Chapter 21: Apologies (Hey, sorry later than I planned. Busy. Going to Alaska tomorrow. I have not a clue if I'll have any wifi, so if not, I'll have a story posted the 18th. Also, feel free to review & what not. Enjoy a little peek into both Luna's & Maya's past.)
Luna laid down to relax. By wasteland standards, the rather mundane mattress was a godsend. Or so her more religious friends would say. Luna was still seeking answers, and had yet to find a faith that provided any, although she'd be lying to say that Graham hadn't come close to converting her once or twice.
Now clad in some sleepwear modified to be more...modest, Luna began reading The Prince to pass the time. She certainly appreciated the gesture of Wolf. Despite his skills and personality, the man was much smarter than he let on. She wouldn't be surprised if his intelligence passed her 7 on the Vigor Tester. A shame he chose a more brutal way of operation, but due to his sheer size and strength, she supposed that in a land that needed giants, he was needed in that capacity. Her mind drifted back to Vegas momentarily, but then she brought herself to the Gulf. She knew that any alliance with the berserker, and therefore his connections, would benefit her people greatly. She had no clue if it was true he had a partnership with the Pit, or had a punga fruit plantation set up in Broken Banks, or any other rumors she heard. But she knew he had many resources at his disposal, despite being only (allegedly) a figurehead.
A soft knock at the door brought her attention to reality, and she called out a quiet "Enter." There, in leather armor, stood a woman so different from the misguided girl she knew from long ago. Maya.
"Maya, is there anything I can do for you?" Luna was deeply uncomfortable with Maya's presence, but she didn't let it show. She was in the wrong.
"Just looking for a talk. And to retell you something," Maya said, now sitting at the foot of Luna's bed. The look on the young woman's face confirmed Luna's suspicions: it was about that night. "Firstly, you were still hallucinating from those toxins. You didn't know it was me." Luna stared at the young woman, and though she didn't blush, she felt as if she should have. "Secondly, I'd be lying if I said I neither wanted nor enjoyed that night." There was something of a smile in her tone, but her face showed only sincerity in relating a message that she gave Luna multiple times before: she should not punish herself for the past.
Staring at the wall behind Maya, Luna spoke in a soft, almost inaudible tone, "You were young. Too young. 20 to 15 is not right. Theres so much that could have gone wrong."
"Not with who you are," Maya said, a little assertively. "You don't force ANYTHING. Ever. Besides, if I didn't want to, I would have left. Not to mention, in my times as a slave...well, that was my first time that I wasn't abused in. So don't blame yourself."
They locked eyes again, and Luna remembered that night, like she did every day since. But now...well, it wasn't with self hatred. She let go. If Maya never begrudged her, it was past time for her to forgive herself.
"So, you ever told Veronica how you felt?"
Now blushing, she shook her head.
"How can someone so beautiful, so talented, so...perfect feel love for someone like me?"
Maya stared at her, then slapped her upside the head in a playful manner, saying, "Don't be such an insecure bitch! You're Luna! The Courier! The silver tongued heroine of the west! Trust me, you have a fair chance."
Luna smiled at the young sniper and remembered just how much she missed having him and Will hang around the 38. The two, only kids then, really livened the place up. Maya actually brought out a side of Boone that Luna never saw, almost a fatherly relationship. However, whenever anyone asked, he'd just grunt. As for Will, he was actually Veronica's protege from the Brotherhood. The kid was a genius.
"Well, thanks," Luna said, smiling warmly at her old friend. "So, there anyone you got your eye on?"
"Actually...yes," Maya said, a slight smile upon her lips.