ALWAYS YOURS ── multifandom

IX. The Deal Sealed

You looked down at the kid, a mix of wonder and protectiveness washing over you, causing your heart to swell with a warmth that felt foreign yet exhilarating. Just as the moment crystallized, a sudden jolt shattered the silence—the heavily reinforced door sprang open with an ominous clang. Instinctively, you yelped, adrenaline coursing through your veins as you drew your blaster, its metallic coldness grounding you in the moment. You pointed it cautiously towards the entrance, ready to defend the fragile life that had captured your heart.

But relief flooded over you as two familiar figures entered: Mando, resolute and unwavering, and the IG-11 droid, its mechanical form glinting under the dim lights. "Y/N," Mando called out, his voice steady yet tinged with concern. The tension in your muscles ebbed away as you let out a breath you hadn't realized you were holding. "Don't scare me like that!" you barked, your heart still racing from the surge of fear; the weight of the moment bore down on you like a heavy mantle. "Stars," you added, your voice softening as you glanced back at the kid, whose innocent eyes were wide with curiosity. The chaos of the world outside felt distant, but for a heartbeat, you realized that you were ready to face it all, as long as you had them by your side.

As you lifted the pod's lid, your heart raced in anticipation. The moment you peered inside, you were met with the unexpected sight of a child. Mando's helmet tilted slightly as he stepped closer, his voice a mix of surprise and urgency. "It's a kid," he remarked, disbelief crawling into the edges of his tone. You nodded slowly, the reality of it sinking in. "It seems so," you replied softly, the weight of the revelation sinking heavily in the air between you.

"They told us it was 50 years," Mando continued, shaking his head as though struggling to comprehend the disparity between the information you had received and the living being before you. "Why would they lie?"

You felt a moment of tension as the implications of his words swirled in your mind. "Species age differently," you said, your voice steady but laced with an underlying tension. A wave of recollection washed over you, jolting you into the memory of the droid stating orders that demanded the child's demise. In an instinctual response, you flicked your finger, activating a hidden command within IG-11. The droid's programming took hold, and its metallic chassis folded in on itself, awaiting your directives.

Mando snapped his gaze downward to where the droid had abruptly shifted, then turned to you, concern etching his features as he noticed your intense focus on the child. The innocence reflected in the kid's eyes sparked memories and urgency within you, compelling you to take action. Without allowing the moment to linger, you pivoted on your heel and gently placed the child back in the protective confines of the pod. "Let's go," you urged, an unspoken determination settling in your chest, preparing you for the impending chaos outside, bolstered by your steadfast companions. You were ready to face whatever awaited you, as long as the three of you remained together.

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The Razor Crest glided smoothly across the vast expanse of space, its engines humming gently as it navigated towards Nevarro once again. You found yourself seated next to the Child, who watched the stars unfold beyond the cockpit windows with wide, curious eyes. Mando—a man of few words—steered the ship with a concentration that only deepened the aura of mystery surrounding him. Occasionally, he glanced your way, his dark helmet obscuring any hint of emotion, yet you could sense the unspoken bond forming between the three of you.

"You realize," you ventured, breaking the heavy silence, "that you could have told me you don't want to give this kid to the Guild. You know they'd hand him over to your client, and he's not a man you can trust." The weight of your words hung in the air, heavy with implications that seemed to echo in the cockpit.