Mereel was good. He wielded the strange lightsaber with steady assurance and he moved with a simple elegance born from experience. Din didn't often find himself facing an opponent who was both skilled and had such a versatile fighting style - he was a difficult man to even hold off, let alone beat.

If Din hadn't had the beskar spear he would have lost mere minutes into this encounter.

If he hadn't sparred against the Jedi Ashoka, and was therefore familiar with facing a lightsaber, he wouldn't have manged to last longer than ten.

As it was, he had both of those things, and more than that, he had his honour. Din wouldn't let himself back down now. So he fought, with every last shred of his being, and by the grace of luck and the Manda he won.

The Mandalorian lay at his feet, weaponless and somehow still looking remarkably undefeated even with Din's spear aimed right at his throat.

"Not going to kill me?" the man asked, voice deep and unruffled despite the situation.

Din was glad for his helmet, because there was something about the other Mandalorian that made him feel like a child about to be scolded.

He didn't know much about Mandalorian polictics, having grown up as he had in a covert cut off from all of that. What little he'd heard about the Mand'alor differed widely and the beroya knew better than to form an opinion based on rumours, or to even have an opinion at all. That wasn't his job right now, anyway. Still, whatever else Mereel was, he was a Mandalorian and he had fought well and honourably - the very last thing Din wanted to do was kill him. He didn't say as much, though, merely said; "Bo-Katan said to bring you in alive."

"Is that so?" Mereel asked slowly, "Were those her exact words? Because I find that hard to believe."

Din tilted his head and frowned, his baffled expression safely hidden from view. "She said that I should leave you for her to deal with."

For some inexplicable reason that made a short huff of a laugh escape the man. "I see," he said simply and stood up when Din silently urged him to. He didn't even try to squirm away when Din cuffed him.

"As you defeated me in battle, you must take my weapon," Mand'alor Mereel stated firmly, nodding at the weapon in question.

For a moment Din stared at the man, then the weapon in turn. Could it be booby-trapped? Because something about this situation almost felt like a trap. And yet, Mereel seemed to be an honourable warrior and it really wasn't an unreasonable thing for him to say.

"…Alright," he said and slowly went to pick the thing up.

Nothing happened.

Well, alright then. He nudged Mereel back towards where Bo-Katan was waiting and held back the sigh that wanted to escape. Finally. His job was complete, Bo-Katan had her prisoner and Din would finally be done with this.

When he made it to Bo-Katan, she was not pleased.

"Here." Din offered the lightsword to her, since she was glaring at it almost as much as she was glaring at him.

Next to him, cuffed but not acting even remotedly defeated, Mand'alor Mereel laughed. "Are you going to take it then, Kryze?"

That only made her even more angry and her scowl was a deep, ugly thing. Din stood there and waited awkwardly. He wanted to get paid and get out of there but something told him that speaking up right now wouldn't be appreciated.

Instead he was left to stand there like an idiot while Kryze cursed and everyone around him seemed to be blaming him for whatever had gone wrong this time.

The only one who wasn't scowling at him was Mereel, which only made the entire situation feel even more offending instead of less.

He didn't get paid. Instead he was sent on yet another errand to make it up to Bo-Katan.

Din was really starting to regret taking this job.

He sighed and he went.

This whole thing was turning into more and more of a kriffing mess. It was fine when he was just meant to fight, but now Bo-Katan had sent him to negotiate with their enemies. Their enemies? Din was just here to do a job.

What did he know about negotiating anything but a fair price for a bounty?

Still, here he was, awkwardly greeting the son of the man he'd fought and captured - their meeting taking place under the provisions of honourable talks between clans.

The only 'clan' Din had ever been part of had been his covert, and he'd long since learned that the way they did things were not the same as Mandalorian society as a whole.

Kriff, this was going to be terrible - he was entirely unsuitable for this and told Bo-Katan as much. She wouldn't budge though, nor would she pay him for the job until he'd made up for his mistake. He had argued that he hadn't broken any part of their agreement, but to no avail.

And if all of that wasn't bad enough, before they could even get anywhere to begin negotiations there was an explosion relatively close to them and attackers rushed in, firing in Din's direction.

At first he thought it was an ambush - a betrayal. The attackers were using jetpacks and wearing Mandalorian armour, after all. And not bare beskar like Din was wearing, but painted black or blue and grey. But the Mando'ade who'd come to greet Din were firing right back at them, so he fell in beside them. One of them made an alarmed exlamation, and the beroya turned his visor just far enough to see the warrior rushing towards two ade in the far corridor, getting them out of there.

Din frowned and didn't need any further context than that. These Mandalorians were attacking a compound in which children and civilians were living - it didn't matter if they were traitors from Mereel's side, employed by Bo-Katan or part of some other faction. There were ade at risk, so all that mattered was that they were wearing beskar, which meant that blaster shots were far less effective.

The bounty hunter rushed forward, using his jetpack to bring him in close quarters and then his beskar spear was in his hands and he was right in the middle of it, too close for them to properly take aim. That was the only advantage Din needed to start taking them down. He was utterly familiar with every weak spot between the armour and made use of it now with prejudice.

Fighting, outnumbered and uncertain of any allies, that was what Din was most familiar with. He'd been a beroya for many years and some of the situations he'd gotten himself into - from fighting a Krayt Dragon to that whole mess on Corvus where he met the Jedi Ashoka... well this was actually a lot less worrisome than expecting him to do any negotiating.

He threw himself into battle perhaps a bit too eagerly and despite the aches and pains from where his opponents had managed to score a hit, he was almost disappointed when they were all down because that left him facing the Mand'alor's people. He shuffling awkwardly as a baar'ur went around treating wounded, and some of the verde started checking for survivors amongst their opponents.

The Mand'alor's heir stared down at the long-haired man in black armour, who Din had scewered on his spear. During the battle he had seemed to be the leader, and Din had taken him down as quickly as possible, to prevent him from calling in orders or back-up. They were in a compound and who knew where the verde had taken the ade? He couldn't risk any further explosions. It was tactical, but the beroya only now realized that this man had been yelling something and coming straight at Fett.

Had he intervened in a duel? Din suddenly wondered, his eyes widening. Kriff, he'd screwed up any chance of negotiations already, hadn't he?

"I'm sorry," he offered quietly, wincing at the utter inadequacy of that.

Jango Fett turned to him, despite the fact that they were both wearing their buy'ce, his gaze felt piercing.

He swallowed and forced his body to stay still. "You probably wanted to kill him yourself. I would have-" he shifted, his head tilting down just a little, "It's just… there were ade nearby."

Unlike Bo-Katan, the man didn't appear to be bothered by Din's lack of social graces. Jango Fett seemed to be just as steady as his father, but somehow more intense.

When the man came forward and put a hand on his shoulder Din froze beneath it, breath stalling. "No. No, that was well done," Fett stated confidence, "You fought well. I can see how my father lost to you."

Din flinched at that, feeling even more awkward at that compliment from his sort-of enemy. Or Bo-Katan's enemy in any case.

"Come with me," the heir, Verd'alor or whatever the hell he was in his father's absence, commanded, and Din found himself following in the man's wake.

He felt out of place in these halls amongst the Mand'alor's people, who he was starting to believe were true Mandalorians - not like Din who was raised by a covert in the middle of nowhere, or Bo-Katan who seemed to twist her Code into new shapes and could go back on her word whenever it was convenient to her.

They reached what looked like some sort of meeting room. Fett took off his buy'ce and waved him towards a seat. "Sit," the man ordered, his voice firm but not unkind.

Din sat and after a long moment of hesitation, slowly took off his buy'ce. Though years had passed since he'd been part of the strict covert, he was still not very used to showing his face. Still, he could hardly expect the other man to start negotiations when they were dressed for battle.

The man remained standing but smiled at him, in a way that Din definitely didn't deserve. "My name is Jango Fett, as you know, I don't think I have caught your name, verd?"

Why… why was he being nice?

"Din," he managed, unable to stop himself from looking down, avoiding that unwavering gaze. "Din Djarin," he added softly.

Jango Fett stepped closer and once again touched him - this time his hand didn't rest on beskar'gam, however, but was placed purposefully on the black kute between Din's shoulder and neck. He couldn't stop the soft gasp at the rare touch.

"Udesii, verd," the man said, voice even gentler now. "You fought with us today. I will not forget that."

"I-" Jango waited patiently, but Din's words had failed him and he had no idea what he meant to say.

"Why did you come to negotiate yourself?" the man finally asked.

Din cleared his throat and tried to ignore the feeling of that warm hand. "Bo-Katan said she wants Keldabe in return for… for Jaster Mereel." The last words, the name of Jango's father, came out as only a whisper.

"I see," Jango said, nothing in his voice or bearing giving away anything but calm determination. "And will she keep her word if I accede to that demand?"

Din's eyes widened and he finally looked up at the other man. It was a great insult to imply that a Mandalorian would betray such negotiations, and that betrayal would be even deeper when it was amongst their own people.

And yet, Din couldn't deny it, not with confidence. Not when she'd already changed the terms of their agreement on him. "I don't know," he admitted honestly, feeling scraped bare and vulnerable.

Jango pursed his lips but nodded, as if that answer was only to be expected. "Then I cannot accept her terms."

That statement was unyielding, a king having given his judgement and Din couldn't help but feel like he had been found wanting. He looked down, hunching his shoulders. His voice was hoarse when he forced out what words he could manage, "I understand."

"No," the man said and a second hand came up slowly to his face, gently turning him to face Fett. The sensation of those warm fingers, almost a caress when practically no-one ever touched him, was overwhelming enough that he had to close his eyes. "No, I don't think you do," Jango added, "But that's alright verd'ika."

A sound escaped him at that gentle nickname, a breath that was far too close to a sob and he turned his face against the man's chest to hide it.

"Oh, verd'ika. Udesii." The hand on his face slid into his curls, stroking his hair and Din practically melted beneath it.

The beroya who had given them such trouble - who had reportedly fought Jaster in a fair fight and won - was now soft and pliant against his side. Touch-starved, Jango noted and he gentled the soothing motions of his hand through dark, curled hair even further.

"Ah, Alor?" He didn't need to see Silas's face to know the man was staring incredulously at him - the odd tone already gave that away.

"Yes?" Jango replied, not pausing in his actions.

Silas cleared his throat but dutifully forged on. "We've found where they are keeping him."

"Ah. Good," he answered and slowly, regretfully, moved away from the tempting man that had come to them under the guise of a Mand'alor challenger, a fierce warrior bearing the Darksaber. But now it turned out that he was not here negotiating his own terms, but had been sent to them by Bo-Katan - who did not even have the guts to come speak for herself. No, instead the hut'uun was using Din as some sort of errand boy.

"Then we will go and get him," he said decisively. This negotiation was a farce. Bo-Katan's word was not to be trusted either way.

"You're going after him?" Din asked. Those brown eyes wary but with some hint of hopeful trust. It made Jango sit up straighter, firmed his resolve even more.

"Yes, verd'ika. We're getting our Mand'alor back," he stated firmly, "Are you coming with us?"

That seemed to catch the man entirely off guard. "What - I. No, I can't come with you," the beroya stammered, looking at Jango as if he'd gone insane.

To be fair, it was an odd request, but then he had already broken protocol by setting up a rescue mission while a negotiator was still under their roof, let alone in the same room.

But Din was not one of Bo-Katan's. He had honour. "Have you sworn her any oath of loyalty?" he asked.

"I- I'm a bounty hunter," Din answered, clearly confused at what Jango was getting at. "She hired me to steal back a ship. And when it came to Mand'alor Mereel – to capture him I guess? Or maybe hold him back?"

"She wasn't clear on the terms of the fight?" he asked, surprised by that.

The beroya shrugged. "I was to leave him to her. I figured that meant capture if I ran across him. What else was I going to do? Run away? But Bo-Katan wasn't happy about it at all and your father…"

"My father?" he pressed.

Din looked away from him. "He was baiting her. It was… it was about his sword? He was insistent that since I defeated him in battle I should take it. And then when I offered it to Bo-Katan, he laughed at her."

Jango huffed out a laugh. "Of course he did," he said. Clearly Din didn't know the first thing about the Darksaber, but Jango didn't explain. Instead he moved on immediately. "If you are not sworn to her, come with us to get him back."

"I don't – I can't do that. Even if she went back on the terms of our deal, it would be… I can't…" Din fell silent, seemingly at a loss for words.

Jango looked at him for a moment before nodding. "Then you will wait here," he decided, staring him down. When the beroya just stared back at him, wide-eyed and uncertain, Jango knew the man would not be fighting him on this. Good. He turned back to Silas. "Gather the verde. We're going to find my father."

"You were lucky the beroya wasn't here"

"Lucky?" Jango teased. "As if I would leave anything to luck?"

"Did you defeat him then?" Jaster frowned. "I thought he came to you in good faith?"

He shook his head and removed the last of the restraints. "He did. I didn't fight him, he's still at the compound."

"Jango, you cannot go behind his back to engage in battle when negotiations are ongoing."

As if he didn't know that. "Negotiations are just about finished. It's fine, buir."

"Jango!" his father scolded, disapproval clear in his voice. Jango could practically feel the oncoming lecture.

"There's no time for this now," he said, halting his father before he could truly get going. "Can we go? You can lecture me later."

Jaster sighed but nodded and patted him on the shoulder before he moved past Jango and led the way outside.

"Beroya," Jaster greeted the young man who had defeated him in battle. It had been a fair fight – more so than he would have expected from any of Bo-Katan's people, but then this man wasn't truly hers, was he? He clearly hadn't known Bo-Katan's purpose but had simply done whatever job he'd been hired to do.

The man slowly got to his feet at Jaster's greeting. His buy'ce had been placed on the table in front of him and dark eyes met his own without any interference. "Mand'alor," his erstwhile opponent greeted, with a deep nod of respect.

No, this was not one of Bo-Katan's people.

"Din," his son called out and instantly the man turned his head towards Jango. "Thank you for waiting."

"I don't know why you wanted me to wait… You got your father back yourself. There's nothing to negotiate." The newly named Din had a frown on his face and seemed confused. Jaster could admit, in the privacy of his own mind, that he was rather confused himself. Had Jango told Din in advance where he was going? Had the man agreed to wait here, in the hands of his opponents, while Jango and the verde went out and made the negotiations moot?

Even while under the protection of their hospitality and honour, that was a surprising amount of trust.

"Is this about that sword again?" he asked, looking at Jaster now, "You can have it back."

Jaster smiled, a little indulgently, because it was obvious that the man had not understood just what he was in possession of as he won it – or as he offered it to Bo-Katan later, and now to him.

"You cannot offer it to me, verd. The sword is to be won in battle, otherwise the one who holds it does so without honour."

Din looked down for a moment. "Oh," the man didn't look up at him as he said quietly, "Do you want to fight me for it?"

That was clearly not a challenge, no it was an offer for Jaster's sake. Made without even knowing the particulars of the Darksaber and the politics surrounding it. "Not right now," he said, "Such things can wait."

There was a long moment of quiet in which Jaster studied the man who had seemed so unfaltering in battle but appeared vulnerable now, without the cover of his buy'ce.

It was Jango who broke the silence. "It's been a long day for all of us," he said and moved to put a hand on the bountyhunter's shoulder. The man froze for a moment as if caught off guard by the touch, but he allowed it without protest. "You can't return to Bo-Katan right now, so you'll just have to bear our hospitality for a while longer I'm afraid."

His son ushered the beroya, Din, towards the hallway – the man effortlessly caught up in Jango's easy confidence.

Jaster followed, more to study this young warrior who now carried the Darksaber than out of any expectation for trouble. Din had been an honourable opponent and a smart one at that, he doubted the young man would break this ceasefire.

When they reached the room Din would be staying in, Jango went as far as to open the door for him. "Here we are, verd'ika."

Jaster's eyes widened at the diminutive – not one anyone should think of bestowing on a warrior who had bested the Mand'alor. He could hear in his tone that Jango didn't mean it in a mocking way, but even his somewhat reckless son should know better than using a diminutive on an adult warrior without the bonds of family or clan to soften it.

If the nickname was a surprise, the bounty hunter's response was even more so. There was not the slightest hint of offense, or even protest. Din simply ducked his head and murmured a thank you before going inside of the room.

After the door closed, two guards took up their posts in the hallway across from the room.

"That was not what I was expecting," Jaster ventured as they walked together to the council room. They may have left their guest to retire, but there was more to discuss about Bo-Katan's plans and the implications of Din's presence here, as well as the Darksaber.

His son laughed. "No, Din Djarin was not what I was expecting either. He is fierce in battle and unlike Kryze his sense of honour and honesty is firm. But ka'ra, he is starved for any sort of affection."

"Did he truly agree to wait here while you went to rescue me?" Jaster wondered.

Jango smiled, "Well, he didn't disagree when I informed him of my plans. He's clearly in over his head. He'll be better off with us than that shabuir Bo-Katan."

Jaster shook his head, amused at his son's plotting. "You think you can keep him here?"

"Oh, I'm definitely keeping him."

AN. I'm not sure if this is even coherent, because I wanted to write BAMF Din, and also awkward Din and then it was touch-starved soft Din and then of course I ended with possesive/protective Jango because who even knows what this is anymore?

Yeah, I know my kinks are probably showing. Let's just not mention that, ok?