Work Text:
Din's POV
It's been many years
Since my last touch
But in your hands,
I have no fear
Just longing, so much
Luke's POV
I've yearned for you
Since your face I did see
Ill be right here
My words ring true
Please, stay with me
~SleepingReader
~*~*~*~*~*~
“Oh Din.” Luke’s hands are tucked close to his chest, pulled hastily away from him. Din shivers at his name being said so quietly. His body is still humming from Luke’s hands. He wants them back, Luke seems so far away now, closing himself away in fear of hurting Din. He hadn’t hurt him, startled and shocked but not hurt. There is a quiet fear building in Din that whatever fragile thing they’ve created is about to be snapped in half. That if he ducks away now he won’t get this back and Din wants this. So he reaches out for Luke’s hands again, feeling his pulse thunder under the thin skin of his wrist.
“Din?” Luke’s voice is still quiet, his eyes searching his face. Din’s lips tremble pathetically as he smiles. Tight and closed lipped not used to the gesture outside of his helmet.
“It’s okay,” he says and brings both of Luke’s hands to his face bracing himself as soft fingertips touch his cheeks. Din breaths, and tries not to let himself react to the feeling of someone touching him. Luke is staring at him in wonder, eyebrows drawn down in concentration.
“How long has it been?” Luke asks, his fingertips aren’t moving which Din is grateful for. They just sit on his skin and burn.
A long time, no one, not even the Mandalorians that took him in, had touched him so fully. He only has vague memories of his skin being pressed against someone else's. On lonely nights, when he aches, Din likes to think his dad had ruffled his hair when he was small, but he just can’t remember.
“It’s been many years,” he answers quietly, wincing at Luke’s lips dipping into a deeper frown.
“Do you not,” Luke’s eyes search his, unable to find the words he wants. Din smiles again to appease him, pressing Luke’s hands fully against his cheeks. “Don’t you get lonely?’
“Yes.” Din breaths. It’s something he hadn’t even been willing to admit to himself.
“Din,” Luke says coming closer to him, shuffling forwards until their chests are dangerously close. His hands cupping Din’s face like it’s something precious.
“Yeah?” his voice sounds torn, his throat bobbing.
“Din come with me.” Luke is pleading his eyes large, his fingers gripping tighter, “stay with me please. Bring Grogu and stay with me.”
“Luke.” Din says and Luke’s hands fall to cradle his neck shaking his head. A new wave of sensation crawls over Din’s skin. Luke’s hands rest on his bare pulse points pushed under the fabric at his neck.
“Please Din.”
Din lets his hands fall to Luke’s waist, he hesitates for a second before settling them against him. Luke goes very still and Din mirrors him. Hands frozen unsure of how to touch without bringing Luke discomfort. His hands are rough, heavy, used to the trigger and the knife, softened only for Grogu’s tiny body. They’re still covered by his gloves too, a quiet part of his mind wants to remove them, but the louder voice that leads him to survival is wary of going further than he already has. Someone is touching the soft parts of his neck, and his warring mind and body can hardly take anymore.
Din lifts his hands slowly and Luke shakes his head.
“It’s okay.” Luke says, and his thumb graces over Din’s throat sliding down and pressing gently against his Adam's apple. Blue eyes still trace over his face like he can’t get enough. “You can touch me Din.”
So he does. Slowly carefully, he brushes up the line of Luke's sides. He traces over the black fabric of his clothing pressing a palm to Luke’s hard beating heart. It skips beneath the fabric, and Luke’s lips part. They’re still looking at each other, eyes never wavering as they explore. There’s a heavy intimacy in the actions, even when both of them are fully clothed. Din’s skin still burns as Luke works his way back up to Din’s face. He traces over his cheeks and chin, then down his nose, lips perking into a smile.
“You’re very handsome Din.” Luke says after his touch has been left against Din’s lips and his hands cup his cheeks.
“Uh, thank you.” Din’s voice rasps uncomfortably in his throat and he drops his eyes, an acute feeling of shame washing over him. Luke laughs softly, the pad of his thumb brushes against Din’s eyelashes.
“You’re welcome,” he answers softly. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you, can you look at me again?”
“You didn’t embarrass me,” Din grunts, and he raises his eyes back to Luke just to prove that he didn’t.
“Surely you’ve been called handsome before. Even in your armor you are eye catching, and I don’t just mean the beskar,” Luke is smirking but there is genuine curiosity in his question.
Din isn’t sure how to feel about Luke’s blatant flirting. He’s worried he’s not going to be able to recuperate the way that Luke wishes him to. “I suppose they could have.” Din says. Omera must have seen something in him between his stilted quiet words and the weapons he kept close to him at all times.
Luke's heartbeat has slowed under his palm, the erratic flutter calming to a soft beat. Din’s heart will never beat the same around him again, it still batters against his rib cage.
“So,” Luke says, voice carefully quiet. “Will you stay with me?”
“I-,” Din starts, and yes. Yes of course he wants to go with him.
“You wouldn’t have to be separated from your son, we could teach him together.”
“I’m a criminal to the New Republic Luke. I don’t think even you could pardon me. I would uproot your life.”
Luke shrugs, his hands are back in Din’s hair, “I’ve been travelling the galaxy for many years now looking for remnants of the Jedi. I haven’t exactly laid any roots yet.” Luke's metal hand smooths the hair away from Din’s forehead. “I can’t take your baby from you Din.”
“You have to Luke. He needs more, I can’t help him anymore. I can’t protect him like I should, Luke,”
Luke quiets him with quiet hushes, “I know. Din I know, he needs training, you’re right. Come with me. Please. This isn’t just about him though, not anymore. I’ve grown a little selfish,” Luke admits a small smile on his lips. “I like you Din. Very much, and I don’t know what will come of that, or if you feel nothing for me, but you’ve,” Luke cuts himself off, looking frustrated that the words he wants to say won’t come. He lets out a sigh, head bowing between them, “And I’m sorry if I ruined everything. I don’t expect anything from you.”
Din blinks, “What are you talking about?”
Luke lets out a wavering sigh, his thumbs tracing over and over the apples of Din’s cheeks. “Din, I understand if this is sudden, I just ask that you don’t push me away.”
Squeezing Luke tighter Din leans their foreheads together again, “I kissed you.”
Luke jolts, “When?”
“Before you took my helmet off.”
“That was a kiss?” Luke pulls away to meet his eyes again. His cheeks have colored slightly.
“Yes. In a way.” Din explains. He had witnessed the gesture several times. Turning away with the rest of the onlookers out of respect for the privacy of the gesture. Luke looks a little dazed and Din grimaces. “I know it isn’t really what you would consider a kiss, but you aren’t alone in your feelings Luke.” his tongue feels a little heavy as he says it.
“You kissed me,” Luke murmurs. Brushing lightly over Din’s lips Luke smiles. “Please come with me. Just for now.”
Din swallows, Luke’s blue gaze heavy. He chances Grogu’s safety if he stays, he chances his own safety if he stays. He has nowhere to go though, and a shining star sits nearly in his lap right now. Din chances a look over Luke’s shoulder, Grogu is sitting now, tugging at the pendant and watching them. He raises the hand clutching the pendant and shakes it at Din. He can’t understand his baby’s words, but he’s learned to know what he needs or wants; right now he seems to be giving Din a much needed piece of encouragement. Perhaps even permission.
He looks back at Luke his heart pounding, body thrumming, mind made up. Pieces shifting into the perfect spots. Luke looks at him head on, unwavering in his want for Din to stay. Licking over his lips with a tongue that feels to dry Din nods.
“Okay. I’ll stay with you, though I’m not sure what’s going to happen next.” A smile splits Luke’s face.
“Neither do I.” He sounds overjoyed at the prospect.
Din pulls him closer, need shooting through him. It’s so foreign it nearly leaves him breathless again, and hesitant when Luke drops his hands against his shoulders to catch himself. They’re closer now. So Din can feel Luke’s chest rising against his own.
“Are you going to kiss me again?” Luke whispers. Din doesn’t know, scared of what will happen if they try. It’s an immature thought, one he inwardly cringes at himself for having.
“Do you want me to kiss you again?” Din asks, his voice has slipped into a huskier tone. Luke shivers.
“I would. A lot.”
Din reaches up pressing the pads of his fingers against Luke’s bottom lip, he strokes over the flesh gently, “here?”
Luke’s breath hitches hard and fast before stilling. “Please Din.” His name is more breath than words. Din cups his face, damning his gloves for acting as a barrier between them. Luke grabs his wrists, eyes flickering closed.
“Mando!”
Luke moves faster then Din can process, grabbing the forgotten helmet from the floor and all but slamming it over Din’s face. Din freezes and even Luke looks surprised at himself, eyes widening before looking over Din’s shoulder. He’s not moving away like Din feared he would. He's still close enough that anyone could tell that they were doing more than having a friendly conversation. Din turns, a ball of disappointment curling in his chest, to look at who had disturbed them. Grogu even lets out a series of gurgles that Din can’t help but agree with.
Bo-Katan is striding towards them, looking far healthier than before, eyes steely. Din casts a look down at the Darksaber, still clipped and feeling heavy on his belt. She glares down at them and Din glares back.
“I’ve been looking for you,” She snaps. Luke glances between them, before untangling himself from Din and standing. Bo-Katan takes a step back from him and Luke raises his hands, gesturing towards his droid and Grogu.
“I’ll be over there if you need me.” Luke casts a look at Din before walking over and scooping Grogu into his arms. Din sighs quietly and stands too, facing Bo-Katan.
“We’re ready to go. I need everyone on the bridge. That doctor is going to have to help us figure out how to get the ship going again. I want you there in case anything goes wrong.”
“You trust me now?” Din asks incredulously. Bo-Katan clenches her jaw.
“I trust only one person on this ship fully, but I do trust you more than him.” Folding her arms tightly over her chest Bo-Katan stares at him, daring him to oppose her. Din would, if he wasn’t hell bent on getting off of the cruiser.
“Okay. I’ll do what you need me to.” Din concedes. Bo-Katan jerks her chin at Luke.
“What of the Jedi? You seem to be close to him.”
“ I trust him,” Din says.
“And I am meant to trust off your word alone?”
Din frowns, “He has not caused any of us harm.”
“Yet,” Bo-Katan mutters, before stepping around Din and stalking towards Luke. That Din decides is a problem. Not only because Luke is there but because his baby is also there. Putting a hand on his blaster he follows after her.
“Will you help us Jedi?”
Luke looks mildly annoyed, holding Grogu in the crook of his arm. Din looms over Bo-Katan, a warning in their proximity.
“I have a name, Bo-Katan. It’s Luke, and yes. I will aid you as best I can.”
Din doesn’t understand his patience, but a meaningful glance in his direction is enough to put him at ease if only for Luke’s sake. He likes to think he has a good reason to be angry with Bo-Katan, several actually, but at the top has to be what she interrupted. He isn’t sure how to go about getting back to the soft intimacy that had been destroyed.
“Come on then.” Bo-Katan snaps, she turns and pushes past Din. Luke sighs watching her go before stepping after her.
“Come Artoo, you may come in handy.”
Luke slips a hand down to Din’s wrist as they walk behind Bo-Katan. Din tangles their fingers together instead, pointedly ignoring his son’s smug little look.
Cara is standing at one of the monitors with Doctor Pershen at gunpoint. Even from the doorway Din can see the sweat glinting on his face and down his neck. Grogu makes a tiny noise of fear upon seeing the man and hatred burns hot and heavy through Din. Luke grabs his elbow as he steps forward.
“No Din,” he murmurs, even as blue eyes are icy as he watches the doctor.
“Oh,” the doctor is peering around Cara’s blaster at them, wide eyed. “H-he’s okay. I-I’m glad.”
“Shut up,” Din sneers, ignoring Luke’s protest stepping forwards towards Pershen. He scampers back behind Cara’s blaster. She looks annoyed and exhausted as she sends a glare his way.
“You can kill him after we land.”She grunts, nudging her blaster against Pershing’s cheek. He bites at his lip, messing with switches.
“O-okay,” he presses a button that lights up green. “I need one of you at each of those consoles. It takes four commands to get the thrusters primed.” wiping sweat off of his forehead with a shaking hand Pershen shakes his head, “You all were foolish to kill everyone on the bridge. It takes a dozen people to man these cruisers.”
Cara grits her teeth, “Just tell us what we have to do.”
“I have an astromech,” Luke says, “Surely he can do the work of at least two people.”
Doctor Pershen glances at the droid, “Yes, he’ll need to be plugged into the main console.” he gestures at the right console. Cara slowly lifts the blaster away from the doctor’s face.
“You make one wrong move and I will not stop my friend here from ending you.” The threat has the man’s shoulders curling in as he motions warily for Din to come with him. Din goes just as warily, hand on his own blaster, baby switched to the other side.
“You need to hold these four switches until I call for you to flip them, then once we get the thrusters primed, that lever is vital to control.” The sweat slicking off the doctor as he explains the workings of the panel has left his sleeve damp from where he used it to wipe it away. Din grunts in acknowledgement. “I-I wasn’t lying, o-or mocking you. I am glad to see the child is alive.”
Din ignores him, untrusting and unwilling to trust so soon. The doctor steps back, looking like he wants to say more, but turning away to aid Bo-Katan at her station. Grogu watches the man go, ears perked. Din places him onto the panel in front of him.
“Don’t touch anything okay? We’re gonna try and get out of here.” Din offers reassurance more to himself than to Grogu. He looks better, sitting against the panel, his skin looks brighter as do his eyes and his ears are more animated again. He coos in response to Din’s mumbling.
“Okay,” Pershen is back at his panel, “It’s going to be slow going,” he flexes his hand on a large silver lever. “On my count, one, two , three.”
The collective clicking of switches and the whir of Luke’s astromech bring the ship groaning back to life. Lights flick on down the halls and the bridge lights up with delayed warnings of low fuel and lower temperature on the ship. Pershen looks pleased, he smiles shakily around the bridge. Bo-Katan flips a couple of switches and the lights down the hall are reduced to eerie red emergency lights.
“The least systems running the better.”
They spend the next long minutes getting the ship moving towards the coordinates entered in for Bogano. It’s painstakingly hard to time everyone’s movements, and more than once someone one hand stretched across to a different panel. Cara sits heavily against the floor once they’re moving steadily, the stars moving a little lazily around them. The meteor shower had long since ceased and a selfish part of Din wishes it had lasted just a little longer.
“Doctor?” Luke’s quiet words catch Din’s attention, he stands straight watching as the two converse in quiet tones.
“Of course,” Doctor Pershing says, only looking a little hesitant before pulling up a com. Luke nods gratefully to him, eyes skimming over Din. Luke heaves out a breath and types out a code before waiting. The receiver of his message is broadcast largely in the middle of the room. Din tilts his head in wonder, it’s a Wookie.
Said Wookie stands from it’s chair and lets out several throaty bark-like sounds. Luke waves his hands, and Grogu copies the motion.
“Chewy! Chewy calm down! Yes I’m alright, where’s Han or Leia?” The Wookie, Chewy? Grunts and growls and waves his arms. A new face appears, the man in Luke’s locket.
“Where the hell have you been Kid? Leia has been trying to contact you for days now.”
Luke waves him away, “My ship got totaled.”
“Totaled? You let that X-Wing get wrecked?” Han is smirking at him.
“At least I’ve only messed my ship up once,” Luke mutters, rubbing his fingers into his eyes. “That's not the point though. I need help.”
“Yeah no problem kid I’ll come give you a ride.”
Luke laughs a little humorlessly, “No Han. I need the New Republic’s help.”
Han frowns, turning his head to speak to the Wookie, “Go find Leia would you?” he squints as he looks back at Luke, “Where are you? I thought you said you’d only be gone for a day at most.”
“Would you believe me if I said I was on an Imperial Light Cruiser?”Luke snarked.
“Honestly kid, nothing really fazes me anymore.” Han’s eyes wonder before falling on Din and squinting, “Except maybe that. Did you get yourself caught by bounty hunters?”
Luke looks over his shoulder at Din motioning for him. Din would rather stay where he can see the Doctor and the doors, but she slowly edges forwards further into the blue glow from projection. Han whistles lowly.
“That’s some mighty fine armor. Beskar, right? Pure from the look of it.”
Luke cringes slightly at Din’s side, “Uh, Han this is D-”
“Mando,” Din cuts Luke off. His name from anybody else's mouth feels wrong. That’s a part of himself he’s given to Luke and will not so easily give to anyone else.
Han’s eyebrow raises, “Nice to meet you I suppose. I’m Han Solo.”
Din nods in acknowledgement and Han’s attention goes back to Luke after a long stare.
“So how did you get to know Mando?”
“Remember how I told you guys I was going to find a child?” Luke asks. Han is smirking again.
“That’s a big child Luke. You sure you got the right one?”
Luke frowns, “No, Di-Mando is the child’s father. They were on the Light-”
“Luke!” Han is unceremoniously shoved out of the way. Luke’s sister looks frazzled and slightly enraged, “Do you know how worried we’ve been? Where are you and why is this an imperial feed?”
Luke rubs a hand across his forehead, Grogu claws at Din’s leg to be lifted up, and Cara looks a little awe struck.
“It’s a long story. I’ll explain it all, but for now I need the New Republic’s help.”
Leia listens as Luke relays their problem, shamefully admitting once again that his ship is out of commission and informing her of the troubling news the Light Cruiser bore on it. She formed deeply when he told her Moff Gideon was on board.
“So Bogano. That’s very far out there.” Leia says and Han scoffs behind her.
“It doesn’t even exist as far as I’m concerned. It sure as hell isn’t on a single star map we have.”
Luke and Leia seem to be having a conversation all their own and she nods in finality, “No worries there. I can find it.”
Leia is just now seeming to notice Din. Her eyes go wide and she flicks them back to Luke who looks pointedly away, ears tipped pink, a subtle shake to his head.
“Is that the child? What do you look like under there Mando?”
Din scowls at him, and Grogu gurgles at the attention, wiggling his fingers in an odd little wave.
“Yes,” Leia says. She’s looking at Grogu in slight wonder. “Is he the disturbance the force was shaken with?” She asks her brother. Luke nods, seemingly recovered.
“He is very strong with the force Leia. Untrained but strong.”
Leia nods, eyes flickering before she seems to come back to herself. Grogu makes a low noise turning his face into Din’s chest.
“We will come to your aid. I’m not sure how long it will take, but we will be there Luke.”
Luke bows his head slightly, “Thank you Leia.”
“Next time you had better contact me sooner. I thought the worst.” her tone is stern and Luke offers her the same respect when he apologies and promises to do better. She waves him away. “Do you think you’ll be in contact once you reach Bogano?”
“I’m not sure. We’re running on fumes as it is.” Luke says. Leia lets out a sigh but lifts her chin and nods.
“Very well.”
Cara approaches them finally. Din moves back, giving her the spot by Luke. She gives Leia a small bow, awkward and stiff.
“Princess Leia, I’m Cara Dune Marshall of the New Republic, I’m willing to take full responsibility for the processing of Moff Gideon.”
“General, and thank you Cara. Upon arrival I will be sure to employ your help.” Leia says. She’s looking at Cara a little sadly and Din thinks that even though Cara had said nothing about it, Leia knows she lost her people on Alderaan too.
Luke hums, “You’re coming?”
Leia rolls her eyes impressively, “Of course I’m coming, it’ll be like old times, and there’s someone I really want to meet.” her eyes sparkle with mirth.
It’s Han who breaks up the conversation, pointing out that since they really have no idea where they are going they need to start prepping. Leia bids them all goodbye and the transmission taps out. Luke runs a hand through his hair.
“She likes that man?” Cara asks incredulously.
“He’s not bad at all once you get to know him,” Luke slaps a hand to his forehead, “I should have mentioned that Boba Fett is still alive!”
Din bristles a little bit. Boba doesn’t need the New Republic on his tail, and Din doesn’t want to be linked back to them finding him. Luke turns frowning softly at him.
“Not like that Din. Boba and Han have a rocky history, Chewy would have gotten a kick out of his reaction.” he chuckles, “I would have too.”
“He seems like the type to have bad run-ins with bounty hunters.” Din says, “Let me guess, he was a smuggler. Couldn’t keep his cargo.”
Luke looks a little baffled, “How do you know that?”
Din shrugs. Grogu is wriggling in his arms reaching for the floor. Din deposits him onto it telling him to no avail to stick close. “I brought in plenty of guys just like him when I was guild. They like to think they have the galaxy in their pocket. Cocky, annoying.”
Luke sputters out a laugh, “I can see that causing problems in the future. He is my close family you know.” Luke’s eyes shine with the same mirth that Leia's had, and Din gets the overwhelming desire to kiss him. To finish what was taken from them; but now would be a poor time. He isn’t willing to share the vulnerability he felt around Luke with anyone else. Not yet at least.
“Can we guarantee that the New Republic will leave the cruiser?” The young Mandalorian woman said. She’d been very quiet, glaring at them as she hovered almost protectively over Bo-Katan.
“I can’t promise anything,” Luke says, “But they were our only hope.”
Bo-Katan sneers, “I will not let them take the ship I rightfully won.”
“You will have to deal with that when we arrive.” Luke dismisses the conversation quickly. Din follows him as he sits against the wall by Cara and Doctor Pershen. Din debates but at Cara’s tired look he sits. Grogu prattles back over towards them, climbing Din’s lap and making himself at home against the beskar breastplate.
“What are the bodies in the Bacta Tanks?” Luke’s question makes Doctor Pershing seize up where he sits, fingers twisting his shirt.
“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.” his voice shakes badly.
“I don’t believe you,” Luke says calmly, his face never changes from carefully blank. “Why did you need Grogu? What are you creating?”
Pershing’s swallows, his throat his slicked with sweat, “I-I told you, I don’t know. All Gideon would tell me was he planned to bring order to the Galaxy.”
“You’re a cloning doctor,” Din snaps, “Are you trying to give something else Grogu’s powers?”
The doctor’s head snaps towards him, “N-no, maybe. I don’t know!”
“Can you do something like that?” Cara asks, her hand is pressed to her neck idly as she looks down at Grogu.
“The force is strong in my family,” Luke says. “My father had it, I have it, my sister has it. It can be something inherited.”
“I was simply hired because I was a clone doctor.” Pershen rambles. Luke still looks unconvinced and mildly frustrated.
“Did you tamper with the people in the bacta tanks at all?” Luke asks, voice becoming hard.
“No. I don’t know who they are.”
“Will they survive if taken out of hibernation.”
Pershen twists harder at his shirt, “I would think not. The ship's energy has been too low to sustain them.”
Luke squeezes his eyes shut briefly, “I was afraid of that.” he sounds defeated.
“It’s not your fault,” Din mutters. Luke nods, still looking like he let down the galaxy.
“I-if you’d like, I can perform autopsies on the bodies, to see what they were for.” Pershen trails off as Cara glares at him.
“You’re awful willing to help. I don’t trust, and pretending to be an innocent party is not going to save your skin in the long run.”
Pershen nods jerkily, “O-of course. I wasn't trying to-,”
“Shut your trap. If we feel the need to investigate what happened we’ll do it on our terms.”
Pershen falls quiet, and Cara falls quiet, and Luke falls quiet.Din thunks his head back against the wall with a metallic clang squeezing his eyes shut behind the visor of his helmet. This is too much for him. Searching along the floor he grabs Luke’s hand. Intertwining their fingers like he had in the hall, Luke squeezes his hand.
“Maybe I can find you somewhere quiet,” Din mutters, “Without any interruptions.”
Luke turns away from the conversation at hand, eye wide and mouth lifted in a tiny smile, “I’d like that.”
And if Cara looked pointedly aware with a smile of her own, Din pretends not to notice.