So while the rest of this story could easily be in canon I can't end it the way the show did. So consider this chapter the AU happy ending I wanted instead. Enjoy the fluffs!
"Run that by me one more time?"
An inexplicable chuckle bubbled up in Ezra's throat. His master couldn't have looked more shocked if he'd just taken a stun bolt between the eyes. "I said," he repeated slowly, "you've been acting like my father for years. Now that there's finally a chance of us getting a normal type of life, I want to know how you'd feel about actually being my father."
"You...you want me to adopt you?" Kanan tried hard not to stumble over the words, or reveal the thrill just saying them caused him.
Ezra rubbed his neck. "No, well, it would be great if you could, but I don't think it's possible to have it be official. The Rebellion doesn't really have that authority and it's not like we can ask the Empire."
Kanan mulled that over for a moment. He and Hera had had a similar problem when they'd talked of marrying, eventually opting for a traditional ceremony on Ryloth and worrying about making it "galactically legal" later. "What about just on Lothal?" he finally asked. "Is there a way of making it legitimate there?"
Ezra shook his head slowly. "From a Lothalian point of view you adopted me ages ago. The whole thing's basically an honor system. Most kids don't even take their adoptive parent's name. Ryder could probably hunt down some kind of document, but he has enough to worry about right now and considering how close he was with my parents, I don't think he'd like the idea. Honestly, I kinda don't even care if there's ever anything formal about it. I..I'm just..I'm ready to call you Dad. If you're ready to hear it, that is. You know, sometimes?"
The kid's voice cracked timidly and Kanan's heart went along with it. All of Ezra's self doubt and abandonment worries that Kanan had spent years working him through, loving him through, still hadn't fully gone away. The Jedi couldn't place any blame over that fact even if it did crush him inside.
"You can call me Dad anytime you want." Ezra looked up sharply, blue eyes riveted on his face. Kanan held up a warning finger. "So long as you promise me it won't always be said out of sarcasm."
His boy - the words sent a shiver through Kanan, he'd thought them many times but now they were on the verge of being very real, Ezra would be his boy - gave a mock pout for approximately three seconds before grinning bigger than Kanan had ever seen and launching himself into his new father's arms.
Kanan shut his eyes and his senses to everything but this moment, soaking in every detail of his son wrapped securely in his arms. Ezra was growing again, he noticed. It was subtle, nuanced, but distinguishing such things had been his only recourse in his years without sight.
The difference was clear in how he no longer had to do a slight crouch to get his arms comfortably around the other's waist. Ezra's shoulders and back were broader and more defined under his touch. His padawan would always be lean but his form was stronger, more solid. The boy was becoming a man, a fact that had Kanan's throat tightening with emotion.
At a time when no one would fault him for wanting more independence, Ezra was choosing to bring them closer. Was choosing him the way he had a few weeks into their training, when Kanan had been ready to give him up in spite of the obvious bond that was growing between them. Ezra had forgiven him that, and had insisted they remain as Master and Padawan. Now he was bonding them as father and son, an action Kanan had no idea what he'd done to deserve but one he would spend every day relishing.
Time passed - minutes, hours - they neither knew nor cared. At last a question escaped. "Are we going to tell the others?"
The younger Jedi let out a contented hum. "We should. It's gonna be obvious soon anyway. Besides I ah... I kinda already told Hera I was gonna ask you. Well I told her I was thinking about it."
Kanan smiled. "I can't imagine she was anything but thrilled."
Ezra pulled away, smiling in return. "She said it was the best thing that had happened to either of you in years. At least I'm pretty sure that's what she said. She was kinda half sobbing at the time."
"Oof."
"Yeah. Chopper let loose some very creative threats when he wandered in and found us. Took her five minutes to convince him she was happy. That something special was happening."
"She always knew you were special." Leaning down just enough to catch his kid's wandering gaze Kanan added, "One day you'll believe it. Until then.." He spread his arms and Ezra tucked himself back inside them.
"Now, fair warning: I don't know if I'll be any good at this parent thing."
Ezra snuggled closer, letting that serve as a reply. Really, it was all he could do not to laugh. What was Kanan worried about? He'd had "this parent thing" down before he even knew he was trying. He'd sacrificed so much to give Ezra the things his long years on the streets had robbed him of ever believing he'd have again: Safety, Home, Family. All without asking for anything in return. There was no way he'd fail. And Ezra knew exactly how to let him know it.
Pushing himself up on his toes he rested his forehead against his caregiver's, closing his eyes. "I love you Dad."
Pure unadulterated joy soaked their bond as Kanan took in the words and Ezra had to fight back tears at the force of it. Glancing up, he swore his master wouldn't have looked happier if the entire Jedi order was suddenly resurrected right in front of him.
Kanan's hand slowly reached around the back of Ezra's head, drawing it down and back under his lightly bearded chin, where a half dozen kisses, soft and full of tenderness, were pressed to the teen's forehead and hair. A quiet, "I love you too Son," followed shortly after.
Quiet fell around them after that. In an amusing reversal of how things normally were, Kanan was the one mildly annoyed by the fact, his usual torrent of wise words now thoroughly dried up. Ezra on the other hand didn't mind the silence, merely smiling and laying his head on his father's shoulder.
Words were irrelevant now in his opinion. He'd chosen Kanan and Kanan had chosen him. They were family. Nothing more needed to be said.
From the bottom of my heart thank you to everyone whose read and enjoyed the way I've written and indulged my love of my favorite father-son duo. One last time I would be grateful for your thoughts on this or any of the chapters in this story. Any favorite moments? Ideas for future stories? I'd love to hear any of it. Stay safe everyone!
