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Kel couldn't help but overhear a hushed conversation between his older siblings, 15-year-old Kaia and 14-year-old Aric, while they were at the training ground. They seemed to think he wouldn't catch wind of their secretive exchange, but Kel was no stranger to their conspiratorial ways. They were thick as thieves, those older siblings of his.
Kaia's voice carried a hint of a smile as she mentioned something about a surprise baby, supposed to be in its seventh week. Aric responded softly, referring to their father's mention of it and expressing hope that this would be an easy one compared to previous ones.
He then glanced at Kel with affection and joked about how their littlest brother would no longer hold the baby title.
Unable to contain himself, Kel abruptly stopped his shooting and stomped over to where they stood, scolding them for gossiping like a couple of quidnuncs at a fish market. He didn't quite understand the meaning of the word, but he had heard the Armorer use it once when grumbling while working on a chainmail, about pompous clan leaders from the west who couldn't keep their tongues from malicious comments. It was such a fancy word, and he couldn't resist wondering what it meant.
But for now, he had to focus on the matter at hand-why hadn't they started practicing? They had promised him a session today.
They both looked sheepish and mumbled apologies, coaxing him to continue the practice. Aric even pinched Kel's cheek proudly and commented on where he had learned about quidnuncs on Mandalore, teasing him about the big word.
Kel basked in the praise for a moment, feeling a surge of pride, before realizing it was a diversion tactic. Not today! He pressed them further, wanting to know what they were talking about-the baby and whose it was.
Kaia and Aric exchanged awkward glances before Kaia mustered up the resolve to speak. She looked directly at Kel and said, "Okay, please sit and listen, Kel."
That was her "big sister" voice-the one that always made him comply, or else. So he automatically took a seat on the bench beside her.
"Mom is going to have a baby," she finally revealed.
Kel's world tilted on its axis, a surge of emotions and scenarios flooding his mind. There was a sudden ache in his stomach, or maybe it was in his chest. What was this feeling? It was anxiety-inducing, leaving him momentarily silenced before he burst into tears.
---
Later that day, after a lot of comforting and the cancellation of their training session, Kel finally managed to calm down. It took moments of Kaia hugging him tightly, him clinging to her like a baby porglet, and Aric coaxing him with bowls of nectrose freeze. Eventually, Kel was reduced to a sad hiccup ball with smeared milk cream on his mouth and cheeks in the kitchen.
But Kel refused to talk to their parents about it, so he abruptly left when Kaia answered their holo call that evening. She had sent a frantic message to their parents, urgently asking for advice on how to handle their youngest, who was having an unusual meltdown. As Kaia and Aric glanced at each other, they realized they might have messed up a little by bombarding Kel with the news without a proper strategy.
In Kaia's defense, she didn't even remember experiencing such conflicting emotions when Bo and Din had told her she was going to have a little sibling. After all, she was just a little human back then, barely able to walk.
And when her parents informed her and Aric a few years later that another baby brother, Kel, was on the way, she was already accustomed to having a little duckling (or a twin) sticking by her side. It didn't faze her at all.
Aric, the gentle and empathetic four-year-old that he was at the time, bounced with delight as soon as he comprehended the fact that he would finally have a little brother to care for and love. They had taken cues from their older brother Grogu, who always displayed a calm demeanor while tending to them both since they could remember.
Kel's difficulty in accepting the news was a novel experience for them. Perhaps Kaia and Aric hadn't considered it fully. But Kel had been the cherished apple of their family for the past nine years, and they couldn't help but spoil him. They were guilty of that. Well, they couldn't help it, but their youngest family member had an undeniable adorableness about him, even though he could sometimes be a whirlwind of chaos and terror.
Maybe they should have listened more attentively when their mom mentioned, before boarding her ship for a sudden and urgent diplomatic mission, that she and Din planned to formally share the news with Kel upon their return. Their parents knew something.
Kaia sighed, feeling apologetic as she spoke to her mom through the holo call, "I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't expect him to react like that."
"It's okay, Kaia. We should have told all of you in person earlier, without delaying it," Bo replied with a tired smile.
"Too caught off guard, huh?" Kaia smiled knowingly, and Bo laughed. Her daughter could be surprisingly mature at times. "Just so you know, I think it's cute. And I wouldn't mind having a sister this time."
Din, who had been sitting quietly next to Bo with Grogu on his lap, processing the unfolding events, interjected softly, "And I agree with that." Grogu chirped in agreement as well.
Kaia called out excitedly, "Grogu!"
This left Bo leaning back in her chair, watching Kaia and Grogu interact through the holo. She felt Din's hand slip between the space of their chairs, gently intertwining their fingers in a gesture of understanding. Bo gave him a tender look, acknowledging the unspoken conversation between them. They had no preferences, really.
But the idea of having another daughter would be wonderful. It would be a sister for Kaia, reminiscent of the dynamics between Satine and herself. It would be interesting and bittersweet.
"Well, Kaia, and Aric, I can see you back there, sweetie. Please hold the fort until we get back," Bo remarked. Aric waved from where he sat in front of the counter behind Kaia, devouring a plate of golden lichen tuiles. "And let Kel calm himself down a little bit, maybe."
The message was clear: don't antagonize your little brother at this moment.
"We will, Mom," they replied in unison, snickering mischievously.
Bo and Din sighed, while Grogu squealed with delight, joining their siblings' playful energy.
---
In the early hours of the morning, Bo and Din arrived to find Kel peacefully asleep on their bed, nestled beneath the covers and pillows. Chuckling softly, they noticed his blotchy face and tear tracks, evidence of his earlier distress, and listened to his snoring, which resembled the sound of a conveyex. After quickly changing and freshening up, they quietly joined Kel on the bed, sandwiching him in the middle and tucking the covers tightly around his shoulder.
Kel stirred slightly but settled when Din shushed him gently. Instinctively, he shifted closer to Din, seeking warmth, and sighed softly as Din continued to stroke his back, his head resting against his father's chest. It reminded Din of the joyous moments when Kel was just a tiny baby.
"So much for being an upset kid," Din whispered smugly to Bo, prompting her to giggle in exasperation.
"You still got it, Dad," Bo replied, ruffling Kel's soft red hair and snuggling further into her side of the comforter. "Let's hope you can have another triumph when he wakes up tomorrow."
Din fell quiet for a moment, closing his eyes while continuing to gently stroke their son's back. "He'll be alright," he murmured, drifting into drowsiness. "Will be just fine."
---
A couple of hours later, Kel leaped out of bed without even attempting to wake his parents. He left in fiery haste, clearly still upset.
---
Kel was still feeling quite confused. No, actually, very confused.
---
"Okay," Kel thought to himself as he cautiously stepped into the main area of the palace. "Maybe I can figure out what the problem actually is."
It might have had something to do with skipping breakfast (though the nanny droid managed to slip him his favorite sweets anyway)
--pestering Ragnar and Ashi at their home to spar with him (Ragnar stifling his laughter under his helmet, while Ashi scolded her husband to either offer constructive advice or serve as a supportive sparring dummy for Kel's emotional outlet, which resulted in her giving Kel the coziest embrace)
--stirring up the Mythosaur in Living Waters with Haarshun bread crumbs (causing the apostles to hysterically beg him to stop, questioning if it wasn't time for the Young Master to attend his daily lesson in the palace)
--lurking around the Great Forge, hoping to hear the Armorer share more intriguing words while working on her Beskar pieces (she seemed wary of his presence today and worked quietly, even when other oddballs demanded her attention. Eventually, she sat with him, sipping spiced hot tea under her helmet and listening to his laments. In the end, she hinted that Mandalorian warriors should use words directly to convey their intentions)
--and being kicked out of the meditation room in the palace by Grogu (their parents had once encouraged him to meditate with Grogu to better control his extraordinary thought process, but sometimes it worked, and sometimes it didn't. In this particular case, a meditative trance couldn't contain Kel's chaotic thoughts, which disturbed Grogu's zen flow).
That last one made Kel a little bit sad. But it oddly also fueled his determination to channel his swirling thoughts directly at the source of his frustration for once and all.
He couldn't contain his opinions any longer and wanted to confront them about whether it was a wise decision to have another baby, considering the toll it took on Bo during her previous pregnancy with him. He loved his mom deeply and didn't want her to go through that again.
Well, he had heard the story circulating sometimes since he was little, even though his parents had mentioned it wasn't exactly like that. And he vividly remembered they mentioned that the four of them were enough-they were their parents' best warriors. So, what exactly had happened now?
With a firm intention to express his confusion, Kel planned to ambush his parents, particularly his mom, in one of their parents' joint working rooms later in the early evening.
---
"I love you so much, Mom! I don't want you to die!" Kel whined, latching onto his mother's waist as she lounged on a chaise, reviewing some Mand'alore tasks on her holopad. Papers scattered onto the floor, but that was the least of their concerns at the moment. "I still need you to live for another thousand years. They couldn't even make my Uj'alayi right like you do, ever. I couldn't survive it. Please, why would you do that to me?"
"First, no one is going to die," Din chided, moving a bit dejectedly further to the other side of the chaise when Kel rushed to his mother's side without heeding him. Din had been busy rubbing Bo's feet, enjoying one of those rare private relaxing moments when he felt comfortable enough to remove his helmet outside their bedroom. "Second, she is going to live for a thousand years."
Bo was amused by the expression on her son's face. For such an exuberant and vibrant child, he had no fear of expressing what he felt openly, sometimes to the point of being dramatic. This boy was going to be the death of her, but she wouldn't have it any other way. Even if she was put on a pedestal for her mere ability to make her boy's Uj'alayi just right. It was all about the roasted brown sugar, but she wouldn't tell a soul.
"Kel, take a breath for me. What are you even prattling about?" she asked, stroking his back gently as he buried himself further into her armpit.
He hadn't done that since a few months ago when he turned nine. It was a sign that Kel was very upset and seeking comfort from one of his favorite things in the world-his mom. Bo had a hunch about what the issue was. And when she looked at Din from the corner of her eye, she knew he understood too. The power of communicating without words. Hurrah.
"You're going to have another baby? Even after all this time? Why would you even, but it's going to be dangerous, isn't it? I don't like it," Kel mumbled, not even trying to lift his head. "And you said the four of us were enough. You did say that once."
What had happened? Why was everything so sudden? Would it be okay? Would it be hard for them? Would everything be bad? Everything is okay now. Why change it? I'm worried. I love you. I love you. I love you. Are we not enough? Am I not enough? Don't replace me.
Bo and Din could sense the unspoken thoughts running through Kel's mind. It was a skill they had honed over the years in communicating and translating Grogu's mind and gestures.
She regretted not letting Kel know about the news sooner. She trusted Kaia and Aric in their communications and the kindness of their hearts in not antagonizing their little brother, but it would have been better if it came directly from his parents. It was a bit of an oversight on Din and her part.
"Oh, baby boy," Bo shifted to better support her son, putting him in a half embrace and kissing the top of his head. "Everything that's going through your head, I must say, is not like that. And I'm sorry if I made it seem like everything was an absolute fixed point... It was rather... a surprise."
She reassured him that everything would be okay, that having another baby wouldn't be as bad as he imagined. She could handle it that time, and she could handle it this time around too.
"But Mom, don't you think it's a little bit too late?" Kel argued. "Ragnar said that he and Ashi are going to have a baby too, but Ashi is still young. So that's okay, I think."
And the clever boy just had to mention why they were considering of having another baby at this late stage.
"Shush, don't even go there, my sweet. What did I tell you about filtering your thoughts before they come out of your mouth," she said playfully. In truth, Bo wanted to facepalm herself for even letting her youngest bring up the age factor.
"Apologize," Kel peered up at her, a mischievous grin on his face. He looked a bit nervous still. "But I am worried."
Bo melted at his words. "I know, my love. Your concern comes from a good place. But everything is going to be alright. And hey, think about this. You're finally going to be a big brother. You can even make the baby your minion or something, so you'll have a partner when you team up. Kaia and Aric can bite their own hands," she teased.
"I'm already doing fine teaming up with Grogu, Mom. He's my best partner," Kel protested. "Well, when Dad doesn't suddenly snatch him away into space for another Imps hunting time, anyway."
"They're training sessions, Kel," Din supplied unhelpfully. Kel rolled his eyes.
Bo scoffed. "And Grogu is going to be even busier in a couple of years when it's his time to travel by himself. Wouldn't it be better if you had another companion? Aaand... I'll give you a pass to take care of the baby right from the start, make them your ally. How does that sound?" She wasn't above bribing when it came to parenting.
"I think... I would like to think about that first," their boy contemplated, frowning. He wasn't entirely sold on the idea yet. "You're just going to give me babysitting duty, aren't you?"
"Well, that's one of the perks."
"Moooom..."
As a foundling without any siblings-for Din, and the last line of her once big family-for Bo, both had agreed from the start, when joining their clans, that they wanted a large family with many little warriors to raise if given the chance. However, they never had a detailed plan in place.
Grogu was the first unexpected blessing that set everything in motion, initially, he was Din's but maybe Bo already embraced the idea during their adventures together. Kaia and Aric came along as happy accidents. Kel was a more carefully planned addition, although not without its challenges. And now, this new baby was another unexpected twist, after they had thought their days of raising babies were over. But they couldn't deny their genuine happiness and excitement at the chance to expand their family once again. It was an accidental blessing to look forward to.
There had been a small hiccup with Kel's initial reaction, but they hoped that after giving him the space to express his thoughts and offering reassurance, he would gradually warm up to the idea of having a new baby minion.
It seemed like he was already on the path toward acceptance, Din thought as he was looking fondly at his partner and son embracing and jesting with each other before Kel turned to his father and beset him unceremoniously. Din couldn't help but chuckle as he mock wrestled with his son.
"My son is getting heavy," he jokingly grunted under Kel's weight, playfully trying to pin him down. "He sure is growing up."
"I am! I did grow! The Armorer said so too, and she promised to make me a helmet soon," Kel proudly declared, his excitement bubbling over. But then, a thought struck him, and he grew contemplative. "You know, Dad, maybe it's good for you and Mom to have another kid."
Din raised an intrigued eyebrow, waiting for his son's witty remark. "Oh, really? And why is that, Kel?"
Kel shrugged, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I think you need to stay young, Dad, and having another little kid might just help with that," he suggested, a hint of cheekiness in his voice.
Din snorted, unable to contain his laughter. "Oh, Kel..." he heard Bo murmur in amused exasperation from the other side. Kel's laughter filled the air.
"Kel, listen to me," Din said, his voice gentle yet firm, cupping his son's face in his hands. "Having another child doesn't mean we love you any less. It's not about spending our love, but about branching it out. And you will always be our son, nothing will ever change that. Each and every one of you holds a special place in our hearts, just as you have special places for each of your siblings, your mom, and me."
Kel gazed up at his father, fully focused and taking in his words. He nodded solemnly. "Okay, Dad."
"Okay, Kel. Now, give me a hug."
Kel wasted no time, wrapping his arms tightly around Din, squeezing him in a crushing hug, before playfully tackling him again.
Later, during his quiet time, Kel would revisit his thoughts and contemplate them further. But for now, the ache in his chest and belly had lessened significantly, replaced with another thing.
It felt like a sense of relief and joy.
----