Crawl Home to Her | Mandalorian x OC

chapter four

Surprisingly after that, Din found himself on Tatooine again and again. Again and again, he would always stay with the Innkeeper, who at this point would flat out refuse any extra credits for looking after the child. He knew he should be out looking for the Jedi Ahsoka Tano, but whenever he was in the cockpit of the Razor Crest, he'd enter in the coordinates for Tatooine.

Din liked to pretend he didn't know why he continued to come back to the desert planet, but he knew. At first he simply thought of it as her being one of the few people in the galaxy he could expect to take care of the child. But the more he visited, the more he watched her care for and interact with his ade, then the way she would try and care for him. Maker, he knew he was falling and falling fast. From what he gathered, the Innkeeper didn't mind one bit, enjoying his company and random excuses for being on the planet again so soon. Peli on the other hand. . . she was beginning to catch on.

"Back again, already?" She called out, cleaning the oil off her hands with a spare rag.

"Was in the sector," he responded as if the answer was obvious.

"Uh huh, listen, whatever thing you have going on with Kit, just don't break her heart. She's a good kid."

Din frowned at the unfamiliar name. "Kit?"

"I- you're telling me this whole time you never bothered to ask her name? Maker, I hope you're better at shooting than romance," Peli grumbled at him as she made her way over to the Razor Crest.

As he headed towards the inn, a myriad of thoughts came bustling through his head. He really hadn't ever asked for the Innkeeper's name, nor did she ever give it. Despite all the times they've talked, all the things he learned about her, It never came up in conversation. She was simply the Innkeeper. . . maybe it was time for that to change.

Din had since stopped ringing for her at the front desk, immediately heading towards the back room towards the innkeeper's quarters. He knocked softly on the wall as he entered, a habit he had picked up. As he peered into the room, he couldn't see Kit anywhere in the kitchen or sitting area. Not even at her desk with the droid. He almost assumed she would be out when she stepped out of her bedroom. She was dressed as she usually was, light colored loose clothing hanging from her form. Her dark curls were tucked behind a scarf, pushing her hair out from her face. The only thing different was the long silver cane in her hand.

"Mando! Ah, didn't know you'd be back so soon. I was just about to head to the market," she explained as she stepped out towards the exit. "I could use an extra hand."

"Sure," he answered, placing the kid from in his arms to his bag.

Side by side, Din and Kit made their way out of the inn. He watched her carefully out of the corner of his visor. With one hand on the cane, she dragged it side to side in front of her, kicking up a bit of dirt in the process. Some people noticed, moving out of her way as the two of them walked towards the market.

"Now, I need some preserves, protein bars, and water. Normally they're in the same stalls, but sometimes they move their booths," Kit said as they approached the marketplace. She tapped her cane a bit in front of her, accidentally hitting a few people's ankles in the process. Irritated they'd turn to berate her but Din glared at them down before they even managed to get a word out.

"Take my arm." Gently he nudged her shoulder with his elbow. Holding her cane straight up, she took his arm, her hand splayed over his vambrace. Barely, just barely, she let out a shaky breath as her fingers gripped the beskar. Glancing down at her hand, he watched as she absent mindedly dragged her the pad of her finger up and down the smooth metal. The action was odd, but Din didn't call her out on it.

"Not my fault they make these pathways so kriffing tight," she chuckled as they approached a preserve booth. Din watched with a hidden smile as she heckled the booth owner for a lower price. But upon seeing she was with a Mandalorian, they lowered it to Kit's offer. "I need to take you shopping with me more often."

As they walked towards the next stall, Din spoke. "I realized I've never asked for your name."

"Really? You only just figured that out?" She mocked. "It's Kit Va'nia."

Even though he already knew her first name, he hummed. Signaling to her that he got it. He would've assumed she was going to ask for his name, but instead remained silent. "You're not going to ask for mine?"

"Unless it's something you think I need to know, then no." Kit shrugged as they approached the next vendor. Din had no idea where this woman had been all his life, not bothering to ask questions or bother him about his culture. Everywhere he went, he was always asked some question regarding his name or his helmet. So for him to finally meet someone that didn't bother or care, he couldn't help but feel like a weight was off his shoulders.