Borderlands: Apex Predator

Maxwell was in the middle of a set of push-ups, feeling each muscle as he focused on his breathing.

"One hundred five, one hundred six, *hiss* one hundred seven, *huff* one hundred eight..."

[STR: 17 > 18]

[STR: 18 > 19]

Sweat dripped from his forehead, hitting the floor. The quiet morning atmosphere was broken by an unexpected voice in his mind.

"Max?" A disembodied voice echoed in his head, sounding somewhat annoyed. "Where is your ECHO? You know I'm completely blind without it."

Maxwell paused, propping himself up as he recognized the voice instantly.

"Good morning, Angel. How's it going?" He smiled faintly before getting back into position and continuing his push-ups. "I think I left the ECHO with my sweet wife."

[STR: 18 > 19]

"I can't believe you two are a thing," Angel sighed softly. "I mean, you met one day and already kissed. Wasn't that a bit fast?"

[STR: 19 > 20]

"No," Maxwell answered curtly, keeping count mentally so he wouldn't lose his rhythm.

"Why?" Unsatisfied, Angel pressed, finding the whole situation absurd.

"Because, from the start, she was open about looking for a partner, and I had only two goals: to find an engineer and, if possible, get a date with Moxxi." Maxwell paused in his push-ups, wanting to convey his thoughts accurately.

"She's a mature woman who knows what she wants, and I'm no different. She found what she wanted, and so did I." Maxwell closed his eyes, adjusting his breathing. "Back in my time, serious relationships among young people took years because neither side knew if they'd found the right partner, or whether they should focus on a career or romance… there were so many factors."

"You sound like an old man now, and that's still a bit confusing to me."

"You don't need to understand it all now, you're young. Relationships get put on a pedestal, but life is much more than… you know, baby making."

"..."

"Max..." Her voice returned, but this time it seemed different, a bit shaky. "I... I've been thinking about something, but it's kind of silly."

He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. Angel never sounded like this.

"Go ahead, Angel," he replied, encouraging her to continue. "You can ask anything… except my bank PIN or browser history. The latter I'd keep secret even at gunpoint."

"H-how,*sigh*... how does a kiss feel?" The question came out with hesitation and innocent curiosity, so different from the usual apathetic Angel projected. "I mean, how would you describe it?"

'This girl, is she jealous, or am I going senile?' Maxwell chuckled softly, surprised and a little amused by her unexpected question. Rubbing the back of his neck, he searched for the right words.

"Well… it's warm," he began, recalling the intensity of his last kiss. "Warm and kind of wet. Like an electric current running through you, making everything else disappear until only that moment remains."

"It's one of those things that's hard to explain without experiencing it firsthand," he admitted, a sly smile forming afterward. "When the day comes when you're free, I'll show you in person. You'll feel it for yourself."

"Okay…" Angel murmured in the back of Maxwell's mind.

"Hmm?" That wasn't quite the reaction he'd expected, but it seemed she was starting to get used to his teasing.

*Knock* *knock* *knock*

A soft knock on the door interrupted their telepathic conversation, and before Maxwell could respond, Moxxi entered. She looked visibly tired, with oil stains on her arms and dark bags under her eyes, yet her face lit up with a contented smile.

She paused when she saw him, his body sweaty and muscles defined from the push-ups. Moxxi's eyes gleamed slightly, and, unconsciously, she ran her tongue over her lips before regaining her focus.

"Have you eaten anything, Max?" she asked casually, though her gaze lingered on him for just a few seconds longer.

"Not yet." Maxwell shook his head, wiping his forehead with a towel.

"Great, I made breakfast, so come with me. I want to show you something."

He followed her, noticing the contained excitement in her step. Moxxi led him to her room, where one of the walls was slightly ajar, revealing something unexpected. What once looked like a simple weapons rack was actually a secret passageway.

They descended the stairs into a dark room. With a touch on the panel, Moxxi turned on fluorescent lights that buzzed softly, illuminating the metallic figure of a fully assembled MRVN, unpainted. The robot stood in the center of the workshop, surrounded by scattered components and tools.

She looked at Maxwell hopefully. "So, what do you think?"

"Moxxi… this is impressive." Maxwell was genuinely amazed, studying every detail of the build.

Moxxi grinned, her dimples showing. "It took me longer than I expected, but there he is—a brand new MRVN. He still needs some tweaks and a paint job, but it's a start."

"All that's left is to program the AI," Moxxi said, removing an oil-stained glove and leaving it on a nearby table.

Maxwell smiled, shaking his head confidently. "That won't be an issue, I know someone who can handle that part." He examined the MRVN closely, assessing its potential. "What about the cost, Moxxi? Do you think mass production is viable?"

Moxxi sighed and sat down on a nearby chair.

"The materials to build MRVNs are cheap and easy to find. They just need visual sensors and nothing too complex beyond that." She yawned, covering her mouth with her hand before pointing to a corner of the workshop. "But the Simulacrum? That's a different story. They have much more advanced components, some I've never even heard of. We'd need a specialized factory to make those."

Maxwell frowned slightly but found it within expectations. "Maybe with a mothership, we could manufacture those components," he murmured, already thinking of solutions.

"Hmng~~" Moxxi stretched, her joints making soft cracking sounds.

"Now, you should go clean up and get some sleep."

Moxxi didn't disagree, nodding lazily. She pointed to a table nearby. "I made you a meal. Coffee and some sandwiches."

"Thank you, Moxxi." Maxwell went to the table, letting the aroma of fresh coffee wrap around him. Blowing on the steam, he took a sip. Meanwhile, Moxxi left to take a shower.

After a while, Moxxi returned, wrapped in a purple towel, her hair still damp. Maxwell finished his coffee and, with the last sip, asked as he saw her approaching, "Is the next Underdome challenge ready?"

"I canceled the Underdome." She hummed.

"Well, the Underdome is yours to do with as you wish, but I thought it was your main source of money." Maxwell wasn't shocked by the news, knowing that the whole event was created to find a husband.

"The Underdome was just to raise enough money to invest in something more stable. Too many people die or get maimed and come back seeking revenge." Moxxi sat close to Maxwell, pulling a large blueprint from her ECHO.

"I've had a dream since I was a young, innocent girl with the Hodunks." Moxxi laid the blueprint on the table. Unrolling the paper, she allowed Maxwell to get a good look at its contents.

"A casino… in space?" Maxwell's mind raced, memories flashing to a certain DLC in Borderlands 3.

Moxxi's Heist of the Handsome Jackpot.

In summary, Moxxi had hired Vault Hunters to rob Jack's casino. In one dialogue, she'd said that the casino's design was hers before Jack stole it. She'd probably shared the plans with him while they were dating, right after she'd broken up with Mordecai, the winner of the Underdome.

Maxwell couldn't resist a soft snicker. The reason for their split had been 'Mordecai was more interested in pluckin' his bird's feathers than plucking my...' Maxwell could only wonder how he managed to ignore Moxxi. was it your love for Bloodwing or alcohol, or both?

After Mordecai, Moxxi had met Jack, who'd seemed like a decent guy at the time. Confident in him, she'd shared her casino designs, but they'd somehow ended up at odds, leading to the bitter rivalry in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel.

But none of that had happened in this timeline, Mordecai hadn't won the Underdome. Hell, Maxwell had taken the Vault Key with Tannis, delaying the Vault Hunters from the first game. They were probably still hunting down Tannis or had fled Pandora, thinking Steele had already opened the Vault.

Returning to the present, Maxwell tore his eyes from the blueprint, realizing this wasn't something to take lightly. He needed to show support and encouragement. It seemed Moxxi was opening up to him, and he couldn't waste this chance to deepen the trust and affection between them.

Maxwell nodded fiercely—he had to make this work!

Turning to Moxxi, Maxwell was ready to shower her with praise, but the words caught in his throat.

Moxxi had her head resting on her folded arms on the table, and a soft snore could be heard.

"Never mind. She must be exhausted."

Carefully, he lifted her in a "princess carry," surprising her slightly. Moxxi awoke with a start but, upon seeing it was Maxwell, she relaxed, resting her head against his chest with a sleepy smile.

"You need to get some rest," he said softly, carefully climbing the stairs to her room. Once he laid her down, he adjusted her to ensure she was comfortable.

"Get some sleep," Maxwell responded, covering her with a blanket. "I have some things to take care of, but I'll be back soon."

"Don't forget to close up the workshop, Max," Moxxi murmured, curling up like a cat.

"Don't worry, I'll handle it." Leaning down, Maxwell placed a soft kiss on her forehead, watching a slight smile appear on the sleeping woman's lips.

Slowly closing the door, Maxwell stepped out of the room after closing the Moxxi workshop. Leaving the bar, his Spectres were still patrolling near his Samson.

"Let's go. I want to find a secluded place." Maxwell quickly climbed into the car, slipping on his pilot's suit. The Spectres followed orders, driving away and disappearing into the Badlands desert.

"Where are you going?" Angel asked, not understanding his sudden need for privacy.

Maxwell replied, propping his legs up on the dashboard.

"To pick up my spaceship."