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The cozy cabin on Nevarro wasn’t yours, but you treated it with all the love and care it deserved. So far, it had lived up to your expectations of what an alternate, peaceful life would be like; a fantasy that you often indulged in, but kept hidden in the depths of your own mind. In the moment, you counted yourself lucky just to have experienced a fleeting glimpse of the life you’d always dreamt of. Not everyone else in the galaxy could say the same for themselves.
You stepped outside, ready to take full advantage of the opportunity to grab some fresh air. After taking on such a huge amount of responsibility for the past few days, it was nice to get a little reprieve. And you had decided to make the most of it while you still could.
You had known all along that your time spent indulging in fantasy wouldn’t last. But you weren’t quite ready to let it go just yet.
A small tap against your leg was enough to ground you in the present. You were about to respond, ready to return to the cabin after you attended to the matter that apparently required your immediate attention. But before you could even begin to address the situation, the tapping came again.
You looked down to see the little foundling who had been left in your care for the past three days. Looking after him had been one of the most important tasks you had ever been given. In fact, you had deliberately gone out of your way to dedicate countless hours of your time in order to ensure that Grogu was safe in your care. It was the perfect way for you to expand on the little experience you’d accumulated from working at the school in Nevarro City.
“Hey there, buddy,” you said, allowing affection to creep into your voice.
Grogu gave a soft coo in response. Then, after giving your leg another series of taps, he walked forward a few steps and pointed to the sky.
You took your eyes off of him for a moment and followed his line of sight. Clouds dotted your vision, stretching as far as you could see. Such a peaceful day should have given you no reason to be worried about any interruptions, but you couldn’t help it all the same. If something was about to go amiss, you would need to be prepared.
You turned back to Grogu, but any words of caution you were about to give him were immediately lost. Even after spending so much time with him, there were still times when it was difficult for you to decipher what he was trying to convey. But in this instance, you understood him perfectly.
“You miss your dad, huh?”
Grogu nodded, confirming your suspicions.
It had been easy to entertain the little foundling, distract him from the fact that his father was off keeping the galaxy safe. But you knew that, sooner or later, reality would come crashing right back down around both of you. At the very least, there was one comforting thought that could spur you on.
“He’ll be back soon.”
Without warning, Grogu jumped onto your shoulder, as if he was about to accept your speculative words as fact. In a usual move for him, he tapped your head once, and then resorted to a repeated series of taps that demanded your full attention. You turned towards him, giving him exactly what he wanted.
“What is it, buddy?”
As soon as you spoke, the air rippled with the hum of an incoming ship. Using a pair of binoculars, you attempted to seek it out and follow its path as it descended. You lived in peace, but if someone had come to disturb you…that would be the end of your hopes and dreams, and the illusion of fantasy that you still preferred to indulge in.
Still perched on your shoulder, Grogu pointed upward again. A series of babbles came from his mouth, including one that you could’ve sworn almost sounded like he was trying to say “Papa.” It was the kind of thing that usually only happened when Din was involved. Which meant…
“Oh…is that him?”
Grogu nodded again, unable to contain his enthusiasm. You were in no way as attuned to the Force as he was, but you trusted his judgement all the same.
The closer the ship came to landing, the more you internally scolded yourself for thinking that an enemy had found your little hideaway. Earlier that morning, Din had sent you a message with his estimated arrival time. And by all accounts, he had been correct.
Moments later, the Razor Crest touched down at the docking area where you had parked a few days ago. From a distance, you hadn’t been sure that it was the same ship whose destruction Din had once
witnessed, but up close, you would know the vintage design anywhere. This time, its exterior was tinted yellow and gray. And it might have been your imagination, but its landing was slightly smoother than it had been before.
As soon as the ramp of the Razor Crest opened, Grogu jumped down from your shoulder. He walked towards the ship, determined to reach his destination. In the three days that he had been in your care, you had noticed and encouraged his growing tendency to be more independent. Din had mentioned it in passing when he had first requested the use of your services, and you had done your best to emulate his particular parenting style as soon as you were given the opportunity to do so.
Heavy boots created a subtle echo against the durasteel ramp of the ship, and your heart began to race. Soon enough, familiar silver beskar shone in the afternoon light, proving that you had nothing to worry about after all. Your Mandalorian had returned.
Grogu continued the journey to his father, vocalizing squeals of delight. Din stopped at the bottom of the ramp for long enough to acknowledge his son, before bending down slightly and holding out his arms.
“Hey, kid.”
In response, the foundling jumped into his father’s arms before moving to his shoulder and hanging on for dear life. Din allowed a chuckle to escape through the modulator.
“Yeah, I missed you, too.”
You hung back, not bothering to hide the smile that spread across your face. The moments they shared as a clan of two were sacred, and it was the highest honor for you to witness them firsthand.
When you’d first met Din Djarin, he had chosen to remain a complete mystery to the outside world. All you’d known of him was that, like many others, he was a former bounty hunter working for the New Republic under your adoptive mother, Colonel Ward. You would never pry, but you’d wondered what secrets he carried beneath the silver beskar. And now, it felt like you had known him for your entire life.
The more Din opened up to you, the more deeply you had fallen for him. But you had kept that revelation to yourself. Even if he reciprocated your feelings, which you had every reason to suspect, a relationship between the two of you was practically doomed to fail from the beginning. After all, Din had his creed to consider. The most you could hope for was to be there for him on the rare occasions when he craved interaction with another human.
“Welcome home,” you said with a smile, putting all other thoughts out of your mind.
Without a word, Din dropped a pouch of credits into your outstretched hand. From a glance inside, the various denominations proved to be double the amount you had charged him for your services. You knew better than to protest, though. He would insist that it was what you deserved.
“Thanks for watching the kid.” The words were spoken softly through the modulator as Din acknowledged you and the effort you had gone through to keep his son safe.
You gave him a nod. “Of course.”
“I hope he wasn’t too much trouble.”
“No. Never.” You turned your attention to the little foundling, who jumped down from his father’s shoulder. “We had fun, right?”
Grogu nodded. He wandered over to you, then proceeded to reach for the bottom of your tunic, as if to remind you of something you had forgotten.
“Oh, right; I promised you a snack.”
You reached into your pocket and pulled out a packet of blue macarons, then held one out to Grogu. It floated in the air for a moment, then landed in his outstretched hand with practiced grace. He took a tiny bite out of it, then cooed in approval.
Din stayed a respectful distance away, the narrow visor of his helmet pointed in your direction. Even though you couldn’t see his face, you could feel the way his gaze fixed on you. It was as if you were a mystery he was attempting to solve.
“He likes you,” Din observed out of the blue.
Yeah?” You briefly turned your attention to the foundling, who was already reaching for another blue macaron. “He likes anyone who gives him food.”
A sudden motion brought your eye back to your Mandalorian. Din’s glove drifted towards his belt, where he stored most of his weapons.
“I brought you something, too.”
He pulled a blaster from its holster and presented it to you.
“Wait. This is for me?”
“For your protection,” he clarified.
“Oh.” You reached for the blaster while managing to keep it a safe distance away from yourself. It turned out to be slightly heavier than you had expected. You had never foreseen yourself as someone whose regular assignments might include the use of such a weapon.
“Do you…not like it?” asked Din.
You frowned, not wanting to give him the wrong impression that his gestured was unwelcome. “No, that’s not it. It’s just that…I don’t know how to use it.”
“You don’t?” The question held no trace of judgement whatsoever. It was one of the things you had come to admire about your Mandalorian.
“No.”
You had always been a peaceful person, claiming that your skills were better suited for the classroom or drawing up paperwork behind the scenes for your adoptive mother. Though, as you had come to learn over the years, there was always room for you to learn more.
“But…maybe I could learn,” you added. “Can you teach me how to shoot?”
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
The small firing range was located behind the docking station for Din’s N-1 Starfighter. At some point during his spare time, he had gathered a series of scrapped parts of the Razor Crest and given them a second life, designating them for the use of target practice. He had claimed that it was far better than leaving them unused, and you had to agree.
You aimed the blaster at the first target, the way that Din had taught you. A deep breath was far from enough to stop your hand from shaking slightly as your finger hovered over the trigger. As much as you wanted to search for someone else to blame for your current predicament, there was no one to hold that burden except yourself.
Noticing your hesitation, Din tilted his helmet in the same direction you were aiming your blaster.
“Go ahead. Try and hit the target.”
Spurred on by his words, a moment later you pulled the trigger.
The first few shots you fired missed their mark entirely. You were sure that the kickback from the blaster would leave a bruise on your shoulder, but it would all be worth it.
“It’s okay, sweet girl,” Din encouraged as he watched you carefully from a distance. “You can try again.”
In the end, you decided to take his advice. And yet, nothing seemed to work. Each subsequent shot you made also missed its target. It was to be expected for your first round of target practice, but you found yourself already eager to improve.
“So, that went well,” you quipped, loading another round of bullets into the blaster.
As soon as you were done, you looked up as a shadow fell across your vision and a presence snuck up behind you. Din had decided to enter your personal space.
“I see what the problem is.” And then your Mandalorian delivered his judgement of your skills. “Your footwork needs improvement.”
All of a sudden, you became conscious of every move you made. Din had never been so close to you before. Not that you were complaining about the situation that he had ultimately initiated. “Oh, is that all?”
“Here.” His thick gloves ghosted over your waist, as if he was unsure of the proper way to touch you. “Stand like this.”
You allowed Din to maneuver you until your body was in the correct position to commence the shooting exercise you had begun. It was a blessing that you wouldn’t have to face the relentless teasing from your fellows at the New Republic quite yet.
The thought sent a wave of determination rushing through you. You wouldn’t give them any excuse to judge your skills behind your back. At least, not any more than they already did.
Din stepped a safe distance away from you, giving you enough room to continue the lesson right where you had left off.
“You’re ready now,” he declared.
You lined up the shot, making sure that the target was still in sight. All the motions came to you as easily as if you had already been practicing them for years.
When you pulled the trigger again, the bullet went flying, faster than you could have anticipated. At least this time, you were prepared for the recoil.
You took your eyes off of the target, not ready to see how far off the mark you had been. Until…
“Good job.”
Your skin heated. The rare praise that Din had bestowed upon you had always seemed to be reserved for his son. But perhaps he was experiencing a change of heart.
When you finally allowed yourself to observe the result of your effort, a gasp left your lips. The bullet was lodged in the outer ring of the target.
“I did it.”
It was hardly enough for you to brag about your newfound skills quite yet, but the urge flowed deeply through your veins. It was enough motivation for you to try again. And again, the target hit its mark. This time, the bullet landed straight in the center. A perfect bullseye.
“Beautiful.”
You glanced over at Din and grinned. But as soon as the reality of the situation sunk in, you shook your head. “That was just a lucky shot.”
“I don’t think so, sweet girl.”
A shadow fell across the slowly dimming sky, and your attention was pulled away from your work. A muted orange had begun to overtake the once vibrant blue.
“Well, this has been fun, but I should go now. Mom is probably wondering where I am.”
You turned in the direction of your ship, ready to reluctantly return to your normal life. The only thing that stopped you was Din’s voice, saying your name.
“Wait. At least stay for dinner.”
You placed your new blaster in the holster that Din had passed along to you. And in a split second, your decision was made. “You know what? I would love to.”
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
By the time you had nearly finished your dinner, the sun had completely lowered in the sky. Throughout the meal that Din had graciously prepared, you exchanged a glance or two with Grogu. When you thought that his father wasn’t paying attention, you snuck an extra piece of fish over to him in order to ensure that the little foundling had all the nutrients he needed. It was a way for you to make up for the interruption of the new routine you had established with him over the past few days.
After making sure that Grogu was well fed, you headed into the kitchen. You stopped short at the sight of your Mandalorian, then backed away and attempted to look anywhere but at him. The bottom of his helmet was discreetly lifted as he finished sipping a drink.
“Oh, sorry! I didn’t realize you still needed privacy.”
“It’s okay, sweet girl. You didn’t see anything.”
It hadn’t escaped your notice that Din had chosen to keep his helmet on around you at all times. He rarely mentioned his Creed at all, even though he knew well that there were parts of it you had always been curious about.
“You don’t even take off your helmet to eat?”
“Not in front of others,” he clarified. “The armor is part of my religion.”
“Oh. That must make it hard to kiss someone, then.”
As soon as the impulsive words had left your lips, you regretted them. You didn’t even have the excuse of copious amounts of spotchka inhibiting your judgement.
“I wouldn’t know.” Din paused for a moment, having grown accustomed to allowing the movements of his beskar armor to speak for him. “I’m not very experienced with that.”
It took a moment for his words to fully sink in. “You mean you’ve never been kissed?”
“No.”
You wrung your hands together, hesitating before your next question. This time, you vowed not to act so impulsively, but your next question turned out to be just as liable to send heat racing to your cheeks as the first one.
“Is that something you want?”
Once again you could feel Din’s stare through the visor of his helmet. Beneath the beskar, he had the advantage of being able to hide his expressions, making him appear stoic. And yet you had worked side by side with him for long enough to discern his subtle tells.
“Yes,” he admitted at last. “With the right person.”
Your name left his lips, as sweet as ever when he said it. And then, out of the blue, he reached for his helmet.
“Din? What are you doing?”
His hands briefly fell back down to his sides. “I want to know…what it feels like to be kissed. And I want you to be my first.”
You stared at him in awe. It had been that simple all along.
“Wait; wait. What about your creed?”
“You’re not an enemy, sweet girl. I won’t have to kill you because you saw my face.”
You took a step closer to him, knowing in your heart that every word he spoke was true. Then you began to reach for him, but hesitated at the last moment. “Are you sure?”
“It’s okay, cyare. I want this.“
And with that, the faint hiss of the helmet being removed filled the cozy kitchen.
Din had willingly given you his name, and now he had decided to trust you with the one vulnerability that his creed disallowed. The amount of trust that had gone into the action was unprecedented. It was a sight you never thought you’d see, but all the same, you averted your eyes as quickly as possible.
As it turned out, your efforts weren’t fast enough. You caught the barest glimpse of warm, golden skin before your eyes fluttered shut.
“Look at me, sweet girl. Please.”
His voice was richer without the modulator to disguise it. A slight amount of heat pooled straight to your core at the notion, though you elected to ignore it in favor of granting your Mandalorian’s request. And what you found caused a gasp to leave your lips.
“Hi,” you said with a smile.
“Hi.”
You stared into his eyes, which were the deepest shade of brown. They shone as brightly as the numerous stars that now lit up the sky.
Your gaze moved further down from his prominent nose to the sharp line of his jaw, which was dusted with the barest hint of scruff. Out of all the things your mind had conjured up when you imagined what he looked like, a head of short, dark curls was the last thing you could’ve expected.
“Maker, Din…” You hesitated for a moment, gathering the words for what you felt for him. “You’re beautiful.”
“So are you, sweet girl.”
Already you could imagine what it would feel like to truly kiss him. His lips would be soft when they finally met yours…
Your impulsiveness clearly hadn’t gone anywhere. “It would be my honor to be your first kiss.”
Both of you moved forward at the same time, accounting for the distance that set you apart. And then your lips brushed up against his.
Din remained still at first, unsure of what to do. You took control of the situation, smiling at the fact that your imagination had been almost correct…but reality was even better. Then he parted his lips and mimicked each motion you made.
As soon as the kiss was broken, Din reached for his helmet. Your hand reached out to brush against his arm, effectively stopping him.
“Wait,” you said. “Can I touch you?”
To your surprise, the response was immediate. “Okay.”
You took advantage of the scarce amount of space between you and reached out to him. Din melted into your touch as your fingers grazed lightly over his cheek. Meanwhile, your eyes traced over every inch of his face, until you were certain that it would be fixed in your mind forever.
When your hand moved away from his skin, Din lowered the helmet back down over his head. You observed him, attempting to ignore the sudden pang in your chest. There was one thing that still lingered in the back of your mind, taking hold and refusing to let go until it was properly addressed.
“I won’t tell anyone what I saw today. I swear.”
“Thank you, cyare.”
And then he leaned forward and gently pressed the helmet against your forehead.
“What was that word you just said?” you asked.
“Cyare.” Din repeated the word with a certain reverence.
You recognized the syllables from
the little Mando’a you knew; it was rare for Din to slip into the language of his people. And still, you were eager to learn all there was to know about him and his culture.
“What does it mean?”
Din took some time to answer the question you had posed. His breath hitched, and the modulator picked up on the minuscule detail.
“Beloved.”
With just one word, the axis of your world tilted in an entirely new direction. Din was now your Mandalorian in truth, just as you were his in every way that mattered.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
The entire room fell silent and several heads turned in your direction as you stepped into the New Republic headquarters the next day, staying close to Din’s side. Human and alien alike, all were seemingly curious about your entrance. When it came to the elusive Mandalorian, the stares were inevitable, as you had learned long ago.
At the last minute, you were able to stop your hand from automatically reaching for the comfort of Din’s thick glove. You longed for the entire galaxy to know that the two of you had formed an unbreakable bond. But you had to remind yourself that it was still early days. There had been no opportunity to discuss whether or not to share your secret with the world or keep it close for a little while longer.
As the whirlwind of thoughts ran through your mind, Din unashamedly reached for your hand.
“Let them see us, sweet girl.”
You gave him a smile as your fingers intertwined with his, all the way to your destination.
Your adoptive mother sat in her usual seat in the mess hall of the New Republic headquarters. She waited for you and Din to approach her before finally acknowledging your presence.
“Look who finally decided to show up.”
In the spur of the moment, you hadn’t given any thought to whether or not Colonel Ward would disapprove of your new relationship with the self-proclaimed independent contractor. Still, you kept your hold on Din’s hand, ready to face any potential consequences for your actions. “Hi, Mom. Sorry if we’re late.”
You had made sure to send her a message letting her know of your approximate arrival time. And yet, that was of the least concern to her.
“So, you two are together now?” she asked.
“It’s a recent development.”
With those words, Din came under her scrutiny.
“Mando. What are your intentions with my daughter?”
You felt his eyes on you, even through the helmet.
“I just want her to be happy.”
After a drawn-out silence, your mother nodded her approval. “If you hurt her, I’m putting a bounty on your head.”
“Don’t worry,” Din replied. “I’ll keep her safe.”
“Good. Because I have a job for you. Both of you.”
Your heart skipped a beat. “Both of us?”
In reply, Colonel Ward slid the next card in her deck over to you and began to explain your next assignment.
After the briefing, you kept pace with Din as he prepared to leave, ignoring the stares that would inevitably follow you now that you were linked to him. But just when you thought you were off the hook, your mother got in one last word.
“Mando.”
Din stopped in his tracks, and turned around, ready to listen to whatever your mother had to say.
“Take care of her.”
He gave her a nod. “She means more to me than you will ever know.”
Outside the New Republic headquarters, you took one last look behind you, attempting to bask in the moment. After all, a long journey awaited you. It would be some time before you would return.
Din’s voice called out to you, another reminder that a new job awaited.
“Are you coming?”
There wasn’t a moment of hesitation before you replied, “Of course.”
Wherever he went, you would follow him. Even if it meant going to the most distant planet in the galaxy.
By the time you entered the cockpit of the Razor Crest, Din was already strapped into the pilot’s seat, Grogu on his lap. The little foundling looked up at you and cooed as you took your own seat.
You smiled down at him, then shifted your gaze towards Din. Now that you had been one of the privileged few to see his face, the memory served as a reminder that he trusted you with his secret as much as you trusted him with your heart.
“Are you ready, cyare?”
“Always.”
Plenty of other responsibilities would eventually fall on your shoulders. But at the moment, you wanted nothing else but to spend the rest of the journey through hyperspace enjoying the company of your Mandalorian and his son. You were happy right where you were, and nothing could ever change that. The next adventure was right around the corner, and you were ready for it to begin.