HER LOCKS CURLED AT THE ENDS AND THE DRYNESS OF HER TONGUE were the result of hours spent under the burning Tatooine suns.

Mia and Mando clambered onto the Razor Crest with their acquired items. Fur coats, ammunition, new blasters, food stock and other weaponry they would require for the snow planet - Hoth.

The Mandalorian tested the weight and feel of the smaller blasters he'd bought. His masked features tilting as he examined the weaponry. He liked a good blaster.

Evening fast approached, the sky darkened upon their return to the ship. Although the voice in Mia's head screamed for sleep, the growl of her stomach was much louder.

Gathering some raw ingredients she'd picked up from the market stalls, Mia stepped into the darkening Tatooine night and set up a small fire outside of the ship. The thought of eating another ration pack made her nauseous, she needed real food.

With a makeshift pan and a stick for stirring, she sat crossed legged as the small flames engulfed her in warmth. She watched the light dance before her, the thought of home keeping her grounded and sane.

The tranquility was heavenly as she began to slowly chop the raw ingredients she bought. Seeds, fruits, and other goods Tatooine had to offer, she hoped to throw all together to make some kind of soup.

The Mandalorian had settled into his room before noticing the flicker of orange light from a far window reflection. Slipping his helmet back on, he stepped out into the dark air towards the little fire, his heavy step catching Mia's attention immediately.

"I thought you were sleeping." He said down to her.

"I'm hungry." Her eyes trained on the flames. 

He scoffed and said so that only he could hear, "What's new?"

She spared a brief glance at the bounty hunter as he took a seat on the dusty ground opposite her, the small fire separating them.

"What are you doing?" She said slowly.

"Sitting." He leaned his back against a sand boulder, the orange light illuminating his helmet visor.

The pair tollerated each other upon mission based tasks. But whenever the small chance arose to spend some time in solitude, they usefully obliged and sat alone. This was perhaps the first time he was choosing to join her when it was beyond unnecessary to do so.

Attempting to ignore his presence, Mia grabbed her small wielding dagger and began finely chipping the large seeds to fill the silence in the air. She wasn't sure whether Mando was watching her or the flames of the fire - either way the situation was making her incredibly uncomfortable.

"Seriously why are you here?" She blurted.

"I can't sleep until I lock the ship from the inside." He said.

Throwing the seeds into the heated pan, she said "I can lock it."

He said nothing.

"Still don't trust me, huh?" She looked up at him, her brown eyes glowing golden from the embers of the fire.

"That, and I don't want to live with the guilt of you being taken by Tuscan Raiders." He looked out into the darkness.

"I'm a big girl, Mando," She stirred the sizzling ingredients, "I don't need a babysitter."

He breathed a heavy sigh, "Just hurry up."

There he was, intruding on her very own moment of solitude and being an ass about it. Mia had to bite down on the inside of her mouth to prevent some hurtful words coming out. Tonight was not the night for an argument.

The crackling flames and the sizzling food broke the startling silence between the two. Again, Mia wasn't sure whether the helmeted figure was watching her or the fire, but turns out he found himself switching between the two.

After the ingredients were softened and mixed with a flavourful broth, Mia poured the soup into a metal bowl. Annoyance still ran through her, but it was difficult to press down the general politeness that had been instilled in her from childhood, so she felt obliged to ask grudgingly, "Want some?"

The Mandalorian said with a very slight shake of his head, "No."

Her first taste was miraculous. The flavours and textures were something she hadn't experienced for days. Her body sighed in contentment.

He watched the girl beneath the golden light, how her eyes flickered shut with every taste. He had never stumbled upon someone who loved food the way she did. It was amusing to witness. He enjoyed watching her this way, guard down, completely and simply herself. No creases from angered expressions nor eyes held with rage, but instead they glowed softy in the firelight.

"Mm," she hummed happily, "Have you ever tried Gufasha beans?"

He shook his head.

"These are good, but nothing can beat the ones we used to harvest." She said. "You know that feeling when you eat good food, and it sends shivers through your body and you feel like you're going to implode from the inside out?"

He said curtly, "No."

"Well that's how I feel when I eat Lothalite Gufasha beans." She seemed to smile to herself at the thought of the memory.

A thought that had been itching his mind for a while now broke out into a question. From the time he'd gotten to know Mia, he'd become intrigued about who she was and where exactly she came from - even though he knew it was none of his business to know.

"How did a Lotahl farm girl become an assassin for the Bounty Hunter's Guild?" He asked.

Her thoughts were immediately pulled from the pleasurable experience of eating when the Mandalorian spoke, for it was very rare that he asked questions purely out of interest.

She placed her empty bowl down, pulling her knees to her chest as she watched the dancing flames. "We all start somewhere."

Never did she think she'd be pouring out her back story to Mando, but who else did she have? Who else did either of them have? It was only a matter of time before they would have to try more than to tolerate each other. No matter who tried to admit it, nobody liked being alone for long.

"It started six years ago. It was a boringly normal morning." She recalled helping her  parents with the summer harvest. Fruits were blossoming, suns were shining.

"Then that sound, that horrifying screech of Imperial TIE fighters ripped though the village. Word had got out that Lothal was harbouring a Rebel base." Memory flooded her vision, almost forgetting she was in the presence of another.

"They destroyed everything." She continued, "Our houses, our land. A lot of people died that day. People who were friends of my parents, people who raised me."

Mia felt her heart clench tightly at the thought. When she could, she tried not to resurface the memory of explosions and screams.

"We tried rebuilding what we once had but it was never the same. People barely had enough to rebuild their homes let alone their farm land." She said, "Farmers can't do much without their land."

"So I decided to leave. I was young, the galaxy was big and there were plenty of ways for me to earn money for my family."

She slipped her white handle dagger between her fingers, "My dad said I was a fighter, always had been. So I found people to train me and slowly worked my way into the guild."

"After a few months, I'd quickly gathered enough money from bounties to repay my parents," Her mind cast to the dark place she'd entered in those first few months. It was a blur of merciless killing for cash - she did anything for the payment. "but it wasn't enough."

Mia's quiet voice had the full attention of the bounty hunter across from her. "I wanted to repay every villager that farmed with us. I wanted to prove to myself that the Imperials didn't win our planet over."

"When I heard about this payment, I knew I'd done what I had set out to do. I've finally got enough to help everybody out."

As the words were said out loud, a pit of sadness swelled inside of her. She knew it was her last bounty mission, there was no need for her to continue after this payment, but there was not a doubt that she would miss it.

The Mandalorian spoke, "So after this..."

"I go back to working the family farm." Her fingers traced the engravings on the dagger hilt. "I'm a farmer by blood, this job was just a means to an end."

The Mandalorian couldn't help but feel the same pity. He knew that he could see what she didn't. She was impressively skilled at bounty hunting and he knew she enjoyed it. It was an utter waste and shame to see her throw it all away for something she believed she was destined to do.

Mia quietly consumed her thoughts, hugging her knees closely. She quickly wiped a small tear from the corner of her eye, hoping he didn't notice - but he did.

"You ever been to Lothal?" Mia wanted to move on quickly.

"No." He said.

"It's stunning." She sniffed.

"I'll put it on my list." He nodded.

"But I recommend going after I've cleaned the place up." Her lips curved into a smile. "Right now it's a shitshow."

"And you'll have Gufasha beans?" He asked.

"Yeah," Her eyes gleamed at him, "You have to try them."

"Only if you're sure I'll implode from the inside out." He teased.

She smiled, "I promise."