Chapter Text
Din hovered just behind the tree line watching. He felt like he was always watching, though. Through the year, when Luke was just a school teacher and hardly ever near the beach, Din kept as close an eye on him as he could. Luke had a wonderful way of getting into trouble and Din refused to let him be in danger again.
And even though Luke was at the beach, reopening his tourist shop again for another summer, Din still felt like he should hang back. Based on how the last three summers had gone, he knew Luke would be waiting for him to show up. But he didn’t want to seem too eager.
The truth was that Din had missed him. Every day when he saw Luke from afar, just making sure he was safe, he missed him. His heart started to ache within the first week of leaving every year. And it would just get worse through the year. Seeing Luke this close, breathing in the same air as him, was everything to Din. His heart swelled as Luke smiled; his breath caught when those ocean blue eyes stared at him...and he lost all logic and reason.
He wanted to wait...to give Luke time to open the store all the way. He knew that it was mostly ready, since Luke and Leia had both been there the previous day to restock everything, but Luke still had to get the window displays up if nothing else. But he couldn’t wait. He walked forward, moderately unsteady on his feet, getting closer to the store with every shaky step. When he got to the door, he reached out to grab the handle, but it opened before he could.
Suddenly, arms flew around his shoulders as a warm body hit him with force. He oomphed as he took a step backward, wrapping his arms around Luke. He chuckled as his head fell to Luke’s shoulder, inhaling deeply.
“Din,” Luke breathed, a laugh bubbling out of him.
“Hello, love,” he murmured, holding him tight. “I have missed you.”
Luke laughed again and it was like music to Din. He leaned back, bringing a hand up to Luke’s hair, brushing it off his forehead. Luke’s eyes met his and Din’s heart shook slightly as his smile widened.
“I missed you, too.”
“Your hair is getting long,” Din mused, brushing it back again. He knew this, of course, because he’d watched it grow over the last few months. But as always, Din had to be careful around Luke. He didn’t want Luke to know he watched him like an obsessed stalker. Din swallowed thickly, guilt gnawing at him at the thought - because that’s exactly what Luke would think if he ever found out.
The thing was that Din wasn’t supposed to be watching Luke; he was strictly off-limits for Din. But every summer, he came to the beach anyway. Luke pulled him in like the tide and Din couldn’t resist. He was caught in Luke’s current and even if he wanted out, it was too strong. The pull he had for the man in his arms was everything for him.
So, he remained hidden until they could be together again. More than once, he wished that things were different and he could be with him all the time. But his life was what it was and he only had a couple months out of the year that he could do this. And he chose to spend those months with Luke, trying to hold on to every breath, every word and every shared moment. They held him through the rest of the year as he loved Luke from afar.
“Yeah,” Luke shrugged, still grinning up at him. “I was thinking about cutting it.”
“I like it,” Din said softly, clearing his throat. “It suits you.”
Luke cocked his head to the side, his grin falling slightly. “Are you getting sick? Your voice sounds sort of...gravely?”
Din shook his head. “No, uh, allergies. I'm ok.” He pulled Luke back in to stop his questions. They hugged tightly again before Luke pulled back again. This time, Din dropped his forehead to Luke’s, his hands resting on his hips. “How was your year?”
Luke sighed, but still smiled up at him. “It was fine. Felt longer to me, though. I've been waiting for today for so long.” Din straightened up and gazed down into his eyes, missing the blue that he couldn’t quite see through his sunglasses. Luke’s hand carded through Din’s messy hair and he closed his eyes at the feel. “Din, if you don’t kiss me soon...”
Din’s eyes popped open and he smiled, eliminating the distance as he pressed his lips into Luke’s. A tornado of emotion erupted inside his mind as they kissed. Luke moaned quietly and Din...struggled. Luke wasn’t close enough and standing in the middle of the doorway certainly wasn’t helping.
“Let’s go inside, love,” Din whispered against Luke’s lips. Luke pulled back, his kiss-bitten lips quirking into a smile. He grabbed Din’s hand and pulled him inside the store. He turned, locked the door and kept the sign on closed as he looked back up. Din reached up and removed his thick sunglasses and looked into the bright, ocean blue eyes that he had missed.
“I have an hour,” Luke said in a rush. “I got everything set up last night.”
Din smiled and held his hand out to Luke. Grinning back, he took a step forward and took Din’s hand. They walked to the back of the store, to the breakroom before they kissed again. Din settled on the couch, Luke on his lap as they continued to kiss. With every breath and every moan, Din felt his body react to Luke’s presence. His body always reacted to Luke.
The first time Din saw him as an adult, he was in town scouting for something for his Clan. He hadn’t planned on going into Luke’s shop, but he hadn’t found what he was looking for yet, and his was the last one. When he walked in and Luke’s blue eyes met his, he was gone for the man as his childhood memories washed over him. He came back the next day, and then the next, until they had forged a friendship. Din had to return home at the end of the summer but it had hurt his heart to leave Luke.
He remembered the first time they had kissed, their last night together before Luke’s shop closed for fall and Din had to go home. They had been talking near the pier, standing and leaning against the fencing. They had been staring out into the ocean when Luke turned to look at him.
“You really have to go? Like, all year?” he asked, his voice quiet.
Din turned, still leaning on the fence. His eyes traveled over Luke’s face, taking in the small scar above Luke’s eyebrow, his nose, and his lips. “I have to go home. But I'll be back next summer. When you open your shop, I'll be back.”
Luke smiled slightly. “Sort of like, my shop is bringing you back to me?”
Din took a step forward, his eyes traveling over the slight curve of Luke’s mouth. “Yes, your shop will bring me back to you.”
Tentatively, Luke’s hand reached up and touched Din’s face. Din’s eyes closed, feeling the enormity of that one simple touch. When they reopened he saw that Luke was even closer to him. He inhaled sharply and leaned down, capturing his lips in a soft and sweet kiss. After he pulled back, Luke’s eyes met his again and they both smiled.
“I’ll be waiting for you then.” Blue like the ocean, Luke’s eyes were set on Din. He gazed into them, loving them more than anything he knew of in his life. Din brought his lips down to Luke’s forehead, lightly grazing the skin.
“And I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
That had been four years ago, and they’d had two wonderful summers together since. When Din had returned home, it had taken him months to convince his Clan to let him return. Though he had promised Luke he would return, he wasn’t sure if it would be possible. He had to have Clan approval to go back to the island.
He told them that he hadn’t found what he’d been looking for and he desperately needed to get back to find it. They had been apprehensive, the island of Naboo being something that none of his Clan appreciated. Din was realistic and concerned that they would deny his request, so he had done something that he would never regret. He had gone to see the armorer.
He pled his case, being up front and open with her regarding his plight. He told her about Luke, about their connection and shared with her the story when they were kids. She understood, as he knew she would, and she worked on the Clan council until they begrudgingly agreed to his request.
“You are to be there for no more than three months out of the year,” Bo-Katan had said. He nodded his head in understanding. “When you find what you are looking for, you return and never go back. Do you understand this, Din Djarin?”
“Yes, ma’am. Thank you for your consideration. I promise to keep our secrets while on the island.”
She regarded him with a hard look. “You will stay with an ally while there. He will watch over you and ensure your safety, as we cannot from here. Ensure you properly conceal yourself during your stay.”
He nodded again and fled the building, almost gasping in relief once he was outside. His heart beat wildly at the thought of being able to see Luke again as he made his way home. He lounged on his hammock, gazing around his small hut, remembering how it had felt to have Luke in his arms.
After that, Din had always hovered as close to the island as he dared. He watched as best as he could, using a pair of old sailor’s binoculars that he’d found one day. He could see Luke when he was at his school and he watched until he knew Luke’s car by heart, knew his route to and from school and where he lived. His heart beat fast when Luke would get close to the water, as though always afraid that he would fall in.
Luke’s fear of the water usually kept him away, but when there was a field trip with the school, he would go. He never touched the water, never got near enough to fall in, but Din watched him regardless. He was ready to get to Luke quickly should he fall in, but thankfully, that hadn’t happened. Those days, when Luke was so close that Din could almost smell him, his heart ached with the need to get closer. To touch his hair and look into his eyes and feel everything around them.
Din still went about his duties while at home; he tracked down the monsters that threatened his Clan, he saved children from fishermen and he sat on the council when discussing the island. His perspective on the island natives was what the council craved when issues would arise so he did his duty and made himself available. But in the quietness of the evenings, when he was in his hut alone, he always thought back to Luke.
“You look far away,” Luke commented, his lips brushing Din’s forehead. “Are you ok? Sure you aren’t getting sick?”
Din smiled up at him, his hand touching Luke’s face lightly. “No, I'm not sick.”
“That’s good.” Luke grinned and brought his mouth back down to Din’s. His closeness invaded Din’s mind again and he struggled to hold himself back. He didn’t want to scare Luke with the breadth of his feelings, though he knew Luke loved him – it was so much more than love for Din.
Luke shifted on Din’s lap so that he was facing him, one leg on either side. “We have time before I need to open,” Luke breathed, kissing him again. “Can I show you how much I missed you?”
“Only if I can show you as well,” Din murmured, right before his lips seared back into Luke’s. Luke smiled into the kiss and Din’s arms tightened around him. “That’s not enough time to do everything I want to, though.”
Nodding, Luke frowned. “We have tonight, right?”
“We do.” Din’s eyes met Luke's as he leaned back. “What do you want, love?”
The frown slid quickly into a grin as Luke maneuvered off his lap. He pushed Din’s legs apart as he knelt on the ground. Din suppressed a groan as Luke’s lips came down on his stomach, lifting the hem of Din’s shirt up. Luke didn’t say anything, but it wasn’t necessary. When he unbuttoned Din’s shorts and slid them down his body slightly, Din’s eyes couldn’t look away.
He marveled at Luke’s ability to get him excited so quickly. No one had ever done that for Din before – neither at home nor on the island. There was something about Luke that made him hard by just looking at him. But as Luke took his cock into his mouth, his tongue circling around the head, Din realized that it was just a physical response to the intense feelings he had for him.
Luke swallowed down Din’s cock and he had to hold himself back from closing his eyes. Their first time together in months shouldn’t be missed. He wanted to watch every emotion that played in Luke’s bright blue eyes as they met his. He wanted to see every movement of Luke’s mouth as it moved over his cock. And most of all, he wanted to see Luke swallow everything he gave him as though it was ambrosia of the gods.
Din gazed down at him lovingly, moaning as Luke continued to move. He didn’t last long – he hadn’t expected to – and Luke swallowed his release as always. When he fixed his shorts and Luke climbed back on his lap, his heart was swelling again.
“How do you do that?” Luke asked, kissing his lips softly.
“Do what, love?” Din’s eyes were on his, studying him as he always did.
“Make me feel like I'm the only person in the entire world.” Blue as the ocean...Din got lost again for a moment before he could answer.
His hand rose, knuckles softly rubbing along Luke’s jawline. “To me, you are.”
Luke’s smile was dazzling as he brought their lips back together. They kissed again, harder this time as Din felt Luke’s arousal pressing into his stomach. He shifted them so that Luke was laying down on the couch, with Din in-between his legs. He knew what Luke wanted, what always made him fall apart, and suddenly he was desperate to watch him.
Din pressed their chests together, his soft and sensitive cock rubbing along Luke’s hardness. Luke moaned, hands tightening in Din’s hair. Luke enjoyed when Din used his mouth on him, but he had found that this position was more stimulating for him. Din kissing him and rubbing into him made him come faster than any other position – except Din being inside him. And because Din was willing to do anything that Luke wanted to make him happy, he pushed through any discomfort from his own skin just to hear the breathy moans coming out of Luke’s mouth.
“Din, fuck, right there...” Luke’s eyes closed as he threw his head back. Din’s lips came down on Luke’s neck, kissing gently so as to not leave a bruise anywhere visible. It was a struggle; Din enjoyed sucking Luke’s skin – who also enjoyed it – but he didn’t want to have a hickey considering Luke still had to work that day. Instead, featherlight kisses were the best that he could manage as he continued moving against Luke.
“Gods, Luke,” Din moaned, feeling Luke getting harder under him. Luke gasped, pushing his hips harder into Din. Din sat up slightly, eyes washing over Luke’s face as he came under him. His eyes were closed, mouth slightly parted, moaning as he writhed. It was beautiful; Luke was beautiful. It made Din’s heart soar thinking that he could make Luke feel like this.
When Luke’s eyes opened, Din lowered his mouth to his again. He drank in the small moans that came out of Luke’s mouth, simply bursting with love.
“Amazing,” Din murmured, lifting his head. He leaned his head against his hand, smiling down at him. “Gods, I have missed you.”
Luke’s answering smile was wide. “Me, too. But I do have a mess at the moment.”
“Did you bring a change of clothes?” Din played with his hair, marveling at the exact color of blond. There was no one in Din’s Clan that had that color of hair, and it enthralled Din to no end.
“Of course. I knew you’d be stopping by.” They both chuckled. Din leaned down and kissed him softly before getting up to let Luke change. Luke took everything off, Din watching him from the couch, cleaning up using a towel strategically placed on the table. As he turned around, Din gasped.
“Luke! What happened?” His eyes were on a three-inch scar on his stomach that hadn’t been there the summer before. As Luke looked down to where Din was pointing, Din wracked his brain trying to remember anything he’d seen Luke do that could have caused the scar.
“Oh, I had my appendix out in...January, I think? It's fine, totally routine.”
“You...did you hurt yourself?” Din said, not understanding the word that Luke had used.
Cocking his head to the side, Luke stared at him. “No? I had my appendix removed. The useless organ that we all have inside our bodies? I got sick just after the new year and they determined I had appendicitis, so it was removed. I was out of the hospital same day.”
Din gasped for air, forgetting that he needed to breathe. Luke pulled his jeans on before slipping a new shirt over his head. He walked cautiously over to Din, placing his hands on his shoulders.
“I promise, Din. I'm ok. I was hardly in any pain after. I was back in school two days later.” Luke’s eyes were filled with concern when Din looked up at him. “Are you ok?”
Din’s hands came up to Luke’s sides, pushing the shirt up to look at the scar again. “Are you?” he rasped, barely able to breathe.
“I’m fine. I promise.”
Nodding, Din tried to calm his erratic heartbeat as he leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Luke’s scar. “I’m so sorry, love.”
“It’s ok, really. I was totally safe. Easiest surgery they do these days.”
Din kept his lips against Luke’s stomach, trying to push the tears away that were threatening to fall. “Are...are you sure you are ok?”
“Din,” Luke said, sighing and sitting down next to him. He took Din’s hands in his and stared into his eyes. “It was a routine surgery, as I said. People have them every day. It didn’t even hurt, I was under for it the whole time.” Luke dropped Din’s hands, bringing his up to frame Din’s face. “I know you worry about me, but please, I promise, I'm just fine.”
Nodding, Din pushed his emotions down and tried to calm down. He stared into the ocean blue and felt himself relaxing. “I’m sorry. I just...I saw the scar and panicked.” His hands came up to cover Luke’s. “I just want you safe, Luke.”
“I know. Really, it’s ok.” Luke smiled up at him and Din smiled back. Pushing up, Luke kissed him softly. “I love that you care about me so much to be that upset about a scar, Din. You are so sweet.”
Din rocked forward, kissing him again. It was the only thing he could do to stop his mouth from telling Luke exactly how much he felt for the man. He wanted to tell him that his very soul wasn’t at peace unless Luke was in his arms...he wanted to tell him that every breath Luke took meant that Din could breathe, too...but most of all, he wanted to tell Luke the truth. The truth about everything. All the lies that he’d been forced to tell until now were sitting in his stomach, gnawing away at him.
But instead, Din kissed him again and again, trying to convey his feelings through his lips. After a few minutes, Luke pulled back, smiling with his eyes still closed.
“I don’t have time for a second round, Din,” he teased, opening his eyes and smirking up at him.
Din chuckled, his hands dropping to Luke’s waist. “I should go anyway. I'll be back around closing? Dinner?”
Nodding, Luke kissed him again, softer this time. “If you wanna come back a little before closing, you can help me clean up. Then I can get out of here faster.”
“I’ll do that, then.”
They stood at that point; Luke grabbed his dirty clothes, stuffing them in a bag under the table. Then they made their way out to the shop. Din helped Luke carry the window display and get it set up before putting his sunglasses back on. He pulled Luke into a hug, inhaling the fresh and clean smell of his hair, before promising to return that evening. Luke smiled and waved as he opened the door, already missing Luke like crazy.
He made his way through town, walking the two blocks to his Clan brother’s house. He stayed with him every summer, as Bo-Katan had ordered. And it was important that he check in often, so that the man didn’t think he was missing or hurt. When he got to the door, he knocked lightly and waited. When the door opened, his Clan brother regarded him with a serious face.
“Boba, it’s good to see you,” Din said, stepping into his house. Boba nodded and closed the door behind him.
“Pool is ready, as always.” Boba stared at him for a moment. “Was expecting you last night.”
Din flushed, hanging his head slightly. “I was delayed with a council meeting. I didn’t arrive until this morning. I, ah, should have come straight over but I wasn’t sure if you’d be home.”
Shrugging, Boba clapped him on the shoulder, walking into the living room to sit. “Yeah, I saw you at Skyguy’s Sea Shack this morning.”
Din’s head popped up immediately, feeling sick. “Oh?”
“Have a seat, Din.”
Din walked over to the couch, sinking down and staring at the man. He wore a hard look, and Din couldn’t read him at all. Even though he stayed with him every summer for the last four years, he didn’t really know him that well. Boba was very quiet, not offering much in the way of conversation. Just made sure that Din had clothes and food, and prepped his pool for him each year.
Boba regarded him silently for a moment before standing up, walking to the fridge and pulling out two beers. He handed one to Din before he sat down, large eyes staring at him. “When the Brothers of the Sea Clan asked me to take you in,” he started, breaking eye contact to glance down at his drink. “I assumed that there was some sort of important reason.” Boba sighed and took a sip before continuing. “I didn’t know you were in love, Din.”
Din stared down at his beer, unwilling to raise his eyes. If his Clan council got wind of this, his visits to the island would be stopped immediately, Din knew this. He had no idea how Boba would react or what he would do. “Does that change anything, Boba?”
Boba sighed again, lifting his eyes just as Din looked up. “No, brother. It doesn’t. But I’m going to need the full story.”