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“Kriff!” Cobb swore as he lurched out of the way of a blaster bolt. It barely missed his head, taking out the corner of the building he was taking refuge behind.
Taking a quick peek, he could make out two dark figures slowly making their way through the marketplace towards his location. He quickly ducked back around the building, taking off through the streets of Mos Eisley in hopes of shaking his pursuers.
‘What the hell do they want with me anyway?’ He thought irritably. He tried to recall if he had particularly pissed anyone off recently, but truthfully since the death of the Krayt things had been very quiet in his neck of the dunes.
With little to do in the way of actual Marshaling lately, Cobb had taken to doing odd jobs around Mos Pelgo. Anything to keep his mind off of the enigmatic Mandalorian who had taken off with his armor and apparently all his damn sense.
The morning prior, he had been taking inventory of the village’s weapons stock idly thinking about how skillfully Mando had handled his amban rifle and what else could those skillful hands manage to do- and practically fell over himself to volunteer to make the supply run to Mos Eisley.
‘Well,’ he thought wryly. ‘Should’ve known peace never lasts long on this dustball.’
Ducking through the doors of a small cantina, he decided to double back and see if he could slip past undetected through the back alleys. As he rounded the corner he took a backwards glance to see if he was still being followed, only to run smack into what felt like a solid wall, knocking him on his ass.
“I- Vanth?” The wall asked.
Hand dropping to his blaster Cobb quickly rolled up into a crouch when he finally processed what he had bounced off of. He blinked in shock as he recognized the Mandalorian - his Mandalorian.
“Mando?”
If the Mandalorian answered he didn’t hear it. As soon as the word left his mouth a searing pain tore through his right side. He had enough time to process the metal point sticking out the front of his shirt before he was jerked violently backwards.
“Marshal!“ The Mandalorian reached for him but his shoulder slammed into the corner of the building as he was pulled backwards, sending him into a spin and yanking him just out of the man’s reach.
As he rolled to a stop he realized that in addition to the pain his arms were completely immobilized.
“Huh.” A pair of boots came into his field of vision.”Well that wasn’t supposed to happen, but it’ll make it easier to keep you under control, schutta.”
Blinking dazedly, Cobb manages to look down and process the durasteel wire wrapped several times around his arms and torso. Rough hands grabbed the wire and yanked him forward, making him cry out in pain as his side was jostled.
Gritting his teeth he thrashed wildly, ignoring the warmth spreading down his side. He didn’t miss what his captor had called him, and he knew what was going to happen to him if he didn’t get away.
‘Not again not again not again-‘
“Let him go.”
The person dragging him paused, then dropped him to the ground. He had a moment of relief before a scream ripped out of him as a boot slammed down on his injured side. Black spots danced across his vision as the person above him ground their heel into his injury.
“Back off Mandalorian, this bounty has already been claimed!” The man sneered. “There are plenty of other loose slaves on this rock, you can pick another.”
“I won’t ask you again.” Mando’s voice was ice cold.
“And we won’t tell you again, you need to back off.” A female voice called.
Dropping from the rooftop, the other hunter dropped behind the Mandalorian and pointed her blaster at his neck, where there was a gap between his helmet and cuirass.
‘Screw this,’ Cobb thought irritably. Bracing himself for the pain he knew was coming he jerked himself forward, dislodging the hunter above him and throwing him off balance. He grit his teeth against another scream as something tore in his side, throwing his leg backward and connecting with his captor’s knee. There was a sickening crack and the man cried out and dropped.
A quick glance back showed the mandalorian had taken advantage of the sudden shock of his actions. The blaster pistol that had been aimed at his head was now lying in the street. The other hunter lay on the ground with her helmet knocked off beside her, revealing an unconscious Pantoran woman with blue blood trickling down from her temple.
Mando looked up and Cobb locked eyes with his visor. He felt a weak smile starting to pull at his lips when suddenly Mando jerked towards him frantically, arm reaching out.
“Cobb!”
He didn’t have time to wonder what was wrong when he felt the press of a blaster barrel to the back of his head.
A shot rang out and he flinched, eyes shut.
A body thumped to the ground behind him.
He opened his eyes to see the mandalorian, blaster out and chest heaving enough to be visible even through the layers of beskar and his flight suit. He blinked, and Mando was on his knees in front of him, gently holding his shoulders. Cobb tried to move his arms to reassure him and frowned when he realized he was still restrained.
“Here.” Mando’s voice was as gentle as his hands as he pulled out a vibroknife and cut through the wire until he could loosen it from around Cobb’s torso.
Even with the careful ministrations Cobb winced as every move jerked whatever was stuck in his side. As his arms were freed he moved to touch the sharp edge sticking out of his torso.
“Don’t touch it.”Mando grabbed his hand and pulled it away from his side, softening the action with a gentle stroke of his thumb against the back of his hand. “He got you with a grappler, and wrapped you up in it. We’ll need a medic to remove it, the edges of the blade are serrated.”
“Ah.” Cobb said tonelessly. The black spots were back, and he knew he was losing his battle with consciousness. “Got a pretty good sawbones back in town, gimme a minute and I’ll be good to go.”
The mandalorian snorted and cupped the back of his head to gently lay him down on the ground. “Somehow I doubt that. Don’t worry, I’ll get us somewhere safe.”
Flat on the ground, Cobb gazed up at the mandalorian, drinking in the sight of him while he could. As his gaze moved over him he frowned, noticing something missing.
“Where’s the little guy?”
He blacked out before Mando could answer.
————
Consciousness came back slowly. First came the pain in his side and he let out a low groan. Then came the glare of the suns light against his closed eyelids and he squinted awake irritably.
‘Who keeps a bed above ground for dunes sake?’
Shielding his eyes he sat up gingerly, relieved when the wound in his side only pulled slightly. Taking a look around he blinked owlishly when he came face to face with a BD droid. It screeched and tore out of the room.
Looking around showed that he was laying on a padded mat on the floor of what looked like a storage room filled with ship parts. Nervous now, he glanced down at his hands and saw that they were unbound. A clatter at the doorway had him flinching then grabbing his side as the pain flared.
“Don’t move around too much, the bacta still needs time to work.”
Cobb immediately relaxed as the familiar shape of Mando walked through the door. “Assuming I have you to thank for that partner, as well as the fact that I’m not currently in chains.” He reached his hand out as the man approached.
Mando clasped his hand and sat down. “It was nothing. I happened to be in the area, I wasn’t going to just do nothing and let them take you.”
Pushing down the warm ball of happiness at that he frowned slightly at the wording. “No one just ‘happens to be in the area’ on Tatooine, partner. Everything okay?” He looked around Mando again. “And where’s the kid? I didn’t see him yesterday either.”
Silence from Mando. Frowning harder, Cobb pushed himself to the edge of the mat and made to stand, ignoring the pain in his side that was going from a low burn to a wildfire. “Did something happen to him? Gimme a minute to contact Mos Pelgo, and I can just -“
“Cobb, lay back down before you reopen that wound!” Mando’s voice was fond as he gently but firmly pushed Cobb’s shoulders back onto the cot. “The child is,” his voice cracked slightly. “The child is with his people, my quest is complete.”
Cobb reached out and grabbed his hand again and squeezed. “I’m real sorry Mando. I know how much you cared for that little kid.”
Mando squeezed his hand in return. “I don’t know what to do now.” He said slowly. “The child, my purpose is gone. My covert is gone. My ship is gone. I have nowhere to go.” He looked up at Cobb. “I didn’t know where to go. So I just. Came back to Tatooine.”
Cobb’s heart broke for him. Here was this man that Cobb had built up in his head as so untouchable, and here he was just as vulnerable as any other sentient.
“I know it can’t replace what you lost, but you’ve always got a place in Mos Pelgo, even if you think you don’t have anywhere else.” ‘You’ve always got a place with me,’ he added silently.
Mando stared at him, and wrapped his hand fully around Cobb’s.
“I would like to stay for a while, if that’s okay.” He said quietly.
Cobb brought up his other hand to hold Mando’s in both of his. “Darlin’ you can stay as long as you’d like.”