#the fact of the matter is: the covert and the creed are Important to Din on a fundamental level

[vvitchering]

I think maybe everyone should cool it with the “weird cult” comments regarding the covert, honestly. It wasn’t that funny to begin with but now that it’s the popular describer it’s starting to become a little uncomfy. No one is forced to join, no one is forced to stay. There’s a ton of parallels between them and real world cultures and religions and I just think MAYBE we need to be a little more aware of what message we’re sending when we say “haha that group of people who are in hiding because their lives were/are at stake and who practice anonymity to survive and follow certain rules that I don’t personally understand or like are a weird cult”.

[newpathwrites]

Series Masterlist Main Masterlist

VI. Making it Official

Winta smirked. “I thought you were going to ask my permission to marry Mama… You really surprised me.”

Now Din was taken aback. Ever since things had been settled with Bo-Katan, he’d actually thought about this quite a lot… but had yet to work up the courage to speak with Omera about it. “If I did… would that be alright with you?”

“Yeah, Din. Of course it would. And I’m confident she’ll say ‘yes’, too.”

Din tilted his head. “How confident?”

Summary: It all starts coming together!

Note: A couple years have passed now, and both Winta and Jai have grown up a bit more. I’m probably not being very consistent with ages, but I imagine Winta around 15 and Jai as 17 here. I hope that Winta’s maturity and her strong bond with Jai come through in the writing.

A LOT of things happen in this chapter, and every one of our characters will have at least one major life event - even our lovely village!

Warnings: Mild, non-explicit sexual references.

Read on AO3

————————————————————————

The next two years or so passed quickly, Jai becoming an integral part of the family, as if they’d always been there, and a valued member of the small community.  In fact, it was hard to remember a time when there weren’t two armored warriors living amongst them.  

Based on Din’s recollection of their arrival at the covert as an infant, Jai figured they were likely approaching their eighteenth name day.  How different a life they were living now, as they careened toward adulthood, than what they’d imagined just a few short years ago.

Pretty soon, though, they’d have to make some decisions.  While Jai adored Sorgan, they were certainly no farmer.  Din was well enough into his middle age to settle into this halfway life, but Jai, young and ambitious, knew that their future didn’t lay here, even if it would forever be the home and the family to which they would return.  What did that future hold?  Mandalore?  A life outside the creed?  They really didn’t know…

Bo-Katan had recently doubled down on efforts to recruit Jai into her inner circle, having proved themself on several levels in the handling of the darksaber, securing her transition into power.  It was Jai’s logic and methodical persuasion, appealing to Bo-Katan’s sense of duty and Din’s unshakeable honor, which had allowed the symbolic blade to pass between them peacefully and legitimately, all parties unharmed.  Din had cried actual tears when he thanked Jai later, finally set free from the darksaber’s oppressive presence in his life.  

Jai had skills - unique ones, that could do some good.  If only they knew what that ‘good’ should be.  Somehow Mandalorian politics didn’t seem like the right cause… But disposing entirely of their upbringing, problematic as it was, didn’t feel right, either… Decisions, decisions…

With all of these questions rolling around in their mind, Jai took comfort in one thing they knew for certain…  That no matter the ultimate answer, their newfound family would support them… and would always welcome them home…

——————————

“Really, Jai… Is there anything I can say or offer to convince you?”

Jai shook their head.  “I’m just not ready to make that kind of decision yet, alor.  I need to think through some things…”

Din’s voice cut through the awkwardness then.  “Kryze,” he interjected as he approached.  “How many times does the kid have to say ‘no’?  Jai told you they need more time, so let them take it…”

Bo-Katan rolled her eyes dramatically in Din’s direction.  “Stars, you two are difficult.”  She turned back toward Jai.  “Just… think about it.  You could have an important place on Mandalore - quite an honor at such a young age.  I’m sure your guardian would agree?”  She glanced at Din again before acquiescing.  “I won’t bring it up again, but my door is open if you’d like to discuss further, alright?  You, too, Din - if it will ease your mind.”

Jai nodded.  “Okay… thank you.”

Reluctantly, Din expressed his agreement.  He didn’t want to hold Jai back, but Bo-Katan was a relentless force - he had to be sure that Jai wasn’t pressured into something that wasn’t in their best interest.  They weren’t even of age yet - there was plenty of time.

But was there, really?  With the darksaber out of his hands, it was like Din’s life had opened up before him.  So many things that he’d held back on for years out of fear of loss were now within reach - like his commitment to Omera and Winta… and more pressingly, Jai… who would probably fly off into their adult life any day now and leave Sorgan behind them.  He’d have to talk to Omera about some things as soon as they got back.

A flash of metal in Din’s peripheral vision brought him back to attention, lightning reflexes activating to catch the piece of armor Axe had chucked in his direction.  

“ Dank farrik , Woves.  Was that really necessary?”

Axe just smirked.  “I’m going to get you one of these days, vod…  So, what do you think?”  Din attached the reworked piece into his vambrace and inspected it, turning his forearm in different directions in assessment.  “It’s better, right?”

“That’s perfect… nice work.  Thank you.”

Axe clapped him on the shoulder.  “Not a problem, Din.  There’s a bit of shavings left over.  Did you or Jai need anything small made?  Otherwise, I’ll throw it into the stores.”

Din thought for a moment.  “No, I don’t think so.  Hold on to it for someone who needs it “

“Sure thing.  Safe travels.”  With that, Axe nodded in Jai’s direction and turned back toward the forge.

Jai spoke up, turning over an idea in their mind.  “Din, do Winta and Omera have any beskar?  They might like to have something small - just a symbolic thing… like Grogu has his chainmail…”

“Do you think they’d like that?”

Jai knew Winta would.  She’d been chatting with Jai quite a bit recently about Mandalorian training and asking a lot of questions about the creed.  “Absolutely, I think they would.”

Hmmm… that gave Din some… ideas .  Maybe he could use just a very small amount for a couple particular items…

“You mind if I go talk to Axe before we leave?”

Jai shook their head, grinning under the visor at their successful manipulation - done with the best intentions.  “Yeah, Din… take your time.”

——————————

“Winta…” Din called out to her, lowering his fists as he saw her cautiously approach the clearing where he and Jai had made a habit of training each morning.  “Is everything alright?”

She responded immediately to the worry in his voice, answering, “Oh, yes, everything is fine!  Don’t worry!”

He tilted the visor expectantly.  “Do you… need me for something?”

Winta stood there awkwardly opening and closing her mouth in indecision before turning toward Jai who made an encouraging gesture and whispered, “Go on… ask him.”

Din looked between the two teenagers in confusion.  Apparently he wasn’t in on the secret.  “Go ahead, Winta.”  He relaxed his stance a bit hoping it would induce her to finally speak whatever she’d come all the way out here to tell him.

She visibly steeled herself and stood a bit taller before speaking with feigned confidence.  “I want to train with you.”

Okay… this was not what he’d expected - she’d never shown interest in that before .  “Why?”  Din rarely minced words, even with the beloved teen, becoming an independent young woman before his eyes.

She had apparently come prepared, speaking in a rehearsed fashion - probably Jai’s doing.  “Well, you and Mama are getting older, and eventually, someone will have to take your place in protecting the village.  I know I’ll never have your skills…” She gestured to the two Mandalorians.  “But I’d like to be able to do my part - the way Mama has been doing for years.  If you could teach me self defense and some basic fighting skills… and maybe some strategy, too… I would be very grateful.”  She paused and looked at Din square in the visor, now speaking unscripted.  “And while we’re at it, I want to learn about the Way.  It’s part of my family.”

That last part hit Din right in the heart.  Stars , this girl was so much like her mother.  He had to give himself a moment to regain his composure.  “That’s a very noble cause, Winta.  Of course you can train and learn about the Way.”

Her eyes lit up.  “Really?”  She looked between Din and Jai, the former nodding affirmatively and the latter clapping her on the back and whispering, “You did great!”

——————————

As it turned out, Winta was a natural, picking up on various moves rather quickly.  Din was duly impressed, if not a bit skeptical.  He wondered amusedly if Jai had already taught her some things in preparation.  He would press them on it later.

The morning ran quite a bit longer than usual, a legitimate training session for Winta rather than the simple sparring match the two experienced Mandalorians typically engaged in to keep up their already established skills.  They sat down together in the shade, exhausted, passing around the canteen before making the trek back to the village.  Helmets had been discarded in the grass, as even the curious villagers knew better than to put themselves in the line of fire when their resident Mandalorians had all their weapons out.

Din cleared his throat with a hint of nervousness.  “While we’re all together, there’s something I’d like to talk to you both about…”

They both stopped and looked at him, the seriousness in his voice bringing them to full attention.

He turned to the older teenager first.  “Jai, Omera and I were thinking… I mean, I know you’re nearly of age, and we won’t be offended if you… What I mean to say is…”

“Whatever it is, just say it.  I won’t be upset with you.”  Jai’s tone was comforting, betraying their anxious curiosity at Din’s very uncharasteric lack of confidence.

He inhaled deeply before getting it out.  “Omera and I would like to adopt you, before you turn eighteen - if you would like that.”  He looked at Jai nervously, awaiting a reply.

Winta’s mouth opened wide with surprise, and she turned to Jai with joyful eyes.  Jai met her gaze and then looked back to Din with an indecipherable expression before bursting into tears, overcome with a kind of emotion they’d never felt before.  Din’s heart sank, thinking this was certainly a negative reaction.  But Winta knew better, scooting to Jai’s side and enveloping them in her arms.  “Can you believe this?  We can be siblings!”  Jai nodded vigorously, unable to voice their happiness through the sobs that were racking their body.

Finally they regained a bit of their composure, wiping at their tear-stained face.  “I’ve never had parents - at least not ones that I can remember.  Oh, my stars - this was a very feminine reaction, wasn’t it?  No offense, Winta.”  She swatted Jai’s shoulder playfully as they finally looked back at Din, smiling so wide their cheeks hurt.  “Yes, Din - I would love that.”

“You had me worried there, verd’ika,” he replied with a soft chuckle, standing and offering Jai a hand to pull them to their feet and embracing them warmly.  “But there’s one more thing…”  

He turned to Winta, anxiety radiating from his form.  She braced herself in hopeful anticipation.  Was he finally going to ask if he could marry her mother?  But the truth was so unexpected, she went still with shock.  

“Winta, I’d like to adopt you, too.”  He took in her shocked expression and backpedaled, fearing that he had overstepped.  “I mean… if that’s something you’d want… I know you have a father - I don’t mean to…”

She came back to her senses as she registered the insecurity in his voice and threw her arms around his neck before pulling back to look at his face.  “Din… you’re the only father I’ve ever really known.  I think maybe I can have two.”  She smiled broadly.  “I love you, by the way.  I don’t think I’ve ever said that - but it’s true.”

He smiled.  “I love you, too.”  He shook his head in amusement.  “You’d think by now that I’d be skilled at reading your reactions, but you both had me quaking in my armor.”

Winta smirked.  “I thought you were going to ask my permission to marry Mama…  You really surprised me.”

Now Din was taken aback.  Ever since things had been settled with Bo-Katan, he’d actually thought about this quite a lot… but had yet to work up the courage to speak with Omera about it.  “If I did… would that be alright with you?”

“Yeah, Din.  Of course it would.  And I’m confident she’ll say ‘yes’, too.”

Din tilted his head.  “How confident?”

A true Sorganian and budding rumor mill herself, Winta replied with a conspiratorial air.  “Well, I asked her recently if she thought you’d ever get married, and she said you’d never talked about it.  But when I asked if she wanted to marry you, she said ‘yes’ - no hesitation.”  She nudged his shoulder.  “You should ask her.  We can make it official - our family.”

He hummed.  “Well, then… maybe I will.”

——————————

When they arrived back at the cabin, Jai had made a bee-line for a bewildered Omera, embracing her and allowing the tears to fall freely again.  It took a moment, but she eventually realized what was happening.  “Din asked you, hmmm…”  Jai just nodded against Omera’s shoulder as she ran a comforting hand over their back.  “We love you like our own, sweetheart.  It was time we made it official.  I’m so glad that makes you happy.”

Jai pulled back, furiously wiping the tears away, embarrassed to have lost their composure so completely twice in just an hour.  They laughed as if in realization.  “If you told me back when I was a kid that our gruff beroya would be my father, and that I’d have a real family on an unmapped planet in the outer rim, I would never have believed you… But I couldn’t ask for anything better than this.”

Omera smiled.  “Neither could we, Jai - really.  I thank the stars every day for bringing you to us.”

“You all need to stop making me cry.”  Jai braced themselves against the new onslaught of tears, successfully fending them off.  “Nobody say anything emotional, please.”  Equal parts humor and earnestness came through in their voice.

Winta sidled up beside them, resting her hand briefly on Jai’s shoulder in support.  She cleared her throat loudly, and once she had everyone’s attention, she made her announcement.  “I think that in honor of our newfound siblinghood, Grogu, Jai, and I should have a sleepover in the barn tonight - just the three of us.”  She looked at Jai pointedly, gesturing toward the two adults making audience.  “ Don’t you think so, Jai ?”

Din started to speak.  He had a pretty good idea what she was scheming.  “Winta… I don’t think…”

But Jai beat him to it, looking back at Winta and nodding in an exaggerated fashion.  “Yes… that’s a great idea…”  They bolted out of the cabin quickly, Grogu in tow, before Din could make another protest.

Din sighed as Omera looked at him in confusion.  “Did my daughter just arrange for us to have… sex time ?”

He looked at her for a moment with a strange expression before snorting with laughter.  “No, I don’t think that’s what she was getting at… but we should probably take advantage while we have the chance…”  

She chuckled softly, shaking her head at her daughter’s odd behavior.  “I suppose you’re right… let’s enjoy it then.”  She kissed him once, lingering a moment, before putting on her most suggestive expression, still giggling a bit at the strange situation.  “I’ll see you tonight.”

He huffed, smiling in amusement.  “I look forward to it, cyare.”

——————————

And what a night it was - no interruptions, no magical toddlers opening their locked door from another room, no teenagers awkwardly commenting on their poor attempts at being quiet.  While they adored their growing clan, it was nice to have a few uninterrupted hours just for them - to just be in each other’s presence without anything else needing their attention.

Eventually, they’d nodded off to sleep, bodies still wrapped around each other, after a wonderful evening of slow and sensuous intimate activity and long conversation - things not typically indulged when one has children sleeping in the next room over.  Omera wondered humorously as she fell into slumber if she should thank her daughter for this in the morning.

Omera awoke as sun filtered in through the small window to Din absentmindedly running a hand through her hair.  He didn’t seem to realize she was awake and was staring off into the distance, apparently deep in thought.  

She reached a hand out to push a lock of hair off his forehead as his gaze turned toward her face.  “Good morning… You look pensive.  Is everything alright?”

He grinned at her lovingly, but the serious expression remained on his face.  “Yeah… everything’s fine…”

“What is it, Din?  You’ve got that look like you need to tell me something.”

He chuckled and leaned forward to kiss her.  “You know me too well, cyare.”  He paused, gathering his fortitude.  “Uhhh… I think Winta did this because she wanted to give us an opportunity to talk…”

She gestured for him to continue.  “Okay… out with it…”

“I…”  Din paused again, looking down at their bare forms.  “Hold on.  This isn't right.  I should at least put some pants on…”  He started to rise, but she pulled him back down.

“No - quit stalling…” she scolded him.

He closed his eyes for a moment and breathed deeply, letting out a long exhale.  “Okay… You know I’m committed to you…”

She put a hand to his cheek.  “Of course.  I’ve never doubted it for a second, Din.  And you know I feel the same.”

“Well… I was thinking… Now that everything is settled with the darksaber… and there’s little risk of Bo-Katan murdering me…”  Omera nodded, grinning in amusement.  “We could take the marriage vows - and make it official… maybe at the same time we do the adoption.”  He looked at her nervously, and Omera found it humorous that after all these years he would even consider the possibility that she might say ‘no’.

She smiled at him affectionately.  “That would certainly satisfy the town gossips, wouldn’t it?  Of course, Din.  I would love to marry you.”

“Yeah?”  He sounded almost surprised.

She nodded and brought her forehead to his.  “I love you… cyare …”

He chuckled at her use of Mando’a.  “I love you, too… sweetheart …”

She laughed and pulled him towards her to kiss him soundly.  “Come on - let’s get dressed and tell Winta the news.  She’ll be very pleased with herself.”

——————————

None of the five members of their small family were ones for drama or frills, and it was decided that they would simply take both the Sorgani and Mandalorian vows in the privacy of their own home.  There was nothing to prepare and no need to wait, so they held their small ceremony sitting around the kitchen table just before second meal that same day.  Din planned to register everything with the New Republic later to give the marriage and Jai’s adoption legal standing.

Omera had adopted Grogu already, several years ago, to ensure that the long-lived toddler would have legal guardianship if anything were to happen to Din.  But they included him in the adoption vows anyway, making clear that all three children could call Din and Omera their parents and each other siblings.  They were now, in every sense, a real family.  

Jai managed to keep their composure - barely - as their new siblings enveloped them in an affectionate embrace while Omera squeezed their hand from across the table.  Eventually, Winta broke away to go wrap her arms around Din's neck from behind his chair whispering, “Buir…”, to which he responded by grasping her hands where they rested across his chest and whispering back with a smile, “Ad’ika…”

But Winta didn’t indulge in affectionate gestures for long.  There was much more pressing business at hand.  “I think it’s time for marriage vows…” she exclaimed, sitting back in her seat.  “Stand up.  Hold hands.”  She gestured for them to get moving.

“Stars, we’d better do what she says,” Omera muttered with humor, glancing at Din as she got up from the table.  He did the same, coming to stand in front of her and taking her hands in his own.  She smiled at him brilliantly, and he couldn’t help but wonder how he got here.

Din had once believed that he’d likely not make it to his thirtieth name day, given his line of work and the general animosity he encountered toward his kind.  But somehow he got to this place - now on the other side of forty - living a peaceful life with a beautiful partner who he probably didn’t deserve, three amazing children, and a village who welcomed him without ever knowing his face - and still managing to serve his people in spite of everything by helping to rebuild their planet.  Maker, he must be the most fortunate man in the galaxy.

They spoke the vows solemnly but with affection.  Din kissed Omera deeply when they finished, for the first and only time disposing of his self-consciousness with such things in front of an audience - and for once, the children simply smiled at the display instead of poking fun, gleeful to see their parents so happy together.

“I have something for you.”  He spoke softly in her ear as she embraced him, moving to pull something out of his pocket.  She pulled back to look as he held it out in his hand.  “I heard it’s a tradition here to exchange rings, so I asked Axe to make one for you from my armor.  It’s up to you if you’d like to wear it.  I just thought it was right for you to have it.”

She slipped it on her finger and admired its shine in the light.  “Din, when did you have this made?  We only decided to take the vows this morning…”

He blushed slightly.  “My last trip to Trask.  I may have had some encouragement.”  He looked briefly toward Jai who grinned bashfully.  “Do you like it?”

She nodded and kissed him one more time.  “I love it, Din.  Thank you.”

“Good, I’m glad.”  He pulled himself away from her and walked around the table to stand beside Winta.  “I’ve got something for you, too.”

She looked up at him in surprise.  “Din, you didn’t have to…”

“I wanted to.  Like you said, it’s part of our family.”  He pulled out a small pouch and laid it in her hand.  “Go ahead.  Open it.”

She opened the pouch carefully to find a beskar pendant shaped into a mudhorn - the symbol of their clan.  For the first time during this momentous occasion and the emotional events leading up to it, Winta allowed tears to sting her eyes.  “Thank you, Din.”  She huffed out a teary laugh.  “We only talked about this yesterday .  You were already planning on giving this to me…”

“Well, the two of you…”  He gestured to her and Omera.  “You’re mandokarla… You live the spirit of the resol’nare… And anyway, now it’s your right.”

Winta smiled.  “So I’m like… an honorary Mandalorian?”

Din nodded, chuckling and squeezing her shoulder affectionately.  “Yeah, something like that.”

——————————

It had been agreed upon that the news would be kept quiet until the day’s work at the ponds was done, so as not to distract the village from its own sustenance.  Winta was vibrating with excited energy, barely containing herself while she worked.  She managed to keep quiet for an impressively long duration, but by the time the last baskets were being pulled out of the water, she could no longer hold it in.  The news spread quickly.

What was a village to do in such circumstances but to have a celebration?  And Winta, the schemer, planted the seed with one of the village elders to ensure that one more surprise would be had on this eventful day.

The celebration was in full swing.  Nearly every member of the village confronted the happy couple and their lovely children to offer their congratulations.  Din and Jai, honored as they were to be recognized so kindly, were quickly reaching their limits for socialization.  But just as they whispered to each other that they might slip away to take a break, a circle formed around them as the crowd went quiet.

The village elders approached holding an old bottle of spotchka.  Omera seemed to realize what was happening and exclaimed, “Oh, stars!  Who’s idea was this?  I don’t know if…”

Winta nudged her shoulder.  “It was me… They understand it may not be possible for them to take a sip - at least not out here in front of everyone.  Don’t worry - I thought of everything …”

Omera smirked.  “I see… carry on then…”  She gestured to the elders to continue while Din tilted his helmet in confusion.

The oldest approached the two Mandalorians.  “It is customary to welcome new members of our village by offering them a sip of our first bottle of spotchka - the sweat and blood that has allowed us to survive here.  We never offered it to you both out of respect for your creed.  But someone…”  She looked at Winta.  “Thought you deserved to experience the ritual, anyway.  And we all very much agree.  It’s been long overdue.”

Another approached with two small glasses, and a bit of spotchka was dispensed into each, before offering them to Din and Jai.  The two armored celebrants froze then, drinks in hand.  A small bit of panic spread through the crowd.  Had they managed to offend them anyway?  

In reality, Din and Jai were whispering to each other privately through their helmets’ built-in audio, coming to an agreement about their next move.  They turned their visors to look at each other briefly, and then their free hands went to the lip of their helmets, and they lifted them fully off their heads.  

The reaction was comical, really - an entire village standing agape, mouths hanging open in shock, as they took in their beloved Mandalorians’ faces for the first time.

Din looked around apprehensively, not expecting quite this dramatic of a reaction, but finally, he raised the glass as if in toast and murmured a nervous “thank you” before bringing the glass to his mouth and taking a sip.

Now everyone was looking at Jai, who felt they might die under the weight of so many gazes.  Maker, this may have been a mistake.   But they gathered their confidence and took a small sip, their first ever of the strong liquor, before coughing out a gracious “thank you”, as well.

One of the elders who seemed to be the only one unaffected by the reveal, came closer, inspecting the two thoughtfully before looking in Omera’s direction and stating loudly, “He’s… grayer than I imagined - but quite handsome.  Good for you.”  Omera laughed as Din’s face reddened.  The woman then turned her attention to Jai and said matter-of-factly, “You - you look real smart.”

“I’ll take smart over handsome any day.  Thank you.”  Jai’s quip broke the ice as the crowd fell into quiet laughter and finally moved on from their shock, returning to their usual celebratory behavior.

Din turned to Jai.  “You alright?”  While he had grown somewhat accustomed to the feeling of being helmetless around others, he remembered how nerve-wracking it felt the first few times.

Jai exhaled and nodded.  “Yeah… this feels weird, but I’m okay.”

“Want to sneak away for a few minutes?”

Jai breathed out in relief.  “Maker… Yes, please…”

——————————

The celebration went on well into the night, the guests of honor huddled together around the bonfire, looking every bit like the happy family they were.  Winta looped one arm through Jai’s and lay her head on their shoulder, while Din pulled Omera into his side, Grogu trying desperately to stay awake in his lap.  

Din had always loved his life here, and the people with whom he shared it, but now there was an undercurrent of calm and contentment that he’d never felt before - not in his ship, and certainly not in the covert.  He belonged somewhere, and he was loved and accepted there, regardless of intact creeds and religious ideals.

Jai, though, while feeling incredibly blessed by their good fortune in finding such a wonderful family and community, felt no such sense of self-fulfillment.  Their adult life was only beginning, and they were encountering more questions than answers.  What did they want from their life?  How could they reconcile their sense of duty with their intellectual ambitions?  And why couldn’t they picture doing any of these things with a family of their own?

They looked at Din and Omera, enjoying a kind of intimate companionship that felt absolutely foreign to Jai’s mind.  Omera was the lifeblood of this village, born to be a mother and a leader, and Din had found the balance he’d been looking for - one where honor and service still left room for personal happiness.  They looked at Winta, who already knew exactly what she wanted from her life despite being several years Jai’s junior.  Grogu, at least, hadn’t beat Jai on that front yet, but the ageless child would do greater things one day than any of them.  

They all seemed to know so definitively who they were and what they wanted…

But who was Jai ?  What did they want?  They didn’t really know.  Religious indoctrination nearly from birth had stripped them of a sense of personal identity and agency, which they were only now beginning to recover in the safety of this new life.  Jai felt very much like they were on their own with this.

But at least, they thought gratefully, they were not alone…

————————————————————————

Thanks for reading!

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[yamineftis]

Yes to all of this...

Uh, what I’ve also hated about this season is that now the Kryzes are straight up royals.

Like, idk if it was just me but, I never got that impression while watching Clone Wars, my understanding was always that Satine came from a faction that won the civil war and became their democratic leader. Sure she came from an important clan but she never felt like a Queen, no matter how Elizabethan they tried to make her look, so the concept of royals just didn’t seem to bode well with Mandalorians??? Like, we never saw Korkie as a potential next “duke” or someone in line to a “throne”... and the people turned against Satine when she couldn’t protect them, that just doesn’t align with how monarchies work...

So when Bo got the saber in Rebels, it felt like more of her being the one who cared about the planet and who would use the saber as a symbol to rally the clans together, not exactly bc of legitimacy but as a symbol, they all agreed to follow her.

Now in Mandalorian, at first we got “the heiress” as a title for Bo Katan, but it was never presented as bloodright?, in fact, the show purposefully mocked the concept of princess for Bo through Boba, cuz after she treated him like shit, he called her princess to mock her and it felt right!. We know Bo Katan’s past, she was part of a terrorist organization that helped destabilize Mandalore and then realized the wrong of her actions! She was never presented as an actual princess, “sometimes I think the only thing I’m good at is war”.

But by this third season? they bring up Bo’s father and how she was treated as a “princess” while she took the creed...? They have the saber suddenly matter to the nite owls, who have been loyal to Bo since the Clone Wars? And even went against Maul despite him winning the saber in combat?

And now they batlantly ignore any of Bo’s past failures to make her seem like a competent leader, sacrificing the other mandalorians by making them completely imcompetent? Were they seriously telling us the “best warriors in the galaxy” had been letting their FOUNDLINGS, the thing they cherish the most, be eaten and not try to fucking hunt that bird before Bo Katan appeared??? They even made Din lose the saber in a random way instead of making him a vehicle for Bo and the rest to realize the saber shouldn’t be what unites them? Heck, he had to TRIP into the waters for Bo to see the mythosaur and seem like a “chosen one” so the armorer suddenly just accepts her despite calling her a “cautionary tale”...

And it all boils down to Bo being a royal who deserves to lead for the 4th time, idk royalty and mandalorian culture just seem to dissonant. The show made us believe at least Din’s covert put the creed above blood, ya know “foundlings are the future", with the armorer even saying Bo claimed the throne just cuz she was from a “mighty house” and the sword, but all that interesting conflict was thrown out the window this season 💀

Even the dialogue doesn’t seem to make it’s mind cuz you have Din pledging his loyalty to Bo, saying his covert doesn’t care about blood or lineage...yet calling her “lady Kryze” 💀💀💀

"Every leader we've ever had has wielded that blade."

Literally nobody in Bo-Katan's family except Bo-Katan has ever had it. Satine absolutely didn't and given that Pre Viszla had it and claims it's been in his family for generations, we can probably assume that Satine and Bo-Katan's father didn't have it or anyone else in the royal house of Kryze before him. Which means there is an entire ruling family who have ruled for a few generations that appear to have ruled completely legitimately WITHOUT EVER HAVING THE DARKSABER.

Shut the FUCK UP about the stupid Darksaber, it's so meaningless, just LET IT GO.

Literally, the follow-up to Bo-Katan saying that too many Mandalorians have killed each other already wasn't to say she'd earned it in some random battle against a spider droid creature in a mine, but for Bo-Katan to refuse it and demand to be given the right to earn their trust in her leadership without it. The Darksaber was a Viszla family heirloom, it was used to unite Mandalore once but all it's done since then is tear them apart, and Bo-Katan won't be the person to continue to let it do so. Even if she used it to unite Mandalore, she couldn't guarantee the person after her would do the same any more than Tarre could. So the only way to keep it from happening is theoretically to strip it of its power. Refuse to rule through it.

This also would've been a great place to have them acknowledge something like how the only reason they're putting such heavy emphasis on it is because Mandalore's gone, now. They've lost so much of their culture that the Darksaber feels like all that's left. But Bo-Katan knows better, now. She knows that the spirit and culture of Mandalore isn't in the Darksaber, it is in its PEOPLE. So long as the people survive, so will Mandalore. It's not about the Darksaber and it never has been. She's been clinging to it as a spectacle, they all have, but they don't actually need it.

[dinthehottotty]

Catch Me If You Can

Summary: Din finds new meaning to old words.

Warnings: Straight, unadulterated, violently disgusting fluff. It's gross.

A/N: translations at the bottom. No editting.

Those five stupid words got him everytime. They always stirred a childish rivalry between the two of you and he hated it. He was well and grown, those insignificant words should have no effect on him.

But they did.

From the time you were both foundlings it burned him. Not because you were faster than him, because he managed to grab you everytime, but the fact that it always worked on him. He idly wondered if that's why he was so drawn to bounty hunting. Had you trained him to chase?

Often times, when he's flying through the endless streaking that is hyperspace he thinks about you. Hyperspace is to you as visiting the armorer is to his parents. The whirring of hyperspace makes him dream of you saying that like some sick nightmare.

He remembers the first time it's said to him, a couple weeks after he was rescued. He'd seen you, both of you young enough that you hadn't sworn the creed. He remembers you watching him with excited eyes and sneaking over to him when all he wanted was to cry again over the loss of his parents.

"It's easier not to think about it," you'd told him, "and when you do, think about the good things." It had surprised him. He'd never spoken a word, he quickly discovered you were a foundling yourself, rescued only a short time prior. You'd eased him a bit, accepting his quiet nature with your chatty one. He thinks often of your cheeky smile from youth. It's hard to imagine what it looks like now, all he sees when you laugh is just the endless times as children he saw your grin. How you stayed so upbeat he didn't know.

But when he'd dried his tears you begged him to play and he had. "Catch me if you can!" Was shouted and so began his rage because you flashed a devious look over your shoulder as you ran.

You dared him to try.

Then it continued.

Catch me if you can, as you were trained to fight and he'd chase you across the training fields. In the middle of brawls, you'd call it out and he'd immediately turn to chase. It was purely instinctual. How you found him that one time on some outer rim planet, magnitizing trouble his direction, he decided you were bad luck. You'd weezed it as you both sprinted from an unidentifiable creature that was ready to tear you both limb from limb. He'd punched the back of your helmet for it when you were both in private (and you found it hilarious as he shook his knuckles free from pain).

It turned into a joke you'd say. Because he might be faster than you but he always have to push himself to keep up with you. It was competitive but effortless on your part and that brought out the childlike indignation he buried down. You pushed all the buttons in the perfect sequence to rile him up. He hated it. He dreaded it.

You'd appear in the furthest reaches and the most annoying manner, sneaking up on him to whisper it like it was the funniest thing. Swooping in to steal his bounties at the most inconvenient times. He never understood it. You'd catch them just before him and dump them at his feet like a lothcat dropping a womp rat on its owners doorstep. Smug and proud.

You'd jibe him with those five words whenever you could. Some of the most difficult, dangerous bounties that could yield a mighty reward and you'd just... hand them over like it was nothing.

It frustrated him to no end. But there was nothing in the world that felt better than sacking you to the ground, he swears. He loved to win against you, even if it felt like you let him. He always second guesses himself when it happens because you laugh! Like it's all in the fun.

You snare him everytime with that line and he knows he's lost. You were a fierce warrior and honestly he was glad you didn't bounty hunt often. If you did he wouldn't have even half the credits.

You swore the creed before he did. Earned your signet before him. Won a blaster before he did. It was endless chasing and even when you lost he could never understand just why you seemed to enjoy yourself so much. He could never tell if you were a rival or a friend but deep down he always hoped it was just an annoying friend.

He felt like it was a waste of your talents for you to transfer to the covert under medicine instead of mercenary work. To be honest, though he had seen you work, fingers flying effortlessly. They were steady, even when covered in blood.

He tried to tell himself that he was just too exhausted from the last bounty to not clean up his newest wound. A few shallow stabs that he'd acquired in the scuffle of a twi'lek that refused to give in. Din had closed it with an emergency cauterizer but it was mess and awkward, especially the one on his hip.

The excuses kept rolling in his head of what he'd tell you on why he didn't just clean it up himself before he realized he couldn't stop thinking about your modulated laugh or the lightness of your gloved touch compared to his. (He was fully aware of how hard you could hit and was always amazed by the delicacy of your gentle touches.)

It was after he left the Cantina, delivering bounties, collecting rewards, internally punching Kreef, that he finally just admitted he missed you. He missed the only person he might call his friend.

Din is aware that this will be the third time in the last two months that he's sought you out in this manner. That it's becoming a habit instead.

So he tries not to limp to badly to the convert. When he reaches the medical room he feels disappointed that your armor doesn't catch his eye at first. You'd probably been requested on a mission, somewhere important.

That is until he spots you half hidden behind a curtain, hunched over another mandalorian and focused intensely on whatever was under the bandage you were staring at.

He'd seen you do that. You were evaluating. You'd stand still as a droid, thinking about whatever wild random thoughts came out of your head. Another thing that marveled him. You were so creative, always looking for a different way to do things, just for the fun of it. It frustratingly worked in your favor but he thinks it's got more to do with stubbornness than good logistics.

He shuffles that way, and if you notice, you don't acknowledge him as he sinks awkwardly into one of the chairs. He keeps his weight off his hip.

"There is an avaliable baar'ur on the otherside, vod." You murmur without looking up. You'd noticed him, however not noticed it was him.

"I'll wait," he rumbles and your head jerks up in response. He likes it more than he cares to admit because your straightening and evaluating him instead of the man on the table who is no doubt glaring at him. Din thinks it's one of the many that float around and boast for your attention.

"Did you get stabbed again?" You demand.

"Not deep." Your laugh flutters about and then your turning back to your current patient who relaxes as your finally return your attention on him.

"If you want an excuse to see me just ask, you don't have to hurt yourself to do it. Just stop by, bring me some shig." You say and begin to pick up tools. When you remove the bandage Din sees a healing wound. You were checking up on him.

"I'll remember that." He can feel your grin through your helmet.

By the time he was settled on the table for examination, you were already hovering over him. He shifted onto his good side, rolling toward you as he jerked his tunic up. He had to unclip his belt to lower his pants enough for the wound on his hip to show.

You were forced to ignore the glorious dark trail of hair beginning to peak out from the top of them.

He very nearly sighed in relief as your hands carefully braced over either wound and prodded gently. It makes his heart race. "Maker, Din," he could hear you hiss minutely. "Do I have to board your damn trash ship in order to keep you from doing this shit to yourself? I'm giving you bacta."

"Don't need it. And my ship is not trash." He grunts, making you twist your helmet toward his.

"Or'dinii," you grunt lowly. Maybe he was a bit of a moron. "I'm taking your cauterizer away." Finally, you draw away and begin to pull out supplies to clean and dress his wound.

"So I'll just bleed out next time?"

"It'd be a mercy." Din smiles under his helmet as you begin gently cleaning his gashes. You knew by this point that he also refused the local anesthetics by now. He couldnt feel your hands the last time.

Din relaxes against the table, calmed by your presence. "Do you want to stop by for dinner tonight?" You prompt him.

"I have bounties to hunt."

"Tell you what, have dinner with me tonight and I'll help you catch your next few."

"I don't need your help."

"Sure. Sure. I mean, you're totally up to catching me right now." Din feels the spike of emotion in his chest and groans in annoyance.

"I have caught you everytime, wounded or not," he growls. "Were not children anymore." He doesn't expect you to lean down to his helmet. It startles his heart into a sprint as you rub your thumb affectionately over his hip bone. What game was this? All he can see is his helmet reflecting in yours.

"If you haven't realized that I enjoy you chasing me at this point, I may have to spell it out for you, Din." Your threat has a mocking to it that pisses him off more, but he's tense under your thumb stretching to the inside of his pelvic bone. It's taunting, teasing.

"What's the point?"

"Maybe you'll have to try again and find out."

And you rose back to work silently on his wound, letting him mull over your words and over think the tension.

Finally, he's patched up properly and sits up on the table. "What time are you done here?" He asks.

"Twenty minutes ago."

"Why didn't you say anything."

"Doesn't matter, does it?" You make quick work of cleaning up your supplies. "So dinner?" You demand. Din grins under his helmet.

"Fine." He relents, climbing to his feet.

"Good. Oh, and Din," you lean close, backing him into the edge of the stone table your hand presses into his chest plate. "Catch me if you can." Before you take off like there's blaster fire.

You let him catch you this time, right in the entrance to your quarters. He tackles you through the curtain and you roll across the floor, laughing all the way. Clearly, you're enjoying as much as you did playing tag or hide and seek as kids. Despite the bite of pain in his wounds he wrestles your arms to the ground on top of you.

"You like this?" He demands, half amused.

"Yeah, you were the best part of my life when we were growing up, it brings me back, you know?" He tenses when you casually admit that. And the silence hangs heavy, only heavy breathing and the tap of beskar chests heaving against each other.

Then he headbutts the helmet to yours. "I... I think about your smile a lot... from when we were kids." You shift slowly under him, legs framing his hips.

"It's strange isn't it? That we've known each other so long and we don't look anything like we did the last time we saw one another." Your voices lowered.

"We... we could see each other again," he finds himself suggesting. You gasp quietly underneath him.

"Like... like leaving the covert?"

"If you... if you wanted. But..." he hesitates, trying to remember how annoying you were supposed to be. "What if we got married?" He feels more nervous than he ever remembers feeling.

"Okay," you whimper, sounding as breathless as you feel.

"Okay?" He finds himself repeating. Your helmet nods frantically against his.

"Yes, okay!" And he's letting you go of your arms when you sound like your ready to sob. He kind of likes the sound of the beskar armor sliding against more beskar, but suddenly he's exhausted and all he wants is to sink into your warm embrace unhindered. Only rumbling bellies reminding the both of you to detangle.

...

His jump to hyperspace was welcomed this time. His brain swimming around you, his Riduur. His love. His best friend. He could embrace the thoughts of you in hyperspace.

Navarro darts out of view and he settles back in his seat, a pleasant sort of soreness filling his body from his eager activities you'd both participated in. He just wished he could have seen your face after the ceremony, but there wasn't enough time.

"Hey, Din," he hears you call from the doorway of the cockpit. But it sounds different, lighter. You weren't wearing your helmet. A thrill of excitement filled him for a split second. He soaked up a moment before he slowly pilots his chair about.

You weren't just not wearing your helmet, you weren't wearing anything. It stalled his brain to see the shy but mischievous smile as you casually lean against the doorframe. He knows the tightened nipples are due to the cool air of his ship and he takes in the face he's been imagining for nearly three decades.

You smile up at him, mocking him. "Catch me if you can," you murmur softly, but there's no motion to run. Din smiles behind his helmet.

There's no rage this time. Only thrill and awe at the face he's imagined a billion times and how he still couldn't have gotten it right. He reaches for his own helmet lifting it off his head to see his spouse for the first time since they were kids.

....

Baar'ur - Medic

Vod - Brother, sister, comrade

Shig - a hot, tea like beverage

Or'dinii - Moron or fool

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