THE ARC OF SKYWALKER | a star wars story✔️

28 | it's a good thing

—MY BODY FELT LIKE IT WAS ON FIRE.

Every movement made me want to cry hysterically while curled up in the fetal position. Whatever that stuff was that Peli put on my wound, it hurt like a bitch.

Whatever happened a few moments ago was foggy. I only remember Toro shooting me then hearing Mando's voice calming me down when I was being treated. But right now, I was going in and out of consciousness. I watched Mando approach me and felt his gloved hand run over my head.

"Hey." He whispered to me and I gave him a weak smile. My eyes closed again and sighed from the soothing sensations on my head.

"Hey." I whispered back, my voice hoarse. I could feel sweat drip down my neck.

Mando moved my hair from my face before he moved to bandage my side. Before he did so, he removed his gloves and, if I wasn't so tired and weak, I would have gawked and freaked out internally. He wasn't some ugly species of alien or a race of a specific planet.

He was human.

I grimaced when he peeled the fabric of my shirt off the wound on my stomach. He tried to be as gentle as possible as he used a wet rag to clean off any dried blood or the remnants of the liquid Peli used to cleanse it.

"Sorry." He apologized quickly before he started applying a soothing cream. He turned back to my exposed stomach, his actions halting when, I suspect, he caught sight of the many scars on my body. I wasn't a pretty sight, naked or clothed, but I never let a man or woman degrade me by using them against me. Scars told stories, and if I had to guess, Mando had them too and his scars held legends.

He snapped out of his trance and continued to apply the cream. I closed my eyes, sighing in relief and exhaustion. He quickly bandaged my stomach but made sure not to do it too tight.

"Hey, keep your eyes open." Mando's voice said softly. "By the way, I found this outside."

I frowned and looked in his direction. He held up a small object, and upon closer inspection, I saw he held my mother's ring. Anger coursed through me for a moment and the Mandalorian seemed to see it too.

"Toro took it off of you, Asa. I would never take it from you nor keep it for my own gain. I know how much this means to you.

He gently grabbed my hand and slipped the ring back on my pinky. I calmed myself down as I watched Mando pull up a chair and sit beside me. He pulled his gloves back on before caressing my face with his left hand, the leather feeling a bit warm against my skin. He traced the lightsaber scar on my cheek and I leaned into his touch.

"You were jealous of Toro flirting with me." I said with a grin.

Mando didn't stop what he was doing but I could sense the awkwardness in his body language. It quickly became confidence as he leaned forward to where his helmet-covered face was inches from mine.

"He was disrespecting you, Ace."

"And I handled it." I replied quickly. "But why care if he flirted with me?"

"He was being degrading and I didn't like it. No woman should be commented on like how he did. Especially you."

I grinned, my cheeks warm as I shifted to get more comfortable.

"If you must know, he wasn't my type." I commented as I shrugged my shoulders weakly. "I prefer the mysterious ones who wear helmets."

Mando chuckled and I know for a fact he rolled his eyes at me. I chuckled too but grimaced when pain erupted in my abdomen.

"Is the kid okay?" I asked after a moment of silence.

"Peli has him at the moment. Said she was putting him to sleep."

I nodded and my eyes began to close a little. With him caressing my cheek and the quiet of the night, it was peaceful.

"Thank you, Mando."

"Din."

I opened eyes again and looked at the man in front of me, shock possibly evident on my face. I could sense his amusement as I struggled to find words for a moment.

"What did you say?"

"My name," he spoke again and slowly removed his helmet to show me his face, "is Din Djarin."

I studied his features in awe and weakly raised my hand up to run my fingertips over his face. A slight stubble was on his cheeks; his eyes a mesmerizing honey brown; and his curly hair was a little unruly. His skin was a warm tan and a small, charming smile spread across his lips. Din is, quite possibly, the most beautiful person I've ever laid eyes on.

"You're not at all what I expected." I whispered in shock as he leaned forward, his nose close to brushing mine. His forehead rested against mine and the both of us chuckled tiredly.

"Is that a good or bad thing?" He asked, his voice husky and deep. It was melodic to listen to.

"It's a good thing. I thought you were a gungan."

"Now that's just rude." Din said with a chuckle and I smiled at hearing him laugh. It was so pure; so carefree in the moment with me.

My eyes fluttered shut as sleep fought to take over me. Din seemed to notice since he grabbed his helmet to put it back on. I didn't need him to tell me what he was doing since he slipped his arm under my knees and his other behind my back before lifting me up, holding me close to his chest.

"Din?"

"Y-Yeah?" Oh, Maker, this man is going to be the death of me...

"Thank you. I know the kid and I put you through a lot, but you still keep on going."

Din set me down on the makeshift bed I had made since I've been aboard the Crest. For a moment, he sat in thought his gaze set on me before looking away.

"Asa, you and the kid are the best things that have happened to me." He stated softly and fiddled with his hands. "But you, Ace...I don't how to say this, but you make me feel something I haven't felt in years."

The blush was back on my face and he looked back to gauge my reaction. I gawked at him as he put his hand on my shoulder.

Never in my years of serving the Empire or even before when I was a younger lady did I ever become intimate with a man. The only time I could classify a time where I was intimate with one, it was to assassinate him because he was a threat to the Empire. We never got passed kissing since I stabbed him through the head with his own dagger. Turns out he was trying to kill me too, but I did it first.

But Din? I knew about the feelings he talked about because I felt them too. I felt them whenever he called me Ace. I felt them when he would place his hand on my shoulder to calm me down or show he trusted me. I felt them whenever he joked around with me or would comfort me when I was struggling with the Force.

"I...I, um..." Words lefts me as I gazed at him, my face burning from the blush and the butterflies in my stomach made my hands shake. I hated this feeling yet loved it.

I could sense Din's amusement as I sat on the floor, my jaw slowly dropping open from it going slack. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms loosely around my waist, his helmet resting on my shoulder and he inhaled deeply. Raising my shaking hands, I slowly removed his helmet again and made him look at me.

"I feel them too, Din."

In a small, quick motion, he pressed his lips to mine and immediately I melted into his touch, my arms wrapping around his neck and every part of my being wanting more of the man in front me.

~*~

*NOTES*
i think i killed all the AsaDin stans with this chapter 😂