THE ARC OF SKYWALKER | a star wars story✔️

23 | mos eisley

—"ASA. ASA!"

I sat up from the floor and inhaled deeply, my head hitting the Mandalorian's helmet but it didn't hurt. He steadied me by my shoulders as I reached out to grab hold of his shirt, but my fingers spread across his armor.

Daddy!

It's okay, short stack. I'm here. It was just a dream.

I remembered that whenever I had nightmares or bad dreams I would always reach out to clutch my dad's shirt. It woke him up every time while my mother was heavily sleeping or sometimes she wouldn't be with us all because of her senator duties.

Feeling Mando's armor under my fingertips felt cool and calming and I subconsciously traces the groves and patterns of his beskar. His voice pulled me out of my stupor as he moved my hair from my face.

"Ace, you all right?" He asked as he rubbed his gloved thumb on the exposed skin of my neck. Warmth crept its way to my face when I felt him do that.

"Y-Yeah." I replied hoarsely but cleared my throat. "Yeah, I'm okay. It was just a bad dream."

I reached up and grabbed his hand to remove it from my shoulder. He retracted quickly before standing up.

"Must have been a hell of a dream. You slept through a shoot-out."

"Aw, I missed all the fun?"

I heard him chuckle a little as he gestured for me to follow him out of the ship. I noticed a little something wasn't with him.

"Where's the kid?"

"He's asleep in my sleep compartment."

I nodded and I followed him down the open ramp and out into the docking area. Looking above, the sky was turning dark from the day approaching night. I wondered which planet Mando landed on, but seeing everything covered in... there's sand and dust on everything.

"Where are we?" I mutter to him.

"Tatooine."

A pit formed in my stomach as I started to back toward the ship. I didn't want to be here. I couldn't be here. The Force seemed to bring back the cries and pleas of Buru and Owen when I killed them with fire as I held my head in my hands. Luke and Obi-Wan once lived on this planet; I lost my good friend Boba Fett to a Sarlacc pit here; Imps were most likely frowned upon here...

I needed to get off this planet.

The Mandalorian noticed my uneasy state and approached with concern.

"Asa, whatever you're thinking, it's okay."

"We're on Tatooine!" I whisper shouted. "I shouldn't be here! Not after what's happened with me and my family!"

"Your brother and sister aren't here. I highly doubt they come here anymore."

"But that doesn't mean I want to be here. Someone could recognize who I am in town and that won't end well me."

" Asa," he gently grabbed my shoulders to get my attention and I tensed from the sudden contact, "you'll be safe and sound with me. If anyone even tries to hurt you, it won't end well for them."

His tone went dark when he said that and it surprised me. I didn't think he was this protective of me.

He removed his hands from my shoulders and began to make his way to the dock's exit. I tilted my head curiously, wanting to know where he's going.

"Where are you going?" I called after him, stepping forward to follow if needed.

"I'm looking for a job, but I need you here with the kid and make sure Peli doesn't use droids."

I frowned at him when he said the part about droids, but I dropped the thought. He must have something against droids but I wasn't one to pry into his life. Mando can tell me on his own time.

"Don't do anything stupid while I'm not with you."

"How can I? You're keeping the stupid here."

I chuckled at his words before stepping away, turning my attention to a woman with wild, frizzy hair and a group of droids following her.

~*~

*NOTE*
shorter chapter but the next one will be longer and will include mando being 110% done with toro, and peli being a complete mom toward mando and the kid.

hope you enjoyed this chapter and i'll see you in the next one ;)