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He was only gone for just a few hours.
He was only gone for just a few hours.
Din was hunting for food and furs for the annual “migration” Pelgo did when the air got colder out in the desert. They would move further north, up into Banuk territory where they would spend the winter among the various tribes. It was to help them build a resistance to the cold for when the world would supposedly freeze over…as the deranged woman who acted as their seer had said.
He was right on the edge of the Sacred Lands of Nora territory when his focus started going crazy. His first thought was the possible chance of someone trying to hack into it, but he didn’t know of anyone who also had a focus like his. Tapping it, he looked at the data in front of him.
It was a message. Brief and using a lot of shorthand and code but a message nonetheless.
URG peri off msh miss
He was so happy that he figured out how to reprogram his focus to decode stuff with the town’s system. Din watched as the text changed to show the full message.
URGENT perimeter alarm off marshal missing
The second the last two words appeared, he was launching himself onto his Strider and took off towards the desert, heading in the direction of Maker’s End.
He tried to connect to that damn ancient communicator – He told the whole town they need to replace the damn thing. – and waited with bated breath for someone to pick up.
“Pelgo.”
“Jo! What direction did he head in?!”
“Meridian! He’s heading towards Meridian!”
“Shit…He’s heading for Sunfall! Get a Charger ready! I’m dropping the Strider off with the supplies!”
He crossed into the desert, seeing the massive Stormbird flying overhead. It wasn’t following anything – Thank All-Mother – and he veered off the path and followed the row of stones leading for the canyon in the wall.
Din could see Jo standing on the edge of their small part of the land, holding the Charger by a part of its horns. Din jumped off the Strider before it came to a complete stop. Throwing himself right on to the back of the Charger, he grabbed the reins and pulled on them.
“If you take the path that takes you around to Maker’s End, you might be able to cut him off, Din.”
“Is he on a Broadhead?”
“No. He’s on foot. Kid’s with Issa and town’s going into a temp lockdown for now. Go! Get him before something else does!”
Din took off, veering right the second he hit the main path again. Taking the high road, it gave him a good view of spotting the small spot of red among all of the sand.
It took him almost running out of high road to spot the red dot sluggishly moving to the side of the main path. He pulled the Charger off, coming towards the red from the opposite direction and watching the sky for any Glinthawks or that Stormbird from earlier.
He slowed the machine down, and got off to slowly jog up to the man.
“Cobb, there you are! You shouldn’t be out here this far without your weapons or Deputy,” Din exclaimed, “Come on. Let’s get you back to the town before the cold starts setting in.”
Din reached to guide Cobb to the Charger.
Cobb pulled back, mumbling something and staggered back a bit.
“Cobb, we need to get back to the town.”
Another attempt to reach was met with Cobb stepping back more and his muttering getting louder.
“Cobb, we need to go back.”
Cobb kept pulling back, muttering about something after him and needing to get away. Din knew what was going on. The reason why Cobb was heading towards Sunfall.
He pulled his mask down and pushed his hood off. Gently catching the man’s forearms, he held him in one spot, leaning in and lowering his voice.
“Cobb, no one is after you. They’re not after you anymore. And if they were, I would kill them far before they get near you. You’re safe. The only person that is coming after you is me, your husband , to get you back home.”
The realization slowly creeped on to the man’s face, Din gently saying “That’s it. Come back, Cobb. Come back out, love.”
“You alright?”
He gets a sluggish nod in response.
“Are you ready to go home?”
Another sluggish nod and Din started to lead Cobb to the Charger, hoisting Cobb up onto its back facing backwards and pulling himself up facing forward. Getting his husband situated on his lap and close to his chest, he kicked the Charger into motion. He hadn’t bothered to put his hood and mask back on, but he’ll do that when he gets closer to town.
“...I wandered off ‘gain, didn’t I?”
The question was mumbled into his shoulder.
“You did. Was it the Scrappers again?”
“...No. Got into my head ‘gain. Guess I got too in my head this time…”
“You were muttering about someone.”
“That’s a first. Think I was muttering about the Mad Sun-King…Yeah…That’s who I was muttering about.”
Din rubbed Cobb’s back, “He’s gone now.”
“I know that. It’s just…hard not to think about it sometimes.”
They rode in silence for a bit, the wind picking up. Cobb tried to get closer to Din as a shiver went up his spine.
“Shit, winter’s setting in faster than expected…”
“Do you want to start getting the town ready to leave tonight?”
“No. We’re leaving on schedule which is in four days. I ain’t making anyone leave earlier than planned.”
“Then when we get back, I’ll go find one of the merchants that are around the Sacred Lands. I have machine parts to trade for more furs.”
“I’ll go with ya…”
“No, you’re going to rest. If I don’t have enough machine parts, I’ll have to go find more and I don’t need you getting hurt.”
“I ain’t a fucking baby.”
“I’m not saying that. I’m more worried about you not being able to focus during a hunt after that.”
Cobb was silent for a bit before responding, “Yeah, I see your point…Wouldn’t be much help to you other than luring in machines.”
The rest of the ride was silent, Din trying to watch the darkening skies for any threats while steering the Charger back towards the canyon. The Broadheads lowing signaled them that they were getting close as the back of a Scorcher appeared over the hill.
“Deputy’s out,” Din said, watching the Scorcher herd the Broadheads towards the area fenced off for them.
“He nipping at their heels again?”
“No. He’s finally using his body to block them.”
“Good. Nice to know he’s finally not nipping anymore.”
Din slows the Charger to a walk as it enters the canyon and takes it all the way to the dugout home in the wall on the “edge” of the town.
Swinging himself off, the man helped Cobb off of the Charger and walked with him into the house.
Their home wasn’t overzealous. The living and kitchen areas were set lower into the ground with a small step up near where the two bedrooms were at. The bedrooms were also set lower into the ground, the only reason Din got when he first came to the town was that it was cooler to have them lower in the ground.
They stopped in the doorway of their bedroom, Din placing a kiss on Cobb’s forehead.
“Go lay down. I’m going to go get the kid from Issa.”
“And then you’re gonna scurry off to get more supplies?”
“If Jo doesn’t stop me.”
Cobb chuckles and turns into the room. Din left the house, pulling his hood and mask back on as he walked to Issa-Or’s home, the woman standing on her porch with a baby on her hip.
“Come to claim your child?”
“Only if you haven’t taken him in yourself.”
Issa-Or laughed, “Would love to adopt this little cutie, but I don’t need the marshal mad at me for stealing his kid.”
Din took the baby from her, “You’re more worried about him?”
“Don’t you have a husband to get back to, Nora?”
“Don’t you have a wife to get back to as well?”
The woman cocked her eyebrow and smirked, “Damn you, Djarin. Run on home now before Cobb starts looking for you for taking too long.”
The man took his child home, walking into the dwelling and making his way to the bedroom.
He finds Cobb among the many fur blankets Din had brought back from his many hunts and the pillows he had brought back from Meridian.
“Are you thankful I suggested putting the mattress on the floor?”
Cobb cracked his eye open, “Easier to get into with my bad knee.”
“And it’s cooler as well,” his husband stated as he handed the baby to Cobb, “Brought you company.”
The man situated the baby in his arms, laying him on his back as he babbled. “Oh, you’re not sleepy, huh? You don’t want to cuddle with dada?” Cobb asked the baby.
“He probably had a nap at Issa’s.”
The man hummed, then looked at Din, “You’re starin’ which means you’re thinkin’. Whatcha thinkin’ bout in that head of yours?”
“Not for sure.”
“Plottin’ how to avoid Jo to go do what you need to do?”
“No. I just,” Din pauses, “Maybe I shouldn’t go get the supplies tonight.”
“Din, if you’re worried about me wanderin’ again, I’m not. Happens once in a blue moon and only happens once.”
“Cobb, this is the latest it has happened. What if it starts happening later and later? What if it starts happening more than once in a single day?”
“I’m fine! I’ll be fine here by myself with the baby.”
“Cobb,” Din started, “You just almost walked yourself all the way to Sunfall. I’m worried, and I mean this as an actual concern, that your wandering happens when you have the baby with you.”
Cobb was silent, his eyes shifting a bit before saying, “Alright, yeah, you’re right. This shit ain’t gettin’ any better. It’s never gonna get better at my age.”
“I know it’s not going to get better. The only thing we can do is manage it.”
“What do you mean ‘we’?”
“You, I and the baby,” Din says, motioning with his hand in a circle, “The three of us. Our family.”
“This isn’t your issue, Din. This is mine.”
“When I married you, I promised to love you and care for you through everything . This includes your episodes. You do the same for me when I have night terrors. I’ll do the same for you when you have your episodes.”
Cobb chuckles and quietly says, “Guess we’re both fucked up then. Two Carja idiots made for each other.”
Din leans down and kisses Cobb on the top of his head, “I’m going to go take my gear off. I’ll be back.”
The man goes over to their small bathroom and closes the sliding screen. He strips himself down to his undergarment, hanging up his furs and storing his weapons away. He took the focus off and laid it on the little table that they used as a counter. He exited the bathroom and walked around the bed, climbing under the furs and wrapping his arm around his husband and the baby.
“You goin’ to go get supplies tomorrow?” Cobb asked.
“That’s the plan.”
“I’ll go with you. Might need another Strider or Charger for the load. Also need to take Deputy out for his run.”
“If you are able to stay focused and not get distracted like last time.”
“It was a Stalker and she was hurt.”
“And you just had to fix it and risk almost getting killed by a Fire Bellowback.”
“She fought back after I fixed her, Din.”
“We have a Stalker living in our home like it owns the place.”
“Her name is Copikla and she is very sweet.”
“Cobb, she almost killed Crest the other day.”
“Fair point.”
The two were silent for a bit, listening to the baby cooing as it grabbed onto a finger from each of their fathers’ hands and giggling.
Din clears his throat a little, catching Cobb’s attention, “I’m planning on going to Meridian before we head up to the Cut. I want to visit an old friend again.”
“Can I ask who?”
“You won’t believe me when I tell you.”
“Try me.”
Din sighs, “Avad.”
His husband raises an eyebrow, “You’re lying.”
“I’m not. He and I are childhood friends. I’m just a few years older than him.”
“You never mentioned anything about being friends with the current Sun-King.”
“You never asked,” Din looked off to the side, “Also I didn’t know how you felt about Avad since he’s the son of Jiran.”
“Avad and Itamen, I’m fine with. They’re completely different from the bastard. It was Kadaman who I hated. Too much like his old man...or so I thought back then.”
“You met Kadaman?”
“I tried to kill him myself during my family’s enslavement. Day before we were supposed to be thrown into the Sun-Ring, Kadaman is getting tossed in for speaking against his father.”
“And the day before that, Shadow Carja came for my father.”
Cobb’s eyes both raised, “Thought you said your family had immunity cause of your relations with Jiran?”
“Not after my father started exploring the Old Ones’ ruins. It was the whole reason why I became a Nora. I believed if I completely left behind my identity as a Sun Carja, they wouldn’t find me. All-Mother, was I wrong.”
“You started digging around yourself like that red-headed Nora and they came running?”
“Unfortunately. Started after I found the baby.”
The baby laughed at the mention of them. Cobb chuckled, “You’re just a little troublemaker, ain’t ya? Was causing your daddy trouble before you met me.”
“More like a pain in my ass,” Din muttered.
“He’s just a baby, hun. He don’t know he’s causing trouble.”
“He does know cause he starts giggling like a little maniac,” Din says as the baby starts laughing harder, “See? He’s causing trouble right now.”
“He thinks being cute is gonna get him out of bedtime. Think he can drink warm milk?”
“He can. You’re going to go make it or do you want me?”
“I’ll go make it. You stay here with the little criminal.”
Din climbs out of bed, heading into their little kitchen and starts warming up some milk for the baby. Bottling it, he returns to the bedroom and bends down to give his husband the small bottle.
“There ya go, little guy,” Cobb coos as he brings the bottle up to the baby’s mouth, “Gotta get you all sleepy for bedtime.”
Din crawls back into bed, getting his arm back in its original spot. He watches with a fondness as his husband holds the bottle for their son. Once the baby finished the bottle, Cobb moved to place it somewhere on the side and Din picked their son up and gently pats him on the back.
Hearing the little burp, the Nora settles the baby back down, pulling the furs up to keep him warm.
“Hopefully he falls asleep,” Din says and looks at Cobb, “And we might be able to get a full night’s sleep.”
“Fingers crossed,” Cobb muttered, “One more kiss before we both pass out?”
“How can I say no?”
Cobb sat up and leaned in to meet Din in the middle, a quick kiss on the lips and he settled back down.
The man loosely wraps an arm around the baby and cradles his small head with his hand. He glances up at Din, “Love you. Really, I love you.”
“I love you as well,” he responds back, “And I always will.”
The Nora lays there for a bit, watching his little family sleep before quietly crawling out of bed. He snuck into the living area, quietly digging into a chest for his silent hunter gear. Putting it on, he pulls his mask and hood up and loads his quivers with a variety of arrows. He reaches into the pouch on his belt and pulls out a focus and places it under his hood.
He heard a mechanical huff and looked up to find Deputy standing near him.
“Protect,” Din commands and heads for the front door.
He hates doing this, hunting at night, but there was a threat just on the border of Meridian. Something mechanical and black. He knew running into that red-haired girl was never good, but she was his only source on where these “corrupters” were at. She told him that there was one near Meridian and quickly approaching the canyon town.
If it reached town, all hell would break loose and the town would be devastated.
He gets onto the Charger he left outside their home and raced for the canyon’s opening, seeing the distant silhouette of someone on a Strider.
“You better be right about this ‘corrupter’ thing,” Din stated as he pulled up alongside the Nora girl, “I can’t risk the town getting into an uproar over nothing.”
“I just followed it all the way here,” she responded back, “Just past the ridge. It’s looking for machines to override and keeps getting closer to this area. I have two friends near it watching it.”
Din looks towards the ridge the Nora girl mentioned. He could make out the distant sounds of something moving with hurry out in the sands. He pulls on the reins of the Charger, “Then, let’s go kill this thing so I can get home before my husband wakes up.”
The two took off, heading in the direction of the sounds. Din looks up to see Razor Crest flying above him and looks off to his side to see Copikla running by him.
He used to do things like this for himself, trying to protect the baby at all cost. The baby was his only priority all those months ago.
Now, he has a family. A whole town to help protect.
And he would be damned if he didn’t make sure that Cobb, the baby and the whole town could live a peaceful, quiet life.