#Echo and kix mention

[one-hit-boy-wonder]

au where the clones are suddenly given powers powers based on their armour paint

the rest of the bad batch can puppet corpses (skeleton designs) and echo can astral project a million hands to slap anyone who makes comments about his scomp

jesse can summon kinetic shurikens in the shape of gears, dogma can do the same with a boomerang, hardcase has super speed as long as he moves in straight lines, and tup can turn into a puddle and slide around

fives can turn into a Rishi eel, Rex can turn into a shriek hawk (jaig), wolffe you get the idea

clones with the medic symbol like kix have healing abilities and cody, of course, has sunburst/light summoning powers

[frostycatblr-fandom-files]

Prompt 10 with either Fives or a clone of your choice from @the-bad-batch-baroness list of prompts? 👉👈

The Long Way Home [Fives x Reader]

Prompt ten: "Did you feel that?" "Feel what?" "It's starting to rain."

List of all prompts found here [X]. Prompt will be highlighted in blue.

Warnings and Information: Wanting a taste of domesticity the moment he gets shore leave, Fives wants to spend the day with you doing general couple-ly things. A little shopping at the early winter markets of Coruscant, and utilizing every excuse to shower you in all the compliments he can to make up for lost time. When the weather has other ideas regarding your shared plans for the day, Fives is determined to make the best of a less than ideal situation. 

This is a general fluff + relationship fic at its core; friendly for all ages this go-round. Reader written with fem!reader in mind, not described save for minor notes about clothing and briefly implied (but not specified) height difference. Fives being a sweetheart. Sprinkling of Mando’a as a treat. As an additional treat, Order 66? Don't know her; Palpatine died and the Republic won the war. 🩷 2nd person POV. 

Word-count: 5,912

There's a knock at the front door of your residence, one you've been eagerly expecting most of the morning. You're quick to reach the door, keying him in so he can step inside where it's warm. He's late; which he had warned you about well in advance. And the first thing he offers before his usual hellos is an apology. 

A well-practiced one at that, from the warm cadence of his voice, brimming with just the right amount of shame.

“I'm so sorry to keep you waiting, mesh'la, I-”

You tug him close with the collar of his civilian wear (a thick, handmade sweater given to him by Hardcase who had recently taken up knitting since breaking one of his legs - so you're certain to handle it delicately) in a very practiced motion. As expected, it shuts him up just long enough to get a word in while he puts himself nose to nose with you. Practically close enough to taste the words on the others’ lips. “Hey. It's okay Fives. I understand the captain probably needed your help with something, or, you volunteered yourself to help. Again.” Your partner with his well-groomed goatee has a penchant for stepping up and lending a hand to a brother in need, brave and dependable to the end. 

Full lips dart apart, the tender flesh brushing over your own lips being this close is nigh impossible to avoid. “Are you teasing or expecting an answer?” Fives asks, hinting to his building confusion below a toothy grin. “Makin’ it hard to tell what you want when I can’t see all of your pretty face.”

That's fair of him to say, you should suppose. “Mostly teasing,” you promise him, at last permitting yourselves to kiss one another as part of the process - brief, chaste, sweet. “You know I wouldn't press you for details if it was classified ARC business.” You never have. Never will until you know the mission has been completed at least; because while you often burn with questions (as is only natural and expected in what was once a friendship, now a partnership) pertaining to his duties and practiced protocols within the GAR, you take the mantra “loose lips sink starships” very close to heart. 

Should you ever say something that could jeopardize the safety of the one you love, you’d never forgive yourself.

“No, not ARC business,” Fives offers at last, “I, uh… I told you I was gonna be running late because some of my brothers asked for my help with something kinda last minute.” The palm of his left hand strokes the back of his neck in a self-soothing fashion, a tell of either embarrassment or shame. “I couldn’t bring myself to say no…” 

“Young brothers?”

Fives only answers with a nod and an appeasing smile, knowing where this is going. 

“Star-struck little brothers wanting to ask what’s it like being an ARC trooper, and how they can train to be just like you?” you muse, exaggerating your train of thought with a couple of taps against your chin with the finger of your non-dominant hand, the other arm wrapped across your body.

It does not slip your notice how his tanned face begins to look a little flushed when you playfully bat your eyes at him for good measure, knowing what that kind of praise does to him combined with the light teasing. 

“More or less…” 

You giggle, not at him or at his expense, but more the mental image than anything. You can picture Fives, being as eager as he was to come see you now that he had shore leave, getting roped into regaling doe-eyed Clones with lengthy recountings of his service since becoming an ARC. All he wanted to do was peruse the early winter markets with you, the entire idea his from the start; and there he was, at least an hour of his precious free time used up already. All because he was too much of a selfless and wholeheartedly good person for his own good, on occasion. 

“I’m sure they appreciated you and Echo doing that.” Fives doesn’t have to mention his surviving squadmate, Echo, to know that the other half of the nicknamed Domino Twins had sacrificed his own time to answer a few (or a hundred, more rather) burning questions. “I’m sure the captain did, too.”

The humble grin is confirmation enough for you. You can continue to tease him later, however - you’re both wasting daylight the longer the two of you choose to linger in your comfortable Coruscanti apartment rather than getting the rest of your things ready. Light coats or other appropriate outerwear still needs to be gathered, the credits you’ve been setting aside for this occasion needs to come out of hiding, and he still needs to collect the rest of his civilian-wear he planned on wearing. There’s only so much space within trooper accommodations for everything he’s accumulated since the start of your relationship. Thick-knit hats, fleece-lined gloves, a scarf in 501st blue, things of that nature. 

And boots. It’d probably be wise to grab a pair of all-weather boots rather than tromp the markets in your slipper-socks, no matter how tempting the smooth streets would prove. 

Fives is ready far sooner than you, owing to how little he needed to add or change into to be more weather-ready, but he waits patiently. No teasing remarks for how long it takes you to disentangle a simple scarf from all the others, or the childlike nature of repeating the phrase that helped you remember how to tie your shoes even to this day, or any of the other silly little habits you comfortably show in front of him. There’s only a warm, endeared smile to be seen. He’s just happy to be here, to be in your presence after so long, and see all these little puzzle pieces into why he loves you as though for the first time, every time. 

“What are you staring at?” you ask with a bemused laugh bubbling up from your throat. Time to time, you struggle to figure your partner out, wondering what can be chalked up to his training and what can be passed off as quirks unique to him. You’ve gotten better with time and practice, being able to discern these instances. “What’s on that beautiful mind of yours, Fives?”

“Nothing more than perhaps the most beautiful person in all the galaxy, cyare.” Fives replies in earnest, dazzling you with one of those smiles that had charmed you since the very beginning. “And how I get to spend most of my first day of shore leave with that person, all to myself.”

Torn between scoffing and brushing him off with oh surely you can’t mean the most beautiful person thing and trying to shield your flushing face from view, so certain your cheeks must be scarlet red with all the flattery, you busy yourself with ensuring your door is locked and secure against unwelcome visitors. There’s been a minor rash of break-ins lately, and you know that a simple door lock won’t do anything to deter the truly determined - only the honest - it always seems to get a bit worse just before large deployments get shore leave… funny how that goes. 

At least you get a little help when it can be spared by those serving with the Corrie Guard, given your proximity to the senate buildings here. There was no small amount of surprise the day Commander Fox himself turned up at your doorstep to follow-up with a reported break-in for the unit above your own. He could claim he was there just to ask if you happened to notice anything, and nothing more than that, but you knew better. Working in loose relation to the complex goings-on with the Galactic Senate and the red-clad commander turning up only two hours after mentioning the incident to Fives was too big a coincidence to ignore. (You can only wonder what strings in the line of communication your smarty-pants of a boyfriend had to pull in order to get in touch with Commander Fox, directly.)

A smarty-pants that you had all kinds of preconceived plans to spend the rest of the day with, all to yourself. 

The ambling walk to the marketplace offers the pair of you plenty of time to catch up since you last spoke on the comms just over two weeks ago; it was a Zhellday if you're not mistaken. 

You don't really bring up your work if you can help it; the problems seem so trivial when you compare them to the frustrations of stamping out those stubborn pockets of Separatist resistance Fives and all his brothers have been dealing with since winning the war just a year ago. A malfunctioning caf-machine spraying your last clean work uniform seems like nothing compared to a desperate firefight against the horrifying, mechanical amalgamations the standard CIS battle droids have become as less and less functional droids become available. 

You have to ask Fives to be sure you heard him right after he says it. “Hold on: it had eight arms?” 

“Some Separatist-sympathizer - one who's, admittedly, crafty but incredibly elusive - has been a real pain in our shebs for a while now. ‘Case was so badly spooked by the crazy-looking clanker that he fell over backwards on a crate full of smuggled produce.” Fives explains, struggling not to laugh when explaining of all possible ways Hardcase recently broke his leg, it was falling over backwards on a box of illegal fruit and veg. 

“He’s okay, right?” you prod, “What'd Kix have to say about the break?” 

It's touching to Fives when you show your concern for his brothers, knowing you have genuine interest in their well-being. You always have. When you heard that the production of the cloning facilities were coming to an end on Kamino thanks to Chancellor Organa’s new bill, your immediate thought had been for the young cadets who had not yet finished training. 

What's going to happen to those little brothers, Fives? All the Clones still developing in the tubes and the nurseries and-

Mesh'la, with any luck, they'll become the envy of the entire GAR. They'll never have to taste war like we have if we squash out the remaining Separatists sooner than later. 

Fives gives the cuff to one of the sweater sleeves an experimental tug with a beaming smile. “Kix said the worst of it will be the bed rest for Hardcase. At least he's found a way to keep his hands busy between the physical therapy he has to do, thanks to Dogma.”

“Aww. That was kind of him.” you croon. He mirrors the relieved smile, sharing in your relief that his brother's injury was not as bad as you feared. He begins fishing through one of his pockets for something, saying he has a picture to show you. 

“Hardcase made Dogma the ugliest possible blanket using yarn we had scrounged up for him as a way of saying thanks. Thing's got all sorts of colors from baby pink, to brick red, even a smidge of neon yellow somewhere in there.” 

Without question, the immaculate bunk within the frame can be none other than Dogma's. Laid out in a uniform manner is a tidily-knit but disorganized rainbow of yarn in every shade of blue and a handful of other colors. (Sure enough, you can pick out the baby pink, the brick red, and the neon yellow Fives previously mentioned.) Honestly, you think it looks ugly only because there's no reason or order to any of the colors. A crisp, sky blue next to the imagined dryness of such a dusty shade of red is a bit jarring, visually. 

‘Case was likely working with the colors of yarn as he received them, if his brothers were coming up with loose odds and ends as Fives claims they did. 

You voice the question that crosses your mind the more you look at the image in your boyfriend's hand, “Does Dogma actually use the blanket, or is it just for show until it's time to sleep?” 

“Wondered that myself.” Fives admits to you with a cheeky wink between thumbing over to the next picture, a still of Dogma tucked under both the GAR-issued blanket and Hardcase’s, “It was so worth pretending to be asleep for forty-five minutes just to get Dogma to go to bed.” Dogma's always been the last to fall asleep within shared accommodations, so for the ARC trooper you're arm-in-arm with to have pulled the oldest trick in the book in order to get to the bottom of a low-stakes mystery, you can only imagine how disciplined you'd have to be to lay so still and silent for that long. 

“Why not just ask him in the morning?” you laugh, realizing how simple it would be to do just that rather than go through such efforts to trick someone into going to bed. Fives shrugs noncommittally in response before tucking his personal device away again, now that you're both within earshot of the outdoor winter market. 

It's bustling with activity, even for Coruscant. The pressing crowds and all-encompassing noise will make it difficult to carry on catching up in a meaningful manner for much longer. 

“Dogma's not much of a talker in the mornings, sweetheart.” Fives says with a chuckle. “Though to be fair, not a lot of us are either.” 

Strange… they've always seemed so… talkative and alert whenever you've had early morning communications with Fives. Those bleary-eyed video calls spent simply staring at the other, not too sure what to talk about in particular. The stolen minutes between breakfast in the mess hall and the barracks. (The lunch breaks where you've snuck off somewhere secret and pretended you're sharing the same ration, they've been talkative for certain!) Have you just done a poor job of noticing until now? Or are they better at masking how awake they truly are than you expect? But okay, fair enough. 

Now that you were here at the market, you’d be more than a little preoccupied to be thinking about it much longer, with Fives tucking his fingers between yours to prevent both of you from getting separated from the other. It’s rather busy; it must be the morning rush before everyone has to reluctantly shuffle off to work. And you should probably expect to have more than a few elbows - or entirely unaware people - knock into you and Fives while you’re here. 

What catches Fives’ eye first is a female Besalisk vendor with armfuls of rain repellers for sale (one for five credits, or two for ten) with a business partner checking news sources for reports on the weather nearby.

“Ah… knew there was something I forgot to check before getting to your apartment.” He says, quickly casting his eyes skyward. Certainly enough, there are rain clouds gradually building overhead. Strange. While it is technically early winter, this time of year typically has a weird, transitional period regarding the weather. Not quite past the sometimes cold and drizzly days of autumn, but still too early to dust off your proper snow coats from where they've been hiding in the back of your closet. 

“Let’s get one to be safe.” you suggest with a reassuring squeeze of your hand in his. If you buy one of the repellers and end up never using the thing, then you were over-prepared with little consequence. Having one more thing to carry wouldn’t be that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, surely. “Hi,” you address the vendor cheerfully, “a repeller for five credits, right?”

“That’s right! Pick whichever one you’d like, dears.” she tells you with a kind wink, thrusting the set of arms bearing all of the rain repellers a little further for your inspection. 

Fives wastes little time in selecting a repeller with a sleek and subtle design, something he thinks you’d like, perhaps. He’s incredibly thoughtful in that and many other ways. It’s one of the many parts of him that you ache for in his absence, the fondness for his charisma and slight cheek only deepening when he’s away, aiding in the peacekeeping efforts now that the galaxy is largely free of the Separatists. (How strange that things fell apart so suddenly for them, following shortly after the rather untimely and unexplained death of Sheev Palpatine (that, surely, can’t be related, right?) just last year.) You know he’s not giving up the fight just because they say the Seppies have surrendered, not when there’s still work to be done to make the galaxy safer for everyone. 

Fives isn’t still fighting the good fight just for his brothers, but for you too. Every last far-flung outpost they capture, each bubble of resistance they burst, it’s always the same message that finds its way to you, no matter the time and no matter the distance. 

For the Republic. For my brothers. For my Kar’ta. Talk to you soon, sweet. 

Both of you thank the vendor, and set off on your way, imagining what curiosities and delights could be found by the two of you together on this cold Coruscanti morning here in the intergalactic market. With a cultural hotbed like this - a diverse focal point in the heart of the galaxy with a population of roughly two trillion that is Coruscant - there’s no telling what you and Fives will see, from the familiar to the fascinating. 

In a dramatic, sweeping gesture Fives invites you to lead the way into the heart of the market with a dizzying grin, promising to follow wherever you roam.

“After you, angel.” 

You’ll only be there for an hour before the increasingly-inclement weather decides to become a little more concerning. Those cotton-soft clouds, planted in the lofty airspace high over even the tallest sentient lifeforms’ head(s), are beginning to appear denser and darker than they were when you set off this morning. Weather reports you peek at while Fives discusses something with a Tatoonine-born vendor suggests you might have another hour before proper rainfall.

“You say the yarn’s a bantha-blend, right?” Fives clarifies, gingerly juggling a few twisted hanks of it in his hands to get a feel for the softness. “Would it work for projects meant for… say, kids?” The vendor’s eyes flick to you, just for a second, and you can imagine what she’s thinking. Your partner catches that too, so Fives clarifies further. “Someone I know had twins last year. Tryin’ to, uh, contribute to a special present for the little ones. Brother of mine got some good yarn from Naboo to represent the mother. I was asked to find something to represent their father while I was here, if I could.” 

As could be expected, the yarn-seller is now tittering excitedly about how sweet it is that he and this unspecified brother (who’s definitely either Jesse or Kix) are looking to put together something for this ‘someone they know’ who had twins. Sweet little twins who you’ve happened to see crawling around the floors of the senate building out of the corner of your eye, as a matter of fact. But you’ve been aware of the “open secret” nature of the Skywalker-Amidala twins for some time now, and know you’re supposed to treat it like it’s more of a classified matter than it is in reality. 

Yeah, how strange that Senator Amidala and General Skywalker spend a lot of time together. Or that little Luke and Leia show up in the Jedi Temple on occasion, just as a last minute “favor” to the Senator - of course! 

“Yes, the yarn should be appropriate for the little ones!” the vendor promises, exchanging the appropriate credits as change from what Fives hands her as payment before gingerly bagging the hanks of bantha-yarn for him. “You’ll find a card with the best care instructions with your purchase inside the bag. Thank you for your business, folks.” 

When you've stepped beyond the earshot of the yarn-seller, now again arm-in-arm with Fives as you meander the little sector that seems to be dedicated to all things Tatooine, you feel it's safe to tease. 

“You're getting better at lying, Fives.” 

“Mesh'la-” Fives warns you.

“Okay, okay… Stretching the truth, if that's what you insist on calling it, mister ARC trooper.” you add. 

Fives doubles down on the insistent, close to disapproving tone. “Mesh'la… I've told you several times now, you know why we treat it like a secret.” 

“I know, Fives, I was only teasing.” you promise, offering an apologetic expression. 

You understand the faux secrecy is largely in relation to the response of some members of the Jedi Council when the inevitable truth about Senator Amidala and not just one child, but two, came to light. There's been a great deal of speculation from the 501st Legion of Anakin Skywalker’s expulsion from the Order; speculation that has them worried. Selfless to the end, the Clones are just as concerned for the fate of their General as they are about their own.

You change the subject as you pass a stall brimming with food-based goods from the Outer Rim planet, a warm, spicy odor cutting through the ambient smell of chilled steel and duracrete surfaces. Looks to be samples of an alteration to bantha steak soup. Something being offered to the market-goers to warm them up as the temperatures fall day by day, or hour by hour.

“Remind me: ever tried any food from Tatooine?” 

“Some of it's decent.” Fives admits with a chuckle. “Or, it will at least beat having rations for every meal. But nothing beats your cooking, cyare.” 

Your cooking, among many things, is what Fives has been looking forward to most about today, about shore leave. A chance to come home, a chance to catch one another up on the things they’ve missed (things too important or lengthy to say over comms), and a chance for splitting a hearty meal practically invented for sharing with the ones who mean the most to us. Same thing with coming to the market. Fives didn’t want to do a little shopping just to see what was new on Coruscant; he wanted to spend a little time with you away from home first, maybe find something special to buy to mark the occasion.

To be home after so long is a very special thing indeed.

“Hope you’re in the mood for soup tonight.” It’s a little simple, you tell him, but no less comforting or flavorful. “Didn’t know how tired you’d be, when you came home this time.”

“You spoil me.” Fives murmurs lovingly, craning his neck for the moment to plant a sweet, gentle kiss in the crown of your hair and against your temple. His full lips are warm, and where you’ve been kissed seems to glow with that warmth compared to the surrounding chill. “What’d I do to deserve you, kar’ta?”

There’s that word again. Pronounced KARH-ta, as he’s taught you.

It's Mando’a, meaning heart.

“Well, you kept the galaxy safe,” you answer with a sweet smile, “I think that’s a pretty deserving reason, don’t you?”

The warm, heartened smile is all you have to see to know he feels the same way. He helped keep the galaxy safe, yes; of course he should deserve to live a good life with everything said and done. With every bill and law passed towards the betterment of life for Clones after the war, it tastes like the sweetest victory, over and over again. If there was anyone more deserving of thanks, it was the mighty multitude of men who came from Kamino. 

As you’re turning the corner of a larger booth within the sprawling outdoor market, Fives mentions that somewhere down the lane he can hear a live performer playing covers of popular songs on what must be a hallikset. 

“Must be another one of your little soldier tricks,” you tell him with an impressed shake of your head, “I can’t hear any of that. What’s a hell- hall-? Wait, what did you call it?” How did he pronounce that so easily? 

You’re not surprised with many a Clones’ proclivity to be little cultural sponges that Fives seems to have the answer ready for you before you can pull something out of your pocket to search up the instrument he mentioned for yourself. “Halliksets are seven-stringed instruments popular on Naboo. Here, let’s get a little closer.” Fives offers, leading the way ahead to where he hears the music coming from. He wants you to be able to hear it better, to experience it for yourself. Appreciate it fully.

You momentarily pity the player’s poor fingers once you get closer, noting how red with cold they are. Like you, the hallikset’s owner is wrapped in layers between a thick jacket, a gray hood and a long scarf wrapped around their neck. But with the beautiful way they play, plucking and strumming each perfectly tuned string, you wonder if they don't notice, or care. Perhaps the lack of gloves to keep their hands safely warded against the cold is worth it to them for the amount of credits they're pulling in. There's several fistfuls at least, all piled up in the open instrument case. 

“Wow… I don't think I've ever seen one before, but it's beautiful; it's a beautiful instrument.” you offer your observation to Fives after spending a few minutes to simply stand and listen to the performer. Buskers, you believe they're called, playing for voluntary donations in public settings. 

The busker offers an appreciative grin, playing on smoothly without pausing the performance for even a moment as they bob their head in thanks for your compliment. 

“Certainly is, mesh'la.” Fives agrees. He dips a hand into one of his pockets, and adds a couple of credits to the pile in the instrument case. As a way of thanks, the song that was currently being played is masterfully morphed into one of the more familiar military anthems of the Republic, just for a moment. 

The performer, a young-looking Twi'lek, has of course recognized that Fives is a Clone, and is hoping to acknowledge what the Republic has done for Ryloth in some small way by playing something a soldier would recognize. Fives is equal parts flattered and amused, even if he himself may never have gone to Ryloth, that he's being thanked and acknowledged like this. 

“Heh. You're welcome, kid.” 

Putting his free arm around you as you decide to listen to the hallikset a little longer, you and Fives listen to the best recognized music forms of Ryloth start up from the instrument as further homage. You lay your head on your boyfriend's shoulder, leaning into his side a little deeper with a placid smile, drinking in this moment. 

Close to an hour later, when more yarn for Hardcase, a few decorative knick knacks for your apartment, and some novelty sweets have ended up among your purchases, someone’s stomach rumbles in complaint shortly before the time you would typically consider having lunch. Luckily Echo has offered to help you locate something by sending you a file to a map of the market with all consumables stalls highlighted and labeled after checking in on how things are going for you and Fives. 

While Fives quickly speaks with his brother and squadmate, you check the weather. Steadily, it’s only gotten colder, and in efforts to keep you warmer, Fives has sweetly given up his thick-knit hat for the time being until you come across another stall that offers cold-weather wear. There, he’ll find another hat for himself, suggesting you keep his. The fluffy curls of his clone-standard crew cut have been flattened a bit by the hat, amusingly. As a sweet gesture, you try to fix up his hair for him while listening to what Echo has to say.

 Force willing, as it’s only becoming more and more likely that it'll rain, that will be after you grab a quick bite to eat. 

(Pantoran food sounds good right about now.)

“Me? Oh, all was quiet on the homefront - busy playing a strategy game against Rex. Until we got ambushed by a couple of giggling womp rats.”

Fives grins like a nexu. “Brothers’ kids or the General’s?”

“Tup’s little boys,” Echo answers jovially between peals of bubbling laughter in the background, “things are getting a bit rowdy here, so you two better go. Enjoy your lunch and the rest of the market; I’ll tell everyone you both said hi.” 

“Thanks Echo.”

“We’ll talk later, Echo.” you promise. “Also, I’m keeping your brother all to myself tonight.” Echo’s laugh promises that’s fine by him. He trusts you’ll take good care of Fives, like he takes good care of you in turn. He’ll pass along the information that everyone will see Fives again the following morning. The Clone with the Aurebesh ‘5’ permanently inked on his right temple can only offer an eager smile. 

A homemade meal and the promise of staying the night when it wasn’t previously discussed? What better way to end a day than that? Fives walks with a spirited spring in his step, just short of tugging you along after him at first before you match his pace and revel in that excitement together. 

Excitement that quickly turns to surprise with the first of the rain starting to fall over the market. There’s a particularly heavy raindrop that lands with an audible spatter on Fives’ left shoulder. He chuckles, the sound somewhere between an amused ‘of course…’ and a nervous ‘uh-oh’. He’s patting down his deep pockets for wherever he’s stashed the rain repeller purchased earlier, since it could very well start raining steadily by the time you reach one of the food stalls that peddles any Pantoran cuisine.

“Did you feel that?” he asks, eyes flicking skyward between some of the many imposing, glinting skyscrapers that make up the surface of the ecumenopolis. It’s a small relief that you’re not quite out in the open, like you would be if the market had taken place in a location like Monument Plaza, at the least. If the rain got intense, fast, Fives could easily squeeze the pair of you into a dry alcove somewhere in the absence of the repeller now in his hands.

“Hm? Feel what?” you wonder just before you feel another droplet glance off your own coat. “Oh.” 

So much for getting lunch…

“It’s starting to rain.” the two of you say at once. And while it’s not quite sleet, it certainly feels close to it every time the stray droplet finds a patch of exposed skin. The idle prattle of buyers and sellers shifts in tone; a few surprised shouts here and there while vendors urgently cover their wares, and a few shoppers brushing past panickedly exclaim that they’re faced with taking the long way home because of street-closures tied to the event-space.

Thankfully that won’t be the case for you and Fives with the direction you came from your apartment, so long as the dispersing crowds allow. 

Opening the repeller, Fivers now pulls you closer, trying to fit it over both of you best he can. “Here, mesh’la. Wouldn’t want you to get cold and wet… That wouldn’t be a very pleasant combination, now would it?”

“No,” you agree with a little wag of your head, “buuuut, heading back to my apartment and calling in an order for delivery sure does.”

Fives brings up an excellent suggestion while you busy yourself with making sure all your purchases are safely in your arms before the pair of you about-face and make for home. “With a movie to watch, too, right?” Oh Maker, there are so many films you could choose from to watch; there’s always something new that you learn your beloved hasn’t seen, being so wrapped up in the pan-galactic war and its aftermath. Even films you don’t particularly care for become tolerable when you’re snuggled on some comfortable two-seater together, your head planted against his chest as he runs his hands through your hair in idle fashion.

You’re wholeheartedly in support, already impatient to burrow into that large, fluffy blanket with him.

Cupping his face in one hand, you kiss his cheek best you can as you walk, copying his deliberate stride. “That sounds like a great idea, Fives.” It’s kind of a shame that the weather put a bit of a damper on how long you had in mind about spending at the market, you add with a soft sigh.

He smiles, encouraging you not to let it get you down. “Not gonna let a little rain ruin my first day of shore leave, so long as I get to spend it with you, ner kar’ta.” Fives promises, being his sweet, joking self by downplaying the amount of rain. It’s gotten past ‘just a little rain’ at this point in time, with puddles forming atop the duracrete surfaces, some with multi-color veneers to them where the oils previously soaked into the street float to the top. 

As the freezing rain builds in strength, it patters and trickles off the rain repeller in thick rivulets while Fives holds it over each of your heads - it’s kind of a tight fit underneath, but neither mind. Making sure both of you and your purchases remain relatively dry means it’s a slow, steady march back home. It’s probably taking you twice as long to get back home than it was to get there. You could be taking some long, convoluted path, and you wouldn’t mind a bit with the way Fives has one of his arms so lovingly, kindly wrapped around the small of your back, both to hold you close, and to make sure you hear him when he talks.

“I’ve got a few stories to tell from this last deployment, besides ‘Case breaking his leg.” he starts, a note of mirth in his tone. “But there was one thing I kept thinking about, more than anything.” Fives adds, the slow cadence suggesting this is important.

Before you permit your mind to race with the possibilities, the many guesses you have, you bob your head, encouraging him to go on. 

“I’m listening.”

He wastes no time, sure of his words, but maybe not how to say them. “I wanted to ask if maybe now’s a good time to… Y’know. We might start thinking about a couple of things, now that the war’s over, and things are getting safer…?” You could practically swoon, knowing what he’s trying to tell you. What he’s thought about while he’s been deployed with those who’ve chosen to remain in service to the GAR for just a little longer, aiming to finish the job they’d been made for. 

For the Republic. For his brothers.

For you, his heart.

How would you feel about spending the rest of our lives together, cyare?

“Sounds like a good conversation to have over dinner.” is all you’ll suggest for the time being, bringing his face close once more for another caste kiss with the door of your apartment in sight. 

If you’d known he’d had this on his mind just a little sooner, or there was no premature rainfall to dampen your plans, maybe you would have suggested taking the long way home after all, just for the fun of it.

Taglist: @msmeredithrose Taglist form can be found here if you would like to make sure you don't miss a fic in the future. Thank you for your patience, and thanks for reading and requesting. 🩷

[Masterlist] [TCW Masterlist] [Requests: CLOSED]

[metalheadfreak1]

The Air In My Lungs Chapter 17

Bet you didn't think this would happen! I'm back for... well you know how life goes but enjoy!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/45234064/chapters/168061330

[ghostofskywalker]

i did a clone fic rec list a while ago, but i thought that a second edition to that would be a nice thing to add to my clone-uary event. i still have some requests that i'm working through from it, but it was great to go back through my old reblogged recs and work through some of the stuff that's been sitting in my "marked for later" for an embarrassingly long time 😂

the link to the fic itself is from whatever platform i read the work on! clone names and fic names are in alphabetical order, and if an ao3 author did not mention a tumblr username on their profile or in the notes of their fic i didn't tag anyone.

key:

a ☀️ means the link is for tumblr

a 🌙 means the link is for ao3

a 💫 means the fic was a gift for me in a @cloneficgiftexchange event (as my previous rec list pre-dates the first exchange!)

Cody:

Roses Are Red and Violets Are... Orange? by Emerald_Hills 🌙

Somewhere to Start by @cioneo ☀️

The Way You Look Tonight by @miseries-mistress ☀️

Crosshair:

Hangin' on the Telephone by TeaTime4BeeTime 🌙

Shy General by @stellarbit 🌙

Snowfall by @happy-beeeps ☀️

Take Me Out by @masterjedilenawrites ☀️💫

Unspoken Confessions by @crosshairlovebot ☀️

Echo:

A Wonderful Life Day by @apocalyp-tech-a 🌙

My Heart is Yours, and so are my Brother's by @ireadwithmyears 🌙

Not Alone by @mylifeisactuallyamess ☀️

Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice by @melliejellybellybean ☀️💫

Fives:

Attempt Seventeen by @kyzyner 🌙

"Have we met?" by @goosewriting 🌙

Lucky Number Five by @isaidonyourknees 🌙

Fox:

Best Place to Sleep by @clone-anon 🌙

Let The Sun In by @exxasperatedauthor ☀️💫

Howzer:

The Heart of a Senator by @eclec-tech 🌙

Hunter:

Crash Landing by sparkofsaryndipity 🌙

don't go by @221bshrlocked 🌙

Something Borrowed, Something Blue by @dreamie411 🌙

Jesse:

A Night to Remember by @toomanybandstocare ☀️

Mischief & Mistletoe by @jetii ☀️💫

The Hand You're Dealt by AyicanPrincess 🌙

Kix:

Kickstart my Heart by @happy-beeeps ☀️

Lieutenant Levendy and the Case of the Haunted Supply Room by @orbitalmirror 🌙

Stay For A While by ImogenInSpringtime 🌙

Rex:

Confessions by @corrieguards ☀️

Kiss it Better by @honeydjarin 🌙

playing pretend by @captn-trex ☀️

Snowed In by @captainsophiestark ☀️

Tech:

Analytical Artistry by BlackLothWolf 🌙

Circumstance by @captainpains ☀️

half a heart (without you) by @starboytech ☀️

Wolffe:

Handcuffed by @masterjedilenawrites ☀️💫

talkative by @sinfulsalutations 🌙

Unexpected Confession by @ladysongmaster 🌙

[clonetrooperjournals]

Oops, I do

Summary : You and Echo get paired for a simple job for Cid, but when you have to plan your fake wedding with the man you've loved for years things get interesting Pairings : TBB Echo x Fem! reader Warnings : None, fluff, angst, mentions of Fives and Echo's death, super cute happy ending Words : 2.8k Masterlist here dividers by @saradika-graphics

Your positive Cid did this to you on purpose.  

You stood in a small old looking wedding chapel in the slums of Ord Mantell with the secret love of your life, Echo. Only he didn’t know you loved him, but apparently everybody else did and they liked to put you in these ridiculous situations, like the one your currently in now. You had done a lot of different and crazy jobs with the bad batch over the last year and a half you’ve been with them, but this takes first place.  

 It all started when Cid called you into her office a week ago with a smug grin and you instantly knew it wasn’t going to be good.  

“Got a job for you and grumpy” she says, “You two are gonna pose as fiancés and infiltrate an old chapel on the lower side of the city. The girl who runs it is the daughter of someone who owes me. So, you're going to go there and pretend you're plannin’ your big day while you get info on her old man. Got it?”  

Echo looks to you with a slight blush on his cheeks and then back to Cid, “You want us to... pretend to be a couple... getting married?”  

“Yes. Pay attention.”  

Your cheeks are on fire as you avoid looking at Echo, and Cid is grinning at you. She knows all about your love for Echo after you got super drunk at her bar a while back and confessed all your feelings to her. She’s made fun of you behind the batch’s backs ever since, even though your pretty sure the rest of the boys know of your feelings as well.  

You sigh, “When?” 

“You go tomorrow. And get a dress, you gotta sell the sweethearts in love shtick!” You finally turn to look at Echo and he's staring at you with a look you can’t quite place,“Alright get out and don’t come back till you have my info!” 

... 

You and Echo have been friends for a long time, first meeting when you were a civilian medic assigned under Kix in the 501. He had dragged in Fives to get treated after they returned from deployment saying that Fives was trying to tough it out and not get medical attention. You scolded Fives but was joking along with the two of them through it all. After that those two became your best friends and you would see them whenever they were back on Coruscant. During that time, you fell hard for Echo, it was inevitable really. He’s always been incredibly awkward when it came to interacting with women, especially you but as your relationship continued to grow, he became comfortable around you letting more of his soft nature show. You two got even closer and he just became your person. You loved him with everything you had.  

Then the citadel mission happened, and you had to grieve the man you loved, having never told him your feelings. You and Fives got even closer after that becoming each other's support in your journey of grief. It still hurt but you learned to carry on and then, you lost Fives, the cycle happening all over again. If Rex hadn’t been there, you don’t know what you would have done. You became a shell of yourself and contemplated leaving the GAR, and you almost did until you got the one comm that changed everything, Echo was alive. Rex and the batch found him and brought him home. After that day you vowed you would never leave his side again and you got yourself reassigned to be a field medic working under Clone force 99 and you, like Echo have been with them ever since.  

Echo was still himself but not. Skako Minor changed him in a lot of ways, he was broken in a lot of ways and for the first few months he could barely look at you but, slowly he let his walls down around you and the friendship that you once had returned. You fell in love with him all over again, the new Echo that he now was, the one that stood beside you pretending to be your fake fiancé, not knowing that he wished it were real too and that he loved you just as much as you did him.  

“The small package is our most popular! You get to do a small run through and then we throw the larger celebration at a later date. It gives you the chance to say your vows without the nerves of a large crowd, which you will then say in front of later!” Nira, the manager explains.  

You look at Echo smiling, “Sounds perfect right cyare?”  

“Yes, perfect.” he responds blushing slightly at the nickname.   

Nira looks between the two of you smiling widely, “You're such a lovely couple I can really see the love you have for each other! Let me get everything set up and we can do a run through, okay?!”  

You both nod and she skips through the chapel to the back leaving you two alone. There are two twi’lek girls that are setting up and lighting candles around the two of you. Echo grabs your hand with his and leads you to the side away from the girls, “I’ll talk to the staff and see if I can get anything on her dad. You okay to question Nira?”  

You nod looking behind Echo seeing the girls looking over at you two, so you lean into Echo, embracing him in a hug. He stiffens for a second and then melts into you showing you a soft smile, “You know I think your missing something.”  

He looks at you confused, and you smile. You step out of his arms and grab a blue flower from one of the vases and gently tuck it in the seam of his chest plate, “There... Perfect...”  

He stares into your eyes curiously with a small smile, “Thank you.” He lets you go and heads over to the one girl while you talk with the other since Nira wasn’t back yet. You were able to get a good amount about Nira’s dad as he owned the chapel and Nira just ran it under him. Then Nira returned happily with a stack of papers, “Okay! We can do the run through today and then we can pick a date for the large ceremony afterwards!”  

She leads you and Echo to the center of the chapel before you can protest or come up with an excuse as to why you have to leave. She grabs both of your hands placing them together making you face each other.  

“So I will start and say to the crowd thank you for coming to celebrate the lovely couple, we are here to join the two of you into one. May the force guide you as you take this next step in your life together. Then you say your vows!”  

You and Echo share a panicked look, “We weren’t prepared to say them today...”  

“That’s fine, most just say what's on their heart anyways. You two can each take turns saying something and on the big day we can spruce it up!” she says looking at the both of you expectedly.  

Echo blushes looking at you not knowing what the next move should be. You sigh, thinking there really is no better opportunity to confess to the man you love then at your fake wedding rehearsal.  

“I’ll go first...” you take a deep breath your hand shaking in his, “Echo... If you were to ask me when I first realized I loved you, I would say it was the day we lost you. Up until that point you had been my best friend, someone I thought would always be there. I knew the life of a soldier held almost no guarantee's that you would come back, but I always believed that you would because, you were my person. The person I found comfort in, the person I always thought about, the person I trust more than anyone in this galaxy and in an instant my person was gone, and I had realized that I had always loved you, but it was too late.”  

Tears start sliding down your eyes as you continue, “I mourned you with Fives, having to learn to live without you and then we lost Fives too and I had never felt so alone in this galaxy. I had lost my two best friends and had no one left. Until the day my world started spinning again, the day they found you and brought you back. You were the same, the Echo who was my best friend, the Echo who I loved but you were also different. I thought that I couldn’t love you anymore but getting to know the new Echo, made me fall even harder than I already had.  

The force works in mysterious ways and does everything for a reason. I know that everything that you’ve been through is the will of the force proving to everyone around you again and again that you are one of the strongest men to walk in this galaxy. I know you have suffered in so many ways that I’ll never understand but, I will spend my life showing you all the support you need and helping you in every way that I can, as your partner and as your best friend, just like you have always done for me. I love you Echo... With all that I am, and may the force be with us wherever we end up, so long as were together.”  

Nira had pulled tissues out and had given one to you while she wiped her own eyes. Echo was frozen, the tears streamed down his face like he didn’t expect anything that came from your mouth, but you also know that he knew, you meant every word. Nira turned to Echo about to speak but he beat her to it,  

“Y/n, I don’t know a lot about love. I’m a clone, a soldier, a product of war made to fight till my last breath, and I’ve never thought anything different. At least not until I met you. Clones are not supposed to want things, we are supposed to just follow orders and fight in this war without thinking of what comes after. You, made me believe in life outside of the war, you made me want a life and not a soldiers life, a normal life. From the moment we first met in the med bay all those years ago, you slowly pulled down the walls I had built around me and showed me that there’s more to life than the carnage I had become used too. Every day that I got to see you, even if it was just for a second it became my reason to live another day. I didn’t know what that feeling was in my chest every time you were there, or when your name was said, until Fives told me I had it bad for you. I didn’t want to believe him but, of course he was right.  

Then the citadel happened, and in the blast that should have killed me, all I thought about was how I didn’t get to see you one last time. I didn’t get to tell you how I felt about you, and that thought alone was my reason to fight through everything I went through on Skako Minor. You were my reason to keep breathing when all I wanted to do was die, and I’m so glad I fought through it all. I know I’m still broken, less than half the man I was when I first met you, more machine, but I will always fight to be at your side. I will stand with you, protect you, be your best friend and your partner in this crazy ass galaxy, and love you with every breath. I... love you. More than anything in this universe, and may the force continue be with me so I can spend the rest of my days proving it to you...” 

You were sobbing, ugly sobbing. It was embarrassing honestly but Nira understood as she handed you more tissues. Echo pulled you to him and hugged you tightly while you continued to cry. You loved him, and he loved you, and you both confessed in this dingy little chapel in front of a stranger, it was comical really but perfect.  

“That was beautiful you two! Absolutely perfect...” Nira says, “All that's left is the exchanging of the rings which most people don’t have so we can skip that for now at least, and then I pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss your bride!”  

Echo looks down at you smiling as he leans in and gently kisses you. It was soft and timid, gentle and perfect.  

“Perfect! Now if you’ll come with me, we can set the date for the ceremony and make the final arrangements!”  

... 

Echo and you spent the next hour talking with Nira, creating your fake wedding. You were on cloud nine and you kept your hand in his the entire time, leaning on his shoulder just smiling like an idiot. You barely remembered the mission as you went to leave but Echo kept Nira talking to get the last bit of info that you needed.  

One of the twi’lek girls came up to you and handed you a piece of paper, “Congratulations.”  

You take the paper and your heart stops, “What's this?”  

“It’s your marriage certificate” she says like it's obvious.  

“I don’t understand, this was the rehearsal. We didn’t actually get married today.” 

She looks at you confused, “Yes you did... It’s part of the package. You get married here first just the two of you and then you get your big wedding later.”  

“It wasn’t a rehearsal...” you whisper more to yourself than anything. The Twi’lek just nods walking away. Echo watches you while he’s talking to Nira and you go to hide the paper nodding to him that your fine, but his gaze says he doesn’t believe you. You were anything but fine.  

You confessed to Echo, in your fake wedding vows... Which were actually real. He confessed back to you and... the two of you got married? Your husband and wife? Echo is your husband... 

“Ready to go?” Echo asks making you jump. You nod not being able to say anything in your shocked state, and the two of you leave the chapel heading back towards the marauder but instead Echo grabs your hand and leads you through the city silently to an old building rooftop.  

Oranges and pinks painted the sky as Echo and you stood there staring at each other. You gently touched the flower you put in his armor ignoring his gaze. How do you tell him he’s your husband? You only told each other you loved each other and hour ago!  

He grabs your chin lifting it up so you look at him, “What’s wrong?”  

“N-Nothing...”  

“Cyare, if its about the vows... I-”  

“No! It’s not that... I meant every word. I love you Echo...” 

He smiles his beautiful small smile, “And I love you. So tell me what's wrong.” 

You close your eyes and shakingly pull out the piece of paper handing it to him. He takes it confused and reads it eyes widening. His gaze goes back and forth from the paper to you while he puts it together, “We... got married? For real?”  

You nod, “we did.”  

“I thought it was a rehearsal...”  

“So did I...”  

 Then a big toothy smile spreads across his face and he grabs your hips pulling you close. His breath mixes with yours and before you can ask what, he’s kissing you. You freeze before kissing him back, grabbing the back of his neck pulling him closer. His scomp traces your waist and you groan as he shoves his tongue in your mouth. Eventually you pull apart for air and you just stare at each other, the light of the sunset making you glow.  

“You’re my wife...”  

Your cheeks burn hearing him say it but you smile, “And your my husband...”      

“I know we didn’t plan this but... I don’t want to change it.”  

You lean into his embrace, “me neither.”  

Your comm goes off and Cid's voice breaks through, “Lovebirds! Did you get the info or what? You should have been back already!”  

“On our way now” you sigh chuckling. If Cid only knew what she did for the two of you. Maybe you’ll keep it a secret for a while.  

“Shall we?” you ask.  

“She can wait a while longer. I want to spend some time with... My wife" He grins at you pulling you back into his arms. You laugh happily watching the last of the sunset in your husbands arms. 

You didn’t expect a lot coming out of this mission. Certainly not a confession, first kiss, and a marriage, but the force works in mysterious ways. You don’t know what your future holds but so long as you have Echo by your side, you know you’ll make it, together.   

[alegendoftomorrow]

The Gift

Summery: Fives and the 501's civilian medic are friends and possibly more if they weren't in the middle of a war. After another long day with far too much pain for the both of them, Fives finds a way to bring a little holiday magic to your lives, even in the middle of a war zone.

Characters: Arc Trooper Fives x Fem!Reader (no use of y/n)

Words: 2,947 Words

Warning: Injury (very minor), brief peril and canon typical violence, mentions of loss, grief, war, injuries, slights angst. Mostly teasing, slightly suggestive (just hinting at it).

A/N: This is my entry for the incredible Life Day exchange hosted by @cloneficgiftexchange . Thank you so much for always hosting such fun events that push me to get out of my comfort zone and write again. This piece is for the awesome @arliganzey I really hope you like this fun little adventure I went on. It was my first time writing for Fives and I hope I captured his essence for you :)

“You know we cannot keep meeting like this.”

You freeze halfway to reaching into your rapidly emptying medic bag. Groaning through hard pressed lips as you spin in your chair to see a very cocky smile pulled up on a very familiar face.

“People are bound to start talking.”

“Fives,” you groaned. Pinching the bridge of your nose and counting to…. well, five before you risk looking back up at the arc trooper leaning against the doorway. Suspiciously standing off his right ankle.

You already know there’s going to be a story. There’s always a story with Fives. Before you knew any better you used to think he was getting hurt just to come and see you. Now the war has dragged on for longer than you were prepared for, and you’ve buried far more men than it feels like you ever save. Seen more planets and systems torn apart than you ever thought possible. Things like crushes and love seem like silly things reserved for storybooks rather than your day-to-day life.

Doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to flirt back with the man who walks through your door almost once a day with some injury or another. Battle related or not.

“What is it this time? Echo dare you to jump off the bridge or did Jesse kick your butt sparring again?” You asked. Standing from your desk and walking over to an exam table. Raising a brow when Fives doesn’t move from the doorway.

“Can’t I just come say hi to my favorite medic without there being an injury?” He asked. In a tone that almost sounded innocent, and perhaps a little hurt that you’d suggested such a thing.

You flashed him another eye roll and crossed your arms. “You can but, Kix isn’t here right now.”

Fives actually snorted at that. Dropping his arms to his side and doing his best not to limp on what was clearly an injured ankle. “Kix is not my favorite medic.”

“Mhm why’s that?” You asked. Already moving down to undo the plastoid armor he wore over his boots when he hoped up on the table. Ignoring the warmth that spread over you when you looked back to see Fives grinning down at you with his hands tucked behind his head.

“Because he doesn’t look half as pretty as you do,” he said with a smirk. “And he’s not as nice to me as you are.”

Now it was your turn to snort at him, Maker he is insufferable, you thought. And the best part of every day, another part of your mind added rather unhelpfully. You went back to examining his ankle before you said something ridiculous. Taking off his sock and hissing through your teeth at the purple bruise already spreading around his scarred ankle.

“Maker what happened here?!” You asked. Looking up at Fives again with genuine worry this time.

He waved a hand dismissively and puffed his chest up a bit in a way you’d come to learn meant he was hiding pain and quite proud of something he definitely shouldn’t be proud of.

“I came here with a blaster bolt to the knee a few rotations ago. How is this worse?”

You started at him blankly for a minute. Simply blinking up at him and hoping your silence made something click in that incredible thick head of his.

It did not.

“You were shot in an active war zone running to give Captain Rex cover. I honestly expected worse than that. However, we have been flying for three days with no enemy contact. So, you shouldn’t have gotten so much as a cough up here; yet here you are sitting here with a twisted ankle. So, I ask again. How did you get this?”

The smile slipped a little from Fives’s face as he actually looked a little…. embarrassed? Was that something he was capable of feeling? You watched as he bit down on his lip and fidgeted slightly with his shoulders seeming to try and buy time.

“Really, it’s not important. I was…. doing something for someone else and my foot slipped okay? It’s not a big deal,” he said. Very adamantly not making eye contact with you.

You rolled your eyes and threw your hands up in surrender with a sigh. “Fine don’t tell me. I hope this someone was worth it.”

“She is,” Fives said. There was a sincerity in his voice that caught you by surprise. Giving you pause and making your breath catch as he looked at you with something that was almost soft. Something you didn’t dare name floated between the shades of honey and earthen brown of his eyes.

“Right. Well…...good.” You stumbled out. Moving away from the table and back to your medical closet to get some bacta and a wrap for his ankle. Trying hard not to meet his eyes again. The ones you can feel boring a hole through the back of your head as you set his ankle.

He doesn’t even flinch once while you work on it. Even though you’re certain this must hurt, he just sits there and stares back at you while your hands make quick work of their task.

“Alright, that should hold for now. Do you want to do the song and dance where I tell you to stay off it and then you tell me something about being a hero of the Republic who can’t take breaks and must soldier on for the good of the galaxy?” You asked. Crossing your arms over your chest and raising a brow at him.

Fives grind like an idiot again and laughs. Maker that sound… You wish you could bottle it up and keep it with you when he went away again. Listen to it on repeat when the nights pressed in to darkly.

“That’s a terrible impression of me,” Fives laughed. Snapping you out of your thoughts.

“I thought it was very accurate,” you snip back. Your tone bears no bite though.

Fives smirks wider like a loth cat that’s gotten into the cream. Swinging his legs gracefully back over the bed and gripping the edge in a way that makes his biceps flex under his blacks. Not that you’re looking. He leans in a little closer and it takes all of your willpower not to lean in towards him too.

“What’s your excuse then Doc?” He asked lowly.

You tilted your head and furrowed your brows. “My excuse for what?”

“For not resting,” he said. “You said it yourself, I’m a hero of the Republic, but you….”

He trailed off and reached a hand up to tuck back a curl that had come loose from the updo you had it in. Your breath catching in your throat as you swallowed tightly under his touch. Rough fingers brushing so softly over your skin you wanted to melt.

“You need to rest too. The whole ship would fall apart without you.”

You might have laughed if he wasn’t looking at you so seriously. Like he meant every word of it. It made something warm and fuzzy creep up into your chest. Something that felt dangerous and far, far too real.

“I’ll rest when you do,” you bargained.

Fives shook his head. “No, I cannot allow that. I know exactly what that means. You’ll come in here and pretend to lay down then get right back to do work.”

“I could say the same for you,” you shot back. “So how do you suggest either of us rest then?”

The smirk that crawled up his face as he flicked his tongue out to lick his bottom lip almost made your knees wobble.

“Well, it seems we have no choice but to rest together,” he said. Like it was the most obvious answer in the world.

Your mouth fell open as you gaped at him. “What?”

“That way I can make sure you can’t get up to do work, and you can make sure I don’t walk on my ankle.”

Your mind reeled for a moment still all the possibilities that scenario presented before you recovered yourself enough to smirk back. Leaning back on your heels and staring back eye level with the arc trooper with a glint of playfulness in your gaze.

“You know if you wanted to sleep with me, you could have just asked.”

Fives looked taken aback for a moment. He recovered much too quickly though and leaned forward a little more. His breath ghosting over your cheeks as you stood your ground in front of him. Heart racing while his eyes moved over your face, taking in the details like he was trying to memorize you.

“If I asked now, would you say yes?” He asked.

“I—” whatever you were about to say was cut off by the loud screaming of alarms that startled the both of you apart and jerked you out of moment of peace.

“That’s the attack sirens,” Fives warned. Jumping off the bed and hoping towards the door as he pulled his boot back on.

“We can’t be under attack,” he replied. Rushing to the com link in the wall and punching in the code to Captain Rex’s channel. “We haven’t seen any vessels since we left— “

A sudden explosion sounded distantly and the whole ship lurched to the side. Your hands gripping into the handles on the wall to steady yourself while cabinets and shelves clicked locked, so their contents didn’t go everywhere.

“Apparently the separatists don’t know that,” Fives grumbled from the doorway. Looking down the hall both ways once before turning back to you with a brilliant smile that felt far too out of place for this moment. “Don’t worry I’ll handle this; you just sit here and look pretty and we’ll finish this conversation when I get back.”

He winked and then was gone. Running as fast as his weak ankle would allow. You wanted to protest every word he’d just said. Wanted to run after him, yell at him to be careful, maybe smack him for being so cavalier with his words, but he was gone before you could even get his name past your lips.

Be careful Fives.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(Many Hours Later)~~~~~~~~~~~~

We were lucky this time,  that’s what Captain Rex kept saying.

The separatist vessel had only damaged the cargo holds on the lower levels before the captain and his men were able to destroy it. General Skywalker’s plan somehow once again working despite sounding ludicrous to you. You were lucky the casualties had been minimal, but the injuries were heavy. You would have to restock before your next engagement. As it was, you’d already patched supplies together for those less injured than others.

Leaning back against the hallway wall you slid all the way to the floor and pulled your knees to your chest. Leaning your head forward to rest there and forcing yourself to breathe deeply so you didn’t fall apart out here where anyone might see you.

Footsteps approached slowly from your left and you half hoped they’d keep walking. Let you wallow in peace and quiet, but the uneven footfalls stopped just in front of you and a voice cleared their throat above you.

“Hey…you alright?”

Fives.

Jerking your head up you blinked at him through your watery eyes. Staring at his grease smudged cheeks with parted lips. He was breathing heavier than normal and still standing off his foot as best he could. His blacks were stained with blood and smoke, but he looked mostly unharmed.

“You’re, okay?” You asked. Voice trembling.

Fives grinned. “I’m always alright. I’m a hero remember. Heroes can’t die.”

You rolled your eyes and made some kind of half sob half laugh sound. Wiping your eyes with the hell of her hand and sniffling a little.

“Hey, come on love no tears.” He crouched down and grinned softly. Reaching out and brushing the tear that dripped down your cheek gently. “It’s okay. We lived to fight another day, more of us than usual at that. That’s something, and more will live because of you. Yeah?”

Without thinking you leaned into his palm and nodded softly. Closing your eyes and focusing on his words. Clinging to them tightly.

“Besides, you’re in the presence of a hero who saved the day and is about to make yours better,” Fives added proudly.

You laughed at him and shook your head. Blinking your eyes open to stare at him again. The lights giving him a halo around his dark hair. Making his tattoo stand out a little sharper against his skin. “How exactly are you still this cocky after everything?”

“It’s who I am. Come on. Up you go.” He grabbed under your arms and pulled you to your feet.

“Mhm does that hero line ever actually work on anyone?” You asked following after him while he kept his arm wrapped securely around yours.

“I don’t know, I’ll let you know later.”

“You are unbelievable,” you groaned.

“That’s the running theory,” he replied proudly.

Following him down the halls of the ship, letting him lean on you a little more as his ankle began to ache worse, you let the pair of you fall into an easy silence. Even if you were a little nervous about where you were actually going, you didn’t have the energy to ask.

“Alright we’re here. Close your eyes and don’t open them until I say so,” Fives said. Stopping the pair of you in front of a plain dark door.

You looked at him with a raised brow. “Fives is this is an elaborate plan to scare me I’m warning you I—"

His laugh cut you off. Throwing his hands up in a surrendering motion as he shook his head. “I promise, I promise, we’ve both been scared enough for one day. Just cover your eyes. You’ll like it trust me.”

You hesitated only a moment longer before closing your eyes and covering them with your free hand. Feeling Fives take your other hand and weave his fingers together with yours, the door whooshed open, and a warm burst of air hit you as he tugged you forward. Your feet following after him without hesitation. You trusted him, even if he drove you crazy.

“Alright, open your eyes,” he whispered from behind you.

Slowly you lowered your hand and opened your eyes. Gasping at the scene spread out before you.

“Fives….”

Strings of lights blinked in multicolored drops that had been hung around wide windows that showed off the thousands of twinkling stars blinking like spilled jewels across the ebony sky. Looking around the rest of the room there was a small table sat in the middle of the window. The two chairs were tied with bright red ribbons and a small box sat in the middle wrapped with blue paper. Soft holiday music played from some kind of hidden speakers and there was holographic snow drifting down the walls.

“I don’t…. I don’t understand,” you said. Spinning around to face Fives who looked a little sheepish with his hand lifting up to rub at the back of his neck.

“You do so much for everyone here. Keeping us alive and healthy. You care, really care, where most people just…. don’t. I remember you telling Echo your favorite holiday when you were a kid was Life Day but that you hadn’t gotten to celebrate it for a very long time. I had the guys help me research it, so I knew what it was and then I set this up for you,” he explained. Shrugging a shoulder like this wasn’t the most amazing thing anyone had ever done for you. Like all the hours and credits, he must have spent to make this little bit of joy come true wasn’t the most incredible gift ever.

“I know it’s a few days early, but you looked like you needed this today. So, I um….” He trailed off and let his hand drop back to his side. “Do you like it?”

You can’t even bring yourself to answer. Forgetting how tired you are and how sore he probably is, you rush forward and launch yourself into his arms. Gripping him tightly as he stumbles back to catch you. Wrapping you up in a hug just as tight.

“I’ll take that as a yes then?” He teased. Lips brushing beside your ear.

“Yes!” You said into his neck. “I love it Fives. Thank you. This is… this is the best thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you.”

You feel him smile more than you see it. His arms flexing around you tighter. “You’re welcome love. Happy Life Day.”

“Happy Life Day Fives.”

Pulling away you smile up at him wider, tears brimming in your eyes for a whole different reason now as you reach a hand up to cup his cheek. His fingers curling around your wrist as he turns his head to kiss your palm lightly. Maybe love isn’t just for fairytales and storybooks. Maybe there is hope left in this war after all.

“Fives?” 

“Yeah?”

“Did you roll your ankle putting up the lights?”

He sighs dramatically and then bursts out laughing. Scooping you up into his arms and spinning you both around as best he can before setting you back down and kissing you chastely. The softest press of his lips to yours before he’s pulling away again and winking down at you.

“It was worth it to see you smile,” he said.

You shake your head at him one more time before rising to your toes to kiss him back just as softly.

“My hero.”

“You’re mine too love.”

[hellfiresky]

GAR ALL PERSONNEL BROADCAST

Pairing: This is the most random mix possible. From RCs to my own OCs (fully developed ones you can meet in my fics) and new faces I made up on the spot.

Summary: Not my first time making clone group chats, but my first time posting one as a standalone! It’s exactly what it sounds like: millions of clones stuck in one galaxy-wide all-personnel group chat. GFFA data service and tech are apparently so powerful. You leave the chat for one minute and there’s already +6000 messages. Absolutely unmanageable. Mods are barely holding it together.

Mod list: Boss, Cody, Alpha-17, Bacara, Jesse (somehow he made it among officers), Gree, Sinker (somehow he made it too), Ordo, Fi

Warnings: nothing. Crack ahead. EVERYONE LIVES.

Taglist: @orangez3st - also because this crack came up in our chat 💀

GAR ALL PERSONNEL BROADCAST

📌 PINNED MESSAGE (edited 3 hours ago by Jesse):

Welcome to ALL PERSONNEL BROADCAST – this is the official GAR-wide channel.

Rules (because apparently we need them):

1. No thirst trap reviews.

2. Use threads. For the love of Prime.

3. Be kind. No inter-unit war. Mods will smite you.

4. If you see General Kenobi or General Skywalker join, act normal.

5. No one wants to hear your datapad mix at 0300

6. Any dream involving General Mundi is a YOU problem.

7. DO NOT EVER add civvies, Jedi, or your Mandalorian buire (looking at you, Skirata’s sons).

8. Please remember: Alpha-17 is reading AND modding.

9. Emotional breakdowns permitted on Primeday only.

10. The “clones tier list” thread is banned. Forever.

(This week’s special rule: If you see Marshal Commander Cody typing, stop what you’re doing and reflect on your sins.)

Current mod on duty: Ordo Skirata

Most recent muted user: Dickies from the 41st Elite Corps (for sending an unsolicited Niamos karaoke as a bit).

Server uptime: 99.7% (dropped after Marshal Commander Fox rage-quit and rebooted the network)

——

CT-339821: i texted her “what if we kissed in the AT-TE maintenance hangar 🥺👉👈”

CT-898421: real ones know there’s no better first date than taking apart a blaster

Ridge: y’all got dates??? 😐

Hardcase: i got RIZZ

Echo: please stop using that word.

Jesse (mod): no he’s right tho. hardcase got this weird situational rizz. 3 seconds max and then he self-destructs

Kix: idk what’s worse, the medbay smell or watching y’all exchange your pickup lines in this chat like it’s 79’s fresher line at midnight

Sinker (mod): just woke up to 6,902 unread messages what the actual kriff is going on here

Scorch: *sends tooka memes*

Cody (mod): STOP SPAMMING. THIS IS NOT FOR MEMES.

Boil: but sir we had an important discussion about if clones could beat a rancor with bare hands (probably buried. scroll up for context!)

Boss (mod): No. You could not.

Fi (mod): I could

Niner: Omega fucking wins again

Ordo (mod): No you couldn’t, Fi. You whined when you stubbed your toe on Dar’s gear bag.

Alpha-17 (mod): If i see one more picture of some shiny’s helmet next to a mug of caf and a datapad with the caption “just Centaxday tings” I’m purging this entire network

Parts: sir u just don’t understand ✨aesthetic✨

Gree (mod): boys, boys. please. some of us are trying to maintain a reputation here.

Bly: Reputation as what gree. The funky lil trooper figurines collector???

Wolffe: YOU PROMISED YOU’D STOP MENTIONING THE FIGURINES

CT-8364: With all due respect, sir. That’s such an L

Wolffe: Trip, right? Latrine duty. Now.

Bacara (mod): What’s an L?

Jesse (mod): ok ok back to business. shinies been saying some wild shit. translation thread starting now. drop your questions sirs

Boss (mod): What does “ate” mean? What did Rex eat on Umbara?

Rex: rations and sterile milk

Fives: shut the fuck up rex you can’t be that dense

Dogma: Wow, ARC title allows you to talk osik to your superior?

Jesse (mod): shut up dog

Echo: shut up dogma

Fives: SHUT UP, DOGMA!

Nax: Thanks, guys, he’s sulking again and stole the console. It was supposed to be my turn to play Battle Star.

Hardcase: i WILL beat him and he will SULK even more

Sinker (mod): “ate” -> Translation: He did well. Usage: “Captain Rex really ate during that campaign on Umbara 🔥”

Boss (mod): What’s the significance of eating and performing?

Fixer: @Scorch get him

Scorch: On my way! 🫵🏾🤣💥

Fi (mod): Okay i’m starting a new thread called “Fever Dreams” for funsies! Drop your weirdest dreams. go!

Comet: I dreamt I was a loaf of bread being sliced by General Plo. He was gentle.

CC-IMMUNE: dreamt i had to re-certify my shooting skills and the blaster was a frog. General Yoda had to tame it

Nate: Dreamt that Kit Fisto told me he was proud of me. I woke up sobbing

Jangotat: CT-92-1786, oh you’re the one who adopted my former name.

Bacara (mod): Not gonna happen, kid. @Nate

Advisor: Dear all, please avoid going to Mess Hall B98 at the Republic Military Base from 1300 to 1800 tomorrow. There will be a demolition experts meet up.

Cody (mod): Thank you, Addy.

Bacara (mod): Well noted.

Fox: Thanks. Please contact Thire for all base announcements.

Sev: what did i miss i was asleep

Jesse (mod): dreams. drop yours and be weird about it.

Sev: i dreamt i was in a hot spring on hoth with the Delta Squad. but the water was beer. Fixer had eggs for eyes. Scorch was a sentient kettle. Boss was Boss.

Fi (mod): EXACTLY the kind of sick shit I wanted

Ordo (mod): I always pick the wrong time modding

CT-78927: one time i dreamt we were all assigned emotions like that animated holofilm. i got “mild disappointment”, CT-78928 got “suppressed anger”

Bacara (mod): @Keeli aren’t those your kids?

Keeli: Yeah. The weird ones are mine, sir.

Hound: I had a dream where I adopted at least 60 massiffs

Wrecker: I DREAMT I WAS DATING A THERMAL DETONATOR and SHE WAS SHY BUT SWEET 🫵🏾 WHEN SHE BLEW UP, SHE SAID “I’M SORRY IT HAD TO BE THIS WAY” AND KISSED ME. BOOM! DREAM!

Crosshair: I’m banning you from sleeping in the armoury

Parts: dreamt i was in 79’s, but the band was made of Jedi. Obi-Wan on drums. Anakin on bass. Kit on guitar. Plo on keys. Mace crowd surfed. i got kicked in the face and thanked him 🫡

Thorn: i dreamt i was chasing paperwork and every time i got close it changed into a new form. i woke up and it was real

Fox: We shared the same dream, vod.

Gree (mod): last night i dreamt i was a lamp in the Jedi Council chamber.

Boss (mod): All of you need psychological help

Jesse (mod): Boss pls drop ur weird dream or we’re revoking ur mod card

Boss (mod): I dreamt I got demoted and had to lead base tours for civilians in @Part’s drag sash. Walon Vau hugged me, and I woke up sweating.

Ordo (mod): weirdest part is Vau showing affection

Fi (mod): ok that concludes Fever Dreams. you lot are unwell. i’m proud of us.

Alpha-17 (mod): Everyone logging into this thread is being scheduled for mandatory psych eval. Even me. Especially me.

Tup: okay but hear me out, what does it mean if i dreamt the clones were all in a musical called Buirmia! and Captain Rex had a solo called “Order 69” whilst Commander Fox tap danced in a turbolift in 1313 and Commander Cody did a duet with General Kenobi

Echo: it means we all need to go to sleep and never wake up

Omega: This looks fun! What are you guys talking about? 🤭

Echo: CLOSE YOUR EYES

Echo: WHO GAVE THE KID ACCESS?!

Hunter, Tech, Crosshair, and Wrecker left

Sister: This is why I told you it was a bad idea to join this broadcast @Emerie

Emerie left

[coffeeandbatboys]

Dumbass (Fives x Reader)

Because Fives is def a dumbass. This is really short. Like me.

Warnings: medbay, mention of mild injury, Hardcase is a warning. What the hell Fives might as well be a warning too.

“Kix, I swear to the maker somebody better be dying at this hour.” You groaned, slapping the button on your comm and blinking the sleep from your eyes.

“Fives-“

You jumped up, already headed for the door. “Had better not be dying.” You cut him off.

Kix laughed. “Just a mild injury. He’s asking for you though. I’ll let him and the boys explain what happened.”

“I’m on my way.”

When you eventually got up to the medbay, you saw Fives seated on one of the beds, surrounded by Echo, Kix and Hardcase. A med patch was adhered to his forehead right next to his tattoo.

“Fives, Dear, what the hell did you do? You sighed, resting your hands on either side of where he sat on the bed.

“Well, uh, Mesh’la.” He stammered with a blush and a shy smile. “Hardcase and I, sorta had a bet? And….I think I lost.”

You raised an eyebrow. “You did, huh? Wanna tell me what said bet was about?”

He blushed a little harder, out of embarrassment you assumed.

Echo spoke first.

“In my defense I told him not to do it.”

You turned to Hardcase with a questioning look. He snickered before falling into a fit of giggles.

“He said he could hang upside down on the bunk with just his feet. I told him no way.”

You rolled your eyes and turned to look at Fives. This man was going to be the death of you.

“Honey, you’re a dumbass.”

He leaned forward to nudge your nose with his. “I’m your dumbass though.”

You smirked. “I don’t know how much more of it I can take.”

“Well then. Guess I’ll have to come up with something good to keep you around.”

Before you had a chance to respond, he pulled you forward and gave you a kiss.

“I suppose that’ll work for now.” You smiled. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”

He smiled again. “I’m lucky I’ve got you.”

[ct7567329]

Don't Trust

Touch Me Like It's Treason ~ Chapter 3

➜ Captain Rex x F! Jedi Reader

➜ Chapter Summary: While out on recon, your squad makes an eerie discovery, but that's not the only strange thing Agamar throws your way.

➜ Word Count: 8.0k

➜ Chapter Warnings: Canon-typical Violence, Mentions of Death/Dead Bodies,

➜ A/N: Posted at bottom!

Touch Me Like It's Treason Taglist

Touch Me Like It's Treason Masterpost

Chapter Three on Ao3

The outpost offered far more questions than answers. Even though it was mechanically stripped bare, the reinforced walls suggested it was something meant to last. Yet somehow, there were  no scorch marks on the outer defenses and no sign of breached barricades, only a thick coat of dust and the faint ache of abandonment still clinging to the support beams.

Fives moved through the rear corridor with a slow pace. You watched from across the main room as he lifted a half-buried ration pack from beneath a toppled shelf. It was still sealed with the edge of the plastifoil barely dented.

“Someone left in a rush,” he hummed, turning it over in his hand, “This one’s still good.”

You took a few steps toward him as he knelt by a scorched crate. He reached inside and pulled out a blaster. It was a standard DC-15, but he inhaled sharply when he checked the charge. It was full.

“They didn’t even power them down,” he noted, dropping his voice, “Whoever left wasn’t planning to come back.”

You crouched beside him, running your fingers lightly over the edge of the crate. There was no dust underneath it or settling on top. This had been moved recently, or at least, not long enough ago for the elements to reclaim it.

Behind you, Echo's voice crackled over the local comm channel, “General! We’ve got a partial signal on a corrupted file.”

“Where?” you asked aloud, allowing your voice to carry across the corridor.

“Secondary data terminal, east wall,” Echo replied, “It’s just a fragmented signal ping, not a live feed. It could’ve bounced off something else in the valley.”

You made your way toward him, your shoes crunching softly over shattered duracrete across the ground. The data station had been half-crumbled by what looked like internal damage. Almost like someone had tried to fry it from the inside out. Burn marks crept out from the terminal’s edges like black veins. Echo crouched beside it, one hand balanced against the wall, the other working through a tangle of exposed wiring.

“I’ve got enough here to pull a timestamp,” he noted, “But not the transmission’s source.”

You narrowed your eyes, “Can you tell if it came from a droid relay?”

He shook his head, “Wrong frequency. More like field-issue gear, but not ours.”

You frowned, kneeling down closer to him, “Separatist?”

“More like a scavenger of sorts,” he suggested, “Whoever it was, they weren’t cloaking their trail.”

You exhaled slowly and stepped back to take in the rest of the space. Jesse was sweeping through the armory alcove, kicking loose debris out of his path. Kix had set up a basic med-check near a rusted durasteel counter and was examining the contents of a crushed supply crate. Across the room, Rex stood silent near the blast doors, eyes scanning the exposed ridgeline through the wall breach.

“Set temporary posts,” you called out, turning toward the center of the room, “We’re holding here for the next three hours. Watches rotate every forty-five minutes. We can't afford full rest cycles. Stay geared up boys and stay alert.”

The men moved into position without argument. Rex gave you a side glance, but there was no need for debate. He knew this wasn’t a request - it was essentially the first time you gave an order.

Hardcase grunted as he hauled an old equipment case into place against the blown-out entry point, “I'm gonna go ahead and say this place doesn’t pass safety inspection.”

“You see something moving, shoot first, ask after,” Fives replied, giving him a playful shove and dropping the ration pack into a side pouch on his belt.

Rex passed you as he walked toward the outer breach, staring at the fragmented metal supports hanging low from the roof, “We’ll need a better fallback position if this gets worse.”

“It will,” Echo muttered from behind you. 

Jesse helped Hardcase wrestle another crate into place with a metallic scrape, then paused to rest an arm on it, visor tilted upward toward the partially collapsed ceiling, “Alright, anyone else feel like this place is held together by ghost spit and war crimes?”

“That’s the name of my memoir,” Kix grunted under his breath without looking up from the medkit.

The wind shifted again, stirring dusty air into the cracks of the outpost walls. You crossed to the far side of the room and stood near the breach, letting the dry air catch your robe. Rex was posted nearby, his arms folded as he studied the ridge.

“Echo says the data was a bounce,” you turned to Rex, keeping your voice level, “What do you think?”

“I think someone was watching this place long enough to know when to disappear,” Rex replied, still analyzing the ridge, “And I think they’re still nearby.”

You nodded once, letting out a short hum, “You think they’ll come back?”

His silence lasted too long for comfort.“If they do,” he said finally, “they’ll wait until they think we’ve gotten comfortable.”

“Then we won’t let them think that,” you retorted, curling one end of your lips. 

He gave a slight tilt of the helmet, something halfway between agreement and wariness. You moved back inside, stopping at the central floor panel. Dust and ash had settled unevenly across the duracrete. You knelt down and brushed your fingers across one of the grooves in the floor. They seemed to be carved by someone dragging something heavy.

You straightened, gaze trailing back toward the far wall where Echo was still working. The corrupted file wasn’t transmitting anymore but something had been here. 

Rex’s voice cut through the stillness. You didn't even realize he was following you. “You want the fallback crew on alert?”

You turned toward him, hesitating your response for only a second. “No. Not yet. I want them rested and ready, not twitchy.”

“Good call,” he acknowledged, turning to hold the men. 

The squad had slipped into their temporary positions without needing confirmation. Fives leaned against a support beam near the comms console, helmet tilted back slightly as he scanned the upper rafters. Jesse and a few others sat low along the walls of a narrow corridor with their blasters at the ready. Echo moved to the holotable again, tapping gently against its rusted interface, trying to coax something else out of it.

You watched him a moment longer than necessary, then turned and took your own seat near the base of the broken command platform. You didn’t close your eyes, but ever so slightly rested your head against the stone behind you, channeling the Force through your limbs.

It didn’t speak to you, not directly at least, but it stirred the way dry leaves shift when someone walks past. It was just enough to remind you that silence isn’t the same thing as peace.

The men didn’t fill the space with words. They sat in that stillness with watchful, half-tensed, eyes. Almost like they were ready for nothing and everything at once. 

You remained seated at the far end of the central chamber, half-hidden behind a fractured support beam where light filtered through the cracked roof above. Rex lingered nearby, his attention once again fixed on the jagged ridgeline visible through the wall breach.

You waited a moment before speaking, “You still think we’re being watched?”

Rex didn’t startle at your voice breaking the silence, “If we are, they’re patient.”

You folded your arms, raising to your feet and stepping towards him, “I’ve seen Separatist traps and this sure doesn’t feel like one.”

“It doesn’t feel like anything,” Rex shrugged. His tone was less rigid now, more measured, “That’s what worries me.”

You nodded once, eyes tracing the terrain outside. The slopes were too uneven for a clean sweep. Fog settled along the valley floor like it knew how to keep secrets. “We need re-access recon,” you said quietly,  “Full sweep would take too long. But if we divide - ”

“Too risky.” Rex cut you off, still facing away from you.

“Too necessary,” you countered, “This outpost was meant to hold a company. We’re petty much half a squad working blind. Whoever abandoned it either left in a hurry or never made it out.”

Rex turned slightly toward you, just enough to signal he was listening.

You continued, “As discussed, we split into three teams. Keep no farther than a kilometer radius, starting from a different exit point. If there’s anything alive out there, we triangulate. It’ll be a quick sweep”

He crossed his arms, “That terrain isn’t exactly friendly.”

“No,” you agreed, “but I know both you and I have seen worse.”

Rex was quiet for a moment, helmet tilted down as he ran his fingers across the edge of his vambrace. When he finally spoke, the edge in his voice was gone, “Same three teams as the briefing?"

You nodded, “I’ll take Echo and two others. You lead Jesse’s team. Fives can take Kix.”

“So you’re not assigning command to Echo at all?” 

A ping of guilt tugged at you, “He can handle himself. He doesn’t need to command.”

Rex gave a small, almost imperceptible hum, “He’ll like to hear that.”

You briefly smiled, “We regroup at sunset.”

“And if someone doesn’t make it back?” 

“Then the other two teams track their last known route,” you sighed, “But I don’t think that’ll be an issue with you boys.”

His silence wasn’t disagreement, but just. You could feel him weighing each team in his head. How Jesse would read terrain. How Fives would react under pressure. Whether Echo would stay sharp if things got complicated.

Finally, he acknowledged your plan, “Fives and Kix can take Hardcase and Tup. They have solid instincts, work well together.”

You hummed in agreement, “You and Jesse take Dogma and Charger. I’ll take Ringo and Oz.”

Rex let out a slow exhale through the helmet filters, “Alright. I’ll brief the teams.”

A few minutes later, the center of the outpost stirred as small clusters of troopers began prepping gear and checking packs. Echo crossed the room with a subtle glance toward you. There were no words exchanged, just the slight tilt of his head that meant ‘ready when you are’.

Across the room, Fives clapped a hand to Kix’s shoulder and offered a lopsided grin as he rolled his neck, “Come on, doc. Let’s go find the welcoming party.”

Kix just muttered something under his breath, dragging his pack into place.

Rex moved between the teams with ease, relaying assignments, checking gear, and making sure no one forgot the backup comm band frequencies. Jesse shot you a brief smirk as he passed, and you returned it. Progress. 

The wind outside picked up again, whistling through the exposed wall as the sky overhead began its slow descent into that strange half-light between afternoon and dusk. You slipped your commlink over your wrist and checked its range one last time.

Each team moved to their assigned exit, blasters at low ready, helmets locked in. You stepped toward Echo as the rest of your group fell into position. Behind you, Rex gave the signal as the three teams slipped into Agamar’s terrain. 

The ground thinned as you moved further from the outpost. What passed for a trail here was nothing more than mucky packed soil, splintered rock, and the slow reclaiming creep of nature over a place once built for war. You let your steps fall into rhythm with Echo’s. It wasn’t planned, it just happened, like instinct answering instinct.

Neither of you spoke at first. You could hear the quiet conversation behind you. Ringo and Oz were talking about their plans for when the 501st was off this rock. The quiet between you and Echo wasn’t stiff or forced. If anything, it felt suspended, like something waiting to be acknowledged, but not yet ready to fall.

You kept your eyes on the ridge. The Force was quiet here. Not in the way it silenced when danger pressed close, but in a more complicated way. As if this place had once been loud with pain, and now was empty. Almost like something sacred had been burned out of it.

Beside you, Echo broke the silence, “So, you said you were here for the first battle?”

You gritted your teeth, “Yeah,” you paused, taking in your surroundings, “It was one of those missions where those who made it out try to forget it all.

Under his helmet, you could tell his face softened, “That sounds about right.”

You turned to glance at him and although he did have his helmet on, you couldn’t tell if he was watching the terrain or just avoiding eye contact. His head bobbed slightly, as if he was holding something back he hadn’t yet decided to say.

After a moment, he let his words out, “This place doesn’t forget what it was built for.”

“Seems like most planets touched by the war forget how to be anything else,” you sighed, your voice quiet, stripped of any performative Jedi calm. 

Echo didn’t respond with sarcasm or wit. He just walked beside you like someone who’d stopped expecting easy answers, “You sound tired,” he said at last.

That got a smile from you, “Aren’t we all?”

He didn’t laugh, but his lips curved just slightly, “Maybe. Some of us just hide it better.”

You weren’t sure if he meant himself or you.

The trail dipped slightly, your feet slipping against loose shale. Below, wind shifted through the hollow carcass of a downed Separatist transport. You followed the curve of the canyon edge as Echo slowed just a little, eyes narrowing toward a rusted metallic glint half-buried in the dirt.

You waited a few moments before reviving the conversation, “So, tell me about ARC training.”

Echo stopped walking, removing his helmet and holding it loosely at his hips, “Yeah.”

Silence lingered again, but you didn’t fill it. You just waited for him.

He exhaled, finally, “I suppose after what happened on the Rishi Moon Outpost and the attack on Kamino, Rex thought Fives and I were ready.” His head tilted slightly as if he wasn’t quite sure how to word what he wanted to say next. “It felt strange going without the rest of my squad. Heavy, Droidbait, Cutup. I’ll tell you about them sometime.”

His voice didn’t crack or shake at all and somehow that’s what made it worse, “ARC training is meant to break you down,” he admitted, “Both physically and mentally. You stop being a soldier and they morph you into something more useful.”

Useful. That word hit you wrong. You tried not to flinch. You’d heard the Jedi use that word before too. About clones. About entire companies. About you.

Echo kept talking, like the words had been building for a long time, “They push you until you stop reacting like a person and hesitation is gone and trust becomes a weapon instead of a liability.”

“And when the training’s complete?” you asked, forcing a break in his rant before he says something he regrets.

He glanced over at you, “You’re still a brother, but not the same kind of brother anymore.”

You didn’t answer right away. Something in your chest was moving again. You always suspected this about ARC training. You heard the Council commend the ‘discipline and elite function’ of the soldiers who survived it. But hearing it now, from Echo, it felt different. It felt too real.

“I understand more than you think,” you let out, voice just barely over a whisper.

Echo looked over again, brows drawing in slightly, “Yeah?”

“I was trained under Master Windu,” you said, letting the words fall evenly, even if the memory behind them wasn’t. “From day one, every instinct I had that wasn’t Order? He crushed it. Feeling, attachment, even my voice. None of it mattered if it didn’t serve control.” You didn’t look at Echo as you said it. Instead, you just looked ahead.

“I was getting good at it,” you added after a moment, “Maybe too good.”

Echo was silent beside you, but you could feel something shift. The kind of silence that wasn’t emptiness, but listening.

You gave a breathy, self-deprecating smile, “He taught me how to hear the Force by cutting out everything else. I didn’t know what I was missing until I stopped listening that way.”

Echo’s voice was curious, “So you don’t follow his lead anymore?”

You hesitated, “I don’t know if I follow anyone anymore.” Somehow, that felt like the most honest thing you’d said all day.

The ground ahead began to rise again. You crested a low hill and paused for a moment. Ringo and Oz closed in behind you, scanning the horizon. Echo didn’t press you further or interrogate your words or dissect your meaning. He just walked beside you, with his eyes cast forward. 

When he spoke again, his tone seemed more casual, “Have you ever worked with the Guard?” The change in subject was small and intentional, but it was a nice gentle pivot.

You raised an eyebrow, “Fox and his squad? I’ve been on Coruscant for most of the war. I still am, sometimes. His squad seems to be the only friends I get to have these days.”

Echo nodded slowly, “That explains the way you carry yourself.”

You gave a quiet laugh, “You’re the second person to tell me that.”

“It’s not a bad thing,” he assured you.

You glanced over at him, “No?”

He didn’t smile, but the smallest glint touched his eyes, “You carry yourself like someone who knows what happens when orders hurt more than help.”

That stopped you cold for a half-second. Not because he was wrong, but because someone had finally said it. The path ahead forked. You gestured for your team to hold as you and Echo stepped to the overlook.

The silence didn’t last long. A few more minutes of chatting and this would be a record for the longest conversation you had with a Clone that wasn’t in the guard. “What’s it like when the Force doesn’t speak?”

You didn’t answer immediately. “It’s like standing in fog,” you eventually shared, “You know there’s something there, but you can’t reach it. You move by instinct and memory and hope you’re not just walking in circles.”

He turned toward you slightly, “That sounds like faith?”

“No,” you answered honestly, “That sounds like survival.”

Echo didn’t reply. His hands rested against the ridge wall as he looked out into the canyon. His body wasn’t tense, but it wasn’t loose either. You could see the way he was always calculating. He was always watching like silence was a battlefield he hadn’t figured out how to disarm.

You let the quiet settle again, but not for too long, “Have you ever thought about life outside of the GAR?”

Echo flinched, giving you the smallest smile. “More than ever lately. Have you ever thought about leaving the Order?” he countered.

“Sometimes,” you confessed, “But I think the Order already left me.”

That landed between you like truth dropped in water. Neither of you moved for a moment. There was no need to. Everything you needed to say had been said, or at least, enough of it to feel understood. Behind you, the others pulled forward as the wind kicked up. You tapped your comm once, checking in with Rex’s team. The signal was still clear and there was no movement yet.

Echo finally turned to face you fully. “You’re not like most Jedi.”

You offered him a friendly wink, “You’re not like most Clones.”

“Good,” he huffed, putting his helmet back on and falling in line next to Ringo and Oz.

Finally, something inside you, in some quiet, guarded place, felt like it exhaled for the first time in a long while.

As you continued down the ridge, the terrain shifted again, steep hills giving way to a sloping valley carved into the side of the plateau. Long shadows stretched across the path as the sun began to dip behind the ridgeline. You signaled the others to keep formation, your gaze scanning the dips in the rock for signs of foot traffic.

Ahead, nestled like a forgotten scar against the earth, lay the remains of a structure. It was half collapsed, nearly swallowed by rockfall and the slow encroachment of wind-driven soil. You stopped just short of the entrance.

Ringo stepped up beside you, “Looks like an old relay post.”

“Maybe,” Echo quirked, narrowing his eyes, “Could be a forward scout station. Seems Republic-issued, judging by the layout.”

Oz circled left, keeping low to the ground, “I see no movement.”

You stepped forward slowly, letting your palm graze the outer wall. The duracrete was flaking in a way that didn't line up with weathering. Your fingers came away blackened. “Scorch marks,” you noted, “This wasn’t hit by artillery. I think it blew up from within.”

Echo knelt by the threshold, fingertips brushing a cluster of twisted cabling. He looked up at you, “It’s Republic-grade wiring.”

You sighed, stepping into the structure’s ruined doorframe. The interior was barely standing. What hadn’t already collapsed was melted, ripped through, or coated in years of dirt and ash. Yet something about the destruction felt recent, like it wasn’t abandoned but scrubbed. 

Ringo lifted his blaster slightly. “Something’s off.”

You moved further in, ducking under a half-fallen beam, and froze as your foot caught on something just beneath the rubble. It wasn’t the sound of impact that stopped you. It was the give.

You crouched slowly and brushed the ash aside. First, you only saw a discarded boot, but you quickly realized there was still a leg inside the boot. The body had been partially buried beneath what looked like a collapsed portion of ceiling. You gently pulled the rubble back with the Force.

It wasn’t a Clone - it was a woman. She was wearing some stained jacket and a weapon belt, half melted into her side. You didn’t even need to feel for a pulse. The Force told you she was long gone. 

“Echo,” you called quietly.

He was there in seconds, eyes narrowing as he crouched beside the body. He didn’t touch anything, just observed.

“She’s not with the Republic,” he confirmed. “You think she’s local?”

Ringo moved beside you, frowning, “Her clothes don’t match any standard gear worn by the local resistance. You think she’s a scout or a messenger?”

You reached carefully for the fried datapad she had clutched in her hand.

Echo glanced at it too. “It looks like it was triggered to purge the moment she went down.”

“Failsafe protocol,” you said softly. “Someone knew she couldn’t be captured.”

Behind you, Oz’s voice echoed from the other side of the ruined hall, “General! You’re gonna want to see this.”

You stood, gently setting the datapad down beside the woman, and moved toward the sound of his voice. He was standing in what used to be a supply bay. The shelves along the walls were long since warped and blackened. Beside him, Echo had already crossed the space and was staring at the floor.

It took a moment for you to notice what they were seeing. You had to adjust your angle and let your eyes focus on the subtle shift in the texture of the dirt. There were long, narrow mounds of dirt. Almost like shallow, uneven graves.

Oz knelt beside one and swept his glove over the surface, revealing half a pauldron poking from the dirt. It was white and orange. Echo stepped forward and bent beside another, brushing back more dust, revealing more white and orange armor. 

“When was the 212th out here?” Echo questioned, standing back up, “I didn’t think they ever were.”

“I don’t think so,” you echoed, “but I’ll have to ask.” 

“It looks like they were buried quickly,” he added, “The dirt was never fully compacted. Whoever did this didn’t take their time.”

Ringo stepped back, jaw tight, “I don’t think all of these aren’t Clones.”

You looked up sharply. He pointed toward the corner of the room, where another set of armor jutted from the edge of a mound. From what you could tell, whoever was buried had mismatched plating.

“It could be a small rebellion group,” Oz offered, “Or looters.”

Your voice was soft, but certain, “This wasn’t a battle. It was a cleanup.”

Echo exhaled slowly, bringing his fist to his lips, “If this was Republic-initiated, there’d be a record, or a command log, or a mission file. Something, anything.”

“There’s never been Republic intervention here aside from the first battle and a small handful of outposts,” you replied, “and this isn’t one of those outposts.”

Oz looked up from the graves, “Why bury them?”

“To hide the bodies,” Ringo responded bluntly.

“No,” Echo retorted, “You don’t bury bodies you don’t care about. You burn and leave them.”

You slowly met his eyes, “Maybe they buried them because they felt guilty.”

A long, cold moment passed. You walked carefully back toward the body near the front, now just another shadow in a place carved by silence. Her hand was still curled like her datapad was still there. Her mouth was slightly parted in a half-formed word that would never be heard.

Echo joined you, glancing down, “You think she was trying to get something out?”

You nodded, “Or stop something from getting out.”

He crouched beside the datapad again, scanning the edges for any salvageable fragments, “If I can pull even a few bytes, we might know what she saw.”

“Be careful,” you warned softly, “If it was coded to purge, there might still be a trace defense system.”

Echo’s brows furrowed, but he didn’t look up, “Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to dig through burned intel.”

You stepped back, letting him work. Your hand trailed lightly against the edge of a rusted console, while Force tugged against your fingertips. It felt like pressure. You narrowed your eyes at the wreckage around you. Not only did something watch this happen, but something must have survived it.

You looked toward the western ridgeline beyond the collapsed roof, and for just a second, you swore you saw motion. “Movement,” you whispered loudly enough to carry across the room.

The others snapped to alert, weapons raised. Echo rose beside you, with his pistol drawn. But when you looked again, the ridge was still. The wind played tricks here. You knew that. But your instincts - the ones that Master Windu told you to silence - didn’t lie.

Echo came to your side, still scanning the ridge, “You see something?”

You didn’t answer right away, allowing nature to settle, “We’re not alone out here.”

“I’ll log the coordinates,” Oz chirped, already syncing his nav unit, “We can mark the grave site for recovery.”

You nodded, “Keep out unit distinction. At least not until we know who’s buried here and why.”

Echo’s voice was quiet, “Do you think the rest of the GAR knows about this?”

“I don’t think anyone is supposed to,” you half mumbled half groaned. 

Behind you, Ringo reminded you about getting back before nightfall. Even though you wanted to stay, you had the men clear out. And when you and the squad left, something in your chest pulled tighter as you turned toward the path home.

A hush fell over the canyon like the land itself had exhaled. The scattered fauna and the occasional distant call of birds had faded completely by this hour. Even the wind, which was constant until now, had settled into a gentle breeze.

Echo adjusted the antenna on his helmet and keyed his transmitter. “Rex, this is Echo. We’ve logged coordinates on a second site. Hostile-free, but signs of engagement. Awaiting- ” He paused, frowning. The signal light on his bracer blinked once. Then again before stuttering.

He tried again, tone a bit sharper. “Rex, this is Echo. Do you copy? Signal’s weak. I’m boosting range now.”

You turned toward him, watching as he toggled through the frequency bands, “Trouble?” you asked, almost reaching for his helmet.

Echo didn’t look up, “We should be clear, but I’m getting nothing. Not even static. Our comms must be scrambled.”He shook his head slowly, “Like someone’s bouncing a false return. I can’t pinpoint direction, but it’s not a natural blockage.”

You stepped closer, letting your hand rest lightly against the edge of his pauldron as you leaned in to look.The signal wasn’t gone. It was still there, just shaky. It was obvious now that someone was watching and listening. Close enough to jam your comms, but careful enough not to sever them completely.

You looked back to the others. Oz had already picked up on your expression. Ringo was watching the hill behind you, grip tightening on his weapon. “Power your comms down,” you ordered, “No more transmissions.”

Echo cut the line without question. You reached for your own comlink, flicked off the beacon that marked your location to the other teams, and pulled your hood up higher.

This wasn’t just recon anymore. You moved down the canyon through the path Echo marked earlier as a faster return route. The rock here was uneven, pressed close on both sides like it had been disturbed recently. You kept your hand near your saber hilt. The others walked without speaking and weapons lowered but not relaxed.

Something was watching from far away. You could feel it. Not through the Force, but with pure instinct. This was breath and bone and skin telling you that danger had teeth and you were being tracked by them.

Echo raised a fist without a word, queueing everyone to stop. A not loud, but sharp sound carried from above. It mimicked the sound of crunching stone. Your eyes flew upward. The sound wasn’t mimicking, it was crunching stone.  The western face of the canyon trembled into a subtle slide at first, then rumbled. Dust kicked up as a muted roar echoed down the stone corridor before giving.

Around fifty meters back, the side of the canyon collapsed, sealing the path you came through in a flood of jagged debris. Ringo threw an arm over his face. Oz swore under his breath. When the landslide finally settled, nothing moved.

Exhaling slowly, you raised your comm instinctively, then stopped, remembering. You turned to Echo, “Please tell me you marked another route.”

He pursed his lips under his helmet,  “We’d have to double back through the wider valley. That could add a whole hour, maybe more.”

You nodded at the three men, “Then let’s not waste time.”

You and the group drew in closer together. Your eyes lingered one last time on the rockslide behind you. It didn’t feel random. That section of ridge didn’t show signs of weakness when you passed it before and you remembered the terrain. It had been stable.

Echo moved beside you again as you resumed the trek back to the outpost. Once close, he finally let out a lingering fear you didn’t realize you both shared, “We’re being watched.”

After what felt like forever, the outpost finally came into view through a haze of dust and low fog. You stepped through the outer breach just behind Echo, Ringo and Oz close behind. The low scrape of boots against duracrete signaled the last of your team crossing the threshold.

You were the final group to return. The central room had changed in your absence. The now restored overhead light had shifted into a dim golden wash. Jesse and Charger sat posted near the makeshift barricade Kix was crouched near the back wall, fingers tapping through the contents of a salvaged medpack. Fives leaned casually against a support beam with his helmet clipped to his belt.

Rex stood dead center in the room, arms crossed and helmet on. His head turned slightly at the sound of your approach, "You’re late."

You took the smallest breath before replying, "We lost the canyon trail. A landslide blocked our return. We had to resort to a longer route."

“Did you make contact?” Jesse asked.

You shook your head, “None, but the comms weren’t just jammed. They were scrambled. Someone wanted us disconnected, not blind.”

Rex didn’t reply right away. Instead, he gestured to the holotable, which was now slightly more functional thanks to Echo’s previous efforts. A dim projection hovered above it, flickering and inconsistent, but just clear enough to show outlines of the region.

“We weren’t alone either,” Rex revealed, “We found the remnants of a droid patrol half-buried under slag and brush. They weren’t standard models.”

Fives walked over to join, “We ran their ID traces. They were also scrambled.”

You frowned, “So we are dealing with scavengers."

“Maybe, but these droids weren’t salvaged for parts,” Rex added, “They were reprogrammed, not decommissioned. Someone retooled them for local recon.”

Echo knelt beside the console and tapped through the display, “That takes precision and time.”

Kix straightened, brushing dirt off his hands, “We also spotted movement in the trees near the north slope. We didn’t get clear visuals, but they weren’t droids.”

“Scouts?” Echo offered.

Fives shrugged, “I’d bet on it.”

“They weren’t engaging us,” you thought outloud, “If they wanted us dead, they had chances.”

You and Rex locked eyes. “They know we’re here,” he said matter of factly.

“They’re testing our movements,” you continued Rex’s words, “They’re watching how we organize, how we handle terrain. I think they want to know if we’re worth the risk.”

Rex crossed his arms again, “Then we take the initiative. Let’s push out another sweep, this time wider. Keep the pressure on them.”

You raised an eyebrow, “You think provoking them is the answer?”

“If we wait, we give them the advantage,” he countered, “We don’t know what’s out there.”

You stepped towards him,“Exactly. We don’t know what’s out there. Which means we don’t know how many, what they want, or how much they already know about us. If we push further without intel, we’re walking into someone else’s design.”

Rex didn’t flinch, but the weight of his disagreement settled heavily between you.

“We need to reinforce,” you pressed, “Patch the comms, secure fallback positions, draw them out instead of stumbling into their line.”

“Every minute we wait is another minute they dig in deeper,” there was a hint of urgency in Rex’s voice.

“Or another chance for them to reveal themselves. Rex -” you softened your tone, “- you’re right to be cautious. But aggression without information isn’t strategy. It’s a gamble.”

Rex looked at you. Although he was helmeted, you could feel the bitterness on his face. His posture was rigid, but something in his stance shifted enough that you knew your words landed, but not enough to change his mind.

Echo then stood up beside the holotable, “She’s right.”

Rex turned slightly toward him, no reaction given.

Echo continued, “If this were a recon scenario during ARC training, we’d never move until we had a second sweep, tech support, and full terrain mapping. We’d set traps, not walk into them.”

Rex’s shoulders twitched, “You weren’t trained to wait, Echo. You were trained to eliminate threats.”

“I was also trained to recognize them,” Echo replied, “And right now, the only confirmed threat we have is the fact that someone’s working hard not to be seen. That tells me they’re not reckless. And if they’re not reckless, they’re dangerous.”

You said nothing, letting Echo’s words stand. He wasn’t undermining Rex. If anything, he was offering some consensus, which was rare on the battlefield. 

Rex stepped back, just slightly. His hand dropped from his chestplate, loosening his crossed arms and he gave a small nod, “We hold.”

“Short rotations,” Rex said after a moment, “I want recon towers set up using anything salvageable. We draw them out, but we do it on our terms.”

The men nodded and broke into quiet movement. Fives clapped a hand against Kix’s shoulder and mumbled something inaudible to him. Jesse gave you a glance, one brow raised, but he didn’t challenge the plan. Charger and Dogma moved to the crates near the entry point to begin reinforcing what little perimeter remained.

You stayed still for just a moment longer, letting your gaze drift toward Echo. He didn’t meet your eyes at first, but when he did, there was something new in his expression. Not approval or pride, but trust. 

It sat low and warm in your chest, like a hand resting just near your own.

Rex passed by you as he began inspecting the outer posts again. As he did, he muttered, just low enough to be private, “You keep surprising me.”

You didn’t answer, but as you made your way to the corner of the room to lay down to rest, you let yourself smile.

First watch came and went. It was time for second watch before you could drift to sleep. You volunteered before anyone could suggest it. It wasn’t about being brave or selfless. You just didn’t want to lie down in that broken room any longer. Especially with your thoughts moving this fast. 

You sat with your back against the inside edge of the breach in the wall, your legs drawn up, and your  hands resting against your thighs. The air had cooled sharply since sundown. It crept in under your clothes and brushed along your spine, settling on your skin. You didn’t shiver, the cold reminded you that you were still present. 

You weren’t alone for long. Kix appeared without sound, his steps careful and his gaze sharper than most gave him credit for. He didn’t say much as he approached, just nodded and sat beside you, like he’d already decided the silence here could bear the weight of company.

“You always take second watch?” he asked eventually.

“Only when I don’t want to sleep,” you answered honestly.

He gave a half-laugh half-snort, “Then I guess I should stop wondering why you’re always volunteering.”

“It’s been a long day. I can handle it myself from here if you want the rest,” you offered, leaning your head back against the cool duracrete.

Kix smiled, “That won’t be necessary.”

You looked at him, expecting skepticism, but he only stared out at the landscape, “It’s actually kind of nice out tonight,” he admitted, “the fresh air out here is nicer than the dust and chaos in there.”

“Calm nights like this are dangerous,” you reminded him, “they can mask what’s actually ahead. Hide the truth even.”

His jaw flexed, “I was trying not to think of that.” Kix was the kind of man who knew where the real wounds were, even if he didn’t ask. Even though you’d only known him a short while, you knew he watched others closely not because he didn’t trust people, but because he needed to know who could survive, and who needed help pretending.

“I’m not good at turning it off,” you added. Kix glanced sideways at you.

“The awareness,” you continued, “The Force doesn’t always speak clearly, but it lingers, like a firebug you just can’t catch.”

He hummed, eyes scanning the dark, “I’ve seen troopers who can sleep through shelling. I’m not one of them.” He didn’t say it, but you knew. Kix didn’t sleep because he was always listening. Always on the edge of catching something too late.

Before you could respond, he stretched, his joints cracking slightly as he stood, “I’ll grab Echo. You’ve got about ten minutes left, technically.”

You gave a soft smile, “That’s generous of you.”

“I like watching people try to act like they’re fine,” he muttered dryly,“You’re better at it than most.”

That sobered you more than you expected. You watched him leave, the weight of his words settling like another layer over your chest. A few minutes later, you heard the soft crunch of footsteps approach. Echo came up to your side, his presence familiar in a way that still surprised you.

His voice broke through the quiet night, “Kix said you were still awake.”

“I don’t sleep well,” you answered, reaching for your canteen. 

He didn’t ask why, just settled near you, close enough that the heat from his armor helped fight the chill, but not so close that it presumed anything. You were both quiet for a long while. It was a good quiet, like breath between verses.

Eventually, you spoke, “You ever wonder if some places are better left buried?”

Echo tilted his head, “Sometimes. But I think places like this don’t stay buried.” You looked over, studying the slant of his profile in the low light.

“They get uncovered eventually,” he went on, “One way or another. Whether we’re ready or not.”

You felt that truth settle over you, “Especially those parts of ourselves we’d rather leave behind.” You weren’t sure what made you say it, but the words came anyway, “I was trained to treat doubt like failure and emotion like a disease.”

“Did your Master tell you that?” he asked. 

You nodded, “He believes order is the only way to survive the chaos. I used to believe that, too. But there’s something about trying to force calm over a battlefield that always felt dishonest to me.”

“I wasn’t trained for chaos either,” he quietly admitted, “ARC training’s supposed to prepare you for anything, but no training gets you ready for what happens when everything you knew about yourself disappears. I thought I’d serve, fight, maybe die in the line. But when you spend your whole life around the same brothers and you have to watch them die in front of you, that takes away pieces of you. Not physically but mentally.”

You felt yourself subconsciously lean in closer to him, really listening to every word. 

“They told me I was lucky,” he went on, eyes tracing something invisible just beyond the horizon, “But luck feels different when your own memories don’t sit right in your skin anymore. When you’re not sure where you end and the conditioning begins.”

You felt your throat tighten, not with pity but recognition. “I don’t think you’re unfinished,” you said softly, “I think you’re adapting.”

He blinked, “You sound sure.”

“I have to be,” you replied, “Because I’m still adapting too.”

The truth you were offering him carefully hung between you two. 

Echo leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, “I didn’t expect to like you.”

You tilted your head, quietly amused.

“I mean it,” he defended himself, raising his arms in false surrender, “Most Jedi I’ve met treat us like assets. They are friendly enough. Respectful even. But they don’t treat us like people. You showed up and didn’t try to prove anything. You just listened and moved with us like you weren’t afraid to be wrong.”

You hesitated, but met his eyes, “And you’re still deciding if that’s a problem.”

Echo didn’t laugh, but his lips pressed together like he almost could. You stood slowly, pulling your robe back into place. The cold had settled deep into the fabric. 

“Come on,” you said, offering your hand to help him up. “Walk the perimeter with me.”

He hesitated, then took it. You didn’t let go right away. Neither did he.

You passed beneath the ragged edge of the ruined Republic banner together. The wind caught the tattered cloth and sent it fluttering above your heads like a memory refusing to be stilled. You didn’t speak again for a while, but the silence between you felt earned. 

Eventually, Echo fell in step in front of you, carefully scanning the ground before each of you took a step.  You both just reached what was left of the outer walls of the inner corridor when the holotable in the command room sparked to life with a sharp ping.

The sound sliced through the quiet like a bomb went off. Echo turned sharply, breaking into a full sprint across into the chamber. Fives was already there by the time you arrived. His hand hovered over the cracked interface, brow furrowed behind the blue stripe of his helmet.

“I didn’t touch it,” he said quickly, “It turned itself on.”

Echo moved fast, his fingers flying across the controls, adjusting what few nodes were still responsive. The holotable’s display flickered, glitching like a dying star, until an image began to stabilize. At first, it was just noise - a wash of static over a blurred terrain feed. Then came a thin signal.

“It’s not a Separatist tower,” Echo informed you, “But something’s still operational. It’s pinging intermittently like a beacon.”

“A distress beacon?” you asked, already reaching for your datapad.

“Maybe,” Echo answered, “But it’s been purposely scrabbled like someone didn’t want it to get through clean.”

Fives leaned in, cycling through the console’s frequency bands,  “The encryption’s Republic standard.”

Your pulse kicked, “Show me the original signal.”

Echo turned a dial. The static twisted, then reformed and then a voice bled through the white noise, “don’t know how long I’ve -” it crackled again, “ - don’t send anyone else. It’s not safe. They’re not - ” The audio garbled again, pitch warping, before a clear message came through, “If anyone hears this - this is CT - ”, he signal cut again, then returned mid-sentence. “Please. Don’t trust - “

And then it died. The holotable went black.

No one moved for a long moment. You turned slowly toward Rex. He hadn’t spoken or moved  but something in his stance changed.

You stepped toward him, voice low. “That was a clone.”

He pressed his lips together, “Yeah.”

You studied his profile - the furrow at the corner of his brow, the set of his jaw. You didn’t have to ask the next question. He already knew it was coming.

“Who?” you asked anyway.

Rex didn’t answer right away, but his silence meant something. He looked up slowly. And even without parting his lips, you could tell what he wasn’t saying.

That voice had belonged to someone important to him, who he believed was dead.

“Sir?” Echo asked, hesitating.

Rex’s focus snapped to him as he exhaled, “Copy whatever you can before the power dies again.”

Echo and Fives moved quickly, plugging in a secondary device and syncing the limited data. You paced behind them, every muscle in your body keyed tight. 

Fives leaned over the table again, “Coordinates are half-buried in the packet. I’ve got about seventy-five percent of the transmission. It looks like it bounced through that tower nearby.”

“That’s close,” you noted.

“Close enough to walk,” Echo added, still watching Rex.

You turned back to Rex, “Rex.” He didn’t answer, just stared at the holotable where the signal had died. You softened your voice, “Who did you think that was?”

He gulped, “I’m not sure, but if it’s who I think it is, they were on the casualty list at the very beginning of the war.”

Kix appeared in the doorway, his expression grim, “I heard the signal. Do you want med kits prepped?”

Rex gave a single nod.

You stepped toward the center of the room again, looking down at the now-black holotable, “If this is a trap-”

“It probably is,” Rex finished, “but if that really was a brother asking for help, I won’t ignore that.”

“No,” you agreed, “We don’t.”

Jesse ducked in from the side hallway, helmet under one arm, “Whatever’s out there didn’t want that signal to reach anyone. That tells me someone’s scared.”

Fives grunted, “Good. That means they’re not in control.”

Echo unplugged the data trace with a final click and looked toward you, “What now?”

You looked out the breach where the first pale hints of sunlight began to streak across the valley. The canyon below was still heavy with fog, but the light made it look thinner.

You let out a slow breath and spoke the only truth you had, “We find that signal’s origin, but we don’t go in blind.” You turned back to the squad, gaze sweeping across them one by one. “This changes everything. No one moves alone.”

Rex’s eyes confirmed the order, “Everyone prep for recon. We move by midday.” And just like that, the rhythm of war returned to the men you’d led through silence and shadow.

But deep down, something still lingered. Whoever was out there still had their voice and they used it to send you a warning. 

“Don’t trust.”

➜ Next Chapter Coming July 12th

➜ A/N: Okay I KNOW this is getting to be a little Echo x Reader-ish BUT I promise something is coming!! Trust the process ;)

➜ Tags: @bigbadbatch @bunny7567 @fireballoveraltanta @tardisgirl420 @olasz-2003 @taina-eny @adamime @generaldumbbitch

[sergeantgoggles]

Lemon Yellow - poly batch <3

Whew. Anon, you really know how to pick 'em.

3800+ words later....

Tags/TW: Polybatch, Emotionally Intelligent Wrecker, Poly Negotiations, Pre-Order 66, Body Dysmorphia, Slightly Graphic Depictions of Cybernetics and Skin, Depression, Trauma, Nightmares, Echo Crying, Mentions of Former Poly Torrent Company (Rex/Fives/Echo/Jesse/Kix/Hardcase/Tup/Dogma), Grief/Loss, Neurodivergent Tech, Implied Neurodivergent Hunter, Happy Ending on Pabu, 10 Years later, Gay Old Men, Canon Compliant Hand Loss for Crosshair, Tech was CX-2, Batcher and Teenage Omega

Lemon Yellow: How does the first kiss go? (+2 Bonus kisses)

“I saw you and Hunter the other night,” Echo mentioned casually as he handed Tech a spanner wrench. He watched as Tech give him a quick, unconcerned look and went about his business.

“We are in an established relationship,” he replied matter-of-factly, as though it should have been common knowledge that Echo could have simply looked up on the comm chatter.

Echo was new to Clone Force 99. It wasn’t his place to judge them for anything, and it wasn’t like he hadn’t also been in a relationship with another clone or experimented with one before. Still, he chose his next words carefully, afraid that he might know too much now.

“…I also saw him with Crosshair this morning.”

That did give Tech pause, and he sighed with a bit of exasperation. “Look, Echo, I do not know how to tell you this gently, so I will simply be upfront with you. The truth is that the four of us, Hunter, Crosshair, Wrecker, and myself, are in a polyamorous relationship.”

Echo let the words sink in. He knew what they meant, and he knew sort of how it worked. Torrent Company worked similarly. There were obvious pairs, like himself and Fives, and Jesse and Kix, but they were sort of just, all together, the eight of them. So, the four members of the Bad Batch being in such a relationship wasn’t something that Echo was necessarily new to, but…

“You seem perplexed by this,” Tech teased lightly as he set the spanner wrench aside for now. “Perhaps if I explain—”

“No, no, that’s not it. I know what it is,” Echo defended. “I guess I just didn’t think that that sort of relationship was a clone thing.”

“As opposed to what?” Tech inquired with interest.

If nothing else, Tech was at least treating it delicately, if not forwardly. Echo appreciated that he didn’t try to sugarcoat it for him. He knew it was a little…weird…to explain to some people. Even some people in the GAR had a hard time wrapping their heads around it, so it was always more simple to tell people he was with Fives, instead of having six other boyfriends.

“My old squad…”

“The five hundred and first?”

“Yeah, Torrent Company specifically, we were…you know.”

Tech seemed to brighten at that, but why, Echo could only speculate. Maybe he was just happy that he didn’t have to keep sneaking around anymore, but to be honest, it sort of made Echo feel left out. For now, he swept the idea under the rug.

“I see. Do you miss that sort of dynamic?”

Echo pretended to think about it, but the reality was yeah, he really did. He hardly gave his remaining squad a chance to make him feel welcomed back, afraid of what they would think of him, maybe. Even he didn’t know some days, but he knew that this was where he needed to be, at least for now.

“Yeah, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss flopping onto a rack after hitting the showers and there would just be someone there to keep me company,” Echo sighed.

Tech had a curious look in his eyes as he adjusted his goggles. It was obvious that he was thinking hard about something from the way he nibbled on the pout of his bottom lip, and Echo couldn’t help the intrusive thought.

‘He’s so cute.’

With barely even a second to process the thought, Echo’s eyes flew open wide as Tech’s lips connected with his. Immediately, his cheeks darkened, but he settled quickly into the kiss. Tech’s lips were softer than he’d imagined they would be, not that he made a habit of imagining his lips, but sometimes…

Echo hadn’t expected it to go much further, but Tech’s fingers brushed his cheek, fleeting and soft, gloved hand coated in a sheen of grease from the Marauder catching on the stubble that had grown in. He sighed, giving in to feeling someone else’s lips for the first time since—

Fives. The first time since Fives.

Abruptly, Echo leaned away, eyes conflicted as he turned his gaze away from Tech’s imploring look.

“I…am sorry for assuming that you would—”

Echo quickly shook his head. “It’s not that. I liked it, a lot.”

It was as though Echo could feel the heat and hurt radiating from Tech’s stare, and he forced himself to look at him, even though all he really wanted in that moment was to forget the pain of Fives being gone and for Tech to kiss him again. “I’m sorry, Tech. I just…haven’t kissed anyone in a long time. It took me by surprise.”

Tech pondered his words, then, “did I misunderstand?”

This was getting complicated. “No, actually, I want to kiss you again, but I don’t know where the others stand, and I don’t want to come between anyone. That’s not how a polycule works.”

“Ah, I see,” Tech seemed to ease up a little after that and sat back to work on the ship again. “If that is your concern, then I will talk to the others. You are right, it should be discussed.”

Echo smiled and touched the greasy streak on his cheek fondly before he stood. Giddiness coursed through him, but he was also nervous about what was to come. All he could do was hope for the best. In the meantime, he needed to sort out his feelings about Fives, as well as those that remained in his previous situationship. There were a lot of factors to consider, but maybe this wasn’t so bad.

Besides, kissing Tech again would definitely be on the top of his list to do again as soon as possible.

.

“WHAT?”

“Stop that,” Tech scoffed and rolled his eyes. “This hardly warrants that kind of reaction.”

“You should have come to us first,” Hunter sighed, but he was far less condescending than Wrecker’s outburst had been.

“As if you’re actually bothered by it,” Crosshair quipped as he cleaned the barrel of his rifle. “You’ve been looking Echo up and down since he first stepped onto the Marauder.”

Tech looked between them with a smirk as Hunter’s cheeks lit up.

“WHAT?” Wrecker boomed again.

“Enough,” Crosshair drawled in his direction. “We’ve all thought about it. You’re just mad that Tech made the first move.”

“You’re not mad about it?” Hunter asked and kicked his legs up on Crosshair’s lap. There was a sneer on Crosshair’s lips that said he wanted to knock them off, but he didn’t, instead continuing to detail his weapon.

“No,” he answered, and his eyes flicked to Tech’s, “but I want to know what Echo tastes like.” The suggestive tone didn’t go unnoticed, and Tech appropriately blushed as Crosshair licked his lips. “Why kiss me when you could just go kiss him yourself?”

Setting his rifle aside, Crosshair hummed. “You’re right.”

He stood, now knocking Hunter’s feet off his lap with a smack, and he leaned over the pilot’s seat to steal a less heated kiss from Tech’s lips. “Good thinking, Ace.”

“Hey, that’s my nickname for him,” Hunter pouted.

Tech’s flush darkened further as he was fought over, but the argument died when Crosshair kissed Hunter on his way out of the cockpit.

.

“Heard you had a run in with Tech.”

Echo looked up from where he was swinging from the sling strung up by the gunner’s mount, setting his datapad aside. “If you mean he kissed me, yeah. Didn’t get him in trouble, did it?”

Crosshair chuckled and crossed his arms. “Not especially, but it took us by surprise.”

“Why’s that?” Echo inquired, eyes curious as he took in Crosshair’s relaxed posture.

“Well, Tech usually isn’t the type to make the first move, even with us,” he explained, and Echo could feel the heat starting to rise in his cheeks. “You must really wind him up.”

As Crosshair leaned into his space, Echo found himself shifting to meet him. “Only him? Or can I get a rise out of you, too?”

There was barely a beat between them before Crosshair ghosted his lips over Echo’s, and they were gone as fast as they came. Echo chased them, but Crosshair was quicker. “You sure you’re okay with this?” Crosshair asked, eyes darting over Echo’s parted lips.

Echo faltered and leaned back into his sling. Was he okay with this? He had told Tech that he needed space to think, but was that only an excuse to make him talk to the others? Sighing, Echo shook his head. It wasn’t fair to leave Crosshair hanging.

“Hn, so you do have some baggage,” the sniper stood, giving Echo some breathing room.

“I haven’t kissed anyone since my last squad,” Echo defended with a scowl.

Crosshair quirked an eyebrow. “You kissed Tech.”

“And I told him the same thing,” Echo shot back, “and he kissed me, for the record.”

This was getting nowhere fast, and Crosshair seemed to see the same thing. Quietly, he stepped back and crossed his arms again, effectively shielding himself from whatever feelings he was keeping locked away. Inwardly, Echo winced. He hadn’t meant to come off like he was rejecting him, or any of them, for that matter.

“Crosshair, I—”

“It’s fine,” he clipped coolly, “but don’t make a habit of kissing my partners if you can’t get yourself sorted.”

Echo bristled, but averted his eyes, staring a hole into the side of the ship. Maybe he hoped it would swallow him up and he wouldn’t have to confront his feelings yet. That sounded nice. He heard Crosshair’s footfalls and listened as they grew distance, disappearing once again into the cockpit, seemingly to tell the others about being turned down.

Frustrated, Echo slipped his legs up into his sling and turned onto his side, facing away from where the others were gathered. Maybe this had been a mistake after all. He should call Rex and rendezvous with him. At least Rex still wanted him, and Jesse and Kix were still there to keep him from running away with his thoughts.

Hardcase had sacrificed himself.

Dogma was arrested.

Tup had suffered and died from what was being reported as a ‘mental relapse.’

…Fives was shot and killed for knowing too much.

How was he supposed to just pretend like each and every loss didn’t feel like a gaping hole being scraped out of his chest?

.

“Echo…? Echo?”

A large hand shook his shoulder, startling him awake. The jolt as he sat up nearly tipped the sling, but a body beside him kept it from dumping him onto the durasteel floor.

“Wrecker?” Echo questioned, his own voice unrecognizable to him. He lifted his flesh hand to his cheek and frowned when he felt the dampness of hot tears on his fingers. Damn it. “Sorry,” he continued, shame coloring his features. It wasn’t uncommon for soldiers to cry in their sleep, though the nightmares were more common with shinies. He was usually better at hiding it, though. “I’m fine. Go back to sleep.”

Wrecker fidgeted but made no move to go back to his rack. Worry was etched into his scarred face, and Echo didn’t have the temperament to be gentle about it.

“I said don’t—”

“Yeah, I heard you,” Wrecker murmured, “but I don’t believe you.”

Echo huffed and curled his cybernetic knees up to his chest. It was weird to try and hug them close. Metal dug into his skin, and it was uncomfortable to try and lay his forehead on top of the joints. More tears pooled in his eyes. Damn the Techno Union for saving him. He should have been left to die, march on like the rest of the Dominoes, like most of his partners…

Not be held together by fused skin and whirring parts like the monster that he is.

The sob that left him was quiet, but he might as well have been screaming the way Wrecker wrapped his arms around him and softly quieted his wails. It was weird, the way he could feel the ports in his head sinking into Wrecker’s chest, how tenderly Wrecker’s thumb grazed the skin where his scomp was connected to. Weird, but Wrecker held him like it was the most normal thing in the galaxy.

“…You don’t have to,” Echo sniffed. “I know what I am.”

Wrecker frowned. “I don’t. What do you think you are?”

Echo could have actually screamed. “I’m a freak, Wrecker. I’m more droid than human. I shouldn’t even be alive.”

His words must have struck something deep, because Wrecker sat back enough to grip Echo’s chin and gently force their gazes to meet. There was a softness in his eyes that wasn’t pity, though there was a bit of that despite how much he’d tried to keep it at bay, but understanding and compassion. Their noses brushed, and Echo let him press their lips together, firm, but chaste, with no hidden motives, the kind of kiss that was reassuring and grounding. It was the kind of kiss that reminded Echo of Hardcase after a mission with heavy casualties, kissing all of them and remining them that they’re all okay, they all made it. It was the kind of kiss that Echo gave Tup when he got into it with Dogma, promising him that they would make up and things would be okay.

It was the kind of kiss that Fives gave him their first night in the five hundred and first barracks, after they were extracted from Rishi, when they didn’t have any answers, but they had one another, and that was enough.

“We all have scars,” Wrecker whispered against his lips. “Some are small and hidden, and sometimes they’re big and obvious, but it’s how you wear them that makes the difference. For what it’s worth, I think yours are beautiful.”

Echo gasped, lip trembling slightly. It was the only time someone looked at him and thought that what was left of him was beautiful. No, not what was left, what he was. Wrecker thought he was beautiful as he was, even with the inconvenience of being mostly machine. It felt…well, it felt really nice to be thought of that way, even if he didn’t see it. So, he said the only thing he could in response and kissed him again.

“Thank you.’

.

Stars hung in the black sky and the moons of Pantora were high in the sky when Echo heard someone emerge from the racks. Normally, he wouldn’t pay any mind to it. It was likely Tech pattering around because he couldn’t turn his brain off. So, he continued to stare out the window from the co-pilot’s seat. That seemed to be where he fit in the best, and he and Tech worked well together.

He wasn’t expecting the glide of a bare hand on the back of his neck, massaging gently. Turning his head, surprise caught his features. “Hunter?”

“I wanted to apologize about earlier,” the sergeant said and took up Tech’s seat. “We should have been open about the nature of our relationship, and Crosshair had no right to kick you out because he wanted some action.”

Echo sighed. He’d almost successfully forgotten why he hadn’t been asleep in his sling between Tech and Wrecker’s racks. Crosshair had exiled him to the cockpit if he didn’t want to join in…activities. To Echo’s credit, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to participate, but having group sex was a hell of a first time with a new body, and he wasn’t sure he was ready for all that yet. Instead of torturing himself by staying to watch, he’d voluntarily left. Had he really been gone that long?

Judging by the way Hunter’s hair was mussed and the vaguely dark marks on his neck, he was certain that if nothing else, Hunter had gotten to partake in some activities.

“It’s fine,” Echo told a half truth. It was, to an extent, but he wished he had been brave enough to join them.

Hunter nodded, wringing his hands together. A nervous thing, Echo noticed. He was like Tech in a way, needing something to occupy his hands most of the time. It wasn’t as severe as Tech’s compulsions, but it was enough to draw Echo’s attention. Carefully, Echo reached over and took on of Hunter’s hands in his own. Immediately, Hunter latched onto it, tracing the lines of his fingers, pressing lightly on his palm, no doubt feeling his heartbeat through his veins. It seemed to calm him, though, and Echo smiled.

“I…understand why you didn’t want to join,” Hunter started, “but you should know that your cybernetic parts don’t bother us, and that despite our own feelings, we respect that you still have feelings for your old squad.”

Echo’s eyes softened. They really had been talking about him, but it wasn’t in the way that he’d thought they were. Not that he thought they were those kinds of people, but he had been so down on himself…it was easier to put the blame on someone else than face himself.

“Most of my old squad is gone,” Echo said aloud, maybe for the first time since he’d boarded the Marauder, “and the ones that remain…well, two of them were already together when we formed the polycule.”

“So, you were left out,” Hunter finished.

“Not really,” Echo shook his head. “They wanted to try…but I’m not the same as I was then, and I didn’t give them the chance to know me as I am now.”

Hunter hummed, still lazily outlining Echo’s fingers as though he were committing the way they felt to memory. “What about us? Think we might have a shot?”

A beat of silence fell between them as Echo considered the question. Was that what he wanted, to be part of another polycule? He certainly hadn’t wanted to assume that they wanted him in that capacity, but the last few days have proved that, if anything, they were willing to try. All of the pieces were there, most of them already put together, all that was missing was the final piece.

Hunter lifted Echo’s hands to his lips and kissed it, careful and deliberate. “You don’t have to give us an answer right now, but the offer is on the table. All you have to do is take it.”

He stood, letting Echo retract his hand, and winked before returning to the rest of his squad, of his polycule, the polycule they all wanted Echo to be a part of. Echo watched his retreating back for a few seconds before he stood abruptly.

“Hunter?”

Yes, he wanted to be a part of this, of them. He wanted someone to love, and for someone to love him, and he was going to find it here, with the Bad Batch.

Hunter turned just as Echo closed the gap between them, kissing him with so much need and longing that it took Hunter’s breath away, and he backed himself up against the console to steady the both of them. Hot, open-mouthed kisses left Echo gasping, and his hand shook as he tangled his fingers into Hunter’s hair, pulling him closer, flush to the line of his body.

It was only the soft clearing of someone’s throat that forced them apart and left them panting for breath. Echo blushed a beautiful shade of red as Tech watched them sheepishly.

“It’s not what it looks like,” Hunter teased.

“That is a shame,” Tech said with a small, crooked smile. “I was rather enjoying the show.”

“Then you shouldn’t have interrupted,” Echo smirked as Tech crowded into his space. This time, Echo was ready and kissed him with as much passion as he had Hunter. Tech became weak at his knees, forcing Hunter to hold him up, and Echo quickly decided that he could get used to this.

It wasn’t the same as being with the five hundred and first, but Echo didn’t want it to be. He would always love his former squads, but this new one wasn’t half bad. He hoped they would be around for a long time.

.

 10 YEARS LATER

Waves crashed on the beach, shifting the sands below. Over time, Echo knew that this place would eventually change. Erosion would claim it, or nature would, but in this moment, it would always remain as it was.

Beside him, Crosshair sat amongst the grain. He didn’t complain about sand getting everywhere anymore, even when it got caught in his cybernetic hand. Next to him, Wrecker slept, head on Crosshair’s shoulder, not so much as budging when the waves licked his toes. Their hands were entwined, soft and familiar, and Crosshair idly stroked it with his thumb as he watched the sun begin its descent into the sea.

Out in the water, Tech watched the horizon as though he were looking for something. Echo could tell he was talking but couldn’t make out what he was saying over the waves. Hunter, though, hugged him from behind and nodded along to whatever Tech told him, and took every opportunity to kiss his cheek, his neck, anywhere he could reach. Never again would Hunter let Tech out of his sight, or go where he couldn’t follow, not after Eriadu and Tantiss.

It took them a long time, but finally, they were all where they were meant to be, together.

Something broke over the horizon, and Echo grinned as Tech waved to those who were waiting on the shore. Crosshair nudged Wrecker awake, but the way that Wrecker was on his feet and waving in an instant, no one would have ever known if not for the drool on his chin. As a ship sped into the cove nearby, Tech and Hunter trudged back through the water and waited patiently for the ship’s captain to emerge.

“Hey! I’m back!”

Omega waved as she ran across the beach to them, beaming proudly as Batcher trailed behind her. No longer did Echo have to kneel to be on her level, and she easily leapt into his arms, still not quite tall enough to keep her feet on the ground. Echo caught her easily and hugged her tightly. This was her first solo flight, to Lothal to bring supplies to a small rebel cell and back, and as far as he could tell, she had been successful. They had known that they couldn’t keep her out of the fight forever, even though they’d all wished they’d had a little more time with her. After all, Omega wasn’t just their sister, but their kid. They raised her.

“Welcome home, Havoc 5,” Echo murmured as he set her back onto her feet.

Omega smiled and leaned up to kiss his cheek. That…was new, not unwelcomed, but definitely new.

“It’s good to be home.”

[vodika-vibes]

I'm thinking about 501st DND nights.

Ahsoka is the DM. The books originally belonged to Obi-Wan, but he and his friends no longer have time to play, plus they have digital copies of the books. (Obi-Wan used DND to help Anakin learn how to read Basic when he first arrived at the temple and it was startlingly effective.)

When Ahsoka first mentioned the game to Skyguy, he said that she could, but only one night a week, and then he begged out, claiming that he had other things to do.

Rex also begged out, citing how busy he was all the time. But he directed her to some of the vod'e who would like to play.

Fives and Echo are the first full-time players. They bicker over what characters they're going to make but eventually come to a consensus. They make a pair of identical twins, one a wizard (Echo) and the other a Warlock (Fives).

The next full-time player is Kix, who makes a gunslinger and only shows up to every other session.

Jesse shows up to the first couple of sessions and then has to pull out, but Hardcase is happy to take his place, with a sword and board Paladin.

Tup is invited to join the game when he joins the 501st, and he hems and haws over it, but ends up joining the game and making a bard who accidentally keeps encouraging NPCs to form unions and rebel against the government. (Ahsoka finds it hilarious and leans into it).

Dogma is the last person invited to join. He considers it for a day and then borrows the Player's Handbook and the DMG, and he reads both cover to cover. When he comes to his first session, he comes with his fully made character, a rogue.

Everyone thought that Dogma would be a rules lawyer, and in a way he is. The problem is Dogma learned the rules so well that he knows exactly what to do to go around the rules.

As a result, Ahsoka has to come up with a contingency for any possible solution that Dogma comes up with. She's the most prepared DM who's ever DMed.

[feralferrule]

Saturday’s Child Chapter 4

Main pairing: Echo/f!OC, Althea

Word count: 6150-ish

Fic overview: Bad Batch modern AU. Echo/OC this is part of the Hunter and the Librarian universe by @clonethirstingisreal in which the Batch brothers live together, raising Omega.

OC Althea is a university student with a medical delivery job. Echo is a combat veteran who volunteers at the VA hospital where they meet.

Tulip is @substantial-exposure ‘s OC

Warnings: things are heating up, this chapter has swearing, physical violence, angst, tooth rotting fluff, suggestive language including mention of poly relationships, strategic performative gender roll play, kissing and sexual arousal.

This is neither well-edited nor beta read🙌

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

“Go go go go! Awwww!” Wrecker’s disappointment lingered on a groan as a shrill whistle blew and the sportscasters chatted over a replay on the screen.

Echo didn’t really see the play. Althea’s lips had pursed plushly around the edge of her drink. Her head tilted back a little as her throat worked a swallow down and her hair shifted around her face. The kitchen timer beeped. Echo refocused his attention from his peripheral vision to the floor as he braced his hand on the arm of the couch to do the maneuver to lean forward and stand as smoothly as possible.

“I’ll go check the potatoes,” Althea said, as she hopped up and glided out of the room. Her long cardigan waving behind her and exposing more of her figure that was hugged by her dress and leggings. A round of groans erupted from the other side of the seating area as a player fumbled the ball in the game.

“She was looking at you,” Jesse leaned over to say to Echo. Echo looked from Althea to him and then at Kix who was also not paying attention to the game. “So which of you’s going back there with her?”

“I’ll go see if she needs help,” said Kix.

“Leave her alone, Kix,” Echo grumbled around Jesse, “looks like the girls are going back with her anyway.”

Tulip was standing, “Wren let’s go help Althea,” she said with a wink and nodded her head toward the kitchen. Wren nodded back and they left.

“You calling dibs, Echo?” Kix asked, leaning over the back of Jesse’s shoulders.

“Why do you two keep saying that?”

“Cause you asked her out first,” said Jesse.

“We’re just trying to be fair,” Kix added, watching as Tech headed back to the kitchen.

“What makes you think she even wants any of us? That’s not why she’s here,” Echo gritted, also looking towards the kitchen.

“Well, she was talking to me and being real sweet,” Kix said, leaning back, one arm draped across the back of the couch, “and even made a pass at me when I saw her at the hospital.”

“She’s nice to everyone, Kix. What you think was a pass was just her being polite,” Echo huffed, rolling his eyes. Jesse chuckled.

Tech returned from the kitchen with plate of chips.

“Aw come on!” Wrecker boomed at the tv.

Ha!” Jesse pointed at the screen with his hand with the beer, “that’s right cause your team’s a bunch of cheaters.”

“What’s going on in there, Tech?” Kix asked.

Tech paused his bite of a chip. “They are talking but didn’t seem to want to include me- Tulip in particular.” He said with some bitterness. Crosshair smirked.

“Don’t cross her path, Tech!” Wrecker laughed.

Did Althea want you gone, too?” Jesse asked.

“No, she’s too nice- she even smil-“

“See?? She’s nice to everyone.” Echo said, “even when she doesn’t want to talk to them,”he added, looking right at Kix.

“Hey, what are you saying?” Kix asked with feigned innocence.

“He means she doesn’t actually like you,” Crosshair hissed.

“Don’t get cheeky Crosshair,” Jesse said.

“You two are going end up running her off and Echo won’t even get a chance.” Crosshair’s temper was rising.

“Yeah don’t ruin it for him,” Wrecker chimed in, still watching the game.

“That’s real funny coming from you,” Jesse said with a sneer.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Wrecker asked, fully facing him.

“You remember,” said Kix.

“Boys that was a long time ago-“ Hunter began to say.

“Ohhhh… Well I was all she needed wasn’t I?” Wrecker sassed, “and Echo’s all Althea needs.”

“Oh good grief here we go,” Echo sighed.

Kix set his beer on the side table and stood “What does that have to do with Althea?”

Hunter shifted a bit taller, sensing the increased hostility, “Little ears, fellas,” he said, glancing at Omega who had been pretending to watch the game.

Wrecker stood up, totally ignoring Hunter and facing Kix.

Jesse rose next to Kix, “Who are you to say what she needs?” He asked pointing a finger at Wrecker.

“She’s a nice person. I think Echo should have her.”

Echo shook his head and stood up to go stand between Wrecker and the other two. “Wrecker settle down, no one’s having anyone.”

“Speak for yourself, Ec,” Jesse said slyly. Echo rolled his eyes.

“Don’t you think Althea can decide for herself.” Tech said, setting his plate of chips down and pulling out his phone.

“These two think they’re calling the shots as usual,” Crosshair glared at Kix and Jesse.

“You’re just like you’ve always been, think you're better than us,” Kix said stepping toward Crosshair.

Hunter tapped Omega and motioned towards the kitchen. He stood between Wrecker and the others as Omega slipped away. “Guys settle down, before they come back in. This,” he emphasized, driving his finger toward the floor, “is a family event with Omega and the girls, don’t act like you're all back in basic.”

“I was going to say middle school,” Tech shot from where he was standing behind the couch he’d been sitting on and tapping on his phone.

“I think you two should keep going so she can hear you for herself,” Crosshair seethed at Kix.

“Hear what? You being a bitch, Cross?”

“Watch your mouth.”

“You’re out of line.”

“Take that back.”

“Make me!”

Crosshair squared up as Echo stepped next to Hunter between the other four. “Stand down!” Echo shouted, “we’re all family here and no one is better than anyone else.”

“Move aside, Echo.”

“Guys there’s a kid here.”

“You’ve changed.”

“Yeah, ya think?”

“Always with the chip on your shoulder.”

“You’ve always been a cunt,”

“Fuck you,”

“Yeah you wish,”

Someone’s fist flies past Echo’s peripheral and lands squarely on Wrecker’s jaw. “That’s it!”

“Settle down both of you!!” Hunter thundered.

“Boys this is not the time or place,” Echo growled as Wrecker shouldered around Hunter to grab Jesse by his shirt and lift him off the ground pushing into Kix who bumped into Crosshair and the two of them careened towards the tv, fists flying and collapsing on the floor, Kix pulled into a headlock. Echo stepped back and caught the tv from rocking off the stand as the lamp behind Jesse crashed to the floor.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

“What? What did they say??” Althea asked Omega, her eyes wide.

“Well I didn’t hear everything over the tv from where I was sitting, but when you came back to the kitchen, Jesse asked Echo and Kix who was going to follow you in.”

“That’s when I got up I brought Wren back with me,” Tulip added.

“So now Jesse and Wrecker are arguing which brother deserves her more and Crosshair is joining in.”

Tulip rolled her eyes.

“Oh no,” Althea worried, looking at Wren, “I do not have the social battery for this situation.”

Wren laughed out loud before she could stop herself. “Me either, and I’m not even involved,” she said.

“What are you going to do?” asked Omega.

“What was Echo doing?” Althea wondered.

“He got up between Wrecker and Jesse.”

“They’re up? Like on their feet?” asked Tulip.

“Yeah.”

Althea felt sick with a panicky combination of guilt and fear. If Echo got hurt…

Tulip narrowed her eyes at the back door. “We gotta nip this in the bud,” she said looking sidelong at Althea.

Althea sighed, looking at the hotdogs and noticing they needed to come off the grill onto a plate. She had an idea. “You’re right. lt’s because of me, I’ve got to fix this.” Taking the tongs from Tulip, she gathered the hotdogs onto the plate and turned off the grill. She looked over at Wren and noticed her color looked a little drained and she was hugging herself a bit. Althea looked at Omega and back at Wren. Tulip held the door for them as Althea carried the plate and tongs, and Omega held Wren’s hand. They all filed inside noticing how much louder it seemed with blaring commercials and several loud male voices all raised over eachother.

“You- chip- FUCK YOU- shoulder- cunt- always- did-THAT’S IT!”

“SETTLE DOWN!” Hunter’s voice rang out over it all as some loud thumps and bumps carried in with the voices.

“Maybe stay in here with Omega,” Althea said to Wren as Omega helped her to the table. Wren looked like Althea felt which made her feel even worse. She set the hotdogs down by the chili.

*Crash*

Althea and Tulip looked at each other. Althea took heart at the fire in Tulip’s eyes and set in her jaw. She knew these guys and didn’t seem afraid of any of them. Tulip led the way into the living room and surveyed the scene. Arms crossed, weight on one leg and the other foot tapping.

They all froze in turn and looked at Tulip. Wrecker holding Jesse by his shirt, Cross and Kix on the floor,

Echo holding the tv, Hunter pulling on Wrecker’s arm, and Tech by the front door, recording everything on his phone.

Althea appeared then from behind Tulip. While Tulip looked angry, lips pursed, running her tongue along her teeth, Althea looked distressed and shocked.

Wrecker dropped Jesse and Crosshair let go of Kix. Tech lowered his phone and Hunter turned to see who they were all looking at. Echo lowered his eyes, unable to bear the look on Althea’s face. Her eyes shimmered with threatening tears and she turned around and went back to the kitchen. Tulip watched her go for a second before she rounded back on them with a fury. “Nice job assholes,” she hissed at the room before stomping out.

They all looked over and up at Echo. “You all happy with yourselves now?” He gritted out. Kix and Crosshair glanced at each other. Kix shook him off and stood up.

“Now if you are all done I suggest you go in there and apologize to the girls,” Hunter said in a dangerous tone as Crosshair stood up next to Kix, making a point of not looking at him. Jesse rubbed his neck and Wrecker rubbed his hand that had been twisted in Jesse’s shirt. They looked at eachother from where they hung their heads.

“You got a smoke?” Echo asked Crosshair, only to make a face as he was offered a clove. “Never mind.”

“You quit anyway.”

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Should I just leave? No. No I have to do something first, Althea reasoned with herself as she ducked into the kitchen. Wren looked at her sympathetically from where she sat with Omega. “Are you ok?” Althea asked.

“I’ll be alright, I just need to sit a minute,” Wren said, taking a deep breath. “But how are you doing? What’s going on out there?”

Althea glanced at Omega, “They were definitely having disagreements- but it looked like Hunter and Echo were trying to stop the others and Tech had moved out of the way to video it. I’m… so sorry about this, I’ll try to fix it before I go.”

“Are you doing alright?” Tulip asked as she appeared and hovered over Wren, soothing her back.

“Yeah I’ll be fine,” Wren smiled, “Thanks for handling things in there.”

Althea picked up a plate from the counter. “Omega, I have an idea, but I need your help, what does Echo like?” Omega caught on to the idea with a big smile and helped Althea plate up what Echo liked from all the food they had laid out.

Tulip looked over at Althea and Omega curiously. Althea noticed and said, “This might be old fashioned but I think it’s the best way to handle things at this point.”

“Are you only making a plate for Echo?” Omega asked in a whisper.

“Yep,” Althea said, emphasizing the ‘p’. “Now, can you please go tell the guys food’s ready?” She moved to stand out of everyone’s way.

Omega skipped out of the kitchen feeling very conspiratorial, “Guys! food’s ready!” she hollered then skipped back in and gave the thumbs up sign at Althea. Wrecker, Jesse, Kix, all looking sheepish and patting each other’s backs, filed in. Tech, Hunter and Crosshair followed. Hunter went straight over to Wren as the others clamored around the food.

“Boys.” Echo’s deep warning sounded out through the room. He folded his arms and looked at them all, his eyes stern under the brim of his knit hat. Everything came to a halt and they turned to face Althea, Wren, Tulip and Omega.

“I- we are sorry, for being idiots,” Wrecker said, rubbing the back of his neck.

“and upsetting you,” said Kix, looking at Althea and then at his feet.

“Yeah, sorry, ladies.” Jesse said.

They all looked at Crosshair. He glowered till he caught Tulip’s eye and mumbled a sorry, flicking his eyes up at Althea briefly. Tulip went over to him and he wrapped his arms around her and murmured something in her ear. She gave him a playful swat and whispered something back to him.

“Thank you, everyone,” Althea said softly, letting her eyes linger on Echo. His scowl softened as he noticed her admiring his commanding posture and energy.

“Let’s dig in! Looks like Althea got started already!” Wrecker said.

Omega showed everyone the plates and forks as Althea intercepted Echo at the back of the queue. “I made you a plate, Echo,” she said, “Omega helped me with what you like.”

Echo looked astonished and reached for the plate, brushing fingertips with Althea. The guys all turned to look and exchanged glances. Hunter nodded at Echo and said something to Wren. “You didn’t have to do this,” Echo said, with a hint of a smile.

“Yeah, I did.” She slid her hands over his, both his prosthetic and flesh, and smiled sweetly, caressing the angles of his face with her eyes.

Breaking contact, she placed a fork on his plate for him and turned around to cut the brownies into squares and set them out on the table. She noticed Omega watching everyone’s reactions and gave her a wink. Jesse and Kix shrugged and sighed and went about piling their plates full of chili dogs. Echo set his plate on the table and sat down in one of the armed chairs. Jesse and Kix patted Echo on the shoulder as they passed him to go to the living room with Wrecker who turned and winked at Echo with a thumbs up.

“See, I knew Allie would pick-“

“Drop it Tech,” Hunter warned. Tech gave him a weak salute and joined the others leaving for the living room.

Tulip rummaged in the freezer and pulled out a bag of frozen peas. She and Crosshair sat at the table and she pressed the bag to his blooming black eye. Althea faced the table, “I’m really sorry you guys, I don't want to cause problems with your family.”

“You didn’t cause this, these guys have beef going way back,” Echo grumbled, “this crew can be hot headed.”

“It’s not your fault,” Hunter implored, “I’m sorry your first impression of us is this way.” He added glaring at Crosshair.

“They had it coming,” Crosshair seethed. Hunter sighed and shook his head.

Althea smiled weakly, but was reflecting on problems in her previous relationship. She wanted to stay but felt that she ought to leave. Echo and the others watched her grow quiet and withdrawn.

It started to rain hard. A gust of wind slammed the screen door closed outside, snapping Althea out of her reverie. “Oh I’ll go cover the grill,” she said.

She ducked outside, found and struggled with the grill cover in the pelting rain, soaked and chilled and crying. She should have left as soon as she felt the tension. Now the brothers or cousins whatever they were- their family- were having problems. She was trouble. It was a refrain her mind spun and spun.

“Althea,” a deep, warm voice and presence was behind her. She felt the rain stop hitting her and heard it patter on an umbrella. She turned around. Echo was so close. She felt his warmth as he handed her the umbrella and took the grill cover. He quickly fit it over the grill as she held the umbrella over him. He turned back to her and reached for the umbrella again. As the porch light illuminated her face he noticed she had been crying. She saw him notice and cast her eyes down, chin trembling. He drew her into his arms. “You did nothing wrong, I’m so sorry, Althea.”

She nuzzled into his shoulder and took a big shuddering breath. She wrapped her free arm around him under his. Clinging to him she felt his strong, broad back and shoulders through his hoodie jacket. He smelled like soap and fabric softener, and man.

“I should go.”

“Please stay,” he said into her hair, breathing in the scent of her shampoo, desperately hoping she wouldn't run off already. He tried to hold her gently and not squeeze her fast like he wanted to.

The feeling of his warm breath on the shell of her ear gave her butterflies. She looked up at him, a breath away. His golden hazel eyes were intense like a cat’s but warm and soft and caring. And they burned with want. Althea looked between them and to his lips then back up to his eyes.

He was doing the same, her mouth was so close.

She closed her eyes and nuzzled his nose, her lips barely a whisper away from his, letting him take the next step.

His mouth was on hers, pressing a soft yet firm kiss to her lips and pressing the umbrella handle between their bodies. She felt warmth bloom inside her and let go of the umbrella to wrap that arm around him. She melted into him as the umbrella shifted and settled on their heads. He cradled her head, his fingers in her hair. She pressed her body flush against his, pulling him to her. He wrapped his prosthetic arm around her lower back and squeezed her to him. She squeaked, surprised at his strength with that arm and parted her lips to take a breath and ran her tongue along his lower lip, inviting him to deepen the kissing. He met her tongue with his and she opened her mouth more, angling her head for him. He dove inside her mouth caressing her tongue with his, tilting his head to the other side and holding her face and jaw and threading his fingers back through her hair. Her heart felt like it wanted to fly away and she tried catching it with her breath. She made little sighs into his mouth which drove him wild with desire and he hummed lowly as he kissed her more ravenously.

“Echo?”

They both froze against each other’s mouths. The door cracked open. “Jesse and Kix are leaving. Oh.” Hunter stopped short as he noticed how closely they were standing, their heads covered by the umbrella but their arms clearly around each other.

“Bye Echo!” Jesse said from further in the house.

“Heeeeyyyy. Althea, if it doesn’t work out with Echo you know how to find us.” Kix said from the doorway.

Echo kept their lips together as he reached back and closed the door on the three of them. Althea smiled against his lips and nuzzled his nose.

“Find -us?” Althea asked between kisses.

He sighed and considered his words, “They like.. to share their women.”

Althea's eyes widened with surprise and then realization that they’d been dropping hints to that the whole time. He seemed a little uncomfortable with the subject so she didn’t ask about what that meant exactly. She kissed him back along his jaw which was prickly with stubble. “You mean I passed up a two for one deal?” She teased kissing just under his ear, making him shiver.

“And picked my shrinkflated dented can ass.” He said as he nuzzled her ear back.

“Oh I think I got the better buy,” she said, pulling back to look him in the eyes.

He smirked, “you don’t strike me as that cheap.” A flicker of sadness dimmed his eyes briefly as he caressed her cheek.

“Oh you’re right,” she said, looking at him through her eyelashes, “I have very good taste- for kindness,” she gave him little kisses to punctuate each word, “intelligence, respectability, integrity, bravery, sexiness,” she smiled into the last kiss. “You’re the package deal.”

Not believing his wildest dream luck, he kissed her face back to her ear heading for her neck.

“What about you? Is sharing a family tradition?” she teased, figuring she already knew his answer.

He practically growled, squeezing her firmly with his arm, flexing his fingers in her hair, sucking and raking his teeth under her ear, making her keen. “I’m selfish.”

She shiverd, as much from arousal as from the cold. “You're, oh!,” her breath hitched as he moved lower down her neck, “you’re warm.”

It started to rain harder and he felt her shivering more. As he grasped the umbrella and guided her to the door they heard car doors and an engine start. He left the umbrella at the door and brought her to sit at the table then went out to the living room. “Wrecker throw me that blanket,” Echo pointed at the throw blanket draped over the back of the chair he was sitting in. Wrecker pulled it out from behind him and threw it to Echo.

Althea felt a warm, fluffy soft blanket wrap around her.

Echo squeezed her arm and pulled away. She heard him rummaging, boiling water, pouring, stirring.

He brought her a very aromatic steaming mug just as she sneezed. “It’s a gingery chai tea. I hope that’s ok.” He handed her a tissue.

“Oh thank you, I love spicy teas.”

“It makes me feel warmer when I’m cold.” He sat down, straddling her, his arm around her shoulder.

“Thank you Echo,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder. “Echo?”

“Yeah?”

She shivered and he pulled the blanket up on her more as she cuddled into him closer. “I just like saying your name.”

He nuzzled her hair, “I like hearing you say it. Thea, can I call you that? You don’t seem like an Allie to me.”

She smiled, “Yeah I like that.”

“Thea, I’m sorry about tonight, my family is a lot and it wasn’t fair to you to be piled on and Tech shouldn’t have”-

“No don’t spin it that way, this was probably the only way that the forces that be could have gotten us together.”

“Are we together, I mean do you really want that?”

“Mm hmm,” she hummed, looking at his eyes that were so hopeful it made her heart ache, “I want that- want you.”

He let out a breath he had been holding, his heart soared.

She pulled out her phone. “I was going to send you this later,” she said as she pulled up their text conversation and tapped on the unsent photo. “I put the card you gave me on my dresser with all of my special things. I never thought I’d be able to get to this point with anyone again and the more I ran into you at work the more- I’ve wanted to kiss you all weekend.”

“I’ve wanted to kiss you a lot longer than that.”

“Oh?” She looked up at him.

“I noticed you the first day you started.”

“Really? I was so lost,” she giggled.

“You seemed like you knew what you were doing.”

“Thanks I guess I played that off pretty good.” She sat up quickly and ducked away from him to sneeze.

She sipped her tea as he kissed her temple. He got up and brought her the box of tissues.

“Thanks, Echo, can I use your bathroom?”

“Of course, it’s right through there,” he said pointing to a little hallway next to the stairs.She grabbed her bag and slipped into the bathroom.

He sat there using the moment to process the events of the last hour or so. “Hey, how’s everything?” Hunter asked as he went over to the fridge and grabbed a soda.

“I think ok- Better than ok, really.”

“That’s great, brother,” Hunter said, “make any plans yet?”

“No, I’ve got to come up with something.”

Hunter pats his shoulder, “Let us know if we can help.”

“Thanks, man,” Echo said, feeling deeply grateful for the offer. He hadn’t dated since getting blown up in the war and was starting to spin up thoughts of not being able to be who he thought Althea deserved.

Hunter noticed him get a little sullen, “Hey come watch halftime, you and Althea can sit together.” Echo nodded and they went out to the living room.

“You’re welcome,” Crosshair deadpanned.

“For what?” Echo asked, annoyed.

“I told those two idiots to leave.”

“Oh I was wondering why they left.”

“Kix had a shift coming up and Jesse had to drop him off before they had anything more to drink,” Tech clarified.

“Well I did tell them to leave, anyway,” Crosshair grumped.

“Where’s Althea?” asked Wren

“In the bathroom,” Hunter said as he sat next to her, taking her hand. Wren rested her head on his shoulder. “Do you need to lie down?” Hunter asked.

“I thought about doing that earlier, but I’m ok now,” she said.

Echo kept glancing toward the kitchen and bathroom and started fidgeting. He couldn’t help but wonder if Althea was alright. Wren noticed him and could tell he was agitated. As the minutes ticked by and several commercials played Wren found herself trying harder to pay attention to the tv. She got up and walked over to the bathroom door. Tulip followed.

Washing her hands, Althea looked in the mirror and got a makeup wipe out of her bag and cleaned the little bit of bleary eye makeup off her lower eyelids. She applied fresh mascara and some bb cream to camouflage the splotchy mess from crying. She then added some more tinted lipgloss that tasted like vanilla and honey. She ran a mini brush through her damp hair and decided that was good enough. Her reflection still reminded her of a pathetic wet cat.

There was a knock at the door. “Hey, sorry to bother, but are you alright?” Wren’s voice sounded muffled through the door.

Althea opened the door to see both Tulip and Wren. “Yeah I’m better now, sorry to hog the bathroom. Sorry for all the drama.”

“Oh it’s alright we just wanted to check on you, not use the bathroom, there’s another upstairs, anyway,” Wren assured her.

“Totally not your fault, those jerks really did have that coming.” Tulip softened her frown and reached out and gave Althea’s hand a squeeze.

“You’ll be ok,” said Wren, “all the guys here totally support you and Echo. He will take good care of your heart. come out and sit with us. Did you get any food?”

“I really didn’t intend to stay this long and need to get home,” Althea worried.

“At least watch halftime with us, I’m sure it will be as awful as every other Super Bowl,” said Tulip.

Althea laughed, “Ok, just halftime should be ok.” They walked out toward the kitchen where Wrecker, Omega and Tech were hovering over the brownies.

“You brought the brownies?” Wrecker said to Althea, “Aw they’re so good, thanks!”

“Yes, they are rather good,” said Tech.

“Fankooo,” Omega said through a mouthful. They each grabbed another.

“You are welcome,” Althea cheered, “and thank you for having me over.”

Are you leaving?” asked Wrecker, noticing she was holding her purse.

“Not yet,” she said, hanging her bag on the back of a chair. I’ll stay through halftime, but I have so much homework to finish.”

“Oh I’m glad I don’t have homework anymore, don't miss that at all!” Wrecker declared.

“Would you like something to eat?” Wren asked.

“Thank you, but I'll just finish my drink, I think, I’m too all over the place to think about eating.”

“I totally get that,” Wren said.

Echo was sitting on one end of the larger main couch and Hunter on the other. Wren sat next to Hunter and Omega sat next to her in the middle. Althea came around and smiled at Echo who leaned forward and stood, offering her his seat at the end. Omega started to pout. “Thank you, Echo, I’ll sit right here so I’m next to you and Omega, I think.”

Omega beamed as Althea sat by her and Echo lowered himself back down. It was a cozy fit and Echo’s broad shoulder bumped against Althea’s. She wanted to really snuggle up to him, but didn’t want to get too intimate with Omega right there and everyone else around. She found his hand and rested hers on it.

“Well, well, well, look at that. The matchmaker in all her glory between her handiwork.” Crosshair said as Tulip squeezed next to him on the oversized chair he was in. Omega got a big grin on her face. Hunter reached behind Wren to pat and ruffle Omega’s hair.

“Oh?” Althea looked over at Wren.

Wren blushed, “Well, she really worked hard on us,” she said, squeezing Hunter’s hand.

Tech cleared his throat where he was stretched out on the garage couch, “Ahem.”

“Oh sorry Tech,” said Omega, “I guess you did help,” she teased.

Tech scoffed in mock offense.

Althea patted Omega's hand and they giggled together. Then, looking over at Echo, and loosing herself in his eyes, she threaded their fingers together. “Thank you, Tech,” she said without looking away.

“Get a room,” Crosshair scoffed. Tulip elbowed him in the ribs and he grinned devilishly, tickling her back and making her squeal.

Althea raised an eyebrow at that suggestion and parted her lips in a tiny smile, still looking at Echo, feeling her heartbeat a little faster. She noticed his eyes dilate a little before a look of fear flashed on his face and he looked down at his legs. Althea squeezed his hand and tilted her head till he looked back up at her. She leaned over to whisper in his ear, “As much as I like your family, I’d really like to be alone with you.” She punctuated that with a tiny kiss on his jaw.

“What is this music?”

“Who is this?”

“I like their outfits.”

“Of course you do, Wrecker.”

“You know you do, too.”

“Do you know who this is?”

“Yeah, they’re pretty cool.”

Echo and Althea tore their eyes from each other to see what everyone was talking about. Althea was familiar with the singer, Echo seemed to find it interesting, but neither of them found it better than just being next to each other. Althea was feeling increasingly tired, and felt a tickle in her throat. She felt a sneeze coming on and lept up and managed to step away and pull out a tissue that she had stowed in her dress pocket before sneezing.

“I may have caught a cold outside. I’d better get going.”

“Awww,” Omega protested, “Can’t you stay for the whole game?”

“I’m sorry sweetie, I promise I’ll be back another time.”

Echo stood and put his hand on the small of her back. “Are you ok to drive, one of us can take you home if you need and another can drive your car.”

“I’m fine to drive but want to get home before I feel any worse,” she replied.

“Please eat something at least,” he said.

“I’ll take some with me I think,” she said as he steered her to the kitchen with concern on his face.

He pulled a plastic food container out of a cabinet. “Your’re going to have to help me with what you like this time,” he said. “Oh I like everything except that liquid nacho cheese stuff- I’ll eat it but not when there’s everything else.”

“Do you want a hotdog, baked potato or both?”

“I think half a baked potato, they’re so big.”

He filled the container and snapped its lid on as she grabbed her bag. He handed her the container and she nestled it in her bag so it wouldn’t tip over. They walked to the front and Echo pulled her coat and umbrella out of the front closet where Tech stowed it. He helped her put it on and she turned around to say goodbye to everyone just as Omega threw her arms around her. “Thank you for coming over, I’m so glad you picked Echo.”

“Omega-“ Hunter began.

Althea held up her hand, “It’s ok Hunter,” she said with a small laugh and knelt down to give Omega a proper hug. “I am so happy that I get you in my life along with Echo. I feel very lucky.” Omega squeezed her harder and let go, stepping back and wiping her eye with her sleeve. Althea stood back up, “ Good bye, everyone, see you soon hopefully. Thank you, ladies,” she added, looking at Wren and Tulip.

Everyone said their goodbyes and Althea shuffled out the front door with Echo close behind. The door closed and Althea turned to Echo, “I wish I could stay longer. I really like spending time with you and I always seem to have to run.”

“Do you have any free time this week?” He cozied up to her and held her around her waist.

“I should on Tuesday after class.”

“We can meet for that coffee..”

She smiled, “It’s a date.” She slid her arms around him. He squeezed her, his hand caressing her back, resting his forehead to hers.

“Text me when you’re home safe?” he said.

“Ok.” She closed her eyes and nuzzled him with her smaller nose.

They hesitated, both not wanting to tear apart from the other and knowing kissing now would make it so much harder. He kissed her, anyway. She leaned into it and playfully bit his lower lip. “Ayee!” she squeaked out as he hummed almost a growl, spun her around and pressed her against the side of the house, crashing his mouth against hers, knocking teeth. His hand threaded through her hair. He felt possessive but restrained. For a split second she felt his arousal press into her hip before he backed off of her, his kiss ending with a trail of nibbles and pecks along her jaw.

She panted, not having expected him to maneuver her around like that, and wanting to feel all of him again, “I have to go for real.”

“Ok so go,” he said against the spot he’d found under her ear that made her quiver.

“You aren’t making this any easier,” she said with a gasp as he grazed that spot with teeth and tongue.

“I know.” He pulled back with a smirk and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips still holding her around her waist.

“Echo?” said a voice from out on the sidewalk. They both turned to see who it was and saw a man in a wheelchair by the driveway.

“Hey, Trace.”

“I don't mean to interrupt- who-“ he squinted in the evening gloom.

“You remember Althea?”

“Ohhh Althea, hi! You came?”

“Maybe soon,” she whispered in Echo’s ear, catching his eye with a minxy little smile. She could feel his hand grip into her waist as he turned a shade pinker. “Hi, Trace, I was just leaving.”

“Go ahead to the back, Trace, I’ll meet you inside,” Echo called over to him, “help yourself to any food.”

“Ok thanks, man. Bye, Althea.” He wheeled up the driveway and out of sight.

“Bye Trace,” Althea called and looked back at Echo.

“Definitely soon,” she blinked at him, enjoying how flustered he seemed. His prominent adams apple bobbed as he swallowed. He gripped her harder and was about to say something, but she ducked her head into her coat to sneeze and fished another tissue from her pocket. “Oh I’m so sorry, I don't want to get you sick, too,” she sniffled.

“Then we’d just have to recover together,” he smiled, tucking the hair in her face behind her ear.

“I’d better actually go,” she said sadly.

“Drive safe, Thea.”

She huffed a sigh and walked away from him. Then skittered back to him, held his face and kissed him quickly, turned and trotted through the puddles to her car before she let herself get caught up any longer. He did have a new guest inside and she imagined Trace was wanting to hear all about everything.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Trace munched on chips at the table and listened to Omega account all the details of her observations of Althea’s visit. He and Echo exchanged looks when she got to parts she didn’t really have the whole story on. Echo’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He fished it out and saw the text notification from Althea. He opened the message which included a picture of some papers and a laptop with something like chemistry and math calculations:

Wish I was with you

Me too, don’t stay up too late

*He sent a picture of the empty brownie pan

Glad I got one

😮 wow they really liked them

The chili is delicious, pass my compliments on to Hunter

👍will do

Ok gotta focus

Good night

Good night 💋

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Notes: if you are confused about the extended batch family it’s ok, so is Althea. The modern AU here is inspired by the ideas of Modern Batch AU and Modern Fives AU stories by kaydear (Illyria_Lives) on AO3 by way of the Hunter and the Librarian. (Can’t get the links to work) They are really good, highly recommend. So Jango is their dad and he was a sperm donor so there’s alot of siblings out there, and, well, it gets complex. I’m putting a slightly different spin on the background.

Tag list (let me know if you’d like to be added😊):

@adamime @substantial-exposure @clonethirstingisreal @crosshairs-dumb-pimp-gf @transactivecybermemory @griffedeloup @returnofthepineapple

[clone-anon-after-dark]

Clones with an Asexual / Acespec Partner Headcanons

I’ve never written headcanons on here before, but thought I’d give it a go.

Word Count: 2915

Warning and Author’s Note: Some discussion of sex.  Some asexuals have sex.  Also mention of sex-repulsion because some asexuals do not ever want to have sex and both are fine and good.  There are a lot of asexuals who are interested in partnership - romantic or not - so I thought I might write out some ideas about what that might look like with some clones

Included are Hunter, Tech, Echo, Wrecker, Crosshair, Mayday, Rex, Cody, Gregor, Wolffe, Fox, Kix, Hardcase, Fives, Jesse, Dogma, and Tup

Hunter

Hunter loves a partner who is passionate and wants to do the right thing.  He would never be with someone who doesn’t also have the Omega stamp of approval.  Domestic Hunter? Yes.  He loves the steps you’ve taken to have a home that is friendly to his senses.  No strong scents in the soaps or detergents. Blackout curtains. Towels, blankets, and sheets that are friendly to his sense of touch.  You showed your love by making your home friendly for him and he has never been more in love.  Hunter pays attention to other people and takes care of his family, so he was incredibly moved by someone caring about his needs in this way.  Hunter will do little things around the house to show you he cares about you.  You’ll come home to clean dishes, a tidied bedroom, or freshly cleaned clothes.  Sex might be too much for his senses and sometimes touch is too much in and of itself, so he strongly believes in communicating what you both need.  He’s always open to finding ways to express how much you care for each other and creating a stronger partnership.

Tech

Tech is acespec in some way.  He might rarely or never experience sexual attraction.  This man expresses his love best in quality time and acts of service.  You will want for nothing.  He might be too busy to think about feeding himself, but he will have an alarm to remind himself to pick up some food and make sure you eat.  He’ll eat with you and want to hear about your day or tell you about what he’s working on.  Besides researching topics of interest and fixing things, he loves going to museums and aquariums with you, watching documentaries, and sitting together in the same room reading.  If you want cuddle time? He’s open to it.  You’ll have to tell him the details of how to hold you and what you want and eventually he will start figuring out what he likes too.  Tech is open to experiences, so if you want to have sex for closeness or to satisfy your libido, he would try it.  “Physical urges and attraction are not the same thing,” he says.  He’s always understanding that some people don’t or rarely feel sexual attraction and for him, it’s just a matter of fact.  It doesn’t change how he feels about you.  If you never want to have sex, he is completely fine with it.  He wants to tell you about his latest project working on the hyperdrive anyway.

Echo

Echo loves your desire to fight for what’s right.  He loves how you care about people and he feels so at home with you.  Echo doesn’t like solitude so the biggest thing is going to be spending time together.  He loves reading.  Sitting together, snuggling on the couch or in separate chairs and reading something that interests each of you? Yes.  Do you like hanging out with his family and have a good sense of humor? Those are big things in his book.  

I know there are some theories that Echo only lost part of his legs and other people believe he lost everything from the waist down (plus his arm). But guess what it doesn’t matter.  In either case, Echo wants to be loved for who he is.  He wants to love you for who you are.  What you both can or cannot do physically doesn’t phase him.

Crosshair

Crosshair is protective of his heart and does not easily open up to others. He does not like vulnerability and that also means he also doesn’t get sexually intimate easily.  I think he’s at least demiromantic, needing to know someone before opening himself up to a relationship like that, so he understands not having certain types of attraction.  He does like physical touch once you are close enough, but that can mean all kinds of things.  He likes little private moments with you where you can steal away time together.  If you want to blow off some sexy steam together, he’s game, but never pressuring.  It’s more about closeness and sharing something with you that no one else gets.  If you aren’t interested, he likes to cuddle.  Sometimes he wants to be the little spoon and other times he wants to be the big spoon but he would never want anyone to know he’s a cuddler.  After all he’s been through, Crosshair wants to feel safe with you and protect and love you at the same time.

Wrecker

Wrecker loves to show his love with physical affection.  He loves hugs and holding hands and picking you up and twirling you around.  As long as you are okay with some kind of physical touch, he’s more than happy.  He loves when you fall asleep on top of him.  He loves watching holos with you, eating snacks, and cuddling.  If you want to have some sexy times, he’s game, but ultimately doesn’t need that.  He wants someone he can have fun with!

Jesse

Jesse is so incredibly sweet. He loves cuddling and pulling you in close to sit on his thighs.  The first time he does this he can tell you’re a little worried (maybe that he will try to take things further), so he is very reassuring, showing you he just wants to be close.  He loves touch, but only if it’s something you like too.  He likes consistency and so his primary desire in a relationship is someone he can trust and depend on and he also wants to be that for the person he’s with.  He understands that just because you don’t feel sexual attraction doesn’t mean you don’t love him.  There’s a reason you want to share your life with him, after all.  He lets you take the lead when it comes to any kind of physical touch, including sex.  He’s a lot of fun in bed if you go down that road for closeness or address your physical needs.  Otherwise, he loves cuddling in bed. He is most comfortable spooning and having an arm around you in some way.

Hardcase

While I don’t necessarily get ace vibes from Hardcase, I think he would be great with an ace partner. Especially if they are extroverted.  A typical day would involve waking up, eating quickly, and some kind of adventure.  Whether it’s getting up to shenanigans at a water park, or playing paintball, or spending the day at work for you and at the barracks for him, I see him happy to be busy.  I think he would love to come home and eat some good food. He loves take out.  He quickly realizes that you not wanting sex sometimes doesn’t mean he can’t have self-care time on his own.  If you like the idea, he would love for you to buy him a sex toy.  He sees it as a way to stay connected on that level without making you uncomfortable, which is the last thing he wants.  He is very open to learning what it means to be asexual, and quickly learns that not having sexual attraction doesn’t mean you have zero sex drive.  He loves taking the time to learn what makes you feel good physically and where the boundaries are.

Tup

Tup is a sweetheart who loves quality time with his partner.  He would love to explore hobbies like video games, baking, cooking, or anything with animals.  Tup loves anything that is relaxing and he is for sure a cuddler.  If you aren’t into touch, he likes things like sharing a blanket while sitting together or finding a happy middle ground like maybe holding your hand or sharing clothes.  If you want to satisfy your own urges together, Tup is absolutely up for it.  He thinks you’re incredibly sexy and gorgeous and likes to take his time and make you feel good.  

Dogma

Oh sweet Dogma.  This man loves rules and boundaries.  He loves knowing what is on and off limits because it makes him feel safe and secure.  He also feels loved when you want to know his own boundaries.  It shows him you care.  So Dogma doesn’t really care about what the actual boundaries are so long as he knows them.  He is quite nervous to initiate physical contact, even kissing, but he does say when he would like to try something.  He’s very communicative.  He does not mind if something is off limits. He just wants to show you love.  He takes up baking, loving the precision of measuring the ingredients, so you can expect treats every time he sees you.  When it comes to intimate relationships, Dogma knows there are many different ways to be intimate.  He wants to be understood and show you that you’re the one who has his heart.

Fives

Fives loves a good time.  It was something that drew you in from the beginning.  When he first asked you out, you couldn’t deny he had some kind of magnetism.  He was a total goofball.  He knew about your asexuality before you started dating. You might have been a bit surprised when he asked you out, but couldn’t say no.  Fives tells you right away that you can take the lead on anything physical.  He likes kissing, but especially loves hugs.  If you’re up for fooling around, he loves it. If you never want that, he understands.  He just wants to be with you.  It takes him a long time to admit that he would absolutely love to shower with you.  A hot shower helps him relieve stress and he sees it as a way to spend some relaxing time with you, but he doesn’t want it to seem like he’s asking for more, so he might need some reassurance once he brings it up.  Ultimately though, he loves quality time together.  There will joking, laughter, and joy.  Fives is also a wonderful friend and partner who you can trust.  While you wouldn’t necessarily have taken Fives to be very serious, he’s incredibly serious about your happiness and making sure you have every little thing you want.  If you’re having a hard day, he listens and holds your hand.

Kix

Kix loves being your partner.  He loves the domesticity of coming home and snuggling on the couch.  He might love doing some other things on the couch if you want, but he understands if you don’t want to.  He loves laying on the couch while you lay on top of him and watch holomovies.  He loves little kisses and holding hands.  He loves reading in bed next to you before falling asleep.  He’s also seen a lot during the war and carries a lot of grief.  He trusts you with his grief and sometimes he just needs someone to cry to about it all.  If you like romance or are in more of a romantic mood, he will go all out.  Favorite flowers, candy, foods, whatever you love.  He takes the time to learn your favorites for those occasions. You want slow kisses next time he’s on leave? He won’t stop thinking about it.  You simply want to collapse into someone’s arms? He wants nothing more than to provide those arms for you.

Gregor

Gregor is open to learning about anything, but his favorite topic is you.  He loves going out with you, dancing, and laughing.  He loves a good time.  If you’re shy, he finds a way to help you come out of your shell around him a little without pressing the issue.  He wants you to feel secure with him.  Gregor loves kissing and wouldn’t mind getting physical and when he asks about your boundaries going further, your heart sinks. You’re worried about where this is going and haven’t exactly told him about your sexuality yet. You quickly find that he just wants to express how he feels.  He asks a lot of questions about what it means for you to be asexual.  He’s inquisitive.  If you don’t want to have sex ever, he takes the time to hear how close you want to be and what feels safe to you.  He’s definitely not opposed to things like masturbating together if you want to go down that route sometimes.  Ultimately he realizes that his favorite thing to do with you is turn on some music and dance in the living room.

Wolffe

There’s actually a fic about this here.  Wolffe might be grumpy sometimes, but you make his life so much better and you get to see softer sides of him that no one else does.  You understand him and he appreciates your support.  He wants you to feel loved in the way that you want to be loved.  He is completely comfortable taking care of his sexual needs on his own.  He loves snuggling with you at night.  That’s his favorite.  He loves holding you and being held by you.  You’re comforting to him.  Before falling asleep, he likes chatting with you about how the day went and or reading a holonovel together.  

Rex

Rex is awkward around people in social situations, but you’re happy to help him navigate relationships.  He doesn’t think much about sex because frankly, he’d just like to make it through this conversation without getting lost in his own worry.  Over time he starts to relax more and you find that quiet time with the two of you is much preferred to going out.  He’s even nervous to hold your hand, but you tell him it’s totally okay.  Once he realizes how deep his feelings are, he has to speak with you.  He likes to know where things are headed and what kind of relationship you want. Queerplatonic? He quite likes that.  Or something with more of a romantic bend? Yes, sure, that could also work just fine too.  The only thing he really doesn’t want is to be with someone purely for the physical aspects.  His feelings toward his partner are so strong and he wants nothing more than to protect you and let you know he’ll always be there for you.

Cody

Snuggle king.  He is under so much pressure as a marshal commander and then later after the war, he’s dealing with a lot of mixed feelings about everything that happened.  He loves that he can be with you, go to bed or lay on the couch, and hang on to you. He likes little kisses on the top of his head while you hold him.  It helps him let go of stress and worry.  He can feel you right there with him and it’s the safest place in the galaxy.  You’re asexual? Great.  He just wants to love you the way you want to be loved.  You want romance? He will hold your hand and kiss the back of it.  You want domestic partnership? He will hug you and do your laundry. Do you need some space to yourself? That’s fine.  He will just be over here watching a holo and napping after buying groceries so you don’t have to worry about it.  You want a quickie to blow off some steam? He’s game.  You want to shower naked and wash each other’s hair and feel close that way? He’s good with that too.  You want to swap pillowcases while he’s gone so you can both feel close that way instead? He thinks that’s the best thing he’s ever heard.

Mayday

Mayday wants to be with you, preferably on a planet that rarely gets snow.  You fell for his dry sense of humor and how much he cares about the people he’s close to.  He worries about losing more people in his life, so he was cautious to approach you.  Once he realizes you’re around to stay, he starts to relax. Mayday likes to do little things to show he cares.  He really gets into cooking hot meals.  He loves making fresh soups and gardening.  When he starts baking bread you swear you will never buy a loaf ever again.  After all he’s been through, he’s happy to have the chance to be with someone and feel at home.  Getting physical? He likes hugs, cuddles, and kisses if you’re okay with it.  Just chaste kisses or little pecks on the cheek all you want? Absolutely.  Whether he addresses his own sex drive on his own or as a mutual endeavor (if you’re open to it) doesn’t matter to him.  It takes him a long time to open up in some ways, but once he does he’s always making sure you’re on the same page.  He will always cautiously wait until he gets a green light.

Fox

He’s just happy to come over to your place and sleep in a real bed.  This man is all about relaxation when he���s with you.  Whatever that looks like, he loves it.  It can be the simplest things, like having extra comfortable shorts to wear around your apartment, or folding laundry together before putting fresh sheets on the bed.  He feels so comfortable with you and that’s the most important thing to him.

Tagging: @kixs-husband @staycalmandhugaclone @wreckers-wife @dukeoftheblackstar

[squintyeyedjoel]

Through Your Eyes | Part 2 - More than Meets the Eye (Joel x Reader)

A/N: IT’S FINALLY FUCKING HERE!!!! I’m so sorry it took so long! I’ve been sitting on this for almost a year and it’s just been evolving and marinating and improving, and I hope it lives up to the hype. It’s time for it to be set free. ✨ This is truly a hybrid of game and show Joel. I see them both, hence both gifs.

I do not own The Last of Us or it’s characters. Sadly. But I carry them in my heart. Does that count for something? My soul says yes.

Warnings: Oooo, this one’s a doozy. So many things. (Let me know if I miss anything.) 😮‍💨 Some original characters, mentions of an elderly family member passing, lots of canon violence and swearing, (this one is a big one. Like a lot. There’s a hefty amount of swearing.) mention of attempted sexual assault (not to reader) without detail, graphic description of injury (not to reader) and blood, attempted abduction? Reader is a badass and sports a black eye and bloody knuckles with pride. Panic attack? But Joel scares it away. 😌 We round it all out with obscene amounts of fluff and humor between it all, sweet moments, and just soft things. It’s me. I can’t not. No use of Y/N.

Word count: 11,928

Thank you to @fordo-kixed-rex for reading over this five bazillion times for me and fangirling over it when I was having my down moments. You’re a real one.

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Xxx

You rocked in the saddle of your horse as she slowly followed behind the first few people in the group.

Left.

Right.

Left. 

Right.

Over.

And over.

And over.

Some quicker footfalls to your left made you turn your head, seeing Joel atop his horse come alongside you before slowing his steed back to the slow crawl the rest had fallen into.

“You okay?” He mumbled. “Look like you’re about to fall asleep.”

“Don’t tempt me,” you groused, turning back to face forward with a yawn.

He huffed out a laugh before shaking his head at you almost imperceptibly, nudging his horse to go a little faster toward the front of the group.

Watching him with narrowed brows, you saw everyone else make sure to steer clear of him, giving him a wide berth and a clear path to the front. Tommy’s words from that first day rang in your head.

“You saw a side of Joel right out the gate some wait a lifetime to miss.”

Joel whistled loudly, gathering everyone’s attention, as the whole party came to a stop. “Alright! Listen up!” Some grumbles began to go around, but stopped with one crook of his brow. “That’s an awful lot of yappin’ for people suppose t’be listenin’.” 

If a pin had dropped in the grass underfoot, it would have echoed in the vast forest around you. Even nature seemed to heed his warning, only a few stray birds chirping somewhere in the distance brave enough to break the silence. A lone frog echoed in a nearby creek bed. A few bugs buzzed by, trying to ease the tension, and it seemed to work, because finally Joel went on after staring at everybody.

“We need to pick up the pace. This isn’t a leisurely walk to the park and back. We have a goal we need to get to, and back, and we got one week to do it.”

“Who made you the boss?” Some poor brave soul asked from behind you. A young man, maybe in his mid twenties from how he sounded. You didn’t dare turn to look at him, not wanting to move your eyes from Joel, because if looks could kill…. Joel would currently be facing a serious charge for the way he was glowering at the faceless voice behind you.

“Common sense.” A few small laughs went around the group, the corner of Joel’s mouth twitching up just slightly when he saw you shake your head with a smirk. “This was my run- our run,” he pointed to you then back to himself before retaking the reins to his horse, “and the council thought it best you all tag along to bring the most back we could. Now I don’t mind-”

“Yes, you do,” another voice behind you said, female, almost teasingly, making another round of soft laughter go around.

“Fine. I mind. A lot. But we’re here now. So, since you’re tagging along on our run, what we say goes. Agreed?” When no one protested, he gestured you up to the front with a tilt of his head, going on while you nudged your horse forward. 

“Now, we need to move faster. Any bandits or infected we pass by would pick us off like flies at this pace. The cart will be the slowest, I want the four of you to stay with the cart at all times and watch all four sides.” He pointed to four individuals who nodded, moving toward the cart pulled by a single horse and rider. 

“The three of you pull up the rear.” More pointing and nodding. “The rest of you, in the middle. Keep your eyes open. Everyone keep at a steady pace, we camp at sundown wherever that is. Don’t push your horses too far.” He began to turn his own mount to move forward. “Not their fault we’re a bunch of dumbasses.”

“I think that’s the most I’ve ever heard him say at once,” you heard someone mutter behind you, making you smile.

“At once? Try ever,” another retorted.

Joel looked over at you. “What? Why you grinnin’?”

“They respect you.”

He scoffed. “That so hard to believe?”

“It’s a side of you I’ve not seen before. I’m used to bad puns and screwdrivers, not….” You made a swooping gesture to the group behind you, “that.”

He shook his head once, tisking at you. “Shows what you know. I’m actually partly in charge of security around Jackson.”

Your eyes widened as you turned as much as your saddle would allow to look at him, the leather creaking against the movement. “Really?”

He nodded once in confirmation, a proud smile starting up his face. “Only a part time type’f thing, and it’s purely on a trial basis right now, but…. Yeah.” He grinned brightly at you. “The jokin’ and woodworkin’ are just for fun.” The smile turned somewhat dopey and lopsided.

“There’s more to you than meets the eye, Joel Miller.” He rolled his eyes at you, the grin melting into a scoff and his signature sour expression with impressive speed. Though his eyes still shone brightly, giving away his true amusement. “And I’m gonna try to see it all.”

Shaking his head at you again, Joel looked back forward, nudging his horse to go a bit faster and pull ahead of you. “Nah. Not that deep, darlin’.”

Urging your mount forward, you maneuvered to your right, and fell in beside him with a grin. “That’s what you think.”

Joel tilted his head down and to the side toward you as he spoke for emphasis, keeping his eyes forward. “That’s what I know.” He cut his gaze to you briefly after a moment to try and drive his point home before straightening back up in his saddle, his eyes going studiously back to the wide expanse of land ahead. 

Your grin melted into a smirk, seemingly a new permanent fixture since moving to Jackson. Or more specifically, since moving in with Joel and Ellie. That thought made the side of your mouth tick even higher. “We’ll see.”

Xxx

In the chaos of starting up a new life in Jackson, you’d overlooked one little detail. While you could repair and paint just about anything on your own, you were shit at stitching any stuffed toys back together Joel happened on during runs. It was possible, but it was slow going, and to be honest, looked a bit like field dressings for a battle wound instead of repairs. 

You’d thrown the last attempt of an old wrinkled teddy bear at Joel when he’d called it Sargent Cuddles, Ellie only adding to the confirmation when she asked if you could make an eyepatch for the bear instead to cover the deep scar you’d given it by way of cross stitches.

Halfway through that first week, you’d walked into the town’s seamstress with the best smelling cinnamon loaf the bakery had to offer, fresh and steaming, under your arm. When the girl behind the counter stopped what she was doing, setting down the socks she was darning while her nose went high in the air like a bloodhound as she took a deep sniff with her eyes glassed over, you grinned. 

Target acquired.

“Can I help you?” Her voice was soft and kind, and her smile as she rose to her feet from the chair helped settle any trepidation you felt about reaching out.

People hadn’t always been kind about your hobby, for one reason or another, hence why you came with bribes at the ready. But you had a feeling this time would be different. You smirked as she nonchalantly eyed the loaf under your arm.

“Hi! Yeah! I’m the one who restores the toys? I opened up in the old bookstore down the street?” You introduced yourself, and recognition went off behind her eyes at the sound of your name.

“Oh! Joel’s girl!”

Your breath caught in your chest as your head gave a little shake of confusion at the declaration. “What?”

She chuckled somewhat nervously. “No! No, not like that, I mean…. His neighbor. His new lodger. The one in the attic.” She was talking a mile a minute. “Not his ‘his’ girl….” She slapped a palm to her forehead, cradling her head in her hand as she rocked it back and forth before pulling back just enough to look at you conspiratorially. “But can you imagine?”

After a moment of silence where you both simply stared at each other, soft laughter took over, melting the tension between you.

“Let me start over,” she huffed, lowering her hand from her face to extend it to you in greeting. “I’m Jane. Nice to meet you.”

As you shook her hand, you couldn’t help but smile at her antics. “Likewise.”

Jane turned her attention back down to the socks she had abandoned when you came in, fiddling with them absently before she looked back up at you, a soft tint of embarrassment staining her cheeks. “So, what brings you here?”

“Oh! Right.” Setting the loaf on the counter, you shrugged the backpack off your shoulder and set it down beside the bread, fishing out the few stuffed animals Joel had brought back that needed the most help. “I was hoping we could work out a deal. I can do some basic stitching, but even then, Joel and Ellie have compared my work to that of a field medic more than anything.” 

Jane snickered at the comment as she took one of the worn stuffed animals, turning it over in her hands and analyzing it as you continued.

“People trade me all sorts of goods for these, like this loaf.” You gestured to it with a bob of your head, then placed your hand on the still steaming bread. “The baker’s son has a birthday coming up, and she wanted something special. Joel and Tommy don’t always bring back stuffed animals so it wouldn’t be constant work, but I was hoping when they do, I could bring them here, and we could work out some sort of trade system for the repairs-”

“No need,” Jane said, smiling down at the stuffed tiger in her hands. You arched a brow at her, waiting for her to go on, and she finally tore her gaze away from the toy and up to you. “I had one just like this as a kid. Loved it to bits. It looked like it had been through the wars before I lost it, patches everywhere and stuffing missing so it was lumpy…. I learned to sew on that thing.” Jane looked back at the toy again fondly. “I’ll help you. All I ask is that I get to keep this one, and maybe one every few runs if they happen to stumble on any others like I used to have. I…. I had a collection.” 

When she brought her gaze back up to meet yours, her eyes were misty. “It was small, but it was everything to me. Got a new one every year when I was little from my grandparents. Stopped when I hit that certain age where adults deem you too old for those things. Which was fine.” She sniffed, a tear falling silently down her cheek. “Then my grandpa he…. He started having memory issues.” She took a deep, shaky breath, smiling sadly at the toy. “Regressed a certain amount of years…. Just so happened to be when I was a certain age, still, in his mind, and he got me a stuffed toy every year for my birthday, until….”

You reached out, placing your hand over hers. “Keep whatever you want. You don’t even have to do repairs to keep them.” She began to protest, swiping at her tears with the back of the hand still holding the tiger when you squeezed her other hand gently. “The whole reason I’m doing this in the first place is to help bring some joy back into the world. And I want you to be happy, you deserve to be happy, without me lording something over you like demanding a trade in exchange-”

Jane flipped her hand in your grip, squeezing you like you had her. “And doing this will make me happy.” You studied her for a long moment. “Do you know how boring it is to darn a sock?” You snorted a laugh, and she smiled. “Everybody in this damn town needs to take better care of their socks, I swear…. I’m up to my eyeballs in them. Nothing would make me happier than to work on something that would be giving back more to the community than dumb stinky, holey, wool.”

With a nod, you gave her hand still in your grip one firm shake, a grin crawling up your face. “It’s a deal. I’ll try to tackle the easy ones and send the few in need of more love your way. But!” You let go of her hand and held up a finger, wagging it like you were lecturing a petulant child.  “I’m also dropping some of these goods by, too.” Patting the bread on the counter before softly pushing it closer toward her, you laughed at her show stopping grin and good-natured roll of her eyes in response.

“Fine,” she mumbled around the smile, the sound anything but angry. “If you insist.”

A few days later, you’d dropped a few stuffed animals off to her that Joel had stumbled on during patrol, Ellie tagging along with you. She had opted to stay outside the shop while you went in though, leaning against the doorframe by the front window, taking in the sights and sounds of the city street.

“Not a fan of needles,” she mumbled, glancing into the shop as you opened the door to go in.

“This isn’t that kind of needle.”

“I said what I said.”

You didn’t press her on it, just nodded and mumbled an ‘okay’ before disappearing into the shop.

“Hey!” Jane greeted you, pushing aside her current project immediately to make room for the box you were carrying. “Oh, these are cute!” She picked one up in each hand, lifting them up to look at them better before trading them out for another and repeating the process until each patient had been analyzed. “They’ll be easy.” She turned to you with a smile. “I’ll be done by this weekend.”

“No rush!” You assured her as she set the box behind the counter. “If you’re not done until then, you’ll have to leave them with Tommy, though. I’m going out of town with Joel on a run, it’ll take a few days, maybe a week max. We leave tomorrow. Though, no, actually, you can just leave them with Ellie, what am I saying-”

“You’re doing what?” She interrupted you.

Focusing back on her face, you tried to get back on topic. “What? Oh, yeah! We’re going back to where I lived right before Jackson to get the stores of paints and stuff I had. Bucket loads of it, no pun intended.” You turned to look at Ellie over your shoulder. “She’s rubbing off on me in more ways than one, I guess….”

“Is it just you and Joel?”

Her question caught you off guard, pulling your gaze back to her with knit brows. “It was going to be, but the council decided it was a ‘waste of resources’, so we have to take a little group with us. Why?”

“I’m coming with you.” No hesitation, just straight to the point.

Your eyes went wide. “What? Why?”

“You said you lived about a week north, right? Near the university?”

“Yeah. Because of the university, there were storage units nearby, used to be climate controlled before everything, now they’re just enclosed spaces with extra security to keep clickers n’ shit out. I lived in one, worked in another, and stored in a third. Got pretty good at picking locks, too.” You smirked.

Her eyes were wide and serious. “The ones by the north end of campus?”

Your expression went flat. “Don’t tell me….”

“I lived in an abandoned place on the south end of campus.” She had started to grin like a Cheshire Cat. “We probably were within spittin’ distance of each other and didn’t even know it.”

A laugh barked out of your chest, several more tumbling out after it until you were bent over her counter on your elbows, wheezing. Pushing up to rest on your forearms you met her gaze again, amusement on both your faces. “No fucking way.”

“I left a sewing machine behind. It was there when I moved in, and I hope it’s still there and still works, heaven knows, but…. The buildings by the school had power when the Fireflies were there. I’d use it when I could, and I was able to do so much more work. Now that I’m here I could actually make use of it with all that I have on my plate, and the dam giving us electricity….” She sighed dreamily. “I’m going. That’s final.”

Before you could respond, the bell over the door jingled, making you stand up straight and turn to look at the newcomer.

“Everything okay?” Ellie’s voice was soft as she poked her head in, causing you to do a double take. “I heard raised voices.”

You nodded once. “Yeah. Yeah, we’re all good. Just excited. Turns out we lived right by each other before moving here.”

“Oh shit! No way!” She stood up straight with a wide grin, stepping fully into the shop and letting the door close behind her.

“Language,” you scowled.

“Sorry, Miss Fanny,” she looked sheepish, spinning on her heel dramatically before exiting the shop.

You turned back to Jane who looked on amused. “She thinks she’s funny because I use a fanny pack.” Plopping onto a tall stool that sat in front of the counter, you stared at your friend.

Jane let out a low ‘ah’ as if she now understood everything.

Knitting your brows before arching one, you leaned on one elbow on the counter. “What?”

“Why is she outside?” She asked as she fiddled with some projects behind the counter.

“Said she ‘wasn’t a fan of needles’,” you mumbled, air quoting her words as you turned to look back at Ellie through the window. “Whatever that means.”

Jane hummed in understanding, drawing your eyes back to her. “Tommy got really drunk at the bar one night after I first got here. Saying all kinds of shit. People kept walking off because he wouldn’t shut up, so I opted to walk him home to Maria. It wasn’t far, and he’s a good guy. Anyway, on the way to his house, he starts mutterin’ about his brother and his new kid, how they just got back from some failed medical something or other with the Fireflies, most of it was unintelligible.” 

She crossed her arms over her chest, looking at Ellie. You followed her gaze, finding the teen walking back and forth in the shade in front of the building, scuffing her heels as she went, and kicking rocks.

“Then, he got real sad, and said somethin’ about how he’d sent them to the university right after seein’ him for the first time in months. It was to get info on where to go for the medical procedure, I guess. Anyway.” She took a deep breath. “Apparently they got ambushed there, and Joel got stabbed real bad, almost didn’t make it. That girl out there had to care for him for weeks, drag him somewhere safe, stitch him up….”

Your breath caught in your chest as she paused for emphasis, unable to tear your eyes from Ellie as emotion swelled in your gut for your fellow housemates, but especially the tiny redhead on the other side of the glass.

“Tommy was real broken up about it. Said Joel almost died, and he felt like it was his fault. Ellie had to hunt, and somehow got Joel medicine.”

You turned to face Jane again. “How?”

“Those details weren’t real clear.” She shrugged. “Like I said, he was plastered. Maybe this whole story is some drunken imagining, but the way he sounded compared to all the shit he said in the bar?” Her face melted into something between sadness and understanding. “I’m inclined to believe him.” 

She took a hesitant breath, but stopped before letting it out slowly, then closed her eyes for a moment. After another shallow breath, she opened them to focus on you, and tried again, her voice even softer still. 

“We’d made it to his house by this point. Maria had come out and was helping me to get him inside, up the porch steps…. And he just broke down halfway up. Sat down, broke down, and started sobbing. Made it even harder to understand.” She rolled her eyes and you chuckled softly. “He said something about the medicine came at too high a cost. That Ellie paid…. Would be paying….” Jane swallowed roughly, looking to the girl through the window with something akin to admiration, then back at you. “He said it changed her.”

“Changed?” You could only whisper.

“Broke her. He said whatever happened was enough to take a spitfire, and make her an ember.” You both looked back at the teen one last time. “She’s improved a lot. I’ve seen her grow, come out of her shell just since I’ve been here, but…. It’s her eyes. They’re haunted. Whatever happened out there…. It didn’t stay out there. And it ain’t leavin’ anytime soon.”

“That explains a lot. About both of them,” you mused quietly.

“Joel I don’t know much about. He’s just the town grump.”

Despite the dark turn the conversation had taken, you burst out laughing, seeing Ellie turn toward the window at the sound with a grin.

“Everyone keeps telling me that, even him, but I just don’t see it!”

Jane’s face turned up in amusement softly. “Well, maybe you’re just one of the lucky ones like Ellie, and he likes you.”

“I think he tolerates me.” You looked across your shoulder at her, getting back to your feet from the stool you’d been perched on and faced her fully. “I live in his house. It’d be awkward if we hated each other.”

“True,” she grinned smugly.

“What?”

“You’ll figure it out.”

Xxx

Jane came riding up beside you, smiling wider than the canyon you’d passed a few miles back.

“I’m gonna regret askin’ but what in the hell has you happier than a butterfly on a daisy?”

“That’s not a real saying,” Jane mumbled, looking at you through skeptical, knit brows.

“Doesn’t mean it’s not applicable,” you countered, your own brows arched high in challenge. 

With a roll of her eyes and a sigh, Jane circled back to the topic at hand. “We’re out in the open!” She whispered, excitement lacing her tone. “I love Jackson, don’t get me wrong, but it’s so nice to be able to breathe.”

A smirk made its way up your face. “I know what you mean. Problem is you trade security for a great wide unknown. The possibilities of things that can go wrong out here are much scarier than anything in Jackson.”

She pulled a face. “Nothin’s gonna go wrong when we have a man like Joel leading us. He knows what he’s doing.”

“Most of the time,” you mumbled. “The rest he’s just wingin’ it.”

“Heard that,” Joel grumbled as he passed by your other side, pulling in front of you from the back of the group where he was making rounds. “You’re one to talk.” He looked over his shoulder at you, face stoic as ever, but his eyes showed his amusement.

“I know things,” you shot back, head tilted back to look down your nose at him. “Lots of stuff.”

“Oh, I see,” his tone was condescending, but playful. “Stuff.”

“And things.”

“Oh, we mustn't forget the things….”

“Yeah, okay.” You looked to the side with an unamused grin. “Fuck you, Joel.”

“I mean, if you’re offerin’….”

Your jaw dropped as your head turned slowly to face him, eyes wide as you simply stared at him in shock.

He smirked. “What? You can dish it, but you can’t take it?” Joel’s tone was nothing but teasing, his eyes dancing with unspoken amusement.

Narrowing your eyes at him, his smile faltered slightly. “You have no idea what I can take.” Nudging your horse forward to fall into step beside him, you held his gaze with your head high, brow arched. “And I don’t think you want to find out.”

“Whaddya mean?”

“When I push back. You wouldn’t be able to handle it, Joel.”

He cleared his throat. “Look, I was just messing around. This wasn’t supposed to take such a serious turn. I’m sor-”

You couldn’t take it anymore. The laugh tumbled out of your mouth before you could catch it, more and more coming out to join it.

Joel lowered his brows, glaring at you. “That ain’t funny.”

Wheezing, you pointed at him. “You should have seen your face!”

A horse trotting up beside you made you turn, expecting to see Jane once again at your side, but all you were met with was her horse, sans rider. You thought quickly enough to grab the reins and guide it along with you, before you looked back at Joel, finding his eyes already searching the group. Turning, you tried to sit higher in your saddle for a better vantage point, when movement out of the corner of your eye caught your attention.

Near the tree line, Jane struggled in the arms of a man as he yanked her back towards the cover of the woods, none too delicately, one hand over her mouth to keep her quiet.

“Jane!” You yelled at the top of your lungs, and you could see when she heard you, her body going rigid in her captor's hold.

The man yelped, pulling his hand back from her mouth and shaking it. 

She must have bit him. 

Before you could fully process much of anything else, Jane was screaming at the top of her lungs, “Run!” 

The hand was back over her mouth before she could say anything else, the raider pulling them both back until they disappeared into the trees, Jane putting up a violent struggle as they went. 

Not willing to look away from where she disappeared, you called out for Joel, and he was beside you in an instant. His horse picked up on the sudden unease spreading over the group, shifting its weight from foot to foot restlessly.

“We’ll get her, darlin’,” Joel reassured in a low voice. “Don’t you worry. We ain’t-”

Suddenly the entire group was surrounded by raiders, guns and knives of various sizes pointed towards every member of your party, violent threats being traded back and forth from both sides. 

While you had thought your group was large, this bandit raid made your numbers pale in comparison. At least double your head count at first glance, easily. And you had a feeling more were lurking in the shadows somewhere, if what had happened to Jane was any indication. 

You noticed that while several of the men aimed menacing looking rifles at your party, they lacked the magazines full of ammunition to back them up. Leaning toward Joel as subtly as you could when they ordered everyone to dismount their horses, you mumbled under your breath, “They have no bullets.”

He looked at you in confusion for just a moment, brows knit until one of the raiders yelled loudly and pulled his attention away. 

Falling in behind him, you whispered again, “Their rifles. They have no ammunition. No magazines. It’s all for show.” You saw the moment the information registered for him, his shoulders setting a bit broader, and his head held just that much higher.

A raider a few feet to your right was eyeing you skeptically, looking like he might dismount his horse any second and make a move toward you, so you pretended to trip into the back of Joel, smirking into his chest when he caught you.

Without missing a beat, his arm firmly around your shoulders to steady you, Joel went straight for negotiations, trying to talk the men down, offering supplies, whatever they wanted. You weren’t far from Jackson, it was a smart move. You could get back and recoup your losses in no time. But people? You can’t replace them.

“Nah,” the head honcho said with a sarcastic sneer. “We’ve got somethin’ else’n mind.”

You didn’t like the sound of that.

The raider in charge gestured Joel over to a smaller group of his men, which he obeyed reluctantly. After looking down at you for a moment, offering the most subtle nod you’d ever seen a person give, he began to move toward the small group of raiders. 

The boss stopped him just short of the rest and asked him a question in a low voice, which Joel answered softly, shooting you a look which you couldn’t quite read. You couldn’t quite make out what he said, either, but then the head raider decided to make a scene, show who was in charge, and it all made sense. 

In a loud voice, full of bravado and misplaced charisma, the raider turned back to your group with arms spread wide, rifle held lazily in one hand, and called for Joel’s second in command - Will - to hop down and join his ‘fearless leader’. 

Surrounded by the smaller group of thugs, you could tell what the goal was…. They meant to make a spectacle for the rest of you. Take the leaders down, the rest will follow. But Joel didn’t let them get that far. He mumbled something to Will so subtly, you almost missed it, but you saw the younger man’s eyes dart to one of the raider’s guns, and you immediately knew where this was headed.

It all went by in a blur, and yet it was like you could see every detail in painful accuracy. And you couldn’t look away.

In an instant Joel had dropped three of the men in the smaller group surrounding them.

Will another two.

They both had commandeered their own rifles back off of those men, and they were now aimed at the remaining two raiders around their small group. 

The one in front of Joel began to move forward, only making Joel smirk as he jerked the bolt action on the rifle. “Try it.” The raider stopped, making Joel’s smirk only rise higher up his cheek. “Good choice.”

That’s when all hell broke loose. 

It was almost like someone kicked a pile of ants. The stillness of the valley you were in was broken and everyone swarmed at once. A cacophony of sounds clashing all around you. 

You went on autopilot for most of it, simply fighting for your life and that of those in your group. It could have been hours or only minutes later, but the next time you really started to pay attention, or frankly, were able to focus on any one thing in particular, you saw a raider sneaking up on Will a few paces in front of you, and you lifted the rifle you’d snagged off of one of the men you’d taken down.

“Hey, bucko!” The raider froze and turned to you with a sneer, the expression falling off his face when he came nose to nose with the muzzle of your rifle. You cocked the bolt action just for added effect, chambering a bullet as you somehow had found the one locked and loaded gun the raiders had. Hands lifted in surrender, he slowly took a resigned step backwards, grip tightening around the knife still clutched in his right hand. “Drop it,” you ordered, narrowing your eyes at his slight smirk. “Nice and easy, now.”

Will turned to see what the fuss was, his eyes going wide when he realized what had happened. He looked between you and the raider from over the bandit’s shoulder, raising a brow at you in question, but you motioned him on with a jerk of your head to the left, keeping the rifle braced on your right shoulder and aimed at the raider. “I got it. Go help the others.”

Nodding, Will took off toward the remaining chaos, leaving you with the scumbag at the end of your barrel. He started to move after Will but you tisked, taking a step closer. “Not a good idea.” The lowlife hissed through his teeth in aggravation, but you cut him off before he could even start in on an actual sentence. “Knife. Ground. Now.” With a half step forward for emphasis, you gestured toward the field underfoot with your rifle before centering your sights back on their target. 

The man arched his back away from you as you took the small step closer, his hands shooting up higher beside his head. He then began to slowly lower to his haunches to lay the blade on the grass, his other hand still held up in surrender. His eyes flitted from the weapon to something behind you, and before he could set it all the way down, or you could turn to look, an arm wrapped around your neck, cutting off your air supply.

Both the man behind you and the man in front of you laughed, cheering at your misfortune as you dropped your rifle, the weight of the weapon jerking its strap across your shoulders as it fell to your side. 

You clawed at the arm wrapped around your neck, gasping for air, and grunting as you tried to get a shot in with your elbow, but he pinned down your arms with his other arm wrapping around your torso.

A voice close to your ear leered, “Don’t worry, sweetheart. It’ll all be over soon.”

The raider in front of you suddenly started screaming, dropping the blade in his hand in order to clutch his knee, blood pouring violently from a wound made by a large pocket knife you’d know anywhere protruding from its side. 

“Don’t move!”

All three sets of eyes pulled over to find Joel standing just a few feet away, rifle raised and aimed at the raider now in a heap on the ground. His gun swung over to the man still holding you hostage, a dark chuckle rippling out through the chest pressed closely to your spine at the movement, and it made your skin crawl.

“Let ‘er go,” Joel said in a low voice, something dark and menacing thrown right back at the thief trying to steal your life away.

“Nah,” the man said after a minute, amusement heavy in his tone. “We’re just havin’ too much fun, aren’t we, sweetheart?” He tightened his grip around your neck as he pulled you closer, squishing his cheek to yours in mock affection.

You mumbled something as best you could, but it came out all garbled from the pressure on your windpipe.

“Aw, I’m sorry, I’m bein’ mean, aren’t I?” His tone was mocking. He loosened his grip slightly, the arm around your midsection disappearing altogether as he twisted slightly to get a better view of your face. “Now, try that again?”

“I said,” your voice was hoarse from the struggle, so you cleared your throat, shifting your weight slightly as you looked to Joel with wide eyes in mock fear. “I said-” In one smooth motion, you swung the butt of your rifle up and back, and slammed the man in the face, squinting when blood sprayed out of his mouth and onto your cheek.

Taking the opportunity, you elbowed him in the ribs, before stomping on his foot, spinning around once his arm around your neck released you and kneeing him in the crotch. 

Stepping closer to him once he fell to his knees cradling his damaged manhood, you looked down at him as you wiped his blood from your cheek with the back of your sleeve. “I said fuck you.”

With a quick jerk of your knee to his face, the raider fell backwards, out cold. You turned to face his friend who laid in a ball on the ground, hands gripped tightly around the knife still protruding from his knee.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” He began to try and scramble back, looking to Joel for some sort of help as you approached.

Joel only shrugged, looking at you with wide eyes for just a moment before turning back to the poor man. “Hell hath no fury ���n all that….”

Kneeling in front of the man, you smiled disarmingly sweet. Reaching out to grip the knife, you looked up at Joel. “This yours?” Lifting a brow at your rhetorical question, you knew very well it was his, he nodded. With a yank, you pulled it out of the man’s leg, his screams cut short when you elbowed him in the face, knocking him out like his companion.

Lifting your rifle slightly, Joel began to make a fuss, “Darlin’, they’re down-” but he stopped when you over exaggeratedly clicked on the safety, lifting a sarcastic brow at him. Rising to your feet, you wiped the blade off on your jeans before closing it and handing it back to Joel.

He took it cautiously, watching as you rubbed at your throat with a wince. “Thanks.”

“No, thank you. If you hadn’t shown up and distracted them, I wouldn’t have been able to get the jump on ‘em.”

He looked at the two men before looking back at you, his eyes flitting down to the rifle for the briefest of moments. “Looks like you would’ve been just fine.”

You leaned in closer to him, adjusting the weapon’s strap across your chest. “Take the compliment, Joel.”

He grinned softly. “Yes ma’am, Miss Fanny.”

You groaned at the nickname. “You know what? I don’t even really mind.”

It looked like Joel wanted to say more, but other members of your group came running up, looking around frantically only to find all the enemies already taken care of.

“We didn’t hear any shots,” Will said absently, staring at the two motionless forms on the ground after a wary glance. “Thought you might need some help.” After a long moment of silence, he looked from you, to Joel, then the raiders. “They still alive?” He pointed toward the men, one of them stirring with a pained moan.

“Only just,” Joel mumbled, watching the one man begin to roll to his side, the one who had held on to you, before his gaze flicked to the other, noticing his breaths becoming shallower and shallower. Gesturing to the latter with his rifle still held in his hands, he looked back up at Will. “That one’s not longed for this world if you don’t get something to stop the bleedin’. Need information from both, preferably.”

Will nodded, motioning to the others with a nod of his head, quickly moving toward the raiders.

You had turned toward Joel, your back to the men when a twisted voice rose up behind you, slurring around laughter as if it knew the funniest joke in all the world. 

“Well, sweetheart, I’m just so goddamn sorry things didn’t work out ‘tween us.” 

Joel glared at the raider over your shoulder. “Stop talking, asshole,” he grumbled, rolling his eyes as he took a step closer to the man, slightly in front of you. Turning to face the man yourself, you thought you’d steeled yourself for whatever you’d see, but the twisted smirk you were met with made your stomach drop. 

Laughter turned to wheezing, wet coughs before the man spit off to the side in front of him, blood painting the ground an ugly, violent color. He lifted his head just enough to look at you again, snickering as he peered through his lashes. “I had such plans for you….”

“I said be quiet,” Joel’s voice had grown more firm, and he opted to step to the side, obscuring your view of the creep instead of taking any steps closer.

“Oh, but they were nothin’ compared to what we were gonna do to that little friend of yours…. That blonde? Whoo! She was feisty!”

“Can somebody shut him the fuck up!” Joel bellowed, turning to the group simply standing by and watching the exchange.

Will shrugged off his outer layer flannel, balling it up as he stomped toward the man and began to shove it in his mouth.

The man weaseled back away from the cloth, shouting with wild eyes, “You’ll never find her!” His following laughter was muffled around the material, manic and unhinged.

“Will, I need you to….” Joel trailed off when you put a hand on his shoulder, pushing him to the side gently. He tried to stop you walking towards the lunatic, but you met his gaze with your own, unwavering, and he let you go, following close behind, one hand adjusting his grip on his rifle as he held it loosely just in case.

Kneeling down in front of the man, you got close to his face. “What did you do with Jane?” Your voice was so low and quiet, you barely recognized it.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” The man mumbled around the shirt, eyes wild and sure of himself. 

Looking down toward the ground, you huffed out an unamused laugh. “I’m going to ask you one more time,” you lifted your gaze to look at him straight on again, “and you’re going to tell me, or else my friends are going to be not so nice to you.” The man scoffed. “What did you do…. with Jane?”

The man leaned forward, his nose almost touching yours. “Go fuck yourself, bitch.”

Without hesitation, you slammed Joel’s pocket knife you’d swiped from his jacket a moment ago into the man’s hand where it rested on the ground with your left hand, yanking the shirt out of his mouth as he screamed with your right, and tackled him backwards onto the ground, pinning your right forearm against his throat. As he struggled against your hold, you twisted the knife still gripped tightly in your hand, making him settle into the dirt.

“Okay! Okay! Okay! Fuck! Just stop!” He looked at Joel with wide, wild eyes. “Get the bitch off me!” 

You noticed some of your party moving toward you, but they stopped with a hand motion from Joel.

He studied you with an unreadable expression before looking back at the man and jutting his chin toward you. “Tell her what she wants t’know.”

“Get her off me first!”

“Talk!” You growled, digging your arm in further, making him gasp. When he turned a defiant look up your way, your knee ‘slipped’ where you straddled him and landed dangerously close to his ego once again.

“Okay, okay, goddamn!” He wheezed, collapsing fully into the ground below him, eyes fluttering shut as his face twisted in pain. 

It was all you could do to repress the triumphant smirk wanting to crawl up your face, your brows arching in amusement instead.

“She’s back at our camp. ‘Least that’s where we left her. Don’t know how she’d move much after what boss did, though.” He looked back up at you again, everything about his expression amused, and nothing seemed to dull it, even as you pressed your arm harder into his throat, only causing his words to take on a sinister hiss. “He stuck her good. You think this little knife is somethin’, you should see the one he used on-” his words trailed off on a gurgled chuckle as you continued to lean into him.

“Hey,” Joel’s calm voice near your ear made you pause, staring down at the creep. “We need him alive, darlin’. Stop.” A warm strong hand gripping your upper arm firmly made you lift off the man just slightly, glaring down at him as he sucked in a breath and started coughing, grinning up at you triumphantly. He hissed with a wince when you yanked out the knife, bringing the hand close to his chest to hold it tight with his other, and wrapped it haphazardly with the flannel Will had shoved in his mouth to stop the bleeding. 

“You Jacksoner’s are all the same,” he shook his head in amusement. “Bleeding hearts, all of ya!” He grinned up at the group in the most sinister way you’d ever seen. “And that is why you’re all gonna burn.”

At that, Joel was yanking you off the raider and pulling him up to a seated position with both hands twisted into his jacket, getting right into his face with the most menacing voice you’d heard yet. “What did you just say?”

The man just smiled a tight lipped smile, eyebrows shooting up before he used his good hand to pantomime locking his mouth and tossing away the key.

“They had a bunch of dead guns. No ammunition. How in the hell were they planning to do something to Jackson?” You mused offhandedly, mostly talking to yourself.

“Guns ain’t the only way to make somebody bleed,” the freak singsonged, looking at you gleefully.

You glared at him. “I liked you better out cold.”

He guffawed. “I liked you better up close….”

Joel gave the man a forceful shake by the front of his shirt still in his grip. “What’d I say?” The man rolled his head back to Joel with a bored look, his lips twitching up just slightly. “Y’either start talkin’ ‘bout somethin’ important I want t’hear about, or I’ll reach my hand so far down your Goddamn-”

“This one’s not doing well, Joel,” one of the party mentioned, checking the pulse of the other raider. “We need to get them back to camp.”

The man in Joel’s grip slowly melted into a wide grin. “Looks like you need me now more than ever.”

Joel began to smirk, and it made the raider’s sure grin falter. “Yeah, but that can change real quick.” He shoved the man back, rising to his full height before turning back toward you and walking quickly. A hand closing around your arm once again, you followed where it led. 

“Get them to camp. Will, get a party of four together and come with us to go get Jane. The rest of these assholes are dead, there’s no one to keep her there anymore. She probably tried to run, and if she’s injured, we need to spread out and cover as much ground as possible.” 

He stopped, looking over his shoulder when no one was moving. “Let’s go!”

When he turned to look down at you, you saw something in his eyes close to fear. “We’ll find her, Joel.”

He held your gaze as he kept moving you further away from the scene. “I know, darlin’.” He looked forward again, walking a bit faster. “I know. Now let’s get goin’. Sun’s gonna be settin’ real soon.”

Xxx

As the two of you made your way in the direction the thug had sent you in, your mind began to wander.

“What if it’s the wrong direction, Joel?”

“He said go east-”

“No, I know.” You closed your eyes briefly as you took in a sharp breath through your nose before looking forward once again. “But what if he lied?”

Joel sighed, looking down at his feet as he continued to walk. “Darlin’,” he looked deep in thought but also at a loss for words at the same time. It was such an inextricably Joel thing to do, it almost pulled a smile up one side of your face.

Almost.

Glancing over his shoulder toward the small group that was following along to help, the rest staying behind with the two assholes, he then took a step closer to you, speaking in a low voice.

“He very well may’ve.” When your eyes went wide, Joel was quick to continue on. “But,” he smiled at your now narrowed glare. “I’ve been patrolling these hills for a few years, now. Never out this far, mind you, but I know the general area. There’s a stream that runs not far from here. Anyone with any brains would camp near it. I know the worlds gone t’shit, but I refuse to believe we as a species have fallen that far that fast.”

His smile spread a little further at your soft chuckle.

“Touché, Miller. Touché.”

Grinning like a child, Joel turned back to the rest of the group, his expression turning stony in an instant. “The rest of you, fan out!” His voice was a low hiss. “Keep quiet and keep aware. These trees are dense from here on out to the creek. Keep a lookout. I’m not responsible for your own stupidity.”

Good-natured eye rolls went around as the few people spread into the trees starting to populate the clearing you’d been passing through.

Joel grabbed your arm when you went to take a step forward. “Not you.” He shook his head gently when you looked up at him. “You’re coming with me.”

“I’ll stay within sight,” you argued, pulling your arm from his grip. “I’m not a child, Joel.”

“No, you don’t-”

“I can take care of myself.” Taking a few steps forward into the tree line, you looked for any signs of life, but before you could get far, Joel’s voice was at your ear again. 

“Don’t-”

He yanked you back into him, making you stumble into his chest. Lifting your head up to glare at him, you came nearly nose to nose as he looked down at you and you looked up at him. Your breath stopped, catching in your chest as your eyes scanned his face.

“Tripwire,” he mumbled, his eyes firmly watching your lips as they moved soundlessly in shock.

“Thanks,” you finally managed, closing your mouth and clearing your throat.

Joel nodded.

You went to take a step back, looking over your shoulder towards the trap, but his grip on your upper arm wouldn’t let you move. 

Turning back to look at him in question, your curious expression melted when you found him even closer than before, his eyes cast down as his nose lightly bumped the side of yours.

The distance continued to close, only a breath left between you when a faint scuffle then a thud was heard, making you both pull apart like lightning.

Turning, the two of you saw Will suspended upside down by his ankle from a nearby tree.

“Careful. Tripwire,” you grinned.

Will smirked sardonically, arms coming to cross over his chest after batting away his flannel outer layer that hung in his face since he was inverted - he’d dug out a spare from his bag after using his original to shove into the mouth of the crazy raider. “We found a blood trail.”

The smile fell off your face as your gut sank. “That’s-”

“A good thing,” Will cut you off. “Means she was moving. She was alive.” After a loaded moment of shared looks, he cleared his throat. “Can someone cut me down, please? I’m getting woozy.”

Xxx

You only encountered a few stragglers at the camp, Joel earning some bloody knuckles and you a black eye, but the remaining members of the bandit group lay in lifeless heaps at the feet of your group when it was all said and done. There was no chance for prisoners, they weren’t going to be taken alive. 

Which meant that one idiot back at the camp who’d tried to kill you had to stay alive if you wanted any answers.

The thought of that made you start to hyperventilate. 

Which wasn’t like you.

You took everything in stride, this new world required it, but suddenly you felt his arm around your neck again, and you began to claw at the phantom limb, gasping for air as tears began to stream silently down your face.

You couldn’t look anywhere without seeing a body, violence, bloodshed….

Can’t breathe….

Everything blurred by as you faintly registered your feet moving you forward, a warm hand around your forearm pulling you gently along before the firm press of tree bark met your back with a gentle thump.

The soft trace of rough, callused fingers making their way past your cheeks to rest behind your ears drew a shiver from your bones. “I’ve got you. You’re okay. You’re good. It’s over. I’m here.” Joel’s mumbled words vibrated somewhere in front of you, desperately grasping at you to give you something to hold onto. Cradling your face in his hands, Joel stood toe to toe with you. He took a small step closer and leaned down, pressing his forehead to your own as you fought for air. “Nothing’s gonna get you. I won’t let it.”

The phantom touch of that asshole’s arm around your throat still constricted your airway, threatening to make the world cave in.

Joel reached up to gently grab your hands still frantically clawing at your throat, placing them on either side of his ribcage, and you clutched onto his flannel under his jacket for dear life. The warmth from his body heat radiated into your palms and sent a wave of something down to your toes. Worrying the threadbare fabric between your fingers mindlessly, Joel seemed to notice and step even closer still, enough that a deep enough breath would close the distance. 

Though, as you thought about it, how he still had room to maneuver any further into you was a mystery, you didn’t even know it was possible. It seemed like every part of you was wrapped up in every part of him.

His voice drew your thoughts back to the present. “Hey, hey. Shhhh…. No more. He’s gone.” Did his voice just crack? “It’s over.” His voice grew a little firmer, if not quieter. “It’s over.”

If only he knew, you weren’t struggling to breathe because of the remnants of a panic attack anymore. No, now it was his proximity. His warm breath fanning across your face as he mumbled words of peace. The press of his skin against yours as he cradled your face so gingerly.

Time stopped, the world ceased its spinning, and suddenly all that was left was this right here between the two of you. This quiet moment, in the middle of a forest, painted in violence and hope, in fear and tenacity, in…. Vibrant shades of both of you.

Will walked up around the tree quietly, clearing his throat softly. “Some of these men were dead long before we got here.”

“Jane,” you smiled. 

“That girl sure is a spit fire,” Joel remarked with his own grin, pulling away from you just slightly, but still keeping you in his hold.

Turning to Will, you steeled your shoulders. “Take me to the blood trail.”

Xxx

It took all of ten minutes of tracking to find Jane leaning against a tree with her back to you, heaving breaths as the right side of her shirt was stained crimson. The violent splotch was spreading, whatever wound obviously still angry and weeping under her white shirt, her outer layer long gone and forgotten in the chaos by now. 

“Jane?” You called out softly from several yards back. A twig snapped under foot, causing a flock of birds in the trees above to startle and take flight in a whir of wings and wind.

She whirled around, knife held out in front of her at the ready, eyes wide and wild from the adrenaline. When she realized who it was, relief washed over her features so strongly it brought tears to your eyes. She dropped the blade to the ground with a clatter and slumped the side of her shoulder against the tree with a huff.

“Took you long enough,” she breathed in amusement, turning so her back was to the tree with her head thrown back, her face toward the sky, wincing in pain.

Before you could even make a move towards her, Will was there helping her back to her feet, scooping her up bridal style and carrying her back towards camp, her head on his shoulder as she went limp, finally able to rest.

Will glanced back when no one else moved. “Come on!” He whisper shouted. “She needs help as soon as possible, or I’m going to-” He caught himself. “We’re going to lose her.”

As the group moved in unison behind a speedwalking Will, you glanced up at Joel in amusement. “Do you think he knows?”

Joel shook his head with a grin. “Everyone else does, so no, probably not.”

You chuckled, despite the situation. It was probably the relief that she was alive finally catching up with you. “That girl’s got his number.”

Huffing a laugh, Joel looked at the back of Will’s head as he rapidly disappeared at the front of the group. “Wrapped around her little finger like those little things she uses to protect herself when she sews back at her shop. Oh, what’re they called?”

You stared at him for a long moment before quietly suggesting in hesitation, “Thimbles?”

Joel slapped his thigh before pointing at you with a renewed grin. “That’s the one!”

With a shake of your head, you turned back to face forward and head up toward the front with your friends. “Ellie was right. You’re losing it, old man.”

“Ain’t old,” he grumbled, his face instantly turning sour. “Jus‘ ‘xperienced.”

“Then you should know all the words, Joel.” You smirked. “No excuses.”

“I do know all the words,” he groused. “That’s the problem. I know too much, my brain can’t keep up.”

You turned to face him, walking backwards. “Sure. That’s the problem.”

“I know things,” he shot back, echoing your words from earlier, his head tilted back to look down his nose at you in a mirror image as he continued to mock your earlier statement. “Lots of stuff.”

“Oh, I see,” your tone was condescending, but playful as you mimicked him right back. “Stuff.”

“And things.” He was trying so hard not to smile.

You were not, letting the grin spread broadly across your face. “Oh, we mustn't forget the things….”

“Yeah, okay.” Joel looked to the side to try and hide his amused grin. “Fuck you, darlin’.”

“I mean, if you’re offerin’….”

His head snapped back to look at you in surprise as you threw his words right back at him yet again. Joel opened his mouth to refute, but you cut him off with a grin. 

“I’m going to go make sure he doesn’t promise her his house or something. Boy would give her half of Jackson if he could.”

“He can have your half, you jackass,” Joel grumbled playfully as you turned back to face the front of the group. “Mine ain’t for sale. Don’t care how pretty you are.”

You glanced over your shoulder, fluttering your lashes ridiculously. “You think I’m pretty?”

“I meant her,” Joel gestured to your friends with his rifle still loosely gripped in his hands, strap slung over his shoulders, at the ready just in case, like always. “Ain’t nothin’ pretty ‘bout what you just said.”

“I only spoke the truth.”

“You’re only makin’ it worse.”

Xxx

The sun was setting by the time Joel was able to pry you away from Jane. You hadn’t wanted to leave her side as Will took it upon himself to treat and dress her wound. 

You held her hand as she grunted in pain while he disinfected the area with a bottle of alcohol someone had brought, then stitched it up. Luckily the blade had missed anything vital, and hadn’t been rusty, thank goodness.

So far this whole trip had been getting by by the skin of your teeth, and that didn’t bode well with you. 

Once she fell asleep, Joel coaxed you over to a clearing not too far away for a breath. A bucket full of water from the nearby stream had been brought to wash the blood off your hands.

Staring down at the water as it turned pink under your touch, tinged with the blood of your friend, you looked up when a shadow crossed over the little bit of sunlight left in the day.

Joel stood just in front of the dying light, backlit and a silhouette as he extended a…. rock? to you.

“That creek is fed from the mountains. Snow melt. Coldest thing around. Best alternative to ice we’ve got right now.” You narrowed your brows at him, making him sigh in frustration. “For your eye,” he said as if it were obvious. 

“Oh,” you said dumbly and took it, lightly resting it against your left eyebrow where you felt the worst of the black eye forming. The cool, smooth stone instantly offered some relief for an ache you hadn’t even realized you had, making you groan softly, and shut your eyes with a grateful sigh. “Thank you.”

He nodded. “Mmm-hmm.” The side of his mouth twitched up as he lowered himself to the ground beside you with a quiet groan. “T’ain’t nothin’.”

Pulling the stone away to examine it for a moment, you arched a brow when Joel slowly pressed it back to your head. “Don’t work if you don’t keep it there, darlin’.”

“Really?” You said as sarcastically as you could muster.

“Huh-uh,” he confirmed with a gentle shake of his head, keeping the stone pressed firmly to your skin. “It’s not a comfort by osmosis thing.”

“No healing by proxy?” You groused, despite the smile working its way up your face, your one good eye squinting from the held back laughter you were just managing to reign in as you looked up at him.

The corner of his mouth lifted so high a dimple creased his cheek. “Now wouldn’t that be somethin’,” he mused softly. 

The two of you sat in comfortable quiet for a long moment, his hand still holding the rock to your head gently until you finally decided it was time to break the silence.

“So what’s the plan from here, Mr. partially-in-charge-of-security?”

Joel’s hand fell from you with a sigh as he shook his head slightly in disbelief, his gaze turned forward as if he couldn’t even bear to look at you after an attempt at a joke that bad. “I’ve been goin’ over it in my head since we left their camp-”

“That must’ve been painful,” you muttered, grinning innocently when he cut his eyes over to you.

They shut briefly with another loaded sigh before they fluttered open and he turned to look at the forest on his right while he continued. “Best I can come up with-” he held a finger up in front of your face without a glance back your way. “I don’t wanna hear it.”

You stared at his finger inches from your nose. “I wasn’t-” You totally were. 

The finger began to wag as his head rolled back to level you with a look. “Now, we both know that’s a lie, darlin’.” You shrank under his continued stare and he went on. “Best I can think of is to send the majority back home since we’re still so close to Jackson. Have them protect Jane and those two raiders we got to interrogate.” His arms were propped up on his bent knees, and his fist clenched at the mention of the thugs.

After he stared off vacantly for a moment, he brought his gaze back onto you. “That means the cart is going to have to go back with them, though. Jane’s in no condition to walk, and you did a number on asshole number one.” He chuckled. 

“Don’t even worry about the cart,” you waved him off. “Jane is more important. What about asshole number two?” Rubbing your throat absently with the hand not holding the rock to your head, you stared into the trees straight ahead before you realized what you were doing and lowered your hand, turning your gaze back to Joel. “He can still walk just fine.” You tilted your head in thought for a moment. “May be a little bit more of a waddle, but….”

Joel chuckled darkly, hanging his head as his shoulders shook with the laughter. Finally he looked up at you through his lashes, a conniving expression twinkling in his eyes. “Let the little ugly duckling waddle back, then.”

“How will we be sure he doesn’t waddle off?”

“I’ve been known to tie a knot or two in my day.”

As the novelty of the whole situation wore off, you turned to face Joel a bit more fully, letting the hand that held the rock fall from its spot against your face to rest in your lap, ignoring Joel’s scowl in protest. 

“You said most of the group. Joel, we should all go back. Safety in numbers. Making sure everyone is safe is more important than my paint-” 

“Safety in numbers. Exactly. That’s why most’f’em are goin’ back. We only need a few t’do this run. It also made us a target bein’ such a big group. The council made a shit decision ‘bout that. There’s a reason patrols’re only two people.” He looked out at the woods again. “It was temptin’ to leave it just the two’f us as originally planned, but, after yesterday, even you could see the perks’f havin’ a few extra people should somethin’ happen.”

“Quality not quantity.”

Joel bobbed his head, his eyes shining proudly as you understood. “‘xactly.”

Something wasn’t sitting right. “But what about the threats, Joel? They said somethin’ about Jackson was gonna burn….”

“People say all kinds o’shit when you’ve got a pocket knife in one hand n’your knee pinnin’ their crotch to the dirt.”

You let out a snort, unable to contain your laughter at his blunt explanation. “Can’t say you’re wrong there.”

Joel leaned back with a contented sigh, propping his arm up on his bent leg. “I’m never wrong.”

You let out another snort of laughter, more bubbling up and out when he shot you a glare. 

Xxx

That night, just as the sun began to set, Joel slammed the back tailgate of the cart shut after helping Jane up into it.

“You good?” He asked quietly, his voice soft and kind.

“I’ll be fine. Thank you, Joel.” Jane reached out a hand to rest on his shoulder. 

“Not worried ‘bout you, sweetheart,” he mumbled, his eyes darting over to the wounded raider sitting as far from him as he could get in the front corner of the cart. The bandit cowered under his stare but stayed silent. “Was more worried ‘bout him.” Joel looked at Jane pointedly as he explained, his head tilted forward while he looked at her through his lashes and arched brows.

“Like I said,” Jane spoke firmly, her voice low and even as she turned to look at the asshole, making him cower even further. “I’ll be fine.”

“Whaddabout me?” The second bandit who had tried to choke you said loudly and amusedly from where he stood behind the cart a few feet away from Joel, his hands bound by one end of rope and the other end tied to the back of the cart. “Do I get a send off from tall, dark and brooding?”

Joel turned to him without even fully looking at the man, cocking his rifle as he spoke on a tired sigh. “That can be arranged.”

The raider guffawed as he stumbled back a few steps, Joel striding forward the ground he lost, while you stepped in between, hands extended.

“Stop. There’s no time for this.” Turning to face Joel, you lowered your arms. “Joel, let the little shit leave.”

The raider’s voice rose behind you like a forgotten tendril of smoke, thin and pungent, just enough to remind you it was there. “Ain’t nothin’ little ‘bout me, darlin’.”

Without a second thought, you whirled around and clocked the thug in the eye, making him stumble back further, the rope stretching to its limit and yanking him forward to his knees.

“Except your brain, apparently.” You shook out your hand to your side, the impact from the punch leaving a searing sting across your knuckles. “You don’t get to call me that.”

“What do I get to call you then?” The man sneered, bringing his bound hands up to swipe at his face.

You took a step closer, smirking, and enjoyed how the amused sparkle in his eyes faltered slightly at the sight. “Whatever you say when you’re begging for your life, tough guy.”

The man swallowed nervously, despite his narrowed eyes of contempt. “I don’t beg for anything. From anyone. ‘specially not you.”

You let your eyes travel up and down the length of him slowly in an unnerving appraisal. “We’ll just see about that. Won’t we, Joel?”

“Lookin’ forward t’hearin’ just how loudly he won’t beg….” Joel mused behind you.

“Fuck. You,” the man hissed.

“No. Thanks,” you sneered back.

Will pulled your attention away as he stepped up on the wheel of the cart to lean in beside Jane, his weight making the whole thing squeak under the pressure. “Are you sure you don’t need me to come with you to keep this asshole in line?” He jerked his head toward the guy tethered at the back.

Jane smiled and patted Will’s cheek lightly. “I think I’ll be just fine. Like I told Joel.” Her eyes flicked between the two of them. Her voice sickly sweet. “Now if you two don’t stop coddling me, one of you is going to be injured and sitting beside me on this trip back to Jackson. So shut,” she looked at Will, “your,” Joel, “piehole.” She looked at you.

You raised your hands in surrender. “Me? “ They turned out in question. “What did I do?!”

She shrugged, her head tilting just slightly. “It was preemptive.” Leaning towards Will again, she kissed him on the cheek, smiling when he began to sputter and turn six shades of red. “Stay with Joel. He needs you here more than he’ll admit.”

“I heard that,” Joel grumbled, walking past the end of the cart as he began to check in with the rest of the group.

“Good. You were meant to,” Jane grinned, lurching slightly as the cart began to move forward, Will jumping from the wheel before it could turn fully.

As the bandit walked past Will, he turned to him with a sadistic grin. “Don’t I get a goodbye kiss, handsome?”

“Sure,” Will said with a disarming smile, making the other man stumble for a moment. The next he was stumbling further after Will sucker punched him in the mouth. “How was that? Was it good for you, too?”

The raider in the cart was looking on wide eyed, but you caught him grinning slightly at the exchange, looking away quickly to try and hide it when Will glanced his way.

Jane was laughing as the cart began to disappear into the sunset. Her head thrown back, eyes closed, hand over her stomach type laughter. “Don’t make me laugh! It hurts!”

Will gave a dopey grin as he watched them disappear into the dying light, Jane and the bandit tied to the back of the cart bickering back and forth about nonsense that you couldn’t quite make out at this distance, but you could tell she wasn’t taking any shit.

“She’ll be okay.” You walked up to Will, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah, I know.” He was distant, his mind a million miles off. “I know.”

Xxx

Tags: @dilf-din @lupinpetersclearwaterodairparker @what-the-heckin-heck @telarnidaniela @kalea-bane @morgaussy @enjoythelittlethings @paleidiot @telepathay @carlyreneeinthemoon @competitivedust @ruthyalva96 @brittmb115 @azure-waves @hiddenbabynyc @regalwhovianbrowncoat774 @heather1482 @stevie75 @hotzaddypedro

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[crowleying]

Let Me Be Your Cure by crowleying

Words: 3604

Chapters: 1/1

Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types

Rating: Not Rated

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi

Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, CC-2224 | Cody, Jango Fett, CT-7567 | Rex, CC-1010 | Fox, Padmé Amidala, Anakin Skywalker, Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker, CC-3636 | Wolffe, CC-5052 | Bly, CT-6116 | Kix, Clone Trooper Waxer (Star Wars), Clone Trooper Boil (Star Wars), CT-27-5555 | ARC-5555 | Fives, CT-21-0408 | CT-1409 | Echo, Boba Fett, Aayla Secura, Quinlan Vos, Luminara Unduli, Vokara Che, Ahsoka Tano

Additional Tags: Minor Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Established Relationship, Established CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Married CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hospitals, Hospitalization, Mention of tumor, References to Illness, Sick CC-2224 | Cody, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Obi-Wan Kenobi Gets a Hug, CC-2224 | Cody Needs a Hug, CC-2224 | Cody Gets A Hug, Jango Fett Needs a Hug, CT-7567 | Rex Needs a Hug, CT-7567 | Rex Gets a Hug, Everyone Needs A Hug, Good Parent Jango Fett, Protective Jango Fett, CT-7567 | Rex is a Good Bro, Protective CT-7567 | Rex, Everybody Loves Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Fetts are amazing and they love and care about Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan and Cody are Ahsoka's parents, CC-2224 | Cody is a Good Uncle, Obi-Wan Kenobi is a Good Uncle, some of the characters are just mentioned, Hopeful Ending, Betaed

Series: Part 1 of Codywan Week

Summary:

When he opens his eyes again, it feels like he has slept for hours, but it can't have been more than a few minutes. Jango is smiling at him with the same softness he reserves for all his children. "Stay here for the night. You can sleep in Cody and Rex's room. Rex will sleep here too."

Just to be sure it's okay, Obi-Wan tilts his head to look at Rex who prods him to get up with a gentle smile. "Let's go to bed."

It's a good thing Obi-Wan is sleepy, otherwise he might cry from the kindness they show him.

@codywanweek Day 5: Hurt/Comfort

[elysiadjarin]

Sword and Shield 11

Tags: Bad Batch x reader (you), fem!coded, poly!relationship, multi-part series, nonhuman!reader, Echo later on

Part 10: Recover, Relive

Warnings: No significant warnings. Brief innuendos and mentions of sex, nothing specifically explicit.

Note: I am… so sorry y’all. I genuinely never meant to drop off the face of the planet, but between finishing my degree and moving a couple times and life in general the past two years, it’s been pretty insane. I still have a handful of chapters written for this fic, so I figured I’d at least upload what I do have for the sake of all you wonderful people who encouraged me so much with your feedback on it. Please, if anyone is still around to read it, enjoy!

11: Discoveries, Inquiries

You stared down at the edge of the overlarge T-shirt, playing with the hem of it. Legs tucked up to your chest, you huddled in the copilot's chair. Hunter had accepted your quiet company in the cockpit, and you'd gotten lost in reflection on how far you'd come since the day the 501st had taken you in.

But the shirt draping off of you had that soft, still-lingering scent on it that kept bringing back bitter-sweet memories. As you thought back to the previous owner of the shirt, the ache deep in your chest grew steadily, making your throat tighten.

You missed him. So much.

Reaching up, you pressed your palm against the tears burning in your eyes. Would he be happy to see you now? The way you had grown, had found a place where you fit, even others to care for and love and be loved by in return? Would he be proud of you? What would he say?

"Shiv?" Hunter turned toward you, clearly sensing your distress and tears. Concern furrowed his brow.

You shook your head, sniffling. "'M sorry," you whimpered. "I..." Your fingers bunched in your shirt.

Hunter leaned forward, gently placing a hand on your knee. He didn't say anything, but the Bond lit up with comfort and the willingness to listen.

"I miss him so much, Hunter," you cried, burying your face in your hands. "I know he's not coming back, but I-"

You hadn't cried for him in so long.

"Tell me," Hunter said quietly, his voice a soft husk of empathy. Everyone knew what it was like to lose someone. No one knew that better than the clones, who lost their brothers every day.

Your shoulders hitched as you swiped futilely at your streaming eyes. "I should have done more," you sobbed out. "I should have stayed, should have been faster. I know— I know he wouldn't w-want me to s-say that but I-" You shook with the misery.

"You did the best you could, Shiv. He knows you did."

You struggled to stop crying, hiccuping. "He did so much for me." The pain and the love poured out of you as you recalled everything. "When the 501st took me in— Kix was the first to show me kindness and patch me up," you recalled shakily, the shirt bunching in your fingers. "Fives— Fives was my first Vod, the first one to make me l-laugh, made me feel normal. But..."

Hunter patiently listened, eyes fixed on you.

You took in a shuddering breath. "I loved him," you admitted, your voice raw. You stared down at your hands, vision blurred. "CT-1409. The first one I truly trusted. He was so quiet and patient and kind to me. Protected me, made sure I was comfortable." You looked up at Hunter, seeing the faint surprise flicker through his eyes. "I never told him." Your lips trembled. "I still love him, so much." Reaching up, you pressed your hand against your chest.

"It doesn't change how much I love all of you, but... it still hurts, so much. He's gone, but I... I can't forget about him. I miss him." You reached out and grabbed Hunter's hand desperately. "Why does it hurt so much, still?"

Hunter reached out, pulling you into his lap. He pressed a gentle kiss to your temple. "I'm sorry, Shiv," he said, voice hoarse as he shared your pain. "You loved him. I don't think that's something you easily forget." He pulled you into his chest, letting you cry into his shoulder as he rubbed your arm. "Was this his?" he asked softly, brushing against the sleeve of your T-shirt.

You nodded, tears slipping down your cheeks.

Hunter didn't say anything more, but his steady presence was enough to fill you with at least a little comfort that eased the raw ache in your chest. He understood, and for now... for now, that was enough. You'd never forget Echo, and maybe even never stop loving him.

But for now, the pain eased just a little.

~

You threw up your arms, letting out a little cry of happy satisfaction. The schematics glowed on the holoscreen, fully complete.

Wrecker and Tech looked up at you from their own places. Tech adjusted his glasses curiously, coming to observe the schematics.

"Whatcha got, Shiv?" Wrecker asked, approaching.

Thoroughly elated, you whirled around on bare feet and threw your arms around him. "I finally managed to figure out all the mods for your gloves, Wrecker!" you cheered, laughing in your triumph. "It was so hard to get them all sized and compatible, but I figured it out!"

Wrecker whooped, grabbing you and spinning you around. "Aw yeah, you're awesome, Shiv! When do I get to test them out?" he asked excitedly, face lighting up.

You laughed breathlessly, hands resting on his shoulders for balance as he set you back down. "Next mission," you promised. "And you get to have as much fun as you like with them so I can make sure they hold up."

"Yes!"

"These modifications look quite complicated," Tech said interestedly. He pointed at one of the mods on the screen. "Can you show me how they work?"

You reached up and pressed a quick peck to Wrecker's chin, then flitted back to Tech. Explaining the mods, you cheerfully chattered with Tech about your work and the process and knowledge required to make them all fit and work within the confines of the weapon body.

He nodded, absorbing the information and asking questions. Eventually you moved on to another project you'd been working on, trying to modify the other teammates' weapons to minimize recoil. The mods were tricky and dealt with a lot of fine details, so they were specific to each type of weapon.

Tech tilted his head. "Is all the effort really worth the result?" he asked, observing the schematics on the screen. "It seems like a lot of work for something rather small in comparison."

You pursed your lips thoughtfully. "Well, it may not seem like it, but the long-term benefits are actually a lot better than they seem," you explained. "Think about it. If you could significantly minimize the friction of recoil, what does that do for the weapon itself?"

Tech's eyebrows furrowed as he thought it over. "It would certainly cause less wear on the weapon over a longer period of time," he mused. "It might also reduce the damage to the body of the weapon from the force of recoil hitting some object. The internal friction would also be minimized, causing less heat damage."

"Which is good," you pointed out, "but it can also be argued that for a standard weapon, not considering a living weapon like me, those parts are easily replaced, especially during war time. So why bother? For me as a weapon, the benefits are that I work smoother and suffer less lasting damage over a longer period of time, improving my performance. But setting that aside, the main benefit to me is for the user."

Tech stroked his chin. "If there's less recoil, depending on the size and weight of the weapon it could put less strain on the user," he realized, nodding. "While the effects might not be as obvious for a vibroshiv or smaller blaster, an IWS or sniper rifle would be far more noticeable. It would conserve energy bracing against the recoil and probably even allow for smoother use and faster consecutive shots."

You smiled, tilting your head. "As a weapon, I'm always at the disadvantage," you said, looking at the schematics. "I'm always the one being used and abused in whatever situation. But the easier it is for my handler, the far easier it is for me as the weapon. If I can maximize efficiency for the user, it works out better for me, too."

Tech frowned, turning to you. "I've been meaning to ask you, Shiv. How does your weapon form even work? The injury you got on our first mission transferred to your physical body. But other smaller scuffs and scorch marks you've obtained since then seem to not affect you as much. How does it work?" he asked. He pulled up his chair, that familiar gleam in his eye as the recorder attached to his glasses blinked red.

Taking one glance at his expression, you resigned yourself to an extensive interrogation and sat down. Oh well. You might as well, right? You noticed Crosshair walk in with his rifle slung over his shoulder out of the corner of your eye.

Your face scrunched in thought. "Well... my body is a weapon," you started slowly, trying to put into words a more instinctual knowledge. "Umm, smaller injuries like you mentioned — scorch marks and scratches — do actually transfer to... this body." You tugged at your shirt. "But it's more like... the smaller it is, the easier it is to heal. My body does have an accelerated rate of regeneration and healing. Of course, it is definitely possible for me to lose limbs. But I can take and recover from a lot more damage than most biological, carbon-based forms."

"So the injury you received to your arm that time was just extensive enough that you couldn't heal quickly from it," Tech clarified.

You absently rubbed your arm. "Yes... well, sort of?" you corrected yourself. "In that particular case there were several factors that directly affected the injury," you explained. "The blast actually caught the flank of the device I was currently Shifted into, since I was more focused on responding to your commands to blast the doors open. In a normal weapon or device, it would have simply melted or destroyed that part of it. Since I'm a living weapon, it affected my biological tissues as well, on my arm. That injury actually completely destroyed about sixty percent of the cells in my arm. For most other beings, it would have required a skin graft of sorts to replace. In my case, I was able to regenerate it using biological information gathered from the surrounding intact cells. It also didn't reach my bone, which allowed for a quicker recovery."

You took in a deep breath. "And, um," you shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not at all blaming anyone. But it's simply fact that the level of Transference I have with someone affects my rate of healing." You grimaced. "Since it was our first mission, our connection wasn't... as strong or deep."

"Wait, so level of Transference has an effect on your rate of healing?" Tech broke in eagerly. "How? Do you somehow take genetic material from us?"

You raised your hands, laughing despite yourself. "No, no, not like that," you giggled. "It's a little harder to explain, but it's more like I can... draw on your energy?" You shrugged helplessly. "I can't entirely explain this. The best way I can describe it is that for me, it feels like the deeper the connection — kind of like, the more a handler... cares about me, I guess? — the more I can sort of... draw on them for the energy to pour into the healing process. It's almost like plugging into an external battery and rerouting that extra energy into healing. If I don't have that outside source, then it has to entirely come from within myself."

Tech quickly picked up on the metaphor. "So that's how you recovered so quickly from the wounds you got from fighting... the Guardian." He seemed to change his words at the last second, giving you a quick glance.

You just gave him a small smile, encouraging him to go on.

"You said yourself that the Bonds we've formed with you have deepened to the point that we're able to communicate directly to each other now without having to have you pass the message on. So if all four of us care about you, it means that you're able to draw on four sources of external energy, correct?" he continued.

You nodded, eyebrows furrowing. "Yes, essentially." Then you shuffled your feet a little. "And, well..." Biting your lip, you glanced to the side. "It... sort of does have to do with genetic material..."

You heard a choke, and turned to see Hunter standing in the doorway, fist against his chest. Crosshair chuckled, glancing up at you with amusement.

"It does?" Tech tilted his head at you, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.

You swallowed, heat spreading up your face. "Um..." you coughed, "well, you see, it's..." You buried your face into your hands. "Any sort of genetic material you give me I can process and use as extra energy..."

"Well now it makes sense where you're getting the stamina to keep up with four of us," Cross said dryly.

You squeaked, smacking your flushed cheeks, flustered. "Energies have flavors!" you blurted, realizing too late that it clarified nothing. "I mean-" You sighed as the others started laughing good-naturedly at you.

Giving them a pout, you crossed your arms defensively. "Let me finish!" you whined.

"I'm pretty sure we do, Shiv." Tech gave you a teasing smile.

You stared at him, mouth opening as you gaped. "Hey!" you spluttered, betrayed.

Wrecker snickered. "So what flavor am I, Shiv?"

"You've never even-"

You cut off Tech's impending comment hastily. "Energy from different sources do have a different 'flavor' in a... mental sense," you sighed, shaking your head as you rolled your eyes a little. "And yes, they do have different flavors if I obtain it that way. Technically," you sniffed, giving Tech a pointed look, "I could just ask to drink your blood, too."

Tech raised his hands. "Point taken, Shiv," he chuckled.

But you leaned forward, giving him a sickly sweet smile. "I love the way you taste, Tech," you breathed softly, trailing your fingers down your lips. "You're so sweet, with a perfect hint of salt," you purred, watching as his eyes widened. Your fingers trailed delicately down your neck, further down to the neckline of your shirt. "And the way you drip down my throat. I like the way it feels smearing across my skin." Your coy smile widened as you teasingly pulled your shirt a little lower.

You tilted your head at him. "So... don't you think it's only fair I get to see pretty red dripping down your throat, Tech?" you cooed, reaching out and touching the tips of your fingers to his collar, walking up to his neck. "Let me have a little taste? Walk around with you on my lips like the perfect lipstick?"

Tech's eyes had dilated, chest heaving and his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed thickly at your words.

Despite yourself, you almost snickered. Did Tech have a bit of a blood kink, you wondered? But even as you said it, your mouth watered and you slowly licked your lips. Then you leaned back in your chair, breaking the tension.

"I've never actually tried drinking blood, though," you said thoughtfully, tilting your head back. You wondered what it would be like.

Hunter let out a low whistle. "I think you broke Tech, mesh'la," he chuckled.

You blinked, then looked back at poor Tech, who was clearly trying to scrape himself together. Biting your lip, you stifled your laughter.

"I'm sorry, Tech," you said, blowing him an apologetic kiss. "But you did deserve that."

He sighed. "I won't deny it." But his voice came out raspy.

"So what do I taste like, Shiv?" Wrecker insisted, hefting the poor GONK droid.

You pursed your lips, trying to put it into words. "Mmm..." Your eyes closed as you remembered Wrecker's energy pouring into you, fueling your recovery. "Thick. Strong. It's like... like a dish of perfectly blended spices, each one distinct but coming together in a unified harmony. It dominates everything else." You opened your eyes, giving him a sheepish smile. "That's the only way I know how to describe it."

"Huh, that's cool," Wrecker said with a nod, thinking about it.

"And me?" Hunter quirked a small smile.

You answered almost without thinking. "Sweet and sour." Then you gave him a slight, embarrassed smile. "It's constant, an even flavor like a piece of candy. It's... the flavor isn't even really what I like most about your energy," you admitted. "It's how stable it is. It's dependable and steady."

He nodded thoughtfully.

"What about Cross?" Wrecker piped up.

Your mind instantly went back to the night before, eyes growing unfocused. You could almost taste him just thinking about it. Your body could recall the dusky heat that spread through you, your mind and body putty as he wrapped demanding fingers around your throat, bruises mottling your hips-

"Bittersweet," you said, almost unconsciously. "Sugary ash. A powdered drug." The sensations kept flashing through your memory, bits and pieces of emotion and impressions. "Infrequent, but completely addictive... it leaves behind a thick, warm glow that fades slowly."

You shook yourself, reaching up to rub your eye.

"Well kriff, Cross. Sounds like you made an impression," Hunter remarked, raising an eyebrow.

"Jealous?" Cross retorted, though his tone had no bite and a satisfied light glinted in his eye.

"Back to the main point-" Tech had managed to recover. "What's the difference between receiving genetic material and just drawing on the Bonds?"

You wrinkled your nose. "The Bonds are usually already processed and specifically directed energy. When you focus on me through the Bonds, your thoughts are usually already projecting a specific purpose for the energy, like concern for my injuries that translates into healing energy. Or a need for extra power or quick reaction time, which converts into the extra burst of energy that I can direct to firepower." You gestured to the holotable, pointing to the schematics.

"Genetic material is raw," you finished with a shrug. "I can process it myself, whether for an immediate need or to store reserve energy."

"Is that how you've been keeping up with four of us?" Tech asked, eyebrows furrowing. "I had wondered about that, especially since it must be demanding on your body. I worried that you'd be exhausted."

Flushing, you gave him a nod. "Well, yes. I mean, I also feed off of the energy you're projecting over the Bonds as well, but the extra energy also helps me recover quickly. It also makes any bruises disappear more quickly. You don't have to worry too much about me," you said shyly. And it was true. It was another reason that Wrecker alone didn't leave you sore and staggering for days afterward.

Exhaustion came with the territory, but it was a self-fulfilling cycle of burning and receiving energy. Besides... the strength of their emotions also helped.

"Do our feelings directly affect yours, Shiv?" Hunter asked that time, stroking his chin. "I noticed that during certain moments, you seem to reflect our emotions."

You nodded. "Yes. I told Tech earlier: I'm always the one at someone else's mercy, as the living weapon. I can't... wield myself, so to speak. So whatever my handler projects on me or however they use me... well, affects me. I'm constantly attuned to your thoughts and emotions unless you purposely block me, especially during active Transference."

Hunter nodded. "Which is why it's hard to read Cross." He jerked a thumb at said sniper.

You nodded.

"That means you really are quite the slave to whoever is using you as a weapon," Tech remarked, frowning. "It essentially forces you to try to keep them happy in order to ease the burden on yourself."

You looked down at your hands. "Yes. It's why there aren't many of us left. It's too easy to abuse us to the point of extinction. Our lifespans are directly related to how well we're treated and taken care of, but... it's easier to use us than cherish us. I didn't think I'd live very long until the 501st found me," you admitted. "My childhood... if you can call it that... was sadly normal for my kind."

"If we ever find 'em, Shiv, you let us know," Wrecker growled, slamming his fist into his palm. "I'll blow 'em up."

You gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you, Wrecker. But you take good care of me, now. That's all I care about."

"It really is no wonder why the Kaminoans jumped at the opportunity to try to clone you," Hunter concluded darkly.

You shrugged. "I don't even know if they can."

"Hopefully, we'll never find out," Cross said lowly from his corner.

Personally, you hoped he was right.

Part 12: Mission

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