┏━━━━━━˙*¨༺ ༻¨*˙━━━━━━┓
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐘-𝐎𝐍𝐄
┗━━━━━━˙*¨༺ ༻¨*˙━━━━━━┛
THE MOMENT AERYN MAVEK opened her eyes, she was greeted with nothing but an awfully unfamiliar lounge of what seemed to be a space ship. That much, she knows.
Cold air brushed past against her skin, sending shivers down her spine. She held the thick blanket that was already covering her tight onto her chest. Her head rested on a small makeshift pillow while her eyes began observing the unfamiliar place.
There was no one there but her.
She was alone and yet, the last thing she remembers was holding the person she treasured the most in her arms. She made it home to Din Djarin but right now, he was nowhere to be found.
Aeryn's heartbeat began to increase., Each and every beat was as if her heart was threatening to break free from her chest in any moment. Her chest suddenly felt like it was being tightly tied and squeezed by hundred of ropes and before she knew it, she was beginning to gasp for air as breathing slowly became difficult for her.
Did something happen to Din?
Is the child with him?
Were we caught?
Did Moff Gideon find us?
Are they hurting them?
Are they hurting him?
Please, no.
Not him.
Not the child.
Hurt me. Not my family.
Please.
Thoughts ran through her head. She was alone and...scared. Not for herself but for a certain Mandalorian
Or so she thought.
"You're awake," a familiar, silky male voice spoke and Aeryn's eyes shot to where it came from.
There he was.
Seeing the familiar beskar helmet and armor of Din Djarin immediately calmed Aeryn's nerves down. In that moment, Din was like a lighthouse to Aeryn who was lost at sea.
Din was like the light at the end of a God-forsaken, horrible, petrifying tunnel ride that brought nothing but pain and suffering to Aeryn.
She was relieved.
However, the Mandalorian didn't fail to notice Aeryn's unusual state.
"Hey, what's wrong?" he rushed to her side, his voice brimming with concern. "Nightmare?"
Din's gloved hand caressed Aeryn's forehead as she lied down the small bed. Gently, she shook her head and closed her eyes, savoring the calming touch of her beloved.
Oh, how much she has longed for this moment.
"Do you want to sit up?" Din asked, offering her his gloved hand.
A brief silence aired between the two.
"Aeryn?"
The violet-eyed girl could only bite her lower lip, her whole body quivering. Carefully, she held Din's hand that was caressing her forehead and as if it was the most fragile thing in the world, she loosely caressed it back, cherishing the gloved, warm hand.
"Let's just...stay like this for a while," Aeryn whispered, her voice cracking. "Please."
And as if on cue, tears began streaming down Aeryn Mavek's bruised face. Her eyes were shut close but it did not stop the warm tears from flooding down the corner of her face and all Din Djarin could do was watch.
Her betrayal of the only family she had left, the reliving of her past life as part of the Empire, the revelations--Aeryn didn't know why but it was only now that everything came crashing down on her.
Everything, all at once.
The weight of all horrifying events she went through was suddenly on her back.
It was unbearable. She could feel her heart breaking at the thought of now having to face Din after her betrayal to him. Yes, they kissed but she was well-aware that it was only a spur of the moment. She knew things won't be the same as it was. She betrayed her family and there will be consequences.
And she couldn't bear the thought of it. She couldn't bear the thought of Din and the child no longer by her side.
"Never leave my side again," the Mandalorian suddenly spoke, his voice silky and calm yet more gentle as it usually was. "That's all I ask of you from now on."
Din squeezed Aeryn's hand and slowly, her eyes fluttered open. The familiar sight of his lover's radiant violet eyes greeted him, not failing to make him crack a small, relieved smile.
"I forgive you for...leaving, Aeryn. I don't really see it as your fault but if it's forgiveness you ask for, I forgive you." Din continued, rubbing her hands.
"Din, I don't deserve--"
"You will always be my Aeryn, remember?" Din cut her off. "You are not a danger to our family. Never forget that. Please."
The Mandalorian leaned closer, his gloved hands still caressing Aeryn's.
"I need you, Aeryn." Din pleaded. "Never leave my side again, okay?"
Aeryn gulped at Din's words. Tears continued flowing down her face and without hesitation, she hastily sat up and wrapped her arms around the armored Mandalorian. Din hugged her back, his gloved hands rubbing circles on her back.
"I'm sorry, Din. I won't be stupid again. I promise." Aeryn buried her face on the crook of Din's neck. "I'll never leave your side ever again. That was the worst and dumbest decision of my life and I'll never do it again. Ever."
Thought it cannot be seen by anyone, the Mandalorian smiled at the simple yet meaningful assurance.
"That's my girl."
The violet-eyed girl was the first one to break the hug and the moment she was free to do so, she wiped the tears off her face. Of course, Din helped her.
The Mandalorian held both Aeryn's cheeks with his gloved hand. Rubbing his thumbs underneath her sullen eyes, Din cherished the sight of the familiar violet eyes he gazed at.
"I found you this time, Aeryn."
"Hmm?"
"Only took me a good week or two, though. That makes me a better looker."
Aeryn's eyebrow raised at the realization of what Din was referring to. A small amused smile etched upon her face.
"Oh? Is that so?" she teased. "Whatever you say then, my love. Whatever you say."
With all the love in the world, Aeryn planted a soft kiss onto the forehead of Din's beskar helmet.
"Thank you for finding me, Din."
˙*¨༺ ༻¨*˙
RIGHT AFTER hearing about the Razor Crest's destruction, what Moff Gideon had orchestrated, and their child's capture, Aeryn Mavek went feral. It was only fortunate for Din to have been by her side when he broke the news to her and for him to be the one to tell her.
Aeryn immediately calmed down when the Mandalorian oriented her about the group's initial plan of rescuing the child.
Of course, like most mothers in the galaxy, she was prepared to fight for her child's life.
Before letting Aeryn out to meet the other members of the rescue group, Din offered her a fresh change of her usual clothes. When Aeryn asked why or how he had her clothes, Din simply told her that he left some in Tatooine and so, it wasn't incinerated alongside the Razor Crest.
Aeryn couldn't help but be reminded of the regret and the weight of her actions by leaving Din, once more. She should've been there through everything with him and yet, she wasn't. However, the Mandalorian was now familiarizing himself with Aeryn's emotions.
Somehow, Din Djarin knows when Aeryn's beginning to think of things making her disheartened and before she could say anything else, he engulfs Aeryn in a warm, assuring hug.
It was a simple gesture to remind her that this is where she belonged. With him.
"They aren't bad people. I'm sure of that." Din stated as he walked hand in hand with Aeryn.
"Oh, well, I don't think anyone trying to help us retrieve our child is a bad person, really."
"Even a bounty hunter?"
A small chuckle left Aeryn's lips.
"Even a bounty hunter." she emphasized, squeezing her beloved's hand. "Don't be rude to our former profession."
"Former?" Din tilted his head. "What are we now, then?"
"Parents."
A brief silence dominated the two, nothing but their footsteps could be heard. The Mandalorian turned to look at his beloved's face, his head slightly tilted.
"Shouldn't parents be married?"
The violet-eyed girl stopped right on her tracks. Her eyes fixated on the Mandalorian's helmet, her lips slightly agape at what he just said.
"Married?"
"Yeah. Married. Real husband and wife," Din replied, his hand still intertwined with hers. "Real. Not play-pretend this time."
"Y-yeah, do you want to--"
"Pilot guy says he ne--oh, Mavek's awake, " a familiar male voice cut Aeryn off, catching the pair's attention.
Migs Mayfeld, who had just helped them out earlier, stood in front of the pair, a wide grin on his face. He offered his hand to Aeryn for a shake which led to the Mandalorian reluctantly let go of his beloved's hand, but he did.
"It was really good to see you, Mavek," he chimed, shaking Aeryn's hand gently.
"It's good to see you to, Mayfeld. Thank you for lending him a hand."
Aeryn glanced at Din and carefully let go of Mayfeld's hand.
"You'll always be one of my buddies, Mavek. Though you left me for prison, I guess that's just even for me bullying you around for a while," Mayfeld stated with a soft smile on his face.
"Well, thank you for that. We're even. I'll remember that."
A brief silence dominated the three as Din Djarin silently watched Aeryn from beside her. He couldn't help but admire and feel at ease to slowly realize that his Aeryn was finally by his side again.
"So, the pilot guy..."
"What about him?" Din asked.
"He says he needs you in the cockpit. "
"Right."
With that the three of them began heading to the cockpit where Boba Fett waited.
˙*¨༺ ༻¨*˙
THE GROUP LANDED in the middle of a jungle, far from the Imperial base they just blew up. Din informed Aeryn about Mayfeld's departure and of course, she did not hesitate to come with her beloved.
Mayfeld, Din, and Aeryn all walked out of the Slave I side by side. Nothing but plants and trees surrounded them, leaving Aeryn, once again, in awe.
It's been a while since she has been out of Imperial ships and bases and for that, Aeryn has been more appreciative of each planet's beauty--the simple things. Even more than how she already appreciated them before.
"Well, I'll be damned," a familiar female voice snapped Aeryn out of her trance.
Gently, weak yet bright smile etched upon Aeryn's face as she saw the owner of the voice. There stood in front of them was Carasynthia Dune, a close friend both to Aeryn and Din.
Beside Cara stood an extremely familiar face as well, though she was very much sure they left her in the dessert to die the last time they saw each other, Aeryn decided to just brush the thought off. After all, Fennec Shand only glanced at them before entering the ship.
The violet-eyed girl was too thrilled to finally meet her close friend again.
"Cara!" Aeryn exclaimed as she hurried to Cara, engulfing her into a warm hug. "It feels like ages ago since we last met."
The former shock trooper gladly hugged Aeryn back, the two friends finally reuniting.
"You could say that," Cara remarked. "You look like you've been through hell and back, Aeryn. What'd they do to you?"
As the pair gently let go of each other, worry was evident on Cara's face.
Din Djarin silently stood beside the two, listening to their exchange of words. He hasn't asked Aeryn about what happened to her while she was with the Empire yet. He knew it was too early but he couldn't help but be worried about his beloved's well-being as well.
Only the force knows what she experienced. Din could only hope that it wasn't torture to her. But that thought was slowly beginning to be impossible to Din as he saw more of Aeryn's bruises and wounds little by little.
Aeryn, his beloved, was too precious to be in the hands of the cruel Empire.
"Funny thing, it really was hell," Aeryn playfully replied. "Worse thing was, they don't serve delicious food there."
"Classic Imps," Cara chuckled.
The Mandalorian, then, silently laced his gloved hand with Aeryn's once again. As he did so, the violet-eyed girl gave him a small, warm smile.
A smile that let him know she was thankful for his presence beside her. A smile that served as a reminder that she was, indeed, back home from hell.
"Sorry to bother the small reunion but it's the scrap heap for me," Mayfeld spoke, catching everyone's attention.
The Mandalorian turned to look at him, nodding once.
"Thank you for helping."
"Yeah," Mayfeld's eyes shifted between Din and Aeryn for. "Uh, good luck gettin' your kid back."
The violet-eyed girl gave him a small, genuine smile which he returned.
"All right, Officer. Take me back." Mayfeld, then, smiled at Cara as he placed both of his hands together.
Cara, however, didn't take his hands.
"That was some nice shootin' back there."
"Oh, you saw that?" Mayfeld gushed. "Yeah, that, uh, wasn't part of the plan. I was just gettin' some stuff off my chest."
The four stood quietly for a brief moment. Cara, then, shook her head.
"You know, it's too bad Mayfeld didn't make it out alive back there."
Mayfeld and Aeryn's eyes lit up at the warrior's words. Confusion was evident on the former trooper's face.
"Yeah, too bad." Din replied which only added to Mayfeld's confusion.
"What are you talkin' about?
"Looked to me like prisoner three-four-six-six-seven died in the refinery explosion on Morak." a small smile formed on Cara's lips as she uttered every single word.
"D-Does that mean I can go? Huh?"
Cara only pouted as she shifted her eyes between Aeryn and Din. Of course, Aeryn had a smile on her face as she listened to the exchange.
"'Cause I will." Mayfeld proceeded to to carefully walk away and turning back to see the three only watching him. "All right. Okay."
"Safe travels, Mayfeld's spirit!" Aeryn playfully exclaimed as the former prisoner smiled at them.
The three only watched Migs Mayfeld as he walked away into the jungle.
"You get the coordinates on Moff Gideon?" Cara asked, her eyes still on Mayfeld.
"We did."
Our child.
Worry immediately washed over Aeryn Mavek at the thought of their child being in the hands of Moff Gideon. It infuriated her to think of what he has already done to their precious, innocent child.
Aeryn knew what Moff Gideon was capable of; of how cruel and relentless he could be. But of course, she also knew how he could be defeated with the right move.
She also knew that they are more than capable of taking down Moff Gideon alongside his evil army.
"What's our next move?"
Aeryn Mavek would do whatever it takes to take their child back; for their family to, once again, be completed.