Welcome to the Summer of Clones event, everyone!
Earning Your Wings
Tech x GN!Reader
@summer-of-clones Week 1 | Main Prompt: Cadets | Alt. Prompt: Wings
Warnings: Cuddles, kisses (lips and neck), and flirting, of course! This is just some silly established relationship fluff featuring Omega for the first little bit.
Word Count: 1.1k Read on Ao3
You were shaking in the navigator’s seat of the Marauder by the time the ship finally came in for landing, just like you had been for most of Omega’s very first flying lesson. But your body wasn’t trembling out of fear now. No, this time your hand was clamped over your mouth as your shoulders shook, suppressing laughter at how Tech had screamed just moments ago.
“Omega, the stabilizers-!”
“Got it!” The ship gave one last shudder before its landing gear settled heavily on the pavement of Pabu’s central landing pad, the subsequent hiss almost echoing Tech’s sigh of relief. Omega immediately swung around to face him, her eyes shining hopefully. “Well, Tech? How’d I do?”
He took a moment to adjust his goggles, composing himself before giving an answer. “I would say that for a first lesson, your performance was… sufficient.” Omega’s cheer almost drowned out the rest of his words. “But you will require more lessons before you can operate the ship on your own.” He took a deep breath as he leaned back in his seat. “Many more.”
“I have to go tell Hunter!”
“Don’t forget to tell Wrecker, too!” you called after her as she darted from the cockpit. Moments later, you could see her running across the landing pad through the viewport, just before vanishing from sight. Then Tech sighed again, and you got to your feet.
He opened his eyes when he heard you approaching, and he reached for you as you got close. “Hold me.”
The laugh you’d been holding back finally escaped you as he pulled you into his chair. You settled across his lap comfortably with your legs draped over one of the armrests, lacing your fingers behind his neck while his arms wound around your waist to squeeze you tightly. “That was a lot, huh?”
“A lot?” Tech shook his head where it rested against your shoulder. “Meshl’a, we may need to work on your specificity. While I am relieved that she managed to land without reducing the Marauder to a flaming heap of shrapnel, I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that I have made it out of dogfights with a slower heart rate.”
You laughed again and leaned back to look at him. There was still a faint sheen of sweat gracing his forehead, and you raised a hand to smooth back a strand of hair that had gone awry. “Come on, she wasn’t that bad, love.”
“I’m sure I will come to the same conclusion in a few minutes. My logic has not fully returned just yet.”
You were the one to sigh this time as Tech stroked your hair, mirroring your touch. It was rare to see Tech this rattled, especially over something that some would see as so trivial, but it made sense. He didn’t like it when he wasn’t in control of a situation, and being at Omega’s mercy in a ship hundreds of feet above the ocean wasn’t exactly his idea of relaxing. There was silence for a few minutes as you both sat there in each other's arms, letting your heartbeats slow to sync with each other.
The quiet was disturbed by another deep breath from Tech, this one sounding much more calm than the others. “Alright. Even without my instruction and guidance in Omega studying the ship’s schematics, I will admit that she does exhibit a natural aptitude for piloting the Marauder. More training is required, obviously, but I have no doubt that she will be proficient soon enough.”
You raised your head to look at him. “I think she would love to hear that.”
He nodded slowly, patting your thigh in reassurance. “I’ll tell her at dinner tonight. The others will enjoy hearing about her lesson. She certainly did better than some of them did while we were cadets.”
“Don’t tell me you didn’t make any mistakes your first time piloting a ship.”
Tech paused as his eyes darted away. “My first time is… not relevant.”
“Oh?” You straightened up quickly, alert with interest now. Had he actually messed up so badly that he didn’t want to tell you about it? You grabbed his chin to bring his gaze back to yours. “Tell. What happened?” He still hesitated, and you nudged him playfully. “Did you totally wreck the ship?”
He squared his shoulders defensively. “Of course not. I simply… memorized the specs for a different gunship and… fired a missile off the platform during my first evaluation.”
For a second, you just stared at him, completely shocked at the thought of him making such an error. Then you threw your head back and laughed.
Tech felt his cheeks begin to warm. “Don’t you laugh at me! I gave an exemplary performance on all other counts! And might I add, the interior setups of many Republic gunships exhibit various similarities with each other. It was a perfectly reasonable mistake for a young cadet to-”
His words were muffled by your lips on his, a soft press of pure affection that spoke of amusement rather than any real mockery. After a moment, Tech sighed again and surrendered to the kiss completely. He brought his hands up to cradle your face so he could tilt your head to the most optimal degree for your mouths to fit together. It was almost ridiculously thought out and calculated, but the adoration in the way he kissed back drowned out the thought of anything like that. Instead, you were back among the clouds again, your heart soaring with wings of its own in a dizzying feat only privy to you two.
Once he was sufficiently calmed, you drew back from the kiss to rest your head on his chest. Tech resumed running his fingers through your hair in a gentle caress. “Very well. I suppose I should give Omega a bit more grace. She is still learning, after all. Mistakes are to be expected.”
“Such a good teacher.” You shifted to nuzzle your face against his throat instead, pressing a faint kiss above his slowing pulse. “Maybe I could request my own private lesson sometime? Just to make sure I don’t make the same mistakes.”
Tech hummed deeply, clearly pleased as his hand curled further into your hair. “Hm… not a bad idea, darling. Though, from what I’ve seen, you are an excellent pilot already.” He ducked his head so he could kiss your neck this time, this press of lips slower than any of yours had been so far. “But don’t worry. I’m certain I can find something else to teach you.”
