It was late.
Too damn late for my taste, but here I was anyway, sitting in the dark with my feet kicked up on the dash of my control board. I've been sitting in the cockpit with the lights off for the past two hours, just watching the stars as I fly on autopilot through the empty galaxy. My mind had been buzzing for hours on end and I couldn't find it in me to keep my damn eyes shut.
And it's not like I could try and annoy Mando as a way to exert my energy since he had already gone to bed a few hours ago. It was four in the morning, which means I have a good three or so hours before Mando gets up and starts doing Lord knows what. I already have a feeling that I'm going to be losing my mind in these few hours without him.
I guess I could just use this time to evaluate what's happened in this shit show that I have to call my life.
My comm system suddenly beeps, making my perk my head up. I look over to it to see the bright blue light that was flashing, signaling that I had a message. I stare at it for a few moments, letting the light flash through the dark cockpit. I sigh and then drop my feet down to the floor, leaning forward to press one of the buttons on the little machine.
A blue full-body hologram of an old friend pops up and my eyes instantly widen at the sight of her. My jaw drops a bit and I lean forward a little more, my eyes locked onto the woman in front of me.
Adrienne Calypso.
She was an old friend of mine if I could even call her that. I don't really know exactly what our relationship came down to, but regardless of what we thought we were, it was a good time. I used to play as her little personal bodyguard for all the parties she hosted and attended. Then during our after-party hours... I guess we became more than just friends.
That's not the important part of this though.
"Mae! If you're getting this message, it means that you're in perfect range of your old home. Which is a good thing because I need to ask for a little favor from you, and you know how I feel about asking for things," she says, a small smirk playing on her face. I swallow hard, knowing that her favors were always somehow party related. "Remember how you used to play as my little escort at all of those parties? Well, I'm in the mood for my special friend to accompany me again. Let me know if you can make it, but I have a feeling that I already know what your answer is going to be."
"Oh shit," I mutter under my breath, biting my bottom lip as I watched her graze her own thumb against her bottom lip.
"See you in two days, lovely," she says, winking at me before cutting the message off. I swallow hard and lean back in my seat as the hologram disappears completely, making the cockpit fall dark again. I release my bottom lip and tilt my head back, going back to watching the stars pass by.
My mind starts to scramble even more so I close my eyes, trying to recognize my thoughts. Old memories start to play in my mind. All the parties I had gone to, the dresses she had put me in, all the nights I had spent with her. It's really not something that I should be thinking about, but after that damn message from her...
Two days to get to Canto Bight. I think that's perfectly doable for us right now. All I have to do now is convince Mando to let us steer off a bit and go to Canto Bight for a day or two. That shouldn't be too hard, right? I mean, I could totally convince him that landing in a huge city that holds some of the most dangerous rich assholes in the galaxy that all know me as an ex-Imperial princess that followed Adrienne around like she had nothing better to do.
Oh, and then convince him that it would be okay to bring the kid along. Oh yeah, I'm sure it's going to be so easy to convince him to let us go.
"Christ Adrienne," I mutter, shaking my head while leaning forward and resting my face in my hands, "The shit I do for you."
-----------------------------------
Once it hit eight or so in the morning, I decided to slide down the ladder and trudge myself over to Mando's closed bedroom door. I take a deep breath, shaking the nerves out of my already trembling hands before lifting one of them up. My fist hovers in front of the door for a few moments, my eyes locked on the shiny metal.
Should I even be bothering him this early in the morning? What if he starts asking too many questions about Adrienne? Or what if he doesn't want to go out all the way to Canto Bight just so I can go to some stupid night party? No. I think I know Mando enough to say that he would respect my wishes and the fact that I was going over to help a friend for the night. He would understand, right? At least I think he would-
I finally gain the courage to knock on the door and then I take a small step back, waiting for it to slide open. After a few seconds pass, my nerves spike. Oh god, what if he's still sleeping and I just woke him up? What if-
The door slides open and Mando appears in the doorway, standing in the usual clothes he walked around in when we weren't working a job. I smile and let out the heavy breath that I hadn't realized I had been holding in.
"I didn't want to bother you this early on in the morning, but uhm..." I start, taking in another breath to try and calm myself down. Why am I having such a hard time asking him about this? Is it because this little adventure involves Adrienne? It's like I can't even get a grip on myself (or my damn heart and its emotions). "I have to go to Canto Bight and I was wondering if you were going to be okay with that?"
"Canto Bight?" he questions, sounding more than just uncertain. He tilts his head to the side and then crosses his arms, leaning one of his shoulders against the doorway as he keeps his locked on my face.
"Yeah... A friend kind of needs my help with something," I answer, awkwardly shifting from foot to foot as he continues to just stare at me. It's times like these that I wish I could just see his face because I really can't tell whatever the fuck it is he's thinking right now.
"On Canto Bight?" he repeats, tilting his head down as if that were going to help with the understanding of what I was really saying. I nod my head and then look away from him for a moment, my nerves unable to handle his intense gaze this early in the morning. "And what exactly does this friend do?"
"Well, she owns a pretty famous night club there. She's hosting a party in two days and she needs someone to accompany her for the night for... her protection. That's it really. It'll be a quick in and out job. We should really only be there for a day and a half tops," I explain, looking back over to him. He stares at me for a few more beats before nodding his head.
"Canto Bight it is. It should only take us a day or so to get there," he says, pushing off of his doorway and going to step back into his room.
"I can get you an invite if you want me to."
The words seem to rush out of my mouth without me even giving them a second thought. My eyes widen a bit and I internally smack myself in the face, wondering why the hell I had just said that. He freezes for a moment and I decide that I should probably add onto it so it didn't seem so weird and awkward, but I had a feeling that there's no saving myself from this one.
"I can get you an invite to the part if you want to go, is what I meant to say," I repeat, letting out a small shaky breath.
"Parties aren't really my thing. I think I'll have to pass if that's alright with you," he says, a small chuckle trailing his words as he shakes his head. I let out a nervous laugh and then nod my head, awkwardly rubbing the back of my neck. I can't tell if I feel so fuzzy from how stupid I was acting in front of him, or if it was from the light chuckle that had trailed his words.
"I figured, I just thought I would offer it just in case. Anyway, that's all I need to ask you, so... yeah. I'll be in the cockpit for now if you need me," I finish off. He nods his head and then turns around, closing his door behind him. I sigh and instantly slap my hands over my face, hiding how red my cheeks were starting to flush.
Never in my damn life have I ever been so awkward with Mando. I've been awkward and nervous with him before, but never in my life have I ever been that STUPID in front of him. Are you kidding me?
I internally curse myself as I climb back up the ladder, practically kicking myself as I press my comm system on. I guess it's time to tell Miss Adrienne Calypso that I will indeed be attending.
Lord save me now.
-----------------------------------
Word count: 1682
Note: I guess it's time for a plot line that's not from the actual series! Honestly I'm kinda scared to post this one cause this one covers a past lover, sexuality, and it gets a little gay (like my bisexual ass-). I'm just scared to post it because some people can be sensitive about it, but at the same time I'm like to hell with that, bring on the beautiful women because YES- Anyway, I hope you guys are doing well and staying safe! See you next chapter!