#crosshair angst

[crosshairlovebot]

enclosed intentions / crosshair gn!reader

pairing: crosshair x gn!reader (no y/n). reader has a nickname.

description: amid your growing feelings for the silver-haired sniper, you and crosshair are paired together on a mission that goes awry, which brings to light intentions you've been aching to know.

word count: 9,934 (pHEW!!)

warnings: near-death experience (everyone lives). landslide. heavy storms. enclosed spaces. minor injury. minor injury description. making out. light angst.

been wanting to write another crosshair fic for a while bc he's my GUY and i love him!!! season 3 is only fuelling the burning fire he stokes in my chest. i hope you enjoy this! strap in! it's a long one! (sorry if there are any errors, i've edited this but it's so long it's entirely possible that i missed some <3)

also posted this on ao3. feedback is welcomed, reblogs are appreciated.

More often than not, Clone Force 99 was sent on dangerous missions – missions too specialised for the regular battalions and squads that filled the Grand Army of the Republic. The missions that troubled Jedi Generals regarding the potential loss of men. But Clone Force 99 and their specialised skills took on those missions with ease, enthusiasm even.

You were about to embark on another one of those missions.

When you’d first joined the GAR as a medic, you’d heard rumours about the squad of defective clones and their enhanced skills, and you would be lying if you said you weren’t impressed by their reportedly unbroken mission success.

When Echo walked into your medbay after he’d been rescued from Skako Minor and you were the first to check over him – making him feel comfortable after years of prodding and inhumane treatment – it only made sense for you to join the team as a field medic to continue to treat him and the other members of the squad.

Though they were initially dubious of the idea of a nat-born joining their ranks, they had always been a misfit crew – you were only another addition to that, and it wasn’t long before your presence with the squad felt like being at home.

You got on with each of the members well, even if they grumbled and complained about your regularly scheduled medical check-ups after missions.

Tech was a great help in collating the medical files he’d made from when he acted as the informal medic. You joked along with Wrecker, who often used you as an alternate barbell, lifting you over his head to warm up before a mission. Hunter often conferred with you before mission briefings to go over any hazards that could harm them. Echo was probably your strongest bond, the trust that existed between you both created a level of closeness not shared with the other members of the squad.

But Crosshair…

You’d soon discovered that Crosshair was weary of anyone who wasn’t part of his immediate family, and you joining Clone Force 99 – and in such constant close quarters, meant your relationship with the sharpshooter was a little more distant than the others.

You tried not to let it bother you so much, but it was hard when you were joking with Wrecker, and you could feel Crosshair’s discerning enhanced eyes on you. You often ignored his gaze as best you could, but sometimes you would look over at him, and hold his eyes for a moment before he got up and walked away.

You wish you knew what those looks meant. You would lay in your bunk at night, and think about it, trying to piece together any patterns and figure out why Crosshair’s eyes never seemed to truly leave you.

Despite the distance between you both, it didn’t deter your intrigue about him. There was something about him that drew your attentions towards him.

If you didn’t feel his eyes on you, your eyes would find him. He was so fascinating to watch. Everything he did, he did with purpose; intention. Nothing about Crosshair was insignificant. Every word, every gesture, every look held meaning. You liked trying to figure it out, but you had yet to decipher much of it – especially when it was directed at you. He was like a puzzle that didn’t want to be solved, hiding all his answers in disappearing ink, you had to hold him up to the light to try and unravel him. You wished he would let you, but his terse demeanour kept you at bay - not wanting to disturb what balance you had.

So you were content to watch him from a distance. He was methodical about everything. Cleaning his rifle the same way after every mission, never missing a step, always performing each of them in the same order. His armour went on the same way. You would watch how his toothpicks would always dangle from his lips as he cleaned his prized weapon, and you would almost be hypnotised by the way he moved the wooden stick between his teeth. You spent so much time staring at his mouth, that you could probably draw it from memory.

He was magnetising.

Whenever you needed to perform a medical check on him, you would do so quietly and draw it out, as if trying to soak up every moment of the closeness to him, catalogue it all.

When it came to checking his hands, you would gently hold them in your palms and gently massage the joints that could get cramped from holding the rifle tightly. You would check the nerves with a light prick on each fingertip and around the palm. Those examinations were so tense, his eyes on you the entire time watching your every move in the tiny medbay on the Marauder. You could barely focus in that room, there was nowhere to hide from his sharp eyes. And when you dared meet his gaze, his eyes would hold yours in a way that left you breathless and you were never able to look him in the eyes for very long. They’d look right into yours, an expression dancing in them you could never place.

But he never said anything to you – not unless you asked him a question about pain. But you’d think about each interaction for days afterwards.

Your silent exchanges filled your head at night, spilling over into your dreams. Dreams where those hands you’d just inspected in the waking world would be holding you tightly, that mouth you’d stared at brushing against your cheek and neck, whispering things you pretended not to remember once you woke. You’d wake up from those dreams confused, still feeling the ghost of his touches on you. It didn’t hit you until several dreams later that that initial intrigue had given way to feelings much deeper; to an intense crush that only seemed to build the longer you spent with Clone Force 99.

If anyone else noticed, they never said anything. You carried on as normal and hoped Hunter’s heightened senses didn’t pick up on the way your face heated or your heartbeat increased when Crosshair was near.

Except the silence between you broke a few days ago.

After the last mission, you were scheduled to do the weekly checks on the squad. You always left Crosshair until last, knowing he liked to clean his rifle as soon as the mission debrief was over. When you called him into the tiny room, he sat down on the bench, and you completed the first part of the check-up smoothly.

It was when you were massaging one of his hands, loosening the stiffness with your own fingers, that you felt his close around yours.

You had stilled and slowly looked up at him. His brown-eyed gaze met yours and you felt the air get sucked out of your lungs. You watched his eyes flick between yours, his throat working as his fingers were warm around yours. He was holding your hand, and it was warm and strong despite its slenderness. It was such an innocent gesture, and yet the sensation of his touch made your face burn and heat unfurl in your chest as your feelings for the sniper were unleashed in full force. You didn’t know what to do, but you would be lying if you didn’t like the feel of his fingers around yours. But this was Crosshair – the Crosshair who barely spoke to you, who watched you like he was analysing your every move.

“A-am I hurting you?” you managed to stammer out.

Crosshair blinked, seemingly jolting himself out of a trance and pulled his hands away roughly, frowning. “No.” His voice was like gravel, and he stood up and quickly left the room, check-up unfinished.

You had no idea what had happened, what you had done, what he had done, but you stood in that room trying to quell your racing heart for ages before you worked up the nerve to emerge. You spent that night thinking about the warmth of his fingers around yours and the way his throat bobbed like he wanted to tell you something.

What was it that he wanted to say? You knew Crosshair was always intentional in everything he did, so what was his intention with holding your hand like that?

Now, as the Marauder flew into a planet you couldn’t remember the name of, you felt those brown eyes on you from where Crosshair sat in one of the seats in the cockpit, his arms crossed and toothpick between his lips. Echo helped Tech guide the ship as Wrecker bench-pressed Gonky in the corridor. Hunter stood nearby as you held onto the back of Tech’s pilot seat as the ship flew into the planet’s atmosphere.

Since joining the squad a mere two months ago, you had been to more planets than you ever thought you would visit in your entire lifetime, but you had never seen anything like this.

The sky was full of enormous floating rocks, with thick greenery on top. You didn’t know how they stayed floating like this.

“This place is unbelievable,” you murmured. “How is this possible?”

“The rocks are held up by the planet’s unique gravity, creating a balanced pull that tethers the rock to its place. Think of them as miniature planets that exist within the atmosphere,” Tech explained.

You hummed in amazement as Tech flew past them all and steered towards the planet’s surface, which lay beneath a thick bank of dark clouds. The clouds gave way to rocky terrain, with a mountain range that jutted up from the ground haphazardly, not unlike their floating counterparts, as well as canyons and valleys. The whole planet seems to be rocks in various states. Tech landed the ship in a clear area and then everyone turned to Hunter.

“So, what’s the plan, Hunter?” Wrecker called out, finally giving Gonky a rest and placing him back on the ground.

Everyone gathered around a holomap Hunter had brought up. You felt Crosshair slide in next to you, his crossed arms grazing yours. Heat prickled your skin, the memory of the warmth of his fingers coming to life again, and you shifted slightly, drawing your arms closer to your body. You looked up at him but for once, his gaze wasn’t on you, but on the blue graphics in front of him. Your face burned. It was embarrassing how much of an effect he had on you, and even more so now after that moment in the medbay. He seemed to have completely forgotten about it, and here you were still having phantom feelings of the way his fingers wrapped around yours.

“We divide our squad,” Hunter begins. “Break off into pairs. The mineral we’ve been sent to recover is located across this entire sector, but according to Tech, not all of it will be viable.”

“There is a very narrow window in which the mineral is usable, and it will be difficult to find. But we will need to be cautious. The viable mineral is highly volatile when handled. And there’s an incoming storm headed this way, and due to the unique gravitational field on this planet, the storms here are quite lethal,” Tech tapped on his datapad.

You took a deep breath in. It appeared there was a lot that could go wrong.

Hunter nodded. “I can feel it. We’ll need to move fast, so let’s get going. Echo, you’re with me in the Badlands. Tech and Wrecker, you head west for the Valley. And that leaves Crosshair with N’edee up in the Mountains. Comm if you find any viable mineral and triangulate your position as best you can for reference before extracting as much as possible. Then head back to the Marauder where we’ll reconvene. Questions?”

Everyone shook their head. “The terrain is tough out there, so let’s try to avoid N’edee having to patch up any injuries,” Hunter added, sending you a smile. Everyone nodded before Hunter signalled everyone to move out.

N’edee was the little Mando’a nickname they’d appointed you. It meant ‘no bite’. After you’d first joined, you’d witnessed your first ever disagreement between Crosshair and Hunter and, not used to their scuffles yet, tried to mediate between them. They were so amused it stopped the argument and earned you the name – since you’d rather try to keep the peace instead of letting them fight it out.

Now, you knew better, but the name stuck. You wished you hated it, but Crosshair’s smirk as he called you it the first time was the first time he ever sort of smiled at you.

And the last.

The squad grabbed their gear, and you strapped your med pack to your back and holstered a blaster you barely ever used. You felt your whole body go into overdrive, not only because of the risk of the mission but also because you were paired off with Crosshair. The thought of being so close; just the two of you sent nerves running through you. If it was anyone else, you wouldn’t hesitate to ask what happened in the medbay, and try and sort it out and move forward, but you didn’t have that kind of closeness with Crosshair. There was no way you felt comfortable bringing up the way he held your hand – this was an important mission, and you didn’t want to risk ruining it by making Crosshair uncomfortable and clam up so tight you’d lose the modicum of trust you had.

Whenever intention he’d had, you weren’t destined to ever know what it was. So, you’d just have to take a page out of his book and pretend it never happened.

You made your way down the Marauder’s gangplank to find Crosshair waiting for you, helmet under his arm and holding the barrel of the sniper with his free hand as the hilt rested on the ground. He was the only one there, the others had already started their treks. You quickened your steps down as he looked over at you, heat blooming up your neck.

“Sorry,” you told him. Crosshair shook his head, either dismissing the apology or disappointed in your slowness to get ready – you couldn’t tell.

“Let’s go, the storm’s moving quickly,” he informed in that way of his. He placed his helmet on and started walking. You watched him walk away, not looking back at you as his long legs carried him quickly through the rocky ground in the direction of the mountain range.

“Try and keep up,” he called back, and you huffed, adjusting your med pack and jogging after him.

Crosshair kept a quick pace as you both walked, and his height didn’t help. The rhythmic beeping of the scanner Tech provided you with and your footsteps were the only sound between you both. You tried to keep up as best you could as you approached the base of the mountain range, but you were still lagging a couple of metres behind him.

You had been worried about the awkwardness a conversation about what happened in the medbay would bring, and yet you were not even close enough to have one.

You huffed, a light sheen of sweat covering your brow, as you stepped over a bunch of rocks, moving between them as best you could, looking down at your feet to ensure you didn’t fall. The weather was beginning to change, and you knew the storm was getting closer as the wind picked up and nearly knocked you off balance a few times. But you had still to find any viable mineral. You looked at the scanner and saw it was indeed picking up signs of the mineral, but none of it was suitable – either too old or too young a sample. You sighed. This was going to take longer than you thought, and you only hoped you had more luck once you reached the mountains, and that the storm would hold off.

“Watch your step,” Crosshair called back to you. You looked up to watch him as he stepped on a boulder and jumped down into what must’ve been a small ditch at the foot of the mountain range. You frowned and kept walking. As you got closer, you were surprised as you realised he was waiting for you. His helmet was trained on you as you reached the rock and you tried to pretend like it wasn’t a big deal to you. You stepped on top of the boulder, the wind whipping around you as his gaze tilted up at you. For once, you towered over him. You couldn’t help but smile playfully at him.

“So, this is what the world must look like for you,” you joked, trying to ease the tension that was still thick between you.

Crosshair let out a small scoff at your joke before holding out his hand. “Hurry up.”

You widened your eyes at his extended hand, your eyes flicking to it and then back to his visor. After the medbay, you hardly imagined he’d be offering a hand to you again in a clinical setting, let alone to help you descend a boulder. You looked at his outstretched hand, letting a moment pass as you waited for him to retract it, but he didn’t.

This gesture was intentional.

You slowly placed your hand in his. His hand was as warm and strong as it was several days ago, and the familiarity of it made your insides jolt as you felt it wrap around your palm. The nerve endings in your hand tingled in excitement as they ignited from his touch. Heat coiled its warmth through your whole body as you crouched down to a sitting position, doing your best not to topple over not only from the wind. He helped you slide off the edge down to where he was standing, his hand steadying you.

You wobbled on your feet slightly as you landed, and you looked up at him, wishing he wasn’t wearing his helmet right now so you could discern his steely gaze. Though you had a feeling his bare face still would not betray anything of what was going on in his head.

Was he acknowledging what happened? Or was he just being considerate of the terrain?

Before you could open your mouth with a ‘thank you’, he let go of your hand and started walking up a pathway that seemed to wind up the mountain.

You guessed it was not the former.

You took in a shaky breath, body tingling with the remnants of his touch as you felt its cold absence and started after him; scanner poised as you walked.

The pathway up the mountain was wide enough to walk on, but too narrow to walk side by side comfortably without worry of falling over the edge. So, you trailed behind Crosshair once again, who had now slowed down that the route had grown more precarious. You clenched your jaw as you followed his steps carefully, avoiding any loose rocks as you walked. You tried not to think about the increasing ascension of the mountain, the ground below getting smaller and smaller the higher you both trekked as you continued to scan the side of the mountain for any trace of a viable source of the mineral, but still, there was nothing.

The higher you moved the wind that whipped around both your bodies increased as the clouds rolled in. You had to move your hand alongside the mountain as you waked, too afraid you’d blow away as the gusts of wind threatened to knock you over.

You’d been walking for a few hours by now and with the weather getting worse, the constant pace was starting to wear on you; arms and legs sore and feet aching, face stinging. You looked out over the cliff and saw you were almost halfway up, and the sky was getting darker as the storm continued to draw closer. Every time you looked, it seemed to be moving towards you quicker, so as much as you wanted to stop and rest, you knew that you couldn’t – especially when you looked ahead at Crosshair and saw he didn’t seem to show any signs of exhaustion.

Though you knew clones had been engineered to withstand increased levels of physical exertion, you still felt inadequate not being able to keep up. Even after two months with the squad, you still weren’t used to the physicality of the missions. You weren’t initially trained as a field medic, but you still didn’t want to look like you couldn’t handle this simple mission – even if it was more gruelling than you anticipated. So, you gritted your teeth and kept walking, despite the way your body protested with each step.

Crosshair began to slow before he stopped and turned to look at you. “Picking up anything?”

You shook your head and hoped you didn’t sound as puffed out as you felt. “Nothing viable. Not even a false read.”

Crosshair grumbled. “Another wild bantha chase.”

You tried to sound upbeat, but you weren’t fooling anyone. “Maybe the others have had more luck?”

“Maybe,” Crosshair said, his helmeted face drifting from you to the sky. He removed his helmet and scowled as the storm drew closer and closer to your position on the mountain. It was close enough now that you began to see flashes of lightning strike within the clouds, and you jolted when a crack of thunder sounded like it was almost on top of you.

“The storm is too close,” he said, shaking his head in concern.

“I know. Should we head back to the Marauder?”

“There’s no time. We need a pickup,” Crosshair sighed and placed his helmet back on, pressing the side of his helmet. “Hunter, do you copy?”

You watched him, hand gripping the mountain as the wind grew stronger with each passing second. You were starting to feel spits of rain hit your skin as more thunder and lightning struck. Your body was shaking with exhaustion and all you wanted to do was lie down in a safe place and fall asleep.

“Wrecker? Do you copy? Tech? Echo? Hunter, are you there?” Crosshair spoke into his comm, his voice getting harder with every word. He let out a frustrated sigh.

“I can’t reach them. There’s too much atmospheric interference with the storm, maybe even the gravity too.”

You looked at him and tried not to sound panicked, but you knew your face betrayed you anyway. “What do we do?”

A crack of thunder sounded, and it was like the sky was splitting open. The mountain shook under your feet, and you fell to your knees, yelping. You felt Crosshair crouch next to you, a hand on your back to steady you. You looked up at him as the rain started to pelt down heavily on you both. You tried to shield your face, but the rain was so heavy it felt like knives cutting as it hit the skin of your face.

Crosshair hooked a hand under your arm and hauled you up. “We have to move.”

“We need to get off this mountain!” You shouted over the rain.

“We need to find shelter. Come on,” Crosshair skirted you in front of him and you both started to run up the path in the pouring rain. You held a hand against your brow to try and see, but the rain and wind intensified more than you thought possible, blurring your vision.

“Crosshair, I can’t—”

You slipped on a rock loosened by the wet ground. You cried out and fell forward, landing on your hands harshly. You felt your palms sting as you tried to get to your feet, but Crosshair slid his hands under your armpits and lifted you just as there was a flash of bright light, and the mountain shook again, this time more violently. It felt like the lightning had hit the mountain this time, and when you tried to look up to check, your worst fears were confirmed as the sound of rocks tumbling began to get louder over the heavy rain. Panic coursed through your veins.

“Go!” Crosshair yelled, hand steady on your arm as you both ran, him pulling you forward. You could feel rocks landing behind you and you tried to run faster, skin numb from the rain.

“There’s a cave up ahead! Hurry!” Crosshair shouted as he led you towards the mouth of the cave. Your thighs and calves burned, and Crosshair pulled you inside just as rocks fell and covered the entrance of the cave, trapping you both inside.

You fell to your knees, catching your breath as you looked around and realised how dark it was. You’re eyes hadn’t adjusted yet, so could barely see anything, but you heard Crosshair’s body hit the ground nearby as he sat down, grunting as he took his helmet off. His breath moved quickly too as you blinked and tried reaching out to see where he was.

“Crosshair?” you said, patting the hard ground next to you until you found his knee.

“I’m here,” he said, placing a hand over yours. You sucked in a breath as his fingers curled around yours. “You okay?” He asked, his voice raspy.

Your heartbeat which had only just started to slow, picked up again as he held your hand again. How many more times was this going to happen? Would you ever not freak out when he touched you now? Was that his intention?

You swallowed. “Yeah, I’m okay. Are you?”

You felt the muscles in his hand flex. “Yeah.”

You took in a shaky breath and let him hold your hand again, relishing in the feel of his fingers wrapped around yours for a moment, so warm and solid. The feel of his knee under your palm, a part of the body you had originally thought completely savoury until this very moment. After a moment too long of no sound except the roaring rain on the other side of the rock, you cleared your throat before you felt around you with your other hand. “I can’t see.”

“I can.”

You blushed profusely and hoped to the Force you didn’t look as bewildered as you felt. “Right. Of course.”

Crosshair slowly let go of your hand but made a point of keeping your empty palm on his knee, like he knew you needed to feel him close by.

The word intentional flashed in your mind.

Your stomach turned over at the gesture and you wiped your face with your other hand, shoulders beginning to shake. You heard Crosshair take off his pack and scramble through it, pulling out a small light that he usually placed on the end of his rifle. He clicked it on, and you shielded your eyes, before blinking your vision clear. Now you could see Crosshair’s face half illuminated, his brow was creased as he held out the light to you.

“Thanks,” you said, taking it from him. You pointed it around the cave and realised it was not so much a cave, but an oversized cavity in the side of the mountain. It wasn’t very deep, and it looked like its width was only a little bigger than Crosshair was tall. But it had saved your lives. You looked behind you, at the rocks that had fallen there.

“How are we going to get out of here?” you asked, running the light over the edge of the cave to see if there were any openings, but there were none substantial enough for you to try and get leverage to move the rocks that blocked you both in. Some rain fell through the cracks, the water landing on the rock as the storm carried on outside. That was good – at least you had some airflow.

“We need to wait for the storm to pass before we can see if comms will work to call the others,” Crosshair explained. “If we can’t contact them, we’ll have to wait for them to find us.”

The thought of being trapped in here for an undetermined amount of time made your heartbeat begin to race. “And if they can’t find us?”

“They will.” Crosshair’s conviction was comforting. You’d learnt that his belief in his brothers was unwavering, and never misplaced. If he believed that they would find them, then you did too.

You looked at him, careful not to shine the light in his sensitive eyes. His gaze was on you, and this might’ve been the first time you didn’t feel the need to avert your eyes. As intense as his gaze was, it was soft, and the brown of his eyes shined in the low light. Your hand was still on his knee and your eyes flicked down to it. You didn’t know if removing it would make it more awkward, or if leaving it there would. In the split-second moment, you were debating it in your head, with your body still shaking when Crosshair interrupted your thoughts.

“You’re shivering,” Crosshair said. “You need to get dry.”

You looked up at him and realised just how much you were shivering, now that the adrenaline had worn off. Your clothes were soaked through from the downpour, and the chill was sinking into your bones. You knew that if you didn’t get dry, you would get hypothermic.

You held out the light to Crosshair to take, which he did wordlessly. With shaky hands, you pulled your med pack off your back and placed it in front of you. Crosshair shined the light where you needed it as you searched through the items for a reflective blanket and when you found it, you pulled it out, the light bouncing off the shiny fabric. You looked at Crosshair, heat crawling up your neck.

“Um, I need to…”

Crosshair turned his head immediately but kept the light pointed in your direction. As quickly as you could, embarrassment flooding your trembling frame, you removed the layers of clothes you had on. You kept on the black GAR issue bodysuit you wore under all your clothes, even if it was slightly damp – you weren’t going to be completely bare with just a blanket between you and Crosshair. As you stripped everything off, you noticed the palms of your hands were grazed from the fall, and it hurt to move them as the skin stretched. You would deal with it once you weren’t shivering anymore, but the priority right now was to get warm.

Once you piled all your clothes together – there was no hope in everything drying whilst you were stuck in here, you pulled your knees to your chest and wrapped the reflective blanket around you tightly.

“Okay.” You said and Crosshair looked over and he squinted as the light bounced off the blanket, gaze searching your frame.

“What about your hands?”

“My hands?”

“You fell. I saw your palms are grazed.”

He was so perceptive, you wondered what else he saw that he never acknowledged. “I’ll patch them up after I stop shaking,” you told him, wrapping the blanket tighter.

Crosshair shook his head. “Aren’t you always telling us that injuries should be treated as soon as possible? Give me this—” he pulled the med pack in front of him and pointed the light inside.

“Crosshair—” You said as he dug around your pack, pulling out some antibac wipes and bacta patches. “You don’t have to. It’s not your job.”

Crosshair sent you a withering look before he placed the light between his teeth and gestured for you to show him your hands. You sighed and pulled your hands out of the blanket as best you could without it slipping off your shoulders. You turned your palms up, still slightly tremoring. They weren’t bleeding, but they were red and rubbed raw from the gravel you landed on. And they stung, but you were trying to be brave about it.

They were easily treatable, but your hands didn’t look pretty, that’s for sure.

Crosshair looked at them, adjusting the light in his mouth so they were completely illuminated before he shook his head with a frown, ripped open an antibac wipe, and cradled one of your hands in his.

 He met your eyes, a silent question in their gentle expression as his hand was poised, wipe ready to be drawn across your palms. You’d never seen him look at you like this before; this softly. It was so easy for your crush to bloom when he looked at you like this. You looked into his brown-eyed gaze, cheeks heated, and you nodded.

Crosshair gently placed the wipe on your palms, and you sucked in a breath as it stung the exposed skin. You felt the hand that cradled yours tighten and then he slowly began to clean the wound. With his attention on your hand, you could watch him unabashedly. The roles between you had now reversed. He was treating your hands as attentively as you treated his. The way he held your hand in his large palm was so gentle that your heart fluttered. You could feel the heat permeate from under his gloves into your skin, and you felt your hand slowly begin to still, the warmth returning to you with his touch. You were so touched at the way he was doing this for you, without you even asking. The way he insisted upon it. You hadn’t expected it after the medbay, and you ignored the little voice in the back of your head that asked what his intention was and simply savoured this moment of kindness from the man you were hopelessly crushing on.

He was as methodical as he was when cleaning his rifle, wiping the wound on one hand in even strokes that coated all the raw skin twice before he moved to the other hand, a new wipe this time.

You watched the way the light was poised between his teeth, and when his eyes flicked to yours for a moment, you averted your gaze back to your hands reflexively. You heard him breathe out through his nose harshly as he discarded the wipe and grabbed a bacta patch, pressing it between his palms to warm the liquid. You watched him, your eyes meeting his tattooed gaze once again as your hands remained suspended between you.

You thought back to the medbay, at how his fingers had curled around yours so naturally like it was instinctual; at the way he pulled his hands away so quickly and so forcefully it was like your hands had been burnt; at how fast he’d left you standing there, reeling from his actions. You tried to think of what his intention had been, and what you had done that had made him retreat.

“I’m sorry…for the other day.” Your voice was quiet in the small space. The storm continued to rage outside, but there was no way he hadn’t heard you. Crosshair looked at you, knowing exactly what it was you were referring to, and placed the bacta patches in one hand before removing the light from his mouth to talk, confusion etched into his brow.

“Why?”

You brought your lips between your teeth as your eyes flicked between his. “Because I upset you.”

Crosshair looked at you for a moment, an undiscernible expression passed over his half-shadowed face as your eyes stayed locked on each other. What you would give to know what he was thinking, what thoughts swirled in his head. Two months of watching him had barely scratched the surface – you wanted to know everything, to be privy to the innermost workings of his mind.

Crosshair was the first to break his gaze, shaking his head.

“You didn’t upset me.”

You frowned at him, but before you could ask him what he meant, he had placed the end of the light back between his teeth and started applying the bacta patches to your palms, activating the adhesive and smoothing them down over your hands with his thumbs. He held one of your hands in both of his, his fingertips touching the back of your hand as he ran his thumbs along the edges of the bacta patch. He pressed them gently down, and you could already feel the bacta doing its job. He did the same thing to the other side.

You watched him and you realised you’d never felt so cared for before. Never had you been held so gently, treated with such practised methodical hands that were also so soft and caring. Your heart swelled.

He took the light out of his mouth. “Bandages?”

You cleared your throat. “They’re in the side pocket.”

Crosshair took some out and started wrapping your hands up so the bacta patch would be more secure. He was so good at this. With the light dangling from his teeth, he circled the bandage around one hand, before he tied it off and tucked the end, and then the same on the other side.

When he was done, he dropped his hands from yours and removed the light from his teeth for the final time.

You looked at your hands. You couldn’t have treated them better if you had done it yourself. You hadn’t even had to coach him through what to do, and that impressed you. It only made the warmth in your chest grow, that hopeless crush in full bloom and only growing more hopeless by the minute.

“Thank you,” you told him and pulled your hands back underneath the blanket.

Crosshair hummed and then placed the light up on its base between you both and leaned it against the rocks behind you, so the beam of light shined upwards and illuminated where you at. You watched him then sit back against the rock, stretching his long legs out in front of him and closing his eyes, sighing. You sat facing him and brought the blanket around you tighter. You no longer shivered, but you still wanted to be warmer than you were. You stared at the side of his face, Crosshair’s profile half-lit in the light. You gazed at the brown of his skin, the sliver of his hair, the slope of his nose, the purse of his lips. You noted the stubble lining his angled jawline, and wondered what it would feel like against your lips. He was beautiful.

“Crosshair?”

He only hummed again in response.

You tightened your hold on the blanket as you worked up the courage to ask the question that was burning inside you. You couldn’t sit here anymore and not know.

“If I didn’t upset you…what happened?”

Crosshair opened his eyes, but he didn’t speak straight away. It was like he was searching for the right words, the best way to explain what had happened. You waited patiently for him to answer, your anxiety only building in anticipation.

Crosshair scraped the sole of his foot on the floor of the cavity as he brought one of his knees to his chest, resting his elbow on it. You swore you saw the tips of his ears turn pink, but you weren’t sure in this light. “I…crossed a boundary, and I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry for acting the way I did.”

You blinked at him, confused. That was the last thing you expected him to say, especially his apology. “Boundary? What boundary?”

“Does it matter?” Crosshair grumbled, his voice scratching.

“It does to me,” you told him gently.

He turned quiet again. He avoided your eyes, instead choosing to focus on a spot on his knee, frown etching deeper into his brow. You wished he would look at you. All those times you caught him watching you, now you willed him to meet your gaze. If he looked at you, you would be able to tell him with your eyes that he could trust you with whatever it was he was having a hard time verbalising. That you wouldn’t judge him the way you knew so many people did. That you saw him, how underneath all that surly exterior was a kind heart who’d been wounded too many times. But he pointedly didn’t look at you, and all you wished to say would remain your secret.

Crosshair sighed, breaking the silence. “You’re our medic, that’s more important.”

That only puzzled you more. “More important than what?”

Quiet descended again, and after several moments, you tentatively reached out and placed a bandaged hand on his shoulder pauldron. His eyes darted to you, wide like they were before in that medbay, and he shrugged you off, his voice hard and frustrated, and his cheeks tinted pink.

“Just forget it. It won’t happen again.”

You watched him, and the way his hands were clenched on his knees. The way he wasn’t looking at you anymore. You recalled the panic in his eyes that you saw in the medbay when he allowed himself the comfort of holding your hand, and how he’d had that same expression just before. You thought back to all the times you caught him looking at you, the way his eyes never left you – even when it was just the two of you during check-ups. The way he brushed up next to you when standing in mission briefings. The way he didn’t hesitate to touch you when he was helping you or keeping you safe – because it was easier to hide behind those gestures than the curling of his fingers around yours alone in the medbay.

Intentional. Intentional. Intentional.

Oh. Oh.

You felt your heartbeat increase as heat rushed through your body, your stomach flipping over at the realisation. You bit the insides of your mouth to stop yourself from smiling before taking a breath. It all made sense now.

Crosshair wasn’t upset at you, he was embarrassed. The man who was so careful about everything he said and did, had one moment where he allowed himself to do something on a whim, and it had made him vulnerable. The impulse had revealed a secret part of himself he had always intended to keep hidden, and now it was out there, and he was embarrassed about it.

He was embarrassed because he thought you didn’t feel the same.

What a fool. A beautiful stupid fool.

Nerves rattled through your body, but you couldn’t sit here any longer and not let him know how you felt too.  “Crosshair…” you said his name softly, barely above a whisper.

Crosshair didn’t move, his eyes stayed glued to the middle distance, his hands still clenched into fists. You let out a breath and held out your bandaged hands. At the movement in his periphery, his eyes slid towards your hands and then up to your face. You flexed your fingers, a silent signal to place his hands in yours. His mouth turned into a line and just when you thought he wouldn’t, he slowly placed one of his tight fists in your palms.

You cradled his hand, the back of it resting in your bandaged palm. As best you could with your other bandaged hand, you began to manually unfurl his fingers, spreading them out slowly against yours. He let you, his hand as pliable as it usually was when you did this – there was no apprehension in this moment, only trust. You began to slowly massage his hand, pressing and kneading the joints of his knuckles and the centre of his palm. Neither of you spoke, and the storm continued its fury on the other side of the rock, but it very well could’ve been a parsec away with how intimate this moment was. All you could focus on was him. You could feel him watching you, wondering what you were doing, but you didn’t let his intense gaze pull you away. Not anymore.

Once you reached the end of the massage, you slid your palm over his, fingers lined up. You moved your hand slowly like he was a baby tooka you had to coax into your lap, you were giving him time to pull away. You let your fingers fall between the gaps of his and then curled your fingers down, so you held his hand.

You felt him tense as he realised what was happening, and you looked at him, but his eyes were locked on your intertwined hands. You waited to see if he pulled away, but he didn’t. His hand stayed firmly in yours, his fingers still splayed out – but his palm stayed pressed into yours. You heard him take in a shaky breath as he finally looked at you.

His eyes had softened on the edges, but his shoulders were still tense, and he had an expression that looked like he was pleading with you; begging you not to play with him like this.

You wouldn’t dream of it.

“Is…is this the boundary?” you asked. You felt Crosshair shift, and his voice came out in a rasp and his ears were definitely pink in this dim light.

“Yes.”

You looked down at your intertwined hands and squeezed his gently. “And me being your medic is more important than this?”

His reply came a second and a half later, all strained and breathy. “Yes.”

You looked at him, his tattooed gaze boring into your face. Ever the perceptive one, you could see he was trying to figure out what you were doing, and why you were doing it. You offered him a smile as you gave him the answer.

“This…this isn’t a boundary for me. Me being your medic has never mattered when it comes to this with you, and never will.”

You watched his eyes widen minutely, and if you didn’t know his face so well, you wouldn’t have noticed anything. But other than that almost indiscernible change in expression, Crosshair remained unmoving, his shoulders still rigid and his fingers still splayed out, not touching the back of your hand.

You searched his face and suddenly felt like you had completely misjudged his actions. Maybe he didn’t have the same crush on you, you did him. Maybe he had just held your hand by mistake, that what you thought had all been intentional, wasn’t actually intentional at all.

Your face burned and embarrassment flooded your body. You started to pull your hand away from him.

“But if it’s a boundary for you—”

But Crosshair’s fingers came down before you could rip your hand away, and he held your hand to his tightly, stopping your palm from leaving his. His hold was secure, warm and purposeful. There was nothing to hide behind anymore.

“It’s not,” he told you, his voice as soft as you’d ever heard it. He looked at you, and he was more vulnerable than you’d ever seen him. You felt your heartbeat flutter. You knew this was hard for him, vulnerability of any kind wasn’t Crosshair’s comfort zone. You smiled at him as reassuringly as you could.

“Good.”

You felt his shoulders drop as his whole body relaxed. Your heart almost burst when you saw the corner of his mouth turn up at you – a smile that was yours and yours alone. You smiled at him, that warmth in your chest glowing brightly, making you feel so at home, you almost didn’t mind you were trapped in this space. You were with Crosshair, and that was enough.

You both sat there, holding hands in the torchlight. It was such an innocent kind of intimacy, but for you both, it held so much. So many unspoken feelings now known through the feel of your palms against each other. You never wanted to let go, and you suspected he didn’t either. You felt his finger muscles flex and you squeezed his hand. He lifted his thumb and placed it on top of yours, stroking it gently in a ministration so comforting you could’ve sobbed. You smiled at him, and he returned it.

A genuine Crosshair smile was a rare gift so few received. He kept them, saving them for the people he trusted and loved. To get one now, to see the corners of his eyes crinkle and the smile lines in his cheeks stretch in a closed-mouth smile, you felt honoured. You never imagined you would ever see Crosshair smile at you like this, to let you close like this – to let you close at all. The dim light of the cave had revealed the disappearing ink of his feelings, and it was extraordinary. You would tell him the full extent of what you felt for him in time, but for now, your feelings were wordlessly exchanged with just you two for witnesses.

You watched as Crosshair tentatively and wordlessly brought the back of your hand to his lips. With his tattooed gaze on you the whole time, he placed a lingering kiss there. You inhaled sharply at the gesture and the skin tingled under the bandage where he kissed you. The rain outside was heavy, but your heart felt light – like if you weren’t trapped in this space, you float away and join those rocks in the sky. You watched him pull away, brushing his lips on the spot for a moment before he let your hands drop between you.

“Was that okay?” he asked, his husky voice asked softly.

You chuckled, a grin stretching across your face. “Yes. More than okay.”

Crosshair hummed, his eyes smiling. “Good.”

The mountain shook again, and you looked around you frantically as dust from the cavity began to fall on you both. Crosshair pulled you against him, arms going around you as he shielded you to his chest. You held onto the edge of his chest plate so tight it dug into your fingers, your face pressed into his chest as he held you tightly. You squeezed your eyes shut and tried to focus on the mixed smell of soap and wood of Crosshair instead of the panic that coursed through you. When the tremor stopped, you looked up at him, and him at you.

“You okay?” he asked

“Yeah,” you lifted your head but didn’t dare untangle yourself from Crosshair’s arms.

Crosshair adjusted the blanket on your shoulders, pulling it tighter around you. “The longer this storm goes on, the more danger we’re in.”

“Should we try the comms again?”

Crosshair let go of you briefly to grab his helmet and put it on. “Hunter, come in. Tech? Wrecker? Echo? Do you read?”

You waited. Crosshair’s arm tightened on you, but he let out a frustrated sigh and pulled the helmet off roughly, setting it down next to him. “Still nothing.”

You let your head rest on his shoulder as you sighed. “What do we do?”

“Wait.”

You groaned. Crosshair chuckled and you felt his hand run up and down your back soothingly. It was a simple gesture, but one that conveyed how much he cared for you. A man of few words, he let his actions show his feelings for you. And you had no doubts about it.

After a minute, you lifted your head to find him looking down at you intensely. You felt his arms tighten on you as this hand travelled down to your waist and stayed there. You blinked up at him, drawing your eyes across his face before they landed on his lips.

They had been so soft when they touched the back of your hand, what would they feel like pressed against your own? You’d dreamt about it, but you had a feeling that it would be nothing to the reality of it.

“N’edee?” His voice was quiet, but you feel the weight on them in your stomach.

“Hmm?” you hummed innocently, but there was nothing innocent about what was running through your mind right now.

“Can I test another boundary?” His tone was hesitant, careful as he leaned in a little closer to you.

Your voice came out in a whisper. “Which one?”

“This one.”

Crosshair slowly closed the distance between you and pressed his lips to yours. It was like your whole body lit up inside, igniting you so completely you were aware of every nerve ending you had. Your fingers tightened on his armour just as Crosshair languidly pulled away after too brief a moment. You stared at him, dazed with your mouth parted slightly, and in need of more.

“Well?” he asked, his voice like silk.

You were breathless. “Not a boundary. Kiss me as much as you like.”

“If you insist,” he smirked and pressed his lips to yours again.

Kissing Crosshair was an all-consuming kind of feeling. That magnetic pull he already had on you only seemed to intensify the minute his lips descended on yours. You wrapped your arms around his neck as he hoisted you onto his lap, your thighs falling on either side of his as you straddled him, and the blanket slipped off your shoulders – not that you needed it anymore with the heat that thrummed through you.

You melted into the kiss, and you were right – your dreams of his lips were nothing compared to the real thing. You felt the tickle of his breath on your cheek as you arched yourself closer to him. With just your body suit on, you could feel every hard ridge of his armour against you. His arms moved across your back, and you could feel his fingertips searing along your shoulder blades. His hot mouth moved against yours and you allowed yourself to nip at his lips. You felt him flinch before his lips stretched into a smile against yours, a chuckle vibrating his chest.

“Guess you do have some bite, N’edee,” he mumbled against your lips.

“Just for you,” you breathed, and he groaned into your mouth, kissing you deeper.

He was just as starved for you as you were for him, and you wondered how long exactly he’d been feeling like this towards you, but you’d ask such questions later. His mouth was heavenly, his lips like a caress against yours. Your lips parted and he took the chance to deepen the kiss as you dragged your hands up into his buzzed hair, feeling the short strands against your fingernails. And you felt just how skilled he was his tongue as it slid against yours, and you silently thanked his toothpicks for giving him the practice.

You’d never been kissed with such passion before, with such intention. Now, he was no longer embarrassed, he did not hold back his kisses and touches. That knowledge made it all the more thrilling as Crosshair pressed you into him, pulling your hips against his with hands that you knew to be tender, but now held with you with such desire you felt dizzy.

He moved his lips down your jawline to just below your ear, and you panted as you tightened your arms around him, rocking into him. He sucked the skin there, his tongue darting out and wetting the area. It made you moan so loudly you were glad no one else could hear how desperate you sounded.

“Crosshair,” you moaned.

You felt him smirk against your skin before he made his way back to your lips. Groaning into your mouth again, you felt his hands move from your hips to your ass and back up again, and you felt your body go into overdrive, pulsing with a wanting need. Where did he learn to kiss like this? You wanted to thank whatever Kaminaon training module taught him, or the illicit holos you knew Tech had stashed on the locked-down data drive you found a week after you joined them – whichever it was.

You were so lost in his kisses, the way they grew in fervour with each press against your skin, you almost didn’t hear the beeping of Crosshair’s comm in his helmet.

“Crosshair,” you said when you finally heard it, pulling away, but his mouth just found your neck instead. You patted his shoulder. “Crosshair, the comm.”

“What?” he said raggedly. His lips ceased their attentions, and he pulled back. His lips were all swollen and you smiled at the knowledge that was all you. You stayed perched in his lap and he grabbed his helmet and put it on. You could hear the other voice when you were this close to him.

“Crosshair, come in.” It was Hunter.

“Copy, Hunter,” Crosshair said, and you mentally applauded him for not sounding as breathless as you would’ve.

“Are you and N’edee okay?”

Crosshair’s hand squeezed your thigh, and you squirmed on top of him, smiling. “For the moment. We’re trapped on the mountain. The storm caused a cave-in, and we can't get out.”

“We’ll lock in on your signal and fly to your location. Stand by.” You realised then the rain and thunder had stopped, and that the storm had now passed.

“Copy,” Crosshair said before he removed his helmet and placed it next to him again, and you both looked at each other. He gripped your hips. “They’re on their way in the Marauder. Wrecker will be able to push the rocks out of the way, and we’ll be free.”

You breathed in, relieved help was coming. “I didn’t even realise the storm had passed,”

“Well, we were busy,” Crosshair snided.

“Right,” you laughed lightly.

Crosshair looked away from you for the first time since everything changed between you, and his hands on your hips loosened. You frowned as you watched his once open expression, slowly begin to close off again in the dim light. He looked uncertain, all in his own head again and you realised that he was worried – worried that this moment together was but a brief interlude in which you got caught up in the danger of the situation. You wanted to shake his shoulders and tell him he was being absurd, how he could think such a thing after all you just said and did. But you didn’t, because like baby tooka, Crosshair needed gentle reassurance; that his vulnerability and his feelings were not being played with.

Later, when you had more time and were back on the Marauder and tucked away in the medbay just the two of you again, you would tell him just how much he had nestled his way into your heart. That your crush was much more than that, that you saw all of him, and though you were still learning to decipher the riddles he was made of, you never wanted to stop. That you saw all his intentions, and now yours was to hold his heart in your bandaged hands the way he held yours.

But for now, in your final moments alone with him before his brothers rescued you both, you locked your eyes on him and gently grabbed the hands that had slackened on your hips, linking your fingers together once more. You watched his eyes find yours, his brows slanted at the ends as he looked at you with all this apprehension. You brought his knuckles to your lips and kissed them, lips lingering there as you let the gesture convey wordlessly your intention to keep nurturing what was between you for as long as he let you. That this didn’t end once you were both bathed in sunlight again.

“I hope we’ll be busy again later? And many laters after that too?”

Crosshair’s shoulder relaxed and you smiled as the corner of his mouth twitched into a smirk, his eyes smiling as he squeezed your hands once more. “Oh, I’m counting on it.”

banner art by @vimse thank you reading! if you made it this far, thank you! i appreciate it so much! this is the longest standalone fic i've ever written!

🏷️ @starrylothcat @sinfulsalutations @moodymisty @nahoney22 @freesia-writes @nobody-expects-the-inquisitorius @bobaprint @crosshairsnose @jesseeka @thegalaxys-edge @chopper-base @shredderwest @leavingkamino @r2d2staser @beckbucket @pb-jellybeans @mylifeisactuallyamess @padawancat97 @littlecrowtime @jedipoodoo @ezras-left-thumb @lovelycurls @fruitsaladtree @literallydontlook @burningfieldof-clover @queencousland101 @clonethirstingisreal @skellymom @hopelessromantic727

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[thejediscrolls]

Sunrise

Crosshair x medic reader

A trip to the Outpost along with a clone who refuses to tell you his name… What’s the worst that can happen?

Angst / Fluffish

Pt 1 of Sunrise

“Hello.” I said to the tall man with an infamous scowl and toothpick in hand, followed by my name.

He didn’t return the sentiment, choosing to acknowledge me with a tilt of his head.

“Did they say where we are going?” I asked.

“Not yet.” He said simply.

I tugged on the strap of my medical bag, “It must be important if they wanted me along.”

He glanced at me, “You’re new right?”

I nodded, “Yes sir.”

“Don’t do anything stupid and you’ll live.” He stated before looking towards a group of soldiers and an officer coming our way.

“Thanks…” I spoke dryly, “For the pep talk.”

“Anytime sweetheart.” He replied.

“I’m not your-”

“CT-9904. You are out of uniform.”

My back straightened up as I saluted the lieutenant while the clone trooper put on his helmet.

“I am lieutenant Nolan. Your support officer for this mission.” He said to the clone trooper before his gaze flickered to mine, “And who are you?”

“I am a medic sir. Here to help save as many lives as I can.”

“You only need to worry about mine.” He said.

“But sir, the soldiers-“

“They are only clones.” Nolan spat.

“They are people.” I squared up my shoulders, “And they deserve help too.”

“I should have you fired.” He said with a dark look in his eyes.

“Speak with the general. He’s the one who personally assigned me to this mission.” I stated, “…Sir.”

His glare hardened as he sized me up before scoffing, “We will be head to a remote outpost to transfer container shipments.”

With that lieutenant Nolan walked up the ramp.

“Why did you do that?” The soldier with the snarky attitude asked.

“Because clones are people too and not only that, you have fought to protect countless lives. Your lives are just as important as anyone else’s. Someone needs to make sure you get the respect you deserve.” I stated as I made my way up the ramp, “I like you better without the helmet by the way.” I teased before heading inside.

I heard a faint chuckle before his footsteps followed after mine.

The flight to the Outpost was fine so long as the lieutenant stayed at the front of the ship… I felt bad for the pilots, but the clones back here made nice conversation.

“What was the funniest thing you experienced during the clone wars?” I asked the trooper known as Hex.

“That would be when Short-fuse ate this meal from an outer rim planet we were stationed at. He swore his mouth was burning for weeks from how spicy the dish was.” Hex chuckled before his laughter dimmed, “He was a good soldier and brother.”

“I am sure he was.” I gave him a comforting smile.

When we landed on the outpost planet, the snow was nearly blinding from the sun as the hanger door veered open. Nolan shoved his way past us to get ahead, only for him to slip on the ramp.

Pack tried to help him out only for the most disgusting noise I have ever heard to come out of the lieutenant’s mouth. I glared in his direction as I placed my hand on Pack’s arm.

“Don’t worry about it.” I said to him, “He’s just a loth cat from hell.”

This brought a laugh from Pack before he went off to survey the area. I immediately found my way to the only clone with black armor and a really big rifle.

“Loth cat from hell Huh?” I could hear the grin in his voice.

I leaned closer to him whispering, “I would call him worse, but that would only make me as bad as him.”

“Hurry up!” Lieutenant Nolan called for us impatiently.

“See? You can here the hissing screech from a mile away.” I joked as we caught up.

“Glad to see we weren’t forgotten.” A trooper with long hair and a beard spoke up, “I’m Commander Mayday.

“It’s nice to meet you Commander.” I said with a greeting of my own name.

Two other clone troopers sat by the portable heater trying to keep themselves warm.

“It’s nice to meet you both as well, but what do you mean by forgotten?” I asked, my brows furrowing, “Surely the empire has been supporting this outpost?”

“No. We’ve been here for over a year with no support.” Mayday stated.

Nolan scoffed, “Well the empire has more important things that need to be done then worry about you clones.”

“I’m so sorry you were left out here like this.” I breathed out my eyes falling to the helmets lined alone the crate, “And your men… They are…”

“All dead, except for us.” Mayfield confirmed.

“My deepest condolences.” I offered him a small smile.

“Thank you.” He nodded.

“It’s what they were made to do.” Nolan rolled his eyes.

“No it wasn’t.” I glared at him.

He returned it just as heavily before he walked away, “Start getting everything squared away. We’re shipping these crates now.”

“What killed them?” The sniper clones voice rang out through the room.

“Raiders mostly. Weather and whatever creatures reside here.” Mayday explained, “Come on, I’ll show you around.” He nodded his head at me, “You can come too.”

The cold chilled through my bones the moment we stepped outside.

“As harsh as this planet is, the view is quiet beautiful.” I spoke as we looked around.

“Trying looking at it for over a year with things trying to kill you.” Mayday joked dryly.

“Ah.” I chuckled, “Yeah I’d probably hate it too.”

“Where have they been coming in at?” Crosshair asked as he surveyed the area.

“The ridge over there, but don’t go out there on your own, it’s too dangerous.” Mayday explained as he watched the trooper look around.

“I’m sorry you and your men have had to go through with this. I thought the empire would be more considerate…” I sighed.

“Seems like the empire is only considerate when it benefits them.” Mayday stated.

Before I could respond a blast sounded through the base.

“The raiders?” I asked in fear.

“Yeah.” Mayday confirmed.

We quickly took off in the direction of the blast.

“I’ll go left and you two go right! We’ll cute them off!” Mayday ordered.

I quickly followed behind the tall clone, wondering where he could be heading.

“What are doing?” I asked as he ran away from the blast.

“I need a vantage point.” He snipped, taking two steps at a time practically leaping up the tower.

I was less agile and it took me a moment longer to reach him. I found him already looking through his scope, searching for his target. I stood beside him, squinting to see any movement of someone possibly injured.

I could feel it before it happened, turning to the clone to warn him, “Watch-”

The blast came before I could finish my sentence, hearing him hiss in pain shot worry through my chest as he rubbed at his eyes. Still, he pulled himself together to wound one of the raiders trying to escape.

“Hey, hey wait!” I called out to him as he went to chase after the raider.

“What?” He sneered.

“I need to check yours eyes. You’re hurt-” I tried to grab his arm, but he was to quick, bounding down the steps.

“Go help someone else!” He called as he chased after the escaped raider.

I cursed as I ran down the steps, “That man.” I muttered, making my way towards the blast to see if anyone needed help.

“Is there anything I can do?” I asked once I spotted Mayfield.

He shook his head solemnly, “My men are dead.”

My breathe stopped, “Oh. I’m so sorry…”

He only shook his head, smiling grimly, “It’s what we do.”

“You are all worth more than this. I hope you know that…” I looked in the direction the clone trooper went, “I hope he knows that.”

“He went after them alone didn’t he?” Mayfield sighed.

I nodded, “He did.”

“I’ll go get him. You should get inside.” He suggested.

I nodded, not wanting to burden him with anymore struggle today, “Drag him in if you have too. I can see he is very stubborn.” I sighed, “I’ll see you both inside.”

I could tell from how stressed the troopers we flew in with were after the explosion and now having to deal with the uptight luitenant.

“Where have you been?!” Nolan ce yelled at me the moment I entered the facility.

I almost mocked the way he looked frazzled, his blonde hair out of place.

“I was aiding Commander Mayday and a clone trooper, sir.” I answered.

It was abrupt the way he took quick strides towards me, grabbing my arm with brute strength. I flinched at the pain, knowing that bruises would welt in place of his fingers soon enough.

“You aid me! Not these lowlife insufferable clones! That is an order, do you hear me?!” He spat in my face.

A dark figure found itself in my peripheral, “I think everyone heard you. Sir.” The clone hissed in disapproval, toothpick in his mouth.

Nolan huffed, shoving me hard into a crate, “They stole from us! I need you clones to go retrieve them now!”

“I have no men sir. They were both killed in the blast.” Mayday stated, “Some thing that extreme would require a lot of men. I request taking a some of your men out there if you want the crates retrieved.”

“No!” Nolan glared before pointing at the two soldiers, “You both go get them. That’s an order.” He spat on the ground before leaving.

Mayday rolled his eyes at the sheer disrespect coming from the newbie.

“Hey stranger…” I pushed myself away from the crates and opening my bag, “I need to take a look at your eyes to make sure no damage was taken earlier.”

“I’m fine.” He huffed while crossing his arms.

“I know you are, but as a medic it would put me at ease to double check. It won’t hurt right?” I asked holding the equipment I needed.

He nodded stiffly before making himself comfortable on a crate. I was internally grateful because it would make this a lot easier with his height.

“Thank you.” I whispered as I stood between his legs.

“I’ll get some gear and wait outside.” Mayday said as he left.

I gently grasped his chin, “If you could tilt your head up just so… Perfect.”

It was quiet while I checked his eyes, thankfully finding no long term damage.

“Are you… Alright?” The softness in his voice almost sounded foreign.

“Me?” I took a moment to take in his face, “I’m alright, it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“You’ve had that happen to you before?” He asked.

I nodded, “Some officers tend to feel the need to assert their dominance. To strengthen you for the empire they would say.” I chuckled dryly.

“Your eyes look perfect.” I said as I took a step back.

He nodded once giving me a hum instead of a thank you.

“Just make it back alive okay? I don’t think I can handle another plane ride with that idiot if you’re not there.” I joked.

“Hm.” He stood up and grabbed his rifle, “We’ll see.”

I stepped in front of him before he could walk out the door, “Can I at least know your name now?”

A small smirk grazed his lips, something that I would love to spend my days staring at. I was disappointed when he put his helmet back on, something that he noticed quickly.

“No.” He stated simply before he walked out, “Try not to die.”

I huffed in annoyance as I went to put the equipment away. I knew that all I had to do was look at his file, but where would be the fun in that?

The day went by mundane, soon falling into night. The temperature only became colder and my worry for the safety of the two men increased.

“Sir.” I acknowledged the lieutenant who looked too cozy by the heater, a hot plate of food in hand.

“What is it?” He asked annoyed.

I stood a ways from him, hands clasped behind me as the glow of the heat barely reaching my skin, “The commander and soldier have been gone for too long. I suggest we send a search party to retrieve them.”

He raised an eyebrow, “You suggest?” He slowly set his plate down on one of the crates, “Tell me medic.” He said my title like it was humorous to him, “In what system does a medic outrank a lieutenant officer?”

I took a step forward, “When lives are in danger sir.” I spat.

“You obey me!” He yelled standing up.

“I obey my oath!” I matched his tone, “And right now those men, your men could lying in the snow somewhere bleeding to death!”

“Then so be it!” He waved his hand, “I don’t care about outdated clones!”

“Then you aren’t worthy of your title.” I glared before walking out the door.

The last thing I needed was a bullet through my head from his short temper. I needed to be smart about this.

It’s too dark out to travel now. No use for me to get lost or hurt out there. I think daybreak should do it, I can pack some supplies and head out in the direction they went. First I needed a map of the area.

“Hey Pack?” I called out to the trooper on watch.

He turned to me, “Yes?”

“Can you send me a layout of the planet to my holo pad please?” I asked.

“Of course?” He said unsure, “Why would you need a map? If you don’t mind me asking that is.”

“Sightseeing.” I answered with a chuckle and he returned it, not wanting to push any further.

“You’ll receive it shortly.” He answered.

“Thank you Pack, have a nice night.” I waved goodbye to him before heading towards my sleeping quarters.

“You as well medic!” He called back.

There was only one thought in my mind as I packed for my journey and went to bed.

Don’t worry, I’ll find you.

Trying to sneak out of camp was trickier than usual, but not impossible. It was a window of moving shipments that weren’t labeled correctly that allowed for my escape under the Lieutenants nose.

“I’ll start with a small perimeter in the direction they went and go from there.” I mumbled to myself as I walked on, “Hopefully they just made camp for the night and are heading back.”

The cold nipped through my clothes and onto my skin as I spent hours traveling through the snow. My feet felt numb, but I carried on for their sakes and for my own peace of mind.

“Where are they.” I groaned as I tapped on my holopad to readjust the coordinates.

Suddenly a red beeping on the screen signaled a storm heading my way.

“Dank ferrik.” I cursed as I looked for shelter.

The wind began to pick up as flakes of snow coated my lashes. In my panic to get out of the storm, I failed to miss the shadow creeping up behind me and the blunt of a gun hitting the side of my head.

“Wake up.” A posh voice followed by a kick to my gut had me rolling over in pain.

My eyes fluttered open to find a blurry figure slowly shifting into the body of the Lieutenant.

“How dare you disobey orders.” He scoffed, “I should have you courtmartialed for this.”

I closed my eyes at the prospect of being behind bars or worse… Suffering the fate of being decommissioned.

“You are lucky the commander favors you.” He sneers and I let out a breath of relief.

I shouldn’t have for he was not finished.

“But he’s not here to defend you. If a small accident would occur resulting in the fate of your death, that would not be dismissible.” His smile was as wicked as his heart.

My heart began to race as I watched him reach for his blaster.

“Lieutenant.” A breathless clone entered the room, “The two soldiers… They have returned.”

“Do they complete their assignment?” He asked with mild annoyance to being disrupted.

“No sir. It seems the commander was hurt.” The clone answered.

“Hm… It seems i have two examples I must take care of.” He glanced at me, grabbing my handcuffs and yanking me towards the door, “Follow.”

It was colder without my coat as the lieutenant dragged me behind him. My heart hasn’t stopped racing as we stumbled to the sniper and commander. The site in front of me showed that the two were no better off than I was, worse even.

“Look at this pathetic failure medic. You risked your life to go save them and yet here they are, without my crates.” The lieutenant rolled his eyes.

“Mayday is hurt.” I rasped out trying to get to the two soldiers, yet his grip never faltered on my cuffs.

“Help him.” The sniper rasped out as he took in deep breaths.

“No.” The lieutenant stated simply.

“Please.” I pleaded, “Let me help him.”

“That would be a waste of supplies. He is expendable just like the other clones.” He leaned in to say mockingly, “Besides I’d enjoy watching you suffer before I end your pathetic life, medic.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched my new friend take his last breath being able to do nothing, but struggle fruitlessly.

“Let me go!” Every bone in my body shook in shame when I couldn’t do the only purpose I held in my life… To save others.

“I’m sorry.” I sobbed, “I’m so sorry.”

“Next time I would think twice about disobeying orders.” He spat.

“You could have saved him.” Crosshair all, but growled as he knelt beside his comrade.

“He was expendable as are you and as is she. Now get back to work clone.” The Lieutenant ordered as he dragged me behind him, “And now I’ll be dealing with you.”

My eyes widened knowing the meaning behind his words, “No… No, no please.”

I tugged on my hand only to be met with his fist against my cheekbone. The stinging left my vision blurry as I tried to steady myself. I didn’t hear the sniper slowly stand up, his gun raised in anger as he glared towards the monster of the empire.

“Lieutenant.” The sniper growled.

The lieutenant sighed in annoyance as he turned around, “What is it?”

His eyebrows raised at the sight of the gun and he was quick to pull me in front of him, his arm locked around my neck.

“I wouldn’t do anything foolish if I were you clone.” The lieutenant sneered, “You shoot me and I take her down as well.”

“Hm.” He hummed, “You shouldn’t underestimate a clone.” Was all he said before his aim shot through the Lieutenants head before he could even blink.

Two bodies fell in that moment and I was quick to rush to the troopers side. His breathing had slowed as he stared up at the sky.

“You’ll be okay.” I whispered to him, the tears blurring my vision, “I am grateful to you.”

“Crosshair.” He breathed out.

My brows furrowed in confusion, “What?”

“My name…” His eyes began to close, “Is Crosshair.”

My sob came out as a choked laugh as guards began to surround us.

“It’s nice to meet you, Crosshair.” I spoke softly.

I prayed to the force in that moment that it wouldn’t be the end for us.

Please… Let us live.

#star wars #star wars imagine #starwars #clone wars #bad batch #bad batch imagine #bad batch x reader #star wars x reader #crosshair #crosshair x reader #crosshair angst #clone trooper crosshair #crosshair fluff #crosshair imagine #bad batch crosshair

[triptuckers]

just you and me - crosshair

Request: nope Pairing: crosshair x reader Summary: after crosshair flees the empire, he goes to the one place he thinks would be somewhat safe Warnings: spoilers for the bad batch s2e12!! language, angst, sadness, mentions of death Word count: 2.2KA/N: this weeks episode??? god damn that was good !! anyways someone needs to hug crosshair and I needed to write this, enjoy!

everything seems to be blurred together in a haze. for some reason, crosshair can't remember how he got away. he remembers bits and pieces of that night, but he feels like there's some details missing.

he remembers mayday. he remembers going into the caves with him, finding the raiders and fighting them. he remembers how he caused an explosion with a well aimed shot, getting rid of the raiders but also causing an avalanche.

crosshair remembers being buried in snow and then managing to pull himself out of it. he remembers struggling through the snow and pulling mayday out as well.

he fought to take mayday back to the outpost, so he could get help.

but upon arriving there, and telling the lieutenant that mayday needed a medic, the lieutenant turned him down. said they were both expendable. that crosshair needed to get back to work.

and something in crosshair snapped. the empire would always see them like that: expendable. merely tools in their big galaxy. nothing more than a number. no matter how many missions he completed, or how good he was at following orders.

in less than two seconds, crosshair had raised his blaster and shot the lieutenant in the chest. he hadn't thought much about the consequences. sure, he knew they probably wouldn't let him live after that.

but when he woke up in what seemed to be a medical facility, he realised they must have found some use for him. but he didn't intent to wait to find out exactly what that would be. he bolted.

but it's hard to navigate the galaxy when you don't have any resources. no food, clothes, money, ship. luckily crosshair has some skills when it comes to sneaking around.

he managed to sneak aboard a shuttle that took him as far away as ord mantell. that was all he really needed. the thought of going back to ord mantell was enough to keep him going.

even though he was exhausted, he managed to get to the planet without much trouble, and continued his journey on foot from the docks where the shuttle landed.

when a familiar building appears in the distance, crosshair feels such gratitude he'd be willing to drop to his knees right there in the middle of the street.

but he forces himself to keep going. he has no idea if he's even welcome, but it's all he's got right now. he has to give it a shot.

he stops in front of the door. all the lights are off. then again, it was late. he raises his hand to buzz the door.

no answer.

he buzzes again.

still no answer.

crosshair considers leaving and coming back tomorrow, at a decent time. but then he hears a voice.

'we're closed!'

he never thought he'd hear that voice again. apparently, you stuck around on ord mantell. even though you'd complained about it many times. he knew deep down you wouldn't leave this planet. you'd been here for so many years. you couldn't bear the thought of leaving and starting a shop from scratch, of settling down somewhere else.

crosshair buzzes again, to let you know he's still here.

'I said we're closed!' comes your voice from inside the building. 'shop opens again tomorrow at 8!'

just as crosshair wants to buzz the door again, it opens slightly.

'look, I said we're- crosshair?'

crosshair smiles slightly at the sight of you, and the sound of you saying his name. then he all but collapses into your arms. he faintly hears you calling his name before blacking out.

you stumble beneath his weight. you look outside, checking to see if no one noticed. the street is empty, so you awkwardly haul crosshair inside and lock the door.

it takes you a while to get crosshair to your bedroom, and you struggle even more with getting him on the bed. when you've finally succeeded in laying him down, you take in the sight of him.

he's still in his armour, but he seems to have lost his helmet. his rifle that was slung over his back is still in the hallway. you reach out and lay your hand on his cheek, which feels cold.

he must have been in quite the shape, but he still managed to get to your shop. you wonder why he's here. and how he got away from the empire. the last time you saw him, he was still with his brothers. you're still in contact with the rest of the bad batch, but you know they don't speak to crosshair anymore.

you have so many questions you want to ask him. but right now, you can tell he needs sleep. and possibly a decent meal as well.

you move closer to the bed and start to take off his armour, piece by piece. it's easy to remember how to do it. you used to do it a lot when he was still with his brothers. he would seek you out and you'd comfort him. crosshair would put up this defensive shield, but the more time he spent with you, the faster he would drop that shield whenever he was around you.

and you had enjoyed taking off his armour and just sitting with him, sharing a meal, watching a holo movie or just talking. most of the times, just being in each other's presence was enough to comfort the both of you.

when you finish taking off his armour and placing it on the small desk in your bedroom, you pull the blankets out from underneath him and tuck him in.

you hesitate briefly. then you lean in and press a kiss to his forehead.

'goodnight, crosshair.' you say.

it's hours later when crosshair wakes, and his head feels heavy. the light coming from the window is too bright, it hurts his eyes. he rolls over to his other side, and notices he isn't wearing any of his armour, just his blacks. he doesn't remember taking it off.

as he lays there, he thinks back to last night, trying to figure out how he got wherever he is right now.

he remembers being on a shuttle, getting to a planet. a familiar planet, where he thought he'd be safe. crosshair tries to remember what planet he'd feel safe. he can't think of any.

his head is throbbing. probably from his lack of sleep and food.

suddenly, he frowns. whose bed is he in? it's way nicer than any bed he's had in months. he opens his eyes despite the bright light, and sees his armour placed neatly on a desk. crosshair blinks a few times. he remembers that desk. and the sheets that cover his body.

so that's where he is. ord mantell. specifically, your place. why on earth would you let him in?

he slowly pushes himself up to a sitting position, rubbing his eyes. he needed to find something to get rid of that headache. he looks around the room, but you're not there.

crosshair gets up and walks to the doorway. he pokes his head around the corner and his eyes fall upon the familiar living room and kitchen of your small apartment.

'look who's finally up.' comes your voice from somewhere in the kitchen.

crosshair hesitantly walks towards the kitchen. you're rummaging around in there, getting out two cups. you pour caf in them and slide one of them over to crosshair.

you see him hesitate again.

'don't worry, it's not poisoned.' you say, chuckling.

you take your cup and walk over to sit at the table. crosshair takes his cup and sits down as well.

'you let me in.' he observes.

'I did.' you say.

'what if it was an ambush?'

'it wasn't an ambush.'

'but if it was?'

'if it was an ambush, you were pretty fucking convincing on the whole "passing out" thing.'

crosshair looks at you. he's so confused. 'why did you let me in?' he says.

'why wouldn't I?' you say.

'if it wasn't an ambush, I could have used you to find my brothers. or the girl, omega. I could have taken you with me to the empire. I could have just shot you right there. I could have done all of those things.' says crosshair. 'why did you let me in?'

'because it's you, cross.' you say.

there's something about you calling him cross that awakens something in crosshair. he remembers all those months spent together, before order 66 happened and he and his brothers went their separate ways.

the two of you are silent as you drink your caf. you've got thousands of questions you want to ask him. but you can tell he's been through a lot, so you let him finish his caf in silence.

after a while, you speak up.

'are you okay?'

it's such a simple question. yet no one has asked crosshair if he was okay for so long. he looks up at you, and sees the genuine worry in your eyes.

slowly, he shakes his head. you see his hand trembles as he grips his cup tighter. you reach out to him and gently take the cup out of his hand. you hold his hand in yours and look at him again.

'it's alright, crosshair. it's just you and me, no one else.' you say.

within the walls of your small apartment, crosshair lets his shield down and buries his head in your shoulder.

you hold him tighter and whisper soft words to him. crosshair squeezes his eyes shut, fighting the tears. but eventually they fall. his body shakes as you rub circles on his back.

'let it out, crosshair.' you say. 'there's no one here who will judge you.'

and so he does. he lets it all out. his grief over losing his brothers, his fear that he might have made the wrong choice and caused so many people harm, the regret that he continued to work for the empire for so long, and that it had taken him way too long to find his way back to you.

after a while, crosshair's body has stopped shaking. you pull away slightly to cup his face. he closes his eyes, and you know he doesn't want you to see his tears.

'crosshair.' you say softy. 'look at me.'

he does as you say. you smile at him.

'you don't ever have to go back to the empire again.' you say. 'I've learned how to stay off the empire's radar. I can help you. will you let me help you?'

crosshair nods, then lets his head fall to your shoulder again.

for a while, the two of you just sit there like that. you know crosshair needs this. you still have so many questions you want to ask him, but it can wait.

then crosshair mumbles something into your shoulder.

'what was that?' you say.

'he didn't even save mayday.' says crosshair.

'who's mayday?' you say.

'a clone commander. he was stationed at the outpost. I got him out of the snow and back to the outpost. I said the lieutenant needed to get a medic but he wouldn't. he wouldn't even get a fucking medic. said we were expandable.'

'shit, cross, I'm so sorry. none of you are expandable.'

'yeah, well, the empire doesn't give a shit about that.'

crosshair pulls away from you and wipes away his tears. 'are you still in contact with the others?'

'your brothers?' you say. 'occasionally. mostly when they need parts for the marauder. sometimes omega swings by when they're at cid's.'

'don't tell them I'm here.' say crosshair.

'you don't want them to know you're here?' you say.

crosshair shakes his head.

'alright. then I won't tell them. it'll just be you and me.' you say.

'I don't deserve you.' mumbles crosshair. 'I don't deserve any of this.'

you lean in and press a kiss to his forehead. 'yes, crosshair, you do.' you say. 'we all make mistakes. but in the end, you made the right decision. and you did that all by yourself. I'm proud of you for that.'

you pull him in for a hug, holding him close. 'I'm sorry you couldn't save mayday.' you say.

'I don't know what to do.' says crosshair softly.

you heart breaks at the sound of his voice. ever since you'd met crosshair. he was always the quiet one out of the brothers. never saying a lot, keeping his distance. it took a while for him to warm up to you. you know he's convinces he can do everything on his own. he doesn't really ask for help. the least you can do now, is help him in any way you can.

'we'll figure it out, crosshair.' you say. 'you can stay here as long as you'd like. we'll find a solution together. I'm just glad to have you back. I won't tell your brothers, or any of the others here on ord mantell. it'll just be the two of us. we'll figure this out, I promise.'

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

#someone give crosshair a hug thank u #bad batch #bad batch spoilers #bad batch s2 #crosshair #crosshair x reader #crosshair oneshot #crosshair angst #crosshair fanfiction #crosshair fanfic #crosshair fanfics #crosshair fic #crosshair fics #bad batch x reader #bad batch oneshot #bad batch angst #bad batch fanfiction #bad batch fanfic #bad batch fanfics #bad batch fic #bad batch fics

[seriowan]

by water and ice (crosshair x gn!reader)

“There is more to your story, Crosshair. Fight to live through it.”

summary: cold and hopeless, crosshair is struggling to continue fighting for his survival. as he considers the prospect of giving up, he is visited by a ghost of his past and is forced to rethink his entire future...

pairing: crosshair x gn!reader

warnings: spoilers for tbb s2ep12; discussions about death; angst

word count: 2.5k

a/n: this is me coping after episode 12. did i cry a lot? mmmaybe. will i ever be the same after watching episode 12? mmmmnoiamsufferingsomuchjustthinkingaboutcrosshair

In a sick way, he knows it is a punishment. He’s always been cold and unyielding, like the storm that seeks to bury him alive.

   The grand peak of every choice brought him to this point; the point when he has nothing to do but drown in the snow with ice in his lungs. It is in this vast, white sea of consequence that he sits and wonders if he could have changed things in the past. It is in the face of death when he is forced to question what reality would have looked like if he didn’t utter the words that possessed and cursed his body… 

   Good. Soldiers. Follow. Orders. 

   He was once a good soldier. He did as he was supposed to do but now… it all had a weight to it that he didn't quite understand. He made the choices and he followed the orders given to him, but at what cost? Why is it that now, in this spotlessly white hell, he finally questions where he went wrong? 

   It's like a loop of his choices with Cody’s voice echoing in a narration of guilt. 

   “We make our own choices… and we have to live with them too.” 

   He isn’t living with them. Not anymore. He is going to die with them. Every single choice made since Kaller plays over and over like memories that were never his. Actions with consequences that he thought he could ignore or fight off because he was just following orders. 

   But he knows the truth. 

   Death often gives clarity to those who are lucky enough to have a moment of thought before it greets them. In his charcoal armor, shivering alongside a soldier in white and straps of cloth, Crosshair knows that he is the ink spot spilled across the white paper. The stain. His wretched heart has been cold since the beginning but now… now it feels like he has no heart. Like he is just a husk of helplessness, latching onto the one thing that could bring him a bit of purpose — if just for a brief moment. 

   Mayday’s breaths are shallow. The skin of his neck is hot. He burns from the inside out while Crosshair freezes little by little. They remain huddled together in the shelter of a jagged mountainside, sharing the smallest bit of comfort in dying beside a brother. 

   Crosshair finds himself hearing different voices with each one of Mayday’s pained noises. He hears Hunter, sporting a wound in his side from Felucia. He hears Tech, shot down by the training droids in the training facility. He hears Echo every time Mayday exhales with a tremble, cold and frail from the cryogenic chamber. He hears Wrecker, lying on a medical table with the side of his face bandaged beyond recognition. 

   He squeezes his eyes shut at a realization. 

   All he remembers is pain.

He tries to think back to the good times, but they feel stained by his own hand. He can’t think of their past time together, the good times, without remembering Hunter’s wounded look of betrayal when they first faced each other as enemies. Without thinking of Omega’s cry of panic when he shot Wrecker in the chest. He feels the resurging pain in his head like a reminder that he went far enough for them to nearly kill him in response. 

   And for what? False belief in an Empire that controls him and every other clone like a puppet on strings? 

   Meaning? Glory?

   There is too much shame to call it glory. The only word that he can bring to the lips of his chattering mouth is regret. 

   Regret for it all. 

   Regret for what he’d already done. 

   Regret for what he will do. 

   “Crosshair.” 

   At first, he thinks he is hallucinating. Hours have passed since his last drink of water. Hours of trudging through snow and watching his limbs turn black from ice. His body is weak but his mind is brittle, holding onto the thin string of life from the man hunched over by his side. 

   Then he hears it again. 

   “Crosshair…�� 

   There was one person who used to say his name so delicately. He remembers their hands — oh, the gentleness of their touch against his cheek. Or the sweetness on their lips that tasted like tea and honeydew. He can remember the softness of their skin and the cotton robes they once wore, scented of incense and pine and everything earthy. So unlike him in his heavy, charcoal armor. 

   But he remembers the pain. The striking grief in their eyes as they lay dying at his feet. A fatal shot to the chest, done with his very own hand. His brothers are unaware that he fired the first shot - the fatal shot - before the regs arrived. They assumed that the Jedi went down alongside Billaba because that is what he told them.

   But Crosshair knows the truth. He knows that what he did was more than just following orders. It was a deliberate murder and he was the tool, now discarded among the blizzard and left to slowly rust and crumble. 

   “Crosshair…” 

   He forces his eyes open, snowflakes caked across his lashes. He squints, looking through the white gusts in search of their voice — that sweet song that pulled him so far from reality, reminding him of a life gone by. 

   When he sees the glowing blue silhouette walking toward him, Crosshair can’t help but sag his shoulders in relief. He doesn’t have the energy for questions, nor the capacity for fear. There is no reason to keep him grounded as he watches the figure walk peacefully through the blizzard, every little snowflake going right through it with ease. 

   The first thing he notices is your smile. Gentle and inviting, as it always was until your very last moment. Your eyes are different than when you died — peaceful, kind, so full of sympathy that made him feel so small. 

   When you crouch beside him, resting a gentle hand on his face, there is no sense of touch or warmth. Your image fizzes like static, lips suddenly flicking down in a soft frown. 

   “You look tired, my love.” 

   He huffs through his nose, shaking his head in disbelief. It almost feels normal, like you’re both picking up right where you left off — long before Kaller could even become a thought. 

   “C-Cyare,” he stutters, the corner of his mouth lifting as he trembles. “I-I m-missed y-you.” 

   "I know," your murmur, sympathy pooling in your eyes before falling down your cheeks. When the droplets fall off your chin, they make no impression in the snow.

When your gaze shifts down to Mayday, you give a gentle sigh.

   “‘No point in carrying deadweight,’” you echo, causing him to look away. “What has changed since you said those words to him?” 

   “You’ve c-come from the J-Jedi afterlife to p-preach to me?” He chuckled humorlessly. “S-Some things don’t ch-change.” 

   You crack a small smile but it is short-lived.

“Crosshair… your thoughts have been a burden to you for too long. Speak to me. You know the dead tell no tales.” 

   “Stop.” Wounded eyes hold onto yours, bleeding guilt and anguish. “Stop it. I did this t-to you. I killed you. I c-can’t talk to y-you without picturing w-what h-happened-”  

   “If it wasn’t you,” you whisper, “It would have been someone else… and in truth, I wouldn’t have wanted to die by anyone’s hand except yours. My life was destined to end one way or another. Now, tell me... when did you change your mind?” 

   Crosshair spares a glance at Mayday before looking back at you.

“I-I don’t know.” 

   “Yes, you do, my love. What did you feel when he was buried and you were alone again?”

  The word bounces through his skull, causing him to grimace. Slowly, his lips move on their own accord. 

    “Fear.” 

   “Of being alone?” 

   He slowly nods. “He d-doesn’t deserve to d-die like this.” 

   “And you do?” 

   The question takes him by surprise. Crosshair has no choice but to stare at you, searching your pale eyes for the answer to why you were here in the first place. Still, he speaks. 

   “A-After everything I’ve d-done…” He palms his head in his hands, trembling when a gust of wind blows snow across his bare face. “I followed orders, cyare…” 

   You set a ghostly hand on his cheek once more, thumb caressing his cheekbone. “To be alone for such a long time is a heavy burden to bear. A consequence far greater than others. It's poison to the mind, my love, and you have been its victim for far too long." 

   “Everyone i-is gone a-anyway,” he murmurs, attempting to place his hand atop yours only to feel nothing. “I drove them a-all away.” 

   “And now you are alone.” 

   Crosshair grits his teeth but nods. 

   “Do you regret not fleeing with Cody?” 

   Again, he nods, shutting his eyes with a heavy exhale. You wait for him to speak and he finds the strength in his voice, low and raspy with grief.

“I-I’m so t-tired of this…” 

   “Of what, my love?” 

   “This,” he hisses, gesturing to his armor. “Of being here. I-I’m just s-so tired and c-cold… There is n-nothing left for me, c-cyare…” 

   “Do you want to die like this, Crosshair?” You ask him, cocking your head. He glances up, blank eyes latched onto yours with absolutely nothing in them. He seems to be a husk. “Besides a dying man in this blizzard? A victim of your anger and misguidance? You are wrought with regret, lost boy. A soul that dies with regret is a soul that has never truly lived. Has your life been so meaningless to you?” 

   You reach, placing your hand atop his when they settle in his lap. “You existed before this time, Crosshair, during which you had your brothers and me. You had a purpose and your spirit was strong within your family, no matter how flawed it may have been… Has it all been for nothing? Have you fought for nothing?”

   He thinks of Hunter, Tech, Wrecker, even Echo and Omega. He thinks of the Jedis he worked with; the Jedi he tried killing - and the one he did kill. All of the battles and close deaths. All of the people saved and soldiers lost. Mayday. Cody. The decommissioned. The forcefully-retired. 

   Were they all suffering for nothing? 

   Was it really his purpose to be used like a blade until dulled? Discarded aside and replaced with another?

   He thinks of Omega’s expression when she placed her hand on his shoulder, warning him about the chip influencing his actions. She tried to stop him from falling down this path and now…

   Now the guilt burns him enough to feel warm in the icy storm. 

   His gaze is that of a broken man, kindling his fire with nothing but memories. Pained eyes flutter shut when you lean over, placing your lips against his cheek, then his temple.

   “I d-don’t want to die,” he admits in a quiet rasp as he meets your solemn stare. “Not like this.” 

   He remembers the days when he imagined dying alongside his brothers. The end of the war was a distant dream that felt so far away, replaced by an expectation that one day, he would meet his final stand alongside those he grew up with. 

   Crosshair never dreamt of dying like this. He never thought that his end would be anything like this — beside a brother he’d known for a day, and buried by a blizzard of ice. 

   He already died once atop the water. Kamino, a planet of roaring blue waves and gray skies. He died when they strengthened the chip in his head. He died when he fired at his brothers and shot one of them. He died when he tried to bring them to the same fate as his own. 

   Now, realization strikes Crosshair as he faces another death among the ice; among the raging frozen waters that came down from the same gray skies of home. 

   The death of his body…

   …or the death of him: CT-9904. The number, full of regret. The victim of the anger and hatred that bled from within. The product of the seed sown in his naivety. His ignorance. 

   His fear of change. 

   Again, you lower your head and hold his gaze, your voice soft as you repeat yourself. 

   “Do you want to die like this, Crosshair?”

   Like this. 

   Not in the snow. Not beside Mayday. Not among the ice and gray skies. 

   Do you want to die without ever truly living? 

   He shakes his head with a bit more determination than before. You smile, nodding. 

   “Your story does not end here among the ice, my love,” you tell him softly, causing him to readjust his grip around Mayday’s waist. "It is here that it begins."

He glances around him, eyes trekking through the blizzard before he wills himself to stand, bringing Mayday up with him. Crosshair’s body trembles, legs quivering under the weight of two men, but he plants his feet atop the snow and looks at you with hopeful eyes. 

   “You will find what you seek if you search for it…” Your voice is beginning to fade and Crosshair begins to mourn it with the grief that was once smothered by the chip. “Redemption is not earned through death, my love. It is fought for, bled for, and it eagerly awaits you among her brothers. There is more to your story, Crosshair. Fight to live through it.” 

   He tightens his arm around Mayday’s side, adjusting the arm over his shoulders. When he looks up, you are hardly anything more than an impression. Nothing but your essence to remind him of the person you used to be before he lost you. 

   “W-Will I s-see you again?” He questions, his tone both hopeful yet cautious. 

   To his relief, you smile and nod. 

   “One day,” you say simply. “But know that I will be with you until then. You are not alone, Crosshair… and you never have been.” 

   To this, Crosshair turns, and with a step forward, he wills himself to continue. He does not want to see you fade for he already did once. He does not wish to say goodbye because, in the end, he knows that it would be pointless. 

   Crosshair says goodbye to something else instead. He leaves it behind, buried underneath the snow and frozen among the ice. He doesn’t mourn it, nor does he feel its loss. It sits among the white like a stain of black, sitting right alongside his lost helmet and his hopelessness. His helplessness. It is a fire of fury and anguish, born on the water and left to die among the snow.

   A new fire burns in its place. A drive to fight for something once lost, something familiar. Kindled by the promise of life, a promise of redemption, the new fire roars as it searches. It crackles and sends embers in the air at the thought of his brothers. It grows with the notion that if he tried hard enough to live, he would see his family again. 

   'There is more to your story, Crosshair. Fight to live through it.'

   CT-9904’s fight for the Empire was lost in the blizzard. 

   In its place, Crosshair began something new.

   He began his fight to go home. 

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#crosshair x reader #crosshair #tbb crosshair #bad batch crosshair #crosshair bad batch #crosshair angst #tw death #the bad batch #crosshair the bad batch #the bad batch crosshair #crosshair tbb #angst #Spotify #tbb spoilers #bad batch spoilers #tbb s2e12

[daisymintt]

Angsty Crosshair edit for ya!

#angst #angsty #bad batch #sw bad batch #sw #Star Wars #star wars clones #tbb crosshair #the bad batch crosshair #clone trooper crosshair #Crosshair angst #ride the cyclone the musical #star wars edit #angst edit #edit

[thelovelylolly]

Step on Me

Summary : the order came through and your secret boyfriend, Crosshair, changed. Warnings : mentions of order 66 and canon typical violence, angst, break up/heartbreak, yummy yummy angst Notes : my first crosshair fic and it's angsty?? whaaaa thats crazy! also this is inspired by 'Step on Me' by the cardigans (shocker i know), so i recommend listening while reading!

Oh, I think you're holding the heart of mine

(my heart is yours)

squeeze it apart,

that's fine.

You could feel a shift in the war, everyone did. On Coruscant, everyone was talking about it, especially the clones you served at 79's. They felt like the war was ending, that the Republic was going to win. You ignored it for the most part, just wanting to do your job, but when Crosshair came to see you, things changed. It became real to you.

Something felt off to him, and he told you that the war may be ending, but then what would the clones do? He talked to you about him being decommissioned and what he would do if that ended up happening. Even though his plan was sweet with him living with you and you two not having to stay secret, you assured him that he was one of the best soldiers they had and they wouldn't let him go that easily.

That night, Crosshair stayed with you. Him and his brothers were getting shipped out the next morning, and with the uncertainty of the war, he didn't know if this was the last time he'd see you. He held you a little tighter that night.

--

You didn't see Crosshair for four months. He had left before you woke up that night, leaving a note as a goodbye. Since you two started to date in secret, you were scared that every time he'd come see you would be the last. You wouldn't know if he was alive or not until he come back to you. You couldn't contact anyone to find out how he was doing.

As you counted the days since Crosshair left, you heard whispers of the end of the war. The Separatist forces were struggling, the Republic was going to win. But it all felt too easy to you, something didn't feel right. When the Galatic Empire rose in place of the Republic, you immediately thought about Crosshair.

Where was he? Was he going to be decommissioned? Was he going to fight for this new Empire?

It was half-way through the fourth month of waiting when Crosshair came to your apartment.

You were crossing off the day on your calendar when you heard your front door open. You had given him the code a little while after you started to date, in case he needed to get in while you were asleep. You set your datapad down and walked out of your room with a smile, excited to see him again.

Crosshair had his helmet in his hand, tucked against his side, with his rifle in his other. Usually he would leave it on the Marauder, but things were different. He was different. He was stiffer, his gaze was colder, and he didn't drop his things to wrap his arms around you like he always did.

You stood a few feet away from him, a small smile on your face.

"Crosshair, I didn't think you'd come see me this soon after-"

"We need to talk," he cut you off coldly.

Your mouth opened to reply, but nothing came out. Your smile fell as you met his gaze.

"This," he made a motion between you and him, "has to end. Now."

"W-what?"

"We can't keep doing this. It's against Imperial rules-"

"Since when did you care about rules?!" You asked, raising your voice.

"I'm a soldier. I follow the rules because that's what we do. You and I can't be together."

"I...I don't understand, Cross. This worked for a long time with the Republic-"

"Well, the Republic is gone. I'm an imperial soldier now, I can't have a relationship."

"Crosshair, please, we can make this work!" You begged, stepping closer to him. "W-we can stay a secret, o-or you can leave the Empire! We can run away and start a new life somewhere they won't find us."

You reached out to him, but he pushed your hand away.

"I'm loyal to the Empire, not you."

Your heart shattered.

You felt tears start to pool in your eyes, your bottom lip started to shake. You searched his face for any signs of regret, any signs of love left for you. You found nothing but a cold gaze from a soldier.

You took a shaky breath before nodding. "If that's how you feel, Crosshair, then we're done. You can leave now."

He didn't say anything else as he turned to leave. Once the door closed behind him, you crumbled to the floor and cried. It felt like he ripped your heart from your chest and squeezed it to pieces. You two were each other's escapes from the war and reality. You loved him, but he chose his duty over you.

-

Something in the back of Crosshair's mind was screaming at him to turn back around and go back to you. Tell you he was lying, that it was his inhibitor chip, that he wanted to run away with you and start a new life away from war. He wanted to pull your into his arms, tell you he's sorry. He wanted to kiss you, comfort you. But he kept walking, leaving you behind.

Crosshair was a good solider who followed orders. He kept telling himself that he was following orders, he was doing the right thing.

He knew it wasn't right, but the damage was done.

Go on and step on me.

---

this was kinda short but ive been struggling with my mental health lately so i didnt have a lot of energy to write this. srry abt that BUT im going to try to post some more and feel free to send in a request :)

#crosshair x reader #the bad batch x reader #crosshair x you #the bad batch x you #the bad batch fanfic #the bad batch fanfiction #star wars x reader #star wars x you #star wars fanfic #star wars fanfiction #crosshair fanfic #crosshair fanfiction #crosshair angst

[chaioticcoffee]

Crosshair x Reader

Warnings: small bit of blood, death of reader bc idk

tags: angst that's it

A/N: uuuuuuh yeah idk why I wrote this idk 💀 it wouldn't leave my mind tho

Reader's gender isn't specified

I mostly wrote this as practice so yee I hope you still enjoy if you want to read this!

Repeat Until Death

_______________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

Pain was the first thing you registered as you came back to your senses, as well the slowly numbing cold underneath you.

You struggled to breathe, trying desperately to get your mind back on track to assess your situation clearly. When your eyes finally opened you were hit by the blinding white snow you were laying upon. Your vision drifts further ahead, where your lightsabre lays, behind it was a dead body.

That's when it all came flooding back- you running to Crosshair after his sniping position was revealed, the rest of the Bad Batch too far away so you would have had to handle it yourself. You had no idea just how many troopers there was going to be. You could tell that there were both Clone and Storm troopers going against you, overwhelming you in numbers just like they did Crosshair, who was already down when you got to him.

'Crosshair.'

Your mind reminded you as you force yourself to push through the pain, pushing yourself up with shaking arms, finding that your legs didn't seem to want to cooperate. You let out a weak frustrated breath- it might have been from the pain, or maybe both. You look around as fast as your weak body allowed you to, your eyes finally landing on Crosshair who you found sitting with his back leaning against the rough bark of the tree behind him. You recall him struggling to keep his upper body upright, later using the tree for support so he could help you fight against the troops when it became apparent that you had walked straight into their trap.

Slowly but surely, you crawled your way to him. It was painful, it was straining, but that wouldn't stop you. You had to make sure he was still alive.

Only once you've reached his left side did you allow yourself to take a moment to breathe. Your body was trembling from the strain and from the cold, your previously cauterized wounds from the blasters having opened somewhere along the way to the man you loved.

"(Y/N).." your head snapped to Crosshair, whose head was now turned towards you, expression hidden by his helmet. He immediately saw your shaking body and slowly reached out to you, managing to pull your body close to him with your help and moves to encircle you with his arms as best as he can manage so to keep you as warm as he can.

His armor thankfully tanked most of the blaster shots impacts but unfortunately 3 shots made it past the armor- once in his side, another in the stomach and another that was just below his lungs. It's truly already a miracle that he's still alive and you know very well that he won't stay for long. To be fair, you weren't in a better shape specifcally regarding the fact that you, in fact, did not have armor on you. Your consciousness was already slipping and you could tell that it was the same for Crosshair.

"Maker, it hurts so bad..." Your voice cracks, you clench your eyes shut and Crosshair's heart shatters. "I know.. I'm sorry, I wasn't- able to protect you like I should- have." His own voice was unsteady and he sometimes had to stop shortly to catch his breath.

You shook your head to tell him it wasn't his fault. One solution came to mind, which will inevitably drain you of your energy a lot faster, but it would give Crosshair a larger chance to survive until the squad came back.

The bright sun and the purple-blue sky contrasting with the snow was truly a beautiful sight, the 2 moons of the planet and the bright stars only adding to the beautiful scenery. Crosshair just wished he could have enjoyed it with you under different circumstances. He tightens his grip on you, bringing your body closer to his while all he could do is wait for both of you to run out of time. "I guess- I'll see you on the other side then, Cyare."

Why did he sound like he was crying? Why could you not open your mouth to respond to him? 'I'm not ready yet.' You thought you had more time with him- there were still so many things you wanted to talk to him about. Unfortunately, Crosshair had already succumbed to the darkness as soon as he had finished his sentence. You knew he was still alive, and you wasted no time in using your life force to slowly heal his injuries as your head buried itself deeper into the spot between his neck and his shoulder. You were fully aware that you weren't going to last until his wounds fully healed, but it was worth a shot, right? Is you saving him a bad idea? Is he going to hate you for making him live on without you? No. This is for the best. You just wished you had more time. More time to talk together, to tell him you loved him, to explore planets together, to be just you and him against the world.

Dying was inevitable, you had learned that early on during your training as a Jedi.

'I'm sorry for leaving you Cross... I know I promised I wouldn't.' Your inability to talk kind of frustrated you, but you grew so unbelievably tired that your frustrations were immediately forgotten, it being replaced with the fear of having to leave your beloved so soon. Through the tears you were trying to fight the darkness that threatened to engulf you. It was pointless, and even with your best effort, your eyes slipped shut once again.

_______________ ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

"Over here Tech!" Hunter called out with a tone of urgency as he made his way to Crosshair's and your position after finally having defeated the enemy reinforcements they had sent. The closer he got the clearer the scent of blood and smoke became, a clear indication of a fight having taken place nearby.

When they finally reached the site, the batch allowed themselves to take a moment to process the view. It was truly a massacre. Dead bodies lay scattered all around and near the middle of it was a trail of blood. Just by looking at the pattern and the displaced snow around the trail of blood can one conclude that someone had crawled to wherever the trail was leading to. Hunter followed where the trail lead to with his eyes and that's how he spotted 2 very familiar figures, you in Crosshair's arms. Hunter allowed himself to panic just this once and he, Tech and Echo ran towards the 2 bodies that were huddled together while Wrecker stayed behind with Omega and tried his best to comfort the poor child as she couldn't hold back her tears at the sight of you both. If it wasn't for Hunter's enhanced hearing, he wouldn't have heard Crosshair's shallow breathing nor his weak heartbeat.

He doesn't think he'll get that mental image of you two like this out of his mind any time soon- Crosshair and you holding each other close, hoping to gain any kind of warmth and comfort while you both waited for death to take you.

All Hunter could do right now though is hold onto you while Tech accesses Crosshair's injuries, ignoring the look Tech gave when he did so. It was obvious that Crosshair shouldn't be alive, and Hunter had a hunch as of how he had survived this long.

#crosshair x reader #crosshair x you #crosshair x y/n #crosshair angst #crosshair fanfic #crosshair bad batch #my fics

[zoeykallus]

Crosshair - My Beloved Eenemy Vol.2 Chapter 2 - Losing Home

Warnings: Angst/Tension

________________

The restless planet beneath their feet makes the rescue operation more difficult than they had hoped. But giving up is not an option.

________________

What Happened Before

Chapter 1 - Quaking Ground

The Rescue

His heart is hammering in his chest, his breathing is heavy, and his thoughts are racing. "I have to get down there," he says, horrified, and is already about to climb into the rift, but Hunter holds him back. "Wait, don't act mindlessly, we'll help you," he says urgently. Crosshair is tense, hesitating for a moment before standing back up and looking at his brothers. "We have to get her out of there." "We will", Hunter says firmly, "But we should be careful about how we proceed, and still move quickly, another quake could make things worse" Tech frowns looking at his datapad as he looks up he says, "Rex should get his shuttle, maybe we can use the steel cables to connect the two ships and pull the Marauder out, but we should get your wife out first. If something goes wrong in recovering the Marauder, she could get hurt." Rex immediately runs to the hill where his shuttle is to get it. Crosshair kneels at the edge of the rift in the ground and calls out, "Kitten! Can you hear me?" Crosshair feels a little sick to his stomach because of the tension. He is grateful that his brothers are thinking along, at the moment he feels blindsided and overwhelmed by the situation. Nervously, he waits to hear an answer from you. The ship turned when it fell into the rift and the ramp points downward, which will make rescue even more complicated.

Your side hurts, nothing is broken, but it is certainly bruised. Cursing softly, you straighten up and realize that the Marauder is tilted. You realize that means the exit is tilted down into the rift. Letting out another curse, you climb over the pilot seat, which is now in a sideways position, and carefully move toward the exit of the cockpit.

"Of course," you say quietly to yourself, "We're celebrating our marriage and the damn world we landed on for this is going down."

Uttering an angry snort, you awkwardly climb out of the cockpit and finally move from bunk to bunk, up towards the open ramp. Cautiously, you look out. The ramp is bent and only half hanging from the shuttle, but you're more concerned about the depth that shows beneath it. The rift narrows, the Marauder probably wouldn't slide any deeper, for now, but you could still fall very deep should you tumble out of the ramp.

"Fuck."

Frowning, you consider how you're going to get out of here, but part of you calms down with the thought that the guys are probably already working on a solution, Tech would definitely come up with something.

"Kitten! Can you hear me?"

You call back, "Yes! I'm right here. I'm fine, for now. But the ramp is pointing down, into the rift, I don't know how to get out of here."

Crosshair looks at Tech and says, "There's not enough room to climb past it, we're going to have to cut open some access.

Tech nods slowly and says reluctantly, "I've come to that conclusion too, however our tools for that are in the ship. Do you know if she can handle it?"

Crosshair shrugs, "Time to find out."

"Hey Kitten, have you ever used a plasma cutter?"

"No"

"Well, there's a first time for everything," he calls back.

With a sigh, you turn and look at Tech's bunk, the drawer below it holding most of his tools, as you know. You're not even sure what exactly a plasma cutter looks like, but it can't be that complicated, or so you hope.

A vibration goes through the Marauders. Tense, you hold your breath, it rumbles, the earth moves and with it the Marauder. You lose your balance and almost fall out of the ramp, but just manage to grab the edge of the bunk next to you and pull yourself further back into the ship.

The noise is again deafening, goes through your spine and even hurts your teeth. Then as suddenly as it started, it stops shaking again.

"Shit!" you growl shakily, rushing to Tech's bunk and shouting, "I'm looking for the plasma cutter."

"In the drawer under my bunk," you hear Tech call, and you could swear he sounds nervous.

As you open the drawer, you see why. Since the ship is in a sideways position, almost all the contents fall out when you open it. Among other things, lots of drawings, very nice, detailed drawings, of you. Mostly with a smile or thoughtful.

You sigh softly and say, "Oh, Tech."

You quickly gather up the drawings, and shove them between a small pile of other, technical drawings. It's probably better if Crosshair doesn't get to see them.

Finally, you find the plasma cutter, a slightly bent pole with a plasteel handle. You hurry back near the open ramp and call out, "I've got the plasma cutter. But now where do I cut through without blowing up the ship or something?"

It takes a few seconds, then Tech calls back, "The way the Marauder is laying now, right above my bunk, you have enough room to easily cut an exit without hitting fuel lines or power lines."

You take a deep breath and call out, "Okay, I'll get started on that now"

Crosshair stares down at the Marauder, waiting impatiently to see where the plasma cutter would penetrate the metal of the ship. Tech crouches down beside him and points downward to a specific spot.

"Over there is where she will cut the opening".

Crosshair follows his finger pointing and nods silently.

Tech says quietly, "Don't worry, she's a survivor, always has been. She can handle it"

"I know. But the second quake makes me nervous, it could quake again, at any moment and make everything worse"

Hunter paces restlessly, the planet beneath his feet is in turmoil, he can feel it, he knows more quakes are coming. He keeps this realization to himself for now, he doesn't want to make Crosshair unnecessarily nervous. However, he already suspects that the Marauder cannot be saved.

Rex's shuttle swoops down and lands relatively close to the action. Gregor and Wolffe are with him, both carrying steel cables.

"How's it looking?" asks Gregor, "Can we get the fair maiden out of there?"

Wolffe says sullenly, "Of course, whether, is not the question here, but how."

Wrecker explains, "She cuts her way out with the plasma cutter, then we throw her a rope and I pull her out, should be easy"

Rex breathes a sigh of relief, that really sounded pretty easy. Echo next to him is eerily quiet and looks very thoughtful.

It's not easy at all, the plasma cutter is empty, nothing happens when you turn it on. You shout your realization out over the ramp in frustration.

Tech frowns and pushes his goggles up the bridge of his nose with his index finger as Crosshair gives him a piercing look.

"Don't look at me like that, I couldn't have anticipated this situation," he growls to his brother.

Down into the depths he calls, "There should be at least one spare cartridge for the plasma cutter…. among my things in the drawer."

You roll your eyes, call out, "Okay," and dig through Tech's drawer again. Through the drawings, which you admit to looking at again curiously, various tools, data cards, and loose cables. Finally, you come across the spare cartridge, swap out the empty one with the full one, and try again.

This time, the cutter comes to life. You cover your face with the mask you found among the tools and get to work.

"Look!" exclaims Wrecker excitedly, the first to spot the glowing orange trail of the plasma cutter.

Crosshair tenses even more, but allows himself to take a breath.

"She's not out yet," he says quietly, more in conversation with himself than with anyone else.

Hunter stops abruptly and automatically everyone looks in his direction, seeing his serious, grim face.

"Tell her to hold on and not lose the plasma cutter, the next quake is coming," he growls urgently.

Crosshair hastily relays the message, but you don't hear him over the crackle of the cutter right away. The next quake, surprising you, knocks you off balance, but it is smaller and shorter than the last one and you remain unharmed. Still plopped on your butt, your heart beats up to your neck, you finally want to get out of here.

Hastily you get back to work, every now and then a spark burns your skin because you don't have gloves, and you curse, but you don't stop. Finally, you pick yourself up by the bunk and kick the metal part cut loose in the hull, and it clatters out, slips over the outside of the hull, and gets stuck between the Marauder and the earth rift.

You take the cooling spray and spray the edges of the incision, and finally start to climb out. You hear the voices above, all in relief.

"There she is! Way to go, Kitten!"

A little unsteadily, you remain crouched on the Marauder's outer hull and look up, the heads of the guys above you farther away than you thought. Letting out another nervous curse, you wait for the rope they throw you. You tie it around your waist and hold onto it with both hands.

Your heart beats up in your throat as you are finally pulled up. The sun has risen by now and blinds you as you look up. But as quickly as you are pulled up, you are sure it must be Wrecker pulling at the other end.

Finally, you see Crosshair above you, one arm outstretched toward you, looking nervous, tense and impatient. You barely get a grip on his hand before he hastily pulls you toward him and over the edge of the earth rift.

You shakily wrap your arms around him and finally allow yourself to take a breath. Here and there you hear one of the guys laugh in relief. Finally, you look up into Crosshair's face, and he flashes you a smirk.

"You really do have to make a drama out of everything," he teases you.

You poke him in the side and say, "I guess you can't blame that on me, I can't cause earthquakes yet."

You turn around and look down cautiously. Apart from the hole in the hull you climbed out of, the Marauder doesn't look good, one wing is broken off, it has cracks and dents and as you know the ramp is damaged too.

Next to you, you hear Tech sigh.

"I don't think we can save the Marauder, even if we can get her out of there. But we still have to try to salvage her, almost all our equipment is in the shuttle," he says seriously.

"Watch out, another quake is coming!" exclaims Hunter.

No sooner has he finished the sentence than the ground beneath you begins to vibrate, the edge of the rift in the earth crumbles, and the deafening noise returns. The screeching of metal does not bode well. Hastily, you all retreat a bit from the edge of the rift until the shaking subsides and finally stops.

Hunter is the first to look back into the gap. The walls of the rift have moved, buckling the Marauder in the middle. His heart grows heavy as he says softly, "Well…. Shit."

Ko-Fi (If you feel like giving me some coffee)

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#tw earthquake #crosshair #tbb crosshair #tbb #bad batch #crosshair fic #bad batch crosshair #clone trooper crosshair #crosshair bad batch #crosshair x reader #crosshair tbb #tbb crosshair x reader #crosshair x you #the bad batch crosshair #crosshair the bad batch #clone force 99 #the bad batch #angst #crosshair angst

[and-claudia]

The End of The World (Crosshair x gn!reader)

Word Count: 748

Warnings: ANGST, no happy ending, mentions of not wanting to live anymore (PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU'RE TRIGGERED BY THIS)

Based on the song: End of the World by Skeeter Davis

Week 1: It’s been 5 days, one whole week since we left Crosshair on that platform. Before it was easy to keep going because I had a goal that I was working towards. I was working towards getting him back, saving him, bringing him home. But now… now that he was truly gone, I had nothing. Crosshair was my everything. He was my light. Without him, it felt like everything would stop, but it hadn’t, it still hasn’t and it won’t. Right now as I sit here and write this, on the beach some random planet I’ve lost track of, the sun is still shining down on me, mocking me with its cheerful warmth. The waves still rush the beach and crash onto the shore. I wish there was a way I could tell them that my world was over, that they could stop. The Crosshair I knew was gone, and with him so was his love. 

Week 5: Five weeks, 25 days. How had it been so long? Perhaps all the missions we were running for Cid were distracting me from the time. But now that we had a small break, everything came rushing back. My world was ending once again, but, just as before, it was only for me. Nothing else slowed. The birds still sang their all-too-cheery songs as that happily in their trees. At night the stars still glowed, just as they had on all the night Crosshair and I would go sneak out to look at them. He would show me all the different systems and stars and planets we could see from the planet we were currently on. I loved watching the stars with him. Now when I look up, I no longer see the stars, I see the pinholes made in my heart that cause me now to feel empty as all the love was forced out when he left. 

Week 7: A month. I can’t do this. I can’t keep going on with them. They’re all so seemingly fine without him. Like nothing has changed for them. How? HOW? It wasn’t fair. Echo found me last night, crying outside the ship. He asked me what was wrong. I was honest. I told him that I was wondering why everything was the same way that it was before we lost Crosshair for good. I told him that I just can’t understand how everything and everyone around me is just going on the same way that it always had before we lost him. How were they all okay with this? His silence broke me even more. I asked him if they even cared that he was gone. He said that of course he was, Crosshair was still his brother, but there just wasn’t anything they could do for him anymore. I nodded, deep down I knew he was right, but that didn’t take away the stinging, the emptiness, the hurt, the loss, the yearning. 

Week 10:

I was sitting with Echo late tonight in the cockpit. Although I was there physically, mentally I was somewhere else. I was thinking of Crosshair. It had been 50 days since I had seen him. Since he had forced me to say goodbye to him. 

“Echo, why am I here?” I asked suddenly causing him to turn to me. 

“What do you mean?” He asked. 

“Why am I here still? Why is my heart still beating?” 

He shook his head, “Please don’t say that, Yn. You have so many reasons to be here, to be alive.” 

I shook my head, “He was everything, Echo. Crosshair was the one who found me, got me back on my feet, made me about of the Bad Batch, made me feel like I was worthy of being loved, made me feel loved… He’s gone, Echo, GONE! My world ended when he said goodbye. So tell me, Echo, if my world ended then, 10 weeks ago, then, why, WHY has everything continued on around me? Why do I waste my time crying over him if there’s nothing I can do?” I was sobbing at this point. 

Echo looked at me sadly before standing up and pulling me up to stand as well. Once I was, he was hugging me. 

“Because you love him. Not loved, but love still. It’s going to hurt. It’s going to get worse before it gets better… but it will get better.” He said gently. 

I pulled back slightly, “How?” 

“I don’t know… I wish I did.” 

Crosshair Taglist: @fan-g0rl @alexxavicry

#crosshair x reader #crosshair #Crosshair x gn reader #crosshair angst #the bad batch #crosshair tbb #star wars #crosshair imagine

[crosshairlovebot]

unspoken confessions / crosshair x gn!reader

pairing: crosshair x gn!reader (no y/n). reader has a nickname.

description: you and crosshair are already close, what’s a little closer?

word count: 7,435

warnings: making out -- lots and lots of kissing really. mostly fluff with some light angst (if you squint).

it took me a while to love this piece -- and i mean like actually like over a month. i was very close to just scrapping the whole thing bc something wasn’t working. so i’m really happy i pushed through and got it to a place where i’m happy and proud of it <3

also posted this on ao3. some of you may have already read it on there sorry i’m posting this a few days late. feedback is welcomed, reblogs are appreciated <3

The Marauder sat in an Alderaanian landing bay as the Batch stopped to repair, refuel and replenish supplies after their last recon mission. And you and Crosshair were still arguing about the outcome of your ongoing contest.

Confined to the cockpit on Tech’s instruction while he patched up the hull from droid blaster shots, both of you were in the pilot seats. Crosshair’s feet were kicked up on the control panel, toothpick dangling from his lips with his arms crossed. You sat to his right; the chair turned to face his profile as you sat cross-legged.

“The headshot on that droid was Tech’s, not yours,” Crosshair shook his head, moving the toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other.

“I’m telling you; it was mine,” you leaned back in your seat and propped up your feet in Crosshair’s lap looking at him with a smirk. “What good are those enhanced eyes if you can’t see me when I beat you?”

“You didn’t beat me, sarad,” Crosshair shook his head, a smile pulling at his lips as he pushed your feet off his lap playfully. “Just admit you lost.”

You placed your feet on the ground as your heartbeat quickened at the nickname. Flower, Tech had told you when you asked him while Crosshair was off with Hunter. He didn’t know you knew what it meant, and upon finding out the meaning, it had sent you into a spiral.

Half a cycle ago, you joined Clone Force 99 as a medic and additional field operative. Hired by the Kaminoans on behalf of the Republic, you had joined them on their missions to ensure they followed all the rules and regulations of the GAR and provide them with medical support and the odd assistance on missions.

But you quickly found that it was futile to try and mould the squad to the strict standards of the Kaminoans and have since just tried to make sure they stayed alive and breathing. You harped on them to complete their post-mission reports on time though, so it at least looked like you were doing your job.

You had warmed up to the Batch fairly quickly. They were a little apprehensive about having a nat-born join them, but you soon won them over.

All but one.

Crosshair’s demeanour was particularly hard to crack. His tall stature and hard eyes that observed everything were imposing and intimidating to you, and he was not particularly open to conversation.

The other members of the Batch assured you that it would just take time for him to warm up to you. So, you gave him the space to get to know you through your interactions with the others, before deciding for himself that he wanted those interactions too.

You did your best to ignore the feel of his eyes on you as you spoke to Tech about some data analysis, patched up Hunter after a mission, or joked with Wrecker. But sometimes, your eyes could not help but slide to the sniper, his gaze locked on you. You had tried not to blush, but his discerning nature did not hide how handsome he was.

Even when he intimidated you, you were still drawn to him and those brown all-seeing eyes of his. He kept his true personality guarded; reserved only for those closest to him, those he trusted.

Over those first few weeks, you had observed his stubbornness, but also his to-a-fault loyalty. He was severe, but he was also kinder than he let himself believe. He was considerate of others and their space. He was honest, intelligent, and passionate – he just kept it all under lock and key. It was hidden between words and in the shadows of his actions. Subdued and only visible to those who knew him well enough to spot them, or brave enough to look for them.

And you were.

The first time you saw his softness was when Hunter called you up for your first in-field drop.  

Though you were trained extensively, you were still nervous going out there. You weren’t bred for war the way clones were. Shooting droids with training blasters in a simulation was one thing, shooting them in a real battle was another.

Your knee had been bouncing as the Marauder flew into Felucia, affirmations running through your mind to remind you of your capabilities. The grey-haired marksman had noticed and nudged his foot against your calf. You stopped and looked up at his discerning gaze, surprised he was talking to you and ready to be met with a snarky remark similar to what you’d seen him give his brothers. But instead, he said:

“Take a breath. You’ll be fine.”

You had blinked up at him, a little shocked. It had still been early in your days with them, and he’d barely spoken several words to you and yet…here he was, looking down at you with faith around his eyes. His encouragement was unexpected but needed, and he seemed to know that. He was awfully perceptive, as you’d come to realise.

Those moments of his were not for the eyes of outsiders, those moments were confined to those he trusted, those he liked.

And maybe that was when your feelings towards him had shifted; changed.

You watched him now, his head leaning back on the seat with his eyes closed, his feet still propped up and his arms still crossed. It was a natural position for him – he wasn’t even doing anything and still, your stomach flipped over.

You wouldn’t admit it to him because he would tease you mercilessly, but he was your best friend. You loved spending time with him, and he was the first person you sought out when you needed to talk to someone or just wanted to show him a silly tooka holo on your datapad.

And it was why your growing feelings for him had been hard to grapple with.

You’d been harbouring a crush on him, slowly falling for him with every conversation, and the ‘flower’ revelation had only caused the falling to tumble harder, and keep you awake wondering what it meant that he called you that.

But you didn’t want to jeopardise your friendship by asking or confessing anything, nor create a work environment that was so unbearably uncomfortable for not just the two of you, but for his brothers as well.

So, you would take a leaf from his book, and keep all those feelings hidden, hoping those enhanced eyes didn’t see them; pretending you weren’t dreaming of those brown eyes and those strong hands holding you each night, that you didn’t think about what it would be like to kiss the smirk off his lips when he teased you.

You scoffed at his claim of you losing. “I won’t admit to losing because I didn’t.” You stood up. “I’m going to ask Tech for the recording, and then you’ll see.”

Your footsteps echoed as you jogged your way outside to where Tech was working on the hull. Both Hunter and Wrecker had gone off to gather some extra supplies to tie the squad over until they made it back to Kamino next week.

“Tech!” you called out as you spotted him.

He stopped welding a capacitor and looked at you. “What is it?”

“Can I look at your goggle recordings?”

He frowned. “Whatever for?”

“They want to see me beat them with the droid count on that mission,” Crosshair interrupted, coming down the gangplank and sitting into his hip as he stood next to it with that stupid smirk on his face.

The informal contest between you had started back on that first mission of yours. The mission had been a success, and despite your initial nerves, you’d survived and managed to take down a hoard of battle droids without so much as a scratch.

You’d felt good, biting back a smile as you walked back to the ship with the squad, a small skip in your step. Crosshair walked past you with his long legs and helmet in hand, and as he did, asked how many droids you’d shot down.

You had stuttered, surprised by his question. “Um, I don’t know. I wasn’t counting.”

Crosshair had just turned and shrugged; the corner of his mouth upturned and adorned with a toothpick. “Shame. I shot 89.”

You raised an eyebrow at him, as he turned away and kept walking. The next mission you accompanied them on a few weeks later, you made sure to count.

“56 droids,” you’d told him as you fell into step with him on the way back to the ship.

Crosshair raised an eyebrow at first before he smirked down at you. “Pitiful. Try 127.”

You had huffed and rolled your eyes, continuing to walk with him to the ship, your heart beating a little bit faster. That’s how the contest, and your friendship, had started.

Though he already had an ongoing competition with Wrecker, this rivalry that he had initiated with you made you both grow closer and more comfortable with each other. It opened up the opportunity for conversations that you had been too apprehensive to initiate initially.

It had established a playfulness; shared looks and inside jokes that only you and he laughed at. Those tentative conversations ceased to exist and instead, you could find him at any time and sit by him and fall into a rant about how Wrecker ate all the rations you set aside, and he would listen, toothpick in his mouth as he cleaned his rifle.

The stupid little contest had been the catalyst for your friendship and stoked the ongoing flame that was your undeniable crush on Crosshair.

You rolled your eyes at Crosshair’s interruption, sending him a playful glare before turning back to Tech. “I need to verify that it was, in fact, me who headshot that droid, and not you.”

Tech unhooked the datapad from his belt and began pressing buttons, speaking without looking at you. “I’m not sure why since that shot was indeed yours.”

You crossed your arms, looking back at Crosshair pointedly as you replied. “Crosshair doesn’t believe me; he needs physical proof.”

The corner of Crosshair’s mouth twitched as Tech pulled up the file of his recordings and scrolled to the correct video. He handed you the datapad. “I believe this will prove you won.”

You took it from him gratefully and Crosshair moved closer to you, so he was looking over your shoulder, his body brushing yours. His chest gently grazed your shoulder, and he made no effort to move or adjust his position. These kinds of innocent gestures of his lit your whole body on fire.

It took everything in you to not focus on how close he was as you watched the footage of the mission. You watched as it showed Tech taking out droids, Hunter and Wrecker running ahead of him. You could hear your voice as you called out to Hunter, asking if Crosshair was on the ridge. You got your answer when a shot came from the left, taking out a battle droid in the chest.

You heard Crosshair let out a puff of breath, indicating his pride at the shot. It tickled the crook of your neck, and you couldn’t stop the shiver that moved through your body. You blushed and were glad you couldn’t see his reaction as the footage kept playing.

The footage swung to you as you shot three droids in a row, the last in the sequence was an unmistakable headshot that clearly came from your blaster, not Tech’s.

“Ha!” you exclaimed holding up the datapad in Crosshair’s face. “See! I told you!”

Crosshair rolled his eyes, taking the toothpick from his mouth and pointing it at the datapad. “Play it again.”

You grinned. “Of course, Cross. Make sure those enhanced eyes take in every detail of my beating you.”

Crosshair nudged you, frowning still despite the way his lip curled as you rewound the footage, playing it again. When it still showed your headshot, Crosshair huffed and started walking back up the gangplank and into the Marauder.

You laughed and handed the datapad back to Tech, thanking him before running after Crosshair, climbing up the steps two at a time into the ship. “I told you that was me! That puts my total at 131, and yours at 130. I win!”

Crosshair resumed his seat and crossed his arms, placing the toothpick in between his lips. “That doesn’t prove anything.”

You gaped at him. “What do you mean? It’s on record. I bet you, Cross! Me! Bet you!”

Crosshair shook his head as you danced around. You had never won the contest before. You’d come close a couple of times, but he’d always managed to edge past you. So, you were going to celebrate this win; rub it in his face for as long as you could.

You laughed to yourself and wiggled your hands in his face. He swatted your hands away with an amused look, but he looked a little proud of you too. “Gloat all you want, sarad. I’m still a better shot, mine are more accurate.”

You grinned, ignoring the heat rising in your cheeks. You moved to stand over him, your hands on your hips. “Keep telling yourself that, Cross.” You don’t know where it came from, but with a shot of bravery and confidence to hide your true feelings, you reached out, plucked the toothpick from his lips, and placed it in between yours, smirking. “I still won.”

Crosshair’s face morphed into subdued surprise as he looked up at you standing over him, and your heart was pounding at your actions.

You had always been playful with each other, but never had you done something like this. Your grin wavered as you watched him swallow, his eyes trailing over your face before focusing on the toothpick between your lips, his expression clouded with something you couldn’t place. You felt your face and body flush.  

You laughed, attempting to pretend his indecipherable look didn’t faze you as you walked away, down towards the back of the Marauder.  As soon as you turned away, you dropped your grin and took in a breath, biting the end of the toothpick that had been in Crosshair’s mouth.

And was now in yours.

You were in the narrow corridor when you heard footsteps move quickly behind you. Before you could turn and see what he wanted, you felt his hand on your arm. You gasped as he spun you, so your back was against the wall, and Crosshair was towering over you.

Your heartbeat quickened as you felt him press closer to you, his hands on the wall behind you as he caged you in. His black and red armour pressed against your chest as his face moved closer to yours. You flattened yourself against the cool metal behind you, a little breathless. You looked up at him, hoping you didn’t look as flustered as you felt.

“You think you’re so cute, don’t you?” he said lowly, his voice gravelly. You could feel his breath on your face, tickling your skin.

You’d never been close like this with him before. Sure, you would lean on him occasionally, rest your head on his shoulder as he cleaned his rifle and you badgered on about something, or he’d stand close to you during a mission briefing – but this kind of closeness was uncharted territory.

It was overwhelming to feel the heat of his breath on your face. You felt your blood rushing in your ears, every single nerve ending on your skin alight. Butterflies erupted in your stomach, nervousness you hadn’t felt since those first interactions with him – when you didn’t know how to talk to him yet; when all you could focus on was his eyes and the handsome angles of his face.

You swallowed, your eyes darting across those very angles that were just inches from your face. You mustered up all your bravado, hoping he was too close for his eyes to focus on the effect this was having on you. “Extremely.”

Crosshair shook his head, clicking his tongue. “So bratty today.”

You ignored the racing of your heart, heat unfurling at that spot in your stomach at his words. “I learned from the best,” you quipped back, your voice almost wavering.

Crosshair chuckled, his gaze moving around your face, and down your throat and chest, a smirk growing on his face. It was at that you were certain he could see your heart thumping with those enhanced eyes of his.

Kriff, they were so beautiful up close.

You thought you had memorised his gaze, that you knew all the ways his eyes slightly changed as they looked at different things. But you hadn’t memorised this one. You hadn’t seen it before. This gaze was dark and there was something in it that you couldn’t place. It danced around the iris and sat in the creases of his skin which were unfurled with his confidence and amusement. Then you realised. This gaze was one of wanting, a knowing glint in them that told you he had you right where he wanted you.

Why did he want you here? Was this just him teasing you? Just another level of teasing that you hadn’t read the playbook for? What was he doing this for? You were too afraid to ask, to be more emotionally vulnerable than you already were caged in by his body.

Your gaze moved from his eyes down to his pretty mouth, then down to his shoulders, moving across them and noticing how they were wider than they looked. He had always been imposing; intimidating, and if you didn’t know him, perhaps this position would evoke feelings of fear and uneasiness. But instead, his closeness wasn’t frightening or unsettling.

It was all-consuming.

You couldn’t think properly. All those thoughts you’d had at night-time in your bunk thinking of what it would be like to touch him, all those moments in between conversations where your feelings for him hit you so hard you thought you might implode into yourself. All of that was nothing compared to the feeling of this moment. A moment you thought would only exist within the folds of your brain, and yet here he was. Right here.

Your eyes flicked upwards when he inched closer, nodding at the toothpick that was still in your mouth. “It’s not nice to take things that aren’t yours.”

You blinked up at him, noting the way the corner of his mouth was tilted upward. You moved the toothpick in your mouth and watched as his eyes focused on your lips. “I think it suits me,” you said a little shakily, clinging onto whatever control you still had.

Crosshair swallowed and you watched his throat bob up and down. A small crack in his façade hinted at his own flustered feelings before he hid it quickly again. He hummed and bent closer, his nose brushing against yours. Your breath hitched as he slowly leaned down and grabbed the toothpick from your mouth with his teeth.

Your chest tightened and he smiled. “I can think of something else that might suit you better,” he said as he drew back, but only slightly.

“Oh?” you managed to choke out, all the upper hand from your win evaporating.

“Mmhmm,” he hummed. He spat the toothpick out of his mouth and his lips were on yours before it even hit the floor.

You were stunned for a moment, too shocked to move, and just as you went to kiss back you felt him pull away. You trailed after it, your body coming off the wall with a small stumble as you opened your eyes. He put one hand on your waist to steady you, and his touch sent flames up your side.

You met his tattooed gaze, mouth parted slightly and cheeks warm, and he met yours with a furrow in his brow. You both looked at each other, a silent conversation taking place.

Crosshair was looking at you like he never had. All that playfulness and confidence from before the kiss had vanished. He was serious now, a softened heat blowing up in and around his eyes.

He studied your face, searching for something. You realised that he had pulled away to ask for your permission, to silently ask if this was okay.

He was giving the upper hand; the control, he had stolen, back to you.

And what you did with it would change everything between you.

Your mind spun, moving 20 parsecs a second. He’d kissed you when he didn’t have to. And you knew Crosshair well enough that if he had just been teasing you, trying to get under your skin the way you had his with your gloating, he would have walked away by now. Crosshair was many things, but he wasn’t cruel.

A small part of you, the deepest part of your mind that was clinging to hope, flashed the word sarad across your mind.

Maybe, just maybe, he had wanted to kiss you.

And, God, you wanted to kiss him too.

Your eyes flicked down to his lips and inched closer, and that was all it took for Crosshair to capture you in a kiss once more.

This time, there was no shock to freeze you. You rose on your tip toes and wrapped your arms around his neck and melted into the kiss. His lips were as soft as you imagined them being, and you felt the gentle breath of his nose tickle your cheek.

You felt his hands move to your hips, pressing them against his. You arched off the wall into him as his grip on you tightened, his codpiece hard against you. He smelt of soap and something like wood and you couldn’t get enough of it. You wanted to breathe him in so completely that he wrapped around your bones.

His lips moved frantically, almost like he was as starving for you as you were for him. You moaned when you felt his tongue brush your lips and gasped when he gently bit them.

He took your lips parting as an opportunity to deepen the kiss, moving his tongue into your mouth as you dragged your hands into his buzzed grey hair. He groaned as your dull nails scrapped his scalp.

You had dreamed of kisses like this, of touches like this. Of kisses and touches that made every single nerve-ending tingle and tighten. Each press of his lips against yours didn’t feel real; like this kiss was halfway between reality and dreaming. Both of you existed in that space between both, the fringes of time collapsing around you where nothing but you, him, and this moment mattered.

You could barely comprehend his hands as they moved from your hips down your thighs, and he stopped kissing you for a moment to speak breathlessly against your lips.

“Up,” was all he said, and you dragged one of your legs up his. He hoisted you up easily, holding the backs of your thighs. You couldn’t stop the surprised laugh bubbling up your throat as he did, and you felt him smile against your lips as he pressed your body back against the wall.

You didn’t care that his armour was hard and digging almost comfortably into you, you just wrapped your legs around his waist and whimpered as he trailed his lips down your jawline and down your neck.

“Cross,” you breathed out, cradling his head against your collarbone as he kissed it, teeth grazing against the bone gently.

He hummed as he made his way back up to your lips. “Sarad,” he kissed you again. “Do you like this, sarad? Do you think this suits you?” he whispered, the words imprinting on your lips. “Do my kisses suit you?”

Your stomach flipped over, and you were breathless, barely aware of what you were saying. “Keep going and I’ll let you know.”

Crosshair chuckled against your skin and continued his kisses over your jawline to behind your ear. “So, so pretty, and so, so bratty stealing things that belong to me…with your pretty little smirk…” he mumbled into your ear and started sucking at the spot just below it. “Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to kiss that smirk off your face?”

Your heart raced faster at his admission, so close to your own desires. “No,” you choked out as his lips caressed your ear. “How many?”

“Too many,” he moved his hot mouth back your jawline. “You drive me crazy.”

“I do?” The words caught in your throat, unable to hide your surprise at his words as his lips kept moving; like they had so much of you to take in that the only solution was to be in constant motion over your skin.

He groaned against your neck. “Kriff, yes. All the time.”

Your stomach clenched; your hands moved to his hair again, grasping at the short strands as he sucked at your neck. “Good crazy or bad crazy?”

“Good,” he said, drawing back and pressing his forehead against yours, noses touching. He closed his eyes and breathed in. “Always good.”

His confessions were sending your mind into a spiral. Did he really mean it all? You quickly cycled back through all your conversations, you tried to remember every teasing you gave him, every nudge and every amused smile. You tried to remember the way he looked at you but couldn’t recall any that revealed themselves to be his desire to kiss you.

Had your own feelings clouded them? Had you been so focused on making sure you didn’t reveal your feelings that you had completely missed his?

“Thought you were so pretty when you joined us,” he kissed you gently this time, drawing out the kiss as he mumbled against your lips. “I could barely speak to you.”

You couldn’t hide your shock. “Hunter said you were just quiet,” you said, barely finding words as those lips of his kept making you forget them. “That you would…take some time to warm up.”

Crosshair chuckled against your lips and shook his head before he moved down to your neck again. He was insatiable. “You made me so incredibly warm I didn’t know how to deal with it,” he softly kissed the space where your neck met your shoulders. “Been wanting to kiss you for months.”

Your hands moved from his hair to his upper arms, slipping them under his pauldrons and clutching them. “Why didn’t you?”

He halted his kisses, and he drew back slowly, blinking at you as if he was blinking himself out of the haze kissing you had given him.

His eyes moved over your face as you looked up at him. You watched him press his lips together as he brought a hand to your face, placing his palm on your cheek, his fingers curling around the hinge of your jaw as he chose his words carefully. “You…you were my friend. And I’ve never been good at friends.”

His eyes returned to yours, and you looked at him, marvelling at the man before you. He was still holding you up, pressing you against the wall as your legs stayed tightly around his waist. He studied your face, waiting for your response.

“Oh.”

You both turned to see Tech, who had just come up the gangplank. Heat flushed through you at the position he’d caught you and Crosshair in – your legs still wrapped around his waist. Though Crosshair made no move to detangle your body from his, he dropped his hand from your face and resumed his firm grip on your hips.

“What is it, Tech?” Crosshair hissed through gritted teeth.

“When you’re finished, I need some help with the hull,” he said, looking back down at his datapad.

Crosshair’s jaw clenched and you felt his grip on you tighten slightly as he looked at you briefly. His eyes returned to Tech. “Right now?”

Tech adjusted his goggles. “As soon as you’re able would be ideal.”

Crosshair’s lips pressed into a thin line. He looked at you, searching your face for something. You didn’t know what he was looking for or whether he found it, but he kept his steely eyes on you as he spoke. “Give me a minute, vod.”

Tech nodded and left, his footsteps fading as they moved outside. Crosshair slowly put you back down, his hands trailing on your body. You swayed a little when your feet hit the floor, your body slowly catching up with itself. You clung onto Crosshair for a moment before you slowly unwrenched your grip on his arms, curling your fingers around your palms as if trying to savour the feel of him.

Crosshair studied you again, a crease forming in his brow before he stepped back. He watched you carefully, taking in every change in your face and observing your reaction.

He always did this; he had done it with you all those months ago. And he was doing it again. In his eyes, he held this vulnerability that you had never seen before. They were open, questioning, and so soft they were melting around the edges.

You wanted to say something, but words escaped you. You were overwhelmed by his confessions, his touches, his kisses, and his eyes as they bore into you. They were seared into your skin. So lightheaded, you couldn’t pluck the words you wanted to from your brain. And even if you could, they wouldn’t be exactly what you wanted to say.

You didn’t want to say the wrong thing; something to mess this up.

Everything had shifted now. The line drawn between you both had been completely erased and you didn’t know how to proceed; how to do anything except look at him and play the way he kissed you like the world was ending over in your mind.

You blinked up at him. Stay. Talk more. Kiss more. I want you too.

He took another step back, stiffening, and you felt a string inside you snap as he closed right back up in front of you. He looked at the floor, scowling before he walked away. You watched him, hearing his footsteps echo as he left you standing in the corridor, flustered, confused and hurt with your silhouettes burnt into the wall behind you.

Crosshair didn’t come back inside the Marauder until the sun was beginning to set. You had kept yourself busy catching up on the mission reports and counting your medical supplies.

You recounted the bacta patches, the number remaining the same as it had four times before that. Then the pain injections. Then the bandages. You rearranged the drawer, organising things from most used to least used, then took it out and redid it in alphabetical order, then took everything out again and returned it back to most to least. You scrubbed down the treatment bed twice. You recalibrated the med scanner even though it was fully functional. And when there was nothing left, and you couldn’t justify another scrub down of the bed, you sat on the floor with your back against the wall and closed your eyes.

You had heard Hunter and Wrecker return from their supply haul hours ago, and when Hunter found you in the room, medical paraphernalia strewn out around you, he questioned if you were okay.

You had scrubbed a hand over your face. “Yeah. I’m just…reorganising.”

Hunter looked at you, unconvinced. His senses no doubt picked up on something in your energy that was odd to him, but he left you alone in the room, closing the door behind him.

The back of your head touched the wall as you took a deep breath. All your thoughts kept returning to the way Crosshair had kissed you, of what he had said in between those kisses.

He was your best friend, and yet he’d told you those things. Why would he say them if he didn’t mean them? Crosshair was always intentional with his words. He would omit, but he wouldn’t lie.

Yet he’d walked away without saying anything…he’d opened all the way up and then closed completely again. Why? How tightly had he closed? Where did they stand now? You didn’t know. There was no way to return to the beginning because what happened between you couldn’t be undone. You couldn’t go back to the way things were before; before the kiss, before you realised how much you cared about him, before you met him.

You looked towards the door, listening to the muffled chatter of the squad. You had to talk to him.

You wanted so desperately for more than what you had; to be on the receiving end of more of those kisses, of those touches. Now that you’d tasted them, you had to have them forever. You didn’t want to bottle the memories of his touch; you wanted them on demand.

Would things change? Of course, they would. But the transition from friends to lovers would surely not be as drastic as one would think. You were already so close, what’s a little closer?

You took a deep breath, readying yourself to go out and find him before you pressed the door panel. It hissed open and you stepped out into the corridor to the cockpit to see if Crosshair was with the others, until you felt a hand on your arm.

You turned to see Crosshair looking down at you, a frown etched on his face. The touch was a parallel from earlier today, but this time it did not hold the same heat, he didn’t move to press his body against yours. This touch was tender, his hold on your arm was loose and tentative. Apprehensiveness between you again.

“We need to talk,” he edged out carefully.

You swallowed and took a breath. “Yes. We do.”

He wordlessly pulled you back into the med room and closed the door behind you, locking it.

You watched him as he placed a toothpick in his mouth before he crossed his arms over his chest. You swallowed looking at that silly wooden stick between lips you knew were soft; the stupid thing was so inconsequential and yet it had changed everything. You had changed everything. He had changed everything.

Crosshair maintained a distance from you, and it hurt like hell. You wanted him so much closer.

You cleared your throat and mirrored his stance. “Did you help Tech with the hull?”

Crosshair nodded. “Everything’s back where it’s supposed to be.”

“Good.”

“Mmhmm.”

Silence passed through the cavern between you. You studied his face, and for the first time in a long time, it was unreadable. Your gaze traced the tattoo around his right eye, and you wanted to see it up close again, so you could see its etchings into his skin. To gently kiss the points on the cross and feel him sigh in contentment beneath you from the touch. You wanted to count how many kisses separated his eyes and check the number again and again, to make sure it never changed.

You sighed. Your want for him was so strong, you’re surprised it wasn’t flashing in neon above you. You had spent so long hiding your feelings for him, and you didn’t want to hide them anymore. This was it.

You dropped your shoulders. “Are we going to talk about that kiss?”

Crosshair looked at you incredulously and leaned back on the wall behind him, propping his foot against it. “I already said everything I needed to.”

You blinked at him in surprise. “When? Tech came in—”

“When I was kissing you,” he pushed off from the wall with his foot and walked towards you. “I told you everything,” he removed the toothpick from his mouth and pointed at you. “It’s you who needs to say something.”

You swallowed and glanced away, wringing your hands. “How do I know what you said wasn’t just some heat of the moment, ‘let’s-tease-them-for-beating-me’ game?”

He scoffed loudly. “Do you really think that low of me? That I would make a game of my feelings? Of yours? I thought we were friends.”

“We are, Crosshair. That’s why I need to know.”

“I’ve made my feelings perfectly clear,” Crosshair said firmly. “I’ve shown you.” He dragged a hand over his face and turned away. “Sarad…” he started walking away from you, towards the door and you could feel him getting frustrated with you for reasons you weren’t entirely sure you knew. Anguish passed over and through you. This is not how you wanted this to go.

You crossed your arms again, like a shield for your vulnerability to hide behind. “I know what that means, you know.”

Crosshair turns to look at you, his eyes locked onto yours intensely. “So, you should know then,” he said as he walked slowly back over to you. “Do you have anything to say about it?” You cycled a deep breath and frowned back as he spoke. “It’s your turn to speak now.”

“My turn?” You repeated.

“Yes, your turn,” he shook his head. “You just stood there. I kissed you and you kissed me back. But you said nothing. Just looked up at me with those pretty eyes of yours.”

Why he was so frustrated was clear now. He’d made himself vulnerable to you – something you know is out of his comfort zone, and poured his feelings out in words, touches, and kisses, and you hadn’t said anything. You’d kissed him, and asked him things, but hadn’t voiced anything explicit about your own feelings for him.

He didn’t know where you stood after that kiss. And he needed the validation that you felt the same too.

You both needed to hear it from each other.

You sighed gently and you walked over to him. “I didn’t know what to say,” your face flushed. “You kiss me out of nowhere, touching me and telling me all these things, calling me ‘flower’ and asking me if your kisses suit me, and I was so overwhelmed that I didn’t want to say the wrong thing.”

The crease in Crosshair’s brow returned, but it was not an angry one. “Well, now’s your chance, sarad. Now’s your chance to say what you want to say,” he told you. His fingers gently encircled your wrists, and you looked up at him. “Tell me, tell me why you were overwhelmed.”

His eyes bore into yours. “I…You kissed me,” you started slowly.

He kept his eyes on you, waiting for you to continue.

“And I…I’ve wanted you to kiss me for a really long time.”

Once the words began, they came pouring out. “You surprised me, doing all that, saying all that. It didn’t feel real. Like I was…dreaming it up as I have done for months. And then we returned to reality, and you were looking at me – my best friend who’d just kissed me like the world was ending – and I couldn’t speak. You took all the words away with your kisses and I couldn’t tell you anything. So, I didn’t. And maybe I should’ve. But it would’ve come out wrong. And I didn’t want to ruin anything.”

He watched you carefully, thumbs tracing circles into your skin. You smiled up at him. “I guess I could say that you made me so incredibly warm, I didn’t know what to do with it.”

His mouth twitched as you quoted his confession back to him. He raised one of his hands and grazed your cheekbone with the backs of his fingers. It was one of the softest gestures you’d ever received from him, and you felt your skin heat under his touch. But you didn’t care about your heating face. It was out there now. Your feelings were out in the open, and so were his.

“I surprised you?” he chuckled. “How do you think I felt when you put my toothpick in your mouth?”

You laughed softly. “Probably just as surprised as I was.” You were granted a rare Crosshair laugh. It was a short, halting, hearty sound that permeated around the room and pierced your chest. To know you were the cause of such a laugh ignited your insides.

His hand made its way slowly down your cheek to your chin, he held it between his thumb and the side of his finger. You watched his eyes trace over your face. “So…you knew…? This whole time?” you asked.

He shook his head and smirked. “I didn’t know, I had suspicions, hopes.”

You rolled your eyes affectionately. “I guess those enhanced eyes really do see everything…” you chuckled, and he smiled softly at you. “I thought I hid it pretty well.”

His lip quirked again. “Not well enough.”

You gazed at each other, smiling. You didn’t think you could ever feel this happy or see him this happy.

“You…you said you’ve never been good at friends?” you asked, remembering the last part of that conversation before you had been interrupted.

“Because I’m not,” he stated as though it were fact. “The reg cadets were too…jealous of us, and then I met you. And it was so easy that I didn’t even realise it had happened until it was far too late.”

You look up at him, brow furrowed as you meet his eyes. You started to disagree; to reassure him that he was a good friend and your best friend, but he shook his head. “First friend I have, and I fall for them.”

Warmth bloomed in your chest, and you felt like you could melt right there on the spot. Your heartbeat quickened and you couldn’t stop the smile that twitched at the corner of your mouth before it spread across your face at his words. He smiled out of the side of his mouth.

This was a new kind of softness from Crosshair, one that you had only imagined receiving. And you knew it was only for you.

You slowly reached up and cupped his face with your hands, raising yourself on your tip toes and bringing your lips to his soft ones. You kissed him gently, feeling his arms encircle your waist to bring you closer to him, kissing you back dizzyingly as you breathed him in.

You moved to wrap your arms around his neck, and you felt his hands leave streaks of heat as they ran down your sides to your thighs. You gasped as he lifted you, both laughing softly as he walked you over to the med table. Smiling against your lips, he set you down on it, standing in between your legs, deepening the kiss. Mouths parted slightly; you allowed his tongue to slip inside.

Kisses like this…kisses like this with him, they were your new favourite thing. And you knew there would be more. You’d make sure of it. You smiled into the kiss again, unable to hold it back any longer, and you felt him smile back.

“Wait…” you said, drawing back a little bit but still staying wrapped up in his arms – like you’d ever leave. He frowned at you, his hands tightening as you spoke. “You like me?”

Crosshair shook his head as he grinned and poked your side, making you squirm. “Quit being cute.”

You laughed. You were already best friends, so it shouldn’t have surprised you how easy it was with him, but it did. “Well…I guess I am pretty irresistible…” you joked.

Crosshair moved to nibble at your ear gently as he roughly whispered, “You know you are, sarad.”

You hummed as warmth blossomed in your cheeks. “I really like when you call me that.”

“I know you do,” he drew back and ran a finger across your cheeks and over your nose, smiling. “You get flushed here.” You swatted his hand away, a playful grin on your face, and he chuckles. “You never answered my question though.”

“And which one was that?”

Crosshair leaned in and pressed his lips to your jaw, moving at a tantric pace along the line of it. You closed your eyes at the soft kisses that clouded everything except him. “Do my kisses suit you?”

“Oh,” you breathed out, grinning. “That one.” You pulled his head away and looked at him, those brown eyes looking at you with so much love you felt like your heart might burst. You returned that look and caressed his cheeks. “Yeah,” you kissed him. “They definitely do.”

thank you for reading <3

this was actually supposed to be a little steamier but the story evolved differently (and that’s okay!). maybe i’ll try writing something steamier again in the future :’)

taglist (please let me know if you would like to be removed/added): @crosshairs-wife @seriowan @fives-girlfriend @starrylothcat @crosshairsnose @jesseeka @wreckers-wife @leavingkamino @wanderer-six @32rotations @moodymisty @snarky-mans-gf @sinfulsalutations​ @nahoney22​

#larissa writes #crosshair x reader #crosshair x reader fic #crosshair fluff #soft crosshair #tbb x reader #the bad batch crosshair #tbb crosshair #crosshair fic #the bad batch fluff #crosshair the bad batch #crosshair angst

[kratosfan6632466]

Zima : crosshair are you in here?

Crosshair: yes I’m here you can come in if you want…

*he said his voice softens *

*she walks into his room *

Zima : look….about earlier….im sorry

Crosshair: it’s my fault I get so angry when I think of the empire and I keep pushing you and my brothers away…..

Zima held his hand and caressed his cheek *

Zima : I know you have been through a lot regarding hemlock and the empire…I don’t blame you for wanting to be alone ….

Crosshair: I know but I need you…..now more than ever please forgive me for being a pain in your neck….

Zima gently hugged crosshair and rubbed his back *

Zima : shhhhh….its ok I forgive you,….

Crosshair: zima…..can you sleep here with me tonight please? Mainly in case I have a nightmare but I’ve missed you as well…..

Zima : of course crosshair I’ll be here for you

Crosshair gently pats on the bed*

Zima gets onto the bed as they lay down on the bed as crosshair wraps his arms around her *

Crosshair: I thought about you every day …. And night….im so sorry for ever leaving …..

Zima : shhhhh…..it’s okay baby…I forgive you….shhhhh….

Crosshairs grip tightened a little as he was freaking out *

Zima : crosshair calm down sweetie it’s ok…..I’m right here…..

Crosshair: I feel so bad….i know I hurt you by my choice of leaving and I’m so sorry!

Zimas heart sank in her stomach hearing him apologize repeatedly and feel so much guilt for his actions in the past *

Zima kisses him trying to soothe him and hoping that it would calm him down a little *

Crosshair blushed as he melts into the kiss it was sensual and comforting *

Crosshair sighed as he looked at her as he started to settle down *

Zima : there you go…..

#crosshair clinging onto someone whAAAAAT?!! #zima lurzo #my ocs #star wars #the bad batch #zima x crosshair #crosshair angst #soft boi #soft crosshair

[thejediscrolls]

Sunrise

Crosshair x medic reader

A trip to the Outpost along with a clone who refuses to tell you his name… What’s the worst that can happen?

Angst / Fluff

Pt 2 of Sunrise

“Crosshair…” I squinted my eyes from the light shining over me.

I felt the coolness of an operation table underneath me as I tried to gather my senses. I came quick to the conclusion that I was in some kind of a medbay. I don’t like the wave of nausea that came with the movement of trying to look around at my surroundings.

The walls were clearly a silver, shining as if it were sterilized a hundred times. The room was an average size for a medbay, set with medical equipment set up to oversee patients.

Movement to the right startled me as I quickly looked toward that direction. There stood a woman dress in white, her brown hair tied back as she typed away on her holopad. Behind her stood two armed storm troopers.

“You’re awake. Good.” The unfamiliar voice stated as she glanced over at me.

“Who are you?” I asked her.

“I am a nurse who will be overseeing your conditions.” She replied.

“There’s no need… I’m a medic.” I stated slowly as I tried to think of where I could be, “I can oversee my own medical care, thank you.”

This certainly wasn’t on the transport ship or the facility I was stationed at in Coruscant before I was sent here.

“Where… Where am I?” I asked as I blinked away the stinging in my eyes, “I don’t recognize this place.”

“You’re in a medbay. You have committed treason and the empire sent you here. But don’t worry, the doctor has some use for you.” The voice murmured.

“I didn’t commit treason…” I spoke slowly as I tried to recall the events when I was station at the outpost.

Everything came back in a blink of an eye and suddenly I was trying to get out of my restraints.

Crosshair. Where was Crosshair?

I immediately felt the panic rise in me as I tried to sit up, “What about Crosshair? Where is he? He didn’t do anything wrong, I swear! It was the Lieutenant, he was the one who was dangerous. He let a trooper die and he tried to kill-”

“You need to relax.” The nurse quickly signaled for the storm troopers to hold me down.

“Don’t… Hurt… Him…” I muttered as I felt myself slipping, “Please.”

It wasn’t long before a needle pierced my skin. My senses fleeing from my body into the abyss of darkness.

The next time I came to, I found myself in a holding cell. The bars of ruby stone, glared at me as I pushed myself up from the cold mat underneath me.

Was what we had done so wrong that we had to be sent here? I wondered. Where is here exactly? Why won’t they tell me anything?

“This must be a secret facility of some sorts.” I whispered to myself.

That was the only reason I could think of. I crawled as close to the ray shield as I could, inspecting any fault in it.

“Looking for a weakness in the shield won’t help.” A gruff voice stated across from me, “You can’t get out of here, trust me.”

I looked straight ahead to find a clone leaning against a wall in his cell. He stared straight ahead without so much as glancing my way.

“How long have I been out?” I wondered as the dizzying haze began to ware off slowly, but surely.

“Four days.”

Four days? That’s not good.

“Do you know where we are?” I asked him.

“We are being held on a base somewhere on a remote planet. No one can find us out here.” He answered grimly.

My brows furrowed, “Why were we taken to a place like this? Why not a trial or to a coruscant prison?”

“I dont know for you, but us clones are being tested on. That’s why my vods and I have been captured and placed here.” He stated.

My eyes widened at the information, “No… That would mean they plan to hurt Crosshair.”

Suddenly his head turned towards me in surprise. I could see a clear scar on the side of his face as he studied me.

“You know Crosshair?” He asked.

I nodded, “I met him on an assignment that didn’t end well for the both of us and now we’re here. At least now I know for certain we haven’t been separated.”

He nodded in understanding, “He’s come to his sense about the empire then.”

“We both have.” I muttered, “How do you know him?”

“Back during the New Republic. Worked with him and his team a few times.” He answered.

“It’s nice to meet you then.” I trailed off.

“Cody.” He introduced himself.

I quickly returned the favor, relieved to meet a new friend and possible ally, “Nice to meet you Cody.”

“I never knew he had a team.” I said after a few moments of silence, “Well I knew because each clone has a squad of course, but he never talked about them.”

“Clone Force 99. They called themselves the Bad Batch.” Cody answered.

I snorted in amusement, “That sounds about right. He seems very standoffish.”

“Crosshair is a man set in his ways. It was his brothers, who kept him in line especially one by the name of Hunter, but now… It is rare for anyone to get close to him.” Cody admitted, “The last mission we were on together...”

“You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to.” I intervened.

He nodded, “He was too loyal to the empire just as I was, but I’m glad to see he is starting to change his ways. Slowly, but surely.”

“He didn’t even tell me his name until right before we were taken.” I sighed looking at my hands, “But Crosshair… He saved me and I don’t even know how to repay him.”

“Being alive is enough of a payment as any.” Cody’s tone was sad as he looked ahead of him, undoubtably slipping into an old memory.

Suddenly footsteps were coming down the hall and the two of us quickly broke off our conversation. Him leaning against a wall in his cell as I crawled back to my thin mat.

I had just sat down when a new face greeted me at the front door to my cell.

“Ah. You must be the medic.” He grinned maliciously, “I can see why he’s so protective of a pretty thing like you. This should be fun.”

My eyes squinted into a glare, “You must be the doctor.”

“Smart girl too.” He stated un seemingly impressed, “Then you will know better then to try and cause a scene yes? Otherwise you won’t ever see the clone again.”

I stood up swiftly, “Where is he?”

“Why don’t you follow me and see for yourself?” He turned off the ray shield that was keeping me locked in my cell.

Without waiting to see if I would follow him, he began to walk away. It was as if he knew I wouldn’t defy him and he was right. How could I when he was leading me to the man who has changed my very world around?

I glanced discretely at Cody before following after the doctor as the guards trailed close behind me. His look of concern didn’t go unnoticed by me and I made a silent promise to tell him how Crosshair was as soon as I got back.

“What have you done to him?” I asked keeping some distance from the eery looking man.

His very being left me unnerved with distaste as if he were the very embodiment of an evil madman hungry for power.

“Nothing I haven’t done to any other clone before.” He replied simply as if what he was doing wasn’t that bad.

Maybe he was…

He’s acting like I know who and what his experiments are… I don’t even know the man. From the tilted chin and long stride he must work closely with powerful people. Maybe the surprime chancellor? If so then we were absolutely screwed.

“Here we are.” The doctor stated.

I looked to my left and found myself standing in front of another cell. Though this one made me want to dive head first into the red shield.

“Crosshair!” I cried out in relief, taking a step forward as the ray shield dissipated.

Crosshair was quick to stand up though his movement was slower than usual. His three long strides and my quick paced ones were met in the middle of his cell.

It was as if we were water and oil. Wanting to fall into each others warmth, but stopping just within reach.

He placed his hands on my arms as he looked me over for any possible injuries while I did the same to him.

“I’m alright.” I confirmed, placing my hand over one of his, “Are you?”

That seemed to calm him and he nodded in return. His heated gaze turned towards the doctor with malice.

“She’s not involved in any of this.” Crosshair growled as he pushed me behind him as if he could shield me from the world.

Maybe he could or he would sure as hell try to.

“Let her go Hemlock.” Crosshair all, but growled.

So the madman’s name was Hemlock.

“Now now.” Hemlock stepped forward, “There is no need to get worked up.” He chuckled.

Moving to the right side of the room, Hemlock trailed his hand along the muted grey wall, “This is your fault after all.”

“How so?” I glared at the man, “He didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Oh, but he did.” Hemlock’s gaze locked onto Crosshair, “He is going against the empire by keeping secrets and now Crosshair…” He sighed for dramatic effect, “You have left me with no choice, but to bring your little friend into this. If you won’t give me the information I need then I must use… Other methods to obtain it.”

“What information?” I asked.

“I need to know where the clone girl is.” Hemlock replied as a nurse, the same nurse who stuck a needle in me a few days ago walked up behind him.

“I don’t know anything about a clone girl.” I replied quickly, “I didn’t even know a clone girl existed.”

“Oh I know you don’t know, darling.” He said and his endearing word made me want to throw up.

Hemlock’s eyes gleamed in the lights above us before his grin was directed back towards Crosshair, “But he does. It’s your choice trooper. The clone girl or your little girlfriend here.”

I looked towards the sniper to see the conflict clear across his face. It was easy to see that whoever the girl was, she meant something to him. My heart ached, knowing that I would be putting myself into harms way, but if she really was important then she needed to be protected from this deranged doctor at all costs.

I knew deep down he wouldn’t say a word, but I wouldn’t put myself first. How could I? My life over a girl who was technically his sister?

Whether he knew his answer or not I wouldn’t make him choose. I could handle a little pain.

From as little as I have known him, I knew for a fact that Crosshair was, a fierce protector and loyal friend. At least that was the man I saw dragging Mayday back to the outpost before all of this mayhem went down.

I quickly turned the sniper towards me, “You are strong and unyielding Crosshair.” I spoke as quickly as I could, “I’ll be okay, don’t tell them anythin-mmph!”

A hand was wrapped around my mouth to keep me from screaming as a storm trooper dragged me to the cell next to his while the others strapped Crosshair back on his table.

The red shield came back up once everyone except for Crosshair was out of his cell.

“I know how easy you clones can get passed visual horror, so how about you listen to her scream. It’ll make you want to claw your eyes out wondering what is being done to her.” Hemlock smirked at the memory, “I’ve seen it happen to a prisoner here once. His lover sadly didn’t make it after the… Trials.”

“Trials?” Crosshair asked nervously.

“New drugs I’ve been working on meant to incapacitate and cause sever hallucinations in the subject. So far it has only resulted in death, but maybe your girl will make it through.”

“I will kill you.” Crosshair all but growled, his eyes holding a fierce promise.

“Oh I know you’ll try, but you won’t succeed.” Hemlock snapped his fingers for the nurse to begin.

Crosshair all, but winced as the first piercing scream came from the medics lips. He barely knew her… She all, but irritated him when she showed up at his side at the loading dock, but by the force above he wouldn’t tare that man’s throat out for hurting her.

It went on for what felt like years, each day being dragged from my cell to the one next to him. Barely any words of consomment as they dragged me past him. Each needle prickling my skin as they drugged me with painful concoctions that made my skin burn and felt as if they were dousing me with lava. I could barely move my muscles as flashes of memories and horrors of war filled the cell around me as if I was back in the trenches, patching up as many soldiers as I could.

“What are they doing to you?” Cody asked once the guards tossed me back into my cell.

“They need…” My eyes closed from the pain of my voice that was hoarse from screaming, “Information.”

“What information do you have?” He asked.

“Not me…” I groaned.

Cody’s eyes lightened in understanding, “Crosshair.”

By the seventh day, I could barely keep my eyes open. The pain felt like a dull ache becoming apart of my skin. It wasn’t until I felt hands dragging me to another cell that I realized I was in Crosshair’s arms and my body sank into his.

I groaned in pain as he tugged me as gently as he was able to towards his chest to check my condition. I knew I was covered in dark purplish bruises, a side affect caused from the drug. I wanted to ease his worry, but I could barely form one coherent sentence.

“What have they done to you…”

If I wasn’t so close to him, I wouldn’t have heard those broken words that fell from his chapped lips. I chose to not tell him what they were doing and instead I asked him about something I’ve been wondering since I first woke up in this dreaded place.

“Do you think it’s morning?” I whispered weakly.

“Save your strength.” He said gruffly.

I continued on anyways, my words sounding muffled in my own ears, “My favorite thing in the galaxy is a sunrise. I especially miss… The sunrises on Coruscant. The sunrises there had the sunlight glittering off the buildings like shimmering stars. The city bustling with life no matter if it was night or day. I miss the birds the most… They always wished me a good morning.” I laughed lightly before cringing at the pain.

“I don’t know how to ease your pain.” Crosshair muttered.

“M’fine.” I said trying not to worry him.

He only shook his head at the absurdity of my answer, “That’s stupid.”

I grinned slightly at the old Crosshair, the one I first met before this. We fell into a moment of quietness as he held me in the middle of the cell.

“Mom.” I whispered as I saw her as clear as day standing in the corner of the cell.

She smiled before blood began to stain her dress from the very slot she was shot.

“Mom…” I hiccuped, “No no no no no.” I shook my head as my breathing began to pick up, “You can’t die! You can’t leave me all alone again!”

Crosshair glanced towards the direction I was looking at, it was empty and bare.

Hallucinations. He remembered the doctor saying.

He looked back towards me in concern, “There’s no one there.” He tried to say as he held me closer to his chest, “Don’t look. Just close your eyes.”

I pressed my face into his shirt as I sobbed.

“Shh…” He tried his best to consol me, but the fear rose in his chest at my distress. His voice was merely a whisper as he said, “I don’t know how to help you.”

It was a long while before my visions became clear though any ounce of strength had fled from my body.

“You don’t need to save me.” I whispered when I was able to catch my breath, “She is your sister. Your family. You need to do whatever you can to keep her safe. Promise me.”

“I promise I will save you and the girl.” He stated with promise and truth.

This man who held so much determination and loyalty in his very being. He made it so very difficult to stop the warm feeling that I felt only for him seep deeper into my heart.

I smiled closing my eyes, “What do you miss most about your home?”

Crosshair thought for a moment, but one yearning of home overcame everything else that he missed.

“My brothers.” He stated simply as if it were his very heart.

“Siblings… I never had any siblings, but I know that for others they make their entire universe whole.” I muttered as began to drift off, “I hope you find them again one day.”

He pressed his lips to the top of my head, his fingers curling around my head, “You’ll see a sunrise again, I promise.”

“Have you had enough now?” Hemlock asked as he motioned towards me, “It seems that she has.”

“Enough of this.” Crosshair hissed, “Torture me all you want, but stop hurting her. Let her go.”

“You have shown that you can wait and torture during your little attempt to break out. She however, can not and I will gladly set her free if you tell me where the clone girl is.” He stated with a wave of his hand, “If not I can just up her dosage.”

Crosshair clenched his fist in anger, “I don’t know anything!” Crosshair glared, “I have been with the empire all this time.”

Hemlock raised an eyebrow, “We can keep going if you don’t tell me where she is.”

“Don’t…” I muttered as I slipped in and out of consciousness.

“You can torture us all you want. I don’t know where they are.” Crosshair growled.

“You do.” Hemlock confirmed, “I know you do.”

“I won’t tell you anything so just kill me and let her go free.” Crosshair growled.

Hemlock stared at the clone, thinking over his next words carefully, “You will tell me what I need to know when she is on the very brink of death and she will have no one to blame accept for you to leave her to that dismal fate.”

Crosshair took in a sharp breath, watching as multiple storm troopers gathered around Hemlock. He watched the doctor turn off the ray shields.

“Take her away.” Hemlock stated and like the first time he saw her alive here, the storm troopers were coming once again to take her from him.

Crosshair quickly lean down just before they reach the two sat on the cold floors.

He pressed his lips as softly as he was able to on top of her head as he whispered, “Hang in there a little longer sunrise, help is coming.”

Taglist

@arctrooper69 @valla-valla @edenassassin

#star wars #star wars imagine #starwars #clone wars #bad batch #bad batch imagine #bad batch x reader #star wars x reader #crosshair #crosshair x reader #crosshair fluff #clone trooper crosshair #bad batch crosshair #crosshair imagine #crosshair angst #starwars imagines #bad batch angst #bad batch fluff #the bad batch #clone trooper x reader #clone trooper angst

[willow-774]

I wrote a small fanfic based on a headcanon I liked

Crosshair woke up and gazed around the room and noticed some things were missing. Where was Echo’s hammock and all our tallies of completed missions? And, why don't I remember anything up to the battle with General Billaba? Where's my vod’e? Did they leave me here all of a sudden? He raised a hand to his head. Why does it hurt? GOOD SOLDIERS FOLLOW ORDERS. What was that? Why isn't anyone there? It's almost like they've been decommissioned. No, the Kaminoans wouldn't do that, we're too valuable to them, right? He could feel his heart start to race as he called out for his brothers hoping and praying to the force that they were okay. “HUNTER? WRECKER? TECH? ANYBODY? WHERE ARE YOU?” He felt tears start to stream down his face as he called to his brothers begging them to come help him stop this awful voice in his head. “PLEASE, I'M SORRY FOR WHATEVER I DID! PLEASE COME BACK.” The insidious voices got louder until it started to drown out his own thoughts. Soon his cries were stifled as the voice in his head started to overcome him until he finally– and some would say thankfully–blacked out.

CT-9904 woke up, got out of bed, dressed, and got ready as he shaved. He felt the lingering feeling that something was wrong but he dismissed it as good soldiers follow orders, not feelings.

#tbb crosshair #crosshair angst #post order 66 #my poor sad blorbo

[alligatorpie1945]

"Twenty minutes later he’d made it back to his room with no memory of the journey and the taste of vomit stuck in the back of his throat.

No one asked what he’d done - it was an unspoken rule, never to ask - but Wrecker opened his arms and let Crosshair disappear into them without a word."

--Twelve Seconds by @eriexplosion

About a year or so ago I asked for fanfic submissions to be turned into comics! And this was one of them! I had actually started drawing this a year ago, but just now got around to finishing it!

It's a pretty heavy fic, but its short and really well written! Id suggest checking it out if your in angsty mood!

#the bad batch #fanart #tbb #star wars #art #tech #crosshair #wrecker #clone cadets #the baby batch #angst #fanfiction fanart #fan comic

[daisymintt]

#the bad batch crosshair #sw bad batch #the bad batch #bad batch #tbb crosshair #tbb #sw tbb #crosshair angst #clone trooper crosshair #Crosshair #crosshair tbb #crosshair bad batch #crosshair the bad batch #angsty #angst #sad #song is Beekeeper by Keaton Henson