Author's Note: Set directly after Star Wars: Rebels S2E07, "Stealth Strike", lightly ties into Part 6 of "Jedi Cooking Lessons" (but nothing crazy). Shoutout to calebsdume on Twitter for the fantastic prompt that fit so perfectly with this series and Part 6! I've absolutely loved writing this series, and will always be on the lookout for more ideas that would fit into this little universe😊 Always feel free to send me any of your ideas too! Anyways, enjoy everybody😁

"Man, I'm always so hungry after escaping the Empire," Ezra complained almost as soon as they got back to the Ghost.

"Well, go make yourself something in the galley then, Jabba," Kanan replied. "Rex and I need to get out of these useless suits of armour as soon as possible."

"Boy, you said it!" Rex agreed.

"But Kanan, you know I can't cook!"

Kanan looked up from trying to pull one of his greaves off. "Well, what are you looking at me for? You know cooking was not a skill the Jedi Temple covered!"

"I can."

Both Ezra and Kanan froze in what they were doing, stopping to stare at Rex.

"Yeah, I can whip you up some grub in no time! I did it all the time during the war!"

"The war," Ezra repeated blandly. "When you were constantly fighting?"

Rex laughed. "Well, most of the time, yes. But every so often we'd have a few moments to ourselves and I would cook for the boys. Gave us all a break from the rations."

"Really?" Kanan asked. "I sure wish I'd had you for a Captain, then."

"Ha!" Rex laughed. "Well, never too late to learn! Come on! Let's get this armour off and we'll go see what you've got in that galley of yours."

Fifteen minutes and much grumbling about "crap armour" later, the three of them were standing in the galley. Well, Kanan and Ezra were standing. Rex was going through the cupboards to see what he had to work with.

"Ahh, we'll want that," he said, holding up something Kanan couldn't even identify. He looked at Ezra, but he seemed just as much in the dark. "And this. Oh, and that," Rex continued. "Oh, I've always wanted to try this!"

Rex pulled stuff from the cupboards like it was an everyday occurrence. Sure, Kanan and Ezra recognized the bowl and the spoon. But there were all sorts of tiny, little containers and packages that they'd both swear they'd never seen in their lives.

Eventually, Rex seemed to gather everything he was looking for. "Alright men!" He turned to face them with an air of authority. Kanan felt his back straighten of its own accord, his feet sliding together, arms stiffening at his sides. He saw Ezra do the same from the corner of his eye. "Today we're going to be making an easy dish, though, for two shinies like yourselves, it may seem a tough nut to crack. But we are soldiers of the Republic and we will not be beaten!"

"Um–" Ezra started, but Kanan quickly shushed him out of the corner of his mouth.

"Shh! Just let him have this."

Rex, totally wrapped up in his own speech, didn't even notice. "Today we are making glowblue noodles! Like I said, a fairly simple mission. But that's no reason not to give it your all! Understood?"

"Sir, yes sir!" Kanan answered instinctively, Ezra a beat behind.

"Good!" Rex grinned. "Then let's get to work. Ezra!"

Ezra jumped, eyes wide. "Y-yes?"

"You're in charge of the noodles."

"Okay!" Ezra bounded over to the cupboard as Rex moved toward Kanan and the table. He froze midstep. "Uhhh, Rex?"

"Yes?"

"What do I do?"

Kanan smacked a palm into his face.

Rex was more patient. His voice was calm, his words clear as he explained. "First, find a large pot. Then fill it almost full with water and put it on the stove to boil. Once the water's boiling, you add the noodles. Make sure you put in enough so we can all eat, huh? You let the boiling water cook the noodles until they're limp and soft. Then you're done! Got it?"

"Got it!" Ezra called back, immediately setting to work.

"Alright, Captain," Kanan asked. "What are we doing?"

"We are preparing the sauce and garnish."

"Alright then."

Rex put some yellow and white things in front of him. "Start cutting."

There was a loud crash behind them, and Kanan half-turned to yell over his shoulder, "Ezraaaa! Watch it!"

"Sorry!" Came the answer back.

Rex huffed a laugh, beginning his own task. "You and the kid seem pretty close."

"Yeah," Kanan answered. We've… been through a lot together. He's been through a lot."

"You've been through a lot too if I'm not mistaken," Rex said, giving him a look. "You couldn't've been more than… well, you must have been just a kid yourself when ithappened."

He didn't have to explain. Kanan knew instantly, instinctively, what it was. He didn't look up from the cutting board. "I was fourteen. Actually, a year younger than Ezra is now."

Rex let out an exhale, the horror of that revelation filling the air.

"I… I'm only here because of my Master. She…" He swallowed, feeling Rex's eyes on him like a flaming brand. "Ten of them attacked her at once. She was doomed from the start. She told me to run and… I did." He came to the end of the thing he was cutting, and automatically reached for another. "I regretted it for a long time. Leaving her. It really wasn't until I met Hera and started getting involved in all this that I realized… maybe I'd been spared for a reason." His hands stilled of their own accord. He glanced over at Ezra… and smiled. "Maybe a couple reasons."

There was a pause before Rex said, "You know, you two are not the first Jedi I've taught to cook."

Kanan gave him a quick glance. "Oh yeah?"

"Mmm." Rex barked a laugh. "You two actually remind me of the two of them! They were at each other's throats all the time. Couldn't get those two to agree on anything, ever! They were both some of the most stubborn, pigheaded people I knew…" He gave a wistful sigh. "But they had each other's backs every time it counted. You couldn't find two more loyal, caring individuals if you searched every planet in the Outer Rim." The reminiscent smile fell from his face, and his eyes stared off at a point over Kanan's shoulder. All the warmth had been replaced by cold, unwanted memories. "One… one of them escaped the purge. The Padawan. We were on a mission together, on Mandalore… the General was off saving the Chancellor, or something like that. I assume he didn't make it." Kanan heard a gulp come from Rex's throat and looked up to see his eyes hardening. "Because if he had, he would've been on the front lines with us now, fighting this "Empire". He'd never have stood for such cruelty." The warmth returned to his eyes then, as did the ghost of a smile. "Lucky for us, his Padawan's done it for him."

Kanan frowned. "His Padawan? The only other Jedi I know of in the rebellion is– wait, that's who you've been talking about this whole time?!"

Rex grinned. "The one and only! Commander Tano and I go waaaaay back. Almost to the start of the war, actually." He winked, leaning forward conspiratorially. "Taught her everything she knows about cooking."

Kanan was dumbfounded. "The Ahsoka Tano was your Commander? Maaaaan, you guys must have got up to some craaazy stuff together."

"We sure did. Still are, apparently! Oh, that's enough of that now, son."

"Oh, okay." Kanan stopped chopping and gathered everything he'd cut into a neat pile. "What now, Captain?"

"Now, we're going to…" Rex trailed off, beginning to mumble under his breath, his hands moving quickly and confidently as he… did whatever he was doing. Honestly, it seemed like the old soldier had forgotten Kanan was even there.

He turned around. "How's it going over there, Ezra?"

"I think it's almost done!" came the excited reply.

"Aaand, we're done over here!" Rex announced to the room at large, holding up a big bowl of white-coloured sauce.

Ezra's eyes went wide, and he practically started salivating right then and there. "Awesome!"

"How 'bout I finish off the noodles?" Kanan said. "You go let everyone know dinner's ready."

"Alright, thanks, Kanan!"

He shook his head at his Padawan's boundless energy, giving the pot a careful stir. "I don't know where he gets it from."

Rex chuckled as he brought over the ball of sauce, starting to pour it in with the noodles. "With General Skywalker and Commander Tano, it was completely the other way 'round. He was the one bouncing from place to place, and she was usually the one tryna talk some sense into him!"

Kanan laughed, trying to wrap his head around the image of the famous Anakin Skywalker bouncing around like Ezra. "Man, that must've been wild. The actual Master Skywalker. He was practically a legend in the Temple even before he'd started training. The war only made the legend grow."

"Yeah," Rex said wistfully, staring into the pot now, lost in thought. 'He was something alright."

A heartbeat. Two. Finally, Rex gave his head a shake and turned to Kanan with a smile. "Let's get this grub served up, huh?"

Everyone loved it, of course. Zeb had three helpings and would have had more if Hera hadn't insisted he save some for the rest of them.

Kanan and Rex ended up sitting next to each other, and Ezra could hear them chattering away about the different planets they'd fought on, the different campaigns they'd been on… they seemed to be getting along like old friends. He said as much to Hera.

"On the rescue mission, they were fighting like loth cats and wolves! They couldn't agree on anything! But now look at them. They're getting along just fine!"

Hera smiled. A strange, almost secretive smile. He glanced over at the two men who were now laughing like best friends, and a thought occurred to him. "… like they were made for each other or something."

Hera felt her smile widen. "You know, Ezra, sometimes you hit the mark more than you think. Kanan had a very good reason for not trusting Rex at first. But the thing he assumed Rex had done… turns out he didn't actually do. Once he saw that, believed that…" She looked away from Ezra, glancing across the circular table to the clone and the Jedi. "You're right. It's like they were made for each other." She smiled. "Because they were."

She glanced back at Ezra, but he was already eating again, completely checked out of the conversation. Hera decided that eating was a good idea. She dug in, enjoying watching the unlikeliest – and likeliest – pair of friends laugh and clap each other on the back. And for a moment, it was like nothing had changed at all.

The End

Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! I hope you stick around, leave a review, a fave, maybe read another story or two😄😉 Have a great day💖