(A/N)- Self-explanatory. Just a bit of Sabezra indulgence. These'll be mostly set Season 3-ish. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: C'mon, do I really have to? Can't we just assume at this point?
Chapter 1
It was hours into their mission and the music from the cantina speakers was almost deafening, even outside where she was stationed, when Sabine got a chirp on her comlink.
She raised the device to her face and pressed the button idly, attempting to appear casual. The pounding bass vibrations rumbled through the stone walls and the earthen ground beneath her, the night air crisp and faintly chilly.
"Spectre 5 here," she answered.
"Sabine?" Ezra's voice crackled around the static on the line. "I'm in a bit of a... situation."
Sabine raised an eyebrow. Aside from a few Stormtroopers, they were pretty sure they had accounted for all the complications of tonight's info pass. "What kind of situation?" she asked.
"Well... there's this older woman..." he began. "She's very drunk." He sounded embarrassed as he explained. "And she's, uh... she's coming on to me? I don't... I don't think she realizes how old I am. Or..." he amended with clear chagrin, "...maybe she doesn't care."
Sabine almost laughed. Of all things, drunk women flirting with Ezra. Stars, that would be just their luck.
"Just shoot her down and tell her you're taken," she said, holding back a chuckle.
"Yeah, tried that. She's not having it. Practically chased me into the 'fresher." A jostle on the line as it sounded like Ezra moved position. "She's like... hovering by the door waiting for me," he told her.
Now Sabine frowned a little. Okay, she could see how Ezra felt uncomfortable enough to call her for a bailout. "You need a rescue?" she offered.
The relief in his voice was apparent. "That'd be appreciated."
"All right, hold on, I'll be right there," she promised, moving from her spot.
Checking both sides of the street, Sabine slipped out of the shadows and made her way to the side alley where the cantina's backdoor was. It was guarded by a single bouncer, who grunted as Sabine flashed him her false credentials and shuffled aside to let her pass.
The thrumming bass became an almost deafening pound, brazzy synths lilting behind the deep pulsing drums. Sabine's eyes were immediately beset with neon colors, glowing on the walls and ceiling, lining barstools and tucked into lamps.
Immediately dodging back from a wildly flailing Twi'lek who nearly knocked an arm into her face, Sabine brought the comm up to her mouth again, cupping a hand over her ear to try and filter out the background noise.
"All right, I'm inside. Where are you?" she asked.
"Still hiding in the 'fresher," he said. "I actually don't see her anymore."
"I'm right by the back door, can you make it to me?"
She heard him blow out a breath. "Not easily. Those Stormies moved up pretty close to the bar and they're going around and checking everyone's IDs."
Sabine leaned forward, peering into the other room through the doorway on the far side and confirming from the glimpse of white plastoid armor that the Stormtroopers were actively milling about and haranguing people.
"What, don't tell me you can't sneak past a couple bucketheads," she teased, slowly beginning to make her way through the undulating bodies.
"They aren't who I'm worried about," he defended. "I—"
He cut off abruptly, and Sabine felt a trickle of worry.
"Ezra?"
He cursed over the line.
"Sithspit, hurry Sabine! She found me again!"
Sabine hastily disconnected and focused on sliding and scraping her way past the crowd.
-SWR-
Ezra's mouth was dry, his pulse nervous as he backed up against the wall of the private booth, berating himself for getting trapped in a corner. The Iridonian woman was swaying a bit on her feet, her eyes glassy but alight, as she boxed him in, both hands splaying out against the oaken paneling that lined the booth.
"Gods you're pretty," she slurred. "I could just get lost in those blue eyes of yours."
Ezra swallowed down a lump in his throat, tensed in every limb. "Ma'am..." he strained, eyes darting over her shoulder for a glimpse of Sabine, or some other hint of escape from this very awkward conversation. "Do you how old I am?" he asked in a squeak, hoping to spark some kind of sense into her.
Her brows crunched slightly as she seemed to try to comprehend his question. She spent several moments dazed, swaying slightly on her feet, before shaking herself, her mouth curling with a smile.
"Old enough for me," she decided, heavily-lined eyes falling closed and leaning in with eager lips.
Ezra tightened further, raising his hands up to either shield himself or push her away but before she could connect—
"There you are!"
The Iridonian fumbled a little as she closed in, tripping over her feet and pulling back, and Ezra's relief was phenomenal as he saw Sabine shoving past other patrons to reach him, one hand reaching under the older woman's and snagging him by the shirt.
Sabine pulled him deftly out of his trapped position and immediately touched hands to his cheeks and shoulders, perfectly acting the role of concerned girlfriend.
"I didn't know where you'd gone, I was so worried!" she said, putting on a slightly exaggerated air of fussiness as she smoothed out his collar and brushed his hair with her fingertips.
Ezra almost sagged in relief, a grin stealing across his face that was only half-pretend. "Hey babe," he said, tone warm and affected. "Sorry I got a little lost in the crowd on you."
The Iridonian woman witnessed their affection with a small pout, lip warbling a little as her dazzled eyes tried to focus on her newfound rival for Ezra's affections.
"Uh, Erishka, this is my girlfriend Sabine," Ezra put in, noticing the woman's crestfallen demeanor. "The one I told you about."
"Nice to meet you..." she murmured in a stupor.
Sabine didn't give the woman much time to process her arrival, tugging on Ezra's arm and already steering him towards the closet door.
"Come on," she said, putting on a bit of a whine. "You haven't danced with me all night!" she complained.
To her satisfaction, the woman seemed to buy their act, watching them weave into the crowd with forlorn disappointment.
Sabine waited until they were closer to the door before letting go of Ezra's elbow, and the two of them dodged past the watchful eyes of the Stormtroopers to stumble out into the open air, quiet relief pinging through them both.
"Thanks Sabine," he told her, genuine gratitude shining in his eyes. "Dunno how I was gonna get myself out of that one."
Sabine rolled her eyes with long-suffering fondness. "Only you could get hit on by random disaffected middle-aged women at the bar while on-mission," she said, shaking her head. "You made contact, right?" she pressed, more urgently.
"Almost ten minutes in," he confirmed. He held up a data chip, a proud gleam in his eye. "Informant says this should have everything we're looking for."
Sabine smiled privately as she reached for Ezra's arm again. "Nice work, babe," she teased. She glanced back over their shoulders. "Think Miss Clingy will make any trouble for us?"
Ezra shook his head. "I think she'll be really embarrassed in the morning but that's about it," he said.
"Right," Sabine acknowledged, leading him away from the cantina up towards the street. "So how did she even decide you were just such a catch?"
Ezra shook his head with a grimace. "I don't even know, Sabine, I was just trying to play things cool and make some casual conversation with her and the bartender while I waited for an opening to sneak past the Stormtoopers and then all of a sudden she's four drinks in and five minutes into a long rant about her ex-husband and reaching to try and touch my hair." He shuddered with slight revulsion.
"And you didn't think to just Jedi Mind Trick her because...?" Sabine asked.
Ezra's eyes widened slightly as if belatedly realizing that had been an option and he cursed.
Sabine laughed. "No, I get it. Awkward situation, drunk woman up in your space, you were probably so flustered it just didn't cross your mind."
He gave a wry smile. "I'll have to try that next time," he said.
"Yeah, there's not going to be a next time, I'm gonna tell Hera you attract too much attention when we send you into dive bars by yourself."
His smile soured. "Hey!' he protested indignantly.
He followed her down the street and the noise of the bar faded away