Stuck With Me: A Cad Bane Novel

Chapter 28

Warnings: im kinda lazy with writing their emotions, weird plot because i had scenes i wanted to write and didnt know how to make them fit, canon typical stuff, some crude ass twi'lek guy, l-word is used,

Word count: 1.2k

Cad's eyes rove over the crowds as he searches for the signature, red skin, pointed ears and beady eyes of a Jablogian. You stick close to his side, gaze flicking over every face that passes by, your face shadowed by a hood in case someone recognises you from your fight in the Garkata Fighting Arena. Other than Tygrav's obvious lack of transparency for this mission, another thing that really needles him is the fact that he's doing this for Sy Snootles. Of all the people he finds irritating, it has to be her that he's helping. He dreads to think about what she'll sing to thank him in her quavering, high voice that pleases Ziro to no end - and he hates to think about the way she'll treat you - most likely, she'll just stare disdainfully at you in a way that's blindingly obvious.

'Cad,' you hiss as a Jablogian which is not Ullus trundles past. 'Cad, this isn't working.'
He raises his brow. 'What do ya suggest we do about that, then, li'l lady?'
'Split up?' You ask.
He shakes his head. 'No way. Yer gonna be recognised at some point, and I don't want ya to be alone when that happens.'
You fold your arms. 'Are you saying I can't look after myself?'
'No,' he growls. 'No, I just don't want anythin' to happen to ya.'
'Glad I could force that one out of you,' you chuckle.

Cad doesn't answer, just grunting grumply as you smile impishly up at him. You're desperately pretty when you're happy, and you seem to glow like a kyber crystal in the dark in comparison to the residents of Nal Koska, just begging to be found. It makes his heart flutter, the way you smile like that. The way you smile at him, as if he's the thing that makes you smile, as if he's not dirty and cold with his hands covered in the blood of others, as if he's not the most feared bounty hunter in the galaxy. Really, it's refreshing to see someone who doesn't stare at him like an ash rabbit in speeder lights. It makes him feel sentient again, like he's still got the emotions he beat down for years - the emotions that you're slowly nourishing with your firm touch and affectionate words.

You knock into Cad as you dodge out of the path of a huge Besalisk carving his way through the crowd, and he catches you with one hand clamped around your waist. Hooking your fingers into his belt loops, you yank him closer for a minute, simply enjoying the contact before you release him. A glance down confirms that you're smiling to yourself, and he secretly wonders how you were ever the trembling, not quite Human slave that he found in Gavinc Russ' lair, because even though your fight in the pit scared the shit out of him, it seems to have done wonders for your confidence.

'You're drawing attention to me,' you hiss as a pair of Rodians stare at Cad's wide brimmed hat. 'We need to split up.'
'Izrin, I hate this slug hole as much as ya do, but separatin' ain't gonna help us find her any faster.'
'Cad,' you growl. 'There are hundreds of Jablogians in this crowd. We can set a rendezvous, you can com me, whatever. But the longer we stay here, the more I think someone's going to attack us. I have a bad feeling about this, and...' You shrug. 'I don't know if my instincts are trustworthy or not, but so far they haven't fucked me over.'
'Why don't ya wait a few - '

As if on queue, Ullus shows up. She stands by a stall at the corner of the market, not really doing anything in particular apart from fiddling with a large, bling encrusted bracelet. That strikes Cad as strange - normally smart bounties hide the jewels they've stolen, going so far to rid themselves of any hints of wealth to draw hunting eyes off them, and Ullus must be smart if she broke into Ziro's palace without being detected until she left.

You nudge him in the side, jerking your head towards the female Jablogian, and he nods in return, increasing his pace just minutely - not enough to stand out, but enough to start pushing through the shoppers thronging around the market. The merchants scream the products they're selling out loud, yelling about their bargains and filling the air with a buzzing aggression which only seems to increase as customers ignore their wares for another seller's. Ahead, Droskigan Ullus pockets the bracelet and dissolves away into the market, and the two of you shoulder your way forward, tracing her path. A Twi'lek calls out to Cad, and when he glances over, he sees that the green skinned man is selling slave outfits.

'An outfit for your companion?'
'No, thank you,' you mutter. 'I've had enough of those. I hate them.'
Cad sneers a bit, lowering his voice so only you can hear. 'I'd rather jus' have you naked, anyway.'

You roll your eyes at him, and he has to remind himself that you're on a job, that he can't just drag you into an alleyway and taste your smile. As you pass the stall, he subtly tucks his arm around you, because although you're cracking jokes, he knows that you still remember, still occasionally shudder under the gaze of a man, and he wants you to know that he'll do anything to ease you, to make you feel secure. Reaching down, you cover his hand with yours, and he accepts your silent gratitude, resisting the urge to bury his face in your hair and lean his chin on the top of your head and just hold you.

A flash of Ullus glimmers through the crowd, red skin and one, beady eye, and the two of you barge through a crowd of Nikto. Suddenly, you're out of the market square, just in time to see Ullus disappear around a corner, and the two of you jog forward in pursuit. Ahead of you, the alleyway splits into two, one path left, one path right. Raising your eyebrows, you turn to Cad, shoving his side lightly while looking pointedly between him and the two, empty paths.

'Fine,' he growls. 'We'll split up. If yer not back in a standard hour, I don't care, I - '

Cad cuts himself off. There's a funny look on your face, a strange glimmer in your eyes that baffles him. It's as if you're going to cry, but your mouth is turned up in a smile he's never seen before, as if you've just had some sort of revelation or epiphany which you can't wait to tell him. You seem to be examining his face, memorising him as if someone's going to test you on the scars marring his skin - as if you're not going to ever clap your eyes on him again. Fear blossoms in his chest, sudden and unexpected, catching him by surprise in the same way the words you say next do.

'I love you, Cad Bane.'

And then you're slipping away, like sand through his fingers, leaving him with his mouth paralyzed, his vocal chords seized up. Leaving him with the terrible feeling that he might not see you again.