Lullaby | The Mandalorian

Chapter Twelve: BUUUTT IIII LOVEEE YOU SOOOO. pleeese leeet meee goooo.

Warning: This chapter is mature! (Mando is still a jerk and Annelise is still crazy).

Thank you @ dumbbunnybee on tiktok for the boy's name!

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She woke, nearly frozen stiff.

Frost covered the long grass she laid in, the fire had gone out in the night and the sun was barely up. There was a fog over the plains, holding it – cradling. Life was slipping in and out, and she looked over – saw the armor, saw the way the frost and morning dew clung to it, and she was shivering. She had not known how cold she was until awakening and she had not realized they had gone to sleep where they had – well...once more done what they had done. She exhaled, her breath in front of her face and she rolled onto her side. She slipped her thumb over the front of his helmet, where the frost clung where she assumed his eyes were.

Annelise flinched when a hand snapped out – and grabbed her wrist harshly.

Mando pushed and she was shoved onto her back, his body rolling over her and she knew in the back of her mind he was not fully awake – but rather startled...Her wrist shoved into the ground above her head, and her eyes widened. She laid flat, breathing quickly as she stuttered the words out, "I-It's me."

He wasn't breathing heavily, didn't seem to be startled like her, but she knew he was. He was just better had hiding it – and he stared and stared, and then replied inside the modulator, "Don't do that."

"Okay," Annelise breathed out, "No touchy the helmet. Got it."

She already knew that though.

He remained there, his body heavy on top of her own, armor digging into her own skin. She blinked over and over again – until suddenly he must have noticed her shivering, because he muttered, "Are you cold?"

"Frozen," She laughed a little, awkward from the aggression moments before, "We fell asleep."

Because it was funny. At least she thought it was. It was nice, sleeping beside him even with the armor and the cold in the way. Even with him reacting the way he did to her touching his helmet. She was used to it by now, his strange moments where he turned back into the Mandalorian and not Mando. Another person – but when his hand slid across her cheek, it was gentle just then – and she watched him move. His hand slid from her cheek to her jaw, taking it a moment...Squeezing and tilting her head as if trying to look at her a moment in the morning sun. Studying her. Contemplating. And she smiled.

"Good morning," She greeted, a bit delayed. But his awakening had made it impossible. She grinned wide...Sounded chipper – she was happy. For a moment she had forgotten all the bad things – had forgotten all the threats, the hunters, the fact they had orphaned a child. A child – children they were somehow raising together...When they had only been strangers a few short weeks ago. Things had changed – and they had changed quickly.

She felt his hand – the way it almost stuttered in a way holding her face. Then he replied, lower in his chest – voice gruff with sleep...

"Good morning."

He did not sound as happy as her. But she did not think he was capable of being chipper. She might would die if she saw a chipper Mando. He was permanently broody. His hand moved from her face, and he adjusted his body, pushing himself further over her – and she blinked...confused – slightly as he dragged her closer to him...A hand slipping under her sleep shirt and gripping her thigh. His fingers dug in, pushing and his thumb massaged the skin there. She exhaled shakily, averting her eyes towards the morning sky...She did not know what he was doing but she felt...well...Sometimes he just seemed like he was dying for touch and yet – the gloves and the armor...Prevented a lot of it.