Their heart rate was mostly back down to normal, body slowly cooling off even as they cling to him. His heart beat is steady and strong against their ear and they’re counting his breaths because what if they woke up? What if this was a lie? Another delusion conjured up from too many late nights in the lab trying to distract themselves from-
“Teva” he speaks softly, like he’s unsure if they've fallen asleep yet. That same gentle voice that’s kept them grounded time and time again. His hand holding one of theirs, carefully looking over the new scars and burn marks left by too many hours working.
“Mm?” not opening their eyes the engineer manages to find a blanket and succeeds to tug it over both of their bodys. He chuckles, helping best he could while still being clung to.
“What does this say?” faintly there’s a tap on the side of their hand, between the bottom joint of their thumb and where the hand meets wrist. Tev already knows which ink he was pointing to. He would have noticed it eventually.
One of the only words to adorn their body, clearly underlined by a rough jagged scar. It’s blue, bright clear blue to stand out against all the lines and dots of black across their skin and the sharpness of scars that they celebrate.
Bright blue so they wouldn’t forget the color of his armor.
“You didn’t have this one when I saw you last.” Again he’s so gentle with them, tracing worn fingers along the ink before bringing the hand up to press a kiss against their palm. Manda help them, whatever they’ve done to earn him back they’ll do it again and again as long as they get to keep him. “You told me you don’t do words generally either.”
Of course he would remember. Everything they told him got stashed away in that bright mind of his.
It took them a second, his lips trailing from their palm to the soft inside of their wrist becoming a distraction, but they didn't open their eyes to answer the question, unsure of how he would feel about the answer.
“Eyayah” there’s a draw to their mando’a. It’s not crisp and smooth like his is when he uses the bits and pieces he learned growing up in the GAR. You could take the kid out of Keldabe, never the Keldabe out of the kid-
“Don’t know that one” there’s a hum and he hasn’t stopped moving, trailing more kisses up to their forearm. There’s less major scars there, small bits of ones from not having protection while working. Again it takes a moment to form words.
“You should” he pauses and finally they open their eyes, dark green meeting honey brown as he tilts his head. “It’s your name after all. Means Echo.” the way his eyes widen makes them look away, scrambling for words heart caught in their throat. “When Rex sent word about what happened, that you were dead, I was working on our ship. Lost focus completely and slashed my hand open. Blood everywhere. Kir was pissed because I didn’t say anything at first and I was under the console. I guess I passed out because he didn’t realize-”
They forget how quick he can move if he wants.The kiss isn’t reckless, it's firm and sweet and tastes like home. He holds on like if he lets go they’ll run away or disappear. Tev melts into it, like they always do, holding on just as strongly. There’s a smile on the mandalorians lips as they finally part, resting their foreheads together in a quiet moment of peace.
“You didn’t tell me…?” he’s searching Tevs face, speaking so softly like he was afraid they would get spooked and bolt. He’s right to think that, they’re still wondering if they should.
“dunno, figured there was a chance you’d think i was crazy for it” it’s honest. For all the things they are, they never lie. “I didn’t get to tell you so much before I lost you…”
There he is again. Kissing along their jaw up to their ear, soft and steady, making their words hazy and thought difficult.
“Tell me what?” it’s a whisper, hope laces into the words but space for them to back out if needed, they know he would let them. That if they weren’t ready he would let them just change the subject and move on but-
“That I love you, that I trust you with my life, and that everytime we had to part ways it was like getting my heart ripped out of my chest..” the words trail off. Air choking in their lungs and everything feeling like just a bit too much and not enough all at once. It still hurt.
Even with him here now it hurt thinking about the news.
Tev doesn't notice the tears until he’s pulled back, carefully wiping away tears with his remaining hand and pressing kisses to the warm skin of their face.
“Cyare” he’s so gentle with them, letting them cling close and ride out their tears. It takes a bit of time but he doesn't let go, just whispers about how strong they were, how sorry he was and that he wouldn’t let it happen again. They know that’s a lie. There’s no way for him to guarantee that at all, but it was pretty to hear. “I love you too, so very much, I’m right here. You have me right here and when the war is over, when all this is done, I promise I won't leave you again.”
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