CHAPTER 31

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IMPRINTS OF THE PAST!

*:･ﾟ✧

Gaia remains at the very top of the ramp. She watches with a somewhat uptight frown as Mando accompanies Qin towards Ran, acknowledging the Twi'lek and older human embrace each other in a welcomed reunion with triumphant laughter. A bitter taste seeps into her tongue by the sight, as she's reminded of the danger Mando and The Child were thrown into because of some major hurdles in the road, because of them. Thankfully the trio managed to survive the difficult tribulation and come out on top, a verified statement which is paid mind to by the stocked pouch of credits thrown at them.

Gaia can feel their meeting draw to a close as Mando withdraws back to the ship, joining his companion safely within the spacecraft.

"Let's get out of here," she prompts in a serious tone as she turns her back to Ranzar. "I need a vacation. A long, peaceful holiday."

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The animal has no idea it's being watched.

The creature climbs along the curving bend of a tree's feisty root, residue of wet moss clinging to its caramel fur which is stretched across its elongated yet graceful form. Two hind legs carry it briskly forward as they're assisted by four arms each grappling at the bark of just one of the many towering trees in this damp canyon of a lush exuberant forest, cone-shaped ears flapping and fluttering with a bushy tail sticking out at the end of its body. The animal's nose quivers, yellow eyes darting around on alert, as it should be. Its onlooker is hunched stealthily to the humid undergrowth, kneeling behind a curtain of wood as dirt and soil cleaves her fingernails.

The creature never saw it coming: the knife slicing through the air with refined precision.

Gaia permits the withheld breath to leave her nostrils and merge with the forest around her, similar animals strapped against her hip on sturdy string while she breaks formation and approaches the creature. Bowing down, she pauses before reclaiming the knife and uttering a traditional prayer to Stagia asking for the tiny soul to be rebirthed and blessed.

Opening her eyes, Gaia pulls the knife out which she borrowed from the Razor Crest and wipes the blood off on the upper part of her beige jumpsuit that is tied around her waist.

Her injury is long gone by now — as one would expect with a couple of months behind her, and she's fully capable of moving around once more without flinching in discomfort. The bandages have been thrown out since then and been replaced with binders which circle a large portion of her torso, although a gap of defined muscle can be spotted near her abdomen, writhing and stiffening. A little short on breath, Gaia picks the animal up and ties its slender legs prior to twining the thin ropes together and deciding the decent amount of supply will make do for tonight.

She heaves a sigh, and retreats.

About 2-3 months ago, Gaia and Mando collectively decided to actually settle down somewhere for an extended period of time — away from cities, cantinas, and loud people. They eventually came across this shunned forest planet after a few days of scouting, observing, and making absolutely sure that the ecosystem were friendly enough and that the planet truly had no significant population density before further investigation. As far as they could tell, no one were pursuing them, and with neither Gaia, Mando, and The Child falling ill after a test run, they simply found a clearing and called it their temporary home.

They've been living off of the fauna thriving here ever since, and Gaia couldn't be happier.

Not only has the time off allowed the trio to relax; not think about precautions or credits and such, but also to bond extensively. Gaia is more committed than ever before, The Child seeking her out as much as he does Mando nowadays. And to top it all off, the cunning Mandalorian himself has become overly comfortable with her presence, reminding Gaia of a barrier being torn down as they cross over to the other's side. It's made it possible for her to know more about the Creed and Code of Mando's people, his culture, and what has shaped him. It's wonderful, if she were to be entirely truthful.

"What's this for?" Gaia asks Mando once she's returned to the domestic campfire, gripping the tossed piece of cloth with a swelling smile.

"Need to catch your breath?" he hints, softly.

"Gotcha. . ."

Gaia wipes her forehead with the fabric, treading closer to Mando and The Child who is playing with the lever's metal sphere. The kid is seated between Mando's thighs as a means to keep him in his sights and not wander off, while the Mandalorian is leaned casually back on his palms and observing the flames of the fire dance and sway however they want. The Razor Crest is just behind them, locked tightly until it's time to head inside for the night. Early evening is soon upon them, on that note, and the light is dying much faster than Gaia had anticipated.

"How'd the hunt go?"

Gaia's attention is ripped away from the sky. "As good as it went all the other days you've asked me that same question," she muses.

"At least you made it back in one piece."

"Almost," she teases, beaming. "A huuuge creature with tusks and fangs and everything lunged at me when I took down my last quarry for today." Mando's posture tenses and he immediately sits upright. "I'm joking! I'm joking!" Gaia hurries to mention, holding back an astonished snigger. "Relax, Hush."

"One day that might be true and then I won't be there to help you," Mando quips, boldly.

"Well," Gaia drawls as she calmly joins him, preparing to skin the pile of meat, "unlucky for you, you won't get rid of me that easily~"

"That's a sha— hey, hey, no!"

Gaia is slightly startled by Mando's sudden exclaim. She rears her gaze just in time to see The Child being picked up by him mid-waddle, whining loudly in dejection. Gaia shifts in her cross-legged position and can't help but frown until a blunt realisation dawns on her, when Mando clarifies down at The Child in his arms, "No, you can't do that right now. She has a knife, and we all know how curious you can be so leave Argent alone."

". . .Argent?" Gaia quirks an eyebrow.

Mando has gone still all of a sudden, quickly coming to know his mistake. "It's nothing."

Gaia scoffs excitedly. "No, tell me! What did you mean when you said 'Argent' just now?"

Mando clears his throat and hesitates. Yet, there's a certain willingness about him, one Gaia has a hard time comprehending. "It's your. . ." He trails off, eyes downcast as he holds onto The Child who is busy with the metal sphere in his tiny hands now. The exasperated silence is overwhelming, and Gaia soon prompts Mando with an additional 'my what?', unaware of his reddened cheeks and throbbing heart. "It's your nickname," he admits shyly, refusing to look directly at her.

"My. . . Really?"

"Yes."

Gaia looks down at her lap, a bright smile on her lips that she's determined not to display on her lips. "I like it," she reveals in earnest, soothing Mando's embarrassment and keenly asking him, "When did you come up with it?"

Mando evokes a sigh, quietly. "On the desert planet where we worked together for the first time. I've used it ever since you mentioned your sword, and it was effective enough to act as your makeshift name when I. . .didn't care to ask you who you really were. I've used it to sporadically refer to you when I'd talk things over with the kid here, so I just thought. . ."

". . .Yeah?"

"So I thought it wasn't important enough and that I shouldn't bring it up. . . I'm sorry. . ."

That's adorable, Gaia shrieks inwardly to herself. Maintaining an erupting yet subtle exhilaration, she clears her throat and diligently resumes the phase of preparation for the food. "It's okay, Djarin," she assures at last, continuing to fiddle while subduing her own giddiness. "Knowing it now isn't so bad."

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"No, — just. . .you need to curl your tongue and then roll it," Gaia instructs, watching Mando attempt to pronounce 'kaltictru'.

"Kal. . .kaltic — troh. . ."

"Almost, but not—"

Mando sighs in frustration, firmly gesturing. "The word is too hard to enunciate, Gaia!"

"Djarin, you're doing fine," she reassures with an uplifting smile on her lips. "You just have to pressure the 'tru' and roll the r. Come on."

Mando glares stubbornly at her for some time, yet she continues to urge him along and warmly encourage him. "Kaltictrohh—uhh."

"Alright, let me help you," Gaia asserts, planting herself directly in front of Mando this time. The Child is currently fast asleep in her arms, and the scrambling shadows of the fire is like a beacon in the lukewarm night. "Let's break the word up: kal — tic — tru."

"Kal — tic. . .tro."

"You're not rolling the r properly. Here, like this." Gaia props The Child gently down onto her thighs and raises her right hand, tapping Mando's helmet at the forehead first, and then the left cheek, and lastly the right, creating a triangle of words. "Kal - tic - tru."

Mando's breath hitches in his throat, as if the oxygen in his lungs has shriveled up all at the same time. Gaia's charming face is so close to him, his gaze roving over the structure and traits of her features as she offers him a bounteous grin. The rigorous taps on the surface of his helmet flies over his head to an extent. They seem like tiny droplets of water diving for a lake, creating seamless ripples, or bells tolling in the distance which fades and echoes like a holy aria. It fills his head, swathes his tongue in rhythms as his voice travels up and down his throat. "Kaltictru."

"See! I knew you could do it," Gaia praises in a cheerful voice. Her smile brightens, eyes seeking The Child as he continues to sleep soundly. "You're getting better day by day."

"Thank you. But, what does 'kaltictru' mean?"

"Embrace, if translated directly," she informs while stroking The Child's forehead a few times as he slumbers. A calm ambiance engulfs them little by little. "Djarin. . .satik ah rie vaqar en lagila dacsvar?" *Djarin. . .do you miss being an official bounty hunter?*

"Lagila. . . ?"

"Official."

Mando nods in acknowledgment, drawing out a sigh as his rapid thoughts are submerged. "Niq. Valh mok ah?" *No. What about you?*

"Would it be weird if I said yes?" Gaia asks timidly, slowly rearing her gaze from the oscillating fire and toward Mando who reflects her gaze. There's a crestfallen look to her eyes. "My father was a bounty hunter before me, and he thought it was thrilling; collecting bounties and coming home with stories to tell. I believe that's why he wanted me to follow in his footsteps. At first I refused because I thought it was somewhat pointless, but now I realize it's all I have left of him. . ."

Mando lowers his chin, soaking the fragile information in and letting the words in particular circle his mind. It becomes relatively quiet, peaceful and charged at the same time, until he decides to scatter his reluctance. To break his gloom. "My parents were never affiliated with such things," he whispers, so carefully that she might've missed it. "Violence was not in their blood. They were peacekeepers in their own right."

Gaia's expression has softened considerably. Tilting her head — attempting to make eye contact with Mando, she muses, "Were?. . ."

". . .They're gone. They were killed by droids in our settlement when I was a young boy. The Mandalorians found me. . .took me in."

Gaia's voice has gone utterly numb. It's difficult finding the right words if there are even any to begin with, and before anything else may come to mind, it's the awful reminder of Gaia mouthing off to Xi'an about the nature of Mando's parents which takes her heartlessly by the throat first, cruel, regretful, and akward. "I'm so sorry, Djarin."

"You didn't know," he calms quietly.

"Still. . . I was in the wrong, regardless."

Eyes downcast, Gaia's shoulders slouch forward in thrumming guilt. No wonder he was so hostile toward the pit droids back on Tatooine, and highly aware of Zero when he still managed the Razor Crest. Gaia fidgets slightly with her fingers while spacing out, picking at the dry dirt underneath her nails. A strained silence is draped over the trio, omnius and malefic yet broken upon Gaia carefully inching her hand forward and embracing Mando's gloved fist. A moment is all it takes before he begins to relax, his digits unfurling and gripping his knee. "Hey. I'm not going anywhere," she soothes, humbly.

A faint smile crawls atop Mando's lips, one he wished she could see for herself. . . "I know."

— Author's Note —

I'm *crying.