No one really makes Zeb and Ezra brotherly fluff anymore so I'm coming in live from my home crying about lack of others who enjoy my brother fluff addiction. Also, a couple of these moments are like memories. So some are before Kallus was with the rebels, some was before Sabine left, see? They bounce around the place like the story ideas in my head but never stay consistent.

Le sigh.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: *Sobbing* I DON'T OWN STAR WARS REBELS OR ANY OF THEIR AMAZING CHARACTERS AND PLOT LINES *SOBS HARDER*

The Reason Why

I 'Hate' you...

"KID!" Zeb roared as he chased Ezra. Ezra gave a bubbly laugh and dodged the Lasat's attempt to swipe him.

"What, can't keep up? And, seriously, ever heard of the sonic shower? I mean, it's in the refresher for a reason!" Ezra said, sniffing and overexaggerating the smell. Well, maybe not completely.

"I'm gonna kill ya! C'mere!" Zeb yelled and lunged at the Padawan, only for him to dodge across the cargo bay and duck n' roll himself out of the way. This caused Zeb to put his hands out in front of himself to stop a head on collision with the wall.

"Ya brat!"

"C'mon Zeb, lighten up! Or at least keep up! You're about as bright as a dead star!" Ezra continued to taunt as he danced around Zeb.

Zeb wouldn't even dare say it to himself, let alone admit it verbally, but he enjoyed these little moments. It reminded him of his cousins and his old little brother….. back on Lasan. Before… before he lost them. Everyone.

So, he stopped himself from smiling fondly as the kid smirked at him, cockily.

Instead, he snarled and pretended to be extremely aggravated. Ignored the familiar feeling that used to come to him when rough housing with the younger Lasats on Lasan. Zeb got sad suddenly but from war experience, he hid it well.

"C'mon Zeb! You're really getting old!"

"Kid!"

But you look out for me...

"Ezra!" Zeb shouted as he grabbed the back of Ezra's collar and pulled the teen back, just as a shot went right past his face. Zeb saw red as he gave a cry and took his bo rifle. He began shooting at the stormtroopers that had shot at Ezra. This left the raven-haired teen stunned, Zeb had saved him the second time this mission. Earlier he had pulled Ezra and him to a couple of crates for cover after Ezra nearly got grazed by a laser, Zeb did the same again just now.

Why Zeb was looking after him so much today was a mystery to Ezra, he was just thankful for the protection. Especially since Zeb seemed to be having Ezra's back this entire mission.

"Kid, ya've got ta be more careful! I had ta save ya, twice."

"I could've handled it!" Ezra protested. Ezra was wondering why suddenly Zeb was becoming protective over him.

"Sure, ya could've." Zeb said sarcastically while rolling his eyes.

Ezra deflected another shot right back at a storm trooper. Zeb and Ezra were having this discussion, now side by side, in the middle of fire. A couple of crates around them, Ezra was behind the crates, his front pushed against them as he used his lightsaber to deflect shots back at troopers. Zeb was next to Ezra, ducked behind the crates because of his height and shooting at some troopers in front of them and those who were trying to sneak attack them. Protecting Ezra the entire time.

Ezra gave him a momentary glare before going back to deflecting.

So I must do the same...

"Get away from him!" Ezra cried as he used the force to send the troopers flying. They had ganged up on Zeb with shots and Zeb had been forced to hide behind the side of a market set up. It had been a routine supply run, and of course, it never went their way, especially when it involves Ezra and Zeb on the same run. The troopers were from all sides and Zeb was prepared to accept he wouldn't get out of this without a wound.

Luckily, there was something called a force sensitive, pseudo little brother.

As Ezra came over to Zeb, he noticed Zeb had some blood leaking from his bicep.

"Zeb! Your arm, it's bleeding!" The teen exclaimed. Zeb frowned seeing that, Ezra's upset expression. As if it were the end of the world even if Zeb knew for a fact that he'd seen worse on the streets. Maybe even had worse. But that look was one he'd seen during the war. His last remaining cousin looked like that, when he'd seen him hurt for the first time. Zeb hated that look.

"Kid, I'm fine. Stop wo-GA- Karabast!" Zeb growled in pain at the sudden touch. Ezra had touched it briefly, feeling the fur of coat sticky with blood. Ezra just touched it on a whim. Now Ezra felt bad, real bad, if it bad the Lasat warrior cry out like that.

"S-sorry! Sorry, Sorry, Sorry! I didn't know it would hurt that bad! Sorry Zeb!" He yelped.

"Well, watch it next time kid! Don't touch people's wounds brat!" He growled.

"Sorry." He said meekly. He put his head down in shame.

"Karabast. I didn't mean it that way kid. Let's just get back, alright?" He said, his ears coming down a bit. He felt ashamed himself for telling the kid off like that. He knew Ezra didn't mean it.

Ezra nodded. He totally forgot about the storm troopers calling backup since they were barley able to stand, and forgot about their damaged goods. Both males did.

But just so you know, I'm not as heartless as you think.

Zeb frowned as he shook Ezra awake. Another nightmare.

"NO!" Ezra shouted, sitting up. His hair was frazzled, and his eyes were wide with tears pooling at the bottom.

As a few tears slipped out, he looked down from his bunk to see Zeb.

"He-hey Zeb." He sniffed. These nightmares have been going on for a while, but recently, Ezra had told Zeb he wanted them to remain private. Since he made Kanan blind, he feels as if he should just leave Kanan alone for once. Even though Zeb told him that Kanan doesn't blame him, Ezra still begged and pleaded with Zeb to keep his terrors between them. He didn't want to bug Kanan anymore.

"Kid. I'm telling ya I ain't no good with nightmares. Go ta Kanan, he ain't angry with ya."

"I know. I just can't face him, not after what I caused. Zeb, please. I won't ask you to do anything, nothing except not to tell anyone." Ezra pleaded

Zeb sighed. "Well, then I guess I ain't no Kanan but I should do. I can't just leave ya alone with these 'mares, now can I? I won't get any sleep." Zeb joked lightly before giving Ezra a look. Ezra climbed down swiftly but shakily and sat down on the bottom bunk, Zeb followed suit.

"Sorry." Ezra murmured, not catching Zeb's playful tease.

"Ey, I didn't mean it. Was it tha same as last night?"

"Yeah…" Ezra trailed off. Zeb knew from experience that after a nightmare, the last thing you want to do is relive it, so he let Ezra be. Somehow, someway, the two brothers to another from different mothers (say that ten times fast…) found themselves dozing off. Ezra was down first and fell asleep, leaning against Zeb. Zeb chuckled fondly before leaning himself against the bunk's frame and dozing off himself, Ezra sprawled out on top. If any of the other members walked in, it would look weird, crazy, and uncomfortable. But they were comfortable just the way they were.

And the next day, Zeb woke with a crick in his neck, and Ezra's back was sore. Both agreed to never speak a word of their night sleep. But both, even though neither saying it, enjoyed the feeling. It felt nice for Zeb to feel like even though he couldn't have protected his cousins and own little brother back on Lasan, he could protect his adoptive one. And Ezra felt protected, like he would in Kanan's arms. A protection he never had growing up on the streets alone, with no one there to save him.

I get over protective sometimes, I'll admit it, but you can be too.

Zeb growled as he watched the kid get knocked down in front of Kallus. No. Not again, not to his only younger brother figure. Not like he did to his cousins and brother.

Yelling out, Zeb delivered a strong electric shock to Kallus's stomach area with his Bo Rifle.

He watched Kallus in pain for a minute before letting him fall and turning to Ezra.

"Kid, c'mon kid. Get up. You're gonna be fine, just, just get up." He mumbled soothingly, trying to get the half-conscious teen into sitting up at least.

He gently shook him. "Ezra. Ezra c'mon! We gotta get back ta tha Ghost so Hera can check on ya. Kid…" He growled. Why wasn't Ezra responding. Ezra's eyes were half lidded and his breathing was a bit too shallow for Zeb's liking.

Suddenly, Ezra mumbled something. "What, kid I can't-" Zeb cut himself off with a grunt as Kallus struck him harshly in the back of the head with his foot. Zeb, who was on his knees, fell sideways to avoid crushing Ezra and rolled onto the floor, his head pounding. He slowly opened his eyes trying to ignore the pain and saw Kallus above him.

"Well Lasat. I can say you fight well for your people." He mocked, Zeb wanted to yell, fight, do anything, but the pain was to immense.

"But sadly, you're not good enough. I wish I could keep you alive so you could hear the pathetic Padawan's screams. But I kill the strong, then the weak." He snarled. He was about to bring down his Bo Rifle, put suddenly was lifted off the ground, choking.

"Kid…" He murmured weakly.

Ezra was standing now, holding his left arm up weakly, but with enough power to hold Kallus up. His right arm seemed injured because he had it pressed against his side.

"Don't…Touch….Him…Again" He panted. That day was one neither would forget, it reminded them just how much they had each other's backs.

When the two sat in the infirmary later in the Ghost, both smirked at each other. They were laying across from each other had were just looking at the ceiling, but even then, they knew they were smirking with one another. They almost felt it.

They wordlessly fist bumped gently.

So maybe I don't 'Hate' you... But I don't 'Love' you... We're 'long term partners in crime' at most.

"Garazeb Orrelios! Ezra Bridger! Chopper!" Hera yelled, her voice heard across the Ghost. And possibly all of Lothal. Both Zeb and Ezra gave sheepish smiles towards her before both pointing at Chopper.

"It was all his fault!"

"Yeah, tha rust bucket zapped me!"

"We were just trying to fix the ship, then that metal menace comes along and zaps us! We were doing what you told us to do! Chopper started it all!"

"I agree with tha kid for once!"

Chopper whirred angrily, probably complaining and saying to Hera how innocent he was.

"Stop spreading lies Chop! It's two against a half!"

More beeping.

"Yeah, a half! You don't even count as human rust bucket! You're a droid!"

Complaining from Chopper….

"No we didn't!"

"What's the pile of bolts saying now?!"
"That we tried scrapping him!"

"Well, that does seem tempting now that ya mention it.."
Hera felt her temper rising. Patience was a virtue.

"All of you quiet!" She yelled. Everything was quiet immediately.

"Now, Zeb and Ezra, both of you fix this mess! Chopper, help them! I don't wanna hear any more of it!" She ordered in Hera Mode, before turning on her heel and walking away.

All of them groaned in annoyance. Or in Chopper's case, whirred.

Okay, we're closer than that. But what'd you call your rival that happens to be your best friend?

A Brother.