ÂME MORTELLE, din djarin

iv. the falsities of trust

She can't do it, not in front of a child.

A string of curse words she'd never wish for the child to repeat spill from her lips, a suffocating wave of frustration consuming her, directed not at the small creature, but at herself. She'd allowed what may be her only chance to outmatch the Mandalorian to slip through her fingers, all for a child whom's death sentence would be signed the moment it's handed over to the Empire. Her legs giving out on her as her emotions prevail, she drops to the sand, holding her head within her hands, silently reprimanding herself for allowing a child to get between her and what's needed to be done.

Time passes by as the hardened bounty hunter merely remains in this defeated position, though how many minutes, she knows and cares not. The child's gaze flickers between the two bounty hunters who each linger within vulnerable states, an unusual trait among those of their profession. A sense of concern arises within it as it watches them, the creature wishing to be of help the pair, but not knowing how.

Noticing how Mando stirs from beside her, Eden gazes toward him, removing her head from her hands. Straightening her posture, she retakes her blaster from the ground, sheathing it once more to hide the evidence of her failed attempt. Watching him carefully as he awakens, the frustration that'd brewed within her bubbles over once more, yet this time showing through a pointed look and her words. "What the kriff where you thinking?"

A pained groan echoing from his lips, Mando does not utter a response, merely sparing a glance in her direction, his expression unreadable, as usual. Next directing his gaze upon the child, to ensure nothing had become of it whilst he'd been unconscious, he's relieved to find it unharmed. Slowly sitting up, pushing aside the aching residing within his limbs, Mando looks in the direction in which the Sandcrawler was going when he was knocked out, sighing in exasperation as he finds it to be long gone; along with the parts of his ship. Continuing to stare in that direction, he doesn't need to turn around to feel the annoyed glare of Eden upon his back, the sarcasm within her following words coming as no surprise to him. "Did you enjoy your little nap? Your playdate with the Jawas must have really worn you out."

Placing the palms of his hands against the sand for leverage, Mando pushes himself up from the ground, stumbling ever-so-slightly as he stands. Not wanting to waste more time than they already had, he begins walking back in the direction his ship lies, the pod containing the child floating effortlessly behind him. His shoulder brushes roughly against that of the female bounty hunter as he steps past her, speaking with a stoic voice. "Let's just get to the ship."

As per his request, they return to his ship with haste, or more accurately, what remains of it. Stepping inside the aircraft which had been stripped by scavengers, Eden has to carefully step around a downfall of sparks coming from the ceiling. Only the shell of what she could assume to be a once decent ship remains, and merely by glancing upon it without much scrutiny, she knows there's no possibility of it flying. Unable to bite her venomous tongue, she turns toward the man who slams an empty cabinet closed in anger, raising a singular brow. "Nice ship."

Her only response comes in the form of Mando storming out of the cargo hold, heading into another compartment of his ship. Eden doesn't bother following the man, instead opting to watch over the child in his absence. She tries her best to ignore the way in which it coos at her while outstretching its arms, an action she knew to indicate the child wants to be held. Her attempts don't hold out long, and she gives in to its wishes, picking it up from its pod. Using one hand to support its body as it snuggles close to her chest, and the other to cradle its head, she watches as a small grin passes over its lips, the little creature finding comfort in the feeling of her heartbeat.

After a few minutes had come to pass, Mando finally makes his return to the cargo hold of his ship, his attempts to salvage what is left drawing to naught. He pauses within the midst of his step as he notices how Eden cradles the child, his body stiffening ever-so-slightly. "Can you put that thing down? It's our quarry."

"You think I don't know that?" The woman's gaze remains set upon Mando's visor in hopes she may meet his eye, raising a singular a brow in a stand-offish manner. She knows that the work they're doing isn't honourable by any means, nor intended for the kind-at-heart. "Would you rather it scream until our eardrums bleed?"

Ignoring this comment, as he had done so with many of her previous remarks, Mando leans back against the half-missing wall of his ship's interior. One leg casually crossing over the other, he meets the gaze of the female, who, to his frustration, he simply can't figure out. "The ship's destroyed. We're stuck here."

"Other bounty hunters will come," Eden informs him, remembering what her plan of action had first been before she'd found herself entangled within the mess that is working alongside the Mandalorian. "When they try to take the bounty for themselves, we can steal their ship."

"We can't risk another ambush," Mando shakes his head in disagreement, having never been one to enjoy the idea of using himself as bait. Not to mention they couldn't be sure when the next bounty hunter would arrive, meaning they could be stranded for weeks in the desert wastelands. "I know a guy who might be able to help us."

"Can we trust him?" Eden inquires, unsure of the intentions of whomever this mysterious person may be. Watching carefully as Mando pauses, seeming to be in thought, some small ounce of comfort is brought upon her when he nods. Mirroring his action, she too nods, agreeing to the plan of meeting the creature of which he speaks. "Guess your approval will have to be good enough for me."

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𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚜 𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎

This is exactly what I look like
while writing any interaction
between the weird lil space
family that's happening. They
may of only been together for
a few chapters, but I would do
anything for them.