Incorporating request from @simp-of-the-day!!!!
Next chapter WILL be hunter and crosshair’s inner thoughts, so yippee more drama!
Pt. 1 ☠️ Pt. 2 ☠️ Pt. 3☠️ Pt. 4 ☠️ Pt. 5
❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️
“C’mon, boys,” Hunter said stiffly. “Let’s not sulk over this, alright? I know we like her a lot, but she also knows a lot of other clones and that’s normal.”
Hunter is standing in the middle of the room with one hand on his hip and the other extended with a laughable lack of conviction. Tech is poking at the inside of a battle droid with a screwdriver, bored and downcast. Wrecker’s mattress creaks as he tosses and turns on his bunk, muttering to himself and playing with Lula’s ears. Crosshair, for whom the subtext of “boys” was presumably meant, is easily the most sullen.
“Ran up to the kriffing regs like they were her best friends,” Wrecker huffs. “She’s never hugged me.”
“(Name) is still getting used to being a part of our squad, Wrecker,” Tech says. “It is natural for a person be more comfortable around people they have known for a long amount of time. Our squad is still in the process of establishing a connection with her while the 501st—”
“Shut up, Tech!” Crosshair shouts suddenly. Tech blinks. “I was only attempting to—” “I don’t want to hear it,” the sniper cuts him off.
“I was not talking to you, Crosshair,” Tech snaps back. “I was merely attempting to reassure Wrecker.”
“Hey, don’t get all mad over me,” Wrecker says, self consciously sitting up. “Can everyone shut the kark up?” Crosshair yells. “Stars, you’re so kriffing annoying.”
Wrecker winces and sucks in a breath, quickly bringing his attention back to Lula. Tech scowls nastily at Crosshair but goes back to work. “Cross,” Hunter grunts, sinking onto his own bunk. “C’mere.”
The batch is used to their youngest brother being moody and snappy, but he doesn’t usually get like this unless something’s really getting to him. In which case it’s best to either leave him alone or rip off the bacta patch and shoulder his anger. Crosshair all but stomps over, and Hunter tugs him down by his elbow to sit beside him, grabbing him in the rough way only an older brother is allowed to.
“What‘s going on?” Hunter whispers. “The regs,” Crosshair says, but Hunter thought he sensed the sniper’s heartbeat pick up slightly. “Not this time, vod,” he says. “C’mon, spit it out. No one wants you to have a blaster bolt up your ass the whole week we’re off duty.” Crosshair wrinkles his nose. “I wasn’t lying,” he hisses. “It is the regs. I don’t like how much she likes them.” Hunter sighs. “Me either, Cross, but we have to respect—”
“Respect? When have the regs ever—“
“Not the kriffing regs,” Hunter grunts with a final, biting tone. “Respect (Name), karkhead.” A beat passes uncomfortably. Crosshair is still indignant, but a protective, fond look has glazed over Hunter’s eyes. Cross swears his pupils are dilating slightly. “It’s the least she deserves for everything she does for us,” his brother continues, his starry eyes only softening. “You better not bring that attitude to her, do you understand? She deserves to not have to deal with us being dramatic.”
Crosshair quiets down, but not because he feels bad. He is surprised, agog. (a/n: i am agog? i am aghast? is ct9901 in love at last? i’m not funny im sorry) He lets silence fall between them as he realizes what Hunter has basically just told him.
“Kriff,” Crosshair mutters. “What?” Hunter asks, not caring particularly whether he was meant to hear, because it would have been foolish for Cross not to assume he would pick up on the words.
“You too, huh?” the youngest of the batch asks bitterly. “What do you mean?” Hunter asks, almost nervous. “She makes you…” Crosshair hesitates. “Feel things.” It’s not a question, so Hunter just nods in confirmation. “It’s hard not to,” he mumbles, resting his elbows on his knees. “I know,” Crosshair hisses, the bite in his voice concealing a slightly wilted tone. Hunter’s silent. “That’s… that’s good for you,” the sniper mutters, rising suddenly and slinking back towards his bunk.
