Never Tell Me The Odds

Chapter 9

Leo's POV:

I groan at the pain starting to come through at my ankle. I lift my leg up resting it on my right thigh and raise my pant leg up. I look at the bite marks from those hounds, the one that dragged me away. "You're hurt" I look up to see Qi'ra now standing in front of me. "Why didn't you say anything?" She asks grabbing onto my leg to get a better look.

"I didn't realize how bad it was. I didn't think much of it so I just left it. I'm fine" I laugh it off taking my leg and placing my foot back on the floor.

"You're not fine. Let me clean it and bandage it up" She motions me to get up but I shake my head no.

"I'm fine really, it'll be ok" I fix my pant leg then Qi'ra grabs my arm and pulls me up out of my seat.

"It won't be ok when you don't have a foot" She gives me a smug smile, "Now come back here" She orders walking out of the cockpit.

"Fine. RJ let us know if you see any trouble ok?" I look over as RJ climbs into the co pilot seat.

"Got it!" He beeps in amusement. I wonder what he's all giddy about.

I shrug it off and meet Qi'ra in the room at the back of my ship. "Sit" She instructs, patting the floor in front of her.

I sigh sitting myself down in front of her, laying my leg out to her. She rolls up my pant leg and begins cleaning my wound. I wince the first few times she made contact with my wound. Which prompted her to look up at me with a little mischievous smile. "I'm glad you're enjoying my pain"

"I never said I was enjoying it" She chuckles look up at me with just her eyes.

"Hm tell that to your shit eating grin over there." I laugh as she rolls her eyes at me shaking her head.

"Is that any way to speak to a lady?" She teases moving to the other side of my ankle.

"Oh sorry, how would you like me to speak to you? Formally then? Should I bow to you when I'm in your presence?" I start teasing back with a smirk on my face.

"You can bow to me... If you want me to shoot you" She chuckles starting to put unnecessary pressure on my wound.

"Hey hey ok! No bowing!" She stops putting pressure and goes back to cleaning the wound smirking.

"I'm not in any rank for anyone to be formal to me.." She sighs grabbing the bandages from the first aid box.

"Seems to me you're the right hand of Darth Maul" I chuckle lightly, she looks up at me clearly upset at my comment. "Sorry" I clear my throat as she begins bandaging my ankle. "Is that.. why you left Han?"

"I left him because I would've corrupted him. He has a good heart, and being around me would've corrupted him... I really did want that damn ship with him. But that was long ago." She shakes her head taking deep breath as she continues tending to my ankle. "I'll corrupt you too, that's why we are finishing this mission and you're both going home" She states as she finishes bandaging my ankle. "There you're all good."

She gets up ready to leave but I quickly stand to my feet and grab onto her wrist. I see her eyes gloss over as she looks me in my eyes. I clear my throat and let go of her, "Thank you.. for bandaging my leg.."

"Don't mention it" She smiles still standing in front of me, not breaking eye contact. I step closer to her smiling.

"Qi'ra I-"

Suddenly RJ begins beeping like crazy, "Leo! Qi'ra! Asteroids!"

Me and Qi'ra both quickly run back into the cockpit. "RJ let Qi'ra have the seat! And buckle up!" I sit down quickly in the chair and buckle myself up as Qi'ra and RJ do the same. "Hold on" I pull up on the wheel dodging an asteroid then I have to make a hard left turn to dodge another. I maneuver my way out of the asteroid field with the help of Qi'ra. "We're almost out!" But then two big asteroids start moving closer together, quickly closing the gap. "Shit!"

"Leo we aren't going to make it!"Qi'ra yells looking over at me.

"Trust me! We will make it!" I take a deep breathe accelerating the ship. "Hold on!" I flip the switch on it's side, barely getting out before the two asteroids collide. "Everyone ok?" I look to Qi'ra then back at RJ.

"I'm ok Leo" He brings out his tiny arm and gives me a thumbs up.

"Look. It's Mandalore.." Qi'ra taps my arm having me look out in front of us.

"Whoa.. there it is." I fly us down to where the cave is located and park our ship right outside the entrance.

"It's late. We should wait until morning to go in" She looks over at me unbuckling her seatbelt.

"I agree with Qi'ra" RJ chimes in.

"Morning it is then" I unbuckle my seatbelt and get up grabbing my blanket. "You can take the bed back there again" I smile at her sitting back down and wrapping my blanket around me from behind.

"Thank you." She flashes me a quick smile before walking back into the back of the ship.

"Hey RJ why don't you go back there too? I kinda want to be up here alone for a little while" I look back at him turning my chair slightly.

"Alright. Goodnight Leo"

"Goodnight RJ" I smile and turn back around as he walks to the back of the ship with Qi'ra.

Some time later I hear footsteps coming into the cockpit. I turn expecting to see RJ, but instead I see Qi'ra with a blanket wrapped around her. "I was wondering if you were awake. May I?" She points to the chair next to me.

"Yea of course" I nod prompting her to take a seat. "Yea I can't sleep.. so, I'm awake."

"Neither can I." She sighs looking out the window.

"I know how you feel.. in a sense" I say looking down at my lap.

"What do you mean?" She turns her head to me as she queries.

"Not exactly how you feel but.. my first love, she left me. For someone better.. for someone I believe can actually give her what she wants and deserves. Did it hurt? Yea it did but.. it was the best choice she could've made. I mean look at me.. I live in a hut with my only friend.. I barely have money to feed myself most of the time. Truth be told... she was on the fence about who she wanted.. me or him.. I made it easier for her... I lied and said I didn't love her anymore. And she believed me, she ran off the next day with the rich boy." I don't know why I'm telling her this, why I'm pouring my heart out to her right now. But for some reason, I feel a lot better now telling her that.

"In your mind.. you did the right thing. Just like in my mind.. I did the right thing with Han. Thank you for telling me all that, I'm sorry that happened" She gets up and walks over to me kissing my cheek. "You should get some sleep now. We have a long day ahead of us.." She smiles softly and starts walking away.

"Goodnight.."

"Goodnight Leo"