Work Text:
Grogu had lived for quite some time, so to help him keep track, he tended to think of time in two specific parts: BB and AB. Before Buir and After Buir.
He had overheard his Buir talking on one of the many “Please, Don’t Touch That!”s (which he had later learned was actually called a comm) about how he wasn’t ready to take care of Grogu— to be Grogu’s Buir.
Naturally, Grogu thought that that was a ridiculous thing to think, since Grogu’s Buir was the best! He kept Grogu safe, fed, warm, and happy, plus a million other things that Grogu couldn’t even begin to describe. Simply put, whoever told his Buir that he wouldn’t be a good Buir was a load of “bantha fodder,” whatever that meant.
(Grogu knew that that meant something was bad. His Buir said that a lot . His Buir also looked frantically at Grogu whenever he said that, as if he didn’t want Grogu to repeat those words— oh, maybe he shouldn’t be thinking about those words then…)
So, if being a Buir meant that you took care of someone like Grogu, then Grogu’s Buir was the best Buir to have ever Buir-ed!
During the BB (Before Buir) times, Grogu had lived in the really big and echo-y Jedi Temple on a planet called Coruscant. He only remembered bits and pieces from his time there— little flashes of happy memories and a few faces. If he thought about it for too long, he’d go back to times that weren’t so happy, like when he forgot part of a form or the day filled with smoke and bad noise and the new red paint on the floor and—
And then he’d cry out for his Buir, because his Buir made everything better.
And guess what? Grogu’s Buir always found him, no matter what, even if Grogu wandered off. Maybe that’s why his Buir called him a foundling? He’d always find Grogu. Wherever Grogu went, his Buir would be sure to follow. Grogu found himself smiling at the thought.
Sometimes though, his Buir seemed to get lost in his thoughts too. His Buir didn’t have a Buir because… well, Grogu didn’t know why, but his Buir was sad sometimes and didn’t have someone to hug him like he did for Grogu. That made Grogu sad, so he made sure to ask for hugs whenever his Buir didn’t feel good. He could sense these sorts of things.
When Grogu lived in the Jedi Temple, he remembered toddling after the other (much bigger, not that he’d ever admit it) younglings who were dead set on following any and all taller members of the temple around all for the sake of hugs. They’d simply raise their arms up and the Padawans, Knights, and Masters alike would pick them up, sometimes mid-conversation! And then they’d keep talking like nothing had happened. Sometimes, the younglings would try to sneak up on unsuspecting picker-uppers, but were always caught before they could.
One of his favorite memories was watching another youngling, Ahsoka Something-Or-Other, jump from halfway up on pillars onto unsuspecting victims— er, picker-uppers . For example, a newer human padawan (called Ani, maybe) was calmly walking past with his Master, only to be assaulted by a flying Ahsoka from above. Grogu was lucky to have witnessed such a glorious chaotic sight, but that’s a story for another time.
Grogu was shy asking for hugs during that time, despite how he prided himself on being the bravest of the brave. (It was a little tricky asking for hugs when he was forced to stay confined to his hovering pram most of the time.) But, Grogu was willing to be brave for his Buir.
For some reason, his Buir wasn’t the best at asking for hugs, so Grogu reached for them first so his Buir wouldn’t make that weird watery choked up noise. His Buir still did that when Grogu made grabby hands to be picked up, but it was usually followed by a laugh. That’s another thing that Grogu liked about his Buir. His laughs rumbled through his shiny armor and tickled Grogu in the best way, kind of like a big loth cat.
(Grogu had seen a few loth cats in the wild, but his favorite was the one in the holo-book that his Buir downloaded from the Holonet for him. For him! )
Unfortunately, a downside to asking for “uppies” as they were apparently called, was that his Buir called him all sorts of things like “little one” or “little guy” or— you get the idea. But Grogu wasn’t little! He was the biggest and bestest and strongest of… whatever his species was called. No one had bothered telling him back at the temple. They thought that he knew. Silly adults, assuming that Grogu knew everything! Wait. That was a slight against himself. Scratch that. Silly adults for not teaching him everything? Eh, whatever. Grogu knew plenty of things, but knowing what exactly he was wasn’t one of them.
In fact, he didn’t even know if he was a Jedi or Mandalorian! Now, as he glanced at his Buir across the ship from the floor, his lip trembled. He looked down at his hands, thinking about what little Jedi training he had had. He also didn’t look anything like his Buir, who was big and tall and had lots of pointy things that Grogu wasn’t allowed to touch. He wasn’t much of a Jedi or a Mandalorian, was he? His ears drooped and he began to whimper. Grogu was too young to have an identity crisis! He couldn’t even speak yet!
Like his Buir had sensed his emotions just as well as Grogu could, he appeared by Grogu’s side in a flash, scooping him into a hug. Grogu blubbered into his shoulder immediately, and his Buir only held him closer and muttered reassurances in both Aurebesh and Mando’a. And oh , his Buir was such a good Buir. Grogu didn’t deserve him. Grogu cried even harder.
He wished that he could just tell his Buir what he was thinking, or at least send his thoughts like he did with the Nice Lady (as his Buir had called her), but he couldn’t. It was unbearably frustrating to have so many things to say, yet be unable to say them.
And when he was frustrated, he wanted his Buir there to fix it. But his Buir was already there! And he wasn’t fixing it . Whatever it was! Grogu didn’t have the emotional capacity to sort through every emotion! He just wanted to scream and cry and shout and make his presence known!
But… that wasn’t making him feel any better.
What would make him feel better was… his Buir. Who was holding him. And pressing his forehead to Grogu’s in that special way he did when he was overwhelmed. When both of them were overwhelmed.
Oh.
“Bu…” Grogu gurgled plaintively. It was an apology, a declaration of… something , all rolled together with a million other things. He wanted so badly to say something more, but he physically couldn’t.
His Buir gasped a little and did that weird watery choked up noise of his. “Can you say that again, kid?”
Grogu rolled his eyes, like he had seen some of his Buir’s non-helmeted friends do. Or, at least he tried to. Now, he was just a little dizzy. And also sleepy, now that he thought about it.
“Bu…?”
“Buuu-irrr,” his Buir sounded out. “You can do it, kid!” There was now a hopeful smile that Grogu could hear in his voice, and the reverb in his Buir’s helmet made it sound all the sillier.
Buuu-irrr. Bu-ir. Buir .
Wait! Grogu’s ears flapped in excitement as he realized A Really Big Thing. His Buir was trying to get Grogu to say his Buir’s name! Buir!
Grogu grinned, kicking his feet happily. Also, who cares if a little drool came out as he smiled? Certainly not Grogu. That was a future Buir and Grogu problem.
Between Grogu’s thinking and now, his Buir had removed his helmet, and oh, this was A Really Big Thing, too, then. Possibly, it was an even bigger thing.
It was one little word, but it was everything , wasn’t it? Grogu certainly thought so. He believed that his Buir thought so too.
So, just as he had seen his Buir do many times before, Grogu gently bonked his forehead against his Buir’s. With all the conviction his little body could muster, he uttered one word.
“Buuu-irrr?”
The entire galaxy could have exploded, and it wouldn’t have mattered.
His Buir’s grip softened and Grogu pulled his head away, fearing the worst. His Buir just… froze. Oh no, oh no, oh no! This was the worst!
“Buuu-irrr! Buu-irr! Bu-ir! Buir!” he gurgled worriedly.
His Buir wasn’t responding and he didn’t know what to do and— Grogu was suddenly wrapped in an even tighter hug. He looked up in shock to find his Buir’s eyes misty and all crinkled up at the edges. Oh, no! His Buir was crying! That made Grogu want to cry too!
His Buir then lightly bonked his forehead, which startled Grogu out of beginning to cry. “I am so — kid, Grogu , you are amazing .”
But was his Buir sad, though? He was crying! There wasn’t much of anything Grogu could do but say:
“Buir?”
“Stars above, you’re going to— kid, you make me so— so happy .”
And there was the answer that Grogu wanted! Maybe his Buir could read his mind after all!
“I love you so much, kid.”
Oh, his Buir could definitely read his mind! This was the best day ever and—
“Now let’s get you some bone broth and get you to bed, yeah?”
This was the worst day ever! Jail! Jail for a thousand years for Buir! Buir could not read Grogu’s mind! Grogu wanted small scrimbly frogs to eat and sleep was for the weak! He loved his Buir, but Grogu must have revenge and— he yawned.
“Maybe let’s just get you to bed, kid. You’ve had a long day of being a cute little menace, haven’t you?”
Grogu’s lip wobbled as he was carefully carried off to bed. “Bu-ir…” he protested weakly.
“Stars above… you’re going to be the death of me,” his Buir muttered, setting him down on the bed. “You’re going to abuse this a lot, aren’t you?”
“Buir!” Grogu squealed happily, trying to kick his way out of the blankets swaddled around him.
His Buir shook his head fondly. “Just as I expected. I can’t wait to hear more from you, kid.” He pressed his forehead one last time to Grogu’s. “Love you, Grogu.”
Just as his Buir turned away, Grogu set his gaze and called out, “Buuu-irrr!”
“Hm?”
Grogu smiled. “Lu… ooo!”
Suffice it to say, Grogu didn’t need to be Force-sensitive to feel the waves of love coming from his Buir. It may have taken a long time to get from Before Buir to After Buir, but Grogu certainly thought that it was well worth the wait.
Grogu loved his Buir, and his Buir loved Grogu. And that’s all that mattered.