A/N: I usually write three to four chapters ahead of what has been posted here, it's just the posting I get behind on! I am so happy that you guys are enjoying this fic! I love waking up to all of your reviews and lovely comments. Those of you with tumblr accounts should definitely hit me up at wandererlila and we can talk about Borderlands/Tales from the Borderlands! Enjoy!

Sasha woke up in the attic of the Purple Skag the following morning. She rubbed her eyes and sat up on August's bed, peeking out from behind the privacy curtain.

August was cleaning his guns at the table on the far side of the room. Sasha stood up slowly and walked over to where he sat. He looked up when he heard her approaching.

"Morning, babe."

She sat down in the other chair and watched his hands working carefully. He had his signature revolver disassembled on the table.

"Need help?" She figured she could learn a thing or two. Felix and Fiona weren't too fond of guns, so Sasha gleaned whatever she could about guns wherever possible. Unfortunately, a majority of the people who dealt with guns on Pandora usually wanted to shoot you with them. Come to think of it, that number may have included the people selling the guns, too.

"Yeah," he picked through the bag at his feet for another rag, "actually, you might want to do yours, first."

"Sure." Sasha picked up her own gun, which had been sitting on the table from the night before.

August whistled once she had it disassembled, "You ever clean that thing?"

"I don't know much about guns, besides maybe shooting them. Didn't learn about much else..."

She tried to not look at him, worried her expression would reveal too much about the lies she was concocting in her head. Sasha kicked herself. She knew she'd slip up like this if she kept going.

"A lady who knows that little about her product is likely to get ripped off."

Sasha felt her hands clench tighter in her lap. "Caught me," Sasha put her hands up, "I inherited this business from my father."

"That's something you never told me." He crossed his arms over his chest. She could tell he wasn't exactly mad, maybe just confused. That wasn't the right word either, maybe he felt excluded. As if sleeping with him twice had somehow unlocked another part of her backstory. Not that Sasha could really feel offended. It wasn't like any of it was true.

"Yeah," she cast her eyes down, "it was a long time before I even knew what he was doing. He was so secretive. I was off on one of the Eden's when I got this call…"

"And?"

"And…He's in the ground and I'm trying to get his clients used to the idea that they're now buying guns from his daughter."

"But back with those guys a few days ago…"

"Look, I'm good at looking like I know what I'm doing," Sasha crossed her arms over her chest, mirroring his posture, "and that includes fighting."

"That's a good way to get yourself killed, Sasha."

She looked up from the table and he was looking at her worriedly, his arms had uncrossed and they were now resting on the table, "I'm fine." She waved her hand through the air dismissively.

"You won't be. You can't posture your way out of a fire-fight all the time. Let me help you-"

"I'm perfectly capable, like you said."

He rubbed his palm against his forehead leaving a dark streak of gunpowder against the skin.

"I don't want you to be in a situation you can't talk your way out of. I don't care if it's worked in the past. I can't know you're out there like that."

He wasn't going to give up, he was scared of something happening to her. He was willing to go as far as showing her how to shoot (better) to make sure that didn't happen. Sasha welcomed it.

She sighed theatrically, "Alright. I could use some practice."

"Thank you."

Sasha leaned across the table and wiped his forehead clean. He leaned into her touch greedily and closed his eyes.

"Don't mention it, babe." She smiled at him warmly.

A/N #2: ...Because what's a Borderlands fic without a little gunplay? ;) Also, I have a hard time writing "I want to protect you because I like you" and having it not come out as "I want to protect you because I'm the man". I hope I didn't royally mess that up.