The Sweetest Taste

Chapter 30 - A line in the sand

The streets were far quieter in this part of the city.

Steam rose from vents all around them, as Din and Lysa walked, with Grogu following close beside them in his hover pram.

As usual the neighbourhood was not the most welcoming. With most of the residents who lingered in these streets, staring Din down as he went. Obviously keen to know what a Mandalorian was doing in this part of town.

Because of this, Din kept one hand close to his blaster as he walked. And under the other arm, he carried Lysa's basket full of ingredients they had purchased in the market not ten minutes ago.

The trio had walked in what had been a comfortable silence the entire way here.

But the closer they had gotten to Lysa's apartment, the more Din could see her face change to one of nervousness and worry.

Din was certain that the Marshal and the Peacekeepers would have checked the apartment to make sure Crix was not holed up inside. But even so, Din kept a wary eye out for any sign that something was wrong, And if he even got a sniff that Crix was nearby or even inside, he wouldn't hesitate to shoot him on site.

He had been foolish last time not to finish the job.

This time he would not make that mistake again.

Rounding the corner, he felt Lysa take a nervous step closer to him as they caught sight of the door to her apartment directly ahead, sandwiched tightly between two other doors on either side.

Not for the first time, Din remarked on how dismal and poverty-stricken this part of the city truly was.

Just to their left was an unturned trash can and on their right were two unkempt looking men sitting on a step smoking pipes, the pungent scent of stale tabac drifting into Din's nostrils, despite his helmet covering the entirety of his face.

It was certainly not a nice place to live. And Din knew that Lysa deserved far better than this squalor.

He only wished he had met her years before now, long before Crix Val'shif had entered her life.

It wasn't the first time Din had dwelled upon this thought. Picturing what their life would be like now, if they had met at a far younger age.

Would Din had chosen a life beyond chasing bounties? Would he have denounced the Creed for the sake of a life with Lysa?

Perhaps they would have had a home somewhere, together? Maybe they would have settled down? Had children perhaps?

Din swallowed hard now, trying to force thoughts such as these from his mind. A dream was all it could ever be, surely?

Arriving at the doorstep, Lysa punched a code into a panel on the wall (an old fashioned entry system Din noted - certainly not efficient for home safety in this part of town) and the door slid open.

Lysa stood there for a moment as Din and Grogu lingered just behind her, but she made no move to enter.

From his angle Din could just about make out her worried-looking eyes flitting back and forth over the entryway.

She looked terrified once more, and Din didn't doubt the memories, that being back here, were likely causing to resurface.

"It'll be ok," said Din suddenly in a gentle and reassuring voice, suddenly climbing the small step that led up to the doorway so that he was level with her.

He stared her way, as she turned her head and looked up at him.

That all encompassing fear, evident on her beautiful face.