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One: the club, the target, and the emergence of the little green monster
The Mandalorian didn't think he got jealous. It was usually so far beneath his pay grade that it just wasn't worth the mental effort. But think was really the key word there, because while he didn't think he was capable of jealousy, there was no other word for the anger that simmered under his skin as he watched you dance with a man on the club floor.
"You need the data stick? I'll get it." You had said, throwing back the rest of your drink and pulling the clip out of your hair so it cascaded down your back. Then you pulled off the loose overshirt you had been wearing, revealing a tight tunic that showed entirely too much skin.
"What are you-" Mando started, but you'd already slid off your chair and disappeared into the crush of people swarming the dance floor. When you resurfaced, you were a little ways away from the target, and you started to dance, swinging your hips and putting your hands in the air.
You danced with a couple of girls, then slowly backed your way towards the target, laughing and shaking your body the entire time. Something green and ugly began to rear its head inside him, roaring in protest as it watched you dance closer and closer to the target.
"Oops! Silly me!" He can hear your giggle even through the thumping music and sounds of people around him. You backed right into the target, and were pretending to drunkenly lean on him, feeling the guy up.
At least... He thought you were pretending. You'd had a couple drinks, but there was no way you were drunk... right?
Mando had been watching as you enacted some strange... woman magic on the target. First you felt him up, and then it looked like you were letting him feel you up, and you were both enjoying it. Each time he saw the exchange of hands and caresses, Mando felt like he was boiling in his beskar.
Then, suddenly, you reappeared at his side and were pressing a metal drive into his gloved hand. Your skin was glowing with sweat and you were panting slightly.
"Told you I'd get it." You said, smiling up at him.
He didn't know what made him say it, but he had a feeling it was related to the ugly green monster in his chest.
"I could have done it without tonguing the target."
Your blinked, taken aback at his words. Mando internally kicked himself, but rather than deal with anything he was feeling at the moment, he decided the best policy was to leave the club, you following on his heels.
Two: the little green monster goes for a ride
"Can they make it to the city?" He asked the vendor, holding out some credits. You both were stuck in the middle of nowhere on a backwater planet after a deal went sideways, but being stranded was better than being dead. You needed to get back to the Razor Crest, and the only mode of transportation seemed to be these... things tethered in a pen beside the merchant.
"They're kind of cute." You said. They were like tall, shaggy, lizards. More lithe than dewbacks, but thicker than mylayas.
"They can make it, but how do I know they'll return to me?" The merchant said, scrutinizing you both.
Fair point.
"I'll go with them, I need a supply run." A young man emerged from the hut behind the vendor. Mando was all too aware of you looking the man up and down, and he didn't like how that made him feel.
"What are they?" You asked the man as Mando paid the vendor.
"I call them myzards, but I don't know if that's their official title."
"Cute." You said, reaching out a hand. The myzard nuzzled your hand and extended a blue tongue to lick your wrist. You squealed at the feeling.
"Don't worry, they won't eat you." The man said, winking at you. Mando didn't miss how you flushed.
Your guide's name was Yann, and he'd grown up on the planet. Mando hated everything about him, from the toes of his myzard-skin boots all the way up to his stupid handsome face.
And Mando especially hated that you were riding in front of Yann on his myzard. Mando had just assumed you would hop up behind him like you usually did when the situation called for it, but instead, you had picked out your favorite myzard and Yann had swung up behind you. It had happened so fast, he couldn't say anything to get you away from the guy without looking like a massive jerk.
The entire way to the city, Mando seethed, the little green creature growling and roaring in his chest as the two of your conversed quietly on the myzard in front of him. He could hear snippets of your conversation, but it wasn't anything he could weigh in on without raising his voice or butting in. And, Maker, he hated that. He was a man of few words, but found himself wishing he could use them to get your attention now.
When the spires of the city appeared over the trees, Mando found he couldn't wait to get off-planet.
Three: little green monster in the night
You talked in your sleep. Had done since you came onboard. It had scared the shit out of Mando the first time because he'd been on his way to the fresher when your voice came from your makeshift bunk, clear as day in the silent ship. He'd squashed his startle reflex and then looked over at you to find you were fast asleep, arm thrown over your head and breathing steady.
Most of the time it was innocuous, mumbled words that didn't really make much sense together. But recently, you'd started calling out for someone almost every time you slept, and Mando was starting to rankle. You'd talked about Grogu, you'd talked about other of your friends, but you'd never said his name in your sleep. But now you were calling out for this Theo character almost every night...
Of course he'd never say anything to you. Even if he was jealous as all fuck, he knew you couldn't help what you said in your sleep. But, Maker, he wanted you to be calling out for him. Then he could at least entertain the idea of comforting you, rescuing you from whatever nightmare. Even if he shouldn't, couldn't, wouldn't think of you like that, it was becoming difficult not to.
It finally happened when you were on a cargo ship traveling to a drop. You were exhausted, cranky, and completely out of it. Mando had sat you down on a bench and practically ordered you to get some sleep while you flew. You growled something about not having a pillow, and he could see the threat of tears in your eyes. So he bundled up his cape, laid it over his thigh to cushion the beskar, and gestured for you to lay down.
You were out in seconds.
Mando stared down at you, watching as sleep pulled you down. He flexed his hands, fighting the urge to touch you, to stroke your hair and hold you close. The urges to touch you were getting stronger and more frequent, and he was losing control of the jealousy that seemed to rear its head whenever you were around other men. He couldn't help that you were desirable, Maker, you were goddamn beautiful and other men had a right to notice. You didn't really seem to pay them much mind, but it was only a matter of time until someone different, more open, less... well, masked, took you away from him. And if it happened, he would have to let you go.
He would never admit it, but he cared too much to ever stand in the way of your happiness.
"Mando..." You sighed, and grasped a fold of the cape tightly in your hand. The little green monster roared in happiness.
Four: the little green monster gets company
Mando didn't like to agree with Cobb Vanth on much of anything, but usually they were in alignment. However, at the moment, Mando felt a surge of solidarity so strong, he would have slapped the man on the shoulder if he weren't the type of Mandalorian he was.
"I like her talking to him about as much as I like a sunburn." Was the first thing Cobb said when he saw you talking to one of his people on the other side of the cantina.
"If he touches her, I'm putting my blaster where the sun don't shine." Was the second thing Cobb said as they watched said man buy you a drink. Mando really couldn't agree more.
"If you're not going to break them up, I will." Was the third thing Vanth said, already rising to his feet. Mando wanted to protest, to say that he was happy to break the guy's wrist just for thinking of touching your arm, but he knew that he needed to let Cobb be the Marshall of his people. His guy, his turf, his call.
"Jorrell, get on out to the moisture farm with you." Cobb said, sliding in between you and the man. Jorrell looked peeved, but collected his hat and swiftly left the bar.
"Thanks." You said, stirring your drink.
"He's probably harmless, but I don't like the thought of his grubby paws anywhere near you." Cobb said smoothly, taking his own drink from the bartender.
Mando joined at your other side, leaning on the bar to look at Cobb.
"Will she be safe here while I ride out?" He asked.
"You have my word." Cobb replied.
"Where are you going?" You looked at Mando wide-eyed.
"Collecting proof of death out on the dunes. Target ran afoul of the Tuskens."
"And I'm staying here?" Your mouth dipped unhappily.
"Supposed to storm, I don't want you to get hurt or lost." Mando said. Your frown deepened, but you didn't argue.
"Don't worry, I'll keep you entertained." Cobb said, nodding at you both. Now, Mando didn't really like the sound of that, but he decided in light of Vanth's earlier behavior it could be overlooked.
As he prepared to leave, Mando noticed something, but wasn't entirely sure it wasn't in his head. It seemed like every time you tried to talk to Mando, Cobb stepped in and tried to divert your attention. It was exactly what Mando felt like doing every time he saw you talking to the Marshall and the little green monster in his chest encouraged him to interrupt. Was it possible Vanth was jealous of your relationship with Mando?
"Be safe and come back to me, okay?" You whispered, reaching up to touch his pauldron and looking up at him with beseeching eyes as he prepared to leave on the back of his bantha.
"This is the Way." Mando replied, squeezing your hand. As you stepped back, Cobb moved in to put a hand on your back, but Mando knew your eyes never left the glint of his beskar in the rising sun.
Mando returned two days later with the proof in his saddle bag. The tuskens had easily traded the target's affects for the blaster, cloth, and medical supplies he'd brought in anticipation of dealing with them. What he found at the Marshall's house made his stomach roil with anger.
He found the two of you out back at a makeshift shooting range. You were standing, blaster drawn, aiming at some scrap targets. Cobb was standing behind you, his body practically glued to yours, guiding your shots and talking into your ear.
Mando didn't have a response to this view that didn't involve violence, so he just watched. And seethed.
As he watched, you pulled the trigger of your blaster and hit the target five times in succession.
"Good girl." Cobb said, touching your hip. Mando noticed a shudder run through you, and you moved forward a little to put some space between you. All right, that was his cue.
"Hey." He snapped. You turned, dropping the blaster to the ground and running for him.
"Mando!" He had a fraction of a second of warning before you jumped onto him and wrapped your legs around his hips.
"Hey, hey, hey. Safety on the blaster first next time." Mando said, completely taken aback by your enthusiastic greeting. You had never touched him like this.
Then Mando noticed the ugly look on Cobb's face as he watched the two of you, and the pieces came together.
"You ready to go?" He asked you. You nodded into his chest plate and tightened your arms around his neck.
The little green monster celebrated as you followed him closely to the Crest, barely sparing a goodbye wave for Vanth before disappearing into the ship.
Five: room for two green monsters on the ship
Mando had just begun to accept that he maybe had some attachment issues when it came to you, but getting jealous of Grogu was going too far...
He'd come in from a hunt to find you and Grogu curled up in his bunk. Neither of you were supposed to be in his bunk, but sometimes you just seemed to end up there if he was gone for a long time on a hunt or your bunk on the floor got too uncomfortable.
You were curled around Grogu, who had one tiny little paw grasped around a lock of your hair. You were both snoring softly, which was pretty cute, Mando had to admit. But as he watched you two, he felt the all-too-familiar monster waking in his chest. He wanted to fall asleep with his bare hand, not his gloved hand, wound into your hair. He wanted to smell your shampoo as he pressed a kiss to the top of your head, and revel in your body pressed close to his.
Before he did something rash like displace Grogu and curl up with you, Mando went up to the cockpit. Being jealous of a baby was just ridiculous.
And one time you let some jealousy of your own slip out...
You were a pretty easy-going person, generally. But something about the bounty hunter you had teamed up with for this hunt was just too much for you. You wanted to claw her eyes out every time she looked at Mando, and you couldn't even pinpoint why. She wasn't doing anything, but she gave you a weird feeling. It was like a little green creature had settled in your chest and tried to claw its way up your throat every time you caught sight of her and Mando sharing the same space.
"So... He any good?" A voice interrupted you as you were cleaning and reassembling one of the spare blasters.
"Pardon?" You said, forcing yourself not to glare at her.
"You know, in bed." She said, licking her lips. "Does the tin can fuck?"
You blinked at her.
"Awww you've never sampled his goods? Well, maybe I can take a peek under that armor then." She said, tossing back her hair and giggling.
A wave of jealousy rose up inside you, and before you knew it you were popping the safety on the blaster and leveling it at her chest.
"Touch him and die." You said. Your voice sounded different, more confident, more deadly. Or at least it sounded that way to you. It just made the other woman laugh.
"Aw, aren't you cute. Put away your claws, kitten, before I take them off for you. Big guy can take care of himself, and he clearly does since he isn't hitting you up for it."
But she hadn't seen what you had, the glint of beskar appearing in the doorway behind her.
"We have a problem here?" He asked. The other bounty hunter jumped, then pasted on her signature simpering smirk.
"Well, hello handsome. We were just having some girl talk here."
"With weapons?" Mando snorted. He reached out and plucked a knife out of the waistband of the bounty hunter's pants. You returned the safety to its locked position and set the blaster on the table in front of you before crossing your arms.
"Get out." Mando said to the bounty hunter. His gaze leveled on you.
"But, Mando..." She whined, reaching out for him.
"Did I stutter?" He asked. Even through the vocoder, his voice was like ice. She swallowed hard and then scurried from the room. Mando continued to stare at you.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to put the mission in jeopardy." You said, anticipating the scolding that was going to happen. "She just..."
"I know. I heard." Mando said. You forced your eyes to flick up to his, and then back down at the table. You picked at a scrape in the metal to give your hands something to do. The silence stretched.
"I only share my ship with one girl." Mando finally said. "That should put your mind at ease." With that, he left the room. You continued picking at the metal spot on the counter, but a small smile crept over your lips as you did.