Under the Helmet ~ (The Mandalorian x Male OC)

Chapter 22: The Anniversary

A/N: Happy Valentine's Day everyone :) This is the official start of season 3! I hope you've enjoyed everything up to this point, as I've had a ball writing all of it!
I'll be releasing new chapters every other day, so be sure to check back in!
Season 3 is probably my favorite of the three so far, and I'm happy to announce that Season 4 will be happening :) I hope you enjoy <3
~ nunu

———

It had been two weeks since Din had given up Grogu. Daedalus had wanted to go see his father again, but the pair decided to take some time off on Cophrigin V for a week or two. They had parked the Razor Crest II at the same place they had fought Bo Katan a few weeks prior.
It was the morning of their fifteenth day on the planet, and Din awoke to Daedalus sitting straight up in bed, with a small black box in his hands.
The Mandalorian rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and propped himself up on his elbow. "What's this?"
"Happy one month!", Daedalus cooed, extending the box out to Din.
The bounty hunter had totally forgotten. He tried his best to appear undisturbed as he took the gift from his boyfriend.
"Aww, you shouldn't have," he remarked.
Daedalus shrugged and laid back down in bed. "I figured I had to get you something since you'd probably be getting me something," he paused. "Unless you forgot?"
"Of course not," Din replied, blowing a raspberry.
He began to open the box, revealing the kyber crystal from the Inquisitor's lightsaber, but instead of red, it was clear. The Mandalorian looked over at Daedalus for an explanation.
"I read up on kyber crystals from the Jedi Book while you were tracking down the Occisor, and Grogu helped me turn it white. I was thinking maybe we could make you a lightsaber?", Daedalus suggested.
Din nodded and took the crystal in his palm. Perhaps this could come in handy some day.
"So what do you have planned for the day?", Daedalus questioned.
The Mandalorian improvised, "Well, we could go for a hike, maybe make some Bantha steaks, sit around the campfire, something like that?"
"Sounds like fun," he replied, rising from bed and slipping into some casual clothes. He walked over to the nightstand and grabbed Din's helmet, handing it to him.
"I think I'll leave it off for the day," the bounty hunter asserted.
Daedalus made a confused yet happy face. "Me too."
The pair got dressed and made their way outside. The frigid gusts of wind caught Din off guard. It had been a long while since he had felt the elements of nature with his own skin.
"I saw some berry bushes down the hill a little bit, maybe they would go good with the steaks?", the Foundling proposed.
An idea appeared in Din's head. "Why don't you go get some, I'm going to start a fire."
Daedalus nodded and began to trek down the knoll to the berry bushes at the base. As soon as he was out of sight, the Mandalorian scurried into the ship, grabbing candles, heat lamps, anything that produced low light. He threw them into a satchel and began heading towards the cave where he fought Bo Katan.

———

Daedalus returned back to the ship to find his boyfriend kneeling over a dwindling flame, two Bantha steaks on the nearest boulder, thawing in the dim sunlight.
"How's it go?", he asked.
The Foundling made his way to the fire and plopped a bag full of reddish-purple berries next to the Mandalorian. "Mission successful."
Din rose and to face him. "Nice job."
"It's nice seeing you in this light," Daedalus mused, placing a single hand on the hunter's jawline.
Din kissed his partner's fingers softly, before pulling him in for a peck.
Daedalus pulled away and began placing the berries in a small metal bowl the Mandalorian had brought from the ship. "When do I get my present?", he asked.
The Foundling knew Din had either forgotten or hadn't even known it was their one month anniversary.
"Later," he replied. "Once it's dark out."

———

A few hours had passed, and the Mandalorians had settled down to eat their dinner. The Bantha meat was tough, but palatable. Din had found a way to marinate the steaks in some of the berries that Daedalus had picked, which gave the meat a tangy flavor. The Foundling enjoyed the dinner his boyfriend had prepared for him, as he wasn't aware that he could actually cook.
"I really enjoy—", he started.
"Wait," Din interrupted. He stood from his makeshift chair and drew his blaster. "I think I see something down by the cave, I'm going to go check it out."
"Well let me go with," Daedalus urged.
"No, you stay here, it's probably just an animal," he reasoned. "If I'm not back in five minutes, come help."
The Foundling scoffed as Din took off down the slope. He stabbed at the food remaining on his plate. All of a sudden, blaster fire and yelling could be heard from down the hill. Daedalus scrambled for the Darksaber, and took off down the knoll. As he approached the bottom, he saw a faint light coming from the cave. As he approached, he saw candles and heat lamps set up on the boulders inside. Entering the cave, he saw Din, who had somehow had time to change into much more formal attire. Making eye contact, the Mandalorian pressed a button on a small device in his hand, and a quaint strings ballad began playing.
It was ethereal. The cavern was gorgeous in the dim light, with the shadows bouncing around the walls, and even flower petals lined along the floor. And to make it even better, the man of Daedalus's dreams.
"Care to dance?", Din asked, extending a hand to his boyfriend.
The Foundling took his hand, and was pulled in for a passionate kiss. "Is this what you were planning?"
Din nodded.
Daedalus wrapped his arms around Din's neck, who in response placed his hands on his partner's hips. The two swayed in silence as the night dragged on.
"I love you," Daedalus splurged, breaking the silence.
"I love you too," his partner retorted.
"Where do you see us going?", the Foundling queried.
"You mean after we leave here or..?"
"I mean in life. Do you think we'll...I don't know...get married?"
"If I'm being totally honest," Din fumbled at the words, "This is my first real relationship."
Daedalus pulled back, "Are you kidding me?"
"I'm not," the Mandalorian chuckled, "I was raised being told that intimacy was weakness. This is the longest I've gone without wearing my armor since I was a Foundling myself."
"So what are you saying?"
"I'm saying that I'm not really good at this love stuff. That's all."
Daedalus nodded and pulled himself into Din's chest. He really did love this man.
"Isn't it weird thinking that we met because I broke into your ship?", Daedalus teased.
"And we only got together because I got stabbed and almost died?", Din retorted.
The two chuckled and pulled each other close. The more time they spent together, the more Daedalus didn't want to be without Din. They had only been dating a month, but he knew he would spend the rest of his life with the Mandalorian if he could.
"Where do you see yourself in...20, 30 years?", he asked.
Din cocked his head. "I don't know, honestly. I guess I always thought I would just die tracking a bounty or something. I've never really thought about what I would do if I got to the point where I wasn't a hunter," he paused, "but now, I think...I just want to maybe have a little cabin on a planet like this, maybe with someone close to me." He ran a finger along Daedalus's jawline. "With you."
Din pulled his boyfriend in for a kiss, placing his hands on the back of Daedalus's neck. The Foundling reciprocated, and Din quickly grabbed his partner's thighs, hoisting him into a form a backwards piggyback.
"Back to the—", he started.
"Ship? Yes," Daedalus finished for him.
Din carried his boyfriend back to the ship, and as they stumbled aboard, a faint chime could be heard coming from the cockpit, alerting of a missed transmission.
"That can wait till tomorrow," Daedalus playfully ordered as they made their way to the bedroom.