Rain drummed on the roof of the Ghost, beating the metal with all it's might. Lightning flashed and thunder growled darkly as the storm dragged on. No one saw the storm coming, it just sprung upon them. At first it was just a drizzle of rain, then it became heavier by the second. Now, it sounded like Rancors were jumping up and down on the ceiling.
*Ezra's POV*
I flinched for the hundredth time when thunder rumbled above him. I curled deeper into my blanket, seeking comfort from the soft folds but it didn't work. I've been awake ever since the storm started and knew there was no chance I'd be able to fall asleep if this kept up. The noise was unsettling and what made it worse was that I was scared. I've always had a childhood fear of storms and that was always a problem.
When the lightning cracked I jumped, sighing in annoyance and fear after I settled down. There was no way I was drifting off in this weather. Giving up on sleep, I kicked off my blanket and threw my legs over the side of the bunk. Silently dropping to the floor, I opened his door and walked down the corridor. Occasionly flinching at the rumbles of thunder above. I went into the cockpit and froze when I saw Hera sitting at the controls. She looked round in surprise, hand reaching for her blaster then realized who it was.
"Ezra" she said.
"What in all the galaxy are you doing up so late?"
"Oh s-sorry Hera" I stuttered.
"I didn't know anyone was in here, I'll go..."
"Hang on" Hera raised a hand to stop him mid-sentence.
"What are you doing up in the first place?"
"It doesn't matter" I replied stepping back towards the door.
"It must matter if it's keeping you up this late" Hera replied.
"Don't worry about it, I can handle it" I said hurriedly, not wanting Hera to know about my fear.
I would rather no one knew about this, I didn't want to be pitied by the crew. I made for the door when a gentle hand on my forearm made me freeze. I looked up at Hera who was gazing down on him in concern.
*Hera's POV*
Ezra looked up at me, eyes unsure. I kept my grip gentle but still firm on his arm. I needed to know what was going on with the kid.
"Ezra" I said softly.
"It's okay, you can tell me."
Just then, a rather loud rumble of thunder and flash of lightning made Ezra flinch quite noticeably. I understood immediately.
"Are you afraid of the storm?" I asked gently.
Ezra looked away, crossing his arms, but nodded. A few moments passed before I lightly took Ezra's shoulders. I led him to the control panel and Ezra sat down in the co pilots chair. I seated myself in my chair and gazed at Ezra. The boy looked anywhere but at me, making me confused and even more concerned for the teen. I rested a hand on Ezra's knee, making him look straight at me.
"It's okay to be afraid of storms Ezra" I said gently.
"I was afraid of them when I was younger, my mother would tell me the storm couldn't hurt me as long I didn't bother the storm."
Ezra looked at his feet as I said this.
"The thing is Ezra," I slipped my fingers underneath Ezra's chin and lifted his face to look into his eyes.
"It's alright to be scared. It isn't something you should keep to yourself. It's alright to seek comfort."
Ezra hesitated before swallowing and pulling away from my gentle touch.
"When...when I was younger, my parents would comfort me whenever there was a storm. They'd say they'd always be there for me when I needed them, whenever I needed comfort."
Ezra paused, taking in a breath before continuing.
"When I was living on the streets, no one cared. Every storm that occured I was terrified of, either big or small, I always got scared. I couldn't help it, it's just a natural fear that I can't control."
Ezra brushed away the tears that had gathered in his eyes with the back of his hand. It pulled at my heart strings to see Ezra in tears, this poor boy never got comfort for eight years on the streets, but he wasn't on the streets anymore. He needed to know that.
"Ezra" I said.
Ezra looked up to see me offering him a hand. He hesitated before taking it and standing. I gently pulled Ezra towards me and took him into my arms. Then I pulled him onto my lap carefully and combed my fingers through his hair.
"You're not alone anymore. There's people on this ship who care about you. If you need comfort or reassurance, you can come to me or Kanan or anyone at any time okay?" I said softly.
Ezra seemed to think it over before nodding, cuddling closer to the me, a soft smile on his face as he curled up. I readjusted my grip so that I was cradling Ezra like a baby. I rubbed Ezra's cheek with my thumb in a circular motion making him smile. His eyes began to close as I began humming a soft melody, rocking him slightly. After a few moments, Ezra relaxed entirely, his breathing evening out.
"Sleep well Ezra" I whispered, kissing his forehead.
Yeah, I took this from my book Star Wars Moments, but it was too perfect for this story not to use it! .
Suggestions are open and appreciated.
Star-Wars-Dragons out 🐉
