indebted. [din djarin x reader]

betrayal.

In some ways, you suppose Karga's hired muscle is supposed to reassure you, but the effects are barely noticeable, even if they are the best Guild members available to you at the moment. They stand behind you standing behind Karga as the Razor Crest touches down on the far outskirts of Nevarro Port, useless in so many ways. You've never seen Mando in action, but you have every confidence he could take all five of you down without so much as blinking.

Would he take you down, too, if he found out what you did? Rather, when he finds out? The thought sends your heart pounding again. You'll have to act fast. All of you will.

The ship's ramp lowers, your feet involuntarily pull you closer to the ship, and you have to remind yourself to take a breath. You brought him here in the confidence that he would protect you if it came to it. The tricky thing will be to convince him that you were in the dark to Karga's plan the entire time.

As the ship lowers, Karga beckons you forward. "Keep close, girl," he says in a low voice. "You're our artillery, and it looks like he brought backup too."

That much is true. Rather than a single figure emerging from the ship, you see two, both riding down the ramp atop a blarrg. Nonetheless, it's still him. Maker... It's been a while, hasn't it? You thought you were over trembling at the sight of him by now, but it seems to have come back in full swing. When he looks at you, will he know what you've done?

"Sorry for the remote rendezvous, Mando," Karga calls across the distance between your group and theirs, "but things have gotten complicated since you were last here."

Mando offers no response, and if his gaze ever reaches you at all, it doesn't linger. You release a breath just to capture another.

Karga continues, placing his hands on his hips. "It appears that introductions are in order. It seems we've both provided a security detail," he says, looking between Mando and his Ugnaught companion. "I recommend your friend stay to guard the ship. These lava fields are lousy with Jawas."

This time, Mando's response is immediate. "He's coming with me."

"But the town is now run by ex-Empire," Karga says. "If there are too many of us, they'll all get their hackles up."

"He's coming."

Karga hesitates only a fraction of a moment. "Fine," he says, dropping his hands and facing the Ugnaught. "Fine."

The Ugnaught regards him coldly and offers no response. For a moment, you wonder who he is, where he came from. What bond does he have with Mando that pulled him here from wherever it is he calls home? Is it a deeper bond than yours? Regardless, it must be a truer one by default. Does he trust any of his other friends the same as he trusts you? The reminder that you've done nothing to earn that trust swirls bitterly in your stomach.

"Now!" Karga charges ahead, seemingly unperturbed. "Where is the little one?"

A deafening silence falls between them for a moment before Mando presses a button on his gauntlet, and a small metal bassinet hovers forward and opens to reveal the kid sitting as happily as if it were just another sunny day.

Karga goes to pick up the baby, and you wonder if he notices the way Mando's hand moves to his blaster. One wrong move, and the whole operation goes up in smoke. How closely and for how long can you hold your cards close to your chest?

"So, this little bogwing is what all the fuss was about," Karga says. "What a precious little creature! I can see why you didn't want to harm a hair on his wrinkled little head. Well, I'm glad this matter will be put to rest once and for all. The sun drops fast on Nevarro. We can walk for a spell, camp out on the riverbank, and make our way into town at first light."