Unmasked Love | The Mandalorian

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I've been sitting on the edge of one of the balcony railings for the past hour or so, just watching the night sky. I would say that I was a good three stories up, but I didn't mind the height too much. My eyes were too infatuated with the stars to care about the looming threat of how easily I could fall to my death at any moment in time. 

The city's light pollution had already canceled out most of the stars that were trying to peak through, but a few of them still managed to meet the naked eye. It was beautiful, but I do have to say that stargazing is much better from a ship in the middle of nowhere. 

Light footsteps trail up from behind me and I peer over my shoulder, making sure that it wasn't anyone trying to kill me. I spot Mando slowly walking up to me, his broad shoulders perfectly squared with his armor. I slowly look away from him, my eyes landing back on the stars that were managing to shine through the darkness. I take a deep breath, trying to emotionally prepare myself for the conversation I was probably about to have. 

"If you want anything around here, you can just mention my name and they'll probably get on their knees for you to do your bidding," I mutter, hoping that he'd catch the hint to just leave me alone so I can sulk in silence. 

I think I've embarrassed myself enough for one night. The alcohol I had consumed had finally set in. I'm drunk, Adrienne kissed me, Mando saw, and I'm literally sitting on the edge of a three-story balcony with no intention to jump. I don't think I can handle whatever conversation I was about to go through. 

"And if you want to stay in a room for the night instead of staying on the Crest, just put it on my tab," I add, trying to give him another reason to just go. 

He slowly leans against the railing next to me, his head titled up to look at the stairs just as I was doing. I close my eyes and dip my head down, not knowing if I could really take this right now. After what he saw Adrienne and I do, I don't think I want to face him right now. Nothing like kissing an ex-lover while the guy you currently love watches. 

"What're you thinking about?" he asks, resting his hand on mine. My eyes snap open and I look over at him, my fingers tingling as the pads of his gloves graze over my skin. I stare at him for a bit before pulling my hand away, resting both of them in my lap. My fingers play with the thin cloth of my dress to distract myself. 

"Adrienne has a tendency of flirting, especially when it comes down to me," I start, forcing myself to take a deep breath in an attempt to calm down. I was about to spill everything to him and I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to hold a filter up to my thoughts. "The flirting comes with the job and it comes with her. It's just normal for us. And I've never questioned her about it because... I never felt like there was a need to question her about it."

"And you're telling me this, why?"

"Because I need you to know that the kiss from her didn't mean anything to me," I lie, keeping my voice quiet and low. I really wasn't sure whether or not he had heard me, but I wasn't going to repeat myself. He grabs both of my hands and holds them tightly in his own. My head snaps back over to his helmet. He leans forward and rests his forehead against mine. My breath hitches and he squeezes my hands a little tighter. 

"And why would you want me to know that?" he asks quietly, his voice steady yet uncertain. I blink a few more times and then close my eyes, my heart pounding in my chest. Could he hear how fast my heart was pounding? Could he feel my skin heating up? Could he tell that I wanted to tell him everything?

"I just... I just needed you to know," I whisper back, not bringing myself to tell him the truth. He squeezes onto my hands a little tighter and I bite my bottom lip, trying to stay as calm as I could. He can't do this to me right now. Not with the state I'm in.