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Leia blinked as she watched an X-Wing and a Gunship touched down. She could recognize Luke’s X-Wing anymore and she could see R2’s dome head but who was the other pilot in the gunship? Luke got out of his ship, taking off his helmet and putting down the ladder. He gave her a smile and she hesitantly smiled back. The last time Luke was here he wanted to be a Jedi, why was he back?
“Why are you back?” She murmured, looking at his hair that had been lightened and his skin had been tanned from wherever he had been. The gunship’s landing ramp slowly came out.
“Well-“ Luke was cut off by him turning around as a man in armor - Mandalorian armor??- walked down the landing ramp with a small… green creature in his arms. What was Luke thinking? Mandalorians were dangerous, the best warriors, and mortal enemies of the Jedi. She had read about the Mandalorian wars on Alderaan as a young child. It was bittersweet to think about her home, the fond memories she had of the place but she could never go back.
The Mandalorian walked over to them, his shoulder brushing with Luke’s. She couldn’t see his expression because of the helmet of course but his helmet tilted down to look at her. He was only a few inches taller than Luke. His helmet turned back to Luke, “I still haven’t decided whether or not to bring you back to the Empire.” His voice was flat and Leia’s stomach plummeted. Did Luke just lead them into a trap and the Mandalorian would out their location to the Empire.
Leia glared at the Mandalorian then looked back at Luke, “Who is he and what is he doing here?” She had heard whispers of a Mandalorian bounty hunter - no known name just “the Mandalorian”.
“This is Mando,” Luke said, and he shrugged a little bit, “Were friends. Kind of.” The green creature made a cooing noise as R2 wheeled over to where they were at, whirring. The little.. child held out his hands to Luke and Luke scooped him up, “Also isn’t he cute! His name is Grogu!”
The Mandalorian grumbled something and Luke put a hand on his shoulder, shoving him slightly, “Don’t be mad that I figured out his name before you did!”
There was something about the look in Luke’s eyes - he was pleased and happy and the slight flush to his cheeks. There was something surrounding the Mandalorian - that she couldn’t explain but the Mandalorian seemed content in Luke’s presence, almost happy. She pressed her lips together and sighed, “Well.. just don’t show him everything alright?” She forced a grin on her face, “He is still a Bounty Hunter after all.” She walked away and heard the sound of the R2 whirring, The green thing- Grogu - cooing and the Mandalorian’s gruff voice and Luke’s soft laugh.
—
Luke ever since then kind of bounced between the Rebellion and with the Bounty Hunter. He never stayed with the Mandalorian for long but sometimes the Mandalorian would swoop in during missions and save Luke’s ass. After a very long mission Leia, Chewie, Han, Luke, and the Mandalorian were in a cantina on some backwater planet. It had taken the Mandalorian some convincing to leave Grogu but they left him under R2’s watchful eye and C3PO’s anxious one.
The Mandalorian didn’t drink anything but he sat at the back so he could keep his eyes on the door. Luke sat next to him, drinking cheap alcohol from his cup.
“I got to say,” Han drawled, “I never expected a Mandalorian to be working with the Rebellion.”
The Mandalorian’s head turned to Han from where he was watching the door, “I’m not working with the Rebellion. I’m still going to turn him over to the Empire.” The Mandalorian stayed quiet for a few moments before adding, “Maybe you too. You all have rather big bounties.”
Luke grinned, “You have a rather big one on your head too.”
The Mandalorian’s helmet inclined back to look at Luke, “Don’t test me.”
Luke just grinned wider and Leia just smiled a bit. She hadn’t really been around the bounty hunter a lot - he kept to himself and talked to mainly only Luke while holding Grogu in his arms. She couldn’t see his face but whenever he saw R2 his head tilted up in a disdained expression. She could tell he had a disdain for droids but just put up with R2 for Luke’s sake, and he really did not like C3PO. Han and the Mandalorian acted towards the gold protocol droid the same.
Luke stood up to get another drink, “Do you guys want anything else?”
Han listed off some drink that Leia rolled her eyes at and the Mandalorian followed Luke to the bar. Chewie made a noise and Han turned his head, “The kid and the bounty hunter?” Han scoffed a bit.
Leia turned her head towards the two, the bartender said something to him and the Mandalorian hovered over Luke, snapping something at the bartender. The bartender was giving Luke a hard time and he stopped now that he saw a Mandalorian in the flesh, snapping at the man. The Mandalorian’s hand slid to wrap around his waist.
“I agree with Chewie.” She said with a small grin,”I think Luke’s got a boyfriend and neither of them are aware.” Suddenly someone was grabbing Han by the collar - it was a green Tradashon.
“Solo.” The Tradashon hissed, “Jabba’s got quite a hit on you.” Chewie was clutching his crossbow and Leia was about to brandish her gun but a shot hit the Tradashon straight in the head.
“We need to go,” Han said, his eyes going to the Mandalorian who had just saved his skin. He gave him a nod and the Mandalorian nodded back, he grabbed Luke by the elbow and was leading him out of the cantina.
“Guess the kids got his getaway ride.” Han said with a drawl, Chewie was already on his feet with his crossbow at the ready in case anyone tried to shoot them, luckily they got away mostly unharmed.
—
The next time Leia saw Mando and Luke together it was in Luke’s quarters. Mando sat on Luke’s bed with Luke on the ground leaning against the bed frame. Grogu toddled around under Luke’s and Mando’s watchful eyes. Leia was going to talk to Luke about their next mission but she paused in the doorframe. Neither of the men had noticed her.
“You know I can’t stay here.” Mando said, his voice low and hesitant.
Luke paused in his movements and tilted back his head, so it laid against the mattress, “I know.” His voice was sad.
Mando moved closer and his gloved hand carded through Luke’s blonde hair, his eyes fluttered shut at the sensation. “I-I don’t want to go but.. no one can know that I found you. No one can know about.. this. To everyone else I’m still hunting you across the galaxy and you’ve stumped us bounty hunters at every turn.” His hand paused in the movement for a moment before resuming what he was doing. Mando hadn’t really done any work for the rebellion, just saved Luke’s ass without any Imperial detection that he was involved with the Rebellion - with Luke, but if they found out about his connection to Luke he’d probably be hunted as well. He was a bounty hunter, bounty hunters usually just did whatever they needed to do to get their money but he hadn’t ratted out Luke, nor herself or Han - they all had bounties on them, and he hadn’t told anyone of the location of their Rebel bases (Leia didn’t like him knowing where they were regardless - he wasn’t tied to anyone ( except Luke, her mind whispered traitorously) but that made him a loose canon), but despite the fact of knowing the locations of their bases he never ratted them out or her friends which made him pretty nice in her book, but she thought he was just being nice because of Luke.
“When will you be back?” Luke said it so soft, that she barely heard it. She’d felt like the Mandalorian was smiling under his helmet, smiling at Luke’s blonde hair fanning out from under him. Luke’s hair had darkened when he joined the Rebellion - because he no longer spent his days under the twin suns but his hair was still pretty light, and it looked like a halo when it fanned around him like that. She wondered if Mando could feel how soft Luke’s hair was. It was weirdly soft for being a man’s anyway - she didn’t even think he tried half the time.
The Mandalorian was quiet for a few moments, his fingers scratching Luke’s scalp making his eyes flutter closed. Luke hummed under his breath. Grogu had climbed his way into Luke’s lap and Luke wrapped his arms around the small green creature. “I-I don’t know.” Mando’s voice was slightly muffled by the helmet but she could tell that his voice broke slightly.
Luke’s eyes opened and he looked down at Grogu in his lap, he had a mischievous grin on his face, “I'll miss him more than you anyway.” Luke said - his tone teasing.
Leia just knew that the Mandalorian was rolling his eyes from under the helmet, “Oh ha ha.” She stepped back from the room quietly, walking down the hallway. She sure would miss the Mandalorian - they had a tentative friendship but she would mainly miss him for the fact that well, it would be different without him and Grogu. Luke would be different without them.
—
The next time they saw the Mandalorian was after a mission where Luke had gotten pretty banged up. He had crash landed and had to spend the night in the bacta tank. His arm was in a sling, and bruises and cuts on his face. Bacta was too expensive to use on something as trivial as a few bruises and cuts and plus he had been in the bacta tank. Leia, Han, Chewie, C3PO, and R2 sat in the medical wing with Luke who had a stupid grin on his face.
“To be honest I didn’t even realize my arm was dislocated!” Luke said, head laid against the pillow. His hair was slightly damp from the bacta. Unfronstrlt for Luke though, the Mandalorian had heard about his mishap.
The Mandalorian stormed into the medical bay, the heels of his shoes clacking against the tile on the floor. Grogu was nowhere in sight but his cape flicked at his heels as he walked in, “What were you thinking?” The Mandalorian practically bellowed. “Out of all the idiotic, stupid, reckless things-“ The Mandalorian slipped into Huttnese, curses spewing out of his mouth. The Mandalorian moved over to where Han stood at the side of his bed and Han immediately backed away.
Chewie said something to Han who responded, “I know right, Chewie! Guy almost ran me over.”
Leia sat on the other side of Luke, amusement coloring her features. The Mandalorian’s helmet lifted, she couldn’t see his eyes but she could just feel his eyes meet hers. His eyes dipped back down to Luke whose head was laid back at the pillow to look up at Mando’s visor. The Mandalorian’s gloved hand came down to cup the back of Luke’s neck; she could tell it was a gentle movement. R2 whirred in the corner and C3PO turned towards R2 and said, “He does seem quite worked up R2!”
“You’re stupid.” The Mandalorian spit, almost bitingly. She could feel his sort of bitterness at the situation, that he wasn’t there to protect Luke, “You should’ve-“
“Called?” Luke bit back, he leaned forward and propped up the pillows behind him properly so he could sit straight up, “Well guess what? You weren’t there! You left-“
“Oh so it’s my fault?” Din barked back. “I left to protect you! And here it’s like you’re on a suicide mission to get yourself killed!”
“I'm just doing something for the greater good!” Luke snarled back, lips curling up slightly, “I’m doing what’s right! I’m fighting for a cause which I believe in. What cause do you believe in, huh?”
Din pointed a finger at Luke, almost wagging it in her face, “Don’t talk to me like that! I can’t always be there to save your ass! I can’t always be there to save you! Maybe you could do that if you weren’t just some farm boy who comes from nowhere! You need to learn how to fight for yourself, alright? You can’t always expect other people to fight for you! So maybe for once you need to learn how to actually fight for yourself!” Din’s tone was biting.
“Then just leave then!” Luke snapped back, and Din’s whole body stilled.
It was silent around the medbay; practically everyone in the room was staring at the two. “Maybe I will!” Din said back, and left the medbay in a storm; just how he had arrived.
—
Luke felt bad for what he said to Din; but what he had said back hadn’t been particularly nice either. The next time he saw Din was months later; he was doing recon on a backwater planet in a cantina. He didn’t notice Din at first but the Force murmured to him, look! pay attention, look who it is, the Force said all sing song like, like they were two schoolgirls gossiping about who they like.
He kept his head down where he sat at an empty table and lifted up the glass to his lips. It was slightly bitter but the only sign of it bothering him was his lips pulling back slightly in disgust. He kept his head down, stirring around the straw in the drink. His attention snapped up when he heard someone sit down quiet loudly across from him. His eyes met Din’s through the visor. He couldn’t see his eyes of course but he could just feel it.
Din’s head was tilted slightly while looking at him, like a lothwolf cub or a baby bantha. It was quiet for a few moments before, “I’m sorry.” Slipped out of both their mouths and it was silent again. The cantina was quiet loud, drunken people laughing and spilling drinks on each other and there was even a small stage where there was drunken singing.
“We should get out of here,” Luke considered softly and Din nodded in agreement. Din stood up and offered his hand to him. Luke hesitantly raised his hand before taking it, his side hit the table slightly as he stood up too quick. Luke winced slightly and Din’s arm led him around the table and pulled him against his side. His arm wrapped around his waist and rubbed up and down the side he had hit. It made Luke flush slightly but he followed him out of the bar, where the air was cool and the moons high in the sky. Luke’s arms immediately came to hug at his sides slightly when Din’s pulled back, so they stared at each other under the glow of the moonlight. The light of the moon reflected off Din’s armor, creating a soft hue. It was dark outside, the only light was the moon.
“I’m sorry about what I said.” Din said softly, “I-I didn’t mean that you were weak or whatever I implied.. I-I care about you, Luke. I guess I was just.. scared. For you. I don’t want you to get hurt.. ever, and the thought of l-losing you.. and I-I could’ve done something t-to stop it..” Din’s voice broke slightly.
“I know you were just trying to protect me.” Luke said, shaking slightly. He didn’t know if he was shaking from the cold or the fact that he was so nervous. Nervous of what Din would think of him if he didn’t like him back. Would he be disgusted with him? Would he hate him? Would he never want to be around with him? The thought of Din hating him didn’t sit right with him, it made his stomach feel funny. “I know why you left and.. I-I’m sorry for saying you don’t believe in anything. You believe in your way. I respect you and your culture and I also.. care about you too.”
The silence was thick around them and the tension was. Luke’s skin felt on fire and he felt electric being.. this close to Din. Despite the fact that they had been closer before. Maybe it was the tension or the Force murmuring, tell him, tell him, tell him. The Force urged him on slowly, like flicking its hand and telling him.
“I love you.” The words slipped out of his mouth out of his own record and Din froze slightly. “I think I might be in love with you.” Luke said slowly, his arms unfurling from where they were wrapped around himself, “I think I fell in love with you the moment you saved my ass on Devaron. I think I started to like me when you found me on Tatooine.”
Din was quiet, pauseably quiet, it made the hair on the back of Luke’s neck stand up. “I love you too. I loved you from the moment you first kicked my ass and the way you handle Grogu. I love you, Luke Skywalker.”
Luke blinked, he felt like his skin was on fire. “Close your eyes.” Din said softly, almost so soft he couldn’t hear him. Luke obeyed however, eyes fluttering shut. He heard a soft rustling noise but he stood soon. A gloved hand came up to his cheek, softly brushing over his cheekbone. It made his breath hitch, his lips parted slightly. Warm lips pressed against his own and it made him gasp into his mouth. He tried to kiss best he could but he grew up on Tatooine and no one ever really wanted to kiss “Wormie”. He had kissed Biggs once when they were half drunk on cheap beer which Uncle Owens later kicked his ass for. He felt exhilarated, he felt on fire. If he could die in this moment he’d die a happy man. Din’s lips slowly parted from his and he murmured against Luke’s pink lips, “You’re so beautiful, cyar’ika. I’ll follow you to the end of this universe.”
The Force flitted at that, and something between them pulled. They felt intertwined now, for now and the rest of their lives. Luke grinned against Din’s lips, he didn’t think he had ever felt quite this alive. He loved Din and would do anything for him, and he somehow knew he would do the same.