Chapter Text
Something warm in his arms made an attempt to squirm away. Zeb tightened his hold and after a second the squirming stopped. His ear twitched when a huff of breath and an exasperated whisper of his name broke the silence of the whatever-time-it-was. There were no natural sources of light to guess the hour without also taking him away from his warm bed. The choice had been made for him.
Zeb grunted and rolled, trapping Alex beneath him and eliciting a quiet noise. Eyes still closed, he nuzzled the soft hair in front of him before settling after one small kiss. For a few moments there was blissful silence and Zeb was drifting off once again. The sound of rustling blankets dragged him back and then he felt a pressure at the base of one ear and he purred.
“Garazeb,” and Zeb purred louder at the gentle tone in the sleep roughened voice, “I feel it prudent to remind you that your family will be back before second meal.” Alex stroked his ear one last time before dropping his arm with a sigh, “I need to leave.”
Zeb grumbled to himself, thoughts trickling slow with the last vestiges of sleep clinging to him.
Where does Kal find these words when it’s so early? Is his first coherent thought before another one tumbled like a domino after it. Karabast...I meant to tell him last night.
They’d been, ahem, busy last night. It had been months since they last had a whole evening to themselves so Zeb had been primed and ready to take advantage. He didn't blame himself for being distracted, especially not after what Alex told him.
They’d been in the galley, having a late night dinner. Alex's expression had been stiff, and awkwardly, almost robotically he'd said: “I love you, Zeb.” This was after a thoroughly wordy and proper speech leading up to the confession, of course. But that’s the most important bit. Alex loved him.
Zeb’s chest warmed at the thought, helplessly fond and he snuggled the trapped man closer, breathing deeply.
Anyone else who didn’t know him might have questioned his sincerity. But that’s just the way Kallus was.
The face he'd made when Zeb first asked him out, for instance, was hilarious. His eyes had widened and jaw grown slack, frozen, he’d looked like Zeb has just proposed instead of just asked him out; before Kal had forced it back into a composed mask, a slight flush the only sign it had been there at all. And when he'd finally agreed to a date, the words came halting and inflectionless, like he was reading the lines off a cue card he'd just been given.
But, as Zeb had been steadily learning, when it came to their relationship, what Kallus said was far more important than how he said it.
Going back to last night, before the love confession and definitely before they'd found themselves in Zeb's bunk pressed against each other--an act that made most coherent conversation impossible--Zeb meant to bring up that he was ready to do a confession of his own and tell the Spectre’s about them. He had planned to take Kallus’ hand in his--and not snicker at the smallness of it, really, it was only funny the first couple times but Ashla, humans were strange--and since this seemed like a conversation that was designed to make Alexsandr Kallus fluster, Zeb would have held him close as he seriously brought up letting the loth-cat out of the bag.
It was supposed to be a carefully planned out speech. Full of thoughtful assurances and...uh other thoughtful stuff that Zeb was gonna come up with to let Kal know they were ready for this important step.
But as Zeb felt more restless shuffling underneath him, decided, screw it. “Have lunch with us.” Good enough, Zeb thought, fuzzily proud.
Alex froze and Zeb mumbled the lights on. He didn’t want to miss a chance to see whatever variation of ‘the face’ Alex had before he hid it.
Zeb blearily opened his eyes and after a second of adjusting to the light, ‘the face’ was better than he could have imagined.
This is the same person who infiltrated a Star Destroyer last week, and then left it by way of explosions that made even Sabine impressed. He reminded himself, awed.
The flush spreading across his cheeks made his freckles stand out even in the dim lighting. His hazel eyes were wide in his thin face, blond hair as messy as Zeb’s ever seen it, mouth parted as if he’d been about to say something.
But Zeb’s humor fizzled out when he saw the vulnerable hope that Alex wasn’t able to hide. It sent a pang through him. Zeb curled a hand around his blond head, while the other held Alex's jaw, thumb stroking through his facial hair before settling on the corner of his mouth. He kissed that corner before placing a delicate kiss directly on those soft lips, feeling Alex return the kiss.
"Yeah." He said quietly before touching their foreheads together, "it's time to tell 'em."
Alex exhaled, Zeb's proximity the only reason he could hear the shake in it so clearly. He put his arms around as much of Zeb's shoulders as he could in a hug.
"That's fine..dear. But I still need to get dressed." He tugged lightly on the fur under his grasp. "Let me up."
Zeb huffed amusedly but didn't mention the new endearment. "Why? So you can pace the Ghost for the hour or so, till everyone gets back?" Zeb grinned down at him, "Sounds exhausting."
Kal's pretty eyes narrowed in a glare that, coupled with his still flushed face, had Zeb shivering and not in fear. Did they really have to get up?
"Fine." He capitulated, stealing one more lingering kiss, before rolling off.
Alex wasted no time getting up. He gathered all the clothes that were thrown around last night and placed them on the bed. After sorting everything, he gave Zeb a small smile before leaving the room, probably to go take a boring shower and panic by himself.
Zeb's sigh turned into a yawn and he curled back into his spot and just drifted.
When Alex came back, an indeterminable amount of time later, it was with two cups of caf and a furrowed brow. Although he did smile after Zeb grumpily accepted a mug and took a sip. The caf was a bitter sweetness that coated his tongue. He hummed in approval before shooting a glance at Alex over the top of his cup.
After sitting beside Zeb on the bunk, Kal wasted no time.
"How do you plan to tell your crewmates about our accord?"
"Oh, is that what we're callin' it now?" Zeb chuckled into his caf, ignoring the expected eyeroll his response caused.
"Well, at least we won't have to tell Chopper any longer." Kal said and then innocently sipped at his own steaming mug.
Zeb squinted at him, "Why?" He asked slowly.
"He saw me exit this room and well..." Alex blushed, index finger tapping on brushed steel.
"W-what?" Zeb almost choked on his caf. "Did you tell him!?" That rust bucket!
Alex raised an eyebrow and shrugged, "He asked me and I confirmed. I wasn't about to lie to him."
Zeb scoffed, teeth flashing in irritation. He was poised to say any number of things from 'you never cared about lying before!' to 'now he's gonna tell 'em before we can!' but Kal spoke before he could sort himself.
"He promised not to tell anyone until after we have revealed it."
Zeb scoffed again, no reply at the ready. He couldn't say the bucket o' bolts was lying because if it was Kallus then Chopper would likely keep the promise. Zeb had watched their creepy friendship grow since the beginning. It was disturbing, almost nauseating to watch Chopper be kind of friendly to someone who wasn't Hera. (One time while on base Zeb saw Kal ask Chopper to hand him a screwdriver from the bench. And then he did it!)
Zeb shivered at the thought and drank the rest of his caf, ears down. "Fine."
Alex took the empty mug from Zeb, mouth twitching. Likely holding back a smile, the jerk.
After he placed both empty mugs on the floor, to be dealt with later, he inclined his head, "back to the matter at hand," a signal for Zeb to continue.
Zeb sighed. "I dunno, Alex." He clicked his claws together, "I was just gonna tell 'em. No fanfare necessary."
His lover stared back at him for several uncomfortable seconds, face thoughtful, before he deflated.
"You're right. Apologies." He looked down with a frown, “The variables in this situation are getting to me.”
Zeb scooched closer and wrapped an arm around him, tugging him close. “Hey, I won’t say don’t worry, because I know you. But, it’s gonna be okay.”
The furrow was still there between his brow so Zeb kissed his forehead and continued. “And ‘sides, knowing them they probably have a bet going.” He giggled at the thought, “The only one who we’d probably surprise is Ezra. That kid doesn’t notice anything.”
Alex gave a hum, somehow managing to pack many meanings into that one sound. “This from the being who didn’t notice Chopper’s new paint job?”
“Ugh, why do you and that rust bucket keep bringing that up?” Zeb groaned, leaning away from the human. Like he’s supposed to keep tabs on the droid or something.
Alex smirked at him, single eyebrow raised in a familiar expression that always aggravated, “He was very excited about it, dear.”
Zeb glared at him for a couple moments before a switch flipped and he smiled suddenly, showing off a healthy amount of sharp teeth. It did the trick as the smirk slid off of Alex’s face but he warily held his position, giving no ground or quarter despite Zeb’s body tensing, poised to act.
“Zeb--” was all Alex had time to say before he sprung at him. Uncontrollable laughter filled the air as Zeb tickled him, the bunk bed’s small space not allowing him to get away, small human hands gripping his shoulder. It was several moments later when Zeb decided to show him mercy. And as he started down at Alex’s pinkened cheeks--cute--annoyance filling his face, Zeb knew they’d be okay. Today and for as long as they’d be together. Zeb knew his family. And somehow Alexsandr Kallus had fallen into that category--something that would have felt impossible just two short years ago.
Zeb gazed at him, fondness warming his chest, until Alex softened and rolled his eyes, lifting up to kiss his cheek and give his shoulder a caress. “Fine, I suppose that was deserved.” He allowed generously. Despite his words, Zeb knew the human would get his payback somehow; could even imagine Alex filing it away mechanically, a tally marked somewhere in that computer he called a brain.
“Yes,” He agreed anyway, taking his own life into his hands.
Annoyance flashed again over Kal’s face before he shook his head. “Regardless, it’s time for you to be getting ready now, Zeb. If we are to provide your family with sustenance upon their return, we’ll need to start soon.”
“What? I never agreed to that.” Zeb whined, aware he was sounding more similar to a kit than the grown warrior he was.
“I thought it would be best to use food that we provide to smooth the way.” Alex said logically. And he wasn't wrong but...
“Ugh fine.” It’s not that Zeb minded cooking so much but it was a well known fact that Alex could turn any meal into something bland and tasteless that he would eat just fine, but while everyone else had to choke down.
As if reading his mind, Alex said, “I’ll leave the cooking to you but I’ll help prep.”
Zeb moved his head back and forth like he was considering, but nodded with a sigh that turned into a groan when he finally stood and stretched--aware of appreciative eyes on him.
He gave Alex one last smile before turning to go shower himself but that lovely voice stopped him with his hand on the door switch.
“Oh and Zeb.”
Zeb made a questioning noise.
“I love you.”
Zeb’s grin was wide and uncontrollable as it stretched his face. His fur puffing a little in embarrassed pleasure as he stood taller and straighter than before, still facing the door. He turned and shot Alex a wink.
“I know.” He said, before exiting the room, humming to himself as his mind buzzed with ideas of what meals he was going to prepare, and what faces each of his Spectre family were going to pull when he told them about the love of his life.