Bounty hunting is a complicated profession

Giddy

Many hours had passed when you finally spotted Trask and, as things weren't going to start going your way now, the landing array wasn't responding.

"Once we're through the atmosphere, there should be enough fuel to slow down." Din said as you started approaching the planet. "If we don't burn to a crisp."

As he had anticipated, the whole ship started to get engulfed in flames because of how fast you were entering the atmosphere.

"Come here. I need your hands!" Din yelled over the noise, unable to let go of the yoke. "This lever needs to stay back. Keep it steady."

You stood to his side, doing as you had been told while the ship kept falling down way too fast. Trask flight control came through the comms telling you to reduce your speed and, although you knew Din was a good pilot, you would be lying if you said you weren't even a little bit anxious. Just at the last moment, he switched on the rear thrusters and the ship stopped, hovering over the landing platform.

"Here we go. Nice and easy." He was saying, lowering the ship onto the platform, when the right engine suddenly died and you toppled over to the side and into the water.

Din's hands grabbed you firmly around the waist the instant you lost your balance, turning on his chair and holding you close to him. You were impressed at how fast he had reacted – faster than you, and that was saying something – just to keep you from falling.

What exactly triggered what happened next, you weren't sure. Maybe it was due to all the physical and mental strain that had built up on you over the past few days, maybe it was for suddenly finding yourself on Din's lap, or maybe it was because you were in a submerged – and very damaged – ship when you didn't know how to swim. Perhaps it was the sum of all of the above. Be that as it may, you suddenly began to laugh uncontrollably, holding onto Din as if your life depended on it while you cried, quite literally, with laughter.

"What was that about?" Din asked with a smile in his voice when you managed to calm down, catching a tear that was sliding down your cheek towards your chin with his gloved finger.

"I don't know…" You admitted, gasping for air. "I just thought it would be just my luck to drown while inside a spaceship."

"Hmm… I thought it was an observation on my landing abilities." He said jokingly.

"Oh no! Maker forbid I say anything bad about your piloting skills!"

"I'm not sure if I like that tone… Anyways, it'll take them a while to fish us out so better get comfy." He said, hinting for you to return to your seat.

"I'm fine here, thanks." You said, not moving an inch and he cocked his head to the side, slightly confused. "If the canopy breaks, I'd rather not be buckled to a seat and I trust you'll know how to swim out." As you explained, the Frog Lady unbuckled herself from the seat and you chuckled softly.

You weren't sure how Din felt about having you standing there, in his lap, between his legs, holding onto his shoulders as hard as you could, but if he was uncomfortable with the situation, he was doing a great job at hiding it. Not only didn't he say anything, nor did he move his hands from your waist, but all you could feel coming from him was calmness. A calmness you did not possess though.

It still amazed you how big he was compared to you. Standing in front of him as you were, your head was only slightly above his and, with the way he had grabbed you, it made you feel as if his body was engulfing yours. You had to force yourself to think about anything else as you waited to be rescued, convinced as you were that at that distance he could perfectly hear the rapid beating of your heart against your ribs.