Not the Jedi Way

Reflecting and Feeling

"Penny for your thought?" Luke sat down on the roof next to Din. It was late at night and the stars were out. He had seen the other go out. The last few days after they got back he had been weirdly quiet and distant.

"It's nothing." Din looked at the stars stretching out above them.

Luke put his hand on his. "Bullshit. Do you wanna talk about or?"

"I don't." Din pulled his hand away and seemed cold but before the Jedi could back away he spoke up again. "Can you stay with me?"

"Sure." Luke leaned against his shoulder looking up. "It's a beautiful night, not a single cloud."

"Yeah." Din didn't move away this time liking the other's contact, finding it calming.

"You know when I was younger I always wanted to be out here, somewhere other than Tatooine. But sometimes I miss the sand." Luke smiled, he felt a great disturbance in the force (Anakin screaming at the sound of betrayal). "I used to climb on the roof like this back then as well."

It was quiet between them for a while but not uncomfortably quiet. Din was scared to open up but his whole body urged him to do it. "I came out here to think about my parents."

Luke looked up to him.

"They died on this day. You know how I avoid your droid, right? It's nothing about him it's just-" He took a deep breath. "Droids killed them. I lived in Aq Venita. My parents hid me before getting killed. Eventually, the Mandalorians saved me and I became a foundling. I owe my life to them."

"Din, I-" Luke took his hand again. "I'm sorry." His eyes were watery he could feel the other hurting, feel that his facade had crumbled, that he had let him in. "I am here for you, I'll always be." He squeezed his hand.

Din didn't answer he just put his head back on Luke's shoulder. "I've done terrible things. Are you sure I deserve that?"

"Nothing you could've done or could do can change my mind. I will always be there for you. You're so much more than your actions and your pain. You're family."

Din didn't deserve this. The other was too nice, too gentle, too good. He would ruin him. He would hurt him. He should pull away and establish distance between them to build a wall to protect the other. But he was selfish he didn't want to. Luke had accepted him and he didn't want to move away from him. He wanted to confide in him wanted him to see him as he was, wanted him to know his broken parts. Tears ran down his cheek.

Luke knew that and pulled out a piece of cloth. "Let me touch you, really touch you." He put it over his eyes.

Din knew what he meant and he hesitated but eventually pulled off his helmet knowing the other couldn't see him.

Luke pulled off his gloves and gently reached out to him stopping only an inch away from his face. "Is this okay?"

"Yes."

He moved in gently lying his hands down on the other's face.

Din flinched for a second before relaxing. His breathing staggered. He didn't know how long it had been since somebody touched his face like this.

Luke was extremely careful he let his thumbs gently stroke the other's cheeks wiping away some tears. "Is this okay?"

"Yes." Din felt touched not only physically, it was as if he had touched his soul, his whole being. Without the helmet Din saw the other without glass between them for the first time and felt the warmth of his skin. It was exhilarating. He could smell the other's bodywash a faint mint and cider. Din felt the gentleness of his touch as well as his slightly rough hands from years of combat.

Was he allowed to look at him like that? It felt too intimate. But could it be wrong when he was just so nice to look at? His soft hair, his kind eyes hidden behind the blindfold. The soft lips that were turned into a bright smile.

Something about him just made him want to protect him and shelter him from all the harm out there. Din wished Luke wouldn't have had to grow up during war and to have had a loving father. The young man had so much responsibility on him, he didn't deserve all that. Though Din only knew glimpses of the other's trouble it was enough to know that he was hurting.

Luke meanwhile took in the sensations of the other's skin feeling some almost faded scars on his face. His finger went over the other's lip making him pull away for a second, chuckling. "Sorry, I got carried away." Luke placed his hands back on his face and gave him a kiss on the cheek making Din blush hard. "Thank you for trusting me." He beamed at him.

They stayed like that for a while, Din just looking at the other in awe and Luke just holding his face. Luke had seen through Din and the walls he kept up all this time. The Mandalorian had forgotten that even in this shitty universe there are kind people. He didn't feel pressured by the other to speak and was able to take his time to open up. This was all new to him.

"Hey, Din?"

"Yeah?"

"We're going to be okay. You're stuck with me." He smiled and leaned back against him.

"And you with me." Din could feel the other's hair tickle his chin and couldn't help but smile.