Hi folks!

Warning: LONG A/N ahead. :o)

Welcome to my epic BoDin slow burn romance saga. I want to say up front that I chose that description very carefully and not without a lot of thought. I've been working on this series for several months and already have over 200,000 words written. Though they need to be edited and put together into chapters, which I will be doing as I post each one.

I imagine this story being somewhat like a TV series, with each "episode" (which will usually be one chapter, but some may end up being more) being its own complete story that will fit into the entire series.

As the description says, this will be a slow burn romance for Bo and Din, but once those fires are lit, their love will be strong. Let's just say that, yes, they will end up married and have a baby at some point. Also, yes, there will be love scenes, but I will be cross-posting on AO3 (for the first time) and will put the more "spicy" scenes there. Up here I'll keep it suggestive but not beyond that.

But it won't be all romance, I have episodes that will feature Din whump, hurt/comfort, cute fluffy family episodes, as well as drama and angst, humor and more.

This first chapter almost ended up as a stand-alone one-shot, but I decided to edit it to fit into this series. It will focus more on Din and Grogu. You'll see Bo but she doesn't play as big a role as she will in upcoming chapters – which I actually think works great for the "slow burn" aspect of this story.

If you read my last multi-chapter fic, "Alone in the Darkness", then you already got a little taste of this series in the "teaser trailer". If you didn't read that story, don't worry, you don't need to – unless you want to check out the last chapter for the "trailer" I created for this series. However, neither of my previous Mandalorian stories are tied to this series. They could both be seen as pre-BoDin if you like, but I wanted to start the BoDin romance right where the Season 3 finale left off and build from there.

Also, I will be introducing (or re-introducing, for those who read "Alone in the Darkness") an OC who will be part of Din's clan. I don't want to say too much more yet for those who don't know him, that way he'll still be a bit of a surprise. For those who met him in the last story, I still have some surprises coming with him.

Okay, that's the end of my long A/N. I promise to try and keep them shorter in upcoming chapters… if I can. LOL.

Enjoy!

-Moki

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Episode 1

Number of chapters: 1

Title: "Speechless"

Genre: Angst, Fluff, Father/son, BoDin slow burn romance, humor

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Din Djarin was arguing with his son.

"Come on, kid. Time to go."

Grogu stuck his tongue out at his father, making a rude noise. He knew exactly where his dad wanted to take him, and he wasn't happy about it. At all.

"Hey, none of that. You know the deal. We've hung out here for a while and I'm still waiting for our first job from Teva, but you can't just sit around all day and do nothing. You're going to go to school in between missions. I think you're going to like it. There's a lot for you to learn in addition to what I'm going to teach you. All of it will be helpful in your training, okay?"

When Din mentioned his training, Grogu felt better about the arrangement and nodded.

"Alright. Let's go."

After the adventures on Mandalore, the Mandalorian and his son had needed time to take some much-needed rest. Which wasn't surprising considering everything that had happened before they'd gone back to Nevarro to establish their home base. The two had worked together to defeat three Praetorian Guards, watched the demise of Moff Gideon happen in front of their eyes, been saved by Grogu holding back a wall of flames while a cruiser destroyed a hidden Imperial base, and Din had formally adopted the child as his son.

As they got settled in their new home, Din had bought things they would need. What had started out as a simple trip into town for a few supplies, ended with Din coming home with a lot more than he had intended. He'd had to fly the N-1 back a few times to pick up everything. That included his largest purchase, which had to be tied to the bottom of the ship in a cargo net, flown home and dropped carefully in front of their cabin.

While the cabin Greef had given Din when he'd made the Mandalorian landed gentry (which Din still didn't quite understand the meaning of) was on the outskirts of town, it wasn't that far away. Din learned that flying the N-1 there was a bit cumbersome as he had to park the ship well out of town and walk a long way to get to the bazaar or anywhere else. So, he'd decided to pick up a used speeder bike, which was much more convenient for quick trips into town. He could park closer to his destination, which made up for the slightly longer travel time.

Grogu scampered along behind his father, hopping onto the back of the speeder bike. Din strapped his son into the special seat he'd added. Riding with the kid in a shoulder bag had been a good temporary solution, but it wouldn't do any longer for the protective father. So, Din made a small seat to keep the boy secure. He'd engineered it with sides that sloped downward, so the child could enjoy the view while they were traveling. It also had a seatbelt to keep him strapped in safely.

Din mounted the bike and looked back at Grogu.

"You ready, kid?"

"Patu!" Din smiled under his helmet at Grogu's enthusiastic go-to phrase, hitting the accelerator and taking off into the desert toward town.

Ever since the battle on Mandalore and the adoption, Din felt like his son was becoming more independent. Though it was impossible to predict how Grogu would mature given his unusual species and their incredibly long lifespans, it seemed like the kid was trying to communicate more.

Grogu had always made lots of sounds and Din assumed that his son's warbles, coos, purrs, and other noises would probably turn into a language if the child were around his own kind. Din understood that it might take longer for Grogu to speak Basic or Mando'a. The kid was attempting to manipulate his tongue and mouth for humanoid speech when it clearly wasn't made for that. Grogu understood everything his father said to him in either language, and Din was doing his best to try and understand the sounds his boy made.

Din dropped Grogu off at school and went into town before heading back to the cabin. He was getting tired of the same old boring food options he'd been preparing for them and had decided to try something new. Having lived on a ship for the past few decades, cooking was not something Din had done very often. But now that he had his own home with a kitchen and a child to cook for, he wanted to try and put more effort into their meals - other than opening a ration pack or two.

He picked up some simple supplies, raw ingredients he felt he couldn't mess up too badly. Din had cooked meat he'd hunted before, roasting it over open flames while camping on planets when he'd been after a quarry. Once or twice he'd even gone so far as to add some local vegetables he'd found or purchased. It wasn't as if he had zero cooking experience, but he wanted to learn more.

With that in mind, Din stepped into another shop on his way back to where he'd parked the speeder bike. A few minutes later he walked out with a cookbook for beginners which the proprietor of the store had said was very popular.

Din rode back with his supplies. Once everything was put away, he went to work on a few home improvements he'd started after they had moved into their new home.

The cabin had been fully furnished when Greef had given Din the deed, which had suited the Mandalorian just fine. After the destruction of his ship, the Razor Crest, Din had lost what little personal belongings he'd had. Not that there had been much. Traveling in the N-1 for a while, he couldn't keep much on board, so had kept his belongings very light.

Din still kept things simple, but he had made some adjustments to the cabin. Most of them were designed to help Grogu function in the home. His son was young, but he wasn't an infant. The child was a Mandalorian apprentice and deserved the dignity of being able to take care of himself in any way he could.

The Mandalorian had sought out the Anzellans, figuring they would be the perfect choice to help with the modifications he had in mind. Not only because they were excellent with electronics, but they were also similar in size to his diminutive son and might have insights into what the boy would need.

Din had started with Grogu's room. The first few nights, Grogu had been happy to sleep in Din's bed. In truth, Din hadn't minded it either, even if it meant he'd had to sleep in his helmet. And because it always felt odd to him to wear it without his gear, Din had pretty much slept in his typical clothes, minus the beskar pieces. Din slept in armor for most of his bounty hunting career though, so it wasn't an inconvenience. Father and son had slumbered peacefully those first few nights. In fact, it had reminded Din of the early days on the Razor Crest when he would curl up in his bunk and Grogu would often climb down from his hammock to sleep next to him.

But though Din didn't mind sleeping in his gear, he felt it was important for Grogu to have his own space whenever they were in their home, if the child wanted it. Din had located the smallest child's bed in town and taken off the legs of the frame to make it even lower. He'd let the boy pick out his own bedding, pleased when his son chose comfortable fabrics in colors that weren't garish. Not that Din would have stopped Grogu if he'd chosen something vibrant, it was his room after all. But it pleased him to see that he and Grogu had similar tastes…such as they were.

Next, Din had found storage solutions to allow Grogu access to the few personal items he had. Such as the chain mail shirt and the rondel the Armorer had made for him. Din had also had a couple of new robes made for the boy, keeping them in the same style as the one he had when Din had first found him.

Though he knew Grogu had spent years in a Jedi temple, Din noted that the child didn't wear clothing like any of the Jedi he had met. The robe was thick, designed for warmth and protection of the child's skin. Using his natural bounty hunting skills, Din had considered the facts and come up with some theories as to why that would be. Since the clothing was thick and warm, he surmised that Grogu's species tended toward warmer climates. Therefore, being on other planets meant the child had to dress warmly to keep his body temperature regulated.

Din also supposed that since the robe didn't look like any other Jedi clothing he had seen, it could very well be a design from Grogu's own people. If that was the case, Din wanted to do whatever he could to keep that connection for Grogu - to his people and his culture. Once the boy was older, he could choose to wear something different if he wanted. But for now, Din chose to keep things pretty much the same. He also purchased soft tunics for the boy to wear under his chain mail shirt and rondel, to protect his delicate skin. Din himself wore similar protective clothing underneath the flight suit and leathers that bore his beskar. Wearing heavy armor often led to chafing, so the undergarments were a necessity, and Din made sure his boy was protected.

Even though Grogu had Jedi-amplified abilities to leap long distances, Din didn't want his son to have to hop up on everything in their home. Therefore, all the furnishings in Grogu's room had been lowered - his bed, his storage pods, all of it.

Did especially didn't want the kid jumping around the kitchen, afraid of sharp cooking implements and hot surfaces. But he did want the child to be able to do simple things such as get a drink of water if he wanted. Din had found a simple solution, a stepstool that Grogu could use to clamber up, rather than hop onto the counters.

Today the Anzellans were coming over to start on the refresher. Using simple Basic and a lot of hand gestures, Din had asked for their assistance in creating facilities that could be used by Grogu. The little technicians had arrived at the cabin and measured everything, discussing among themselves until they finally came up with a workable solution. The Anzellans had even given Din the honor of seeing inside one of their own homes - which he'd had to do by crawling inside, but Din hadn't once thought of complaining - to see how they functioned. Some of their furnishings and utilities looked to be perfect for a being of Grogu's size. Once he'd seen the Anzellans' home, the boy had gotten excited by the prospect of having facilities that would fit him better.

The cabin's fresher wasn't huge, so it had taken some careful planning to come up with a workable solution. In the shower, the Anzellans had tapped into the main water line and installed a tiny second shower in the corner. That allowed Grogu to go in and bathe on his own. There was also a small tub that barely fit Din. While he planned to have a larger one installed in the future, for the moment he had added a ladder that went over the side and into the tub. It was next to the tap, which allowed Grogu to turn on the water and fill it to the desired height and take a bath if he wanted. Bathing was done under Din's watchful eye, but he was still trying to give Grogu as much independence as possible.

As for the privy, Din had opted to go for the Anzellans' suggestion to add features to the current one. There simply wasn't room for a second privy, so modifying it had been the best option. Those modifications were happening today, and Din was fairly certain it would all be done before he had to leave to pick up his son from school.

When completed, with the push of a few buttons, the large privy seat would slide away to be replaced by a much smaller version. That, along with the steps the Anzellans were also installing, would allow Grogu to use it completely by himself. Grogu already managed on his own quite well with average-sized facilities but again, it was about letting his son be as comfortable as possible in their own home.

Hours after the Anzellan's arrived, Din slipped a hand under his helmet to wipe sweat off his face as they finished the last of the circuitry for the new privy.

"You think it's ready?" He asked his small companions.

"Ready? Yes, ready. We show."

The leader of the group walked up the stepstool, pausing to bend down and shake it to ensure it was tightly bolted. Satisfied that it wasn't going to move when Grogu got on it, the Anzellan moved to the controls near the seat. He pushed the button and the smaller seat appeared, just as they planned.

"See? All good now."

"Yes, that's perfect. Thank you very much for your help. You guys do great work."

"You welcome. We like baby. Just no squeezy."

"Right. Right. No squeezing, I promise."

Din had to fight not to chuckle at their request as he handed over credits for the price they had negotiated. Din would have happily paid double, but they assured him he was paying more than enough.

The Anzellans left shortly after, getting into their small ship and flying back to town. Din left a few minutes later on the speeder bike to pick up his son.

Much as Din had predicted, Grogu had obviously enjoyed himself at school. The first time he had attended, he'd been dumped into a class to keep him safe while Din had gone to help Greef and Cara with a dangerous mission.

This time Grogu had been properly enrolled, and the droid instructor briefed on her new student. Din knew that she had introduced Grogu and let the other children know that he didn't speak but understood Basic extremely well. He was sure the kids had gotten a kick out of getting to know Grogu and he wouldn't have been surprised if his son had shown off at least some of his more basic Jedi skills – though Din had instructed him to use them sparingly and never to a dangerous extent.

"Hey kid, did you enjoy your first day?" Din asked when Grogu came out the door with the other kids. Despite his small stature, none of the other children ran over him and many were saying goodbye to their new friend as they walked out. Some couldn't help but stare as Grogu hopped into Din's arms, chattering away excitedly about his first day. Din knew it wasn't the leap that had caught their attention, but his armor. No matter, Din was used to such scrutiny and never minded the honest stares from curious children.

"I'm glad you liked it. I have a surprise for you at home." Grogu squeaked excitedly, hopping out of his arms and into his seat on the bike. Din noted with pride that Grogu strapped himself in and even managed to click on his harness by himself.

"Good job, kid." Din said, mounting the bike and putting it into low gear to head out of the main part of town. Once they were outside the city, he opened it up, grinning under his helmet at the sound of Grogu's excited squeals. His boy liked speed as much as he did, and Din gunned it faster just to hear the sounds of delight from the child.

When they got home, Grogu jumped up and down to find the new privy. He hopped up on the steps, pressing the buttons to make the seat change. Din had also put in another stepstool to the fresher counter and Grogu tested that out as well. It made the sink and tap usable for the small child, and he seemed pleased he had a fresher he could utilize on his own.

After the excitement of the fresher remodel, Din brought Grogu into the kitchen and prepped the easy dinner he had planned. Grogu ate everything Din put in front of him, still surprising the Mandalorian with how much food he could put away for someone so small.

Once his son finished eating, Din supervised Grogu's bathing and then the child went to his room so Din could eat his own dinner. They'd developed the routine after a few days in the cabin and it was working well. Din had allowed Grogu to pick out a few toys and games while they were at the bazaar. After his dinner and bath, the child happily played alone, allowing the tired father to get some food.

Din waited until he heard Grogu's bedroom door close (no doubt shut with the wave of a tiny three-fingered hand), then slipped off his helmet. He pulled his fingers through his hair, noting that it was probably time for another trim soon, then sat down to eat.

The Mandalorian took a bite of the meal he had prepared and frowned thoughtfully.

Not bad for my first attempt at an actual meal in years.

Din finished up his dinner and put his helmet back on, just as he had after every meal for the past few decades. Then he washed all the dishes and cooking utensils and set everything in the rack to dry.

"Grogu," Din said, knocking on his son's door before opening it. The child was busy with a puzzle but looked up with a coo when his dad came into the room.

"I'm done eating. I'm going to work on my armor so you can stay in here or come out if you want."

Grogu grabbed his toy and eagerly followed his dad back to the main living area. Din always gave the boy a choice when they were at home whenever possible. But Grogu usually chose to hang out with his father and the two enjoyed companionable silence as each worked on their tasks.

After a while, Din looked up from the circuitry on one of his vambraces and spotted Grogu yawning.

"I think it's time for bed, buddy."

Grogu didn't argue, he got up to put his toy in his room and then Din heard the fresher door close. Din was pleased the boy seemed to have no trouble using the facilities, washing up and brushing his little teeth with the new tiny brush Din had found at the bazaar. Living on a planet inhabited by multiple species meant Din had been able to find pretty much anything he needed for Grogu. Luckily, his son wasn't the only species that had a small body compared to most humanoids. Din had taught Grogu to use the smallest toothbrush he had found previously, but they'd both been pleased to find an even smaller one at the bazaar in Nevarro. Din speculated that having the Anzellans on the planet had led the proprietors of several of the booths and businesses to carry items that fit those who were smaller in stature.

Emerging several minutes later, Grogu walked across to his room.

"Good night, kid," Din called out as the boy gave him a goodnight squeak and wave. Grogu shut his door and Din heard slight rustling until finally the room was silent.

He worked for a while longer on his vambrace then decided to hit the rack himself. He'd gotten sweaty working on the fresher and opted for another shower before going to bed. He usually woke up earlier than Grogu so he could shower before the kid was awake, but tonight he needed a second one.

A few minutes later Din stepped under the warm spray, grateful again for a home where he could enjoy hot showers anytime he wanted. The nearby underground springs gave his cabin the luxury of unlimited hot water. The Razor Crest had only had a small water tank, so he'd usually settled for sonic showers while traveling, with the occasional real one when staying at an inn on some planet in search of a quarry.

Once he had the N-1, Din had spent more time staying at inns, which had been fine. But there was something about having your own home, your own things that made everything better. Even something as simple as a hot shower.

After cleaning up, Din indulged in letting the nearly scalding water ease the muscles in his back and shoulders, which were often tense – undoubtedly due to decades of fighting and countless injuries. When he felt his muscles relax, Din finally turned off the water.

Now that Grogu was sleeping in his own room, Din found another luxury he was beginning to enjoy more and more. Sleeping without armor or a helmet in his own bed. Traveling and hunting for most of his life, sleeping in his beskar had become second nature and if anyone had asked, he would have told them that it made no difference to him. He was just as comfortable in his armor as he was sleeping without it.

He'd never been more wrong. After a solid week of having a bedroom of his own where he could take off his helmet and armor, Din remembered the comfort that he'd nearly forgotten about. Comfort he hadn't experienced consistently since before he became an apprentice.

The Mandalorian finished drying off, putting on shorts before brushing his teeth and climbing into bed. He turned out the bedside lamp and sighed as his head dropped into the soft pillow. No helmet would ever be as comfortable, of that he was certain now. Din had briefly worried he might have trouble sleeping once he and Grogu went on their first mission for Teva, but something told him it would be fine. Home was for comfort, but once he was back in bounty hunting mode, he was sure it would all click back in for him again.

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The routine continued for father and son for a few more days. Grogu went to school in the morning and Din handled things around the cabin or worked on the N-1 or his armor, until it was time to pick up the boy and bring him home.

One afternoon Grogu didn't come out immediately when the school doors opened, so Din went inside to find him.

"Mando!" Greef Karga called in greeting.

"High Magistrate," Din said, walking up to grip forearms and shake hands with his old friend. "I'm surprised to find you here at the school."

"Oh, I often drop by to see how things are going. I especially wanted to check in on your son. Our teacher says he is doing well."

The droid nodded in confirmation. "Din Grogu is very bright and has picked up a lot. The lack of shared language hasn't been a problem at all," she assured.

"That's good, I'm glad to hear it," Din said.

"In fact, we were able to help him communicate better, thanks to a suggestion from High Magistrate Karga," the teacher continued.

"How?" Din asked.

Grogu had been sitting at his desk while they talked and looked up when Greef stepped up to him.

"Why don't you show your old man, Grogu."

The boy nodded and bent down to his desk again. Din noticed that he had a small datapad and was typing on it.

"Let's demonstrate for your father," the teacher said. "Grogu, are you liking school here?"

Yes.

Din nearly jumped when a small voice came out of the datapad, answering the teacher's question. He recovered quickly, nodding approvingly at Grogu.

"That's great, kid. I'm glad you have something to help you with school."

"If you like, he is welcome to take it home," the teacher said.

"We programmed it with a few words that we thought might be helpful," Greef added.

"What words?" Din asked suspiciously. He couldn't help but to picture their next walk through the marketplace with Grogu yelling (thanks to the datapad) lovely phrases like "Mine!", "Food!" and "Frog!"

Grogu pressed more buttons and the little machine continued to speak.

Yes.

No.

Good.
Bad.
Here.

Please.
Thank you.
You're welcome.

"Those are good choices, Grogu. I'm glad you included 'please' and 'thank you'. I'm very happy to see you keeping your manners," Din said proudly.

"He's not done yet, Mando. Go on, show him, little man."

Grogu peered up at Greef, then to Din and back to Greef again, almost looking as if he was hesitant about something.

"It's okay, kid. You can tell me anything you want."

Din had a sudden thought and looked at Greef.

"Wait. Unless… Greef, if you have taught my son how to curse, I swear on my armor…"

Dad.

All the air in Din's lungs shot out of him like he'd been punched in the gut. He was not prepared for his heart to bottom out at the sound of that word. He slowly turned on his heel to face back toward his son.

"Did you just…?"

Love.

All the strength in Din's legs followed the air that had just left his lungs, escaping in an instant. Wordlessly, he knelt in front of his son. Not for the first time in his life, the Mandalorian was very happy to be wearing a helmet. Tears formed in his eyes, and he felt his chin tremble.

"What did you say?"

Love. Dad.

Just went Din thought his heart couldn't be squeezed any tighter, that phrase went ahead and did it anyway. He reached forward to pull his son into his arms, smiling through his tears under the helmet when he felt the child's tiny hands grip his neck.

"I love you too, my son."

Greef turned away from the touching sight. Strange how much dust there was in the room, getting into his eyes. He would have to check on the ventilation system in the school.

"How?" It was all Din could think to ask, looking up at Greef as he still hugged his son close.

"He apparently brought out one of his books for the teacher and showed her. It was a book about different kinds of families, and he picked a picture of one with a dad. We asked him if he wanted to use 'father' or 'papa' or anything else, but he was adamant. It had to be 'dad'."

"So you think of me as dad? That's what you like to call me?" Din put Grogu back down at his desk and the boy tapped on the datapad again.

Yes. Dad. Love.

He paused, then tapped more keys.

Dad. Thank you.

"Thank me? For what?"

Love. Thank you. Love.

"Thank me for loving you? Buddy, I could never not love you."

"I think he might mean more of you taking him in. Rescuing him," Greef said.

Grogu nodded, pressing buttons on his datapad. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Din didn't know what to say. He took a moment to gather his thoughts, then took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Grogu, listen to me. You never have to thank me for rescuing you. I'm just sorry that I handed you over to those Imps for even one moment before I realized how stupid I was for letting you go back to them. Besides, you rescued me, too."

Grogu tipped his head sideways, his ears waggling a little in confusion.

"I don't just mean from the mudhorn or all the other times you helped me." Din swallowed hard before continuing. "Kid, my life wasn't all that great before you came into it."

Greef became serious, recalling that time. He remembered the Mandalorian he knew back then. Remembered the man he himself had been back then. How had both of them simply gone from job to job, without any other meaning in their lives? It seemed like a lifetime ago, almost like that life belonged to two other people.

"I just worked, hunted, and fought, and that was about it," Din continued. "Then you wandered into my life and suddenly I had someone else to think about. I needed that. I needed to put someone else's needs before my own for a little while. You helped me to see what it was that my heart really wanted. So let me thank you for rescuing me from that life."

Grogu nodded and reached out his arms to be picked up, then put his head into Din's neck with a purr.

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Grogu enjoyed school even more after he was able to communicate with the other children in class. He also enjoyed being able to speak a bit more with his father.

Two days after Grogu got the new toy, Teva contacted Din and gave them their first job. Compared to his life as a bounty hunter, their first (secret) gig for the New Republic was fairly simple. But Din still chose to leave Grogu's datapad at home. While it was fine to have the kid "talk" at home and at school, Din wasn't confident that it would work well when they were on a job. He didn't want to be tracking down their quarry only to have their location given up by an ill-timed word emanating from the machine. Once the kid had more practice with it, and Din had more time training him, they'd figure out if they could use it during missions.

Grogu had whined a bit when Din first suggested they leave it behind, but then they'd been so busy working that he hadn't had much time to miss it before they were done with their job and heading back home.

On the way back to Nevarro, Din received a surprising call on the N-1's comlink. Grogu was sleeping in his lap when Din opened the link and flicked on the holovid before responding quietly.

"Hello, Bo. I can't say I was expecting a com from the leader of Mandalore."

"Hello, Din. Well, I may be the leader of Mandalore, but that doesn't mean I can't reach out to my friends. I'm going to be heading to Nevarro in a few days and was curious to see the land you were given by High Magistrate Karga. Landed gentry, that's quite an honor."

"I'm still not sure what that means, but I'm very grateful for all that Greef has done for us. I wouldn't have thought you'd want to see my place. It's nothing fancy, just a small cabin and some land."

"Just because I was raised in a palace doesn't mean I can't appreciate getting your own property. Especially after being a traveling bounty hunter as long as you have. You deserve this and as your friend, I want to celebrate that."

"Thank you, you're always welcome in our home. What brings you to Nevarro, by the way?"

"Trade negotiations. I'm working to get Mandalore established again as a viable planet and that starts with setting up trade routes. I'm going to be visiting our friends on Plazir-15 as well."

"That's a great idea. Let me know if there is anything I can ever do to help with Mandalore."

"I will, thank you. Are you on another mission?"

"I'm heading home now. We just finished our first job for the New Republic."

"Ah, yes, your secret job." Her image grinned at him on the small holovid. "How did it go?"

"Very well. Grogu is learning and the job was fairly simple."

"That's good to hear. Speaking of which, where is your son?" she asked, noting that the kid wasn't visible on the holo.

"Asleep. The job was easy, but it still wore him out."

Din angled the holovid down so Bo could see the little one snoozing in his lap.

"He definitely looks tired. I'm surprised you're not joining him. I have a feeling you worked harder than he did."

Din chuckled. "I did, but I'll sleep at the cabin. We're almost there. How soon will you be on Nevarro?"

"Day after tomorrow. I'll message you again when I have an exact time."

"Alright. Talk to you, then."

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True to her word, Bo visited Nevarro two days later. Once she finished speaking with the High Magistrate and his advisors, she flew out to Din's property.

After they walked around outside a bit, they went inside the cabin. Bo asked where the fresher was and when she stepped away, Din started prepping some lunch for Grogu.

When Bo finished, she couldn't help but to take a peek at the cabin before going back to the kitchen. She saw a room directly across from the fresher and knew immediately that it was Din's.

The room wasn't extravagant or fussy and was just what she'd expect for Din. The bed was large, not a narrow cot as she might have expected, knowing that he'd mentioned sleeping in a small bunk on his old ship. But then again, he told her Greef had originally built the cabin for vacationers, so the furniture hadn't been chosen by Din.

She smiled when she saw the dark gray blanket tucked around the bed with perfect corners. That, however, was all Din. He was meticulous with his weapons and armor and kept his son dressed neatly and cleanly. Though she couldn't see the man's face, she imagined his hair and beard were well-groomed. She assumed he probably had short, buzzed hair and no facial hair, as most soldiers did, especially those in helmets.

Her quick peek showed that the whole cabin was simple, neat, and clean. She wondered if he gained those habits growing up in the Foundling Hall. She was sure that the children there must have had to make their beds every morning and report to breakfast and other meals on time. They were raised like little soldiers, and it seemed Din was keeping many of those habits again. Undoubtedly some had dropped out when he'd been bounty hunting, when it had been important simply to survive. But now that he had a home, he was treating it the only way he knew how.

She took a couple steps farther down the hall and saw what was obviously the child's space. Grogu's room had a bit more personality, filled with some belongings, including a few toys. Grogu may now be a Mandalorian apprentice, but he was still a child, and she was happy to see that Din indulged him in little things. All children should have possessions that brought them joy.

In Grogu's room she saw signs of a different life than that of a foundling. Perhaps even a hint to Din's own childhood, before he'd joined the Mandalorians and started training to be a warrior. The space was nearly as neat as Din's room, but also just a touch more cluttered. As if Grogu was learning how he wanted his room and Din wasn't forcing him to do things the way he did.

She also noticed that Din had taken time to adjust the furnishings to fit Grogu's small stature, allowing the boy to utilize the space on his own. It was heartwarming to see a man that many would fear just by his presence, show such attentiveness and love to his son.

Bo wandered back to the kitchen, smiling when she saw Din giving Grogu lunch.

"This cabin is great. I hope you don't mind, but I took a peek on my way back from the fresher."

"Of course not," Din said, waving his hand to indicate she was free to look around. "As I said, it's just a simple place."

"Well, I like it. I especially like the adjustments you've made for your kid. Very clever modifications in the fresher and in his room. Did you do it all yourself?"

"I did his room, but the Anzellans helped me with the fresher. They've got more experience with that type of thing and basically put in similar features they have in their own homes."

"Ah, that makes sense. They are almost the same size. Again, very smart. Your son is a lucky kid to have a father who thinks of things like that."

Din felt a flush come to his face for some reason and he shrugged. "I think any parent would've done what I did. I just wanted to make sure he was comfortable."

"Of course."

Wanting to change the subject, Din gestured to the refrigeration unit. "Would you like anything to drink or eat?"

"Something to drink would be perfect. I forgot how hot this planet is."

"Yes, it's deceptively so. You have to keep an eye out and not overheat."

"I'm sure."

Din opened the refrigeration unit and looked inside, turning his head to his son.

"Grogu, do you think Bo would like some of the jogan fruit juice I got you?"

Yes.

Bo jumped when a voice answered Din's question. Din smiled inside his helmet but had to stop himself from chuckling at Bo's surprise.

"Sorry, I forgot to warn you about that. Greef and the teacher at the school got him that datapad. They programmed it with some words so he can communicate better with the other kids and the teacher."

"And with you as well, I see."

"Yes, he's enjoying it."

After Bo had her drink and Grogu had finished his lunch, they went out for a longer tour of the property. Din showed her the multiple springs and ponds he had. Grogu eagerly ran along with them, the datapad gripped in his little claws, typing one key over and over again.

Dad. Dad. Dad.

"Yes, Grogu?"

Din looked down at the boy, who immediately laughed and ran away.

A minute later, Grogu repeated the same routine – calling for his dad then giggling and running away as soon as Din responded. The boy did it a few times and Bo marveled at Din's patience. He didn't sound overly annoyed with the child, even after he'd done it several times.

"What is he doing?" Bo finally asked.

"Nothing, he just really likes that he can get my attention that way. Also, I guess turnabout is fair play."

"Meaning?"

"Well, to be honest when I first learned his name, I said it a few times just so that I could see him turn and pay attention to me. It made me happy for some reason. I had a name to call him, something more than just 'kid' or 'buddy'."

"So he's getting you back now, I take it?" She said with amusement.

"Yes, but," Din raised his voice to be heard by the little one who was now running and laughing far ahead. "I don't remember doing it quite so many times to you!"

Grogu just kept running and giggling.

Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad.

"You're in so much trouble," Bo said with a chuckle.

Din sighed. "Tell me about it."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

A few weeks after Bo's visit, Din was enjoying another break between jobs. Not that long ago it would have been impossible for him to think he'd ever admit to it, but he was beginning to enjoy the moments of domesticity in between adventures. Relaxing at the cabin after a mission had become a great way to balance those times where he held his life and the life of his son in his hands. Could he live this life at his cabin forever? Not a chance. Did he like doing simple things like taking care of his son and his home in between jobs? Yes. Yes, he did.

Suddenly Din heard a frantic squeal from outside.

"Grogu?"

Din was three strides out the door before realizing he had no weapons on him. He'd been cleaning his blasters and other gear, trusting Grogu outside while he took care of the routine maintenance. The boy had proven he wasn't going to do anything crazy, and Din often got up to check on him, so he had felt okay letting him be outside alone.

Hearing Grogu's cry, Din was ready to do battle, weapons or not. Whoever or whatever was harming his son would die by his bare hands if need be. Din ran toward the sounds, skidding to a stop in front of Grogu. The boy had his face in his hands, crying.

"Grogu, what's wrong?" Din knelt down and quickly checked over his son but didn't see any sign of injury.

Grogu looked up with tears in his eyes, pointing into the pond. Din looked and could see the faint outline of the datapad sitting at the rocky bottom. The child was so upset he hadn't even tried to pull it out using the Force, probably fully aware it wasn't going to work any longer. Din leaned down and plucked it out of the shallow water.

Din sighed when he watched pond water pour out of the machine. He made a half-hearted attempt to turn it on but as expected, the thing didn't respond.

"Sorry kid, it's fried. I warned you to be careful when you brought it out here. We'll have to get the Anzellans to fix it next week when you go back to school. Everyone is taking off for the holiday this week, remember?"

Din expected the child to get past the temporary loss of the toy fairly quickly. He didn't usually get ruffled by such things. The child had only whined a little when a tiny bounty hunter had held a knife to his neck, and barely squeaked when being stalked by Praetorian Guards. So, the father was surprised to find his son still crying after a while. For some reason this was more than just the loss of a toy to Grogu, but Din didn't know why.

"Hey, hey, hey. Buddy, what's wrong?"

Grogu just continued to cry, pointing at the pad.

"Okay, come here." Din picked him up and walked to the porch. Sitting on the chair, Din put his feet up on the railing. He set Grogu in this lap facing him.

"It's just a toy, kid. We'll see if they can fix it or make you another one. You just have to wait a few days, that's all."

Grogu did something he rarely did, he got grumpy. With a frown and furrowed brow, he thumped his little hands into his lap, chattering angrily.

"Hey now, there's no need for that. I said we'll get another one, that's all there is to it. You have to learn how to take loss like a Mandalorian."

Grogu went from anger back to crying again and Din shook his head, sighing.

Din's thoughts about Grogu were different day by day, hour by hour. When he was chasing Grogu down in a market trying to keep him from snatching fruit, or pulling him off a squirming Anzellan, he thought of Grogu as a small child. Not an infant, but maybe an older toddler.

When Grogu was taming massive beasts, putting them to sleep or holding them in the air to save Din's hide, or flinging weapons away from deadly Praetorian Guards, or even just looking at him with those wise 50-year-old eyes, Din thought of Grogu as an old soul who was probably seeing Din as the child.

Then there were times like these. When Grogu was just his son. His child. His boy. Who was very upset. Din wrapped a hand around Grogu's stomach and pulled him close until the boy's back was leaning against his chest plate. Unconsciously, he began a soothing rubbing motion on Grogu's stomach as the child continued to cry. Just as unknowingly, a tune hummed from his closed lips as he rocked slightly, trying anything he could to soothe the child.

Din had helped care for some of the little ones the Covert had found when he himself had been a foundling, even after he'd taken the Creed when he was still a boy. Din had liked helping with the smaller children, smiling when their little fingers reached for his helmet, or grabbed onto his hands and armor.

Sometimes the children would wake up frightened in the middle of the night – sadly, not unusual for little ones who had lost their families, often under violent circumstances. Din discovered that rocking and humming during those times had helped soothe them. He had instinctively used the method in those rare moments when Grogu had gotten upset. But it had only happened a few times during their travels together. This was the first time he'd seen the boy stay sad longer than a few minutes.

Eventually, Grogu's cries calmed down and he sighed as he settled more into his father's stomach.

"Okay, buddy. How about we talk about what happened?"

Grogu immediately started squirming and whining in Din's arms. Din didn't know what he said that upset the child, but he was not about to go through all this again.

"Hey, okay. Sorry, I just want to figure out what's up."

Din went back to rubbing the boy's belly, rocking, and humming to him. It was then Din had to remind himself again that his son was still a child.

The one who helped him fight off multiple Praetorian guards in Gideon's base, was still a child.

The one who could hold back massive creatures or put them to sleep, was still a child.

The one who was older than Din himself, was still a child.

A child who didn't understand everything that was happening at all times. A child who still had a hard time controlling his emotions.

So Din sat back and did the only thing he could do in that moment. He cradled his son in his lap and let him cry. The father didn't understand exactly what was causing his boy's grief, but he would do his best to find out when Grogu calmed down.

Grogu turned until he was curled into Din's stomach. Din let the boy pull the fabric of his shirt into his claws and bury his face in his chest as he continued to cry. Din put a calming hand on his back and rubbed up and down, murmuring words of encouragement and calm.

Din had never been on the end of a temper tantrum from Grogu this size before. No, it wasn't temper, the Mandalorian corrected himself. Grogu's reaction seemed to be pure grief. But for the life of him, Din couldn't figure out why the child had reacted so strongly to the loss of a toy.

After a little while, Grogu quieted, and Din tried to ask him what happened. But once again, the child got more upset, and Din had to go back to calming him down. The Mandalorian wasn't angry at the boy, but he was getting frustrated. More frustrated with himself than anything. He didn't know why the child was acting so differently.

Every time I try to talk to the kid he..

Then Din had a thought. An idea of why Grogu was reacting the way he was. Rather than trying again, the father decided to get his boy into a better head space. He would get him fed and relaxed before having the conversation he was sure would upset him again, even though it needed to be done.

Din brought Grogu back inside the cabin and fed him some lunch. After he was sure the boy was feeling better with a full stomach and had even played a little with some other toys, he knew it was time to continue what they'd started.

"Hey, buddy," Grogu looked up with a questioning coo. "I need you to listen to me and promise that you'll try not to get upset. Can you be my apprentice for a minute and just listen to what I'm going to say? And not run away, even if it's upsetting at first? Sometimes warriors need to just listen to all the information before making a decision. Can you do that?"

Grogu nodded slowly and Din could see he was taking this seriously when he put down the toy he'd been playing with.

"I want to talk to you about what happened outside before."

Grogu's lips tightened, and his eyes got shiny, but Din was proud to see the boy had no other reaction to his words.

"Grogu, were you sad about the datapad breaking because…. you're afraid now you can't talk to me?"

Grogu nodded and Din could see his son was barely holding on to his tears. The truth was, Din wasn't doing much better now that he'd confirmed his suspicions.

"Come here, kid."

Din reached down as Grogu ran to him. He scooped him up and sat down on the couch in the small front room of the cabin.

"Are you afraid that I won't love you as much if you can't talk to me like I can talk to you?"

Grogu nodded again, whining and sniffling, wiping his little hand across his eyes.

Din sighed. He was happy he'd discovered the issue but sad that his son felt his love depended on his ability to use a machine to speak.

"Look, that device is fun, and I know you liked it, but I also want you to know that I don't care if you have it. You and I were together for a long time before you had any machine that could say words for you. We did okay then, didn't we?"

Grogu nodded slowly, but his chin still quivered.

"Kid, I don't care if you can talk like I can. We don't know a lot about your species. Maybe it takes a lot longer for your people to talk. But we did just fine before you had IG-12 or that datapad."

Grogu nodded again, still sniffling but looking more cheerful, as if he realized what Din was saying was true.

"If you want to have another one of those datapads for school, or even for home, we'll do whatever you want. But just know that I don't need a machine to tell me that you love me. Just like you don't need one to tell you that I love you. Right?"

Grogu nodded.

"I know some of this is my fault, though," Din sighed before continuing. "I know I had a big… reaction when you used that machine to say you loved me. And you know what, buddy? That's my fault."

He lifted Grogu up so he could look him in the eyes through his visor. Grogu turned his head sideways quizzically.

"I'm bad at saying those words myself. I like to show it, but I don't really say it much, do I?"

Din realized that his son, who did not yet have the power of speech had said "I love you, dad," before Din had ever said "I love you, son."

He'd never thought of saying those words before Grogu had. Of course, he felt it. Even when he was afraid to let himself feel it, when he knew he'd have to give Grogu away to the Jedi, or when he had him back but was afraid the child would leave again. Din had loved Grogu as his son for far longer than he'd allowed himself to think that way.

And yet he'd still never said it. He figured the kid would know. He was known for not speaking a lot. The quiet Mandalorian. So, his kid should have to figure that out.

Din's eyes filled with tears when he realized his mistake. His parents had never failed to let him know how much they loved him. Their final words to him had been those words. He wondered, was that why he'd been afraid to say them again? Because it hurt so much to remember that moment?

"Grogu, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry that I made you say it first. Sorry that you thought you needed a machine for me to understand you."

Grogu whined, reaching out to touch the helmet as Din continued to hold him up.

"I love you, Grogu. I love you so much I'm scared." Din sniffed and chuckled. "Yep, the big tough, Mandalorian bounty hunter just admitted he's afraid. The only thing I've ever been scared of since I was a boy was losing someone I love again."

Din took a deep breath before continuing.

"I know I told you I was raised by the Mandalorians, but I haven't told you why. My parents were killed when I was a boy. Then when I was an apprentice, I lost my teacher. A man who had become very much like a father to me, even though I was never adopted. I also lost a really good friend, someone who was like my brother."

Grogu's ears fell, and he cooed in sympathy. He reached again for Din's face and the father put his son to his forehead, feeling another coo as it echoed inside his helmet. Din let his son comfort him as the tears continued to fall.

Finally, Din pulled the boy away so he could look at him again.

"I had been terrified to care for anyone after my parents died. When I did let myself care about the man who trained me as his apprentice, who treated me almost like a son… well, he died, too. Then my best friend…was gone. I felt like I could never do it again, could never love anyone ever again. But then you came along."

Grogu's head turned sideways with a questioning coo.

"Yes, you, buddy. Thanks to you I've learned that I can be strong enough to love again. Even though I'm terrified of everything."

Grogu questioned again.

"Terrified of what? Of you leaving and going back to the Jedi, of you finding another family you like better than some loner Mandalorian who drags you all over the galaxy. Of…. well, just more of that kind of thing."

People, even Din, said that Grogu wasn't old enough to speak. That he was speechless. But the truth was Din was no better. There were plenty of things he could say that he never did. He was determined to change that.

"I love you, Grogu. My son. I'm so sorry I never said it before you said it to me."

Grogu cooed happily, trilling, and smiling as his ears raised up. He pointed down and Din set him on the table in front of him.

Grogu carefully put his tiny fist on his chest, then pointed to Din.

"What, buddy?" Din sniffed and blinked to get the tears out of his eyes.

Grogu again put his fist on his chest, then pointed at his father with a coo.

Din's eyes filled with tears anew.

"Is that how you're telling me that you love me?"

Grogu nodded happily, reaching out again with arms up. Din picked him up and hugged him to his neck.

"Thanks, buddy. That was very smart, I understood that. Good job."

Suddenly Din pulled Grogu away from his neck.

Grogu tipped his head sideways questioningly as he looked into his father's helmeted face.

"Grogu, your father is an idiot."

Grogu growled and shook his head.

"Okay, sorry. You're right, no one should say that about themselves. That's a terrible example to set as your dad. But I just can't believe it took me this long to figure something out. I think I know a way we can talk to each other better."

Grogu tipped his head again, an excited coo escaping his lips.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

A couple weeks later, after Din had put his plan into place and father and son had completed two more missions, they were back home again.

Bo had returned to Nevarro for more trade talks and came for another visit to the cabin. Din served Bo and Grogu a simple lunch, planning to eat later himself.

"Grogu."

The little one looked up. Bo watched curiously as Din made some definite hand gestures at the child.

Grogu stood up, then returned the gesture and added one or two of his own.

"Okay, thanks," Din said.

Grogu trotted off towards the kitchen.

"What was that?" Bo asked.

"I'm teaching him some of the Tusken sign language."

"That's brilliant, Din."

"I can't take the credit. He started it. He created some simple signs to communicate to me, and I realized that I should have been teaching him that all along. He's great at it."

"Now you can understand him. Even more than you already did, of course. I don't think anyone missed that you two were always able to communicate better than you should have been able to without a shared speaking language."

"We can't talk about anything too complicated, but it's been good. It's helpful, too. Now I can communicate with him in a dangerous situation during a mission without giving away what we're talking about."

Grogu came in with a cloth napkin that he'd gotten from the kitchen counter, handing it up to Bo.

"Oh, why thank you Grogu," she said to the little one.

Grogu made a gesture.

"He says you're welcome," Din said as the child trotted off to go back to his toys.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Later, they were walking outside by the pond when Grogu stopped and made another gesture at his father.

"Love you too, buddy," Din said as the boy trotted off happily.

"You learned the Tusken sign for 'I love you'? Did you have more of a relationship with one of them than I knew?" Bo asked in amusement.

Din chuckled, but then Bo heard pride in his voice when he answered.

"No, he made that one up himself."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

And there you have it, thanks for reading! I'm already working on the next episode/chapter and now that the holidays are upon us, I've decided to try and tweak it a bit from its original version. I'm going to see if I can make it a bit more holiday-ish and will work hard on getting it up within the next couple of weeks to fit into the holiday season.

-Moki