"-Needs rest."

Din forced his eyes open, the room slowly taking shape around him. Squinting against the medbay's harsh white lighting, he blinked groggily.

"I won't be long." That voice was familiar, but Din couldn't place it, his mind foggy.

"Really." That was definitely Boba's voice, the vibration rumbling against Din's ear.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand Mandalorian business." The other voice said icily.

Din shifted on the cot next to Boba, slowly pushing himself up to a seated position. "Mandalorian business?" He asked sleepily, running a tired hand over his face.

Bo-Katan Kryze looked down at him, one eyebrow raised, her helmet tucked under one arm. "Welcome back to the land of the living." She said sardonically. "Chosen a rather risky employer, haven't you?"

Boba stiffened beside Din, his arm tightening around Din's shoulders. "This is still my palace, Kryze." He growled. "I can have you removed."

"It's fine." Din interrupted, clearing his throat. He swung his feet over the edge of the cot, wincing slightly as the movement strained the wound in his side. Boba adjusted his grip, helping Din to his feet with a secure arm around his middle.

Din lifted his chin, feeling oddly naked standing opposite Bo-Katan dressed in only his loose medbay clothes, his armor and flight suit on a nearby chair, his helmet on a stack of folded medbay sheets. "What do you want?"

Bo-Katan snorted, her eyes sharp as she looked him over. "Haven't cut your own head off yet, I see."

Din rolled his eyes. "I told you before, if it's the darksaber you want, take it."

"I'm not without honor." She said coldly, lifting a red eyebrow. "Do you think so little of me, Djarin?"

"I don't know you." He said honestly, ignoring Boba's disdainful scoff.

"The darksaber can only be won in combat." She retorted. "As much as I loathe to admit it, it's yours now. Unless you'd like to spar for it, right here?"

Din bristled, annoyed. "So you want it, but won't take it."

"Of course I want it." Bo-Katan snapped. "Rightfully, it ought to be mine as Mandalore's last surviving leader."

"So take it." Din retorted impatiently.

Bo-Katan shook her head. "You defeated Gideon. Not me. I am many things, but I am not honorless."

"Mandalorians." Boba muttered disdainfully. "Was that all, princess?"

"No." Bo-Katan looked Din over, her gaze piercing. Din fought the urge to run, to hide. To jump into a ship and leave Tatooine behind.

"It's time for you to take your place amongst us." Bo-Katan said coolly. "You are our leader now, Djarin. It is time for you to leave hunting behind, and join us."

"What?" He asked, startled.

"You heard me." Bo-Katan said. "You may be nobody, a cultist, a zealot from the Outer Rim, but it is you who won the darksaber, not me. Our people need a leader, a king, and as the wielder of the darksaber, you have a - legitimacy, shall we say, that others lack."

"I'm no leader." Din insisted, frowning. "I'm not - fight me for it, if that's what you need to claim this thing." He gestured to where the darksaber lay next to the pile of beskar.

Bo-Katan scoffed, looking him up and down with her cool blue gaze. "Even I know that a fight against an injured man is hardly a fair fight."

"So, what? You want me to - to be some kind of king?" Din asked skeptically. "I'm -" An apostate, he thought, the words pressed against his teeth, but he swallowed them with some effort. No, not an apostate. He told himself firmly. Just - not a Child of the Watch. Not anymore.

"The most legitimate candidate." Bo-Katan said, her eyebrows pinched together in disdain. "Unfortunately."

"I'm - my place is here." Din said, shifting a little to lean on Boba, the wound in his side twinging painfully.

Bo-Katan looked between Din and Boba, her sharp gaze narrowing in on Boba's broad hand on Din's hip, and smirked. "I'm sure."

Din felt Boba tensing protectively beside him, but Bo-Katan spoke before Boba could retort.

"There will be a gathering of the clans in a month's time." She said, putting her helmet on, the seal engaging with a hiss. "At my home on Kalevala, to choose a leader. You and your - tribe, are welcome."

Ignoring the stab of grief in his chest at the mention of the covert, Din nodded. "I'll consider it." He said, trying to keep a neutral expression. The idea of such a gathering, of standing before his people, before the armorer, who had branded him an outcast, an apostate, and putting his bucket in the ring for the title of leader made anxiety churn in his stomach. But - I have the darksaber now. Maybe at this gathering I can figure out what to do with it.

"Do." Bo-Katan said, her voice flat through the vocoder. "I'll send you the coordinates."

"Right." Din said, watching as she turned and left the medbay, her spine ramrod straight. He sighed, leaning into Boba's side heavily. "Well, that was - interesting."

"Hm." Boba grunted, wrapping his arm more securely around Din's waist and guiding him to sit back on the cot. "Think you'll go?" His voice was terse, tension written into the lines of his face.

Din shrugged. "I don't know." He said honestly. "I - if nothing else, maybe I can get rid of the darksaber at this gathering."

"True." Boba acknowledged. "I don't trust her."

"Neither do I." Din said honestly, settling back down against the cot, shifting over to let Boba climb in beside him. "But - it might be worth it, to see what all the fuss is about. See if she really does want me to be this - this king, or if she just wants an audience for a duel."

Boba grunted wordlessly, pulling Din in closer with a muscled arm around his waist. Din wriggled closer, tucking his face into Boba's chest, curling his toes around Boba's calves.

"I don't like it." Boba grumbled, resting his chin on Din's head. "Why now? Why bother to come out to Tatooine now, after you've had that thing for, what - weeks? Months?"

Din shrugged as best as he could, burrowing closer. "I don't know." He said, his voice muffled by Boba's shirt. Boba sighed heavily, reaching up to run a hand through Din's hair, fingers catching on the tangles.

"I don't like it." He repeated.

"Me neither." Din admitted, propping his head up on Boba's chest to look up at him. "But - it's not for another month. I - we - have time."

Boba sighed again, scratching Din's scalp gently. "I know." He leaned down to press a gentle kiss to Din's cheek. "I still don't like it." He murmured, his lips warm against Din's skin.

"I know." Din said, turning his head to catch Boba's lips with his own to kiss him properly. Boba took Din's face in both hands, holding him gently, his calluses scraping against Din's beard. Din hummed against Boba's lips, melting into his touch eagerly, warmth burning low in his stomach. They kissed for a long moment, gentle and slow, before Boba broke the kiss, stroking Din's cheekbone with a thumb.

"Don't get too excited, Din'ika." He murmured teasingly. "You're still on bed rest."

Din flopped back down onto Boba's chest, groaning. "I'm fine." He muttered. He didn't quite know why he felt so disappointed, only that he'd felt so guilty and awful after their fight, and now - now Boba was here, and he was warm and solid, his hands strong and competent and beautiful. Din didn't want to rest. I want him. He wanted Boba's hands, Boba's lips. Din's heart beat erratically in his chest, his skin prickling with heat.

"I'll stay here with you while you get some rest." Boba promised, kissing Din's forehead softly.

"Fine." Din said grumpily, burrowing closer in Boba's arms.

"Good boy." Boba teased, his voice mischievous. Din huffed, trying to ignore the arousal burning low in his belly, his heartbeat picking up.

"Shut up." He mumbled, snuggling closer to Boba's chest.

"I'll make it up to you." Boba said, smiling into Din's hair. "Take you somewhere nice."

"Yeah?" Din peered up at him through his lashes.

"Yeah. I think we've both earned a vacation, don't you?"

"I - I guess." Din said, a little hesitantly. "You don't - you're not needed here?"

"Fennec can handle things around here for a few days." Boba shrugged. "We could take the kid with us, go somewhere nice, relax. Something to look forward to, once you're all healed up."

"Relax?" Din asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah." Boba grinned down at him. "I'm sure we can come up with some ideas."