#tech fan fiction

[starryevermore]

to be loved by him ✧ tech

angst city™ library | send in a request (consult request faqs first)

request: Tech meeting a cute racing mechanic and 100% being smitten and stumbly and bumbly but when he races he's cool and calm and confident. They 100% make out in the pit stop after he wins - @captainsbestgal​

pairing: tech x fem!mechanic!reader

summary: when tech comes to safa toma, you find yourself smitten. lucky for you, he feels the same. 

word count: 2,085

warnings?: mild spoilers for season 2 episode 4 of the bad batch, fluff, making out, little bit of teasing, pet name (cyar’ika), not proofread

Working as a mechanic at Safa Toma Speedway was not the sort of work you always dreamed of you. Working as a mechanic? Sure. That had always been the plan. Machines made more sense than people, after all. There were only so many responses, so many actions, a machine could make. People, though? People…Well, they didn’t like you. They thought you were “too much”. They thought you talked too loudly. They thought you laughed too much. They thought you overbearing, annoying, exasperating, irritating. But machines? Machines didn’t think those things. Except for droids, of course, who were maddeningly opinionated. But that was why you didn’t often work with droids. Until now, of course. But these were extenuating circumstances. 

When the Republic became the Empire, everything changed. Your home planet was no longer safe—or, at least, it wouldn’t be. You may not have liked people, but you knew enough to know to recognize patterns. And the way things were looking, you could already feel the cold, iron grip of tyranny squeezing your home. You took the first ship out of there, which, unfortunately, put you on Safa Toma. 

Safa Toma wasn’t…a great place to be. It housed criminals, smugglers, gamblers, and the like. It wasn’t exactly the safe haven you were hoping for. You supposed it was your fault for not paying more attention when you bought your ticket. But, you were here now, and you made do. 

You ended up being employed at the Safa Toma Speedway. It wasn’t the best work, but it paid well. All you had to do was make sure the droid racer, TAY-0, was working fine and that his speeder ran well. And, of course, aid him in modifying the speeder, since the speeder wasn’t designed for racing. You were grateful for the work, so you kept your head down about the seedier aspects of Riot Racing. Don’t kick a gift horse in the mouth, as they say. 

And, oh, were you glad that you decided to stick around. 

Cid, who often bet on TAY-0, had come to the track, alongside two…bodyguards? And a child. (Part of you wondered if the child was also a bodyguard. Though she didn’t look much older than ten or eleven, she looked like she packed a punch.) You more interested in the handsome, goggles-wearing bodyguard, though. If you weren’t busy working, you would have made a proposition or two. Though, you mused, you might just still have the opportunity. 

The race had gone well, until it didn’t. The other racers destroyed the speeder. It crashed. In the wreckage was the broken bits of TAY-0. An unfortunate turn of events for Cid, who bet her freedom on TAY-0 winning. But then the child—Omega— but in, and raised the stakes. If TAY-0 won the next race, Cid was free. 

Your hand was brushing against Tech’s—one of Cid’s maybe-bodyguards (you still weren't sure on the arrangement)—as you reached for a tool to repair TAY-0. 

“Ope, sorry,” you said, pulling your hand away. 

Tech passed you the tool you had been reaching for. ��No need to apologize.”

You offered him a smile before turning back to your task of reconstructing TAY-0’s arm. Kriff, you felt like an idiot around him. Tech, you mean. Not TAY-0. (TAY-0 could kick rocks.) You usually had so much to say that people would tell you to shut up. But when you were around Tech, your mouth suddenly became dry. Your palms became clammy. You struggled to even figure out how to form a sentence. What the hell was he doing to you? 

“So, uh,” he coughed, “how’d you end up working here?”

You stared at him. Was he trying to do small talk? Curious. He didn’t strike you as a small talk sort of person.

“If it’s too personal, you don’t have to say,” he rushed out. There was a pink tint to his face. “I thought it might be nice to talk. Fill the air, you know. We’re going to be here all night. Based on my calculations, we’ll be lucky to have everything repaired and in working order before the race begins tomorrow. And—”

You cracked a smile. His words died in his throat. It was endearing, how nervous he got around you. At least you weren’t alone in that camp. “The Empire,” you said. His brows shot up. You were quick to add, “Nothing happened. Nothing specific, I mean. But they took over my home planet, and I got a bad feeling about it. Decided to trust my instincts and booked the first ship outta there. Ended up here, which wasn’t much better.” You took a moment to look him over. “I think it was a good decision, though. I probably wouldn’t have met you if I ended up somewhere else.”

The pinkness in Tech’s face burned red. “Oh—I—uh—“

“What about you? How’d you end up working for Cid?” 

Tech eyed you, hesitancy overtaking his demeanor. Had you overstepped a boundary? Had you said something that triggered bad memories? Oh, dear. That was the last thing you wanted to do.

Tech stared at you, unblinking. He didn’t blink very much at all, though. His wide eyes constantly took in his surroundings, calculating and categorizing all that he saw. It should have been unnerving, but it wasn’t. It was…comforting. You liked knowing he saw you. “I would rather talk about you,” he said finally. “How did you end up a mechanic?”

You pondered for a moment, tried to formulate a response. You didn’t want to make yourself sound like a fool. “Just what felt natural, you know? I was always good with my hands, always had a mind for puzzles. That’s all being a mechanic is, really. Figuring out the puzzle of the machine, determining what pieces you needed to fit together to make a cohesive picture.”

Tech nodded along as you spoke. “Is it not what you wanted to do?”

You frowned. “What do you mean?”

No one had ever asked you that before. When you told your parents of your chosen career, they shrugged with a quiet sort of indifference. Something about how mechanics are always needed, so you’d always have a job. That it made decent money, so you could have a good life. It was nothing of prestige, so it wasn’t something they got excited about. But it also wasn’t something outlandish, so they didn’t protest, either. Now that you thought about, perhaps your feelings were more similar to your parents’ than you once believed. 

“You said being a mechanic felt natural, but there’s no emotions behind your words. Rather, you only speak with a reluctant acceptance. It is reasonable to assume that you don’t care much for being a mechanic. That it is not what you’re passionate about.” Tech tilted his head. “What are you passionate about?”

You considered his words. There was one thing, a long-forgotten dream that you stuffed away to the far crevices of your mind. It felt strange to be pulling it back out now. “I suppose I always wanted to be a pilot. That wasn’t really an option on my home planet, though. People stuck to the ground. But I remember one time, my family and I visited a cousin on a different planet, and I was mesmerized by the stars, the feeling of traveling through space. When I came here, when I was on the ship that brought me here, I felt like that little girl again. Mesmerized by the stars.”

Tech’s hand came to rest on top of your own. You froze at the contact. When was the last time someone touched you? “When this is over, you should come with us,” Tech said. “I serve as our pilot now, but it’s not really something I care for. If you would like to, I mean.”

“Really?”

“I could teach you the basics, if you’d like, and then you could take over—”

“TECH’S GOT A GIRLFRIEND!” Wrecker shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. He made kissy noises in your direction. 

You jumped away like you’d been shocked. Tech whipped around to glare at his brother. 

Omega tugged on Wrecker’s arm, forcing him to return to their task. “Shh, let’s let them be.”

Tech looked back at you. “We can talk about it more later, okay?”

You nodded. “Okay.”

Now, you worried you would never get the change. TAY-0, who you and Tech worked so hard in restoring, was destroyed just before the race started. All hope seemed lost, but then Tech volunteered himself as the racer. Kriff, it made you sick to think of him on the track. He could handle himself, probably, but there were so many risks. People played dirty out there. If he wasn’t careful, his first race might just be his last. 

You muttered a prayer to the Maker as the race began. You didn’t want to lose him. Not when you just met him. You watched as his speeder took off, falling behind everyone else. 

“Do you know what you’re doing?” you asked, anxiety biting at your nerves. 

“Of course I do,” Tech reported. The nervousness he had around you before had melted away. “I’m being strategic. I have a lot of incentive to win, don’t I?”

Your face grew warm. “Yes, yes you do.”

Wrecker bumped his shoulder against yours. When you looked up at him, he wiggled his eyebrows at you. “Lotta incentive, huh?”

“Hush!”

You chewed on the corner of your nail as you watched the race. With every movement, you worried that Tech wasn’t going to be able to pull through. Then he took the tunnel to the left, and it felt like you died then and there. Didn’t he know that he wasn’t supposed to take that one? Didn’t he know that was dangerous?

“Tech, I swear, if you die out there, I’m gonna kill you,” you muttered. 

He laughed. “Worry not, cyar’ika. I have not intention of dying today.”

And you were glad he didn’t. As he crossed the finished line, winning the race, all of your worries and anxieties exploded into pure joy. All around you, the crowd shouted his name. Tech! Tech! Tech! He got out of his speeder, looking out at the crowd in amazement. Then his focus turned you. 

You ran toward him, throwing your arms around his shoulders, burying your face in the crook of his neck. 

“Oh! This is nice,” he said, his arms wrapping around you. 

“If I’m going to go with you, you’re not allowed to scare me like that again!” you said. 

Tech’s mouth twitched slightly, a small smirk forming on his face. “You know, I think I deserve a good, proper reprimand, don’t you?” When your breath caught in your throat, he continued, “Perhaps we should take this to the pit?”

That was how you ended up seated on a table, legs wrapped around Tech’s waist, fingers pulling at his hair, kissing him so hard you were sure your lips were going to be bruised. His fingers dug into your hips, pulling you close against his chest, like he was trying to mold you into him. His tongue darted out, tracing along your bottom lip. Your lips parted, letting him in, his tongue exploring your mouth like he was trying to commit every part of you to memory.

“We should,” you mumbled against his lips, “go rescue Cid.”

“Wrecker and Omega got it handled,” Tech said, pulling away for a moment to catch his breath. He nuzzled his nose against yours. “Let me enjoy you.”

“Hey, is this is how your flight lessons are going to go?” you asked, your breath fanning over his face. 

Tech let out a chuckle. “Only if you’re a good student.”

“Mm, I promise to be on my best behavior then.”

Tech leaned back in, his lips molding against yours. You moaned slightly, tugging him closer. But, you weren’t given the opportunity to enjoy him like you wanted to because—

“TECH? Where are you? We need to get Cid—OH MY GOD!” Wrecker shouted. “We already got one kid to deal with, don’t be adding another to this!”

You pulled away, laughing so hard you snorted. Tech glared at his brother, but reluctantly unwound himself from you. He held out his hands and helped you down from the table. One hand held onto yours, keeping you close.

“We will continue this later.”

“I look forward to it.”

And, oh, you did. 

[mae-lou-ron]

Back to Sleep

Summary: After some bad dreams interrupt your sleep, you find some unexpected comfort in your beloved partner, Tech.

Pairing: Tech x gn!reader

Warnings: hurt/comfort, waking from bad dreams (no details), fluffy practical Tech in a newish relationship.

Word Count: ~800

A/N: AHHHHHH okay okay okay so the plot goblins absolutely infested my brain after I saw THIS ✨incredible✨ artwork of our darling Tech by @ghostymarni 🫶🏻 This is completely self indulgent because, well, I love him, your honor. I was also a little inspired by the scene in the episode of Schitt’s Creek where Alexis tells David about her breakup with Mutt and realizes she needs a hug 😂

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

"Hey, Tech?" you murmured into the room he was occupying.

Tech hummed softly in acknowledgment. "It is late and I am in the middle of repairs—what do you need?" he asked quietly, not looking up from his project.

You didn't take offense to his demeanor when interrupted; it was just how his brain worked. His mind never ceasing its search for information and solutions. Sometimes that meant extracting himself from your sleepy cocoon to pursue whatever pathway his incredible mind had opened up to him in the middle of the night. But when you didn't respond for a moment, it shifted his unwavering attention to you, immediately noticing your slightly disheveled state.

"I just…" You paused again. "Maker, this is so stupid," you muttered under your breath, unsure if Tech heard you or not.

There was no room for anxiety in your gut now that the mortified butterflies had taken over. Things were still fairly new with you and Tech. You appreciated that he wasn't one who typically relied on physical affection to convey his feelings—and neither were you, really, but right now you were still a human with a rattled nervous system.

You heard the sound of tools being set down gently and the quiet thump of his approaching footsteps.

Your face was burning with embarrassment. You weren't a child, clearly, you should be able to console yourself and go back to sleep, but you were here now and had his undivided attention. Something that made your chest flutter wildly whenever you had it.

The toes of his boots came into your view as he stopped in front of you. "Sarad?" Tech inquired, his voice softening. "Is something the matter? You seem… unsettled." He offered. The warmth he always radiated displaced some of the chill that had set into your bones, and you instinctively leaned forward into him a little more. "Did I wak—"

"I had a nightmare—" you blurted out, inwardly groaning. Your eyes flicked up to his briefly before focusing on the middle of his chest. “I woke up and you…”

"I see," he said softly after a moment, adjusting his goggles as he regarded you. "You were seeking comfort after your bad dreams had woken you?"

"It's nothing—I was just a bit anxious when I woke up, but it's… it's nothing," you said again, standing on your tiptoes and giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. "I'm fine, I really should go back to sleep…and don’t to stay up too la—" you rambled, still talking yourself out of whatever reason you had to disturb him. You took a few steps back the way you came, but Tech’s hands on your shoulders stopped you.

"Your heart rate is elevated," he said plainly, peering at you. "You are flushed and speaking more quickly than usual." Tech lifted the back of his hand to gently run along your heated cheekbone. "…and you are avoiding eye contact with me, so I can deduce that you are, in fact, not 'fine’, my dear," he said softly, his fingers trailing down your chin before he pulled them away.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" he asked genuinely. “I know that helps you sometimes,”

You shook your head, furrowing your brow. "It's just the same one I told you about," you confessed, biting the inside of your cheek, trying to determine yourself what it is you were seeking. His hand was back at his side, but you wished it was still caressing your face.

"I think I might need a…hug…" you said warily, as if you were unsure of the words that came out of your own mouth. "…or something?" You added, crossing your arms over your chest.

"Ah," he said, his eyes darting back and forth processing this information. He did that sometimes. You couldn't help but smile at seeing the brain you adored at work for you. "I understand," he added before walking back to his workbench—making it seem as though he didn't actually understand at all. You took a few steps in his direction as he pulled over a nearby chair and sat down.

Confusion was visible on your face. You told him you needed a hug, or something, and he immediately went and sat down? Possibly to continue the task you had just interrupted? But he didn't start working; he just looked at you expectantly.

"Come here, sarad," he said gently, shifting in the seat and patting his legs.

You smiled slowly, now understanding, and tiptoed over to him, gingerly taking a seat in his lap. He pulled you to him tightly, encouraging you to relax and lounge fully on him. He kissed the top of your head and ran his hand up and down your spine as you curled into the crook of his neck, inhaling his familiar scent of clean soap and mechanical ozone.

"This is nice," you sighed contentedly, feeling the tension in your chest releasing.

"Good," he quipped, brushing your face with his fingers again. "Rest. Fall asleep if you wish… I shall be here."

"Thank you," you murmured, curling your arms around his waist and closing your eyes. Tech's hands eventually left you to resume his task, but he pressed his lips into the top of your head every so often, reminding you he was still right there with you. His warmth and the steady thrum of his heart soothed you, while the sounds of his gentle tinkering and even breathing lulled you back into a peaceful sleep.

When you awoke, you found yourself back in Tech's bunk, but this time he was wrapped around you, snoring softly into your shoulder.

[skellymom]

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[leapingbadger]

Amends

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

Notes: This follows along with canon for the most part. If interested, you can also check out some of my other stories at these links: Hope; Sunrise; Sunset, Goodbye, Tattoo, Tested and Safe

Word Count:2644

Wrecker stood at the foot of the steps to the Marauder. The Pabu sun was beating down on him, sweat prickling at his neck. He hesitated before taking the first step up to the ship. It had been three days since they had returned from the ice planet. Things were better. Hunter and Crosshair weren’t actively avoiding each other anymore, but the tension was too much for Wrecker to take.

Hunter had been like his old self since Omega had returned and Wrecker was so relieved. He’d spent months trying to keep hope alive, trying to keep Hunter alive, despite his best efforts. His strong and steady sergeant had become a walking hazard. Erratic, volatile and with no regard for his own safety.

He was surprised to come across Crosshair first. Wrecker knew he had been deliberately avoiding the ship. Maybe there were too many memories tied up in it for him. He was sitting at the Comm station, carefully holding Tech’s goggles. He hastily put them down as Wrecker entered. The glass clinked as they landed face down on the control panel, a sliver of yellow glass falling out and onto the floor.

Crosshair hastily picked them up and put them on the shelf they had found themselves on since they had arrived back into their lives without their owner.

“Don’t worry. Happens all the time,” Wrecker said matter-of-factly. He picked up the glass shard, carefully tucked it back into the frame and replaced them on the shelf again.

Both he and Hunter had held vigil over the goggles as the long search for Omega had continued. They had become a kind of shrine they prayed to in the dark, as though Tech would bestow some wisdom from the grave.

Crosshair looked embarrassed and turned away from his brother. “Was just looking,” he mumbled under his breath.

“We do it all the time,” Wrecker said with a shrug, “keeps him close, you know.”

Crosshair scowled but didn’t reply.

“You’re going to have to talk to him eventually, you know that, right?” Wrecker said, sitting in the seat opposite.

“It’s fine, Wrecker, we sorted it out.”

Wrecker paused and looked down at his hands. Hunter and Crosshair had always been close. They were so similar. The quiet, observant members of the team. Crosshair would occasionally bristle when Hunter didn’t agree with him, but he believed in Hunter, respected him. That’s why Wrecker couldn’t stand this, how far they had come from who they used to be.

“He didn’t let Omega get taken to Tantis,” he said quietly. Crosshair raised an eyebrow but didn’t reply, “your comms were on. We all heard,” He added.

“It doesn’t matter, Wrecker,” Crosshair hissed, clearly not wanting to have this conversation.

“It does,” Wrecker said louder than he intended. He wanted to defend his brother. Defend himself. Crosshair paused and looked at him, clearly not sure what to do next.

“You haven’t known Omega for very long. She’s a great kid…really amazing, sweet, caring, and funny. But she’s also willful and stubborn and has no sense of self preservation,” he chuckled, “Just like Hunter, actually…He told her to find Echo. Told her to run…I…I wasn’t sure he was going to make it, Cross…after we lost her…and Tech.”

There was a sharp intake of breath from Crosshair at the mention of Tech’s name. They both instinctively looked at the goggles and Crosshair’s mood seemed to sour further.

Wrecker blinked at his little brother, suddenly realizing. This wasn’t about Omega. It was about Tech. Crosshair had always had the ability to wound with words alone. This talent had landed him and the whole squad in trouble when they were cadets. Most of their fights with the Regs broke out because of Crosshair’s mouth. Wrecker was surprised that he was holding this back. That even Crosshair knew that to bring this up to Hunter, to start a fight about Tech, would be something they might not come back from. But they still had to have the conversation.

“You really need to talk to him,” Wrecker said again.

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Crosshair hissed, swiveling the chair so his back was to his brother, “Tech’s dead.”

The words were sharp, cutting like a virboknife to the face. Wrecker closed his eyes, anger bubbling up inside of him. Anger at himself, at their situation, at Tech, and at his remaining brothers. It wasn’t a conscious decision. His body moved before his brain was fully aware but Wrecker stood up, grabbed Crosshair at his waist and threw him over his shoulder, carrying him with heavy footfalls through the ship to the cockpit where Hunter sat.

“Wrecker, what are you…” Crosshair spluttered as his toothpick fell from his mouth and onto the floor. Wrecker all but threw him in the seat next to Hunter.

Hunter was in the pilot seat, leg propped up on the console, eyes closed. Wrecker knew he wasn’t asleep, that he’d likely heard their hushed conversation with ease.

“What’s your damage, Wrecker?” Crosshair spat, squaring up to his enormous brother.

Wrecker pushed him back into the seat again.

“Sit.” He looked from Crosshair to Hunter and back again, “Don’t come out until you’ve talked about it. I’m sick of this.” He scowled as he walked to the ramp of the Marauder.

“Hey, Kid, wanna get some icecream?” Wrecker called down to Omega.

“Yeah,” she called back sunnily, unaware of the turmoil within the ship.

“Talk,” Wrecker barked again, before heading down the ramp and closing the door. Shutting off the sun and leaving his brothers in darkness.

***

“He’s had one too many blows to the head,” Crosshair said, standing up and brushing himself off.

Hunter remained in the chair; eyes still closed. “He’s right,” Hunter said quietly, “he usually is about this kind of stuff.” He sat up and took in his younger brother.

Crosshair was glaring, but not at him. He couldn’t seem to make eye contact and Hunter wasn’t going to push it. He noticed him favoring his right hand and frowned as he noticed it shake involuntarily. He’d have to ask Omega about that later.

“I already know what you need to say,” Hunter continued, standing up, “just say it and we can try and move on.”

Crosshair looked at him with narrow eyes, turning and walking to the back of the ship. He was pacing like a caged creature. He paused again and turned back. Hunter knew that look on his face. He had seen it thousands of times, from when they were cadets to when they were in the field. Crosshair wasn’t angry, he was wounded, and he was searching for the words that would hurt the most.

Hunter tried his best to prepare himself, knowing it would hurt. Knowing it would cut to his core and knowing that while this may make things easier for Cross, it would likely kill him on the inside. But he waited.

“You killed him,” Crosshair growled, his eyes so narrowed his iris’s looked like black holes.

Hunter felt a weight drop in his chest and stay there. He couldn’t speak, a rock had landed in his throat too. But he nodded and croaked out, “I did,” in a strained voice that didn’t sound like his own.

“I told you to hide,” his brother spat.

“We don’t leave our own behind. We had to try and get you out,” Hunter said.

“And look where that got you. Tech died because of your negligence,”

Hunter felt like he’d been stabbed between the ribs. He couldn’t get enough air in his lungs, but it was nothing that he hadn’t said to himself already. He knew anything Crosshair would and could say would pale in comparison to the destain he already had for himself, every day, every second since his brother fell.

“Don’t you have anything to say?” Crosshair said, taking a step closer.

Hunter did. He could have said any number of things to defend himself. But he didn’t want to. His squad had had a one hundred percent success rate. They didn’t fail in anything until they left Kaminio, until they were on their own, and until Crosshair got left behind.

“I’m sorry. For leaving you on Kamino. You were tying to kill us. But we should have taken you with us. Somehow.”

Crosshair balked. Shaking his head as if to shake the memory out. “This isn’t about that…I…this is about Tech.”

Hunter nodded, “I failed you Crosshair, in the same way that I failed Tech, and the same way that I failed Omega, and Echo, and Wrecker.”

“Wha…just stop…Hunter…” Crosshair’s hand was shaking more violently now. He brought it to his forehead, as though trying to wipe away his thoughts. He was shrinking in on himself, retreating entirely.

Hunter moved forward and went to put his hand on Crosshair’s shoulder, but his brother caught it, his left fist reaching out instead, punching him in his side. Hunter winced as he let his brother land the hit. He staggered back and knelt down; arm wrapped around his side. If he thought he couldn’t breathe before, he really couldn’t now.

“All that time with the Empire and they still couldn’t train you to hit better?” Hunter growled. He didn’t know why he was baiting his brother. Maybe the same reason that he had been throwing himself into more and more dangerous situations of late. Because deep down he felt like he deserved every bruise, stab wound, blaster bolt that came his way. If he hurt enough, maybe that would be enough penance for Tech. Maybe every drop of blood was a sacrifice.

Crosshair launched himself at his brother, knocking him to the floor. Hunter let him land every punch, kick and bite. He let his brother unleash his fury, his hurt, his loss on him in the dim hope that maybe afterwards, he could heal. Hunter gave no thought to his own healing though; he knew that wasn’t possible.

“Fight back,” Crosshair yelled. But Hunter didn’t move to protect himself. He continued to bait his brother.

“Is that all you’ve got, Commander?” Hunter asked.

“Arrr…. I hate you,” his brother screamed, tears welling up in his eyes, “I wish…It should have been… you…I wish you died instead of Tech!” Crosshair froze, as if horrified by his own words. His fist was raised, pulled back to his ear, ready to unleash another blow.

“Me too,” Hunter said looking directly into his little brother’s eyes, voice gravely and horse.

Crosshair collapsed to the floor with a clank, wiping the sweat and tears off his face. Hunter sat up with a wince, wiping the blood that was pouring out his nose. He tasted copper on his tongue and could hear Crosshair’s erratic heartbeat gradually starting to slow.

Hunter looked wearily at Crosshair. He was cradling his head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees, silent tears falling on his cheeks.

“He was the best of us, Crosshair,” Hunter said through sniffs of his likely broken nose, “that’s why we have to be better. For him,” he slammed his palm on the door release, letting the Marauder swim with light once more and slowly walked into the sunlight.

***

The moon shone bright white on the dark Pabu Sea as Crosshair made his winding way down to the beach. He fought against the memories of earlier, attempting to push them out of his head but failing. He shook his head to rid himself of the image of his big brother, covered in blood, wincing but taking every blow he threw at him or Omega and Wrecker’s horrified faces as Hunter left the ship, bloodied and bruised. His stomach dropped in shame, and he tried again to shake the memory out.

The warm Pabu air was usually comforting, peaceful, but now it felt lonely and oppressive. The lights of the island cast shadows as he walked. He hesitated to round the corner, unable to see what was ahead but not wanting to turn back.

When he reached the beach, he struggled to find him, noticing some of his clothes, bandana, blaster and virboknife were scattered in the sand. His heart sank and he started searching for the water in earnest. Wrecker had told him how Hunter had changed, and Crosshair feared it was more than not being cautious, his brother had a death wish.

“Hunter,” he shouted, urgently, panicked.

“Hmm” came a grunt from the water.

Crosshair got closer to the water to find his brother, floating in a star shape, long, dark hair trailing behind him. His eyes were closed, and he barely moved, except when the waves lapped around him, slowly moving him this way and that.

“What are you doing?” Crosshair hissed quietly, trying not to intrude too loudly on what seemed like something important.

“The saltwater helps with the bruises and the pain,” his brother replied.

“I’m…sorry,” Crosshair said in a whisper. His brother didn’t respond, and he wondered if there was any way back from this, from what he’d said, from what he’d done.

“I know.” Hunter said

“I don’t just mean about today…I…”

“I know, Crosshair,” Hunter interrupted.

“Will you let me finish?” Crosshair spat, exacerbated, “I’m sorry…for all of it. I should have come with you on Kamino…I should have been there…help with…I don’t know. I’m just…” he trailed off. How could he apologize for all of it. For all the pain he’d cause. He nearly killed them multiple times. How would he be able to live with himself if he had?

And then it occurred to him, that’s what Hunter was feeling. Hunter thought he’d killed Tech. Crosshair had told him he had. And Hunter couldn’t live with himself.

“You have to stop,” Crosshair said into the darkness. His brother had floated further out, his silhouette dancing on the moon lit water.

“It’s just water, Crosshair. I’ll be out in a minute,”

“Not that. You have to stop blaming yourself. It’s killing you. It will kill you,”

Hunter pulled himself upright in the water, he wet hair plastered flat against his head, the long tendrils covering his skull tattoo. He ran his hand through it, to get it out of his face.

“I’m fine,” he said.

“You’re not. Wrecker told me. You’re the leader.  You don’t get to go to pieces. The squad needs you. I need you; Omega needs you.”

Crosshair noticed something change Hunter’s face at the mention of Omega. He looked past his brother and up at Pabu and the Marauder, the warm light shining through the gunner’s mount as the ship rested by the weeping maya tree. And he suddenly understood. Omega wasn’t just some kid, and she wasn’t just his sister either. Crosshair had been right all along.

“Stop pretending to be something you’re not, Hunter” he had told him on Kamino. But Hunter wasn’t pretending, he was like a father to her in the way that the rest of them just weren’t.

“You need to stay around, for her, if nothing else,” Crosshair continued. “Tech would want you to survive. He’d want all of us to survive.”

Hunter was still looking at him with an expression Crosshair couldn’t quite place. He nodded, an almost imperceptible nod and started to swim towards the shore.

Crosshair noticed a collection of new scars on his brother’s torso that he’d never seen before.

“What’s all that from,” Crosshair asked suspiciously.

He was surprised to hear Hunter laugh, “ran in with a few bounty hunters, the Pikes and a Hutt or two,”

“So, you did have a death wish,” Crosshair said gravely.

“Desperate times…” Hunter started but didn’t finish.

“Are any of those my fault?” crosshair asked

“You wish Crosshair,” Hunter said with a grin, “you still hit like a cadet,” he clapped his brother on the back as they started to make the winding trek back to the Marauder, together.

[apocalyp-tech-a]

#TechTober2024 - Prompt 1. Sweater Tech. From @masksketchies festive autumn Techtober Prompt List.

Rolled up sleeves, arm veins, nuff said, amirite @eclec-tech ? 😉

Also added an ao3 ficlet "Providence Awaits" featuring Phee Genoa:

[rebelssscum]

i love the artists of the bad batch fandom. you guys rock 🤟 keep up the good work

[cadenreigns]

Sins of Goliath chapter 19 is up on AO3, it was a big chapter so extra art.

[zahmaddog]

Week 2 - Comfort Zone

Summer of Bad Batch | Crosshair x Phee x Hunter x Omega | Post-Tantiss Rescue on Pabu | One Shot | 262 words

“I didn’t forget about you,” Phee smirked and slid a small package across the table to Crosshair. His right mechanical hand lifted a finger to stop it from falling into his lap.

“What’s this?” Crosshair slithered.

“Open it!” Phee instructed.

Crosshair sighed, picking up the small box with his mechanical hand. 

“Knife?” He motioned towards Hunter without taking his eyes off the mysterious package. Hunter tossed him the knife and Crosshair caught it by the handle using his peripheral vision. He gently sliced through the brown paper to find a leather-bound box. Crosshair studied the box, then found it to slide open like a matchbox, exposing a few hundred dark and smooth toothpicks. Crosshair’s expression shifted from guarded and confused to grateful. 

“How did you know?” Crosshair asked Phee as he put one of the luxury toothpicks between his lips.

“Guess,” Phee winked.

“Tech?” Crosshair shifted the toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other.

Phee returned a soft nod to confirm. 

“What’s special about them?” Omega asked the room.

“These are from the trees in Kashyyyk. The wookies do not cut down trees, but when the trees have died from natural causes, they use the wood for creating items and luxuries. Tech had mentioned that these were Crosshair’s favorite, but it’s well-known to be a rare commodity,” Phee explained.

Crosshair studied the package again and inspected a few toothpicks, looking at the fine grain and dark brown coloring of the wood.

“I guess you are a liberator of… wonders,” he remarked. “Thank you,” Crosshair nodded towards Phee in gratitude. 

________________________________________________________

Taglist:

@heidnspeak @cloneflo99 @megmegalodondon @tentakelspektakel

@summer-of-bad-batch

[miss-musings]

TBB Fic Rec: "The Bad Batch Chooses A Family Name"

RATING: G (General Audiences) | No Archive Warnings Apply

SUMMARY: Set about four months after "The Bad Batch" series finale, Omega and her brothers finally move into their new house in Lower Pabu, and we get a brief account of their new routine.

Phee gives them a housewarming gift that sparks a discussion on whether the four clones should adopt a family name, and if so, what it should be. Eventually, Omega comes up with an idea...

Will the Bad Batch pick a name we know like Hazard, Genoa or Lawquane? Or will they choose one that reflects their own paths and their own legacies?

All five chapters combined is ~30 min read

Lots of family fluff with some heavier moments too. And a cameo from another "Star Wars" TV show character!

[techhasmjolnir]

Writings Master List

This will be the place where you can easily find all of my writings. Stories will be listed in the chronological order they were written.

If you like my content, please feel free to drop me some love, and reblog!

**If you would like to be tagged for future writings, please don't hesitate to ask!

The Bad Batch - Trivial Pursuit (Tech x F Reader) (18+)

The Bad Batch - Rites of the Covenant (Hunter x F Reader) (18+)

The Bad Batch - Dealer's Choice (The Boys x F Reader) (18+)

The Bad Batch - Give Me Three, the Gift of One (Crosshair & Tech x F Reader) (18+)

The Bad Batch - Fill in the Blank (The Boys, Omega, & GN Reader)

The Bad Batch - Crossroads (Echo x F Reader) (18+)

The Bad Batch - Sing My Soul to Sleep (Wrecker x F Reader) (18+) (WIP)

The Bad Batch - Hidden in Plain Sight (Cody x F Reader) (18+)

[prompts-of-bad-batch]

COMING SOON…

Are you lacking the creative juices to write that fan-fic? Or maybe you want to draw some fan-art, but have no ideas?

Well, my friend, then you have come to the right place!!

On this blog, I’m going to be posting not one, but two creative prompts a week, and you get to turn them into Bad Batch fan-fic/fan-art!! The show may have come to an end, but the fandom certainly hasn’t! I don’t want the beautiful fire of creativity that this fandom has to sizzle out for good, I want to fuel it and keep it alive!

But I can’t do this alone…

I need each and every one of you Bad Batch fans to do this!!

WE WILL UNITE, AND KEEP THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY ALIVE AND WELL!

So, starting on September 1st, every week I’ll drop two prompts for you! Some will be just a vague idea or a single word, others will be more specific dialogue prompts. And the best part? No due date for any of the prompts! I’m just here to fuel your creativity my friend! There will be a few guidelines your art or fic will need to follow if you want me to reblog it (which I will do for all that follow the rules!) but they aren’t to strict, I promise.

Here’s the thing though…

I need you to help me create these prompts!

Do you have a good prompt idea? Please share!! Just put them in the ask box and who knows? Maybe yours will be chosen for a future week of prompts!

So friends, remember! September 1st is when the first set of prompts will be dropped. As soon as possible I will post the guidelines/rules for this, but until then…

May the force be with you!

[starryevermore]

following orders: the goggles (1) ✧ tech

following orders ✧ a tech bad batch story | ao3 

inspired by: a conversation with @captainsbestgal​

pairing: tech x fem!reader

series summary: you don’t want to live in a galaxy where the love of your life, tech, does not exist. but, you can’t abandon your already grieving family. you devote all of your energy to helping hunter and wrecker save omega from the empire and, perhaps, save the wayward crosshair along the way. but the longer you look for the youngest member of the bad batch, the more you suspect that your lost love is not as lost as you once believed. 

chapter summary: the aftermath of plan 99.

word count: 7,223

series warnings?: spoilers for “plan 99”, plan 99, canon-typical violence, hurt tech, canon divergent, fix it fic, angst, grief/mourning, torture, hurt/comfort, emotional hurt/comfort, relationship discussions, mutual pining, clone troopers speak mando’a, depression, suicide ideation, memory loss, brainwashing, jealousy, not proofread

chapter warnings?: mention of tech’s death, grief, mourning, suicide ideation, not proofread

“When have we ever followed orders?”

You cradled Omega in your arms as the Marauder traveled through hyperspace. You weren’t sure if you should still be holding her. She’d been gravely injured, and you have enough first aid training to know that it’s safer to let a person be stabilized than to constantly be adjusting them. But holding onto her, your pseudo-daughter, was the only thing grounding you in this moment. And, perhaps a bit delusional at the moment, you told yourself that, when traveling through hyperspace, maybe it was safer to hold onto her than to let her little body be whipped around the ship—not that her brothers would do that. Not now. Not after everything that’s happened. 

“When have we ever followed orders?”

A tear slipped down your cheek. You raised one hand, quick to wipe it away, before returning to holding Omega. You couldn’t cry. Not now. If you cried…That meant it was real. And it couldn’t be real. He couldn’t have…No. He was fine. He was okay. He piloting the ship, he was making last-second calculations to ensure a safe landing. He was…He was not with you. Not now. Not ever. Even if he had beat the odds, used that brilliant mind of his to calculate just the right way to fall…You all left him. You weren’t sure anyone could survive in the wilderness below, even someone as brilliant as him.

“When have we ever followed orders?”

Hunter walked up to you. His face was void of his emotion, save for his eyes. Hunter could play the stoic leader all he liked, but his eyes would always tell a different story. The man was barely holding it together. You could hardly blame him. Losing Tech…No one had seen that coming. No one saw him making the sacrifice play. He was supposed to be on the ship with you. How did he expect you to move on when he meant everything to you? When there was still so much left unsaid? 

“When have we ever followed orders?”

Hunter sat down beside you. Omega’s head rested in your lap. He reached down, stroking her blonde curls. He needed this, too. Everything that all of you did was to ensure that Omega would live, that she might one day get to see a peaceful galaxy. Or, when that was too large a task, at least that she would live a peaceful life. That she wouldn’t become a soldier in an unwinnable war. But what was the point in that when all she’d experienced since joining you and her brothers was unspeakable loss? No kid deserved that, especially not one as kind and innocent as her. 

“We’ll be landing soon,” Hunter said.

You swallowed, trying to choke down any sob that threatened to escape. “Are you sure this is a good idea? When we were…When we were on Safa Toma, Millegi told us that Cid can’t be trusted.”

Hunter kept his gaze focused on Omega. You weren’t sure, but you thought that he kept his head downturned so that you wouldn’t see any tears that were close to falling. “I don’t see how we have any choice. She needs proper medical treatment. AZI is the only one I trust to make sure…”

To make sure she didn’t die. He couldn’t finish the sentence, but you could feel the weight of it. It nearly suffocated you. You couldn’t lose anymore of your family. The galaxy could not be so cruel as to take another from you. You wouldn’t let it. 

“I just worry that Cid will do something. We cut off all communication with her. We may have once been in her good graces, but I don’t know what will happen if she sees us again.”

“I know. But, she has a soft spot for the kid,” Hunter said. His hand fell from Omega’s hair, stroking her cheek. Though still unconscious, she let out a whine. You weren’t sure if it was one of pain, or if she recognized that her father figure was present. “I can only hope that that will grant us some favor.”

“If it doesn’t?”

Hunter’s jaw clenched. He lifted his head, finally looking at you. His eyes were glassy, but hard. With a sort of ferocity you only ever heard from him on the battlefield, he said, “I won’t let anyone take her from us.” 

The Marauder jerked slightly as it entered Ord Mantell’s atmosphere. While Echo was more than a capable pilot, he lacked some of the finesse that Tech possessed. Or perhaps you were hyperaware now of every move, every jump, every jerk. It felt like your senses were on fire. Like you had to perceive everything so that you didn’t have to picture his face. 

Within minutes of entering the atmosphere, the Marauder landed. Hunter stood, then held out his arms to carry Omega. It was a kind gesture, and maybe he wanted to carry her because he also needed to be grounded. But you knew that if you let go of her, for even a second, you would collapse and never want to get up again. So, you shook your head, adjusting your grip on the young girl, so that you were cradling her in your arms as you stood. It was an effort, you had to admit. You were strong, but that did not compare to the strength of a genetically enhanced clone trooper. But the pain, the burn of your muscles, was one of the only things reminding you were alive, that Omega was alive. 

Echo and Wrecker were already waiting outside the ship when you and Hunter emerged. Echo looked much like you and Hunter—stoic, but barely holding it together. Wrecker, on the other hand…The poor guy must have spent the entire journey crying. Tear tracks stained his face, his eyes all red and puffy. Even the tip of his nose was a bright red. When he saw you carrying Omega, he immediately reached out. And, oh, he needed this much more than you. You let him take Omega from your arms, a sob escaping his lips as he held her. 

“I’m going to stick with the ship,” Echo said. “Make sure everything’s in working order for when we leave.”

You shared a glance with Hunter. You wanted to say, We might be here a while. Or, you should probably be checked out by AZI, too. We all need help right now. Perhaps even, Please don’t leave us now. But, everyone grieves in their own way. If this was Echo saying he needed to grieve alone, who were you to deny him that?

Hunter said, “Keep your comm on and close by. We might need a quick getaway.” 

Echo nodded, then turned back to the ship. You watched as his shoulders sagged as he walked back up. You and Echo were never the closest on the team, but you knew enough of his life before the Batch that losing a member of the team hit him hard. Perhaps when Omega was healed, when you all left this Maker-forsaken planet, you would talk to him. Maybe convince him to stick around a little while longer before rejoining Rex. You couldn’t make him stay forever, but you all were his family. This was not the time to be splitting up for an undetermined length of time. 

Hunter squeezed your shoulder, letting you know it was time to go to Cid’s. You let out a shuddering breath, kept your gaze focused on your feet, as you walked the streets to the oh-so-familiar parlor. The entire walk, you tried working on keeping a straight face. You knew you couldn’t hide what happened from Cid—she was far too perceptive to not notice you all were down a man—but you didn’t dare show weakness in front of her. You were already certain a betrayal was on the horizon. You refused to give her anymore ammunition to hurt you with. 

The parlor was empty when you arrived, save for Bolo and Ketch. Ketch’s eyes widened when he saw the four of you. You could only imagine how much of Cid’s wrath they had experienced when you all never returned. Bolo’s eyes flicked toward the bar, and you followed his gaze. Cid was wiping down the counter. It seemed like she hadn’t noticed you all yet, but you knew Cid well enough to know she was waiting for one of you to make the first move. 

“Is AZI around?” you asked as you approached the bar. 

Cid’s eyes flicked up, a snarky remark on the tip of her tongue. But then she saw Omega in Wrecker’s arms, the pained look on his face. Instead of her usual sarcasm, she asked, “What happened to Tiny?”

You looked at Hunter. You weren’t sure how much he wanted to reveal to the Trandoshan. If it was up to you, you would give her nothing. But he was calling the shots, and he might think it better to give something so that she would be more inclined to let the med droid tend to Omega. 

“Mission gone wrong,” was all he offered. “She needs to see AZI now.”

Cid nodded her head toward her office. “He’s in the back doing inventory. Do what you need to do. But when the kid’s taken care of, we need to have a talk about best communication practices.”

You narrowed your eyes at her, a snarky remark of your own on the tip of your tongue, but you held back. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you, and all that. If Cid’s concern for Omega was the only thing keeping her from throwing you out, or worse, throwing you to the Empire, you could hold your tongue. For, at least, long enough to let AZI tend to Omega’s wounds. 

You started for the back, Wrecker and Hunter following close behind. But you didn’t make it far before Cid stopped you all again.

“Wait. One of youse is missing.” When you looked back at her, Cid’s eyes were flitting between the three of you. “Is Goggles on the ship or something?”

You decided to borrow Hunter’s words, and only offered her, “Mission gone wrong.”

Oh, what an understatement that was. But she didn’t deserve to be privy to the details. She didn’t have the right to know of the pain that stabbed at you, that bit and clawed at your heart, reminding you that you were alive instead of him. She was not a friend. She was hardly an acquaintance. If you couldn’t even talk to your own family about the ache you felt, why should she get to know? 

True to her word, though, AZI was flitting around the back, taking stock of the various liquors that Cid ordered for the parlor. He lifted his head when he heard you all approach. You might have been imagining things—and you surely were, because droids don’t express emotions in the same way as sentient beings—but the med droid almost looked happy to see you. Part of you had felt bad for leaving him behind with Cid. He had been Omega’s friend after all. But, Hunter wasn’t keen on returning to Ord Mantell back then. Not after the incident at the ipsium mines. You could hardly blame him, so you didn’t push. Now, you wish you had. If you had come back for AZI all those rotations ago, he would have already been on the ship or at least on the sanctuary that was Pabu. There would have been no need to come back here and endanger your family’s lives any further. 

“Oh! I was wondering when you were coming back!” AZI chirped, coming around the many boxes. “Cid had not been very happy when you all didn’t return. But I knew you would come back! And I was right! I knew that if you left, you wouldn’t leave me behind.”

“We need your help,” Hunter said, ignoring the droid’s words. He had previously been standing in front of Wrecker, shielding the droid’s view of the injured Omega. Now, he stepped out of the way. “Omega got hurt, and it’s gonna take more than a few bacta patches to fix her up.”

AZI stared. You could almost sense the hurt he could be feeling. Whether it was at the knowledge that you all weren’t there for him or that his friend was knocking on death’s door, you couldn’t be sure. “I see. I shall get started then.”

You reached out, your fingers grazing the droid. If he could have blinked at you in confusion, you were sure he would have. “Thank you. And…I’m sorry.”

“No need for apologies or gratitude. This is what I’m here for.”

You weren’t sure how long you watched AZI tend to Omega. It felt like days—long, agonizing days as he flitted around her—though you doubted it was any longer than a few hours. You had lost track of time. Between watching him fix up Omega and occasionally tending to you, Hunter, and Wrecker when he needed time for the medicine to work its magic on her, it all kind of felt like a dream. Or, really, a nightmare. The crushing weight of this reality was starting to settle on your chest. You didn’t like this. You didn’t like it at all. 

At some point, Hunter brought you some breads and a glass of water. “Eat,” he said, ordering you like you were a soldier. You and him both knew that you would ignore him if he asked. “He wouldn’t want you to starve.”

You let out a quiet huff of a laugh, if you could even call it that. “He would talk about the benefits of a well-balanced diet, go on about how the food here was hardly sustenance, but that fed is best.”

Hunter wiped away a tear that rolled down your cheek. You’d hardly noticed it. How long had you been crying? You’d been so sure that you were holding it together still. “We’ll get through this.” He nodded his head at the door, gesturing to where Wrecker had disappeared after AZI put his neck in a brace. Wrecker had been placing a huge amount of space between you and him. The guilt must have been hurting him, too—even if he had nothing to feel guilty for. “Wrecker and I were talking about staying on Pabu full time, after Omega is fixed up.”

“What about Crosshair?”

Hunter’s jaw clenched. “I can’t trust that his message wasn’t a trap. I’m not going to lose any more of my family on the chance that he’s switched sides. He’s given no indication that he wanted to join us before.”

“It’s not a trap. I know it’s not.” Perhaps it was a low blow, being so close to the incident, but you couldn’t stop yourself from saying, “Tech knew it wasn’t a trap.”

Hunter swallowed, hard. You watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed. Then— “Tech…died so his family could be safe. I’m honoring his wishes.”

“Crosshair is part of this family. His message, it was a sign that he still cared. That despite everything, he still cares.”

Hunter started to argue, but his mouth snapped shut when Omega groaned. He shot you a look—this wasn’t over. But the conversation would have to be tabled for another day. 

You squeezed his shoulder. “We can go to Pabu if that’s what Omega wants. Whatever she chooses, I’ll respect.”

“Hunter?” Omega managed to say. She said your name as she realized you sat beside him.

Hunter immediately leaned over her, stroking her hair. You reached out, taking one of her hands,  giving it a squeeze. Hunter offered her a small smile, and said, “Hiya, kid.”

“You gave us a right scare there,” you said. 

Omega let out a groan and started to sit up. “W-What happened?”

You and Hunter shared a glance. You could hardly put into words the ordeal you all just experienced. You weren’t sure you could explain it to her without crying, but you also didn’t want Hunter to shoulder that responsibility. He already carried too much weight on his shoulders. 

But before you could say anything, AZI entered the room. He chirped, “Hello, Omega. I am relieved you are awake.” He did a quick scan of her, the light blue light illuminating her face. “You each sustained multiple injuries. However, you all will make a full recovery with proper treatment and rest.”

Omega sat up, a hand clutching her head. Hunter reached around, helping her so that she didn’t make things too hard for herself. You gave her hand another squeeze. At this point, it was probably more for your comfort than hers. She was alive. She would be okay. That’s all that mattered right now. If you could focus on that, everything would be okay. Eventually. 

At the sound of Omega’s voice, Wrecker came into the room. He wouldn’t look at you, even when you tried to meet his gaze. You understood why—the guilt he must feel would be tremendous. He was the brawn on the operation. He was the muscles. It’s his job to make sure that no one in his family has to take the brunt of any injuries. In his eyes, he failed. In his eyes, he’s the reason your heart is broken. In his eyes, he’s the reason Tech died. 

You hadn’t been sure how to comfort him, so you let him go off on his own for a while. You weren’t quite sure how to comfort yourself. So, you let him sit in his misery and you in yours. Now, though, you wish you’d done something. It hurt, him not being able to look at you, even if he thought he was trying to spare you the pain. 

“You’re—You’re okay,” Wrecker said. He stumbled forward, kneeling in front of Omega, letting out a breath. He was the perfect picture of held-back panic. He held Omega in a quick hug, careful not to press on any of her injuries. “Don’t scare us like that again.”

Hunter offered her a drink. “How do you feel?”

“I don’t know,” she mumbled. Her face twisted, contorted into sadness. You’d almost hoped she hadn’t remembered. She doesn’t deserve this kind of pain. She shouldn’t have to know this kind of loss. “The last thing that I remember, we were in the railcar when…”

She gasped, her eyes going wide. Her eyes darted toward you, searching for an answer to the unsaid question. But you couldn’t meet her gaze. If you did, you would cry. And if you cried, you would confirm her worst fears. 

She looked to Hunter. “Where’s Tech?”

Hunter looked away, looked at you. You gave a nod. She had to know. “Omega, Tech didn’t make it.”

You dropped Omega’s hand, letting your hand come to rest on Hunter’s shoulder. You gave it a squeeze. You’d meant what you said, that he shouldn’t have to shoulder all this responsibility. You felt bad for making him say it, but you suppose she would only believe the news from him. 

“We have to go back!” Omega said. “What if he’s hurt? He—He needs us! Tell him, Wrecker! We can’t just leave him!”

You looked at Wrecker, seeing his eyes squeeze shut. Oh, that must have killed him. That must have confirmed every dark thought that swirled in his gentle mind. Was it too soon to force everyone into a group hug? 

“Omega,” you said, reaching out, stopping her from jumping out of the bed. “You saw him. He calculated the odds right before he did it. He knew his chances, and he’s seldom wrong.”

“NO!” Omega smacked your hand away. “Tech’s not gone! You know he’s not! He—He can’t be!”

Her face screwed up as the tears began to fall. Hunter took your place, wrapping his arms around her. She sobbed into his chest. Your heart clenched at the sight. She was alive, but she was hurting. And you weren’t sure what to do about that. Nothing that you said would help her. Nothing you said would bring him back. 

You rose to your feet, glancing between the members of your family. “I-I need to go,” you mumbled, stumbling out of the room.

You didn’t make it very far, nearly collapsing into a seat at the bar. Your shoulders trembled as you tried to keep your sobs at bay. Until that moment, it hadn’t quite hit you that he was gone. You knew he was. You were there when he fell. You saw the calmness in his eyes, his acceptance of his fate. You could feel the unspoken words on the tip of his tongue as he said his final words. You felt the tremble of the railcar, the panic in your chest as the line snapped, as he plummeted…Going, going, gone. 

You’d lived through all of that, but a naïve sort of part of you had hoped. Had prayed to the Maker, to the Force, to whatever cosmic being there was that controlled Tech’s fate that he had made it. But at that altitude? With a railcar plummeting with him? Even if he survived the fall, the railcar landing on him would surely do him in. Tech had accepted his death, but you couldn’t. 

How could you? He had meant everything to you. He was the air you breathed, the reason you stayed with the Batch for so long. When the war ended, you had no reason to stay. Your contract with the Republic ended the moment that battles stopped. But he…He gave you one look, one unspoken plea, and you stayed. 

What was the point now? 

You lifted your head as Wrecker collapsed into a seat next to you. He stared at the bar. Knowing that he wouldn’t make any move, you grabbed his hand, gave it a squeeze. “It’s not your fault,” you whispered. “There was nothing you could have done to change what happened.”

Maybe the words were partly said for your own peace of mind, but it brought neither you nor Wrecker any belief. “He was gonna ask ya out when we got back to Pabu,” he mumbled. “He knew you liked looking at tha stars, so he planned a midnight picnic. Was gonna tell you every fact he knew about every star, planet, comet in tha sky.”

“…Oh.” You weren’t sure what else to say. What could you say? How could express the remorse of never getting to experience a future you so badly craved?

“He wanted to come back to ya. He was supposed to come back to ya. And I’m the reason he didn’t. You should hate me.”

“I could never hate you, Wrecker,”  you said. You squeezed his hand. “I meant what I said. His fate was sealed when he went out with me to make repairs.”

“I saved you. I should have saved him, too. I could have saved him.”

Your bottom lip trembled. “He made you get me first. He made his choice. Wrecker, he knew his fate. You…You did everything he wanted you too. Okay? So don’t, don’t feel bad about what happened.”

The sound of two glasses hitting the bar pulled you from your conversation with Wrecker. When you looked up, Cid was sliding you and him a couple of drinks. Your stomach twisted. You didn’t like the look in her eyes. There was something she wasn’t telling you. “Here,” she said. “These are on the house.”

You pushed the glass in front of you away. “Nothing ever comes for free with you, Cid.”

Wrecker pushed his glass, too. “It won’t help.”

Cid was silent for a beat. “I’m sorry about Goggles. I always liked him.”

“Yeah. Me too,” Wrecker said. 

You watched Cid. She had her arms crossed over her chest, one of her clawed fingers tapping anxiously. You sat a little straighter, sniffed back a couple of your tears. No matter what grief you were experiencing, you needed to keep your mind sharp. You had walked right back into the lion’s den. You needn’t give Cid any opportunity to betray you. 

Wrecker noticed, too. “What’s with you?” he grunted. 

Cid wagged one finger at him. “You know, I tried to look out for you kids. But you got too much heat on you. And you brought it here, to my place of business! I had to make the best of a bad situation.”

You watched the rage contort on Wrecker’s face. Oh, you don’t know if you had ever seen him so mad before. You almost expected him to reach across the bar and kill Cid with his bare hands. Instead, he growled, “What did you do?”

“Sorry, Muscles. Sorry, Killer.”

The doors to the parlor slid open. You were immediately on your feet, shoved behind Wrecker as a group of commando clones entered the parlor, their blasters raised. One shot at Wrecker, and he charged, more stun bolts firing at him. One hit you, and you went down easily, not able to put the same kind of fight as Wrecker. As you fell, you prayed to the Maker that Hunter got away—or at least that he convinced Omega to leave you all behind if he wanted to play hero.

The commando clones had you and Wrecker kneeling with your hands bounds behind two of them, maybe another half dozen behind you, all of their blasters raised at the door, waiting for Hunter. Hemlock stood beside you, watching you curiously as you avoided his gaze. He knew something. He knew something about Tech. Your eyes fell to the case he was holding, wondering what its contents were. Was it Tech’s head? His helmet? Some other cruel piece of his life, of his memory to taunt the fact that you all lost?

Hunter emerged from the back, his blaster raised. You let out a breath. At least Omega wasn’t with him. At least she might have escaped. He wouldn’t have come out unless he was sure she was long gone.  

“That’s not very strategic, Hunter,” Hemlock said. “You don’t need to use your enhanced senses to know you’re outnumbered.”

Hemlock turned to Cid, raising the case. “The Empire thanks you for your assistance,” he said, passing the case to the Trandoshan. 

Oh. It was just credits. Maybe Hemlock wasn’t so cruel to taunt you all with Tech’s death using whatever part of him they uncovered. 

Cid and Hunter shared a look, before Hemlock said, “Our business is done. Leave.”

Cid’s head dropped. She turned, walking past you and Wrecker. She paused for a second, looking like she wanted to tell you something. Maybe an apology. You weren’t sure. All you knew was, whatever she had to say died in her throat as you reared your head back, spitting at her. Childish, sure. Gross, definitely. But Cid didn’t deserve your respect. Not now. Not after she sold you all out. 

Hemlock turned his attention back to Hunter. “Please, consider your next move very carefully. I would hate for this to end poorly for all of you. Here is how this is going to go. You will lower your blaster and hand over Omega. And I will allow you to keep breathing.”

“Omega’s not going anywhere with you,” Hunter growled. 

“Oh. Well, who knew clones are so paternal? Fascinating,” Hemlock said. He paused for a moment. “I was saddened to learn of your friend’s demise. What was his name? Oh, yes, Tech.”

You let out a growl. He didn’t deserve to say Tech’s name. What right did he have to talk about Tech?

Hemlock glanced back at you, his eyebrows raised. As he took in your expression, he turned more fully. He reached out, a finger running down your cheek. You fought the urge to bite him. That wouldn’t end well. “Ah, yes, the girlfriend, right?” he mused. Not technically. You and Tech never made anything official. “From what I gathered, the two of you were rather…intimate. I didn’t know clones could do that, either. Though, I suppose his form of intimacy is far different than a…normal human, wouldn’t you say?”

“Don’t you dare talk about him,” you spat. “You have no right.”

“So protective,” he said. Chuckling to himself, he turned back to Hunter. Beside you, Wrecker growled, only to be hit with a blaster by one of the clones holding you all captive. One of the commando clones handed him something. You couldn’t quite see what it was. “I’m afraid this was all I could salvage. Consider it a gift.”

He tossed the object at Hunter’s feet, and you could finally see what it was. A sob caught in your throat. No. No. No, no, no. If that was all they managed to recover, then that meant…Another sob escaped you before your could stop it. 

“To lose one of your own, it must weigh heavily on you as their leader.” Hemlock glanced back at the clones. Several of them pressed their weapons into Wrecker. One of them reached out, grabbing you by the hair, yanked your head back. He pressed his blaster into your temple. You wondered how eager he was to shoot. At least if you died, then you could be with Tech. “And if you don’t lower the blaster now, you will lose more.”

Wrecker shook his head. You couldn’t do the same, not with the way you were being held, so you did your best to convey your message in your eyes. Don’t lower your blaster. We’ll be fine. 

Still, Hunter slowly lowered the blaster and set it on the floor. He picked up Tech’s goggles, the glassiness in his eyes clear. 

“Wise decision,” Hemlock said. He motioned to the clones, and two of them stepped forward to bind Hunter’s wrists. They pushed him to where you and Wrecker were kneeling on the ground. 

Another clone came from the back and reported, “Sir, the girl is not in the office.”

“She’s long gone,” Hunter said. “Like I said, Omega’s not going anywhere with you.”

“Hmm. We’ll see.”

Oh, how could Hunter have been so right and so wrong all at the same time? Omega was, indeed, long gone, but she’d been taken by Hemlock. Despite your family’s best efforts, no one could stop Hemlock. Part of you wished that Omega had listened to Hunter, that she escaped and left you all behind. But the other part of you understood. She’s lost too much. If she lost you, Wrecker, and Hunter to the Empire…You weren’t sure how she would survive that kind of heartache. But now, the three of you and Echo floated through space, with no idea on where to go. Your mission had been a failure—you didn’t have the first clue where Hemlock’s base of operations was. Everything that you all fought—everything that you all lost—was for nothing. 

Eventually, Hunter told Echo to fly you all back to Pabu. Returning there and clearing all of your minds before making the next move was important. Everyone’s emotions were still high. Even if you all could come to a decision, could fall upon some useful information, there was no guarantee that a rescue operation would be successful. While Omega was in more danger the longer she was in Hemlock’s control, it would do her no good if all of you were captured trying to save her. 

You spent the journey laying in Tech’s bunk. Your face pressed into his pillow, bundled up in his covers, trying to commit his scent to memory. His bunk always smelled clean. Crosshair, back in the days of the Republic, once told you that Tech had been incredibly messy before you were assigned to the team. But the moment Tech met you, he went out of his way to keep his area as clean as could be. Back then, you thought Tech was just trying to be kind, to make you feel welcome. Now, you realized he was trying to impress you. 

Tears burned at your eyes at the memory. You tried blinking them away, focusing on the scribbles on the wall of Tech’s bunk. Most of them were about ship repairs that he would be doing with you, or upgrades to weapons. But there was one in the corner, near his pillow, that caught your eye. 

In his messy scrawl, he had written out a series of steps to win a woman’s heart. Most of them were checked off, save for three. Step 7. Take her on a date—make sure it’s something she would enjoy. Step 8. Kiss her—refer to holofilms for best approach. Step 9. Ask her to be yours—let it be her choice. 

You let out a choked laugh, running your fingers over the words. Wrecker was right. Tech had been planning to ask you out. Oh, he had planned everything out. You wondered how long he had this plan. What you would give to have him back for just a moment, to ask him every question you ever wanted to ask, to listen to his voice, to be with him, to tell him you love him, too. 

When the Marauder landed, you reluctantly left the comfort of Tech’s bunk, joining the boys. As you walked out of the ship, you saw Phee waiting. She wore a bright smile on her face, her eyes twinkling. Considering your abrupt departure, you had no doubt that she had a million questions she wanted to ask about the mission. 

“Didn’t think you guys would be back from your secret mission so soon,” she teased. “Did you get what you were looking for?”

You looked at her, and shook your heard. It was one thing to tell Cid that the mission was a failure—she didn’t really care about your family. But to tell Phee? Who had gone out of her way to bring you guys to a place to a call home? Who showed time and time again that she cared, even if she had a funny way of going about it? It hurt. 

Her smile didn’t waiver. She understand yet. “Ah, well, that’s okay. I’m sure you guys’ll get ‘em next time! Say, what’s the long face’s for? The mission wasn’t that bad was it?”

Hunter squeezed your shoulder. You reached up, squeezed his hand back. Behind you, you could hear Wrecker shuffle his feet and the quiet whhrr of Echo’s scomp as he fiddled with it. No one offered an explanation.

“Geez, you guys look rough. Must’ve been real bad out there.” Phee glanced between the four of you, her smile falling. “Say, where’s Brown Eyes? Where’s the kid?”

You opened your mouth but no words came out. You looked back at Wrecker, Hunter, and Echo, but none of them seemed keen to answer. Phee seemed to know, though. You all wouldn’t be so put out, so mournful looking, if something bad hadn’t happened. When you looked back at her, she had stepped closer to you, a hand coming to rest on your shoulder. 

“I don’t know what happened, but I’m sorry,” she said. 

Your lip quivered. Kriff. You couldn’t take this. None of this was supposed to happen. You all were supposed to find out where Crosshair was, you were supposed to rescue him. Everyone was supposed to be reunited. You all were supposed to come back to Pabu and live as normal a life as you could manage. You weren’t supposed to lose Tech. Omega wasn’t supposed to be captured. 

Shrugging off Phee’s hand, you ran off. No one bothered to follow you, to call after you. For that, you were grateful. You didn’t want to be around anyone right. Not for a while. 

You settled on the docks. It was nearly dusk when the Marauder landed, so most of the fishermen had docked their boats and returned to their families with whatever they managed to catch. It was the perfect place for you. Almost no one around to bother you. You were as alone as you felt. 

Sitting on the edge of the dock, you let your legs hang over. You leaned all the way back so that you stared at the sky. The beautiful reds and oranges soon faded into a black abyss. The stars started to peak out, winking down at you. Once upon a time, you would have killed for the opportunity to watch the stars like this. There was seldom free time like this in the last few years. The stars once brought you comfort, providing you a map for your way back home. But it was different now.

The stars no longer brought you comfort. What was the point in the stars guiding you home if he wasn’t there to go with you?

Your eyes fluttered shut. For the first time since the incident, you let yourself cry. Sure, tears had escaped before, when you didn’t want them to. But you had been holding them at bay this entire time, trying to focus on the tasks at hand. Now, there was nothing to do. There was nothing you could do. Nothing, except mourn. A sob wracks your chest. You cover your face with your hands, letting everything you’d been holding in out.

You cried, and you cried, and you cried. Until there were no tears left. Until you uncovered your face, staring back at the stars, sniffling. 

A steady clunk! of a set of boots alerted you to a guest. You had a one-in-four shot of guessing who’d come to comfort you, but you didn’t care enough to see who it was. Did it matter? None of those four people were the one you wanted. And none of those four people was the kid you were supposed to protect. 

You saw Hunter’s face as he finally reached you, sitting down beside you. He said nothing. Hunter was never really the comforting type. He’d gotten better since Omega joined the team, learning to navigate his emotions so that he could be a better parent. But this wasn’t the sort of thing he’d been prepared for. None of you were prepared for this.

“I asked Shep to set you aside some dinner if you decide you’re hungry,” he said. “He said you can come into his house anytime you decide you’re hungry and take it. It has a note on it for you, in his fridge.”

“Thank you,” you said.

A silence passes over you. There’s so much to say. There’s so much you want to say. So much you aren’t sure how to say. How do you navigate this sort of sudden loss? What was the right way to grieve? What was the right way to comfort? A thousand possibilities flooded your mind. None of them felt right. Finally, you settled on an apology. 

“I’m sorry for running off,” you said. “If I worried you, I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intent.”

Hunter shrugged. “I knew where you were. I figured you just…needed time.”

“No amount of time can bring him back.” You sat up, looking out at the dark sea. If you jumped in now, you might sink fast enough under the weight of your armor that, by the time Hunter dove in after you, it would be too late. Even with his enhanced senses, the water would drown it all out. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save Omega.”

“You’re sounding like Wrecker now,” he said. He had heard your conversation with him back at Cid’s. Usually, he kept quiet about conversations he overheard. But things were different now. No one knew how to navigate this sort of hurt. “They got us while we were down. I don’t know if there was anything we could do to save her.”

You rested your hand on Hunter’s shoulder. “We’ll get her back.”

“We will,” he affirmed. He reached for something that you couldn’t quite see. When he brought his hands back into your view, you gasped. “I, uh, came to give you these.”

“Hunter, no—”

“I talked with Wrecker and Echo. We all agreed that he would have wanted you to have them. Anything of his, it’s yours. But these especially.”

As he pressed the goggles into your hands, a tear rolled down your cheek. Oh, this was too much. How could you look at these goggles and not want to jump off the dock? How could you look at the cracked lenses and not picture his eyes squeezing shut as he hit the ground? How could you not imagine the way he looked at you, in the split second before he made his choice? How could you not see of how he looked before, when you all were leaving for the mission, the fire in his eyes as he searched for a way to rescue his brother? How could you not dream of the soft look in his eyes the night before, when you rested your head on his shoulder and told him how you wished the two of you could have a peaceful life? You ran your thumb over the light that used shone red, indicating his constant filming of his surroundings. It was off now. Part of you wondered why, but you dismissed the thought. It was probably broken in the fall. 

“What do we do now?” you ask. You look up at Hunter to see him already looking at you. His eyes were glassy still. You wondered if he had allowed himself the privacy to cry yet, or if he was still playing the part of the stoic leader. “Echo’s probably going to return to Rex soon. Wrecker’s in no position to fight. Kark, neither of us are either. We don’t have the first clue where to look. We don’t have—”

Hunter squeezed your shoulder. “We’ll figure it out. I don’t know how, but…We’ve faced horrible odds before.”

“We had a hundred percent success rate back then.”

“I don’t know what we’ll do,” he said, “but if we stick together, we’ll figure it out. I know we will.”

You wanted to push back, to argue, to feel something other than this grief, but you didn’t want to hurt Hunter in the process. So you let it go. Instead, you asked, “Could you tell me about? What he was like before I joined the team?”

Hunter let out a chuckle. “When we were cadets, Tech was a complete menace. Worse than the rest of us, if you could believe it. Always challenged the Kaminoans at every turn.”

You laughed, the picture forming in your mind. You leaned back against as Hunter talked, and soon he did, too, telling you everything about what little Tech had been like. For a moment, you forgot all that you’d just endured. For a moment, you felt at peace. But then you felt the weight of Tech’s goggles in your hands, and you were thrown back into the reality you were faced it.  

Tech was gone—you were sure of it. But he died to make sure his family would live. You weren’t going to let him die in vain. No matter what it took, no matter what you had to do, you would get Omega and Crosshair back. 

You swore it. 

[frostycatblr-fandom-files]

Sorry, Wrong Comms! Masterlist

Season one Bad Batch AU fic; our favorite squadron of rouge Clones escapes the Empire (some more reluctantly than others) post Order 66 and do their best to make their way in a turbulent galaxy. When a medical emergency puts one of their own at risk, they're forced to seek out medical help, and end up forging a friendship in the woman who kindly helps them. She may be a simple medic, but she's no stranger to the sick and injured of the galaxy, even when things get grisly once more for the Bad Batch...

Please mind the warnings for each chapter as there are things like vague medical terminology, near death(s), mild injury description + care, blood, drugs (both medical and **recreational references), use of restraints, needles (autoinjectors), nausea and non-descriptive mentions of vomit, language and minor adult themes throughout the series.

*RATING: 16+ | STATUS: Complete | POV: 3rd Person | Fem Reader

🩺Chapter 1

🩺Chapter 2

🩺Chapter 3

🩺Chapter 4

🩺Chapter 5

🩺Chapter 6

🩺Chapter 7

🩺Chapter 7.5

🩺Chapter 8

🩺Chapter 9

🩺Chapter 10

🩺Chapter 11

🩺Chapter 12

Started: 5/1/2023 | Finished: 7/24/2023 | Total word count: 82,209

*I am aware chapters will say "Intended audience is 13+"; these were written some time ago and new edits will not always "take" when I have tried to save them.

**This is a one-time occurrence.

[FFF Masterlist] [TBB Masterlist]

[skellymom]

“FUCK AROUND, FIND OUT” 

The Bad Batch HUNTER x NON GENDERED READER

Background: Hunter's knife stimming antics embarrasses him in front of his crush. Silly stuff. Crush is unnamed w/no specific gender. Decided to go with they/them pronouns instead of y/n. I had read that some people do NOT like y/n. So decided to try something different.

Word Count: 1K

Warning: Tame read. Some swearing, knife wound, small amount of blood.

End over edge, the knife flipped back and forth between Hunter’s fingers again and again. 

Usually, he did this to stim or pass the time... 

However, today he was showing off. 

THEY sat across the ship watching Hunter’s knife mastery. 

He knew THEY were watching.  Could sense it. 

Felt GOOD to be watched.  Adored from afar.  Especially THIS person.   

He wasn’t one to fall hard easily...or be driven to showy acts to impress. 

But this CRUSH was different... 

...AND the pining was MUTUAL... 

End over edge, index finger then middle, with his ring and pinky finger propelling the knife back over his first two fingers. 

Again and again... 

He slowly swung his seat round JUST enough to catch the peripheral view of his CRUSH out of the corner of his eye. 

Still watching his movements... 

It THRILLED him.  He could feel a small jolt of adrenaline. 

Hunter’s fingers sped up, flipping the knife FASTER. 

End over edge... 

He could hear THEIR breath pick up in excitement as THEY watched him do this. 

He QUICKLY reversed the knife’s movement expertly. 

Again and again... 

His ears caught THEIR heartbeat speed up. 

The smell of THEIR excitement, release of pheromones... 

End over edge... 

It mixed with the scent of THEIR skin, hair... 

Again and again... 

An intake of breath, THEY exhaled an impressed ALMOST inaudible sigh... 

OF COURSE Hunter’s ears caught it.  Made him SHIVER slightly in his core... 

The excitement caused his fingers to speed up again. 

End over... 

But his fingers betrayed him. 

The knife slipped from his grasp... 

And SHOT straight down... 

RIGHT INTO HIS FOOT! 

The sudden pain blanked out his senses for a few seconds as Hunter glanced HORRIFIED at the vibroknife STICKING OUT OF HIS BOOT. 

THEY were immediately at his side “Maker!!!  Hunter, are you alright???” 

Hunter’s head snapped up to look right into THEIR eyes, full of concern.  Behind THEM, he could see Tech and Echo glanced over their shoulders 

His brothers shot each other an...expression.  Somewhere between puzzled amusement and muted concern. 

Hunter kept his face calm, cool, and collected.  Inside his head he berated himself in-between the sharp throbbing pain of his foot. 

“No worries.”  Hunter QUICKLY pulled out the knife, sheathed it, hoping THEY wouldn’t see the blood coating the blades tip.  “Gonna change into another pair.” 

“Maybe I should grab the first aid kit?  Just in case???” 

“Oh...no need.”  Hunter grinned stiffly as he rose from his seat.  “Can’t meet this mission with a hole in my footwear!  Sit tight, be back shortly.” 

He walked as NORMALLY to the back of the ship as he could.  Hunter could FEEL blood pooling around his big toe. 

When he was out of view, Hunter limped the rest of the way.   

Crosshair glanced up from polishing his rifle.  He IMMEDIATELY spotted what was wrong.  

“You’re trailing blood, Hunter.” 

Wrecker pulled away from his weapon inventory duty. “What happened?”  He too saw blood and grabbed the first aid kit. 

“Heh, just a little accident.”  As Crosshair had Hunter sit on his bunk  “No big deal.” 

Wrecker pulled off Hunter’s boot, his black sock soaked in blood.  His brother carefully peeled it back to expose a puncture wound to his toe.  

"STABBED yourself pretty good.” Wrecker whistled while examining how deep the wound was.  “Just missed the bone.” 

“Accident, eh?”  Crosshair scolded.  “Fucking around with your knife trying to impress our GUEST is more like it.” 

“I did NO such thing...OW!  Wrecker!!!”  Hunter attempted to keep his voice down.  “STOP messing with it!!!” He hissed. 

“Well, I gotta clean it good.”  Wrecker sassed back.  “Vibroblades carry bunches of...uh...BACTERIA!” 

“Wrecker, you’re starting to sound like Tech.”  Crosshair reached for Hunter’s vibroblade.  “Keep doing that and YOU’LL hurt yourself.” 

Hunter blocked Crosshair’s access to the knife.  Cross VICIOUSLY slapped Hunter’s hand away. 

“OW!” Hunter scoffed at Crosshair, and finally lost ALL composure.  “OW!!!  WRECKER, DAMMIT, I SAID STOP!!!.” 

Crosshair took the opportunity and yanked Hunter’s vibroknife out of its sheath.  Clotted blood covered the tip. 

“You did NO such thing, eh?” Crosshair scorned Hunter. 

Hunter sighed “Ok, I’m...” 

“AN IDIOT!”  Cross wiped the blade clean, then shoved it back into the sheath. 

“Can I do anything to help?” 

All three of them froze with shocked expressions as Hunter’s CRUSH casually strolled through the doorway. 

“YEAH!  You can take over cleaning Hunter’s wound.”  Wrecker stood up and slapped the bacta wipe into THEIR hand.  “Warnin’ ya, he’s a HORRIBLE patient.” 

Then Wrecker stalked out and towards the ship’s bridge. 

Crosshair glanced at Hunter, then his CRUSH.  A wily grin crossed his face. 

“DON’T say it, Crosshair.”  Hunter growled.  “Just...leave.” 

Crosshair walked away while inserting a toothpick between his teeth.  He paused for effect at the threshold of the doorway.  “Just closing things up...so you’ll have a little...privacy.” 

Then Hunter and his CRUSH were alone. 

Hunter glanced up at them... 

Turning BEET red! 

“Sit back and relax.” THEY eased Hunter back on the bunk, knelt, and gently tended to his wound. 

THEIR hands cradled his foot, and all the pain was forgotten. 

So were Hunter’s words. 

“You know...I’m always happy to...” THEY smiled up at him.  “Administer to your needs.” 

That look...it took his breath away... 

“Uh huh...”  Hunter nodded, empty headed. 

“Just ask.”  The bleeding had stopped. 

“Uh...huh...uh...”  His brain froze. 

“Hunter?” 

“Uh?” 

“Are your lips stuck?”  THEY asked with weighted words. 

Hunter nodded no.  Then he quickly figured out what THEY were REALLY asking. 

Then nodded yes. 

“Let me help you with that, kay?”  THEY waited for his consent. 

Hunter nodded with a lopsided grin. 

THEY got up, sat next to him on the bunk, and sweetly cradled his jaw in THEIR hand. 

“In the future, just ask me if you want this.  Don’t go hurting yourself, ok.” 

“Uh huh.”  Hunter was caught in THEIR gaze. 

THEY hovered closer, gently tracing THEIR nose with his... 

The ghostly brush of THEIR lips upon his.  Then a rush of adrenaline as THEY pressed passionately harder... 

Hunter rumbled warmly and leaned into it for all he was worth. 

That kiss fixed... 

EVERYTHING. 

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[mae-lou-ron]

Is this thing on? Hello my fellow feral clone fans!

Call me Mae! I post stupid shit over on @covert1ntrovert, but I am new to posting my fics for goblin consumption.

I like to write about: clones clones clones, bounty hunters, and bad ass women in the Star Wars universe. I write mainly SFW fluff and hurt/comfort, but I also post NSFW work, so check the labels before reading. my rules of engagement are as follows: be kind or leave. That’s it really. There are subjects and pairings that I personally will not write about or entertain in this space, but I endeavor not to yuck anyone’s yum. I do my best to tag my content appropriately and filter out my own personal icks. Please do the same. If I miss something, please send me a message - I don't bite!

If that seems cool to you, then check out my Master List or look for the tag #mae lou ron writes

AND if you enjoyed something, consider a ✨reblog✨ it helps us authors and artists reach a bigger audience (and I’d be lying if I said I don’t kick my feet with joy every time it happens)

I'm not sure how to end this.

[apocalyp-tech-a]

#TechTober2024 - Prompt 2. Tech-o'-Lantern.

From @masksketchies festive autumn Techtober Prompt List.

This was originally just a drawing, then I was just going to give it the candle flicker effect, but then I got the crazy notion of the tactical droid spiel. I had always admired Tech, but his desperation to explain tactical droids hooked me in forever. 😂 (This is my first animation (besides a crappy but funny practice one), I'm hoping to make a little movie of a scene from one of my stories someday. A fanfic writer can dream...) @neverend-rs 🎃 @pinahallowsevecloneparty

Also added a little ficlet "The Operational Brains" featuring Wrecker and Omega: