Two there are

[notallofus]

It's not like Kanan's trying to let Rex get under his skin, but if the clo -- guy -- could just keep his opinions about what makes a good Jedi to himself, this would all be a lot easier. Not that Kanan's jealous of him trying to mentor Ezra, there's nothing wrong with that.

Nothing.

Just --

"You really think wit's going to get you out of every hole you dig yourself into?" He finds himself asking Rex, halfway through heating up a protein pack in the galley. "I thought you couldn't fly by the seat of your pants in the army."

Rex folds his arms across his chest, scoffing out loud. "You have to have heard the one about battle plans surviving enemies. Maybe you didn't remember it, in all the time you spent off the front lines, but surely you heard it somewhere."

Comments

[for_everyone]

"Well, I don't think there's anything wrong in asking for help," she answers, keeping her eyes on him.

"Rex doesn't seem reckless to me. But I know some clones troopers were. It might be something he's dealt with before."

[notallofus]

"You don't think he wants to encourage recklessness? Because he keeps talking about wit, and how important it is, more important than discipline, and all I can think is that people living by their wits improvise all the time, and that's fine, that works -- honestly that worked for me back before . . . and Ezra too, I guess. I mean, it's how we met him."

He takes a deep breath, and exhales it again.

"He's got that already, it feels like to me. I want to balance that. I -- maybe I should ask him. Rex. Because you're right, if he were all improvisation all the time, he wouldn't be alive right now. I just -- it's so easy to get angry at him."

[for_everyone]

"I'm saying you said you couldn't reach Ezra, in his recklessness," she points out. "And that might be something Rex has seen before."

She does turn away now, leaning back into the seat again. "Look, Rex keeps telling you what he thinks a Jedi should be. I'm sure he wants what's best for Ezra, but right now he's doing that by challenging you in front of him. I can see why that makes you angry."

[notallofus]

"It makes me feel . . . "

Kanan takes a deep breath again.

"You know I don't always feel like the greatest Jedi, or even like I'm doing it right at all. And this . . . he knew Jedi, Jedi Masters, even. And if I don't measure up . . . "

It's just another failure, and one he can't see how to come back from.

[for_everyone]

Hera reaches over, not that she has to reach far, and puts her hand on his knee.

"Rex knew them," she says quietly. "You are one."

[notallofus]

Kanan shifts to rest his own hand on top of hers, breathing in and out again.

"I'll try to remember that," he says at last. "When I talk to him about Ezra, I mean. And . . . dealing with recklessness."

It's a promise.

"No more bickering."

[for_everyone]

"I appreciate that," she says.

For the moment, her hand stays on his knee.

[notallofus]

Kanan winces.

"Yeah, I was getting pretty unbearable there, wasn't I?"

He'd say it about Rex, too, but his tone would probably be . . . too snide. So he doesn't mention him.

[for_everyone]

"It didn't help that you two were following me all over the ship."

She smiles slightly, but adds, "And I'm sure it's hard on Ezra."

[notallofus]

Kanan blinks.

"We were . . . oh. Uh. Yeah, sorry about that."

He has a feeling that was all on him.

"And . . . you think that's why he was so eager to go along on this mission?"

Well, shit.

[for_everyone]

"I doubt he's comfortable hearing you two fight over him," she answers. "Would you be?"

[notallofus]

It's hard to fight back a dull flush, but Kanan tries.

(And manages. Mostly.)

"Uh, probably not, no."

[for_everyone]

"Look, I'd talk to Rex about this, but -"

But Rex isn't under her command, but she's not Kanan's mother to solve his problems for him, but -

"But Ezra's your student."

And not making him want to run off on dangerous missions rather than spend the day training is more Kanan's responsibility.

[notallofus]

"No," Kanan says immediately, and, "Yeah, don't. That's not -- I've' got it."

There's a sinking sensation in his stomach, because he's pretty sure he's going to bumble around more before actually really managing to get this solved, but --

"I'll figure it out. But it won't be a problem anymore. And . . . I'll make it right with Rex, too."

[for_everyone]

"I know you will."

After a pause, she adds, "And you know, you can always ask me for help, too."

Maybe instead of irritating her until she just does it anyway.

[notallofus]

Kanan's exhale this time is more on the explosive side.

"I know. Sometimes I'm slow to realize there's something I need help with, though."

Like this time. Deliberately not thinking about things is a horrible coping mechanism!

[for_everyone]

"Yeah," she says, with her own small sigh.

"That's okay. But maybe it's something to practice."

She knows she's not always good at it, either.

[notallofus]

Kanan twists his fingers between hers -- on the hand she's still resting on his knee, and lifts her hand to his lips. The kiss, too, is a promise.

"I'll get better. And yes, I'll practice. We both can."

[for_everyone]

Hera's eyes flicker down, as she's surprised to feel heat on her face. It's not the first time she's experienced the gesture, but the first time she's had this reaction.

Still, she takes a breath, and looks back up to him. "All right. It's a deal."

[notallofus]

Kanan smiles, gaze fixed on her face.

"I won't forget."