Someday

They find their eopies still tethered outside Peli's hangar. Dia hadn't realized how close it was to sundown, and pushes the eopies, anxious to get back to the moisture farm. Purdulta was selling the water in the market earlier, which meant Elan would've already had to cover for Dia. If Purdulta checked back in that evening and Dia was still gone, she'd get suspicious for sure.

When they arrive at the farm, Dia leads the eopies into their paddock and hurries into Elan's house. He slams open the door, startling Elan.

"Dia!" he exclaims, nearly dropping a bowl. "Is everything alright?"

The house is empty except for Elan. Dia sighs in relief, sinking against the doorframe. "Sorry. I was worried Purdulta had stopped by."

"Don't worry," Elan says, setting the bowl on the counter. "She just came this morning to collect the water. She hasn't been back."

"Still, I'm sorry you had to cover for me."

Boba steps into the house and closes the door behind him.

"You can make it up to me by cooking dinner," Elan suggests. "I need to put my feet up."

"Of course." Dia grabs an apron from the cabinet as Elan settles into his chair. "Boba, do you know how to cook?"

Boba hesitates. "Some stuff, yeah."

"Great, you can help." Dia tosses another apron at him with a grin.

Boba catches it and ties it around his waist, sighing. "What are we making?"

They rinse their hands as Dia scans the sparse ingredients on the counter. "Worrt casserole and flatbread, I guess." The worrts are already prepared, and he pushes the salt and flour over to Boba. "Salt the cuts and dust them in flour, please."

As Boba skeptically begins sprinkling salt over the worrts, Dia rummages around in the fridge for the blue milk and got the pan heating up on the stove. When the worrts are ready, he plunks them into the pan, half-filled with blue milk.

"We'll keep an eye on that, and start on the flatbread," he instructs.

"I can make flatbread," Boba offers.

Keeping half an eye on the sautéing worrts, Dia sneaks the occasional glance at Boba. Even just stirring all the ingredients together, he's so intent and focused on the task at hand. It's kind of adorable. The worrts turn brown, and Dia switches them to the casserole dish and finds the spices.

"Do you like spicy food?" he asks Boba, picking out some trimpian.

"Yes," Boba answers instantly. "As spicy as possible."

Dia laughs, and adds a couple extra pinches of tomo-spice. As Boba gently slides the browned flatbread onto a plate and steps back, he relaxes just a little. He glances over at Dia and frowns.

"What are you smiling about?" he asks.

"You've got some flour on your nose," Dia says, still smiling.

Boba rubs furiously at his face. "Are the worrts ready yet?"

"Just another minute."

Boba goes to set the table, and Dia brings out the casserole and flatbread a minute later. Elan sniffs the air happily and compliments them on a job well done. They divide the two worrts and the flatbread evenly. Dia pretends not to notice Elan sneaking extra onto his and Boba's plates. He's tried arguing, but Elan insists that growing children need more food. The meal is good, and Boba even cracks a smile at the spiciness.

After dinner, Dia sets out his futon and thin blanket.

"Is there only the one?" Boba asks, frowning.

Dia winces. "Yeah, sorry. But it gets cold at night in the desert. Trust me, we'll want the extra body heat."

Boba doesn't argue, sliding under the thin blanket and pillowing his head with his arm. Dia checks the motion sensors on the screen by the door, then curls up on the futon beside Boba. He leaves as much room as possible between them, although that was only a couple inches.

As they lie in silence, Elan does the washing-up, then retires to his bedroom, whispering a goodnight and dousing the lanterns as he goes. The room plunges into darkness.

"Thank you," Boba says suddenly from beside Dia.

"For what?" Dia whispers.

"For helping me so much."

"Of course. We're friends, right? That's what friends do – help each other."

"… Yeah. Friends."

A few minutes pass in silence, before Dia rolls over to face Boba. In the darkness, he can barely make out the other boy's face, but he thinks his eyes are open.

"Thanks for helping with dinner. You know, I didn't think you'd be such a good cook. But that flatbread was the best I've ever had."

"Mm. Someday," Boba mumbles sleepily, "when we're off this rock and I can get all the ingredients, I'll make you tiingilar."

Dia stares at him. 'We'? Leave Tatooine?

"Huh?" he squeaks.

"It's a Mandalorian dish," Boba explains, misunderstanding. He yawns, adding, "Very spicy."

"No, I meant…" Dia hesitates. "What do you mean when we're off Tatooine?" Boba doesn't respond. "Boba?"

Dia tilts his head, and realizes that Boba's breathing has evened out.

What did he mean by that? Dia wonders, his heartbeat picking up. Does he plan to take me with him when he leaves Tatooine? He shakes his head emphatically. No, that's stupid. He wouldn't want me to go with him.

Boba begins snoring softly, and Dia rolls onto his back with a sigh.

He probably didn't mean it. He was just tired. … Right?

Why would he? He hesitated over calling them friends – there's no way he thinks of Dia as his friend. Just someone who can help him. For some reason, Dia doesn't think he minds that. Even if Boba doesn't consider them friends, Dia wants to help him.

But if Boba did mean it, if he really does want Dia to leave Tatooine with him… would Dia even go? Tatooine's a prison, yes, but Elan is here. People that Dia can help are here.

Dia rubs a hand over his eyes. He's too tired to think about all this.

I won't say anything, he decides. I'll just keep helping him how I can, and I'll think about this again when he's ready to leave.

In the morning, Boba doesn't mention their conversation, and Dia stays silent.

________

Five months pass. The war doesn't reach Tatooine, at least not yet. They hear of terrible battles and planets near-destroyed in the wake, but there is nothing they can do.

Boba and Dia travel into Mos Eisley nearly every day. Boba is reluctant to learn from a pirate, but even he can't deny that Hondo is a valuable mentor. He teaches them to steal, con, and bluff their way out of any situation; to spin a lie like a wheel and wield their youthful charm like a knife; to play Sabacc – both honestly and not – and win; and to fight with all manner of knives and blasters.

With so many new skills under his belt, Dia finally feels on even footing with Boba. Although Boba's still much more capable, at least Dia's not being left in the dirt anymore. During their disastrous delivery mission, he'd barely survived, and only because Boba had shoved him out of the way of the explosion. He's determined to never let anything like that happen again.

One morning, Dia and Boba are preparing to ride into town as usual when Elan pokes his head out from the barn.

"Dia!" he calls.

Dia looks up from closing his saddlebag. "Yeah?"

"The south motion sensor's down again. Can you fix it before you go?"

"On it!"

"It's malfunctioning again?" Boba asks with a frown, petting his eopie's nose.

"Oh, that one's always offline these days." Dia waves him off, grabbing a spanner. "We just can't afford the new parts. I'll be back in two minutes."

________

"The ship's ready, Captain," Dagu reports to Hondo, "and everything's packed up. We can leave whenever you're ready."

Hondo nods, and clasps his hands behind his back. "I can't help but feel a little guilty, Dagu."

"Captain?"

"For leaving on such short notice." Hondo sighs. "Those children have really grown on me."

"Yeah. Like a fungus," Dagu mutters.

"Go wait in the ship," Hondo instructs. He spots his apprentices approaching the shipyard gate.

"Yes, Captain." Dagu walks back to the ship, and Hondo strides towards his apprentices, throwing his arms wide and grinning.

"My darling apprentices, I have news!" he announces. "Gather around, gather around!"

Dia and Boba exchange a glance, and Dia shrugs. As soon as Dia and Boba are within reach, Hondo slings an arm over each of their shoulders, leaning over so he's closer to their height.

"First of all, know that this decision has pained me," he begins. "I believe we've grown close over these months."

"What's going on, Hondo?" Dia asks, starting to worry.

With a dramatic sigh, Hondo reveals, "I am leaving Tatooine and returning to Florrum."

"What?" Dia exclaims, twisting to stare at Hondo in dismay. "Why?"

"I am no longer making enough profit here," Hondo explains. He glances over his shoulder, then confides to Dia, under his breath: "The crew is getting homesick, too."

"Oh. Okay."

Dia is hurt, and can't hide it. He holds his elbows, crossing his arms over his chest, and glares at the ground. Boba's expression is unreadable – what progress! – but he seems unhappy.

"Now, now, I told you this decision pained me," Hondo reminds them. He gently pushes the children until they're standing facing him, and pats their shoulders affectionately.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed passing on my knowledge the two of you," he says with a genuine smile, "and I am very, very proud of you."

Boba's stony expression cracks, and tears prick in Dia's eyes.

"Well, thanks for everything," Boba mutters gruffly, avoiding eye contact.

Dia throws his arms around Hondo's waist. "We'll miss you," he mumbles into Hondo's jacket.

Hondo chuckles and wraps one arm around Dia's shoulders. Boba lets himself be tugged closer and be hugged, too.

"We're leaving right away," Hondo says, drawing back from the hug and reaching for the box at his feet, "but, as promised: your final wages. Don't tell the crew," he adds in a whisper, "but I may have added a little extra."

Boba cracks open the box and his eyes widen. Dia peers over his shoulder and exclaims in surprise at the rows and rows of gleaming credits.

"Better hide those," Hondo warns.

Boba snaps the box closed. "Thank you."

"What, did you think I would cheat you out of your well-earned credits?" Hondo asks with a laugh.

Dia raises an eyebrow. "We-e-ell…"

He and Boba exchange a doubtful glance and Hondo scoffs in mock-offense.

"I wish you both the best of luck," he says, serious again. "I hope we meet again soon."

Dia and Boba wave goodbye to Hondo and the crew, sitting on the rooftop of the shipyard office. The saucer takes off, swirling up sand, and the children watch until the ship has disappeared.

"What are we gonna do now?" Dia asks, swinging his legs.

"We'll use the credits to fix the ship," Boba replies, "and keep training on our own until it's ready."

Dia nods. "And then?"

"And then we'll come up with a plan to get my revenge."

"Mm."

Boba sneaks a glance at Dia. In the past months, they've grown close. Boba wants Dia to go with him, when he leaves Tatooine, but he's been too… not scared, but maybe nervous… that Dia wouldn't want to leave with him.

Even if he did, there was also the slavery issue. Elan had confided that their master would be back in a week, and Boba could tell both he and Dia were scared.

Sensing Boba's gaze, Dia looks over, and catches Boba's eye before he can look away. With a smile, he tilts his head. "What is it?"

Boba shakes his head. "Nothing." There will be time to worry later. He clears his throat. "The sunset's nice, huh?"

"Sure is." Dia leans over, dropping his head onto Boba's shoulder with a content sigh.

Boba freezes, but Dia stays there, a grounding weight. Boba hesitates, then rests his cheek on Dia's soft hair. They sit there for a long while, untroubled, bathed in warm orange light, until the suns have set.