#BB Crosshair

[dragon-pups]

ANOTHER

[leon-anna]

✨This duo✨

I'll be honest, at the start, I was probably Crosshair's biggest hater. But coming to the end of TBB S2 and the start of S3 I'm not ashamed to admit that I have now fallen in love with his angry-uncle energy. 😏👌🫶

Also! Asajj wielding a yellow saber?!! I've always dreamed of this day coming but I didn't think it would come so soon!!! 🥹🫠

[turkwriter]

Omega finally being let loose with Crosshair, the one brother she has who will let her fully commit all the Violence™️, we are truly blessed today

[levi-venn]

Cross and Tech and Omega and Egg

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 (Final) Available also on AO3

When CT-9904, the clone that would one day become "Crosshair", was first pulled from his birthing tank, he did not cry.  

This was by design.

Engineered to become a “stealth soldier”, 04's vocal cords were shaped so that he could not raise his voice above a frustrated rasp. It was often muted by his incubator.

CT-9903, who would one day adopt the moniker "Tech", was also silent, but this was always a cause for concern. When 03 was quiet, he was most likely attempting his next escape. He had kicked the latch off his first incubator. He had poked the hinges off his second. By the third, Nala Se had nowhere to put the baby escape artist.

Putting 03 in 04's incubator was supposed to be a temporary solution.

A week later, when the new, reinforced incubator arrived, she picked up 03, and found his hand locked with 04's with an iron grip. 

CT-9903 cried. 

CT-9904 hissed.

And so, the ever patient Nala Se left 03 where he was there.  There were no more escape attempts after that.

One day, CT-9903 began to cry.

Nala Se was in the middle of calming 05 who was trying to wreck the changing table with tiny, but mighty fists.

"Omega, see to 03, please, he needs to be changed."

Omega slid off her stool and without looking up from her datapad she said. "It's 04 who needs changing."

"How do you know?" Nala Se asked.

"03 cries louder when 04 needs help."

***

Too bright. Too loud. Deafening silence. Sudden isolation. Stimuli deprived and overloaded. Nothing. Everything. Relentless. Overwhelming.

Even if Crosshair did have the capability to scream, he'd never give the science officers the satisfaction. Let them wonder the limits of his body and the sanity of his mind. 

He lost count of how many experiments they put him through, but one thing always remained the same: He gave them no data to work with.

Until today.

Omega didn't see him. The stormtroopers were moving her and Nala Se towards the lifts, and the glass chamber he was kept in was too far from the main hall, and there were too many other cells and test subjects between them. But there she was, shooting defiant looks at the troopers as they shoved her along.

It broke Crosshair in a way these scientists couldn't.

He tried to call out to her, but his throat was dry, his vocal chords ached, and his very DNA denied him. All he could do was let out a raspy growl.

The scientists took note of the sounds. It was the first reaction they had received from him. They congratulated themselves on their findings.

Omega disappeared into the elevator. She never looked back.

A science officer turned a dial. There was a lightning strike of agony. And Crosshair passed out.

***

It was dusk when Crosshair woke up in his cell. An obsidian eye gazed unblinkingly at him. Egg's caw was subdued. It usually was on lab days.

He shakily rose to the window with his plate to share his corn and bits of unidentifiable meat, when he saw something that wasn't there for him this morning: a travel biscuit.

Tech came by. Crosshair told him not to, but he still-

Suddenly, Tech popped up in the window. "You're back!"

Crosshair was mid-bite into the biscuit and choked, turning away to cough. "Tech, dank farrik!"

"A human cough,” Tech declared, “has the estimated speed of a hundred and sixty kilometers per hour. A wookiee cough averages two hundred kilometers an hour."

"I told you to stay away."

“You did,” Tech said simply, breaking his own biscuit in half to offer to Egg. “But I disregarded your request. Consider this revenge for ignoring my wish for solitude when my legs were being reset."

“You carry grudges that long?" Crosshair asked, his amusement outweighing his exhaustion. "I just wanted your dinner roll."

“I see…” Tech said, then reached into the cell to snatch the biscuit out of Crosshair’s, hand. He took a bite, then handed it back. “Now we’re even.”

"Tech…Omega is here,” Crosshair murmured.

Tech’s face fell for a fraction of a moment, before it gave way to an analytical frown. “How long has she been here?”

“I don’t know.”

“Were they experimenting on her?”

“Not that I could see.”

Tech was quiet for a moment. “When our brothers-”

Crosshair slammed his hand against the bars. Egg ruffled his feathers and let out a craah of protest. “I swear on the kriffing stars if you finish that sentence I’ll-” he stopped himself, not because he physically couldn’t do anything, but because the devastation in Tech’s eyes obliterated the empty threat. "If they do come, let it be for her. Let me rot here. I made my choice. I deserve-.”

"Give me your hand." Tech said, evenly.

“What? Why?”

Tech removed his glove and slipped his bare hand through the bars. “Because you need it.”

Crosshair stared at the hand, his memories drifting to the first record-shattering storm on Kamino he had ever experienced.

“When will it be over?” Crosshair had snarled, curling around his cadet rifle on his bunk while the storm raged outside.

“By my calculations," Tech said, laying in the bunk below him, "another three hours and then the winds will carry it Southward.”

“I hate your calculationsss,” Crosshair hissed, pressing his cheek against the cool metal surface of the rifle barrel.

“You can’t hate calculations,” Tech said, climbing onto Crosshair’s bunk. “They didn’t do anything wrong.”

Crosshair said nothing, hiding his face in his pillow.

“Give me your hand.” Tech said, laying down on the other side of the rifle. 

Crosshair wanted to say no, but just then thunder shattered the sky outside as if trying to get into their room and pull them all into the sea. Crosshair’s hand shot out and clasped his brothers.

“The fear of thunder and lightning," Tech said, "is called Astraphobia. It isn't an irrational fear as an ocean storm is the most vast and dangerous sort of storm. We, however, are in a structure designed to withstand a storm twice this size,” Tech said. "It is safe." 

It is safe…

Crosshair looked at his brother's hand extended to him through the bars. Scarred and callused like his, familiar and different, but always safe.

“We aren’t leaving without you both," Tech said, his hand suspended patiently. "I’m not leaving without you. You have my word."

Crosshair clutched Tech's hand and Tech pulled him forward slightly, giving Crosshair's hand a sturdy jerk as if to shake loose any resistance to his words. "Do you trust me?" Tech asked.

Crosshair tried to summon a biting reply, something to chase away the comforting relief this simple contact created. 

Instead he pressed his head against the cell bars and squeezed Tech’s hand tightly. “I trust you.”

***

A week later, when Tech woke up, he didn't know the Marauder was coming to Weyland the following morning.

Even if he did know, it wouldn't have changed his plans for the day. Egg still would still screech in his face, urging him to get up. He still would make the trek back to the facility. 

The last few days Crosshair seemed to be in better spirits all things considered. Today was lab day, Tech was determined to make it back to Crosshair's window before then, travel biscuits stocked on the window sill, hand ready to hold.

Until then, Tech and Egg were on a mission.

There were other windows to look into. Tech had looked into most of them searching for his sister without success. Today, he was down to his last four windows.

The first two were empty, the last one had a pair of Devronian hands clutching the bars. The third, however, a tuft of blonde hair could be seen and little else, as if a very small humanoid was gazing up at the cloudy blue sky.

It was then that Tech executed his three-phase mission:

Phase One: Establish that he is alive and well.

Phase Two: Inform Omega that Crosshair is also in the facility. 

Phase Three: An ongoing phase. Tech would do his best to split his time between Crosshair and Omega. This may prove difficult, both in travel times…and the length of time away from his brother. 

Even now, Tech found himself wishing he was at Crosshair's window, waiting for him to return. Waiting to be reassured his brother had survived whatever the science officers put him through that day. But Omega may need him, too. He would do whatever he could for his siblings, with his limited resources of travel biscuits and various informational tidbits.

Phase one began similarly to how he presented himself to Crosshair: A neatly carved message on a piece of wood light enough for Egg to carry. 

Egg made himself comfortable on Tech's shoulder, sometimes watching with keen interest and other times preening Tech's unruly hair.

The message read [Tech Lives]. 

Seemed direct enough.

Egg flew up to the window and Tech could hear his sister's startled gasp followed by an inquisitive voice. "Oh hello! Are you a crow? Where'd you come from? What do you have there?"

Tech used to ask questions like this to every single person and animal he met. He wondered if they both received this inquisitiveness from Jango Fett or perhaps Omega picked this up from Tech.

Oddly enough, he hoped for the latter.

"What?" Omega exclaimed, evidently reading the message. "Who gave you this?"

Tech raised a finger. "That would be me."

The whole point of this gently revealed plot twist was to avoid any loud outburst that may rouse a guard.

It didn't work.

"Tech!!!" Omega shouted.

Tech grimaced, but he waved. "We should keep our voices at a reasonable volume."

"I knew you were alive! I knew it! I kept saying 'we never saw a body. He's still out there!"

Tech touched the side of his temple, missing his goggles immensely. "The 'No Body, No Death' Theory is not an exact science, Omega."

"It is for us," Omega said, stubbornly.

Tech smiled. "Are you alright?"

Omega shrugged. "They brought me here to push Nala Se into working on a project. I've been assisting her. Don't know exactly what we're doing yet, but it involves clone science and advanced genetic manipulation."

"It may or may not have something to do with whatever they are doing to Crosshair here."

"Crosshair is here?!" Omega bounced up and down, presumably on a bed. "Is he okay?"

"No."

Omega's pained expression made Tech wish he could have presented that answer gently. "But he will be," he added.

"Is this crow a friend of yours?" Omega asked, stroking Egg's chest feathers.

"More precisely Crosshair's friend. His name is Egg."

"Because he likes eggs?"

"Evidently."

"I've missed you, Tech." Omega hoisted herself up to get a better look at him. "I'm glad you're okay."

"I'm also glad you're well. My advice is continuing your work with Nala Se. Don't raise a ruckus and-"

"And our brothers will find us! Soon!" Omega said with far more confidence than Tech felt at this point.

"My thoughts exactly."

"There's something else you should know." Omega said, stroking Egg's feathered chest. "There's a scientist here. She's a clone, too…I don't think she was made on Kamino, though. She might have been born here."

"That's unsettling. Jango's genetic code has been depleted as far as I know. She would be a very distant relation to us."

"She's not one of us," Omega said, venomous. "If she was, she wouldn't be hurting our brother."

Tech wished he had his goggles, more importantly the camera attached to it. He could have provided Crosshair proof that his siblings care about him, indisputably.

"I'm inclined to agree."

"If Crosshair's not okay, Tech, you should go back to him."

"You don't need me to stay with you?" Tech asked.

"I'm with Nala Se. I'll be fine. Go back to Crosshair."

Tech nearly left immediately, but his concern for his sister lingered. "Are you sure, Omega?"

"He needs you," she said, with a knowing smile. "And you need him too. It's always been that way."

Tech frowned at the pointed statement…and frowned further at the truth of it. 

He didn't have time to ponder, he needed to get back to Crosshair. 

He needs me. My need to know he's alright is purely a coincidence. 

Tech climbed up to Crosshair's window, ducking out of sight just as the droids dumped his brother onto the metal floor of his cell. Tech wasn't prone to anger, his logic cooled his temper before it could boil, but he felt the light crunch in his hand before realizing he had crushed one of the travel biscuits in his trembling fist. 

He waited for the sound of marching droids to fade away, then he sat up and set the biscuit on the sill. Then he waited.

Egg cawed. Incessantly at first. Then mournfully. Then sat quietly and waited, too.

Dusk turned to night. 

Tech felt a knot in his gut as he gazed at the stars. There was a time when he and his brothers would lay out on the roof of Kaminoan science center, watching for the clouds to part just long enough to see stars. 

Tech would try to identify as many planets as he could before they disappeared again. 

Crosshair would make up planets to annoy Tech and they'd get into a slap fight. 

Wrecker insisted they were just dumb little lights. 

Hunter swore he'd visit every single planet before the war was done with him.

It wasn't so long ago, but it was several lifetimes ago. They were different. The galaxy was different. Tech knew it was useless to grieve for the past. Life is ever changing and evolving. He did wish he had spent more time cherishing those moments, however. 

They are over too quickly to quantify.

Egg flapped and let out a soft craah. 

"Tech…"

Tech's glove was already removed when he sat up, reaching into the cell to clutch Crosshair's hand. "I'm here."

"You're late," Crosshair sneered, tiredly. 

"So are you."

"Omega?"

"She's fine. They aren't hurting her. I believe she's leverage to press Nala Se into the Imperial service. She asked about you."

"Course she did," Crosshair said, dryly.

"Believe it or not, Crosshair, I'm not the only one who mourned your loss to the Empire."

Crosshair grunted in response. 

He fell quiet. His grip on Tech's hand was weakening. When he spoke again, his voice sounded hollow…distant… "I'm tired, Tech. I don't know how much more I can take."

Tech tightened his hold on Crosshair's hand. "Think of it as a sunk cost fallacy. You've come this far. You've endured this much. You might as well keep going until-"

Crosshair's hand slipped suddenly from his. 

"Crosshair?"

He heard Crosshair collapse on the bed. 

"Cross?!"

Tech pressed his face against the bars, but could only see a blurry darkness. 

Egg tapped the bars insistently, letting out a distressed chitter. 

Then they both fell quiet.

And listened.

Faintly…Tech heard a very light snore. 

Logic did nothing to soothe Tech's nerves at this moment. He was tired too. He was also hungry. Starving actually. Travel biscuits didn't have enough nutritional value for a full day's energy and he saved most of the biscuits for Crosshair.

They were both on borrowed time.

Tech leaned against the wall beside Crosshair's window, then slowly slumped over, curling up as best he could.

In addition to being uncomfortable sleeping on the concrete slab it was also dangerous to fall asleep on a high ledge. He didn't care. Tonight, just for tonight, he needed to be near his brother.

***

Crosshair awoke to what sounded like a sarcastic rooster mocking the morning sun.

It was Egg. Of course it was Egg. And it was most definitely sarcastic.

When Crosshair slowly rose from his cot, still sore from the previous days experiments, he didn't see Egg's scrutinizing gaze, however, he saw his tail feathers.

"Egg," he wheezed, holding his aching side as he struggled to stand on the cot. "What're you looking at?"

Tech was curled up on the ledge. His brother slept here all night. 

Crosshair didn't remember much when he came back to his cell, his mind foggy from the drugs and his body pushed to a limit he didn't expect. 

He must have passed out. And it must have scared the dank out of Tech.

He sighed and picked up the half eaten biscuit left on the sill. There were a few peck marks but it seemed Egg left most of it for him..He threw it at Tech, which bounced off his cheek.

Tech didn't move. Crosshair rolled his eyes. 

In their cadet days, Crosshair often had to  physically roll Tech off his bunk to get him up. Tech didn't just sleep, he'd pass out. There was no such thing as a steady sleep schedule for him and every few days his body would crash. 

Crosshair had been so wrapped up in his own situation it didn't occur to him that Tech was more alone than he. 

…and what else has he eaten besides travel biscuits? 

The droids had already dropped off his stale hash brown and eggs this morning. Crosshair took two bites, gave a little egg to his crow and set the rest aside for Tech to wake up. That would be their routine from now on, he decided. Crosshair could live on very little food, he'd give the rest to his brother. 

His brother who needed him.

Something distant in the cloudy sky caught Crosshair's gaze. At first he thought it was another crow, though he hadn't seen another since Egg showed up.

It wasn't a freighter either. Not an imperial one. And it was coming in at an odd, off-kilter angle, something Hunter often did when flying covertly under radar, though not nearly as gracefully as Tech.

Hunter…

"Tech!" Crosshair wheezed. "Tech, get up!"

Tech shot up, hair sticking up every which way, his cheek creased from laying on the rough ledge. "CT-9903 reporting for…duty…." 

He blinked and looked up at Crosshair. "What happened?"

Crosshair smirked. "G'morning, sunshine." He nodded to the horizon. "You were right."

Tech followed his gaze, shielding his eyes from the sun. "They found us?"

Crosshair couldn't stop smiling if he tried. It was a thin smile, almost a sneer, and it made his cheeks ache. It felt good. "You sound surprised."

Tech whipped his head back at Crosshair, squinting and smiling. "Not surprised, just…shocked…that it took so long."

"Uh huh…Hunter and Wrecker aren't exactly the brains of our operation. You and I were always the smarter ones."

"I would never say that."

"You always say that."

Tech adjusted his non-existent goggles. "Perhaps…occasionally." He stretched and winced. "I better go meet them and give them the intel."

Crosshair dryly. "I'll stay here and watch the place."

Tech smirked. "Rest. Eat. We'll be together again soon."

Crosshair's jaw tightened, trying to summon the pessimism that kept his sanity stable, but he was tired, and in pain, and full of kriffing hope.

"Fine," Crosshair said, quietly.

Tech started to leave, legs swung over the edge of the platform. He paused. "Cross…?"

Tech rarely called him that. Just as Crosshair rarely called him "Techie". The names were reserved only for the rare moments fear and rarer moments of sentimentality. The last time he was called Cross, Wrecker had blown himself up with his own damn grenade. 

When they left behind cadet training and dove head first into combat missions neither of them could afford childish fear or vulnerabilities. They left the nicknames behind with their childhoods.

"After you're free, Tech said, "we will drop you off wherever you want to go…" Tech's eyes seemed bigger even without the goggles magnifying them. "But I hope you stay with us."

Egg clicked indignantly at Tech.

"Egg, too?" Crosshair asked.

"Of course."

"I'll let Egg decide. He's the real brains of this operation."

"While I can't argue with that as he was the reason I found you, how do we know what he will-"

Egg flapped noisily with a shrill squawk and landed on top of Techs head, seating himself and screeching pointedly at Crosshair.

Tech grimaced, careful not to move. "Well….that seemed evident to me. Do you concur, Cross?"

"I concur…Techie," Crosshair smirked. "Now get me the hell out of here."

---

Thank you so much for reading. I’m grateful for the kind words, memes, and I loved the fanart of Egg!

If you enjoyed my writing, please consider checking out my book “Error: Detective Not Found (A Cake Pop Noir)”. You can find more info on it on my main tumblr account @blueberryhelper

[bbgoffic]

If Crosshair lost his legs like Echo I fully believe the rest of the batch would conspire to give him shorter legs.

[meigslive]

“good soldiers follow orders” Crosshair

-

-

finally got to run my crosshair bound out and about!! :D

[gars-weaponeer]

Incorrect Bad Batch Quote #4

Wrecker: So why do they call you "Echo"?

Echo: Because I tend to repeat myself.

Hunter: ... huh? (Confused)

Echo: Because I tend to repeat myself.

Tech: ... What? (Distracted)

Echo: Because I tend to repeat myself.

Crosshair: -Grins- Say that again? (Teasing)

Echo: Because I tend to--

Echo: -Annoyed Glare-

[robotsandramblings]

dunno who on the animation team has such a hard-on for Hunter's left side profile this episode but i'd like to thank them immensely and give them all of my money

[techtalksfics]

Headcanons: First Kiss

Authors Note: this is for the anon who sent in this very sweet prompt. I've tried to keep it fluffy but, you know, Crosshair is always gonna linger closer to smut than fluff. All of these will be small headcanon ideas, with small snippets of prose & dialogue. Hope you enjoy!

Tech

How long does it take for it to happen?

Well, this is Tech we are talking about. It takes him a ridiculously long time to even realise you are interested in him. It takes him even longer to realise that you like him like that. When he realises it, he would consult his brothers about it at the first opportune moment.

You'd always tried to show Tech that you truly cared for him. You'd be overly attentive when he visited the medical wing, even if it was just for something as simple as a check-up. The first time you'd treated him, you'd been careful with his injuries, taking your time, talking with him, giggling at his silly comments. His brother's had noticed your gentle touches and twittery giggles at his comments long before Tech did. They just left it alone. Tech would figure it out eventually, right?

Well eventually was a long time coming. It was easily over thirty rotations of your attentive behaviour, of you trying to get to know him, to show him you shared interests. Of you trying to get him interested in you. What you didn't realise is that he had always been interested in you on some level. He just didn't realise what level that was. One evening, the clones were all in there shared quarters, relaxing after another successful mission. Tech had arrived later than the others as he came to say hello to you first.

When he arrived at their quarters, he simply sat for a moment, pondering over his desire to speak to you first. Suddenly he queried why you acted differently with him than you did with the others. Hunter sighed, stopping his expert ministrations with his knife in hand, looked his brother in the eye and tells him, "because she likes you." When Tech frowned deeper, somehow more confused. Surely she liked all you? "She has a crush on you, Tech." Tech stopped fiddling with his comm device to look up at Hunter for a moment. "Perhaps I should discuss this with her," he decided as he stood, speedily exiting the room.

Crosshair, had been lying on his bed, listening to the whole thing. He lolled his head towards Hunter, twirling the toothpick in his mouth from the right to the left side and and muttered, "that poor girl is going to need the Force on her side now."

Who Instigates the first kiss?

Tech. This is definitely going to be Tech. Most girls would probably fear starting something with him unless they were 100% sure he felt the same. As he isn't particularly great with affection, that may prove difficult. But our sweet boy also doesn't have a great filter for his words and sometimes his actions. So I have no doubt that he would be the first to make a move, clumsy thought it may be.

Tech had sought you out after Hunter's revelation or confirmation. He found at your station and the lab was eerily quiet. The perfect opportunity, he had realised. So he simply squeezed your arm gently. to get his attention. You smiled and turned the moment you realised it was him and he smashed his lips to yours with reckless abandon. It was sloppy and fast and not what you thought it would be. But your heart soared regardless.

When he moved away, he explained, "Hunter said that you may have a crush on me. He is rarely wrong on such matters. Perhaps this time he was?" As he searched your face for signs of disgust. There were none. He seemed a little perplexed by the flush on your cheeks. He decided it best that perhaps he leave that moment.

Gentle or Hot Heavy first kiss?

Our sweet boy is always going to be gentle, cautious. Savouring it, even. He had perhaps been a little overzealous to reach out and kiss you like that, it was felt oddly forced. Even for him. But when you finally decide to reciprocate, the main is definitely going to want to savour the experience slowly.

As he went to leave, you quickly grabbed him by the hand and pulled him back. “I didn’t think you even noticed me. I’m sorry, it took my mind a minute. You sort of appeared out of nowhere,” as he opened his mouth to protest, you placed your fingers over his lips, moving closer to him, “how about we try that one again?” You leaned in, holding your hands in the folds of his armour so that he couldn’t retreat. When he felt softness of your lips, the warmth of cheeks and body against his, Tech finally closes his eyes and simply enjoys the sensation. All too quickly for his liking, you pull away. He adjusts his goggles and asks, “would you be partial to doing that again?” That earns a little giggle from you. Of course you wanted to do that again. And again. And again.

Crosshair

How long does it take for it to happen?

On sheer stubbornness of two people trying not to admit to their feelings (or as @littlebluebatbratt and I like to call it, playing a game of emotional chicken™), it's going to take some time. I feel like Crosshair would pair well with someone who could withstand the game as well as he could. So this could go on for a long time. I like to think the right girl would make him drop his pride and give in to her and his feelings.

“You should just cave,” he whispered, as he came up behind you. His breath was hot on your neck. You jumped out of your skin at the sudden contact. His approach had been so silent. You couldn’t help but lean back, flush into his body. He was simply so warm. Your mouth hung open at the contact, a huff of wind escaping you as you rest your head back against his shoulder. Then in a sudden realisation of what you were doing, you lurched away from him. As you began to walk away, you turned to face him, walking backwards and say, “if you want it, you know exactly how to come and get it” A smirk plastered on your lips as you sauntered away from him.

Who Instigates the first kiss?

Honestly, this would depend on the woman. As I mentioned above, I think, for Crosshair to truly fall for someone, she would also have to be a stubborn, pain in the ass with just a tad too much physical confidence. They would try desperately to get him to cave first, as much as they wanted to themselves. Eventually, the man would not be able to stop himself. One day, the endless flirting would turn into something more.

“You’re maddening, you know that?” He would say with a groan, he muffled behind his hand, as you softly rubbed your leg up and down his as you sat opposite each other in the mess hall.

“I know,” you said, popping a small bite of food into your mouth, with a smug grin. Suddenly, you would remove your leg and he immediately misses the contact. You move to leave the hall, knowing exactly what you were doing, but you could feel his shadow following you out. Perhaps it was finally time?

Pulling you into the nearest alcove, by your elbow with just enough force, he would simply stare into your eyes, desperate for you. You could see it. You could feel it. He couldn’t bring himself to say it, but he knew in that moment, as you stared at him with those big innocent eyes, that he had lost. He had fully lost himself in you.

Gentle/Hot Heavy first kiss?

It’s Crosshair. It’s hot and heavy. Of course. Particularly if they’ve been playing this game for a long time. All of this pent-up frustration would be unleashed into one extremely searing, deep, long kiss.

You would wrap your hands around his neck, the moment you realised he’d caved. You’d pull him in as close as you could, onlookers be damned. He’d have your body pinned against the wall, one knee between your thighs holding you in place as he leans in to kiss you. You place two fingers over his lips, looking deep into his eyes.

“I’m gonna need you to say it first,” you said with a smirk. He sighs looking away from you. Deciding it was time, he looked deep into your eyes, his own were hooded with a deep lust.

“Fine,” he grumbled, not breaking eye contact, “you win. I want you. I want you more than I want to win this.” That was all you needed. So, you yanked his head towards you and your lips met in a sudden and heated dance. It was everything you had been waiting for. His tongue quickly delves into your mouth exploring everything he had been imagining for months. His hands would wind their way into your hair, lifting your lips closer to his. His knee pushing further up into you, until you’re almost rutting on him.

Wrecker

How long does it take for it to happen?

Wrecker is extremely vocal and does not necessarily think a lot of things through. That being said, he’s also our super soft gentle giant. He would probably spend more time trying to kiss than actually successfully doing it. I think he’d be one of the fastest to go in for a first kiss with someone, particularly if they paid him lots of attention. Which obviously, all of us would.

“I just wanna kiss ‘em,” Wrecker moaned to his brothers, his head in his hands at the bar, “but every time I get close, I back out.” He all but slammed his head on the bar. “I’m a coward.”

“You’re not a coward, Wrecker,” Hunter said dumbly, placing his hand on his brother’s shoulder, “you’re just worried that she won’t return it. But she will.”

Wrecker lifted his head toward Hunter, “how could you possibly know tha’?” It was almost a whine as Wrecker spoke.

“Because she’s not blind,” Hunter said, holding back a chuckle, “she’s spoken to me about it. She wants to know what’s holding you back.” Wrecker sat upright all of sudden.

“You mean, she knows?” Wrecker felt positively sick with the nerves. “Well, no what am I supposed to do.” This time, Tech was the one to respond as he looked up from the schematics in his hand, “well, you could just try actually kissing her.” Tech’s head immediately dropped back down to continue reading. He made it sound so simple.

Who Instigates the first kiss?

Wrecker wants to. Boy, does he want to. He wants to whisk you into his arms and kiss you so soundly that you never want to leave his side. But he’s just a bundle of nerves and insecurities under all that muscle. Knowing that you know he’s been trying, only made it worse. In the end, it would all be on you.

“Hi Wrecker,” you said, hopping off the counter of the store you worked at, “how are you?” Wrecker scratched at his neck, almost immediately, mumbling out something about being fine.

“Wrecker,” you said as a plea, when you realised that he couldn’t look at you, “you don’t need to be afraid, Wrecker. Whatever it is you want, you can just tell me.” You placed your hand softly on his cheek, encouraging him to look at you. You knew what it was that was bothering him. It bothered you that he thought you'd even consider rejecting him. His eyes finally pierced into yours, fear covering all of his features. “I – uh – I been trying to kiss you for a while now,” Wrecker stumbled over his words as he rushed to get them out, “but – uh – didn’t know if you’d want tha’.”

“Of course, I want that, you silly man.” His eyebrows shot up high as you smiled at him softly. And yet, he still couldn’t do it.

Gentle/Hot Heavy first kiss?

It’s going to be gentle, as gentle as he can make it. You wouldn’t want to push him too far, too fast. Hot and heavy could wait. You just needed to get him over the first hurdle that seemed to be plaguing him so fully. You’d gone from friendly banter, maybe some gentle flirtation and some outright cheesy phrases on his part and regressed back to the awkwardness of when you first met.

You hopped back onto the counter, making yourself more level with him. The store was empty, now was your chance. You reached your hand out for him to take and he did so very willingly, you pulled him in between your legs. Cupping his chin, you forced him to look at your smile. “Wrecker,” you whispered so softly, “I want you to do it.” He seemed to debate things in his mind, as best he could. He bit at his lip, wanting to reach in but he still hesitated.

With a small, barely audible sigh, you placed a hand on his gentle and brought his face into yours. The moment he felt your lips on his, his heart soared, and his arms cradled you naturally. You were much smaller than him, so you became enveloped in him. You kiss became firmer, occasionally pulling your lips away to tilt your head a different way. You found his lips followed you whenever you moved. If you leaned back, he leaned forward. If you tilted one way, he tilted the other and held you tighter. Truthfully, it was perfect.

Echo

How long does it take for it to happen?

I think that post-Skako Minor, Echo’s mind will forever have self-doubt and his duty at the forefront. We see both when he is described as more machine than man, percentage wise. So, I think the build-up to the kiss would simply take a long time because he does let himself believe you’d want to.

“You know you’re wrong about her, right?” Rex said to his brother as they sat together post-mission. Everything had been successful. “She likes you.”

“She doesn’t like me,” Echo retorted, taking a sip of the steaming drink in his hands. He couldn’t help but let his eyes fall across the room towards where you were chatting with Gregor animatedly. Both laughing. He couldn’t help but smile at the idea of you liking him at all. God, he loved the way you laughed. The way you made his brothers feel happy whenever you were around.

“Oh, she definitely does,” Rex spoke with a smirk as he watched his brother falling in love from a distance, "and I think you like her too." Echo's head whipped back around to look at Rex, a crimson blush on his cheeks. He took another sip of his drink.

Who Instigates the first kiss?

I fear that it would have to be you. You are the only one that can convince him that you want him in a romantic way. Sure, Rex could try and convince him. As could any of his clone brothers, but they would never convince him enough for him to dare making a move. There were many, many others you could choose. So why would you choose him? Well, you'd have to convince him that your heart had chosen him long ago.

Rex had casually mentioned to you that Echo was leaving to find the Bad Batch, knowing full well what you would do. Honestly, he was a little fed up with the mutual pining.

“Echo,” you called out as you watched him walk away from Riyo Chuchi, it looks like you were catching him just in time. You knew there was nothing you could do or say to make sure he'd keep out of harms way. You now needed their help to save others. So this was your last chance to pluck up the courage you'd cowered away from for so long,“you weren’t planning on leaving without saying goodbye, were you?”

“I – uh – no, well, yes…perhaps?” Each of the words stumbled from his mouth as if chasing one another, pain masking over his features. You placed your hands on hips at that.

“Well how am I supposed to wish you luck if you keep running away before I have a chance?” You questioned him, allowing a flirtatious grin to creep onto your features. He blushed at that, you had such an effect on him, all from two very simple words. Good luck?

“L-luck?” He repeated back. As you stepped closer to him, he tried to steady himself, tried to remain steadfast and strong in your presence. You reached your hands up to his broad shoulders, running them across the coolness of the armour covering his broad shoulder.

“Yes, and luck that is truly good should be sealed with a kiss,” you said as you watched him through your lashes.

Gentle/Hot Heavy first kiss?

This would definitely be dependent on the circumstances, I’d say it would be a little bit of both. Particularly if it plays out as it does above. Or if it's any sort of goodbye or a hello after a long time. It'll definitely end up hot and heavy if he isn’t certain of his return. If he isn’t certain of your safety. He is going kiss you as if it is both the first and last time, he will ever kiss you.

With your hands on his shoulders, you’d reached up on toes and placed your lips to his softly. Your lips had ghosted over his so gently that he was convinced it had been a dream. And yet, it lasted just long enough for his eyes to flutter closed.

When they reopened, you stood there looking at him doe-eyed, expectantly and with a big grin on your face. With a soft, playful growl, he reached around your waist with one arm and span you around, you giggle all the while. Once he placed you back down, he reconnects his lips with yours with a sense of urgency and fire that shocked you. But you loved it. You loved the way he instantly delves deeper into your mouth. The way he moans into you. The way he kisses you like it was the last chance he would ever have to do so.

Hunter

How long does it take for it to happen?

I feel like the affection would develop quickly. Particularly if it were on Pabu. He feels safe and knows Omega is safe. It’s a community. Everyone is simply getting on with their lives. So, kissing you became one of the forefront thoughts in his mind. When Echo had arrived for support, everything goes a bit awry and his internal timeline for kissing you is made far more urgent.

“She’s something special, Echo,” Hunter said, staring at you with a smile. You were playing around with Wrecker and Omega in the distance. He could hear the melody of your laughter as he leaned into the wall watching you. “If we don’t come back from this, it’s going to hurt her.”

“We don’t have a choice, Hunter,” Echo reminded him, placing a reassuring hand on his brother’s shoulder, “she’ll understand.”

“Will she?” Hunter grumbled, entirely unconvinced. But he knew if he were to die on this mission, then he wanted to know what it was like to kiss you before he went. He had settled on that.

Who Instigates the first kiss?

Hunter. He'd already come close to kissing you more than once but he didn't want to rush it and it’s not that you don’t want but you knew he was withdrawn, stoic and more often than not, very serious. You were patient. You could do this on his timeline. So, when he was ready, he’d kiss you. You were certain of that. He often searched your eyes with a hand on your cheek and each time you prepared yourself for the kiss. But the kiss never came. At least, not until Echo had shown up and they were dragged back into the war they’d fled from.

“Hey,” he whispered as he approached you from behind. You were looking out over the balcony into the night sky, simply lost in thought. You knew he was leaving again.

“Hey yourself,” you murmured quietly, without facing him. You felt his presence at your side, though you could not feel his warmth. There was a safe distance between you. His hip dug into the wall as he simply watched you and waited. Waited until you could bear to look at him. He would wait. After a moment, you simply stated, “you are going again.”

“Yes.”

“I may never see you again.” You affirmed, knuckles whitening from your tight grasp on the wall in front of you. You still couldn’t look him at him.

“Yes.”

“But, if you can come back,” this time you turned to look at him, searching the depths of his eyes, “will you?” He reached his close fist to brush against your cheek softly, letting his hand settled at the hair tucked behind your ear. With a smile, he reached in close and whispered, “yes.” Your lips parted with a prickly shudder down your spine as his free hand traced the curve of your spine.

Gentle/Hot Heavy first kiss?

I think the first time would be gentle but sensuous. He would anticipate your needs and would want the depth of his feelings to be felt as he melded his lips with yours. He wanted to convince you of your future. That there could be a future, even though he could never be certain of that.

As he pulled back from his whisper, he did as he often did and placed his hand firmly on your cheek. You knew he wouldn’t pull away this time. This was the last chance either of you would have until they returned. If they returned.

“Don’t kiss me,” you murmured, “if the only reason is that you aren’t sure you’re going to return to me.” Tears began to prick at your eyes as you looked at him.

“I’m going to kiss you,” he said, raising his other hand, to your other cheek, “because I have to know what kissing you feels like, in case I never return.” He leaned in and brought his lips to yours in a searing kiss, full of longing and passion. You couldn’t help but moan as his strong hands pulled you in as close as he could have you. Your hands wove into his hair, pulling softly at the silky strands. He pulls back, but only to tilt his head from one side to the other before delving in to kiss you again. It seemed to last both an eternity and no more than a fleeting moment.

“If I don’t come back,” he whispered as he pulls away, “just know that you have made me a happy man.” He dropped his forehead to yours, allowing his eyes to close with the affection that coursed between you.

[andors-oar]

It was the bitch’s first and last one.

[dragon-pups]

More for the collection!

[ghostymarni]

-I have regrets too..

[bad-batch-lurker]

Gonna have to start a GoFundMe to pay Dee Bradley Baker, IN CHARACTER, to read and respond to thirst posts about Tech (but also Hunter, Echo, Crosshair, and Wrecker as treats).

Who’s with me? 🤣

[levi-venn]

Cross and Tech and Egg

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 (Final) Available also on AO3

All Crosshair could do was roll his eyes and offer a snippy reply. Anything more real than that and he feared he’d crumble under the weight of false relief.

This wasn’t a rescue. He was still a prisoner, a lab rat, property of the Empire. Tech being here didn’t change that.

But something had changed. Egg was the first tilt in Crosshair’s resolve, pressing upon him with that shrill, incessant cawing that he wasn’t alone.

And now Tech was here, in the flesh, giving him that mildly smug smile and clear-eyed honesty that Crosshair desperately needed…

…and painfully missed.

He pressed his forehead against the bars, watching Tech climb the vines rooted in the wall. “You’re going to get caught,” Crosshair growled. His chest tightened as if to keep the following words in, but his stubbornness blurted. “Get out of here.”

“I have no intention of getting caught,” Tech said, hoisting himself onto the ledge in front of the window. He sat, cross-legged, eye-level to Crosshair. “And unless you decide to turn me in, I believe I am safe. I will leave before they give you your next meal.”

“Or when they take me away for the next round of experiments.”

“When will that be?”

“Day after tomorrow. It’s every three days.”

Tech lowered his gaze, almost as if there was a datapad in his hands. Reflexively, Crosshair looked too, but found his brother’s hands clenched into fists briefly, then relaxed. “I’m sorry, Crosshair.”

Crosshair frowned. “For what, exactly?”

“We…I knew your inhibitor chip kept you tethered to the Empire, yet after it’s removal, you still stayed with them. I can only conclude that you saw something in the Empire that we, your squad…your brothers…lacked. If I had any part in your decision…” Tech’s voice broke and he quickly cleared his throat and soldiered on. “…then I am sorry.”

Crosshair wanted to sink onto his bed, curl up, and hide from the fact the rift between him and his brothers was his own making. But leaving this window sill meant not being able to see Tech. And he needed this, more than he needed to hide from the pain in his brother’s face.

“It wasn’t you, Tech. It was never you.”

If Hunter was here, he would have demanded an answer. “Then why? Why would you choose the Empire over your own family?” Hunter had a way of making Crosshair feel small despite the fact he had towered over him for most of their lives.

But Tech wasn’t like that. “Whatever your reasons, it doesn’t matter. You may join us if you wish, and only if you wish.”

“You aren’t going to try to convince me to come back?” Crosshair asked, skeptical.

“You made your decision to leave us. If not for the Empire, perhaps there would have been another reason. I don’t want you to join us if it will make you unhappy..”

Crosshair looked away, but in doing so he faced Egg’s complete lack of personal space. The crow had pressed his head between the bars and now clicked his beak at Crosshair which he swore sounded more like a “tsk tsk tsk”.

“Egg agrees with me,” Tech said, with a small trace of a smile.

“Kraytspit,” Crosshair hissed. “You don’t know Egg like I do.”

“Regardless of what you choose, Crosshair,” Tech said, reaching up to adjust his non-existent goggles. “It’s good to see you. Not joining us doesn’t mean it has to be goodbye forever.”

Crosshair sighed. “You’re talking like I actually have a life outside of this cell.”

“Our siblings are coming.”

“They aren’t,” Crosshair snarled.

“As much as I’d love to get into a thrilling debate of ‘yes, they are’ versus ‘no, they aren’t’, it would be useless. In truth, both of us are operating on assumptions and only time will tell.”

“So, what are you going to do in the meantime?” Crosshair asked, and his stomach dropped. “You should leave.”

“No. I am not leaving you. Not again.” He raised his finger and added. “Also I crashed the ship I stole from Eriadu. I am essentially blind when attempting to ship readouts without my goggles. A trip off this planet would be disastrous.”

“So you aren’t leaving.”

“Absolutely not,” Tech said. “I will stay with you until our siblings arrive.”

“What, every day?”

“Every day.”

“You don’t have to.”

“You’re right,” Tech said, narrowing his eyes. “I want to. I’m confused why you won’t accept this.”

“Because it’s me,” Crosshair argued. “I tried to kill you all, more than once. I turned away from you on Kamino. I’m an Imperial Soldier.”

“Correction: You were an Imperial Soldier. Now, you’re an Imperial Prisoner. Whatever happened prior to this moment, as far as I’m concerned, doesn’t erase the countless memories I have with you as a brother and as a friend.”

Crosshair gritted his teeth, pressing his forehead hard against the bars. “Tech-”

His words were interrupted by a bright yellow biscuit waved in his face.

Egg perked up, cawing in sudden keen interest.

“What?” Crosshair perked up as well. “Is that a travel biscuit?”

“From the shuttle. I have a case of them.”

Crosshair took the biscuit and nibbled on it, breaking off a piece for Egg. Egg set the biscuit on the sill, broke it into four pieces,  and ate each piece individually. It looked like he was savoring it as Crosshair was.

“Fuck the Empire, but I love these biscuits,” Crosshair sighed.

“I’ll bring some every day.”

“You don’t ha-”

Egg let out a shrill craah, drowning out the rest of Crosshair’s words.

Tech’s smug smile spread across his face. “I’ve decided I like Egg very much.”

Egg accepted the second helping of travel biscuit from Tech and the three of them ate together in comfortable silence.

***

Tech kept his word and returned the next day just after breakfast, using Egg as a signifier that it was safe to approach.

“I brought you something else today,” Tech said, procuring the gift from one of his many pockets.

Crosshair snatched the toothpick from Tech's hand and popped it into his mouth. He took in a deep breath, then relaxed. "Where did you find toothpicks out here?"

"I didn't. I always carry extras with me in case you run low."

"I didn't know that."

"That's because you never seem to run out."

"There's a first time for everything," Crosshair said. "Thanks…"

Tech tilted his head. "Did you just thank me? I look forward to telling Hunter you’re capable of gratitude."

"He won't believe you.”

“Probably not, no.”

“How…” The question lodged in Crosshair’s throat. 

“How what?” Tech asked. 

He didn’t have a right to ask. It was useless to know.

“How…is he?”

“The last time I saw him was moments before I flew out of a monorail car. So, I assume he’s grieving over my apparent death.”

Crosshair grimaced. “They don’t know you’re alive?”

“I have no way of telling them.”

“I just meant…how is Hunter in general?”

Tech thought for a moment. “He is preoccupied. He has appointed himself as Omega’s guardian despite the fact Wrecker and I both look after her with equal care. He puts her well-being on his shoulders and his alone. If she is in even a modicum of danger, he throws himself at the problem rather than approach it with preferable logic. His worry is unwarranted. She is self-sufficient, resourceful, and has become an equal part of our squad. His worry over her distracts him and it’s concerning.”

“He used to do that with Wrecker,” Crosshair pointed out. “Like the time Wrecker had that ear infection and couldn’t walk without stumbling. Hunter hovered around him like a buzz droid to keep him from tripping over himself.”

“And when Wrecker slipped off of the AT-TE cannon,” Tech added. “Hunter broke his arm attempting to break his fall.”

“I forgot about that,” Crosshair snorted. “Even back then, Wrecker was larger than all of us. He wouldn’t have hurt himself all that bad, but there was Hunter, lunging towards him like he was a hutt ball.”

“And…” Tech hesitated for a moment as if caught in the memory himself. “When the accident happened…”

Accidents happened a lot with the rowdy experimental clone cadets, but “The Accident” was a single event that shook them all to the core. It was the first time Crosshair had felt an acute fear that he may lose one of his brothers. 

It was their first day of grenade building, but Wrecker had been sneaking parts out of the munitions locker for weeks building his own explosives. He got cocky and careless and paid the price losing an eye and hearing in his left ear.

Crosshair flicked the toothpick against his tongue in irritation. “That wasn’t Hunter’s fault,” he growled. “Wrecker had been sneaking parts out of the munitions locker for weeks to build his own grenades. We all turned a blind eye to it. We were kids and he said he knew what he was doing. We believed him.”

“Hunter still says he should have reported Wrecker the moment he found the grenades," Tech said. "We hadn’t been formally trained. It was against the rules.”

“Hunter likes to follow the rules when it suits him,” Crosshair hissed. "He can’t just pick and choose and then decide he’ll be a martyr when an accident happens.”

“It’s who Hunter is,” Tech said. “He looks out for all of us, even to his own detriment.”

Crosshair’s nerves crackled with anger. “Wrecker was unconscious for days and Hunter was sobbing, and he wouldn’t let us help him. He wouldn’t let me help. But that’s his problem, he-”

Crosshair flinched. His words echoing back to that night on Kamino��it felt like a lifetime ago.

“That’s your problem, Hunter. You take things too personally.”

“Don’t fool yourself,” Hunter had said. “All you’ll ever be to them is a number.”

Crosshair leaned his head against the bars of his prison cell. “Forget it.”

“He didn’t want to leave you on Kamino," Tech said, his voice going quiet. "He truly believed you would change your mind and come with us. When you didn’t…” Tech looked pointedly at Crosshair. “He did take it personally.”

“Yeah? Well, you leaving me behind was personal,” Crosshair snapped.

Tech sat up straighter and his hand reached for his goggles again before remembering their absence. “Crosshair…”

“Don’t.”

“If we-“

“I said don’t, Tech.”

Tech pursed his lips, then sighed. “To answer your question then, Hunter is not doing well, and until he finds a way to exist without burdening himself with the galaxy’s problems, the sooner he will live a happier life.”

“Good to know,” Crosshair said.

“You don’t want to know how Wrecker and Omega are doing?”

“Wrecker is fine. He is always fine. After he lost his eye he was ridiculously excited at having a ‘cool scar like Commander Wolffe’. And Omega…” Crosshair frowned. “I’m sure she’s fine. A big ball of kriffin’ sunshine and optimism, how can she not be?”

“So, you don’t want to know then?”

Crosshair was quiet for a long moment. Tech remained silent as well. 

“How is she?” He asked, finally.

Tech smiled. “She’s growing up quickly even without age acceleration. I’m teaching her how to fly the Marauder and she is on her way to becoming an exceptional pilot.”

Crosshair sneered. “And how many times did you mention Skywalker?”

Tech bristled, as Crosshair hoped he would. “Only when it was necessary.” His finger went up as if to emphasize his next point. “I was his best student after all.”

“You had one flight simulation with him.”

“It was all I needed,” Tech retorted. "He said to me and I quote: ‘Great job, Tech! You know your stuff!’” Tech mimicking an Outer Rim accent was the funniest thing Crosshair had ever heard, and the first time he heard it, he thought he would hiss himself to death with laughter.

Today, he just wore a serpentine smile. “And you took that as a graduation, huh?”

“Just as you did that one instance Dengar was our guest instructor for sniper training.”

Crosshair took his toothpick out to point it at Tech. “He said I was a natural. I am a natural.”

Tech’s smile was less smug than Crosshair expected. “That you are.”

Egg suddenly ruffled his feathers, looking past Crosshair as they all heard the telltale footsteps of a service droid coming to deliver the prisoner's evening meal.

Tech took the cue and started to leave. 

“Tech,” Crosshair called out, his stomach twisting in a knot. “Don’t come back tomorrow.”

Tech looked back, quizzically. “Why not?”

“Just don’t.” Crosshair snapped and disappeared out of view. 

Outside, Crosshair could hear Egg fly away, but not Tech making his decent down the wall. Crosshair closed his eyes and drew his knees to his chest. He could still see the puzzled look on Tech's face. It's as close to "hurt" as he's seen him. 

Just before the droid arrived, bringing with him some sort of meat stew, he heard Tech slowly climb down the wall.

It was for the better.

Tomorrow Crosshair would be in the labs all day.

Tomorrow would be a nightmare as it always was every third day. 

I don’t need Tech seeing me like that. Crosshair thought, drawing his knees up to his chest. I don’t need him...

…or anyone.

[apocalyp-tech-a]

It's been exciting guessing who CX-2 actually is, but can we all at least agree on one thing...

That this fight scene was flipping epic? 😳 @eclec-tech I feel like Stefon again! Blasterfire, blocks, kicks, punches, elbowing, knifeplay, slaps, uppercuts, wrestling, smackdowns, head butts, leaping, taunting, choking, falling down waterfalls - this fight had it all. 😂

Kudos to the animators and creative team who choreographed this scene!!!! 👏🏆

[meigslive]

this is my son, he has every disease