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"Why do you have to carry it? It has a cradle that follows me wherever I go." Mando questioned Celeste as she hadn't let go of the child since he captured it. It was so innocent and pure, she couldn't help it. She had never seen something so pure in her life. Celeste looked down at the baby and it made little baby noises at her. It's head was pressed against her chest and she held it very protectively. "Um," Celeste had to come up with a quick excuse, "because if something comes for it, I'm quick enough to run away."
"You're not fast. At all." Mando shook his head at her.
"I was faster than all the other bounty hunters that came after me." Celeste scoffed as she caressed the child's head. The baby kept its cheek pressed to her chest and its eyes stared up at her like she was his savior.
"You weren't faster than me." Celeste could practically feel the annoying little smirk he probably had on under his mask.
* * *
Later on that night, Mando set up camp so that he could repair his armor and weapons that were destroyed when he charged into the encampment to capture the baby. While Mando was repairing his armor, Celeste was walking around looking for insects on the ground. "What are you doing?" Mando inquired. He was still skeptical of her running away, but, now that he saw how glued she was to the child, he knew she wasn't going anywhere without that baby. So, as long as he kept the child by his side, he didn't have to worry about her running off.
"The child is hungry. I saw him chase after a fly earlier. I think he likes bugs." Celeste found a juicy little bug on the ground and picked it up.
"How do you know he's hungry?" Mando asked, curious to know how to care for something that couldn't communicate to them.
"I just do." She responded, curtly. She held the squirming bug up to the baby and it instantly opened its little mouth. She placed the bug inside and the baby ate it without hesitation.
Celeste took a seat on the rock next to Mando as he patched himself up. She saw that he had a cut he was struggling to cauterize. Mando saw her gazing at the wound and expected her to offer to help. But, instead, she just glanced at it and looked away. Mando looked at her, astonished she didn't offer any help. "What? Don't expect me to get all sentimental on you now, Mando. I'm still your prisoner. You're still going to turn me into that asshole for some cash." Celeste snapped at him. Mando understood. He was still her enemy. Just because he saw her getting soft for the child, didn't mean she was his friend. Mando returned to closing up his wound without exchanging another word.
Out of nowhere, the baby crawled out of its cradle and waddled up to Mando. He raised his hand to nearly touch the wound, but, Mando quickly picked him up and put him back in his safe cradle. Celeste took notice of his action, but quickly pushed the thought aside.
