#pre crosshair joining

[tcw-incorrect-quotes]

Omega, Wrecker, and Echo in the back of the marauder: MCDONALDS! MCDONALDS! MCDONALDS!  Tech: We have food at home.  Hunter: *pulls into the McDonald's drive through*  Omega, Wrecker, and Echo: YAYYYYYY!  Hunter: *orders one black coffee and leaves*

[captn-trex]

brightest in the dark

Crosshair x F!Reader

word count: 9.2k

description: when you get caught up in an inescapable cave-in, crosshair finds that some things are easier to confess when it feels like the end of the road

warnings/tags: angst for sure but not all the way through, crosshair is an angsty boy in a lot of ways, forced proximity, frenemies (?) to lovers — reader and cross have a strained relationship because of the aforementioned angstiness of the boy, perceived unrequited love, injury detail, blood & needles, jealous (and a bit insecure) crosshair, implied there might be something between hunter & reader (spoiler: there isn't), grumpy/sunshine kinda, reader is a medic (how original), reader is described as being a similar size to crosshair, some suggestive dialogue but nothing nsfw

a/n: I will make every clone yearn if it’s the last thing I do. sue me. also If anyone knows where I took the title from we can be best friends forever btw. and shoutout to @lonewolflupe for the ‘sky rodeo’ <3

masterlist | join my taglist | read on ao3

“Have you got your water bottle?”

Crosshair rolled his eyes, kicking off the side of the Marauder as you descended the ship’s stairs with an irritating pep in your step.

“Mm” he confirmed, taking a toothpick from his belt, already pre-empting a grinding jaw.

“Medkit?” you asked, stopping just next to him to secure the top of your knapsack.

Crosshair didn’t reply, he just gave you a sidelong glance of irritation, toothpick clenched between his teeth. You looked over to him, most likely upon realising he wasn’t going to answer, and deflated slightly at his expression.

“Crosshair, have you got your medkit?” you asked more pointedly, an edge of exasperation that made the edges of his lips quirk up marginally.

“Yes, I have” he mumbled out, turning away from you and catching Hunter’s glare as he walked in his direction.

Crosshair had to fight the urge to roll his eyes again, he already knew what he was going to say.

“She’s only trying to help” Hunter scolded him, “if I hear that you've given her a hard time—”

“Alright, I get it” Crosshair snapped, his gaze as sharp as his tongue.

Hunter gave him an unimpressed look, eyebrows raised and a sigh escaping his lips, “alright, try not to take too long, report back as soon as you've got a visual”

Crosshair didn't try to suppress his eye roll this time, “this isn’t my first sky rodeo, Hunter”

“I know, but—”

“You ready, Cross?”

Crosshair's head twinged to the side slightly as his eyes fluttered closed, his jaw grinding and teeth clamped together at the nickname. He'd pretend it was because he hated it, as he always did.

He didn't reply, instead stalking away from the two of you and off in the direction of your mission objective. He could hear the way your feet scurried to catch up with his long strides and huffed, gripping his helmet tightly at his side. He felt your eyes on him, running them over his armour, and it took everything within him to keep from meeting your gaze.

“How did you sleep last night?” you asked, making his jaw tick noticeably.

He knew you had recognised his poor sleeping habits of late, but he wasn't really in the mood to speak about it, especially as it had something to do with the fact that you'd started sleeping in Hunter's bunk. He wasn't sure why, but that was somehow even more torturous than knowing.

“Fine” he replied coldly, keeping his eyes ahead as the two of you followed the trail that lead down into the valley below.

You sighed, “Cross…”

“Don't call me that” he grumbled, no real bite behind the demand, “and I said fine, so drop it”

He saw your shoulders slump out of the corner of his eye and shook his head, disappointed in himself once again.

Truth be told, Crosshair was painfully enamoured by you. Smitten was a more appropriate description really. He certainly felt as if he had been smited by some cruel deity who deemed that his life was worth being made difficult. He bore it like an open wound that he tried to ignore, a mess that wasn't given the proper amount of care and attention, and bled into the way he treated you.

You’d always been too kind to Crosshair, far kinder than he deserved. As much as it was your job as a medic, you always took care of him in the same way as the others, even though they always treated you with a level of respect that he didn't. He wished everyday that he could take it all back, go back to the beginning and start over, let you know how much he appreciated you and your efforts, how his feelings had grown for you to the point where his chest ached every time your smile was directed at someone who wasn't him.

It made little sense, he knew that. He acted as if he didn't care whether you lived or died, but it was the fact that you didn't seem to care that made him continue to act that way. So he couldn't take it back after all, and maybe he wouldn't want to anyway, because how else could he get close to you? He knew that made little sense too, but very few things were clear to him when it came to you.

In any case, he'd go on suffering in silence, a suffering of his own making that he cursed himself everyday for.

You did have a friendship, of sorts. He wouldn't call it that, and would certainly never admit it, but you were insistent in trying to get him talking. The way it would play out often went along the lines of him teasing you, making fun of you, to see how far he could push you as a juvenile way of coping with the magnitude of his affections. It was the closest thing to affection he would allow himself. You often rebutted his teasing remarks with ones of your own, and as much as he appreciated you matching his attitude, he mostly wished that you wouldn't allow him to get away with it, that you would give him a reason to show how he truly felt about you.

Safe to say the opportunity hadn't arisen, and he wasn't crossing his fingers either.

This mission's objective was simple; go and scout ahead, and comm the others when it was safe for them to move out. Since your joining the group eight months ago, Crosshair had often been lumbered with you in situations such as this. As the sniper, he wasn't made for nor enjoyed close combat fighting, and as the medic with little combat training, it suited you to hang back until you were needed.

Thankfully, the terrain that you were traversing this time was straightforward, a narrow valley that brought you right up to a ridge that overlooked a separatist outpost. Although the area was simple to cut across, it only made the silence that stretched between you even more tense, with no buffer to distract either of you.

You kicked up dust into the air with the way you were dragging your feet, and Crosshair was half of the mind to replace his backpack with you just so he wouldn't have to hear the grating noise. Holding a datapad in hand, you tapped the screen, tracking the direction that the two of you were heading in.

“Two more klicks” you mumbled, cutting through the tension with all the effectiveness of a butter knife.

Crosshair grunted in reply, casting his eyes across the top of the valley as the two of you descended to the very bottom. His hand shot out, slamming against your abdomen and stopping you in your place.

“What is it?” you asked, your voice low as you saw the way his gaze skimmed the top of the valley.

Crosshair slowly reached back and took his firepuncher from his backpack, “we're being watched”

The moment the first blaster bolt flew, Crosshair grabbed your waist and pushed you behind him, bringing his blaster into position and picking off the sniper droids he could see. Each bolt found its mark, piercing the droids between their eyes.

“Find us some cover” he ordered as he shoved his helmet over his head, looking for incoming droids. He turned back the way you had come, blaster raised as he walked backwards. It was silent for a moment, the only thing he could hear being the gentle padding of your feet against the ground behind him.

“Crosshair, in here” he heard you call from not far away, and he gave one last look around the edge of the valley before turning and making his way towards your voice.

There was a small cavern at the base of the cliff, a hideaway cut from the rock, and it looked to have been used for shelter before. A small pile of logs indicated a fire, with stones outlining a pit of ashes, only just visible with the way the afternoon light shone in through the opening of the cave.

Crosshair squared himself with the wall of the cave to look outside, his back pressed against it as he followed the line of the cliff through his scope. He felt your presence next to him, your chin knocking against his spaulder as you peered over his shoulder. Your breath wafted over the sliver of skin between the top of his blacks and his helmet, and his breath hitched as the heat of it made his skin prickle.

“Stay” he muttered, stepping forwards to put some distance between you, and to make sure that it was safe to move again. He stepped out into the valley once more, his rifle raised and ready should he meet more adversaries.

It was eerily quiet, the whistling of the wind the most audible sound, carrying no others on it. Crosshair stalked around the base of the valley, making sure that no other droids were in the vicinity, and called for you to join him when he was sure.

“One moment” you muttered, “I think there's a stone in my boot”

Crosshair rolled his eyes, lifting his weapon to look through the scope and make extra sure that it was safe. He wandered around as he waited, his own boots softly crumbling the dirt beneath them, then came to a stop next to you after a few moments, watching as you buckled up your boot again.

You looked up at him and a small smile crossed your lips, but almost instantly dropped, as if you'd done something wrong, “let's go”

Crosshair felt his heart fall from his chest at the subtle action. The fact that you wouldn't even allow yourself to smile at him left a gaping hole through the middle of him, and he felt completely and utterly ashamed. He knew it was his own fault, he'd blame himself even if it wasn't, but he wasn't prepared for how the simple motion would bring his mettle to its knees.

As he was caught up in staring at you with an inscrutible expression, one that didn't give away even one ounce of the anguish he felt, a blast flew straight past him, and narrowly missed your arm. He pushed you back inside the cave on instinct, and whipped around to deal with the incoming attack, but upon seeing the increased amount of firepower now gunning for the two of you, he quickly followed you inside, picking off the droids towards the front of the formation as he walked backwards.

As the droids continued firing down at you, a blast lodged itself in the ledge above the opening to the cave. When the rocks there crumbled away, they seemed to focus all their fire above you. Crosshair didn't think about the immediate implications of it, he just kept knocking down what droids he could, but when you called out his name and grabbed his arm to pull him backwards, he understood.

The rocks came down almost in slow motion, but quick enough that the pair of you couldn't have made it out in time. Crosshair fell backwards as you tugged on his arm, stumbling and trying to find his footing before he was taken to the ground. In the scramble to get away, a rock snagged his shoulder, just between his cuirass and spaulder, and he released a deep grunt as it brought him to his knees with the impact.

For a moment it was quiet again, only the heavy sound of breathing being heard in the darkness of the cave. Crosshair kept his head down, trying to keep his breath even and cut out the pain from his wound, though it was quickly becoming apparent to him that his shoulder was not in any sort of good condition. He could feel blood tricking down his side, soaking through his blacks, and he felt himself becoming feint, his mind fuzzy and unfocused.

A light flicked on, shining directly at him, and he groaned again, the hand of his uninjured arm lifting to cover his eyes.

“Crosshair” your voice was a hoarse whisper, as if it had got caught in your throat, and it wasn't hard to guess why.

He slumped forwards slightly, his back hunching as he dug his knees further into the ground to distract from the pain.

“I know” he said quietly, not even having looked at the damage yet. He was far too concentrated on trying to ignore it.

The light flicked off with the click of a button, and he heard you shuffling around, your knapsack hitting the ground with a thud that told him you were moving quickly, your actions rushed. Soon after, a warmer light started growing, and Crosshair realised you had taken out a lamp, and were now dragging it over to him with a medkit in hand.

He looked up, the softer light not invading his vision in such a piercing way, and he could now see the worry in your eyes. His gut twisted, the uncomfortable feeling of guilt spreading through his body and only making his wound ache more. You knelt in front of him, ripping off his helmet before your hand gripped his spaulder and pulled it aside to get a proper look at the injury. The both of you sucked a breath through your teeth, Crosshair in pain and you no doubt because of how bad the damage was.

You got to work quickly, silently, and unclipped the top half of his armour to get better access. Crosshair was glad that you weren't talking, he was already embarassed enough, feeling infantile, crumpled to his knees and completely weak in front of you. He was powerless to do anything else, his head pounding and vision hazy as blood gushed from his wound.

“Hold this here” you said firmly, pushing a cloth into the wound and bringing him back to the present harshly, another pained noise leaving him.

He followed your instruction without much thought, and when he took the fabric from you to hold in place, he felt the way your hand was shaking. His eyes snapped up to yours, and the distress he saw written into your expression was enough to shock him back into full consciousness.

Crosshair watched your movements carefully, his keen eyes noticing every twitch and shiver as you fumbled with the syringe. He wanted to comfort you in any way he could, but truthfully, he didn't know how. It wasn't something he'd ever sought to do, and now faced with the challenge, he didn't know what would be the right thing to say.

“It's just a scratch” he mumbled, a small chuckle passing his lips in an attempt to at least alleviate some of the tension.

“A scratch?” you huffed, your voice disbelieving as you shot him a unimpressed look, “this isn't funny, Crosshair”

“Hey—”

“If I hadn't pulled you away you'd still be there. You'd be de—”

Crosshair called your name sternly, and you stopped your fiddling with the syringe to look up at him, “it's going to be fine, do you hear me?”

His voice was grave, and while he knew it wasn't necessarily a comforting tone, it was the best thing he could muster up with the panic steadily growing within him. Your eyes flicked between his, your shoulders relaxing slightly after a few seconds.

“Okay” you breathed out deeply, pressing your hand over his to hold the cloth tighter to the wound, “look to your right”

Crosshair could feel his pulse throbbing all over his body, the blood rushing through him and towards his wound, towards the hand that covered his and brought about such a reaction. Your skin was warm through the fabric of his glove, and he'd been so distracted by the touch that he barely registered when you had administered the pain relief injection into his neck.

You took your hand from his as you placed down the syringe, and then found the hem of his blacks, your fingers skimming along the edge, “I need to take this off, is that okay?”

“It's fine” Crosshair replied, taking the cloth away from his wound to allow you to continue.

You nodded once, and ran your palms across the skin of his abdomen as you peeled the body glove from him. Crosshair couldn't help the way his body shivered, the way his jaw clenched at the feel of your hands on his skin. His eyes locked with yours as you pulled the top up, warm knuckles brushing over him, and he let out a shuddering breath, trying to relax his mind. He groaned in pain, eyes screwing shut when he lifted his arm to help you take the shirt from his injured shoulder.

“I know, I know” you spoke soothingly, your voice measured and calm as you discarded the shirt, “I’m sorry”

“Don’t apologise” Crosshair hissed out, the pressure to his wound returning as you grabbed his hand once more and brought the cloth to his shoulder.

“Alright, here's what's going to happen now” you started, your hand still covering his as you held his attention, “I'm going to take this away and clean the wound first. It's going to hurt a lot, but it'll be over before you know it. Then I'm going to need to stitch it up”

“It's that bad huh?” Crosshair huffed a laugh, still not keen to look down at the wound, but he heard how strained his voice sounded in saying it.

“It's going to be fine” you assured him, and your fingers closed around his, gripping his hand tightly, “it'll only take a few minutes, and then it's just a matter of putting a bacta patch over it”

He breathed out deeply, his skin alight where yours was touching it, trying to remain as calm as possible.

“Alright, do it” he spoke, forcing his eyes away.

You gave his hand one last squeeze as you brought it away, and despite how it made his heart flutter, it wasn't enough to fight the stinging pain of the antiseptic spray.

As you cleaned out the gash, wiping away drying blood and dirt, you responded to Crosshairs groans and whimpers of pain with comforting words, telling him that it was almost over, and as much as he appreciated it, he only felt more embarrassed. In the lull between cleaning and stitches, he tried to take steadying breaths, but the antiseptic was still stinging at the open wound.

“Are you ready?” you asked quietly, and his eyes found yours again at the softness of your voice.

You held the curved needle in your hand, ready for whenever he said the word, and between his deep breaths and pounding head, he couldn't help but just sit and admire you for a moment too long.

“Do you want something to hold on to?”

“What?” he frowned.

“To grip, for the pain? or… something to bite down on?” you suggested.

“No, no” he dismissed, shaking his head.

“Okay, I'm going to start now” you informed him, and he nodded quickly.

As soon as the needle pierced his skin, Crosshair's hands shot out and gripped the fabric of your shirt, bunching it at your waist with the way his fingers tightened, his bones almost creaking beneath the pressure.

“Fuck” he breathed out, trying hard to keep himself in check, to distract himself by focusing on the rhythm of your breath.

“I know” you said gently, “you're doing well, just a couple more”

His head fell forwards, resting his forehead against your temple as you worked, and he instead found that he was losing himself in your presence. He could feel your breath against his cheek, steady and warm, where his was harsh and shallow. You continued to send comforting words his way, your sharp actions a direct contrast to your tone and sentiments. He focused on the sound on your voice, the scent of your hair, the soft fabric of your tunic between his fingers, and soon they began to loosen.

“There, all done” you pulled away from him as you put down the needle and peeled off the back of a bacta patch, and Crosshair had to catch himself from falling forward.

You placed the patch over the affected area, lightly running your fingers over the edges to press it into his skin, and he immediately felt the solution beginning to cool the flaming agony that stemmed from the gash. A breath left him, and he sat back on his heels more as his head tipped back in relief.

“Better?” you asked.

“Better” he replied, then looked down at you to see your worried expression taken over by something more unreadable.

You chuckled slightly as you tidied up the medkit, “don't worry, I'm not expecting a th—”

“Thank you" he spoke before you could finish, voice firm enough that your eyes snapped back up to his.

You cocked your head a little as you looked over his features, “well… you're welcome then”

Placing the medkit back in your knapsack, you produced a dark piece of fabric, handing it over to him. He looked at the black material clasped in your hand and realised you were offering him your spare blacks.

“That wont fit me” he nodded his head to the item of clothing, an unimpressed furrow in his brow.

He watched on as you frowned in return, then trailed your eyes down his chest and abdomen, no doubt sizing him up.

“We look about the same size”

Crosshair scoffed, “are you calling me skinny?”

“Are you calling me skinny?” you replied amusedly, one of your eyebrows raising in tandem with your lips.

He rolled his eyes, “whatever, hand them over”

He held out his hand, looking away from your irritatingly enraptured gaze, and you dropped the top into his hand. He threaded his arms through the top and the sleeves, going to pull it over his head until his shoulder cried out in protest, and another pained grunt escaped him. He tried again, but was met by the same results.

“Here, let me help y—”

“Don't touch me” he replied on instinct, his tone venomous in a way that made his insides coil tightly together with guilt. He could see the hurt in your eyes, a flicker of sadness that only made that nasty feeling inside of him pull taut.

Truthfully, he couldn't stand to have you touch him. If he hadn't been so woozy previously, he may have shrugged off your help with his wound as he usually did, telling you he could sort it himself. Now that he was in his right mind, there was no way he would let you anywhere near him. He didn't trust himself around you. He didn't think he could have you touch him and not do everything in his power to keep it that way.

Though, observing the hurt in your eyes, in the slight downturn of your lips, he felt he couldn't deny you anything in that moment. After a long silence, he sighed. “I'm sorry”

Without so much as a single word, your hands found the fabric of the top, and you gently pulled it over his head. Crosshair knew he didn't have to say anything, because as much as he wished you didn't, you knew him well, and could read him far more than he was comfortable with.

He kept his eyes trained on yours. So much of your emotions were given away by your eyes, and he felt that you didn't try very hard to hide them, not like he did. He admired you for that. You were so openly giving and sought connection with everyone, even him. Your eyes caught his as you pulled the top down over his chest.

A small smirk wound it's way onto your face, “don't worry, I won't tell the others you needed help dressing like a little boy”

Crosshair huffed, trying to disguise what was really a laugh as an unimpressed scoff.

“I'm going to try and contact them” you muttered, moving away from him to pull out your comm. “Hunter? Are you there?” you were met by static, nothing coming through the line.

You tried again a few more times, calling for Hunter to reply, and every time you said his name it was like a punch to the gut. The last time was so desperate, so soft and bordering on loving that Crosshair almost clamped his hands over his ears. He couldn't stand it.

He didn't want to feel resentful towards Hunter, he only had himself to blame for leaving the space for something to blossom between the two of you, and it didn't surprise him in the least. You were both generous in a similar way, looking out for others before yourself, and it made sense that you had gravitated towards each other.

He tried to push it from his mind, vaguely aware that you were sending a recorded message about what had happened. He was more focused on the intense need he had to escape this situation. He couldn't be trapped in here with you, it would be the end of him, he was sure.

You began trying to shift some rocks from the base of the mound they had fallen into, but it only caused a slide from the ones on top of it. You yelped as you sprang back, and a thin crack appeared, running along the ceiling of the cave. Crosshair just huffed and pushed himself off of the ground, going to continue on in your stead.

“I'm not sure that's—”

The same thing happened, the crack deepening and small rocks falling from the ceiling. Crosshair paid it no mind, but you insisted that he stopped, pleading with him when it only got worse, more rocks shifting unsteadily and falling down around you. Really, it was hurting him a lot, his shoulder calling out for him to stop much like you, but the prospect of being stuck in here struck him as far more painful.

You had always given back what Crosshair gave out for the most part, but with the tone of your voice, he could tell your patience was wearing thin. You were quickly losing your sense of humour, and you finally snapped.

“You know what Crosshair, I'm kriffing sick of you! If you want to go and get yourself killed, be my guest, I won't stop you”

Crosshair stopped what he was doing, turning to face you, “you don't mean that”

His tone was partly joking, partly serious, as he didn't know which end of the scale you were on at that point.

“I mean every word” you spat at him, far more angry than you'd ever been, and you grabbed the lamp, dragging it behind you as you walked away.

He watched you slide down the far wall of the cave, your arms wrapping around your knees as you brought them into your chest in a huff. For a moment Crosshair didn't know what to do, but he figured he wasn't going anywhere if you weren't onside, so he trudged over you slowly, not approaching quickly for how he didn't know what kind of reaction to expect.

“Go away” you muttered, your eyes staring ahead of you, hardened with a resolve to not engage with him.

“No” he replied petulantly.

“I'm not dealing with your shitty attitude right now” you gritted through your teeth, still not looking at him.

It seemed that his mistreatment of you had finally caught up to him, and made you snap, and Crosshair was almost scared of the uncharted territory that you were now in.

“Just get up and help me shift these rocks” he knocked his foot on yours, urging you to abide, but you didn’t move.

You were silent, and realised then that it looked as if you were shaking subtly, but it was hard to tell in the low light. He was worried about you, but he knew there wasn't anything he could say or do that would help. He crouched next to you with a small sigh.

“What's the matter with you?”

“The matter? Crosshair we're stuck in here!” you finally looked up at him, a scrunch in your nose that he couldn't help but find adorable, and he found himself wishing you would have snapped at him before.

“What? Are you scared?” he asked, his usual teasing tone making an appearance.

“Yes! I'm scared, alright?” you hissed, and he could see a flicker of fear in your stormy eyes, “I don't know why you aren't”

“I don't get scared” he replied quickly, a knee-jerk response.

You laughed humourlessly, rolling your eyes, “right, of course. I should've thought of that”

Crosshair could see he wasn't getting anywhere, so he took a seat next to you, his back to the wall, one knee bent to rest his forearm on.

“I can't believe I'm going to die trapped in here with you” you grumbled out.

A pang of hurt cut deep in Crosshair's chest, but he forced a dry chuckle past his lips, an instinctual reaction to deflect the pain. You didn't seem so amused.

“Hey” he said softly, and you turned your head to look over to him, “we're not going to die”

His voice was as soothing as he'd allow himself, and he hoped that it could bring you even a little reassurance. You seemed almost taken aback, your mouth hanging open a little as your eyebrows raised. You blinked at him, and then settled back into a frown.

“I'm not stupid Cross, there's no way to know whether we're going to get out of this or not” you spoke softly.

The nickname made his chest seize up, but he sighed, leaning his head back against the wall of the cave, “you're right”

He wasn't going to lie to you, you didn't need that, and it wouldn't fix anything about the predicament you found yourselves in.

For a little while, you sat in silence, save for a steady drip of water on the opposite side of the cave that Crosshair had failed to notice previously. Now, it was all he could focus on. It was a particularly grating noise, something irritatingly steadfast and unyielding about it, just existing in the same space as you, but doing a much better job at consistency than him. It felt like it was taunting him, mocking him, calling him a coward. Maybe he was already going crazy, but either way, he felt compelled to speak up, if only to try and drown it out.

“I'm sorry” he said quietly, almost a whisper.

You sighed deeply, deflating, “it's not your fault”

Crosshair shook his head though you didn't see it, “I mean, that you're stuck here with me. I know that you'd prefer if it was Hunter instead”

You looked over at him with a curious expression, one that he only saw for a split second before he had to turn away. He couldn't bring himself to look at you for whatever you were about to say.

“That's not exactly true” you said in a measured tone.

His gazed snapped up to you, and you were giving him one of those looks where you were trying to figure him out. He hated when you did that, you were so good at it after all. He sometimes felt that you could see right through him and into his very soul, but he sincerely hoped that wasn't the case, he couldn't think of anything more horrifying.

“I didn't mean what I said before” you murmured, turning your body towards him with a small smile, “you're a great end of the universe buddy really”

Crosshair rolled his eyes, “so you don't actually want me to die?”

“Of course I don't” your face softened with your tone, and he couldn’t believe that such a tender look could be directed at him, he could only think that he didn’t deserve it, “you just drive me up the wall sometimes”

His lips quirked into a small smirk on instinct, and then it was your turn to roll your eyes.

“No one enjoys winding me up as much as you” you muttered, drawing your knees back to your chest as a shudder wracked your body.

Crosshair cast his eyes over you at the action, realising that your medics robes were not as warm as the blacks you had packed for situations exactly like this. He thought that maybe if he was a better man he'd give the top back to you. That's what Hunter would do. Instead, he looked across the cave, to where the previous dwellers had made a makeshift fire. There wasn't much wood, but it would be better than nothing.

“You have a lighter in there?” he asked, motioning his hand towards your knapsack.

“Uh… yeah” you replied.

Crosshair pushed himself from the ground, only a small grunt leaving his lips as the bacta had already began healing his wound. He grabbed the bag and crouched down by the pile of wood, rifling through it to find the lighter which was rattling around at the bottom.

As he arranged the remaining pieces of wood into his preferred shape, you stood and walked over to retake your seat in front of the soon-to-be fire. He got it going quickly enough, lighting one of the smaller pieces and placing it into the structure he had built, but it was weak at best. It wasn't going to keep for more than a few hours with the resources available, and Crosshair was already worrying about what would happen then.

He looked over to where the opening of the cave had been. In the dim light he could see the crack that had appeared in the ceiling, and he felt his stomach twist into a tight knot upon observing how much worse it was already. He blew a long breath out, making the fire ahead of him flicker slightly more, before it settled into its previous dance. Crosshair couldn't hear the dripping anymore, not above the crackle of the fire, and it was a strange relief. Thank the maker for small mercies, he thought, inwardly scoffing at the sarcastic thought.

“Why haven't you been sleeping?”

The question caught him off guard, so buried deep in his own thoughts that he had almost jumped when you spoke up.

“I don't want to talk about it” he mumbled in reply.

You nodded, seemingly satisfied with the assertion, but he could tell something lingered in your mind at the way you watched the flames before you both.

“You've been in my dreams the past few nights” you said absentmindedly, eyes almost glazed over as you stared into the fire, little regard for how it made Crosshair’s heart skip several beats. Your eyes flicked up and met his, and he lifted an eyebrow, not sure how else to react. You chuckled slightly before you continued, “they weren't great dreams, really. Nightmares, maybe”

Crosshair could feel his insides constrict at the idea of him featuring in your nightmares, his heart beating faster as he willed himself not to react in any way.

“Go on”

He watched your throat bob as you swallowed, “well, it always starts with me being chased by a fire-breathing lizard… creature”

Crosshair couldn’t help the way the edges of his lips lifted a little, and he brought his hand up to scratch at his stubble to try and hide it.

“I can see you laughing at me” you scoffed, “it was scary at the time”

“I'm sure” Crosshair replied, still fighting a smirk.

“Whatever” you rolled your eyes, uncrossing you legs to stretch them out ahead of you so you faced the far wall of the cave.

Crosshair’s curiosity quickly got the better of him, “what was I doing there?”

You looked back over to him before turning your face back down to your feet where you gently kicked your heel into the ground, “it's… silly, really. Far fetched”

He frowned, “I'm listening”

You huffed, and he could see your cheeks darken as you deliberated over your next words, “you were protecting me. You had a durasteel sword and you were trying to slay the creature”

Crosshair’s eyebrows raised, but quickly shot back down at your earlier insinuation, “why's that so far fetched?”

You tilted your head to look at him, your own frown creasing your brow, “I don't know, it's not something you'd do in real life”

A pang of hurt sent a sharp pain through his chest. He could feel it, like a real, physical thing, a knife piercing through his heart. You truly believed that he didn't care for you in any way shape or form, and as much as he knew he had no right to feel slighted by it, it cut deep within him.

“Nice to know you think so little of me” he grumbled, pulling his knees up to his chest and tucking his chin behind them as he stared into the fire.

He could see your eyes go wide even as he refused to look at you, “I don't think little of you! I— I think you're… great, just—”

“Just what?” he snapped, eyes darting back up to yours.

“I don't know, I don't see you doing that for me”

Crosshair's frown only got deeper, and he forced himself to look away and into the fire again. All of the hurt and jealousy within him, every negative emotion he had brought upon himself by not being honest with you bubbled up to the surface, and he failed to keep it to himself.

“I feel like I've upset you” you said softly, but he just grunted in reply, “what is it?”

“You really think I wouldn't protect you?”

He knew that this was a path he didn't want to go down, one he wouldn't dare tread if both your lives didn't hang in the balance, but they did. He felt vulnerable, more vulnerable than he ever had or wanted to, and severely misjudged. Something about it made indignance rise up his throat and mingle with his words.

You paused, but spoke you mind after a moment, “not at the expense of yourself, no”

He grunted again, “well you're wrong”

“Why?”

“why?” he scoffed, shuffling his feet ucomfortably, “I'm not heartless, you know”

“I didn't say you were” you rebutted, and he finally looked up at you when you paused. You watched him carefully, “you would… put yourself in harm's way, for me?”

“Of course”

The shock was evident on your face, your mouth hanging open a little as you stared back at him, eyes wide and unblinking, and he knew instantly that he'd said too much, and that you didn't feel the same way for him. The worst part was, he understood. He knew that he'd given no reason for you to care for him in any real way past doing your duties as a medic, and any kindness you had offered him had been purely from the goodness of your heart, with no ulterior motives in consideration. All the same, it was frustrating. He was frustrated at himself.

His gaze dropped to the fire once more, and it felt as if it were stinging his eyes, but he soon realised that the sensation was actually brought forth by the tears that had collected in his waterline. He blinked them away, knowing that he couldn't, shouldn't cry, even if he had just come to the realisation that you would never see him the way he saw you, never admire him like that, never adore him like he wanted you to. It made him feel like a cadet again, surrounded by people who were supposed to be his brothers, but only feeling like something was wrong with him, that he was unwanted and unlovable for a reason that would forever elude him.

It was his fault. All his fault. He knew it, he’d always known it, and he'd have to live with it for as long as he knew you. It didn't make it any better to know it, it only made it worse. He wished he could blame it on you, make it easier for himself, displace all the blame and take this crushing weight from his shoulders, but he wouldn't wish this weight upon anyone else, much less you.

He didnt dare look up at you again, especially as you hadn't said anything. If the ground opened up and swallowed him whole in that moment he wouldn't have cared, or probably noticed.

“Do you think the others will be looking for us by now?” you asked softly after a little while.

“Doesn't matter, they won't find us” he grumbled back.

You huffed, “that's not very reassuring”

“Reassurance does nothing”

“Maybe not to you”

“No, not to me”

“Right” he could tell you had rolled your eyes, “you don't get scared, how could I forget”

“I am scared, just not for myself” He snapped, his tone sharp as he glared at you. He was feeling annoyed now, and not in the mood for joking in the slightest.

“What do you mean?”

He scoffed, his tone not matching his sentiment, “I'm scared for you. I don't want anything to happen to you”

You watched him from across the fire, tilting your head, and he had to look away.

“Why aren't you scared for yourself?” you asked.

Crosshair was reluctant to say, but you had no teasing in your tone, and admitting to the truth felt easier knowing that he might not make it out of this cave. He decided that he'd find a way to say what he wanted in as few words as possible.

“Because… if I die, I don't have to live without you”

Your eyes widened slowly, and he watched your mind work around the meaning of the words, the gears turning behind your eyes. He could feel the embarrassment clawing at his throat, begging him to stop speaking forever more. He didn't know why he would have said that, beyond it being true. You didn't need to know, it wouldn't help you, and it certainly didn't help him.

Then, you did something that he didn't expect at all. You rose from your place on the opposite side of the fire slowly, as if not to scare him, not that it worked. His eyes followed you as you made your way around, and retook your seat in the spot right next to him, so close that if he shifted his arm he’d be touching you. Then you put your head on his shoulder, looking into the fire.

“I'm scared for you too” You said quietly.

Crosshair didn’t know what was going on. His heart was beating out of his chest, only just managing to keep a hold of the rhythm of his breath as he watched you from so close. You had never been affectionate with him like this, and he was too plagued by confused thoughts spilling into his brain that he couldn’t fully enjoy it — enjoy the fact that you were in this proximity to him willingly.

“You're too careless with your life, you treat it like it doesn't matter. I don't like it” you spoke up again.

He didn’t know what to say.

“How should I treat it?” he asked quietly, his voice low.

“Like it's precious”

Crosshair took soft breath in automatically, taken aback by the simple admission, by how easily you had said it. He could only find it within himself to deflect the comment,

“It isn't precious, clones are expendable”

You raised your head from his shoulder to give him a stern look, “I know you don't believe that”

He shrugged. He could feel his cheeks scorching and he hated it more than anything. He hoped that the low light would save him from you noticing how your touch made him act. Peering into your eyes as you did to him, searching, your frown softened.

“Your life means a lot to me" you confessed in a whisper. Crosshair’s heart was trying to escape him now, and even more so when your face returned to being serious, “and I wouldn’t want you to risk it for me”

Crosshair matched your frown, drawing his brows together as the dots, the pieces of what you’d said, starting connecting.

“Do you think that's why I would protect you? Because I don't value my own life?” he asked, an irritate edge that made you draw back from him marginally.

“Yeah? I mean, why else…?”

He could have laughed, but instead he shook his head, “that’s not it”

He knew what he wanted to say really, but his mind fought to come up with something else, struggling to find the words to express every unsaid thing in a way that didn’t make him want to curl up in a ball and never speak again.

“It’s— I…” he trailed off, uncertain, “I value your life… more than anyone else’s”

Your eyes widened, and if he wasn’t mistaken, the corners of your lips lifted almost imperceptibly, “what do you mean?”

He rolled his eyes and looked away, “must I explain?”

“I'd like you to” you sounded small, and he looked back over to see that your eyes were wide, shining with hope. It filled him with such an uncommonly warm feeling that he couldn't possibly deny you an answer now.

“I…” he's flicked his eyes across your features, landing on your lips before finding your eyes again and sending you a somewhat pained look, “I can't— I don't know how to—”

You took his hand, rubbing your thumb across his knuckles and leaving goosebumps in your wake, “take your time”

Crosshair sighed, suddenly struck by how poor of an idea this was. He couldn’t help but dwell on the simple fact that you were far too good for him. He didn’t deserve someone like you, and he knew it. You were took kind, too patient, too far superior in emotional maturity and every other thing besides shooting a blaster for that matter. He didn’t believe that perfect people existed, but if there was anyone who reached the closest to those heights, it would be you.

“I… the way I treat you, it's not… right. and it's not a reflection of how I truly feel” he admitted.

You hummed, nodding as you focused your gaze on his palm, drawing shapes with your first finger, “and how do you feel?”

Crosshair was thankful that you weren’t looking at him, and knowing you, it was probably intentional. You knew what he was like, who he really was, and it was as startling as it was comforting. “I feel… a lot. You make me feel a lot”

You smiled, your thumbs tracing over his, “a lot of what?”

An exasperation began creeping on his mind. He knew you understood, you were smart, but you just wanted him to be the one to admit it. He could respect that, however hard he was finding it; you were finally not accepting his half-arsed attempt at affection.

“Happiness” he said finally, “you make me… happy”

Your eyes finally raised to his, giving him a curious look, he felt the need to continue.

“I know that I don't act like it, and I know that I certainly don't make you feel that way, and that you're interested in Hunter, so I'm under no impression that—”

“What?” your head tilted to the side, your expression portraying all of your confusion, “I'm not interested in Hunter”

“Oh” Crosshair sat completely still, just staring at you. He was sure he looked as confused as you did in that moment, but his heart still leapt in his chest all the same, “but… you were sleeping with him…?”

“He was just… I don't know” you sighed, wrapping his hand with yours, “when I had nightmares as a kid it used to help if I slept beside someone else. He noticed I wasn't sleeping well and offered some… comfort, I suppose”

Crosshair nodded, looking away and into the fire anyway, because he knew that Hunter would always be your first choice, and not him, even if it wasn’t in the way he had originally thought.

“But it didn't really help anyway” you said, “I suppose maybe I was sleeping next to the… wrong person?”

When he glanced back to you, there was something more reserved about your demeanour. You were never usually shy, sometimes quiet, but this was something that he hadn’t seen from you before.

“You're right, by the way” you noted, and he raised an eyebrow, “you haven't always made me feel very happy”

He offered a pitiful look, “I'm sorry”

“I know you are, and I don't forgive you for all of it, but I know you, and I know that you don't really mean it. And— well, the reality is…” you rambled out, finally pausing for a breath, or to muster your courage, “you also make me feel alive”

Crosshair’s brows shot up.

The entire atmosphere around the two of you changed, the air between you charged with unspoken words, energy waiting, begging to dissipate. Your free hand reached for his face, and you ran your thumb along the lines of his tattoo that followed his cheekbone. His eyes closed momentarily, a shaky breath leaving his slightly parted lips, and he gave into the moment, focusing on the feel of your fingers caressing his face.

Allowing himself to revel in your touch, appreciate it rather than trying to avoid it, he was ready to crumble into nothing. He could have, and he would have died a happy man, his last moment being in the embrace of your calming presence. Your hand found its place on his jaw, and he opened his eyes once more. He copied you, his hand reaching for your face and taking it tentatively within his grasp. Your skin was soft, ever so soft, and his thumb slid across your cheek with ease.

He felt so vulnerable in that moment, but he just didn’t care anymore. He felt safe with you, and for once he didn’t want to act like a wounded child about his feelings for you. He wanted to show you how strongly he truly felt, the beginnings of making up for the way he had treated you in the past.

Without another second to spare, he tugged on the hand that still clutched his, pulling you towards him, and his lips met yours with an ardency that surprised even him. His arms wrapped around you as he kissed you deeply, holding your body tightly to his, unwilling to let you slip away from him. He was stealing the very air from your lungs, giving you everything he had to offer, and you were taking everything in kind. You were trying your best to keep up, mostly succeeding, but eventually you had to break the kiss, almost gasping for air.

Your breath was heavy against his lips as he kept you in close proximity, and when your eyes met his, a small chuckle left you, bordering on a giggle. He pulled you flush against him, so you rested in his lap, and your face lit up even more. Crosshair felt like he was walking on air, and when you kissed him again, leaning all of your weight into it, he couldn’t help but smile against your lips. The kiss grew more heated gradually, and before he knew it, you were tugging at the blacks you had given him.

He shook his head, pulling away before you could get the wrong impression, “not here”

“Why not?” you frowned playfully, your hands slipping beneath the top and brushing against his skin.

Crosshair growled quietly as you attached your lips to his neck, making his next sentence hard to get out, “because I have more respect for you than to take you on the dirty floor of a cave”

You chuckled against his skin, pulling back to give him a genuine smile, but then it faltered, and he watched a thousand emotions flick across your face in the space of a second. He gripped you tighter, about to ask what was wrong, but you beat him to it with your answer.

“What if this is the only time we have?”

Crosshair knew you meant more than something as fleeting as a shared intimacy, and with the look on your face, he immediacy began to understand why people lied to others in the name of sparing their feelings.

He pushed his forehead into yours gently, “the others will find us”

Your lips turned down in a dubious expression, “but how are they going to get us out?”

For that, he didn’t have an answer. He brought a hand to your face, taking your jaw and hoping his actions brought some comfort, “I don’t know, but I’m not letting you die in here”

“Even you don’t have that power” you huffed.

Even you. The words hung in Crosshair’s mind, front and centre, meaning a lot more to him than you probably realised. It seemed that you were saying, even him, someone who could do almost anything, couldn’t do this. He realised then that you must think a lot more of him than he ever knew, and his heart almost seized up in his chest.

He let a small grin wind it’s way onto his face, “sure I do”

You gave him a lopsided grin, rolling your eyes as you buried your face in his neck, “yeah, yeah. Whatever you say”

As it promised to be, getting out was difficult. The others eventually came for you and Crosshair, by which point he had almost accepted that this was it, that he’d shared his final moments with you. That wasn’t enough anymore, it wasn’t a sufficient amount of time spent with you, and when he heard Hunter call for him, his need to get out was stoked. Tech had found that the rock on the other side of the cavern held a cave system, Wrecker had set a number of charges with a limited blast radius, and they pulled the two of you out from the other side.

But all of it was inconsequential, unimportant in the face of what had happened while you were still trapped. Even more so now that Crosshair held your body tightly to his, his arm wrapped around your waist as the fresh scent of your soap invaded his senses and no doubt began clinging to his bedsheets. He hadn’t let the others ask why he was suddenly being so clingy to you, but something about their smirks and knowing looks told him that he had only been fooling himself in not telling you how he felt.

You laid on his chest, careful not to rest against his wound, which you had treated properly upon returning to the ship. You had insisted it was the first thing you did, before anything else, and he wasn’t going to argue with you then, not when you frowned at him in a way that made his chest tighten. The trade off was that he got to join you in the shower afterwards. It hadn’t taken too much convincing.

Now with you in his arms, your light breath fanning his bare chest, he knew he wasn’t ever going to let you go. He’d spent too long trying to push you away, but now that he had you, you weren’t going anywhere, he’d make sure of it.

taglist: @darthnihila @cdblake1565 @heidnspeak @burningnerdchild @orangez3st @clones-cyare

[aynavaano]

The heat on Thyferra

Hunter x f!reader

Rating: Explicit/NSFW

Wordcount: 9k

Summary: You got assigned to Clone Force 99 as a medic but also to keep an eye on their methods. It did’t take long for you to fall for Hunter and you fell hard, but it seemed like he was totally unaware. It got more difficult to deal with your feelings by the minute until after a heated training session you decide to ask for a reasignment.

Notes: This takes place during the Clone Wars pre Echo joining the Batch. Ngl this is completely self indulgent porn with very little plot. Mutual pining, idiots to lovers kind of, yearning, masturbation, consensual voyeurism, oral f! and m! receving, p in v, unprotected sex, creampie, porn with feelings aka “It’s always been you”, slight cum/breeding kink, yeah Hunter has a breeding kink, knife kink if you squint, also no beta, I don’t have enough horny friends to proofread this insanity

Getting assigned to Clone Force 99 wasn’t what you had expected when you joined the Republic's science and medical corps. The stories about them were legendary—whispers of impossible missions pulled off by a squad of “defective” clones with a 100 percent success rate. But those stories also included frequent mentions of damaged equipment, questionable methods, trouble to follow orders and complete lack of reports, the bane of any commanding officer's existence.

You’d been with the 104th battalion, the Wolfpack, before this assignment, and leaving them had been hard. The boys had been good to you, treating you like one of their own. Commander Wolffe had even gone so far as to personally request that you stay with them when word came down that you were being reassigned. It seemed everyone in the GAR knew about your reassignment before you did, and you’d heard the murmurs—Clone Force 99, the “Bad Batch,” was getting a natborn and they were apparently not happy. Despite the rumors, the transitions was smoother than anticipated and they’d been kind to you from the start, even if none of them were particularly keen on having someone outside their tight-knit group join their ranks.

Well, almost all of them.

Crosshair, with his sharp tongue and sharper aim, took some time to warm up to you. The sniper was standoffish, always seeming to watch you from the corner of his eye, as though waiting for you to prove you didn’t belong. His words were often cutting, laced with sarcasm that bit deeper than he intended, or maybe exactly as he intended. But over time, you learned to see the cracks in his armor, the subtle ways he showed he cared—an extra ration pack left for you when supplies ran low or a slight shift in position that put you in the safest part of the formation during firefights. You’d come to realize that beneath the layers of snark and cold professionalism was a fiercely loyal and caring brother, someone who would lay down his life for his squad and now, it seemed, for you.

But it wasn’t Crosshair who stole your breath and left you with sleepless nights. It was Hunter, the sergeant and leader of the squad. From the moment you patched him up after your first mission together, you were hooked. You couldn’t help but be drawn to the contrast between his deadly efficiency in the field and the quiet, almost gentle demeanor he had off it. Hunter was everything a soldier should be—strong, capable, and confident—but it was the way he looked at you with those intense, caring eyes that made your heart race.

His long, curly hair and that signature skull tattoo had caught your eye the first time you saw him, but it wasn’t until you had him on the med table, shirt off, his muscled chest exposed, that you realized just how breathtaking he really was. The tattoo that stretched down the whole left side of his body, bold and dark against his tan skin, left you speechless. You remember how your hands had trembled slightly as you cleaned the wounds on his side, pretending not to notice the way his muscles tensed under your touch or the heat that radiated from his body.

“Everything alright there, Doc?” he’d asked, his voice smooth and low, with a hint of amusement in his tone.

You’d nodded too quickly, turning to grab more bandages to cover your flustered state.

“Just making sure you don’t end up with a nasty scar,” you’d managed to say, trying to sound professional even as your mind raced with thoughts you had no business entertaining.

He’d chuckled softly, a sound that didn’t help the slightest but in fact sent shivers down your spine.

“Don’t worry, scars are part of the job.”

But it wasn’t just the physical attraction that pulled you to him. It was the way he carried the weight of his squad on his shoulders, the way he always put them first, and how he made sure you were safe and taken care of, even when you were the one patching them up. It was the quiet moments when he would sit beside you after a mission, asking how you were doing, his voice full of genuine concern. He was always professional, always in control, but sometimes it felt like there was something more there, something simmering just below the surface, but you convinced yourself it was just your nerves, getting the best of you.

Every time you thought about him, every time you remembered the way his tattoo snaked down his body, the way his eyes darkened when he looked at you, it took all your willpower not to let your thoughts wander into territory that was far from professional.

You knew you were falling for Hunter. Hard. And no matter how much you tried to push those feelings down, they kept bubbling up, threatening to spill over.

At first, it was easy to dismiss the way your heart would skip a beat when he was around, chalking it up to simple attraction.

How could you not be physically drawn to him? You had seen him training one morning, his toned body moving with a deadly grace that left you breathless. His caramel skin glistened with sweat, each muscle defined and rippling under the effort of his workout.

That image was seared into your mind, and no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't shake it.

But it was more than just the way he looked. The more time you spent with Clone Force 99, the more you saw the depth of Hunter's character. He wasn't just their leader; he was their protector, their confidant, their brother. The way he cared for his squad, always putting them first, always making sure they were safe and looked after, it made something inside you shift. Watching him interact with his brothers, seeing the soft side he showed them, the gentle way he handled their concerns, that was what truly made you fall for him.

And then, he decided you needed better training.

Despite your basic training and the fact that one of them was always by your side during missions, Hunter insisted on making sure you could take care of yourself. It was a logical decision, of course-ensuring that you were capable of defending yourself in the heat of battle. But it was also the beginning of your downfall.

You had managed to keep a professional distance up until then. Sure, you got close when you were patching him up, and the others had no problem with your occasional use of Wrecker as a giant pillow after a hard-fought battle. But training sessions were different. Having Hunter watch you during target practice with Crosshair, his eyes never leaving you, his voice low and encouraging, it was enough to make your pulse race. But it was the hand-to-hand combat training that really did you in.

His hands were on you constantly, guiding you through moves, showing you how to defend yourself, and it left you hot and bothered beyond reason. His touch, firm but careful, sent sparks through your body every time and left your skin burning. You could feel his breath on your neck when he got close, his scent surrounding you, making it impossible to focus on anything but him.

You'd leave those sessions flustered and on edge, your body aching for something more, something only he could give. Nights became torture. You'd wait until the others were asleep, until the sounds of their soft snores filled the ship, and Tech had retreated to the cockpit, closing the door for some peace and quiet. Only then would you allow yourself the release you so desperately needed. You'd slip a hand down your body, rubbing your pussy with feverish need, trying to imagine it was him. You'd fuck yourself on your fingers, your mind filled with thoughts of Hunter-his hands, his mouth, his cock.

You'd listen carefully, straining to make sure no one woke up, praying that your sounds were swallowed by the hum of the ship. Sometimes, you thought you heard a groan, something low and rough, but you convinced yourself it was just your nerves playing tricks on you. Your fingers would clutch the sheets, your teeth sinking into your pillow to muffle the moans and whimpers that threatened to escape. You didn't dare moan his name, didn't dare let anyone know how far gone you were.

But it was never enough. No matter how hard you tried, no matter how many times you brought yourself to the edge and over, it never satisfied you.

Because what you really wanted-what you craved-was Hunter. You wanted him buried deep inside you, wanted to feel his cock stretching you, filling you in a way your fingers never could. The need for him consumed you, until you knew without a doubt that you were damned.

He was in your thoughts constantly, day and night, and you prayed to the Maker that he would soon be satisfied with your training so you could get some distance. But it only seemed to get worse. Every day was a struggle, every touch, every look a reminder of what you couldn't have. And the worst part was, you didn't know how much longer you could hold out before you snapped, before you threw caution to the wind and let the hunger take over. Because the truth was, you were already in too deep, and there was no going back.

***

The oppressive humidity on Thyferra was like a suffocating blanket that wrapped itself around you, making every breath feel thick and heavy. You had been on this forsaken planet for far too long, monitoring a nearby military base that was suspected to cooperate with Separatists and waiting for new orders that never seemed to come. The air was stifling, clinging to your skin, and the temperature was wearing you all out. Tech and Crosshair were out, trying to scavenge supplies and something edible other than ration bars from the next settlement, leaving you with Hunter and Wrecker. Wrecker, with nothing better to do, was snoring loudly in the shade of a massive tree, blissfully unaware of the discomfort the rest of you were enduring.

Hunter, however, was determined to continue your training, despite the unbearable heat. He seemed unaffected by the temperature, his focus solely on sharpening your skills. But you weren’t so lucky. The humidity made it hard to concentrate, and the fact that Hunter had discarded his shirt halfway into the session only added to your distraction. His caramel skin glistened with sweat, each movement highlighting the toned muscles beneath, and it took all of your willpower to keep your eyes on the task at hand.

You tried to focus, determined to finish the session with dignity, even as your body screamed for relief from the weather and the heat burning in your core. You countered Hunter’s next attack brilliantly, moving swiftly and with precision, managing to get a good grip on his arm. But just when you thought you had the upper hand, your sweaty hands slipped. Hunter didn’t waste a second, using your falter to his advantage. In one fluid motion, he had you pinned to the ground, the impact knocking the air from your lungs.

For a moment, all you could do was gasp, struggling to regain your breath. The world spun slightly as you blinked your eyes open, only to be met with the intense gaze of Hunter staring down at you. His knife was pressed lightly against your throat—a reminder of how easily he could have taken you down in a real fight—but it wasn’t only the weapon that had your heart racing. It was him. The weight of his body on yours, the heat radiating off of him, the musky scent of his sweat. It was overwhelming, intoxicating, you felt heat pool low in your belly and your control slipping.

Your breath came in short, shallow pants, and you could see that Hunter was breathing heavily too, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Sweat dripped from his wet hair, landing on your skin and mixing with your own. You suddenly were hyper-aware of every inch of him pressing down on you, every muscle in his body coiled and tense as he kept you pinned beneath him. The proximity was too much, the physical contact too intimate, and you felt something inside you snap.

Without thinking, you balled your fist and punched him in the gut. It wasn’t hard enough to hurt him, but it was enough to surprise him, causing him to loosen his grip just enough for you to roll to the side and escape. You scrambled to your feet, your chest heaving, and you threw your knife to the ground in frustration.

“I’m done,” you spat out, your voice sharp with a mix of anger and something else you couldn’t quite name.

“It’s too hot for this.”

You are too hot for this - you added in your thoughts before you turned and stomped away, not waiting for his response, not wanting to see the confusion—or worse, the understanding—in his eyes.

You stormed back toward the ship, your emotions a chaotic swirl inside you. It seemed Hunter had no idea what he did to you, the pure torture of having him so close, the way your body ached with need every time he was near. And even if he did know, you were convinced he didn’t feel the same. If he had, surely he would have made a move by now, right?

The thought brought tears to your eyes, and you blinked them back angrily, determined not to let them fall. You needed to get to the fresher, needed to cool down and take care of the throbbing between your legs that had become a constant reminder of what you couldn’t have.

You forced yourself to breathe deeply, trying to regain some semblance of control. You couldn’t keep going like this, couldn’t keep torturing yourself with what you could never have.

You knew what you had to do. As soon as this mission was over and you were off this cursed planet, you were going to request a reassignment. Maybe you could go back to the Wolfpack, or find a spot with any other battalion. Anywhere, as long as it got you as far away from Hunter as possible. You liked being with the batch, you had grown to care about them all deeply, but staying would only lead to more suffering and you couldn’t keep acting like a little desperate tooka in heat, couldn’t risk that one day you’d get distracted on the battlefield and someone would get hurt.

The decision made, you felt a sense of resolve settle over you, though it did little to ease the ache in your heart. You’d do what you had to do, for your own sanity. But until then, you had to endure, had to find a way to keep your distance and survive this mission without letting your feelings get the best of you.

But you heard footsteps behind you already before you even reached the top of the ramp, your heart pounding in your chest.

When he called your name, you turned to face him, struggling to maintain your composure. Hunter's face was a mix of emotions, and you couldn’t quite decipher the expression in his eyes.

Was it concern? Frustration? Something else entirely? The turmoil boiling within you made it difficult to think clearly.

"I'm sorry if I pushed you too far," Hunter said, his voice low and sincere.

You let out a huff, trying to mask the storm raging inside you.

"It's just the climate," you answered, forcing a casual tone, "I need to calm down and take a shower."

But his gaze didn’t waver. It was intense, pinning you in place and making you squirm under its weight. For a split second, you thought he'll turn and leave, that this conversation would end with you retreating to the fresher to relieve the throbbing in your core and try to forget the way he made you feel. But then, he spoke again, and your brain short-circuited as you processed his words.

"Stop lying to me, I know where you’re going" he said, his tone firm but not unkind. "It's not the mission or the climate. It's me."

You stared at him, your heart hammering in your chest. You didn’t know how to respond. His words hung in the air between you, heavy and charged. For a moment, you half expected him to turn away, to say he doesn't want to put up with your drama any longer, to give you the reassignment you were wishing for just moments ago.

But when he spoke again, his voice was soft, laced with something you couldn’t quite place.

"I heard you," he admitted, his eyes searching yours.

"Do you know how much torture it was, listening to your sweet whimpers, your muffled moans of my name? How often you made me make a mess in my own bunk, unable to do anything about it because I didn't want to let you know I noticed and risk making you uncomfortable?"

His words left you speechless, your thoughts spinning. You thought you’d made sure they were all fast asleep, karking hell, Hunter and his heightened senses. You’d never imagined he knew, let alone that he might feel the same way. The realization hit you like a ton of bricks, and all the carefully constructed walls you've built to protect yourself came crumbling down in an instant. You felt exposed, vulnerable, but there was also a flicker of hope, a small spark of something that made you want to step forward, to close the distance between you.

You tried to speak, but your voice failed you, the words catching in your throat. All that came out was his name, a whisper, barely audible. Finally, you managed to choke out,

"I'm sorry."

Hunter's expression softened, and he stepped closer, his presence comforting despite the heat that threatened to consume you.

"Cyar’ika," he murmured, the endearment made your heart flutter.

"There’s nothing to be sorry about."

He paused, his eyes searching yours with an intensity that made your breath hitch.

"But I can’t handle it anymore, one more night of listening to your sweet sounds, one more day on the ship, filled with the scent of your arousal without any relief and I will go crazy," he continued, his voice thick with a mix of desire and restraint.

"Please, just let me watch you. *Gedet’ye*."

The mando’a term send a flush straight to your cheeks, the vulnerability in his voice, the raw need—how could you possibly deny him when he’s looking at you like you’re the most precious thing in the galaxy?

"I won’t touch you if you don’t want it, just want to see you, want to see what I could only imagine all those nights listening" he said, his voice a little softer now, almost pleading.

"That’s enough for me."

It’s then you noticed the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, the faint tremor in his words. He was afraid—afraid that maybe he was just a fantasy for you, a secret desire you indulged in but never intended to bring into reality.

For a moment, the power dynamic shifted. The usually confident and composed sergeant seemed vulnerable, exposed in a way you’ve never seen him before. This side of him, this raw honesty, made you fall for him even more deeply, your heart aching with the need to give him everything.

You couldn’t find your voice, so you nodded, your body moving on instinct, your mind still reeling from the weight of the moment. You had no idea where this would lead, but you did know one thing—you wanted him completely. But if watching you is all he wanted, you’d give it to him, without hesitation.

Hunter took a quick glance outside to ensure Wrecker was still snoring away under the tree. Once he was satisfied that you were alone, he squeezed your hand gently and guided you into the cockpit. The door slid shut behind you with a soft hiss, sealing you both inside the dimly lit space.

He led you to the pilot's chair, and you couldn't help but think of Tech's reaction if he knew you were about to do something so... filthy in his sacred cockpit.

Hunter sensed your hesitation and hesitantly cupped your face, his touch warm and steady, anchoring you to the moment.

"It's just us, cyar'ika," he murmured, his voice a low, soothing rumble that sent a shiver down your spine.

"No one has to know what happens between us if you don’t want to."

He guided you to sit in the pilot's chair, his presence overwhelming in the small, enclosed space. You pulled him down with you, taking his hands in yours encouraging him to touch you. Your heart raced, pounding in your chest as he knelt down in front of you, his hands sliding up your thighs, urging them apart. You let out a shaky breath, your nerves and excitement tangling together in a heady mix.

Hunter's hands slid down your sides, his fingers hooking into the waistband of your pants. He searched your gaze for confirmation pulling slightly. You nodded, your heart pounding in your chest as you lifted your hips, allowing him to slide your pants and panties all together down your legs.

He inhaled deeply and when he looked back up at you, the golden brown in his eyes was almost gone, replaced by dark pupils blown with lust.

“Fuck”, he hissed through gritted teeth “so beautiful. Show me how you've been touching yourself, thinking about me. Let me see you fall apart for me."

Your heart raced as you slowly started to rub your clit, circling it with your fingers, your other hand sliding down to tease your entrance. You let out a shaky breath, your hips moving in time with your fingers, but it was not enough.

You whimpered, your fingers sliding over your slick folds, it just wasn't enough. Not now, when he was there, watching you with that intense gaze, his breath ghosting over your skin. Your fingers didn't satisfy you the way you needed; they never had.

You let out a pathetic whine, a sound that was part frustration, part desperate need.

"I want you to make yourself come for me”, Hunter said, his voice a low growl that sent a thrill through your entire body.

You shook your head, your breath hitching in your throat.

"I can't”, you whined, your voice breaking with the intensity of your longing.

"It's not enough, Hunter." the words slipped from your lips before you could stop them.

The plea hung between you, heavy and loaded with meaning. There was no going back now, not after this.

Whatever happened, you couldn't just walk away and pretend nothing had changed. You were too far gone, too wrapped up in him, in this moment.

"Please”, you begged, your voice trembling, as every last bit of your restraint left you.

"I need more. A kiss, your fingers-just something.”

Hunter's eyes darkened with desire, and a slow, knowing smile curved his lips. He stood and, with deliberate slowness, pulled down his shorts, revealing his rock hard cock. It was even more glorious than you had imagined - thick, long, with a slight curve that promised to hit all the right spots. The sight of precum beading at the tip made your mouth water.

You gasped, your eyes locked on him, taking in every detail, every inch of him. It was like a fantasy brought to life, and you could hardly believe this was really happening.

"If you really want me, cyar'ika”, he said, his voice rough with desire, "you have me and I’ll give you everything you want. But first..."

He stepped closer, his hand gently cupping your cheek, thumb brushing over your bottom lip.

"I want to see what I missed out on all those nights."

You swallowed hard, your heart racing as you nodded, your body trembling with anticipation.

"| want you," you breathed, the words spilling from your lips in a rush.

Hunter's smile widened, and he leaned in, his lips brushing against your ear as he whispered,

“Then you know what to do."

Your hand slid down between your legs again, fingers circling your clit as your eyes locked onto his. His gaze was dark, intense, and filled with a hunger that mirrored your own. You started to move your fingers, slow at first, building up the tension again, the pleasure, under his watchful eyes. His cock twitched, and you could see how hard he was holding himself back, waiting, watching, letting you take the lead. But you hoped, deep down, that he wouldn't be able to resist for long.

You continued to fuck yourself on your fingers, the sensation of your own touch heightened by the sight of Hunter in front of you. His cock was fully on display now, thick and hard, just as you'd imagined so many times. Your eyes were glued to it, watching as he wrapped his hand around the base and gave himself a few slow, deliberate pumps. The way he handled himself so confidently, so naturally, made your mouth water and your core clench with need.

All you could think about was how it would feel to have him inside you, stretching you, filling you completely. The thought alone made the coil in your core tighten deliciously, your body already teetering on the edge of release. Hunter seemed to sense how close you were. His eyes, dark with lust, locked onto yours, and his voice came out in a low, velvety command.

"Look at me, cyar'ika."

Your gaze snapped to his, and what you saw there was your undoing. His face was a mix of raw desire and something deeper, something almost tender. His cheeks were flushed, a warm color against his caramel skin, and his pupils were blown wide with lust, all of it for you. That look - hungry, wanting, and completely focused on you was all you needed to push yourself over the edge.

When the first wave of your orgasm hit, you let loose and moaned his name loudly, your body arching off the chair. The moment your release flooded through you, Hunter was there, his strong arms wrapping around you, pulling you into him. His lips found yours in a kiss that was both hungry and sweet, swallowing your moans as his hands roamed over your body, grounding you as you rode out your high.

His touch, his scent, the feel of his solid body pressed against yours - it was overwhelming, like floodgates had opened, and everything you'd been holding back rushed out all at once. You clung to him, your fingers digging into his shoulders as you gasped out the words that had been burning inside you for so long.

"I want you Hunter," you whispered, your voice trembling with need. "I want all of you."

Hunter's response was immediate, his voice a deep, soothing rumble against your ear. "You have me”, he said, his lips brushing against your skin. "you've always had me, cyar'ika. It's always been you."

His words wrapped around you like a warm embrace, and you couldn't help the tears that pricked at the corners of your eyes. It was too much - too intense, too perfect - and yet, it was everything you'd ever wanted. You nuzzled into his neck, breathing him in, letting the reality of his words slowly sink in.

"…thought.." you struggled to find the right words, your voice catching in your throat. "I thought maybe you didn't notice...me, or didn’t want me."

Hunter pulled back just enough to look into your eyes, his expression softening.

"How could I not want you?" he said, his thumb brushing a tear from your cheek. "I noticed every look, every touch. I noticed how you made excuses to be near me, how you lingered in the room just a little longer after everyone else had gone. And then suddenly it felt like you were running away from me, avoiding me and it drove me crazy, because I didn’t know what to do."

You inhaled sharply, trying to steady your shaking hands.

"Hunter... I don't think you realize what it's like to watch you from a distance. You walk into a room, and every head turns. People flirt with you -boldly, shamelessly- and you don't even flinch. Meanwhile, I thought I was just... invisible to you. Just part of the team. And I couldn’t handle it anymore.”

You forced yourself to meet his gaze.

He chuckled softly, pressing a gentle kiss to your lips.

"You think I don’t see the way other women look at me and sometimes men too? All the attention in bars, in the markets?"

He shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "I noticed them all, but I didn't care. None of them were you. From the moment you were assigned to the squad, all I wanted was you."

His words hit you like a freight train, and you were left reeling from the intensity of his confession. You reached up, cupping his face in your hands, your thumb tracing the lines of his tattoo.

“You remember the Jedi general we had with us for two missions shortly after you’ve been assigned to us?” he said.

“Did you notice how she looked at you? I always thought it’s not the jedi way but she quickly sensed how I felt for you and she was jealous.”

"Hunter..."

He leaned into your touch, his eyes closing briefly as if savoring the feel of your hands on him. "I’m yours, cyar'ika," he murmured, opening his eyes to meet yours again. "And you can be mine. If thats what you want."

You pulled him into another kiss, your heart soaring at his words. It was everything you'd ever dreamed of and more. The man you'd been longing for, craving, was finally yours, and he wanted you just as badly. You deepened the kiss, pouring all your emotions into it, and you felt him respond equally, his hands roaming over your body with a hunger that matched your own.

When you finally broke the kiss, you were both breathless, your foreheads resting together as you shared a moment of quiet intimacy. It was a connection that went beyond just the physical - it was something deeper, something that had been building between you for so long. And now that it had finally been acknowledged, there was no turning back.

Hunter's hands slowly slid under your shirt, lifting it over your head.

"Let me see all of you”, he whispered, his voice rough with desire.

"Want to worship every inch of you."

You nodded, your heart pounding in your chest as you helped him get off your training bra. You were bare before him now, exposed and vulnerable, your nipples instantly hard, but there was no fear - only anticipation, only need.

He reached up to cup your breasts, his thumb ghosting over your nipple and you leaned back in to kiss him again. His tongue pleaded for access and you let him in, let him explore your mouth, his taste sweet and intoxicating. One hand tangled in his hair you let the other snake down his chest until you reached his cock, giving him a few lazy pumps, earning a few groans from him in return.

But just when you were ready to lose yourself completely in him, Hunter broke the kiss, pulling back slightly.

He looked down at you, his breathing ragged, his dark eyes full of desire and something else - something deeper, more meaningful.

"Wa…want to do this right," he said, his voice low and husky.

You blinked up at him, dazed and trembling with need, but his words made your heart stutter in your chest. He wasn't just looking for a quick release; he wanted this to mean something, to be something you would both remember.

Before you could say anything, he glanced quickly out of the viewport, checking to make sure Wrecker was still peacefully snoring outside. Satisfied, he turned back to you, and with a few quick taps on the console, you heard the soft hiss of the ramp closing.

The ship was now sealed, offering you the privacy you desperately needed.

Without another word, Hunter scooped you up into his arms, holding you close against his chest as he carried you to the bunk area. There was a determination in his movements, a focused intensity that only made you want him more. He set you down gently, then quickly began to rearrange the bunks, pulling two mattresses together and throwing a few blankets and cushions onto the floor to create a cozy, makeshift bed.

"Perfect," he murmured, almost to himself, before turning back to you.

His hands were on you again in an instant, pulling you down onto the mattress with him.

“When we're out of here, I’m going to take you some place nice …but for now this is all I can offer you”

“Hunter…I don’t need anything else, just you.”

He kissed you everywhere - your lips, your neck, your collarbone, working his way down to your breasts. His tongue was hot and wet as he took one nipple into his mouth, sucking and nipping at the sensitive flesh, sending jolts of pleasure straight to your core.

"Hunter," you gasped, your fingers tangling in his hair as he moved to your other breast, giving it the same attention. The way he touched you, the way he kissed you, it was like he was memorizing every inch of your body, committing it all to memory.

He let his head dip down between your legs, kissing and nibbling along your soft inner thighs until he reached your wet pussy and liked a long stripe from your entrance up to your clit. You felt him shudder and you let out a soft whimper when he flicked his tongue against your swollen bud, still sensitive from your first orgasm.

"I've wanted this for so long," he growled against your skin, his voice thick with need. "Wanted you for so long."

You could only moan in response, arching your back as he positioned himself above you.

His cock was heavy and hot against your thigh, and when he dragged the tip through your soaked folds, your whole body trembled with anticipation. You were so wet for him, so ready, and the sensation of his cock teasing you, brushing against your clit before dipping back down to your entrance, was almost too much to bear. He bit your neck, not hard enough to hurt but enough to leave a mark and to make you shiver with desire.

"Hunter, please," you whimpered, your hips bucking up, seeking more.

He reached up, his hand cupping the back of your head, his fingers threading through your hair. He held you like that, firm but gentle, and his eyes locked onto yours, intense and unyielding.

"Look at me," he whispered, his voice low and rough. "I want you to look at me when I take you”

You nodded, your breath hitching as he slowly began to push into you. The stretch was delicious, the feeling of him finally filling you was overwhelming. Your eyes never left his, the connection between you electric.

As he sank deeper into you, his eyes never wavered from yours, and you could see the raw emotion there - the desire, yes, but also something more, something that made your heart ache with its intensity.

"Maker" he groaned, his voice strained as he bottomed out inside you. "You feel so good, cyar’ika. Better than I ever imagined."

You clutched at his shoulders, your nails digging into his skin as you tried to hold on, your body adjusting to the fullness of him, reveling in the feeling you had yearned for far too long.

"Hunter,” you breathed out, your voice trembling with the depth of your need for him.

"Move, please."

And then he did, pulling back slowly before thrusting back in, and it was like nothing you'd ever felt before.

The pleasure was overwhelming, all consuming, and you couldn't help the way your body arched up into his, seeking more, wanting more. You were intoxicated from a heady mix of chemicals and hormones your own body produced and you couldn’t get enough of.

He watched you the whole time, his gaze never leaving yours, and you could see the way he was fighting to keep control, to hold back from losing himself completely in you.

"Say you’re mine" he gasped.

You moaned, your hands clutching at him, needing to feel every inch of him, to be as close to him as possible. You angled your hips to allow him to reach deeper.

"I'm yours, Hunter. Always yours."

His pace quickened, his thrusts becoming more forceful, and you could feel yourself hurtling towards another orgasm, the coil in your core tightening with every movement of his hips. He reached down where your bodies were joined and began to circle your clit.

"Come for me," he demanded, his voice rough and commanding. "I want to feel you come around my cock."

And with those words, you were gone, your body shattering as your orgasm crashed over you, your walls desperately clenching around him. Hunter's thrusts became frantic as he neared his release, his breath ragged in your ear.

"Where do you want me?" he asked, his voice low and desperate, teetering on the edge. His eyes searched yours, filled with lust and need.

"Inside”, you whispered, breathless, and the moment the word left your lips, it was like something snapped within him.

His body reacted instantly, a guttural groan escaping his throat. He pushed as deep into you as he could, burying himself completely, ensuring he was filling you in the most intimate way possible.

The warmth of his release surged inside you, and you gasped at the overwhelming sensation. His cock pulsed, each wave of his cum shooting against your cervix, sending electric shivers through your entire being. You clung to him, trembling as your walls tightened around him, pulling him in further, savoring every last drop he spilled inside you.

"Fuck," he groaned, his hips stuttering as he emptied himself into you, holding you tight like he never wanted to let go. You felt utterly filled, connected, the sensation of his heat mixing with the deep satisfaction of having him this close. The world had narrowed down, leaving only the two of you.

Hunter's lips found yours again, soft and lingering, filled with a quiet happiness that made your heart swell. His forehead rested against yours for a moment, his breath mixing with yours in the peaceful aftermath. You smiled at him, your fingers tracing light patterns on his chest as he pressed a tender kiss to the tip of your nose.

His cock slowly softened and slipped out of you, leaving a tender warmth in its wake. The room was quiet, filled only with the sound of your shared breaths as you remained close, tangled together in the afterglow.

He glanced down between your bodies, his eyes darkening with satisfaction as he watched his cum begin to ooze out of you. Without a word, he gently took two fingers, gathering it and pushing it back into you with a quiet hum of appreciation.

You giggled at his playful possessiveness, your body shivering at the intimate sensation of his fingers moving inside you, even after everything you'd just shared. The sound of your laughter made his grin widen, a soft chuckle rumbling from his chest.

Hunter's hand gently cupped your cheek, his thumb brushing your skin as he whispered,

"I love you, cyar'ika. More than anything."

Your heart swelled at his words, and you leaned into his touch, your fingers tracing the lines of his jaw.

"I love you too, Hunter," you replied softly, your voice full of emotion.

He smiled, his forehead resting against yours.

"I'm never letting you go," he promised, his voice low and filled with tenderness.

"Come on," he whispered, leaning in to kiss your lips again before he stood and scooped you up effortlessly into his arms.

You wrapped your arms around his neck, resting your head against his shoulder as he carried you towards the fresher. He handled you with such care, his strong arms making you feel light as air.

"Let's get you cleaned up," he said, the warmth in his voice unmistakable.

You let out a contented sigh, feeling utterly safe in his embrace as he carried you into the fresher.

He carefully adjusted the water, making sure it was the perfect temperature before gently setting you into the warm stream.

"I'll clean up the ship real quickly," he said with a playful smirk, brushing a strand of hair from your face. "Don't want to deal with an angry Tech later. I'Il be back in a moment, cyar'ika."

You nodded, leaning back against the wall of the fresher, the warmth of the water soothing your body as you watched him leave. A soft smile crept onto your face, feeling content in the peaceful aftermath. It all still felt like a fever dream, something your mind had come up with to cope with the burning desire that had slowly driven you crazy. If it wasn’t for the faint rustling of bedsheets you heard you might have believed you had fallen victim to your own imagination.

But Hunter returned moments later, true to his word, stepping back into the fresher with you. He pulled you into his arms, and kissed you, the water running over both of you as you melted into the moment once more, feeling safe and cherished in his embrace.

As you pulled back from the kiss, Hunter rested his forehead against yours, his breath warm and steady. His eyes, filled with quiet intensity, searched yours.

"I'm sorry I didn't make a move earlier," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "I've wanted you for so long... but I was afraid, afraid that you wouldn’t want me and what it meant for the squad. I love you so much, cyar'ika. More than you know."

The sincerity in his words made your heart swell, and you gently cradled his face, your fingertips tracing the lines of his jaw.

"I love you too, Hunter," you whispered, your voice barely audible but heavy with meaning.

It was a confession you had been holding onto for so long, and now that it was finally spoken, it felt right-perfect. His lips curved into a small, tender smile, his gaze softening as he looked at you.

"I'll request your permanent assignment to the squad,” he said, his voice filled with quiet determination. "If that's what you want. I might even try to fill out a report here and there."

The thought made you chuckle but without hesitation, you nodded, your heart pounding in your chest.

"I want that... more than anything."

Hunter kissed you again, slow and deep, pouring all the love and longing you had both been holding back into the kiss. His hand slid down between your legs, fingers brushing gently over your sensitive skin. You gasped into his mouth, your body responding instantly to his touch, the intimacy of the moment wrapping around you both like a cocoon.

He pressed himself closer, and you could feel the hard length of him against your thigh, already ready for you again.

"I can't get enough of you, I’m sorry." he whispered, his voice husky with desire, his fingers teasing you, drawing out soft whimpers as your body burned with need for him all over again.

You sank slowly to your knees, your gaze never leaving his as your hands trailed down his body. Taking him into your mouth, you savored the feel of him - big, warm, heavy on your tongue and throbbing with need. His taste filled your senses, and the low, deep moan that escaped his lips sent a shiver through you. You traced the underside of his cock from the base to the tip, following a thick vein. He was incredibly hard, his tip already leaking and every contact made him twitch. Hunter's hand came to rest gently on the back of your head, his fingers threading through your hair as he groaned softly, the sound making your pulse quicken. But after a few moments, he gently tugged you back up to your feet, his hands firm on your shoulders.

"Come here," he whispered, his voice rough with desire.

He guided you toward the fresher wall, your back pressed against the cool durasteel, letting his hand trail lower, carefully stroking through your folds. You were very sensitive, his cum was still oozing out of you but your body betrayed you and you couldn’t stop the downright filthy moan from slipping from your lips.

“Tell me if it’s too much.” he rasped.

“N..no. Don’t stop…can’t get enough of you either.” you stammered as he dipped two fingers into your soaking wet pussy.

“P…please Hunter…fuck me again.”

His mouth found yours in a heated kiss as he lifted you effortlessly, your legs wrapping instinctively around his waist, his cock deliciously pressing against your core. He paused, eyes locking with yours for a brief, intimate moment before he buried himself inside you in one deep thrust. You gasped, your body still sensitive, clenching hard around him immediately. The sensation of being so full, so close to him, was still overwhelming.

Hunter groaned deeply, the sound vibrating against your lips as he began to move, slow at first but quickly building into something more intense. Your nails dug into his shoulders, your hips meeting his with each thrust as he fucked you, hard and steady. The room spun around you, all of your senses focused solely on him, on the way he filled you, the way he made you feel. The coil in your core tightened rapidly, your pleasure rising to a peak you couldn't hold back any longer.

"Hunter," you gasped, your voice trembling with need.

He groaned, lowering his forehead to yours as he picked up the pace.

"I feel you, mesh'la," he murmured, his words shaky but full of intent. "So close, aren't you? Let me take you there."

His teeth grazed your lower lip, his body driving you closer to the brink with every thrust.

You cried out, overwhelmed by the sheer intensity, your nails raking down his back as the pressure inside you reached its breaking point. The position allowed him to thrust deep and he did, pushing up against your most sensitive spot.

That was all it took. With a final, powerful snap of his hips, you shattered into a million pieces, your body trembling as your orgasm washed over you. Hot white pleasure surged through your veins, pulling the rug of reality from under your feet and sending you spinning. Your walls clenched around him, pulling him deeper as Hunter groaned your name, his release following yours. You felt him pulse inside you, his second release mixing with the first, filling you to the brim, as his head dropped to your shoulder, his breath ragged against your skin.

You stayed like this for a while, you held onto him tightly, both of you catching your breath, the connection between you deeper than ever. Your shallow pants and the falling water were the only sounds for a while. You nestled your head against his neck reveling in the warmth radiating from his body until his cock slowly softened and slipped out of you followed by a rush of his cum.

Hunter carefully set you down, your legs still trembling and unsteady beneath you. You giggled softly, leaning against the wall for support trying to come back to your senses.

"I think... I… we should probably give the ship back," you said, your voice a mix of exhaustion and amusement.

"The others are probably outside, waiting-and annoyed."

He chuckled, his hand brushing tenderly over your cheek.

"You're right. Shouldn’t keep the big guy waiting when he’s hungry," he teased, his eyes still full of warmth.

But then, his gaze softened, and he leaned in, capturing your lips in a deep, lingering kiss.

"One last moment," he murmured against your lips, his voice low and intimate, "just us.”

You melted into the kiss, your heart swelling with the closeness of the moment. Hunter's hands moved with careful precision as he lathered you both with soap and helped you clean up, his touch so gentle it made your chest ache with affection. Every small gesture spoke of his care for you, and you couldn't help but smile, feeling the love radiating between you.

After you both emerged from the refresher, Hunter grabbed a towel and gently dried you off, his hands lingering on your skin, pressing kisses here and there as if memorizing the feel of you. There was something tender in the way he handled you, a softness that made your heart swell. Once you were both dry, you reached for fresh clothes from the overhead compartments, dressing in a comfortable silence that was filled with glances, smiles, and the warmth of what you had just shared. Hunter gave you the softest, most loving kiss before he pressed the button to open the hatch.

You were immediately greeted by the sight of three familiar faces. Wrecker’s grin was as wide as ever, Tech looked slightly annoyed, and Crosshair... well, Crosshair had that usual smirk of his, but there was a glint of something else in his eyes too.

"Finally," Crosshair spat out, throwing the toothpick he had just dangled from the corner of his mouth to the floor, his voice dripping with his usual sarcasm.

Tech, ever the meticulous one, adjusted his goggles and said, "If what Crosshair suggested is true, I am pleased for the two of you, but I sincerely hope you cleaned up after yourselves."

He didn’t wait for an answer, instead he strode up the ramp to inspect to ship, his ship, as he had made clear more than enough times.

Wrecker’s grin widened even further when you stepped out of the ship. “Does this mean you’re stayin’ with us for good?” he asked, his eyes shining with hope.

You nodded, and before you could say another word, Wrecker scooped you up in a massive bear hug, whirling you around with such enthusiasm that you couldn’t help but laugh.

Tech reemerged from the ship, seemingly satisfied with the state you had left the cockpit in. “Good,” he said, his tone crisp and professional. “I’m glad to see you took care of that. We brought back better food, by the way.”

“Oh yeah, I’m starving” Wrecker said, setting you back down.

As they walked past you, Crosshair reached out to pat Hunter on the shoulder, his smirk turning into something more genuine.

"Don’t mess this up, Sarge," he said, his tone carrying a rare note of seriousness.

"Because if I have to hear her suffer again, listen to her desperate whimpers one more night... I’ll take care of it myself."

You couldn’t help but smile, knowing this was Crosshair's way of showing he cared. Beneath that tough exterior, there was a hint of concern and affection, even if it came out in his own twisted way. But as soon as the full meaning of what he’d just said found its way through your still foggy and cock drunken mind, you turned to Hunter with a question look, your cheeks hot and a perfect shade of pink.

Hunter just grinned.

“Nothing wakes Wrecker as soon as he’s snoring and Tech stays in the cockpit most nights, but yeah…Cross heard you.”

“More than once.”

You looked back into the ship where Crosshair had just disappeared. He gave you one of his signature smirks, clearly amused.

You groaned, your face burning as you turned and hid against Hunter’s chest, hoping the ground would swallow you whole.

Crosshair chuckled lowly, enjoying your reaction.

“You know, it’s not that embarrassing. At least you’ve got good taste, I’ll give you that.”

“Crosshair,” Hunter warned, but his hand moved to rub your back soothingly.

“What?” Crosshair smirked, his tone softening slightly. “At least Hunter finally did something about it, almost though he’d watch you leave. You’re good together. Just… maybe keep it private next time? For my sleeping schedule…and my sanity.”

You peeked out at him, mortified but catching the flicker of genuine affection in his gaze.

“You’re awful.”

“Maybe,” he replied, the corner of his mouth twitching. “But you’re lucky I like you, or I’d never let you live this down.”

You sighed.

As Hunter wrapped his arm around your shoulders, pulling you close, pressing you into his chest, you couldn’t help but feel that this was exactly where you were meant to be.

The easy camaraderie between the five of you made you feel like you were truly home.

[sadiecoocoo]

I love all the fics where (pre-tbb series) Echo and Crosshair argue a lot but over time get to know and accept each other and become protective of one another, but what about a fic where Crosshair is just always protective and is like a guard dog while Echo is recovering and the batch don’t know what’s up with him and is jsut “I think our brother got replaced.” And Echo is slightly annoyed at being followed around all the time but then he’s like “well… he’s kinda okay” and internally he’s “omfg I love my new baby brother so much and if any harm comes to him I will go on a killing spree”

I think it’d start after a scenario where Echo defends the batch from some regs when Crosshair expected him to join in. And by defend I mean he went full ARC trooper on their asses and sent them to the infirmary

I might actually write this now…

Edit: letting everyone know that I am definitely going to post this as an entire fic at some point, I’m just gonna wait until I’ve written all of it to post the first chapter :)

If anyone would like to be tagged please let me know <3

[thegreymarveljedi]

Welcome Home Sergeant

(Hunter x Reader)

In honour of all the other Bad Batch stuff I’ve posted over the last few days, here’s another one.

But make it spicy😈

This story was used for something else in my writing career but I decided, fuck it!, I’m using it for Star Wars cause I’m a sucker for Hunter and the Bad Batch.

This takes place pre! Season 7 so before Echo joins the bad batch, (sorry again Echo fans).

(Divider done by @pinkiemme )

Warnings: mentions of injury, overstimulation, gunshot wound, Batch Bad brothers, SMUTTTT, title! kink, praise! kink, pet names, blindfold, handcuffs, spanking, Dom! Hunter/ Sub! Reader, fingering, fisting, anal sex, oral sex, colour system, deepthroating, 69, rough sex. (This is basically just porn with minor plot. Literally is like reading porn)

Words: 7.4K

After a long and difficult mission but successful mission, Hunter wanted nothing more than to cuddle up next to you. Run his fingers through your hair, down your body, kiss your breathe away. It had been too many rotations to count since he had been home but now, finally, the batch had been given some time off.

He and the Bad batch had be gone on back to back to back undercover mission for almost two months and he had hardly slept. His sleep was plagued with nightmares and his senses had been acting up a lot more. Not having you to hold him, to calm his mind and tell him that everything would be alright made his heart ache.

He sat silently on his bunk on the Marauder, doing his best to quiet his mind as he suffered with a migraine. Tech sat in the pilots seat, talking with Crosshair as they flew through hyperspace. Wrecker was passed out on his bunk across from Hunter, resting him arms across his chest.

Even though the missions had been successful, there had been some injuries. Their cover had been blown on the last mission and the separatists had been testing a new weapon, one that severely affected Hunters senses. He had almost passed out from the pain his head was in, his body feeling weak and his senses overwhelmed.

Tech and Wrecker were able to get the information the squad needed, Crosshair staying with Hunter to make sure he was okay. A few droids had snuck up on Hunter and Crosshair, trying and failing to killing. Even though the droids didn’t have their way, Hunter had still taken a shot to the shoulder while trying to take one down, Crosshair finishing the job as he checked in the Sergeant.

When all was said and done in the mission, Wrecker had helped Hunter up the ramp of the marauder, Tech pushing a few buttons on his helmet to enable silencing, darkness and scent dampening. Tech had installed these features on Hunters helmet long ago, wanting to help his brother in any way he could with his heightened senses.

After about 7 hours, Tech pulled the marauder out of Hyperspace over Coruscant, transmitting clearance codes for their safe landing at the GAR base. When they landed, Tech lowered the gangplank, Crosshair coming to the bunks and smacking Wrecker awake.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“To wake you up. You sleep like a brick.”

“Well you didn’t have to hit me so hard!”

“I did.”

“Did not!”

“Did too.”

“Both of you shut the Kriff up!” Hunter growled, glaring daggers at his younger brothers. Both Wrecker and Crosshair could tell by Hunter’s tone that he was not joking around, both quickly leaving the bunks and heading off the marauder. Hunter stayed back for an extra few minutes, trying to get his thoughts in order. He had been shot in one of the more sensitive parts of his shoulder, making the pain even more amplified.

It wasn't until Tech walked back up the ramp that Hunter snapped out of his thoughts, his left hand holding his right shoulder, the pain fully registering even after putting bacta on it. Tech walked over and kneel down in front of Hunter, giving him a once over with a scanner before putting it away, picking up Hunters helmet that had been discarded on the floor.

“Are you alright Hunter?” Tech asked quietly, examining the readings that the scanner had given him. Hunter shook his head and winced, his migraine feeling like someone had taken a sledgehammer to his head. His shoulder was also on fire, the pain radiating like a vibroblade was still stuck in there.

“Let’s get you to the medical wing. I was informed that Metric and the 212th are on leave so we can go see a more familiar face,” Tech said. Hunter gave a small nod as Tech placed his helmet over his head, the sensory features kicking in again. Once Hunters helmet was secure, Tech helped him off his bunk slowly, making his way down the plank where Wrecker and Crosshair were talking with Cody.

"You alright Sarge?" Cody asked as Tech walked with him over to the others. Wrecker noticed immediately that Hunter wasn’t well and too the initiative to take Hunter from Tech, picking Hunter up off the ground so that he wasn’t touching anything.

"No, he’s not. Even though our missions were successful, Hunter was injured. The separatists seemed to have engineered a weapon specifically designed to enhance electromagnetic frequencies. The weapon overwhelmed his senses and left him vulnerable, allowing him to be shot,” Tech explained making Cody’s eyes widen.

“Okay, let’s get him to Metric. I’ll have a private room prepped and everything,” Cody explained and signalled for the Batch to follow him. They did so without question, Tech leading the group behind Cody with Wrecker holding onto Hunter in the middle and Crosshair coming up the rear.

They made it to the medical wing in no time, everything having been prepared for Hunter and the boys. Metric was ready with the supplies needed to fix up Hunter’s shoulder as well as the equipment to help ease his senses. There were few words exchanged as Metric did his job flawlessly, still cracking jokes with the Batch as he went which made them all smile a little.

~Time skip~

(Y/N) sat lazily on her and Hunter’s bed, waiting for her handsome sergeant to return home. It had been too long since she had last been able to hold him or kiss him, but she knew his jobs was important and had to be done. She was just about to get up and go take a shower when her comm went off, she snatched it quickly and with a grin, expecting to see Hunter but she was instead greeted with Tech.

Fear immediately gripped her heart, fearing the worst for her boyfriend when it was his brother who called instead of him.

“Tech what’s going on?”

“There is no need to panic (Y/N) I can assure you. Hunter is alright, just a shot to the shoulder and his heightened senses all over the place,” (Y/N) let out a sigh of relief at Tech’s explanation, happy to hear that Hunter was alive though sad to hear that he wasn’t doing well.

“Is he alright?”

“He is better now. Metric has closed the wound on his shoulder so it should heal in about a day or so. As for his senses, he has been given a remedy that should help, though I do recommend rest for him.”

“Okay. Thank you Tech.”

“Affirmative. We will bring him by shortly. We all know that he is desperate to see you.”

(Y/N) giggled at that, imagining just how much teasing Hunter had to endure from his brothers.

“Thanks Tech. See you boys soon!” Tech nodded before ending the call, (Y/N) stretching with a sigh.

She turned on some music and began to blast it throughout the room, bopping her head to the sound of the Jizz band. Luckily the walls of her high rise apartment were sound proof so no one would hear as she sang to her hearts content.

As (Y/N) was picking up the clothes that were strewn all over the floor and put them away, she came across a set of lingerie and ropes that she had recently purchased. They were stashed away on her side of the closet, ready and waiting to be used when Hunter came home. She smiled at the thought before an idea popped into her head, her grin hardly containable before walking into the conjoined fresher to take a shower.

~Time skip~

Hunter was grateful to his brothers for getting him the help he needed and he was grateful to metric for patching him up so meticulously. He thanked the medic one final time before he and the rest of the Batch made their way out of the medical wing. Hunter went to take a right to head to their barracks when Tech cleared his throat, Hunter turning his head to see his brothers taking a left back to the hanger.

“Where are you going?”

“Back to the Marauder.”

“Why? We’re on leave for the next 2 weeks.”

“Affirmative, though I assumed you would like to go and see a certain female after such a long stint away?” Tech said and Hunter deflated slightly, the thought of you making him relax and smile.

He didn’t argue with Tech any further as he followed the squad back to the Marauder, excited to see his Cyar’ika after too long away. They piled into their ship, Tech taking off and flying them towards (Y/N)’s high rise apartment.

Tech landed the Marauder on (Y/N)’s private landing pad, opening the ramp and allowing Hunter out. He has shed his armour and instead, replaced it with civilian clothes, the comfort of the soft fabric making him feel even more relaxed. As he made his way down the gangplank, he noticed that his brothers didn’t follow.

“You guys coming?” He asked and all three shook their head.

“And have to listen to you two all night? No thanks,” Cross replied, a smirk on his face and a toothpick in his mouth.

“Ya I’d rather just go to 79’s and celebrate!” Wrecker said with a grin and pumped his fists, ready for a drink and some music. Hunter shook his head at the two before turning to Tech quizzically.

“Someone needs to keep an eye on these two and make sure that no one gets hurt.”

Hunter nodded to his younger her brother, stepping fully off the gangplank and watching at the door closed, Tech pulling the ship off the landing pad and flying off. He shook his head at his brothers, though he knew that tonight was just for him and his beloved.

Hunter made his way into the building and gave the proper security clearance to make it to the elevator, pushing the button to get to (Y/N)’s floor. As the elevator closed and began ascending, Hunter’s mind wondered to all the things he could do with and to his Cyare now that he was home. He thought of how he would kiss here, profess his love to her, how he wanted nothing more than to curly up in her arms and fall asleep to the sound of her heartbeat. He thought of all the dirty things they could do, how sinful you’d look with his cock buried inside you, how gorgeous your blissed out face would be after he made you cum over and over and over again.

When the elevator stopped on the correct floor, Hunter disembarked, walking into the apartment that he and (Y/N) had came to share. The place was clean, smelling of softly scented air freshener and cookies. Hunter looked over to the counter of the open concept kitchen and noticed that there were indeed some of Hunters favourites there. He smiled, feeling more loved then ever. He walked further into the apartment and came to the door of his and (Y/N)' shared room, knocking on the door before it slowly slid open.

To his surprise, he found (Y/N) lying on their shared bed, her private earbuds in, listening to something. He smirked when he realized she was watching something very naughty on the holonet, hand down at her southern lips, moving her fingers slowly. He licked his lips and watched for another minute or so with hunger in his eyes, his pants beginning to feel tight.

"Whatcha up to there mesh’la?" Hunter said as he walked further into the room, breaking his silent observing as the door sliding closed behind him. He reached behind him and engaged the lock just as (Y/N) shot up from her laying position, removing her hand from her cunt and facing Hunter with a look of surprise. She smiled widely as she laid eyes on him, quickly throwing on one of his shirts before throwing herself into his arms.

Hunter chuckled lowly and hugged (Y/N) back, holding her close. He had one arm wrapped around her waist and the other gently cradled her head to his neck as she wrapped her arms around his. He could feel her heart beating quickly, the scent radiating off one of apples, cinnamon and vanilla. He could smell her arousal, the sweet smell making him harder by the minute.

"I missed you Hunter," she said and a few tears falling from her eyes at finally having her sergeant back in her arms. Hunter held her tightly, stroking her hair and giving her hips a gentle yet loving squeeze.

“It's ok my love, I'm okay. I’m home and I’m safe," He said, giving her head a kiss and running his hand up and down her back in a comforting motion. She smiled into Hunter’s neck and held onto him tighter, relishing in the strength of his arms and the heat of his skin through his shirt.

Hunter chuckled as he picked her, making her wrap her legs around his waist. (Y/N) yelped in surprise, clinging to Hunter as he lifted her. She locked her legs around his waist, pulling back from the hug only a little and planted a gentle kiss to Hunter’s forehead before capturing his lips with hers. They shared a passionate kiss as Hunter laid her on the bed gently, moving himself to cage (Y/N)’s body under his.

Her legs didn't let go though, keeping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, koala hugging him. Hunter laughed and lifted her back up before sitting on the edge of the bed, just holding her in his arms. (Y/N) kept her face bury in Hunter’s neck, taking in the scent of his soap and his natural smell of oakwood and carbon scoring.

Hunter ran a gentle hand through her hair, kissing her forehead and cheek every few seconds to remind her he was home, that he was safe and okay. (Y/N) smiled and pulled away slightly to look at Hunter, resting her forehead against his in a keldabe kiss. Hunter smiled at the action, resting his hands on her hips once more and closing his eyes, relishing in the feeling of being in her arms.

"Welcome home Sarge,” (Y/N) said softly with smiled, kissing his nose teasingly. Hunter returned her smile and kissed (Y/N)'s lips, smiling into the kiss when she kissed back. It was an innocent kiss full of love and affection, their lips moving together in sync.

They both pulled away and smiled at one another, the aura in the room light and comfortable, "It feels so good to be home ner sarad," Hunter said, running his hands up and down (Y/N)’s sides and thighs, the warmth of his hands making her squirm. (Y/N)’s hands found their way up into Hunter’s hair, slowly untying the bandana from around his forehead. Hunter groaned at the relief, sighing contently as (Y/N) ran he fingers through his hair being as gentle as possible.

"How about we go have a shower Cyare? I could use a nice hot one," Hunter said. (Y/N) nodded and gasped again as Hunter effortlessly lifted her up, his strength still surprising to her some times. He lifted (Y/N) up and carried her to the bathroom, carefully sitting her down on the counter, and slowly, teasingly pulling his shirt off her body. (Y/N) gave Hunter a mischievous look causing him to laugh, finally taking the shirt off and tossing it back into their room.

Hunter stopped for a moment to admire the women in from of him, taking in ever physical feature he loved about her. Her round plump breasts, her wide juicy hips, her gorgeous legs, he loved everything about her. She was perfect in his eyes, perfect for him, someone he didn’t think he deserved to have in this lifetime. Hunter brought a hand up to her face, resting it in her cheek and stroking her cheek lightly with his thumb. He could admire her all day everyday for the rest of his life if the maker would allow it. He was enamoured by her in every way and he would make sure to tell her that for as long as they were together.

"Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum ner cyar’ika. You’re absolutely stunning. Like a goddess handcrafted by the maker himself," Hunter whispered to (Y/N), placing a lingering kiss to her forehead. She smiled at his declaration, tear threatening to spill from her eyes once more. She leaned into his touch and his kiss, enjoying the more relaxed, softer side that Hunter only displayed around her and his brothers.

Hunter was almost always on edge, his position as the squad’s sergeant a very tiring one. He was their leader, the receiving and giving the orders, his responsibility to his brothers one of great importance. He was always looking out for them on missions, always ready to throw himself in the fray to protect them. They were willing to do the same, evidence of that displayed today by how they got him help and brought him home to her.

When Hunter was with her, he didn’t have a care in the world. He trusted Tech to be in command when he was otherwise preoccupied. Every once in a while, he had the chance to come home to his Cyare and he could pretend that the war didn’t exist. That he was just a man coming home to his girlfriend after a long day at work.

"I love you Hunter," (Y/N) said, looking up at Hunter with a wide smile. She leaned up and placed a kiss to his jaw before moving her hands down to the hem of his shirt. Slowly she lifted his shirt off, tossing it to the floor before looking back at him. She took a second to admire his body, his tattoo carrying down his body and disappearing below the waist band of his bottoms. It was the she noticed the bandages around his right shoulder, the bright white wrapping smelling of bacta. (Y/N) ran a gentle hand over the bandages, being careful not to touch it too much.

"How’d this happen baby?" She asked softly, leaning over to kiss the bandages before looking back at him. Hunter smiled at her concern and pulled her into his chest, resting his head on top of hers.

"It's okay my love. The separatists had a new weapon that made my sense go haywire. Cross had to stick with me while Tech and Wrecker got what we needed,but a squad of droid snuck up on us and got a hit on me. I’m okay though, I promise," Hunter explained and he could feel (Y/N) tense slightly at the mention of his sense being fucked with.

(Y/N) hugged him tighter, running her fingers gently through his hair. Hunter just kissed her head and pulled away from the hug, removing his pants and boxers in one swift motion. (Y/N) stared as Hunter finished removing his clothes, walking over to the shower and turning it on. She admired the way his hips swayed as he walked, the definition of his muscles making him look even more sexy.

(Y/N) licked her lips as she stared at Hunter’s ass his globes quite plump and big and she loved to tease him by smacking it. She hadn't even noticed Hunter walking backwards toward her until he stood in front of her again. She blushed and looked away, embarrassed at being caught admiring His backside.

Hunter laughed and picked (Y/N) up by her thighs, her arms wrapping around his neck. He brought her into the shower before gently setting her down on her feet. The couple smiled at one another as they washed themselves and each other teasing each other as they showered. Hunter would grope (Y/N)'s ass or breasts while she would 'accidentally' brush his now mostly erect cock. She reached around his body and grab his ass as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Fuck it," Hunter mumbled and pushed (Y/N) up against the wall of the shower, pinning her hands above her as he kissed her passionately. (Y/N) kissed back with an equal amount of passion and aggression, wanting Hunter to just fuck her already.

Hunter moved his left hand down her body, groping her breasts as he went before finally making it to her lower lips. His left hand remained raised, occupied holding her hands above her head. (Y/N) moaned as Hunter rubbed her clit in rough circles, enjoying the sounds she made. Her lips looked so kissable, so plush and pretty as she moaned. He leaned in and kissed her, swallowing her sounds as he pleasured her.

"H-hunter, please," (Y/N) moaned and tossed her back gently as Hunter broke the kiss, "Please sergeant, please," Hunter smirked at her whining, slowing his fingers down to a snail’s pace.

"Please what mesh’la? What do you want your sergeant to do to you?" Hunter asked huskily and ran his fingers up and down her folds, teasingly slipping one in and out from time to time.

"Please! Please sergeant...please fuck me, I need you so bad," (Y/N) cried, bucking her hips into Hunter's hand. Hunter smirked and stopped his movements completely, his fingers resting directly over her core.

"What do you want me to fuck you with my love? Do you want my fingers, my mouth or my cock?" Hunter said seductively, his voice low and sexy as he began to circle ber clit relentlessly again.

(Y/N) moaned loudly again and moved her hips in time with Hunter’s fingers, "Fuck me with all three! Sergeant please fuck me with your fingers, your cock, and your mouth! Please!" (Y/N) begged, making Hunter smirk, his cock hardening fully.

He didn't wait another second before plunging three fingers into (Y/N)'s core, forcing a scream of pleasure from her lips. (Y/N) moaned as Hunter finger fucked her fast, moving his fingers at a relentless pace. He added another finger into her core, somehow moving his fingers faster and deeper inside of her. (Y/N) was practically riding Hunter’s fist, moaning loudly and lewdly in pleasure at the feeling of him filling her up. Finally Hunter added his last finger, now having his whole fist inside her dripping, pulsing pussy.

(Y/N) moaned, panting between moans as Hunter continued to fist her. He stopped and pulled out of her for a second, (Y/N) whining at the loss of contact and fullness before Hunter turned her around and pushed her chest against the wall. (Y/N) moaned at the feeling of the cold tile wall on her chest before letting out a pornographic moan as Hunter began to fist her again.

"Oh fuck yes Sergeant! Fuck it feel so good!" (Y/N) moaned as Hunter smirked triumphantly, knowing just how to play her body like a fiddle. He let go of her hands and brought his right hand down to her other hole, teasing her asshole with two of his fingers.

"Will you be a good girl and listen to your sergeant? Will you be a good girl for me cyar’ika? Do as I tell you?" Hunter asked, slowing his movements down until he stopped moving his fist all together. All he received in return was a strained moan and a nod from the woman before he brought his hand down on her ass cheek.

"Speak Mesh’la. You know you need to use your words or you get punished," Hunter all but growled, smirking as he watched his beloved squirm even more. (Y/N) moaned before turning her head to look over her shoulder at Hunter, her eyes filled with longing, lust and obedience.

"I'll be a good girl for you sergeant, sir, please. I will listen and do as you tell me. I'll be a good girl," (Y/N) said, her submissive side winning the internal battle. She wanted him to dominate her, use her for his own pleasure like a toy.

Hunter smiled and ran a hand over (Y/N)’s reddened asscheek, moving his fingers to her pussy and slowly pushing three inside her again. "Good girl. Such a good girl for me," He praised and kissed her shoulder, "Now, I want you to spread your ass for me. Show me your tight hole so I can fuck it," Hunter growled and (Y/N) moaned, spreading her ass cheeks apart for him.

"That's it. Good girl," Hunter praised before he slowly moved two of his fingers inside her ass as he continued to finger her pussy. (Y/N) whimpered and moaned at the sensation, feeling so full and stretched by her lover. Hunter always knew how to get her going, how to work her body and how to making her feel good. It was one of his many talents that she admired and she could never get enough of him.

Hunter added another finger to her tighter entrance, moving his fingers in time with the one buried in her cunt. By now (Y/N) was chanting Hunter's name like a prayer, her eyes rolling around in pure ecstasy. The cold wall of the shower felt so good against her heated skin, her cheek pressed heavily against it. With an obnoxiously loud moan, she came, Hunter pulling both his hands from her roughly, watching her squirt. His eyes lit up as he watched the filthy display, (Y/N)’s body convulsing as she came. He hands flew back to the wall of the shower, trying to find some stability as she moaned at the feeling of her orgasm.

Hunter moaned just watching her cum, diving right back in and pushing his fist into her pussy roughly, hard and fast before pulling it out just the same making her squirt again. His other arm found its way around her waist, holding her up as her legs threatened to give out.

"Sergeant please!" She cried as he repeated his action for a third time, Hunter smiling as he pushed his fist into her again, leaving it there and waiting. She moaned as he did, feeling so fucked out already and he hadn’t even fucked her with his cock. She could feel it resting on her hip, erect and waiting for her.

"Please what ner cyar’ika? What does my Cyare want?" Hunter teased and kissed from her shoulders to her neck up to her cheek. (Y/N) panted leaned her forehead against the wall, the words dying in her mouth. She was struggling to formulate any kind of coherent thought, all thoughts in her head filled with Hunter and how good he felt inside her.

"I-I-I w-ant y-" she couldn't finish her sentence before her knees buckled, Hunter pulling out of her cunt and catching her.

"You okay mesh’la?" He asked, genuinely concerned if he had hurt her. (Y/N) nodded and swallowed, taking deep breaths to regain her bearings, "I need words doll. What colour are you?" He ask and stood her up under the gentle flow of the now warm water.

"G-green… Yellow. I-I just need a minute,” She said and rested her head against his chest. Hunter smiled and help her as she breathed, him breathing with her as he rinsed his hand clean. After a few minutes Hunter felt her place a few kisses to his chest, drawing patterns on his abs and tracing his sinfully sharp v-line.

"Green, sir," she said and Hunter smiled, using two fingers to lift her chin before leaning down to kiss her. (Y/N) kissed back, smiling at the gentle kiss and display of affection that was such a contrast from the rough display mere minutes ago. Hunter smiled as well before carefully picked her up by her thighs, wrapping (Y/N)’s legs around his waist once again as he turned the water off and exited the shower.

(Y/N) smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck as he made his way back into their bedroom, gently laying her down on the bed. Hunter pulled away from her for a minute, taking in her gorgeous form and beautiful smile. She was drop dead gorgeous I'm his eyes, a vision from the maker himself.

“Mesh’la,” he whispered as he stared, his eyes taking their time ravaging her body before moving back up to look into her deep (E/C). The eyes that he could get lost in, the one he has gotten lost in and never wanted to leave. The lips that he could kiss for hours, red and swollen because of him.

"What is it Hunter?" She asked innocently and Hunter couldn’t help but smile fondly at her.

"Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum (Y/N). You are so beautiful and I am so happy to call you mine," Hunter said as he took one of her hands in his.

(Y/N) smiled up at Hunter, her innocent submissive act slipping away as she gazed up at the soldier above her, "I love you too Hunter. So so so much. My handsome soldier, my handsome man," She said. Hunter smiled and leaned down to kiss her gently again, the hand hold hers coming up and resting both there hand next to her head. His other hand followed and rested on her cheek, stroking the soft skin with such care and love.

Soon the kiss turned heated, Hunter running his tongue along the seam of (Y/N)’s lips, asking to be let in. She complied without a fight, allowing Hunter in to explore her mouth. He nipped at her lips as he went, his hands moving down to caress and worship her body. (Y/N)’s hands found their way into his hair, running her fingers through his loose curls.

Naked, sweaty bodies pressed against one another, quiet moans and whispered praises were all that could be heard throughout the apartment. No one was the wiser, the perks of having a sound proof and private apartment all to themselves. Hunter ground himself against (Y/N), grinding his hard cock into her dripping pussy without entering her. She moaned and bucked her hips up, trying and failing to entice him to fuck her already.

"Ah ah ah, not so fast cyar’ika. You know what happens when you do that," Hunter said and smirked at her. (Y/N) pouted but continued to buck her hips up, the innocent expression on her face a contrast from the mischievous behaviour she was displaying. Hunter growled and pinned her hips to the bed with his own, pinning her hands above her head.

"Please sergeant. Please. I missed you so much," (Y/N) begged while giving Hunter the puppy eyes that he was so rarely able to refuse. He stared down at her for a moment before shaking his head, not wanting to give into her just yet.

"Soon Cyare, very soon. Let your sergeant have his fun first okay?" Hunter said as he traced one of his hands up and down her side. (Y/N) pouted, faking sadness that her puppy eyes didn’t work on Hunter this time before nodding, accepting the fact that Hunter needed to do this.

"Yes sir," (Y/N) said and stopped moving, waiting for Hunter to continue with his ministrations at his own pace. Hunter stopped and stared at her for a moment before moving his hand to tilt her chin up, forcing her to look at him.

"What is it mesh’la? What's wrong?" Hunter asked, kissing her cheek. (Y/N) sighed again and looked at Hunter with a hint of tears in her eyes.

"I missed you Hunter. I thought about you everyday. I craved you and still do crave you. I want you so bad. I want you to make love to me; rough, passionate, breathtaking love. I want you so bad. Please. I can't wait any longer please. Please take me," (Y/N) begged, trying her best not to move her hips in time with her words no matter how desperate she sounded.

Hunter stared at her for another minute before leaning down and giving her a gentle kiss to her lips, then her forehead, "I missed you too Cyare. Everyday I thought about coming back to you, how I would come back to the safety of our home. I thought about only you and those thoughts are what kept me going when things got tough. I'm sorry for making you wait so long my love, " He said and kissed her again.

"It's okay Hunter, I understand," She said and gave Hunter a smile. Hunter returned her smile before moving away for a second, coming back from the closet with a blind fold and a pair of handcuffs.

(Y/N) mewled at the sight of the toys, rolling over onto all fours and moving up the bed to the pillows, slowly and teasingly swaying her hips. She had planned to wear her new lingerie set and show Hunter the rope she had bought but that could wait for another day. She stretched out on purpose, sticking her ass in the air to give Hunter a view of her dripping pussy. (Y/N) smiled as she heard Hunter groan at the sight before he flipped her back over onto her back.

"That's not very nice cyar’ika," he said in a sinfully deep voice. (Y/N) giggled, smiling mischievously at Hunter before her caught on, smirking right back at her, "You did that on purpose, didn't you ad’ika?"

"Of course sergeant. I love the way your eyes light up when I tease you," (Y/N) whispered seductively. Hunter groaned and pinned her down with his hips again, making quick work of cuffing her hands to the bed and placing the blind fold over her eyes, with her consent of course.

"I'm going to punish you for that pet," Hunter said making (Y/N) to moan. Hunter expertly flipped (Y/N) back over onto her stomach, lifting her ass in the air and spreading her cheeks. He groaned at the sight of her gaping pussy and loose asshole. He slowly brought his hands back to her ass, his left hand coming down on her left ass cheek before his right came down in her right one.

(Y/N) moaned and tried her best to keep still, very much enjoying her punishment. She loved the pain and when Hunter spanked her again, she couldn't help but bend further, lifting her ass higher for him. Hunter smirked and spanked her again, loving the way her ass jiggled when he smacked it.

"How many is that mesh’la? How many times has your sergeant spanked you?" Hunter growled out, teasingly running a hand over her abused cunt.

"F-four so far sir," she said and Hunter stopped for a second, looking down at her quizzical before the realization dawned on him.

"Ahh. Smart girl, the one in the shower," He said as (Y/N) nodded, answering with a sickly sweet, “yes sir.” Hunter smiled at her, even if she couldn't see it through the blind fold.

"Good girl, you're such a good girl for me mesh’la," Hunter praised her. (Y/N) moaned, the praise making her even more wet. She was a good girl, she was his good girl.

"Now, you've been a good girl but you're still going to get punished for teasing me. I'm going to give you six more spanks and you're going to count from five saying 'thank you' after each one, okay?" Hunter explained and (Y/N) nodded, whimpering out another, "yes sir."

Hunter took a minute, admiring his lover's round, plump, red ass before brushing his hand over it. (Y/N) knew what he was doing, simulating her so she wouldn't know when he'd strike, the anticipation making her squirm giddily. Finally, Hunter brought his left hand down on her ass, giving her a hard smack.

"Five! Thank you sir!" She mewled out, tugging at the cuffs that restrained her to the bed. Hunter brought his right hand down in her ass this time, a red mark on her ass where his hand landed. He watched with satisfaction as (Y/N)’s ass jiggled, he plump ass looking even more beautiful with his hand print on it.

"S-six! Thank you sir!" She moaned. He was claiming her as his, even if she already was his, his hands marking her ass as he continued.

*SMACK* "seven! Thank you sir!"

*SMACK* "Eight! Thank you sir!"

*SMACK* "N-Nine! Thank you sir!”

*SMACK* "TEN! Thank you sergeant!"

Hunter dealt the final blow to her ass, her cheeks red and pulsing, her cunt dripping and clenching around nothing. Hunter smiled at the sight of her holes, clenching around air, gaping because of him

"You've been such a good girl for me cyar’ika. My good girl," Hunter moaned out as he leaned down to her ear, nipping at it teasingly. (Y/N) moaned and nodded, the blindfold soaking up her tears of pain and pleasure.

"I am your good girl s-sergeant. I'll always be your good girl," (Y/N) moaned out, tugging at the cuffs again. Hunter smiled and undid the cuffs, massaging (Y/N)’s wrists before gently placing her hands on the bed. He laid down on top of her, his chest against her back as he ran a hand up and down her side.

"Now, let's continue shall we?" Hunter said before moving his hands down her body to her cunt, dipping two of his fingers in. (Y/N) moaned as Hunter pulled his fingers out, moving them up to her tighter hole before pushing them in. (Y/N) groaned at the feeling, her asshole being stretched once again, Hunters fingers feeling amazing inside of her. Hunter smirked and dipped two fingers from his other hand into her pussy, scissoring them a bit before pulling them out and moving them along side his other fingers in her ass.

Hunter began to fuck her ass with four of his fingers, stretching her out and open. (Y/N) moaned loudly at the feeling of Hunter stretching her open, both her entrances abused and leaking. Soon he removed his fingers from his right hand and replaced them with all the others on his left, his right hand moving to her pussy again.

Before (Y/N) could fully register what was happening, she felt Hunter push his right fist into her core before his left fist slowly made its way into her ass. (Y/N) screamed in pleasure as Hunter began to move his fists in a pleasuring rhythm. Hunter smirked and picked up the pace of his movements, fingering her fast.

"FUCK! YES sir! Fuck yes! THanK yOu!" (Y/N) screamed and came on Hunter's fists. Hunter pulled both his fists from her holes, watching as they opened and closed rapidly in time with (Y/N)'s breathing. They were red and gaping, having been stretched open by him in the shower to start and now here.

"That was fucking hot baby," Hunter moaned. He flipped himself over and slid under (Y/N)’s hips, pulling her down onto his mouth. (Y/N) moaned as Hunter began to furiously eat her out, lapping his tongue up and down her holes, cleaning her dripping juices. (Y/N) moaned again before she got an idea, sitting up on shaking knees as best she could before tapping Hunter’s head twice from between her knees.

Immediately Hunter stopped and slid out from beneath sat up, holding her in his arms and pulling the blindfold from her face, "Is everything okay doll? What colour?" He asked. (Y/N) smiled and rested one of her hands on his.

"Green, sergeant. But I want to pleasure you too," she said, love, lust and desire swirling in her eyes. Hunter smiled and kissed her forehead, knowing exactly what she wanted to do. He flipped them around and rested his head against the pillows, pulling (Y/N)'s legs towards his head again.

(Y/N) positioned her cunt right over his mouth, her face right above his raging hard cock. It was very well above average in both Length and girth, leaking precum from the very angry red tip. She smiled and leaned down, kissing his cock before taking it in her mouth. Hunter moaned and dove back into her cunt, slurping up her juices as if they were the only thing keeping him alive.

(Y/N) moaned around Hunter and began to bob her head up and down on him, deepthroating him as far as she could. 69 was one of their favourite positions, pleasuring one another at the same time as much as they wanted. They were both givers, their time spent apart making them starve for each other. They continued their ministration to one another until (Y/N) felt Hunter twitch. She hollowed her cheeks and began to suck harder until she felt Hunter moan against her and release his load into her mouth. She swallowed all that he gave her before, rapidly yet carefully dismounting from Hunters face.

Before Hunter could process what was happening, (Y/N) had pinned his hands above his head and began to kiss his neck and chest, nipping and sucking everywhere she could reach. Hunter moaned and tried to move his hands but found he couldn't, even with all his strength. It was no secret that (Y/N) was strong, she was almost as strong as him but because of his injury he wasn’t at his full strength.

"I'm sorry sergeant but I can't take it anymore, I need you inside me," (Y/N) moaned and lifted herself above Hunter’s already hardened cock before sinking down. Both let out a loud moan and (Y/N) began to bounce on him, riding him like she knew he loved. Hunter moaned and began to buck his hips up in time to meet hers, increasing the pleasure for both of them.

It wasn't long until Hunter flipped them over again, (Y/N) on her back as Hunter drilled into her. Their moans mixed together as their hands linked together and held onto one another, their breaths mixing together. They were making love, not just having sex. They always made love even in the most heated moments.

Once again Hunter flipped her over so (Y/N) was now on her stomach, expertly making sure that he never left her pussy. Hunter stopped for a moment and moved his tip to her ass, teasing it for a second before pushing in all the way. (Y/N) moaned at the feeling, gripping the sheets beneath her till her fingers turned white. It felt so good to have him inside he again.

"What colour ner cyare?" Hunter breathed out as he leaned down to her ear again. (Y/N) was breathing heavily but managed out a breathless 'green', and that's all Hunter needed. He pounded into to her faster and harder before pulling out again and plunging back into her pussy. He thrusted into her roughly until she screamed and came for the....she had lost count of how many but it felt so good.

Hunter held her hand as he thrusted one final time into her before letting out a guttural moan and releasing his load deep into her throbbing cunt. (Y/N) moaned at the feeling before Hunter collapsed on top of her. She smiled as Hunter rolled off of her, pulling out of her before pulling her into his arms, kissing her shoulders and neck, coaxing her back to reality.

"You were so good cyar’ika. You were such a good girl for your sergeant," He whispered, rubbing gentle circles all around her body. (Y/N) smiled and slowly rolled over to face Hunter, placing a gentle kiss to his lips before snuggling up to his chest.

"Welcome home Sergeant."

—————

I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

[leapingbadger]

Story Index

Thanks so much for checking out my blog!

I currently write exclusively Bad Batch and CodyWan Fanfiction. That might change in the future but that’s where my brain is right now.

Below is a snapshot, for my full works please visit my AO3 page.

I hope you enjoy and thanks again for stopping by!

The Bad Batch – Pre Echo

Cadets – Young Hunter struggles with his enhancements during an off-world war game the results of which could have a scary outcome. (Read on AO3)

The First Mission - As Clone Force 99 prepare for their first mission, Hunter struggles with his promotion to Sergeant and the changes their new life will bring. (Read on AO3)

Boom! – On an early mission The Batch are diverted from Kamino to help the Regs, with potentially deadly consequences. This is a multiple chapter project. Not finished yet. Chapters 10/? (Read on AO3)

Fallible - Hunter tries to help Tech process a mistake that he struggles to let go of. (Read on AO3)

The Bad Batch – Post Echo – Pre Omega

One of Us – The Batch help welcome Echo with his new armor. (Read on AO3)

Welcome Home – Echo has only been the Batch for a short time. Hunter tries to understand his new squad member. (Read on AO3)

Confined - The Batch are grounded on Kamino but are unsure why. Takes place after Echo joins but before they meet Omega. (Read it on AO3)

The Bad Batch – Season 1

Repercussions (an Aftermath AU) – The galaxy changes quickly in the midst of Order 66. A young Jedi, desperate and afraid stands on the precipice. Seargeant Hunter of Clone Force 99 desperately tries to save young Caleb Dume from the rest of the GAR and his brother, Crosshair. Caleb agrees to flee Kaller with Hunter and his brothers but in the process, they must navigate fear, loyalty, desperation and doubt. Will they be able to survive and stay together within this new Empire? Only time will tell. CH 11/11 (Read on AO3)

Missing - Set after the events of Season 1, Episode 9.  Hunter deals with the squad’s confrontation with Crosshair on Bracca. (Read it on AO3)

The Bad Batch - Season 2

Delivery - While on the famous Nerf Nugget delivery for Cid, Hunter and Echo clash over their philosophies and future plans. (Read on AO3)

Interrogation – Written as part of the Great Galactic Gift Exchange 2024. Tech asks Hunter for some advice about Phee. (Read on AO3)

The Bad Batch - Season 3

From Eriadu - The Batch deal with the immediate aftermath from the mission to Eriadu. (Read on AO3)

The Dark – Crosshair deals with his choices while in custody. (Read on AO3)

Amends - Takes place after the season 3 episode “The Return”. Hunter and Crosshair trust each other again and are on their way to a reconciliation, but they still need to communicate. That’s where Wrecker comes in. (Read on AO3)

Gone. Again – Taking place during the events of Season 3, Episode 11: Point of No Return; Hunter tires to catch up with Omega and Crosshair and wrestle with their precarious situation. (Read on AO3)

The Failure - Taking place during the events of Season 3, Episode 11: Point of No Return; Crosshair tries to come to terms with his failure to protect Omega and is heartbroken by the toll the loss has on his brothers. (Read on AO3)

The Bad Batch – Post Season 3 - Pabu Adventures

The Light – A few months after Tantis and Hunter is dealing with PTSD and nightmares. (Read on AO3)

Sunrise - 5 months since the events on Tantis. Hunter realizes there is more to his enhanced senses than he thought and gets a visit from someone he thought was gone. (Read on AO3)

The Phantom - Six months after Tantiss and Crosshair still struggles with nightmares. Hunter tries to help Brother through his biggest hurt. (Read on AO3)

The Melody – Hunter helps Omega after a nightmare. (Read on AO3)

Tested – Hunter joins Rex on a mission and meets some unexpected acquaintances. (Read on AO3)

Goodbye – Hunter has recently learned that he can sense Tech’s ghost and has shared that information with his family. Omega comes to terms with Tech’s death with the help of her brother. (Read on AO3)

Unconditional Love – My Entry for Pabu’s Festival of Love 2025. Hunter helps Omega with her love day gifts and ends up giving her a gift of her own. Read It on AO3!

 Tattoo – The Batch get tattoos to remember the fallen. (Read on AO3)

The Final Gift – The Batch celebrate their first Life Day since settling on Pabu. Omega is surprised by a gift from her brothers. (Read on AO3)

Decisions - Omega wants to join the Rebellion but has to work to convince her brothers. Chapters 5/5.Read on AO3

The Fallen – Hunter regrets not being able to save the young Jedi on Kaller. It’s through Omega joining the rebellion that he finally gets some closure. (Read on AO3)

Fennter (Hunter X Fennec Shand)

Entangled – The Bad Batch are in need of a new ship and are short on credits. Hunter takes on a job with Fennec Shand against his better judgement to make some money, fast. When things go awry and they have the whole Bounty Hunters Guild after them, they have to work together to get through it and learn more about each other's motivation in the process.  CH 11/11 (Read on AO3)

Spoken Truths – Hunter and Fennec have been seeing each other on and off for months. Hunter wrestles with the idea of the two separate parts of his new life colliding. (Read on AO3)

Ghosts of Corellia – Fennec Shand's dark past comes back to haunt her when she is kidnapped by a Corellian crime boss she once had dealings with. Hunter launches a search to find her with the help of his family, where both him and Fennec will be forced to combat the ghosts of their pasts. CH 4/? (Read on AO3)

CodyWan

Buried - Cody tried to keep his feelings for Obi Wan buried deep until unforeseen circumstances bring them to the forefront. (Read on AO3)

The Kiss - Obi Wan's recklessness on the battlefield draws the ire of his Commander, with an unlikely outcome. (Read on AO3)

The Fallout - When Cody does the unthinkable and disobeys order, he is unprepared for the ramifications to his relationship with his General. Ventress arrives at the perfect time to twist the vibroknife, leaving both Cody and Obi Wan struggling with how to proceed. (Read on AO3)

Rumors - Cody catches up with Hunter from Clone Force 99 in desperate needs of some advice about his relationship with Obi Wan. (Read on AO3)

The Jedi, The Duchess & The Commander - Obi Wan and Cody are assigned protection detail when Satine Kryze makes a last-minute visit to Coruscant. Trouble follows the Duchess by way of an assassination attempt and Obi Wan and Cody not only have to navigate the current threat, but the effect her presence has on their relationship. Ch 2/2. (Read on AO3)

Back from the Dead - Obi Wan is dealing with the ramifications after faking his death and going undercover as bounty Hunter, Rako Hardeen (TCW S4E15-18). While relationships are strained with Anakin and Ahsoka, Obi Wan desperately wants to make things right with Commander Cody. Through these unusual circumstances both men have learned how important the other is to them. (Read on AO3)

The Loss - As Obi Wan travels to Mandalore to help an old flame (TCW S5E16 - The Lawless) Cody struggles with his unrequited feelings for his General and jealousy. Upon Obi Wan's return, Cody has to find a way to help him through one of his greatest hurts. (Read on AO3)

The Close Call – Cody is injured during a LAAT crash (TCW S7E1). While Rex and the Bad Batch continue the mission, Obi Wan races to his Commander's side. (Read on AO3)

The Deserter - Commander Cody goes on his most important mission yet. (Read on AO3)

The Sands of Tatooine - Now that Cody has reunited with Obi Wan, he struggles to understand his place in the galaxy and in the home of his former general. (Read on AO3)

[vodika-vibes]

Hi, Vod'ika. How is it going? Are you still accepting requests? If the answer is yes, can you write some comfort to Hunter with the prompt “I promised I'd stay with you until the end of the line, and that's exactly what I'm going to do.” Seeing Hunter so down in the new season made my heart hurt. He has been struggling with negative feelings for a long time, I believe that since the time he was unable to convince Crosshair to return. In my mind he feels guilt, he feels like he failed as a leader, so maybe the reader can bring him some comfort at this moment. ♥️

Not To Me

Summary: You're worried about Hunter, but he's being stubborn.

Pairing: Pre Hunter x F!Reader

Word Count: 1308

Warnings: Mentions of alcohol abuse

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni @imabeautifulbutterfly

A/N: I hope this is close to what you wanted!

You frown as you watch Hunter out of the corner of your eyes, though you’re very careful to make sure that you keep working. The last thing you want to do is make Hunter worry about you worrying about him.

He’s…not doing well.

Though you seem to be the only person who notices it. 

You set the bottle in front of the patron you’re talking to, and then return behind the bar to start cleaning glasses. 

Hunter’s been a regular here for ages, and you like to think that you’re friends. Or at least, friendly enough.

And, as much as you want more, you are content to wait until he’s ready to consider a relationship.

You toss a lemon rind into the trash with a small frown on your face. Hunter’s been coming nightly for the last couple of weeks, and you’re concerned. You’ve watched as, day after day, he looks more and more haggard. More and more tired. 

And you worry.

You’re not unused to seeing people drink their problems away. You’ve seen more than one person that you considered a friend chance in horrific ways due to alcohol abuse, and you’re beginning to fear that Hunter is heading down that same path.

For a moment, you glance away from the glasses you’re washing to glance at Hunter, and you watch as he pulls his bandana off and pushes his hand through his hair, exhaustion so heavy around him that you can almost feel it from where you’re standing.

He’s still nursing his drink, the third one he’s ordered since he arrived, but you can’t sit here and watch this anymore. You can’t.

Quickly you pour a mug of caf from the machine under the counter, and you cross the bar to set the mug in front of him. He blinks at the steaming liquid, and then he looks up at you, his hair hanging in his face as he hasn’t put his bandana back in place yet.

“I didn’t order a caf?” Hunter asks, bemused and bewildered in equal measures.

“Oh, I know. It just…it looked like you needed it.” You say with a bright smile, “May I join you?”

Slowly he leans back so he’s sitting properly rather than half slumped over the table, “Aren’t you supposed to be working?”

That’s not a no, so you slide into the booth across from him, “I’m tired of having drunk men pawing at me, so I’m taking a break.” You push the caf closer to him, “Here, drink it. It’s good~” You tempt.

Hunter sighs but abandons his whiskey and wraps his hands around the mug. “Is there a reason you’re giving me caf?” 

“Can’t I just give you caf because I want to?” You ask lightly as you reach across the table and take the glass of whiskey away from him. Hunter watches you with his sharp eyes, and you wilt. The jig is up. “Alright, alright. I’m worried about you, Hunter.”

“Don’t be.”

“Hunter-”

“It’s not your job to worry about me.” Hunter interrupts. 

“Someone has to!” You say sharply, “Hunter, you used to come in, maybe, once a week for a single glass. But for the last three weeks you’ve been coming in nightly for multiple drinks.”

“Maybe I just enjoy the ambiance.” 

You stare at him in disbelief, “No one enjoys the ambiance of this bar.”

“Look, I’m fine-”

“You’re not! Hunter, please.” You lean across the table and carefully wrap your hands around his, silently sending up a prayer that he won’t react badly, “I’ve been surrounded by alcoholics my entire life. I’ve watched as alcohol ruined families and destroyed people I once called friends. I don’t want that for you.”

He stares at you, something almost like defeat crossing his face, “Are you kicking me out?”

“No. Of course not. I am, however, cutting you off.”

“Fine. I’ll go somewhere else then.”

“Hunter, please stop being difficult. I’m trying to help you.”

“I didn’t ask for your help.”

“You obviously need it.” You tighten your hands around his, “Look, I’m not a soldier or a doctor. I can’t fight or heal or make your life better in any way other than this. But, I’m not going away. I refuse to leave you.”

Hunter stares at you, slightly startled, and you flash a weak smile, “I’m with you until the end of the line, so to speak.”

Hunter sighs, and carefully extracts his hands from yours, before he drops some credits on the table, “I’m fine. But thanks anyway.” And then he’s gone, and you sigh softly.

You hope he heard you, even if he wasn’t ready to accept it.

There’s a shout from across the room, and you slide out of the booth. Time to go back to work.

It’s been three months since you’ve seen Hunter, and you’re still worried about him. Worried and hurt that he would cut off your friendship over something as unimportant as alcohol, but you suppose that’s life.

In any event, you have the day off, so you’re spending the day in your apartment catching up on your favorite trash TV.

You’re halfway through a marathon (Mariella just found out that her evil twin sister pretended to be her to marry her fiance-) when there’s a knock on the door.

“Just a second!” You call, as you swing your legs off the couch and set your bottle of flavored water and popcorn on the table, making sure you pause the show, and then you hurry over to the door.

You press the button to open the door, and any words that you might have said die on your tongue as soon as you see who’s standing there.

Hunter.

Hunter looks twice as haggard as the last time you saw him, with dark circles under his eyes that almost look like bruises, and it doesn’t look like he’s brushed his hair in a week.

“...Hunter?” You reach out and lightly touch his cheek, “Are you okay?”

He takes half a step towards you and then slowly drops his forehead to your shoulder, and you instinctively wrap your arms around him, “...no. Not really.”

“...well, that’s okay.” You gently guide him into your home, and settle him on the couch, before you kneel in front of him and start removing his armor. “Do you want to talk about it?”

He sighs so heavily that you want to cry, “No. Not really.”

You set his armor to the side, “Okay. How about a shower? And some food?”

“I don’t want to be alone right now.” He admits quietly.

You sit back on your heels, your mind racing, “Okay. Okay, so a bath then. And I can sit on the edge of the tub and be there with you.” Your face heats at his look, “I’m not trying to be weird, I promise. Just…you look so tired Hunter. I’d like to make sure you don’t drown-”

He reaches out and pulls you into a tight hug, pulling you onto his lap, and he buries his face in your neck. “I don’t deserve you.” He mumbles.

You gently card your fingers through his hair, carefully working the knots out with your fingers, “I promised I'd stay with you until the end of the line, and that's exactly what I'm going to do.” You whisper to him. 

“You deserve better than some failure of a clone.” Hunter says against the skin of your neck.

“Hey, none of that.” You lightly kiss the side of his head, “I chose this. I chose you. Just…let me take care of you.”

“It’ll be awful work.” He warns.

“Not to me. Not if it is you. Not ever.”

And slowly, as you hold him, some of the tension drains from his body. And, for the first time, you start to think that he’ll be okay.

[gars-weaponeer]

Incorrect Bad Batch Quote #6

Corrie: Do you know why I Stopped you?

Corrie: You are four people on a speeder bike.

Hunter: wait... four?

Crosshair: Sith spit! Echo fell off again...

[I saw the cover of the new Frat Bad Batch comics that are coming out and was slightly disappointed that it would take place pre Echo joining... so i made this]

[questforgalas]

Passing the Time

Notes: a quick little diddy I wrote inspired by this art created by @zaana that I couldn't get out of my head and I also need pre-order 66 moments with the Batch like I need air. Just Crosshair and Hunter being soft bros and reminiscing

WC: 900

Tay's Masterlist

Read on AO3

Staring up at the night sky, Crosshair counts 7 different constellations laying within his vision. The midnight air still carried the day’s humidity, causing a thin layer of sweat to coat his skin underneath his armor even as he relaxes against the boulder he settled against at the beginning of his watch shift. A breeze rustles the palm fronds hanging above them, softly grazing his face, and in the distance, waves are heard softly rolling onto the beach on the other side of the grove.

Hard to believe just hours ago they were knee deep in Separatist territory doing what they do best. Especially what Wrecker does best with explosives. 

Checking his vambrace’s chrono, they aren’t due to leave for Kamino for another 5 hours. Finally returning home after nearly 5 months of missions. Giving a content hum, he crosses his legs in front of him, leaning further into the boulder and settling in for the remainder of the night. The only noise disturbing the soft jungle symphony coming from the GNK droid keeping him company. 

A thud from behind catches his attention, causing him to glance over his shoulder back at the Marauder. The gate was left open, letting the soft interior light spill onto the jungle floor and illuminate the figure walking towards him. Turning back to the jungle, Crosshair reaches into his belt taking out a toothpick to place between his lips as he waits for his sergeant to join him. 

“Can’t sleep?” he asks when Hunter settles in next to him, using the GNK as an improvised chair. 

“Can’t shut it down tonight,” Hunter replies. Crosshair gives a hum, understanding. As they grew older, the nights Hunter couldn’t shut his senses down became more rare, but occasionally, after a string of tiring missions, they could prove too much for his exhausted mind. 

“Echo and Wrecker out?”

“Like lights.” 

“Tech?”

“Doing something to the Marauder. As always.”

Crosshair huffs a sigh. “He’s going to work himself to death.” 

“When did you become a mother hen?” Hunter jokes, playfully jabbing an elbow into the sniper’s arm. That earns him a grumble that loses its bite when Crosshair can’t help the smile tugging on his lips. 

“Simply keeping the efficiency of the squad in mind,” Crosshair counters. 

“Uh huh. Don’t worry, Cross. Your secret’s safe with me. Can’t let anyone think you’re not a prickly asshole,” Hunter teases. 

The sniper rolls his eyes and flicks the toothpick to the other side of his mouth as he looks back up to the sky, letting the comfortable silence between him and Hunter settle around them. Mind on the brother likely buried in wires, he smiles up at the stars as his thoughts bring up memories previously forgotten. 

“Remember when we were younglings,” Crosshair starts, “and he was determined to build his own battle droid? Wanted it to go on missions with us.” 

Hunter groans, “Convinced Wrecker to break into the training lab with him to scrap and carry parts back to our barracks. Was set on having it ready for our next simulator. Stayed awake for days to finish it. He was so tired, he accidentally mis-wired the activation so it came alive in the barracks. Started firing everywhere.” 

“A bolt went right by my head! Hit my favorite target card!” Crosshair exclaims as he pushes himself off of the boulder, turning his body towards Hunter. 

“I’ve never seen Wrecker move so quickly when he flipped the table and took cover,” Hunter continues. “I had to tackle Tech down since he was still in a stupor, just staring at the droid wildly firing. It finally ran out of juice after a minute, but the damage to the barracks…” 

“Can’t believe Nala Se’s check up was scheduled for that day. Remember the look on her face when she opened the door?” Crosshair says with a laugh. 

“Still not as good as Lama Su’s when I had to explain to him what happened after being called to his office,” Hunter snickers. “Only the second time that week too. Pretty sure that was a record for us.” 

“What was the most?” 

“In one week? Nine. Became more frequent after Echo joined. Who knew an ARC would be such a troublemaker,” Hunter chuckled. 

“He’s not so bad. For a reg.” 

Hunter flicked his gaze up to Crosshair and smiled at the fondness he found in his eyes. No one was more protective of their squad than the ARC, and no one was more protective of the ARC than their sniper. 

Turns out, Echo has as much patience for bullies as he does for Separatists, and the Batch learned quickly that something as small as a snide look sent their way resulted in it being punched off the reg’s face by a scomp. Naturally, Echo’s fierce loyalty and no hesitation to knock down regs earned him a high spot in Crosshair’s regard. 

“Pretty sure he gets it from that Fives he’s always talking about,” Crosshair says. 

“Can’t really picture Rex having a bunch of rowdy ARCs,” Hunter mutters. 

“I think Skywalker required all of his attention. Let the others get away with it,” Crosshair chuckles.

Hunter matches his chuckle with his own. “Remember when…”

Surrounded by the quiet of the jungle, the brothers swap stories until the dark hours of night soften with the first rays of the sun crawling up to the horizon. The quiet is interrupted by Wrecker’s laugh inside the ship, and the sergeant and the sniper join their squad as they prepare to return home.

[laughhardrunfastbekindsblog]

Personal Masterlist of Summer of Bad Batch 2024 prompt fills (updated)

Ignorance is Bliss - a Tech infodump has unforeseen consequences. POV: Hunter

Lost and Found - a Tech Lives story, highlighting his reunion with his family and Phee. POV: Tech, Crosshair, Phee

The Start of Something New - a TechPhee/Tech Lives story, loose follow up to "Lost and Found." POV: Hunter

These Scars Remain - how Wrecker got his major facial scar. POV: Wrecker

Style and Error - Omega gets her first major hairstyle change since joining the Bad Batch, and her brothers get a crash course in adolescent female hairstyles. POV: Hunter, Omega

Out of Darkness, Into Light - a brief account of Echo's time in Separatist captivity. POV: Echo

Out of His Depth - safe on Pabu after Hemlock is defeated, Crosshair discovers a new skill. POV: Crosshair

Safe and Secure - when Omega has nightmares, she knows she can find comfort from her brothers. POV: Omega

Touched - Tech has nerves of steel - most of the time. TechPhee, pre-"Tipping Point." POV: Tech

All Together, Always - Cadet Batch faces down the mess hall. POV: omniscient

What Needs to Be Done - brief glimpse into Crosshair's thoughts after parting ways with Cody, leading up to "The Outpost." POV: Crosshair

The Jar - after joining Clone Force 99, Echo is still adjusting to his modifications. POV: Echo

(HUGE SHOUTOUT to @kybercrystals94 for orchestrating this massive event! This has been SO much fun!!!)

[marvel-starwarsfangirl]

Of course I cried (a TBB S1 Retrospective and cry fest)

I finished S1 and it honestly is still stands really strong. While I love the other seasons more (for quite obvious reasons), S1 still has really standout moments and episodes such as the finale. Crosshair might be in is bad boy era, but he's still incredibly compelling.

What hurts to me most about S1 is this image above. This is the last time CF99 is all together. Ever. Obviously, we didn't know that and neither did our boys and Omega. Even if the Batch knew in-universe there was a chance that they would never see each other again, I think deep down they hoped they would reunite. I know Omega had hope that Crosshair would somehow find his way home.

What makes S1 (and the whole show in retrospect) even more tragic is that we will never see the BB whole ever again. It makes Tech's death hurt that much more because he and Crosshair never made proper amends. The last thing he hears Crosshair talk about is how everyone else is foolish for not joining the Empire and making his choice to stay. One of the last memories Crosshair really has of his brother is him pointing his blaster at him. After that, it's a one way ticket to suffering for Crosshair.

I know it's just a show, but images like the one above make me wish we had more time with the Batch before they were so cruelly torn apart from each other and it only enhances the tragedy they go through. The series finale, no matter how sunshiney it looks, is still bittersweet. The Batch finally get their freedom but at a great cost. Tech doesn't make it. Crosshair is still deeply hurting. It's a harsh reality that breaks my heart. In Rebels, we had 3 seasons of the Ghost crew together before we lost both Kanan and (temporarily) Ezra. The BB don't even get a single season all together. I would've loved to see them all with each other at least one more time without all the conflict.

But looking at S1 as a whole in general, I still really enjoy it. I love episodes like "Common Ground" or "War-Mantle" because we see how monstrous the Empire really is right out of the gate. Rampart, as goofy as that scream made him look, is a very crafty and entertaining villain who you just want to punch in the face. Crosshair himself is a fantastic villain who's both ruthless and tragic. While he doesn't hold back, the clear attachment he still has to his brothers in the back half of the season make the finale that much more emotional.

And while you can argue there is a lot of "filler," a rewatch proves that each episode happens for a reason. Why did the Batch have to capture a baby Rancor? So they could get info on Fennec. How come they stuck around to help Cid? Because she gave them money and work. I'm not saying that it's the most entertaining content we've seen, but there is a clear purpose for why those episodes happen.

I would've loved to see more Crosshair (for obvious reasons), but I do think the first season does balance out the story arcs well and when we do see him, he is always great. Thanks to the great music and acting from DBB, I do think the first season makes it clear that while Crosshair isn't leaving the Empire, he's not the same man he was pre-Bracca. The chip's influence isn't there (or at the very least severely diminished based on how you interpret Cross' reveal) and he does want them back but only on his terms.

As for the others, I definitely understand Hunter a bit more. He wants to help Crosshair, but he really doesn't know how nor does he want to endanger the others. I wish the group had a least one conversation about it though. For a group that feels like they should be very tight knit, it still feels like they brush Cross' departure off quite quickly. It's kinda like the Tech scenario in S3 where you know they're thinking about it, but nobody says anything. And that's frustrating because you know the Batch have a lot on their mind, especially Crosshair. And ironically, the quietist of the Batch is the most vocal about his feelings. Crosshair is so expressive and it's one of my favorite things about it.

Omega is such a cute munchkin. I adore her with every fiber of my being. She takes everything with stride and I love how S1 establishes many skills (like the hustling) that will later come into play in S2 or S3. And the show isn't afraid to show her learning process. Omega makes many mistakes, but she learns quickly and tries again. She loves her brothers so much.

Overall, S1 is still very strong and much more tragic in retrospect. I guess in someways, it reminds us how unfair life can be sometimes and that's why we gotta cherish each moment. Tech might no longer be with us, but he lives on through each of his brothers and Omega. Cross might never see him again, but as he tries to be better, Tech is no doubt smiling down from Clone Heaven.

Anyways, onto S2 (and more sadness). TBB lowkey is the most tragic of the SW animated shows not counting the Siege of Mandalore arc in CW. Every season, something awful happens to tear our little clone family apart. That's why the ending on Pabu, no matter the quality of writing, meant so much to me.

[weasleywizardpranks]

Just a little Bad Batch Goodbye

I thought I was doing well and now it’s ending in just a few hours and I’m completely not ready to say goodbye. It just feels too soon

I know everyone (me included) are hoping for a spinoff but it’s not the same you know? We might only get glimpses or mentions depending on what happens in the finale.

I just feel like we could’ve gotten way more seasons. Or more content. Honestly I’d love to see more of them pre order 66, like their first mission and just seeing more of Echo joining the group.

Regardless of what happens I’m going to be a crying mess I think. Really just gonna hope it isn’t a permanent goodbye and we at least get to see them again in something because I don’t feel like losing them completely. (Yes I’m reading into Dee’s thank you message too much)

Crosshair, Tech. Hunter, Echo, Wrecker, Omega. All are definitely some of my favourite characters and it’s crazy to think we haven’t even had them for that long (Echo doesn’t count but he was gone for awhile) But their impact has been made.

Long Live The Bad Batch

[momojedi]

bad batch headcanons bc i'm bored

I have a crush on crosshair if u couldn't tell, he's so <3 (I genuinely seem to have a thing for evil snipers idk)

tell me if u like my headcanons, these were actually kinda fun to make and I'd love to contribute to the x reader content out there

crosshair has a pack of toothpicks stored in a pocket that he takes w him everywhere. what, do you really think he always keeps the same one? that's gross man.

echo and tech have grown really close since echo joined clone force 99. they just both feel like they're the only logical-thinking ones in the group.

wrecker can and will throw a fit if lula deliberately gets taken away from him. crosshair had to figure that out the bad way.

even though (pre-tbb) crosshair seems cold and uncaring towards his brothers and enjoys bullying them relentlessly, he still couldn't imagine leaving them behind and becoming just a reg.

although crosshair thinks what he's done was the only right thing (because "good soldiers follow orders"), somewhere deep down in a slightly warmer part of him, his heart ached when he backstabbed his brothers.

[eretzyisrael]

To the current crop of campus Jew haters, the Houthis are good guys because they’re slowing global trade in the name of attacking Israel. The civil war the Houthis participated in has destroyed Yemen. The Houthi’s slogan is, “God is great, death to the U.S., death to Israel, curse the Jews, and victory for Islam.” The average university student chanting “Yemen, Yemen make us proud. Turn another ship around,” is as ignorant of the Houthis as they are of which river and which sea they want free.

South Africa, a country steeped in corruption, in which the rule of law is disintegrating, has become another favorite of Israel/Jew haters due to the ICJ case they brought against Israel. Iran, a country in which��human rights are non-existent, where women are arrested if they’re not properly veiled, receives full support from these ersatz human rights advocates.

You do see the pattern here, don’t you? Jews and Israel – bad. Fascist dictatorial regimes – good.

You may or may not care about the current rise in antisemitism. You should. What begins with the Jews never ends with the Jews. A society in which we Jews lose our freedom is one where everyone’s freedoms are curtailed. As antisemitism grows, your world will become more unpleasant. The fascist supporters marching in the streets, accessorized with the requisite terrorist-chic keffiyeh, in support of some of the world’s worst human rights abusers, hate you too. If they can make things miserable enough for Jews and return us to our pre-1948 roles as marginalized scapegoats, they can work on cowing the rest of society into submission. That’s why they are interrupting and disrupting everything Americans enjoy.

Some recent attacks on the American way of life; you are no longer allowed to celebrate Easter. You may not enjoy Christmas either. You may not barbeque or have Fourth of July fireworks. You must burn the American flag instead. Don’t count on a peaceful hospital stay. If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor; unless it’s a Jewish doctor. Same if you have a Jewish therapist. Your university convocation? It will be defaced. If you’re even allowed to get an education. If you graduate, you can forget a graduation ceremony. Museums are forbidden. Are you a reader? You may only read approved authors. And don’t think being LGBTQIA  will save you. Intersectionality only goes so far. You have no say. Free speech is a fading memory. And by the way, good luck traveling.

You are in their crosshairs. By your failure to be out in the streets screaming for Jewish blood, you are complicit in genocide. You are guilty, and you must be punished. While they can’t put you in a gulag (yet), they can restrict your life’s pleasures until you bow to their tyrannical, fascist demands. They’re organized, and they mean it. In their own words, advertising their April 15th 2024 Coordinated Economic Blockade to Free Palestine: “The global economy is complicit in genocide. Join participating cities in blocking the arteries of capitalism and jamming the wheels of production.”

Notice that they’re not trying to hide their goal. I don’t know how successful they were in “blocking the arteries of capitalism,” but they were noticed, and they will be back next year, still blaming Israel. So, get ready. The strategy is simple; if they push long and hard enough, and blame Israel enough, regular, normal, non-fascist supporting people, will slowly, a bit at a time, give in to their demands, and agree to live under their collective boot, because most of us just want to be left alone to live our lives in peace.

Forget it. First, Israel and the Jews. Then you.

[magicalqueennightmare]

Sins & Amends Chapter 23

(Gif by @ banditthewriter)

Billy Russo x Female Reader (60 part story)

This follows pre- the punisher into the storyline of daredevil, punisher season 1 and beyond

This is NOT Canon Billy. This is decent human being Billy left with bad options over worse decisions

This was also posted to A03 under: WaywardGaPeach. That account and this one is the only place you'll see me post this. If you see it on any other platform/account know it's not me.

Chapter Summary/Warnings: Things fall apart in court, you end up taking your anger out on Billy and grow closer with Karen, Matt and Foggy

The next morning you headed to the courthouse first thing. You knew it would be crowded but you weren't exactly trying to get a seat up front. Hell you were hoping to blend with the crowd so Frank wouldn't spot you.

 You slid into the back and saw that while Foggy and Karen were sitting at the defense table with Frank but Matt was missing and felt anger boil up. He couldn't let the vigilante bullshit slide long enough to help Frank? 

When the judge called for opening statements you felt your stomach turn at Reyes saying that Frank was a psycho and talking about his so called victims. You ended up literally biting down on your tongue to the point the coppery taste of blood filled your mouth.

Once Foggy stood to give opening statement you took a deep breath. You watched the jury as he spoke and realized he'd in fact used a lot of what you'd told him the night before and some of the jurors seemed to actually be listening. The doors to the courtroom opened and you rolled your eyes when you saw it was Matt just now coming in.

By the time Foggy finished his opening statement you were left with a small flicker of hope. Maybe he could really help Frank. The judge dismissed court for the day saying that witness testimony would start the following day.

You slid out as soon as Frank was taken from the room and was headed for the door when Karen called your name. You turned with a half smile knowing you'd been busted "I thought you had to work today?" You shook your head "Nope I'm off today" "I'm glad Frank didn't see you" you grimaced slightly at the tone she had. It reminded you a bit of Maria "I hid to make sure. I had to catch what I could i mean come on"

She smiled then "Well what did you think of Foggy's opening statement?" By then the guys had joined you so you said "I liked it. It was a nice thick slice of bullshit that hopefully sunk into some of those jurors even if some of what he said sounded familiar" Foggy smiled nervously "Who better to quote?" You shot him a wink then checked the time "Shit I got an appointment I gotta get to but Karen please keep me in the loop?" She nodded "Of course" 

----------------------

After the official appointment with Kenzie to satisfy Chief Michelson that you were looking after your mental health you ended up catching up with Curt for dinner.

You sat across the table from him picking at the Chinese food "How's Mia?" You asked and he nodded "She's good. Says to tell you hey. How did opening statements go?" You knew better than trying to lie so you said "Reyes is a bitch and Nelson has turned out to be a decent lawyer" 

He shook his head "Y/N didn't Frank ask for you not to be in the courthouse? He doesn't want your face in the public eye" you knew that and god you didn't want to be difficult but you couldn't stand not doing anything "I know Curt. I'm being safe like Frank asked. I know he doesn't want to risk us but can you blame me for wanting to know what's going on?"

He held your gaze for a second then sighed "No but please for the love of god let Page keep you informed ok? I don't want to see you hurt and Frank can't handle anyone else dying" you ducked your head down feeling a little like a child being scolded although you knew everyone was trying to help keep you out of any crosshairs. "I promise Curt"

Conversation turned to a call you'd went on the previous week where you and Alice had ended up delivering twin girls one of whom was breach so talk of the trial was left alone for the time being.

------------------

You were pulling a double shift since Ash had ended up having a family emergency so you were at the station house when Karen called you. You walked out the bunk room where you'd been laying down into the common area "What happened with Tepper?"

She took a shaky breath then said "Oh he admitted to everything but seeing as someone apparently threatened him first into altering everything and giving you false ashes then again last night into testifying his confession and any proof we have is worthless" "son of a bitch" you had to keep your voice down considering you were still technically in trouble for the blow up against Kayla since Chief Michelson had no other choice but to write you up.

"Don't panic yet. We still have Schoonover's testimony"  "Let me know what happens?" "Of course" you hung up and stared at your phone. This was getting worse and worse.

-----------------------

The next day Schoonover and a doctor who handled only traumatic brain injuries like Frank's would be testifying. You had already made too many promises to stay away from the courthouse so you ended up wandering around while you waited for Karen's call.

You'd just left the flower shop to head to the cemetery when your phone started ringing. You pulled it out to see it was Karen "Please tell me Schoonover's testimony was good?" "Reyes was floundering after it" you could hear the smile in her voice so you allowed yourself to take a breath "What's next?" You questioned. "We had a small break. I'll let you know what happens next. I gotta go" "Thanks Karen" "You're welcome"

You slid your phone into your pocket then continued down the sidewalk.

-----------------------

A little over two hours passed which found you walking out your favorite coffee shop when Karen called again "Y/N we had a set back" You stopped walking to ask "What happened?" She went into detail about how the doctor's testimony went over well with the jury but that after he was done the kid of one of Frank's "victims" had an outburst in the courtroom. "Fuck" you repeated for the sixth time.

"He's testifying. I talked him into it" you opened your eyes when she said that. "Then what?" "I don't know honestly. I just wanted to make sure you knew" you noticed yet again she'd skipped over mention of Matt. From what you'd gathered she was dating him so if she didn't know he was daredevil what did she think he was doing to rank missing the biggest trial they'd ever had? You didn't really care. What would happen to Frank if Reyes got her wish? She wanted the fucking death penalty because she was neck deep in the cover-up.

------------------

You were so lost in your own mind you hadn't realized you'd walked blocks. Your phone rang and you saw it was Alice calling to see how the trial was going. You answered it with a shaky hand realizing you were on the opposite side of town "It's falling down Alice. I'm afraid Reyes is gonna get her wish. She wants him dead or in gen pop of prison which lets face it is the same thing" 

"Just calm down babe. Foggy is good at his job. He'll figure something out" you knew she was trying to calm you down but it wasn't working. You were pissed at the entire thing. You were pissed at the people who'd killed Maria and the kids, pissed at those in the cover-up. You were pissed at Reyes and the whole damn district attorney's office. You were pissed you couldn't testify.

You glanced up and realized you were at Anvil or across the street. You hadn't seen Billy since the morning after the night you'd spent with him. Why wasn't he trying to help Frank? You focused your anger on him and the building which at one time had held dreams of a future. One where you were happy and Frank wasn't broken. "Alice I'm probably about to get arrested at Anvil" "Y/N NO!" She said but you hung up. You quickly crossed the street and walked into the front door of the building.

The guy at the door looked you over when you walked in "Yes ma'am?" You forced a smile onto your face "Where's your boss? Russo" "Do you have an appointment?" He asked but you were already shoving past him after spotting what was clearly Billy's office.

He followed you shouting but the moment his hand closed around your upper arm you heard Billy's voice "If you value your job you'll take your hand off her" the guy quickly moved his hand and you glanced up to see Billy staring at you from a few feet away "Y/N is there something I can help you with?" "Can I talk to you?" You asked walking into his office without waiting for permission. He waved the doorman off then walked in behind you and shut the door.

You spun around to face him letting your anger fuel you before any other emotion could take over at seeing him "Why the fuck aren't you helping him Billy? I know you don't give a good god damn about me but he's your brother" 

He ran his tongue along his bottom teeth as you spoke and you knew it was something he did when he was irritated and just that knowledge of knowing him that well pissed you off even more. 

He was calm when he spoke "You could literally set fire to this building and I’d fucking let you but I’m not going to let you storm in here and tell me that I don’t love Frankie" 

"Then fucking act like it Billy! Schoonover testified! Where were you? Frank wouldn't let me near a witness stand in fact that was the only reason he agreed for Murdock and Nelson to represent him was if they kept me out of it. I can't lose him Billy. I lost Maria, Lisa, Frank Jr and.." You caught yourself before you added him onto the list of losses  "I can't lose anyone else"

He walked over and sat on the edge of his desk and crossed his arms “That’s life. You either lose people or push them away. Have you ever thought Frank is trying to push you away to save your ass and you’re making it harder on everyone who wants to keep you safe?”

You knew that but you didn't need Billy of all people reading the situation so well and telling you that. "Can you just fucking yell back at me or something? I came here because I figured you wouldn't care enough to spare my feelings" you admitted and saw a look flash through his dark eyes before he schooled his features “You know that even now and after all the bullshit I’ve done to you, I can’t do it. I know the shit your dad did, I know you don't like yelling and screaming so fucking rage. Tell me I'm a narcissist asshole. I deserve it"

"It wouldn't hurt me any worse than leaving me alone. I can't help him Billy do you know how that feels? My sister is dead and I can't even help her husband stay out of prison and" you wanted to add the one person who you thought you'd always be able to count on had up and left you because you apparently weren't good enough to keep him in love with you. 

His features softened at least momentarily “Can you just trust that I’m doing what I can?” for some reason you believed him.  "Yeah even after everything if you say you're doing what you can I still believe you" 

He watched you for a second and you spotted Kenzie heading down the walkway towards his office. You were about to walk out but stopped when he said “Good, now are you done or do you want to yell at me some more? Genuinely, if you want to yell at me please do it. I want you to do what you need to do.” 

You were more confused than you'd been before walking in here. "Do I want to yell more? Yes. Will it do anyone any good? No. so I guess I'll leave with Kenzie. Sorry for storming in here like that" He pushed himself off his desk and your heart clenched with the familiarity of being so close to him. “Like I said, you could burn this place to the ground and I wouldn’t stop you. This place wouldn't have a name without you and I'd deserve it for hurting you"

You opened your mouth to respond but realized you didn't have one so you closed it back. The door to his office opened and Kenzie stood there looking between the two of you. "Alice sent me to be referee because I was closer. Is everything ok?" You turned your back to Billy and said "Yeah I was just apologizing for busting in and about to leave" "Ok want a ride?" She asked so you nodded then looked back at Billy "I was overly emotional this won't happen again"

----------

 He gave a sharp nod then watched the two of you walk out. There was so much he wanted to say but knew he couldn't. God he hated seeing you so hurt and not being able to help.

He did love Frank like a brother but he had to keep you alive and what he was doing was the only way to do that. He watched you leave and knew then and there he needed to find a few guys he trusted enough to keep an eye on you. There was too much attention on the trial to risk any turning to you. If it cost his life and what was left of his soul he'd make sure you were safe.

--------------------

That point where you hit rock bottom and aren't sure how you even got there was about the moment you sat down in Kenzie's passenger seat and it registered that you'd walked into your ex boyfriend's company and yelled at him like a mad woman only for him to allow it. Did he still have that much of a presence in your mind that you managed to turn all your anger towards him? 

You managed to stay quiet until she pulled out onto the road then you said quietly "Can we go up to three days a week?" "Yeah sweetie no problem" was her only reply before she reached across to pat your leg "It's a normal human response. For years he was your emotional support. You've got to stop bottling your emotions. If there's things you can't tell me, tell Curtis or Alice or what's her name Karen. Just get it out so this doesn't happen again because later this is going to really fuck with your head with how far you've managed to come as far as he's concerned" 

You nodded keeping your eyes down. Embarrassment was now replacing your anger and you felt tears prickle your eyes "I'm so scared for Frank Kenz" "I know. How about you stay with us just for tonight ok?" You nodded feeling tears slide down your cheeks "I'm sorry for being a fucking headcase" she laughed and said "You're not a headcase Y/N your problem is that you try being too strong"

------------------

Getting the call from Karen that Frank had apparently sabotaged his own chances from his outburst of a testimony while you were walking into your apartment the next morning was kind of par for the course. While you were planning a time to meet her at the bulletin to talk to Mitchell Ellison the editor who she had at least a working relationship with your phone was beeping with another call. She apparently had photographic proof of a body being removed from the massacre and if what she suspected was true it was the same body that had been cremated and handed over to you as "Frank's ashes"

You glanced to see it was Foggy. You let it go to voicemail then finished the call with Karen because that was more important at the moment. You hung up with her then hit his number "Can we talk?" Was the first thing he said. "Like no other ears?" You asked "Yeah" you let out a sigh then said "I'm home. Swing by and we can talk" "Be there in ten"

------------------------

Sitting at your table across from Foggy seemed like such a mundane setting despite the conversation being about Frank's disaster of a trial and Matt's vigilante issues. "So he literally said he won't give up red for the firm? And he had his ex girlfriend in his bed when Karen showed up to get his ass to finally show up to court?" You couldn't believe what you were hearing. Hell maybe all the vigilantes and their inner circles needed therapy of some sort.

"Foggy maybe you should move forward? I mean if he can't pull his head out his ass" you were one to be giving advice but he'd asked. "I know but since I started law school it was Nelson and Murdock" "and if it's meant to be it will happen" you replied and at his look you shrugged "Had an early therapy session and I'm now up to three days a week. It helps"

When he started to leave he said "Thanks Y/N I'm glad we all met you" "Same here Foggy" you replied with a smile then watched him leave. You had two hours to meet with Karen and Ellison before you had to get to work. You figured you should just take your med bag with you since she was picking you up so you headed to get dressed in your uniform.

---------------------

You were waiting on the sidewalk when Karen pulled up. You cut your eyes at her missing passenger side mirror before climbing in "What happened there?" You asked and she smiled "Frank" "Oh" you sat your bag down in your floorboard and buckled up. "Should I say my bad or I'm sorry that he shot your mirror?" You didn't exactly know the etiquette for such. She shook her head "No that mirror is so far from my mind on the list of things I could be upset about"

You let her pull out onto the road before asking about Matt. Her grip on the steering wheel tightened "He's decided he doesn't want me or Foggy in his life. I don't know what exactly is going on with him" your heart ache at the expression on her face. You didn't know if it was the loss of him as a lover or a friend or just believing to not be good enough that was plaguing her the most. "If it makes you feel better I busted into my ex's company and yelled at him like I was the one needing an insanity plea" you offered and saw her crack a small smile "Yeah that does help a little" 

"and I think Matt is just dealing with a lot. Believe me I'm pissed at him too for flaking out during the trial but I don't think he meant to hurt you" she waved her hand as if to clear the air of talk about Matt then placed a large envelope down in your lap "What's this?"

"That is the proof of the cover up surrounding the massacre at the carousel. We're taking it to Mitchell Ellison. He's the editor in chief at the bulletin. I met him through a friend named Ben while working the Fisk case and if we have any hope of Frank getting out from under any of this or getting a possible target off your back he can expose it"

You let her words sink in and let out a breath. Maybe there was still a way to help Frank. Maybe you could still expose the truth. "Wait why am I here?" You asked and she half smiled "One I kind of just wanted to see a friendly face for a little while and you made Foggy see Frank differently. I think you can give Ellison some insight too" you checked the time to see you still had over an hour until your shift started "So I'm along as further proof of Frank's humanity basically?"  "Pretty much" she admitted with a pensive smile that turned more genuine when you replied "Fine by me. Let's see what we can get done"

-----------------

"Mitchell Ellison this is Y/N Y/L/N" "Y/N this is Mitchell Ellison" you shook his offered hand once Karen got the introductions out the way. "So you're Karen's inside source on Frank Castle" "Who is going to remain off the record" Karen interrupted. You cracked a smile at her protective tone. You turned your attention to Ellison "That would be"

He showed you and Karen to a storage room that was lined with boxes and boxes of back records. You glanced around at the sheer volume until he said "Ok tell me what you know" you laid out what you knew about Frank as a person and Karen laid out what the two of you had managed to uncover about the cover-up. "So we go talk to Tepper" was his only response and something told you that you'd come to like Ellison. He dove in feet first at just Karen's words. 

You checked your watch "Are you going with Karen? I'm not sending her alone but I'm due at work in like twenty minutes" he watched you for a moment then raised one eyebrow "Oh Ben would've liked you too" Karen had told you some about the man so you took that as a compliment "Thank you now are you going with her?" He nodded so Karen turned to you "Grab your bag out my car and we'll drop you by the station house on the way. I'll come by after your shift to catch you up on anything we may learn"

--------------------

Alice was standing on the sidewalk when you climbed out of Ellison's car and waved to Karen before they pulled off. 

You walked towards her and she smiled "There's my love! How are you honey?" You thought about it for a moment then answered as truthfully as possible "I got a long way to go but I know I'll get there" an almost proud look flashed through her eyes before she slung her arm around your shoulders "That's my partner I know and love. We may get knocked flat on our asses but we're always gonna get up and let life know she hits like a bitch" 

You laughed as you let her lead you inside "You've always had a way with words Alice"

--------------------

A long shift later you'd been forced to change twice because one uniform ended up getting sprayed with blood while the other you didn't even want to discuss.

You were dead on your feet and grateful when Kenzie and Alice offered you a ride home. You waved as they pulled out onto the road then turned to head into your building. The lobby was empty so you continued to the elevator leaning heavily against the wall while the floors ticked by.

When it got to your floor you stepped off but froze when you saw Karen was next to your door. "What happened?" You spoke around the lump already forming in your throat. She shook her head and you could see tears in her eyes "Karen?" You quickly covered the space between the two of you gently touching her arm. "Frank's fine but there's some things I feel like I need to tell you"

You pulled your key out your bag and motioned to the door "Let's get inside then we'll talk"

-----------------------

You sat across from Karen silent as she told you not only what had happened the day her brother died but about killing Wilson Fisk's right hand man. You didn't want to interrupt her so you listened intently wishing you could do more besides give her hand a comforting squeeze when the tears would start.

Once she was finished she wouldn't meet your eyes "Still want to call me a friend?" A sharp laugh fell from your lips and her blue eyes flew up to meet yours "Karen a man I consider like a big brother is none other than the Punisher himself. I'm not judging you. What happened to Kevin was a horrible accident but it was just that, an accident. Now what happened to Wesley was kill or be killed and completely justified. I know killing someone has to take a toll but you're still alive. Through a weird and twisted fate we met but that seems to be how I've met all the people in my life that I consider my family now. Know you've got a friend here that isn't gonna judge you for damn near anything and if anyway possible I will always have your back"

She pulled you into a hug and you could practically feel the relief flood through her "Thank you Y/N and I promise to do everything I can to help you and Frank"

-------------------

Karen ended up just crashing in your guest bedroom. It was so late by the time the two of you were through talking you didn't feel comfortable letting her leave so after coffee she headed home and said she'd talk to you later.

The later ended up being sooner than either of you thought considering NYPD was waiting to escort her to the courthouse because unbeknownst to any of you Frank had escaped the prison the night before and no one knew where he was headed or what he had planned next.

@intothesoul

@weallhaveadestiny

[cyberbenb]

Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian military refutes claim that Russia captured Zaporizhzhia Oblast village

Key developments on March 17:

Russia claims capture of Stepove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine denies

Ukrainian drones attack fuel facility in Russia’s Astrakhan Oblast, governor claims

Ukrainian long-range drone successfully completes 3,000-kilometer test, Zelensky says

Territorial integrity, military size, alliances — FM Sybiha sets 3 ‘fundamentals’ for potential peace talks

Zelensky signs law permitting Ukrainian troops to operate abroad during martial law

Seoul, Kyiv discuss transfer of North Korean POWs to South Korea

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Russian forces captured the Ukrainian village of Stepove in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on March 17.

Ukraine’s Southern Defense Forces spokesperson Vladyslav Voloshyn denied the statement.

Stepove, with a pre-war population of 118 people, is located 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the villages of Pyatykhatky and Mali Shcherbaky in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. All three settlements were under Russian occupation in 2022 and 2023.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its military had taken control of Stepove. However, Voloshyn told the Kyiv Independent that Ukrainian forces did not lose ground in the Zaporizhzhia sector of the front line.

“This is a method of information warfare — the enemy claims that it is there before it has entered. I do not confirm the information that Russia entered the settlements of Stepove, Mali Shcherbaky, or Shcherbaky and took them under control,” Voloshyn said.

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"Fierce fighting continues in this area. The enemy is trying to change the configuration of the combat line in its favor. In total, six combat engagements were registered in the Orikhiv sector over the last day. The day before yesterday, there were 19," Voloshyn added.

According to Voloshyn, since March, Russian forces have intensified their assaults in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Since the beginning of spring, there have been over 130 clashes in the Orikhiv sector alone.

The Ukrainian military warned in fall 2024 that Russian forces were ammassing in Zaporizhzhia Oblastin preparation for a southern offensive. Heavy fortifications were constructed around the regional capital of Zaporizhzhia ahead of the possible invasion.

The area near Stepove was the main axis of Ukraine's southern counteroffensive in 2023, which led to the liberation of the settlement of Robotyne but achieved no major breakthrough.

‘Talk about an invasion is everywhere’ — How Lithuania is preparing for war with Russia

Throughout Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, repeated and escalating warnings of the potential for a wider war have only raised fears in the Baltic states that they could be next in the crosshairs of the Kremlin. Talk about a potential Russian invasion is “very common at parties, gatherings,…

The Kyiv IndependentYuliia Taradiuk

Ukrainian drones attack fuel facility in Russia's Astrakhan Oblast, governor claims

Ukrainian drones attacked a fuel and energy facility in Russia's Astrakhan Oblast on March 17, causing a fire, regional governor Igor Babushkin claimed.

"Overnight, the Ukrainian Armed Forces again attempted a massive drone attack on facilities located in the region, including a fuel and energy complex," Babushkin claimed.

Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces had destroyed 13 drones over the oblast. Babushkin reported that fallen debris caused a fire at the facility, and one person was hospitalized.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.

Astrakhan Oblast is located in southwestern Russia and borders Kazakhstan. The city of Astrakhan is almost 800 kilometers (500 miles) from the front line in Ukraine.

Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russia's energy and military infrastructure to disrupt Moscow's war effort. Overnight on March 14, Ukrainian drones struck the Tuapse oil refinery in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, igniting a gasoline storage tank.

Kyiv has focused on hitting Russian refineries, oil depots, and defense industry sites, aiming to limit Moscow's ability to sustain its full-scale invasion.

Ukrainian long-range drone successfully completes 3,000-kilometer test, Zelensky says

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on March 17 in his evening address that a Ukrainian long-range drone has successfully completed testing, demonstrating its ability to fly 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles).

"There is good news about long-range drones. Our drone has passed a 3,000-kilometer test," Zelensky said following a meeting of the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the top command and control body for Ukraine’s defense and security forces.

Kyiv uses long-range drones to strike deep into Russian territory, targeting military infrastructure such as airfields, oil refineries, and logistics hubs.

During the meeting, participants also discussed a new long-range missile developed by Ukraine, the Long Neptune.

"We can say that we are satisfied with the results of the strikes. But we need to produce more missiles, more drones, and we will be talking about this with our partners this week," Zelensky said.

Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk earlier said that the Ukrainian Navy is the only structure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces that uses the Long Neptun missiles.

Ukraine has also developed long-range missile-drone hybrids, such as the Palianytsia and Peklo models, featuring turbojet engines as alternatives to cruise missiles. President Volodymyr Zelensky has set a target of producing at least 30,000 long-range drones in 2025.

China is more likely than the EU to replace Starlink on the Ukrainian battlefield

Fears of a Starlink shut-off at the front line have racked Ukraine. European satellite internet firms took the opportunity to step forward as replacements — but even collectively, they are unlikely to fill the void in coverage that Starlink’s shut off would leave. Today, Starlink satellite internet…

The Kyiv IndependentKollen Post

Territorial integrity, military size, alliances — FM Sybiha sets 3 'fundamentals' for potential peace talks

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha outlined three key conditions for future negotiations to end Russia's war against Ukraine in an interview with RBC-Ukraine published on March 17.

"I don't like this definition (red lines). There are fundamental things that are non-negotiable, that cannot be touched upon," Sybiha said when asked what Ukraine's red lines are in potential talks.

Sybiha stressed that Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty are non-negotiable, reaffirming that Kyiv will never recognize Russian-occupied territories as part of Russia. President Volodymyr Zelenskyvoiced this stance back on March 12.

Despite this, the Trump administration has suggested that Kyiv and Moscow must compromise on a peace deal, calling Ukraine's goal of restoring its pre-2014 borders "unrealistic."

Russian forces currently occupy roughly 20% of Ukraine, where reports of systematic repression, torture, and forced deportations continue to emerge.

According to Sybiha, the second key condition is Ukraine's right to choose its alliances. He emphasized that no country should have a veto over Ukraine's NATO and EU aspirations.

Kyiv officially applied to join NATO in September 2022, and in 2024, the alliance declared Ukraine's path to membership "irreversible," though no formal invitation has been extended.

Sybiha also underscored that Ukraine's ability to defend itself must remain unrestricted, meaning there can be no restrictions on the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

"Russia must be held accountable. These are all elements of a lasting peace," he said.

On March 13, President Vladimir Putin said Russia was willing to accept a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire but demanded guarantees that Kyiv would halt mobilization, military training, and foreign aid deliveries — conditions that could leave Ukraine vulnerable to renewed aggression.

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to speak with Putin on March 18 to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. While Trump seeks to secure a deal, European allies and Ukraine warn that a rushed agreement without security guarantees may fail to ensure lasting peace.

Who is to gain more from a ceasefire — Russia or Ukraine?

U.S. President Donald Trump said on March 17 that he expects to hold a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal that Moscow has yet to agree to. Russia has declined to immediately accept the 30-day ceasefire proposal, with the

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

Zelensky signs law permitting Ukrainian troops to operate abroad during martial law

President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a law allowing Ukraine's Armed Forces to be sent abroad during martial law, according to an official decree published on March 17.

The law aims to enhance defense cooperation with partner nations, particularly by enabling Ukrainian forces to participate in training and receive military equipment, lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenkoexplained.

"This will allow us to attract international support to strengthen Ukraine's defense faster and more effectively," Honcharenko posted on Telegram.

The legislation permits Ukrainian military units to be deployed to other countries for national security purposes, including repelling armed aggression, protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, and exercising the right to self-defense under international law.

The law does not concern the deployment of Ukrainian troops for combat operations on Russian territory.

The decision to send military personnel abroad will be made by the president but requires approval from the Verkhovna Rada, the country's parliament. Deployments will be subject to a formal request detailing the mission's objectives, troop numbers, weaponry, and the conditions of their stay abroad.

Zelensky vetoed the bill in January and returned it to parliament with amendments clarifying the decision-making process and ensuring compliance with international law. Lawmakers approved the revised version in late February.

From drone simulators to civics: Ukraine reforms school curriculum to protect next generation from Russian threat

In a small town in Kyiv Oblast, 10th grader Alina Marynenko just beat her entire class to be the most accurate shooter on an AK-47 simulator. “Fourteen out of fifteen! I set a record! We beat the boys!” Marynenko yells out to her class. Marynenko and her classmates fired the

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

Seoul, Kyiv discuss transfer of North Korean POWs to South Korea

Ukraine is negotiating with South Korea to hand over two North Korean soldiers taken prisoner by Kyiv, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on March 17.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha discussed the potential transfer of the North Korean prisoners of war (POWs) in a phone call.

Cho noted that under South Korea's Constitution, North Koreans are considered South Korean citizens, but the prisoners must express a desire to relocate.

Up to 12,000 North Korean troops were deployed to Russia's Kursk Oblast last fall to counter Ukraine's cross-border incursion launched in August 2024.

Ukrainian troops captured two North Korean soldiers as POWs on Jan. 11.

President Volodymyr Zelensky previously reported that North Korean forces fighting for Russia had suffered 4,000 casualties, with two-thirds of the losses being soldiers killed.

Ukraine's military intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, attributed the high losses to North Korea's lack of combat experience and its use of human wave attacks with limited equipment.

Note from the author:

Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community.