𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘 - DIN DJARIN

Chapter 66: The Surface

chapter 66: the surface •••

A breath remains caught in Din's throat as Zora's little hands grab at his helmet and pull him closer to her. "Muah, Papa!" she cheers. She kisses his visor and pats his helmet. "Muah!"

"Thank you, Zozo." Din forces himself to clear his throat. "I'll have many of my own waiting for you when we get back. Okay?"

Zora's joyful grin starts to fade as her brown gaze searches his visor. She wrinkles her brow together and holds his helmet with gentler hands. "Papa?"

"I'm all right." Din offers his daughter a reassuring nod. "I'm just gonna miss you. That's all."

Zora lifts her hands to give his visor a few taps with her tiny fist. "Papa 'kay?"

Din takes her tiny fist between his fingers and his thumb. "I'll be fine." He slips her hand underneath his visor to kiss it. "And so will your mother and your brother." Din lowers her hand and watches his thumb run over it. "We'll be back before you know it."

Zora's lips start to wobble. Din shakes his head and tightens his grasp on her hand.

"Remember, Zora, you're a Djarin." He holds the back of her head and lowers his voice for only her to hear. "Cuy verd'ika." Din pulls her close enough to let her cheek rest against his cowl. "I love you, baby girl."

Zora's tiny fists grab onto his cowl. "Luh' Papa."

Din squeezes his eyes closed behind his visor to maintain his composure as his chest threatens to spill over with the warmest affection. He has to force himself to pull Zora away from him as he hands her off to Astra. Rather than protesting with a cry, Zora remains strong for Din, her brown gaze watching him over her mother's shoulder as Astra takes her and the pod over to the caretakers.

Grogu coos as he stands alongside Din inside IG-12. Din tears his visor away from the sight of his wife and daughter to instead face his son, who's offering him a glance of sympathy. Din manages to smile to himself as he pats Grogu's head.

"I know. She'll be just fine." Din's hand runs along one of Grogu's petal-shaped ears. "It wasn't easy leaving you, either."

Grogu tilts his head and coos in agreement. They both watch together as Astra provides Zora with plentiful kisses upon her head before she sets her in the pod and lets the caretakers bring her towards the light cruiser. Din doesn't hear a single cry come from his daughter, but even if he had, he would've been just as proud of her as he is now for being able to let the three of them go.

Din's ready for Astra when she approaches him. One of her arms wraps tight around him while the other hand presses upon his cuirass. Din cradles her head with his hand and rests his helmet upon it, his gaze remaining on Zora until she's fully out of his sight.

"It never gets easier," Astra confesses, her voice muffled by Din's cowl. "I know she'll be okay, but..." She doesn't have to say anything else. The memory of what happened the last time they left Zora speaks for her.

"She'll be safe inside a home of our own when this is over." Din says the words just as much for himself as he does for her. "We all will."

Astra nods. She takes a deep breath and gives his waist a gentle squeeze before she pulls herself away from him. "We should head to the Gauntlet."

Din nods to agree with her. He keeps a gloved hand on her back as they make their way to Bo-Katan's ship, where she's already awaiting them. The Armorer also joins them, her golden visor fixed on the systems in front of her. Bo-Katan stands and walks up to meet their family, offering Din a nod and Astra a smile of understanding. She sets a gloved hand on Astra's shoulder but keeps her gaze fixed on Din.