Broken Soul | Din Djarin

chapter twenty-six: taking a step forward

The lights of hyperspace decorate the cockpit as Din swivels in his chair to look at you. You're playing with the child, levitating the silver orb that he loves so much in the air in front of him while he tries to grab ahold of it. The kid coos whenever he grabs the orb and raises it to show you his achievement, earning himself a wide smile from you as you nod happily.

You pause in your play, letting the orb fall into the palm of your hand. You hold out the orb to the kid.

"Hey, theesa," you whisper. "Lift the ball."

The kid looks at you with wide eyes, slight confusion glancing over his face.

"Come on, you can do it."

The child stares at the orb in your palm intensely, willing it to float into the air. He grunts in the effort as he raises his hand into the air, focusing for a few moments. With a loud sigh, he slumps back against your stomach in frustration and his head tilts back to look up at you. You laugh as his ears flop in disappointment, and stroke the fuzz on his ears.

"It's okay, theesa," you chuckle, kissing the top of his head lightly. "It's okay. You did well."

You brush your hair out of your face and push the severed strands behind your ear. Din's eyes travel to your cut hair, scanning to make sure that the blade hadn't nicked your face or neck.

"She got you."

You glance up, your hand automatically reaching to touch your hair once again.

"Oh, this? No, I'm fine, it only got my hair."

"Let me see," Din rises from his chair and kneels in front of you, cupping your face in his hands.

"Din," you sputter, leaning away in embarrassment. His gloved hands gently hold your face and his thumbs brush the hair away from your face. A light blush colors your complexion as you stare into Din's visor. Your eyes dart around his visor, searching the darkness for... something. The outline of his eyes, his face... something that's... Din.

Something clicks inside of you and your eyes widen slightly as a warm feeling floods your chest.

"What's wrong? Are you sick? Are you hurt?"

"What do you mean?" you mumble.

"Your pulse... you're flushed-"

"I'm fine." You sit back, moving away from his hands as your blush deepens.

What's wrong with me?

The kid coos between the two of you, looking back and forth in confusion.

You awkwardly mess with your hair, pulling it from its braid. The uneven hair falls around your shoulders and you end up fiddling with a strand as you avoid Din's gaze.

You're nervous to meet his gaze, especially after he just tenderly held your face. His concern overwhelms you and you can feel your heartbeat skyrocketing. Your hands fall to twist in your lap and your foot taps on the floor.

What's wrong with me? Why am I acting like this? Like some love-sick child.

You blink as you sit in your realization.

Is that what this is? How could he have possibly been able to tell me how he felt? I can't even look at him right now. First, he did that fight thing in the hallway, and I didn't know what I was feeling, and now... I forgot what this felt like... I forgot what to do. I haven't felt like this since... Since Ari.

You stand abruptly with the child in your arms and Din sits back quickly to avoid knocking heads with you.

"I- uh," you stammer. "I should go, uh... um..."