Ruby and Leo spent the evening together while Din watched from the sidelines. They took a stroll, laughed, held hands, ate together. He even had fed her treats, and she let him. It was nauseating. Din could think of a million things he'd rather be doing right now. Like fixing a slow fuel line leak, or teaching a Blurrg to breakdance, or showing Grogu how to manually calculate jumps to light speed.. he would rather be doing any or all of those things right now. ANYTHING besides watching Ruby and Leo together.
"You're awfully quiet," Tanni mused.
"Yeah." Din said through his teeth.
"I don't trust him either." Tanni agreed.
"Oh?" Din started thinking this might be easier then he thought. All he had to do was prove Leo was untrustworthy and Ruby would come away with him.
"I know what you're thinking," Tanni said.
"You don't," he replied.
"You haven't said or done anything for hours except stare at Ruby," Tanni said.
"I made her a promise, to keep her safe," he said, making an excuse for his behavior.
"And what if she really is happy with this other guy?" Tanni raised an eyebrow at him.
"She isn't," he said. Just then Tanni and Din overheard a sweet and musical laugh from Ruby.
Tanni crossed her arms, "you were saying?" Din didn't reply. "Oh come on, just admit it. You like her."
"There's no place in my life for her." He said sadly. He'd been here before, with women, finding someone who interested him only to walk away from the opportunity of being happy with them.
"She would say the same thing about you," Tanni smiled.
"She can't come with me, it's too dangerous," Din said.
"I can tell you've given this a lot of thought," Tanni joked. "Have you even asked her what she wants? No."
"It wouldn't matter," Din said.
"Okay, you keep telling yourself that," Tanni shrugged. "Might want to look away."
But he didn't. Din watched as Leo leaned in to kiss Ruby. Thinking quickly, he whipped out his blaster and shot the glass of wine Leo was holding, spilling its contents all over him. I Ruby gasped, "I am so sorry Leo, please give me a minute," Ruby apologized and Leo excused himself to go clean up. She marched up to Din who was still holding his blaster in his hand. "What the heck was that?!" She exclaimed wide eyed.
"He can't touch you before the wedding," Din said.
"Is that one of your weird Mandalorian cult rules? It was just a kiss! And I wanted it!" Ruby blushed when she said it. But it was true, she had wanted the kiss.
"Great, then my side of the deal is done," Din reholstered his blaster.
"Good! Great! Go!" Ruby crossed her arms and glared at him.
"Didn't you just say you didn't trust Leo?" Tanni offered. "Now you're going to leave Ruby alone with a man you told me yourself you don't trust. That doesn't sound like a done deal to me."
"You don't trust Leo?" Ruby questioned. "Why not?"
"I just don't," he replied.
"That's not a reason," she said.
"It's reason enough to not kiss him," he mumbled.
"This is what you wanted," Ruby said, "this whole time. This is what you wanted! You took a job, you finished it, you can go get paid now."
"Is this what you wanted Din?" Tanni raised her eyebrows and cocked her head at Ruby.
"Yeah, that's what I wanted," Din said and he turned back towards the ship.
Ruby turned red. "You're unbelievable!" She yelled after him. Then she took off her boot and threw it at the back of his helmeted head.
Din paused, a bit stunned at the gestured, then turned around, staring at Ruby's boot on the floor. He picked it up and and walked towards Ruby, holding it out. He knelt in front of her, grabbed her leg and started pulling the boot back on. Ruby put a hand on his shoulder to balance herself as he pulled her boot back over her leg. "You have my attention." He said, getting back to his feet.
Ruby puckered her lips, "who said I wanted your attention?"
"You threw your shoe at my head," Din smirked trying not to chuckle but not doing very well.
Ruby smiled, "it would seem I did." Ruby looked down at her boot, now back on her foot. "Give me a reason not to stay here," Ruby said.
"I didn't know I needed a reason," he replied, taking her hand in his.
Ruby closed the space between them and stood on her tippy toes. She slipped her hand around the back of Din's neck. Din weaved his fingers through her blonde hair. Ruby nudged Din's helmet up with her forehead, just until she could capture his lips in hers. Out of reflex, Din's hands were ready to shove her away and pull his helmet back down, but he couldn't. He didn't want to. He was throughly enraptured by Ruby's kiss.
Ruby opened her mouth and Din ran his tongue along hers. Tasting and exploring her sweet and soft mouth. Ruby gasped which only made Din want her even more. Then Leo walked back into the room.
"I take it we won't be having a wedding," he said sadly.
Ruby broke her kiss and pulled Din's helmet back down, "no, there won't be." She said with certainty. "At least, not now." She smiled. Din's heart swelled.
"Oh Mother of Moons you two are exhausting," Tanni said rolling her eyes.
