𝐜𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐞'𝐬𝐞 - 𝘥𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘫𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯

What Sits in the Silence

what sits in the silence • gen!reader
Your bounty-hunting rival turns to you in his time of need and brings along more baggage than you planned on handling.

—§—

Stay in one place for too long and a new threat will be just around the corner. No one has to be a hunter for long to figure that out. Yet this past job's given you no such regard for the unspoken golden rule. The jungles of the treacherous planet that you trekked through for at least two days and nights on your latest job left you hungering for warmth and comfort the hull of your ship isn't well-known for. That had only made the inn that sits on the outskirts of the planet's urban sector even more alluring.

The warm, artificial fire radiating from the room's small hearth has already swept a wave of peace through you. Luxury is costly for any hunter, especially those who wish to stay under the radar, but this is a pretty damn good deal. It's another job done, more credits in your pocket, and a night of rest to recharge for the next one. The only thing you need to keep quiet is your own mind, something you've already been doing for many years in this troubled galaxy.

Then, there's three solid knocks on the door.

You tense and turn your head over your shoulder. Your hand's already on your blaster as your survival instincts go to work, any sense of peace now lost just as swiftly as it was gained. A true threat wouldn't have knocked; no, their presence would've wanted to go unnoticed. But more than one threat, a team with one looking to distract and the other to attack... it could be more than likely. So much for a relaxing night.

Three more knocks. You stand up from the chair in front of the hearth and thank the stars when it makes no sound. Your blaster is lifted in the ready position as you make your way to the door, not so much fearful as anticipatory. Once you're in front of the door, you take a deep breath and finalize the plan within your mind. You've done this plenty of times before.

But when you open the door, it's not a threat that awaits you. It's a nuisance.

"Mando?" You huff and lower your blaster. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Your rival sways on his feet for a moment and catches himself with one hand on the open threshold. Mando attempts to stand up straighter and instead releases a terse sound of pain, something between a grunt and a growl. You give him a once-over and notice his other gloved hand grasping his side, a deep scarlet now painting his orange fingertips. He shakes his helmet, weary. "I ... didn't know where else to go."

You holster your blaster, the idea of a threat now vanished. With so many questions running through your mind, only one can make it to the surface. "What happened to you?"

Mando tightens his fist on the threshold. He tilts his helmet and attempts a chuckle. "Long story."

You sigh and look around before you gesture with your head to the room behind you. "I've got time."

Mando waits for you to step aside before he stumbles into the room. You secure the door closed and guide him to the chair in front of the hearth. He all but collapses into it, thanking you between a few heavy breaths of pain.

"I would say this is another scheme of yours to slow me down," you say while you retrieve your medpac from your overnight bag, "but the blood looks pretty real."

Mando holds his wound with both hands and looks down at it. "It feels pretty real."

You kneel beside the chair and help him get to work. "How'd you even find me?"

"We're hunters." Mando remains unfazed as he removes his cuirass. "I know you've found a way to track me down before." His visor finds your gaze. "Let's not play coy."