#most of the audience love grogu AND din

[selvnite]

Really hoping “the Mandalorian can be anyone” isn’t a way for them to write off Din Djarin as a character because writers/directors/D*sney can’t decide/agree on a coherent story (for him or Mandalore tbh) or compelling character development especially when the show is built on his character (and Grogu) and in subtitles he is still refered to as ‘THE MANDALORIAN’ and known by other characters through that moniker or ‘Mando’ like what???

[burntheedges]

Pas de Deux Chapter 7

Din Djarin x f!reader | 2.4k | fic masterlist | main masterlist | ao3

chapter summary: How will your next practice go, now that you've talked?

a/n: so what will dancing together be like now? Posting early because I'm traveling later today. See my notes at the end and on the masterlist about reader in this fic and ballet in general. Thank you @katareyoudrilling for being the best beta, as always!!

chapter tags/warnings: gen, ballet terms (see end notes and the masterlist for definitions and videos), fluff!!!, more talking

Chapter 7

By Monday, you were exhausted and most of you hurt, but you walked into morning class with a smile playing around your mouth.

You’d nailed Hermia, and you didn’t think you could feel better about it. Adrian had already tackled you in a hug the day before, after the third performance — thankfully already out of his glittery Puck costume. (Or Elena and Max, the costume heads, would have been pissed.) But he’d been amazing, too, and you told him so. 

As you put on your shoes for barre, you felt someone come up and stand next to your spot along the wall. You looked up and saw black shoes and black tights, and smiled.

“Hi, Din,” you said, looking up to meet his gaze.

His face was as expressionless as always, but you could have sworn the corner of his mouth lifted just slightly when your eyes met. It was small, but it was there.

“Morning,” he greeted you softly. “You were amazing this weekend.”

You grinned as you moved to stand. He offered his hand and you took it. “You saw?” You hadn’t seen him in the wings or the audience, but that didn’t mean anything — it was a packed house for all three performances.

He nodded, squeezing your hand before letting it drop. “Yesterday. I brought Grogu, too, he loved it. But we couldn’t stay after, so I couldn’t look for you to tell you how good you were. You captured her perfectly. I could feel her confusion and turmoil.” He turned to walk towards his spot at the barre and you moved with him. “It felt so… tormented. I could almost see her indecision.”

You smiled and ducked your head as you reached the barre. You grasped it in both hands and leaned into it a little. “Um, thanks.” You looked up at him and found his gaze was soft behind his mask. “It did feel good. I was really happy with it.”

He nodded at you. “You should be. It was beautiful.” He paused for a moment, looking at you, and you couldn’t think of a single thing to say in response.

Din opened his mouth to say something else, but Alexa called out for everyone to start, and you started to move towards your spot at the barre next to his. 

“Hey,” he said, reaching out to catch your arm. “Can we meet tomorrow? After lunch. To rehearse.”

You nodded. “Tomorrow.” 

…

On Tuesday, Din told you he’d reserved one of the tiny practice rooms set aside for just that purpose. You promised you’d meet him there. As he stepped away, Adrian stepped up to fill the space. You narrowed your eyes at him.

“Were you just lurking there, listening in?”

“Obviously,” he rolled his eyes. “What’s the practice room for?”

You laughed. “We’re going to work on the pas de deux, before rehearsal on Thursday.”

He waggled his eyebrows at you and you elbowed him. “Oof. Rude. It sounds like things are going better, then?”

You nodded. “I think so. We haven’t tried it again, yet, but I think it’s going to work better, this time.” You’d already told him all about your conversation with Din, leaving out the personal details Din had shared. You didn’t think he’d want you to spread those around.

“Good.”

Alexa called out to Adrian and you moved off, waving as you turned into the hallway. 

…

As you walked towards the room Din had reserved for you, you couldn’t help but notice how different you felt, compared to your walk to rehearsal, so full of dread the week before. 

You found the small room, tucked away at the end of the rehearsal hall and around the corner. You almost never came back here, you realized. 

Din was already inside, fiddling with the sound system.

“Hey, Din,” you said, smiling when he turned to look at you. You closed the door and moved to join him. “Did you go home for lunch?”

He nodded. “Grogu had a half day today, so I got to eat lunch with him.” He smiled — just a small thing, but the obvious difference from how he was in class warmed you. 

“That’s great,” you said, and sat to put on your shoes. “I’m sure he was excited to see you.”

Din made a small noise, and you looked up. He was smiling a bit bigger, and you realized he had laughed, just a bit. You grinned. “He was. He said he talked about the ballet at school and danced for his teacher.”

You laughed. “That’s so cute, oh my god.”

Din ducked his head and you thought you saw an even wider smile take over his mouth.  You looked down at your shoes to keep yourself from staring. He looked good when he smiled. (He looked good all the time.)

You cut off your own thoughts, moving to stand. “So, did you have something in mind for today?” You asked.

He nodded. “I was thinking, what if we talk through what we have so far? I’d like to hear how you think about it. What you’re feeling and how you want to show that. I think that would help me.”

You blinked. “Sure. I can do that. And I want to hear from you, what you’re thinking is going on in your character’s head. That’s how I usually start — what is she thinking? And how can I show that, in my body? Should it be obvious or subtle? And then the emotion can come out in so many different ways… but I always start from what she’s thinking.”

Din looked thoughtful. “I usually do think about that, too, but I guess I haven’t had as much freedom before. In terms of what I can do with it.”

That made sense, based on what you knew of CBC. But something about what he said caught your attention. “Din… what if we use that. In the dance.”

He tilted his head at you and leaned against the barre. “What do you mean?”

“Well, we know Kuiil wants our characters to learn from each other and then create something new together, right? Or form a new connection that affects each other.” He nodded. “Ok, so what if your character becomes freer or more open over the course of the performance?”

His eyebrows flew upwards. “Oh.” He sounded like he was as struck by the idea as you had been a moment before.

You nodded. “Yes! And so you could start from something more familiar and change, over the course of the dance. And that’s what we could work on. So you’re not starting from something so new, but instead growing towards it. Maybe we could even work that in, that my character is sort of drawing yours out? It would add to the back and forth between us, and the give and take. And I could even mirror you a bit, to invite you in! Your reactions could sort of waiver towards and away from the openness my character is inviting you to have. Right? Between acceptance and rejection. What do you think?” You ran out of breath, and you knew your hope for him to agree must have been showing on your face. Now that you’d had the idea, you were attached to it. It seemed perfect.

He looked down, and you bit your lip. “Din—“

But then he looked up, and he looked relieved. He nodded. “I like it. I think that’s perfect. And it will feel like so much less pressure. I think I was getting too in my head about getting it right from the beginning.”

“Oh, good! Ok, great.” You reached out and squeezed his arm. Almost immediately he covered your hand with his free one and pressed down gently. You couldn’t help but notice how big his hand was, as it covered yours, and you felt your face heat up and ignored it. You needed to get used to touching each other, anyway. “I think this will be good, Din. We can do this.”

You were standing so close, you realized, since you’d reached out to touch him and he’d held you there. You hesitated. “So, do you want to start by talking it through?”

He nodded. For a moment he didn’t move, but then he squeezed your hand again before releasing it and stepping away. “Let’s start from when we first see each other.”

You nodded and moved to join him in the center of the small room. As you began, you could feel it. This would work. 

…

Rehearsal on Thursday was so different, you could tell Kuiil was both surprised and over the moon with excitement.

From the moment the music started, you could feel it. You and Din were still dancing separately, still “meeting” each other in character, but you were working together. Something had shifted, since you talked and practiced and began to work together. And it might not be what it needed to be yet, but it was so much better than what it was before.

You could feel him moving across the space with you, and it was like a tentative connection formed between you that you could pull taut and release. It was almost like you were listening for each other, taking cues from changes in each other’s breath or even small movements. His body would echo one part of the music, and yours would follow another in response. You extended your leg, and something in the way he moved his shoulders responded to it. He turned, and you spun around, meeting him from a different angle. It felt good. It was new, but it was there. 

You ran through it once, and Kuiil looked like he might actually cry, or jump for joy.

“Oh, yes, yes!” He said, coming towards you in the middle of the room. He rested his hands on his hips and looked between you, smiling widely. “Yes, I knew it — I can see it forming within and between you. Well done, both of you. Could you feel it?”

You and Din both nodded, and he gestured widely with his arms. “Of course you could! The energy, you have found it. You are building it.” He nodded again. “I can see that you have talked, and settled more into your characters. Now we can truly get to work.”

And so you did.

…

February began to fly by, much faster than January, and with much more ease. You and Din found a rhythm together that actually worked. You were friendly, in the mornings in class, though he still hid behind his mask around the rest of the company. And then you started to become something more like actual friends when you were alone or rehearsing with Kuiil. 

Din seemed more comfortable with you than he had before, and that comfort allowed him to open up in a way you hadn’t seen him do yet in his dancing. Kuill began to focus on the second movement, when your characters circled each other, and you could see Din relaxing his form and beginning to open his movements beyond the emotionless technique that had been drilled into him at CBC. It was beautiful to watch — you were so impressed with him.

Two weeks later, rehearsals for Swan Lake had picked up, and so had your rehearsals for the pas de deux.

Kuill had just walked you through the crescendo of the second movement, which involved jumps, some partnered turns, and a complicated lift section. It wasn’t the first time Din lifted you in the choreography, but it was the first time you needed to rely on him and his support so completely, with two lifts and transition into a different hold. 

It wasn’t your first time being lifted by a partner, of course, but it was your first time doing something like this with Din. There was always a moment, when partnering with someone new, when you found out just how much you actually trusted each other. You didn’t need to be best friends to dance together well, but you did need to trust in the support of your partner. 

You shook out your arms and legs and rolled your shoulders. You trusted Din. He wasn’t hidden behind that expressionless mask anymore, not with you. I can do this.

Kuill started the music, and you twirled into action, leaping past Din. He caught your hand as you began to move away and spun you around him. You “fell” into a collapsed position over his arm, allowing the spin, and then he guided you upwards with light touches into an arabesque. He tugged you forward through traveling turns that crossed the stage, squeezing your hip just at the right moment to let you know when to stop. Finally you attempted to pull away, and he pulled you back and spun you in a circle into a tour jeté lift. As you landed he turned you again and lifted you upwards into a horizontal spin that finished with your hands resting on his shoulders as you stretched your legs into a fully extended split, perpendicular to the ground. You paused there, for just a moment, before he lifted you by your hips and then brought you back down gently. You sprang away instantly.

The music stopped, and you turned back to look at Din, breathing hard. You were both grinning. You froze, staring at how it transformed his face. He was beautiful. 

Kuill called out that that the lift was perfect, but that he wanted you to work on the build up to it. You almost couldn’t listen to him. You were too caught up in the feelings running through your body.

You’d never experienced anything like that before. The first attempt, and it was perfect — Din had lifted you seemingly effortlessly, and his hands had gone exactly where they needed to go. You’d communicated with each other through touch with ease. You had felt fully supported and able to truly perform to the music, even when in the air. You felt amazing. And you could see on Din’s face that he felt it, too.

“My dear?” Kuiil asked, stepping up beside you. 

You tore your eyes away from Din’s, finally, and realized you’d probably missed what he said. “Sorry! Again?” 

Kuiil nodded, and you ignored his knowing smile. He looked almost smug. “Again,” he agreed, and you stepped back towards Din.

When you looked at him again, you found he hadn’t looked away from you. “Again,” he murmured, echoing Kuiil. The look in his eyes made your breath catch.

It went just as well the second time. 

…

prev | next

a/n: such improvement!

Partnering: so in this chapter we get an extended partnering sequence. I tried to find moments that looked like what I was picturing for each piece, and they’re linked above (and they should take you to the right spot in each video) – the hand grab, the traveling turns, communication while partnering, a tour jete lift, and the lift into the split. I hope it makes sense! This video has a bit more about partnered turns (though they’re doing traveling ones here) and this one has more about what the guy is doing with his hands during those turns. I linked to different spots in this one a couple of times but the video overall is great because Mira Nadon shares some really interesting thoughts about what it’s like to work with a new partner. 

I’m going to talk more about Swan Lake next week because it’s more of a focus in the next chapter. 🦢

[thefrogdalorian]

Hello and welcome to my masterlist!

You can find most of my fics on my AO3, if you prefer to read over there, and I reblog all new fics on @thefrogdalorianfics if you want to be notified here on tumblr when I post something new!

Ongoing Works:

Modern AU!Din x F!Reader: The Best of Both Worlds

Newest Work:

The Bake Sale: When Grogu brings news of an upcoming Bake Sale hosted by the little school he attends between missions with the New Republic on Nevarro, his father enthusiastically throws himself into baking the the sweetest treats to impress his classmates. Even though Din's devotion to the task makes you feel like there is a third person in your marriage, you are charmed by his determination. While the fruits of his labour are delicious, but you discover that Din Djarin's love is the sweetest treat of them all...

Requests:

Currently open, here. No guarantees but if you have anything you'd like to see, feel free to let me know!

I write: Din x Reader, Din x Bo-Katan (but as long as it's Mando related I'm open to giving it a shot!)

I don't write: smut (on request) some ships (ask if unsure!)

Note:

Most of my fics are for general audiences and GN!Reader

I tag my fics thoroughly, please look at the specific warnings for each fic before you read!

I do not own any of these characters (I wish I did). However, this writing is my work and I do not give permission for any part of it to be reposted without prior consent from me.

All headers/dividers are created by me, I do not give permission for them to be reused.

The Best of Both Worlds [ongoing]

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ Mature ✯ 84k+ ✯

Modern!AU Din x Female Reader: To maintain his privacy and his son Grogu's well-being, Din Djarin agreed to the role of The Mandalorian on one condition: complete anonymity. He has never engaged with fans of the hit Star Wars show... until the day he visits a convention and crosses paths with you...

General:

Dincember 2023

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ General ✯ 54k ✯

Summary: Snapshots from your first chance-meeting with Din Djarin on your homeworld, to the life you are building together with Grogu in his cabin on Nevarro and ultimately your preparations to celebrate Life Day together for the first time, including a trip to a snowy mountain paradise.

Downpour

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ General ✯ 1k ✯

Summary: Leading a solitary, nomadic existence for much of his life means that Din Djarin has never cuddled up to someone he loves during a rainstorm. Until one night in his cabin on Nevarro, when unseasonably poor weather introduces him to one of life’s simple pleasures.

My Pain Fits In The Palm Of Your Freezing Hand

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ General ✯ 2.2k ✯

Summary: When you and your Mandalorian companion are ambushed by a group of bandits, you hope that his stubborn nature will not make the task of treating his wounds any more difficult than it needs to be. But that is not the only obstacle. You also hope that the depth of your unrequited feelings for Din will not impact on your ability to care for him...

The Bake Sale

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ General ✯ 3.8k✯

Summary: When Grogu brings news of an upcoming Bake Sale hosted by the little school he attends between missions with the New Republic on Nevarro, his father enthusiastically throws himself into baking the the sweetest treats to impress his classmates. Even though Din's devotion to the task makes you feel like there is a third person in your marriage, you are charmed by his determination. While the fruits of his labour are delicious, but you discover that Din Djarin's love is the sweetest treat of them all...

Hold You in My Arms

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ General ✯ 2k✯

Summary: Even with its outdated interior and the limitations that entails, The Razor Crest is your home. You find there is a certain charm about the old ship even if the bunk is a little uncomfortable. Though, it's even better when there is a Mandalorian to cuddle, armour and all.

Rest

✯ General ✯ 3.1k ✯

Summary: Despite how often you have pleaded with Din to stop and rest, your calls have gone unheeded. Your stubborn Mandalorian will not stop and take care of himself. So, when he arrives back from his latest job with the New Republic utterly exhausted, you take matters into your own hands and ensure he gets the rest he so desperately needs.

Sanctuary

✯ General ✯ 1.2k ✯

Summary: It's one of those days when your emotions threaten to overwhelm you. Despite the horrible day you're having, you try your best to keep it together. A feat you manage, until a certain Mandalorian arrives home and takes you into his arms.

Hold Me Close

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ General ✯ 3.4k ✯

Summary:  In the aftermath of Grogu's departure to be with his own kind, your riduur is nowhere to be found, with little indication - other than a message disk - as to his whereabouts. You anxiously await his return. Yet the man who eventually comes back to you is a broken, shadow of the man you fell in love with.

Always

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ General ✯ 1.5k ✯

Summary: You wake up from an incredibly distressing nightmare in which Din and Grogu had suddenly vanished from your life without a trace. Fortunately, Din is there to console you with his comforting embrace and soothing words. He leaves you feeling optimistic about the future, rather than dreading what lies ahead for the pair of you.

Such a Heavenly View

✯ General ✯ 2.3k ✯

Summary: For the past few months you've been babysitting the child of a mysterious Mandalorian who lives on Nevarro. One day, to your surprise, he wants to spend the day with you and hike to the top of a volcano. After an unfortunate mishap on the way, you discover that the man beneath the armour is surprisingly gentle and sentimental...

All The Nice Things In Life

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ General ✯ 2.5k ✯

Summary: During a weekly trip to your favourite Market on Nevarro, you get a little overwhelmed by all the crowds and noise. Fortunately, you have an exceptionally caring and attentive Mandalorian for a partner, who manages to calm you down and make you see that you are not a burden to him, despite your worries.

Even Your Worst Days

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ General ✯ 4.3k ✯

Summary: After returning from a recent job with the New Republic, Din finds you feeling overwhelmed and burnt out due to his absence. Din had not realised how much you were struggling and when he realises how upset you are he moves to reassure you, lifting your spirit and boosting your confidence in the way that only he is capable of. You realise that Din loves you unconditionally... even on your worst days.

From Now Until The End

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ General ✯ 5.4k ✯

Summary: After being away from you as part of his job with the New Republic, your partner Din surprises you with a trip to the Boonta Eve Classic on Tatooine to make up for it. But instead of the fun-filled day he had planned, you are overwhelmed by the many sights, sounds and noises. It leads you to finally share a part of yourself with Din that you had been hiding from him until now.

Teen:

Candles

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ Teen ✯ 3.8k ✯

Summary: Even though Din insists he doesn't want you to make a fuss over his birthday, you cannot resist spoiling him in your own special way. Although your perfect day does not go entirely to plan, you are determined to make the best of it...

Nowhere Else To Run

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ Teen ✯ 3.4k ✯

Summary: Despite the fact that sharing a cabin with you and Grogu on Nevarro has given him the peaceful life he was searching for, Din cannot escape the nightmares of his past which haunt him most nights. Although he feels unworthy of your love, the only time things make sense is when you take him in your arms and dutifully put his pieces back together. Even on nights when he feels he does not deserve it.

Ner Aliit

✯ Read on AO3✯ Teen ✯ 5k✯

Summary: Travelling through the galaxy in the Razor Crest with a formidable Mandalorian is a harsh, unforgiving life. The feelings you have developed for him as you soar through the stars together have mitigated the unpleasant aspects. Still, you know it can't last. After all, you and Din are from different worlds. He follows a strict Creed and you know that you do not have what it takes to be Mandalorian. Journeying with the best bounty hunter in the parsec has often brought you face to face with danger. It has never fazed you before. Until one day you come face to face with danger without Din's reassuring presence at your side, and everything changes.

A Crisis of Faith

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ Teen ✯ 6k ✯

Summary: Although travelling through the galaxy with a Mandalorian bounty hunter was a daunting prospect at first, you were pleasantly surprised by how swiftly the two of you bonded. However, despite your initial closeness, the man who you were thought enjoyed your presence in his life now seems disgusted by his every encounter with you. When you finally land on Nevarro after weeks of being confined to the Razor Crest together, you hope that perhaps, something might fix your fractured relationship...

A New Dawn

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ Teen ✯ 5.1k ✯

Summary: Travelling through the galaxy with a mysterious nameless and faceless Mandalorian with a reputation as the best bounty hunter in the parsec would probably terrify most people. Instead, over the months you have known Mando, you have discovered his gentler, more affectionate side. Living in such proximity to the man you have an enormous crush on threatens to suffocate you as you determine that he must never find out. But after a job seemingly goes badly wrong on a forest planet, the fear of losing him will perhaps finally be the tipping point for a new dawn in your relationship...

Pieces

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ Teen ✯ 3k ✯

Summary: Your worst fears are almost realised when Din returns from his latest job with the New Republic injured and distressed. Despite your emotions, you diligently tend to his wounds and put his pieces back together.

Mature:

Across The Stars

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ Mature 18+ ✯ 5.8k ✯

Summary:  Your riduur, Din Djarin, whisks you away to Naboo to enjoy the Festival of Love celebrations on the bountiful planet. While there, you reflect on just how much the formidable man, who chose you to be his, truly means to you.

Explicit:

The Arrangement

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ 18+ MDNI ✯ 7.1k ✯

Summary: You entered into an arrangement with Mando find some physical relief from the monotony of hyperspace as you travel through the galaxy together as a formidable team of bounty hunters. When you did so, there were three clear rules: that it would not impact your professional relationship, that there were no strings attached and most importantly of all: that Mando would never, ever remove his helmet. When you carelessly let your emotions get the better of you and undermine those rules, you fear you have lost the man who means everything to you and discover that you miss much more than merely the physical encounters…

Din Djarin Headcanons/Imagines

Din Djarin + Falling In Love

Flowers for My Mandalorian (Valentine's Day imagines)

Booping Din Djarin

Only The Father You'll Be

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ General ✯ 1.7k ✯

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, the moment awakens old memories in Din Djarin. He reflects 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.

Welcome Home, Son

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ Teen ✯ 4.1k ✯

Summary: Din Djarin finds himself back on a mysterious planet that is strangely familiar to him, despite the years that have passed since he last stepped foot on it. A visit to the cabin he once shared with his family brings Din face-to-face with someone he never imagined he would again encounter for the rest of his days. Content Warnings: Grief, PTSD, survivor's guilt, grieving for parents.

Soon, I Will Be Back With You

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ Teen ✯ 1.2k ✯

Summary: Centuries after the last time he saw his buir, Grogu reflects on memories of the life they shared together until it ended in devastating circumstances. MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH.

You Are Eternal

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ Teen ✯ 1.4k ✯

Summary: When devastating news that High Magistrate Karga has become one with the Force reaches Din in his cabin on Nevarro, he reflects on the complicated nature of their relationship. Din pays his own tribute to the man who witnessed firsthand his shift from bounty hunter to father. MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH.

Some of these fics are explicit so no minors, please.

Carry Your Throne

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ Explicit ✯ 182k ✯

Summary: Set one year post-Mando season 3. Mand'alor Bo-Katan Kryze is struggling to contend with the pressure of living up to the Kryze name and her dark past, while also bearing the responsibility of leading her planet and overseeing its continued stability. Plagued with feelings of guilt and unworthiness - and a suspicion that not everyone supports her claim to the throne - she is haunted by nightmares as she relives her past mistakes. Those around her are concerned for her wellbeing, including Bo-Katan's loyal friend and advisor, Koska Reeves. News of Din Djarin and Grogu's return to Mandalore sets off a chain of events that will change both the course of Bo-Katan's reign and possibly her life, too.

With Every Atom of His Being

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ General ✯ 1.6k ✯

Summary: Din Djarin's increasing closeness to Bo-Katan Kryze causes an accidental slip of his tongue during a picnic the two share with Grogu during one of Bo-Katan's visits to Nevarro. Din's choice of language has profound consequences, not just for the two of them but also the child they love so much.

Written In The Stars

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ Mature✯ 11k ✯

Summary: Din Djarin hoped that by pledging to serve Bo-Katan Kryze until her song was written, he had clued her into the depths of his feelings for her. As the months pass after Din left to train his new apprentice with still no word from the Mand'alor, he begins to accept that his feelings are unrequited. Din wishes he could stop dwelling on his feelings, but at night visions of red hair and shimmering green eyes haunt him. His aversion to returning to Mandalore continues until one day, his son takes matters into his own tiny hands and forces Din to confront his fears...

To Being Together Again

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ Mature✯ 10k ✯

Summary: When Din Djarin returns to his cabin on Nevarro after some time away he finds something he would never have expected, that will change his life forever. It seems that the woman he pledged to serve until her song was written has finally acknowledged her feelings and found her way back home to him. He can't even be too angry that it cost him a bottle of expensive wine. Or: Peli Motto and Bo-Katan Kryze get wine drunk and overshare... fluff and smut ensues.

The Worm Conundrum

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ General✯ 2k ✯

Summary: When Mand'alor Bo-Katan Kryze hears about a recent conversation Koska Reeves had with her new girlfriend one night, instead of finding its premise cringeworthy, she instead finds that the ridiculous question will not leave her mind no matter how hard she tries. There is just one thought, turning in her mind, over and over...: Would Din Djarin still love her if she was a worm?

Red Hair, White Cake and Nite Owl Blue

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ General✯ 27k ✯

Summary: After retaking Mandalore, Din Djarin abruptly leaves the Mandalorian homeworld with his new apprentice and throws himself into his work with the New Republic in order to avoid dwelling on the nature of his relationship to Bo-Katan Kryze. But a job several months after Mandalore was retaken changes everything for him. When Din is sent to Plazir-15 to track down an old troublemaker, his return to the planet brings back fond memories of time spent with Bo-Katan and causes Din to reflect on his lingering feelings for the woman who he once shared such a special bond with. But before he has a chance to act, a surprise feast thrown in honour of Bo-Katan's recently-announced engagement destroys not only Din's heart but an extravagant white cake too. Has Din left it too late to claim the heart of the red-haired woman he loves? Or will the Mandalorian foundling and the Nite Owl finally find their way to each other?

A New Year on Mandalore

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ General ✯ 2.2k ✯

Summary: It's almost the start of a new year on Mandalore and Bo-Katan Kryze is feeling the absence of a certain Mandalorian, despite the elaborate celebrations that have been planned. The Mand'alor is feeling lonely... until Koska Reeves brings news that a familiar starship has landed at the spaceport.

Dinbo Week 2024

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ Teen ✯ 14k ✯

At The Water's Edge ✯ Teen ✯ 4k ✯

Take My Whole Life, Too ✯ Teen ✯ 2.7k ✯

A More Noble Calling ✯ Teen ✯ 2.4k✯

A Sense Of Belonging ✯ Teen ✯ 3k ✯

The Meiloorun Fiasco ✯ General ✯ 2.5k ✯

Dinbo Drabbles

✯ Read on AO3 ✯ General ✯ 0.4k ✯

Summary: Series of drabbles based on specfic episodes from Season three.

Hello again!

Thanks so much if you made it this far, happy reading! I really hope you find enjoyment somewhere in something I've written.

I would love to know if you did, you can always come and chat to me about anything I've written, I would love to know your thoughts!

[aithnesroses]

Masterlist

AO3: Aithne315

The Mandalorian: Din Djarin x Bo-Katan Kryze

Series: Waltzes in Red (Ongoing)

Maroon

Mature

2.4K Words

Part of a series

Summary: A series of connected oneshots that take place between season two and three in The Mandalorian.

Carnations

Teen and up audiences

1.8K Words

Part of a series

Summary: Small oneshots set after "Maroon." Din is on Tatooine after helping Boba Fett and Fennec, and Bo has returned to the Nite Owls.

Work not part of a series:

Lover

Teen and up audiences

8K Words

Summary: It is winter solstice on Mandalore, a night of desire, longing, nervous kisses, and most importantly, love.

Nepenthe

Mature

7.1K Words

Summary: Din returns to Mandalore to see Lady Kryze.

Nepenthe - A place, thing, or person that can chase away sorrow, helping forget your pain and suffering.

Midnight Haze

Teen and up audiences

2.3K Words

Summary: Set right after the events on Plazier-15, Din and Bo have some time to themselves, unraveling thoughts, emotions, and desires.

epiphany

Mature

2.1K Words

Summary: Din opens up to Bo about his past, and in return receives love, comfort, and harmony.

Royalty

Teen and up audiences

2.3K Words

Summary: Din returns to Mandalore and learns more about the Mandalorian Royal Family.

Afterglow

General audiences

1.8K Words

Summary: Din Djarin isn't a fan of the cold, but he'll do anything for Bo-Katan Kryze.

You Are In Love

Teen and up audiences

1.3K Words

Summary: It was late evening on Mandalore, the end of the week, and stress had started to take its toll on Bo's mind. Thankfully, Din is an amazing husband.

Our Song

General audiences

763 Words

Summary: Din and Bo go for a casual fly in the Gauntlet, listening to their song.

Safe and Sound

General audiences

2K Words

Summary: Mandalore had been reclaimed, and all Bo needs is to escape to somewhere safe and sound.

By Heart

General audiences

1K Words

Summary: Din Djarin and Grogu return to their family on Mandalore.

Late Night Talking

Teen and up audiences

1.6K Words

Summary: Din and Bo return to their quarters after the spring equinox celebration on Mandalore.

The Mandalorian: The Armorer x Axe Woves

Enchanted

Teen and up audiences

7.3K Words

Summary:

“That’s not selfish. You deserve a break from it all, a magical night to let go.” He checked his watch, “And we have plenty of time.”

He started walking further around the balcony, still holding one of her hands, “Where are we going?”

“We are going to have the most amazing and unforgettable night ever.”

The Masquerade of Heroes and Villains

Mature

24K Words

Summary:

"Nobody is a villain in their own story. We're all the heroes of our own stories." - George R. R. Martin

Mirrorball

Teen and up audiences

6.1K Words

Summary: At the right place, right time, two souls find each other again in the most unexpected way.

Wintertide

Teen and up audiences

5K Words

Summary: The Armorer finds a mysterious flower at the edge of the frozen lake, and hidden feelings start to arise.

august

Teen and up audiences

3.1K Words

Summary: The Armorer has an unexpected knock on her door in the middle of the night.

Midnights (Ongoing)

Mature

25K

Summary: A simple story where Axe and The Armorer slowly fall in love at the stroke of midnight.

Wildest Dreams

General audiences

1989 Words

Summary: Axe and the Armorer slowly begin to fall for each other, something they wouldn't have expected in their wildest dreams.

[frostycatblr-fandom-files]

So I may have just realized your requests are open (my grandfather says I would be a terrible witness to a murder bc I am unobservant we love adhd lol) so here I am to beg!

I never see a ton (any?) fics exploring Din and Boba’s friendship and only that. Like, my blog IS the horny corner. Friendship fluff ain’t my usual reblogs but fuck it’s also like amazing??? Idk I just think Din and Boba and Cobb deserve to have time to be just guys being dudes and bonding. (I do love me some DinCobb tho don’t get me wrong) anyway, nothing specific other than learning more about how you see their friendship? They obvs respect each other and trust each other. I bet they have a lot of weird inside jokes.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

Beskar Buddies [Mando and Boba Fett]

Warnings and Information: Not a relationship fic. This is just a silly, not-taking-itself-too-seriously friendship fic for Boba and Din Djarin. References to canon-typical violence, drugs (spice), alcohol, and some events from both The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. Minor Star Wars and real-world swearing. We're gonna make fun of Shiny Dad who doesn't know he's in Star Wars just a little bit. Din's helmet stays on. Narrative and stylistic use of italics. Minor proofreading and editing.

Word-count: 3,880

He's supposed to be here on Tatooine for a simple bounty - it's really nothing more than a glorified errand run for some spoiled little princeling who insists on only the finest Sansanna spice from the Outer Rim. But the princeling doesn't need to know that; he'll be allowed to believe that it was necessary to spend as much time as was desired for Din Djarin to acquire enough Sansanna for this young man's birthday celebration hosted on one of the Core Worlds,  if it means Din can cleverly lighten those pockets by a few more credits in order to provide for himself and the little one a little more comfortably, even if just for a while. 

Din only meant to spend an extra day here at most before collecting the requested goods and taking them back to his client. But when word made its way to the new Daimyo, and he knew that it would, that another who clads himself in the armor typical to Mandalorians is sniffing around Mos Espa, how could he refuse the request from the Master Assassin and second-in-command to pay a visit. 

"Shand." he greets her once he's calmed the slight tremor of his heart after being taken by surprise in an alleyway in the Worker's District of Espa, and reholsters the IB-94. "I didn't expect to run into you here. Conducting business on behalf of the Daimyo?" 

"Greet every woman that way?" Fennec Shand teases him with an indicative toss of her head to the holster. "Or am I just special?" 

"You surprised me." Din admits, repeating himself that he didn't expect to run into her by this point. He knows Boba is a busy man with a syndicate to operate, and what he cannot oversee himself, he often delegates the task to the bounty hunter standing in front of Din now. 

"Good. Means I'm not losing my edge." Fennec answers, a playful purr of pride in her voice. "Serves the Daimyo well if I can maintain the element of surprise when I am tasked to carry out his bidding on a busy man's behalf. To extend an invitation of sorts: Lord Fett would like an audience with you." 

"Very well." Din agrees, playing into the façade of formality - all part of the performance of power and command that is carried out in the halls of the Palace on the fringes of the Northern Dune Sea. He relays a short message to Peli Motto over in Mos Eisley that his return for Grogu may be a little delayed, first, for peace of mind, before Din will follow Shand back to the Palace. "Lead the way." 

Boba Fett dismisses the people within the throne room of the Palace - likely members who serve as part of the gotra or those who had come to pay tributes or give offerings of sorts to one of Espa's influential figureheads - as Fennec returns with Din as she had been asked. 

He wears his armor and (most of) his notable weaponry while seated on the throne, save for the cool, dark green helmet which sits neatly on the armrest. Displayed, rather than worn, now. "I hoped she would find you. I asked if she could extend my invitation once I heard there was someone who did not tell me he would be paying the fair city of Mos Espa a visit." Fett is teasing him, he knows, but Din cannot help feeling the need to apologize regardless of that. There are only chuckles in return as Boba climbs from the lordly seating and moves to greet Din like an old friend. 

Warm and calloused hands find their way around the other's wrist as Din and Boba first behave as if it is a simple handshake, but remain linked for some time. Old and ancient ways of checking strangers for weapons have turned to displays of trust. The longer the link, the stronger a bond, some would say. 

There both is warmth and a mischievous glint to his eyes as Boba visually takes him in, almost inspecting the gleaming beskar for imperfection or pitting that would speak to a scuffle of sorts that might make for a good story, "Your armor gleams in the light of the twin suns, Djarin, of course someone will notice you trying to skulk about my territory. Are you looking for work?" Boba had offered him payment for a place at his side once. He believed the Mandalorian to be a respectable and trustworthy fellow; Boba would gladly extend the invitation for a stable occupation once more. 

Din shakes his head, slowly, calmly, in the dim light of the throne room. He's not looking for work, he explains, he is working. "Product for a client. Princeling who wants a small crate of Sansanna spice for a party before next Taungsday. Specified that he wanted it from Tatooine of all places." 

That explains what brought him here to the planet, at least. 

"And why come to Espa to look?" Boba asks politely, keeping the conversation flowing as he pours himself and his friend something from a carafe he's kept on hand. One that Fennec is partial to, so he is sure to offer some to her as well as a silent expression of gratitude. Asking the Mandalorian to come to the palace and entertain a silly notion was a long shot when he has a foundling in his care, so Boba had cautioned Fennec that in the event he did not agree to come, it would be of no consequence. (He would prefer what's in the decanter, but he has yet to procure more, so it is untouched as it would not be enough to split among three.) "There is not much to find of the Sansanna that once belonged to the Pyke's before it was… misplaced." Boba suggests with a mirthful smile. 

"I wouldn't have come asking the mighty Daimyo first," Din retorts after a polite sip from his glass of the contents of the carafe, replacing his helmet that had been inched just high enough on his head to drink and resetting the seal, "that wouldn't have been good business, for you, or me." 

"No indeed." Boba agrees, appreciative of Din's caution given his reason for being here. Din knew to act in just the right way; ways that would not tarnish a carefully crafted image Boba had made for himself since putting an end to Bib Fortuna and laying claim to all that was once Jabba's. "Did you tell your client how long it would take?" 

Din's helmet bobs. "I did." 

"And did you tell this princeling how long it would actually take?" 

The helmet remains still, but the mouth within it must have found an upward curve as the bounty hunter implies that he was not quite so honest with his client. "It might have slipped my mind." 

Boba chuckles, almost proudly. An old trick of the trade: mislead the right clients on the right details, and you can earn yourself a few more credits. Live a little more comfortably for a time if you wanted. 

While Din could be a uniquely honest and humble bounty hunter at times, he was still a bounty hunter. Clever, resourceful, and cunning. Just the sort of thing he was looking for. "Well, I'm certain a crate or two will turn up to take back to this princeling in the morning, and he'll pay you handsomely for the spice brought in from rugged lands to boast at his party, my friend." he suggests promisingly to Din, patting the shoulder-bell that bares the profile of the Mudhorn as he leads him from the throne room, and into other areas of the palace before he lays out why he invited the Mandalorian to come. "In the meantime, I'd like you to come with me. Out beyond Espa." 

The low hum in his throat before he speaks suggests Din feels hesitant or uncertain about this idea. "Where? And why?" 

"Call it something of an impulse; I have my business to attend to here in Mos Espa as the Daimyo of course, but recently I dreamed of camping under the stars, out in the desert - " Boba answers, bringing Din to an inner chamber that is guarded at all times, where once they have passed the guards, he shows to Din two crates of spice that are contained within a vault, " - and I have not been able to shake myself of the notion since. Could I convince you to join me, my friend?" 

Din understands that the spice is being used to sweeten him to the idea of sleeping out in the sand-sprawling seas of this arid planet, where temperatures can drop dramatically within a few hours of the suns' setting, here. Even if he declined, Din Djarin doesn't believe the spice would be withheld now when it was already offered to him. 

"Why not take Shand?" he asks curiously. "Or will she be staying here at the Palace to keep an eye on things in your absence?"

"I did ask Fennec, as a matter of fact," Boba replies with a bemused expression, carefully denoting the crates with one of the guards for a moment, "and she wasn't too keen to the idea the same way I am. And, yes, she has said that if I do this she would remain with the Palace to oversee matters, should anything happen tonight." 

So it appears that Boba wants to entertain this fantasy tonight. Not just "some time in the future", but now. That in and of itself isn't surprising, but Din hesitates for one reason. 

One curiosity has been sated. Another remains. "And if I don't know how I feel about the idea? I have a friend watching Grogu for me in Mos Eisley, and I didn't make any mention that I would be leaving him with them past nightfall at the latest." 

Boba seems to give something a little thought before he asks "And who is this friend?" 

"Peli Motto." Fennec replies from the threshold, watching the two men with a cool gaze that many would perhaps find intimidating if not for a simple smile. "I did a little digging while you boys were having your fun in the vault. She's a simple mechanic." 

"A good mechanic." Din finds himself insisting. He's not at all surprised that the second-in-command to the Daimyo had recalled the frequency to and found some way to find information on Peli, but calling her a simple mechanic felt like an insult to her character and he would not let it slide so easily. 

"And are you paying this good mechanic to watch the little one for you?" Boba wonders. "If you are worried about giving her adequate payment for minding your foundling, don't. I would gladly help you settle it with Ms. Motto." 

It takes a moment to explain that Peli will need to mind Grogu for him overnight, but Din promises to explain why in the morning. "I need you to watch Grogu for me until the morning. Something came up." 

Peli sounds worried. "Trouble?"

"Only if we make it…" Boba chuckles to himself in the background, and Fennec warns him to behave in a way that suggests this is not the first, nor the last time, she's heard him make self-entertaining remarks like this. 

"What was that? You say something, Mando?" 

Din dodges the question with some redirection. "No trouble; I just need to spend a little extra time in Mos Espa. I can explain when I come for Grogu." He hears the way the little one perks up at the sound of his name, a bright, cooing sort of noise. Peli must have pulled him closer to the receiver, because the next time he coos and babbles inquisitively, the sound is sharper, louder, but no less sweet. 

"Ha-bah?" 

"Grogu, can you behave for Peli for me tonight? I'll be back early in the morning, I promise." 

Boba makes no further jokes or commentary in the background while allowing Din to speak to Grogu until he is satisfied that the little one understands Din will not be back tonight, but he will be back soon. Phrasing and re-phrasing his brief explanation until with a little help from Peli, the diminutive, green lifeform seemingly makes sounds of understanding.

He can imagine the way Jango would similarly caution him and repeat himself in preparation for his absences when he was perhaps too young to accompany his father on a bounty. These are memories from so long ago, now, to Boba. At least, they feel that way. He's only entering his forties, he reminds himself. Slightly older than Din, to his belief. 

But roughly similar enough in age that neither of them feels any need to take separate materials for temporary shelters. Old enough and mature enough to tolerate the shared arrangement for a single night under a canopy of stars on a bed of sand where they would lay their sleeping sacks. Din has offered to start a modest fire since Fett insists he can pitch the tent on his own. He certainly sees the influence of the Tuskens that Boba spent time with after surviving a sarlacc pit in the shelter's construction once it is firmly staked in place. 

"Sturdy." 

Boba nods acceptively of the compliment, settling himself beside the fire across from Din. "I learned much in my time with the tribe of Tuskens that cared for me like one of their own before I became the Daimyo. They didn't teach me everything, but you can still learn by watching and observing." 

There's a knowing chuckle before the dark t-visor turns and looks off into a rather deliberate direction for just a moment. Freetown. They're not too far from Vanth's community, as it turns out. "Wondering how the sheriff's doing; will we need to pay a visit in the morning?" he offers half-questioningly to Din, trying to gauge and guess what is on the mind of the man clad in beskar before him. 

"Tempting. But perhaps another time." Din replies, beginning to remove a select few parts of his armor to make himself more comfortable. He did not opt to leave it behind in favor of more appropriate desert-wear, even when offered. Fett reasoned that much like his own armor, once belonging to his father in his case, the armor made of beskar carried its own significance to Din beyond a protective shell. 

"Feeling guilty for leaving the little one, again?" 

His companion shakes his head in answer as he carefully sets aside what he's removed. "Not quite. Just eager to complete this bounty and lay low for a time." 

"Smart. Have somewhere in mind?" 

"Yes." is all Din will answer. And wisely so. Telling Fett where he plans on going would defeat the entire purpose, no matter how much they each trust and respect each other. Because they do, a simple word is all the Mandalorian glowing in the light of the fire will find necessary to say. 

"Good. I wish you uneventful times when you make it there, my friend." 

They listen to the stillness of the desert together following Fett's sincere wish for Din and Grogu's safety; the crackle and muted roar of the fire, distant and slow gusts of wind, and once off in the greater distance, bantha. The deep bellows of the omnivorous quadrupeds were a strange comfort as the two men listened. 

"Have you ever ridden a bantha?" Din asks, noting the nostalgic smile evident on the other's face. The smile broadens as Boba answers. "I have. There was a bantha I once had for a mount, I think of them from time to time." 

The helmet tilts to the right with mild concern or surprise. "What happened to it?" 

"Oh, nothing bad," Boba assures his friend, giving a singular chuckle as he stokes the flame a little higher, "I simply set them free before I reclaimed my ship. Hopefully they are out there now, meeting other banthas and making baby banthas." 

"Heh. I see. Is that the strangest thing you've ever ridden that isn't a speederbike?" Din asks with a laugh, once more turning his head out to look beyond the light of the fire into the desert. Perhaps with his sensors, he could find these distant herds of wild or domesticated bantha

"That would be a rancor." 

"You're joking." 

"I'm not." Boba laughs with some insistence. "And what about you, my friend? Find a mythosaur to ride, yet?" 

"Funny… " Din replies somewhat slowly, "...there was an Ugnaught named Kuiil who claimed it should have been easy for me to learn to ride Blurrg because of my 'ancestors' who rode mythosaurs when he was trying to teach me." He grows quiet, and his body language becomes a lot less casual, less open and fluid. "I haven't thought about his remark in a while." Din admits somberly. His companion, the man who invited him for a night in the desert, under the stars, doesn't press him for anything more to say for a moment, letting the silence grow. 

"You've been busy." Boba reasons with him only when he is certain Din doesn't have anything to add. "Traveling the galaxy, collecting bounties… All while you care for the little one." The words don't seem to bring him any comfort. If anything, Boba suspects he's said the wrong thing. "Was he a friend?"

"Yes. Killed by Imperial scout troopers." 

"I am sorry, Djarin," he sympathizes, for a moment thinking to lay his hand on the other's shoulder in a gesture of comfort were Boba sitting beside him rather than across the fire. "To lose those we care for is no easy thing." 

The Mandalorian scoffs and, jokingly, asks Boba if he's certain he's as old as he claims. "You sound and look older." 

"Well, the profession ages you. And I imagine there are still a scattered few, somewhere out there, that would look just like me. Maybe even older." This is the second time Din does not seem to understand what he means judging by his silence. "Surely you've seen them. Heard about them at least, the clones?" Boba inquires, growing increasingly more confused by the lack of apparent understanding as the t-visor slowly wags in the firelight. 

"Djarin." 

The fire is smothered out with sand following the conclusion of something of a pseudo history lesson once Boba feels he's adequately explained to Din what exactly Clone troopers are. Were. (Maybe still are? Truly, he's not certain how many men who look just like him and sound just like him remain in the galaxy.) The sand is stamped down for good measure before both men enter the tent for the first time since it had been put up and prepare to sleep. The night grows stiller and serene in a way that is entirely unique to Tatooine. 

The desert planet is not for the weak-willed and those who will not be prepared to adapt. If you traversed the Dune Seas, you had different tribes of nomadic Tuskens to contend with (and hope they would let you pass through their lands in peace for small tributes), or the wild animals that were not as docile as the bantha that called this planet home. It took grit and gumption, or no small amount of necessary self preservation skills, to live in places such as Mos Espa and Eisley where you would expect to find yourself brushing shoulders with bounty hunters and crime families. Things could get messy. 

Boba Fett and Din Djarin are no strangers to the grime and filthier aspects of what the galaxy has to offer them. Bloodshed and banthashit that would make weaker men stumble and turn away from such a profession far sooner. Sacrifices and difficult choices have been made in each of their lives. 

Tonight didn't have to be one of them. A night of simple company and some time to catch up with a friend was a welcome change for both. Boots are carefully removed before each slip into their sleeping sacks after simple ration packs are eaten in silence - backs turned to one another even in the dark - and wrappers have been taken care of. 

"We'll start our return to the palace before first light," Boba explains, "that way you can return to Mos Eisley for Grogu before Ms. Motto would begin her workday after you've secured the spice for the princeling." 

There is a soft laugh under the modulator to his left, where he can make out the general form of his friend's body beside him and sees he's already laying down. "Thank you. Hopefully he will have slept well when I retrieve him." 

He certainly hopes the little one will too, for Din's sake, with a laugh. "I have not forgotten my offer to pay Ms. Motto either. And thank you, my friend, for entertaining this idea with me." 

"Anything for the mighty Daimyo of Mos Espa." he says in all seriousness he can muster for the moment. He can't maintain the composure for long, and thankfully it's Fett who laughs first, the two of them free to laugh as loud as they would like when it's just the two of them out here for miles as far as anyone would be concerned. 

Free to spend as much time as they would like "winding down" and talking in low, golden tones until they come to realize it is coming up on first light, and they have spent the whole night in conversation without meaning to. 

At least it may not be just Grogu who has not gotten any sleep tonight, they joke together as they come up on the palace, and Boba gives Din what he was promised. Two crates of Sansanna spice to carve a deeper hole in the pockets of his client, and many words of thanks from Boba follow after Din as he secures some transport to Mos Eisley. "Safe travels, my friend. Remember-" 

"Oh I will." Din replies with a mischievous inflection, giving Fennec Shand reason to pause and consider what unfinished communication is unfolding before her as both men, Fett once more clad in his own armor in order to properly send the Mandalorian off before assuming his seat at the throne for the day. "I take it you now have… inside jokes." she grins. 

"Maybe." each reply in tandem. 

Boba smiles, nodding to Din. "Or-" 

"-Reminding me to get a little more sleep once I'm in a hyperspace lane." Din concludes, bidding them farewell once again. He was eager to return to Grogu, and Din could only hope the little one had gotten some sleep. But if he hadn't, then perhaps they would be napping together as they navigated hyperspace. It would certainly not be the first time Din would potentially need to doze off when he could when traveling with a child, or at least daydream while looking at the view from the cockpit of his ship. 

Nor will it be the last. Hopefully the same could be said for another opportunity to present itself for nights like last where Boba Fett and Din Djarin could simply spend time with a trusted friend.

Note from Frost: The title was a placeholder name, but then it grew on me; I'm callin' them the Beskar Buddies from now on. Ideas also changed direction on me in the course of writing, so apologies for the lack of Cobb in the end. :( I have not written anything for one of my first major Star Wars crushes in a long, long time. Probably since I was 16? Poor Boba. So this was a delight, and I had a lot of fun writing it. Thank you for making the request!

[Masterlist] [Requests: OPEN]

[legionofpotatoes]

extremely bad faith mandalorian takes, do not engage please i cannot stop hysterically laughing at this season and thus am incapable of level-headed discourse. these are just words I want to write down to see if they look as unbelievable as they sound in my head

my favorite telltale sign of the embarrassing s3 story optics is their like. genuinely hilarious ostrich-neck-in-the-sand rehash of past story arcs down to the aesthetic fucking beats. that's the shit sandwich that really gets me in this whole stank buffet. It is astonishing. Like there was genuinely nothing else they could come up with as to not upset the status quo of their fickle, marketable story limbo, and so they, and I cannot stress this part enough, ignored established character progression beats and just did them again. they just did them again. from the top, using shockingly similar payoffs, right in front of our own eyes. and I just sat there and ate it!!

din has to re-love his toxic death cult after clearly progressing away from their value systems cause he's cooler with that helmet always on. gotta keep the limbo going. his main north star, set up as his way out of said cult, gets recruited into it instead, completely defanging the possibility of interrogating the entire bedrock of trauma and insecurity that kept uncomfortably clashing with his expressions of love and humanity in the past. now they're all one big happy gel of a Cool Dude With Gun and Kid. gotta keep the limbo going.

at some point he also has to re-learn his droid prejudices to then re-unlearn them again, a couple of times even, for no discernible thematic reason other than to make him act like an ass to some type of botched working class allegories (??? the fuck is going on with droids this season in general??). gotta keep the limbo going.

grogu, meanwhile, has to re-earn a mandalorian piece of armor to re-reinforce his allegiance (and here I was thinking the rond would be a pulpy setup for some shot-dead-fake-out but how can chekov's anything exist in this mangled mess), cause mandalorian culture is a live service videogame of tiered ranks now, so the potential upgrades are conveniently endless. gotta keep the limbo going. speaking of their culture, he also, hilariously, has to then be re-adopted by din to re-reveal their paternal bond and re-dramatize their love. cause he's not a foundling anymore, see; he's an apprentice now! the words are different. that makes the emotional meaning reset also. I know this from film school. audiences have no object permanence, right? they're all fish? we're writing this show for fucking fish, right? like in the aquariums? gotta keep the limbo going.

and they just keep doing this. they will dress it all up with technicalities and loud Plot Noise but it is all emotionally the same exact shit that has already happened and it is making me feel insane. same exact payoffs for backpedaled setups that were already, for all storytelling purposes, finished and done away with. it is comical. they're telling nothing. non-stories and recursive sisyphean plotlines that reset primitive character arcs every five episodes like it's the most unmoored bermuda triangle-ass time loop in space. you cannot even really twist it into some type of harmless expression in lieu of episodic TV, or even something more campy, cause like. it does have a rapidly progressing plotline about big and overarching stuff, stuff that is holistic, linear, and goal-oriented, like retaking homeworlds and reforging their broken nation and fighting mr gideon man. it's not a weekly detective romp with B plots galore, not anymore at least. but the characters somehow start and end in the same spots they always were. like the big ole smoking fucking gun that that is.

it feels like the most clear-cut example of plot moving forward - at breakneck speed sometimes - while characters progress either backwards or just. like. sideways and then back again?? almost like dropping a teabag into an empty mug and calling it a beverage. I see the pretty taste-making ingredient sitting sadly at the bottom there, but where's the substance? what is this all for? to wank it to how cool mandalorians look when they fly? I mean they can be pretty cool, no argument there. but some of them could be cooler if they felt things deeply and that changed them, fundamentally. you know, how A-to-B storytelling does sometimes.

and I am achingly aware that I am aging out of this show's target audience, I know that. but the death by comparison within the same bloody show's adjacent seasons is just as harrowing. what happened. it just worked too good is what. a corporation responsible for telling a myth will never allow it to finish if it suddenly starts hemorrhaging this much money. grogu and din can't progress, even aesthetically, past their season 1 selves, no matter how much that same season's story was setting them up to. cause inscrutable sad dad and cute doll baby combo. we'll either throw away those story hooks or keep resetting them. keep the limbo going.

groundhog day-ass show. it's hysterical. I can't be normal about how mask-off blatant this all is now.

and to follow this up to andor of all things. really clinches it, you know. no notes. just no notes, disney. tens across the board

[padawansuggest]

Watching this latest episode as an enthusiastic Alice in Wonderland fan????? Anyone who hated the white queen’s city is on my shitlist. They DESERVE to be ruled over ditzy Jack Black and Lizzo. Can we plz drop the ‘omfg this episode was like it was on acid’ bruh stooooooop they were having the time of their lives planning silly little garden parties and babysitting adorable little aliens that come through and honoring them with silly little keys to the city and knoghthoods before they go. This is why we need a Jedi show cause this would be the type of shit they would deal with every third planet and I’m just so happy would could get Grogu a knighthood before his dad is too old to see it thanks. I loved their silly little planet and their silly little city I would go to war for them to have more garden parties. Everything was amazing perfect and I would die for any of them, even the apologies to the duchess at the end saying that out of anyone, he was sorry to disappoint her the most. That’s totally AIW/Land of Oz style right there and I’m so obsessed with them. A silly little apology for a silly Lady of the land. She deserves her garden parties. I loved this episode with all my heart and soul. Din is leaning into the silly and using ultra silly rules to get rid of the silly cursed sword that he got on accident and I agree with that too. Din threw a fissy fit cause he wasn’t allowed to fight all droids so one of them fought him lol he deserves that too. Everyone here was having the silliest time of their lives and is that not the goal of Star Wars??? I think it was a lovely time. 10/10 I would move there and ask for an audience with Duchess and tell her ‘yeah I just think this is the vibe my life should be going at’ and she’d totally agree and throw me a party in my name I just know it she astral projected to tell me herself.

[hira492]

Look. That episode Mando episode.

Man, i´m not even angry, i´m just disappointed , cause I KNOW how good this show can be. Specially this season that´s, supposedly, gonna revolve around what it means to be a Mandalorian and Mandalore's history 

Din is such an interesting, compeling and complex character and he could be so much more if only THEY- JUST. LET. HIM.

They are completely misunderstanding what´s what drove people to Mando at first. Yes, it´s cute to see this bounty hunter begrudgingly take care of a jedi baby BUT the show is SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT! It was about dissecting this misterious and closed off character who´s being through so much, it was seeing how all that trauma that he has - that made him separate himself from everything and everyone - was what ultimately helped him connect with Grogu. It´s lovely to see him open up little by little knowing he shouldn't, knowing that a goodbye is imminent. It was complex, it had layers. 

And Grogu. I know everyone jokes about how he was just made to sell toys and i thought so as well before starting the show a few years back. I used to really hate him and all the fuss everyone was making around him being a cute baby, but when i finally watched the show, i sat captivated and saw it was so much more. He´s more than just cute baby, he is a survivor ,just like Din, and has lived through so many things. His story is so interesting and he could be much more than a “marketable sw mascot”, but again, THEY ARE NOT ALLOWING THEM THAT!

It´s so frustrating watching this first episode and see both our main characters being reduced to “cute baby” and “dad”. They feel as they have no agency. And damn my brain for making me think this, but i felt, watching this episode, as i felt watching the last Jurassic World movie. Everyone is a diluted version of their character, everyone moves and does whatever the plot and script needs them to do without any explanation or reason to why or HOW they did it and everything just moves SO FUCKING FAST for no reason.

The first 3 episodes of the 1st season were such bangers cause they were the total opposite of this one. They were paced so well, letting viewers experience events along the characters, they made an amazing use of Show not tell (cof cof what do you mean Grogu was away from Din for around a year, Favreau cof cof), they introduced a conflict in a natural and organic way, and most importantly, they trusted the audience to understand what was happening without having a character explain it as we were a bunch of idiots or smth. 

Think about that scene in the 3rd episode when Din decides to take Grogu back from the imperials. We, as an audience, understand (without seeing the guy´s face) what´s going on in his mind in that moment; the doubt, the regret, the decision, everything just through body language, well done cinematography and music. We didn´t need Din or someone else going “you felt bad so you went back for him”, no, we just understood, and the show trusted us to understand that, to come to our own conclussions and understanding of the scene and motivations of the characters. AND WE HAD JUST MET THE GUY.

The difference here from last episode is that they gave us something to work with and, watching the episodes, you understand Din´s final decision.

Now we just don´t know what the hell Din´s thinking, and not because of a mystery or to build tension, it just feels as if Din is a weird NPC that moves the story forward and is there only to show us cool action scenes, cameos and Mandalore lore, without relating to anything. He feels as if he´s just not thinking at all, not as being stupid, but just as if he literally had no mind of his own, no opinions,no feelings, no nothing. And Grogu is just..there, i guess. Being cute and that´s all. 

Also, not as important as the narrative and script issues i had with the episode but, when i first watched The Mandalorian - begrudgingly, i must add, as i actually hated star wars but a friend of mine kept insisting that i gave it a try - i was amazed at how detailed the effects were, how everything felt alive and lived in. I remember rewatching again and again the scene where Din lands the Razor Crest in Arvala 7 and just admire the detail of the dust and water moving with the ship´s power, the way everything felt so real. Everything in the 1st and 2nd season ( i have my issues with the effects in season 2 as well but they´re still okay, imo) felt alive, real. And wow, what a downgrade this episode was.

For a show with a ridiculous budget it´s not showing at all. The kid helmet at the start looked like a toy (i can let it slide cause it´s literally brand new so you could argue there´s no reason for it to not look all shiny and clean), the alligator was okay, i guess, but didn´t feel nearly as real as the  Krayt Dragon from S2, and the rest...to be honest, not surprised at all. I kept getting thrown off by the straight up green screen feel of the Greef vs Random Pirates scene (Also an unnecessary scene, tbh, felt like an escuse for a “cool star wars space battle ™” ). The Mandalorian castle was cool, tho, i guess.

I´m not dissing the people who worked in the show´s Visual Effects at all, btw. I know they can do amazing things, cause they have, i´m sure it was more of a direction and studio issue.

It surprised me how Mando´s episode in TBOBF felt much more interesting, well paced, compelling and true to Din´s character than this episode. 

I know it might be way too early to judge the season as we only have this 1st episode but it´s not looking too good, Mando nation.

I want to be clear, I´m not saying everything sucked, either. I´m just frustrated cause this is my favourite show, it means a lot to me and i just want it to be as good as i know it can be.

[simpletricksandnonsense]

Baby Yoda & Bounty Hunters:

Why The Mandalorian is the Best Show Ever.

It would be an understatement to say that "The Mandalorian" has revolutionized television, especially for "Star Wars" fans. Since its launch on Disney+, the show has garnered an enormous global following, becoming a beacon of hope for viewers who were yearning for a fresh perspective on the cherished "Star Wars" universe. But what exactly makes "The Mandalorian" the best show ever? Let's delve deeper into this.

The Embodiment of the Original Star Wars Spirit

The heart of "The Mandalorian" lies in its ability to encapsulate the original spirit of the "Star Wars" saga. It delivers a perfect blend of new-age storytelling while paying homage to the vintage spaghetti-western & Kurosawa feel of the original trilogy. This serves as a powerful nostalgia trigger for the original fans while simultaneously appealing to new generations. From cantina brawls to high-speed spaceship chases, "The Mandalorian" is a fitting tribute to George Lucas’s vision that started it all.

Storytelling and Character Development

At its core, "The Mandalorian" is a character-driven series. The protagonist, Din Djarin, more commonly known as the Mandalorian or Mando, evolves brilliantly through the episodes. His character development is complex and compelling, with the story masterfully intertwining his enigmatic past, his hardened bounty hunter persona, and his unexpected paternal bond with Grogu (popularly known as Baby Yoda). These narrative layers provide depth and emotion that resonate with audiences, leaving them hungry for more.

Revitalizing Star Wars Lore

"The Mandalorian" also rejuvenates "Star Wars" lore by exploring uncharted territories and delving deeper into the culture of the enigmatic Mandalorians. The series' narrative weaves into the crevices left untouched by the mainline "Star Wars" films, filling gaps in the universe's history and mythos. This expansion of the lore not only attracts avid fans but also enhances the richness of the "Star Wars" universe.

Innovative Filmmaking Techniques

One cannot deny the impact of the revolutionary filmmaking techniques used in "The Mandalorian." The use of a real-time rendering system, known as StageCraft technology, takes visual effects to a new level. This technology offers a 360-degree LED video wall that can simulate realistic backgrounds and environments, providing a more immersive viewing experience and showcasing Disney's commitment to pushing the boundaries of entertainment technology.

Compelling Performances and Guest Appearances

Pedro Pascal's performance as the Mandalorian is remarkable. He manages to express a wide range of emotions despite his face being hidden behind a helmet for most of the series. Additionally, the series benefits from an impressive roster of guest stars, including Hollywood Legends like Carl Weathers and Rosario Dawson, to name a few. Their performances, combined with the show's outstanding writing, make every episode a cinematic event.

Standout Music Score

The score of "The Mandalorian," crafted by Ludwig Göransson, is nothing short of spectacular. It perfectly blends the classic "Star Wars" style with a unique, fresh sound that echoes the show's premise. The soundtrack is an auditory delight that evokes the right emotions at the right moments, further enhancing the show's appeal.

To conclude, "The Mandalorian" is not just a television series; it is a testament to the evolution of storytelling, a blend of the old and the new, and a love letter to fans of "Star Wars." Through its exceptional storytelling, character development, expansion of lore, groundbreaking technology, stellar performances, and captivating score, it has established itself as the best show ever. Whether you are a die-hard "Star Wars" fan or a newcomer to this universe, "The Mandalorian" offers an unforgettable journey that you won't regret embarking on.

[beachesgetpeaches]

my only problem w mandalorian season 3 is that it all feels like it should have been season 4

rushed is one word that might describe it but it's not rven that. it isn't rushed as much as it never gives audience the chance to connect with what is happening.

din giving bo the darksaber is fine, BUT watching just this show there is NO explanation as to why he would want to do this. we do not get din struggling with it, we are not given a reason within this series that makes him giving it to bo a fulfilling yay experience.

one way this would have "felt" better would have been if there was a "season 3" (lets call it season 2.5 here) where we see din struggle with it. where we see him talk about it and try to make sense of it. and a season in which we get to connect better with bo and want to root for her. a season which establishes that she is now the best fit to unite all mandalorians instead of being told so by the armorer.

there is a season missing in which din deals with finding his purpose after grogu leaves to train with luke. and then mid that season we could have a proper BoBF cross over in which one mandalorian episode sets up din helping out in BoBF episode and grogus return.

the season doesnt work because it doesn't give us payoff for two most important events of s2 finale: darksabre and grogu leaving. we dont get to see din (the protagonist of the first two seasons, and the character we have all been rooting for) handle the consequences of these two events. instead we get bits of it in another show (BoBF), and resolution for grogus departure in that same show. completely outaide of the mandalorian narrative, and with no character consequence or development coming from these.

it also does not address the point of helmet removal which is something i assume din has struggled with during/after s2.

which is frustrating. very much so. especially with how wonderful s2 was with addressing the creed and din removing his helmet. we dont even get much of him working through that - that he removed his helmet three times since meeting grogu: once on the brink of death, second time to get vital information to save grogu, third time to say goodbye.

all of these OUT OF LOVE (i am soft!!)

either way, we do not address these specifically. we dont see him think on it more than him doing what he must to redeem himself.

im not asking for an insanely character driven plot. but the plot did not even accommodate for any of this. idk if it was because pedro could not be present on set so they had to do a rewrite but even in that case this just seems to be the wrong focus for this season.

[nimata-beroya]

MY THOUGHTS ON THE MANDALORIAN - Chapter 20 "The Foundling"

I loved this episode so much! And not because the same reason most hardcore fans loved it. I didn't recognize Ahmed Best until I saw someone mentioning that he had portrait Jar Jar Binks in the prequels, and we all know how many fans treated him. It's nice he's given a role where he's getting all the love and respect from the fans he always deserved. I honestly don't understand why people can't separate actor from character. It's fine if you don't like a character, but it's never okay to hate and harass an actor because of it.

Anyway, let me tell you why I loved this episode…

This episode gave me exactly what I was asking for. I wanted to see the dynamic within the covert, I wanted to see their daily life. I even hinted at it in a posted I did on this past Tuesday. Because we've only gotten crumbs about it in the 2 previous seasons. We saw a bit of it in the pilot episode of the series, then in chapter 3, and after that nothing until episode 5 of The Book of Boba Fett. Then, it was only the Armorer and Paz Vizla, a reunion which didn't go well for Din, as we know. So, I was curious of how they lived together.

I know people are complaining (what else is new! 🙄) about Bo stealing Din spotlight on his own show. That's not happening, for many reasons. We get to see Bo's POV because all that is new to her too as much as it's new to us, the audience. So it makes sense that we follow the character that it's as clueless as we are.

People want to see Din and Grogu every second of the show. I don't blame them for wanting that, but some need to understand that sometimes you need to focus on other characters to move the story forward. It's not just Bo's journey, her journey also reflects Din's, by contrasting or doing parallels to it. This episode referred as much to Grogu and Ragnar as it did to Bo. Everything is revealing pieces of a much larger puzzle.

I think what Bo's journey is about is that she needs to learn that leadership and respect is earned by what you do, not for what you are. She still has a bit of arrogance thinking that she can lead Mandalore because she had the Darksaber once, because she was a princess and was raised for it. Because she's the best, and she can do it alone. Also, it's about finding, or rather, building up her faith again.

In contrast, Din's journey is more about in finding confidence in his own leadership skills and learning not to have a blind faith. In short, finding a balance between traditions and pragmatism.

Watching foundlings training was great. I think that Din putting Grogu to fight against Ragnar was the best. I think it was a bit of integrating Grogu even more to the covert's life, but also it was about Din showing Grogu off. He was very confident in what his son can do, rightly so. And also, I think it's important that Grogu feels comfortable using The Force in a more relaxed environment and not just in life-threatening situations. Or to steal cookies and candy. That he mostly uses the Force when he's afraid is not a good thing. Things can get ugly fast if he's not careful.

I know that that Mandos are used to train for war, to attack, as warriors, but as far as we've seen, this particular covert, when they fight, it's always to protect. So, that's not much different than why Jedi trained.

Of course, we cannot ignore Grogu's trauma, but this is the life he chose. Mandalorians fight, so he needs to learn to. he can choose never attack someone.

I know everyone's first instinct when Din issued the challenge was to say "But he's a baby!" which sorta true, but not quite. First, Grogu is small but not helpless as he demonstrated it. Second, how is this so much different from Jedi training with Lightsabers or the ball droid thingy? The low setting laser bolts hurt more than the paintballs, I think. And Ragnar needed the lesson to drop a peg or 2 to his cockiness, don't you think? God lesson that of "One does not speak unless one knows."

And talking about Ragnar, poor kid! First, he gets his shebs kicked by someone 3 times smaller than him, and then gets kidnapped by a monster and almost eaten alive (that's without counting that he was almost eaten once before when he took the creed in the chapter 17). But I'm over the moon that they confirmed that he's Paz's son.

Order 66 flashback I knew it was coming, but it hurt like always does. I like the parallel of Grogu having it in the forge, just like Din had his back in Chapter 3. And we finally know who helped Grogu escape!! I didn't know about Kalleran Baq before, but I love him now. Instant love!

And my theory about who lend that H-type Nubian ship is that it wasn't Padm��. She didn't know what was happening, and she was busy worrying about her freshly-inducted Sith husband, so that leaves 2 possibilities. It was either one of her maids, Sabé, perhaps, or it was the only other Naboo senatorial representative we know. It'd be great and doubly vindicating if Jar Jar was the one who helped to save the most beloved character in SW universe.

I think The Armorer saw Grogu doing his flip-flops in the morning and said, yep, time for another piece of armor for him. The roundel it's kinda of weird, but I loved that it has the mudhorn sigil!!

As I said before, I'm liking the way Bo is earning respect from everyone in the covert, especially in this episode when she led the rescuing party. This what I mean by to be appreciated by what you do, not what you are. Let your actions speak for you.

But I admit that dinner scene when everyone goes somewhere to eat alone is absolutely depressing. Gawd! That helmet rule needs to go! I know that logistically it won't be as soon as we like, I think, specifically for Din, because of Pedro's other filming obligations, but at some point they need to relax it a bit. I mean, when I heard that rule I interpreted it as "you don't show your face to the enemy" as in the symbol of the T visor is enough to put fear in your enemy, not matter who's beneath it, because whoever it is it's going to kick your ass. But with family and people you trust, you can and should show your face. But what I know?!

I love the parallel of Din and Paz saving the other's son. Their relationship is great, and it's peak sibling energy, like hate you sometimes, sometimes I love you but if you need me I'll be there no matter what.

Very nice touch of the covert to adopt the three dragon-bird babies! I went: OH NO! 😱 when the croc-turtle monster ate the mom. The babies were going to die without her. But of course, I should've known better. Mandalorians will adopt any creature despite their species or age 🤣 I swear they go with a weapon in one hand and adoption papers in the other.

The scene where Bo-Katan confesses to the Armorer that she saw the Mythosaur was great. It showed what I suspected all along. Bo's silence about it was never because of a nefarious motive. It was simply because Bo has a hard time comprehend what she saw was true. I mean, any sane person would be wary. Anyone would doubt their sanity if suddenly they see a creature that was supposed to be extinct millennia ago.

The armorer's response to the confession can be interpreted in many ways. She might've believed Bo or she might've not. It could've been scheming or patronizing, or simply it doesn't matter to The Armorer what Bo saw as long Bo believes it, as the mythosaur is the symbols of what's to be a Mandalorian. I guess we have to wait and see how this goes.

Ok, this turned out to be longer than I expected, so I'll leave it here. I have a couple of thoughts in my head that sprung out after watching the episode, but I'll leave them for another post.

The review for the next episode also will be late because TBB season finale has priority for me, but I'm very curious about what will happen in the next episode. Are we going back to Nevarro, or we're going somewhere else? Because there's a footage around that shows a planet with dome cities?

Is this a flashback to Mandalore of old or a new planet? I need to know what going on!

[burntheedges]

Pas de Deux Chapter 8

Din Djarin x f!reader | 2.5k | fic masterlist | main masterlist | ao3

chapter summary: Swan Lake brings some surprises, including meeting someone new.

a/n: Happy Wednesday! See my notes at the end and on the masterlist about reader in this fic and ballet in general. Thank you @katareyoudrilling for being the best beta, as always!!

chapter tags/warnings: fluff, touching, dancing, ballet terms (see end notes and the masterlist for definitions and videos)

Chapter 8

Between Midsummer and Swan Lake it may have looked like there was a lull in the schedule, without a mixed program in mid-March. But in reality your practices for Swan Lake, the April mixed program, and Cinderella simply expanded and claimed all of your time.

Rehearsals for the two-week run of Swan Lake were going well, but you were a bit nervous — you were dancing the pas de trois for the first time, after all, and it was a role that most often went to principals. You knew there had been a bit of surprise when you’d been cast for it, and you were trying not to think about it. (Adrian had already teased you again about being promoted, anyway.)

Your rehearsals with Din continued to go well, too. For the week of Swan Lake, Kuiil moved your practice to Tuesday and had you working on the third movement. Even with the move your rehearsal was cut short, though, as you had a week of final rehearsals for Swan Lake that took priority.

As you gathered your bag, Din came and stood next to you and asked, “how are you feeling about this weekend?” You smiled at the warmth you could hear in his tone, which you still hadn’t gotten used to in your interactions, but had become a constant presence since your talk.

“Good, I think. I mean, I think all of me is sore, but yesterday I felt like I finally nailed it, so hopefully it goes that well this weekend.”

He reached out and touched your upper arm lightly. You’d noticed he’d gotten a bit more comfortable with casual touch, since you’d been touching more in the choreography, but it still surprised you. You tried not to show it. “You’re going to be amazing. That role is perfect for you.” 

Din sounded so certain. You fought back an emotion you refused to look at too closely, let alone name. “Oh! Thank you. I, um. I hope so.” 

The corner of his mouth lifted in the tiny smile you were becoming addicted to. “I’ll probably be there on Sunday, with Grogu.”

You grinned. “Has he seen it before?”

Din shook his head. “He didn’t see many CBC shows before we moved. I think he’ll love this one. Even if it is a little scary.”

“Well, I’m glad.” 

Din turned and walked with you down the hall towards the largest rehearsal room. “If he’s not too tired, we’ll come backstage after. But we’ll see.”

You glanced at him. You had almost asked if you could meet Grogu, but were afraid it would be too much. Maybe not, you thought, since Din seemed to be suggesting it. “I’d love that.”

You stopped by the door to your rehearsal, and for a moment you just smiled up at him, until the start of the music inside spurred you into action. “That’s my cue.” 

Din reached out again, and for a moment you thought he might be about to squeeze your hand. But he lifted his hand instead and brushed it against your upper arm briefly. “See you tomorrow.”

You nodded and forced yourself to go inside.

…

To your surprise, you didn’t have to wait until Sunday to meet Din’s son. 

During the dress rehearsal with the orchestra on Thursday, you heard the whispers backstage before your performance — Din and a little boy no one had seen before were sitting in the almost empty audience. You smiled to yourself, wondering what had prompted him to bring Grogu, and if they were still planning to come to one of the actual performances.

As you took up your first position on stage, you let yourself glance out at the seats and found a familiar set of shoulders about 10 rows back, just off center. He was leaning to his right, talking to a familiar little boy you could barely see over the seat in front of him. You felt warm as you watched them together for just a moment.

You let the feeling that welled up in your chest at the sight of them push you forwards and upwards. You’d worried that knowing Din was in the audience might make you nervous, but somehow it was the opposite. Maybe because you were getting to know each other’s dancing so well, but it pushed you, instead. You swore you could feel his eyes on you as your jumps went just a little bit higher and your turns landed just a little bit cleaner. 

You fought a grin as you took your final position, but the sound of two sets of hands clapping — one big, one small — almost made you lose the battle. You let it take over your face as you bowed before stepping off stage a few moments later.

Adrian slipped his arm into yours as you headed for the dressing rooms. “Where did that come from?” He whispered, raising his eyebrows at you.

You shrugged, still smiling. 

He rolled his eyes at you before releasing you to head backstage again. “Sure. I saw your little audience of two, you know.” He winked and then he was gone, heading back the way you came before you could come up with a response.

You turned the corner towards the dressing rooms, ready to get out of your costume, and were surprised to find someone waiting for you in the hall. Two someones, though one was much smaller than the other. 

The corner of Din’s mouth was turned up in a barely-there smile. Your grin returned before you consciously noticed it. 

“Din! Hi,” you said, a bit more breathlessly than you’d intended. “What are you doing back here?” Din was wearing jeans and a brown long-sleeve sweater that looked so soft you had to resist reaching out to touch. 

He gestured at his son, who was standing half behind his dad’s leg. “Grogu wanted to come say hello. He liked your solo.” He rested his hand lightly on his son’s head, who then looked up at his father before glancing back at you. Grogu nodded, just a bit, and you smiled down at the little boy. 

“Hi there,” you said, crouching down to his level. The floaty skirt of your costume flared out around you and Grogu’s eyes widened. You introduced yourself. “I’m so glad you liked it.”

“It was pretty,” the little boy said in a small voice. 

You bit your lip. So cute, you thought. “Thank you. Are you going to come see it this weekend?” You looked between him and his dad, and found Din had gone a bit expressionless. You blinked, surprised.

But he nodded, and confirmed, “on Sunday. We were just dropping by today and poked our heads in.”

You looked back at Grogu, deciding to ignore the sudden return of Din’s expressionless mask. It had been a while since you’d seen it, when it was just the two of you. “Well, you’ll have to tell me what your favorite part is after, ok?”

He nodded and smiled shyly at you, revealing a little dimple in his right cheek, and you smiled helplessly back. Din had the cutest kid.

You stood and said goodbye to them both. At the door to the dressing room, you turned back once more to find Din looking at you, still expressionless. You waved, feeling a bit silly, and then went inside.

…

On Sunday, you found two familiar faces waiting for you after the show yet again. Grogu grinned up at you as he held up a bouquet almost as big as he was. 

“Din, you didn’t —” you took it as he shook his head, cutting you off.

“You danced it beautifully,” he murmured, and you looked down to see Grogu nodding. 

You bit your lip. “Well, thank you. These are beautiful.” You bent down a little. “What was your favorite part, Grogu?”

“Yours,” he said, matter-of-fact in that way little kids were so good at. “It was the best.”

You grinned and ignored the way you felt your cheeks heat. “Oh! Well, thank you. That’s very nice of you.”

Looking back at Din, you were mildly surprised to find him staring at you. “It was,” he said, tone even.

You weren’t sure what he meant. “Hmm? What was?”

He reached out and brushed his fingers along your arm again. You shivered. “The best.”

You felt your face get so hot you wondered if he could feel it from where he was standing. “Din—”

He shook his head and shrugged. “It was.”

You looked between him and Grogu, who nodded, and smiled at both of them again. You tucked your flowers a bit closer, warmed in the face of his obvious sincerity. “Thank you.”

…

As the April mixed program and then Cinderella approached, you were finding it harder and harder to ignore the way you felt every time Din touched you.

Being touched by other dancers did not usually feel like this. You touched each other all the time — in partner work, for so many kinds of choreography, to help each other stretch. To keep warm backstage, even. It never really felt like anything but companionship and cooperation, to you.

But with Din… it was different.

In rehearsal the week after Swan Lake he suggested adding a glancing touch in the second movement as the first physical contact between you. The way his fingers danced down your arm as you moved apart reminded you of how he’d touched you backstage, after your performance. It stole your breath and his fingers left goosebumps in their path every time. 

It was torture. His strong hands curved around your waist for a short lift and you forced yourself to breathe through it. You slid down the front of his body in a slower release from another lift and you ignored how warm and firm his chest felt against yours. You felt almost unprofessional, every time his touch sent shivers up your spine. But you couldn’t seem to get used to it or make it stop.

The way he’d started looking at you wasn’t helping things, either. You caught him, in class, with a soft look in his eye. And then later, when Kuill was having you practice a part of the piece where you were alone on stage, you looked in the mirror and found him gazing at you with such emotion in his eyes that you had to wrench your eyes away, almost thrown off balance out of your pirouette.

You felt like you were teetering on the edge of something big. But you were also getting to know Din, and that in and of itself was enough to take your breath away.

He was so funny, and so kind. He talked about his son with love in his voice that settled somewhere in your chest, warming you. He told you Grogu had cheered when Din told him the two of you would be dancing together, and you grinned. He even helped you stretch, and on one occasion stood lightly on the boxes of your pointe shoes when you’d asked him to because your toes were so sore (and you’d tried not to make a weird noise at the immediate relief you’d felt from the extra space around your toes, but judging by his expressionless face, you’d failed).

In rehearsal, Din marveled at what he was allowed to do, now, and the styles he could explore. He asked you excitedly for your input on his changes to the choreography, on how to position his arm here, or develop that movement there. You could see, as he began to shake off the strict boundaries of his previous company, that he truly did love ballet. He loved it for itself, and you were finding that you never tired of watching him figure out how to love it for himself.

In your last rehearsal before the April mixed program, you watched Din land a complicated jump and turn sequence. When he did it perfectly, he turned to look at you and smiled, so wide you couldn’t help but smile back. He looked happy. He looked happier than you’d ever seen him. 

You felt that nameless emotion start to well up in your chest again and thought, “shit.”

You froze, and then you moved through the rest of practice in a daze. 

As soon as practice ended, you almost ran down the hallway, looking for your best friend. You spotted him walking with a small group of corps members and grabbed him by the elbow, tugging him to follow you. “Sorry, I need him!”

“What—” Adrian squawked, but you were too keyed up to laugh. 

“In here,” you said, and shoved him into the small break room with the bad couch. No one was inside, so you locked the door, and fell back against it.

“Shit,” he said, getting a good look at you. “Did you figure it out?”

You furrowed your brow. “Figure what out?”

He smiled at you and fell back onto the couch. “Your crush on Djarin is not just a ‘ballet crush.’”

Your jaw dropped, and Adrian laughed. “What?!”

He rolled his eyes at you. “Come on. I know a feelings freak out when I see it.”

You dropped your face into your hands and groaned. “Adrian, he touches me so much. He’s so funny. And kind. And he smiles at me! All the time. He keeps complimenting me. And his dancing! I am going to lose my mind.”

“Oh, dear,” he said, affecting a worried tone. “Whatever will we do, when the boy you have a crush on has an even bigger one on you?”

You dropped your hands and glared at him. “He does not.”

“Oh yes he does,” Adrian said, sighing. “Look, I can see both of you in class, ok? I am a neutral observer. I know what’s going on here. And it’s mutual. He doesn’t smile at anyone else here, you know. Not like that.”

You bit your lip against the swoop in your stomach. He only smiles at you. “But what if it’s not? Or what if it messes everything up?”

Adrian stood and came to lean next to you, against the door. “I’m pretty certain that it is. But there’s no reason to rush, right? You’re already so much better off than you were at the start. What if you just let it happen?” He nudged you with his shoulder. “He’s like a skittish horse, anyway. You gotta ease him into it.”

You laughed, finally, and leaned your head against his shoulder. “You’re right. Of course.”

He puffed out his chest and you laughed again when it jostled you on his shoulder. “Of course I am,” he agreed. “Anyway, you can take some time to figure out what you want too, you know. You don’t have to know right now. Now, tell me what sent you flying down the hallway like that.”

You told him all about practice, and how he touched you, and then at the end, how he’d looked at you and just… lit up. So happy. By the end of it, he was sighing at you again. “It’ll work out, ok? Just let it happen.”Let it happen, you repeated in your mind. “I’ll try.” You hoped he was right.

...

prev | next

a/n: Grogu! And yes, Adrian has been prepared for that conversation for a while. 😂 Some ballet notes -

Swan Lake - I feel like most people have heard of Swan Lake, even if you don't know what it's about! The San Francisco Ballet has a nice overview here. A lot of companies do this one at least once a season or year just because it will always draw an audience. Reader's part is in Act I (at Prince Siegfried's party). The pas de trois (and another) is usually two women and a man, and as that overview puts it: "Full of tricky steps and opportunities for each dancer to shine, this dance offers a chance for a few principal dancers to show their stuff, or for a few up-and-comers to make a big impression." I linked to the variation (solo) reader will be doing in the chapter. A lot companies do something based on Petipa's choreography (which is not the original, technically), which is 4 acts. It's been around for so long and done so many ways that there are a lot of different endings and variations and even characterizations! Everyone puts their own spin on it. There's a nice list of some alternate endings and the parts in each act on the wiki page. One of the most famous parts is the dance of the little swans. Here's a version from the Bolshoi, here's a comparison of the Bolshoi and Royal Ballet productions where you can see how it can differ, and here's one from ABT. And here's a few funny versions!

Dress rehearsal - a lot of companies will do a dress rehearsal, the day before the show starts, especially if working with an orchestra. there might also be on-stage not-in-costume rehearsals with the orchestra, but not as many as you'd think. So they have dress rehearsal on Thursday and shows on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

That was mostly it, this week! please tell me if I missed something you wish I had explained. a bit more feelings than new terms this week lol

[thefrogdalorian]

For the end of year asks

#3 #21 #22

(Don't forget to link your fics so people can read them)

Happy Holidays, m'dear 💚

Ahh thanks for sending some numbers!! Happy Holidays to you too🥳💖

#3 favorite line/scene you wrote this year

Ooh very hard to pick a fave! But I think I'll go from the last few lines of Only The Father You'll Be - a little oneshot exploring Din's thoughts while watching Grogu during both Sanctuary and The Return. Was nice to link their story back to Kuiil's words:

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.

#21 most memorable comment/review

Hard to choose! I don't think I've had any super unhinged ones (yet) but I remember a lot of people saying I was destroying them after this chapter of my long Dinbo fic. I get it, Bo broke Din emotionally and physically and then banished him from Mandalore. So I put people through it and I think a few people stopped reading after that chapter, but the comments were quite funny and I was cackling while reading them because I'm an evil writer who enjoys causing her audience pain!!

#22 events you participated in this year

I didn't join the fun on here until quite late so I probably missed lots of fun, but I've been writing for Dincember this year and I've really enjoyed it! Writing every day has kept me sharp and the responses have been so lovely. Excited to hopefully participate in more next year!

Fanfic end of year asks

[bc-johnson]

The Inconvenience of Drama

I guess I just don’t understand what story the Mandalorian is telling? 

Season 1 had the typical “Wolf and Cub” mixed with a traditional Western. Hardass man becomes slightly less hardass, learns to love, etc. 

Season 2 had a “what’s best for the parent isn’t always best for the child,” Din tries to make a better life for Grogu with his “people,” even if it hurts him.

Season 3 seems to be “Din sees some stuff, starfighters are cool.” 

Like, the season isn’t over so obviously the narrative arc is harder to map, but I feel like this show takes every possible opportunity to do the least interesting thing possible. When Grogu left, the most interesting season 3 would be to explore Din WITHOUT Grogu but with the lessons he’s learned in season 1 and season 2. Then they just brought the little dude back on a different terrible show that no one watched?

What they should have done was keep the drama of season 2′s ending, but do a Luke/Grogu/Jedi Academy show. That way Din’s decision still holds and season 2 actually mattered, but the audience still gets to see Grogu in a different show (which also becomes a hook for that show). So you can have your corporate desires and your story, too, but for some reason they did neither. 

So now Grogu is back, but there doesn’t really seem to be a story there. He’s just gonna be Din’s kid now. Din is sorta just content. They’ve chosen the least dramatic path possible. 

And now with the Darksaber. They seemed to be setting up an confrontation between Bo and Din, where two marginal friends and actual allies have this nearly literal Sword of Damacles hanging over their heads. They’re going to have to fight, both of them know it. 

That’s drama! Story is drama! Milk the drama! They want to be friends or allies (or more?!?!), but they literally can’t because her ambition conflicts with his honor. The audience gets to feel the tension knowing this won’t work, they will have to duel at some point, and they’ll have to both mean it. 

Then they just...side-stepped it? “She saved me guys, trust me, here’s the saber.” Like, are we going for convenience or drama? 

Is Mandalorian the story of the guy who is kinda friends with the person who unites his people? What are we doing here? 

Of course, the answer is “we’re making an endless loop of shows that introduce other shows that introduce other shows,” but its so transparent that it’s killing the enjoyment. I don’t want to watch the next thing if it’s just a commercial for the next thing. Every show should stand alone, or at the very least, every show should actually have a story. 

Has this ALWAYS been done? Yes, of course. But it used to be done with a little subtlety. Sure, Winter Soldier introduces Falcon, but it’s in service to Cap’s story: he’s finding veterans to connect to, he easily inspires people to join him, etc. Falcon doesn’t suddenly become the main character of the Winter Soldier. He doesn’t beat the Winter Soldier in the climax while Cap cheers on.

I’m for a Bo Katan show, I’d watch that in a heartbeat. But just, like, make that show. Don’t spend six episodes of another show sneaking in the first season of the Bo Katan show. 

What does Din want? Season 3 has yet to even hint that he wants anything. He’s literally a protagonist with no desires or apparent agency. I get that this is a franchise for selling toys, but, like, there used to at least be the bare bones of a story there. 

Boba Fett suffered from the same problem. I had no idea what he wanted, or WHY he wanted to do the things he was doing. 

Star Wars plays in archetypes, that was always the fun of it. Big cliches slamming together at high volume. But, also basic stuff like three act structure, protagonist wanting something, drama. We can do this. It’s not asking a lot. 

[atlasisnothere]

I'm gonna say it: I think they should never have had to put in all of that set-up and rehashing of what happened in Boba Fett ep 5 .

Like, they really just said "cool we're gonna get Mando and Grogu to the *throne room* and in there is a disillusioned *Bo Katan* and then that's when we stop" as if that's meant to be a really satisfying start to the season. I know that recently there was that weird Jon Favrou lore drop about how the first 2 seasons took place over a couple of years, and they might be wanting to try and convey *time passing* in going to nevaro and going to the armorer and what have you, but this feels really off-kilter in a strange way.

From where I'm standing, they should have started the episode with Din already heading to Mandalore and Bo-Katan and gone from there. There's plenty of time to establish time skips, maybe even sprinkle it in to off-handed dialogue, maybe Din is in a call with Karga as he's approaching the planet and karga expresses how much he wants Din to see the refurbished town or whatever.

It annoys me as well that as much as streaming services have ruined the modern media consumption, larger properties have the space to utilize streaming culture. They treated this episode like we needed to be coddled and we needed to be retold all of the things that Din is aiming for this season, when they just completely ignored the incredible marketing opportunity to tell everyone to start their re-watch of the previous seasons, maybe even restructure some of the things on disney+ to put those Boba Fett episodes under the Mandalorian banner proper, and ignored how they could really lean into that aspect of how streaming as a whole works at its fundamentals. We didn't need to be re-told everything.

They could have generated so much more hype, but most importantly, could have given the writers and the rest of the creative team so much more time to really explore and have fun with the show if they just let them start from a point that actually matters to the story. Think about how it's going to be in future re-watches of the series as well, we as the audience right now know why this sort of thing makes a little bit of sense, there was a pandemic and nothing could be worked on for 2~ years, but going back later will make this episode look even worse.

Look, I know that there's probably a lot of intricate things do with contracts and episode orders and the like, especially with the disney overlords being as restrictive as they are, but they really did not need to have that entire episode be low-energy set-up, especially with how the previous seasons have ended. If anything, they should be ramping up the tension for the start of every season.

Something, something, artistic intent and the flow of a story, you get the gist of what I wanted to say.

(Let's try and ignore how those Boba Fett episodes should have been put-up as a mid-season-break bonus episode for The Mandalorian. We all know why this episode was messed up, and idk who was in charge of Boba Fett but they really put Mando's team through the ringer and it shows.)

((still love the show though, those moments with Grogu and Dad I mean Din are goddamn Delightful))

oh I 100% agree! the pacing of this ep was just weird and it felt very much like half of it was a recap of what we already knew. like if you're gonna sideline boba fett in his own damn show to set up this season, then why are we needing the same information fed to us again? like yeah, the armorer wants din to atone in the waters of mandalore. we knew that. mandalore is considered by most to be an uninhabitable wasteland. we knew that too. and yeah, the trip to nevarro felt unnecessary and pretty much like the writers were like 'hey, here's something to show that time has passed!' which is even further confusing the timeline. plus the stuff with IG-11? also felt unnecessary, and kind of led me to believe that the episode was going to centre around din attempting to fix him until we showed up on that planet with bo-katan. and then it just. ended there? it felt like everything and yet also nothing happened in that episode.

but no, I agree that the moments with din and grogu were adorable, especially with din teaching grogu about the ship and really cementing grogu's choice to be a mandalorian like his dad. I like that they kept that consistency around that choice and didn't backtrack it with din contemplating sending him back to a jedi again or anything like that to create another point of conflict (although I do find it funny that of all the things they needlessly recapped from those bobf eps, they didn't explain why grogu is back with din - like yeah, if you didn't watch bobf, we'll explain everything else to you again BUT why din went from tearfully bidding his son goodbye to once again carting him around the galaxy).

I'm hoping that things will pick up and get into the groove again with the next couple episodes, and I don't think that this episode was all bad, but I think it was definitely a drop in quality from the opening episodes of the first two seasons.

[btwxsixesandsevens]

Hope you don't mind me buggng you.

star wars fave/least fave poll: 3. tv show episode 5. actor/actress 13. kiss

Ok, these are hard...

#3, TV Show Episode.

I can't remember these things for the life of me so you're just gonna get the random ones that come to mind.

Favorite: The Mandalorian one where Luke shows up and Din Djarin shows Grogu his face. The one where Bo-Katan has to watch Din show up with the darksaber again and he tries to give it to her, she's just so defeated and over the entire enterprise. But she's trying SO HARD. yeah. All that.

Oh fuck, Andor didn't have a bad episode. I love heists, and prison breaks and how sad Andor always looks and what a menace Luthen is.

I'm not big on animation, but any episode of Teh Clone Wars with Asajj in it is a win. Or Maul when he takes over Mandalore and is slutting around on the throne and Ahsoka shows up and KICKS HIS MF'ING ASS. and the episode where Obi Wan FINALLY kills Maul. Fantastic.

Least favorite: about half of Clone Wars would fall into this category. Also, most of the Ahsoka show made me so angry I legit couldn't think straight and have blocked it from my memory.

#5, actor/actress.

Favorite: Harrison Ford. I thought I loved him as Han Solo in the Original Trilogy. He had the perfect nonchalance, the give no fucks that sold that corny ass character. Then I saw him in the sequels and he is terrificaly jaded and over it and now when he says he gives no fucks you know he's LYING. perfect casting. no notes. Honorable mention: Temuera Morrison.

Least favorite: can't think of any actor I'd bother to dislike in a role. they already get so much hate as it is.

#13. KISS!

Favorite: Hera/Kanan. before he dies. broke my heart. I cried for real tears.

Least favorite: Kylo and Rey is obvious first choice. but I also offer the fact that Vel and Cinta NEVER kiss as my least favorite thing. I know the point is that their love is shared with the rebellion, but I posit that for the audience to buy their love in the first place, they deserve the traditional signifier of desire: a kiss. They are canon, for sure, but the audience is TOLD that, not shown it in a physical, irrefutable way. Let the Lesbians kiss.

There are always more Star Wars Asks!