Ridd(Lee)r

“Yeah, I do.  Still didn’t fix this though.  There’s a leak and everywhere I solder it or tighten anything, it keeps seeping out somewhere.”

“Again, do you want me to look too?  I might see something you don’t.”

“No, no.  It’s fine.”

“Ok, well if you need me, just keep shouting like you have been, because everyone can hear you!”  she smirked as she lightly kicked his leg from sticking out.

“Funny.  Thanks.”

Bo started to walk away and heard another type of sound, this one different though.  More like a struggle.  She stopped and turned around, to see Din’s heals dug into the ground, looking like he was trying to pull himself out from under the ship.  She walked back with a small smile on her face.  “Are you ok?”

“Yes, my shoulder pauldron is stuck on something.  I can’t seem to figure out what it is though.”

Bo ducked down on her knees to look underneath, and she couldn’t see what he was talking about.  He was further underneath though, with only his knees and legs sticking out, so it was hard to see. 

Din kept pulling, finally reaching for a knife.  He went to cut something and stopped.

“I can’t see what I’m about to cut.”  Din said, frustrated.  He put the knife back.  Bo started to slide under the ship next to him to help.  She saw where he was stuck and his right arm was pinned up, shoulder length.  His other arm was feeling around but it was at an angle he couldn’t see what he was doing.

“Hold on, I think I got it.”  She scooted up more on her side facing him under the ship.  She needed a little more leverage now that her whole body was under, so she grabbed a hold of his side to pull her closer and he jumped, gasping, scaring her.  “Maker, Din!  What the heck?  You scared me!”

“Sorry, sorry.”  he said quickly. 

“Did I hurt you?  I didn’t mean to.  I was trying to pull myself up further.”

“No, it was…. nothing.  It’s fine.”  He seemed to stumble over his words, not sure what he was trying to say to her.  Not thinking about it again, she grabbed a hold closer to his armpit this time, thinking she had hit a sore spot or something.

“Nooo!” he shouted and tried to roll onto that same side.

“What is wrong with yooooo……?” her voice trailed off.  She realized he was breathing a little harder.  As close as they were like brother and sister, they didn’t rough house or anything.  Mostly because it wasn’t in his nature and, well, they just didn’t have that type of relationship.  But she had siblings and could remember similar reactions to tickle fights they would have.

With a huge smile on her face, that she was sure Din could see clear as day, she asked, “Din, are you ticklish?”

“No!” he said almost too quickly.  She was snickering to herself now, and admiring the position she was in to take full advantage.  “Will you just help me out please?”  He started to sound aggravated, squirming around a little more than before.

“Absolutely, stay still.”  This time taking both hands, one hand was around his shoulder and armpit and the other pulled down on his rib cage.  And she “pulled.”

“Waaait, no noooo!”  He started flailing around.  He managed to grab her hand that was higher on him, but her other hand still had free reign over his ribs and hip.

“Sit still so I can help you!  Stop being so stubborn!”  She yelled over his groans and pleas.

“Stooopop Booo.  I meeeann iiittit!”  She quickly grabbed onto his lower ribs now, massaging them, which seemed to move his laugh and pleas to a new level.  “Heeheeeyyyy!!  Nooooooo!”  And the dam burst open.  Bo had never seen him lose control like this, even in the most dangerous situations, he always remained mostly calm.  This was a whole new feeling for him, it seemed.

“When was the last time you were tickled Din?”  She yelled above his laughs.

He was shaking his head back and forth, trying to swat her hands away with his one hand available, tugging down to see if he could pop himself free.  “Nooooo, Boooooo!  Puuuhllee leeease stoopp stoppp!!!”

“That’s not an answer, Din!  Give me an answer and I’ll stop!”  Still laughing like mad and shaking his head, she kept moving her hands around to different spots that weren’t covered.  It was driving him mad, and she loved it!

“Yeeeeeeaaaaaaarsss!!!!”  It seems like it.  She then stopped.  He was laying there breathing heavily and she realized she was breathing heavier than normal because she was unwarily laughing with him.

“Whew, glad that’s over.” Bo said as she reached above him to unclasp what he was stuck to.  He lay there not moving anything except his chest moving up and down.  Bo scooted herself out now and Din started to do the same.  When his body was fully exposed, she reached down to grab his hand to pull him up.  She patted him on the shoulder that was stuck.  “Man, don’t tell anyone about this or you’ll never hear the end of it!”

“I know.”  he said quietly, still regaining his breathing. 

“Hey, it’s ok to laugh everyone now and then.”  He shook his head in agreement, now looking up at her.  “At least we got you out.”  She started to walk away from him and stopped.  “I was about two minutes away from calling the Armorer to help us!  Can you imagine if she found out?”  Bo was all but laughing again.  He continued to stare right at her.

“Don’t worry, I won’t say anything, but now I do have leverage on you Din!  Just remember that in the future!” 

“Yet, you still aren’t amused.”  She was smirking.  She didn’t realize how much she missed bantering with him, even though it was almost completely one sided.  She had grown a found appreciation, or a strong liking to Din throughout the few years they had known each other.  She really had never had feelings like that for anyone except him.  Maybe it’s because he physically could rival her, and they fact he was completely mysterious.

She still remembers when he removed his helmet when saying good bye to the kid before he went off with that Jedi.  He seemed so emotional, and so real.  Not like he wasn’t before, but she thought several times he was a droid.

Cara was standing next to him, as he looked up at her, waiting for something to happen.  “Is there something you need Dune?”

“Wow.  He’s gotten a little cockier since he became a dad.  Interesting.”  He made a humph sound, and shook his head slowly, looking back out to Grogu who was still occupied in the pond.

“So, what else has changed Din?  Do you actually get to play with the kid?  Do you go running in a field together, laughing?  Picnics out back?”  she said condescendingly.  Still no answer.  “What, too dad now to let out a giggle or a laugh?”

At this point she was really rubbing it in his face, um, helmet.  He still wasn’t into playing these games with her, which slightly disappointed her.  “Are you done?”  He asked pointedly.

“With teasing you, not even close.  I am glad you still can take what I dish out, Din!”  She took a step back and leaned back on the post.  “Especially since you have never been able to beat me at anything!”  Her smile was huge by now.  This had to get him going.

He slowly turned his head back at her, took his legs off the rail and slowly stood up, looking lightly down at her, getting about a foot away from her face.  A challenge, finally, she was thinking.  “I recall beating you in arm wrestling, Dune.”

“That’s because the kid started magic choking me!”

“I would have won anyway.  It was a matter of time.”

“Ok, well, prove it!  And no more arm wrestling, real fighting!  And don’t worry, you can keep your shiny armor on, and I’ll wear what I’m wearing now!”  She was pretty much shouting at this point.  He shook his head back and forth and started walking into the cabin.  “Where are you going?”

“To take off my armor.  You’re right, it wouldn’t be fair for you.”

“Really, seriously Din, you don’t have to.  I was half joking.”

“No, you weren’t.”  He said from inside the cabin.  Her heart was racing now.  She was watching him remove his armor and this was the first time she had seen this.  He took off his cape and his jetpack as well.  He was completely down to just his flight suit, boots, and helmet of course.

“Wow, you look like you lost about 100 pounds Din.  Kinda scrawny looking if you ask me!”

“I didn’t ask you.  So, how do you want to do this?”

“Let’s just pin for 3, shoulders on the ground.”

“Sounds good.”  He started walking past her to the few stairs on the porch. 

“Don’t be nervous now.”  She followed and poked his side as he walked by, getting an interesting reaction from him.  Hmm, she thought.  That’s something she never thought of before.  She could use this to her advantage.  “I just thought, one more rule, since I haven’t done this since I was a child, and it could be fun.”

“What’s that?”  he asked, stopping in an opening right off the porch.

“Let’s add a tap out word or phrase?”

“A what?”  that’s right, she thought.  He never really got to be a kid.  She’d have to explain this without giving too much away.

“It’s when each person gets a word or phrase to say when they physically or mentally can’t go any longer………….. like they are too tired.  We did it as kids.  I think it could be fun though.”

“I won’t get too tired, but ok.  What should it be.”

“Something weird that you normally wouldn’t say accidentally.  Like, mine used to be red rose.”

“Red rose?”  he asked, tilting his head at her.  “So, what should mine be?”  She thought about it.

“Let’s make your’s tin can.”  He tilted his helmet and let out a small laugh.

“Ok, so if I can’t beat you or I’m tapping out, I just say tin can, and we’ll stop?”  she nodded, smirking.  This would be too easy.  He’ll never see this coming.

“That’s weird, but ok.”  They both took a stance. 

“And remember, anything goes Mando!”

“Yes, I know Dune!”

“Hold on, just one second.”  She turned and started walking towards Grogu..  “I don’t want to be beating you and have a choke hold on me from your protective son.”  She was partially telling the truth.  But she partially wanted to recruit the kid.  Yeah, it might be cheating, but she wasn’t planning on actually wrestling him either, so why not?

She leaned down to the kid’s level and whispered, “Kid, I need a favor.  Your dad and I are going to be wrestling, just for fun.  And I need your help, little buddy.  I want to get your dad laughing really hard.”  Grogu’s ears perked up when he heard that.  He hasn’t witnessed his dad laugh aloud before.  So, of course he wanted to be a part of it.  She gave him a few ideas and started walking back.

“Sorry, I really had to convince him not to kill me for destroying you.”  She laughed as he just stared.  “Ok, enough chit chat.  Ready?”

“Yes.”  Again, they took their stances.  “And go.”

She immediately crouched down and swiped her leg onto his, knocking him backwards.  She heard a great huff noise come from him as she quickly rolled over him.  She straddled him a little sideways, putting one of her legs on his arm above his head and holding his other arm down with one of her hands, leaving the other free.

He started whipping his legs, trying to buck her off him.  With her free hand, she put it on his chest, that no longer had any protection.  She had a strong core and even stronger legs.  “When I was a kid and we were playing like this, I immediately started doing this!”  She immediately grabbed his hip, making him gasp and almost jerk her off him.  “Did I hurt you?”  she asked sweetly.

“No, no, it just, it felt weird.”  Just then she did it again but didn’t stop.  He started to gasp and curl on his side to block her hand, which left his other side wide open.  She took her other hand from his arm and both hands went directly into his ribs, jolting his whole body up a few inches before slamming down.  “Whaaattt are yo yo youuu dooooiiinggg?”  Definite laughs were escaping his lips in his tinny voice.

“Doing what Din?  Tickling you?  I didn’t know you were so ticklish!!!”  She was laughing along with him.  she kept massaging his ribs.

“Whaaaat is th thaaaattt?”

“What?  Are you serious right now?  Tickling Din.  It’s what is happening to you right now!  Have you never been tickled before?”  She was beyond disbelief.  She lightened up for him to actually talk again, but holding fast, not giving him room to flip her.

He was breathing hard still.  She still had his one arm pinned.  “I I don’ttt understaaand.  What is that?”  He was regaining some of his control. 

“It’s this!”  She took both hands and whipped them into his arm pits.  He sat up almost straight, but then going into a ball as if he had no idea what to do.  His laugh was deep, throaty and contagious.  She couldn’t help but laugh right along with him.  At this point, Grogu waddled up to his dad, cooing over the magical sound that was his laugh.

“Stopppp!  Stopppp puuuuh-leeeease!”  He was trying to grab her wrists, which he did, but it did no good.  She was too strong at this point, and he was too weak because of all the energy spent getting rid of these tickles.

“Isn’t he cute, kid?”

“Bah!”  he said, pointing at him with his little finger.

“My thoughts exactly!  Do you want to try?  Or should I move onto a new spot since this obviously a brand-new experience for him!”  Grogu tilted his head.  Din was still curled up, trying to move her wrists away from him, but not able to budge her.  “You could just give in now Din, before it gets worse!”  He was making a coughing like laugh, that could be heard from miles away it seemed.   

He shook his head no, and no actual words escaped, like he was pressing them together so they wouldn’t talk on their own, begging her to stop.  “And the best part is buddy, is that your dad here has no idea what other places he could be tickled!”

And with that her hands whipped down onto his belly, massaging it, but pressing him down as he tried to curl up to cover his abs.  “See?  You wanna try with your powers kid?  I bet you could do some real damage!”

“Nooooooooo kiiidididd!  Shuuuut uuupppp Duuununnne!!!”

“What was that?  That wasn’t very nice.  Kid, get right above his knee caps.  He’ll like that I bet!”  And right as she finished saying that he had his hand raised out and Cara felt a muscular shift in his thighs, like they were being squeezed.  He hit a whole new type of laugh. For Din, since he really didn’t know where these spots were, he couldn’t physically or mentally prepare himself like a normal person could.

It was all he could do to not just lay down and let this happen, but he finally got to a point where he tried to say his words to tap out, but it came out all a mess.

“Are you trying to say something?  I’m not stopping just so you can regain control, so if you need to tap out, it needs to come out clearly!”  She was all but yelling over his laughing mixed with hard breathing and gasping for air.  She knew she was being relentless, but she got this far, so she couldn’t give him the ground.

“Tiiiinnninnnn ccccaaaannnnn!!!!!”  And she stopped and so did the kid.  Cara rose off of him.  He looked totally broken and breathing like he sprinted a few miles. 

“You ok there, Din?”  He slowly shook his head yes.  “Wow, I have to say, you lasted longer than I would have thought.  I thought you were going to keel over on me way earlier.”

He finally was able to sit up straight and look up at her, his chest still moving in and out fast, but not like it was.

“That was new to me, Cara.  That was……. something.”

She reached down and helped him up on his two feet.  She slapped in on the back and said, “I can see that, and I didn’t even get to the good spots yet.  I’ll save those for another time buddy!”  She smiled and walked away as he was staring her down.

What other spots, he thought?

The Mandalorian slowly walked himself into the ship, drained of all energy. As much as he’s used to fighting enemies, it’s exhausting trying to look after a child while also fulfilling business of his own. But god, he loved him. He’s a good kid, and he’s really glad he has him. 

Mando looked down towards Grogu to make sure he was still keeping up with him. Sure enough, the child was standing next to him, looking up to him and making his usual cooing sounds. 

“God, I need to sit…” He admitted, sitting down in his usual pilot’s chair. Desperate for some sort of solitude, he laid his chin onto his palms and leaned against the control desk. 

Grogu walked himself up to the pilot’s chair, and snuck himself into Mando’s lap. He made a cooing sound, almost to show how proud he was of the Mandalorian.  

“You okay?” Mando asked. 

Grogu let out a little happy yelp in response. 

“Good.” He responded, going back to leaning forward. 

Grogu looked down at the pilot desk, and observed all the many buttons. He knew not to touch them, though it was fun sometimes. But he did know what button would turn off the ship. So, he leaned down and pressed it. 

The button made a little beep, and in a few seconds, the ship began to power down. 

“Mm…” Mando looked up right as the ship’s engine slowed to a stop. “Good thinking, kid.” He said. “It’ll save us fuel.” Mando told him. 

The kid laid back and cuddled into the Mandalorians chest. 

They stayed like this for about 20 minutes. Grogu held the Mandalorian close, and Mando got a little nap in as well. It felt peaceful for once in their lives. The universe felt like it was slowing down…And for just a moment…Everything felt right. 

Soon though, Grogu opened his eyes and looked up at the Mandalorian. Though he had his helmet on, Grogu could easily tell he was still sleeping. How? Well, he could hear his soft snoring through the helmet. 

Grogu sat himself up and looked up to the little bit of skin visible under his chin. Seeing that little bit of skin was…surprising at first. He remembered the time the Mandalorian took off his helmet for him as he was about to separate from him for a while. Grogu got to feel the prickly skin on his caretaker for just a moment…before being handed off to Luke Skywalker. And that was…an emotional experience for him…

But that didn’t matter now…cause his neck was visible! Just a small part of it, but it was enough for Grogu to touch. Grogu lifted his hand up and placed it onto his upper neck to feel it. Was it going to be prickly like the skin on his face? 

Just a few seconds after he made contact, Mando’s snoring stopped for a moment. Sensing he accidentally woke him up, Grogu pulled his hand back and waited. 

“Mmm?...Mm…” Was the only thing that came out of Mando’s mouth, before falling back asleep. 

Grogu waited a couple more seconds, just to make sure he was 100% asleep…Then, Grogu lifted his hand up again, and gently placed his claw-like fingers against his neck. 

“Mm…” Mando hummed, scratching his neck in the very area that Grogu touched. It could be safe to assume that Mando fell asleep again…because when Grogu resumed fluttering his fingers on his neck, Mando didn’t really react. 

Grogu looked at his hand for a moment, before raising it up to touch his neck again. Something about exploring his Mandalorian friend, felt…comforting somehow…

And he wanted to keep going! 

Grogu’s hand fluttered against Mando’s neck once again, watching as the Mandalorian twitched a little bit. 

“Mmmhmhmm…” He mumbled. 

Grogu’s beady black eyes widened. What was that?? 

Did…Did he just…laugh?! 

Again, again! 

Grogu fluttered his fingers on the man’s neck, specifically right under his chin this time. And to his shock, he did it again! 

“Hehe- Huh?” The Mandalorian lifted his head up, and looked down at Grogu. “What-” He gently felt little Grogu’s hand. “Oh…It’s just you.” He said, calming down. 

Grogu tilted his head with a confused coo.

“What?” Mando asked. 

Grogu reached his hand up to his neck again, and dragged the claws gently down his neck, to his scarf. 

“oOhkay…” Mando’s hand shot up and took Grogu’s hand. “Let’s not do that.” Mando told him. 

Grogu tilted his head and made another confused coo sound. 

“Now’s not the time to explain.” Mando told him. “Now if you excuse me, I need to rest-” Mando tried to lift his hand, but couldn’t. “Huh?” Mando looked at his hand, tried to raise it up again. But for some reason, it sayed completely still. “What the-” Mando pulled on his hand, almost like he was being restrained. But it was still unable to move. 

“Grogu, can you help me-” Mando looked at Grogu, and widened his eyes the moment he saw him: 

Grogu’s hand was up…And the kid was looking at him with a mischievous look on his face…

“Uh oh…” Mando let out. He pulled on his hands. “G-Grogu?” He asked. 

With the Mandalorian subdued, Grogu brought his little one up to his neck. 

“Oh no, no no no.” He tried to hide his neck with his shoulder. But again to his shock, his shoulders were frozen in place too. “Dammit…” He blurted out. 

And it was only then…that Mando felt a curious little hand fluttering against his upper neck. “Oh noHO! Kid, dohon’t!” He jumped and chuckled. 

That little laugh…told Grogu everything he needed to know. Because in a matter of seconds, Grogu’s playful fingers sped up rather quickly. 

“Kihihid Wahait-! Hahaha! Unfahair!” He argued. 

It was almost like the kid understood what the word ‘unfair’ meant…because in only a second…Grogu’s main pointing finger dug a little deeper into his right jawline. 

“KKHAHAHA!” Mando tittered loudly. “WhatareyouDOHOIHING?!” He felt as those crazy claws dragged itself towards its chin. “GAHAHahaha! How are yohohohou-” He squeaked as the finger dragged down his neck. “Geeheez nohohoho!” Mando reacted. 

Grogu let out a happy sound as he moved his fingers up his neck faster this time. 

“Grohohogu!” Knowing what was coming, Mando squeezed his eyes shut and decided to just take the tickles. 

And it was a good thing he did…because Grogu’s 3 fingers quickly fluttered against his jawline all over again.

And GOOD LORD, WAS IT TICKLISH! So ticklish, that his laughter came out as an uncontrollable wheeze! 

Grogu widened his eyes. “Eh?” He cooed in his baby voice as he moved his hand away. 

The Mandalorian’s laughter seemed to calm down almost right away…Only a few giggles seemed to remain. “Ahaha…Haha…Ahare you done?” Mando finally asked him. 

Grogu looked at the Mandalorian with curiosity, before lowering his hand down slightly. The hold on his body ceased, confirming to him that Grogu had stopped the grabby force thing he did on him. 

With the force stasis gone, Mando wrapped his arms around his belly. “Whahat was…” 

“Ah?” 

Mando looked to Grogu, right as the little womp rat tickled his neck with all 6 of his little fingers. “Oh- YOHOHOU LIHIHITTLE-!” Mando squeezed his eyes shut as more laughter erupted from his lungs. “Kihihid WHYHYHY?!” Mando asked him. 

But the only answer he got from the kid…was a happy little giggle. And Mando knew that giggle well…That was the ‘I’m gonna get in trouble for this…But boy, is it worth it!’ kinda giggle. And considering the tickle attack Grogu had put on him before, that was NOT a good giggle to hear…

Thankfully, though…the tickling did stop for a moment…

“Ohokahahay, yohou had your fun.” The Mandalorian told him. “Buhut can we-” Mando’s words paused when he felt mischievous little Grogu plop himself onto his shoulder. “Uh…” He muttered. “Now hold on, little guy…” He pointed a finger at him. “What are you planning?” 

Grogu stared at The Mandalorian for just a second…as he reached his hand over to his neck. 

“Noooooo…” He warned. “Dooon’t you do it…” He added. 

Grogu’s hand got closer and closer…

“Grogu-” 

Suddenly, Grogu swung his other hand towards his left, untouched side! “OhgodNOHOHOHO!” He tried to cover his neck, but found the other side was being attacked too! “KIHID-STAHP!” He yelled. 

And before he could stop it, Grogu was now tickling BOTH sides of his neck! If this kid wanted laughter, then this kid was doing all he could to get it from him. “HAHAhahaha! Yohohou ehehevil lihihittle wohomp rahahat!” He yelled, trying to grab at Grogu. “Ihihihi’ll gehehet you bahahack!” 

The only response he got was Grogu’s happy little laughter. It was hard to tell if Grogu was laughing because of Mando’s laughter…or if he was laughing because he had successfully beat Mando at his own game. 

But either way, the little mischievous kid was determined to make him laugh…And as much as he hated to admit it, the kid was unbelievably successful. 

The Razor Crest hummed softly, the familiar vibrations of hyperspace travel filling the cockpit. Din Djarin, helmet securely in place, leaned back in the pilot's seat, his hands resting on the armrests. Across from him, Bo-Katan Kryze sat with her feet propped on the console, arms crossed in mock relaxation as she eyed him with a teasing glint.

"You're always so serious," she mused, tilting her head to study him. Her voice carried an edge of mischief, clearly intended to provoke. "Like a droid that never powers down."

Din gave a low huff, his modulator turning it into a faint growl. "I'm not a droid."

Bo-Katan smirked, tapping a finger against her chin in exaggerated contemplation. "Could've fooled me. Do you even know how to relax? Or laugh?"

"I'm capable of both," Din replied evenly, his voice calm and measured. "But I don't see why that's relevant."

Bo-Katan's grin widened. "You're like a myth, you know. The Mandalorian who never cracks a smile. Never lets his guard down."

Din leaned forward slightly, the reflective T-visor of his helmet turning to her with deliberate precision. "I can be playful."

Bo-Katan raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of amusement and skepticism. "Oh really? I'll believe it when I see it."

"You won't," he retorted with a note of finality. The silence that followed felt like a small victory on Din's end. Bo-Katan's smirk only widened, her eyes glinting with an unspoken challenge.

For a few moments, the hum of the ship filled the air, but Bo-Katan's curiosity was clearly piqued. "So, what, that's it? Just endless stoicism and no fun? You're wasting a perfectly good hyperspace jump, Mando."

Din's shoulders shifted slightly, a subtle movement Bo-Katan had learned to recognize as either annoyance or amusement. "You're wasting your time."

Her smirk turned into a full grin. "Oh, I don't think so. I've got plenty of time to figure out what makes you crack." She leaned back again, propping her arms behind her head. "Might even make it a personal mission."

The lights in the cockpit cast a dim glow over the pair, with hyperspace streaking past the viewport in mesmerizing patterns. Bo-Katan stretched her legs, her boots brushing against the edge of the console. She made a show of yawning dramatically. "You know, some people might find it relaxing to have a conversation. Share a joke. Maybe even… laugh?"

Din's helmet tilted slightly, suggesting he was either ignoring her or considering her words. "This isn't a cantina."

"No, it's not," she agreed. "But that doesn't mean we have to sit here like statues. Even statues crack eventually."

"I don't crack," Din replied firmly. "And I'm not a statue."

Bo-Katan chuckled softly. "You keep saying that, but you're not helping your case."

Din sighed, leaning back further into his chair. The weight of the mission and her relentless teasing settled on him. "Do you always talk this much?"

"Only when I'm entertained," she shot back. "And you, Mando, are surprisingly entertaining."

"Glad to be of service," he deadpanned, though the slight shift of his helmet hinted at a sliver of amusement.

Bo-Katan tapped her fingers against the armrest of her chair, a mischievous glint still in her eyes. "We'll see how long that stoicism holds up. Everyone has a breaking point, even you."

Din said nothing, allowing the Razor Crest's hum to fill the silence once more. But the slightest shake of his head told Bo-Katan all she wanted to know as he turned back to the controls. Knowing this would not mark the end of her efforts to crack the myth of the uncrackable Mandalorian, Bo-Katan grinned to herself. 

-

Bo-Katan's chance presented itself some hours later as they readied the Razor Crest for dropping out of hyperspace. Din checked the cargo hold to be sure their recent shipment was safe. His motions were deliberate; every object was painstakingly arranged and double-checked as though he were handling explosives rather than standard merchandise. Bo-Katan wandered in, feigning nonchalance, though her sharp eyes were already calculating.

"You're always so focused," she said casually, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms. Her tone was light, but a familiar teasing edge was beneath it. "Don't you ever get tired of being a statue?"

Din didn't look up. "What do you want, Kryze?" he asked, his voice flat as he continued working.

She pushed off the wall and stepped closer, letting her boots echo against the metal floor. "I want to see if the myth is true," she replied with a smirk, poking Djarin through a crack in his armor lightly in the side.

The reaction was immediate. Din gasped and jerked away, almost dropping the tablet in his hand. His helmet snapped toward her, the surprise in his body language unmistakable despite the impassive visor. For a moment, he froze as though debating whether to acknowledge what had just happened.

"What was that?" Bo-Katan asked, her tone dripping with mock innocence. She stepped closer, her grin widening.

"Nothing," he said quickly, straightening his posture to reassert control. But when Bo reached out again, his entire torso flinched before she even touched him. It was a subtle movement, but it might as well have been a bright neon sign to her trained eye.

Bo-Katan's eyes lit up like a child discovering treasure. She stepped back, crossing her arms again with a triumphant smile. "Oh, this is too good. You're ticklish."

"No, I'm not," Din said firmly, stepping back as if distance alone could deflect her discovery.

"Sure, and I'm a moisture farmer," she shot back, her grin widening as she advanced slightly. "You flinched like I'd threatened you with a vibroblade."

"Drop it, Kryze," he warned, though a faint edge to his tone betrayed his unease.

Bo-Katan tilted her head, studying him with newfound amusement. "What are you so afraid of, Mando? That someone might discover the great Din Djarin has a weakness?"

He shook his head, turning his attention back to the cargo. "I'm not afraid of anything," he muttered. His hands worked quickly, almost as if trying to distract himself (and her) from the moment.

"Oh, but you are," she countered, leaning against a nearby crate. "I think you're afraid I'll tell everyone that you're… what's the word? Human."

Din's helmet turned toward her briefly, but he said nothing. That silence only encouraged her.

"You know, I was starting to think you were unshakable," she circled slowly. "But now I see it. The legendary Mandalorian has a crack. And it's ticklish."

"I don't have time for this," he said, his voice clipped as he moved to another section of the cargo hold.

"Sure you do," she replied smoothly, following him. "Hyperspace jumps last forever, and we're stuck together. Might as well make the most of it."

Din sighed audibly, the sound distorted through his modulator. "I should throw you from the airlock."

"You're avoiding the truth," she shot back. "Just admit it. You flinched."

He stopped for a split second, then went on working. Bo-Katan's smile never wavered. Instead, she crouched beside him and leaned close enough to cause him to squirm uneasily. 

"Tell me," she said, her voice dropping into a mock-serious tone. "Is this some kind of ancient Mandalorian secret? A hidden vulnerability? Should I add 'tickling' to my arsenal of combat techniques?"

Din finally turned to her, his helmet mere inches from her face. "You're not funny."

"Oh, I'm hilarious," she retorted, standing back up. "And you know it."

As she backed away, still smirking, Din straightened, visibly tense. Though he returned to his task, Bo-Katan didn't miss how his shoulders stayed rigid as if bracing for another poke. It was enough to make her chuckle quietly to herself.

"Don't worry," she said over her shoulder as she left the cargo hold. "I'll save my newfound intel for when it really counts."

Din watched her go, shook his head slightly, then went back to work. But the tension in his motions never really disappeared. Grogu cooed somewhere in the Razor Crest as though he sensed the change in the air. And Bo-Katan's laughter rang softly down the hallways as a promise she wasn't done with him yet.

-

The next opportunity came later that evening. Din was crouched in the engine bay, trying to fix a faulty panel. His armor was partially removed for mobility, so he worked in his cloth tunic. The dim light of the bay cast shadows over his focused expression, and the soft hum of the ship provided a backdrop to his work. He was so absorbed in the work that he didn't hear the approaching footsteps until it was too late.

"Don't even think about it," he warned, his voice low and steady, not looking up.

"Think about what?" Bo-Katan asked innocently, the mockery in her tone unmistakable. She moved closer, her boots clinking lightly against the metal floor. Nearby, Grogu perched on a crate, his big eyes darting between the two adults with growing curiosity. His little green fingers reached out, sensing the tension, and he cooed softly. His eyes flicked to a pair of handcuffs on a nearby crate, and an idea visibly formed.

Din muttered something under his breath, clearly bracing himself for trouble. But before he could move, Grogu raised a tiny hand. With a playful Force burst, one of Din's wrists was cuffed to the ship's support beam. The click of the cuffs echoed in the bay, and Din froze, staring at the child in disbelief.

"Grogu, not now," he said firmly, his voice heavy with exasperation. The little one gurgled in delight, entirely unbothered by the scolding.

Bo-Katan burst out laughing. She declared, "Oh, this is perfect," her grin spreading wide. She stepped closer, and the malevolent glint in her eye gleamed. "Remind me to thank you, lil guy."

"Kryze, don't," Din warned, his tone notably powerless. He squirmed uneasily, trying to tug his hand from restraint, but the cuffs held firm. Bo-Katan wiggled her fingers menacingly as she closed the distance between them.

"You've been asking for this, Mandalorian." Her voice dripped with mock menace. Without hesitation, she tested the waters by poking his ribs lightly.

Din's body betrayed him right away. He almost dropped the wrench in his free hand as he jerked away from her touch. The reaction only fueled her resolve. He used his free arm to swat at her invading fingers, but she was quick, and his limited mobility gave her the advantage.

"S-Stohop," he managed, his voice strained, his body twisting as much as the cuffs allowed.

"Make me," she shot back, a wicked grin spreading across her face as she dug her fingers into his sides more determinedly. The wrench fell from Din's hand. Her confidence was bolstered by the sound that escaped his lips, which resembled a grunt with a hint of choked laughter.

"I knew it!" she exclaimed triumphantly. "You're a human after all!"

Close by, Grogu laughed and clapped his tiny hands as if cheering on Bo-Katan. The child's happiness just set her off more. Din squirmed under her relentless assault, his composure cracking with each passing second. He tried desperately to hold onto his stoic demeanor, but his body had other plans.

"Qu-Quihihit ihihit!" he sputtered, his modulated voice warping with each involuntary sound. His free arm flailed uselessly, trying to block her, but she dodged easily, her fingers dancing along his ribs and sides.

"Giggling already? I'm going to cherish this," Bo-Katan declared, her grin turning downright evil. She shifted her tactics, finding a particularly sensitive spot near his hip, and Din's reaction was immediate.

"Bohoho! Nohohoho!" he burst out, the laughter spilling from him despite his efforts to suppress it. His head tilted back slightly, and his torso twisted as he tried to escape her touch.

"Oh, I'm not stopping now," she said gleefully, her voice nearly drowned out by Din's increasingly loud laughter. "You're making this too much fun, Mando."

"Bo-Kahahatahan! Plehehease!" he managed between gasps, his voice hitching with each word. His laughter was rich and deep, sounding almost foreign from someone so perpetually serious.

Grogu let out a delighted squeal, his tiny hands clapping even faster. He leaned forward on his crate as if trying to get a better view of the chaos unfolding before him. Din's struggles grew more frantic, but the cuffs and Bo-Katan's persistence kept him firmly at her mercy.

Bo-Katan grinned triumphantly, her hands slowing down as Din's laughter softened into residual chuckles. "You're lucky I'm merciful," she teased, stepping back with a flourish. "For now."

Din leaned heavily against the support beam, his cuffed wrist still secured. He panted, trying to regain his composure. "You call that merciful?" he muttered, his tone dripping with exasperation.

Grogu gurgled with delight, waddling nearer to examine his obviously flustered guardian. The young child pulled at his shirt, his bright eyes glimmering with playful intent. Din looked down at him, his helmet shifting slightly. "You're not helping, kid."

Bo-Katan watched the scene with a smirk, her arms crossed confidently. "I think he's enjoying himself. You should take notes on how to loosen up."

Din scoffed, once more testing the cuffs on his wrist. "I promise you, Kryze, if you don't unlock this-"

Before he could finish, Bo-Katan darted forward again, her fingers poised menacingly. Din flinched instinctively, his free hand shooting up to block her. "Don't you dare!"

She laughed, stepping back with mock innocence. "Relax, Mando. I'm just keeping you on your toes."

Grogu cooed in agreement, clearly enjoying the dynamic. Din let out a low groan, his helmet tilting back as he muttered something under his breath. Probably 'dank farrik.' 

"This is ridiculous."

"Ridiculous but fun," Bo-Katan corrected, her grin widening. "Admit it. You haven't laughed like that in years."

Din didn't respond, but the slight tilt of his head betrayed his reluctant agreement. He finally sighed, his tone softening. "Just get me out of this."

"Don't try to get all stoic again! We were having fun!" Bo-Katan got an idea. "Okay, Mando. Tell me your worst joke, or this continues."

"I don't know any jokes," he ground out, his voice still shaky from the residual laughter.

She shook her head, her grin widening. "Wrong answer."

Her fingers resumed their assault, this time targeting the particularly sensitive spot under his arm. Din's reaction was immediate and explosive. A deep, unrestrained laugh burst from him, rich and resonant, surprising even himself. He squirmed futilely against the cuffs, his free arm flailing in an attempt to block her relentless attack.

"K-Kryhyhyhyze! Plehehease!" he managed between gasps, his modulated voice barely recognizable through the laughter.

Bo-Katan laughed along with him, her own amusement genuine. "I've never heard anything so satisfying," she teased, her voice light with delight. Grogu giggled from the sideline.

"Al-Alrihihihight! AHAHA! Alrihihihihihihight!" Din gasped desperately. "I'll tell you! Just stohohohohop!"

Bo-Katan finally relented, stepping back with a triumphant grin. Din slumped against the support beam, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. Grogu cooed in approval, his ears wiggling with anticipation.

"This better be good," Bo-Katan said, crossing her arms and raising an expectant eyebrow.

Din took another moment to compose himself, his voice still uneven. "Okay. Two stormtroopers are scouting in the jungle. One gets bitten by a snake in a weak spot in his armor and collapses. The other calls into command and says, 'Come in, come in! My partner has collapsed, I think he's dead!' Command replies, 'Stay calm. First, I need you to make sure your partner is actually dead.' The comm goes quiet for a bit, followed by a series of blaster shots. 'Alright,' the scout finally responds, 'I made sure. Now what?'"

There was a brief pause before Bo-Katan burst into laughter, doubling over as the terrible joke sank in. Even Grogu let out an amused squeal, waving his tiny hands in the air. Din groaned, shaking his head as he muttered, "I warned you."

"That was… awful!" Bo-Katan managed between fits of laughter, wiping a tear from her eye. "Absolutely terrible."

"You asked for my worst," Din said dryly, though the faintest hint of a chuckle slipped through.

Bo-Katan straightened, her grin wide and satisfied. "I'll give you points for effort, Mando. But you're not off the hook yet."

Din tensed immediately, his helmet tilting toward her. "What do you mean?"

Without answering, Bo-Katan lunged back toward him, her fingers diving into his ribcage. Din let out a startled bark of laughter, his body twisting in a futile attempt to escape.

"Kryze! I already told you!" he protested, his voice breaking into helpless laughter as she found another sensitive spot.

"That joke was so bad. You deserve this," Bo-Katan teased, her fingers mercilessly skimming along his ribs and sides. Din's laughter echoed through the engine bay, rich and unguarded, a sound that seemed to surprise even Grogu. "This is punishment for that brazen assault on my intelligence you call a joke."

"Bohoho! ThiHiHiS iHIhIIsn't FAhahHAhair! YouHuHu Ahahahaasked FohohOOr a bAHahahd- ACK-!" Din gasped, his voice hitching with every breath. His struggles grew more frantic, but the cuffs and Bo-Katan's persistence kept him firmly at her mercy.

"You're too much fun, Mando," Bo-Katan said, her tone light and teasing. She finally pulled back after a few more moments, letting him slump against the support beam again. His free hand came up to rest on his chest as he panted, his whole body visibly relaxing now that the torment had ceased.

Din sat back, rubbing his wrist once Grogu released the cuff. His helmet turned toward Bo-Katan, and though his face was hidden, she could feel his glare. "You’re insufferable," he muttered.

"And you’re human," she countered, her tone softening. "It’s good to see that side of you."

"Let's play a game neither one of us have ever played together and the winner gets to pick what the loser has to do!"  Cara explained as they both were sitting back against a rock, watching the kid find things and play with them.  They had been on this planet for about a week and there was nothing interesting going on at all!  They all were getting a little buggy.

"What kind of game?" Din asked in his raspy voice, still looking straight ahead as the kid was waddling around.

"I dunno?" She shrugged.  "Do you know any or remember any card games or anything?"

"Sure."

"Great!  What do you want to play?"  Din explained a card game he learned as a kid.  It wasn't a hard one and Cara picked up quickly on it.  They went a few practice rounds with each other.

"Alright, this is the one we will count now!  Winner gets to have the loser do anything!"

"Sounds fair."  Din said as he shuffled the cards.  "What did you have in mind?"  Cara shrugged.

"You have to pick something that the other person wouldn't normally do or want to.  Nothing too crazy though!"  She said with a smirk, squinting her eyes.  "And don't worry, I won't make you take your helmet off!"

"I wouldn't agree to that anyway."  They both were sitting there in silence trying to think of something, when they heard Grogu laugh hard at a bug that landed on his neck, tickling him.

"That wamprat is so cute sometimes!"  Cara said, Din nodding his head.  She instantly had an idea.  Not too embarrassing but doubted if Din had any clue about it recently.  "I got mine!"

"Me too."

"You first!" Cara nodded at Din.

"For the next week, you will be babysitting the kid each night and I can do patrol."  He calmly said, crossing his arms, leaning back as if pleased with himself.

"That's it?  Are you sure?"

"Yes, that'll give me a break."

"Ok, if that's what you really want!  Jeeze Din, I thought you'd have me clean the ship or something."  She grinned, Din looking straight at her.

"So, what do I have to do?"  He asked her calmly, not worrying about anything.  

"Um, well, yeah.  You're a lot nicer than me....."  she trailed off, leaning forward on her knees, rubbing her hands together.  "See it just occurred to me I don't think I've ever heard you laugh, like really laugh!"

He starred back at her, not flinching or saying anything.

The silence was killing her.   Nothing seemed to bother this guy!

"So, you were going to tell me some jokes or something?"  

She leaned in to slap his knee.  "No, I was going to tickle you, for one minute though!  Is that ok."

Din stayed still but shrugged his shoulders.  "Who says I'm...." he cleared his throat, "ticklish?"

"You even struggling to say that means you are!  I'll just have to find out where!"

Din now leaned in to her.  "Only if you win."

"Only WHEN I win!"  She had to win, she was thinking.  This new found suspense was killing her.

The game was close and they each had one more play left.  High card would win that round and would win the game.  Din's breathing stayed completely in control, and Cara was leaned back with a cocky smile.  She knew she had him and had the worst poker face ever.

"Well, is it time to see?"  Din sighed, and put his hand over his card, looking back up at her.  

"You first."  He nodded at her.  She slammed back down her card which gave her one of the highest points in the game.  Din slowly dropped his down to his in defeat.  She was so giddy, she couldn't contain her excitement.

"Double or nothing?"  He asked, his voice slightly shaking.

"Nu-uh.  I win, you lose and fair is fair.  What's the matter?  I thought you weren't ticklish!"

"I never said that...." his voice trailed off.

"But you insinuated it!"  She stood up and walked over to where Din was now standing.  He looked down on her strong stature and his heart was racing.  He really couldn't remember if he was or not, and that's what scared him most.  He was also almost covered in armor completely, so he felt good with that.

"Well, arms up, buttercup!"  She said, cracking her knuckles, looking like she was going to get ready for a fight or something.  "And you can't fight me off, for at least a minute!"  She pointed her finger at him.

Din sighed, nodded and put his hands behind his head as he so many other times, but not for this reason.

"Ready?"  He nodded not saying anything.  The only thing that would have been better if she could see his face like she did on Moff's ship.  She'll take this for now though.

"Ok, here we go."  He thought she would start slowly but she immediately reached out for his sides, squeezing around his ribs, not super hard but not gently.  He felt little shivers, and looked ridiculous and he shifted back and forth, but still no laughing.  He was so glad for his helmet, because he must have had the most ridiculous face on him.

"What, no laughter yet?  What about here?"  Her hands shot down to his hips and lower tummy region.  Now this had him stumble back and arch forward for a second until he was now pinned against a tree.  A small gasp left his mouth.

"Oooo, we almost got one there!"  She said, pulling her hands back.  He felt like he could breath now and that's when her hands shot to his armpits and his arms crashed down pinching her hands into his ticklish skin covered in cloth.  "Wa-wa-waaaittt.... Ccccaaa-rrraaaa……  Nahahahaaaaaa!"  

"Wait for what?  You smashed my hands down!  I can't move them, see?"  She said playfully.  Then she finally heard the start of giggles.  She couldn't let them stop so she squeezed harder, and he buckled down, knees hitting the ground.  He started to curl up into a ball.  

She thought he was handling this pretty well since he easily could have thrown her off him.  Well, maybe not easily.

"What's the matter, Din?  Something you need to say?"

"No-noooo, iiittt''ssss jjjjuuussssttt allllll lot!"  He barely got out.

"Well, I only have a few more seconds, and she grabbed hard onto the inside of his thighs.  That did it!  He jumped and kicked.  She had to effectively pin him quickly between her legs so she could keep grabbing that area.  

"Ddddduuu nnnnnneeee, naaaanaahanmnaaaaa.... noooooooo, ahhahahahhaahahahaaahhhhhhhh!  Kriiiiiiiffffffff!!"  

"Did you just swear at me?  That wasn't very nice!"  She laughed as she said that.  "I didn't realize you were so ticklish.  I didn't think Mandos could be!"  A few more squeezes and he was trying to kick out of her arms.  She finally let go and he laid on the ground breathing hard under his mask.  

Cara stood up and reached down to help him up, which he swatted his hand at hers to get away.  "Rude!"  She kicked at his leg.  "Never let anyone know how ticklish you are!  You'll get mocked at the member only meetings for sure!"  She mocked.

He just laid in stillness as she stood over him.  Grogu waddled up to his helmet and petted it.  "Hey little guy!  I found a new game to play with your dad!"  She said sweetly to him.

"Shut up Dune."  He mumbled.

He finally got up and was stable again, with Grogu in his arms.  "What do you think kid, should we give her a taste of her own medicine?"  

Grogu looked back with his big black eyes, pointed at her and said "Patu!"

"My thoughts exactly."  He walked over to her, and she started to take off running into the woods.

"Gotta catch me first Mando!"  He stopped in the tree line, looked back down at Grogu.

"You think you can get her back, buddy?"  He nodded, closed his eyes, reached out his hand and.................

“Moff, to what do I owe the pleasure?”  Din’s scrapy voice through the helmet echoed in the room.

“Well, your little clan of followers it seems has been evading my crew.  Fortunately, we stumbled upon you!”  Moff’s hands were clasped as he stood next to the stretched out Mandalorian.  “It seems like you would be a good bargaining chip, of if nothing else, a good snitch.”

“You might as well give up now.  I’ll never tell you anything of importance.”

“Oh, I know this.  I also know that certain interrogation methods do not work against you, since you were so barbarically trained as a foundling.”  Din just stared at his captor.

“You really like to hear yourself talk.”  Din pointed out plainly.

“Yes, I do enjoy the sound of my own voice.  However, time is of the essence.  I need to know where you are hiding my little friend, Grogu, is it?”  Din continued to stare as if waiting for something to happen.

“Do you really thinking just asking me politely I would give him up?”

“Well, what about Bo, will you kindly let me know where she is, so I can take back my dark saber?”

There was a long pause.  “No.”

“Of course not.  So, here we stand.”  Moff turned to walk away to the droid at his side and pressed a few buttons.  He turned back around, and the droid moved in on Din and stopped.

Din leaned his head fully back, bracing himself that whatever torture this droid would be programmed to do.  Even though he had been prepared for the worst, he still had to mentally stay strong, or he would lose his grip.  His body flexed.

The droid moved into position as Moff stood there, with a small grin, like he enjoyed this.  The droid reached out an arm to Din’s exposed torso and Din flexed, ready for the pain to shoot through his body.

What happened instead made him jerk harder than he thought possible and gasped through his helmet.  The droid vibrated gently at the lower part of his ribcage, which seemed to send a pulse through him.  It didn’t hurt, but he didn’t like it.

“Wh-what the kriff was that?”  Din gasped.

“I figured you Mandalorians were used to such brutal beatings and such, I thought we could try a more………gentler approach.”  As he said that the droid did it again but in a slightly different spot and it lasted a second longer.  Din tried to twist away from it with no prevail.  He gasped again but bit his lip from saying anything.

“See, this is how this will work.  My little droid is going to do this to you, all over your poor exposed body until it finds the perfect spot.  And then it will keep going until you either pass out or come clean.”  Moff reached over and put a hand on the Mandalorian’s exposed shoulder, squeezing it softly. 

The droid kept tickling him different spots around his torso, with different vibration types.  “I-I don’t understand wh-what is ha-happening to me meee.”  Din struggled to get the words out, starting to breathe harder. 

“Of course you don’t!  Why would you ever be tickled?  What purpose would that serve?”

The droid was now near his soft mid-section, where he was breathing hard, and his stomach was moving up and down faster.  Din looked down at the droid as he stuck his little mobile arm into Din’s belly button and started swirling it around.

“Aghhh, nonnooooo!”  He yelled, turning his stomach left and right, trying to evade.  Just as this was happening, he didn’t seem to notice the other two arms that were moving towards his armpits, each with their only little finger devices.  “Naaahahahaaaaa,waaiaiaaaaiiitttt!”

“Wait for what?  Do you have something to tell me?”

“Nooooo, neeevveeerrrrrr!”

“I would save your breath, as this little guy here has quite the battery life.”  Moff said, turning towards it and petting the top like it was a sweet little animal.  The droid had three arms all playing with his mid-section and under his arms. 

Just when din felt like he got a handle on thigs, they would move slightly to a different area and continue, throwing the poor Mandalorian off guard.

“Gggrrrraaaahhhhhh!”  There were just noises coming out.  Yelling, with a few small laughs.  Then Din heard something that made him get even more uncomfortable.  Two more droids looking exactly like the one that had been with him rolled up. 

The first new droid stopped where the top of his pants met his hip bones, and the other one stopped at his exposed feet.

“Wait, wait, noonooooo!”  His yells fell upon deaf ears.  The one at his hips started to probe at his hip crevasses and the one at his feet, started moving tiny appendages in and out of his toes, trying to get bigger reactions.  “Baaahahahahahahaaa, nanahahahahhahan noooooooooo!!!!” 

This was maddening!  He had never been tickled like this before and his body that was prepared for harden blows were receiving small vibrations and “massaging” techniques.  He felt like his brain was going to explode.

Every time he shifted, they shifted too, constantly moving from one place to another.  His feet were the worst though.  They felt like they were on fire!  He kept scrunching his toes and trying to kick at nothing, because his ankles were strapped down.  He felt like he was going to pass out or go crazy.

“Stoo-tttoopppppppp!  Nonooooooo, hahaahhahhaaaaa!  Ahahhahahahahaaaaa!”  He couldn’t help it.  It was all he could do from actually dying he felt.  He was just screaming at that point.  His voice was getting raspy, and he felt like his mouth had sand in it.  It was horrible!

“Did you say stop, Din?  I couldn’t quite understand you?”  The droids didn’t stop, and Din couldn’t even find the words anymore.  His brain was melting.  Moff leaned in really close to the back of the table so he could talk right into Din’s ear and not get head butted.  “I will walk away and come back in a few hours.  This will give you time to think about it.”

Din seemed to panic.  He really couldn’t take anymore.  A few hours, he was thinking?  He didn’t know if he could last a few more minutes!  The droids were absolutely destroying him.  Vibrations on his soft soles, up and down his rib cage, into his hip bones and on his tummy.  His whole body flexing, trying to move out of the way and it seemed it was just getting heavier and heavier.

He was laughing and screaming at the same time for Moff to stop, but he walked away, leaving him with his two torturers.

And then from a distance he kept hearing his name.  He started to go limp.  “Din, Din?”  Someone was calling out.

“Din, Din, wake up!  Din Djarin, wake up right now!”  Bo Katan was standing over Din shaking the limp Mandalorian.  He was gasping for air and screaming.  He finally jumped up and looked around, only to see Bo and Grogu, who was pointing at him.  He was breathing heavily.

“Are you ok?  You were screaming!  And maybe laughing, but that could have bene your helmet.  What kind of dream were you having?”  She asked with a concerned voice, her hand lightly touching his arm.  He jumped and then stood up fast.

“Nothing, nothing.  Just a bad dream.”  He reached down to pick Grogu up and the little guy pointed again and said “Patu.” 

Din lifted him up in his arms, hugged him and said, “I know.  I’ll never give you up buddy.”