#they plan on finding him a Mandalorian next time maybe they can find new amusement in that one

[padawansuggest]

Anakin: *after his 5th failed Coruscant driving test in a row* hmm…

Mace: You’re the reason your master is going grey already. This is why I have to take you to this once a month instead of him.

Anakin: That’s fair, but in my defense, I think those speeder bikes weren’t where they were supposed to be either.

Mace: Yes. Because your speeder pushed them on top of that building.

Anakin: …that’s also fair.

[theidiotwhowritesthings]

A Fresh Start [8]

Din Djarin x F!Reader

Warnings: pining, it’s mutual, they’re both just oblivious to the other, mention of fake name use, also I didn’t proofread this as much as I should’ve probs (that’s a warning right?)

Word Count: 3,494

Summary: When  you made plans for your future they never involved being hired by a   Mandalorian to baby-sit his adorable, green gremlin of a child.   However, after your life fell apart in the span of one disastrous night,  you found it to be the only feasible option you had left. Nevarro was a  far cry from Coruscant, but the thriving community turned  out to be  exactly what you needed. Every day you spend in Nevarro you  fall more  and more in love with your new life, but when your past rears  its ugly  head you find that perhaps peace wasn’t meant for everyone.

Ch. #08: YOU’RE HIS HOME

Chapter Summary: First day of school, first day of school!

"I feel this gravitational pull towards you. Like the universe & all the galaxies had a talk and said, 'yeah, it's time'." -Gawn Birdie (On How We Find The One)  

You had a weird mix of excitement, anxiety, and trepidation swirling in your gut. It was Grogu’s first day of school. You were excited at the prospect of him having fun, learning, and making new friends, but it didn’t dull the anxiety you felt. What if the other kids were mean to him? What if he hated it? You wondered if this was how your mother felt on your first day of school. Not that you were his mother, you reminded yourself. As you cooked breakfast, you scoffed and shook your head. You were the nanny. You couldn't let that line in the sand blur.

 “Nanny.” You mumbled to yourself plating Grogu’s favorites. An omelet and fruit. You called out for the kid. “Grogu! Breakfast!”

 You set his food onto his high chair’s tray and began to move around the kitchen packing his favorite snacks to take with him. Grogu’s happy babbling made you glance over your shoulder. He bounded into the room and you picked him up to place him in his seat.

 “Are you excited for school today, Grogu?” You asked while packing.

 “ ‘lek!” He replied, voice muffled from a mouthful of food.

 You paused in your work to reach out and rub his head. “Can you say that in Basic? Can you ‘yes’?” He repeated the word though it came out sounding more like ‘ye’ then ‘yes’. You understood him though which meant his teacher would too if it came up. You lightly bopped his nose with your finger. “Good job, baby. So smart.”

 Grogu preened at your praise. You wondered if he would speak up at school. Maybe not initially, but how long would it take for him to grow comfortable enough to do so? Even if he didn’t speak, he had never had a problem conveying to others what it was he wanted, but you wanted him to practice more.

 “Morning.” Mando greeted.

 He stepped out from the back hall into the kitchen wearing his full suit of armor. You returned his greeting with a smile. “Good morning.” Mando walked around the kitchen island to sit at the bar stool next to Grogu’s high chair. Your eyebrows raised in surprise. “Shouldn’t you be heading out?”

 “I’m going in late. Wanted to be there for his first day drop off.”

 A slow smile grew on your features. You already knew Mando was an above average father, but it was little moments like this that were a reminder. It was one of the many things you found you liked about the man. You motioned to the stove. “You want me to make you breakfast?”

 “No.” Mando raised a hand to shake it. “Don’t worry about me.”

 With a nod, you set the dishes you used to make breakfast into the sink and ran some water into each item briefly. “Hey,” You turned back to Mando as you dried your hands on a dish towel, “I’m gonna run and change then grab his book bag to pack up real quick. Is that alright?”

 Mando chuckled. “I think we can survive, but I’ll call out if breakfast takes a bad turn.”

 You rolled your eyes in amusement and left the kitchen. It wouldn’t take you long to change out of your pajamas into simple day clothes. Just something that would keep you from looking like a bag lady on the streets. Once ready, you swung by Mando’s room to snag the small book bag he had bought for Grogu over the weekend. While in the room you found Grogu’s drawer and packed an extra change of clothes for the boy just in case.

 “Grogu, you’re making a mess.” Mando’s voice drifted toward you as you walked down the hall back into the kitchen. You spotted him standing in front of the high chair trying to keep Grogu from trying to swallow half his omelet whole. The innards were beginning to fall out. “Ad’ika, nayc.”

 “Did breakfast take a bad turn?” You called out.

 Mando glanced over his shoulder with a sigh. “Apparently. I spoke too soon.”

 He wrestled the omelet out of Grogu’s hands and you didn’t step in to help. Instead, you packed the snacks you made into the bag alongside the extra set of clothes. Bag ready to go, you turned and leaned on the kitchen counter to just watch Mando try and clean Grogu while he continued to stuff more omelet into his mouth. These were the kind of mornings you could get used to way too easily.

 Grogu disappeared into the building with the other students, and though he could no longer be seen, you and Mando stood there staring for a second longer. The walk to school had been a cheerful event of letting Grogu walk on his own and following behind him. The morning was calm and anyone you passed greeted the three of you happily. As you had neared the city's center, you noted parents walking their own children to the school. When Mando shifted in place, you turned your attention to him.

 “Off to the station?”

 “Yeah.” Mando nodded. “I’m going to try and get off in time to be here with you for pick up.”

 “Alright.” You motioned down the street. “Can I, uh, walk you to work?”

 Mando stayed stock still. You had gotten good at reading his body language, understanding the tilts and nods of his head, catching onto the emotions that wafted off of him, but this still left you clueless. When he stood frozen it gave you nothing to work with. Finally, he cleared his throat. “Sure.”

 The two of you walked side by side in the direction of the station. You let Mando set the pace, and he chose a slow stroll. For the first minute or so, the two of you were in a comfortable silence. You were mentally trying to puzzle out a way to ask Mando the questions bouncing around in your head. You wanted to know more about Mandalorians, but you didn’t want to overstep.

 Mando spoke before you found your words. “How have you been sleeping?”

 “Oh.” You hadn’t expected him to ask about that. “Pretty good. Dreamless sleep. The best kind.”

 Apparently all it had taken to cure you from that repetitive memory was sleeping a few hours in Mando’s bed with Mando and his son. Not the solution you thought you’d find, but you were hardly complaining. In fact, all it took was one night of passing out with Mando and Grogu within reach to make sleeping in your own bed feel lonely. You were even tempted to ask to sleep in the bed again. Tempted, but not stupid enough to actually go through with it.

 “I wanted to, um, ask you about something, Mando.” You started and were caught off guard when he stopped walking to look at you. You offered him a nervous smile. “If that’s okay?”

 “I thought we were past you being timid.” He said. “I don’t want you to be scared to ask me anything, cyar’ika.”

 His words settled your nerves. You chuckled. “I know. I’m not scared, but this…” You shrugged. “I wanted to ask you about your culture and Mandalorians in general. I just didn’t want to blind side you with it.”

 Mando nodded. “I appreciate that.” He began to walk once more and you followed. “Ask.”

 Alright. Now you had to figure out what to ask and what order would be best. You paused to think it over and Mando gave you the time without pressing further. You twisted your lips before just picking one. “You can’t take your helmet off, right? Not in front of anyone but Grogu?” Mando nodded in confirmation. “Why? Is it because he’s your son? Can Mandalorians only show their face to their family?”

 “Yes. There was a period of time where… Grogu was separated from me.” Mando said. You frowned at this. “It wasn’t sudden. I knew it would come. My entire goal was to one day return him to his own kind, but…” He tilted his head. “It was still difficult. He came back though⏤ to stay. Once I knew I wouldn’t have to lose him, we went through gai bal manda.”

 “What’s that?”

 “An adoption ceremony. At that point, he officially became my foundling.” Mando finished. There was a beat before he added a clarification. “That’s why I can show him my face. If I married, I could show my riddur my face as well.”

 You connected the dots. “Riddur.” Whenever you spoke Mando’a it sounded so awkward, but you loved when Mando spoke it. The way the words rolled off his tongue in that hoarse voice. “Wife?”

 “Yes.”

 “Okay.” You hummed. “Is it safe to assume you don’t have a riddur?”

 Mando let out a breathy laugh. “It’s safe to assume that, yes.”

 “Does that mean only Grogu has ever seen your face?”

 This time Mando didn’t reply immediately. But, in the same way that he gave you the time to think through a question, you gave him time to think about his answer. After a minute passed, you were worried you had insulted him in some way. You didn’t think that question was so bad.

 “I was a foundling.” Mando said. “A Mandalorian saved me and took me in. As a child, I took the Creed. That’s when I was given my first helmet. No living creature saw my face until recently.” You listened intently as his spoke. His voice stayed firm and strong, but there was an underlying tone that conveyed his hesitance. “I showed my face to save Grogu then again to say good-bye. I never should’ve put the helmet on again.”

 Your eyes widened and you nearly tripped over your feet. “What do you mean?”

 “In showing my face, regardless of the reason, I broke my Creed.” Mando admitted. “I…” His feet slowed to a stop again and when you paused beside him he shifted to face you a bit. “I am not Mandalorian any longer. I am an Apostate.” You weren’t sure how to respond to that. It seemed silly to you that a man so dedicated to his creed and people could be exiled simply for showing his face⏤ especially since he did so to save Grogu. However, this was not your religion. It wasn’t your place to input your opinion into the conversation. The creed, no matter how ridiculous it seemed to you, was extremely important to him. You respected that. You respected him. Mando sighed, “I have to travel to Mandalore. Bathe in the Living Waters found there in order to redeem myself.”

 “I thought…” You narrowed your eyes, “Wasn’t Mandalore glassed? I heard stories that⏤ that the world was destroyed.”

 “It was.” Mando nodded. “There are rumors that the planet has recovered enough to be visited. It’s no longer poisoned.” There was so much hope in his voice that it brought a small smile to your face. “I planned to go, but Karga offered me the role of Marshal here. As much as I wanted to go…” Mando didn’t speak for a moment, his hands drifted to his hips as he shrugged. “Grogu deserves a home. A safe place to grow.”

 You tilted your head a bit, trying to gauge how to word this, “Right, and I think it was very… honorable of you to make that decision, but you should know, Mando.” You lifted a hand to set on his arm, the beskar cool to the touch. “You’re his home.” Mando stared down at you silently. It was scary how powerful Mando’s gaze could be considering his face was hidden. Maybe that was for the sake of the universe. You weren’t sure you could withstand looking directly into his eyes. “That kid adores you. Wherever you go in the universe, home is when he’s with you.”

 Mando gave you a slight nod, appreciative, and he cleared his throat. “Thank you. For saying that. You didn’t have to.”

 “I’m just stating the obvious, silly.” You laughed. The two of you began to walk again in peace. There was a small pit in your stomach as you realized you’d never see his face. You’d never know what Mando looked like. It didn’t matter, not really, but you were much too curious to not mourn that realization. He was still Mando. The man who hired you to care for his son, your friend the Marshal and Mandalorian. Regardless of the technical definition, he’d be Mandalorian in your eyes. You had never met a man as strong, admirable, loyal, or honorable as him. So, nothing would change, but you’d always wonder.

 ‘Brown’, you thought, ‘He has to have brown eyes’. Maybe a soft brown like sunlight passing through a glass of amber whiskey. It had to be warm though. That’s what being around him felt like, that’s what you imagined his gaze to radiate. Lying in the grass letting the sun pour over your skin. A thick blanket being wrapped around you on a cold, winter night. A mug of caf held between your hands. It didn't matter that he was covered head to toe in the silver, cool to touch beskar. Mando was just warm.

 “What are you thinking about?” Mando questioned.

 Your eyes widened at being caught. You couldn’t exactly tell him you were daydreaming about the color of his eyes. Instead, you held up two fingers. “Two more questions.” He nodded. “First, that thing you do with Grogu, where you set your forehead against his, is that a Mandalorian thing or just a you thing?”

 “Mandalorian.” He answered. “Kov’nyn.” You repeated the word and Mando chuckled at the sound. “It’s…technically it means head butt. It’s a way of showing affection.”

 “Mandalorians would use a type of attack to show love.” You snickered. Mando surprised you by stepping close enough to lightly bump his shoulder into yours as you walked. Up ahead, you could see the station coming into view. “Is it just a family thing?”

 “No. Any kind of affection. Friends, family, lovers. It just depends on the context of the action.”

  “Alright,” You nodded and came to a stop outside the station’s front doors. Mando stayed beside you giving no intention of running in. “Can I ask you my second or am I out of time?”

 “Ask, cyar’ika.” Mando chuckled.

 You pointed at him. “That. What does that word mean? You never told me.” You watched his shoulders stiffen. The movement so minute you nearly missed it. You crossed your arms with a playful smirk. “Come on. It can’t be that bad. You’re not walking around calling me an idiot or something are you?”

 Mando scoffed. “Never.” You raised an eyebrow at him and he sighed. “It just means… The best translation is…” He shrugged. “Sweetheart. I suppose.” The smirk fell off your face and a warm sensation ran through your veins. This entire time, he had been calling you sweetheart? You knew that technically didn’t mean anything romantic, but the term of endearment made you soft regardless. Mando held his hands out toward you as if you were a startled animal about to run. “I can stop. I didn’t mean⏤”

 “No.” You shook your head, pasting a smile on your face. “Don’t.” He tilted his head and you cleared your throat feeling embarrassed yourself at how that sounded. “I, um, it doesn’t bother me. I like it.” To be honest, coming from Mando, you would rather him call you that than the fake name you had given. It felt right. You reached out to lightly knock your knuckles against his chest. “I guess this just means I need to find a nickname for you, huh?”

 “I guess so.” Mando chuckled. “What’re you going to do today?”

 “Huh.” Your eyebrows raised at the question. You honestly hadn’t thought about what you were going to do with all the free time you had while Grogu was at school. “I don’t know. Maybe clean up the house some. Go shopping? We need groceries. Uh…”

 Mando set a hand on your shoulder. “Do something for yourself today. Relax.”

 “I don’t know if my boss would be happy with me lounging on the job.” You joked.

 He shook his head. “I wouldn’t lose any sleep worrying about that, cyar’ika.” You bit down on your lower lip hearing his term of endearment for you come from him. Mando’s hand trailed down your arm to lightly squeeze your hand. “There isn’t much your boss wouldn’t let you get away with.”

 Mando’s hand fell away from yours and you watched him trail into the station. As you stared at the door where he disappeared you repeated the mantra in your head repeatedly. He’s your boss. Mando was off limit. He was just your boss.

 The day was non-eventful and dragged on slowly. Din had a feeling it had something to do with Grogu’s first day of school. It felt odd to send him into the building without someone by his side⏤ someone he trusted explicitly. He knew how important it was though, and Din didn’t want Grogu to feel any of the hesitation he felt. Din didn’t want it to ruin Grogu’s day.

 Though he had been so worried to drop Grogu off, he was excited to see how his son’s first day in school went. His feet carried him down the path back towards the school. Walking down the street of Nevarro, the same one he did this morning, his thoughts drifted to you. Din didn’t think he was going to end up talking to you about his Creed or his postponed future plans to travel to Mandalore to redeem himself. He surprisingly felt good about the conversation though. He liked that you knew that about him⏤ he wanted you to know that about him. It was an important part of his life, and you were slowly becoming important to him as well.

 The smile you wore when he told you what ‘cyar’ika’ meant was going to haunt his every dream for the foreseeable future.

 In the distance, he saw a small crowd standing outside the school. Parents waiting for the class to end. Din scanned the mass of people quickly and found you standing off to the side waiting patiently as the others did. Maker, you were pretty. Every single day it seemed like he noticed something new to admire. You were a kriffing work of art. Din could bask in your glow all day and never tire. As if you could feel his gaze, you turned and noticed him. Your face brightened with a grin, your hand lifting to greet him, and Din swore he felt his heart stutter. Dank farrik, you had him feeling like a teen with his first crush.

 “Hey, Mando!” You said as he grew closer. “How was work?”

 “It was fine. Non eventful. Did you spend some time relaxing today?”

 You chuckled. “I did. Spent the afternoon reading, and I got lunch with Nima.” You elbowed him in the side, a little nudge. “Plus, I even had time leftover to buy groceries.”

 The sound of laughing children had you both turning to face the school’s doors. A teacher stepped out and said good-bye as a group of older children rushed out. When they had passed, a different teacher led a line of young children out the door and toward the crowd. The kids began to disperse, eager to see their parents, and the teacher confirmed the sighting of each parent before letting them run away. Din saw Grogu bouncing in place, tugging on the edge of the teacher’s skirt, and when she glanced down at him Grogu pointed across the crowd. She nodded happily and Grogu took off away from her.  Din laughed and opened his arms in time for Grogu to leap into his chest.

 “Did you have fun, ad’ika?” Din chuckled again. It was moments like this that reassured Din of the choices he made. Grogu was happy. That was all he could ever really ask for.

 “ ‘lek! Buir,” Grogu continued to ramble on. After a few more lines of nonsensical babbling, Grogu abruptly stopped and turned his head to look around. His eyes landed on you, just a few steps away with a warm look drawn on your features, then reached a hand out to call you closer. “K’olar! K’olar!”

 Grogu was begging for you to come near, and you didn’t need to know Mando’a to understand what his son wanted from you. Din took a step closer, to meet you halfway, and he tried to hand Grogu over to you. Rather than leaping into your arms, Grogu grasped onto one of your outreached hands and just held on while staying in Din’s arms. The action made it so Grogu was nestled between the both of you. You showed no sign of discomfort from being so close. Instead, you held Grogu’s hand, resting your wrist against his arm, and used your other hand to lovingly rub his head. Content with his position, Grogu went back to babbling about his day.

 You listened intently. Nodding along and interjecting with vague questions to encourage Grogu to continue. Meanwhile, Din could only revel in the bubble of bliss that surrounded all of you. Din wanted to wrap one of his arms around your shoulder, pulling you in even closer, and that thought was dangerously tempting. You were Grogu’s nanny. You were off limits.You were not his to hold.

mando’a translations

Ad’ika: son nayc: no Gai bal Manda: adoption ceremony Riddur: spouse Kov’nyn: Headbutt Cyar’ika: Darling, sweetheart Buir: Father Ko’lar: Come

[maybege]

Safe And Warm - Part 1

Summary: Din convinces Paz to find the long lost Princess and bring her to her family in Coruscant. What Paz did not expect was her very beautiful companion and the feelings she would wake in him. (Anastasia AU)

Pairing: Paz Vizsla x fem!Reader

Wordcount: 6.1k | Rating: T

Warnings: one (1) tense moment of threatened violence, otherwise Disney-level fluff, also Mandalorians do not wear helmets in this AU

FINALLY! When I start writing this in November of last year I certainly did not expect it to take this long until I would publish it but the writing gods had other things in mind. This is a loose Anastasia AU with a bit of a mixture of like 1920’s fashion/aesthetics set in the Star Wars Universe. It was a lot of fun to write and – in my mind – is like a 90-minute fun Disney movie with romance sprinkled in.

Because there will be two parts of The One posted next week, the second (and final) part of this story will be posted on July 23. Always, feedback is greatly appreciated and I hope you enjoy it!

masterlist | crossposted on AO3

Paz was sure that Din had lost his mind.

To be fair, he had thought that more than once but this time he was convinced that it had finally happened. Din Djarin had lost his stars forsaken mind.

But, as always, Din did not seem to be deteriorated by his friend’s disapproval.

“Valoria has been destroyed a long time ago now,” Paz said, “And everyone on it has been destroyed with it.”

“Yes, except maybe what if it hasn’t?”

Paz scoffed, “I very much doubt that.”

His eyes wandered around the cantina they were sitting in. The bar was packed by what seemed to be the crews of the trade ships, gambling and laughing at their tables, and over on the other side of the glittering gown of the singer caught his eye. Stars, he just wanted one calm evening …

“Paz,” Din grabbed him by the upper arm, “We all know the remaining Valars are Coruscant royalty so to speak and them setting out a price for the lost princess? That must mean she is out there somewhere. And wewill be the ones to bring her home.”

Paz did not say anything. He wanted nothing more than another drink and maybe watch a good fighting match. Stars, maybe even participatein a good fighting match.

But Din did not give up. He never did.

“Think of the money, Paz,” he implored, “That would be more than enough to build a new classroom in the covert and get you one of those fancy new blasters the Armourer has been eyeing – and that would only be with half your share.”

Paz hesitated.

They did need a new classroom. Or at least some improvements on the current one. Last week, some bricks had tumbled down and it had been pure luck that none of the foundlings had been there.

He would have never been able to forgive himself if something had happened to one of his students.

He sighed in defeat, his shoulders dropping and he leant back in his chair. “How do you plan on finding – what’s her name again Thama-something?”

“Thalassa,” Din corrected him with a smug grin on his face. He had probably realized by now that he had captured Paz’s interest. Smug bastard.

“And you’ll be glad to know that I have found her already.”

“Found her?” Paz was stunned, “I am impressed, vod. You never seemed like the planning type.”

Din ignored his jab and set out the map, the galaxy lighting up between them. “A reliable source told me we can find her here,” he pointed to the very end of the map, symbolizing the edge of the Outer Rim, “All we need to do is get her from here to here,” he drew an imaginary line all the way to Coruscant, “Without having anything happen to her.”

“Seems easy enough,” Paz commented, brows furrowing, “So why do you need me for it?”

“There might or might not be a price on her head … from the Imps,” Din admitted.

He knew there had to be a problem somewhere.

“Do you have any idea how many things can go wrong? This is asking for trouble Din,” Paz cursed, clearly unhappy with that tidbit of information, “No credits in the whole wide galaxy would make this worth it. I have no desire to have a run-in with the Imps any time soon.”

“Vod, please,” Din said, “I – kriff, I need the money to get stuff for the kid,” Paz's eyes fell to the little pod in which the green child – his honorary nephew – was sleeping, “I need him safe, alright? And I need your help, brother, please.”

“Alright,” Paz murmured, nodding, “But I already know this will go wrong.”

*

Din’s ‘hot tip’ led them to a planet on the Outer Rim. The very edge of it, to be exact.

They had gotten a ride on a friend’s ship much to Paz’s amusement. Din begrudgingly calling Boba Fett of all people for help all the way from Tatooine was the highlight of his week – month, even.

The Razor Crest was hopelessly broken down and Paz was sure that Din would use significant amounts of his share to get the ship and his home back on track.

They had left Grogu with the covert under the watchful eye of the Armourer, knowing that the mission would be too dangerous and too risky to take him along. That was the moment Paz knew that Din was serious about all of this. For his vod to leave his kid somewhere that was not with him – that was a big step.

A step which both of them seemed to regret as they landed on the planet in question. It was muddy and green and brownish, a wholly unappealing colour palette. The sky was dark or … well, not dark. But it seemed to be a permanent twilight no matter what time it was and with the small drizzle, the rain seemed to paint the whole world a constant grey.

The only homes that littered the streets – or rather trampled paths – were small homes, only distinguishable from the grey horizon by the small fires that lit up their windows.

Paz had never been so sure that there would never be a princess here. But maybe that was exactly what made this the perfect hiding spot.

And so, he hoisted his bag higher on his bag as they trudged through village after village in search for whatever sign Din deemed to be worthy to stop for. As the rain lessened, the sky lightened up a little but they were still wet to the bones and Paz hated it.

After hours of walking, Din finally stopped in front of a small hut.

Children were playing in the space between the houses and the few adults that seemed to be working outside eyed the newcomers suspiciously. Paz’s hand felt the blaster on his hip, a strange feeling overcoming him at being watched.

“I don’t like this, vod,” he murmured, “I really don’t.”

Din hummed in agreement before knocking on the door.

A few moments passed and then an elderly man opened. Both his eyes and his hair were grey, he seemed … worn. Tired and worn. But when he spotted them, and his eyes flew immediately to the weapons on their hips, he tensed. And so did Paz.

Surely this was not the best first impression they could make.

Then again, he was impatient to get away from here.

“I know why you are here,” the man said, his eyes lighting up in excitement as he motioned for them to come inside.

Paz was confused by this but he did not complain. The man did not seem to have any weapons on him and, as surprising as it was, he seemed genuine.

The house they were led into was simple. The downstairs consisted of a single room, serving as both the kitchen and the living room, and a set of stairs led to what Paz assumed to be the bedrooms.

A hearty smell wafted through the air and he spotted a pot hanging over the fire. His stomach growled.

“You are here to bring her home, aren’t you?” the man asked excitedly and both he and Din tilted their heads questioningly, making no secret of the fact that they were surprised by his warm welcome.

“We have been waiting for years but you see,” the man explained, gesturing to the outside, “there is no way to send reliable messages out there without them being able to be transferred.”

A woman came through a backdoor, clearly his spouse. She wore an apron and a suspicious look on her face as she spotted the two intruders. But even then, she did not acknowledge them. Instead, she walked over to the steaming pot of soup and set it on the table in the middle of the room.

Paz heard Din’s stomach grumbling and grinned.

“They are here to bring Thalassa home, darling,” the man explained, looking almost relieved and Paz furrowed his brows. He did not put it past the stranger to genuinely be happy for the girl to get back to her family but somehow, he had the feeling that the man’s happiness had a different reason.

“Where can we find her?” Din asked gruffly, shifting his weight on the other foot, “We want to get going as soon as possible.”

“Why should I tell you where she is?” the woman spat, “I cared for her like she was my own, what makes you think I would so easily give her away?”

“Because she deserves to be reunited with her family,” Din stated drily, “And her family wants to see her. They have waited a long time for this to happen.”

Paz held onto himself to not roll his eyes. Din could always be so dramatic if he wanted to and he hoped that it would work. He just wanted to get on with it.

The spouses looked at each other for a long moment and Paz could tell that they were having a conversation without words.

“Alright,” the woman finally relented, before adding, “But I do have one condition.”

“What is it?”

“I want you to take my niece with you. She – she has been stuck on this planet for far longer than she needed to. She is a good girl, she deserves a chance in the big worlds.”

Paz could feel how tense Din was. His first instinct was to disagree. They would have trouble smuggling one princess across the galaxy but a princess and another random stranger? Besides, who knew how this niece would hinder them on their quest to keep the princess safe?

No, that really was a ridiculous idea.

But Din was better at lying than he was and so he agreed with a reluctant nod. Nothing would speak against just taking the princess with them once they found her, right?

“Where is she then?”

“Oh, they’re just outside, working in the gardens,” the older woman says, wiping her hands on her apron, “You can tell them dinner is ready. You’re invited to stay as well, you won’t be able to walk back to your ship in that darkness.”

Both of them nodded and Paz was happy to set down his bag at the door that led outside. He kept his blaster on his hip though and he knew that Din had done the same. His thoughts were rushing with how quickly they could get Thalassa out of here and how long they would have before any of the Imps had an inkling of where she was.

But as he stepped down the stairs all thoughts left his head because … because …

There you were.

Like the lady had said, you were working in the gardens. You were kneeling on the muddy ground, your hands full of wet earth as you cleaned the plants of any weeds. Your companion was next to you, sitting on a small chair and talking to you. She must have said something funny because you threw your head back and laughed.

You – stars, you were beautiful.

How could people not see a princess when they saw you?

Noticing the newcomers, you raised your head and your eyes grew wide as you saw the two big men walk determinedly towards you. You hurried to stand up, wiping your hands clean on an apron. “How can we help you?” you asked carefully.

Paz did not slow his steps. He felt how flushed he was, even the tips of his ears felt hot as he walked towards you. His chest was oddly warm and tight as he looked at you, your eyes big and your mouth opening with another question.

“Your Majesty,” he murmured, lifting your hand to his mouth and kissing the back of it. You had wiped them clean on the fabric of your skirt and he felt how soft it was and he heard you gasp and oh stars how would he ever be able to forget this very moment.

The other woman seemed to be more excited rather than surprised and he heard her talking to Din in a high-pitched voice. But what did he care about that woman’s niece when you were there right in front of him?

“Oh I – I’m not,” you said, clearly embarrassed. You held your hand to your chest, the one he had kissed and Paz frowned. Shame filled him when he realised that he had made you feel uncomfortable but then he was also confused by your words. What did you mean?

“If anyone’s a Majesty, that would be me,”the woman behind him said, “It’s been time I would think.”

“We’re here to get you back to your family, Your Majesty,” Din said, throwing an amused look to Paz who was still standing in front of you. He looked from the other woman to you and back again. She – she was the princess? And you were the niece?

“We will start our journey to Coruscant tomorrow,” Din announced, “We got a ticket on a freighter ship booked. It will be a long and dangerous journey, princess, but you will see your family again soon.”

“Well, I should hope so,” Thalassa replied, wholly unimpressed, “It’s been years, I almost thought I’d never leave this forsaken place. Oh, is that dinner I smell?”

The princess walked off without another word, leaving the basket and little chair behind as well as Din and Paz looking at each other and realizing that keeping her safe might not be the issue – enduring her might cost them their last nerves.

Paz watched as you kneeled down again quickly putting some of the vegetables in the basket.

With the basket in your hands, you stood up again, looking at Paz for a long while. He felt how this warm feeling came back and nervously shifted on his feet. He could not figure out what it was about you but he – he wanted more. Wanted you more.

You took a deep breath, seemingly gathering your courage for something, and he resisted the urge to take your hand.

“When, uh, when you said you would go to Coruscant did you mean … me too?” you asked quietly and the small hope in your eyes made his heart clench.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Din opening his mouth. He knew that look on his face, knew that Din would reject your request just like they had planned when your aunt had first voiced that condition. Din would tell you that they would leave only with the princess in tow. And he was right, probably. Fewer people meant less danger.

But you did not look at Din.

You looked at him with a small smile on your lips as if you did not allow yourself to be hopeful yet but as if you wanted to be. Wanted to be hopeful. Wanted to be excited. Wanted to be on this journey.

He wanted to change that.

“Yes,” he said, already feeling Din’s eyes on him. But when you looked at him like that there was no way he could say no, “Yes, you will come with us too, if you’d like, of course.”

*

To no one’s surprise (and Paz’s excitement), you wanted to come along.

Already the preparations for the trip were eating at their nerves. Thalassa was more than annoyed that she was only allowed to take one bag with her. But Din was adamant and surprisingly patient with the demanding princess and soon she had reduced her luggage to only the essential items. It was not like she would need her muddy dresses in the high society of Coruscant.

Paz felt like he could not wait until the trip was over.

The next morning, they were able to borrow speeders from the family which would take them to the capital of the mud planet. From there, they would take one of the big cruiser ships to Naboo.

It was the easiest method to fall under the radar – by blending in with the large crowds that flocked to the core worlds. Paz had worn his best suit for that exact purpose.

The only downside was that the Imps were slowly becoming aware of that loophole and more and more of them infiltrated the standard ways of travelling.

Already in the terminal did Paz spot a few suspicious-looking people. They were most likely bounty hunters but he was not too worried. The ship they were boarding was enormous and so was the number of passengers. The odds of them crossing paths were very slim and so he and Din decided to not change their plans at the last minute.

You, on the other hand, seemed to be intimidated if not scared. Din has assigned you the space on Paz’s speeder and with your arms wrapped around his middle, you had driven hours on end until you had reached the spaceport. He had liked the proximity, the way you had pressed your cheek against his back and how your arms had sometimes tightened around him.

He could very well get used to it.

Now, even as you were in the terminal, ready to board, you stuck to his side. It flustered and pleased him to have you so close that your arm was brushing against his constantly. But he was also relieved to have you this close because everywhere he looked, strangers were walking towards the gates and he did not want to lose you in this chaos.

And so, he made it a point to make himself seem bigger, pushing out his chest and straightening his posture to make sure that none of the other passengers would stray too close.

You sent him a grateful smile.

A few rows before you, he could hear Thalassa’s high-pitched voice complaining about one thing or another and soon he recognized Din’s dark hair in the masses. He wondered if his brother in arms was even listing to her. Her voice was shrill and she had not stopped talking for one moment since leaving the house this morning so Paz found it hard to imagine that Din could just tune it out but he hoped for his sake that he could.

He did not want to imagine the next few days on the ship.

“Do you have the tickets?” you asked quietly beside him, pulling him out of his thoughts. Paz nodded and rummaged in the inside pocket of his jacket. He brought out two data chips, handing you one.

“Stick close,” he advised you, “It can get a little chaotic, getting through the gates.”

With big eyes, you nodded. He watched how you took a deep breath and then you were separated from him, being pushed towards another gate. There was a sea of people trying to get through the electronic controls and Paz did not like this suffocating feeling that came over him

He pushed the chip in and the gate opened with a beep before he was swept up again by the masses making their way into the hull of the ship. But there was something – or rather someone – missing.

Paz turned around, trying to spot you. When he did not see you, he grew panicked. He could care less what happened to Thalassa but you– he wanted to make sure you were safe.

Hoping that it would help, he shouted your name over the chatter of the other passengers. He turned around, fighting his way back to the gates, pushing against people and getting insulted in more languages than he understood.

A soft hand grabbed his and he froze. He whipped his head around and there you were, looking clearly a bit overwhelmed but smiling at him. He breathed a sigh of relief, his shoulders dropping. Out of instinct, he grasped your hand tighter, rubbing his thumb over your knuckles.

“Ready?” he asked and you nodded with a smile.

Neither of you let go of each other’s hand.

*

Hours later, when the ship finally started taking off, you were settled in the cantina.

The ship had dorms and suites and common rooms, more than anyone could ever count, but Din and Paz had decided that it would be safer for the time being to be in the cantina before figuring out any sleeping arrangements.

“I don’t understand why we couldn’t have gotten a suite,” Thalassa hissed, looking around her with disdain. It was clear that she did not appreciate being around ‘commoners’ as she had called them before and Paz wondered how she had lived her life in poverty and still ended up like this.

Fittingly enough, he could see how Din’s jaw clenched, how his eyes flashed with annoyance, and grinned. When he had thought of credits he certainly hadn’t thought of how annoying royalty could be to deal with.

“It would be too obvious, Thalassa,” you explained gently, sitting next to Paz and a datapad in your lap, “They already explained before. It will only be for a few days. Isn’t that right, Paz?”

His heart skipped a beat at you saying his name. You were already looking to him for backup, as if you trusted him with it, and the way his name rolled off your tongue … stars, he would dream of that tonight.

“Very right,” he replied, “Three days at the most, all of this will take less than a week if we’re lucky.”

“And if we’re not?” Thalassa challenged.

“Then it will take longer,” Din hissed.

Paz grinned. This would be a long journey.

*

When dinner had been served, the group had barely moved from their spot in the cantina.

Thalassa had been busy watching some holovid or another on a datapad and the best part about it was that she was silent. Under different circumstances, Paz might have been annoyed by how loud she was playing the holovid, the actor’s shrill voice sounding all the way through the cantina but he could not be bothered to care when the alternative was to explain to her for the hundredth time why she needed to be happy with the lower standard of accommodation.

Din was sitting next to the princess, thoroughly entranced by studying maps or researching new parts for the Crest or something.

But whom Paz was most focused on was you.

You had started to doze off in your seat next to him for a while now and your head kept leaning dangerously to the side, threatening to fall on his shoulder. Paz was tense. Slowly, he shifted closer to you until your cheek rested fully on his shoulder and he heard you sigh in your sleep and then … you shuffled closer to him.

Paz tensed even more, pretending to read the ship’s safety manual in his hands.

He still felt Din’s amused gaze on him though and he furiously tried to ignore the heat that rose in his cheeks. But you were soft and warm against him, completely relaxed now that your head was supported by something.

He wondered if you were cold. It was drafty in the cantina, maybe he should put his jacket over you? He would be fine with just wearing his shirt and the vest but he would have to move and what if that would wake you?

And how would he get you to your sleeping quarters without waking you? Would you be angry at him? He knew some people had trouble falling asleep on spacecrafts and what if you were one of them and you had finally managed to fall asleep only to be awakened by him and then you would not be able to sleep again and –

“Guess it is time to talk about the living arrangements,” Din muttered.

Thalassa put her datapad on the table with a clatter. “Finally,” she sounded exasperated, “I hope at least our sleeping accommodations will be sufficient.”

At the sound of her voice, you stirred next to him, your brows furrowing. Paz thought you looked adorable, like a loth cat that had fallen asleep in the sun with your cheek squished against the tweed of his suit.

“Hey, love,” he whispered, hoping no one heard how that pet name had slipped out of lips so naturally. He rose his hand to your cheek, gently coaxing you awake.

“Huh?” you murmured, blinking up confused at him before a small smile appeared on your lips.

Then you noticed the position you were in and, clearly embarrassed, scooted away from him.

“I am so sorry,” you mumbled, “That was very inappropriate of me.”

Paz wanted to protest and say that he would hold you in his arms for however long you wanted. He would be gladly at your service should you have need of a human pillow again. But even in his lovestruck state, he knew how ridiculous that sounded and so he managed to keep his mouth shut and only smile tightly at you.

“So,” Din pulled the attention on himself, “We have three beds and four people. One private room for two and one bunk bed in the larger dorms. I’d suggest you girls get the room and Paz and I take the bunk.”

“Absolutely not,” Thalassa protested, completely horrified. Paz furrowed his brows confused over why she was this opposed to something that should actually please her. Having a private room had to be one of the points on her secret lists of requirements, he was sure, why in the stars would she not want to stay in one?

“If people are out there searching for me I want to be roomed with someone who can protect me, not – not her, no offence, honey,” she gestured towards you.

“None taken,” you smiled slightly, then turned to Din, “But Thalassa is right. If people are hunting her like you say they are, then – maybe I should sleep in the dorm? I – surely, it won’t be thatbad.”

Everything in Paz’s stomach turned at the idea of you in one of the big dorms. This was the first time you had ever left your planet and you thought they would throw you into a dorm with a bunch of rowdy passengers? No way.

“Well, then how do we proceed?” Din asked, throwing a knowing look his way, “I guess it is best if Paz would be in the dorms with you, he is intimidating enough that people wouldn’t want to approach you.”

“Intimidating?” you asked confused, turning to look at Paz, “I – I don’t think he’s intimidating at all.”

Paz was positive that he had never been this flustered in his life. You didn’t think him to be intimidating. You were not intimidated by him. You were comfortable with him. Comfortable enough to even share a bunk with him.

“Is that so?” Din asked, hardly able to hide his grin, “Well, isn’t that interesting, Paz?”

Shut up, Paz thought, too focused on how you were still tucked into his side, the sleep barely gone from your eyes, Shut up and let me enjoy this.

*

The walk to the dorm was long and dark and for you, probably quite scary.

Paz was convinced that he had already witnessed at least two spice deals and you weren’t even halfway to the dorm. He was happy about it though because he was not sure what would have happened if anyone thought you had noticed their illegal wrongdoings.

But you were probably unaware of it.

You seemed to make sure never to stray too far from him or the path that you had set out for yourself, your hesitant footsteps echoing around the labyrinth that was the ship. He could see how tightly you were clutching your bag to your chest as he walked beside you and it took everything in him not to put his arm around your waist.

Where did this endless need to touch you come from?

When the door to the dormitory came into view, Paz took a deep breath, shouldered his bag. The weight of his blaster against his hop was a comfort as he braced himself for the worst. Dorms on ships these big … they could be bad.

“We’re bed 32B,” he told you and you nodded your understanding as the door slid open with a creak.

It was a huge room and it seemed endless. Paz could not even see the furthest wall from where he was standing at the entrance. But no matter how big the room seemed, it was absolutely packed with people of all ways of life and it was loud.

You backed up into him, your back bumping against his chest as a sound of fear escaped you.

“It’ll be alright, mesh’la,” he promised quietly, his hands finding your hips as he gently guided you forward. There was a resistance in your steps as he saw you watch your new surroundings. There were several bet games going on and from further down the room he was sure he heard some illegal loth cat races and even more angry shouts at a commotion just to your right.

The bunks that lined the walls each had four levels and Paz was somewhat relieved to find that your assigned bed was on the third one. Far enough up to avoid getting pulled into any of the conflicts. Far enough out of reach that he would have enough time to react if someone tried to come for you.

“I hope you don’t get claustrophobic too easily,” he muttered as he spotted how dark and small it looked. You might be able to sit up fully but he was certainly not.

Before you could step towards the ladder, however, a bright red arm stopped you, blocking your way. You squeaked and stepped right back into Paz’s chest whose arm came around your waist, holding you to him. He tried to ignore how fast his heart was beating at having you this close. Instead, he eyed the man in front of you who grinned confidently.

The alien’s eyes roamed over you slowly, dragging over every single inch of your body and Paz sneered, pulling you closer.

“Oh, where did you get this beauty, Mando?” the stranger asked, his tongue darting out to wet his lips as he leered at you, “How much for a night of entertainment, girly? I promise I pay well.”

Paz did not even blink as he pulled his blaster and held it against the man’s forehead. “Touch her and you are dead,“ he growled, arm tensing around you.

Instantly, all eyes in the room focussed on the three of you and the charged weapon but he could not bring himself to care. His eyes were cold as he stared the man down, his other and still on you and he noticed how your shoulders relaxed.

The man shifted uneasily on his feet before he lifted his hands in a gesture of peace. “Alright, alright,” he muttered, taking a few steps backwards, “She’s yours, I get it, I’m backing off, you see, Mando? No need to point that thing at me.”

Paz did not lower the blaster until the man had disappeared into the darkness of the room. Soon the other passengers started minding their own business again, the chatter picking back up and the hissing of the loth cats sounding above everything else.

“C’mon,” he muttered to you, gently pushing you towards the ladder, “That one’s ours.”

You climbed into the bunk before him and scooted to the very edge of it to make space for him as well. Just as he had suspected, the bunk was too low for him and he needed to duck his head before he could even thinkof crawling into the small space.

The bunk was outfitted like most bunks he had slept in, a curtain to pull close during the night, a net at the side to store a small bag or other belongings and a dim night lamp. He pulled the curtain close immediately, fastening it at the side so no one from the outside could open it easily. Then he switched on the small lamp, flooding the little bunk with warm light.

The first thing both of you did was take off your shoes and putting them at the very end of the bed where a small shelf was located. Paz decided to store his backpack there as well. It did not necessarily feel very safe but he also did not want you to feel uncomfortable. The bunk was slim as it was.

“I – I still need to change,” you noted, shifting in what he now recognized as discomfort.

Paz felt his cheeks heating up at the implication.

“I’ll turn around and, uh, let you change,” he decided and turned his back to you. The only problem was that in his haste to offer you some privacy, Paz forgot that the bunk was not built for people of his size and smashed his head against the ceiling.

“Ouch!” he cursed, “Kriffin’ bantha –“ he grumbled, holding his head and hearing your giggle behind him.

“I’m sorry,” you managed to bring out between your quiet laughter, “It just looked so funny.”

He only grumbled, his head still pounding but his heart fluttering because you sounded so happy. It was lovely.

He took the chance to slip off his suspenders and unbutton his dress shirt, only leaving him in his Henley and his pants. It would be comfortable enough for a night’s sleep, he supposed.

When he felt you shift and rustle beside him, he took it as a sign that it was safe to turn around. This time, he ducked his head, making sure to not even come near the hard ceiling. You were dressed in your night shift, fiddling with your hands in front of your chest.

“Does – does it hurt very badly?” you asked guiltily, “Maybe we can find a bacta pill or something?”

Even in the dim light of the bunk, Paz could see the unease and guilt on your face. And he rushed to make you feel better.

“No worries, mesh’la,” he assured you, “It was just a bump and I suppose from the outside it must’ve been pretty funny.”

You smiled shyly at him, “It was and … if it makes you feel better, the next time I bump my head, you’re allowed to laugh as much as you want.”

With that, you settled down under the blankets, your cheek hitting the pillow as you expectantly looked up at him and patted the spot next to yours. “Aren’t you going to sleep too?”

He had no words. Not only were you smiling at him like that but now you also wanted him to – to really sleep beside you. No staying on top of the covers. No sitting at the end of the bed and looking out for trouble. You wanted him to sleep.

He laid down, turning so his back was towards the curtain and he was facing you. “It’s, uh it’s a tight fit,” he murmured trying to arrange his arms somehow. You smiled, carefully taking his hand and stars your skin was soft and put it behind you on your waist.

Immediately, his fingers spread out on your back, pulling you closer. The fabric of your nightdress was soft under his fingertips and he wondered if your skin felt like that too. He heard you take a deep breath and then he felt your fingers on the exposed skin of his chest, playing with the buttons of his Henley.

His eyes fluttered closed, enjoying your soft touches on him.

“Are you comfortable?” he whispered, your head tucked into his chest, “the blanket’s not very thick I could try and see if they have some more on -“

“It’s alright,” you cut him off, smiling up at him, “I’m – you – you’re very warm, but what is that?”

You shifted again and he felt something hard brush against his belly. He chuckled and put his finger to his lips to shush you with a conspiratory grin. Lifting the blanket, he revealed the blaster between the two of you.

Your eyes widened.

“Safety’s on,” he revealed, “but I don’t want to take any chances.”

You shuddered, “I’m not used to all this – this danger,” you confessed, your finger brushing against his chest and he made sure his hand didn’t flex too much on your back.

“I worry about it,” you said, “Of the things that could happen. Thalassa and I – we’ve never been anywhere but home and now this – this is so much.”

“It’ll be alright,” he promised quietly, “it’ll be alright. Just rest and as soon as you can blink we’re one day closer to Naboo.”

“W-will you be there when I wake up?”

“Yes.”

[lunaserenade]

The Return

Masterlist

Author’s Note: Category is: SUPER SOFT DIN FLUFF! I decided to turn Repairs into part one of a new series: The Mechanic. A big thank you to @toomanystoriessolittletime​ for proof reading!

Previous chapter: Repairs

Final chapter: The Aftermath

Paring: The Mandalorian x F!Reader

Words:  1.6k

Warnings: None

Summary: The Mandalorian returns to see the Mechanic.

***

Tatooine. You’d spent your entire life on this desert rock in the Outer Rim, dreaming of escaping to the lush planets far away. Most days you spent sweating under the dual suns as you worked on the various ships that came through Peli’s hanger, the heat making most afternoons miserable. Today, however, was not one of those afternoons. You felt your heart soar as you saw the pre-Empire ship come in to land in hanger 3-5. The Mandalorian was back.

“Peli! He’s back!” You called out to her, inspecting the Razor Crest for any damage as it set down in the middle of the hanger.

“I hope he still has that kid with him, I adore that little creature.” Peli replied with delight, coming to stand next to you as the gangplank of the ship lowered. You couldn’t help the smile that crossed your lips when you spotted him. You’d been hoping you’d see him again, curious as to what new adventures among stars he had since you saw him last. 

“Welcome back Mando. What did you break on this beautiful ship this time?” You grinned at him and he let out a chuckle.

“Actually I don’t need any repairs this time. I finished a job on a Malastare not far from here and thought we’d come by for a refuel, plus I think the kid missed you two.” Din replied, Grogu cooing excitedly in his arms. If Din was being honest, he had hoped he would see you again if he stopped by Tatooine. He hadn’t been able to get you out of his mind since the evening the two of you spent under the stars, trading stories and working on the Razor Crest. The sight of you illuminated under the moons had stayed with him the two months he had been away, and he couldn’t stop thinking about how you had said you had never left this scorching rock of a planet.

“Hand that sweetheart over to me.” Peli said excitedly, rushing forward to take the child from his arms and practically skipping to her office with the pit droids following her like ducklings.

“What tales of adventure and new planets do you have for me this time, Mando?” You had always longed to see the far off reaches of the galaxy, anything to see something other than the sprawling desert around you.

“Actually I was wondering if you’d like to have one of your own, if Peli can afford to spare you for a few days.” Din said nodding towards Peli, hope building in his chest. He wanted to see the look of joy on your face once you laid eyes on a new, foreign planet.

“Really? You’d take me with you?” Your eyes went wide, you had day dreamed about taking off with the Mandalorian but not once in your wildest dreams did you think it would actually happen.

“There is a planet nearby I think you would love.” The Mandalorian said with a nod. Without even thinking you threw your arms around his waist in a tight hug, the metal of his armor cool against your skin. Behind the visor of his helmet the Mandalorian cracked a massive smile, your joy was absolutely infectious, and lightly hugged you back.

“I’ll go pack! Don’t leave without me!” You gave him one last tight squeeze and rushed off, there was an adventure to be had! Peli had been watching with amusement as the Child babbled excitedly at the pit droids. Maybe that Mandalorian was a bigger softie than she had theorized. She sauntered out of her office, bouncing Grogu on her hip, with a cocky grin on her face.

“Growing fond of my mechanic?” Peli quipped, an eyebrow raised and clearly very entertained.

“I just thought it would be nice to-” He began but his response was waved off by Peli.

“Just keep her safe, Mando. She’s the best mechanic I’ve had through here.” Peli said, her tone taking a more serious tone. “And don’t break her heart.” Despite the beskar Peli saw right through him, she had seen the two of them that night absolutely enthralled by each other.

“I promise.” Din said with a nod. 

***

That evening you sat in the cockpit of the Razor Crest, the Child snoozing quietly in your lap as you soared through space. The beauty of the dark and stars surrounding you was astonishing.

“I didn’t realize how cold it would be out here.” You commented, your teeth chattering slightly. Din set the Crest on autopilot and stood up, carefully removing his cloak and offering it to you. “This should keep you warm until we make it to Naboo.” His gloved hands brushing against your bare arms, raising goosebumps on your skin as he tucked his cloak around you and the Child. “Get some rest, I’ll wake you when we get there.”

You wanted to fight him, not wanting to miss a moment of the journey but found yourself joining the Child in a soft slumber tucked under his worn yet warm cloak.

***

The soft call of your name and gentle touch on your arm stirred you from your sleep several hours later, you hadn’t even realized just how tired you had been from working under the suns the previous afternoon.

“We’re about to land, I thought you should see the view.” Din said softly as you stretched and stood, the Child tucked in your arms, taking in the view of the lush green planet below. He felt his heart swell at the soft gasp that escaped your lips, absolute wonder and delight on your face.

“I’ve never seen anything like it before. There’s so much water.” You were in awe, the lush green hills and blue rivers below astounded you.

“I’ll land near the waterfalls, we can spend the day out in the meadows.” Din replied and you could swear you could hear the smile in his voice. Returning to your seat you studied the Mandalorian as he piloted the Razor Crest to a gentle landing in a sprawling field surrounded by waterfalls that pooled into a large stream that stretched along for miles. You stood next to him as the gangplank lowered, Grogu tucked in the Mandalorian’s side bag. The scenery that greeted you made your heart race, you had always wanted to escape from Tatooine to see the galaxy and as many planets as possible but had long since dismissed it as a far-fetched dream. Without thinking you slipped your hand in his and tugged him gently down the gangplank with you, a massive grin plastered on your face as you eagerly descended onto the lush grass. Din chuckled as you pulled him along, lightly jogging in your excitement towards the water’s edge. Throwing yourself down onto the soft grass you laughed happily, sprawled out and grinning up at the Mandalorian as he set the Child on the grass next to you.

“Patu!” Grogu cried out with joy, waddling through the grass towards you and settling in by your side.

“This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.” You said with glee as the Mandalorian took a seat next to you, stretching out his legs and leaning back on his elbows to prop himself up.

“It really is.” He replied, his eyes never leaving you from behind his visor. When you turned to look at him he saw a mischievous look cross your features. Quick as a flash you leapt to your feet, tugged off over your overshirt revealing a light sleeveless tunic underneath, and raced to the water. Din let out a loud laugh as he watched you leap in with a splash, Grogu toddling behind you to the water's edge. The sight of you playing in the water with his kid stirred something in him he didn’t expect. He wanted to know everything about the beautiful woman before him, face alight with joy as you splashed around in the water. Something about you brought out a different side in him, compelled him to be more open with you than he had with most people through his life.

The water on your skin was exhilarating and beyond refreshing. After a long romp in the water you walked back with the Child to the Mandalorian, collapsing next to him on the plush grass. You laid there beside him for a long while, enjoying the comfortable silence as the sun dried your skin. After a while you turned to look at him, surprised to see him silently studying you.

“Thank you so much for this Mando, truly.” You smiled softly at him.

“Din.” He confessed, his heart hammering behind his armor. “My name is Din Djarin.”

“Thank you Din.” You murmured, touched that he had revealed something so personal to you. Slowly you reached for his hand, threading your fingers with his, content to lay under the warm sun with him endlessly. “This has been unforgettable.” The Mandalorian was silent for a moment, contemplating his next words carefully.

“You could come with me, travel with us for a while.” He offered, finding himself slightly nervous at the idea that you might decline him.

“Really? You want me to travel with you?” Your eyes lit up instantly, the thought of sailing through the galaxy with him and the kid instantly making you excited. “I’d help out! Keep the Crest in the best shape possible.”

“Then that’s the plan. Are you ready to make your own adventures?” His stomach flipped at your agreement.

“Absolutely, as long as they’re with you.” You gave his hand a squeeze, ready for whatever the future would hold for the two of you.

…

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[lordabovehelpme]

Know That I Love You- Din Djarin x Reader

This is chapter four (and the final chapter) of my Forget Me Not Series. 

A/n: Hello everyone. Yes, I know I had one more chapter planned before the epilogue, but I just really liked how this one ended and I thought it would work best with the series. Thank you everyone for your support and kind words as I have been writing this. I have had a blast creating this series and it is really all becuase of you lovely people. I hope you guys enjoy this ending and shed as many tears as I did writing it. Thank you again for making my life as a content creator that much more special. I love each and every one of you. 

Summary: After a long month of no memories, you and your husband have one last idea. 

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Why did this happen to you? Why has your brain just decided to block everything from you? It’s been a month. A long seemingly never ending month since the last time you remembered something.

You and your husband have tried everything. Foods, music, scents, literally everything. And yet, nothing.

The first week was alright. Your memories, so far, have been spaced out by about a week. So the three of you just went about normal life. But then week two hit. You started getting antsy, excited for the next new memory. What new thing would you remember? Would it relate to Din? Or Grogu? The possibilities were endless.

As each day passed, you started getting more and more stirred and thrilled. Even the stoic mandalorian started to pick up on your excitement. Every night he would ask if you had remembered anything or if anything throughout the day had sparked something. But the answer was always no.

Your hope started to waver and deplete towards the beginning of week three. By the end of the week you found yourself questioning why. Why when you were making so much progress it would end so soon? Why would the world offer you so much hope only to rip it away again?

It is now week four. You’ve given up. It’s like someone took a knife and cut from your heart to your stomach, leaving it open and deep. Your heart seizes as you look at your husband. Not only is this hard for you, but for him too.

Currently, you’re on the way to a planet called Sorgan. Din had said that they had contacted him and needed some help with supplies. You had asked him if you knew this planet. He explained that you’ve only been a few times and that he tries to keep tabs on this planet. So he said that the first day might be a little overwhelming as the village will recognize you. But he assured you he’ll be right beside you.

He’s always right beside you, supporting you and making sure you’re okay. The firm strong hand on your back that assures you that you’re safe; both physically and metaphorically.

As if he can feel your gaze, he looks over his shoulder at you. Those warm compassionate eyes sparkle as they silently ask you if you’re okay.

You nod at him, although it’s a melancholic nod. He offers you a smile before turning back towards the world outside the ship.

***

That’s weird. You can hear birds chirping from outside the Crest. Sitting up, you find yourself alone in the bunk, no Din and no Grogu.

Wrapping the blanket around you, you stand and pad through the hull. Oh, you must have landed on Sorgan in the night. That explains everything. The containers of supplies Din brought for them are gone and he’s not even here.

After getting dressed, you finally emerge from the ship. Laughter bubbles around the village as children run around with one another. People are out in the water with baskets and wide smiles. The buzz of insects and songs of birds go right along with the various conversations held between people.

You scan your surroundings, searching for the shiny armor of your mandalorian. Ah, there. Near the front of the houses and huts stands your husband with a woman. She is absolutely beautiful. Long brown hair that looks so silky and smooth. Her kind eyes as she smiles up at the mandalorian.

They look cute together.

The thought comes out of nowhere, but you can’t deny the truth it holds. You watch as they converse, and your heart sinks when she reaches out and grabs your husband's bicep, that sweet large smile and gorgeous sparkling eyes. But it hurts even more when he does nothing, he doesn't even flinch.

Jealousy burns a hold right through your chest and you hope she can feel it. Mustering up your confidence, you walk over and grab his other arm.

At the sight of you she releases his arm and her shoulders drop. But she lifts them back up so fast you start to question if it actually happened.

“Hello cyare, did you sleep well?”  He wraps his arm around you and pulls you into his side.

You look right at the woman, making eye contact before turning your gaze to your mandalorian. “Yes, but I would have woken up better if you were there.” You put on a show, sticking your bottom lip out in a pout and you try to make your eyes as wide as possible, batting you eyelashes in a silent plea.

He chuckles and squeeze your waist in apology. “I’m sorry, I planned on coming back to you but I got held up.”

You hum out some sort of forgiveness before turning back towards the woman. “Hi, how are you? Do I happen to know you?”

She smiles. “Oh yes, I’m Omera. You do know me, or well you did know me.” She gasps as she catches her mistake. “I’m so sorry.” Her eyes widen in fear as she looks up to meet your husband's gaze. “Please, forgive me. I meant no offense.” She dips her head in an apologetic bow, distress written all over her features.

“Oh no, it’s okay, don’t worry about it.” You realize just how petty you had been to her. Jealousy really does cloud one’s mind. Smiling at her you assure her that you had just started off on the wrong foot. She nods and smiles back at you.

***

The two of you walk back to the Crest for lunch. The mandalorian sits down on a container while sliding his helmet off. “Cyare, I was thinking.”

“That’s never good.” You say it over your shoulder while preparing the food rations

He glares at you, but you don’t miss the glimmer of amusement in his eyes as you turn back around. “Maybe we should try going to a medic to see if there's some medication or something. They have a really good one here. That’s also one of the reasons I wanted to bring you here.”

“Oh.” You hand him his bowl of soup before sitting down next to him. “That sounds good.”

He looks at you, checking for your facial expressions. “Are you sure? You don’t have to make the decision now, I just wanted you to start thinking about it.”

You meet his eyes and your hand moves to cup his cheek, your thumb running along the skin beneath his eye. “Yeah, I’m sure.” He slightly leans into your touch and his eyes flutter closed. Smiling, you lean forward and press a kiss to his lips. “Thank you for caring.”

His eyes open and nearly knock you over with how much adoration they hold. “Always.” He tilts towards your hand so he can press a kiss to your palm. “Always cyare.”

***

He holds your hand as you walk over towards the hut where the medic lives. “Do you want me to go in with you, or do you want to go by yourself?”

That makes you stop and think. It would be easiest for him to come in with you and hold your hand. But what if you learn something that you don’t want him to know, let alone yourself to know. You’d rather break the news to him than for a medic to tell the both of you.

“I think I’d like to go by myself.” His visor tilts down towards you. “But you can come if you’d like. I know this is just as hard for you as it is for me.”

He squeezes your shoulders before bringing you into a hug. “No, you go cyare. But, please…” his voice falters and the vocoder cracks, “please be okay.” Those last words are barely even audible.

You look up at him and slide your fingers under his helmet, stroking his prickly jaw. He leans down and presses his forehead against your own. Water falls onto your fingertips and he pulls you closer to his chest. “I promise.”

He nods his head and grips your wrists, lifting your hands just enough so he can press a kiss to each finger. Then he releases them as you lean up to kiss his helmet. He gives one last squeeze to your skin before letting you go into the hut. As your shape disappears behind the door he almost follows you, but he knows better. So he just takes one last glance before walking away.

As you walk through the door, you are instantly met with the strong smell of sanitizer and medicine. There are a few chairs to your right, they onlook the various machines and curtained-off sections.

A kind looking older woman emerges from a separate room. “Ah yes, I heard you would be here soon.” She gestures for you to follow her into another room.

“You did?”

She chuckles, “Yes, your husband was very adamant that I see you.”

“Oh.” You can’t fight the smile that breaks its way onto your face.

She sits you down on a chair before scanning over your body. You watch her eyes, but from her years of experience, she doesn’t let you in past her usual kindness.

The longer she scans and the more she writes on her clipboard, the deeper your heart sinks. You start to play with your shirt, running the worn fabric through your fingers. Anxiety bubbles it’s way up as you answer her small questions.

Finally, after what seems like days, she claps her hands together and rests them on the messy clipboard. She looks down at her notes one last time before raising to meet your terrified gaze.

She gives you a weak smile before speaking, “Now, hon, remind me how everything has been going.”

You take a breath and start your story. You begin with how you woke up, unsure and terrified of where you were. Then how kind and loving your husband has been. You tell her, in earnest, how exciting it was to have the first memory. How happy and joyful the two of you were. The shared kisses in glee. And then you tell her about the rest. Memories of your wedding, of your life, of your love. Your face lights up the more you tell. A smile grows wide as you tell every detail you can.

But it only lasts a second, because then you move onto the last month. The pain you felt everyday having to tell him that you, once again, had not remembered anything. You tell her of how excited he looked every time you begin a conversation, a hope you would bring him news of your past life. You tell her how you could only stand there as his eyes softened and his shoulders slightly slumped when you instead brought him news of disappointment.

“And now I’m here.” You finally finish.

She takes one long deep breath, her eyes flickering to look outside the window. Setting the clipboard on the counter, she moves her chair closer to you and reaches out to wrap her hands around your clasped ones.

“Hon…” Her voice already tells you this is news you won’t like, “I’m so sorry.”

Your eyes widen, hoping that she is just sorry for your story. Begging the downtune in her voice to just be from her old age.

“I checked everything, multiple times, and I’ve come with only one answer for you.” She squeezes your hands, giving you one more smile. “You should continue to slowly gain more memories.” She hesitates. “I’m afraid to tell you, but you’ll never fully regain your memories...”

Suddenly everything goes silent. You can see her mouth moving, but you can’t hear her. A piercing ringing blares in your head. Your chest seizes and it’s like you're drowning. You can’t get any air in even though you can feel yourself wheezing. The medic grabs your shoulders as you start to fall forward. You bring one hand to lay where your heart is.

It hurts.

She helps you fall to your knees as you stare down at the floor, trying to ground your body. It feels like hours have gone by and yet it also feels like it’s only been seconds when arms wrap around your frame and the warm familiar scent of your mandalorian fills your nose. Through watery eyes you look up to find his helmet staring at you.

Out of the corner of your eye you see the curtain close and soon your husband's face is revealed to you. His eyes frantically move over your features. Your hands blindly grab hold of whatever they can as you try to tell him you can’t breathe.

He says something to you, but it falls on deaf ears. You grab his hand and place it around your neck, trying to plead with him to help you. He seems to understand as he grabs your face between his hands and leans forward so your vision is filled with him. He breathes in through his mouth and his exhale fans over your skin. Nodding at you he does the same thing. You try to mimic him, breathing in the most air you can even as your body protests. He keeps doing the exercise with you and slowly your breaths become smoother and easier.

Sound starts to come back and you begin to hear his loud inhales and exhales. Closing your eyes, you now realize just how much water falls from them. His thumbs reach for your eyelids and pull them open. “No, don't do that. Stay with me. I can’t see you like that again.”

You can hear him! But why can’t you close your eyes? Your head tilts and he seems slightly shocked that you understood him.

“It’s too similar to that day. Just please, keep looking at me.”

Now that you’ve slightly calmed down, he pulls you sideways into his embrace, settling you on his lap. His arms wrap around you and slowly rock the two of you. Your eyes never leave his own and although you should want to shy away, you don’t.

After a good few minutes of his quiet shushing and comfort, words start to come back to you. “She,” your voice is gruff and scratchy but you need to tell him, “she said I’ll never get them back.”

Now that you’ve said it, it’s all become too real. Your greatest fear now a reality.

“I-...” You gasp as your tears start to fall again. “I’m sorry.”

He looks up towards the ceiling, the hands that were rubbing your arms stop. Great, he hates you.

“I’m sorry I’m such a disappointment. That I’m not even half of what I once was.” Your breathing starts to quicken and more tears fall. “You should just leave me. Let me go so you’ll never have to see me again, never have to be reminded of what once was. Or even better, find a new wife. I’m sure Omera would jump at the chance.”

At the sound of her name his head snaps down to look at you.

“I hate to admit it, but the two of you look so good together. She’s perfect for you. All pretty and kind. And she has memories. I’m sure she has lots of them. Then you wouldn’t have to deal with any of this.” You hiccup and try to scurry out of his embrace, but his arms hold you still.

“It’s okay, you can let go. I’ll just walk right out that door and we can both go about our lives. You’ll never see me again.”

His hand slowly reaches towards your face, his fingers beneath your chin, lifting your head to look at him. When you do meet his features, you’re met with sorrowful eyes and a small frown. His eyebrows furrow and his own tears fall.

“Never. Never say any of that again.” He leans forwards and touches his forehead to your own. “I don’t ever want you to leave. Just because you will never remember some stuff doesn’t make you any less of who you are. I fell in love with you, not the memories you have.”

He leans forward and presses a kiss to your lips. “You’ve never once disappointed me. And when I look at you I don’t see some old version of you, I see a strong…” with each word he presses a kiss to your lips, “beautiful, smart, woman who I am so lucky to be able to call my wife.”

He leans back so he can look at you. “I don’t ever want to see you leave. If you left me I would have nothing left to live for.” His hand grabs your own and squeezes, “You are my whole life, my whole world cyare. As I have always said to you, ni kar’tayl gar darasuum, par gar cuyir ner kar’ta.”

His fingers trace circles on the back of your hand. “I know you forever. Forever cyare, not when you forget me, not when I get annoyed with you, not even when I want or decide. Forever and always. Until I die, and even after that, I will know you for you are my heart.”

He brings your hand to rest on his chest, above the armor that covers his heart. “You’re here. Right here, nestled and tucked away. You walked into my life and right into here, and if you leave, it’ll just be a big empty promise of what was.”

“Tell me cyare, tell me you understand what I’m telling you. That you understand that I love you more than you could ever believe. That you are never and will never be a disappointment to me.” His eyes flicker over your face as you nod.

“I understand.” Your voice is weak and quiet as you process all he told you. You fall forward and tuck yourself away in his neck. “Thank you. Thank you for loving me even when I’m at my worst.”

“Cyare,” his hands trail up and down your spine in a well oiled motion, “love is not easy. It is made to be tested, to be fought for, and to be weak at times. But it is something that does not die simply. It is everything beautiful and everything painful in this world. It stays with us longer than we could ever desire. Once it has a firm grip, it never let’s go. Just as I will never let go of you. Know that I will always fight for and protect our love.”

You nod as you weep into his shoulder, tears of pain, happiness, and most of all… love.

Because even through all your insecurities and the harsh voices in your head, you know deep down that he loves you.

And you know, that just as he will, you’ll fight for and fiercely protect this love. Since you could never truly let him go.

There is a reason the universe has let you gain back the memories you have. Each one is special and holds a reason. And the biggest reason being to show you that the love the two of you hold is pure and true. Just as when, or if, you ever remember any more, they will be the world’s way of telling you that the two of you are special. The two of you have something that many wish and will try anything for.

Because love is a powerful force.

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Epilogue

Well, there is the finale. Don’t worry- in a few days I’ll have the epilogue posted, but for now... thats it. 

Again, I just want to thank everyone who has been reading and rebloging my content. You guys have made my life so much more wonderful. 

I love you all so much, Lordy :) 

Masterlist 

Taglist: @ficthots​ @along-the-lines-of-space ​ @jedi-jesi​ @coldlilheart​ @remmysbounty​ @t3a-bag​ @all-along-the-resolute​ @impala1967666​ @rosiefridayrogersunday​

If you want to be added/removed from my taglist- just give me a holler and I’ll happily do it! :) 

[oh-no-a-whovian]

Like real people do Pt 3

Boba Fett X daughter reader. Din Djarin x Fett! Reader

Summary: [Y/N] Fett is ready to inherit her father’s armour. He just has to help a Mandalorian and his son first. A Mandalorian you feel an immediate connection with.

Warnings: swears

Word count: 1825

Links: Masterlist

You hold your breath as you hold your father’s helm in front of you, freshly painted, buffered and cleaned. Your thoughts are racing as Fennec helps secure the armour to your body, you hiss as your stance waver as the woman pulls the straps tight at your side.  You can see Din in the reflection of the mirror in front of you, watching as Fennec fastens Mandalorian armour to you. You wonder what he’s thinking as you see his tilted head gaze toward you. The visor of his helm revealing nothing for your plight.

“What you think?” you ask him as Fennec kneels at your side to fasten your thigh and shin plates.

“It suits you.” he replies as he steps further into your room.

“Your father will be proud to see you in the armour when we land. As will your ancestors.” You smile down at Fennec, her words pulling joy into your heart. You’ve always wanted to make your father proud. The best bounty hunter and warrior of his time.

Your lips part with a sigh as you look back down at the visor of your father’s helm, your helm. Gently running your fingers over the dent a decent bit above the visor, you think of all the battles this armour has been through. How long it was used by Mandalorians before your grandfather and father had ever used it. How anything had even managed to leave a dent in in the beskar steel.

You place your helm down on the counter in front of you and press the few buttons your father had told you, on the vambrace, bring up the names of all that had owned it. He’d already programmed yours into it after his. [Y/N] Fett, Boba Fett, Jango Fett and over a dozen other names projects above your wrist, years of history in just a few names.

“I’m going to check how close we are to Nevarro” Fennec says, standing once she’s pulled the last strap tight and walking out of the room. Leaving you alone with the Mandalorian in shining beskar armour.

“I could teach you if you want” Din says, breaking the small silence, making you look back at him as he steps close behind you. You can see his visor pointed at the list of names, your predecessors. “Teach you about the Mandalorians that came before you.” you feel his hands place gently on your hips and your breath catches in your chest as your eyes snap up at the reflection of his visor in the mirror. “Only if you want to. After I get Grogu back” he offers as he moves his hand around to your stomach under your armour, your heart rate picks up and your whole body seems to buzz with excitement. You’ve never felt anything quite like this.

“Definitely a tempting offer” you hum as you feel your body seem to gravitate toward his. The ship shakes around you as your father most likely steers into the atmosphere of Nevarro.

“Sounds like we’re about to land” he sighs, his touch lingering for only a moment longer before retreating to the ramp.

You practically moan once he’s left the room, leaning heavily against the counter as you try to calm your excited heart and the heat that seemed to fill your whole body.  You place your helmet on your head, trying to hide the red flush on your cheeks.

When your father meets you all by the ramp, you spread your arms wide, doing a spin to show off how the armour looks on you. You grin, even though no one can see it, the pride in your father’s eyes making it impossible to stop the smile spreading.

“We’ll be back soon” Din says to your father as the ramp lowers, the decision having been made that only you and Din will go to meet Cara Dune.

“Cara Dune, marshal of the new republic!” Din says as you walk into the room beside him. Quietly you stand beside him looking over the strong woman behind the desk. “Heard rumours you might have gone legit” he says, a sense of teasing in his voice.

“I wouldn’t go that far.” She laughs before turning to you. “And who’s this? Another person that I can just call Mando?” she smirks, running her eyes over your armoured body.

“[Y/N] Fett” you nod to her.

“Fett… as in Boba Fett? The infamous bounty hunter? Worked for the huts?” she asks, an eyebrow raised as she looks between you and Din.

“Probably, haven’t exactly dug into my father’s past much” you sigh, glancing at the man next to you. “We’re here for him though”

“I need your help.” He nods looking from you to Cara.

“Name it” she says as she sits forward at her desk.

“I need you to locate someone in the prison registry.” He asks and you lean against the wall opposite to her desk watching as she starts to press buttons on her computer.

“Let’s see what I can do” she mumbles as she starts opening the registry to search for who, the Mandalorian wants to find.

“Ex-imperial sharpshooter, last name Mayfeld” he explains and you both wait as she presses a bunch of buttons to bring up the information. “Apprehended near the Dilestri system on a derelict prison ship.”

“Migs Mayfeld” she hums as she starts to read through the file. “Serving fifty years in the Karthon Chop Fields for springing a prisoner himself.” She stifles an amused huff at that as she scrolls for more information. “Accessory to the death of a New Republic officer. Huh. Sounds like a real piece of work” she muses as she glances up at the man I shiny armour before her. “What do you want with him?”

“I need to spring him to help me locate Moff Gideon’s light cruiser” he replies and your eyebrow raises at his complete honesty. He must trust her a lot.

“You know how I feel about the Empire” she says, glancing between you and Din. “But these stripes…. Mean there are rules I need to follow.” She excuses. You feel yourself bristle in annoyance, a sneer marring your lips under the helmet and an angry chuckle makes its way out of your modulator. Fucking protocol bullshit. You feel ready to jump her when Din places a hand on your stomach to stop you from stepping forward. He watches you for a moment and you feel the annoyance at her reluctance to help recede. When he feels you’ve calmed he turns to the woman, who was watching the interaction with interest, and with just a few words she’s on board entirely.

“They have the kid”

You don’t know why your emotions had gotten the better of you. Maybe genetics? Your father and grandfather were both renowned bounty hunters, the best of their times. And your father had spent years wising for revenge on the man who’d murdered your grandfather. Maybe anger can run in your blood.  

You look over your armour with a small smile, noting each caring detail your father had placed as he repainted and reshaped it. The red around the visor, the little orange strips on the temple and the Mandalorian symbol on the left pauldron. All the scratches buffered out save one, the massive dint. You can’t help but run your finger over it like you had earlier, a memory sits in the little dip. A stand-off with another bounty hunter had apparently left the mark. Your father had no idea what the man was using that could dent beskar in such a way but in any case, you father had won even though he could have died from that shot. You’re not sure why he left the dip, maybe because of memories? Maybe he wanted the galaxy to remember the armour and him and tell them all that the daughter of Boba Fett was just as strong as her father.

As your eyes wander over the armour you feel strong, powerful and loved. To your father, family is everything. You know he would do anything to make sure you were safe. Like giving you the armour a few years too early. You know he was planning to give it to you on your thirtieth life day and you guess the reason he gave it to you years before he’d planned was the wound in your side. He wanted to protect you even if it mean he will never wear his father’s armour again. He’d had a spare set sitting around that he’d painted similar but you know it doesn’t mean the same to him. You love your father for doing that for you.

He can’t stop himself from watching her take note of every little detail of her armour. He wonders what she’s thinking as she runs her fingers over the helm and symbols on the pauldron and breastplate. He can see a small smile upon her lips and a wistfulness in her eyes as she leans on the table across the room, inspecting each piece of the protection her father had given her.

And he can’t seem to stop the thought of what it would be like to have his clan symbol upon her right shoulder. A mudhorn sitting on her right pauldron either painted, carved or welded there. He really does try to fight the thought of what it would be like to have her forever marked as his. Din Djarin, [Y/N] Fett and Grogu, a clan of three.

He knows it’s too early to be thinking such things. He’s known her for like a week but it almost feels like he was always meant to know her.

“You’re staring at her” Cara whispers as she takes a seat beside him.

“I could be looking anywhere in the room, how’d you know” he chuckles, glancing at the woman beside him for only the briefest moment before his eyes move back to the woman he seems to be enamoured by.

“Just a feeling” she smirks “she’s pretty. Interesting that she can take her helm off but not you”

“She’s not a Mandalorian, just inherited the armour.” He whispers, trying not to let the woman inspecting her armour hear that he’s talking about her.

“You seem close, maybe even closer that you got with Omera on Sorgen. Just an observation” she states as she watches her as well.

He doesn’t say anything, he doesn’t need to. He knows it’s true. He can feel a pull to [Y/N] Fett far stronger than he felt toward Omera. It’s not love at first sight by any means. Love at first sight doesn’t exist. But it’s something. Something he wants to figure out.

“Probably a good thing you didn’t settle down with the beautiful widow hmmm?” Cara hums knowingly.

Although he’d regretted that at first, now as he watches this woman he coulnd’t want it any other way.

Tags: @yamaktaria @rand0m--fangirl @salty-sith-bitch @periwinklehoney @itsroguelife @rogueheretic555 @ajeff855 @ermahgerd-larry-and-ziam @haileyybird

[acourtofsnakes]

Aliit ori'shya tal'din - Rogue, Chapter 11| The Mandalorian x Force Sensitive! Reader (f)

Summary: Following on from the argument and the hot and heavy moment on Nevarro, you and Mando return to the ship, where you manage to have a conversation without ripping each others throats out. 

Warnings: 18+ because there are mentions of sex but nothing overly explicit or directly happening, weapons, swearing, Fllllluuuuffffyy times~

AN: Short and sweet for this chapter as the next one will be longer and have a lot more detail – things are really gonna start kicking off from here. Drama, powers, feels, it’ll aaallll be going on. 

Also, the next chapter might be uploaded a little later, as I’m waiting on a replacement charger for my laptop and Apple are taking forever.

Word count: 4k+

Rogue Taglist:

@snipskixandbeskar @weirdowithnobeardo @the-bottom-of-the-abyss @jackgrzs @sarahjkl82-blog @boomtownboy @goldielocks2004 @seninjakitey @what-iwish-you-knew

Rogue Masterlist | Introduction| 1: Solus| 2: Arir | 3: Tor | 4: Gaa'tayl | 5: Kyr’am | 6: Cabur | 7: Ret'urcye Mhi | 8: Haran| 9: E’tad | 10: Tome | 11: Aliit ori'shya tal'din| 

As always, credit to whoever owns the gif. I usually find them on Google or Pinterest, so message me if it’s yours ((my gif this time around))♥︎

Mando’a Translation: Aliit ori'shya tal'din – family is more than blood

He knew he had her from the moment she saw the sword. 

Curiosity had bloomed in her eyes, fighting with the wariness and in the end – winning. 

If he was honest, he hadn’t planned on telling her he knew about her powers yet. 

But she had been as hesitant and defensive as he expected, and the moment seemed to fit. 

Why else did he put the sword across the table?

They said she had no recollection of the powers – or rather blocked them out entirely. And again, they had been wrong. 

The symbols had called to her and she had recognised that pull, she just didn’t know why. 

And he was more than happy to aid her on her journey. 

The Mandalorian showing up did somewhat complicate things. He was a key player that would ultimately determine the path she chose. And if she was as headstrong and stubborn as he believed her to be, there was only so much he could do to edge her along and keep the Mandalorian from messing up his plans. 

But, she had instantly fired up, even going as far as to defend him to the shiny bodyguard. 

That’s why he sought the Marshal out afterwards, to ask Cara to pass along his comms code. 

If she didn’t use it straight away, that was more than fine. He would wait. And so would Gideon. 

All she needed was a little time, to process what he had told her. 

And then, when it had cleared through her mind, maybe when she realised she would never be able to tell the Mandalorian the truth… then she would come back to him, seeking out the help he had promised. 

And then he would have her…

Forever.

~~~~~

“So, how long?”

The Mandalorian looked at Cara as she sat back down at her desk, “How long what?” The frown of confusion he wore was evident in his voice. 

Cara raised an eyebrow at him, as she leant back in her chair, “How long are you two going to keep dancing around each other?” 

Mando scoffed, turning away and wandering across the room, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. We are not dancing around each other.”

Cara laughed from behind him, “No? So that whole… whatever that was out there, that was nothing? If I hadn’t shown up, you’d probably still be going at it against a torn down building.”

Heat prickled along his skin, reminding him of the tightness of his trousers that hadn’t long since loosened. If he closed his eyes, he was back against that building with you, his hand over your mouth, to stop the utter filth you were spitting out at him. He’d wanted to deny it, but as always, you were right. 

Of course, he was terrified for your life but… He had been jealous. Completely jealous. 

And… maybe a small part of him did believe that Haran and you had… done those things. 

The images your words created in his mind were so vivid, so crystal clear that he was nearly on his knees before you. 

Only stubborn pride had kept him upright – pride and the urge to get you back, to see if you felt even an ounce of the same need that plagued him, that patrolled his sleeping and his waking hours. 

Part of him was terrified you were all talk, all vicious teasing but then he’d pressed into you and you’d made that soft, earth-shatteringly beautiful moan, and he thought he might explode. 

He saw it in the way your eyes clouded over and rolled back into your head. 

Maybe you did want him just as much, maybe that tension between you was as electric and hypnotic as he thought. 

If only you hadn’t been interrupted… What would have happened? 

Would you have done anything?

Would he have taken off his gloves and felt your skin again but this time, facing you so he could see just what his touch did. 

Maybe you would have shredded each other’s clothes off, and he would have lifted you up, wrapped your legs around his waist and sunk into you, like you had spoken about. 

Would the heat of you have felt like home? Just like he imagined in his darkest, guiltiest dreams? 

You would have ravaged each other against that wall, until you were clawing at his back and he was gripping you tightly as the galaxy crumbled around you, until you were the only two left. The beginning and the end of everything, joined together in both body and soul- 

Ping!

Something bouncing off his helmet brought him out of his lusting thoughts, along with Cara’s amused voice.  “Anyone in there? Do you want me to leave so you can continue with your little daydreams?” 

Mando cleared his throat, turning back to Cara and he shook his head, even if his voice did come out a little husky, “There’s nothing between us, really. We drive each other insane half the time. She never listens to me. And she’s reckless.” 

Cara crossed her arms, kicking her feet up onto her desk, “So are you.”

The Mandalorian rested a hand on his waist, “She runs headlong into danger before. Can even take one step and doesn’t think about the consequences, or the risk to her own life.” 

Cara raised both eyebrows this time, looking pointedly at Grogu and then back at him, “Do carry on.” 

He made a noise, “Look, I still don’t even know why she has such a high bounty on her head. I’ve never asked her, and she hasn’t ever brought it up.”

Cara examined her gloves, “Does it matter? Surely, if it did, you would have found out by now. You wouldn’t have let that one go so easily.” 

She had him there. 

“I… No. It doesn’t matter. Of course it doesn’t. If she doesn’t want to tell me then that’s understandable. And I wouldn’t force it out of her. She’s… She has a dark past. It troubles her… There were times when I would her hear her awake and screaming on the ship but…” He trailed off, thinking. 

Cara looked up and tilted her head, “But what?”

The Mandalorian leant against the wall, “Despite all of that, the fear and the nightmares… it doesn’t consume her. She still blazes through life and see’s the good in everything. Even if its hard, she still tries. We were talking about our favourite planets once… she was telling me about Hoth being one of hers.”

Cara looked surprised and amused, “Hoth? Really?” She shook her head, something affectionate about the gesture, “Why does that not surprise me.”

Mando couldn’t help the soft laugh, “I know.. but she was describing the snow and the ice in a way I’ve never heard before and… I just thought… She just looks at the world so differently. She wants to absorb it all, every little thing, Whether it’s this new fruit in a market or flying a certain way past a cluster of stars…” He looked off into the corner, staring absently through the visor. “There’s a word for it in Mando’a… Shereshoy. It means a lust for life. I thought that about her for a while now…”

“Would you take off your helmet for her?” 

Mando snapped his head back to look at her, his body going rigid with shock, “What?” 

Cara was watching him with an unreadable expression, “Would you take off your helmet?” Her voice was soft as she repeated the question, as if she knew what his response would be.

He blinked at her, even though she couldn’t see it, “What kind of question is that? You know I can’t take this off, not for anyone. Mandalorian’s only take their helmets off after saying their vows to each other. You don’t just.. I can’t-“ He was flushed, his heart pounding uncomfortably even at the mere mention of removing his helmet.

Cara shook her head slightly, “I don’t mean like that… But…” She seemed to be phrasing her words carefully, “If.. there were things you wanted to do.. there are ways round the Creed… no?” 

He said nothing. 

Again, she had hit it right on the head without even trying. The words she was saying were ridiculous but… 

He had already thought about it. 

In those quiet moments, where he granted himself a reprieve and let the thoughts wash over him, he had stared into the darkness and worked all the ways in which he could remove his helmet without breaking the Creed. 

You couldn’t see his true face… which was more than easy enough to work around. 

A blindfold, the lights off in the ship so it was pitch black, your back to his chest…

All he would need to do is trust you. Trust that you wouldn’t turn around or reach for the lights. 

Did he trust you? 

The answer to that question had plagued him as much as the dreams. 

Of course he trusted you. He left his life in your hands back in that alleyway. 

But that was before. Before this… tension between you. 

And now he was certain he could trust you, to an extent but… to give over a part of himself, even if it wasn’t fully him…

That opened him up to a lot of things. 

A lot of danger and a level of vulnerability he had never shared with anyone. 

Cara sat up slowly, perhaps somehow reading everything going on in his head, “Maybe you should think about how you feel about her. What she means to you…. And what your answer to that question might be.” She rose from her chair, looking at him with that same unreadable expression, “Don’t let it slip past, Mando… Don’t let her slip past.” 

~~~

You spent the next couple days in Nevarro, before bidding farewell to Greef and Cara. 

You promised to come back soon and that you’d all take care of yourselves. 

As you had walked up the ramp, you’d noticed Cara give Mando a certain look and mutter something to him, something you couldn’t hear or place. 

Upon seeing you eyeing her suspicious, she simply gave you an innocent smile and waved. 

You had a pretty good idea what it was about, and you didn’t – couldn’t – unpack that right now. So, you mentally tucked it away in that same box that the moment with Mando resided in and hurried up the ramp. 

That was a couple hours ago, and you spent that time mooching about the ship, avoiding the cockpit. You weren’t sure that a confined space was necessarily the best place to be after earlier. 

Especially since Mando had sought you out before you took off, informing you that you could have his sleeping quarters back if you’d like them. You had tried to refuse, but he’d simply taken your bag, placed it on the cot, and left. 

So that was another room to avoid, full of the scent of him – and the knowledge that he had laid in here and… thought about you at night?

Unfortunately, you could avoid it no longer. 

Walking to the ladder, you told yourself to grow up. It was just a bit of sexual tension from an argument. That’s all. It’s nothing different to what hung around you both all the time. 

Besides… you’d missed him and Grogu. 

There was little noise in the cockpit as you ascended the ladder. There was the usual soft beeping of the instruments, the dim whir of the engines and Grogu’s occasional coo. 

The familiar expanse of stars swept past lazily beyond the glass, a sight that you had been missing for weeks. 

The sight bought a smile to your lips as you walked across and took your usual seat, scooping Grogu into your lap. 

The seat creaked reassuringly under you as you settled, and you realised that these were all little things that had come to mean comfort to you. 

A chuckle escaped your lips when you saw Duru asleep on the panel in front of the Mandalorian, her tail swooping down over the buttons and occasionally getting his way. 

She was definitely the same as you – made her spot and stood her ground, no matter if it got in anyone’s way. She was comfy, and that was that. 

Mando startled just slightly at your chuckle, not turning round but you almost felt his attention rest on you, “Hey, settled back in?”

Stars, you had missed that too. The soft, easy rasp of his voice in the gentle quietness. It danced along your bones, soothing them and any anxiety you had about the mood between the pair of you. “Yeah, I am, thanks… It’ll be like I was never gone soon.” 

It was the Mandalorian’s turn to chuckle this time, “Oh believe me, I knew about it. Not just from how silent it was, but from the little womp rat’s temper tantrum for the entire afternoon after we dropped you off.” 

You raised your eyebrows, looking down at the happy green bundle on your lap, “Really? He threw a tantrum?” 

Mando nodded, flicking a few switches, “Yep. He kept throwing things at me for hours. I put him in his crib, but he kept crawling out of it. He was really sulking. He missed you.” 

Something rose in your chest, warmth and joy, maybe. You hadn’t quite grasped how much you meant to the little creature, “Well, I missed him too. I kept looking around for him, to see if he was getting into trouble and eating frogs again.” 

Grogu tilted his head backwards to look at you, innocence radiating from his glossy black eyes and he lifted his cheeks into a matching smile that had your heart melting. 

You grinned, tilting your head down and you pressed a kiss to his wrinkly forehead, between his eyes, “I’m here now, you tiny troublemaker.” 

He gurgled softly, holding your thumb in his three miniature fingers. 

The Mandalorian had turned to watch you, and he was silent for a few moments before saying even softer, “I missed you as well...” He seemed to hesitate for a moment, “A lot, actually.” 

You lifted your eyes to him, unaware that betrayed just how much those words meant to you, the way they made your heart melt and a wave of delight sweep through your belly. 

You felt a different kind of smile curl your lips, gentler and almost shy, “I missed you too… It was too quiet at night. No screaming or tantrums, no running up and down the ship after escaping their bed and having to be sung back to sleep...” You blinked, “Oh, and I missed Grogu too.” You laughed, leaning back in your chair and hugging Grogu closer. 

Mando shook his head, even if his breathing did turn a little funny at the way your eyes crinkled a little at the edges when you laughed, and joy burst in your eyes in such a way that was far more breath-taking than the stars that surrounded you. “Like we discussed before, I’m not the one who’s noisy in the middle of the night.” He remained looking at you, his head slightly tilted, and he sighed softly. 

Without realising, you mimicked his head tilt, an action that hadn’t gone unnoticed by Cara back on Nevarro, “What is it?”

He looked away and fiddled with the edge of his vambrace, the nervous gesture you had noticed when you first met. He seemed be toying with the words in his mind and for some reason, it made you a little nervous.  

You swallowed, a smile still on your lips and humour still in your voice though, “Credit for your thoughts?” 

It was still a few more seconds before he spoke again, his voice so quiet you almost didn’t hear it through the helmet. “I shouldn’t have sent you away.”

You blinked. There was no way you heard that correctly. “What?”

He lifted his head to look at you, “I said, I shouldn’t have sent you away.” There was no mistaking it, his voice was stronger this time and full of conviction. 

Well, shit. What do you say to that?

You gazed back at him, words fumbling through your mind but none of them seeming right – or rather, none of them words you should say. So, instead, you opted for sarcasm and humour. 

A look of mock shock stretched your features and you gasped, “By the stars.” You looked down at Grogu with wide eyes, “Did you hear that?” 

Grogu cooed in similar astonishment, his ears pricking up. 

You nodded quickly, “I know! He just admitted he was wrong! I’m as shocked about it as you are.” 

Mando sighed again softly, but it wasn’t his usual playful exasperated sigh, “I’m being serious.”

The laughter died in your throat, and you carefully lifted your gaze back to him. You bit your lip for a moment, just reading the emotion in his posture, “I know… But… like you said, it wasn’t safe for me here. You did the right thing.”

He made a pained noise in the back of his throat, shaking his head and he leaned closer to you, “No, please don’t. Please don’t repeat my words back to me. It was a mistake. I… I was running from my own problems.” His hand twitched, like he was going to reach for yours but then he hesitated.

Your heart was beating rapidly in your chest, this conversation one of those deep ones that the pair of you only seemed to have after a near death experience, or whilst you were at each other’s throats. You let go of Grogu, letting your hand rest on the edge of the armrest, a silent encouragement, a plea. “What do you mean…?”

The Mandalorian took a soft breath, reaching out and he slid his hand under yours, enclosing his fingers around your own. “I thought I could keep you safer, if you weren’t with me. The price on mine and the kids head was as much a siren call for hunters as yours was.” He shook his head, “No, that sounds like I’m blaming you.” He blew out a breath, pausing to reassemble his words, “On your own, you might stand a better chance of hiding. I mean, look how well you did before I came along. It took me a month to find you. You were a ghost.” Something like pride lined his voice. “Throw me and the kid into the mix, and we were broadcasting you to the entire galaxy.” 

You said nothing, holding your tongue for once. This was the most you’d ever heard him speak, topping the other day. This was… big. He was building up to something. 

He began to gently massage your palm, almost an absent motion like he didn’t realise he was doing it, “That night in the kitchen…” 

The delicious pressure of his hands and the friction of the leather simultaneously soothed you, even as your blood heated at the mere mention of that night.  

“That night in the kitchen, I began to realise. How much… I had come to value you being here. And not just because you help with the kid but the other things. When we go on hunts, you watch my back. You see things that I miss. It feels.. not fun but… something more, with you. I don’t often have anyone to watch my back. A partner, someone to rely on. And that terrified me. That I had come to look forward to our evenings, the drag of being in hyperspace. Both of us liked having you here… I liked to have you here, princess. You’re the first true friend I’ve had in years. The others are my friends of course but… with you, it’s different.” He didn’t lift his head, focused on your hand but you had the feeling he wanted to. 

“It terrified me because caring about something, about having a friend like that… it means it’ll get hurt. Or taken away. And I couldn’t beat the idea that I signed your death warrant. Not because of the guilt, but because you have such a joy, such a way of viewing the world that it would be devasting for that to be ripped away. So, I thought sending you to Nevarro, putting you under the protection of Greef and Cara… I thought it would make you safer. I thought… that I could handle it.” His hands stilled momentarily, before tracing over your knuckles. “And I couldn’t.” 

He seemed to be finished for the moment, so you jumped in softly, “I couldn’t stand it either. I haven’t slept properly since the last time I was here. Everything is too quiet. The bed was too soft… I missed looking out of the window and seeing the stars go past, or hearing you talk to Grogu.” You watched him trace down your fingers, “I was scared too. And I still am. Every single friend or companion I’ve had ends up being murdered. And it’s my fault.” There was no anguish in your voice this time. It was fact, after all. “And I still wake up screaming, seeing you and the kid on the floor and your blood on my hands. I taste it. “ You took a slow breath, “But… I want to stay. I want to stay here with you both, and we can hunt down whoever is after all of us.” 

Mando chuckled a little at something, merely a huff of breath, “You always know exactly what I’m thinking.” He straightened, gently letting go of your hand to rummage behind him for something. “Here…” He held out his hand, something resting in his palm. 

Heart in your mouth, you looked down at his hand. 

And nearly stopped breathing. 

Nestled against the leather, lay a necklace. A small charm, attached to a thin leather cord. But the charm itself… 

It was the sigil of Mythosaur, gleaming softly in dull metal. 

Your breath was still caught in your throat, and your fingers trembled as you carefully reached out lifting the charm, “Lori…” 

He watched you intently, drawing his hand back to his body. “It’s a Mythosaur… They are said to have run wild over the lands of Mandalore long ago… I was given one myself when I was a foundling..” 

Grogu made a soft noise from your lap, and he clumsily tugged something from his tunic. It was a matching necklace, and you surmised that this was the one the Mandalorian had received. 

You were at a loss for words. 

Truly. 

When the threads of your lives had entangled back on Sorgan, you never could have pictured this. You never would have pictured yourself now with… a family? 

The Mandalorian seemed to know what you were thinking, because he slid from his seat, kneeling down in front of you. He gently took the necklace from your hands and drew it down over your head, letting it rest just between your collarbones, “I know we had a rocky start… I mean, I did knock you out and you did try to kill me.” 

You couldn’t help the laugh, even it was a little choked, trembling a little as you beheld the sight of him kneeling before you. 

His voice sounded like he was smiling, but it too, was full of emotion as he gently pulled your hair free of the cord, “Aliit ori'shya tal'din.” The rich baritone of his voice melted into honey as he spoke.

The sound of the language in his voice was so beautiful, so oddly comforting that you could have listened to it forever. You swallowed the lump in your throat, your own voice hoarse, “What does that mean?”

The Mandalorian reached for something behind him in a pouch, “It means… family is more than blood.” His hand trembled as he held it out once more in front of him and this time, resting between his fingers was a pin. 

A pin representing the Mudhorn. 

The very same sigil that was embossed onto his pauldron. 

The symbol of his and Grogu’s clan. 

Mando watched you, his voice tender, hand still trembling, “Will you stay with me and the kid?” 

Tears shone in your eyes, blurring your vision slightly as you looked at the new pin in his hand, and everything it symbolised. 

Friendship, hope, a place to call home. No, people to call home. Lori and Grogu.. they were your home. Your new clan. And maybe, in time, you would be able to tell him your secret. Tell him about your powers that called to you stronger and stronger every single day. 

You reached out, carefully scooping up the pin, “Yes… It would be an honour.” A teary smile swept across your face, at the same time as Grogu’s happy cry.

The Mandalorian made a breathless noise, and if he had no helmet on, you would have seen the smile on his lips that made the edges of his eyes crinkle. You would have seen the tear that rolled down his cheek and the joy in his eyes, mixed with something else he hadn’t quite acknowledged yet. 

“We’ll be a clan of three.” 

Previous| Next

(Here is the necklace, and here is the pin)

[gondowan]

Over Your Shoulder

Pairing: Paz Viszla/F!Reader

The Armstech and Paz have a fun night.

Word Count: 3,680 (holy fuck lmao)

Tags/Warnings:  18+ only, Good Communication Is My Kink, daddy/sir kink, and other sexy consensual shenanigans. This one is all smut just fyi. 

Notes: Ch 1 Here! Happy first Monday of 2021 folks.  

Chapter 2: Can I Get A Bird's Eye View?

“Would you care to find out?”

If you had asked Paz Viszla what he would be doing that day, making a move on the (charming) armstech would not be on the list. He had originally come back to Nevarro on a tip and to see what was left of the Covert, and what could be moved to the new location. He hadn’t planned to stay for too long, but the Bothan’s annoying non-description of who had the datapad stretched Paz’s stay from three days to two weeks. He wasn’t exactly a tracker, that was always a task better suited for someone such as Djarin. 

After gently persuading the local dockmaster for a list of new arrivals to Nevarro, he had worked down the list to arrive at the new Guild armstech. She had just arrived a week ago from Bothanui, and set up shop next to the cantina at Greef Karga’s request. Unfortunately, Paz didn’t quite have the luxury of just walking into her workshop. For one, it was constantly busy; day in and day out the woman saw a steady stream of clients, all heavily armed and odds were at least two of them would not be happy to see a Mandalorian. Secondly, he had managed to stay out of the New Republic and the Guild’s radar long enough, and he vastly preferred keeping it that way. Blue beskar and gattling gun(s) were not exactly conducive to blending in with crowds. So, the next logical step of course was to break in quietly, hope he didn’t cause a scene, and leave Nevarro. 

Except it didn’t quite pan out that way. Paz had managed to disable the apartment’s security system (not an easy task, this woman was clearly no amateur, he was quite impressed) but she had come back a bit earlier than he expected. 

Fuck. 

The first thing he saw was her blaster, safety off and pointed directly at him. “What do you want?” she asked. For someone coming face to face with an intruder, she didn’t appear nervous at all-- that probably had to do with her skill not just in weapons repair but weapons writ large. He also saw her giving him a twice-over, gaze lingering on his body, how curious. 

Paz cut straight to the chase, hoping to avoid making a scene “The datapad,”.

The woman relaxed and rummaged through her toolkit before walking right up to his face. That was new. Most people, even ones who might call Paz a friend, chose to keep their distance. Either this armstech had nerves of steel or he was losing his touch. “You might want to get this blaster checked,” she motioned at his thighs, “Those scorch marks are usually a bad sign,”. Her gaze lingered briefly and Paz was grateful for his helmet and armor for concealing his expression.

 Paz took the datapad, verified its contents, and turned to leave. “Thank you for this,”. 

“Ah, so you do have manners,” she teased, voice bright before she shut the door. 

What a strange being.

Against his better judgement, Paz showed up the next night. And subsequent nights after that. It was for his own good, he justified to himself, with the Armorer out of reach for the time being, his arsenal did need a good onceover. The other part of him just really wanted to get to know this woman better. She was definitely good at her craft, and carried herself with a general air of confidence, standing up to idiots who wanted to underpay or worse, tried to flirt with her for discounts. She was a by the books type of person, and was polite with clients, but kept to herself despite invitations for a drink from cocky guild members. 

She had also taken to calling him Blue, which amused Paz greatly.  

“Uh...would you like to stay for dinner?” she asked, eyes flickering briefly at him before returning to the gattling gun on his table. He could tell that she was trying to keep her voice casual, but her shoulders were tense.

Paz really wanted to, but blast, the Creed. “I can’t..but not for the reason you think. I can’t remove my helmet in the presence of others...it’s part of being a Mandalorian”. 

He could see the disappointment manifest in your body, and the knowledge that he was the one to do that to you disturbed him greatly. 

“Don’t you ever get lonely?” 

That was not the follow up question Paz was expecting. Truth be told, he was. The Covert had scattered, and the people he loved were either dead in the ground, missing, or far away. Maybe that was part of what drew him to this particular woman. Something consistent to look forward to, even if it was only for the past week or so. There was also the matter of the bantha in the room-- the rising tension demarcated as of late by light touches on her wrist or at the shell of her ear followed by cheeks flushing red. Paz wondered if she flushed red elsewhere as well. 

“Would you care to find out?”

It felt like the air was sucked out of your tiny apartment. You could hear the blood pounding in your heart, ears ringing as you came to grips with the situation. Was he asking what you thought he was asking? 

As if he could see the gears turning in your mind, the Mandalorian chuckled, thumb running across your bottom lip “A simple yes or no will suffice. I won’t take what isn’t freely given,”. 

You wondered what it would be like to bite his glove off.  What his hands would feel like. Yours were callused from years of mechanical work

“Yes.” you whispered, leaving a gentle kiss on his finger. 

He leaned closer, helmet grazing the side of your cheek as the vocoder crackled, “That was the response I was hoping for,”. He turned you around with a gentle push of his arm, “Let me take you to bed.” 

This was actually happening. You took his hand, looking for an anchor as you led him to your room. As soon as you were there, the brief bravado you had summoned earlier started to dissipate. You settled for helping him take off his bulky armor, pauldrons, greaves, and cuirass forming a neat pile by your bed, until he was left in his helmet and sinfully tight undershirt and pants. It was then that you realized that while the armor added a lot to his frame, he was just big to begin with, easily dwarfing you. 

Maker, you didn’t even know his name. You had barely met. Was this really happening? Yes, you had wanted him but was this too soon? Were you being too forward? 

“Stop thinking,” he growled, breaking you out of your reverie. He took your hands in his, laying gentle kisses over your knuckles, a kind gesture probably to try to assuage your fears. A thoughtful gesture from someone who lived and breathed war. He helps you out of your top, carefully peeling it off of you, making appreciative noises as you become more and more exposed. Your pants come off next, and inwardly you wish you had the foresight to wear something nicer than what you had on, but that feeling washes away when his fingers dip just inside the waistband of your underwear, teasing.   

“Do you trust me?” he whispered, right hand coming up to cup your face in a reassuring gesture. “I’m safe just so you know, I got my implant checked recently,”. You echo his statement, inwardly thanking yourself for keeping up to date with your health. 

He held your discarded scarf in the other, “If I cover your eyes I can--” 

You closed your eyes, already anticipating his ask. No turning back now, you were all in. You heard him take a sharp intake of breath before carefully wrapping the scarf around your eyes. It was...nice. Without the gift of sight you couldn’t worry about how you looked or what to do. Paradoxically, you felt a little freer than you ever had. You heard of the clunk of the helmet being placed on the ground, and then, his lips were pressing on yours. 

Softly at first, an almost chaste movement, as if he were gauging your response, trying to make sure he wasn’t overstepping. It was sweet, but you didn’t come this far for that. You wrapped your arms around him, deepening the kiss, mouth opening to try to convey your desires. It had been a while, you were going to make the most out of this, however fleeting it may be. 

You could feel him smiling a little against your mouth and empowered by your kiss, he moved his hands down, thumbs caressing your throat, enjoying the way your breath hitched. He slowly mapped your body, making you giggle when his stubble cheek grazed your collarbones. Down and back up your arms, laying kisses down your sternum and your stomach, and the back up your legs. Carefully and methodically. 

You could feel yourself getting wetter, and tried to squeeze your thighs for some friction, anything to help with the pressure. He laughed as he held your thighs apart, “No, not yet,”. 

“Blue I…,” you squirmed, fidgeting against his hold. 

His voice piped up from between your legs, “It’s Paz.”

You blinked under the blindfold. “What?”.

“My name is Paz Viszla,” he murmured, tongue licking a strip up your inner thigh. You shivered. 

Ohhh. “Paz…” you murmured, trying out his name on your tongue, “Paz.”

Paz’s mouth trailed upwards towards your center. “Careful sweetheart, gonna give me ideas with the way you call my name,”. His hands slid back up your torso tracing a line right along the underside of your breasts while his lips continued to ghost around your inner thighs. You could almost feel his breath on your clit, and your attempts to grind onto something are met with empty air. 

You whined, desperate for more sensation, “Hurry up, I haven’t got all night” you huffed. This was supposed to be a quick fuck. You were used to quick one night stands with random fly guys, all rushed and without much pomp and circumstance. This pace was killing you, albeit in a good way. 

You were rewarded with a slight pinch to your nipples, and your body arched, chasing the crumb of sensation. Paz continued to work your nipples, alternating between rubbing them with the soft pads of your fingers and pinching them. Hazily, you thought about asking him to pull. 

“So sensitive,” he murmured as if he was describing the weather and not as if he was torturing you by sucking a bruise right at the valley where your torso meets your leg.

You pout, the thought of saying please at ready on your tongue. Anything for more.  

“Impatient aren’t you? Too used to having it your way? That’ll be something to work on next time,”

As much as you were loath to admit it, the admission of “next time” filled you with a funny sensation. Maybe, just maybe, this wouldn’t be just a one time thing. But now was not the time to interrogate that. You jerk your head down at his general direction, “Paz, I swear to whoever if you don’t touch me---”

“I am touching you sweetheart. This is called foreplay,”

“I should’ve shot you that night you broke in.” you retort, pretending to be exasperated. You had fantasized about what it would be like to fuck the man underneath the blue beskar, but slow and teasing were not in your assumptions. If he wasn’t doing such sublime things to your nipples, you might actually kill him, you think. You can feel Paz finally lifting his head from your thighs, hands continuing their torture of your chest. He presses kisses on the underside of your jaw and on your neck, clearly enjoying the way you fuss around to look for more.  

You want something, anything more than what he’s giving you. “It’s not my first time you know, I don’t need---”. 

“Oh I know, but this is your first time with me,” and with that he finally palms your crotch, finally giving you some sweet pressure at your center. He slips a finger in between your folds, drawing circles around your clit with the back of his knuckle. Fuck, that’s nice. 

“Remember to breathe,” Paz says, a smug tone evident against the crook of your neck. Two can play at this game, you decide, moving your arm up, aiming blindly for his crotch. Paz quickly side steps you with a swiftness that belies his frame and he swats at your thigh, causing you to yelp. 

“Nice try but...let me take care of you. Will you let me hmm? I can make it so good for you,” he murmurs, one hand continuing to rub your clit, the other massaging the spot he had hit on your leg, his tone making the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. 

That exact sequence of words tickles something in the back of your mind. A desire to be soft, pliant, and obedient for this beautiful and dangerous man. To hand over the reigns of your pleasure to him. You sigh, and let down your guard. 

Paz can feel the exact moment you decide to stop fighting him. He wasn’t expecting all of this so soon, and it was definitely something that they’d have to discuss later to set limits and boundaries, but fuck if it wasn’t sexy to see this beautiful woman allow him to pleasure her in the way that he wanted. He had long nourished a desire to be a caretaker in one way or another, but the life of a Mandalorian was not exactly conducive to relationships built on so many layers of trust and understanding. The possibility of you made his head spin a little.

Paz thinks about what it would be like to ruin you, this beautiful and talented specimen.  He doesn’t even register how hard he is and how uncomfortable his pants are as he drinks in the sight of you laid out on the bed in front of him, nipples hard, pussy wet, mouth open, wanting, wanting him. Paz wasn’t quite sure what possessed him to move immediately to blindfolds and taking his helmet off (he’s done that all of once in his adult life), but he knew he would absolutely regret it if he didn’t get to kiss and taste you before the night was over. He goes back on his knees in front of you. 

You can feel his breath on your clit again and his finger tracing your entrance and you make a noise in anticipation.

“There we go. Just relax, fuck, gonna make this so good for you,” he whispers, slowly inserting his finger into your pussy. You’re so wet that it slips in easily, and Paz moves his finger in and out, exploring you. It’s nice to have something for you to hold on to, but it’s not quite enough. 

As if he can read your mind, you feel a second finger at your entrance and right as Paz slips it in, you also feel his tongue on your clit. You blindly reach over, feeling his short hair under your hand, nails digging into his scalp right as he puts his mouth over you and sucks. 

Paz lets out an appreciative hum as he works your pussy with his fingers and your clit with his mouth. His tongue works broad flat movements up and down your sensitive bundle of nerves while his fingers methodically push and pull at your center. You bite your lip as the sensations intensify, pulling at Paz’s hair as he continues his precise movements. 

“Please Paz— I’m gonna-,”

“Ah, so you do have manners,” he chuckles, his voice muffled by your thighs. Faintly, you register that you had said that to him the first night he broke in, that jerk. You have no idea how he manages to stay so infuriatingly calm while he breaks you down. Your mind scrambles to keep a hold of your dignity. “Unnh--- if you keep this up Viszla, I might--ah fuck- I might have to keep you around”, hips gyrating to meet his tongue.

Paz laughed, “Promises promises. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun together, if you continue to play nice,”. His mouth leaves your clit just as you’re approaching your peak and you cry out in frustration. So close. You press back into his fingers, trying to get a hold of just a little more sensation 

You hear him hastily pull down his pants and truth be told you had forgotten he was still fully dressed the entire time while you were completely naked, which somehow made this all the more obscene. You can feel the head of his cock at your entrance as he withdraws his fingers.  

“Are you ready?”, blunt head of his cock moving up and down your folds.

You whimper and nod, but he doesn’t move.

“I need you to use your words sweetheart. Do you want this?”, soft kisses pressing against your temple. 

You turn towards him, searching for his lips and in a brief moment of lucidity, you whisper “I want you Paz”. You can feel the immediate effect of your acquiesce in his sharp intake of breath. 

   “I’d give you a warning, but I think we’re past that,” he growls. Before you can ask him what he means, Paz thrusts into you with one fluid motion, slick covered fingers intertwined with yours. You gasp at the intrusion, the sensation almost overwhelming. He was much bigger than you anticipated, and the stretch instinctively made you tense up. Paz holds your hand tighter, “It’s ok, just...just relax, let your body adjust to me,”. You can hear the strain in his voice as he fights against the instinct to rut. 

As your body adjusts, he slowly pulls out part way before pushing back in, testing your limits. For a brief moment, there were no words, just your breathing as you focused on the sensation of him filling you, the warmth of his chest on yours, all tying into a wonderful feedback loop.  

“Talk to me,”.

You only have one thing to say to him.

“Harder,”. 

Paz squeezes your hand lightly, acknowledging your request before grabbing your ankles and putting them at his shoulders. 

“Remember, you asked for this,” he whispers, a dangerous edge to his voice and you think about just how easily this man could engulf you and shiver. Before you can make a smart remark, he hoists your hands above your head, holding your wrists down with one hand, and fully thrusts into you, bending you in half and hitting impossibly deeper. You couldn’t push back against him even if you wanted to, and Paz sets a brutal rhythm, the push and pull of his hips fills the air with the sound of your bodies hitting together and all you can do is wrap your legs around him and take it. 

An endless litany of half-formed phrases, come out of your lips, but each thrust knocks the air out of your lungs, so you settle for holding onto him as he threatens to overwhelm you. Above you, Paz groans as he rolls his hips into you, “I knew you’d be perfect---fuck-- knew it as soon as I saw you that night. Dig those nails into me sweetheart,” he says, releasing your hands, cutting through the haze in your mind and you obey, nails digging in to try to get some purchase on his back. “Fuck yeah that’s it, show me how much you like this,”.

You can feel his rhythm start to falter as he gets close, and you squeeze down on his cock as he pulls out. Paz sputters, “No, not yet, shit--” he says, reaching down again towards your clit, lips pressed onto yours again as he works you up higher and higher, over the edge. 

“Please, may I cum please please Paz--” you moan into his mouth. Normally, you would just take what you can get and finish, but something about Paz makes you want to ask, to be granted permission and it’s a dangerous high filling your mind, washing away any sense of shame or guilt because all you can do right now is take what he gives you. 

You can’t hear him say yes but rather feel him mouth the words against your cheek and vaguely you can hear him encouraging you as he continues the unrelenting pressure on your clit and inside your pussy. You gasp and the tension inside your body builds and builds, and you let go, letting your orgasm wash over you, arching your back, thankful for the blindfold to hide your eyes rolling back and all you can think about is how full and how good you feel stuffed with his cock inside and his fingers on your nerves. 

As you come back to reality you can hear Paz curse, “Where do you want it?” he asks roughly. 

You smile, giddy from your release, and in a moment of brilliance, you tell him “ I want it on my face...sir,”. 

Paz chokes and his body seizes up at the sound of your words and he barely pulls out in time before spilling all over you, most of it landing on your chest and neck as he finishes on top of you. You preen under him, glad that your words have their desired effect, and your head falls back to catch your breath.   

He kisses your ankles, broad hands running up and down your thighs in a soothing gesture as he also tries to regain his breath. 

“Caught me off guard there,”

You smile at him, “I can be full of surprises,”.

Paz chuckles as he presses a kiss to your cheek before reaching around for his helmet. Once it’s on, he carefully removes the scarf from your eyes, thumbs brushing over your closed eyelids before pressing your forehead to his. 

“I don’t doubt that at all.”

Taglist: @remmysbounty @starlite41

[lovelessdagger]

Starlight - Prologue: Before

Pairing: Din Djarin x OC, Din Djarin x OFC

Rating: Mature

Enemies to Lovers, Slow Burn, Canon Divergence

Warnings: Blood, Violence, Explicit Language, Trauma

Words: 2000

Summary: What's past is prologue.

There's a new trend since the fall of the Empire, everyone is rising from the dead.

She's haunted by memories of the Empire that abandoned her, he's plagued with thoughts of what if and doubts of the future. The stars align in a string of constellations which guide them to their fates, decided long before them. 

Tortured with echos of before, they're alone in an endless galaxy. But orphans have a funny way of finding each other, and the gods have a sick sense of humor.

Read on AO3 Here

Tatooine was the galaxy’s own personal hell, Mustafar at least had the pleasure of fauna. Demonic nightmarish fauna that was more than likely poisonous, but fauna nonetheless. Tatooine? Tatooine was a barren wasteland that had gone to the dogs, and even the dogs had decided they wanted no part in its misfortune. At least on Mustafar she could go inside and be relieved of the heat, at least Mustafar could be considered home. 

Or at least it used to be, before.

“Maker,” An assassin mutters, crossing over a sand dune. The red tracking fob in her gloved hand sounds, it’s light flashing a similar color. To her relief, she was close. The sooner to the target, the sooner she could leave and never set foot on sand again. 

She could count the total number of visits to Tatooine in her lifetime on one hand. The first she couldn’t have been more than fourteen, then again at an older age to meet with the Hutts. Nine years ago, her father had sent her on a reconnaissance mission to some abandoned moisture farm. It had been terribly boring, full of memories of family dinners and old beaten up droids.

The irony that that very mission essentially caused her to lose everything wasn’t lost on her.

Five years ago she sat in the very cantina she walks to, warned to run away. A mere twenty-one years old—give or take, her birthday after all was a random day chosen by her and the waking sun. There was no telling her true age, so with her knowledge of human anatomy and development, nine years ago she decided on being seventeen.

“Why seventeen?” He asks her. Entering hyperspace she sits behind him, tracing passing stars on the window.

“Because,” she begins matter-of-factly, “Seventeen is a completely insignificant year to be alive. Sixteen is old enough that I won’t be questioned for traveling alone, but still too young to be taken seriously. I’m not quite ready to be an adult yet, but next cycle I will be. So I am seventeen now, so that I may be prepared to be eighteen later.”

Eighteen hours later, the first Death Star exploded. 

The events which follow guide her on a fragile string of stars throughout the galaxy, the culmination of which lead her back to hell. Or Tatooine, as the New Republic liked to call it.

Maybe if she had listened things would have been different.

Or maybe they would be worse.

Either way she would be here. The designer of her cruel fate and dictator of her misery have decided this long ago. Forever would she be trapped in hell with her memories.

And everyone else’s.

Condemned to relive the worst of what humanity had to offer, over, and over, and over again. It wasn’t so bad anymore, it’s easy to get numb to that sort of thing when your entire life was filled with it. Still, out of all the places in the galaxy, why did it have to be Tatooine?

She could understand the appeal for those on the run. Away from the New Republic’s oversight, moisture farms as the only viable landmark, and everyone being too overworked to give a damn. Theoretically it should have been easy to hide, the only issue was every criminal in the Outer Rim had the same idea. Originality be damned.

A detached hood and mask shield her identity, not that she believed anything with a penchant of life would be anywhere near. All that surrounded her was sand, rocks, and sand. Still, she could never be overly cautious. Walking up to the cantina, her eyes roll. It was like they wanted to make her job difficult. She could only assume the bar would be crawling with other criminals. Defected imperials, thieves, murderers.

It could have been a family reunion.

Eyes fall on her entrance, the suns backlight her into a silhouette. She becomes the one cascade of darkness in the light of the desert. 

“Boys,” she greets, walking in. Her eyes scan the room, there couldn’t be more than ten men. She counts the passing of ten seconds before one approaches her. Within those seconds her mind remarks on the state of the bar, essentially unchanged. Same busted chairs, same creaking floors, same hideous decorations. 

“What’s someone like you doing here?” a man grunts, stalking up to her. The most she does to acknowledge him is an eye roll. He grabs her arm, holding her in place. “Does your daddy know you’re out here?” he asks, leaning down to her ear.

She mocks a laugh. “Does yours?”

The man spits at her boots. “Bitch,” he says, walking away from her. His spit slowly rolls off her toe, leaving a glimmering streak along the leather in its wake. She pulls her blaster out, pointing the gun behind her, she shoots the man in the back of the head. He drops, his body heavy with a thud. 

The cantina falls to silence. Nine bodies are now watching her. No one makes a move, even the bartender stops his clinking glasses. She’s almost inviting them to try her next.

“No?” She asks, holstering her gun. “Pity,” she mutters. 

She walks up to body number seven, he sits in the same spot she had all those years ago. She places her soiled boot on his seat, grabbing his attention. Motioning for him to stand, she barely makes eye contact.

 Her fingers run across the tables’ wood, rubbing over permanent stains and rotting cracks.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” he says. He always worried too much about her, “Whatever he’s planning, you won’t come out of it.”

“I’m not a little girl anymore,” she says. “I can take care of myself now.”

“I know. That’s what scares me. You’re not safe anymore,” he replies.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been safe.”

Seven stares at her incredulously, slurping his liquor.

“Come with me,” his voice echos around her. If she closes her eyes it’s like he’s still sitting in front of her. Pleading.

“I don’t like making messes inside, it’s bad manners,” she says, reaching for her blaster. “Get up.” 

“Am I supposed to be scared, girl?” Seven asks. He scans her appearance and truth be told she was no Rancor, certainly no Hutt. While her build was athletic, her height physically left her the smallest in the room.

“You owe a lot of credits—” Seven stands, “—That’s better.” She drops her foot. “Now—“

“Step aside,” a modulated voice speaks behind her. She catches a reflection of the intruder in the glass of the framed artwork above Seven’s head. A Mandalorian, covered in pure Beskar, stands a whole head above her. Of course a fucking Mandalorian would show up right now, this had to be his doing. Even in the grave he had to fuck with her.

“Mando,” Seven laughs, he wipes his sweaty palms on his trousers. “I was uh, I was just talking to the missus here,” he grabs the girls shoulder. “Say, now’s not really a good time so how about we—“ 

“I don’t have time for this,” the Mandalorian says. He drops a bounty puck on the table, in blue holograms Seven’s profile appears.

WANTED: EDI MOURI 

“Let’s go,” Mando says.

The girl shakes herself from Seven. “Listen Shiny, I was here first so move along.” The Mandalorian’s head tilts.

“Are you with the guild?” He asks.

She picks up the bounty puck, examining the emblem. “Not yours.”

Mando’s head turns to One’s fallen body on the ground, a growing pool of blood by his head. 

“Your work?”

“You could say that.”

Seven clears his throat. Whispers of bets trail within the crowd. “In fairness. She did find me first.”

The pair are incredulous in their stare. “You want to go with the assassin?” Mando asks, a slight twinge of amusement escapes past his modulator.

Seven’s face turns to ice, his deep emerald skin becoming a pastel like hue. “On second thought. I always loved the Mandalorian stories I heard as a kid, I’m a big fan. Let’s go big guy.” He takes a step towards Mando, the assassin pulls out her blaster, pointing it to his head. At the same moment Mando pulls out his own, pointing it to her.

“Drop it,” he says. “I need him alive.”

She cocks her head to the side, pressing her forehead against the barrel of the gun. “Do it,” she purrs. 

He’s motionless.

She grabs the Mandalorian’s wrist with one hand, striking the bend in his arm with the other. A blaster shot fires, Three falls to the ground with a hole in his head. 

Mando lifts her by her neck and slams her into the table where Seven sits. Her vision flashes white and she groans on impact. Her hands fumble across the wood in frantic search of anything to defend herself with.

“Wait for me, I’ll come for you in two days.”

She smashes Seven’s plate against the table, shattering it. With a jagged edge of porcelain she slashes the Mandalorian’s arm, staining the edge with his red blood. In his stumble back she rolls off the table.

Harsh stabs are swung to the openings between the pieces of armor, he easily blocks but her movements are quick in succession. He ignites the flamethrower on his arm and she flips out of range.

Six isn’t so lucky.

She lands on his table, he’s charred and slumped over. She grabs a baton resting against his chair, cringing at its touch. Jumping of the table she strikes his helmet. The tune of impact horrifically melodic. 

Brought to his knees, Mando grabs her leg sweeping her onto her back. The baton falls out of her grasp. They tumble on the ground, scathing for any advantage they could find on the other. She slaps a taser disk on his armor, the shocks malfunction the electronics.

The Mandalorian lays on the ground, emitting heavy gasps for air. Sounds of passing credits come from a back table. She straddles him, pulling out the knife kept in the welt of her sleeve. It’s metal presses against his capes fabric gathered around his neck.

A smile twinges under her mask. “Not bad,” she pants, leaning down over him.

The cantina doors automate open, in perfect eye-line, a green little creature. It waddles in, cooing with bright eyes at the patrons, greeting them all. It locks eyes with her, head tilted. The veil of her mask conceals her dropped jaw. 

The Mandalorian takes the chance of her distraction; flipping their bodies over, he straddles her waist, pinning her hands above her head. The assassin’s chest rises and falls heavy from under him. “I told you to wait outside,” he grunts. The green thing coos, waddling to the pair. It reaches out for her. “No,” he says next, raising a scolding finger to it. It whines, plopping on its rear. 

Past the visor, his eyes lock onto hers, he clears his throat. Suggestive positioning aside, he had claim to victory. Though, had it not been for the child he would have been a dead man, throat slit under her knife. 

He could still kill her, his blaster was in reach, so was her knife. 

He should kill her.

But he doesn’t.

“Hey Mandalorian,” she breathes. “Where’s your bounty?” Seven’s seat empty, table broken, shattered porcelain fallen on the floor.

“Fuck,” he swears. He stands, pocketing the knife she held. He picks up the creature, sparing her one last glance. “Stay out of my way,” he warns. Exiting the building she’s left on the floor. 

The surviving witnesses avoid her glare. There are holes in the flooring, broken furniture, blood stains splattered on every surface.

So much for not making a mess indoors.

She scoffs, picking herself up. Her muscles ache, bruises are forming under her clothing, her head pounds.

Carelessly, she shoots Five on her way out.

It’s a redemption of sorts.

Officially, Tatooine was worse than hell.

Chapter One: The Meeting

[sunflowersteves]

𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒔𝒌𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 ❅ 𝒅𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒋𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏

𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚: you teach din how to ice skate.

author’s note: okay I am reposting this for the 1000th time hoping that this will finally work. I think I figured out that tumblr is doing something weird with my images that I put on here and it won’t work. Anyway, hope you enjoy!

warnings: none, lots of fluff

holiday prompts m.list

Unbeknownst to most people around the parsec and even the galaxy, Din was an absolute sweetheart. To everyone else, he was the cold and stoic Mandalorian who would kill anyone and anything in his path. Most people, and rightfully so, are utterly petrified by him.

To you, though, he was calm and quiet and soft. To you, he was peaceful and kind. To you, he was everything you could ever dream of. To you, he was a wonderful father and sweet lover.

Today was supposed to be no different than most days. You woke up with an arm slung around your waist, his soft snores filling the chirped air. You had tried to get up and tend to the child, but Din had, of course, stopped you and pressed many kisses to your cheeks and forehead. It made a bunch of giggles leave your mouth, and you could feel his lips curl into a smile on your cheeks. After that, he would beg for just five more minutes to hold you, kiss you, and love you.

You would always end up giving in after Din had made some very convincing statements that involved his mouth on yours. After about twenty minutes rather than five, you would barge into the refresher with Din running in behind you to join a nice warm shower with his riduur. You’d spend a bit too long in the refresher than you meant to, which was usually Din’s fault. After getting clean, you’d give Grogu his breakfast and do your normal chores like normal.

It was like this almost every single morning, relaxing and serene. You’d end up drinking your caf next to your riduur while leaning on the ship, watching as the sun (or suns depending on which planet you stopped at) rose above the horizon.

However, today was going to be quite different as you opened the door of the ship, thinking that you would be able to start your day with the heat of the sun warming your skin. But there wasn’t an ounce of warmth at all, just the whooshing feeling of drastically cold snow.

“Din!”

He placed his helmet on his head, the modulated voice prominent in the confinements of the ship.

“Yes, cyar’ika?”

“We’re on a snowy planet!”

He was right next to you now, at the entrance of the ship with his full armor intact. He looked at you just staring out into the valleys of blanketed snow; your eyes were wide and mouth slightly agape. You had the same expression that Grogu would have when he took that little ball from the cockpit. You didn’t even seem that cold as you let in all of the air into the Razor Crest from the ramp being fully down.

“Yes. We are.”

“Din!”

His head tilts in amusement, “yes, cyar’ika?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You were sleeping, and you were way too cute to wake up—” His eyebrows raised at the pout of your lips, and he internally groans knowing that you want something of him.

“What is it?”

“You promised that the next time we were on a snowy planet that we’d go ice skating!”

“But—”

“Please, please, please can we go?”

If it hadn’t been for your eager eyes and giddy expression, he would’ve immediately said no. There was no way that anyone could get the Mandalorian, who’s killed more people than you can count on your two hands, to skate around on some ice. But you weren’t just anyone.

He sighs exasperatedly before nodding, a warm feeling gushing against his chest as you jump up and down in glee. You’re also pressing small kisses to his helmet, and he thinks right then and there that maybe he should plan these little trips much more often.

You go back into the ship and bundle up, making sure that Grogu was bundled up as well. You then grab a couple of skates, and Din can’t help but stare as you happily walk down the ramp, your smile as bright as ever.

It takes some time to find a lake that’s frozen enough to be able to skate on it. Din had been particularly picky about which lake because he and you quote ‘wasn’t going to let the two most important people drown in cold water.’

When you finally find the right one, you waste no time before putting your skate shoes on and making them hit the ice. You skate around for a little bit, testing the way your feet moved and your legs shifted from the shoes. It had been quite some time since you had last done this, but you couldn’t be happier than to share memories with your husband.

Din, on the other hand, was absolutely scared to bantha shit. He placed two feet on the ice, and his legs were already wobbling. He swore that you had made this look so much easier than it is.

He lets out a string of curses as he ever so slowly makes his way towards you. You hear him call out your name, and you gracefully spin around, a hand immediately coming up to your mouth at the sight of him.

His hands were flailing about as he tried to balance himself, his legs were shaking, which made the skates wobbly from the loss of balance, and you could’ve sworn you heard him yelp at the tiniest slip. You giggle wildly, and you can feel the small glare sent your way. His large body looked almost stiff and uncomfortable by the way the skates felt on his feet. You imagined he was biting his lip in concentration but ultimately failing as he continues to slip and slide around the ice.

“Come help me!”

You start to skate over a bit towards him, “Din! Stop flailing, and you’ll find your balance. Just—”

You let out a loud gasp as Din hits the ground with a hard thud, the metal clanging around the ice. He doesn’t even know how he hit the ground or how his head was the thing that hit first. All he heard was your voice and then the sound of a loud clang.

Your laughter filled the air, and soon he was laughing too, which followed by a groan from how hard the fall was. Oh, how you wish this whole day was recorded on a hologram for safekeeping. After quite some time of laughter, you go over to him and start helping him up.

As he stands, his arm immediately links with yours as he towers over your form. You expected him to just be balancing himself, and then he would let go, but he never does. His arm stays right onto yours, and he’s standing almost in your own spot.

“Din—”

“I’m not letting go.”

“But you can’t get better if—”

“Nope. I’m attached to you now.”

You rolled your eyes as you tried to get him off of you, pulling his arm to unlink. He didn’t have to skate, but you wanted to, and you weren’t going to let him ruin the fun.

“I’m not letting go. I refuse to be forgotten in the depths of dangerous ice.”

For the second time, you roll your eyes. You just nod at your husband and start to move your arm—which had Din give lots of protests—trying to get a better position for skating. His hands grasped your forearms so tight you thought they were going to fall off.

Your smile becomes as bright as ever as you slowly start to move your skates backward. He lets out so many curses, some you’ve never even heard of, as he continues to wobble out onto the ice with you.

You start to calm him down by giving him some advice, his hands still tightly wrapped around you. You give him some praises as his skating becomes more uniformed, his body becoming completely flustered more than ever. His eyes blink up at you rapidly; despite not being able to see it, you continue to praise him non-stop.

You take his distraction as an advantage to have him slowly let go of your arms, your smile as proud as ever as he skates completely by himself. His visor is still down on the ground, and you hope to maker that this doesn’t scare him into falling.

“Look! You’re doing it!”

He looks up just slightly to see that he’s completely alone on the ice, gently skating across the cold surface. Your voice seemed far away now; even Grogu looked tinier from the distance of the lake.

His head snaps up towards yours, “I am?”

“You’re doing it, Din!”

“Cyar’ika! I’m doing it!”

He spins around to tell the child the wonderful news but immediately grumbles as he stuffs a foreign object in his mouth.

“Grogu! Spit that out!”

And with another thud, his helmet hits the hard ice.

[crispyjenkins]

JangObi soulmate mark au where all Mandalorians know/can sense when someone is marked with their Mandalor [with Jango leading Mandalore as Mandalor after Jasters abdication and no clan wars]

(this is late because it turned into A Thing. and i love the Thing, but it’s still late.

i combined these ‘cause i got them within a day of each other and i thought, what’s better than an undercover meet-cute? undercover meet-cute with soulmates (ノ*´◡`) also this is a meet-ugly. anyways.

just want to touch on that this ‘verse absolutely includes poly soulmates of many forms and numbers, jangobi just happen to have a mono relationship in this based on the prompts 😌)

 “Your sur'gaankar will not share your symbol, you cannot simply look for a match, kih’vod,” Arla teases, poking at Jango’s bare chest where the head of his roughly-drawn mynock leers at them from over his heart. “Marks are companions, not twins; no one soul should be more important than another, so the Ka’ra gave us two. Who knows what your sur'gaankar's is, it could be of something that hasn’t even happened to you yet.”

  Seven year-old Jango wrinkles his nose down at his soulmark like it’s personally offended him. And it has. “Why the kriff do you get a beskad from your sur'gaankar and I get a bloody mynock?”

  Arla bursts into laughter and hopes their parents aren’t listening.

-

  “I beg your pardon.”

  The woman’s grin only widens, leaning right into Obi-Wan’s space, and he hadn’t really counted on running into any supercommandos until Sundari. “‘Haven’t seen your crest before,” the woman repeats, knocking on the painted crest on his chestplate. He had let Master Nu pick it for this assignment, he didn’t want to accidentally end up with a known clan symbol and have to explain any familial relation; she had said it hadn’t been used since before the Coruscant Temple was built, so there shouldn’t be any confusion. 

  “And,” she had added, tapping two fingers on the side of his neck, “it matches you rather nicely, doesn’t it?”

  And he supposes it does, a crane wrapped around a spike of wheat, but he now wishes it were something perhaps a bit less memorable.

  “My clan hasn’t been back to Mandalore space in a few generations,” Obi-Wan lies with his best apologetic smile, easily charming the other Mando as he tucks his helmet under his arm and tries to turn back to the ration stall he’d been restocking from. The Keldabe marketplace bustles around them, and Obi-Wan thinks it’s a miracle the woman had even spotted his armour through the crowd, with how tightly species of all sorts press together and jostle them along their way.

  “I’m Kryze clan,” she announces, wriggling around an Esperion to plant herself next to Obi-Wan, giving the rations a passing glance before focusing back on her captive audience.

  He holds back a sigh, pulling up his mental clan map that he had studied on the jump to Mandalore. “I’ve only been planetside for an hour,” he admits with that same smile as he pays for his box of jerky and taps a little salute to the stall owner. “I thought the Kryzes were further up towards Sundari?”

  Kryze bounces along behind him, red hair catching the sunlight quite nicely; Obi-Wan can’t fathom why she’s still following him. “Most of the family is, yeah, I’m the only supercommando. Where’re you from, burc’ya? Your accent sounds funny.”

  He gives a bewildered laugh at that; had she never been to the Core? Both ducking into a dimly-lit tech shop, Kryze waves at the Mon Calamari behind the counter like old friends. 

  “‘Family’s split between Coruscant and Odos,” Obi-Wan decides on, which would explain both his Core accent and why his Mando’a is more slurred than what’s spoken on Mandalore. “You got a first name to go with that clan?”

  Kryze’s smile turns playful, not quite flirtatious, and Obi-Wan wonders if she’s already found her starmark. “Bo-Katan, but Haat’ade can call me Bo. And are you?”

  He raises a brow through a shelf of droid parts. “Am I what?”

  “Haat’ade,” Bo-Katan grins, staying closer to the door while Obi-Wan collects a few upgrades for his speeder. “You don’t seem like a Journeyman Protector, but you’re clearly a fighter. So. Haat Mando’ade?”

  “Can I be Haat’ade if I haven’t answered my Mand’alor’s call even once?” It’s an amusing thought, to be seen as Mando enough to qualify for the ruler of Mandalore’s supercommandos; he doubts Bo-Katan would be quite so kind if she knew he wears their armour in deception. “No, burc’ya, one cannot pick and choose from the Resol’nare. I’m as good as dar’manda out here.”

  Humming in thought, she skips to join him at the counter to watch him try to haggle a lower price on his goods. “To be fair, you said your clan hasn’t been around other Mando’ade in a while, ‘lek? Hells, do you even know who the current Mand’alor is?”

  Obi-Wan doesn’t answer until he knows he’s not being ripped off by the Mon Calamari, and slips his new goggles around his neck. “Only his crest,” he says, and it’s only slightly a lie: the Republic has little to no sway in Mandalore space, he doubts anyone further than Concordia knows the Mand’alor’s full name. “Tell me, are you part of the recruiting committee?”

  Bo-Katan throws her head back to laugh, and it’s a good laugh, bright and sincere, still a little childish at the edges. “No, but I liked the look about you,” she teases, leaning on the counter. “You seemed... warm.”

  He lifts a brow again, wondering if maybe she’s Force sensitive. “I’ve never been called that before.” Which also isn’t exactly a lie.

  “Mm, maybe I just liked finding another redhead.” She smiles and wrinkles her nose cutely. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed that you didn’t give your name, stranger. Secrecy will only get you so far here.”

  “And if I wasn’t planning on staying?” 

  “Then you should still tell me your name because I asked so nicely.” Batting her eyelashes, she sets her helmet on the counter to cross her arms, the Mon Calamari grumbling but not telling them to leave just yet. 

  “Vhett,” Obi-Wan laughs, securing his new parts and his credit pouch in his pack so he doesn’t lose them to the sticky fingers in the marketplace. “Benyamin Vhett.”

  When he looks back at his new companion, her smile has disappeared for a troubled sort of blankness, as she looks at him even more critically.

  Then her surprise and glee is a flash in the Force, so bright it’s blinding as she launches back to her feet, grin returning with such a fury that Obi-Wan doesn’t even stop her from getting right back into his space.

  She must find some sort of answer in his face, because she puts a hand on his cheek with her eyes positively shining. “Utreekov!” she exclaims gleefully, “How could you string me along like that?”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “It figures you’d be just as difficult as him,” she says, spinning around to snatch up her helmet before grabbing his arm and yanking him back onto the street. “You should have told him when you got here, he— Corellian Hells, is this why he’s been disappearing off into Hutt Space?”

  Something in the Force tells Obi-Wan to hold his tongue, to let Bo-Katan guide him through the market as quickly as the crowds allow — some citizens even bounce out of their way once they get a good look at Bo-Katan. Obi-Wan’s been a Shadow too long to get lost even in a busy city like this, but he still has to concentrate to memorise the path she takes him, out of duracrete into clay and wood buildings that bake under the sun and whisper history far more alive than Obi-Wan is used to.

  She kicks open the door to an ancient-looking cantina that Obi-Wan doesn’t have time to read the name of before Bo-Katan is dragging him bodily inside and shouting over the din, “Mand’alor! I’ve got your sur’gaankar!”

  Something like terror lodges in Obi-Wan’s throat as every commando in the cantina freezes and stops talking all at once, staring at them in the sunlit doorway like the second coming of the Sith. Then all heads snap just as quickly towards a table near the back — all except one man lounging at the table who still stares at Obi-Wan with more than surprise, and this is where Obi-Wan’s entire mission falls apart. This is where every commando realises Obi-Wan isn’t whoever Bo-Katan seems to think he is, this is where they call his bluff and he blows his entire cover, and Quinlan is going to make dick jokes at his funeral.

  Bo-Katan smirks and marches right for the man, pulling a shell-shocked Obi-Wan through the cantina until she releases him to lean over the man’s table— the Mand’alor’s table. Obi-Wan wonders if he can somehow make it out one of the windows before anyone grabs him.

  “So, ori’vod,” Bo-Katan drawls, clearly far from meaning it affectionately, “when were you gonna tell the rest of the Haat’ade that you’d already found your soulmark, hm?”

  Ohh, and there goes Obi-Wan’s breathing. 

  This “ori’vod” blinks, first at Bo-Katan, and then at Obi-Wan, and he just had to be attractive, didn’t he. The Force couldn’t give Obi-Wan one break and make him someone, anyone, that didn’t shine quite like he does in the low-light?

  “I have never seen this man before in my life.”

  Obi-Wan lets out his breath, mentally preparing himself for the whole cantina to descend on him. 

  But Bo-Katan just stares back at the Mand’alor and, Obi-Wan looking around at other commandos, everyone seems to be in disbelief of him, and not— not Obi-Wan. Which is just a strange cherry to top his already frankly ridiculous day, especially when Bo-Katan leans closer to her Mand’alor to squint at him.

  “So he’s just some other ‘Vhett’, then?”

  Obi-Wan licks his lips. “Bo—”

  “No, no, I wanna hear what excuse he tries to come up with when we can all feel it.”

  Embarrassment prickles Obi-Wan’s neck, and feels even less in control than he had a moment ago; he doesn’t remember learning anything about commandos being able to feel things about their leader, but to be fair, he can’t remember much of any of his lessons right now.

  A Mando in gold armour across the table from Jango takes off their helmet, revealing a Rattataki that stares him down with a meaning far deeper than Obi-Wan is privy to just then. 

  “Mand’alor,” they say, tapping their first knuckle over the left side of their chest, and Obi-Wan’s neck prickles again. 

  And then every commando in the cantina does the same, tapping the chest of their beskar’gam and nodding towards Jango, as if one entity, as if they had rehearsed it; the prickle turns to a burn, Obi-Wan darting a hand up to his throat as something shifts in the Force.

  Bo-Katan finally seems to be catching on that they truly don’t know each other, but instead of angry, she perks up and yanks Obi-Wan closer to the table. “He’s from Odos, he has no idea what’s going on,” she says as Obi-Wan stumbles over his own feet. “Congrats, Mand’alor, I found your sur’gaankar for you.”

  Obi-Wan winces before he allows himself to finally meet Jango’s gaze, and doesn’t know what to make of what he finds: a curious sort of trust, disbelief but acceptance, and it’s only when Jango gets to his feet that Obi-Wan realises no one had said his name. That the wheat fronds over his collarbones and around his neck have never bothered him before. 

  That he’s probably going to have to call Quinlan to finish the job in Sundari. 

Mando’a: sur’gaankar — “soulmate”, lit. “picture heart” from sur’gaan “picture” and kar’ta “heart” kih’vod —”little sibling” (’vod’ most often used in fandom as “brother”; ‘kih’ intentionally used instead of ‘ika’) Ka’ra — an ancient Mandalorian story, ruling council of fallen kings, “stars” beskad — traditional Mandalorian curved saber made of beskar. burc’ya — friend (also used ironically or sarcastically) Haat’ade — lit. “true child of Mandalore”, True Mandalorians (slang shortened to Haat'ad/e)  Mand’alor — “Sole ruler”, contended ruler of Mandalore. Resol’nare — “Six Actions”, the six tenets guiding Mando life ‘lek — “yeah”, short for elek, or “yes” utreekov — “idiot,” “fool,” lit. “empty head” ori’vod — “big brother”, either older sibling or a special friend (used here ironically) beskar’gam — Armour made of beskar, “Mandalorian Iron” that was actually probably a steel alloy

[sunflowergirl522]

Herc’ata Part 2

Pairing: Din Djarin x Short!Reader

Summary: While visiting Cara and Greef Din meets a new face, one Grogu becomes attached to immediately. (Bubbly enthusiastic person and grumpy serious person ship dynamic)

Warnings: I don’t think there’s any but if I need to put anything let me know!

Word Count: 2480

Herc’ata Masterlist

The first week that Din travels with you, you and Grogu were attached at the hip basically 24/7. And as much as he enjoyed not having to keep a close eye on the kid all the time he was starting to miss the old dynamic. Not all of it, just some things like the child falling asleep in his lap while flying through space and having conversations with him. And as much as Din is enjoying having an actual sleeping quarter and being able to sleep without aloof his armor on, he does miss Grogu crawling onto his chest in the middle of the night.

You never meant to steal the kid away from the mandalorian. Oftentimes you would leave the kid in the cockpit and go off to do something else, but the little womp rat would follow after you. Mando’s never outright said anything about missing the kid but you can tell because, well let's be real who wouldn’t, but also you often catch him turning his head as if to look or say something to him but the kid will be either in your lap on the other side of him or you catch him doing it when you’re entering the cockpit with the kid in your arms. So, you decided to come up with a plan.

Din’s quick to put his helmet on and stand up with his hand already reaching for his blaster upon hearing his door open. When he sees Grogu standing in the entrance he goes to him and crouches down.

“Hey there buddy, everything okay?” His head turns from looking to his left to face Din. He coos and reaches his arms up for Din to pick him up. Din can’t stop the smile from forming under his helmet as he lifts his kid up. “Look who’s come crawling back you little womp rat.” The amusement and playfulness in his voice causes you to giggle before you move back into your room. Din hears the noise and steps out into the hallway just in time to see your door slide shut.

The next morning you’re up before Mando for once and you sit in silence in the cockpit and lose yourself in your thoughts while looking out at the empty space through the glass. You almost don’t realize Mando sits next to you, the child in his arms. You watch in your peripheral vision as hands the kid a small metal ball and smile a little as you turn your attention back to space.

“His name is Grogu.” Your head snaps to look at the mandalorian next to you shocked that he’s spoken. He’s barely said a word to you the whole time you’ve been traveling together.

“Grogu?” You whisper it to yourself but the kid in front of you coos and looks at you before looking back at the ball in his hand. “Grogu.” You’re louder this time purposely trying to get his attention. The kid looks at you immediately and babbles something. You reach out and offer your finger to his free hand and he takes it. “The name suits you kid.” You then turn your attention to Mando to address him directly. “Why didn’t you tell me his name before?”

“Needed to make sure you were trustworthy enough.”

“Oh, well that makes sense.” You smile at him and nod your head as you speak. “So, do you have a name? There’s no way it’s Mando, I mean if it is no offense or anything but that is just Mandalorian shortened.”

“I have a name.” 

“Well, what is it?” The mandalorian next to you doesn’t speak and you fake a frown and cross your arms after a beat of silence. “So you’re back to not speaking to me?” Another beat of silence passes. “You’re such a tease.” You giggle a bit to yourself breaking your fake upset act. Din lets out a quiet breath of relief seeing your smile grace your face again. “Let’s get you fed baby.” You lift Grogu out of the mandalorians lap and walk out of the cockpit and Din feels his heart ache as he wishes that you were referring to him.

“I should have some stew still, let me see.” You place Grogu down on the small table in the kitchen and go to check the fridge. Once you find it you pull it out and put enough of it in a pot to warm up for the three of you. You’re sure that Mando will want some soon too. As you wait you sit across from Grogu and play with him by rolling the ball back and forth. You make sure to stir and check on the stew every so often. 

Din sits with his thoughts for a while in the cockpit. He keeps thinking back to how he felt when the frown took over your face, how he immediately started to think of ways to bring your bright smile back. His emotions feel like explosions when he’s around you, they’re magnified once he steps into the same room as you. He doesn’t understand that or how he can’t keep you from invading his thoughts. When he finally gets up he follows the smell of food to the kitchen.

“Damnit why do I keep putting them away so high up.” You’re mumbling to yourself as you’re climbing on top of the counter to grab bowls when Din makes it to the doorway. The sight almost makes him chuckle, if it weren’t for the fact that you lost your footing climbing down he probably would’ve. Din’s quick to come to the rescue as he swiftly catches you and rights you on your feet. The wooden bowls clatter around the two of yours feet and your hands clasp around his arms. Your eyes are wide and your mouth is agape.

“Are you okay?” Your head snaps up to look at Mando.

“I am thanks to you.” You close your eyes as you beam up at him and Din swears he’s having heart palpitations. His hands are still on your waist and your hands have moved themselves up to his shoulders. Din feels the warmth radiating from you as if you were a sun again and he can’t stop the smile that forms under his helmet.

“You should be more careful.” You can’t hear the smile in his voice, it sounds as grumpy as ever.

“Yeah but it is what it is. Thank you for catching me though.” You kneel down to pick up the bowls and Din moves to sit next to the kid to prevent his mind from wandering to places it shouldn’t. His eyes follow you as you fill a bowl up and set it in front of Grogu. “Do you want some stew?”

The gleam in your eyes causes him to blurt out a yes without thinking it through. He curses himself as you turn around to get him a bowl. Maybe you won’t notice him not eating it, he thinks to himself as you place the bowl in front of him. Maybe you’ll be so absorbed in your own and making sure Grogu eats that worrying about him won’t even come to mind. There’s no way he’s in your head as much as you’re in his.

You noticed that he wasn’t eating immediately. When you sat down you noticed that his bowl was still full and that he wasn’t making a move to eat it, he just sat there rigid as if he had to be prepared for a fight like he always sits. You busy yourself with your own stew though, not saying anything about it. You keep glancing at him through your peripheral however. Grogu babbles and you lift your head and smile at him. You grab a cloth and stand to lean over the table to wipe the remains of the stew from his mouth.

“Do you want some more?” Somehow you knew that with the slight tilt of his head he did. As you place the refilled bowl in front of him you address the mandalorian again. “Are you gonna eat anything?”

Dins eyes widen at your words realizing that he was wrong in thinking you wouldn’t notice. “I can’t.”

“You can’t?” Your nose scrunches up in confusion as you down and Din smiles unsure why. “Why, are you allergic to something in it or what?”

“It’s part of my creed to not let another living being see my face.”

“So, no one has ever seen it? Not even the kid?” 

“Well…” Din trails off losing himself to the thoughts of Mayfeld walking away after seeing it and taking it off when he found Grogu in his cell.

“Well what?”

“Normally if you were to see it I’d have to kill you. The kid has seen it and one other person due to certain circumstances.” You’re quiet for a minute deep in thought and Din is about to say something when you speak up again.

“So is this like a mandalorian thing or like a separate thing? Because I’ve met a mandalorian before who removed his helmet when he wanted.” Din doesn’t know how to answer you. With meeting Bo Katan and her group and seeing them all be able to remove it freely and meeting Boba who went who knows how long without his armor, he’s not sure anymore that it isn’t a separate thing.

“Other mandalorians have claimed that I’m part of a cult, but I grew up as a foundling so I’m figuring things out now.” Your mouth that was set in a line due to confusion turns up into a kind smile.

“Well if that’s the issue with eating then I can fix it easily! Is it still alright if Grogu sees you without it?” Mando just nods at you in response. You nod back before standing up and turning your chair around to the counter behind the table. You have to sit on one of your legs to eat comfortably due to it being a little higher than the table but it’s comfortable enough. You smile at the hiss of the helmet coming off and the two of you eat in silence, both with goofy smiles plastered on your faces the whole time. 

***

That night Din lays awake in his quarters because he’s stuck thinking about that moment. Grogu’s been asleep at his side for a while now and sometimes Din will move one of his hands from behind his head to rub his small green one. He’s learned that it helps keep Grogu from getting restless in his sleep. He’s in the middle of doing just that when he hears your door slide open and your hurried footsteps past his room. When he doesn’t hear you come back for what feels like an hour (it was really just a handful of minutes) he gets up, careful not to wake Grogu and puts just his helmet on before rushing out of his own room. He follows the direction your footsteps went until he hears quiet muffled sobs coming from the kitchen. 

Upon entering he sees you hunched over the table with your head buried in your arms. The world that he’s gotten used to being so bright being around you dulled as he listened to you cry. He walks slowly over to your figure wondering if he should bother you, ultimately though his urge to make you smile won.

“You okay?” The sudden voice causes you to jump up and twirl around, giving Din a good look at your tear streaked face and red eyes. 

“Mando, maker you scared me!” Your hand flies to your chest before you sit back down this time facing the mandalorian. “I didn’t wake you up did I?”

“No, I was still up. Are you alright?” You look up at him as he takes a small step towards you getting a good look at him. Seeing him in just the long sleeved shirt and pants he normally wears under the armor is alien to you, that doesn’t stop you from drinking it in though. 

“I’m fine, um I should head back to bed.” As you stand and go to walk past him he gently grabs your arm to stop you. The warmth that radiates into your skin from his own stops you in your tracks as you realize that he doesn’t have his gloves on. 

“What happened?” You look up at him and can’t help but to feel safe in his presence. It’s not the first time you have but this time something in his voice makes you feel like nothing will ever hurt you again. So you’re quick to throw your arms around his waist and bury your head into his chest. He’s stunned for a minute before carefully putting his own arms around you in an awkward hug which causes you to chuckle a little bit.

“I have nightmares every so often. Sometimes they’re worse than others, tonight was a fairly easy one though.” You speak into his chest letting a few stray tears come out.

“What are they about?” One of his hands starts to rub small circles into your back while the other brings you closer. After a beat of silence he speaks again. “You don’t have to say.”

“Most times they’re about Alderaan, sometimes it’s just the memory of when I had shown up to the graveyard when I was supposed to be there to visit my parents, other times it’s from their point of view. Obviously I don’t know what actually went through their heads but I just imagine the fear they must have felt. And then the times that they aren’t about Alderaan and I don’t know, I don’t ever remember the full thing only the lingering sound of screams, the color blue, and the pure terror that courses through my body long after I wake up.” You breathe out, feeling like a weight has been lifted at telling someone else about the nightmares. “Tonight it was just a memory but I didn’t even make it through the whole thing.” You’re both silent after you speak just holding each other close. 

When you part from him and look up you can’t stop from giggling at how his helmet is lopsided on his head. You reach up and fix it quickly before Mando can grab your hands to stop you. Once you have them back at your sides you intertwine and fiddle with your fingers while smiling up at him. One of his hands comes up and caresses the side of your face using his thumb to wipe away the stray tear that left your eye. You unconsciously lean into his hand and let out a yawn before he brings his helmeted head down and places where his forehead would be to yours.

“Let’s get you back to sleep Herc’ata.”

Taglist: @remmysbounty @fanficsforheartandsoul

[sagedgeek]

The Child

Part 4 of The Whispers of Fate (A Rey Djarin fic)

Summary: Rey makes yet another friend. Two, if she counts the new baby. 

Rating: Gen (Platonic)

Word Count: 5.4k

Previous Chapter ~ Masterlist ~ Next Chapter

They spend the night in Kuiil’s little home on his farm, and Rey was immediately enraptured. There had been a few known moisture farmers on Jakku, but they were really strict when it came to scrappers trespassing on their land, especially her. So, she’d never got a good look at one up close before, and she has to say it was just as fascinating as she had expected it would be. Maybe even more so.

It was different from knowing scrap; the opposite really. Instead of each little screw and cell worth only a bit of something on its own, the farm and machines functioned together. Each little screw was important, just like on the Razor Crest, and she was eager to learn as much as she could.

She asked Kuiil several questions after Mando wandered off outside to eat the dinner he was offered. She bounced around the small home, quizzing the amused Ugnaught on everything she’d ever wondered, most of which were not even remotely related to moisture farming. Kuiil happily answered each question though without anything more than an amused chuckle and several praises towards her raving curiosity. He was patient and kind, and he treated every question she asked just like the first, explaining with care and with a wealth of wisdom and knowledge that he’d acquired through his many years of living.

Then Mando had to come in and ruin her fun by announcing it was time for bed.

Rey grunted in frustration and shot him a rebellious glare then looked towards her new friend in hopes he would argue on her behalf, but he only shrugged his shoulders and turned away to finish tidying up his kitchen. Despite her best effort to explain that she wasn’t at all tired, she was sent off to bed, tucked in on a comfy cot set up in Kuiil’s storage room. It was much nicer than the floor of the Razor Crest, but not quite as nice as being cuddled up underneath all her blankets.

She fought off sleep as long as she could, trying her very best to hold in her yawns keep awake just to prove to Mando that she wasn’t tired and she didn’t need to go to bed. It was harder than she thought it was going to be, because apparently she was tired after all, and the hushed undertones of Mando and Kuiil talking in the next room served as a quiet hum of reassurance enveloping her in a warm cloak to remind her that she wasn’t alone. It made her smile. Eventually she drifted to sleep to the low whisps of the turbine just outside the hut and the synchronized chirp of the frogs outside. It didn’t take long at all, and she was already lost in a deep slumber by the time Mando came to check on her and adjust her blankets carefully before he went off to rest himself in preparation for the day to come.

The next morning, while they were waiting for Mando to emerge from his quarters, Kuiil gave her a small tour of the farm, pointing out the machines and parts of the farm he’d explained to her the night before during her incessant quiz of questions.

After Mando woke and came from his room, they all three sat at the breakfast table together while she ate the bowl of porridge provided to her. She chattered throughout breakfast, excited about the things to be done that day. After breakfast she darted outside ahead of the other two, aiming right for the blurg pen. She’d been waiting for it all morning after Kuiil told her the plan he and Mando had discussed the night before. It was a completely foreign wealth of excitement she had only felt one other time in her life. That being when Mando promised to show her his ship.

And she was happy to say it was just as exciting as she hoped it would be. She stood on the makeshift rails of the rounded fence as they watched Mando try and fail to stay atop the stubborn blurg. She giggled repeatedly every time he landed on the ground in an ungraceful lump of metal. Once his cape fell over his helmet as he sat in the dirt and even Kuiil chuckled under his breath at the frustrated Mandalorian. She asked if she could try once, but Mando said it was too dangerous and Kuill agreed with him. She, of course, didn’t agree at all considering she’d climbed on top of that same blurg just yesterday in her effort to save Mando, but she didn’t dare argue and test the man’s patience today. She didn’t want him getting upset with her again and perhaps leaving her behind with Kuiil this time… he was nice and all, but it seemed kind of pointless to escape one desert planet to end up stranded on another, and this time without any hope of being reunited with her parents. So, she passively sat by the fence, chin resting atop her hand, and continued to watch.

Her patience paid off too! When Mando did eventually tame the blurg after much trial and error, he trotted it around in a circle in the small pasture a while. Then he looked up at Rey, and he must have seen the crestfallen look on her face because he lifted a heavy hand to wave her into the pen. She vaulted over the wood she was perched on and ran towards him with an eager smile, and he hoisted her up onto the blurg in front of him. He even let her hold the reins and guide the fish faced monster around the large circle. It was so fun!

Afterwards, things progressed rather quickly. Kuiil had Rey help him saddle up the newly tamed blurg while Mando went to fetch his rifle he left inside, and then they were off.

Rey rode with Mando, squished between him and the bar at the front of the saddle. He let her hold onto the reins to offer her the small illusion of control, but he was sure to hold on loosely with one hand as well, keeping his other arm wrapped around her waist so she didn’t end up flying off during the very bouncy ride. She was small, and even with Mando’s arm keeping her in the saddle, she felt like she could very well take a tumble right off the blurg with every downstep of the large, ungraceful creature. She didn’t know how Kuiil was able to stay on like he was.

It was a long ride, and after the first hour passed, she’d grown tired of the repetitive journey, slumping back against Mando and letting him take the reins from her. She swears she saw that exact same rock formation an hour ago…

Then they stopped.

“That is where you’ll find your quarry,” Kuiil announced, pointing at a small outpost beyond the rocks. Rey strains her eyes to get a good look as Mando and Kuiil begin to converse, but she’s a tad too short to see over the rocks.  

Kuiil mentions the turmoil plagued on his land because of that outpost down there and she turns to avert her interest, looking back and forth between her Mando and Kuiil, paying rapt attention to their discussion.

“—Then why do you help?” Mando asked him.

Kuiil looks at her that time before glancing up at Mando. “I have never met a Mandalorian. I’ve only heard the stories.” Rey cranes her head backwards to look at Mando, and then turns back to Kuill with wide eyes as he begins to speak again. “If they are true, you two will make quick work of it. And then there will again be peace.” Kuiil begins to turn away with his blurg, but Mando holds a hand up to stop him quickly.

“Wait,” he insists, “I have one more favor to ask you.”

Kuiil turns a questioning gaze onto him.

“Take her back to your farm until I return for her.” He nods down at Rey, who squawks indignantly by the prospect of being left behind yet again.

“No,” she replies fervently. “You said you wouldn’t leave me behind. You shook on it!”

Mando slowly dismounts the blurg and looks at her straight on and she could feel the burn of his gaze even through the black visor of his helmet. “I said I would not leave you behind on the Crest. I will return for you as quick as possible.”

Rey scrambles, trying to dismount the blurg before he had a chance to stop her, because she was not going to let Mando do this to her again. But he’s too quick for her and he pushes her back onto the creature, placing his hand on her leg to keep her from trying again. “I am not leaving you behind. I am keeping you safe.”

She turns to Kuiil for help, but he’s only looking on passively as an innocent bystander. “But-but Kuiil says everyone dies who goes in there. You’re going to need help!”

“Which is exactly why I don’t want you coming. If something happens to me, you’ll be safe with Kuiil.” He turns to Kuiil then, grabbing the reins of the blurg she still sits on and handing them over to the Ugnaught.

“No!” Rey exclaims again. “I’m going with you.”

“No,” Mando gripes firmly, “You’re not.”

She glares at him, desperate to express her anger for the situation, but unsure how to properly execute. What more can she do?

“You behave,” he points his gloved finger at her, “I’ll be back soon enough. It won’t be long.” He pats her knee gently as reassurance and Rey feels the sting behind her eyes returning yet again. And she doesn’t dare open her mouth in fear it’ll break the supports holding her composure together. So, instead she holds out her hand to him to shake, using her other to wipe away the moisture from her eyes before the tears could fall.

“Promise?” She squeaks.

He grabs her hand gently, holding it tight in his larger one as he slowly shakes their joined hands to finalize his promise. “I promise I will do my best.”

He lets go and steps away, as hers falls limply to the side while she watches him turn his back to her and approach the overhang. Her blurg lurches forward to follow Kuiil’s and she grapples for purchase on the large saddle, keeping her eye on Mando the entire time in hopes he would suddenly turn around and declare a change of heart.

“Come little one. Your father has much work to do.” Kuiil turns to wave at Mando who had finally turned back around to watch them leave. “Fair well Mandalorian. Your child will be in safe hands. I have spoken.”

Rey mopes while they rode back to Kuiil’s farm, and the Ugnaught was not ignorant of the fact. She held tightly to the saddle so she didn’t fall off because this time Mando wasn’t there to keep her safe and steady.

“Your father will be fine little one. There’s no need to worry.”

“He’s not my father,” Rey sniffles, swiping at her nose. Kuiil gives her an odd look.

“Then who is he?”

And Rey herself didn’t quite know the answer to that one and she had to pause, scrunching her nose in thought while she contemplated their odd predicament.

“I-I don’t know really… I’m his Foundling. That’s all I know.”

“So, he is as your father,” Kuiil discerns.

“No,” Rey argues petulantly, “my Mama and Papa left me behind on Jakku when I was little. And I know my Papa wasn’t a Mandalorian.”

Kuiil makes an amused sound. “That is not what I meant, little one.” She looks at Kuiil and raises a brow in question. “How long have you been with your Mandalorian?”

Rey shrugs. “Not long. Just a few days.”

“Hmm,” Kuiil hums, “So I suppose that means you haven’t learned of their creed. Why do you think he took you in?”

Rey shrugs again, this time with a small grunt. “I don’t know! When I asked him, he just said ‘This is the Way’ and walked away!”

“From what I’ve witnessed of him, that seems very in character for your Mandalorian,” Kuiil jokes with her, casting her an amused smile which makes her giggle in return. “But by that creed they follow, a Mandalorian could not leave an abandoned child behind.”

Rey frowns. “But I’m not abandoned! My parents were going to come back for me one day! They promised they would!”

Something sad crossed Kuiil’s face and he turned away from her. “There are different forms of abandonment, child… and your Mandalorian saw you, wherever it was you came from, and saw that you were in need of a home. Will you deny that?”

Rey frowns and pulls her arms across her chest, nearly falling off the blurg as it leapt over a crack in the rocks.

“Now it is up to him to care for you just as a father would. It is the way they follow.”

Rey looks up to stare at him. “How do you know so much about the Mandalorians?”

Kuiil doesn’t look at her this time as he speaks. “I was sold as an Imperial slave. Several of my companions had come across captured Mandalorian’s in the time when their homeworld was destroyed by the Empire. I had many years to listen to the varying stories relating back to the Mandalorians and their ways of living. Their people are rare now, and they are known to be some of the fiercest warriors in the galaxy. That is the only way their kind has survived.”

“What happened to the ones caught by the Empire?” Rey had only heard stories about the Empire. When she heard it had fallen, all she remembers is a loud celebration near Niima. All she knows is the Empire was bad, and they did bad things, and the stories she had heard were bad enough to give her nightmares for days.

“They died when they refused to betray their brothers and sisters. As did most who were captured by the Empire.”

Rey frowns and she slumps her shoulders while rocking side to side to the sharp rhythm of the blurgs steps. Another bad thing the Empire did… It was so sad to think about.

“And after all these years of waiting,” Kuiil begins with a small smile, “I finally met a Mandalorian for myself. And he did not disappoint.”

***

Rey struggled to sleep that night, her rest plagued with nightmares from the day her parents left her behind in the hands of Unkar Plutt himself, intermixed with her awoken fears of the Empire. Flashes of blood red light flickering the horizon surrounding the silhouette of her parents as their bodies slowly dispersed into an ashy wind fading into the mountainous landscape. Darkness… black… and then Mando surrounded by the dark aura which she knew he couldn’t see. A danger to him that only she could witness, but her mouth unable to open to warn and plead with him to run away. And soon red plunged from the darkness, pulling him from the ground and lifting him into the sky where he too became nothing more than ash billowing into the dark atmosphere… more darkness, more red, and more ash. She awoke in tears, cradling her knees close to her chest as she sat up in the small cot she slept in the night before.

It was still dark when she rose, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep. It was not dark like in her dream, she couldn’t feel it, and now the stars acted as a source of light in the dark sky, and she loved the stars. So, she wandered outside the house and sat up against the tall tower just outside the door, looking out in the direction they had went the day earlier on blurg, watching for the now familiar glint of beskar to break out across the horizon.

There was none.

The sun eventually rises, and she hadn’t moved, eyes now dry like they had been on Jakku. She hears Kuiil exit the hut, and she looks over her shoulder at him.

“There you are. Come,” he waves his arm for her to follow him inside, “it is time to eat.”

She follows. She tries eating as much as she could only to prevent the familiar pangs of hunger, but now her stomach was in knots. She could barely choke down the watery milk, all she felt was sick.

“Are you alright?” Kuiil questions her when she was barely able to finish her porridge.

She nods slowly, one hand braced on her stomach. She was afraid to open her mouth.

“When you are finished come outside, I have chores that will keep you busy.” He moves to place his dishes on a countertop beside the cooling chamber. “I have spoken.” And with that he leaves the hut.

Rey finds her way outside after her stomach calms down and she places her dishes beside the others, and Kuiil is true to his word. He had plenty of work for her to do. She started the day by caring for the blurgs which she had quickly grown an attachment to despite them trying to kill her and Mando upon their arrival. She petted them as they ate, and she refilled their water trough. Kuiil had a garden of edible plants as well, which he instructed her to go through and check for ripened fruits or vegetables. It was fun work, and afterwards he had let her have a taste of whichever ones she wanted to for lunch. Her favorites were deep orange, they were so sweet and juicy it had startled her! She had never tasted anything so sweet in her life; she didn’t even know things could be so full of taste. Kuiil must have enjoyed watching her enjoy the fruit because he offered her as many as her tiny tummy could eat.

Then she’d saddled up the blurg like Kuiil had taught her, and rode them around the small pasture for exercise. She was so busy, she almost forgot about Mando being gone! But then she unsaddled the last blurg, and wondered if there was anything for her to do next. She looked out at the empty landscape of sand and mountains, and it was like an immediate switch had been flipped…

She frowned, and sat on the ground, slumping sadly against one of the fence posts.

It wasn’t until the sun began to set that she began to really worry. Mando should’ve been back by now! It’d already been more than an entire day since she and Kuiil dropped him off. What if he died in there like all the others had?

Just as she began to contemplate running out into the desert to go and find him herself, Kuiil called out to her. “Little one! I need your assistance.” She followed his voice back to the front of the house, making sure to glance every which way into the desert just in case Mando appeared.

He stood at the top of the tall vapor spire she had been leaning against that morning.

“I will talk you through checking the cistern.” Kuill calls down to her. “I must remain up here to adjust the chilling bars.”

She listens and goes through the motions of checking the cistern and reporting back what she saw on the display to Kuiil. They were at this for a while, the sun almost having fully set. She tells herself that if Mando doesn’t return tonight… then that’s that and she’ll have to accept it. It made her sad to think, but she had to be strong!

At least this time around she had a friend. And a fun job that didn’t involve scrounging the hilly dunes of a barren desert and fighting off fellow scrappers just to earn half a portion.

“I believe someone is here for you.” Kuiil muttered from the top of the tower, still fully concentrated on his work. Rey tweaks a brow as she looked up at him, then looks to the side, off into the desert to find who he was speaking of.

A familiar silhouette breached the horizon, his new shoulder pauldron glinting in the little remaining sunlight, and an odd cylindrical case following at his side. Rey takes off at a sprint, relieved tears springing from her eyes which sting against the dry air as she runs.

She was so happy he wasn’t dead!

When she launches herself at him, she wrapped her arms around his waist tightly, pressing her face against the soft padding just beneath his cuirass, and she squeezes him with all the strength she could muster.

He halts in his step, remaining stiff and awkward as she hugged him, never making move to reciprocate the affection other than the odd pat on her shoulder. All too soon she realizes what it was she was doing, and she jumps away from him in a flurry of panic. “Sorry-sorry-sorry,” she whispered repeatedly, terrified she had hurt him or upset him in some way.

She sees skin… skin surrounding a recently cauterized wound. The fabric of his sleeve had been ripped and she gasped as she grabbed his arm to tug him down and examine the wound. “You got hurt!”

“It’s okay, I’m okay,” he affirms her with a tired sigh, quickly curtailing any further inquiries or panic regarding the small injury. He tugs his arm out of her grip and places that hand on her shoulder to turn her around and urge her back towards Kuiil’s camp. She was barely able to catch a glimpse at the closed pram and prepare a question when Kuiil himself spoke up, sounding somber.

“I thought you were dead.” He turns to look down at them, a frown prominent on his face, and Mando drops his head with a sigh. Turns out there was quite a bit of explaining to do.

***

Rey was instantly fascinated by the young creature in the pram. As soon as Mando opened it and placed the tiny thing on the ground to stretch its little legs, Rey was right at its side to examine him. Mando worked on fixing his vambrace, and she follows the child around, watching aptly as it chased after a small frog hopping along the ground. She could sense Mando watching them, but she didn’t bother to look his way.

There was something odd about the child, a weird but comforting aura she could feel emanating from him and which gave her funny little tingles in her tummy.

She listens with mild interest as Kuiil and Mando discuss the Jawas and what had happened at the ship when Mando went to fetch it in order to come pick her up, she was much more interested in the baby who had seemed to just now notice her. He coos at her, reaching out a hand as if to wave with a wide baby-ish smile then turns back to chasing after the frog.

Rey laughs outright when he catches it, barely able to grasp it in his tiny little claws, and stuffs it right into his mouth. She cringes with an amused chant of ‘ew’ as she squeezed one eye shut at the sight of the child trying to eat the poor frog.

“Hey!” Mando scolds. “Spit that out.”

The child doesn’t listen and swallows it whole, and Rey giggles excitedly, especially when the baby has the audacity to gurgle innocently up at Mando as if he’d done nothing wrong. Rey has a feeling they’ll end up having a lot of fun together. She assumes this must be another Foundling… he was a child after all. So hopefully Mando would let him stick around.

“Child,” Kuiil calls for her. “Go saddle a blurg. We shall leave soon.”

And that they do. They travel through the night to reach the Jawas.

It rained too! She’d never been in rain before and it soaked right through her clothes almost instantly, but she didn’t care. She sat in the back of the drag sled, arms outstretched and mouth open as she caught the small water droplets in her mouth. It was like taking a cold shower in the fresher!

The rain eventually dissipated and she was able to sleep a bit despite the bumpy ride. Come morning the child joins her on the back of the trailer where they play with a few rocks together, sliding them back and forth across the metal floor. They laugh and squeal, especially when things start to get a bit rambunctious, and Rey ends up nearly tumbling right out of the sled to get away from the child in the midst of a spontaneous game of tag. Thankfully Mando was there to grab her around the collar and haul her back onto the vessel before she could face plant into the dirt.

“Calm down,” He snaps from his mount at the front.

“Sorry,” Rey replies meekly, shoulders pulling up to her ears in a shy manner.

The baby taps her leg, hitting it repeatedly with an eager giggle, staring up at her with his big eyes and a wide smile. “Maybe we should go back to playing rocks.” She suggests softly, sitting back down on the metal floor, hoping that if she emitted a calm aura the baby would follow her lead and calm as well.

It seemed to work, and they pass the rest of the ride playing silently in the back. Rey could still feel the slight tingle emanating from the baby ever so often. It tickled and made her teeth itch, but there wasn’t much she could do to fix it. Nor much she wanted to do to fix it, it was like a magnet almost, dare she say an addicting feeling.

Neither of them really looked up from the little game they were playing until Mando slowly leaned down to grab his rifle without moving his gaze from the towering metal box coming into view. She’d never encountered the Jawa sandcrawler in person! She’d read about it once on a datapad she’d swiped, but wow! It was so much bigger in person.

Rey scrambles to her feet, standing up behind Mando as she stared up at the large ship, then down at the hooded Jawas. She’d never seen so many all at once before!

“They really don’t like you for some reason,” Kuiil states in response to the Jawa’s passionate chattering and aimed blasters.

“Well, I did disintegrate a few of them,” Mando mumbled.

Rey grabbed at the folds of his cape around his shoulders. “You did?” She whispered in awe. “How’d you do that?”

Instead of answering her, Mando looked up and she followed his gaze to see even more Jawas beginning to peak out from the ship. Rey huddled back a bit, hiding behind Mando’s larger frame.

“You need to drop your rifle.”

“I’m a Mandalorian,” Mando grunted, “weapons are a part of my reliegion.”

The blurg came to a stop beside the large sandcrawler, and Din sighed as he moved to set the blaster down. That’s when Rey saw it… lying there on one of the large tarps spread out on the ground.

It was her helmet! The one she had left back on Mando’s ship!

“Hey!” She shouted, face heating with anger as she jumped down form the drag sled with her staff in hand. Mando grabs the back of her clothes, halting her angry approach with so much ease it only angered her more.

“What do you think you’re doing?” He scolded.

She fought against his grip, tossing her arms and twisting every way to try and break from his hold, but she only ends up caught in the fabric of her own tunic. He yanks her back, even further from her most prized possession, then steps in front of her which effectively blocks her view of it completely. She’s too worked up to see the blasters several Jawas had pointed at her head, and Kuiil trying to calm them down with placating gestures.

“Let go of me,” Rey shouts at him, now kicking her legs when Mando lifts her up to place her back on the trailer. The angry tears run rampant down her cheeks. That helmet was one of her most prized possessions… the only thing she had to remind her of her parents, and the Jawas stole it from her.

“What is it?” Mando reiterates with an irritated snap in his tone.

He finally releases her when she gives up the fight and falls back on her rump beside the child with a defeated frown. Then she points out towards the far tarp behind the huddle of Jawas. Mando looks to where she’s pointing. It gives him a few moments, but he pieces it together and gives her knee a firm pat. “Give me one moment.”

Rey wipes her eyes along the sleeve of her shirt as Mando pulls away and begins his approach.

The Jawas begin pitching yet another fit and Kuiil stops Mando again, gesturing to his side. “Your blaster.” And Rey can see Mando pause in frustration before pulling out the blaster from its holster and dropping it onto the floor of the sled with a careless thump.

He turns and points his finger at Rey sternly then nods at the blaster. “Don’t touch.”

Then he approaches. He looked much more stiff than before, and most definitely angry.

He and Kuiil eventually sit down across from the Jawas, but they were too far away for Rey to hear any of the negotiations. She sat on her knees, hands braced against the sides of the tow so she can lean forward and strain to hear the conversation.

She takes it wasn’t going well when Mando tries lighting them on fire. Which… awesome… by the way.

And when a few Jawas creeped up on her and the baby, she frowned, nostrils flaring in anger at their audacity to approach when they’d stolen from her. She reached behind her for her staff just in case they tried to hurt the baby or anything else she might find distasteful. They spoke a few words she couldn’t understand, and she lifted her staff threateningly just in time to hear Mando’s angry roar at them to get away.

They quickly scuttled away from the sled, but Rey pulled the baby onto her lap and held the staff tightly in her hands just in case. The baby only cooed at her and played with the fabric of her vest.

It didn’t take long before the Jawas seemed happy with some sort of decision and began their loud chanting.

Soon they all quiet and start packing up their things to bring back into their ship. Rey’s heart leaps into her throat as one of them reaches for the helmet. But Mando stands and calls out to them, pointing at her helmet in the tiny Jawa’s hands.

It was a quick fold. She doesn’t know what he said, but they eagerly ran up to hand the helmet over to him. Kuiil stares at the helmet with an odd look, but Mando doesn’t speak to rectify his confusion as he turns to approach her and the child still waiting at the sled.

Rey grins up at him in relief. And when he’s close enough he places the oversized helmet onto her head and gives it a small pat. She places each hand on either side to secure it in place for a moment then throws her arms around the Mandalorian in thanks. She wasn’t so scared to upset him this time, especially when he was much quicker to return her affection with that awkward, yet familiar, pat on the back.

Then he lifts her off the sled and onto the ground, then turns to the child to transfer him to the pram. “We’re going with the Jawas. Stick close to me.”

She obeyed, grabbing the fringe of his cape and following him towards the large box on wheels.

~ Next Chapter ~

A/N: Let me know what you think! I’m also open to starting a tag list if anyone is interested so let me know XD

[auty-ren]

The Offer: Chapter 2

Touches

Pairing: ClanLeader!Mando x fem. Reader

Rating: T (Mature for future chapters)

Word Count: 3.5k

Warnings: Injury, Touching, Insinuations of sex, Cursing (just a tiny bit), Fluff, Yearning (a lot).

A/N: I’m having so much fun writing this. Please let me know what you think! Comments and feedback appreciated always. It’s also on AO3. Hope y’all enjoy💕

Chapter 1 | Chapter 3

Mandalorian lore via mandoa.org (I dont own it)

ClanLeader!Au created by @magichandthing​​

Gif by @coredrive​

Summary: You finally get to speak to Clan Leader Djarin again.

Your nose was definitely broken.

The elder assessed that much on her initial exam of your face. 

The bile in your stomach churned and nausea flooded your senses at the thought of having to reset the broken cartilage. You knew they would have to realign your nose otherwise it would never grow back properly. However, your stubbornness took hold and you wouldn’t let the elder anywhere near your face. You knew the pain that was eventually going to happen, but you dreaded the process. You wanted to postpone it for as long as you could. You tried to rationalize other options, internally debating and trying to come up with excuses for Mira and the Elder. Maybe if it was left alone, your nose would heal just fine; it seemed like a probable outcome you just hoped Mira would see it that way and leave you be.

Mira, of course, had different plans.

It took Mira straddling you, completely immobile due to her weight pressing into your chest, and the strength she held your arms with for the Elder woman to be able to fix your nose from its dislocated position. When she finally did, you're sure your scream reverberated off the walls.

“We underestimated your strength ad’ika.” The woman joked after giving a final dose of a bacta shot. Your eyes were still watering and you just huffed in response, causing Mira to chuckle from across the room.

Mira’s company started to grow on you, even though at first your time together was filled with silence. She often busied herself around the hut; shining her armor, cleaning her assortment of weapons, tinkering with different pieces of mechanics that littered the shelves. You would offer to help and she accepted, reluctantly at first, but you were starting to think she enjoyed your company as much as you did hers.

Most of the conversation was you asking questions about Mira and her people. You had some knowledge of the ways of a Mandalorian but Mira always explained it better. She always answered you with a sense of patience, explaining everything to you in detail you could understand. You appreciated it, the last thing you would want to do is offend her people with ignorance. She seemed to enjoy your enthusiasm for learning about Mandalorian culture.

“Ba'jur bal beskar'gam, Ara'nov, aliit, Mando' a bal Mand'alor, An vencuyan mhi.”

“What?”

“It is a rhyme taught to children, so they can better understand our way of life.” She put down the tool she was cleaning her armor with, handing you the piece to polish. Before you could even ask, she recited the same phrase to you in basic.

“Education and armor, Self-defense, our tribe, Our language, and our leader, All help us survive.”

Days bled into weeks and you started to lose count of how long you had been with Mira. Your injuries had healed fully thanks to Mira and the elder that visited you. Light remains of your still healing bruises were all the evidence of the encounter. As you felt better, Mira invited you to accompany her into the village. It had almost become pleasant, the little routine you two had. The fresh air always felt nice, and Mira filled the time telling you more stories of her clan.

“That man,” you paused, debating whether or not you should even bring up the topic. “The one who I met when we first arrived, who was he?”

Ever since then you found yourself wondering about him more than you liked to admit. He and Mira had been the first people to treat you with kindness in a long time, so you figured the reaction to him was just grateful. Your curious nature made it almost impossible to not want to know more. You had learned much about Mira the last few weeks, and the persistent thoughts of him would certainly cease at knowing more of him. At least that's what you told yourself, but it was hard to forget that blooming you felt in your chest when he first spoke to you. How the deep timbre of his voice felt like honey that settled in your bones. You caught yourself daydreaming how his voice would sound without the mask of his voice coder, just as rich and deep but something new and soft against your ears. It probably felt heavenly to hear him whisper things to you, his breath gentle in your ear.

Mira turned to you and watched as you waited for an answer. It was as if Mira could read your thoughts from the way her head tilted to look at you. You were thankful she didn't pry, that was a conversation you didn't want to have.

“He is the strongest and conscientious of us all, which is why the High Elders chose him to lead and defend our clan. Each of the pendants he wears is a testament to his fortitude.”

You listened intently, hanging on to every word Mira spoke.

“They say he received his signent by hunting a Mudhorn that terrorized the village and killing the beast with a viro-blade as his only weapon.”

“Oh,” was all you could say, your voice just a whisper in the silence left behind her words. As much as you will yourself to be satisfied with this information, it only seemed to stoke the fire that had been set ablaze by him. You wanted to know so much more, the desire to be around him was something you tried hard to ignore.

—

Much to Mira’s protest you mostly stayed to yourself, already feeling so out of place. Aside from her, the elder, and the brief encounter with the clan leader Djarin you hadn’t spoken to anyone else since being here. She tried all she could to get you to attend their weekly dinner, a celebration every clan member attended, she insisted. You eventually caved to her persistence. So you sat with her at one of the long wooden tables, chipping away at the plate full of food in front of you. Every so often you stopped to pull at a loose thread in your sleeve, somehow hoping the action would ease the anxiousness you felt.

The clan had given you new clothes shortly after settling with Mira. She presented the garments to you one night, explaining that the leaders agreed you would feel more comfortable in them. A simple, deep red, long sleeve tunic, and a long brown skirt that flowed around the movement of your legs. It was similar to the attire you’d seen some of the women in the village wearing.  It felt unusual at first, you were so used to wearing the same few articles, almost threadbare in places from the years of consistent wear. These clothes seemed almost new, soft to the touch, and fit your body perfectly. The gesture nearly brought tears to your eyes, no one had given you such a thoughtful gift since you were a child.

It was so refreshing to see that not all the hope had been purged from the galaxy. Mira's people were just as legend had described them, fierce warriors with integrity and strength that rivaled entire battalions of soldiers; but there was also love and kinship that was deeply rooted in pillars of their society. It seemed almost surreal, this warrior race had taken you in; had healed and cared for you. It was something you had to witness first-hand, no amount of stories could convey the community the Mandalorians had, at least no one would believe you if you had tried.

You opted to observe the events of dinner, not wanting to cause any more trouble than you felt you had already. Mira had not lied when she said everyone would be there. The tables were filled with people laughing and enjoying the company of each other. It felt so peaceful, and the unsettling feeling in your stomach subsided as the dinner went on. The evening eventually started winding down when dusk had settled over the village. You thought it would be rude to leave without Mira, so you waited patiently on the sidelines wanting to return to the hut.

“How are you feeling?”

Din leaned his shoulder against the wall behind you, his arms crossed and his head tilted to the side. You jumped, you hadn't even heard him coming towards you. He seemed amused at your reaction, letting out a huff that slightly jolted his shoulders.

“I’m fine,” You felt that same pull start in your chest. “Mira has taken very good care of me.”

“Good.”

He became silent, watching the clan mingle like you were. This was exactly what you had been hoping for, to be alone, to be able to talk with him, and ask all the things you had been pondering since your initial meeting. But now you felt so small, every word you had readied was lost on your tongue, swallowed by the intimidation you felt. He was the noblest warrior of his clan, strong and authoritative in his ways but he made your heart flutter in a way you didn't know could. It was suffocating, being around him but you craved it nonetheless.

He moved to sit next to you, straddling the bench you sat on. You could feel him looking at you, but you didn't dare tear your gaze from in front of you. You felt your face flush all the way to the tips of your ears. He hadn’t said five words to you and you were already a mess.

“I should find Mira,” you broke the tension, hoping to escape so you could finally breathe again. “It's late.”

Before you could distance yourself he spoke, halting you in your tracks.

“I can return you to your hut,” he paused pushing himself to stand. He considered you for a moment as if to debate his next words.

“If that's what you wish.”

—

“I haven’t seen you since your arrival.” It wasn't really a question, more of an observation. You turned to look at his helmet, still trained on the path in front of you.

“Mira forced me to break my isolation.”

A huffed laugh came through his helmet, effectively melting some of the tension that had built up. Your own smile stretched across your lips, he still made you incredibly nervous but he at least had a sense of humor.

You didn't exchange any more words, silence falling back over you both. It felt just a little different than before, the tension wasn't drawn so tight. A light airy feeling replaced the energy that flows between the two of you. You could feel your muscles relaxing just the slightest bit, the bubbling worry in your stomach replaced with a dull ache.

Your senses focused back on your surroundings, cool darkness had enveloped your path, lit only by the torches mounted against the huts. People still congregated in the street, groups exchanging wishes of sweet dreams as most of them prepared for sleep. As you passed, side by side with their leader, each person stopped to give a small bow. Some of their gazes lingered on you, not in a judgemental way, most of them just seemed curious in nature. It was probably odd, seeing some strange woman being escorted by the most respected man in their village. If he noticed their looks, he didn't make it known.

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw a small flash of bright color, sticking out noticeably against the neutral tones of the earth. You stopped and tucked in between two of the homes lining your path home, was a small flower bed. Some of the buds had yet to bloom, the new petals poking through the green shell that encased them. Others were full and brilliant, ranging from every color under the sun. You kneeled down to gently caress the buds in the palm of your hand.

Din didn’t realize you had stopped at first. He noticed the absence of your footsteps and turned around, watching you admire the flowers. He walked closer to you, essentially blanketing you in his shadow. Like before, you failed to notice his presence behind you.

“Sorry,” you apologized once you realized he was waiting for you. Standing up and brushing the dirt from your knees. You awkwardly clasped your hands together in front of you, waiting for him to respond. He stood still, completely static and it felt like a standoff of who would move next. You thought of saying something, anything to get him to act again but before you could he cut you off.

“You like…” He seemed to carefully consider his next words, in some ways it almost seemed meek the way the syllables rolled off his tongue. “Flowers?”

You turned your head to glance at the bed behind you. Realizing now how odd you must've looked, stopping to smell flowers like some child. You looked forward and he had yet to move still staring directly at you, at least that's what you assumed it was hard to tell with his visor.

“Yes, um…” Your mouth felt dry and tightened around your words. You know he didn't ask for an explanation but you gave one nonetheless, trying to ease your embarrassment.

“My mother used to have flowers on my home planet,” You turned your face down to your hands, rubbing your thumb at the juncture of two of your fingers. “I haven't seen any since the day I left...”

It had been a long time since you had thought of your old life. Ever since the war it had become painful to even entertain the good memories. Your parents had become ghosts of what they once were.  Their faces were just flashes in your mind, reduced to the few reminders that stuck with you. The smells of cedar and earth reminded you of your father, his clothes always permeated with the smell of the outdoors. Sometimes you could recall how kind his eyes were, seeing a glimpse of them in your dreams. You remembered your mother’s flowers, how they grew during the warm season filling beds of green with vivid, swirling color.

“I didn’t realize they still grew.” You tried your best to keep the emotions these memories held from finding your face, but Din sensed them nonetheless. He hesitated for a moment before gesturing for you to follow him again.

—

“Thank you, for walking with me,” you said turning to him with a small smile on your face as the hut came into your view.

“Of course.” He stopped just a few feet away from you, turning to mimic your position.

“Goodnight,” you said, turning and walking up the few steps of the porch to Mira’s home.

“You never told me your name,” he said, causing you to stop just in front of the door, you turned back to face him.

You told him, giving a slight smile at the end of your words. He parroted your name, climbing up the stairs becoming level with you again. He moved closer to your body, leaving just a few inches between your chests. You looked up into his visor, your reflection more noticeable with the close proximity of your bodies.

He repeated your name, his hands going for one of the necklaces resting against his chest. He lifted it away from him, bringing the necklace around your neck, the cool metal of the pendant resting just above your breasts. You looked between him and the mythosaur skull, the same one you saw plastered on nearly everything in the village. You wanted to say something, your mouth opening, and closing while trying to focus long enough to string a few words together.

“You’re so beautiful.” He leaned his arm against the door behind you, pinning you between him and the wood of Mira’s hut. His other hand came up to trace along the length of your neck, his knuckles stopping when they reached your chin.

You felt like you were on fire, your blood running white-hot under your skin, leaving a blushed tint in its wake. You didn’t dare look up at him, afraid you’d melt under his gaze that seemed to bore straight through you. You kept your eyes fixated on the expansion of chest level with your eyes.

“Have you thought about staying?” His fingers gripped your chin, bringing you to look directly at his visor.

“Stay?” You were a little taken back, your voice coming out as a squeak compared to his. “Here?”

“Yes, here.” He chuckled, his voice dropped mocking the whisper in your tone. A smile threatens the corners of your lips and you bite on the inside of your cheek to stop the spread. He thought it was entertaining, watching you become giddy under his attention. You turned to look just past his shoulder, willing the flush you felt on your face and neck to subside. You had wanted his attention and now you had it but you were failing miserably at being anything but at his mercy.

“Do you like it here?” He said sensing your hesitation, forcing you to focus on him again.

“Yes, of course.” It was true, you enjoyed your time. But to stay? What place did you have here? They had made you feel so welcome but you were an outsider and you had yet to offer any contribution to their way of life. You had felt better than you had in years. Like a familiar version of yourself had taken over again, replenishing the life you so desperately tried to find before. It felt invigorating but you knew it couldn't last forever, and with your injuries in the final stages of healing, you knew that time was coming to an end.

“Then stay.” His voice was firm but held a sort of gentleness that made your heart flip in your ribcage.

He grabbed your hand, leading your palm to rest in the middle of his chest. Your fingers instinctively spread over the warmth of his skin, he interlocked his fingers with yours, effectively trapping your hand behind his.

You couldn’t see his face, but it felt as if you were staring right into his soul. You imagined the depth and piercing look of his eyes. You imagined they were just like the rest of him, fierce and intriguing but with a softness hid behind them. Mesmerizing you and making you want nothing more than to fall deep in their hypnosis. You wanted to kiss him, to feel him against you, flesh and bone to be explored by your fingertips. You wanted to be encased totally by him, to drown in the warmth he exuded, to feel nothing but him for the rest of your days.

With a newfound boldness, you slipped your hand away from his slowly trailing down the center of his chest. The pads of your fingers moved over the toned muscle of his chest, doing exactly what you had daydreamed about since you met him. His skin was a beautiful tanned color with scars scattered, telling the story of his battles. You traced a few, fingers delicately moving across the raised skin. You felt his breath released from behind his helmet, so quiet you may have not noticed if it weren't for the rise and fall of his chest. You continued your movements, traveling down until you met the trail of hair that peeked out from his trousers. He abruptly grabbed your wrist, a groan filtering through to your ears. His grip was firm, stopping your actions but being careful not to hurt you.

“You should get some rest.” His voice was so low, gravelly, barely registering with the voice coder of his helmet. He released his grip, moving your hand back to your side.

You were afraid you had fucked up, misreading him and crossing some forbidden line. Shame flooded your mind, causing your gaze to drift to your feet. He reached up to your face, pushing the hair that fell in your face back, revealing the timid look that fell on your features. He held his palm against your face for just a moment longer than necessary. As his hand fell from your face, you were back to staring into the darkness of his visor, surprised by the tenderness of his actions.

“Goodnight,” He whispered, turning back to walk down the steps, leaving you stunned and missing his warmth.

“Goodnight.”

—————

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(Let me know if you want to be added or removed!💕)

[justalittletomato]

Maul X Reader Drabble

Shockingly not about dad!Maul! 

This little drabble is more of a start for the relationship of Maul and the reader, it will be a bit angsty mostly as Maul can’t quite grasp his emotions and the Reader is trying her best not to let her feelings be known. 

Some quick backstory to help: Reader is Mandalorian, and now works alongside the brother’s. She tends to know more than expected for someone with her status and this has saved her again and again and now here she is working with some Sith. 

Lingering Night 

The knock on the door was a welcome change from the endless text before him however he knew Savage was not up at this hour and Almec was sure to stay clear of being alone with Maul., therefore the only person could be…

“It’s me, sir. “ Y/N’s voice called out,

“I brought some data you might want to review for the council meetings, I can just leave them outside if you’d like.”

There was a shuffle and soft curse from her. Maul pulled away from the desk and stood stretching after too many hours reading endless contracts and negotiations  that would likely be revised and altered by Almec then by Y/N once again, “Enter , Y/N” The young woman poked her head in, “I just wanted to…” her face reddened and she pulled back out from the door stammering, “Sir do you want me to wait a bit longer so you can dress?”

Sometime during his work he had forgone his tunic, leaving the crimson skin and black markings of his torso bare, Y/N reaction was amusing to say the least.

“There’s no need, come in” Again a soft curse under her breath, Y/N slowly crept into the room, looking straight at his face trying her best to minimize the tale tell blush on her cheeks. Even at this late hour Y/N was still in her gown from the last council meeting so many hours prior, she walked to the desk and placed down the data pads before again just staring at his face alone,

“ You have to review the settlements with Black suns and the Pykes there’s also some government business Almec wants reviewed. If you would like I can assist, it’s governmental sanctions, place-holding the new council, reestablishing the boundaries. “  

The time for amusement was over, Maul just did the same giving her an unwavering stare, Y/N felt her composure begin to waver, “Did I misspeak, Lord Maul?”

Her eyes flitted to the floor, “I am sorry-“

he interrupted her immediately ,“ You continue to perplex me, you know more than some of the current officials. How is that?”  He picked the first data pad, Y/N had already annotated the settlements, and offered suggestions and highlighted contentious content. Each aside citing a bylaw or previous settlement that had been transacted,  Maul waited for her answer.

Y/N raised a brow, “I thought you had already heard,” given the lack of reaction from him, Y/N just took a deep breath and began,

“I’m the daughter of one of the more influential families on Mandalore, however, being a bastard only allows you education and no titles, its why I was stuck as handmaid for the past 5 years,”    

“I thought Mandalorians  didn’t care for bloodlines?” he watched as her y/ec eyes looked away a look of resentment marring her usually calm features as she mulled over how to explain the next part.  Maul  opened another data pad, more annotation. He should be angry that she was looking over all this information, but if it saved him time for the next step of the plan he was more than pleased. Y/N always brought results.

   “To a degree”, she started again  “Foundlings are gladly accepted into families as they have no one, but family loyalty in mandalore is important. Martial lines are fortified they need to be honored,” her eyes narrowed as she continued on “Having a child outside of one’s marriage is a great offense. These children are usually raised up as foundlings if they can get away with it.” she had paused Maul again looked to her, she had finally looked up at him again, her eyes had lost their brightness now just passive, “ or  you’re like me, people find out and raise you up with the stigma. Ostracized and kept away from a place that should be yours paying for a mistake that you were never a part of. “  She ended, her matter of fact tone slightly unsettling, as if she rehearsed this explanation for years. Her face was void of any affect, she kept looking at Maul waiting for the inevitable sign of dismissal or reproach. Instead Maul just gave another glance down at the pad, what could he say? He was seen as a scourge upon the galaxy maybe his lack of reaction would benefit her.

Instead he heard her release her held breath, “Well now if that is all. I’ll take my leave,I can recommend another councilor to help you Lord Maul,”  Y/N wanted to run it was pure reflex now before he could throw her out.

She turned to go struggling to keep her face calm and her tears from rising, she felt him  grab her wrist. Y/N looked back to Maul tugging her away from the door, “ as I have mentioned you know more, you started this great work let’s finish it.” golden eyes stared down at her y/ec.  She was going to run he could sense her panic he found he did not like that reaction in her, he tugged her a little more, “ You are one of my councilors and clearly the most competent.

Y/N ket out a shaky breath and allowed herself a small smile “Of course.” ,  she walked with him back to the desk, setting open the latest data pad, “Well this one is more than a bit unfair I think we can…” there she was again, composed and confident while her heart betrayed her with its insistent flutters.

She makes herself useful anything to gain favor, Maul notes as they walk to the throne room Y/N double checking the duties of the day and meetings she can help with as long as he’s around else no one would listen. However he also notes Y/N does not do it in  a manner of groveling. She needed to have a place, she needed to show she was of use, for years she had been denied this a feeling Maul knew too well and seeing Y/N flourish in her new role was a delight. He watched as  she sometimes has to bite her tongue before making a remark, her composed features only marred by a slight twitch at the corner of her full lips. He admired her composure, even as the other councils bristled y/n just refuted each time, ready with a rebuttal and if not the calmness to accept their input for consideration before returning back to Maul with another point of the argument.  He enjoyed the utter shock and anger the council showed, y/n had bested them as she always did.  She would smile at him and Maul gave her an approving nod.

“I could just choke them for you it wouldn’t be a difficult task.” They were back to working at night again, with Y/N pouring them some spice tea to keep them awake. She had learned caf made him anxious, she had walked around the gardens with him as he tried to settle back down at some point she had even gripped his hands with hers to try and help, it had, but Y/N would not risk that again. She had stayed in the room that night curling up at one side of the bed, and Maul on the other. By morning she had woken to the Zabrak curled up behind her, a glimmer of hope has risen within her only to be squandered when Maul had woken up and just apologized and promised to make sure that it wouldn’t happen again. “

To address his offer, Y/N gives him a disapproving look, “They already don’t like me, let’s not add kindle to the fire,” she looked over his shoulder and leaned over to point at the pad, “You forgot to sign this one. “ she had a hand on his bare shoulder with her lips close to his cheek, Maul normally would let her linger calmed by her proximity and helpful reminders but today he scrunched his face in annoyance, “You can’t possibly agree with this settlement. They practically want to take over the foundry.”

This is where she gave a laugh, genuine and one that tickled his cheek, Maul let the warmth wash over him before returning back to a scowl. Y/N of course elaborated what she had found,  “ Those Pykes didn’t ask about which foundry, this was one is practically depleted. I was overlooking the mining records it was seen as last resort not that they know that and the records are sealed so it could just have been an error.”

It was silent, “You should take Almec’s place, you are more competent that that blithering chess piece”  Y/N  deserved a higher status she knew the workings of Mandalore better than anyone, she could easily run this planet. With y/n at the helm he could continue his next steps to reach other regions of the galaxy and pool current resources.  The thought pleased him, his brother on his right and Y/N on his left. Y/N at his side that ever faithful Mandalorian who was ever present and who worked with him. He let himself imagine more nights going over plans and details and the ever lingering smell of Y/N’s tea collection as she whispered and let thier hands brush.  

“With you at my side the power struggles would quickly cease.” He said to her, “ You can picture it don’t you, with the three of us we’d be ready to overcome anything,” Y/N’s smile fell slightly but she didn’t dare pull away, however  she had to know , “ In what capacity do you mean?” she needed to hear him say it, thought she already knew the answer.  

Maul looked up at her from his seat, “As my advisor, me and Savage owe you that much , it’s what you deserve.” He expected her to give him another brush of thier hands as she did, instead Y/N just stared at him her y/ec eyes again slowly loosing thier brightness, and gives a small nod.

“Of course that would be an honor,”  Maul felt her pull away from his side, the familiar comfort of her presence slowly slipping away,

“ I think that’s enough for tonight,” she said gently, Y/N struggles not to throw something, how could she allow herself to react this way. She should even be feeling like this!

Maul got up slowly, “But you just poured tea,” why was she trying to go? he was giving her what she wanted, now they could be closer than before,”  I’d say we still have some time.”  

Y/N forced herself to give a half smile, “ I suppose you’re right” she sat opposite to him, Maul waited for her to bring her chair closer as they had done for the past few weeks, but she did not she just began to work and sip her tea.

Maul followed suit trying to ignore the knowing feeling that something had been twisted on both ends.

[zabrak-show]

Bubble Bath | Maul x Reader

Summary: Setting Sundari Palace and reader (gender neutral) is an intelligence officer for Maul’s Mandalorian army.

Word count: 2.1k (god sorry I didn’t think it would be that long)

Warnings: some angst between reader and maul as well as obimaul angst. otherwise it’s just plain dumb and silly, oh and a couple curse words

A/n: This is about the silliest thing I’ve written in quite some time hoo boy. I hope someone else finds it funny or at the very least entertaining. I laughed writing it but I am a dork so idk. This was a request from @jabean21​ to have the reader walk in on Maul taking a bubble bath as a comedy. Idk about Maul’s robot legs in the bath ok, just don’t think about it too much I guess.

The crisp nighttime air seeped into the Sundari Royal Palace and brought with it a calming energy to all who were exposed to its delicate embrace. You were walking along the gardens of the palace, one of your favorite places to just meander and quiet your mind from the day’s stresses. The stresses of being an intelligence officer for Lord Maul’s Mandalorian army were many, but you handled it with the grace of a Toydarian haggling with a Jedi. Ok you were not handling it so well, but you were handling it. You had not cracked under the pressure yet and you were still able to complete each task at hand.

Lord Maul, was, to put it lightly, not a fun boss. There was no employee appreciation week with a picture of whoever got employee of the week plastered in the break room for all to see. Oh of course, Maul had tried this early on, but he only ever awarded the damn thing to himself. Each week holding a fake ceremony that everyone was required to attend as he presented a new award to himself. Each award was more lavish than the last. The breaking point was when he attempted to award himself the prized ship of one of the Mandalorian commanders. A fire fight ensued, and thank the maker, was short lived. Maul, ultimately decided it wasn’t worth it to lose his army over a ship that he didn’t even really want, but had run out of ideas for things with which to award himself. 

Lord Maul, would get incredibly irritable seemingly for no reason. One morning you had rushed to his side beaming with excitement as you had hacked into a Jedi holo conference. Surely, this would be great news that we had intel on what their next move was. Somehow, Maul grew increasingly irritated and violent with you as you tried to explain what you found out.

“What about Kenobi? What was his part in their plan?” He spat at you inches from your face 

“Kenobi? My lord, I do not know who all the Jedi were. I was merely listening for their next move.” You nervously explained, realizing your good news was not so good being that it was incomplete. 

“You did not hear the name Kenobi then?” He pressed into your body in a show of dominance, but you stood tall in your armor, unwavering against the ruby red Zabrak decorated with geometric obsidian tattoos. His teeth bared as he snarled out the words. You racked your brain trying to remember if the name Kenobi ever came up during your eavesdropping of the Jedi.

“Hmm kenobi...kenobi…” you whispered to yourself quietly in the hopes that saying the name aloud would spark a memory. Did he want you to say yes, Kenobi was involved? Or would that make him angrier?

“Yes, Kenobi. KENOBIIIII” He yelled the final Kenobi with a stupendous gusto knocking you back a bit all the while he stared off into the distance with a longing in his golden eyes you had never seen the Zabrak show before. You looked behind you to see where he was looking at seemingly nothing and slowly back at him again.

“Are...are..are you wanting to see Kenobi? Because it sounds like you want to see Kenobi.” you genuinely asked the now pensive Maul. A smirk slowly formed, the one side of his lip curving up.

“Yes, at last I will reveal myself to Kenobi. At last I will have my revenge.” he said in his hauntingly smooth and theatrical voice while a full menacing smile contorted his already striking features.

“I, um, actually don’t know that Kenobi is involved in this, my lord. I can find out, i mean I WILL find out.” you bowed out of the room as Maul stood still staring off into the distance dreaming of his apparent long lost lover. 

You had no idea he was in love with anyone he always seemed way too selfish, and a Jedi at that?! It was a  bit of a shock to say the least. You and him had been casual lovers at one point, but it all kind of fizzled out. His temper was too much for you and you had wanted more than he could offer. You once got really drunk at a celebration feast and referred to him as your boyfriend to more than a few people. Maul had wanted to keep your affair a secret and you blew it. The embarrassment of that night still stung. It stung worse that he had not wanted to publicly be tied to you in any way. He had been gentle about letting you down, trying to say it was for your safety, that his enemies would try to attack you. “Oh sure, that makes sense,” you had agreed not wanting to show how it felt like your heart had just shattered into a million pieces of clari-crystalline.

Fast forward to tonight, the reason for your great stress was that the Jedi were on their way to Mandalore and you still had no idea if Kenobi was actually with them or not. After you hacked their communication the first time, they must have caught wind and secured their lines better. Maul had been pacing around the throne room all day trying to get everyone ready for an attack. You honestly felt for him, to have someone you love so dearly end up being your sworn enemy. No wonder he was so grumpy all the time. You certainly understood the heartache even if it was a different circumstance for both of you.

You made your way back from the palace gardens into the throne room where Maul was causing a fuss with the servants about the decor it seemed.

“What? What are these?! This is not the way of your people. To act like we live in the gutters?! Take these all away!!” he huffed as he thrust the pile of tapestries into the hands of a servant.

“Lord Maul, I am at your service.” you spoke confidently as you dutifully walked up to him. He turned to look at you and relief washed over his rigid frame relaxing himself a tiny bit.

“Ah, (y/n). A sight for sore eyes. Tell me how much time do we have until the Jedi arrive?” he raised a tattooed eyebrow in concern as he asked you.

“By my calculations they will be here in five hours.” you answered him with ease, that was something you at least felt confident in from your spying.

“Excellent. I will meet you in your office in one hour to discuss my plan for you. Don’t be late.” he extended a tattooed finger to point at you as he made his demands. You’d be lying if you said he didn’t still make your heart stop and butterflies swirl in your stomach.

“I will be there waiting, my Lord.” you turned in a rush to walk away, not wanting him to see your flushed cheeks. Right behind you, one of the servants was carrying a bucket of mop water and you knocked right into them, their small frame no comparison for yours covered in armor and they tumbled backwards and then overcorrected forward practically throwing the dirty mop water onto Maul. In an instant Maul, now soaked, held his hand out and started force choking the servant lifting them from the ground, their hands clawing at their throat and flailing their legs.

“Maul, No!” you yelled without thinking jumping out at him to pull his arm down.

“It was my fault. I ran into them.” you tried to reason with him as you gently pulled his arm down. He snarled and looked at the servant now fallen into a pathetic slump onto the floor.

“Get out of my sight.” he hissed and the servant picked up the bucket and ran off down the hall. Maul looked down at the mess of himself and growled,

“These were my finest robes. Now what am I to do?”

“Lord Maul, all your robes look fine on you. Go get yourself cleaned up, I’ll see to it that everything gets done in here and we can still meet in an hour.” you put your arm on his back and tenderly led him out of the room as you reassured him.

“Very well. Make certain it is spotless in here. I can’t have it look like I’m running a crime syndicate in a garbage dump here. Next they will be comparing my aesthetics to the Hutts. I loathe at the very thought.’ His fist clenched up as he grimaced and walked out of the throne room. You walked back to the spilled mop water and helped the servants clean. It was not above you to help the staff out especially when you knew something was partially your fault.

If anyone should get employee of the week, it’s me, you amused yourself with the thought. What would you gift yourself? You day dreamed about dark sabers, new beskar armor, or a new ship, maybe just a really nice house somewhere far away. The throne room was now spotless and you came to your senses realizing you had been here for quite some time. You were to meet with Maul in less than 10 minutes. 

You hurried out of the throne room, down the hall to your office. Technically you had plenty of time to get there, but you liked to be ready for Maul and had also wanted to tidy things up for your neat freak boss. You made your way down a corridor, your pace somewhere between a soft jog and speed walking, when you heard Maul’s voice nearby. You stopped to listen and although he was using his usual serious and dominating tone, there was something off about it. 

“I’m not sure I’ve made your acquaintance.” a strange voice rang out, muffled by the door. 

Who was in there with him? you thought with a slight panic.

“I’m surprised you could have forgotten me so easily, after I killed your master and you left me for dead on Naboo.” Maul’s voice was strained each word spitting out of him as a separate unit from the coherent thought. Your panic began to rise as you could hear the two voices back and forth. Finally the stranger belted out,

“I’ve defeated you before and I can defeat you again!” the sounds of a light saber igniting and you didn’t have to think about barging in, it was now or never. You practically tore the door down in your rush to Maul’s aid, blaster out and ready to fire. 

What you saw was more shocking than anything for which you could have prepared yourself. Maul was almost fully immersed in a bubble bath. Bubbles were spilling out onto the floor and all around him. He had fashioned a crew cut and beard out of bubbles around his dark red face, horns barely protruding out of the bubbles, and his bright yellow eyes widened in horror at seeing you in his refresher. Your jaw might as well have been on the floor, but you couldn’t even be bothered to think about what you were doing, what was Maul doing? He was holding two small figurines one of which looked eerily similar to himself, the other wearing a tan robe and small beard. They were actually remarkable looking figures, but why? 

“Maul, my..I heard voices and a light saber, I thought you were…a tiny figurine, what are you holding?” you couldn’t even form a coherent thought, words spilling out of you with no direction.

“Nothing. It’s nothing.” He threw the figurines across the floor and crossed his arms looking straight ahead avoiding your judgmental stare. Finally you picked your jaw up off the ground and reached down to pick up one of the figurines. It was the tan one with a crude little beard holding a miniature light saber.

“I um, I am relieved you are ok. I’m terribly sorry I burst in on you like this. I get so worried about you sometimes.” you admitted plainly. If there was a time to bare it all, now was it. Even if it wasn’t reciprocated, maybe it would help ease his own embarrassment. Maul was silent and you panicked  trying to replace the tension in the air with just about anything else.

“Hey you know, this little guy looks a lot like one of those Jedis I was spying on a little while ago.” you turned the figure over in your hands studying it.  At once Maul jumped out of the bathtub, water and bubbles flying everywhere,

“KENOOOOBBBBIIIIIIIIII”

Epilogue:

“Hey did you really mean it when you said I look good in all my robes?” Maul leaned over to ask you later that night, after you all had chased the Jedi out of Mandalore.

“Maul. all your robes are identical.”

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

thanks for reading xoxo