Desideratum | The Mandalorian

Important Information: He's Not Happy

"What's your name?"Faye broke the silence that had been hanging over the trio since leaving the shell of the ship. They hadn't been walking long, but in the dry, heat of the sand it felt like forever. The Mandalorian made no attempt to even acknowledge her question.

"Mine's Faye, if you were wondering." She doubted he was. "Short for Fayewyn." Her shoulders dropped at the continuing silence. He could at least answer to help pass the time. Faye understood that he liked the quiet but at some point she was going to go crazy only having the kid to talk to. The hunter must have sensed her growing aggravation, as he gruffly responded.

"Most people call me Mando."

"You must have a real name. I know there's a person underneath all that metal, though you seem to have to emotions of a droid." The joke bounced right off the scratched up armor that the hunter wore.

"Not anymore." The Mandalorain, or Mando as she now knew him, was saved from having to speak anymore by the outline of a hut appearing in the distance. A short man like being met them in front of the hut.

"I thought you were dead." The man stated as he approached the trio. He glanced at the carrier with the child and then over to Faye. "This is what was causing all the fuss?" Faye scoffed.

"I may be cute and short, but don't underestimate me little man." Faye would have put her hands on her hips to make a point, but unfortunately they were still bound in front of her.

"My ship has been destroyed. I'm trapped here."

"You mean we're stuck here." Faye smirked at the walking tin-can, positive that he was glaring at her under that sparkly helmet of his.

"Stripped. Not destroyed. Jawas steal, they don't destroy."

"Stolen or destroyed- makes no difference to me." Faye heard a frustration creep into his voice, the first emotion she had heard from him. Out of the corner of her eye, Faye saw the child chasing a frog. The men continued their conversation while Faye watched the child play.

"They're protected by their crawling fortress. There is no way to recover the parts."

"You can trade." The little man stated like it was obvious.

"With Jawas? Are you out of your mind?"

"I think they're kind of cute." Faye said, not taking her eyes off the kid. Though she could feel the glare Mando sent her way.

"I will take you to them. I have spoken." The little man turned and walked into his hut. Meanwhile, the child quickly caught the frog and stuffed it into his mouth. He looked up at Faye and she could see him grinning around the frog legs that hung out of his mouth.

"Hey! Spit that out." Mando chastised the kid, but he was drowned out by Faye's laughter. She was doubled over laughing at the kid and the Mandalorian's reaction to him. He was such a dad and he didn't even know it. Mando turned towards her sharply.

"Stop laughing at me."

"I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing with you." As if that made any difference.

"Well stop whatever it is you're doing."

"This is me with a cheery disposition- a ray of sunshine in the midst of this desert. Don't put a rain cloud over my sunshine, tin can." She was liking this side of Mando, even if he was mad at her. At least he was talking.

"It's an excuse to laugh at me."

"RAIN CLOUD." At that, Mando turned and followed the little man into the hut.

XXX

Instead of waiting until the morning to start their journey like normal people, Mando decided they needed to leave as soon as possible. Which is why they were now making the track at night. In the back of a cart. In the rain. The wood of the cart dug into Faye's back as she leaned against the railing. It was impossible to find a comfortable position with her hands bound. She glanced at the Mandalorian sitting across from her. He was was leaned back like she was, head resting on the railing. She would have thought him asleep except for the fact that he was holding the child in his lap. And the fact that he didn't trust Faye as far as he could throw her. Faye briefly wondered how far that would be.