It’s been two weeks since Tech and I had that… Fight. We’ve never fought like that before and now… Now the tension between us has only grown stronger.
It didn’t help that my confidence is gone or that my partner in crime was currently on a mission. It was by poor timing by Sid that Hunter had to leave the night of the fight to go do a job. Now I was left to move past my feelings without the support of my best friend.
So I did what I was trained to do.
Ignore my problems until they eventually disappear.
To say that I was avoiding Tech like the plague was an understatement and yet he seemed to be everywhere all the time.
Could the force not give me a break?
I was mindlessly sorting through supplies with Echo on the loading dock when I heard Tech’s footsteps before I saw him. A tight feeling filling my chest as anger tried to claw it’s way up my throat.
“Hello, I need to… well…” His voice trailed off as he adjusted his goggles.
“What is it Tech?” I muttered with spite.
He rolled his eyes with a huff, “I need to check the panel behind you.”
“Do it later.” I replied, looking back to the box of wires I was sorting through, “We were here first and what were doing is pretty important.”
Tech raised an eyebrow, “You’re untangling wires.”
“Wires that would save us all if the ship short circuits.” I seethed.
Echo glanced between the two of us with caution as he slowly put down an extra air duct panel.
“Maybe we should take a break General.” Echo said trying to keep the tension from rising.
“No.” I disagreed with him immediately, a childish tone in my voice as I crossed my arms, “We were here first.”
Tech mimicked my movement, crossing his arms as well, “You’ve been here all morning, it’s only logical that you step aside and allow me to work.”
I glared at him as I pointed towards the way he came, “No way brown eyes.” I spat his beloved nickname with spite, “Go be a terrible friend to someone else.”
I saw the way his shoulders deflated and for a moment I wondered if I went to far… That is until he opened that mouth of his.
“I won’t ignore this hostility General. You need to move past our argument, you’re being childish.” Tech motioned towards my stance.
Me childish?
I rolled my eyes at his peace keeping tactics, “Piss off Tech.”
“Yeah! Piss off!” Omega called from the bottom of the ramp with Wrecker in tow.
“Omega wait no, don’t say that.” I said quickly as I lightly scolded her.
Tech chose not to add anything more to conversation. I heard his steps fade as he left. Wrecker’s laughter boomed through the hall as he followed his brother, “Nice going General, now she’s going to be saying that all week!” He called as Omega skipped ahead of him.
I shook my head with a sigh, “Hunter is going to kill me.”
“Probably.” Echo teased to try and lighten the mood.
Nothing seemed to make sense anymore.
The only thing I could hear ever other day was Phee giggling through the ship as she told the group about her latest adventure and Tech’s warm voice as he spoke gently to her. A warmth that I haven’t heard from him in weeks.
It use to be us talking late into the night and now… Now it’s her.
“You’re too smart brown eyes.” Phee said.
I didn’t mean to, but my eyes seemed to flicker to them and that was when I saw her planting a kiss on his lips. It brought me back to the night of my failed attempt at a proper date, my stomach suddenly churning at the sight.
The loving display had me pushing the food around my plate, no longer hungry or in any kind of good mood.
“Here Wrecker.” I passed my plate to him before getting up to leave.
“Brown eyes.” I muttered sarcastically as I entered my small room, “Of course they have to ruin any ounce of peace I have in this ship.”
I couldn’t help as I paced about my room. How long before they move past the stages of puppy love and into marriage? Would he leave with her or worse… Would they stay here?
Would I be forced out to make room? Maybe leaving isn’t such a bad idea… Maybe Rex could use a hand?
My thoughts muffled the footsteps approaching my room and the swoosh of my door opening.
“You haven’t been finishing your meals lately.” Tech’s voice stated behind me.
I tensed not realizing that he followed me.
“Why do you care?” I asked without looking back.
I glanced around the room to see if I could find anything that I could use as an excuse as to why I’m in here. I spotted the laundry that I had yet to put away and decided to go with that.
“Why would I not?” He stated promptly.
I continued with my task, grabbing the small basket filled with Omega and my clothes. I placed the basket on my bed and began to fold.
“You’re not acting like yourself.” He said after a while, “Our dynamic has shifted and I don’t understand… For that I apologize.”
I froze, the red long sleeve in my hand feeling like a weight of bricks and yet he continued.
“I would like for things to… Go back to how they were before our argument.” He continued, a small gentleness laying in his voice.
The way he was pleading for our friendship had me gripping the shirt tighter then I should.
“I need time, Tech.” I spoke softly, defeat filtering in my voice.
Things will never change between us will it?
“Alright.” He conceded with a nod, “Sleep well General.”
But with time, each day I reverted more and more back to my room. The only safe haven I have had away from the new couple… Away from Tech.
Another week passed and my feelings have yet to fade… Maybe in someway it has, but not enough to ease my short temper. I knew deep down that this feeling was only heightened because I am a Jedi, but that thought didn’t ease the pain of a first love any less.
Who needs him anyway? I thought angrily, but my anger slowly morphed into longing.
I do…
“Come on General. I think it’s time for you to get out of bed.” Echo’s voice had me throwing Tooka in his direction, using the force to hit him in the face.
I was happy in that Wrecker lent me Tooka in that moment because Echo’s annoyance made it worth it. He huffed as he put the doll on a shelf.
“I like my routine.” I muttered still facing the wall of my bunk.
“Your routine consists of sleeping all day and doing night watch. You need to get back to your old routine.” Echo insisted.
“He didn’t even think it was a real date.” It was quiet as my heart ached, “It’s clear to me now that he’s never even thought about me as someone who could be more than just a friend… His General.” I spat, I was really beginning to hate that word.
“I can’t… I don’t know how to fix that.” Echo leaned against my bunk, “I don’t know how to get things back to the way they were, but I do know that the team needs you. Omega needs you.”
That one name had me slowly getting out of bed and sitting up. I shook my head as if it would get rid of the heartbreak.
“Alright.” Was all I answered.
I could see the small grin forming on his face, “I’ll leave you to freshen up. Wrecker, Omega and I will be waiting outside to spar.”
It felt like years since I washed my hair though I used the refresher a couple days ago. In some ways it was nice to get ready and even though I’m hurting, I missed my little family more.
I didn’t know if I should be relieved or hurt that Tech wasn’t here as I made my way through the ship and outside. Most likely with Phee.
“You’re up!” Omega cried out excitedly as she bounded towards me.
I barely kept her from knocking us both over as her arms wrapped around my waist in a hug.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been myself lately, but that’s going to change. I promise.” I said as I wrapped my arms around her.
She pulled away to grab my hand and drag me to her brothers, “You have nothing to be sorry about. We’re just glad your here with us now. Oh! By the way, Echo and I saw Indul while we were at the market yesterday. He asked how you and I were doing.”
“He did? What did you say?” I wondered.
“I said you weren’t feeling well. He told me when you’re feeling better to have us stop by Sol for some of those little pastry cakes.” She smiled.
“That’s nice of him, I think he’d make a good friend.” I nodded with a smile of my own, “How about this weekend, you and I stop by there yeah? We’ll have another girls day.”
“Yes!” Omega cheered.
The day slowly melted into old routines and laughs. I spent my time sparring against Echo who took it very seriously while Omega and Wrecker were being complete goofballs to our left.
“You are getting better Arc Trooper.” I complimented Echo as he used his strength to unbalance me, “I dare say even better than your days in the 501st. Rex will be proud.” I nodded.
“Thank you, General.” His smile was warm as he remembered the good old days and how far he’s come.
“When do you think Rex is going to come to visit us?” Omega asked as she swung from Wrecker’s arm.
“I think it will be soon.” I answered, “If he has time that is.”
“I hope it’s for a friendly visit and no work.” Wrecker commented.
“Have you met the captain? He’s all work. I remember the time my master and I teamed up with Master Skywalker and the 501st captain. Rex would barely even blink, straight as a board.” I joked as we all broke into a laugh.
“What’s got you all laughing?” A voice hummed from behind me.
I felt myself recoil at the approaching couple. How did I not sense them? I thought as I took a few steps towards Echo. He seemed to get the message and quickly stepped in front of me.
“Just reminiscing on some old memories.” Echo replied nonchalantly.
“Oh! That’s nice, memories can be a good thing to hold onto.” Phee answered.
“What brings you here?” Wrecker asked as Omega dropped from his arm to run over to me.
“I have some time off so brown eyes brought me here to show me what he’s been working on.” She replied, “We’re going to compare notes and try to improve his ship.”
I couldn’t help my darkening gaze to the tall clone at the mention of something we used to do together was now being shared by them.
“That use to be our thing.” I muttered, my glare never leaving his, “So much for back to the way things were before.” I scoffed.
His gaze didn’t back down from mine as if he were itching for a fight.
“I never knew it was our thing to begin with.” Tech stated with ease.
“Huh…” My voice trailed off, a defeated lilt to it.
It seems talking to him nowadays only ended up in this defeated feeling laying heavily on my chest.
“What?” He continued.
I had to bite my tongue before I cursed Omega’s brother in front of her. I chose to glare instead, but it seems that Tech always has to have the last word.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” He asked with scrutiny.
“I can look at you however I want.” I rolled my eyes, “We’re supposed friends right?”
“What did I do this time, General?” He sighed.
“Breath.” I crossed my arms.
“Well breathing is inevitable if I wish to live.” Tech stated it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, “You’ve already ignored me for a week. You said you needed time and I gave it to you. What more do you want from me?”
“What more do I want from you?” I raised my voice as I took a step towards him, “Are you kidding me right now? You just told me that our thing was never our thing to begin with. We’re supposed to be friends and that’s how you chose to spend your time when I asked for some time in return. To have a new person to compare notes with?”
His mouth opened to speak, but the words never came as Omega stepped between us.
“I have something to show you.” Omega took my hand to lead me into the small woods and away from the heated conversation that was about to explode out of preparation.
“Have fun then.” Echo said to Tech with a concerned nod, “Wrecker and I are going to continued sparring.”
I didn’t hear the rest of the conversation the further we walked.
“What do you want to show me?” I wondered.
“It’s a surprise, but I think you’ll like it.” She grinned, “This place is magical.”
It wasn’t too long before we were breaking into a small opening where a stream of water fell over some rocks into a bright blue pond.
“Omega! This is amazing! How did you find this place?” I asked in awe.
“Hunter found it for me when I told him that I wanted to see what a waterfall looked like. It’s not as big as Echo has described, but it’s still amazing.” She explained as she padded into the water.
I followed her a gave a little splash in her direction to which she squeezed with laughter and this began our water fight. By the time we were finished wading through the water, we sat side by side on the moss near the pond.
“What Tech said the other day… I’m sorry.” Omega said after a while of peaceful silence, “I thought maybe he would realize that he did like you, but I was wrong.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about, those words were shared between he and I.” I explained, “Sadly, not every romance is like a holo movie.”
“It should be.” Omega muttered, causing me to laugh.
“My master once told me that miscommunication with unrequited feelings is normal. I can’t be fault him if he doesn’t feel the same way.” I said.
My own words seemed to slap me in the face as my eyes widened. I can’t fault him if he doesn’t feel the same way. In some odd sense I felt a weight being lifted off my chest as I began to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Omega laughed along with me.
“Love is such a silly feeling.” I wiped the tears from my eyes, “But I feel better now thanks to you Omega.”
“Thanks to me?” She asked.
“Yes.” I said as I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into a hug.
“You will find someone.” Omega nodded to herself.
“Thank you sweetheart.” I kissed the top of her head.
“I was wondering where you two ran off to.” Hunter said as he appeared from the tree line.
“You’re back!” Omega said excitedly as she quickly pulled away from me to give her brother a hug.
“Welcome home Hunter.” I greeted him with a smile, “Hope you didn’t miss us too much.”
“You two? Always. My brothers on the other hand… Now that’s a different story.” Hunter joked as we laughed.
Hunter settled himself beside me as Omega ran back into the water.
“How have you been?” Hunter asked, his voice much lower than before.
“I’m better.” I smiled softly.
“I saw Phee back at the ship when I arrived earlier.” Hunter mentioned.
I played with the blades of grass flowing in the breeze, “I’ll admit that I haven’t been the best of company to anyone since you left, but I want to move forward with my life.”
His eyes softened, “I’m happy to hear that.”
“Yes, though every time I hear her call him brown eyes, I want to crush the ship in my hands.” I chuckled.
“I ask this because I know you can, but please don’t.” Hunter said lightening the mood as he admired her laugh.
“I won’t I promise.” I held my link out towards him.
He returned the deal as we sealed the small promise.
A calm settled over the two of us as we watched Omega chase a fish in the pond.
“Domů.” I said softly.
“What?” Hunter asked, his gaze flickering to my form.
“If I were to give a nickname it would Domů.” I answered.
“What does that mean?” He wondered, eyebrows furrowing a bit in curiosity.
I tilted my head up, noticing the way some strands of hair seemed to blow into his face from the breeze.
“My master took us to a planet known for their beautiful culture and landscape. The people their were kind and wonderful… They used this word sacredly, maybe I will tell you one day.” I grinned as I watched his lips form into a pout.
It was then that Omega settled herself in between us, a laugh settling in her bones as she took a rest from her chase.
“I almost got him!” She said excitedly.
I pulled in for a hug, “I saw! I’m sure you will catch him next time!”
“Of course I will! I’m the best!” She boasted and i couldn’t help, but laugh.
“Oh? Someone’s getting a bit cocky, you know that is not the Jedi way. I think it’s time for…”
“No no no no!” She squealed trying to get up, but I held her in a tight hug as I began to tickle her, “I’m sorry!”
“Too late~!” I grinned.
“No!! Hunter save me!” She screamed as she laughed.
Suddenly I was grabbed, pulled towards Hunter’s side, tickling me as Omega escaped.
“Hey! You’re suppose to be my best friend!” I cried out in a laugh as he tickled my sides.
“Sorry, you know I can’t say no to her. Not even for you.” He whispered in my ear as he stopped tickling me.
“Traitor.” I stuck my tongue at him.
“Oh don’t act like you wouldn’t do the same.” He rolled his eyes teasingly as we settled back into our spots.
I looked up at Omega who was smiling at the two of us, “I would.” I said almost immediately.
She fell back on the ground between us, “Hunter can you tell us about your adventure!”
“Well…” He hummed and the two of us listened who heartedly as he shared his adventure trading cargo for Sid.
“So he tried to kill you for a bunch of transmission scraps?” I asked in disbelief.
“He didn’t know when to back down until I put my knife to his throat. The rest of the mission was successful though.”
Omega and I fell back to the moss with a laugh. I took my time to admire the sky and trees above us, grateful that a place like this could be here. I was also grateful to my family sitting beside me and the way Omega talked excitedly to her brother about what she’d been up too. It almost looked like a father who’s been away for a while and a daughter happy that he’s home.
I couldn’t help the fluttering of my eyes as my breathing mellowed out and I was finally able to get some sleep that I’ve been missing these past couple of weeks.
“She must be really tired huh?” Omega asked.
“She’s been dealing with a lot of stress. Heartbreaks are never easy.” Hunter answered as he looked down at his best friend.
“I hope I never have to go through a heartbreak.” Omega nodded at her answer.
“You will, but just like her you are strong enough to overcome it and move forward.” Hunter replied as he stood up then leaned down to pick his best friend up.
Omega watched the gentle interaction with curious eyes. She wasn’t too certain yet, but maybe she was right about there possibly being something between Hunter and their Jedi.
Omega nodded as she quickly got to her feet as well, “Yeah, let’s go!”
The trek back to the ship was calm, as the cool breeze of the evening air began to set in. He could hear his and Omega’s footsteps as the descend the ramp and into the Marauder. He could hear Wrecker’s snores and Echo humming a song in the refresher. He could hear Omega call out Goodnight as she descended the ladder to her room. He could hear the lieutenants soft breathing as she barely woke up.
Without opening her eyes she mumbled, “Take me to bed Domů.” Before finally succumbing to sleep once again as he carried her to her bunk.
But most of all he could hear the sharp intake of Tech’s breath as he watched him head to their General’s bunk.
“What are you doing?” Tech asked with a slight sharpness fo his voice.
“I’m putting her to bed.” Hunter answered quietly as he set her in her bunk.
He made sure to tuck her with the soft blanket she recently bought, a soft smile creeping onto his face as he watched her snuggle into it.
He broke out of his daze when he heard Tech’s heartbeat pick up slightly. Standing up straight, Hunter made his way out of the room and towards the front of the ship knowing that Tech would follow.
They both had something important they needed to discuss anyways.
“Why did she call you that?” Tech stated immediately.
It was obvious to Hunter that Tech knew exactly what that word meant and couldn’t have, but feel a small bit of pride swell in his chest. But Hunter also knew that his brother wasn’t able to process emotions the same way as the rest of them. He knew that for him to understand he would have to explain to him in the only way he knew.
“Sit down Tech.” Hunter motioned to the pilot chair as he took a seat in the co pilot chair.
Tech reluctantly sat down, his brows furrowed as he tried to understand what was happening.
“Tech. You are my brother and I would die for you, but sometimes you can be so dense.” Hunter sighed.
“I don’t understand? I am fully capable of-” Tech began, but was silenced by his brothers next words.
“The General had romantic feelings for you.” Hunter stated.
Tech’s brow furrowed, “I don’t…”
“Out of everyone in the galaxy, she fell for You Tech.” Hunter explained, “She asked you on that date because she had feelings for you and you rejected her, chose someone else, insulted her, and has ignored her for the better part of less than three weeks. That’s almost a month Tech.”
“Why would the General have feelings for me? That is quite impossible.” Tech adjusted his goggles, “She is worth more to the galaxy than I ever will be. I’ve never even thought about her in any way other than being friends, of her being a leader for our squad through the war… I…” Tech sighed and he leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees, face in the palms of his hands.
“I’ve heard others at Sid’s bar ask each other on lunch dates since we’ve been here, I just assumed she meant the same thing…” Tech groaned frustratedly, “That’s why she’s been distant. I insulted our general and I hurt her feelings.”
Hunter leaned back into his seat with his arms crossed, “What are you going to do about it?”
“I’m going to-” Tech began to answer, but was cut off by Echo.
“Hey boys, I just received an incoming comm from Rex.” Echo spoke looking at his transmitter as he entered the room.
When Echo looked up he immediately notice the tension in the room, “Uh… Did I interrupt something?” He asked with a confused expression.
“No.” Hunter shook his head as he placed a hand on Tech’s shoulder, “I know you mean well Tech and deep down she knows that too, but you have some thinking to do.” He spoke gently before motioning for Echo to continue, “What does Rex need?”
“He needs our help.” Echo stated and showed the coordinates Rex sent them, “I swear the General always knows when someone is about to show up.”
“She’s a Jedi.” Tech stated, “Of course she has a sense for these things.”
“Looks like we’ve got ourselves a mission boys.” Hunter stated.
summary: A simple game of Would you rather with Tech and his (not-so) unrequited crush turns into a confession of feelings for each other.
content: tooth rotting, brain melting fluff, talking and getting to know each other, sweet, (mutual) pining, dorks in love, first kiss
word count: 4.2k
pov: third person
soundtrack: talk in the morning - sam wills, willow - taylor swift
the fact that my only two tech fics are super wholesome where u just talk to him really says a lot about the state of my mental health 😐. no beta cuz fuuuuuuuuck that shit atp lmao
find here on ao3
read under cut
“Would you rather have to shout all the time, or whisper all the time?”
Her voice cuts like a knife through the emptiness of the cockpit. It’s abrupt, no doubt, but it’s a sweeter tune than the ambient noise of machinery and mechanics. Tech turns to the co-pilot's seat where she reclines, having stolen Echo’s spot when he decided to go with Wrecker and Omega off the ship and explore the planet. She’d chosen to stay with him and Hunter. The reason wasn’t disclosed.
Her eyes are still glued onto the book in her lap, absentmindedly pinching a page between two fingers while her leg rocks. His datapad drops from where it was lifted to his face as he stares curiously at her image. He can feel his eyes strain; only then he realizes that he’s been staring at a blue screen for far too long. She’s much more soothing, he can conclude rather quickly. Everything about her is rather calming and softer if he were to compare.
“I’m sorry?” He asks softly. She looks up with large eyes and raised eyebrows. Tech tilts his head, probing with his gaze. “You said something, did you not?”
She nods and repeats the question, softer than before. He blinks, still unsure of the context. Her eyes flash away anxiously when he doesn’t answer after a few split seconds.
“I-I’m sorry, that was super random,” She backtracks, sinking back into the cushion of her seat. Tech gapes, panicking as he sees how she hesitates and turns away, and he chokes on his next intake of breath.
“No, no, go on,” He tries to encourage her in a bubbling stammer, leaning forward to grip the back of the seat; the action cages her in ever-so-slightly. She looks back after a brief moment of uncertainty, eyes still wide and wary. “I-I was just surprised. Please, continue?”
His words manage to fix any damage he might've inflicted before; a sweet grin appears over the twist of her lips. Tech grins and takes a mental picture of the scene in front of him, in order to go back and admire her when he has the space and time alone.
He isn’t very certain where these emotions initially came from, and he is usually so certain about most things. All he can say is that suddenly, or rather slowly building up, he isn’t sure, did they emerge and take up the forefront of his mind. Now when he has nothing else to think of, his thoughts drift to her. The little things he’s picked up on and likes about her. Small details. Interests and dislikes. It’s quite unfamiliar to him, but it isn’t unwelcome. If only he knew how to express these emotions outwardly…
She blinks, slightly dumbfounded, but continues.
“Well uh, personally, I think I would choose whisper,” She says, shrugging. She turns and leans back on the chair. “Shouting, I feel like I would just become a bother.”
Tech nods.
“I agree,” He says. When she gazes back, he realizes the connotation of his words. He takes a panicked breath. “Not that you would be a bother.” He corrects himself. She bites the corner of her lip as she listens, and he looks away for a moment as he talks. “Just that it would be quite annoying if anyone were to shout all the time. And um, I would certainly choose to whisper as well. Though I suppose some might choose to shout… Someone loud like Wrecker, perhaps, or-”
Before he is caught up in his words again, she lets out a warm chuckle. He gazes up, watching her eyes flutter open and close; she turns and leans her chin on the crest of her shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Tech,” She assures him. “I knew what you meant.”
He blinks.
“Oh,” he mutters absentmindedly. “Right. I’m sorry.”
Her eyebrows knit together.
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” She remarks.
He shrugs.
“I went on a bit of a tangent,” He says, looking away. The datapad resting on his lap looks very appealing at that moment. But he doesn’t reach for it even as his fingers twitch and curl around his thigh.
She frowns.
“I wanted you to answer me,” She says. He bargains with his eyes at her insistence before shrugging without much care.
“Well, yes, I suppose you did.”
When she scoffs, a small part of him panics. But she looks so sweet, so calming and relaxed that it's hard to think that she meant it to be any part rude or mean.
"Let's play," She says ardently, patting her lap.
Tech nods and tries to appear as casual as he can, even with an invisible pressure tugging at his heartstrings.
"Let's," He responds.
She smiles, readjusting her spot in her seat and crossing her legs.
“Hm... Would you rather always say what you were thinking," She begins, her gaze fixating somewhere else with contemplation in her eyes, "...Or never be able to speak again."
Tech watches intently and doesn't even look away even as she returns her stare back to him.
"Always say what I am thinking," He says, then adds confidently, "I already do that anyway," But he doesn't realize the lie between his words until afterward.
She blinks.
"You do?" She asks.
He flashes a look of faux gawk, acting as shocked at her doubt as best as possible.
"Of course," He tells her, chin dipping down and turning inward. "I say most things that are on my mind."
She frowns and her lips purse together; something flashes over her eyes that he isn't able to decipher.
"Right," She exhales, before leaning back again and breaking the tension between the two. Tech lets out a heavy breath, before saying something to free himself of the stress being inflicted on his head. Talking to her without appearing so infatuated truly is harder than he thought.
"Would you rather give away all your credits or all your possessions?"
She perks up, eyes brightening the longer he speaks. He can feel his own heart skip a few beats at the sight.
"I think possessions," She says once he finishes. "Because, well, if you still have credits, you can just buy them again."
Tech nods in agreement.
"That does make logical sense. Though... what if one weren't in much wealth?"
She hums, looking away to the window as she thinks for a brief moment.
"I guess then credits. Because possessions than would be important."
"I think that's what I would choose," Tech further explains. Without even realizing it, that pesky habit of his peeks its head; as he continues talking, he raises his pointed index finger to additionally assert his point. "Because our squad doesn't have lots of credits, to begin with. And we couldn't do without the Marauder."
"You could always just continue doing jobs for Cid," She interjects. Tech turns his head. She bites her lip and shrugs. "Y'know, build your balance back up."
He nods softly.
"Exactly."
She asks the next question.
"Would you rather..." She leans in closer to him, only her bottom on the seat now as the rest careens toward the pilot's chair. His eyebrows knit together; he's unsure if she even realizes how she tries to come closer. But he dismisses it; he decides to lean in closer and leans elbows on his knees. "...Fight a blind or deaf Jedi?"
He hums thoughtfully and looks away, but he can feel the gentle gaze she holds on his face. Tech inhales a shaky breath, and he internally curses himself for acting like such a mess.
"I don't think there's much of a difference," He says, looking back. He almost leans away from the surprise that surges through him when he makes striking eye contact. She looks so interested, so thoughtful, and unbearably sweet. He drifts away from her eyes and lower to her parted lips but looks back up again quickly. He doesn't know which one is worse to look at. "Either way, they'll still have a powerful connection to the force and be able to fight competitively even without one of their main senses."
Thankfully, she's the one to break eye contact. He has time to breathe.
"Oh. That makes a lot of sense," She says. Her hands fold over each other and on top of a knee, her legs crossing. "Sometimes I forget how smart you are."
Unknowingly, a pigment of pink dust over Tech's cheeks at the compliment; but she seems to notice. She grins.
"Thank you," He manages to chirp through his tightly sealed lips.
She nods, but it's more of a subtle dip of her chin as she mouths 'You're welcome' without much thought accompanied by a sickly sweet smile.
"Your turn."
"Huh?"
She huffs playfully, leaning one side of her body on the back of the seat.
"Y'know, ask a question," She says.
Tech blinks.
"Oh. Right."
He thinks for a brief moment before he speaks again.
"Would you rather... have a one-minute conversation with your past self or your future self?" He asks.
She hums, putting a finger to her chin and tapping it once, twice, staring off into the unseeable distance.
"Hm..." She says, half genuine, but half to be silly. She drops her hand and points it in his direction, but not to accuse. "Will anything I say be able to affect their decisions?"
Tech raises his eyebrows, actually surprised at the question.
"Good question," He compliments her, "Let's say, no. They don't."
She nods curiously and sinks further onto her side leaning on the seat.
"Then my future self. I'd like to see what I get up to," She explains.
Tech looks thoughtfully at her expression, the way she appears so perfectly poised and relaxed while he feels anything but; itching in his seat, overthinking every single word he says, attempting to perfectly craft and construct sentences all to come off still as a blubbering mess. But he'll try; he really will, if it means he can spend more time with her.
"And if you were able to affect decisions?"
Another look that he doesn't know the origin of washes over her face.
"Past," She says. "I'd tell her not to do certain things. Fix some mistakes, I think."
Tech's head lifts and his mouth drops ever so slightly with the revelation.
"Ah. I see..." He mutters; when she only makes a small noise of approval and goes silent again, looking at him as though he should continue, he lets out a shaky breath before he lets out an unconfined thought. "...Like what?"
She shrugs automatically without actually looking.
"Don't know." Her hand comes to the cushion, softly gripping it without her gaze lingering away from his eyes once. The act is so strangely intimate, yet they're still about a foot apart from each other. "I guess I'd stop myself from entering toxic relationships or making bad decisions..."
He nods in agreement.
"I think I would do the same."
"Would you rather lose your vision or your hearing?" She asks almost immediately after he finishes his sentence, and for once, he gratefully appreciates being interrupted; the silence is hauntingly loud when he is anxious.
Tech thinks for a brief moment before answering.
"Hearing," He answers. "Sight is vital in my field of work. And I could always learn BSL."
She tilts her head, perplexed.
"BSL?"
"Basic Sign Language, yes," He says quickly. Her mouth opens and she leans backward, nodding with understanding.
"That makes sense..." She mutters; he is unsure if it is to herself or to him. Instead, he decides to ask,
"What would you choose?"
She returns to how she sat before and shrugs lazily.
"I'm not sure," She says. "Hearing makes the most sense, I couldn't bear seeing darkness all day. But I love certain sounds. Replaying them over and over in my head wouldn't feel the same."
He lets out a breath through his nose.
"I agree. I couldn't imagine being unable to see your face every day."
Slowly, as the words begin to pour out, he realizes what he's said. His mouth shuts and his eyes widen, looking away with a ghostly realization and goes dead silent.
Her eyebrows knit together and she frowns.
"What?" She mumbles, head tilting as she speaks.
"I'm sorry," He blurts, hiding his face in his hands. Kriff, everything is ruined, he thinks. She'll immediately stop wanting to hang out after this, and he'll have to exile himself in his bunk and never see the light of day again, everything has been ruined by a tiny slip-up that should have never happened due to his great intelligence- "that was extremely inappropriate. I understand if you no longer want to continue this conversation, I-"
"No, no," She interrupts him mid-tangent. He gazes up from where his face is hidden between his palms and tilts his head. She looks extremely perplexed at his freakout, biting the corner of her lip. "I meant that I didn't hear you."
Tech's eyes widen.
"Oh," He states, extremely bland and more of a placeholder for something else. But for a pregnant pause, nothing fills in the blank.
"I, uh."
She lets her bottom lip free from her teeth and slumps backward, loosening the atmosphere.
"-I just said that there are certain things I couldn't bear never seeing again," He finally manages to illustrate. The excuse isn't as eloquent and believable as he'd wanted it to be, but it is suitable enough. She nods and softens up again, crossing her arms over her chest far too suspiciously to Tech's comfort.
"Like what?" She asks.
Tech shakes his head and waves a dismissive hand, almost too offhand.
"It isn't important."
Her lips twist into something between a frown and pursing her lips at this. He tenses under her gaze. But she quickly lets it go, letting out a very subtle eye-roll he barely even catches and dropping her arms back to her side.
"...Okay," She says before gesturing towards him again, encouraging to ask him a question this time.
He obliges, though rather worriedly.
"Would you rather-" He begins, scooting a bit further off his seat to be closer. "-surround yourself with lots of people you only moderately get along with, or one person you get along with perfectly?"
She answers almost too quickly.
"Definitely the latter," She tells him, before adding a little shrug when she continues, "I already sort of do that."
Tech squints his eyes.
"Oh?"
She turns away and hides her face before rubbing her neck tensely and gritting her teeth.
"I mean, why else would I stay back with you?" She says.
His eyebrows raise and his mouth drops with the revelation. He bites his lip before he tries to even talk again.
"Well, I thought you might have been tired, or Wrecker didn't require your assistance watching Omega, or..."
She shakes her head.
"Not at all."
He treads carefully over his next words.
"So you enjoy my company?" He asks.
She looks at him rather obliviously, a mysterious look of bewilderment across her face, accompanied by a little grin.
"Of course," She says.
He blinks.
"Oh."
She bites her lip and stifles a giggle. She excitedly readjusts in her seat, awaiting a longer response. But he still sits there, slightly dumbfounded.
"...I enjoy your company as well," He finally says, eyes brightening under his goggles; though he doesn't know if she can see clearly through the yellow hue they color over the brown hue.
She smiles.
"Thank you," She responds, softly and through pursed lips. He pouts a little.
"That's not something you should thank me for. It is simply a statement," He says as emotionless as possible, looking away to try and compose himself. But he can still feel her stare. It does not help his mission.
"Sure, Tech," She wonders cheekily, crossing her legs and leaning back. "Would you rather be your own boss or work for someone else?"
Tech hums.
"My own boss," He says. "The only person I've ever really reported to is Hunter. Even when we were under the GAR. So I've always had plenty of control."
She nods, leaning her head on two hands as she watches him talk.
"Yeah..." She says absentmindedly, nodding in agreement. He finally looks back at her. "...Though I'd feel lost."
Tech looks at her with a thoughtful, probing gaze.
"Have you ever not been part of a group?" He asks, genuinely curious.
She keeps eye contact even as she shrugs and bites her lip anxiously.
"Not really," She tells him. "Always working for someone. I'm a follower by nature."
Tech mutters nonsense in curiosity at her response, looking with a strange wonder into her eyes. The certainty in her words was peculiar to him, something he hadn't seen with such a statement. It felt rather odd, almost out of character.
"How do you really know that?" He asks. Her head cranes in his direction, perplexed.
"What do you mean?"
Tech frowns, looking away to articulate his thoughts clearly, before looking back at her again and speaking.
"If you've never been your own boss, you've never known what it's actually like," He says. "You won't ever know if you are a leader by nature if you just haven't had the opportunity to ever be one."
She raises her eyebrows and turns away, surprise etched over her face.
"...I've never thought of it that way," she finally says before looking back up with newfound clarity. Tech nods to show he's listening but doesn't make direct eye contact with her.
"Lots of clones have dealt with the same complex," he explains his understanding of the topic.
She hums softly from an opened mouth, nodding slowly.
"Guess I am a clone," She jests with a chuckle.
Tech laughs, and a rush of confidence surges through him with his next words.
"Yes, a very pretty one."
She raises an eyebrow, suspiciously eyeing him with disbelief.
"...Right."
And Maker, the insecurities drop in again as if they never left.
"Kriff, I'm sorry," he immediately blurts, waving a hand to get her barely lingering attention. When she looks back, he continues.
"I- apologize, kriff... if I made you uncomfortable, it was a thought that just slipped out-"
Suddenly, a warm melody against his body, she reaches over and places a hand on his forearm. Tech's grounded now and gazes up. Her eyes are soft, fully understanding and relaxed, soothing in a way that steadies his erratic heartbeat. She smiles when he feels him calm down.
"Hey, again, it's fine," she says. He almost looks away with the intensity of her thoughtful, undeservedly kind stare. "I'd like to hear it. You did say you always say what you think."
Tech shrugs weakly in agreement.
"I did say that, yes."
She grins and pats his arm one last time before pulling away, going back to her original spot and gesturing with her chin in his direction.
"Okay. Ask one now."
He thinks for a moment.
"Would you rather have to spend an entire year sharing a room with me, or Wrecker?" He asks.
She gasps.
"Oh, Maker...."
He laughs at her exclamation but falls silent again with a gaping mouth when she continues.
"You, definitely."
He almost reacts with surprise; almost. He's able to suppress the giddy squeak he wants to let out and instead raises his eyebrows.
"I should've picked a harder question," He says, making her laugh softly. He observes her; she still looks away and out the window, somewhere that was nothing even close to spectacular. Her eyes twinkle; but not from lights; she lights them up all herself.
"Would you rather," She begins; her head cocks back to him and an open-mouthed grin spreads over her face. "Have to help me organize my life into a routine, or follow Omega around with no way of stopping her roaming?"
Tech hisses in a sharp breath, shaking his head in faux disapproval. He tries to tease, tries to be relaxed and composed, the perfect example of a casual flirt. He's intelligent enough to know he could never truly be one of those men, but he can try.
"A difficult decision-" She chuckles at his comment. "-But you. Again."
She grins; it's more languid than before, casual but sweet all the same.
"I'm flattered," She says delicately.
His lips purse.
"You should always feel that way when I am around," He responds coolly. He turns away to keep his composure. He's also intelligent enough to know that if he were to look back, any semblance of control or simple understanding of conversation skills would dissolve once his eyes locked on hers.
Yet in the corner of his eye, he can see her head tilt.
"Why?"
He stammers, a gloved hand rubbing at his neck while he coarsely forces out his next words.
"Well, since I said that I usually say what I'm thinking, I must be showering you with compliments all the time..."
His eyes shut tight for a split second, wincing over an invisible punch to the gut. Every single word that comes out of his mouth constitutes him to cuss himself out. Berate his mind for being so flustered and clammy around her. Slowly, he peels one eye open and forces himself to look at her. Her eyes are drowned in confusion, but the corners of her lips slowly curl up with each passing second.
"Oh..." She finally mutters. Her head fixes back upright and she blinks once, twice, eyebrows furrowing with concentration. She's thinking, anyone could tell that, but he doesn't know what. She still grins, like a cocky, yet timid Cheshire cat. "...I don't feel that way."
It's his time to look confused.
"I don't compliment you?" He asks.
Her eyes flit away, then back to him again.
"Well, you do but..."
He shakes his head; her own outward confidence makes him feel less silly trying to act flirtatiously.
"Then I'm not doing it enough," He asserts with disapproval. "I should keep to my word."
Her eyebrow pushes together and she lets out a confused, but charmed breath.
"It's just would you rather, Tech," she giggles.
Her words almost catch him off guard, but he manages to rebuke her quick-wittedly.
"It's important to keep integrity at all times," He says.
She giggles and leans back, pulling away from his striking eye contact. He winces internally.
"Okayyy," She says. She crossed her legs and folds her hands on top of her knee. "If you say so. What are you thinking then?"
She beams at him, and so, he says what he thinks in that moment.
"That your smile is enchanting."
Her eyes widen. Immediately she turns away and covers her mouth with her palm, hiding something, perhaps the smile he complimented so genuinely, and shakes her head. He grins at the sight.
"I'm also thinking about how I feel so suddenly incompetent and unable to communicate when you're around," he says.
She snaps her head back to him, eyes timid and soft. He can see the smile and wrinkles in the corners of her eyes. He can't understand why she'd want to hide it in the first place if he said how much he liked it.
"Really?" She asks through her parted fingers, quiet.
He nods entirely sure.
"Yes."
Her eyes flit to his and away again. Wordlessly, she turns completely to face him, scooting closer so her bottom barely lies on the cushion. Her face leans in closer so it lingers over his like a hovering bird over a branch. It's teasing and terrifying, and he shivers when he takes a deep breath in.
She asks, delicately and wary,
"Would you like to hear what I am thinking, Tech?"
"Please," he rasps.
"How much I want to kiss you right now."
His mouth drops, and her smile widens. Bashfully she looks away, wiping her cheek as if her blush would disappear. He watches, still awestruck and positively frozen.
"...Tech?" She asks. Wordlessly, he scootches forward. His breathing fans over hers; their lips are so close to touching, but he hesitates.
Is this really happening?
Really happening?
"...You want to kiss me," He confirms verbally, and she softly swipes her tongue over her bottom lip, nodding.
"I do," She says.
Tech doesn't realize he's leaned in so close until she finally closes the small gap. A wave of tingling warmth rush over his skin; he shivers pleasantly. Her lips are soft, so gentle, feathery light over his that if he weren't so enraptured he wouldn't feel them. She dives in further, tilting her head to the right to gain better access; his lips mold to hers securely.
This is heaven; he never wants to leave.
She eventually breaks away but doesn't move. Heavy pants fan over his parted lips as they both catch their breath. Her eyes are shut close when his flutter opens. Tech smiles.
"Was it what you thought it would be like?" He asks.
Without missing a beat, she nods with her eyes still closed.
"Even better," She smiles through it.
Just then, a curse echoes through the cockpit. They snap their heads to the voice; Hunter watches them with disdain and a defeat that couldn't have been from the kiss.
"Dank farrik, couldn't you have waited for a couple more rotations to do that?"
Prompt: “I’m yours and you are mine” with Hunter (with a mention of “don’t go far from me”)
A/N: Here’s my piece for the @cloneficgiftexchange! I’m so nervous to write/post this since @photogirl894 is one of my favorite authors here on Tumblr, so to write a piece for them, I was NERVOUS! I hope you enjoy this 🥺 Special thank you to @kakyoweeniesdump and @pinkiemme for editing and feedback! (I’ll post this to AO3 once I get home from Star Wars Celebration!)
Word count: 2047
Some days Hunter couldn’t believe his luck. To have his squad. To have Omega. To have her. He was created in a lab on a rainy planet, meant to die in a war he was created for, to serve a master he had no control over, and now his life has done almost a total 180. After retiring from working with Cid, the group had decided to settle down on a little planet in the Outer Rim that Rex had found and had been helping clones resettle who were tired of fighting away from the Empire. Between all of them, they had been able to make a fairly sustainable home. For the first time in their lives, they had the true freedom to choose.
I just love how many of us are like "We still have the razor crest :D " like we all just decided to ignore what happened, not even a note like "Din still have the razor" of some kind of clarification, just collective oblivion.
sorry I had to take a sip of water a year and a half ahem ah yes like I was saying rough day chapter 20 will be posted on Sunday March 12 2023 at 9pm est thank you
OMG!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAH!!!!! Literally I was just thinking "Can you imagine that the autor of Rough Day dicide to update now that the series is back?" And dude!!!! Like 5 minutos later I get a notification. Am so excited for this!!!!!!!!!
Warnings: some violence but not much, and a little blood if you squint. There is kissing in this but idk if it’s a warning.
Summary: Being secretly in love with the Knight Captain that protects you in the palace isn’t easy. When the Queen insists you marry someone soon, you realize your heart will never belong to another but a future together seems almost impossible to think of. Now after your feelings have been confessed, a new danger resurfaces, and it has nothing to do with the Queen. The two of you are willing to fight, but circumstances try to separate you.
AN: I know I’ve taken a long time to post this part but I am very happy with how it turned out. I hope you enjoy it! Chapter 3 is on its way already. Shoutout to the 501st for being the best friends the Captain and the princess can have. If there’s a typo no there isn’t.
I... I love this, I love Rex, I love the story, I love you for write this. It's just amazing.
I waited so long for this and was completely worth the waiting. I swear, just 3 days ago I remembered chapter 1 and was like "Maybe the author just forgot about the story, I'm so happy you didn't 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙
i was checking out your character list to request for the valentine prompt and saw you had The Mandalorian on there????? so if you’re up for it Mando/Din and prompt #5 And I Love Him pretty pls! 🖤
Ahh yesss I don't get enough requests for him! I hope you like it :)
Valentine's song prompts | And I Love Him (Din Djarin)
Fandom/characters: Star Wars/The Mandalorian (Din Djarin, reader)
Song: 5. And I Love Him - Benjamin Gibbard
Genre: Romance/fluff
Format: Drabble/oneshot
Word count: 804
Summary: You and your new S/O, Din, are resting together when he catches you admiring him as you're still not used to seeing him without his helmet. (I won't lie not much happens in this, but)
Notes: I adore this song for him omg?? I hadn't heard it before but love that you requested it for him, it's perfect! :') (As I said before, these are just loosely inspired by these songs. This song just has a simple and sweet feel to it to that's what I was going for with this! But I do recommend listening to the songs while reading these, if you can!) Also sorry for any mistakes or anything.
You sat between Din's legs, leaning into his chest as he leaned against the cool metal walls of the room, arms draped loosely around you as he stared out the ship's windows. You were suspended, resting, drifting slowly through space. Distant stars and planets dotted the deep expanse of dark sky which he focused so absent-mindedly on. You had spent many days admiring them yourself, but the sight of his uncovered face now held far more appeal to you than any star.
You bit your lip, feeling the heat rise to your cheeks as he peered over, the corner of his mouth curling slightly as he caught you. This was new to both of you, and you didn't want to push it, but you couldn't help yourself. Slowly, you had grown feelings for him, and slowly, he opened himself up to you. But only recently had things taken a turn. Not long ago, sitting all pressed up against him like that would be nothing more than a fantasy. And now, here you were, laughing in embarrassment as he eyed you with his perfect dark eyes, smile gradually growing.
You counted yourself lucky, knowing full well that had you met him any sooner that this never would have happened. Even as you knew him, he had changed. Not long ago, attachment would be out of the question. You had kept your own feelings at bay for that reason, not wanting to pressure him. And he hadn't made it easy.
Yet, despite the somehow fleeting feeling of it at all, he put you at ease. As if, no matter what had happened and how things played out, you would have found each other anyway. He somehow managed to both make your heart race ceaselessly, and make you feel as calm and serene as you knew yourself capable.
"What is it?" He asked, his voice smooth and quiet. You adored the sound of it without the obstruction of his helmet.
"Nothing," You replied, resting your head against his chest. He chuckled, giving you a look which signaled he wasn't satisfied with your answer, but said nothing more of it. You held back a smile, loving how expressive his face was. He wrapped his arms firmer around you, pressing a kiss to your forehead before slouching more comfortably. You half expected he wouldn't be very affectionate, for lack of practice, but he was as always tender and sweet with you. You grinned contentedly, now positioned in such a way you could continue staring at him without it being quite as obvious.
It wasn't so much that you found him pleasing to look at — which you did — but that you had known him so long without having seen him, up until recently. And strange as it was, his face just made sense to you. Every word spoken by him, every action and every characteristic that had drawn you in matched the face behind them perfectly. You already adored him, but it somehow felt like a privilege to be allowed to know him enough to see him. And for that, you couldn't keep yourself from admiring him.
He glanced down, raising an eyebrow as you laughed, burying your face in his neck to hide your embarrassment.
"What?" He insisted with a nervous laugh.
"Sorry," You said, pulling back and feeling your heart swell at the sight of him smiling. You were tempted to explain, but you had already complimented him countless times. And besides that, you knew he knew exactly why you couldn't keep your eyes off of him. His raised eyebrow and slight grin gave him away.
He looked back out the window, leaning his head against the wall and allowing you full view of him, this time never looking back toward you. After all, it was only fair. He had been allowed countless opportunities to admire you without you realizing it, his gaze concealed by his helmet. And admittedly, he enjoyed the feeling of being perceived and admired by you more than he felt he should.
After a few moments more, you grew greedy and restless. You squirmed closer to him, snaking your hand around to cup his cheek and gently guide his to face you. His eyebrows raised, expression soft as his breath instantly hitched at your touch. His eyes searched yours, smiling gently as he followed your hand forward, your lips lifting to meet his. You felt his lips curl into a small smile beneath yours, arms pulling you closer as you rearranged yourself. You sunk into him, eyes fluttering shut as your stomach knotted up, his lips soft and reluctant against yours. He was so deprived of human contact and affection, yet he gave it to you so tenderly. Your mind spun with even the briefest kiss, as you never imagined you'd be allowed even that much.
Summary: translating for a Tusken Raider leaves Mando with no other option than to be vulnerable.
Warnings: Din gets shy and flustered, softness in a shared tent (there’s only one…dun dun dun), kind of a feelings confession, a touch of angst, and that’s about it. I really hope I got the Tusken culture correct please let me know if I need to make changes!
A/N: this is inspired by the incredible BOBF episode 2!! If you have not given that a watch, I highly recommend that you do so! It’s so well done. And thank you all so much for over 600 followers. That is absolutely unreal.
My requests and asks are open! If you’d like to make a request or just start a conversation, I’d love to hear from you!
If you’d like to leave a like, comment, reblog, or ask, it would be greatly appreciated <3
Din Masterlist
(Gif gotten from Pinterest)
“Go on,” Din mumbled sweetly. “You can drink it. It’s safe.”
The gurgling black drink in your hands said otherwise.
The apprehension was clear in your body language, but you tried your best to be respectful towards the Tuskens.
“It’s ok,” he said one more time. His deep, calming voice was ever so present under the modulator, and you pressed the warm liquid to your lips.
The taste hit your mouth much faster than you had expected. It was somehow bitter and savory all at once, and the thick texture completely coated the inside of your mouth.
If your stomach wasn’t so empty, and you didn’t have four armed Tusken Raiders staring at you from around the campfire, you may have made a face. But the drink was all you had, and the last thing you wanted to do was disrespect these people.
They had allowed you and Din to pass over their land, provided you with the drink, and even offered a tent for you to spend the night. The mission the two of you were on was one of the most demanding yet, and the safety of a cool tent for some much needed sleep was so kind it brought tears to your eyes.
You thanked the maker that Din could communicate with them. He had been translating for you all night.
It was yet another endearing and powerful aspect of the once intimidating man that you now admired, and held close to your heart.
You pulled the cup away and swallowed the thick juice, before smiling at the chieftain sitting across from you. The deep black of the night sky mixed with the vibrant reds of the fire made him more intimidating than ever, but also more commanding.
“How do I say ‘thank you’?” you asked Din over the crackling of the fire.
He pressed his palms together, and let them fall towards his lap.
“Like that,” he said. “Slowly.”
You set the cup down next to you and repeated the motion he made with your own hands.
The chieftain became somehow more tense, and bowed his head to you. He then placed his staff down in the sand, and made more motions with his hands, never removing his eyesight from you.
“He is saying ‘you’re welcome,” Din said. Your heart became louder in your ears.
“He said that the drink they offered is hard to come by, and he appreciates your respect towards their hospitality.”
You nodded to the chief, nice and slow, and he nodded back. A breath of relief released from your nose.
The chief Tusken then turned his body towards Din, and the two of them started another conversation.
You picked the cup back up and took a few more sips, getting used to the odd taste and enjoying the feeling of a full belly. You watched Din expertly converse with the chief, and you were completely in awe of him.
He made it look so natural. So easy. You wondered if he learned the language overtime, or in his Mandalorian training when he was a boy. Had he always been so open to the Tuskens, or had he mistaken them for an enemy and learned of their ruthless skills the hard way.
Either way, seeing him in such a domestic and natural state was rare for you, and all you wanted to do was watch him. Only him.
You were slowly realizing that the longer you worked with the Mandalorian, the easier it was to just get lost in his elegance.
His gleaming beskar was the perfect source to reflect light, and it made the burning glow of the fire paint a range of colors on his armor. It stretched over his entire body, giving it an orange-ish glow. Every inch of him was breathtaking, especially his intricately carved helmet.
You knew you weren’t supposed to think about it, you knew you weren’t supposed to imagine it, and you definitely knew you weren’t supposed to daydream about it…
…but you wondered just how breathtaking he was underneath it all.
You continued to sit and watch, just thinking and observing your Mandalorian, before the chieftain looked at you once more. You saw him in your peripheral vision, and so you turned your head to look back at him.
You smiled at him as delicately as you could, not showing any teeth, and the chief straightened up again. His shoulders puffed, as well as his chest, and he continued to look at you for some time. You could feel his eyes raking over your body, and you tried your best to stay as neutral as possible.
These people were kind and respectful, especially the chief, and the gratitude in your eyes was the only gift you could give them in return. You wished you could give them more.
Finally, the chief made eye contact with Din again, and signed something longer than before.
The Mandalorian looked rather taken aback once the Tusken finished his statement, and your eyebrows wrinkled in curiosity at his reaction.
“Mando,” you said, not wanting to reveal his true name, “everything ok?”
Din continued to look at the chief, holding his hands out in front of him awkwardly as if he was lost for words, before he turned his visor to face you.
“He said…he said that you’re beautiful.”
Your mouth instantly went dry.
Beautiful.
You didn’t know if you’d ever been called that before.
“Oh…” you said, trying to look anywhere but the two men.
“He said that your smile is like the twin-sunset, and… and your kindness is a treasure,” Din continued. “They currently have very few women, but the men of this tribe would make sure that a woman like you would find this place very comfortable. They would make it your home.”
You were dumbfounded. Completely speechless.
A home. They were offering you a home.
You had grown up traveling from place to place, never once having the opportunity to grow roots or feel as if you belonged. You spent your teenage years embracing that freedom and independence, and they were what got you into bounty hunting in the first place.
You had convinced yourself that a home would never exist for you. Your life was the chase and the reward, and you were willing to bet it would stay like that until your final heartbeat.
But when you looked back up at Din, watching the smoke dance around his broad frame and the deep breaths he took underneath all that armor, you knew the truth.
Your home was never meant to be a place. It was always meant to be a person.
“Tell him thank you,” you replied to Din. “But I’ve already found a home.”
The invisible mask that Din protected himself with cracked for only a few seconds, and he let his emotions overtake him. He released a shaky breath of relief. You saw his shoulders shake and his hands ball into fists, before he straightened up and put the mask back on.
This reaction to your words was so quick that you barely caught it, but you were so glad you did.
You knew he understood. He always found a way to understand.
You swallowed thickly and let your eyes flutter shut, trying your best to recollect yourself.
Din communicated your statement to the chief, and you swore you saw his shoulders sink in defeat. The chief made his final response, and stood up with his staff in hand. The men around him stood up as well, and they slowly made their way towards their own tents.
“Come on,” Din said, pulling his body weight up. “We both need sleep.”
He reached out his arm to help you up, and you gladly took it.
He led you to a small beige tent near the edge of the camp, and he held the material open so you could crawl in first.
“I apologize if it’s a bit cramped,” he said sweetly. “This was all they had.”
“It’s perfect Din,” you said. You missed the familiar feeling of his name on your tongue. “Thank you.”
He nodded, and you took a seat on the warm, soft ground. He remained standing.
“These people are…very kind,” Din said.
“Yes. Very,” you responded.
“I’m surprised you didn’t want to stay with the chief. An offer like that is quite rare.”
Want to stay?
“What?” you asked him softly. “Why would I want to stay?”
“The life we have, it’s never been safe. These people can protect you. Probably better than I can—"
“Din—"
“—they don’t have to worry about credits, or jobs or, even where their next meal will come from. They know the sand. They provide for themselves. You could live a quiet life, not one in constant danger.”
He paused, letting his eyes fall over your form.
“It seems…it seems like it’s obvious. You should stay.”
You looked at him, a light mist beginning to form in your eyes, and you licked your lips. Preparing yourself for what you were about to say.
“Din,” you began. “Why would I go anywhere that wasn’t with you?”
You stared into his ever-piercing visor as you spoke, watching his shallow breaths and emotionless stance.
This silent, brooding Din had once scared you more than anything.
It felt like his eyes were peeling back your skin, seeing every secret and mistake you desperately tried to hide. You could never read him, no matter how hard you tried. And it scared you shitless.
But now, you knew what you were staring at. You were staring at a man who had given you his name, his identity, his child. You knew he trusted you, and you trusted him.
So if he wanted to rake his eyes over every nook and cranny of you, then fine. There wasn’t much he didn’t know already.
“I meant what I said by the fire,” you continued. “I don’t want to leave. I never want to leave.”
What you couldn’t see was Din’s clenched jaw, and his stomach was dropping to his feet. He couldn’t physically take his eyes off of you. Even if he tried.
“This,” you said, gesturing to the fabric around you, “is not what a home is. Home is a feeling.”
Here goes nothing.
“And you give me that feeling.”
The words were spoken, suspended in the air, and there was no turning back.
You exhaled, relieved to finally get that off your chest, before standing up as confidently as you could.
“My place is by your side. Do you understand?”
Din’s helmet bobbed up and down, and an even longer, harsher wave of relief washed over you.
“Good,” you said, and turned around to prepare your bed for the night.
The blankets the Tuskens had provided you were soft and thick. They would surely keep you warm as you slept, and your need for sleep was only getting worse.
You laid down the first blanket, and then covered yourself with the other. You laid down on your side, facing the still frozen Mandalorian.
“We both need sleep,” you said, repeating Din’s earlier statement, and closed your eyes.
Your body sunk into the sand, but your mind was more awake than ever.
You wanted him to say something. Anything. You had stripped yourself bare for him, being more honest than you ever had before, and he just stood there. You understood his difficulty with words, but at least a “thank you” would have been nice.
It was only a few moments of silence before you heard him walk towards his own blankets, and he began to take off his armor.
You heard the familiar clicks and snaps of each piece being taken off, and he set them delicately on the ground, trying to be as quiet as possible. You had watched him do this many times before, and so the routine had become cemented in your brain. The boots were first, then the chest, then the arms, then the legs.
You had never heard the helmet drop, though. Never.
And so when you heard a foreign puff of air escape, and one last piece of metal was dropped on to the sand, your sleep deprived brain started putting the pieces together.
The helmet was off. In your presence. For the first time ever.
You tried your best to keep up your act of fake sleeping. You felt sweat start to drip down your back and your heart begin to race. Your lungs clamored and begged for more air.
But you held on.
You then felt Din’s body move back towards you, and he laid his own blanket next to yours. Small grunts escaped his mouth as he settled in to the makeshift bed, and tiny pieces of sand flew in the air when he pulled his second blanket over his torso.
He laid his head down, and you had to force yourself to keep your eyes closed. The heat from his breath was so close to your lips, and the scent of his skin made your brain feel loopy.
He had to have thought you were asleep. If he knew you were awake, he would never have done what he did next.
He lifted his right arm and stroked his knuckles over your cheek. His touch was so light against your burning skin that you barely felt any pressure, but your stomach coiled and your cheekbones tingled.
“I lied to you today,” he whispered. “These people can never protect you the way I can.”
Your heartbeat was so loud you could barely hear. Shots of electricity slithered down your thighs.
“And I promise you, Y/N, I will do it for the rest of my life. If you’ll have me.”
He traced your cheek with his knuckles once more, and the breaths from his mouth were getting closer and closer to your lips. The puffs of air from your own nose were beginning to mix with his.
“You really are beautiful,” he said, and pulled his hand away. He tucked it underneath his blanket, and you resisted the urge to beg him to touch you again. It took every ounce of strength from your body.
Silence filled the tent for some time, and you finally started to relax. You couldn’t hold back sleep any longer.
As the last drops of consciousness were beginning to leave you, Din’s body moved closer to yours, and a scratch of facial hair rubbed against your forehead.
“You’re my home too,” he breathed.
The vulnerability and truth behind his words were the final kick to send your brain off to sleep, and the smell and feel of him stayed wrapped around you as you dreamt.
You had finally made it home.
Tag list: (please let me know if you’d like to be added to the Din or general tag lists! I’d be happy to add you!) (I apologize if your tag isn’t working!)
din wasn’t even technically namedropped or referred to directly, they just played his score and here we are going absolutely crazy, the grip this man has on us-
Summary: Left alone with the brainiest of the Batch after another successful mission, you find out that there’s one subject he’s not an expert in.
A/N: Happy Tech Tuesday lovelies. It’s my first time writing in this fandom, so of course, it had to be centred around my favourite nerd. That being said, please be gentle :’) I personally head-cannon Tech as being a little like Sheldon from Big Bang Theory, whether that comes across in this or not I don’t know, but here we go…
ellievsbear
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dededos
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kaledo-art
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titsay
