A Different Kiss

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"Do it again, Aria!" The children cheer surrounding me. I laugh smiling and grabbing another ball of dry straw. "Are you ready?" They cheer as I light the straw on fire and float it about above their heads. "1... 2... 3!" I push the force high and the fire explodes looking like a blazing firework.

Into the night the kids thin out and the child stumbles plopping next to me in exhaustion. "Are you sleepy?" I coo and pick him up walking inside the barn.

I place him in his crib and ready myself for bed. I brush my hair down my shoulders and sigh looking at my reflection. I walk out to get a change of clothes when I see Mando holding a picture in his hand. "What are you doing?" I ask looking at the photo.

Han, Leia, Ben, Luke, Chewy and I standing together smiling. "Is this your family?" I nod smiling at the photo. Mando points his finger at Ben in my arms. "Who is this? You never said you had a child." I shake my head laughing. "I don't. That's my nephew, Ben." I wander over to my bag grabbing clothes to sleep in.

"What if I did?"

Mando looks at me and places the photo back on the table. He looks at the child fast asleep. "Did what?"

"Have a kid."

"Guess I'd have to protect you both."

Mando closes the distance and raises one of his hands sliding the gloves off and exposing his flesh padded fingers. He places a hand on my cheek and sighs. "Remember when you asked me if I had ever kissed anyone?" I nod drawing my hand to grasp his wrist. "Can I show you something?" Mando asks softly. I agree, giving my trust unto him.

"The Mandalorians don't remove their helmets, not unless they want. This kills the contact, but we can in a way... kiss." I furrow my eyebrows. "How do you do that?"

Mando places his other hand on my shoulder firmly and rests his forehead against my own. I stare into the black visor blushing. "This is a Keldabe kiss." Mando's voice waves with emotion. I lay my hands on his shoulder and incline my body into him, deepening my gaze.

"This is nice," I say breathlessly. How can this man make me so frail without even comprehending his surname?

He lingers one fingertip across my cheekbone. "It is."

We spend a long time just gazing at each other. I fight the urge to remove his beskar and see who has prompted me to act like this. I let my eyes drop shut for a moment and wrap my arms around Mando's neck. "Are you tired?" I nod smiling as he picks me up and walks me to the bed without glancing elsewhere.

Mando sets me softly on the bed and draws back his hold. "I'm going to scope out the-" "Stay" I whisper rolling over and facing the wall.

~

"Stay"

I stare at her for a moment quickly making the choice to accompany her request.

I begin to remove my beskar pieces one by one setting them on the table. Left only in my mock cloth underclothes I stare at Aria through the black visor. She rolls over onto her side now facing me again. She sits up and reaches for my hand, pulling me to sit next to her. "Why can't you just relax, huh?" Her eyes sink and she breathes. 

"Because I'm afraid," I state freely.

Aria watches as I lower myself to lay down comfortably next to her. "A Mandalorian scared? What could be so frightening to make you shake in your boots?" I smile at her from under my beskar, I wrap one arm around her waist and pulls her flush against me. "Losing you, Aria."

The two stay quiet in the barn. Staying still and unmoving from the others hold. Was this how life was meant to be?

~

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