Athena sat with her eyes closed in her room in Sanctuary. She'd been told she was no longer a prisoner, but the inability to leave the city said otherwise. The fact that Lilith still hadn't returned Xiphos or Aspis was also a pretty clear marker for her status here. At least she'd had some decent company. Tina had frequently visited her to hear stories of her time on Elpis, her work with the Crimson Lance, and to ask oddly invasive questions about her relationship with Janey. More than once Brick had been forced to reign her in on the latter topic. The big brute was actually quite pleasant, and she almost felt bad for nearly killing him when she'd been captured, almost.
She was grateful for Brick's intervention with Tina. She wasn't comfortable talking about her personal life, or feelings for that matter, but there was another reason she wanted to avoid the subject of Janey. As much as it pained her to admit it, she missed Janey terribly. Her time on Elpis had been chaotic, insane, bloody, and yet somehow, against all odds, Athena had managed to find a shred of decency amidst all that. The blonde junker had managed to succeed in her continued attempts to hit on her. It was strange and difficult, but Athena wouldn't deny that she had developed genuine feelings for Janey. Janey was the light she needed in an otherwise dark and dismal life. She needed that now more than ever.
"Hold on, you can't just-" she heard Lilith start before a familiar voice cut her off.
"Buzz off with that!" a voice, somehow irate and cheery at the same time, cut Lilith off, "Ya have any idea how long it took me to get here?! I'm not leaving without Athena! Firehawk or not, you're gonna step aside and let me through!"
Athena couldn't help the small grin that crept across her face as Lilith tried, and failed, to stand her ground against Janey, "I'm warning you, she is more dangerous than you realize. She's an ex-assassin, and she helped Handsome Jack rise to power!"
"She's my girlfriend, and I seem to recall you helped that psycho as well," Janey replied, "Matter of fact, from what she told me, you were just as guilty of pushing that madman over the edge, so don't try to play the innocent hero in all this!"
Athena's smirk fell when she heard the sounds of a scuffle break out. She quickly got to her feet and prepared to join in. Weapons or not, she wasn't going to let someone hurt Janey. The door to her room swung open, and Janey stood in the doorway looking both perturbed and proud. She spotted Lilith standing behind her with a glare. At least Lilith hadn't used her powers against Janey. It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. She relaxed as Janey strode into the room, but she tensed for a moment when she felt her arms wrap around her for a hug. She relaxed after a second and hugged her back. Physical contact was still foreign to her, but she had to admit that she'd missed this.
"Are ya alright?" Janey asked as she pulled away and looked her over, "They haven't been torturing ya or anything, have they?"
"I'm fine," Athena replied curtly before kicking herself and adding, "Outside of trying to execute me, things have been fine. What about you?"
"I've been worried bloody sick about ya, but I'm better now that I'm here, I'm better," Janey said before wheeling around to glare at Lilith, "What the hell is the matter with you?! You tried to execute her even though she had nothing to do with what Jack did?!"
"She nearly killed two of my best men!" Lilith argued.
"They attacked me," Athena clarified, "They picked the fight, I just responded accordingly."
"So that gives you the right to almost kill them?" Lilith asked.
"Can you really say you'd have shown mercy if you were attacked by the people that betrayed you?" Athena countered and Lilith looked away, "That's what I thought."
"It's because of you that the people we care about suffered at the hands of Jack," Lilith seethed.
"Jack would have found another way into the vault if I turned him down, but a girl has to eat," Athena said, "I walked away from him and the others once we finished the job. I didn't see you interrogating and trying to kill Claptrap."
"Claptrap already lost everything when we found him," Lilith snapped.
"Doesn't matter," Janey cut in, "Get your things, we're leaving."
"Woah, woah, she's not going anywhere," Liltih said, stepping forward and crossing her arms, "I'm not letting her leave until I am sure she's not a threat, and we still need to figure out what that thing was talking about."
"She's not staying here like some kind of prisoner!" Janey argued, "I don't know what your issue is, but she's not a threat to anyone here."
"Janey, it's fine," Athena said, calmly.
"It's not fine, Athena," Janey said, turning to face her, "She tried to kill you, and if ya stay she might try again. What happens if she decides you're still a danger?"
"It is fine, Janey," Athena replied, "I'm still pissed that she tried to execute me, but I can understand why she did it."
"What?" Janey asked.
"Yeah, I'm with her, tiger, what?" Lilith asked.
Athena closed her eyes and forced herself to open up, "You blamed me for what Jack did to Roland. As much as I don't like it, I understand what was going through your head. When you told your men to open fire, all I could think about was Janey and what I'd do if the roles were reversed. If Jack had murdered her, then I'd have been on the warpath looking for the one who let it happen as well. I don't forgive you, but I understand."
"That's...surprising," Lilith said, looking away.
"You're serious?" Janey asked before continuing when she nodded, "Alright, but I'm not leaving you alone again. If you're staying, then I'm staying too."
"Wait a minute, I'm not so sure about this," Lilith said.
"Get over it," Janey snapped, "I didn't come all this way just to leave without her. If she wants to stay, fine, but I'm not gonna abandon her."
"Want and need are two different things, hon," Athena said.
"There's no talking you out of this, is there?" Lilith asked before sighing, "Alright then, so be it. I'll tell you the same thing I told her. You're free to walk around the city, but don't go causing trouble."
"Bonzer, now how about an actual room?" Janey asked, her mood improving.
"I can't make any promises, but I'll see what I can do," Lilith said.
Lilith shook her head as she walked out of Athena's room. Having Janey around would either help to keep Athena in line, or it would prove to be trouble. She hoped that it would be the prior, but only time would tell. So far, Athena hadn't caused any problems, but she still didn't trust the Gladiator. Mordecai walked by as she exited the building, "Sup, Lil, how'd things go with Janey?"
"Looks like we've got another resident joining us," she sighed, "She's not leaving unless we release Athena."
"How long are you gonna hold her for?" he asked, "Brick and I don't think she's much of a threat anymore."
"She stays until this whole business with the Eridians is done," she replied, "Once we know what we're dealing with, I can decide if we need her around or not."
"Don't think she's gonna have much interest in helping us, Lil," he said, "We did just try to kill her."
"We'll see what happens," she said, "For now, I'm gonna go meet with it. Keep an eye on those two for me, will you?"
"You got it boss," he said.
Janey sat down on Athena's bed and smiled. She patted the spot beside her, and Athena didn't hesitate to accept her invitation. She sat down, checked to make sure they were alone, and laid her head against Janey's shoulder. "I missed you," she said, "I'm...sorry for worrying you."
Janey's smile grew as she wrapped an arm around Athena and pulled her closer. She loved how awkward her fierce girlfriend was. She knew it was difficult for her to express herself, but it meant the world to her that she tried with her. "I knew you'd be fine," she said, "I just missed that pretty face of yours, is all. That girl is a real charmer, eh?"
Athena blushed at Janey's compliment. She nuzzled against Janey's side, earning a laugh from her girlfriend. Girlfriend. It still felt strange to even think that she was in any sort of relationship. Janey was better than she deserved after everything she'd done. "Lilith can be a bitch, but she seems to care about these people here," she said softly, "I don't like her, but not everyone here is so bad."
"Fancy a romp, hon?" Janey asked, "I've been pretty dry since you left me back in Hollow Point."
Athena nearly choked on air at Janey's forward request, but she froze when she heard footsteps approaching. "Maybe tonight," she said as she stood up, "We've got company."
"Athena, I can take care of meself," Janey sighed, "Much as I appreciate the gesture, and I do love the way your ass looks when you get ready to fight, ya don't have to protect me."
How one woman could disarm her with only words would always be a mystery to her. Athena reached for her sword, but frowned as she remembered that it was gone. "Knock, knock," a raspy voice called out as the door opened, "Hope I'm not interrupting anything. Figured Athena might hear me coming if I wasn't trying to be all quiet."
Mordecai, one of Lilith's most trusted lieutenants, walked in with a rifle on his back and a bird on his shoulder. He kept his distance, mostly out of respect, and leaned against the doorframe. "G'day," Janey said, "You're the guy from the gate earlier, right? Mordo or Mordy, was it?"
"Mordecai," he corrected, "That's me. Lil asked me to check in on you two, and since I don't think either of you are gonna be a problem, that means one thing."
"What's that?" Athena asked, stepping in front of Janey.
"Chill, Athena, ain't nothing bad," he said, "Easier to keep an eye on someone if they're across from me getting drunk. What do you say, ladies? I'll buy."
"That's good enough for me," Janey said, "You in, hon?"
"What the hell, sure," Athena sighed.
"Great!" Janey cheered, her enthusiasm rubbing off on Athena, "Been ages since I've had a proper drink with me girl."
The three of them walked out into the streets of Sanctuary and towards Moxxi's. "Sorry about all this, Athena," Mordecai said, "You too, Janey. Ever since Roland died, Lil has been more on edge than ever. Everyone's been turning to her for answers, and that was always Roland's thing."
"Athena!" another familiar voice called out, "Wait up-damn! Who's this fine-ass shorty you got wit you?"
Athena passed to let her little admirer catch up. Tina rushed up and jumped in front of them. "Tina, this is Janey. She's my-"
"Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod," Tina cut in, her excitement skyrocketing, "This is her! Damn, I knew you were hooking up with her! You got mad skills, shorty."
Janey laughed and bent down, "Hello, who might you be?"
"This is Tina," Athena answered, "She's been keeping me company since my detainment."
"I shouldn't be jealous, should I?" Janey teased.
"Nah, girl, ain't no thing here," Tina replied, slyly, "Athena here always got a real big smile whenever she talked about you. Mm, looking at you now, I can see why."
"Tina!" Athena exclaimed, her cheeks burning.
Janey let out a hearty laugh, "She's a smart girl, Athena. This reminds me, though, Pickle finally made it down from Elpis, and he's been asking about you. Little ankle biter won't say it, but he's been missing you since you left."
"Maybe you could bring him here, depending on how long we'll be staying that is," Athena offered, "I'm sure Tina wouldn't mind having someone her age to play with for a change."
"I'll echo him later, and see what he says," Janey said, "He'll be glad to hear your voice."
"Yo, we doin' this or not?" Mordecai asked.
"Shut the hell up, Mordy!" Tina snapped, "We're having girl talk!"
"Well walk and talk, Tina," Mordecai said, "You know Moxxi doesn't care if you hang out."
"Oh snap, you're going to Moxxi's?!" Tina asked, "Let's go, let's go, let's go!"
Athena chuckled as Tina skipped ahead. "She's cute," Janey smiled, "I don't know what is about you, but kids really seem to adore you."
"Beats me," Athena sighed, "Between her and Brick, I haven't had much time to think lately. They've been keeping me distracted, though, and I've needed that."
"Brick?" Janey asked, "Hon, you haven't been talking to walls have you?"
"Brick is the brute you might have seen wandering around," Athena explained, "He's about as much like a child as anyone I've ever met."
"Can't wait to meet him then," Janey said, "Come on then, let's get hammered!"
That was all Athena needed to hear. If there was one thing that could kill the sting of being a prisoner and living on Pandora, it was alcohol. The four of them traveled down the road to Moxxi's, grabbed a booth, and ordered their drinks. Tina was content to sit and ask Janey countless invasive and personal questions. Athena had tried to get her to stop, but Janey insisted it was fine and laughed it off. Mordecai didn't say much, but he kept pace with her and Janey while they drank. She had respect for the hunter beside her. In a way, he wasn't that different from her. He was mildly stoic, battle hardened, and much less judgemental than Sanctuary's acting commander.
After their fourth bottle of Rakk Ale, Mordecai sighed, "You know, despite helping Jack, I respect you, Athena. I get that you only did it because you needed the cash, but I just wish it had been anybody else."
"Believe me, so do I," she said.
"S'not all bad, though," Janey said, "If she hadn't taken that job, her and I never would have ended up together. Granted, I never thought I'd end up with a sexy Gladiator who literally fell from the sky."
"Stop," Athena sighed.
"It's kismet, love," Janey shrugged before leaning in, "Don't let her fool ya, she's a softie at heart."
"The stab wound in my leg begs to differ," Mordecai said, taking a swig of his bottle.
"You attacked me," Athena defended.
"Eh, water under the bridge?" he asked, holding up his bottle.
"Excluding the fact that your group tried to kill me?" she asked.
"Brick and I tried to stop it," he countered.
"I suppose that's a fair enough point," she said, clinking her bottle with his.
"Best friends!" Tina exclaimed.
"I wouldn't go that far, Tina," Athena smiled.
"Pfft, you two gonna be like two bullets in a mag," Tina said.
"Listen," Mordecai said, "Don't let Lil get under your skin. I ain't sayin' forgive her, but she only did what she did because she's hurting."
"That doesn't ruddy excuse her capturing, interrogating, and nearly killing Athena," Janey said, bitterness seeping through her usual cheeriness, "Being upset is one thing, but that doesn't justify killing someone."
"Deadlift, hon," Athena said, "You had me and the others kill him because, and I quote, he was kind of a dick."
"He stole from me, left me stranded, and was a total ass!" Janey defended, "Are you really going to take her side in this?"
"Of course not, but does anyone really need a reason to kill out here?" Athena countered, "I don't take threats on my life lightly, but what's done is done. If she'd gone after you, then it would be a different story."
"Damn, that's sweet and heavy," Tina said, "You got mad feels for your boo, don't you, Athena?"
"Her safety is all that matters," Athena replied.
"Heh, guess there is a soft side to you," Mordecai said, "For what it's worth, Lil wouldn't have gone after Springs. You and Claptrap were the only two left we could find. Jack's body double is a ghost, and Aurelia isn't even on Pandora. Claptrap is annoying, but he lost everything after that whole H-Source thing."
"Timothy," Athena corrected.
"What?" Mordecai asked.
"Jack's body double, that was his name," Janey explained, "People always just think that he's another Jack, but the poor kid was just like Athena. He needed the money, and that meant that he ended up taking a job he couldn't back out of. There's no telling where he ended up, though."
"Not sure what's worse," Mordecai said, "Being used by Hyperion, or being stuck looking like Jack for the rest of his life."
"Defo lookin' like Jack," Tina said.
"Athena," Janey started, "Did you ever tell everyone about the night we got together?"
"I-uh...I didn't think that was relevant to what they wanted to know, so no," Athena replied, quickly taking a sip of her Ale in an attempt to hide her growing blush.
"Oh!" Tina exclaimed, "Tell it, tell it, tell it, tell it!"
"Let's not and say we did," Athena tried to dissuade the manic thirteen year old.
"Hey, why didn't anyone tell me there was a party going on?" Brick's burly voice asked.
"Figured you were busy," Mordecai answered.
"Doing what?" Brick asked, "I'm bored out of my mind right now since Lilith is still talking to that guardian thing. Scoot over."
"Oo, Brick, this is Janey Springs!" Tina said, gesturing to the blonde moon girl, "Athena's main squeeze."
"Could you not say it like that?" Athena asked.
"Is she wrong?" Janey asked before waving at Brick, "Janey Springs, nice to meet ya! Athena says you've been good to her, so you're good in my book."
"Your girl over there is pretty cool, and pretty tough too," Brick said sliding in next to Mordecai, "She hasn't said much other than telling the story about helping Jack, though."
"Athena was just about to tell us about the night she and Springs got together!" Tina said, practically bubbling with excitement.
"Oh, now this I gotta hear," Brick said with a grin, "She only ever mentioned you when it came to the jobs she did, but it was clear she had a thing for you. We only knew you two were together after Claptrap made her tell the bit about how she and the others went inside of him."
"Please don't say it like that," Athena said, "And I was not about to tell that story."
"Then I will," Janey said with a grin, wrapping an arm around her girlfriend, "It was after the whole bit where your fearless leader messed Jack's face up. While everyone else was back on Helios, Athena was out wandering the wastes looking for scavs to kill. I was closing up my shop, and I was pretty miffed thinking that she up and left without saying goodbye. Sexy little Gladiator falls from the stars with a perfect body, adorably awkward interactions, and an ass that just couldn't be beat, and here I was all alone."
"Please stop," Athena begged.
"She's not wrong," Tina said, "My girl got a booty like POW!"
"Well said, Tina," Janey laughed.
"Don't encourage her," Athena said, her cheeks burning.
"Anyway," Janey said, "I got a call on my echo from the little vixen beside me here asking about that drink I promised her. Took everything I had not to jump for joy and calmly accept. She met up with me at the Up Over Bar, and we sat down for drinks. Next thing I know, she starts talking about how she's been thinking about me constantly, how much she wants me, and-"
"That is not how it happened!" Athena cut in.
"Relax, hon, I'm only joking," Janey laughed, "If you'd rather tell it, then be my guest."
Athena sighed as she realized she was being conned into telling a personal story, "First, she failed to mention that she echoed me before I echoed her. I just...didn't respond because I was trying to distract myself from my part in helping that madman. Killing was what I did best, is what I do best. It comes natural to me, and I get a rush out of snuffing out lives."
"Damn girl, you twisted," Brick said, "I ain't judging, though. Nothing is better than beating bandits down."
"Right, well that night it didn't do anything to quell what I felt inside," Athena continued, not sure how to respond to Brick's comment, "When Springs...when Janey echoed me, I remembered how I felt around her. Confused, awkward, excited whenever she would compliment me, things that Atlas never taught me, any of us really, how to deal with. I was meant to be a weapon, and weapons don't have feelings or emotions. Despite this, I still ended up finding myself drawn to her. Maybe it was her kindness, maybe it was her forwardness, or maybe I'm just the defective product that Atlas saw me as. Whatever the case, I couldn't stop thinking about her. I'm not proud of the fact that I helped to create Handsome Jack, but I was, I am, proud of the fact that I stopped Zarpedon from destroying Elpis. Not because of some hero complex, but because there were good and innocent people there. So, I kept killing until I realized that nothing was going to dull the pain I was feeling, and then I reached out to Janey about the drink she promised me."
"Damn, that's dark and sort of sweet," Mordecai said, taking another swig of his bottle.
"I'm not sweet," Athena argued.
"Yeah ya are, love," Janey laughed.
"Anyway," Athena sighed, "I echoed her after I'd put down a band of scavs, and asked if her offer was still good for a drink. Don't let her lie to you, either, she did not do a good job of hiding her excitement."
"Spoiled sport," Janey mock pouted.
"I didn't say that was a bad thing, did I?" Athena asked, "Her excitement made me more nervous, and I quickly realized that I had no idea how to even begin telling her how I felt. When I arrived back in Concordia, she was waiting for me at the fast travel station. I let her lead me to the bar after trying to make small talk, and sat there while she pulled answers out of me. Honestly, it's a wonder she didn't just give up trying, difficult as I was. I remember the moment I knew there was something to these feelings, or at least thinking there might be. She tried to hide her enthusiasm, but she took my hand and led me to the bar. I didn't want to let go when we sat down."
Athena stared down at her bottle while she talked. Discussing personal matters like this didn't come easy to her. It didn't help when she heard Moxxi's sultry voice beside their table, "Heya, sugar, Lilith finally let you off your leash?"
She didn't bother responding. She still held some degree of bitterness about what happened on Helios. Thankfully, Mordecai was willing to answer, "Lil asked me to keep an eye on these two. She ain't tried nothing yet, so I figured having a few drinks while they caught up was good enough."
Moxxi looked over and shot Janey a coy grin, "Janey Springs, I see you decided to come down to our little slice of paradise. How's things in your little world?"
There was a bit of flirtatiousness in Moxxi's tone that didn't sit well with Athena. She cut her eyes and spoke before Janey could reply, "How are things in your workshop, Moxxi? What was that little tune you sang back on Elpis?"
Moxxi's eyes widened before she glared at Athena, "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, Athena."
Janey ignored Athena's question, knowing exactly what she meant, but deciding to try to smooth things over before a situation developed, "Things were good, up until Athena here went missing. I came down a little while after she left Elpis, and the two of us were trying to make a life together out here. I spent the last month trying to find her, and so now I'm here until she can leave."
"Lil ain't too happy about it," Brick said, "Not many people can get her riled up, but Springs here managed to do it."
"Moxxi, sit down!" Tina said, "Athena was telling us how she ended up with this fine little mamma over here."
"Oh?" Moxxi asked, grabbing a chair and pulling it over to the booth, "I'm curious to hear this. Did Springs manage to wear you down, Athena?"
"For your information, it wasn't her persistence that got us together," Athena snapped.
"Hon, relax," Janey said, "It was just a question."
"I'm guessing you're still pissed about Helios," Moxxi said, "For what it's worth, Athena, it wasn't anything personal. The whole thing was about Jack. I knew the kind of person he really was, and I knew that if we didn't do something to try to stop him, he would have eventually gone off the deep end."
"That's just it, though," Athena said, "It was because of what you did to his weapon that he snapped. He was already close to losing it, but when you, Lilith, and Roland betrayed him, he lost what was left of his sanity. He would have lost it eventually, but you three are the ones who set his sights on Pandora."
"It would have played out the same either way, sugar," Moxxi defended, "When he got to the vault, he would have still discovered the Warrior, and he still would have tried to destroy Pandora. The hero you knew never really existed to begin with."
"What's done is done," Janey said, deciding to end the argument, "Maybe you're both right, but we can't change what happened. Jack is dead, and the rest of us are still alive. We move forward, get over the past, and try to make a life that would make the people we lost proud."
"Girl's got a point," Brick said.
"I'll drink to that," Mordecai agreed.
"Me too, someone gimme a beer!" Tina said.
"No," Athena said, "Just raise your soda, Tina."
"Ugh, fine," Tina said, "Now get back to the story!"
"Right, well I guess I'll take over for a bit," Janey said, "We got to our seats, and Athena was tense and more awkward than usual. I wanted to try to make a move, but I didn't want to risk scaring her off. She looked exhausted, and I thought she just needed a friend. We talked, well I talked and tried to get her to open up, but she was quieter than usual with me. Three Moxtails in, she was still trying to hold everything, but I had drank enough that I felt brave enough to ask her over."
"And she said yes then you two hooked up!" Tina exclaimed.
"Not quite," Janey laughed, "I wish it had been that easy, but-"
"I didn't want to impose," Athena cut in, "After everything she'd done for me already, the last thing I wanted was for her to have to deal with me in her home. I'd just unleashed an evil on the world in the form of a madman, and I didn't think that anyone would want to be around me if they knew. She wouldn't take no for an answer, though. She insisted it was just for one night, and that I needed a shower and some rest. She wasn't wrong, and she wasn't anywhere near as forward as you might think."
"You were still a bloody hero," Janey said, "I didn't care about Jack. If it hadn't been for you and the others, the whole ruddy moon would be gone!"
"So, obviously she accepted," Moxxi said, "I'm guessing there weren't exactly fireworks that night, if you know what I mean."
"Nah, not that night anyways," Janey said, "It took some doing, but she finally agreed to come back to my place. She said she was having trouble holding her liquor, and she asked if I'd help her get to my place. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but now I know she just wanted to hold my hand. It also explains why her glove suddenly disappeared midway to my apartment."
"I am not good at thinking on my feet outside of battle!" Athena said, her face burning a brilliant shade of red.
"I'd have never guessed an ex-Atlas assassin would be touchy-feely," Moxxi remarked.
"Bite me," Athena spat.
"I would, but I don't want to offend Ms. Springs," Moxxi teased.
"So what happened next?" Tina asked.
"I...I went with her, took a shower, and fell asleep," Athena deadpanned.
"That's anticlimactic," Mordecai said.
"She's leaving out a couple of things," Janey smirked, "We got there, and she grabbed a shower while I cooked a little meal for her. She changed into a pair of my pajamas, adorable by the way, and I took her gear to my workshop for a good cleaning and fine tuning. I'll be honest, I'd never seen anyone eat as much as she did that night, but she needed it. I don't think she stopped the entire time she was on Elpis to eat or rest."
"If there's a job, that comes before anything else," Athena clarified before adding, "Well, it used to."
"Because you're a good little soldier, right?" Lilith's voice cut in as she appeared behind them, "I thought I told you to keep an eye on them, not get them drunk."
Athena tensed and she felt Janey do the same. Mordecai scratched the back of his head as he replied, "Kind of hard to do much when you're drunk and got no weapons."
"Let's go, Janey," Athena said, not wanting to risk another confrontation.
"No!" Tina exclaimed, "Come on, I want to hear how the story ends!"
"Tina, there's no shooting or action in this one," Athena tried to reason with her, "It's just our first night together."
"Don't mind me, I'm just here to make sure you two aren't planning anything," Lilith said, taking a seat, "Go ahead and finish your little story."
"No," Athena said, definitely.
"I'm not giving her the satisfaction of running us off," Janey said, grabbing Athena's hard to keep her in her seat, "If she wants to hear it, fine, but I want her to keep her mouth shut. Weapons on the table, Firehawk."
"Tch, fine," Lilith shrugged, placing a Maliwan SMG on the table, "Go ahead, just pretend I'm not even here."
"I could punch the tension in here," Brick said.
"Shiz is awkward~!" Tina exclaimed in a sing-song voice.
"Moving on," Janey said, deliberately looking away from Lilith and back at the rest of the table, "Athena looked like she hadn't eaten in a week, but she was busy saving me and the rest of Elpis. I could tell something was bothering her, but I didn't want to press her too much. I asked her about the rest of the vault hunters, and that was when I saw it. She had this disgusted look in her eye when I asked about Wilhelm and Nisha, and I could tell from her tone that she didn't want anything to do with them. She said they were back on Helios with Jack celebrating and planning their next move."
"You didn't want to join your teammates?" Lilith asked.
"I thought you said you wanted us to pretend you weren't here?" Janey asked smugly.
"I didn't want anything to do with them," Athena answered, refusing to look up, "What we did...it was business and necessary to a point. I made up my mind when Jack vented those poor scientists out of the airlock that I was done. He was losing it when he killed the Meriff, when he erased Felicity, but that was the real sign that the man I met was gone. I did my duty, got paid, and tried to find my way on Elpis. I wasn't going to join them because whatever they were planning. I'd been used by one corporation already, and I wasn't interested in becoming a weapon for Hyperion."
"Funny, you almost sound believable," Lilith said.
"That's because she's telling the truth," Janey snapped, "You don't know what she's dealt with, how she feels, and you don't care. From what she tells me, Jack became obsessed with vengeance, and it sounds like you're becoming more like him."
Lilith slammed her fist down on the table and stood up, "I'm nothing like him, and if you say that again, I'll kill you both!"
"Case. In. Point," Janey said.
"Lil, you need to chill," Brick said.
"He's right, sugar, and Springs has a point," Moxxi said, "You might not have the charisma that psycho had, but by the end all he cared about was revenge and victory. It's a slippery slope when you're blinded by pain."
"You wouldn't really kill them, would you?" Tina asked, looking more shocked than anyone, "Athena's my friend."
Lilith looked around the table at her friends, and realized how she must have seemed. She slowly pulled her hand back and stammered, "Tina, I...it's because of people like her that Roland is dead."
"Jack killed Roland, not them," Mordecai said, "We fell for his bullshit too, twice even. She walked away after everything happened, and from what I gather, she only went back to provide for her and Janey. Doesn't that count for something?"
"If I'd have known what he was going to do, I would have put my blade in him when I had the chance," Athena said, "The only reason i didn't, is because he helped to save Elpis."
Lilith stood up, turned to leave, and sighed, "I need some air."
Janey waited until she was sure Lilith was gone before continuing in her usual cheery tone, "Now, where were we?"
"You were about to tell us how you two slept together," Moxxi answered, glancing after where Lilith had walked.
Athena spit out the drink she has just taken, "She most certainly was not!"
"Nah, she's right," Janey said before smirking, "That was the next night."
"Oo, I wanna hear that story!" Tina exclaimed.
"Absolutely not," Athena said.
"Maybe another time when you're older," Janey said, "Right, we had been discussing the rest of her team. So after seeing how upset she was about the subject, I figured that maybe an echo cast might take her mind off it. Can you believe that she'd never seen one?!"
"Whaaaat?" Tina asked.
"How have you never seen Throne of Swords?!" Brick asked.
"Atlas didn't allow any outside broadcasts, leisure activities, or anything considered nonessential!" Athena defended.
"Now I just feel sad," Tina said.
"Don't worry, I tweaked her gear before she came down," Janey said, "So, I turned on the tele and we sat down for her first echo show. It was just a dumb show, but it was the first time I ever heard her laugh. Such a stoic little beauty letting out such a lovely and melodic sound was a marvel in itself."
"It's just a laugh," Athena said.
"It was the first time I heard it, love," Janey said, "I think it was the first time you'd laughed out of battle too, at least since the whole thing with Jack."
"That was the first time I felt even slightly relaxed since Knoxx," Athena clarified, "I was nervous, but I didn't feel like I was I'm danger. I felt safe."
"That explains why you fell asleep so quickly then," Janey smiled, "I was watching the show when I felt her fall over on me. Her head was in my lap, and she was lightly snoring after about a half hour. I tell ya, it was hard to keep still, but I didn't want to disturb her. I sat there for about another half hour before I decided I should turn in myself. I went to get up, and she suddenly wrapped her arms around my waist. Scared the daylights out of me, but she cracked open her eyes and practically begged me not to leave her. It was sleep talk, but it was one of the most adorable things I'd ever seen."
"I was sleep deprived," Athena defended, "You were warm, soft, and sweet."
"Ohmygod, that is so sweet!" Tina squealed.
"So, the big question: what did you do?" Moxxi asked.
"Honestly?" Janey asked, "I picked her up and carried her to my bed. I was scared she might wake up and run off, but she wouldn't let go of me. I knew she would probably freak out when she woke up, but what else could I do? I tucked her in and tried to resist the urge to wrap myself around her when I got into bed. Turns out, I didn't have to worry about that. As soon as I got under the covers, she cuddled up next to me."
"The mighty Gladiator is a cuddler," Moxxi teased, "That's surprising, but then I suppose even killers have needs. No offense, sugar, I just thought that Atlas crushed any of that at a young age."
"I'm not someone who normally does things like that," Athena admitted, "It's a weakness more often than not, and attachments are just something your enemies can use against you later. At least, that's what I was taught. Again, I hadn't slept in two weeks, though. I didn't have a clue what I was doing."
"She's not lying there," Janey laughed, "After a great night of sleep, she woke up and practically flipped out. Socked me right in the jaw, she did."
"Now this is a love story I can get behind!" Tina cheered.
"Damn, sucker punched after your first date," Mordecai laughed, "I thought my love life was bad."
"Eh, I've had worse first dates," Janey shrugged.
"Nothing says love like a punch," Brick said, "Or hate, or frustration, damn punches are universal!"
"That's just you, big guy," Mordecai said, "Most people don't express themselves with their fists."
"They should," Brick said, "Nothing is more liberating than punching out your feelings."
"Yeah, so why did you punch her, Athena?" Moxxi asked, not sure how to respond to Brick's reasoning.
"I woke up in a bed I didn't know, with someone's arms around me, and my instincts kicked in," Athena replied, staring down at the table, "Once I realized it was Janey, I panicked and took off. I didn't even grab my armor, and I didn't realize that until I was at the gates to Triton Flats. I ended up sitting atop one of the towers in Janey's pajamas trying to figure out how I could sneak back I'm and grab my stuff before disappearing."
Janey pulled her closer in a reassuring gesture before jumping in, "Yeah, she ran out muttering apologies and stuff. I wasn't mad or anything, just more worried about her than ever. I was torn between chasing after her, or giving her space. I decided that it would be better for me to go after her in case she tried running into the wastes. I knew she could handle herself, but the thought of her fighting scavs without her armor had me worried. Took me two hours to find her. I took a seat beside her, and I apologized for what happened."
"I still can't believe you apologized to me," Athena sighed, "You took me in, fed me, and gave me a place to sleep, and in return, I nearly knocked you out."
"What happened next?" Moxxi asked, leaning in, more curious than ever.
"We talked," Athena answered, "Gods it was hard for me, but she just wanted to make sure I was okay. Even after everything I did, she was still concerned about my wellbeing. So, I told her about everything. The fall of Knoxx, starving and taking a job from Jack, the murder of the Meriff, Felicity, the airlock, how you and the others tried to kill me, and how Jack lost all sense of sanity once he entered the vault. She asked me why I stuck around Elpis if there were so many bad memories, and I told her it was because of her. Those weird feelings in my gut when she was around, the way my heart skipped when she complimented me or smiled, and how her kindness was the only thing that gave me any kind of hope for Elpis or Pandora."
"I didn't know what to say," Janey admitted, "I started blathering on about how I didn't want to pressure her, telling her that it wasn't her who did those terrible things, and how she didn't need to be so hard on herself."
"Ms. Springs, you mean to tell me that Athena actually got you to show some restraint?" Moxxi asked, "I'm impressed, Athena. She tried to court me for the better part of my time on Elpis."
"Well, s'not like it worked, did it?" Janey asked, rubbing the back of her neck, "I figured I'd try something a bit different, and besides, I hadn't expected her to open up like she did."
"Probo didn't help that she punched you, right?" Tina asked.
"That too," Janey laughed, "She has a mean right hook."
"We gotta spar sometime!" Brick cheered.
"Maybe if Lilith ever decides to lay off," Athena said, "I'm pretty sure she'd use it as an excuse to detain me further if we tried now, Brick."
"You gonna tell 'em what you did, or am I?" Janey asked coyly.
Athena rolled her eyes as Tina excitedly asked, "What'd she do?"
"I kissed her," Athena answered, "I didn't know what else to do, and I'm better with action than words."
"Yeah you are!" Tina yelled, standing up in her seat, "Get it, girl!"
"Can you believe it was her first kiss?" Janey asked.
"No!" Tina exclaimed.
"Yes," Moxxi said.
"It's not like that was something Atlas trained us for!" Athena said, defensively, "I already told you all, they trained me to be a weapon. Feelings, attachments, affection, and everything else was considered a weakness."
"It was a bit sloppy, but she's a quick study," Janey smirked, "I can't remember a kiss that was as passionate as that one."
"I believe your exact words were 'wow'," Athena said.
"Heh, you two are a weird couple," Mordecai said.
"I'm glad at least something good could come out of all that craziness," Moxxi said, "I wasn't your biggest fan on Elpis, Athena, but I'm glad you ended up with someone special."
"Oh, uhm, thank you," Athena said, surprised by the bar owner's words.
"Come on, Tina, it's getting late," Brick said, "You can help me make some rounds, and then we can go watch Throne of Swords."
"Awe, I wanna keep hanging with my main ladies," Tina whined.
"Come on, Tina, give 'em some space," Mordecai said, "They ain't seen each other in a while, and they deserve some time together."
"Hey, it's okay," Janey smiled, "I'll come play with ya tomorrow. You can show me all your cool stuff."