Night on the Town

Ever since reclaiming his Jedi heritage, Kanan Jarrus always attempted to face his problems and concerns as a proper Jedi would. Calm focus and meditation were the ways of the Force, discipline and control harnessed to maintain one's mind and composure. To control one's emotions. Coming back to those ways once he'd allowed the Force back into his life had been like drinking water after spending an eternity in the desert; refreshing and deeply needed. Soothing and right after the chaos of his youth.

But sometimes Kanan Jarrus was just a human man, and sometimes old habits die hard. He needed a drink. Something strong enough to burn away his thoughts and the headache and pain of his newfound blindness, and he wasn't going to find a drink like that around the Crew. He certainly wasn't going to find one on Atollon.

Thankfully, Force bless her, Hera seemed to know that.

"Comm me when you're ready to leave," Hera told him as she led him to the door of a cantina on some forgotten planet in some forgotten system of some forgotten sector in the Outer Rim. "If you don't comm me in three hours, I'm coming after you."

Kanan snorted in amusement as he held his walking stick firmly in hand, ready to get in there and drink. He knew Hera had already slipped a tracker under his pauldron, and it was only because it was Hera that he left it there, for her own peace of mind. Though it was clear she didn't quite believe him, he didn't have any intention of drinking so much he couldn't stand on his own afterward. Kanan just wanted a few drinks at a quiet cantina to unwind for a bit, and then he'd comm her when he was done and ready, nice and easy. The most he'd get was tipsy, and he had no intention of going further than that, let alone starting a brawl.

Not that he'd get very far in his blindness, and dodgy Force sense.

"Relax, darling. I'll comm you in a few hours."

Kanan didn't have to sense her in the Force to know that she was reluctant to leave him. After years together, even blind, he just knew, and her reluctance was made that much worse because of his blindness. But she trusted him, and he knew she was trying to adjust to this as much as he was, and a part of that was allowing him to do things on his own again. It didn't mean that Hera hadn't scouted out the various cantina's in the sector for quiet, sleepy ones that weren't as likely to result in a problematic situation.

"Alright," she finally said as she let go of his arm with a gentle squeeze, and he heard her soft sigh as she turned and left. He listened to her footsteps draw away and fade, and when he could no longer hear them, he reached out with his hand for the door, and walked in.

After a few weeks of blindness, he could honestly say he wasn't used to it. He still kept expecting to wake up sometimes and see the green of Hera's eyes, or the blue of Ezra's. He still expected to see his reflection whenever he knew he was standing in front of a mirror. Walking was still a harrowing adventure for him. Even with everyone's aide and the walking stick to keep him from hitting something or tripping, it was hard, and making it to the bar itself felt as if it took forever as he probed the air before him. It was worse given that cantina's used to be the kingdom from which he ruled, his natural habitat where he once reigned with confidence unmatched. Now, he felt out of his element and by the time he found a stool to sit at, he'd already ordered a double of whatever was strong enough to burn his embarrassment and inadequacies away.

Now that he was settled, and the minutes were drawing longer with no one coming to bother him, he relaxed and didn't drink as quickly as he'd intended to once he'd ordered. No, the longer he sat at the bar, the more relaxed he found himself becoming. The smells, the sounds, the atmosphere ... he may have changed, but even if this was some random, backwater cantina, it was the same as any other and it was nice to be back in the atmosphere. It soothed the part of his soul which enjoyed the freedom of the rough life he'd had before coming back to the Jedi ways, and he breathed with relief.

Kanan drank slowly, able to think and breathe for the first time in days, now that he was alone and away from the Ghost crew. He loved them as he loved family, but there was no denying that he needed a break from them like families needed a break from each other too. Some space from them, all of them, even Hera, did him good. Gave him a bit of breathing room he needed to recover what inner source of energy he needed refilled, so he could come back to them steady and ready for the fight.

In this sleepy cantina where no one paid any attention to him and his liquor, he felt oddly at peace. He just listened to what was going on around him and it was all blissful white noise. No one needed him here. Right now, he wasn't Specter One. He wasn't a Jedi Knight. He wasn't a rebellion operative. He wasn't even much of a gunslinger. He was just a blind man having a drink and everyone treated him like he was, and expected nothing else.

Just as he was nearing the bottom of his first drink, the door to the cantina squealed open, and his attention was instantly snagged. The Force swirled around him, incessant as if it wanted to point something out to him and he was annoyed with it. Now it wanted to help him? Not when he asked it to help him see, but now of all times? The Force had been unreliable since his blindness began, to say the least, and often he was left wondering around in the dark with occasional spotlights of illumination, often only at the most mundane of times. Like now, when he didn't need it. It was like a cruel joke. He tried not to be too surly with the Force's fickle nature though, and instead turned his attention to the alien man that had just entered.

He was surprised he hadn't fallen out of his seat that instant.

It was a male Kalleran, tall, lean, and muscular. Over the years, Kanan had found the Kalleran race had a particular feel in the Force that was distinctive to him, and never ceased to catch his attention. Usually it wasn't a problem, and it was something he could easily ignore, but not this time. Not when he knew this Kalleran.

It was Janus Kasmir. He'd know the feel of that smuggler in the Force anywhere.

Careful as he could, even with his thoughts momentarily thrown to chaos, Kanan kept his posture relaxed and unchanged as he continued to sip his drink, trying not to draw Kasmir's attention as the Kalleran made his way to the bar. The tall alien took a seat on a stool a few away from where Kanan sat, and gruffly ordered his drink.

Through the Force he could tell that not much about Kasmir had changed. He still dressed the same, still wore the same sort of blaster and blade at his waist. He still moved like he used to, and as far as Kanan could tell he seemed to be in good health. The only difference was that he wasn't as tall to Kanan as he had been when he'd been Caleb, though it was more due to the fact that Kanan was no longer a kid, but a man.

Kanan didn't know what to do. His first instinct ... hell, he didn't know what his first instinct was. He wanted to turn away, but in this mostly empty bar, it would be too obvious a move and would attract everyone's attention. Yet as much as the urge to leave ached in his muscles ... he wanted to stay.

This was the only person in the galaxy who actually knew him from before. He was the one friend he'd had back then, fifteen years ago.

And Kanan had ruthlessly abandoned him.

That truth made him want to leave more than stay, but even knowing that, he still ordered another drink when he'd reached the bottom of his glass.

It seemed, for good or bad, he was going to keep his ass planted for the time being.

The bartender gave Kasmir a shot at the same time he placed Kanan's renewed mug in his hands so he'd know it was there. Kanan watched through the Force as Kasmir immediately downed the shot and ordered another.

Kanan's mouth opened before he'd had time to think.

"Long day?"

"That's an understatement," Kasmir sighed heavily as he swallowed his second shot the moment it was placed before him. "The hyperdrive on my ship blew, and the only guy who can fix her in this system tells me that I have to wait a week before she's ready. And what's worse is that it'll be hours before my crew can pick me up off of this backwater planet."

"Tough luck," Kanan agreed, trying to maintain an air of nonchalance. "But there are worse places to be stuck on."

"Fair enough," the Kalleran conceded with a nod before he paused, for the first time looking at Kanan and seeing the stark bandage about his head. Kanan no longer sported the bacta bandage he'd had to wear for that first week of recovery, but he kept the bandaged look regardless. At the least, it was an obvious sign to others, one they would not mistake. "You been here long?"

"Nah, just passing through," Kanan replied, turning his head a little, both relieved and disappointed that his eyes were useless and covered. "My wife dropped me off before we move on. Thought I'd get some drinks in before then."

"She don't let you drink?"

"We don't keep alcohol around. She doesn't want it around the kids." It was more or less an accurate statement. If there was alcohol in the Ghost, Sabine and Ezra had no idea where it was. That, or Sabine knew how to play dumb, and Ezra had secretly mastered emotional suppression in the Force. Hera made it clear enough to both him and Zeb that she wasn't going to put up with drunken teenagers on her ship, and that if they chose to drink, they would do it off-ship and discretely.

He smiled at his drink before he said, "It's been a while since I was last in a cantina, and I'm planning to enjoy it while I can."

"Smart plan," agreed the Kalleran as he ordered another round, though something not as strong as the shots he'd just knocked back. "I'm Kasmir."

"Kanan." Kanan lifted a hand in Kasmir's direction and waited for the alien to take it, which he did. The Kalleran's handshake was familiar, three fingered and oddly cool, and Kanan found himself savoring it before he let it go and turned back to his drink. But even as he drank from his glass, he was aware through the Force that Kasmir hadn't stopped looking at him. In the Force ... Kanan found the Kalleran was suspicious.

Kanan didn't let on. He still wasn't sure if he was going to admit to Kasmir who he was or not, but the longer the Kalleran stared at him, the more he sensed the decision was about to be taken out of his hands. He couldn't help but think, or maybe even hope, that he was wrong. Maybe Kasmir was just staring because there was something on his face? Or that maybe he'd never seen a blind man at a bar before, and found he could stare as long as he liked because Kanan shouldn't be able to know about it? But he kept staring, and Kanan grew more uncomfortable, and in his discomfort he tried to break the silence.

"So what were you doing in this part of the galaxy anyway? There's not much out here."

Kasmir's brow furrowed, and Kanan resisted the urge to swallow. Instead he turned his head to Kasmir in a friendly smile, one anyone would have given anyone else if they were being friendly.

Instantly he knew it had been the wrong move, because Kasmir's eyes widened in astonishment as realization filled the Force with his surety.

Then the Kalleran grinned.

"Well, what do you know?"

On instinct, Kanan played dumb. "I'm sorry?"

"Oh, don't play stupid, kid. You know exactly who I am, just like I know who you are," Kasmir said with almost joyous enthusiasm as he immediately abandoned his stool for the one next to Kanan. "You may be fifteen years older and blind, but I'd know that cocky smile and those eyebrows anywhere."

For the briefest moment, Kanan considered sticking to the plan and playing dumb, to keep trying to convince the Kalleran that he was not the guy Kasmir thought he was ... and then sighed and relented, a small smirk on his lips.

"That obvious, huh?"

"Remember who taught you what you know," Kasmir replied as he slapped Kanan on the back with a smile. But then his smile fell a little, and Kanan felt him lightly touch the bandage wrapped about his head. "This is new though. It looks new too."

"Yeah. It's new," he muttered, his mood dropping despite his reunion with Kasmir at the mention of his eyes. Relentlessly his thoughts turned to Malachor, and the pain which burned there, the loss and the problems that now hung about his life. Seeing no need to stop himself, he took a drink of his alcohol and Kasmir watched him with a hard face.

"Where's the tuft-sucker who did this to you, kid? My fist's got his name on it, all you have to do is say the word."

A smile pulled to life on Kanan's lips, even as he tried to stop it because here Kasmir was, an old friend who the last time he'd seen him he'd given a knee to the gut, up in arms with loyalty even after fifteen years. Janus Kasmir, the Kalleran smuggler with a secret heart of gold.

"As much as I appreciate the offer to skull bash, Sith might be out of your league."

Surprise shook the Force as Kasmir leaned in closer after finishing off his next drink, in preparation for the discussion and the next round of booze to come.

"Did I hear you right?"

"Yeah," Kanan said with a sigh as he flagged down the bartender again for the both of them, and reached for his next drink, accepting it as Kasmir pushed it into his fingers. "Was fighting a few Sith a few weeks ago. We beat them, but ... well, this also happened too." The Jedi mildly gestured up to his burned eyes, and Kasmir's eyes narrowed.

"I thought you gave up your old ways a long time ago."

Kanan nodded stoically. "I did. For thirteen years I did. Was as rough as you are for a damn long time."

"What changed? Must have been something big if it made you change your mind," Kasmir asked curiously, and Kanan found he couldn't stop a smile from sitting on his lips.

"I met a girl a while ago," he admitted, his thoughts shifting to Hera, and Kasmir snickered and rolled his eyes at the mention of her. Kanan simply shrugged because Hera was a woman to be proud of, and Kasmir could snicker all he liked. "Then we made a little family of our own, and I've got a boy now who's a bit like me in the old ways." Kanan's smile faded as he thought about Ezra and everything that happened on Malachor, and in response, he drank. "I went back to the old ways to help him. Unfortunately, it also meant that Sith got involved when they noticed the resurgence of 'old way' activity."

"It seems like you bit off a bit more than you could chew," Kasmir commented quietly as he turned to lean an elbow on the bar to look more fully at him. Kanan shrugged.

"It's bad, but it's not as bad as you might think," he replied quietly. "Believe it or not, I'm not as blind as I look. Sometimes." Kanan ran a thumb across the condensation on his glass as he talked. "I'm just a bit out of practice in some of the old ways. But nothing a little training couldn't cure."

Through the Force, Kanan could tell Kasmir was looking out into the body of the cantina in thought, his hand loose around his mug as he thought.

"Come to think of it, I had heard of some 'old way' activity along the Outer Rim. Something to do with a planet called Lothal?"

"Never crossed your mind once, did it?" he questioned with a weak grin, and Kasmir snorted.

"Given the way you left, last I saw you, I thought you'd rather drop off the galaxy before getting mixed back in."

"Yeah, back then I would have. But things changed."

"I can see that," Kasmir said bluntly. "Are your 'old ways' why you're here in this backwater place in this empty dive?"

He shook his head. "Just needed a break and a drink," Kanan admitted. "I love my crew, my family, but ... I needed some space, and I haven't been to a cantina to unwind like this in longer than I'll admit. Figured that at the very least, I deserved a few hours away for some 'me' time."

"Not a bad way of doing," agreed the Kalleran with a nod. "Bit domestic if you ask me."

Kanan snorted, but smile. "What would you do, then?"

"Given your sorry state of affairs, if I were you I'd probably do the same," he admitted. "I'd probably be halfway through the alcohol in this place by now, though. Kleeve would hate me for it."

"Where is Kleeve?" Kanan asked curiously. "You two still working together?"

"Ever since you left. He's a damn good partner, and we've had some damn good runs. He's on his way here now, to pick me up while the Kasmiri's getting work done. He should be around by tomorrow, actually." Kasmir looked at him in question. "You going to be staying around that long?"

The Jedi shook his head. "I don't think so. Hera wants to leave soon. There are things we need to take care of."

"That's a shame. I know he'd like to catch up too, even if he'd never say it," Kasmir replied. "Still, if I were you and I had an evening away from the wife and kids, a handful of drinks wouldn't cut it. What? You turn out to be a lightweight or something? You disappoint me, kid."

Kanan saw the challenge coming a mile away, even without his eyes, and though he knew it was probably a bad idea, and Hera was really going to give him hell for it, he found he couldn't resist.

"Please. I'm just taking my sweet time. I could out-drink you, no problem."

"I'm going to call your bluff on that one," Kasmir said boldly, clearly pleased Kanan was rising to the occasion for what was going to be their first drinking contest together. "The family life softens you. You won't last the hour."

"Oh, you're in for some trouble tonight," Kanan said with a grin, an old one he hadn't used in longer than he could remember. Not for a couple of years, at least. Not since forming the Lothal Rebel Cell with Hera. It felt good. "I'll drink you under the table."

"A monk like you?" Kasmir scoffed. "You'll be lucky if you don't need a medcenter before I'm even tipsy. I've got years of experience on you, kid."

"Well, I guess we'll see if youth triumphs experience, won't we?" With a grin he flagged down the bartender once more. Kasmir just sucked down what was left of his drink before he swept up the next one in his hand, just as Kanan did.

They knocked it back and eagerly ordered another.

Kanan and Kasmir were giggling together like children as they recounted some of their old gigs together, even as the bartender cut them both off with a shake of his head. They didn't care, or at least Kanan didn't. He didn't know how many drinks he'd consumed, but he'd kept up with the Kalleran and he could feel it in the way the Force felt all fuzzy and warm around the both of them that they were plastered.

Or, at the very least, he was. But it really seemed like he wasn't the only one.

"— and then the blaster backfired, and we got the credits anyway!" Kanan finished, and they both roared with laughter as they relived one of their more harrowing gigs. It was wonderful. Kanan hadn't felt this type of good in a long time. He hadn't drunk like this in a long time, and the heavy buzz that sat on his brain was a blessing after all the stress he'd been through of late. It was made that much better that it was being shared with a very old friend.

His mirth was cut short by the incessant beeping of his comlink, and with dumb fingers and a quick 'shh!' to Kasmir, he thumbed it on and in the steadiest tone he could muster, he said, "Yes?"

"Kanan?"

"My darling!" exclaimed Kanan with exuberance as he lifted the comm to Kasmir in an effort to show Hera off, his false control melting away since it was wonderful Hera who was calling. "I've missed you!"

"Kanan, it's been three hours. I'm coming to get you. We need to get back soon."

"I know," he slurred with a smile. "The kids are probably driving Zeb up the wall right now, huh?"

Silence slipped from the comlink in a way the reasonable part of Kanan knew wasn't good. But that reasonable part took a dive as the rest of him buzzed pleasantly, waiting with bated breath to hear her beautiful voice emerge once again to fill the air with its divinity. Finally, her voice came through and he listened with a loving smile.

"Kanan, how much have you had to drink?"

Kasmir's fingers clumsily pulled the comlink out of his hand, and Kanan glared ... or he would have if he could glare. With real eyes. But that didn't matter right now. Instead he frowned and reached back for it, missed and toppled off his chair. The world spun around him in the darkness, but all he could do in response was giggle. What fun!

"Hello, Cal — I mean," Kasmir's face scrunched up in hard thought as he looked down at Kanan, and whispered loudly, "What's your name again?"

"Kanan," he replied with a grin. "Name's Kanan now. Told you already!" Kasmir wasn't even listing as he picked up where he left off.

"Hello Kanan's wife!" Kasmir said pleasantly, though the slur was thick on his lips. "He's had enough to drink that the bartender cut him off."

"The both of us off!" Kanan shouted, hoping his voice would carry. "He cut the both of us off! Not just me."

Kasmir laughed as he stood, or tried to stand as he wavered and listed to the side for a moment before luck graced him and he caught himself. "Anyway, don't worry about him! I'll keep an eye on him until you get here."

"Yes, right," Hera said uneasily before her voice grew firm. "I'm almost to the bar and I'll take him off your hands once I get there."

"Hope this brat hasn't caused you too much trouble over the years," Kasmir said conversationally into the comlink, as if he'd known Hera longer than Kanan had. "I tried to teach him, I really did, but some kids just don't ever learn." He knelt beside Kanan, and drunkenly Kanan tried to swipe for the comlink, and failed miserably. Kasmir only laughed at the poor attempt.

Even through the comlink, Kanan heard Hera sigh heavily, and he just knew her beautiful fingers were pressed against her beautiful forehead in dismay and disappointment at the situation at hand.

"Right. Thank you for watching him," Hera finally said, but there was a tone in her voice which told that rational part of Kanan that she was not at all pleased about this.

"Take your time! He's in good hands!"

"I'm sure," she responded, and with a small Force pull that Kanan hoped no one saw, he suddenly had the comlink in his hand.

"No worries, my love! But hurry. I can't wait for you to meet my friend!"

"Just make sure that your 'friend' gets you out of the bar so that I can just pick you up and we can go. Do you understand?"

"Outside, got it," he said with a great grin as he lifted an arm into the air for Kasmir to help pull him up. Given the way the ground kept shifting, it was a true task, but eventually he found his seat and the bar again long enough to pay for their drinks. He wasn't entirely sure how much it was, but in the Force he felt the bartender's honestly in ringing him up and giving him back the correct amount of credits, and that was good enough for him.

"Hera wants me outside," he told the Kalleran as he stood and attempted to walk a few steps blind, and clearly failing as his feet tripped over themselves. A firm, three fingered hand caught him, and somehow managed to keep him upright and moving in the direction of the entrance.

"You know what we should do?" Kasmir asked as he slung an arm around Kanan's neck to draw him close to whisper in slurred conspiratorial tones. "You, me, and Kleeve. We should do a gig together! Now that you're back to your old ways, there's so much we could do, even without your eyes."

Kanan stumbled and grinned as he clung to the Kalleran as they both staggered out into the warm night air, using each other as support. "Sounds like fun, but I don't think Hera will let me. I've got responsibilities now. A wife and kids to take care of! A galaxy to save!"

"You've gotta have some fun sometime, kid," Kasmir retorted and Kanan scoffed.

"Don't call me 'kid'! I'm not a kid anymore, and I have a name now. It's Kanan. Kanan Jarrus. Need me to sound it out for you?"

"Sound it out for me?" Kasmir practically squawked. "It's practically my name! What? Not creative enough to come up with something original?"

"Oh, shut up," Kanan chuckled as he tripped, almost bringing them both down to the dirt ground. "It's plenty different! No one's calling me Kasmir, now are they?"

"Kanan?"

Hearing his name and feeling vindicated, Kanan grinned proudly up at the Kalleran. "See?" Through the Force he could feel Hera approaching, slowly at first, but picking up speed as she saw him and Kasmir. Kanan smiled widely at her. "My love, you've come for me!"

Kanan could feel Kasmir's shock in the Force as he saw Hera, beautiful, glorious Hera! Then Kanan snickered as the Kalleran grumbled in disbelief.

"You've gotta be kidding me. That's your wife?"

"The most beautiful green Twi'lek in all the galaxy?" Kanan slurred as he stumbled with Kasmir across the road to said Twi'lek. "Yes! My wonderful, incredible wife!"

"You don't deserve a woman like that," grumbled Kasmir, and Kanan only continue to snicker before he pressed off of the Kalleran and threw his arms wide for Hera.

"Darling!"

He tried to walk in her direction, but tripped and started to fall, and was saved when he felt slender but strong arms catch him.

Hera's voice was low and hard, whispered and fierce. "Kanan, you're drunk!"

"How could I not be on such a wonderful night?" he slurred as he clung to her happily, showing her off to Kasmir. "Isn't she wonderful? So talented and responsible. She's the best damn pilot in the galaxy! And the way she orders people around —"

"Thank you so much for taking care of my 'husband'," Hera said quickly, cutting Kanan's words off, but he didn't care. He just nuzzled against her lovingly, so happy she was here with him. "He doesn't usually drink so much."

"My pleasure," Kasmir told Hera with a wide and friendly smile before he turned to Kanan. "You're out of practice, kid," Kasmir slurred to Kanan with a toothy grin. "Told you a monk like you couldn't touch my experience." Just as he said that, he crossed his arms in proud triumph, but through the Force Kanan could sense that if he pushed at Kasmir's shoulder just right ...

The Kalleran shouted as he lost his balance, arms pinwheeling and Kanan snickered again. Got him.

"He's just as drunk as you are," Hera commented with a small shake of her head, and Kanan barked out a laugh as the Kalleran caught himself and stumbled back up to standing.

"That was a cheap shot," Kasmir said as if he knew exactly what Kanan had done, and Kanan only grinned.

"Learned from the best."

Beside him he could see through the Force that Hera was staring at him critically, confused at the interaction, but she didn't push it. She didn't press, not when she was with someone she didn't know or trust.

"Anyway, we should be going."

"Right," Kanan agreed amiably. "The kids are waiting, and we all know how they are when mom and dad are gone."

Hera gave a great sigh, "Well, you're not wrong."

"See you around, Kasmir," Kanan said brightly as he clung to Hera. "Don't be a stranger!"

"I'll be in touch. I'm serious about that gig," Kasmir said as he began to saunter off, weaving a little as he gave a small wave over his shoulder. "See you around, kid!"

"Don't call me kid, you tuft-sucker!" Kanan yelled back with a buzzed grin as he waved back and almost fell over as Hera tugged at his arm and began leading him away.

"Kanan!" Hera chided, but he ignored her as he heard Kasmir's old laugh fill the warm air, familiar and nostalgic and missed after so long.

"Making friends no matter where you go, don't you?" Hera asked with a small, exasperated smile when Kasmir had gone far enough away, and Kanan just grinned at the sky as he stumbled about with her help, warm and unable to quite find the ground in the darkness.

"Old friend! Very old friend!"

"I'm sure," commented Hera with gentle sarcasm that told him she didn't believe it at all.

"It's true! We go back years and years!"

"And I'm sure that once you sober up you'll still be thinking that. Now come on. Let's go home."

Kanan smiled in contentment as his buzz continued to envelope him, made that much better by the fact that Hera had him and he was all but wrapped around her. And it was so much nicer to walk with her helping him, than with Kasmir. He definitely preferred the smaller, wonderful Hera to the tall, muscular, male Kalleran. Even if she handled him a bit rough as she dumped him into one of the Phantom's swinging seats, buckling him in and giving him a small bucket to hold onto in his lap.

"Listen Kanan, if you feel sick, do it in the bucket. Otherwise I'll have you cleaning the entirety of the Phantom tomorrow. First thing in the morning while you're hungover. Do you understand?"

"Of course, my love. Whatever you say," he replied pleasantly as he rested his head back and let the dark and invisible world around him spin about his head as it desired. Through the Force he knew Hera didn't believe him, and in a drunken effort he attempted to defend himself. "Really! Jedi's honor, darling. Vomit in bucket. Not in ship."

"If only you were this compliant when you're sober," Hera said gently as she stood over him for a moment longer. "Well, at least you had a good time. Haven't seen you this relaxed in a while. Granted, I was hoping you wouldn't actually get drunk."

"He started it," Kanan grinned childishly. "Was doing fine before he came along and figured it all out. Then we just had to have a drinking contest! And catch up on old times!"

"Whatever you say, Kanan. Just tell me you didn't tell him about the Rebellion."

"Of course not," he admitted, though he did have to think back over the course of the evening. Just in case. "I think he'd make a good addition to the Rebellion, though. He could even join Phoenix Squadron. Him and Kleeve! We'd be some team, let me tell you. The best."

"I'm sure," Hera said indulgently as she climbed into the pilot's seat and awoke the Phantom. "Just remember, Kanan. The bucket."

Kanan chuckled to himself, enjoying the gentle rumble of the Phantom around him as Hera guided it out of the hanger, into free space, and back towards home. It had been a good night, a damn good night and one he hadn't been expecting. It had been good catching up with his oldest friend and finding out he was still his oldest friend, even after so long.

Janus Kasmir. The smuggler with a secret heart of gold. He'd have to get that engraved somewhere. Maybe he could convince Hera to take him back so that he could find the Kasmiri and engrave it there?

Even though he didn't open his mouth to actually ask, he hugged his bucket to his chest as he played with the idea in his mind. And with Hera here, having spontaneously reconnected with Kasmir, the rest of the crew safe for the time being, and this glorious buzz hanging on his mind, all was right in Kanan's world. It brought a drowsy and drunken smile to his face, and for the first time in the last few weeks he felt as if he'd found some small measure of peace.

A/N: Hello and I hope you enjoyed this piece! Kasmir is one of my favorite characters in Kanan's background, and more than anything I want a reunion between the two and this piece kinda came out of that desire. I'm thinking one more part after this, but we'll see. Anyway, let me know what you thought!