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For the longest time, they just don’t talk about it.
This is the way things are: Din and Boba are Clan.
It happens after Gideon, after Luke brings Grogu back to Din to attempt a new sort of Jedi order, after Boba reclaims and then grows bored of Tattooine’s underworld, after the darksaber and the headaches that come with it. After Din finds comfort and surety in a new understanding of his Creed, and after Boba learns who he is under his father’s beskar and the sarlacc's scars. The two of them just fall together.
It happens slowly, through meetings at first accidental, and then eventually not-so-accidental (but let’s say they are for the plausible deniability of it). And yet, it also happens instantly. In some ways they are two in the same: both Mandalorian, yet so alienated from Kryze and the other survivors like her.
It helps that they share the unusual experience of abdicating a throne.
Before they’ve really thought about it, or planned it, they travel together, and then live together, and then slowly, quietly, love each other. It’s easy.
Luke Skywalker, though — no one would call him quiet or easy.
So when he and Din start engaging in — Boba doesn’t know how to describe it, exactly. He can only, in utter exasperation, call it confused flirtation, or haphazard courtship, or — kriff, it’s just a total disaster.
First, there’s the incident with the ill-fated mission trip to an ice planet. Boba has to pull himself away from a lovely, restful weekend to drag both their shivering asses back to civilization. Then they decide to raid an entire imperial base on their own. Yeah, whatever, there are Force-sensitive children, someone has to save them, the research needs to be destroyed as part of Din’s eternal attempts to eradicate Grogu from imperial databases.
Excuses.
Always the Jedi’s idea, too. New Republic nonsense, all too often.
Will they just go on a normal date? No. Admittedly, this is more or less also how Din and Boba’s courtship went. That doesn’t make it any less aggravating to watch. He should probably send Shand a vat of nice spotchka, just as retroactive thanks for not punting him off a cliff.
Boba is no stranger to polyamory. He hasn’t participated in it, exactly, but he’s witnessed some shockingly functional relationships amongst thieves and rapscallions and bounty hunters. That kind of life, you live how you want. If you’re already living beyond the law, what’s one more social deviation?
Din barely stumbled his way into one relationship. Boba is painfully aware that they only found something that works because chance slammed their shared histories and similar natures and compatible neuroticisms together repeatedly at just the right time to turn them into more.
Boba doesn’t know exactly how this thing with Skywalker started. It makes sense, he supposes, that Grogu’s teacher and functional co-parent would grow on Din. Of course a warrior of Skywalker’s grace and ferocity would fascinate him. And the boy is, objectively speaking, very pretty.
The point is, Boba can’t relate, but he can at least understand the attraction. Intellectually, from a distance.
Over several months, Din starts alternating between talking about the Jedi in dreamy tones, then acting sheepish or furtive every time Skywalker comes up. It’s not subtle.
Din isn’t cheating on Boba; he wouldn’t know where to start. He’s just awkward about the mere thought of romantic interest in another human being. And he’d never dream of asking Boba about it.
Din’s an adult. He can do what he wants. Boba’s not going to stop him or interfere. Except Din is not doing what he wants. Instead, he’s fretting.
So Boba stages an intervention.
Boba will admit he is not the best at having conversations about his own emotions. When everything is professional, it's easy to know what lines to walk, what subjects to avoid. It’s obvious how to react with gentleness, or with cruelty. When everything becomes personal, he struggles. But these are not his emotions. These are Din and Luke’s emotions.
He can make measured decisions, here.
It might be a little underhanded. Luke thinks Din’s inviting him to dinner. Din thinks Luke’s inviting him. The deceit involves a bit of hacking.
When they arrive in the emptied-out upscale restaurant that Boba has booked for their privacy, Boba is waiting for them, feet on the table, menu open. The eight-course meal looks lovely. Even includes a few delicacies from Tattooine.
“Evening, gentlemen,” he says. “Take your seats. The staff will see to anything you need. You are both here to talk. about. your. feelings.”
Skywalker sputters and turns red as Din yelps, in a very high-pitched voice, “What feelings?”
Boba snaps the menu shut. “You two,” he says threateningly, “have been dancing around each other for months. Work it out.”
He moves to stand in front of Skywalker. “You. Sit.” He points at the chair.
Then, more gently, he approaches Din. “You don’t need this tonight,” Boba says softly, gesturing at Din’s buy’ce.
Din stands stock still for what feels like a very long time. It looks like he’s not even breathing.
“It’s up to you,” Boba says. “Keep it on if you want. If you really don’t have a mutual interest, or one of you genuinely isn’t ready, don’t worry about it. I’ve paid for dinner. Just have a nice night out. But I don’t think that’s what you want.”
Din tilts his head, considering. Skywalker just watches from the table, eyes bright. He looks like he’s trying and failing not to seem extremely invested in Din’s decision. Boba tries not to think about the fact that he’s witnessing a monumental step in a relationship that isn’t his, which no one invited him to participate in. But eventually, Din nods, reaches up and removes his helmet.
Boba grasps him by the back of the neck, thumb brushing the line of his jaw. “Be happy, cyar’ika,” he says, and touches Din’s bare forehead to his in an approximation of a keldabe kiss.
Then Boba turns to go.
“Wait wait wait,” Skywalker starts. “You’re part of this, too.”
“Oh, no, I’m leaving,” Boba says, already halfway out the door. Someone will have to tie him down before he willingly negotiates boundaries with Luke Skywalker. Is he a giant hypocrite? Maybe.
Anyway, it’s too early for that.
Din’s wide, helpless eyes grab him. “But —”
That expression will absolutely not work on him. “I’m not dating Skywalker,” Boba says.
Luke pulls a face. Mature.
Boba gives Din a quick smile. “You’ll be fine. You have my blessing.”
And then he leaves them to it.