Work Text:
A kiss, just in case
I'm too scared
To touch your face
I'd never be prepared
A ragged breath, a near whine
'Grogu was the only thing
For a long time'
'Oh Din.'
~SleepingReader
~*~*~*~*~
“What are you doing in this place Luke?”
A shiver works its way up Luke's spine as he turns to face Obi-Wan His shimmering form stands behind him in the dark corridor.
“I was hoping you would come to me,” Luke says. Obi-Wan tilts his head, watching Luke his expression carefully neutral.
“The force shifts in you young Luke, your mind is burdened.” Obi-Wan approaches him before pausing to look towards the cell door that Gideon rests behind.
“Is he force sensitive?” Luke murmurs, watching Obi-Wan's face. “I don’t understand the way the force moves around him. Not darkly, but not in light either.”
Obi-Wan nods, “He cannot wield the force as you or I can, but he has a strong understanding of it.” He turns once again to face Luke. “I sense that he is not the reason you are so burdened.”
Luke sighs, “No. I suppose not. I was called here by a child.”
“I felt him too.” Obi-Wan mutters. “I would have come to whatever aid I could have.”
Luke chuckles quietly, “I’m not sure the boy’s father would have reacted well to a ghost coming to take his son.”Obi-Wan smiles at him, and at times Luke finds himself resenting this power Obi-Wan has. To exist and yet to not. Luke chides himself as soon as the thought crosses his mind. He is everlastingly grateful for the guide Obi-Wan has been, even if he is no longer part of the physical world.
“He is strong in the force, the child.” Obi-Wan says, and Luke nods, looking down at the murky floor.
“Yes. Very strong.”
“His attachment to his father is even stronger though.” There is a quiet warning in Obi-Wan’s voice. “You know what dark paths attachment can lead to.”
Luke turns sharply away from Obi-Wan, “Oh I know Obi-Wan,” his voice cracks sharply and he sucks in a breath to sooth his raging emotions. “I know, but how can something like their bond lead to darkness? They love each other Obi-Wan, deeper than most.”
“Your father loved your mother,” Obi-Wan reminds, “And he loved you and your sister even when he did not know you.” Obi-Wan’s eyes drift away, “and love no matter how deep and true cannot save everyone.”
Luke grits his teeth, “Do you see Grogu going down a dark path, answer me truthfully Obi-Wan.”
His old master hesitates, “I don’t know. Though powerful he is lost in the force, out of touch. He is still too young to be sure.”
Luke nods his fists clenching, “He needs proper teaching, but I cannot take him from his father. I could not bear it if I were to put him through that anguish.”
Obi-Wan frowns softly, “You have grown fond of the man haven’t you?”
“Yes,” Luke hisses and it feels as though a weight has been lifted from his chest. “And perhaps I’m just being a fool, but I feel a pull to him , Obi-Wan. A strong pull, from deep within myself.” he’s pacing hands still clenched in fists. “He’s so easy to read through the force, easier than anyone else and while it might just be his lack of understanding, but he bleeds into the force. He loves Grogu, unlike anything, and Grogu returns that love, and I,” he runs his prosthetic hand through his hair, “I’ve read the Jedi texts.”
Obi-Wan ponders the ceiling, “Why I was a padawan I found myself in a situation very similar to yours. It’s a story I refrained from telling you, out of fear and regret.” he looks awfully guilty for someone who is dead and Luke lets out a shuddering sigh. Obi-Wan looks like he wants to rest a hand on his head like he did all those years ago on Tatooine. “I found myself to be quite deeply in love.”
It feels like a punch in the gut to hear those words from Obi-Wan’s mouth, to connect them back to Din.
“In love?”
Obi-Wan smiles, a small wistful thing that flickers with the rest of him, “Yes, and with a Mandalorian no less.”
Luke frowns hard, “You’re teasing me now.”
“I find this no laughing matter Luke,” Obi-Wan sends him an indignant look, “I would never tease you about such things. I was in love with a beautiful Mandalorian, Satine Kryze, but like you I read the texts.”
“And there is only the force,” Luke whispers.
“Yes,” Obi-Wan says almost as quietly, “There is only the force. So I left her behind, in the eyes of my masters, Yoda included, it was a show of strength.”
“ Obi-Wan I-”
Obi-Wan holds a hand up, “I would have left the Order had she asked me.”
Luke’s mouth parts, mind whirling, “You would have left? But Obi-Wan,” he struggles for words.
“Yes, you may call me a hypocrite all you desire, but it was proven to me not long after what attachment can do.”
“Why bother telling me this at all?!” Luke cries, frustration bubbling through him. “I know that to become committed to someone is dangerous, I know what my father did lead to his fall, so why bother telling me this?”
Obi-Wan watches him warily, “I am telling you this Luke, because you are not me, or your father. You are the last Jedi, and in many ways the Order fell before you were born. I am telling you this, because you cannot escape love Luke.”
“No,” Luke says, “You can’t.” he sighs yet again, “I have come to a crossroads haven’t I Obi-Wan, this is where I choose isn’t it?”
“It is.” Obi-Wan shimmers in the dark and Luke wonders if his father is listening to their conversation, wonders why he’s kept himself away. “I have much fear for Grogu, but the Jedi are gone Luke. There is only you left. The Order was flawed, I think it is time you rebuilt what was broken.”
“You make little sense Ben,” Luke says begrudgingly.
“Ben? Now that's a name I haven’t heard in a long time, a long time.” Obi-Wan is smiling again and Luke’s soldiers slump.
“Are you telling me to rewrite the Jedi Code?”
“I am full of regret and fear, even now when Anakin and all of the others have returned to me. Yet in my time on Tatooine I had much time to ponder and regret and wish for things to change, and in all of my pondering, I thought, perhaps the Orders fear mongering about attachments have led many to stray.” Obi-Wan’s eyes flick up to Luke's, “Fear breeds anger, and anger breeds hate, and at the Jedi temple we taught younglings to fear at a very young age. So yes I worry for Grogu’s attachment to his father, but if you teach him well, teach him how to love beyond loss he will be safe. Do you understand Luke?”
“I, yes I do. The Jedi have distorted their own beliefs to work as weapons against themselves,” Luke says his words colored in disbelief, “Obi-Wan, Din understands.” his face is splitting into a grin.
“What?”
“He understands, he knows how to love after loss. He understands the love of letting someone go. He gave up Grogu to a stranger because of that love. He knows Obi-Wan, better than I ever shall. I can teach Grogu to wield the force, but I can never teach him like his father could to truly love as a Jedi should.” Luke is breathing a little heavily, something singing in his veins.
Obi-Wan blinks a hesitant smile working its way onto his face, “Then perhaps you should aim to keep him around.”
“I do,” Luke assures, “I think,” he says biting his lip, “I think I was meant to find him. I feel like a part of me that has been missing for a very long time has fallen into place.”
“I hope that you will do what I did not allow myself Luke. Let yourself love.”
Luke’s smile falters a little, “You deserved to love her Obi-Wan, her and anyone else.”
Obi-Wan nods, “Yes, and I regret it very much at times.” His smile remains intact even as his voice loses some of it’s joviality, “But think, if I had stayed on Mandalore, I would regret more.”
“I wonder what it would take to convince Dine to stay with me.” Luke says and Obi-Wan laughs.
“Do you think it would take a lot?”
Luke shrugs, “No, but maybe. My...feelings for him may be in vain.”
“Hmm. Perhaps. You’ll never know if you don’t try.”
Luke leans against the wall staring at the door across from him. A sensor blinks red and white indicating the life form behind the door and that the lock is activated.
“I thought I had ended this,” he murmurs. “I thought finally peace had been brought to the galaxy.” he glances back towards Obi-Wan, “You feel it don’t you? The imbalance.”
Obi-Wan is grimly silent and Luke takes that as an answer. He lets out an exhausted sigh that rivals Din’s, rubbing his eyes.
“I need to talk to Leia. I need to,” he bites his lip as Cara’s voice bubbles up from his pocket.
“You can come on back now Luke. I’ll meet you halfway point.”
“Sounds good,” Luke says watching as Obi-Wan folds his hands into his robes. “I suppose this is goodbye for now. Thank you Obi-Wan.”
“Of course. Keep them close Luke and may the force be with you.” he fades away leaving the a compressing dark in his wake.
Cara is grinning when he meets her. She looks a little feral in the light of his light saber. She pats him on the back roughly like he’s in on her joke.
“Did he misbehave?” She asks and Luke shakes his head.
“He didn’t make a sound.” Cara looks almost disappointed.
“Shame. I wouldn’t mind having an excuse to knock him around a little.”
Luke huffs a laugh, “I’m not sure the New Republic would be too happy in receiving a beaten prisoner.”
“Pfft,” Cara waves him away, “I could blame it on Mando, who roughed him up before I took him into custody.” her grin falls a little, ‘That or he’d be healed by the time we got in contact with anyone from the New Republic. The Mandalorians are going to bring the ship down on Bogano.”
“Bogano?” Luke says bewildered, “We’re in the outer rim then. There is nothing on that planet.”
Cara nods, “Which is good and bad. There isn’t really any planet we can take an imperial light cruiser without raising some alarms, so a remote planet like Bogano is a good place to lay low. Bad thing about it is I don’t know how to get off the planet from there.”
“At least it’s off this ship,” Luke offers, and Cara grunts.
“I haven’t told Mando yet, so if you’d pass the news along I’d appreciate it.”
Luke nods as Cara steps past him, “How long do you think it’ll be?”
“I’m not sure, getting this hunk of metal moving is going to be a job. Also, I’m going to feed them so if I’m not in the cell block I’ll be down in mess.”
“Oh. Do you need help with that?” Luke asks and Cara snorts.
“Please. Neither of them are going to mess with me.”
Luke believes her.
Din is pacing as he steps back into the hangar, and Grogu, to Luke’s surprise, is asleep pressed against R2.
“Din?” he calls and the Mandalorian halts mid step turning to look at him.
“Are you okay?” Din asks, he takes half a step towards Luke and then pauses again. He’s radiating uncertainty, and Luke hums smiling at him. He holds out his hand in clear invitation.
“I am. How about you, you seemed very worked up.” Luke says walking around crates to settle by his cloak, abandoned in a pile on the floor. Din approaches slowly, carefully and Luke tries not to let his hurt show on his face.
“You were gone for a long time.” Din mutters sitting down and sitting stiffly. He hasn’t shed any of his armor and his blaster is holstered at his hip alongside the Darksaber. Luke ignores the weapons as best he can, unclipping his own light saber and placing it on the floor. If he were in a place of greater security he would take his boots off, but for now he slides off the glove covering his hand, the joints feeling stiff. He looks up at Din’s sharp inhale.
His visor is tipped towards Luke’s hand as it flexes creakily, and Luke feels the desire to shove the glove back on.
“It’s…” Luke struggles for words, but the visor is turning towards his eyes now.
“It’s fine. I was just caught off guard. I was not expecting,” Din nods towards the hand awkwardly and Luke breaths out a laugh.
“Didn’t used to look like this,” Luke sighs, making a fist and wincing as the parts creak and click. He needed a tune up, maybe he could do it with just R2 to help him out.
“Well I should think not.” Din deadpans and Luke stares at him. When he just sits there arms crossed completely serious Luke laughs. Loud and a little jarring, even Din flinches.
“No,” he’s still laughing, trying to reign himself in enough to speak clearer. “Even after I lost it, it still looked like a human hand.”
“Oh.” it’s such a timid sound coming out of Din that Luke feels himself crack up again. He wonders blearily if it’s the exhaustion more than anything. He rubs at his eyes and slumps down onto his elbows.
“Yeah, oh.”
Din looks extremely uncomfortable now, picking at his gloves. Luke watches his fingers twitch and realizes, perhaps belatedly, that Din is completely covered. There isn’t an inch of skin to be seen from his toes to the top of his head. Even when he had shed his armor working on Luke's X-Wing he had been completely covered. The realization makes Luke remember eyes fluttering shut as a small green hand stroked Din’s face. He had looked almost in pain at Grogu’s tiny touch. He wonders what Din’s skin feels like. What scars are hidden under the clothing. Would Din react the same way if Luke were to press a bare hand to his bare face, or chest, or neck. The thoughts send Luke’s stomach tumbling and he looks to the side, ashamed for having such thoughts in the presence of Din without his knowledge.
“Cara,” he has to clear his throat, he still won’t look up at Din, “She uh, she said that Bo-Katan has decided to take the ship to Bogano.”
“That’s… interesting. Bogano. That planet isn’t normally on star charts.” Din says, “I wonder how they found it.”
“Perhaps it was simply the closest planet to our location.” Luke says. R2 beeps a tune and both Mandalorian and Jedi turn to look at him, just a flash of light flies past them, followed by more. Meteorites, hundreds of them, falling past the shields that have gone up around the ship. Small things if Luke had to gauge their size, and on a ship this big they probably wouldn’t do any harm at all.
Din breaths heavy beside him, his helmet flashing as the rocks bounce off the shields. Luke turns to watch the show too, an odd thing to do. Normally everyone on the ship has their breaths held if they enter a meteor shower, waiting with baited breath until they get out of the area. It’s nice. R2 has gone quiet again, and the shield shimmers on impact, an opalescent sheen lighting up the hanger before dulling. Din watches too, muscles relaxed, visor tilted up. Luke wonders if the colors and sounds and the feeling inside the hanger as the sky outside falls would be different if Din were not hidden behind beskar.
“Din,” Luke finds himself saying. It’s soft his voice feeling like little more than a breath, but Din turns to him. “Can I take your helmet off? I-I want to see your face again.” Din stiffens, and Luke is quick to recover, hot shame burning down his neck. “I know it’s not my place and if it makes you uncomfortable, then don’t bother. I’m sor-,”
“Luke,” Din cuts off his frenzied apology. Din reaches an unsteady hand towards Luke scooting nearer. Luke lets him take his wrist, his pulse is beating erratically. Din lifts his hand and places it with care against the cool metal. “No living thing has taken my helmet off but me.” Din lifts his other hand, the mechanical parts tapping quietly when laid upon the helmet. “Help me.” Din’s voice cracks and Luke swallows.
Din presses up on his wrists a gentle pressure and Luke pushes his fingers against the helmet. It lifts slowly, and Din is trembling almost as much as Luke’s pulse is. He can see Din’s chin when his eyes flit down from the visor.
“Wait,” Din rasps, and Luke freezes. He wonders if he did something wrong, if his pounding heart had pushed his fingers a little too fast. He starts to withdraw, but Din keeps a hold of his wrists and instead pushes forwards. He presses their foreheads together, and Luke's eyes flutter closed. “In case I’m too much of a coward when it comes off,” Din whispers. Luke shudders as he sighs, pressing closer, hands still poised to remove the helmet barring him from Din. Luke relished in the warmth of Din’s presence, in the intimacy of the gesture. He mourns the loss of Din as he pulls ever so slightly away, but Din’s hands are tightening on his wrists again.
Luke opens his eyes pushing the helmet further up still. Din guides him gently and Luke listens to all of his commands as minute as they may be. Little bits of pressure acting as promptings. Luke’s heart is beating faster as Din’s eyes come into view. Shadowed in exhaustion but catching all of the lights from the falling rocks. The helmet comes off completely, Din’s hair falling into a mass around his face. They lower it to the ground together, eyes locked. Din’s don’t stray and Luke fights to keep his from roaming Din’s face, he won’t break this trust, this vulnerability Din is allowing him. It’s hard though and he longs to not only look, but to feel and cherish and memorize.
“Your eyes are blue.” Din husks and Luke blinks.
“It’s a common color in the galaxy,” he whispers back, and then Din is smiling, and Luke is laughing, breathless as it is. Din leans back to look at Luke and he takes it as permission to look at Din. He truly is handsome, and Luke thinks he’s fallen in love with Din’s hair alone, mussed from his helmet and curling from earlier. The pressure around his wrists isn’t there anymore and Luke gives into his impulses.
Din lets out a ragged gasp when Luke runs his hands up through his hair. It’s enough for Luke to snatch his hands away. Din is trembling again, less subtly this time, eyes squeezed shut as he breathes.
“I’m sorry! Did I hurt you?” Luke’s hands hover over Din and he shakes his head, eyes still closed.
“N-no, Grogu was the only thing for a long time,” he doesn’t finish his jumbled sentence and he doesn’t have to.
“Oh Din.”