Chapter Text
Wise men say;
Only fools rush in
But I can’t help falling in love with you
Din could hear the ever present Greatest Hits of Elvis Presley floating distantly on the ocean breeze. Out through an open window and up the hill to the private pavilion of the Pelekai house. Night had long since fallen on another day in paradise. At least, this was Din’s best idea of what paradise must be like. He figured life couldn’t get much better than this, all things considered.
His son was fast asleep in his arms, sandy body still wrapped loosely in the faded beach towel that he’d been wrestled into so they could attempt to have dinner as a family. His son. Din looked down at the little green ad. Eight months ago, he never would have dreamed in his wildest fantasies that he would have an ad. There were several things about this moment that he never would have seen coming.
Buir, he was a father. His son had called him as such, on the day he’d decided to adopt him. That had been a month ago, since he’d sworn the gai bal manda, and his heart still swelled with pride every time he heard his ad’ika calling for him. Well, almost every time. There were moments when he wished there were other words his son would spit out among that adorable little chatter of his.
Paz, bless his heart, was trying his best to teach the kid other words. Mainly the Mando’a for ‘Uncle’, ba’vodu. Paz. What was there to say about Paz? Din turned in his seat to look at the larger Mandalorian, splayed out in the hammock. Paz was fast asleep, fading sunburn giving his pale white cheeks a beautiful tan. The ever present sand that still clung to his hair, crunched ever so slightly as Vizsla shifted, rolling on his side and dragging with him the delicate shawl Nani had thrown over him when she and David decided to take a sleep drunk Lilo and Stitch to bed. That had been hours ago, and the trio on the pavilion had yet to leave their perch.
Din wasn’t ready for this moment to end. There was still so much to do, and he was weary to the bones. He was perfectly content to sit here, lifting the kid up to his chest, watching Paz sleep. Maybe the song was right. Maybe he was a fool, for falling in love with the gentle giant lying only feet away and the baby in his arms, but he didn’t care. This was his aliit, and there was nothing on this planet, in this galaxy that would make him give it up. He would fight tooth and nail, to the death if necessary, to keep them safe and happy. This was his clan, and he would defend it.