Journey
Maya awoke irritably to someone gently shaking her shoulder.
She grimaced and sat up angrily to be awoken so early, only to be staring at the glowing heart hologram of Zero's helmet.
She looked at him tiredly and instantly her anger diminished. Her shoulders fell and she groaned loudly. She was tired from last night and wanted nothing more than to continue her slumber.
Trudging out into a blizzard just didn't seem as appealing...
Zero's hologram reflected a warm smile and he slowly leaned back off the bed to give Maya her space.
"I have brought you your armor. You cannot be wandering in the snow naked. Though i would very much rather that attire." Zero said deviously looking quite pleased with himself.
Maya rolled her eyes and grabbed her folded armor off the bed where Zero had placed it. She began dressing herself and she felt Zero's eyes burning into her.
Maya looked up and narrowed her eyes at Zero.
"Didn't get a good enough peek last night huh?" She said smugly snapping on her armor.
Zero's hologram flashed to its version of blushing.
"I-i..." Zero stuttered embarrassed.
"I cannot help it. I am male. Your body is most desirable." He said shuffling his foot sheepishly.
Maya quite liked making her cocky assassin feel uncomfortable.
She smiled and stood to pull up her pants. She equipped her shield, and strapped her Sinewy Ravager to her back. It was an impressive weapon for such a small woman Zero noted.
But god was she ever a powerful thing, so in a way such a weapon only fitted her.
Zero had filled a pack with as much meat as they could carry and already had his Hyperion sniper over his shoulder.
"Do you hunger? Do you wish to nourish yourself before we journey. It would be smartest." Zero said taking a few steps toward her and gingerly touching her face.
Maya shook her head. She did not hunger, her nerves had the best of her appetite.
"I'm ok, thanks though." She said looking up at his dark mask.
Zero looked at her sternly and she could feel his eyes narrowing at her behind the vizor. She knew he was not happy with that answer.
But he did not protest it, he merely shrugged and headed to the door.
Maya followed him hesitantly.
She didn't really want to leave.
She knew they had to.
But she didn't WANT to...
What if sanctuary was different...what if it wasn't all it was cracked up to be?
And her and Zero?
What were they?
Hopelessly attracted to each other...She thought sighing.
But other than that she had no idea where they stood.
Would this little rondevu fade from memory when they reached sanctuary?
Maya swatted away all the buzzing thoughts flitting around her head and followed the tall male who had already swiftly exited the door.
After heading down the stairs Maya was then bathed in the light of the day for the first time in many of them. She shielded her eyes and blinked rapidly, the temperature out here on the ice was much colder than in their little makeshift home.
Maya trudged on irritably, her eyes adjusting to the brightness of it all.
Zero's strides were much longer than her own and he kept the pace quick and swift, leaving her a few steps behind him.
His sniper was out and ready and he was clearly constantly scanning the landscape for any signs of life. He was very alert, every movement precise and animal like.
Maya held her SMG at her hip lethargically. She was not as animated and alert as her counterpart. Partly because her wound was still very sore and she didn't want to push herself, and partly because she was consumed in thoughts.
Zero hugged the shelf tightly keeping a keen eye out for Rakk that decided they could be prey, or Bullymong burrows.
Or bandit camps.
All of those could be horrific if the vault hunters didn't have the upper hand.
Zero knew that Maya was not strong enough to be taking on any large enemies. Therefore he had to be on high alert at all times.
He looked back over his shoulder at his moody siren and could tell she was clearly annoyed with the predicament.
He chuckled to himself, she was always such a little firecracker.
He continued through the snow but slowed his pace just a little to accommodate her less hurried strides.
They continued on for hours, through snow and ice shelfs only coming upon a small pack of bullymongs and escaping a flock of diving rakk by hiding in a cave.
Maya's feet felt incredibly heavy and tired, but she dare not alert Zero to this fact. She could keep up with him just fine and she wasn't going to let a little wound slow her down.
Zero walked with catlike grace his long legs moving him effortlessly over the landscape. Maya's eyes wandered over his moving form.
Damn he has a nice ass...She thought deviantly.
She smiled at her thoughts and readjusted her weapon in her hand.
She just wanted to run up and squeeze it!
She laughed a little harder to herself.
Zero stopped hearing Maya's chuckles and turned around to look at her.
Maya stopped and bit her lip embarrassed.
"You were laughing. Have I done something funny? Amusing?" Zero questioned in his robotic voice.
Maya shook her head and smiled.
"Nope, nothing at all" She said smugly.
Zero flashed a large question mark in her direction and shook his head.
Humans...well and sirens were utterly confusing sometimes. Her face said one thing and her mouth said another.
Zero turned and continued to walk. She was a strange thing.
Maya looked up at the grey skies and then back at her normal view of Zero's backside always a few steps ahead of her.
"Where the hell are we anyway?" Maya whined shifting her gun again.
"Almost to Three Horns. Just exiting The Fridge. Need to cross Three Horns to get to Sanctuary." Zero said informatively never even looking back at his whiney follower.
Maya groaned. Who knew how long that would take...days most likely.
Zero smiled beneath his helmet.
"You may whine all you want, It will get us there no faster, this i assure you." Zero said tauntingly.
Maya frowned at him darkly and fisted her free hand.
"I am not whining." She growled.
Zero smiled wider.
"Though i may be mistaken, It most certainly sounded like whining, complaining at the least." Zero said smugly still keeping several steps between the two of them.
Maya was grow more annoyed by the second.
"I said i was NOT whining." She hissed angrily.
"There is no need for fits, my you are fussy, perhaps you should have eaten breakfast." Zero said deviantly.
He loved pushing her buttons.
Angry Maya was his favorite.
She was so very sexy when she was angered.
Her anger aroused Zero greatly, and he couldn't help but to be tempted to bring it forth every chance he got.
When she was angered, he wanted nothing more than to bend her over his knee and spank her for being such a brat.
Zero hung on that thought longer than he should have, he was instantly overcome with warmth at it.
Maya kicked the snow furiously. God he may have been attractive as hell, but he was also so very good at annoying the fuck out of her.
"I am just fine without breakfast!" She barked at him teeth gritted.
Zero stopped and wagged his finger scoldingly in her direction.
"Your silence is required, hush before you wake something bigger than us, if you had eaten breakfast you would not be acting childlike." Zero scolded.
This threw Maya over the edge, she trudged over to Zero and jabbed a finger into his chest plate.
"Now look here wise guy I am not acting childlike! And I didn't need breakfast!" She said her eyes glowing angrily.
Zero all but melted at her anger...he couldn't help but to push her just a little further.
"If you were to act any more childlike, I would be forced to take you over my knee, and punish you with my hand." Zero said unfazed by the Siren stabbing her finger into his chest.
Maya's eyes widened at the sentence and then immediately a deep scowl set on her face.
Fuck he was being so damn cocky!
"I'd like to see you fucking try. Just shut up and walk..." Maya hissed brushing past him.
"Such a mouth you have on you, so very loud, I will silence you if need be." Zero threatened smiling smugly as he walked shoulder to shoulder with his siren.
Maya did not even look at him.
"As if you could." Maya hissed.
"I believe i have several ways of accomplishing the task, would not be hard, relatively easy." Zero said cheerfully.
Maya pouted and looked up at him angrily.
"Don't make me phaselock your cocky ass." Maya warned irritably.
Zero put his hands up teasingly.
"Apologies my siren, i dare not push you to violence, no need for that level of tantrum." Zero said stepping a little closer to her.
"Tantrum!?" Maya said angrily.
"Besides I am fairly certain I would subdue you, before any harm came to me, for arguments sake." Zero said ginning, his faceplate flashing a devious smile.
Maya's hand flickered with power as she turned on her heel to face Zero.
"Don't say i didn't warn you!" She barked.
"You'll regret ever calling me a child..." Maya started but her words trailed off as Zero suddenly stepped closer to her closing the gap between the two, pressing himself against her.
Zero reached around Maya's back and grabbed her rump, forcing her up against his body.
Maya yelped and stared doe eyed at her assassin. Zero looked down at her displaying that bright red heart she ever so loved, his left hand held her firmly against him and his right stored his gun on his back freeing it. His hand trailed down her side and hovered at her waistline. He slowly extended two fingers and ran them between her thighs ever so tauntingly.
Maya's breath hitched and she arched against Zero's thin body.
"Mmm..." She mused as Zero's fingers pleased her.
Then he suddenly hesitated, resting his hand on her belt line.
"As I said before, silencing a whiney siren...difficulty level minimal." He whispered to her smiling.
Maya gasped and pushed off of him quickly.
That tricky son of a bitch!...She thought angrily.
She stared at him writhing in anger and yet she had to admit it...he had won.
Damn him.
"Whatever" She growled and stormed forward.
Zero removed his gun from his back and chuckled cheerfully.
God he liked being right.
"A simple touch, I leave you needy, I am awesome." He chimed passing her up once more.
Maya bit her lip and followed him defeated.
He was such a damn tease...
They trudged onward for many more hours, until the sun was beginning to dip behind the horizon.
Zero came upon a cave that seemed to be abandoned of all life and he looked back at Maya. Her pace had slowed over the past few hours and he knew she was in desperate need of a rest.
"We will hold up here for the night, a good place to rest, out of the wind." Zero said gently leading Maya inside.
Maya followed obediently and once inside slumped down against the rocky wall and slid down to a sitting position. Her feet hurt, her side ached and she felt heavy and lethargic.
Zero hefted the pack of his shoulders and opened it up. He took out some of the dried Rakk meat and offered it to the weary Maya.
She took it and chewed slowly the salty taste filling her mouth and making her realize skipping breakfast was a horrible idea. She was famished.
"Thank you" She said softly.
Her muscles felt very worn.
She finished her helping and looked at Zero who she had noticed was not eating.
"Aren't you hungry?" She asked softly.
Zero shook his head.
"I am fine. We need more nourishment for you. I can go without." Zero said gently.
Maya frowned.
"You need to eat." She said
"Unlike you I consumed food this morning. I do not need it. I am fine." Zero said displaying a smiling face to Maya's worried expression.
Maya felt the nourishing food flowing through her body, she felt its healing powers coursing through every nerve. She sighed out thankfully.
Thank goodness for Zero. In all his cockiness and all his mystery, thank goodness for him. She'd be dead without him.
She felt much less like an empty shell when he was near.
Not as hollow as normal.
The warmth that coursed around her was undeniably pleasurable.
Maya looked on as Zero began a small fire for them to huddle around. Within minutes Zero had coaxed warm flames from a small pile of sticks on the ground. It burned bright orange basking them in its cozy light.
Maya looked at Zero as he sat crouched on the opposite side of the fire.
"How many more days until we get to sanctuary?" Maya said sighing.
She was very tired of these frozen lands.
"Four maybe five. Despite your injuries we covered much ground, this is good." Zero said rocking on the balls of his feet.
Maya breathed out.
Well that wasn't as bad as she had expected.
Maya's eyes felt heavy and she felt herself begin to slump but startled awake when her head had nowhere to rest.
Zero stood and went around the fire to Maya's side. He slid down beside her and patted his leg inviting her to lay her head upon it.
Maya obliged without question. She curled up next to the tall, dark armored, male and laid her head comfortably in his lap.
She was asleep almost instantly.
Zero stayed awake looking out into the darkness at the mouth of the cave.
The wind was held at bay by the cave's protection.
Zero sighed heavily and looked down at the sleeping siren.
She was very serene in the presence of slumber.
Zero was as intrigued by her in sleep as he was by her when she was full of emotions.
Except maybe anger. He was more intrigued by anger.
Anger was raw and wild like some sort of animal.
He liked that much more than was healthy.
It just brought up everything he loved so much.
Maya was challenging when she was angry, and how he loved a good challenge.
Thus his entire reason for coming to this strange planet.
The challenge of Handsome Jack. The Challenge of the Vault...The challenge of the Warrior.
But it seemed by chance he may have come across the greatest challenge of all without even meaning to.
Maya was certainly challenging alright.
Zero mulled the thoughts over fondly.
He spent most the night relishing in such thoughts before he drifted off for a short slumber just before dawn.
Maya felt the cool sting of morning upon her exposed flesh and squinted her eyelids together tightly.
She turned over and shifted her her head irritably.
She sat up slowly only to see Zero already awake and flashing her a fond morning smile.
She smiled back sleepily.
Zero rose to his feet and offered Maya his hand.
"Again we must journey, much ground to cover, no time to waste." He said cheerily.
Maya hauled herself to her feet as well and followed Zero out into the snow again leaving their dying fire behind them.
Later that day:
Maya walked a few steps behind Zero as always and couldn't help but become lost in the scenery and more thoughts.
Zero was the quiet type...that made the journey all the more boring.
She found much amusement in watching the assassin's body move but she was now longing to hear his voice.
"So...why did you come here?" Maya said suddenly.
Zero didn't even look back over his shoulder.
"The vault offered a challenge, i live for challenge, i was instantly drawn." He said quickly reloading his rifle as they came over a hill.
"Oh. That's...neat." Maya said pondering.
He really didn't offer much when he talked.
The most animated he ever got is when they were having sex. After that he went right back to mr. mystery.
Maya sighed.
Zero hefted his sniper up and looked through the scope down at a small bandit camp.
"Bandit's over this hill, stay back, ill dispose of them.."
Before he could take his shot, suddenly there was the loud burst of bullets to his left.
He looked over at Maya who had already drawn her SMG and unleashed its wrath.
The two bandits lay bloody in the snow.
Maya smiled and brushed past Zero's shoulder.
"Gotta be quicker than that big boy. Just because I'm wounded doesn't mean i'm helpless." Maya said sashaying past the dumbfounded assassin.
He dropped his weapon and sighed at the impossible woman that had already wandered off down the hill toward the camp.
There was just no dealing with her. She was constantly defiant and impossibly stubborn. Not to mention opinionated, feisty and hard headed on top of it all.
But it just made her all the more desirable.
He shook his head and followed after her.
By the time he got there Maya had already raided most the area for ammo and money.
She turned and looked at him looking quite smug and pleased with herself.
Zero just let her have her little moment, her smugness was somehow attractive as much as it was annoying anyway.
"What no smart-ass remark? Or is the big bad assassin at a loss for words?" Maya taunted putting her hands on her hips a wicked smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.
Zero displayed an unamused hologram on his faceplate.
"Pouting are we? Because i stole your kill huh?" Maya continued smiling wildly.
"To claim i am pouting is foolish. You are mistaken. You shot well." Zero said clearly annoyed.
Maya waggled her hips in a sort of dancing way her smile expanding.
"Ohhhhh sure you aren't pouting. Sureeeeee." She sang annoyingly.
Zero turned to continue on past the bandit camp ignoring Maya's attempts at getting to him.
She chuckled and followed on behind him.
"Big pouty pants. Now who is being childlike?" Maya cooed.
Zero turned back to her harshly.
"Not to be rude, But do you mind stopping, I tire of your taunting." Zero blurted.
Maya grinned triumphantly.
Now who was pushing who's buttons.
"Oooooooo or what are you going to do? gag me?" Maya said snorting.
"The thought had crossed my mind, Though on the other hand, I could fill your mouth with something else to make you cease." Zero said grinning evilly under his helmet.
Maya stopped dead and frowned at him.
Zero just walked on chuckling heartily to himself.
Maya steamed.
"Hrumph..." She said folding her arms and following him.
"No more smart words? Have i silenced the Siren? Or does she want to take me up on my offer?" Zero said flashing a cheeky smile at her.
Maya frowned darker.
"Oh shut up..." Maya growled.
Once again the assassin's cunning had left her at a loss for words.