Work Text:
She was so far from home, overwhelmed with the events of the last few days and yet she felt more content than she had in ten years. Sabine hadn't expected to find Ezra as quickly as she had and it still felt extremely surreal knowing that he was sat just beside her.
After helping Ezra and the Noti pack up and move on, they eventually settled about a mile away beside a forest clearing. It didn't take them long to come accostumed with their new 'home' and before long, night fell upon them. Sabine sat and studied the group of strange yet adorable crab like creatures that Ezra had frequented his time with for the past decade as they spoke among themselves wondering what they were all nattering about. However, she didn't need to wonder for long when a small group of them turned and pointed at her whilst giggling.
"Here,"
Sabine broke out of her thoughts and looked up at Ezra as he stood beside her holding a cup of something.
"Thanks," she said, taking the cup from him, a little unsure of what to expect, "Uh - what is it?"
Ezra smirked taking a seat beside her. Her stomach flipped a little as his bicep make contact with her shoulder. Even with the layers of robes he now wore, it was obvious that he had become increasingly stronger during his time on Paridea...and she liked it.
"Just try it," he smiled.
With a little reluctance, Sabine lifted the cup to her lips. It tasted somewhat fruity to begin with but packed a slight punch when she swallowed it.
"Kind of gross but - I like it," she said, looking up at him with a small smile.
She took this opportunity to really look into his bluest of blue eyes, like she was still searching for the Ezra who'd left her long ago inside.
"What are they talking about?"
Ezra felt his cheeks heat up instantly as he broke his attention from Sabine and overheard the Noti's conversation, realising just what they were saying.
"Oh uh," he said, clearing his throat whilst casting a disapproving look their way, "They're just happy you found me,"
Sabine stifled a small laugh, taking another swig of the native juice before setting it down on the grass beside her.
"Speaking of which, you still haven't told me exactly how you did,"
"Did what?"
"Find me?"
Sabine sighed and avoided his gaze.
"It's complicated," she hummed.
"Sabine?" Ezra pressed.
"It doesn't matter how I found you, all that matters is that I did,"
Ezra let out a sigh as he ran his hand through his unruly curls and set out to look at the horizon. Sabine was keeping things close to her chest and he wasn't sure how much longer he could carry on not knowing just how and why she was here.
He slapped his knees and stood to his feet, offering his hand to her.
"Let's take a walk,"
She took his hand with ease, letting him pull her up. She steadied herself by grabbing his shoulders. That tonic was strong.
They didn't stray too far from where'd they'd set up camp, just far enough so Ezra could quickly run back should the Noti be disturbed by bandits.
There was reason they never stayed in one place for too long.
Ezra had led them to the edge of a small lake where the light of the moon bounced off of the water and illuminated Sabine's features.
Force, she was perfect.
They sat on the ground, close to the water and even closer to each other. Ezra was a bag of nerves all of a sudden and he could sense Sabine was feeling the same.
"So," Ezra began, rubbing his hands together anxiously. Even after all these years, Sabine still had that affect on her, "We're alone,"
"Well spotted," Sabine teased, giving his shoulder a gentle nudge.
They both began to laugh at Ezra's terrible attempt to flirt with her.
"Oh, Ez, you never were the best at flirting, even back then," Sabine chuckled.
"Who says I was flirting?" He replied.
"Please, you're as transparent as the glass on Coruscant,"
"Ouch, Sabine, that really hurt," Ezra joked as he put his hand on his chest.
Sabine nudged him again as they shared another chuckle.
"Do you remember the day we met?" Ezra asked, keeping his eyes on the water.
Sabine scoffed and snuggled up a little closer to him as the cool breeze began to nip at her skin.
"How could I forget," she said, "It's not every day that a supply run gets compromised by a meddling loth-rat,"
Ezra smiled, recollecting on the day that his whole life changed. The day he was no longer alone. The day he met her.
He recalled the first time he'd seen her face; serious, determined, beautiful and definietly not in the mood to be hit on by a loth-rat such as himself.
"Seems like a lifetime ago now, everything has changed - well almost everything,"
"Oh?" Sabine questioned, furrowing her brows.
"You've not changed a bit, Bine," he smiled, this time returning his gaze to her.
Sabine couldn't help but let her blush consume her face. When they'd first met, Ezra Bridger was just an irritating distraction, full of himself and always in her way. But after a while, he grew up. He was kind and considerate. He became a talented Jedi and one of the very few people Sabine could whole heartedly depend on.
He had fallen first but Force, she'd fallen harder.
"Best day of my life," he smiled.
"Yeah," Sabine breathed.
They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment, just enjoying each other's company. All that could be heard was the light trickling of water from the lake and the native night creatures in the forest surrounding them. Sabine exhaled, letting her head rest upon Ezra's shoulder, feeling completely at ease. There was nowhere else in this galaxy or indeed her own that she'd rather be.
"I wish we could stay here, Ezra...grow old together," Sabine said softly, breaking the silence between them.
"Mm," He hummed, "Me too,"
As serene and tender as this moment was, Sabine knew she couldn't hold back much longer; Ezra deserved to know the truth and she also knew that he hadn't just brought her here for a chat about old times.
"Don't hate me okay,"
Ezra's ears pricked up as soon as the words left Sabine's mouth and faced her. She refused to look at him and instead centered her attention to rippling water in front of them.
"Sabine?"
"I had no choice," her voice faltered a little as she did her best to keep her emotions inside.
"What do you mean? Sabine, you're not making any sense,"
"He killed her,"
"Killed who?"
"Ahsoka," it came out as barely a whisper.
Ezra was beyond puzzled. He leant over a little, trying to catch her eyes but she still averted them. She couldn't bear to see the disappointment and hurt that she was about to inflict on him.
"She told me to destroy it, that it would do more damage but I couldn't, I had to see you again, I needed to see you again," she paused, "So I - I took it...the map, the map that led me here...the map that led them here,"
"Led who here Sabine?" Ezra asked firmly, feeling a little agitated at how vague she was being.
"Baylan and Shin...mercenaries, working with an imperial sympathizer...they came for Thrawn,"
Ezra's blood ran cold at the mention of his old enemy's name. For the past decade he'd managed to stay out of the Grand Admirals way, striking a bargain with him shortly after they crashed here.
"Sabine, tell me you didn't,"
Sabine did her best to keep the tears at bay; pulling her bottom lip between her teeth so tightly that she almost drew blood.
"I brought them here, I handed Baylan the map," she choked, her voice beginning to tremble as she finally faced Ezra.
He pulled away from her and ran his hand through his beard.
"Ahsoka was gone, Ezra, I didn't have a choice -,"
"There's always a choice, Sabine! You could've destroyed it and stopped Thrawn's potential return to our galaxy!"
"And just leave you stranded out here?"
"Yes! Yes, if you had to, yes!" Ezra kicked the ground and walked away from her, trying to make some sort of sense of what she was saying in his head, "Sabine you've undone everything I sacrificed! The galaxy, the rebellion, our crew...us!"
Sabine shot him a wide eyed look.
"Us?"
"Yes, us!"
"I didn't think there was an us!"
Ezra spun on his heel. Sabine was back on her feet now wearing a disconcerted expression.
"Didn't you get my message?"
Her face turned to anger as she clenched her jaw.
"Yes I did - you said I was like your sister!"
"What did you expect me to say?"
Sabine couldn't help but laugh in disbelief.
"You know what, you're still as smug and arrogant as you were when I first met you! I came here because I care about you Ezra, because I missed you! You were counting on me!"
"What do you want from me Sabine?"
Sabine marched closer to him, anger now replacing the sadness she had previously been feeling.
"You," she spat, "I just wanted you,"
Sabine's already fragile heart began to slowly shatter. She hung her head and let the tears spring free; there was no use holding back now.
"I should go," Sabine she sniffed as she played with the edge of her cloak.
As she began to make her way back towards the camp, something stopped her in her tracks.
"Did you mean it?" She asked abruptly with her back to him.
Ezra sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He knew exactly what she was asking.
"Sabine, I -,"
"Just answer the question, Ezra - did you mean it?"
He hadn't meant a word of it. When he made the decision, which at the time he felt was the only choice he had, it broke him. If he could go back and tell her how he felt, he would've but instead he chose to spare her the heartbreak.
"It doesn't matter now does it?" Ezra said, avoiding the question.
"It matters to me, Ezra!" Sabine snapped, "You matter to me!"
He hated to see her like this. Her eyes were full of hurt as she stood before him, breathing hard and fast, desperate for him to answer.
"No," he finally said, edging closer to her, "I didn't mean it,"
Sabine's caught her breath when Ezras calloused hands took hers and rested his forehead against hers.
"Sabine, I was in love with you," he whispered, "I wanted to tell you, really I did but I didn't want to cause you any more hurt. From the day I first laid eyes on you, I knew you were the one...you are the one,"
She sobbed with a smile, letting go of one of his hands and wrapping it around his neck. He cradled her face, wiping away the stray tears that had begun to stain her cheeks and looked into her golden eyes. He was certain he would never grow tired of them or her.
"It's always been you, Sabine Wren,"
Ezra wound his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him as he glanced back and forth from her eyes to her mouth, silently asking permission and nudged his nose against hers. Softly and tenderly, Ezra pressed his lips to Sabine's and held onto her firmly, for fear should he let go, she would disappear. Sabine's heart raced as their bodies collided and their soft-lipped kiss turned to open-mouthed kissing with Ezra taking the lead, no longer nervous. Eventually, he hesitantly pulled away but only just, with his lips almost still ghosting hers.
"I love you, Ezra," Sabine whispered as she caught her breath, the taste of Ezra's lips still on hers.
"I love you too and I promise I'll never leave you again, from now on it's you and me, no matter what. Whatever happens next, we'll face it together,"
Sabine nodded and buried herself into his embrace.
That night, they returned to Ezra's pod and didn't emerge until late the next morning, earning many suspicious looks from the Noti when they did. They were overjoyed that their leader had finally found the one he always spoke about and rejoiced when he dipped her down for a kiss in front of them.
They would eventually work everything out and they would find a way back home but for now all they needed was each other and that was more than enough.