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*:･ﾟ✧
Gaia and Mando are watching the stars together, and they have done so for some time now. Every now and then, Gaia will lift a finger and point, tracing the outline of a cluster of twinkling stars and share her thoughts of an image in them. She would then indicate different patterns to Mando, rambling on about how fond she is of stargazing and how she hasn't done it in such a long time. He listens to her every word, clinging to it all without interrupting her even once while being as invested in the observations as she is, and he loves it.
Gaia lowers her arm at last, the dark creeping further and further over them like an omen.
"Thank you for listening to me," she acknowledges, trying her best to blink the haze away which is gradually keeping her from staying awake. "Not many people do."
Mando is about to say something but Gaia never hears it. Claimed by immense fatigue, her head sinks onto his shoulder suddenly. The reply Mando had for her is seized and locked in his throat. He tenses, though only for a moment. Gaia has inattentively placed herself on the tip of his armor, and before she can be jerked awake by sliding off he gently dips his shoulder so that she's better positioned against the crook of his neck.
Gaia is far too gone to have noticed it, and Mando hearkens to her breathing; the steady rhythm tousling his thoughts and attention. In the end, it pulls him into a very similar sleep although the depth is not as great.
The sky is now entirely rid of the calm cyanic from earlier. It has turned incredibly dark, so dark that the outline of Toro's person can just barely be seen by eyes that have yet to adjust. Night dangles above the trio like a honed knife, and Toro's watch is finally concluded.
"All right, suns are down. Time to ride."
Toro rears around to find Mando and Gaia asleep, the latter being curled snuggly against the quiet Mandalorian. "Come on. Wake up."
Toro approaches the pair when they fail to respond, standing in front of them with a thoughtful expression. "Look at you guys, asleep on the job." He chuckles softly and casts a glance over his shoulder before quickly drawing his blaster pistol. It's playfully aimed at Mando, its unaware wielder squinting his eyes and hunching himself in continuation of the make-believe. Confidently twirling his weapon, Gaia cracks a single lazy eye open.
"Don't make me kill you," she deadpans.
Toro's composure drops. "Yeah, yeah. I was just, you know, waking you up. . ."
Mando stirs. "Didn't look much like it."
Toro, embarrassed and clearing his throat, waves them awkwardly forth. "Come on."
