#week 5

[99aceace]

@summer-of-bad-batch

Week 5: Alternate prompt: Hair dye

[weekly-watchdogs]

Watchdogs playing eye spy

#5 👁🔎definitely not(gonna happen)

[glittter-vamp]

Poor baby boy 🥺

[fun-kobra-party-star]

Hunter gets his hair dyed cause he's edgy like that. He would dye it red. (I'm the dye)

[leapingbadger]

@summer-of-bad-batch | Week 5 | Hair Dye

Beautiful banner by @tlmtwelve

Purple Haze

Summary: Hunter thinks Omega should dye her hair to escape detection after two bounty hunters are after her. She doesn't quite grasp the idea of laying low.

Read on AO3

Hunter puffed out his cheeks and let out a steady stream of air. Tech was currently under the console, looking for a microscopic issue that was causing the engines to lose power every time they tried to start them.  

“See anything?” he said gruffly as he leaned over, doing his best not to cut out the light.

“Not yet. It is possible the issue lies in the engine itself, although if we need to take them apart, I’m going to need a lot more space.”

The Sergeant swore under his breath. They had just managed to get away from Cad Bane and now they were stranded. Echo was under the ship working on some other repairs and Wrecker and Omega had gone to the market on a special mission. He had wanted to go as well, especially given the number of known bounty hunters currently after her, but more people drew more attention, and she would be perfectly safe with Wrecker.

Hunter wasn’t overly familiar with this anxious feeling, it was something he’d occasionally seen in others, but never himself. But ever since Omega had come into their lives and decided to stay, he found it an almost daily occurrence.

He knew why. She was a child, she needed protecting and whether he liked it or not, she had chosen them, chosen him to do the job. He did like it though, he thought quietly to himself as his brother tinkered below him. He did like that he was the one she went to for comfort or help, that it was he she called out for when distressed or in danger. He liked holding that space in her world, even if he’d deny it if asked about it directly.

“I think that might do it.” Tech said triumphantly and with a whirr the full power came back to the ship. “It was just some minor movement causing a chain reaction. I have made a note for future reference.”

“So, it shouldn’t happen again?”

Tech shook his head and sank into the pilot’s chair, swinging it around and burying his face into his datapad.

“Thanks, Tech.” Hunter said with a hand to his shoulder before marching to the ramp and watching with a small smile as Wrecker and Omega drew closer. She was riding on top of the bruiser’s shoulders, giggling as Wrecker carried a bag. It wasn’t exactly low key, which is what he’d asked them to remain, but he didn’t feel the need to fight about it right now.

“How’d it go?” he asked with a smile as Omega came bounding up the ship’s ramp.

“Mission accomplished, Sergeant.” She said with a little salute and a bright smile.

Hunter chuckled, despite himself and reached into the bag, pulling out bright purple hair dye.

“You got the wrong one, this is purple. You need dark brown.” He said, handing it back to her.

Her face looked slightly crestfallen, and her eyes flickered to Wrecker. “But…this is the one I wanted.” She said.

Hunter realized it wasn’t a mistake; it was a choice. “Omega, we’re trying to make you less of a target. Purple hair dye will make you visible from space.” He said, trying desperately to keep his exasperation at bay.

“We figured as long as they’re looking for a blonde, it’ll still do the same thing.” Wrecker interjected with a shrug, coming over and putting a protective arm around Omega.

Hunter pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stay calm but also exhausted that every single decision was being dissected and debated all of a sudden. He was just trying to keep her safe, was the desire for self-expression really more important than that?

“You gotta take it back, Kid. It’s going to draw too may eyes.” Hunter said with finality.

He noticed Omega shrink in on herself and Wrecker’s arm tightened around her as she clutched the hair dye to her body. “Okay.” She said solemnly as she slouched back out the door, all the energy from before diminished. Wrecker went after her, no contempt on his face this time, but disapproval for sure.

Tech came over and rolled his eyes. “I assume we have a little while longer before we’re under way?”

Hunter sighed. “Looks like it.”

Tech nodded and started back towards the cockpit. “Do you…do you think I’m wrong?” he asked quietly. He didn’t usually crowd source his decisions, at least, not these ones. But Tech often had a unique viewpoint when it came to Omega, and he didn’t want to discount anything. He was far from an authority on the subject.

“I think you are correct. Purple hair will be incredibly difficult to hide…”

“But…” Hunter said, leaning against the console, one arm crossed over his chest, his other scratching at the stubble on his chin.

Tech gazed at him briefly before adjusting his goggles and continuing. “…but is there a reason you want Omega to have dark brown hair?”

Hunter shrugged, “so she’d fit in with us. So, she’d not stand out…”

Tech’s lips twitched as he put his datapad back on his belt. “I do not have dark brown hair, Hunter. Neither does Echo or Wrecker.”

“What are you saying?”

Tech looked around as though trying not to say the thing he had to say. “You and Omega have formed quite a bond since we left Kamino…”

“I don’t see how that’s…”

Tech held up his hand and continued. “She seeks solace from you in a way she doesn’t from the rest of us. You have formed a, for want of a better term, father/daughter bond with her that Echo, Wrecker and I don’t share…”

“I don’t think that’s…”

“Hunter,” Tech said, stopping the Sergeant in his tracks, “Is it possible that you unintentionally want her to have to same color hair as you, so she will look more like your daughter?”

Whatever Hunter was expecting Tech to say, it certainly wasn’t that. His eyes were blown wide, his mouth agape as he rolled Tech’s words over in his head.

“I want to keep her safe.” He said finally, defensively.

Tech nodded. “Of course you do.”

“She’s not my daughter, Tech. Taking her with us doesn’t make her my…”

“There is no judgement one way or the other, Hunter. You asked the question; I simply gave you my thoughts. What you do with it is entirely up to you.”

Hunter watched as his brother nodded his assertion that what he had said was correct and went back to the cockpit. Hunter’s mind buzzed. He thought back to his interactions with Omega, the feeling of abject panic when she was dashing through the streets of Pantora alone, or when she was taken and he didn’t know where to find her.

His feet took him, without really knowing where. He marched around the marketplace, not looking for his brother and Omega, but just to get some air.

When they were finally underway, Echo, Tech and Wrecker were joking in the cockpit as Omega morosely sat in the back, curled up I her room like a loth cat.

Hunter knocked at the side of the curtain.

“Come in.” She said, her energy level was through the floor.

“Hey kid,” he said, trying to insert himself in the space without crowing her. “I think it’s time we sort your hair out. If that’s okay. I know it’s not what you want but…I think it’ll be…safer, in the long run.”

Omega looked up at him, her large brown eyes hopeful and trusting. “Okay, Hunter.” She said, scootching her way forward to come out of her room. “Here’s the dye.” She said, handing him a box.

“Thanks, Kid.” He said, taking the brown box and looking at the figure on it. “I thought maybe…we could have a little fun as well, though.” He said, pulling a box of purple dye from the bottom bunk next to him. Omega’s eyes went wide, her smile lit up and instantaneously Hunter knew he had made the correct decision. “We can do the purple underneath, the brown on top. Will that work for you?” he asked, holding his breath as she deliberated.

“That’s a brilliant idea.” She said, diving at him and throwing her hands around his waist. He sank into it, briefly resting his chin on her head before she moved.

“Let’s get started then.” He said.

With the ship in hyperspace, the whole squad came to help. Hunter wasn’t sure how but despite his best efforts, the dye still got over more of the floor than on Omega’s head.

He was bullied into having a purple streak added to his hair in a spot where it wouldn’t be seen and despite his outward protests, he decided he loved it in secret.

When all was said and done, Omega didn’t look like him, she didn’t really look like any of them really, but she looked a little less like herself and in their current state, that was better than nothing. She moved her hair left to right and fluffed it up so she could see the purple underneath.

She went to bed happy, smiling broadly as Echo tucked her blanket around her. Soon, one by one, the brothers went to bed too, with Wrecker crashing out at the same time as Omega and Echo taking the spot above when he eventually dozed off.

As usual, Tech was in the pilot’s chair, nose buried in his datapad.

“Well, that certainly went better than planned.” Tech said, not raising his eyes.

Hunter shrugged and collapsed into the chair by his side. “It certainly could have gone worse.” He said, keeping his emotions at bay. They sat in silence for a while, watching the blue swirls of hyperspace.

“Hunter, I need you.” Omega called from the back, in a whisper.

Hunter looked at Tech who had lifted up his eyebrow questioningly.

“Shut up.” Hunter said with a chuckle as he got up, and went to see what she needed.

[kissesforjoeyb]

💔💔

[locitapurplepink]

Week 5 of @summer-of-bad-batch 2025 : "You belong here."

Crosshair was going to another late night beach walk but this time, he spotted Phee standing there so he decided to figure out what was she doing. Behind her excitement and adventurous face, she missed someone as special as his.

[baeurrow]

i’m heartbroken ☹️ zac taylor you belong in jail

[mybuddieficrecs]

and here, too, am i | T | 41k | @cal-daisies-and-briars 

Six months into their marriage, Eddie is still struggling to decide whether or not he wants more kids, when he knows Buck does. The universe may not scream, but it certainly talks.

I’m so mad, a friend sent me this fic with no prior warning and it took me a few days to get around to reading it and when I started it, I could not put it down and suddenly it was 4am and I couldn’t stop crying

So here’s my warning to you: this fic is incredible and heart wrenching and if you read it (which you absolutely should) it may make you cry — but good tears, happy tears

[resistantecho]

Summer of Bad Batch 2024 WEEK 5: "Need a hand?"

@summer-of-bad-batch

[99aceace]

@summer-of-bad-batch

Week 5: bonus prompt: "You belong here"

Crosshair joined the Pabu knitting club. Now he belongs with all the elderly ladies of Pabu.

[izushiemi]

week five - vulnerability

[laughhardrunfastbekindsblog]

The Jar

Summer of Bad Batch | Week 5 | Prompts: "You're a bad liar" and "Need a hand?"

Summary: After being rescued from Skako Minor and joining Clone Force 99, Echo is still getting used to his modifications.

POV: Echo

Rating: PG

(Word Count: 784)

Read on Ao3

Echo stared at the vacuum-sealed jar of rations with narrowed eyes.

I WILL figure out a way to open you myself, he silently vowed to the small metal container sitting innocuously before him.

Usually the squad had boxes of rations - those were easy to open with one hand - but they had learned the hard way on this assignment that some of the wildlife here on Yrzac were also capable of breaking into the ration boxes, and therefore the sealed jars of food were necessary.

Echo hadn't wanted to admit he didn't know how he'd be able to manage opening the container, just like he'd refused to admit he was still having difficulty negotiating the rocky terrain and climbing with his prosthetic legs, just like he hadn't said a word about the fact the cybernetic implants that had been bored through his skull into his brain were still giving him excruciating headaches despite the med droids' assurances that the pain would dissipate eventually. He'd only been with Clone Force 99 for two weeks. He was NOT going to be a burden, be dead weight, ask for help with simple tasks like getting his own food. He would admit to nothing.

So he had taken the rations jar Wrecker had handed him in the morning, then had claimed he wasn't hungry and he'd eat later. And when Tech had taken watch as the others settled to sleep in the stone ruins where they'd set up camp for the night, Echo had snuck around the corner of one of the crumbling walls and stared at the sealed container, considering his dilemma.

He had tried bracing the jar between his knees to break the seal and unscrew the lid, but the metal jar against metal prosthetics proved too slippery. Same with wedging the jar under his right arm. Using his teeth would do nothing. For a wild moment, he considered throwing the jar against the ground - to release his frustration as much as to see if denting the jar would help - but no, that would be too loud...

"Need a hand?" a soft low voice sounded over his head.

Echo didn't jump, but he had to confess he was slightly startled as he turned to look up at Hunter.

"What?" he stammered. "What, no, I'm fine, I..."

Hunter crossed his arms and blinked at him, the light of the moons falling full on his face and clearly showing he was unimpressed by Echo's protests. "No, you're NOT fine; but if you say it again, I might actually leave you here to struggle with that kriffing impossible jar."

Echo sighed in defeat. "I want to be able to do it myself."

"And you will, just not tonight," Hunter said, holding his hand out for the container. Echo handed it over and Hunter, gripping it tightly in both hands and straining to open it, added, "You've had to adjust to a lot in the past few days, Echo. And you're doing great - better, I think, than anyone else would be able to do. It might take some time to figure out how to do things like open a jar with one hand, but you'll get there. You're an ARC trooper, after all." The lid unsealed with a quiet schhh-lok and Hunter finished unscrewing it before handing the open jar back to Echo. "In the meantime, maybe let your brothers help you every once in a while?"

"Thanks," Echo murmured as he took the jar, hesitating slightly before adding, "And, you know, not just for this," indicating the rations.

Hunter nodded, turning away and taking a few steps back to the campsite before stopping and looking back over his shoulder.

"Oh, and maybe let Tech take a look at your prosthetics? You looked like a newborn shaak trying to find its feet when we were running up that rocky hill today. Tech wouldn't stop going on and on with me about calibration and leverage and friction coefficients or... something, and I'm pretty sure he was referring to your legs."

Smiling ruefully, Echo nodded - of course the squad had noticed his difficulty, he had been foolish to try to hide it from them; but he appreciated that they hadn't mentioned anything to him at the time, for that would have been mortifying. "Yes, sir," he replied; and with this promise, Hunter left him to eat in peace.

He hadn't realized just how hungry he was until he took his first bite of biscuit... He had never been a big eater, but now he finished his day's rations in record time and leaned back against the wall with a contented sigh.

And with his hunger satiated, he suddenly noticed his headache wasn't quite so bad.

@summer-of-bad-batch

[glittter-vamp]

Mood AF.

[dangraccoon]

You Belong Here

Omega & Echo & Fives

@summer-of-bad-batch

Week 5: "In retrospect, that was a bad idea." | Hair Dye | "You belong here."

Word Count: 1150

Content: Fives survived, older teen Omega (my beloved daughter) being a sweetheart, 501st/Domino antics, survivor's guilt, general guilt, referenced character death, carbonite freezing,

Mando'a Guide Olarom yaim, ner vod. Ni cuy ori’briikase su cuy olar. - Welcome home, my brother. I am so glad you're here. Ni ven hukaatii'gar norac'eso, aravod, ratiin - I will cover your back, twin, always

Omega crept into the house as quietly as possible, despite knowing her efforts were futile. 

Something in the room before her shifted. 

She sighed. “I know, I’m sor–”

“Out pretty late,” came a gruff voice from the living room. The occupant flicked the switch, and the living room lit up along with Omega’s face. 

“You’re here!” she gasped, running to lightly tackle her brother. 

“Surprised?” Echo grinned, wrapping his arm around her. 

“I was expecting Hunter,” she explained, hugging him tightly. “You didn’t comm!”

“Hunter’s at Shep’s and I was in the system,” he laughed, then pulled back to look at her. “Thought I’d stop by and visit my little sister, but now I see you’re not so little. What’re they feeding you?”

Omega laughed. “Just the stage three growth spurt, I guess.”

Echo laughed again, sparing a glance over his shoulder without thinking. He hoped she hadn’t noticed, but he knew they’d trained her far too well. 

“Is everything okay?” she hummed, peering over his shoulder. Her brow furrowing in that familiar way that all of their siblings did. 

Echo took a deep breath. Here goes nothing, he thought. 

“‘Meg, there’s someone I’d like you to meet,” he said. 

One of her eyebrows hitched up, reminding him far too much of Hunter. 

“You brought someone here?”

Her question wasn’t accusatory, and she even managed to make it sound curious, but Echo knew the deeper meaning. You trust someone enough to show them our haven?

“He’s a brother,” he quickly explained. “A… very close brother.” Another deep breath. “Omega, this is my twin, Fives.”

Omega’s eyes went wide and watery as Fives stepped into the room, not bothering to keep his nerves from showing on his face. 

Fives held his hand up. “Hi, I– oof!”

Before he could finish, Omega was wrapping her arms around his shoulders. “Olarom yaim, ner vod,” she whispered. “Ni cuy ori’briikase su cuy olar.”

Fives’ shock wore off, and he hugged her back, giving a surprised look to Echo as tiny tears began to prick at the corners of his eyes. 

“Yeah, she gets us all like that,” Echo shrugged. “She’s a hugger.”

When Omega finally pulled away, she beamed up the couple of inches the Domino Twins still had over her. Her mouth had just started to form her next sentence when Fives felt his stomach swoop. He knew what she’d ask. Panic boiled in his gut. 

How did you survive? Which would be followed up by Where have you been?

“I’ve heard so much about you! But I want to hear everything from the source.”

Fives’ eyes darted over to Echo, who just smiled at him. He remembered what his twin had told him before she’d gotten home. 

I know you’re nervous, but I meant it when I said she’s the best of us.

“Told you,” Echo mouthed now as Omega dragged Fives by the hand to the couch. 

It wasn’t long before they’d been talking for hours over cups of caf, swapping stories. 

Fives reveled in Omega’s laugh as they told her stories of brothers she’d never meet. “That’s when Hardcase grabs the bottle of–”

“No, no- it was Jesse, wasn’t it?” Echo interjected. “I think this was before Hardcase aged in.”

“Oh, you’re right! Wait, it was Kix who had the dye bottle, right?”

“Yeah! Jesse wrestled it off of him–”

“And dumped the whole thing on Kix’s head! He was livid!”

“His face was red as dar’jetii’kad!”

“But what did you two do?” Omega managed to ask between fits of giggles. 

“Nothing!” Fives grinned. “We sat there, laughing our shebs off!”

“We did help Kix dye it back and buzz it off,” Echo shrugged.

“Only because Rex threatened us with latrine duty!”

“Wait, he didn’t threaten Jesse?” Omega gasped. 

“No,” Echo said succinctly. “He made him do latrine duty; he only threatened us!”

“In retrospect, that was a bad idea, though,” Fives said, with a slight grimace.

“Why? What did you do?” Omega grinned, barely restraining her giggles.

“Go on,” Echo urged. “Tell her what you did!”

“We may have pushed our luck a bit,” Fives said, rubbing the back of his neck. “And dumped a whole bucket of blue dye… on Commander Cody.”

Omega gasped, her hands flying up to cover her mouth. “You guys did that?”

“I wasn’t involved!” Echo protested. 

The three of them stayed up talking until the sun began to rise. The twins said good night to Omega, then smiled at each other. 

“She’s something else, huh?” Echo said. 

Fives chuckled. “She’s great,” he agreed. “Maker, I can’t believe how young she is.”

“Not like us, ruug’la vode,” he smirked. 

“Hey, who’re you calling ruug’la?” Fives scoffed. “I’ll have you know I’m four years younger than you now!”

Echo rolled his eyes. “You’re only right on a technicality.”

They both chuckled and fell into a comfortable quiet. Echo let the warmth of having his brother back, alive and with him. 

“Ech’ika?” Fives half-whispered. 

Echo looked at his twin, whose face had fallen into an expression he knew too well. “Yeah?” he responded, trying to push a little of his growing concern from his voice. 

“I… don’t know if I want to come back with you and Rex and Kix.”

The admission came out even softer. 

Echo nodded. He’d known from the moment his brother had stepped off the ship. 

“I-I just–” Fives’ breathing picked up as he continued. He could feel the panic rising in his throat like bile. “When Fox found me and Kix again… a-and we were on the run for so long–”

“Fives,” Echo said, keeping his voice gentle. He reached a hand towards him, hesitating a couple of inches away. The last time he’d reached for his brother, it had startled him. 

“I can’t– 

“I know,” he assured him. “I know, Fives.” 

“I can’t go with you.”

The words came across a soft, hiccuping breath. Echo could feel Fives’ heart breaking beneath the weight of his guilt. 

“I-I should be helping, Echo! I knew– I knew about the chips and Sidious and-and I–”

“And you were killed, revived, and frozen in carbonite for years,” Echo cut in, grabbing Fives’ hand before it started to pull nervously on his curls with practiced ease. “Fives, you’re my brother and my best friend. I love you, and I can’t begin to explain how happy I am to have you at my side again.”

“But?” he sniffled, tears just starting to fall against his cheeks.

Echo gave him a soft smile and squeezed his hand. “But I know that’s not your place anymore. You belong here with our brothers and Omega. You deserve to rest.”

The words had scarcely left his mouth before his brother had wrapped him in a tight hug, dissolving into a puddle of tears. 

“Ni ven hukaatii'gar norac’eso, ara’vod,” he whispered as he rubbed small circles between Fives’ shoulder blades. “Ratiin.”

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Thanks for reading! - River

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