Author Note - Established relationship fluff with Kanan/Ezra/Zeb. AU where Twilight of the Apprentice never happened.

"I'm dying." Kanan stated thickly, sniffing and peering up to make sure he'd been heard and the words given appropriate importance. Hera didn't look any more impressed than she had the last dozen times he'd said it.

"Drink your tea, it'll help." Hera didn't even look up from the data pad she was typing on. She was keeping him company in his room, a face-filter a concession to the rules of quarantine he'd carelessly broken and was paying for.

Kanan slouched a little more, giving the mug a dirty look. "I can't taste anything."

"It'll help your throat even if you can't taste it, drink."

"It's gotten cold."

"It wouldn't have gotten cold if you drank it when you first got it." Hera pointed out unmercifully.

Kanan glared sulkily at it, finally reaching out to grab the mug and stopping, jerking to cover his face with his sleeve as he sneezed. "Ow." The front part of his face throbbed with it, all along his cheekbones and his brow line as his stuffed sinuses protested the sudden attempt to clear them.

Hera made a soft sympathetic sound. "I'll reheat your tea." She wasn't being cruel on purpose, Kanan was irritatingly stoic about injuries, and he would focus and pretend everything was fine if there was a mission at stake. Get him sick, though, and he turned into a sulky five year old. She was very glad that as soon as Ezra and Zeb made it back he'd be their problem.

"Thanks." Kanan leaned his head back, sniffing and rubbing his nose to wait. When the mug reappeared in front of him he picked it up, taking a slow sip. The hot liquid did help ease his sore throat, but it made his nose drip. He could feel Hera watching him though and he slowly finished it. "You didn't slip anything in it, did you?" He asked, suddenly suspicious.

"No. I thought about it, but we're almost out. They'll be bringing back a full kit and that way it's easier for Zeb to keep track of what you've had and when." Hera was honest about it, passing him a tissue and then settling back with her data pad.

Kanan just sighed and blew his nose. "I'm still dying you know."

"I know" Hera didn't sound impressed.

"When are they going to be back?" Kanan asked finally, still slowly sipping on the tea. It tasted like vaguely sweet water, but it was better than nothing. He completely understood how lackluster Ezra had been towards food when he was recovering from this.

"Their shift should be over in an hour or so, if they don't volunteer to stay later. You know if I contact them and let them know what's going on they'll be more likely to come back on time." Hera pointed out.

Kanan shook his head slightly. This particular flu bug had torn through the Rebellion ranks leaving everyone short-handed. Their stolen Light Carrier, renamed The Aerie, had been having a hard time fielding a full crew with the medbays full. Between Zeb's natural immunity and Ezra being highly unlikely to catch it twice they'd both volunteered to help out. They'd set out before he even woke up and had no idea Kanan was sick.

He'd told Hera not to contact them after she let Sabine and Chopper know. Kanan wasn't sure which would be worse, if they'd try to cut their shift short to come back to him shirking their duties, or if they'd be fine sticking it out until the end and leaving him on his own. It was easier just to wait for them to come back on their own and not worry about any of that. He finished off his tea before it could get cold again, toying with the empty mug

Hera stood, reaching to take the mug from him. "Try to get some rest. They'll be back soon."

"Fine." Kanan lay down gingerly, the little bit of airflow he'd managed through stuffy sinuses instantly cutting off and he squirmed, trying to find a position where he was comfortable and could still breathe.

Kanan didn't remember dozing off, but he must have because the next thing he knew he was being gently nudged awake, fingers stroking through his hair. He tried to turn away from the touch with a soft disgruntled sound.

"I know, but sit up and drink this. It'll help." Ezra's voice was enough to get Kanan to open his eyes, peering up blearily.

"This stuff tastes awful, but you'll sleep better." Zeb added, sliding one hand under his back and easily propping him up a little. Kanan didn't fight it, drinking the small medicine cup of syrupy liquid.

"That's an understatement, that stuff is why I spent most of the first day unconscious." Ezra added and Kanan made a face. "No, trust me, you'll be glad for it."

"But you just got back." Kanan was fairly sure of that at least. Hera would have told them what was going on as soon as they arrived back on the ship, and he couldn't picture them just hanging out and avoiding him.

"And we'll be here when you wake up. Not getting rid of us that easily." Zeb spoke up, starting to ease him back to the bunk.

"Right now we're going to focus on getting you comfortable. Too hot or too cold?"

"Both?" Kanan said hesitantly.

"We can work with that too." Ezra leaned over to kiss his forehead. "I'll get one of the cold packs."

Zeb stood up to find one of the spare blankets, normally even with the ship kept at a cool temperature to save on fuel the blankets they had were warm enough, but like this it felt like Kanan couldn't quite get warm even if his face felt flushed.

Zeb tucked the blanket around him as Ezra returned with the cold pack, wrapping it and laying it over Kanan's forehead.

"How's that?" Ezra asked, cupping a wonderfully cool gloved hand to Kanan's cheek.

"Better." Kanan managed an attempt at a smile. "Having both of you here makes it almost bearable."

"And I had to manage with just Zeb." Ezra teased gently, getting a light elbow bump to the side from
Zeb for the comment.

"Try and get some sleep in you can, one of us will always be here if you need anything." Zeb patted Kanan's blankets soothingly.

"And if for whatever reason you wake up alone and no one's here, you can let me know." Ezra sent a warm feeling down through the bond and Kanan accepted it gratefully. He hadn't wanted to reach out to Ezra before and risk tipping him off that he'd gotten sick, but now he could open up willingly to the bond and share that he still felt awful, but the meds were kicking in and making him drowsy. He closed his eyes, sniffling and not wanting to fight it as he drifted back off.

Kanan woke once to dim flickering low light and a soft voice talking. The main lights were out and Ezra was in his meditation spot, the holocron out and open. It looked to be one of the history lectures, though it was too quiet to make out which one. Kanan closed his eyes again, falling back asleep to the soft murmur of the recorded voice.

His second time waking up was to Zeb urging him awake to take more medicine. He fought it, sleeping wasn't nearly so uncomfortable, but he couldn't manage to stay asleep no matter how much he wanted to. He also couldn't seem to get warm and his teeth chattered against the rim of the measuring cup as he tried to swallow the medicine in it.

Zeb stroked a hand sympathetically over his hair once he finished the nasty tasting liquid. "Your fever's back up."

"Y-yeah." Kanan shivered, trying to drag the blankets more firmly around himself as if that could stop the shaking.

"Here, it's a little bit of a squeeze, but…" Zeb reached to lift Kanan off the bunk, maneuvering in under him and settling in so Kanan was laying on top of him instead of the mattress. It was always a little strange, Kanan was used to seeing Zeb lift Ezra effortlessly but usually he avoided manhandling other people for politeness sake. He wasn't about to complain though, anything that meant he didn't have to move on his own.

Zeb wrapped his arms around Kanan, just holding him while he shook. Kanan's teeth chattered, but the pressure helped. It kept him from feeling like he was going to shake apart, not with Zeb solid and sturdy at his back and holding him.

Kanan could feel Ezra's concern in the back of his mind and he tried to focus and send him reassurance that it was just a normal miserable part of being sick. He wasn't sure how successful he was, but he was sure he got the gist. He turned his head a little to press his cheek against the soft fur of Zeb's upper arm, shivering and waiting for the meds to kick in.

"I've got you." Zeb's chest vibrated against Kanan's back as he talked, and he could feel Zeb nuzzle the top of his head.

"I know." It felt like it took forever, but slowly the shivering eased off and Kanan could feel the haze from the medicine starting to kick in again. He didn't fight it, closing his eyes and trusting that Zeb would take care of him. He was grateful to have him like this. He trusted Ezra with his life, but something in him always balked a little at making Ezra take care of him. That was supposed to be his responsibility as his Master, even if Ezra volunteered for the job.

Kanan wasn't sure how long he slept, but when he started waking up again he was back on the bunk this time with a smaller form tucked against his back and Zeb in a chair nearby. He squirmed a little, overheated but not wanting to pull away from the contact. He started to worry he was waking Ezra up, but the gentle mental touch through the bond corrected that.

"How are we doing on cold packs?" Ezra pulled away from him, tugging the covers down without Kanan needing to say anything.

"I can go get a few out of the chiller." Zeb stood up, starting to amble out of the room.

Kanan took a deep breath, trying to ease the tightness that seemed to be starting in his chest. He wasn't sure how long he'd been sleeping. "Did you two need to go back to the Aerie?"

"No, enough people who caught it early have recovered enough for at least light duty, and we're taking care of you." Ezra said it matter of fact.

"I could probably manage if I had to." Kanan still felt guilty, it shouldn't take two people to take care of him.

"Yeah, well, you don't have to. Don't tell me you want to be left alone like this?" Ezra asked.

"No." Kanan couldn't help the honest answer. He felt weak and miserable and far too hot even if he knew the ship's temperature hadn't changed. He didn't want to be left alone, and even if he felt a little guilty about it he wanted both Ezra and Zeb there with him.

Zeb didn't take long with the cold packs, and Kanan sighed in relief at the feel of the cold cloth against his overheated face.

"Were you trying to make an argument that you're a big tough Jedi who doesn't need someone to sit with him?" Zeb asked, helping to settle the cold packs around him.

"Something like that." Kanan admitted, trying to clear his throat and then coughing. It took him by surprise, and what he thought was just going to be a quick cough turned into a fit of them, leaving him gasping for breath. He felt Ezra's hand on his back, rubbing circles while Zeb stroked through his hair, speaking soothingly in Lasani.

"Guess this means we have to cut back on the good drugs?" Ezra spoke over him to Zeb, and Kanan made a questioning sound, not quite trusting his voice yet.

"He's right. The ones you're on now don't help you keep your lungs clear. The other ones do, but they won't knock you out. " Zeb explained, still keeping up the gentle petting.

"I've slept for what, a solid day?" Kanan finally managed, even if his voice was a little breathless. "I can stay awake." He tilted his head a little into the stroking. He'd never admit it, but it felt good being able to just lay and feel how much they cared, even if he felt physically terrible.

"Something like that." Ezra resettled the cold pack against his forehead where the coughing fit had dislodged it. "For the most part we've been taking shifts staying with you. That way Sabine, Hera, and Chop don't have to do everything around here on their own."

"Sounds like you have things figured out." Kanan managed a small chuckle without setting off a coughing fit.

"Of course we do, you can count on us." Ezra assured him.

Kanan reached up to take Zeb's hand, giving it a squeeze and then giving them both a small but sincere smile. "I know."