Jedi and The Knight

A Beautiful Tragedy

Content Warnings: mention of blood, (in my opinion) Graphic depictions of Violence, cliffhanger?

~~

if you want to better understand this chapter I recommend watching episode 14 of The Mandalorian.

Bounty hunting with the occasional break, taking care of a child, and almost dying every once and a while is, in fact, tiring. Mars and Din had decided that a few days of not dying would be a good idea, for the kid, of course.

They had landed on Tatooine in Mos Eisley, there was a cantina there, and apparently, the band was quite good, according to the townspeople. Din had mentioned to Mars that he knew someone there who could fix up their ships and refuel them.

"How do you know them? I never knew you had friends." Mars says, nudging him as they were landing in the hanger bay. Though the tension of their feelings were less, they both were well aware of each other's feelings. For the most part, Mars still treated him the same, as did he.

The kiss was only two days ago, but Mars still felt like she had just woken up with him beside her, helmet off, voice clear and human. Each time they walked past each other or reached above their heads in the cockpit, pressing various buttons, they would share lengthened looks or gazes. Hidden or not, they could feel each other's eyes.

Mars, unlike Din, did not mind getting caught staring. It had been so long since she finally accepted something she felt that her Master wouldn't approve of. Her strings were cut, and Mars dipped into that feeling, letting it fuel her, ignite her. Though it was something a Sith Lord would do, she finally found the balance between rules and being alive. If the Force willed it, so be it.

They would sit on her couch, Mars reading a book and Din cradling Grogu, with his finger held tightly within the kid's tiny fist. Din would talk to him, and Mars would just watch. If she laughed, he'd look up to find her grinning and just looking at Din. She would only look away once she remembered she was reading.

In another occurrence, Din was putting away his weapons when Mars had climbed up from her ship into his. Her shoeless feet softly pressed against the cold metal as she rocked around the room with Grogu giggling and babbling. As she would hum and silently roam the hull, Din found himself staring at her play with the kid, and it transported him away from what he was doing.

When she looked at him, he immediately whipped his head back carelessly, putting his weapons back. Causing some to clatter to the floor, eliciting a laugh from both of them. The inside of his helmet felt warm as his face flushed beneath.

"She's just someone I've helped out before," he says, in response to Mars' joke. "I wouldn't say we're friends."

"She?" Mars questions.

Din slowly turns his head to look at her. "Yes, She." He says accusingly.

"Just wondering." She says, raising her hands in defense and smiling.

"Mmhm," Din says, nudging her back gently with just the top of his hand. "I don't really get around Mars." He says, joking as he stands up.

"Oh, I'm sure." She smiles and stands with him, helping her up from her seat.

---

As the two of them step out of their ships silently chatting about the kid and how they would carry him, a sharp, high yell brings them to attention.

"Hey!" A short curly-haired woman yells, appearing from behind a door. She stomps up and points accusingly at Din. "Mando! Finally decided to clean up the mess you left last time you were here?" Only acknowledging Din, she pokes a finger at his chest plate.