He shouldn't get involved.
If he blew his cover the others would be angry. He was just suppose to keep a lookout for their target.
Blue eyes dragged themselves back to the two kids the Imperial were bullying. The youngest couldn't be more then seven. No more then Ezra had been when his parents had been taken. The older was perhaps nine, perhaps the older sister or just a friend found on the street by the little boy. Both were in shabby, dirty clothes that had seen and smelled better days but they looked comfortable at least.
Loth-rats just like Ezra had been. Children without parents just like him. Alone in a world that was to big and to lonely.
Everyone else were hurrying away or around the two kids and the three Imperials.
Ezra gritted his teeth.
He shouldn't get involved.
The youngest got pushed over and fell on his rear, curling his legs up against his stomach while the older still stood there, scared but defiant, trying to protect the younger. There was a choked sob.
Ezra got involved.
()()()()()
"Specter Six, the secondary target is heading your way. Do you copy?" Kanan waited on a reply that never came, frowning as the silence continued. "Specter Six?"
Nothing once again.
Kanan grunted then looked to Zeb beside him.
The Lasat rolled his eyes before nodding.
"Specter Five, Six is not responding. I need you to intercept our secondary target, he's going the towards Six last known position." Kanan continued, unable to leave the tail he had on their primary target.
"Copy that. What about Six?" Sabine asked promptly.
"Specter Four is on his way. Stay on secondary target, Four will handle this." Kanan said grimly.
()()()()()()
Of the things Zeb had expected to find, this had been excatly over his list of things.
Ezra on his side, arm wrapped around his stomach as he tried to get up while the three Imperial agents jeered him.
Well, sans the kids that were behind Ezra, that had not been on his list. Zeb stilled a second to see Ezra get on his feet, keeping the kids behind him as he growled at the agents, pulling up the energy slingshot he had, not using his lightsaber or Force to avoid being detected.
"I told you to leave them alone." Ezra said angerly, pulling the sling back and aiming it at the agents who just guffawed at them.
"And what's another Loth-rat going to do about? You might as well use that shot, you're out numbered and no ones gonna help another street thief." One of them jeered at him
"Well your not quite right on that." A deep voice growled behind them as a shadow fell on them. Furred hands grabbed a agent head each and smashed them against each other before Zeb turned his attention on the last one who had turned to face the new danger.
Ezra saw his shot and let the energy shot go, slamming into the agent and knocking him out.
"Zeb." He sighed in relief.
"Yeah kid, you were suppose to keep a low profile. Kanan tried getting your attention." The Lasat said, unimpressed as he surveyed the human in front of him.
"I...wait. Just...wait a moment." Ezra sighed and ran his fingers through his hair before turning to the two kids behind him, focusing on the older. "Look, there's a pawnshop on South Dars street. The owner is called Fenadul, she's nice. If you tell her Ezra sent you, she might have some errands you can run and she tends to let those who run for her sleep in the backroom. Got it?" He shifted as the girl nodded, taking the little boys hand and pulling him along, the little boy giving one of the Imperial agents a kick in the side as they hurried past.
Zeb blinked then he grunted. "You...were helping them. That's what happened."
Ezra looked down, swallowing a bit before nodding. "...They're Loth-rats. Just like I am. I..."
Heavy hands came down on Ezra's shoulders and he looked up at the large furry man in front of him.
"You don't have to explain." Zeb murmured before sliding his arm around the teens shoulders and pulling him along, moving away from the passed out Imperials. "I know I don't always...ugh Karabast." He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to figure out how he was going to say it.
Hera and Kanan was a lot more touchy feely and better then him at this.
"What I mean to say is that I know I'm not the easiest guy to get a long with Ezra." He settled on, noting that the teen was glancing up at him though he had his arms wrapped around himself in a all to familiar comforting way. But he was also leaning into Zeb's side despite how often he complained that Zeb smelled.
"And I can understanding helping out someone who can't help themselves...they didn't look very old." He gave a noise through his nose and Ezra shrugged. "Youngest might have been seven. Same age I was when I ended up here."
Zeb blinked at that and looked back to where the two kids were disappearing around the corner in the other direction. Ezra had been that small? That scrawny and dirty?
He looked back down on him and pulled him a bit closer.
"I guess since you're here I missed the target huh?" Ezra asked miserably.
"Yeah but don't be to upset. We got it covered." Zeb squeezed the others shoulder carefully. "Or well the others do." He glanced around then grinned about, pulling Ezra with him over to a stand. He fished out some credits and handed them over to the vendor.
"Zeb wha-" Blue eyes stared in surprise at the iced treat in front of him before looking up at Zeb. "...I'm not a kid Zeb."
The Lasat shrugged. "Kid, you are. And cold treats are good."
Ezra hesitated before reaching out and taking the iced popsicle from the vendor before it could melt, watching as Zeb got one too for himself.
"...Thanks." Ezra muttered, feeling embarrassed as he started sucking on it. It was fruity, sweet and cold and it made Ezra smile a bit as he glanced up at the Lasat as he took a huge bite out of the icy treat.
"...I can't believe you bit into it." Ezra stared at him.
"Why? Its not like its going t-ah! Oh sweet Ashla!" The man groaned and touched his head. "Karabast."
Ezra sniggered. "That's why. You gave yourself a brain freeze."
"I know what a brain freeze is k-ooooh"
Blue eyes rolled in amusement before looking up at the man again. "Place your tongue to the roof of your mouth, heat it up. That tends to make it go away quicker." Zeb gave him a glare through eye watering eyes before doing as told, finding that Ezra was right after a few minutes.
"...Good advice." He shrugged and sucked on the sweet sticky treat instead of taking a bite again.
"...Hey Zeb?"
"Hmm?" The other glanced down at the blue eyed boy beside him.
"...Thanks...for not...I mean..." Ezra breathed out and looked up at him. "Just thank you, for back there." He nodded in the direction they'd come from.
Zeb gave a wry grin. "Don't mention it...honestly, don't mention this to Chopper or Sabine, they'll think I've grown soft kiddo."
That got a laugh out of both.
"Well, now that you mentioned it, you are looking a little blubbery." Ezra smirked.
"Why you...you better start running to the Ghost kid!" The Lasat playfully swiped at the teen who dodged the arm and started running, laughing as he did.
Letting Ezra get a headstart, Zeb smiled slightly, he was confident Kanan and Sabine could finish the mission without him and Ezra and therefor he was letting the kid of.
He glanced back at where the kids had gone and then back to where the orange back was putting distance between the two. 'You got a heart in the right place kiddo...' He started after him.
Author note: Something sweet to satify some cravings. Heh, thank you to everyone who kindly had suggestions!
