25+, writer, history degree, grey ace. 18+ posts will be made and thirsted over. Join the madness! Masterlist pinned to top. AO3: coffeestainedtears Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/elysiadjarin4
Note: I hate to have to do this guys, but with the current state of things I feel like I have to. My works and fics will never involve any use of generative AI in any part of the writing or process. I am rabidly anti-genAI and I will continue to abuse the ellipsis in my writing. I use Ellipsus, Libre Office, and Apple Notes to write, and while Apple Notes has an AI function, it cannot and does not scrape your notes to train its AI due to privacy laws as stated in their user data statements.
Inspired by a lot of such *chalk pastel tattoos on paper* images from Pinterest. I have always wanted to create something similar and use it for my Blog theme but the ideas didn't hit this hard earlier, *SIGH*...maybe Next theme😮💨🤞🏻 So, finally some dividers with the same chalky-pastel-galactic designs 😌💕
I, me, myself am in love with how these turned out 😭🤞🏻
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I know I’m reaching into the void here but would anyone in the LOTR fandom be interested in reading a multi-part, very long fic that I started a decade ago and haven’t touched for a while?
Like tbh I just feel like it should be shared with someone but I also feel like only a niche group would really be interested in it.
Basic summary: OC-centric, heavily involves canon characters that are not main characters. Takes place within canon but not a lot involving big main events so to speak! It is a modern-characters-in-middle-earth fic but I feel like the justification for it is not an overused trope. It starts out a little rough because I was much younger starting this out, but if you stick with it I promise the writing quality increases exponentially and quickly.
This one would really be for lovers of Ringwraiths, minor canon characters, OCs, playing around with canon aspects that were mentioned but not much expanded on, and branching out both before and after events of the main LotR books!
Summary: In the halls of a Naga prince, you are a human with an oddly secure position. When that place is threatened by outsiders, you have some strong opinions on how your husband should reaffirm said position.
Warnings: MDNI, 18+ content only. Mentions of sacrifice but nothing explicit. Double penetration, anal, dubcon because of a consensual use of aphrodisiacs, venom aphrodisiac, established relationship, PiV sex (please be safe irl), naga, snake anatomy, otherwise quite vanilla with strong feelings.
Author’s Note: Asher is my beloved OC haha, I hope others will find some love for him too! Hopefully in the future I can write more about him, I love this world and it begs to be expanded. Asher artwork very lovingly drawn for me by @kittiesneezez.
You ran through the hallways of the caverns, not even glancing behind. Your heart thrummed behind your ribs as you fled down the halls, intent on your destination. Behind you, you could almost feel the looming presence approaching.
The guards in front of the door didn’t even question, opening the door as soon as they recognized you. You barely nodded at them, fleeing inside towards the promise of safety.
He noticed you instantly. With a movement almost too quick to see, his tail flashed towards you, making a barrier of safety between you and the door. The thick tail dragged behind you, ushering you closer to him.
You buried your face into his chest the moment his arms wrapped around you, secure and safe. Your heart still beat wildly, and you caught your breath from the mad dash through the hallways.
“Hey, hey,” his warm baritone voice washed across you, soothing your trembling. “What’s wrong?” His broad hand tilted your head up to face him, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.
“There’s people coming,” you whispered, glancing over at the Prince sitting on his throne of cushions.
The Prince sat up when he heard you, frowning. He turned to you. “Who?”
You shook your head. “I don’t know,” you admitted, “but I saw a group coming, led by someone bearing a standard of a rising sun over a field of poppies. I didn’t like how they felt.”
The Prince instantly hissed, eyes narrowing as he straightened. “A good eye, Little Asp,” he praised, the nickname easing your worries that he’d be displeased with you. “Asher, come here and keep her close to you,” he ordered, arranging himself on the raised dais and motioning for the servants to pull back the sheer curtains.
Asher didn’t question, sweeping you up and moving up onto the dais. He moved to the back of the pile of cushions, a little behind the Prince. The golden hoops that marked his status as the Prince’s personal bodyguard clinked around the end of his tail as he moved. Leaning back, he pulled you closely against his chest.
You bit back a gasp as his tail began to wrap around your legs. The split-paneled skirt you had on allowed him to slither underneath, covering every bare inch of your skin to soak in your body heat. He let out a soft, pleased hiss, wrapping you in his coils and pulling your back against his bare chest, arms wrapping around your waist.
“It’s the Rising Sun Company from the Crimsopiate Faction,” the Prince said tightly. “Father has been trying to arrange a peace treaty with them, but they’re notoriously stubborn and known to steal women they fancy for their own.” He glanced back at you both. “Don’t worry, they’re coming for me, since they want the peace treaty to be an alliance through marriage between me and one of their own.”
You ducked your head, grateful for the reassurance. You could hear commotion down the hall from an approaching party, and took a deep breath.
Asher pressed his lips to the back of your neck. “Don’t worry,” he reassured, voice hushed. “You know I won’t let them touch my mate.”
You nodded, letting the security of his closeness wash over you. The thick bands of muscle and scales that wrapped around you seemed to pulse with life and strength, gently squeezing you. Turning your head, you caught sight of his amber eyes almost glowing in the dim lights.
He nuzzled you reassuringly, tongue flicking over your cheek. He turned you a little more towards him, taking your attention away from the door and your worries. His hands wrapped around your waist, his coils almost like a chair, supporting your entire weight. His eyes turned to honey, and he tilted your chin up towards him.
“Hey,” he murmured. “It’s okay, I promise. I won’t let them near you. You know that Alarik would never stand for you getting hurt.”
You nodded, hands splaying across his chest. You knew he was right. Ever since the Prince had given you shelter when you’d been offered as a sacrifice by your village, he’d fiercely protected you as one of his own. Your becoming his childhood best friend’s mate had only strengthened that protectiveness. Though sometimes, you questioned whether the Prince saw you as a little sister or a favored toy. Either way, you didn’t really mind. You’d received nothing but kindness and favor in the household of the Naga Prince.
The Rising Sun Company entered, announced by the herald, and you did your best to try to avoid directly looking at them. You knew that drawing attention to yourself wouldn’t be the best idea, and you didn’t want to inadvertently cause trouble for Prince Alarik. Instead, you tried to distract yourself by gently smoothing your hands across Asher’s tail, feeling the smooth scales under your fingertips.
Asher shivered a little under your touch, the tenseness in his muscles loosening. He always went weak under your touch, especially when you lightly brushed your fingers against his scales, drawing soothing patterns across his tail. You often traced the edges of the rust-colored patches scattered across the ivory. You’d barely skirt against the sensitive edges of his creamy underbelly, earning a shudder and a quiet hiss.
“Of course, there is always the option of one of our own marrying one of your court,” the knight at the forefront of the Company remarked. “Surely one of your servants would suffice instead of your Highness himself? The young girl behind you, even?”
Asher instantly tensed, a warning hiss spilling from his lips. His fangs bared, eyes glowing almost yellow in his rage.
You were almost more frustrated at the undoing of your work in soothing him than you were concerned about the offer. Hiding a pout, you looked up innocently at Prince Alarik, your expression one of perfect confusion. You didn’t even look at the knight.
Alarik’s spine had locked, and his gaze had turned positively wintery. “I would suggest,” he said with a dangerous evenness, “that you not antagonize my bodyguard by threatening to steal his mate. In addition, that ‘young girl’ you refer to is not only already mated but also a sacred member of my personal household.”
The knight raised his hands in appeasement, and the conversation drifted away from you. But the damage had already been done. You could not get Asher to relax again, and your own mind kept going back to what Prince Alarik had said.
A sacred member of my personal household.
Is that what you really had become? Is that how everyone else viewed you? But when had you been marked as such? A sacred member in Naga culture was absolutely untouchable by anyone but the one who had marked them as such. It was a position of high honor, and a statement of how much the marked was valued. But when had you become known as a sacred member of the Prince’s household?
Asher glanced down at you, and noticed the puzzled look on your face. Pulling you close, he gave you a small, reassuring smile. “You’re safe,” he soothed.
You nodded, grasping his fingers and bringing them up to your face. Tilting your cheek into his hand, you let your eyelashes flutter closed in contentment. Asher was your safety, your rock, your comfort. The one who had done nothing but love and care for you ever since you’d arrived at the Prince’s court.
“Pardon my asking.” Another member of the Company spoke, revealing herself to be a female as she flipped her visor up. “But is this sacred member of your household a human?”
The question startled you, and you turned to blink at the woman, acknowledging their presence for the first time. You glanced to Prince Alarik, and noticed that he tilted his head. After a tense moment, he spoke.
“Do you wish to answer, my Little Asp?” he asked at length, no displeasure in his tone.
You inclined your head. “If I may, my Prince,” you answered respectfully.
He turned to look at you, then, an indulgent smile on his lips. He leaned back, lazily flicking his fingers. “Do as you wish, little one.”
You turned towards the woman. “I am human,” you answered simply.
She seemed to observe you curiously. “How come you here, then? Do you not have family somewhere?”
You frowned, head tilting down. “I was sacrificed by my village to Prince Alarik. They believed that I was cursed. My Prince took me in, and I have no wish to leave this place I now call home.”
The woman nodded curtly. “Understood. I sorrow to hear of your mistreatment.”
“Thank you,” you said, then turned back to Alarik.
He gave you a nod, then turned back to conclude negotiations with the Company. You let out a breath of relief, and Asher turned you towards him again.
“Are you alright?” He observed your face.
You nodded. “Yes. I don’t think she meant any harm,” you said honestly. “It is unusual for a human like me to be a member of a Naga Prince’s household.”
He chuckled. “I suppose that is true,” he conceded. Reaching up, he ran a hand through his reddish-brown hair, glancing behind you as the Company left.
“Well, that could have been worse,” Prince Alarik remarked dryly. He turned to you and Asher. “Come here, Little Asp.”
Asher let you go, and you obediently made your way to the Prince. Alarik bent closer to you, tilting your chin up with his finger. “Are you well, little one? Did they discomfit you?”
You shook your head. “No, my Prince,” you said. “I think the woman meant no harm.”
He raised an eyebrow. “No, I sensed no malice from her,” he agreed, “but I asked of you. Did they in any way make you uncomfortable?”
You blinked. “I… I was nervous, but not— not because I thought they would hurt me. I just didn’t know what they wanted, and I… I wanted everything to go well so they wouldn’t displease you.”
Alarik chuckled, brushing his fingers down your cheek. “Ah, you are indeed my precious, innocent little asp,” he sighed, straightening. “You are dismissed to do whatever you please.” He smiled indulgently down at you, his hands clasping behind his back.
You gazed up at him for a moment, a little confused. “M-my Prince, can I… can I ask a question?” you asked timidly.
“Ask.” He raised an eyebrow at you.
You looked down at your hands. “Why… why did you make me a sacred member? I-I’m honored, of course, truly,” you added hurriedly, “but I…” You bit your lip. “I’m just a human. I… I wonder why I deserve the attention of my Prince.”
Alarik paused for a moment, then sighed. His eyes drifted behind your shoulder, to Asher. “True mates only come once in a lifetime for us Naga, little one,” he said, voice more subdued. “You already know this. But in truth, perhaps I am simply… selfish.” His eyes focused on you again. “In a household where deceit is something to be wary of and those seeking favor to gain power is expected, someone like you is rare and valuable to me. Someone removed from our politics, someone with nothing to gain from currying favor with me.”
To your surprise, his eyes softened as he reached out and gently brushed his hand through your hair. “I value your simple honesty and guilelessness, little one. You are a breath of fresh air to come back to from the rigors of court and the dangers of maneuvering scheming nobles. I cherish your quiet affections, the way you treat me as an elder brother, innocently trusting. It reminds me of my people and why I protect them. You bring me the simple pleasure of being loved for who I am, and not the title I bear.”
You ducked your head, feeling your face flush with pleasure. You hadn’t really thought about it that way, though now it made sense why he fiercely protected you, refused to let others come near you. The happiness rushed through your chest, warming you from the inside out. You really had found family, here.
“Thank you,” you finally said, looking up at him with a shy smile. “I’m happy that I can be that for you.” The words seemed so clumsy, so inadequate. “I… I’ve never felt happy or safe, until I came here.” Reaching up, you pressed your fingers to your chest. “Being part of your household, in your favor… is something I… I don’t ever want to lose.”
Alarik tilted your chin up again. “And so you never shall,” he promised gently. “Now, go rest, little one. I can see that you are tired.”
You nodded. “Thank you, my Prince!” Turning, you went back to Asher, who readily welcomed you back into his arms. Admittedly, you had grown a little sleepy after the stress of the ordeal. Snuggling into Asher’s broad chest, you let your eyelashes flutter closed.
You fell asleep, safely in Asher’s embrace.
~
You stirred, slowly waking up. Squeezing your eyes shut, you reached up to rub your eye. Fuzzily, you registered a hand gently stroking your back. Letting your eyes flutter open, you blinked and realized where you were, letting out a soft gasp.
Asher’s tail had wrapped around the pillars carved into the ceiling of your bedroom. His tail supported you both as you dangled above the bed, his back leaning against his tail like a hammock. You realized that you were lying on his chest, legs on either side of his tail.
You attempted to sit up and move. “Ah— Asher, I—“
But he nuzzled your neck gently, tongue flickering across your skin. “Stay,” he whispered, pulling you back down onto his chest. He pressed a kiss to the crook of your neck, his fangs barely brushing against your skin before they were gone. His hands wrapped around your waist, pulling you closer.
“Stay,” he murmured again, his voice a little husky with the dregs of sleep.
You wordlessly nodded, leaned against his chest. His scales underneath your bare legs felt cool and soothing, and you felt his tail start to curl around your legs. Asher’s hands slid up your waist and back, broad hands rasping gently across your body in a way that sparked warmth in you.
His honey eyes gazed at you with a warmth that made heat creep into your cheeks a little, your own eyes flickering down to your hands splayed across his chest. His skin felt cool under your fingers, but still with a slight, dusky sort of warmth common to the naga folk.
“You’re so beautiful,” Asher murmured, his fingers sliding up your skin. “So warm. Soft.” He nuzzled your neck and jaw, and his body arched up into yours.
You shivered a little, swallowing as your fingers clenched against his chest. “A-Asher?” you whispered shyly, peering up at him.
His golden eyes flared, but his fingers tightened around your waist. “Treasured One?”
You felt your body flush a little at the sound of the nickname spilling tenderly from his lips. But the question lingered on the tip of your tongue, begging to be asked. The desire welled in your chest, spreading through your body, the memory of his arms wrapping around your body and holding you close and safe spurring your desire.
“Please, Asher…” Biting your lip, you forced yourself to look up at him. “Could you please— please mark me.” You pushed yourself up against him, looking up at him desperately as the nervous panic welled in you. “Please, Asher— I know—I know that you don’t want to hurt me, but I—“ to your despair, you could feel the tears burning behind your eyes as your voice wavered. “I just— after what happened I—I want it so much. I want you to mark me so— so no one has to wonder that I’m yours. I want it, so much—“
Asher cut you off with a kiss, his hand coming up to tenderly cup your cheek in his hand and pull you further into the kiss. He reluctantly let go, but his face still hovered close to you.
“Don’t cry,” he begged, pulling you closer to his chest. “I can’t stand to see you cry, my Treasure. I’ll give you whatever you want,” he promised, practically cradling your face in his palm. “I swear.”
You sniffled and nodded, knowing that he couldn’t resist your tears but also just desperate enough to not feel quite guilty about it. “Please,” you whimpered, tugging at him. “Please mark me, Asher. Please.”
He almost visibly crumbled. “Alright,” he agreed. “I will. Please, just don’t cry.” He kissed you again, leaning his forehead against yours.
Your dress had ridden up, and thanks to his attentions you’d started to get wet. The moment he shifted you up, he froze, hands clenching against your hips. Your soaked underwear had dragged right across his slit, and he let out a sibilant hiss, teeth baring as his eyes flared. His blown pupils focused on you, chest heaving under your fingers.
“Treasure—“ he started to warn, but you leaned up and pressed your lips shyly against his, wanting him to continue.
He groaned into your lips, and his hands convulsively ground you against his slit. For not the first time, you were acutely aware of how large he was compared to you. His hands alone dwarfed yours, and he moved you so effortlessly, as though you didn’t weigh a thing to him.
You gasped a little as his fangs gently nipped your lower lip, your lips parting just in time for a single drop of his venom to slip across your tongue. It slid down your throat, and you could feel your body flush almost immediately as the aphrodisiac started to work. You knew you’d need it for the marking.
Asher’s thumb brushed across your cheek, under your eye, and he watched you carefully with a bit of concern buried in his eyes. He always worried about not hurting you, even though you privately wouldn’t mind if he left some bruises. Though you admitted were a bit shy about his attention, that didn’t mean you didn’t like them.
“I think about marking you, every day,” Asher admitted, voice low as he watched you. “Try so hard to suppress the desire, every single moment I see you, to leave bruises all over your body so every time you move, every time someone sees you, no one will forget that you’re my mate.”
You gazed up at him, eyes glazing with the heat that spread through your body. You wanted him to, wanted it so badly. Wanted to feel the bruises, every time you moved. Wanted him to mark you so that no one would be able to doubt that you belonged with him.
“Asher,” you murmured, voice a little dazed. “Please—“
He groaned, then leaned down and kissed you again. His hips rolled up against you, and you could feel his slit start to open under your soaked panties. You shyly reached down, and your fingers ringed softly around the opening of his slit. He bucked up into you, a moan spilling into your lips. His breathing turned ragged as you barely skimmed over his slit, and he twitched.
The moment you slipped your fingers into his slit, his eyes rolled back and he started trembling under you. He seemed to fall apart against you as you gently rubbed your fingers over the head you could feel against your fingertips, inside his slit. His moan slid into your ears, his body almost reeling as you managed to coax his slit further open. His two cocks sprang free, landing against your stomach with a wet smack, already throbbing.
The pale green base and head contrasted beautifully with the dark blue ridges that went all up both his cocks, the smaller one gently curved. His fingers wrapped around your wrist, and he gasped for breath.
“W-wait, love,” he managed, trying to catch his breath. “I can’t—“
You lifted your fingers, fascinated with the way his pale green precum smeared over your fingers. You slid them into your mouth, closing your eyes at the burst of salty-sweet, almost like the taste of his venom.
Asher groaned, his pupils fully blown as he stared at you. Then he grabbed your hips, pulling you to leisurely drag across his cocks, smearing pale green across your thigh. Reaching down, he carelessly snapped your underwear and let it flutter away, his eyes fixed on your face. He didn’t even bother with your dress, clearly too desperate to care at the moment.
You let out a tiny whimper, biting your lip at the friction of his ridges across your clit. It felt so good, the way he throbbed and dragged across you. You could barely think, the heat spreading through your body almost unbearable. You wanted him to be in you, filling you up until it was all you could focus on, his hands wrapping around you, leaving mottled bruises all over your waist, his mouth against your neck.
“Asher,” you breathed, eyelashes fluttering.
With another low hiss, he lifted your waist up. The head of his primary cock pressed against you, and he gently eased you down onto him. Thanks to the aphrodisiac, you’d gotten wet enough that it didn’t hurt, only the feeling of the stretch and the ridges sliding into you making you fall against his chest and whimper. He managed to get a quarter of the way in before you felt his secondary press up against your ass.
Your mind had gotten far too frazzled at that point to even remotely worry. Asher’s fingers gently stretched you, working you as you shivered and moaned, almost impatient.
“Ssshhhh,” he soothed, gently working another finger in. “I can’t hurt you, my treassssure,” he slurred, his voice susurrating with his pleasure.
It was driving you mad. You needed it, so badly. With a whine, you lifted tear-filled eyes and wobbling lips to his face, just as your body clenched down on him.
“Fuck.” Asher’s teeth bared, and he started to work you open.
All you could focus on was the sensation of being completely stuffed, full to the brim. He utterly filled you front and back, and you could almost feel them both inside you, barely separated. It didn’t take long before he bottomed out, leaving you to close your eyes and sigh in pure bliss. Asher felt perfect inside you, hot and pulsing, his hands wrapping around your body in a secure embrace.
His lips pressed against your neck, arms pulling you into his chest. “My perfect, beautiful Treassssure,” he murmured against your skin, grinding up into you. “Ssso ssssoft, sssso warm.” He pulsed inside you, leaking precum that pooled warmth inside you. “Sssso tight.” He groaned. “I—I can’t take thisssss, my mate. I have to—I—“
He thrust up into you, moaning your name with desperation. His mouth opened on your throat, sucking a mark into the arch of your neck. His hands tightened, fingers pressing bruises into your skin as he started to set a rhythm.
You could only cling to his arms and try to breathe, lips parted as his name fell from your lips. He kept thrusting into you, taking your breath away, the pleasure suffusing your body with heat that bubbled in your stomach like a fountain, filling you from the inside.
“Sssso closssse,” Asher moaned, his pace almost brutal as he kept pressing his fingers against your thighs. His mouth sucked another bruise into your neck, and you could feel your thighs starting to shake. The way he moved in you brought you careening to the edge, so close.
“A-Asher—“
“You’re mine,” he hissed. “My mate. Mine.”
“Yours,” you gasped out, knowing you had to soothe his instincts. You could already feel him swelling inside you, throbbing until your body ached with the need. “Only yours, Asher.”
“Cum for me,” he whispered in your ear, lips pressing kisses against your cheek and jaw. “Cum for me, with your ssssweet body—“
You cried out, your body clenching down on him as his words drove you over the edge. He coaxed you through it, his finger reaching down to press circles around your clit, extending your orgasm until your whole body started to tremble with the overstimulation.
“That’ssss my sssweet mate,” Asher hissed, his pace still unrelenting as he snapped up into you, over and over. “Gonna—gonna cum—“
You whined, almost cross-eyed. “Please, Asher—“
He arched up into you one last time, and you felt his seed splash into you, thick and hot. He slumped against you, hugging you against him as he shivered against you. His breathing came heavy and fast, his lips pressing against your shoulder.
You closed your eyes, nestling into him contentedly, feeling the bruises blooming on your body.
“I love you,” Asher whispered against your hair. “So much.”
“I love you,” you answered shyly. “Thank you.”
“I should be the one thanking you,” he sighed, reaching up to cup your cheek again and press a soft kiss to your lips. “I swear I will always take care of you, my Treasure. Always cherish you.”
“I know,” you murmured, eyes fluttering closed. You were safe, here, in his arms.
Tags: Bad Batch x reader (you), fem!coded, poly!relationship, multi-part series, nonhuman!reader
Part 17: Best Laid Plans
Warnings: Some mentions of sex, nothing explicit, discussions of polyamorous relationship
18: A Single Question
"It's as ready as it'll ever be." Tech leaned back from his screen, giving you a nod. "Our falsified records are now available to whoever might care to look."
You blew out a relieved breath. "Thank you, Tech. I guess now it's my turn," you said ruefully.
"Well, isn't it just clothes? What's so special about them?" Tech wondered.
"Rich people are stupid," you grumbled, "They have more money than they know what to do with, so they spend it on things like trying to look more interesting than they actually are. They're all bored, so they start finding weird things to be critical of. Like clothes."
You started scrolling through a holonet market to try to shop for some proper clothing. Hunter had decided that exploding onto the scene and catching attention right away would be the best option to draw out the interest of the Source. And even if the Source wasn't there anymore, he'd shrewdly pointed out, other Separatist sympathizers would be drawn to you, opening other doors to intel.
So, he'd decided with input from others that the dynamic would be that of a wealthy group that had bonded over mutual odd interests in different body modifications or weaponry and had formed a strange harem that traveled together. Everyone had come up with a fake background with your help, and Tech had created false records in case anyone decided to be curious enough to look you up. Plus, it would give you credibility as "new money" on the scene thanks to the Galactic War. No one would think it strange that a group interested in weaponry would make money off of the War.
It created enough intrigue at the very least, Hunter had agreed, and the nature of your relationships within the group would be more than enough to keep people talking. Echo had still been wary about it, but he'd seen the purpose of it, and he didn't seem to be opposed, per se. Just... hesitant. Unsure.
Letting out a whine, you finally sat back and closed your eyes, thinking. You'd probably have to go through it one by one, so you might as well start with Tech since he was in the room with you. His fabricated background was that of an technology expert, naturally. According to the records, he'd started off with an interest in weapons manufacturing and branched off eventually into dreadnought schematics and other experimental designs. Considering the possibilities for his background, he'd decided that he would come from a Midrim Planet that had developed quite a few manufacturing plants since the War had started.
Gazing thoughtfully at Tech, you started to piece together an outfit in your mind. Tilting your head, you grabbed your datapad and searched up a few ideas that started to form in your mind. Compiling a few outfits, you grinned in triumph and made the purchase.
Standing with the datapad, you headed off to find the others. A few hours later, you'd finalized your purchases and scheduled them to be delivered to the hotel you'd be staying at for the first few days on the planet while preparing for the mission. With a pleased nod, you went to go find Hunter.
You found him in the common room, going over his report to send to Captain Rex. He looked up as you entered, shuffling over to offer you a seat next to him.
"Finished, mesh'la?" he asked calmly, wrapping an arm around your waist.
You hummed absently, pushing the datapad toward him. "Well, I've found the outfits for you and the others," you started, eyebrows furrowing, "but I'm still not entirely sure what sort of impression you want to make with me? I've found a few designs that would go with the rest of your outfits, but each style sort of... they insinuate something different when put with the others." You pointed out the different styles you'd picked out.
Hunter leaned closer to take a look. He tilted his head, dark eyes surveying the outfits on the screen.
"You said that the type of wealthy people we'll be interacting with like mystery," he finally said slowly. "Why not all of these? If it's different each time, it'll add to the intrigue, don't you think?"
You blinked. "I guess. I hadn't thought of that," you said thoughtfully, pulling the datapad closer. Looking back down at it, you tapped your lips in thought. "But..." You blew out a breath, pouting. "I just hate attention," you whined, pulling at your hair. "I know I have to, it'll happen whether I like it or not, but I don't like it when people notice me."
Hunter chuckled, tugging you closer. He nuzzled your ear. "Don't worry, mesh'la," he murmured. "You'll be surrounded by five very selfish partners, hmm?"
You flushed, realizing how close he was at the moment. "I—" You bit your lip.
Hunter brushed his mouth against the shell of your ear. Was Cross right, mesh'la? What do you think will happen when we're all in a room together with you? For several days, even?
The low husk of his voice made you shiver, but you desperately tried to gather yourself. Turning your head, you gave him a wobbly pout.
"You're no help, Hunter," you sulked. "I'm trying to make sure we have a successful mission."
He just chuckled, briefly kissing your cheek. "And I know you'll succeed. We'll be just fine." Leaning back, he nodded at your datapad. "Do what you think is best, Shiv. There's a reason we were assigned this mission."
You just nodded, turning back to find yourself a few outfits. A part of you hated having to remember how to interact with the bored, rich folk that Trench had ingratiated with to climb the ladder; and an even bigger part of you dreaded having to sell yourself to them all over again, even if it was in a different way now. But there was another, little piece of you that almost wanted to look forward to it. Look forward to getting to dress in something you chose for yourself, to being with the people that you loved and wanted to be around.
And speaking of which, you were currently more stressed about your boys than even the mission. You knew, could feel over the bonds, that all of them were getting a bit... desperate. After the close shaves of the past few missions and now having to tiptoe a bit around Echo, they were finding it difficult to keep their hands off of you. And you were trying to manage both the situation with Echo and gently staving off the boys at the same time.
With a soft groan, you slumped forward for a moment.
"You alright, mesh'la?" Hunter asked lazily.
You sighed and stirred, standing to stretch. "I'm fine, just tired," you said, setting the datapad down. "I finished, the stuff is going to be delivered to the first hotel we're staying at the day we arrive." Glancing at the time, you started toward the door. "I'm going to go take a nap before I do any more."
You'd offered to share your bunk with Echo, knowing that no one would find it strange since you'd done it plenty of times before with the 501st. He'd taken you up on the offer, and you'd both dealt with nightmares already. Though, to be fair, it wasn't as though you weren't used to that, either. You'd had your own dark past, and War was never kind to soldiers. Whether with the 501st or the Bad Batch, you'd always had to deal with nightmares.
Echo looked up as you came into the room. "Oh, Shiv."
You groaned, collapsing next to him on the bunk. Curling up, you let out a sigh and closed your eyes. "Gonna nap," you mumbled, already drifting off. "Wake me if you need me."
~
You tapped away at the datapad, trying to make a few last moment purchases. Wrecker carried you on his shoulders along with a few other bags as the group made their way toward the hotel. His laughter rippled through the humid air of Ral'shan.
You finally finished, then looked up with an owlish blink.
"Shiv." Hunter looked up at you. "You have the reservation, right?"
You nodded, noticing that you'd arrived in front of the hotel. It was nowhere near as luxurious as the one you'd be going to in a few days for the mission, but it wasn't anything to turn your nose up at, either. It towered up high in the sky, closer to the city center where all the common tourist attractions were. Thankfully for Hunter's sake, the room you'd been given was high up where there was less noise.
"Down, please, Wreck?" You patted his arm.
He reached up and effortlessly set you back down. "There ya go, Shiv."
You smiled up at him. "Thank you!" Taking a glance back the way you'd come, you walked into the hotel and headed for the front desk. At least, you thought with a mental sigh, you knew what to expect from your time in slavery under Trench.
"Welcome to Tiyerran Hotel!" The receptionist gave you a wide smile.
You smiled back, sliding your datapad across. "Thank you. Here's our reservation."
She took the datapad, scanning it into their system. Nodding, she handed it back to you. "Yes, of course, here you are! The name is under (Name), correct?"
You blinked for a moment, surprised that the reservation was made under your name. But then, when you thought about it, it made sense. No one else's name would really make sense for an undercover mission.
"Yes," you answered. "Thank you."
She nodded, then handed you a small pouch. "Here are the passes to get into your room," she said cheerfully, glancing behind you at the others waiting for you in the lobby. "The lifts are right through that door. Your room is on the forty-seventh floor. I see here that you also have a delivery that's been made to your room. Have a great stay!"
You gave her a nod, taking the pouch, then headed back toward the rest of the Bad Batch.
They turned to you. "Got it, Shiv?" Tech asked.
You nodded. "We're on the forty-seventh floor, lifts are back there," you said, pointing. “Should I carry a bag?"
They shook their heads. "Lead the way, Shiv, we'll follow," Hunter said, grabbing bags.
"Do we have to take the lift?" Wrecker groaned as you all got in. "Why did we have to get a room so high up?"
"Do you want to hold hands?" Cross jeered, no bite in his voice.
"No!" Wrecker protested, glaring back. "I just don't do good with gravity."
Echo patted Wrecker's arm. "It's fine, Wrecker, we should be safe in the hotel," he offered sympathetically.
"Thanks," Wrecker sighed morosely.
You, on the other hand, enjoyed the ride up the lift. Heights had never really bothered you, especially since as a weapon you often got tossed around. You got used to it, you supposed. You turned once the doors opened, and quickly found your rather large suite down the hallway.
"Whoa, this is really nice," Echo remarked as he walked in.
You had to agree. The suite had two giant beds in it, with a lounge area and even a whole caf and tea bar. A wall of transparisteel stretched on the other side of the room, offering a custom-tint system to adjust levels of privacy.
You gravitated toward the window, looking out over the city central. A few clouds scattered a bit lower than the windows, lazily drifting by.
"It's really pretty," you cheered, looking out toward the horizon. "Oh, and we're on the side facing the sunsets!" You pointed toward the horizon where the dual-star system would set in a few hours.
Tech came up beside you. "It looks like there's a few bars that are open for the whole cycle nearby," he noted, peering down at the ground. "And that area, according to my intel, is where we might find some interesting local cuisine."
Your eyes lit up as you turned to him. "Oooh, do we get to go try it? I love trying new foods! Do they have interesting street food?" You clapped excitedly.
"As far as I know, there's a whole street of vendors," Tech agreed with a similar gleam in his eye. He was always down for new experiences. "And there's even a specialty drink that I've wanted to try called a Blue Egg."
"Well stop chatting about it and help unpack so we can go," Hunter said dryly from the other side of the room.
You turned, hurrying over to help. After an hour or so of unpacking the bags you'd brought and the crates of things you'd ordered, you stepped back from the closet with a nod. You'd put together all the outfits you'd ordered and neatly hung them up so that you could easily pack and transport them when you moved to the other hotel.
Wrecker and Crosshair had set up the weapons rack against a wall. The electrospear you'd been given by the Poletecs had its own space on the rack as well. Hunter, Tech, and Echo had unpacked the other bags of personal items and casual clothing in the meantime.
"I'm going to get ready," you called, grabbing your clothes and heading to the fresher to change.
As you changed, you had to send a mental thanks to Captain Rex for putting in a request for getting you a functional wardrobe. Most of your clothes had somehow gotten ruined from missions, so you'd been down to just two or three pairs. Thankfully, the budget you'd been given for this undercover mission had also covered getting you some new clothes. You'd ordered them, of course, in order to be able to access them for the mission.
Taking a final glance in the mirror to make sure you weren't missing anything, you walked back out to open the fresher to whoever else needed it. Considering the warm humidity and the prospect of walking the streets and going to a bar, you'd decided to wear a pair of shorts and a loose, summery top. You'd pulled your hair back with a hairband but otherwise didn't have any other sort of jewelry. The off-the-shoulder top felt airy and comfortable as you moved around the room, grabbing a small bag to sling around yourself and keep some credits and your comm in.
"Whoa, Shiv, you look super pretty!" Wrecker stared at you with a sort of stupid grin, standing by the couch.
Color splashed across your face as you laughed. "Thank you, Wrecker," you said with a warm smile. You walked up to him, holding your bag. "You ready? I can't wait to try the food!"
He nodded. "Yeah! I bet it's not going to be as good as yours, though."
The way Wrecker's eyes followed you with infatuation kept the warmth in your cheeks, though. You wondered if he had taken a particular fancy to the flowery, loose top you wore. After all, the only outfits the Bad Batch had ever seen you in had been your combat suits for missions, oversized shirts and shorts on the ship, and the one dress you'd worn to the 79s. You'd never really worn anything this... civilian.
"I think we're just waiting for Cross," Hunter remarked, coming up with Tech and Echo. His eyes trailed over you appreciatively. "You look good, Shiv," he complimented with a small smile.
"Thanks," you answered shyly.
"I've never seen you wear a headband before," Tech said, tilting his head and gazing at the simple silver band in your hair. "It's quite nice."
"Thank you, Tech— oh, your shirt." You caught sight of a button that had popped loose on his shirt. Moving forward, you buttoned it back and smoothed the shirt over his shoulders to get rid of the wrinkles. "There."
"Thanks, Shiv." Tech gave you a nod.
You turned to give Echo an excited smile. "Ready, Echo?"
He nodded. "I guess so." Then he stepped toward you, reaching out. "Your hair slipped again." His fingers gently rearranged your hair in the front, pushing it under your headband. He glanced down at your face and seemed to freeze for a second as though he hadn't realized what he was doing.
But you'd caught sight of his sleeve. It was your turn to reach up and adjust his cuff. "Oh, there. Thanks, Echo. My hair always hates me," you sighed.
He nodded awkwardly and pulled back. "Uh, yeah. Thanks."
Cross walked out of the fresher. "Let's get this over with," he muttered.
Tech led the way this time, while you fell into step between Wrecker and Echo. Wrecker grabbed your hand, swinging it as you walked. "What's the first thing you wanna eat?" he asked excitedly. "I wanna find the biggest thing they have!"
You laughed at him. "I think I want something sweet," you admitted. "You, Echo?"
"Uh..." He thought about it for a minute. "Something... salty," he decided.
"I've heard that their spicy foods are quite well known in this area," Tech piped up.
"Spicy noodles!" you cheered, throwing your hands up.
Wrecker cheered with you, distracted from the lift. "Yeah, spicy noodles!" He paused. "Wait, noodles?"
Everyone walked into the lobby, laughing at Wrecker's confused protests. Tech led you out into the streets, dusk just beginning to fall on the city. The horizon had started to blush a few shades of soft pinks.
Still holding hands with Wrecker, fingers laced, you pointed at a few interestingly-shaped buildings as you walked along. You both dragged Echo into guessing games of how long it would take to scale some of the taller buildings, or how you'd do it. Finally, though, you all reached the vendors' street of the outside market.
Your eyes lit up as you bounced on your toes. "Oh, look! Wrecker, Echo, over there!" You pulled at Wrecker, dragging him over to a booth with some local skewers. Everyone except for Hunter decided to try the skewers, resuming your walk down the street. Thanks to the more casual civilian clothes you'd gotten for the boys, your group blended in with the rest of the tourists and locals mingling in the market.
“That one next!” Wrecker yanked you over to another booth.
You tripped, stumbling after him laughing. Cheeks flushed, you took the snack he offered with a smile. Your hands were still linked, swinging as you both took a bite from the food. Your eyes lit up at the salty crunch, and you had to do a little bounce of happiness as you savored the flavors.
“Now this is the best!” Wrecker shouted, already finished with his.
You finished the snack and hummed in agreement, licking your fingers.
“Shiv, look.” Tech pointed toward a nearby booth.
You squealed, dropping Wrecker’s hand and grabbing Tech’s. “Spicy noodles!” You cheered, yanking him toward the booth.
“Whoa— Shiv—“
Your eyes twinkled as you took the bowl from the vendor with thanks. Turning to Tech, you grinned at him. “I bet I can finish this faster than you can, Tech,” you challenged.
Tech grabbed his own bowl. “Well, let’s find out, Shiv,” he accepted, lifting the bowl.
Wrecker choked on his mouthful. “Spicy—“ he rasped, handing the bowl to Echo and coughing.
You lifted the bowl to your mouth and started unapologetically inhaling the noodles. The spice burst on your tongue, setting your mouth on fire. But you only started eating faster, absolutely delighted at the familiar sting of the spice that seemed somehow refreshing. Chewing the last of the noodles, you drank down the rest of the soup in the bowl and set the bowl down.
Tech looked up, still finishing his noodles. Finishing his, he set his down with a smile of defeat.
“Whoa Shiv, didn’t know you loved noodles that much,” Hunter remarked with a small smile. “You beat Tech.”
You had to laugh, grabbing a tissue and a glass of water. “I’ve always loved this dish,” you said with a shrug, clearing out your sinuses and your palate. You turned to the vendor. “Thank you so much!”
She gave you a nod and smile. “It’s good to see someone who enjoys good food. Have fun, dear.”
You waved, then bounced over to Tech and gave him a hug. “You did good, Tech,” you laughed, grabbing his hand. “Can we have something sweet now?” You begged.
“Here, Shiv.” Echo walked up, holding a handful of candied sweets. He offered everyone one.
You let go of Tech’s hand and took one. “Thank you, Echo!” Holding the stick in both hands, you bit into the candied fruit. You closed your eyes as the flavor burst in your mouth and seemed to rush straight to your head.
Dusk had settled on the horizon, the sky starting to turn from pinks to reds and purples. Invested in savoring your snack, you missed the way the Bad Batch stared at the way the soft colors splashed across your figure, bathing you in the lights of the market. Your top fluttered in the light breeze, seeming to absorb the colors of the sunset.
You finished your snack and pouted a little at not having more. Still holding the stick, you looked up at the others. Hunter chuckled, reaching out to brush a few sticky pieces of candy from the corner of your lips.
“You’ve gotten a bit messy,” he said, a light of fondness in his eyes as he gazed down at you.
You let him brush it away, reaching out to grab at his shirt for balance. “Oh. Thank you.” You scrunched your nose as he brushed the last of it away, going cross-eyed trying to look down at your nose. “Is it gone?” You licked your lips, getting the last of the candy off.
“I think so.”
You looked up to say something when a noise caught your attention. Words freezing on the tip of your tongue, you tilted your head and perked up to listen. Turning your head, you started to walk toward the source of the sound. You barely realized that the others had glanced at each other and started to follow, too focused on the music that started to play.
Eyes widening, you paused and stared at a space that had been cleared in the market where a group of musicians began to play. Many of the tourists and locals had gathered around, clapping and singing. Many also danced, dragging friends or family into the circle and beginning to dance with abandon as the others watched on and cheered encouragement.
You hadn’t danced in so long, and the music lit up your heart and made you yearn for it. Glancing around, you saw a booth that sold some light, fluttery skirts and went to go get one. Slipping it on over your shorts, you bounced back to the others with a grin. Shrugging your bag off, you handed it to Wrecker.
“Hold this,” you said breathlessly, then ran toward the dancing group. You’d recognized the tune as a popular dance number, and just as you’d expected, a couple of people who knew the song had gathered. You joined, earning cheers as they gleefully ushered you into the circle.
You joined in the dance, your body falling back into the familiar movements. The high-energy dance involved spins and twirls within a circle formation, a pattern widely-common across the galaxy. Your arms lifted and fell with the rhythm of the music, and you turned to clap hands with the person beside you. Everyone grinned at each other, simply enjoying the carefree moment of life with strangers who did the same.
The group did one last circle before the music ended and you all bowed to each other. A burst of cheers and applause followed, and you laughed breathlessly. A tug at your skirt made you look down to see a little Twi’lek girl looking up at your shyly, her mother standing behind her.
You crouched, the skirt fluttering around you. “Well hello there,” you greeted softly, smiling at her.
She smiled back shyly. “Um— you dance really pretty, miss,” she chirped, her voice sweet like the sugar that still lingered on your tongue.
Your eyes widened. “Oh! Why thank you so much,” you thanked her, your heart melting. “I’m sure you dance just as well.”
She giggled. “My Mama says that giving flowers to dancers shows that you liked their dancing. Can I give you these?” She stepped closer, offering you a crown of summer flowers.
You clasped your hands in front of you. “Oh! I would be so happy to receive them!” you said breathlessly. Bending your head, you let her settle the flowers around your head. Looking back up, you reached out and gently clasped her hand in yours. “Thank you for the honor, little lady. I’m glad you liked my dancing,” you said softly.
She nodded, face lighting up. “Yeah! I hope I can be like you one day!”
You stood and gave her and her mother a polite curtsey, spreading your skirt a little. The girl’s mother gave you a grateful smile and nod, and the little girl waved and called a farewell as her mother led her away. Reaching up, you pressed your fingers against the slight ache in your chest.
I hope I can be like you one day!
“I hope you won’t have to, little one,” you whispered into the wind, then shook yourself. Turning, you ran lightly back to the others. You beamed up at them. “That was fun!” You reached up and took the flower crown, bouncing over to Echo. “I think I’m gonna crown you the new King of Summer!” You declared, settling the crown around his headpiece and clapping your hands with a laugh.
Echo took it with a resigned smile. “I guess Fives has done worse,” he said with a shrug.
“You dance really pretty, Shiv!” Wrecker said around his mouthful of snacks.
“Thanks, Wrecker.” You gave him a smile. Then you turned to Echo, holding out your hand as the musicians started a summer waltz. “Will the King of Summer give me a dance?”
He stared at you for a minute, then glanced down at himself. “Uh— I... I don’t really know how to dance, Shiv.”
You just tilted your head, still smiling as you kept your hand outstretched. “Please? I’ll teach you.”
He hesitated, then reached out and took your hand. “Okay.”
You tugged him closer to the square, then turned to him. “Here. You put your hand on my waist here, and hold my hand like this,” you said, reaching out to put his prosthetic hand on your waist. Resting your hand on his shoulder, you smiled up at his nervous expression, the flowers hiding his headpiece a little.
“And we follow the rhythm of the music. Step back like this—“ You coached him in the simple waltz, leading him in small circles. Echo picked up quickly, finding the rhythm and starting to lead a little more confidently. It reminded you of how Fives had never had any sense of rhythm despite loving trying to dance whatever chance he got, dragging you and Echo into it if you allowed him.
Echo smiled down at you, the pinched look on his face easing. “I guess I’m getting the hang of it.”
“You are!” You encouraged. “Try to spin me under your arm.”
After a little flub which made you both laugh, he managed to successfully spin you under his arm and bring you back in. “Well I guess it helps to have a good partner,” Echo remarked with a chuckle.
“I’m the lucky one, then,” you agreed. “I have you, after all.”
The waltz started to slow to a close, and you stepped closer to Echo to just sway. You slid both hands onto his shoulders, and his fell naturally to your hips. Looking up at him, you saw something spring into his eyes, feeling his body tense under your fingers.
“Shiv,” Echo rasped. “I...” He seemed unable to continue, though a sort of desperation crept into his gaze.
“Echo?” you murmured.
The waltz came to an end, leaving you leaning against his chest as he froze, hands wrapped around your waist, staring down at you with strained eyes. For a moment you both stood there, on the brink of something. Echo seemed to hover there, then he sucked in a sharp breath and abruptly let go of your waist, stepping away jerkily.
“S-sorry,” he stammered. “I— thanks. For the dance.”
Disappointment welled in you, but you pushed it aside for the moment and instead gave him the best smile you could muster. Reaching out, you grabbed his hand and started to pull him back to the others.
“You learned to dance really quickly, Echo!” You cheered instead, turning to Wrecker. “Can I have my bag back?”
He nodded. “Oh, sure, here ya go Shiv.” He handed you the bag.
You took it and slung it back over your shoulder. “What’s next?” You asked lightly.
Well what’s he holding back for? Crosshair sniped over the Bonds. Clearly he wants Shiv.
“Why don’t we go try that drink Tech mentioned?” Hunter suggested, pointing toward a booth on the other side of the square.
“Finally, a good suggestion.” Crosshair started toward the booth, quickly followed by Tech.
Hunter wrapped his arm around your waist as he followed at a more leisurely pace. Give him some time. If he has feelings for Shiv, it can’t be easy for him right now to admit it. He’s changed a lot since the last time he and Shiv were together. Plus, we’re here and he doesn’t know.
You looked down at your feet, letting Hunter guide you. You couldn’t help but feel that maybe it was just... you. You didn’t know if Echo had feelings for you at all, after all.
“No, mesh’la,” Hunter said quietly, turning you toward him. He leaned forward, his thumb brushing over your cheek. “You don’t see the way we all look at you. Echo looks at you like the rest of us do: like you’re the only thing he wants in the Galaxy. He’s just in the position we all were at first. Not knowing what to do, or if you feel the same, not wanting to ruin what you already have.”
You nodded, letting out a sigh. “Okay. I just...”
Hunter quirked a smile. “We’re all a little impatient, mesh’la. But it’ll happen, one way or another. Now come on, we’ve got to keep them from getting into too much trouble.”
You nodded and braced yourself, giving him a smile. “Okay.”
By the time you made it back to the hotel, Crosshair and Wrecker were drunk arguing while Tech and Echo tipsily rolled their eyes at the two and made sarcastic comments. You and Hunter gave each other resigned looks as the only sober ones, ushering them quickly back to your suite. Hunter sent Wrecker and Cross to the shower, while you went up to Tech and Echo.
“Come on, you two,” you said with a fond smile. “Let’s get you ready for bed. Can you change?” You grabbed their night clothes.
“Course I can,” Tech said, beginning to fumble with his buttons. Despite being a little shaky, he managed to get them off.
Echo squinted. “Uh, I—“
You brushed Echo’s hands away. “I got it, don’t worry, Echo,” you reassured, beginning to unbutton his shirt. “You had two too many, I think,” you laughed lightly. “Here you go.” You handed him the pair of sleep pants and shirt.
“Thanks, Shiv,” he muttered, shuffling off to change.
“Shiv.” Tech’s shirt was halfway off, but he had a hand up against his forehead. “I can’t look down,” he admitted, grimacing. “I think I underestimated the Blue Egg.”
Lips twitching, you shook your head at him. “I told you not to drink two of them,” you scolded. “Here.” Leaning down, you unbuckled his pants and unzipped, then straightened. “Just slide them off and change.” Thankfully his sleep pants just had a drawstring waist, so there would be no complicated ties.
“Thank you.” Tech leaned forward and pressed a kiss to your forehead, then turned toward the beds.
You walked toward the closet, going to grab your own nightclothes. You’d gotten yourself a comfortable cotton shirt and shorts. But you glanced at the other option you’d gotten for when you went to the other hotel. Hopefully by then, you thought desperately, you wouldn’t have to keep warding off the boys. Heading to the fresher, you slipped in to change.
Crosshair sat on the toilet seat, head in his hands as he grimaced. Wrecker was in the shower.
“Here.” You offered Crosshair a small vial that Hunter had slipped you. “For the hangover.”
Crosshair took it with bleary eyes, downing it without a complaint. Reaching up, he grabbed your wrist.
You paused, turning back to him. “You okay, Cross?” you asked softly, running a hand through his hair.
He sighed, then stood. “I’m tired of waiting,” he grumbled. Leaning down, he tilted your chin up and pressed a lazy kiss to your lips. “He’s being stubborn.”
You shook your head, smoothing a hand across his chest. “Like you?”
He grunted, letting go of you as Wrecker climbed out of the shower. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
You laughed a little, then handed Wrecker the other vial. “Here you go, Sunshine. Drink this.”
Wrecker squinted at it. “How many are there?”
You snorted, then uncorked it and lifted it to his mouth. “Here.”
He opened his mouth and let you pour it in, swallowing. “Ugh, it tastes horrible!” he complained, shaking his head and gagging.
“It’ll help tomorrow, I promise.” You patted his arm. Reaching down, you slid the skirt off and began to quickly change into the sleep shorts and shirt. Folding your other clothes neatly into a pile, you grabbed Wrecker and Crosshair’s discarded clothes and went to go take them to the laundry chute.
You’d just turned when Wrecker grabbed your waist and hoisted you up. You squealed in surprise, starting to laugh as he walked toward one of the giant beds.
“I’m tired,” Wrecker pronounced. He flopped onto the bed on his back, then rolled onto his side and pulled you into his chest, snuggling into you. “Gonna sleep,” he slurred, eyes closing. “Night, Shiv.”
You laughed softly, reaching up to brush your hand across his cheek. “Goodnight, Sunshine. Get some rest.”
You shook your head. “I’m fine. You know Wrecker, I’m not moving till morning anyway.”
“Fair enough.” Hunter shrugged. “Echo, just pick wherever you want. We all just end up where we end up,” he said.
Tech joined you and Wrecker in the middle of the bed, sliding up behind you and wrapping his arms around you, pressed into your back. Burying his face into your shoulder, he started to drift off with a mumbled goodnight.
You shifted a little. “Leave room for Crosshair,” you reminded Hunter quietly. “Are you going to take the top?”
He nodded, shifting across the bed so he sprawled above the three of you by the head of the bed. Adjusting pillows, he laid down facing you and draped an arm across Wrecker.
Echo stood by the edge of the bed, hesitating, when Crosshair walked out of the fresher. He walked up to Echo. “Move up,” he said shortly, pointing. “I’m by Tech.”
“Uh—“
You beckoned to Echo. “Here.” You patted your legs.
Crosshair settled on the other side, using Tech’s side as a pillow and folding his hands over his stomach. Echo glanced at everyone, then crawled up on the bed by your feet. He hesitated.
You reached up and tugged at him, pulling him down so he sprawled on top of you with his head against your stomach. Wrecker tossed his arm across Echo’s back with a snore, earning a quiet wheeze as he trapped Echo against you. Echo’s eyes widened, but you just sighed and settled in.
“Night, everyone,” you murmured contentedly, feeling your eyes drift close as sleep settled.
“Night,” Hunter mumbled.
Cross grunted.
“Night,” Echo said quietly.
You fell asleep, surrounded by warmth and happiness.
~
Everyone had scattered for day two. Tech had headed to the local library for some information, unsurprisingly. Hunter had decided to stay in the room for a while to get some rest. Wrecker had dragged Echo out, saying something about a weapons shop.
Crosshair, though, had turned to you. “I’ve got a plan. Let’s go.”
Though curious, you’d just grabbed your bag and followed after saying bye to Hunter. He’d waved you both off, heading back to bed.
You’d pulled on a black summer dress with a flower pattern, knowing it would be hot out and wanting something loose and comfortable. Catching up to Crosshair, you reached out and grasped his fingers, not wanting to lose him. He glanced back at you, then huffed a little and grasped your hand. A pulse of happiness washed through you as he held your hand, lithe fingers curling around yours with that deft confidence.
“Where are we going, Cross?”
He pulled you out into the streets, heading for the shopping district. “Out,” was all he said. As you walked, he pointed out in his quiet way different sights around the city. You enjoyed the stroll through the streets, delighted every time Cross would point out something small but interesting that most people wouldn’t have seen at first glance.
He stopped by a shop and grabbed a brunch for both of you in boxes, then led you toward a more quiet area where a bridge sat over a river. Finding a spot, he sat on the railing of the bridge and handed you a box. Legs swinging over the edge, you bit into the sandwich with a happy hum, listening to the river rushing down below and looking over the town square in the distance.
“So. About Echo.”
You turned to look at Crosshair. “Echo?”
“I happen to know that Tech is planning to make a stop while we’re in town,” Cross drawled, not quite looking at you.
“A stop?” You were starting to sound like an echo.
“There’s a particular shop that sells some... interesting things.” His eyes slid over to you. “And all of us besides Echo have put in special requests.”
You choked on your sandwich as you remembered something Crosshair had said before. Something about toys. And making a stop to get you some. And judging by the way Crosshair’s eyes glittered, you were absolutely correct in your conclusion.
“I—“ You took a drink, blushing. Setting down the sandwich, you pressed your hands to your hot cheeks.
Crosshair chuckled. “I think this might have to become a group seduction, cod’ika,” he remarked.
You sighed, picking your sandwich back up. “Well, I think you might be right. It’s not like I know how to seduce anyone anyway.”
I beg to differ. Hunter remarked lazily across the Bonds.
You almost choked again. At least let me eat! You wailed mentally, embarrassed.
“Well then, now that we’re agreed.” Crosshair finished his food, picking up his drink.
To what extent? Hunter pointed out.
“Well I don’t mind if you just act normally, besides... well,” you offered. Besides sex. Because that was the obvious line to be crossed. “Poor Wrecker. He’s been trying so hard ever since the flour incident.”
Then you propose we stop holding back in our interactions and comments. Hunter said.
In other words. Tech piped up unexpectedly. We should be flirting with Shiv more obviously.
Despite yourself, you had to burst into laughter. Shoving your hand over your mouth, you tried to stop giggling to no avail. Does anyone here know how to flirt?
Harsh, mesh’la. But Hunter sounded amused.
I thought we did. Tech said confusedly.
Showing off your knowledge isn’t flirting. Crosshair grumbled. He turned to look at you. “Your dress.”
You blinked, looking down. “My dress? Did I spill something?”
“It would look better on the floor of the room.”
You froze, lips parted and color splashed across your cheeks. You’d never in a thousand years ever expected to hear the sniper say something like that.
I believe that’s far closer to seduction than flirting. Tech snipped.
“This is going to be a disaster,” you groaned into your palms.
Did you have to do everything yourself?
Part 19: Upcoming
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Tags: Bad Batch x reader (you), fem!coded, poly!relationship, multi-part series, nonhuman!reader
Part 16: Retro, Intro, Spect
Warnings: Some mentions of sexual content but nothing explicit, discussion of poly relationship dynamics
17: Best Laid Plans
Hunter pulled you aside once you'd landed back on Coruscant. Glancing over your shoulder, he pulled you closer.
"I've talked with Captain Rex, mesh'la," he murmured, voice pitched low. "About Echo."
You blinked, confused. "A-about Echo?" you repeated, lost.
"He's clearly uncomfortable with the idea of going back into the 501st. I've noticed it throughout both missions. He feels too different. He's not... a Reg, anymore. And considering that he's used to working with you and the way he's meshed well with the team on the previous couple of missions... well." He shrugged. "We could use another member like him."
Your eyes widened as stared at him, lips parting.
He shook his head at you. "It's entirely up to him, but Captain Rex has agreed to let him join us if he chooses. You know we'll have to talk about... well, us, later, but..."
You threw your arms around his neck, feeling his arm wrap around your waist, startled. "Thank you, Hunter," you whispered thickly. "I mean, I know that it's not just for me, but—"
Hunter kissed you, his lips sliding over yours gently. His breath washed over your cheek as he pressed another, soft kiss to your lips.
"Heard what you did for Cross, mesh'la. And you're right. Besides, Echo's done well with us so far. If he really cares about you like I think he does, he's not going to mind. Like I said," his voice lowered into a husk, lips brushing against your ear, "clones know how to share."
You flushed, shaking your head. "I—I don't know. It's not like I... ever told him. But it's—it's fine. I just want the best for him," you said, looking down at the neckline of Hunter's blacks. "Whatever that means." You looked back up at him anxiously. "I love all of you. I'm—I'm not going to just... leave—"
"I know, mesh'la," Hunter soothed, thumb rubbing your waist. "Trust me, I know." Then he sighed, glancing over your shoulder at the door again. "We need to go. But I'll make the offer, and we'll go from there."
You nodded, then Transferred to him. He sheathed you as a vibroshiv, striding out the door and grabbing his helmet along the way. He joined the others outside of the ship, saluting to General Skywalker.
"Captain Rex, Corporal Echo, and Clone Force 99, you have all done a great service for the Republic. Thanks to your courage and effort, Republic shipyards will soon be up and running again. You've got some medals coming your way," General Skywalker said with a proud smile.
"Thank you, General," Hunter spoke for the Bad Batch, saluting.
The General nodded to dismiss the group, turning and striding off.
Echo turned to Hunter. "You coming?" he asked, eyebrows furrowing as he motioned toward Captain Rex. He cast a confused glance toward the rest of the Bad Batch, who had begun to turn toward the ship.
Hunter shrugged. "Not really our thing. Accolades." He glanced at Captain Rex.
"Yeah, we're just in it for the thrill. Yo!" Wrecker hollered proudly, pumping his fist.
Hunter turned back to Echo. "You sure it's your thing?" he asked.
"What do you mean?" Surprise flitted over Echo's face.
Hunter jerked his head toward the garrison. "Your path is different. Like ours. If you ever feel like you don't fit in with them, well... find us," he offered. With a curt nod to Captain Rex, he turned.
You materialized over Hunter's shoulder, turning to him. "Do we already have another mission assignment?" you asked curiously. You refused to think too deeply about Echo, knowing that he would make his own choice. Regardless of your feelings toward him, you wanted the best for him. Even if that meant not being by his side. You had the Bad Batch, and you had found love and purpose with them.
Hunter grunted. "Not exactly, but I get the feeling that we will be soon. Especially since the mission on Yalbec Prime was cut short so quickly." He'd just stepped foot on the ship to board when a shout had him and the rest of the Bad Batch turning around.
Echo jogged up to the Bad Batch. "I... I'd like to join you, sir," he addressed Hunter. "If you'll have me."
A ghost of a smile crossed Hunter's face, and he offered his hand. "Well then. Welcome to the madness, Echo."
Echo took his hand, shaking it.
Everyone turned to look at the smiling Rex, giving him a crisp salute.
Rex saluted back, then turned and left.
And for one, golden moment... everything felt like it was going to be just fine.
~
Staring up into the pantry, you smiled in satisfaction. You'd ordered some things to bake with since you were on Coruscant, so now thankfully your baking needs were supplied.
You'd showered, changed into your favorite oversized tee and shorts, and had set up your music. Humming, you started gathering ingredients for a recipe. You felt the need for some homemade bread, and of all the bad memories you had of your past, baking had been one of the good ones. Trench, at the very least, had had good cooks who had allowed you to stay and learn whenever you sneaked in. Probably out of pure pity for the poor slave-girl, you realized in hindsight. Still, you could appreciate it.
Hearing a noise behind you, you turned around to see Hunter standing in the doorway. Holding the bowl in your arms, you gave him a welcoming smile.
"Hi," you said softly, unsure if his senses were on edge or not.
He nodded towards a chair. "Mind if I join?"
"Your ship." You smiled, turning back to your bowl and reaching out to turn down the volume a little on the music. Bare feet shuffling over the cool floors, you got a carton of milk and poured it into the whisking bowl, enjoying the familiar sounds of the domesticity. Times like these were the ones you appreciated about having small breaks between missions and battles.
"Making something?" Hunter asked, his voice unraveling as he relaxed.
You hummed, reaching up and rubbing at your nose. "Some homemade bread," you said, turning with the bowl in your arms. "I've really missed it."
A small smile flitted over his face as he observed you. "And do we get to try any of this homemade bread?"
You pretended to purse your lips and think, nose scrunching. "Hmm... I don't know..." You gave him a pout. "Cross was mean to me, and Tech yelled at me, and you kept being snippy and bossy... so maybe only Wrecker and Echo deserve some—“
His eyebrows shot up as you bit your lip in an attempt not to laugh. "Oh, were we, mesh'la?" he asked, voice dry as he went along with the teasing. "I was under the impression that you rather liked it when Cross is mean, Tech orders you around, and I'm... bossy." He smirked
You tried in vain to push down the blush that rose to your face. With a huff, you turned around and put the bowl down, going to rummage in the cooler. You shook your head as the cool air washed over your flushed face.
"You're all ridiculous," you sighed, standing with the bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Turning, you waved the bag at Hunter. "I even got semi-sweet so you wouldn't get too overwhelmed with the taste." You stuck your tongue out at him as you turned back to the bowl. "Some gratitude I get around here—"
"Oh, is there a certain kind of gratitude you're looking for, mesh'la?" Hunter asked, his eyes half-lidded.
You just rolled your eyes, opening the bag and pouring chocolate chips into the batter. "No, that's the rest of you," you said dryly.
"So you think Echo would like to show you some gratitude?"
The bag fell into the batter. With a strangled sound of mingled surprise and protest, your face burning, you stared helplessly down at the poor batter. Turning, you propped your hands on your hips and stomped your foot, pouting at Hunter.
"Look at what you've done now!" you scolded, sweeping up the bowl.
Hunter chuckled, then reached out to beckon you closer. "I'm sorry, Shiv. Come here, bring the bowl. Let me fix it, mesh'la."
Still pouting, you took the bowl and approached him, letting him wrap his hand around your waist and pull you into his lap. You set the bowl on your legs, looking down at the bag sinking into the batter.
Hunter reached in and plucked the bag out. "You know we have to talk about it, though," he pointed out. "The others know about your feelings for Echo, and they've agreed with me that he’s a good fit with the Bad Batch. Once Captain Rex makes a report, you know Kamino is going to call us back again for another checkup."
You sighed, watching as he set the bag down on the small table beside him. Gnawing at your lip, you tried to find the proper words.
"I..." Your shoulders slumped. "I don't want to force my feelings onto Echo, Hunter," you said quietly. "I never told him about my feelings, and... it doesn't matter what I feel. It's about what's best for him. And considering that maybe he'd either be whole if I'd done better or completely gone and not just half of a man—"
"I thought he already set you straight about that," Hunter said evenly, a quiet rebuke in his voice.
You flinched a little. "I know," you whined. "But it doesn't make me feel any less guilty. Besides, even if he doesn't blame me, that doesn't mean he has feelings for me," you pointed out. "And... even if he does—“ you gave him a pointed look, cutting off his protest, "is everyone else really okay with that?"
Hunter raised an eyebrow, still fishing out extra chocolate chips and dropping them back into the bag. "We all agreed to welcome him, Shiv. The fact that he saw us in action and accepted our offer says something, doesn't it? Like I said before... we're selfish about you, Shiv, but we know how to share with our Vode."
You stared unseeingly for a moment at the chocolate chips swimming in the batter. "I'm... I'm just a little worried," you finally admitted. "I just don't want... don't want anyone to think that they mean any less to me, because it's not true," you agonized. "Just because I learned to love Echo first doesn't mean I love him more than anyone else. You all mean so much to me, in different ways."
Hunter sighed. "And the same goes for us, Shiv. I know Cross probably made you think that, but you've settled that fear in him that you'll leave. We have an advantage with you, mesh'la, because we get to see into your mind. None of us have lied to you or each other about this, and we know it thanks to our Bonds."
Something in you eased a little at the reminder and reassurance. Hunter knew his Vode well, and the fact that he was speaking for the others spoke volumes to you. They must have really talked about it if he was this confident. If anything, he was the one wanting to make moves to bring Echo into the relationship.
"Well..." You sighed. "As long as everyone is okay with it, of course I am too."
"Shiv." Hunter reached up, tilting your chin to look at him, eyes dark and serious. "If you are uncomfortable about this—“
"No, no!" You shook your head, grasping his hand. "No, that's not it— I just wanted everyone else to be fully okay with it. My relationship with all of you is something I'm proud of, but it's not just me, it's all of us," you rushed, relief flooding you that everyone seemed understanding. "I just... I want what's best for all of us."
Hunter seemed to study your eyes for a moment, then a gentle smile crossed his face. Leaning forward, he gave you a soft kiss. Then he tapped the edge of the bowl.
"Then I suppose we'll have to figure out how to get Echo to admit that he wants further into the madness," he chuckled.
You looked down into the bowl, noting that it was no longer drowning in chocolate chips. Giving him a grateful smile, you started folding the pile of chips into the batter with the spatula.
"I'd like to talk to the others individually too," you admitted, "but... I'm really happy that I have all of you." You gave him a grateful smile. "I never thought I'd get to be this lucky in life."
"You deserve everything, mesh'la," Hunter murmured, his fingers rubbing circles against your hip as he held you on his lap. "Do you know how much better you've made our lives since you joined us?"
A thought occurred to you, and you tilted your head at him. "You said, before," you remembered slowly, "that you all thought that I wouldn't be interested in all of you that way. What made you even decide that you'd give Wrecker the chance?" you asked, curious. "I mean, he was the first one that made me realize my feelings, but it wasn't just him even from the start."
Hunter snorted at that, shaking his head. "We've been Vode for a long time, Shiv. We saw it in each other the moment we all started falling for you. We did... avoid it for a while, but we all knew we'd eventually have to talk about it. Once we learned more about you... we just didn't think you'd accept all of us. We weren't even sure if you'd be comfortable with any kind of relationship outside of Weapon and Wielder."
You listened, still stirring the batter.
He huffed, looking down at the mixing bowl. "Then you seemed to get more comfortable with Wrecker. Especially that night at the 79s... the way you clearly felt comforted around him. I think it surprised us at first, since Wreck's... well, you know how he seems to others." He shrugged ruefully. "But we figured if you seemed interested, we'd give him the chance." Then he chuckled. "I guess in the end we have Tech to thank for... well, being him."
You smiled, a little embarrassed. "Well, I was sort of... having an internal crisis at the time," you admitted. "I didn't even think I'd be able to love after I thought I'd lost Echo, and then suddenly I realized that I'd somehow formed feelings for four people. It kinda scared me at the time, so... when Tech said it, I sort of just... broke."
Hunter chuckled. "The one time we can be grateful you did, I suppose."
You patted his arm, then slid out of his lap. Going back to the counter, you started to spread some flour over the counter in order to knead the dough. "You can laugh, but I was terrified, I'll have you know!" you said, shaking your head at the memory.
Hunter came up behind you, his hands settling on your hips as he pressed his chest against your back and looked over your shoulder. "And now it's even, since you've given us plenty of scares since then, hmm?" he replied amusedly, pressing his mouth against your ear. "Do you know how much you scared us the day you fought the Guardian on your own?" He sighed, breath blowing over your face. "I thought I was about to lose my mind, mesh'la."
You closed your eyes, a bit of guilt flashing through you. "I know. I'm sorry," you sighed, turning your head to give him a remorseful look, even bringing out the puppy eyes that Fives always swore would get you anything. "I just wanted to keep you away from Skarla."
Hunter tucked his face into the crook of your neck, pulling your hips against his. "Well, we didn't understand then. Besides," his voice lowered to a husk, lips brushing against your neck, "watching you fight like that, mesh'la? Do you know what you do to your poor men?" He groaned against your skin. "That day with the electroscythe? I was almost sure that would be the day everyone would find out just how well you'd integrated with us."
You wanted to both laugh and whimper at the same time. Hunter had you pinned against the counter, hands starting to wander, lips trailing down your neck. But your hands were covered in dough and flour, and you knew that you'd have to remind him that if he started something, everyone else would finish it, and poor Echo didn't know anything yet.
Squirming, you turned around to face him and held up your floury, doughy hands. "I love you, my handsome man," you half-laughed, "and I'm happy that you liked my fighting, but we have two problems here." You quirked an eyebrow at him. "Because first of all, I'm making bread; and second, if you start, you know how it'll end, and there is someone on board who isn't part of our relationship yet."
He sighed, then bent and pressed a quick kiss to your lips. "Then we need to get him in, quickly," he grumbled. "Because otherwise it's not going to stay a secret for much longer."
You rolled your eyes. "Well I can't help that until I talk with everyone else, so help me with this bread." Giving him an indulgent look, you grabbed his hand and pulled him back to the counter. "Here, put your hands in the flour."
He blinked but obeyed, coating his hands with the flour.
"Then start working the dough, like this—" Reaching around his arms, you gently guided his hands to knead at the dough on the counter. "Fold it and push it in." You giggled. "You don't have to be that gentle with it, Hunter."
He started to get the hang of it pretty quickly, and you left him to it as you washed your hands and went to prepare the pan. Greasing it and setting it on the counter, you came back to peer at the dough.
"A little bit more, please. Thank you," you said gratefully, leaning up to kiss his cheek. You went to go grab the bag of chocolate chips and tie it up, going to put it back in the cooler. You'd just turned around when you felt something blow across your face.
With a gasp, you froze, then blinked away the white haze to see Hunter smirking. His fingers were powdered white. Looking down, you realized that he'd tossed the flour at you. For a second, both of you just stood there.
"Oh, no you didn't," you hissed playfully, eyes narrowing. Lunging, you managed to grab a handful of flour from the counter. You clapped your hands in his face, sending an explosion of white powder that had him spluttering.
He grabbed another handful, tossing it at you as you danced away with a shriek of laughter. "Get back here, Shiv—"
You dove away as he lunged toward you, dancing around him back to the counter. Grabbing the flour, you had just cocked your arm back to throw it at him when you caught sight of someone in the doorway. Your grin widened, and you stepped forward.
Hunter froze as you threw your handful of flour past his shoulder. Turning his head, he caught sight of a flour-bombed Tech standing frozen in the doorway. For another moment, all three of you stood there, frozen, breathlessly waiting.
Then Tech coughed, deliberately reached up and shook off his goggles, and put them back on. Reaching down, he scooped up some flour from the floor, then tossed it at you and Hunter.
Chaos broke loose. White started to flutter everywhere like snow, while you laughed yourself to tears. You'd just inched your way around the galley when you bumped into someone. Glancing up, you saw Cross observing from the doorway with an unimpressed look. Behind him stood Wrecker, a wide grin on his face.
Then you felt flour splat against your chest. Reeling back, you fell against Crosshair's chest and let out a sneeze as flour drifted up your nose. You'd shielded Cross from the assault.
Crosshair raised his eyebrow, then spit out the toothpick clenched between his teeth. Reaching up, he dragged a hand through your hair, scooping up flour. Without a word, he pulled you to the side and chucked his handful at Hunter and Tech.
"Yeah, let's get em, Cross, Shiv!" Wrecker roared.
You shrieked as Wrecker barreled past both you and Cross. Shouts broke out anew, and you soon found yourself next to Cross backing up Wrecker's frontal assault. Finally, though, you found yourself straddled on top of Hunter, reaching down to rub flour over his tattoo, giggling.
Wrecker sprawled on his back, laughing as he grabbed Tech and Crosshair's ankles and yanked them down to the flour-strewn floor as they yelled in protest.
Abruptly, Hunter grabbed your waist and stood. "Echo, catch," he called, then tossed you.
You shrieked, only to feel someone catch you. You looked up breathlessly to see Echo staring down at you, surprise stamped over his face. Covered with flour, you blew a piece of hair out of your face, then gave Echo a grin. Before he could even open his mouth and ask, you reached up and smudged a handprint of flour across his face.
"Pile!" you shouted, dropping your legs to the ground. Grabbing a disoriented Echo, you yanked him forward and down to the ground. He fell with a shout, and soon you were laughing hysterically as you pushed his face into a pile of flour.
Wrecker let go of Tech and Crosshair to reach up and grab you, dragging you up onto his chest. Your stomach ached with laughter as you tried fighting off his hands smudging flour all over you, digging into your sides. His hands clamped over your thighs on either side of his stomach, leaving white streaks over your skin.
"No— Wreck, please— no!" you squealed, squirming and trying in vain to escape. "I give up, I give up!" you gasped. Collapsing, you laughed and tried to catch your breath as Wrecker held you up, holding your waist. He grinned up at you.
"You're all covered with flour, Shiv," he said, tugging at your shirt.
You shook your head, sending flour everywhere. "Hunter started it," you said in childish glee. Reaching down, you started to brush flour off of his face.
"You put me in charge of the flour," Hunter said lazily from his spot on the floor.
"You were supposed to be kneading dough for the bread," you shot back with a pout. "You'd better not have ruined it."
"You were making bread, Shiv? Oh yeah!" Wrecker cheered.
"And since I'm not the one who started it," you sniffed, "the rest of you can help clean up the mess." You looked morosely down at your shirt. "I'm going to have to do laundry. This poor shirt has been through so much already!"
Tech sat up, brushing off his goggles. Blowing flour off of his face, he reached out and plucked at the edge of your shirt.
"Looks like you really have gotten flour everywhere," he observed. "Wrecker, you left handprints on her thighs."
You peered down, assessing the damage. You lifted up your shirt to look at your stomach. "Well that bruise is your fault, Tech," you said, pointing at a little bruise on your side. Then you lifted your foot and pointed morosely to the one on your ankle. “And that one is from smacking my foot on the console when Echo got knocked out.”
“You what?” Hunter asked, craning his neck to look at you.
“When we were on the mission,” you said, trying to brush flour off of Tech’s head and face. “I had to use both hands to finish the decryption, but then Tech was busy and someone needed to block another splicing attempt, so I kicked off my boot and did it. Tech,” you fussed, “stop twitching, you’re gonna get it in your glasses again.”
“It’s fine, I think we all need to wash off anyway,” Tech said with a shrug, though he did stop long enough to let you brush him off.
Hunter sat up, starting to brush himself off. “Probably. I need to clean this up.”
“Cross—“ You leaned over Wrecker, reaching for a clump of flour that had gotten stuck in the sniper’s white hair. “Your hair—“
He bent and let you brush it out, despite grumbling a little about “flour” and “childish feuds.”
You’d almost entirely forgotten about your position until Wrecker piped up. “Whoa, nice view.”
Everyone froze for a moment, staring at Wrecker with a slight sense of horror. You blinked, then looked down and realized that you’d bent over his face and your shirt had fluttered up right around your chest. Then you let out a snort and pulled back, pinching Wrecker’s nose.
“You’re lucky I had a bra on, Wrecker,” you teased lightly. “I bet Echo remembers that time in the barracks when I was washing my last one and Fives accidentally tripped and pulled my shirt down,” you laughed, grinning at Echo.
He looked a bit pink around the cheeks, but he sat up and chuckled. “Yeah, I remember. Hawk and Jesse almost killed him and he just wailed something about being a traitorous Vod.” He grinned.
Everyone relaxed, while Wrecker shot you an apologetic look.
You just tweaked his nose and smiled, then stood up, shaking your shirt. “Oh I remember. Captain Rex walked in just as I started laughing. Must’ve been so confusing to see me laughing while Kix wrapped me up in a towel and you watched Fives snivel on the floor.” You rolled your eyes at Echo. “You were no help at all.”
Echo raised his hands defensively. “Look, I had snacks and Fives was being dramatic with Hawk and Jesse. It was the best entertainment. Rex’s face looked like he was about to quit being our Captain.”
You carefully walked over to the counter, then observed the dough, poking at it. “Well at least the dough got done,” you said in satisfaction. Grabbing the dough, you put it into the metal mixing bowl and placed the cover over it. Sticking it in the cooler, you turned. “I’m going to put a basket in the fresher, so put your floury clothes in it so they don’t get everywhere.”
“Got it, Shiv.” Tech headed out, clearly calling dibs on first shower.
“Shiv, go sit. Cross and Wrecker can help me clean this up.” Hunter waved you off. “You and Echo need to rest anyway.”
You grabbed Echo’s hand, pulling him over to a relatively clean corner. “How are you, Echo?” you asked, shaking out your shirt a little more and trying to brush as much flour off.
He shook off his mechanical arm, curling his robotic fingers. He’d been outfitted with a hand prosthetic that he could take off if needed. “I’m fine,” he said, shaking his head. “Just... getting used to it.”
You peered up at him through floury eyelashes, a frown touching your lips. “I’m sorry, Echo. I know it’s got to be hard. I mean... going through all of this and then deciding to join the Bad Batch.”
He sighed, glancing over at an arguing Cross and Wrecker as Hunter oversaw. “It’s better this way,” he said quietly. “I’m too... I’m not the same as the 501st remember me. It’s better I find a place here, with others who get that.” Then he looked at you. “But you help.” His eyes widened slightly. “I mean, having you here— since you’re someone I know and you also— with Trench—“
You reached up, brushing some flour off of his headpiece. With a small smile, you helped him brush it off. “I know. I feel...” You sighed, glancing at the other three. “I love the 501st, of course. They’re my Vod’ika, and they... they did so much for me that I can’t ever repay. But I didn’t fit with them perfectly as a weapon. As an In’ko’charte. But here, with the Bad Batch... I’ve found my place where I’m strongest. With them.” You gently brushed a finger under his sunken eye. “They’re kind, but they help me grow in ways the 501st didn’t. My Vode will always see me as the little sister they rescued, and I’m happy with that. But the Bad Batch see me as a teammate, someone to work alongside with and grow with. I really hope we can be that for you, too, Echo.”
Echo seemed to be frozen in place, his eyes fixed on yours, head tilted slightly into your hand.
You reached up and gently brushed some smudges off of his cheek. “I’m so happy to have you back,” you whispered, giving him a shattered smile. “No matter how you’ve changed. You’re still my Echo.”
Echo inhaled in a sharp breath, but before he could say anything, Tech came back in.
“The fresher is free,” he informed the others, then sauntered back off.
“I’m next.” Crosshair headed for the door.
You noticed that Wrecker and Hunter were almost finished cleaning, and started toward the counter after squeezing Echo’s good hand. “Oh, wait, leave a bit on the counter—“
You didn’t notice the way Echo stared after you, but other, knowing eyes did.
~
The smell of baking bread filled the halls of the ship.
You peeked into the cockpit, noticing that Tech was alone. “Mind if I join?”
He turned, glancing at you. “Oh, Shiv. Of course.”
You walked up to him, then slid into his lap. He grunted and leaned back, focusing on you as he grasped your waist with one hand. Looking up into his face, you gave him a shy smile.
“Hi.”
He blinked, but a slight smile crossed his face. “Hello.”
You worried your lip for a moment, then sighed and looked down at your hands. “Hunter talked to me. I mean... about Echo.”
Tech’s thumb started to trace circles into your waist. The way his fingers flexed around your waist was almost distracting. “Ah, yes.” He tilted his head at you. “I assumed by the way you both projected across the Bonds that you were alright with it.”
“I am,” you assured him, smoothing your hands across his chest. “I just... I wanted to talk to all of you personally about it. And thank you.” You looked up at him earnestly. “I know it’s not just about me, but still, Tech. You encouraged me to not give up hope.”
“I’m glad it worked out for all of us, cyar’ika,” Tech said, still giving you his full attention. He even leaned back in the chair as he listened. “And I’m quite sure that he has feelings for you.”
You blinked, wondering where that had come from. It seemed a bit out of the blue.
“It was pretty obvious earlier during the flour fight.” Tech reached up and adjusted his glasses in that way. The one that meant he was about to rattle off information. “Judging by the changes in his breathing patterns during certain moments and his expression when Wrecker—“
You reached up, laughing a little as you pressed your fingers to his lips. “Tech, Tech,” you giggled. “Thank you, really. But right now, I need you to focus on us.”
He sighed. “Very well, Shiv.”
“I just need you to know that I love you, so much, and that just because Echo is here it doesn’t mean my feelings for you are any less.” You sobered, pressing your hands against his face and pulling him closer to you. “I want all of us to be okay with this, and not just doing it because everyone else is. It’s all of us.”
Tech leaned forward, taking advantage of the closeness to steal a kiss. He tucked his forehead against yours. “We are, Shiv,” he reassured. “You’ve told us about how he helped you, and we can all feel over the Bonds how much you care about him. As long as he truly cares about you like we do, that’s what matters most. There’s room for him with us.”
You let your eyes flutter closed, heart swelling. “How did I get so lucky?” you whispered. “You’re all so good to me.”
“As long as we have you, cyar’ika.” Tech pressed a kiss to your forehead. “Do I get a piece of bread?”
You laughed, sliding off of his lap. “Yes.”
“Oh, and Shiv,” he called after you as you turned to go find someone else. “You might want to be prepared. I’m quite sure that Wrecker and Cross have some kind of plan to get Echo to... figure it out.”
You paled. “Thanks for the warning,” you said weakly. “You wouldn’t... happen to know any details... would you?”
He just gave you a shrug. “Good luck.”
You waved, heading off down the hall with a sinking feeling. Of course it would be those two. Tech’s patience knew no bounds apparently, and Hunter was responsible enough to wait. But Cross never cared about what others thought anyway, and Wrecker... Your Sunshine never really had tact or patience.
Of course, that meant that you found Crosshair next. He was in his bunk, unsurprisingly, and raised an eyebrow as you stood in the door.
“Can I talk to you, Cross?”
He grunted, then nodded to the spot next to him.
Bouncing over happily, you sat next to him. After a moment of companionable silence, you leaned your head against his shoulder.
“No,” Cross said bluntly before you could say anything. “If he knows, he knows.”
You sighed. “I guess that means you’re okay with it?”
He turned to give you a wry look, though there was no true irritation in his gaze. “If I weren’t, do you think Hunter would have invited him, kitten?” he drawled, catching your chin in his lithe fingers. Leaning down, he brought your chin up for a demanding kiss. It wasn’t rough, but it did burn across your lips with a touch of that possessiveness that flickered over the Bond.
He let go, and you blinked a little dazedly up at him, catching your breath. Casually, he turned back to his work. “You’re ours. That doesn’t change.”
But happy relief filled you. You knew that it was his way of saying that he understood that your love wouldn’t change, that it was simply Echo joining, not anyone leaving. You reached over and hugged him, then leaped up happily.
“Thank you, Cross! I’ll bring you some bread when it’s done,” you said over your shoulder as you practically floated out the door.
You stopped by the galley, checking on the bread. It had sufficiently cooled by then, so you sliced it into appropriate pieces. Putting at least half a loaf on a plate, you grabbed it and headed to Wrecker’s bunk.
Poking your head in, you found Wrecker sitting in his bunk, holding Lula. He perked up as soon as he saw you holding the bread. Swinging up, he grinned at you and put Lula aside.
You smiled back, approaching and handing him the plate of bread. “Here you go, I figured you’d like the first taste.”
“Aw really, Shiv?” He took the plate, then grabbed a piece and bit into it. It didn’t take long before he’d scarfed two pieces down. “It’s so good, Shiv,” he groaned.
You laughed, sitting beside him. “I’m glad, Wreck.”
He set the plate aside for a moment, then reached out and grabbed you, pulling you into his lap. Leaning down, he buried his face into your hair and let out a happy hum. “Thanks, cyare.”
You reached up and brushed your hand across his cheek. “You’re welcome, Sunshine. It’s my thanks to you, for being so good to me.”
He grabbed his plate again, starting on another piece of the bread. “Do you think we’ll have another mission soon?”
You shrugged. “I don’t know. But right now, I’m on a bit of a mission of my own.” You gave him a smile as he gazed down at you curiously. “About Echo.”
His eyes lit with understanding. “Oh, right! So, how are you gonna do it, Shiv?”
You blinked up at him. “Do... what?”
He waved his piece of bread in the air. “Y’know. Tell him about us.”
“Oh!” You laughed a little at yourself. “I guess you’re okay with it, then, Sunshine.”
He tilted his head. “Huh? Course, Shiv. He’s one of us now, right? Besides, you love him too. Right?”
You patted his chest. “Yes. But I wanted to make sure you’re okay with it, you know. Because you’re my Sunshine, and I need my good boy to be happy.” Reaching up, you kissed his cheek softly.
He grinned, squeezing your waist in a hug. “Yeah! Oh, right... sorry about earlier, Shiv. What I said.”
“Don’t be.” You shook your head. “I was one of the boys in a lot of ways back when I was with the 501st. Fives alone made so many jokes.” You rolled your eyes. “Echo’s used to seeing his Vode kinda flirt with me in a weird sort of teasing way.”
“Okay.” He nodded. “Does that mean I can still touch you and stuff?”
For a moment, you thought about it. Keeping it hidden from Echo wasn’t really an option, and you didn’t think that would be the way to do it. He’d already seen how comfortable you were with the Bad Batch. Maybe letting everyone simply be their normal selves and just including Echo as though he were already a part of it would be the best option, after all.
So you smiled up at Wrecker. “Of course, Sunshine. I’m still Shiv, aren’t I?”
Wrecker took it in stride. “Course!” He paused, then looked down at his almost-empty plate. “Oh.” He stared at it wistfully.
“Save it for later,” you said, shaking your head at him. “You’ll get a stomachache if you eat too much.”
He sighed but nodded. “Okay.”
You slid out of his lap. “I’m going to go give everyone else some bread, mmkay?”
He nodded. “Sure.” Grumbling, he started to brush crumbs off of himself as you smiled fondly and left.
Grabbing more bread, you started off back down the hall. Dropping off bread to Crosshair and Tech, you found Echo and Hunter in the common room, conveniently enough. They looked up at you as you entered.
“Bread is done,” you said cheerfully, offering them the plates. “I went and made rounds. Thought you might want some.”
“Thanks, Shiv.” Hunter gave you a nod, taking his plate and biting into the bread.
“Oh— thank you, Shiv.” Echo took the plate, then stared down at it for a moment. A sad sort of smile flitted over his face as he picked up a piece. “Chocolate chips?”
You sat down on the couch next to Hunter, tucking your feet up. “As always,” you agreed with a complacent nod. “You and Fives always complained there were never enough.”
“Because there aren’t,” Echo answered smartly, biting into the bread.
Hunter grunted. “There’s enough chocolate chips, the problem is that there’s never enough bread,” he said, already working on his second piece.
You rolled your eyes at them. “Well it’s not my fault that three loaves never last long in this house,” you sniffed.
“That’s because Wrecker and Tech alone finish a whole loaf,” Hunter snorted, finishing his bread.
“Can’t blame them. Shiv’s baking has always been the best,” Echo muttered around his last piece. He set down the plate with a satisfied sigh. “Thanks, Shiv. I missed that flavor.”
Despite yourself, you suddenly wondered what Echo’s flavor would be. You remembered before the Cathedral, his energy had always been like a sweet, tart juice. You recalled the cooling, soothing sensation of his energy trickling through you, and wondered if it had changed. And then you stopped yourself there, reminding yourself that questioning any other flavor might not be the best idea at the moment.
“I’m glad you remember it, Echo.” You smiled at him, leaning your cheek against your knee.
“Speaking of which,” Hunter said, kicking his feet up. He leaned back, arms slinging across the back of the seat. His hand landed on your shoulder casually. “We’ve been given a few days on Ral’shan as a combined mission and break.”
You tilted your head toward him. “Combined?” you asked curiously.
He nodded. “For once, we’re supposed to blend in,” he said, rather wryly. “There’s apparently a Separatist thread we found linked to Trench, and the last sighting was reported in Ral’shan, the capital city of Dro’har.”
“Dro’har?” Echo asked, surprised. “That’s a rather wealthy planet. Isn’t Ral’shan known for its hotels based around waterfalls?”
Hunter nodded. “Yes, and apparently we’re supposed to find this Separatist source at the last known location. Our orders are to spend a few days and nights in a different hotel and gather the things we need, then move to the hotel where the Source was seen and blend in with the crowd there as though we’re just another group of visitors.”
You frowned. “What’s the catch? Why do we need so much time to get ready?”
Hunter sighed, nodding towards the holotable. “According to Tech’s intel, we’re going to have to purchase with the funds given us a whole new wardrobe. To blend in, we’re going to have to look like a wealthy group.”
Echo shifted a little uncomfortably. “I don’t exactly look... normal.”
“Body modifications aren’t uncommon among the kind of wealthy people that go to a place like that,” you said absently, staring at the holotable. “And now I know why we got assigned this mission. Because of my past with Trench.” You wrinkled your nose. “He used to take me to places like that all the time for appearances or making connections.” With a sigh, you shook your head. “We’re going to have to come up with a good story for us to sell to people at the hotel who will all be nosy about each other’s business and lives. And some kind of relationship between all of us. Well, I guess being an In’ko’charte— no, never mind.” You winced. “People like that would assume that I’m the ornament.”
“Well I don’t think we can very well say that we’re somehow all related,” Hunter pointed out. “We may be clones, but we look different enough to not be suspicious. Still, not close enough to be related.”
“And how do we explain the fact that we’ll all be in one room?” Hunter raised an eyebrow. “Because we’ve apparently been booked a single suite for the mission.”
“Well. There is one obvious answer,” you said slowly, glancing at Hunter. "I mean... people like these are going to assume it anyway."
Hunter raised an eyebrow. Well that's an idea I hadn't considered. Anyone have thoughts?
"I suppose," he said out loud thoughtfully. Reaching over, he grabbed a datapad and handed it to you. "Here, Shiv. Take a look at the details. It makes sense that we might have been assigned this mission considering both our unusual looks and your experience with similar settings. You'd probably know best how to blend in."
To be fair, Shiv has a point. This might be the best way to bring Echo into the situation in a natural way. Besides, she's also correct that we wouldn't be out of place if we chose that as a cover. Tech offered over the Bond.
You took the datapad, then hummed thoughtfully and scrolled through the information.
Whatever works. Cross said, unhelpfully.
Whatever Shiv wants!
You stifled a smile. You're sweet, Sunshine.
"What plan?" Echo asked, looking between you and Hunter.
You and Hunter glanced at each other. You suggest it? You tentatively offered.
Hunter turned to Echo as you started looking at the budget you'd been given for the mission. "We're probably going to go as a group in a relationship," he said bluntly, sounding casual about it.
You leaned closer to Hunter, pointing to the datapad. "It says here that we're supposed to make a connection if possible to the Source that linked to Trench. If this Source is really there, the only way we're going to get their attention and interest is if we purposely tailor ourselves in a way that hints at Separatist interests. I remember the guests Trench used to invite to show me off to. I could try to base our look off of that."
He nodded. "Best bet, Shiv. Whatever you think is right."
"A relationship?" Echo asked, looking confused.
You nodded, tapping your chin thoughtfully. "We'll have to create backstories so Tech can create false records. Then I'll have to figure out how to harp on all of our strengths individually." You pursed your lips, giving Hunter a thoughtful frown. "I mean, either way, when they see we're all in one room together and see our similar 'eccentric interests,'" you crooked your fingers in the air, "they're going to assume. Gossip at the least."
"Wait— what are you—"
You looked up at Hunter. "So am I supposed to be an In'ko'charte on this mission, or am I the eccentric rich woman with a flair for the scythe that happens to be with five others?" you asked with genuine curiosity, wondering what he would prefer.
"Hold on, time out," Echo protested, waving his hands. "Sorry, I need a bit of clarification. When you say relationship, what exactly are we talking about here?"
You and Hunter exchanged looks, and he raised an eyebrow. You want to take this one, mesh'la?
You turned to Echo. "Echo, no matter what we try, rich people are bored and will always want to make a story more interesting than it is. If we take advantage of that and embrace it instead of trying to avoid it, we become instantly more interesting and approachable to them, opening more opportunities to interact with otherwise... difficult and haughty people," you explained. "And since we've only been booked one room, they're going to inevitably see one female and five males and draw rather obvious conclusions. I'm trying to say that we should... well, go with it."
Echo stared at you for a moment of silence, seemingly speechless. Then he swallowed thickly. "Are you—" he choked, clearing his throat. "Are you saying that we should pretend like we're all..." He motioned vaguely in the air.
"Romantically involved, yes," Hunter finished with a shrug. "And Shiv is right, we need to decide whether she's going to be the weapon or we're going to be her escorts."
Well isn't this an interesting concept. Crosshair commented, voice slick with amusement. Does our little kitten have ideas about being in a room with all of us?
Hunter sighed across the Bonds. Cross, at least wait until we've somehow gotten Echo in on it before you rile everyone up.
I already told you, I don't care. Cross snorted. Shiv is ours. If he wants to join, he'll join.
"Whoa, hold on—" Echo spluttered. "Shiv, are you— are you even okay with this?"
You bit your lip, then set the datapad down and stood, walking over to Echo. Standing in front of him, you pointed to his lap. "Is this seat empty?" you asked sweetly, giving him an innocent smile.
He blinked. "What? Uh, my seat?"
You patiently shook your head. "Is that seat open?" You pointed at his lap again, more insistently.
"That's— me—?” Echo asked, bewildered, pointing to himself.
I said what I said. You deadpanned over the bonds, earning laughter from Wrecker. Leaning down, you grasped Echo's hand and slid into his lap, sitting on his legs comfortably. Draping his arm over your lap, you twined your fingers in his.
"Every mission sometimes asks things of us, you know that," you reminded Echo with a little shrug. "I've been lucky. I got to be a part of the Bad Batch, and be their weapon. They've been really good to me, and I'm comfortable here, now." You gave Echo a full, honest smile. "It's not just pretending if you really care about people, right? Besides, it's part of our job. I don't mind. I trust all of you."
He hesitated, a little stiff under you. "I... I suppose," he admitted slowly, looking down at your linked hands. "I just... I mean, I don't know how..."
"Just follow our lead, Echo," Hunter said with an encouraging nod. "Shiv's been with us for a while, now. Hopefully soon enough your Bond with her will get to the point that she's gotten to with the rest of us. I've been told that the 501st didn't get to that extent because she was having difficulty adjusting to so many of you. We've formed close enough Bonds with Shiv that we have constant mental connection with each other through her, and can Transfer with her without saying the words out loud."
Echo's eyes widened. "I didn't know that was a thing," he said, looking up at you.
You nodded. "Yes. Maybe on this trip we'll all get close enough that you'll be able to Bond with me to that point, too!" You smiled hopefully.
"Just do what you're comfortable with, Echo," Hunter said, shaking his head. "We'll set the tone with Shiv, and you can contribute however you want to. We understand if you won't be comfortable with certain things."
"You have constant mental contact?" Echo asked, eyebrows furrowing. "So, is that how you communicate during battles? I noticed on our previous missions that you didn't seem to need to say the words to Transfer. But does that mean when you're not Transferred you still have mental contact?"
You nodded. "Yep! And the Bonds have gotten to the point now that they can use me as a sort of central hub to just connect with each other. When you join, hopefully soon, you'd be able to mentally talk to any one of us whenever you wanted."
"Without the others hearing?" Echo asked.
"Yep! It's controlled projection."
Understanding flitted across his face. "Oh, so it's projection. I got it." He nodded, then sighed. "I... I guess I'll just have to take your lead, then," he said uncertainly, shifting slightly under you.
You leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. "We'll be okay, Echo! We're all together, right?"
He blinked, then nodded. "R-right."
Sliding off of his lap, you grabbed the datapad. "So, what were we doing again about the dynamic-?"
But you and Hunter exchanged significant glances.
Well. I guess this has turned into an operation of seducing Echo. Tech's wry comment sent you and Hunter into a burst of hysterical laughter.
Part 18: A Single Question
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Honestly obsessed with the "Humans are the cats of space" corner of the whole trope.
We may be seen as objectively adorable. We're tiny predators, vicious and mighty with teeth and nails, but also easy to pick up and hold and swing around while saying "Babyyyy"
We're quiet and sneaky in the wild, hard to catch and contain, very effective hunters and climbers. But when domesticated who wouldn't just lounge around if we're given free food, unlimited sleep, and constant enrichment?
And same with cats, there's a variety of how humans act and feel about these huge creatures taking care of us. Some of us might be very chatty, very affectionate, some probably clingy if we trust our Alien enough. While others don't screw with their personal space, would scratch and bite if you do something they don't like. The affection is at their pace cause otherwise you'll come out with a few scars.
As small as we are, the more wild independent humans have the strength and means to take down predators so much bigger than us when the situation becomes dire enough. There's been cats who've gotten dogs, wolves, and bears singlehandedly.
A human that's been in an alien family long enough would probably chase off a huge threatening space creature to protect the alien young, just as cats have done for human children.
Imagine after a few years of integration with aliens, some humans don't get by well with taking care of their children so they find an alien that looks responsible and careful enough and they leave their young on their doorstep so they can grow up with all the food and shelter they could ever need.
Maybe they have a human distribution system where a person who's just tired of the human world picks a ship to stay on, and the aliens on board just accept it because that's how humans are. Maybe they help provide pest control for those space creatures small enough to hide in hard-to-reach areas of the ship.
And even amongst all this agility and predatory instinct, humans can still be pretty dumb and airhead and ridiculous. Imagine how hilarious aliens would find it when we get jumpscared or sneeze or feel the random need to stim and run around. Alien puts a long sticky parchment on that crevice of our backs that's hard to reach and watches as we struggle to reach and take it off cause it's annoying, same way we might put tape on a cat's head. Maybe they find the funky way a human mom tries to carry her too-big baby funny the same way a mom cat dragging her too-big baby by the scruff is funny.
Maybe there's a language barrier, but Aliens notice our odd human sounds and mimic them to get our attention, but they struggle with the different sound and pronunciation we just hear random gargled calls of "Molasses!" "Tree!" "税金!" when they're just trying to greet us. And you learn to recognize the pattern of noises that mean whatever name they gave you in their language.
