It was rare that Din would spend any amount of time in a state of undress, even alone with you at home, but here he was without the sleep shirt he'd worn to bed last night, his favorite gray sweatpants hanging low at his waist.
What a sight.
Summary: Din's life has changed quite a bit in the last few years, and he worries that Grogu will view him differently.
Notes: Inspired by this fantastic artwork by @soph-illustrates on Tumblr.
This is loosely based in my A Marriage of Convenience universe but can be read standalone. This storyline happens several years after the end of season 2 where Grogu goes off with Luke, and imagine that TBOBF and season 3 simply never happened (and this is because I wrote this version of Din in 2022…). Basically, a lonely and depressed Din teams up with a fellow bounty hunter who eventually becomes a life partner. This is written in her voice. They've settled down now in Nevarro and traded in bounty hunting for safer work as they age.
Warnings: Shirtless Din gets it own warning - Cyar'ika is very self-indulgent… or maybe that's just me :-) Written quickly and with no editing in a race against the clock before my kids get home from school.
Read on AO3
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Today was going to be a good day.
You couldn't hold back a smile even as you struggled to shake off the sleep inertia. This occasion had been a long time coming - so much so that you'd once feared it would never happen.
Damn the jedi and their rules.
The space next to you was apparently long empty, sheets cool to the touch, evidence that Din had risen particularly early - probably too excited to sleep.
You stretched out your limbs one last time before pushing back the covers and crawling out of bed. The fresher was calling your name rather imminently, but checking on your anxious husband should come first.
Rounding the corner from your bedroom, you stumbled upon him in the kitchen - staring blankly at the floor with a mug of caf in his hand.
He didn't seem to register your presence, his back slightly turned, and you took a moment to observe.
It was rare that Din would spend any amount of time in a state of undress, even alone with you at home, but here he was without the sleep shirt he'd worn to bed last night, his favorite gray sweatpants hanging low at his waist.
What a sight.
His beard had grown out a bit in the last few weeks, gray filling in a bit more with each passing year - a perfect complement to his handsome face.
Age and easier living had done little to diminish his solid and muscular frame, and faded scars traversed his torso. The secret-to-everyone-but-you mythosaur tattoo obtained in his youth stood proud against his tan skin.
Even that alluring trail of dark hair on his lower abdomen was visible like this, disappearing enticingly under the waist of his sleep pants.
You were probably the only person who had ever been allowed to know these parts of him - and it was somehow even more satisfying to see it all in this entirely unguarded state.
You'd always found it ironic that a man who spent most of his life covered head to toe in metal could be so kriffing attractive… or maybe it was just because you loved him so much that just being blessed to see it was beautiful in itself…
Regardless, you loved all of it.
He flinched slightly in surprise when you suddenly pressed into his back, hugging him from behind, but he relaxed immediately, bringing his unoccupied hand to rest over yours on his abdomen.
"Lost your shirt, riduur?"
He huffed, amused that this was your first line of conversation.
"This is my second cup of caf," he replied, lifting it to his mouth to take a sip. "The first is all over my shirt. I was… distracted…"
"Hmmm…" you murmured into his back, placing a light kiss there before turning to face him, arms wrapping around his neck as he put his mug on the counter and his hands found your waist.
"Are you nervous about Grogu coming today?" you asked, taking a guess at the source of his distraction. "You had trouble sleeping."
You did always hit the nail on the head, didn't you? Din was never sure how you always understood his inner state before he'd even said a word. He was not gifted in this way.
He didn't answer out loud, a small stereotypical tilt of his head confirming that this was in fact the case without having to reveal anything more.
And as usual, you were having none of that.
"Talk to me, Din."
He sighed, dipping his chin in resignation. You were not going to let it go… and honestly, it did always help to share his burdens with you.
"I just…" he started, shrugging his shoulders before gesturing to his minimally clothed form. "I live a very different life now than I did with him…"
It was true. He didn't wear the armor as often anymore, and you'd traded in hyperspace for a stable home on solid ground - the risky life of galactic bounty hunting and running missions for the gentler work of policing Nevarro.
But you were certain Grogu didn't care about that.
"Do you actually feel that Grogu would judge you?" you asked, dropping your hands to run up and down his arms in a soothing manner, stopping pointedly over the inked mythosaur. "You are still his big, strong Mandalorian dad - the one who was willing to go up against the entire galaxy to keep him safe… and who would do it again in a heartbeat."
Din didn't appear totally convinced, but he did nod in agreement with your final statement.
Well, you were an insightful person, and you'd spent those rare visits to Luke's school observing your husband and his son together. It was time to put those insights to good use.
"I don't know Grogu as well as you do, but what I do know?" you started more forcefully, determined to make him understand. "He smiles when you smile. He cares that you're happy. He cares that you're safe. His little shoulders drop in relief the moment he sees you alive and well…. He doesn't care about…"
You stopped and pulled away for a moment, gesturing to your surroundings.
"…all of this…"
Din stared back at you, still uncertain despite knowing that you were… generally always right these thimgs.
"You really think so?"
The words came out softly… almost small - a contradiction to his typically stoic demeanor.
"I would say…" you began, moving close again and pulling his forehead down to meet yours. "I know so."
Finally, he nodded against you.
"Okay."
You smiled, peering up at him.
"Just like that?"
"Yeah, just like that," he chuckled, dipping down to peck your lips. "You're very convincing."
"Alright then," you responded lightly, pulling away and turning to rummage through the cabinets as he looked on quizzically. "Let's really nail the point home… Ah, found it!"
You turned back to him triumphantly, and he couldn't help but laugh.
It was the mug you'd helped Grogu fashion on one of your recent visits, '#1 Dad' roughly etched into the side in Aurebesh lettering.
A name day gift from his son, who'd been exceedingly proud to bestow it upon him.
You really did always know, huh?
He watched as you poured a third fresh cup of caf from the stove into the gifted mug and held it out to him, shaking his head in wonder at his luck in securing you as a partner in this life.
"Now go find a clean shirt because I know you're uncomfortable," you ordered with a knowing grin. "And then I want you to drink that and remember who you are to him."
Oh my God! Now I'm actually feeling emotional 🥹
I never thought that someone would be so inspired by my drawing to write a story to it, and now here we are.
First of all, I would like to say thank you for taking the time and your creativity to put one drawing, one moment frozen in time, into words! 💜 This means a lot to me.
And the story itself is just amazing! I was excited to see how you would interpret the art into a drabble, and you didn't fail to amaze me.
This peaceful moment between Din and the reader is everything. How nervous Din feels, how anxious he is about wheter Grogu would accept his current lifestyle after returning or no, the way the reader tries to calm him down.
I love the way you put every small detail that was on the drawing in this story too. The scars, the tattoo, the greys in his beard, his happy trail, and of course, the mug. I loved the little story behind it, and how Din got it.
I'd like to say thank you again! 💜 For sharing your thoughts and your words, this little story, for even just taking the time to let your ideas wander just by looking at the drawing. Thank you, and sending you lots of hugs! 💜🥹
