Work Text:
Somebody had been talking shit about Kanan, and his son, Jason, was not going to stand for it.
He walked up to the perpetrator, a ginger named Hux, and shot him a look of warning.
“Hux!” he yelled. And, then, again, “Hux!”
Hux, who had been watching a holomovie, looked up at him and glared. “Shh, I'm tryin' to watch this!”
Jason scowled. “Ya shoulda watched your mouth before you talked about my father, though!”
“I didn't say anything that wasn't true,” Hux replied, his tone uninterested. “Your father's a scoundrel, and so, it seems, are you.”
Jason could not believe what he was hearing. “It's like that?”
Finally, Hux got up from watching his movie, and walked over to Jason. He folded his arms and glared down at him. “Yeah, I don't fool around, I'm not like your little rebel friends.”
Jason shrugged, feeling confident. “Well, see you on the dueling ground...that is, unless you wanna step outside and go now!” He had his blaster on him, he’d be ready to fight now if that was what this guy wanted.
But, it was not. Hux shook his head, saying, “I know where to find you. Kriff off, I'm watchin' this show now!”
That night, Jason anxiously raced home to tell Kanan about what had gone on between himself and Hux.
“Pops, if you had only heard the shit he said about you—I doubt you would have let it slide and I was not about to!” He spoke excitedly, that same surge of anger coursing through him again.
Kanan placed a calming hand on his son’s shoulder. “Slow down, Jason.”
“I came to ask you for advice, this is my very first duel. They don't exactly cover this subject at the flight academy.”
“Did you attempt to negotiate some sort of peace?” Kanan asked, tapping thoughtfully on his chin.
“He refused to apologize, we had to let the peace talks cease!” Jason still could not believe that Hux had dared to say such horrible things about his father.
“Where is this happening?”
“A few planets away—on Lothal. Everything is legal on Lothal!” Jason’s Uncle Ezra had taught him that.
“Alright, so this is what you're gonna do,” the older man instructed, looking his teenage son in the eye. “Stand there like a man until Hux is in front of you. When the time comes, fire your baster in the air. That’ll put an end to the whole affair.”
“But what if he decides to shoot? Then I'm a goner!” Jason did not want to die over this. Not really.
“No, he'll follow suit if he's truly a man of honor. To take someone's life, that is something you can't shake.” Kanan began to take out two blasters so that Jason would be prepared. “Jason, your mother can't take that kind of heartbreak.”
“Father—”
“I promise that you don't want this young man's blood on your conscience. Come back home when you're done, and take my blasters.” He handed the two weapons over. “Be smart, and make me proud, son.
Jason left to meet Hux the next day. He was a little nervous, but he knew that he couldn’t let that show. You talk about my father, I cannot let it slide, he thought to himself.
He approached the pale man. “Mister Hux, how was the rest of your show?”
Hux shook his head. “I'd rather skip the pleasantries, let's go.”
The duel began, and even though he did just as his father had instructed to, Hux ignored Jason’s attempt at making peace and shot him in the side.
That evening, Kanan rushed into the medbay, after hearing the news of what had happened to Jason.
“Where is my son?!” He yelled, looking around urgently.
“Mr. Jarrus, come in,” said the medical droid. “They brought him in half an hour ago. He lost a lot of blood on the way over—”
“Is he alive?!” Kanan asked.
“Yes, but you have to understand...the blaster hit just above his hip and then again by his chest…”
Kanan had a bad feeling about everything that was about to happen. “Can I see him, please?”
“I'm doing everything I can,” the droid explained, leading Kanan towards Jason’s room. “But the wound was already infected when he arrived.”
“Jason!”
“Dad! I did exactly as you said, Dad...I held my head up high.”
Kanan blinked back tears. “I know, I know.” He couldn’t stand to see his son in so much pain. “Shh...I know, I know. You did everything just right.
“I was aiming for the sky,” Jason told him, and Kanan swore that he would murder this Hux guy for what he’d done to Jason.
“I know, I know…” He placed a hand on Jason’s shoulder, gently. “Save your strength and stay alive!”
Then, Jason’s mother, a green girl named Hera, walked in.
“Hera!” Kanan greeted, feeling rather startled. He had never wanted her to know about this.
Hera ignored Kanan and rushed straight to Jason. “Is he breathing?! Is he going to survive this?!” she asked the droid. Then, she turned to Kanan. “Who did this? Kanan, did you know?!”
“Mom, I'm so sorry for forgetting what you taught me…” Jason whispered.
“My son…” Tears welled in her eyes.
“I’ll never forget everything you taught me,” Jason said again. “About flying...and the rebellion...and about life and being a good person. That’s what...that’s what…”
“What?” Hera asked, hovering over Jason’s dying body.
“That’s...what...you...taught...me…” were Jason’s last words before he died.