run out, but was charged again, and she hit the button once more, running over multiple skags as she boosted to the top of the hill and flew off of the top. Nisha clung tightly to the seat and car door, trying to stay where she was rather than fly out. (She wasn't sure if even a seatbelt would help at this rate.)

The car hit the ground below with a loud crash. Nisha couldn't help but wonder how it continued to go just as smoothly afterwards, as that had to have been pretty damaging. Still, somehow it did, and they continued on, hitting jumps and running over any skags or bullymongs that were unfortunate enough to cross their path. She might have liked hurting things, but this was definitely not what she expected. Moxxi seemed to have been a bit riled up while arguing with her daughter, but who wouldn't be? After that, she seemed pretty calm, and always seemed calm back in the day, even when she tried to blow them up. So much for that idea. Yet, she couldn't say it was exactly a disappointment. It only further piqued her interest in the woman. She still planned to kill her once this was over, but that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy herself in the meantime.