Chapter 43

Today was Maya's last day off. Tomorrow evening, Maya would return back to Tretho, continuing her menteeship under Host Akari. So on the last day, she wanted to spend more time with Axton. Though specifically what, she was not sure. She told Axton about it too; the man also didn't have any idea what to do on the last day. The man scratched his head and only shrugged his shoulders. Since they were living together for the past few days, there was nothing more to talk about. Nothing to discuss. Nothing to do. Axton told Maya to just act like normal, like the past few days.

The last day was eventually spent on just being together. When Axton would go on sniping, Maya was there writing in her journal and pondering about her life. When Maya wanted to meditate, Axton would be close to her by doing his job as Strategic Adviser on the side. Lunch happened and they will eat together then continue their individual things. Maya would give a few glances at the man and everytime the man glanced at her back, she would look away or act as if she never looked at him. The man would giggle in his breath and continue doing whatever he was doing. They were adults but Maya was acting like a teenager in front of her crush AFTER she confessed to him. Which was damn funny in Axton's eyes.

From dawn to sunset, they were doing their things at the same time being close together. The mere presence made the day pleasant. Again, Maya had never experienced living with someone that she was in love with. One thing she could say was that she liked being together with Axton. The Commando told her that for dinner, they would eat outside in a restaurant nearby. Not the pizzeria but a diner not far from The Highlands that they were currently. So they went to the said diner and ordered the food they preferred for dinner.

Maya decided to have Pandoran Salmon and salad with cold milk tea as her drink. Axton ordered Skag steak and mashed potato with cold water. They waited for their orders to be served and Maya concluded that her day was well spent. What she thought would end in a bang actually ended in calm quietness. It calmed her nerves and gave the rest she needed.

"Remember that time when you asked about marriage?" Axton asked.

"Oh." Maya was looking at her surroundings then to him. "Yeah, I remember that." She nodded.

"Well this is just like it." The waiter came and served their drinks. "You don't do much or talk so much, you just learn to be together and just slowly learn to know each other."

"So you just spend time together without actually doing anything. That's kinda awesome."

"Yeah, don't forget "the constantly looking at your lover" part."

"No I didn't." She shook her head. "Not as much as you think… at least. "

Axton laughed and Maya gave a confused face.

"I never thought that you would be like this." Axton simmered down his laughter. "But is nice to see you like this, not so serious like the usual."

"Tell me Axton, what so funny?"

"You know, to me it's just funny to see we having this teenager crush thing going on. When we are actually adults." Axton shrugged and smiled even more. "At least for me."

"What's wrong with that?" Maya argued.

"It's not wrong, it's just funny." Axton sipped his drink with the straw. "In fact I like it, we're taking our time and slowing down our pace. By now, we should be-" Axton stopped abruptly. "I think I should be quiet." He smiled awkwardly.

"What?" Maya moved her head closer and looked suspiciously. "What should we be doing?"

"Let's just forget about it and wait for the foo-"

"Axton, tell me."

"Are you sure you want to know about it?"

"Of course I want to know about it."

"But you might regret it."

"Axton, I already told you my feelings, that means you can be honest to me."

"Okay you're an adult by now." Axton leaned to his chair even more. "By now, we should be already be having sex."

Maya blinked a few times and couldn't say a word. She grabbed hold of her ice milk tea and started to drink. Negating eye contact and nervously biting the straw. Axton shook his head and attempted to catch back the conversation.

"So, are you planning to cut your hair?" Axton asked.

"No." Eyes down still. "I don't think so."

"I think you look nice with that long hair."

"Thanks." She sucked the straw then looked at him. "Do you want to… have sex with… me?"

"Maya, I never expected to have sex with you on the first day. Chill out."

"Is it because I'm not that attractive?"

Axton chuckled by himself. He rested his arm on the table and rested his chin on his hand while tilting his head slightly to the right. "Maya, the more I know you the cuter you are."

Maya looked down and drank her milk tea slowly.

"You know I'm a player." Axton said smoothly. "I'm just telling based on my experience. The first day we got to Sanctuary, Moxxi and I were already going into the next step. So to me, is nice to see that we are not rushing like the people that I usually am with. I like it."

Maya glanced at him again and the Commando was giving a sweet smile that she could not help but forgive.

"So what does that make me?" Maya moved her mouth away from the straw. "Do you like me or not? You didn't tell me your answer yet. Or do you need to sleep with me then tell me your answer?"

"I'm maybe a player but I'm not that desperate Maya." A person walked past the table and Axton smiled at the stranger as he passed by. "I'm just telling you that you are different, that's all."

"I don't get it." Maya gave a miserable face. "So does that mean that you like me? Like I said, I don't know anything about relationships?!?"

"You said that I can be honest, I'm telling you about what I think."

"Yeah, I know. But-"

The waiter finally arrived with their dinner. The waiter gave the meal to what they wanted and quickly left. Axton ate his meal and gestured to Maya to eat first. Maya disliked it but followed his instructions, she ate her meal but with a rough touch on the way she cut the salmon. Axton just giggled and ate his steak, like a cat playing with a mouse.

They ate quietly until their meals were half finished.

"I usually sleep with people I know that I won't fall in love with." Axton cut a part of the steak . "I'm saying this not because I want you to be jealous, I'm just being honest."

Maya stopped eating her meal, she wanted to say something but realized halfway that she was asking too many questions. She sat straight and attentively listened to Axton.

"I kinda want to sleep with you because you were hot, I mean, Sirens are as rare as rare can be." Axton chewed his meal and swallowed his meal. "But ever since you confessed to me and got to know each other, I just don't feel like it. Maybe because I really think that… maybe we can go far."

Maya was stunned by his honesty. Her heart beat faster and she could not but smile. Axton looked at her straight to her eyes and no lies could be seen or heard.

"Do you like me Maya?"

"I do." She said with no doubt.

"Why do you like me?"

Maya looked to the side and thought for a moment. With blushed cheeks, she told Axton. "I like you because you wanted to talk to me like a friend. You're very open and I know I like to push people away, yet here you are still willing to listen. I mean you are good looking but I like you because of that."

"I appreciate that." Axton drinks his water. "Then I think you can wait for me to like you."

"Really?" She was grateful that Axton was willing to give a chance, as open as he might be, the man closed off on certain things.

"Yeah." Axton nodded. "If you're willing to wait, I think something can come out of this. I just need time, that's all."

Maya looked at her food and fiddled with it. "Like marriage?"

Axton laughed and looked up to the ceiling. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

The man recently thought about his relationship status ever since she confessed to him. He never truly knew his feelings towards her. But he pondered moments ago, it was not like the many one night stands that he had. This was not the first time he got married, arguably among the Crimson Raiders, he was the most experienced when it comes to marriage. He was honest about what he felt deep down, this feeling that Maya had for him, it was mutual. He had no intention of denying it. His original plan was only to go to Pandora and be a hero; he did as he became the Hero of Pandora. Marriage is not one of them and Axton doesn't want to take it lightly. Hunting a Vault and getting married were the other ends of the spectrum.

So he needed time.

Axton looked at Maya and she looked at him. "You know what Maya, five days ago, you confessed to me. Tonight you are talking about marriage. Don't you think that you're kinda rushing it?"

Maya was taken aback for a moment and gave a nervous smile. "Sorry, my bad."

"If you're willing to wait, that's not impossible."

"I will." Maya cheerfully said. "I am willing to wait."

Seeing Maya's childish determination wanting to marry him, Axton scratched his cheeks to keep his cool. It was rare for him to blush when it came to relationships but on that night, his cheeks were red, the same as Maya. They both smiled at each other and giggled under their breaths every now and then. Proceeded to eat their dinner quietly, enjoying their time being together. Never would both predict that they would have a different outlook on each other. Fellow Vault Hunters turn to lovers.

After they finished and paid the bills, on their way to the pickup truck. Axton talked to Maya.

"Today's your last night right?"

"Yeah" she nodded.

"You wanna sleep together?"

Shyly yet clear, she said. "Yeah, I'd love to."

Maya went to the toilet to brush her teeth then wore Axton's t-shirt, bigger than her slender body yet comfortable during sleep. Axton saw her somewhat uncomfortable during sleep, her yellow overalls were meant for battle not for sleep. So he himself gave a spare t-shirt to Maya for her to wear. She looked at herself at the mirror for one last time then exited the bathroom. The room was dark as Axton shut the lights to go to sleep, the man already at his bed, relaxing and looking up.

"You already asleep, Axton?" Maya asked as she closed the bathroom door a quarter open.

"Yes, I am asleep." He said.

She giggled in her breath and moved slowly to the bed. Axton moved his body to the side and gave her space to lay down. Her movements were shy but she felt comfortable being so close to the Commando. She lay down on the same pillow as Axton. Not knowing what to do, she looked at the ceiling the same as him. As boring as it might seem, it was exciting for the girl from the abbey.

"Hey Axton." Maya turned her head to him.

"Yup. I'm here." He nodded.

"You're not going to tell anyone about what happened between us. Right?"

"I got no reason to tell anybody." Axton thought about it for a moment. "Who am I going to tell, exactly?"

"I don't know… Moxxi or maybe Sal?"

Axton let out a laugh. "Nope. I don't think there's anyone I will tell."

"Okay then, just wanted to make sure." Maya looked up at the ceiling again. "I want to keep it a secret between us."

Axton turned his body facing her and raised his head to lean at his hand. "I can't believe I'm having this conversation with you Maya. Yes, we'll keep it a secret between us. Nobody going to know about this."

"Great." She smiled.

"Is there anything else in your mind?"

Maya paused for a moment. "Nope, I don't think there is."

"Then come here, I know you want me." Axton invited her closer.

Maya looked at Axton for a moment, the next moment she turned her body and moved close to cuddle. She grabbed Axton's waist and locked her hands together. She moved one of her legs and intertwined with Axton's on leg. She comfortably rested her face on his chest. Axton could not see it but he knew that Maya was smiling wide. He let it be, embracing Maya with one hand on the waist and the other behind her head.

One of the many discoveries that Axton had discovered in Pandora, Maya was clingy.

"Can I say something Axton?"

"Sure."

"After living with you and taking my day off, I finally get what I want."

"Really now? Tell me then."

Maya moved away to see Axton's face. "I realized that I want to continue on this training, this time I have no doubts about it."

"That's great to hear. I'm happy to hear that."

"Before this, I was afraid that it's going to be the same thing back at Athenas. I know it's going to be hard but now I have something to look forward to."

"Being the most powerful Siren in the universe?"

"Being with you." Maya said with a faint smile.

"Would you stop doing that?" Axton closed her mouth and gave an unsatisfied look, trying to hide his blushed cheeks. "I get it, you like me but we're supposed to go to sleep Maya."

"Mmmph mmph!" Maya persisted to talk even though her mouth closed.

Axton moved his hand away.

"I'm just being honest about what I feel to you."

"Like I said, you need to wait if you want a response."

"I don't expect a response, I just want to tell you that I like you. You don't need to feel bad about it."

Axton was quiet, not knowing how to refute. He let out a breath and waited for Maya to finish.

"Like you said, I'm rushing too fast."

"Because you're a pervert."

"No, I'm not. So let me finish first."

"Okay but you're still a pervert to me."

Maya sighed and looked at Axton's eyes. "I just want to say that I'm grateful that you gave me a chance. Even though you never said yes, you definitely didn't say no. For me, that's great because I'm willing to wait. I thought I'm going to be alone as a prophet but now, I have someone that will be with me. I'm happy that I have you by my side."

Axton could not believe to see Maya so cute in front of his eyes.

"So I just want to say that if you were to give an answer before I finished my training. Could you wait for me?"

Axton smiled and held her cheeks. "Of course I would."

"Thank you Axton." Maya smiled wide. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome." Axton joined Maya smiling.

A moment later, Axton hugged her. "Now go to sleep."

Maya was immensely delighted and embraced him as tight as she could, not wanting to let go.

"I love you Axton." Maya said to his ear.

Axton shook his head and kissed her cheek. Maya was stunned by it and embarrassed to the fullest with her cheeks reddest as it ever was. Axton tucked her on his chest again and made sure she won't say anything after that.

"Now go to sleep." Axton closed his eyes.

"Okay~"