#Omega Sniper Rifle | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

ryuzakemo128 · 2 months ago

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MDNI 18+ Omegaverse

Note: This is my first try. If it sucks let me know.

Word count: 1705

Omegaverse Parts: Part One + Part Two + Part Three + Part Four

Masterlist

You were not an alpha, you were certainly were no quivering omega, and you are not even a fucking beta. What in the name of a metaphorical god are you? With no conclusive, definitive answers to who or what you are. You are left to wander the expanse of earth.

You have a sniper rifle with the initials of your name faded away. Scratched off by your own hand. Dubbed the lone wanderer. As you were often seen by military packs alone. No pack. No, nothing at your side. Did it matter to you? Not really. You were fine. Right?

Things were different when you were adamant in sewing the wound on your leg by yourself. “Don’t like it? Then…… Then you can fuck off.” you growled. Your fingertips worming their way to take the bullet from your leg. After the bullet was finally removed after several messy, painstaking minutes?

You dosed your wound in rubbing alcohol and hissed. But continued to stitch your own wound up. Contemplating whether to put in staples as well to keep the wound from ripping open again. As you finished up, firmly wrapping the bandage in place and thinking of what move to make.

You looked at your digital watch, five hours until sundown and five hours until you have to find somewhere safe enough to sleep. Limping to an abandoned office or one which looked to be in disuse. You weren’t going to let anyone catch you again. Not like last time, either.

The screeching of the metal on concrete too familiar for your ears, you found a storage closet and shifted the blankets around to hide inside. Falling asleep to avoid hunger building inside your stomach. The cool metal digging into your body in combination to the thin woollen blankets lulled you.

Lulled you straight into a slumber. An uneasy slumber. But slumber all the same. Hoping the gunshots in the distance would cover the quiet purrs coming from you, your lips and the office which is usually empty at this time of day. Things were soon to get far worse now.

Things always tend to get worse before they even get the chance to get better. Life fucks you over and leaves you for the vultures to pick at your corpse. Always the victim. Never the victor. Thus, when you escaped the last pack who tried to claim you by force?

You learned to fight, to shoot, throw a knife and to hunt other animals. Living the high life, right? What more could you ask for? Home? Stability? A pack? A family? Ha! That shit was for Aphas, betas and omegas. You had survived this long on your own, hadn't you?

But what about the scent? Your scent? What about it? It's faint, growing stronger every second, it was your time. But you weren’t ready for it. To be fair, you have never been ‘ready’ for its arrival. And you certainly weren’t ready for it to happen now of all times.

The heat of your core right up to the tightness in your abdomen. Your heat is coming. Fucking perfect. In the middle of a fucking war zone and your heat comes in while you’re injured. The closet wasn’t going to cut it anymore. You needed somewhere better to hide. Now.

Quickly moving, you grabbed your bone knife, your bag, your sniper rifle. You limped your way out of the closet. The sun is setting. You know what that brings? The hounds of Deadlock. The alphas of task force 141. If you could smell them? Then they already smelt you.

They claimed stray omegas like they were kings of the fucking world, and anyone who had a problem with that? Well, they'd just blow their fucking heads off. That's what alphas did. But you? You weren’t going to tango with alphas. A death sentence wrapped inside a twisted hand basket case.

You rarely go into heat. As far as you know, it is quite rare for you to get into heat. The medication you took prevented it from showing. Always taking it two days before one came close to showing. Here you are with your large med bottle empty. No warning.

Like your pathetic, absent deadbeat of a father, you hoped you would not have to see it happen to you. The scent grew stronger still, a sweet coppery tang uniquely yours and yours alone. Panic rushed through you, your body and your senses. Urging, willing, forcing yourself to move faster.

Stumbling into the hallway, moving to the medical room three rooms away from the office you forced yourself to hide in three hours prior. Checking your wristwatch habitually. Two hours until midnight comes knocking on your door. Two more hours until your heat comes in full swing. Only two hours.

Pushing the barrel of your gun into the door. Forcing your way into the medical room, the smell of clinic grade medical rubbing alcohol assaulted your senses. You didn’t have the patience to be slow and steady like you would have wanted. Not with the impending danger at your heels.

Shoving a chair underneath the door handle to prevent someone from coming in while you stocked up on antibiotics, clean bandages, painkillers, antiseptic, and any other kind of medical supplies you thought were important for your needs. All of them. Shoved into your backpack. You weren’t going anywhere without them.

With your scent growing increasingly stronger. You worried immensely about them being able to kick down the door and drag you away from there by force. If they found you, you would be as good as theirs. Fucked up leg and all. It didn’t matter that you were in there.

You paused, standing at the door, listening for movement, footsteps down the hall. Listening for the sturdy combat boots to come marching right past you, hoping the room’s medical grade antiseptic and bleach would be strong enough to cover your heat. Your scent. The sticky fluid urging to come out.

Yet you heard nothing. It was silent. Too quiet. Suspiciously silent even. You knew better than to let it conquer your sense of self-preservation. You came too far to let yourself get taken again. You had to wait this one out. No matter how long it took or how hard.

Waiting felt like agony, felt like nails on a chalkboard, every second passing did nothing for your anxiety. The windows were covered to prevent flashlights, helicopter lights and other unwelcome visitors from peaking inside the medical room. Your breaths grew shallower, your stomach getting tighter, and your heat is here.

Your body temperature rising to an unbearable, flow of burning heat. Biting down on your thick leather belt to muffle the sounds coming from your lips. The sound of window glass breaking, shattering as you hid in the medical shower underneath the cold water and away from the door’s window.

Your grimy, sweaty, dirty clothes removed and left into a bath of white vinegar soaking in a plastic tub. As you used the surgical scrub to clean yourself with. You hoped if you cleaned your clothes with vinegar, soaked it inside it and let it stew within the white vinegar.

Silently hoping by time morning came around your clothes would be dried, clean and ready to wear again for the new day. Trapped inside this medium sized room until the first wave of your intense heat passed on by. It would become unmanageable quickly if you let it control you.

Ghost sniffed the air, they weren’t going to get to you in time now were they? By the time this wave went through your body. You would be gone and the morning would arrive. And they’d have to smell your sweet scent after the fact. After you were long gone.

“If she hasn’t left yet, in the next six hours, the heat will pass, and she’s gonna be long gone by the time we’ve sniffed her out.” Ghost told Price. Taking another long whiff of the sweetest scent he’s ever smelt in a long time. You’re sweeter than he assumed.

“Are you even sure this stray isn’t an omega like the other we’ve found? What makes you so damn sure she’s not another one?” Price questioned Simon, his voice both gruff and sceptical of his comrade’s analysis over the situation. He had every right to be sceptical over this one.

“Her scent is sweet, tooth rotting levels of sweet, think candy bars and cotton candy. There’s some spice to it, like cinnamon or pumpkin spice in those pumpkin spice lattes Gaz loves drinking so much. It's faint. But it is most certainly there. IF you know where to find it.”

“But what else makes her so special?” Gaz enquired, hinting at the desire to ascertain as to why General Shepherd sent them out here. His burning urge to know more was there whenever something unusual is brought to their attention. Regardless of how they have personally felt about it all.

“Well for starters, she’s covering her tracks, if she’s smart enough to do that? Then she’s not an omega, she’s a fucking ghost, mate. If anything, you’d think she’s been out there longer than we’ve been in this shithole. This is her playing field, Gaz. Her prime hunting ground now.” Soap smirked, a grin from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat rather than an alpha wolf’s.

Gaz pulled out the file with your photo printed onto the white page, “This her Ghost?” Gaz asked ghost for confirmation. He wouldn’t budge until his information, he looked into his own time.

Ghost remembered you, the rancher hat you wore that day and the bandana hiding half your face from his eyes. Shooting him in the shoulder with a tracking bullet. “Put a tracking bullet into my shoulder with her sniper rifle. It took us two weeks to get it removed without it detonating and taking my arm with it. That’s not a move an omega would make, it’s a move done by professionals. And she is a fucking ghost, moving in time with her surroundings. She’s not a sitting duck for us to come and claim her, she’s a fucking wolf in sheep’s clothing, that one.”

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crazyunsexycool · 2 years ago

Note

stucky x reader, where reader didn't present at a certain age so she lived most of her adult life with no designation, alpha stucky who could be mated alr, accept her into their small pack regardless and are v protective of her. One day though, during their mission she suddenly gets her heat; and not a bearable one, like heat heat. And she just smells so good and irresistible which drove the alpha's absolutely feral.

ps. i love your writing!!💗😍

Present

Pairing: alpha!stucky x reader

Word count: 3.6k

Warning: smut, unprotected sex (wrap it up!!) p in v, fingering, canon level violence, mentions of blood, a/b/o dynamics

A/N: I had most of this written a while ago and idk why I never posted it but it’s here now. I’m so sorry it took so long but I hope you enjoy it anyways. I love receiving requests for one shots or dribbles so please feel free I promise that I am working on them they help when I get stuck on other things

Never having presented the way all of your classmates, friends and family had made you an outcast. Did it hurt to be rejected by your family for not presenting? Yes but it didn’t stop you from achieving your goals. It’s how you entered Shield and became an agent. Your lack of scent was an advantage over the people you were fighting, with no alpha, beta or omega needs to tend to you easily became one of the best agents. It’s how you ended up working with the Avengers.

It’s also how you met them, Steve and Bucky the mated alphas. At first you had been extremely intimidated by them and anytime you had to interact with them you referred to them by their ranks. Little by little they showed you they were big softies. It’s how courting gifts started, your favorite coffee on your desk in the morning, a book you had mentioned delivered to your room. It was all so sweet but you had to tell them you didn’t have a designation and you didn’t want to lead them on if they wanted an omega.

“What if we just want you? We don’t care about designations.” Bucky asked as he held your hand.

“Me?”

“Mmhmm, we want you sweetheart.” Steve says as he stands behind you, his lips brushing up against the shell of your ear.

“Even though I don’t have a designation?” It was almost too good to be true. The most desirable alphas wanted you, with or without designation. The thought of being theirs and them being yours made you shudder.

“We don’t care about that, we care about you.” Bucky says confidently but hopeful. “What do you say?”

A smile appears on your lips as you nod.

“We need you to use your words Sweetheart.”

“Yes. I-I would like to be with you.” Steve turns you around and immediately connects his lips to yours as a small but deep growl rumbles from deep in his chest. He doesn’t get a chance to deepen it as Bucky pulls you away and begins to kiss you.

You having no designation didn’t stop them from continuing to court you. In the short three months you had been with them they always had small gifts for you when they came back from missions or they took you out on dates. Steve and Bucky never made you feel less than for never having presented. On the contrary they were very protective and anyone who even dared to make a comment about you had to deal with them. The super soldiers were caring, protective and sweet which made you fall fast, this was the first time in a long time in which you wanted to have a designation so that they could claim you properly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You loved going on missions with Steve and Bucky, it was always amazing to see them working. Sure they went toe to toe with other alphas but nothing compared to the Super Soldiers. This mission you were headed to was supposed to be easy. Bucky was supposed to set up with his sniper rifle not too far away, while you and Steve headed inside. Your job was to extract information from the servers after you, but mostly Steve, cleared the building.

Since starting as an agent you were always confident in your abilities but you knew there was something off today. You felt warmer than usual and your body ached, not to mention that whenever Steve or Bucky so much as walked by you wanted to pounce on them. Their scents were driving you crazy and you found yourself squeezing your thighs together to try and get any type of relief. This didn’t go unnoticed by the alphas, they weren’t sure what was going on but they kept a close eye on you during the flight.

The mission was going off without a hitch for the most part. Steve cleared the building while you got to work on the servers. It was easy and if you hadn’t been preoccupied with the shooting pain that spread low in your belly you would have considered that it was way too easy. A whine escapes your lips as you try to focus on the task at hand before a growl gets your attention. It sends shivers up and down your spine and the bitter scent that hits you is just as unpleasant.

“Well what do we have here? I see they left me something to play with.” his lips turned into a wicked grin.

You put your hand up to your earpiece. “Alphas” is all you manage to say before the one before you lunges towards you and pins you down.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bucky had made his way down to the building from his position at Steve’s request. The building had been cleared and he had left you to do your part. They were both well aware that it was too easy to get into the building, it had minimal security considering the information it housed. Steve preferred to have Bucky close in case there were more issues especially if he considered that you were behaving a little out of character. They both had agreed on that and the fact that if they didn’t know you didn’t have a designation it felt like you had a scent. One that was sure to send them into their ruts if it had been stronger. Steve and Bucky were doing one more sweep of a lower level when they heard it. A faint growl but enough to make them turn back around and when they heard your voice through comms calling them alpha they nearly lost it. You had never referred to them by their designation.

By the time they get up two floors to your location the scent in the air hits them. It was intoxicating but laced with fear and both super soldiers knew they had to act fast. When they got to the hallway where the room you were in they felt pure rage. The door had been ripped off its hinges and there was a faint smell of blood in the air. But as they got to the room they only found your ear piece and a dead alpha on the floor. Their enhanced hearing alerted them to movement further down the hall and close to the stairwell.

They split up with Steve following the footsteps and Bucky trying to find you. At any other moment they would be calm and focused but you were in trouble and the men that had promised to keep you safe would stop at nothing to do so.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Y/N.” he says with his voice lowered so as to not scare you. His scent reaches you and you relax slightly. Bucky found you in a room hidden away from the others that Steve was following.

“Alpha, it hurts.” you whine from your spot in the corner of the room.

“I know, doll but I’m here. I’ll help you.” he coos as he finally gets closer to you. He’s fighting his instincts to claim you right on the spot, the sweet scent made stronger by your heat is driving him crazy. Instead Bucky focuses on using his own scent to soothe you.

As soon as he is crouching in front of you, you launch yourself into his arms. Bucky holds you close as he tries to find any injuries. The only thing he finds is a rip on your uniform and he’s furious, if the alpha wasn’t dead already he would have ripped his head off. But then Bucky feels the tip of your nose brush up against his mating gland and up his neck and he shudders.

“Omega.” When Bucky pulls back his eyes are darker than you’ve ever seen and completely full of lust.

“Is everything ok?” Steve’s voice comes through the comms.

“Kind of. She isn’t hurt but she’s starting her heat, we have to get her out of here.”

“Meet me at the entrance. The jet isn’t too far and- fuck. Bucky you have to move her to a safer room. We have more guards coming in.”

“Fuck. Ok, moving now.” Bucky scoops you up and rushes out of the room trying to ignore the way you keep nipping and licking at his neck. He moves quickly until he finds a room he deems safe enough for you. He listens for footsteps on the other side of the door after setting you down on the table, at least he doesn’t have to worry about a sniper since there aren’t any windows.

“Bucky, what’s happening to me?”

“Doll, you’re presenting. You’re an omega.”

“Your omega?” you whisper, afraid that he’ll say no.

Your question makes his breath hitch. He turns towards you, his eyes dark and lust blown.

“Mine.” he says as he walks towards you with purpose. Standing between your legs as he pulls you in for a filthy kiss. He felt you trying to undo his belt and then the button on his pants but he stops you. “We can’t doll, you aren’t safe.”

“Please, need you.”

“You’ve got me.” He says as he moves to undo your belt and pants. With every passing moment your scent got stronger and so did your heat. Bucky knew he had to do something to help.

He pops the button on your suit pant open and then lowers the zipper, slowly his hand makes its way between your thighs. Running his fingers through your fold he groans at how wet you are. “This all for me ‘mega. Is this for your alpha?”

“Yes, alpha please.” you moan as you feel him circle your clit slowly. Your hips move on their own accord to try and get more friction. He captures your lips with his as he starts to pick up the pace, swallowing all your moans. “More, Bucky more.”

“I got you doll.” he says as he moves from your clit down to your dripping entrance and slowly pushes two fingers in until he’s knuckles deep. You whimper at the feeling. “Look at you so greedy, gripping my fingers so tight.” Bucky begins to pick up his pace before adding another finger. He curves his fingers stroking that spot that has your eyes rolling back, your mouth open in a silent scream. Your hands gripping on to his shoulders as the knot in your belly tightens.

“That’s it doll, be a good girl for me and cum.” Bucky starts thrusting his fingers faster until he feels your walls clench and he hears you scream his name as the knot in your belly unravels. “Good girl.” he praises as he slowly removes his fingers from your pussy. You whine at the loss while you rest your forehead against his chest as you try to catch your breath. He puts his fingers in his mouth and groans at the taste of you, Bucky freezes before he can say anything to you. His attention is on the footsteps rushing towards your position.

The door is kicked open and Bucky goes feral as the scent of the other alphas hit him. He hears all of them inhale and their eyes are fixed on you. Bucky moves so that his large frame keeps you hidden from them.

“We just want a little taste of your omega. She smells delicious.” One of the men says as he steps into the room. Bucky orders you into the corner of the room before he starts his assault on the men that dared even look in your direction. He’s fueled by pure rage and his need as an alpha to protect his omega.

As soon as the last of the guards hit the floor Bucky fixes your uniform before grabbing you and carries you out of the room as Steve tells him it’s all clear.

They rush from the building, Steve leading the way in case anyone else tries to stop them and Bucky has you in his arms. During this whole ordeal your head is fuzzy and all you want to do is strip your clothes and be close to them, taking in their scent. Somehow during this mess you ended up on Steve’s lap, while Bucky handled getting the jet off the ground.

“Alpha.” You call out to Steve. He growls when he hears you call him by his designation. Steve would never admit it but he’s wanted to hear you say that word for a while and hearing it along with your sweet scent and the slick that is pooling in between your thighs he’s sure to go into a rut.

“Omega?”

“Please, need to feel you.”

“You want my knot, sweetheart?” he coos. All you can do is nod. “Use your words baby.”

“Yes, I want your knot.” as you shift to straddle him. Steve rips your clothes off, your inner thighs covered in slick. He lifts you slightly so that he can lower his pants and boxers enough to free his already hard cock. In one swift move Steve buries himself in your wet heat, causing both of you to moan. No matter how many times you’ve been with them it always took you a moment before you could start moving. You relish the stretch and feel of him as you begin to move, His hands around your waist to keep you steady as you grab the straps on his shoulders. Rolling your hips a couple of times you moan as he captures your lips with his. Needing more, you begin to bounce on his cock.

“So needy sweetheart.” Steve groans “take what you need omega. Just like that.”

You mewl at his words as you try to move faster. Steve’s hands move to your hips and he begins to take control as he thrusts up into you. You throw your head back unconsciously baring your neck for him. “Fuck, you feel so good. I’m gonna mark you right here.” His teeth grace the junction between your shoulder and neck right where your mating gland is. “Do you want that omega?”

“Y-yes alpha, please.” You say in your lust filled haze, your eyes half lidded and glazed over as you hold onto his shoulders straps tighter. He continues his fast pace as one hand moves from your hip to your swollen bundle of nerves. The added stimulation causes you to clench around Steve’s cock. Pressure begins to build between your legs, you realize it’s his knot.

“I can feel you’re so close sweetheart. Let go baby.”

His words are all you need for your orgasm to wash over you with a moan of his name, his teeth sinking into your neck. You can feel the bond come to life as he laps at the mark he made. Then you feel his knot catch as his hips start to stutter. With one final thrust Steve spills into you as his knot locks you both into place. Exhaustion creeps over you and you lay with your head on Steve’s shoulder, drifting off into sleep as you hear him praise you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your eyes flutter open and taking in your surroundings you realize you’re in bed just not yours. There’s a slight ache on your neck and you feel almost guilty but you’re not sure why. When you sit up your head feels fuzzy and you groan because of your sore muscles. The sheet that had been covering falls and reveals that you're naked and you’re flooded with confusion. As you look around the room you see a water bottle on the nightstand and you grab it, drinking half of it immediately.

The door opens slowly and you cover your chest unsure of who will walk in but you only see Bucky standing at the door. He smiles at you but as his woodsy scent, mixed with Steve’s warm and comforting scent, permeates through the room a small whine bubbles up and escapes you.

“Where are we?”

“We’re in a safehouse, doll. You presented during the mission.” He tells you as he sits at the edge of the bed. Bucky is breathing heavily as he fights against his most basest instinct to mate and claim you.

Steve stands in the doorway with a tray in his hands but he doesn’t walk in. Instead he hovers around the door, guilt floods the bond. It’s a foriegn feeling to you and your hand goes to your neck as you trace the almost healed mark left there by the blonde alpha.

“Steve, are you ok?”

His smile is small, your question enough to get him to move and he places the tray on the bed opposite Bucky.

“How are you feeling sweetheart?”

“Fuzzy and hot… and really sticky.” you say and they chuckle.

“Eat first omega and then we’ll get you cleaned up ok?”

“Will you stay with me?” you mumble as you look at Steve.

“Of course.”

Steve moves to rest against the headboard and you immediately crawl on his lap. Steve and Bucky take care of you, doing exactly as they said they would, you eat a bit of the fruit that was brought in as well as some yogurt. Then Steve takes you into the shower so that you can wash up. With your new bond set in place though you want to cling to your alpha and he won’t say no to you. Even before you dated there was nothing neither him nor Bucky wouldn’t do with or for you. This moment was exactly what you needed, as you washed each other, it was intimate and comforting. You reassured Steve that you did want him to claim you and to hear you say those words lifted a weight off his shoulders and you felt relief wash over the bond. Once you were both done you headed back into the bedroom as you began to feel slick start to coat your inner thighs again.

This time Bucky would help you through it and you assured him that you also wanted him to claim you. It’s how you found yourself presenting for your alpha. A needy whine spills from your lips when you feel Bucky behind you.

“Alpha please.” you say as you look at him over your shoulder.

“It’s ok ‘mega. I’m gonna take care of you.”

Bucky takes his already hard cock and slides it through your folds. The head of his cock hits your clit and the sensation has you mewling. He groans as he lines himself up with your entrance and slowly pushes in. You wiggle your hips once he bottoms out, needing that friction more than anything.

“Please alpha, need you.” you beg over and over until he finally starts to move.

Bucky’s pace is slow at first, he wants to feel all of you. The way you flutter around him when the angle is just right. But the moaning and begging mixed with your sweet scent are all consuming and his pace quickens. Bucky keeps you in place by gripping your hips, the area will be sore tomorrow you’re both too far gone to care.

“Feel so good omega. Like you were made for me.” He growls as he snakes an arm around your body and up to your throat.

The hold isn’t tight but it’s enough for him to pull you against his chest. You take hold of his forearm and your nails dig into his flesh as he begins to tease your clit. The coil starts to tighten again low in your belly as Bucky continues to push you further into unbridled bliss. His breath hits your cheek as he begins to whisper in your ear.

“Such a good girl. Look at you taking me so well. Are you gonna cum for me? Show your alpha how good you feel?”

You nod as a strangled moan escapes you. Your head lolls to the side as pleasure takes over you. The only thing you’re aware of is Bucky claiming you just as Steve had. His hips falter for just a moment and you feel his knot swelling, locking you in place. Bucky sings sweet praises in your ear as he moves both of you into a comfortable position. You try to fight off the sleep, you want to bask in the joy of this new development but you’re too tired and the warmth Bucky provides is your undoing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

You walked back into the tower a week later hand in hand with Steve while Bucky offered to carry your bags. Their ruts had started a few hours after your heat began and the week at the safe house was spent being tangled up with each other. At first you had been caught off guard when they said they wanted you to claim them, it was almost unheard of. But you did it and it was one of the most thrilling moments of your life.

Once the elevator opened up to the shared floor the rest of the team slowly filed out to meet you. It was a series of congratulations and hugs for the three of you. Tony had been the most excited about the new development. He was your closest friend and you had confided to him that you wish you could have presented.

Your childhood hadn’t been easy, being rejected by so many people made you doubt what your purpose was. But being in Steve and Bucky’s arms you realized you were meant to be more than just an omega. Never in your life did you imagine that not only would you become a highly important member of a team dedicated to saving people but that you could still be an omega and kickass. You were more than elated that you didn’t present until now because you found alphas that valued you for more than your heat. They gave themselves fully to you so you gave yourself fully to them. And you wouldn’t change a thing about it.

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maidenvault · 9 months ago

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Okay so, Crosshair’s hand.

Has anyone pointed this out? When Crosshair kills Nolan, he doesn't use his shooting hand.

He uses his left. Just as he very significantly has to in the series finale.

I don't know if the writers knew as far back as "The Outpost" that Crosshair was going to lose the use of his shooting hand and by extension everything he believed made him strong, a "superior" clone, and safe from being discarded when he was kind of fascism-pilled. But it feels extra significant in retrospect that his first action taken against the Empire is not done with the hand associated with the terrible things he did as an Imperial sniper. And it's after he just got a difficult lesson about how his own personal strength and skills aren't enough to protect him - he was saved twice by Mayday, then possibly only survived through the night because he wouldn't leave him behind and could share his body heat. He may be using his left hand when he shoots Nolan because his other arm is tired from supporting Mayday all the way back, which only adds to the symbolic touch I love that Mayday is using his rifle as a crutch to help him walk as well (and of course, he's at close range so quite meaningfully Crosshair doesn't use the rifle to shoot here either). It all supports the idea of this as the first huge moment of transformation for Crosshair when he's finally turning his fire on the real enemy out of a desire to protect others, however futile and too late it is in this particular situation.

Going back and noticing this really reinforced for me that Crosshair's hand injury probably isn't just meant as a manifestation of his trauma related to Tantiss. It would make sense considering it's his shooting hand that it also has something to do with his inner conflict regarding his changed relationship with violence and killing.

The Batch were introduced as these stereotypically macho soldier characters, an impression that's softened a little as early as the pilot of TBB but still distinguishes them a little from other clones. In a kind of funny way you can look at the whole series as being about these guys who were only brought up to fight gradually discovering and finding peace with their more traditionally feminine sides - literally because of Omega, a female version of themselves who shows them the possibilities of being a family and living for others instead of for violence.

For Crosshair this journey is much more difficult and like a painful rebirth than it is for anyone else because being a soldier was so much of his identity. He's always been the one to most pointedly distinguish his squad from regs because of their "superior" traits that he thinks will make the Empire value them, and he clearly internalized the way the Kaminoans only care about clones as weapons to be used in war. And it all betrays how little value Crosshair actually believes he has deep down. It was easy to go into S3 being especially worried about his fate because he's believed so long that he's not good for anything but fighting and he's the character it was the hardest to imagine adjusting to a different life.

But in retrospect, it was stupid to think they'd let him off that easy and of course the whole point is that it takes a lot to get him there. What exactly he went through on Tantiss beyond the electroshock torture we've seen is never delved into but personally, I think being a soldier is something that's poisoned for Crosshair after he becomes a victim of the Empire himself and subject to their attempts at reconditioning. He's not psychologically able to be that person anymore, but for a long time is still trying to largely rely on himself and his own strength. He tries to sacrifice himself for others because he's still holding onto that part of himself in a way.

But for once in Star Wars we've gotten a fully realized redemption arc showing that sometimes what's harder than giving your life in a redemptive way is to actually have to figure out how to live with the bad things you've done and be better. Some of the people Crosshair hurt were his family, and he has to learn he can only make things better by being there for them. He has to learn that he actually can survive and figure out a way forward from his life as a soldier if he lets himself rely on them, just like he only survived Barton IV with help from Mayday. As @moonstrider9904 explains so well in this post, that is what's so important about Crosshair losing the hand and making that final shot to save Omega with Hunter's support. Symbolically he's had that toxic part of himself actually cut off and it's the final, most painful part of his rebirth. But because of that he's forced to find that he can live on without it, that he's surrounded by people who love and believe in him anyway, and that having superhuman skills as a killer was never what gave him worth.

No, having his shooting hand cut off doesn't "fix" anything or mean that Crosshair is healed. He's probably only begun to recover from everything he's been through. But all we really need to see is that he's firmly found his place as part of a family instead of a squad, and he's not going to be alone as he deals with all of that.

#the bad batch #the bad batch meta #crosshair #tbb crosshair #commander mayday #star wars #meta #my meta

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piccolos-bigtoe · 7 months ago

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Drew…. Myself…. With sniper….. guys it’s literally me, I’m seven foot tall and muscular and have stubble and a katana and a trench coat (sleeves blew off because I flexed too hard), sniper is LITERALLY my omega wife,

This is a horrible shit post. I cannot lie I have been art blocked BAD and the only thing I’ve been able to draw is sniper,, I have so many doodles of him in my logs guys it’s insane. I am afraid I am ill and it’s fatal. I want to draw something that isn’t him but i physically cannot and I won’t lie I don’t HATE drawing him but holy fart, it’s TOO MUCH. Uhm I don’t really think I have anything else to say. I started Fo4 and I like Preston a lot (uses a laser sniper rifle and funny hat…) but I met Ada and she is my wife… I love her, she gives me garbage she collects.

#tf2 #my art #team fortress 2 #tf2 sniper #tf2 fanart #sniper is literally my omega princess guys #this is awful

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bberry005 · 9 months ago

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my highly specific star wars take? if the bad batch was released/written/a concept before rebels then omega would've been a recurring character if not a member of the ghost crew. sabine thinks she's the coolest person ever and ezra and zeb are both a little (a lot) afraid of her. she's best friends with hera. omega and kanan hated each other a little at first but now they'd probably die for each other but will never admit it. there's one episode where omega just says "my brothers are coming to help" and then clone force 99 plus phee and emerie all just appear and ezra and zeb are like "how are there MORE OF YOU?!". omega is simultaneously the best and worst influence on everyone around her. she probably teaches sabine how to use a sniper rifle and teaches ezra fancy knife tricks he always fails at. she and rex act like annoying siblings all the time. she's constantly saying "i know a guy" and then some high profile criminal shows up.

#you can pry this idea from my cold dead hands #star wars #star wars rebels #the bad batch #star wars the bad batch #omega tbb #ghost crew #hera syndulla #kanan jarrus #ezra bridger #sabine wren #zeb orrelios #also this post is assuming the bad batch has a happy ending #because i said so

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roseaesynstylae · 10 months ago

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The Bad Batch's weapons can be summed up as:

Hunter: Knives.

Crosshair: Sniper rifle.

Wrecker: Fists.

Tech: Brain.

Omega: Bow and cuteness.

Echo: Have you ever had a spinning scomp link inserted directly into your eye?

#star wars #the bad batch #hunter #crosshair #wrecker #tech #omega #echo

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wizzdot · 6 months ago

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The Patron Saint of One Way Trips

Ch18

Description: lots of action here guys. Hope it’s ok - I haven’t checked for any mistakes because your gal needs to sleep 😆🤦🏼‍♀️ Graves is a wanker!

Laika's (Y/N's) POV*

I wake up to the sun peeking into the room. I flutter my eyes, trying to blink away sleep. Johnny is wrapped around me, both arms clinging to my waist along with one of his legs thrown over me for good measure. I couldn't move even if I wanted to. I try to lift his arm but, if anything, he just grabs me tighter while growling. I whine slightly, starting to feel a little claustrophobic..

The Lieutenant is nowhere to be seen. I assume that he left during the night. It makes me wonder if our conversation last night was real..

I try to unlatch Johnny from me for another couple of minutes, not wanting to wake him prematurely but also not wanting to feel trapped for too much longer.

The door clicks open and the Lieutenant marches in. He grunts at the scene in front of him and then barks in our direction "JOHNNY! Let the girl go - time to get up!" Johnny jolts awake with a jump, momentarily dragging me closer towards his body as if to subconsciously protect me from whatever had woken him.

"Awkt, LT.. ever heard of a lie in??" Johnny complains, with a deeper than usual morning voice. He gives me one final squeeze and deeply inhales the top of my head before releasing me. "Sorry Lass... did no one tell ya that I'm a cuddler..?" he teases. I huff a small giggle, blush and roll away, moving towards the bathroom.

Ghost doesn't say anything whatsoever. Just sits down on the other side of the large bed, facing away from me. I really am starting to draw last night's conversation off as imaginary.. the hanky in my hand suggests otherwise though..

When I return from the bathroom, Johnny and the Lieutenant are discussing something. I overhear them mention El Sin Nombre.. hang on a second... something sparks in my memory. I close my eyes and try to think back through the haze of my prior missions and intel I had collected.. think, Laika, THINK...

"Got a headache, Lass?" Johnny asks - do I really look like that when I'm trying to think...? Thanks Johnny..

"Oh, uhm.. no, just trying to remember something..."

"Don't tell me you to took a bang to the head that you dinnae tell us about as well, lass?"

"No. no no, nothing like that.. it's just that name.. El Sin Nombre.. 'the nameless..' - it -uhm - it's familiar.."

The Lieutenant perks up.

"Familiar how?" he growls.

"I - I don't know yet.. I might just be confused" he eyes me suspiciously but doesn't say anything. His deep grunt ends the conversation.

*Alejandro's POV*

Rudy and I show the visitors to their rooms. Rudy had caught me up about the Garrick girl earlier, I still can't put my finger on why I feel like I know her. I settle in bed while Rudy showers, mind running at a million miles a second.

The sniper..

The fucking sniper. The one that missed the shot. I was a sitting duck. And the sniper missed. Her eyes. I can see her eyes..

"what's the matter mi corazón?" my Omega's voice snaps me from my thoughts. "Rudy.. the girl. She's the sniper.." I growl.

"Yes, she had the sniper rifle slung over her back, remember..?" No! He isn't following..

"No, Rudy.. the sniper.. when the Cartel had you and I was cornered.. remember I mentioned a sniper?"

"Oh.. No, Alejo, that couldn't have been her..? You didn't mention the sniper was a girl.."

"I saw the eyes. Nothing else, Rudy.. just the eyes and her shadow.. there was smoke and flames everywhere.."

"Alejo.. I think you must have mistaken her for someone else.. She was nervous with her weapons today.. not some lone assassin. It doesn't make sense.." Rudy tries to calm me down.. but I was a wolf with the taste of blood now. I know that it was her. I just need to prove it.

"Rudy.. I don't trust her. Promise me you'll be careful. She could be undercover... treat her suspiciously until she proves otherwise, ok , Omega?.. I mean it!"

"Yes, Alpha.. I understand.."

Good. I was not going to take any chances. Having so many new faces in my HQ makes me territorial. I had to watch my soldiers and, of course, my Omega.

Laika's (Y/N's) POV*

A few hours later, we rendezvous on a rooftop in town. I stay completely silent and plan not to say anything during the meeting. I step forward with Johnny and place myself slightly behind him when I notice that Graves is in attendance.

"Some view from up here, eh Lass?" Johnny whispers to me. I just nod, glancing around nervously.

"My sources tell me all the VIPs in Las Almas will be there tonight. Some are invited, others are, umm..." Alejandro begins, nodding toward a large mansion house over on a hill.

"What's this meeting about?" Graves asks, smirking, pointing a scope at a building beyond the wall.

Alejandro glances towards me, with a suspicious look in his eye. I furrow my eyebrows slightly and face the ground.

"She leaves.." He growls. Johnny's head snaps down to look at me "What, Alejandro..? Why, she is part of our team..?" he argues. My stomach does that lurching thing that it likes to do when someone scares me or makes me nervous. "This information is top secret. I don't need any extra ears listening in.. that includes her" he growls.

I nod and obediently turn away from the group. I whisper to Johnny "It's ok" I gulp "I'll be in the room.." I say as I walk back in the direction we had arrived from.

"Sweetheart, wait!" the smooth drawl of the American Alpha hollers at me. I stop in my tracks. "Hang fire, I'll get one of my boys to escort you back.." he smiles. It looks more genuine than his previous smirks. Maybe he was better when he wasn't in the heat of a battle or interrogation.. I decide to put a tiny bit of trust in the Alpha and nod my head at his offer, not wanting to cause any more of a scene.

"That's a girl" he grins, squeezing my cheek, softly. "Oz! Take the 141's girl back to their room, please!" Graves orders down the radio on his shoulder. "Yup Yup" a voice responds back and within seconds, another Alpha, dressed in all black, appeared in front of me.

He nods his head in the direction he wants me to walk, and with one final look back to Johnny, I leave with the unknown Alpha.

The meeting on the roof continues without me. Alejandro is onto me.. he knows..

About half way back to the Fuerzas Especiales Headquarters, 'Oz' starts trying to make conversation with me.

"So, how'd a little girl like you find her way into the SAS..?" I gulp "they found me.." not a lie, technically..

"Why'd they send you to Las Almas..?" - "I don't know.."

"You don't talk much.." - "You talk too much.."

He goes quiet for a few seconds before laughing heartily.

"That big fella with the skull mask, he's a scary son of a bitch, huh?" - "Yep.. he is"

"He ever take it off.." - "I don't know.."

"we've all heard stories about the Ghost. Dude's a killing machine.." - "Cool.." I wish he would stop fucking talking..

"So, what're you called again.. didn't catch your name.." - rude - "You didn't ask my name.."

"Well I'm asking for it now aren't I?" the Alpha is getting pissed but I don't think he is a threat..

"Laika.." I reply bluntly.

"Russian then..?" shit, he is smarter than he looks..

"No, just the name.." I gulp.

"Why'd they call you after a poor little stray mutt..?" Bile rises to my throat but I swallow it down.

"Just did I guess.." I shrug ending the conversation.

We arrive at the room and he drops me off and turns, leaving me alone. I lock the door as a precaution and curl up on the bed and cry. At least I hadn't broken down in front of the fuckin 'Oz' guy.

*Simon's POV*

I hardly listen to Alejandro and Graves' meeting, too concerned and distracted with the girl being sent away. I'd been clenching my hands so tightly for the entire meeting that my gloves had burst. I can tell that Johnny isn't fully concentrating either. Fuckin' hell.

It was one thing sending her out, another issue entirely watchin' a fuckin' unknown piece of shit shadow Alpha 'escort' her back to our fuckin' room.

As soon as Alejandro tells us to gear up for the mission, Johnny and I practically run back towards the room. The fuckin' door’s locked. I contemplate kicking the fuckin' thing down before she whimpers from the other side..

*Laika's (Y/N's) POV*

I hear the door rattling and then growls and grunts from outside.

"Guys.. is that you..?" - "It's us - open the fuckin' door" the Lieutenant bellows. Great, I'd pissed him off again..

I open the door and the pair of large Alphas quickly step into the room, sniffing like crazy. "You alright, Lass? Dick didn't try anythin' did he?" Johnny growls.

"He was fine. Tried to chat but I didn't really feel like talking.." I reassure him that I am ok.

"Why have you been cryin'?" - "I haven't.." I lie.

The Lieutenant scoffs from behind me. "Stop tellin' lies girl.."

Shit, Alejandro told them.. shit shit shit... The Lieutenant wrinkles his nose and turns away from me.

*Ghost's POV*

Ergh, that fuckin' bitter smell she gives off when she is scared. I have to turn away this time. Why is she scared..? Why did Alejandro kick her from the meeting. There is something going on..

Laika's (Y/N's) POV*

"What - what is the plan..?" I ask, trying to change the subject.

"I'm goin' in, pretendin' to have intel.." my eyes widen.. "What?! Johnny.. that's dangerous.."

"Tried to tell him that.." Ghost grunts

"Awkt, I'll take my chances, plus, Graves gave me this to sell the act.." he holds out a Shadow company insignia..

"El Sin Nombre should be there.. I'll take him down" Johnny says confidently. Him... my brain repeats, unhelpfully.

"Graves is in the air, I'm on overwatch.." the Lieutenant grumbles, clearly not happy with the plan.

"And me..?" I question, wondering my place in this shit show.

"You stay here and wait for us to come back, Lass"

WHAT.. NO WAY. NO FUCKING WAY.

"That's an order" the Lieutenant says with finality. I spin around and run to the bathroom, slamming the door and locking it.

Arghhhhh!!!!

El Sin Nombre, come on Laika think! Think like the Asset again.. you know this.. you need to know this...

I stay in the bathroom, plotting my next move. I wait until I hear the obvious sign that Johnny and the Lieutenant had booted up and left. I quickly scamper out of the bathroom and down the hall. I follow the long corridor, turning three lefts and then finally a right hand turn. I was in the area that the Shadows were staying. I sneak up and down the halls, it was pretty much empty. They must have moved out to catch this 'El Sin Nombre' guy.. guy? my brain, once again, uselessly adds. Why does it keep doing that..?

I head into the room with a 'female' sign on the door - weird. I hadn't seen any female shadows but they must have had a couple at least because this room had certainly been slept in. I rifle around in drawers and bags and eventually find a well fitting uniform. I quickly get dressed, flying back down the hallways to my room. I bump in to a Vaqueros soldier. SHIT.

He laughs at me running - "looks like you've missed your shift, little Shadow, eh?" he teases in a heavy accent. I freeze. What do I do..?

"I'll catch up.." I shout back, in a rubbish American accent. It seems to work. "If you're quick.. they went to the huge mansion house at the back of the town.. you better run along, now, little Shadow" he chuckles.

"Thank you - I will" I sprint to the room, dropping off my clothes. I carefully tuck my hanky underneath Johnny's bag, electing that it was too dangerous to bring it with me if I was pretending to be a shadow.

I rush back to the main entrance of the headquarters and, as fast as my feel carry me, run towards the final car getting loaded up. I am carrying my sniper and assault rifle. I keep my head down and pull the black mask over my chin and nose, covering half of my face. I pull the goggles and helmet down over the top half of my face. I hope they don't bother to look.

I step into the final seat, casually and calm, as if I was supposed to be there. Inside, my stomach is twisting. "Shadows.. Commander Graves has had a little.. change of plan.." the commanding officer of this group says, as if he is planning something. My entire body tenses.. This doesn't sound good.

"Graves has ordered for us to form a road block. When - if - the 141 and Vaqueros arrive back to base, we will have taken control. Understood, Shadow Company?" he cheers.

"yup yup" - "yup yup, sir" - "yup yup" my eyes dart around. I join in "yup yup" I say, pretending to be cheerful and excited.

"Now, listen up, Shadows.. Shepherd has put Commander Graves in charge of this operation from here on out. It's time to let the pros finish this. Any resistance from the Mexican's or the Brits and it's lights out for them. We have full execute authority - HOWEVER we would prefer them alive. Shepherd believes that they could have useful intel and he also wants the girl. Oz reported back that her name is Laika - we have done some digging and have reason to believe she has links to Makarov - stay alert, stay ready, stay sharp, Shadows on three!"

I feel sick to my stomach. Everything goes blurry. I almost pass out.

"THREE" - "SHADOWS" they roar in unison.

C'mon Asset, screw your head back on

"The girl - where is she..?" one of the Shadows ask. "We have sent some boys down to take care of her. She will be safely... detained. I don't believe she is much of a threat, anyway.. just scruff her and she becomes anyone's bitch, ain't that right boys..?" he jokes, all of them laughing loudly.

The armoured jeep jerks forward, and the Shadows thankfully go quiet. They park just outside the main gates.

It's pouring with rain, but the Shadows all step out from the armoured vehicles so I follow suit.

We must be standing in the rain for around thirty minutes. Thirty minutes that is filled with screaming, yelling and gunfire from inside the facility, My heart aches. I hope Rudy is ok.. he had been left behind to organise emergency exfil if they had needed it - the shadows were rounding up the Vaqueros. I cringe and try not to whimper. All of a sudden, there is a crackle through the man in charge's radio.

"Shadow-1 to standby. They all made it, amazingly. They are in the third vehicle. Stop them and, if they come willingly, we will be kind. If they try to fight, we.. well y'know.."

Graves.. Fucking snake. I will kill him myself if I get the chance.

"yup yup" the leader of my group replies.

"three minutes out"

It must be the longest three minutes of my life. I am drenched down to the skin. Shaking like a leaf. Please come willingly I pray, knowing that the Shadows had given themselves full execute authority.

Headlights shine from the dirt track. Three black jeeps roll in. They let the first jeep through the road block but step in front of the second and third.

Graves steps out of the middle truck, standing right in front of me.

Doors slam from behind me, Johnny, Simon and Alejandro step out of the third jeep. Two Shadow soldiers also step out, immediately circling behind them. They were surrounded.

Alejandro marches forward angrily.

"What's this??!" he barks, getting in Graves' face.

"This is the immediate future. Step away from the gate" Graves replies cooly.

"What?!" Johnny says, confused and angrily - "You heard me.." he taunts back.

The Lieutenant stays behind, observing. I swear his eyes settle on me for a second longer than the others. Shit...

"You're crazy.. this is my base..!!" the Mexican Alpha shouts, stepping closer again, to Graves. One of the Shadows beside me, readies his gun. I gulp, all eyes dart to the sound of the safety being clicked off.

"It's not a base. This is a sizable covert facility and I admire it- So, I'm taking it. You boys have been relieved. Thank you for your service" - bold fucking bastard. Backstabbing, snake son of a bitch.

"No no no, I don't take orders from you.." - "Didn't Valeria say that..?" Graves teases back, aggressively. My mind flashes - Valeria.. Valeria.. I know that name...

Alejandro suddenly rushes forward, pushing Graves slightly "What the fuck did you just say to me, pendejo..." he growls.

Johnny then steps forward to pull Alejandro back.."You're out of line, Graves.." Johnny growls in the most dangerous tone I had ever heard from the Alpha.

"Don't do that. Don't... do that. No one needs to get hurt here.." Graves says in a mildly suspicious way.. I gulp again and ready my gun with a small click. The lieutenant's eyes definitely flash towards my small movement this time. He finally speaks up.

"ARE YOU THREATNIN' US?!" he barks. A couple of the Shadows step a tiny bit backwards. I remember that Oz had said that they'd been talking about Ghost - how they thought he was terrifying. Good. They should be fuckin' scared of him...

"Soldier" Graves warns.. "I don't make threats. I make guarantees. So, let's not do this"

Johnny turns abruptly and growls "I'm calling Shepherd"

"General Shepherd sends his regards" Bastard. bastard. bastard.

Johnny freezes.

"He told me y'all wouldn't take this well" Graves practically jokes... I grind my jaw underneath the mask.

"He knows about this?" the Lieutenant barks. I could tell that he was absolutely seething.

"He's put me in command of this operation from here on out. So, y'all need to stand down. It's time to let the pros finish this" - condescending slimy wanker.

Johnny and the Lieutenant glance sideways at each other. I try to tap into their thoughts but I wasn't used to being up close and personal with a ticking time bomb. I was used to sniping and sneaking...

"And why the hell are we talking like this is some kind of a negotiation? It's not. I've got my orders and now you have yours" Graves continues, adding salt to the wound..

That comment is what breaks Alejandro's , already fragile, resolve. He lifts his upper lip and growls "And who the fuck do you think you are, cabron? My men are inside!"

Graves chuckles, "I'm afraid not. Your men have been... detained"

I see the absolute death glare Alejandro gives Graves before he launches himself at him.

Graves and one of the Shadows standing beside me push Alejandro against a vehicle and restrain him with a zip tie.

"Graves, what the fuck?!" Johnny shouts, still confused and shocked. Poor Johnny - why did he seem shocked? The guy's been creepy from the beginning..

The Shadow beside Graves opens fire on Johnny, I audibly gasp. All hell breaks loose.. I fire messily to begin with - not sure where everyone was seeing as they'd all moved so suddenly.

Alejandro screams "Get your fucking hands off of me--"

Graves grabs him by the hair and knocks him out with the butt of his rifle.

Graves then turns his attention back to Johnny. Johnny manages to grab a shadow's sidearm and fires at one of Graves' men, killing him, he aims at me, and fires. I jump, in fear before remembering that I am a Shadow right now. And they're gonna shoot at anyone that looks like a Shadow. I needed to be smarter about this now.

I glance to where the Lieutenant kills a Shadow with a knife. Man's a killing machine, alright..

My attention is snapped away by a sharp roar.

Graves had shot Johnny. My body convulses and I shoot three Shadows in quick succession. Pure terror and rage taking over my insticts.

Johnny falls backward to the ground with his dead hostage Shadow on top of him.

Graves steps away from me to his right to look around the vehicle. He was looking for the Lieutenant. I spot Ghost, who pops his head out from the vehicle's rear corner and finds Johnny on the ground.

I hear him shouting "Go, Johnny!, get out of there! Soap - Go!"

Johnny pushes the dead Shadow off of him and launches himself over the concrete barrier sliding down the hill as Graves' men fire on him.

shit shit shit

"Get him - Now!" Graves shouts. I feel a hard push on my shoulder and turn to face whoever had shoved me. It was Graves. "Pull your fuckin' weight Soldier" he growls at me, hanging me by the Shadow standard tactical vest. FUCK.

"Yup Yup" Where the fuck did that come from. He drops me and shoves me towards the direction that Johnny had fallen. I see multiple Shadows on his tail. Think Laika, THINK!

I hear a loud "Fuck!" from up ahead. It was Johnny. I run past a dead Shadow but then notice a discarded gun. Johnny must have ran out of ammo. I've got to catch up with him...

"You there, Ghost? That was a big mistake, brother. It did not have to be like this" I hear from behind me.. fuck, they'd caught him.. he had to be surrounded...

There is a long silence with no words spoken or bullets shot.. Sorry for leaving you, Lieutenant... I hope he is okay...

"SONOVABITCH... Find 'em!" Graves barks...

Had he escaped..? had he actually managed to trick them..?

I find myself praying to any God that will listen that we somehow all manage to get out of this shit show alive...

A radio that I didn't know I had crackles to life inside my mask reminding me of my current situation.

"Shadows - We've lost em' all... FUCK - FIND THEM.. FUCKING FIND THEM" Graves roars down the comms. Lots of 'yup yups' stream back through, along with distant gunfire and yelling.

"We've got Alejandro - no fuckin' Omega of his though! The task force are gone - got a good hit on Mohawk though.. he won't last long.. FUCKING GET MOVIN' BOYS. I want them by morning".. he continues, angrily screaming instructions.

I feel elated that Rudy has escaped.. but then my heart sinks when he says that Johnny won't last long. I need to find him.. and fast...

"And the girl.. I want her... ALIVE, understood?"

My blood runs cold.

#abo dynamics #john mctavish x reader #john price x reader #john soap mactavish #kyle garrick x reader #omega reader #poly 141 #simon riley x reader #task force x reader #kyle gaz garrick

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miss-musings · 7 months ago

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A TBB Mini-Meta: Crosshair's Two Sides

This is a quick observation combining some of my own previous thoughts and a few that @yavln4 and other folks have discussed.

While it's not quite to the level of Harvey Dent/Two-Face from the Batman franchise, Crosshair has two distinct sides to him. I mean that more so in a physical sense, but I think there's something to be said about the emotional aspect as well.

Crosshair's right side represents who he is as a soldier and sniper.

Everything that serves as a physical reminder of his time in the Grand Army of the Republic and/or Empire is on his right side: His tattoo, the burn scar on his head, and his shaking/missing hand.

Additionally, the inhibitor chip was embedded on the right side of Crosshair's and the other clones' heads.

His right eye is also the one he primarily uses to aim. His viewfinder is on the right side of his helmet, which has zoom and infrared capabilities, and when he looks through a scope, he does so with his right eye.

I'm sure you all know exactly what I'm talking about but here are a few visual reminders:

Now, his left side represents Crosshair as a person -- specifically, as a brother and dad.

It is the side of him that is completely unmarred: No scar, no tattoo, no missing hand. It's his "normal" side, so to speak.

In general, a person's left side is traditionally associated with the heart (ie, wedding rings, etc.).

Crosshair also keeps his sidearm on his left side, which makes sense because he normally has his rifle in his right hand. I only mention this because he uses his left hand to kill Nolan in 2.12 "The Outpost," which becomes a HUGE turning point for him.

Additionally, when he collapses after shooting Nolan, he falls unconscious with his left side facing upwards. As someone else pointed out (I'm not sure who, but if I find the post I'll add the source and link here), this suggests that Crosshair has been "reborn." He's rejected being a soldier and is instead becoming his own person again.

Also, as I've pointed out before, his left side tends to be associated with Omega and/or Hunter.

Of course, Crosshair uses his left hand to save Omega from Hemlock in the finale.

In several key scenes throughout the show, Omega and/or Hunter are on his left side. Examples include but aren't limited to:

Omega talking to Crosshair in the brig in 1.01 "Aftermath"

Omega talking to Crosshair while they're trapped in Nala Se's lab in 1.16 "Kamino Lost"

Omega finding him unconscious on Tantiss at the end of 2.16 "Plan 99"

The family meeting scene at Shep's in 3.05 "The Return"

Crosshair and Hunter reaching an understanding immediately after facing the Ice Wyrm in 3.05 "The Return"

Crosshair and Hunter talking to Ventress at the end of 3.09 "The Harbinger"

Crosshair and Hunter facing down Hemlock as he holds Omega captive in 3.15 "The Cavalry Has Arrived"

The group hug in 3.15 "The Cavalry Has Arrived"

BONUS: Hunter is also to Crosshair's immediate left when Echo joins CF99 in TCW 7.04

Essentially, in S1, Crosshair's "two sides" were in conflict with each other. Initially, it was because of the inhibitor chip. However, once he regains his free will, he doesn't want to give up the life of a solider/sniper.

As much as he loves his family, in 1.16 "Kamino Lost," he ultimately chooses his identity as a soldier versus his identity as a brother.

I think that's why, when he shoots Nolan and collapses in 2.12 "The Outpost," it's significant that it's his left hand and left side that's given importance. He's finally choosing to be his own person again. He's rejecting his identity as a soldier.

Unfortunately, that choice is short-lived, as he is imprisoned at Tantiss for half a year. There, he's subjected to Hemlock's "re-education" efforts and develops a tremor in his right hand.

But, even after escaping and reconciling with his brothers, he can't completely let go of his identity as a soldier and sniper. Unfortunately, his fight isn't over yet. The Empire is still after Omega, and as long as they are, Crosshair's family won't be safe.

So, he continues to fight -- to be a soldier -- but for his family's sake this time.

It's not until CX-2 cuts off his hand in 3.15 that, in a sense, he's freed of that identity. I mean, what good is a sniper without his shooting hand?

As @yavln4 summarized nicely on my "Was there a better way to handle Crosshair's hand tremors?" post:

IMO, his hand doesn't represent his PTSD - it represents his identity as a soldier. It's more important to him than family in s1 due to reconditioning- it wavers after he loses Mayday- and it's completely severed from him before he finally rescues Omega. He goes into that final conflict not as a soldier, but as a parent.

It's only once Hemlock and Tantiss are subsequently destroyed that he's finally free to be his own person. Now, he can focus on just being a brother and a dad, and not have to worry about being a soldier again.

Of course, he'll never be able to erase he who was and the choices he made. His right side still remains -- his tattoo, his scar, his missing hand. And that part of him will be useful if he ever chooses to fight again.

But, he can be reborn. He can choose another path, another life.

His right side represents who he once was, who he was created and born to be. His destiny and his purpose.

But, his left side represents who he is now, who he chose to be and how he wants to live. His future and his freedom.

Crosshair might've been "born" on his right side, but he chose to live on his left.

#star wars #the bad batch #tbb crosshair #tbb spoilers #the bad batch crosshair #tbb season 3 #tbb omega #omega and crosshair #crosshair and omega #crosshair and hunter #hunter and crosshair #crosshair tbb #crosshair bad batch #clone trooper crosshair #bad batch #tbb #sw tbb

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persephoneggsy · 1 year ago

Text

so i did this a while back, finally remembered it, and now i'm posting it

Mass Effect x Dragon Age AU

I did one of these already, sort of, for ME: Andromeda, but this one is set in the Milky Way.

Elaborations below:

Merrill is a quarian who was exiled from the Migrant Fleet. She's looking for a way not to destroy the geth, but to bring them back under quarian control, thinking they're too valuable a resource to just get rid of. Unfortunately, this made many quarians view her as dangerous, and she was exiled for the crime of experimental geth research. Making Merrill a quarian was the first choice I did for this AU, I think it fits really well.

Aveline is an asari. I'd considered krogan or turian, or simply keeping her human, but in the end I went with asari mostly because Aveline always struck me as condescending in the same way many asari are, lol. She's a commando who later moved to the Citadel to join C-SEC.

Isabela is a turian. She's a barefaced turian, meaning she has no association to a colony. Instead of following the typical turian tradition of proudly serving in the Hierarchy's military, Isabela instead ran off to become a space pirate, specializing in smuggling. She frequents the bars around Omega and has earned herself a fearsome reputation among the mercenaries.

Bethany remains a human; she grew up on a colony world with her siblings, and had a relatively peaceful childhood, despite the Alliance constantly badgering her parents to send her and her older sister to their biotic training program.

Marian, also a human, eventually ran away from home to become a mercenary. She resented her father for forbidding her and her siblings from joining the Alliance - not because she was particularly patriotic, but she felt like her father's grudge against the Alliance prevented her and her siblings from receiving the best training possible. Her powerful biotics made her both an asset and a target, and she soon caught the eye of a certain Council Spectre...

Fenris is a drell. He was raised under the Compact, an agreement between the drell and the hanar, and his purpose was to become a bodyguard... And then his training group was attacked by batarian slavers and he was taken captive. For many years, Fenris suffered under the batarians' rule, until he finally managed to escape. Unwilling to return home, he instead roams the galaxy, taking out as many batarian slaving operations as he can.

Anders is a human who escaped from a biotic testing facility run by Cerberus. Though this left him with a grudge against Cerberus, he also hates the Alliance, whom he sees as no better and will also use biotic children as weapons. He dreams of establishing a safe haven for biotics, and is willing to go to increasingly drastic measures to see that dream become a reality.

Varric is a volus. Unlike his business-minded brother, Varric does not spend his days negotiating trade agreements or doing finance consultations. Spending his days at the Afterlife bar on Omega, he's an information broker, and a pretty damn good one at that. With his specially crafted weapon Bianca, he's not too bad in a fight, either.

Carver, much like his older sister, left home to seek out his own path, and ended up joining the Alliance against his parents' wishes. He thrived in the military, quickly climbing the ranks due to his strength and competency. He's being primed for N7 training under the wathcful eye of Spectre Sebastian Vael.

Sebastian is a human, and a Council Spectre (I'm imagining this AU as a sort of nebulous period where humanity isn't as looked down upon as they were at the start of ME1, and there are a fair number of human Spectres running around). A wild child in his youth, his parents sent him to the Alliance to straighten him out, and to their relief, it worked like a charm. He specializes in covert missions and favors sniper rifles and tech powers.

#my art #mass effect au #mass effect x dragon age au #sebhawke #yeah it's technically sebhawke bc of course sebastian and marian are going to kiss have you even met me #marian regina hawke #sebastian vael #i'm not tagging everyone lol #lowkey i was worried about posting this in case Weirdos(tm) saw it and grilled me about my choices but y'know #life is for living etc etc #and yeah a lot of them are obviously based on existing ME characters and backstories but I still like this

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hugmekenobi · 9 months ago

Text

S3: The Bad Batch (5)

Chapter Five: The Return

Gif by @theworstbatch

Hunter x femaleJedi!reader

Series Summary: Ever since Eriadu, Clone Force 99 had been a fractured squad. Months have passed but you're finally back with the Batch but Omega is still out there and you won't stop until you find her again.

Chapter Summary: Will a mission to an Imperial facility be the thing that allows you, Hunter and Crosshair to reconcile?

Masterlist for S1 and S2

<Previous Chapter

Genre: Friends (idiots) to Lovers (we're in the lovers stage now)

Chapter Warnings: Canon-typical violence, again we have my interpretation of headspaces, limited use of y/n, fluff, reference to past character death, angsty conversations, PDA (kissing and some brief spicy thoughts), brief innuendo, mentions/ references to scars and torture, reader, Hunter and Crosshair are all a lil mean to each other, me making up how the Force works, I give some of Crosshair and Hunter's past fights some more lore, fun family teasing dynamics

Word Count: 8K

Author's notes: Had a lot of fun incorporating reader into this one! Hope you like it too! And the work for Ch6 will begin today too!

Omega released a content sigh as she opened her eyes upon feeling the warmth of the sun on her face. As she took in the familiar walls and gave Lula an affectionate squeeze, part of her still couldn’t believe she was really here again.

“Looks who’s awake!” Wrecker called out jovially.

“How’d you sleep?” Hunter enquired as she came down.

“Better than ever.” She replied.

“Delivery from Shep and Lyana.” Wrecker chucked her a piece of fruit.

“Another one?” Omega remarked lightly as she caught it. It had been a few days since they’d returned to Pabu and Shep and Lyana had been incredibly accommodating in the provision of clothes and food since she’d been back.

“They’re happy you’re back.” You said cheerily as you handed Wrecker and Hunter their mugs of caf and sipped from your own. Since being back, you’d all slipped out of your armour and for you this had also meant allowing the warm Pabu sun soak into your skin so there’d been occasions where you’d removed your top layer and gloves. You’d stopped hiding the scars from your torture, but it had meant you needed to fill Omega in on certain events.

“And so are we.” Hunter added with a smile as he slipped an arm around your waist.

“Where’s Crosshair?” Omega asked as she looked around the ship.

“He wasn’t on the ship when we woke up.” Wrecker replied.

“He’s… still adjusting.” Hunter added.

“I’ll check on him.” Omega said breezily before she departed the ship.

The three of you shared a mildly concerned look as she left.

Crosshair watched his shot go wide yet again.

“Greetings, Omega!” AZ shouted with a cheery wave to the girl standing in the distance.

Crosshair glanced her direction but quickly went to focus on shooting the fruit out of AZ’s hand again but released a low groan as he saw that his hand continued to quiver, making his grip and aim unsteady.

Omega made her way down to the beach cove and gave Batcher a few dotting pats before she came to crouch beside Crosshair. She noted the bowl of fruits on the rock he was positioned behind. “Shep and Lyana found you then?”

“Their ability to do so is uncanny.” Crosshair responded dryly.

“I know what you’re doing, Crosshair, but you can’t keep hiding. You need to talk to them.” She advised, the ‘them’ referring to you and Hunter.

“I’m not hiding. I’m training.” Crosshair deflected as he readied his rifle and got the fruit in his sights, but his shot missed. He stared at his hand in anger and aggravation. What good was a sniper who couldn’t make a simple, unopposed shot?

“You know, I’m sure AZ could look at your hand for you.” Omega suggested.

Crosshair exhaled a sharp sigh. “I’m fine.”

Sensing his wall was well and truly up on the matter, she changed tact, “So what skills does this require, besides good sight?”

“Being a sniper is more than just looking scope. It’s about patience. Reading the environment.” He half-turned his head. “And knowing when you’ve got eyes on you.”

Omega looked up past his shoulder to see the three of you watching them from the top of the cliff edge.

“They don’t trust me.” Crosshair stated matter-of-factly.

“Give it time. But you will have to talk to them.” Omega reminded him with a soft pat on his back.

Crosshair only gave a non-committal hum before he went back to his rifle.

“Not sure it was a good idea to give Crosshair back his rifle.” Hunter commented.

“Omega trusts him. That’s good enough for me.” Wrecker replied. “And well, he hasn’t tried to kill you yet.” He added, looking to you.

“Oh, yes, that’s a great comfort, Wrecker. Thank you so much.” You replied, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Wrecker raised his hands in appeasement. “All I’m saying is that it might be an idea to talk things out again.”

“Cause that went so well last time.” You muttered.

The sound of a ship approaching interrupted further discussion.

Hunter glanced up to see Echo’s shuttle and he whistled down to the other two but as he got up to leave, he noticed the stare you were giving him. It was pointed but there was something else behind it that he couldn’t quite label, “What?”

“ ‘What?’ he asks like I can just give a simple reply as to how whistling is attractive.” You mumbled, avoiding his gaze as you rather hurriedly stepped past him.

Hunter smiled at your back and fondly shook his head in your direction before he caught up to you and Wrecker.

“It’s Echo!” Omega cheered as she saw the ship fly overhead.

“Perfect.” Crosshair grumbled.

“I have tabulated your shooting accuracy. Your target success rate was at 53%. Well below your average.” AZ helpfully informed him.

Hearing that only made his mood worse. Crosshair did not respond to the droid, instead he just trailed behind Omega as they made their way to the top of the island.

You grinned as you saw Echo and Omega share a brief hug.

“What? No hug for me?” Crosshair quipped as he approached.

Echo scoffed, “That depends how good your intel is.”

Crosshair grunted in return. At least that felt somewhat normal.

The sun was setting as the six of you took your seats around Shep’s table, the golden glow adding some much-needed softness and warmth to the atmosphere. He’d been kind enough to let you all use his residence as a place to gather and think- there had been numerous offers of setting up places of your own since you’d all returned but until this business with Tantiss had reached an official conclusion, it felt too much like tempting fate to accept.

“They were using clones for testing, taking samples. Most were held in the detention wing, but I never saw what was in the vault.” Omega told the rest of you. “Even Emerie wasn’t allowed access.”

“Emerie?” Echo repeated.

“She works for Hemlock. She’s a clone, like us. Like me.”

Echo reflected on that for a moment before he addressed Crosshair, “And what about you? Anything else to add?”

“I was a prisoner. Not much to tell.”

You and Hunter both narrowed your eyes at him. He was holding something back.

“We’ve been searching for this base for a long time. Accurate intel’s hard to come by. We need to know all we can before making any moves.” Echo said.

“We have Nala Se’s datapad, but it isn’t working anymore.” Omega slid the device over to Echo. “If we can get it online, we should be able to pull more intel on Tantiss.”

“It could have schematics, entry points.” Hunter theorised. “Maybe even the coordinates of the base itself.”

“Imperial encryption will be a problem, especially without Tech.” Echo said, his tone solemn.

The mood shifted and your eyes couldn’t help but drift over to the empty seat at the end of the table. Regardless of everything else, it was obvious the loss was felt by all of you.

“Plugging it into an Imperial terminal will bypass the encryption.” Crosshair stated after a moment of heavy silence.

“Where do we get one of those?” Wrecker asked.

“I know a facility. Remote, understaffed. It shouldn’t be a problem to infiltrate.”

Hunter debated the risks in his head, “Crosshair, Echo and I will go to this remote facility. You three will stay here.” He looked to you, Wrecker and Omega.

You frowned at him.

“We’re finally together and you want to split us up?” Omega argued.

“Yeah, I’m with the kid on this one.” You piped up.

“We just got you both back. I’m not going to risk either of you getting captured again.” Hunter replied firmly.

Your gaze softened, “Hunter, not that I don’t appreciate the concern, but there’s no way I’m letting you go to an Imperial facility with just two other people. No matter how understaffed it might be.”

“With me, you mean.” Crosshair muttered, the double meaning behind your words was not so subtle. “One of these days you’re going to have to trust me.”

“Give me a reason to.” You snapped back. Hunter’s gentle squeeze of your knee stopped you from saying anything more.

The others all shared in fretful looks of concern.

Omega spoke up to get her argument in before one started again between you, Hunter, and Crosshair. “And I left all those clones behind. I need to do this, Hunter.” Omega implored.

Hunter glanced between Wrecker and Echo who both nodded. He then faced you, and he could tell by the resolve in your eyes that he wasn’t going to win this one. He gave a resigned but agreeable nod of his head.

The tension between the two clones could be cut with a knife as they passed each other on the ramp.

“Don’t hold it against him. He’s only worried about you.” Crosshair explained to Omega as Hunter moved out of earshot. He picked up the next case of supplies.

“I know.” Omega said begrudgingly. “You think I should stay behind too?”

“You’re capable, but you are still a kid.”

Omega only scoffed, “I’m older than you are, little brother.” She taunted.

“Never going to quite get used to that.” You said to yourself, sliding your gloves on and long-sleeved top over your head before grabbing your limited pieces of armour from the pile of supplies. You reapplied it as you passed the two of them. But the smile and quiet laugh Crosshair allowed himself at Omega’s words wasn’t lost on you either. You boarded Echo’s ship but saw Hunter standing in the doorway watching as Wrecker walked towards the two of them. Is that-

Hunter offered a rigid nod by way of reply.

“I don’t know if this’ll still fit, but, uh, here.”

Crosshair turned to the sound of Wrecker’s voice and opened the case he held out for him, but he wasn’t expecting to see what he did. And whether he’d want to admit it or not, the meaning behind the fact that they’d kept it after all this time touched a part of him. “My old armour.”

“Yeah, it never felt right to get rid of it.” Wrecker admitted before he boarded the ship.

With all of you properly kitted up, the ship came out of hyperspace and entered the ice planet’s atmosphere.

“On approach. Reading minimal life signs, if any.” Echo announced.

The ship landed and the group of you got ready to disembark.

Echo gave the scanners one last preliminary glance, “No heat signatures inside of the depots, and nothing on comms. There’s no one here.”

As you followed the helmeted example of the others and pulled your hood and mask up, and made your way out, you couldn’t shake the feeling that you’d been here before. Something about it felt eerily familiar but you couldn’t fathom why. You dismissed Hunter’s questioning glance and continued further down the steps. Clearing your mind, you studied Tech’s datapad with Hunter.

“Hey, it does fit.” Wrecker said with a laugh as he half-turned and saw Crosshair come outside in the old black and red 99 armour.

You, Echo, and Hunter all looked too, and the sight automatically transported you back in time, but it was now clouded by a lingering darkness.

Crosshair grunted as he fiddled with it and his eyes caught the ice vulture screeching in the now clear and serene sky. This place certainly looked different in the sunlight and without the violent snowstorms, and he only wished the outcome from this mission would be more successful than last time. Your voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

“You said this outpost was remote, not abandoned entirely.” You didn’t bother to hide the element of accusation in your tone.

“Well, I didn’t get daily intel briefings in my cell.”

You rolled your eyes at the unsurprising uncooperative response and watched as Hunter moved past you and closer to his brother.

“I get the feeling there’s more to this place than you’re saying.” Hunter said, the distrust in his voice seeping through.

Batcher’s barking disrupted any potential reply and you all turned to see what had got her riled up.

Hunter pulled out his macrobinoculars, “The sensors are giving off a high-frequency tone. She must be reacting to it.”

“What are the sensors for?” You asked Crosshair.

“Perimeter detection against local raiders.” Crosshair responded, already fearing but knowing where this path of questions might lead.

“You didn’t think to warn us about these raiders before?” You countered heatedly.

“No, they were all dealt with.”

“And how do you know that?”

“Take a guess.” Crosshair snarked.

You only shook your head and scoffed.

The answer didn’t please Hunter either and he found himself standing opposite Crosshair once again only this time he felt himself feeling more confrontational than he’d been before, “Just following orders?”

“If you’re scared, why don’t you wait on the ship. I’m sure someone could offer you some… comfort.” He added with a barbed nod in your direction.

You glowered at him and found yourself uncaring if one of their typical fights ensued. You’d seen them both in hand-to-hand many times and you knew who would come out on top in that scenario.

Hunter took half a step forward after the comment, but Echo pushed them both back.

“Hey, kill each other later. We’re here for a reason. Let’s crack into the datapad and get out of here.”

Omega watched the rest of you head to the base, but Crosshair was yet to follow, “I said talk to them, not argue with them.” She chastised.

Crosshair only sighed and muttered, “They started it.”

Omega released an exasperated breath of her own at the lack of from all three of you and made her way to the base too.

As the group of you approached the doors, you saw that the doors were blocked by multiple layers of snow.

You couldn’t help but smile behind your mask as you saw the way Batcher excitedly joined Wrecker and Hunter in the digging process.

With Batcher’s assistance, enough snow was dissipated, and you were able to make your way to the doors.

Wrecker pulled them apart and you all entered the facility.

Omega made her way over to the sound of beeping and took up position by one of the consoles and turned the power and lights on, “The power to this outpost has been nearly depleted by the sensor beacons.”

“Then we need to divert all power to this depot.” Echo directed.

“On it.”

“No one else thinks that’s a risky idea?” You tugged your mask down. “We don’t know if there was more that they were meant to keep out.”

“Nothing showed up on the scans, we should be fine.” Echo replied casually before he signalled to Omega that she should keep going.

Echo took up position by another console and took off his helmet like the rest of his brothers.

“So why’d the Empire abandon this place?” Wrecker wondered aloud.

“I guess it served its purpose.” Crosshair said.

“Hmm. Sounds familiar.” Echo said flatly.

You and Hunter watched as Crosshair moved away from the rest of you towards a darkened section of the room.

Crosshair shone his torch around the space and saw the collection of discarded clone helmets and he remembered what it had been like when he’d first arrived here. He remembered the respect Mayday had shown him. A respect and understanding that he hadn’t experienced for a long time, and he knew he couldn’t leave them like this.

Hunter observed his actions. He knew his brother and he wouldn’t behave like that for no reason. Whatever had happened to him clearly held more significant than he was letting on.

You too studied Crosshair carefully as he respectfully but solemnly placed the helmets on the crates. Whatever you were sensing about his place was lingering around him. A quick tap on your shoulder brought your attention back to Hunter who jutted his head back towards the rest of the group.

“That should do it.” Omega said as the sensors officially powered down and the power diverted so now the entirety of the outpost was lit.

You all crowded around Echo’s position as he plugged the datapad into the system, “Ah it’s working.” He began to digest the copious amounts of information on the screen. “Look at this manifest. There are even more clone prisoners on Tantiss than we thought.”

You all simultaneously turned towards Crosshair who had emerged from the other room.

Crosshair didn’t say anything, instead he noticed Batcher’s agitated growls and the way she was looking outside.

“Where are you going?” Hunter queried as he saw Crosshair heading towards the exit.

“To check the perimeter.”

You and Omega both went to follow them out, but Echo stopped you both.

“Uh, let them work it out. We have to finish this data transfer.”

“But-” You began to object.

“You three rile each other up too much. This won’t be solved by you all looking for ways to score points.” Echo reminded you sensibly.

You may not like it, but you knew deep down that he was right. You watched the two of them fade into the distance before you turned back to help with the datapad.

“Are you going to be my shadow everywhere?” Crosshair asked, removing the toothpick from his mouth, and turning around to face Hunter.

“I know you. There’s more you’re not telling us, and I’m done waiting. Start talking, Crosshair. What did you do to finally get on the Empire’s bad side? Betray them, like you did with us?” The last words were said with particular feeling behind them.

Crosshair glanced down at his hand as the tremors started once more. He curled his hand into a fist and shook it out.

“Any schematics on there?” Omega asked Echo.

“None that I’m seeing. Just medical records. I think this is all we’re gonna get. At least it’s something.”

You registered a faint rumbling that reverberated around the outpost, and you noticed Batcher anxiously pacing and sniffing the floor. “Batcher?”

Omega turned upon hearing you and she recognised the unusually tense behaviour being exhibited by her dog. “Something’s wrong.”

When he’d been met with stony silence, Hunter had closed the distance between him and his brother, “You thought we’d take you back and not ask questions? I don’t think so. Tell me what changed.” The lack of reaction from his brother was infuriating and it got the better of him. He shoved Crosshair’s chest. “What happened, Crosshair?”

Crosshair avoided Hunter’s intense stare as he went through all the possible outcomes of this interaction, but it all came back to one key detail- he wasn’t able to avoid this any longer, “I killed an Imperial officer.”

Hunter was taken aback. It had been a growing suspicion in his mind, but hearing it be true was an entirely different matter.

“So, yes, I did betray them after they betrayed me.” Hunter may have gotten him to say it, but he wasn’t the only one who knew how to push the correct buttons. “Oh, don’t pretend like this is all about me. I tried to warn you, Hunter.” Crosshair turned his back to him. “I risked everything to send you that message. You ignored it.” He turned again so he could see his words finding their mark. “You let Omega be taken to Tantiss. She went through what she did because you failed.” His emotions started to take control as he shoved Hunter back, “You’re angry because she escaped with my help, not yours. And as for (Y/N)-”

“Don’t-” Hunter snarled.

But Crosshair was in full flow now and although part of him knew he’d regret saying them, he couldn’t help himself as the words spilled from his mouth in a way that he knew would cut his brother deeply, “She thought she hid them in time, but I’ve seen the marks around her wrists from binders that were secured too tightly. I’ve seen the scars on her back. Whatever hell she went through is on you too.”

Hunter clenched his jaw so hard that his teeth hurt. White hot rage coursed his veins and all he could see was red but before he could act, Batcher’s distant barking got his attention. It was then he felt the ice beneath them shaking. “Move.” He yanked Crosshair forward just as- what could only be described as a giant ice wyrm- erupted through the snowy ground.

The resulting impact of the ice cracking had seen to it that the ship collapsed further into the snow, but they couldn’t worry about that now, the two of them scrambled to their feet and sprinted back to the base.

You all watched anxiously as the other two made their way back with the creature hot on their heels.

When they got close enough, you all retreated further inside, and they managed to dive through doors just before Wrecker shut them.

There was a deep bellow and growl from the creature as it crashed against the doors.

“I guess we know what the perimeter sensors are meant to keep out.” Omega said agitatedly.

Echo felt your standard ‘I told you so’ stare being trained on him. “Not the time.” He groused.

“ ‘We should be fine’ I believe is what you said.” You remarked, raising your eyebrows at him whilst Hunter and Crosshair got to their feet. “I can’t get the ship-” There was another harsh growl and the entire base shook, bringing all of you to your knees.

“Great, what now?” Wrecker grumbled as he turned his torch on.

“I can’t get the ship out of the snow with that thing out there.” You finished your previous sentence as you stood up. “We have to restore power to the sensor beacons.”

Echo jogged over to where Omega had originally rerouted the power. “There’s a fuse box for the reserve energy grid in the back of this compound.”

“One of us needs to get over there and reset the grid manually.” Crosshair said.

“I’ll do it.” Wrecker volunteered immediately.

“And I can get the defense system reactivated once the power’s back.” Omega said.

“We’ll have to draw the creature beyond the sensors before they reboot, or we’ll be trapped inside the perimeter with that thing.” Hunter reminded everyone.

“I’ll do it.” Crosshair said to him.

“Not alone. We’ll do it together.” Hunter replied firmly.

“You sure about that?” Crosshair challenged.

Echo saw you getting ready to also volunteer to go so he placed a hand on your wrist to subtly tell you to stop, “We’ll spot you both from the tower.”

You shot Echo a questioning look but nodded all the same. Brotherly bonding? You guessed, although you wished it was under different and safer circumstances but then again, this felt pretty fitting for them.

Echo gave you a small nod.

Hunter gave you his macrobinoculars before addressing all of you, “Then let’s get to it before it tears the place apart.” Hunter ordered.

Helmets and coverings were back on as Wrecker opened the door and you all waited for Hunter’s signal.

Satisfied that the cost was clear, Hunter made the first move and all of you went to your decided positions.

“Three o’clock!” Crosshair shouted as he saw the wyrm angling towards Hunter who was a few metres ahead of him. He drew his rifle and opened fire, but they weren’t making contact, the ice was too good a cover.

Hunter turned his head to see the animal explode from the ground. He was able to dive out the way of its jaws but as he landed, he felt the ice crack beneath his feet, and he plummeted downwards.

You put down the binoculars and inhaled deeply before releasing a slow, calming breath. You tapped your comm. “Did you just fall through the ice?” You asked, already knowing the answer.

“I’m fine.” Came his reply.

He may have been fine, but you could hear the slight strain in his voice. A series of annoyed grumbles left your mouth- how many times was this man going to fall through/from things?

“Why? Why is there always a huge monster?” Wrecker’s voice said through the comms as he made his journey across the show. “Echo, (Y/N), do either of you see it?”

“An excellent question.” You muttered to yourself as you and Echo continued to scan the area for the creature. “We don’t have a visual.” You said into your comm in answer to Wrecker’s second question.

“Can you get outside the perimeter from down there?” Crosshair called down to Hunter through the hole in the ice.

Hunter scanned the tunnel ahead with his torch. “I’ll follow the tunnel north. Find out.”

“We’ll track you from up here.” Crosshair said. The ‘we’ now referring to him and Batcher who had joined the fray after seeing Hunter fall.

You and Echo continued to search for the creature from your posts.

“Target spotted. It’s right on your tail.” Echo said into the comm to Crosshair. “About a hundred meters and closing.”

“Got it.” Crosshair acknowledged. He came to a stop and drew his sniper. He fired at the oncoming shape in the snow, but the result was the same as before and his trembling hand wasn’t helping matters. He shook it out yet again and repositioned his stance just as the wyrm resurfaced. His shots kept hitting the creature’s shell until one of them finally hit the inside of the mouth, causing it to retreat back underground.

“I think I just made it angrier.” Crosshair mused into the comms.

“Fantastic.” Hunter replied dryly as he continued to run through the tunnel.

After finally digging through all the snow that had been blocking the entrance, Wrecker finally made it inside, “Okay, I’ve found the fuse box. What’s next kid?”

“Good. Now prime the breaker.” Omega instructed.

“You’re about 400 meters from the perimeter.” Crosshair said into his comms for Hunter’s benefit.

You kept your sights trained on Crosshair and the area around him, “No sign of that thing.” You said into your comm, but you weren’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.

As they passed the perimeter, Crosshair followed Batcher’s lead this time as she sniffed the ground before letting out an excited bark as she began to dig.

“We’ve found a weak point in the ice. We’ll try to break through.” Crosshair said to Hunter, giving Batcher a praising pat.

“You’ll try?” Both you and Hunter said together.

“Glad you two heard me properly.” Crosshair retorted.

“Crosshair, I swear if-”

“I’ve got him.” Crosshair reassured you with more sincerity than he’d anticipated as he and Batcher began to dig through the ice.

“Alright. Breaker’s primed. What next, kid?” Wrecker asked as the screen finally lit up.

“Cycle the navigator. That should be to the right of the main breaker.” Omega replied.

Wrecker did as she said.

“Things are getting close in here. Am I gonna have a way out or not?” Hunter asked as the sounds of growls and ice cracking echoed around him.

“If you end up where we hope you do.” Crosshair responded.

“Boom! Power’s online.” Wrecker interjected.

“Hunter, should I activate the beacon?” Omega asked, her hand hovering over the button.

“Wait! We have to make sure the wyrm is past the perimeter.”

Crosshair shot into the ice to weaken it and create a bigger opening.

The sound of falling ice and light shining into the tunnel grabbed Hunter’s eye and he made his way under the opening that Crosshair had caused.

“Get up here!” Crosshair urged.

“Not yet. Where’s the wyrm? I can’t find it.”

The sound of him refusing to get to safety sent a wave of anxiety through your body but you focused up and helped Echo look around but neither of you could see anything.

“It’s past the perimeter!” Hunter said into his comm as a deep bellow sounded in the tunnel and he saw the wyrm emerge ahead of him.

Crosshair pressed his own, “Omega, activate the sensors!”

“Bringing them online now.”

Once Crosshair saw the sensor activate, he reached the end of his rifle down into the tunnel for Hunter to grab onto to pull him out of there. He helped him to his feet just as the wyrm shattered through the ice and the three of them began the run back to the inside of the perimeter.

They dived across the boundary and were relieved to find that the wyrm refused to go any further. It let out an aggrieved howl before moving away from them.

You put the binoculars down with a deep sigh of relief as you saw them sitting within the safety of the perimeter.

Hunter joined Crosshair in taking off his helmet so as to allow more oxygen to enter his lungs after that rather strenuous task. He then glanced over to see a restrained but warm look on Crosshair’s face as he stroked Batcher.

It was then that something seemed to tentatively slide into place. This mission, weirdly enough, had helped to fill in the gaps. It had brought a sense of normality back and when it had truly come down to it, Crosshair had helped get him to safety.

Crosshair felt Hunter looking at him. He angled his head to meet his stare and as his brother offered a small but sincere nod of gratitude, he gave one back in return.

You tugged your hood and mask down and shielded your eyes from the sun as you saw the two oncoming figures and their animal companion.

Echo and Omega came to join you and the three of you watched as their return journey was interrupted by Wrecker running up to them and embracing them both in a needed- but rather one-sided- group hug.

You chuckled as you observed the scene ahead of you and, despite your own worries about Crosshair, it felt good to see that there was room for reconciliation- at least with his own brothers anyway. You weren’t sure how you fit into the equation yet.

“See? They always work it out. And I don’t even see in blood this time. That’s progress.” Echo stated light-heartedly.

“I think the worst I saw between them was after the stampede of Reeks. We wound up having to fix more injures than what we started with.” You reminisced with a smile. The stressful part memory of the incident was pushed to the back of your mind as you remembered that by then, you and Hunter were both experiencing the same feelings for each other. Of course, you hadn’t exactly known that at the time, that information had come out much later.

“Do you know what that was about?” Echo asked you.

You fully looked at him now. “No? I’d left to get more medical supplies. I’d assumed Crosshair just called him an idiot for coming down there after I fell in.”

“I mean, that phrase was certainly used but not in the way you thought.”

You didn’t like the teasing insinuation in his tone. “Then why?” You asked carefully.

“It definitely had nothing to do with the fact that he was the first one down there to get you out and took a horn to the rib for his troubles…”

A tossed your head back and humiliated groan left you, “No…”

“Crosshair saw a lot from you two, he always knew just what to say to get the reaction from Hunter that merely proved what we all already knew.” Echo chortled, “Well, almost everybody.”

“Are you kidding me?” Embarrassment graced your face.

“I mean it was so obvious by that point…”

“Yes, Echo.” You mumbled as you exhaled a short, sharp breath.

“The fact that a wounded Hunter still chose to have it out with Crosshair rather than admit it was something else that caused him to come to your aid without an ounce of strategic thinking…”

“Thank you, Echo.” You said through gritted teeth as you saw the delighted grin on Omega’s face as she heard all of this.

“Didn’t you put it together that after that moment you two started ending up in a lot more tiny spaces with conveniently ‘broken’ doors?”

“Alright, you’ve made your point.” You interjected hastily before he could carry on. The obliviousness and- quite frankly- idiocy that you two had conducted yourselves in for the longest time was an element of your relationship you’d rather forget.

Echo merely shot you a knowing smirk, “You never said I was wrong.”

“I’m moving away from you now.” You gave his shoulder a playful shove.

Omega watched you jog away from them but the emotions she was experiencing were far more conflicting. “Do you think the intel we recovered will help you and Rex?”

“We still don’t know the coordinates of Tantiss. But between the datapad and all you and Crosshair have told me, we’re closing to finding and freeing those clones.” Echo replied.

“I wished I could’ve done more to help them.” Omega reflected with regret.

“You did all you could, kid.” Echo laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “And you did exactly what you’re supposed to do. You got out of there.”

You managed to give Crosshair a genuine smile of thanks as he and Wrecker passed you by.

Hunter regarded you curiously, “You didn’t need to meet me, I was-”

You placed a hand on his chest and brought yourself closer to him. You didn’t know if your headspace was because things had gotten unnecessarily nerve-wracking or because you’d just been reminded of how much time the two of you had wasted but, in all honesty, you didn’t really care, “I’m going to be unprofessional right now.”

He was too busy getting carried away with the feeling of your body pressing against him to properly register your words, “What-” The rest of his question evaporated as he instantly found himself on his back in the snow with you straddling him and it was a position he didn’t mind being in one bit. His hands instinctively came to rest on your hips.

Stop falling through things. That’s four times now. You scolded affectionately as you traced your lips along his jaw and nudged the side of his nose with yours.

“Is that an order?” He rasped into your ear, teeth grazing the sensitive spot behind it.

“A very firm one.” You murmured before planting a brief but sensual kiss to his lips. You got to your feet, pulling him up with you at the same time. You feigned a look of seriousness and propriety, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Sergeant, I have a ship to recover.”

Hunter found himself not quite wanting to be revert back yet. He kept a hold of your hand and as you went to leave him, he tugged you back to him and kissed you passionately. His hands caressed your back and tangled themselves in the fabric of your top and he used your surprised gasp to deepen the kiss.

You parted from him when your lungs rather inconveniently insisted that they have some air. You stroked a hand through his hair as you saw the emotions behind his eyes. There was more behind that action than just a response what you’d just done. You couldn’t be sure as to what that could be but the only time, he hadn’t been around you was when he’d followed Crosshair outside the first time. “What did he say?” You asked, your voice quiet and soothing.

“Nothing.” Hunter replied quickly. They’d been words designed to strike a nerve and they’d been said and used in anger, he shouldn’t have let them resonate.

“Hunter-”

His relationship was on the mend with Crosshair, and he knew that process still had to start with you both. And… and he wanted that for you two. There’s be no sense in bringing it up and causing further strife when he’d already had your reassurance on the issue. “It’s nothing. Not really.”

You searched his eyes for any lingering hesitation or reluctance, “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” He confirmed. Hunter angled his head towards Echo’s ship “Go rescue the ship so we can get outta here.” He said with a fond grin.

“Sir, yes, sir.” You saluted him humorously before you stepped away and made for the ship.

Crosshair had watched the two of you from afar. What he had witnessed wasn’t wholly different to how things had been before Kaller but there was something more to it now. What he had seen between you both was pure and unfiltered. There was no hiding, there was no denial or deflection anymore. There was no question or doubt to be had in the intensity and genuine nature of the feelings- in the love- the two of you shared and if he had any shot of fitting back in, he needed to make things right with both of you.

He took a deep breath for courage and headed in your direction.

You gently lowered the ship onto more stable ground and released a few tired breaths.

“Not bad. Guess there’s some benefits to having you around.”

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Crosshair come to stand next to you, but you didn’t look at him yet, instead you nudged the toes of your boots through the snow. “Uh huh.” You answered distantly. “Surprised you’re wanting to stand so close to me.”

The way your posture tensed as he approached had not gone unnoticed, “I think we should talk.”

“Oh, do you?” You replied hotly.

Crosshair exhaled an irritated sigh, “Seriously? This is me trying here, can’t you meet me halfway?”

You breathed heavily and fully turned to face him. You crossed your arms as you signalled that he was to go first.

Crosshair cleared his throat before he started to speak, “Seeing that poster… seeing what you truly were and knowing that they all- that he- knew that day on Kamino… I was brought back to that time and all I could think about was how could he fall in love with a Jedi but not the Empire.”

“The two aren’t the same, Crosshair.” You replied sombrely.

“Believe me, I know that now.” Crosshair remarked wryly.

You uncrossed your arms and spoke to him candidly and kept your voice steady, “We can’t get past this if all you see when you look at me is that wanted image of me. If all you see when you look at me is the things that I’ve done. If all you feel when you look at me is hatred because you think my people committed treason.” You stopped as you felt the emotions rise in your throat as they threatened to overcome you. You swallowed roughly before going again, your voice still steady but it had dropped in volume, “If you think I should’ve died along with the rest of them that day… then- then the friend that I had is truly gone.”

Crosshair’s eyes flitted to the ground, then to your lightsaber before he looked back to you, “I really thought the Empire was the way forward… for all of us. I can’t- I can’t speak for how I would’ve acted back then. I wish I could, but I can’t.” He swallowed harshly, “But I can tell you how I will be now.”

“And?” You asked quietly.

“I- I might need some time to adjust but- but as far as I’m concerned, you’re still the same person we met on Devaron that got our asses out of a tricky spot and who fit in with us like you’d been a part of things since the beginning. I won’t turn on you.”

You narrowed your eyes slightly as you studied him but there was no deceit behind his words. No deception or trickery in his face. He meant what he was saying, and it filled you with hope. “Really?”

“Really.” He confirmed before half a smile tugged at him mouth, “Plus, even if I wanted to, I don’t fancy my chances with the rest of them if I tried something.” He joked.

You visibly relaxed. Being at odds with him was never something you wanted to be and if he was open to starting afresh then you could be too. “If it helps, since I chose to leave the Order, technically speaking, I’m probably not even counted as a Jedi anymore.”

Crosshair hummed out a short laugh, “It’s something, I guess.”

“Believe it or not, a wanted ad was not how I planned for you to find out so, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you in the time after Devaron.”

He dipped his head in acceptance. “Probably did yourself a favour.” He mumbled sheepishly.

“Probably.” You agreed with a soft laugh.

There was a beat of mildly uncomfortable silence between you before Crosshair spoke in an attempt to ease some of the lingering awkwardness, “So, you and my brother…”

“Don’t start.” You said with an exasperated grin as you held out your hand to him.

Crosshair faltered for a second, but he willed his hand to stay steady as he mirrored your actions.

As you clasped it, you were hit and overpowered by the familiar sensation you had been questioning since arriving and it all connected to the clone in front of you. You withdrew your hand swiftly as the realisation hit you, “It was here.” You said with a shaky breath.

Crosshair was caught off guard by the intensity of your reaction and the words that followed. There’d been no way for you to hear his conversation with Hunter and he hadn’t said anything to anyone else. “I don’t know what you mean.” He denied uneasily.

But you knew now, he couldn’t lie to you about it, “What happened to you to get you to Tantiss. It was on this planet.” You said, titling your head at him, concern, and compassion in your gaze.

The certainty in your voice told him that there’s be no point in lying to you. Crosshair gulped. “How’d you know?”

“I felt it. Months ago, I felt it. I didn’t know that it was you, or what exactly was going on, but I sensed something.” You paused for a second, “I felt the cold and the isolation. And- and the pain. A lot of pain.” You said gravely as you fully comprehended how things had gone for him.

Crosshair avoided your stare. “Well, I made a lot of choices that led me to that.” He said with plenty of self-deprecation.

You laid a delicate hand on his shoulder, “Crosshair, you should never have to experience that type of pain. What you had to go through…” You trailed off with a knowing sigh before continuing, “I’m sorry, really I am.”

Crosshair looked at you with a different type of intensity, “You didn’t either.”

Your breath caught in your throat. You had not been as careful as you’d thought you’d been and it was your turn for denial to spill from your lips, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You may not be a Jedi, but you’re not the only one who can pick up or notice things people think they’re hiding. Sharpshooter, remember?”

You fidgeted with your gloves and found yourself unable to look at him. “They tortu- I did some things- made some choices that I-” You scrambled trying to find the words to explain what he’d seen.

Crosshair shook his head at you to get you to stop, “I’m not in a position to judge, I was wrong to do so when we left that moon.”

You saw the sincerity in his face and nodded gratefully.

You two shared in the quiet of a new mutual understanding before you puffed out a short breath to reset and you activated your comm, “The ship is good to go.”

“And, uh, everyone is still in one piece?” Came Wrecker’s tentative reply.

Crosshair shared in your eye roll. Evidently the others had been even more sceptical about this moment than he’d been.

“Yes, Wrecker. Civilised conversation is a possibility sometimes.” You kidded in return, “Now, can we please leave this planet?”

Crosshair waited for Hunter to emerge from the base as the rest of you boarded the ship. As he saw him getting ready to walk past, he called his name, “Hunter?”

Hunter paused and glanced back at him expectantly.

“I… thought I knew what I was getting into with the Empire. I thought I was being a good soldier.” Crosshair admitted, keeping his back to him in case the look on his face was the one that he feared he would see.

Hunter took a second to find the right words, “Nobody really understood what was happening back then.”

Crosshair lifted his head in surprise at the accepting tone in Hunter’s voice. Maybe there truly was a way forward. He turned around, “I’ve done things. I’ve made mistakes.”

“I have regrets too, Crosshair. All we can do is keep trying to be better.” He found his eyes being drawn to yours as you waited by the doorway, but he brought them back to his brother. “And who knows? There might be hope for us yet.”

Crosshair stole one last glance up at the ice vulture screeching in the sky. Hope? Not a sentiment he had been overly familiar with these past few months, but he needed it. He started to walk towards the ramp.

Hunter paused to stand by you as you leaned against the entry way. The supportive and loving way you were looking at him made his heartbeat that little bit faster but there was also a mischievous gleam in your eyes that sent warmth thrumming through his veins. “Stop that.”

“Am I not allowed to look at you, sir?” You queried, a teasing lilt to your voice. A delighted smirk graced your face as you saw the way his throat bobbed as he attempted to remain composed.

He caged you against the wall, “You can’t play that game right now.” He warned, his voice a low rasp.

Your own breathing hitched as his body pushed against yours. “What game?” You managed to murmur.

“Oh, well, if this behaviour is going to continue to be a running theme, you can just leave me here.” Crosshair said with light-hearted mocking. “I don’t know what’s worse, dealing with you two now or dealing with how you to were before all this became... official.”

“You get used to it!” Omega called from the belly of the ship.

“We hardly ever interrupt them now!” Wrecker added.

“Cut it out!” Hunter barked as he stepped away from you and gathered himself.

You also took a moment to straighten up and shake off the lingering anticipation in your veins.

“Yeah, plus he’s a lot more relaxed since they finally worked up the courage to actually make it real!” Echo’s voice entered the conversation.

“I’ll bet.” Crosshair remarked with a smirk.

“Get your ass on the ship.” You retorted with a good-humoured shove to his back.

Crosshair chuckled quietly to himself as he half-stumbled into the ship.

“Back to professionals?” Hunter advised as he shook his head in response to the antics of his family.

“Probably a good idea.” You agreed with a pleasant grin before the two of you fully entered the ship just as the ramp came up and it took off.

It may have been at your expense, but that small teasing moment had symbolised that the mending of the relationships you all had once was indeed possible. Finally, things were starting to feel more like the used to be.

Next Chapter>

Tagging: @noeasyisnoisy, @andreaaxy, @dominoeffectsworld, @arctrooper69, @nightmonkeysstuff, @notgonnaedit

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