Loved and Lost

Stars

After hauling the quarry onto the Mandalorian's ship-- which you learned was called the Razor Crest-- the two of you tried to stay out of each other's way as much as possible. Unfortunately, it was not a very large ship. With the quarry down in the cargo area and Mando in the cockpit, there wasn't much room for you to have a place to yourself. You were able to find an unused storage closet that was big enough for you to lay down in, which would be useful for when you wanted to sleep later. After exploring the Razor Crest for a while, you were able to determine that there was a cockpit, cargo hold, fresher, a few storage closets, a small scullery, and a locked door that you assumed was Mando's quarters. Of course he gets to sleep in a real bed, you complained inwardly. Oh well, at least now you had a mode of transportation other than hitchhiking around. That would be worth sleeping on the floor, without a doubt. 

You could tolerate the minor inconveniences of sleeping on the floor and sharing a rather small space with someone you knew next to nothing about. That was doable. What you could not tolerate, though, was the hours of silence that encompassed you. Mando did not seem like a talker from your initial interaction, and you were honestly a little bit apprehensive of going up into the cockpit. However, it was the only place on the Razor Crest that you had not yet explored (besides the locked door, of course). Soon enough, the need for interaction with another living being outweighed your apprehension and you found yourself climbing the ladder to the cockpit. 

The first thing that struck you about the cockpit was the stars rushing toward you through the windows as the Crest hurtled through space at unimaginable speeds. Cold blue, bright white, and pale gold streaks seemed to flow around you as you took a small step forward into the cockpit. It was breathtaking, and you never wanted to leave. You had never experienced space travel from the cockpit of a ship before, whenever you were able to hitch a ride with someone your place was usually somewhere in the lower levels of the spacecraft. Peering out at the stars, all of your earlier concerns about interrupting the Mandalorian melted away in the beauty of the moment. Breathless, you plopped down in the seat beside Mando.

After a moment, you were finally able to speak. "It's so beautiful up here," you half-whispered, still in awe of the cosmos around you. 

"I never noticed," Mando rasped, turning his chair slightly toward you. It was obvious that he was watching you, but you didn't care. 

"That's a shame," you responded, "if I had the opportunity to see them all the time I'd never look away. I've never seen anything more beautiful than this." It almost felt like you could reach out and touch the stars, but you figured it would be silly to say something like that out loud.

Mando cleared his throat, swiveling his chair so that he faced you. "You're welcome to come up here as much as you like, just don't touch anything." After a moment, he added, "I know the ship isn't much. Did you find somewhere you can put your things?"

You fought the urge to roll your eyes. "Yeah. There's an empty storage closet that's big enough for me to lay down in, I'll just have to find some blankets and it'll work fine." He nodded and turned his chair back towards the engine controls. You could tell that he was done talking, and although it wasn't a lengthy conversation, it did satisfy your need for interpersonal connection for the time being. Besides, it was the longest conversation you'd held with Mando so far, which felt like an achievement. Although it would be easier if the two of you were more friendly towards each other, being allowed in the cockpit would do for now.

Taking one last look at the stars, you stood up from your chair and quietly left the cockpit. You'd never really had the luxury of a regular eating schedule, but your stomach was telling you that it could use some food pretty soon. Making your way to the small scullery, you decided to cook a meal for Mando and yourself. Even though you didn't particularly like him after he had stolen your quarry, you figured making him a meal would be a decent peace offering for the time being. After rustling around in the cabinets for a bit, you were able to put on some ration packets for the both of you. It definitely wasn't ideal; one of the first things you'd be buying would be some fresh ingredients. After all, you'd definitely be able to afford it making half of whatever the Mandalorian made.