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Saga - PT The Simplest Gesture (K/H, OTP Challenge #18 5+1)

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by Gabri_Jade, Dec 29, 2020.

  1. Gabri_Jade

    Gabri_Jade Fanfic Archive Editor Emeritus star 5 VIP

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2002
    Title: The Simplest Gesture
    Author: Gabri_Jade
    Timeframe: Saga-PT, 18 to 1 BBY
    Characters: Hera Syndulla, Kanan Jarrus
    Genre: friendship, romance

    Summary:
    Five times Hera took care of Kanan, and one time he took care of her.

    Notes:
    Written for the OTP Challenge #18 5+1. Many thanks to @ViariSkywalker for her encouragement and beta work [face_love]

    Bail Organa: The simplest gesture of kindness can fill a galaxy with hope.
    Kanan Jarrus: Isn't that a Jedi saying?
    Rebels S1:E3 – Droids in Distress

    ----------

    His hair was dark, Hera noticed. Shoulder-length, disheveled, almost rakish. He sported a short beard, and was nearly a head taller than her, with a proportionate build.

    He was also a few steps away from being dusted by an Imperial blaster.

    She turned down the side street to the left and waited behind the corner, holding her breath and counting.

    He had just barely come into sight when she lunged forward, grabbing his shirt and yanking with all her strength. His full weight added to the momentum; he’d apparently thrown himself into the side street at the same moment. Odd, she thought.

    Then they hit the pavement, the tall stranger landing on top of her, and her thoughts were briefly suspended as the wind got knocked out of her.

    He raised himself on an elbow, looking down at her with visible confusion. “Who–”

    The staccato of blaster fire made him instinctively duck his head, which nearly collided with Hera’s own as she began to push herself up. “Hey!” The word came out with less power than normal; she hadn’t fully caught her breath yet.

    “Sorry—”

    “No time,” Hera wheezed, pushing against his chest. There was a faint aroma of ale on his breath. Great, just what she needed today. Well, he’d better still be sober enough to follow directions. “Get off–”

    He rolled off of her and stood, holding out a hand to help her rise. She took it and he pulled her upright with one smooth motion. Beyond them, in the main avenue, the blaster fire continued. “This way,” she said, and ran in the opposite direction.

    The stranger followed, his footsteps landing with surprising quietness considering his size. She reached the next intersection and skidded to a stop. “Go that way,” she told him, gesturing to the left.

    “What about you?”

    Hera shook her head, still gasping a little. “That’s my distraction back there. Have an asset to collect before the Imps pause long enough to look around.”

    “Distract–”

    “You’re welcome for the save,” Hera said, raising an eyebrow at him.

    “Hey, I was–”

    She made a shooing motion at him. “Unless you want to be standing around here looking suspicious when those stormtroopers stop shooting, you’d better get going.”

    She glanced both ways–good, the troopers who’d been patrolling this street a few moments ago had indeed run toward the firefight, while the civilians ducked into whatever buildings were handy once the shooting started. The street was empty, and if she hustled, she would have just enough time to steal the holodisc that held the details of Imperial troop movements in this sector. She turned her back on the stranger and ran.


    ----------



    The holodisc was safely tucked in her belt pouch the next evening when Hera entered the rundown cantina her contact had specified. She found a dark booth off to the side and slid into it, casually scanning the clientele as she did so. Nothing more suspicious than you’d find in any place like this–wait. Was that–?

    It was. Behind the bar, mixing a drink and making eyes at the girl who sat a few stools down, was the stranger from yesterday. Well, that explained the ale on his breath, she supposed. The coast clear and her contact not yet arrived, she spent a few moments watching the stranger flirt with the girl, who was wearing a particularly ridiculous style of dress currently popular with university students.

    “Give me a break,” she muttered under her breath. Was that girl even old enough to be in a cantina?

    Not her problem, Hera told herself. She turned to smile charmingly at the waitress who approached to take her order, then settled in to wait for her contact.



    An hour later, her meeting was done, the information gathered, the contact gone, and she was ready to leave this planet.

    Hera drank the last sip of her whiskey, then slid out of the booth. She took a step toward the door, then glanced again toward the bar. The stranger was now leaning his elbows against the bar-top, his arms crossed, flirting with yet another girl whose parents probably didn’t know she was out cantina-crawling at this hour.

    She took another step toward the door, then hesitated. Oh, what the hell. Turning, she headed toward the bar and seated herself a half dozen stools down from the stranger and his current flirtation. He didn’t look her way. Hera sighed, then cleared her throat.

    The stranger finally turned to see his new customer, and his eyes widened. Hera smiled at him, leaning her elbow on the bar and propping her chin in her hand. The stranger excused himself, and came over. Hera waited for him to open his mouth, then spoke before he could. “Isn’t she a little young for you?”

    He glanced back at the girl, then back to Hera. He frowned. “What are you doing here? You aren’t about to have another distraction in my cantina, are you?”

    Hera looked him over, assessing what she saw. Last chance to walk away, she thought. But no. There was something here, she was sure of it.

    “Business,” she said. “Thought maybe you’d want in on the next round?”

    “Oh, yeah?” He crossed his arms, looking entirely unimpressed. “And what would make you think that?”

    She shrugged. “I’m good at reading people. And I think you’re more than you seem.”

    The change from unimpressed to wary was instantaneous, far more caution suddenly in his eyes than her comment warranted. “What do you mean?”

    Well, now, that’s interesting. “Just what I said,” Hera answered. She was more curious than ever, but you didn’t get a timid pittin to approach you by getting in its face and shouting. “Ever feel like you could do something more than this? Fight for a greater cause?”

    He hesitated. She waited.

    “Tried that once,” he said. “Didn’t work out so well.”

    “Maybe it’ll work out better this time,” Hera said. “My ship’s in docking bay 94, if you’re interested. I leave at dawn.”

    She stood and made to leave, but he reached out to lay a hand on her shoulder. “Wait.” She raised an eyebrow, and he flushed and took his hand back. “Why are you offering this?”

    She tilted her head at him. “Like I said, I’m good at reading people. And I think you’re worth taking a chance on. If you want to take that chance on yourself, you know where to find me.”

    He was silent. Hera watched him for a moment, then turned and left.



    Hera was running the preflight check just before dawn when she saw him enter the docking bay, a single bag slung over his shoulder. Well, well. “Chopper, finish up here, would you?”

    The astromech droid bleeped something less than courteous, and Hera rolled her eyes. “You absolutely do not do all the work around here. Don’t give me that. It’s more than half done, anyway, and I have to go greet our guest.”

    Chopper leaned forward to look out the viewport, then leaned back to beep inquiringly at her.

    “I don’t know,” Hera answered, looking thoughtfully out the viewport herself. The stranger was nearly alongside the Ghost now. “Maybe just a passenger. But maybe crew. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

    The droid’s response was blunt, as always. She shook her head and patted his dome. “Don’t worry. I have a good feeling about him. Just finish the check, huh?”

    She headed into the main compartment, and lowered the ramp. Below, he stood just barely beyond the ramp’s reach, already looking up to meet her eyes. The ramp hit the tarmac with a gentle thud, and Hera descended to meet him.

    “Requesting permission to come aboard,” he said. There was a vaguely military air to his voice just then, a sense that the words were more formal in his mind than the casual, almost perfunctory ritual they were to most. Interesting.

    “I do have one rule,” she replied. He lifted his eyebrows at her, and she smiled. “I’m going to need something to call you.”

    He almost smiled back, she could see it. He stopped himself, but there was a lightness in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. “Kanan. Kanan Jarrus.”

    She held out her hand, and he shook it. “Hera Syndulla, captain of the Ghost. Welcome aboard, Kanan Jarrus.”



    ----------


    Hera checked the navicomputer one last time, then leaned back and stretched, smothering a yawn. Beside her, Chopper let out a long series of electronic gurgles and rocked back and forth.

    Hera smiled and reached down to pat him. “It’s fine, Chopper. We’re on course and all systems are at optimum levels for once. What’s to worry about?”

    Another string of beeps, ending with an emphatic blat.

    “He’s been useful enough this past week, hasn’t he?” Hera asked, standing. “But tell you what: you can stand guard in the cockpit until I get back, okay? If he comes up here and tries to mess with anything, feel free to stun him.”

    Chopper waved both manipulating arms wildly, chattering away in binary. Hera smiled again. “I know you would. What would I do without you?”

    A spin of his dome and a descending trill of beeps signaled Chopper’s agreement, then he stationed himself in front of the navicomputer. Amused, Hera shook her head and left.

    Her own cabin was the closest to the cockpit, but Kanan’s was only a couple of doors down. Hera lifted her hand to knock lightly.

    There was a brief, slight scuffling sound within before Kanan’s voice answered. “Come in.”

    Hera opened the door and took a step inside. Kanan was sitting on the edge of his bunk, leaning back casually. “Just wanted to let you know that we’re on course. Eight hours until we make orbit at our first stop. I’m going to get some sleep. Oh, and Chopper is guarding the cockpit from you, so don’t go up there unless you want to be chased by a droid who’s got a welding arc and isn’t afraid to use it.”

    Kanan huffed a rueful laugh. “What’s it going to take to get him to believe that I’m not planning some sort of sabotage?”

    “Time, I imagine,” Hera answered, shrugging. “He’s just protective. Anyway, good night.”

    “Good night,” Kanan replied.

    He stood as she turned to leave, and as he did something rolled off the bed and hit the floor. Kanan dived for it, but not before Hera had turned back. It was an engraved cube of some sort – Hera recognized it, and her breath caught.

    “That’s a Jedi holocron,” she said, her eyes widening.

    “What?” Kanan said, pulling the cube behind his back again. “No. That’s ridiculous. Where would I get a Jedi holocron?” He frowned. “How do you know what a Jedi holocron is, anyway?”

    Hera stepped further into the cabin, eyeing him shrewdly. “I think the question is, how do you know what a Jedi holocron is?”

    “I don’t,” he said, very unconvincingly. “You’re the one who said it was a holocron.”

    “And I’m right,” Hera said, crossing her arms. “Spill it, Kanan Jarrus. Where did you get a holocron?”

    He sighed heavily and sat down, bringing the holocron forward into his lap. He looked at it, then closed his eyes. The holocron rose slowly into the air to hover about a meter in front of Kanan. The corners twisted and separated entirely from the cube, spreading out from the center piece, where a small holoprojection of a man had appeared. Almost holding her breath, Hera stepped forward to sit tentatively on the edge of the bunk beside Kanan.

    “This is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I regret to report that both our Jedi Order and the Republic have fallen, with the dark shadow of the Empire rising to take their place. This message is a warning and a reminder for any surviving Jedi. Trust in the Force. Do not return to the Temple. That time has passed. And our future is uncertain. We will each be challenged. Our trust... our faith... our friendships. But we must persevere. And in time, a new hope will emerge. May the Force be with you... always.”

    The holoprojection ended. The cube reassembled itself and floated back to Kanan’s outstretched hand. He opened his eyes and met her gaze.

    “You’re a Jedi,” Hera breathed. “I thought they were all killed.”

    Kanan set the holocron down and looked away. “Most of them were.”

    Hera drew a leg up against her chest, wrapping her arms around it and resting her chin on her knee. “This is what you meant, about fighting for a greater cause not working out so well for you.”

    He glanced back at her. “Well, it didn’t, did it?”

    “Oh, I don’t know,” Hera said gently. “The Jedi were guardians of peace for millennia. And even in wartime, they protected and inspired many. Like me. I’m alive because the Jedi helped us on Ryloth.” She tilted her head thoughtfully. “I was only a child during the Clone Wars, and you’re not much older than me. You weren’t a knight, were you?”

    Kanan sighed. “I was a padawan. My – my name was originally Caleb Dume. I was apprenticed to Master Depa Billaba. When the clones turned on us, she – she told me to run.” He looked down at his hands, clasped in his lap. “I shouldn’t have. I should have stayed and fought with her. Died with her, if that was the will of the Force.”

    Hera reached out a hand to touch his arm. “What if the will of the Force was this? That you survived?”

    He looked at her sideways. “Why would the Force care if I survived?”

    “Your master did.” He remained silent, and Hera leaned forward earnestly. “Kanan, you were a child. What happened to the Jedi wasn’t your fault. If your master thought you staying would have been the difference between victory and defeat, wouldn’t she have told you to stay? It was a losing fight, and she knew it. Of course she wanted to protect you if she could. And she would be proud of you now. Like I am.”

    He held very still, those teal blue eyes remaining on her. “Thanks,” he said, so softly that she almost didn’t hear him.

    “Anytime.” Hera smiled and rose. “I’m going to get that sleep now. You should, too.” She touched his shoulder. “Remember what Master Kenobi said. Trust in the Force and persevere. Despite everything, there’s still hope.”

    He laughed briefly, under his breath. “You’re sure you weren’t taught in the Temple?”

    Hera put a hand on her hip. “I think I'd remember something like that.” Kanan smiled at her then, a real smile, the first he’d given her since she’d entered the cabin. Encouraged, she returned it. “Good night, Kanan. Remember to steer clear of the cockpit until morning.”

    “Yeah,” he said, still smiling. “Good night, Hera.”

    She went to her own cabin, thinking about the aspects of Kanan that suddenly made sense, his unexpected strengths and insecurities. All of their generation had been shaped by the Clone Wars, but here was someone who’d experienced the actual frontlines of those wars, as she had, someone who’d also seen people he loved felled in combat. Their specific experiences were different, but the essentials were the same. And that was a common ground they could build from, create a better, more effective partnership. Maybe even a genuine friendship.

    Hera climbed into bed, and fell asleep thinking about children hiding and fighting and dying on battlefields, and all that had yet to be done to save the next generation from the horrors she and Kanan had known.


    ----------



    They stood side by side on the upper deck of the cargo compartment, watching Zeb load the fuel shipment they’d managed to secure.

    “You’re completely incapable of not taking in strays, aren’t you?” Kanan asked.

    Hera smiled without looking at him. “You’re part of that club too, you know.”

    He reached a hand up and ran it over his head, smoothing the dark hair that was tied back in a short ponytail. Hera had never felt any particular attraction to hair on a person’s head – it was fine in a general sense, she didn’t object to it, but she’d always felt a bit sorry for species that lacked the ability for subtle communication that lekku gave to the Twi’lek people. But Kanan’s hair was kind of – dashing. Like him.

    “Yeah, I remember,” he said, distracting her. He leaned his elbows on the railing and sighed. “I kind of liked it when it was just the two of us.”

    A burst of indignant beeps erupted from the hallway behind them, and Kanan rolled his eyes. “Yes, and you too, Chop. How could I ever forget?”

    “That’s enough out of you, Chopper,” Hera called over her shoulder. “Did you fix the comms yet?”

    The answer was punctuated by some very dramatic waving of his manipulator arms. Beside her, Kanan muttered something under his breath about overemotional droids.

    “Well, then, get on it,” Hera said, turning halfway to face the overemotional droid in question. “We’re leaving soon, and we kind of need comms.”

    Chopper wheeled off, complaining all the while. Kanan hadn’t moved, and Hera nudged him with her shoulder. “Just the two of us was nice,” she agreed. “But this cause is bigger than either of us. Bigger than both of us.”

    “That’s what I’m afraid of,” Kanan said softly.

    “I know,” Hera murmured. He looked sideways at her, and she smiled sympathetically. “We’re all afraid sometimes. Real courage is moving forward despite the fear. And you’re more courageous than you realize.”

    Below them, Zeb moved the last fuel canister into the cargo hold. Looking up, he lifted his arms to the side in exasperation. “Is anyone going to help me secure these things, or am I the only one doing any work today?”

    Hera shook her head, then nudged Kanan again. “You got this?”

    “Yeah,” he said, giving her a crooked half-smile. “I got this.”

    “I’ll go get the engines warmed up, then,” she said, and turned toward the cockpit.

    She didn’t need a Jedi’s Force-sensitivity to feel Kanan’s eyes on her as she left, and she smiled to herself all the way to the cockpit.



    ----------



    “I don’t know,” Hera said, a hand on her hip and her head tilted thoughtfully. “I kind of like it.”

    “That’s because it’s not on your wall,” Kanan retorted.

    Sabine’s latest mural was – colorful. And very abstract. Hera wasn’t entirely sure what the viewer was supposed to derive from it, but then, that really wasn’t the important thing about Sabine’s art.

    “She needs to express herself, love,” she said. “You know she’s been through a lot.”

    Kanan folded his arms and heaved a sigh. “Yeah, I know. I just wish she’d express herself on her own walls.”

    “She did,” Hera replied. “I was in her room last night to talk. Every square inch is covered.”

    Kanan covered his face with a hand. “You realize, of course, that this is going to end with the Ghost’s entire outer hull looking like -” He lifted his head and waved his hand vaguely at the mural. “Whatever this is supposed to be.”

    Hera shrugged. “If she wants to spend all her credits on paint and then all her free time scrubbing it right off the hull again, that’s up to her.” She slid her hand into Kanan’s, intertwining their fingers. “I’ll talk to her, tell her to clean this one up.”

    Kanan’s hand briefly tightened around hers as he gazed at the mural. “No, it’s okay. I can use it as – a meditation focus. Maybe. It’s not hurting anything. I guess.”

    Hera smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder. “Your very own personal art gallery.”

    He snorted. “Just what I always wanted. Can you make sure the next stray we take in is at least a little less difficult?”

    “Now, dear,” Hera said. “How would someone like that fit into this crew? Come on, there’s time for a cup of caf before we lift off.”



    ----------



    “Argh!”

    Hera’s exasperated outburst could be heard halfway down the corridor from the cockpit, and Kanan cringed briefly, but didn’t pause as he headed toward the recreation area.

    “Okay,” he said as he entered. “All of you, out.”

    Sabine, painting a row of miniature starbirds along the edge of the game table, looked up. Two heads turned toward him from where Zeb had Ezra pinned to the floor. At the computer terminal, Chopper’s dome spun, and he waved a manipulating arm as he protested.

    “Can it, Chop,” Kanan said.

    “But Kanan -” Ezra began.

    Kanan cut him off. “You too. Sabine, you get to check the black market in this town, see if you can’t find some decent power converters. Zeb, Ezra, go get supplies. The list is in the mess. I don’t want to see any of you again before sunset. If you get done early, go find something else to keep you busy. Chopper, go work on the Phantom; someone knocked out the sensor array.” Ezra edged slightly behind Zeb. “And if you come back in the Ghost before sunset yourself, I’ll shut you down. Don’t think I won’t.”

    Chopper’s answering blat was insulting, but he headed toward the Phantom. The others muttered acquiescence as they filed out, elbowing each other. Kanan watched to make sure they were really heading toward the exit, then went to his cabin to get the parcel he’d stashed away after his own last trip to a marketplace several days ago.

    As he stepped back into the main corridor, he almost collided with Hera storming out of the cockpit. “Kanan, you know I support Ezra’s Jedi training, but you have to work on accuracy if he’s going to practice deflecting shots inside the ship! That last bolt took out the Phantom’s entire sensor array – it’s going to be hours of repair work!”

    “I know,” he said, taking her arm. “Not my smartest idea. But I’ve taken care of it.”

    She raised an eyebrow suspiciously, but he pulled her gently toward the recreation area. The uncharacteristic quiet only deepened her suspicious expression. The absence of the others as they entered cemented it. “Okay,” she said, stopping in the doorway and planting a fist on her hip. “What’s going on here?”

    “Just thought you could use a bit of peace and quiet,” he said, slipping his arm around her waist and steering her toward the table and handing her the parcel. “Here, got you something.”

    She sat and took it, weighing it speculatively in her hands before unwrapping it. “A meiloorun!”

    Kanan smiled at her delight. “Got it on our last stopover, but it wasn’t ripe. Hang on.” He went to the mess and returned with two steaming mugs, handing one over and sitting beside her. “You spend too much time taking care of everyone else. It’s about time someone took care of you, even if it’s only for an afternoon.”

    Hera smiled. He loved that smile, the smile that had lit all his days since she’d found him. “This is all very nice, love,” she said, “but where are the kids? And who’s going to fix the sensor array?”

    “Out,” he said, taking a sip of his drink. “And Chopper. And they’ve all been told they’re not allowed back in the ship until sunset.”

    She leaned back slowly, crossing her arms as the smile became a grin. “Well, well. Who’d have thought a bartender who specialized in hitting on university girls would turn out to be so sensible?”

    Kanan groaned. “Are you ever going to let that drop?”

    “Probably not,” Hera admitted cheerfully. She touched his cheek, leaning over to kiss him lightly. “Best stray I ever picked up, bar none. Think I’ll keep you around.”

    “You’re not getting rid of me any time soon,” Kanan told her, putting an arm around her shoulder and leaning back.

    She was just nestling into his embrace as a string of bleeps sounded and an orange dome peeked into the room.

    Phantom!” Kanan and Hera bellowed in unison, and Chopper hastily retreated.

    Hera shook her head. “He can be so difficult sometimes.”

    “That’s why he fits into this crew,” Kanan said, raising an eyebrow at her. “With a captain who specializes in taking chances on difficult misfits.”

    “It’s been a rewarding way of life so far,” Hera replied, her eyes shining at him.

    And in her smile, Kanan found all the hope he’d ever need.
     
    Anedon, Kahara, amidalachick and 5 others like this.
  2. ViariSkywalker

    ViariSkywalker Kessel Run Hostess Extraordinaire star 4 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Aug 9, 2002
    Mine!

    Edit: Back!

    First of all, not only are you basically Mara, you’re also basically Hera as well. I think that makes you pretty amazing and the best den mother around. ;):* (So many layers!)

    The characterizations are spot on all the way through this fic. From beginning to end, I could see everything clearly and vividly, and I could hear every character perfectly, the same as if I were watching an episode of Rebels. It’s seriously impressive. And I’m going to have to figure out other ways of saying “perfect”, otherwise these comments are going to get pretty repetitive. Here I go!

    I love the phrasing of this. It’s so SW, and it’s so Hera.

    Great details in this scene! And also amusing to picture, lol.

    Another great detail about how quietly he's able to move. Love all the little hints at his Jediness that you sprinkle throughout, leading up to the reveal.

    Never going to be over the fact that – in canon – Kanan was basically a frat boy. :p

    Oh, Hera. And how old are you here, girl? ;) They're both basically babies anyway at this point, right? Whippersnappers. :p

    This line is perfection. Really, I don’t know why you ever worried that you didn’t have Kanan’s voice right. I can hear this so clearly, it’s ridiculous.

    I like this so very much. Kanan's hesitance because of his past, Hera's willingness to take a chance on this guy she's only just met, because she can feel in her gut that there's something special about him... it's so gooood. I don't care what the canon version of events is, headcanon accepted!

    Canon is what I say it is. ;)

    I enjoy all of Hera's interactions with Chopper throughout this. I get a kick out of the one-sided conversations (well, one-sided for the audience, anyway). It's always funnier to me imagining what the droids are saying rather than actually knowing exactly what they're saying.

    Love this little nod to Kanan’s experiences in the Clone Wars.

    [face_love]

    Smooth, Kanan. Very smooth. :oops:

    Love this perspective from Hera, and that Kanan gets to hear it. We so often focus on the clones and the Jedi, but there was a whole galaxy of people who went through the Clone Wars along with them, and their experiences are just as valuable to hear about and learn from. And I love that Hera’s opinion of the Jedi is favorable, unlike so many both in-universe and out. It reminds me of how I felt about the Jedi as a kid – and still do, really. Makes me feel all warm inside, but also simultaneously sad at the fate of the Order and of all those killed - Jedi, clone, and otherwise - in service to the Emperor's grand plan. =((

    This is probably my favorite section in the entire vig. This attitude of Kanan’s, the survivor’s guilt and feeling like the Force has left him, is perfectly in line with where his character would be at this point in time. And Hera’s gentle wisdom here, “What if the will of the Force was this? That you survived?”… I got actual chills, Gabri. He’s been running for so long, and here now is someone who not only accepts who he is and who he was, but is able to offer him a measure of comfort that he’s been denied all these years. The whole passage, the whole scene, is so beautiful. I just love it. [face_love]

    Heehee, Chopper. :p Also, I love Kanan's "real smile" moment, and that Hera notices the difference. [face_love]

    And the best foundation for any lasting relationship!

    Aw, this is cute, and totally something Hera would think. (And now I’m thinking of her reaction to his haircut in the show [face_laugh])

    Well done reminder of Kanan’s hesitance to commit to the rebellion at this stage. You do such a great job of sprinkling in little details to show the passage of time. Not just adding in each member of the crew one-by-one, but things like this, too.

    I feel you, Zeb. I feel you. Also a good line from him, that I can totally hear.

    As a mother of a toddler who has taken to nabbing stray pencils at every opportunity and scribbling all over my walls when I’m not looking, this speaks to me very deeply. I feel both Hera’s motherly sympathy and Kanan’s acute frustration. :p

    LOL, I love the timing of this line and the vague hand-waving.

    LOLOL. Poor Kanan. You don't even know.

    This is a really nice detail. You do a great job throughout the whole story of including little things like this that help make the scene so vivid, and again, I can picture this happening on the show.

    Still lol-ing at Ezra here. Perfect detail to include, and once again helping to show the progress of time, with each new Spectre joining the crew!

    Hera would definitely make fun of Kanan for his frat boy ways forever and ever. They’re so damn adorable, I can’t even. It was nice to see Kanan taking care of Hera here. Even den mothers need a break and a little attention sometimes. ;)

    Love it, especially this last line. [face_love] Sweet without being overly flowery, perfectly matching them as a couple. Kanan and Hera really are the best – so wholesome and strong and hilarious and capable, and above all, a loving couple and the best parents to this crew of misfits. This vig was just a joy to read, from its inception to its final form. Bravo, my dear, you have done a wonderful job, and you’ve truly captured the essence of Kanan and Hera and what makes them work together as a couple! =D= [:D]


    See, you don't even need me to write you happyfic! You've got this covered all on your own! ;)[face_mischief] *runs*
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2020
  3. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Oh, yes.

    I think the inimitable @Raissa Baiard would find this another some such gift to cherish!

    Wonderfully in character and marvelous from the "he's hitting on the girls too young to be out" [face_laugh] to Hera's compassion and the gentle affectionate teasing. She does indeed have a sense about people, has a knack for taking in "misfits" and turning them into a family. [face_love]
     
    Last edited: Dec 29, 2020
    Kahara and Findswoman like this.
  4. Cowgirl Jedi 1701

    Cowgirl Jedi 1701 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 21, 2016
    So adorable watching Kanan evolve from "random stray that Space Mom Hera picked up" to "Space Dad".
     
  5. Gabri_Jade

    Gabri_Jade Fanfic Archive Editor Emeritus star 5 VIP

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2002
    @ViariSkywalker
    Awwww [face_love] (Though I'd point out that even my being a combination of two of SW's most kick-butt women has never stopped you from defying my den motherly dictates, whippersnapper :p:*)

    Thank you, darling [face_love] I am tremendously relieved, I must say. Been a while since I wrote any characters for the first time, so this was a little nerve-wracking.

    Always nice to hear that a detail works! :)

    Hera is completely in command of herself and the situation, while Kanan is rather befuddled but will follow her anywhere. Seemed about right for this time period :p

    Thank you! I didn't want it to just come out of nowhere, not to Hera. She's too sharp to not have picked up on at least some nuances that would have had her wondering before he ever admitted his past to her.

    Possibly my favorite thing that I ever learned from Wookieepedia :D

    Hee! According to Wookieepedia, Kanan was born in 33BBY, Hera in 29 BBY, and the novel A New Dawn, where they first meet, takes place in 11BBY. Though this vig doesn't follow all the events of that novel, it does take place at the same time, which makes Kanan 22 and Hera 18. Using the US legal drinking age (because that's what I know, and a GFFA-wide drinking age would be a joke with all those planets, never mind local regions on each planet), Kanan is just barely old enough to be there himself, and Hera is way too young to be there, let alone drinking whiskey. So yeah, those girls he's hitting on are adults (again going with US legal ages, because same reasons as drinking age) and Hera may well be younger than they are. But come on, does anyone doubt that even an 18yo Hera would still default to den mothering and be muttering in her head that they should be home studying instead of wearing ridiculous fashion trends and flirting with bartenders? And I'm sorry, that cracks me up, and I love her for it. So yes, Kanan's being a frat boy, but Hera's criticism here is just her den mother instincts on overdrive. :p

    Yay! Hera, I just knew what she'd do and say next throughout. Like Mara, I find her very easy to channel and write. Kanan, I had to consciously think about. I'm pleased it worked out!

    The book where they met was just plain disappointing if you ask me, so this version is my headcanon, too. Canon is always what I say it is. ;)

    I think so, too. I have read fics where the droid's dialogue was translated and worked well, but most of the time I'd way rather leave it the way it is in the movies: show what the droid (or non-Basic-speaking characters like Chewie) is saying by the reactions of others. (I always remember one scene from Rebels where Ezra answers Chopper: "Yes, we want him back! Don't be a sleemo!" and laugh.)

    Even though I get the basic reasons for it and accept that Jedi, even young ones, are generally better equipped than non-Jedi, it will honestly never stop bothering me that the Jedi took padawans into combat. Even taking into account that different species reach maturity at different ages, I feel that if they're padawans, they're still kids, and I have a real big problem with the concept of child soldiers. But for all that, Kanan did serve in a military and saw combat, so it stands to reason that he'd still carry at least some faint mannerisms from it. (Along with combat PTSD and the accompanying psychological trauma of experiencing that as a child, which, I will admit, at least gives us plenty of angsty fodder for plot bunnies and characterization!)

    And this is where I finally felt like I'd slipped into Kanan's headspace and was channeling his words properly. Adorable dashing dork that he is :p

    Right? It wasn't even like the Jedi and clones were the only ones who saw combat. Even the places that avoided being turned into actual battlefields were still affected by the war. And as much as Palpatine did to smear and erase the legacy of the Jedi, by the time of the Rebellion, there were still a lot of people alive who'd have met or known or interacted with Jedi personally and knew that the propaganda was mostly if not all lies. It was just dangerous to say that sort of thing aloud.

    Thank you, darling [face_love] One of the things I love about Kanan and Hera is how clear it becomes as you watch the show that they've entrusted each other with all the painful parts of their past. Hera knows Kanan's real name and all about his experiences as Jedi and his doubts about it since; Kanan knows all about Hera's estrangement from her father and her family history and culture. There wasn't room in a fic this length to show that whole process, but I really felt like I had to at least show the beginning of it, to do justice to the depth of their relationship.

    Chopper might - might - even edge Artoo out as my very favorite droid. He's just the best. And Hera is a den mother to the core; she'll always notice details like that. [face_love]

    Always. Which is a big part of why Luke/Mara and Kanan/Hera are my favorite SW ships. Those romances are based on genuine friendships and deep respect, not just attraction. I really must get to some cross-canon stuff and write those two couples interacting. The possibilities!

    "I hate your hair!" That scene inspired this detail, because it is canon that Hera liked Kanan's longer hair. (And she's completely right to do so.)

    Thank you! I tried :p

    I may have put off watching this show for a long time, but I love it so much, Vi. These characters [face_love]

    I am torn between sympathizing with you and kinda wanting to cheer her on :p

    I could just see it. Poor resigned Kanan :p

    And see, the next one was Kanan's idea! The most difficult of them all! Character development! Hera's den mother ways eventually rubbed off on him [face_love]

    She did paint on everything that held still long enough for her to do so, so why should the game table escape :p

    Let's be real, it could easily have been Zeb's fault anyway, distracting Ezra at a key moment just because he thought it was funny :p

    She absolutely would. And Kanan understands probably better than any of the crew just how much energy Hera expends in taking care of them all. He'd be sure to return the favor whenever he could [face_love]

    Last lines, argh. I need a "pulling your own hair out" smiley :p I'm glad it finally worked! Kanan and Hera are the best, so it's nice to know I did them justice :)

    Symbiosis, baby :* But I want my padawan!L/M fic, get on it o_O

    @WarmNyota_SweetAyesha
    Just barely too young to be out, to be fair, and Hera's no older. She's just much more mature and is unimpressed with casual flirtation when there's a galaxy to save ;) Of course, that maturity makes her the den mother extraordinaire that we all know and love [face_love]

    @Cowgirl Jedi 1701
    It took him a while, but he got there! Space Mom and Dad are the best [face_love]
     
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2021
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  6. amidalachick

    amidalachick FFoF Hostess Extraordinaire star 5 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Aug 3, 2003
    I love this so much! Kanan and Hera's progression from friendship to love feels so natural and I can totally hear their voices. [face_love]

    Such a sweet gesture! [face_love]=D=
     
  7. Gabri_Jade

    Gabri_Jade Fanfic Archive Editor Emeritus star 5 VIP

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2002
    Thank you so much! I adore Rebels, but this was my first time writing the characters, so it's such a relief to hear that I got them right. :) I will definitely have to try to write them again, because Kanan and Hera are the best [face_love]
     
  8. Mira Grau

    Mira Grau Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    May 11, 2016
    Nice work, as the others said it really gives a good indication of the progess Kanaan and Hera go through in becoming a couple.
     
  9. Gabri_Jade

    Gabri_Jade Fanfic Archive Editor Emeritus star 5 VIP

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2002
    Thank you! Kanan and Hera are just the best [face_love]
     
  10. AzureAngel2

    AzureAngel2 Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 14, 2005
    I only found this fic today, and I am thrilled by your characterization of my most beloved "Rebels" characters. Thank you! I wish I could add something more clever, but everybody else already praised you so much in stunning detail.
     
  11. Gabri_Jade

    Gabri_Jade Fanfic Archive Editor Emeritus star 5 VIP

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2002
    Aw, thank you [face_blush] I only got around to watching Rebels this past summer (quarantine binge watching paid off :p) and I fell for the characters hard, especially Kanan and Hera. I'm so relieved I got them right here. Hopefully I'll write more of them in the future :)
     
  12. Mira_Jade

    Mira_Jade The (FavoriteTM) Fanfic Mod With the Cape star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2004
    Oh, but I just LOVED this. [face_love]

    Ha! Quite the auspicious beginning. :p

    Throughout this first scene, I really enjoyed all of the little signs Hera picked up on about Kanan being more than he seems! The details were fantastic, and paid off in the reveal.

    [face_laugh] Why do you care so much, Hera? [face_mischief]

    Again, THESE LITTLE THINGS!

    Bwaha! I enjoyed every bit of Chopper being his usual cantankerous self throughout the story. [face_laugh]

    Oh, that hurt.=((

    My credits would be on Chopper, too. ;)

    Oh, Kanan. Smooth.

    Years of keeping his identity hidden, and then Hera figures it out in a week. There's really something fitting about that, though.

    =(( Every bit of this conversation hit, and hit hard.

    [face_love] The beating heart of Star Wars, there.

    =(( =(( Oh, but my TCW adoring heart just hurt for that. This paragraph, in particular, was beautifully worded.

    Very dashing. [face_mischief]

    And I just love little details like this when it comes to inner-species pairings. [face_love]

    Space!Mom and Space!Dad at their best. [face_love]

    SPACE!DAD AT HIS FINEST!!! [face_love] :D

    This was just beautiful, and so true!

    [face_rofl] [face_rofl] [face_rofl]

    [face_love]!!

    Yep, I was reduced to just using emojis there by the end. This was just so touching and sweet from start to finish. I adored every word.

    As always, it's a true pleasure reading your work! I can't wait to see what you share with us next.

    =D= [:D]
     
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  13. Gabri_Jade

    Gabri_Jade Fanfic Archive Editor Emeritus star 5 VIP

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2002
    Aw, thanks [face_blush]

    I looked up Kanan and Hera in Wookieepedia to see if it was established when and how they met and found that it was in a book I then read, but to be honest, I found it disappointing. However, Wookieepedia and that book also told me that when they met, Kanan was essentially a bartender who spent his spare time hitting on university girls (I swear I'm not making that up), and that, I could run with. And as Vi has pointed out, Hera would make fun of him for that forever and ever, which I love. So yeah, I went with frat boy!Kanan for their beginning here :p

    I'm so pleased the details worked. :D Obviously Kanan is pretty good at staying hidden, since he's still alive, but Hera is wildly observant and emotionally intelligent. It didn't make sense to me that she wouldn't notice these little things.

    That is the real question :p

    Hee! :D Our den mother extraordinaire isn't going to miss that :p

    I love Chopper so much, Mira. SO MUCH. :chopper:

    If the saga is going to give me angst-riddled characters, you'd better believe I'm going to use that angst [face_mischief]

    To quote another character I love, even if I didn't care for that particular movie, never underestimate a droid.

    lol, well, if he'd been sensible and kept that holocron hidden until Hera was actually asleep, it might have taken her a whole two weeks [face_mischief]:p

    It feels kind of mean to say yay, but yay? :p There are some bits of writing where you look at them and think, "either this is really touching or really ridiculous, and I may be too close to the material to tell the difference." Which is worrying. So it's good to know I stuck the landing on a tricky section :D

    Rebellions are built on hope! (I like that particular movie very much indeed :D) It really always does come down to hope in SW.

    Thank you! :D Everyone who lived through the Clone Wars had to be affected by them one way or another for their whole life, I imagine, and Hera being Hera, her way of dealing with it is to do everything she can to make sure no one else ever has to live through something like that again.

    Hera is so great, I just can't even. :hera:

    High praise coming from the master! :D

    I love them SO MUCH. SO. MUCH.

    Space!Dad is taking no backtalk today :p

    If anyone deserves an afternoon off, it's Hera. And if you ask me, Kanan and Hera are better at taking care of each other than any other couple in SW save my beloved Luke and Mara. (Look, I love Han and Leia too, but they had some pretty epic rough patches in both Legends and the ST, so sorry, L/M and K/H are way better in this regard.)

    Mira, you have no idea how much I angsted over that last line. There was a point where I was seriously like, "well, I guess I'm never posting this, because I can't figure out any way at all to finish it" - so yeah, if what I finally came up with reduced you to just using emojis, I'm just going to be over here melting into a puddle of profound relief :p

    [face_blush] Thank you so much! :D There's actually stuff in the works, too. Not something I used to be able to say, but these days I am absolutely swarmed by plot bunnies. Hopefully I'll get a couple of them finished before too long :)
     
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