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Kallus was the only one, who could keep up with Zeb on a physical level. Despite his age, Kallus was still in his prime and in good shape. Although not as large and strong as Zeb, he was athletic and tall in human standard’s, yet agile with a good defence and tunnel-vision focus. He challenged Zeb at his own game, wielding his bo-rifle better than most Lasat’s could, so Zeb enjoyed their daily sparring sessions. Kallus was a worthy opponent.
With the Ghost parked in the distance, their weapons clashed as their feet danced around each other in the long grass. Kallus moved with elegance and poise, never violently brutal or in a panicked rush to take power. Forgetting to defend himself in his admiration, Zeb failed to block his attack, and the two tumbled through the grass. Their bo-rifles clashed as they rolled and for a moment, as their limbs twisted and they struggled to find an opening, it looked like there was a stalemate.
Sweat drooled from Kallus’ hair to his forehead, smelling as sweet as the planet’s pollen, and red-pink bled into his cheeks. He was beneath him, breathing heavily like caught prey, but he could’ve easily rolled Zeb off of him or used his bo-rifle if he wanted to. Instead of stabbing Zeb in the hip, Kallus loosened his grip on his bo-rifle, letting Zeb take the upper hand, and made his legs limp and useless. “You win.” He breathed with Zeb’s bo-rifle beneath his neck. “Nice one, Orrelios - you got me.”
Lasats were stubborn in nature, arrogant of their abilities and uncooperatively headstrong and persistent. A Lasat warrior never gave in, unless they were a kit playing with their friends or training with their mate. Kallus was stubborn, too, but his vulnerability in defeat was breathtakingly beautiful. With one swipe, Zeb could’ve slit his throat, and yet, he was completely unfazed. He trusted Zeb with his life, in and out of the battlefield, the war zones, and Zeb trusted him, too.
There were so many things Zeb wanted to do to Kallus in that moment, but he kept them to himself, smiling instead, and gulping down his arousal. “Yeah.” He forced out, chuckling awkwardly as he threw his bo-riffle to the side and took his weight off of Kallus’ body.
“Rematch?” Kallus murmured, sitting up with a smile so innocent and pure that it would be a sin to say no.
“Yer on, Kal.”
…
“You’re so sticky!” Kallus laughed, charmingly and authentically. Coming back from a mission, Zeb’s fur was destroyed, and although he’d used the outside showers at base to try and clean himself, Kallus claimed it wasn’t enough. “Look at you - it’s ridiculous.” He continued to grin. “Come here - I’ll sort your fur out.”
Zeb sat on the edge of his bunk and Kallus knelt behind him, grabbing his brush and pulling it through Zeb’s hair. He picked out the dirt with his fingers and checked for smoothness by stroking his hands through his soft thick fur. “See - it’s getting better, already.” Kallus murmured, caressing his back, before brushing his forehead and nose against his fur. He stayed in the position for a quiet, undisturbed moment, before getting back to work, but Zeb couldn’t help the fluttering in his chest.
Since Kallus joined the crew full time, Zeb found the human wanting to groom him. Before retiring to bed, he liked brushing his fingers through his fur, he always offered to itch his back in the places Zeb couldn’t reach, picked out dirt, dry leaves, and whatever else had caught it in his fur, and liked using his brush to caress his back and beard. Grooming was an act only shared between blood relatives and mates, but Zeb never complained of Kallus’ innocent touch.
Zeb was lucky to see the side of Kallus that he hid from the world, the gentle and loving human behind the distant and serious workaholic - he didn’t want to scare him away, building his walls up and spoiling their friendship, by telling him to stop. Besides, Zeb liked Kallus’ grooming. It had been decades since someone groomed Zeb and he craved for the intimacy.
What if he knew? Kallus knew enough about Lasat culture to know about grooming, right? Did he… no. The act was harmless. Humans didn’t have fur and whilst he’d seen Hera brush Kanan’s hair and Kallus brush human children’s hairs, it wasn’t the same as grooming. Kallus didn’t understand and that was okay. He didn’t need to know.
…
The only times Kallus used to kitchen were when Zeb was grumpy or sick. Sure, he could use a coffee machine, and made his fair share of teas and hot chocolates for the group, but those were drinks - not baked rolls and waffles and ring donuts and fruitcake and pies. When Kallus baked, the food was only for him and Zeb, and he always made sure Zeb ate first, before he took the scraps. He was good, too. The food was great. Delicious. Zeb wondered why Kallus didn’t bake more often, but every time Hera asked whether he wanted to help out in the kitchen, he refused. Kallus only baked for him and it was all Zeb could think about.
One way of impressing a potential mate on Lasan was to cook for them. It was a traditional courting method from the beginning of time, which showed a Lasat’s capabilities as a mate. Baking emphasised Kallus’ care giving abilities and that he could provide for someone else, his mate, and Karabast, Zeb didn’t hate the idea of Kallus being his mate. He already called him his human whenever they were together - calling him his mate wouldn’t be any different. It wasn’t like he hadn’t planned how they’d spend the rest of their lives together.
…
Lasat courting gifts were always natural. Rocks, jewels, and precious metals were common, but so were flowers, foliage, seeds, fruit, mushrooms, feathers, moss, bark, cotton, clay, shells, fossils and seaweed. Children stories claimed if a Lasat gave someone a bag of soil, they were giving them their heart, but if a Lasat gave someone a knot of vines, their souls would intertwine and become one. Even sharing water with your mate could be seen as an act of courtship, especially when it was dry and water was scarce.
At the time, Zeb hadn’t seen giving Kallus the meteorite on Bahryn as such, but as he thought about it, the act was instinctual. After all, it was then when Zeb first developed feelings for the human ; it was as though his heart knew they were compatible mates. However, sharing fruit with Kallus was as far as Zeb had gone in regards to more courting gifts, whilst Kallus innocently flooded him with them.
Zeb kept the gifts in a wooden toolbox underneath his bed. The two fossils and array of shells were from missions, whilst Kallus found the shiny silver pebble and large lilac feather on his own, claiming they reminded him of Zeb with the thickest blush before running away to ‘help Chopper’. Kallus also gave Zeb a rock from Yavin Four (it was to keep a door open at the time, but Zeb refused to let it go) and introduced him to fruits he’d loved in his time with the Empire.
Like Lasats, Kallus was a scavenger at heart, proving his good eyesight and how he could provide for a mate. Zeb thought him being more attracted to Kallus was impossible, but then the gifts continued and he found his love for the human only grew. If only Kallus stopped being a naive idiot and realised what he was doing to Zeb’s heart, then maybe…. maybe they could make a relationship work.
…
Touching another’s ears was almost as intimate as rubbing foreheads. Kallus didn’t seem to know what boundaries were, calling him a “big cat” when he let out his automatic, vulnerable purrs. Sure, Kallus was gentle, sure, he meant well, and it felt good, but he didn’t know. He didn’t understand what he was doing to Zeb. His mating instincts forced him to melt into Kallus’ touch and didn’t know how to say ‘stop’. Kallus only thought of him as a friend, but Zeb was falling hard, and it was killing his heart.
Not even family touched each other’s ears. Lasats mated for life and they only touched each others ears when they knew their mate was their forever person. It was a breach of privacy, of respect and dignity, to touch a non-mate’s ears.
Kallus massaged his ears between caressing his head and playing with his beard. Rubbing his head against Kallus’ palm in return, Zeb couldn’t stop his deep purrs or the flutters in his chest. ’Matematemate!’ His brain screamed, but it wasn’t fair to act on his feelings — not when Kallus didn’t understand.
Zeb knew he was doomed. His heart had chosen Kallus as his forever person, but his head didn’t know what to do. His lips needed to catch up, he needed to say something, but his pride always got in the way. Just because Kallus didn’t understand, didn’t mean he didn’t reciprocate Zeb’s feelings for him. If only Zeb wasn’t so scared of rejection because the only way he’d know for sure was if he asked.
…
Injured and tired from a run-in with space pirates, Kallus failed to stumble to bed. Instead, Zeb carefully carried him to his and Ezra’s room and tucked him into his own bed.
Kallus smiled, his expression soft despite the growing discomfort of his knee, and he pushed their foreheads together. “Asante.” He murmured, his breath freezing Zeb’s expression and sending shivers down his spine. “Nakupenda.”
Shocked, Zeb pulled away, eyes wide and ears perked upright, as he tried to process the Lasat that came out of Kallus’ mouth.
Frowning, Kallus dropped his gaze and shyly bit his bottom lip. “Are you okay, Garazeb?” He asked, quietly. “I’m sorry - I-I didn’t meant to make you uncomfortable.”
“Did you mean it?” Zeb rasped, his throat suddenly dry as his mind caught up with the new information. Kallus had been learning Lasat and was… in love with him? He felt the same way?
“I know what I said.” Kallus replied. “Nakupenda, Garazeb, I have for a while.”
A grin settled on Zeb’s cheeks and he let out a shaky sigh of relief. “Nakupenda pia, nakupenda sana, Sasha.” He exclaimed.
Kallus laughed, joy spreading across his face, and he tackled Zeb into a hug. He buried his head in Zeb’s chest, breathing in his strong scent and rubbing his cheeks in his fur. “I love you.”