GALDANA || the mandalorian

PART THREE

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"Look, I knew you were Guild. That's why I came at you so hard. Figured you had a fob on me." Cara picked up her bowl of broth from where it sat in front of her and took a sip.

The Mandalorian looked away from Cara to glance at Fwega, who was currently sipping her own bowl of bone broth and amusing the child a couple tables away. She had become quite fond of the creature, and paid special attention to it, especially when Mando refused to himself.

"Well, this has been a real treat, but unless you wanna go another round, one of us is gonna have to move on, and I was here first," Cara said, interrupting his staring. She stood up and took a final gulp of her bone broth, setting the bowl down.

"Thanks for the broth." She waved to Fwega and Fwega waved back. The child reached its hand as well, copying her movements.

Fwega looked up from the table, where she was carving her initials into the wood. Mando watched from above her, towering over her sitting form. The child whined, trying to get her attention.

She gave him one of her fingers to hold.

"Where are we staying for tonight, Mando?" She returned to the carving, this time with only one hand. "And don't say your ship. There's only one bunk, and even then it wouldn't even fit you with your armour on."

"I'll take the seat in the cockpit."

Fwega rolled her eyes in annoyance, rubbing her face with her hands. Mando sat down and rested a hand on her shoulder. Unbeknownst to them, the server watched with a knowing smile.

"Fwega..."

She startled, staring up at Mando. She felt his embarrassment coming off in waves when he realized what he did. He began to remove the hand on her shoulder, but she grabbed it and held it in her own.

"That's the first time you've said my name," she said, smiling wider. He shrunk away from her.

"Hey, it's okay. I like it." She leaned over and kissed the side of his helmet. The metal was cool under her hot lips.

The child cooed in happiness.

"Alright. Let's go," she finally agreed.

The walk back was tiring to say the least. Fwega eventually surrendered the child to Mando after she almost tripped, her eyelids dropping. After she tripped again, Mando stopped completely.

"Sorry, I'll try to stay more awake," she said sheepishly, brushing herself off from the fall. When she looked up, she saw Mando watching her.

"Here." He said begrudgedly. The child was plopped into her arms.

"What are you-oh!" Fwega exclaimed as Mando scooped her into his arms. He barely gave her time to recover before he set off again. She adjusted the child so it was once again comfortable.

Leaning her cheek on the cold, hard metal of his breastplate, she looked up at his helmet. She saw a sliver of skin under his chin, vulnerable to the cold air.

"Sleep." The visible sliver of skin moved with his jaw slightly.

The child cooed softly in its sleep from its spot on her chest. She lifted a hand from on top of it and brought it up, gently touching his skin.

His emotions immediately spiked, and he stopped in his tracks. His eyes closed, reeling with feelings of panic, remorse, and something different, new. He hadn't touched someone in so many years that even the slightest brush of skin to skin sent a chain of reactions through him that even he couldn't control.

His breathing evened out as she drew her hand away, but his senses were still stimulated.

His steps picked up again when he realized she wasn't going to touch him again, but it was faster than before, like he wanted to be at his ship as soon as possible.

"So, you're not allowed to-"

"Fwega, sleep. It's been a long day."
She sighed indignantly and shook her head.

"So you're not allowed to show your face."

It was Mando's turn to sigh.

"Yes."

"That's a shame. I'm sure you're pretty under there." Fwega could feel his laugh, his breastplate moving in rhythm.

The next few hours were spent fading in and out of consciousness.

Fwega could remember glimpses of memories. Mando gently setting her on the bed. Her grabbing his arm as he left. Him pausing and whispering "I'll be back soon, watch over the kid". The child itself laying on top of her in the tiny bunk, protected by her arms.

When she really started to wake was when Mando picked her up again.

"Where are we going?" She asked, yawning. Her chest felt cold and she looked down to find the child gone.

"Shh, go back to sleep. I found us some shelter, it's a nights trip on my transport."

She yawned again and snuggled into his breastplate. She looked up. The sliver of skin was no longer visible, and she sighed softly. He looked down at her.

Mando stopped when he came to his transport. He nodded at Cara, already in it, and set the sleeping girl next to him and the child. He hopped in himself and set it to autopilot.

That night, Fwega dreamt of the stars reflecting off of a certain someone's helmet. Her hands reached for it, but before she could fully pull it off, she jerked awake.

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