Mandalorian Menace

Chapter 2 - Questions and Answers

And it helps that he doesn't need to worry about keeping a low-profile. If this is really the past, if Jabba is really alive again... then this must be before the Empire too. And he won't need to worry about being hunted down, about Grogu being taken from him for reasons he doesn't even know. He's a Mandalorian. He can more than hold his own against many, if not most, people, and the majority won't mess with him. His beskar'gam lends a certain intimidation factor to his appearance, and his vast array of weaponry even more so.

Grogu, of course, forever attuned to Din's feelings, turns his head to look at him, babbling nonsensically. "I'm okay, kid," Din assures him, but he doesn't think Grogu believes it. In one quick jump, the kid is flying across the room and into Din's arms, snuggling close to him with more incoherent sounds. Din holds Grogu close to him, stroking his head lightly and feeling affection swell up within him. He loves the way that his kid always tries to make him feel better if he's conflicted or upset, even if he feels somewhat guilty that Grogu is trying to help him. It's supposed to work the other way around.

"Wow. How can he do that?" Anakin inquires, curiously.

Din stills, heartrate spiking for a moment. He knows, logically, that he doesn't need to worry, but he's been afraid for so long – before he sent Grogu to be with the Jetii anyways – of someone realizing about Grogu's abilities and trying to take him that it's instinctual at this point. He forces himself to relax a moment later. Anakin isn't being malicious. He isn't trying to hurt them. He's simply curious.

"He has... abilities," Din admits. He's still not accustomed to the way that the kid openly uses his Jetii magic yet. Or the fact that it's usage no longer instantly puts him to sleep.

"Cool!" Anakin's exuberance seems to have returned in full now, and he's looking at Grogu curiously again. "Can he talk?"

"No, not yet," Din answers. "His species ages slowly."

"Slowly? What do you mean?"

"He's 50 from what I heard."

"Fifty?!" Anakin practically shrieks. "He looks like a baby!"

Din finds himself smiling now. "He is a baby." Grogu looks up at him with a pout. "Toddler then," he amends, absently stroking a finger over one of the kid's ears.

"How did you find him?" Anakin wants to know.

This child is, apparently, very full of questions and very talkative if he has a willing audience. Or if he feels safe. Din isn't sure if he should be touched by that or not, but he finds that he's warming up to the child quickly. He kept his distance on Sorgan, knowing that he would have to leave eventually; besides, the people there didn't really understand him. They were polite and kind and generous, but they were... well, they were farmers. They were simple people. Anakin is different somehow, and Din knows that he'll eventually leave him – and Tatooine – behind, so he doesn't know why he's indulging the boy so much. He never has acted – or felt – this way in the past, not with anyone else.

"I tracked him. He was... a mission," Din explains, unsure how else to word it.

Anakin sobers a bit at that. "But you kept him?"

"I – yes, I wouldn't let the Em- I wouldn't let anyone hurt him; he's only a child. This is the Way," he adds somberly. Grogu coos at the words, staring up at him with adoring eyes. He definitely understood that, or at least the underlying meaning. "Grog'ika," he prompts, adoring the way the kid instantly perks up when he uses his name – or his new nickname, that is. He points at the shiny metal ball which is still lying on the floor, abandoned when Grogu used his Jetii magic to jump into Din's arms.

The kid reaches out a hand, a look of concentration on his face, and a moment later, the ball flies into it. He coos, holding it out to Din. He chuckles quietly, patting Grogu's head. "Alright. I'll keep it safe for you." He tucks it away, glancing back at Anakin to find the child staring at them both with surprise.