sassymaru | IC Inbox | VICTORY ROAD

[Mando's voice warms significantly when he responds.]

When you're traveling through hyperspace, yeah. And I'm not exactly a small human.

[Plus the weight of all his guns and armour!]

I could have poisoned them, but then I'd have to find all the dead rats in my ship. It was easier to drive them away.

I don't see anything wrong with you. You're not too large, either.

[So there!]

Ah... yes. I can see why that would be a poor choice. I'm sure animal activists agreed.

Thanks.

[Mando has that tone to his voice that means he's smiling under his helmet.]

I'm not very tall, but I'm heavy. And my armour and guns aren't light either. It's fine, though. I made my way back.

[And yes, he's very much noticed that Shadowmaru is taller than he is.]

Womp rats aren't very popular, so I don't think anyone would have minded. Except me, if a dead one started stinking and I was stuck in hyperspace with it.

[Frankly, he can tell that tone a bit. He likes the sound of it.]

Are you not? You seem a normal size to me. [... mostly because he's used to being uh. Tall. He's one of the tallest BP units, when the others aren't combined.] Though, I'm pleased to hear things turned out all right.

Ah... well. Yes, I can see how that would be an issue.

[A gross issue.]

Not in my world, anyway.

[Mando leans across the space between them and gives Shadowmaru a friendly shove on the shoulder. Not hard enough to hurt, of course! Just friendly-like.]

I've seen what you look like normally. Everyone's short compared to that.

[And decidedly less able to turn into a jet.]

Yes. An issue no one wants.

[But enough about womp rats!]

What colors did you bring for my hair? How does this all work?

Well of course no human can compete with a BP-Unit! [He does roll slightly with the shove. He's not a slab of muscle like some people in the room, it's more wry. More like a gymnast, if he had that comparison available.] But even among my fellows...

[Right, enough about gross dead things. He taps his chin.]

I managed to procure silver, actually. Dark blue, and an equally dark green. As for how it works... well. You may need some form of mask. Or a way to reach your hair without revealing your face.

[If Mando was to make a comparison, he'd say Shadowmaru is built more like a Twi'lek, or maybe a Kaminoan. He doesn't have a Wookie build, like Mando. But that's fine. No complaints here.]

That sounds good. I'll leave the details up to you.

[Mando reaches into the messenger bag he's been carrying this whole time. He pushes aside a Pokemon egg (Mimikando is brewing in there) and pulls out a battered mask. Shadowmaru should recognise it; he painted over the horrible bright Pikachu yellow it was before.]

I can wear this again.

[Of course he recognizes it. The shape is a dead giveaway, even if the paint wasn't. His expression suddenly brightens - both in delight and in shock. He even clasps his hands together.]

You kept it? But it's - it was hardly worth holding onto...

[Good grief what is this strange new feeling??]

Of course I kept it.

[Was he not supposed to? Shadowmaru's reaction seems more happy than upset, though.]

You painted it for me. I wasn't going to just throw it away.

[... why does his face feel hot? Is he turning red? What ... is this feeling. This is new.]

Well! I assumed! You would simply photograph it. Or - or keep the memory.

[Is he... is he flustered?]

It's still a good mask, though. And now we can use it again for hair stuff.

[He tilts his head.]

Did you not want me to keep it?

[Maybe Shadowmaru would prefer he wear a mask made with better paint and more time?]

If you don't like how it looks, can you make me another one? For this kind of thing?

Ah, no, no it's not that. I...

[He fans at himself with one of his sleeves. Then fidgets with it. For all his dramatics, it's oddly difficult to sit here and answer the question.]

I didn't think it was worth holding onto, I suppose. That you would appreciate it over merely keeping the memory.

["I'm very flattered" is what he's trying to say here.]

[Mando is quiet for a moment, and then it dawns on him: this is like how Grogu could play with any metal ball he wanted, but he prefers the one from the Razor Crest. And somehow, the kid knows when Mando is trying to pull a bait and switch on him and giving him another ball.]

[It's like that. Sort of.]

Sure, I could've gotten a different mask once we came back here, but you made this one. That's why I kept it.

[And with that, he stands up, mask still in hand.]

I'm going to go change. Excuse me.

[you made this one]

[Oh. Well then. He's still not totally what sure to say. For once, he's left speechless, looking up at Mando from where he's sitting. He doesn't look upset. Not even in the slightest. Stunned, more like.]

I... I see. Thank you.

[What do you even say to that!!]

Yes, of course.

[Mando leaves Shadowmaru to marinate in all those emotions and heads into the hotel's bathroom. What are all these products in here? Does anyone actually use this much skin and hair care product? Obviously yes, but he's still vaguely befuddled by the whole thing.]

[He may or may not open a few bottles at random to sniff at their contents. Yes, that does in fact smell like green tea. Fascinating.]

[But then it comes time to take his helmet off, and once it's removed, Mando investigates himself in the mirror. His hair has grown out a bit since Shadowmaru cut it, and he'd be lying if he said it didn't look healthier than it had before. Turns out drying it before jamming a helmet back down over it did work.]

[He combs his fingers through it a few times, then slips on the paper mask. Much better. He still feels weird going around with his face hanging out.]

[Then he comes back into the living room, his helmet tucked under one arm.]

I'm ready?

[He thinks? Maybe? He has no idea how this works.]

[No thank you, he does not want to marinate he wants to... not think about it. At all. Because that's healthy. So while Mando is sniffing all his products - wow, bro!! - he'll be changing, himself. He likes this yukata, it would be a shame to get it dyed all weird.]

[Gloves, an apron. Drape some cloths over a chair. On the floor. He's going to be incredibly careful, but he'd hate to make a mess too. Some of his pokemon emerge, helping get everything prepared as best their little doggy paws can. Tugging cloths into place, bringing his supplies over.]

[He's busily mixing up some goop in a bowl when Mando steps back up - his own hair swept back into a tail off his face.]

Please, take your seat then.

[Mando does as he's told, settling into the chair. He notices the cloths laid down everywhere, and gestures back at his cloak.]

Should I wrap that around my shoulders?

[He doesn't care about it getting stained. It already has a certain lived-in quality to it.]

No, no. I have a cloth for that as well.

[Which he will pick up, to swirl dramatically around Mando's shoulders.]

These shed the dye much more easily.

[Clearly Mando has no idea what he's doing, and needs to sit back and let Shadowmaru do his thing. Which he does, settling back into the chair and giving up on trying to figure out what's happening.]

[A dog Pokemon comes up and shoves Mando's knee with its nose, so Mando gets a hand out from under the cloth to pet it.]

I've been drying it before putting the helmet back on.

[Does it look healthier? Mando thinks it looks healthier, but he's a poor judge.]

[And, without further ado, Shadowmaru goes to work. Don't worry, he'll be gentle~ And thorough. He's got you, Mando.]

[While his dog - the Hisui Growlithe - now has Mando's hand. And is licking it.]

Yes, I can tell, actually. It's much stronger than when I cut it. That will help the process.

[Swoon]

Does it need to be cut again?

Trimmed, yes. But we'll do it once the color's set and washed.

[Just casually playing with Mando's hair here. No big deal. But he's also doing his job... it just happens to entail playing with hair.]

Why you color it before you cut it?

[Just two serious guys, doing a serious task! No playing or flirting happening here!]

Wet hair is easier to trim. But harder to color. So... since we must wash after coloring anyway... we cut after we dye.

[Hope you don't mind the cold goop going in your hair, Mando. It's all for the good of the dye job.]

Ah.

[That makes sense. Mando would ask more about the whole process, except that cold goop on an area that's normally covered is distracting him. He's trying manfully not to shiver.]

[Just gonna pet this Hisuan Growlithe and hope some of the heat moves to his head.]

Has this guy eaten any more brushes since we got back?

[He remembers you, pupper!]

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