Before she was assigned to Unit 99, Asha was the mechanic for quite the chaotic battalion... with a bit of a thorn in her side.
Characters: ARC Trooper Fives, OC (Asha Kurr)
Warnings: None! Just banter and fluff :>
Word count: 809
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"Look, if you're gonna hover, the least you can do is help me."
"Oh? And here I thought you didn't need our help."
"That's what you said. Now shut up and hand me that." Asha's voice was both muffled, and echoed with reverberating metal, as she spoke from underneath the ship. She was laid back on a roller board, work goggles obscuring the sunset glint in her eyes, thick coveralls protecting her body from errant sparks.
The trooper leaning against the side of the ship, arms crossed, foot nonchalantly tapping on the floor, made no move. He simply watched, a smug grin tugging up on his lips as he watched Asha's hand point out from underneath the vehicle. He followed her finger towards the toolkit she was pointing to, and took his sweet time ambling over to sift through her tools. He picked up the first one he saw and held it out.
"No, the- the other one. The long one."
Another tool held out.
"No, the- I'm pointing at it!"
Yet another, the grin on his face widening. Asha peeked out from under the ship, a scowl set on her lips, before she pushed the roller board out and sat up - earning a displeasing pop from her back joints. "Damn it, just- just gimme the toolkit."
She was met with a hearty laugh as a singular tool was plopped into her hand, and she sighed in annoyance as she gave the trooper the most deadpan stare she possibly could.
"You're a dick, Fives," she muttered as she laid back again and rolled back underneath the ship, sparks sputtering as she began to work again. The comment only earned a laugh from him, as he went back to leaning against the ship, watching her do what she did best.
"Seems like all my attempts to deter you have been met with utter failure," he mused, looking up at nothing in particular. "Looks like I'll have to employ emergency tactics."
"Oh? Do these emergency tactics involve you finally leaving me alone so I can do my job?" Asha spat, but the bitterness behind her tone was naught but a thin veil overlaying something close to genuine amusement. Fives was adamant about her presence within the squad when she was first assigned - if Asha recalled correctly, it was something along the lines of "We don't need a freelancer's help" or something of that caliber. Over time, his attempts to annoy her out of the squad was met with stubborn resistance... a stubbornness he couldn't help but admire. He had learned something in the months since her deployment with them: that Asha Kurr was a damn good mechanic, and she looked damn good in blue.
"Something like that," Fives stated simply, earning an inquisitive hum from the girl below him. "It's the kill them with kindness tactic. So what do you say, you and me head out later? Get out of the coveralls, wipe off the grease, and lemme show you what an ARC trooper can really d-"
"Sure."
...a blink.
"What?"
"Too loud in here?" Asha asked, rolling the board out again and sitting up, pushing her goggles up to her forehead again. With her face smudged with oil and soot, the goggles had left a perfectly stark-white impression around her eyes where her facial markings were left untouched. It actually made Fives snort, earning a roll of the eyes from Asha. "I said sure. When were you thinking? I could do tonight, or tomorrow-"
"Uh- tonight!" Fives quickly recovered himself, with an uncharacteristic hastiness that had Asha smirking at him. Oh, she delighted in this. One of two things was happening right now: one, he was trying to take a different approach in deterring her that was painfully backfiring. Or two, he was completely bullshitting, and was using his "emergency tactics" as an excuse to make a move - much to his shock that she actually accepted. She could see it in his face, his tawny eyes slightly widened and almost frantic, but that veneer of smug cockiness still present as he regained control.
"Tonight, then. No worries, I'll ditch the goggles and the coveralls, like you said."
"Uh! Good! I mean, not good, I-"
"I know what you meant, don't twist yourself up over it. I do have to get back to work though, or Rex is gonna have my ass for leaving this unfinished. I'll see you tonight?"
"...right. Yeah. I'll see you tonight."
With a final smile given, Asha replaced her goggles back over her face and rolled back under the ship once more, resuming work as if nothing had happened. She glanced to the side, enough to see the trooper's legs as he retreated out of sight - but not before she could see his body jerk in what was no doubt a silent, victorious fist-pump to himself.
You're too stubborn for your good sometimes, you remind me of Ran at times.
Huh? You can do what you like
-Rindou
Ran? Oh he'd hate that. But yes I think I am a bit like him.
If you're going though...I think I'll stay here for a bit actually, for when he comes back. You beat up all the guys around here and I don't think they'll come back here anyways if they don't think anyone else is here. Not to mention you're probably busy too, and I think it's a better idea I don't get in anyone's way for the time being. Thank you, again, for coming to save me, for helping me.
