𝖜𝖎𝖘𝖍𝖇𝖔𝖓𝖊, 𝔡𝔦𝔫 𝔡𝔧𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔫

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐰𝐨

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

A WARM GLOW cascaded across the village as dusk began to drape itself over the settlement. Rays beamed down in stretches through the tree leaves, illuminating the reflective beskar of Mando's helmet. Sevara caught sight of herself in the helmet, gazing at her round, brown eyes and heart-shaped lips with the whisper of a wonder weaving through her mind of what the bounty hunter thought when he saw her.

She cursed inwardly at herself, suppressing a sigh at the hammering of her heart and rosy flush that bloomed across her cheeks. After all, why would a mandalorian want someone like her? She knew she was fractured, like a broken glass that no matter how hard you tried to piece back together, few sharp edges would remain, causing Sevara to wonder if all he noticed was the spiderweb of cracks that plagued her very soul.

But as he looked to her, his gaze and emotions concealed beneath the masquerade of his helmet, she felt a longing. It was as if she were tied to one end of a string and Mando to the other, with each step of their careful dance bringing them that slightest bit closer together.

Though, gazing around at the preparations the villagers had made for their oncoming encounter with the Raider's, she knew she had more pressing matters at hand. With the child in her arms, Sevara held him close as she bid him goodbye, running a soft touch across his cheek, telling him, "We'll be back soon, okay?"

He gazed up at her, cooing as he caught her fingers in his. Softly, a smile settled across her lips as she glanced to Mando, who was in the midst of informing Omera, "The sun is about to set, we'll be leaving soon. When we return, we'll be coming in hot."

"We'll be ready," she said, glancing to Cara as she approached, nodding to Mando and Sevara.

It was time.

Stepping beside Mando, Sevara nudged him slightly, offering him the child in her arms as she asked, "Wanna' say bye?"

He looked to him, nodding as he said, "Bye, kid."

Mando's gaze followed them as Sevara handed the child over to Omera, who had promised to keep him safe while they were gone.

"Make sure you stay safe as well," Sevara told the woman.

Omera smiled, nodding as she said, "I will."

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

THEY WADED THROUGH the shadows, careful to not alert anything that dwelled within the woods. Their footsteps were feather-light as they jogged single-file, with Sevara occasionally glancing behind her shoulder, for she could've sworn she heard a rustle— though, this merely earned a raised brow from Cara as she urged her to keep going.

Approaching the view of embers from a distance, Mando extended his hand out, slowing them to a stop as he pressed his back against a tree. He peered at the duo of Raider's who sat by firelight, conversing in an unfamiliar tongue. Glancing back, Mando nodded as he ducked forwards and shot towards the two, clasping his palm over the mouth of one whilst Cara tackled the other.

They inched towards the tent, backs against the fabric as they cocked their blasters, readying themselves to storm through. In the wake of the action, the lack of armour strapped across her body became apparent to Sevara as adrenaline hummed through her veins, stepping through the curtains with their weapons aimed high.

Her eyes were drawn to a pale shade of a luxuriant, bubbling blue, that resided within multiple cylindrical tanks scattered about the tent. Sevara stood before one of them, eyes narrowed as she resisted the urge to reach out and thread her fingers through the shimmering substance, unsure of its effects.

In her peripheral, she watched as Mando crosses towards a wooden pillar supporting the fabric walls and placing a round device atop it, one that blinked a blinding red. Sevara turned as Cara whistled lowly, inclining her head as murmurs began to circulate on the other side of the thin fabric, with the former rebel pressing herself up against it.

Sevara's grip on her blaster tightened as two figures pushed through the curtains, unable to get a clear view of their faces as Cara landed a blow to their nose, grunting as she slammed her foot into the other. Jumping into action, Mando pulled his fist back as he rammed it into one of them, the four of them engaged in a scrap as a third figure came in, heading for the bounty hunter.

As though she were stepping on hot coals, Sevara hurdled towards the Raider, her arms wrapping around his throat as she desperately clung to his back and diverted his attention towards her. Swinging her legs up, she locked her thighs around the nape of his neck, hissing as the sharp edges of his helmet dug into her skin and repeatedly drove the hilt of her blaster into his temple. Her stomach flipped as the Raider fell limp and crumpled beneath her, bringing her down as he fell and landed on top of her with a harsh thud.

Sevara groaned, her breath being knocked out of her as she pushed the Raider off of her and gladly accepted the hand Mando had offered her. Pulling her up, he asked quietly asked, "You okay?"

"Yeah," she said, frowning slightly as she ran a hand through her loosened hair with her free hand, for the two braids had become undone during the brawl.

He nodded, slowly releasing her hand and telling her, "Nice technique, by the way."

She smiled, "Thanks."

Grunts echoed throughout the campsite as another wave of Raider's charged through, with Mando pushing Sevara behind him as he tackled the oncoming attacker head on. She raced towards one of the Raider's who was steadily approaching Cara, gripping the neck of his shirt as she used all the strength she could muster to lug him backwards, sending him careening into one of the tanks.

Red beams shot towards them as Sevara ducked out of the way, crouching beside the pillar as she dodged the forthcoming blasts. She glanced to Mando, who pulled his trigger towards their attackers and simultaneously beckoning she and Cara over, telling them, "Come on, I'll cover for you!"

Looking to the former rebel, she gave a form nod as she made the leap across to Mando, who had shot against the walls of the tent, allowing Cara to easily break through. Mando wrapped his arms around Sevara's waist, making the jump through the cavity mere seconds before the flashing device erupted into an explosion.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

hi! first off, happy 2020!! i hope everyone had a safe and amazing new years <3

i just wanted to thank everyone for the amount of support wishbone has gotten— we reached 40k today and i couldn't have done it without all of you guys, so thank you!! it truly means so so much to me and it's an amazing way to kick off the new year!

as always, thank you for reading and i hope you enjoyed <3