#mandomera fanfiction

[sheena-is-a-punk-rocker]

Life With You: A Series of Mandomera Prompt Ficlets pt 8

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! IT’S HERE FINALLY!!!!! 

Prompt was Omera falling asleep on Din’s shoulder and was sent in by @agentscamander-romanoff like two whole ass years ago. Sorry it took so long but it’s finally here.

Din wakes up slowly—later than he usually does. He rolls over and frowns when he realizes there's nobody beside him, reaching out and only feeling warm sheets. It's extremely rare for Omera to wake up before him.

He sighs and opens his eyes finally, sitting up with some effort. Despite sleeping for over twelve hours he's still exhausted. Long stretches in hyperspace always throw him off. He swings his legs over the side of the bed and drags a hand down his face. He needs to shave.

Now that he's more awake he realizes the sound he's hearing is someone singing. He makes his way out of the room to investigate.

Winta is sitting at the kitchen table, humming happily to herself, and next to her is a giant pile of flowers—the blue and white ones that grow around the ponds. The baby is sitting on the table, trying to copy what his big sister is doing, which, Din realizes, is making flower crowns. He watches, amused, as Grogu grumbles and gives up—shoving the flowers into his mouth instead.

Winta giggles and pulls the plants out of Grogu's mouth. “You can't eat them, silly!” she informs her brother. Then she spots Din and says, “Hi dad!”

He smiles and comes up behind her at the table. “What's all this?” he asks, dropping a kiss to the top of her head, and stroking one of the kid's big green ears.

“They're for the wedding!” Winta explains.

Din's over-tired brain processes that information. Oh right. The wedding. He vaguely recalls Winta chattering his ear off about the two villagers who are getting married tonight. The details of that conversation are a little fuzzy—Din had promptly passed out shortly after.

“Where's your mother?” he asks.

“In the common house. She said to come find her once you woke up.”

He drops another kiss to her and Grogu's heads before moving back to the bedroom to put his armor on.

He finds Omera in the common house, preparing a feast with the other women in the village. He comes up beside her and rests his hand on her lower back. Taking a break from kneading dough, she turns to him with a wide grin. “Welcome back!”

He nudges her temple with his helmet and she leans into the contact. “Is there anything I can do to help?” he asks—always needing to feel useful.

“Yes,” she says, with a kiss to the cheek of his helmet. “Get some rest.”

He starts to protest but she cuts him off. “I know you're exhausted. Get some more sleep. I'll wake you up for the wedding.”

Before he leaves she introduces him to the bride—a twi'lek woman named Corvi who arrived at the village shortly after he permanently settled there. He tips his head in greeting and congratulates her on her marriage.

When he gets back to their hut he ends up passing out for another six hours.

-------------------------

The wedding ceremony is beautiful and Din finds himself reflecting on his own wedding as he watches the festivities from the sidelines. It's late, and the children have long since gone to bed, but the adults have only gotten rowdier. He sees Corvi dancing with her new husband—a human man named Fenn that Din has met only in passing. He's not actually home all that often, after all.

He spies Omera dancing and twirling in the firelight and smiles. He could—and has—watch her for hours. She sees him staring and beams at him—making her way through the crowd to say hi.

He wraps his arms around her and she leans into him—resting her hands on his chestplate.

“Dance with me?” she asks playfully—knowing full well what his answer will be.

When he doesn't respond, she laughs and pulls away, tugging on his hand—beckoning him to follow her.

She leads him to the barn and then turns around to face him. She grabs his other hand and asks again, “Now dance with me?”

“I... don't know how,” he admits sheepishly. “It's not exactly a big part of Mandalorian culture.”

“I can teach you,” she offers.

He does try his best to copy her movements but he feels clumsy and awkward in all his armor. He eventually gives up but that doesn't stop Omera. She dances happily by herself as one song bleeds into another.

He at least feels confident enough to twirl her and when she's back in his arms he pulls her close so her back is to his front. He hears her gasp at the feel of the cool beskar against her back. Leaning down, he nuzzles his helmet in the crook of her neck.

Her breathing hitches and he knows that they're both suddenly aware that they haven't seen each other in over a week.

He's not sure who moves first but suddenly his helmet is being ripped off and dropped to the floor. Their lips crash together and he hoists her off her feet. Her legs wrap around his waist and he starts walking them towards the table in the corner. He deposits her on the table and fumbles to rip his gloves off so he can touch her bare skin. Her fingers rake through his hair as his lips trail down her throat. She moans softly as he nips at her pulse point.

Her hands claw at his belt and she gasps in his ear, “Fuck me, Din!”

He drags her to the edge of the table and soon the barn is filled with the sound of their moans—both too wound up to care who might be listening.

-----------------------------------------

Once their breathing is under control again, they just bask in the moonlight filtering in from the open window—content to just be back in each other's arms.

“I missed you,” Omera says, nuzzling her nose against his chestplate.

“Missed you too,” he mumbles, with a kiss to her hair.

Nothing else exists outside their little bubble—the party outside rages on but neither one of them is keen to rejoin it.

The music suddenly shifts to something slower and softer, and Omera pulls him closer as she hums along. His hand on her back stills as he gets an idea.

“Dance with me?” he asks.

She looks up at him and replies, teasingly, “I thought you 'don't dance'.”

He lets out a huff of amusement. “I think I can handle slow dancing. I do owe you a wedding dance, after all.”

He pulls back and holds out a hand to help her down from the table and leads her towards the patch of moonlight visible from the window. Her hands snake around his neck and he slides his around her waist—pulling her close.

They sway back and forth for several songs before the music picks back up again. Omera doesn't lift her head from his shoulder though. That's when he realizes that she's fallen asleep on him.

He smiles and presses a soft kiss to her temple. He hates to disturb her but he knows there's no way his beskar pauldron makes a good pillow. He nudges her awake gently. “C'mon, time for bed.”

“But I'm comfy,” she whines.

He snorts. “No you're not. Now come on, I'm sure you'd much rather be sleeping in our bed.”

“You make a good pillow,” she insists.

He chuckles and readjusts so he can, first, scoop his helmet up off the floor and put it back on, and then so he can get an arm underneath her knees—hoisting her up bridal style. She nuzzles her face in his cloak as he carries her back to their hut.

She's asleep again by the time they get there and this time he can't bring himself to wake her.

He lays her down gently on the bed and gets to work getting her undressed and into her sleep attire. His next step is taking off all his beskar without too much noise—easier said than done.

She reaches out to him sleepily when he crawls into bed and he pulls her into his arms and holds her close.

Before Omera, and the kids—before finding his little clan of four, his aliit, Din didn't ever believe he could be this happy, this at peace. He didn't think he would ever feel so at home anywhere.

The warm weight of his wife against him lulls Din to sleep within minutes—it feels good to be home.

[badadder1]

Hmm. I love all of my children equally but I'd have to say my Mandalorian, Mando/Omera story, A Good Thing. 61 chapters, 150k. It started out as the romance I wanted for the show and blossomed into a larger narrative roping in all my favorite characters, a few OC's, a whole ass war and hours of research into Star Wars lore for the details. I'm currently obsessed with Kakashi and Sakura, I literally see them everywhere, but this story feels like my best work honestly. When I occasionally go back and read it (I write stories I want to read) there isn't anything I wish I'd done differently. Love this baby.

Here's a thing for fic writers

Self rec a story your favorite story you've written. Who cares the fandom, the pairing, whatever.

you all have a favorite child, show it to the world.

[newpathwrites]

Series Masterlist Main Masterlist

VIII. Futures (Epilogue) - Part 1

There was a time, lost and alone in the galaxy as a young Mandalorian, that Jai didn’t imagine they’d even live to see adulthood. And now they lived a life beyond even their wildest childhood dreams. How lucky they were that Din had answered the marshall’s call that fateful day.

Had he not, they would never have found this family, this home, this fulfilled life…

Speaking of the man to whom Jai owed everything, here he was now stepping swiftly toward them, armor impeccable as always despite his tentative retirement.

They met in the middle, more forcefully than intended, embracing fiercely.

Summary: How is our lovely clan doing a few years down the line? Spoiler alert… they’re doing very well!

Note: This chapter deals with a lot! We’re going to look at every member of our little family (though admittedly with a greater focus on Jai and Winta), what they’re doing in the future, and how it all fits into a greater plan.

This chapter will examine Jai’s experience of gender more explicitly through flashbacks of their interactions with Winta over the years. Hint: Winta was instrumental in securing Jai’s identity as they came of age on Sorgan. When Jai was uncomfortable in their body and afraid that nobody would understand, Winta was always there as a quiet ally. And it went both ways - Jai helped Winta through other struggles that weren’t depicted in prior chapters. I hope you all come away from this epilogue better understanding the strength and depth of this relationship and how important it has been to both parties.

Warnings: Discussion of infertility, sexual references, gender dysphoria (and euphoria), references to parental death.

Word count: 5.2k

Read on AO3

____________________

Din awoke to something warm and fuzzy pressed against his forehead, a pair of very familiar claws tapping his cheeks.

“Grogu,” he addressed his ward tiredly.  “I know you’re excited, but can I sleep just a few more minutes?”

The tapping only continued, and Din opened his eyes to look into the larger ones of his son.  “Grogu… use your words, ad’ika.  What do you want?”

The boy huffed in response, raising his little hands in the air as the sheets and blankets went flying off the bed.  “Up now, you will.”

“Hey,” Din admonished him, sitting up and pulling the sheets back up to cover his sleeping riduur.  “No need to wake your mother.”

He took a moment to stretch out his joints.  Age and several long decades of abusing his body were catching up to him.  He was ‘retired’, in a manner of speaking, these days, and that had certainly helped with the chronic tension in his back.  But some mornings, like today, he’d wake up with Grogu dozing on his chest, much of his pain miraculously resolved.

“Thank you, ad’ika,” he told him gratefully.  “But I really wish you’d reserve your powers for more important things.”

Grogu hopped off the bed defiantly and looked up at his father.  He had other priorities at the moment and no interest in discussing his (in his opinion) very reasonable use of the force.

“Come today?  Jai will?”

Din couldn’t help but smile.  “Yeah.  Jai should be here in…” he looked over at the chronometer.  “... just a few hours now.  Why don’t you go next door and see if Winta needs any help while we wait?  It’s getting harder for her now, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” he responded with a toothy and knowing grin.  “Help her, I will.  Get up, you will.”

Grogu hopped off, and Din laid his head back down on the pillow.  Perhaps he’d bought himself a few more minutes of sleep.  His son’s excitement was contagious, though.  Stars, he was looking forward to having Jai back home.  He’d really missed the kid.  Though, he supposed, they really weren’t a kid anymore, were they?  And anyway, they’d been an old soul practically since birth.

He knew he’d missed his chance at a few more minutes of relaxation when he heard the front door of the cabin open and close and Winta’s voice floating in from the kitchen.

She hesitated a moment at the bedroom door, whispering, “Is everyone decent?” before waltzing in with Grogu on her hip and a protective hand over her swollen belly.

Din got up quickly, placing a finger over his lips, and guided her out and back into the kitchen as he pulled a shirt over his head.  “Your mother’s sleeping in for once.  She was up all night getting ready… as if Jai will care about the silverware being polished…”

“Well, I couldn’t sleep… too excited,” Winta replied quietly as she started a kettle on the stove for the morning caf.  “I figured Grogu would be awake, so I decided to come over instead of waking up Tov with all of my tossing and turning.  Baby’s kicking up a storm, too.”

“Sit down.  Let me do that.”  Din pulled out a chair and gestured for her to take a seat, his fatherly instincts kicking back in full force in the months since learning of his adoptive daughter’s pregnancy.  

Grogu force jumped out of her arms, and Winta lumbered over but didn’t immediately sit down, reaching out to take Din’s hand and laying it flat over her belly.  “Can you feel that?”

“Yeah.”  His face broke out into a fond smile as he felt the baby’s movement under his hand.  

Winta sometimes couldn’t believe that this was the same man who’d wandered onto their planet over a decade ago, decked out in full armor with a hand perpetually at ready to pull a blaster, a tiny green child he claimed wasn’t his own in tow.  Now he was the picture of a doting grandparent.

“That’s your grandpa, little one,” she murmured, leaning forward to speak over her belly.  “He’s going to teach you all kinds of things… when you’re much much older…”

He chuckled as he helped her lower into her seat.  “You know Mandalorians start training with a blaster at age five…”

“Don’t you even think about it,” she replied firmly.  “Age fifteen… minimum…”

Din pulled the whistling kettle off the burner and poured two cups before setting himself down.  “I suppose I’ll have my hands full training Grogu.”  He turned toward his son.  “You should show Winta what you’ve learned one of these days - fly her to Mandalore.”  

“Yes,” Grogu told her from his perch on the table.  “Fly you, I will.”

Din looked back at Winta.  “He can do that now.”  

She smiled - Din’s pride in his foundling, technically her older brother, was very sweet.  “After the baby’s born, Grogu - I’ve been wanting to visit Mandalore and see it for myself.”

“Oh…” Din suddenly interjected. “Bo-Katan sent me a message last night.  Jai’s climate reconstitution system is working.  The test area is almost completely un-glassed.  If this works, well… So many planets destroyed by the Empire could be rebuilt.”

Winta nodded approvingly and let out a soft chuckle.  “Jai will be elated to hear that, though I can’t say I’m surprised.”

“Nope.  Not in the slightest,” Din agreed with a trademark shake of his head.

_______________________________________

Din let Omera sleep well into the late morning.  She’d been running herself ragged between helping prepare for the baby, which could come any day now, and Jai’s impending visit.  Though Winta had begun to take over some of her mother’s responsibilities within the village, she was physically limited at the moment by her very pregnant state, and Omera had been insistent on continuing to do it all, refusing Din’s every offer of assistance.

Stars, she was going to be livid…

“Din.  Djarin.  How could you let me sleep so late?”

He huffed and rolled his eyes toward Winta, who stifled a giggle, before turning around in his chair to face his wife.  “Omera.  You look well rested, Cyare.”

“Don’t you ‘cyare’ me…  There’s too much to do before Jai gets here!”

“Like what?” he asked, getting up from the table and standing before her.

“Well,” she started.  “I need to fill the water basins…”

“Done.”

“And we still need to put the crib together…”

“Tov and I did it yesterday.”

Omera was losing the argument, and she knew it.  She knew she should be grateful, but… she just needed everything to be perfect.

“The stew?” she asked with much less furor.

“It’s already simmering at my place,” Winta told her from the table.  “Relax, Mama.  Everything is under control.  You need rest, too.” 

Omera looked down at her feet for a moment.  Her voice broke slightly as she looked back up, tears filling her eyes.  “I just… need to be useful…”

What in the galaxy…?  This woman practically carried a small planet on her shoulders.

“Omera,” Din murmured, pulling her against him and wrapping his arms around her body as she cried.  “In what universe are you ever not useful?  What’s really going on, Cyare?”

Behind him, he was vaguely aware of Winta hoisting her body up and out of her chair, whispering to Grogu to follow her out the door to give them privacy.

Omera looked at him through the tears, responding with a despairing tone.  “I’m old, Din.”

“You’re not old…”

She inhaled sharply and averted her gaze before sharing the full truth, one that had been bothering her since seeing the medic in town a few weeks back.  “I’m going through the change.”

Din had to think for a moment about what that even meant.  Menopause - that was it, he was rather sure.  Admittedly, he didn’t know much about it… but it didn’t seem like any good reason to run oneself into the ground.

“Are you not feeling well?”

“I feel fine, Din,” she replied with annoyance.  “But soon I’ll be old and useless…. And gray… and ugly… and you won’t be attracted to me anymore…”

He gave her a quizzical expression, smirking as he asked her dryly, “I’m already gray, Omera.  Do you no longer find me beautiful?”

His monotone delivery did her in.  Ah, that dry humor she loved so much.  It was hard not to smile at that, and she felt her mouth turning up against her will.  And of course, she still found him exceedingly handsome.  “You know what I mean, Din.  It’s different for women…”

“Well,” he responded matter-of-factly.  “It’s not different for me.  How about…” he started, putting on a slightly suggestive expression that was almost comical on this perpetually serious man.  “I spend tonight showing you how beautiful and valuable you are to me?  Grogu can stay with Jai in the barn - they’ll want to catch up, anyway.”

“Oh?” she replied coyly.  “How will you show me, Din?”

Got him.  That wiped the smirk from his face as his cheeks went pink with embarrassment.  After all these years, he was still shy about speaking of their intimate activities out loud.  “Don’t make me say it, please.”  

“Will you ravage me?” she asked, eyes sparkling with amusement.

“I don’t… ravage…”

“Or perhaps you’ll make love to me…”

He cleared his throat, one of his only nervous tells.  “I will… that… yes…”

_______________________________________

As Winta lumbered over to her own cabin and set Grogu to work watching over the stew, her thoughts turned to Jai - her slightly older sibling… and truly her best friend.

Jai was different from anyone Winta had ever met.  They were unbelievably smart - and yet never once made Winta feel unintelligent.  They were strong and fierce as any good Mandalorian should be - and yet soft-spoken and kind at the very same time.

When Winta first approached Jai about training, she’d almost expected them to laugh in her face.  Winta was meant to be a farmer, not a protector.  She hadn’t nearly the strength or determination of her mother and certainly not that of her adoptive father.

But Jai didn’t laugh.  They responded to her inquiry with complete seriousness, wanting to understand her goals and gauging how they could help.  Winta’s training began that very day, starting with skills so basic that it was nearly embarrassing in front of a fully trained Mandalorian - but Jai would have none of that nonsense.  

“Everyone has to start somewhere, Winta.  When you’ve got the basics down, we’ll go to Din.  He can train you better than anyone.”

“Do you really think I can do this?” she questioned.  “You’re not just humoring me?”

“Of course not,” they responded simply.  “Din was a foundling, and so was I.  We weren’t born into this - we were taught.  And you can be, too.”

Jai, in fact, had taught Winta many things over the years.  When she struggled with the relatively basic mathematics taught to the older children in the village lessons, mostly that relevant to managing the farming ponds and related finances, it was Jai who worked through it with her, never once making Winta feel stupid or inferior.

Winta had been so embarrassed when Jai found her crying over her worksheets, ones that even some of the younger children had finished with ease.  Jai read about things like quantum physics - basic math was nothing to them.  But they insisted on helping, telling her that she just needed a frame of reference.

“It just doesn’t make any logical sense to me, Jai.  Add this, subtract that, carry this… I can’t remember the order… and I don’t see how these random steps lead to an answer…”

“It’s not random,” Jai said calmly, turning the paper over and taking the pencil from Winta’s hand.  “I’ll show you.  Let’s draw it out.”

It had been a brief window into Jai’s way of thinking - and suddenly it did all make perfect sense.  Stars, how Winta had wished that her brain could work like that.

Winta laughed lightly to herself, recalling some of their more recent, long-distance escapades.

She had confided to Jai on a holocall one day when she was feeling particularly low, that despite her and Tov engaging in plenty of baby-making activity over many months, she had been unable to conceive.  All she had ever wanted was to be a mother, and she was starting to worry it would never happen.

Jai couldn’t relate, being averse to sex… and relationships… and babies… 

But they would do just about anything for Winta - the kindest soul in the galaxy and one who had provided unshakeable support through some very awkward teenage years.

Medical resources on Sorgan were severely limited, so in their spare time, Jai had been doing some research on Winta’s behalf.  They suggested natural remedies and timing methods, trying to keep their expression of disgust regarding the ‘frequency’ topic to a minimum.

“Oh, stars…” they started, flipping through a book on natural conception methods while chatting with Winta by holo.  “You owe me for this - I need to wash my eyes out.”

“What is it?” Winta chuckled.

Jai held the book up so that Winta could see.  “Have you tried this position?”

Winta couldn’t help but laugh.  “I haven’t, but we’ll give it a go.”

“Please… don’t tell me about it.”

Winta had not told Jai about her subsequent pregnancy and had asked the rest of the family to keep the secret - the timing of Jai’s visit to Sorgan was perfect for a surprise.

“Hey,” Tov interrupted her daydreaming with an affectionate knock of her shoulder.  “Ship just made landfall.  Ready for the big reveal?”

“Yeah,” Winta nodded, turning toward her husband with a joyful smile.  “Let’s do it.”

_______________________________________

Jai had to wade through nearly the entire village’s population before they managed to reach their waiting family, the small community eager to welcome them home after several years away to continue their studies in the core.

It was surreal to recall that they had once been a newcomer to this place, a terrified and lonely teenager cast out of their tribe, serendipitously falling into the lap of their trusted beroya.  And now they were living the same in-between life as that man - one outside the creed and yet ever devoted to their people.

While Jai’s ultimate path had led them to an academic career in environmental science, their true goal was to support small planets like Sorgan whose sustenance was being affected by climate changes, as well as those which had suffered severe atmospheric damage at the hands of the Empire.  As such, they’d become the official environmental consultant to both of their ‘home’ planets and even held a titled position on Mandalore, awarded by Bo-Katan herself, a valued mentor when it came to the political aspects of implementing their work throughout the Republic.

There was a time, lost and alone in the galaxy as a young Mandalorian, that Jai didn’t imagine they’d even live to see adulthood.  And now they lived a life beyond even their wildest childhood dreams.  How lucky they were that Din had answered the marshall’s call that fateful day.  

Had he not, they would never have found this family, this home, this fulfilled life…

Speaking of the man to whom Jai owed everything, here he was now stepping swiftly toward them, armor impeccable as always despite his tentative retirement.

They met in the middle, more forcefully than intended, embracing fiercely.

“Stars, Jai,” Din said, valiantly fighting back tears in this public setting.  “You’ve been gone way too long.  We’ve missed you, ad’ika.”

“I know, Din,” they replied, subtly sniffling.  “I’m so glad to be back.”

Jai was soon greeted by Grogu, quite literally launching himself into their arms and gripping each side of Jai’s face.

“Missed you, I have.”

“Same, Grogu,” they returned affectionately.  “You’ve grown several inches since the last time I was here.  We’ll spar later, huh?  You can show me what you can do these days.”

Grogu smirked.  “Beat you, I will…”

“I don’t doubt it for a second, vod.”

Omera’s voice took their attention then.

“Jai!”

She’d been wrapped up in a task when word came of Jai’s arrival and was now running toward them as fast as her feet could carry her.

Jai met her in a few long strides, and she immediately looked over their unarmored form, the mother she was, making sure they were well and nourished and fully intact after being away from home for so long.

“Oh, sweetheart.  We have missed you so much…”

Unlike Din, Omera allowed the tears to flow freely as she embraced them in an excessively long hug.

“Omera, you have no idea how much I’ve missed you all.  This trip is long overdue.”

She pulled back to look at them again, holding their shoulders as she puzzled over something.  “You look different…”. Her expression shifted as she suddenly registered what had changed, and she looked up directly into their eyes before adjusting her phrasing.  

“You look good, Jai… you look like you…”

Jai’s eyes threatened to spill with tears - they’d worried so much about this moment.

“Thank you… buir…”

Omera squeezed their shoulders lovingly before stepping aside.  There was one more person Jai needed to greet.

Scratch that - two, apparently.

“Welcome home, Jai,” Tov said with warmth, smiling that boyishly handsome grin of his.

Jai took his forearm in a strong handshake.

“It’s good to see you, Tov.  Where’s Winta?  No offense, but she’s top priority.”

“None taken - she’s waiting for you in the barn,” he laughed.  “And hey, I promised you I’d take good care of her, and I have.  I just want you to know that.”

Jai huffed.  “Unfortunately, I know a bit too much about just how well you’ve taken care of her…”

Tov turned an endearing shade of pink at that.

“Gods, Jai.  Still blunt as ever, huh?  Just go on, now - she’s got a surprise for you.”

Jai clapped him affectionately on the shoulder before heading toward the barn, adding quietly to themself, “Oh, I’ve got a surprise for her, too.”

_______________________________________

Jai couldn’t help but reflect as they walked toward the barn to finally see their beloved sister in person.  They were about to share something big - something that might not have ever happened without Winta’s support and tacit acceptance.

Gender had always felt like a complicated thing for Jai - not so much inwardly, but rather outwardly in their interactions with the world.  But Winta always managed to make it so simple.  She was the only person, perhaps along with Omera, that Jai never had to explain themselves to.  Their gender, or lack thereof, simply was… no questions, no doubt.

Jai remembered the first time it happened like yesterday.  A young child, who certainly didn’t know any better, had approached Jai not long after their arrival on the planet and asked why she always wore her helmet.

Without missing a beat, a then 13 year-old Winta had responded kindly, “This is Jai, Saul.  They wear a helmet because they’re a Mandalorian, just like Din.  Understand?”

“Yeah.  Their armor looks neat.  I like it.”

Winta had never even asked why - just followed Din’s lead in using gender neutral terms, accepting it without further question.

“I’m not a girl,” Jai said softly as the child skipped away.  “Well, technically I am… I guess, but… I’m not…”

“You’re not a girl,” Winta stated simply, shrugging.  There was nothing more to say.

In the following years, puberty had taken its toll, increasing Jai’s discomfort with their own body which had become outwardly much more feminine.

Winta had stumbled upon them crying over their wardrobe one day, and Jai had shared their turmoil.  Women’s clothes fit to their chest far too much, but men’s clothes didn’t look right with their proportions, either.  Even their chest plate didn’t fit properly anymore, but they certainly couldn’t tell Din about it…

That night, for the first and only time, Winta went behind Jai’s back to inform her mother of their struggles, and by the next morning, all of Jai’s shirts had been let out in the chest by Omera’s expert hands.

It seemed Omera had also let it slip to Din that Jai’s armor should be modified to give a bit more breathing room as they continued to grow but perhaps without the typical contours of the female chest plate.  On their next visit to Trask, it was done, no questions asked.

The covert had always been respectful, but this was the kind of quiet, genuine support for which Jai had always longed.

And it helped… at first…  But the truth was that Jai didn’t want this feminine body at all.  Every day they grew more uncomfortable until they finally snapped, unable to tolerate it any longer.

They’d read about chest binding and decided to give it a try one day with some spare fabric they’d found in the storage closet.

They made a fatal error, though, in neglecting to lock the door - nobody ever came out here this early, and on those rare occasions, the intruder would always knock before coming in.  

Well… except Winta…

“Jai…” Winta addressed them in surprise as they stood half-clothed with the fabric wrapped tightly around their chest.  “What are you doing?”  She sounded… appalled…

Jai’s face burned hot with shame, and tears stung their eyes.  What were they thinking?  Now Winta probably thought them perverse. 

But of course not…

“Jai… come on…”  Winta walked toward them and took the free edge of the fabric in her hands.  “You’re going to hurt yourself if you do it this way.  Unwrap this, and we’ll do it properly.”

Jai didn’t even know what to say.  They just watched Winta in wonder as she calmly loosened and laid flat the bindings without a single word of further commentary.

“There,” she said finally as she tucked in the corner.  “Does that feel comfortable?”

“Winta…”

They were still at a loss for words.

“I know, Jai.  It’s okay.  You don’t have to do everything alone.”

From then on, they didn’t.  It was oddly freeing to let go of that stubborn brand of stoicism, ingrained in them from childhood.  But Winta had proved herself a safe space - one where Jai never had to hide.

Jai and Winta shared everything with each other in the coming years as they approached adulthood - every fear, every hope, every conflict, every joy… no matter how strange or awkward.

Well, Jai supposed, they weren’t too old yet for just one more…

_______________________________________

They paused just outside the barn door, taking a single calming breath before unlatching and pushing it open, addressing their sibling in nervous anticipation.

“Winta?”

“Jai…”

Both stopped dead in their tracks as they took in the other’s unexpected appearance, gasping in mild shock.  Jai’s mouth hung open in surprise and delight, while Winta’s hand covered her own, the other resting on her swollen belly.

Their eyes finally met across the small space, happy tears brimming.

Jai moved first, crossing to where Winta was standing, hands hesitantly extending out to hold her stomach.  “Winta… you’re… why didn’t you tell me?” they stammered.

Winta smiled tearfully.  “I wanted to surprise you.”

“Mission accomplished,” they joked, letting out a wet laugh.  “Oh, my stars… Are you happy, vod’ika?”

“I’m so happy, Jai.  And I’m so glad you’ll be here to meet them.  You’re going to be a ba'vodu.”

“I like the sound of that,” they replied, smiling fondly.  “You’re going to be an amazing mother.  I just know it.  And Tov will be a great dad.  You both were meant for this I think.”

“Thank you… but enough about me,” Winta huffed, moving her hands to Jai’s shoulders and looking again over their form.  “You look so… right… Why didn’t you tell me you were getting the surgery?  I would have…”

“You would have dropped everything and come to Coruscant to take care of me…” Jai interrupted, smirking lightly.

“Well… yes…”

“I didn’t want you all to worry.  And Omera would have driven me to insanity with her hovering - you know that’s true.”

“Mama does have that way about her, doesn’t she?”  Winta chuckled.  “But you shouldn’t have had to go through that alone.  You must have needed help while you healed.”

Jai blushed slightly before responding timidly, “I wasn’t alone…”

Winta’s eyes narrowed, sparkling with excitement.  “Oh…?”

“It’s not like that,” Jai huffed, shaking their head slightly.  “It’s platonic.  But… she’s a very… close friend.  We have an understanding.”

Winta nodded approvingly.  “I’m glad you have someone, Jai.  I’ve been so worried that you were isolated out there, but I guess you had company all along.  I hope I can meet her sometime.”

“Definitely.  I think you two will get along very well.”

“You’ll have to tell me all about her while you’re here,” Winta grinned.  “But first… has this made you happy?”

Winta was clearly referring to Jai’s surgery - one leaving them with a blessedly flat chest after years of simmering dysphoria.

Jai smiled broadly.  

“It feels so much better, Winta.  I wish I’d done this sooner.”

“Good.  I’m glad.”

Winta linked her arm through Jai’s, joking as they walked together toward the door.

“Mama’s been on a rampage preparing for your visit.  We’d better get back to the hut before she sends Grogu to levitate us out of here.”

_______________________________________

 Jai had never imagined that a lively family dinner could bring them so much joy, but here they were, and it was wonderful.  They had missed this so much.

They decided right then and there, as they looked around at their growing family eating and chatting around the small table, that this trip would be have to be extended by a few weeks more.

For once, Omera remained at the table, Din insisting that she sit and catch up with Jai while he handled the food and dishes.  After all, he would likely spend many evenings up late with his adult foundling, engrossed as was their custom in a kind of conversation only two kindred souls with a shared upbringing could share.  They would have plenty of time.

Meanwhile, Grogu sat perched on Jai’s shoulder, unwilling to separate from his sorely missed sibling for even a moment, contributing to the conversation here and there.  It was really unbelievable to see how much the small child had really grown up in the last few years.

Winta and Tov watched on with fond and genuine smiles, Winta gently stroking her swollen belly while her husband’s arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders.  

Jai was glad to see that Tov had integrated as he had into the family.  Tov’s own parents had succumbed several years ago to illness, leaving him alone in a way, much like Jai themself at one time.  It was in his grief, as Din and Omera had taken responsibility for their young, then just barely adult neighbor’s welfare, that Tov’s relationship with Winta had finally blossomed.  And now he was just as much a member of this clan as any of them.

Din and Omera sure had a knack for collecting children, didn’t they?

“Hey,” Winta whispered across the table to Jai as her mother finally stood to join Din in the kitchen, wrapping her arms around his middle for a moment.  “I think those two need some alone time.  Why don’t we all go sit on the porch?  It’s nice out tonight.  We can stargaze… like old times.”

Well, that sounded lovely.  And Jai definitely didn’t miss the thinly veiled innuendo in regards to ‘alone time’.  “Oh Gods, yes.  Let’s get out of here as quickly as possible.”

Tov couldn’t help but chuckle as he made to help haul Winta out of her seat.  He didn’t really understand Jai’s complete and total aversion to all things carnal, but they were certainly consistent about it.  To be completely honest, it only made him grow to love Jai all the more for everything they’d done to help him and Winta successfully conceive this very much desired child.  To put your loved ones’ happiness above your own discomfort - that was true family, and he felt very fortunate to call himself a member of this one.

_______________________________________

“Alright, Jai,” Winta smirked, leaning back between Tov’s legs where he sat behind her on the porch, lightly massaging her shoulders.  “I believe there’s someone you need to tell us about, vod…”

“No way,” Tov perked up instantly, reaching over to give Jai a playful shove on the shoulder.  “You’ve got yourself a special someone in Coruscant?  Tell us everything.”

Jai was thankful for the darkness as their face burned with embarrassment.  This was an unusual feeling for them.

“Is this how it’s going to be from now on, huh?” Jai asked in mock annoyance trying to draw attention away from their self-consciousness and continuing to gently stroke Grogu’s ears where he dozed in their lap.  “You two ganging up on me?”

Tov raised his eyebrows.  “It sure is…”  But then he smiled fondly.  “I really do want to know.  Genuinely - promise.  I didn’t think you liked people… that way…”

“Well, I don’t.  It’s not like that.”  

“Tell us how it is, then,” Winta prodded.  “Are you simply friends?  Something more?”

Jai took a moment to think about how to explain this.  It wasn’t exactly conventional.  But if anyone would understand, it was their family.

“She is a very good friend,” Jai started.  “But it’s something different from friendship, too.  She feels like a partner in a way… or like family…”

“Do you live together?” Tov asked.

“No… but we have talked about it.  Convenience and all that…”

“Ok, so…” Winta ventured.  “If you were to live together, would you have separate rooms?  Or share a bed?”

Jai smirked.  They knew exactly where Winta was headed with this line of questioning.

“Separate rooms, Winta.  I think you could have guessed that.”

“My wife is beating around the bush here, so I’m just going to rip off the bandage.”  Tov paused for a second, suddenly realizing such a question of Jai might not be such a good idea.  But oh, well - he was committed.  “Are you intimate?  Hug?  Kiss?  Cuddle?  Anything like that?”

“Maker, Tov,” Jai huffed, looking up at the night sky in a small bit of mortification.  They were thankful, though, that he knew better than to ask about anything more.  “There is a level of physical affection… but nothing more than I might do with any of you.”

“That’s significant, Jai,” Winta was very serious now.  “I’ve never seen you comfortable touching anyone outside of this family.”

“Yeah…”  Jai responded, as if they’d not really thought about it before.  “I suppose it is significant…”

“Tell us how you met.”  Tov was serious now, too.  The entire village worried after Jai while they were so far from home, and it was a balm to his own heartache at Jai’s distance to know they weren’t really alone out there.

The three talked and reminisced well into the late hours of the night after putting Grogu to bed in the barn, allowing Din and Omera a full evening alone.  It almost made Jai want to stay here in Sorgan forever.

Almost.

Because their heart now rested in two very different places.  One half with their family here in the outer rim… and the other with both a very special friend and their life’s work in Coruscant.

Maybe a better balance could be attained, though…  Something to consider.

_______________________________________

To be continued…

[thefrogdalorian]

Only The Father You'll Be

Word count: 1,727 Rating: General Content Warnings: Mentioned grief and loss/mourning parents Summary: As he sits on the porch of his new cabin, looking on proudly as Grogu entertains himself with frogs outside their new home on Nevarro, it is a moment that awakens old memories in Din Djarin. Watching his son causes Din to reflect back to a moment when he watched The Child playing with other children in the idyllic village on Sorgan. Back then, Din wanted something very different for him and The Child… it was an occasion when their fates could so easily have diverged from their destiny. But now Din has the one thing that had always eluded him, that he never imagined for himself: a family. Link to read on AO3

Author's Note: I wrote some thoughts about this scene underneath this post yesterday and it just turned into this exploration of Din's contrasting emotions during two moments he spent watching Grogu play with frogs. Truly fulfilling my URL. I made myself emo with this one but I hope you enjoy!

The Mandalorian knew that he did not belong here. It was plain to see that in this idyllic fishing village, with its close-knit community of people, he would always be an outsider. How could a Mandalorian who followed the Creed as devoutly as he had from such a young age ever leave that behind? How could he ever get used to the sensation of feeling the sun on his face? Or feel comfortable in the expectation to meet the unrelenting gaze of others? 

It was true that the villager who had made it her duty to take care of The Mandalorian and the kid, a widow named Omera, had given him pause for thought as to whether he should go against his instincts and stay on this planet he had once dismissed as a backwater skughole. Omera was attentive and understanding of him and The Child, though they were so different from anyone that had ever stepped foot within the confines of their community before. There was no doubt, either, that there was something pulling The Mandalorian towards her. Every time they interacted, he felt a warmth; a tickling sensation in the pit of his stomach. It was a feeling that Din was unfamiliar with, but he might even describe it as pleasurable.

But The Mandalorian did not belong here. He knew that. And if he stayed, sooner or later, she would realise that, too. That would lead to resentment, distrust and they would end up right back where they had started, with him leaving this planet behind in a cloud of dust. Except he would have forsaken his Creed, everything he had ever known. Better to leave now and spare himself the anguish. The kid could stay, though. Leaving The Child behind here… it would be doing him a favour. 

Yet somehow, leaving without this kid, The Mandalorian felt it was wrong. If the cold, detached bounty hunter that had first encountered the bounty on Arvala-7, had been told that he would have felt sorrow at the prospect of leaving The Child behind, nor the lengths he would go to to ensure his safety, he would have struggled to believe that. The Mandalorian did not form attachments to others. He kept his head down, himself to himself, and carried business out with a ruthless efficiency that had garnered him a formidable reputation as the best bounty hunter in the parsec.

But, unbelievably, The Mandalorian did feel sorrow. The Child that he had risked everything for to rescue from the Empire on Nevarro, had quickly wormed his way into The Mandalorian’s heart. And now, as he stood there, watching The Child play with the village children, who were presently covering their faces in horror as he ate a frog, he knew the kid would be fine here... better yet, he would thrive. Seeing him there holding a frog in his mouth had reminded The Mandalorian of the time he had commanded him to spit it out when they were at the Ugnaught’s abode on the desert planet, where he had first encountered The Child as a bounty. Swallowing the frog had been the first sign of disobediance from The Child. A trend that had continued even when they had first arrived here on Sorgan, when the little womp rat had defied The Mandalorian's authority and followed him out of the ship even after he had made it clear that The Child was to stay put. How could he raise a kid that wouldn’t even listen to him?

The Mandalorian knew as sure as the two suns rose every morning over Tatooine, that he was not father material. He had enough scars from his past. The devastation of losing his parents at a young age had never truly left him. From that moment, The Mandalorian had vowed never to get close enough to be scarred by such loss again. That vow had been easier to stick to after he had, rather fortuitously, found himself adopted by a covert that rarely referred to each other by name and always hid their faces from view. It was impersonal, unfamiliar and yet… somehow intensely familial. The Children of The Watch were the only family The Mandalorian had ever known, certainly the only family he remembered. 

But this little child was not to be his family. He was too special, too different. He was hunted because there was something about him that people wanted, his destiny was something far more momentous than anything that could ever happen in a life with a bounty hunter. The Mandalorian wanted to go through life, blending into the background and doing everything he could to be perceived as infrequently as possible. With that child, that would be impossible... The Mandalorian was under no illusions about that.

The Child would stay here, The Mandalorian would leave. They would go their separate ways. Their song had been written.

As he sat there on the porch of his brand new cabin on Nevarro, Din Djarin thought back to the distinctive sound of The Armorer’s voice booming throughout the Living Waters:

“Let it be written in Song that Din Djarin is accepting this foundling as his son.”

It was the first time Din had a moment and pause to think about the momentous decision he had made on that day in the Mines. To watch his son play in the light and show his abilities with a Force that Din did not understand, but was always proud to witness. The older Mandalorian was reminded of the time on Sorgan when he had watched Grogu playing with frogs, much like he was doing now. It was a bizarre notion to Din, that he had almost left Grogu behind on that backwater skughole. Now, he could not imagine his life without the incredible little boy.

His son.

It was still a fact he was getting used to. Din still struggled to believe that Grogu was back with him, that Grogu had chosen to come back to him. The former Padawan had chosen a life as a Mandalorian foundling – now apprentice – over the path with the Jedi that he had been set on that far predated their encounter on Arvala-7.

Grogu had opened up parts of Din emotionally that he had long since thought closed off. He had shown him the depths of his capacity for love and the aching devastation of loss, when Grogu had firstly been abducted by Gideon and then taken with Skywalker to train. Din had discovered, then, that loss was still as raw as it had been when he had seen his parents murdered by battle droids on his homeworld of Aq Vetina all that time ago. Din barely recalled many details of his parents now, such was the time that separated him from those memories. But he remembered the pain of losing them, still as raw as the day it happened.

Din loved Grogu so much that he had broken his Creed for him, found himself cast out and brandished an apostate by the closest thing to a family he had ever known. All that, for the love of a child. 

And when it had been necessary to make his bond to the child official, so that Grogu could progress to the next stage of his life, Din had not hesitated in uttering those fateful words next to the waters where he had once redeemed himself: “Then I will adopt him as my own.”

Din now knew that he had been saved several times over in those waters, not only when he had sworn the Creed, or shortly thereafter when Bo-Katan Kryze had rescued him from the murky depths… but he had been saved once again from a lifetime of solitude when he had made Grogu his own. 

Even back then on Sorgan, he was kidding himself to ever think that it would be possible for him to let The Child go that easily. From the second Grogu had peeked at him from behind the blanket – his wide brown eyes searching curiously at this rude intrusion into his safe haven – Grogu had taken a piece of Din’s heart forever.

And as Din sat there, he thought again about his parents. They were never far from his mind, but since adopting Grogu, they had increasingly featured in his thoughts. Din wondered whether they had ever sat back and watched him play with the pride he now felt in his chest for Grogu. The boy was doing nothing more than playing with some frogs, but to Din, it was the most wonderful sight in the entire galaxy. There was no one there to laugh at him, for his difference. Din knew now that Grogu would never have fitted in on Sorgan, either. The children had been horrified by him eating frogs, but Din did nothing but love and nurture his talents.

To think that Din had once been so terrified of the protector role he had taken on so suddenly, that went against everything Din had spent his adult life following – a life of solitude. But, sitting there in the Razor Crest, holding that metallic orb and feeling the pang of guilt, it was a rush of blood to the head that sent him storming into the building to rescue Grogu. A momentous decision with such little thought that had terrified him in the early days that they had spent together.

Now, fatherhood felt like the most natural thing in the world. Raising Grogu to be Mandalorian, it was a privilege and an honour. Like his son, Din had not been born into the ancient warrior culture, but he was as devout as any who had Mandalorian blood running through their veins.

As he sat there watching Grogu, Din was reminded of an old Mando’a phrase, one of the few he knew:

Gar taldin ni jaonyc; gar sa buir, ori'wadaas'la.

(Nobody cares who your father was, only the father you’ll be.)

Din now knew the type of father he would be to Grogu. Until his dying day, he would protect the boy with every ounce of strength he possessed. Now, they finally had a home together, here on Nevarro.

The Child that he had once been so determined to run from had – just as Kuiil once predicted – brought him a handsome reward. The greatest reward of them all… family.

[sytortuga]

Last and final chapter of "Silent Help" is up 🤙🏼

Silent help - Chapter 7 - sytortuga - The Mandalorian (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

[poetryinmotion-author]

MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU!!!

I may just have something for Clan Djarin today or tomorrow for Revenge of the 5th....... 😉😊

[steggyistruelovefanfiction]

Sweet Names

Author: steggyistruelove

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: Gen

Fandoms: The Mandalorian (TV), Star Wars - All Media Types

Relationship: Din Djarin/Omera

Characters: Din Djarin, Omera (Star Wars), Winta (Star Wars), Grogu | Baby Yoda

Additional Tags: Family, Fluff, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fix-It of Sorts

Language: English

Published: 2023-03-29

Words: 653

Chapters: 1/1

Summary:

The first time Winta called him 'Daddy', Din was not prepared for it.

READ MORE ON AO3

[the-kittylorian-writes]

🖌️ Kittylorian's Fanfiction Masterlist 🖌️

(As of 14 March 2024) **underlined words in color are links to the stories**

I. HONOR THY CLAN SERIES - AO3

Fandoms: Star Wars/The Mandalorian/Star Wars Rebels

For Only The Strongest Shall Rule - AO3 Type: Multi-chapter, longfic, part 1 of 2 in main fic Status: Ongoing; 65/77 chapters Brief description: Mand'alor Din Djarin who slowly learns he’s Force-sensitive; Purge survivors are mostly teenagers and little kids; worldbuilding; healing of traumas; facing destiny head-on for many canon characters; leads to the reclaiming of Mandalore

Perfect World - AO3 Type: One-shot Status: Complete (but may potentially continue as a one-shot series) Brief description: A teenage OC's POV before Din Djarin enters his life and becomes his only hope.

Dinui ("Gift") Type: One-shot series Status: On-going *Dinui - AO3 || Tumblr Brief description: A "then vs now" slice of life between Din's childhood with the Tribe vs adult Din as a provider for the Covert post-Purge *No Place Like Home - AO3 || Tumblr Brief description: 17 year-old Din returns to Aq Vetina with his adoptive Mandalorian father and faces a part of his past *A Child Called Din - AO3 || Tumblr Brief description: Teen Din runs into a little big problem. Set immediately after "No Place Like Home" feat. teenage!Paz and friends

II. MANDOMERA WEEK 2022

Fandoms: Star Wars/The Mandalorian (Fanfiction centered on the Din Djarin x Omera pairing; all are rated G or Teen; some fluff and some angst)

The Routine - AO3 || Tumblr Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Omera's POV, set immediately after the events of Mando s01ep04

To The Letter - AO3 || Tumblr Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Omera's POV; Omera thinks of a way to thank the Mandalorian (don't worry, it's wholesome)

Starship Down - AO3 || Tumblr Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Din's POV; Din and Grogu "crash land" on Sorgan, a rescue ensues; set after BoBF s01ep07

Priceless - AO3 || Tumblr Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Shared POV; Din takes Omera to a memorable vacation spot, but a lot of things have changed

Battle Scar - AO3 || Tumblr Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Canon-divergent, shared POV; Din is Mand'alor and Omera is queen; Omera argues with Din and Din tries to set things right

IV. MISCELLANOUS FICS

Fandoms: Star Wars/The Mandalorian/The Book of Boba Fett/The Bad Batch

A Good Night's Sleep For Once - AO3 Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Migs Mayfeld POV, post Mando s02ep07

Double Tap - AO3 Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Din double checks if he really took Moff Gideon down; post Mando s01ep08

Putting the Weep in Sweep - AO3 Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Paz Vizsla is tasked to sweep the Forge because he's a responsible adult

Fatalitea - AO3 Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Fennec Shand and Boba Fett try boba tea

The Test - AO3 Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Din's thoughts as he visits Grogu; during BoBF s01ep06

I'm Just A Kid - AO3 Type: Multi-chapter Status: On-going; 4/7 chapters Brief description: Din and Boba transform into kids and Paz Vizsla babysits

Heart And Mind - AO3 Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Tech's POV when he and Omega have a brief talk during s02ep09

A New Age of Mandalore - AO3 Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Semi-crackfic; an old scientist visits the Covert with a theory, and only Grogu understands. Set after s03ep02

V. FERRIX: A SERIES OF ONE-SHOTS - AO3

Fandoms: Star Wars/Andor

1.A Daughter Of Ferrix - AO3 Type: One-shot Status: Complete: Brief description: Maarva Andor copes with her teenage son Cassian's arrest after he avenges the death of his father, Clem Andor

2. Alone - AO3 Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: B2EMO's POV of the night after Maarva passes away

VI. A CHILD OF THE WATCH - AO3

Fandoms: Star Wars/The Mandalorian

A Future Yet Unknown- AO3 || Tumblr Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Din and Grogu are greeted by an unexpected new member of the Covert. A "missing scene" in s03ep01 "The Apostate."

Only One Creed- AO3 || Tumblr Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Paz's son Ragnar has questions, and Paz isn't sure if he can answer them all, not where he stands with Din. Set after s03ep01 "The Apostate"

From The Ashes- AO3 || Tumblr Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Paz begins to teach Ragnar about the legacy of House Vizsla.

All The Little Foundlings- AO3 || Tumblr Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Ragnar copes with fears and loss of self-confidence as he recovers from his harrowing rescue adventure; clan Djarin step in to help. Set after s03ep4 "The Foundling."

We Are Eternal - AO3 || Tumblr Type: One-shot Status: Complete Brief description: Paz Vizsla leaves a holo-recording to his son Ragnar before he accompanies Bo-Katan to scout Mandalore, knowing well that it could be his last mission. Epistle style. (Spoilers for s03ep07 "The Spies")

In Dreams, We Wake - AO3 || Tumblr Type: Multi-chapter (2/?) Status: Ongoing Brief description: Ragnar Vizsla is Axe Woves' apprentice. Two years have passed since Mandalore's reclamation and Paz Vizsla's selfless sacrifice. Ragnar lives a double life for the sake of his father, in life or in death.

***end of list***

[badadder1]

I've finished. I've just written the last chapter of the story proper of A Good Thing. All that remains are edits and the four part Epilogue that I have mapped out. I feel so awesome right now. As soon as the last bit is done I plan to update every day until it's all up. I can't wait to share the last leg of this baby with all of you.! ❤😍

[iamscoby]

What would the Creed say?

Read on AO3

Rating: T

Pairing: Din Djarin x Omera

Words: 6200

@mandomeraweek Day 6 - Prompt: Quiet

-------

She smells so enchanting that he should probably turn on the scent blocker of his helmet to make it even remotely possible to fall asleep so close to her. If only he could think about anything else but how her earthy scent seems to originate from her neck and filter through her hair. His head is spinning from imagining how it would feel all around his nose, and how she would exactly smell like, not suppressed by the helmet but for real, with only a thin strip of air between them.

He listens very quietly for a moment. Since she sounds like fast asleep, he very carefully moves his hands to ease off his helmet. Then he inches closer, until his nose touches her hair. It is unbelievably subtle and intense at the same time, feeling like both way too much and way too little. And something about it pulls his face forward like a primal magnet, until he can feel her hair all over his forehead and cheeks and lips.

The tip of his nose touches something soft but firm, and he knows it must be her neck, and he really should back away now, but he just does not. Like his nose had a will of its own, it slowly brushes along her skin. Intoxicated by the fragrance and warmth and closeness, he takes a deeper breath, and that is when she stirs.

[sheena-is-a-punk-rocker]

Get To Know Me

Thanks for the tag, @oh-great-authoress

Currently Reading:

Book? Technically the last Trials of Apollo book by Rick Riordan but I haven’t had the motivation or spoons to finish it since it came out really. I’m maybe one third of the way through. Fanfiction? Nothing but hellcheer (and the occasional Steve/Eddie/Chrissy fic because fuck the ship war. Just ship em all together! Eddie has two hands!)

Favorite Color:

Purple and red

Last Song:

Tiny Voices by Bad Religion. I’ve kinda just been listening to the whole Stranger Than Fiction album but that happens to be the last song on it I listened to

Last Movie:

The Batman!

Sweet/Savory/Spicy

Savory, definitely. I can’t handle too sweet and the whitest thing about me is the fact that I can’t handle spice

Currently Working On:

*sigh* I’m trying to finish a Mandomera ficlet I started back in like beginning of last year but the motivation/inspiration just hasn’t been there. I don’t even have the motivation to write any new quinnflag ficlets

Tagging:

Let’s go with @foxlace and @amariemelody

[starmxras]

What A Wicked Thing To Do (To Let Me Dream Of You) | A Mandalorian Oneshot

Din is aimless and bored after losing Grogu, yet somehow he lets Cara talk him into going back to Sorgan. A Din/Omera Oneshot. Post S2 Finale (LET MANDOMERA GET A HAPPY ENDING GODDAMNIT).

Story/Taglist under the cut!

"Look, you have to stop that," Cara says, glaring at a pacing, helmetless Din. "Pacing like that makes people uncomfortable. Just relax."

"I can't relax, Cara. I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing with myself." Din replies.

"You can finally take some time off. General Skywalker is a good guy. After all, he was strong enough to kill Vader and Palpatine. I'm sure he'll take good care of the kid. In fact, come over here and eat with me."

"Grogu," Din murmurs. "His name is Grogu."

"Nice name," Cara remarks as she bites into her food."You can eat in the other room if you are still worried about eating near people, y'know. I don't mind."

Din looked at the table, shaking his head. "No, I...I want to eat with you. I need to get used to it; I want to get used to it."

Cara gives Din a small smile and pats the seat next to her. "I got these from a diner across the street. I think you’ll like it."

Din sits down next to Cara, muttering his thanks when Cara hands him a plate. “What is this food, anyway?”

Cara swallowed a bite of food, then shrugged. “I dunno, they just call it the “weekly special”. But to be honest, it just looks like a deluxe bantha burger to me.”

Din raises an eyebrow skeptically, appraising the meal silently. “I haven’t had a burger in...ever. I mostly just eat ration bars and rehydrated meals.”

“Yeah, I get that. You were a bounty hunter, not many options to stop somewhere and get one.”

“Yeah,” Din responds. Slowly, he takes a bite of food. “...I like this.”

Cara nods. “You’re welcome, Mando.”

“I don’t even know what to do with myself anymore. I don’t have bounty hunting or the kid anymore. I don’t even have the right to my armor anymore.” Din says with a sigh.

Cara pauses for a moment, deep in thought. “...Well...you could go to Sorgan.”

“...That’s a horrible idea. One of your worst, in fact.”

“Why’s that? Are you telling me you don’t want to see Omera?” Cara challenges.

Din blushes awkwardly. “...no, I never said that. The thought crossed my mind, but I’m...” Din trails off.

“...You're?” Cara prompts.

“...I don’t know. I mean, I...I just don’t feel like…” Din trails off.

“It's simple, Mando. Do you want to go to Sorgan?”

“I guess so.” Din graces Cara with a weak smile.

“You can borrow my ship,” Cara says.

“Right,” Din says, nodding. “...we need to get going.”

“We?” Cara says. “Now?”

Din pauses. "Well, ah...I guess I could go by myself."

"That's right, buddy. I'm not going anywhere." Cara winks.

"...Fine. Fine. Let me just...first I need to-"

Cara tuts. "None of that. You literally just said you have nothing to do. Quit stalling."

Din groans. "You're not very supportive."

"I'm trying to help here, M- Din," she pauses, remembering to use his actual name instead of just "Mando". "The more you stall, the more you're gonna find excuses to get out of it. My ship's all fuelled up, you literally can just hop in and leave. Not to mention, I have work to do, so it'll be good for the both of us if you're gone. No offense, I like having you around, but I've been shirking my Marshall duties for like, almost two weeks."

"I really hate how persistent you are." Din huffs.

"I know," Cara replies with a laugh.

Din is filled with anxiety as Sorgan grows closer. Why did he let Cara convince him into doing this, again?

This was a bad idea. He shouldn't bother Omera - her life was happy, peaceful, routine; it was nice.

It was everything that Din's life wasn't.

Plus, it felt wrong to come back to Sorgan without Grogu (maybe next time he came back, he'd be back with Grogu, or so he hopes. He supposed it depended if Grogu was allowed to visit with him, although he didn't see why he couldn't).

His musings are interrupted when an incessant beeping reminded Din that he needed to activate the landing procedures.

Inhaling shakily, he prepares to land.

Sorgan is just as peaceful as he remembers.

It's a bit humid, but not in an intolerable way; the weather's partly cloudy, and it smells like it had just rained. The ground, while slightly muddy, is soft and grassy. Birds chirp in the distance.

It's nice. While Din is certainly more familiar with Nevarro, there's something nice about the lack of dryness and smoke in the air that constantly plagued Nevarro due to volcanic activity.

He's nearly vibrating in a mix of excitement and anxiousness. What if Omera didn't like him without the helmet?

Before long, he makes it to a clearing near the village.

Well, it's now or never. He pulls the hood of his cloak up over his head.

There's only a few souls outside at the moment, most were inside eating their lunches or waiting for the last few raindrops to clear.

And then, he sees her. She notices him first and approaches him.

"Are you the one they sent over from the northern village to trade?" Omera asks, a pleasant smile on her face.

Stars, she's beautiful.

"I can go get the crops that your village requested. How many was it again?"

"...I-" Din trails off, struggling to find the words. "I'm not-"

Omera's eyes sparkle with recognition for just a few moments, before she shakes her head, laughing breathlessly. "Sorry. I just thought-"

"...that you knew me?" He lowers his hood.

To Din's surprise, she has a blaster at her side. "...Who are you?"

"I- I'm the Mandalorian. I was here before."

She relents, but she doesn't put down the blaster. "Where's your helmet?"

"...I broke my creed." He says, voice barely more than a whisper. “I can’t wear my helmet anymore.”

She softens. "I'm- I'm sorry, Mandalorian. I wasn't expecting you to come back...none of us were. We'd heard rumors that you were killed."

Din chuckles dryly. "No, I'm alive, last I checked."

"The baby? Is he okay?" She murmurs, stepping closer.

"He went back to the Jedi. But...I'll bring him to visit soon," he says in reply, squeezing her hand. Unthinkingly, he moves closer, closing the space between them.

"Omera...I-" he whispers. "I wanted to come back so many times but I-"

She interrupts him with a brief, but warm kiss. It's over in a couple seconds, but to Din, it feels like a lifetime.

He wishes it was longer.

"Sorry," they both say at the same time.

Omera laughs, and he realizes what a beautiful laugh she has.

"Don't apologize," he replies.

"I'm really happy you're back, Mandalorian."

"It's Din. My name...my name is Din Djarin."

Omera cups his face, and he nearly shudders from the physical contact. "It's nice to have a face and a name to know you by...Din."

Din Djarin had many regrets in life; coming back to Sorgan was not one of them.

---------------

Taglist:

@rivermouse​

@slugbuggie​

@hellothefriend​

@seraphvin​

@youhavebeenmarkled​

@duchessnibenhu-ofpyromania

@mindofbooks

@starwarsorg​

@autumnwoodsdreamer

special note: i hate you, tumblr search feature, i really do. i accidentally exited out of the gif thing and now i can’t find the gif i wanted.

[newpathwrites]

Din learns of a struggling, teenaged Mandalorian from his former tribe and steps in to help, showing them a different way.

Or… how Din Djarin built a clan by happy accident.

————————————————————————

Summary: This story takes place after TBOBF and is non-canon moving forward. It was first posted on AO3 in May 2022 under both “A New Creed” and the continuation “How to Build a Clan”.

Jai is a mandalorian OC who is ~15 years-old at the start of the story which will cover several years with large time jumps.

I love the idea of Din and Omera together - I imagine their relationship would be a more mature, cautious kind of romance, knowing that Din may eventually be unable to return at some point. So they just enjoy each others’ company when they can and leave things otherwise a bit undefined, even though they all feel and act like family (along with Grogu and Winta). We’ll see where that takes them.

Din is demisexual/demiromantic in this story, and other queer representation is present throughout which should be self-evident.

Warnings listed by chapter may include implied or threatened child harm, sexual references, and mild non-explicit sexual content.

————————————————————————

I. Lost and Found

II. Sorgan

III. Kindred Spirits (prequel)

IV. Catching Feelings (prequel)

V. Jai’s Decision

VI. Making it Official

VII. Questions

VIII. Epilogue - Part 1

IX. Epilogue - Part 2

[curioushappenstance]

“Hmm?”

“You said I’m ‘pretty’. Did you really mean that?”

[sytortuga]

Silent help - Chapter 5 - sytortuga - The Mandalorian (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

Chapter 5 is up!

[poetryinmotion-author]

SNEAK PEEK--Clan Djarin: The Next Year “The Youngling”

Hi friends! I’m hard at work on both Clan Djarin and The Thunder Bringer’s Daughter, so I figured I would give you a quick sneak peek at the next story in The Next Year! 

Updates for my projects should be coming out in the next week or so!

For the fifth time in an hour, Din moved aside the curtain on the garden window and watched the two figures seated in the shade beside the house. Ellis, wearing much looser black robes than their more practical flight suit, sat cross-legged, eyes closed, wrists loosely balanced on their knees. In front of them sat the baby, though not nearly as gracefully draped. His eyes were closed, too, and his ears vibrated, not from the wind, nor from conscious effort, but from…something else.

They were just…sitting there. Finally, Din’s curiosity got the better of him, and he made his way out the back door and into the garden. 

By all accounts, it was a glorious day of Nevarran summer. The garden that Omera had so meticulously planned was finally beginning to show...just as Omera was, Din realized with a blush. The gray soil had broken into a profusion of green–not just green, but all different shades, more shades of green than Din had ever seen in one place. Some plants lay low, like the mossy spread of honey blossom just about to burst into bloom; some had shot up so quickly that they were already in full flower–the millaflowers, for example, that Omera was crouched beside with her gardening knife. As the door closed behind him, Omera looked over her shoulder and flashed a smile at Din.

“Look at this!” she laughed, gesturing to the basket beside her, overflowing with blue-and-red flowers. “We’ll have enough to tranquilize a Wookiee by the time the harvest cycle’s done!”

“I see that.” Din took a knee beside her and put a protective hand on the small of her back. With a quick glance over his shoulder–yes, Ellis’s eyes were still closed–Din lifted the edge of his helmet and kissed Omera’s cheek, hot with sun exposure. Then, he leaned in towards her ear.

“Have they even moved since you’ve been out here?”

Omera shook her head as she returned her attention to the millaflowers.

“Thought they were supposed to be training,” Din muttered.

“Well,” Omera replied, cutting off one last clump of millaflowers and adding them to her basket, “maybe Jedi train differently than Mandalorians.”

Omera let out a sigh, dusted the dirt of her hands, and replaced her knife in her belt. “Help me up, will you?”

Din readily accepted her offered hand and pulled her to her feet. She swayed, and Din’s heart stopped for a moment as he steadied her.

“Glad you asked for help this time?” Din asked as he picked up the basket.

Omera hummed. “Don’t get used to it,” she replied as she led the way back into the house. “I’m only a few months along. As long as I can do things myself, I will.”

“I know,” Din conceded, deciding his worries could wait until later. With an involuntary sigh, Din removed his helmet and took a seat beside Omera at the kitchen table, where she was already cutting lengths of twine to tie the millaflowers together for drying.

“Thing is,” Din continued, “Ellis isn’t a Jedi. So…what are they? And what are they teaching him?”

“I’m not a Sith either, Djarin.”

Din’s back stiffened. Through the open window, through the thick curtain, and despite his lowered tone, Ellis had heard them. How…?

“We’ll talk in a few,” Ellis said, “when Grogu and I are finished.”

Now it was Omera’s turn to freeze, her hands having just finished tying a bundle of millaflowers together. The flowers dangled there for a moment, before landing with a soft thump against the table. Slowly, she and Din turned to each other, eyes widening with the same question, though they both suspected the answer:...who is Grogu?