Cram School, Lasat Style!

They stared at each other, every now and then one of them would cast a quick glance at the door or the object lying between them. For the most part though they stared at each other and for every passing second the tension grew.

In the back of his mind Zeb thought it would be much less stressful and much easier to face off against a few squads of stormtroopers. In fact, if that was an option he'd happily take it right now. Zeb had helped train new recruits before, but he'd never actually taught anything. The prospect of doing so was. . . Well, terrifying.

'Karabast! No wonder Kanan put off Jedi training so long.'

He was a warrior not a scholar, damn it! Hand him a weapon and tell him to show the kid how to fight, have him lead an assault against bucket heads, or order him keep the boy alive during another one of their suicide runs. Any of those would be easier than this! There were just so many ways this could go wrong. What if he made a mistake? Over looked or forgot to teach the kid something and the mission failed? Or worse, if Ezra got caught?

'Karabast! How the kriff did he convince me to do this?' Zeb thought.

"So, are you going to do anything or just stare at me?" Ezra asked, peering up at Zeb. "I mean, I know good looking and all, and if you were Sabine this would be great, but you're not. So can we get this over with?"

Zeb blinked down at Ezra who was resting his chin on the arm he'd propped on the table and looking completely bored and irritated. Except for his eyes, which were still staring at Zeb anxiously.

'Karabast!' Now he remembered. It was those eyes!

"Keep your hat on, kid," Zeb grumbled, shoving the ratty thing down over Ezra's annoyingly expressive eyes. "I was tryin' to figure out how to start."

"Don't touch my hat," Ezra hissed, pushing it back so he could glare at Zeb. "And why didn't you do that last night? Or this morning? We've been sitting here for–"

Ezra glanced at Zeb's clock.

"Almost five minutes! I've got less than an hour before Kanan's gonna expect me for physical training and at this rate we'll have done nothing!"

"You can tell time?" Zeb relaxed a little. That was one less thing to worry about.

"Yes, I can tell time," Ezra snapped, eyes flashing angrily.

"Well, how was I supposed to know that?" Zeb shot back. "You're always late getting back from where ever it is you run off to, no matter how many times Kanan or Hera tell you when to be back."

"Whatever," Ezra muttered, looking away as a sharp pang ran through him. "Let's just get this over with."

"Fine, then," Zeb huffed and picked up the datapad, turning it on. "I hope you're a quick study, 'cause I ain't repeating myself."

Ezra rolled his eyes and took the datapad.

"Where do you want me to start?"

"Might as well start at the beginning," Zeb answered, moving so he could see the screen.

Surprisingly Ezra didn't argue and did as Zeb suggested.

"OK, so here?" Ezra pointed.

"Yeah," Zeb nodded. "Just, ah, start there and read as much as you can. I'll help when you get stuck."

"'K," Ezra muttered, scanning the first few lines and shifting into a more comfortable position. "Ok, so. . . 'The Empih-Empire! Is mah-made! Up of. . .'"

It was slow going and Zeb had to fight the urge to rip the datapad away and read it himself. Patience was not his strong point and the choppy, broken way Ezra read was painful to listen to. It was a relief when Ezra finally stumbled across a word he needed help with and by the end of the hour they'd made a decent amount of progress and fallen into a, not exactly comfortable, but tolerable pattern.

It lasted three days.

"For the twelfth time, it's conquered. 'Ker' with a 'k' sound," Zeb growled.

"But it's spelled with a 'q'!" Ezra snapped back.

"It's pronounced 'k'!" After two days of making the same corrections again and again Zeb's patience was hanging by a hair. Today seemed so much worse as Ezra questioned everything Zeb said.

"Ok, but why?" Ezra was frustrated. None of the Zeb's corrections made any sense. The only letters that were supposed to make different sounds were vowels, but now it seemed every letter made 4 or 5 different sounds and there was no set pattern or reason at all.

It was stupid and frustrating and all Ezra wanted to do was throw the stupid datapad. Preferably at Zeb, who seemed to think smacking him on the back of the head every time he made a mistake would keep him from making it again.

"It just does," Zeb growled, smacking Ezra on the head. "Now stop arguing with me and read!"

"Stop that!" Ezra glared at Zeb, rubbing his head. "It's not helping."

"Maybe I just need to do it harder." Zeb smirked and thumped Ezra on the head again. "Besides it helps me."

"Oh? Well, maybe I should try it." Ezra smacked Zeb upside the head with the datapad and smirked. "Well, what do ya know? That did hel – ouch!"

Ezra's hands flew to his head which was throbbing rather painfully.

"Maybe now what I've been teachin' you will stick," Zeb said smugly, idly twirling the datapad he'd snatched.

"Oh, it's sticking all right," Ezra muttered. "In fact, why don't I show you how much I've 'learned?'"

"What are you on abo-Rmphf!"

Zeb was knocked back as Ezra tackled him, swiping the datapad and bringing it down on Zeb's head. Or trying to anyway.

"So that's how it's gonna be, eh?" Zeb grumbled, holding Ezra at bay with one hand. "You want to learn the hard way? Fine!"

Kanan paused outside the door to Ezra and Zeb's cabin. The sounds of muffled thumps and cursing sounded from inside and he sighed.

'Great, another, fight to break up.' Kanan scowled and opened the door.

Despite the number of fights Kanan had broken up, and not just the one between crew members, the sight that greeted him still managed to surprise him. Zeb and Ezra were on the floor with Zeb rubbing a datapad in Ezra's face while Ezra tried to push him back with a foot to Zeb's face.

"What," Kanan stared at them, his mind trying to figure out how and why this situation had come about, "is going on?"

It was almost comical how they both froze and slowly turned to face him.

"Well, ah." Zeb very deliberately lifted the datapad away from Ezra's face. "I was, uh–"

"Quizzing me," Ezra cut in. "Sorta. We had a slight disagreement–"

Zeb snorted and Ezra kicked him.

"–about one of my answers," Ezra finished and the two exchanged looks.

Kanan raised a brow. He knew Ezra wasn't lying. They had all been made aware, quite painfully and brutally in some cases, of Ezra's stance on lying: tell none, receive none. But that didn't mean the boy couldn't, or wouldn't, spin a tale of half truths. Kanan had the sneaking suspicions – actually, no, he was absolutely positive they were hiding something, but finding out wasn't worth the headache. . . He hoped.

"Since you have so much energy," Kanan said, drawing the boy's attention back to him. "Today we'll be testing your endurance."

"Again?" Ezra groaned, but stood and followed Kanan anyway.

"Don't look at me like that," Kanan drawled, prodding Ezra along in front of him. "You focus more when you're up and moving or when you're too tired to move."

Zeb's ears twitched and an idea began to form.

Ezra leaned against the wing of the TIE, eyes flicking from the datapad on the ground to a spot on the horizon. A figure appeared in the distance and Ezra sighed.

"About time!" Ezra shouted once Zeb was in hearing range. "I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost."

"Shove off, kid," Zeb said, dropping a small bag next to the datapad. "It would have looked too suspicious if we'd left at the same time."

"Anyway, I did what you asked and talked to Kanan and he agreed to let me 'study' after physical training." Ezra pushed himself away from the TIE and walked over to Zeb. "You gonna tell me why now? And what's all this?"

Ezra poked through the bag.

"Cards? Rocks? Oh, credits!"

"Don't even think about it!" Zeb snatched the bag away with a scowl. "I know exactly how much I put in there and if it's not all there when we're done I'm takin' what's missing out of your hide, understand?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Ezra said dismissively. "Now what's all this junk for?"

"This" Zeb waved the bag at Ezra, "is what I'm going to be using to pound some smarts into that head of yours."

"So, you're gonna pay me to learn?" Ezra eyed the spot in the bag he knew the credits were.

"Not exactly."

"I don't trust that tone." Ezra's eyes snapped to Zeb. He knew that tone. That was the tone that preceded lots of running, bruises, and him mentally cursing a blue streak, which was exactly what he was doing as he stared up at his smug looking roommate.

"Good, means my plans already working," Zeb smirked before clapping his hands together. "Alright here's the plan: You come straight here after Kanan's done with ya. You'll get a brief rest while I read–"

"I thought the whole point was for me to learn!"

Zeb's fists descended on Ezra's head.

"Ouch!"

"Don't interrupt! Now, as I was saying," Zeb continued. "I'll read for bit so you know what the words are supposed to sound like. Then we're going to go over numbers and stuff like that. Then, you're going to read and when you're done I'm gonna quiz ya on what we went over. Got it?"

"Got it," Ezra repeated hoarsely.

"Good." Zeb sat down and picked up the datapad. "Now sit down, shut up, and pay attention."

Grumbling under his breath, Ezra dropped down next to Zeb, peering over his shoulder so he could follow along.

"Finally!" Ezra watched, hawk like, as Zeb carefully arranged the credits and a handful of rocks in front of him. "I was wondering when I was going to see you lovelies!"

"Don't even think about it, kid." Zeb slapped Ezra's hand away when he made to touch them. "And don't forget I know exactly how much is here."

"Oh, come on!" Ezra whined. "Can't I have one?"

"Tell ya what," Zeb smirked. "You get every question correct the first time and I'll think about it."

"Deal! I hope you're ready to lose a credit."

"Right," Zeb drawled and sat down across from Ezra. "Ya said you knew how to count. Do you know how to add and subtract?"

"Um," Ezra scratched his head. "Is that like taking and giving?"

"'Taking and giving?'" Zeb snickered. "What are you, five?"

"No," Ezra growled, socking the Lasat in the arm. "But that was how old I was the last time someone taught me."

"Right," Zeb winced and not because his arm hurt. "Anyway, yeah it's pretty much the same, only. . ."

Zeb laid out the basics, using the rocks and credits to demonastrate.

"So," Ezra tossed one of the rocks in the air and frowned. "If you buy something that's subtracting and if you stea – er – get money that's adding?"

Zeb stared at him.

"Is everything about money to you?"

"No, there's food too."

"Well, that explains a lot," Zeb muttered.

Ezra scowled at him. "Can we just get on with this?"

"Sure, kid." Zeb rolled his eyes. "Let's start with something simple like. . .two plus two."

"Four," Ezra answered flatly. "And if you don't want to lose that credit, make it harder."

"Fine then how about. ."

They continued for a while, Zeb posing problems and Ezra giving answers. Zeb was actually surprised at how well the kid was doing, only stumbling occasionally on the more complicated problems. Until Zeb decided to try multiplying and divding.

"Ok, how 'bout 36 divided by 4?"

"What's. . .dividing?" Ezra asked scrunching his nose up at the word.

"Of course you wouldn't know," Zeb muttered, dragging a hand over his face. "Ok, it goes like this. . ."

Zeb laid out the basics.

"That is stupid. And confusing. And stupid. And confusing. Oh did I mention that it's stupid and confusing?" Ezra asked far too cheerfully for the glare he was giving the diagrams etched into the dirt.

"Kid, I've explained this four times!" Zeb's growled exasperated and barely resisting the urge to crush the rock in his hands from frustration. "What aren't you getting?"

"I don't know! All of it?" Ezra ground out, pounding a fist into the ground. "It's just not making any sense. Multiplying? Dividing? Sounds like fancy adding and subtracting to me."

"It is just fancy adding and subtracting!" Zeb spat back, completely irritated with Ezra's apparent inability to grasp the concept he'd spent the last hour trying to explain.

"Then why do I need to learn it?"

"Because you'll be expected to know it!"

"But I can add and subtract to get the answers right?"

"Well, . . .yes."

"Then I don't need to know it!"

"Yes, you do!"

"But," Ezra glared at Zeb, not bothering to hide his frustration. "You just said I can get the answers by adding and subtracting, so I don't need to know this!"

"Yes. You. Do!"

"But you just said–!"

"Look, kid," Zeb interrupted. "Just get it through that head of yours that you need to learn this and learn it already!"

"Oh, yeah?" Ezra stood up and started marching away. "Make me!"

"You asked for it," Zeb snarled and launched himself at the boy.

Ezra yelped as Zeb tackled him and the two rolled around until Zeb wrestled Ezra into a head lock and dragged him, cursing and swearing the whole way, back to their 'teaching spot.'

"I don't care how long it takes you, brat," Zeb growled, shoving Ezra down and sitting on him so he couldn't run again. "But you're not leaving until you get this!"

"Well, then it looks like we're both gonna die here!" Ezra spat back. "You from starvation, and me from your fat ssa!"

Zeb ground his teeth and forced Ezra to face the diagrams he'd drawn.

It took two more hours of swearing –from both of them–, insults –from both of them–, and several more escape attempts –mostly from Ezra but one from Zeb, in which Ezra took great pleasure in using the Force to drag him back– before they were both too exhausted to continue.

But Ezra did, finally, learn how to multiply and divide. . .a little.

"Alright, time to see how much you've learned."

"Do we have to?" Ezra eyed the rocks in Zeb hands. "Do really have so little faith in your teaching skills?"

"My skills? No." Zeb answered with a smirk and tossed a rock in the air. "You're ability to learn? Yes."

Ezra glared at him.

"Oh, stop complainin'! Kanan throws rocks at you, and I'm not even blindfolding ya!"

"At least he gives me a lightsaber," Ezra muttered, but readied himself anyway.

Zeb smirked. "Tell me about those three laws we covered today."

Ezra did, dodging rocks as he did so and only getting occasionally when he was to distracted trying to remember an answer.

"Not bad, kid, only missed a few," Zeb said once all the rocks were gone and cracking his knuckles. "Ready for round two?"

"Wrestling? Again?" Ezra groaned.

"Sabine said they train you in hand to hand combat."

"I still can't believe you made me ask her," Ezra muttered, face reddening as he remembered the awkward conversation.

"I can't believe you actually asked," Zeb laughed. "Your face though!"

"Shut it! You're just using this as an excuse to hit me!"

"So you are learning," Zeb grinned. "Good."

Ezra sneered and launched himself at Zeb.

"Ezra, sweety, it's four, five, six, not seven, got it?"

"Got it!"

*o*

"Alright, kiddo, let's do this! 'A big, red cat ran up the hill.' Ok, you're turn."

"'A b-bi-big, redah cat ra-ran? ran up tah-the! hill?'"

"Well, would look at that! Honey, Ezra can read! Great job, kiddo, I knew you'd get it! Remember, never give up. Got it?"

"Got it!"

*o*

"New rule! . . .Got it?"

"Got it!"

". . .Don't ever. . .! Got it?"

"Got it!"

" . . .Just do what I say, ok?"

"Got it!"

". . .like that again! Got it?"

"Got it!"

". . .take this seriously. . . Got it?"

"Got it!"

"Whatever it take. . .be the one that walks away, got it?"

"Got it!"

Ezra jerked awake with a start and immediately buried his face his pillow. It didn't do any good and the words continued to echo in his head. Memories, long buried, kept playing over and over. All the lessons he'd ever learned. Ezra groaned.

"Zeb, this is all your fault."

No answer, but Ezra wasn't expecting one, and truthfully as far as memories went those had actually been. . .nice. Really nice. Ezra rolled over and smiled as he listened to the quiet, steady breathing of his roommate.

He liked the lessons. Sure he and Zeb fought like wet cats in a bag, and Ezra wasn't sure how much he was actually learning, but it was kinda nice to be the center of someone's attention. Yeah, Kanan taught him one on one and that great too, but there was something about how . . . Well, normal the subject of Zeb's lessons were that made them special. It made him feel like a normal kid again.

Ezra could only just remember being taught how to read by his father and some simple counting games by his mother. Beyond that the only 'lessons' he'd had came from that person, and those had all been about survival. Granted, without those 'lessons' he probably wouldn't be alive right now, but as far as normal lessons, the kind every kid was supposed to get at school? Well. . . No, that person hadn't been all that great at those. The one and only time that person had even tried to teach him to read it had been:

"Those squiggles together mean food. Those mean trouble, so stay away. Those over there, those mean we can probably get away with hanging out in that store for a bit."

Ezra's lips twitched up a bit as he rolled over and started drifting back to sleep. It had been rather amusing to see the shocked look on that person's face when he'd said he knew how to read. Ezra let out a soft sigh. Yeah, as much as he loved Jedi lessons with Kanan and wouldn't trade them for the world, Ezra wouldn't give up lessons with Zeb either. Even if they did leave him with bruises more than anything else.

"Does Hera know you gamble?"

"It's not 'gambling!' It's playing cards with an added risk."

"'An added risk,'" Ezra repeated, staring at Zeb over the cards in his hand. "Really? That's how you're trying to justify this? Why are we even doing this?"

"If you'd shut up, I could explain!" Zeb snapped.

Ezra rolled his eyes and waved a hand for Zeb to continue.

"Since you, finally, know how to do basic math. Well, pathetically–"

"Hey!"

"- I thought this might be a fun way to practice your skills."

Ezra narrowed his eyes at Zeb.

"No," Ezra said slowly. "I think you just wanted to practice after you lost so bad to that guy in the bar."

Zeb smacked Ezra upside the head with a muttered, "shut up, and he cheated!"

"Suuuuurrreeee he did," Ezra smirked. "Now, how do you play this game?"

Zeb explained the rules.

"Ugh! This is stupid," Ezra sighed, glaring at his cards he'd been dealt for their forth game.

"You're just sore 'cause you're loosin,'" Zeb laughed.

"Whatever. All you're winning are rocks anyway."

"Kid, there's no point using credits if all I'm gonna do is win 'em back. It's not like you've got any."

"I have credits," Ezra corrected with a glare. "See?"

Ezra pulled out a few credits and Zeb raised a brow.

"And where did you get them?"

"Do you really want to know?" Ezra asked. Zeb gave him a hard look and Ezra rolled his eyes. "Relax I swiped 'em from an Imp, and trust me he could afford to lose them."

Zeb chuckled. "Alright then, let's make it more interesting."

"I don't know. . ." Ezra trailed off uncertainly.

"Come on, kid, you scared?"

"Fine, you're on!" Ezra threw down his credits, careful to hide his smirk behind the cards in his hand. He'd let Zeb win a few and then, well. . .

Zeb through down his cards with a disgusted growl and Ezra laughed.

"What's that now? 3 games in a row?" Ezra teased as he dragged the small collections of credits over to his growing pile of winnings.

"Beginner's luck," Zeb growled. "I'll win this round."

"Yeah, right," Ezra snorted. "'Cause you've had so much luck."

"One more round!"

"Can you really afford that?"

"Just deal," Zeb grumbled.

Ezra rolled his eyes as he dealt the next round. He supposed he could let Zeb win a few, wouldn't want to be accused of hustling now would he? By the time they finished the last game Zeb had his credits back. Well, most of them anyway.

"Kid," Zeb eyed the almost tender expression on Ezra's face as he caressed, caressed, the credits he'd won. "You worry me sometimes."

"Why? Because I understand the value of money?"

"Value?" Zeb repeated with a snort. "You look like you want to go rent a room with it."

Ezra stared blankly at him for a minute before the meaning of Zeb's words caught up with him.

"Hey!"

The rest of the trip back was spent bickering and more than few punches were thrown.

"'. . . and with one last great victory the esteemed Emperor Palpatine ended the Clone Wars and ushered in the wondrous era we live in today.' Done and done, finally!"

Ezra let himself fall back onto the ground as he chucked the datapad off to the side.

"Not bad, kid," Zeb grinned as he picked up the discarded device. "And just in time too. Leaving tomorrow, right?"

"Day after," Ezra corrected, not bothering to move from his spot. "Chopper leaves tomorrow, got to give him a day to get into the Academy's system and make sure it doesn't recognize my face when they scan it."

It had been a huge relief for Ezra when Kana had told him Chopper would be going undercover with him to help out and act as a liaison between Ezra and the crew. It was Chopper's job to splice into databank and prevent any of the software from recognizing him. It was also nice to know a familiar presence was going to be around and helping.

"Come on, kid, daylight's fading."

"I think I'll stay here."

"I wasn't asking." Zeb grabbed Ezra's leg and started dragging him back the ship.

"Oy! I can walk!"

"Make sure you take care of yourself."

"Keep a low profile."

"I expect you to do well in all your classes, but don't forget to have a little fun too."

"Don't draw attention to yourself."

"Don't get too close to anyone, but try to make friends."

"Absolutely do NOT use the Force."

"I know they're Imperials, but be polite."

"Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut."

"Make sure you eat all your vegetables and meat, ok?"

"Absolutely do NOT use the Force!"

"Make sure you get plenty of rest."

"Don't let your guard down, and absolutely do NOT use the Force!"

"Don't forget that if anything happens we're just a com call away, but don't let them see you with a com, ok?"

"Do what you need to do, but absolutely do NOT use the Force!"

"Um, ok?" Ezra looked between Hera and Kanan a slightly stunned look on his face at the unexpected onslaught. "I should probably be going?"

When nobody said anything Ezra back slowly away, half expecting Hera or Kanan, or both of them to start up again. They didn't and he relaxed a little and turned to go only to be attacked from behind.

Ezra froze rock still as arms wrapped around him and squeezed him against a body only slightly bigger than his and oddly warm and soft.

"Be careful, Ezra, please?" Hera's whispered in his ear.

"Aren't I always?" Ezra replied, returning the hug.

'A hug? I'd forgotten what they felt like.'

"Not really," Kanan corrected, ruffling his hair as Hera let go. "So take care."

"Don't let them kick you out," Zeb grumbled, from his spot leaning against the wall. "I'd like at least a couple days to myself."

"So nice to know you care," Ezra replied dryly. "And you're supposed to be my back up."

"Don't worry, kid," Sabine cut in. "I got your back."

"You can have my front too," Ezra offered.

Sabine rolled her eyes and gave him a small push. "Get going, kid."

"I understand. You don't want me to see you cry." Ezra nodded understandingly.

"In your dreams," Sabine scoffed.

"Always and every night!" Ezra replied cheerfully, before dashing down the ramp with a laugh. "Later guys, see you in a few weeks!"

Ezra stopped on a hill and gave one last wave, smiling when he saw them all wave back. For one tiny moment he let himself pretend it was his parents, his family, that was waving good bye. Then reality returned and it was time to get to work.

Author's Notes: Ok, so originally this turned out really angsty and kinda tragic with a lot more Zeb and Ezra bonding, but that wasn't really what I wanted. I wanted funny and light hearted, so this is how it turned out. Hope you readers like it!

Comments to Your Reviews:

~ to RedtailHawk19: Thank you! You have such wonderfully enthusiastic reviews and I love reading them! I'm glad you liked the lessons, truthfully I had a hard time with them. They kept turning out all mushy with a lot of indepth bonding that I didn't want to add just yet. So I'm really glad you liked it. As for Ezra's love of money. . .It just made sense to me, plus it made me laugh every time I imagined it.

~ to Guest1: I'm glad I made you laugh. It's nice to know others appreciate my sometimes twisted sense of humor.