Chapter Text
‘ …should we have told him we got married before? ’
‘ Maybe. Too late now. ’ Torian answered briskly, it was impossible to see his expression due to the helmet but it wasn’t hard to imagine him frown.
And who’s fault it is, Nino thought, annoyed, It’s not like I’m the one who is an expert Mandalorian, am I? But of course being a smart woman -generally- she didn’t tell what was in her mind, he was already too fidgety and nervous.
For what reason, she couldn’t tell.
Well, there were a lot of reasons to be fair but, Nino thought they had gotten over with it. Crusader’s schism. Jicoln. All done and dealt with.
More or less.
No hard feelings left, or that was what Torian had told her, though he had been viciously cleaning his armor that time in a way that clearly showed her yes…there are indeed hard feelings left, but then again killing a parent no matter how noble of a reason it was done after years of mistreatment had to leave a wound. Nino sometimes regretted not taking down the old man herself. Perhaps that could be a less traumatizing experience then.
And now his nervousness only worked for making her tense too and to not start an accidental argument she decided to keep quiet until they met the Mand'alor. She hadn’t seen the man after the adoption day.
Well, he did tell me to take care of Torian…
Before they entered the base, the pair took off their helmets. Nino’s curly ponytail puffed up immediately and Torian couldn’t help but try to smooth down some of it with one hand. He was taking his time from going in;
‘Trying to make me look presentable?’ Nino joked, ‘Are you going to introduce me to someone?’ He gave small smile at that, quickly glancing the door and fidgeting with the helmet he held in his hands;
‘Sort of…Well, I’m supposed to introduce you as my wife aren’t I? It’s been nice while it lasted…’
‘Don’t sa..-’
‘Since the Mand'alor will probably kill me.’
‘-say it.’ Nino shook her head; trying to come up with an argument but she knew so little of the Mandalorian politics, it wasn’t exactly a field they lingered on considering it had taken two years for her to only learn the language. But if they had been chiss the Aristocra could certainly kill him, as laws required. Doing something like a marriage without asking anyone? Especially the head of the house? That would bring a big trouble. They could be both exiled…
Oh
The idea gave her a deep nauseation, suddenly she thought she could throw up. Exile. after everything, he had to go through to prove his loyalty just to get married to the wrong woman. It that were to happen…-Well, Nino didn’t want to think much of it as even the thought of it were enough to bring tears to her eyes. Whatever he saw in her face made Torian lean closer and cup her cheeks, his expression softening into one of concern;
‘Nino? Love, are you alright? Know I’m joking, right?’
She had to blink at him to clear her head off the silly dark thoughts, taking a shaky deep breath;
‘Don’t make such stupid jokes then. Well…If it comes to that you can just say I seduced you with my…alien-ness or something. That will get him. Or as a plan B…’
‘I’m listening.’
Nino shrugged innocently, glancing inside and leaning in while motioning him to do the same, slight bumping her head against his playfully;
‘I could…get him.’
‘WHAT!’ He leaned back with a bewildered face; ‘You cannot do that Nino! Definitely not!’
‘Why not? He’s just one man. I could challenge him and become the Mand'alor…Then you could be my…queen?’
Torian rolled his eyes; ‘And here I am listening seriously… Wonderful plan cyar’ika. This will certainly work.’
‘Why thank you my darling!’
He shook his head; ‘For once, I wouldn’t be a ‘queen’ -and that’s king- I would still be your riduur and I would still try to gather as much as my -our- clan as possible. that’s still a priority you know’
‘ Oohhh…Got it. ’ Nino winked exaggeratedly before raising her eyebrows; ‘…so you thought about this after all.’
‘Nino…’
‘Okay! Okay…I’m shutting up. Let’s just get in? And we’ll make plans along the way. Look if I give a thumbs up we will start the coup, okay?’
Torian subconsciously clamped a hand over her mouth; ’Shhhhhh.
‘…hwe cant heqfw us’ she managed to say although it was hard to speak while laughing and well…with a hand on her mouth.
He shook his head again, Nino wondered if he was getting a headache with all the…head shaking he had to do these days…It usually meant, I could laugh if I wasn’t such an emotionally restrained person but I do find this highly amusing.
That Nino could relate.Torian would certainly make a very good chiss
Better than her anyway.
He removed his hand before she could get sillier and lick it, though Nino highly expected it wouldn’t repulse him as much as she thought -after few experiences she had lived in her marriage life, some really bewildering- hence taking all the fun away. He squeeezed her cheeks as if she were a child;
‘You’re cold. Let’s go in.’
Nino had to rol her eyes at that, more like he’s cold, she thought, anyway, I’ll let him have this one.
‘And if all else fails…Plan B?
He smiled fondly at her, the very unrealistic plan, it only showed Nino was more than ready to sacrifice everything for him. And he was too he realized with a small surprise; so he nodded firmly.
‘Plan B.’