#IGNORE the typo on techs dialogue thanks

[frostycatblr-fandom-files]

Sorry, Wrong Comms! : Hunter x Medic!Reader [Chapter 10]

Warnings and Information: Intended audience is 13+ (18 if you squint). Should know the drill on my use of Mando'a, italics and my headcanons by now if you've been following along with the AU series this far. Star Wars and real-world swearing. Mentions of blood and bloodstains. More! Domestic! Clones! More wholesome sibling stuff to go around! Expanding on Hunter and Crosshair's "little" convo together using instances of dialogue to reference what happened in the past. Medic!Reader had a bad day (like predicted) so there's some mild angst/sadness after a brief moment of panic - there’s a line that could be interpreted as an instance of police brutality, but it’s kept very vague - but Hunter's there to make it better without diminishing feelings much like earlier that morning. No one's feeling bad on his watch today [I feel like Hunter's the kind of person who becomes a lot happier when he's in love… so~ At least that's the vibe I'm going for for this AU!] if he can help it. So that means more domestic Clone stuff along with more flavors of hurt/comfort!! Who's up for a little home cooking and snuggles?

Word-count: 5,656

Good to hear. No such luck. Up to elbows in injuries and bacta and disinfectant. It's a kriffing madhouse today like I was worried about.

> Sorry to hear, sweetheart. I'll take Omega with me to make sure Spoon's settling in okay. 

thanks Hunt

> Anytime, mesh'la.

"Was 'Hunt' a nickname? How cute." Echo teases once he's sent off the message, handing his brother the device after he's gotten his shoes laced up to set off with Omega. "Very funny, Ech."

Echo laughs in partial disbelief at the dismissive tone. "You think it's a typo?" C'mon, if she shortened the name of their explosive ordnance expert to Wreck as a nickname, it made plenty of sense to the ARC for Hunt to be a nickname too.

"Could be. Or she was in a rush." Hunter suggests with a shrug. "She's too busy to check on Crosshair's new best friend during lunch." 

Echo shrugs in return, ignoring for a moment the sniper's laugh from another part of the house. "Good point. Just hope the kid's going to have a moment to eat something between patients." It wasn't exactly a regular thing for the medic to call her day at the clinic something beyond just a little hectic, but manageable to his memory.

"We'll be back!" Omega calls into the house as she and Hunter skip down the stoop together, cheerfully waving good-bye over her shoulder. It isn't long before she looks at him with an expression he knows means she's got questions or things she wants to say that she's refraining from saying. "Out with it," Hunter urges softly with a hand on his sister's shoulder, "What's on your mind, ad'ika?" 

Omega glances at her shoes, kicking a pebble to the side as she walks alongside him, trying and struggling to match his stride. "What did… you and Crosshair talk about?" She smiles appreciatively when Hunter takes notice and makes an effort to slow down his walk and fall out of the habitual march.

"Oh, a lot…" Hunter replies simply, unsure what to say at first honestly. "Kaller, for sure. And the chips… spent a while wondering how that Jedi-kid… uh, Padawan… how the Padawan must be doing if he's survived this long after I let him escape." Hunter steals a glance at Omega, knowing she's heard him argue with Cross about it in the past. Those venomous arguments in the cockpit or cargo-hold of the Marauder while so deep in hyperspace it was often another standard cycle before they'd reach the next planet. Seen their bruises when things came to blows before Wrecker could strong-arm them apart.

Heard them both grumble that "Maybe it would be preferable to be eaten by some of the megafauna Tech's warning us about than see the other's face any time soon!" when they stalked down the gangplank upon landing on Kashyyyk. Hunter knew she'd stayed behind with Wrecker who'd promptly trotted back into the attack shuttle in dismay while Tech trailed after Crosshair, and Echo after Hunter, trying to talk sense into the respective brothers. 

"The first thing Hunter does every time we get an excuse to come to Kashyyyk is take off his helmet a-and he gets this great big smile on his face! He didn't do that this time a-and Hunter loves Kashyyyk! They're still fighting all the time even though the chips are gone; and I'm sick of it! I don't understand what's going on, I thought they'd be better by now and… I-I-I just want my brothers back!!"

WHAM!

"Wr-Wrecker that's a critical panel! Please don't go punching holes in our medbay equipment! What if one of us gets sick?!"

Hunter takes a deep breath, reaching in his pocket for the keycard that would unlock [____]'s front door. "We… also did a lot of apologizing for not being better brothers in the past. For how much we fought. For how much I avoided trying to understand what was happening to my brother because of his inhibitor chip when he needed me… I- uh oh. That's not good." he stops mid-sentence when there's a greatly delayed response from the panel as he uses the keycard.

Her front door opens only part of the way before it gets stuck. Badly. It's open wide enough that Spoon could easily get out when there's no telling where she'll be in the house. Omega would probably have to slip through the gap and see if she can't close it from the inside. Or at least make sure the Tooka kitten doesn't scamper out the door while Hunter calls Tech. 

Omega looks just as panicked as her little brother. "Wh-what do we do, Hunter?"

"See if you can get inside. We should make sure Spoon stays put. I'm going to message Tech." Omega shimmies through the gap quickly, and as he's trying to get Tech on the comms channel, the inner panel is making sounds that suggest the whole thing is royally kriffed. "It won't close!" 

"Don't panic, Omega. Go see if you can't find Spo-"

"Yes, Hunter?" Tech sounds calmer than he was this morning, for now. Less irritable. That's a good sign. "What is it?" 

"Tech, how do you feel about fixing [____]'s front door? This thing won't open or close all the way. Panel won't respond either." Calm is out the door now as Hunter can hear the crack of the mechanism before the door to Wrecker and Tech's room is thrown open once it's been unlocked. The other vode are either laughing as a way to cope with being startled, or Tech truly looks as delighted by the prospect of something to fix as he sounds when he shouts "I will be right there!" before mashing the disconnect.  

"Aww, you're so cute! I found Spoon! She was pacing outside what must be [____]'s room!" Omega calls from inside, giggling. "And [____] put her pictures I drew for her birthday up in her room, too! Just like she said!" Hunter smiled, not surprised that his sister's curiosity had gotten the better of her for a moment and led to the discovery. So much for showing her himself. Oh well. 

"Yeah, she sure did. That was quick, wasn't it? Tech's coming to get the door fixed for [____], so we might be here for a while." Through the gap, he could see Omega with the young female Tooka he'd met the other night carefully cradled in her arms, nodding to express her understanding. "That's okay! But… won't that mean we won't be able to-" Omega paused, glancing around for a time device somewhere in the home, "Are we going to make it to the place we need to get the paint from before it closes if it takes Tech a long time?"

The shop they needed to get the color from in the spaceport ran at odd hours of business. He was certainly excited to get his room dressed up at long last with the recent nudge, but some of his siblings were more outwardly excited than him.

Hunter just smiled reassuringly, watching as Spoon carefully climbs up Omega's shoulder and tries inspecting the girl's blonde hair. "There'll always be tomorrow if this does run long, Omega. [____]'s said the clinic is really busy today, so I'd rather not add one more thing for her to take care of once she's closed."

Omega nods once more to show she understands, slower this time. "Right… Makes sense." 

"Hunter!" Tech was jogging up the street, carrying a case full of tools in the crook of his arm. "I'm here! … Where's Omega?"

"You got here fast," Hunter chuckles, taking the tools to allow Tech to double over and catch his breath, "and Omega's inside to make sure someone's got an eye on our friend's new little Loth-cat. Now, once you've caught your breath, would you like me to help, or just stay out of your way?" He, admittedly, still hasn't gotten to know Tech's tools quite like Echo did once he'd joined their squad, so oftentimes he wasn't sure what his brother meant by codes like "S-17 and a twist", but he was willing to try to assist if Tech would allow. 

Tech only blinked at Hunter with surprise. It'd been a long time since Hunter had offered help after the last time Tech had waved him away. "You want to help me?" He now felt… almost a little guilty for continually waving Hunter off.

"Well, sure…! Only if you're okay with a little verbal hand-holding to make sure I understand what tools you're asking for." Hunter told him with an earnest smile. 

Tech nods slowly, reaching to take the case of tools. "Of course. I'd be… happy to have you help me."

"Hand me the second-smallest spanner, please. There's a blue paint smear on it." 

"Here," Hunter pawns the tool off into the palm of Tech's outstretched hand through the gap in the doorway as they get the inside panel synced up with the outside panel, "trade you for the spanner you don't need." 

"There. Just lay it in the toolbox for now. Might need it again." Tech passes back the other spanner, humming thoughtfully to something Omega says while she plays with the Tooka on the floor. "Hmm… perhaps. Not a bad idea."

Hunter peeks into the house. "What's not a bad idea?" 

"Inviting [____] to dinner at our place." Omega repeats, giggling as Spoon playfully pounced after a toy she'd thrown down the hall. 

"Mm, maybe. She might be pretty tired afterwar-" 

Fwreep! Fwreep-reep-reep!

Speaking of [____]; she's sent Hunter several messages rather suddenly... No, not just Hunter, on second look. It's the wider group of siblings so they all see the same thing. 

IMP AT CLINIC. 

STAY AWAY. 

STAY HOME. 

STAY!! HOME!! DO NOT CONTACT ME!!

The message is chilling. Tech stares at the message, a slight tremor in his voice betraying the calm façade in the rest of his face. "That's not good..." Omega looks over at her brothers after reading the message herself, a panicked whine climbing out of her throat. He tries to ignore the roar of blood in his ears as his heart begins to race. Imperials at her clinic? Oh galaxy and all her stars…

"Let's get this panel set and get home, Tech. Omega, get your shoes on so we're ready to leave as soon as possible." [____] didn't live too far from her clinic, a modest little place not too far from the shipyards of the travel-hub either. Returning home would be the safest option for them. 

Things would definitely have to wait now. 

Omega's voice was choked as she hurriedly stuffed her feet into her footwear and exited the house. The panel was quickly finished before being closed up, set and locked before the three of them took the long way home, jogging up the side streets. "I-Is she… Hunter, do you think [____]'s in trouble?" 

"I don't know, ad'ika. Kriff, I hope not." Hunter scooped Omega off the street so they could move faster, growing more nervous with every stumble his sister makes trying to keep up with the two war veteran brothers that she’s going to trip in her haste. He feels just as panicked as she looks and as Tech sounds while he’s reciting the various modifications he’s made to the Havoc Marauder under his breath. “I’m hoping she’ll find an excuse to send them away too.” he utters, returning the sniffled sentiment as Omega curls against his chest. 

It’s a nice day outside, but each and every last window is shut and shuttered once the three of them make it inside.

And all goes quiet for an hour.

Hunter remade his bed with the threadbare sheets for the time being, trying not to step into an anxiety spiral by keeping his hands busy along with his mind. The holofilm had been a nice distraction and killed a few hours of time as each member of Clone Force 99 waited out the clock.

I may need to come by and see everyone when I’m done. I can't promise I will. Please don't reply or drop by my clinic once I close. I don't know if this person with the Empire will insist on walking me home since I was given a lot of trouble. I'm closing early.

The vode found excuses to give themselves little opportunity for festering with worry. Ideas for some new, sturdy furniture that would fit in his room. There was some artwork that Tech had in mind. Crosshair called dibs on the old top sheet to use as new weapons cleaning rags. Wrecker was thinking about trying to replicate something from Kamino for dinner tonight. What Echo really wanted to do was go find out what ship that Imperial flew in on and kark up their controls; instead he's scouring the Holonet either for local news, or a decent strategy game. Omega really, really wants to message the medic with all the nervous questions she's teeming with, but they haven't been given an all-clear. 

She's too antsy to touch any of the art supplies the brothers have scrounged up for her over the months, instead, she's using her nervous energy to quiz Tech for facts about the holofilm. From his room Hunter can hear something about the main lead having starred in five other films within the franchise and guest-starred in the pilot episode of the spin-off show.  

And he just wants to make sure this Imperial personnel is not giving her trouble like the old pirates had been. He wants to make sure [____] feels okay and safe, but Hunter understands she's trying to keep him, them, safe by telling the vode they needed to stay away. She has a duty to the shattered cross to provide care to anyone seeking out the symbol of healers and healthcare. 

Even those she disagreed with, hated even, when she did not wear the symbol. 

"Where are you going Hunter?"

The bed's fixed back up. He doesn't have much more to do right now. "Just going to stretch my legs outside." He wants to wait outside for her. He knows that Echo knows that. There's no sense pretending the tracker means anything different.

"Don't… get your hopes up." Echo carefully suggests, his expression suggesting he's trying to do the same. They're all worried about their favorite medic, pretending otherwise is foolish. "I don't want you to be disappointed in case she's not coming by, brother."

"... I know." 

The door shuts behind Hunter as he steps out, finding a comfortable step to sit on and kill some more time with his datapad in hand while keeping an eye out for the medic. As dusk envelopes the street, more pinpricks of light begin blinking in one by one in the darkening sky above as the sun begins to drop below the horizon. 

He spends five minutes watching more and more stars "filling in" the sky above him as it darkens in half-interest before he hears the hydraulics signal that someone's coming out to join him. Faint notes of thin oil and sun-warmed cotton. It's not the smell of joint lubricant or machine oil, so it's not Echo or Tech, but the process of elimination temporarily makes him wonder if the ARC's kit of prosthetic care is sufficiently stocked. "Yeah, Cross?" 

Right to it. No want for excuses. "Really going to sit out here for half an hour at the most waiting for [____]?" 

At a leisurely pace, without the shortcut Wrecker made the day Hunter had been gravely injured by the bomb, it could take someone fifteen minutes to walk from their house to the medic's. "Want some company?"

"Not this time, vod. Thank you, though." 

"... Hunter." 

There was more the sharp-sighted brothers hadn't had the chance to discuss before Echo had made lunch for everyone. Shredded nerf steak meat between slices of bread toasted on one side using one of the hot plates. Echo did not cook as much due to the nature of his prosthetic appendage adding some challenges to meal prep, so the rare occasion he was set on the idea of cooking, the brothers knew it was going to be good. 

As much as Hunter wanted to continue the conversation from this morning, much like Crosshair, there wasn't enough time. "Really," he insists, twisting sideways on the step to better look at his brother, "I don't plan on waiting out here much longer… I do appreciate your offer, but, sitting with me for the five more minutes would be-"

"Over before it started." 

"Mhm."

Cross just nods, the action nearly lost when his head snaps in the same direction as Hunter's when notices the sound of [____]'s shoes coming up the street just before his brother turns back inside. "She got here quickly... I'll go inside so you two can kiss in private, lover boy. She'll be eager to see you." His brother's tone is teasing, but there's something… off, that prevents Hunter from joking back. 

The air smells heavy and sour already, even so far away. But it's not just the nearly overbearing odor of the disinfectant or the trace of rubber gloves…

His heart jumps into his throat in a moment of panic. There's a heavy tang that follows her up the street. Blood. He stammers as he calls out her name, mind racing with a thousand different possibilities why her sleeves are stained in shades of red as he throws himself off that stoop. "A-are you hurt?!"

"N-no I'm… I’m not hurt." the medic murmurs, her voice impossibly soft. 

It doesn't convince him. “You look hurt, [____], the blood-”

“None of it’s mine.” she insists as Hunter looks her over, his dark eyes searching every inch intently for signs of harm or injury to her person, “Someone was stupid and they antagonized an Imperial official in front of witnesses. It got nasty. Those who didn’t need critical care got sent to me. S-so that included the Imperial who was involved in the… fight.”

That final word and the tone of her voice sits like ice in his chest. “It wasn’t a fight, was it?” There's a chilling implication he's afraid of. Is it fear for himself, his brothers and sister? Is it fear for her?

She doesn’t want to answer that. “C-can I just come inside? I don’t want to go home right now.” [____] doesn't meet his eyes. She's hugging herself so tightly across the chest her knuckles are pale. The rustle of her coat sounds… slick and heavier, almost. Outside the halo of light from the front porch, he can't see just how extensive the stains must be.

“You can do more than that…” Hunter offers, ushering her inside by putting an arm around her shoulders comfortingly. “Wrecker hasn’t started on making dinner just yet, so let’s get you cleaned up.”

The mood shifts from being happy to see her to total worry and concern when the rest of the brothers see the dried blood on the sleeves of her coat, heaviest and densest at the wrist. Echo and Crosshair are trying to ask [____] questions, inadvertently talking over one another.

“Kid, are you okay?”

“Doc, what happened to you?”

Wrecker’s expressive, unmatching eyes just stay fixed on [____]’s coat sleeves even after Hunter helps her carefully take it off and check the rest of her clothing for stains. “That damn Imperial didn’t hurt you, did they?” He’s angry enough to knock the Imp’s head clean off. But he’s not going to do anything or make any effort (if any) to come up with a plan to deal with the filth responsible without hearing what his friend has to say. “No… just had a real mess to clean up.”

“Tha’s all that matters, then.” Wrecker says decidedly. If she wasn't hurt, she wouldn't want him stewing in that anger, so he shakes himself free of it as quickly as it had come. “I’ll, uh, find a clean towel you can borrow so you can use the ‘fresher to clean off…” he gestured simply to the sleeves of her med coat hung over Hunter's forearm. The less said about it right now the better. She looked like a gossamer thread away from simply falling apart in front of all of them; it had been a long time since the last Imperial that's shown up to her clinic like this… before she'd started… dating his brother. 

Oh no wonder she was so much more scared than the last time. The last time she'd had one-of-them at the clinic she'd sent a much calmer warning message. It'd been humorous even. 

"No one's allowed to break any bones to find an excuse to come see me until this Imperial leaves my clinic, okay? Stay home, friends."

It breaks his heart when the intonation of her voice remains the same. "Thanks, Wreck…" [____] murmurs. There's no smile. There's no frown. There's no light in those eyes. Wrecker recognizes that expression. He's seen it in too many battle-beaten brothers. He's seen it in the mirror since the end of the war when Clone Force 99 actually started losing missions. 

Wrecker remembers the times Hunter has kept the ash-gray bell of his helmet on longer than necessary while sitting in the shadowy corners of the cargo hold of the Marauder. He knew what he'd see under his brother's helmet even when the face was obscured, and the tremble of his shoulders was almost entirely suppressed. The one and only time he had not been so careful to turn off the mic of his helmet, and had not shown as much restraint, had been three days after leaving Kashyyyk… when the marksman's furious, feverish whispering started. The first symptom of the parasite. 

Sadly Wrecker knows that same haunted, hollow expression that becomes a stubborn mask to take off. No smiles. No frowns. But the heavy, choking silence. The building threat of trickling tears that patiently bide their time. He hopes that's not in store for [____]. (But if she really couldn't help it, he hopes she understands that they won't judge her.)

"We'll find some clothes you can change into after. Something that won't smell like antibac or cleaner. I'll show you how to get the water started." Hunter promises her, taking [____] by the elbow and following her to the 'fresher.

[____] lays quietly with Hunter in his room, curled up on her side on his bed in a pair of borrowed clothes found in the back of someone's closet that hadn't fit him quite right in some way. The two of them can hear Wrecker humming aimlessly through the kitchen while making a "better version" of cafeteria food Clone Force 99 had eaten probably hundreds of times while living and training on Kamino. 

Omega has wandered in and out of Hunter's room since the medic had gotten dressed and laid her head on his thigh, working as Wrecker's little assistant to get the opinions of the other brothers to nail down the seasoning used in soup. 

Hunter, seated at the foot of his bed with his back propped up by the wall, takes a sip from the third sample-cup Omega's carefully carried in from the kitchen. "Hmm that's… close! What'd Wrecker add besides more Kaminoan sea salt?" 

Omega shrugs softly, glancing at [____]. "I think he called it catabar. Crosshair thinks it needs more pepper." 

"Mm, maybe only a little more." Hunter agrees with a second testing. He offers the last of it to [____] to see if she's curious and willing to give it a try, but she doesn't indicate any interest, instead staring ahead at the wall as she continues to utilize a calming breathing exercise. "Are we going with the version of the recipe the four of us are more used to, tonight? Didn't Echo say the version that he's used to apparently has a lot more pepper?" 

"Yeah, I remember when the recipe changed!" Omega giggles brightly before dropping her voice into a whisper, leaning in towards Hunter dramatically. "Wrecker's making a little batch of soup the way Echo liked it, but it's supposed to be a secret!" 

Hunter chuckles, playfully tousling his sister's hair with his free hand. "Ohhh, is he now?" 

"That's nice of Wrecker…" [____] mutters, almost absently. The first thing she's said beyond no or not really when Hunter asked if she wanted him to grab some clothing from home for her or if she wanted anything she left behind in her hurry to get away from her health clinic, away from the watchful eyes of an individual on the Empire's payroll. A fistful of the bedding rumples in her hand as she pushes herself off the mattress to sit up, sighing sharply as she draws her knees up under her chin. "... can always count on him tryna cheer people up." 

Brother and sister share a silent exchange of expressions before Hunter tentatively lays an arm around the medic's upper back, prepared for [____] to shrug him off. But as Omega hoped, she takes the comfort her brother offers her, curling into Hunter's chest instead of turning him away. "Wrecker's made it a little, uh, habit since the war ended to try to make at least one person laugh every day… O-or smile." Omega says while allowing Hunter try to comfort their friend, balling her own fists in the material of Hunter's bedding. She's trying to find some excuse to keep her talking, or to just keep talking to the medic so it keeps her mind off of what's making her so solemn. 

"Wrecker's good at that, yeah…" [____] sniffled softly.

Think, think, think! "Uh… oh, I played with Spoon when we went to check on her! She's so cute!"

"Was she doing okay? How was Spoon?"

Omega nods, glancing at Hunter with an urging look to say something. "She was fine, mesh'la. Omega was a big help and kept an eye on her while Tech and I got your front door fixed. It wasn't opening all the way when I used the card you gave me. Hopefully, it shouldn't give you any more trouble. You've had enough of that for one day; dare I say the rest of the week." It was Hunter's turn to shake his head in a silent signal to Omega. They were not going to bring up that they weren't home when they got the warning. "Think you could be convinced to avoid your clinic tomorrow? Take the day off… not worry about anything. When was the last time you took a day off from your clinic?" he asks softly. 

"Uhm, not that long ago… My birthday, remember?" she reminds him, strangely timid to the realization that was only… wow, three days ago. (Just three?) Hunter scoffs softly, deliberately keeping his smile gentle as Omega scampers from the room, realizing she was keeping Wrecker waiting. "Well… I would argue that you could really use it after today." he says honestly, thinking back to something he and Crosshair discussed. 

"You may not need to twist my arm that hard…" [____] hums in the warm cradle of his arms and broad chest. 

"Don't know if I should call it funny or fitting that my brother with a sacrificial streak ended up falling for a woman who's much the same way."

"A wha-"

"A sacrificial nature. C'mon: the bedsheets, Hunter. They're the thinnest in the house. That's only the tip of the wing." 

"...oh?"

"Even when you were karking pissed with me, you weren't giving me less than my fair share of rations; you gave me extra.You took the smallest room in the house. Omega wanted to continue doing art after enjoying it so much at [____]'s clinic the time she watched Omega for us, you put off replacing things like your sheets and used the leftover credits we got from that job to get her basic art supplies instead… You've been going without since the end of the war and no one's been sure what to say to you about it. We just- Why have you been…?"

"I'm not always the best at it, I know, but… I'm only trying to look out for everyone, keep everyone safe. Happy."

"...That includes you too from now on, Hunter."  

"...Can I hold you to that?" 

"I'll twist your damn arm if I have to."

"That's the brother I know."

Something drops in the kitchen with a great clatter, something ceramic sounds involved. Omega's sharp, reflexive gasp has the medic on the offense in an instant, heart hammering against her chest. "Oh Maker-!" A mere heartbeat later, Wrecker disarms everyone's worry, laughing bashfully. "It's okay!! Just dropped the ladle in the sink; nothing's broke, no one's hurt! Just got excited issall…" 

[____] yelps softly with surprise when without so much as a word of warning or a deep breath to brace himself, Hunter has her pulled into his lap. "Hear that?" Each of his arms are now circled around her, tucking her comfortably and perfectly against his chest where she can feel the steady waves of reverberations as he speaks. "They're fine. No one's hurt, and everyone's still safe; you were very kind to warn us. You did your job trying to take care of the people you care about, ad'ika. Now it's our turn."   

"Uh… why are there two soup pots?" Echo mumbles to himself as he finds a seat at the table. "Well, guess it's not that weird, actually. Kid hasn't grown up on Kamino like the rest'a us." he reasons after some additional thought, nodding towards the medic seated across the table from him, next to Hunter who sat in the middle with Omega at his other side. She regards the second pot with a second look, this time with the same degree of confusion as the ARC trooper. 

"I don't believe this one's for [____]." Tech muses as he inspects the contents of the ladle. "This one has more- ah!" He's figured it out by visual inspection alone. Of course now that he's figured it out and gone quiet, it'll probably drive Echo crazy that for once his younger brother won't elaborate on his conclusions.

"What? What is it?" Echo urges him.

Omega glances over at Wrecker, both stifling laughter long enough for Wrecker to say "It's for you, Echo!" with a splitting grin. 

"You… you made some for me the way I like?"

Wrecker confirms the question with another bright smile. "Yeah; the original recipe before it was changed!" Crosshair snickered softly from across the table when Echo's jaw went entirely slack, feeling bold and daring enough to try teasing him while Wrecker portions out soup to everyone. "Manners, Echo. What do you say?"

"Th-thank you, Wrecker…" he stammers, collecting one of the spoons being passed around. "...I hope it wasn't too much extra effort." 

"Nawh! Don't worry 'bout it, wasn't any trouble at all! Ended up making too much stock for just one pot before I added the meat and vegetables and didn't want to put it to waste. Whaddya think of it, [____]?" To Wrecker's memory, it was probably her first taste of what had been served to the Clones growing up. 

Swallowing slowly with the weight of everyone's eyes on her, [____]'s shoulders steadily crept higher. "It's, uh…" the medic hesitates to say more, swirling the spoon absently through the broth and chunked meats and veggies. 

"It's okay if you don't like it." Wrecker promises, giving her a grin and nod. Clone-food wasn't to everyone's tastes; it's why they avoided pulling any inspiration from the cafeteria rota often when they had her over for dinner. "We had some real tasty sandwiches that Echo made for lunch if you want somethin' else." 

"Oh no-no-no, it's fine!" [____] blurts out, pulling her shoulders back. "It's really good soup, Wrecker, I promise. I just uh, d-didn't really get a chance to eat anything beyond a few sips of a nutri-shake at lunch before… y'know."

"Kriff hit the fan." Crosshair finished matter-of-factly, fishing up the largest chunk of meat in his bowl of soup. "Pity you didn't get a chance to eat, doc." he added, voice softer this time with sympathy. 

[____] shrugged, leaning into Hunter's side after he slung an arm around her shoulders to offer her a side-hug to snuggle into. "Yeah..." she hums quietly, stirring up another suitable spoonful of soup with a frown, "pity's a word for it." Before lifting the next spoonful, she pauses, feeling the comforting gesture of Hunter's thumb making little circles in the borrowed clothing. While the five brothers hadn't said who'd dug out what from his wardrobe for her to find something that would fit her for the time being as her blood stained coat (and the rest of her clothing for good measure) soaked in their laundry machines, there was something about the top that seemed a little like Crosshair's style. 

Hmm.

Hunter notices the pause and leans in close to her, "Everything okay?" he asks in a low and honeyed hum before his lips graze the soft plane of her cheek. He wouldn't care too much if his vode were watching him be affectionate with her out in common spaces like this, but being considerate of [____]'s feelings after the day she ended up having, he was mindful of how far he took things. "What's on your mind, cyar'ika?"

She smiles softly, and he's not initially certain whether that's in response to the mispronounced Mando'an pet name, or the increasing tickle of the several day's worth of stubble he has yet to shave, but the small gesture is a step in the right direction. 

"I'll tell you after dinner." [____] promises him gently. She had a few ideas to think over first. At least one thing was decided for certain; she was not going to her clinic tomorrow.

Taglist: @dragonrider9905 @ladytano420​ @the-hexfiles @ilovethosebrowneyes9904​

Note from Frost: If it was noticed, I know in one section it reads that Medic!Reader says it was sweet of Wrecker to make soup just for Echo and then another she’s just as confused as Echo. Pretend that it’s up to your interpretation that the confusion was either an act or genuine because Medic!Reader makes the comment while still mostly disassociating so I don’t have to edit it for the 8th time.... This chapter gave me the big feels.

If you would like to be added to the taglist that is currently just specific for Sorry, Wrong Comms!, (I may start a taglist for all Star Wars related fanfiction projects that will be marked accordingly with #frostfics in the near future if there is interest) don’t hesitate to shoot me an ask or a comment loves. 🩷

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