THE ARC OF SKYWALKER | a star wars story✔️

18 | training

—DIN, ASA, AND CARA STOOD IN FRONT OF THE VOLUNTEERS AS THEY COMMENCED TRAINING.

Asa walked among the ranks, using the Force to straighten out any of the men's or women's postures. She kept her face void of emotion as she watched everyone get into a fighting stance, her hands clasped behind her back and giving her a professional stance.

Din couldn't help but wonder what happened to her yesterday when he walked passed her hut only to see her partially conscious on the floor and the Child crying for her. He wondered what she saw in the Force or what overcame her to weaken her as much as it did. But what he couldn't get out of his mind was feeling her rest her head against his helmet. That small gesture...he couldn't stop thinking about it.

"Your girlfriend looks like she's drilled before."

Din whipped his head around to stare at Cara, his eyes wide under his helmet and hoping Asa didn't hear her. All the woman did was smirk at grab one of the wooden stakes she sharpened.

"She's not my girlfriend."

"Really? 'Cause all you do is stare at her like she's the brightest star in the sky."

"I...don't stare." Din denied, shaking his head.

"You just were." Cara stated, smirking wider.

He grumbled in Mando'a under his breath, not wanting to get into his feelings and views of Asa with the woman beside him. He noticed Asa walking toward them, her face still emotionless but he could see the softness in her eyes when she looked at him.

"Cara, you can take over from here. Mando, you need any help with teaching the others how to shoot a blaster?" She asked him, her hand resting on her saber.

"I could use some help."

Cara tossed him a teasing wink from behind Asa, biting her lip to keep herself from laughing at his completely done state. Din shook his head at her before turning on his heel to go train the others. Asa followed closely behind.

"Where's the kid?" She asked him as they approached a group of men and women.

"He's playing with the other children here. Last I saw, he was eating a frog and they got grossed out by him."

The brunette smiled, a soft chuckle coming from her as she moved her hair out of her face. Din glanced down at her, his eyes tracing the scar on her face and any other ones on her skin. He did, however, notice a few scars on the back of her neck which looked like lightning bolts, but he didn't ask about them. He didn't want to dampen her mood with his personal questions.

The two reached the villagers and gave each of them a blaster. Asa helped the women position their hands and correct their stances while Din helped the men. When she got to Omera, the woman kindly turned down her help and positioned the blaster.

As he helped a young man, he glanced to Asa who was aiding a teenager girl who seemed to struggle with holding the heavy weapon. Instead of growing impatient with her or giving up, Asa was gentle and took it step by step to help the teen hold it correctly. When she was done, she walked in front of them to give them one more bit of advice before letting them shoot.

"Don't be afraid of the weapon." Asa advised, her hands clasped behind her back as she paced in front of them. "Instead, in the words of the general I served under for a short period of time, make the weapon afraid of you."

A few chuckles came from the group and Asa grinned humorously. Din's smile widened as he watched her move out of the way and told everyone the range was hot. The villagers fired at the targets set up, all them missing except Omera who made every shot.

Asa and Din stared in astonishment, the other villagers stopping what they were doing to watch the woman. When she finished, Omera grinned at them and lowered her blaster.

"Good job, everyone. Keep practicing for a bit longer and then you can all be dismissed for dinner."

~*~

Din gazed out the window of his hut, watching the Child play with the other village children. He watched the small green creature shout and be picked up by some of the kids who wanted to play while other fed him blue shrimp. The kid was happy here, and it made Din smile.

He could tell Asa was a bit hesitant toward the children here. Hours ago, he watched Winta, Omera's daughter, hug Asa who didn't know how to respond. It was a little amusing, but he could see the hesitancy and complete vulnerability she showed when she looked to him to help her. Of course, she didn't show any distaste or hate toward children. He knew she would never hurt a child. Asa made that clear when he brought the kid back from rescuing him from those Nikto mercenaries on Arvala.

He saw Asa and Omera conversing with one another, the two women walking at a leisurely pace as they approached the group of children playing. He noticed Asa was relaxed and completely open with her emotions for the first time since they had been here. Omera laughed at something she said before excusing herself from her presence. Asa nodded to her before approaching the children, the group becoming louder and more excited when they saw her.

"Asa!"

A child flung himself at her and hugged her legs, making Asa tense but she smiled and patted his back. Before Din knew it, the children were shouting battle cries and tackling Asa to the ground, the woman laughing as they all piled on top of her. It was a humorous sight to behold, but it made the Mandalorian smile, knowing that Asa was able to let her guard down and be carefree for once.

Footsteps behind him turned his attention away from the window. Omera came in with a tray of food for him.

"I brought you something to eat." She said and approached him, Din watching as she set it down on the window sill in front of him.

"Thank you. You're very kind."

The two went into a comfortable silence as they looked out the window to see Asa making a few children hover in air with the Force. The Child giggled from the rock he sat on and the other children asked her to "make them fly like a bird."

"Your son is very happy here. He's lucky to have parents like you and your companion."

Din tensed at her words but dismissed it. He didn't want to correct Omera since she had a point with Asa being a gentle mother figure, but he also wasn't comfortable with the term 'parents'. Asa and he have only known each other for a couple weeks now. He's still a little hesitant around her since she's unpredictable and her abilities in the Force were unknown to him. Plus, only a week ago he was giving the kid over to the Empire for a camtono of beskar.

"Yes, he is."

"Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" Omera asked abruptly. Din nodded to her to let her know she could.

"When was the last time you took your helmet off?"

"Yesterday."

"What about in front of people?"

He looked away from her and turned his attention to the children outside. Asa was now gone but they were all still playing and tackling one another.

"I was no older than them." He replied, gesturing to them.

Omera frowned, unable to process the fact he had never shown his face to anyone.

"You haven't shown your face to anyone else since you were a child?"

Din nodded. "This is the Way."

Without more to say, Omera left him alone to eat. Din leaned against the wall as he removed his helmet and set it down, the light breeze ruffling his chocolate brown curls as they stuck out in different directions. He let his gaze linger on the Child before he started to eat the food Omera brought him.