Vibrant Eyes | Din Djarin

35: and

A week later, they got their first lead in over four months.

Din walked with Ira matching each stride with ease, the kid hanging at his side in his usual brown bag. Light flurries of snow shone in the blinding sun, filling the air with a strange chill, and dusting Ira's dark hair. Before them lay a small town of worn wooden buildings and snow lining every crevice.

It wasn't entirely empty, but it wasn't a bustling hub, either. All that passed through the street or occupied the buildings were silent and tense, always looking over their shoulders. It was a sign of lives lived in danger if he ever saw it.

The moment they entered the town's perimeter, all eyes drew to him instead. Focusing predominantly on the armor he wore and, maybe, what it meant.

A few buildings into town a little girl, the youngest person in sight apart from some young adults, stood on a porch watching them pass. She caught his attention with ease for the way she clung to the post in her hands. Her eyes were wide on him, and he focused on her, alarmed by her fear most of all.

Because she didn't fear for herself, and he wondered what could scare a little girl so much to worry over a stranger.

The girl's eyes darted between Ira and him. But when Ira turned her attention to her and smiled, the little girl gasped and disappeared into the building. Ira frowned and they exchanged a worried look.

They continued on into the town and Din tensed by the second. He was used to stares; they both were. But their focus on him almost felt... territorial. Predatory. The worst he received before this was scorn or fascination, but this was different, worse than all of that, and more.

That was when the fear started.

Ira took the lead, seeming absent of the tension pulling a string tight around his control, trailing off to the side of the street. Din followed silently, a hand falling to pull Grogu even tighter to his side. He did his best to block the big green ears, but it was a nearly impossible task. He stood at her back, a silent shadow as she questioned a few locals with her soft, soothing voice.

But it was hard to get an answer from them when they would just stare at him with fear and... he didn't even know. But the intensity made him want to hook an arm around Ira's waist and pull her as far from them as he possibly could.

He really didn't want to think about what this all could mean for the lead they were following.

Months before, Din had managed to secure an informant in his hunt for a Mandalorian. Then, that morning, the ping of an incoming message broke through the calm sounds of breakfast with Grogu. Both he and Ira had rushed up to receive it.

Now they were on this planet, looking for the pair of Mandalorians they'd received report of.

They would have stayed longer, but after getting the basics of information from the people in town, Din clasped a gentle gloved hand around Ira's wrist. She needed only look at him once to know what he meant. 

She let him walk them back to the Razor Crest and seal them within for the rest of the day.

That night they sat at their usual table. Instead of cards, a map of the surrounding territories was spread out, as well as small pieces of paper folded into various shapes to represent the different players in their plan.

Ira fiddled with the small paper frog, then placed it where the Razor Crest was parked. "This rising warlord has something to do with their disappearance."

Din nodded in agreement. "They disappeared with his appearance. Maybe they went into hiding."

"It's something more than that."

"I agree, but the people here are being terrorized."

"I saw. They're starving, poverty swallowing them whole like an unquenchable beast."

Din fought the fond smile. "Remember how I helped at Sorgan?"

Ira blinked at him. "This is bigger."

Din said, "The territory works in my advantage. It'll work."

Ira leaned back and then closed her eyes. "Alright," she sighed. "Enlist my services."

"Enlist—what?"

She smiled, eyes still closed. "I can fight."

"Ira, no."

"Grogu will stay on the ship, I will stay with you." When she finally opened her eyes, they swallowed him whole. He didn't let himself feel touched by the sentiment she offered. "I have yearned to feel the flow of a battle for many years. Do not harm us both."

He shouldn't have, but he agreed. Eventually. Din really couldn't bring himself to say no to her, not to Ira.

But he couldn't stop thinking about that little girl in town. The one they saw when they arrived. And the one that caught his eye just as they were leaving.

He could've sworn she wanted him to know something. Could've sworn she was warning them. Could've sworn she began to cry.

Because she met his visor, her eyes glimmering, and mouthed, "Run."