#latch | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

pentechnics · 1 year

Text

Effort

Chapter 8 of Latch

Summary: Getting ready for a date isn't something you've done in a while. Din can't remember ever going on a date. There are more things to think about than either of you anticipated, and it becomes overwhelming. Can a potential connection be enough to warrant this effort?

Pairing: Firefighter!Din Djarin x f!reader

Series Content: modern AU, firefighter!Din, coffee shop AU, fluff, slowish burn, sexual tension, mentions of fire/burning buildings, mentions of burn injuries/scars, mentions of trauma/PTSD, eventual sexual content (will tag for specific chapters), falling in love, Din is a sexy firefighter, and he’s BI, you’re a cute barista/baker, sweet and spicy, eventual mentions of abandoned children (will tag for specific chapters), some bits will be from Din’s POV but most is from reader’s, ALSO Fennec and Omera are a thing now I’m love them

Notes: She's here and she's looooong I really hope you all enjoy this one, I've been looking forward to writing and sharing it for ages!! It's such a fun one!! Please let me know what you thought -- we're getting there, folks! Much love to you all, as always!

~~~~

Instead of the normal, quiet day off, Din’s apartment was alive and bustling.

Now that Grogu was fever-free and there was just a week to get ready, Luke had burst his way in as early as possible, eager to follow through on his promise to prepare Din for your date. With him was his sister and brother-in-law, each of whom he claimed played an important role in the process.

From his standing position in the middle of the living room, Din let out a sigh.

Luke and Leia each went around his frame with tape measures, positioning him as they wished like he was a life-sized Barbie doll and he had no choice but to comply. Han sat on the sofa with Grogu propped on his lap, a comical expression on his face. Din shot him a glare just as Luke asked him to lift his right arm.

“Is all of this really necessary?” he asked.

“Of course,” Luke said without hesitation. “We can’t get you a custom suit without your measurements.”

“But is a custom suit necessary?”

“Yes!” came the collective response from both twins.

“Now hold still so I can get this one,” Leia scolded as she squatted and stretched the tape up from Din’s heels.

“A nicely-fitted suit is a staple in any wardrobe,” Luke said with a grin. “I promise it’ll be worth it.”

Din sighed again and glanced at his giggling baby, who looked back at him with a cheek-puffing smile that threatened to make him melt right there.

“And your part in this, Solo?”

Han shrugged and tousled Grogu’s hair.

“I guess it’s baby duty.”

Din let out a small huff. Lucky little shit.

“Okay, that should do,” Luke said, draping his tape around his shoulders. “I think Lando can work with this.”

“Lando?” Din asked.

“A friend of ours. He owns a high-end clothing store,” Leia gave Din a pat on the shoulder. “He’ll make sure your girl never forgets this date.”

She accentuated her words with a wink. Din sighed again and ran a hand through his hair.

This was madness. Spending all day trying on different suits and having a bunch of strangers stare at him to evaluate every little thing, it sounded so exhausting. They hadn’t even left yet and he was already done with it.

When the twins left to prepare for departure, Han stood and handed Grogu off to join them. Din cradled the giggly bundle in his arms, gazing into those big brown eyes while Grogu busied himself with sucking on his fingers.

“They’re really something, aren’t they?”

Grogu babbled around his full mouth. Din chuckled and planted a kiss on his forehead.

“You’re right. She is, too.”

While Grogu of course didn’t actually say that, thinking of you had Din’s scrambled, overwhelmed mind unwinding once more. Picturing your bright smile, imagining the sound of your voice, it reminded him of why he was going through all this trouble to begin with.

This was a show of how much value this date held for him: it was a chance to confront his insecurities and give his world the chance to expand. A chance for something new for you both, something that could be truly special. A chance to spend as much time with you as he wanted – no alarms, no emergency calls, nothing to come in between. In the end, the promised wildness of the day would be worth it.

Seeing you smile would make all of this worth it.

As if reading his thoughts, Grogu let out a happy wail and reached up to touch Din’s face with his free hand. The smooth, soft skin of his little appendages gently caressed his scruff, dragging a scene out from deep in the recesses of Din’s memory bank. The small flashback had his eyes growing misty, his breaths deepening, like a dry well replenishing its water supply. He smiled and gave Grogu a little squeeze.

“All right, pal,” Din bounced Grogu in his arms as he made his way to the bedroom. “Let’s give you a change before we go.”

~~~~

Harley was only too thrilled to help you prepare for your date.

They wasted no time dragging you to several stores, determined to find the perfect outfit.

“I could just wear something I already own,” you said with a shrug as they shoved several hangers into your arms.

“No offense, hon, I love you, but your wardrobe is not up to current date code.”

“... Current date code?”

“Exactly.”

“What does that even mean?”

They didn’t answer, instead choosing to continue collecting articles of clothing throughout the store. It was like watching a colorful tornado plunge through each aisle, and you were just the poor cow that got swept up from the field. Once your arms were filled to the brim they used that same force to push you towards the fitting rooms.

“Don’t forget to show me!”

You sighed as the door to the stall shut behind you, unloading your arsenal onto the little bench before sorting through it. Several different dresses and suits made up the pile, all kinds of colors and patterns swimming together before your eyes.

Do I really need to try on all of this, you wondered. We’ll be here for years at this rate.

You made your way through the selection, watching as each garment framed your body in varying ways. But despite Harley’s exclamations punctuating each one, you remained unsure and unconfident.

Some outfits were more exposed to the elements than others; more often than not your shoulders were nice and covered, though your legs were on display. But those scars weren’t as much of a concern — you could always wear tights if you wanted to cover them up. Yet even with that assurance, seeing them in these dressy outfits made something dry and unpleasant sprout in your gut.

After deciding against the purple pants suit you were currently wearing, you moved on, blindly putting on the next garment and then turning to face the mirror.

It turned out to be a lovely slip dress in a dark emerald green, held onto your shoulders by thin spaghetti straps. The fabric reflected against the light, giving it the impression of a finer silk. It fit like a glove, flattered your body, and was actually comfortable compared to some of the other items you’d just tried. In essence, it was perfect.

But your eyes refused to look away from every single little burn that adorned your arms, which were now completely uncovered. Your compression sleeve was on full display, along with the discoloration of your bicep that leaked out from underneath it and made its way down the rest of your arm.

There would be no hiding in this outfit.

A sudden churning sensation sprang to life in your stomach, threatening to fold you over. Your skin crawled against itself as if trying to escape the confines of its current form, and you wanted so desperately to scratch at it to alleviate the sensation. You bit your lip and tried to remember to breathe.

“You ready yet?” Harley called, “I wanna see!”

“Um,” you gulped, wringing your fingers together and forcing your eyes towards the ground. “I-I don’t like this one. I’m not getting it.”

“Which one is it? Come on, at least let me look before you take it off.”

“No!”

You couldn’t help the crack in your voice. The sensations were growing stronger. The familiar fogginess in your throat made your breath hitch, and you fought against your mind with all your might to stay right there in the dressing room instead of being dragged back to that place.

Several slow, silent moments passed. The door felt all at once like a comforting barrier from the world and an isolating cage from any semblance of peace or comfort. The slightest movement from the other side was your only clue that Harley was still there.

“... Can I come in?”

The idea of letting them see you like this was not at all pleasant, but you couldn’t hide in there forever. You opened the door just enough for them to squeeze through before closing and locking it once more, as if danger would follow them in if you didn’t. Harley turned to face you in the small space; their eyes bulged and jaw dropped upon seeing the dress.

“My god, you look incredible in this!”

You shook your head, hands coming up to cover your shoulders and eyes focusing anywhere but that damn mirror. The rough texture of the compression sleeve scraped against your fingertips.

“I can’t do this, Harley,” you whispered, an unexpected wave of panic and sadness washing over you.

“Wait, why not? What’s wrong?”

They led you to the bench with a gentle nudge and knelt in front of you as you sat.

“Talk to me, boo.”

You stared at your lap, your head dizzy with anxious energy. You tried to shake it out, which only served to increase the swirling.

“I can’t… I can’t go out looking like this.”

“What do y-”

“These, Harley.” you extended your arms out, jutting your chin towards your scars. “I can’t just go out with these all over me.”

Harley glanced down at them before their eyes came back up to your face. If they were trying to hide the tiny flinch in their expression, they failed.

“And this,” you brought your sleeved shoulder forward, wincing at the sight of it. “This isn’t…”

You sighed. You couldn’t bring yourself to complete the sentence. Harley’s eyes narrowed.

“... please don’t tell me you were about to say ‘attractive.’”

You bit your lip rather than responding, refusing to look them in the eye. Should you care what others thought? Of course not. But it was a difficult habit to break. They took a deep breath and dipped their head down. The feeling of their eyes on you seemed to somehow highlight the shadow of shame fogging your mind.

“Honey, I can’t blame you for being nervous about that. Especially with what you’ve gone through at work.”

You nodded and relished in the warmth of one of your hands being held in both of theirs.

“And if you’re not ready to wear this dress for your date, that’s totally okay. You don’t have to. But there is one thing I need you to remember.”

You looked up to meet their gaze. They leaned in a bit closer, brows knit together.

“You are one of the most beautiful souls on this planet. You’re fun and kind and super sweet, there’s no one I know who doesn’t absolutely love you after meeting you. No matter what you or your body go through, no matter what anyone says, and no matter how this date goes, that will never change.”

A lump rose in your throat. The genuine concern and love in your friend’s eyes filled you with serenity, as if they were hugging your heart with their words.

“I’m sorry,” they went on, “I didn’t think about the burns when I picked out this stuff. Let’s start over and just focus on making sure you’re comfortable, okay?”

You nodded and wiped away a stray tear.

“I do love this dress, though,” you breathed, running the hem through your fingers and mentally mourning the potential of wearing it again. “I think that’s the worst part.”

Harley fell silent as you admired the garment, eventually getting up and gathering your rejects into their arms.

“C’mon,” they said, “switch back out and let’s go try this again.”

~~~~

“Where are you taking her?”

Luke rode with Din and Grogu while Leia and Han led the way to Lando’s in their car. Din shrugged at the question, giving Luke a quick glance before returning his attention to the road.

“No clue,” he confessed. “I’m not too familiar with the restaurants around here.”

“Do you know what she likes to eat?”

Din tried to think through your conversations, but aside from sweets, nothing came to him. He shook his head.

“Not for dinner, at least.”

Luke sighed and reached for Din’s phone.

“Wh- what are you doing?”

“We’ll text her. And based on her answer, I’ll help you find a place.”

“Wait, why can’t we just find something day-of?”

“Oh, Mr. Djarin,” Luke tisked at him, as if he were a child missing a very obvious point. “You’ve got to plan ahead. Make a reservation. Putting in that effort not only shows you care and that you’re paying attention to what she likes, but it also takes some stress off of you when the time comes. It guarantees you’ll know where to go and that there will be a spot for you.”

Din had never made a reservation at a restaurant before. Hell, he couldn’t even recall the last time he ate at one. Who knew dating had so many rules.

“Just… let me read it before you send it.”

“Of course.”

Luke typed away as Din took a turn into a small parking lot.

“Looks like we’re here,” Din pulled into an empty space and turned to Luke, who held out the phone for approval.

Caught between a few options for dinner. What do you like to eat? Do you have any allergies or anything I should keep in mind?

Din scanned it a few times before giving a small, somewhat reluctant nod.

“... Looks fine.”

“See? No need to worry – I know how to sound like you.”

Din shook his head and grinned before getting out of the car and heading to the backseat to retrieve Grogu.

Upon entering the sizable boutique, the group was soon greeted by a man: sharply dressed with a cape draping behind him, and the tone of his chuckle dripping with charisma. He clapped his hands together as he approached them.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite set of twins,” he greeted Luke and Leia by taking their hands in each of his and flashing a bright smile. He gave Han a mere nod before turning to Din, a certain luster lining his gaze.

“And who do we have here?”

“Lando, this is our friend, Din,” Luke gave Din a pat on his shoulder. “He’s got a big date and needs a nice suit.”

Lando looked Din up and down with a smirk before snapping his fingers and gesturing to the group to follow him.

“This is gonna be a good one, folks!”

Din gave Grogu a little squeeze and sucked in a breath before following.

Lando pulled out several suits in an array of colors for Din to try on, making him stand on a small pedestal surrounded by mirrors after each one. Grogu cooed from his spot on Luke’s lap every time he came out of the dressing room.

He was currently in a suit of deep maroon, staring at his several reflections with furrowed brows and lips in a firm line. The tingling sensation that came from having so many eyes and bright lights on him at once threatened to make him sweat through it.

“What do you think of this color?” Lando asked, smoothing down one of Din’s arms.

Din shrugged.

“How much does the color matter?”

“My friend, nothing impresses a lady more than confidence. And if you’re confident in how you look, the rest will follow. Sometimes the color of your suit can be what helps you get there.”

Din looked at Luke for support through the mirror’s reflection, who merely shrugged while Grogu giggled from his lap.

“He’s right. We can give you our opinions but you have to like it.”

Din gulped and took another look at the maroon suit. His shoulders hardly fit into the jacket, making it puff out. It framed his waist in a way he wasn’t used to: tight and cinched. His stomach jutted out at the bottom, making it flare underneath the one button that was closed. The dress shirt underneath was also stretched out around his pecs and belly, seemingly ready to burst at any given moment. He pulled at the jacket’s tails.

“... Are suits meant to be this tight?”

“In some ways, yes. We’d probably get you a longer jacket, though. And slightly taller pants, since they’re meant to land right around here,” Lando pointed two fingers to Din’s waist. “And the jacket should come down to here,” he adjusted his fingers to point at the top of Din’s hip.

“But this here,” Lando touched a finger to the cascading collar that led to the two buttons below on the suit jacket. “That is the right fit for this style. And for your occasion, this is the style I recommend. Classy, modern, and brings out all the right parts.”

He added a flare to his voice for the last few words. Din’s brow furrowed again as he gave Lando a glare. Right parts? What did that even mean? Lando raised his hands in surrender and turned to his selection of suits.

“Let’s try the navy next.”

~~~~

You helped Harley with picking out the next selection.

They were slower and more deliberate with their methods, making sure to ask your opinions on clothing before deciding you’d try them on. You had significantly less clothing in your arms by the time you went to the fitting room, but knowing what to expect beforehand helped ease your anxiety about closing yourself into the small stall again.

These items were much more doable – they kept you covered enough without being a full frock, and didn’t accentuate anything you were trying to hide.

You were switching out of a nice top and wide-legged slacks when Harley knocked on the door.

“Do you know where he’s taking you, by the way?”

“No clue,” you called, grabbing a dress from the top of the pile. “We just agreed to have dinner.”

You were immediately taken by the texture of the dress: soft and smooth, to the point that it had you relaxing your shoulders. Harley had picked this one out; it didn’t seem too flashy or extravagant on the hanger, but when you slipped it on and turned to face the mirror, it was like the world stopped turning.

You were draped in a lovely deep blue velvet, your body hugged but not suffocated by the material. The pencil-like skirt landed above your knee and a nice wrapped v-neck topped it off. The sleeves ended right at your wrists.

It seemed as though it was made for you.

And while the green one also seemed that way, you didn’t see any fear when you looked in the mirror this time. No – instead there was joy. Excitement. The feeling that everyone needed to see you right then because damn, did you look good.

The jitters in your hands were definitely not from your anxiety. Not in the slightest. They felt way too good.

“Harley,” you called, unable to keep down your grin while you opened the door. “I think this is the one!”

“Oh, fuck yeah it is!”

They ogled at the dress, asking you to twirl so they could see the full thing.

“You make that thing sing, babe.”

You smiled and looked back at the mirror. Even before the accident, how long had it been since you looked in the mirror and saw someone so confident? So pretty? You couldn’t recall.

Hope began to rebuild its fortress in your heart. Slowly, but surely.

The two of you walked out of the store with a bag in hand each, yours containing the dress along with a matching purse and shoes.

“If only that thing had pockets,” Harley huffed. You laughed and gestured to their bag.

“What did you get?”

“I saw this atrocious sweater while you were trying stuff on. A million horrid color combinations, random fruit patches – I just had to have it.”

You laughed even harder. Classic Harley.

~~~~

Din flopped down onto the bench with a huff. Now free from the fourth suit in the lineup, he pressed his face into his hands, taking deep breath after deep breath as a tangled web of nerves made its way up and down his body.

How much longer did he need to do this? How many more times was he going to be subject to certain embarrassment from pants that were too tight or a jacket that almost ripped because of his protruding stomach or thick chest? Lando preached confidence, yet no such sensation had shown itself during the past hour.

This was precisely why he never wore anything tighter than a t-shirt.

Din glanced down at his socked feet before dragging his eyes up to the two remaining suits on the rack. What would he do if he didn’t like any of them? What if this whole thing was just a waste of time that only served to dampen his bodily perception?

A light knock sounded from the other side of the fitting room door.

“Mr. Djarin? You okay in there?”

“‘M fine, Luke,” he gritted, “Just need a minute.”

“I know it’s been a lot today, you’re probably exhausted. We can stop here if you want.”

His voice was soft, brimming with concern. A welcomed reprieve from the hostility of Din’s thoughts.

“We haven’t found anything that works, though. I’m not leaving empty-handed after all this.”

Luke was quiet. Din let out a sigh and sat up.

“Look, I don’t mean to sound ungrateful.”

“You don’t.” Luke shuffled about before he went on. “This is hard, and I’m surprised you’re letting me help, to be honest. But I’m really glad you are.”

He paused. Din closed his eyes, unable to fathom the depths of Luke’s patience.

“This is actually why we did the measurements at your place – otherwise, they’d have taken them here and it would’ve been a longer, more stressful process for you.”

Din cracked a small grin. Damn this kid and his huge, golden heart.

“How about this,” Din could hear the smile in Luke’s voice. “Let’s take a break. We’ll go get some food, take a little walk, then come back and finish this out.”

As if on cue, Din’s stomach voiced its agreement. He chuckled and got to his feet.

“Deal.”

~~~~

When you read Din’s text, it took a moment to remember anything about yourself.

“Harley, what do I like to eat?”

“Why are you asking me?” they gawked at you from the driver’s seat of their car as if you’d grown a third arm. You laughed and shrugged, taking a moment to think before beginning to type out your response.

“It’s really nice of him to ask.” “Very good sign,” Harley said with a pronounced nod. “Ten more points in his favor.”

“Yeah? What’s his total so far?”

Harley hummed in thought, caressing their chin between their fingers.

“Well… he did save your life. That’s like, an automatic ten million points off the bat. So he’s doing pretty good.”

You grinned and shook your head before returning your gaze to the scenery around you. The sun was lower in the sky, sheer washes of yellow mingling with the mellow blue and gray that had dominated most of the day.

“Additionally, he drove you home that one time it rained. And he won you an arcade prize, so combined that’s another good thousand points.”

“What kind of point scale are you using?” you laughed, “These are huge numbers.”

“Why, would you rather he get less? Hm? Don’t you question my methods!”

A point made with humor, but a good point nonetheless.

Harley took a turn before pulling into a parking spot and killing the engine. As quiet took over the car you unbuckled your belt and turned to face them with a smile.

“Thank you again for driving me to work, you’re the best.”

“No problem! I’m glad we got everything done before your shift.”

“Do you want a coffee? I’ll even bring it out to you.”

Harley placed a dramatic hand on their chest and sighed.

“A woman after my own heart.”

You laughed and climbed out of the car, a sense of calmness following you into the front doors of Cal’s. Having all the practicalities for the date in place made room for you to sort through your nerves – you only hoped a week would be enough time.

After delivering the coffee and bidding farewell to an ecstatic and grateful Harley, you got started cleaning the counters and washing the few dishes that were waiting in the sink. The subtle routine of your work was grounding; each little task kept you focused on the moment before you, leaving little room for your mind to wander to bad places.

The sun shone behind the buildings that surrounded Cal’s, filtering out the harsher glares and leaving a soothing yellow-orange sheen behind. People walked to and fro, casting shadows onto the tiled floor. The stoplight twinkled as its colors changed, cars revving away when given the green. Soft music sang from the speakers, mingling with the quiet chatter of the few patrons seated at the tables.

Every now and then the ding of the front door would call your attention to the view, and the cozy joy seeped through you all over again. Kind customers and fun drink orders were the cherry on top to the beginning of what promised to be a lovely shift.

~~~~

With a full belly and a baby strapped to his chest, Din found the thorns surrounding his mood receding.

The group made their way down the block, Grogu kicking and cooing at the four of them as they spoke. Din checked out of the conversation and kept his attention trained on making sure Grogu didn’t accidentally injure anyone.

“I could use some coffee,” Leia said, giving Luke a grin. “Any good places around here?”

“There’s actually one around the block, let’s head there.”

The twins cast a quick glance at Din, only to find him oblivious to their destination.

“Well, this will be fun,” Leia whispered.

“It’ll be good for him. Plus, otherwise I have no idea how long it’ll be before I get to meet her!”

Leia and Han laughed at Luke's enthusiasm.

Luke arrived at the door first and held it open for the rest of the party.

“Welcome! I’ll be with you in a minute!”

Din froze at the sound, his heart beginning to hammer in his chest. Like a hummingbird taking flight, anxiety began to flutter within him. His eyes darted all about the increasingly familiar landscape until they landed behind the counter: you were standing with your back to him, seemingly preparing a drink.

It was like he’d fallen into a void. All at once everything else fell away until all that was left was you.

Then all too quickly, a chuckle from his side brought the café back into focus. He glared at Luke.

“Wh- when did we end up here?”

“Hey, it’s not my fault you weren’t paying attention. Plus, how else would you want to spend your break?”

With a final grin he joined Leia and Han in line.

Din sighed and glanced down at Grogu.

“For the record,” he said as Grogu sucked on his pacifier. “This is not how I pictured you meeting her.”

~~~~

You almost dropped the drink when you turned around to hand it off to your customer.

How long had it been since you last saw Din? The weeks seemed to blend together. But there he was, in the flesh, making your heart thump slow and deep.

And he wasn’t alone.

You handed off the drink as your eyes drifted down to Din’s chest, where a bjorn was strapped and a little inquisitive head was looking all around with big, bright baby browns, unruly curled hair bouncing about, and teeny hands gripping at the teal pacifier in his mouth.

Your heart instantly liquified. That photo could not have prepared you for how adorable he actually was.

“Oh, my gosh,” you whispered, waving Din to the counter. “Is this Grogu?”

“Yeah,” he breathed, the slightest crack in his voice.

You couldn’t contain the tiny squeal that escaped your throat, your eyes finding Din’s before asking, “Can I say hello?”

He nodded and leaned in further, giving you a chance to lean in closer to Grogu’s chubby little face.

“Hi there,” you cooed, “Aren’t you just the most beautiful baby ever!”

Grogu laughed, his pacifier flopping out of his mouth as he reached out towards you. The sound pierced right through you, warmth blossoming in your chest and rising to your face. You put out a hand for him to grab onto and introduced yourself, the sensation of his soft little fingers against your skin almost bringing you to tears.

Just as Din did when you first met, Grogu encompassed your every sense. You caressed his cheek with your finger, delighting in the sounds he continued to make. A light chuckle from Din made him bounce up and down, and he looked up to his dad with glee.

“Din, he’s incredible,” you looked up with him to find Din’s face plastered in joy.

His brows were relaxed, his smile small, but prominent enough to make the apples of his cheeks pop out. Little crinkles collected beside his hooded eyes. Several little joys coming together like pieces of a puzzle.

“I think he likes you.”

You smiled and stood straight once more. Only then did you catch sight of his other companions, making your heart plummet into your stomach.

“Crap, I’m so sorry!”

You held a hand up towards them and introduced yourself. They laughed while one of them came to stand beside Din.

“Don’t worry, Grogu has that effect on all of us. I’m Luke.”

You shook Luke’s hand as he introduced Leia and her husband, Han.

“I’ve heard great things about you, Luke,” you said with a grin.

“Likewise. You know, as much as one can get from this guy.”

Though you weren’t quite sure what he meant you gave a polite chuckle and waved them all to the register to take their orders: a café au lait for Leia, and an Americano for Han. When it was Luke’s turn he looked at the menu with bewilderment before turning back to you.

“What would you recommend for someone who hates coffee but doesn’t have much of a taste for tea, either?”

“Well, first off, welcome to the club,” you began with a laugh, “And second I’d recommend either the chai or the matcha latte. The chai is really nice and creamy, and is only a little bitter without sugar. That one’s one of my favorites.”

You regarded Luke as you spoke, the way his expression seemed to morph with every word you said. You had a feeling you could predict what he’d pick based on his face alone.

“And the matcha is super nice – very faint, earthy flavor that just has a way of calming you down.”

“That sounds good, let’s go with that.”

Just as you’d predicted. You grinned and added it to the order before turning to Din. He leaned in and glanced at your list of teas.

“What was that one tea you were telling me about, the one you add to the black mango?”

“Oh, the pear ginger!”

“That,” he snapped and pointed at you. “I’ll try that combo today.”

“Excellent! Do you want it with milk?”

He thought for a moment before nodding. A bud of pride swelled within you; that was another one of your favorites, and he’d remembered it enough to want to try it.

“Anything from the bakery for you all?”

The other three were already scoping out options and adding their choices to the order while Din stayed in place. You gave him a look, at which he shook his head. You smiled and proceeded to take out the pastries.

“Okay, we’ve got a muffin and a croissant, an apple fritter fresh from the oven, and…” you trailed off as you slipped a macaron into a fourth bag, gently sliding it towards Din.

“Hey, no-”

“My treat! It’s a new flavor!”

The usual back and forth ended with him reluctantly accepting your gift and glaring at you when you inputted your employee discount again. You made small talk with the group as you began to work, the three of them going to sit at a table after the first two drinks were done. Din took Grogu out of his bjorn and sat him on his lap at the counter.

“You can go sit with your friends, you know. You don’t have to stay here.”

“They have been dragging me around all day, I have had my fill.” Din leaned in closer. “Believe me, I’d much rather be here.”

You giggled to cover up the butterflies those words conjured up and began to pour the matcha latte into a to-go cup. Grogu grabbed at the counter with his teeny hands, babbling about in his own tongue.

“Oh, that’s so true,” you said to him. Din chuckled.

“What’d he say?”

“He said his papa has good taste in friends.”

Din raised a brow and glanced down at the baby.

“Oh? I heard something different.”

“What’s that, then?” you cocked your head to the side and turned to grab the foam for the latte art.

“He said the pretty lady is very nice.”

You stopped in your tracks and fixed your wide eyes on him.

He… He just called you pretty.

You were staring into the most gorgeous pair of eyes on this planet and he called you pretty? Your mind was wiped of all thoughts, your limbs frozen in place. He slowly tilted his head to the side, his intense gaze burning into your retinas like the sun on a summer day.

What you wouldn’t give to be able to kiss him right then and there. You let your eyes drift down to his plump lips for the briefest of seconds before taking a deep breath and resuming your task.

“I think papa bribed him to say that.”

That got a good, albeit short, laugh from Din. Out of the corner of your eye you saw three heads perk up at the sound. Don’t they get to hear that beautiful melody all the time though, you wondered.

You recentered your focus on the latte art, gently pouring the foam in several little increments.

“I just learned how to do this,” you said to Din, “Let’s see how it turns out.”

He and Grogu leaned forward to watch you work. After the larger circles were in place you poured a few streaks down the middle, making them break into leaf shapes.

“Oh, that’s beautiful,” Din breathed, his voice deep and dry. You tried and severely failed to ignore the tremor it sent down your body.

“He’ll want to see that before you cover it up.” Din turned and waved Luke over.

Upon seeing the leaves, Luke’s eyes lit up and he immediately reached into his pocket to take a photo with his phone. You grew shy from the compliments, waving them off and making your way to the tea counter to prepare Din’s drink.

The familiar tingle of Din’s gaze was like a hug as you scooped the tea leaves into a little bag, wrapping it up before steeping it in the water. You thought about the flavors of these two brews: rich, decadent, bold. If they were a sound they’d take over anything else – a literal din over the crowd.

Wow. As you thought about it, the pieces came together. If you were to describe Din with a drink, he would definitely be this one.

He was quiet, yet somehow took over a space in the most pleasant of ways. He was smooth and warm, with a surprising kick of charm that took different forms: sarcasm, wittiness, even the occasional silent flirting. Possibly more that you had yet to discover. And the dash of vanilla was the sweetness that showed itself in every little action, even if it wasn’t at the forefront of his mind. It came naturally.

You stirred in the milk and closed up the cup before you brought it to him.

“Here we are,” you said with a smile, making sure to put it directly in his grasp to avoid Grogu’s little grabby hands.

You didn’t miss the way he brushed his fingers over yours. Or the way he maintained eye contact as he did it.

God, this man would be the end of you.

“I-it’s hot, you might want to wait a little bit before drinking it.”

“Got it.” He put it onto the counter – careful to keep it out of Grogu’s reach – and returned his attention to you.

You let the silent moment stretch on, sighing at how the low sun reflected off the sharp features of his face and highlighted his brown hair with streaks of gold. The urge to kiss him reared its head once more. But this time it was him who looked down before meeting your gaze again.

“I’m…” Din paused to clear his throat and reposition Grogu. “I’m looking forward to our date.”

You couldn’t help the grin that broke out on your face.

“Me, too.”

~~~~

Saying goodbye to little Grogu was nearly impossible.

He clung to your hands with all his might – even with an entire counter separating you – despite Din’s attempts to persuade him. Grogu’s little face crinkled and flustered in frustration, groans of disapproval escaping him.

“Aw, it’s okay, little guy,” you said with a smile, giving his hands a squeeze. “I’ll see you again soon, okay?”

This seemed to calm him down; his features smoothed out the slightest bit, and continued to do so when you ran a hand through his thick, silky curls.

Din peered down at you as you talked to the baby, something akin to wonder in his eyes when you looked at them.

You watched the group walk out the door and make their way past the window. Din gave you a final wave and a smile before disappearing from view.

You released a breath you weren’t aware of holding. What a precious family, you thought.

And seeing Grogu strapped to Din’s chest in a baby bjorn? No other image has ever enabled such a desire to belong. To mean something to someone you hardly knew. To mean something to his baby.

What did that even mean? You had no idea. With few exceptions you spent much of your life alone – no group of confidants stuck around as years went on. Uncle Dave passed, and even folks who worked at the Mark came and went with time. Harley was the closest you had left of a family, and they’d only been in your life for the past few years.

Sure, sometimes that’s all a family was: two people against the world. But meeting Din, and now meeting his constants, it had a wound reopening inside your chest.

Something was still missing. And you hadn’t a clue what it was.

What you did know, though, was that you couldn’t wait to see that man and his child again.

~~~~

Din walked back into the suit shop with a determination he didn’t realize he could muster.

He handed Grogu off to Luke and plunged right back into trying on the remaining suits, even going as far as to let Lando pick out a couple more. The grin that split your face in half upon seeing Grogu’s face, the fact that you didn’t even hesitate to embrace him, it played over and over in his mind.

He would’ve married you on the spot.

As wild as the thought was, he couldn’t help it. Yes, Grogu had a way of stealing the show more often than not, but to see someone gaze at him with such a sense of warm acceptance stirred something deep within him. Something he presumed was long lost.

He let his mind project the image of you grasping Grogu’s little hands again while he suited up, grinning at him and speaking with him as if you could perfectly understand his little spurts of nonsense. You would look up at Din with pure joy in your expression, a smile dripping with excitement and words of sweet honey that melted him from within, the glow from the sun framing you in a delicate primrose yellow and making your eyes shine like stars on a clear night.

He focused in on the details as he finished up, keeping his eyes away from the mirror to avoid distraction from the goal. When he was ready he made his way out to the group.

Eyes turned to him almost immediately, expressions widening and gasps from Leia and Han that made Din wonder if it was all meant to be good or bad. He gulped and glanced at Luke, who wordlessly nodded his head towards the pedestal behind him.

With a sigh and a gaze trained on his shoes, Din climbed up onto it and forced his eyes to the mirror.

And then he couldn’t look away.

Now he understood what Lando had meant by confidence.

The gray suit not only fit so much better than the rest – the pants being high enough for his belly to rest within them without getting crushed, the undershirt not being tugged around with each movement, and the jacket having some more breathing room for his shoulders – but the color… it just looked so right.

It was a darker gray; not so close to black that it didn’t get seen, but dark enough to not make him stick out. A likeness of shaded chrome that made the bronze of his skin pop in contrast and had the brown of his eyes sparkling.

… At least, he agreed in silence when Luke said that last part.

“Honestly, you look stunning.” Leia said with a grin. Han nodded along.

“Very sleek, man.”

Unlike all the other suits, Din was… weirdly excited to have everyone see him like this. The smiles and compliments from everyone, they piled up within him into a stack of warm, light energy that he wasn’t sure how to handle. He fiddled with his hands before catching one more smiling face in the mirror.

He turned around and reached out for Grogu.

“What do you think, kid, is this the one?”

Din received him from Luke’s arms and carried him back to the pedestal, watching him grin upon seeing their several clones in the mirrors. A happy coo filled the space – the last straw that made Din break out into a full grin.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

****

#the mandalorian #the mandalorian fanfiction #din djarin x reader #din djarin #grogu #fluff #latch

108 notes · View notes