gingersnappe-9

[gingersnappe-9]

In a Crowd of Thousands: Epilogue

Din Djarin/Mando X Fem!OC || Star Wars/The Mandalorian Universe

Series List || #star wars anastasia || PREVIOUS

2.4 K words

It seemed like some bizarre dream that Ava would wake up one night and find herself laying in her cot amongst the dust and sunbaked sand on Tatooine. But it really happened. And once again, Ava found herself in an entirely unforeseen scenario. 

It was a place that Leia had described as “lake country” on Naboo. On the atmospheric descent, Ava noticed the lush greenery seemed to circumnavigate the entire planet’s surface save for the spattering of blue. The clouds seemed like thin cotton waiting to be pulled apart and whisked off on the wind. The moment she stepped out of the craft, Ava had been greeted with the heavenly smell of fresh leaves and grass. There was the distant sound of rushing water and avian species chattering in the air. It was an isolated part of the planet, perfect for a retreat, or better yet, a quiet ceremony.

The estate Leia had procured was as big as it was beautiful. Tucked away in between impossibly full trees and meticulously prunes gardens stood the pale stone building with delicate iron detailings on the windows and doors.The entryway was so long it took minutes to cruise through before the estate came into view. An entire team of staff had been waiting for her arrival with soft smiles and eager expressions. Ava had lost count of how many times she’d been congratulated on her exciting news; and yet, she never grew tired of it. 

The interior of the estate reminded Ava of Lady Omera’s. The height of the ceilings that met in conjoining arches. Windows adorned almost every available wall allowing for a sense that nature knew no boundary from outside or in. Crystal light fixtures hung from high above like daytime stars twinkling in the sunlight. And the requested flowers and decor had already been put into place. As people flitted about her, fussing over flower arrangements and flatware, Ava slipped away quietly to the gardens. 

The only chattering she heard was those little creatures called birds. Their harmonies hung in the air like the echo of a small bell. As she neared the edge of the veranda, the water lapped ever so gently against the retaining wall. Ava admired the craftsmanship that seemed to be etched into every nook and cranny of the estate. Even the railing was a beautifully carved scrollwork. And positively everything was green. Even the water had a blue-green hue, a perfect blend of the sky and trees that spread their branches out across the gently turning lake. She closed her eyes and ran her left thumb over the bands of her rings. 

They were relatively simple, however, together they were stunning and sophisticated. Ava held her hand to the light and remembered when each ring was given to her.

Her brother and sister had managed to track her down just before she and Din were about to leave Canto Bight. It was one of only a handful of moments the three of them were ever together at the same time. Leia fussed over their ships preparations, ensuring Avan had enough supplies, clothes, and provisions so that she wouldn’t have to wear her one and only dress. More practical articles of clothing and outerwear were added to her capsule wardrobe. Luke also gave her the coordinates to a planet called Illum. She recalled his words softly whispered to her, like it was meant just for the pair of them.  

“You’ll hear it like a voice you thought you’d forgotten. And always follow your intuition, my dear sister. You have a strong heart, and even stronger conviction. Be safe, and may the Force be with you.” 

Before they departed, Ava recalled the small pouch they pressed into her hand. When she carefully dropped its content into her hand, there lay the small ring. A signet ring, modified to represent not only Ava’s Alderaanean heritage and birthright, but also her lifelong journey among the stairs. Seeing the silver pave ring with the pale blue sapphires made Ava well up with tears, all over again. She had immediately placed it on her finger and vowed never to take it off. It would become the third most precious possession she would ever own. 

She looked back down at her hand, but this time to her ring finger. It was a chevron band with various clear white stones across the band. Din had given it to her the night he’d asked for her hand in marriage. 

He’d explained that Mandalorians did not take part in the prototypical ceremony. When two Mandalorians chose to wed or partner in his culvert, they went off together to a secluded and safe location. Then, they would recite a personal vow to one another, or reaffirm their Mandalorian credo in a variation meant to solidify their bond. And though Din’s culvert did not include the removal of helms, according to older Mandalorian laws, it was customary that only spouses and children would see one another's faces. When Din proposed, it was a quiet affair.

It had been about a month after the attack and apprehension of Moff Gideon. Ava and Din had been given a small home to recuperate and live. Grogu remained as their ward. The three of them would train together, teach one another, and enjoyed the feeling of just being in one another’s lives. One evening, Din made it a point to have Grogu looked after by his now aunt and uncle, so that he could take Ava back to the restaurant Luke had sent them. There was dancing amongst candle light and subtly sweet wine. Not too long before midnight, Din and Ava were walking back to their temporary home when Din stopped. He’d quietly said, “Dance with me.” 

The dream had continued as the love struck pair danced in silence under the night sky before Din slowed down to a stop. “Ava,” he whispered, “Would you dance with me… for as long as we have together?” As if from nowhere, he’d held the chevron ring to Ava. Her eyes immediately welled up with joyous tears. 

The memory was powerful. Ever since her training and continued meditations, Ava found her connections only grew stronger. 

Even now, the memories gave her reason to wipe away a stray tear. She was getting married. To Din Djarin and his clan of two. Soon to be three. 

“Ava! You have to hurry, we can’t be late!” Leia’s voice echoed over the garden. Ava had to smile. Her sister was perpetually planning and running the show behind the scenes. Nevertheless, she was right. 

As Ava ascended back into the main house, a call breeze blew through her hair and a familiar sensation washed through her. It filled her with warmth in a way only the sun, or Din could. That’s what their connection had always felt like. Radiating sunlight. He was close. So close if Ava reached out through their bond she could feel the brush of his gloves against her cheek. The press of cool beskar across her back. 

“Patience, Cyare.” She whispered, knowing her restless Mandalorian was close enough to hear, and that the fact that she’d chosen to address him in Mando’a would only spur him on further. 

A vibration of hunger seeped through her body. Knowing the pair of them, Ava had to quite literally run off or the ceremony would surely be delayed till the dead of night. 

Once inside and whisked away to prepare, Din stepped out from the shadows of the trees. His armor was polished to perfection, his clothes had been tailored for the occasion – a simple yet smart suit that complimented the lines of his ever-present armor, a cape similar to the one he’d worn in Canto Bight, albeit lighter to accommodate the far warmer climate, and his dusty boots washed and treated to perfection – In his hand, he rotated a small, velvet box. The final addition to Ava’s mysterious ensemble that he wasn’t privy to seeing until the ceremony.

But somehow, it would all be perfect. 

The time had arrived. After what felt like an eternity of lathering, primping, and priming, Ava found herself standing in front of a grand mirror for the last time before she would walk down the veranda to meet her groom. 

The gown she and Leia had designed together was more than Ava could ever imagine. A beautiful off-white, backless gown with long tulle sleeves that billowed when she walked. And an overlay of delicate green brocading that appeared like noble vines climbing up her dress. Her hair was half pulled back in a whorl of small braids with the rest falling down in her natural waves and curls. A veil tucked in that trained down to the hem of her floor length dress. Her makeup had been graciously done by Luke, once again. It looked like her cheeks had been touched just enough by the sun, her lips were just a shade deeper than her natural nude and her skin overall had a gentle bronze glow. Ava couldn’t help but take a moment to look at herself. Only perhaps the third time in her life did she feel like the princess she was. Only this time, she felt completely whole. 

She was a princess. A mouthy mechanic. A wayward traveler with family. 

She was ready. 

She turned to the thin, gossamer curtain that shielded her off from her small wedding party, took a deep breath, then began walking forward. The moment the partition parted, it felt like the world went still. There he was, waiting at the end of the aisle for her. And the two of them had waited enough for one lifetime. 

Thankfully, the walk only took a few paces before Ava and Din finally stood face to face. She could hardly hear the officiant speaking, Ava’s entire attention was on Din and his on her. It was almost as if they’d been lulled into a trance by one another, but the moment arrived. 

“The bride and groom have prepared their own vows for their ring exchange.” 

Leia stepped forward from the side to hand Ava a small wooden box. From inside, Ava pulled out the dark metal with a thread from his old, red scarf artfully laid within the band. She took Din’s hand, and spoke as she gently slid the ring over his left ring finger. 

“Din. I was lost for a very long time. I never let myself imagine something so miraculous and wonderful as the time we have had together could ever be a possibility. Yet here we are. So I make this promise to be your guiding light in the darkness, a warming comfort in the cold, and a shoulder to lean on when life is too much to bear on your own. Wherever we go, we will go together. Together, always.” 

Luke then stepped over to hand Din the velvet box. It was a salt and pepper diamond in the shape of the ka'rta beskar or iron heart, flanked by two smaller rectangular diamonds. 

Din held Ava’s hands in his own larger ones and quietly spoke to her, “I take you as mine, knowing and loving all of your strengths and faults, just as I offer myself to you as yours with all my my strengths and faults. I will be there for you in your times of need, just as I know I can turn to you when I need my Jate'kara.” 

With the rings resting in their places, and vows exchanged, it was time for the final step. 

“By the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may affirm your union.” 

Luke and Leia stepped forward to unravel a special cloth that was draped around the arbor arch they stood underneath. The officiant, and the twins, stepped away leaving Din and Ava alone to finish the ceremony just the two of them. 

Suddenly, Ava was nervous. She’s been with Din with no helmet on, but this time, she would finally see his face. She’s always wondered what color his eyes were. What they would look like in the sun. Din was equally charged with emotion. He too would finally get to see her eyes, unfiltered. 

Under the seclusion of their small cloister, Din took Ava’s hands in his and raised them to his helm. There was a soft hiss of the pressure gauges being released. Two sets of hands rested on either side of the helm, and off it came. They took their time, and ever so slowly, Din's face revealed. 

Stars, was he stunning. His skin was not far off in color to hers, he had undertone of color but remained more fair from his face being hidden away from natural light. His hair was a soft brown overlaid with chestnut hues. Across his upper lip was a freshly trimmed mustache and along his jaw a neat beard. A small patch on the right side of his chin which begged to be kissed. But his eyes. Maker, his eyes were warm. Etched with unseen sadness that melted away at the chance to look his bride in the eye. 

His color spectrometer couldn’t pick up the subtle variations in color of hers. He’d always believed them to be purely brown. Din was delighted to see that there were flecks of green, a color he thought suited her beautifully, Her freckles were even more adorable. The slight wear from decades under the Tatooine suns showed in some places but it only made the fact that he was seeing her, really seeing Ava for the first time, all the more real. 

“Jate'kara, may I kiss you.” 

“You may, Cyare.” 

They both reached forward and gently traced the contours of one another’s faces, and neck for a moment. Reveling in the idea that they were one another’s. 

Ava pressed herself into Din’s chest not caring that it might wrinkle the delicate fabric of her dress. Din wrapped his arms around her torso, and ran his hands greedily up and down the bare length of her spine. They melted into one another. The warmth from their lips spread throughout their limbs all the way to the tips of their fingers and toes.

I love you I love you was whispered and mumbled amongst desperate and passionate kisses. Neither dared to break the moment, forgetting that they need not rush, or fear again. They had all the time in the galaxy together. They could have, and had given themselves to each other completely. 

They were two halves of a whole. 

Whole at last.

Series List || #star wars anastasia || PREVIOUS

[gingersnappe-9]

It's that time of year again friends! Enjoy some Frankie Christmas content

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Frankie Morales X Reader (gender/nameless) - Triple Frontier

Rating: PG-13 (minor use of profanity)

1.5K words

Summary: You send Frankie a small gift in his early Christmas care package that not only will he never forget, but makes everyone within earshot cry

Note: Takes place while the guys are still active duty hence Tom's existence. This is a slightly modified universe where Frankie doesn't have an ex-wife or a kid. Here is the version of the song that was used in Monument's Men, which is where this story's origins were born: Song Link

A/N: This fic just sort of flowed out. I love Christmas -- and yes I'm the type to listen to Xmas music throughout Nov -- but this year it just feels a little different for more reason than one. I hope you find comfort in it, or at the very least, enjoy the sentiment I put into it. Let me know what you think -- I love hearing/interacting with you guys!

It was the holiday season. Even out in the middle of some dusty corner of the world the Christmas spirit managed to permeate the lonely existence of soldiers, Frankie being one of them.

It wasn’t his first Christmas away from home. He’d been deployed overseas several times during the end of the year. Spent as much time as he was allowed to call home to his parents, assuring them he’d received his care package stuffed to the brim with home-baked goods to share with the guys. His mom would always pack an extra set for Benny since the kid could eat like a racehorse.

But this year was slightly different. No, that was putting it mildly. This year was entirely different. You were in his life for the past year and a half and Frankie had been away from home since early August. A photo had been sent of you with the dogs in his last package just after Thanksgiving: you were home, surrounded by the Christmas decorations you’d meticulously placed around the small house the two of you shared. He couldn’t help but smile at your enthusiasm shining through the photograph knowing full well you’d started decorating well before the November holiday in order to send it to him.

Frankie found himself sitting in the makeshift common room with the rest of his squad. Pope and Redfly were talking about strategy and something tactical -- they never really know how to live off the clock -- Benny and Will were having another brotherly quarrel over who really had the best foosball skills. Meanwhile, Will had scored seven goals in this round, and won four out of the five games in total. Frankie was content to read his book or scroll through his phone a bit listening to the pleasantly calm white noise they were creating.

The serenity continued until a younger soldier came in excitedly announcing that mail had arrived. The five of them gathered themselves to go and retrieve their packages from the pick-up location.

The Millers received enough snacks to feed their entire squad for another three weeks alone. But knowing how much Benny ate, it would only last him a week unless Will was careful enough to hide the snack -- which he always was. Tom received a small packet of pictures and a late birthday card from his daughter. Pope got a letter from his mom and pop. But Frankie received something that the whole crew honed in on like a predator stalking their prey. Their eyes glazed over and their mouths watered at the scent that managed to work its way through the overpowering musk of cardboard and tissue paper: Homemade Christmas cookies. And not just any Christmas cookies, your Christmas cookies

After it came out that you could bake, whenever the guys visited, they would request a batch of cookies above all other desserts. You spoiled them and somehow always managed to bake enough to send each man off with his own take-away box. Frankie would watch you tirelessly work on decorating each cookie carefully. He’d make note of the dexterity and strength of your skilled hands as you’d squeeze the piping bag or roll out the dough. He loved the way your tongue would poke from between your lips as you concentrated or the way you’d hum along to whatever song would come over the radio. You poured an immeasurable amount of love and care into each and every one, and Frankie swore it put him off any and all other cookies for the rest of his days. Redfly would always sneak one or two chocolate thumbprints, Will was partial to the peanut butter ones; while Santi and Frankie favored the Noelle Nut balls -- for which, yes, Benny teased them relentlessly.

So there he stood, each of his friends pestering him to see if you’d sent them their own baggie of cookies. And of course, you did.

Their nicknames were written in sharpie on little name tags that tied off the metallic wrapping. It was as if Christmas came early for the Delta force men. Once the hoard was satisfied with their pillaging, Frankie could finally pay attention to whatever else was in the box. Some new polaroids from your hikes with the dogs in the nature reserve a town over, another of the pups splashing around after a bird at the local beach. One of you in your paint crusted overalls as you finished touching up the hallway Frankie had redone before he left.

Frankie had taped a few pictures of you above his bed so as he fell asleep, he could look at the little constellations of you that he’d created. He once told you it was so you could watch over him as he slept, like his guardian angel. He would be sure to add them to his small collection. Before he began to break down the box, he noticed a small envelope towards the bottom. Not wanting to miss anything, Frankie picked up it and peeled off the sticker.

Inside was a small note and a flash drive stick. The little note read:

Hi, Love

When you get a chance, give the what’s on the flash drive a listen. I can’t wait to see you.

Always, Yours

“Hey, Pope.” Frankie spoke up a bit as to make sure Pope could hear him over Benny’s griping and Will’s taunting.

“Yeah, Man?”

“Put this onto the computer for me. I need to take a look.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Frankie tossed the small flash drive over to Santi who was sitting next to the laptop. What Frankie didn’t realize was that as soon as he went over to his phone to text you that he’d received his package -- and that the guys were already plowing through their cookies -- was the fact that Pope had not only uploaded the file to the computer, but that he had set it up to the small set of speakers in the room and pressed play.

“Hi Frankie-Baby. It’s me…”

“Pope! What the fuck? This is private!” Frankie shot up out of his chair and threw the phone behind him.

“Oh shit, sorry!” But before Santi could pause the audio file, your voice continued.

“I know you and the guys are probably upset about being away during the holidays… So I thought this might cheer you up…”

Then you started singing. Clean and clear. No music. Just your voice singing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. It was without a doubt your favorite Christmas song ever, possibly even your favorite song of all time.

Everyone in the room stilled. The guys knew you could carry a tune but they’d never heard you without the music of the radio. There was always another distraction. Some sort of noise overpowering the way you sounded. But in that moment, the world seemed to stop spinning. Everything outside ceased to matter.

The lyrics wrapped in and around Frankie’s heart and soul. They filled him. Sustained him. It was intimate, yet it didn’t shy away from being shared with others. It was somber and hopeful all at the same time.

Frankie stood there mesmerized. He hadn’t been able to speak with you very long due to the time differences and your work schedule. If he closed his eyes, it felt as though he were back home. If he reached out, his hands would wrap around your waist. You would lean into him as you stood at the window and watched the sunset. Frankie brought his hand up to his mouth; to even out his breathing or to give his lips something to touch if it couldn’t be you, he didn’t know. He didn’t dare open them for fear that the tears welling up behind his eyes would come tumbling out. He didn’t want to be that guy who cried over not getting to see his person.

But when your voice finished off the last note of the song, and Frankie opened his eyes again, he was dumbstruck. The others seemed as affected by the sentiment of the gift as he was.

Pope carefully ejected the flash drive from the USB port and handed it back to Frankie. When he looked at him, Santi quietly told Frankie with what looked like a light mist in his eyes, “This one is special, Hermano. Don’t lose em’.”

~~~

Later that night, as Frankie lay in bed, he had his earbuds in as his head sunk further into the thin pillow and stared up at the photographs of you. A candid he managed to take of you sitting in one of the oversized den chairs, zoned out and content. A group shot of the six of you at a cookout together.

Benny somehow managed to figure out how to download the audio onto his phone. Frankie had it on loop, and just before sleep claimed him, he whispered quietly, “Have yourself a Merry little Christmas, mi amor. I’ll be home soon. I love you.”

~~~

General Taglist: @athalien @rosiefridayrogersunday

[gingersnappe-9]

In a Crowd of Thousands: Together Soon (18, Finale)

Din Djarin/Mando X Fem!OC || Star Wars/The Mandalorian Universe

Series List || #star wars anastasia || PREVIOUS || EPILOGUE

1.6 K words

Luke stood quietly in the garden, listening to the sounds of the water fountains trickling, the hush hush of the leaves rustling in the circulating air. He often meditated in the garden. The thrum of the teaming plant life allowed him to center himself, he could appreciate the light even as he felt the subtle decay of a dying leaf, or an insect reaching the end of its fleeting life. This he knew all without even having to open his eyes. His connection to the force was always strongest when he found himself surrounded by nature. Perhaps it was his time with Master Yoda that sparked this connection during his brief training on Dagobah. Luke had unconsciously modeled his training spaces after the environment. Really it was the balance. Nature always balanced itself, whether untouched or disturbed, found a way. 

He’d seen ancient ruins – once hubs of grand and thriving civilizations – overrun with greenery and vegetation from lack of containment. Even his rather quaint garden needed tending to. The trees would stretch too far to the glass ceiling, threatening to break through, so they were trimmed back. A flower withering in the shade needed to be moved to a spot with direct sunlight in order for it to grow. But for as much attention as the space needed, it reciprocated in kind. Luke could find peace in the space. A moment of solitude, a place to just be. 

But he was not there for one such moment. 

Ava had just walked in. 

“Master Skywalker.” 

He smiled, and opened his eyes. “Ava. How many times have I told you, you can call me Luke.” He turned and faced his sister, “I am your brother after all.” 

Ava smiled. “I guess I still have a lot of catching up to do on the whole sibling thing.” 

“I suppose. But I know I speak for both Leia and myself when I say that we’re looking forward to it.” 

The pair of them shared the sight of one another with fondness. They had grown closer in their short time together, and their bond was only strengthened once Ava’s true identity came to light. But Luke couldn’t help but feel a twinge in his heart. Ava wasn’t just his sister. She was his student. One of his very few. The young master had in fact trained his twin sister to walk the way of a Jedi Knight – Leia had even crafted a lightsaber of her own – but there were other forces at work preventing her from taking any further step along that path. So, standing before his youngest sister, Luke couldn’t help but wonder. 

Ava showed immense promise and progressed quickly with the limited training she’d undergone. Luke was both impressed and a bit disturbed at her skills during the recount of her fight with Moff Gideon. He witnessed, through her memories, as she managed to destroy a kyber crystal chamber. He felt her anger, how darkness bled into her being like blood soaking a cloth, then retreated. She had an innate connection to the force. Ava was clearly a devoted student, but even as he looked upon his sister, he couldn’t help but wonder. 

“Ava,” Luke thought out loud, “You’ve come very far in the brief time we’ve known one another. Both as a person and as a student of the Jedi teachings.” His youngest sister smiled sheepishly at his compliment. “You show real promise. But I must be honest with you, to walk the way of a Jedi is not a trivial task. ” 

Her brows furrowed. “What do you mean?” 

“I’m saying I’d like to take you on as a student, permanently. You and Grogu. Teach you the ways of the Jedi and the force, help you hone your senses and skills. All so that one day, you may become a Jedi in your own right.” 

Her eyes widened with wonderment, her lips parted ever so slightly as she pulled in a breath. “You think I could become a Jedi?”

He knew exactly how she was feeling. It seemed not too long ago, when he was just about her age, that his life changed. His entire concept of the galaxy was altered and Luke saw himself in a new light. “Yes.”

Luke loved the way a smile broke out across her face, all teeth and high cheeks, just like Leia. 

“Would Mando be able to join us? I gathered there’s some history between Jedi and Mandalorians, but he seems to trust you. I’m sure he wouldn’t be a disturbance.” 

Luke pursed his lips. “Ava. If you came and trained with me, it would just be you, me, and Grogu. It wouldn’t be permitted for you to have contact or visit with anyone outside of training.”

Ava’s face shifted, she hid it well, but with the growing comfort of feeling supported, her emotions were harder and harder to mask. “So… I would have to leave him behind?”

 Luke, understandingly, explained further, “The Jedi separate ourselves from ordinary ways of being. We do not hold value in monetary possessions or gains, but most notably, it is the Jedi way to refrain from the conventional ways of emotional attachment.” 

Neither of them spoke for a moment. 

“So,” Her voice was incredibly demure and quiet, “If I were to go with you – become a Jedi – I would have to give up everything. I wouldn’t see Leia… or Mando.” 

Luke walked forward and gently took his sister’s hand in his own. They looked into one another’s eyes and let their connection through the force fill their beings. “It’s not that emotional connection is bad, it is encouraged to grow bonds, in fact. But what can become dangerous is our attachment, or even obsession, with those bonds. Our feelings can cloud our judgment and cause us to act irrationally. As Jedi, it is the goal to achieve a sense of enlightenment and balanced understanding of the force and ways of the galaxy around us. If we are tethered to something, or someone, we may be unable to move forward in higher pursuits.”

Ava stood there, aged from recent experiences, but all the wiser. She did not protest to what many would, and have, called unfair. Luke could see the rational and reasoning beginning to spin in her mind, like galaxies slowly tumbling together to create a new existence entirely. Her countenance was still. Luke knew this was a difficult decision. He would often watch passersby walking arm in arm, the way a small child would teeter over to their parents leg, all of the meaningful connections he did not have the means to engage in. Yes, he had family, they would always be his family whom he loved and would cherish, but that was where it stopped. There was so much he had yet to learn, so much he was willing to teach. It was his path.

“Ava, it is your choice. I cannot make it for you. But I want you to know it is entirely up to you. The lives we lead are the ones we choose for ourselves.” 

The lights and systems powered on with a soft hum and welcoming glow. The holo-images along the walls flickered in their loops with familiar faces. Leia stepped into her office just as the sun was beginning to rise over the skyline of Canto Bight with a new photo to display and an empty space on her desk.

The frame was simple. It stood proudly on the relatively bare surface, but it made Leia smile like no other picture could. It was of Leia and her sweet sister. They were seated in the garden, smiling and laughing at whatever joyful memory they had recalled together. The sun was speckled across Aurie’s cheeks, accentuating the curves of her face, the frame of her smile. Her hair was down in loose waves with a flower crown they’d made earlier. Leia was astounded that she was able to see that smile again – Her sister and mother’s smile all wrapped in one. Too caught up in the simplistic happiness of the photo, Leia nearly missed a small holo-puck sitting in the center of her desk. 

Leia sat down and opened the message. Before her appeared Ava with those same waves of hair and kind eyes. 

“Hello Leia. I know this might seem a bit strange, I must be honest, I was nervous whether or not this was the best decision. But after a great deal of thinking, I know it’s what’s best for me. 

Luke has shared with me his plans to build an academy and start a new Jedi temple. He wishes to gather worthy students to train as padawans of the Jedi Order. Leia… he told me in earnest that he thinks I could become a Jedi Knight. He even wants to train Grogu, can you believe it? The little bug can barely hold a cup on his own but he’s strong enough to wield the force… 

But Leia, I know you understand what that means. I cannot pretend to understand what gave you reason to walk away from the ways of the Jedi, but I respect your strength. Maybe one day you’ll share your story, but that shall be your choice… as this decision is mine. I… I won’t be joining Luke. 

Much like you, I guess, I have other reasons to not walk that path. 

I was alone for so long. No memories to comfort me, nothing but wild-fantasies and some beat up speeders to get me through my days. Then, some Mandalorians with a baby blew into my life and everything changed. I found you and Luke. Maker, I finally learned my real name.  I know how I came to find you again. A young boy saved me that day on Alderaan. He found me on the streets, brought me to a ship, put me in the pod once we realized mother and father were gone. 

I know the two of you spoke, but Leia, it was the Mando. He saved me, now in more ways than one. I know the truth now, my truth.” The holo of Ava stilled, for a moment. She smiled softly as she thought of her next words. Leia hardly needed to hear the whole message through to know what was in her sister’s heart. 

“So, my beautiful and strong sister. Wish me luck. I promise we’ll be together soon.” Ava smiled brightly and touched the necklace, their necklace, that fell on her chest. “I love you.” 

The final image of Ava stopped. Her sweet expression and relaxed posture perfectly held against time. A soft knock came from the door, and Leia’s assistant stepped through the doorway. She saw the holo-puck on the table top with the stilled image projecting. 

The woman, having known Leia for a few years, felt comfortable enough to say, “I take it the young miss has made her final decision?” 

Leia smiled at her knowingly.  

“Well, it seems like a perfect ending.” 

“No. It’s a perfect beginning.” 

A star flashed across the sky. There one moment, gone the next. It’s exact journey unknown, but oh, how it burned. Oh, how it was loved. 

Series List || #star wars anastasia || PREVIOUS ||

[gingersnappe-9]

In a Crowd of Thousands: Remember (17)

Din Djarin/Mando X Fem!OC || Star Wars/The Mandalorian Universe

Series List || #star wars anastasia || PREVIOUS || NEXT

5.4 K words

Warning: some emotional distress

Sounds and flashes of color peaked in and out of Ava’s mind. Voices. Pain flickered throughout her body but it never lasted very long. Something enveloped her and seeped all the way through to her bones and brain, washing away any aches or pains. Someone whispered to her. Their voice was low, soft and comforting like honey. It helped lull her back into the darkness if the pain ever got too severe. It was otherworldly, an out of body experience. Ava let any and all thoughts flow in and out of her mind like a soft current. She could feel the healing process. She felt like a flower who had finally seen the sun after a harsh and cold night. 

When Ava finally opened her eyes, she was in a med bay; or rather, her room had been converted into a medical suite. Monitors blinked and beeped quietly at her bedside. There was a large bacta tank at the far side of the suite where the couch had once been. Something shiny glared in her blurry periphery. Though turning her head was a struggle, she still managed and saw that it was Mando. 

Sitting on a short stool with the upper half of his body hunched over onto the bed, arms cradling his head, was Mando. One of his hands clutched hers which was sweetly tucked up to his hollow beskar cheek. He was waiting for her. Ava didn’t know how long he’d been sitting there, but he was there, waiting for her to wake up. 

“Mando.” Stars. Her voice sounded horrible. Like coarse sandpaper or someone who smoked too much spice and ruined their vocal cords. 

His head shot up.  “How’re you feeling? Does anything hurt?” 

Ava had to smile. The medication was still pumping through her body, doing its work and it made her loopy. Her smile was rather dopey, but the concern in his voice, the way he still held her hand, how could she not smile? 

“I’m okay.” 

Even through his audio bypass, Ava could hear the ragged breath he let out. Mando gently placed her hand back on the bed and went over to the nightstand to grab her a glass of water. It was still a bit too heavy for her to hold on her own, so he helped guide the glass to her lips. 

Ava drank greedily till the cup ran dry. Mando continued to help her sip till she had run through three glasses. 

When she spoke again, her voice sounded normal, vocal cords graciously lubricated, “What happened?” 

The shift was subtle, but Ava still caught it. The way Mando visibly retreated into himself, resuming his mercenary persona. Mando was still as he spoke, careful with his wording “After I… left, I regrouped with Fett. He insisted that we find you again. Said some Imperial officer called Moff Gideon was after two force-presenting individuals, even hired a dozen bounty hunters and mercenaries.” Ava’s blood ran cold, “Fett had discovered on his last bounty exchange that Gideon was after a girl, and a kid. Once I told him that you were the real princess, we knew he’d go after you.” The two of them sat in silence for a moment, heavy from the weight of Gideon’s intent. Their hands were still clasped together. Ava once again marveled at the difference, and yet how neatly they fit together. But Mando had resituated himself in his mind and slowly pulled away. 

“I’m sorry,” The t-visor was as unyielding as ever, but Ava sensed the struggle it took for him to speak, “I’ve overstepped… your Highness.” 

“What?” 

“I’ll let one of the attendants know you’re awake and I’ll take my leave.” He took his hand away and left Ava’s empty. His tattered capped fluttered with the speed at which he turned and made his way to the door.

“Mando, wait, what do you mean you’re leavin-” 

“I can’t stay.” His voice was clipped. “I wish you well, your High-” 

“My name is not ‘your Highness’!” She yelled and Mando stopped dead in his tracks. It was enough. Ava had enough. “A name does not change who I am as a person. It doesn’t change everything we’ve been through. What’s happened to the both of us, Mando. I’m still that sand dweller you met on Tatooine. I’m still the girl who loves that little green baby,” He’d turned his head ever so slightly so that he’d see her from his periphery, “I’m still Ava.” 

“I know that. But that doesn’t change the fact that you are a princess. Your rightful place is with your sister and brother. They can protect you. They can give you a life.” He sounded hurt. Disappointed. 

Their feelings were twisting inside their chests, only getting tangled and confused. Ava hit her fists against the mattress, frustrated that she still didn’t feel strong enough to get up and point her finger in his dumb shiney face while she spoke. “What life I live is the one I choose. Not the one people expect, the one I choose for myself. I am more than my name or my title.” 

A silence fell between them. Mando slowly made his way to the door. 

“You’re so much more,” Mando’s voice was soft, practically a whisper, “You’re a star too bright to miss.” He barely touched the handle before Ava spoke out quietly. 

“Wait… what did you say?” A memory stirred up in Ava’s mind. 

Mando cocked his head a bit trying to shake off his embarrassment, “Nothing.” The door handle was pulled down. 

“I have,” She stopped him again with nothing but her voice, “I have this one memory… from before.” Mando once again turned his head in her direction, the pull drawing his attention to her and only her, “I was with my parents, and there was a big party or something,” Ava couldn’t remember the right word for it, “A parade. It was a parade. There were people everywhere lining the road. But I remember this boy… like a red plume in a sea of blue.” 

It was dim at first, but the longer it ruminated in her head, the clearer the memory became. Ava remembered the way the crowds cheered as she and her parents rode by. How streamers fluttered down through the sky and the smell of festival food wafted through the air. She recalled how her cheeks burned from smiling so much, the way her mother and father would gaze down at her with love and adoration. Then it seemed like the sky split in two and the world began falling apart… literally. 

Ava remembered a bolt of red cracking across the sky. The sounds of the blaster-fire ringing out in every direction as bodies fell. The world ending. Her world ending. 

“Then… I got lost, I couldn’t find anyone. People were screaming and running. I was so scared. But that boy found me,” Her voice shook from the emotion of the memory, “He… he told me his name…” 

It felt as if neither of them could move from their fixed positions. It was clear. She finally remembered. The warmth of that boy’s hand in hers. The way he pressed their foreheads together and whispered something so sweet it shook her to her very core. The sentiment that kept her warm in the dark of space. It had sustained her all those years alone and Ava hadn’t realized it until that very moment. 

“Din.” 

He slumped forward from the power of whatever it was he was feeling. Relief? It felt too good to be true, it had to have been a malfunction in his systems. He had to have misheard Ava. 

She said it again, with a quiver from her lip mis-shaping the sound of it as she spoke, “Din.” 

Ava’s eyes were welled up with tears when Din – the Din – turned and looked at her entirely. 

Weakness be damned, she couldn’t lie in bed for another second. Ava threw off the covers and let her feet fall to the floor before Din was already kneeling between her thighs with his hands firmly pressed to her hips so she wouldn’t dare over-exert herself. The two of them paused there for a moment to look at one another. Nothing about their outward appearances had changed, yet everything was different. Their bond was rekindled and the links that pulled them together became even stronger. 

Din’s arms came to wrap around Ava and pull her in as close as possible. She hastily gathered as much of him in her hands as she could, willing them to somehow fuse together and never separate again. His hands caressed her waist, entranced by the way the thin material slid against her skin.

The tears fell and began to streak down like rain against Din’s helmet. His breathing was harsh in attempts to control his emotions which were, at last, set free. All the while, she kept repeating his name, like a prayer. Din. Din. Din. 

It was the first time in years, decades, since anyone had said Din’s name out loud. It baffled him how he’d almost forgotten the sound of it. 

“Jate'kara, close your eyes.” They were already closed. 

Din ripped off his helmet and took in the sweet and unobstructed view of Ava’s face. There were still some scrapes and fading bruises, but Maker, to Din she was just as beautiful as ever. He stroked her skin with the tips of his fingers with a feather-like touch as if for the first time. Din was determined to commit every detail – every freckle, faint and faded scar, crease and curve – to memory. He let his rough and calloused hands gently cup the supple curves of her cheeks.. His palms felt warm and damp from Ava’s crying. Without even realizing it, he’d gotten so close that his nose gently brushed Ava’s. 

“Don’t cry. I’m here.” Din wiped away the tears that had streaked down across her cheeks and to her chin. 

There was a word unspoken between the two of them. Simple and concise. Neither of them had to say it outloud to know what it was. They both felt it through their bond, it electrified their skin, set their souls alight. 

She whispered against his brow, “Why didn’t you tell me?” 

He kept his voice soft, so that not even the empty spaces of the room were privy to their conversation, “I didn’t want you to think I was deceiving you. I already said hurtful things to you before, I didn’t want to give you anymore reasons to hate me.” She could feel his gentle breath against her skin.

“I could never hate you. I may be angry… but I could never hate you. Din, I-” She hitched forward enough that her lips pressed to his. At first it was just her lips resting against his, but no sooner was there contact did they lean into it and practically melt against one another. Din’s beard had grown in some, and for whatever reason, the light scratch of it against set off small sparks of happiness – a new sensation for her to savor and remember. 

The pair of them stayed on the edge of the bed. Hands touching and gliding. Caresses and the gentle rocking of their bodies. Their chests heaved against one another as they took turns gasping for air between open mouth kisses against every inch of skin their lips could find. They soaked in one another.  Her mouth was still cool from the water. She was refreshing. Din would pull Ava’s bottom lip gently between his teeth and relish in the way she panted softly for him. Ava, in turn, would glide her tongue along his and Din had no other recourse but to growl and groan from the way it sent static through his spine. 

Din pressed his palms between her shoulder blades, excited by the way she flexed her body in response to his hands tracing up and down the column of her spine, admiring the muscles beneath the thin gown. With every twitch and squirming motion, Ava shifted her body closer to Din’s torso. Her thighs reflexively squeezed his chest and her fingers tangled into his hair, growing messier with each pass and gentle scratch against his scalp. Ava let her hands explore the cut of his jaw and savored the way her skin scraped against his scruff. 

Neither of them knew how long they’d been there for, and neither of them really cared, but Ava’s body was growing tired and sleep began to seep into the corners of her mind. Din just knew. He could feel it in the way her head bobbed easier and easier. 

Din asked without even a word being spoken – He managed to do so without needing to part very far from Ava’s mouth – “Do you want to lay down?” Her shoulders slumped slightly and she leaned into his chest more and more. 

She hummed softly against his lips, even as sleep crept in, Ava still refused to stop. 

Din let out a soft groan as he leaned back and pulled apart for only a moment. “We don’t have to go anywhere. Let’s just get you into bed.” 

Her voice was low and hushed, “But I’m already in bed.” She finished with an impossibly slow tug on his lower lip.

Maker, help me. Din couldn't help but smile and kiss her again. “Come on, Jate'kara. I just want us to lay down.” 

She giggled in response, “Seems like you’re always getting me into bed.” 

Din gave her a light pinch on the cheek, “Half a lifetime is more than enough waiting. I intend to get my fill.” 

The smile she gave him lit up the room. It was sweet and filled with a happiness that Ava hadn't yet known. Din nearly ravished her then and there, but deep down he could feel the pull of sleep gently lulling her into dreamland, it quietly whispered in his ear as well. 

Even with her eyes closed, Ava helped Din remove the outermost layers of his armor and flight suit. Her dexterous fingers worked smoothly and efficiently through her inherent sense. Once Din was down to nothing but a simple undershirt and his trousers, the pair of them settled into the pillows; arms wrapped around as close as possible, their legs tangled beneath the fine linen sheets. 

“Din.” 

He hummed back while stroking a few strands of hair from her face. 

“What does jah-ka, jati-kar-”

“Jate'kara.” He whispered against her brow.

“Mmm. What does it mean?” 

Din watched the way her chest rose and fell for a moment, how her hair cascaded down in a soft tumble of waves and light curls. Her cheek was pressed into his chest giving her the sweetest little squished face ever – not that he could ever bring himself to say such a thing out loud. 

“In Mando’a, it literally translates to‘bright guiding stars’,” He smiled at the blessing he held in his arm, and kissed the crown of her head, “But it can also mean ‘destiny’.”

Series List || #star wars anastasia || PREVIOUS || NEXT

To stay up to date follow #star wars anastasia

[gingersnappe-9]

In a Crowd of Thousands: Beskar vs. the Dark Saber (16)

Din Djarin/Mando X Fem!OC || Star Wars/The Mandalorian Universe

Series List || #star wars anastasia || PREVIOUS || NEXT

5.4 K words

Warning: canon violence (lethal weapons use), near death experience(s)

A/N: chapter banner art by @followwhereshegoes​ & myself

The plan was to announce her reunion to Leia and reaffirm their family’s legacy of fighting for the greater good of the galaxy. 

Ava tried convincing herself that it was for the best. No, that it was her rightful place to be by her sister’s side fighting the good fight with the Rebellion and serving as a diplomatic attache to underprivileged reaches of the galaxy. It’s what they talked about at least, but the more Ava experienced it, the stuffier she rediscovered it all was. She recalled how much she disliked wearing dresses that she could potentially trip over and fall on her face in front of some important foreign dignitary – she actually remembered doing that once when she was younger – She had forgotten how most of the individuals in law and diplomacy were decades older than her and never quite appreciated her humor. Ava accidently scandalized a maid when she dropped a book on her toe while practicing her walk – like he did back on the Crest – and swore like a spice runner. 

Try as she might, Ava was just having a far more difficult time fitting in to her birthright. She’d watch the maids flit around and coo about the fine jewelry and dresses she and Leia would be wearing to the event. She had to agree though, the gowns and finery were stunning. The material felt like starlight across Ava’s fingertips. The bright colored gemstones of her necklace were as red as sand stone. A pair of crowns, however, remained in their storage boxes. Leia suggested they hold off on donning their headdresses until they arrived at the venue. 

“They’re gorgeous but I’ve knocked mine off my head getting out of a cruiser or two.” The sisters shared a good laugh. Ava wasn’t sure what being a “someone” should feel like but only deep down in her subconscious did she consider that she really only needed simple things… perhaps a simple person. 

Sooner, rather than later, everyone was dressed and being ushered into sleek, black cruisers. Leia and her secretary or personal assistant immediately began chatting about her schedule and future events. They didn’t seem to need her attention so Ava allowed herself to gaze out the tinted windows and onto the passing by cityscape. The light had already begun to bleed from the sky as dusk settled over Canto Bight. The lights streaked by not unlike the stars at lightspeed, though they paled in comparison.

They arrived at the Starfield Legacy Center far earlier than even the ravenous reporters who were always far more interested in capturing the glitzy regalia or a moment of weakness between a supposedly madly in love couple. Ava and Leia calmly walked through a side entrance with grand capes covering their ensembles with ushers following closely on foot with the crowns, locked away in protective boxes. One of the event coordinators brought them up to a secluded room where they could freshen up and wait in privacy before the speeches and press rounds. Ava sat down quietly on a plush chair tucket into the corner. She fiddled with her opera length gloves to keep herself from messing up her hair or makeup or her dress. She watched as Leia moved through the motions with ease. How her sister handled unexpected questions with ease and firm command. Leia was a natural born leader and Ava adored watching her in her element. If Ava had been left to her own devices, she would’ve shown up with a smear of grease on her cheek, a pair of work coveralls all rumpled and disheveled only to say, “Hi, I’m her. So, yeah that’s it”. 

Lost in thought, Ava didn’t even notice that Leia had approached her with one of the large lock boxes balanced in her arms. She had already placed her silver crown neatly on her head. It resembled a solid halo that sat across the center of her head with five slender peaks jutting out. Alderaanian jewelry was rather simple, but in its simplicity they were always striking. The necklace – small squares of Alderaanian silver linked by delicate jump rings – was a piece that their mother wore often. The necklace must’ve been stored off-world at an embassy for it to have been saved from the destruction of Alderaan.  

“I believe it is time.” 

Ava stood up slowly as Leia rested the box on the nearby side table. When the cover was lifted, the light in the room seemed to shift to a golden hour. The halo-shaped crown was fitted to her scalp with a tapered point resting just below the center of her hairline. Teardrop shaped pearls rested across her forehead. The thin bands that reached out were like rays of the sun with even more pearls inlaid in between. Ava let herself adjust to the weight of it, glad that Leia suggested she hold off wearing it until necessary. There was music beginning to play from the hall, though muffled it signaled the evening was beginning. 

The two of them walked over to a large full-length mirror on the other side of the room. They looked very much like the sun and moon – Ava in her striking gold crown, cream colored dress with a deep green sash; and Leia in her midnight purple gown, silver jewelry, and similar sash made of a maroon satin – Their father used to call them his sun and moon. Leia placed a hand on each of Ava’s shoulders and allowed her cheek to rest on her sister. They stood there taking in the sight of one another. Taking in the other’s presence and the reality that against all odds they were together again. Family. 

Leia squeezed Ava’s shoulders and took a step back. “You look so much like her.” 

“Who?” Ava responded quietly. 

Leia only smiled. “Mama. You have her presence.” 

The younger of the two sisters smiled right back. “You remind me of Papa. You’re always so sure, and just as fair.” 

“You’ve done well, you know,” Leia spoke calmly, “I know none of this has been easy. But you’ve done really well with handling everything that’s come your way.” 

“The journey was interesting to say the least.” Ava quipped. 

The two of them stood silently together for a moment more. But only a moment before Leia took Ava’s hands and helped her slip her gloves on. For some reason, when she focused on the gloves, she thought of Mando and how his gloves slipped on and off his hands. 

Leia half smiled. “But I can't help but wonder if it’s what you really want.” 

Ava pulled her hands back while Leia regally collapsed hers together. “What does that mean?” 

“I just mean… You were born into this world. It was your destiny from birth to wear that crown and carry on the legacy of house Organa as much as it is mine to carry on the Organa and Skywalker legacy,” Her voice never waivered, never accusatory or disappointed, just very truthful, “But I can’t help but feel that it might not be meant for you after all.”

The pair of them stood in the room alone in silence for a moment after Leia finished. Ava had similar thoughts float into her mind but she’d always dismissed them as trivial since everything the Mandalorians had told her was a lie to get her sister’s money. “Whatever happened, happened. I can’t change it and I will not go back to it.” 

Leia gave her a look only older sisters could make. “He must have been special then for you to be digging your heels like a ton-ton.” 

After she had to throw back a lighthearted grimace at being called a ton-ton, Ava didn’t know what to feel. No, she knew exactly how she should feel. It was a lie for money. A cash grab. Nothing more, nothing less. Ava knew Leia could sense her feelings so there was no point delaying the obvious. 

“They did what bounty hunters do. They delivered their quarry and now they’re probably halfway to a new sector by now.” She said with more sorrow than intended. It hurt to put power into her fears. Out of the corner of Ava’s eye, she caught her sister with a somewhat hesitant look. “What?” Leia’s face shifted rather quickly to one with a soft, knowing smile. 

“Aurie, he didn’t take the money. And I can’t imagine their withholding information makes you feel better, but for what it’s worth, they brought you back to me. But this is the life that I have chosen for myself. I supposed, now, it’s your turn to choose.” 

Leia let go of Ava’s hands and began to walk towards the door and didn’t turn back to see if her sister was following until she opened the door. When Leia turned back, she truly looked like their mother. Though Ava knew the two weren’t blood related, it was in the way Leia carried herself. Her poise, the way she tilted her head and said, “Ava, Aurelia, it makes no difference to me. You are mine and Luke’s sister. We will always love you.” And then she calmly walked out into the world Ava was uncertain of reentering. 

It felt as if the world had spun off its axis and was floating farther and farther away from its sun. So Ava decided to go outside and take in some fresh air. 

The gardens were large and expansive – but most importantly empty – on a large earthen terrace that overlooked Canto Bight. From its vantage point, Ava could see the city cresting out towards the bay. The calm waters glittered in the early moonlight. Distant sounds of life were carried in on the wind. Below, each and every person walked their own path. Difficult ones. Easy ones. Some that were hard one day then a breeze the next. What path will I take now? She’d found her family. More than she was expecting, two whole siblings who expressed their unconditional love for her. What was next? 

What indeed?

A foreign voice echoed in her mind and all of a sudden Ava’s body stiffened. She turned around quickly and found the path empty. But something or someone was out there. A new energy swirled in the air. Ava felt like her nerves were on fire as her blood began to pound behind her temples. The energy, the presence, she’d felt it before crawling in the back of her mind. It was cold and filled with a quiet and dangerous rage. 

“I know you.” Her voice wavered as she spoke out into whatever darkness was drawing closer. 

A man appeared. The same stern face and severe eyes. His hands were placed behind his back as he walked with precise steps. In a word, elegant, or more accurately, predatory. His dark eyes stared her down, hungrier than his demeanor gave off.  

“Yes. We’ve met before. In a manner of speaking.” He continued to stalk forward. 

She put her hand out – as if the gesture would protect her – “Who are you?” 

“My name is Moff Gideon, your Highness.” He gave a short nod after her title. 

A chill ran through her spine. “You have me confused with someone else.” No sooner did Ava try to turn around, a powerful feeling wrapped around her mind giving her a splitting headache. It nearly made her drop to her knees. 

“Oh, I’m not confused at all. You are the lost daughter of Senator and Queen Organa,” His voice was cold and seemed to strike with a blunt edge with each word, “Though my plans need a little adjusting you’ll do just fine.” 

She turned around to face the man and slowly backed away with each step he took; but even so, she felt like she was being backed into a corner. “Stop.” 

He kept advancing with a ceaseless gaze. 

“Stop.”  

Her head hurt.

“Stop.” 

Everything seemed wrong and her hands twitched. 

“STOP!” 

Ava thrust both of her palms out towards him and felt a surge of energy release. It was like a pulse, her pulse, magnified outward. It was not unlike what she experienced at the opera with Mando. 

She opened her eyes, not even realizing she’d squeezed them shut. Ava saw Gideon down on one knee, huffing to try and bring air back into his lungs. Ava channeled whatever courage she could muster, and tried to remember Luke’s lessons. But it felt like her memory was failing. A few stints in force sensitivity training did not a Jedi make. 

In her mind she asked for help from the cosmic forces of the universe, the Maker, Luke… Mando… anyone. 

A terrible sound came from his throat. It was strained laughter, or at least some form of it. “Excellent. Most excellent.” Gideon pushed himself up with visible struggle but quickly regained his footing. He moved his cloak to the side and revealed a hilt clipped to his belt, took it in hand, “You do indeed have what I want, Princess” and ignited the blade. 

It was unlike anything Ava had ever seen. It mimicked the way Luke’s lightsaber emitted light, but it was dark. The blade was black with white edges. The energy surrounding the weapon was just as dark. Ava sensed how it wrapped around Moff Gideon’s mind and body, twisting and warping what was already malevolent to begin with. It was consuming him. Alarm bells screamed out in Ava’s mind. Run. 

She took off in an instant without direction or awareness. Ava gathered as much of the dress into her arms as she could, but the weight of the fabric still seemed to slow her down. It didn’t help that she’d lost sight of the building between the impossibly tall greenery. Ava figured her best bet would be to hide where he wouldn’t expect to look or would be least likely to find her. So Ava ducked into a nearby cluster of trees. 

The more she pushed her way through, however, the sleeves and hem of her dress caught and snagged on branches and twigs. It ripped the delicate overlay of her dress and muddied her heels. Finding they only got stuck in the dirt and undergrowth, Ava kicked them off and daringly threw them away in hopes it would possibly fool Gideon into going a different direction. 

It felt like her heart was going to burst from her chest. The more time she spent in suspense, the harder her blood pounded. The greater the ringing in her ears became as the sky grew darker and the shadows became more and more menacing. Her mind felt cloudy. She couldn’t hear anything or anyone. They must’ve been deeper into the garden than she’d realized. Despite her mental haze, Ava gently tried closing her eyes and reaching out to feel for presence. She’d barely touched the surface when something came screaming into her mind. It felt like claws digging into her nerves. Her skin became so cold so quickly it felt as if it were burning. And despite her best efforts, she couldn’t help but scream out in agony. 

I found you. 

Before she even knew it, a deep reverb echoed in her mind alerting her not a moment too soon before a blade struck out just millimeters above her head. 

Ava scrambled to her feet and ran back out onto the path. Her body still cried out in pain, and her breach into energy opened like a flood gate. Gideon was still gaining on her. She reached out and felt the finely laid stone beneath her feet; she focused on the craggy surface and motioned with her hand as if she were clawing it out from the ground and flung it back with all her strength. A large chunk flew up and back at her pursuer. Ava heard rock crumbling, and when she looked back, saw the slab sliced in two. 

Impossible. 

“No, not impossible, my dear.”

Somehow the lunatic was in her head. He was the clawing in her mind, like a poison slowly creeping into her bloodstream. 

“Why are you doing this?” Her voice felt hoarse and her body was only growing weaker. 

“Why does anyone do anything? Power. Power is the way of the world. It always has been. It brings the greatest change and is the strength of the longest lasting empires. And with the dark saber and you, my goals for the galaxy are well within reach.” 

“You’re forgetting that most power-hungry madmen are spineless cowards who use others to get what they want.” Her voice was horse and growing strained. 

Gideon chuckled with a false humor. It was cruel and mocking. Ava could feel it pulsing behind her eyes and the pain brought her down to her knees as he skulked closer. 

“You’ve just never seen true power before. This,” He brandished the blade up towards her face. So close, Ava could feel the cold energy pulsing off it. “This is what power really is.” 

She’d never seen energy like it before. The blade both emitted light and yet somehow seemed void of it. As such close proximity, she felt it draining her energy even more. Only one sort of thing in the known universe drew in energy like that – a black hole. The dark saber was some sort of contained black hole. It had to have been. It appeared to be the antithesis of a lightsaber which projected the wielder’s energy. The dark saber fed off it. It pulled in the life force of its wielder, even those around it. 

“That thing is killing you.” Something flashed quickly across Gideon’s face. He wasn’t expecting her to say something like that, and Ava caught it. “But you didn’t know that, did you? How could you, you don’t know anything real about power you-” 

He quickly slashed the blade through the air and swiped Ava’s cheek. It burned. It was cold and yet burned hotter than anything she’d ever felt in her life. The pain rendered her speechless as she was knocked to the floor grasping her cheek. 

“I know more about this power than anyone else in the galaxy,” The tip of the blade hovered precariously close to her face, “Pity. You could’ve been something great. But you’re just like all the rest of those feckless fools in the Resistance. You’re just standing in my way.” 

Ava’s world suddenly came to a screeching halt. She’d heard those words before spoken in that very same voice. Out of nowhere she recalled crouching behind a hallway corner, then a hand falling to the floor. It had been her father’s hand. Ava could hear her mothers scream before her body hit the floor with a sickening, and lifeless thud. “It was you…” Her voice caught in her throat, “You killed them.” 

When Ava looked up at Moff Gideon his face was twisted into a mad grin. He relished in her horrifying realization. 

His eyes were wide and wild, “I’ll take what I need. But don’t worry, you’ll be with them soon enough.” Gideon raised the darksaber to dish out what could only be a mortally wounding blow. 

Please… 

A blaster shot rang out, as if from thin air, struck the flat side of the saber blade, ricocheting off into the ground. 

A feeling swept over Ava, it was good and young. Grogu. And where the tiny green creature found himself, another was never far behind. 

Ava turned her head in the direction of the shot and saw a familiar silhouette slip into the shadows. She sensed how he stalked through the dark and cover of the greenery ever closer. His watchful gaze never left hers. Ava could feel in her own muscles the way his pulled and strained against his bones. The strength in his hands as he gripped his blaster artfully. Teeming with energy and an overwhelming urge to seek and destroy. 

Without realizing, Gideon slashed down again.

Ava’s body reacted before she could even think. Her palm extended outward just as the saber came down. The scene around her became perfectly clear in her mind. The stone surface of the pathway through the soft and tearing material of her dress; she became one with the plant cells slowly blooming while others had fallen to the ground and went through the final stages of decomposition. The air molecules surrounding the blade snapped and popped as it moved through the air. And just before the saber made contact with her flesh, it stopped. 

It stopped the same way two magnets of the same polarization repelled one another. The blade held against nothing in midair. The two of them stared at each other with a look of awe but even during that moment, Ava could feel her control slipping. 

Another blaster shot, this one straight to Gideon’s hands, knocking the saber from his grip. The next thing Ava saw was the bulk of Mandalorian armor hurdling out from nowhere and tackling Gideon to the ground. The two men grappled on the ground for the upperhand. They seemed to match each other blow for blow. Though Mando was strong, Ava could sense something in Gideon had been altered by the blade. He fought back like an animal possessed, clawing and punching and the soft points between Mando’s armor. Gideon somehow managed to rip off one of Mando’s thigh plates and used it to completely slap Mando clean across his helm. 

The sound of pure beskar striking beskar was loud for Ava, so it must’ve been somewhat deafening for Mando. The Mandalorian stumbled back and Gideon managed to reach for a blaster hidden on the opposite side of his hip. Ava cried out just as Gideon pulled the trigger, striking Mando in the shoulder, just below his pauldron. She barely registered the distressed sounds coming from Grogu’s pram just a few meters away. He tried to come forward, but Ava intentionally held his little craft back. 

In the moments afterwards, it felt like the shot kept ringing in her ears. 

“There is a reason his kind is all but extinct,” Gideon’s voice was wicked and chilled, “Too noble for their own good.” He took aim again, this time, where the hollow of Mando’s throat would be. She could feel his pain rippling throughout his arm, she felt his racing pulse slow. Mando fought to maintain his composure as his thoughts grew fuzzy till they all disappeared into unconsciousness. 

Ava’s hands twitched again. They needed to hold on to something. They needed to defend. Her mind reached out, and no sooner could Gideon place his finger on the trigger did the dark saber skitter across the ground and fly into Ava’s hand. She surged forward with a speed she didn’t know she had. The blade sliced up through the barrel of the blaster as if it were nothing. The force of her attack was strong enough to knock Gideon back a few paces. 

Something took Ava over. She felt a thrum of electricity coursing through her. She felt like a star about to explode, just teeming with potential power and energy. So she took off. 

Gideon barely had enough time to react. The saber came down hard against the plate. It was beskar versus the dark saber. Blow after blow, Ava continued to swing with every ounce of her strength that she could muster, and the blade responded in kind. She let her anger roll through her like the undercurrent of a torrent river. It was a rage she’d never felt before, or had only become aware of the moment she realized Gideon was the man who slaughtered her parents. Ava slashed and punched and kicked and all he could do was use his small shield against her. The ground beneath them quickly bore the marks of their opposing efforts. Scorches here, slashes there, the concrete and stonework ripped from the ground. Sweat crept down Gideon’s brow, the weapon he once envisioned himself conquering the galaxy with had been turned against him. It drew on his fear. 

He was responsible for her suffering. He was the one who’s greed had led to the deaths of so many innocent lives. He’d nearly killed Mando. He had tried to kidnap and do Maker know what sort of horrible things to little Grogu, and possibly even her. Ava’s hands grew hot from the fury surging through her body. It felt as though her eyes glowed in anger. The dark saber responded, it hummed and sang in her mind to the very same tune of revenge. It craved it as much as she did. Moff Gideon needed to pay for his crimes, and they decided he would. 

With a swift punch backed by the force, Ava swiftly knocked the air clean out of Gideon’s lungs. He lay on his back atop the wreckage they’d both created. Ava hadn’t even realized how far they’d traveled till she caught a glimpse of herself in some sculpture. The polished metal reflected back an image of herself that Ava didn’t recognize. Her dress was torn and mottled with dirt and debris. Her crown was long gone and her hair was coming undone. What startled her most was her eyes. They weren’t brown anymore, they seemed brighter with flashes of red on the outer edge of her iris. She was changing before her eyes. The blade sang out in protest of her stalling. 

Ava paused and looked for a moment at the strange sword. She listened to it with a more careful ear, and what she heard was different from her initial judgment. 

The blade wasn’t inherently evil. It wasn’t anything much at all. Energy was constantly flowing through the crystal within. Raw potential. It called for revenge because she had wished for it in her mind. Standing there and witnessing how quickly hate had made her change frightened Ava. The potential had always been there, but it took the blade to make herself realize how much of her emotions she had been ignoring. It stung. The hilt grew heavy with doubt, and it was in that split second Gideon acted. 

He lunged up from the ground like some feline creature with his teeth bared ready to sink into the soft flesh of its prey. 

His hands wound around her own on the hilt of the dark saber. The two of them grappled with strained muscles. Ava nearly bit into her lip with the amount of effort it took to keep the blade away from Gideon’s effort to drive it into her throat. The man’s eyes were as wild and feral as her own, but Ava felt her anger slipping away. It pained her to look him in the face – the man responsible for her mother and father’s deaths – but a new sensation began to whisper in the back of her mind… 

We will always love you. 

We are with you.

It was Leia. Luke. Her parents. Everyone who cared for her, near and far, alive and gone. Their essences melding together like a balm that soothed her soul. Their love and spirits were with her. They would remain in and all around her. No matter how angry she was, how hurt and betrayed by fate she felt, Ava realized that would never die. It would sustain her, it had thus far. She’d traveled clear across the galaxy for a feeling she did not have a name for… but it was the love for her family, found or otherwise. 

In her hands, she could sense the saber mirroring her conflicting emotions. How it cried out in confusion from her influence as well as Gideon’s. It was the oldest song in the galaxy: one of struggle, light and dark. Only Ava seemed to be listening to it.  

“Why don’t you seem to understand?” He hissed, close enough Ava could feel the heat of his breath against her face, “The only way to exist is to take and maintain order.” 

Ava was close. Even with her limited knowledge of sabers, she felt for the housing unit within the hilt. She could feel the power circuits and the wiring leading to a central unit. All the while, Gideon’s grip had become so fierce he pushed her palm so hard into the hilt they’d begun to bleed against the detailing. His fingernails bore into her skin leaving red crescents dribbling. 

There. 

The image of it came clear in her mind. It was no bigger than her thumb, deep like onyx and vast as a moonless night. 

“For take, there should be give. After death, life should grow,” She planted her feet and dung down deep, “The galaxy will continue forward long after any of us leave this world. Any attempts to out last it are foolish.” 

She bore down on the housing unit. Felt it break and warp under her pressure. Release. Gideon sensed it too. He began to yell and scream in vain. Ava had already cracked in, uncontained energy had begun to spill out. 

“The way of existence is balance.” 

It broke and like a supernova, energy poured outward. The saber sparked and burst, sending out white hot particles. Ava and Gideon were knocked back with scorch marks across their exposed skin. 

Ava landed hard on her back, the wind knocked clean out of her. In her attempts to pull air back into her lungs, she struggled to look around. Gideon lay in a smoldering pool of his black cloak. Unmoving. The crystal lay amongst the debris of the destroyed hilt, calm. She pulled it into the palm of her hand with little effort. It was indeed as black as the void of space, so much so, it seemed her hand had developed a blackhole. Vengeance no longer silently plagued her mind. That part was done and over. It was time for growth. 

Ava whipped her head back to see if Grogu had avoided the flair. The doors of his pram opened with a soft hydraulic hiss and sweet eyes gazed down at her as he floated in her direction. 

“Where’s your dad?” She wheezed. 

Grogu hovered off in a direction and Ava stumbled behind as if she were a babe just learning to walk. When Mando came into view the adrenaline had begun to wear off. From the distance, Ava couldn’t even tell if he was still breathing.

All of her strength gave out leaving her no choice but to crawl the last few feet to Mando. His beskar was scorched and scored from the saber. Bits of his flight suit were singed and the place beneath his right pauldron was soaked in red. Panic seized her heart and muscles. Her once steady hands shook uncontrollably as she lifted the pauldron up and off. The site was black and oozing. Knowing she didn’t have enough strength to see if the shot had gone clean through his shoulder, Ava had to lean her entire upper body weight to apply pressure. His breathing was shallow, his heartbeat slow. The bleeding had been prolonged without any intervention and his body was showing the toll. Her entire body shook. She was beaten and aching. Shrapnel had certainly lodged itself in various points of her body, but none of that mattered. Ava reached for whatever energy she had left. 

She felt the dimming hum of Mando’s life. It was slipping away. 

“No,” Tears fell across the motionless helmet, “Not you too.” Her voice was barely there. Desperation and despair thick enough that she practically choked on it. “Please… I need you… I… love… you.” 

Grogu appeared beside her. His small hand reached for the site. Ava wanted to pull his untainted fingers back, no child should have to witness and partake in such misery. But something washed over her. Energy pooled in a different direction the closer Grogu came. 

She rested her hand atop Grogu’s significantly smaller one. Ava allowed herself to follow the gentle current. Beneath her trembling fingers, Ava could feel Mando’s skin shifting. Torn cells joined again. Layers of epidermis repaired itself slowly as the current flowed from hers and Grogu’s hands. Mando’s heartbeat rose. But Ava’s dipped. She was giving so he could take. 

Slowly but surely, with their conjoined effort, the wound was mended. The viscous remnants remained, but the bleeding had stopped. He took a deep breath which meant Ava could finally take one herself. 

By then, there was shouting and disturbance from the crowds above. Ava sent off a brief moment to her sister and to Luke. Whether or not they sensed it, Ava didn’t care. Her eyes were heavy and her body had already slumped across Mando’s chest. The coolness of the beskar soothed the heat from the mark across her cheek. Grogu had already succumbed to his much needed rest. Whoever would find them would be in for a surprise. 

A princess, a bounty hunter, a small child all together. 

Series List || #star wars anastasia || PREVIOUS || NEXT

To stay up to date follow #star wars anastasia 

[gingersnappe-9]

In a Crowd of Thousands: Feelings, No More (15)

Din Djarin/Mando X Fem!OC || Star Wars/The Mandalorian Universe

Series List || #star wars anastasia || PREVIOUS || NEXT

2.1K words

It all felt different. Din had gone to collect money from Varga countless times. He’d been tasked with bringing back bounties that ranged from cold blooded murder to a husband who ran away from alimony payments. They were just transactional. Din had it in his mind that as long as he was paid, it was all inconsequential. He couldn’t give a womp rat’s ass what happened to them afterwards. That wasn’t his job. It never occurred to Din to care about what came next until he met the child. Grogu. That one meeting changed his view of the galaxy.

Din now knew the consequences of attachment. He’d nearly lost Grogu multiple times before things died down and the imp had stopped actively sending out hunters. All of those feelings of sentiment and consideration compounded when it came to Ava. Somehow, in the shortest amount of time imaginable to Din, she managed to change his entire view of his own life. Did it really matter to him what came next if it meant she wouldn’t be there by his side? 

Would he ever see a moment as pure as the kid using both of his tiny hands to pass her tools as she worked on the Razor Crest? Would he ever want to feel the urge to bring someone peace the way he did after she nearly fell from the sky? Would he ever see anyone with a look of awe like hers as they sat at the Opera watching the dancers? 

Din knew the answer, but even in the solitude of his subconscious, he couldn’t muster the strength to even think of such things. 

Memories took their place instead. He obsessed over the details trying to solidify their place in his mind for fear that they would fade away just like the faces of his parents did. 

What stuck out most was the way they danced together. How it felt as if the music played to the beat of their synchronized hearts. But the more he replayed the memory in his mind, it quickly grew tainted. The music was no longer joyful. It felt like lead piercing his heart, poisoning every ounce of his blood that pumped through and weighing his body down. He instantly recalled the look on her face when she realized the truth. How her eyes no longer filled with light, but a deep dark shadow to which all happiness went to perish. He remembered the sting of her stepping away as he tried to move closer. His chest seized at the memory of her pushing him away with such force that it felt like his heart had stopped. 

It still felt as though it never beat right since that night. 

What would he do now? Go back to being a bounty hunter? Could he really condemn himself to live in a galaxy all alone when someone like her existed?  Hell, Din knew there was no one else in the entire galaxy even remotely like her. 

Ava lit up the sky and it felt like there was no sun when she was gone. 

“Sir.” 

The voice of a stranger broke Din out of his endless train of thought. He was acutely and suddenly aware of how little attention he was paying to his environment. 

Din was standing and waiting in what appeared to be a reception area of a fine house just on the edge of Canto Bight’s political district. Princess Leia has sent a droid to find him and alert him that she wished to speak with him. This was after he’d spent the night wandering around the streets with no real plan and no desire to walk back towards the life he once knew and held above all else. None of it felt it really mattered anymore. There was only one thing that mattered in Din’s heart, but he knew deep down, princesses don’t love bounty hunters. So there he was, being guided through fancy corridors with people who couldn’t look past the bridge of their own nose thinking they were enacting real political change. 

The attendant knocked on the door and opened it at the sound of Leia’s voice saying come in. As he stepped in, Din noted how neat and orderly it was but also personal. There were holo-photos on the walls of Leia with citizens from a variety of different planets. Most appeared to be from relief missions or diplomatic events. One or two were of Leia and a man with a smile that made it look like he knew something you didn’t. There were a few others of her with whom Din could only assume were parents – Leia was much younger, cheeks fuller but that same face of resilience. The late Senator and Queen both had a hand on one of her shoulders – but what shocked him the most about the photo was the Queen’s belly. 

She was pregnant in the photo. Din let himself do something that was the most unnatural thing for a Mandalorian, he let himself get swept up in the moment and continued to look down the wall to the next photo. It was of a little girl with buns on both sides of her head that had tendrils of curls coming out. Her eyes were soft and her smile wide, appearing as if she was giggling at whoever was taking the photo. It was the same girl in the bounty puck. 

“Mandalorian.” 

Din was once more snapped out of whatever trance he found himself trapped in. It was starting to concern him. 

“Mando is fine.” He replied simply as he turned to finally look at the Princess directly. She wore an outfit stunningly simpler than he’d seen most people wearing around the city. It was nearly identical to the style Lady Omera had given Ava to wear – a velvet material in a deep burgundy, with a white overshawl that flowed down to the floor – it made his and it made Din’s chest ache more. 

“Mando,” Her voice was much cooler and much more collected than it was the night before, “You’ve managed to accomplish something I never thought I would see in my lifetime. You restored my sister, my family to me,” The undertones of sentiment in her statement made Din feel sleezy, “And for that I must repay you.” 

She stood up and walked over to a locked cabinet by her desk. After entering a simple pin code, she removed a box and walked back to place it on the table. “A hundred million credits. As promised. Along with my gratitude.” 

Din could only stand there. He stared at the credits lined neatly in their box. A hundred million divided evenly in two. Fifty million credits. That was more than he’d probably made in his lifetime as a bounty hunter. It was what he had signed up for, it was the reward he was owed. But it wasn’t the outcome he wanted, not anymore. 

“I accept your gratitude… but I only your gratitude… I… I don’t want your money. But half should rightfully be wired to my partner.”  

Leia seemed quietly surprised. She paced around the desk and leaned against the edge. A subtle look of intrigue flickered across her face as she asked, “At the Opera house you said you were there that day. What did you mean by that? ” 

Din could only stand there with his anguish and regret and no one but himself to blame. “I was on Alderaan the day it was destroyed. A few cargo ships were able to board passengers and get them off-planet in time.” 

At that statement, it took Leia a moment to understand the weight of Din’s words. “Aurelia told me last night what she could remember of that dreadful day. She told me about a boy, a hole in the wall, then waking up on Tatooine,” As if lightning had struck, she realized the truth. “You were the boy who saved her. You put her in an escape pod.” 

Din couldn’t bring himself to look at Leia directly, her mannerisms, no matter how subtle, reminded him of Ava… no… Aurelia. 

The two of them stood there together stunned into silence before Leia, with a shaky breath kept speaking, “You saved her life. You brought her back to me. And yet… you don’t want to claim your rightful reward.” 

“No. Not anymore.” Din answered softly.

Leia’s expression fell ever so slightly, still awe struck by the fact that she was in the company of her sister’s savior twice over. She glanced at the box of unclaimed credits. “Then, if you don’t mind my asking, what is it you do want?”

He felt almost like a child who caught between his honest truth and a harsh reality he knew he could not outwit,  “With all due respect, but what I want is something no one, not even you, could give me.” 

“Why the change of mind?” Her words were chosen very purposefully. The princess was much more observant than Din realized. 

An anguished smile tugged at the corner of Din’s mouth behind the helm of his entire identity, “I think it was more of a change of heart.” At the realization of his own words, Din felt the urge to flee, to retreat within. “I should go now.” 

Before he left the room, he beamed over to Leia’s holo-pad Fett’s wiring information. He almost missed Leia very quietly saying, “I will never forget what you’ve done for us.” 

Nothing mattered more in that moment than escaping his feelings. His feet carried him swiftly through the door, the reception area of the office and out onto the massive landing. Stairs appeared beneath his feet as he kept his eye level low and didn’t even pay attention to the person standing on the first landing.

“Hello, Mando.” 

Before him was a young woman dressed in a beautiful cream colored gown, a deep forest green sash that hung from her shoulder down across her hip, and atop her head a crown that bloomed out like a solid, golden halo with thin beams jutting out like the sun’s rays and pearl detailing in between. In a word, Ava looked radiant. 

“Hello.” 

“Did you collect the reward for your bounty?” 

The words hit right where Ava wanted them to. Din’s only response was to default to his once natural manner of speaking, “My business here is done.” And tried to take his leave. 

The same attendant who saw him to Leia’s office was stationed at the bottom of the stairs and quickly attempted to correct his somewhat rude response, “You will bow and address the princess as Your Highness.” 

“No, that’s not necessar-” 

Din cut her off. “No… he’s right. You are owed respect.” So he bowed. When he straightened back up to a full stand he subtly turned toward the attendant. Din let his Mandalorian armor and stare do the talking to the man for him. His silence and posture was enough to make the man take a step back and clear his throat. Din turned his head back the inch to address Ava once more, “I’m glad you found what you were looking for.” He kept his voice as monosyllabic as possible, as not to give away the crushing pain each moment not holding her caused him. 

Her body visibly stiffened underneath the finery. Her tear-dropped earrings swayed ever so slightly and her brows knit together enough to form a small crease between them. To fire back, Ava suddenly took up a demeanor worthy of the title she had reclaimed. Her shoulders squared off and dropped and she brought her chin up to look at Din, “Yes. I hope you have too, Mandalorian.” 

“Well then, goodbye,” Din bowed, slowly as if to draw the seconds out ever so slightly, “Your Highness.” When he brought his head back up again, her eyes met his once more through the slit in his T-visor. Those piercing brown eyes. He would never have the opportunity to look upon them without his helm. But in the moments the two looked at each other, Din committed their warmth to memory. The way her eyelashes curled upward at the corners. How her deep colored hair was artfully twirled at the base of her neck making her skin look bright against its dark canvas. She truly was a sight to behold. Din would cherish this moment for the rest of what could only be a miserably lonely existence. 

A sorrowful smile that he knew no one would ever see spread across his face. Maker. Din would rather take a blaster shot to the chest than live through this torture for another moment. He knew he had to end it, and end it quickly or else the pain would fester. Din turned on his heel and high tailed it to the door. 

This time as he left, he was certain he heard a quiet goodbye.  

Series List || #star wars anastasia || PREVIOUS || NEXT

To stay up to date follow #star wars anastasia 

[gingersnappe-9]

In a Crowd of Thousands: Reality (14)

Din Djarin/Mando X Fem!OC || Star Wars/The Mandalorian Universe

Series List || #star wars anastasia || PREVIOUS || NEXT

2.3K words

Warnings: intense description of grief/personal loss

The wayward star had been discovered at last. Her Royal Highness, Grand Duchess Aurelia Organa was her real name. Luke and Leia were her brother and sister. Her mother and father were Queen Breha and Senator Bail Organa. She had a family. She had a name. Everything was as it should be. So why did she feel so broken? 

As quickly as the course of her life shifted, Ava suddenly felt like she was standing still watching from the distance as people moved around her. Luke’s staff quickly packed up what few belongings she had and ushered her and Leia over to her sister’s estate. The short ride over, Ava couldn’t even comprehend what Leia was saying as she spoke to what looked like a personal assistant, something about logistics and planning an announcement. She didn’t even have the capacity to note how much bigger the house was, or how there were easily a dozen more maids and butlers flitting around asking her nonsense questions. 

What kind of sheets do you prefer, Princess? What dietary needs do you have so that the chef may prepare you a late dinner, my Lady. Would you care for a nightcap – whatever that was – your Highness? Everyone addressed her by a name that wasn’t her own, not even Aurelia. Wasn’t that supposed to be her name? 

Before Ava even realized, her luggage had been brought in with haste and was already being hoisted up the stairs and up to what she could only assume was her new suite. It felt that from the moment of her arrival, everyone around her was tending to a task or chore while she stood there bleary and confused. Yes, she finally knew who she was, but at what cost? Betrayal from the one person in the galaxy she had begun to open herself up to? The tears came fast after that thought, creating hot trails down her cheeks and spotting the neckline of her pristine gown. She wiped away at her eyes, but when she pulled her hand back, it was smeared with the black from her eyelashes. She’d just ruined the beautiful makeup that Luke had so carefully applied for her only a few hours before. Everyone moved too quickly. There were too many bodies around her. It was too loud and too much. Silent tears continued to spill down her face as Ava reached out for comfort, only to find a void in the back of her mind. Right. Little Grogu stayed at Luke’s. Fett would return in a matter of days to collect, then split the bounty for her return and they would be gone. She would never see him again. Mando would be nothing but a memory. 

Tears turned into soft sobs. Leia came into her perception and gently took a hold of Ava’s shoulders, with every ounce of tenderness, and wiped the tears from her sister’s eyes. “I’m sorry, Sweetie. I’m sorry.” She held Ava close and dismissed all unnecessary staff for the evening. The room’s dull roar waned as Leia softly shushed and stroked Ava’s back. “Why don’t we have you take a nice, hot bath and get you into something more comfortable, okay?” 

Ava nodded meekly and let her sister and primary maid, Elvira, guide her upstairs quietly. Even after nearly a decade of being apart, Leia was still as attentive and loving as ever and all Ava could do at that realization was cry a little more. 

The trio walked up the stairs, with either woman at Ava’s side, to a large ensuite bathroom. There was a wall to wall sink and vanity, a beautiful circle window above them detailed with delicate mullions trailing over frosted glass. An impossible large soaking tub sat in the center of the room with clawed feet and brass fixtures to match the rest of the hardware. Leia kept the lights low and walked over to a cabinet lined with a multitude of different products and objects. After Elvira turned on the water, a rushing sound erupted in the room. Leia had selected two vials of scented oils that she dropped into the rushing water. The room filled with steam and the gentle aroma of what Leia called ylang-ylang and sandalwood.

“They’re supposed to be a homeopathic type of remedy. But if anything, they smell nice and I find them relaxing.” Leia finished with a warm smile. Ava could only stand there feeling like a poorly carved statue – useless and unappealing – Her sister once again had to guide her by the shoulders to a corner of the bathroom with a small chaise lounge and a foldable screen for privacy. Ava felt instantly childish and ridiculous and shuffled back in quiet embarrassment at her neediness and insecurities. Ava changed slowly, letting the garment fall from her body in a glittering puddle at her feet. It had felt foolish to wear such nice undergarments now – at the insistence of the stylist, but something else in the deepest, and most salacious parts of Ava’s mind wished there might’ve been another reason for her undressing – She pushed the thought from her mind as Leia passed her a luscious bathrobe from the other side of the changing screen. It was obviously expensive and it did indeed feel quite comfortable, but there was something else Ava wanted to wrap herself in entirely.

“You can reheat the water as much as you’d like, all you have to do is use the control pad I’ve left on the table. I had some cookies next to the tea in your room in case you wanted something to eat afterwards. Just let me or Elvira know if you need anything else.” Leia added softly before shutting the door. 

After a moment to ensure she was completely alone, Ava crept out from behind the screen to look around the room once more. The mirrors had the slightest hint of condensation clinging to the pristine glass. Ava swiped her hand across the surface to reveal a clearer reflection of her face behind the beaded water. She knew by the time she had arrived at Leia’s estate that her eyes were puffy and swollen, her makeup most likely a mess, and her face pink with fury and regret. Before that, Ava felt like the prettiest girl in the room for a whole second. Now whoever was staring back at her with wavering lines trailing down from her tear stained eyes felt just as lost and lonely as the little girl who woke up on a dusty planet all those years ago. The longer she stood gazing and pondering, Ava felt the cool tile beneath her feet sending chills up her legs that crept into her spine. She set a repeating timer for the tub heater, let the thick fabric fall to the floor, and gingerly lifted one foot after the other and sank into the aromatic water. 

Her head fell back onto the pillow just on the edge of the tub and Ava allowed her eyes to shut. The only sounds in the room were those of her heavy sighs and the gentle lapping of water against fine porcelain. The steam swirled around her face, helping to clear out the congestion and lingering pain from crying. Ava hadn’t cried that much in her life before. It hurt to furrow her brow as waves of emotions came and went. A pressure had formed behind her skull. It felt like there were too many emotions happening all at once in her head, so many in fact, she began to feel numb. So, Ava let herself sink further into the warm embrace of the water – a sensation she was sure would never be short of amazing as long as she lived – and allowed her hair to fan out like a deep, dark halo as her eyes closed. She stayed there for however long it took for her fingers and toes to wrinkle. The water reheated itself for however many times it took for her head to stop throbbing, for her thoughts to stop being so loud and feeling to return to her soul. Then, and only then, did Ava open her eyes. 

Ava let the water drained before pulling herself up and out. She took her time gently patting a warm towel against her skin till she was perfectly dry. The robe was pulled over her shoulders and wrapped around her waist tightly. She padded over to the door and walked into her suite to finally admire the sophistication and elegance of Leia’s house. 

It was almost exactly like Luke’s – understated yet comfortable, but with enough presence to command subtle luxury – it was astonishing how alike the two siblings were. All around, there were fixtures on the wall that glowed softly with the warmth of the late evening light of Tatooine’s suns. She quietly walked past the preposterously plush bed with more pillows than Ava could imagine ever necessary. She ran her fingers over the brocade bedding noting the fine needlework and quality of the materials. As she ventured further she finally noticed a sitting area to the far side with a sofa, sitting chairs, and large double doors that led out onto a private balcony. In the center was a low table with a reflective tray holding a teapot, a cup and a small plate of cookies.

Ava paused for a moment and let her head tilt back. She was in awe of her life. This new life. The more she focused, she picked up on the smell of the scented oiled wafting in from the bathroom. She could hear the oh-so-quiet thrum of electricity pulsing through the heating mechanism of the tea saucer. The carpets were so plush, her feet seemed to melt into them even as she stood perfectly still. Ava just continued to stand there, savoring the smells and sensation of her new existence. She would never be wanting for anything ever again. She was a princess after all. And yet, it all felt so strange. Ava complained a great deal but she loved working on old wrecks with Peli. She found it immensely satisfying to scrub away the hydraulic fluid and various mechanical residues from her hands. There was something gratifying about a hard day's work, seeing the outcome for one’s labor. She’d never do that again. She would become the lady she was born to be.  

Ava would attend lavish parties and events like the one from tonight. She would rub elbows and laugh with the rich and famous. She would participate in democracy and diplomacy like her sister. She would hone her skills and put them towards the improvement of the galaxy. But would it be enough? Would she ever be enough? 

In the solace of her room, Ava heard a distant voice. You’re a star too bright to miss… Jate'kara.  

After a moment of pondering, she stared down at the cup, and the little tea bag bobbing up and down. The cookies on the plate were round and thick in texture. They had a warm and appetizing aroma to them that was familiar. Taking a baked good in one hand, and the cup of tea in the other, Ava brought them to her lips one after the other. 

The tea was chamomile with honey and dashes of cinnamon. The cookie was oatmeal and morsel chips. Two of her absolute favorite things in the entire galaxy. Leia remembered after all their time apart, but worst of all, she could only imagine what Mando might’ve thought of the subtle sweetness, how her parents used to say that she looked like a small mouse with her cheeks puffed out mid chew. The combination set her off again. Fat tears began to tumble down her cheeks still chewing the soft cookie. A weak moan escaped her lips, which turned into sobs that echoed off the walls, amplifying her misery. 

Finding her family was not the happy experience she thought it was going to be. It was bittersweetness that clung to her soul like a growth that eventually overtakes its host. 

Leia burst in from the doors. “Aurelia, what’s wrong?” 

All she found was Ava crying while clutching the half eaten cookie, a crumb or two coating her lips, and the teacup close to her chest. “Mama used to love this tea. She never got mad at me when I put too much cinnamon in,” her words were broken with gasps for air and heavy sniffles, “Papa would always sneak me an extra cookie when she wasn’t looking.” It was a rather pathetic sight. But nevertheless, Leia’s face fell to a similar, but far more contained, expression of sadness. She walked the short distance to her sister, put her things back down on the table and brought the younger girl’s head to her shoulder.

It never occurred to Ava that discovering who she was, or finding her family, would mean she would mourn for them. The reality of her and her sister’s situation was a heavy burden. Their parents were gone, Ava had so little time with them, she couldn’t hardly remember their faces. Deep sadness tumbled over her like a rogue wave crashes upon the shore, wiping out whatever lies on the sand, and pulling the remnants out to sea till there was nothing left but a barren wasteland.

“I want Mommy and Daddy.” 

Leia tensed and turned her face further away from Ava’s but held her tighter. The reality of the words cut deep. Ava didn’t mean to say it, it just spilled out. She knew there was nothing her sister could do for either of them. It was the cruelty of life. The finality of death. 

“I know, Aurie, I want them too.” 

It was probably the first time Leia admitted to the pain in her heart since she was a child. But both of them were children no more. 

The two stood there for a few minutes more, crying with one another and the loss of their parents and their world.

If you’d like to remain updated follow #star wars anastasia

Series List || #star wars anastasia || PREVIOUS || NEXT

[gingersnappe-9]

In a Crowd of Thousands: Mirrorbright (13)

Din Djarin/Mando X Fem!OC || Star Wars/The Mandalorian Universe

Series List || #star wars anastasia || PREVIOUS || NEXT

2.8K words

Warnings: PSTD/disassociation-like symptoms, canon-level trauma/grief 

Din’s whole body hurt. He didn’t know how, but his heart hurt as well. Whatever Ava had done –  intentionally or not – seemed to be tearing his soul apart. No, that wasn’t right. Ava hadn’t done anything. This was Din and Boba’s doing. They lied to her. They didn’t tell her the entire truth and a lie of omission was a lie nonetheless. Din had betrayed her trust, something he knew they both didn’t give haphazardly.

He lay on the ground as he watched Ava run away – the deep blue of her dress trailing behind like a once in a lifetime commit – The last person he wanted to see running from him, and Din was the only one to blame. 

A few guests stared at the spectacle of a Mandalorian being knocked onto his back by a girl, who barely even touched him. Din tried his best to think about what to do next… what to do next? What was there left to do? Princess Leia Organa had refused to listen to anything he had tried to say. There was no way he was getting back into her viewing box without using force which Din had decidedly taken off the table. 

Pushing himself back onto shaky legs, Din racked his brain as to what to do next. Muffled music began to play through the gilded walls. The final act of the show was beginning. Din had until the end of the performance to figure out his next move. 

I lied to her, but I won’t go back on my promise. 

He was going to help Ava reunite with her family, one way or another. 

Din found himself standing outside of the theater on the steps. The rest of the street was silent aside from a few individuals walking by. He stood off to the side, shadowed by a large statue that flanked the bottom of the stone steps. He was lying in wait.

He figured if Princess Leia wasn’t going to listen to him, he would take her directly to the person she was meant to see. He had gone around to the back of the theater where countless hovercrafts were docked and waiting to drive their owners home. He paid off an attendant to tell him which craft was Leia’s – something he found deeply disturbing but didn’t have a spare moment to dwell on further – quickly disabled the droid driver and reprogrammed it to his vambrace. 

As Din waited patiently for the show to end and Leia to exit the theater, he thought back to the moment Ava realized he had lied to her. The look of betrayal on her face. Memories of the previous night flashed through his mind. The way she gazed at him then was full of love. It had to be. Because even though she couldn’t see his face, Mando looked at her with the same adoration. He was enamored by this woman. Him. A Mandalorian. Sworn to a life of solitude and anonymity. He never knew he could feel so much pain, yet be so in love with the person at the root of said pain. 

Something about that train of thought gave Din serious reason to pause. No, that’s absurd. Mandalorians don’t… fall in love. I couldn’t possibly be… I can’t… In that moment, despite all rational thought or deceptions he tried to convince himself with, Din knew. 

He loved her. 

He thought about her nearly every waking moment since he met her. He knew nothing could compare to the way she looked at him. It would explain why he felt so uneasy about being away from her, and the moment they reunited, it was as if a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Din felt at ease around her, a feeling he never truly experienced given his life as a Mandalorian bounty hunter. 

Din was so lost in thought he almost didn’t notice the swarm of people exiting the theatre. Snapping himself back into the moment, Din scanned the crowd for Leia’s biosignature. Once he locked onto his target, Din hailed the hovercraft. 

He moved stealthily through the crowd making sure to stay out of Leia’s line of sight for as long as possible. Once she climbed into the back, she obviously waited for the droid to drive her home. Din broke this false sense of security when he climbed in next to her and through the connection to his vambrace, ordered the droid to drive them to Luke’s estate instead. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Leia screamed as she glared at him. Din knew the gravity of the situation. He was kidnapping not only a member of a royal family, but also one of the most important leaders in the Resistance. 

Din tried to keep his voice level, “I’m fulfilling a promise to someone. The same person you refused to even look at.” 

Leia scoffed at his response. “Oh is that all? Listen here, Mandalorian. I refuse to believe any of the lies you’ve fed to this girl in the hopes of getting that reward. It’s over. My sister is gone. I won’t let anyone tarnish her memory with lies and false hope.” The longer Leia spoke, the more Din picked up on the hurt in her voice. She masked it well but he knew underneath the hard edge of her voice was a woman who had come undone at the repeated loss of her sister. Hope could be a powerful ally, as well as the cruelest temptress. 

Din remained as collected as he could for the short remainder of time it took them to reach the house. Once they had come to a stop, Leia hardened her position making it clear that she refused to move. She didn’t even seem to realize it was her brother’s estate they were parked outside of. 

He got out and walked over to Leia’s doorside and opened it forcefully. He was starting to see the family resemblance. Stubbornness seemed to be a familial trait with these girls. 

“You have to talk to her,” Din jabbed a finger in Leia’s direction as he spoke sternly, “Just look at her.” 

Leia kept her gaze forward, unyielding and guarded. 

Ava furiously threw the new clothes she had acquired into the case. The tears had finally stopped making it easier to see what she was doing. Ava was already trying to figure out what she should do next. She didn’t want to see Mando, maybe ever? The only logical step forward was to figure out a way to get off planet. 

Boba was still out on a hunt, she could possibly pawn some of the jewelry and clothes for credits. Maybe find a shipyard or mechanics shop and work until Boba returned or she could find someone else to give her a ride. Where would she go? Back to Tatooine? After everything she’d been through and seen, could she really bring herself to return to that miserable life?

The more she thought about everything, the more it hurt. The memories were so fresh and constant on loop. They seemed to burn scars into her mind so she would never forget them. The realization that Mando had used her to get money from that woman. The pain in the fact that everything that happened between them -- the kind words, the dancing, the laughter... their first time -- was all a lie. Ava was just a con. A bounty. 

I’m just such an idiot. What was I thinking? How could I for even a second have believed that they actually cared about me? That I… That Mando -- 

There was a knock at the door. Ava stilled for a moment, “Go away, Mando.” Each word was spoken clearly and curtly so there was no confusion or mistranslation. Despite her words, the door opened and Ava stopped what she was doing. Too tired from crying, Ava stood up straight to prepare herself for more heartache before turning around. 

About ready to yell some more, Ava realized the person standing in the doorway wasn’t Mando but rather, a woman. “Oh, I’m sorry. I… I thought you were… someone else.” 

The woman appeared to be older than her, not by much though. (describe her dress & hair). It was Princess Leia Organa. The woman they’d trekked so far to see. The one who would ultimately decide her fate.  

“I know very well who you thought I was. But the biggest question remains. Just who are you?” Her voice was smooth, direct with no sugar coating. 

And Ava just stood there for a moment, unsure how to answer. Who was she anymore, really? Not the lost castaway Peli found. Not the mechanic girl on dusty old Tatooine. Not a quarry waiting to be passed off to a client. Who then? 

“I was hoping you could help me. I’m… I’m just looking for where I belong,” Ava fiddled with her bare hands trying to keep herself from crying, “Please. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.” 

That last statement by Ava seemed to strike a chord with Leia. But not enough to convince her entirely. The regal woman walked towards Ava, observing her a bit; taking in the sight of a girl who felt like she was an imposter in a gown far too luxurious for someone like her to wear. Leia took a deep breath and closed her eyes. 

She walked by Ava over to peer out onto the beautiful balcony. Leia took in a deep breath of the cool night air as it gently brushed in through the open doors. It seemed as though the weight of an entire world rested on her shoulders. Ava could practically feel the pressures of expectation and duty wafting off this pristine woman. 

“Young lady, I have not lived in this galaxy very long, but I’ve seen far more than you could imagine. I’ve lost a great deal. And I am tired of being conned and tricked.” 

Ava felt her heart sink. She knew now that Leia thought she was just another con-artist looking for a score. “I don’t want to trick you.” 

The older woman turned around with a knowing smile. “And I supposed the money doesn’t interest you either?” 

Ava fiddled with her hands and looked at the ground to try and calm herself. “I just want to know where I belong. Whether I belong to a family… your family.” She gestured towards Leia sheepishly. 

Leia turned, a small smile on her face. She stood there quietly in the open balcony doors. Her silhouette outlined by pale moonbeams and the faint street lights. Looking at Leia, Ava couldn’t help but feel like she recognized her. She could see someone from long ago. Images started to flutter in and out of her mind. 

“You’re a very good actress,” Leia chuckled a bit, “The best yet in fact. But I am far too busy to pursue these fantasies only to have my heart broken over and over again. I’ve had enough.” 

As the princess began to walk towards the door, Ava caught a whiff of a wonderful scent. It smelt of warmth, something like spice and… fire? More images began appearing in her mind. Clearer than any memories she’d had before. 

A woman with a beautiful face, round cheeks and rich brown eyes. She smelled the same. 

Ava knew the name of the scent.

“Chinar?” 

Leia paused as she reached for the door handle. “Yes. An oil for my hands.” 

Ava’s brow furrowed in concentration. “That’s right… She always smelled of chinar.” Leia was frozen at the doorway watching as more memories came into focus for Ava. She turned and stared out into the night gently pulling her necklace out of the neckline of her dress to hold.

“You were so excited when she told you that you were old enough to start wearing it yourself. But…” Ava rubbed her head slightly fatigued, “I spilled the bottle. The carpet was soaked. It always smelled like chinar after that. I would lie on that rug for hours when you went away, waiting for you to come home.” Ava turned back to see Leia sitting on a small stool in front of the vanity next to the door. A look of intrigue on her face. She could see Ava holding her necklace, but not the pendant itself.

“What is that you have there?” Leia asked softly. 

Ava peered down at the pendant in her hand. “This? Well, I’ve had it longer than I can remember.” She sat down next to Leia and as she explained, Ava was nearly floored by that strange sensation hitting her full force. Leia must’ve sensed it as well. The two stared into one another’s eyes for a moment before Leia looked down into Ava’s hand. 

Leia raised a hand over her mouth when she finally saw what the pendant was. The small gold rectangle, two rounded notches missing along each side with small carvings across its front. 

“May I?” Leia’s voice broke a bit when she asked.

Ava was hesitant to hand it over. It was the only thing she had that she ever cared about. She never gave it to anyone. Not even Peli. But something inside told her it was the right thing to do. 

The princess gazed at the necklace with a look of astonishment. “I only let one person borrow this necklace… It was our secret… Aruelia’s and mine.” The two looked at eachother, unsure of what to make of everything. 

Ava spoke with a voice that was barely loud enough to be a whisper, “You would let me wear it while you were away. You always blessed it with the lullaby before you left… so I wouldn’t forget you.”

Something overtook Ava entirely. She was suddenly a small child again in a lavishly decorated room with a bed far too large for her. Before her was an older girl, the younger version of the woman who sat with her now. Younger Leia lifted her arms to place the necklace over Ava’s head. 

The two gazed into one another’s eyes. She didn’t know what it was, or how it was even possible, but Ava knew Leia was seeing what she was seeing. And when the two locked eyes once more, they began to sing their favorite lullaby. 

Mirrorbright, shines the moon, it's glow as soft as an ember

When the moon is mirrorbright, take this time to remember

Those you have loved but are gone

Those who kept you so safe and warm

The mirrorbright moon lets you see

Those who have ceased to be

Mirrorbright shine the moon, as fire die to their embers

Those you loved are with you still -- 

The moon will help you remember 

The vision faded and Ava was looking at Leia as she was now once more. Tears welled up in both of their eyes. 

“Aurelia.” Leia whispered in disbelief.

The younger princess smiled back at her sister. A happy tear fell down her cheek. “I promised I would give this back to you, didn’t I?” 

The two girls laughed and pulled one another into a deep embrace. Happiness flooded their hearts. Whatever the force was, it allowed them to feel their love for one another on a deeper level. Almost like some kind of magic. But whatever it was, it brought her home. Ava was no longer that castaway from Tatooine. 

The lost princess of Alderaan had been found. Aurelia had finally found her family. 

Leia hadn’t left the house since Din had dropped her off. Well, technically he kidnapped her, but everything seemed to have worked out as planned. Ava was their princess after all. 

Din stood outside the house looking up at the window he knew was Ava’s. Light seeped out onto the balcony as the wind rustled the translucent curtains. He hoped to the Maker that she would walk out and see him standing there. That he would get to look up at her, her silhouette bathed in the warm light of the house solidifying her as the angel he knew her to be. 

A dull ache pulsed through his chest with every heartbeat. Din couldn’t tell if it was from the force of whatever Ava had done at the theater, or if it was something regular people called heartache. 

Mandalorians didn’t have the means in life to experience something like true love or a broken heart. How could they? The Creed, the beskar, the wayward lifestyle all stood in the way of being anywhere long enough to let someone in. So why was Ava so different? 

The longer Din stared up at the empty window frame, the more it hurt. 

He flexed his hands trying to forget the feeling of Ava’s lithe fingers brushing over his. Mando tried to forget the way her lips felt pressed against his the night before. He tried to ignore the subtle panic he felt at the thought of him not being near her. His mind was constantly pulling him towards her. It was too much. 

He had made up his mind. Princesses don’t fall in love with bounty hunters. 

So he left.

If you’d like to remain updated follow #star wars anastasia

Series List || #star wars anastasia || PREVIOUS || NEXT

[gingersnappe-9]

In a Crowd of Thousands: Star Crossed (12)

Din Djarin/Mando X Fem!OC || Star Wars/The Mandalorian Universe 

Series List || #star wars anastasia || PREVIOUS || NEXT

3.7K words

Warnings: mild physical abuse, angst, emotional distress

image created by @followwhereshegoes​ 

A/N: This is the last post I will be using a taglist. If you’d like to remain updated follow #star wars anastasia

The day had finally given way to night. The moons had risen to their rightful place in the dark sky signaling to all of Canto Bight that the night life could commence. All across the city drinks sloshed in overfilled, overpriced glassware. People cheered and roared at the race tracks and lovers took to their nightly praises under the cover of soft linen sheets. The air was perfect for those wayward souls to slump peacefully against cool stone as they waited for their stupors to wear off. More importantly, it was a perfect night to see an aria.

The Crystal Opera House’s grand walls and domed ceilings were made entirely of glass. Intricate stone archways made up the supports and thin lines of wrought iron laced their way in between the panes like ivy plants. Hand-painted tiles laid out in delicate mosaic patterns were plastered across nearly every available surface. The entire building seemed to glow for the warm lamp light coming from within. Long cloth drapings hung around the entryway and a preposterously large and plush red carpet spilled across the stone steps. Din arrived ahead of time to make sure Leia would be in attendance. He scouted out the location of her viewing box; he counted the number of ushers; Din made sure he knew the location of every emergency exit and the entrance for the musicians and performers. After fulfilling every instinct he could think of, Din found himself standing outside the grand building with nothing to do but wait for Ava to arrive. People of all walks of life made their way into the theater. The combined extravagance of the outfits, jewelry, floral arrangement everywhere, and even the building itself thankfully overshadowed Din’s somewhat covered Mandalorian gear.

As he looked out at the pond just on the other side of the parkway, Din made note of the time. It was getting close to the start of the ballet and Ava still had yet to arrive. 

Din hadn’t seen her since they’d said goodnight to one another the evening prior. He swore he could still feel the plush heat from her lips against his own, and immediately tamped his feelings down. Tonight was the night it would end, one way or another. He found it irksome that he had to keep reminding himself of such an ineffable fact. Din knew it to be true, but deep down came a quiet voice that whispered over and over again not to let her go. It reminded him of the fact that having someone else leave his life would hurt. He wanted to drown that voice in the pond before him. Beat it into submission. Cast it out and return to how he used to be, before her. Yet that was as unalterable as his situation now. So instead of killing himself slowly, he ventured into the opera house to grab their tickets, with the intention of meeting her outside once she arrived. 

The interior was just as impressive. The hall seemed to ooze poise and sophistication. Warm with the faux candlelight. Intricate glass sculptures hung from the ceiling like bursts of color, frozen in time. They reminded Din of stars, their varying sizes and slight flickering no different than the night sky just beyond the atmosphere. The hall echoed with chatter and anticipation. Large stone columns with vines and branch motifs etched into the rock by the hands of a true stonemason. Even the ticket booth was lined with a similar rich, red velvet material as the carpet leading up the outside steps. The attendant seemed hesitant to hand over the tickets, but when Din repeated the name Skywalker, there was no further issue. 

As Din turned back to make his way back to the outer steps, he heard the voice. 

“Mando.” 

And there she was, wrapped in a deep sapphire dress that glittered like the surface of water when the sun hit it; strapless and form fitted with a flare that started only below her knee. A circle of impossibly brilliant and precious stones adored her neck with matching earrings. Long white gloves that went up to her elbows. She reminded Din of the night sky. He never wanted to look away, the same way a little kid stares out their window night after night waiting for a shooting star – one blink and you could miss it forever – Ava only stood at the top of the stairs yet she looked as gorgeous as a goddess out of an old myth. 

“Mando.” She said again with a slightly embarrassed smile. Din had just been standing there gawking at her. Grateful once again that she couldn’t see his slack jawed expression. 

Finally shaken out of his stupor, Din strode up the stairs with haste and took her arm the same way he’d seen the other gentlemen offer to ladies. 

“Do I look funny?”

“What?” He said, rather confused. 

“Is the dress okay? Luke helped me, but I wasn’t sure if something like this was alright. Everyone seems so high class here. I just feel like I stick out.” Ava’s words came out fast and clipped. And while she did a good job at keeping her voice low enough for only Din to hear, the worry was evident. So he gently led her behind one of the grand columns, brought her hand to the lip of his helmet and ever so carefully tipped his helm up so that he could kiss her gloved hand. Even through the satin material, Din could feel the heat from her skin. He could smell the delicate perfume more clearly – something like a deep syrup, but not too sweet, with a finish of fresh flowers after it rained – and it drove him wild. 

“Everything’s going to be fine.” He kept his voice low and soothing – a sound Ava had become accustomed, and damn near addicted to.

Din noticed the sweet shade of blush that spread across Ava’s cheeks. Her body had stopped humming with anxiety and her eyes seemed more focused. Once Din had settled his helmet back into place, he realized the severity of his actions, but couldn’t bring himself to care. Ava needed him, maybe that was the unspoken rule of The Way. Maybe it wasn’t a set of changless rules, but a living thing that could grow? No. 

No. The Way was created as it was for a reason. If change were to come, it would not be from the rules, but from the man behind the helm who suddenly felt the deepest confliction with the very foundation of his religion. Shaking the thoughts from his mind he reset his focus back onto Ava. 

They made their way through the hallways to their box seats, directly across from where Leia would be sitting. Once they’d taken their seats, Din continued to keep her calm. 

“I don’t think I’ve asked you what you’ve thought of this place.” 

“Canto Bight?” Ava asked for clarification, and as she did, her eyes seemed to shimmer with an inner glow under the bounced candle light, “It’s amazing. I’ve never seen anything prettier in my life. What about you?” 

Din had to smile beneath his helm. Of course he answered with, “I don’t think I’ve seen a grander sight than the one I’m seeing right now.” His eyes never left Ava. She, of course, smiled in such a way it led Din to believe she knew the not so subtle meaning of his words. 

As she looked out over the theater, Din observed something else. There was another thought behind her eyes. “What’re you thinking about?” 

She looked at him once more with those deep brown eyes, “Ever since we arrived here, ever since meeting Luke, I’ve been having the strangest dreams. They seem so real, this place just reminded me of some of them.”

“How so?”

“Well, it’s just… odd. I can’t remember anything except living in Mos Eisley but in my dreams I see places like this. And I keep having this one dream. There’s a big crowd of people. There were colors everywhere and the sky was so clear. And there’s always a boy who tells me something,” Her face grew soft, “But then it changes. It goes dark. I can’t see anything but far off stars.” 

It reminded him of a day long ago. One he did not care to remember if he could help it.  It triggered Din: the day Alderaan ended, and the day he saw one of the prettiest stars fade into the night sky, never to be seen again. Trying his damndest to keep his voice level without alerting her to the urgency of his question, Din asked, “Do you remember what the boy says in your dream?” 

The orchestra thrums to life and begins tuning their instruments, alerting the audience that the ballet is about to commence. The lights dim even more to bring full attention to the thick curtain slowly rising. But before the first note is struck, Ava leaned in and quietly answered, “I will find you.” 

The first chords struck like a tidal wave. As powerful and all consuming as the fact that this supposed nobody from the outer rim was in fact the star Din had been longing to find since he was a boy. 

What a night it was turning into. Ava was entranced by the music the most. She’d only ever heard outdated bandstand music from the impossibly old and beat up transmitter box in the cantina back home. The frequency never came in clear enough to hear each individual note and the static always washed out the voices. But in the Crystal Opera House, with the perfectly structured auditorium to carry sound in just the right way, the music was as clear as her thoughts; if not, more so. 

The crescendo from the instruments was so loud Ava could practically feel the music in her bones. Then they would somehow manage to achieve the softest whisper of a note. The dancers were positively enchanting. Delicate and lithe bodies somehow managing to leap simply by tip toeing on the very point of their shoes. Their partners caressed their bodies with such adoration one wanted to truly believe they were more than just performers. Ava wanted to be swept up in the trance of their actions and longing facial expressions alluding to the fact that they truly were lovers. 

Though there were no words, Ava gathered that the two primary dancers were destined to cross paths, but never allowed to travel the same one together. This did not deter the young couple. They would delicately dance across the stage together, embracing as the orchestra articulated the sincerity of their intentions, their determination. It was absolutely beautiful. For a few moments at a time, she would close her eyes and escape into the sounds. Visions of a grand ballroom filtered through her mind. People dressed similarly to those at the opera twirled around in washes of color and fine fabrics. Everything about the experience was magical. 

The more she focused on the sensation of the music filling her mind, Ava tried some of the techniques Luke had taught her. She leaned into the vibrations circulating through the air. She honed in on the sound of her heartbeat. Ava could feel the energy in the room, the essence of those around her like specks of light and warmth – Suns and stars with their own galaxies twirling and blooming in the expanse of their own minds. There were more universes out beyond the bounds of her horizons. Far off and getting closer – But there were those in the immediate atmosphere who seemed to glow brighter. Of course, there was Mando beside her. Ava had been very aware of his presence the moment they met. The magnetism of his company had grown ever stronger and solidified a place in her own consciousness. Ava couldn’t help but smile at the connection they had created together, even if it was still rather mysterious. But there was another nearby. Strong and steady. Teetering on the edge of this particular plain of consciousness, aware but not fully invested. Ava allowed the feeling to guide her line of sight to a woman. She couldn’t see her well in the low light but she wore finery and sat with such a regal air about her. 

Before Ava could move her consciousness closer, the orchestra blared out a set of powerful notes and snapped her out of her concentration. There appeared to be a disturbance going on in the story. People moved aggressively and wore angry expressions. The young couple at the center of it all. They were being forced to choose sides, pulled apart, and it so clearly pained them. 

Final poses were struck, the conductor had stilled as the last notes from the orchestra pit echoed as the crowd broke out into thunderous applause. The first act had commenced and the lights were illuminated once more. 

“Ava.” Mando spoke softly. She turned to him. “It’s time.” 

It felt like the air had gotten stuck in her lungs. She was suddenly sucked into the vacuum of space with not so much as a warning. The whole point of her venture was coming to fruition, and Ava wasn’t prepared for how much it scared her. Sensing her fear, Mando extended his hand. Ava graciously took it. He gave it a gentle squeeze before helping her out of her seat and leading her out of their box. 

The entire way her heart seemed to hammer inside her chest. The energy she felt from before seemed to swim inside her mind making her just a touch dizzy. Ava clung to Mando’s arm as he led her closer and closer to her fate. The grandeur of the building was no longer a suitable distraction to her rising nerves. The pamphlet she held in her hands had somehow been worn down to a wrinkled and illegible state by the time they reached the entrance to the Grand Box. 

Ava couldn’t think of a single thing to say. Her thoughts were running wild as the blood pounded like thunder in her ears. Just behind a simple, unassuming looking door was her future. Good or bad. Then, Mando did something that tuned the whole universe out. He pulled one of his gloves off one hand and gently ran it up Ava’s arm till he reached the hem of her own. When he reached her elbow, he gently pressed the pads of his fingertips to the skin just beneath the edge of the satin material, then pulled. As the glove descended her arm, Ava watched as those calloused hands slipped down at a painstakingly slow pace. The sensation of his skin over hers made her mind go quiet. The only thing she could think or feel was Mando touching her. It felt as if he was everywhere, around her, in her, with her completely. When his palm finally reached hers, Mando held her bare hand in his. 

The pair stood in front of the door for a moment just holding hands. Only after a few seconds did Mando quietly say, “I’ll go in ahead and introduce you.” Their hands separated with Mando still holding Ava’s glove. 

As he turned away, Ava reached her arm out and quickly grabbed his shoulder, “Mando,” 

He just as quickly turned so that he fully faced her once more. Though she couldn’t see his face, from his posture alone she could tell he was full of anticipation. She sensed his need as easily as her own. Feelings flooding and surging just below their surfaces. 

But Ava found herself at a loss for words, “I just…” She just continued to stare at his T-visor for a breath, “I just…wanted to say…” 

He stepped forward into her space and spoke with a low timber to his voice, “Yes?” 

“I just wanted to say… thank you.” It felt like the wrong thing to say but Ava’s mind couldn’t think of a single other logical thing to tell him. 

His helm tilted to the side ever so slightly. He gently placed the glove in her hand. “It’s been my pleasure, Ava.” 

It was one of the few times she’d heard Mando actually say her name, and it sent a small chill down her spine. He turned to face the door again, pulling his own glove back on before stepping in. With a dreamy and soft smile on her face, Ava also pulled the satin back over her hand, relishing in the easy intimacy she found herself sharing with Mando more and more. 

She then heard Mando’s voice, he was speaking to someone – which Ava could only assume was an attendant – She looked over and saw that the door hadn’t been closed all the way. 

Curiosity got the better of her, and Ava leaned in to hear Mando say, “Please tell her Royal Highness, Senator Leia Organa, that I have found the Lost Princess of Alderaan.” There was a pause. No one responded. The silence seemed to linger on to the point of awkwardness. “Your Highness, please. I need only a moment of your time.” 

Ava heard someone new speak. A woman. “Tell this impertinent man that I’ve spared more than a lifetime of moments for countless lost princesses.” Her voice dripped with disdain, and what Ava could only describe as deep sadness. 

“Your Grace, please.”

“Sir, I must insist that you leave.”

“We’ve come all this way.” 

Suddenly Ava heard a chair skitter back – the woman must’ve stood up abruptly – “Others have come from the deep core, the outer rims, and the unknown regions.” 

“Your Highness, please. I have a puck,” 

“Oh those things mean nothing. The New Alderaanian council had a ridiculous number of those pucks made, clinging to a false hope that somehow my sister would be found and the legacy of the throne secured.” The woman’s voice was tense and rising with barely checked anger, “People like you parade these girls around in hopes of collecting the reward with no regard for what it is you’re actually doing. And in the end, it never is her. All you ever want is the money.”

Ava’s heart stopped. No one ever said there was money involved? And what did she mean about bounty pucks? Did the Mandalorians have one all this time? Am I just a means to an end?... Do I mean nothing more than the promise of credits? Stars… am I nothing more than a quarry?  

“Your Highness, please. It’s not like that. This time it’s different,” Ava barely registered the strain in his voice – the attendant had to hold Mando back from getting closer to the Senator. 

“Spare me. Leave now or I’ll have you arrested.” 

Even though Mando was yelling Ava could barely hear him. There was a terrible ringing in her ears. The world seemed to tilt off its axis as Ava’s head began to surge like the sand being tossed about in a storm. It was hitting her that everything was a lie. One great, big, terrible lie. They never really wanted to help her find her family, they just wanted money. She was nothing. 

“You have to listen to me! She’s the real princess! I was there that day! I was there!” 

Ava stumbled forward a bit as she held her head oblivious to the looks of concern from passersby. Mando then came out abruptly, appearing strung out and distressed. They made eye contact. Ava just knew by the way he quickly averted the angle of his visor. Her sadness quickly gave way to anger. Fury. Rage. There weren’t even words to describe the immeasurable agony she was experiencing. It felt like an implosion, being ripped apart. 

Her hands shook as she horsley whispered, “It was all a lie.” Her tongue felt like it was made of metal, the words tasted foul and turgid. “You were just using me to get her money?” 

Mando began to step into her space and attempted to grasp her hands, “Ava, you have to listen to me. Those dreams you’ve been having? They’re not dreams. They’re memories. See, I should’ve told you sooner but I was,” 

“No! You lied to me. And I honestly believed you.” The closer he got, the more his presence began to feel like an invasion. It turned vile and dirty. “Oh, stars. We… I let you…” Hot tears welled in her eyes at the memories of what it took to get to that very moment. Every word, every action was stained. Tainted with the rot of deception. Maker, it hurt.  

“Jate'kara, please. I know I was wrong. I wish I could take it back but you have to believe me. I was there that day. I know it’s you. You are the princess.” He took hold of her shoulders firmly. Trying to get her to listen and understand the words he was saying, but it all sounded like noise in her ears. The lights were too bright. The clacking of women’s heels against the stone floors was far too loud. He was too close. He was too much. Everything was too much. Tears stained her face as she fought to bring air into her lungs. “Oh, Jate'kara, please, please don’t cry.”

“No,” Ava began to try and push his strong hands from her shoulders, “You don’t get to call me that. You don’t get to call me anything.”

“You have to believe me. You’re the princess. You have to remember. Remember your dreams. Your memories. You have to trust yourself to realize the truth.” 

No. 

No. 

“NO!” The implosion had shifted and turned its direction outward. Ava didn’t realize she had squeezed her eyes shut, but when she opened them again, Mando was laying on the floor a short distance away from her. People standing to the sides gave side-eyed glances. It wasn’t the looks of strangers that hurt her. She only stood there looking down at the man she thought she… Ava thought he might have… 

No. It was a lie. Everything. Ava felt like a livewire strung out to beyond the breaking point. 

“Ava,” His voice was so quiet. Her response spoke volumes. 

“I don’t ever want to hear my name come out of your mouth again. I don’t ever want to hear anything about what I said or remembered. I don’t ever want to hear or speak to you again. Just… leave me alone.” 

Her heart was breaking. It was a quieter feeling than she imagined and hauntingly familiar; like the light fading from the horizon, and her, just left floating off waiting to succumb to the darkness fast approaching. 

A/N: This is the last post I will be using a taglist. If you’d like to remain updated follow #star wars anastasia 

Series List || #star wars anastasia || PREVIOUS || NEXT

General Taglist: @phandoz @athalien @rosiefridayrogersunday @tanzthompson @littlemisspascal @radiowallet @andiesturgss @tae27

Crowd of Thousands Taglist: @luxmundee @phandoz @deepknightclod @niall7inches @the-socially-awkward dragon @ahtanosoka @paledonutpastakid @myguiltypleasures21 @lekkus @littlemissoblivious @grogusyogurt @Lokis-army-77 @kitttypalace @annoyinglythoughtfuldestiny @hell-al @Graciexmarvel

Din Djarin (all) Taglist: @elinedjarin @wander-lustbabe @phandoz @mcueveryday @deepknightclod @paledonutpastakid @myguiltypleasures21 @kitttypalace @hell-al

[gingersnappe-9]

In a Crowd of Thousands: Too Little Too Late (11)

Din Djarin/Mando X Fem!OC ; Star Wars/The Mandalorian Universe Series List || PREVIOUS || NEXT

1K words

The tavern was much more enjoyable since Fett had turned in his latest quarry. Another gambling debt. The logistics matter far less than the price tag, and given his final payout, Fett was resting quietly on his laurels.  His credit balance had been greatly restored and he could rest easier knowing things were more secure. The drab weather outside had people flocking to the dry air and warm heat lamps. The food wasn’t bad either. It was warm and well-seasoned to the point that a simple soup dish seemed like a gourmet meal. The cook intentionally left his windows to the streets open so that potential passersby would catch a waft and listen to the rumbling in their bellies. Fett sat and partook in his favorite pastime, observing people as they filtered in from the dreary mist outside.  

The patrons moved around him, not paying much attention to the man with rags – his Mandalorian armor and helm tucked away underneath – and went about their way. It was one of the simplest, yet highly effective, methods of gathering information. All manner of folks congregated here. Families with small children jumping and pulling on their parents legs. Younger travelers clearly out on their own for the first time. One or two poor souls who seemed down on their luck and doing a poor job at hiding themselves. As he looked around, he noticed a small pod of what appeared to be hunters off in a corner, huddled together. Curious, Fett made his way over. 

As he walked over, he made sure to spill a bit of his drink on his collar, stumble and trip on the toe of his boot, and not bother to wipe away the dribble of alcohol from his chin. Fett strategically bumped into one of the crew. 

“Oi! Watch where you’re going, old man.” 

“I’m terribly sorry. Guess my eyes aren’t as old as my body is. Can’t hold my drink the way I used to.” 

“Yeah, whatever. Get lost.” Another chimed in. 

As Fett took in the group, he observed a few deactivated pucks on the table.”Ah,” He lowered his voice, “You boys in the bounty hunters guild?” 

A few stiffened. “What would you know about that, Old Man?” 

“Well I’ll have you know I just turned in my last quarry. Yup, this son of a bitch is retiring at last.” Fett’s announcement that he was a guild member seemed to quell their initial suspicion, they still seemed tight-lipped, but guild members knew the code. “Shame it seems your pucks have been deactivated. Was it a good quarry?” 

“Guess you could say that.” 

“Oh, a challenge eh? Any good details? A lady who ran off on her husband? I’ve had more than my share of those. Even brought back a runaway concubine to a Hutt once.” 

That seemed to grab the group’s attention. “You served a bounty for a Hutt?” 

Fett kept his smirk minimal. “Yeah, once or twice. So what’s the story on this one, eh?” Fett once again nodded his head in gesture towards the pucks on the table. 

The group looked at one another. It was rare for a puck to be deactivated, meaning the contract was nullified. If there were this many, it meant the target was of a relatively higher value, and given the number of hunters, they were getting closer to the trail. 

“Some imp had a bounty out on two quarries. Almost didn’t take the job until I knew the price tag.” His buddies sneered and chuckled at the talk of money – something almost every mercenary loved more than the thrill of the hunt, or the satisfaction of a kill. “Some girl and a kid. Must’ve been a concubine who ran away.” At that, the whole group laughed, but Fett grew very still.

Something set off alarm bells in the back of his mind. The memory of the two TIE fighters. Why had they gone after them anyway? He recalled Mando telling him about how he became the kid’s guardian – Some eccentric Imperial officer wanted him for experiments, but when he found out, Mando stole him back and had been on the run ever since. By the time he ran into Fett, the hunt had died down and he resumed normal bounty hunting thinking the worst was behind them –  It suddenly seemed far too outrageous to be a coincidence. 

“What were the last known coordinates?” Suddenly the alcohol and warm food in his stomach did nothing to offset the chill that began to creep up Fett’s spine. 

“Cantonica.” 

Fett kept his face placid despite his heart racing. “Well, chaps, seems like you best be on your way. Sure there’s plenty more hunts out there.” He threw down the necessary credits to pay for his food and drink and began to turn towards the door. When he did, Fett was met with several members of the guild blocking his exit path. 

“Where do you think you’re going, Old Timer?” 

He saw their hands placed over holsters, reaching into pockets hidden out of sight, knuckles curling into clenched fists. 

“Now, now. I told you all. I’m retiring. I’m just going on my way.” But when Fett took a step, the man who had been talking got right up into his face. 

“See, that’s the thing, Old Timer. I’ve been around enough to know when I’m being lied to. And we all know no one just retires.” The man was close enough that Fett could smell his breath, ripe with drink and arrogance, “You live by the guild code, and you’ll die by it.” The group had surrounded them. “So. You’re gonna tell us what you clearly know about this quarry or you’re gonna spend your retirement bleeding out on the floor.” 

Fett grew irritated. He did not have time for these greenhorns’ foolishness. An Imperial madman was after his original target, Grogu; and now, Ava, with only Mando and a single Jedi to protect them. He was sectors away. Based on his timeline, they should’ve been meeting with the Organa girl soon. Time was running out. 

Series List || PREVIOUS || NEXT

General Taglist: @phandoz @athalien @rosiefridayrogersunday @tanzthompson @littlemisspascal @radiowallet @andiesturgss @tae27

Crowd of Thousands Taglist: @luxmundee @phandoz @deepknightclod @niall7inches @the-socially-awkward dragon @ahtanosoka @paledonutpastakid @myguiltypleasures21 @lekkus @littlemissoblivious @grogusyogurt @Lokis-army-77 @kitttypalace @annoyinglythoughtfuldestiny @hell-al @Graciexmarvel 

Din Djarin (all) Taglist: @elinedjarin @wander-lustbabe @phandoz @mcueveryday @deepknightclod @paledonutpastakid @myguiltypleasures21 @kitttypalace @hell-al

[gingersnappe-9]

In a Crowd of Thousands: A Night Out (10)

Din Djarin/Mando X Fem!OC ; Star Wars/The Mandalorian Universe

Series List || PREVIOUS || NEXT

4.2K words

Warnings: mentions of alcohol consumption

A/N: chapter art created by yours truly :)

Everything was happening all at once for Ava. Arriving on Cantonica and seeing the majesty and glamor of Canto Bight; knowing tomorrow evening would decide the course of Ava’s entire life from then on out had begun to set in – Luke had revealed that tomorrow she was ready to meet Leia. The training, the waiting, it had all been to prepare her – The realization and reality of everything brought along immense waves of anxiety and fear. 

Ava was pacing around her room fiddling with her necklace, something that always brought her comfort in times of stress. For the past few weeks her life had changed so dramatically. It was just hitting her all at once how different it really was, and how long ago it felt like she had been back on Tatooine. Boring old Tatooine. That too warm, but familiar sand-pit with the one person who knew her for the longest. She could feel tears welling up behind her eyes, and for what? She had always wanted an adventure and here she was smack dab in the middle of one and yet all she really longed for was something that had yet to fully present itself? To be held and comforted, to be known, seen, heard. The way he does. 

The only thing that brought Ava back to the moment was the sound of someone knocking softly on her door. 

“Come in.” She responded half-heartedly. 

Luckily, Ava’s face shifted into a soft smile at the sight of Luke walking in. But when he did, there was a moment of shock quickly disguised as happy surprise when he saw her face. 

“I see the assistance I sent earlier went well?” His voice was a bit strained. A smirk hid behind his diplomatic expression. 

“Oh please, I’m very aware of how ridiculous I look.” The artist Luke had brought it to help her get ready had painted her with every manner of color, glitter, and even small gems on each eye. Her face looked artificial and chiseled, her lips seemed to blend into her skin then turn pink in the center. Luckily, that was all the artist did before Ava kindly thanked her, then was left to get dressed

Seeing Ava’s almost hilarious situation Luke calmly motioned for her to sit on the ultra-plush stool in front of her vanity. Gently tilting her chin up, Luke took pity and helped her wipe away what felt like eight layers of shellac, and delicately peeled off the glued-on gems. He moved with ease, seemingly familiar with the overall process. 

Before the thoughts had even fully finished, Luke said, “I sometimes help Leia get ready.” 

“That’s very sweet, but it seems so un-Jedi like.” 

Luke huffed out a small laugh, “Well I’ve read some of the oldest texts that we know of, I have yet to see anything that defines helping one’s sister getting ready as ‘un-Jedi’,” Luke had moved on to gently running a brush through Ava’s hair – it was a sensation she’d never known at the hands of another, but at the same time, it seemed completely natural – “Besides, I think there can be lessons learned in things like these.” 

“Oh? Pray tell, wise master.” Ava’s voice dripped with sarcasm, the same viscosity as honey falling off a spoon. Thick. Then he did something so un-Jedi-like, so un-adult-like, that Ava couldn’t help but giggle: he flicked her ear. “Ha - ouch!” 

“A very easy lesson: don’t annoy someone with such easy access.” 

Ava gently pulled her hair out of his reach and turned, putting on the most placid expression she could, before the pair of them locked eyes and broke out into laughter. The primping resumed as the fits of giggles and glee calmed down. 

“What are the other lessons?” 

“Well, for one thing, our appearance can be a double sided coin,” Luke continued as he gently brought her hair to the base of her head, “On one hand, we can bear ourselves quite plainly. Be honest and open about who we are, inside and out all at the same time. On the other, grand alterations, or even simple ones, can change someone entirely.”

She knew well what he meant. There were plenty of people she saw come and go in Mos Eisley who talked a big game, but ended up being nothing but empty words. But there were those like Peli who bore who they were unapologetically. They were authentic. Real and true to themselves. The more she thought about it, Ava could feel the old coils of doubt wrapping around her mind. She was exactly who she had always been ever since she could remember, and yet, she was a perfect stranger to herself. More and more lately, images flashed in her mind only adding to her confusion. Scenes from a world she could’ve sworn she’d never been to before with white peaked rock faces; tall, green trees; sleek alabaster hallways. She could now recall with vivid detail a large room, windows with light pouring in as if it were liquid gold. Ava was almost hyper aware of the weight of her pendant against her sternum. She heard voices, whispers. Screams. A cold darkness. 

A hand placed itself on her shoulder. Ava looked up at Luke’s reflection in the mirror. “Now is not a time for dwelling and thinking too much.” She gave him a half-hearted smile. “Alright, last few things. Close your eyes.” 

As she did, Ava could feel the soft strokes of a puff against her skin. Luke had a featherlight touch compared to the artist from before. He swept lightly across her eyelids. Dabbed some product on her cheeks, and gathered her hair into place. It felt relaxing. As he worked, Luke told her the name of the restaurant they would be dining at, how there was almost always a group of musicians playing just the right kind of music for partner dancing. She wasn’t sure why he mentioned that last part, but Ava was so entranced by the whole process she couldn’t be bothered to think too much more about the matter. 

“Alright, open your eyes.” 

Staring back at her was a girl Ava had never seen before. Her cheeks were warm and rosey, they looked like they’d been perfectly tinted by the sun. The color on her eyelids made her eyes look bright, like there were flecks of gold mica. Her lips were coated with a light sheen that accentuated their natural color. Luke had wrapped her waves and curls into an elegant swirl at the back of her head, with little swirls framing her face. Ava was almost too stunned to say anything. Never in her wildest dreams could she have thought she might look this beautiful. Elegant in a simple, almost effortless sort of way. 

“How did you make me look pretty?” The statement was brutally honest but it was Ava’s truth. She had only ever considered taking a sonic-shower and detangling her hair as “getting ready” so to feel transformed as she did was truly astonishing. 

 Luke placed both hands tenderly on her shoulders and smiled at her reflection, still in awe of her new appearance, “I didn’t do anything. I just accentuated what was already there.” He paused and gazed at her adoringly, the way a brother might look at his sister, “Now get dressed, I suspect Mando is getting anxious.” Luke made his way over to Ava’s bedroom door, but before he left, he quietly said, “Ava, you’ve always been beautiful. Never forget.” 

Ava smiled so deeply she felt it radiate out into her soul. 

Din had no idea what to expect when Skywalker told him they would be going to a nice restaurant in one of the quieter neighborhoods, but it certainly never occurred to him he would be sitting across from Ava looking as gorgeous as she was. 

Din recalled with perfect clarity the way the hem of her dress drifted across her lean legs, the click of her low heels, and her smile creating soft dimples in her cheeks. The outfit was modest yet tantalizing all at the same time – The deep forest green hugged the curves of her torso, leaf-like patterns of sage only accentuating her form at their well placed angles. Her translucent sleeves puffed out just below her bare shoulders and were cuffed off at her wrists leaving Din wanting nothing more than to rip them off and run his hands over her skin – So sitting across from her in low light, a flickering candle on the white tablecloth between them listening to the sounds of live music stirred something deep inside Din. More notable than anything else – well, almost – was the absence of the Jedi. 

Skywalker bowed for the remainder of the evening, offering to take care of Grogu so that the two of them might enjoy the night to its fullest. The waiters had been informed ahead of their arrival, with a complete list of beverages and a pre-planned dinner selection. Ava seemed overjoyed by the choices, Skywalker had planned the night well. Everything about the evening felt so intimate. Their privacy, away from the needs of the child, their proximity, the ambiance, it was… romantic? Din of course was no expert on the matter but even he had a sense of things, despite what others might have said. Even though Din still wore his beskar, Skywalker provided Din with a newer cape which he used to cover the majority of his weaponry so he wouldn’t draw too much attention. But with all of the bells and whistles the regulars wore he hardly made anyone bat an eye. The only person Din couldn’t keep his eyes off of was Ava. 

They ate in relative silence, with the most chatting coming from his dinner partner. Her voice was mellow and smooth, not a hint of worry or anxiety to be heard. It was the most Din had heard her speak and he was entranced. There were descriptions of the meal in detail, or as best as she could manage given her limited experience with food that wasn’t dehydrated or rationed. There were promises made to bring some food back so that he could enjoy later on. Even after all of their shortcomings, all of their dancing around feelings, she still cared enough to make sure he was taken care of. It pulled his heart strings, what he once thought to be immovable steel became pliant as precious metals. 

She even began to describe to him the methods of Skywalker’s teachings. Apparently she’d even begun some combat training. Din didn’t like the idea of Ava being in conflict, but he’d rather her be prepared than vulnerable. 

“I haven’t dueled with a saber but he’s let me practice using it against this little innocuous, but very annoying, blaster ball.” Something else stirred inside. The mental image of her holding a weapon, one of his weapons brandished with the crest of his clan – the Mudhorn – flickered in his mind causing the palms of his hands to grow sweaty and his entire body to flush with heat. His discomfort must’ve shown through his armor, or more likely, the sense Ava seemed to have about him. 

“Mando,I’m doing fine. Honest,” Her expressions softened as she let a glass of red wine swish gently in the pristine crystal, “I feel good.” 

“I’m glad Skywalker could teach you.” Din could tell from the slight glassiness over her eyes that the alcohol was swimming through her system. Her whole demeanor had changed. Her shoulders were relaxed yet there was an air of sophistication about her. The same upfront attitude rang out, but it no longer seemed out of necessity. She was enjoying life simply for the sake of her own enjoyment. Her gaze was ever-present, and for the first time Din believed he was seeing a part of Ava that she wasn’t entirely aware even existed before. 

“Dance with me.” 

They both froze. The question, though soft and undemanding, came out of nowhere without pause or thought. 

Then Ava smiled directly at him, it was disarming and oh-so sweet, “I would like that.” 

His body suddenly seemed to act without his command. He stood up and took her hand in his. The band began to play a mellow tune, it was meant to be for a slow dance. A few other couples occupied the floor, the partners resting their heads on the others’ cheek or shoulder, a look of contentment across each of their faces. Relying purely on muscle memory, Din guided Ava into position and set them off into a slow movement across the floor. 

She followed effortlessly, the fabric of her dress swishing with follow through as Din would spin the two of them around. It was with the same ease and comfort when they danced back on Dressel. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

“You’ve gotten better.” 

“Well, I can’t be a princess with two left feet, now can I?” Ava’s voice was coy and Din couldn’t help but want to tease more of it out from those decadent looking lips, “Where in the world did you learn how to dance?” 

It took Din a moment to conjure up the courage to even remember, let alone say, “My mother.” The simple act of remembering a time when he wasn’t a Mandalorian, before he was even a foundling, was a difficult thing. But in Ava’s calm state and presence, it hurt a little less. “She would dance with me while we waited for my father to come home.” 

“That sounds lovely. They must love you a great deal.” 

“I don’t know if they would have been very proud that their son turned out to be nothing more than a gun for hire.” 

Ava, on the next step, was even closer to Din. “Any parent would be proud of their child for surviving this galaxy.” She said it with such certainty as she placed her head against his chest, paying no mind to the armor against her cheek. 

It had never occurred to Din that his parents would love him regardless. Love was something he was taught was a weakness. Loyalty and strong bonds were important; but love created openings, gaping holes in which a deadly blade might pierce a tender heart allowing both love and blood to bleed out onto the ground. 

“Hey,” Ava’s voice all but whispered, “Where did you go?” 

Behind his helm, Din actually smiled softly. The bittersweet knowledge that it would all end tomorrow kept him from actually enjoying the time he had left with her.

“Nowhere important.” 

“Well. As a kind man once told me, you’re here with me. Here and now.” 

That was it, final blow. It was swift. Effortless on her part, and Ava wasn’t even aware. 

Their blissful night continued. The pair danced until their feet grew tired and heads were dizzy from the tune of the music. There was wine by the glass. Ava happily indulged in what Din thought she should’ve been privy to regardless of whether she would be the princess or not. There was dancing. The two of them were happy together, and Din simply stayed with her in the moment, content to have her in his arms as they swayed, near him as they dined, and to be with her. 

It felt like she was walking on air. She and Mando had elected to walk back to the house. More likely, Ava wanted to walk back and Mando just followed along with it since he knew she’d most likely win any argument with him about it anyway. 

The air was clean and refreshing. Flowers hung from large planters on nearly every building. Not a trace of dust, dirt or sand to coat her lungs as Ava took the deepest breaths she had ever taken in her entire life. The light from intricate street lamps blocked out the stars, but Ava didn’t mind. She was in a beautiful dress on a beautiful planet, her belly was warm with some of the finest food and drink she’d ever had the pleasure of tasting; if she closed her eyes, Ava swore she could still hear the music pouring out from the restaurant. The melodies played in her head over and over, and Ava never got tired of the way it swelled and lifted her spirits, as well as her feet. 

She practically danced down the street, and was none the wiser to the fact that Mando was right behind her smiling ever so slightly beneath his helmet as she swayed to her silent rhythm. 

When she turned to look at her walking companion, Ava smiled contently. She pretended not to notice but she secretly liked how close he stuck to her. It gave her a feeling of protection and consistency that she hadn't felt in Maker knows how long. But there he was. 

Ava didn’t know if it was the pull she felt towards Mando, the strength of Canto Bight’s wine, or the atmosphere of the night, but she asked him out of the blue, “Dance with me?”

Mando stood frozen in his tracks. Unsure how to process the request. “I… there’s… no music.” The urge to pull her into his embrace was nearly impossible to resist. Mando flexed his hands as a means to alleviate the temptation… barely. 

“Please,” Ava said sweetly, “Dance with me.” Her voice was like dripping honey to Mando. He ate up each and every word no matter how short or few there were. 

Taking a few steps toward one another, Ava reached for Mando’s hands. They were still gloved when he brought them to meet hers. For some reason, Ava told herself it must be the wine at this point, she wanted to actually touch Mando’s hands. To feel the warmth of skin to skin contact. He must’ve noticed the way she stared, then as if he read her thoughts, Mando remedied the situation. Ava watched silently as Mando pulled off his gloves. The way the fabric inched off to reveal his naturally tan skin was hypnotic.

As soon as Mando’s hands were free and his gloves tucked into his belt, Ava reached out and ran her fingers up the length of his till their hands were palm to palm. Neither of them were quite prepared for the feeling of electricity from such a simple gesture. Their fingers intertwined slowly, both of them marveling at the way their hands slotted together. The stillness of the world around them made the sensations all the more intense. The feeling of his hand against her own, the way his fingers caressed her skin, it all felt so right.

Ava liked how much bigger Mando’s hands were. How much bigger Mando was in general compared to her. As he brought her closer she studied the planes of his beskar chestplate. The curve of his pauldrons that accentuated his oh-so broad shoulder. Even the way he tilted his helmet was worth admiring. The T-visor had quickly become a comforting sight for Ava. The quiet and persistent nature of Mando was restorative, reassuring. 

Mando brought her hands to a general dancing position and had begun to gently sway to a silent melody that only the two of them could hear in their hearts. 

Wanting to be closer, Ava stepped into Mando’s space till their chests touched. Mando let the hand that he had placed on her upper back fall slowly, gently tracing the curve of her spine till it rested in the small of her back. Ava let her head tilt forward until it met the wall that was Mando’s chest. Her face was nestled in the space just above his chestplate, where the soft fabric of his cloak followed up into the curve of his neck. Mando let the weight of his helmet lull his head down to rest ever so slightly on the crown of Ava’s head.

The pair of them continued to sway together in perfect harmony to the quiet atmosphere on this empty Canto Bight street. 

Ava smiled to herself since she knew Mando couldn’t see her face at this angle. It felt so good to be held by him again. She was grateful she could blame the blush spreading across her cheeks on the strong wine. Ava also blamed the wine so she had every reason to lift her head off of his chest and look up at the T-visor. She took in the sight of him looking back at her, Ava knew he was looking at her even if she had never seen his eyes before. This pull, this force between them told her so. 

It took Ava a minute to realize that they had stopped dancing and were simply holding one another in the middle of the street. They looked at one another, not a word spoken between them for what felt like an entire varga. 

“We should, um…”

“Be on our way?” 

“Right, yes.” 

Neither one of them seemed to notice that they kept their hands intertwined the entire way.

They reached the door to the house and paused at the threshold. Something inside told the both of them that once they stepped across, the magic of the night would end. Mando was the one to break the pause and reached forward to open the door. As he did, it brought his helmet close to Ava’s face. His body eclipsed her own. 

Ava blushed madly as memories of their night together on the boat flashed through her mind. Why now of all times would I remember that? Perhaps it was just the wine she had from earlier? Yes, it must be the wine. But as Mando leaned back and opened the door all the way, Ava wanted nothing more than to pull him back against her. Instead, she continued to let him guide her through the door and into the foyer. 

Another moment of pause when they reached the stairs. Without thinking too much of it, Ava pulled the hand that held Mando’s close to her chest. It was a rare moment to see Mando without his gloves and tonight was one of those moments. She stood there for a moment staring at the valleys of his knuckles, the light traces of scars, and the way his fingers bent at each joint. Ava thought to herself quietly, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a nicer pair of hands in my life. Realizing very quickly how odd it must’ve looked, she did her best to pivot. 

When she looked up, the expressionless T-visor was there as it always was. All Ava could do was smile at him. 

Realistically, she knew that no one else was home except for Luke and Grogu and they were probably asleep by now. Mando would most likely deny the request she had in mind, so she kissed the fingertips of her free hand and pressed it to where she guessed Mando’s lips would be instead. 

“Thank you for tonight.” Ava didn’t mean for it to come out so soft and breathy, but with the way Mando leaned in ever so slightly, he didn’t seem to mind. 

Just as she turned and stepped onto the first landing, Mando quickly and quietly said, “Close your eyes.” 

Ava whipped her head around and looked at him. A short nod from Mando was all she needed to ease the worry from her face and close her eyes. 

With the darkness that came from her shutting her eyes, Ava realized how quiet the house was. So quiet she could hear the rustling from Mando’s clothes as he undoubtedly pulled the helmet up enough to expose his face. A warm palm found its way to her right cheek. Ava couldn’t help but lean into it as he stroked his thumb across the crest of her cheekbone. 

Ava thought her heart would leap out of her chest the moment Mando pressed his lips against hers. It was just as hesitant as the first time he kissed her, but only briefly. After a moment, Mando leaned into the kiss for further contact. Ava took in a deep breath through her nose as the two pressed into one another. Her hands found purchase on his chest and his shifted to cradle her jaw. His fingertips brushed Ava’s hairline at the back of her neck. Their bodies flush together.

They just stood there on the early steps of the stairs. It felt as if time had stopped just so they could cherish the moment, the sensation of each other. Ava adored whatever cologne or soap Mando used. His entire being flooded her senses, just as much as she flooded Mando’s. Something flickered in her mind. Something about him reminded her of stars. A sea of stars in an endless night. 

Once again, Mando was the one to pull away first. Not all the way though. Their lips still touched, but not enough that one might consider it a full kiss. 

“Goodnight.” Ava whispered against his lips, still not wanting to leave. 

Mando whispered back. “Goodnight, your highness.” And pulled away completely. She never grew tired of the way his unmodulated voice sounded in her ears.

Ava didn’t dare to open her eyes until Mando gave her the okay. It was a moment longer than she thought it might take him to pull his helmet back down – it was the first time Mando could look at her clearly in the light without the helmet on. 

Only when his warm hand slid down her neck and the length of her arm to finish with a gentle squeeze of her hand did Ava open her eyes. 

Even with the helmet back on, Ava felt deep inside that she was really seeing the man who stood in front of her. Despite everything in her soul telling her to not let go, Ava reluctantly began to climb up the stairs until her arm couldn’t cross the distance, and her hand gently slipped out of Mando’s grasp. 

Mando watched as she continued to make her way up the curved staircase, seeing the gentle smile on her face the entire way. Ava felt his eyes on her even as she walked to the door of her room. She didn’t look back, because she knew if she did, she would run right back to him. 

Goodnight

Series List || PREVIOUS || NEXT

General Taglist: @phandoz @athalien @rosiefridayrogersunday @tanzthompson @littlemisspascal @radiowallet @andiesturgss @tae27

Crowd of Thousands Taglist: @luxmundee @phandoz @deepknightclod @niall7inches @the-socially-awkward dragon @ahtanosoka @paledonutpastakid @myguiltypleasures21 @lekkus @littlemissoblivious @grogusyogurt @Lokis-army-77 @kitttypalace @annoyinglythoughtfuldestiny @hell-al @Graciexmarvel

Din Djarin (all) Taglist: @elinedjarin @wander-lustbabe @phandoz @mcueveryday @deepknightclod @paledonutpastakid @myguiltypleasures21 @kitttypalace @hell-al

[gingersnappe-9]

In a Crowd of Thousands: Feelings, Nothing More (9)

Din Djarin/Mando X Fem!OC ; Star Wars/The Mandalorian Universe

Series List || PREVIOUS || NEXT

2.2K words

Time was of the essence, Fett knew that. The opportunity to introduce Ava to Leia Organa grew slimmer and slimmer. She would only remain on-world for a short while longer. With each passing day, Fett grew restless, especially since they had agreed to remain as Skywalkers guests. More than anything, he despised standing idol. The house was nice, he would admit that, but Fett was a man of action. He found himself pacing around the house while left to his own devices. His two biggest responsibilities were momentarily relieved and passed unto their host. From the day they arrived, Skywalker had taken to training young Ava and Grogu, assuring him that they would receive the proper training to learn to control their powers, and their emotions. 

Fett would never say it out loud but learning the pair of his wards were force users did not entirely shock him. He had been around long enough to have seen the height of the Jedi council, and to watch it fall. He knew what these beings were capable of; the good, and the bad. With the confirmation of their gifts, the small things Fett paid no mind to made all the more sense. 

The way Grogu managed to get in and out of the most peculiar places; notably, the small hammock that Mando once had set up in his sleeper that the child was not nearly tall enough to haul himself up into alone… or so he had once thought. Fett recalled watching Ava repair the Crest back in the Outer Rim. The tools seemed to float in and out of her hand, whether she was aware of it or not. He saw it in the way Ava looked at Grogu. It was with the same silent gaze of understanding that Skywalker used when he looked at them. An internal knowing. A togetherness or unity. Perhaps a hive-mind of sorts. It still gave Fett the smallest case of the shivers. 

But something else was nagging at the corners of his mind. Another was acting differently. Most certainly out of character, which was alarming given the man had the staunchest sense of repetition and order that Fett had ever seen outside of a military man. 

Mando stuck much closer to Ava ever since she temporarily disappeared on their water crossing. Hell, he followed her like a lost pup. He stood outside the doors to the courtyard, close enough to be of assistance the moment it was needed, yet held at a distance as to not disturb. And though the younger Mandalorian tried to hide it, or maintain some level of discretion, Fett saw the way his visor-line followed the sway of her body. How he would let his hand brush against the girl’s knuckles as he walked past. And Fett noted how Ava returned these gestures in kind. Saying his name when she spoke to him. Watching him move with the same intensity as a predator stalking her prey. And the moment anyone came into their field of consciousness, those flashes disappeared as quickly as stars burned entering an atmosphere.

The older man had succumbed to those same internal desires once or twice. Stars, those lingering sentimentalities were what enabled them to fly off Dressel as quickly as they had. But he knew the costs all too well. The severity of space, the creed of a Mandalorian as devout as his younger partner, was not one so easily changed. It was dangerous for everyone involved. It was one of those same moments. 

Fett found Mando standing with his back pressed against the hallway to the courtyard. It was the early afternoon, Ava and Grogu would be with Luke. Mando, still very much Mando, posted himself without fail in his full set of armor, and blaster neatly holstered. The older man let out a sigh. 

“Mando, I doubt anyone would be crazy enough to knowingly enter the house of a jedi, let alone the sibling to the most important diplomat on this side of the quadrant.” 

“That’s exactly why.” 

“How you do ramble on, don't you?”  Fett tried to lighten Mando’s mood. It obviously failed. “Well, be that as it may. It wouldn’t be a bad thing for you to be on your guard.” 

The younger of the two actually turned his head to look Fett head on. He saw his partner with a small pack at his side, helmet underarm. 

“You going somewhere?” 

“As a matter of fact, yes. We’re down to our last credits and once this job is over we’re going to need fuel and supplies. The Slave-1 is larger than the Crest and we’re going to need to maintain her.” 

Mando stood quietly, his stance not giving much of anything away, until he spoke. “When the job is over.” It sounded almost like a question. 

“Yes. And until I return the girl and the child are your responsibility. I trust you will keep them safe and out of trouble.” Fett made an effort to emphasize his last words, which clearly hit the mark. Mando’s shoulders hitched as he adjusted his position against the wall. A pebble shifting the weight of the mountain. However mature Fett’s partner was, the man was still young. And though he didn’t know much about Mando’s past, he knew it wasn’t easy. Foundlings were usually plucked from scenes of tragedy and dismay. 

Out of nowhere, the Mandalorians heard laughter. Mando’s head whipped to face the sealed courtyard door. It was Ava. It cut through the silence with ease. It came from a place of genuine joy. It wasn’t something either of the men came across in their line of work. The roar of anger and violence were the sounds they were accustomed to. The girl’s laughter was like light. Fresh air. Admittedly, it made Fett happy and sorrowful. 

Fett’s voice was low , “It can’t be like this forever. She will leave. And that will be the end.” 

He tried his best to remember whatever happened to her after they parted would be none of his business. That was not the job… So why did it bother him so much?

The older Mandalorian made his way towards the front of the house, only pausing to look back at Mando who’s gaze remained glued at the door where the laughter had come from. He looked like a statue, one of their bounties frozen in carbonite. It struck Fett in that moment that things were getting too complicated. He was growing soft in his older age. 

He said his goodbyes and beamed Mando the coordinates of his flight plans and planet stops to his vambrace. No response. 

Looking back, Boba Fett realized he should have never let the two of them dance. 

Din couldn’t get himself to stop thinking. Thoughts and images kept floating in and out of his mind. It was becoming irritating, especially since most of them revolved around her. His now sole responsibility whilst Fett took off. He wanted to be annoyed with his partner. He wanted to be furious. Trying to convince himself it was a punishment, a test, simply something was even more irksome than listening to bounties beg, plead, and attempt to negotiate their way out of capture. But he couldn’t, not because of Ava, or Fett for that matter. This whole conundrum Din found himself was nothing but his own doing; including lurking outside the courtyard waiting for Ava and Grogu to finish whatever Jedi-sorcerer-training Skywalker was putting them through. 

He forced himself to walk away. Who was he becoming? Din was never emotional. Never out of focus or step. Yet he found himself stumbling and distracted, and all because of a girl. 

But she wasn’t just some girl. She was more than that. He tried his hardest to fight it, but the more time Din spent with her, the more he realized how good it felt to be near someone. To know she fiddled with the hem of her shirt when she was nervous. Having the privilege of being her comfort in a moment of panic. Holding her as she fell asleep. Memorizing the turn of her smile, the waves in her hair. Din knew her eyes were umber, deep and warm – They shone like a translucent stone with flecks of chestnut and hazel when the sun hit them just so – Everything he was taught felt like a contradiction. The Way was absolute, unyielding as gravity, steadfast and indisputable. And yet, he had used a loophole. He had removed his helm in her presence, willingly. And what worried Din the most was he would do it again. Over and over if it was for her. 

Instead of brooding, lurking was what it felt like, Din made himself do a sweep of the house. 

He knew where every window was, which was the doors faced, how many stairs there were, the square footage. The arithmetic and strategy of knowing his surroundings gave him temporary relief to his new infatuation. He did his best to take his time. Make sure he knew what kinds of locks were on each sill. The shifts and duties of the three staff members – a cook, housekeeper, and gardener – and their backgrounds. After checking the usual wanted data-bases, nothing came up. Curious, Din tried to find more information about this Skywalker character. He settled in the den, just off the hallway from the kitchen that shared a wall with the courtyard – a total coincidence.

Little to nothing came up, and whatever he could manage to dredge up usually involved his sister. Din spent a bit of time studying Leia instead. The woman was accomplished, a Rebellion leader, a respected diplomat and politician. A leader with a mind of her own, and more than enough sense to use it wisely and decisively. She and Ava were truly cut from the same cloth. Even from what he’d observed of Skywalker. There was something about them that set the three above the rest. 

No sooner did the thought of the three did Din realize that Ava could potentially have a whole family. Older siblings. People to look after her, to care about her in every way possible. Such a rare and tender thing. It had been a long time since Din could say that he had been cared for like that. They would love her like no other. But… 

I love… 

Before the thought could finish itself, the door to the courtyard slid open. She walked out in what appeared to be loose fitting cotton. Breathable and easy to move in. Her chest rose in deeper breaths, across her brow, a light sheen of sweat. She was advancing in her training with Luke who followed carrying Grogu. She seemed happy. They both did.  And Din’s heart wilted. 

He knew deep down that The Way, his way of life, was no place for her or the child. So he did what Din knew how to do best, he squared his shoulders and leaned into his appearance: the Mandalorian, and would be nothing more. 

“Mando.” It was Ava. Din turned his head ever so slightly to bring his line of sight to hers. “Luke says we should go out tomorrow evening.” 

“Out? Out where?” He did his level best to keep steady and to ignore the way his heart thrummed. 

“To explore. He thinks it would be a good idea.”

“Why would the risk of unnecessarily exposing ourselves be a good idea?” His voice came out clipped, and a bit more pointed at Ava rather than the person who suggested the idea. The slight shift in her expression pained him in a way, he wanted to take it back and pull her close. No. Yes. No… You can’t. 

“I understand your resignation,” Luke chimed in like some knight in shining armor – ironically – “But given what I have heard from Ava’s accounts of your journey, I think it might do everyone some good to relax and have a little fun. We wouldn’t go to any of the casinos or anything like that, just some good food and good company.” 

Grogu gurgled happily at the sound of it, and Ava smiled quietly in agreement. Another chink in what Din believed to be impenitrable armor. He stayed quiet for another moment. Fett had just left and would be off world for a small while. Din tried his best to think pragmatically, like he usually did, but something about the way Ava leaned closer in anticipation, the small curls that framed her face and her eyes beaming right through his beskar made him say, “Alright.” 

Ava smiled at him. A true smile, one that washed the weariness he had seen in her eyes for the past several days. Another piece of his mental fortitude was chipped away. She happily picked Grogu out of Luke’s arms and took him upstairs, all with that same smile on her face. 

Din didn’t even realize he followed her with his eyes as she walked out of sight until he had to turn his head to Luke’s sudden remark.

“She is ready.” 

“Ready for what?” 

“To meet Leia.” 

The young Mandalorian stilled. Fett’s words from earlier played out in his mind. It can’t be like this forever. She will leave. And that will be the end. 

Series List || PREVIOUS || NEXT

General Taglist: @phandoz @athalien @rosiefridayrogersunday @tanzthompson @littlemisspascal @radiowallet @andiesturgss @tae27

Crowd of Thousands Taglist: @luxmuse33ndee @phandoz @deepknightclod @niall7inches @the-socially-awkward-dragon @ahtanosoka @paledonutpastakid @myguiltypleasures21 @lekkus @littlemissoblivious @grogusyogurt @lokis-army-77 @kitttypalace @annoyinglythoughtfuldestiny @hell-al

Din Djarin (all) Taglist: @elinedjarin @wander-lustbabe @phandoz @mcueveryday @deepknightclod @paledonutpastakid @myguiltypleasures21 @kitttypalace @hell-al

[gingersnappe-9]

In a Crowd of Thousands: Meeting a Master (8)

Din Djarin/Mando X Fem!OC ; Star Wars/The Mandalorian Universe

Series List || PREVIOUS || NEXT

4.2K words

The galaxy was so different from what he knew as a boy. Even from what he knew a few years ago. Luke Skywalker – once was only a boy who looked out at the dunes on Tatooine, wondering if he’d ever see the skyline from the cockpit of a X-Wing – was a Jedi. One of the few remaining in the known universe. It weighed on him. It weighed on his twin sister, Leia, as well. Their bloodline was strong with the force. Tainted, some would even say cursed, but incredibly strong. After the brief training Luke received from his late master Yoda, Luke continued his studies and the mystic arts of the Jedi way. He had risen to the level many would consider to be master, but Luke often felt like nothing more than the boy from an outer rim planet. 

In their efforts to move forward, the twins found themselves on the planet Coruscant. The glittering city of Canto Bight was almost overwhelming for Luke when he first arrived. It reminded him of when he first met his sister. It was chaotic and loud, thrumming with life and energy. Leia helped guide him through the bureaucracy, the glamor and limelight. Without her upbringing and pedigree, Luke could’ve easily found himself drowning in uncertainty. But Leia was his touchstone. And he was hers. He advised her when she asked, and even when she didn’t. Their council was sought after in the efforts to bring an end to the tyrannical reign of the Empire, to atone for their father’s – Darth Vader, and formly Anakin Skywalker – mistakes and evil doings. 

But Luke found himself acting as Leia’s gatekeeper. After reuniting, Luke learned that Leia’s adoptive parents had a biological daughter, Aurelia Organa. All that meant to Luke was that he had another sister. Family. He learned the tragic and unknown fate of this young girl. How bounty pucks were sent across the galaxy, like tiny beacons of light attempting to guide the lost princess of Alderaan home. 

After the twins returned to one another’s lives, Leia entrusted Luke with the highly sensitive task of dealing with anyone claiming to have restored Aurelia. She had done it herself for years before the pain and disappointment became too great for her to bear. Luke could feel how heavy it weighed on her. He could feel the guilt that pulled Leia down. She blamed herself for the destruction of her homeworld, for the massacre of her people and family. Her now fiance, Han Solo, tried his best to console Leia, but the former smuggler turned reluctant Resistance legend could only do so much. Luke spent many nights with her when the pain became too great to tamp down any longer. 

So now, if anyone came waltzing into their lives claiming to have found the lost princess, Luke took it upon himself to vet them personally. His sister had been through enough already, lies and deceptions created shadows across their lives. In more recent times though, Luke had felt a shift. There were new forces at work. Both dark and light, and astoundingly strong. Leia even sensed them. Luke recalled a conversation he’d had with his sister many times: the duty they both shared to make things right once more. To rectify the wrongs of the Empire and restore balance. Though they had differing ideas and philosophies on what restored balance looked like, the twins leaned on one another during trying times. It was all they could do to keep from falling apart, to keep the darkness at bay. 

He stood out on the balcony of his too large town home and looked out at the city below him. Crafts of all sizes and occupations flitted across the sky, weaving in and out from the spaces between buildings. They reminded him of the caves and gorges of his childhood, but instead of sandstone red, this world was plated in steely chrome. It reflected everything, good and bad, maybe that was why everyone dressed so lavishly? To hide any sign or semblance of imperfection that might be thrown back at them. As he continued to observe, he felt something new that the city had yet to show him. Something, or rather, someone was out there looking with the same sense of purpose that he was. Luke could feel the light. They were strong. Young. Resilient. And they were not alone. 

This small revelation cast a smile across Luke’s face. A slow breeze ruffled his black robes. Something good was coming.

The force was strong with them.

The streets of Canto Bright seemed brighter than the twin suns of her home planet, if that was even possible. Everything seemed plated in shiny holographic material or any number of reflective metals. They were molded and intermixed with the subtle texture of the stucco plastered to the domed roofs and high walls. The city glittered as brightly as the people who strolled its streets with an air of pomp and circumstance. People with impossibly large jewelry, expertly smithed and as intricate as the stars across the night sky. It was also so noisy. Not like the rhythmic bangs of a hydraulic hammer, or the sound of sand shifting in the wind. It was chaotic and disorienting. But out of everything, what Ava couldn’t stop staring at was Mando. 

His beskar shone differently from everything else. Somehow, he stood out from the crowd. Whether it was the way he walked with certainty, the intensity of his unyielding T-visor, or any number of his ever present weapons on full display, Mando was unlike anyone. Ava found herself being pulled. Beskar had to be magnetic, it just had to be, it was the only explanation as to why she felt the need to be within an arm's reach of him… especially after the other night. Where their bodies intertwined. Embraced. Ava’s fingers unconsciously ghosted across her lips in attempts to mimic the heat that Mando’s gave when they were hungrily pressed against her own. She shuddered at the memory of his voice, husky and low as it reverberated in her ear, whispering things that she never would've imagined someone would ever call her. It excited her, even now. 

“Alright, my dear,” Fett’s voice snapped Ava’ focus forward – in all honesty, it was for the better or else she’d have been lost to a daydream filled with more debauchery than she ever thought herself capable – “I’m going to go ahead and do some reconnaissance. Mando is going to stay with you and find a temporary place to stay until we find Skywalker.” 

The toe of her shoe snagged and she stopped walking, “Skywalker?” Ava was confused. “I thought we were going to see Leia Organa?” 

“Yes, we are. Skywalker is her brother.” Fett had intentionally kept his answer short, and Ava caught on right away. 

“Why would we go see her brother first?” The two Mandalorians tilted their heads towards one another. A silent conversation Ava could tell she wasn’t meant to be in on, but nonetheless, understood something was amiss. “What aren’t you telling me?” Ava finished with an edge of authority she wasn’t used to commanding. It felt foreign, but not entirely new. 

Mando shuffled ever so slightly, “Fett knows Skywalker from his past,” Stars, is he anxious? “But no one sees her Royal Highness without getting Skywalker’s approval first.” 

Ava stood there in the middle of the city of opulence frozen to the floor. Her mouth began moving before she had a moment to think of her words, “You never said anything about lying.”  Her stomach dropped and her heart pounded. Without realizing it, Ava had been staring directly at Mando. Emotion seeped through her words as her face drained of color and her entire being screamed at her to move, to process, and find a quiet place without so much damn noise. 

“Dear one, we were going to tell you eventually, it just never seemed like the righ-” 

Ava cut Fett off, “What, like the right time to tell me? I probably would have appreciated a heads up before I was blown so spectacularly out of the sky.” Her voice was clipped, fear, intermixed with anger, laced her words.

“This doesn’t change anything. We will get you an audience with Leia and our plan will continue.” Fett was clearly trying to regain control of the situation, but something inside Ava was fed up with people deciding for her then goading her into thinking it was free will. 

“It changes everything. No one told me I would have to prove I was the Grand Duchess or princess or whatever the hell she was.” 

“Ava, I-” 

She cut him off again before he could continue, “Look nice. Talk proper. Stand up straight. Yes. Yes. And, yes. But lie?” 

Fett stepped towards her, gently taking the child – who Ava was hugging tight with a bit too much vigor – but it was Mando who spoke, “You don’t know it’s a lie. What if it’s true?” He crowded her space with his broad shoulders, “So there’s one more stop on the road to finding out who you are.” His voice was low, not unlike how he’s spoken in the sweet cover of darkness, “I thought this was something you had to see through to the end no matter what?” 

She wanted to believe him, Ava wanted to lean into the sincerity of his words and let go of her doubt and free fall into the certainty that what she was doing, everything that happened, was leading her to her tomorrow. But a voice deep down – not unlike the one that stopped her from stowing away on every cargo ship that stopped in Mos Eisley – told her… 

“I am not what she was… I don’t even know what I am now.” 

Ava had been looking directly at Mando as she spoke. Her words hurt to speak into existence, but it didn’t make them any less true. She walked away from them, and as she did, Ava could hear Fett telling Mando to let her have some space. She had a small communicator on hand, but for now, she just needed to be on her own.

The chaos of Canto Bight had snuck up on her considerably. Everything seemed louder. The thrum of cruisers whirring and zipping around. People were moving quicker as Ava did her best to weave around them. The whole city seemed to be buzzing and it all seemed too much for the girl who knew nothing but simple sandy dunes. The more she walked, the more overwhelming it became.

What were you thinking? Sure, maybe lonely little girls dream of being something, or someone… but honestly… you?

Her feet came to a slow halt on the side of the walkway. Ava let out a deep sigh. Just as she was about to wearily walk back to the Mandalorians in emotional defeat, a flash of green caught her eye. When she turned, Ava saw an entrance adorned with lush looking plants. Despite her curiosity, Ava’s heart seemed to weigh her down. But as she took a small side step to head back, something inside her told her to wait. Looking back, the archway – an arbor – was made of thin, iron-looking metal, weathered and worn. Small vines had grown through and around the rungs that seemed intentionally placed to help the plant climb. A newer voice whispered inside, Keep going. 

When Ava stepped through, she was greeted by all manner of foliage. They were far different from the plants at Lady Omera’s estate. Impossibly vibrant flowers with petals so soft Ava thought they might melt as she caressed them between her index finger and thumb. Some smelled like syrup, others warm and rich. It was a small paradise. The garden was nestled between two tall, and long buildings creating a barrier from the bustle on the street. Vines scaled the walls with their small leaves making it feel like a jungle was bursting at the seams. 

Ava loved it. 

As she ventured further in, she found a mult-joist structure spanning the width of the garden. There were benches and potted and hanging plants all around. A small fountain gurgled at the heart of it all. It was serene. Her heart rate had steadied and her mind had cleared. Ava took a seat under the beams and tilted her face towards the sun as it filtered through the sparse clouds, not unlike the flowers that kept her company. A gentle breeze blew through creating a wonderful sound as it rustled the plants and tousled the hem of her dress. The warm sun’s rays reminded her of her old life, the way the heat seeped into her skin was welcomed after traveling in the void of space for the past several days. 

Once a few moments passed, Ava reopened her eyes and as she looked around a bit more, she noticed someone new had come in and sat on the bench adjacent to hers. 

He was dressed in modest black robes, a glove on his right hand. His deep blonde hair fell from the crown of his head. The man was positioned just as Ava was mere moments ago – head tilted up into the sunshine – His face was expressionless, but otherwise kind. He couldn’t have been more than a decade other than her, but Ava seemed to get the sense that he had experienced a great deal in life, and all it entails. 

“It’s nice isn’t it?” The man asked without even turning to acknowledge Ava staring at him. 

She jolted a bit and quietly chastised herself for her rather rude behavior. “Y-yes. It’s really nice.” 

He smiled and tilted his head down, “We didn’t have anything like this where I’m from.” 

“Neither did I.” 

The two sat there in another moment of comfortable silence. 

“What brings you to Canto Bight?” 

When Ava turned to respond, she noted the man had opened his eyes and was already looking at her. His face was indeed kind, and far wiser than his age. His eyes were blue like the sky, soft yet capable of immense displays of strength. “I’ve come looking for someone.” 

“Not for the gambling and luxury?” He questioned rhetorically. Ava noted the air of teasing. It felt familiar, and comforting. 

“What could’ve possibly given it away?” She gestured to her clothes – new and wonderful to her, but far too plain compared to the extravagance surrounding them just beyond the garden walls – The kind stranger chuckled a bit. “I guess you could say I’m looking for someone too…” The double meaning of her own words sank deeper into her heart than Ava realized.

“But?” He finished for her. 

Ava looked over at him with a soft expression. “But I don’t know if the person I’m really looking for even exists.” 

The stranger gave her a gentle, knowing smile. His ability to seemingly understand her existentialism without so much as a single word was astounding. “Well why don’t we look for them together,” He stood up quietly and stepped in front of her with his hand gently outstretched towards Ava, in an asking manner. 

“Ava.” She said softly. 

He smiled. “Ava. My name is Luke Skywalker.”

While Ava was perfectly at ease with Luke, Boba was clearly not. The moment Ava returned with a man following close behind, her companions became agitated and protective. Boba’s face was etched with a stern scowl and Mando had not-so-discreetly placed a hand over his blaster. It took a few moments of reassurance that Ava was one, perfectly safe, and two, she had already saved them the trouble of finding the man they needed. The next expression that flitted across Boba’s face was one of nervousness – other than Mando’s brief mentioning that the two knew one another, no one ever spoke of how. When Ava asked the older Mandalorian, he simply mumbled something about a damned sarlacc pit. With the little she knew about sarlacc pits, Ava decided it was best to leave that past buried in the sand – He effortlessly shielded the emotion and announced in a formal manner that they were seeking audience with Leia Organa, claiming that their Ava, was the long lost Princess of Alderaan. 

Ava observed as Luke took in their words with a sense that he somehow already knew their intentions. But with a polite smile, he insisted that they go with him to his lodgings.

Their party hailed a cruiser. When Ava took the child into her lap, she was surprised at Luke’s lack of surprise in the little green creature. Most folks they came across found him utterly fascinating. Almost as if he were a commodity rather than a living, feeling being. Luke found him endearing and marvelous. They two seemed to share the same instant connection that Ava felt when she first met Luke. He gave the child a very sweet smile as he went to sit next to the droid steering the cruiser. 

The city whirred by, but instead of the chaos and business, Ava felt calm enough to actually take in the beauty. The sky was clear with wispy clouds. Tall lamp posts with ornate metal work, reminiscent of times long ago, lined the streets and sidewalks as couples and people leisurely strolled along. They entered a residential neighborhood with houses in neat rows, perfectly tucked in next to one another. As they rounded a corner, the house – more like an estate – came into view. Neutral colored bricks were placed around a large circular entryway. There were decorative boxes overflowing with flowers in the windows of the second level. The baby nestled in Ava’s lap seemed equally entranced. 

After the cruiser came to a gentle stop, the men began to exit. Much to Ava’s surprise as she scooted across the longer back seat, Mando extended a gloved hand to her. As she took it, Ava couldn’t help but remember how those hands spread across her stomach and up her sternum. How they traced along her collarbone and jaw. Held her down by pressing her palms deeper into the mattress – not that she had any intention of running away, but the sensation of being wanted so badly that he couldn’t help but ensure she wouldn’t disappear was enough to make her toes curl right there – He guided her as she stepped out of the cruiser. His T-visor never left her gaze. It took a moment for them to let go of one another, the heat passing from their palms was too nice to relinquish so soon. Before the strange spell was broken, Mando gave her hand a gentle squeeze, so slight Ava thought she might’ve imagined it. 

The estate was much larger on the inside than it appeared on the outside. The entryway was composed on a glossy, white stone floor clean enough Ava could see her reflection looking up at herself from her feet. There was a beautiful curved staircase along a wall that led up to the second floor. The windows allowed ample light to spill through creating golden beams against shadows. If she had to sum it up in a few words, elegant and simple. The house seemed lived in, less gradious than most other things Ava had seen in Canto Bight. 

A blue plated R-2 unit greeted them in the entryway and began chirping and beeping at Luke. The friendly way they greeted one another, and how the droid addressed Ava, she found the subtle sass and big personality similar to the droids back in Peli’s shop. Fett and Mando stood off to the side while Ava knelt down to let Grogu pet R-2’s dome. The whole thing made her heart lighten. 

Luke looked on at the scene with a cheerful expression. “If you two wouldn’t mind coming with me for a moment. There is something I would like to show you.” The Manalorians instinctually stepped forward. Luke held up a hand, “Oh, pardon the confusion. I meant Ava and Grogu.” 

Everyone stilled. “Grogu?” Mando asked with his usual monotone voice. The baby immediately turned to acknowledge Mando with a small pa-too.

“Yes. Our small friend here.” Luke gestured to the child. Ava gazed down at him. His large eyes locked with hers. A unique sensation washed over her, it was much calmer but she’d felt this feeling before. Back on the Razor Crest when she had that strange hallucination. The feeling that told her to turn around. 

Ava barely whispered, “It was you.” 

Grogu responded with a happy coo to which Ava smiled even wider. She turned to look at Luke who wore a similar, just smaller, grin. How did you know? 

All in due time. 

“I promise to explain further, but I would like to see something first. Ava, Grogu, would you follow me please?” Luke gestured for them to follow him down a hallway to the left of the staircase. 

Just as Ava took a step to follow Luke, Mando matched her stride and reached out to grasp her hand. Ava whirled her head, the red scarf she wore fluttered from its place around her shoulders. As best she could, Ava urged Mando that it was okay. Something told her that Luke could be trusted implicitly. But it didn’t make the desire to hold Mando’s hand in similar moments of uncertainty any easier to walk away from.

“I’ll be waiting for you.” 

Ava gave an appreciative smile, then slipped her hand from Mando’s as Luke led her and Grogu down the hall. The heat from Mando’s hand still radiated across Ava’s palm as she held it to her chest. Luke led them into the inner portion of the house, which Ava gathered was a long rectangle. They went through two rooms before coming upon a set of double doors. When they stepped close enough for the sensors to activate, an entirely new world was revealed to the three of them. 

It was a lush, open air garden. Thin vines made their way up the column supports that held up the second floor. Surrounded by a small moat with stones so that one could easily access the raised platform in the center. The carefully laid slabs created natural grid lines on the floor. Frawns and a variety of flowers in large mosaic pots were scattered around the perimeter, happy to catch the light streaming through the opening above. “It’s beautiful.” Ava noted quietly. If she thought the garden before was lovely, this one was paradise. 

Luke gave a small smile. “I told Leia I didn’t need a whole estate while we were here but the diplomatic host insisted. It’s quite different from my old home.” 

“And where might that be?” She inquired as she walked about, her hand trailing behind against a tall column.

“Tatooine.” That single word sentence stopped Ava in her tracks as she walked around the platform. She and Luke made eye contact. “What? You didn’t think you were the only kid to make it off that sandpit did you?” 

She couldn’t help but laugh. “Only sand dwellers would manage to find each other in this galaxy.” 

“You’re right,” Luke chuckled, “But there are a great many things to see in this world. Or any world you find yourself on. The universe has a funny way of sending us lessons we didn’t know we needed.” Grogu seemed to chirp in agreement. “Ava, would you come here for a moment? There's something I’d like to try.” She made her way up to the gridded platform and stood next to Grogu, who Luke had placed gently on the floor. He gazed at both of them. “Would you hold out your hand, both of you.” The pair complied. He presented two small pebbles, one in each hand. “Now, close your eyes. Focus on your breathing. Feeling it flow gently and out. Notice how your body feels, the energy flowing through you with each breath, each beat of your heart. How these sensations intermix with the energy around you.” 

The more Ava listened to his words, the more everything came into focus in her mind. She could feel the cool tile even through her shoes. The way the air ventilated throughout the space, how it brushed over her face and arms. She could sense the electricity and circuits beneath the walls. Ava could feel the life quietly thrumming in the plants, feel their roots expanding and cells hard at work photosynthesizing. There was life. But it was also dark. The shadows that prevented some flowers from blooming, the sensation of wilting and deprivation crept over her skin, but she did not fear it. She knew it was only natural. Life could not exist without death. Light could not shine without the dark. 

Ava saw Luke and Grogu in her mind. Their faces were clear and welcoming. Luke still held the pebbles in his hands. 

Take it.

His silent urges rang out through the expanse of her mind as clearly as if he’d spoken aloud. But it wasn’t words or thoughts in her mind. It was something broader than that. She felt his intention. His support intermingled with her curiosity and wonderment. She felt something drop into her hand. It was hard and small. Slightly warm. When she opened her eyes, it was the pebble that Luke once held. Ava peaked down at Grogu, who held the other pebble, then back toward Luke who wore a look of conviction. 

“What does this mean?” Her voice suddenly sounded very loud, not only as it echoed across the stone floor, but in her mind as well. 

“It means you’re closer to finding who you were looking for all along.”

Series List || PREVIOUS || NEXT

General Taglist: @phandoz @athalien @rosiefridayrogersunday @tanzthompson @littlemisspascal @radiowallet @andiesturgss @tae27

Crowd of Thousands Taglist: @luxmuse33ndee @phandoz @deepknightclod @niall7inches @the-socially-awkward-dragon @ahtanosoka @paledonutpastakid @myguiltypleasures21 @lekkus @littlemissoblivious @grogusyogurt @lokis-army-77 @kitttypalace @annoyinglythoughtfuldestiny @hell-al

Din Djarin (all) Taglist: @elinedjarin @wander-lustbabe @phandoz @mcueveryday @deepknightclod @paledonutpastakid @myguiltypleasures21 @kitttypalace @hell-al

[gingersnappe-9]

In a Crowd of Thousands: Here and Now (7)

Din Djarin/Mando X Fem!OC ; Star Wars/The Mandalorian Universe

Series List || PREVIOUS || NEXT

5K words

Warning: 18+ ONLY content - unprotected sex, penetration, post-traumatic event || Bonus Image at the end (18+ ONLY)

A/N: Partly Co-Written with @ronnieiswriting || Chapter art by @followwhereshegoes

It was a nightmare in more ways than one. Din had just been sitting in the room he shared with Fett, staring at the wallpaper. Ava had seemed so off as of late, and he hadn’t even noticed it. A Mandalorian, a race and creed who prided their survival on their ability to observe and practically sense their environment around them yet he had missed her slipping out in the dark of the night entirely. It wasn’t until he heard Grogu whimpering outside of their door that he had a sudden feeling there was something terribly wrong. 

Din and Fett raced out of the room and took off in either direction. Fett went to check the lower levels and other areas below deck while Din had the strongest urge to check outside. Something very faint pulled him towards the upper deck. The door practically flew open. Forceful gusts of wind ran rampant across the deck, chairs and table that had been tied down strained against their ropes, meanwhile, a storm raged overhead. 

An angry sky, the color of space itself streaked with lightning sent panic through Din’s spine. 

He tried calling out her name, but the storm swallowed it. 

Every instinct was on fire. Din’s feet began to move across the deck before the thought had even registered in his brain. 

His displays barely kept up with all the wind and water, the heat signature sensor was all off. But whether it was luck or some twist of fate, Din picked up faint footprints leading towards the bow of the ship. He moved quickly trying to stay ahead of the water and rain, washing away any evidence of the trail. 

Din never believed in anything “greater”. There had been those who had tried to comfort him with tales of the great Maker – the being responsible for the galaxy and everything in and beyond – as a child. Everything happens for a reason, they would say. Din called bullshit. If everything happened for a reason, then he was meant to watch his parents die violently. He was meant to witness the destruction of an entire planet, good and evil people alike, wiped out in an instant under a red sky. But if everything happened for a reason, then maybe, but only a very weak maybe, was he meant to find Ava leaning dangerously far over the rail at the bow of the ship. She appeared to be fighting the storm. Some sort of force pulling her towards a watery death. Fear ripped through his muscles as he surged forward to grab her, wailing her name out against the wind. 

Once he was able to reach her, she fought him a bit, the same way someone deep in sleep fights being awoken. When her eyes finally opened, they were wild and wide with confusion. Her breath came out wheezy as her chest heaved up and down, fighting to bring in oxygen.

“Ava… Ava… Look at me.” Her eyes met his line of sight from behind his helm, the first time in days, “I’ve got you.”

She mumbled out, “Mando… I keep seeing faces…” 

The shock across her face made Din’s heart twist in a way he’d never experienced for anyone but the child. 

He willed with every fiber of his being that she understood he was trying to help her, to calm her and make her feel better as he gently caressed her face with his bare hand. Ava’s own darted up and clung to his wrist. Her skin had already been cooled too much for comfort with her exposure to the torrent storm. Her soaking wet hair was plastered around her face and shoulders. The white shift she wore was practically useless.

“It’s alright, Jate'kara. I have you. It’s alright.” 

Din shut the door behind him and when he turned again to face Ava she was already trying to pull back the covers and climb into bed. She was soaked through to the bone and shivering but made no indication that she even noticed. He stopped her gently, leading her away from the sheets she was about to dampen. “Hey, hey,” he spoke as softly as he could, “You can’t do that.”

Ava blinked at him drearily and he felt his heart squeeze at the way her tear streaks caught in the streak of moonlight that peeked through the window. The wind had shifted and the rain pattered quietly against the glass. Ava was actively fighting sleep and the slight rocking of the ship sent her teetering. The lack of balance sent a pang of endearment through him, it reminded him of the child. 

Din instinctually placed a steadying hand against her upper arm as she sputtered out “What do you mean?”

“You can’t go to bed with wet clothes on, Ava.” he told her, a bit more firmly now but not ungently.

“Why?” Her head tilted in a wonderfully innocent way. The endearing way she looked at him went straight to his heart. 

“You’ll get sick.” He said somewhat stifly as she pulled herself against him, tucking her body into the place that she had just discovered fit it so well. Din might not ever understand it, but the sensation of her face pressed into his cold, damp shirt was one he wanted to treasure – after all, her’s was a face unused to any excess of water and the strange freshness it filled her lungs with was almost euphoric, calming even. “Ava?” His voice interrupted the thoughts that she had wished would morph into dreams.

“Hmm?”

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

She shook herself a bit, shivering, but it looked like his words were sinking in. “Yeah.”

He was already dangerously close to overstepping a myriad of boundaries but his concern was unmatched at that point. Din wanted to be sure that she knew what he was telling her to do but the words got stuck in his throat as he said, “You need to change into something dry, Ava.”

“Oh.” 

Din pulled away with reluctance. It took everything in him not to make an excuse to stay. She’s been through enough in one night, he told himself. Ultimately, he reasoned that her privacy outweighed his remaining doubt that he had. And with that solidified in his mind, Din made for the door. She stopped him with one word. 

“Wait.” It was a quiet sound, one he only just caught. But then again, somehow he had the feeling that he would have heard her in a vacuum – an entire parsec could come between them and he’d hear her – He turned back to face her and she asked him in that same barely-there voice, “Could you stay? Please?”

She was just standing there. Arms clutched to her chest, the drab fabric of her nightgown still clinging to her skin, making her visibly shudder. Din looked at her for a brief moment and soaked in her presence when a thought filtered into his mind. 

Nothing in the galaxy could keep me away. 

Din looked around the tiny room. There was barely enough room for the bunk, squeezed into an alcove scarcely longer than the space between the bed and the door. The child had been tucked away in his pram and secured with the other bits of Ava’s luggage – Once Din had alerted Fett that he’d found Ava, the younger Mandalorian had been informed that the child had fallen asleep the moment Din radioed in, and was promptly sent to bed – The only thing Ava would have meant was for him to share her bed. 

“Ava, I don’t thin-”

“I don’t want to be alone again, Mando.” Again, she all too easily stopped him. With each word Ava whispered, Din felt the vice over his heart tighten; and when her voice broke in the middle of his name, he almost physically reeled as if he was struck by some phantom fist. 

Instantly, Din let himself be pulled back towards her and tugged her firmly against his rain-soaked shirt as she started to cry again. He shushed her gently and brought a hand up to ease the tangle of her dripping hair. “It's okay,” Din told her as he felt her arms snake around his waist, “I’ll make sure you're never alone again, Jate'kara.”

A heartfelt sigh of relief escaped Ava’s lips. She was safe pressed to his chest. Back on Tatooine, she was subjected to all sorts of nightmares, and sadly her subconscious evolved to fabricate more detailed and more horrific scenarios about her past with each year that went by since she landed there. Ava remembered that every now and then, when a particularly horrible dream would keep her up, she’d seek comfort from Peli. However, through no fault of her own, Peli didn’t have the same knack for maternal instinct as she did for engineering – not to say that Ava was ever refused any kind of comfort or support from Peli but things would rarely go beyond a good pat on the back and maybe a hug. This – the sensation of being held tightly through a wash of tears, surrounded by the sweet smell of rain, with strong arms around her and fingers carding through her hair, the steady rocking of the boat on the waves – was otherworldly.

Perhaps it was because it was coupled with this incredibly intimate position, but there was a vulnerability too palpable to ignore. Ava’s emotional state had been laid out clearly before the Mandalorian, but also, Mando was with her wearing the least amount of beskar she’d seen him in – the least amount of clothing in general, really.

From what she could feel with her arms around his middle and a cheek to his chest, he was built well. Lean but toned and when she came closer to him, she noticed that he had a softness to him too, malleable and easily sunken into. 

He must’ve remembered what he initially wanted her to do because as soon as his hand fell down to her shoulders, he startled a little. His hands however, never left their resting place. Ava huffed a laugh, “Right. My clothes.” 

Both of them just stood there for three whole breaths, unsure of what was going to happen, or who would move first. But there was something new in the air between them when they pulled apart. Or maybe…  maybe it had always been there. It – that undeniable, almost magnetic, attraction to each other that had grown in the secret was now flooded in the light and was too tangible to ignore any longer – Slowly, Ava retracted her arms and they dragged lightly over the wrinkles in his wet shirt. With a new light in her eyes, Ava looked straight through his visor and said, “What about your clothes?”

Even though Din wanted nothing more than to reciprocate that motion with his own hands on Ava, he was more so occupied with the way she was beginning to tremble a little more as the chill set over her skin. “Let’s take care of you first.” And to her dismay, he took a step away, “I’ll find you something dry.” and left through the door.

What Din didn’t expect was to come back to find Ava already under the covers, her wet clothes discarded in a soggy heap on the floor, and damp curls drying in a deep halo around her face.

The hazy light trickling past the clouds and droplets of rain made it difficult for Ava to see his figure coming through the doorway. “Mando? Is that you?”

He nodded even though she wouldn’t notice, “It’s me, sweet girl.”

The new name made her heart ache and stomach flutter. Luckily, the cover of darkness kept both of their blushes a secret. 

Din reached for whatever sliver of sense he had left and cautiously – almost embarrassed – stepped forward to hand her one of his shirts. “You should be more comfortable in this.” Din nearly stammered as he felt the well worn cloth slip from his into Ava’s outstretched hand. Their fingertips brushed against one another earning the darkness of the room another secret to keep from the two of them. With great restraint, Din turned to allow Ava to pull the top over and on. She cleared her throat to alert him she was done changing. 

When he looked back he couldn’t help but notice how large it looked on her, how small she seemed in it. The collar hung just below her clavicle and the sleeves bunched at her wrists. There was something terribly wonderful about seeing her wear his clothes. To know she was wrapped up in him. 

His scent mingled with the smell of the dried rain in her hair. A warm smell. Comforting, vaguely familiar, yet nonetheless sleep inducing despite the chill that didn’t want to leave her bones.

It didn’t take long for Din to notice the way that Ava continued to shiver. What happened next was purely instinct. It was the only way Din could rationalize what happened. The man brought his knee to the side of the slim bed and pulled Ava into the hollow the curve of his body created. He wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her closer to his chest, whispering “Is this ok?” against her temple. 

Ava hummed in affirmation, shuffling closer to him so she could soak up the warmth radiating from his body. As she got closer to him, she caught the way that each of his breaths came out more ragged than usual. Especially since she was so close to the underside of his helm.

“Mando?”

“Yeah?”

“Why don’t you take off your helmet?” The question came out rather unexpectedly for the both of them. Ava scarcely breathed once she realized what she’d asked.

There was a brief pause that hung in the air before he spoke. “It is The Way.” His words were very carefully chosen, almost coming out like a conditioned response rather than a considered thought. 

Ava shifted her head just below the edge of his helm, unconsciously nuzzling the exposed skin as her eyes shut for a moment, “Is it lonely?” 

Din’s body stilled. If he had a credit for every time someone had asked him about his creed, he’d be a far richer man. But never in his entire life had anyone asked him if it was lonely. As far as he was concerned, it was a matter of principle. Plain and simple. It was The Way. It was the only thing he’d ever known since he was a small boy rescued by the very thing he had become. But now, with the woman he held in his arms, the warmth and serenity of a dark and tiny cabin, Din wished for the first time in his life things were different. 

“I don’t suppose so,” Din began rather quietly as he leaned his body back into the pillows, “I am a part of The Way as others are. In that we find solace and comradery.” 

“No one has seen your face as it is now?” Ava’s words danced across the skin of Din’s neck as she spoke in warm puffs of air. It sent shivers down Din’s spine. 

“No.” 

“Would you ever let someone?” 

“I don’t know.” It was an answer neither of them was expecting. It came out so easily that Din was thoroughly surprised. Never before this moment had he ever seriously considered it a possibility. The unlikely pair continued to let the gentle rocking of the ship press their bodies into one another as moonlight gently seeped through the window. “But we should rest. We still have a ways to go.” 

Ava simply hummed her response as she continued to curl into Din’s body. He, in turn, wrapped his arms further around her torso. The two of them just laid there content in silence and one another’s company. 

Din couldn’t help but indulge. He never knew laying down could be this pleasurable. The worn fabric of his shirt glided over the slight dropoff below her ribs and back over the slope of her hips. Never in his wildest imagination could he have thought a simple curve was so enticing. The gentle give of her muscles made his fingers itch with the desire to apply even more pressure. And what he was none the wiser to was Ava’s similar feelings welling up inside her chest. 

The sensation of Mando’s heart beating right below her own was simply the most amazing feeling. The rhythmic beats beneath the swell of Mando’s chest were hypotonic. The reality of it all seemed to fill Ava’s mind as the last of her chills finally subsided, making her own heart race ever so slightly. 

The pace of the waves had increased slightly. Ava and Din were both helpless to do anything but rock with the swells, even if it meant unintentionally pressing together more and more. Din’s arms instinctively wrapped Ava tighter, and Ava brought a leg further up Din’s thigh. Her face was completely pressed into the exposed skin of his neck with her lips skimming along his pulse. 

Din was torn. His mind and body were at brutal war with one another, and his mind was losing. He was never one to be overcome with physical needs or desires – sure he’d fooled around before when he was far more ruthless and unconcerned – but he’d never wanted to throw caution to the wind. To release himself from his creed that suddenly felt more like a mental cage rather than the essence of his very existence – But the girl laying across his chest, with a leg so haphazardly strewn across his thighs, the soft scent of her mingling with the dew of the rain filling Din’s senses made it all slip away until it was her. Just her. 

It felt as though they were being pulled toward one another, meant to exist together in the same way as bodies of space. Ava tilted her head up to meet his visor-line. Her gaze was piercing, it felt as if she could see right through Din’s soul down to his very core. Din’s hand slid up the curve of Ava’s back, slowly, admiring the dip at the base of her spine, all the way up to the nape of her neck. He gently touched his forehead to hers with a firm yet assuring hand at the base of her nape. Ava’s hands came to rest over Din’s chest.  It seemed like she could feel his heart through her own. Heat pooled in their cheeks. Ava tried to press further into the beskar, as if it would strengthen the bond they were sharing. A thought flickered through Din’s mind. 

“Close your eyes.” 

The sound of his voice so closer to her ear sent waves of pleasure down Ava’s spine. The darkness of the room shrouded the warm glow of her cheeks as she indeed shut her eyes. 

The ease at which she followed Din’s request gave him reason to pause. She was so willing. So… trusting in him. It sent any sense of reason careening over the proverbial edge and Din finally acted on the biggest sin of his religion. He removed his Manalorian helmet, and his outward identity came down with it. For her and only her in the dark of the small room, he was just Din. 

The high-definition cameras and displays were nothing compared to what he was seeing before him. The freckles across the bridge of her nose were more endearing. Her eyelashes were longer than Din realized. Even as the two of them sat there, Ava, with her eyes closed, knew exactly their positioning in the small bed. She sat up, shifting over so she was positioned on the bed, and brought her hands up to cup Din’s jaw, but paused. 

He was confused at first then quickly realized she was waiting for permission. The Mandalorian had willingly taken off his helmet in her presence yet she waited for permission to touch his bare face. It melted him. He took her considerably smaller hands in his. His senses seemed to go haywire. Ava’s hands were as worn as his from a lifetime of work. Strong. Capable. The moment he brought her hands to his face, it ruined him forever. 

Ava let the pads of her fingers trace across the planes of Din’s face. It was as if she could see him in her mind. The curve of his cheekbones, the light pout of his lips, the slope of his nose. The bit of scruff that marked the edges on his jaw. Her hands began to trace lower and lower. The defined and well used hills and valleys of his body painted an even clearer picture the more she explored, only pausing to place his very still hand on her waist. The two were wholly consumed by one another. When their foreheads touched, Ava nuzzled in. The tips of their noses brushed against each other, cheeks pressed together, their breaths came out heavier till the tension was simply too much. 

“Jate'kara,” Din’s voice was barely audible. Breathy and as calm as he could manage, “Can I kiss you?” 

The expression that crossed her face almost looked pained, but Ava let out a breath she’d been holding and said, “Please.” 

The instant their lips touched it felt like the impact of a supernova. Hot, all consuming, yet breathtakingly beautiful. Din couldn’t help himself as he deepened the kiss. Her face was so easily held between his palms. Her face was so impossibly soft. Lips plush and yielding. Ava relished in the sensation of his beard scraping against her skin. Both of their hands roamed freely over and soon underneath the thin material of shirts. Ava let out a pleased sigh as Din’s hands traveled between her breasts, over then across her nipples, growing firmer with each pass and tease. His chest tightened at the sound. Everything seemed like it was magnified. Multiplied. The world around them ceased to exist with only their bodies and breath occupying every thought in their minds. 

Din wiggled his way to sit in front of Ava all the while pressing kisses into her hairline, the apples of her cheeks, her collarbone, really anywhere his lips could contact her supple skin. Wanting to put his mouth on more, Din slowly removed his shirt then tentatively raised Ava’s arms to do the same. Ava found something incredibly intimate about Mando removing her clothes for her. Even if she sat in front of him completely bare, save for a pair of undergarments and her pendant, totally in the dark, she didn’t feel nervous. The way he traced over the slopes and crevices of her body was like a holy experience. She was just… gorgeous. And everything Din did to Ava, she did in kind. 

Her hands wandered down the plain of his abdomen, the v of his hips and the impressive mass of his thighs. She teasingly went up and down his legs, then back to cup his ass – a most enjoyable experience – before trailing back to touch the space between those powerful thighs. Even semi-hard and still clothed, it was impressive. Ava palmed over Mando’s growing erection, growing more confident as her ministrations earned huffs and groans from her partner

Emboldened by something deep inside her, a reassuring sense that everything about to happen was right, gave Ava the courage to lean forward and slowly tug down the last of Mando’s clothing. Din reciprocated. 

Din came down to rest his body atop hers, his cock pressed between his and Ava’s stomach. It felt incredibly hot, aching with desire. The motion of the ship set the two of them off as they ground into one another. A soft moan escaped Ava’s lips giving Din move courage to pursue what they both wanted at that point. He kissed her neck and mumbled about how beautiful she was, how strong and smart. Sweet girl. Good girl. 

“Do you want me to?” Din paused and let his hand hover just over Ava’s aching core. She nodded furiously as his hand finally traveled down to her core, only to find it already wet and as needy as Din felt. They both groaned when a finger penetrated Ava. “Oh, lovely girl. Pretty thing. So good for me already.” The low baritone Din spoke in drove Ava absolutely wild. She keened at his words and squirmed as he gently thrusted two fingers, easily opening her up. 

Unable to take her twitching and breathy moans much more, Din surged forward to kiss her with intense passion, speeding up his hand. “Do you like that, sweet girl?” To which Ava could only whine a high pitched response. “Ah, ah, pretty thing. I need to hear your words. I won’t go further until I hear words.” 

They were both ruined. “Stars, Mando please. I want you. Please.” 

Din broke out into a wicked grin. Every feral instinct in his body compelled him to gather her slick and lube himself up. He let out a guttural moan at the sensation of them intermixing on his cock. He lined himself up and gently pressed sending both of their minds into a stupor. Ava raised her heels and pressed them into the small of Din’s back, pulling him in at a pace she felt comfortable with. She still kept her eyes shut, but Maker could she tell he was well endowed. It was sensational though. The stretch, the achy need being fulfilled. 

Once fully seated in the cradle between Ava’s legs, hips pressed firmly against one another, Din forced himself to pause out of fear that he would cum right then and there. So instead, he leaned in to kiss Ava. Their bodies flushed. The sensation of their chests, stomachs, bare arms, hands and legs was too wonderful for words. There was a natural comfort, a subliminal desire met in full. As they kissed and licked one another’s lips, Din gave a few shallow thrusts. Ava couldn’t help but open her mouth and gasp. She could feel Mando smile against her cheek. But the ache slowly returned and Ava needed more. 

“That’s it, sweet thing. You’re here with me. Here and now.”

“Stars, you feel so good. How do you do this to me?”

Din began to thrust with vigor, Ava matching his intensity. The air was thick with the heat of their breath, their bodies seemed to glow with a light sheen of sweat, but Din wouldn’t have had it any other way. Ava cupped Din’s jaw. Sweet nothings were horsley whispered against Ava’s temples, the sensation of Mando’s lips barely brushing against her skin drove her wild. She would press her mouth firmly onto the column of his neck and lick up to the shell of his ear where she would then make little noises to bring him close to madness. 

Din’s hands pressed and moved Ava’s body however he pleased. He pinned her hands beneath his at one point to stop her from tracing a tender line of nerves along his back that made him shiver with each touch. He lapped and sucked at her nipples till she keened and bucked against the solid mass of his abdomen, practically helpless to resist the pleasure he sent rushing through her body. 

“Ah- It’s too good. I can’t!.” 

“You can, Jate'kara, you always can. I’ll help you. Let me make you feel good.” 

It was a game of give and take, one where both players desperately lead one another towards their climaxes. 

“Stars! Mando, I’m- I’m…”

“I can feel it, sweet girl. I’m s-so close. Can I?” His unfinished sentence was met with Ava surging forward to bring Din with a searing kiss, and a mumbled response of yes against his lips.

Then it all came tumbling down on the two of them like a massive wave. Ava’s back arched spectacularly off the bed, forcing Din’s cock to hit her inner walls just so that he nearly went blind at the feeling. They both twitched as Ava clenched and Din bucked. He collapsed on top of her and Ava’s arms wrapped around as Din rolled to his side and brought her head to his shoulder. The pair laid there for a moment, blissed out, a touch sweaty, but happier than either of them had been in a very long time. The more Ava consciously thought about it – after her head had a moment to reorient itself after a rather strong orgasm, of course – she realized that the feeling had returned in full force. The anger she held towards Mando had melted away, the way their bodies sunk into the mattress, into each other, further eased any lingering tensions from her body and mind. 

Din propped himself up on his elbows to grasp her face and kiss her once more, allowing himself to linger, to let his body be still and his mind quiet for what felt like the first time in his life. 

Without even uttering a word, Din grabbed his spare shirt and cleaned the two of them up while Ava rearranged the tousled pillows and sheets. The pair worked in perfect, and silent, sync. The moonlight gleamed through the window, casting the room in a low lit glow. The swells had calmed enough that the ship didn’t even rock at all. When their short tasks were complete, they once again fell into one another. Din instinctively wrapped his arms around Ava’s shoulders allowing her to use his bicep as a pillow. She tucked her face into the groove just above his shoulder, pressing a soft kiss to the the side of his neck before letting exhaustion finally seep into her brain. 

In the dimly lit room, he took a moment to admire the way her hair spilled out behind her against the stark white sheets, like a negative of a comet. He breathed her in, and upon hearing her breathing level out and grow softer, Din pulled her in further.

The weight of their actions did not matter, nothing could have mattered to the two of them in those moments. They were with one another. Anything else could wait. They would have to. For all Din and Ava cared, the world could end right then and there, and yet everything would be alright.

Author's Note: "Jate'kara" (Mando'a) - good stars, a course to steer by

Series List || PREVIOUS || NEXT

General Taglist: @phandoz @athalien @rosiefridayrogersunday @tanzthompson @littlemisspascal @radiowallet @andiesturgss

Crowd of Thousands Taglist: @luxmuse33ndee @phandoz @deepknightclod @niall7inches @the-socially-awkward-dragon @ahtanosoka @paledonutpastakid @myguiltypleasures21 @lekkus @littlemissoblivious @grogusyogurt @lokis-army-77 @kitttypalace @annoyinglythoughtfuldestiny @hell-al

Din Djarin (all) Taglist: @elinedjarin @wander-lustbabe @phandoz @mcueveryday @deepknightclod @paledonutpastakid @myguiltypleasures21 @kitttypalace @hell-al

[gingersnappe-9]

In a Crowd of Thousands: Nightmare (6)

Din Djarin/Mando X Fem!OC ; Star Wars/The Mandalorian Universe

Series List ||PREVIOUS || NEXT

3.3 K words

Warning: canon violence, death, trauma, minor mention of intrusive-like thoughts, out of body experiences

A/N: Chapter banner by @followwhereshegoes || Co-written w/ @ronnieiswriting

Their time with Lady Omera had been brief but something out of a dream. The kind woman so graciously supplied Ava with a small travel case of clothes and shoes so comfortable they felt like an extension of her feet rather than hard planks. She and the Manalorians were escorted to the launch where Ava learned of a ship that didn’t fly or hover, but floated on water itself. The Veridian Liner. The thing was positively massive. Several stories high and about as wide as four streets of Mos Eisley back on Tatooine. But what Ava loved seeing most was the body of water. 

Back home water was about as good as credits. She recalled hearing the old hydration farmers complaining how much labor it took to yield a single gallon. She was always glad Peli found her instead of a farmer, otherwise Tatooine would’ve really been hell. 

As she stood standing on the edge of the dock waiting for the Mandalorians to return with their boarding passes, Ava gazed out across the great body. The horizon of the water cut the sky finer than any level could. The sun shone across like the flecks of mica did in the sand at the right angle. The breeze coming off the water was cool as it blew through her hair. Avian creatures – birds – flew above her so far away they looked like small streaks in the sky. This one planet alone changed her view of the galaxy. There were worlds out there just like this. Some had to be covered entirely with water. Fett told her of worlds where it was so cold the water would actually freeze into something called snow or ice, solid enough to walk across like any road. It seemed like a fantasy but standing there Ava began to hope one day she might see such a phenomenon. 

A soft coo from the child’s pram alerted her to someone behind her. When Ava swiveled her head, she suddenly noticed her two companions had just arrived from surrendering their weapons with papers in hand. Their silent return had startled Ava, causing her to flinch ever so slightly and wobble towards the edge of the dock – any further and she would’ve tumbled directly into the inky water. 

She looked at the water for another brief moment. The very substance that could sustain her could also just as easily kill her. Boba had explained to her that an underwater death was something called drowning. The innocuous surface of the water shimmered back at her, as if it could sense the fear slowly coursing through her veins. Ava shivered. 

“Are you cold, my dear?” Boba’s calm and baritone voice set her at ease. Knowing the older man was nearher, even Mando, gave her a sense of safety. 

“Just excited.” She replied with a now well rehearsed smile. 

Boba returned the gesture with a more genuine expression, “Then let us be off!” 

Everything about the past few days sent Ava’s mind into a whirlwind. Forty-eight hours ago she was sent tumbling out of a crashing star ship. Less than twelve hours ago her belly was full of the best food she quite literally had ever tasted. She had danced with Mando under the setting sun with the most gorgeous house and scenery as her stage. The memories of Mando deftly twirling her about, guiding her through the slow movements and politely ignoring her bumbling continued to play in her mind. 

She recalled with pristine detail the heat passing through his gloved hands. The way he pulled her to his chest, beskar and all. Ava was close enough she saw her own face reflected back at her in the metal of his helm. The black of his T-visor never left her eye-line. But for however close they were, the feeling she’d become accustomed to – the invisible tether that tugged at the corners of her mind whenever Mando was around – seemed faint. It was as if the world around her was smearing together in one giant blur of sound and color. Nothing seemed to be making much sense. It felt as if she was off-balance. Missing something… 

Lost in her daze, Ava barely paid much attention to the route to their cabin. It hardly registered as she’d flopped down into one of the well-cushioned chairs. Or that Mando quietly stepped out to do a sweep of the ship. She was instead more focused on the feeling of her body. Heavy and seemingly more clumsy than usual. Like she was walking in someone else’s skin… or someone was trying to creep their way into hers. 

“Dear One.” 

Ava jolted and shook the child who had nearly dozed off in her lap. He grumbled at her to which she apologized as sweetly as she could. 

Boba smiled kindly at the two of them, then continued, “I did not mean to startle you, but it just seemed like you were so far away.” 

She hadn’t realized she zoned out so badly, “Sorry, I was just…” Ava couldn’t bring herself to finish. It just seemed there were no words to convey what she was thinking, or feeling for that matter. 

“I realize now how much has happened.” He kept his voice mellow and cool. In her lap, the child happily nuzzled the fraying ends of her scarf she wore as he began to doze off again. The two of them soothed her scrambled mind. “Mando explained to me what transpired. It might be good for you to talk about it. Get it out.” 

Ava pursed her lips into a thin line. She never really talked to anyone, there weren’t many people willing to listen. Peli did her best to offer advice but for however kind-hearted she was, she never seemed to grasp what Ava was trying to say. Stars, she sometimes didn’t even know what she herself was trying to say. This feeling of disconnection wasn’t entirely new. Ava recalled she often felt it when she was young. New to Mos-Eisley, unable to help in the shop, no name.

Aimless. Helpless. Useless.

Slowly but surely, the more she learned, the less the thoughts would intrude. Eventually, when she was older, she was able to work her way through such spells. But this whole whirlwind of events Ava had just thrown herself into was beyond her tried and true methods of self-soothing. 

Here she really was uprooted again. Unable to assist the Mandalorians. Unsure of who she was anymore. Lost like a helpless, little child.

“Ava.” Once more, Boba had to bring her back gently. 

“Sorry… again,” She gave a small chuckle to hide her internal dilemma, “I think I’m just over-stimulated. Another night of decent rest and I’ll be good as new.” 

Boba looked at her with a face of uncertainty, so she flashed him a gentle smile to reassure him she was alright. It seemed that he didn’t quite buy Ava’s charade, but could tell that she sincerely didn’t want to talk about it. Instead he began moving the proper travel pack filled with Ava’s new belongings into her cabin. They two of them went over little bits and facts about princess-ing, and some more Alderanian history. Once the two of them had placed all items into storage, Boba handed Ava a small tool pack and some of his less important pieces of armor. 

She looked up at him shocked. Mando never took off his armor in front of them, and Boba only ever did to rest. So she was rightfully surprised when he said, “Some of the circuits are getting old. And if memory serves correctly, you are quite deft at soldering.”

The smile Ava gave him this time was much more genuine. He’d provided her something she could do. Something to take her out of her mind and into her element. As she began to work, her mind settled… but a strange fatigue lingered in the recesses of her mind. Like shadows passing over the landscape of her brain. Unphased, Ava quietly spent the remainder of the afternoon carefully disassembling the pieces and laying them out across her cabin floor with the utmost attention and care. 

By the time she realized the hour, the light had faded from the sky outside her window, and Boba’s armor was rewired, hand polished and perfectly reassembled. The earlier fatigue had transformed into a rather strong headache. Her body was unused to the slight sway of the ship making her even more tired. The ship obviously didn't have a self-adjusting gyroscopic system like space-ships did. Weary and a bit dehydrated, Ava made her way to the door and found a bounty waiting for her outside. A plate of fruits, bread, crackers and dried meats had been placed by the threshold, along with a pitcher full of crisp, cool water. Soft noise came from the other room letting her know that both Mandalorians were near. 

Hungrier than she realized, Ava gladly brough the plate into her room. She greedily poured herself a large glass and gulped it down in between large mouthfuls of food. It was most unladylike as Boba would say, but in the privacy of her cabin, Ava couldn’t give a womprat’s ass about what was or wasn’t proper. The food was delicious and satiated her hunger. She gave the baby some of her dried meat, his favorite out of everything and smiled as she watched the tiny creature inhale his share. The headache had been dulled but the weariness had begun to settle into the very marrow of her bones. As if on cue, the two of them yawned in sync.

“What do you say we try to go to sleep, little guy?” Ava asked with a small voice as her headache slowly began to fade and exhaustion began to creep in. 

She washed up quickly in the attached fresher then changed into a lightweight, and comfortable nightset – one of the many new pieces of attire so graciously gifted by Lady Omera – When Ava slipped into the sheets it felt like clouds. Her body sunk into the mattress, almost as soft and yielding as the one in Lady Omera’s estate. It caressed her body and eased the tension from her muscle and somehow soothed the aches in her joints. 

The gentle sound of lapping waves against the ship's hull lulled her into a deep sleep. She began to dream and voices echoed in her mind.

Ava heard a soft rushing noise. Tranquil and quiet like a lullaby, but something she could’ve sworn was so familiar. When she opened her eyes, she saw trees swaying overhead. The leaves were rustling together as the wind tossed them about. The sun speckled through in soft patches across the apples of her cheeks. She squinted and held up her hand to block the rays from bothering her sleep filled eyes any further. 

As Ava gathered her bearings, she sat herself up. She was wearing beautiful clothes that were soft against her skin, and perfectly tailored. The material was a lovely, dusty blue with a hem that came to her shins. Taking in her surroundings further she came to see she lay beneath a tree by a river. The scenery was truly remarkable. Off in the distance were white capped mountains of gorgeous blue-gray stone that cut through the sky. Small birds with jewel toned plumage flitted in and out of the canopies as their songs filled the air. It seemed like paradise. 

“Welcome, my sweet.” 

A woman suddenly appeared behind Ava. Her face was frustratingly familiar. Beautiful dark eyes and ebony colored hair neatly pulled back into tendrils wrapped around the crown of her head. Her clothes seemed ethereal as they gently danced in the breeze. The colors were a slightly darker shade than the sky, as if the fabric was pulled directly from the clouds and atmosphere. 

“We’ve been waiting for you, Dearest. Come. Come.” The woman beckoned Ava with a wave of her hand. With poise and grace, Ava rose to her feet astonished by how soft the grass was. It felt like a plush carpet.  The woman led her through the trees, arm in arm with Ava. Everything about this place was magical. The path they strolled down was well manicured. The vegetation was pristinely trimmed and organized in neat rows. The stonework that lined the path seemed like they would be smooth to the touch. The wind smelled syrupy and inviting. So calming and serene. So perfect… too perfect? They chatted but Ava mostly enjoyed the melody of the woman’s voice. Light and wistful. She spoke of how lovely the gardens had turned out this season, happy Ava had returned to them at last. 

“Returned? I’ve never been here before… have I?” Her voice sounded dull compared to her walking companion’s. It felt as if she had to consciously push the air from her lungs in order to utter even the slightest of sounds.

The brief moment of confusion was brushed away as they headed towards a tall embankment overlooking a river down below. Standing with his back turned was a man. The same feeling of familiarity washed over Ava as he turned to face them. The gentleman had full checks with a wonderfully kind yet commanding disposition. His outfit had much more structure and donned a shade of pale midnight blue. He smiled softly at their approach. 

“Welcome, child. We’ve been looking forward to meeting you once again.” His voice was so warm, but sounded somewhat stiff and possibly rehearsed? 

The woman tightened her grip on Ava’s forearm and grinned at the man’s greeting. Ava cast them both a timid smile. 

She could hear the sound of rushing water from where they stood. It seemed quite loud compared to the rest of the garden they’d just walked through. 

“Let me look at you, Child.” The man extended his arms out towards the both of them. The woman began to bring her closer to the man. A quiet voice inside whispered. The words drowned out by the current below. The wind began to pick up enough to carry droplets across Ava’s face. As they neared the ledge something deep in Ava’s gut made her worry. The rushing turned into a dull roar. She instinctively dug her feet into the ground that had suddenly become hard and cold.

“Do not fear, Child. Here you are safe. Here you belong to us.” 

Something in his gaze shifted slightly. His eyes were no longer that of warm umber. They were black, hungry, and staring directly into hers. When Ava turned her head to the woman, whose grip had become painful, she found the woman’s eyes to be just the same. 

The feeling began to roil in Ava’s stomach – fear – Something was terribly wrong. 

I don’t want to be here anymore. 

Ava tried to communicate but no words escaped her lungs. It was as if all the air had been snatched from her chest. The woman was pulling her towards the ledge. Ava fought as hard as she could but the man suddenly lurched forward to help the woman tug her closer. The water began to churn more and more till it swirled in an angry mass with white crested peaks. The wind had become torrent, whipping Ava’s once beautiful and delicate dress, soaking her to the point the fabric clung to her legs and ankles. 

Still Ava could not manage to speak. 

“You will join us where you belong.” They spoke in unison as they used their strength to try and pull Ava over the edge. Their voices sounded haunted and hollow. Filled with hatred. 

No... 

No. 

“NO!” Ava’s voice thundered out and shut her eyes tightly. The man and woman seemed both confused and astonished at her display of resilience. With great force, Ava suddenly swung her arms out and plunged her mind into darkness. 

The walls were hard slanted metal. There were hazard lights flashing, off in the distance, sounds of destruction and chaos. But none of that mattered, not as much as the feeble looking pair standing before him. 

A man and a woman. The senator and the queen. Two nuisances that needed to be ridden of. 

“This is madness. The Empire will destroy the galaxy!” The man protested. Stubborn as always. With a lazy gaze, he turned to the woman who stood shell shocked beside him. Her entire body quivering and eyes wide… she knew what was about to happen, even if her fool of a husband had yet to accept his fate.

They did not understand. How could they? Their minds had been clouded by fools who could not see the way things ought to be. How to bring true order to the galaxy. And for that… they needed to be eliminated.

The presence of a blaster in his hand came to mind. He stroked the trigger with an apathetic countenance. 

“The Empire will return balance and order to the galaxy. You, Senator, are standing in our way.”

With no effort at all, a single shot fired directly into the Senator’s chest and his body fell to the floor with a dull thud. 

The queen cried out like a dying animal. Wailing away. Pathetic.  

“Shut her up.” 

The troopers obeyed as they had been programmed to. Silence fell across the hallway after another blaster shot rang out. There was one more thing that came to mind. “Make sure the little brat is dead too. If she makes it off-planet there will be hell to pay.”

He continued down the hallway, more sure than ever that victory lay just on the horizon. Further down, there was a highly polished panel of metal. As he passed it, the reflection was suddenly different. A girl stood where he should have been. 

He recognized those eyes. They were the same ones he saw lying lifeless on the floor below him mere seconds ago. Her gaze was haunting. 

The longer they looked at one another, the more the world around them seemed to blur together. The walls shook violently. The moans of straining metal became louder. A spray of water slapped them both across the face. The floor rocked chaotically. 

The man did not care. His mind had never been so focused. Nothing mattered because there she was. Right in front of him. He reached out. 

“I have found you… Aurelia… and I will end you.” 

Aurelia

Aure… 

A… 

“Ava!” 

It felt as if her very soul left her body. Frigid cold gripped her skin as her soaked nightgown clung to her. A sturdy surface held her up because her legs couldn’t bear any weight. Ava gazed at a face that wasn’t a face. The storm whipping around her glinted off the reflective material of the beskar. The T-Visor seemed to bore its gaze deep in her mind, trying to decipher her level of responsiveness. 

“Ava.” 

It was Mando. His voice was curt and ripe with concern. They were uptop of the deck of the Veridian. The sky was an angry gray with bursts of lightning igniting the horizon. Thunder echoed out even as the wind screamed past her ears. What in the Maker’s name was happening? How the hell did she get out here? 

It was all of a sudden far too much. Images of dead bodies lying on the floor, blood pooling around them. Evil smiles. Cruel voices. A name she didn’t recognize and couldn’t reminder. A name that kept repeating itself over and over yet meant nothing. Everything was flooding her. It was just too much. 

Ava started hyperventilating. She’d never been cold before. The nightmare was ravaging her mind and senses, it was almost as real as the world she’d abruptly woken up to. 

“Ava.” Mando’s large hand came up to cup her cheek. It was so warm. Stars was it warm. Ava clung to it with both her comparatively smaller hands. “I’ve got you.”

“Mando…” Her own voice sounded foreign even in her own mind now. The images kept flashing through her mind, as quick and fierce as the lightning pierced the sky. “I keep seeing faces… so many faces…” 

He pulled her into the hollow of his neck, just below the edge of his helmet. She could feel the gentle give of his body against hers where there was no protective plating. “It’s alright, Jate'kara. I have you. It’s alright.”

Author's Note: "Jate'kara" (Mando'a) - good stars, a course to steer by

Series List || PREVIOUS || NEXT

General Taglist: @phandoz @athalien @rosiefridayrogersunday @tanzthompson @littlemisspascal @radiowallet @andiesturgss

Crowd of Thousands Taglist: @luxmuse33ndee @phandoz @deepknightclod @niall7inches @the-socially-awkward-dragon @ahtanosoka @paledonutpastakid @myguiltypleasures21 @lekkus @littlemissoblivious @grogusyogurt @lokis-army-77 @kitttypalace @annoyinglythoughtfuldestiny @hell-al

Din Djarin (all) Taglist: @elinedjarin @wander-lustbabe @phandoz @mcueveryday @deepknightclod @paledonutpastakid @myguiltypleasures21 @kitttypalace @hell-al

[gingersnappe-9]

In a Crowd of Thousands: Art Gallery

 Here is a collection of the artwork used for development as well as chapter banners for this collaborative story!

Prologue Banner by @followwhereshegoes

This scene in particular was referenced from the original Anastasia film. There's so much emotion and impact that we had to include a rendition of our young protagonists

.

.

Ava's Mechanic Clothes on Tatooine by @gingersnappe-9 (me)

I drew a lot of inspiration from Luke's outfits in some of the original films when creating Ava's initial look when we first meet her

.

.

The Mandalorians (1) chapter banner by @followwhereshegoes

Lisa managed to utilized her style to incorporate some iconic Star Wars imagery as well as pull from the Anastasia movie to create these amazing scenes

.

.

Into the Unknown (2) chapter banner by @liltangerineart

When we were first creating this story, a bunch of us artists jumped head first and started creating imagery before we even had much of the story fleshed out. This beautiful illustration of Ava was a product of our earliest phases

.

.

"I Make it My Business" by @liltangerineart

Another early phase piece that captures the sassy and tense nature of Ava and Mando/Din's relationship.

.

.

Across Time and Space (3) chapter banner by @gingersnappe-9 (me)

This scene mirrors the one from the original Anastasia film since I thought there was something so sweet about the idea of Ava receiving some tender affection

.

.

Lessons Learned (5) chapter banner by @followwhereshegoes

This was inspired from the original scene in the movie Anastasia that captures the energy of the scene perfectly

.

.

Ava's First New Outfit on Dressel by @gingersnappe-9 (me)

The design of her dress was kept simple, she's not used to dresses anyway. The color palette was as homage to her upbringing in the warm sun and sand. She would stand out a bit more against blue and green backdrops, like the ones found on Dressel

.

.

Nightmares (6) Banner by @followwhereshegoes

The dramatic scene where Din rushes to find Ava when he realizes she's gone was so fun to write and create. Lisa did a fantastic job capturing the overall emotion and tenderness of the scene

Here and Now (7) Banner by @followwhereshegoes 

A Night Out (10) by @gingersnappe-9

Star Crossed (12) by @followwhereshegoes

Beskar vs. the Dark Saber (16) by @followwhereshegoes​ and @gingersnappe-9​

Ava’s Wedding Dress & Engagement Ring, Epilogue 

[gingersnappe-9]

In a Crowd of Thousands: Lessons Learned (5)

Din Djarin/Mando X Fem!OC ; Star Wars/The Mandalorian Universe

Series List || PREVIOUS || NEXT

4 K words

Warning: none

A/N: chapter banner by @followwhereshegoes

The blood continued to pound inside her ears. It felt as if the ground would fall out from underneath her. The landscape smeared together in a maddening wash of brown and some color Ava was only vaguely familiar with. Even with her eyes slammed shut she could still see the horizon hurtling towards her. The air would rush past her ears. Her stomach turned and flipped. And no matter how hard she tried, Ava couldn’t seem to bring enough air into her lungs. They burned, contracted, yet fought with all their strength to pull in even the smallest gulp of oxygen. Her thoughts were running wild. Everything seemed to be going awry, like there was a glitch in the circuitry, some faulty wiring or something. 

“Ava.”

Someone’s quiet voice began to pull her conscious mind forward and out of the chaos. A great boom sounded off in the distance. Ava trembled even harder, her nails dug into her palms deeper, surely drawing blood. Her body shook, it felt like everything was on fire and yet frigid liquid pulsed through her veins. It was too much. Everything was too much. 

“It’s alright… It’s alright. I have you.”

Only when Mando spoke did she realize where her body even was relative to his. Her meager pack was held tightly to her chest and Mando’s arms wrapped around her securly. His entire torso seemed to eclipse her body without even trying, enveloping her in a small cave perfectly designed to keep her close. 

For a few moments, Ava relished in the sensation of the cool beskar pressing into her neck. The contrast in temperature seemed to tame the raging heat burning through her body. Her fingers un-clenched slowly, her joints creaked under the release of pressure. Ava tentatively opened her eyes. She cautiously took in her surroundings. 

They had made it to the ground. Ava did everything within her limited power to try and reassure herself that she was in fact on solid ground, she was safe, and everything was with her… right? 

Her heart once again slammed in her chest. It felt as if a vice grip was constrincting her lungs. In a fit of panic, Ava moved erratically in Mando’s grapes, causing her skull to knock against Mando’s nearly impenetrable beskar helmet. The pain throbbing from her temple was secondary.

“Cut it out! You could be hurt, you have to stop moving and let me do a proper scan.” Mando’s voice couldn’t reach Ava. Not at that moment. Nothing else in the entire world, the entire galaxy could have mattered less to Ava than finding what she was looking for, hoping remained with her.

They’re still here. They have to be. Oh Maker, please let them still be with me.

The thoughts rang out in Ava’s mind as she scrambled to search for the chain around her neck and find the familiar weight of her necklace resting peacefully on her chest where it had always been, and rightfully belonged. Her next thoughts turned to the contents of her pack. When she reached inside, the familiar fabric brushed against her knuckles. A sigh finally escaped Ava’s lips. Knowing her most precious belongings hadn't been lost forever brought Ava the same relief of that first gasp of air after holding one’s breath for too long. 

“Really? That’s what you almost got yourself killed for?” Mando’s hand invaded Ava’s pack and yanked out the well-worn piece of cloth. The flash of red danced like a ribbon. Ava watched it flutter through the air for a moment, a streak of crimson against the fading blue of the sky. “You could’ve died and all because of this lousy piece of scrap?” Even through the modulator his voice was clipped, ringing with irritation and frustration. 

Ava did not care, “It’s none of your damn business!” She screamed out and forcefully took the scarf back and cradled it to her chest, just above where her pendant rested. 

“Do you have any idea how insane you sound! ” Her eyes welled up with tears as Mando continued berating. “It’s just a damn scarf, and we almost died because of it!” 

“That's all I have left you asshole!” Ava’s voice rang out through the forest. It cut through the air with the piercing sound of her pain and fear echoing across the terrain. “I have nothing. No memories. No family. I left what little I ever really had behind because of you! I’m risking my life because of you! So I’m sorry if I tried to save the few things that have gotten me through my miserable existence!” Ava’s voice echoed through the quiet wood. Her pain was loud enough to render the Mandalorian silent. She stared at that unyielding T-visor, and unlike the other times, it stared back at her with a blank expression. The strange sensation she’d become accustomed to feeling around Mando fizzled to an almost numbing sensation. Tears threatened to fall down her cheeks, but Ava held fast. “Come on, we have to find Fett and the kid. They shouldn’t be far and we’re losing light.” 

Any and all feelings Ava held were violently shoved down into a deep, dark hole where they would no longer interfere. If her emotions nearly got them killed, then this so-called adventure would be entirely worthless.

Realizing she was still nestled very much in Mando’s lap, Ava thrust herself up onto her feet. The Mandalorian only paused for a brief moment. Ava peaked out of the corner of her eye to the leer at the chrome helm and still felt nothing. She suddenly, and briefly -- but only as brief as a blink of an eye – felt lonely. 

She sighed. “Let’s just get this over with.” 

The Mandalorian rose to his feet, pressed a few buttons on his vambrace, and marched on towards the sunlight to where Ava could only assume was Boba Fett and the child’s location. 

It had only been a short while since Boba had heard the thundering crash of the Razor Crest’s final descent from the sky. The child had even whimpered in concern at hearing the chaotic sound echoing through the relatively calm woods. 

“It’s alright, Young One. We will find them soon.” Boba cradled the small creature in the crook of his arm, impressed at how unphased the tiny tike had been about the whole ordeal. He had seen seasoned veterans, assassins and clones alike break down in fear and confusion at lesser events, but this little thing in his arms seemed rather unaffected at being jettisoned from an uncontrolled spin. 

Luckily, Boba couldn’t detect any strange heat signatures or seismic activity so he activated his homing beacon and almost as soon as he did, locked in on Mando’s. The four of them reunited in a matter of minutes, but what Fett saw was more worrisome than the loss of their one and only form of transportation. 

Boba passed off the child to Mando the moment the little one clapped eyes on his caretaker but the green armored Mandalorian was more concerned with the girl. 

“What happened? Why didn’t you eject?” His question was not necessarily directed at either of them, but it was Mando who responded immediately. 

“Ask the girl.” 

His voice was harder than normal. Each word punched out with the intent to hit with deadly accuracy. Boba noticed the slight shift in Ava’s posture, the way she curled her arms around herself and her pack tighter. She kept her eyes towards the ground after Mando’s response. 

“My dear, are you alright?” 

Boba took a small step towards her, removed his helm, and gently tipped Ava’s chin up so he could look her in the eye. One thing he knew for certain: you could read a great deal from looking someone in the eye, and Ava’s were indeed telling him a great deal. There was sadness, and a considerable amount of it. Fear for certain, Boba had become highly attuned to all forms. What struck the older man most was that her expression seemed glazed over. The girl he met on Tatooine had the clearest eyes. Certain and full of fire. Part of her was very far away. Even the child sensed something was amiss when he reached his arms out for Ava even as Mando held him. 

Her voice was mellow and steady, “We need to keep going.” It gave Fett the chills. But he did not press further, his instincts warning him it would lead nowhere. So the party pressed on. 

Luckily for them, it was not the first time he’d visited Dressel. As their small troop marched forward, Fett explained how he had been hired for a job by a wealthier merchant to take out whoever was making threats against him. Fett noticed the more he talked, the more Ava’s shoulders would relax, the softer the crease between her brows became. So he continued: The further into his hunt he got, Fett learned it was the merchant’s wife. The man was cruel to her, beat her and paraded her around like a trophy. So in hopes of running him out of town, she hired someone to make veiled threats, little did she know he would hire a prolific bounty hunter with Mandalorian armor. But the mercenary knew all too well what it was like to be used as nothing more than a pawn. He knew that existence too well and made a decision. Instead of killing her, Fett orchestrated a scenario in which the husband believed he would be safer on a different planet after finding his wife brutally slain in their private quarters. Just after his departure, a body in the husband’s clothes was found burned, leaving his Dressel assets to his newly widowed wife. 

“How do we know she’ll remember your little favor? It’s been some time.” Mando remarked, ever the optimist and intent on pointing out the length of time that had indeed passed since then. 

“When I left, she had become one of the wealthiest trade merchants in the region and finally free from her pathetic excuse for a husband thanks to me. And be rest assured, I left her quite satisfied,” Fett thought back to the double meaning of his words fondly – how the moonlight fell across her face, how soft her hands were from a life of privilege, the raw beauty of her smile – before he remembered he was in the company of a young lady. “I have no doubt Lady Omera will honor my request.” He finished after clearing his throat and his mind. 

Fett could see Ava was growing weary. The walk had been long and the light was continuing to fade. Thankfully, they didn’t have much further to go. Perhaps a klick or to at most. 

The older man continued to observe her. The way she took in the sight of the tall trees with branches that stretched out into the thinnest, and greenest of needles; the fallen twigs that gently crunched underfoot. How as the sun began to set further, peaking through playfully casting everything in a warm light, it shone across Ava’s youthful visage igniting her eyes. She really was a lovely girl. The sunshine brought out the faint freckles that marked her skin from all those years of toiling under the Tatooine suns. Her hair had been swept back and wrapped up in a well-loved scarf, the rest cascading out the back like a deep dark river. For as lovely as she was, it made Fett realize she was so much younger. So much more unaware of the ways of the galaxy. How truly brave she was to take the word of two obviously dangerous strangers. 

He made a promise to himself many years ago to not get attached. Attachment leads to pain. Love and caring only leads to grief and sorrow. But oh how sweet it was even for that short while. So he made a new promise. He would modify the rules of the bounty. He would protect her as fiercely as he could. His responsibility to look after, provide for. No longer just a body to keep warm. Sentiment would be sidelined, but consideration would not be overlooked. 

She was his ward just as the child was Mando’s.

Fett placed a hand gently across Ava’s shoulder.  “My dear, if you would like, we can continue on with some of the simpler lessons.” Fett kept his voice mellow and light. He was fully prepared for her to say no and that would be perfectly fine by him. 

“Alright.” Was the only word she said in response. Her eyes never strayed from the path ahead of them.

Fett couldn’t help but cast a small and crooked smile. “Alright then. We should go over names of the royal family. Starting with Senator and King Bail Organa and the Queen Freya Organa.” 

They made it to the small city just as the sun had set below the horizon. Din was surprised at how quickly they’d arrived. The child had grown ancy and hungry towards the end, whimpering and gesturing for food soon. Ava never complained, never dragged her feet, and never gave Din so much as a sideways glance. 

Fett had traveled ahead to announce their arrival as well as explain their situation. Din was left behind to escort Ava and the kid to the merchant woman's estate once Fett had sent him a confirmation. He spent the walk behind Ava, only grunting out left, right, or just up ahead. The last time Ava had spoken was when she and Fett were reviewing the names of the royal family. The names of those she would hope to call family. Ava’s voice was clear, repeating after her teacher slowly to ensure she pronounced every name correctly. Once they reached the heart of the city, Fett went on ahead and Ava returned to being a selective mute. The remainder of the short trip was made in silence. But Din watched her nonetheless. 

She held her chin level with the road as they made their way to the merchant woman’s estate. Her gait was smooth and even. She was walking like they had practiced on the Crest. She held it in well but Din could see that her feet were growing tired – walking through sand and rubble required different muscles than trudging through undergrowth and trodden dirt – Ava tried to hide it as best she could, but a small limp was starting to develop. He remembered that feeling. 

The way ill-fitted shoes rubbed the skin of one’s foot raw. The irritation and incessant pain of blisters that felt as though they would never heal. The nagging reminder when the shoes were slipped on only to aggravate the wound all over again. But she did not complain. She did not whine. She was toughing it out, if only to keep from talking to him. 

Before long, the small traveling party turned onto a street with houses finer than the rest of the buildings they had passed previously. The coordinates Fett has sent to Din indicated the large mansion at the very end was their final destination. 

They passed through a decent sized gate with a standing attendant and everything. Din was rather impressed at how thorough the security was. Cameras placed in optimal positioning with limited chance of blind spots. Another attendant came to walk them through the house once they had made their business known, but only after the attendant relayed information through an earpiece. 

The house, more like a villa, was opulent. The woman had clearly done well for herself. There were lavish carpets that one’s foot sunk into. Tapestries and ornamental painting hung from the impossibly tall walls. Light poured in from the floor to ceiling windows and there were lush plants lining the hallway every few steps. It was by far one of the nicer establishments Din had the fortune of visiting. 

He noticed the way Ava’s eyes drank in the sight. It was her first time off-world of Tatooine. She gazed with an almost child-like wonder of the delicate flowers that sprouted from the fine planters. Din watched her breathing change to deeper breaths, inhaling the soft and syrupy scent of incense. 

As he tread behind her and watched Fett introduce her to the lady of the house, something odd came over him. He continued in his silent observation. Ava was holding the child while she spoke with the woman, thanking her for her hospitality. The manner in which she conducted herself threw Din entirely. Ava was poised. Her voice was clear with well formed dictation; with excellent posture and her face bore an expression of contentment, as if it was second nature to speak to someone of such high standing. 

When the hell did Fett have time to teach her all that? 

Din couldn’t claim to be an expert in proper etiquette and manners, but he had conducted business enough with certain sorts to know what someone was acting. Ava was as natural as they came. Her composure, grace and elegance suddenly reminded him of someone long ago. The sounds of a parade floated through his mind when Fett turned to him with an outstretched hand. 

“-- my partner Mando, who is accompanying us on our journey.”  

Din had to snap his attention back to the current matters at hand. He finally studied the woman, Lady Omera. Not much shorter than himself, but just slightly taller than Ava. Her dark eyes were highly focused as she too studied Din. Long ebony hair was pulled back from her proud face; she was indeed a handsome woman, Din could easily see how Fett had been charmed by her. 

“Welcome. I’m so pleased I can be of assistance to you. My only regret is that you will be staying with us for such a short while.” 

“I must apologize once again for our hast but if we are to ensure safe passage we must leave tomorrow morning if we are to make it to the star port on the Veridian Liner.” 

One of Din’s more important question had been answered. They would travel to the star port on the other side of the great lake via the commercial cruise liners, saving them three days of walking. Based on Din’s readings, the journey would take them only one day and night across the lake. How Fett would manage to get them off-world still remained a mystery.

The sooner we reach Canto Bight the better. For everyone. Din thought to himself. 

“No matter, I’ll make sure you’re well provided for on your journey. Your rooms are being prepared but I have been told that you, my young lady, are in need of some provisions and clothes. Is that correct?” Omera’s voice was inviting as she gestured to Ava with nothing but her satchel and Grogu in hand. 

Ava seemed to hesitate before she spoke, “I don’t want to trouble you, My Lady.” 

“No trouble at all, Sweetheart. My daughter is grown and I miss being able to spoil someone. It will be a treat for both of us.” 

Din and his partner stayed behind while they settled into their rooms while Omera took Ava under her wing. He was hesitant to watch her go, but he watched as a small smile crept across Ava’s face once she’d passed off the child to him once more. The icy exterior she’d donned since the crash was slowly being melted away by Omera’s generosity and sweet disposition. For once, Din was glad to have met an old acquaintance of Fett’s. 

The child took a long and undisturbed nap as soon as he was laid in his pram. Even Fett was grateful for the comfortable accommodations and the relative safety that Omera’s security provided. The evening came fast, the adrenaline from the day had drained from Din’s body completely. The realization that the Razor Crest was gone finally hit him. 

That ship had been his home for years. The one place in the entire galaxy that was his and his alone. Din remembered the day he purchased the ship with the credits he’s stockpiled away after months of bounty hunting without so much as a day's rest in between jobs. It was a piece of validation for himself to prove he could succeed and make his own way in the galaxy, dictate the terms of his existence. 

Every ounce of blood, sweat, and measly credit he’d poured into the Crest’s care was worthless. It was gone. 

An attendant knocked on Din and Fett’s shared door. He let them know Lady Omera had decided for an informal dinner that would be served shortly on the terrace. Out of respect for his host, but mostly Fett’s insistence, Din walked down and no sooner that he did was he breathtaken. 

Ava stood looking out from the railing of the terrace at the scene that lay before her. The green of the trees parted against the deep blue of the great lake. The final rays from the sun reflected and bounced off the subtle waves and ripples like a million crystals. The wind ruffled the hem of Ava’s new dress. It was much simpler than the clothes Lady Omera wore but they suited the girl. The fabric was a warm color with some sort of well softed leather corset secured over the shoulders that draped down the front and back into two panels. Din was especially happy to see her wearing a pair of boots that appeared brand new and properly fitted. He wouldn’t have to worry too much about her feet anymore should there be more walking in their future. Lastly, her hair was braided up and wrapped up neatly in the scarf she’d nearly gotten herself killed over. 

Having just processed the loss of one of the few possessions he cared about, Din suddenly felt awful for the way he’d spoken to Ava after they’d landed. The callous way he trampled over her emotions with his words sent him into the deeper recesses of his mind. 

The meal was spent in relative silence outside of the soft music playing through some unseen system. Lady Omera and Fett did most of the talking. Catching up and reminiscing over their well-executed scheme. The kid was more than happy to scarf down every bit of food the servers placed in front of him then promptly fall asleep early. Din watched Ava out of the corner of his eye, careful to not give away his observation even if she couldn’t see his face. But it was the strangest thing, ever since they’d arrived on this planet, Din didn’t feel that feeling around her as much. When they’d first met, it was as if Ava always knew when Din was looking at her. It was as though she could find his gaze through the beskar. Now, it felt like there was something, or rather, someone, blocking it. Not that he would blame her.

Too lost in thought, Din almost didn’t catch Omera’s statement of, “Oh I do love this song.” And Fett, ever the two-faced charmer he was, stood up and offered a hand. The lady of the manor gladly took his hand and the pair swayed to the gentle rhythm. 

Memories faded into clarity in Din’s mind. Laughter. A woman with dark hair patiently teaching him how to not step on her toes. A man scooping him into his arms and spinning with the woman all together. 

His family. 

An idea fluttered into his head. But it was idiotic. Stupid. It would be utterly moronic. And yet… it might just work. 

Without realizing it, Din had stood up and gently stretched his hand out to Ava. She looked up from her plate with a rather confused expression on her face. Only after a second did she quickly jerk her head back. 

“Ava.” 

Din had never heard his voice so earnest and quiet. The sincerity behind it not only surprised Din, but Ava as well. She turned her head ever so slightly towards him. Out of the corner of her eye, she looked at his hand before gingerly placing her palm atop his. He guided Ava up and into a steady rhythm in time with the music. 

Neither of them noticed or very much cared that Fett couldn’t help but give a crooked smile. It didn’t matter how many times Ava looked down at her feet or if she stumbled into Din. Nothing else really mattered other than a warm feeling turning in Din’s chest.

Series List || PREVIOUS || NEXT

General Taglist: @phandoz @athalien @rosiefridayrogersunday @tanzthompson @littlemisspascal @radiowallet @andiesturgss

Crowd of Thousands Taglist: @luxmuse33ndee @phandoz @deepknightclod @niall7inches @the-socially-awkward-dragon @ahtanosoka @paledonutpastakid @myguiltypleasures21 @lekkus @littlemissoblivious @grogusyogurt @lokis-army-77 @kitttypalace @annoyinglythoughtfuldestiny @hell-al

Din Djarin (all) Taglist: @elinedjarin @wander-lustbabe @phandoz @mcueveryday @deepknightclod @paledonutpastakid @myguiltypleasures21 @kitttypalace @hell-al