#also I wasn't counting the bad batch fics

[cc--2224]

Asking For Help

Pairing: Platonic Tech & F!Reader

Summary: You decide to stay in bed to deal with the pain you're experiencing. The Batch notices and sends Tech to check on you.

Warnings: Reader kind of described as AFAB as fic deals with period pain. But other than that, pure fluff! It can 100% be platonic.

Word Count: 918

Notes: Does the Bad Batch understand anatomy? Probably. Was it more fun to make them panic? Absolutely. I mostly wrote this for me as I took the day off work for this exact reason 😂 no real proofreading.

Taglist: None, let me know if you'd like to be added!

Masterlist

The Marauder's cockpit seemed weirdly empty without you, and everyone noticed your absence. You hadn't been with Clone Force 99 for very long, but when you spend all your time with the same people for four months, they start to worry when you're not being as social as you normally would.

"Where is she?" Hunter finally asked, looking at the empty seat you normally occupied.

Wrecker shrugged, "I tried calling her this morning for breakfast but she didn't leave her room."

"Is it not obvious?" Tech asked, eyes not leaving his datapad. "She exhibits this behaviour roughly around the same time each month."

He thought he was giving everyone the answer, but their confused faces told him that he wasn't.

"She is mostly likely menstruating."

"In Common, Tech." Wrecker said.

Crosshair rolled his eyes, "She's on her period. It's not the end of the world."

Eyes turned back to Tech for an explanation, and he sighed.

"Do none of you pay attention to the anatomy manuals? People who are biologically female go through this process nearly every month. Their body prepares itself for an egg to be fertilized, but when it is not, it begins to shed the excess in the form of blood and uterine lining. Typically resulting in side effects such as; mood swings, pelvic cramps, lower back pain, and headaches to name a few."

Wrecker looked shocked, "And they do this every month? That sounds painful."

Tech shrugged, "I couldn't say, from my understanding, each person reacts differently."

"Shouldn't we check on her? Make sure she's okay?" Hunter asked.

"She does it every month with or without us, I don't see how now is any different." Crosshair pointed out.

"Yeah but, we're her friends, we should help if we can."

Wrecker looked back to Tech, "You know the most about it, you go see if she's okay."

Expectant looks all pointed in Tech's direction and he shook his head. "Fine, I suppose I could inquire after her."

Truthfully, Tech was also concerned for you, even though he had a vague understanding of what was going on. He found your presence soothing, and the Marauder seemed more cheerful with you around. And it was his nature to want to solve any problems that arose, so he wanted the chance to do that now.

He got up from his seat and walked toward the refresher to look for a hot compress and some painkillers so that he might actually be of assistance before cautiously walking toward your room.

He knocked quietly.

"...Yeah?" You croaked from inside the room.

"It's Tech, may I come in?"

You didn't answer immediately but then after a few seconds you spoke, "Door's unlocked."

He pressed the button to open the door before stepping in and letting it close behind him. He frowned slightly when he was you curled up on your bunk with your arms around your stomach.

"I take it I was correct then, you are menstruating."

"Yeah." You replied a little too harshly. "Did you need something?"

"It appears your absence went quite noticed this morning and the others are worried about you."

"So they sent you to check on me?"

He adjusted his goggles, "Well, even though I had suspected what the issue was, I suppose I was also worried."

You didn't say anything, but you moved slowly, creating room for him to sit down on your bunk, he sat on the edge.

"I have brought you a compress and painkillers, if you are interested. I have heard they help to alleviate any cramping and pain associated with it." He handed both to you.

You smiled at his gesture and took the painkillers first. "Thank you," you swallowed two of them down with water from the canteen beside your bunk, then you took the heat compress and hugged it to your stomach.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" He asked, looking down at you.

You looked at him then looked at your pillow and shook your head.

"Very well, I will check up on you later then." He announced before standing up and walking toward the door.

"Wait.." You called out. He turned to look at you. "Can you stay.. with me?"

His expression went from surprised to a gentle smile, and he nodded. "Of course."

He walked back over to your bunk and returned to his seat on the edge.

"Can we- er... Can you hold me?" You asked, so quietly that he thought he might have misheard you.

"You'd like me to hold you?" He repeated.

His need for clarification caused blood to rise to your face in embarrassment.

"If-if that's okay, actually, nevermind I-"

But before you could finish your rambling, Tech crawled into the bunk next to you, holding you so your back was firm against his chest.

You sighed into him and closed your eyes as he began drawing idle shapes on the skin of your shoulder.

"Thank you, Tech." You repeated.

"You are welcome, but your gratitude is unwarranted. We are your friends, we want to help you. Anytime you need us, you do not need to be afraid to ask for help, no matter what ails you.”

You smiled once more. With the heat both from the compress and Tech pressed against you and the painkillers beginning to kick in, you felt yourself finally begin to drift off to sleep. Despite his protests, you were truly grateful to have friends who cared about you, no matter what was going on.

[jedipoodoo]

This isn’t really a request but I was on tik tok and there was one where a dad was taking off his babies helmet (like the ones that reshape their head) and now I’m just picturing tech designing his kids helmet to look like a bad batch helmet and I love your tech with baby fics so I thought you might also find this cute

This one-shot does not contain spoilers for season three. Please do not discuss spoilers in the comments.

We all know that the boys would be the best fathers, and Tech would always try to do his best by his kids. And I know that you said this wasn't a request but it's so cute I had to write it.

Cute (Tech x Reader + Baby)

Warnings: None, just fluff. And babies.

It had been years since any kind of fighting or missions by the time you had your first child, so it made you pause when you came downstairs one morning to find Tech's helmet sitting on your kitchen table.

"Tech?" You called out.

Tech threw open the front door, arms laden with bottles of different shades of paint, "Yes, darling?"

"Where's the baby?" You asked.

Tech turned his back to you, and your baby cooed happily, reaching his hands out for you. He looked absolutely ridiculous in the head-shaping helmet that the doctors were having him wear, but he was still your little baby.

"Hello my handsome boy," You took him from the baby backpack, kissing as much of his face as you could, "Did you and your buir have an adventure this morning?"

"He was fussing earlier, and I wanted to allow you to rest as much as you could," Tech explained, dumping his paints on the table with his helmet. He began comparing various shades to the colors on his helmet.

"Thank you," You almost swooned at his admission, "What are you working on this morning?" Usually, Tech was out in his shed at this point, working with a dozen or so spare parts rather than paint.

His datapad rang with the alarm tone that meant you could remove the baby helmet for a few minutes.

"Aha! Just in time!" Tech tickled the baby under his chin before releasing the strap that held the helmet in place, setting it on the table next to his own helmet.

"Oh!" You said in realization. Tech produced a stylus out of one of his many pockets and began to trace shapes in the styrofoam helmet, echoing the shapes and patterns on his own.

"Yes, I thought it looked rather plain. My brothers and I always made our own helmets look unique, so why not do the same for him," He nodded to the baby and selected one of the larger brushes to paint the base coat.

You snorted, "You know, it's not as unique if you're just making it look like your own."

"So we should let him decide? I fear if we were to allow that he would simply eat the paint." Your son cackled out a laugh, as if that were the funniest idea anyone had ever shared.

"Well, you are his father, so he might as well look just like you, but we should try and let him give it his own touch."

Tech shrugged, and selected another brush. "Very well."

You prepared a bottle for baby's breakfast, and started some coffee for yourself and your husband.

"Are you going to put those little lightning bolts on the earmuffs? Those were cute."

Tech spluttered, "They are not earmuffs, they are- wait, did you say cute?"

You giggled, and your son shared your enthusiasm.

"You know, I think they were what made me fall for you in the first place."

Tech's cheeks flushed as he tried to hide behind his helmet. "W-well, I sanded them off after our last escape from Kamino, but...I suppose I could repaint them...if they are cute..."

"Cuu!" Your baby boy squealed. He dropped his bottle to clap his hands.

"Tech!" You screamed, though he was right there with you, "He said cute!"

"I'm not sure that counts, darling-"

"It does! It totally does! Tech, he just said his first word!" By now you were jumping up and down and dancing around the kitchen. You leaned over the table to place a big kiss on Tech's cheek, accidentally knocking over his tray of paint in the process.

"Oops," You froze as the paint splattered all over Tech's lap. Your baby laughed again.

Tech shrugged, "Is this your way of saying you want to help me paint the helmet, darling?"

You burst into laughter again, and Tech stood up, pulling you and the baby in for a hug.

"Tech! You're getting paint all over me!" You laughed.

"That is your own fault, darling," He grinned, kissing your face and holding you closer.

"Cuu! Cuu!" Your baby cooed, grabbing at his father with sticky fingers.

Tech sighed, "Yes, ad'ika, I believe this is what you would call 'Cute'."

[skellymom]

"Sunset Over Pabu"

Hunter X OC/Reader One Shot

Word Count: 910

Background: An "Old Love" relationship. Nostalgia. Saying Goodbye. Using planet and star interchangeably. The celestial body in this fic is a Moon, similar to our planet Mars it reflects light so the appearance is a shining star.

The inspiration for this story came from @lightspringrain artwork. Including the link to her Etsy shop and image of "Hunter's Moon"

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1556715876/star-wars-the-bad-batch-omega-or-hunter?ref=yr_purchases

There are parallels to the first time Mad met Hunter in this fic. To read how they met, here is the link:

https://www.tumblr.com/skellymom/738467105361494016/vagabonds?source=share

Warning: Sadness.

(Credit: Cool moving star dividers by @4ngelic-wh1spers )

They snuggled close on that settee just as they did the first night meeting on Ord Mantell.  In between trips off world, children, weddings, funerals, holidays, and all manner of life Hunter and Mad carved out while on Pabu to watch the sunset together.  Approximately 10 standard cycles of building a bonfire on the beach and cuddling up together to watch the sky turn deep shades of crimson, purple, and eventually black.  Gazing at the stars as they cycled by with the seasons in the night sky. 

The broken settee was resurrected by Hunter’s own hands when they first settled.  He built it strong enough for two.  A solid foundation so it would never break again.  Mad helped weatherproof it to withstand the ocean salt.  Together, they performed maintenance when needed, so it would last for many years.  A continuing project and labor of love. 

In addition, a firepit was constructed to hold the burning heat kept within.  Hunter and Mad collected stones on their travels around the galaxy.  Bringing back chunks of memories to line into a continuing never-ending circle.  Occasionally family and friends would add their own additions when returning to Pabu. Wrecker kept his eye out for oddly shaped or colored rocks while fishing and would surprise them with a new addition already stacked against the ring. 

Tonight, Hunter had a bit of difficulty making his way down the stone steps to the beach.  Mad took his hand, providing support.  His long hair and beard had gotten greyer the last few months.  She joked that he was almost as silver as her.  The wrinkles and laugh-lines accumulated since being together, a happy long life for a clone prominent on his face. He smiled as she fussed about him being careful not to slip. 

“Taking good care of me.” 

“Of course, what else would I do.”  

She winked, and he chuckled. 

He told Mad tonight he’d forego their usual “Spotchka under the stars” and just do “The Stars” for tonight.  The alcohol was wearing heavily on his system, making for extremely tiring mornings after...even with him cutting back considerably. 

In the last few months, Hunter and Mad watched a vibrant moon make its transit across the heavens.  It stood out amongst the other stars.  Burning a brilliant red flicker that could be easily seen even though it was millions of light years away. The bright red star reached the zenith of its orbit and total brilliance tonight per Tech’s calculations.   

“There’s YOUR moon, Hunky!” Mad pointed up above.  

There was a number for this moon at one point. With millions of celestial bodies orbiting the galaxy, only numbers were given to keep track of them all. That wasn't good enough for Omega though. She named it “Hunter’s Moon” rotations ago before leaving on her own journey with Echo and Crosshair. 

“Shame it’s the last night we’ll see it on Pabu.” Hunter mused. 

Mad sighed. “Didn’t Tech say something about it being visible somewhere else?” 

“Think he mentioned another planet not far from this one...” Hunter trailed off. 

“Whattsamatter Hunky?” 

He looked a little guilty “Not sure I’m up to traveling much any time soon.” He also sounded tired. 

“Not in any hurry. We have a sky full of stars.” 

“Mhmm, that’s my Mad... always thinking ahead.” 

“It’s the wanderlust. Brain never shuts off.” 

“I LOVE you, Maadienne.” 

Mad smiled and squeezed his hand. “I LOVE you too, Hunky.” 

They both gazed up at Hunter’s Moon.  

“Make a wish, Mad!”  Hunter said quietly.  

They were both silent for a while.  Then Hunter gently rested his head against hers. 

She knew he wouldn’t come out and tell her his wish, that to tell it wouldn’t come true.  Mad still liked to chide Hunter and try to playfully tease it out of him.  It would end in tickling, laughter, hugs, kisses...and on less tiresome nights love making. On tiresome nights they fell asleep in each other's arms on the beach. 

“Okay Hunky, spill the beans.”  Mad hugged Hunter tighter.  He didn’t reply.   

“Hunky..?”   

Mad brushed Hunter’s long locks away from his face. She gazed down at him, marveling at how the bonfire illuminated his hair, tattoo, dark skin. The face of a sleeping angel.  A rhyme in time back on Ord Mantell all those years ago.  The younger man who decided to buy her a drink in Cyd’s Parlor.  A partner that travelled with her across the galaxy, helped care for her family, whose brothers adopted them all, and a partner that never left her side. 

She caressed his face lovingly, immersing herself in the scent of his skin, hair, and... 

...breath...? 

Hunter’s chest had stilled.  An expected, but heavy weight resting against her body, a bit heavier than his usual bodily presence. 

“Oh...Hunter...Hun...” Mad suddenly hitched and exhaled, tears running down her face. 

She knew this day would eventually come.  And as the full rotations went on, she kept wishing on a certain red star that she could have another standard day with him.  Every standard day she wished to have another. 

But wishes only carry you so far...and there are only so many wishes granted. 

And you must accept that the universe has other plans. 

To believe in having just a moment of happiness instead of none. 

Mad kissed Hunter’s forehead.  “Aw, Hunky...we were REAL good...  Weren’t we? 

The red star above Pabu twinkled in reply to Mad’s words as she hugged Hunter for the last time. 

PLEASE like, comment, and/or REBLOG!

[neyswxrld]

memories

Bad Batch Family (no pairing(except Phee and Tech))

summary: Omega makes her brothers a present that is full of their favorite memories.

warnings: none, it's just fluff

word count: ~1250

advent calendar masterlist

a/n: this is the twenty fourth fic for my advent calendar! i hope you enjoy! merry christmas to everyone who is celebrating today already!

i also found this lovely piece of art by @blazedeclipse of omega playing with her camera a few weeks ago, and it was so cute and somewhat fitting that i have to show it to everyone!

It's been a few months since they were finally able to settle down on the quiet and peaceful island. The stress from the war and its aftermath has slowly disappeared. At first, Omega's brothers were a little lost. Nobody knew what to do, now that they finally had time for themselves, without any missions or shady jobs to gain a handful of credits.

It took a while for all of them to gain a foothold and live their new lives. Wrecker managed to help the people where he could and became a valued member of Pabu's society. He also discovered his passion for cooking and was making the best meals for them.

Tech finally had time to reinforce his relationship with Phee and had fun with teaching people different things about everything.

While trying to get accustomed to this new place and people, Hunter slowly but surely let his walls fall and laid down his role as the strong leader. He became the best father figure Omega could have ever imagined.

But Echo and Crosshair didn't manage that well at first. While Echo was restless and antsy, trying to be useful in every way, Crosshair had a very hard time. He was sad, and angry, and at the same time his guilt was eating him up alive.

It took both of them a lot of time to finally adjust to their new lives.

And Omega? She was just happy. She finally had the family she ever wanted. She lived with her brothers in a small house. She could visit her friends whenever she wanted. She simply felt good. She wasn't scared or troubled anymore. Just happy.

Months passed by and she collected countless memories and experiences. Memories, she never wanted to forget.

Because of that, she had begged Tech countless times to make her goggles just like his, so she also could record everything.

The Problem was, that she didn't need any glasses. Her eyes worked perfectly fine. So Tech decided to make a small device that had the same functions as his goggles and gave it to her about a year ago.

Since that moment, she took the small holo-recoder with her everywhere she went.

She took pictures of the sea and the nature, of animals, of her and Lyana, of Wrecker and how he proudly holds up a new meal he made, Tech and Phee laughing, Hunter when he was sleeping on the hammock in the garden, Crosshair scowling at Hunter, Echo smiling shyly and of herself.

With the time, she collected picture over picture. Some of them, she had printed out and put them on her wall.

But she wanted to share those pictures and memories. It just was right on time, when Phee was talking about some festivities called Christmas and about traditions. Watching holo movies, eating cookies, meeting with loved ones, and presents.

She immediately knew what she wanted to give her brothers for this special day.

On the same day, she sat down and decided so make a photo album for them. Over the next few weeks, she planned, printed more pictures, glued them in a small empty book she bought from the market and decorated every page in its own style.

Hunter even got a little worried because she was in her room so much and didn't let anyone of them in. But well, it should be a surprise, right? 

After about three weeks of hard work, she finally finishes the album and proudly holds the thick book to her chest. Christmas was going to be amazing.

When the said holiday finally comes around, she already wakes up with the biggest smile on her lips. For a small second, she is scared that maybe her brothers won't like her present, but as soon as her eyes fly to the finished photo album, all her worries fade away. They will love it as much as she loves it!

The whole day is like Phee described it already. They watch classic Christmas movies in the afternoon and eat some of the baked goods she brought around.

After some time, Wrecker gets up to start cooking. Here and there, one of them helps him and after about two hours they eat dinner.

She's a little bit absent. Her mind is mostly occupied with the photo album. When Hunter notices and asks if she's okay, she just nods, too tense to speak. She doesn't notice how Echo and Hunter exchange a quick, concerned glance, seriously worried by now.

The rest of the meal is relatively quiet and everyone is savoring the unbelievably delicious food on their plate. When all of them are done, they clean up the table and the kitchen together.

When they're finally finished, Omega decides that now is the right time.

"I have something for you," she says, her voice thin and shaky.

Before anyone can say a thing, Omega runs up to her room, grabs the wrapped book and soon after, she is standing next to her brothers again.

"A gift?" Wrecker asks excited when he sees the colorful paper.

All the attention lies on her now. Everyone is watching her as she comes closer and places it on the table.

"Yes, I- I- thought... That maybe you'll like it," she nods, sliding it towards them.

While the others are a little unsure and don't know what to say at first, Wrecker is all excited. He grabs the present and before anyone can protest, he already rips the paper away, gasping as he gets a good look at what's inside.

"A book?" he questions, looking over at her.

"A photo album," she corrects, but nods.

Wrecker's eyes get big.

"I thought... Well, Phee talked about Christmas gifts and I wanted to give you something back because you care for me so much. I care too. And... this is a small thank you for everything you do for me," she says quietly, looking around all of them.

All of them look a bit confused at first, before understanding settles in their eyes. When she finishes, she feels proud of herself and when she interprets Hunter's face right, he is too.

"Come over here," Echo is the first one to break the silence. When she reaches him, he lays his arms around her.

"Thank you so much, Omega. This is very kind of you," he tells her, stroking through her short hair.

All of them say their thanks in their own way. Whether it's a silent nod and a pat on her shoulder by Crosshair, the red glint on Tech's face as she tells him that the pictures are taken with his holo-recorder or Wrecker's bear hug. Hunter is the last one that pulls her close.

"Thank you," he whispers in her hair, before pulling her down on a chair next to him. "Let's give it a look on the inside!"

Said and done.

In the next hour, they're sitting huddled together at the dinner table and look at all the different pictures.

They laugh, and smile and retell different stories they remember when they see pictures.

Phee went to clean the last few dishes as soon as Omega came around with the present. When she finishes, she quietly sits down with them, enjoying their conversations. She keeps in the background, not wanting to disturb their family moment. They still have too less of them, in her opinion, and seeing all of them so happy and careless warms her heart.

TAGLIST:

@isthereanechoinhere96 @trixie2023 @freesia-writes

[triptuckers]

invisible scars - echo

Request: nope Pairing:  echo x jedi!reader Summary:  the war leaves a lot of scars, some you can see and some that are invisible to the eye Warnings:  mentions of war (big shocker!!), mentions of death, angst, negative self image I guess?? Word count:  2.2KA/N: this has been sitting in my drafts for too long. also im totally fine. enjoy reading! posts that inspired this fic: feral-ballad catchymemes nothingbutloveforyou

life after the war was hard. you had to constantly look over your shoulder. it's been a while since the war ended but it never hurt to be careful. you don't want to experience firsthand what the empire does to jedi who served in the war and managed to escape order 66.

you'd been traveling the galaxy on your own after getting a ship. it took a lot of hard work to get the credits to be able to afford a ship, but it was worth it.

your ship wasn't exactly big or fully up to date, but it got you from place to place, and it was entirely yours. while you loved having your own ship, it was hard to be alone.

long ago, when you'd served as a general in the grand army of the republic, you loved having people around you. it's been hard, being alone for so long.

you took work whenever you could, as you needed to eat and you needed to pay for fuel for your ship. some jobs were dangerous, others were boring, most of them you did on your own. you traveled from planet to planet, doing jobs for a few shady people.

at one point, in search of work, you ended up on ord mantell. someone pointed you in the direction of cid when you mentioned that you were looking for work.

so, you started to do some jobs for her. you suspected she wasn't always 100% honest with you and some of the jobs were tough, but you got paid. and though cid's bar was never packed, you were there a lot when you were on ord Mantell. it reminded you of 79's back on coruscant.

when you first went out on your own, you made a promise to yourself never to stay in one place too long. just to be safe. but you always found yourself back at cid's. you wouldn't exactly call it home, but it was a nice place to relax in between jobs.

it's also where you met the bad batch.

one day you were sitting at the bar, having a drink by yourself, when you sensed someone looking at you. your old instincts kicked in, and you slowly reached for one of your blasters. but then you spotted the figure coming out of hiding. it was a kid.

she introduced herself as omega, and started a conversation. she was happy and excited to talk to you. it was refreshing to sit and talk with her. you gathered she didn't know a lot about the galaxy, so she loved your stories.

over time, you saw omega more often at cid's. most of the times she was accompanied by a few men who she seemed to be traveling with. you had only seen them from afar a couple of times, before omega introduced them to you as her brothers.

you could tell they were clones. though they didn't look like the men you served with, you knew they were clones anyway. you never asked them about it, you never commented on it. they'd talk to you if they wanted to.

as you started to spend more time with omega and with her brothers, cid started sending you on missions with them. you got to know them better every time cid sent you somewhere.

after a while, you decided to do all of your missions together. you worked well alongside each other, and you liked the company.

it had been a few months since you started working with them, when one of cid's missions took you to a planet you were familiar with. you were silent most of the journey.

the others could tell something was troubling you, but they didn't want to push you. they knew little of your past, as you rarely talked about it. you weren't ready to share that story yet.

it was echo who was especially worried about you. you were never this quiet. he figured he'd wait til you opened up on your own accord, pushing his own worries away.

cid's mission hadn't been hard. you ran into little trouble as there was almost no one living on the desert planet. she had sent you there to retrieve some of the plants that still grew there. most of the plants were gone, but some still existed. they were worth some money on the black market.

of course, no one had told omega that was the real reason you were here. she was just happy to get the flowers and to see another new planet.

you're standing a bit away from the ship, looking out over the sea of sand in front of you. behind you, the others are loading up the harvested flowers.

you don't hear much of omega's talking, too busy drowning in your thoughts.

after a while, you feel someone's presence right behind you.

'you okay?'

it's echo.

of course it's echo. there was something unspoken between the two of you. you could understand each other with little to no words. it was just so comfortable to be around him. you often sought him out, even if you didn't have a reason to do so.

'I'll be fine.' you say.

echo is silent as he moves to stand beside you. he looks out over the desert in front of you. there's little left of the villages, a few ruins scattered among the sand dunes and memories in the heads of people that left long ago.

'you know this planet, don't you?' asks echo.

you turn to him. 'how did you know?'

echo smiles softly. 'I know we know very little of you past. but I can tell you've lived through a war. I know that look on your face. I've seen it everywhere, in everyone I served with.' he says.

over time, you had learned more about the bad batch and their stories. you know they served int eh army as well, yet you couldn't recall if you had ever crossed paths with them.

while most of them had been a part of clone force 99 along with their brother crosshair, echo hadn't always been a part of the bad batch. he had been part of the 501st, anakin and ahsoka's men.

looking at the horizon, you get the sudden urge to tell echo. all of it.

he's been in the war as well. he knows what it was like. he would understand. but it's all too painful to talk about.

the bad batch didn't even know you were a general. they figured out you were a jedi, but you told them you left the order before the end of the war. it wan't true. the truth was just too painful to talk about.

'I do know this planet.' you say softly. 'I haven't been here in years. I had heard stories of what happened here, what the empire had done. I just wasn't ready to see it with my own eyes. guess sometimes you end up at the very place you try to avoid at all costs.'

'was this your home planet?'

you swallow the lump in your throat. 'yes.'

'I'm sorry.'

'I thought I had already moved past it. but to see it with my own eyes. it's different. it used to be beautiful. this whole places was covered in the most gorgeous plants. now all that's left is a few dying flowers people sell on the black market.'

'it was weird for me to go back to kamino as well. it was still there of course, but the last time I was there, I was with my brother.'

'which one?'

you turn to look at echo. when he looks at you, you can tell the look in his eyes mirrors you own.

'fives. he didn't survive the war.'

'was he in the 501st as well?'

'he was. he was an excellent soldier. but an even better brother. I still miss him every day.'

'losing someone is never easy. especially during a war.'

'what was your rank?'

you're silent, fidgeting with your hands. you don't talk about the war.

'I'm guessing commander or general.' says echo.

'how do you know I served in the war?'

'you don't talk about it much, but when you do, it's like you were there. I don't think you left the jedi order. I think you're one of the few survivors. but don't worry. I haven't told anyone else. you can tell them yourself whenever you're ready. I know it's hard.'

'thank you.'

echo smiles at you and nods, then turns his gaze back to the horizon. you stand next to each other in silence for a while. you're thinking back to the war, all the friends you lost and mourned. what you had to do to survive after the republic fell.

'you know, I may be a jedi, but in the end I wasn't a good person.' you say softly.

'what makes you say that?' says echo.

'I... hurt some of my men.' you confess. 'I didn't mean to. they suddenly turned on me. all of them. it wasn't until later that I figured out it was order 66. but... I did hurt them. I did what I had to do to survive. at least, that's what I tell myself. but I hate myself for it. every night before I fall asleep I think of them. they're in all my nightmares.'

'I had no idea. when you're with us, you're often the most optimistic one. save maybe for omega.'

you shrug. 'it's easy to forget that violence is mostly kept inside.'

'is that why you're sometimes so exhausted? nightmares keeping you awake?'

'mostly, yes. sometimes I'm afraid to go to sleep. I don't know what's worse, surviving the war or being killed by someone you trusted. those men did everything I asked them to. they were my brothers as much as they were each others. and in the end, I wasn't there for them. I failed them.'

echo turns to you so he can fully face you. 'y/n, it's not your fault. you know of those chips now. they had no choice, and you were defending yourself. if you hadn't, you'd be dead now.

you don't meet his eyes. 'maybe. it doesn't matter now anyway. I have no idea how many of them survived. and if they did, they're most likely serving the empire now. doing stuff like this.' you gesture to the desert planet you're on.

'for what it's worth, I think we can still fight. I think deep down, you haven't fully given up. otherwise you wouldn't have been a high ranking officer in the army leading men into battle.' says echo.'

a whistle interrupts your conversation with echo. you look back at the marauder to see hunter waving at you.

'you two ready to go?' he says.

'be right there!' says echo.

'I don't want to come back here.' you say softly. 'it's too painful, brings back too many memories.'

'we don't have to come back here. I appreciate you for opening up to me.'

you feel tears welling up in the corners of your eyes. 'I don't really talk about it. there's a lot more. but I haven't told anyone that.'

'listen, I know your struggle. having so many painful memories that are too fresh to talk about. and I hope you win this war you tell no one about.' says echo.

you look up at him and manage a smile. 'thanks, echo.'

'let's head back to the ship, yeah?'

'yeah, let's get out of here.'

echo starts to walk back to the marauder as you take one last look at the planet that was once your home.

'echo?' you say, walking up to him.

he turns around, expecting you to say something. instead, you walk closer to him and wrap your arms around his chest.

at first, echo freezes up, unsure of what to do. everyone knows there's something going on between you two, though you've never talked about it.

but then he slowly wraps his arms around you. he knows he's done the right thing when he feels you shuffle closer and press your face in his chest.

the two of you stand there like that for a while. you close your eyes and allow yourself to soak up the feeling of safety and comfort.

when you finally pull away, you look up at echo and smile.

'now at least I have one good memory of this place.' you say. 'thank you again for listening, echo.'

echo smiles at you as well. 'of course. if you ever need me, you know where to find me.'

'thanks. now let's get out of here.'

echo motions to the marauder. 'after you.'

while you still didn't feel like talking about all of it yet, you know echo will be there whenever you do feel like opening up. it was nice to have someone listen, especially someone who understands right away.

you just know you'd be seeking out echo a lot more after this.

A/N: If you want to request something, make sure to read my house rulesHere’s the list of characters I write for. Everything that I have written can be found on my masterlist. Please don’t repost my work, as I spend much time and effort on it!! Thank you for reading! Much love, Max/Marit

[not-quitenormal]

DVD commentary game:

At that moment, the kitten went to gnawing on Galinda’s index finger lightly. Galinda frowned at the green girl. “But… Elphie, I can’t put him back,” she said quietly. She looked into the kitten’s wide green eyes, her heart once again melting. “I’ve never seen anything so helpless in my life. He was obviously abandoned by his mother—he’s so young. And he must’ve been so terrified being in such an uncomfortable place without anyone to love and care for him. Not to mention the storm could have killed him….” She sighed. “I believe something brought him to me so he could be saved from such an ill fate.”

Jesus. Okay. So. I wrote that fic in June 2007. I was 14.

If you really don't wanna read a DVD commentary, start scrolling now. I am high and unnaturally talkative.

Around that time, to kinda set the stage, I lived with my family in the middle-of-nowhere, Louisiana. (If you look at the map of the state, the GPS marker should look like you shot Bart Simpson in the arm. And YES that is how I learned where my Parish was on a map, thank you.) Three years prior, we had moved back to be closer to extended family. My grandparents (my mom's parents, specificially) owned at least 72 acres of land. They sold 1 of it to my mom for, like, a dollar, and then arranged so that we could move a double-wide trailer in asap. Our properties shared a driveway for the most part, but the only other connecting point was a gate in the back that led to my grandparent's back pasture.

Right outside of the gate was a small barn where my grandparents kept their hay. They had six cows. They also had a really bad problem with feral cats. I had counted about 20 of them when we first moved in. Most of them weren't socialized - they only came around because Nana put dry cat food out on all four porches twice a day. But there were some who allowed us to pet them, and eventually they would come running to greet us whenever they heard the gate latch open. The female cats had their kittens in the hay barn every mating season. The ones who liked us or didn't mind us allowed us near their kittens. The others? Unfortunately, ferals are avoidant by nature, so their babies were abandoned because humans were around. My sister and I learned how to make milk bottles to make up the difference and help the other mothers out.

Three years later. One of that year's batch of kittens, Leo, was my twin's favorite. He was a healthy orange tabby and often got into things he shouldn't. I can't remember who his mom was, but she was new and wasn't very certain of us being around. There was a thunderstorm one night. The details are fuzzy because I was at home while this happened, but when my sister went to go feed the kittens she found Leo caught hanging somewhere outside of the barn, in the rain, and she needed to rescue him. She later came home and begged our parents to let us bring Leo inside. She was denied because we already had a cat and didn't have space for another pet. (Our dad got a dog the next month.)

Something about the way she described it made an idea click for me. Elphaba, book-verse, was neglected by her mother. Elphaba was often put into uncomfortable situations by her father because of her green skin - something I hope Maguire elaborates on in his prequel. And the destructive impact of water? I mean. That speaks for itself. The whole fic was written around this passage specifically, tbh. So if the rest of it feels kinda crusty I apologize lmao.

(I was also just starting to write for the Wicked fandom. Character associations and descriptions are kinda wonky around the 2006-2007 timeframe, but by 2008 I got it locked in. Zero character analysis went into this - I had no idea what that was, lol.)

I will let y'all enjoy your Wendys in peace now.

[ceapa-mica]

The Choices We Make | Chapter 4: In The Ghetto

{cross-posted on ao3} {masterlist}

<- previous chapter next chapter ->

Pairing: Imperial!Crosshair x Tholothian!OC

Warnings: angst

Word count: 2866

a/n: Welcome back and Happy Bad Batch Day! In case you haven't noticed, social injustice plays a big role in this fic. And as Star Wars fans we all know what atrocities the Empire is capable of. This chapter really sets up the coming story arc. Enjoy!

The entrance to the apartment building was down a seedy looking alleyway and looked more like a dirty gray duracrete block than an actual building. Zaree and Crosshair were relieved to have made it to the address without any unlucky incidents, and that at least the Kjoris' doorbell was functional, unlike the few street lamps in the alley. The dull and dingy exterior  indicated exactly what the building looked like on the inside - gray concrete walls with graffiti and floor tiles covered in so much dirt you could barely see them. The building didn't even have an elevator, just a rickety old staircase that groaned and shivered, every once in a while a creepy bug skittered across their path. The stench wasn't any better than outside, in fact it was worse.

A door flung open as they arrived at the fourth floor on the Kjoris' doorstep, and a little Mon Calamari boy, who Zaree knew as Baxel, jumped into her arms with a squeal of joy.

"Zaree is here! Zaree is here!" he cheered, hugging her waist tightly. Crosshair wrinkled his nose. Kids made him nervous, he didn’t know how to act around them. Of course he didn’t let it show and put on his usual scowl.

Fortunately the apartment didn’t share the same odor as the stairwell, instead it smelled salty due to the small glands Mon Calamari had on their skin, which released an essence to keep their skin moist outside of water. The air was thick and humid, but that’s not surprising since the apartment was just one room, with no door to separate the small ‘fresher from the living space. Mon Calamari liked that much humidity in their homes, whereas humans and Tholothians alike found it uncomfortable. There was also something else that made only Crosshair uncomfortable, and that was the crying of an infant coming from the ‘fresher.

“Mom and dad are working. You can wait for them here if you like, they’ll be home in about three hours… maybe longer.” Baxel offered, gesturing to the old sofa in front of the holoprojector that was showing some kids tv show.

“Thank you, dear. Actually we’re here for something that might help me find your brother.” Zaree explained.

Baxel looked up to Crosshair, cocking his little head. “Woah! You’re tall! Can I sit on your shoulders?”

"Not happening." Crosshair replied with an annoyed expression.

“Bax! What did I tell you about opening the door for-” A Mon Calamari girl with the infant on her arm came out of the ‘fresher. She didn’t look older than twelve. “Zaree, hello! You’re here for the records, are you? And you brought a friend?”

“Good to see you, Kalu! This is my friend Crosshair, and you’re correct. We need your family’s financial records regarding the social payment.”

“I’ll go seek out the holofolders. Would you…?” She basically put the baby, that wore nothing but a diaper, in Crosshair’s arms. He looked absolutely horrified and tried to hand the infant to Zaree as they sat down on the sofa that felt way too well used, but she made no attempt at taking the baby from him.

“This is not what I signed up for.” Crosshair gritted with lots of suppressed anger behind his words as to not scare the baby that had stopped crying and now fumbled with his shirt’s collar.

“Muri seems to like you.” Zaree smiled, thinking how handsome Crosshair looked with a baby on his arm. “She should be at that age where she starts teething, that's when they cry the most.” she added, earning an exasperated sigh from him.

Baxel showed off the only toy that he owned - a tooka plushie that could use a good wash. Crosshair tried to ignore the kids and raised his brow at the kids show on the holoprojector and then looked around the apartment. Five bunk beds lined the walls, and the baby had its own crib. A small kitchenette was at the other end of the room and the dining table didn't have enough chairs for a family of six, not even a high chair for Muri. Crosshair wondered why these people kept making children despite not having enough space for them all.

Suddenly a tiny hand touched his chin and he looked down at Muri who stared at him with big curious eyes, cooing as if intrigued by the stubble on his chin. Probably because Mon Calamari didn’t have any hair and the baby girl only knew the moist skin of her relatives. “What are you looking at, womp rat?” he said in a voice as tender as he could manage. Zaree chuckled as she watched them. She got a glimpse of something that Crosshair was hiding deep inside and it warmed her heart.

Kalu had searched the messy holobookcase and found the holofolders next to the cookbooks. There were three of them, and as it turned out each had hundreds of pages.

"Let me know if you need anything else. Would you like a cup of caf? We also have water and…. formula."

"No, I'm fine, thank you! How about you, Crosshair?" Zaree asked, searching through the records for the month the Republic had fallen. That's when the payments supposedly had stopped.

"Nothing for me either, kid." Crosshair said, dodging the infant's curious fists whilst shooting daggers with his eyes towards Zaree as she searched for what they were looking for.

Crosshair briefly looked at the records and his enhanced eyesight discovered the record Zaree was seeking.

"You're probably looking for this." He gave her the holofolder and she read through the months incomes and expenses. A wrinkle had formed between her eyes and she bit her lip. "That's it, that's what we're here for! This month and every month after that social payment appears in the records, but the same amount simultaneously is an expense for the Imperial Army?! Made on the same day they receive that social payment… Kalu, do you know if your parents were ever informed about this… what's it called… security fee?"

The girl sat down next to Zaree and looked over the records. "No, they said that there wase's an expense they had never approved of,and I remember they made so many comms to figure out what's was  going on, but nobody gave them definite answers." To Crosshair's relief, Kalu took Muri from his arms to cradle her in her own arms.

"How is this legal?"

Kalu shrugged. "I really don't know much about that money stuff." She stood up and put a sleeping Muri into her crib. "I wish I could help you more, we miss Lyle so much! He- he just wanted to figure out why this happens. Once Muri is a bit older I will find me a job so I can help support us. Mom and dad work two jobs each and don't make as much as Lyle did. Working on the sky levels of Coruscant you get a higher income than down here. He's so lucky, y'know. I have never been to the sky levels. Is the sunlight really warm on your skin and the sunsets so beautiful?"

"You both work on the sky levels?!" Baxel asked in astonishment. "Can we go there together one day?"

"If your parents approve I could give you a tour." Zaree offered.

"Awesome! But we have to take my sisters too!"

A sudden beep from the locking mechanism came from the apartment door and Oura Kjori came in, carrying a flimsi bag with groceries. She looked stressed and there was a sadness in her eyes indicating that something must have happened.

"Mom!" Baxel jumped up and down in excitement and then hugged her waist just like he hugged Zaree earlier.

"You're home early, mom. Is everything alright?" Kalu asked with concern in her voice.

"They sacked me. My boss said they need to lay off workers in order to not go completely bankrupt." She finally looked up from her groceries to find Zaree and Crosshair on the sofa.

"Oh, Zareena! You're here because of Lyle. Did you find my son?"

"Umm no, I'm sorry Oura. I hope it's okay that we took a look at your financial records to understand what Lyle has been working on."

Oura sighed and held back her tears. "Hey that's okay, really. Anything that helps you find my son."

"Were you ever informed about this so-called security fee?" Zaree asked.

"No, we only noticed after not having enough credits at the end of the month and we had to go without food for days. I looked at the records and there it was - a transaction we had never approved nor had been informed about. The thing is, everyone I know has the same security fee showing up in their records, it's not just our family, but all of us. Our friends and neighbors, even the guy who owns the little grocery store down the road. A few lucky ones had savings in the beginning to put food on the table, but after half a year they used most of it up. Lyle’s income has helped us to put food on the table, but with my darling son gone and getting sacked… I hope we make it through this month."

"I really wanna help you. Help you find Lyle and to find a way to get rid of that security fee." Zaree searched her satchel bag for her wallet and stood up to put a fairly large amount of credits on the dining table.

"I have savings. I eat at the mess hall and sleep in the maintenance room, so I barely have any expenses and saved a lot of my salary. Please take this. Should get you through a few months combined with your income."

"Zaree, I can't accept-"

"For the kids. Oura, please." Crosshair watched the scene with interest, but said nothing.

"You're serious, you actually care what happens to us! Maybe it would be a good idea to gather some friends and neighbors. Together we might be able to do something about it."

"There's clearly something the Empire doesn't want you to find out, otherwise they would have informed you about this fee."

"Or maybe it's just because they live in an unsafe neighborhood." Crosshair said, checking the chrono on the wall. "We should get going. Staying away for too long may raise suspicions."

"Why did you bring an Imperial soldier with you?"

"He's my friend, he won't tell a soul about our little excursion, I promise."

Oura eyed Crosshair suspiciously. "I want to hear that from him."

He let out an annoyed sigh. "Fine, I'll keep everything that happened today to myself. I never left the facility and I don't know any of you."

Oura nodded. "Fine, I'll accept that answer. For now. Take care on your way back."

"Do they have to go?" Baxel complained.

“It’s late and way past your bedtime, Bax.” his mother reminded him.

They said their goodbyes and Crosshair and Zaree walked back to the elevator to the upper levels at a brisk pace. They just wanted to be out of that place as soon as possible. They took a deep breath of relief as soon as the elevator doors shut behind them.

"Why did you give them your savings?" Crosshair asked.

"Because I have more than I need and they have nothing. The least I can do is support them financially. You heard Kalu and Oura, Lyle earned enough credits to keep them fed through the end of each month, even with the security fee."

He thought about what she had just said. He had never wasted a thought about what it was like to have credits. He didn't get a salary. Food, shelter and equipment was all provided by the Empire. Then a thought struck his mind. "Why do you live at the headquarters? With that salary of yours you could afford a small apartment for yourself."

Zaree shook her head. "The rents on Coruscant are insanely high. I couldn't afford anything more than Lyle's family can. The headquarters are a much safer place than the lower levels and have everything to meet the basic needs, y’know."

"Huh, that makes sense, I guess."

The fresh air of Coruscant's sky levels filled their lungs, and never had Crosshair been so relieved to smell the emissions of speeders and… there was something else - a stall where a delicious smell came from.

Zaree took a deep breath. "When's the last time you've eaten some non-Imperial Army issued food?" Crosshair couldn't exactly recall when he last tasted food that actually had any taste. Zaree approached the stall and beckoned him over. "Check this out! Ever had nerf kebab?" Crosshair shook his head. The delicious scent made his mouth water and suddenly he realized how hungry he was. "Two, please! The larger one for my friend."

Nerf kebab was basically spiced meat on a stick with pieces of pepper and zucchini in between. Crosshair wasn't sure how to eat it and waited until Zaree took the first bite.

So no fork it is…

It felt like an explosion of taste in his mouth that made it hard for him to keep up a neutral facial expression. He hummed in contentment, wolfing down the meat unlike anything he had ever eaten before. Zaree watched in amusement as he did so. Yet again, for another short moment, the softness in his eyes had returned… until the stick was empty. At this point she had only eaten half of hers.

"You want another one?" she offered.

"No, save your credits. That was… good. Thank you."

Zaree grinned. "I know a perfect diner, the food there is even better than nerf kebab. I should take you sometime."

Crosshair didn't look her in the eye. "I don't think that would be a good idea. If anyone found out I go off base without being on shore leave… It's too risky to do that. I just tagged along today to keep you safe down there."

Zaree thought for a moment. "If you can't go to where the food is, then the food comes to you. I'm no soldier, in my free time I can come and go as I wish and go buy some."

The lingering taste of the kebab made him consider agreeing, but his reason kept him from doing so.

"I'll think about it."

They had to climb a lot to get back inside the military complex undetected. It was even riskier in the dark because to remain undetected they couldn't use any flashlights. They took the same way they had come from and Crosshair was relieved when they finally arrived in front of the maintenance room.

"Crosshair…Please don't tell any soul about our little… adventure today. I'm serious."

"That would get us both in trouble. Relax, your secret is safe with me."

Zaree sighed. "Last time someone said this to me, they broke their promise." she spoke with hurt in her voice. "Now go get changed. We can't let the Imps see you like this."

Crosshair had almost forgotten about the civvies he was wearing. He had gotten used to the fabric quicker than expected. He had to admit that they were a lot more comfortable than his armor, but they also made him vulnerable. He quickly changed into his usual outfit of blacks and armor. As he came out of the maintenance room he saw Zaree looking at a holo pic with a tear running down the brown skin of her cheek. He didn't know how to comfort others, so he cleared his throat and she immediately closed the small holoprojector, shoving it back into her pocket and wiping away the tears that had formed in her eyes.

"I need to go." he stated.

"See you at breakfast?"

A corner of his mouth quirked up in response and he left, wondering why she was crying. Was she missing someone? It was just another puzzle piece in a long line of puzzle pieces. She intrigued him and nursed the emptiness in his heart. He wanted to ask her so many things, but the words never left his mouth. He wasn't much of a socializer, never had been. She was no mission, nothing he could solve with his blaster rifle. Building a friendship was harder than he thought, but so far it felt like it was worth it. He even looked forward to accompanying her to the stinking lower levels again to spend time with her and to keep her safe, obviously.

As Crosshair was lying on his uncomfortable cot that night he spent a good hour thinking about her, about this whole situation with the Kjori family. He knew the Empire liked to keep their secrets, just like the Republic did. At least the Republic had cared enough to grant them a small payment that had now become meaningless. He had a feeling there was more to this, and that was exactly what worried him. He knew the Empire didn't like people asking too many questions. He could only hope that there was an easy way out of this, but when had anything in his life ever been easy?

<- previous chapter next chapter ->

a/n: Crosshair with a baby… He- He's just… I have no words okay. Now what makes Zareena sad and how will that meeting with the family's neighbors go? Stick around for the next chapters and find out!

[tragedy-for-sale]

Angst Iguana's Plaza

Masterlist 2021

Hey everyone! Long delay on the 2021 masterlist but I got some fics floating around so I told myself if I wanted to post them I had to do this, so blarg!

If you want to travel to The Midnight Zone for deeper fics, that link is here. Fics posted there will stay there, so they won't be on this masterlist.

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

How To Save a Life

 Medics and Surgeons alike are called back to a medical base to preform high-risk surgeries throughout the week. Simple enough, right?

|| The King || Cracked Crown || Last of Us || Solemn Silence || 

501st  

Obi-Wan, Anakin and Ahsoka // Because of You, You're Gone //

Ahsoka // Monster; I am //

501st

Bad Batch

──────────

Bad Batch // Nothing Could be Better //

Bad Batch (Cadets) // Pain Like This //

Bad Batch // Wild Blue //

Bad Batch // Burning House //

Hunter // That's Us //

Crosshair and Tech // Your Smile, Your Laugh, Your Love. I Remember //

Crosshair and Tech // Your Silence, I Miss //

Crosshair // Cold Demeanor //

Crosshair // The Horns are Fake //

Crosshair // Tendency //

Tech // Wires Unwired (Growing Pains) //

Tech // I Miss my Brother //

Tech // Lifeboat //

Tech // Waving, Smiling //

Tech // Smells Like Teen Spirit //

Tech // Dance With the Devil //

Omega and Tech // Starry Night; Bright Eyes //

Hunter // Remember? Remembered //

Hunter // All I Know so Far //

Echo // Falling Inside the Black //

Wear and Tear

// Tech // Hunter //

Headcannons

Bad Batch: Cadet Batch

Bad Batch: Mornings

Bad Batch: Singing

Goofball Crosshair

Updated: Hunter

Updated: Tech

Updated: Echo

Updated: Wrecker

Updated: Crosshair

Updated: Omega

Bad Batch 

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

This masterlist for 2021 is done! There may be a few fics floating around but whateves!

[darthzero22]

I've got a fluffy fic idea for Tech or Cross, whichever you'd like

The Batch has been on some good back-to-back missions and reader has knots and aches in her muscles, Tech or Cross notice this and offer a massage?🤍🤍

That idea is beautiful, anon 💖 I'll do it with Cross for now, but later  I'll do it with Tech 😊

Crosshair x F!Reader

Your squad was on a streak of consecutive successful missions, but that takes its toll, at least for you. Your body starts to betray you, your muscles especially, but luckily you have Crosshair to help you with that. 

Another successful mission. It wasn't news to you and the boys. What was new to you were the pains in your body, in your shoulder and back muscles. After so many missions, your body began to betray you, you clearly needed rest, but let's just say you were a bit stubborn in that respect. At all times you pretended to be fine, when the truth was that your back and shoulders hurt. and others may not have noticed, but you didn't count on the man, who knew you better than anyone else in the galaxy, clearly noticed.

His ability was sight, so Crosshair could instantly see that something was bothering you.

There were a few hours left before you arrived at your destination, so you were in your room on the ship trying to get some rest, but the pains in your shoulders and back were so annoying that even lying in your bed could not relieve them. You tossed and turned in your bed, looking for a comfortable position to take a light nap, but you couldn't and so you grunted in annoyance, burying your face in your pillow. 

You moved so much in your bed that the sheets were on the floor.

Did your leg muscles ache too? Now you insulted, but since your mouth was against the pillow, you barely understood yourself when you spoke. Suddenly you hear the door to your room open, you didn't bother to move because you knew who it was, and you feel a finger tapping you on the back. You tried to ask him what he wanted, but again the pillow muffled your voice making it impossible to understand you. 

“Take the pillow out of your mouth” Crosshair tousles your hair as he runs a hand through your head.

“Hey, hey!” you raise your head and hold your hand to your head. “Cross!” 

“Much better" now Crosshair chuckles mockingly at the sight of your tousled hair. 

“Ugh. Sometimes I hate you” you were trying to comb your hair with your hand. 

“The feeling is mutual” Crosshair walks over to the wall to lean his back against it, and folds his arms as he looks at you. “So the princess is in a bad mood today, huh?”

“I'm not in a bad mood" you now lie on your side so that you can look at him better. “What makes you think that?”

“Your pretty face. Your eyes give you away” he moves the toothpick to the other side of his mouth. “Something is bothering you”

Crosshair caught you, you couldn't hide your discomfort much longer.

"Yeah...” you sigh. “You are right”

“Was there any doubt?”

“Easy, handsome. Remember who has the pillow” you joked.

“Hmm" he sighs and sits on the edge of the bed. That little joke you made was funny to him, but he didn't show it. “Are you going to tell me what's bothering you?” 

“My whole body"

“Be specific"

“Well,my muscles... My shoulder, back and leg muscles ache. After all the missions I didn't think much of it. Now I am paying the price...”

“Pff. Typical"  he removes the toothpick from his mouth and tosses it aside. “You are so stubborn"

“I learned it from the best” you caress his cheek with your fingers. “I'm sorry if I made you worry"

“What makes you think that?”

“Your eyes also give you away” you smiled. 

You caught him, so Crosshair opened his eyes for a second in surprise.

“Hmm. I guess” he caresses your cheek too, even his touch was softer than yours and that's why your smile gets bigger. “I am transparent with you"

You see Crosshair leaning towards you to kiss you on the lips and you reciprocate. That kiss lasts a few seconds, so when he pulls away he sees that you were trying to straighten up. That's why he helps  Now your back pain was evident. He was not going to let you continue to suffer that pain, and therefore carefully forces you to turn your back on him. Before you could say anything, he rests his hands on your shoulders and starts massaging you. 

That surprised you, but in a good way.

Crosshair notices you relax immediately, he even hears you let out a moan and throw your shoulders back a little. That was another indication that you were enjoying the massage he was giving you. Incredibly, the pain in your shoulders and back starts to disappear thanks to the massages that had relaxed them. That was what you needed, but being stubborn you didn't know it. 

“Next time try not to be like me, will you? Besides, I hate it when you don't tell me things"

“I promise I never meant... to worry you at any time, Cross” 

“I know. But that doesn't make me feel any better"

Crosshair wasn't one to give this kind of affection, you barely remember if he ever gave you massages, but he was always going to give you what you needed because, well, you were the most important thing to him in the whole galaxy. There was no doubt about that. Above all, he did not want you to suffer any pain, whatever it was.

Crosshair was another man when he was with you.

“I should ask you more often... to give me more massages like this"

“Don't get used to it”

“Why not?” you smile. “You know I can massage you too"

“Hmm. I am interested in that"

“Of course you are”

“I'm going to take you at your word, so don't go back on it”

“Me? No, never”

In less than five minutes, the pains in your shoulders and back were gone, so you sighed with relief and satisfaction. The, when you feel him move his hands away from your shoulders, you move backwards, resting your back on his chest. You sighed in satisfaction, but mostly in relief. 

“Thank you, Cross, really"

“As long as the princess doesn't look so grumpy all day" Crosshair lowers his head to kiss you on the cheek.

“Look who's talking" you smile. “You're always grumpy and I don't usually complain about that"

“Good joke. You love to complain about everything, and you know it” now he lowers his head a little more to kiss your neck. “So don't lie" 

“Fine, fine” you chuckle a little. “I can do nothing against the man who knows me completely”

“That's why I'm a rival you can't beat” he smiles. 

“Careful. I know you and more than you think, so I am a worthy rival for you” you smiled. 

You hear Crosshair hiss, then you give him a little thump on the chest, and then you hear him chuckle a little.

“Sometimes I really hate you, Cross”

“Another lie. You're crazy about me, mesh’la”

“Not as much as you think, you know?“ you smile again. 

You lift your face to look at him and Crosshair had a smile on his face. The truth was that you were crazy about him, you loved him very much, and in your eyes you could tell that. Also in his eyes you could tell that he was crazy about you and that he clearly loved you more than anything else in the galaxy. Because your eyes betrayed each other, you break the closeness of your faces and finally bring your mouths together in a kiss. That kiss showed that love, so it was more loving than passionate, but kisses with Crosshair always had that depth and passion.

Although you were grateful to him for always being there when you needed him, Crosshair was always going to be grateful to you for loving him.

[procrastinatingsapphictrash]

Delicious

Word count: 1240

Genre: Fluff

Pairing: Carol x Natasha x gn!reader

Warnings: None (let me know if I should add any)

Request: You could do something like reader x Natasha x clCarol where reader bakes and like goes "I'm jealous of my cookies" or something and then Natasha and Carol team up on reader

Summary: You bake cookies for your girlfriends after they have been away on a mission for two weeks but they pay a little too much attention to the cookies and not enough attention to you.

A/n: Thanks anon for the request. I wasn't quite sure what you meant so I think I might have gone off of the request a little but this is what my mind came up with so I hope you like it! It feels weird to be posting a fic again because it's been over a month but it also feels nice. I have been writing but I haven't been able to finish anything (between all my wips I probably have 20,000 words lol) so I decided to write this short fluff. Hopefully it's not too bad since it has been awhile. Enjoy!

The oven beeps signalling the end of the final batch of cookies just as the front door opens and your girlfriends come bursting in. It couldn’t have been better timing since the cookies are for them. It was a two week mission, the longest they’ve been on without you since you started dating and you’ve missed them a lot.

“MMmmm that smells good!” Carol exclaims, coming into the kitchen. Natasha follows, still partially dressed in tactical gear, too lazy to take it off. Not that you’re complaining because she looks good.

“Are these for us?” Nat asks as Carol steals a cookie without checking. It’s hot since it just came out of the oven but she doesn’t seem to mind, moaning in delight.

“Yes but it’s good to ask before eating.” You direct the second part of your sentence towards Carol who doesn’t even have the decency to look ashamed as she finishes off her cookie and immediately reaches for a second. She mumbles something but you can only make out the words ‘good’ and ‘love’ around her mouthful of cookie.

“She’s right, these taste amazing Y/n!” Natasha praises. She’s only part way through her first and Carol is already on her third. You grab one for yourself knowing that if you left them (especially Carol) to eat without stopping them there wouldn’t be any left for you. They are good if you do think so yourself but if the moans of pleasure coming from both their mouths are any indication they are enjoying it far more than you are.

You give them a few minutes thinking they will slow down but they don’t seem to stop eating. Natasha is on her fourth cookie and you’re not even sure how many Carol’s had because she’s eaten too many to count. Honestly if you hadn’t been in the room with them right now you would have assumed they were doing something very different based on the noises that they’re making.

“Should I be jealous of the cookies? I’m a little worried they’re about to replace me.” you joke. It’s sort of a joke but it comes from a small bit of truth. Maybe it’s irrational to be jealous of some cookies but your girlfriends weren’t paying any attention to you and you haven’t seen them in weeks!

Carol drops the cookie she was just picking up with a guilty look on her face. “Never Y/n, you know you’re our favourite.”

“We missed you so much while we were away.” Natasha adds on. “I think the rest of the team got annoyed with us constantly talking about you.”

“Now come here baby so we can make up for ignoring you.”

Carol opens her arms as she finishes speaking and you practically launch yourself into them. Two weeks is far too long to go without a good hug from either of your girlfriends in your opinion.

“Eager much?” she asks, laughing a little about how fast you moved to hug her.

You nod against her shoulder. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too babe.”

Her arms wrap tighter around you and you sigh. You forgot just how warm and safe it feels. A feeling that only increases when Natasha joins you, hugging you from behind so you are squished between the two of them.

“I never want you to leave again.” you say to both of them.

“We don’t want to leave you either Y/n,” Natasha tells you, “but it’s our job. Our next mission isn’t for at least a month though.”

“Only a month?”

You can hear your voice starting to get a little whiny which you would ordinarily despise but you really don’t want them to go again. You know they have to work and what they do is important but you also want to be able to wake up to them every morning and not have to worry about whether or not they’ll make it back alive.

“I can ask Steve to give us a little more time.” Natasha promises. “He loves you so if we mention we want to spend more time with you I’m sure he’ll agree.”

“Okay.”

“And don’t worry we’ll always come back to you, after all you make the best cookies.” Carol says, laughing when both you and Natasha give her a stare that clearly says you don’t find it funny.

“Seriously Carol?”

“They’re delicious.” she says, defending herself. “You should take that as a compliment.”

You stare her down. You’re not really mad, it’s quite funny actually, but it’s fun to pretend you are. Especially since Carol can’t tell you’re joking and rushes to backtrack. Sometimes having your other girlfriend be a superspy that teaches you stuff comes in handy. You can feel the vibrations of Natasha’s silent chuckle on your back because she can tell that you’re kidding.

“But your lips are deliciouser.” Carol says. “Don’t be mad- Y/n!”

She shrieks as you laugh and she realizes you were purposely letting her believe you were upset.

“Deliciouser isn’t a word.” you say, still laughing.

Carol frowns and cute lines squiggle across her forehead. “It should be.”

“You could just say her lips are more delicious.” Natasha tells her. “But I agree, Y/n’s lips are very delicious.”

You pout. “If my lips are so delicious how come I haven’t gotten a kiss yet?”

“I can fix that.”

Carol’s face is suddenly so close to yours you can feel her breath dance across your lips as she speaks. Leaning in you meet her halfway and melt into the kiss. You wish she was always there so you could kiss her everyday but kisses after a while apart are always the best because you forget quite how good they are. You’re not sure how long it lasts but you can feel Natasha shift behind you and plant gentle kisses all over the back of your neck, ones that give you goosebumps.

“Delicious.”

You feel your face heat up a little when Carol doesn’t take her eyes away from your face and licks her lips. She goes in for another kiss, this one short and sweet and over all too soon.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” you tell her.

“And I love you both.” Natasha says, unwrapping herself from your back, making you immediately miss her warmth. “But Carol needs to quit hogging your lips, I missed you too.”

Carol makes a big deal of grumbling and sighing but you can see her smile as she lets you go and Natasha immediately steps up to kiss you. When you pull away you both turn to Carol again only to find her staring at the remaining cookies that are cooling on the tray.

“You can have another cookie if you want.” you tell her, laughing slightly at her appetite.

“Are you sure?”

“I made them for you guys, you can have as many as you want.”

Carol smiles at you and immediately gets to work eating cookies. You’re honestly not sure how she manages to eat two within a few seconds and you’re glad you made several batches because otherwise there wouldn’t have been enough.

Natasha rolls her eyes affectionately at Carol but she heads to grab another cookie herself. She grabs two, one for her and the other she brings back to you. And after taking a bite you can’t even blame Carol for being obsessed, they are incredibly delicious.

---

Taglist: @thewidowsghost @nyx-aira @stephanieromanoff @satxnsupreme @likefirenrain @wlwlovesreading@natashadeservedbetter @wlwlovesreading @stop-drop-and-drumroll @peggycarter-steverogers @casperlikej @karlimogenthau @legolas-with-hearing-aids @blackbat2020

[candlestickbud]

Worthy of Betrayal Pt.1

Howzer x Jedi!GN:Reader [Ep.11 Spoilers]

Description: After the bad batch drop off the weapons to a client of Cid’s, she calls them in for a favor and asks them to help some royal Twi’leks on Ryloth.

Warnings/Notes: I'm predicting that this fic will have 5 parts. Possible smut in the future. Mentions of guns and child kidnapping, minor cussing. Sorry if the story is a little off, I was in a rush to finish. Hope you still like it though!

“What do you mean we have to go back!”

Hunter rose his voice at Cid from the comms on the ship. We were on our way back to Ord Mantel after dropping off weapons to some Twi’leks, a client of Cids. As they were already halfway to the destination, Cid called up the batch to inform us that we had to go back, but this time the location was on Ryloth.

“Hey, you still owe me, remember? Now tell goggles over there to get to Ryloth. I need you to rescue this kid named Hera Syndula, the twi’leks, her parents run Ryloth so we’ll be getting some big bucks, so I suggest you get moving, got that?”

Hunter sighed, “Mind telling us what we have to do to get out of dept?”

“Tell you what, let's say you don't mess this up, and you'll be out of debt. Just fell the big guy to ease up on the mantel mix, wouldya, ” Cid said before hanging up.

Hunter rubbed his face trying to shake off his tiredness.

“What's the word, Sargent, ” Wrecker asked.

“Tell Tech to relocate the route to Ryloth. We have another mission, but this is a mission we can't mess up. We need to save some senators kid.”

“Another senator? They aren't a separatist, are they? There's no way-”

“I didn't ask, and either way we have to take this job to get us out of that debt, ” Hunter cut off Echo, “and besides it's not a senator, just their kid.”

Echo glared at Hunter, “Well you should understand why I plan to not work with separatists, ” he said pointing his cybernetic socket arm at Hunter.

“Wait so who are we saving, ” Omega asked from her room.

Hunter pushed his way past Echo to talk to Omega, hearing Echo scoff as he walked away.

“That kid from earlier,” Hunter said softly.

“Hera? I knew she was in trouble! How can I help,” Onega exclaimed excitedly?

“I’ll let up know once we land. The empire will be there based on what that client said earlier. That's what they needed those weapons for.”

“That could mean that Crosshair would be there, ” Tech yelled from the piloting seat.

“Good! We need to talk some sense into him, get him home, ” Wrecker said.

“I don't think he wants to come home, ” Hunter said coldly.

“Doesn't matter, we need to get him back and remove his chip or whatever.”

Hunter opener his mouth to say something back, but instead walked away to the pilot's seat.

“We should at least try to save him, ” you said sternly.

“Cant save someone that doesn't want to be saved, ” Hunter barked back.

“In case to haven't noticed, we don't know what he wants. That chip is controlling him!”

“I agree with Y/N, ” Wrecker barged in.

“That's not the mission.”

•••

Howzer took off his helmet to ruffle his hair. It was a humid night on the planet of Ryloth, and he's been running around trying to capture a child named Hera with a squad of clone troopers.

“Hey boss, do we stun her or shoot.”

“Stun! She's a child, has some empathy. Besides, I'm sure they want her alive, otherwise, we have no leverage over Cham.”

“You got it, captain.”

There was silence as the squad walked through the place, flashlight in hands and visors on night vision mode as they searched for the child. This seemed very wrong to Howzer. What would the empire want with a child if they already have Cham? Leverage, but for what? They don't plan on hurting the kid, do they?

“What do you think they'll do with the kid, ” Howzer asked his squad.

“Who cared, she's a traitor to the empire. She's lucky she isn't dead yet. Speaking of traitors, don't we have orders to kill whoever betrays the empire?”

“What? That's ridiculous, we should just imprison them, and still, she's a child, soldier. We aren't killing her, ” Howzer scoffed.

The squad quietly whispered to each other. Suddenly a ship hovered over them, landing a few feet behind where they were.

“Stay cautious, that could be their backup.”

“Shoot to kill or stun, ” a trooper asked.

“Stun. I won't tell you again, ” Howser said through gritted teeth.

“Whatever you say, Captain, ” the trooper said with an annoyed tone.

Howzer placed his helmet back onto his head, getting his gun ready and placing it in stun mode.

“I have eyes on them!”

The troopers began shooting blindly at a group of troopers, a Jedi standing in front of then reflecting the shots with a child behind them.

“Hold your fire, ” Howzer exclaimed.

The troopers ignore him.

“I said, hold your fire!”

The troopers looked at each other in confusion and disgust.

“They're wanted by the empire! We need to kill them, they're traitors.”

The troopers began shooting live rounds at the squad.

“But they have a child with them! Stop!”

Howzer put his gun in the gun holder that held itself on his waist, pushing a trooper back. One by one, the trooper squad of 5 became the squad of 2.

“You're not fit enough to be Captain! You're a trait of to the empire! We have to kill them, now!”

“No! This is wrong and you know it! Snap out of it how can you not see that this is wrong, ” Howzer said before being pushed to the ground by Hunter.

“See what you did! You're a traitor, ” the trooper said trying to shake out of Wrecker's grasp.

“You, be quiet, ” you yelled at the trooper.

You walked up to Howzer, cocking your head to the side slightly.

“Hunter, there's something wrong with his chip.”

Hunter looked up at you, scrunching his eyebrows together, “How can you be so sure?”

“He seems...different I can feel it.”

Hunter looked at you and then back ah Howzer, grabbed him by the shoulders, and pushed him up to his feet. You walked towards Howzer and removed his helmet, eyes widening, surprised with how attractive the clone was. You looked at him, placing your hands on his face, inspecting him. Howzer attempted to back off, but Hunter held him in place. He flinched as you placed a hand near the left side of his head, closing your eyes as you felt his chip through the force. You opened your eyes, staring into his eyes, only for him to nervously look away.

“He has his chip, but it's damaged, ” you looked at Hunter as if you were asked for permission.

“Fine. You deal with him. We cat have him running back to the empire to inform them of our arrival. We can't have any attention, this is a stealth mission. We need to focus on saving the kid, ” Hunter said, shoving Howzer towards you.

You caught Howzer and placed your lightsaber close to his face, only for him to flinch against it, his head laying on your shoulder, “Try anything stupid and I'll kill you on sight, got that?”

“I thought that wasn't the Jedi way, ” he said with caution.

You retracted your saber and placed it back on your holders, “There is no Jedi way, ” you scoffed, putting his helmet back on. You knew it would possibly be a distraction to you.

“What do I do with him, ” Wrecker asked, picking up the trooper he held captive.

“Woah, ” the trooper yelped.

Hunter looked at Howzer and then the trooper.

“His chip is active,” you said.

Hunter paused for a second in thought, “Stun him. Look, we’ll look over here, you and Omega look over there, that way we’ll have a better chance of finding the kid.”

“You got it. Cmon, Omega, let's get ahead of them. I think Hera will be pleased to see that you're the one rescuing her, ” you said as you pushed Howzer forward, grabbing Omega’s hand as you led her away, Hunter stunning the clone from behind.

You and Omega stared at Howzer as you walked through the gravel trail.

“Uhm...Why do you two keep starring at me,” he asked.

“To make sure you don't try anything funny, ” you lied.

“Your chip isn't working. That's pretty rare for a clone, ” Omega explained.

“What is this chip that you guys keep talking about?”

You sighed, ” Well, the clones, you included, have these chips that were implanted in you when you were, I think a stage 1 embryo?”

“Stage 2,” Omega corrected.

You chuckled, “A stage 2 embryo, and these chips were implanted in you by the Emperor to have you murder the Jedi. Nearly all of them were killed during order 66. I survived it by chance.”

“Oh…so that’s what that was. I’m sorry.”

You looked at Howzer in confusion, “W-What?”

“I’m sorry. That must’ve been hard to go through I had no idea. When I was out on a mission, we were working with a Jedi and just out of no where, everyone aimed their blasters at the General. They had told us they were traitors to the republic, betrayed the Chancellor.”

“Yeah, that’s because we found out he betrayed us. He was working with Count Dooku.”

Howzer shook his head in disappointment, “You must hate us then, clones.”

You looked at Howzer, sighing as you let go of his shoulder, “No, I don’t. The clones, it’s not their fault, what they did. They’re all being controlled by these chips, being controlled by the empire. I made my peace with the clones once I got informed of this by the batch.”

Howzer walked by your side, “So those troops back there, their chips are also defected?”

“They were, but we got help with removing them. Having the chips mean that’s you’re still a threat. They could activate at any time.”

“Why not stun me? Like him back there.”

You thought for a moment, “Just because your chip isn’t activated doesn’t mean your not with the empire. For all we know you could still be loyal to them. We didn’t wanna risk the possibility of activating your chip, and we couldn't have you go off to the empire.”

“Oh. What do you uh plan on doing with me once you find the kid?”

“If I’m being completely honest with you, I’m not sure.”

“Well, that’s reassuring,” he chuckled nervously.

He scratched the back of his neck, looking at you as if hesitant to ask a question.

“I can feel you looking at me. What is it?”

Howzer looked away, “U-Uhm I was just uh…” he stuttered, “Uhm, where were you? During order 66.”

You smiled at his struggle, a smile still placed on your face when he asked the question.

“I uh I was actually in my ship. It was on a mission I was in with my droid to Ord Mantel, I was supposed to get intel on this bounty Hunter I’ve been hunting down. My droid saved me from the clones.”

“Lucky you weren’t assigned with a squad.”

You chuckled, “Yeah really.”

You and Howzer heard rustling from a bush that was up ahead. Howzer got in front of you, trying to take a closer look.

“Come out! We know you're there,” Howzer yelled.

You grabbed Howzer’s shoulder, “Maybe you should keep it down. If it’s Hera, she could be scared since you are supposed to be hunting her down,” you rolled your eyes in his idiocy.

“Oh, uh, right, ” he backed up.

Howzer removed his helmet. He's very well aware that citizens are often scared of the armor rather than what's underneath it. You glanced and him in admiration until you heard the bush rustle again.

“Hera? It's me and Omega, remember? We were selling those weapons to your uncle, ” you said calmly.

Slowly peaking out from the bush, you saw Hera’s head, “Omega?”

Omega waved at her, “Hello,” she smiled.

Hera got out from the bush, “What are you doing here?”

“We’re here to rescue you.”

Hera looked at Howzer with wide eyes, “H-He’s”

“Not with the empire,” Howzer said confidently, “Not anymore that is.”

“They’ll kill you,” Hera said walking towards Howzer.

“Not unless they catch me,” He smiled, patting her head.

You smiled at his kind act, “Hunter, we found Hera. We’re on our way back,” you looked at Howzer, “What are we going to do with...,” you whispered into your commlink.

“Hey! I never got your name, ” you said nervously.

“Oh! Uh, the name’s Howzer, ” he smiled, “What about you?”

You chuckled, “In your dreams, pal.”

“What are we going to do with Howzer, the clone.”

You heard Hunter sigh into his commlink, “We’ll stun him when we leave. Take him back with you in case we get spotted.”

“Hunter, we can't just leave him here. Hera knows him, he could be useful to us.”

There was no reply.

“Hunter?”

“Yeah, ” he sighed, “I'm here. Look just get over here we’ll talk when you get back.”

You walked over to Howzer with a smirk on your face, “Lucky you, Hunter doesn't want to kill you, ” you swung your arm over his shoulders, “Now you're really fucked.”

Howzer looked at you like a confused dog, “What do you mean? What you think I can’t handle a couple of clones and a Jedi?”

You laughed, “We ain’t your typical squad,” you smirked.

He got in your face, “Try me. I’ve been with many squads. What’s so different about you guys?”

You inched closer to his face, “I guess you’ll have to find out.”

There was a pause until the both of you burst out laughing.

“Cmon, we gotta get back to them.”

“You got it, General.”

You stopped in your tracks, looking back at Howzer. You were going to say something but decided to let it go.

“Cmon girls. We have to get back to the ship.”

“Coming, ” they said laughing.

•••

“I never noticed how nice your hair is, ” you said ruffling Howzer’s hair.

He kindly swatted your hand away, “Thanks, ” he said while rolling his eyes.

You looked at his face, eyes scanning over his scars. You choose not to ask him about them. Not yet anyway. The girls whispered and giggles to each other throughout the walk to the marauder.

“What are you two talking about?”

“Nothing, ” they chuckled devilishly.

Both you and Howzer looked at them questionably, the at each other.

You shook your head, “Kids, huh?”

“Reminds me of my younger days, making fun of brothers for having a crush. Of course, that was before order 66. Good memories.”

The four of you continued to walk and began to see the ship, with Hunter sitting at the entrance of the ship.

“Took you long enough, ” he said as he got up, “We need to talk.”

You nodded, “Ladies, ” you smiled down at Omega and Hera, “into the ship. Omega show Hera our little secret since she’ll be with us for a bit.”

“Ooh! Good idea. Hera, follow me.”

The two children ran their way into the marauder, Howzer squatting down on the floor, patiently waiting for an invitation inside. Hunter grabbed you and pulled you off to the side, away from Howzer.

“Look I don't want to take him with us. He seems sketchy.”

You sighed and nodded in agreement, “Yes, I know but I'm sure he means well. I'll look after him but Hunter, something tells me that we can trust him. Howzer seems like a good guy. Hera seems to trust him and she knew him when he was working with her dad.”

Hunter looked at Howzer to see him awkwardly wave at him.

Hunter cursed, “Fine, but if anything and I mean anything, happens, he's off the ship.”

You nodded, giddily walking over to Howzer, then clapping your hand on his shoulder.

“What’re you doing just standing here like an idiot? C’mon,” you snickered.

“Well, excuse me for trying to be polite, ” he smiled, Hunter glaring him down as you all entered the ship.