Chapter Text
It can’t be happening. It is forbidden for a reason.
You’ve known the Mandalorian for months now, since he first came to Bay Three-Five with his Razor Crest desperately in need of repair work. The broad, armoured man was intimidating enough for you and Peli to do your job as he requested: without droids. Although as soon as Peli told him that the credits weren’t enough and he left to find work, you and the droids couldn’t help but wander in the ship.
That is when you found the Mandalorian’s child, a green little creature that had woken up from his nap, searching for his dad.
The Mandalorian came back in the evening, stopping at the sight of you and his foundling playing in the sand. The child was laughing and cooing at everything you did, and it was like you two could understand each other without saying actual words. The kid radiated comfort and warmth, which was new to you. Mando stayed at Bay Three-Five for extra three hours just to let the child play and have fun with you.
Since then, every time the Mandalorian’s bounty would arrive on Tatooine, you knew that you’d be babysitting the kid. Not that you minded at all. Mando even offered to pay you for taking care of his foundling, but you refused, making Peli scoff at you.
You, Mando and the child (whose name is Grogu, as you and Mando later discovered) quickly got comfortable with the routine, as if the three of you were meant to meet each other. As you and Mando got to know each other better, he started buying hair accessories and glitters for you, claiming that it was the least he could do to thank you, and that he didn’t know what would make you happy, so he just went with the things that suited your personality.
A lot of time passed since then. Mando lost Razor Crest, found the Jedi he was looking for and said goodbye to his beloved Grogu.
Now that Peli announced that Mando is here, you’re panicked. You know he needs the replacement for the Razor Crest, but you can’t bear seeing him today. You can’t just go out and face him. Not after what your mind did.
You know that the Mandalorian can’t and won’t show his face because of the creed. The Mandalorians are protecting their honour, their faith and their identities by hiding their faces, and even if his religion or his vows had nothing to do with it, forcefully seeing someone’s face when they aren’t comfortable with it is distasteful, insulting and disgusting.
But here you are, sitting in the tiny room, refusing to go out and see Mando because of your dream.
You shouldn’t have had that dream, you shouldn’t have seen his face in your dream. It is forbidden for a reason.
“Cyar’ika?” You hear his voice and immediately look up from your lap, seeing him in the doorway.
“Mando,” Smiling at him, you stand up and wave your hand awkwardly.
“Hey. I- I wouldn’t bother you, but… Peli told me to get you. She needs help.” He says as he shifts from one leg to another, helmet directed towards your face.
You can’t help but feel sad. And angry. He’s your friend, he has been nothing but nice to you, and this is how you pay him back? Not just seeing his face in your dream, but now thinking about it as he stands in front of you? Your stomach twists.
And, of course, Peli wouldn’t let you avoid Mando. She wouldn’t say it to him, but she has definitely told you “You’d make a great couple”, making you choke on your Spotchka.
You nod and go out, refusing to look at Mando as you walk past him.
***
During the whole day, you work by Peli’s side, not daring to look to where Mando’s wandering around as he searches for the usable parts for his new ship.
“You should tell him,” Peli says suddenly, making you jump.
“What?”
“Your dream, cyar’ika,” She raises her eyebrows, mimicking Mando by putting her hands on her belt.
“And lose the only friend I have?” You ask, shaking your head at her stance.
“Hey now! Am I not your friend?”
“You are, yes. But you know what I mean,” You mumble.
“Nope, I have no idea what you mean,” She makes a disappointed face before she turns around and yells, “Hey, Mando! We need help here!”
Mando quickly nods and starts walking in your direction. Before you can protest or hide your widened eyes, Peli is nowhere in sight and Din is right next to you.
“Hi,” You force yourself to smile.
He just nods and looks at you, which reminds you of your dream and then it reminds you of the fact that he’s here because Peli screamed that you needed help.
“There’s nothing to do, actually. Peli is just… you know,” You laugh awkwardly, making Mando tilt his head, “She’s dramatic. Nothing new.”
“Right,” Is the only thing he says before he reaches for his belt and pulls out a little piece of crumpled fabric, handing it to you.
You refuse to take anything from him. Not after what you did.
“It’s a ring,” He says, his hand still in the air, “It’s beskar. Made little gifts for you and Grogu.”
“Mando,” You almost whine, “I don’t- You don’t have to-“
“I know. I want to.”
You take it from him, your hands shaking as you do, which Mando quickly notices as he looks down at your hands. You whisper a “thank you” and turn around to walk away from him, but his worried voice stops you.
“Cyar’ika… Is something wrong?”
You freeze. It’s not like you can find your voice to lie to him. You can’t seem to force yourself into saying something like “What? I’m fine, Mando!”. You just freeze.
Mando isn’t moving behind you, but you can feel that he’s worried, you can even imagine his face with furrowed brows and slightly open mouth… And you close your eyes. You’re still thinking about his face. The thing that got you in this situation.
You can feel that he’s trying to form the right sentence. He wants to comfort you. You did the only thing he asks everyone not to do, and he’s still trying to find a way to comfort you.
“I… Mando…” You fight yourself, forcing yourself to take a deep breath and turn your head to your side to watch him from the corner of your eye, “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” His voice is still full of worry and you hate being the reason of it.
“I… I had a dream. And- and then, in that dream… I saw your face.”
It’s his turn to freeze. At this point, you’re sobbing but you can’t focus on that, you only care about the way Mando feels.
And he feels scared. You can feel it.
“I’m so sorry —“
“No,” He interrupts. He’s still, doesn’t move a muscle, “No, you couldn’t. You probably saw someone else’s face as mine.”
“I wish, Mando. I’m so sorry. I wish it wasn’t your face,” You sob.
“Turn around,” He says softly and you do as you’re told, barely being able to face him with the amount of embarrassment you feel, “How are you so sure?”
“My dreams are… different. I can stop seeing them if I want, I see things that I can’t even imagine sometimes, and whatever I see in those dreams always comes true. It was your face, Mando. I should’ve stopped it, but I couldn’t. It was stronger than me and it didn’t let me do anything against it, I just watched. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I should’ve stopped it.”
Mando is silent. He’s still not moving at all, and you can feel that he’s anxious.
“You must’ve… It must’ve been someone else…” He slightly shakes his head, not wanting to believe you.
“Mando, I… I can draw. I can draw what I saw, if you want.”
He nods.
***
He waits for you to finish your drawing, not daring to look at the paper yet. It can’t be. You couldn’t have seen him without his helmet. He is sure that he never took it off in front of you, especially since Peli has no idea of what he looks like.
You look up at him, your eyes slightly red from crying, and hold your paper for him to see.
Dark, messy curls; soft eyes, hooked nose and pouty lips that are hiding under the moustache; wrinkles around the eyes and creases on the forehead, just where they’re supposed to be…
He feels sick.
It’s him.