One.

They're exhausted but relieved, this was one of those times where they narrowly escaped with their lives. Something they were both used to as individuals but not so much together. Although it's increasingly becoming a feature.

Kanan's used to having to save his own skin, it's been a long time since he's had to consider saving someone else's as well. It's not an easy transition and he worries a lot more than he lets on. Although he has a feeling Hera knows, she seems to have an uncanny knack for reading him.

But the main thing is they're alive, a bit banged up and knocked around, but it's nothing that won't heal and they're alive.

He's not sure why, but Kanan places his hand near Hera's. He's become mindful of boundaries, dropped most of the flirting and doing his best to clean up his act a bit. He's not just looking out for number one anymore, he's not just surviving anymore and he's got to get used to that all over again.

Maybe he wants to check she's actually there, maybe he just wants some reassurance himself, either way his hand is there. And then when Hera places her hand in his and gives a squeeze it's more reassuring than anything she could've said.

Two

Little cuts and scrapes and other things of that nature are often par for the course for a spacer. Shops need to be kept running, that often involves a lot of fiddling around with circuits and panels and other little pieces that sometimes mean you come into contact with them in an uncomfortable way.

And being used to it, doesn't take away from the fact they hurt like hell.

Hera bites her lip and almost slips into a particularly potent Ryl curse word. Even with gloves on she feels that.

She pulls her hand out of the access panel and cluthes it. It's probably feeling worse than the wound is, will be find in a few moments. Maybe needs a bit of Bacta but would otherwise be just fine.

But then there's a twinge and she let's the word slip. It's rather cathartic.

"Hera?" Then there's footsteps.
Kanan had heard that, he couldn't speak Ryl as far as she knew so it was all good. Not as if he'd chide her anyway he could swear worse than a spacer with a stubbed toe given the chance.

"I'm fine!"
"Sounds like it," There's sarcasm, just a bit tucked into there, of course, it's Kanan. But there's concern on his face, "Let me look at that?" He gestures to her hand.

"I'm fine, Kanan," She repeats again, reaching for the pouch on her belt.

"It's kind of hard to apply a Bacta patch one handed..."
She shakes her head, he's not going to let this drop. So she holds out her hand and offers him the Bacta patches.

He drops to her level, kneeling and gently takes her hand, fingers gently pulling at her gloves to slide it off. And he gives a sympathetic "Ooh" at the mar on her hand.

"It's not that bad,"

He smirks then, "No need to put on a brave face just because the medic is cute,"

She shakes her head, they've become relaxed around each other. Kanan can banter till the rontos come home and she doesn't really mind.

She raises an eyebrow and then winces when she feels the brush of the disinfectant wipe they bundle with those Bacta pads.

"You have an ego the size of a Star Destroyer,"
"I think my ego holds up better though," He smirks briefly before going back to her hand.

Her hands are soft, that doesn't surmise him. Even with callouses that are pretty much impossible to avoid they are soft, but they are strong. Like the rest of her.
"Want to test that?" She grins.

It doesn't surprise her his hands are so gentle. Although it gives her a flutter she tries to ignore. Just enough pressure, she can feel the calloused pads of his fingers but it doesn't hurt. His hands feel... warm and there's something very secure and even soothing about his touch.

"I think I'd rather face down a blockade, the odds are better," She feels that weird, tingly feeling you tend to get when Bacta is placed on your skin, he murmurs a 'there we go,' "Since you're words can be stronger than Detonite when you want them to be,"

"Well... someone's got to keep you from getting a big head,"
He smiles at her warmly. He's still holding her hand, clasping lightly. He feels he should probably let go now but he doesn't want to.
And Hera doesn't want him too either.

Three

Kanan tosses and turns and is awake again with a start. He hasn't had a nightmare in a while and evidently he's overdue.

It's like most of them, fractured, a combination of things he's been through, and things he may just face all jumbled into one. He remembers the crystal mines in this one it seems, and Gorse and Cynda feel like an age ago.

He used to chase the dreams away with whiskey but that never really worked. Just numbed things for a while.

He's tired of numb. He sighs and stands up and leaves the cabin he's been occupying on the Ghost for the past few months.

He doesn't expect to see Hera, well of course he does it's her ship but he didn't expect to see her at that time of night

"Kanan?"

He blinks sleepily. "What are you doing up?"
"I heard you," He can see the concern on her face in the low lighting of the corridor, the ship is set on a cycle, rotates the brightness of the lights to help remind you of what day and night actually is.
"Sorry," He smiles weakly.

She places a hand on his shoulder. Soft and reassuring, helps bring his jangled nerves back to reality just a bit more.

"My cabin?" She suggests. Normally he'd have grinned and make some joke about 'getting in her bed' but he's exhausted and it wouldn't be right in this moment.

He knows what she means and he's glad of it.

Four

She's not sure why but there's just something about hair. Maybe it's just because it happens to be Kanan's hair but Hera finds herself wanting to toy with it often, wrap it around her fingers, run her hands through it, tug just a little but...

Maybe there's something about the way he reacts to it as well. The way he leans into her touches and the way it makes him sigh, when it makes him pull her closer to him that makes her want to do it all the more.

Right now is no exception as he pulls her close to him, he doesn't need to say anything she knows exactly what's on his mind as his hand rests in the dip of her back and he nuzzles the side of her neck. Her fingers trace the shell of his ear as she reaches for the tie in his hair, deft fingers making short work of it and her fingers are soon buried within his brown hair, lightly running through it and he pulls her closer.

When he picks her up a few moments later she reaches out to push a lock of hair that has fallen down the middle of his face, she cups his face hands slipping back into his hair, tugging just a touch as she kisses him.

Five

Kanan lies there, his body slowly returning to normal as he feels a very pleasant sensation wash over him. Hera grins down at him impishly and crosses her arms, lying over his chest and he reaches out to trace over an earcone.

"Not bad," She teases.
"Just not bad? You wound me,"

"Well I'd say more but..."
"You don't want me getting a big head,"
"Exactly,"

She sighs happily, reaching out to trace her hand over his nose. For some reason she really likes his nose. Along with the rest of him of course.

Kanan laughs, a full bodied, warm laugh that seems to reverberate around the cabin.

"What?" Hera sits up, tilting her head to the side.

He lifts his hand, Hera's fingers still linked with his. He couldn't remember who'd reached for whose hand, probably didn't matter. He remembers how everything during this has felt so right, warm, soft even. Somehow. Despite the tension between them that had been building and was finally broken it was more a gentle pouring rather than anything rough and they're both glad for that.

(One Time They Tried but Were Interrupted)

The Ghost is a bit fuller these days. A bit louder, a bit more energetic than when it was just the two of them. But they wouldn't change it for the world really. They've done plenty of good just the two of them, but the extra support hasn't gone amiss at all. The Empire is growing, changing and well they need to as well.

The odds may be higher now, but they feel they've got a good chance.

Kanan's hands always seem they belong there when he rests them on her hips like that, there's been a lot of these little moments lately, little snatches of affection. Maybe they're doing it just in case the next mission, next plan is the last, or maybe they just can't keep their hands off each other so much. They sometimes have to be a bit more discrete these days but they're coping...

Hera smiles, reaching up to place her hands around his shoulders and press her lips to his when...

There's a crash, and a bang and something that sounds like a droid swearing and several annoyed voices. The loudest being the one yelling out 'Karabast!'

There's a sigh as they decide they should both see what is going on. Although Hera does brush his fingers as she passes him in a way that tells him they'll pick up where they left off, later on.