Beyond the Saga "Makes Three" | Cara/Din & the Child, Vignette Collection

Title: "we're swallowing light ('til we're fixed from the inside)"
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Mush, Romance
Rating: PG
Time Frame: post-Season One

Summary: "Toniray was never so much about the when and the why as it was who you were drinking it with."

Author's Notes: This is my last ad hoc entry for the OTP "Things You Said" Challenge, this time for #5: things you didn't say at all, which is probably the most quintessentially Din-esque prompt on the list. We're one step closer to actual feelings with this one, at least. This is the mushiest one of the bunch, which felt like a perfect way to wrap up this series of ficlets for the challenge!

Then, my title is taken from Taste, by Sleeping At Last. Which is just slightly too upbeat to match the overall tone of the piece, but the lyrics are spot on perfect. It's like the song was written for this story, and I couldn't resist.

I thank you all for reading, as always, and hope that you enjoy!

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"we're swallowing light ('til we're fixed from the inside)"
by Mira_Jade​

“Din, do you know what this is?”

“Yes.”

“This must have cost you a fortune. Why did you, how did you - ”

“ - it wasn't any more than the bottle of Ennth red next to it. The vendor didn’t know what he had, and I wasn’t about to enlighten him.”

“Oh . . . that’s his loss, then. And I am grateful. Truly. I haven’t had toniray since . . . ”

“Yeah. I figured as much.”

“This is . . . I just . . . thank-you, Din. Really; I appreciate the gesture.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“ . . .”

“You’re opening it now?”

“Why not? There’s no time like the present. If I’ve learned one thing from losing Alderaan, it’s that.”

“Understood. But, isn’t toniray for special occasions? It’s not something you chug straight from a warm bottle, sitting on a crate outside of Greef’s cantina.”

“Aw, my sentimental Mandalorian. But I have all the occasion and ambiance I need right here, can't you see? The sunset is beautiful over the rooftops, and the air’s fresh and cool from the storms earlier - ”

“ - there’s a tooka gnawing on a vrelt carcass, and a trio of pit droids foraging in the trash compactors - ”

“ - see: ambiance. Besides, drinking toniray was never so much about the when and why as it was who the bottle was shared with.”

“I appreciate that. But I can’t drink this with you; actually drink it with you, I mean.”

“I know, and that’s okay. It’s only . . . oh, wait! I have an idea. Let’s sit back to back. You can sneak your helmet off for a sip if I can’t see you, right? The daylight’s fading; even if anyone passed by the alley they wouldn’t be able to make out your face. Would that break the rules?”

“It stretches them.”

“Well, I’m always up for stretching a rule or two if you are. But . . . really, you don’t have to if you don’t want to. It was a silly suggestion; ignore me; I just don’t want to drink this by myself if I don't have to. Oh. Okay, then. I guess we’re doing this.”

“Just pass me the bottle.”

“So demanding! Honestly, Mando, hold your fathiers – there. I can’t see you now.”

“ . . . ”

“Just a word from the wise: drink slow. It may not seem like much, but many eves of celebration have been lost to untold scores of Alderaanians after a glass too many of toniray. It’s potent stuff.”

“Noted.”

“ . . . ”

“Huh. That’s . . .”

“Sweet, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, but not too sweet. It’s tart, too; crisp. It's not bad.”

“You have good taste, then. This is an excellent bottle of toniray, and I can say that for a fact. My . . . my family used to grow toniray grapes, did you know?”

“No, I did not.”

“We grew all sorts of vine fruits, actually, but we were known best for our toniray. My three times great grandmother started the vineyard; my mom’s brother, Uncle Dor, managed it right up to . . . right until they lost it, when a Moff's son decided he liked the view and wanted the land for himself. It wasn’t the largest or most profitable farm in the province, but the view of the mountains rising over the rows of vines was amazing. Auntie Sallia expanded the vineyard to include an inn a few years back, and we had travelers visit from all over the planet; from out of system, too. One season, our toniray was even stocked in the palace cellars. We supplied the vintage served at Queen Breha’s fortieth lifeday gala, long may she be remembered. To think that, growing up, I used to take for granted the idea of helping out on the farm, but, now . . .”

“ . . .”

“Sorry. Too much toniray makes me chatty; makes me sentimental, I guess; always has. I . . . I shouldn’t -”

“ - there’s no reason to apologize, so don’t.”

“It’s just . . . I haven’t spoken about Alderaan in years. I can’t even remember the last time I did.”

“ . . . ”

“ . . . ”

“You can go on, if you want. I’ll listen.”

“I don't know where I'd even begin. Everything seems so hazy now. My memories don’t feel like my own anymore. That was a different time, a different place. I was different too.”

“ . . . ”

“ . . . ”

“You mentioned something about the view? Describe it to me.”

“Oh, that I can still remember . . . I hope that I'll never forget. My family lived in a valley south of the Galaisaan alps; growing up, I could see the summit of the Balmhorn from my window. In the spring, when the wildflowers would bloom and the light would hit the peaks just right . . . ”



(In the end, she had no idea how long she spent giving fresh life to old memories, now long since past and forever out of her reach. She only knew that the bottle was empty to hang from her fingers and her blood felt bright and sparkling as it usually did following a good glass of toniray. The heaviness in her heart – an emptiness that would always go unfilled, she suspected – somehow felt lighter then. Her eyes burned, but for once she wasn’t shamed into holding back her tears. Who was there to see her cry? And, if Din could feel her shoulders shake from where she’d leaned back against him, he never said so aloud. His silence was a balm, letting her know that she wasn't alone; it said more to her than words ever could have aloud. There was a security and a comfort in the dark as the sun finished its descent and the day ended. Looking up – saved from the chill of the night from the warmth of the beskar at her back and feeling the steady rise and fall of Din’s breathing – she could almost pretend that the stars above her weren’t Navarro’s stars, but those of home.)



FIN

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End Notes: The fanon about Cara's home on Alderaan, her Aunt Sallia and Uncle Dor and their vineyard is borrowed, with love and permission, from @divapilot, where they were featured in her spot on perfect Cara Dune diary, Far From Home. This story just wrote itself from there. Toniray is indeed a teal colored sparkling wine that was served at celebrations and special occasions on Alderaan. It was rare and sought after by connoisseurs before Alderaan's destruction, and after . . . well, this was a very special find on Din's part, to say the least.



~MJ