Cara finished her food as quickly as possible, planning to sit on the small porch when she was done. She didn't think it was wise to wait for Din to exit the bathroom, clad only in his thin undertunic.

Putting her plate in the kitchen, she heard the shower switch off. Quickly cleaning the plate and putting it back on the shelf, she walked over to the door, her hand resting on the handle.

If she left, it would feel like retreating and things would be awkward between her and Din. She really didn't want that.

Sighing, she turned around and crossed her arms, staring at the refresher door. She would normally be very forward about her desires and would express them quickly and easily. It frustrated her that she couldn't do that with Din.

Walking over to the window, she looked out the transparisteel, onto the meadow and the tree line that wasn't far away. She could see a group of older children and an adult making their way into the forest. Vaguely wondering what they were doing, she assumed it was some sort of training exercise.

She smiled, resting one arm on the window frame. It was so beautiful here, so peaceful.

Hearing Din clear his throat behind her, she turned and gave him a half smile. "Just enjoying the view," she commented.

He was wearing that same thin tunic, and the pants were similar material, hugging his body just so. She felt the heat come rushing back.

"It's beautiful here," he agreed. He reached down to grab one of his pieces of armor and started inspecting it. Then he put it down, disappearing into the sleeping area for a moment and returning with a bag of cloths and cleaning material. He sat on the floor cross legged, his armor scattered around him, and started working on one of his thigh plates, working carefully but quickly.

Cara watched him from her spot next to the window. She could see his arm muscles through his shirt, constricting with every swipe of the armor. He rubbed, and polished, and buffed and after a long moment Cara decided to sit across from him, against the wall.

He looked up as she sat down. "You can leave if you want. You don't have to hang around if you'd rather do something else."

Cara shook her head. "No, I'm good."

He nodded curtly and got back to cleaning.

"Din, can I ask you something?" Cara looked at him.

He paused in his rubbing, looking up at her through his helmet. "Sure."

"What does it mean for your people to remove their armor with another person?"

He stared at her for a long moment, and then started rubbing his armor again. "It's something that's reserved only for one's family."

Cara waited for him to continue, but he didn't.

"So your mother and your siblings have seen you without armor? But not Maytra'k?"

"Mandalorian's definition of family is less strict than many cultures. Maytra'k has seen me without armor because she is part of our family. It doesn't matter if she didn't grow up in the same clan. She has become part of our family through partnership."

Cara nodded. "That makes sense."

She paused, watching him closely. He had to know where she was going with this. But it appeared he was going to make her ask outright. Sighing, she took a breath.

To hell with it.

"What does it mean that you removed your armor with me?"

He paused in his cleaning and looked up at her. She could see his body was slightly tense, unsure.

"It means that I am claiming you as part of my family. You are privy to all the protections and benefits that offers you among the Mandalorians."

Cara noticed him swallow, and realized suddenly that she could view all sorts of body language she'd never seen before.

"You mean I could come here to get medical help," she realized.

Din inclined his head. "That was one benefit."

Cara thought for a moment, looking to the side, and then nodded. "Of course."

She was grateful to him for saving her life, but she never wanted him to compromise something sacred just for her. Standing, she stretched slightly.

"Well, I think I'm going for a walk," she announced.

Din put down the piece of armor he was working on and stood quickly.

"Cara," he said, reaching out to grab her arm lightly. She looked at his bare hand grabbing her bare arm and then looked up into his helmeted face. His hand stayed on her arm and he took a step closer, so they were toe to toe. Cara breathed in sharply.

"That wasn't the only reason I brought you here," he said firmly. "I don't regret my decision."

Looking up slightly into his visor, Cara felt her body respond to his close proximity. She could feel the tingles spreading from his hand, into her arm. Their touch felt electric. She noticed with some satisfaction that his breathing was also increasing, his solid chest rising and falling quicker. He swallowed and suddenly all she wanted to do was kiss that neck, feel her lips grazing over his larynx.

The fingers on her arm loosened and she felt him start to run the pads of his fingers up her arm. A moment later, the other hand joined on her other arm. She felt like she was on fire, heat spreading through her body. Then his hands were running up her neck, into her hair, and then back down again, dragging trails of fire behind them. She sighed a shaky breath.

They were teetering on the edge of a precipice.

Then a knock came at the door.

Cara and Din both froze. She felt Din hold his breath for a moment and then let it out heavily, letting his hands drop from her arms.

"Who is it," he called, his voice sounding slightly ragged.

"Tra'ka," came his strong voice.

Din sighed and looked at Cara. She smiled slightly and raised her eyebrows, not entirely sure what to say. Giving her a last look, he walked to the door and opened it, Cara still hidden behind it.

"Tra'ka," Din said, looking him up and down. "You look like you've been through hell."

"I decided to train with mother," he answered wirily.

"Ah," Din answered.

"If you're not busy, I was going to enlist your help with some building projects, but I see you're in the middle of cleaning your armor."

"Yes," was his short response.

Cara almost laughed. She could tell Din was trying to get rid of him without being too obvious. But she hesitated about being alone with him. They both obviously wanted to have sex. But Cara knew she couldn't take it lightly with Din.

It wasn't like her to be so unsure.

Tra'ka said something about a part of Din's house he'd made and then suddenly he was inside, pointing to a few things along the walls. When he turned around, he stopped short.

"Were you there the whole time?" He asked, surprised.

"Yep," Cara said, pushing off from her spot against the wall. "I wasn't really meaning to eavesdrop."

Tra'ka gave her a solid look from behind his helmet, looked at the armor, and then looked at Din.

"This isn't the first time she's seen me without it," Din felt the need to explain.

"I'm not judging you brother," he said quickly. "Only wondering at the ways you've changed since the last time you were home."

Din seemed like he wanted to respond but kept himself from doing so. The silence stretched on for a long moment.

"I should go. I can see I'm interrupting," Tra'ka said finally. "We will see you both at evening meal."

They both nodded and Tra'ka left.

oOoOoOoOo

Din sighed as Tra'ka closed the door. He could see Tra'ka judging him, as he looked from Cara to his armor to him.

Looking up, he stared at Cara. Earlier he had gotten so caught up in his feelings. Now he had to decide what to do about it. Swallowing hard, he knew she still wanted him, and he still wanted her. But what would that mean for their stay in the tribe? What would that mean for him with his family?

Cara cleared her throat. "Do you want me to pick up the kid? It's just about that time."

He knew she was trying to find a reason to leave, to give him an out. He appreciated it, but he didn't want her to leave.

"Stay, until I'm done?" he asked, moving to sit among his armor again. "Then we can go together."

Cara hesitated for a moment and then nodded, moving back to sit against the wall.

"There will be more hunting parties going out tomorrow," he commented, rubbing his chest plate. "I'm planning to go with them."

Cara nodded. "I guess I'll see the doctor again in the morning, see if I'm ready."

"As soon as you're healed, you're welcome. Until then, perhaps Tra'ka could use help on the building projects?"

"Sure," Cara agreed.

Din buffed his chest plate quickly, and then sighed. "Hopefully Maytra'k has some contacts she can use in the spice cartel. Once we figure that out, we should be good to leave."

He didn't look up, still cleaning. He wanted Cara to know she had an out. He wasn't going to keep her here any longer than she wanted to stay.

"I'm in no hurry," Cara said quickly. "I mean, unless your tribe doesn't want me here anymore. But I know you want to help prepare them for winter. They have a lot of hunting and building to do before that time. I get it. I don't have anything pressing I have to get back to. Even though I know Greef will be worried. But he'll get over it."

The Mandalorian looked up at her, relieved that she was willing to stay.

"Anyway, I'm still waiting to experience one of these Mandalorian training regimes. Plus fighting. I've got to experience fighting another Mando before we leave." She gave him a raised eyebrow look.

He shook his head. "I recommend Tra'ka, or Maytra'k. I'd be interested to see you fight Maytra'k. She'd be a good teacher."

Cara nodded and they sat in comfortable silence.

oOoOoOoOo

Din finished cleaning his armor and they went together to pick up the kid from school. Cara waited outside, and when they came out, the kid squealed and held his arms out to her. She gave him a half smile and took him from Din.

"Hey kid. Have fun at school?"

He gurgled in response.

They sat outside for a while, leaning against the house watching the kid wade through the grass and find bugs. He ended up eating quite a few of them, with Din just shaking his head. The silence between them felt comfortable, and Cara was grateful things weren't awkward after what happened that afternoon.

Dusk came quickly, and soon enough they made their way towards the gathering. Many people said hello, and Din stopped to talk to people as they walked through the crowd. It was interesting to see him like this: comfortable, not worried about being attacked. Many people also said hello to Cara, but she kept feeling like they were staring at her. That wasn't unexpected, since she was the only adult without a helmet, but she felt like they were judging her. She wasn't sure why, but it was the same vibe she'd gotten from Yartu and Prafon, after Din had arrived.

Sighing, she shook her head. Maybe she'd ask Din about it later.

They spotted his mother standing on the other side of the fire, talking with someone, and then noticed Tra'ka sitting on a bench nearby. Din walked over to him and placed a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"Brother," Tra'ka said in greeting. "I see your armor is as shiny as ever."

Din cocked his head sideways. "And you're not covered with as much dirt as before."

Tra'ka sighed. "Yes, I should remember never to train with mother."

Cara sat down on the bench, her leg aching from all the use, and Din sat down next to her, his body brushing up against her. She could see Tra'ka look purposely at the fire, but noticed his head twitch and his body stiffen. She was sure Din noticed it too, but he chose to ignore it.

The kid, who had been in Din's arms, gurgled and made grabby hands to Tra'ka. He turned, looking at the child, and then sighed, taking him in his arms.

"Hello there little one," he said. "I have heard the story of how he came to you from others, but I'm still amazed by it. There's so much we don't know about this child, or even his people."

Din nodded. "Yes. I am to find a Jedi to train him. But things have been a little busy."

"I understand brother," he commented. "You do not want to be parted from him."

"No I-

Tra'ka held up his hands to forestall any comments. "You don't have to defend yourself with me. I can see you care for him."

The kid looked up at Tra'ka and started tugging on his armor, gurgling. Din turned away and Cara smiled at their interaction.

"So," Cara began, "You should tell me about some of these people. I mean, these are all people you grew up with right? Went through training with?"

Din nodded slowly, looking around. "Yes. I know everyone." He looked around for a moment and then pointed to someone nearby.

"That's Shetrai. She is almost my age. Always the best runner in the group. One time I decided to go on a run with her and as a joke, she took us twenty klicks out of the way."

Cara's eyebrows shot up. "Twenty klicks?"

Din chuckled. "We ended up running almost thirty-five klicks all together. I had to run and hide when we returned because I couldn't stop throwing up."

Shaking her head, Cara said, "That sounds like you, going until your body gives out. How old were you?"

"About fourteen standard I think."

They looked around and Din pointed to another Mando.

"I broke his arm one time."

"Why am I not surprised?" Cara said wirily.

"It wasn't exactly on purpose, but it was because I got angry during a training fight. Commander assigned me five days of extra training and chores." Din sighed. "My brother Mal, the one who died… he defended me to the commander. It's why I wasn't punished more severely."

Cara watched him carefully and then placed a firm hand on his thigh. "It's good to have family that looks out for you. Mal would want you to remember him."

Squeezing her hand briefly in response, Din nodded. Cara took her hand away a moment later and noticed the armorer approaching.

"Din, Cara," she said, nodding in greeting. "I hope your day was fruitful?"

"Yes mother," Din answered. "I was able to help with the hunt. Cara learned to mend cloth."

"So much fun," Cara said with an eyebrow raise. "But I'm happy to help."

"You should come and train with me tomorrow Din," the armorer suggested.

"If that is your wish," Din responded.

"Oh don't make it sound like torture my son," she said with a smile in her voice. "It is only a request, not a command. There is much I can learn from you now, just as I learned from Tra'ka today."

They turned to the man holding the kid beside them.

"Thank you, mother," Tra'ka responded.

The child reached out for Din and he took him back into his arms.

"Cara," the armorer said, turning to her. "You would be welcome to join us as soon as the doctor gives you clearance."

Cara smiled. "Thanks. I've been looking forward to experiencing a Mandalorian training schedule, so I would like to join you sometime."

She inclined her head. After a silent moment, she looked at Din. "If you're sharing childhood stories, you should tell her about Soval."

They were all silent for a long moment and then Din took a breath. "Soval was killed in the conflict on Nevarro."

Cara was silent, waiting for him to continue.

"One day, we found out that one of the foundlings was missing. Everyone heard about it. Search parties were sent out, the whole tribe was looking. But Soval and I knew this foundling better than others. We had been matched in a pod together for training." He looked at Cara. "I can explain about that later. But we spent time together each day, with the others in our pod. Soval and I thought we knew where he had gone. So we went searching for him."

When he didn't continue, Tra'ka cleared his throat. "It wasn't long after you joined our tribe that that happened. So, Din had minimal armor and few skills. Soval was younger than him and had only been a foundling for about a year. They were determined, but had little ability to back it up."

"Din and Soval," the armorer continued, "managed to find the foundling in a place no one else expected. Despite their lack of skills and armor, they used what they knew and the skills they had to find the foundling when no one else could."

The pride in the armorer's voice was clear and Cara had to smile. She obviously loved her son and enjoyed remembering his accomplishments as a child.

"It was then that I realized what a good tracker you could learn to be," the armorer said. "And what a strong sense of loyalty to others you possessed."

Loyalty to others. Cara nodded to herself. Din was loyal… unfailingly. She had never really thought about it before, but it was true. She briefly wondered how that translated to their relationship.

Soon, Maytra'k and Corvin joined them and they all shared stories about growing up in the covert. The evening passed quickly and too soon; they were walking away from the gathering with the kid snuggled in Din's arms.

Cara swallowed hard as they walked back to the house. She was feeling a little apprehensive about being alone together in a private space. She certainly still had strong desire coursing through her body. If Din also felt the same way, what was keeping them from acting? But is that what she wanted? Did she want their relationship to change forever? Was Din even allowed to have that kind of relationship with an outsider?

They entered the house again and Din switched on the single light.

"If you want some food, there's some in the kitchen."

Cara nodded, watching as Din carried the kid into the sleeping room. She sighed, deciding to take off her boots. She was just starting to remove her armor when Din came back in. He paused and she smiled at him.

"The kid out?" she asked.

"Yeah," he responded. "He's been pretty tired lately."

Cara raised her eyebrows, continuing to pull off her armor. "Yeah, well, he's never been to school before. It takes a lot out of you."

Din nodded. Cara noticed he still hadn't moved from his spot by the sleeping room. What was going through his head?

"You good?" she asked, pausing in her disrobing effort.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm going to the Razor Crest. Grab some chairs and a table."

He headed towards the door and Cara got the distinct feeling he was retreating.

"Okay," she said.

oOoOoOoOo

Din walked to the Razor Crest with a quick pace. His whole body wanted Cara. But he knew the tribe's rules, even if he did think they were stupid. Even so, he was willing to fight for Cara. That wasn't a hard decision. But what if she wasn't interested? What if she was only interested in being physically intimate? Did he even know how to be intimate beyond physically?

Sighing heavily, he punched the button on his vambrance to open the hatch. He needed to spar. But it was too late, and he had a foundling to take care of.

Gathering up the things he needed, he then sat down heavily on one of the benches that lined the hold. He noticed Cara's blood staining the floor and realized he never cleaned up after their frantic few days. That would have to happen tomorrow.

Making a decision, he quickly scaled the ladder to the cockpit and pulled off his helmet, placing it on the helm. Then he sat down in the cockpit chair, rubbing his face with his hands.

What was he doing? He was a warrior, a Mandalorian. Why was he so distracted by his feelings for this woman? And when had they started? They had snuck up on him, without him realizing. If he had realized what was happening, maybe he could have stopped it.

But it wasn't really any different than letting a foundling into his life, was it? Except that his relationship with Cara would cause problems for him with the tribe. His relationship with the foundling wouldn't.

Sighing, he rubbed his eyes hard. It would be so much easier if she were Mandalorian. But he had always known the likelihood of him being with another Mandalorian was slim to none. He suspected his mother knew that as well, or she would have reacted more strongly when he told her he'd removed his armor with Cara.

Cara seemed interested in him. But the only thing he could really be sure about was that she definitely wanted him physically. He had no idea if she was interested in creating a longer lasting partnership with him. And he was scared to find out. He was comfortable with their relationship as it was: friends, sometimes partners, someone they could each count on. If they changed that… what might happen?

Grabbing his helmet, he pushed it back on his head and slid down the ladder again. It was time to face her and stop hiding out in his ship.

oOoOoOoOo

He opened the door quietly, hoping not to wake anyone. He wasn't sure if she was going to be asleep, and he knew the kid was sleeping. Slipping through, he pulled the folded chairs and table through the door and leaned them against the wall. Then he pushed the door shut behind him and noticed Cara sitting against the wall. She had a datapad laying in her lap and she was looking at him with a half-smile.

"I had to find something to do and I discovered this in a basket in the sleeping room," she held up the datapad.

"Good," Din replied. "Do you want a chair?" He started setting up the table and chairs and she laughed a little.

"That would be great."

Rising from her spot on the ground, she stretched and he took in her powerful, curved body. It was now clad only in her black undergarments, consisting of long black pants and a well fitted black shirt. Taking a deep breath, he turned back to his task and she joined him a moment later.

"What are you reading?" Din asked, hoping to distract himself from her body.

"Oh, just re-reading an Alderaan classic Where Mountains Breathe. I've read it before, but it's one of my favorites. We had to read it in school."

Taking a chair from Din, she set it up quickly next to the table and then sat down. Din did the same with his chair and sat down across from her.

"Did you have to read novels in school?" she asked curiously.

"Some," he answered. "Our education consisted mostly of training and tactics, hand to hand combat, use of our armor… And math and science, technology, ship mechanics, hyperdrive use, navigation… Things like literature, music, and art were always poorly represented."

Cara snorted. "I'm not surprised that Mandalorian's don't have much time for art and music."

They were silent for a long moment, Din wondering about Cara's upbringing but not knowing how to ask.

"I was lucky," Cara began in a quiet tone. "My parents were well off, I was always provided for, went to a good school… My dad grew up as a fighter. He trained the royal guard and was an instructor at the Royal Academy. He wanted me to go there… But I didn't want to stay that close. If I had…"

She stopped and cleared her throat, turning to look out the dark window. "Well, I guess I would be dead right along with them."

Din didn't say anything, just watched her. He smiled a little, imagining Cara as a child going to school, training with her father.

"That explains why you're so good at hand-to-hand combat," he commented.

Turning back to him, she nodded. "Yeah, Dad always made sure we spent time training every day. Even as a child, he had us doing training drills and learning skills." Cara smiled. "I didn't mind it though. It was time I got to spend with him."

Din looked at her for a long moment, thinking about his own childhood. It had been torn by war, unrest, hunger, and tragedy. Part of him envied Cara; that she got the chance to grow up without those worries. But thinking of her now, with no family and no people… He would choose what he had now over an idyllic childhood, if given the choice. His Mandalorian family wasn't idyllic, or free from war or worry, but they would always be there for him.

He stood from his chair, still thinking, and started taking off his armor. When he was on the Razor Crest, he always slept with it on. In fact, there were few times when he could afford the luxury of sleeping without it. He noticed Cara watching him, this time not trying to hide it. He breathed deeply, laying the armor on the table, piece after piece.

When he finished, all that was left were his black underclothes and his helmet. His eyes connected with her deep brown ones and he could feel the smoldering energy pouring off them. Swallowing hard, he walked into the kitchen, away from her irresistible eyes. He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up.

But then he suddenly wondered why he was resisting her. Would it change their relationship? Maybe. But their relationship was already different just by being at the covert. Would the tribe be angry about his relationship with an outsider? Yes. But they already were. Everyone already thought they were together, so what difference did it make? But would Cara be okay with it? And what did she expect from him?

Sighing loudly, he turned around and Cara looked up from her datapad. Their eyes connected again and he consciously worked to control his breathing. After a long moment, Cara stood.

"Do you want me to read in the bedroom so you can eat?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No."

They looked at each other for a long moment and Din could tell Cara wanted to ask him something. He walked closer to her, stopping when he was right next to her.

"You can ask me whatever you want," he said quietly, his scratchy voice even huskier than usual.

He could see Cara breathing deeply, see her chest rising and falling quicker. Her eyes searched his visor and then roamed down his body, coming back up a moment later. He noticed her swallow hard, her larynx bobbing. His hands itched to touch her, to search her body, but he held back.

"What do your people believe about touch? About… intimacy?" Her voice was breathy and low. It sent electric pulses straight to his groin. He swallowed.

"There are no rules in the creed forbidding touch. Only forbidding us to show our faces. We are also forbidden from removing our armor with anyone who is not family."

She took a deep breath. "And being with an outsider? Are there rules against that?"

He shook his head. "Not in the creed."

Cara nodded and then suddenly took a step back. "That's good to know," she said.

He watched her, aware of the sudden change.

Cara cleared her throat. "I…"

Sighing, she raked a hand through hair that lacked her usual braid. "I can't just have sex with you like it doesn't matter. I've been trying to convince myself that I can, but…" she shook her head and looked at him. Din could see the pain and conflict there.

"I haven't been with anyone for real since Trax."

They looked at each other for a long moment, Din taking in the vulnerability Cara was showing him. He felt honored that she would trust him this much. Then she looked down.

"I understand," Din said quietly. He felt a weight lift from his chest at the realization that Cara wanted to be with him, not just physically but as a partner. He cleared his throat and reached a bare hand forward to brush under her chin and tilt her head so he could see her eyes.

"I've never been with anyone I've trusted fully," he commented softly, dropping his hand to his side. "And I've never removed my armor with anyone who isn't Mandalorian."

Cara nodded, sighing deeply. "Being here, with your people… I don't want to cause problems for you with your tribe."

Din frowned. "Why do you say that?"

She smiled wirily. "I've seen how they look at me. I can imagine if we were together, it would be challenging for you."

Din looked at her for a long moment. "Maybe. But-

"Gar?" The child stood at the entrance to the bedroom. They both turned to look at him and Cara smiled.

"Hey little man," she said. "You're supposed to be sleeping."

He gurgled at her and then shuffled over, grasping her around the leg.

"Come on," Din sighed, reaching down to pull him off her leg. "Just because Cara's not as strict about the rules as me doesn't mean you can take advantage of her. It's time for bed."

Mewling sadly, the child's ears drooped.

"Hey, we'll have time to hang out tomorrow," Cara said, reaching out to rub his ears.

That idea seemed to perk him up slightly and Din walked him back to his room.

As he tucked him back into bed and told him sternly not to get up, Din thought about their interrupted conversation. It certainly sounded like Cara was interested in having a real relationship. But how would that work between them? How would they live? Did she want to join him bounty hunting? Was she interested in joining his quest to find the child's people?

He was about to leave the room again when Cara switched off the light and crept into the bedroom. He motioned to her sleeping cot.

"You want me to sleep on the only cot?" She said in a whisper. "It's your house Din, you should be able to sleep where you want."

"I'd rather sleep next to the kid," he said truthfully.

She nodded. "Okay, but if you get a terrible neck ache from sleeping on the floor in your helmet, don't blame me."

He shook his head, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "I've had worse."

"I know," she replied and then gave him a wink. "Goodnight Din."

"Goodnight Cara."

Notes:

August 10, 2021

Hey guys, thanks for reading. We just returned from our extensive Smoky Mountains trip, which was a very necessary break from our busy, urban life.

I'm hoping to post every two weeks now, since I've almost reached the end of what I've already written. I love reading comments, so leave some! Thanks.