"What's up with you?" came the smooth voice of Bo Katan.

Din was sat on a large rock with Grogu at his side.

The moment Din had returned home, tired and aching from Lysa's doorstep, he had found a communication from Bo Katan and the other Mandalorians, asking him to join them off planet and help with rounding up several more of the Creed than they had had word lived within the Outer Rim.

And almost immediately Din had jumped into his N-1 and flown away, that evening. Barely giving the planet of Nevarro a second look.

He was hurt.

Still in utter angry disbelief about what had happened.

After everything Crix had done, Lysa still stood there and defended him. Remaining loyal to him in spite of everything.

What more could Din do now?

He had pleaded with her to leave with him and be safe.

And for a moment Din had seen a flash of hope in her eyes. And yet somehow Crix had still snaked his way back into her head, blackmailing her, convincing her that there was and only ever could be him.

Din felt like giving up. For what more could he do?

And yet he still felt that tug at his heart when he thought of her. Yearning for her with every fibre of his being.

He prayed it would pass.

For Lysa had seemed certain in her choice.

A choice that did not include him.

For the last two days, Din had been notably subdued, listening to what Bo Katan needed, but providing little-to-no idle conversation.

His mood and his mind elsewhere…

Even Grogu had been aware that his father was not his usual self, sitting closer to Din that normal, providing a silent comfort, which Din appreciated.

For two days Din, Grogu, Bo-Katan and a small group of Mandalore natives, had tracked the rumour of the hidden Mandalorians, with no avail.

Now on the second night, tired and exhausted, the Mandalorians had decided to make camp for the night in the middle of a dusty desert. This was the fourth planet they had been to in two days and Din had already lost track of exactly where they were. His mind far from on top form.

The sky had grown dark and the planet colder than the group were used to, meant that a fire had been lit.

The majority of the Mandalorians had already taken off their helmets, deciding this was a good a time as any to eat.

But of course Din, still following the ancient ways to the letter, kept his helmet firmly on his head. Not feeling hungry, his stomach still twisted into knots as he stared into the fire.

At his side, Grogu had stared up at his father, giving a concerned croak, drawing the attention of Bo-Katan who was sitting on Din's other side, nursing a hot cup of broth between her cold hands.

Her sharp eyes had lingered on Din's beskar covered face and slumped shoulders for a long few seconds, before she had asked him the question.

"What's up with you?"

Din Djarin had never been the life and soul of a party, always far more quiet and reserved than your average.

But that didn't mean he didn't have a big heart and wear his emotions on his sleeve the same as everyone else.

He gave a heavy sigh.

"I've just had a few things going on in Nevarro," he uttered, the detail still feeling too raw for him to go into.

But nevertheless, Bo pressed him.

"Something i should know about?"

Din shook his head. "No. Its just a tricky situation I don't know how to get myself out of. But at the same time I don't know if I want to."

At his words, Bo-Katan gave a smirk, leaning forwards with interest.

"Go on."

Din gave a hard swallow. The fire dancing in front of his eyes as he stared into its abyss.

He was silent for a few long seconds before he finally spoke. His voice low and quiet.

"There's a….woman-" he began, giving a huff as he tried to find the right words.

At this, Bo-Katan looked mightily intrigued.

"So you're in love?" she commented eagerly, her grin widening.

But Din looked her way, his breath catching in his throat at the accusation.

Was it love that he felt for Lysa?

He knew that his feelings for her were strong, but surely it was a mere concern for her welfare that made him feel like that.

But would concern alone make his heart pound and his chest restrict in a tortuous yearning every single moment he thought about her?

"No, I-" he began, but again Bo cut across him.

"There's no point in denying it. I can hear it in your voice," she uttered, shooting him a knowing look.

Behind his helmet, Din pursed his lips irritably. "She's a friend. Back on Nevarro," he said promptly. "I just wanted to make sure she was safe-"

"And you overstepped the mark?" Bo Katan uttered.

Din gave a frown as Bo Katan interrupted.

"No," he replied in a firm tone. "The man she's with. He's got some kind of control over her…I saw the bruises he gave her."

"And let me guess. You just went barging on in there, all blasters blazing?" snipped Bo Katan, glancing away from him and giving a roll of her eyes.

"I wanted him punished for what he'd done," said Din a little heatedly, getting defensive.

"And I'm guessing it wasn't appreciated?" she murmured, looking back at Din now, reading him like the pages of a book.

"No," said Din, sounding annoyed, both by his actions and the feedback they were getting. "I gave her the choice to come with me. But in the end she still chose him."

"Well what did you expect?" said Bo, raising an eyebrow and giving a shallow laugh. "That she'd run into your arms and thank you for saving her? If she's being controlled by this man. Do you really think that ends when you show up and act the hero?"

Bo gave a shake of her head causing her red hair to bobble slightly around her.

"It isn't your fight, Din," she said meaningfully, turning her attention back to her broth. "It's hers."

Din stared at Bo-Katan for a few long seconds before gazing back to the fire once more and letting out huff of air through his nose.

Maybe Bo was right.

Maybe he had overstepped the mark. Gone in when Lysa had explicitly told him not to.

All Din had been trying to do was protect her. Attempting to provide her with some sort of grand gesture of how much he truly cared about her, in the form of violence.

Din had only known Lysa for a matter of weeks but had already seen how strong and capable she was. And she certainly wasn't stupid…perhaps in this case just blinded by Crix and his persuasive words.

"That's the last of it," came a sudden loud and jovial voice to Din's left, on the other side of Grogu. "So you'd better savour every mouthful."

He glanced up to see Axe Woves, talking to a couple of unmasked Mandalorians beside him.

But it was what he was holding in his hand that drew Din's attention suddenly. As he noticed Axe pass around a small piece of dark and syrupy-looking sweet bread wrapped in a familiar cloth.

Din gave a frown before he could help himself.

"That cake," he said suddenly, drawing their attention, and the attention of Bo-Katan who glanced up from her meal. "Where did you get it?"

Axe Woves gave a smirk, glancing at his comrades before looking back to Din.

"Why? You going to take your helmet off to try some?" he said in a mocking tone, as the small group all chuckled.

"No, I meant where did you buy it?" asked Din in a clipped voice, his patience waning.

But Axe Woves merely shrugged easily, taking a bite of the cake.

"We get a delivery at our camp on Nevarro a couple of times a week," he said matter-of-factly, talking with his mouth full. "Pretty girl, she comes to us selling all sorts of goodies. Never managed to catch her name though-"

"Lysa," said Din quickly, his voice heated, saying her name before he could stop himself.

The group all stared up at him, all falling silent.

And behind his beskar, Din felt himself redden.

"Her name's Lysa," he said, a little quieter this time, giving a nod.

From his other side, he could feel Bo-Katan's eyes on him, but he didn't say another word, merely turning back to the fire.

And it was a moment before Axe Woves spoke again.

"Well I'll be sure to say hello to her next time, if she ever shows up again. Bloody good stuff this."

And with that, he popped the last of the cake into his mouth and turned back to his friends once more.

Again Grogu looked up at his father before exchanging a meaningful look with Bo-Katan.

Not that Din Djarin noticed, his mind back on Nevarro….hoping with every fibre of his being that Lysa was ok.

For who else could ever make him feel like this? An excruciatingly beautiful agony, burning at his heart. An agony that Din knew didn't want to be without for as long as he was living…

Thanks to MsRosePetal, J-James, HipCheckChick and ReRe00 for reviewing the last chapter.

Hope this one was ok? Hope you liked the Din and Bo chit chat - you know she would be straight with him about these things.

Next chapter: Lysa and Din reunited...

Please review! :)