15.
Din woke up long before Nevrin the next morning. He watched her sleep, curled up in the luxurious blanket that would never belong to a Bounty Hunter. He had never spent the night, let alone stepped armored foot, in a place as opulent as the room they shared. He didn't doubt the quarters Lando had picked out for him would not have been anywhere near as grandiose as Nev's. Not that he would have been bothered, Din had spent many nights in filthy hovels that even lizard monkeys avoided. He also didn't doubt that Lando had planned on being the one to share the large bed and luxurious blanket with 'Eira'.
He dressed silently leaving her to sleep as long as she needed. He had been a bit rough last night, more desperate to prove to himself and her that they belonged together. To show her that Lando, or anyone else for that matter, did not know her, the real her, and would never know what she needed from them.
Din wandered around until he found the hi-tech replicator. There were so many options for tea, kaffee and food he quickly grew frustrated. Once his chosen beverage was brewed he roamed around the oversized apartment sipping his hot kaffee. There was a fireplace much like the one in Lando's office which he didn't understand the need for since the entire city was climate controlled. He found a built- in datapad and holo-communicator in another part of the room. The door alarm pinged in the middle of his exploration and he sighed, quickly swallowing down the last of his drink. Nev turned over, mumbling something but still blissfully asleep. He slipped his helmet on and opened the door expecting Lobot to have arrived with her new clothing.
Instead of the Android, Lando Calrissian was standing on the other side as the hatch slid open. "Eira, my lovely smuggler princess, I brought you a few gifts. I thought you'd like to try them on for me. Then perhaps we can have breakfast in bed-" He stepped forward without looking and nearly bounced off the Beskar blocking entry into the room. Lando stumbled back, the smile plastered to his face barely slipping as he registered the Mandalorian standing in front of him. "Mando! Good morning, I hope there's no hard feelings about yesterday. I'm just doing what I need to in order to protect my people. And I hope we can be friends."
Din crossed his arms over his broad chest and leaned on the doorframe. "Unlikely." He answered flatly.
Lando nodded in understanding. "Well...I brought Eira a few things-" He raised the packages he was carrying.
"She's still asleep but I'll let her know you stopped by." Din answered taking the bags out of his hands. Lando's eyes darted over Din's shoulders, noticing the pale back and silver hair spread over the dark bedding.
He chuckled softly and took another step back. Another battle and another woman lost. Maybe he needed to change up the cape situation, add some armor, he thought to himself. "Well, I see you take your position as her associate very seriously."
"Yes I do. Any update on the Imperial data?" Din asked moving the subject away from his relationship with the sleeping woman.
"My people are working on it. A day or two and we'll have an answer for you, " Lando answered. "She knows where to find me if you have any issues. Until then Cloud City welcomes you." He bowed slightly and turned on his heel, his golden cape swinging as he walked away.
"Calrissian, " Din called out.
Lando stopped mid-stride and turned around. "Yes, Mando?"
"Is there a doctor in the city?"
"Are you ill? I can have a medic droid sent to your quarters right away." Lando answered.
Din tilted his helmet and sighed, "It's not for me and it's a private concern...we would prefer a real doctor."
"Ah...well, I'll have Dr. Chanez's office call for an appointment right away." He said with another bow and twirl of his cape. Din watched him until he disappeared into the crowd at the end of the corridor before retreating into their quarters. He set the packages Lando had brought with him on the velvet couch and headed to the replicator for another cup of kaffee. He considered trying one of the fancy, sweet concoctions that he had skipped over earlier.
The holo-communicator rang shrilly just as he pushed his helmet up to take the first sip of the coco, carmel, and whipped cream that had the audacity to call itself kaffee. "Son of a bantha," he grumbled, wiping whipped cream off his mustache. He strode over to the infuriating machine and began pressing buttons which only made it ring louder.
Nev mumbled indignantly, pulling the blanket over her head before finally sitting up with an annoyed huff. "Answer the kriffing holo, Din!"
"I'm trying, Nevrin! It's got all these fucking buttons…" He yelled back. "Why are there so many fucking buttons?" He pushed something else and the ring turned into a Wookiee growl which was somehow both better and worse than the shrill ringing. Nev stomped over, blanket wrapped around her and elbowed him out of the way.
She jammed her index finger irately into a rather large bright green button that should have been obvious to Din with the enhanced sight of his Mandalorian helmet. "What in the hells of Exegol do you want?" she cursed as the blue digitized face of a Twi'lek woman appeared on the screen.
The woman batted her eyes several times in surprise at Nev's angry face. "Hello, this is Nurse Orna at Dr. Chanez's office."
Nev turned her angry grey eyes to Din. He spun away, lifting his helmet as he went to take another sip of sweet kaffee. "Dr. Chanez? What happened to Dr. Tages?" she asked, turning her face back to the holo-call.
"I'm sorry but Dr. Tages was executed by the Empire during the occupation. Dr. Chanez took over her practice last year when we returned to the city." Nurse Orna replied with a sniff. "Anyways, I'm calling to confirm your appointment with Dr. Chanez at 1300."
"My appointment…" Nev sighed, apparently Din had been serious last night; it hadn't just been his usual fuck-fueled babbling. "What time is it now?" She asked, still bleary eyed from her rude awakening.
"It's 1240 ma'am."
"Fucking...well, I'll just have to reschedule-" She started to reply when Din reappered over her shoulder.
"We'll be there." He answered.
The nurse smiled, "Perfect. I'll send over the confirmation so you can locate the office."
The call ended and Nev turned to glare at Din, crossing her arms over her bare chest. "In case you forgot, Din Djarin, you ruined the one set of clothes I brought with me from the Crest. We don't have time for you to get to and from the ship to bring me more-" Din silently pointed a gloved hand at the small pile of bags and packages Lando had delivered. Nev's mouth snapped shut and she stalked across the room towards the presents. "Better not be kriffing capes..." she muttered sifting through the clothing.
"You don't like my cape?" Din asked.
Nev shook her head, "You know what I mean. Your cape is...traditional." She tossed something over her shoulder muttering, "Very practical Lando." Din caught the black fabric as it fluttered towards the floor. He shook it out expecting the small, lacy thing to expand in his hand. It did not. He held it up to her back trying to figure out what it was and how it was worn. She turned around with a few articles of clothing picked out and suddenly he understood what it was. Nev laughed when she saw the ridiculous strappy, lace lingerie in his hands and the tilt of his helmet. "That thing is ridiculous. It doesn't even have a crotch." Din made a deep, primal noise in his chest and stepped forward. She cocked a silver eyebrow and smiled, "Guess I'll have to reschedule that appointment with the doctor."
"No. " He answered. "This can wait until later. Get dressed."
Once she dressed, they made their way across the city. The crowds parted for the
Mandalorian making the trip relatively quick. No matter where they were in the galaxy, medical places all had the same antiseptic smell, too bright lights and banal color schemes. Cloud City's small doctor's office was no exception.
Before the Empire occupied the city there was one physician, Dr. Tages, an elderly Togruta woman with a taste for Bothan gin that had patched up Eira Stormjumper more than once, and an army of medical droids. It seemed that was still the case as the waiting room was empty when they arrived; most people preferred to be treated at home by a droid then take the time to see a living doctor in person.
The Twi'lek nurse that called to confirm Nev's appointment sat behind a desk preening her lekku. "I have an appointment with Dr. Chanez at 1400." Nev said after waiting several long seconds for the woman to finish her grooming. Din's armor creaked as he shifted impatiently on his feet behind her.
The woman dropped her lekku, apparently satisfied with whatever she had done and looked at them. "Of course. If I can just have your chain code to check you in." She replied, holding out one manicured hand.
The nurse's eyes darted nervously to the Bounty Hunter as Nev muttered under her breath. "Chain code. Sure I got one of those." She dug through her bag and Din saw that she had what looked like several chain code ID's on her. She picked one and peered at it to make sure it had the right name before handing it over. "I'm a Spacebaby so...I just have the name of my mothers ship as place of birth."
The nurse smiled, "We aren't the Empire. Chain codes just make it easier to keep everyone's records straight." She scanned the card and handed it back. "Alright, Eira Stormjumper. Follow me. Sir, you can wait out here."
"He can come." Nev answered, nodding for Din to follow.
They followed Nurse Orna further into the office passing a few closed doors before she let them into an exam room. "Dr. Chanez will be in momentarily. Please put the gown on and lay on the table." Nev nodded and Din chose the corner behind her to stand immobile in.
The door closed and Nev looked at him as she undressed. "You know the doctor is gonna touch me a hell of a lot more than Lando did." She said unbuttoning the dark wine colored blouse Lando had gifted her.
Din sighed, crossing his arms over his chest and finding a comfortable spot on the wall to lean. "Guess it's a good thing you're taking your nice, new clothes off before he touches you." The rest of her clothes followed and she slipped into the thin gown the nurse had left behind. Nev hopped onto the high exam table just as a hollow knock sounded on the door.
Dr. Chanez entered a moment later. "Eira Stormjumper?" He looked up from the datapad in his hand, his red eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the Mandalorian taking up a rather large space in the small exam room.
"Don't mind him, doc. He's not here on business." Nev said brightly, holding out her pale hand to shake his blue one.
"Yes, yes of course…" The doctor cleared his throat nervously and shook Nev's outstretched hand once. "Well, what seems to be bothering you today?"
"Nothing actually, I'm completely healthy." She smiled again, swinging her feet off the edge of the exam table. Din's helmet tilted and she could imagine his eyes narrowing in annoyance. "I have an anti-fertility implant I'd like to get removed..New Republic New Life, right?"
Dr. Chanez bobbed his head. "Alright, go ahead and lay down." Nev did as she was instructed, the table was hard and cold against her back. The doctor pulled an exam screen around her midsection and a digital scan of her insides appeared. "Yep. There it is...let me get my supplies and we'll get that little bugger out of you." He tapped a command on his datapad and a panel in the wall across from Din slid up. A blue and red R5 unit rolled out beeping a friendly greeting.
Nev sat up on her elbows and crossed her ankles nervously watching the droid. "No droids." Din growled standing to his full height. Dr. Chanez looked at the large hand the Mandalorian had resting on the butt of his blaster.
"Oh...of course. R5 is just my assistant." Dr. Chanez replied. The droid beeped and a tray of sterilized medical instruments popped out of its dome. Nev signaled him with a small motion of her fingers and Din reluctantly relaxed back into the wall. His thumb hooked on his gun belt. Sensing no further objections the doctor readied himself and his patient for the procedure. "Alright feet up here and scoot all the way down." He waived to a pair of stirrups that popped out of the table. "We'll have that thing out of you in no time. R5 and I've had several requests for this sort of thing since the war ended...people feel safe, want to settle down and start a family…"
The doctor kept up his amiable conversation while Nev gripped the edge of the table staring at the ceiling trying to take slow deep breaths as he inserted something inside her. "You got quite the bruise on your inner thigh. I can give you a bactacream to heal it-"
"It's ok doc. I don't mind the bruises."
He muttered something to his droid and the little machine rolled away to grab something out of a drawer. "How long did you say this implant's been in?"
Nev squeezed the table harder, her knuckles turning bone white. "I krif…'bout ten years."
The doctor clicked his tongue and Nev saw black spots as something inside her cramped painfully. Din noticed the change in her vitals, the way her skin blanched and broke out in a cold sweat. He stood at her shoulder looking down the table where the doctor sat on his stool hunched between her lifted legs. "What are you doing? Can she have something for the pain?" He demanded.
"I'm sorry. If I put the bactaspray in now I won't be able to see...R5 would be able to-"
"No. I'm fine. Just kriffing do it." Nev said cutting the doctor off.
"This is going to be more difficult than I anticipated. You've got quite a bit of scar tissue...where did you get this implanted?"
"In a Hutt hole, wasn't so much implanted as shoved in by some repurposed protocol droid…" Nev said through gritted teeth.
The doctor tutted under his breath like that was enough of an explanation. "Tatooine?" He questioned.
She grabbed Din's hand and let out a string of colorful curses in several languages. "Or'ahn." She croaked as the doctor finally retrieved the evil little thing inside her.
"Got it. Just a moment and the bacta will kick in. The pain should let up-" The burning, cramping pain was almost instantly dulled by a pleasant cooling sensation. "The bacta will also help with some of the trauma caused by removing the device; you'll be fine in an hour ...It won't, however, help with the scarring."
"Is it bad?" Nev asked lowering her legs from the stirrups.
Dr. Chanez rolled his stool backwards to look at both of them. "I want to be honest with both of you, I've taken care of many people in your situation...The scarring will make it very difficult for you to conceive without corrective surgery…" Nev shook her head and let out a humorless laugh. Surgery of that caliber would cost a thousand bounties worth of credit.
"What does that mean?" Din asked.
"It means that I'm not going to be able to give you a daughter."
"He doesn't know that." Din looked down at her then to the doctor. "You don't know that."
Dr. Chanez stood removing his exam gloves. "No, I don't know for sure. But it's common with these types of implants..."
The doctor left them and Nev sat up on the edge of the table with a deep sigh. "I'm so fucking stupid; I actually thought this might work...that I could go home when this was done." She muttered, tearing the gown off and tossing it on the floor.
"We are going home, cyar'ika." Din replied quietly.
They walked back to their quarters in silence. Din was quiet and unsure if he should have brought up Nevarro and his plans so soon. Nev kept her thoughts to herself, stormy grey eyes dark and face impassive as the Cloud City citizens cast sidelong glances at them.
Their room was dark when they returned. The vast viewscreen to the outside still closed from the night before. Din's nightvision switched on automatically as the hatch slid shut. Nev stood in the middle of the room not moving to turn on any lights. He saw her bury her face in her hands and the slight tremble of her shoulders as she started to cry quietly. "Cyar'ika, don't…" he mumbled. "I shouldn't have-"
"Din, I can't give you what you want." She cried. This is what dar'yaim must feel like. Hell was the burning pain in her chest knowing that she could never go home, that she had let herself believe if only for a moment that it was possible. The thoughts of repaying her blood debt, of vengeance and the hate that had kept her alive out of spite had been replaced with thoughts of Nevarro and it's blasted heat, the artwork adorning the walls of the Covert and the memories of laughing Foundlings. And now it was all gone again, broken and bleeding on the stone floor of a Hutt palace.
Din took his helmet off and dropped it on the floor. "Nevrin, you're all I want." He said pulling her close, her chest pressed into his armor as he leaned down to kiss her.
"You deserve more. You deserve someone who can give you ade." Children. Her lips were salty from tears that still spilled from her eyes.
"The doctor didn't say it was impossible, " Din murmured. "We'll just have to keep practicing until we get it right."
Her hands shook, fumbling in the dark with the buttons on her blouse as Din pulled them backwards towards the bed. He dropped pieces of armor and she tossed aside her clothing on the floor as they went. The bed dipped as he sat on the edge then pulled her close once more. One hand wrapping around her waist while the fingers of his other hand slipped between her legs. "Fuck, cyar'ika, you're always so wet for me." He groaned, pulling her onto his lap.
"I always want you." She said lining herself up with his hard length. "Gods, Din, you feel so fucking good inside me." She moaned, slowly sinking all the way down before rocking herself back and forth, her clit rubbing against him with every tilt of her hips. "Fuck, oh fuck, right there-" Nev buried her face in his neck as Din's hands dug into her ass moving her faster, bouncing her up and down until she felt like she was going to be split in half. She came hard, shattering apart and being held together by his arm. Every part of her ignited with the burning heat of the Nevarro sun he seemed to carry inside him. He flipped them over, her back sinking into the soft bed as he fucked into her in hard, deep strokes, grunting with each thrust of his hips, praising her and the Maker for the way her pussy her clenched around him pulling him into his own climax.
He stayed inside her until he grew soft figuring he might as well increase their chances where they could. "No more crying, cyar'ika," He paused, his lips touching each of her cheeks tasting the tears that had started falling once more.
"I want to go home, Din. I'm tired of not belonging anywhere…" She wrapped her arms around him in the dark.
"You belong with me, Nevrin." He replied. He lay down next to her resting his hand on her stomach as if he could will his seed to take hold there. He never realized how deeply he wanted a child of his own until he had held Nevrin in his arms again. Knowing that if he had fought harder to keep her, made the move to claim her as more than an armored companion years or months or even days before she had been sent away their lives could have been vastly different.
"Baz, my mother, your parents, our planets- the Empire has taken so much from us, Din."
"Don't let them take more, cyar'ika." He ran his fingers along the shadow of her face, "Let me take you home...leave the Imperial cube with Lando, let the Republic take care of the Moff."
"In the morning, " she relented. "I want one more night on this bed."