Work Text:
Everything happened so quickly, you had gotten the child back, and just like that, he was gone again. You knew it was in his best interest, that he needed to learn to control his powers, but that did nothing to heal the wound created from his absence. Din was taking it hard, he hadn’t spoken since boarding the Slave I. After a brief conversation with Fennec, you had decided to go and check on the man. You knew Din well and sometimes he needed space to clear his head but too much space would lead to spiraling and wondering what he did wrong. Before you had joined his crew, there had been nobody to stop him from spiraling. Today was big, he had rescued Grogu and sent him to Jedi school with a stranger, became the rightful Manda’lor, and broken his creed all within an hour. It was a lot to process and you wanted to check in on him.
Your knuckles rapped against the metal door, alerting Din to your presence in case he was helmetless. After a few seconds, the door slid open and light flooded the entryway of the otherwise dark quarters. If it wasn’t for the dim light that shined on his boot at the end of the bed, you might have thought he wasn’t in the room. You stepped in and let the door close behind you. You had so many words in your head that they were all stuck in your throat trying to get out. The two of you were frozen in place until Din had made the first move. You heard a rustling of sheets on the bed then the sound of his boots on the floor. It was pitch black now, your eyes trying to adjust to the lack of light.
“Here” Sounded an unfamiliar voice.
You put the pieces together and realized that Din was sitting in the bed, without his helmet on. The realization hit you like cold water and your eyes widened with shock. Before entering you had given what you thought to be an appropriate amount of time to get his helmet on and straighten it out, you were a bit confused.
“Din?” You called out taking a cautious step forward.
He followed your voice and after a few tries, grabbed your arm and carefully sat you on the bed next to him. Silence filled the room again. Both of your hearts were hurting and you just wanted to pretend that this horrible day had never happened. Today had been rough and you both needed some comfort, something to ensure that you would make it through to the otherside, like always.
“I miss him so much already.”
The words left your lips like a whisper and you heard a sniffle from the Mandalorian next to you. Your hand traveled up his arm to find his neck and pulled him down for a hug, his cheek resting on your chest. Sobs that had been suppressed were finally set free. You rubbed his back as he cried, his arms were wrapped around your middle in an attempt to keep you close. Together you both cried, your chests aching with the hole left behind by your little green son. In the dark you both let out your grief over a situation you knew had been inevitable, the logic of the situation didn’t help the pain. The crying had subsided and you were now laying in the bed with his head on your chest, his arms around your middle.
“We’ve been through everything else together.” Your fingers were playing with the hair at the base of his neck, “This is no different.”
It was your declaration to him that he wasn’t alone anymore, that he had you to lean on when the going got tough. His body was relaxed against yours, he felt comfortable and safe with you, something he hadn’t felt since he was a child. With you, his beskar walls came down and allowed you to see him at his most vulnerable. Earning his trust on such an intimate level was no easy feat and you were mindful of that.
“Thank you.” His voice was more rough than usual due to the crying.
You looked down where you heard his voice, “For what?”
He cupped your cheek with one hand and ran his thumb over your jaw, “For taking care of me.”
A smile spread across your face, “It’s what you do when you love someone.”
A soft sigh escaped his lips and you felt his breath on your face, no helmet to interfere. He was now stroking your side in slow motions, when he stopped you could hear the even breaths falling from his lips. He had fallen asleep allowing himself to get some well-deserved rest. There was still an emptiness in the room, Grogu’s absence was hard to ignore, but around the holes in your hearts, your love grew stronger for each other, reserving that place in your hearts for the day that he would certainly come home to you two. As much as you wanted this moment to stretch on, to enjoy the comforting silence, you could only fight off sleep for so long before it took you under.