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Chapter 6 and Epilogue
Nobody had ever just been present like this with him.
And, Din realized, never before had he wanted anyone to be.
Bo was starting to feel like a part of him - like he wouldn't be entirely whole without her. Maybe that's what love and marriage was supposed to feel like. Maybe he was capable of it after all.
Summary: Tragedy strikes, and Din comes to an understanding.
Note: RIP Carl Weathers.
As a reminder for those who follow my writing for ace and aro representation - Din is allosexual and demiromantic in this story.
Warnings: Referenced character death, mourning, sexual content.
Read on AO3
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Bo couldn't help the stab of concern that pierced her gut as the gauntlet passed over the main center of Nevarro.
The streets were empty - a far cry from the bustle of Karga's new marketplace, and in place of the colorful curtains that graced most of its windows and stalls were black sheets.
This appeared to be a town in mourning.
Panic was rising in her chest. What was happening here?
It had been more than twenty-four standard hours since she'd last heard from Din. He'd promised to call her as soon as he made landfall and got Grogu settled.
But the call never came… neither had he responded to her check-ins… nor had Greef to her inquiry on Din's whereabouts.
And that was exactly why she was here right now. Apparently she'd been right to worry.
Nothing at the cabin looked particularly out of place. The N1 was parked out front like always, evidence that Din and Grogu had certainly made it here.
But none of Grogu's toys graced the deck or side yard, and the curtains were drawn closed, no lights on inside to illuminate the gaps despite the setting sun.
It was like it wasn't actually being lived in.
Worrisome.
She approached the door with her blaster ready, just in case. There was no evidence of forced entry, and the latch was securely locked.
After using her key to unlock it, she swung open the door in a single wide swing with her blaster raised…
Only to be met with the muzzle of another's blaster in her own face…
And on the other end of it, her armored riduur.
"Bo…" he addressed her, voice rough through the vocoder. It was unusual that he would be wearing the helmet inside his own home, and it almost sounded like he'd been crying.
Before she had a chance to say a single word about it, Din was dropping his blaster and pulling her into a tight hug.
She fumbled with getting her weapon back into its holster but hugged him back firmly, relieved to find him alive and well yet concerned about his emotional state.
"Where's Grogu, Din? Is he alright?" she asked with some urgency, only her adopted child unaccounted for at this point.
He nodded into her neck.
"Asleep."
Her family was safe, and that was most important. But clearly something was wrong.
She pulled back to look at him, placing her hands on each side of his helmet, and gave him a moment to refuse before gently lifting it off his head.
The handsome face she'd come to love so much looked sullen and pale, like he'd not been eating and drinking properly, and his eyes were rimmed with red, suggesting he had, in fact, been crying. This was so unlike him.
Bo put a comforting hand to his cheek, brushing her fingers over his slightly grown out and unruly beard.
"What's wrong, Din? What's going on here?"
He swallowed thickly and looked down before responding, struggling to get the words out.
"Greef is dead," he finally rasped, voice breaking. "And I wasn't here to stop it…"
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Despite her own grief at the loss of their friend, Bo remained focused on her husband's struggle.
Greef had been murdered.
And Din felt responsible - unaware of the threat his old friend was facing while he was off on a New Republic mission on the other side of the galaxy.
"Din…" Bo implored, running her fingers through his curls where his head rested on her lap - the position she'd coaxed him into after forcing him to have something to eat and drink. "You can't be everywhere and protect everyone… and Greef would never blame you for this."
"Rationally, I know that…" he replied, unable to hold back a yawn in his exhausted state. "It's just… if I'd only come a few days earlier…"
This man really did carry the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders, didn't he?
She smoothed out the lines his forehead, hoping to sooth him into the sleep he so desperately needed at the moment.
"This guilt will eat you alive, sweetheart," Bo responded, not even realizing she'd used a term of endearment for the first time. "You need to grieve… but you have to stop blaming yourself. No amount of self-deprecation is going to bring him back."
Din nodded and wiped a few unshed tears from his eyes. It helped to hear the truth spoken by someone he trusted so implicitly. Bo wasn't the type to offer false reassurance.
"Tell me about him," she started again, pulling her legs out from under his head and laying herself down by his side. "How did you meet?"
That pulled a genuine smile, the first she'd seen on him since her arrival.
"We weren't friends at the beginning," he huffed out a small laugh. "We were rival bounty hunters…"
He spent the rest of the night just telling her about the varied nature of that relationship over the years - competition turned to respect… one-time enemies turned to allies and finally to real friends…
It helped.
And for the first time since this marriage turned physically intimate, sex never even came to mind. This kind of emotional intimacy was so much more satisfying than Din could have ever imagined.
Even when they woke the next morning and decided to shower together, it remained chaste, Bo encouraging him to relax and just let her wash the layers of dust and sweat from his skin and pulling him into a comforting embrace when she was done.
Nobody had ever just been present like this with him.
And, Din realized, never before had he wanted anyone to be.
Bo was starting to feel like a part of him - like he wouldn't be entirely whole without her. Maybe that's what love and marriage was supposed to feel like. Maybe he was capable of it after all.
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A rap at the front door interrupted first meal that morning, and Bo got up to answer as Din had not yet donned his helmet and armor.
Two older women stood at the doorstep, startled but seemingly pleased to see her. Bo had no idea if the townspeople were even aware that she and Din were married, but her unarmored presence in his home was likely a dead giveaway.
"Oh," one exclaimed in surprise. "Lady Kryze… "
"Good morning, ladies," Bo addressed them with a respectful nod. "How can I help you?"
"Well," the other started, glancing sideways at her companion. "We were hoping to speak with Din, but maybe you could pass on a message? You might be more convincing, anyway."
Bo smiled and raised an eyebrow. What were they up to?
"Yes, of course," she replied evenly. "I can do that."
The two then looked at each other briefly before launching into an obviously pre-rehearsed speech. Maker, was Din so off-putting that people prepared notes just to speak with him?
"We're having a memorial ceremony tonight for Greef Karga… the whole town," the first woman announced. "We would love for Din to be there."
"We know he prefers to keep to himself," the other cut in. "But he knew Greef better than anyone - the closest friend he had…"
Bo allowed them to go on without interruption and hoped Din could hear all of this from the other room. These people cared for him, too. They wanted him there - and nobody felt him responsible for Greef's death.
"Ladies," Bo replied earnestly as they finished, resting a hand on each of their shoulders. "I will do my absolute best to get him there. I promise."
Din appeared in the entryway as soon as the door closed, looking slightly alarmed.
"I don't know, Bo…" he stammered, shaking his head. "That's a lot…"
She approached, laying a comforting hand over his sternum.
"It might be…" she agreed, voice soft. "But it might be exactly what you need. Let's just go for one hour… and then if it's too much, we'll leave."
He still didn't look convinced, expression wavering.
"Grogu and I will be there with you the whole time," she added. "And I swear that I will not leave your side for even a second."
Finally, she got a subtle nod.
"Okay. I'll try."
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Din walked into town with Bo's hand in a death grip, clinging to her like a lifeline.
But it noticeably loosened as they approached the town center.
Because this wasn't a somber occasion.
The town was alive with activity. Children were playing in the street, soon joined by Grogu who hopped off happily, while vendors gave away treats and trinkets from their booths in memory of their beloved caretaker - the man who had envisioned this bustling scene for his once dilapidated town and built the infrastructure to make it happen.
Greef would have loved this - it was everything he ever wanted for his people.
Many stopped to shake Din's hand, expressing genuine happiness at seeing him there… relaying that they'd like to see him around more often, enjoying the fruits of his own labor.
Din had played his own part in the rebuilding of Nevarro and remained one of its fiercest protectors - these people appreciated him very much for it.
A few brave souls, mostly female elders who no longer cared for polite inhibition, even asked about the nature of Din and Bo's relationship. They were ecstatic to hear that their lonely Mandalorian had finally found companionship.
"We worry about you," one particularly touchy, elderly woman told him, lightly gripping his forearm and winking at Bo. "I'm glad you found a strong match."
Din had no idea the people here cared about the company he kept - or lack thereof. For the very first time, it occurred to him that perhaps he was a member of this community, too - not just a frequent visitor.
Bo had been right. This was exactly what he needed.
Manda bless her. He couldn't imagine a better partner in this life.
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Din was very quiet as they prepared for bed that night, and Bo wasn't sure if that was a positive sign that his mind had settled or instead one that he was still brooding over self-blame.
Mostly, he just looked pensive - like he was mulling something over.
That was alright. He would tell her what was on his mind when he was ready.
Din broke his silence from his seat on the edge of the bed as she stood with her back to him, taking off her armor and placing it on the dresser.
"Thank you for today, Bo," he said sincerely. "And last night… I wouldn't have wanted to do this without you."
She smiled to herself before turning to face him, bending down to brush her lips briefly against his.
"Of course, Din. I know you would do the same for me."
He grabbed her hand then to keep in her place as she moved to head toward the bathroom to finish getting ready. She looked back at him expectantly with a questioning look in her eyes.
"I know…" he faltered slightly, unused to sharing serious sentiments, but Bo was patient. "I know we entered this marriage for political reasons… but it's very real to me…"
Din's raw honesty was so unexpected that she didn't even know what to say. It was very real to her, too, but she'd assumed that feeling was one-sided.
She hoped he didn't take her silence for disagreement.
Clearly, he did not, because he continued with the words she'd longed to hear for ages now, gaze locked on hers.
"I love you, Bo-Katan."
It flowed off his tongue so easily, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"… and I don't want to risk another day without you knowing that."
Bo's heart pounded with both anticipation and joy as she straddled his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, while his hands came to rest on her hips.
Din took this position as a good sign, a soft smile growing on his face.
"I love you, too," she said adoringly, brushing his lips again - the first truly romantic kiss of his life. "Very much."
He kissed her this time, and it felt so different than any they'd shared before. It wasn't just a physical, sensual thing. It carried an emotional weight that he'd never experienced in any of their previous intimacy.
Din experienced 'making love' that night, too - sex that wasn't really about any physical need or satisfaction. It was just about sharing space with the woman he loved so dearly, pouring his affection for her into every touch, every thrust, every kiss… not just chasing a physical release.
And he'd never in his life felt so content.
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Epilogue:
A few month later…
"Lady Kryze…" the voice of Mandalore's new up and running spaceport supervisor crackled through the comm. "The package has arrived… or should I say packages…"
"Copy," Bo chirped cheerily into her wrist. "Thank you, captain. I'll be there in five minutes."
Din and Grogu had been gone a full six weeks - the longest mission since they married just over a year ago now, and Bo had missed them terribly.
She speed-walked as fast as she could to the N1's dedicated docking bay. Running would have been preferable… but that wasn't exactly becoming of the Mand'alor, now was it? The armorer insisted on upholding the propriety of her position.
Koska had beaten her there, apparently, standing beside the N1 with Grogu trilling in her arms.
His eyes lit up as soon as he laid eyes on Bo, and he immediately force jumped in her direction, latching himself to her neck.
"Grogu, my love," she gushed, kissing him atop his fuzzy head. "I missed you so much, ad'ika. I can't wait to hear all about your adventures."
"Perhaps it could wait a few hours, huh?" Koska cut in, scratching behind one of his long ears. "Ragnar has a surprise for him down at the training grounds…"
That piqued Grogu's interest - he loved training with Ragnar and missed the fellow young apprentice sorely. He looked up at Bo in silent question, eyes imploring her to let him go.
She laughed, knowing well the whole thing was a ruse on Koska's part to give her some time alone with Din.
"Go ahead, Grogu. Have fun."
She mouthed an emphatic 'thank you' in her old friend's direction as she moved further into the bay, seeking out her riduur.
She found him near the back, clearing out the few items Grogu had accumulated on their travels from the jump seat and packing them into his belt.
He hadn't noticed her yet, so she just watched him for a moment.
Gods, she loved him so much.
Finally, he turned his head, catching sight of her. He looked around, ensuring they had privacy, before pulling off his helmet and walking purposefully in her direction.
Handsome as ever, his beard had grown out quite a bit, accentuating the gray patches that she found so regal-looking on him, and his smile was wide and genuine as he looked at her with tender affection.
Before a word was even spoken, he scooped her up into a crushing hug.
"Maker, I missed you, Bo."
She pulled back to look at him, smiling brilliantly as she brushed a lock of hair of his forehead.
"I missed you, too, Din."
He looked lovingly into her eyes for a moment, before a sly grin formed on his face and her back hit the wall, caged in on all sides by his body.
"I missed this, too," he smirked, running a gloved finger suggestively down her neck to the opening of her flight suit.
"You're terrible," she giggled, lightly slapping his chest plate. "We're in public, Din."
"One kiss?"
Well, nobody could see them, anyway. Right?
"Just one," she replied, putting on a suggestive expression of her own.
"Well, then," he rasped, lips just a hair's breadth away from hers. "Let's make it count."
Despite the innuendo and desirous words, their mouths met softly, moving together gently. They'd waited a long time for this, and they were going to savor it. There was no need to rush.
Later, they'd have all night.
Din gave her one more chaste kiss before pulling away and sliding the helmet back over his head.
He held out his hand, no longer self-conscious having their bond on public display, and she took it with a knowing smile.
"Let's grab our son and go home, yeah?" he asked.
"Home," she repeated, suddenly realizing that Din, the galactic traveler who lived everywhere and nowhere all at once, considered her his home. "Yes, love. Let's go home."
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THE END
