the curious happenstance of pedro pascal and din djarin [The Mandalorian]

Wrong number?

Eleis,

You're an old fool. You're our leader, it's your responsibility to lead. Why establish CANDID if you won't be here for it? Ben is injured. Caught in the crossfire. If he dies, it's your fault.

Heidi ("Right Hand")

-

15th April, 2020

"Din?"

Din sighed. In annoyance, or out of exhaustion, he couldn't quite tell. He tore his eyes up from Heidi's letter and gazed over at Peri in the doorway. A few hours had passed, since they all left.

"Yes?"

"That man... the old man, with glasses?"

"Yes?"

"Robert Garrison?"

Din squinted. "Where's this going?"

There was a brief pause. Peri moved closer to sit on the edge of the bed.

"I met him, a few times, I think. When I was still living on the streets? He... he brought me food, and he helped me after..." he trailed off.

"After?"

"After... after, uh, I was, was assaulted. He found me and made sure I was okay, so- sorry, it's just, weird to see him again. Small world, you know?"

Strange, indeed, that Robert supposedly had met Peri, too. If what he'd said before was true, that people affected by the dimensional fuckery were naturally drawn to each other, then... well, it wasn't too far-fetched but still. Los Angeles alone was a gigantic city. And somehow, Robert knew Chris, and Peri, and now acted as Din's therapist. Psychologist, whatever, same difference. Probably.

"He found you?" Din asked. "Just on the streets?"

"In an alleyway. It was... about an hour after."

"After you were assaulted?"

A pause. Peri fiddled with the strings of his sweatpants. "Yes." His eyes glazed over, they became misty and distant. He stared down at his hands. "He gave me food, and, and blankets. If he hadn't found me..."

The door creaked open. Butterscotch jumped up onto the bed, but Peri paid her no mind. Din picked her from the blankets and carried her in his arm like a baby.

She liked it when he did that. Would routinely ask for it by pawing at him, and complaining when he put her down. It began when Omera did it, only once, and now it was the only acceptable way to be carried, in her mind. Difficult, now, with one arm in a sling, but not impossible.

Peri shuffling off the bed took Din out of his thoughts. He watched as he leaned over the little desk and pushed out the window. A gust of hot air flew in, but Peri didn't seem to care, if he even noticed. He leaned on the desk with both hands and sucked in a deep, shaky breath.

* * *

"Are you alright?" Din asked. He received a small head shake as an answer.

"Nausea."

"Do you think you're gonna be sick?"

"I don't know. I don't know. I just, uh, I can't stop thinking about it. About her."

"Who?"

"That woman," he hissed. "It was dark but I remember her. I see her face. I hear her... her voice."

Din placed Butterscotch on his pillow. She didn't complain, this time. He stood and approached Peri at the desk.

"What happened?"