Today was shaping up to be a bad day all over.
Din had finally been released from the medbay, sleeping in their room curled into Boba’s body for comfort while Boba latched almost desperately onto the other man, spending a long time awake simply watching Din in their bed, sleeping peacefully in Boba’s arms as his bruise mottled body relaxed.
However, his fever had spiked that morning and had woken both of them with a nightmare, Din babbling apologies as he sobbed brokenly, his hand curled between the two.
Russal had warned them that this could happen, Din’s kidnapping stint in a tiny cell that was alternatively hot then cold depending on day or night without anything to cover him along with blood loss, pain and no water or food leading to Din’s body to now coping with the trauma.
The fever and chills were almost guaranteed and Boba would have been surprised if Din didn’t have a nightmare or two after what had happened.
He took note that Din often clung to his collar, his good fingers wrapped around the ring of it, as if the reassuring weight was needed to remind him where he was as he pressed into Boba’s body.
Tacked onto that, Leia Organa had arrived on Tatooine, thankfully sans Han Solo as Boba wasn’t sure he’d be able to hold himself back from killing the laserbrain if he showed up.
However she had also brought clones with her as guards and Boba didn’t want Din to see them. A frightened part of Boba was worried about Din comparing them, finding Boba lacking in some manner.
Yet there was nothing he could do about that.
He wasn’t willing to leave Din alone in the bedroom, not in his current state after nightmares and fever and Leia Organa was not a woman you left to wait.
Which was why he greeted her in the throne room with Din sleeping against his shoulder, his sweetheart wearing Boba’s robe once more as Boba wanted the other more covered up than the pretty lingerie outfits he normally wore as Boba’s Princess.
Honestly, Din really should have his own but the other seemed to prefer to steal Boba’s clothes when he could.
It was why Boba kept more than one robe and a few extra shirts and tunics, just so Din could raid his closet at times.
The sight of a sleeping, almost bare man in a collar on Boba’s lap had not impressed Organa and the clones behind her was watching too with uneasy eyes, despite not talking. Neither of the two aging clones were impressed with what they were seeing obviously and Boba was almost certain that one of them were Captain Rex.
Not that he cared.
None were as little impressed as Organa though, the woman’s voice rising and Boba got it, he really did.
She had once been chained to this very dais as Jabba’s pet but by the first light, he wanted to jab her in the throat to shut her up, his own anger rising to match her spiteful words as he struggled not to wake Din.
All in vain as Organa’s voice finally rose loud enough to shake sand off the ceiling as she eyed some of the mottled bruises on Din’s legs and the bandage around his knee with disgust, the clone Boba thought was Rex reaching out to try and reel her in, the former princess reaching for the blaster on her belt, the situation rapidly deteriorating as Boba’s guards were going for theirs.
But her voice had finally woken Din, his fever doing what torture could not as he gave a small, frightened cry and jerked to in Boba’s lap like a skittish tooka, breaking the tension of the room.
Instantly Boba’s focus turned, his arms coming up protectively to prevent Din from falling from his lap. “Mesh’la, verd’ika, calm down, gedet’ye.” Boba murmured quickly, shifting one hand up to Din’s upper back, holding him in place while his other captured Din’s formerly injured hand, cradling it to his chest.
Shuddering, looking around shakily, glancing over at the stunned trio in front of the dais, Din swallowed thickly. “W-What’s going on?” He rasped quietly, blinking the grit out of his eyes, licking his dry lips.
“Organa came to see me, to… negotiate.” Boba stated quietly, his voice still pitching through the throne room but everyone that had spent more than a day in the court knew better than to interrupt when Boba was speaking with Din.
The trio in front was still too surprised at Boba’s behavior to make more fuss, the likely Rex clone hand on Organa’s shoulder.
Din let out a low noise, shifting slightly in the others lap. “Organa… the hutt slayer?” He questioned, glancing towards her when Organa let out a surprised noise.
Snorting quietly but nodding as he cradled Din’s hand to his chest still, Boba removed his other arm from around his lover to bite at the fingertip of his glove, removing it.
He spat it out into Din’s lap and reached up to the others forehead, hissing quietly as he pressed his hand to the others forehead, a dark frown on his face. “Your fever is just as bad as it was in the morning. You should be in bed.” Boba murmured disapprovingly, bare hand stroking over Din’s hair and settling on the back of his neck.
Shuffling, pressing into the others neck, Din whined. “Don’t want to be alone.” He rasped out.
Sighing faintly, Boba cuddled the other more to his chest. “Yeah, see, that’s why you’re here,” Boba agreed quietly, shooting Organa a brief, angry glance before focusing back on his lover. “Just a bit more and we can go back to our room,” He stated in a promising voice, smiling faintly when Din let out a soft, relieved noise that turned into a hum when Boba lifted Din’s hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to the pinkie and ring finger. “Just a little longer Princess.” He promised quietly.
“What is…” Organa paused, lips pursed, eyes glancing between Din and Boba.
Snorting, Boba cradled Din to his chest. “Princess got abducted a few days ago, he only recently left the medical bay with permission of our medic.” He drawled, feeling Din shift to glance at the New Republic Senator and clones.
At the mention, Russal waved nervously from over at the bar where he he had been speaking with Cobb, Boba nodding in return to him even as he took note of the Marshal’s hand on his blaster still.
Organa’s brows furrowed, glancing between the medic and Din’s bandaged and bruised legs.
“I however don’t like leaving him alone, he’s sick and prone to nightmares at the moment,” Boba continued and felt Din press back into his neck, a humiliated little whine coming from the other and Boba smoothed his gloved hand over the others spine in apology as he continued staring at Organa. “Nevertheless, you arrived in a nifty star destroyer and demanded my presence, on my planet and seeing as who your brother is along with that death craft, I’d rather not risk bringing a Jetti down on my palace even if you only brought two guards with you down.” He sneered at Organa.
In his lap, Din tensed slightly at the mention of Luke and Boba continued rubbing at the others back while cradling the hand, feeling the ring and pinkie finger twitch slightly in his grasp as Din hand fisted.
Any mention of Luke always had Din slightly on edge, mostly since he knew that Boba didn’t actually approve of the man. But Boba knew better and left sleeping dogs lay, as long as Luke karking Skywalker behaved and taught Din’s adiik properly, Boba would keep his comments to himself.
Organa however could go eat a fist if she upset Din one more time. Din needed rest, not being scared awake.
At the moment she looked like she had eaten a lemon, her pretty face puckered up into a thoughtful scrowl as the two stared at each other, King of Tatooine and former Princess of Alderaan. A silent battle of wills that only broke when she glanced once more at Din, taking in the sweat gathering on Din’s dark skin along with the faint trembles bringing her empathy to the surface. “…Is there accommodation close to the palace?” She questioned, crossing her arms over her chest, indicating that she would not be accepting any rooms Boba offered her in the palace.
Not that he wanted to house her after she freaked Din out.
Grunting, Boba tilted his head to look to the bar. “Rive, the inn is fully operational in town, right?” He questioned one of his lieutenants.
The armored, blue skinned twi’lek let out a soft hum and nodded, ignoring Organa wholly as she only gave her attention to her boss. It shouldn’t amuse Boba, the show of pettiness that could make negotiation harder but honestly, every time one of his former slave turned captains or lieutenants decided they didn’t like someone for how they spoke to Boba or Din, it made the cold concave of his heart flutter with delight.
They had been there long enough to know that Din’s power over Boba stretched far beyond what a common ‘slave’ had and knew that Din knelt willingly at his feet. “Yes sir. La-Vulpa had it up and running last week. Far as I know, he has at least ten beds for outsiders and I don’t think there’s more than five at the moment down in the town.” Riva stated calmly.
Turning his head to look at Organa, Boba raised a brow, gnarled scar tissue pulling at the move.
She nodded harshly in return. “Then we’ll continue this tomorrow.”
A concession, small one but it meant Din and Boba could retreat, could rest.
Shifting his arms around the other man, Din letting out a questioning noise only to squeak and throw his arms around the others neck for support when Boba stood with Din in a princess carry. “Tomorrow then. Riva,” He turned back to his lieutenant. “Contact me if there’s any issues or if Shand returns, otherwise, we’re not to be disturbed.” Riva’s armored lekku’s twitched, scraping against her pauldrons before she raised a fist and tapped her chestplate twice, bowing her head in respect.
“Of course sir, enjoy the rest of your day,” Her eyes flickered to Din. “Speedy recovery Princess, court isn’t the same without you here.” Din looked up at that, blinking at Riva before smiling weakly, settling his head back into Boba’s neck.
‘Rest, yes, rest would be good.’ Boba made his way around the throne, ignoring the two clones staring after him and Din even as Organa was already moving for the stairs.
Maybe he and Din could take a second bath, try and sweat the fever out and not just for cleaning purposes but regardless, they were returning to bed.
Translation:
Mesh’la = beautiful
Verd’ika = little soldier
Gedet’ye = Please