Saga Apologies and Observations (Kanan/Hera)

Title: Apologies and Observations
Author: Jags_Scoundrel
Characters: Kanan Jarrus, Hera Syndulla, C1-10P (Chopper)
Timeframe: Just after the events of the Idiot's Array episode
Author's Notes: If you haven't seen Idiot's Array and don't want to be spoiled, you might want to skip this little viggie. Also, the green daisies come from The Rebellion Begins - the junior novelization of the Spark of Rebellion episode by Michael Kogge.





　

　

　

　

　

Kanan paused just outside the closed door. He harbored no illusions about the difficulty of his mission - this was not going to be easy. With one last deep breath to steel himself for what lay ahead, he used a gentle pulse through the force to activate the control. The door swished open and he cautiously stepped inside.

"I'm still mad at you." Hera didn't bother to swivel the pilot's chair around to face him, choosing instead to use the reflection in the transparisteel of the cockpit window to skewer him with her laser-like glare.

"I know," he said as he drew closer, holding the objects that he clutched in his hands out in front of him like a shield. Kanan wanted to add, you've made that quite clear, but he figured that his sarcasm setting was best left in the "off" position right now.

She folded her arms across her chest and continued to glare at his reflection. "And a mug of caf and some flowers is supposed to make everything okay?"

"No. But I figured they couldn't hurt." He stood beside her and offered the drink first. "A splash of blue milk and just the right amount of sweetener - just the way you like it."

Still glowering at him, Hera accepted the proffered mug and took an experimental sip. Kanan noted with pleasure that a ghost of a smile traced her lips as she closed her eyes for a moment and savored the taste. The tone of her voice was much softer as she said, "You may be an idiot... but you're an idiot that can make a delicious mug of caf."

Okay, I wish she'd stop calling me an idiot, but at least she's not shooting me with her eye lasers. It's progress. Kanan held out the mug in his other hand, which he had filled with blooms of delicate petals surrounding a brilliant emerald-like center. They reminded him of Hera's eyes. "They're called green daisies. Ezra told me that their stems are so sensitive, they can sense when you are near and will open their petals."

A tiny smile curved her lips as she studied the blooms. "They're beautiful."

But not as beautiful as you, he wanted to add, but was afraid that she would doubt his sincerity.

"Thank you, Kanan," she said quietly, her smile widening.

"You're welcome," he replied as his spirits began to soar. His plan might actually be working!

She set both mugs atop one of the consoles, then spun back around to face him - her arms crossed and her death-glare fully charged. "But this doesn't change the fact that I'm still angry with you for what you did today."

He sank into the co-pilot's chair as he felt his hopes being shot down faster than a sluggish TIE pilot. "Would it help if I said I was sorry?"

"If you really meant it - maybe. But are you sorry for what you've done, or are you just sorry that I'm mad at you?"

Kanan immediately opened his mouth to give the "right" answer, but just as quickly closed it again. Hera knew him well enough to see through any response that wasn't the truth. The anger and disappointment that simmered in her eyes pierced his heart. Casting his gaze down to the floor, he scuffed the deck plating with the toe of one boot. "I don't like it when you're mad at me," he said softly.

He heard her irritated sigh. "Then why would you do something that was guaranteed to make me angry - like allowing Zeb to bet Chopper away in a game of sabacc?"

"But Hera," Kanan protested, "he had pure sabacc! The odds were astronomically against Lando actually having the only hand that could beat that. And you know that we really needed the credits."

"No, what I know is that you have no idea why what you did is so wrong."

"No, I don't," he admitted.

Hera stared out at the starlit, grassy plain where the Ghost was parked, seemingly lost in thought. A spark seemed to light in her eyes, and she turned her gaze back to Kanan. "Okay, tell me then... what would you have done if I were the only property you had to bet?"

His eyes widened in horror at the thought. "What? I - No!" he spluttered, trying to keep the images that his fears had brought forth when he had to leave her on Azmorigan's ship from springing to life in his mind's eye once again. "There are so many things wrong with that idea, I don't even know where to begin!"

"Well, try, love. I really want to hear them."

"First of all, you are not property! The thought of anyone treating you that way makes my stomach turn and my blood boil."

"Go on," she encouraged.

His tone softened. "I would never take a chance like that with you. No matter how much the odds were in my favor. Not for all the credits in the galaxy."

Wordlessly, she continued to stare at him. One eyebrow finally quirked up as she waited for him to make the connection.

Which he finally did. "And I shouldn't have done that with Chopper."

"No, you shouldn't have."

"But, I don't... feel the same way about Chopper as I do for you." Love. Why was it so hard for him to say that word?

She smiled patiently at him. "No, I would suppose not. But he is a member of this crew just as much as any of us are. He's family, Kanan."

"You mean like the maniacal uncle that no one likes to talk about?"

That elicited a quiet chuckle from Hera. "Something like that. All joking aside, yes, he can be... difficult..."

"That has got to be the largest understatement that I have ever heard."

"Okay, you've got me there. But my point is, you really underestimate how much he does for us. Tonight, for example: he managed to steal fuel that we desperately needed - in the middle of a firefight, I might add - and he saved Zeb's life - all of our lives, actually - by allowing us to turn the tables back on Azmorigan."

Kanan sighed in defeat. "You're right."

"I know, dear."

"And I owe the little rust bucket an apology, don't I?"

"Yes, you do."

The door to the cockpit slid open and Chopper wheeled in. He came to a stop right beside Kanan and thrust his mechanical arms down like he was planting his hands on his hips.

"Were you eavesdropping on us?" Kanan asked in disbelief.

Chopper rudely blatted a reply.

Kanan pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed loudly. "It doesn't matter," he said with a shake of his head. He knelt down in front of the droid and placed a hand on his orange dome. "I'm sorry, Chop. I never should have let Zeb bet you."

Chopper waved an arm dismissively at him and made a disinterested sounding razzing noise.

"Well, now that we've finally gotten an apology and acceptance, do you mind if I make one more observation, dear?"

Kanan slowly stood and turned to face her. "About what?" he asked warily.

"Just that even though you tend to wear it often, the color green doesn't really suit you."

"You're critiquing my sense of fashion?"

Hera rolled her eyes. "No. I'm saying that your jealousy makes you look rather childish."

"Me? Jealous of Calrissian? That's ridiculous," he scoffed.

"If it helps you sleep at night, deny it all you want. I'm just making an observation."

"I wasn't jealous," he insisted.

"Yes, you were."

"No, I wasn't."

"Yes. You were."

"No. I wasn't."

"You do know that I can win this argument any time I want, don't you?"

"Really?" he drawled. "How do you figure that?"

In response, Hera slipped her arms around his neck and captured his lips in a tender, lingering kiss.

Kanan froze for a moment in surprise, but quickly melted into her embrace - his thoughts fading like a hologram that had been switched off. Somewhere beyond the blissful haze that clouded his senses, he faintly heard Chopper warbling in disgust as he left the room.

Hera finally pulled back just far enough to smile coyly at him. "I win," she said softly.

"What were we arguing about?"

"Does it matter?"

Kanan smiled. "Not at all."

 

Yeah--Squeee --- I'm waiting for this to happen on the show. Way to go Hera.

 

Yum! Delightful. Thanks for this.

 

Wonderful! Really a treat to read. They ARE so space married, as someone else noted. I really like the effortless way you wrote the dialogue. It's so natural and carries the story so well. Great job!

 

Gah, I LOVE those Space Married kids. This was great, and a wonderful post-script to Idiot's Array.

I'm going to say this is why Chopper interrupted their almost-kiss during "Fire Across the Galaxy." Darn that little droid! One day we'll get a kiss, I know it.

Edit: Can you tag me if you write any more Kanan/Hera fic?

 

Love this! Your dialogue is spot-on! Always up for well-written Kanan/Hera.

 

I wish we could see something like this on the show, but I suspect that we won't get anything more than moments like the reunion in Fire Across the Galaxy or the almost kiss in Machine in the Ghost. (Darn you, Chopper!) Thanks for reading!

You're welcome. Thank you for reading!

Thank you! I really enjoy writing dialogue, and I love writing Kanan/Hera dialogue.

They are a lot of fun, aren't they? Thanks! And thank you for reading!

Chopper! Like I mentioned above, I think we're going to have to rely on our imaginations for the kiss (But I'll be squee-ing like a crazy woman if I'm proven wrong. )

Sure! [rushes off to the Welcome Forum to figure out how to do that] Good grief, people would ask for PM's the last time I posted regularly - they're not even called private messages anymore, are they?

Aww, thank you! And thanks for reading!

 

Yuppers, Jags_Scoundrel and Foxtrot_97 - are really the toppers when it comes to kanan with an OC or Hera. I think if I read "A New Dawn" after this, it'd be a letdown.

 

Aww! This is one of my favorite Kanan/Hera stories so far. (How awesome is it that we're getting Rebels fic here at last? I am glad that someone is feeding my addiction.)

This sounds exactly like the kind of conversation that I would expect them to have. You've captured their ways of speaking and concerns really well. I love that Hera is extremely protective of Chopper. It's so sweet (and a little funny given that Chopper is a homicidal little droid terror, as we all know.) Her explanation of just why it was a problem to bet the droid on a game is perfect, and Kanan's answers are so in-character I can hear the voice.

and

They're so adorable here!

 

Aww, that's so sweet of you to say. Thank you!

Thanks! (I'm loving all of the Rebels fic, too! )

Would it be crazy for me to admit that when I'm writing these, I think I've got the dialogue right where I want it when I can hear Vanessa and FPJ doing the lines in my head when I read it back? I think that deep down, everyone on the crew loves the "homicidal little droid terror" (I love that description!) in their own way, I just think that Hera is the one that has no problem being honest about it.

Thanks for the comments, and thank you for reading!