An Unlikely Pair || Mandalorian

The Sin

I think out of all 2 seasons, this is maybe my 3rd favorite episode
It was fun to write out

She felt her heart ache knowing what was coming next. This was wrong, she told herself. They were reclaiming what was stolen from her friend's people, but in order to do that, they were turning in one of her people.

There was also a part of her that was terrified for herself. The Empire was still around, and they were still trying to hunt force sensitives. What if they figured out who she was, would they put a bounty on her too?

If the prize was beskar... would Din turn on her?

No, she told herself. He wouldn't do that. They'd been working together for years, they were partners. They cared about each other.

Right?

"Zelona?" She yelped and jumped, spinning on her heel to see Mando at the edge of the ladder, just having come down to check on her.

Zelona looked away from him, and to the baby. Something clicked in her head and she sighed. She knew what she had to do.

"Din, we need to talk."

The two hunters sat across from each other in the cargo hold, looking at one another. Behind the helmet, he searched her face for any signs of what she was gonna say. He knew what this was about, and he knew it was going to come eventually.

He just didn't know what she had to say about it. Not really.

The togruta had her arms crossed over her knees with her head bowed, staring at the floor. She wouldn't meet his eyes, like she was avoiding them. She never did that and it made him frown more.

"Zelona." He leaned forward and stood up, walking over to her and kneeling next to her. One of her hands was tracing where the gash she had gotten from the mudhorn was. There was no indication that she had ever been wounded save the torn pant leg, and he felt his chest tighten when he remembered the fear he felt bubbling up.

She sighed and finally looked at him. Her golden eyes had tears pricking at them and he reached out for her but paused. Zelona grabbed his hand and pressed his gloved palm against her face and leaned into it. He was frozen and made no move to pull away from her.

If this were anyone else he'd have pushed them away, but this was Zelona. He never could push her away, and not when she was hurting.

Her breath caught itself as she pleaded with her mind to not cry. It would make it worse. " Din ." Her voice cracked and he found his hand slipping from her cheek to her shoulder where he held it gently. "Din, I can't do this. I can't-" Her lip wobbled and she curled in on herself.

He was silent for a moment for wrapping an arm around her shoulder and she curled into his side. "I know." He said, the voice modulator hiding the pain he felt for her.

"I'm betraying my people by turning him in." Zelona sighed, feeling her eyes sting and she closed them tightly. "But the beskar- it belongs to your people." She didn't know what to do. By helping Din she was betraying her own people, and if she helped the baby she'd betray Din. "I don't know what to do." She pressed her forehead against his pauldron, the cold metal contrasting her burning skin.

The Mandalorian tilted his helmet to look at his partner, his hold on her tightening. He was stuck in a place no one should be in. He was relieved he was not having to choose between helping Zelona and his Creed, but she was in pain from this.