"CAN I GET YOU ANYTHING ELSE?" Mia asked, placing a steaming cup of tea before the queen who was sitting on the lower level of the ship.

"No, but thank you for the hospitality." She smiled kindly as BB-7P tended to her minor wounds.

Mia liked her.

The queen had obviously been through a lot, suffered a deal of starvation, mistreatment and not to mention a terribly frightening situation.

Yet, visibly, she was as calm as anything.

She held the exterior of a true fearless leader, a quality Mia greatly admired.

"I'm surprised," The queen spoke in between a sip of her tea, "I was expecting a bigger group of bounty hunters. But obviously it only takes two highly skilled individuals to get the job done."

Mia smiles bashfully, "What can I say? We're damn good out at our jobs I guess."

"I'll say," the queen scoffed, "Do you two do missions together often?"

Mia shook her head, "First time."

"Well I wouldn't consider it your last." She replied knowingly. "From what I can see, you compliment each other remarkably."

Mia felt angered at the small blush that rose to her cheeks.

Why was she blushing?

"Um, I'll go check on our route." She ascended the stairs to the upper level. "Let me know if you need anything."

Mia rubbed her eyes on her way up, the exhaustion of the past couple of days finally hitting her like a ton of bricks.

Not to mention the pain of her bruised ribs still radiating heavily.

Thankfully she had BB-7P to attend to her, as she'd some how managed to convince Mando to bring him with them.

By convince she meant she didn't listen to a word of Mando's refusals. She just knew that she couldn't leave it behind on such a desolate and unforgiving planet. He'd have much more fun with her company.

"She's pretty intimidating." Mia confessed before plopping into her seat beside the pilot.

The Mandalorian faced the view ahead, "Says the girl who invented chainsaw fingers."

"Hmm," a smile played on her lips, "So you think I'm intimidating? Noted."

He turned to her with a blank expression.

She stared back before finding the words, "...I can't tell if you're glaring or looking at me with adoring eyes."

He watched as the reflections of starlight bounced off the caramel colour of her eyes. The way her long hair sprawled along the back of the seat that was usually empty. He'd gotten so used to her being there that it was strange knowing it wasn't going to last for long.

He said after a short moment of deliberation, "Give me your feet."

Mia's lips parted. They were the last words she had expected to hear. "What?"

"I lost the bet, right?" He switched the flight mode to auto pilot before swivelling in her chair to face her, "I owe you a foot rub."

"Oh...yeah." She blinked, "...Right now?

"I'm only asking once, Mia." He snapped.

The girl bit back a grin as she eagerly kicked off her shoes.

He pulled them up onto his lap and began to massage her soles with his gloved hands.

Mia usually wasn't the blushing type, but she found herself doing it a lot today. She realised that she'd never really felt his hands, or any part of him really. And now she could feel the tense muscles of his thighs beneath her feet and the steady pressure of his thumbs against her skin.

She let out a sigh of contentment. Mando felt a tingle throughout him as he realised that he was the one making her sigh like that, but he quickly shook the idea from his head. Both had never been so close, never experienced such an invasive setting. Yet it didn't feel uncomfortable or awkward as expected, but right. It felt right.

He watched as she tilted her head back, allowing her eyes to softly close. He wished he could capture that moment. The moment where she looked so at peace that it felt like the entire galaxy had stilled around him. The efotlessely smooth skin on her cheeks, the ease of her usually tense brows, the pinkish hue of her full lips - all within his grasp. But this is as close as he'd ever get.

"I can't believe we actually did it." Mia mumbled with her eyes shut.

Mando replied, still watching her. "We...We make a good team."

Mia peeked with one eye open, "That sounded like it was hard for you to admit."

"It was." He grunted, looking away as he continued to massage her.

She smiled. She'd miss his unhuman and robotic sense of personality. She'd strangely miss him overall.

A bleeping interrupted the pair as the small droid rolled up beside Mia.

"Hey bud," she said sleepily. "Thanks your help today."

The nursing droid responded gleefully before glancing between the two. It looked almost shocked to see Mia and Mando getting along so well.

"I can't believe you took that thing." He said.

Mia glared at his helmeted face. "You realise where my feet are, right? One kick and you'll be crying on the floor like a baby."

Mando sighed in defeat as Mia happily shut her eyes again.

"BB-7P will love the farm. We'll take care of him there." She continued.

Mando removed his hands and abruptly stood up, Mia's feet clashing to floor.

"Ow!" She groaned, "Was that it?"

"You didn't specify a duration."

She pulled a face at the back of his head as he adjusted the shop control before sitting back down.

"Strap in." He said, "We're about to land."

"We are?" She gaped.

Time had passed by much faster than she'd anticipated. They really did it. They made it back alive.

After a smooth landing and an excited departure, the two bounty hunters, the queen and the droid made their way towards the Bounty Hunter's Guild base.

It has felt like a millennium since they were here last, being assigned their mission.

"I have to say, I'm impressed you actually pulled it off." Greef Carga greeted them.

He placed their payment in full on the table before them.

Mia roller her eyes, "Nice to know you believed in us."

"So how was it?" He asked.

"This isn't story-time." Mando said before taking a seat at the bar.

"Was he this cranky the whole time." Greef motioned to the Mandalorian.

Mia modded with gritted teeth. "But it's okay," she said, "Because I was too busy trying to enjoy my last job."

"You're really leaving?"

"I am." She said. "For a while at least. If I can get my village back running, who knows what I plan to do for the rest of my life."

"Well," he smiled, "We'll always be here to welcome you back no matter what you decide."

"I appreciate it. Everything."

"You're one of my best. It's a shame to see you go." said Greef.

"I am the best." She corrected him with a childish grin and nodded in the direction of the Mandalorian. "And don't let him forget it."

As Mia finished talking to Greef, Mando approached her.

"Come on." He said.

"Where to?"

She followed him outside.

"To get your things off my ship."

"So that's it?" Mia dramatically started to fake cry, "You're just kicking me out like we never even happened?"

He turned to her with what she knew was a glare underneath.

She rolled her eyes.

"No I get it," she said, "You want my shit gone so you can have your glorious man cave back."

"Exactly." He said.

She shoved him playfully as she could hear the faintest of smiles in his voice.

As they approached the ship, Mia made her way to her little makeshift room.

In an oddly sentimental way, she would miss staying here.

Shoving all her of her belongings into her duffel bag, Mia decided to leave her Fugle plant behind.

He needed something to remember her by, right?

"I'm all done." said Mia.

She looked around with no sign of the bounty hunter on the ship.

"Mando?" she said.

The Mandalroin was on the ship. Somehow he'd found himself sitting in his own quarters, perched on his bedside and staring straight ahead.

He didn't hear her probably because he was so deep into his own thoughts.

He didn't know what he was feeling exactly, but it wasn't a happy feeling.

Far from it.

It was a dark, hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Was it because she was leaving?

Had she had that much of an impact on her?

"Mando?" said a voice from behind him, shaking him from his thoughts.

Her voice.

"Yeah," he cleared his throat standing up, "Sorry."

"Wow," she said looking around, "So this is your oh so secret room huh?"

He watched as she dropped her bag in the door and wandered into his room.

"What are you doing?" he said.

"I've been dying to know some personal stuff about you," she said, "Hopefully this room can finally answer my questions."

And the crazy thing was, he didn't try to stop her.

In fact he was glad she couldn't see his smile behind the mask.