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Zeb first thinks about it at all when a mission leads to Kallus needing some shrapnel removed from his leg. Zeb holds his hand despite Kallus’ insistence that he’s fine, really, Hera’s being quick about it anyway.
And he notices how much smaller Kallus’ hand is than his.
It’s never really been a thing he’s thought about. Makes some sense, he supposes, humans were clearly evolved as a species in need of a certain kind of dexterity and those species usually had smaller digits, but just overall…he’s never thought much about it. Not about Kallus anyway. He usually thinks of Kallus’ hands in terms of punching, grabbing, weapon use…stuff that reminds him how strong the guy is, unusually strong for a human in some cases.
You don’t associate words like ‘small’ with strong, not often. But then he supposes as human hands go they’re average or even a little big. In fact Kal’s pretty big for a human overall. Lasats trend taller than humans so sometimes Zeb pauses when he realizes that for humans Kallus is tall and sturdily built. He’s spent years with Kanan, Sabine, and Ezra but they’re all slips even by human standards, no matter how tall Kanan is.
He chuckles as a particularly jagged piece of scrap is tugged out of Kallus’ leg and Kallus’ fingers involuntarily clamp around his own.
“This is funny, now?” Kallus mutters, eyeing him.
“Just forgot how strong you are,” Zeb says, giving Kallus a toothy grin he knows tends to fluster the guy. He gets an eye roll and a blush, and then they’re both scolded by Hera because Kallus needs to keep still.
.o.o.o.
Kallus never really thought much about species with fur and the logistics thereof before he and Zeb got together. Zeb’s fur and hair have completely different textures. His hair is thicker and stiffer while his fur is softer, but unlike his hair has an obvious direction it’s supposed to go. Zeb always huffs or squirms if Kallus accidentally pushes too much of his fur the wrong way so it’s clearly not comfortable. There are some bare patches from injuries—cuts, some burns on his torso from being too close to an explosive—but otherwise the fur is all-over.
From what Kallus understands, prominent stripes are considered very attractive among the lasat. He has to admit, he can’t imagine Zeb without them. They are very nice looking and Kallus often finds his eyes drawn to them when not much else is going on.
The fur means Zeb runs warmer than Kallus does. Bahryn had been proof of that, with Zeb sleeveless and shoeless holding up better than a full clothed Kallus. Only the insides of Zeb’s ears and the padded undersides of his palms and feet lack it. Zeb claims it makes climbing easier though doesn’t explain how Zeb could stand walking on ice barefoot…
Still, it’s nice and warm. Which also means Zeb is in more danger than the rest of the crew of overheating as well. “Here.”
Zeb takes the water gratefully, “I hate desert jobs.”
“Me neither. I burn,” Kallus says.
“How are you covered head to toe and fine while I’m the one dying here?” Zeb asks.
“This breathes,” Kallus says, flicking the hood he’s kept up since they landed. “Your fur insulates.”
“Karabast,” Zeb mutters.
“Just monopolize the fresher when we get back on the ship,” Kallus suggests. “Switch the tap to cold and go.”
“Hmm,” Zeb muses, stretching. Kallus eyes the way the stripes move as his muscles flex, and due to that misses Zeb grabbing him.
“Hey! What are you-?”
“Sharing the pain, Kal. We can both use the fresher when the ship comes, right?” Zeb asks teasingly as he hugs him. It’s stifling.
“Urgh, you reek you ruffian!” Kallus complains. He knows he can’t get free—Zeb has a grip like a determined Nexu and knows how to use it. “You know if you wanted me to shower with you, you just had to ask.”
Like he’s going to pass on seeing the man naked…sometimes he honestly thinks Zeb forgets Kallus is attracted to him.
.o.o.o.
Human skin is just weird if you ask Zeb. Some of it is eerily smooth and even “thick” hair for a human is nothing like proper fur except on their heads and faces. It’s not enough to insulate, that’s for sure, as humans break out in little tiny bump when they suddenly get too chilly. Zeb’s not sure how increasing the surface area via texture is supposed to do anything but then all species have their odd quirks.
Human skin also shows damage easily. He spent a lot of early time with the Ghost worrying silently over Kanan, Ezra, and Sabine’s injuries since with lasats if you could see it then it was usually bad because you had to make it visible above the fur. Burns or blood or something like that. But humans? Humans show marks if they so much as accidentally bump something. Ezra’s had bruises on his shin for a week from tripping over a small crate. Sabine once had one on her arm she had no idea towards the origins of beyond “maybe I bumped the wall in my sleep.”
Kallus is no exception. If anything he’s worse than the other three since he’s paler and apparently paler skin means injuries are even more obvious even if they’re even more superficial. It means Zeb often has to try and figure out whether he’s looking at mere surface damage or Kallus is seriously hurt and trying to ignore it because that is a Kallus thing to do. Kallus is sometimes annoying like that.
It’s also uncomfortable as hell a day after they’ve had a good spar to see bruises exposed as Kallus changes clothes. He claims most of them barely hurt, that they’re just little bumps but they stand out so much Zeb can scarcely believe him. Something that obvious not hurting? No sense whatsoever. Then he remembers he only ever doesn’t see his own bruises because of his fur and usually shakes it off.
On the other hand Kal’s skin is kind of nice. Zeb likes that he can run his hand any way on it and Kallus doesn’t mind since there’s no real fur to shove around, just a light dusting of red-blond hair that Zeb is still confused about the purpose of. At least his fur keeps him warm, Kallus’ just looks pretty.
Not that that there’s nothing wrong with that.
.o.o.o.
Kallus admits, the first time one of Zeb’s feet grabbed him in a casual setting he jumped. He had known Zeb’s hands were busy with tending to his rifle and so he’d startled when something had grabbed his belt and pulled him over. These days he’s rather ashamed he ever forgot Zeb can do that, but forget he did.
He notices it most when they spar, now. Zeb can adjust his footing much more precisely than Kallus can simply due to the entirely different structure of their feet. There have also been a few times when he’s tried to grab Kallus’ staff away from him with his feet, which is both amusing and an excellent opening to try and knock him off balance.
Zeb hits the mat hard and Kallus drops to pin him, staff pressing against his collarbone, “Give in?”
“Nah,” Zeb says and then Kallus feels something grab his ankle. Zeb kicks his leg out and Kallus is sent sprawling. “You?”
“Oh you wish,” Kallus says. He’s back on his feet slightly faster than Zeb. He’s always had a faster recovery time.
Zeb rocks on his toes a bit, doubtless trying to make Kallus confused as to his coming angle of attack. Kallus feels his lips pull back from his teeth in a savagely gleeful grin. Zeb as the one trying to play the confusion gambit is always interesting as it’s normally Kallus playing the head games. It makes things fun to switch that up.
Zeb feints left but Kallus catches on just barely and manages to only be swept aside instead of tackled to the floor.
“I’m not going to make it so easy for you!” he teases before counterattacking.
.o.o.o.
Humans, Zeb has found, can and will eat almost anything. He assumes it was a trait evolved to compensate for their insatiable need as a species to get on as many planets as possible. You have to have a strong stomach to be able to eat something you shouldn’t and just recover after maybe a day or two of feeling nauseous (the first time Ezra got ‘food poisoning’ Zeb had been panicked by how easily Kanan and Sabine had shrugged it off as just something Ezra could vomit up and then sleep through).
Still, humans are also oddly picky when they get the chance to be. Sure Ezra, Sabine, and even Kanan have whined about certain rations before scarfing them down anyway and the low annoyed noises Kallus makes at similar times imply he’s of the same mind, but they still eat the things. When there’s options, though? When they get to indulge their over-sensitive tongues? When they can have something they like? Humans get weird.
Ezra hoards certain snack bars for as long as he can. Sabine has dibs on this one kid of cola and will outright booby trap the fridge if she thinks people are taking what’s hers. Kanan will sulk if you eat the last bit of celery instead of getting him have it. And Kallus? Kallus likes this sort of noodle soup and he just looks so kriffing happy whenever he gets it. It’s not even hard to get like Sabine’s soda can be. Kanan says it’s pretty cheap too. So Kallus just happens to like something that’s nothing special to people who don’t have it as a favorite food.
And again, the little contented look he has while eating it is pretty cute.
Zeb thinks it’s kind of greasy. He doesn’t mind the taste lingering in Kal’s mouth or anything, it’s not unbearable, but he wouldn’t eat it himself. Lasats as a rule don’t appreciate greasy much, especially dairy-greasy. Dairy just hadn’t been a dietary staple on Lasan and it doesn’t add much to food if you ask Zeb.
Humans seem to differ on that. Still, Zeb’s not complaining. He can make his partner happy by just spying a can of soup on a supply run. Who’d complain about that?
.o.o.o.
Kallus honestly loves Zeb’s ears. It sounds ridiculous without context, he knows. But Kallus has spent so long looking for the minutest change of expression the slightest hint of anything to betray true feelings.
With Zeb it just takes a quick glance at his ears.
It’s not to say Zeb is guileless, as he can be quite clever and is far from naïve. But his ears are an honest giveaway to how he feels about just about anything and it’s just so nice to be able to know so easily. Refreshing to have such an honest indicator around.
They’re sensitive too, with a faint brush to one being all it takes to make Zeb go stock still. More attention to the base helps him relax, while toying with the tips is an easy way to get him in the mood for more arousing activities. Kallus honestly doesn’t know if that’s a Zeb thing or a lasat thing—some humans claim their ears are similarly sensitive but Kallus personally doesn’t feel that way so clearly it can vary within a species—but it’s nice all the same.
It’s an easy way to comfort Zeb when Kallus’ words are stuck in his throat because he’s so used to using distress for his own ends, to increasing it, taunting and pushing until he gets a response, that he simply can’t speak. He’ll only make it worse if he speaks. He knows it. But he doesn’t have to speak. He can just reach up and gently rub the base of Zeb’s ears and Zeb will understand. It will help even though Kallus is near useless at comfort and care.
There’s just something warm and pleasant that stutters in his heart when Zeb goes from tense and upset so slowly relaxing against him, something almost painful yet somehow he’d give anything to feel it more often. He’ll settle for the little moments though. They’re nice enough as is.
.o.o.o.
Most all lasats attracted to men have a thing for facial hair and Zeb is by no means an exception. Mostly since male lasats generally don’t grow much hair on their heads and so for them hairstyle is almost always expressed facially. Good facial hair is one of the first things you’d notice if looking for a guy on Lasan, and the same with Lira San.
Humans are different. Men are as likely to have hair as women, bar an odd head-hair losing gene among some of the population that seems to hit the men harder from what Zeb knows. Humans don’t seem to like facial hair in mates much (Zeb blames the lack of proper fur making their cheeks sensitive) beyond people who have it as a specific turn-on. Most humans keep their facial hair simple. Rex just lets his grow, for example. Kanan’s old barely-there scrap on the chin is another popular style (the new style is much better; has real character if you ask Zeb), or those guys who just grow it on their upper lips. Zeb’s never understood that one. Looks odd and doesn’t lend much aesthetically either.
And then there’s Kallus.
Even back when he hated the guy Zeb had approved of his facial hair, and he likes it even better now that they’re not trying to kill each other. The shape in general is a nice style—using the beard to essentially create over-elongated sideburns really helps frame out his face, emphasizes his cheekbones well. The little spikes at the end of each are nice too; they show how meticulous Kal is in order to maintain them properly.
Plus having hair on his cheeks means unlike some humans might, Kallus doesn’t complain when Zeb rubs their faces together now and then. If Kallus does find Zeb’s beard scratchy—which he might, it’s stiffer than the rest of Zeb’s fur at any rate—he can’t feel it much through his own. So Zeb can have his cheek nuzzles in peace. Kallus is usually better with physical affection than verbal—the man chokes on his words more often than a nervous teenager when feelings get involved—and that’s okay, because he’ll still show Zeb what he’s feeling just as Zeb can show him.
.o.o.o.
Zeb’s only a few inches taller than Kallus, but he’s a lot heavier. It makes sense, given his obvious musculature—not that Kallus runs particularly lean himself, especially when compared to Kanan, but Zeb has a lot more bulk to him. From what Kallus remembers of Lasan, lasats typically ran broader than humans, especially from the waist up. Kallus knows by Zeb’s standards he’s a little on the short side and a lot on the lean side, while by his own standards Zeb is exceptionally heavily muscled.
Kallus may be very strong for a human, but Zeb is stronger still. For ages that had been a threat, something to overcome while fighting a man who had been just another rebel…Kallus shudders and tries to put that out of his mind.
Zeb stirs. “Kal?”
“I’m fine,” Kallus says. He knows Zeb won’t believe him and Zeb doesn’t, tugging him closer to the point where Kallus is more under Zeb than next to him. The beds have always been small, but being on top of each other isn’t necessary. Not for space, anyway.
Zeb seems to find comfort in curling around Kallus. Kallus doesn’t much mind—it gets a little over-warm sometimes but that’s about it, more than worth letting Zeb feel better. Kallus doesn’t need protecting, not physically.
“You always do this,” he chuckles.
“I like this,” Zeb replies.
Kallus smiles. It is nice. While Zeb is heavy, it’s a comforting weight. Kallus pulls the arm wrapped around his torso in closer. He feels Zeb smile against the back of his neck before he asks, “Better?”
“Much,” Kallus says before relaxing so he could go back to sleep.
.o.o.o.
The fresher stall is probably the most popular place for sex on the ship—isolated, big enough for two people, the water covers most noises, easily cleaned afterwards, and it comes with the handy excuse of saving water that Zeb, Kallus, Kanan, and Hera can all give with absolutely straight faces.
It’s not always sex of course. Sometimes a couple really is simply filthy and wants to help each other get clean as soon as possible because they’re both tired as hell. Or one of them is inured and needs help, like tonight.
Kallus hates it when his leg is targeted. Eventually it’s going to get the point of near uselessness and then he’s not sure wat he’ll do. He needs to be active, needs to be in the fight. Right now he’s barely in the shower, with his weight braced on Zeb so he can stand long enough for them to try and get this absurd amount of mud off themselves.
“Tip your head back,” Zeb says gently.
Kallus does so, keeping his weight on his good leg with a little balance-assistance from Zeb. Claws carefully pick through Kallus’ hair to get it clean quickly, and Kallus sighs as they scrape against his scalp. It’s…nice.
“There we go,” Zeb murmurs.
Kallus brings his head forward and opens his eyes to spot Zeb staring at him with a small, knowing smile. “What?”
“You look really good,” Zeb about purrs, leaning against the stall wall.
Kallus looks him up and down—fur darkened and plastered flat to his muscles by water that drips off the tips of his ears, fangs slightly peeking out of a lazy grin, eyes looking over Kallus like he’s the best thing Zeb’s ever seen—and grins, “Could say the same for you, Garazeb.”
Zeb’s grin widens, “Lucky you.”
“Lucky me indeed,” Kallus agrees. His hand’s still on Zeb’s shoulder but he forgets to keep his weight on it as he lifts his good leg. His injured one can’t take it and he gasps as Zeb quickly catches him.
“Kal!” Zeb says, grabbing him by an arm and opposite hip to steady him. “Easy there.”
“Sorry,” Kallus says. He’s embarrassed at ruining the moment but Zeb only chuckles.
“For giving me an armful of good looking guy?” Zeb asks.
“You know what I mean,” Kallus mutters. He knows Zeb’s only trying to make him feel better but it doesn’t lessen the sting of annoyance at his leg.
“Could carry you, if it’s such a problem,” Zeb offers more seriously.
“Not unless you want me to shave you,” Kallus warns.
Zeb grimaces, “Try to help a guy…”
Kallus smirks, “You want to help?” He rolls his hips, smirk widening as Zeb groans. “I think I’ve got a better way to help…”
“I see how it is,” Zeb says. “You want an excuse for the limp, huh?”
Kallus chuckles, “You think you can do that good a job?”
“Oh you know me, Kal,” Zeb growls into his neck as he picks him up to press him against the wall. “I just love a challenge.”