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Boba Fett
"I never knew you could joke like this, Din," Boba Fett choked out, after finishing his laughing fit that lasted for at least ten minutes. However Din's inscrutable helmet did not read of amusement or enjoyment in the way Boba thought it would. The pure silence from the other end was beginning to make him sweat.
"You are joking aren't you Din? You just..... Can't be serious right?" Boba almost pleaded the other Mandalorian, because what he proposed was ludicrous. It can't be true. It was unimaginable. It was utter nonsense. It was a kriffing joke, that is what it was.
"No, Boba I am quite serious about this," Din answered in a patiently soft voice, like he tried to guide Fett into it gently.
This was all such a kriffing joke, Boba felt like hysterically laughing yet again.
"What do you think you will achieve by marrying me?"
"Not just you," Din reminded him, like all this wasn't already as karked up as it could be. "Yes, what do you think you will achieve by marrying me among two others also? "
At first Djarin didn't say anything and it seemed like he was collecting his thoughts and trying to find the best way to explain all this mess to the Tatooine dweller. It was a useless effort Boba knew, but he didn't want to piss on the others ship to prove it.
"Well for Bo it is all about getting to be part of Children of the Watch and also about unitting the other Mandalorians under one banner. And for you, it is about becoming a fully accepted Mandalorian in all aspects of the word," the other Mandalorian finished seemingly satisfied by this expose. Fett wasn't satisfied at all, and his disatisfaction just grew when he realized his answer wasn't an instant hard no. Which unpleasantly surprised him really.
Boba was not a sentimental man. Nor was he someone who dreamed of romance and all that it brought to a person and other such shit. However he had something that could be called a soft spot toward the man on the other side of the hollogram, which wasn't unexpected. What was unexpected is his desire to actually think the idea through. Was it worth it getting married to that menace and to one unknown so he could get to have Din?
Was that something he was prepared to do?
"I will call you later," the man curtly answered and canceled the call, before sighing deeply in relief. The stare behind that chrome helmet was not helping Boba reach any kind of decision. This deserves a hard think on. And a advice session with Fennec.
Oh, joy.
Bo-Katan Kryze
Ugh what is that lady saying? Why am I under her gaze right now? Joining a cult was not on my agenda today. I still have to kick some Imperial ass, for even daring to come near my home, not to mention destroy it again.
Wait. What the kark? She wants me to join them? No fricking way, nuh-uh not a chance. I will surely not be eligible at all. Yep I take off my helmet all the time, because people have to see this perfection that is called my face. How would they survive without it?
“Have you taken your helmet of?”
Well bantha fodder. She got me there. But still it's not like I specifically need to do it, I just have to take my helmet off at some point before someone...... wait. Wait just a moment. Maybe this isn't such a bad idea. Maybe I can use this chance to become the leader of a group of Mandalorians, even the one as weird as this one. Though I would first have to win against that red one. No sweat that will be as easy as kicking a Tooka over the hill. Great plan, I am a mastermind of planning. Yay me and my new future position as the boss of all these Mandalorians. I just can't wait to lead again. It will be a good feeling. Children of the Watch prepare yourself. Bo-Katan Kryze is coming and she will soon win you over to her side. Prepare well, or perish trying.
"No," I answer and feel a gleerful feeling in my chest. Like I am winning without any stretch whatsoever.
"Then welcome to the Children of the Watch, Bo-Katan Kryze," the Armorer grandly intones my induction and the silence feels heavy with meaning. "I do not agree with this idea," another Mandalorian, male preasumably says in the near silence. I frown under the helmet and turn around to look at him, hoping my stare will make him fall in line. It doesn't work.
"Why not?" The Armorer calmly asks, like she was expecting this farce in the first place. Maybe she did, because this whole situation was a surprise for me. "She is not one of us," he says and I can hear that those words carry a heavier meaning than I can discern, but wracking my brain for some clarity doesn't really help me much. The two start their own staredown, while I can see Din shuffle in the distance. Apparently this caught him by surprise too, judging by his reaction at least. That makes it an easier pill to swallow. At least someone else is confused as I am.
"Sedoretu, then?" The Armorer asks and you could feel the crowd rippling with..... something. They all stay perfectly quiet, but the racked tension does elude to something more important. Some kind of cult event? I can only vaguely guess.
The complaing man nods and says almost with reverence: "Sedoretu"
The crowd also murmurs their agreements or refusals, but no one actively tries to protest again. That is apparently that. Another problem averted succesfully. I try to subtly get closer to Din, and open the channel we were using to communicate while on Mandalore. "What are they talking about Din?"
The other side of the connection is silent for a long time, before suddenly it crackles and I hear almost a whispered answer: "Marriage."
"What?" I asked believing and hoping I heard it wrong. "Sedoretu is a marriage. Between Vaar'tuur and Ge'catra," he said also sounding awed and blessed. The part about marriage makes sense, though it is still very surprising. But what is this about the times of the day? Morning and Evening? What is that all about?
The attention of the other Mandalorians turns to me again, and I quietly utter into my helmet: "We will talk about this later. You better explain it to me or else."
Din doesn't outwardly react, but I see him slowly tilt his head downward. This is enough for now. And now let's tackle this situation head on.
***
"So I have to get married to her? And to two others upon that? That is what you mean by this joke of a marriage right?"
"Yes," Din answers for the tenth time, while I fume in anger over this whole situation. "Why the ka'ra did you mention this option at all? Do you want to be stuck in a marriage with someone you don't know?"
Infuriatingly the Armorer doesn't seem ruffled in the least. She only lifts her head a bit from the work she was currently doing (they met in the forge for some reason) and placantly said: "This is the way." Din echoes the sentiment and I feel like throwing something schalding hot at both of them. "Was this really the only way?"
No one answers. And I hope they have the better sense than to repeat the phrase to my face again.
"Yes," The Armorer's answer cuts sharply throughout the forge and I realize that this was a pointless endeavour from the beginning. I sigh in defeat and acknowledge her answer. "All right. We will make this work somehow then. But I have one condition," I stubbornly tackle on, so they know I am not satisfied with this at all. The red-armored Mandalorian nods and says: "Procceed."
I point an accusing finger over to Din and say: "I want to marry him too." The choking sound his vocoder emits is in all the ways satisfying as the total indiffirence of the Armorer is not. "The condition is accepted. Do you agree Din Djarin?"
The chrome Mandalorian looks down onto the ground and shuffles his feet in something that looks like indecision. Or maybe just nerves? I don't really care enough to examine it properly. After what feels like eternity Din agrees, but doesn't really lift his head even an inch. "Then it is settled. Now we need to find a forth one and the sedoretu is sealed. Does anyone have a suggestion?"
Only now does Din lift his helmeted head and answers in a more confident way than he did before. "I may know someone." The Armorer blankly (or at least that is how it seems) looks at Din, while I glare at this mess of a man. "Okay then. Let's hear it. Who is your winning victim this time?"
He seems to get shy over answering again, but steeling his resolve he still soldiers on. "Boba Fett. I want Boba Fett."
Silence descends over the three of them. Then a screech of epic proportions could be heard all around the cave and beyond as Bo-Katan Kryze clearly states what she thinks of Din's brilliant idea.
Din Djarin
"Has he accepted your request?" Bo-Katan asks Din, and stares him down in mild annoyance. Probably because Din was pretty much avoiding her without much skill. She and everyone else in the covert picked up on it, even the Armorer advized him against contiuing in this vain.
"He hasn't yet," Din answered and he could practically feel her scowl under the helmet. That made him feel a little better.
"What's he waiting for the hu'tuun?"
"Don't insult my future ca," Din playfully admonishes her, while she pouts unconvincingly. "What does it matter? I just have to be cordial with him right? " Bo answers and goes over the information she received from her future riduuroke again. Din and the Armorer belong to the Vaar'tuur tsad, while her and probably Boba belong to Ge'catra tsad. If that doesn't connect with their needs, they will have to find someone else to join their weird marriage dynamic. Which would suit Bo just fine, though Din points out that he would be mighty sad.
She doesn't acknowledge that statement further, but changes the topic and they start to go over their plan to defeat the remnants of the latest Imperial rule.
The Armorer
The battle turns even more chaotic when the TIE fighters fly over their heads. The various ships different Mando's acquired fly over too, some chasing, some being chased by Imperials in a tight-fitting battle of wits and death. She swings her hammer down and watches the stormtrooper fall down on the dusty earth.
A sharp and quick yell makes her lift her head up and see Bo cut down another enemy with the Dhakad. Her tuur riduur sure is ferocious. The Armorer smashes another trooper over the head, and walks over to where she saw Bo standing a minute ago. She quickly finds her and joins fighting beside her, while the other Mandalorians form a circle around them. Only two or three stormtroopers and other enemies pass through and she and Bo cut them down very quickly.
"You sure know how to fight Red Fur," Kryze taunts her riduur, which makes the Armorer laugh inside her helmet. Her and Din started calling Bo by her Sedoretu designation, which for some reason irritated her. She still had a hard time grasping the intricaties of their group marriage and she doesn't like to fail in anything. Though it's not like they had many chances to help her understand anyway. Bo-Katan Kryze was many things but hesitant was not one of them. That is why this war started so quickly after all.
So because she percieved their nicknames for her as an upper hand she thought of her own nicknames for them. It was both annoying and slightly endearing. (Din found it fully endearing. If they weren't already in this marriage together, she would have probably had to play the matchmaker because the boy was gone on Bo like some adi'ka).
"I could say the same to you," Armorer answered, and Bo flashed her a blood thirsty smile, before jumping into the battle head on. The Armorer wondered about the helmet-free face of her tuur. She could have never guessed in the past, that she would come to a decision that taking off the buy'ce would be something she would support fully and unquestionably.
Before, that would be considered as a blasphemious act, and now it was fully accepted even in her own covert as something of a choice. Still looking at Bo slicing through their enemies, the Armorer continued to plow through and came to a rather easy decision that her riduur really does look better without the helmet off. It was a bit more dangerous to go helmet free in a real life and death battle, but Bo as usual probably just lost it somewhere in the process.
She couldn't even find it in herself to be angry at her tuure antics, because it was just a part of her personality. And she could at least admit to herself that she did like Bo-Katan and her personality with or without the buy'ce on.
Boba Fett
It was a typical Taungsday on Tatooine, and that meant Boba Fett was bored. He just sprawled over the throne and waited for some interesting news to come. And fortunately for him and his sanity the exciting news came in the shape of his second in command Fennec.
"Have you heard what is happening in the galaxy these days?" she asked seriously, making it known that she wanted him to seriously answer without any jokes or quips he sometimes uses to rile her up.
"Some Imperial remnants were fighting against a group of some warriors over some miserable planet. Is that what you meant?"
"Yes, and do you know who those warriors are?" She again pointedly asked, like she expected he will magically know what she means by it.
"No, I don't have a clue," He honestly conveyed his utter confusion at her attempt to make him come to some sort of conclusion.
"Those warriors that are fighting the Imperials over an insignificant planet are Mandalorians. And they are fighting over Mandalore."
Boba Fett looked at her uncomphresensibly until he suddenly got up and cursed a storm before power walking in the direction of his quarters.
"Karking son of a bantha. Why has no one told me this important bit?! What the fricking hell??? Stifling slimy karking slug...."
"Do you want me to come with you?"
"Yes, I think it would be better if you were with me while I solve this mess. "
***
They arrived during the heat of the battle, with weapons and reinforcements in both men and other needed necessities. "Boba!" Din shouted out, when he noticed the other Mandalorian coming over to him. He stood up to meet the other men, when his helmet connected with a hard fist that knocked him a step back.
"YOU KARKING SON OF A HUTT!! WHY THE FRICK DIDN'T YOU CALL ME FOR HELP?!!"
Din looked supremely confused, so he lowered his head in shame and said: "I wasn't sure if you wanted that. You still haven't answered."
Now Boba looked ashamed and guilty, while everyone around them acted like they had something much better to do, than listen to a quarrel between possible spouses.
"I-"
"I...... I am sorry Din. I really was thinking over your offer, but I thought I would have more time for it. But even considering that, I am still your friend. You could have still called me for help in this war. Even if I can't really stand behind the ideal, I can still support you in some way. Because I don't want you to get hurt or die, when I could have done something to prevent it. You understand?"
Din quietly nodded, and Boba couldn't dissuade himself against hugging Din in this moment. At first Din just stood in his embrace, but then he also encompassed Boba in a uncomfortable hug because of the armour. They stayed that way until Bo cleared her throat and crossed her arms over her chest.
"This is sweet and all, but the war is still going on and we have a job to do. Boba Fett is not the only one who came to help disguising it as a daring rescue. Your services are needed elsewhere."
Bo-Katan Kryze
"Are you okay with this?"
She was not okay with this. Boba Fett was a right ass, as she already knew long ago, and she really couldn't see what Din saw in him. And the conversation they had with him about the Sedoretu was even wilder than she could ever imagine. He knew nothing about their culture. Nothing!
How he could ever pass for a Mandalorian she just didn't know. They had to explain to him every little detail, and she was lucky the Armorer wasn't there, because she would see Bo-Katan losing her temper more times than she could count. It was not a pretty sight. And the man instead of looking contrite or apologetic just continued to be annoying and aggravating like a di'kut.
And Bo did not like people looking down on her. She despised it actually.
"Kebii'tra, it is just his way of fighting the unpleasantless of not knowing something. You know what happens to bounty hunters who don't know something. He just switches to a fighting mode without thinking about it. It's not something he can control," Din tries to explain and justify the behavior of the di'kut, while Bo stews in her anger.
"I will give him just one more chance. He either stops being a stubborn Rancorn, or he doesn't get in. Tell him that and he can decide what he prefers," Bo hisses out her ultimatum and hopes the asshole chooses the second option.
Boba Fett
Din looks at him with his big curious eyes that don't hide the care he feels for Boba, while he waits patiently for him to answer the question. Fett doesn't know if he should laugh or cry, because the answer is not the one Djarin wants to hear.
"I don't have a mother, Din. Except if you count the tube I grew in. And I sure as shit don't know which group my father belonged to," the disappointment in the chromed armored Mandalorian was palpatable, and Boba now felt even worse than before. He did know this conversation would be hard and awkward but this was just too much.
He wished he ran away two days ago. Kark the stupid Kryze and her stupid shitting pride. She really knew how to push all his buttons.
"Maybe we can take the Kaminoans as your foster mother?"
Just like this. Exhibit one among at least three more that will happen during this conversation.
"Absolutely not," the stupid bitch was smirking under her helmet for sure.
"All right then. You can choose which tsad you want to belong to," Din calmly said, glancing at Kryze briefly before looking at Boba again. The other woman (Goran? The Armorer? Whatever she was called) was silent and she watched the exchange with perfect immovability.
"In which group can I kark you?" Boba asked with a leer in Din's direction, which made the other Mando turn his helmet away (probably in embarrasment. At least Boba hoped. That would be better than disgust).
"Aal'briik," Bo hissed in barely supressed anger, and stood up to jump at the stupid beroya, but the Armorer stopped her.
"Boba Fett. Do you want to marry Din Djarin?"
"Uh, yes I suppose I do," he answered surpised at her sudden question, so he didn't have time to mask the sheer need that could be heard in his voice.
"For him you entered this war. Is that the truth?"
"Yes," he said, feeling very nervous all of a sudden. For some reason this felt really important somehow.
"For him you will learn our language and our culture. Is that the truth?"
"Well, yes. I will"
"For him, will you also become a Mandalorian?"
"I mean by my standards I already am a Mandalorian. Sure some people don't agree, but that is their problem. But yeah, if it means that both you and this one here will accept me easier I will learn more about our culture and all that I missed in my education, because I was fighting to survive"
"Boba Fett we accept you into the Ge'catra tsad. You will train under your own, so they could help you further your education and everything else you need. So that you will participate in this war for yourself, so that you will know our language and our culture for yourself, so that you will become and be a Mandalorian for yourself."
"After we deem you good enough, you can get married to us and join our marriage without complications. This is the way," she finishes her monologue and exits the room with Bo trailing after her.
Laughing at himself and this whole situation, Boba turns over to Din and sees the other man staring at him hard. "What is it?" he asks now a bit worried by Din's intense gaze drilling holes into him.
"Ca'tra," the man breathes out reverently, and makes Boba choke on his spit. "I haven't become your husband yet," he didn't really know what Din meant by that word, but he has heard the taller man using it while refering to himself sometimes. He slipped so easily into Mando'a, Boba felt just a tiny bit jealous over that.
"But you will," Din said with such conviction, Boba stayed speechless by the other man's faith in him.
"Well if you say so," he settles on answering and smirks just for good measure. Din huffs at that, and Boba feels suddenly lighter than he has before.