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Trying to keep cool as she passed by the concerned faces of her people was truly a challenge. The whispers started to rise, trying to judge if they were in trouble, or if something terrible happened.
The reality however was more personal.
Bo looked around, but he was nowhere to be seen. Just the ocean of blue her people wore with patches of different colors that the Children of The Watch used. No shiny beskar around.
This only made her step faster, and she wished she could run, but it would be so not appropriate of her to make a scene.
In her field of vision, the gold helmet of the Armorer caught her attention. Bo wanted to wait until she reached her closer to ask the question that built in her head. The Armorer, however, seemed to know exactly the reason why Bo was so urgent and pointed her to the back of the camp where they settled their ships. She nodded a quick thank you to the woman and made her step even faster.
She was making a scene now, but it didn't matter to her as the anxiety raised in her chest.
Here he was, shining like a star in the night sky, packing his things to the N1. Not aware she was coming.
Bo-Katan was both relieved and angry at the sight. She couldn't help herself anymore, as she raised her voice.
"Did you think you can go without a word?"
Din turned to her, his helmet blank hiding every bit of his reaction, without a single sound coming from his mouth. He waited until she came closer to him.
"I'm not fond of goodbyes, they indicate the end. That's not my intention."
Bo scoffed at him "So you planned to not tell me you're leaving now in the first place?" She crossed her arms on her chest waiting for his response.
"You're busy now, people need you. There was no reason to bother you about it."
"You're unbelievable." She shook her head. He dared to play on her nerves right now. Is he that unaware? Or during the battle he just hit his head hard.
"I don't think I get why you're mad."
"You just wanted to leave me here without a single word, Din."
"And what's wrong with that? You're busy with far more important things than a bounty hunter leaving for a quest with his apprentice."
Bo could feel how the tears form in her eyes, yet still not strong enough to be obvious to him. Is that what he thinks of himself? That he's not important to her anymore? After all the months they spend together, glued to each other among his covert, he still thinks she cares only about leadership.
"Din… Is that what you think of me after all we've been through? That you don't matter just because I'm a leader again?" She asked as the words sounded heavy between them.
Her knight in a shining beskar just stood there, looking at her as she tried to keep the tears from falling down her cheeks. Every lingering second was like torture, and despite her greatest efforts, she could feel how nerves of her lips jerk trying to break into a sob.
"You're our queen now, Bo-Katan. Your obligations are with our people, who am I to stand between you and your duty."
"My everything." She said, raising her eyebrows at the fact those words escaped her mouth. But it was too late to take them back. "You're my everything, Din Djarin."
This man was ready to die with her, if not for his son protecting them from the explosion, and yet he was so distant. Galaxies away, even though she could see him in the flesh. It pained her that with all that happened, there was still a barrier between them.
Bo swallowed a gulp in her throat and cleared her voice before speaking again, "And don't you ever, ever think that you're not important to me. I will always find time for you, saying it both as your… friend and a leader."
Din stared at her for a second and then nodded slowly.
"You know I would never ask you to go with me." He said almost whispering. Even the modulator couldn't hide the emotions behind his voice.
"I know, but a word of warning, or a talk could be nice."
"We talk now."
She scoffed again. "Because I came here uninvited."
"You got a point." Din turned away from her, back to the trunk with his bags. She almost got angry at him again, that he just ignored her and continued his preparation, but he faced her holding an elegant bottle of beverage. "I don't want this to be a goodbye, so I will make it a promise." He said as he handed her the bottle.
Bo was taken aback at first, but she accepted his gift. Their hands brushed slightly as she took the bottle from him. It felt so out of place. Like something to see on Coruscant banquets, not in a trunk of a Mandalorian bounty hunter.
"Greef Karga gave it to me, it's from Coruscant. He said I should keep it for a special occasion. There won't be anything more special to me than crossing paths with you again, Bo. I want you to keep this bottle as a token of my promise that we will meet again, and when we do, we will toast."
"Din…"
"I thought it would be easier for me to just go, not looking at you. Now I know these thoughts were true, and because of that I'm certain I will keep you on my mind, as long as we will be apart."
After short silence, Bo took a deep breath to stead herself at his confession. How can it be, that he still surprises her with the words he's using?
"I will miss you too, Din. I already do."
They looked at each other in silence for what seemed to be an eternity. Bo wanted to do something. Anything. Come closer, or even touch him. To hug him, and hear the beskar clanking onto each other. But none of that could happen. Not yet.
"Bru?"
A familiar voice sounded in her ears as she looked at Grogu who was now by her feet. Both of them didn't even notice when he came there. Grogu was already learning from his dad, as he tried to give her a little flower that was in his small hand. He must have taken it from the cave gardens, and she wondered if he did it specifically for her.
Bo crouched next to him, and with a big smile accepted his gift too.
"Thank you so much, Grogu. I will miss you, my little hero." She allowed herself to place a kiss on Grogu's forehead to which his ears spiked like in alert and he giggled like she hadn't heard him ever before.
"Bru!" He cheered, and she couldn't help but laugh with him.
"Remember to listen to your dad, Grogu. And sometimes remind him that I will wait for both of you here on Mandalore." She gave him one last pat on the head and straightened herself to face Din again.
"I think it's time to say goodb-…"
"A promise." Din corrected her.
"A promise that you will be back."
Din nodded. "I promise."
Bo gave him a weak smile, and took a deep breath, still not letting her emotions ruin her face.
"Come, Grogu, it is time for us to go."
The child jumped to the N1 and quickly positioned himself to be able to see Bo, as his father was getting himself in the ship.
Bo watched as the two of them were getting ready, realizing how she is not ready for that departure. She doesn't want Din and Gorgu to go, not after everything they've been through, not after Din shows her how it means to be whole again, and… to have a family.
The sight of them leaving was somehow painful to witness. Din and Grogu were keeping their eyes on her constantly, with the child waving at her cheerfully.
Bo pressed her palm to the lips and blew a kiss at Grogu. To her surprise, Din's hand raised above his son's head as he stole the gesture for himself. She couldn't help but giggled, hoping that maybe next time she could give him a proper kiss.
She watched as they disappeared in the air through the atmosphere, and stood in her place for a while, not knowing what she should do with herself now.
The confidence evaporated from her soul as soon as the sight of them disappeared from her vision. Since their visit to the mines, everything she achieved was because of Din. He was her hope, her faith, and a new beginning. Like the moon of Concordia in the night sky, Din Djarin guided her through the unknown. Being there for her whenever she needed him.
Now she's alone. Again. Only now a crystal tear escaped her eye, making its way through her cheek.
There was no way back now, as the uncontrolled sound escaped her lips. The hand with the flower quickly covered her mouth in an attempt to control the moment of weakness, but the weight of her emotions was too powerful, as, despite her efforts, her body was shaking as she tried to suppress the sobs.
"It won't be a trial, if not the tears spilled for the journey." A stoic voice sounded in her ears, petrifying.
Bo quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks and took a deep breath to control herself. She knew it was pointless, The Armorer knew she had a moment of weakness. Bo looked at her, wondering what kind of face she must make at her. Was it disgust for her emotions, or the soft caring smile people do, when they try to comfort someone? Bo wasn't sure, as she didn't understand her words entirely. And she envied the privacy of not betraying her emotions under the helmet.
"It means they will come back to you, as the tears bound their way to you."
"I don't understand." She said weakly.
"Our ancestors believed that there are far stronger connections than just the name of your clan. It is a great honor for a Mandalorian to be the reason for someone else's tears when they leave. It means the connection is there, and they will always find their way to it. You, Lady Bo-Katan, and Din Djarin are bound by Creed, some would go as far as to say you're one when parted."
Bo-Katan raised her brows in shock at the implication The Armorer just revealed. Are they that obvious to everyone but themselves? Bo blinked at the woman and shook her head trying to deny what she said.
"But we didn't… We aren't together." Bo admitted, her voice betraying her with a note of hurt there.
"I never said you are."
The Armorer was right. She said they were one, being one does not mean being together.
Bo looked at the sky, where Din disappeared some time ago. Hoping that maybe she will see him back, but N1 never came out from the clouds.
"You know, he asked me about you, long before you joined our covert." The Armorer brought her back to reality once again. Even though she spoke normal words this time, she still surprised Bo. Din asked about her. He thought of her when they were apart... and not that close yet. "I told him you're a cautionary tale. He didn't listen."
A flinch of guilt squeezed Bo's guts at the woman's words.
"But I'm glad he did not. So, you have nothing to worry about. If he came to you after my warning, he will come to you even when the world is on fire. This is the way."