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A chance at stealing an Imperial ship during a flubbed mission goes awry, leaving Ezra and Zeb stranded on an uninhabited planet and in the middle of a snowed-over forest. Things go from bad to worse as they discover the ship wasn't even worth stealing, and as Ezra's health starts failing. It's up to Zeb to keep him alive until help can arrive.Â
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I should be sewing, instead I typed this up. A section from The Time Travel AU I Probably Wonât Ever Write. Ezra gets some advice.Â
âYou havenât studied much of the philosophy behind being a Jedi, have you?â Master Billaba didnât stir from where she knelt, to all appearances oblivious to everything around her in her meditation. Ezra had seen Kanan pull that trick often enough to know it wasnât anything more flashy than having a good Sabbac-face.
 âWell, no, but it wasnât like it was all that important.â Ezra winced at how the words sounded. âI mean, I know itâs important, but we were trying to stay alive.â The words sounded like a lousy excuse even to him. It was true though, they hadnât had time to sit around discussing the meaning behind the universe when there was survival to worry about.
 He didnât know much about Master Billaba, except she wasnât much like he expected. He had known her name and that she was Kananâs Master, but Kanan had always grown tense and uncomfortable when the subject came up and Ezra never wanted to push. Heâd half expected an older, female version of Kanan. While it was true there was a great deal of physical resemblance that he hasnât expected, personality-wise so far there was nearly nothing in common. He knew she was probably deliberately distancing herself from him, but when Kanan didnât trust someone he was openly hostile or overly friendly. This calm sort of apathy was alien to him, even if Ezra knew she had to care or she wouldnât have asked him to meet her here. Here was a greenhouse garden inside the Temple, Ezra wasnât sure if the roof panels were actual viewports to let in the sunlight, or a clever viewscreen to mimic a sky, either way it gave the impression of open air. He didnât recognize half the plants and he was fairly sure they were all ornamental rather than useful, but it was a pleasant change from the nearly sterile seeming hallways and rooms heâd been in so far.
 There was a long padded mat stretched out near the small fountain where Master Billaba was kneeling, and Ezra stood awkwardly in front of her until she opened her eyes and gestured to the rest of the mat. Ezra hoped that was a good sign, moving to sit on the unused section of mat beside her.
 âWhat did you learn?â Her voice was calm, and expecting to be called on the poor excuse and to try and defend it, Ezra was left floundering.
 âUm, to trust in the Force, to trust your instincts but not your emotions, overindulgence is forbidden, attachments are forbidden. That sort of thing, you mean the philosophy part and not the fighting part, right.â Ezra tried to think back, things tended to have come in bits and pieces, nothing like when heâd attended Imperial classes.
 âA simplistic description, but itâs a start. Do you know why there are rules regarding attachments?â Billaba questioned him, Ezra shifted uncomfortably.
 âIâm... not sure because theyâre supposed to be forbidden, but at the same time Iâve seen how they can help, that people working together can do a lot more good than individuals acting on their own. I mean, I donât want to question a fundamental part of it, butâŚâ Ezra watched Master Billabaâs profile, not that it did him much good. Kanan sometimes allowed questioning like that, but it was easy to read if he was just going to get a frustrated admonishment to figure it out himself or if Kanan was in the mood to talk about it. Master Billabaâs expression never changed and he couldnât tell if she was annoyed or not.
 âIt is a complicated topic, and something that even old Jedi Masters have conflicting opinions on. This is how I learned it.â Master Billaba moved then, reaching out to select two near identical decorative rocks from around the nearby flowerbed, placing them in front of them both. âWhich rock is the more valuable one?â
 âI donât know.â Ezra replied honestly.
 âWhat if I told you that one of these rocks was a gift from a powerful king thanking the Jedi for saving his planet, and one was simply part of a batch the landscapers bought?â Billaba asked.
 âThat⌠sounds like one of those trick questions. I get the feeling Iâm supposed to say the king rock is, but Iâm probably wrong.â Ezra answered, and for the first time got a change in expression, a small smile.
 âNot entirely, youâre supposed to think about why the story behind the rocks would make one appear more valuable than the other, even though with no backstory they are to all appearances ordinary pebbles. It is in the nature of sentients to assign value arbitrarily to things, on one planet humans born with green eyes are rare and seen as blessed, unusually wise and destined for greatness because their rarity is valuable. On another planet humans born with green eyes are just as rare, and seen as cursed and inherently lesser than others because why would a generous deity not give as many as possible the advantageous eye colors? And science says that green eyes are simply a gene expression, with no good or ill associated with them. The Jedi believe that the attachment of value to an eyecolor is inherently wrong and people born with green eyes are equal in the Force to those born with any other eye color, or those with no eyes, or many.â Billaba explained patiently, and Ezra hardly dared to breathe. It was the longest someone had talked to him without asking a question about who or what he was since he arrived.
 After a long pause though, he realized he should probably say something. âThat⌠makes a great deal of sense.â
 âIt does. However, like most things it gets complicated quickly.â She reached out to pick up both rocks, holding them out to him. Ezra warily reached out to take them.
 âNow, what if you were told that one of these rocks should be destroyed and one preserved. Which would you chose?â
 âI donât know,â Ezra bit his lip, looking at them both. âI mean, if one really was a gift from a king then maybe it should be saved, but thatâs kind of not fair to the other rock because itâs not its fault it wasnât special. They should be equal, butâŚâ
 âAnd if the kingâs rock wasnât chosen, since others do assign value to it then itâs possible they could become angry at you for choosing wrongly. Or they could become angry that you saved the valuable rock and feel that the less valuable rock deserved to be saved. There are those who would even say in fairness that both rocks should be destroyed, in order to show fairness.â Master Billaba shook her head slightly at that. âThat last belief you will encounter even among Jedi, I have always felt it a sign of immaturity that they are so attached to the idea of not showing any attachment that they end up inviting more destruction than is unavoidable, but many would loudly disagree.â
 âIâd save them both, if I could.â Ezra said softly, and then nearly jumped at the hand on his shoulder, a light touch that still carried a feeling of reassurance.
 âI have always felt that is a noble goal, as long as itâs tempered by the understanding that you are only one person and you must make peace with the fact that destruction will happen even if you make no mistakes.â Master Billaba said, and Ezra brightened a little at the praise, faint as it was.
 âWhy are you telling me all this?â It was maybe a risky question, but so far Master Billaba seemed⌠reasonable at least.
 âBecause I believe you, Ezra Bridger. There are many who doubt you. There are those who believe you are an agent of evil, there are those who believe you a fool who encountered a powerful artifact and was fed false visions, and there are those who believe you are attempting to deceive us for whatever reason, but I believe you are a young man who came unstuck in time. Which means there are three paths before you.â Billaba held up a hand, raising one finger. âThe first is that you attempt to get back to your proper time and place, if something was indeed capable of sending you here, then it follows that there would be some way of returning you.â A second finger was raised. âThe next is that you leave this place and attempt to live whatever life and what happens, happens. I do not think you will wish to take this path, but it is an option.â She raised a final finger. âThe third is that you stay and attempt to change the future for what may be the better. And I wonder if youâve truly thought that through.â
 âIâŚâ Ezra started, and then stopped. He was silent for several long moments. âIf that happens, I lose everyone, donât I? Even if I see them again they wonât be the same people I left, they wonât know me. Sabine⌠Sabine would be an infant right now if sheâs even been born, Heraâs not much older than her. It couldnât ever be the same.â Heâd encountered Ahsoka and Rex, but he had been so overwhelmed it hadnât clicked with him what it truly meant. âMy parents are alive right now, and I canât ever see them.â
 The look Master Billaba turned on him was full of quiet sympathy. âAnd there is why so many are quick to reject the very concept of attachments as wrong. We are all fallible, and when choices bring pain then itâs hard to untangle what you truly believe is the best path and which path is simply the least painful one. There are no easy answers, and sometimes thereâs not even a right answer, but you canât avoid the question.â
 Ezra was quiet, staring down at the rocks he was still holding. He was squeezing them tight enough that his knuckles had turned white and he hadnât even noticed.
 âYou donât have to decide now, but whatever path you chose to walk, there are those here who will assist you however we can.â Billaba spoke quietly, and then stood. Ezra made no move to follow her as she left him alone with his thoughts.Â
I think the assumption is Ahsoka recruited Hera, but picture a freshly promoted Fulcrum Cassian. Heâs just a teen, tough as nails and still figuring out this whole leader/spy thing when he meets a teenage twiâlek in dirty flight clothes. And she hates and misses her father, and she misses her mother, and she hates the Empire, and they have a lot in common really. Sheâs scraping by with odd jobs but he can see sheâs got the sort of magic with anything that can fly that only comes when you have that rare trio of talent and passion and durasteel determination to keep practicing past the point others would consider it insanity.Â
And maybe Cassian is a little insane himself because thereâs a race coming up and he tells her she should enter. He tells her she should put up her battered old astromech for the entry fee and she punches him in the face. Later when his cheekbone stops throbbing he tells her a face punch hurts you just as much and itâs better to go for the gut. She takes the advice with the same sort of practicality they both understand too well and itâs not friendship but itâs something.Â
When she scrapes up the entry fee somehow he takes one look at the odds against her and puts credits on her, a lot of credits. Maybe heâll be chewed out and demoted but he can look into hard green eyes and see the same sort of... something thatâs helped him win in worse odds.
She wins, of course, and the winnerâs prize is enough to keep her in fuel for a while, maybe let her be a little pickier about the jobs she takes. To maybe breathe and rest and start fighting instead of just surviving. Or maybe...Â
âHere. Your half of the credits you made me.â He presses them on her and she tries to refuse. Credits like these always come with strings, but itâs enough to keep her comfortable for a long time. Or to trade in her old junker of a ship and astromech for one of the new light freighters for sale in the shipyard.Â
She trades in the junker, but not the astromech.Â
 When everythingâs all signed for he shakes her hand.Â
âCongratulations Captain, Iâm Fulcrum.â And with the way her eyes narrow just a bit she maybe knows how new the title is in his mouth. He doesnât care, they both know sheâs not going to pass this up.Â
He doesnât stay her Fulcrum of course, he passes her off to someone with more experience with something like disappointed relief and he keeps fighting and lying and doing what he does best. He never asks. The cells are all called by their codes and he never asks if behind one of those code names is a twiâlek who flies like she was born to. Itâs easier that way, it always is.Â
The first time he hears the words General Syndulla his first thought is that somehow they managed to pry that old clone war veteran off his planet. Then he sees green eyes as hard as gemstone and he stands a little straighter.Â
It doesnât come close to balancing his scale, not with everything heâs done. But sometimes it makes it a little easier to carry the weight.Â
And then maybe the next time he meets someone with hard eyes, who misses her father and mother and hates the Empire and believes she can do something about it, heâs willing to stay beside her.Â
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If Anon never answers how about Rexsoka reconnecting after the Ghost crew have recruited him for the rebellion.
 (Note, promps get posted unbetaâd so there may be typos and whatnot.)
Rex squinted at the slowly falling snow distastefully and tugged the collar of his coat a bit higher. Seelos got cold at night, with the sand holding little of the dayâs baking heat, but it wasnât anything close to freezing. The snow was pretty enough he was sure, but it was visible proof of how blasted cold it was. Ahsoka was in no hurry either, hurrying drew attention and they wanted to do anything but draw attention. They were meeting with one of Fulcrumâs contacts, who had information sensitive enough to warrant picking it up in person rather than sending someone else.
 He wasnât entirely sure why Ahsoka had asked him to come along. He was glad to watch her back, but he knew deep in his gut she hardly needed it. She moved with a confidence that he was certain was well earned, even in an ordinary civilian coat and fairly silly looking hat shaped over her montrails and down her long lekku. Rex wished he could shake the suspicion that it was only because two people out walking through the streets together attracted less attention and it could have been anyone filling his role. She bumped his shoulder, gloved hand grasping at his.
 âCome on, that looks like a good place to eat.â Ahsoka smiled at him, brightly and fake and he tried not to feel unsettled. Why had she chosen him for this mission? Some misplaced sense of pity, that she was doing him a favor and helping him stay useful in the Rebellion?
 âSounds good to me.â No matter his concern he didnât pull away as they both headed inside to get a table. He never would have expected his Commander to be so good at this, smiling and making small talk across the table as if they truly were just two people out getting dinner, and then running into an âold friendâ who wasnât nearly so calm. The woman was tense, and looked like sheâd be more comfortable punching out Imperials than spying on them. Either way Ahsoka greeted her with the same sort of friendliness, inviting her to join them.
 That was the unease, Rex supposed. As affectionate as Ahsoka was being it was all part of the plan and it made something in him ache for the Commander heâd known, so much like her Master in how she tended to shun the roundabout ways and go for the simple and direct approach to problem solving. He could have read her like an open file, even when something called for subterfuge she only ever put forth enough effort to fool someone who didnât know her so well.
 He let his mind wander through the rest of the dinner, smiling pleasantly enough and responding when prompted, grateful that his role as Fulcrumâs⌠something did not demand too much of him. Even watching for it he barely caught the data disk being handed over and tucked away somewhere inside Ahsokaâs large coat and then food was paid for and it was time to head back out into the cold.
 The sun was sinking lower, and the temperature dropping with it. Or maybe it only felt that way because the restaurant had been pleasantly warm at least and now he was full, but Rex tried not to shiver as they walked just as sedately back to the shipyard, nodding and commenting when Ahsoka tugged on his hand to get his attention for some shopkeeperâs bauble or another. Finally it was over and they were stepping back inside the cold ship theyâd taken to the planet. Rex didnât waste any time heading up to the cockpit to turn the heating back on.
 âBrr, oh I know itâs a waste of fuel but I hate coming back to a cold ship.â Ahsoka rubbed her hands over her upper arms through the coat and then took a deep breath, seeming to relax and focus herself at the same time.
 âItâll warm up soon enough. We heading back now or waiting?â It came out sharper than Rex intended and he inwardly winced. There was no way Ahsoka was missing that.
 âRex, whatâs wrong? Youâve been on edge since we landed.â Ahsoka spoke gently.
 âGuess after all those years in the desert I lost my tolerance for the cold.â Rex tempered his tone, but even if it was true it wasnât the entire truth.
 âIâd prefer to wait until morning to leave. Most ships refuel and request clearance in the morning when itâs easier to deice the hull, it would look like weâre in a hurry to leave otherwise.â Ahsoka said, making far too much sense. Sheâd obviously thought this through and Rex felt another pang and just how much he had missed. The cocksure attitude of her youth had matured into well earned confidence at some point, while heâd just existed.
 âThen weâll wait, youâre right.â Rex did his best to avoid the verbal blank where his mind tried to fill in how to address her. Her name didnât feel right yet, Commander was closer but still didnât quite fit after so long.
 âIâm going to get myself something hot to drink, want to join me?â Ahsoka offered, and Rex found himself nodding. The ship was too small for a proper galley, but it could make hot drinks and right now he wasnât about to turn that down.
 Rex took the offered mug gratefully, sinking into the nearby seat and finally shedding his gloves as the ship warmed. He took a sip and nearly coughed, heâd been expecting fruit cider from the look of it, and there had likely been fruit involved at some point in its production, but it was heavily spiced and alcoholic enough for the warmth to linger in his mouth and throat.
 âSomething else you lost your tolerance for?â Ahsoka asked, and Rex could see the amused twinkle in her eyes.
 âHardly, just not used to anything alcoholic that doesnât taste like used coolant for the first few sips.â Rex took a second sip, enjoying the flavors now that he was more prepared.
 Ahsoka laughed at that, sounding more like her old self than the giggles sheâd been making earlier. âShould have guessed.â She settled across from him with her own mug.
 For a while they sat in silence that was so close to companionable it nearly hurt. Rex didnât miss the appraising looks she gave him and he turned questions over in his mind until he realized heâd been staring down at his empty mug for a while.
 âWhy me?â It maybe wasnât the most tactful way to start but Rex was always a better soldier than a diplomat. âAll of this, I mean. You didnât exactly need any backup, and if you did Iâm sure there would have been a dozen people jumping to volunteer. I donât need you making busywork for me.â Rex looked up, watching her face.
 âIs that⌠Rex.â Ahsoka sounded equal parts amused and surprised. âThis wasnât busywork. I wanted to spend time with you, and these missions, when they go well, tend to be pleasant enough. Even if we have to fake shallow pleasantries when weâre out in public, I would rather do it with someone I care about. Thatâs it, no intricate plot behind it.â
 âThatâsâŚâ Rex stared, then covered his eyes with his free hand, leaning his head back and trying not to laugh at himself. It was so obvious he hadnât even seriously considered it.
 âMaybe I should have started with something a little more informal first. Given us a chance to catch up before I had us play the happy couple.â Ahsoka said, so casually he nearly missed it.
 âBefore you had usâŚâ Rex straightened up, meeting her eyes. âI didnât think thatâs what we were supposed to be. People were probably looking at us and thinking I was twice your age.â
 Ahsoka shrugged fluidly. âThey could think whatever they wanted. I thought it would be⌠nice.â And the last part was said almost wistfully.
 âAhsokaâŚâ Rex scrambled to find the right words.
 âYou really thought this was just a pity mission?â Ahsoka didnât give the silence too long to stretch between them.
 âSomething like that.â Rex said, feeling a little foolish now.
 âAnd now that you know itâs not, do you still want to catch up before we have to rejoin the fleet?â Ahsoka asked.
 âIâd love to hear about everything youâve been doing all these years.â Rex hesitated a moment. âI doubt my stories will be nearly as interesting. I already told you the gist of it.â
 âTheyâll be interesting to me. I want to hear them, everything you can remember that was funny, or sad, or memorable for whatever reason. Donât worry about them being interesting, you want to know why?â
 âWhy?â Rex was equal parts surprised and heartened by the determination in Ahsokaâs voice as she got up from her seat, setting her mug aside and crossing the short distance to crouch and put them at eye-level again.
 âBecause theyâre about you, thereâs no a chance in this galaxy Iâm not going to be interested in that.â Ahsoka leaned forward and Rex tilted his head to meet her, the kiss hot and sweet and as perfect as it was unexpected.
They broke apart, Rex a little dazed and unable to help the ridiculous grin he could feel himself forming.
 âNext time Iâll make sure our cover-date goes a little better.â Ahsoka said, sounding as breathless as he felt. Because there would be a next one, and maybe heâd missed watching his young Commander become a gorgeous, confident woman, but heâd been given a chance to get to know her now and he wasnât nearly foolish enough to pass it up.
*cracks knuckles* With Valentines coming up, I am in the mood to write romantic fluff. I will try to take a total of three prompts for three different pairings to be (hopefully) posted on the 14th.Â
1. RexsokaÂ
2. Zeb/Sabine
3. Anon <3
Pairings Iâll be willing to give a shot under the cut. If oneâs not listed, ask me. Preferably characters that appear in Rebels.Â
Het -Â
Zeb/Sabine
Ezra/Sabine
Hera/Zeb
Hera/Boba Fett
Hera/Baron Rudor (mebbe? Depends on if itâs an easy prompt)
Slash - Most anything? Some characters Iâll turn down because I donât feel like I know them well enough
Femslash - Again, most anything if I think I can write âem.Â
So send it and a sentence or two of the general idea of what youâd like  Example -Â
Rexsoka romantic! - Not Enough
Rexsoka awkward first date post Seelos - Good!Â
Gen snow prompt: Zeb wonders what the weird tracks are from, and finds a family of loth-cats playing in the snow.
Zebâs footfalls hardly made any sound on the freshlyfallen snow, even with the boots he was wearing. They were more like glovesthan what humans would think of as boots, each toe individually encased toallow for movement and grip. It still wasnât as good as being barefoot, but heknew from experience that without some protection the snow could soak throughhis fur and leave his feet painfully cold.
 The town was deserted and had been for ages, Zebâs tracksthe only ones in the snow. He wasnât entirely sure why Hera had ordered him toscout the area, but unlike Sabine he wasnât invested in finding out why. If shesaid it was important to scout then he went to scout, making notes of how manybuildings were still intact and if there was any sign of recent disturbance.
 There wasnât any signs of life or disturbance, and Zebresigned himself to a cold, boring trek around the empty town. At least the airwas fresh, if dry and freezing, and it was quiet and peaceful. Close confinesaboard the ship could get a little old after a while no matter how pleasant thecompany. Sometimes it was a welcome distraction, and sometimes it was morepleasant not to have the constant background of Kananâs complaining or Ezraâschatter when he was on a mission. Sabine was quieter, but she would have grownfrustrated at the work that could have been accomplished with a quick flyoverand scan and he didnât blame her.
 Zeb paused as he rounded a corner and came across thefirst signs of something else living, automatically going on alert. There was atrack through the snow, someone or something had made a narrow path. The trackled away from town and deeper among the buildings, and after a momentâsdecision he started following it further into town.
 Pricked ears finally caught quiet sounds, like somethingdigging in the snow, Zeb stayed alert until he was close enough to finally seewhat had made the path through the snow. They were dappled in white and grey tobetter blend in with the snow and their fur was longer and thicker, butotherwise the loth-cats were just as recognizable as their plains-dwellingrelatives. Zeb relaxed, nearly laughing at how worried heâd been over a fewloth-cats. From the sizes it looked like three adults and that seasonâs kittensnow mostly grown and still staying close to the den for protection until theywere ready to go off on their own or join a small colony. They looked well fedtoo, the mostly grown kittens playfully romping through the snow, leaping highand coming down, scratching and flinging powder high into the air, and sometimespouncing on an unsuspecting adult.
 Zeb knew he should finish the information gathering, butif a colony of normally reclusive loth-cats were breeding here odds wereexcellent that he wouldnât find anything larger living here and the buildingswerenât going anywhere. He took a deep breath, letting it steam out into theair and watched the cats play.