𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘 - DIN DJARIN

Nova (Interlude)

nova (interlude) •••

"You want to learn how to use it."

You turn quickly when you hear Din's modulated voice from behind you. He's leaning against the threshold of your hut, his elbow above his helmet as he tilts it at you. You look from him back to the pulse rifle in your hands, where you've been admiring the smooth wood and shining metal while cleaning it for him. The evident fondness and pride in his voice is enough to make you smile.

While the past two weeks resting in Sorgan have been nothing short of blissful, you've found yourself seeking adventure again more than you should. The weight of what still lies ahead rests on your shoulders whenever you don't have something to distract you from it. Things like watching Din fly and hearing the baby's soft snores whenever he actually does sleep with you and Din in the hut remind you of the fact your quest has truly only just begun. With the anticipation of such a journey constantly haunting you, there's been no choice but to start craving it.

But those feelings always pass with time. You blame it on the years spent never getting a chance to rest, having to run for your life until you ran right into Din and the little green baby in his arms. You're not used to this peaceful life, not since the galaxy was a very different place. You'll think of the sweet mornings you spend waking alongside Din and the private moments your clan of three gets to spend together and you instantly forget the idea of trying to get away from where you are right now. That's how you always manage to come back from such ambitious feelings of adventure and danger, though keeping up with the cleaning of both yours and Din's weapons doesn't help those thoughts from returning.

Once you've successfully pulled yourself from these thoughts, you maintain your smile, responding to Din's words as you run your fingers along the smooth wood of the rifle. "It seems like a really great weapon," you tell him. "I remember when you used it against those Trandoshans on our first supply run."

You can hear Din's boots, now, as he approaches you. His gloved hands fall on your waist as the lip of his helm touches your shoulder, causing you to turn your head as you gently press your forehead against whatever part of his helmet you can touch. "Is that really the only time you've seen me use it?" You nod. Din clicks his tongue, lifting one hand from your waist to lay over your grip on the rifle. "I think it's time for a training session, then."

Your eyes widen with excitement as you turn around, forcing his grip to loosen as you face him. "Do you mean it?"

Din nods. "Of course I do." His smile is practically audible as he presses his helmet against your forehead. "I'm... not sure I'll survive the sight of it, but we'll try."

You laugh at that, kissing his beskar cheek before you pull away with the rifle in your hands. "Okay, riduur. Lead the way."

Together, you make your way out of the hut, heading to the stretch of grass where Din usually runs his jetpack drills. You look over your shoulder at the village to make sure the baby's okay. He's still playing happily as ever with Winta and his other friends, with Omera close by to supervise. She catches your gaze and nods reassuringly at you, wrinkling her brow in question at the sight of you with the rifle. You shrug in return, smiling before you face forward again.

Din stops you in the middle of the field, encouraging you to stretch out whatever you need to as he does the same. Then, with a nod, he goes straight to business, becoming the stoic warrior you first fell in love with as he gently takes the pulse rifle from you.

"This weapon, as you may remember, is very powerful," Din begins, displaying it in his gloved hands for you to see. "It has a few different features." He holds it properly in his arms, now, finding a fake target in the sky. You step back to watch him as he continues. "It has an electric pulse." Din lights it up just to show you, the metal prongs lighting up with blue static as you watch with awe. "It can disintegrate." Din gestures to the charges in both his rifle strap and his boot, causing you to nod in understanding. "And it can be used as simple melee." He steps even further away from you to demonstrate a few moves, swinging the pulse rifle against an invisible opponent. When Din stops, he holds the weapon delicately again, facing you with severity. "That's why you have to be very, very careful with it."