#tbb hunter x senator

[webslinger-holland]

The Sergeant's Senator Masterlist

Summary: It is revealed that there is a plot to assassinate a republic senator. With some negotiations, Clone Force 99 is assigned as the security detail and must protect the senator at all costs (FULLY COMPLETED).

Warning: +18 minors DNI, threat to one's life, talks of assassination, multiple assassination attempts, various weapons used throughout series, people getting shot or seriously injured, mutual pining, sexual tension and eventual smut (chapters marked in red), and an overall dangerous series

Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Epilogue

THIS IS AN ENTIRE WRITTEN, EDITED, AND COMPLETED SERIES! ALL THAT REMAINS FOR ME TO DO IS POST EACH PART! LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO BE ADDED TO A TAGLIST

[dindjarindiaries]

Senator's Shadow - Chapter 10 (Epilogue)

summary: Years later, you reflect upon your first mission with Hunter and the squad, now experiencing the sergeant's love more openly than ever.

pairing: hunter (the bad batch) x fem!reader

rating: mature (18+)

tags: bodyguard romance, forbidden love, fluff & angst, emotional & physical hurt/comfort, canon-typical violence, injuries & blood, trauma, eventual/mild smut

word count: 5.258k

chapter 9 ⟸ series masterlist

chapter 10 (epilogue) ⟹

“Then what?”

Omega’s eyes were lit up in a way that made you laugh. She was on the edge of her seat, which, in this case, was a rock just off the shore of Pabu’s luscious blue waters. You shrugged and continued to smile at her eager expression. “My people elected a new senator, and I joined the squad. Hunter had me stay with Cut and Suu whenever they had to go back to Kamino.”

“Oh, yeah! I remember you telling me why you were with Cut and Suu when we met.” Omega raised her brow, and you took a moment to observe her in the twilight. Stars, had she gotten old, but so had all the rest of you. “Were you on that mission with them to Onderon?”

You shook your head. “Hunter told me about it, but I stayed behind because of his hesitance—mostly thanks to your warning.”

Omega smiled and jostled your shoulder with hers. “You’re welcome.” She let out a soft sigh, her expression becoming more serious. “Thank you for sharing that story with me. I’ve always wanted to know.”

You beamed, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze. “Thank you for listening to it. It’s very special, and I’m glad you’ve finally reached the age where I can start telling you these things.”

Omega narrowed her eyes playfully. “Hunter wouldn’t let you tell me before, would he?”

You laughed. “He never specifically said as much, but… you know him.”

You heard a crumble of rock from up above, and both you and Omega glanced at where Hunter had so obviously been perching to listen to the story for the past half-hour or so. You and Omega both chuckled before you looked at her with a raised brow.

“Protective.” You grew more serious. “He didn’t want anyone to know I used to be a senator, and I agreed with him. The only reason why we didn’t tell you is so no one would try to use you for that kind of information. But…” you gave her a proud once-over, “clearly, you’re old enough to handle yourself, now.”

Omega beamed at you before resting her head against your shoulder. You kept her hand and gave it another squeeze, your stare fixating on the Pabu horizon as she spoke. “At least somebody around here thinks that.”

You chuckled and rested your head against hers. “Give them time.”

Omega’s eyes glanced up at you with an amused sparkle. “They’re already all gray and complaining about their joints. How much longer do they need?”

That drew a louder laugh from you. All you could do was shake your head at her and shrug, minding her head on your shoulder. “Good question.” You heard more crumbling from above and it created a skip in your heartbeat. “Bold of you to say it within Hunter’s earshot, though.”

Omega made a psh sound. “I doubt he could hear it. His senses are fading.”

“You wish.” Hunter’s gravelly voice was already close to your free side. You turned your head to look at him.

Nothing about that first glimpse at him had changed over the years. In fact, the flutters he brought you were only more intense.

Especially now, as the smile he wore on his lips caused the corners of his eyes to crease and wrinkle. His hair had gotten longer, much to your pleasure, and the pieces that fell over his woven bandana gave him an even softer edge. Somehow, time had made him even more handsome. You hadn’t realized that was possible.

His stare caught yours, and you smiled as you looked down, your ears burning. Something about that look in his eyes told you that you would be hearing about this later.

“How much would you be trying to get away with if that were true?” Hunter had stopped next to you, his arms crossing over his chest as he raised his brow at Omega.

Omega rolled her eyes and sat up from your shoulder. You let her hand go. “You’d want me to get into trouble just so you could help me.”

Hunter’s brow furrowed. “I wouldn’t want you to get into trouble, period.” His jaw ticked. “You’ve gone through enough for one lifetime.”

Omega’s gaze softened at the moment your chest tightened. It had been hard for him to let go of everything Omega had been through over the years. You had spent many late nights reminding him that it wasn’t his fault, nor his burden to bear—and that it was because of him and his brothers that she now had an entire life of peace ahead of her, if she wanted it.

Omega stood to her feet and pasted on a reassuring smile. “Maybe, but I’ve learned how to keep going, anyway.” She stepped forward to wrap her arms around Hunter, who was surprised enough at first to widen his eyes. “Thanks to you.”

Hunter melted against her, and your heart did the very same inside your chest. You stood up but continued giving them space as you watched Hunter’s eyes close in sweet satisfaction. After a few heartbeats, Omega pulled away, her brow raised at him.

“So, you really managed to pull a senator?” Omega gave one of his shoulders a playful punch.

You and Hunter both laughed as he shrugged, his gaze finding yours again. “I got lucky.” Even in the darkening night, you could see the sparkle within his brown depths, one that never failed to make your heart beat just a bit faster. There was no doubt he could hear it.

You beamed and stepped closer to his side. Your hand found his, and you laced your fingers together in a way that completed you. “Luck had nothing to do with it.” 

The two of you kept staring at one another. That was a habit you had failed to slip out of. The corners of Hunter’s mouth were lifted in a warm smile that remained even as he lifted your entwined hands to his lips and kissed the back of yours, the hair on his upper lip and jaw gently tickling your smooth skin.

Omega clasped her hands together before she spoke into the suspended silence. “Awww, that’s the thing!”

That broke your gaze quickly. Hunter’s eyes betrayed his confusion as his brow shot up at Omega. “What thing?”

Omega rolled her eyes and gestured to your entwined hands. “The hand-kiss that made you two fall in love. Obviously.” She looked at you and shook her head. “I told you he couldn’t hear us.”

It was Hunter’s turn to roll his eyes. No wonder where Omega had gotten that from. “I heard everything, Omega. And even if I hadn’t…” he paused, his stare finding you again, “I would always remember the moment my life changed forever.”

There he went again, effortlessly making your galaxy nothing but him for the moment. You smiled so wide your cheeks hurt, and your free hand rose to cup the side of his bearded face. The pull between you was like gravity, bringing your foreheads and your noses together as you both closed your eyes and savored your closeness.

Given everything that had happened since you two had met, you took every chance you could get to savor him.

Omega squealed, a sound that brought you both back to reality. “This is so much more adorable to see with context!”

You giggled as you lifted your head from Hunter’s to look at Omega. “And don’t you ever settle for anything less.”

Hunter’s hand gave yours a panicked squeeze. “Let’s not talk about that.”

You and Omega both laughed at his protectiveness. Hunter narrowed his eyes at you as you nodded in his direction. “Yeah.” You leaned closer to Omega and lowered your voice. “Wait ‘til you’re off the island.”

Omega huffed and gave her head a fond shake. “Speaking of getting off the island… I’ve gotta go to a quick meeting.” She gave you a hug, and you dropped Hunter’s hand in favor of embracing her back. “Thank you again for telling that story. It means a lot that you can trust me.”

You smiled at her as you pulled away and held the sides of her face. Really, when did she get so grown-up? “We’ve always trusted you. It’s just that now, we know you can keep yourself safe, too.” You lowered her forehead to your lips and kissed it. “Safe travels. Okay?”

Hunter’s tone was low as he questioned her. “Who are you meeting with?”

Omega gave your wrists a squeeze and stepped away. “I’ll be back soon!” She grinned before turning and jogging off.

Hunter raised his voice for her to hear. “Is it Hera?” Omega didn’t respond, but he continued to call after her anyway. “It’s Hera, isn’t it?”

You took his hand again and gave it a squeeze. “You know the answer.”

Hunter’s brow creased, though he kept his gaze focused on Omega’s fading image. “She’s gonna get caught up in that rebellion.”

“She already is.” The nod you gave him was as reassuring as you could make it. “And when the time comes, you’ll have to let her go.”

Hunter let out a heavy sigh before he ultimately returned your nod. He turned his full attention back on you, which only heightened the intoxicating effect he’s always had on you. The worry etched in his expression dissipated as he drank in the sight of you, his warm eyes giving you a familiar once-over that made your knees weak.

“I liked your retelling of our story.” Hunter wore a mischievous smile as his forehead found yours again. “But you were missing a few… details.”

You raised your brow, chuckling as you wrapped your arms around his neck. “If you want to tell your daughter about our sex life, be my guest.”

Hunter’s nose scrunched up. “Why did you have to say it like that?”

You laughed, the giddiness within you rising when Hunter’s hands caressed your waist and held you in place against him. “You’re the one who brought it up!”

Hunter shrugged, though it wasn’t hard to catch the amused sparkle in his eyes—especially when you were this close to him. “That’s not the only thing I was talking about, though.” A knit formed in his brow as his gaze searched yours. “You didn’t tell her you resigned.”

You let out a soft exhale, your gaze falling to your hands as they slid down from his neck. Once they reached his waist, you held him tight and pressed your cheek against his chest, and the hand he set upon the back of your head welcomed you there. “It doesn’t matter how it happened.” You closed your eyes and let his warmth wash over you. “I was always going to come back to you.”

Hunter said nothing, no doubt rendered speechless as he kept you close and rested his head against yours. There wasn’t a single day where you regretted taking the path that led you to him and the rest of your newfound family. It hadn’t been easy, but you would do it all over again to be exactly where you are right now.

After a few more long moments of sweet silence, you spoke up again. “Has Echo gotten back to you yet?”

Hunter tensed underneath your grasp. “No.” His response was a sigh coated in concern. “He’s probably on a mission.”

Your lips pulled tight. “He hasn’t visited in a while.”

“I know.”

Your eyes reopened, watching the Pabu sun as it slid beyond the horizon. “Telling Omega our story reminded me of how much I miss him.” You held your breath and hoped the pressure would dull the sudden pain in your chest. “And Tech.”

Hunter’s chest also stalled underneath your cheek. You lifted your head to look at him, but his gaze couldn’t meet yours. Your hand cupped his cheek while your thumb ran along his skin to soothe him. When his eyes did meet yours again, he gently shook his head. All these years, and it still wasn’t something he could talk about—at least, not like this.

You offered him a reassuring smile. “Come on.” You gestured with your head to Pabu’s night sky, where only a few lingering lights of twilight were left. “It’s getting late. Let’s get you to bed.”

Hunter returned your smile, but it was one of both gratitude and amusement. “You think I’m old enough for a bedtime this early?”

You laughed as you took one of his hands and held it tight in yours. You wrapped the other around his arm. “Going to bed doesn’t mean going to sleep.”

Hunter’s stare returned to you again. You looked up at him through your lashes, enjoying the hard swallow he took before he circled his jaw and focused on the way ahead again. There was a blush creeping up his neck.

You let out a softer laugh and rested your head against his arm. “Still nervous, Sergeant?”

Hunter huffed. “You’ll always make me nervous, Senator.” He gave you another quick glance. “But only in the best way.”

“I know.” You were beaming now as your thoughts returned to the story you had just told. “I really enjoyed telling Omega our story.”

Hunter’s hand gave yours a gentle squeeze. “I did, too.”

“What was your favorite part?”

Hunter hummed thoughtfully. You watched his dark eyes sparkle as he reviewed each memory. “Our first kiss.”

Your brow shot up at him. “When you had a fresh blaster wound in your side?”

Hunter shrugged. “It wasn’t that bad, honestly.”

You narrowed your eyes. “Need I remind you that you passed out from blood loss and I had to drag you to that base myself?”

Hunter was silent for a moment, but the tension wasn’t bad. It was the kind that made your galaxy hazy. “Now that you’ve reminded me, we have to pick up the pace.”

You giggled as he gently tugged you along. “You weren’t this excited about all of that happening at the time.”

“Because I didn’t know the outcome yet.” Hunter glanced over at you with a look warm enough to rival the last rays of Pabu’s setting sun. “If I had known I’d get a lifetime with you, I would’ve reacted differently.” He added the last part under his breath. “And bleeding out wasn’t helping, either.”

You lifted your head and pointed your finger at him. “I told you it was a factor!”

Hunter gave his eyes a dramatic roll. “Whatever.” He stopped the two of you for a moment, and the hand of his you weren’t holding held the side of your neck. “It didn’t stop me from doing this.”

He leaned in for a kiss so breathtaking and passionate that it made your knees buckle for a moment, but Hunter sensed it easily enough to steady you with his arm around your waist. The movement brought you flush against him, his hips caressing yours in a way that had you gasping for breath. Hunter let you borrow his own air, his parted lips offering everything he had for you to take. You accepted and relented, your hands now busy with the long hair at the nape of his neck as you easily lost yourself in your familiar rhythm.

Hunter’s tongue had only just started a breathtaking exploration of your mouth when the sound of a rock hitting the ground just beside your feet broke you apart. He shielded you for a moment before you both looked at the source.

A smirking Crosshair was sitting beside Wrecker, the former tossing another rock in his left hand as the latter cupped his hands around his mouth. “Get a room!”

You laughed and shrugged, too familiar with them all now to feel embarrassed that you’d been caught. Hunter was just unfazed as he yelled back at them. “Your aim’s getting better, Crosshair!”

Crosshair rolled his eyes and abandoned the rock in his hand. Wrecker jostled his brother’s shoulder just to earn a glare for the action. Meanwhile, you and Hunter took the opportunity to “sneak” away, his hand returning to yours as he led the two of you to the aforementioned room.

“Crosshair’s only getting grumpier with age,” you joked, though the statement was quite true.

Hunter chuckled and raised an eyebrow at you. “You say that like it’s surprising.” After a few moments of peaceful silence between the two of you, Hunter spoke again, his voice even softer than before. “It’s your turn, now.”

You furrowed your brow and looked up at him. “For what?”

His stare met yours. “To tell me your favorite part of the story.”

You grinned. “Oh, right.” You mused on the question for a small while, swinging your entwined hands between the two of you as you did so. Finally, you made your decision, and you took a deep breath before saying it. “The banquet.”

Hunter glanced over at you in surprise. “Really?” You nodded. “Why?”

You beamed. “Because that’s when I knew.”

Hunter’s expression morphed into confusion as he processed your words. You let out a soft laugh and rested your head against his arm again.

“You knew exactly what I needed without me having to say it, and the way you treated my holster situation spoke volumes.” You hesitated before adding more. “And when your hand touched my thigh…” you huffed and nodded, “yeah, I knew what we had, and what we could become.”

Hunter smiled at you. “I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who thought that.” His brow raised, instantly making his sweet smile a lot less innocent. “Especially about your thigh.”

You laughed away your shyness, letting your gaze study your feet as you brought yourself closer to his side. “Did you do it on purpose?”

Hunter’s free hand found your chin. He tipped your head back up towards him, a habit he certainly hadn’t grown out of—and you hadn’t grown tired of. “Do what?”

Hot flames licked down your neck as your shyness grew. Only he could still make you feel this way, despite all the years you had spent together. “Touch my thigh.”

The warmth in Hunter’s brown eyes, still golden in the dying lights of Pabu’s sunset, became hotter. “Not at first, no. But your reaction made me want to do it again.”

You held his gaze, no matter how intense it was. “What was my reaction?”

Hunter gave his head a fond shake and lowered his hand from your face. His gaze settled on the horizon as he recounted the memory. “It was probably too quiet for you to even notice you had done it, but… there was this little sigh it got out of you, and I thought about it endlessly until you gave me another sigh to obsess over.”

You looked up at him through your lashes. “How many do you have to obsess over now?”

Hunter’s jaw tightened, as did his grasp on your hand. He exhaled and spoke in a low yet playful voice. “I can only walk so fast with these old knees, love.”

You laughed and rested your head against his arm. “Then it’s a good thing we don’t have to rush.” Hunter’s gaze began to burn upon you again, but you were too busy looking at your entwined hands to meet his eyes. “We have all the time in the galaxy, now.”

That had perhaps been the biggest adjustment after settling down on Pabu. No longer did the two of you have to sneak around and scrounge for spare moments to spend quality time with one another. Part of you missed the thrill of it all, but you were more overwhelmed by your gratitude for this peaceful life you had earned.

But that wasn’t on Hunter’s mind when you listened to him force his next words through a tightened throat. “We have half the time.”

You frowned and found his stare. Hunter had already started to grieve what his and his brothers’ accelerated aging would take from them, and you could see that in the darkened depths of his golden gaze. You raised your free hand to the tattooed side of his face and pulled your expression taut in severity.

“Even just a single second with you is worth the entire galaxy to me, Hunt.” You stopped your stride for a moment and held his face between both your hands, your brow furrowing as you gave him a once-over. “You know that, right?”

Hunter sighed and cut his gaze away from you, but only for a moment. “I do.”

Your heart ached for him. All the things that were taken from him—a proper childhood, a life of his choosing, all of it—made you want to curse those who put him and his brothers in such a position, but without them, he wouldn’t exist. It was conflicting even for you, and you had had enough conversations about it with Hunter to understand how it was for him.

“It’s just…”

You ran your thumbs under his eyes. “I know.” You pulled his head down enough for you to kiss his forehead before gesturing towards the open path ahead of you. “C’mon, Sarge. We’re almost home.”

The word alone made Hunter brighten as he managed a small smile and nodded. You cracked a few jokes on the rest of the trip to lighten Hunter’s spirit even more, mostly at the expense of his brothers, and it worked to relax him back to his normal self by the time you reached the door of your private home. Even just stepping inside filled you with a wave of relief like no other.

But you learned long ago that home wasn’t a place for you. It was a person, and the people he had brought with him into your life.

You looked up at Hunter as the door slid closed behind him. Your hands found the sides of his face again, and in the privacy of your home, you took your time studying him up close. He didn’t let himself grow shy, or at least show his shyness, as his palms splayed over your back and kept you close.

“You know,” your voice was feather-light as you spoke, your gaze flickering all over his face, “you’re only getting more and more handsome with time.” Your fingers gently brushed over the long piece of hair that framed his face.

Hunter beamed, and your chest warmed in relaxation as you failed to find any self-deprecation in his expression. “I would say that you’re only telling me that to make me feel better, but I saw how you looked at me earlier.”

He huffed as you looked away for a moment in your own shyness. “I knew you were gonna bring that up.”

Hunter’s hand found your chin as he gently held it and turned it back towards his face. There was no escaping the adoration in his dark eyes, not that you would want to escape it anyway. “It was the same way I was looking at you the whole time you were telling our story.”

You softened, your finger tracing the outline of his tattoo on his cheekbone that disappeared into his beard. “Yeah?”

Hunter nodded. “Yeah.” He took your wrist and held it delicately, running his thumb over your pulse point. “It’s the same way I looked at you the first time I saw you.”

You would have rolled your eyes if the words weren’t so genuine. You believed him because you had seen it, even if it was all so new that day. It truly had been love at first sight.

“Speaking of which…” Hunter grinned as he eased your other hand off his face. “I have something for you.”

Your eyebrow quirked up. “Is that right?” As soon as Hunter began striding towards your bedroom, you let out a gasp of delight. “Are you finally gonna show me your super secret project?”

Hunter laughed, creating a flurry of butterflies within your stomach. “Sure, if that’s what you wanna call it.”

Hunter needed to keep his hands busy without battles to fight or knives to flip, even if he did still carry his knife with him, and so he had taken up a hobby he hadn’t let you know about yet. He had insisted he was saving it for a special occasion, and as it turned out, that occasion was now.

You were aching to find out what it was.

“Okay.” Hunter’s voice was muffled through the door to whatever place he had been hiding his secret project. “Close your eyes.”

You obeyed, rocking back and forth on your heels in anticipation. You heard Hunter walk back into the room, but you kept your eyes closed until he told you otherwise.

“I know you left a lot of stuff behind on Eirus, and anything you kept with you got destroyed with the Marauder. But there was something I wanted you to have again.”

His voice was quiet, tightened in his nerves. It made your soft smile widen in sweetness.

“You can open your eyes now.”

You did as he said, and as soon as you caught sight of what he held in front of himself, you gasped again.

It was a near-perfect recreation of the dress you had been wearing the day you met Hunter and the rest of the boys. Every color, every stitch, and every accent mirrored exactly what was on that same dress, and it was evidence enough that Echo’s words from long ago were true: Hunter’s good at just about everything. Exceptional, even.

“Hunter.” Your voice was a mere, amazed breath as you finally unfroze and took a step forward. Giving it another once-over, you shook your head in disbelief. “Hunt, this is…” you shook your head, “I don’t even know what to say.”

Hunter shrugged, his stare fixed on the dress as he handed it over for you to hold. “I was at the market when I was trying to find something new I could do with my hands, and I saw this fabric and thought…” Hunter paused and ran a hand over his hair. “It just reminded me of this dress, and I thought you might like to have it again.”

You looked between him and the silky fabric in your hands, still unable to form a proper thought. Hunter shifted his weight and let out a huff.

“I don’t know where you’d wear it, or if you even would, so I probably should’ve asked you first…”

You still didn’t have the words, but you weren’t going to let Hunter begin doubting his incredibly thoughtful work. Stepping forward to close the gap between you, the arm not gripping the dress wrapped around his neck, bringing his parted lips to yours. Hunter breathed his sigh of relief into your mouth, and you smiled in the hope that he would do the same. It was only after he did that you pulled away.

“Thank you, Hunt.” You hugged the dress to your chest and gave him an enthusiastic nod. “I’m gonna try it on.”

Hunter’s brow shot up. “Right now?”

You nodded again. “Right now!” You maneuvered yourself around him and stood in the threshold of your bedroom. “Stay out here.”

The last thing you heard was Hunter’s chuckle before the door slid closed. You held out the dress in front of you and gave your head another fond shake. He had gone from a clone sergeant to a seamstress.

Two things he did perfectly.

You were quick in exchanging your comfortable island clothes for the dress. It fit you just right, as if Hunter had taken your measurements—which you were sure he had—to perfect the way every single part of it hugged your body. You checked over your reflection in the nearest reflector and grinned, the corners of your mouth stretching towards your ears as you gave yourself a spin.

You didn’t necessarily miss being a senator, as the weight of responsibility had been a hefty one, but this allowed you to play dress-up in that role again. Not only that, but it also brought you right back to the day that had started the rest of your forever.

Unable to keep it to yourself, you walked up to the door and spoke directly against it. “Are you ready?”

Hunter’s voice was muffled from the other side. “Whenever you are.”

You grinned and opened the door, keeping your gaze fixed on Hunter. He blinked a few times, his stare warming every inch of you as his jaw worked in poorly concealed admiration—not that he was trying to conceal it. You gave him a spin just like you had done before in the reflector, drawing a sweet, giddy laugh from him as he clasped his hands together over his middle.

You lifted the corner of your skirt and glanced down at yourself. “It fits perfectly.”

When your gaze met his, your ears instantly began to burn at the intense affection you found there. It was as if every loving moment you had spent together over the years was replaying in each golden fleck of his dark eyes. “It does.”

You stared at one another for way too long, though neither of you cared. After a few more prolonged breaths, Hunter extended an open hand to you, inviting you to set yours within his grasp. You complied, beaming as he took it and, without his gaze ever breaking from yours, raised it to his lips, gently kissing the soft skin on the back of your hand.

But this time, he didn’t let go. Instead, he gave your hand a tug, his other hand coming up to support your upper arm as he drew you towards him. You were more than happy to fall into his arms, laughing as you caught yourself on his shoulders. This shared gaze didn’t last as long, as the two of you were eager to share in another kiss, one more passionate than before.

Your arms had only just wrapped tight around Hunter’s neck when he suddenly lifted your legs and eased them around his waist. You broke away to look at him with a raised brow. “Be careful, Sergeant,” you warned, your voice breathy as you kissed his upper lip. “You might rip this beautiful dress you sewed.”

“Don’t worry, Senator.” Hunter was already walking forward with you into your bedroom, his other senses no doubt guiding him as he focused on returning your stare. “I can just stitch it right back up.”

And as Hunter laid you down on a bed you were grateful to share with him, you thought about each early moment and memory that led you here. You both had exchanged enough sentiments of love over the years for you to know how he felt, but it was always his actions that proved it above all else. This dress was certainly a pinnacle of that, almost equally matching his actions that came directly after.

You both had made a gamble the day you decided to pursue one another, but thankfully, it had paid off—and it made you grateful for everything you had gone through back when you were the senator being protected by the sergeant.

chapter 9 ⟸ series masterlist

hunter tag list: @zenrobbins0021 @cw80831 @yunggoblin @maddiedrmr @Molmcb @jellybeanstacey0519 @violetlilly2020

senator’s shadow tag list: @callsign-denmark @dindadjarin @clintbarton-anon

[ladykagewaki]

Ms Fangirl & Friends: Vacation Time!

Nothing crazy. Just a vacation for our favorite clones and friends

@zaya-mo @the-sith-in-the-sky-with-diamond @ladykatakuri @marierg @thecoffeelorian @salubriousbean

[mooonjin]

THIS EPISODE GENUINELY CONFUSING ME LIKE WHATS GONNA HAPPENOMGGGG???

spoilers for tbb 03x06+07!!!!!!

i dont even know if i miss teth or not but this planet PRRETTYYY

OMG SHES COPYING HIM EEEEEEEEEK

SHES BACK WITH THE BOW thx echo mom <3

bye!!!!!!!!!1

fav dads right here theyre so protective of her

HUNTER DEFENDING CROSSYYY were so back

HOWZERHOWZERHOWZERHOWZER

ooh they were soooo pissy lol

omfg omfg thisb shot holy moly ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

BACK WITH CROSSHAIRS HELMET POV

"i dont like that idea" "too bad" OK SASS MAN

"oh im much worse" has me foaming, thx crossdad

HOLY SHIT THIS HAD MY HEART GOINGG

LIKE THIS WAS SO SCARY??

"wolffe?" "rex?" IM CRYING RN STOPPPPPPPPPPPP

HI WOLFFFEEE I MISSED U SO MUCH I MISSED UR SCOWL AAAA

ugh the brotherly connection they have :(((

rex looking back at wolffe with gregor in the back... hits so diff after rebels knowing that all they have is each other in the end

tbb reuniting scenes has me on the floor...

OMEGA AND BATCHER <3

[legendary-defender-of-fandoms]

The Bad Batch & Shipping Fodder

Tech has Phee

Echo has Senator Chuchi

Hunter has Fennec (kind of)

[areyoufuckingcrazy]

TBB Echo x Senator!Reader

The Senate was silent—eerily so. Your voice echoed as you stood center-stage, the holocams rolling, senators holding their breath.

You stared up at the massive screen where Palpatine’s hologram flickered with dispassionate cruelty.

“You may rule through fear, Emperor. You may bend systems, strip rights, and silence voices. But the power you believe you wield is nothing more than mere arrogance, left unchecked for far too long. And every tyrant who’s mistaken fear for loyalty has eventually learned the same truth: fear fades. Resistance doesn’t.”

Gasps rippled through the chamber. One senator spilled their drink. Another ducked behind their chair like you’d just tossed a thermal detonator.

The Emperor said nothing. Just smiled.

You finished your speech, spine straight as a durasteel blade. And when you left the chamber, you knew your days were numbered.

~~~~~~

Stormtroopers swarmed the upper districts now. Rumors had spread fast. A senator going rogue? Publicly? That kind of dissent couldn’t go unpunished.

So you went to the one person you hoped still remembered how to keep people off the radar: Cid.

She responded with a single message:

“You’re lucky I owe you. Got a crew incoming. Don’t get dead before they get there.”

~~~~~~

Blasterfire lit up the alley as a squad of troopers chased you through the lower levels. One shot narrowly missed your shoulder as you turned a corner, lungs burning. You weren’t trained for this. Your boots slipped on the slick metal flooring—and you stumbled, crashing against a wall.

A trooper raised his blaster, finger tightening on the trigger—

Then a blue bolt slammed into his helmet.

You blinked. He crumpled. And standing just behind him, face tight with focus and eyes locked on you, was Echo.

“Senator,” he said calmly, extending his arm, “Time to go.”

You grabbed his hand, letting him haul you up.

“Am I glad to see you,” you breathed.

“I know,” he said, smirking slightly. “You’re welcome.”

More troopers rounded the corner, and Echo pulled you behind cover, activating his comm.

“Now would be a great time, Hunter.”

“Exit’s two blocks south. Wrecker’s waiting with the ship. Move fast.”

“Copy that.” Echo glanced at you. “Can you run?”

“I’m a senator, not a senator’s aide,” you snapped, brushing off your robes. “I’ll manage.”

“Then keep up.”

~~~~~~

Wrecker was waving them in, Omega already at the ship’s edge, hair windblown and face alight with curiosity.

“Is that her?” she asked loudly. “The senator who told the Emperor off to his face?”

“Yep,” Tech said, not looking up from his datapad. “I analyzed her speech. Statistically, she’s either incredibly brave or terminally reckless.”

“Those are not mutually exclusive,” Echo muttered.

You darted up the ramp beside him, chest heaving.

Omega grinned. “You’ve got guts.”

You gave her a breathless smile. “And you’ve got a very large clone glaring at me. Should I be worried?”

Wrecker beamed. “That’s my welcome face!”

Hunter approached, giving you a once-over. “You’re lucky Echo was close. Another second and you’d be space dust.”

You turned to Echo, heartbeat still thundering. “You saved my life.”

“Let’s make a habit of not needing that,” he replied, voice softer now. “But… yeah. I did.”

The ship lifted, and you finally allowed yourself to sink into the bench beside him, the weight of your speech, your betrayal of the Empire, and the sudden turn your life had taken crashing down on you.

“You’re not safe anymore,” Echo said after a beat. “They’ll hunt you.”

You met his gaze. “Then I’m in the right company, aren’t I?”

He nodded, his hand resting lightly on yours for a moment longer than necessary.

From across the ship, Omega whispered loudly to Wrecker: “Told you they’d be into each other.”

Wrecker: “Do I owe you credits again?!”

~~~~~~

The Marauder rumbled to a halt just outside Cid’s bar. It still smelled like sweat, spilled ale, and wet carpet. You wrinkled your nose as you stepped off the ship, scanning the place like a senator inspecting a back-alley establishment—which, to be fair, was exactly what this was.

“You sure this is the right place?” you muttered to Echo under your breath.

“Unfortunately,” he replied, offering a small smirk. “Welcome to the galaxy’s finest example of poor life choices and questionable hygiene.”

Cid looked up from behind the bar, munching on what looked like a pickled frog. “You made it. And with all your limbs. That’s new.”

You gave her a tight nod. “We need to talk.”

She waved her stubby fingers toward her office. “Go on then. Let’s discuss what this little favor is gonna cost you.”

As you disappeared behind the door, the Batch headed for a corner booth.

Wrecker slid in first, already eyeing the snacks Cid had laid out. “So…” he said around a mouthful of something crunchy, “Echo’s got a thing for the senator.”

Echo’s head snapped toward him. “What?!”

Tech adjusted his goggles without even glancing up. “Your heartrate elevated approximately twelve percent every time she spoke to you. Statistically speaking, that suggests attraction. Possibly infatuation.”

“I do not have a thing,” Echo muttered, looking around like someone might hear—besides the four people very obviously hearing.

Hunter raised an eyebrow. “You did dive in front of a blaster for her.”

“I would’ve done that for anyone.”

Wrecker grinned. “Yeah, but you didn’t look that heroic when you saved me last week.”

“That’s because you dropped an entire crate of detonators on your own foot.”

Omega slid into the seat beside Echo, kicking her legs casually. “She is really pretty.”

Echo stiffened. “Omega…”

“I saw the way you looked at her,” she said with that knowing look that made even Hunter flinch sometimes. “Like she was a sunset and you hadn’t seen one in a long time.”

Wrecker blinked. “Wow. That was poetic.”

Echo scrubbed a hand over his face. “I don’t—look, she’s a senator. I’m—”

“A clone with a heart,” Omega finished for him. “She saw it, too. The way she smiled at you? She likes you back.”

Echo opened his mouth, then shut it. Then sighed.

“I hate it when you do that.”

“I love it,” Omega chirped. “You should tell her.”

“I just saved her life. I’m not gonna flirt with her right after that.”

Hunter leaned back. “Might be the perfect time, actually. Emotions are high. Could work.”

Tech blinked. “Are we… encouraging romantic entanglements mid-fugitive status?”

Omega grinned. “Yes.”

Echo shook his head, cheeks tinged with color. “You’re all impossible.”

From behind them, the door to Cid’s office creaked open. You stepped out, looking just as poised and stubborn as you did in the Senate—but your eyes immediately found Echo’s across the cantina.

You offered a small, grateful smile. “Still alive, thanks to you.”

Echo stood, clearing his throat. “Anytime.”

Omega elbowed him hard as you approached.

“Ask her about sunsets!” she whispered.

As you made your way back to the booth, you caught the tail end of Omega’s whispering to Echo, her grin too wide and mischievous.

Your brow furrowed in confusion. “Sunsets?” you asked, stepping closer. “What about sunsets?”

Echo stiffened, clearly scrambling for an explanation. He cleared his throat and opened his mouth, only for Omega to literally jump into the conversation.

“Echo wanted to show you the sunset!” she blurted out, her eyes sparkling with that cheeky mischief only she could get away with. “He said they’re beautiful on the outer rim. He even said you might like them.”

Echo turned bright red, his mouth working soundlessly for a moment as his brain tried to catch up to Omega’s open confession. “I—wait, I—no… That’s not what I said—”

You couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped your lips at his obvious discomfort. “Sunsets, huh?” You cocked an eyebrow, leaning on the edge of the table. “That’s a pretty romantic gesture for a soldier.”

Echo quickly waved his hands, as though trying to physically push the words back into his mouth. “It’s not like that. I—I just—Omega, you—you…!”

Omega leaned back in her seat, arms folded with the smug satisfaction of someone who knew exactly what they’d just done. “You should definitely go watch a sunset with her,” she said matter-of-factly. “It’s perfect. You’re both already really good at staring at the sky.”

You gave Echo a playful look. “Well, I don’t mind the idea of a sunset. It’s been a while since I’ve actually seen one.”

Echo exhaled sharply, his gaze dropping to the table, clearly overwhelmed by the situation. His usual calm and composed demeanor was nowhere to be found.

“I—uh—I—” He paused, his hand running over his short-cropped hair in frustration. “I mean… if you want to, I could show you one. I’ve got some good spots, but I really don’t—uh—expect you to—”

Wrecker, always the instigator, leaned forward from the opposite booth. “You wanted to show her a sunset, Echo. Sounds like a date to me.”

“Wrecker!” Echo groaned, burying his face in his hands. “I’m not asking her out—!”

“Well, someone should,” Wrecker grinned. “It’s a good idea. A beautiful sunset and all that. You know, romantic-like.”

Omega crossed her arms and gave Echo an exaggerated side-eye. “You’re really bad at this.”

You watched the whole exchange with a lighthearted smile, clearly amused by how Echo was fidgeting like he was trying to dig his way out of a hole he’d accidentally fallen into. Finally, you leaned in, lowering your voice to something playful and teasing.

“If you’re really offering to show me a sunset, Echo, I’ll take you up on it,” you said, smirking as you watched his eyes widen in disbelief. “But I’m not making any promises about it being romantic.”

Echo blinked, clearly struggling to hide his relief. “Good. Yeah, good. I can do that. I mean—I can show you the sunset. That’s… normal, right?”

Omega gave him a thumbs up from across the table. “Normal! Totally normal.”

Hunter chuckled from the booth. “I don’t think it’s ever been normal with you, Echo.”

“I’m starting to realize that,” Echo muttered, shooting Omega a glare that barely had any heat behind it. “You’re lucky I like you, kid.”

“You’re welcome,” Omega chirped, her eyes glimmering with the kind of satisfaction only a matchmaker could feel.

~~~~~~~

You followed Echo out of the cantina and into the wilds of the Outer Rim, the two of you walking side by side in the fading light. It wasn’t a long journey, but Echo was unusually quiet, his usual confident stride now hesitant. You glanced over at him, trying to gauge whether he was just as nervous as he seemed.

“So,” you began, attempting to break the silence, “this sunset better be worth all the buildup.”

Echo glanced at you, his face turning slightly pink as he looked away quickly. “I mean, yeah, it’s a good spot,” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s peaceful. Not a lot of people know about it.” He sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than you.

You smiled softly. “You must really like this place. It’s hard to believe a soldier like you would be into something so… serene.”

“Hey, even soldiers need some quiet,” Echo replied, his voice tinged with embarrassment. “I’ve seen enough battlefields to last a lifetime. This? This is… different.”

As you reached a ridge overlooking a vast expanse of orange and purple sky, you stopped. The sun was beginning its slow descent, casting long shadows and bathing everything in golden light. The view was incredible. You couldn’t deny that Echo had chosen well.

“This… is beautiful,” you said quietly, letting the moment settle around you.

Echo stood a few feet away, glancing at the sky, but you could tell he wasn’t really focused on it. He fidgeted with his hands, his posture stiff, as though unsure of what to do with himself.

“Yeah. It is,” he said softly, though he didn’t seem to be looking at the sunset himself. His eyes kept darting back to you, and he swallowed hard.

A beat passed, then another, the two of you standing there in the stillness of the moment.

“So,” you began again, a teasing smile tugging at your lips, “Omega told me you’ve been staring at me like I’m the sunset or something. I’m starting to think she might’ve been onto something.”

Echo let out a strangled sound, something between a cough and a nervous laugh, and quickly turned away, his scomp fumbling with the edge of his armor. “I—look, I didn’t mean for her to—Omega… she has a way of—”

You laughed, your voice light and airy. “It’s fine, Echo. I’m just teasing.”

“Right,” he muttered, scratching his head. “You… you’re teasing. Yeah.”

The silence between you both grew, but now it was different—quieter, more relaxed, despite the awkward tension that had settled in. You couldn’t help but enjoy the strange warmth in the air.

Finally, Echo broke the quiet with a heavy sigh. “I’m really bad at this.”

“Bad at what?”

“At… this,” he gestured vaguely, not looking at you. “At not being awkward. You know, with people. I mean, I spent most of my life with clones, and—well, we didn’t exactly do sunsets.”

“Yeah, I imagine that would be difficult,” you said, your voice softer now. You could see how much this mattered to him, how much he was trying to make the moment right.

“You probably think I’m an idiot,” he mumbled, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

“No,” you said quickly, walking closer to him. “Not at all. You’re just… not used to doing this.”

Echo didn’t meet your eyes. “And I’m not great at… not being awkward around someone I think is way out of my league.”

That stopped you cold. You blinked, processing the words. “Out of your league?”

Echo shrugged, pulling at his sleeve nervously. “You’re a senator. You could have anyone you want. And I’m just—well, I’m just me. A soldier.”

You took a small step closer, closing the gap between the two of you. “Echo,” you said gently, your voice soft but firm. “I’m here because I want to be here. Because I trust you.”

His eyes flicked to yours, searching your face as though looking for any sign that you were just being kind. But what he found was sincerity. You meant it.

The sun dipped lower, the sky ablaze with colors, and Echo took a deep breath, finally meeting your gaze. “I’m really bad at this… but I’m glad you came anyway.”

You smiled and stepped forward, your hand brushing against his—just enough for him to notice. “Me too, Echo. Me too.”

You and Echo walked back in silence, though the tension between you was different now—softer, less painful. The cantina was as busy as before, the dim lights casting long shadows across the floor. The rest of the Batch was already there, and as soon as you and Echo entered, the teasing began.

Wrecker was the first to speak. “So,” he began with a huge grin, “how was the sunset?”

Echo shot him a glare. “I didn’t—we didn’t—”

“Yeah, yeah,” Wrecker laughed. “You two were just looking at the sky, right?”

You gave him a playful side-eye. “Why don’t you ask Omega? She’s the one who knows all about sunsets.”

Omega was sitting at the booth, her feet kicked up, looking entirely too smug for someone her age. “I told you it would be perfect,” she said, glancing at Echo with a knowing look.

Hunter raised an eyebrow. “So, Echo, what happened with the sunset? You get all the way out there just to not—”

Echo groaned and covered his face with his hand. “I’m not answering any of you.”

Tech, ever the neutral party, smiled faintly. “I believe this is the point where you’re supposed to express how much you enjoyed the company of your… companion.”

“Shut up, Tech,” Echo grumbled.

Omega leaned in, looking at you, then at Echo, her grin impossibly wide. “Did you kiss her, Echo?”

Echo nearly choked on his drink. “What? No! We—we—”

“I’m just saying,” Omega continued innocently, “there was some serious chemistry, and I don’t think you’ll be able to ignore it for much longer.”

“Omega,” Echo hissed, looking at her like she’d just dropped a thermal detonator at his feet.

But you just laughed, the tension from earlier melting away. “She’s not wrong, Echo. You’re pretty easy to read.”

Echo could only groan in response, his face as red as the setting sun.

A/N

I kinda hate this tbh, but I had an idea but then I had like a million other ideas while writing this and I feel like it’s kinda mix matched.

[vodika-vibes]

Shades Of Grey

Summary: All things considered, this is probably the best possible ending to the Clone Wars. Still, becoming the Emperor’s right hand was not anywhere in your plans for the future. At least the new Emperor is someone you can work with. After all, he’s Hunter.

Pairing: TBB Hunter x F!Reader

Word Count: 1975

Warnings: None

Prompt: Hunter is named Emperor after Palpatine's dies.

Tagging: @trixie2023 @n0vqni @imabeautifulbutterfly @clonethirstingisreal

A/N: So this idea was born of me misreading something that @kimiheartblade said, and a whole idea was born of it. The relationship between Hunter and the reader is more hinted at than anything else. Anyway, I hope you all like it!

Your gaze slides from one monitor to the next, scanning the gathered audience through the cameras with comfortable ease. Sure, the room might be filled with a bunch of clones, and make no mistake, you trust that Commander Cody wouldn’t allow a threat into the room.

But it’s always good to have someone with the force check the vibes of the room before you allow the Emperor into the room.

Speaking of which—

You turn away from the monitors to focus your attention on the man standing near the armor stand on the other side of the room, “I don’t suppose I can convince you to not wear armor, Hunter?”

He turns his head towards you and shoots you a look, “Absolutely not.”

You sigh and hold your hands out to the side, “If you expect the people to be okay with a Clone Emperor, you have to at least make an effort.”

“I never wanted to be Emperor,” Hunter grumbles as he turns away from you and continues strapping his armor on, “I was perfectly content serving under you, General.”

“You should have thought of that when Commander Cody came to you,”

He stops and turns to glare at you, “Give me a break, how was I supposed to know that everyone else was going to turn down the position?”

“Uh, I could have told you.” You counter with a lazy grin as you gaze at the man who had once been your Sergeant. 

“You wanna switch roles?”

“Not for all of the Credits on Coruscant.” You cross the room to him and pull his chest plate from the mannequin before turning and pressing it against his chest, “Hunter, you’re going to be great.”

“You have to say that, you’re my,” He pauses as he thinks of the right word, “...Enforcer doesn’t feel right.” Hunter finally mutters, “Bodyguard? Right hand?”

“Let’s go with Right Hand, hm?” You grab his back piece and start strapping both pieces to his chest with familiar ease, “Can I at least talk you into wearing a cape?”

“I’m not a Jedi, General. I’m not comfortable—”

“You have to get comfortable, Hunter. You’re not a soldier anymore. You’re a politician now.”

He makes a face and you laugh.

“It’s not going to be that bad.”

“You say that, but my idea of diplomacy used to be flinging a food tray at my older brothers' heads,” Hunter says. He reaches out and takes your hands, “I don’t know if I can do this, General.”

You flip your hands and thread your fingers with his, “Yes, you can.”

“How do you know?”

“Because you have a council made of of people who lived their entire lives doing politics,” You reply.

“I do?”

“Yup. Your council is made of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Bail Organa, and a few other people, Jedi and Politicians all of them.” You release his hand and reach up to brush a strand of hair off his cheek, “Look, the Senate voted for the creation of the Empire, now we have to figure out how to make it work.”

“Yeah, expect they thought that their Empire would be run by Palpatine, not a clueless clone.”

“Well, then Palpatine shouldn’t have died.”

“He was killed,” Hunter corrects, amused, “Violently.”

“Sounds like a skill issue.”

“Weren’t you nicer?”

“The Jedi are a gentle people, Hunter. We never should have been sent to war,” You pause, “Plus, it’s hard to be sympathetic towards someone who was planning on massacring my people.”

He flashes a small grin at you as you finish helping him strap on his armor, though the grin fades when you clip the black and red cape to his shoulder guards, “Really?”

“Really.”

He huffs out a heavy breath, “I hate it.”

“I know you do.”

“Can we compromise with a bandana?” Hunter asks hopefully.

“You, mister, are lucky I’m letting you get away with the bandana holding your hair back,” You warn as you set your hands on your hips, “Capes are regal. Bandanas are so far removed from regal they might as well be in a different universe.”

“I thought I was supposed to be running things?”

“Ha! You keep thinking that, Your Lordship.” You take a step back and fold your arms as you look over him, and then you nod once, “Alright. Crosshair and the rest of the snipers have taken up their positions. Tech is working with a couple of other technologically gifted brothers to make sure that our electronics are secure, and Echo is working with his brothers from the 501st on building security.”

“Where’s Wrecker?”

“I gave him to Commander Colt, he and a couple of ARCs are patrolling the room.”

“ARCs?”

“Well, Alphas, really.”

Hunter shoots you a look.

“What? I decided to put the most physically intimidating men in the room for a reason.” You defend, “This is your first public appearance, and this trial is huge. We can’t risk anything going wrong.”

“Okay, okay. What else?”

“Um…Right, Marshal Commander Fox and the rest of the Corries are running backgrounds on all of the people, and they’re working with the Wolfpack to make sure no one with strong anti-clone sentiments gains access to the trial itself.” You list, ticking topics off your fingers, “I put Marshal Commander Neyo and Commander Bacara and their Battalions in charge of the journalists—”

Hunter chokes on a laugh, “Cruel, angel.”

“Yeah, well…have you read some of the stuff they’ve said about Jedi recently? They’re lucky I didn’t give them to Alpha-17.” You fold your arms, “Oh, and speaking of Alpha-17, he’s running this whole thing with Commander Cody.”

Hunter nods and absently adjusts his vambraces, “What about Jedi?”

“Well, I’m going to be standing just behind you. Master Windu will be patrolling the room with Master Koon. Knight Secura is working with her Batallion on security outside. There are a couple of Shadows lurking in the audience. But most of the Jedi are working on moving the temple, the kids and the cadets, to a safer location.”

Hunter nods again, “Good. What about General Kenobi?”

“At the temple with Master Yoda and Master Mundi. It was determined that it would be better for him to not be here.” You reply immediately, “He’ll get the highlights from Quinlan Vos at the end of the trial.”

“Right, probably for the best.”

You nod your agreement, and say nothing for a moment, “Are you ready?”

Hunter exhales shakily, “Walk me through today?”

You smile reassuringly, “Today is the opening statement for the trial of Anakin Skywalker—”

“—he’s been accused of war crimes, correct?”

“That’s right. War Crimes, child endangerment, attempted murder, and 20 counts of premeditated murder.”

Hunter glances at you, surprise on his face, “That last one is new.”

You make a face, “Honestly, it’s only connected to this trial because the war, technically, started just before the massacre. He was given the chance to have separate trials, but he refused them.” You shrug, “He thinks he’s going to get away with it.”

“Well, the trial will expose everything,” Hunter murmurs as he adjusts his armor one more time, and then drops his hands, “Alright. I think I’m ready.”

You favor him with a warm smile, “You’re going to be great, Hunter.”

“Yeah? You might be the only one who thinks that.”

You shake your head, “Come on. Do you think Cody would have made you the offer if he thought that you weren’t capable?”

“He would be better in this position,” Hunter says, “But since he doesn’t want it, I guess I’ll just have to do the best I can.”

“That’s the spirit!”

Hunter stares at himself in the mirror for a moment, and then he sighs and reaches up to tug the bandana off before he pulls his hair into a messy knot at the back of his head. 

He holds the bandana in a clutched hand, and you tilt your head to the side as you watch him watch himself. “Hunter?”

“You said bandanas aren’t regal,” He says as his grip tightens around the cloth in his hand.

You gaze at him, thoughtfully, for a moment. And then you gently pull the cloth from his unresisting hand, before you reach up and tie it back around his head, “There. Perfect.”

He stares at you, “You said—”

“I’m not always right, Hunter. Besides, you don’t look like you without it,” You smile at him, “Now, you only need one more thing.”

A puzzled look crosses his face, “What? No? I have everything. My armor, my weapon, the cape—” He somehow managed to make the word sound like an oath, and you have to smother your laugh.

“I know, just one final touch.” Quickly, you pull your ribbon out of your hair, wrap it around his right vambrace, and tie it in a neat knot, “There. Perfect.”

He eyes the pale yellow ribbon, confused, and then focuses his attention back on you.

You flash a slightly mischievous smile, “Well, this is a kind of battle, right? And you’ve never gone into battle before without wearing my color—”

The confusion fades away, “You’re something of a sap, aren’t you General?”

“I perfect the term romantic, thank you.”

He reaches out and lightly brushes the backs of his fingers against your cheek, “We’re going to be okay, right?”

“Hunter, we’re going to be great. You’ll see.” You press your hand over his, “I have a good feeling.” You release his hand and pick up the helmet, to offer it to him, “Do you want it?”

Hunter looks at you, at the helmet, and then at himself in the mirror. And then a small smile crosses his face. He takes the helmet and sets it back on its stand, “Not this time, I think.”

There’s a knock on the door, “10 minutes until the trial starts, little brother!”

Hunter releases another shaky breath, and you watch him evenly, “Are you ready?”

He meets your gaze, “A kiss for luck?”

“You hardly need luck but,” You step closer and lightly brush your lips against his cheek, “if it makes you feel better.”

“That was not what I had in mind.”

“Oh, I know what you had in mind.” You counter, “You can get a proper kiss later. Now it’s time to make your grand appearance.” You walk across the room to grab your lightsaber and attach it to your belt, and then you head over to the door. “Time to put your game face on, Hunter.”

You watch as he rolls his shoulders and his neck, and then his expression shifts, sliding into a combat-ready mode that you are very familiar with. You wait until he’s coming towards you before you press the button to open the door, and you stand to the side to allow him into the hallway first.

This might not be what you planned for your life. You never expected to give up your mission load in favor of playing bodyguard for Hunter, but one of the hallmarks of being a Jedi is being adaptable. 

Perhaps, someday soon, the Empire will revert to a Republic.

Perhaps, soon, Hunter will no longer have to wear the mantle of Emperor for a galaxy that doesn’t even see him as a person.

But until that day happens, you will guard him and guide him to the best of your ability.

A small smile lifts your lips as the door to the senate floor opens and you follow Hunter to the platform in the middle of the room.

Anakin Skywalker sits covered in chains on a platform surrounded by clones with weapons. He explodes into a tirade the moment he sees Hunter, and you can see people’s opinions of him changing as he’s allowed to scream for several long minutes.

And your smile becomes triumphant.

Yes. Hunter is going to be great.

[stars-n-spice]

Questions TBB Better Fucking Answer Soon:

Where the FUCK is Tech??? Stop fucking giving us hope that he might be C2-X or whatever the fuck. Fucking show us his dead body or give him back to us!

Where the FUCK is Cody?? Huh??? Where did he go??? Only acceptable answer? He's on his way to Tatooine to be with Obi-Wan. You reveal that and all will be forgiven. I promise. Maybe.

WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED WITH WOLFFE FOR LETTING REX AND THE GANG GET AWAY HUH??? I'M SURE THERE WERE CONSEQUENCES!! WHEN THE FUCK ARE WE GOING TO GET HIM BACK???

What the fuck is up with Omega. Straight up. What. How. and Why? Same with Emerie. How the fuck did they come to be? Are they trans? yes. next question.

Also why does Emerie get a last name and nobody else does, hm? Why is she Emerie Karr, is that like,, did she choose that or like?? Ok dumb question sure but like,, EXPLAIN HOW AND WHY OR JUST CONFIRM SHE'S TRANS OR SOMETHING C'MON NOW.

SHOW US WHAT THE FUCK IS IN THOSE FUCKING TUBES!

I'm sorry, I'm yelling but I've spent most of this season fucking confused and frustrated.

Where the fuck did the zillo beast go? And when is it going to eat Hemlock and Palpatine?

So...Senator Chuchi and Clone Revolution when?

And like...Cid is just...she's just going to be able to get away with what she did? We're just gonna forget about her? I mean sure, but I really thought they'd bring her back or something.

What the fuck happened to Crosshair on Tatniss? Wait, nevermind, don't tell me, I don't want to know, it'll only make me sad-

WAIT SO LIKE,, DID CROSSHAIR EVER ACTUALLY GET HIS FUCKING CHIP REMOVED OR NOT???

Explain again Hunter's enhanced senses and why the fuck he seems to have lost them in this season.

Also answer why Wrecker is the most perfect man ever? Why did they craft the most wonderful man to exist and then make him not real? You trying to kill me or what?

Feel free to add on because there are only the ones on the top of my head.

[soka-writes-things]

𝖊𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝖘𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵

𝖊𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝖘𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬

❝ 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀? ❞

𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 a senator decides her life needs a bit of spice so she embarks on an adventure. unwillingly, of course.

the bad batch x fem!oc

all seasons

in progress

All Rights Reserved to me

next

☁️.ᐟ

જ⁀➴ 𝖊𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜  𝖘𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬

❝ the bad batch ❞

chapters:

01. trivial matters and a cocktail

02. jittery nerves and some new friends

03. assassination attempt and treason

04. tragedy and betrayal

05. nightmares and worms

06. jailbreak and detonations

༘⋆

i fell in love with

your chaos

༘⋆

𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭,

𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬

⌞𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬⌝

❝ 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐀 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐑 starts to bite off more than she can chew, it's up to The Bad Batch to come to her rescue. Well, that's the shorter version. In actuality, a senator had decided to scope 79's for information about Clone Rights, and accidentally managed to put herself on Rampart's radar. This began the domino effect of assassins, bounty hunters and annoying opposing senators to try and retrieve her head on a silver plater. Now she must rely on faith, trust and a little bit of clone commandos in order to survive her new life while she hides some life-threatening information that demands that she keep her head down. ❞

.𖥔 ˖ 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 stuck with us for the long run

𝐬𝐨 strap in and see if you can keep up ˖ 𖥔.

​

cast​ ⚔ .ᐟ

𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝐚𝐬 𝘀𝗼𝗸𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗮 𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗯𝗶

... 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲���

ᯓ★

a/n: omg im so excited to finally get this series (book) out. ive been working on it for EONS and havent had the time to just sit down and just edit and finish writing.

but omg

the intro is finally out.

at the moment i am writing this, the ending to s3 of tbb hasnt come out yet, so i cant determine if there will be angst in this series yet. this is my comfort writing fic and tbh i dont really want to write angst, but if it comes to it in the show, expect that there will be.

omg the graphics are so bad but they took so long so im fine with them for now😭😭

please dont let this flop <3., and if you want to be notified when the official chapters are out, just comment ur username below and say "i want to be notified". ty !

𝖊𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝖘𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐬.

[lightwise]

TBB S3E6 Reactions

Alright, in lieu of an analysis this week, you guys get some extra long reactions from me. Spoilers for Infiltration under the cut!

- Pantora: These onion-top spires are very cool.

- Nice poncho Rex but we can all see those tally marked scratches peeking out from underneath it.

- The Clone X theme hits HARD even when it’s only the first notes of it

- GS-8! Senator Singh! Howzer! Man the Kiners weren’t kidding with the Leo meme

- Okay Senator Singh maybe if you’ve been in hiding you shouldn’t be wearing your native cultural garb in case you stick out 🤓

- Tea?? Riyo?? I wanna have tea with her ☺️ also I want that teapot haha

- Always love the political aftermath of the clone wars and the humanizing of the separatist movement

- Singh has a little helmet recorder like Tech does…interesting

- One clone X boy coming up

- RIP Greer

- Rex is 🔥 catching that grenade…thankfully not literally

- Stripey helmet—that’s Nemec or Fireball, right??

- It really took 3 stuns to get that CX to drop. What has Hemlock been doing to them?? Are they pumped up with something to give them more endurance?

- Fireball mention!! So that’s Nemec with them.

- Wow Teth is gorgeous. I would not have remembered what this outpost means to Rex if it hadn’t come up during the trailer

- A clone base!!! This is SO FREAKING COOL (and has so many implications for the fic I’ve been writing)

- What is with the little knee socks on these bodysuits. They just look so silly

- Although Howzer’s extra pouches are also up there for hilarity points

- Ew they yanked out his tooth

- “You’re still one of us” is he though? Is there anything original left in there?

- Part of me feels like Scorch has been brainwashed too.

- “Why have I been activated” lmaoooo grumpy boi

- Internal homing device?? Greatttt

- How Rex says Tantiss 🥺

- Howzer ready to throw some hands (first of many)

- Rex’s face when he’s worried about Omega 🥺🥺🥺 he just wants to protect her and the Batch

- This is the story of Omega and her toothpick 🤣🤣

- Crosshair shaking his head at her even though he probably gave it to her 🤣 (also dear lord how does he look SO PRETTY here nursing that toothpick with his eyes glowing in the dark. Ugh I can’t with this man

- Gregor mention!

- Man Echo is not wanting to answer Hunter’s questions lol

- Omega is approaching her teen years now, Hunter. Of course she’s going to be copying her emo big (little) brother. He looks both glad that they’re bonding and also worried that they’re the reason Rex needs to talk to them.

- Still think Rex looks naked without his pauldron. I do love the detail that the paint on his shoulder underneath it would be much brighter and less worn than everywhere else, though

- “Good to see you, Rex” 🥹

- Hunter and Crosshair’s little glance.

- “Interesting contacts” what the heck does that mean Echo?? What have you been doing acquiring illegal weapons parts?? I mean they’re not illegal but they’re not exactly the norm either

- Their little salutes 🥹

- Lil stealth bomber jet vibes on this ship. Yes I will admit that looks like the Tech Turn as he touches down

- “You’re gonna have to back down Captain” the boys are so back. Only Hunter gets to mess with his brother and vice versa

- Lol everyone thinking that if you’ve been on Tantiss you automatically have the coordinates of where it’s located. Hemlock’s too smart for that, guys

- Crosshair looking solely at Hunter when he says “I’m not loyal to the Empire any longer” 😭😭😭 like his approval and understanding is the only one that matters

- Poor Omega does not want to talk about what she’s been through 💔

- Kind of surprised they don’t know what M-count means but it also makes sense. Obviously Rex has heard it mentioned from Anakin or Ahsoka but they don’t know the implications

- Okay, Rex, for the rest of this episode—I love you but WHERE are your security measures???? How does CX just waltz right in the front door and you don’t even have an alarm or key code or anything???

- Gregor canonically cooks!! Looking at you DJ 😄

- Crosshair’s description of the CX program is TERRIFYING. He can barely make himself talk about it. He was close to becoming one of them?? How is he walking around with all that knowledge and Hemlock didn’t wipe his mind if it? None of this is good. My poor boy.

- Gosh Rex sounds so tired.

- Crosshair sounds TERRIFIED.

- How does CX run so fast?

- Interesting that they give the woozy perspective of the other CX as Crosshair comes into the room

- Okay let me reiterate for you all—Crosshair is absolutely terrified here. Similar to Tech, this man is almost unflappable. If he’s scared they all should be hightailing it immediately. What the hell has Hemlock done to these clones??

- Does the CX truly recognize Crosshair? And why would Hemlock still use the designation “brother” as part of their programming? All this mind control stuff is making the chips look like child’s play

- Okay but in all seriousness, what if most of the clones being put through the undercover program still have their chips installed and those somehow can be reactivated or enhanced again? Crosshair does not, therefore it’s much harder for Hemlock to persuade him

- That sniper shot was insane. As was that creepy laugh.

- Some of the dialogue in these episodes is feeling unnecessary. Omega pointing out where shots are coming from is a little obvious

- Fireball 😢😢😢 at least you lived up to your name

- And goodbye monastery

- Woooooolffeeee. Armor as amazing as always. What the heck has he been up to to get put on missions like this. We’re one step closer to getting the old man Seelos gang together.

[webslinger-holland]

The Sergeant's Senator | Epilogue

Summary: A few years have passed. The Bad Batch finally think about settling down on Pabu.

Warning: fluff, reuniting, mutual pining, kissing

Pairing: Hunter x Fem!Reader Senator

Type: Short Series

Word Count: 3.5k words

Series Masterlist

Over the course of the next three years, Hunter had come across lots of different beaches during their missions. He'd often take a short moment to take in the scenery at the end of a mission, judging the features that in his mind made the beach a good one or a bad one.

No matter how many beaches he came across, Hunter was never fully satisfied with the beach in front of him. There was always something that made it fall short of being a perfect beach. Whether it was much too rocky, the waters weren't the right shade of blue, or a few unfriendly critters littered the place. He came to the conclusion that none of these beaches were up to his specific standards.

That was until Pabu.

During the Bad Batch's first stay on the planet, Hunter found himself walking down to the shoreline on his own one evening. His heavy boots pressed into the soft white sand, thinking slightly under his weight. He searched some of his surroundings, glancing up and down the coastline for anything out of place. But Hunter couldn't really see anything just yet.

The crystal clear blue water created the smallest curved waves, splashing white sea foam along the shore. The sinking orange sun shone through the billowing wispy clouds, kissing his tanned skin and keeping him warm in the sunlight. A handful of colorful seashells littered across the sand, but not too much that it would be difficult to avoid stepping on them. The beach looked like a masterful painting. And it felt like the world seemed to stand still.

This was the place; Hunter was sure of it.

The Pabu port was certainly a hotspot for the remote island. Many fishing boats would travel out into the waters every day to catch fish to bring back. They also transported various goods including resources to rebuild and supplies to distribute. There were always a lot of people hanging around the docks.

Just as a boat was pulling into port, Wrecker was sure to wave from his spot on the perched ledge. He held a fishing pole in one hand, gently tugging the line with the other. The small boat docked and a number of people began carrying the supplies up to the lower level of the city.

Meanwhile, Shep and Hunter were carrying two heavy crates up the stairs to the lower level. They wasted little time in setting the crates down with the rest of them, getting ready to go back down for another trip.

"This friend of yours who's stopping by, he's another clone?" Shep wondered while throwing a glance towards the sergeant.

"Yeah, but don't worry. He's not with the Empire," Hunter reassured him. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand.

"If you trust him, that's enough for me," Shep smiled.

"The new fishing dock's rebuilt and moored," Wrecker announced. He had just climbed the last few steps whilst carrying a massive purple fish over one shoulder. "And I caught some dinner," Wrecker added proudly.

"You've been busy," Hunter recognized.

"You're got that right," Wrecker smirked. He propped the pole of his fishing rod over his right shoulder. He was quickly called away by some others who were looking for help to fortify the seawall. And he hurried after them.

"He's become an integral part of this community. You all have," Shep praised. His tone changed slightly as his next words came. "Any chance you've reconsidered staying permanently?"

"For soldiers, putting down roots is an occupational hazard." Hunter tried to explain. He knew this from first hand experience that he wasn't meant to form attachments to anyone or any place.

"Is that all you are? A soldier?" Shep asked sadly.

For a brief moment, Hunter pondered his words carefully. It'd been a long time since he questioned his status as a soldier. The times had changed and the war had ended since then. But he didn't have a long time to think about this before he heard the engines of his ship flying overhead.

Looking up, the Marauder flew over the docks and the port. It began flying higher into the sky, growing smaller in the distance. The two of them walked towards the edge of the steps to watch the ship fly away.

"More flying lessons?" Shep chuckled.

"Uh-huh. Tech's got his hands full," Hunter commented with a small smirk on his face.

Meanwhile, Tech and Omega were doing another flying session since she had begged him earlier that morning. She sat happily in the pilot's seat, maneuvering the wheel with two hands. Tech was currently seated beside her, but was holding onto the sides of the seat for dear life.

It was safe to assume that Tech found Omega's flying skills incredibly inexperienced and rather reckless. She'd often pull up at the last minute or use the thrusters way too much. He tried to critic her, but she kinda did her own thing.

After a moment, there was an incoming vessel approaching them that showed up on their scanners. The two of them leaned forward in their seats to look at the blinking red light on the panel.

"Incoming vessel on approach," Tech explained.

"It's him!" Omega exclaimed happily. She pressed the comm channel. "Havoc-4, this is Havoc-5. Do you copy?"

"Affirmative, Havoc-5. I see you've been keeping up with your training," Echo's voice sounded through their channel. A smile was evident in his tone.

"As promised," Omega replied.

"Good. Race you to the landing zone?" Echo challenged.

Before Tech was able to protest the idea, Omega had already accepted the challenge and grabbed onto the thrusters. She pulled a sharp turn in order to head back to the landing zone, following the ship closely behind.

Only a few minutes later, Echo successfully landed his ship near the landing zone. The engines powered down and the ramp lowered slowly. He walked down the ramp to be greeted by a familiar face. Both Hunter and Echo came up to each other and clasped their hands together in a brotherly manner.

"You weren't kidding. This place is remote," Echo told him, having never visiting the desolate planet beforehand.

"That has its advantages," Hunter agreed. The Marauder ship began to slowly descend over the landing platform, coming down a little rougher than expected.

"I'm surprised you're not on Ord Mantell with Cid," Echo pointed out.

"We've been...reevaluating things," Hunter responded.

In the short distance, Omega emerged from the entrance of the ship. She called the clones name, waving her hand wildly in hopes that he would see her. She broke into a run down the ramp, following by a dizzy looking Tech who stumbled down after her with a hand on the side of his head.

Just as Omega drew closer to them, she ended up leaping into his open arms and wrapped her arms around his next. He was a little taken back by the gesture to say the least, but he hugged her back nonetheless. She smiled so brightly.

"We've missed you," Omega said cheerfully.

"It hasn't been that long," Echo chuckled. He was careful to set her back down on her own two feet.

"Feels like it has," Omega shrugged her shoulders at this.

Turning his attention back towards Hunter, Echo's face grew more serious. He had come to them for a reason; this wasn't just a friendly visit. However, Echo did come bearing good news. And he needed to tell the sergeant.

"I've just come from Coruscant," Echo confessed. The sergeant immedielty straightened his back in posture and his breath hitched in the back of his throat at the mere mention.

"Did you happen to--" Hunter stopped his words short.

"Yes," Echo nodded. His lips tugged into a gentle smile. "I saw her. She's doing just fine."

Upon hearing this, Hunter nodded his head understandingly. His gaze fell to the floor as he tried pushing his emotions and reaction down. However, this didn't go unnoticed by Tech or Omega. They studied him carefully.

"Actually," Echo corrected himself. "She's doing more than fine."

Without another word, Echo had turned around in his place and walked right back up the ramp of his ship. The others who had been left behind were confused by his sudden disappearance. But it all seemed to make sense a moment later when he reemerged at the entrance.

This time, Echo wasn't alone though. He gingerly helped escort the former senator down the ramp slowly, being extra mindful of her weakened state. She needed to watch her steps because she didn't want to loose her footing. The two of them descended down the length of the ramp until they reached the bottom. Now they lifted their gaze to look at the others.

In that moment, Hunter felt this stirring tension growing in the pit of his stomach. Everything around seemed irrelevant as he stared directly into those mesmerizing eyes once again. He honestly never thought he'd lay eyes on her again, yet here she was, standing only a few feet away from him. He heard his heart skip a beat. And he swore that he'd just fallen in love with her all over again.

Having been apart for three years, Y/n looked different from when they spent time together and from when the picture of her hologram was taken. She no longer wore extravagant clothing fit for a senator, instead opting to wear bland and boring civvy clothes. Not only that, but she also cut her hair and it now rested in soft waves just below her chin. She looked different; she looked as beautiful as ever.

Feeling overcome with emotions, Hunter took a single shaky step forward. He moved with caution in fear that this was all just some horrible nightmare torturing his mind. But as he drew closer to her, his hesitation didn't waver. He just couldn't believe his eyes.

Very quietly, Echo and Tech silently gestured for the young girl to follow them away. She was going to protest, but they quickly reminded her that they needed a moment together. The three of them began taking strides backwards, giving the couple some space. They watched from a distance instead.

"Is that the senator he likes?" Omega asked with slightly narrowed eyes. She looked up at Tech and Echo for an answer.

"That's her," Echo nodded once in confirmation.

"She doesn't look like a senator," Omega commented on her appearance.

"That's because she's not a senator anymore," Echo replied without taking his eyes off the pair. He crossed his arms over his chest. "She stepped down a few months ago," Echo added.

"So why'd you bring her here?" Omega always seemed to have a million questions on her mind.

"She needed a place to go. She's always had a target on her back. Now more than ever," Echo said with a hint of sorrow in his voice. He didn't want to get too deep into the details, thinking it wouldn't be wise to share that information with a child.

"She'll be safe here," Tech reassured him. "Plus...Hunter's here too."

At this comment, Echo's lips began to tug into a smart smile. He nodded his head in agreement. He looked between the two of them with admiring eyes.

"It's exactly what they both needed," Echo responded. It was almost like it was all apart of his grand plan to get them back together. And it worked perfectly in his favor. "She needed a place to take refuge and he needed a reason to stay."

All the while this conversation was taking place, Hunter and Y/n were still trying to come up with the right words to greet one another. They both simply stood in front of one another with shocked looks on their faces. Each of them unable to find the courage to speak first.

"Hi," Y/n spoke gently. She sent him a nervous smile. She wrung her hands together, realizing that they had become incredibly sweaty.

"Hi," Hunter breathed back, still a bit lost for words. He cleared his throat awkwardly, shaking himself out of his trance. "I--I can't believe you're standing in front of me," Hunter spoke.

"I know," Y/n agreed. "Me neither."

"Cause I never thought I'd see you again," Hunter confessed. There was a strong sense of sorrow in his brown eyes. A heavy heart still kept him stationed, remembering all those lonely nights longing to be able to see her or speak to her.

"Well...I'm here now."

Without saying another word, Hunter took the remaining steps forward to close the distance between the two of them. He wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her into a tight embrace. Dropping his head onto her shoulder, Hunter took a second to bask in the feeling of having her this close to him after all those long years. He closed his eyes shut, sighing in a form of contentment.

For some reason, Hunter was holding onto her so desperately at the beginning. It was almost like he was afraid she'd slip through his fingers so he clung to her as a lifeline. He buried his nose into the waves of her hair, inhaling the sweet familiar scent of fresh lavender. She grounded him back to reality.

"I missed you," Hunter mumbled into her hair quiet enough that she was the only one who heard him.

"I missed you too," Y/n said with a hinted smile in her tone. Her arms remained locked around the space behind his neck, holding him down to her for a while. They swayed ever so gently in their place, feeling an overwhelming sense of happiness taking over them.

Finally, Hunter drew away from her, but he kept his hands on her hips steadily. He held her at an arms length so his eyes were able to scan over her new appearance. He chuckled softly to himself.

"What happened to this?" Hunter prompted with a smile. He had brought a hand up to grab a few strands of her short hair, tugging on it teasingly.

"I cut it," Y/n replied happily. She subconsciously grabbed a few strands as if to fix it for approval. She gazed up at him with sparkling eyes. "Do you like it?"

"It suits you," Hunter agreed with a firm nod. "I like it a lot."

There grew a settled comfortable silence between the two of them. They once again found that they were at a loss for words, choosing to simply bask in one another's presence for the meantime. Eventually, a thought slipped through the sergeant's mind. And he was reminded of the thing he did on every previous mission.

"I have to show you something," Hunter stated as the realization dawned on him suddenly.

"Lead the way," Y/n encouraged. He took hold of her hand gently, glancing down at her for a quick approval. When she sent him a smile, Hunter took that as the 'go ahead.'

They began walking through the various streets of the little island, talking and catching up on the latest development in their lives. She had mentioned what had happened to the senate as of recently, stating that the corruption of this new empire was only creating more problems throughout the galaxy in her opinion. She also had come to realize that there weren't too many others who agreed with her, which became one of the reasons why she stepped down.

After this, Hunter talked about to events that occurred after the end of the war. How Order 66 went down for them, how they met Omega in Kamino, how Crosshair chose the Empire over them, and how they had been on the run ever since. It felt like they talked for hours as they mindlessly walked through the quaint streets.

It wasn't until later in the evening when they made their way to the lowest level of the city. They passed by the now empty ports, heading towards the shoreline in the distance. Stepping off the platform meant that their feet settled on the soft sand of the beach.

When the former senator raised her head, Y/n was greeted by the most magnificent and breathtaking sight she'd ever had the pleasure to witness. As the sun hovered over the horizon, it casted a warm, golden glow across the sky, painting it with a palette of oranges, pinks, and yellows. The ocean waves created the most gentlest of sounds, lapping against the shore in a rhythmically slow manner.

The sand was bathed in the warm light of the settling sun, casting these long deep shadows that stretched down the length of the beach. The air filled with the silly sound of seagulls quacking at each other over the sounds of waves crashing against nearby rocks.

While the sun sank lower, the colors scattered across the skyline began to intensify. The oranges grew richer in ripeness, the pinks changed a shade deeper, and the yellow more pronounced than ever. The fluffy clouds were transformed into a canvas of swirling and mixing colors; each cloud becoming a unique piece of art never seen before. It was the most beautiful sight known to man; a beach bathed in the warm light of a setting sun.

Taking a moment to admire the beauty, Y/n wanted to commit this picture to her memory forever. She closed her eyes temporarily. She inhaled deeply through her nose, smelling the salt of the sea. As the waves crashed near her feet, a spray of seawater kissed her face gently. The gently wind blew the hair out of her face and the sun's warm brought a beautiful glow to her skin. A bright smile overtook her face.

All the while, Hunter was looking down at her like she was the only thing in the world. He didn't care about the view of the beautiful shoreline in front of him; instead choosing to look at the person who he believed could rival the view. He truly thought she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever laid eyes on and he had believed that for years now.

"It's beautiful," Y/n breathed, still taking the time to admire the view.

"Well, I always promised that I'd take you to the beach," Hunter recalled. His thoughts turned wary for a second. A frown fell across his face. "I just hope that it lives up to your expectations."

"It exceeds them," Y/n answered without a moment's hesitation. Her eyes remained trained on the landscape in front of her. "I've never seen a more pure and perfect beauty than this."

"I have," Hunter confessed.

Since getting there, this was the first time that she'd taken the chance to look at him instead of the view. She turned her head to look up at him only to find that he was already looking at her and had been for some time now. Her breath caught in the back of her throat and her heart skipped a beat. She saw the way he smiled at his and she was reminded about his heightened senses.

Feeling slightly embarrassed with herself, Y/n went to avoid his gaze, but he stopped her from doing so. He grasped the tip of her chin between his fingers, lifting her head to meet his gaze once more. The two of themselves discovered that they naturally gravitated towards one another. Their gazes switching between looking at their eyes and glancing down at their lips.

Finally, after three years of being apart from each other, the sergeant and the senator's lips brushed together in a soft delicate kiss. Their eyes fluttered shut beforehand. His hands went from the sides of her head and down to my neck, holding her steadily in his place. Mouths moving in a slow manner to swallow one another's breaths. She tasted as sweet as he recalled from their first kiss and his scruff tickled her face ever so slightly.

They tried to savor this moment together. They held onto each other in fear that they'd lose one another all over again. Their lips fit together like two perfectly matched puzzle pieces, destined to be together from the start. They were reunited.

Pulling away, Hunter already missed the feeling of her lips against his own. He leaned forward to press his head to her own. Their noses bumped together. He kept his hands on the sides of her neck, fighting the urge to simply pull her back into another kiss. She brought her hands up to hold onto the backs of his hands. She gazed up at him with a gentle smile on her face.

"I love you."

No matter what challenges were ahead of them or what was they'd be up against in the future, neither of them feared it. Because they knew that, despite what may come, that they'd always have each other. And they didn't have intend on letting go anytime soon.

It would be the two of them against the rest of the world. And they were okay with that.

Taglist:

@leotatombs @justhavingsomefun1 @totally-not-your-babe @jedipoodoo @gyllord @roam-rs @totallyunidentified @redheadgirl @mrcaptainrex @whore-of-many-hot-men @graciexmarvel @qweenrogerina @arcsimper5 @queenofspades6 @cadihyo @jediknightjana @elthoughtzos @lokigirlszendaya @sleepycreativewriter @moonwrecked-blog @ravenclawbitch426 @waytoooldforthis78 @left-in-the-motel-bar @fic-force-99 @ayyyy-le-simp @swaggykermit

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL WHO FOLLOWED THIS SERIES! I DO HAVE A FEW DELETED SCENES THAT WILL PROBABLY BE POSTED WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO IF THAT INTERESTS PEOPLE. THANKS AGAIN!

[dindjarindiaries]

Senator's Shadow - Chapter 9

summary: Hunter and the squad do their best to reinforce you as you aim to end the crisis on Eirus once and for all.

pairing: hunter (the bad batch) x fem!reader

rating: mature (18+)

tags: bodyguard romance, forbidden love, fluff & angst, emotional & physical hurt/comfort, canon-typical violence, injuries & blood, trauma, eventual/mild smut

word count: 6.912k

chapter 8 ⟸ series masterlist ⟹ chapter 10 (epilogue)

chapter 9 ⟹

Hunter was holding his breath from the moment you had stolen it. His eyes followed you until you disappeared from sight, his chest burning from both the lack of air and his effort to let you go rather than keep you close. He would have gladly surrendered himself with you, but you needed him elsewhere. That was enough.

That would have to be enough.

Wrecker cleared his throat louder than he had to. The sound brought Hunter back to the present, and he snapped his head around to face the squad. They were all staring at him through their helmets, frozen in place in a way Hunter had never seen before.

Despite the severity of the moment, Hunter couldn’t help chuckling to himself. He smirked as he set his helmet back in place and raised his brow at his brothers. “Don’t tell me you’ve all gotten shy, boys.”

They all slowly began to shift around. Tech was bold enough to attempt words first. “We… simply had yet to observe such an affectionate gesture.” He glanced down at his datapad, avoiding eye contact. “Between you two, that is.”

Hunter’s visor looked pointedly around the group. When no one else spoke, he chuckled again. “Clearly, we haven’t spent enough time at Seventy-Nines.”

He let the amusement fade from his tone as he straightened shoulders. You were on your way down to some unknown fate, and here he was, cracking jokes.

“Come on. We have our orders.” Hunter pointed to his left, and the boys’ right. “Wrecker, Tech, you take this side.” He did the same with the other side. “Crosshair, Echo, you go the other way.” He drew his blaster and nodded. “We need to make sure we’re surrounding this courtyard at every possible angle, so keep yourselves spread out.”

“Are we staying up high?” Echo asked, his blaster also drawn.

“Affirmative. We have the high ground, and we need to keep it.”

Wrecker groaned, but Tech was nudging him back towards the stone railing before he could make any other kind of protest. Hunter turned to Crosshair for a quick moment. “Position yourself somewhere with a good shot at anyone who approaches the senator.”

Crosshair nodded and turned to follow Echo, who had already leapt from the outpost’s roof and swung down. Hunter waited until all of his brothers were safely on their way to steady himself with a breath and approach the railing that separated him from the courtyard.

He slowly stood from his crouch, giving himself just enough height to see between the intermittently raised pillars of the railing and view the courtyard. The chaos below had already fizzled out, and the first thing he observed was that the fighters had stopped shooting to concentrate their fire on one specific target.

You. Hands raised, mask and hood both lowered, moving from the safe shadows of the outpost to the exposed light.

Hunter tightened his grasp on his blaster.

“There’s no need for fighting.” Your voice was so calm yet authoritative that it instinctively made Hunter want to obey the gentle order. It was a wonder how just minutes ago, you were trembling in his grasp during your desperate kiss. “I’m here now. Let’s talk this through.”

“At last.” A new voice spoke as soon as you had finished. Hunter was even more alert at once, and he sensed the powerful march of the man’s boots before he had even walked into the light. “We’ve been waiting for you, Senator.”

And there it was, the face he had spent this entire mission memorizing and dreading: Lii Alvani.

Hunter busied his rageful hand with the task of pressing down his comm. “Alvani’s here. Crosshair, your aim needs to be on him at all times.”

“Understood.” Even Crosshair’s cool tone sounded more focused than usual, as if he was suppressing the same amount of rage as Hunter.

You continued on without a single waver in your voice. “I had a feeling you’d be here.”

Alvani opened his arms. “As did I.” He had a sinister grin that Hunter wanted to punch off of his twisted face, but he kept holding on to the self control he had learned so long ago. “It was bold of you, Senator, to leave the capitol. And without any reinforcements!”

You remained unshaken. Warm pride bloomed within Hunter’s chest, despite the circumstances. “I spent many years fighting against you, Alvani, and my people and I emerged victorious. I knew that I could do it again.”

Alvani bowed his head. “This is true.” He lifted a finger. “Aside from a few key details. Your people are mine, now. But even then…” he chuckled, “you are not alone.” Alvani waved a hand at some of the fighters to his left. “Look for the clones.”

The fighters entered the outpost first, no doubt following your own trail. Hunter cursed and turned around to set his back against the stone, allowing himself to face the steps as he prepared to hide from the incoming patrol.

While he waited, Hunter turned his head to scour the nearby rooftops. The squad was blending into the night thanks to the dark ponchos that concealed them. He lifted his hand to his helmet. “Not sure if you’ve all heard, but Alvani’s looking for us. Stay alert, stay low, and stay quiet.”

“Copy that, Sarge,” Wrecker attempted his best whisper.

Hunter continued to listen to you and Alvani even as he attuned his senses to the incoming group of fighters. “The lies have already begun.” Alvani scoffed. “And some of you still trust her? Some of you think that she, and her supposed government, truly care about you?”

Hunter’s blood ran so hot that it started to prickle his skin. Even the rain that had started to fall steadily couldn’t have cooled him down if his skin was vulnerable to it. He was forced to move past the feeling when he heard the echoes of the patrol’s step, signaling him to push himself forward and hide amongst the shadows around the corner.

“These are not my troops opening fire on civilian villages, Alvani. Who do you think thwarted your last attack?”

Alvani laughed. “My attack? Senator, please. These riots have nothing to do with me.”

Hunter bit back a scoff of his own, his blaster raised as he slowly backed away from where the patrol had just emerged. They split up, causing Hunter to reach over his shoulder for the spare line in his pack and dart towards the center of the outpost’s roof.

Your patience was thinning, and Hunter could hear it. “And the fighters who are currently under your command?”

Hunter attached one end of the line to his belt and the other to the small spires of the inner railing. Once it was secure, he leapt over the edge, keeping himself pressed against the stone wall just above the transparisteel barrier. The quickening rainfall pattered against the fragile material, which would have made it hard for anyone without his heightened senses to hear the ongoing conversation.

The sound of Alvani’s voice was still grating, even at this distance. “They’re protecting the people, clearly.”

“From who?”

“You. And your supposed Republic.”

You let out a curt laugh. Hunter tensed as he watched the shadows of the patrol search the perimeter of the rooftop. “Is that the narrative you’re going with, Alvani? That’s ridiculously untrue and low, even for you.”

“Is it?” Hunter’s free hand tightened into a fist as he leaned his helmet against the slickened stone. The urge to launch himself back up and fight was getting harder to ignore. “The people of Eirus have been going without proper resources for many standard months.”

“Because what the Republic and I have been requesting for our people hasn’t been implemented. That’s why I have returned. Instead, I have found that Eirus’ elected officials are debating an alliance with Count Dooku for a deal that would strip this planet of its resources in a detrimental way.” You paused, and Hunter ached at the rising desperate tension in your voice. “I presume it was your idea, Alvani.”

“It’s clear up here,” one of the fighters on the rooftop reported. “We’ll descend and begin searching the outer perimeter. You two, stay up here.” Hunter grinned to himself. Finally, a way for him to take out his anger.

“The count offered me refuge when my homeworld turned its back on me. Now, I’ve come back to return the favor. His Confederacy can help Eirus to flourish once again as the droid factories boost our workforce.”

Hunter waited until the footsteps descended the staircase to pull himself back up the line. He gritted his teeth both at the physical effort and at Alvani’s blatant lies.

You sounded just as unconvinced. “Either you truly believe his lies, Alvani, or you’re deliberately using the same ones.”

“You’ll hear no lies from me, Senator. If only your people could expect the same from you.”

Hunter channeled his red-hot energy into battle as he swung himself over the railing and disconnected the line. His alert senses told him exactly where he could find the first fighter. Hunter lifted his arm and wrapped it around the human’s throat, squeezing it tighter and tighter as he continued to listen to what was happening in the courtyard.

“I do not, and will not, lie—especially not to my people. I can wholeheartedly admit that the Republic isn’t perfect, because as you have so graciously pointed out, even they have not yet provided for Eirus the way they should.”

The deadweight of the fighter began to fall upon Hunter as unconsciousness overtook him. Hunter eased his body down to the ground and moved ahead, seeking the second soldier in the shadows as you spoke.

“But they also have yet to take advantage of Eirus during this war. If the count establishes his droid factories here, then that will be bringing this war to our home permanently. Do we, a peaceful planet, really intend on forever tying ourselves to the production of these droids who have been targeting innocent civilians all across the galaxy?”

Hunter found the second guard and swung out his leg at the back of the Weequay’s knee to trip him. He knocked the fighter’s comlink away while he still had the advantage and kept him on his knees, yet again pulling his arm tight around the soldier’s throat.

“A peaceful planet being represented by a senator who’s arrived here in combat gear?” Alvani laughed. “Who earned her place by fighting her way there?”

Hunter took cruel pleasure in the ceasing of the Weequay’s breath.

“Being a senator was never my choice.” Your voice had gone calm again. “It was our people’s. I’m only fulfilling my duty at the request of the people of Eirus.”

“Perhaps it’s time for new leadership, then.”

Hunter was finally able to return to his previous place, his blaster raised again as he watched you and Alvani through the railing’s small spires. The downpour made it harder to see, but it seemed you were paying no mind to it as you faced Alvani with your hands held out by your sides in constant, peaceful surrender.

You nodded as you responded to him. “Perhaps it is.” You then shook your head. “But not under Count Dooku. He may have deceived you and all our elected officials, Alvani, or perhaps you’re taking part in his deception, but his intentions are cruel. He cares nothing about our planet, nor our people.”

Your focus went to the people who had started to surround the courtyard, from Alvani’s stationed fighters to the villagers who had dared to leave their homes.

“I learned a terrible truth before I came here. I discovered these supposed ‘riots’ have actually been orchestrated by the count and his forces to manipulate Eirus into accepting his offer for protection.”

A hushed gasp went around the crowd. Hunter saw the corners of Alvani’s mouth twitch downwards, though he otherwise held onto his smug expression.

“I don’t believe all of these fighters know this truth, because…” you paused, a new pain evident in your tone, “many of them are the same forces I fought alongside when we freed the planet from this man’s rule.”

Hunter watched as some of the fighters surrounding you started to lower their blasters, but they weren’t yet fully committed to abandoning them.

“I have gone undercover with my clone protectors on this occasion and one other to try to change the outcome of these attacks. We were only able to save one village. My home village being targeted and attacked just after that effort is not a coincidence.”

You paused again, and Alvani still didn’t say anything. Hunter’s brow furrowed as you took the opportunity to go on.

“I understand that Eirus has been through a lot. I was on the front lines for much of it. When I went to Coruscant, my mission continued, but there was a disconnect. Your officials, myself included, have failed you, and I cannot fully express how sorry I am for that.

“But I want to make things better. I don’t want to bring the war here. We have all fought and suffered enough. I propose that we re-elect brand-new officials on every level, including senatorial.” Hunter’s brow shot up. “Give the Republic one more chance to maintain the peace we have long since been seeking. Just as they sent the clone protectors here with me, they can protect us as a planet, but will do no further. Not unless we request it.”

Your words were met with stunned silence. Hunter looked around and watched the faces of your people, especially the villagers, soften at the sight of you. He smiled to himself. You were finally winning them over.

Then Alvani spoke. “What a well-crafted collection of deceit you have made, Senator. Truly, I commend you.” He shook his head. “But such lies cannot stand without evidence to prove them true. Can you at least provide your people with that, if you cannot provide them with the resources they need to live?”

Hunter watched you closely, and what he caught was the calculated way your focus went up and around at the surrounding structures. You were looking for something, or someone.

The signal.

Hunter lifted his hand to his helmet. “That’s the signal, boys. Time to join the party. Tech, have your datapad ready. Crosshair, stay where you are with a shot on Alvani.”

Crosshair’s tone was as cool as usual. “I copy.”

Hunter wasn’t waiting around for the others. He swung out over the edge of the roof and traded his blaster for his blade, digging it into the mortar of the outpost’s bricks to slow his descent. Once he was at a safe enough range, he let go and let himself fall, tucking and rolling once he landed.

The fighters had reinforced their grips on their blasters, but Hunter put away all of his weapons as he stood. He lowered the hood of his poncho and made his way to your side. Alvani’s eyes had widened as he made his approach, but once he was next to you, Hunter’s visor was only concerned with you. There wasn’t much you were giving away, even if Hunter could still see the sweet light of relief in your eyes. He nodded at you before facing Alvani again.

“Heard you’re looking for some evidence.” Hunter crossed his arms as he spoke.

Alvani gave him an incredulous once-over. “And what gives you such authority?”

Hunter lifted his hands to his helmet and removed it, exposing himself to the downpour in favor of staring down Alvani with his own eyes. “I’m the sergeant whose squad has been investigating and combating your attacks.” Hunter tucked his helmet under his arm and shrugged. “May not give me credibility in your eyes, but you can take that up with the Republic.”

Alvani scoffed. “And where is this ‘squad’ you speak of?”

“Right here.” Wrecker’s booming voice made Alvani jump as it appeared from behind him. Wrecker followed Hunter’s lead in having his weapons put away as he held his hands into fists and walked to your other side. “If you have any complaints, you can take ‘em up with me.”

“I wouldn’t risk that if I were you, sir,” Echo warned as he walked up from the shadows. He gestured with his helmet to Wrecker. “He’s not as lenient as the rest of the Republic.”

“Technically, we are supposed to be subject to the rules of command.” Tech held up his finger as he joined the rest of the group, though his focus was on the datapad in his other hand. “We, however, are not obligated to follow those because of our exceptional success rate.”

Once Tech was standing at Hunter’s other side, Alvani looked upon the squad with utter shock. His stare then found yours as he let out a laugh of disbelief. “Are these your aforementioned ‘clone protectors,’ Senator? Really?”

Hunter looked over at you, and your gaze met his as you smiled and nodded. “This is an elite clone squad, Alvani.” You peeled your stare from Hunter to face Alvani once again. “Underestimating them would be unwise.”

“We have the requested evidence.” Tech didn’t give Alvani a single second to speak. For once, Hunter was grateful for it. “Here, I have numerous communication recordings, coordinates of your whereabouts following Eirus’ previous crisis, and confirmed visuals of allies you worked with before being present on-world currently.” Tech looked up from his datapad. “Is that sufficient?”

The murmurs of the surrounding crowd became louder at that. Hunter heard your relieved exhale at his side, and he let it relax him further. The tide had shifted; you had the advantage. Your gamble had paid off.

You spoke into the silence when Alvani failed to. “Your deceptions are over, Alvani. It’s finally time for the people of Eirus to choose their own fate.”

You earned a few enthusiastic shouts at that. Hunter looked around and watched the fighters glance at one another before dropping their weapons to the ground. The corners of his lips started to turn up in a smile, one that only grew the moment he looked at you.

But Alvani sighed, and it wasn’t a defeated sound. “I had a feeling it would come to this.” Hunter’s attention snapped back to Alvani as he lifted his wrist to his lips. “Prime Minister, would you like to do the honors?”

It was then that Hunter sensed a frequency so strong it almost made him wince. Once he got a firmer grasp on it, he realized how familiar it was; too familiar. He lowered himself to the ground to make sure of it, no matter how confident he was in his own abilities. He splayed his palm over the muddy soil.

Your voice was strained with newfound worry. “What is it?”

Hunter put his helmet on and drew his blaster. “You need to get the civilians to safety.” He then spoke to his squad, who was already following the sergeant’s lead in grabbing their weapons. “Lads, we’re about to have some company.”

Echo took a step closer to Hunter. “What kind of company?”

Hunter lifted his blaster to his shoulder. “Clankers.”

Wrecker let out a cheer. “Oh, yeah! Finally!” Hunter took pleasure in the way Alvani’s expression twisted at Wrecker’s excitement.

“Droids?” Your panic was breathless. Hunter turned to face you fully. “How many?”

Hunter set his free hand on your shoulder. “Enough for us to handle.” He gave you a gentle squeeze. “We’ll take care of them. Have the fighters guard any gathered citizens inside the outpost.”

Your gaze gave him a once-over, your brow furrowed. You ultimately exhaled a light breath and nodded, setting your jaw. Hunter wished he could do more to comfort you, but with such an audience, it simply wasn’t safe. Your eyes flashed with sweet understanding before you stepped away and raised your voice.

“Everyone, inside the outpost! Now!”

Thankfully, the fighters had fully pledged their allegiance to you, and they obeyed your order without hesitation. They picked up their blasters and started directing the gathered citizens to the outpost, but you weren’t going with them. Hunter tilted his helmet when your stare found his visor again, and your smile and shrug said it all.

You had told them long ago that you would be on the front lines of this conflict, and that wouldn’t stop now.

But his senses were slammed by the awakening of the battle droids, and it would only be a matter of moments until they would start to open fire. Hunter was ready to warn you until he sensed an alarming movement much closer than the droids were. You weren’t the only one who had mastered the craft of a hidden holster.

Hunter reached for his knife and threw it without a second thought. The golden blade whizzed through the air and struck Alvani’s blaster just before he could pull the trigger on you. Hunter focused on aiming his own blaster, but it wasn’t his weapon that dealt the blow.

One blue circle of light from Crosshair’s perch was all it took to put Alvani out of commission, and his body hit the mud as soon as the droids who had been hiding in the darkness began to open fire.

Hunter positioned himself in front of you and fired his blaster into the fray. “Wrecker, get Alvani inside the outpost!”

Wrecker was quick to obey the order, allowing Hunter to focus on their surroundings. They needed cover, but they couldn’t afford to be pinned inside the outpost with everyone else. They were going to have to split up and use the infrastructure to their advantage.

Hunter spoke into his comm, regardless of the fact Echo and Tech were right beside him. “We’re splitting up again. We’ll stay in our original pairs. Wrecker, you’ll rendezvous with Crosshair’s position whenever you’re done with Alvani. Crosshair, stay where you are and watch our backs.”

“With pleasure,” Crosshair assured him.

“I… copy… Sarge!” Wrecker was breathing heavily from his run.

Hunter looked at Echo and Tech, directing them to the right with his blaster. They nodded and began to split off, which left you and Hunter to head to the left. He continued to shield you and fire at the droids until you had proper cover.

Taking shelter inside a tight alleyway with time to spare, Hunter kept you safe between himself and the wall that was at your back. His free hand removed his helmet while the hand with his blaster carefully wrapped around the back of your neck to bring your mouth to his.

You didn’t resist, at least not at first. You melted against him as easily as the rain trickled over your faces and his armor, and for a moment, you fisted the material of his poncho to pull him even closer. But then you flattened your palms against his armored chest and parted your lips from his, your brow furrowed as you sought an explanation.

Hunter pressed his wet forehead against yours. “You’re okay.” He exhaled his sigh of relief against your brow as he kissed it. “And you did it.”

You smiled at him, and though his breathless admiration and affection was reflected in your gaze, you were still able to quirk up an eyebrow. “Of course I did.”

Hunter huffed before he kissed you again. He needed this reassurance, and given how eager you were to match each desperate stroke, you did, too. Hunter could still spare a few words. “Giving up your senatorial seat, huh?”

You pulled away, your arms now wrapped around his neck, and gestured with your head to the alleyway’s opening. “Surely we can find a better time to talk about that.”

Hunter chuckled, his lips spreading wide in a fond, confident smirk. “I wouldn’t worry if I were you. I could fight clankers in my sleep.”

You gave him a dizzying once-over. “I’m sure you could.” You kissed his cheek that time. “So why don’t you show me?”

Hunter hummed and lifted his helmet once again, setting it over his head before nodding. “Finally.”

He had to agree with Wrecker’s earlier sentiment: he had missed this, the rush of battle, the thrill of doing what he and his brothers had quite literally been made for. There was still a lot to sort out, but now that you were okay and you had accomplished what you set out to do, Hunter was finally free to let himself loose again.

His squad was always showing off, but now, he had an even more important audience to show off for.

“So,” your voice had returned to a more tactical tone, “what’s the plan?”

Hunter holstered his blaster and took up the knife he had retrieved from the mud. He tilted his helmet at you. “Try to keep up.”

With that, he darted towards the alleyway’s opening, going right back to all the action. Cover had been important, yes, but only as a means of regrouping. Now, Hunter could weave himself in-and-out of all the gaps between buildings to avoid fire if he had to, all while pursuing these droids as if it was just another day’s work.

In a way, it was, though you had made this mission feel anything but ordinary.

Hunter didn’t have to consume himself with your wellbeing because of his confidence in both his own actions and yours, even if he did glance back to make sure you were still close. You already fit in nicely with his technique, acting as a defensive line of cover while Hunter pursued his assault with his blade.

He dodged, dove, flipped, and sliced, using his senses to find each target and confirm each kill. You were always there at the edges, illuminating them with a warmth that rivaled the chill of the rain seeping beneath his armor. He could hear the familiar jolts of Crosshair’s rifle firing shots from his perch, and at one point, he heard Wrecker’s yells as he finally plowed through to get to Crosshair’s position.

Everything was just as it should be. And to think that at the end of it all, there was even a chance for your place with them to be permanent, should you want to take it.

Hunter had his blade deep in a droid’s skull when his comm went off. “They really didn’t bother sending their best here,” Echo commented.

“Which was a wise course of action,” Tech chimed in. “This is the final chance they are giving Eirus. It would be a waste of resources to send their most refined droids to a planet they do not even know if they will have.”

“That would explain why there’s only one wave.” Crosshair huffed, though the noise was mostly static through the comms. “We’ve nearly fought through all their forces.”

“Already?” Wrecker was disappointed. “Aw, man! I just got here!”

“We’ll be back in the field before you know it, Wrecker.” Hunter paused as he sliced through a droid on his left and then swung around to stab the neck of one on his right. You blasted down a droid just behind him, and he nodded in your direction to thank you. “Just have fun while you can.”

Your voice rose above the sounds of battle to speak to him. “I quite like your squad’s idea of ‘fun,’ Sergeant.”

Hunter let out a soft laugh and glanced at you over his shoulder. “You’re a natural, Senator.”

Hunter had chased another kind of pleasant adrenaline with you before, but he had to agree: this was just pure fun.

It wasn’t long before the rest of the boys were back in Hunter’s sights. The droids’ numbers were dwindling fast, and the squad’s restlessness during the course of this mission had much to do with it, no doubt. They were all itching to be back on the battlefield again, and that meant these droids never stood a chance. Hunter honestly felt a bit of pity for them.

Then he remembered why they were sent here, and that softer feeling faded fast.

When there was only one left, Hunter held up his men and let you do the honors. He tossed up his blade and you caught it just as you holstered your blaster, continuing your movement to bury it down to the hilt inside the droid’s wired neck. You retracted the knife only when the droid collapsed, bringing an end to the conflict.

“Ha-ha! Yeah!” Wrecker lunged forward to give you a high-five. Hunter crossed his arms and shook his head, despite the fact he was beaming underneath his helmet. He glanced over at Tech, who was already tapping away on his datapad.

Hunter’s brow rose. “Reinforcements?”

Tech’s gaze flickered up at him. “Negative. Just as I said before, the Separatists have no interest in a planet that cannot promise its resources any longer. This was, indeed, their final chance.”

Hunter’s focus returned to you when you handed him his blade. He took it, his fingers brushing yours, and sheathed it. Your gaze was relieved as it bore through his visor, but it was also exhausted, vulnerable to him in a way that made his chest tight. When you were at his side, he held a hand upon your back, and you leaned your head against his armored shoulder.

“Awww,” Wrecker cooed.

Crosshair nudged him with his shoulder. “Grow up, Wrecker.” Hunter huffed.

“So,” Echo gestured to the open stretch of ground littered in droid parts, “that’s it, Senator?”

You lifted your head from Hunter to nod. “It is.” Your stare scanned the group, a fond smile stretching across your lips. “I can’t thank you all enough for your tireless effort to help me see this through.” You let out a soft laugh. “Especially seeing how much you’ve had to hold back this entire time.”

Wrecker rolled his neck. “That’s not even the half of it!”

You beamed at him. “I’m sure.” You let out a slow and steady exhale. “Now… well, the Prime Minister’s involvement is troubling, but not entirely unpredictable.” You glanced up at Hunter. “It makes me glad I promised to re-elect every position.”

“Are you really gonna give up yours, Senator?” Echo’s hand was on his hip, now.

You bowed your head. “If that’s what my people want. Whatever it takes to maintain this peace and give the Republic another chance.”

Crosshair shifted his weight to one hip as he kept his arms crossed. “And if you do give up your seat?”

You shrugged, unable to resist a smile as your stare met Hunter’s through his visor. “Then I guess I’ll have to find another way to serve the Republic.”

Hunter tilted his helmet, as if he actually had to consider your words. “I’m sure something can be arranged.” His hand gave your back a few gentle pats. “But first, we have to wrap this up.”

Your gaze flickered low as you nodded. “And you have to get back to the battlefield, now that this mission is over.”

Hunter returned your nod. “We should at least stick around until all the Separatists’ allies are gone. Only then can we really guarantee your safety.”

Your stare simply lingered in his. It would buy you both a little more time until you had to separate, if only for a little while—that is, if your people even wanted to choose someone new as their senatorial representative. It surely seemed like you had won them over again. That left you with maybe one or two more nights together.

Hunter wasn’t even sure how much time you could spend together tonight. There was so much left to do, but seeing you drenched by the downpour and splashed by mud made him want to do nothing except help you wash with warm water and hold you until the exhaustion left your eyes.

But duty would come first, just as it always had.

The rest of the evening was a blur. You and the squad were met with cheers when you returned to the outpost, which meant it wasn’t difficult to get the fighters to join you on the trip back to the planetary capitol. They acted as the necessary force to get the Prime Minister and the other officials involved with the droid attack to surrender, though Hunter and the boys were with you, too.

You had promised a session the next day to begin sorting things out. You would be bringing more Republic officials on-world to facilitate, and to take care of Alvani, the Prime Minister, and the others. The arrival of those officials would also mark the departure of the squad. They were set to arrive in Hunter’s predicted window: two nights from now, including the rest of tonight.

The watch shifts were no longer, but Hunter’s presence in your bedroom was enough protection, anyway. He did eventually get to care for you in the way he had wanted to before, and he even allowed himself to smile at the thought of it before exhaustion took him right along with you. There wasn’t enough time or energy between the two of you to pursue anything else.

The second night, however, was one you both made use of. There was no promise yet of when, or frighteningly if, you could join his squad in some capacity, and that nervous energy was channeled into breathless and passionate desperation. It somehow managed to rival that first night you spent together, leaving Hunter’s senses frayed and pleased as exhaustion overwhelmed him in a much different way than the night before.

When the morning came, Hunter wasn’t brave enough to face it. He woke and remained where he was, his face pressed against the nape of your neck as your naked shoulders rose and fell in time with his own. Hunter listened to your heartbeat, gently stretching his senses just enough to memorize its distinct rhythm. It kept him calm, as if it was always meant to tune him.

Your entwined fingers eventually gave his a soft squeeze, and he exhaled a breath of defeat. There would be no hiding from this day, nor this goodbye.

You kept your hands together as you rolled over to face him. Hunter gave you a once-over, though the contrasting sparkle of sweetness and sadness in your gaze gave him pause. He held your stare as you lifted your free hand to brush through his hair, right where his bandana would usually be.

“How long have you been awake?” Your voice was no louder than a whisper.

Hunter let out a gentle huff. “Longer than you think.”

You laughed, though your amusement was short-lived as you heaved out a troubled breath. “This won’t be the end.” You gave him a nod, one of those determined ones that made his chest swell. “I don’t know what choice my people will make, but… I won’t let this be the end.”

Hunter raised his brow. “You’ll do whatever it takes to help your people, because that’s just who you are.” Hunter’s hand cupped your face as he returned your nod. “And that’s okay.”

You smiled at him. “You’re right.” You moved close enough for your nose to brush his. Hunter closed his eyes and tried to memorize that feeling, too. “But someone once told me that I don’t have to sacrifice all my wants for my people’s needs.” Hunter reopened his eyes and met the breathtaking sincerity within your own. “And I want to be with you, Hunt.”

Hunter smiled. Stars, he would never get tired of hearing you say his name like that. “I want that, too.” He couldn’t resist a kiss, even if it was brief. “You’ll know where to find us. We’ll just be out there chasing clankers.”

You hummed with amusement as you pushed your lips harder against his. It was easy to accept you, to meet each eager, desperate stroke and let at least one of his hands explore you while he still could. But there wasn’t any more time left to use up. Duty called.

Somehow, Hunter managed to pry himself from you and begin dressing for the day. You followed his lead, and Hunter couldn’t help noticing you had slipped on the same dress from the day you first met. Warmth consumed him from head to toe as he finished securing all his armor in place. He then sat in sweet silence with you until you were ready.

There was no other reason to stall. Hunter guided you out of the bedroom and the suite with a hand on your back, just like he had in that grandiose ballroom what felt like ages ago. Once the two of you had stepped outside, Hunter alerted the squad, and the next few minutes were the last you would have alone together.

For now, Hunter reminded himself. He agreed with what you had said before. Somehow, he knew, and truly knew, this was far from the end.

The boys were surprisingly quiet as they emerged from their rooms, as if they also felt the weight of the upcoming goodbye. They would be departing after breakfast, which made this silence stretch even longer, aside from a few of their usual quips and sibling disagreements. That might have been the one dining area where Wrecker didn’t start some kind of large-scale food fight.

You walked close enough to Hunter’s side for your hand to brush his a few times as you made your way to the platform where the Marauder was waiting. Hunter experienced a twinge of relief at the sight of it, with the ship feeling more like a home than even Kamino at that point, but the weight of this goodbye hadn’t fallen from him yet.

Your captain and your guard were waiting on the platform with the other Republic officials, representing the trade-off of protective duties that would go from Hunter and his squad back to your own guard. Hunter wasn’t too happy with it, but at least he knew you could protect yourself if you had to. It wouldn't be much longer until he could protect you again.

That’s what he had to keep telling himself.

You stopped by your captain, facing the squad that stood in a loose formation with their backs at the Marauder. Your gaze looked upon them all as you smiled and spoke in your formal tone. “I cannot thank you enough, Clone Force 99, for all you have done.” You closed your eyes and nodded, bowing your head a bit before looking upon them again. “Eirus would not have its freedom without you.” You chuckled. “Or its senator.”

Hunter set his jaw at the thought of it.

“I wish you all safe passage to your next journey.” Your stare caught his as you spoke one last time. “I’m sure our paths will cross again.”

“They better!” Wrecker insisted.

Hunter gave his head a fond shake. He watched as his squad all nodded and even smiled at you before heading for the ship, soon leaving just him and you. Your smile was sweeter than ever as you reached your hand forward, just like you had done on Coruscant.

Hunter took it and pressed his lips upon the back of it, his stare never once straying from yours until he forced himself to let go and turn away.

The squad all spun around to pretend they hadn’t been watching, as if Hunter and his senses hadn’t felt their gazes boring into his back. It made him chuckle to himself as he closed the distance to the ship.

The Marauder was quiet when he stepped inside, aside from the rumble of its engines as Tech prepared for takeoff. Echo’s hand caught Hunter’s shoulder before he could make his way to the cockpit, but no words came. They simply exchanged a nod, and Echo let Hunter go to join Tech up front.

Tech had obviously noted Hunter’s approach. “Where are we headed?”

Hunter sat down in the chair beside him and crossed his arms over his chest. “We’ll go back to Kamino, reset before we take our next mission.”

Tech nodded, and his hands flew over the controls as he input the coordinates and lifted the Marauder from Eirus’ surface. Hunter was glad he couldn’t see the sight of it fading behind them.

He was surprised when Tech started to speak again. “You failed to meet the proper protocol with the senator yet again, Hunter.”

Hunter turned his head to look at him, his brow furrowed. Tech gave him an amused glance, though he kept his focus on the stars that were starting to stretch ahead of them.

“I believe you were supposed to aim for her lips, not her hand.”

Hunter’s ears began to burn as he shook his head, though a fond smile stretched over his lips. He would have only risked that if he knew it was your final goodbye, and he didn’t truly believe that it was—not for a single moment.

chapter 8 ⟸ series masterlist ⟹ chapter 10 (epilogue)

hunter tag list: @zenrobbins0021 @cw80831 @yunggoblin @maddiedrmr @Molmcb @jellybeanstacey0519 @violetlilly2020

senator’s shadow tag list: @callsign-denmark @dindadjarin @clintbarton-anon

[phantom-of-the-501st]

Thoughts on TBB 3x6 and 3x7

SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT

If anyone is expecting coherent, deep, philosophical thoughts about the episodes, you're not getting that. Clearly the only thing my brain was geared for this morning was incoherent waffle so 99.9% of this is just a mess

3x6: Infiltration

REEEEXXXX

Senator Singh?

Senator Singh!

HOWZER!!!

Poncho Rex has returned ✨

Chuchi!!!

The Senator appears to have blood on his sash 😬

Another Clone X!

There are so many clones in this ep and I am here for it!

THIS BASE CAMP IS AWESOME WTF

I mean, the building is a bit drab but the planet is cool af

We have a 212th clone but where's Cody?!

Ewwwww tooth chip

"Contact Echo and Hunter" the parents must be informed!

Ugh, Echo and Rex working together again is so personal to me

Howler is on a mission this episode and I appreciate the motivation!

"He knows more than he's saying" Yeah, he does. But there's a good chance that if you push him, he'll shut down or bite back. Corsair doesn't open up like that and you need to be careful with being too confrontational. It's why he was so agitated with Hunter.

HAHAHAHAHAHA OMEGA'S STARTED COPYING CROSSHAIR

It's like when she was copying Hunter

Echo's like a mum having to pick up and drop all of his kids off

WRECKER AND CROSS DYNAMIC IS HEALING!!! I missed that dynamic 🥺

That scene of them all walking off the ship does feel very reminiscent of the Batch's first introduction

Howler don't be a dick

Although the beef is kinda justified so I won't be mad

ECHO DON'T GIVE CHILDREN WEAPONRY

Actually, it's a very cool gift tbf and I love that Omega's awesome new crossbow is something that Echo modified himself and then gave to her ❤️

The bond between Echo and Omega is so cute 🥺

"Well, I won't be gone long" BITCH YOU BETTER NOT BE

SCOMP SALUTE!!!

Well that's not good

I don't care how much of it is delusion, you can't tell me that that assassin isn't Tech

"The few that made it through" *cries*

THEY TRIED TO MAKE CROSS A CLONE X BUT IT DIDN'T WORK

I'm not saying things always go wrong when Echo isn't there but...

SECRET BASE IS NOT SO SECRET

FUCK FUCK FUCKETY FUCK FUCK FUCK

THIS IS NOT GOOD

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

DON'T TELL ME WOLFFE IS STILL UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE EMPIRE

FUUUUUUUCCCCCKKKKK

3x7: Extraction

R.I.P purple clone ☹️

Seeing Wolffe like this makes me sad

But I'm surprisingly happy to see that he's still a grumpy bastard

"she only bites half of the time"

How about we don't crash for once? That seems like a better option than the constant near death landings

The assassin limping because of a leg injury caused by fallen debris? Reminds you of a certain someone else, does it not?

"You're as bad as Hunter" "Oh, I'm much worse" OBSESSED WITH THIS DYNAMIC

"I realised how disposable I was" well I'm just gonna go and cry

"The operative's gone rogue" feels like a very... CF99 thing to do

Ngl a little peeved that we have a really awesome double episode following the clone rebellion and Echo just isn't in most of it 🫤

NOT NEMEC

"I don't like that idea" "too bad" I fucking love Cross

WELL THAT SEEMS LIKE A KINDA SHIT IDEA WTF CROSS

AAAAAAAAHHHHHH SHIT

Jesus, Cross you stupid lanky bastard

Well now I'm just upset

WOLFFE NO

BAD WOLFFE

"I know that's not who you are" *sobs*

Ugh, I love you Wolffe

Wolffe showing remorse towards the fallen clones throughout this episode and then wanting to recover the fallen... I'm gonna cry

So a mixed bag of feelings this episode

As a fan of

Rex, I'm ecstatic

Wolffe, I'm crying

Cross, I'm loving it

Echo, more than a little frustrated

But I did absolutely love these eps. Unfortunately, my brain is not turned on enough for any sort of deep thoughts on anything. It's just waffle but what can you do 🤷‍♀️

[oceansssblue]

~ RARE PAIR MASTERLIST:

1. HUNTER/VENTRESS (both trans) > "NOT WHAT I EXPECTED" 🔥

They had never seen this coming. But oh well, they were going to have some fun with it.

2. TECH/JAR JAR BINKS > "LOVELY CHAOTIC" 💖

Tech is naturaly curious about everything. That includes the gungan Jar Jar Binks.

3. CAPTAIN REX/PADME AMIDALA > "HAPPY TO FOLLOW" 💖

Rex is always aware of everything; taking in little details that for others may pass by unnoticed. Senator Amidala's behaviour has definitely been changing. He's about to find why.

4. OMEGA TBB/REEVA > "TEMPTATIVE SMILES" 💔💖

Reeva is tired of being left behind. But perhaps staying in Kamino isn't so bad, huh?

5. FOX/YODA > "REST, YOU MUST" 💔💖

Fox has a lot on his plate. Master Yoda tries to give him a little break.

6. BAYLAN SKOLL/HUNTER > "OPEN FOR YOU" 🔥

Hunter hadn't thought about men that way before. But fuck, he wants to be railed by the General.

7. DOGMA/TUP > "A FEW EXCEPTIONS" 💖

Dogma is one for the rules. Fraternalization with another vod is forbidden. Is he going to stand by as Tup flirts with Fives, though?

8. HUNTER/ECHO > "FAN BOY" 💔💖

Hunter has had a crush on Echo for a long time. It's Crosshair who pulls the cat out of the bag.

9. CROSSHAIR/MAYDAY > "THE POWER OF ANOTHERS TOUCH" 💔🔥

Crosshair is hurt. Mayday helps him. That first touch of the older trooper on the sniper's skin changes things.

10. ECHO/REX > "VIDEO CONFESSIONS" 💖

Rex agrees for a fellow rebel to interview him as part of her "war chronicles" ideas for posterity. It's during that interview when he suddenly realises he's in love with his friend.

--

[knightprincess]

Forgive Me (Echo x Medic Reader) Part 21

Words: 1.7k Warning: None - Set during TBB Season 2 Finale Pronouns Used: She/Her (Use of Y/N)

"You said you needed help with something," worded Tech upon reaching Echo, finally regaining his stable balance after Omega's flying lesson over the sunny skies of Pabu. He readjusted his goggles slightly upon the Arc Trooper holding out a data stick filled with what remained of the imperial encrypted data from the prison ship he, Gregor, and a few others had retrieved Howzer from. 

"Where's (Y/N)?" questioned Omega, briefly looking around Echo to the ship he'd been piloting. "You said you'd bring her with you," she added, hope filling her golden eyes at finally meeting the famed medic. The one she had heard stories about from both Echo and her other brothers. Tech had a few videos of her, although he'd only shared the humorous ones. Hunter's mood seemed to lift, too, when someone mentioned the medic, whereas Wrecker could never stop the grin from appearing. 

"She on her own mission," sadly spoke Echo, the worry and dread he'd felt since they'd separated shimmering in his pale eyes, the fear he'd tried so hard to bury bubbling to the surface again. Although deep down, he questioned where his Snap was safest, on the run with Wolffe or within the imperial ranks as one of their specialized personnel, or maybe she would have been safer with the Batch there on Pabu. Out of the way and hidden. The latter two options posed a significant danger. The Empire had already shown its cruelty and willingness to dispose of those who failed or refused to do what was asked of them. However, being on the run wasn't much better, being constantly hunted and trying to survive in the ever-changing galaxy, the bounty hunters, and the lack of trust in everyone around. 

"You'll meet her someday," commented Tech, stepping back toward the Marauder to decrypt the information on the data stick. He could sense the urgency and felt the information would somehow link to Snap and her mission. Omega soon ran over to Lyana, a playful but happy smile on her lips, Wrecker nearby, ready to play the game of tag he'd promised them days prior. 

"How dangerous is Snap's mission?" asked Hunter upon the Arc Trooper joining him near the arched pillars. They watch the scene of Wrecker playing with the kids unfold before them. "I don't need enhanced senses to see you're afraid to lose her, Echo," added the sergeant, a shadow of a smirk appearing across his lips. 

"As part of Cody's plan, she joined the Imperial ranks and the Dark Trooper project," began Echo, trying his best to push down the fear bubbling again. Even more so as he remembered Rex's last words before he left for Pabu. "She had a tracking device disguised as a necklace to find the Advanced Science Division's secret facility. It stopped transmitting weeks ago; the last known location was Wabani. Intel from Senator Chuchi suggests she was on Daro for a short time before being moved elsewhere," he explained, feeling the familiar feeling of impending doom again. No matter how hard they fought to get information and fight against the Empire, The Imperials and the Empreror always seemed to be several steps ahead. 

"She'll be alright, Echo," started Hunter, placing a comforting hand on the Arc Trooper's shoulder. "She's a fighter. Stronger than most realize," added the Sargent, fondly recalling the past. The few times Snap had been on loan with them during the war. Despite her fragile appearance, she was anything but; easily getting each of them to submit to her, she'd read each as if they were an open book, even Crosshair. Like Omega, (Y/N) had picked up skills and learned from each—Tech more than most, who had taught her to fly confidently and a few other things. 

"Found something," came Tech's voice over the coms, unusually void of emotions as if trying to hide how he felt about something. Hunter and Echo glanced at each other before their attention turned to Wrecker and the girls. Turning just in time to witness the human bulldozer trip over a tree root and fall while playfully chasing Omega and Lyana. The girl's laughter could be heard before Tech's message reached them. After which, it was as if the fun and laughter had been erased, as if they had never been in the first place. Replaced by cold seriousness as if the axe of execution hung in every shadow. 

The short walk to the Marauder was filled with silence, neither pairing speaking a word even when they joined a small group and met Tech aboard the ship. On the screen before Tech was a picture of an unknown man and the limited information known about him. On another screen were the old communication logs from the war; it was clear there was a reason for their old communications to be up. 

"Dr Royace Hemlock, head of the Advanced Science Division. It appears the clones Echo and co-rescued were being sent to him. All data regarding location had been erased; for all intents and purposes, he is a ghost," Tech started, a deep sigh escaping him. "I found a list of clones sent to him, and Crosshair is among them," he added, hearing the surprise lacing Wrecker's voice upon the question escaping his lips. Crosshair turned on the empire? "I checked our old coms as well. And found a message from him. Plan 88: The Seeker" 

"I have a bad feeling about this," worded Echo, feeling the heaviness set over his chest. Everything seemed to point to the Advanced Science Division, and Snap was now in the middle of the danger with the mystery doctor. "I'll contact Rex to see if more information can help us," he commented before walking toward the cockpit. He sensed the sudden wave of tension, the confusion regarding Crosshair. He could sense the oncoming disagreement regarding joining the fight, even temporarily. 

"Any word from Snap?" asked Echo once Rex had answered the call. Deep down, Echo already knew the answer but couldn't help hoping. "Or Wolffe?" he questioned, knowing Wolffe had also joined the ranks of the Empire intending to protect (Y/N), although it hadn't worked out that way. Instead, they'd been separated. Wolffe had been incorporated into the security bureau his knowledge and skills deemed worthy of a high position, and he'd been able to pass along valuable information. 

"Wolffe found intel of a meeting on Eriadu," started Rex, a sense of guilt about him as he was once again to deliver the news there had been no word from Snap, despite Gregor monitoring the coms and tracking device with the hope of finding something. "Tarkin and a select number of high-ranking imperials. Hemlock is one of them." 

"Send me the information," replied Echo without hesitation. Quickly devising a plan, if they could tag Hemlock's ship, they could track him back to the highly secret facility he was in charge of. With luck, they'd find Crosshair and (Y/N) there too. "It appears Crosshair turned on the empire, so he might be able to give us some more information if we can get him out," spoke the Arc Trooper once again, trying to bury the feelings bubbling up: fear, concern, dread, grief, and hopelessness. "Let me know if you hear from Snap," asked Echo before ending the call and rejoining the others, already knowing there would be no backup. Their numbers were already limited and stretched to the brink. 

"He's our brother, and we don't leave our own behind," commented Tech as Echo returned to the gathering. At least confirming the Arc Troopers' suspicion regarding a disagreement had been correct. Wrecker was clearly unsure how to feel or express his feelings. Crosshair had chosen the empire but now seemingly turned on them. Meanwhile, Hunter was suspicious, as if suspecting a trap. On the other hand, Omega and Tech were ready to launch a rescue mission to retrieve their brother from the jaws of the empire and uncertainty. 

"Rex's intel suggests Hemlock will be attending a meeting on Eriadu, Tarkin's fort," spoke Echo, almost spitting the last two words as if they were a vile poison. "If we go, we'll be going alone, no backup," he added, knowing there'd be no one to get them out if they ran into trouble. Like with Kamino the year prior and Skako Minor before that. Each time, they'd come close to losing everything, but by the luck of the maker, a Jedi, and AZ, they'd managed to get out on their own. 

"Any word from Snap?" asked Hunter, knowing he was outnumbered. The risk was great, but each was willing to take it to rescue Crosshair and help the uprising gain more valuable information. The Sargent knew if there was a chance to get ahold of (Y/N) as well, they might as well take it, even more so knowing the chance may not arise again for some time, if at all. 

"None. Even Rex is starting to get worried now," admitted Echo, suspecting the Captain regretted his decision to send Snap into the thick of things. She was a friend, and each had put her in harm's way, Snap herself included. "All we know is the facility is highly secure, nobody knows of its location, and imperials erase everything to do with it when under attack or caught," explained the Arc Trooper, pushing away the intruding thoughts of losing someone he cared for, a member of his family both those of Clone Force 99 and outside of it. 

"What are we waiting for? Let's go get Crosshair and (Y/N)," called Omega, walking off toward the cockpit, almost as if she was silently saying she would fly them to Eriadu if needed. With a nod of confirmation from Hunter, Tech followed to input the coordinates. Meanwhile, Echo tried to busy himself by preparing the kits and ensuring all had what was needed for the cruel terrain waiting for them. Hunter, on the other hand, re-read over the data they had on Hemlock and the illusive advanced science division, trying his hardest to push away and bury all the feelings something was about to go horribly wrong. He wanted Crosshair back, too, for his small family to be whole once more, but he found himself asking what the cost would be. Just as he questioned what the price of Echo and Rex's war would end up being? 

Series Masterlist

[annwayne]

Wip name game!

Thanks @chaniis-atlantis and @aintgonnatakethis for the tags!!

Rules: Post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it!

You can totally ask about more than one fic btw, I know I have a ton of wips lol... and this isn't all of them.. just the ones I can talk about lol

Baldur's Gate 3

Astur Vuldal/Astarion

COD MW2

Crashed Dove Ghost reacts fluff

Leverage

OC x Eliot

Marvel

Sugar!Daddy!AU oc/Loki The Brothers' Lover

Multi-Fandom Crossover

Concubine AU Multiverse

Predator

Feral Predator x Amber Park Ranger oc

Riddick

OC x Riddick Isekai fic

SGA

Alice in Atlantis Alice Plots Brigerton!AU

Star Wars

Crosshair x Jedi!Commander!Anya Hunter x Farmer The Red Logs: Attack on the Senate (working title) The Red Logs: Ideas for during TBB The Red Logs: Murder in a Bar Poly!Batch/Anya Corruption AU Tech's Research

True Blood

oc/Eric

NPT: @wolveria @little-zabrak @nimata-beroya @klynnvakarian @silverwings22 @the-itzy-bitzy-spider

@adriankyte-writes @neon-junkie @l-lend and anyone who wants to be tagged, you've been tagged feel free to @ me in ur post👍