I'll Do The Same { Din Djarin x OC}

Chapter Twenty Four: Kijimi

"What in... Kriff. This place is crawling with bounty hunters. Anyone who sees you might try to shoot you, Din."

Thell was leaned over his shoulder, looking at the rest of the space port of Kijimi from inside the cockpit of the Razor Crest. It was littered with bounty hunters, obvious from the symbols on their shoulders or the weapons they carried. Din even pointed out a few that he had met previously.

Kijimi was dark, even during the daytime. Huge mountain ranges surrounded the city that was covered in snow. The streets were tight, staircases littered with species of many kinds, vendors and merchants shouting in every direction. Most of the settlements were built from grey stone, just the same as the cobblestone paths and walls. Street posts displayed various shops and taverns while the only lights came from burning yellow emitters that flooded the walkways.

"I'll be fine," Din replied, sounding unusually calm. "It's been three weeks since the Empire took the kid. No one will be looking for me."

Thell sighed. "I hope not."

"So who is this contact of yours we're meeting?" Din asked, peering over his other shoulder to look at Theldar.

"His name is Vero Vincler," Theldar explained. "We used to serve together; he defected from the Empire a few years.... But he should know the details on how to get the kid back."

. . . .

Despite her training and feeling more confident, Thell clung to Din's side, brushing her shoulder against his armor as they walked through the crowded streets, rampant with villagers and visitors from every spot in the galaxy. Staying close to the Mandalorian, who stuck out like a star in the crowd with his Beskar and great height, made her feel immensely safe. They were getting steps and steps closer to get Grogu back, to getting back to the way things were before they had been captured.

It felt like she had lived a different life before she and the kid had been taken: wandering the galaxy for months, finding her father's armor, spending day in and day out at the Mandalorian's side. Maybe that's why she had fallen for him so quickly, since they spent almost every waking moment together. She had saved him on Pasaana from the pirates, and he had saved her life on Naboo after nearly drowning by the squid creature. She had equally risked her life trying to save the kid in the base, but lost him despite her attempts. Even all those months ago, in the first few weeks she had been traveling with them before Din had let her stay permanently, she had taken a blaster shot for Grogu.

Sometimes she still thought she saw the kid, snuggling in the bed with her as she fell asleep or playing with that orb in the copilot's seat. But when she blinked, he was gone, like he had been for the past three weeks.

"Thell?"

Din's voice rang like a distant memory in her ears, and Thell shook her head, seeing him looking at her from a few feet away. She hadn't noticed she had stopped walking until she realized Din was farther away than he had been. Theldar was walking ahead of them, talking into a commlink to the friend they were meeting.

Din stepped up beside her, touching her elbow. "You okay?" Snow was falling on his helmet, snow like she never seen. She was the coldest she had ever been; maybe that's why she had sunk back into her thoughts again.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she admitted, tightening the cloak around her body and patting his arm. "It's cold here."

Din opened his arm, motioning her to keep walking. "Stay close to me."

She did, and followed the two of them into a large tavern, brimming with life and loud music. It was darker than any tavern or club she had ever seen, only lit by small pits of fire in the corners. Species of all kinds roamed the walkways, pushing past them and nearly making Thell stumble had Din not had a firm grip on her arm. Theldar led them through the throngs, heading for a vacant booth in the back. Thell scooted in beside Din, and as soon as they were situated, she felt his hand rest on her knee. His gaze was far off, the helmet faced the other direction as he scanned the crowd. But even then, he was seeking her out.