CHARACTER(S): Din Djarin
PAIRING(S): Din Djarin x Fem Reader
TYPE: Long Fic 📜
WORD COUNT: 3252
REQUESTED: No ❎
CHAPTER WARNING(S): Violence, Minor Character Death
SERIES OVERVIEW: Two bounty hunters, one a lone Mandalorian living by his honorable creed, and you, a retired warrior driven by revenge and survival, cross paths and are forced to work together on a covert job out of desperation. When you discover your mysterious target is a vulnerable child with abilities that are wanted by imperial remnants, you and the Mandalorian make the ultimate sacrifice to become fugitives in hopes of protecting and reuniting it with its kind by navigating the galaxy as fugitives. The only way to survive is to learn how to trust the Mandalorian while concealing your former identity that could put an end to you and your newfound comrades.
CHAPTER SUMMARY: You and Mando finally obtain your bounty, with a little help.
NOTE(S): I don't have much to yap abt today so enjoy the chapter 💜
MASTERLIST | SERIES MASTERLIST
ALT LOCATIONS: Wattpad | AO3
The Ugnaught, who introduced himself as Kuill, led you and Mando to his moisture farm near where Mando landed his ship. After grabbing a ration bar off Kuill's counter to ease your growling stomach, you sat beside Mando and made yourself comfortable as Kuill spoke.
"Many have passed through," Kuill revealed, "they seek the same one as you."
"This bounty is pretty famous." You chipped in. Mando ignored you.
"Did you help them?" He questioned Kuill.
"Yes," Kuill responded. You were relieved that he was willing to assist other hunters. It meant that working with you wouldn't be an issue.
However, Kuill built off his prior thoughts, "they died."
Your face was taut when you turned your head to look at Mando.
"I don't know if I want your help then," Mando responded, acknowledging your rising distrust of Kuill.
“You do," Kuill insisted. "I can show you the encampment."
You pursed your lips, finding his enthusiasm suspicious. "I think not."
"What's your cut?" Mando interrupted, sighing underneath his helmet.
"Half the bounty to guide? Seems steep?"
You weren't familiar with Kuill, but you noticed his wisdom. He didn't seem like he upheld the reputation of a scammer, and he wouldn't be left unharmed if this were a façade to deceive you.
"No. Half of the blurrg you helped capture."
"The blurrg?" Mando questioned, his tone irked. "You can keep them both."
You smiled, "What do you have against the little blurrgs?"
It was amusing how easy it was to taunt him. Previously you traveled alone, and there wasn't anyone to target for your entertainment.
Additionally, your quarries generally begged for their lives, so you grew accustomed to muting their voices, and others who weren't important. Luckily, your situation changed, providing you with a newfound victim, who only responded with murmurs and grunts. But you counted that as a win.
"You will need them." Kuill insisted, "To ride. The way is impossible to pass without a blurrg mount."
Mando shook his head, sounding a bit ashamed. "I don't know how to ride blurrg."
Kuill leaned forward to pour himself a drink and glanced up when he heard Mando's confession.
"I have spoken." He replied curtly and continued to serve himself. It almost made you cackle since you saw this as Kuill telling Mando to shut up and persevere. He was a warrior, after all.
Kuill shuffled quietly throughout the room, and you two silently watched him. However it wasn't long before he was ready, and he urged both of you to follow him outside.
With your cheek resting on your palm, you glimpsed Mando's tense posture.
"Ease up, you're stiffer than before."
"Mind your business." He replied.
"Just saying. If we want the money, this is what we have to do to get it."
Standing up, Mando rolled his shoulders, wincing as the soreness traveled through the entirety of his arm that was bitten.
"Last time I encountered a blurrg, you watched as it tried to kill me."
You got up and skipped past him out the door of the moisture farm, coughing slightly as the dusty air attacked your nostrils.
"I have a feeling you'll live through this too."
Mando plummeted to the ground with a grunt after the blurrg hurled him off its back again. It was extraordinarily stubborn, creating a greater challenge for Mando to mount it. You would laugh at him, but your situation wasn't any better. There was already a purple bruise swelling on your hip, worsening as you were continuously launched across the farm.
"At this point, I might be walking. Forget what he says." You grumbled while hunched over with your hands on your knees, trying to catch your breath. Mando began to prop himself up slowly from where he lay on the ground.
He received an aggravated look from you but kept quiet, and you could feel him mocking you behind that stupid visor. On the sidelines, Kuill oversaw your progress, which was little to none.
"Perhaps if you removed your helmet!" Kuill recommended Mando.
"Perhaps he remembers I tried to roast him," Mando exclaimed, referring to his battle with the blurrg an hour ago.
To warm up, you stood straight, cracked your back, and stretched your arms above your head. Before approaching your blurrg, you overheard Kuill enlighten Mando about blurrg biology.
"This is a female. The males are all eaten during mating."
Your face scrunched, "...what?"
"Don't question it," Mando huffed and stood to face his blurrg.
Approaching swiftly, Mando grabbed its head to jump onto its back. In awe, you watched Mando hold steady, but his position was temporary. Once it grew tired of him, the blurrg started to trash, and Mando tumbled forward into the dirt. Soon, he regained his balance and stomped towards Kuill. Your shoulders slumped when you heard him complaining that he didn't have time to learn how to mount a blurrg.
Since they were both distracted, you'd take advantage of the moment. You confronted the blurrg, stepping in front of it. In return, it stared at you, growled with its teeth bared, and shifted its weight between its feet. You held your hand out and inched towards the blurrg who became fiercer the closer you got. Being a breath away, you paused and carefully placed your palm against the blurrg's head. It took time, but it eventually realized you were no longer a threat. Now it stood content.
The blurrg didn't complain as you mounted it. You held on firmly and steered it in Mando and Kuill's direction, only to find them staring at you.
"Didn't think you'd manage," Mando replied.
It was jarring how often he irritated you. He was the one getting his ass handed to him by a non-sentient animal. He had no place to talk.
"I would have to agree with him. Your initial frustration was a setback for you." Kuill added.
You maneuvered the blurrg towards beside the fence of the small pen, opening up the floor for Mando to return to his blurrg, who still seemed to scowl at him.
"Hurry up so we can go do our job."
In a trio, you rode your blurrgs across the rocky terrain of Arvala-7, soon stopping before a cliff overlooking the encampment.
Kuill pointed ahead, "That is where you will find your quarry."
Mando dug into his pocket and offered Kuill's payment, which the Ugnaught refused.
"Please, you deserve this." Mando insisted, but Kuill stood his ground. He explained how the territory was overtaken by mercenaries who would bring destruction along with them. Although you were confused about why Kuill would help you, considering the circumstances.
"There will be no peace until they're gone," Kuill claimed.
Your brows drew together. "Then why'd you help us? We're quite literally two mercenaries."
Kuill looked at Mando, "I have never met a Mandalorian. I've only read the stories. If they are true, you will make quick work of it. Then there will be peace."
You rolled your eyes, smirking gently. "We'll see if the Mandalorian lives up to his title."
Mando turned his head wordlessly. You couldn't tell if he was annoyed by your comment or unbothered, confident that he could prove you right.
"I am curious about your abilities. Considering the weapon you wield." Kuill spoke eagerly.
Shivers ran down your spine as your blood ran cold. You fixed your gaze on Kuill, baffled by what you'd heard. After traveling with a seasoned warrior, you were surprised he hadn't noticed, but some random Ugnaught? You'd be damned if he reported you to the New Republic.
The wind whisked by, filling the silence as you tightened your grip on the blurrgs skin, needing something to stimulate the chaos accumulating in you. When It whimpered, you flinched and loosened your hold.
"You are not as inconspicuous as you think," Kuill answered, turning his blurrg around.
You were about to jump off your blurrg and force him to elaborate. "Wait a damn minute!"
"I have spoken." Kuill waved and left you two behind to return to his farm, leaving you wary about your alliance.
After settling your blurrgs, the two of you approached the cliff's edge and laid on the sand for Mando to observe the site through a telescope. Stakeouts were the worst of any mission you'd taken part in, especially now that it was with a man you could hardly tolerate. However, that couldn't stop you from completing your mission, so you spent your time getting comfortable.
"What was he talking about?" Mando asked, cutting the still atmosphere. "Are you some kind of warrior too?"
"It doesn't matter. The warrior he thought I was, they're all dead." You mumbled. "Just focus on getting us into that camp."
He halted, reeling back when you vigorously ended the conversation. Thankfully, he didn't argue with you and simply listened to the gentle taps of your fingers on the sand. Later, he huffed softly and recoiled from the telescope to hand it to you.
"Bounty droid," Mando uttered begrudgingly.
You peered through the scope with a chuckle, "why do they always make them look so stupid?"
Mando snatched the telescope from you and spied on the commotion below again. From your distance, you couldn't tell what was happening, but you understood the gist when blaster shots echoed throughout the valley. You could distinguish a Nikto's body fall, followed by two more. Using your elbows to lift yourself, you peeked over the cliff to get a better view when Mando got up to leave.
"Droids." He spat distastefully.
You jumped to your feet and scrambled after him. "Don't tell me you're going to go harass a droid of all things."
Down in the encampment, you hid behind a wall, standing next to Mando who glanced intensely around the corner. You stood quietly, dusting off your clothes.
"Are you gonna go or what?"
Mando spun to face you, "Wait here until I can sort this out."
You dismissed him, mumbling "Good luck" as he left. Mando roared at the droid to stand down as he revealed himself but returned abruptly when his body smashed into the row of barrels to your left. He groaned while sitting up and tiredly held up the tracking fob.
"I'm in the guild!" He yelled.
"You are a guild member? I thought I was the only one on assignment." The droid—or IG as you heard Mando exclaim—rotated its in a perplexed manner.
You popped your head out to intrude on their chat.
"Not anymore. You're not the only one who needs funds."
Mando now stood across from you with his back to a wall. "So much for the element of surprise."
"Sadly, I must ask for your fob." IG ignored Mando's sarcasm. "I already issued the writ of seizure. The bounty is mine."
You tip your head, feeling inclined to expose yourself fully.
"I beg your pardon?" You clenched your hands tightly to suppress the feeling of your veins about to burst.
Mando called you, furiously shaking his head. "No!" he cried, keeping his voice low. In response, you grumbled, and let your hands fall to your sides.
"Unless I'm mistaken, you are, as of yet, empty-handed." Mando countered the droid's request.
The droid lingered. "This is true."
Mando surveyed his surroundings, "We split the reward."
Hearing that struck a chord in you. And without regard for whether your cover was exposed, you marched over to Mando, virtually prepared to strangle him.
"Split it? SPLIT THE REWARD?"
"Do you want to deal with the droid?"
"Then let me handle this."
You glared at him momentarily, attempting to deduce if you could entrust him the bargain. His reassuring nod settled you and allowed him to finish what he started.
"This is acceptable." IG agreed to the offer.
"Great! Now let's regroup, out of harm's way, and form a plan."
IG ignored him once more and rather approached, blabbering about extra terms for the deal that would mainly benefit it. Mando, who was already impatient, snapped.
"CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS LATER?"
"I require an answer if I am to proceed-"
A blaster bolt struck IG's shoulder, and it began to alert you. This caused Mando to draw his pistol, lean out, and fire at the cloaked individual standing atop a roof nearby. They gasped and fell to their death, their body stirring up dust. To the right a door hissed open, followed by additional blaster fire sent your way.
Grudgingly, you withdrew your pistol, a bit bitter that your vibroblade would be useless in this fight, and protected Mando's rear as each of you advanced. Now concealed, ducked behind a line of barrels, Mando seized the opportunity to retrieve his tracking fob and locate the bounty.
"He's in there!" he revealed. The fob pointed towards a programmed door a few feet away. IG responded by drawing its blasters and eliminating enemies scattered around, granting you and Mando time to race toward the door. This still wasn't enough and the heat of the crossfire quickly became hazardous, forcing you back into hiding. Mando caught a few stragglers along the way and gave IG an opening to place himself beside you and Mando behind the pillar.
Worsening matters, their reinforcements arrived.
"It appears we are trapped," IG concluded.
You ran a hand over your face. "No shit."
"I will initiate self-destruct sequencing."
Mando whipped his head around, gaping at the droid. With very brief negotiating, Mando was able to convince IG not to self-destruct and instead assist you while he tried to get the door opened. IG surprisingly complied.
"Follow my lead, droid." You grunted. IG complied and precisely shot incoming enemies, bestowing you effective support. Mando concentrated to try and unlock the blast door, while you focused on each corpse that dropped by your hand. With each pull of the trigger, your heartbeat quickened and your pupils dilated dangerously.
A surreal fixation engulfed you, blurring the lines between the present and the sickening reality raging in your head. You thrived by watching a meceranerie's eyes dull into vacant husks. This longing was the work of it. It was bloodthirst, an entity that leeched on your soul and invaded every crevice of your being.
A bullet whizzed past your head and blasted the door, landing right beside Mando's hands and pushing him to succumb to stress and call for you and IG. In seconds you were pinned by enemy fire, forcing you back into hiding.
"This is just great! Absolutely perfect!" You shout.
"Now is not the time!" Mando shouted over the deafening blaster fire. And he was right, again.
Loud hovering came from the distance, arousing your suspicion. What more could these mercenaries bring in?
"I will initiate self-destruct," IG said.
"Do not self-destruct!" Mando hissed, pressing his back against the wall. "We're shooting our way out!"
You grab his arm, "That's suicide!"
He glanced at you and yanked his arm away, following IG into the open. They raised their blasters, standing confidently until you heard footsteps rushing through the sand, and their bodies squished against yours. In the blink of an eye, the pillar was peppered with blaster fire.
"New plan!" Mando announced.
You buried your face in your hands, "can it be a good one this time?!"
IG intruded, "Beginning self-destruct countdown."
"No! Stop it!" Mando rebutted before gesturing to the enemy. "Draw their fire, I'll take it out."
"Do you know what you're doing?" You questioned gruffly.
You groaned as you and IG ran out in opposite directions, effectively removing the mercenary's attention from Mando, who pulled the laser cannon toward him with a grappling hook. Now with Mando manning the cannon, and you snuffing anyone who targeted him, your team efficiently achieved victory within minutes.
You pocketed your blaster and used a hand to wave smoke out of your face. Around you were dozens of bodies, littered with blaster bolt wounds and accompanied by specs of singed flesh surrounding them. It was impressive, what you could accomplish with just a Mandalorian and a droid. Although Mando had areas for improvement, he was a useful ally. One you'd like to keep, for now.
Mando stepped off the cannon as it powered down, and you joined him to help IG up off the ground, who was disengaging its self-destruct sequence initiative.
"You know, you're not so bad. For a droid" Mando complimented.
You stifled a laugh, finding it funny how fast Mando switched his opinion of IG. Luckily, IG expressed it was fully functional with a few minor damages after running a diagnostic.
"Glad you're okay, really." You patted IG's shoulder, "But, we still need to get inside if you didn't notice."
Mando and IG peeped at the door before turning to the cannon.
You grinned, eyeing the machine. "Smart choice. You've improved, Mando."
Once inside, Mando shot the last sentry and confirmed there were no remaining survivors, so you began searching.
"My sensors indicate that there is a life form present," IG informed.
"How small can this bounty be? Everyone else here is dead." You frowned, kicking the body of the sentry to prove your point.
Mando slowly rotated and listened as the fob’s beeping increased. It deactivated when Mando directed it toward a silver pram in the corner of the room. You stepped over the body and came to Mando's side, along with IG, curious to know whose immeasurable importance required dozens of sentries to guard and conceal it.
Mando looked at you before opening the pram, revealing a tiny green head.
"Wait. They said 50 years old." Mando stated in confusion.
"Species age differently," IG explained. "Perhaps it could live many centuries."
The creature cooed and pushed its blanket away, revealing big eyes that stared at you. You glared intensely; a lump caught in your throat when its face morphed into another that you'd known. The same wrinkly green skin and dark void-like eyes so scarily familiar. Yet, this creature had apparent innocence.
But he was not. The innocence he obtained, if any, had vanished. His sin would never be forgotten, especially by you. It couldn't be after he discarded you as if it was effortless. You could barely differentiate him from this tiny thing. It didn't matter if they were different souls. The bloodlust wanted them dead.
Your daze was postponed as you noticed IG aim with its blaster aimed at the quarry, wishing for it to follow through. Although, it hesitated due to Mando's interference.
"The asset was to be terminated." IG insisted, ignoring the Mandalorian entirely.
You flinched faintly as a blaster went off, followed by the clunk of metal hitting the floor. IG lay dead next to your feet. You observed as Mando held out his finger for the creature to grab, making it squeal happily and reach for him with its teeny claws.
"This is what caused all that trouble?"
Mando sighed. "It seems that way."
Your fists clenched unconsciously by your sides, forcing you to constrain yourself from doing anything rash. You shoved your twitching hands into your cloak's pockets to reduce Mando's inklings of you. Looking at the creature for a final time, you swivel away, struggling to expunge every trace of his face from your mind.
"Whatever it is, that’s irrelevant. We need to complete our mission. Nothing good ever comes from disobeying orders."
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