#and references to galaxy quest | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

kaysfanficcorner · 5 months ago

Text

Out of this World Chapter 9: Reunions and Revelations

Pairing: Din Djarin x Female Earthling OC/Reader

Summary: When an unexpected arrival shows up in Tatooine, the Mandalorian and the Earthling decide to delay their quest to find the Jedi for a few more days.

Author's Note: Oh boy, I can't believe it's been so long since I posted chapter 8. All I can say is that my life got a little chaotic for awhile and I had to put this story on hiatus while I figured a few things out. But I'm back in business! I always intended to ride this story out until the end, and I am finally in the headspace to be creative again! I never forgot about this story or these lovebirds! I love my Earthling OC/reader so much. That being said, I first posted this story two years ago and I felt that some of it could be approved upon. So I just finished going through the original 8 chapters and I made some edits. Nothing changed with the overall plot or themes, I just fixed a few mistakes and fleshed out a few scenes some more. Chapter 9 gave me a lot of trouble but I'm excited to get back into this story! I am so proud of it and I appreciate every single one of you who has taken the time to read this. If you want to be added or removed from the taglist please let me know!

***** = A break in the scene or a switch between character pov.

Mando'a: Ner - my Ad’ika - little one Burc’ya - friend Cyare - beloved Cyar'ika - darling or sweetheart Riduur - spouse (husband or wife) Riduurok - marriage bond Ni kar'taylir darasuum - I will know you forever (I love you)

Warnings: Cursing, references to past trauma, conflicted foster parents, and of course, sexual situations🌶️ Smut and Fluff abound. My Din Djarin is a sweetie and just needs to be loved.

Minors DNI, Strictly 18+

AO3

*****

"Granddad?” Your voice is so small as the word comes out, so unsure. Standing in the heat of Tatooine's twin suns, Hangar 3-5 is nearly spinning as a new sort of wooziness overcomes you. Beginning to sway, a hand reaches beside you to grip at the Mandalorian's vambrace covered forearm. Steadying yourself with the one and only person you know in this galaxy who grounds you.

The old man in the dark red engineer's jumpsuit says your name again, the cadence of it sounding so familiar to you that it spawns a small sob from your throat.

“This is marvelous! Absolutely marvelous!” He says cheerfully, moving forward. “I can't believe you're really here! Took you long enough, punk.”

Peli looks you over with a facial expression of both shock and recognition, then back to the man whom she'd referred to as her partner. “Wait a sec, you mean to tell me that's really her?”

“That's really her,” the man agrees, closing the distance between himself and the rest of the group. “It appears that fate has brought us together again after all.”

Beside you, Din's body straightens up. His voice is laced with an edge that alerts you to how skeptical he really is towards this stranger. Your Mandalorian does not trust newcomers lightly.

“I believe an explanation is in order,” he says seriously, looking between Peli's new engineer and yourself.

“Quite right,” the man agrees, looking right into your eyes. “But I think it's best that you and I speak in private.”

“I agree,” you say, more words unable to find you at this moment. The shock and anger you feel is simply too great. Beginning to step towards him, you're stopped when Din grips your wrist.

“Are you sure he is trustworthy?” He asks, voice low.

“Honestly? I don't know. He was once the most trustworthy person I knew,” your own voice feels icy as you finish with, “but clearly I have been lied to. I didn't realize that deception was one of your many talents, Grandad.”

Your grandfather, Richard, looks incredibly hurt by that. The littlest pang of guilt strikes you at the sight of his downtrodden facial expression, but you try your best to ignore it.

“That's a bit unfair, punk. But you have every right to be upset,” Richard offers lamely as he moves closer to you. His arms are reaching out to perhaps offer a hug, but you're having none of that right now.

Taking a foreboding step forward, you poke a hard finger into his chest. “You're damn right I do! What the fuck, Grandad!”

The child's ears cast downward and he makes a little upset noise in Peli's arms. That's enough to steady you, to remember that your boy is watching you. Learning life's great lessons from paying attention to how you interact with others. With a sigh and a deep breath, you stop the anger before it manifests anymore than it already has.

“I will not lose my temper in front of Green Bean,” you say to no one in particular. “Let's go somewhere to talk this through.”

“Yes, let's do just that.” The old man agrees, a weary look on his wrinkled features.

You move to pat the child on the head, and his ears shift upwards again with a chirp. “Sorry about that, buddy.” Then you turn to face Din, and his body language alone tells you all you need to know of the tense mood he's suddenly in. “I will be back when he and I have said all there is to say. I do not know if we can trust him, but you know you can trust me.”

“Keep your com link open. Just in case.”

“I will call you if I need you. Always. Ni kar'taylir darasuum,” you breathe that last part up at him, following your instinct to acknowledge your love for him regardless of those watching. It's important for you to let him know that the connection you share is still very real to you in such a surreal moment. Besides, you highly doubt your grandfather or Peli knows a lick of Mando'a.

“Ni kar'taylir darasuum,” he repeats, your name dancing on his tongue at the end of it as he nods once at you.

Then you turn back to your grandfather and the two of you exit Hangar 3-5 to walk the streets of the Mos Eisley Spaceport.

*****

Din Djarin’s chest seizes up and his stomach simultaneously drops to his boots as he watches you walk off with a man who is both a complete stranger to him, and a close blood relation to you. The sudden appearance of your grandfather has thrown him for such a loop that he's getting dizzy. It feels as if he’s not in reality anymore. There is a physical pain in his upper body. His brow is breaking out into a sweat beneath the beskar, a sweat that has nothing to do with the heat of this planet's twin suns.

Peli seems to tell that now is not a good time, so she takes the child off to her office without being promoted to do so. Calling over her shoulder, she says that she’ll keep him for a while and makes herself scarce as quickly as possible. Normally Din would argue against the child being taken away, but right now he can't think that straight.

Unsure of where else to go, he makes his way up the open ramp and into the empty Razor Crest. His way around the galaxy, and the home he prides himself with. It used to be a comfort to enter his ship completely alone, feeling no sign of another presence anywhere near his own. Din's perpetual solitude was never an issue before. In fact, it had been a welcomed thing after long days of dealing with tiresome social interactions or a particularly difficult hunt. The rest of the world would slip away and he would be in his safe haven once again, whirling through hyperspace. He'd liked that everything was in its proper place and he didn’t have to worry about anyone besides himself. A lonely existence to be sure, but one Din thought he was fine with until a few months ago. Aside from his life, when it came down to it he really had nothing to lose.

Now the ship is occupied by others and he feels as if he has absolutely everything to lose. It scares the living hell out of him to care for others, and Din Djarin has spent most of his adult life feeling scared of very few things. Fear is such an unnerving thing to him, but since you and the kid both fell into his lap he's felt it more and more every day. Din is just good at keeping uncomfortable feelings buried deeply within his chest.

Seven months ago the Razor Crest would have barely passed for a home in the eyes of another. Din’s life had been so simple then. No decor, no real personal items to speak of save for weaponry and clothing. His needs had been very basic and therefore his living conditions had been very basic. Jump to the present and the Razor Crest is a real home full of love. You have unwittingly changed the interior of the ship so much in the several months you’ve been living on it. The kid’s various art projects are hung up here or there. Your personal items have started showing up literally all over the place. He finds something of yours where it shouldn’t be at least once a week. It had irritated him once upon a time. Now he feels as if having to live without it would tear his heart in half right down the center.

Looking into the cot, Din really stops to soak in how much the tiny sleeping cabin has changed. The fluffy black blanket and accompanying pillow are neatly laid out in a way that makes it look almost like a real bed. A picture, the one the kid drew on Nevarro of the three squiggles together, hangs just above where his helmeted head rests each night beside yours. Together the three of you have a mixed scent that naturally hangs in the sleeping space. It comforts him every time he catches a whiff of it. The kid’s stuffed lava meerkat is in its rightful place, nestled in the tiny hammock. Din’s not ready to face the possibility that all of this could be about to change back to the way it was before. Cold and empty, just as he once was.

You've spoken so openly about feeling like Earth is no longer where you belong, but what if you had been saying that to try and convince yourself of something that was not true? To protect yourself from the pain of not being able to return to where you came from? He feels himself shake a little at the thought of it... that you could possibly look up at him with those big eyes that he loves so much and tell him you've changed your mind about staying. About being by his side.

It hurts so bad that an actual sob escapes his mouth, and he has to grip the ladder rungs to keep himself steady.

*****

“Explain yourself,” you say, arms crossed over your chest as you look your grandfather up and down with scrutiny. He’s changed so much since you last saw him. Thinner, but more fit. The facial hair is new, the deep tan is new. His eyes are the only true giveaway that this is really him. Striking and kind at the same time.

“What would you like to know?” He asks, seeming amused. He also seems to be taking in your appearance, regarding you with interest.

This only serves to irritate you. You’re frustrated, angry, and confused, in no mood to be funny whatsoever. “Everything, Grandad. Why did you leave? More importantly, why didn't you tell me? Was it an accident? Did you do it on purpose? Did you consciously abandon me?”

The amusement never leaves his wrinkled features. “Is it alright if I answer one at a time?”

Rolling your eyes, a sharp, angry noise escapes you. “Do you think this is funny? I mean, honestly? Stop and think about it for a moment. You fucked off out of the blue and left me to deal with all of them by myself. With her. You’re legally dead back home, just in case you were wondering about that. Oh, and your ex-wife took the fucking house away from me. Slapped me in the face with it, both literally and figuratively. I guess you better hope that no one else finds the lab. God! How fucking irresponsible can you be?!”

His face has been growing serious the entire time you’ve been angrily ranting at him, and now a deep frown has found its way into the depths of his beard, the lines of it creasing his forehead. All of the amusement in him is gone as he intones your name gravely. “No one will find the lab. The only other person on Earth who can get into it is you and now you’re finally here. There’s a fail safe in place. After you came here, everything in the room was to be rendered useless and all data was to be scrubbed. Essentially, if I did everything right, the lab will have self destructed in a way.”

“So you knew I would eventually come here?” You’re aware that he glossed over the comment about being left alone, abandoned, but you can’t help but focus on the way he said that you’re finally here.

“Well, I had hoped. I couldn’t be sure that you’d find the lab or the instructions I left you,” he replies plainly. “I also couldn't be sure that you would choose to come.”

Your jaw drops open at that. “Instructions?! There were no instructions!”

“What do you mean? I left you a recording in the lab. Is that not why you figured out how to get here?” He seems just as surprised as you are.

Shaking your head, you explain, “I only found the lab when I was told I had to move out and I was looking for paperwork about the house in your office. It was all completely accidental. After you left and a few years went by I got sick of living alone so I adopted an orange tabby cat. She’s named after Jupiter because her fur pattern reminded me of the planet. I took Jupiter down to the lab with me and she got herself into trouble as soon as we set foot on the ground. I didn't have time to take in my surroundings or find a recording before I was being sucked through time and space against my will.”

The old man gawks at you, openly dumbfounded. “Wait… do you mean to tell me that a god damned cat triggered the intergalactic transplant?”

“Ew, that’s a really gross name for that, Grandad,” you start to laugh, then the sudden swell of emotions crashes over you, sending you into a fit of near hysterical laughter. You're not sure if it's laughing, crying, or both. All of this is so incredibly surreal. It’s like he never left for a split second when you catch yourself talking to him in such a snarky tone, sounding like a much younger version of yourself.

“You know, that is a gross name for it,” the old man laughs along with you, wiping tears from his eyes. Then his tears seem to become real for a moment as well. “Jesus Christ, you’re lucky you weren’t split in half. God," he says your name in a pained voice, "I’m so very stupid and selfish. Forgive me. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you what I was doing. I told myself that not a single person could know.”

“But why?”

“So that there was no way for the government to find out about it and put an end to it. If they'd caught on to what I was up to I would have either been thrown in jail for conducting illegal experiments, or the loony bin. Once my clearances were revoked I was forbidden from practicing that kind of science. But I wanted you to be involved. I wanted to teach you about what I was doing. I was just so terrified. A part of me was afraid that I really was just a crazy old man who’d read too many science fiction novels as a boy. What if after all this time, after all I had given up, I really was wrong?”

He stops walking to grab both of your hands in his, looking deeply into your eyes as he continues on, “My ego got the better of me, just as it always has. I couldn’t risk letting anyone find out about it and so I convinced myself that I couldn’t risk you being involved either. So, yes, I made the hard decision to keep you in the dark. But I felt so guilty that I decided to leave you that recording before I left. I wanted to give you the choice to either destroy everything and forget about it or to follow me here.”

“It would have been nice to just have that choice up front, you know. Not because you changed your mind at the last minute.” You cannot hide the hurt in your tone, nor do you try to.

Richard's voice is solemn, “There hasn’t been a day that’s gone by since I left that I haven’t regretted my decision not to tell you.”

Fresh tears of your own begin to fall freely as you speak from the heart. “You have no idea what I’ve dealt with in the last five years. It’s been fucking hell, Grandad. Dealing with the family was like dealing with a pack of rabid, feral dogs. The head bitch was the worst I’ve ever seen her. Pure evil. The house upkeep was stressful when I had no idea what I was doing. The government did investigate your disappearance but that didn't last long. People thought I was either nuts or sad or both for believing that you were still alive. But I had to. I had to hold onto the thought that you would never abandon me, at least not on purpose. They only declared you dead recently, so as soon as she could your ex wife was trying to get her hands on anything of yours that she felt she had a claim to. She was ready to take the house from me and leave me on the street without a care in the world. Mom and Dad certainly wouldn't have taken me in. They haven't spoken to me in a long time.”

Richard hangs his head, avoiding the intensity of your gaze. “I’m sorry all of that was so hard on you. I didn’t think about the consequences of my actions and that’s on me.”

“Yeah, you really didn’t. I missed you so much, but deep down I was also so angry with you that I wanted to find you just so I could rip you to shreds myself.” That intensity isn’t going to leave your eyes anytime soon. This is all just far too much. You're so overwhelmed. “And while you’ve been gallivanting on your grand space adventures, I’ve been trying to stay sane picking up the pieces of what you left behind. If I hadn't ended up here when I did, who knows what my life would look like right now.”

His voice wavers slightly, “Not all of this has been an adventure. I’ve had a couple of pretty close calls. Ended up in a prison camp at one point. Got picked up by slavers and only barely escaped. You won’t believe the kinds of awful things going on in this galaxy. Wasn’t until I met Peli that things started to feel right, like I was finally home.”

You scoff a little, “Oh I believe it. I’ve just spent the last seven months traveling the outer rim on that Razor Crest with the Mandalorian and the kid. I’ve nearly been killed. I’ve killed. I’ve seen some weird ass shit… but honestly, Grandad? I’ve never been happier in my entire life. I feel like this is where I was always meant to be. Weirdly enough, life here has started to make sense in a way that it never did on Earth.” As the words leave your lips, you realize just how true that statement really is. This galaxy really feels like home now. Earth doesn't even feel like an option anymore.

Richard’s eyes hold the smile that graces his lips long after they return to a neutral state. “Well you fit in with this part of the universe beautifully. I didn’t recognize you at first, and I mean that as a very large compliment. This feels like the most authentic version of you, punk. And it's a good thing, too. In the recording I left you, I told you not to make the decision to come lightly because if you did, then you could never go back to Earth again. So I hope you're fine with sticking around.”

You can't help but agree, “Same goes for you, old man. I barely knew it was you at first when you came out from behind the Crest. But this suits you. You fit here. And at first I wanted to go back to Earth because I was terrified and confused, but now I can't imagine what the point of going back there would be at all. I've changed so much. And even with danger around every corner, this galaxy is so much better than Earth. I've been to so many planets and moons, met so many different species.”

“Seems as if we’ve both changed for the better," he muses.

You regard him seriously then, continuing to walk down the sandy streets of the desert city. “I need to understand everything. Please, I’ll listen as long as I need to but I have to know. How did you even figure out how to get here? Did you know where you were going to end up when you did it?”

Richard chuckles at your rapid fire questioning, musing, "Some things about you haven't changed at all. That’s a lot of ground to cover, but I promise to tell you everything. Can you convince your Mandalorian friend to stay for a few days? We’ve got so much catching up to do.”

Just thinking of Din brings a happy smile to your lips, feeling excited to share the tale of the love you’ve found with your only father figure. “I think he understands the gravity of the situation. He probably already knows I’ll want to stay on Tatooine for a few days, even though we are on a mission of sorts. The Mandalorian and I are… close.”

With a knowing glint in his eye, he smiles at you fondly. “I thought I suspected a certain intimacy between you.”

You can’t help it, gushing a little as you reply. “I’ve never felt love like this, Grandad. He’s my best friend. He’s becoming everything to me. So is the child under our care. They're my family.”

“Then I must know everything about him. How the two of you came to be.”

“You’re not getting off that easy. You first.”

“Alright. I suppose it's best to start at the beginning. What do you know of the phenomenon the locals refer to as The Force?”

*****

“Where’s Mando?” You ask Peli as you re-enter the hanger a long while later, eyes on the lookout for your cosmic companion and your would-be foster child.

The twin suns are nearly set when you and your grandfather return from the long walk on the hot sands. Being reunited with him is both a thrill, and a drain. You're exhausted after talking for so long, listening to him talk, and feeling through so many complicated emotions in one afternoon. You desperately want to be surrounded by your little family and take comfort in the solace of your mobile home. After the conversation with your grandfather, you're filled with a new confidence about your feelings for both Din and the child. The closeness with them is somehow more real than it was before.

The eccentric little woman is currently using the flames from an engine to cook the hunk of krayt dragon meat on a makeshift spit. Noticing this, you finally spot one of your boys. The kid is standing a little too close to the flames in your opinion, so on instinct you move him about a foot backwards. When he pouts up at you, you wink down at him. “Gotta stay safe, Green Bean. It’s only because I love you.”

Peli shrugs, looking as if she’s genuinely concerned in spite of the fact that she’s trying to play it off. “He’s on the ship. Been up there since you two walked off. Seems moodier than usual if ya ask me.”

With a soft roll of the eyes you shake your head, having a good notion as to why Din may be acting moody. After seeing how stiff he was acting before you'd left, it makes sense. Crouching down in front of the kid to pat lovingly at his little head, you ask him, “Can you do me a favor, kiddo? Please stay down here with Peli and Gramps while I go see what’s going on with your dad, okay?” The child nods up at you in response, and you thank him as you look back at the two elder adults. “Do you guys mind watching him for me?”

Richard shakes his head, “Of course not. Go ahead, punk.”

Making your way up and into the ship, you hesitantly call out for Din. He doesn’t respond, so you go looking for him. Not in the cot, the fresher, the galley, or the cargo hold. Upstairs is the only next logical option so you climb the ladder's rungs, growing increasingly more worried the closer you ascend to the top. The cockpit door stands motionless before you, so you take a deep breath and shake out your arms a little before you press the button to open it.

Din is seated on the floor, his back up against the pilot's seat with one leg tucked underneath him and the other laid out straight. He’s facing your direction, so when the door opens with a loud swoosh, his silver head immediately snaps up to look at you. Jupiter is in his lap, a bare hand nestled in her fur as he strokes her back softly.

You come to sit down on the floor in front of him, legs crossed in front of you. You wish briefly that you could take the helmet off. Not to see him, but to comfort him by touching his face. He’s sniffling slightly, and you can't help wondering if he’s been weeping.

“What’s wrong?” You ask him genuinely, reaching forward to touch his helmet with gentle fingers. The cat chooses this moment to leap from his lap and leave her two humans to seek out something only a cat could want.

His breath hitches, coming out with a hiss in the speakers of the modulator. You're surprised when he turns his head from you as he speaks, clearly avoiding your gaze. “You can leave now. Go back to Earth. If you ever decide that this isn’t what you want, you can just leave and then I’d never see you again. When I realized that, ner cyare, it frightened me more than anything in a very long time.”

Part of you is floored by this for a moment, shocked that he would think that you would even consider going back to Earth after all that the two of you have been through together. But a part of you also knew that this was how he may react to the sudden appearance of your long lost grandfather. The entire situation is jarring, so you don't really blame him for having anxiety about it.

“You’ll be thrilled to know that Grandad hasn’t created a way to go back and he doesn't plan to. He came here with the intention of spending the rest of his life here. According to him the device back home has been rendered useless. But more importantly, I don’t want to leave. I want to stay here. With you. You’re my family, Din Djarin. You and our Green Bean.” Whispering this last sentence, you realize that this is the first time you’ve declared him to be your family to, for lack of a better term, his face. The feeling of fullness in your emotional center warms you, spreading throughout your body in little waves.

Din counters, “Technically he has the ability to build another device if you really change your mind. If he could build it once he could theoretically do it again. And he has access to much more advanced technology here.”

A little noise of frustration erupts from your throat, your hands balling up into fists as you speak, “Oh my god, Din! What in the hell do I have to do to convince you that I’m not going anywhere? Marry you?!” You freeze up as you say this, having not realized the gravity of your words before letting them leave your mouth. A hand flies to your lips, but it's too late to contain what you've already said.

He says nothing at first, only stares at you for a long moment. Then he tilts his head, almost in a foreboding way. His voice sounds dead serious, “Do not make light of that, please.”

“I’m not making light of that. I’m being very serious," you plea.

“I wouldn’t want you to marry me out of some sort of obligation to make me feel more secure,” he replies, the slightest bit of bitterness in his tone with a taste of fear at the edge of it.

“That’s not-,” you start to get fired up again but you quickly stop yourself with closed eyes, taking a deep breath as you adjust your posture. “You misunderstood me. What I was trying to say is that I want to be with you for as long as humanly possible. So if that means eventually marrying you and making this a true life-long bond, then I would do so without hesitation. It wouldn’t be out of obligation in the slightest, it would be out of love.”

Din's shoulders relax a little, voice relaxing as well, "I would like to be with you as long as possible too, but right now I do not know what that entails. We need to figure out what's going to happen with the kid before anything else."

"I know that. I was just trying to make a point." As you try to reassure him, suddenly an embarrassed little feeling stirs in you for having steered the conversation in this direction by accident. The newness of the relationship and the subject of marriage being brought up so early into it, twice in the same week, makes you feel anxious as a silence befalls you both.

“That Tusken was right, though. You’d make a fine wife,” Din says after a moment, his voice sounding significantly better as he sits up. The anxiety laced within his tone is melting away.

Your heart soars at that, your own anxiety subsiding a little. Grinning, you lean forward and kiss the helmet where his cheek lies beneath the beskar, using the pad of your thumb to wipe away the mark your lips leave behind. “Sounds like you’re smiling again under there, Chrome Dome.”

He stiffens slightly. “How do you know that?”

You give a knowing smile of your own, grasping for his gloved hand. “I can hear it in your voice when you smile sometimes. It’s only something I’ve picked up on recently. I like to feel your mouth when I’m blindfolded, and I’ve started to realize what your voice sounds like when those lips of yours are turned upwards at me.”

Din makes an indistinguishable noise. “Come here, ner burc’ya.” He pulls you to him then, holding you in a firm embrace as he rests his helmeted head on your shoulder. “Ni kar’tayl gar darasuum.”

“I love you too, my sweet warrior.” Cradling the beskar, you hold him against you for a long while. “Ni kar’tayl gar darasuum. I told you I would know you forever. I wouldn't say it the Mandalorian way if I didn't mean it. Please trust that I'm not going to leave so long as we continue to be good for each other."

"I will," he breathes, "I will trust you."

“You’d make a great husband, you know,” you say after the silence which befalls you both no longer feels comfortable. Now that it’s out on the table you might as well talk about it. If he's going to trust you, then you're going to have to trust him in return. Trust that he will handle your feelings with the care and respect of a true partner.

He lifts up to look at you. “You think so?”

“Duh," you exaggerate the word, "I can’t imagine a better man to spend my life with. It would be an honor to introduce you to others as my husband, and to grow old by your side.”

Din sighs, avoiding your gaze again for a moment. “Occasionally I worry that the affection you have for me is misplaced.”

“Why?” You ask, urging him to look at you with a gentle hand to the base of the beskar.

Din shrugs, shaking his helmeted head before the visor looks you dead on again. “I cannot provide you with a normal life. I can only offer you what I know, and I only know the life of a Mandalorian.”

You scoff, “I’ve never once said that I want a normal life.”

“What if you decide that you do one day?”

With a roll of the eyes you squeeze his bare hand, then bring the knuckles to your lips and kiss the ridges with several small pecks. “Then we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. We can figure out what our normal looks like. My poor shiny friend, you worry far too much. Learn to live in the moment, to enjoy your present life before it passes you by. I'm finally learning to do that myself.”

Din's head tilts slightly. He doesn't break the contact between your hands though, running his thumb over yours. “I’m a trained Mandalorian warrior. Planning for multiple outcomes and thinking tactically is how I was raised.”

You frown, “This isn’t battle, though.”

His tone shifts to a vulnerable one, his head shifting again with it. “In a way it is. In a way, a life long bond between two individuals is just as much a strategic thing as planning a siege. You have to map out the right time to bring up something uncomfortable, just as you would map out the right time to blockade all entry points of an enemy’s base. You must devise when it’s appropriate to trust another with your most sacred and private feelings, just as you must devise when it's appropriate to offer a bargain for the enemy’s surrender. You have to think every choice over carefully when your heart is entangled with the heart of another, or you could strangle both hearts entirely and kill whatever it is that binds them together in the first place.”

You stare at him for a long moment, taking in everything that he just expressed as your eyes scan over the beskar. For a man who barely spoke when you first met, he’s gotten much more comfortable with long and eloquent ways to articulate his thoughts. Hearing him describe what he shares with you from his viewpoint is incredibly powerful, helping you to better understand the man you care for so dearly.

“Thank you for explaining your perspective. I feel like I just got to know a much deeper level of how you see the world. That means a lot to me,” the words flow from your lips earnestly.

“I appreciate that you listen,” he says softly, “that you always strive to understand me.”

“Of course,” you reply, hand trailing over his chest plate, “but, admittedly, I’ve never had to try very hard. You make it incredibly easy to love you, Din.”

“I feel the same way about you,” he says even softer, melting your heart a little more. “Parts of this are still uncomfortable for me but loving you, knowing you, comes so naturally. I used to try so hard to fight it in those early months but it was no use.”

“What are the odds that Greef's business proposition would lead to this?” You muse idly.

“I think that very same thing all the time,” Din’s voice is almost full of wonder.

Seeing a window of opportunity, you bring up what you came to talk to him about, “Speaking of which, I actually have a proposition of my own.”

“I’m listening,” he urges you on, sitting up more.

“Since our one and only lead turned out to be a bust and we have no idea where to go next, is it okay if we delay for a couple of days? I’d like to spend time with Grandad before we carry on with the mission.”

“This is not something I would consider a delay, cyar’ika. You thought that he was gone forever, and now he’s back in your life. That is not an insignificant thing. I’ll give you as much time as you need.”

“You’re the best,” you grin, butting your forehead into his metal clad one.

“So you love to tell me,” Din chuckles.

“I do have one complaint about you though,” you say with a cheeky little smirk.

“And that is?” He sounds as if he's raised an eyebrow, head tilting.

“You're still covered in krayt dragon, and I'm pretty sure we both stink.”

*****

Nightfall comes and Din finds himself seated by the flames of a small fire in Hangar 3-5, with you seated in a way so that you are next to but also leaning on him. One arm is wrapped around your waist and the other is draped along the piece of spare equipment he’s leaning against. You feel so right pressed to him like this, and the word riduur continues to float around in his mind. He must be going mad for thinking about marriage this much and so soon. Yes, the two of you have been close friends for several months but you’ve been lovers for a much shorter amount of time. Perhaps he’s so lost in the throws of love that he cannot think clearly anymore. Or perhaps the idea of marrying you is the clearest he’s ever thought about anything in his entire life.

Either way, he pulls you close and savors how perfect your weight feels against him. The way you convulse into him as you laugh at something your grandfather says. The scent of your freshly clean body, faint as it is within the helmet. Din’s chest swells at the sensation of spousal yearning, arm squeezing you the littlest bit tighter. You seem to respond to this, pressing your hand into his inner thigh and glancing back at him with a knowing little smile. He can see the love in your eyes, and briefly wishes that you could see it being returned in his own. A wish that he quickly pushes away, ashamed slightly.

Peli and Richard have provided the group with two bottles of wine. One for the two of them and one for Din and yourself. Not usually one to drink, Din hasn’t had much of it. You’ve had one cup and your body seems to have relaxed into the feeling of it, though your mind remains sharp as you discuss the things you miss about Earth with your grandfather.

“Okay,” you giggle, a sound Din has cherished for months, “what are the top five Earth foods you miss eating? For me it's pizza with pineapples and peppers, cheeseburgers with mushrooms, any kind of sushi, cheesy mashed potatoes, and spaghetti. Angel hair pasta of course.”

Din has no idea what any of that food is. You've spoken about some of these things before, so he's vaguely familiar with the terminology you use but when it comes down to truly understanding, he's at a loss as to what constitutes as a cheeseburger. He'd be interested to know what it tastes like, if only to understand why you speak of it with such reverence.

Richard hums as he considers this, a look of concentration on his brow. “That's a good one. I think mine are going to have to be BLTs, crab cakes, French onion soup, beef stroganoff, and spaghetti for me as well. You used to make great spaghetti.”

“Oh my god I would die for a bowl of it right now,” you lament. “With extra Parmesan cheese. And garlic bread.”

“Does any of that sound good to you, Mando?” Peli asks with a scrunched expression. “These Earthlings are weird-ooohs if you ask me.”

“I'd have to see it to know, but it all certainly sounds bizarre.” Din replies honestly.

You look up at him with a wide grin, “I think a good slice of pizza would change your life, Mando.”

Just then a piece of metal whizzes past his head, nearly dinging the beskar. The kid is in your lap playing with some spare parts down by Din's feet, using his ability to make them float around in front of his face as if he is playing with toy starships. One of the 'ships' must have had a great victory over the one that flew past him, if he had to guess.

“That child is something else,” Richard remarks from the other side of the fire where he’s laying down with his head in Peli’s lap.

Din must admit, seeing Peli in a romantic relationship is very odd. He’s sure that seeing them like that is strange for you as well. Richard himself eludes Din for a multitude of reasons. The Mandalorian is skeptical of this stranger, regardless of who he is to you. When Din had asked you to tell him your grandfather's explanation for why any of this happened to the two of you in the first place, you told Din that you would talk to him about it when you've had more time to process everything. He wants to know for himself if this man can be trusted after keeping something so monumental from you, but for now he will trust you and hope that's enough.

The old man then adds, “I've heard so much about The Force but I've never seen it used before.”

You chuckle, your body rumbling into Din's as you stroke one of the child's long ears. “You haven’t seen the half of it with our little green bean, old man. He’s the most remarkable little kid in the galaxy.” The child smiles up at you when you say this, so naturally you lean forward to kiss his wispy haired little head. Din's chest swells with love at the sight of it.

“She’s not just saying that. It’s a special little critter,” Peli agrees, one hand stroking the wild gray hair of her companion. Then she looks directly at Din. “Why don’t you let us care for him tonight so that the two of you may find proper rest.”

Din begins to argue, “We sleep just fine with him.”

She counters again, “Yes but this can give you a chance to really sleep through the night. Just for tonight. I mean no offense, Mando, but you both look like you could use it.”

Din wants desperately to retort with a snarky inquiry as to how she knows what he looks like, but he holds his tongue and instead waits for you to answer. To see what your opinion is, and listen to it with respect. Almost like real parents. Like a husband and wife, he thinks against his will.

After mulling this over for a moment, you finally respond with your thoughts. “I think it should be up to the kid where he wants to sleep. If he’s excited about a sleepover then sure, but if he seems uncomfortable it’s probably best he stay home with us.”

“Well, little guy, what do ya say? You wanna camp out with your old auntie Peli and, well gee, I dunno what we should call Richard.” Peli looks at her companion curiously.

“You can just call me 'old man', kiddo. That’s what your mama always called me.” Richard offers a little chuckle along with this.

“I'm not his mama,” you blurt rather sharply, mood shifting to a saddened tone, "but what I wouldn't give to be."

Din notices how tense you get when you say that, hearing the pain in your voice. He feels a little guilty then, knowing that you're denying the title mostly to appease him and his creed. The arm he has around you tightens, and he leans in to whisper in your ear, “Cyar’ika, you don’t have to-”

“As far as I’m concerned,” Peli interjects with an almost dismissive wave of the hand, “the two of you are more like parents to him than anyone else in the galaxy. Who else provides him with a home? Feeds him? Loves him? Knows him?”

Din's heart feels strangled at that last word. Know. What a significance that word has in his culture. Love is one thing. Love is so intense and passionate and can, unfortunately, be sometimes fleeting. But to��know someone is another thing entirely. The love is there of course, but the knowing is what makes that love last forever. That is why a Mandalorians says 'ni kar'taylir darasuum' in lieu of 'I love you'. Because it is so much more than that. There's no way that Peli could have known how much that phrase would impact him, could she? It feels so directed at him. But perhaps Din is feeling sensitive around the subject of the child to begin with.

Richard nods in agreement with Peli, getting up to come squat down and speak directly to the child in your lap, the fire a backdrop to his image. “I was adopted,” he tells the green baby, “and I know that the love I felt from my parents was more real to me than any sort of biological connection I have with the ones who made me. They provided a home where I was loved, respected, and nurtured. A home where I was allowed to grow and be myself. You see, I never felt like I fit in very much on Earth. Which is why I found a way to come here. But when I was a little one like you, my parents made me feel like I could fit in anywhere.”

The kid seems to be soaking in this information, looking up at the old man with wide eyes and little babbles.

You make a choked little sound and grab around for Din’s gloved hand, squeezing once you take hold. He knows then that you’re not really okay and you’re hiding it very well.

“We are his caretakers,” Din starts with the same speech he’s been giving to everyone for months, a very small sliver of him hating himself for saying it, “and should he choose to stay with us we would gladly become his parents. But it is my duty to find his people and bring him to his own kind. He must decide for himself what path he wishes to take. By creed, so it must be.”

“He’s just a baby though,” your grandfather argues, brow furrowed. "He can't possibly understand your creed. All that he understands is that you are the ones who love him right now."

Din starts to get a little defensive at that. “He’s fifty years old. He’s completely aware of what's going on around him and he’s very smart. Technically yes, he’s a baby, but he’s also more capable than the average infant.”

“You haven’t seen what he can do, Grandad,” you agree, adding, “Mando's creed is a sacred thing that none of us are equipped to understand. He's doing what is right by the kid in the best way he knows how, and that's enough.”

Although it must pain you to defend something Din knows you do not wish to be a reality, he's very thankful that you choose to back him up in this moment. You really are his partner. Wife, his mind repeats against his will.

Richard nods to Din, seeming to back off after you've put your foot down. “Well I’m sure the two of you know what you’re doing. But we’d love to watch the little one for you both tonight.”

“What do you say? You wanna have a sleepover with them, love bug?” You ask down to the kid, smile warming when he looks up at you wide-eyed. “Mando and I are fine with it, sweetheart. Might be fun to break up the routine a little.”

The kid seems to think this over before looking up at you with a little nod, squeezing your fingers with a tiny hand as he makes affirmative noises.

Conversation and drinks carry on for a while longer. After an hour the kid is just about tuckered out completely, snuggled up to Din’s left inside of the pram. He’s wrapped in his small blanket with the lava meerkat plush, eyes fighting desperately to stay open so he can be part of the fun. Din chuckles, reaching his free hand out to stroke the kid’s ear with a gloved finger. He feels endeared, recalling how it felt to be a child wanting to be included in the confusing but exciting world of the adults around him. “I know you want to stay up and see what the grown ups are doing but it’s okay to go to sleep, ad’ika. Rest. There will be plenty for you to learn tomorrow.”

As if this truly gives the child permission to fall asleep, his huge eyes slip closed and his breathing begins to deepen after a content little sigh escapes from his tiny mouth.

The adults bid each other a good night, and suddenly Din is completely alone on the Razor Crest with you. Well, alone save for the cat. It feels odd to be without the child, an awkward bashfulness he's not used to is rising in him. He feels a little nervous about what he wants to do next, but every instance when he has acted on an impulse with you thus far has been met favorably. So he decides to just go for it.

"I would like to speak to you about something," he says, knowing he sounds a little awkward.

You've begun pulling out the light clothing you like to sleep in from the compartment you took over all those months ago, but you turn to give him your full attention. "What's up?"

"I would like to understand you better," he says simply.

You grin a little, "How so?"

"If you truly will never return to Earth, then I would like to ensure that you do not forget about it. It is where you came from, and that has value. I know that a part of you does miss things about it. I do not want your home world to only be a place full of bad memories, and I feel that deep down you do not want that either."

Your grin widens as you cross the room to touch a hand to his chest plate, eyes casting upward. "I like how you say you want to understand me better, but you can read me better than anyone."

Din shrugs, "Not always. Tell me what a couple would do together on Earth if they were granted a night's respite from being foster parents. How does courtship work on your world?"

You grin as you mull this over for a long moment. "Well, it all depends on the couple. There are countless ways that romantic partners can enjoy time together on Earth, so it's really about what both people are interested in. We call the act of setting aside a special time just for the two of you a 'date'. Earth couples do all kinds of things together that may constitute a date. Walks, games, dancing. But one of the most common things is probably what we call dinner and a movie, which was always my personal favorite. Usually a couple will go out to eat somewhere nice and dress up to impress each other in their nicest clothes. Then they go to a movie theater to see whatever is out that they both would like to see."

Din nods in understanding. You told him once that the 'movie theater' was your favorite place to go on Earth. The place where you could slip away from your family's emotional abuse and escape into another world entirely for a few hours. He has only a vague understanding of what a place like that would be like, but he has a complete understanding of what it once meant to you.

"The ones you have on your personal device? Would they be sufficient for this?"

"Din Djarin, are you asking me out on a date?"

"If that is really what it is called, then yes. We've already had dinner, so I suppose we can skip to the movie part."

“Well, we are kind of limited in the selection. Back home I had hundreds of movies in my physical collection. I only have a small handful on that thing. I try not to watch them very often because it drains the battery, and I'm afraid I'll get sick of them too soon.”

“I would like for you to show me whichever one is your favorite of those options. We can get comfortable in the cot, if that sounds agreeable to you.”

“Ha,” you laugh a bit, “that's a no-brainier. I've got the perfect choice. But before we get started I'm going to have to explain a few Earth things just to catch you up to speed. Starting with a little place we like to call Ancient Egypt.”

Curled up in the cot with you pressed to his side, Din enjoys watching the tale of treasure-seeking adventurers uncovering ancient curses, while also uncovering a romance, far more than he'd realized was possible. After first it is a little difficult to understand but eventually he allows himself to get fully engrossed in the story playing on the small screen, even with the differences in speech and culture. It's easy enough to piece things together when he needs to, and the visible emotions of the characters are able to surpass any language barriers.

Afterwards he's full of questions.

“This Brendan Fraiser, he must be one of the most important- what did you call them? Actors? He must be very important.”

You chuckle, a fondness in your eyes as they meet his beneath the beskar. “He is to me and some other nerds who love his movies but unfortunately not as popular as you would think.”

“And how did they create that face in the sand? Was that real?”

“No, they used computers to create that. The technology is called CGI, or computer-generated imagery.”

“Interesting. It looked real. Odd that your culture uses computers for that and not more useful things,” Din says thoughtfully.

You scoff, “That's not the only thing we use computers for. But yes, we tend to use our technology for more frivolous endeavors. That doesn't mean that it's easy. I certainly don't have the skills for something like that. It takes a long time and a lot of people to make it look that good.”

“Very strange,” he muses.

The grin that spreads across the bottom half of your face is lovely as you say, “Well, Din Djarin, this was your first experience watching an Earth movie from beginning to end. I have to ask, what was your favorite part?”

“Mm,” he hums as he ponders, and then says almost bashfully, “I think my favorite part was the romance. I very much enjoyed watching the two characters fall in love. The way that they would look at each other with admiration was very believable. It... it reminded me of us.”

You can't help but grin lovingly at him, chest swelling. “That's my favorite part as well. I used to watch that movie as a little girl and yearn for a romance like that. I always wanted to go on an adventure and find the love of my life.”

“Do you feel like I am the love of your life?” He asks then, voice soft and hopeful in the modulated tone of his helmet. He finds himself wishing again that you could see his eyes again, see the sincerity there. Thoughts like that are worrisome if they do not go unchecked.

“I do,” you say honestly, “and this has certainly been an adventure.”

Din doesn't say more, simply nuzzling his beskar covered head into the side of your bare one.

“You know,” you say when a moment of silence goes by, “after a date it's usually customary to have sex.”

“Oh it is, is it?” Din's grin is hopefully obvious in his voice, a bare hand already snaking it's way up under the hem of your shirt.

*****

The handful of times you've had sex with your cosmic companion, you've never categorized what the two of you do together as making love. In fact, you're certain that you've never “made love” with anybody. The phrase always felt so corny on your tongue. It would make you cringe to hear it said in a film or read the phrase in a book. The concept seemed entirely fictional, like something sad women fantasize about in romance novels when in reality they have to go to bed each night with men who can barely make them cum let alone have emotionally compelling sex.

But on this night, you and Din make love in every imaginable sense of the phrase. Every touch is soft and deliberate, fueled by the pure emotion the two of you feel for one another. As if the connection between you is the realest it's ever been up to this point. It's pure bliss. Taking your time undressing one another, admiring each other's bodies as slowly as possible. He doesn't remove the helmet tonight, and it feels as if you're able to make eye contact with him even through the visor. Perhaps it's all in your head but each time your eyes meet the black T in the center of his metal clad face, you know you've locked eyes with him. The two of you move so carefully, treating each other's forms with the utmost respect.

With you on top and his nimble fingers playing with your clit, you're able to easily reach an orgasm in record time. Marveling at the realization that cumming with Din has become the easiest thing in the world. That woman from Earth who couldn't cum with a partner to save her life? Who's she? You don't know her anymore, that part of you is so distantly in the past.

His own orgasm arrives shortly after and you happily lap up the small puddle of him from his toned belly before your tongue trails all the way up his torso. Kissing and licking every salty ounce of tan skin that you have access to. As much as you long to kiss his lips, you find yourself pleased that he hasn't removed the helmet tonight. You get to actually look at his naked body in all it's glory for once, not just in passing. Usually you're blindfolded when he's this exposed.

“You have so many scars,” you muse, idly running a finger along a diagonal one that starts just below his right nipple, slanting down towards the center of his sternum. “You told me once that you have so many that you lose track, but that can't be true for all of them. Some must have a story.”

“They do,” he agrees softly, his own fingers lost in your hair. “Not all of them are stories I'd like to remember.”

“I guess that's fair. But I'd love to hear more about your past. What was your life really like before the kid and I came along?”

“Lonely,” he whispers.

“Always? There wasn't anyone?”

“I was a different man then, but there was someone a very long time ago. I was young and foolish.”

“So you have an ex you regret?”

“I do not understand the question.”

“An ex-girlfriend or lover? As in no longer a thing but once was? You said you hadn't slept with anyone in nearly ten years. Who was she? Or he?”

Din's head tilts up thoughtfully. “I suppose Xi'an counts as that, but I never loved Xi'an. Not in the way that I love you. I cared about her, but I couldn't be what she needed. She and I ran together on the same crew. We worked as hired guns, long before I was a bounty hunter. The things we did back then... I am not very proud of them. As I said, I was young and foolish. I was also very angry. Angry still for what happened to my family and my home world. I took out a lot of that anger on those jobs, and I enjoyed the pain I inflicted. It felt good to make others suffer because I had suffered. So with Xi'an it was a constant cycle of fighting, drinking, and fucking. There was plenty of lust, but never real love between us. When I decided that I'd finally had enough of that life, I left and she didn't take it well.”

“Wow, I was not expecting that. Thank you for sharing.”

“You're welcome,” he nods, gesturing towards his head. “My helmet was also a constant source of contention. She was offended that I would not take it off for her. She mocked my creed on a regular basis, and I did not take kindly to that after awhile.”

A small pang of jealous worry strikes your heart, but you push through it with hope that you're right about the answer to your next question. “So you never did the blindfold thing with her?”

Din looks at you sharply, causing a shiver to run the length of your spine as his voice becomes deadly serious. “Never. You are the only person I have ever done that with. What we have is different. You are the only woman I have ever called my cyar'ika. Ner cyare.”

Snuggling into him, your heart soars a little. You'd hoped that was the case, but until now it's never been brought up. “I don't ever want the helmet to be a source of contention for us. I would never mock your creed, Din. That's so cruel.”

Din releases a breath, sighing happily. “And that is why what we have is unique. I don't know why you respect my way of life so much, but I am thankful that you do.”

A shrug finds your shoulders. “I just think it's silly to shame others for being themselves. If this is how you choose to live and you do not force your way of thinking onto me, then I have no right to judge you or try to steer you away from it. This is part of what makes you you, and I cannot say that I love you if I do not love all of you.”

“I do not know what I've done to deserve you, but I thank whatever deity is listening that I have.”

His arms tighten around you, and soon after the two of you drift off to a peaceful sleep.

*****

“So I have to ask you, Mando. What are your intentions with my granddaughter?” Richard asks Din a few days later when the two of them are alone in Hangar 3-5. The women have taken the child into the town of Mos Eisley to pick up more food, and the men opted to stay behind.

“I'm not sure I understand.” Din says honestly, confused a little by his Earth phrasing.

“I know that she loves you a great deal, Mandalorian. I have never seen her like this before. She's happy with you. Happier than I think she's ever been.” Richard's voice grows incredibly serious, the old man regarding Din with piercing eyes. “I would like to know if you intend for things to remain that way.”

Din is taken aback by this sudden line of questioning, but he tries his best to answer honestly, “I cannot control her happiness. No one can or should control the will of another. But I do intend to be by her side for a long as she will have me. I will provide her with anything that is within my ability to do so. She means more to me than I believe I could describe.”

Richard mulls over this response, seeming pleased with it but not entirely. “What of marriage?”

Kriffing Hell, why is this at the forefront of everyone's minds as of late? “I believe it is too early for that,” Din offers, weary of where this is going.

“But have you considered it?”

Almost every day. “It is something I have contemplated, yes.”

“Well, what's holding you back?”

“As I said, I believe it to be too soon.”

Richard scoffs, “Oh nonsense. The two of you are more in love than I think I've ever seen before. People on Earth get married for far less.”

Din doesn't know how to respond to that at first, feeling both awkward at this sudden grilling and slightly defensive. “Mandalorians do not wed for far less,” he says with a pointed tone. “The bond of riduurok is sacred. Not meant to be taken lightly. She and I must arrive at that conclusion as partners if that is indeed the path our lives are to take. I love your granddaughter. She is a remarkable woman. I may not be ready to ask her that question now, but I would be honored if she were to accept my proposal when the time comes.”

Richard looks him up and down for a long moment before nodding once and holding out his hand. Din takes it as an offer of handshake so he reaches a gloved hand out to accept.

With a grin crawling out from his beard, the old man declares, “That was a test, and you passed.”

“Thank you, I think?” Din says, still half confused.

“You see, I wanted to make sure that she's traveling around with someone who respects her. Thank you for being good to her, and good for her. I've known that girl since the day she was born. She's had a lot of pain in her life and she doesn't need more if it can be helped.”

Din thinks over his next impulse for a moment, seeing an opportunity to ask Richard something that he hasn't felt comfortable bringing up to you. “Since we are already talking about this, I do have a few questions for you about the marriage customs of Earth.”

*****

“You are so good with him,” Peli says as the three of you are making your way back to Hangar 3-5, a droid rolling beside her carrying the food and supplies gathered at the market.

Currently, the kid in question is in your arms and you've been pretending he's a little starship as you mock flying him around in the air. Ever since Din did that with him back on Nevarro, it's become one of the kid's favorite things in the world. Bringing him in for a landing on your hip, you squint over to the older woman through the harsh rays of the binary suns. “I appreciate that,” you say softly, a sadness to your tone that doesn't go unnoticed.

“Have you tried to convince Mando to just keep him? Raise him as your own? The two of you could settle down somewhere and have a nice life with this little boy.” Peli sounds so genuine right now, which throws you off a little. Normally the woman is all quips, now she's speaking so freely of your heart's true desire.

“I'm not going to try and convince Mando of anything. He's aware of my feelings on the subject. I would become this child's mother right now if I had the option. But we agreed to see this through to the end, whatever that end that may be.” At your hip, the kid makes a noise that sounds sad, long ears casting downward. It's obvious that he understands everything that the adults are saying, and your heart sinks. “I'm sorry to talk about you like you're not here, buddy. This is just so complicated. I wish I could make it easier to understand.”

“That's right, tell your mama you want to stay with her and Mando, little fella.” Peli says with a wink down at the kid. “If they're going to leave the choice up to you, then you're going to have to chose one way or the other. What would make you happy, little one?”

The kid's ears perk back up, mouth opening as a little look of realization comes over his face. He says, “patu,” and reaches out for Peli. You hand him over, and she begins playing starship with him the way you had a minute ago.

“And believe me I am not just advocating for this so I can have a sweet little great-grandson like you, but it would definitely be a huge win for me.” She says, swooping him up and down with mouth noises to simulate torpedoes.

“Do you have any children?” You ask tentatively, aware that a subject like this can be touchy.

Peli stops walking all together, a sad look crossing her features. She keeps looking down at Green Bean, never once looking back up at you while she speaks. “I did. A son. He was a X-Wing pilot for the rebellion. I did all the upgrades and tune ups on that thing myself, but it didn't help much. He was lost in the war.”

“I'm sorry Peli. Truly,” your chest tightens, empathy for her loss overcoming you.

“I wasn't sure I'd ever feel alive again after he died. It got a little easier to live each cycle, but I never felt alive. I moved here and opened my hangar to try a fresh start. Then your grandfather stumbled into the cantina asking if anyone needed the work of a good engineer, and life found its way back into my bones after all. Still hurts every damn day, though.” She throws a mournful smile your way, handing the kid back to you. “So take my advice. If you love him, do everything in your power to keep him. And if that doesn't work, just make sure he knows how much you love him while you still have time together.”

“I will heed your advice as much as I can,” you say lamely, unsure of how to feel after such a heavy revelation about your new friend. You instead change focus to the fact that she had referred to herself as a possible great-grandmother to the kid, insinuating the seriousness of her relationship with your grandfather. “So I take it you and my grandfather are happy together?”

Peli's sad facial expression then morphs to one of joy, “I thank The Force every day for bringing us together.”

That answer is enough for you, nodding to the woman. “I am glad he finally found that with someone. My grandmother was not a very good wife to him.”

“She sounds like a real bitch if you ask me,” she laughs, sounding more like the woman you've gotten to know over the last couple of days. The kind of woman you wish had been your grandmother. You're happy to have her in the family now, even if it is unofficial.

You can't help but laugh as well, taking the child back from her. “You don't know the half of it, Peli. You don't know the half of it.”

Then as your own laugh dies down, you can hear the laughter of your two favorite men in this universe up ahead at Hangar 3-5. As your party makes way into the circular docking bay, you see the two of them tinkering with something over at one of the many work benches. Sparks are flying up around them, illuminating their figures with little cascades of dancing light. The golden colors bounce off of Din's armor and your grandfather's safety goggles, and when Din says something indistinguishable Richard claps a hand on his shoulder with another bout of uproarious laughter.

The sight of it fills your heart with so much love, but the emotion is so much more complicated than that. Seeing your family, all of it, together like this is something you never thought you'd get a chance to see. Family was so far removed from your life back on Earth. Here it's beginning to flourish in the way you'd always wished for. As Peli rushes over to greet Richard with a kiss on the cheek and a squeeze of his ass (that part you could have seriously done without), Din looks over to you with a little wave and quickly covers up whatever he'd been working on with a sheet. Looking down at the child in your arms, you can't help but mull over Peli Motto's words of wisdom and hope that whatever comes next will ultimately work out for the best.

“I love you, Green Bean. I really would be your mama if you decide that's what you want, but it's your choice to make. I promise that I would never try to sway you. I'll love you no matter what path you choose. Always.”

*****

Next Chapter

Previous Chapter

Masterlist

*****

Taglist:

56 notes · View notes