𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 ── ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɴᴅᴀʟᴏʀɪᴀɴ ✓

3.5

THIRTY-FIVE.
all to protect the child

🔹️🔹️🔹️

It was finally time for everyone to sleep and get some rest. We all found places around the camp fire to lay down on. Everyone was fast asleep.. except for me. I stood up from the ground and dumped some water over the fire, so the light of its flames wouldn't bother everyone while they slept.

I walked back to my sleeping spot on the ground and laid down on top of my bag and jacket. I stared up at the stars, admiring them from afar.

"Can't sleep?"

I jolted up and grabbed a blaster from my belt, pointing it towards the voice who called out to me. I took a deep breath out in relief when I realized it was just Mando. I tucked my blaster away as I laid back down on my jacket.

He sighed, "I guess we're the only ones awake.. again."

"Yeah.." I huffed, turning over on my side to face him. He was laying on his back, staring up at the night sky. I pursed my lips, "So, what's keeping you awake?"

Mando shrugged, "It's just that today was.. staggering."

".. What do you mean?"

"Not just you, but the kid healed someone," He said, turning his head to look at me. "That's not something you get to see everyday."

"I guess.." I smiled to myself.

"And you?" He asked. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, I've been thinking about how a lot has changed since we first met." I answered, staring at Mando's helmet.

"I can't argue with that." He replied with a gentle tone in his voice. I moved a bit closer to him until I was only a few feet apart from him.

"You know, uhm.. I'm really grateful for you," I whispered. "Of course, when you're not being a total jerk."

He began to move in closer to me as well, closing in the gap a little more. "You don't hate me?"

"Well.. after everything, you're at 45% now--"

"I still don't get that thing," He scoffed in a deep whisper. "But it's probably just a scale of how much you loathe me."

"No.. I don't hate you." I laughed, leaning in closer until we were only inches apart.

"Oh, yeah?"

I paused for a moment, looking into his helmet. That's when I noticed he was staring down at me too. I blushed, hoping he couldn't see my flushed face in the dark. I gave out an airy laugh, shaking my head.

"I just think you're the absolute worst."

🔹️🔹️🔹️

I woke up to the sound of soft snoring from Greef and his fellow bounty hunters. I drowsily opened my eyes. My vision began to clear up as I fully regained my conciousness.

That's when I realized my head was leaning against a cold chest-plate, and there was an arm supporting my head. I felt my hand touch the coldness of the armor's metal. I carefully, so I didn't wake up whoever this was, looked up. I immediately blushed and felt my heart race at the sight of him..