𝐜𝐲𝐚𝐫𝐞'𝐬𝐞 - 𝘥𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘫𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯

Contrition

"I know, rid'ika. I know." Din brushes his thumb over your cheek as you shake like a leaf in his grasp. "You've just got to stay with me, okay? We need to get out of here before more of them come."

You swallow hard and nod, feeling the burning taste of vomit in the back of your throat. The child coos with worry at your side as Din separates from you only to bend down and grab your blade. He keeps it on his own belt for now as he takes you by the hand and hurries back to where you had left the Crest. The entire trip is a whirlwind; Din is dragging you along as your consciousness struggles to remain in the face of your shock. The hand Din isn't holding is still coated in a stranger's blood and it makes your skin feel as if it's on fire.

When you get back to the ship, Din opens and hatch and eases you on board. He gets you up to the cockpit with him, where he helps you to sit into the passenger seat as he takes the child from your satchel and sets him on your lap. You can hear the sound of Din's voice giving the child instructions, but you're not listening to what they are, instead trying to focus on your breathing as your pulse roars in your ears just like before.

Din sits in his chair and gets the Crest into hyperspace while the child coos at you and tugs on your shirt. The little one keeps you aware of your surroundings as you brush one of his ears over and over again with your non-bloody hand, afraid of tainting him should you use the other. The stars are rushing by you in a blue haze by the time Din stands from his chair and kneels in front of yours, his gloved hands removing his helmet from his head before he sets them on your face. The gentle concern you find within his brown gaze is the only thing that brings you back to reality.

"You saved my life." Din's voice is soft and full of wonder as his thumbs run in soothing circles over your cheeks.

Your lips start trembling again as you speak in broken and strained breaths. "I... I—I killed..." You can't bring yourself to finish.

"Shhh." Din's voice is still gentle as one of his thumbs brushes over your lips. "You saved me, cyar'ika. That's no small feat." You want to protest again, but the burning feeling of vomit in your throat has returned as the image of the Trandoshan returns to your mind. Din searches your gaze before he goes on. "Had you not done what you did, I would have been the one left there."

You squeeze your eyes shut, sobs welling up in your throat at the idea of Din being dead. "But, Din..." Your voice is a croak as you reopen your eyes to see the face of your riduur as nothing but a teary blur. "What if... What if they had a family? Like us?" You choke out a sob and hold tighter to the child who coos with concern in your lap. "I took that from them!"

Din's quick to stand up and pull you against him, letting you rest your cheek upon his armored torso as he lets out a soft breath. "Rid'ika..."

"I begged them to leave us alone! Why couldn't they have just listened to me?" Your body shakes with sobs as you cling to Din, eager for his comfort amidst your violent storm of thoughts and emotions. "They didn't even know I was going to... they didn't have a chance to..." You weep so hard you fail to catch your breath as you start to exclaim words with utter desperation. "My hand burns, Din! It's burning!"

"Hey, hey, hey." Din holds your face and tilts it up to look at him. His gaze is full of devastation for you, but there's a calmness there that soothes you, even as you continue to hiccup on sobs that continue pouring from your aching throat. "You're okay, cyar'ika." Din leans down to press a kiss to the top of your head. "I'm right here. I'm not letting anything happen to you." He takes your hand coated in blood now dried and presses it upon his cheek, his gaze never straying from yours as he looks at you with pure love and admiration. "I won't let your hand burn."