#can you imagine his internal response to hearing this from Ezra and having the whole Ghost crew nod in agreement

[follow-the-white-loth-cat]

"Then you're no better than the Empire" - Rebels S3 E13 (Ezra talking to Saw)

"I'm condemned to use the tools of my enemy to defeat them" - Andor S1 E10 (Luthen)

I really really hope people don't pit Rebels and Andor against each other because together they are so interesting, two sides of the same story, getting at the same themes but in totally different ways.

Does anybody really have an answer to this philosophical question anyways, whether the ends justify the means? I'm not sure we can say who is right, only that it takes everyone in the Rebellion to ultimately overthrow the Empire

[colonel-insomniac]

Okay you want Prompt? How about coffee's shop AU for Kai and Ezra? I need more of my best boys

@my-blood-is-maple-syrup you ask, I serve. I started writing this almost as soon as I saw this ask bc this is Important.

Read The Other Planet!!!

Ezra sat quietly in the café, looking out the window, absorbed in his thoughts as he watched a bee hover from flower to flower. It had been two months since he’d managed to escape Azurelle, and quite literally hand in hand with Pon and Kai. At first, the two had stayed with him in his parents house, but eventually, they had left, managing to rent an apartment. Small and quaint, but comfortable. He remembers their faces as they refused to take money from his parents, insisting it wasn’t right, that they couldn’t take their money. They only agreed to take the money when Ezra’s parents insisted it was the least they could do for Kai and Pon after they’d watched Ezra, and even then, he knew they only did it to save him from further embarrassment.

They didn’t have a fight or anything. Kai and Ezra had talked about the way they felt about one another, and Ezra was shocked to find that the shorter man reciprocated his feelings, even though Pon had been adamant about this. But then they left, and Ezra felt like maybe he shouldn’t bother them. They’re setting up a new life for themselves, figuring out their next steps, and they don’t even have parents to guide them along. He had tried, waited for them in those woods by his house, but they never showed, and ro be fair, how would they know to? After that, the thought of sticking himself back in their lives made Ezra’s stomach twist. Not in disgust, but in anxiousness.

And so here he sat, two months later, alone in a booth in a café. He had a book on the table, his phone next to it, face down, and his apple cider not quite hot anymore. When the bee buzzes away, he snaps out of his thoughts, resting his head on an arm with a sigh. He needed to move on, at least that’s what he’s been told. He’s hung out with friends, so it’s not like he’s not holing himself up in his room, but there’s a sick, panicky feeling that slowly develops in the back of his mind when he does hang out with them, and he can’t put a finger on why.

Ezra’s eyes flick over to his phone as it lights up, and he watches, determined to see it fall back asleep. The screen fades to black, and he wishes he were able to peacefully slip into sleep. But the nightmares only seemed to get worse after they moved out, so he’s spent the past couple months functioning on minimum sleep. He takes a sip of the cooled apple cider, wishing he’d chosen a coffee, or something remotely caffeinated.

It’s no shock that Ezra doesn’t see or hear anything when Kai enters the café. His eyelids have slowly drooped, lulled into an alert doze. But when the younger man slides across from him in the booth, Ezra’s back in the world of the living, and thoroughly perplexed at the sight in front of him. He rubs his eyes, muttering something about really needing to find a way to sleep at night. Kai’s hand reaches out across the table, covering one of Ezra’s when he drops them back to the table, fiddling with the paperback cover of his book. The contact stills Ezra, and he breathes in, holding that breath. Kai’s hands are cold, and it’s a shock to his whole being. “I didn’t think you came to this café.” Is all he manages to say to Kai, and it takes a moment for his brain to register that he probably should’ve started with a greeting of some sort.

Kai smiles at that, all kind eyes like when he took care of him. Ezra’s heart pangs, and he looks away silently, knowing his face is mostly blank, save for shock. “Well, Pon found this café and he’s addicted to it, so I came to get him some of their pastries.” At Ezra’s nod, Kai adds, “He’s gotten sick.” His obvious worry for Pon leaves Ezra completely speechless, and He dumbly nods again, his eyes running over the marks the scars on his face had left behind.

Kai’s concern is palpable as he asks Ezra if he’s alright. Ezra feels his face flush, and starts to nod again before figuring he needs to actually say something. “Yeah, I uh, I missed you.” And then he looks away in embarrassment— ‘C’mon Ezra, you’re really gonna be that blatant? What happened to moving on?’ His brain whispers, and he rushes to change the subject to something else, hopefully less embarrassing for him. Kai’s eyes are wide in surprise, and Ezra cringes internally. “So, how have you been?”

He’s instantly aware of the tightness of the sound of his voice, and it just sounds so wrong, but now that he’s said it he can’t do anything but wait until Kai responds, however he may respond.

There’s a pink blush on Kai’s face, but Ezra doesn’t notice it as Kai carefully chooses the words for his response. “I miss my parents, and sister, even though that’s kind of stupid after all they did to me, but I’m grateful that Pon’s here with me too. I missed you too, and I wanted to come see you, but we weren’t sure that it was right, so we didn’t.” Kai’s eyes pin Ezra in place, calming that panicky feeling creeping in on him. “But we should have, because I—we both care about you.” The slip up is the only thing bouncing around in Ezra’s head, and he turns it over in his mind. “I—we care about you….”

He’s not sure if his heart has stopped beating or if it’s in his imagination, but he feels completely and absolutely still but also like he’s vibrating violently. What does it mean? Could it really just be a slip up? “I…” He’s not really sure what to say or how to respond, and as seconds pass by, Ezra’s face feels like it’s getting closer and closer to a fire, warmth becoming heat. His phone rings, and he jumps, heart pounding. It’s Shawn, one of his friends, so he lets the phone ring, pressing the volume button so it silences. And then he puts his head in his hands, trying to avoid eye contact with Kai. “I probably need to go, uhm….” He trails off, frantically grabbing his things together. The cider sloshes in the cup, and Ezra watches—fixates, really—on that, thinking about how that’s what his insides feel like right now.

He can hear the rush of blood in his ears, and he knows he’s not breathing right. People must be looking at the scene he’s causing, but Ezra’s only thinking about how his parents managed to act normal after…what happened. Kai’s in front of him now, hands on Ezra’s arms, face close to his, eyes wide with pure worry. He doesn’t know what’s happening to Ezra, but Ezra knows that won’t stop Kai from trying everything in his power to help. It makes him want to cry.

“Ezra, look at me.” Kai orders, and Ezra’s powerless against doing otherwise. He lifts his eyes from the cup in his hand and meets the other’s eyes. “We need to go outside for a moment. Fresh air.” Is all he says before guiding Ezra gently out of the coffeeshop. Ezra breathes the air in, in, in, until he can’t anymore. He slowly lets it out, thinking of a deflating balloon, and the chilly air forces his head to clear.

Kai plops Ezra on a bench in front of the café and sits next to him, looking intently at Ezra, green eyes searching his face. “What’s going on?” He asks Ezra, leaving a hand on his arm, as though to keep Ezra from bolting.

Ezra slouches in defeat and looks away. “I haven’t slept right in months. Nightmares. No one’s there but my parents, and they didn’t go through what we went through so they don’t know how to help.” He doesn’t look at Kai. “And I can’t call the therapist at night. So I just don’t sleep.”

Ezra can feel the sympathy practically radiating off of Kai, but the shorter of the pair doesn’t say anything. Instead, he lifts Ezra’s arm and wraps it around his shoulder, scooching closer to Ezra and leaning his head on his shoulder. Ezra tenses, then relaxes. “I thought I needed to just move on, and maybe everything would be bearable, but there’s no way to do that.” Against his will, Ezra leans his cheek on Kai’s head, and he feels surprised at the realization that his heart has resumed a normal rhythm.

“I didn’t realize….” Kai mutters, and Ezra shakes his head.

“S’not your fault.” He doesn’t want Kai to think this is his fault, Kai is perfect in Ezra’s mind. Maybe he isn’t perfect, but in Ezra’s mind, he is.

Ezra’s looking down at the closed book in his hands, and his heart leaps into his through when he feels something searingly warm on his cheek. His head snaps up, and he looks at Kai, eyes wide, all his sorrows gone. Kai offers a shy smile, and a blush paints his cheeks. Ezra swiftly throws his arms—or other arm, rather—around Kai, chin resting on the other man’s shoulder. Kai grips him back, returning the embrace.

When they’ve hugged long enough, Ezra reaches a hand out and cups Kai’s cheek gently, and when Kai doesn’t shrug him off, Ezra smiles for what feels like the first time in his life. There’s no need for words to communicate what both feel, and Kai stands, reaching a hand out to Ezra, who takes it.

“Pon’s pastries!” Kai exclaims, slapping a hand on his forehead as they walk away. So they double back, and after a brief and quiet argument, Ezra manages to get Kai to let him pay for it.

As they leave the café, Ezra texts his mom to let her know he’s gonna be hanging out with friends for a bit.

@pawsomelybuggy you’re next >:D