Family is not only blood

What is important

Ezra cleaned the phantom for what seemed like the hundredth time this cycle.

"Taking the phantom for a joy ride is bad. Got it Hera" Ezra mumbled under his breath as he carefully and very, very slowly cleaned the sensitive navigator. It was a very old model and while Sabine had asked (begged) Hera to get a new one, Hera kept telling her that it was a part of her ship and she would not change it unless it was beyond repair. And Ezra didn't want to be the reason for it to happen. Especially now that he had already tested Hera's limits.

He heard someone climb the stairs. It was probably Hera checking on him. He did his best to swallow down his annoyance knowing that any signs of it in his voice would only irritate her.

"Hi Hera" he said as the footsteps stopped right behind him. "Look, I'm doing my chores okay. You don't have to check on my every twenty minutes"

"Okay, if you insist"

Ezra sat a little straighter at the sound of the voice. Kanan. He turn around to see the man smiling teasingly at him. Ezra smiled turning his attention back to the navigator. "So Hera is sending you to check on me now?"

"No, just came to see if you are up for a walk"

"I would but Hera..."

"I talked things out with her. She's okay with it. Choper can take over for the day. After all his just as grounded as you are"

Ezra smiled.

"Okay, just let me finish with this first"
 
Kanan nodded and sat down. As Ezra went back to work and none of them tried to start a conversation. They sat there in silence. It wasn't the bad kind of silence when everything feels awkward and tense. It was the kind of silence that is enjoyable and peaceful.

Ezra smiled and thought of how much his life had changed since he met the crew. He wouldn't leave that for anything in the world. As much as he liked Hondo he would never choose him over the crew. Hondo was amusing but he wasn't family. He seem to enjoy Ezra's company but he didn't care for him as much as the crew. That much Ezra could tell.

Ezra was almost done when he felt it. He turned his head slightly and saw Kanan. The man seemed deep in thought and probably hadn't realized their bond was completely unblocked as guilt, unbearable guilt was leaking from Kanan's side.

Ezra stood up and  hesitantly walked up to his master.

"Kanan?"

The man snapped out of his thoughts and immediately raised his shields. He cleared his throat as he stood up.

"All done?"

Ezra nodded raising his own shields as an attempt to contain his worry from reaching Kanan. Kanan started climbing down the ladder and Ezra followed taking the tool box with him.

Chopper was waiting for them and took the tool box from Ezra while complaining about having to do his chores.

"You're as grounded as I am, why do I have to do your chores? I already did mine!" Choper said in binary.

Kanan walked passed them without so much as a glare. Choper and Ezra both looked at where Kanan had gone for a second before turning to look at each other.

"What's up with him?"

"I don't know. Probably a fight with Hera or something. I felt guilt leaking from our bond"

"I don't think so. I saw her today. She didn't seem any different. She gave me my chores and threatened to take out my battery...and then she gave me your chores!"

"Okay, okay, I get it. I need to get going. He's probably waiting for me outside"

Ezra said as he walked pass Choper as well.