Chapter Text
“You alright?”
At the familiar metallic voice, Hopper glanced up to see Din walking over to where she was sat against the wall of the ship’s hull. Gently holding Grogu in her lap, she had been cooing back and forth with him as if imitating deep conversation.
At Din’s words however, a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips, “You worry too much, Din. We’re fine.”
Hopper looked back down at the small green creature comfortably seated in her lap and her smile softened as she lightly tapped his nose, whispering a high-pitched ‘boop’ to him. The child giggled loudly and reached up to her face.
Din swore he felt his heart skip a beat as he stood before her, intently watching her share affection with his small foundling. He even found himself wishing to burn the image into his memory, never wanting it to end.
Though the silence was peaceful, after a few moments Hopper felt drawn to look back up at Din. His helmet was frozen in focus, piercing Hopper with its gaze. Din often forgot, especially around Hopper and Grogu, how unnerving his helmeted stare could be. Not that Hopper minded all that much.
“Are you alright, Din?”
Hopper couldn’t help the slight concern in her voice; it was only natural at this point, and was her subconscious way of showing care towards both the Mandalorian and the child.
Din broke his gaze, helmet quickly turning to the side, immediately feeling flustered about getting ‘caught’. Hopper, on the other hand, easily recognized his gesture as one of embarrassment, and she unashamedly giggled. She spoke gently next, with a deep tenderness woven through her words.
“ Din , come ‘ere. Come sit with us.”
Grogu babbled loudly in agreement as Hopper gestured to the blanket-covered floor beside herself. Despite the lingering embarrassment, the Mandalorian silently accepted and sat down with his legs-crossed. She turned toward him as he shifted to make himself comfortable. Her smile widened when Grogu cooed happily at his father’s presence, reaching his small hands out towards Din.
Hopper and Din chuckled adoringly at the child, and the Mandalorian complied once again, lifting Grogu up to him. He softly pressed his helmet’s forehead to Grogu’s, and this time it was Hopper’s heart’s turn to skip a beat or two. Seeing this Mandalorian, a true battle-hardened warrior, have the capability of being so compassionate with this curious child never failed to amaze her. Not that she doubted Din’s ability for kindness or care, she simply cherished moments like these above all others. She thanked the stars that she was lucky enough to be here witnessing it.
The child looked back up to Hopper with his large, wandering eyes and uttered some more unintelligible sounds, though it was clear what he wanted. Hopper leaned down, pressing a kiss to the top of his small head. Grogu appeared pleased as she pulled away, satisfied with the treatment he’d received.
“Stop stealing all the attention, ad’ika .” Din playfully scolded the child, who only cooed contentedly once more as he plopped down into a sitting position on the Mandalorians lap.
“What, you feeling left out, Din?” Hopper teased him in turn.
He looked at her, his eyes swiping over her familiar features — something he would probably never tire of — before he spoke.
“Perhaps, cyar’ika .”
Din’s boldness momentarily froze Hopper in place, though she quickly found her footing again. Deciding she could be just as bold, she reached a hand up to his helmet, albeit slowly, giving him time to protest if he wanted.
“Can I?”
Hopper received an eager nod in response and had to suppress a warm chuckle.
Her hand continued and reached cool beskar without complaint, thumb somewhat caressing it as if it were Din’s skin. Though it couldn’t compare to skin-on-skin contact, the touch melted his heart even further. The action felt so natural despite the metal barrier, and so Hopper went further.
Hopper moved forward just as agonizingly slow as her hand had, though there was still a faint, anxious voice in her head planting a seed of doubt. She tried her best to push it out and instead focus her attention on Din . Din, who radiated warmth and comfort even through all that impenetrable armor. Din, who she trusted so deeply that it sometimes felt like an aching wound in her chest.
Din was downright entranced by Hopper at this point, and time seemed to pass in slow-motion as he watched her lean in closer to him. Stars, he barely noticed when he begun to lean into her too. His breath was heavier than usual under the beskar and his heart felt the same.
Finally, finally, Hopper pressed a light, longing kiss to his helmet, only retracting to rest her forehead against his. His obscured yet adoring brown eyes were fixed upon her, but she paid no mind and proceeded to slowly press kisses all over his helmet, only avoiding his visor. The love poured from her actions so strongly that his chest ached.
Din’s ungloved hand reached up to her cheek, exuding comfort and warmth as he called her name quietly. She stopped her kisses briefly and pulled back her hand in turn, only to rest it on his and reluctantly pull it down from her face. Din’s confusion was only allowed to spark for a moment before Hopper pressed a kiss to his knuckles, and then to the top of his hand along an old scar. His breath hitched in surprise and she looked up to him. The look in her observing eyes made his heart skip a beat.
“You- you’re beautiful, Din. In so many ways.”
He could hardly process her words, wondering if he had imagined the sincerity in them. For the Maker’s sake, she hadn’t even seen his face! And yet here she was, eyes shining so bright with fondness and appreciation that he wouldn’t have been surprised if this was all some blissful dream, one that he would gladly never wake up from, at that.
But it wasn’t, and Hopper’s soothing, clear voice proved it.
“You hear me, mesh’la ?”
She then repeated her kisses upon the same spots on his other hand, the action capturing his attention.
“Yes, cyar’ika.” Din answered breathlessly, both at her ceaseless affection and her use of Mando’a.
“You’re kind, and good, and strong, Din.” She interrupted each adjective with another kiss.
“And so, so beautiful. I don’t need to see your face to know any of that, y’know.”
He couldn’t ignore the heated blush creeping up underneath his helmet, as each one of Hopper’s kisses felt like a reward, a prize he had somehow earned, though he had no idea how.
Gathering a bit more courage, Din interrupted her actions and put both his hands on her cheeks this time, and rested his forehead on hers in a gentle kov’nyn. He held her there for a few moments, the two of them practically melting into the intimacy of it all.
“I… Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum.”
Hopper’s smile at his admittance would’ve made Din’s head spin if he wasn’t already sitting, and she rested her hands over his. She locked eyes with him as best she could, searching for his gaze beneath the visor.
“I love you, too. And don’t you dare forget it.”
At that moment, nothing existed but Hopper and Din. At that moment, it was easy to forget that they weren’t the only ones in the universe.
That is, until the little one started cooing loudly, albeit happily as he watched them both. Hopper and Din’s mutual trance was broken and her hands fell. Yet the love remained as strong as ever, perhaps even more so as the two of them turned to the adorable foundling in Din’s lap.
Hopper happily picked Grogu up, holding him in the air as she joyfully giggled along with him.
“I love you, too, you little womp rat.”
The child blabbered on, looking between Hopper and his father. His face was looking far too mischievous for his own good, causing his two guardians to share an adoring look.
“I think it’s time we get you to bed, little one, hm?”