Hi readers. Firstly, I would like to apologize. I do know chapter 2 formatting is a bit wonky, no clue why, but I'll fix that. Secondly... THANK YOU for reading and reviewing. I had no clue I'd get any responses, and those I have recieved have been so kind and encouraging. Thank you. I know the first few chapters are quite short, that is because I was a bit hesitant and tentative about posting this story in the first place. Gosh Damn it I'm in love with Mando, and I love Cara and I can't not write this. So, Enjoy! And please let me know if you do :)

-Tifa

The sandy planet didn't have a whole lot of information to offer the pair, but they had decided that after a smoldering hot day full of asking around and not getting very much information- they would spend the evening on the planet and try and rest up.

Din had admired Cara's tenacity and her ability to tone soften her features and connect with locals without much fuss. Actually, Cara was rather charismatic and most people she encountered found her to be rather charming. She asked questions that he wouldn't have thought to ask, and although the residents didn't have much information to offer, they seemed to want to help however they could.

Which is how they ended up at a decent little inn for the evening. The room was very spacious with a large bath tub and shower, beautiful neutral and earthy tone decor and furniture that looked clean and very well kept. The only issue with the room was that it only had one bed. Of course, Din would insist Cara sleep in it, he'd take the couch.

He placed The Child in its carrier and watched as it rubbed its eyes and soon drifted off to sleep. He heard a soft grunt behind him and he glanced in Cara's direction.

She had removed her utility belt and chest protector armor, and laid her weapons on the dresser. After removing her wrist guards she glanced at herself in the mirror, and caught the reflection of a Mandalorian helmet staring straight at her. She turned around and faced him.

Din had been fairly quiet through the day, probably because he was burning up under all that beskar armor. She couldn't help but wonder if he was quiet because of the awkward moment they had shared in the ship earlier. She was reaching up to undo her braid when she raised a dark eyebrow. "What?"

Din blinked beneath his helmet. He knew the woman was curvaceous but without her armor, wearing just normal clothing she looked, well, very alluring. He cleared his throat.

"Nothing." He replied as he sheepishly rubbed one of his arms.

Now all of her hair was down and it rested just above her shoulders. Cara had a feeling she might have overreacted a little when it came to Din's strange staring, but then again he was acting pretty odd.

"There's a shower and a bath." She noted, trying to make some kind of conversation.

"Are you implying that I smell?"

"Oh for god's sake!" She rolled her eyes. "No. But you might like to relax a little bit it's been a long day. I'll keep an eye on The Child and I won't burst in on you."

Din paused, it did sound nice to relax. And if he were honest, he probably needed a bath after sweating all day in the sun. He gave her a nod before he made his way into the bathroom and he closed and locked the door behind him. As much as he trusted Cara, it was just a habit he got into by now.

He turned on the water to the bath and let it begin to fill before slowly peeling off the pieces of his armor. Finally, he removed his helmet hearing the light hissing noise it made when he did so. He placed it on the counter and looked at his reflection in the mirror. His dark brown hair was growing, looking a bit shaggy past his ears, and it was flattened and stuck to his forehead. The scruff on his face was getting a bit overgrown as well and he made a mental note that he'd have to shave and trim his hair next chance he got.

He rubbed his face, a feeling that felt so good after being stuck under the helmet for hours on end. He glanced at the door, thinking of the woman on the other side.

He was drawn to her, in more ways than one and eventually he knew he would summon the courage to let her know. But not now. He had completely stripped and lowered his achy body into the water and he let out a heavy and long sigh as he did so. He closed his dark brown orbs and rested his head on the back of the tub, enjoying every moment. The water caressed his body and eased his discomforts, it washed away his worries and inhibitions momentarily and he would enjoy it as long as he could.

Cara stared at the door after it had closed for a good long while, as if somehow she could see through it. She could hear him sigh and groan here and there and she knew he must have really needed the moment to himself. She walked over to the bed and sat on its ledge before glancing at The Child who was now snoring gently in its carrier. She smiled and shook her dark head.

She never imagined being a caregiver to a tiny baby, but here she was. And she actually quite enjoyed it.

Still, a creeping feeling interrupted her from her thoughts. A feeling she kept trying to push down, and away, but it proved to be just as stubborn as she because it continued to resurface no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.

A tug. A tug within her that made her want to do more than protect The Mandalorian, or spend time as only his ally. She wanted more and that frustrated her.

If she eventually admitted, it even if he admitted any sort of romantic admission then what would come of it? There was no way Cara was going to allow him to break his creed for her. In her mind, she simply wasn't worth it especially if it wasn't worth breaking to save his very life.

Sure, there might be loopholes, but again, she didn't want to even think about risking him straying from The Way.

So she would continue trying to ignore the feeling but then, it would only grow more difficult.

"Cara."

She gasped quietly and stood when she heard his voice on the other side of the door. She walked up to the door, hesitantly. His voice sounded different, it wasn't modulated. It was tired, husky and damn near like honey to the ears.

"Yes?" She asked, her voice quaked and she cursed herself for it, gritting her teeth in annoyance.

"There are no towels, are they out there?" Din asked as he sat on the ledge of the tub realizing there wasn't a towel in sight in the bathroom.

Cara looked around and noticed that the towels were all folded neatly in a cabinet right near the bathroom. "Yes. There are towels out here. I can bring you one. I'll keep my eyes closed I promise." She grabbed two towels and stood by the door once more.

Din froze. He was unsure, what If she did decide to look. It would be over for him just like that. Then again, one tiny fraction of him almost thought he wouldn't mind if it meant he got to kiss her. He stood and hopped onto the bathroom rug near the door, dripping wet and beginning to shiver a bit. "Okay," he finally agreed and he unlocked the door.

Cara closed her eyes tightly, she even went as far as to cover them with one hand as well. She turned the nob and opened the door. Extending her hand out that held the two towels so he could grab them from her.

Din blushed a bit, even though she couldn't see him, he was still stark naked in front of her. He took the towels and thanked her and when her arm was clear from the doorway he closed the door and let out a silent sigh of relief.

Cara felt herself blush a bit, and she cursed herself for longing to see his body without all that armor. She made her way back to the bed and sat down on the side. Then she laid on her back, and kept her legs dangling off the edge. She stared at the ceiling for a good ten minutes before the bathroom door clicked open again.

She was hesitant to look, but she did. She saw Din in a black long sleeved shirt and pants, but the beskar Armor was not on his body, however he did have his helmet on, which came as no surprise to her.

He sighed quietly and sat on the couch before looking at The Child, making sure it was still fast asleep. "That was nice." He stated as he turned his attention to Cara, who was sprawled on the bed in a way that made his insides knot up and flutter and she sat up.

"I figured it was about time you relaxed, even for a few minutes." She offered him a smile. She studied him, he looked about the same without the beskar she decided, his body looked to be relatively muscular and toned, but she could see more of his body language without the bulk. He looked relaxed, and she was grateful.

"You should do the same, Cara." He noted.

"I guess I will." She stood and crossed the room. As she walked past him, she felt his hand grip her wrist gently. She froze, and looked down at him.

Din wanted to tell her, he did, but at the same time he was worried she would yell at him, knock him over the head and tell him how ridiculous he was being. So, per usual he hid behind the helmet and hid his true thoughts as he released her arm. "Thank you." He managed to say before feeling a whack to the helmet.

"Told you not to be weird.." She grumbled before going to the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

Rattled, he wobbled a bit on the couch before smiling. He knew she felt the same.