baby steps

Chapter Four

XVI—Crying

The Mandalorian doesn't remember the last time he cried. He had to shut down his emotions to get his job done for both himself and his people.

He was gone for far longer than he anticipated being and the kid was (hopefully) still in the ship. He knew there was a small chance the kid didn't run off somewhere after he was gone all day. The Mandalorian rushed back as fast as he could. Credits weighed down his pocket from a good day's work.

But he was worrying like crazy over the kid. He opened the door to the ship and was immediately greeted by little green hands grabbing for him.

He was so relieved he could cry and cry he did. The kid waited for him, he could figure out how to open the door if he really wanted too. He picked up the kid and held him close.

Under his helmet, he closed his eyes tightly as tears fell down his face.

XVII—Gift

The planet they bunked on was rocky and rough. He let the kid walk with his finger in one of the little clawed hands, even if it bend him in half.

The smooth path was wide enough for both of them but the kid seemed to want to explore, because he likes to make The Mandalorian's job as a parent hard. The kid stopped trying to pull them both off the path for a few moments before really putting his back into it.

He gave up and The Mandalorian thought for once he held his ground and denied the kid something and actually went through with it. No compromises.

Such was not the case.

The kid raised his hand and a red stone raised up from the rocks behind them and floated over in front of the kid. It must not be as tiring to use it on such little things for such little time because the kid is fine, even if The Mandalorian is a second from freaking out.

The kid picked up the small red stone and held it up to The Mandalorian. His big eyes were full of hope. "Dadda," the kid said.

The Mandalorian is weak when it comes to the kid normally but now that he was speaking it was almost impossible to resist. He sighed and crouched down to take the stone and pocket it.

"This doesn't mean you can just go around using that," he gestured to the kid's hands. "Power. Okay?"

The kid waddled on.

XVIII—Driving

The kid loved to mess with things. He liked to flip switches and grasp onto controls. It made the kid smile and laugh.

The Mandalorian always took back control. Unflipped switches and pulled the kid's grabby hands from the controls.

The kid was currently in his lap, looking at all the controls with interest that seemingly never faded.

He looked up at The Mandalorian, eyes pleading. "Dadda," he added, pointing at The Mandalorian.

The Mandalorian sighed. "Fine. Fine. The Mandalorian took his hands off the controls and put it into neutral. He pointed at the levers. "Controls."

"Curols," the kid tried, smiling up at him. The kid got the Memo quick and immediately flipped a switch. The Mandalorian promised himself he would only interfere if it was life or death.

He took the kid's hand gently and put it on the controls. He moved the lever up and down. "Steering."

The kid didn't even try, he just cooed. The Mandalorian put his hands on top of the kid's and guided him through. They made the ship spin and even flip, go forwards and backward, stop and start. Then he took his hands off.

The kid didn't waste any time, he started to send them in a series of flips that made The Mandalorian hold onto the kid tightly. The kid was over flips quickly and made the ship go back, stop, go back more, stop, spin then another flip.

The ship probably looked stupid to anyone around. But the kid looked up at him, a smile on his face and The Mandalorian found he didn't care about anything else. The kid continued to do random moves that pleased him.

Forward, stop, turn, back, spin.

Spin, flip, left, stop, left, spin, flip.

The Mandalorian let him without much comment until the kid hit a button. That's normal but this one launched laser beams.

"Alright," he pulled the kid back closer to his stomach. "That's enough playtime for you."

By the way, the kid looked at the controls, The Mandalorian knew this wouldn't be the last time.

XIX—Swimming

The Mandalorian hated water. He knew how to swim, thank you very much, but he hated getting wet. The whole armor and many layers thing he had going on doesn't help.

The kid, however, doesn't seem to have this problem. He doesn't know what the kid did or what happened for the fifty years he missed but going into water must not have been involved.

Sorgan had many little lakes and ponds and the kid wants to swim but the kid showed no interest towards the people filled waters. Now that kid decided he wants to swim as they come across a large pond, with huge fish under the surface.

"Fine," The Mandalorian didn't take off any of his armor. It would be unfordable for hours with his clothing wet but he wasn't going to risk anything. He unbuttoned the kid's little coat and took it off.

The kid looked back at him, then that the water. Without any fear he jumped in.

"No," The Mandalorian grabbed the kid from the water. "No," he pointed a finger at the kid. "No."

The kid wasn't paying attention, he preferred to follow The Mandalorian's fingers as it bounced up and down.

"We go slow," The Mandalorian stepped into the water and held the kid against him. Slowly he eased the kid away from him. The kid has instincts to paddle and kick.

After some testing with different amounts of support, the kid was ready. A natural. The Mandalorian let go, still keeping his hands close. The kid was so little he was buoyant and the kicking helped. The went left, then right and then center. Right into The Mandalorian's arms.

The Mandalorian will deny it until he died but he didn't hate water in that moment.

XX—Removal of the helmet

There are exceptions to every rule. Mandalorian's can't take off their helmets around people. But for trusted people, parents to kids, brother to brother, it can be excused if kept private. But Mandalorians are often solitary people, due to their jobs and lifestyle.

A kid should see their parents face. The Mandalorian hasn't minded keeping his helmet on around the kid but as he but the kid to bed and lingered the kid touched his helmet.

He felt the urge like he hasn' since he first kept it on for a whole day of work. He was suffocating under the polished helmet. He slowly took off the helmet. It was time for the kid to see his face.

He ran a hand through his hair and smiled at the kid. He pointed at himself. "Dadda."

The kid reached out and The Mandalorian leaned forward, letting the kid put his hands on his cheeks. "Dadda."

"Yeah," The Mandalorian nodded, not able to wipe the smile off his face from the kid's big eyes that are filled with joy and wonder.