【Ａ Ｓｔｒｏｎｇｅｒ Ｆｏｒｃｅ】DinDjarinxOC

【Ｆｏｕｒ】

A/N: this is a long one guys 5.3k words.

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The mandalorian had awoken before we exited hyperspace. I had fallen asleep in my seat at some point while I watched the pretty lights in front of me.

Unknown to me, the mandolorian had tilted his head to check on me and saw my sleeping form with the kid who was already awake and staring up at him. He reached out a hand without thinking and stoped just before the bangs in my face. Something about the simple act, eating at him inside. But she looked too pretty to be sharing this dump of a ship with him. Too pretty to even want to do this with him. But here she was. He felt something inside himself for her but he didn't understand it. Not yet. He didn't know if ever would honestly.

Very slowly, he retracted his hand and settled for it on her shoulder, shaking it gently to wake her up.

"Wake up. We've got almost an hour before we're out of hyperspace." He sat down in his seat.

I groaned sleepily and stretched. Attempting to ease the stiff muscles from poorly choosing to fall asleep here. I looked at the mandolorian who of course, watched every movement.

"I knew it was a bad idea to sleep here." I admitted rubbing my face and looking down at the child, "Once this one fell asleep I didn't want to wake him." I took a finger and rubbed his big ear softly.

"Don't let him stop you. Once he's out, he's gone."

I hummed. There's was something so domestic about those words for some reason. I looked back at mando with enthusiasm, "I also feel awful about calling him kid or the child. He's got to have a name. I thought about searching his mind but I didn't want to intrude."

Learning the kids name was also something that interested the mandolorian," Ask him." He shrugged.

I smirked looking down at the little green creature, "would it be alright if I learned your name? Is that ok little one? Just a peek into your mind?"

The baby cooed and tilted his head in thought. After a moment he gave the smallest of nods. I held out my hands for him to take and he did. One hand was grabbed by one of his tiny little three-fingered hands.

I closed my eyes and felt his life energy through the force. He showed me just a snippet of some grand building made of beige colored stone. It was like I was seeing the world through his eyes. A single name being called to him 'Grogu'.

I gasped and released him from my mental searching. I looked to mando with a wide smile.

"Well what is it?" I had his full attention as he eagerly looked between me and Grogu.

"His name is Grogu."

"Grogu?"

At his voice the kid looked at him with his ears perked. Then he looked back up at me.

The mandolorian called his name once more with confidence, "Grogu."

Once again the child looked at him expectantly.

Mando shook his head and chuckled, "that's great!" Then he looked at me and spoke with a semblance of hesitance, "you can read his mind?"

I shook my head," not his mind, his memories. I always ask people for permission first because I never know what I'm going to see." I looked back at him with a playful smirk, "But while we're at it, I'd like to know yours too if you'd tell me?" I held my hand out which he looked at and tensed.

"Or I could just tell you."

I shrugged," that too. But don't tell me unless you want me to actually know. It really won't hurt my feelings if you don't want too—I promise. I just feel bad calling you mando all the time." I retracted my hand and smiled sheepishly.

He looked back out the window, in thought. A moment passed where I was sure he actually wasn't comfortable telling me.

"It's okay—like I said, you don't have to-" he cut me off.

"Din." He muttered.

"What?"

"Din Djarin." He said a little slower looking back at me.

I smiled at him when he looked back at me, "Din." His name came off my lips easily and I liked the sound of it, "Well don't worry, Din, your secret's safe with me."

He shrugged,"It's not really a secret."

I shrugged too, "well it's still safe with me. You're a mandolorian: tough, mysterious, all business, and I imagine you have a reputation to maintain."

He hummed and playfully responded,"sometimes, a reputation is all a man has, princess".

Not knowing how to respond to that, we fell into a calm quiet just watching the world fall away before us.

I randomly let out a giggle. Grabbing his attention. I took it as a silent question, "I just remembered something. Don't tell my dad, but this one time I ate these really hard shrooms and-"

I didn't even get to finished and Din let out a cackle," What? I didn't even get to the good part." My smile growing wider. I just made the mando with a tough guy reputation cackle.

"Sorry," he chuckled some more, "Just the thought of you doing that made me laugh. Go on."

"Anyway," I drew out trying to repress my own laughter, "I took these mushrooms and these lights of hyperspace kind of reminded me of that, minus the high. Oh! And there was a krill that was talking to me about politics? He genuinely would have made a great king."

At my words Din chuckled some more. As did I. I giggled a little harder when the child joined in on the laughing. Soon we came down from our slap happy laughter and fell silent again.

"You're probably the goofiest princess I've met."

"Do you meet many princesses?" I quirked a brow at him.

He scoffed, "Certainly not one that—" he was cut off by a loud beeping on the control panel and a flashing light appear on his navigation display. Din rushed to exit hyperspace and I felt the ship be hit with something.

"What the hell is that?!" I put the chair and Grogu in a death grip.

"We're being targeted." Was all he said.

A male's voice came over the comms," Hand over the child mando and I might let you live." Another hunter after the baby. Din had said they'll never stop coming after him.

I tried to hold down a couple of screams as Din and the bounty hunter entered a dog fight. They chased each other around the space trying to out smart the other.

"I can bring you in warm or I can bring you in cold." The man ordered one last time.

That's when Din slammed the decelerator and we were sent forward with a great force, our bodies still wanting to go move. The child and I groaned at that. At the last minute I saw Din get the hunter in his sights and he fired upon him. The enemy burst into shiny star dust, his scream hauntingly echoed on the comms before nothing else could be heard.

"That's my line." Din muttered. I breathed hard and tried to calm my raving heart. That was a little intense. Din looked over at us," You ok?"

"Never better," my voice dripping with sarcasm. " It's over now right?"

He huffed and that's when all the lights went out and the ship died for a moment. I shouldn't have said anything. We both looked at Grogu as his giggles filled the chamber.

"You think this is funny?" I shook my head in disbelief. I watched Din stand up and head to a breaker compartment. He flipped a few switches and the lights and ship came back on.

"We need to land at the closest planet. We won't make it far with our electrical systems this busted. I think there's a hole in our fuel tank too."

I looked at the closest planet in the distance. It was red and cream colored, "what's that planet?"

"Tatooine. We'll be landing in Mos Eisley."

I waited patiently as we slowly floated our way to the sandy planet. In the mean time I was able to get Grogu to sleep again. Din wasn't wrong about him. When he was asleep he was gone.

Din landed the ship and he headed down the ladder first, I gently handed him Grogu before climbing down myself. Din put him in a hatch and gently caressed him before closing it up. His gentleness with the kid melted my heart again.

"You sure we shouldn't bring him with us?" I whispered, heading for the exit with him.

"We should be back before he wakes up. He won't even know we're gone." His lowered voice made my insides hear up. Now was not the time. I tried to push the feeling down.

It still felt wrong living the little guy all alone like this. Anything could happen. The ship lowered the ramp and we were met with a rather messy looking repair hangar and little two-legged droids running about the place.

Din took out his blaster and fired at their feet, "Mando!" I scolded, put a hand on his blaster arm.

"Hey! Hey!" A shrill woman's voice met my ears and out came a short woman with curly red hair, "You damage one of my droids, you'll pay for it!"

"Just keep them away from my ship," Din warned. He really had a thing for droids didn't he? I'd have to ask him about that some other time.

"Yeah? You and your lady think that's a good idea, do ya?" He asked looking at the ship.

I turned red immediately and Din shuffled his feet. Just as I was about to correct her that we, in fact are not together, I looked at Din who was looking at me but saying nothing. My mind went blank. So I also said nothing. A very large part of me kinda of liked the sound of it, the other part was embarrassed by myself at how it made my heart race.

I turned back to watch this mechanic make her assessment with crossed arms over my chest, "Oof! Look at that. Ugh, you got a lot of carbon scorin' building up top. Yeah. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were in a shootout."

Both Din and I tensed. How much were we able to say about that? I think I should just leave the talking to him.

The woman continued and pointed out a couple of spots," gonna need a special tool for that. You got a fuel leak and I'm gonna have to rotate that. How did you even land? This is gonna set you back." She pointed again.

Din stepped forward and placed some credits in her hand, "if got five-hundred imperial credits."

The woman shrugged," that'll at least cover the hangar."

Din sighed, "I'll get you your money."

The woman gave him a look, "I've heard that one before."

Din nodded at me to follow him, "just remember-"

The woman stopped him, "No droids. Yeah I heard you the first time."

I walked up beside Din with an amazed look, "She's a peach isn't she?"

He hummed in agreement, "let's go find some money to make."

.*.

I came to learn that I liked the sand. It was warm and soft when there was a lot of it together. But little pieces tended to get in my shoe—that I didn't like. I walked ahead of Din which turned out to be a terrible decision. Every where I looked there was something new to see making me pause my walking and din would run into me.

When Din had bumped into my back for the last time he grumbled something under his breath and put a hand on the small of my back as I walked beside him.

He directed me into a place off to the left and walking in I was pleasantly surprised. A cantina full of all walks of life calmly talking to each other and enjoying each others company. A delicious smell of something in the kitchen wafted over me and invaded my sense. I didn't realize I was so hungry.

Din lead me to the bar where a droid was cleaning the counter," droid, "hey droid, we're hunters. I'm looking for some work."

In that moment my stomach decoded to let out the most heinous growl. I gaped and went immediately red and covered my face in mortification.

"And a vegetable stew." He added.

We shared a glance before a steamy bowl of stew was placed before me. I wasted absolutely no time forking a potato and devouring it.

The droid finally spoke, "unfortunately, the bounty guild no longer operates on Tatooine."

Din placed his arms on the counter, "I'm not looking for guild work."

The droid seemed to think for a moment, "I'm afraid that doesn't improve your situation, by my calculations."

"Think again Tin-Can," a voice called behind us.

We followed the voice to see a young man sitting at a booth with his feet on the table like some ill mannered buffoon.

Seeing me he straighten up for some reason and put his feet down where they belong under the table," Whoa. Didn't know you guys were scoring broads like that."

I rolled my eyes," most people are a little bit more respectful to princesses."

"Princess?" His eyes went wide and he got this goofy look on his face," you don't want to get your hands dirty, sweet cheeks, leave it to us men. "

"You don't know what I want." I was seething under my calm facade. The only sign was the way my nails dug into the clay stew bowl.

The young scum bag continued, "If it's work your mando friend is looking for, have a seat."

Din put his hand on my back and directed us over to his table. I sat down by the window and Din sat beside me.

"Names Torro." His hazel eyes flicked over to me, "Torro Callican. You can write that down, princess."

I hummed, "you can suck dirt and die." I said sweetly. Making him smirk at me revealing pearly white teeth.

Din held up his hand," The job?"

Torro spared one more look my way before placing the bounty puck on the table. A hologram appeared of a woman with a braid of black hair and a rather mean looking face.

"Picked up this bounty puck before I left the Mid Rim. Fennec Shand: an assassin," Torro explained, "Heard she's been on the run ever since the New Republic put all her employers in lockdown."

"I know the name," Din added. I lifted the remaining bits of stew into my mouth before bring the bowl to my lips and drinking the broth.

Bringing the bowl down and wiping my wet lips with the back of my hand I noticed Torro staring at me with a dark look in his eyes. His eyes, which had also flicked down to my lip. I watched his tongue dart out and moisten his lips. Oh this guy was asking to be punched.

Din must've noticed the same thing, " eyes on me, pal."

Torro blinked as if out of a daze, "I followed this tracking fob here" he flashed the track fob in his hand," Now the positional data suggests she's headed out beyond the Dune Sea. Should be an easy job."

Din nodded in agreement, "well, good luck with that." He moved to get up and pulled me along my the arm. A sanction which surprised me.

"Wait wait wait! I thought you said you needed a job?"

Din dropped his hand on me and put it on his hip, " how long have you been with the guild?"

"Long enough," he responded quickly and defensively. Something about that told me otherwise.

"Clearly not," Din started," Fennec Shand is an elite mercenary; she made her name killing the elite crime syndicates. Including the Hutts."

My eyes widened in surprised, this young man was trying to swindle us into taking on this bounty he knew was more than he could chew.

"If you go after her, you won't make it past sunrise."

Torro rolled his eyes and confessed," this is my first job." He looked down in embarrassment," I'll make you a deal, you can keep the money—all of it. I just need this job to get into the guild."

I looked at Din you looked back at me in thought. We really need the money for the ship repairs. I shrugged at him, "we could use the money. But it's your call.

Din sighed and looked back at Torro," meet me at hangar three-five in a half hour. Bring three speeder bikes."

Torro smiled excitedly, "you got it. I'll be there." He looked at me and winked at me," Looks like you're stuck with me now, princess."

Just as Din was about to step in and no doubt say something protective, which I wouldn't have cared to hear in the slightest, I held up my hand," watch this."

I waved my hand in front of his face," you will treat me with respect."

Torro blinked and looked all over my face," I-I am so sorry. Where are my manners. Forgive me, I really didn't mean to treat you like that."

"Apology accepted," I smiled kindly and walked out the door, pushing mando along with me.

"What was that?" He asked lowly for only me to hear.

I chuckled, "Just a bit of fun. A trick I learned with the force. I wasn't about to have him keep treating me like that. I know you want to come to my rescue, mando but this is one damsel who can take care of herself."

He held his hands up in defense, "alright point taken, sweet cheeks."

I elbowed him making him chuckle.

.*.

We ventured back to the razor crest and boarded. Din wanted a to grab a couple of things before we headed out.

The very first thing k checked upon walking in was that Grogu's hatched had been opened. My heart sunk I gasped and walked over to it, looking around, "Where's the baby?!"

Din came trotting over and after a shared look we bolted out of the ship. I was both relieved and panicked to find that Grogu was now in the care of Peli, the mechanic. Shes taken care of him in our absence and berated us for being such irresponsible parents. Although I didn't bring the little guy into the world, merely taken him under my wing, I couldn't help but feel that she had a point. He was our responsibility. And I let Din hear it all the way to the rendezvous with Torro.

At the meet up spot both Din and I stopped in our tracks. There were only two speeders.

"I asked you for three." Din held up his fingers.

Torro became defensive," Look this was all I could get! You're lucky we even got this!"

Din shook his head, sitting on a speeder bike, "let's just get this over with."

"So who do I ride with?" I hated how pathetic I sounded. My heart was naturally pulling towards Din.

Torro sent me his best smolder which looked more like he was straining himself, "I'll take you for a ride, princess."

I made a disgusted face. Glad to see the mind trick had wore off.

Thankfully Din piped up, "Not happening. Loreth, you're with me."

My name on his lips had me internally screaming. I walked to his speeder with more of a pep in my step and Torro looked dejected. Good for him.

I sat behind Din and hesitantly wrapped my arms around his waist. From this close he smelled of leather and mint. It had my mind going a little haywire.

"Hold tight, princess, I go fast." Din ordered.

I didn't even have time to think about what those words did to me as Din sent us racing across the sand and the wind sailing through my hair. He wasn't kidding about going fast. Eventually Torro caught up and he and Din had a mini race across the dunes.

An idea sprouting in my mind, I slowly let go of Dins sides which he felt immediately," Loreth what are you doing?!" He hollered over the loud bike.

I didn't even answer him. I raised my hands above my head and felt the wind caress every part of me. I closed my eyes in the Tatooine sun and felt the freedom within the force. The peace. The simplicity.

I laughed and yelled in the wind and enjoyed every minute. Before we finally stopped, Torro couldn't keep his eyes ahead of him and a large part of me didn't care. I was doing this for my enjoyment not his.

We continued to make our way across the warm sands of Tatooine until Din raised his fist to stop us. Just up ahead there was a large lizard creature with a saddle on its back. The poor thing was making a pitiful cry as it dragged its unconscious rider behind it.

Din instructed us to crouch behind the sand mound.

"Is it her?" Torro asked.

"I don't know." Din replied looking around," I'll go you cover me."

Just as he started to walk I reached for his arm," Wait. Something doesn't feel right about this." I got that familiar feeling like something was going to happen like sensing temperature in a room, it was just there.

"We have to know for sure." He reasoned and I reluctantly let him go.

We waited eagerly as he inspected the corpse, "it's another bounty hunter." He pulled out the man's tracking fob which was flashing red. That can be good. Din turned on his heel in a flash, "Get down!"

Just as I crouched I watched with a gasp as Din was struck by a blaster shot from far off in the distance.

"Mando!" I cried out. He made it behind the sand mound with us, his beskar smoking.

"Are you ok?"

Torro asked his own question, "what was that?"

Din panted," Sniperbolt. Only an MK modified rifle could make that shot. Got me in the beskar. Beskar held up."

I glanced at Torro and he to me. He voiced the same thought I had, "Wait we don't have beskar."

"Nope," Din agreed. From there Din decided that it would be a good idea to hold up here and wait until night fall. He went over by the bikes and sat down to get some rest, leaving me with Torro.

"Now that we're alone we can get to know each other better." He wagged his eye brows.

Ok I needed to end this right here, "Let me set one thing straight," I sent him a glare, "You are not worth my time. You try any of that shit again and I promise you, I have no problem killing you where you stand and I don't even have to touch you to do it."

He gulped and nodded. At that he quieted down. I enjoyed the silence but it was extremely boring out here and I could only stare are Din's sleeping form for so long. I was able to convince Torro to play a game of tic tac toe in the sand to pass the time.

.*.

Night had fallen for at least a three hours now and I was having the hardest time staying awake. Laying my back on the warm sand wasn't helping either. I don't know why I thought this would be a good idea.

Torro went to wake Din up in a way that had me fighting back a giggle. He was acting like he was shooting him where Dine was sleeping.

The sudden, "Are you done?" From the mandolorian had me laughing out right.

I shook my head and stood from my spot dusting off the sand and covering a yawn.

Din stood and looked over at me, "You gonna make it?"

I tried to look convincing, "I'll be fine."

We went about the plan as we had discussed. We used the speeder bikes to get as close as we can, as fast as we can. We used flash bombs to deter her vision which worked for a little bit. We hadn't thought about what would happen is Fennec shot the bike out from under us. I was sent flying through the air and hit the sand with a thud so hard it knocked the breath from my lungs. And for the briefest of moments my vision went black.

But then I saw the mandolorian shining over me in the moonlight. He used his body to shield me from Fennec's sniper shots. One of the shots struck true and landed on his beskar making him fall on top of me. Even though this was a part of the plan I still sat up and managed to ask him if he was ok.

He nodded and his breath came out in pants but other than that and the smoke coming off of him he was fine. The plan must've have worked because we could see Torro and Fennec struggling on the ridge.

He stood and pulled me to my feet. I ran behind him a ways and watched as she had Torro locked in her hips.

I held out a hand and used the force to separate her from Torro. Her eyes went wide with. Shock, "What the hell are you?!"

I smirked, "Right now, your worst enemy."

"You brought a fucking Jedi?!" Fennec glared at the mandolorian.

"I am not a Jedi," I seethed.

"It doesn't matter," Din tossed her the cuffs," cuff yourself."

Fennec tried to get under Dins skin by mentioning something about Nevarro. I didn't know what she was talking about but would have to add that to the list of things to ask Din later. For the time being, Fennec obeyed our commands. But getting her back to town was a different story seeing that we only had one bike.

Din suggested that he go find the dewback from earlier.

I nodded," I can stay here and...supervise." Torro sent me a look.

Din looked between Fennec and Torro, "No he's got things handled here. You go where I go."

I wasn't about to complain with that so we set off into the sand to find the Dewback.

My feet had just started to hurt we found the beast with no problems other than achy feet. Din had to hoist me up by the hips because it was too tall for me to reach on my own. Of course I blushed and became bashful. Din sat in front of me again and I felt more at ease wrapping my arms around his waist this time.

I was in a world of trouble when the gentle sway of the dewback and the warm night breeze started to make my eyes close. I fought it as best I could. It didn't stop me from nearly dosing off against his back tho.

Thankfully, I had a shot of adrenaline when we returned to the location we'd left Fennec and Torro.

Laying in the sand was Fennec. Dead. Torro was no where to be seen. Very curious. Din slid of the animals back and collected a few identifying things from Fennec to turn in for credits. I slid down too to observe the scene. Just before whatever happened here, Torro was standing close to Shand.

I sighed in disappointment, "they talked and Fennec got into his head. Money wasn't a concern to Torro. He wanted a reputation."

Din nodded in agreement, "what's better to bring to the guild? Some elite assassin or a mandolorian who betrayed that very guild?"

I rubbed my face," you're going to have to explain that to me later by the way." I stepped beside the dewback where Din pick me up effortlessly and placed me near the front of the saddle. I gave him a confused look as he climbed up behind me.

"You're exhausted. You might be able to fool yourself into believing you can stay awake but not me. You haven't slept since yesterday. This way you won't go falling off."

I blushed. He was right. I simply nodded and gave in, too tired to fight him, "Just wake me when we get back to town please". I allowed myself to lean into his back and close my eyes, my head gently falling where his shoulder meets his chest. Just before I succumbed to sleep faster than I ever had in my life, I felt his left arm wrap around my waist to secure me there. This was probably the safest feeling I'd ever had.

.*.

After turning in Fennec belongings we were given a pouch of credit. Enough to pay Peli for the repairs and for watching Grogu.

When we neared peli's repair hangar, I got that bad feeling again. I put a hand on Din's shoulder.

"What?" He muttered lowly seeing how I looked around.

"He's waiting for us inside the ship." I closed my eyes and felt the life energies through the force,"He's got Peli and Grogu hostage."

Din made a frustrated fist with his hand and I continued," I have a plan. You draw him out. He's going to have you be placed in cuff's probably by Peli."

He nodded," what about you?"

I gave him a mischievous smile," I'll handle Torro. I've got a couple tricks up my sleeve." Just as I started to walk towards the ship I used the force cloak to make me invisible me and muffle my steps. To Din I seemingly vanished into thin air.

He shook his head in either disbelief or in an impressed manner. Maybe even a little bit of both.

The plan went the way I had expected. Din's appearance was a diversion tactic and Torro came down the ramp of the ship, with a blaster to Peli's head and Grogu in his grasp. It made my blood boil.

When he had Peli walk out with the cuffs to cuff Din I slipped onto the ramp and onto the ship. Now behind him I waited for my moment, saber in my grasp.

Torro became nervous,"Wait...where's the Jedi?"

I let a laugh slip into the air making his head turn," Closer than you think."

In a moment of fear Torro let off shot after shot frantically in the razor crest. I still remained behind him. He stopped firing when he didn't see a body fall.

At that moment I ignited my saber and golden light filled the cabin. A deep hum met our ears and I unveiled the force cloak.

I heard Torro let out a whimper. Pathetic.

In one quick motion I had him wrapped in my arms and the blade dangerously close to his face, so close, the heat was starting to tan his skin red.

"Put down the kid, Torro," I spoke with venom.

Torro hesitated and glanced at the child.

"I won't govern you another chance." I promised.

Suddenly he put Grogu down and whipped around to try and disarm me but he wasn't successful. I expertly dodged his attack and spun around. In one simple motion a smell of burnt meat met my nose and two halves of Torro lay on the metal floor.

I looked down at mando and Peli, who now held Grogu close, gently cooing to him. My gaze wandered back to Din who was already staring at me.

He gave me a nod of good work? Was that what that was?" Remind me not to get on your bad side."

"Not unless you deserve it." I smiled and looked down at Torro. My face was instantly replaced with disgust. Peli must've been thinking the same thing because she ordered the droids to clean it up.

Grogu was handed to me and I embraced him in a hug. The little creature had grown on me greatly in the time I'd known him on Sorgan.

"Come one little one. I know you're as tired as I am." And I walked up the ramp of the ship with Din following close behind.