PURPOSE | The Mandalorian

IX

I rolled my eyes behind my helmet. "You do realize that you call both of us Mando, right? It's kind of confusing."

She glanced from me to Din, then back to me again. "Sorry," She said half heartedly with a shrug. "You never introduced yourselves, so to me, you're both Mando."

"Oh." I cleared my throat as I stepped around the corner of a pool. "Well, my name is Jeyna if that helps."

Cara nodded with a lopsided smirk on her face. "Nice, I like it," She said, turning to Din. "What's yours?"

"Mando works for me," He grunted.

Cara glanced at me as her smile faltered a fraction, but she quickly corrected it. "Alright, then." She gave Din a pointed look as she turned away from him. "Keep your secrets."

I imagined Din rolling his eyes at her as she walked a few steps in front of us. But then he turned to me and asked, "Can we talk?"

"Uh," I said unsurely, "Yeah, sure."

He reached up to scratch the back of his neck. "Cara and I were talking," He began, "And we think it's the best idea to have you stay behind while we go provoke the walker."

"What?!" The exclamation forced its way through my lips before I could stop it. "Absolutely not!" I continued, struggling to keep my temper in check. "You need me out there!"

"For the record, this was all his idea," Cara shouted over her shoulder, "So leave me out of it."

Din glared after her with an intensity that could have set her pants on fire. But then he quickly looked back at me. He started, "Jeyna, this is dangerous-"

"I know that, and that's why I'm coming with you." I folded my arms across my chest, standing in his way. I glared at him beneath my helmet and I prayed he felt the heat of my stare. Because I was fuming.

He stepped up and looked down at my face. He was a good three inches taller than me, but I was not about to let his size intimidate me into submission.

"Jeyna, I don't want-"

I shoved him in the chest plate of his armor, and he stumbled back a step. "You can't just sideline me," I hissed in his face. "I didn't leave Canto Bight to help you and the kid run from the fucking Empire so you could just make me stay back when things get dangerous."

"Hey," He snapped, getting angrier, "Will you just listen to me?"

"No, this isn't a debate," I spat. "I'm coming with you and that's final."

I turned to walk away, but he grabbed my bicep and forced me around to face him again. I shouted, "Hey!—"

"I want you to stay here in case Cara and I don't make it back," He hissed quietly, his grip on my arm tightening as he spoke.

His words made the hot anger in my veins freeze, and I stared blankly up at him. "You're gonna make it back, Din," I whispered flatly, giving him no room to even think about dying out there.

"That's the plan," He continued, "But you know how this works. We make a plan, the plan goes to shit, then we improvise. I can't guarantee anything."

I tried to pry my arm out of his grip, but his hand remained firmly around my bicep. I spat each word fiercely, "You. Are. Not. Dying." Then I added, "Because I'm coming with you."

"No, you're not. Please, just listen to me," He snapped again, louder this time. My mouth snapped shut. "Just in case I don't come back, take the Crest and the kid and don't let the Empire catch you. He can't-" Din's voice broke, or maybe it was his modulator, I couldn't tell, "-go back there. Just, whatever you do, you have to keep him safe."

I paused, frozen by the sudden change of direction in the conversation. I reached out my arm that Din didn't have a grip on and gently placed my hand on his shoulder. "Then don't die," I said softly, "And you can keep him safe yourself."

Din nodded, slowly releasing the death grip he had on my bicep. Then I dropped my hand that was resting on his shoulder. "I'll stay back," I sighed. "But only this once. I'm fighting right beside you from now on."

He laughed quietly, and the sound caught me off guard. Then he said, "Deal."

Din began to look up and down the length of the wall. Then he pointed out the tower that was near the middle of it and said, "I want you up in that tower. You're by far the best shot here, and we're coming through the trees right in front of there. You'll pick off those raiders like it's a carnival game."

I laughed, although I would have to admit, Din's compliment gave me a huge confidence boost. A wicked smile spread across my face. I patted him on the arm and said, "Glad to know you still have blind faith in my shooting abilities, Mando." I winked, cursing myself when I realized he couldn't see my face. "Even after seven years."

Then as I turned around and began to walk ahead, I heard him sigh to himself, "It's been way longer than that since I lost you."

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Word count: 2295

Hey y'all! Chapter 9!! I think I'm gonna start keeping these little authors notes at the bottom to a minimum, just because they're kind of a hassle to write, lmao. Anyway, hope you all are doing good and staying safe!!

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Ch 9 published: January 8th, 2021