A place for three | Dinluke - Parenting AU
synopsis: Din Djarin is trying to be the best father he can be, but in doing so, he has let many other parts of his life fall behind as he devotes himself entirely to raising his son, Grogu. Despite having gone on a few dates, Din has never come anywhere close to marriage, even at his age. It takes a great deal of courage for him to finally ask his son’s kindergarten teacher out on a date. (Din Djarin x Luke Skywalker)
— tags: Din falls in love with Luke. Fluff romance. Luke is Grogu’s kindergarten teacher. Din is inexperienced when it comes to romance. Kinda slow burn. Din and Grogu family routine. Din being a dad figure.
Being a parent isn’t easy, especially when you’re a single father, but Din has made great progress in this role over the past year.
He doesn’t know when he first wanted to have a child. The signs started to show subtly when children seemed to be fond of him even though he was a stranger, or more specifically, when his friends of the same age started bringing up the subject of parenthood. Din is not old, but if he doesn’t do it now, then when? Because of that kind of doubt, after a long time of thinking and asking for advice, he discovered his own desire to become a father.
Before taking the first step toward adopting a child, Din prepared himself by studying everything he could through books and lectures about child development. He even started attending therapy twice a week to prepare himself mentally. He was dedicated to making it work, but being a parent isn’t just about the theoretical part.
It had been a long process to adopt his son. Grogu hadn’t even reached one year of age when he joined Din’s family. At first, none of the things Din had learned seemed useful in this new life, but eventually, things started to fall into place. His life changed dramatically. His nights of sleep became scarce, and the dark circles under his eyes were impossible to ignore.
He built a support network, relying on a few close friends, only the ones he trusted the most, and even enrolled Grogu in a small school, where the child spent the afternoons until the end of the day, when Din returned from work.
Everything was under control. Din wakes up at six o’clock, prepares his lunch, packs Grogu’s backpack for the day, gets himself ready for work, and then comes the final step: waking Grogu. They have breakfast together. Din gets him ready for school, checks his backpack to make sure nothing is missing, and takes him there before heading to work himself.
For the past year, his life has revolved entirely around his son. Din tried taking up hobbies like reading and exercising, but the only one that ever stuck was crocheting scarves and winter hats for Grogu, though he has already given that up.
And if you asked Din about romance, he would say he simply hasn’t had time for that sort of thing. He hesitates to develop a strong connection with anyone because he’s afraid of losing focus on his life and responsibilities. Deep down, though, he knows it’s just a cheap excuse to hide the painful truth that he can’t imagine anyone loving him the way he is. It’s not that he has low self-esteem or believes there’s nothing good about him. It’s a hesitation tied more to romance itself, considering Din has never come close to a serious relationship, much less marriage. Still, he can’t help feeling inferior whenever someone his age, or younger, mentions having a partner. It makes him feel like that’s something he should be doing too.
And then his thoughts turn to his son. Would it be better for Grogu to have some kind of mother figure?
Din doesn’t think it would affect him much, especially since Din himself had basically grown up on his own. That is one of the reasons he wants to become the best version of himself, the best father he can possibly be. The father he never had. It’s one of the topics that has come up in therapy more than once, though Din still can’t fully settle it in his mind, even if it does make some sense.
He had already tried going out with a few people before, but for some reason, the moment he mentioned being a single father, the connection always seemed to fade. He doesn’t know when that started sounding like a problem to other people, but he had noticed the pattern repeatedly.
Still, there was something specific that had begun appearing in his thoughts more often than he would like.
Grogu had been attending school for about half a year, and every two months the teachers met with the parents to discuss the students, offer feedback, advice, and make general announcements. Din had never missed a meeting, but he rarely participated actively in the discussions because he was always distracted, trying to focus on two things at once: the announcements, and the person making them.
At first, Din thought there might be something odd about Grogu’s kindergarten teacher that he couldn’t quite place, and that was why the man always caught his attention.
‘I might have seen him somewhere before.’ He had thought that often enough, only to eventually realize that wasn’t the case.
He started questioning his own feelings when, every morning he dropped Grogu off at school, he found himself hoping to catch a glimpse of that teacher. He had even tried starting conversations, simple questions about Grogu’s schedule or school matters, anything at all, just to hear the kindergarten teacher’s voice a little longer.
The teacher’s name is Luke. He says it at the start of every meeting, though Din had long since committed it to memory. He also knows Luke’s surname is Skywalker, maybe because he had searched for it online out of curiosity one night. But the surname was all Din could find. Luke Skywalker seemed to be an extremely private person.
At every meeting Luke organized, Din convinced himself he would speak to him afterward, even if only to ask some silly question Luke had already answered while Din was too distracted to pay attention. And every single time, by the end of the meeting, he had already talked himself out of it. As he drove home, Din spent the entire ride blaming himself for being afraid to speak to his own son’s teacher. A man his age shouldn’t act this way. At least, that’s what he thinks.
He had grown tired of feeling ashamed of himself month after month, and now that the next meeting was already scheduled, Din promised himself he would not go home disappointed again.
His anxiety was something he had been working on in therapy, yet it persisted even when he tried the advice and techniques his therapist had shared. Taking ten deep breaths didn’t help when it came to the thought of asking his son’s teacher out on a date.
The previous month, Din had actually been asked out by a stranger who had apparently seen something worth approaching in the lonely, exhausted-looking man buying his morning coffee before work.
Bo-Katan, a very old friend of his, had even volunteered to take care of Grogu for the evening, since no one else had been available. But the date hadn’t gone well, at least not from Din’s side. His mind had been far too busy with intrusive thoughts, wondering what it would be like if he were on a date with Luke instead.
Situations like that made him feel strange, as if his mind belonged to someone much younger and more inexperienced than he actually was. He felt like a teenager, except he had never experienced the kind of “teenage love” people always talked about. Either that feeling had simply arrived too late for him, or perhaps he had just never recognized it before.
When the day of the meeting finally arrived, Din left home after waiting for Peli, another old friend who was very fond of Grogu, to arrive and watch over his son while he was out.
Grogu was not one of his worries at the moment. He trusted Peli completely. His only real concern was what would happen after the meeting.
He arrived a few minutes late. Some of the parents were already gathered inside the colorful classroom.
His eyes were immediately drawn to Luke, who was already speaking. The other man gave him a brief nod and a quick “Welcome” as Din stepped into the room.
Din stood near the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, suddenly feeling out of place. His thoughts immediately turned inward, painfully aware of the way he was standing, afraid he looked too unapproachable. Because of that, he awkwardly uncrossed his arms. Since when had he become so self-conscious? He tried to pay attention to what Luke was saying, but he had heard all of this before.
“It would be appreciated if you avoid bringing sick children to school, as they might pass illnesses to the others.” And: “If you have any questions or need to share something important, feel free to write it in the children’s school diary.”
The other parents frequently asked questions about their children’s schedules and behavior during school hours. The same repetitive concerns came up every time, but Luke never sounded impatient when answering.His serene tone and naturally calm demeanor made him seem incredibly approachable.
Still, it wasn’t enough to convince Din to stay afterward. He would rather leave and spend the next two months regretting it than risk being rejected. And with that thought, he gave up on his plan entirely.
His mind was already drowning in accusations of cowardice when he turned toward the door.
Oh. He recognized Luke’s voice instantly.
His entire body froze. A sudden shiver ran down his spine, and before he could stop himself, he turned to face the other man approaching him. They were the only ones inside the classroom.
“I was wondering if we might have a conversation, if you have the time, of course.”
Din took a few awkward seconds before replying.
“It’s alright. I’m not in any hurry.”
“Perfect,” Luke said with that polite smile he seemed to offer so effortlessly. “It won’t take much of your time, I promise. I couldn’t help but notice that you rarely ask questions about Grogu during the meetings. Would you perhaps feel more comfortable discussing things privately rather than during these group sessions?”
Luke did his best to sound delicate and natural, but Din felt a pang of guilt. His quietness during the meetings might have made it seem as though he didn’t care about his son’s development. Nothing could have been further from the truth.
“I would feel more comfortable talking in private, yes,” Din admitted, immediately struck by a new insecurity: the fear that he might appear inattentive as a father. “But I trust you, and the way you connect with the children. Grogu is an easygoing kid, and he seems to enjoy coming to school.”
“That’s kind of you to say. Grogu does seem very comfortable here, and he has no trouble socializing or following the school routine. But there is something you should know… Grogu is very attached to you. After he realizes you’ve left, it takes him some time to calm down. Though he has been improving slowly.”
Din forced himself to set aside the emotions that immediately threatened to surface. Otherwise, he might embarrass himself by becoming emotional right there in front of Luke.
“I’ve heard that’s common for children his age,” he said carefully. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Perhaps you could send him with a comfort object. Something familiar that helps him feel safe during the transition.”
Din nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll try that. Thank you for the advice.”
“Of course. And if there’s ever anything else, we can always arrange another time to talk privately.”
Luke’s usual warmth somehow gave Din a flicker of courage.
“I actually… have another question. It’s not about Grogu. It’s… something else.” Din swallowed hard under Luke’s attentive gaze. “I wanted to know if you’d be interested in… maybe going out for dinner sometime. Or… anything else you’d like.”
He regretted those last words immediately. He had meant to say a date, but the word had died on his tongue.
Luke let out a soft laugh, sounding surprised, but pleased. It was the exact opposite of the rejection Din had braced himself for.
“Of course,” Luke said, smiling. “Dinner sounds lovely.”
Din offered a weak smile in return, trying for casualness. His lips felt strangely dry. He hadn’t smiled once since entering the room.
“Any place in mind?” Luke asked.
“Actually… no. I haven’t thought that far ahead.”
He felt ridiculous saying it aloud, as if he’d asked on impulse.
“We could exchange numbers and arrange it later.”
And that was exactly what they did.
After getting Luke’s number, Din left the now-empty classroom with a brief goodbye, instantly blaming himself for not saying something more.
Outside, he noticed how badly his hands were trembling. He wondered if Luke had noticed.
The entire drive home was spent taking deep breaths, though even a hundred of them would not have been enough to calm the frantic pounding of his heart.
“Welcome back,” Peli said the moment he stepped inside.
She had never once refused to play the role of babysitter when it came to Grogu.
Din had met her under unusual circumstances, when his car had broken down in the middle of the road and he had realized he had absolutely no idea how to change a tire. Peli had happened to be driving by in her van. She had stopped, helped him without hesitation, and afterward requested what she called “a very humble fee.” Din had paid it and somehow, a friendship had formed.
He closed the front door behind him, pulling off his scarf.
“Hey. Thanks for watching him.”
“No problem. This little one is easy to take care of. He’s already asleep. Besides, I’m off work today.”
Din reached into his jacket pocket and handed her a bill.
“That’s what we agreed on. I added a little extra since it’s your day off.”
“Thank you kindly,” she said, tucking it into her fanny pack. “You can always call me if you need me.”
He walked her to the door, then hesitated.
“Hey… do you know any good restaurants nearby?”
Peli turned back, eyebrows frowned slightly as she wondered silently.
“Good restaurants? Hm. I know a few, but I don’t eat out much. Any preferences?”
“Not really. I just need a reliable recommendation.”
She gave a thoughtful hum. “I’ll look some up and send them to you later.”
“Sounds good. Goodnight.”
“Night.” She waved and disappeared into the dark.
Din checked on Grogu, who was indeed fast asleep.
His biggest concern now was choosing the right place for his date. He had gone on dates before, but he had always been the one invited.
He knew it was late, but he texted Bo-Katan for recommendations. Her suggestions all seemed too fancy. Peli’s recommendations arrived the next morning, and after some consideration, Din made his choice.
A place nice enough to matter, but casual enough not to feel intimidating.
During his lunch break, he texted Luke with the details.
Ten minutes later, Luke replied: “I’ll be there. See you tomorrow.”
Din stared at the wink emoji Luke sent far longer than necessary. Did that mean anything? He couldn’t stop wondering.
When tomorrow finally arrived, Din woke with equal parts excitement and dread. He had no idea what to expect.
The first thing Din did that morning was text Peli: “I know it’s short notice, but are you free to watch Grogu tonight?”
He hadn’t been nearly as anxious as he had expected while typing it, but his calm disappeared the moment her reply came through. She apologized, explaining that she couldn’t help that evening.
Din immediately moved on to his second option and texted Bo-Katan, though he already knew the answer before she replied. She was an incredibly busy person, and a Saturday night was hardly the best time to ask for a favor. Just as expected, she already had dinner plans and apologized.
Din exhaled slowly and tried to think of another solution.
Before he could come up with one, Grogu started crying from his room, his usual signal that he was awake and ready to start the day. Din pushed his worries aside and fell into his routine, hoping inspiration would strike at some point.
Grogu showered, got dressed, and sat in his high chair for breakfast with his father. He was independent enough to feed himself now, and Din couldn’t even remember when that change had happened. It had all happened too quickly.
Grogu was independent, yes, but also terribly selective with food. Din always tried to offer healthy options to ease the transition from mashed food to solids, but it was common for him to suddenly get hit by a flying piece of food during dinner.
Watching his son pick suspiciously at his breakfast, Din found himself wondering if simply bringing Grogu along might be the best option.
By the time evening approached and the sun had already disappeared, Din still hadn’t thought of any better solution. Bringing Grogu with him hadn’t been the plan, but he trusted no one else enough to leave his son with them, and he couldn’t exactly leave him home alone.
Canceling with only a few hours’ notice felt worse. So this was his only choice.
Din hadn’t expected getting ready to take so long, and before he realized it, he was nearly late to pick Luke up. He still didn’t understand why he had offered to drive. At the time, it had sounded reasonable. Now it just felt a little foolish.
He secured Grogu in his car seat while the child played with the little green winter cap Din had once crocheted for him. Grogu mumbled nonsense to himself, something that vaguely resembled a song he’d made up. He looked perfectly calm. Din tried to absorb some of that same peace as he slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
Din focused on Grogu’s little sounds from the back seat instead of his own racing thoughts.
The drive to Luke’s apartment was short. Luke lived only a few streets away, even closer to the school than Din did. When Din pulled up to the apartment complex, he was already waiting outside.
Din checked on Grogu one last time through the rearview mirror before forcing what he hoped was a natural smile as Luke opened the passenger door.
“Hello,” Luke said as he fastened his seatbelt. “Thanks for picking me up. That was very kind of you.”
“No problem,” Din replied, trying to sound casual. “I live just a few streets away. I’m often in this area.” He hesitated before adding, “And… thank you for accepting the invitation.”
Luke smiled easily. “Oh, of course. How could I say no?”
That smile again. Din wondered, for the hundredth time, if it meant anything. He shook the thought away and started driving.
A small noise from the back seat caught Luke’s attention. He turned slightly, and his smile immediately widened.
“Oh. You brought Grogu.” He shifted in his seat to see the child better. “Hello there, little one. I didn’t realize you were here.”
Din kept his eyes on the road, though he glanced briefly into the rearview mirror to catch sight of Luke smiling at Grogu. A quiet breath escaped him. ‘At least having a son doesn’t seem to bother him.’
“Sorry I didn’t mention it sooner,” Din said. “His babysitter couldn’t make it tonight.”
“It’s no trouble at all,” Luke said warmly, settling back into his seat. “Grogu and I are already friends. If you ever need help watching him, you can count on me.”
“Thanks. Though I imagine you need a break from children once you’re home.”
Luke laughed softly. “That’s fair. It does get exhausting sometimes. But I’m used to it. I’ve been teaching early childhood education for about four years now.”
“Wow.” Din shook his head slightly. “You must really love your job not to have gone insane by now. Looking after kids can drive anyone crazy.”
Luke laughed again, brighter this time. “I won’t deny there are difficult days.” Then, after a pause, he asked, “Is Grogu your only child?”
“Yeah. It’s been just over a year since we became a family… He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Luke hummed thoughtfully and gave a small nod. The implication settled quickly in his mind. Din had never explicitly said that he had adopted Grogu, but Luke understood. And somehow, that knowledge only made him admire the man more.
“The bond you two have is beautiful,” Luke said. “I noticed that a long time ago.” He glanced back toward Grogu. “Oh, by the way… did you make his hat? It’s adorable.”
A quiet laugh escaped Din. “Yeah. I used to crochet.”
“Really?” Luke sounded genuinely delighted. “Well, that’s a shame if you stopped. You should pick it up again. Did you make the scarves he wears to school too?”
He was surprised by how easy it was to talk to Luke. He had already known Luke was kind, but this was something beyond that. Din couldn’t remember the last time someone had made him smile this naturally.
When they arrived at the restaurant, Din parked and shut off the engine. For a brief, absurd moment, he wondered if he should hurry around to open Luke’s door for him. The thought was so painfully formal and awkward that he abandoned it immediately and climbed out of the car.
The first thing he did was lift Grogu from his car seat. With his son on one arm, he approached Luke.
Luke was smiling and Din’s thoughts immediately spiraled. ‘Should I compliment him?’
“You… look good,” he managed. He tried to smile naturally, though he was fairly certain his anxiety made it look strained. The truth was, Luke looked beautiful.
“Thank you,” Luke said, his smile softening. “You do too.”
Din felt heat rush to his face. Luke either didn’t notice or graciously chose not to mention it.
Instead, Luke laughed as Grogu suddenly reached up and grabbed a fistful of Din’s hair. Din nearly died of embarrassment. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it might actually kill him. He had no idea whether he was doing well or ruining everything before the date had even properly begun.
Still, when they sat across from one another inside the restaurant, with Grogu secured beside them in his high chair, quietly chewing on his little green hat while observing the room, Din allowed himself a tiny bit of hope. Maybe this was going better than he thought. Who knows?
For a while, Grogu remained suspiciously quiet, absentmindedly chewing on the edge of his hat while glancing around the restaurant. Din was beginning to think they might actually get through dinner without incident.
“You mentioned you’ve worked in childcare for four years now,” Din said, trying to keep the conversation flowing. “Was there any particular reason you chose that field?”
Luke rested one finger against the rim of his glass, idly tracing its edge as he thought.
“I’m not sure how to explain it,” he started “I like the feeling that I’m helping, that I’m teaching something meaningful. Working with children is different from working with adults. With kids, you’re helping shape the way they understand the world while they’re still learning how to make sense of it.”
Din considered that for a moment. “That’s… very admirable.” His eyes drifted briefly toward Grogu, who seemed oddly attentive to their voices. Then he looked back at Luke. “I think I understand what you mean. I feel something similar. That’s one of the reasons I decided to adopt him.”
Luke met his gaze. The smile that spread across his face was warm and sincere, followed by a breath of quiet laughter as he lowered his eyes to his glass again.
“You’re a good dad,” he said softly. “I noticed that a long time ago. The way you’re devoted to him.”
The words struck Din harder than he expected. He couldn’t remember anyone ever saying that to him before and somehow, hearing it from Luke made it more meaningful.
“Thanks,” he said after a moment. “I’m doing my best.” He hesitated, then admitted, “I want to give him the kind of family I never had.”
Luke’s expression shifted slightly to something softer. “I can relate to that. I never knew my parents either,” Luke said. “My aunt and uncle raised me for a while. Later, I went to live with my sister.”
“You live with your sister?”
Luke smiled faintly. “Oh, no. Not anymore. Leia got married years ago and moved in with her husband.”
“It gets lonely, living by yourself.”
The words slipped out before he could stop them, and with them came the memory of his own apartment before Grogu had filled it with life. It felt like remembering another lifetime.
Luke gave a small shrug. “Sometimes. Though after spending all day with children, the quiet can be nice.”
Din laughed softly. “I imagine headaches are a daily issue.”
“You’re not entirely wrong.” Luke laughed too.
Then Din asked, almost before he could think better of it: “Have you ever thought about having a family of your own?”
Luke didn’t quite expect this question. Then his expression turned thoughtful. “I don’t think I ever seriously stopped to consider it,” he admitted. “But now that you mention it…” His eyes shifted to Grogu, then slowly back to Din. His gaze lingered long enough for Din’s pulse to jump. “…maybe someday, yes.”
Before Din could reply, their food arrived. He thanked the waiter and placed Grogu’s plate in front of him, carefully arranged in small pieces. The child immediately grabbed a handful of vegetables with intense concentration.
Luke smiled. “He doesn’t seem to have any trouble with vegetables. Most kids reject broccoli for some reason.”
“I’ve worked hard to get him used to variety. Though don’t let this fool you. There are nights when he throws food across the room like he’s trying to start a war.”
Luke laughed. “He’s never done that at school, at least not in front of me. Maybe he just saves the performance for you.”
“When Grogu is with me, he always ends up rejecting some kind of food. Maybe you’re the miracle here.” Din smiled despite himself. Then, before thinking too hard about it, he added teasingly: “Are you free every evening around seven? I might need your help.”
“I’ll have to check my schedule.” Luke plays along and pretends to think. “But I think I could make an exception for you.”
Then Luke asked, “You mentioned you only live a few streets away. What do you do for work?”
Din shrugged. “Nothing particularly exciting. I’ve been with the same company for a few years. Operations Manager.”
Luke raised his brows. “You say that like it isn’t impressive.”
Din smiled awkwardly. “I studied Business Administration. It pays the bills.”
“That’s still respectable,” Luke said. “You should give yourself more credit.”
Din looked down, suddenly embarrassed by the sincerity in Luke’s tone. “Thanks.” He took a slow breath. “I’m grateful for the job. But working with people can be exhausting.”
Luke’s smile softened. “No one said it was easy. He then added, more gently: “If you ever need someone to talk to, you can always come to me. I’m not a therapist, but sometimes it helps just to have someone willing to listen.”
Din was quiet for a moment. The offer felt somehow intimate. He had friends, yes, but he rarely opened up to anyone besides his therapist, and even then he often held things back. Something about Luke made honesty feel less frightening.
“Thank you.” Then, before he could stop himself, he added: “You’re kinder than I expected.”
Luke lifted a brow, amused. “Oh? So you expected me to be unkind?”
Din froze and felt a heat immediately climbing his face. He just hopes it is not noticeable.
“That’s not what I meant.”
Luke was smiling, clearly entertained rather than offended. Din let out an awkward laugh and tried to play it cool.
“I mean… I already knew you were kind. I’ve seen that plenty of times.” He swallowed dryly. “But getting to know you properly made me realize you’ve exceeded my expectations.” He then quickly added: “Which were already good.”
Luke laughed softly. “That’s very nice to hear… And I’m glad you invited me out. I’ve discovered a new side of you too.” A short pause. “One I happen to like quite a lot.”
Din looked down immediately, incapable of holding eye contact. He had never thought of himself as shy before tonight. Yet here he was, unable to look into Luke’s eyes for more than a few seconds without feeling his face burn.
“I doubt I make a very good first impression,” he admitted, trying for humor.
“You’ve never gone unnoticed by me.” Luke replied. “It was a surprise realizing you’d noticed me too. Enough to ask me out.”
“Honestly? I’ve been trying to work up the courage for months.” He laughed weakly at his own stupidity. “I thought you’d reject me the second you found out I have a child. People usually get hesitant after that.”
Luke’s expression softened immediately. “That sounds rough. “But it’s not a problem for me.” He continued after a short pause, “Actually… it’s very far from being one. Nothing that would stop me from…”
He faltered, suddenly aware of what he was about to admit but it was too late to take it back.
Din’s breath caught and not just because Luke sounded sympathetic. But because he sounded interested and that realization sent Din’s thoughts into complete disarray.
He had spent this entire evening quietly measuring every glance, every smile, every word, trying to calculate whether this was going well. And now, somehow, impossibly, it seemed like it actually was. If Luke liked him even half as much as Din liked him, then maybe this was real. Maybe this wasn’t just wishful thinking.
They were interrupted by Grogu’s sudden disapproval mumble. Looks like he just tasted something he didn’t like. The child have been behaving too well to be true and Din haven’t been worried about him, since Grogu was calmy eating on his own. Din already knows what’s the issue: it’s getting late and his son is getting tired and it’s expected for him to make a fuss at any moment.
“What’s wrong, Grogu?” asked Din as he grabbed his son’s hat, which he had dropped on the floor on purpose during his act. He put it inside his jacket pocket. “You’re getting sleepy, is that it?”
“Didn’t he take any naps today?” Luke took a napkin and started cleaning the child’s mouth.
“He did, but not for long enough…” Din stood up from his seat and took Grogu in his arms as he started crying. He tried to calm him down, but with no success. The child’s cries were loud enough to draw attention. “Sorry about this, but do you mind taking him outside to calm him down? I’ll pay the bill and join you both soon.”
“Of course, I don’t mind at all,” said the other man as he took Grogu from Din’s arms. “But I would rather pay my part. There’s no need for you to pay for me.”
“We can settle that later, don’t worry.”
With a smile and a nod, Luke took the still-crying child outside, back to the parking lot. Din joined them not long after and was surprised to see how quickly Luke had managed to calm Grogu down.
“That was faster than I expected.”
“Once you’re back home, just put him to sleep and everything will be solved,” Luke replied with a small smile.
“Thanks for your help, really.”
Din had thanked him too many times today. He didn’t want to make Luke feel obligated to help him with his son, but somehow Luke had ended up helping more than he even should. Din couldn’t help feeling a little guilty, though he couldn’t quite figure out why.
“It’s alright. I don’t mind helping at all.” Luke’s reply made it sound like he had somehow read Din’s thoughts. He then added: “Oh, and about the bill…”
“Don’t worry about it. I paid your part. It’s only fair, especially since I’m the one who accepted your invitation.”
“That’s not exactly a rule. Well… thank you, Din.”
“I can take you back home. It’s getting late.”
“Oh, so you don’t drive?”
“No, not at all.” Luke was watching the dark street ahead as Din drove him back home. “I don’t really know why I never tried getting my license. Now I feel like I’m too old to start.”
“That’s not true. If you want to give it a chance, then you should.” Din paused before adding, “I could help you, if you’d like. I could teach you a few things.”
“Really?” Luke turned to him with clear surprise. “That would be great. I might just take some lessons with you, then.”
Din let out a weak laugh. “Then it’s settled. In return, maybe you could teach me your trick for getting Grogu to fall asleep so peacefully and so quickly.”
“I don’t usually share my secret techniques, but I could reconsider.” The other man played along. “Oh, crochet lessons would also be nice, if you’re willing. That could be our next date.”
Next date? Din had to stop his smile from growing too obvious.
It was almost funny, the similarities between them. He was glad Luke also seemed to prefer calm and casual dates over parties or nightclubs. Din hated those.
It was a shame how short the drive was before they arrived back in front of Luke’s apartment. The date had come to an end, but of course Din would spend the rest of the week thinking about it, replaying every moment in his mind and building expectations for the next one.
“It was all very pleasant. I hope to see you again soon, not only at school meetings. I’ll be looking forward to going out with you again,” Luke said as the car stopped.
“Of course… let’s arrange another day to meet up. Have a good night…”
Din ran out of words. What exactly was he supposed to say in a moment like this? But he didn’t need to say anything at all.
“You too.” Luke leaned in just enough to place a quick but gentle kiss on his cheek. “See you.”
Then he opened the door and stepped out without saying anything else.
Din felt like an idiot for becoming so emotional over a gesture that most people would probably consider small. A kiss on the cheek shouldn’t be that significant. He assumed people his age shouldn’t get embarrassed over something so little, but for him, it was still new.
It felt like experiencing the kind of teenage love he had never gotten to have. It almost seemed silly, but to him, it was already more than enough to make him realize that he was truly in love. He couldn’t wait to see him again.
If you’ve read this far, thank you soo much! One little reminder for those who haven’t visited my account yet: English is not my first language, so I apologize for any mistakes.
If you enjoy this ship as much as I do, I invite you to come check my account. I’ve been writing a DinLuke fanfiction called “Whenever you go”, so if you’re interested, feel free to pass by! :)
— I found all the pictures I used for the banner on Pinterest. The coffe picture belongs to @ ordinary_busan on instagram. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the owner of the drawing one. The man in the banner picture is Pedro Pascal, cuz when I think of Din without his helmet, his face always comes to mind (for obvious reasons)
I still haven’t found who was the user who originally came up with the idea of this AU. If you find out, please tell me. Thanks!
