Well what do we have here? It's a long chapter! About ten pages in my document. Over 3100 words. Have fun. Oh and I hoped you guys enjoyed my feels three-shot "A Blast from the Past"
Chapter 15: All the Small Things
In fact, Ezra was silent for most the rest of the day. Once they had gotten back to the apartment and Kanan helped him up and over to the couch, Ezra practically collapsed on it and stared at the ceiling.
Kanan checked the time. It was about one in the afternoon. "You hungry kid?"
Ezra looked up at him, stared at him for a moment, blinked, before plopping back onto his back and answered with a drug induced answer of, "Food good."
"Okay then." Kanan said, before looking in the kitchen for something that would be suitable to eat after getting fillings. It should probably be something on the soft side, but not liquid. He decided on a creamy peanut butter and honey sandwich.
After making the sandwich Kanan brought it over to Ezra. "Alright kid, here's food, sit up."
Ezra sat up and Kanan placed the plate with the sandwich on his lap. "There you go."
"What's this?" Ezra asked.
"It's a sandwich." Kanan said.
Ezra picked it up and started to eat it slowly. "Feels funny."
"Yeah, you'll feel funny for a bit. It's just the medicine." Kanan explained.
"Don't like medicine." Ezra muttered before continuing to eat.
"Well, I think you would prefer this to the pain of the doctor filling your teeth without numbing medicine." Kanan said.
Ezra responded by continuing to eat his sandwich.
After he was done Kanan tried to take the plate but Ezra wouldn't have it. "Mine."
"Kid, it's empty." Kanan said, trying once again to take the plate.
"My plate." Ezra said.
Kanan sighed, figuring this was the gas talking, he just let Ezra keep the plate. Kanan went to eat his own lunch and the next time he looked over at Ezra, he was back to laying on his back, staring intently on the ceiling, with his plate on his stomach.
After Kanan finished he went over to him, "Do you need anything kid?"
Ezra blinked. "Book?"
"Alright." Kanan shrugged and grabbed a book off the shelf, before handing it to Ezra.
The teen opened the book to the front, with it raised above his face because he was still on his back. This went well for all of two seconds, before the book slipped out of grip and fell on his face.
"Oh," was Ezra's numb to pain response.
Kanan smiled. "Here, I'll read it to you." He took the book off the kid's face and brought a chair from the kitchen next to the couch. "Let's see. 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens. 'Chapter 1: Marley's Ghost. Marley was dead: to begin with. There was no doubt about that'." Kanan continued to read.
Kanan figured Ezra was only half there due to the after affects of the laughing gas but he was actually listening attentively. By the end of the third chapter Kanan's throat was dried from all the reading and he stopped, much to Ezra's displeasure. He always loved books. He loved being read to when his parents were still around, and was reading two levels higher than his grade level nearing the end of their lives. At least once a month Ezra would go to the library and just sit in the back corner and read any random book he picked up. So when Kanan stopped, Ezra picked the book up, and tried to start where Kanan stopped. But the book ended up on his face once again.
Kanan returned from getting a glass of water to find the book on his ward's face again.
"Do you enjoy having books on your face?" Kanan asked, sitting down, and taking the book off the child's head.
"No." Ezra responded. "But reading,"
"Are you actually paying attention to the story?" Kanan asked in amazement.
"Yes," Ezra said, his mind was actually clearing up, making it easier to respond.
"What's happened so far?" Kanan questioned.
Ezra told him in fine detail what had happened up to this point.
"Okay then," Kanan said. "Shall we continue?"
"Yes." Ezra said.
Kanan smiled and started where he stopped.
About mid-way through Ezra stood up and walked without stumbling into the bathroom, so Kanan paused the story. It took about a minute for him to come back and sit on the couch. Since Ezra made no move to lay back down Kanan moved to sit next to him, to which Ezra did not protest. Kanan continued to read and surprisingly Ezra leaned into him as he did so, looking at the pages.
They continued before there was a knock on the door. Kanan handed the book over to Ezra and went to answer the door. It was Hera on the other side.
"Hera, what brings you here?" Kanan asked. "Wait, how did you know this is where I lived?"
"Fulcrum." Hera said. "She sent me over to see how things were coming."
"Great." Kanan said. "We got Ezra some clothes, a hair cut and a trip to the dentist."
Ezra looked up from the book, which he had started reading on his own, at the mention of the dentist.
"Relax, you aren't going back until March." Kanan said. Ezra looked back down at his book. "He didn't enjoy that too much," he explained to Hera.
"Did you do anything else today?" Hera asked.
"Not really," Kanan said. "After a late lunch we read."
"I like books." Ezra said.
"Hasn't that laughing gas worn off yet?" Kanan asked.
"It wore off two hours ago." Ezra said. "I elected not to tell you though."
"Why?" Kanan asked.
"I enjoyed reading with you." Ezra said with a shrug.
"Well it seemed like you found a way to bond." Hera said.
"Are you hungry kid?" Kanan asked.
"Yes," Ezra responded, not looking up from his book.
"Have you eaten yet?" Kanan asked Hera.
"As a matter of fact, no." Hera said.
"Come on kid, we're going out for supper." Kanan called.
Ezra closed the book and pulled on his shoes.
"It's a bit chilly, if he has something warmer he may want it." Hera said.
Ezra heard this and put on his orange hoodie. He was right, it was soft, he smiled and snuggled into it more.
"Ready kid?" Kanan asked, ruffling his hair some.
"Yeah," Ezra said, "but you aren't."
Kanan looked down to see that he wasn't wearing any shoes. "Good point Ezra." Kanan quickly found his shoes and pulled them on. "There, now we are good."
Ezra and Hera smiled.
"So where were you thinking about eating?" Hera asked.
"I was maybe thinking the diner we went to on our first date." Kanan said.
"Yeah, The Asteroid Belt sounds good." Hera agreed.
Kanan noticed Ezra grimace at the name. "Kid, it's good. I think you will like it."
"I do like it. It's just that the waitress doesn't like me." Ezra explained.
"Well, we'll ignore her." Kanan said.
"And if she gives us a lot of problems we'll complain to the manager." Hera said.
Ezra was shocked for a moment, before he smiled, Kanan and Hera were going to defend him. They really are different than everyone else, in an amazing way. The three of them walked out of the apartment and down the street towards the diner.
Walking down the streets of the city of Lothal, had always been something Ezra enjoyed doing with his parents when he was younger. Then he learned to hate it while he lived on them. Now, with Kanan and Hera, he may learn to like it again.
Kanan and Hera were walking hand in hand a few steps ahead of Ezra. Which made Ezra smile, they were so in love, like Ezra's parents were. Ezra jogged up and got on the other side of Kanan.
"So, this your third date?" Ezra asked.
"What?" Kanan asked shocked.
Hera snorted.
Ezra smirked a little.
"Well, I wouldn't consider it a date." Kanan said. Ezra could tell that he had embarrassed him.
"Oh come on, Kanan, just admit it." Hera smiled. "This is a date."
"A date, with the kid tagging along?" Kanan asked.
"My parents did it all the time." Ezra said, before looking down. His pace stopped.
"Ezra?" Hera asked, as she and Kanan stopped and turned to look at the paused teen.
Ezra looked up, "Yeah?"
"You okay?" Hera asked.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Ezra asked.
"Well, you mentioned your parents, then you kind of grew far off." Hera said.
"I just don't like talking about my parents, alright." Ezra said.
"Well, let's get going. Standing here isn't going to get us food." Kanan suggested, breaking off the awkward conversation.
The three of them continued towards the diner.
Just as Ezra expected, when they reached the diner, the waitress was pleased to see Kanan and Hera, him not so much.
The waitress completely ignored him, "Hello, table for two?"
"Three," Kanan corrected.
"Oh, is another member of your party coming later?" the waitress asked.
"No, we're all here." Kanan said, he was starting to lose his patience already with this waitress.
"Phantom is with you?" the waitress asked.
"His name is Ezra, and yes he is." Kanan said. "So if you would show us to our table for three, it will be appreciated."
"Right this way." the waitress said, she was obviously not very pleased.
After they were seated and the waitress handed them their menus she walked off.
"What is it with you and defending me?" Ezra asked.
"It's my job." Kanan smiled, making Ezra smile in return.
Kanan, Hera, and Ezra looked over the menu.
"What looks good to you, kid?" Kanan asked.
"Everything," Ezra said.
Hera snorted and Kanan smirked. "How about we help narrow it down." Kanan suggested.
"Okay," Ezra said.
"How about, you chose between: the cheese burger, the chicken tenders or the fish sticks." Kanan suggested.
'Well, I can rule out fish sticks,' Ezra thought. He remembered back to when he stayed here because of the rain, and how that nice woman, Dari Thane, had bought him the chicken tenders. "I think I'll take the chicken tenders."
"Good choice." Hera said. "What about to drink?"
"Um," Ezra said.
"What soda do you like?" Kanan asked.
"I haven't had it in eight years, I don't remember." Ezra responded.
"How about a Pepsi?" Hera suggested.
"Alright." Ezra said.
"Well, I'm ready." Hera said.
"Me too." Kanan said. "Waitress,"
The waitress came back over, "What can I get you folks tonight."
"I'll have the Philly Cheesesteak and a strawberry tea." Hera said.
"I'll take the Bacon Cheeseburger, with a Dr. Pepper." Kanan said.
"Oh, um" Ezra stuttered, realizing it was his turn. "I'll have the chicken tenders with a Pepsi, please."
The waitress wrote it all down and left.
"No need to be nervous Ezra." Kanan smirked.
"Well you saw how she treated me when we first got here." Ezra said.
"And you saw how I handled it." Kanan said. "And I will continue to do so as long as it persists."
"Thanks," Ezra said.
"No need to thank me Ezra." Kanan smiled. "It's part of my job now."
Hera smiled, Kanan only had Ezra for about a day now and he was already an amazing father.
The waitress came back with their drinks, "Your food will be ready shortly."
"Thank you," Hera said warmly, hoping that if she was nice, the waitress would be nice in return.
Ezra took a sip of his drink before pulling back in slight surprise.
"What is it?" Kanan asked with a smile at Ezra's reaction.
"I forgot it was so sweet and bubbly." Ezra admitted.
"Well that's soda for you." Hera said with a laugh.
There was a somewhat awkward silence.
"I feel like we should get to know each other a bit better." Kanan suggested.
"How so?" Hera asked.
"Well, you remember truth or dare as a kid?" Kanan asked.
"Yes," Hera responded the same time Ezra said "No,"
"Well, we'll do something like that, but with just truths." Kanan asked. "Ezra, basically one of us will as you a question and you have to answer it truthfully, then when you are asked a question, you can ask one of us one."
"Oh, okay." Ezra said.
"It seems like a good way to get to know each other." Hera said.
"I'll ask first, so Hera," Kanan started. "Am I your first boyfriend?"
Ezra raised an eyebrow at the question.
Hera blushed, "Yeah," She cleared her throat. "So, Ezra, how long did you live on the streets?"
"It would have been eight on October 1st." Ezra replied.
"Why is that?" Hera asked.
"Um, I thought it was my turn to ask the question?" Ezra said.
Hera sighed.
"Kanan, do you love Hera?" Ezra asked, purely to embarrass the man.
Now it was Kanan's turn to blush. "Yes."
Hera smiled.
"Um, okay," Kanan murmured, trying to get over his embarrassment. "Ezra, just out of curiosity, about how much do you think you stole over the years?"
Ezra bit his lip and looked into his lap, and shook his head.
"Ezra, you have to answer." Hera said gently.
"You'll hate me though," Ezra said.
"Ezra, I promise I won't think any less of you, whenever you tell the truth." Kanan said, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Total, over the years, if I had to guess the price of the stuff I stole, and add it to the money, maybe about, 25." Ezra said.
Kanan was confused, he could have sworn that the store owner said that he stole about $200, and that when he asked a pickpocket victim he said he had take about $20. "$25?"
"$25,000," Ezra said softly, before a few tears slipped out. His thoughts started getting carried away, 'This was definitely it. Kanan finally realizes how much trouble I've caused. He'll cancel his custody of me and put me in jail or back onto the streets.'
Hera and Kanan saw the boy's tears. And Kanan didn't have to be told what the boy was thinking. "Ezra," he pushed back from behind the table and pulled the boy out of his seat. "When I make a promise, I never go back on it. I promised I wouldn't think any less of you, and I don't." He pulled Ezra into a hug and felt the boy stiffen, he supposed at the unfamiliar contact. "With eight years on the streets, I'm surprised that you didn't take more." He released the boy from the hug.
"We'll my parents always told me stealing was wrong, so I just took enough to survive." Ezra said.
Kanan and Ezra sat back down. Hera handed Ezra a tissue to dry his tears.
"Thanks," Ezra said.
There was a prolonged silence.
"Well we should probably get back to the game." Hera said.
"Kanan," Ezra started, then he stopped to think. He just needed to know, "Why did you decide to take me in?"
"Well, I took a look at you," Kanan said. "And I guess I sort of saw myself. I was passed around from foster home to foster home, until I found my last guardian. A woman by the name of Depa Billaba. She was the one who convinced me to become a police officer. When I became one, she was my partner. I wanted to give you the same chance she gave me."
"You want me to be a police officer?" Ezra asked.
"Well, not now. Maybe several years from now, but it is ultimately your choice." Kanan said.
At this point the waitress came back with their food and set it down in front of them.
"Thank you." Ezra told the waitress with a smile. She returned with a glare. After she left he muttered, "Who spit in her coffee?"
"Just eat your food kid," Kanan said.
They ate in relative silence, their game of truth or truth forgotten.
After they ate they left the diner, leaving a very small tip for the rude waitress, before heading back to Kanan's apartment.
"It was really nice tonight." Hera said.
"Yeah, I had a great time." Kanan said.
"Minus the waitress." Ezra murmured.
Kanan gave Ezra a look, before unlocking the apartment door and pushing Ezra inside before closing the door.
"Now that we are alone." Kanan said. He pulled Hera into what he thought was going to be a quick kiss, but Hera wrapped her arms around his neck making the kiss go on for longer than what he intended, not that he cared. In fact, he was so involved in it that he did not hear the slight click of the door locking.
When Hera pulled away, she smiled. "First kiss?"
"Yeah," Kanan admitted.
"Mine too." Hera said. "Oh, and Fulcrum wanted me to let you know your hearing is on Friday."
"Already?" Kanan asked. "But hey, I guess the sooner I get back to work the better."
"Yeah," Hera said. "I'll get to see you more often."
"Night, Hera." Kanan said.
"Night, Kanan." Hera bid him farewell.
Kanan waited until she left the floor before he went into his apartment. Or at least, tried too.
"Kid did you lock the door?" Kanan asked.
"Maybe." Ezra's voice said from the opposite side.
"Fine, you know why because I have," Kanan started, as he searched his pocket for the key, before remembering that he placed it in Ezra's hand before shoving him inside.
"The key?" Ezra guessed. "About that, I have it."
"Open the door Ezra." Kanan said. Sure he was slightly angry about being locked out his own apartment, but he was also slightly happy. Ezra was messing with him, which must mean he trust him enough to not get rid of him.
"Why did you shove me inside?" Ezra asked.
"Can you go five seconds without causing some sort of trouble?" Kanan asked.
"Maybe, but your life will be a lot more boring." Ezra answered.
"You know, I hate to admit it. But you're right." Kanan said. He could practically feel Ezra smirking.
"Did you kiss her?" Ezra asked.
"What?" Kanan asked.
"Did you push me inside because you wanted to kiss her?" Ezra repeated.
"Yes, alright I did." Kanan admitted.
"How long was it?" Ezra asked.
"Kid," Kanan said.
"Answer and the door shall be opened to you." Ezra said.
"I don't know, maybe fifteen seconds." Kanan said.
He heard the door unlock and it opened.
"Now was that so hard?" Ezra asked.
"You know," Kanan said stepping into the house. "I was going to offer you the bedroom, but after that stunt you are staying on the couch."
"But, I'm staying here." Ezra said with a smirk.
"Like you said, my life would be to boring without you." Kanan replied before gently pushing Ezra unto the couch.