Dank Farrik Drabble: Honey/Snug

Din was at the edge of his abilities, his mind focused like never before. He could hear the blood thrumming in his ears, and he could sense the resonant frequency of the ship’s idle engines. The left one would need attention soon, but the thought was quickly dismissed as he tried to visualize the little container of sweetener lifting off the crate across from him.

He had done this before, on a smaller scale. Why would lifting a container of sweet liquid be that much more difficult than a pebble?

And yet. Din exhaled, slowly, unclenching his jaw.

“Don’t rush!” he heard the training echo in his head as he sipped the now disappointingly lukewarm tea. Despite himself, he couldn’t help but smile and sneak a glance at Grogu in his lap, still out like a light.

At least one of them took the lesson to heart.

Mandomera Week 2022 Day 6: Separation

That goddamn tin can had a good sense of timing. Omera had grieved for a while, sulking when Winta couldn’t see her, yelling at unruly patrons who deserved it anyway, cursing the Mandalorian for making her fall in love again and then just leaving. She had wished often that she could settle into being mad at him for leaving, but he just had to go and do the noble thing and protect his son. She’d have done the same for Winta in a heartbeat.

So she sat with her sadness and eventually worked through it - she was a big girl after all, not her first rodeo and stars willing not her last. Things were starting to feel normal again.

Then that asshole just showed up unannounced, landing a sleek new ship ten paces out from the village, and he had the audacity to say “Hey”. Months of work on herself, down the drain in an instant.

He must have seen in her gait that there was some annoyance in her as she walked up to him. She could see him tense up and brace for impact, physical and mental. He wasn’t wrong, she thought, there were plans in her head to yell, to punch to give him the silent treatment and just go and pick up Grogu, but as much as she wanted to be angry, her fury was stuck somewhere halfway between the village and his ship.

Bonk.

She practically walked into him, wrapping him in an embrace tight enough to squeeze air from his lungs. For a moment, his arms hovered around her, still ready to deflect a slap to the face, that they both knew he deserved.

“Asshole.” she said affectionately.

“I missed you.” he said, and eased into the hug.

Mandomera Week 2022: Day #3 - Stargazing

“How many do you think you’ve visited?” Omera asked, and Din took a long minute to realize the question was meant for him, not some hypothetical person that wasn’t currently engrossed in feeling the gentle evening breeze on his face and gazing at the myriad stars.

“A few dozen, maybe a hundred. They start looking very similar after the fifteenth desert planet.” He said. “I’m not sure if I’ve been to Tatooine fifteen times or whether those were distinct planets.”

Omera chuckled and stroked her thumb over the top of his hand. “You must have seen so much more than me.”

“You could come with me.” Din said. “When I’m only doing diplomacy, you could tag along and explore while I do the boring parts. Not when we do Mandalorian diplomacy though.”

“Go with you?” she stayed silent for a long time, considering the suggestion more seriously than Din had expected. “And who would look after Winta?”

“Literally anyone in the village would be happy to do so, I have that on good authority. Besides, she’s more eager to fly than you are.” Din said and with a herculean effort tore his gaze from the stars to look at Omera instead. “I’m not asking you to leave Sorgan behind. I want to share a bit more of what I do with you. Small steps, like we talked about.”

“Small steps.” she said, and smiled at him. “Well, I’ll have to see what Winta says, and whether the village can do without me for a while. But.. Okay.”

“Okay.” Din repeated, and hoped she could see his smile in the darkness.

Mandomera Week: Secrets

“When are you coming back?” Omera asked, letting her hand linger in his.

Soon, Din wanted to say. Give out no details, tell only what they need to know, protect yourself and your kin. The armorer’s words still echoed in his ears after all this time, and he’d explained this to Omera before. He trusted her, but this was for their protection. Both his and hers, and that of the kids. If their past caught up with them the trail would end, and the family would live on.

“I’m going to help out an old associate,” he said instead. “Friend.” he corrected. “He has problems with the imperial remnant. I’m planning for a month, this will require some planning, but we will be okay.”

He did not mention any names, he did not give out coordinates, he did not endanger anyone, but by the look on her face, it gave her something to hold on to. Din knew it wasn’t much, but at least she didn’t have to feel the same way he felt, whenever his friends would venture out without a single word.

“I’ll come back to you.” he said, and gently touched his forehead to hers.

Mandomera Week: Memory

He would need to make sure Grogu wouldn’t grow up like him. He had to make sure that Grogu didn’t have to reach decades into the past to remember warmth. Yes, Din thought, we need to come here more often.

Din was still sitting on the edge of their bed, blinking to get his vision clear enough to get dressed. He always wanted to make the most out of his time on Sorgan, and nights were no exception from that rule, so sleep was often traded for.. better things. If he didn’t have to pay for his hubris the morning after without fail.

Omera was in the other room, wrapping Winta’s lunch into a cloth and tying it with a bit of rope.

“Take care today, and make sure to be back before sundown, okay?” she said and gently touched Winta’s face before sending her on her way.

Din felt his stomach tighten. A barely formed memory forced its way into his head, blurry around the edges and more of a feeling than anything else. He could barely recall his mother’s face, or what she had said, but he remembered feeling of contentment, of care, of worry. It was so long ago, he had forgotten what that was like.

He would need to make sure Grogu wouldn’t grow up like him. He had to make sure that Grogu didn’t have to reach decades into the past to remember warmth. Yes, Din thought, we need to come here more often.

Pass Out

Ahsoka was squatting in front of Din, leaning close enough to his face that her breath fogged up his visor. Even so, she couldn’t see past it.

He’s gotten good at this, she thought. Din had been terrible at meditating and letting his thoughts and body settle down for the longest time. She understood that well, it was easy to see the weight on his shoulders and the drive to solve everyone’s problems - not the first time she’s seen it, either. Seeing him find a fleeting amount of peace gave her hope.

Unless.. unless he’s found a little too much peace here on the floor of starboard storage.

Ahsoka knocked on the top of Din’s helmet, not unlike someone who was asking to be let in somewhere.

“Mrrrm.” Din grumbled, without moving a single muscle.

“I guess you needed that.” Ahsoka said. She sent off a quick message to Bo about where Din would be for the foreseeable future, dimmed the lights in the room, and walked out. Some things, at least for Din Djarin, were more important than training.