the curious happenstance of pedro pascal and din djarin [The Mandalorian]

Promise.

"Din? Din? Oh, god. I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I didn't think. Din?"

Pedro shook the man, but he didn't respond. He was shaking. He was frightened and in pain - but there wasn't anything he could do. It hurt so much to see his friend - brother, even - be in so much agony.

"Din," Pedro ran a hand down his spine, hopeful to at least being some semblance of comfort to the Mandalorian. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know she'd affect you like this. I'm sorry."

The baby yoda robot sat barely two feet away. It had a looming presence, which it never had before. It's like it was personally mocking him, personally mocking Din.

Jon stood awkwardly on the sidelines. He seemed afraid to even be within an arm's reach of the scene before him.

"Do you want to go-" he almost said 'home,'"back to my apartment?"

There was a subtle nod. And an audible sniff. Then, "I don't feel well."

"It's fine. That's fine. Jon, can I take-?"

"Yes. Yes, of course."

"Thank you."

Pedro, with all of his remaining strength, hoisted the Mandalorian up onto his feet. Din shook with every step, but eventually, they were on their way out of the set and back into the parking lot.

When they were in the car, and Din had calmed down, Pedro sighed. "I'm so sorry about this. I didn't think."

"I think," came the croaky voice of the Mandalorian, "that I should be the one saying sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen, and now I'm pulling you out of your work just because I couldn't control my emotions."

"I don't mind being pulled out of work if it's to make sure you're okay." He started the car with a rev of the engine. "You don't have to talk about it... but I would prefer if you did."

As he waited for the car to warm up, he turned his body towards Din, who was resting his forehead against the window.

He shook his head.

"Okay."

He turned back to the wheel, and with a frustrated turn of the wrist, they were off.

They arrived back at the apartment in no time, but the trip had felt hours long in the suffocating silence.

He hadn't expected Din to be so affected. He knew Omera was a character set up for a romance, or at least that was the impression he got, but he never would have thought it would be to this extent. Made him wonder how much Jon and the rest weren't actually telling him about the show.

He turned the knob and swung the door open in one swift motion. He caught it just in time before it slammed into the wall behind it.

"I'll have to get back to work. But I'll stay for a bit if you want to talk."

Pedro didn't move from the door even as Din sunk into the couch pillows. He fiddled with the keys still in his hand.

Din ripped off the scarf and the sunglasses, practically throwing them onto the seat beside him. He released a great sad sigh. "I thought you would know why I'm upset."

"Even if I do I'd like to hear it straight from the horses' mouth."

" 'The horses'-?"

"It's just... an expression. Look..." Pedro shut the door behind him with a click. He sauntered over to where Din sat and kneeled down in front of him. "You really like Omera, right?"

Din's fists clenched. "No point in hiding it, then?"

It was strange. Watching himself like this. Of course it wasn't really him, but - seeing his face bear such an expression was... jarring. Listening to the bite in his voice. Watching his entire body tense. It wasn't weird when he watched himself on the big screen, but that was different. Javier Peña wasn't in the flesh. Din was.

He wondered if this was what it was like to have an identical twin.

"It must hurt. To see all of these people that you know act like this."

Din said nothing, but seemed to silently agree.

"I'm sorry you had to see the... the child. Like that. I asked Jon to put it in a separate room..."

The silence was tense. Din's gaze bore into his skull. He felt like it was being crushed - like poor, poor Oberyn.

"I can't pretend to understand how you feel about this."

Being ripped away from your life. Forced into a situation you hated. 

"But if you don't talk I can't help you."

Imagine losing a child. Imagine being safe and content, then having it torn away from you in an instant.

"I can't let you spiral."

It was no wonder Din was depressed. It was no wonder he had nightmares, and broke down crying, and had panic attacks. He'd worked so hard for what he had, for four decades.

And then it was gone.

Of course he wouldn't take it well.

Pedro still marvelled at the display of emotion. Even being as closed off as he was, Din was still willing. He was willing to be helped. It would just take time.

Din took a deep breath. "I want to go home."

"Okay." Okay. "We'll figure it out." If something brought you here, then that something can send you back.

"Can you promise that?"

It was like looking into the eyes of a child. In a way, Din was one. Discovering these emotions for the first time in decades.

He couldn't promise anything. Of course he couldn't. Because that would be lying. It would be cruel. Giving false hope. Wasn't this the moment in stories where everything started going wrong? Promises are made and immediately broken. Peoples' hearts are shattered. The damage is irreversible.

"Yes. I promise."

What a stupid idea.