𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘 - DIN DJARIN

Chapter 26: Desperation*

"Wait!" Din exclaims, keeping his hands out as he tries his best to keep his cool. "Don't hurt her."

The attacker presses the knife against your skin, causing you to grimace as your eyes widen just a bit more. Your gaze meets Din's visor with concealed desperation, your expression almost apologetic, as if this is somehow your fault. Din gets hit with two urges: one to console and one to kill.

"If you put one mark on her," Din begins to warn the attacker, his voice low and heavy with meaning, "there's no place you will be able to hide from me."

Din only looks away for a quick moment when he hears a fearful coo by his feet. He observes the baby hanging on to his boot as he peers around it, his ears lowered in a frightened manner as he observes you being held at knifepoint. That only fuels the fire within Din more, making the gears turn more quickly in his mind as he goes on.

"We can strike a bargain," Din insists with a slow nod. "There's a lot of value in this wreckage." He gestures with a hand to the aftermath of the crash. "Take your pick."

Din can tell you want to speak, most likely to ask him what the hell he's doing—knowing very well this attacker could choose Din's armor, or even his helmet—but you both remain silent, watching the attacker survey his options.

"But leave her." Din makes his final demand with no room for argument.

The attacker keeps their gaze on Din, soon gesturing with the blade towards him. They speak in their alien language, and Din looks around until he realizes what they're talking about: they want his jetpack. When Din starts to sigh, the attacker gestures to the ground, and Din knows what he has to do.

"Okay," Din agrees, instantly starting to take the jetpack off.

"Riduur," Din hears you speak for the first time since the crash, your voice almost a warning as you start to shake your head at him. Din tilts his helmet slightly at you, trying to assure you that it's all right and he has a plan. He almost always does.

"Here," Din tells the attacker as he steps forward, placing the jetpack in the space between them. "It's yours." He lets it stand on its own, still keeping his hands up in surrender as he starts to back away from it. "Take it."

The attacker keeps the blade against your neck, dragging you ahead with him through the sand as he walks towards the jetpack. Din grimaces at the sight, his hands clenching into fists for a quick moment as he resists the urge to kill the attacker on the spot for treating you like that.

"It's okay," Din manages to get out through gritted teeth, watching as the attacker starts to set you down beside the jetpack. Din nods at you, earning a small nod in return as the attacker takes the jetpack. Din lets his hands fall to his sides when the attacker starts to run away with it.

Immediately, it's the baby who runs to you first, cooing in distress as he makes it into your arms. You take him there with a few kisses pressed to his head, something Din absorbs with bittersweet warmth as he jogs over to kneel at your side. Din runs his gloved hand over your head, brushing some of the wisps of hair out of your face as he tilts his helmet down at you.

"You okay, rid'ika?" Din asks softly, meeting your gaze with his own behind the visor. You nod at him, pulling the baby even closer to you as Din props you up in his lap.

"Din, you shouldn't have done that," you chastise him softly, despite the fact you're starting to rest your head more upon his shoulder. "I could've handled a scratch or two."

"I said not one mark," Din reminds you, turning his attention back to the attacker. With a few taps on his vambrace, the attacker and his jetpack are in the air, causing the baby to coo with interest as you lightly gasp. Din plays with controls on his vambrace for a few moments, waiting until the attacker lets go of the jetpack—and plummets right from the sky to the ground, remaining unmoving.