Chapter Text
The elevator doors close and the resounding vibrations send a pang straight to Din's heart. He stands there with tears streaming down his face, feeling frozen and unable to tear his gaze away from them. Fennec, along with Bo-Katan and her associate walk away after Cara quietly motions for them to give them a moment. She walks over to where Din is still standing in a haze and gently places a hand on his shoulder, while reaching for his helmet on the floor. Her voice is gentle as she holds it in front of him, carefully avoiding looking directly at his face. "Hey...we should go."
Din finally snaps out of his daze when he feels her hand on him, reluctantly taking it and holding it in his hands for a few moments as if contemplating whether he should even bother to put it back on. He takes a moment to gather himself before slowly slipping it back over his head and taking a breath as he turns to leave to help Cara secure Gideon in the hold on Slave-1.
~
After everything is settled, Cara convinces Din to stay with her until he gets his bearings and decides what to do next . Din sits on the edge of the bed in her spare bedroom in her quarters, the door slightly ajar. He rests his elbows on his knees and just stares at his feet after he's gotten most of his armor off, save for the helmet. He lets out a frustrated sigh, reaching up and simply pulling it off and placing it on the floor by his feet. "What's the point?" he quietly murmurs. "Who the kriff, am I?"
Cara makes her way towards the room and stops by the door, softly knocking with the back of her hand. "Hey, is it okay for me to come in?"
Din doesn't even look up "Yeah..." he says simply and she walks in, immediately stopping at the doorway, quickly turning her face away. "Um...sorry, I wasn't expecting you to...." then she is interrupted... "It doesn't matter anymore...I've broken my creed." Din replies.
She slowly turns to look at the heart-broken man in front of her, her heart breaking for him in turn when she hesitantly walks over, sitting next to him on the bed and biting her lip as she looks at her friend. Feeling the weight of his loss, she gently places a hand on his shoulder. "Mando...I mean...Din, is it okay for me to call you that? "
Din turns to look at her, slowly nodding and forming a small smile. "Yeah..." He sighs and turns his attention back to his feet, looking positively defeated. "I just...don't know who or what I am anymore. I feel...empty, like everything that meant something is just gone and now I don't even know what I'll do with my life."
Cara gives his shoulder a squeeze, shaking her head . "You are Din Djarin, a caring and loyal father and friend. I have so much respect for you for what you did for that kid...and for me. " She smiles fondly and reaches up, carefully brushing some stray strands of hair behind Din's ear.
He looks up again and furrows his brow. "What do you mean?"
"You made me realize that even though I had lost everything, I could still find a purpose and a new family...you and Greef, and a few others I've managed to come to trust and be fond of" she says honestly. "I know you explained to me about Bo-Katan and what she told you about your creed and I think you did the right thing. You did what you had to to save your kid and in the end, let him see you for who you really are. You were right in wanting him to remember you, remember your face. He'll never forget it and your bond will be stronger because of it. You will see him again, I know it."
Din smiles again and nods. "I did promise him and I'll hold onto that." He sighs once more. "I just don't know what to do in the meantime. I need to re-think what The Way is for me now. But thank you Cara...it really means a lot to me to have your respect and to know that you've got my back. I'll be forever grateful for all your help lately, I know it could be compromising for someone in your position but we're lucky that you have Greef on your side, he may be a pain in the ass sometimes but he's a good man and I trust him with my life." He smiles while thinking of the man who's been a mentor and like a father to him.
Cara smiles as she nods "I agree he's alright, he's not bad at all and I could get used to working with him for a long time. Now as for you..." she nudges Din playfully. "I don't want you to feel ashamed or feel like you've dishonored your beliefs. You did what you had to do to save your child's life and fulfill your promise to return him to his kind. Anyone who says otherwise will have to answer to me, I will kick their ass all the way into the next galaxy."
He chuckles this time "Yeah I believe that, I admit you can be terrifying at times so I wouldn't want to be one to challenge you."
"See? I knew I could make you laugh, you tend to get a rise out of my eagerness to beat the kriff out of any mudscuffer who stands in my way." She smirks.
"That I do..." Din quirks an eyebrow, nodding in agreement when he remembers their first encounter.
"Now...you should get some rest and take some time for yourself, you deserve it and it'll give you time to sort everything else out, I know there's also other matters on your plate..." Cara glances at the Darksaber sitting on the night table. "But anyway...why not take a little detour to Sorgan?" she grins. "I know you had a certain admirer there."
Suddenly Din feels his face flush, quickly shaking his head when his mind immediately flashes back to Tatooine and a particular Marshal who's last words were hoping that their paths would cross again. All the familiar feelings that he tried desperately to shove into the back of his mind came suddenly rushing back. "No...I...there's...someone else " stuttering through his words as he feels the odd feeling of warmth in his belly at the memory of Cobb Vanth, his attractiveness and absolute magnetism that he radiates when he simply walks into the room.
Cara raises both eyebrows in surprise, shoving him slightly "Oh? and who is this mystery woman? Spill!"
Din nervously rubs at the back of his neck, his voice quietly mumbling "it's, it's not a woman..."
"Oh..." Cara's grin grows wider. "Well then, tell me who it is that has you looking like a teenager with a school crush."
"His name is Cobb Vanth...he's the Marshal of Mos Pelgo. I guess I didn't mention my couple days on Tatooine following a lead on a Mandalorian there."
Din explains everything to Cara, telling her about the armor and how he returned it to Boba Fett after helping Cobb kill the krayt dragon. He tells her about the raiders and how he also helped them reach a truce and work together with the town. Then Din sighs when he finishes, bringing his attention back to the floor at his feet "trouble is, I don't know if he feels the same."
Cara looks at him thoughtfully, patting his leg "Well, the only way to know is if you go back there. I'm not saying to just jump right in and confess, but go and stay a while, get to know this handsome Marshal, he'd be a complete idiot to not feel the same once he also gets to know you. But from what you've told me already, it seems as though he may have also taken an interest in you. Wanting to see you again is definitely a good sign."
He nods and a slight blush spreads on his cheeks, suddenly feeling embarrassed but doesn't say anything just yet.
"What is it?" She asks, tilting her head in question.
"I uh..." Din feels his palms become sweaty but he knows that he can trust Cara with his confession. "I've never really gotten That close to anyone...if you know what I mean. Probably since I was a teenager; even then nothing really happened, the rest of the time I just didn't really feel this way about anyone. But this is different...I've honestly never thought of someone this much."
She suddenly understands, reaching out to lightly pat his back. "Hey, it's okay I'm sure you'll figure it out and things will slowly fall into place, but I kind of have a feeling this could be good for you." She smiles at him knowingly. "Then once you get your man, you can bring him back here and introduce him to me, I'll be dying to meet him. But he better not break your heart or I'll have to come after him." Cara smirks, nudging him as she teases. "Really though, you deserve all the happiness in the universe, and don't argue with me or I'll have to take you on in another arm wrestle!" She grins mischievous before she leans in and hugs her friend, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I know it hurts right now and you might feel lost, but I know you'll find your way again and get back on your feet. You know I'll always have your six."
Din smiles again, slowly nodding and he hugs her back. "Thanks for caring so much for me, it's been so long since I've formed any close relationships...I almost forgot what it was like and...I can say it's definitely welcome now that I'm missing a part of myself."
Cara, pulls back to meet Din's eyes, a fond smile on her face. "Having friends and a family is almost essential Din, it's only human and that's what you have to remember. So then you decide what it is that's most important, follow your heart and there is more honor in that than any law or rule can dictate." She lightly ruffles his hair. "Now...I want you to make me proud and go and get yourself that hot Marshal of yours, I promise I won't embarrass you too much when you finally bring him around." She winks and gets up, leaving him to get some much-needed rest.
~
Sleep doesn't come easily for Din, a thousand questions come flooding into his mind. At the forefront is Grogu, he's never felt like a part of his soul has literally been ripped from him. Despite knowing that it was the best thing that he could have done for him, putting the needs and welfare of his child above his own, he still feels a void that he knows will only grow larger with the passage of time. Will Grogu remember him? Will he be happy with the Jedi? Will he even miss him? Din feels his heart ache even more at the thoughts. He can't help it when the tears start to flow of their own accord, he holds the metallic sphere in his hand firmly, the only thing he has left to feel connected to his beloved son.
After a few moments he steadies his breathing and then his mind goes to the earlier discussion with Cara, mostly his new wish to form a different type of bond...he'd never even thought of this before Grogu came into his life, spending that short time on Tattoine with Cobb and his son made him suddenly long for the feeling of having a home and someone to always come back to. He closes his eyes and immediately thinks of Cobb and what it is that brought him to this new desire. Desire...in more than one sense of the word, not only because Cobb Vanth possesses an unadulterated charisma and charm that instantly make anyone in his vicinity take notice, but also his gentleness and a caring nature make Din realize he could be someone he could trust with his heart. Din remembers how he treated the people in his town, how he was so tender and patient with Grogu and how he listened intently to every word Din had to say about their plans to kill the Krayt and how to continue to have a good relationship with the Tuskens.
He thinks about the last moments they shared; Cobb's warm gaze and the firm hold on his hand that lingered just slightly longer before he smirked and pointedly noted that Din tell his people that he hadn't been the one to break the jet pack. He smiles to himself at the memory, thinking of Cobb's most striking feature, his eyes...always seeming to have a glint of playfulness to them, changing from amber to green depending on how the light shone on them. Din feels a flutter in his belly that travels straight to his chest, the realization dawning on him that he's never experienced this longing until now. He had to store this new emotion in the back of his mind after leaving Cobb that time but now, perhaps he might be able to help fill the void and just maybe, he might find a sense of belonging and new purpose. Din closes his eyes, the pure mental and physical exhaustion take hold and finally, he sleeps.