The Dinluke soulmate AU where whatever you write on your skin shows up on your soulmate’s skin?
But Din is in his armor 99.999999999% of the time so there’s a significant delay before he can see what his soulmate’s written to him this time.
Luke was so :((((((((((((((((((((((((((( the first time he tried writing to his soulmate because it took so long to get a response.
Thought maybe his soulmate didn’t want him, or was dead, and just. It was a lot at the time, this dumb kid on a backwater desert planet and anyway. He got a response, and it takes his soulmate a long time to respond to whatever nonsense Luke scribbles on his arm, but he almost always does.
Also, though, also. Luke being an utter sap after he meets Din and writing i <3 u or something similar on his cheek because Din and his helmet, right? Din feels the message appear and is like !!! because it could be random nonsense from Luke to annoy him? Or it’ll be something that gives him the warm fuzzies, but either way he won’t know until he gets somewhere safe to take his helmet off and look and some part of his mind will be thinking about it until then, so it’s like.
The worst, really. >:(
(And! The soulmate AU where you get your soulmate’s scars and Luke doesn’t have many - when he does they’re something that should have killed his soulmate, which is always fun - and Din is just.
Concerned.
Because Luke, and that time the claw marks showed up out of nowhere, and then there’s the scar on his right wrist, and the countless other ones that show up over the years and what is his soulmate even doing to get them, fighting in an intergalactic war, haha - oh, no.
But the best part is he doesn’t realize the Jedi is his soulmate until they’re on a Space Adventure and Luke picks up what’s sure to be his latest in a long line of scars once it heals and Din looks at the new scar he just picked up and is like, oh, no, it’s this idiot, because of course it is.)
Baby!Luke born with those Words on his skin and the Adults like “...” because talk about awkward, what with their plans to keep him secret, keep him safe on Tatooine and hiding his heritage and such?
But also Din.
Like.
What does that even mean???
I mean, yes. Obvious Delicious Angst for both of them because what with the Adults do to keep Luke safe, what lengths or acts of desperation because he cannot know until it’s convenient for them.
And then Din who has something like that on his skin, something he’s probably heard a few times, because reasons and he’s like “...” because he’s Din and maybe he honestly doesn’t care because he has the covert to think of, but sometimes when he’s had a really terrible, no-good day he just.
Sits there.
Probably got knocked around in a fight and all tired and hurting and alone and so on, and he just. You know. Patching himself up and happens to see his Words or thinking and he’s like.
Those two little Words and what kind of person would be the one to say them to him - has he met them and just not known it? Will he ever meet them? Will it matter when he does?
And then he sighs and picks himself up and keeps moving forward because there’s the covert to think of and he’s been sitting around feeling sorry for himself long enough, and anyway.
But also.
The non-Delicious Angst of the Adults being “...kriffing hell,” because no way a kid of Anakin’s is going to buy whatever BS story they come up with, so it’s just a matter of time until things go to hell.
And Obi Wan is like *SIGH* because of course Anakin’s son would follow in his father’s footsteps in this way.
And that’s not to mention Leia because dear lord.
(Also, lolol, to Leia’s and Han’s first words okay? Just.
LEIA Looks like you managed to cut off our only escape route. HAN (sarcastically) Maybe you'd like it back in your cell, Your Highness.
(x)
Obi-Wan and Bail Organa being like “...” because they did not sign up for this level of bullshit, but considering current events and all...also, obvious which kid has to go with which Adult and just. Lololol.)
Anyway.
These kids and their Words and the way they’ve managed to throw away the whole Plan the Adults came up with to keep them safe before they even put it in motion.
And then shenanigans.
Because there’s no way Luke’s not not going to wonder what a Jedi is, and being Anakin’s kid he’s going to keep pushing for answers no matter what anyone tells him.
And then answers aren’t going to be enough and Obi-Wan is like this kid, and if he doesn’t teach Luke he knows the kid’s going to look for more answers himself, and it’s safer to just tell him the a truth, just, you know. From a certain point of view and all.
And then more shenanigans.
Meanwhile no way to keep Leia from being part of the Rebellion because her Words - you know she’d take it as a challenge, a dare.
(And/or just doing crimes because why not at this point???)
But also that no fucks to give about things mindset that fuels her Leia-ness in her work with the Rebellion because she knows she’s going to get caught one day, but oh, will she make it count before - until? - she does.
(Meanwhile, meanwhile, poor Han is like what the hell does this mean for him???
Thinks it’s to do with ~youthful indiscretions, or his military career, or who even knows after that - and it’s a good bet he’s heard someone say that or something close enough to it at least once before he runs into trouble on Tatooine that leads to the moon-sized space station, and anyway. What the hell, okay, what the hell.)
But, uh.
Yeah.
Everything thrown out the window because of Luke and Leia’s Words and the sheer shenanigans involved have me cackling like a moron over here.
Because Anakin’s kids being in the know (mostly) pretty much from the start and how that would affect things and just.
Maybe Luke and Leia don’t know who they are to one another, maybe they do.
Maybe Luke and Obi-Wan get Leia’s message via Artoo and go off on a rescue mission because they have to help her, Obi-Wan, you know they do!!1! and Obi-Wan being this kid, because Skywalkers, and anyway.
The best way off Tatooine where Luke’s been training as a Jedi for who knows how long is still an old light-freighter crewed by a pair of smugglers and the absolute worst luck/shoddy plans and so on, and anyway.
Things change but the people involved are still complete idiots where it counts and Leia’s “I can’t believe this idiot is my soulmate” and Han’s “I can’t believe this woman is my soulmate.”
(It’s meant to be an ugh no, thought? But c’mon, you know it’s more an oh no, she’s hot mixed with Han’s >:((((( because of course it is.)
Shenanigans and the whatnot and then poor Din on the the bridge of a light cruiser years and years later (or who even knows where by that point) with his tiny green gremlin kid and this guy in all this black and the boots and the best thing?
He probably doesn’t realize Luke’s his soulmate right away because he’s heard people say his Words before and nothing came of it, and also he’s had a long day, and just.
Din in general, you know?
Mr. Please Don’t Make Me The Protagonist Of My Own Show and all.
(And maybe Luke doesn’t realize Din’s his soulmate either, because he’s probably heard other people say his Words too, what with Jedi supposedly not existing anymore, and just. Luke in general, so.)
Leia and Han and everyone else off to the side like are you kriffing kidding me right now you absolute idiots as The Pining(TM) begins.
OR.
They instantly realize they’re soulmates and still somehow The Pining(TM) still happens while everyone else in their lives are like “...” because these absolute assholes. >:(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
That one AU where Jason’s not a Batkid, but Tim is and for *hand wavy reasons* they end up at the same high school/school of some kind, right?
And Jason’s just watching Tim and in all his Batkid glory attempting to keep his night job secret and being something of a human disaster in the process?
(Tim falling asleep in class, Tim coming to class with bruises and whatnot he tries to cover up. Tim missing class because of injuries/reasons. Tim giving the absolute worst excuses for all of the above and so on, and Jason being Worried(TM) because he likes the little shit, and also Tim is tiny, okay. Protective instincts activate.)
Meanwhile they get a new principal or fencing coach or something partway through the year and it’s mcfreaking Ra’s al Ghul.
Ra’s is there to fuck with Tim - and Bruce, but mostly Tim - for the hell of it, and Tim is like oh, you son of a bitch when he realizes Ra’s is there? But Ra’s’ paperwork is on the up and up, or at least enough so Bruce and whoever else can’t prove it isn’t and other *hand wavy* plot reasons means they can’t get rid of him through legal means, which just has Ra’s being more >:DDDDDDD about things and Tim plotting murder -
“Hypothetically, Bruce. Because of the thing where we don’t kill, remember? Hahaha.”
- Because the usual threats and whatnot don’t work on Ra’s to get him to fuck right on out of Gotham.
And Ra’s is like ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ might as well make Tim’s life miserable by being a complete bastard while his minions rebuild all the sekrit bases and and so on Tim razed to the ground in the latest go ‘round between the two of them.
(It’s the third time in as many years and as fun as it is matching wits with Tim and such, it’s also time-consuming and dare he say it, boring in the rebuilding phase? That and it’s just, idk, okay, hilarious.)
Shenanigans?
Ra’s calling Tim down during a fencing demonstration/class/whatever to help him demonstrate something. Tim glaring at him the whole time and everyone being like ??? because what is happening right now??? while the two of them trade not so veiled threats and the like?
Jason being all awkward about talking to Tim while having the Bad Touch talk to him in regards to the way Ra’s is a little too...Weird(TM) about Tim and Tim seriously not getting what Jason’s saying at first for maximum shenanigans?
(And when he does he’s like “...” because it’s really not like that, but also how can he explain the whole Tim is Robin and Ra’s is a bastard who wants to recruit him or whatever without actually telling him he’s Robin??? So it’s like. More shenanigans.)
And then some incident where Tim rescues damsel-in-distress!Jason and (literally) sweeps him off his feet in the process and it’s like.
Tim doing his best not to give himself away, but Jason’s not an idiot and how can he not recognize Tim’s voice, and then it’s just.
Jason yelling at Bruce because Tim is a kid - “Okay, wait, no, Jason - “ - seriously you asshole. Also, in case you haven’t noticed, Tim is also a human disaster - “Hey!”
Bruce just “...” at this kid yelling at Batman because Tim’s his ~friend and he’s not at all impressed with Batman and it’s kind of great?
(Dick and other assorted Bats and Birds and so on off to the side just watching all this happen sharing a bowl of popcorn because this is the best thing to happen ever, holy shit.)
Ra’s continues to shenanigate until the school year is over and Tim and Jason are both >:(((((((((((((((((((( at him, and then, idk, stuff?
Something, I ran out of steam because mostly it’s about Ra’s messing with Tim for the hell of it and Tim being all >:((((((((((((((( at him because they can’t get rid of him and it’s all in the name of shenanigans???
Din becoming more comfortable with droids and Luke being “Hey, sorry to bother you, but could you watch Artoo for me for a bit?”
Because Reasons, mostly being Luke’s (completely valid) concerns of Artoo just absolutely destroying some *hand wavy* whatever Luke has to go on a mission for or whatever before Luke gets a foot in the door?
So, like.
Din giving Artoo the old side-eye while Artoo gives him the old side-eye and then buddy cop movie-style shenanigans and such to rescue Luke when things go a little sideways on him.
Luke (mostly) rescuing himself to find Din and Artoo bickering about the best way to break Luke out of whatever situation he’s gotten himself into this time and this fond smile on his face because, aww, look, they made friends with one another! :D
Afterwards Luke catches Artoo and Din who are like, idk, space penpals because you know making sure Luke doesn’t get himself killed is more than a one-droid job, and he’d be more offended, but they do have a point, and anyway. It’s kind of adorable, really.
Meanwhile, Grogu’s off to the side keeping in contact with Leia as his space penpal because they’re the ones making sure the other three stay - mostly - in one piece because they’re idiots who shouldn’t be allowed out without supervision and honestly, they’re lucky they’re cute, okay.
(Han’s little “Hey, I’m cute, right Chewie?” gets a mumbled response from Chewie and affectionate pat on the head because you sure are, buddy, as well as Leia and Grogu rolling their eyes because these idiots.)
Din ends up on Tatooine again - his ship needs repairs and Peli’s got her hands full with other customers - sorry, and also let me give the little guy a hug before you go.
But!
She knows these guys down the way, old friends and they do good work, just tell ‘em she sent Din and they’ll give him a good price on repairs. (Suckers like that, she doesn’t quite say, with this crooked little smile, and Din is like okay???)
But his ship needs repairs and if she’s sending him to these guys there’s got to be a reason, and anyway!
He’s greeted by a guy who just gives Din a Look when he mentions Peli, and gets a look at Grogu who just stares up at him like huh.
The guy looks to be around Peli’s age and isn’t the chatty sort, exactly, but he’s not unfriendly. Just, y’know. Very Tired. He has this scar over one eye and glove one hand and this Very Tired air to him.
Which, considering the other guy who walks in talking to an R2 unit about upgrades or something? Younger, definite resemblance so probably related, but this one’s less on the Very Tired side of things and more friendly. (Still, Din swears he hears something about a fusion cutter and anyway, best not to ask questions or think too hard about that, so!)
Din’s like “...” and gets an estimate for repairs from the Very Tired guy and then goes off to visit Boba Fett and Fennec or who even knows, and when he gets back his ship is good as new.
Very Tired guy has this tiny little smile, mentions that haha, yeah, he knows his way around old gunships like the Razor Crest. Din is like uh-huh, because there’s this look on the guy’s face, like he served in a war (or two) and anyway, none of his business???
Anyway.
Din heads of for Space Adventures and whenever he ends back on Tatooine he goes to Peli when she’s available or those friends of hers because they do good work, and anyway.
He has no clue who they are really, just that the older guy is Anakin and the younger one (his kid) is Luke and it’s a little family-run business that just sort of happened after the war with the Empire, you know?
And, sure.
Peli mentions the Skywalkers are away on business somewhere and later Din will hear about some kerfuffle or other to do with Imperial remnants or sympathizers and such.
Sometimes when he gets to Tatooine one or both of the Skywalkers will look like they went a round or two with a Rancor barehanded.
(The one time Din says as much Luke gets this peculiar look on his face while Anakin sighs and mutters something that sounds a lot like “Don’t remind me,” and anyway, yes.)
And then there’s this time he’s passing by and there’s a ship in the Skywalker hangar - Naboo make, or maybe Alderaanian, or a Corellian light-frieghter, idk, but Din’s got business so he puts it out of his mind, thinks nothing of it and so on.
ANYWAY.
Basically the Mandalorian but another where Order 66 didn’t quite go to plan and Anakin didn’t fall to the Dark side - he wobbled a bit but didn’t fall down - and it’s Anakin and his family working with the Rebellion to thwart Palpatine and then dealing with Imperial remnants and the like in the aftermath and it’s just.
Din not realizing two of his favorite mechanics on Tatooine are literal war heroes who have between them helped saved the galaxy many, many times for the longest time because he’s like that’s a hard no on being anywhere the main story and its protagonists, thanks.
Also they’re supposedly retired/laying low but then there’s the time bounty hunters/assassins come after them while Din’s there and then Adventures happen and Din is like “Why does this always happen to me?” while helping Anakin and Luke and being like “Are you two Jedi?” when the lightsabers come out and anyway, yes.
ALSO.
Anakin being like *SIGH* watching his kid fall in love with the Mandalorian who is painfully oblivious (in an endearing way) with Grogu in his arms being like “You have NO idea.”
Also, Anakin telling Padme all about Luke and Din and the adorable tiny green gremlin kid of theirs (no really, trust him on that one, it’s inevitable at this point) while she laughs and laughs and laughs.
(Obi-Wan off to the side chortling like the bastard he is because this is what it’s like, Anakin! This! Exactly this!)
Also, also.
Leia stopping by in disguise as Boushh to give Luke and Din shit while laughing her black little heart out. Han being :( because Din’s like “Solo? Yeah, there’s a puck with that name on it but the reward’s not really worth the effort while Luke is :DDDDDDDDDD because he’s worth more, and Din is like *SIGH* because why is this his life again?
And of course the time(s) Leia-as-Boushh brought her own brother in to some baddie or other who put a price on his head as part as a Brilliant Ploy and Din is like “Please stop using my boyfriend/husband in your spy plans even if he thinks it’s hilarious because it gives me so much stress.”
(Also I feel like Padme and the Armorer would get along so well and Leia and Paz would be BFFs - after she’s kicked his ass a few times - and Din would just be like *SIGH* with Chewie nodding along because yeah, friend, yeah.)
Just.
ALL the shenanigans, and also Din commiserating with Anakin over the insanity of his family because wow.
The one Geraskifer fic where everyone’s at Kaer Morhen for the winter (and possibly foreseeable future because reasons) where Ciri wheedles/insists Jaskier trains with her.
Cue training montage with Ciri and Jaskier training - Ciri being >:( because she wants to be a better fighter and so on and it’s srs bzns. Jaskier a bit less >:( and more ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ about things.
Like, yes, it is indeed serious business and he fully intends to learn so he won’t be a liability and all? But he also doesn’t want Ciri obsessing and such, so he plays things up a bit, does what he can and so on.
Which means he ends up getting knocked on his ass more times than strictly necessary, but he swears he sees a hint of a smile on Ciri’s face a time or two in the process, so it’s well worth it.
(Besides, he really is learning, and it’s nice whenever he gets a “not bad” or “I’ve seen worse” from one of the others when he gets something right, so there’s that too.)
During one of the training sessions Yennefer takes a seat near the training yards, for a bit of fresh air or whatever reason, and watches thing.
(Feels this bit of pride in Ciri improving more and more, and this little amused smile she doesn’t bother to hide when Jaskier gets knocked on his ass again - this time by Ciri who’s carefully not laughing at him, because it’d be rude and all. Really.)
At some point Geralt joined her, just in from a hunting expedition or whatever, but he’s skulking about in a shadowy alcove or whatever.
There’s a break in training for Jaskier who trudges over to Yennefer and pulls up a patch of ground by her feet, not quite touching her.
All sweaty and gross and the kind of tired that comes with a good workout and general feeling of accomplishment, which is lovely and all, but still sweaty and gross.
Which Yennefer comments on because this is what the two of them do, isn’t it? Snark and banter and tease, and Jaskier sighs, glances at her with an obnoxiously over the top look full of heartache and longing and such.
“They’re teaching me to kill,” he says softly enough she has to lean to hear him. She knows better, but he’s frustrating like that, makes her do things like this. “But who will teach me to love?”
Which is how Jaskier gets knocked on his ass one last time that day, Jaskier grinning up at her and laughing while she tries to hold the >:(((((((((((((( on her face and someone - “your bard is a nuisance, Geralt!” - chuckles from the shadows, and anyway, yes.
That random AU where Luke is just your normal, everyday farm boy from Tatooine being raised by his aunt and uncle because his parents died when he was a baby(TM) character.
But also.
The AU where Anakin doesn’t fall to the Dark side Because Reasons (like actual communication about feelings and the whatnot) but did fake join the rebellion his sekrit wife and her friends formed to fight against Palpatine’s machinations?
But also the AU where Order 66 goes into some form of effect and Jedi get gunned down and the whatnot by their Clone troopers.
The Jedi caught on to things, but weren’t quite fast enough to put a complete stop to Palpatine’s machinations and there’s just a lot of chaos and confusion in the immediate aftermath.
Enough that the ones who did survive/managed to overcome Order 66/Plot Reasons were able to go into hiding and regroup and so on.
Obi-Wan survives and he and his troopers survive and there’s this whole thing with Anakin and his troopers, and anyway.
It’s decided that it’s safer for Luke and Leia to be raised away from the Rebellion and what safer place(s) for them than with Owen and Beru on Tatooine (and Ben watching over them like a creepy, creepy hermit?
Leia is sent to live with Bail and Breha and everything goes pretty much the same as in canon?
Only.
The Rebel Alliance has Padme and Anakin (and other Jedi) fighting against Palpatine and his Empire and Palpatine is a little more >:((((((((((((((((( because they keep fucking up his plans like you wouldn’t believe?
Seriously.
Also, also.
Luke still calls Obi-Wan Old Ben, but he also has standing lessons with him and so on because the Jedi Order is gone, sure, but Luke’s still his father’s son, you know?
There was this whole debate as to when they should start his training when Plot Reasons happen and Obi-Wan has to step in to save Luke from, idk, Plot Reasons.
Luke kind of maybe sort of taps into the Force to mostly rescue himself and Obi-Wan’s like *sigh* and also “Anakin, your son is somehow more of a menace than you” and so on because he is stupid tiny and young and he can’t go untrained after this, and anyway.
Luke gets trained in the ways of the Jedi while playing the part of typical farm boy from Tatooine, and of course his training includes reasons why he can never tell anyone who his parents are because Plot Reasons.
(Obi-Wan is just waiting for the day for Luke’s Skywalker(TM)/Trouble Magnet genes to kick into full effect because it’s a matter of when, not if, and anyway, yes.)
Meanwhile Leia is getting all these politcal and diplomatic lessons along with fighting and spy goodness taught to her? Also, about the time Luke is being trained in the whole *waves hands* Jedi business someone calling herself Fulcrum comes to Alderaan to train her when it comes to Leia’s own Jedi powers, because it would be unwise not to, you know?
(Anakin is like *frets* because his kid and also his other kid, and just. So much potential for the two of them ousting Palpatine and taking over the galaxy under their rule? Like. Sure to be far more benevolent, but somehow more terrifying??? Anyway.)
Obi-Wan being an important part of the spy network for the Rebellion - planet like Tatooine with all the criminal activity and also endless stretches of sand and rock of no real strategic value?
Also.
Luke learning at his knee and so on (and giving Obi-Wan all the gray hairs Anakin and Ahsoka didn’t manage to, and Cody, stop laughing this minute!!1!) and the two of them giving Cody ulcers, and anyway.
Luke getting a job working for this hangar mechanic named Peli Motto and working for the Rebellion passing information along and so on because of course he does, as if Obi-Wan or anyone could stop him from doing that much?
Obi-Wan and Anakin and Padme are like no, however, about Luke becoming more involved because Palpatine would give anything to get his claws on Luke or Leia to use against them, and anyway, it’s an old, tired argument for all of them and only a matter of when, not if, something happens on that front, because Skywalkers.)
But also, also.
Luke and Leia both only know their birth parents from vague memories of them as children (before it became too dangerous for Padme and Anakin to visit them) and stories they’ve been told about them from Obi-Wan and the Organas and whoever else in the know who actually know Padme and Anakin.
But then!
This Mandalorian shows up on Tatooine, right? Battered old gunship and Luke’s like *_* because it’s pre-Galactic Empire and a beauty and Ben and Cody have stories to tell about ships like her, and anyway.
Din’s not a fan of some scrawny kid fixing the Crest up, right, but Peli’s got some mess with Imperial red-tape to deal with and Luke’s better than half the idiots Din’d find elsewhere, so let the kid get to work or go bother one of the other idiots instead.
And Din is like “...” and als *SIGH* and “Don’t make me regret this,” to Luke’s :D and :DDDDDDDD and “You won’t!” before he jumps into fixing the Razor Crest.
Meanwhile, Din goes off to see to Guild business and gets suckered into transporting this bit of intel to someone somewhere (best not to ask too many questions these days and anyway, it’s paying better than some of his recent bounties) and on and on it goes.
Luke gets the Crest fixed up almost good as new (too many years and miles and battles for that kind of miracle) and Din’s pleasantly surprised, because he wasn’t expecting something that good, you know?
Peli gets back in time to be just a little smug at Din about it because no one else wanted to take a scrawny kid like Luke on as an extra pair of hands, which is their loss and her gain, and anyway, thanks for your business Mandalorian.
And then!
Whenever Din’s on Tatooine he does his best to get the Crest to Peli’s hangar and into her or Luke’s hands because he knows they’ll take care of her for him, and they do.
After a while Din realizes he’s most likely taking jobs from Rebellion operatives when he’s asked to transport information or sometimes peope to and from Tatooine that doesn’t quite go through the Guild.
(He never asks, but it’s a feeling he gets, and anyway. No love lost between him and the Empire, even if it is risky doing what he’s doing, but.
It pays well and he’s got (a somewhat decent case of) plausible deniability, even if there’s no guarantee it’ll save him if the Empire catches wind of his involvement, but future problem for future Din.)
In between all that he kind of strikes up a friendship of sorts with Luke, you know?
Slow days he’s there waiting on a job or contact or whatever and Luke’s fixing up the Crest or the crappy little speeder Luke bought with his own money from working at the hangar. The one Peli lets him use her tools and hangar space to work on to get it running again, and doesn’t feel like going to the tavern or being around other people, and Luke is just.
Luke is Luke.
What you see is what you get, and he can be chatty, but mostly he’s fine letting Din be and not bothered by an occasional hm or grunt or just plain silence while he works, doesn’t expect anything from him and seems happy enough with what he does get, and it’s just.
Nice.
Sometimes Din gets in trouble and comes dragging into the hangar, and if Luke’s there he’s like !!! and then helps patch Din up, if Din lets him.
Sometimes Luke’s the one who comes in with a black eye or otherwise ruffled because Mos Eisley is not the greatest place and even for someone wjho gret up on Tatooine Luke looks like an easy target.
The times that happens Din is like >:((((((( and who, but only after making sure Luke’s fine, all patched up and such, before he suddenly has “business to take care of.”
(Most of the time Luke gives him the :( face and Din stays put, waits until Luke’s gone home or fallen asleep to find out who messed with his mechanic, and anyway. Yes.)
But then there’s this day Din gets to Tatooine and there are Imperials everywhere and when Din does some discreet asking around he finds out there was this whole Situation with a space battle over Tatooine a few days earlier.
Something to do with droids and this hermit and some kid and a pair of smugglers?
Also, he finds out from Peli when he goes looking for her, Beru and Owen are dead and Luke is who knows where (he went home, she tells him, to help with the farm and then...) and Din is like “...” because, you know, because.
He borrows a speeder from Peli and finds the charred ruins of the Lars homestead and the graves - two, only two - and goes looking.
Chases stories and rumors for years before he gives up, has to think of the Covert again instead of himself, and oh, Paz beats that into this thick skull and it’s best/worst thing he could have done and Din loves/hates him for it, but in the end he’s right to do it, and the fact Din knows it makes it better/worse, and anyway.
Anyway.
Life goes on the way it always does.
The war he’s so, so careful not to get dragged into goes on - until it doesn’t.
He hears about some turning point battles that take place, Alderaan almost being destroyed before the Rebels brought some kind of superweapon down. A princess being rescued by some smugglers Din was supposed to bring in but never did because Plot Reasons. Another battle over a forest moon somewhere?
Something like that, he’s not really paying close attention. Only cares when Palpatine gets de-throned and a new world order starts to take shape, and anyway, anyway.
The Armorer goes hm, interesting, because apparently these Jedi aren’t completely extinct after all, a few crawling out of the woodwork in the aftermath, but none of that has anything to do with Din, so he doesn’t look too deeply into matters, you know?
He just goes about his business with bounty hunting and providing for the Covert and all that.
(May or may not pick up a few jobs here and there on the side that may or may not be Rebel Alliance-related, but he doesn’t ask questions so he can’t say for sure.)
One day he picks up a job from Karga and meets this tiny green gremlin kid he gets way too attached to, which he knows is a bad idea, but.
Din is who he is, and Grogu is who he is, and before Din knows it he’s gathering a team to get his damn kid back from some asshole with delusions of grandeur.
And then there’s a platoon of Dark Troopers and one of these so-called Jedi cutting through them with laughable ease and -
Wait.
Wait.
They’re who knows how many systems and nearly a decade from that first time they met on a ball of rock and sand and misery burning under a pair of suns, and yet.
Those are Luke’s bluest or blue eyes even if the hair’s shorter and he’s traded in his mechanic’s overalls for all the black and the *waves hands* boots and everything else.
Also, that little smile, the one he’d get over a game of sabacc when Din was sure the little bastard was cheating, but then Luke would pull that innocent farm boy act, and anyway.
“Are you a Jedi?”
And it comes out tired and resigned and this very certain kind of amusement he’s only felt when it comes to Luke because the kid - man - is a little troll and knows it. (Anyone who knows him knows it.)
Anyway, anyway.
It’s not until Din and Grogu go to Yavin 4 at Luke’s invitation that he finds out that oh, hey, so Luke isn’t just a farm boy from Tatooine.
Was, actually, a pretty key part of Palpatine and the Empire’s fall, and his mother was a queen of Naboo and his father is some other highly inportant figure, and also his sister, and -
“Din, how do you not know any of this? It’s been all over the newsfeed for years???”
Because Skywalkers and Nabarries and Organas?
Also, also.
The Everything.
Din is like ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Plot Reasons?
AND THEN.
The Meet The Parents in which Padme and Anakin show up to meet this Din Luke’s mentioned and a time or two (and oh, look, Leia, Han, and Chewie are here too, great) over the years and how nice to finally put a face (so to speak) to the name, and so on???
Din is like !!! because oh, oh, no, and also - “Is that the Darksaber, young man?” from Obi-Wan who pops up out of nowhere with Cody and the others, and Luke is just *sigh* because of course this would happen?
But also, also.
Luke and one of the hangars and an old speeder he’s fixing up, Din’s ship somewhere in there next to Luke’s X-Wing and on slow days Luke’s out there tinkering and Din’s watching with Grogu helping and it’s nice to just be, you know? And maybe, maybe, there’s a stolen smooch or two, along with quiet laughter and teasing and anyway, I just really want the soft warm fuzzies for them always.
But also, also, also.
That time the Mand’alor comes calling to offically ask for permission from Padme and Anakin to court their son and Luke is like !!! because he really is just this farm boy from Tatooine (and former Rebel Alliance spy, and starfighter pilot, and son of a former queen and Jedi Knight/General of the Galactic Republic, and all this nonsense he never asked for but carries with him the same way his sister does) and just.
It’s entertaining as hell watching the two of them fumble their way though the official courtship traditions because they’re really kind of terrible at it?
(But oh, how obviously in love the two idiots are, how easily they show it in all the little things they do for one another every moment of every day without thinking about it, and really, they’re so dumb. But sweet.)
Not to mention all the Space Adventures because Palpatine’s machinations that continue on long past his death (assuming he is dead, and not you know, Plot Reasoning around somewhere in the galaxy.
And also other assorted baddies, and they’re never bored, is the thing.
Din as shiny new Mand’alor and Luke as *waves hands *Luke meeting at political function when they both seek out a dark corner/quiet balcony to have a moment of peace and quiet?
They trade smalltalk/nonverbal communication until someone comes over to drag one of them away and it’s just a Thing that keeps happening.
Din’s obviously an important figure and Luke gives a half-assed explanation about his sister being the important political figure in the family, which.
Kind of true, because Luke is just some farm boy from Tatooine and such, but the whole sister being an important political figure is like, uh-huh.
Anyway.
Neither of them try all that hard to figure out exactly who the other one is because it’s nice to have someone else (aside from who they came to the function with) there as a friendly face.
After the fourth or so run-in at a political function Din learns Luke’s name and vice versa and they’ve graduated from inane conversation about the weather - yes, really - and so on to vague bits about their lives.
(Yes, Din does know the Mand’alor personally, he might even go so far as to say he knows the man well, and Luke knows senator Organa and so on.)
They just keep on meeting like that and Din’s getting side-eyed so hard by his advisors and friends because he can’t just keep sneaking off like that when people want to meet the Mand’alor to talk political alliances and trade and so on, okay, just.
No.
Meanwhile, Luke is being teased like you wouldn’t believe over this ~mysterious Mandalorian he’s been caught having secretive meetups with, right? Descriptions of his “friend” vary from witness to witness so Leia and others honestly don’t know which one of the Mandalorian delegation Luke’s been talking to, which is either better/worse than if they did know for sure, because.
Luke’s pretty sure Din’s the actual Mand’alor, and he’s also pretty sure Luke’s not just at these things as a tag-along or obligation or whatever, but since neither of them are asking questions it’s not important.
Until it is.
The Mand’alor’s ship getting attacked on the way to - yet another - political function somewhere and who better to put on the case than the New Republic’s very own Jedi?
So Luke (and assorted others, maybe Wedge and the Rogues area along for the trip to escort Leia???) go after the Mand’alor and his delegation and it’s like.
Funtime adventures on whatever planet they crashed on with baddies hunting them down and so on.
Din artistically wounded an seperated from the rest of his people to the Luke finds him. Either unconscious or just as good as, so he helps him to a convenient nearby cave to wait out the night or oncoming storm.
And then!
Tenderly...tending Din’s wounds and watching over him until he comes to and then explanations!
Din coming clean about being the Mand’alor and Luke coming clean about being Luke Skywalker -
“Who?”
- Senator Organa’s brother and also last Jedi and so on.
And then awkwardness and such because -
“How about that weather, huh?”
Which.
Okay, yes.
They do have a history of awkward small-talk, and it really is a hell of a storm, and anyway, anyway.
Din mentions this kids of his. Tiny green gremlin kid and the fact he’s been looking for someone to teach him, but then the whole thing about becoming the Mand’alor happened and he got sidetracked, and anyway, anyway.
Yes.
The conversation gets less awkward after that, little in-jokes and snark and sarcasm making their reappearance, and it’s actually kind of nice?
Luke offers to give teaching Grogu a go - he’s been meaning to get a start on that school of his, but the New Republic needs Luke and his whole Jedi Thing to make good impressions, and he got sidetracked too.
And then!
They have to make their way to the others once morning comes/the storm breaks and there’s a scuffle or two with the remaining baddies who are seriously intent on making Din and/or Luke super, super dead.
But it’s not like the baddies stood a chance, because Din and also Luke, and anyway.
The two of them make it back to the others who are all >:((((((((((((((( because do they have any idea how stressful it is worrying over you idiots?
Grumbling and grumping on the way to wherever the political function is being held - coincidentally they make it just in time to be fashionably late, and then!
This time when Din and Luke creep off to their dark corner/quiet balcony there’s no need for awkward small-talk, just companionable silence and this sense of peace and so on, and anyway.
Yes.
(Also, the next time they meet is when Din’s bringing his kid to meet this Jedi he met who’s willing to teach him, and Grogu is super skeptical about the whole thing, until he meets Luke and realizes that wait, wait, this is the guy his dad thinks about all soft and fond a lot and then he’s like >:DDDDDDD because this is going to be fun, and also Din and Luke never know what hits them, so, you know. Typical romcom shenanigans and such with Grogu at the helm and so on???)
