- And Lived To Tell The Tale!!!

- and lived to tell the tale!!!

Echo x Fem!Reader One-Shot - Without Words

After Reading Your Stories Again, Damn, I Missed Them, They Were So Good And Fun :D

Warnings: Mostly Fluff (Possible Trigger: Mentioned Hearing Loss)

___________

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

___________

>Master List<

"Do you really have to do this now?" asks Echo critically, frowning unwillingly as Tech sets about taking the headset off him. He feels uncomfortable, his eyes wandering to the clock again and again. He's excited enough as it is, it won't be long until your second date, and he wants to be on time, especially he doesn't want you to notice any more of his problems. It's enough that you know about his legs and his arm, he doesn't really want to reveal his hearing loss to you right away. Not yet. He wants to wait for the right moment, but when is the right moment for that anyway? Tech says matter-of-factly as always, "You want the problems fixed as soon as possible, don't you? It won't take long." Echo sighs somberly. "Yeah, I do, but I'm about to meet her". "Oh? A second date?" asks Tech, surprised. Echo says grumpily, "Don't act surprised, she simply likes me". Tech shrugs and says nonchalantly, "Our squad rarely has prospects of a romantic nature, by that I mean all of us, not just you" Echo laughs softly and says, "She's only dating me though, and I'm certainly not going to share that girl with you" "If you did, that would be weird too" Tech notes dryly.

He loosens the last screws and takes off the headset. Echo blinks a few times, hearing a low hiss he always hears when he's not wearing the headset. "This feels like shit," he grumbles, only partially able to hear his own voice as he does so. He feels Tech tap him on the shoulder and follows his finger pointing, in your direction. You've arrived earlier than scheduled. He sees your smile and can't help it, he has to smile too. "Hi," Echo says softly, almost timidly, and raises his hand in greeting, a gesture you return. But then you say something to him and all he can hear are muffled, distorted sounds that barely penetrate through the constant static noise. Echo raises both hands toward his ears, shakes his head and shrugs helplessly. "I can barely hear anything," he says louder than usual, and it feels very strange to barely hear his own voice as well. You look from one to the other for a moment, but then you smile in understanding and nod. You exchange a few words with Tech, but he can't understand what you're saying. A moment later, you gently grab Echo's hand and pull him with you. Over his shoulder, he calls out to Tech, "Hurry up with that thing, please."

Tech makes a shooing hand gesture to signify for him to go with you. Outside the Marauder, you walk just a few steps, to a bench beyond the landing area under a tree with a sweeping, low-hanging canopy in full bloom. It's a nice spot, and for the moment you're alone. You feel Echo looking around frantically as you walk, hearing phantom noises and expecting to run into someone or get hit by a speeder. You squeeze his hand encouragingly, gently tugging on it so that he closes in on you. You place your other hand on his forearm and smile at Echo. You can't use words, but Echo sees in your expression that you want to tell him you have everything under control, he doesn't have to worry. He's a little wobbly on his feet, every time he walks without his hearing aid his sense of balance suffers a little, but you gently and safely guide him to the bench beneath the flowering tree. His hearing has deteriorated over time after the Citadel, the damaged eardrums simply not recovering, Tech's guess is that this is also due to some nerve damage. Occasionally, however, the headset needs to be serviced and Echo is actually glad that Tech is taking care of this.

You sit down together on the bench, in the shade of the low-hanging branches. You hear him sigh in relief. Echo trusts you, yet he is glad to be able to sit down and not have to rely on his hearing or sense of balance for a moment. He looks at you, and you sense that something is on his mind. When he speaks, he is again much louder than you are used to, but you don't mind. "Didn't think you'd agree to a second date." You laugh softly, and he smiles when he sees it. Then you raise your hand, showing him first one finger, then a second, a third and so on. Showing him the whole again and again with a big smile. "You want more dates?" he asks, surprised. At your nod, he asks with a wry smile, "What do you want with damaged goods like me, anyway?" You pull a pout and shake your head, wagging your finger reproachfully, before smiling and kissing his cheek. When you look at him again, his cheeks have a little more color than usual. He laughs softly and says, "I like you a lot, too."

Your radiant smile makes his heart beat faster, and he has to take a deep breath to collect himself. This feeling that you trigger in him is quite new for him, but yet he already doesn't want to miss it. The fast pulse, the fluttering in his stomach, the tingling under his skin and this constant urge to smile. He's so excited with you and at the same time more relaxed than ever. "You're very special," he says a little breathlessly. You emphatically place your hand on his chest. "Me too?" he asks with a grin. At your energetic nod, he laughs softly again. You hear Tech say, "Finished with the headset. Am I interrupting?" and turn to face him. "No, you're not interrupting." Echo sees his brother with the headset and sighs in relief. You give them both some space and Tech puts the headset back on Echo. When he's done with it, Tech asks, "So, how does it feel? Can you hear me?" Echo gives him a thumbs up and says, "Fine, Tech, thank you very much" "You're welcome anytime." As Tech leaves you alone again, Echo looks at you, he grins and says, "Now let me hear your wonderful voice" You laugh softly and say, "It's not that wonderful"

Echo beams at you in love and says, "Oh yes, for me, it is". The way he looks at you is so wonderfully dreamy, makes your heart beat faster. "So you said last time you wanted to show me something?" you ask curiously. Echo smirks and says, "Hunter let me have the secondary shuttle for the day." You laugh softly and ask, "Are you trying to kidnap me?" "Something like that, of course, only if that's what you want." "As long as we don't go to Tatooine," you say with a little giggle. Echo laughs heartily. "No, don't worry about it. But have you ever seen a sunset in the lake scenery on Naboo?"

@rintheemolion

@andyoufollowyourheart @clone-whore-99

@brynhildrmimi @kaliel2310

@misogirl828 @tech-deck

@meshla-madalene

@chxpsi

@thebahdbitch

@nahoney22 @ladykatakuri

@darkangel4121

@ttzamara

@arctrooper69

@padawancat97

@agenteliix

@allsystemsblue

@palliateclaw

@either-madness-or-brilliance

@ortizshinkaroff

@andy-solo1

@hunterssecretrecipe

@heyitsaloy

@greaser-wolf

@extrahotpixels

@hated-by-me

@hunterxcrosshair

@malicemercy

@bebopsworld

@echos-girlfriend

@cpnt616

@dangraccoon

@jediknightjana

@pb-jellybeans

@antishadow2021

@sleepycreativewriter

@projectdreamwalker

@1vlouds

@starwarsnerd111

161 notes View Post

latinachiquita

2 years ago

Leave With Me

Cody x Reader

-TBB S2 EP3 fic-

Master list

~_~_~_~

You’re an imperial officer who works with clones. Cody tells you he’s going AWOL and wants you to come with him.

(This took me a while to write because I wanted to make sure it was good enough..)

~_~_~_~

You were once an officer for the Republic with a nice office and the sun shone through the windows.. not your office had no windows. It was drab and bland.

The one joy you got was when Commander Cody brought you mission reports every day. He always brought a smile to your face.

However today he hadn’t come to see you. You were just thinking that perhaps he was too busy or out on a mission.

It was close to the night when you heard a knock at your door. Cody walked into your office and made sure no one was following him before he closed the door. Which caused you feel a little alarmed.

“Do you not have a mission report commander?”

“No. I.. I came to ask you something”

“Of course Commander”

He sighed deeply and looked into your eyes

“You used to call me Cody.. when we were in the Republic.”

“Well.. once the empire took over you changed.. We were asked to cal you by rank. I just didn’t want to make you angry”

His face fell at your reaction. Why would he be angry at you? Perhaps he did things he couldn’t remember..

“For anything that happened.. that I did to you I’m so very sorry”

He walked over to your seat behind your desk. He crouched in front of you and put his hands around yours.

“I never stopped loving you Mesh’la. I couldn’t help the things I did.. but In the back of my head the two things I remember.. what I did to General Kenobi and my love for you.”

“Oh Cody.. please don’t cry”

His eyes were about to burst. Too many memories flooded back.

“Cyare I’m leaving. I’m getting away from the empire..”

You looked at him in shock. How would he be able to do that?

“Please.. please come with me..”

His hands cupped your faces. How could you say no.. you would go anywhere with him.

“I will. I will Cody but what will we do”

“We will find help.. Gregor escaped mine we could find him?”

“Your too optimistic for your own good”

You both share a small chuckle.

“Well. Let’s do it. I’m with you Cody”

He nodded and pulled you out of your chair and out of your office. There was already a small shuttle on one of the docking bays.

“You had this planned for a while”

“I have.. if I left without you I oeuvre come back to find you later.. but I can’t stay here anymore cyare”

“I’ll always go with you cody”

You take his hand and you walk onto the shuttle and leave the planet to find a safe space to lay low for a while.

~_~_~_~

You had both finally found Gregor.. and some other old friends.

“Rex?”

“It’s been a long time Cody. You too”

Rex looked at you and smiled

“Now. How about we get this chip removed. I’ll call the Bad Batch”

“They survived?”

“Yes. Come on we will talk more on the way”

Rex urged your both onto the ship. Cody took your hand in his and smiled down at you. This was a new beginning.. and you couldn’t wait for this new life with Cody.

32 notes View Post

latinachiquita

1 year ago

ERM WHY WAS THERE SO LITTLE ECHO IN THAT TRAILER TOO BTW I SWEAR TO FUCK IF THEY LAY A FINGER ON HIS BEAUTIFUL BALD HEAD-

601 notes View Post

latinachiquita

2 years ago

A great way to start The Bad Batch Season 2 imo :)

I honestly love that Echo slipped and fell because he wasn’t looking straight.

Like he stepped wrong but didn’t see it coming since he was so worried behind him 😂

Accidents like these are human <3 Gives me comfort seeing that the Bad Batch are shown as humans and not always perfect.

Put him in rice.

He will be fine.

Echo – Sweet Love

TBB Echo x Virgin Fem!Reader / Oneshot

Warnings: Smut / First Time Sexual Experience / 18 +

Second Part of my "First Time" Series with Clones.

Other Parts:

Crosshair - More Than You Can Chew

_____________________

You've been snuggled up in his bunk, gently exchanging little kisses, and you've been feeling his hard length pressing against your leg for several minutes, but so far he hasn't tried to slip into your panties. You know you want more, but aren't sure how to signal it without just bluntly telling him. Then again, you wonder if maybe you should tell him that you have no experience.

Echo suddenly stops, propping himself up on his forearms, half above you, and looks at you questioningly with a gentle smile.

"Where are your thoughts, Mesh'la?"

You bite your lower lip. It's hard for you to meet his gaze, even though it's so gentle.

"I was just thinking if maybe we shouldn't start getting more intimate with each other".

Echo raises his brows in surprise.

"You want sex?" he asks directly.

You felt heat creep into your cheeks. Yes in a way you did want it. But actually, you weren't sure if you were really ready for it yet.

"Well, I've been sensing all along that you actually want more, you can't hide it very well."

Echo laughs softly.

"Well my arousal is actually hard to hide, it's always a bit difficult with men. But just because my body responds appropriately to what we're doing doesn't mean you have to feel obligated to have sex with me. I don't want that. If you really want me, then we can go one step further. Anything else is nonsense."

You look at him nervously.

"And what if I want you?"

Echo smirks.

"Then I would be very happy"

"And what if I don't have any experience yet?"

Echo blinks, then smiles gently.

"You're a virgin?"

You nod nervously.

"And you really want me?"

Another nod.

"Mesh'la I am honored".

Your fingertips gently glide over his shoulders and you say, "But I don't even know how to satisfy you or what exactly to do"

"It doesn't matter at all. You can let me take the lead and I'll take care of everything. You just tell me if something should bother you, then we'll stop."

With a smile, you say, "That sounds reasonable."

Echo slowly leans over you, kissing your neck, your face, your lips. You feel his hard length press against your leg and grope for it curiously. He moans softly into the kiss as your hand clasps him through the fabric of his boxers. Curious your hand travels over his cock, warm and gently pulsing you feel it under your fingers. It is an erotic feeling that you can hardly describe. He wants you, that's clear, it's flattering and exciting.

His hands wander gently, exploring along your half-naked body. Echo finally breaks away from the kiss and takes off the rest of your clothes, your shirt and underwear. He takes his time doing it, each touch gentle and loving.

As Echo begins to move down your body, kissing closer and closer to your most intimate regions, your heart begins to beat even faster. You anticipate what he's about to do and the thought, surges heat inside you and sets your pulse racing.

The first touch between your legs, is a very gentle, testing kiss, a light but long touch. Echo looks up at you briefly and smiles.

"Everything okay so far?" he asks gently.

You nod and say barely louder than a whisper, "Yes."

Any louder noise could have destroyed the delicate bubble of arousal and affection you were currently in. At least, that was your perception.

Echo nods in satisfaction and turns back to your pussy. His warm tongue, pressing flat on your pussy, traces a slow, wide path from your wet entrance up to your clit.

A low moan escapes you. Your breathing becomes heavier. You feel the arousal gathering and tingling in your wet heat. His tongue exerts pressure on your clit and begins to dance on it, slowly at first, almost sluggishly. The sensation is intense. Instantly, your body longs for more.

You moan his name softly as he slowly but steadily increases speed and pressure. His warm, wet tongue dances skillfully on your pearl. Your nerve endings tingle, prickle, heat up. He gently dips two fingertips into your entrance. Very gently, his fingers massage your pussy while his tongue continues to dance on your clit. Very slowly, his fingers slide deeper and deeper into you. You have become so wet that your pleasure runs down his fingers. His touch has heated you up so much that your whole abdomen tenses and the dance of his tongue makes your hips twitch.

Echo hums in satisfaction as he feels how much you enjoy his ministrations. You gasp and moan, Echo's name coming over your lips again and again, like a small, hoarse, breathless exclamation. This is so intense, so different from what you had imagined, so different from any touch you had ever felt before.

Your climax overtakes you with a small yelp. Your hips jerk towards him as he tirelessly works you through your orgasm until it ebbs and finally gently eases off of you.

Echo grins with satisfaction and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

"You taste good," he says suggestively "Did you like it?"

Again you nod, this time more eagerly.

"Very much so."

You lie naked before him, completely exposed. But it doesn't feel that way. Echo is loving and looking at you with such devotion that you feel like a queen.

By now, he's completely naked, too. Echo sits up, pulls you up and gently pulls you onto his lap so that you can look at each other. His cock presses on your naked pubic mound. Surprisingly, you were nowhere near as nervous as you thought. Echo is so considerate and gentle that you don't worry at all.

Fortunately, he's since replaced his scomp link arm with an artificial, proper replacement arm, with Tech's help. So he has both hands to touch and guide you. He gently grips your hips and pushes you up until you comply with his suggestion and raise your lap a bit above his. Echo guides the tip of his cock to your entrance.

"You're in control of how fast and deep I go inside you. That's why I pulled you onto my lap. I want you to show me what's okay for you. You can take your time or go wild, just as you like. Once you get used to me, I'll bend over and put you under me. Okay?"

You trust Echo.

"Okay," you reply, biting your lower lip.

Feeling his cock press against your gate is a whole new feeling. Hot, exciting.

"Good. Whenever you're ready, slowly lower yourself onto my lap," he says softly, and you can see from the vein on his neck that his pulse is racing, too.

Somehow it is a relief to know that he is as excited as you are. Slowly you begin to lower yourself onto his lap, feeling his cock part your wet folds and penetrate you as you sink down.

The sensation is intense. He stretches your virgin hole filling you little by little. But you're in control and you take your time. Echo moans softly, he swallows, then smiles.

"You are doing very well, Cyar'ika. Take your time."

When you finally sink all the way onto his lap, it feels like he fills you completely. You've never been this close physically before and the thought is new and exciting.

Echo's fingertips caress your back. His breaths are heavier, deeper and longer.

"You did that very well. How do you feel?"

"I'm so excited. But I feel good, it's so new, unfamiliar, but I like it," you whisper to him.

He laughs softly.

"It's just normal. To be honest, I'm a little excited too," Echo admits.

His hands, real and artificial move gently down to your buns and squeeze, not hard, but with emphasis.

"Try to move, Cyare."

With his hands on your ass he slowly helps you get into a rolling up and down motion. A half-suppressed moan comes from his throat.

"Maker, you're pretty tight," he says hoarsely with arousal.

You like it, the thought that this feeling makes him horny, pleases him. On impulse, you tense your abdomen a little. Echo moans again.

"You learn fast", Echo presses out surprised with a smile "But you should relax, here and today it's all about you".

Your lips find his and you kiss long and intimately, your tongues in a playful battle for the upper hand. Each velvety collision a little shock that travels like an impulse down to your pussy, making your walls convulse tinglingly around his hard length.

Echo slowly leans forward while remaining fused to you, bedding you back down on the sheet. Now lying between your legs you closed around his hips, he begins to thrust you. Gentle, sensual, intense, with each thrust he steals you another kiss at the beginning. Then his hips slowly but steadily become faster and faster.

The friction between your bodies, his cock filling you, is a wonderful feeling. It tingles and tickles in your most intimate regions and you become quite warm. Your arms and legs are clinging to him. Echo holds you hungrily but gently under him in his arms as he takes you. He is befuddled with excitement yet he is in control, he never gets rough or overzealous, he remains gentle.

On impulse you bite his shoulder gently but firmly, it is an impulse deep inside you, a desire.

"More," you press out hoarsely.

He moans and you feel his muscles tense before he starts taking you harder.

"Mesh'la..."

Every movement is ravishing, thrilling, hot. Clinging to him, digging your fingernails into his back, your teeth into his shoulder you move with him. Every thrust drives you closer to your orgasm, every movement a new tingle.

Echo is lost inside you, unable to form a clear thought, but he doesn't have to. He feels you more intimate and close than ever before.

"Mesh'la, I don't know how much longer I can hold out".

The intensity is steadily increasing , you know it won't be long now.

"It's almost time! Don't stop!" comes from your lips.

Your fingernails dig into the muscles in his back as your climax takes over like a roaring wave, sweeping you along with it. With your arms and legs clinging to Echo as if you are afraid of literally being washed away, you feel his cock pulsing inside you and coating your walls in ribbons.

You are breathless and overwhelmed. Echo's lips move gently, almost languidly over your neck to your mouth. Touching your skin he says, "Oh Cyare, this is far more than I had hoped for. You feel like a goddess."

His words are like a balm. With a wide smile, you snuggle into his arms. You hear him laugh softly and gently.

"What's the matter?"

He kisses you and says, "Nothing, I'm just very happy".

@rintheemolion

@andyoufollowyourheart @clone-whore-99

@brynhildrmimi @kaliel2310

@misogirl828 @tech-deck

@meshla-madalene

@chxpsi

@thebahdbitch

@nahoney22 @ladykatakuri

@darkangel4121

@ttzamara

Just Ask

Fandom: The Bad Batch

Word Count: 6,579

Summary: The Batch learns that Echo responds a lot better to touch if he is asked first.

Sweetness, fun, and shenanigans follow.

I posted this idea a little while ago and it completely inspired this whole fic 🧡

This is a tickle fic

It had all started a few days into being with the batch. Echo had his back turned to the wider ship, his headpiece sat on one of the bunks while he methodically cleaned his weapon so he could vaguely Wrecker milling around behind him. Sometimes all of the noise was too much. It made his head hurt and it was more comforting to be alone in the nearly soundless space between his ears as he tried to center himself. It was just him and Wrecker on the ship and the big guy was minding his own as well. That is until he felt two arms wrap around him and lift him off the ground. It happened so fast he didn’t have time to let his mind catch up. He saw red and he flailed, dropping his blaster in the process, and those two arms retreated as quickly as they first arrived. Once on the ground he put a hand to his chest, trying to suck in air and get his lungs to stop screaming at him. His head spun for a moment, his skin feeling like fire as he tried to wrap his head around the sudden change in contact. Slowly, as Echo regained his regular heart rate, he picked up the headpiece and put it back on - tuning in to the world around him again. Wrecker was standing a few feet away now, watching with a spooked look on his face. The big guy must’ve been talking to him and he hadn’t heard him properly.

“Sorry. I didn’t realize…” Wrecker trailed off, head ducked and hand rubbing self consciously at the back of his neck. It was so disheartening, even as he was trying to calm his rapid breathing. “I won’t do it again. I’m sorry.” Wrecker turned to move away from him, retreating back to the cockpit, but Echo couldn’t stand to watch him go.

“Wait!” He reached a hand out but didn’t quite reach the big guy who was now looking at him expectedly. Echo sighed. His heart was still beating a little quick but he tried to push that away to be able to calm the no doubt racing thoughts in Wrecker’s mind. “I don’t… It's fine.”

Wrecker waited but when Echo said nothing he put on a smile. “If you don’t like hugs that’s okay. I won’t do it anymore.” Ugh. He didn’t want the big guy to be weird around him now. He was embarrassed for reacting the way he did, even if it was just because it had surprised him.

“No that’s not…” This sucked . “I don’t dislike hugs. I just…” He didn’t know how to phrase it. He didn’t want his new squad to avoid touching him. His old squads were always so tactile and this one was no different. It would be so isolating to not be included in that type of dynamic - to be the odd one out. “You can hug me. I just need you to ask first. It took me by surprise. I… I don’t really like being surprised right now.” His stomach felt sick, an odd lump forming in his throat. Admitting that this was something he was struggling with was hard.

But, of course, Wrecker paid it no mind.His face immediately brightened, all the awkwardness slinking away. “Oh! Okay! I can do that. No problem, Echo.”

And it was that easy. Wrecker went on with his day and the next time he felt like pulling Echo into a hug he asked . He didn’t expect it to be such an easy thing for Wrecker to remember so if he looked a little shocked the first time Wrecker asked who could blame him? They were all sitting in the ship, drinks in hand and snacks spread between them. And Wrecker looked at him with such a hopeful expression and asked, very simply. “Can I hug you?”

Echo just stared back at him for a moment but once he recovered he was able to mutter the quietest of ‘ yes ’s. Wrecker wrapped him up in a hug so fast, body warm and solid and comforting. By the time they let go he knew he was beaming up at the big guy with so much appreciation and happiness that it must’ve been all too obvious to the rest of the squad that he was really thankful for the ask. He barely caught the other three sharing a knowing glance with each other. It was a little embarrassing to have such a reaction to such a simple thing but he couldn’t care too much when all he could feel was warmth.

From then on he noticed the rest of them doing it. He hadn’t even mentioned it to them and yet they were all asking to touch him. He noticed it first with Tech who always worked on his cybernetics and made sure he conducted all of his physicals. It was always easiest to be touched by Tech who didn’t do things out of the blue and didn’t surprise Echo with random contact. He was sitting on the makeshift medical table they could tuck away when they needed to and Tech was getting supplies ready. The man looked over to Echo as he got the last of his supplies and held out his hand. “May I look at your scomp?” Echo furrowed his eyebrows but held out the arm, letting Tech take it and start fiddling with it. Slowly he made his way upwards, pausing right where skin would meet metal. “I will have to roll up your sleeve to check where it connects. Is this alright?”

Ah . He understood now. Echo let himself give Tech a small smile. “It’s alright. You can do what you need to do.” Tech let one corner of his lips raise in a small half smile then rolled Echo’s sleeve up to start probing at the skin under the fabric. Each time Tech moved to a new place he announced what he was doing then very carefully asked if what he was doing was alright - if he was permitted to touch the metal and the skin around it. It was the most taken care of and respected Echo had felt since his rescue and that was enough to make emotion well behind his eyes. It was also - coincidentally- the first time his hands didn’t shake during a physical.

Hunter was, surprisingly, very physical just in smaller ways. It was rare that a conversation with Hunter didn’t begin or end with his hand on your arm or shoulder. He often urged squad members forward with a hand on their backs or a nudge to the shoulder. Hunter had been avoiding doing this to Echo anyway, feeling him out for boundaries and not wanting to move too fast, but it wasn’t until one night about two weeks in that Hunter started doing it.

Echo was standing with their group, nervously trying to avoid staring eyes and attention from onlookers while they waited to get into a small bar on the planet they’d just got done completing a mission on. They were there to celebrate a job well done on their first mission together as a squad but all Echo could feel was dread.

“It’ll be fine.” Hunter had leaned a little bit into his space, still leaving a few inches between them, but had his face forward like he wasn’t talking to Echo at all. The man could sense his apprehension.

Echo looked between Hunter and the entrance to the bar. “ I know. ” It was hard to keep the irritation out of his tone but the attitude only made the corners of Hunter’s lips twitch upwards.

“We’re all right here. No one will say anything fucked up with the big guy around. They’re all too intimidated by his size to be assholes.” He was so at ease with the crowd with the whole group around. Echo expected more displeasure from Hunter, especially with the noise, but it seemed that he was fine as long as the rest of the squad was around - and if they didn’t stay too long.

“Oh, so the face tat doesn’t do enough to frighten away onlookers?” Echo smirked. He was happy to be able to make fun of his sergeant - it got the pressure off of him for a moment.

Luckily for him Hunter rolled his eyes but the amusement was there - clear as day. “Don’t be smart with me.” They stood in silence for a moment, unease creeping into the edges of their conversation the longer they were quiet. Eventually Hunter cleared his throat, arms folding over his chest as he regarded Echo. “I could keep a hand on your arm, or your shoulder, when you’re getting overwhelmed. Only if you’re alright with that.” By now Echo was used to them asking - they’d been doing it enough - but it still made him bristle a bit with embarrassment. He appreciated it at his core but there was still a little bit to get used to. It made him feel so seen - in a way he wasn’t exactly used to yet.

“How will you know that I’m overwhelmed?” Echo asked quietly.

Hunter thought for a moment then smiled. “You can just tap three times on the table. I’ll know.” Tapping three times. That could work. It was quiet and subtle enough that no one else would know if he didn’t want them to. Crowded spaces, unfamiliar places, they still made him pause.

“Maybe… maybe we could try that.” He said as they piled into the noisy bar and found a table. Hunter held true to what he said, watching and listening for when Echo was overwhelmed by their surroundings. It was surprisingly easy to tap the table and admit to needing support. Every time the air felt too tight around his throat, or the lights were too blinding, the noise too much, he’d tap the table and a hand would find its way to his back or his shoulder. The grounding touch was certainly welcome and it helped pull the nerves out of him and bring his breathing down to a level he’d consider normal. After his heart rate calmed Hunter’s hand would disappear until the next time he needed it.

Crosshair was the last one to ask to touch him and it had taken Echo by surprise when it happened. He was just as tactile as the rest of them but had been holding Echo at arms length - literally . They could, however, sit in silence with each other, a good foot of space between them, and feel completely comfortable. It was nice having someone who was happy with silence. When they eventually did cross the boundary it had been one of those days when they were getting under each other's skin for fun. Every time Echo would get engrossed in a task Crosshair would find some way to pull him out of it and it was really starting to irritate him.

“Crosshair I swear to the Maker.” Echo complained as Crosshair tossed another article of clothing at his face. If Crosshair wasn’t so intent on irritating him that day maybe he could actually get something done for once. This had been going on for the past twenty minutes - ever since the rest of the batch left on a supply run - and it was really starting to grate on his nerves.

“You’re so dramatic.” Crosshair tsked as he reached out - looking like he was either going to grab Echo’s shoulder or push him - then he paused uncomfortably. He pulled his hand back, looking between Echo and the ground before turning around and rifling through his bag. It made Echo’s eyebrows furrow.

“What?” He asked irritably.

“Nothing.” Crosshair shot back without turning around. It made the irritation in his blood boil.

“ Dammit Crosshair. What?!” If he had a problem he should just say it already.

Crosshair let out a sigh, putting down his bag and turning to face Echo. He folded his arms over his chest and studied Echo’s face for a moment - something he knew was a thing Crosshair did when he was considering his words more than usual. “Permission to push you around?” Echo tipped his head to the side in confusion, still not really getting what Crosshair was aiming for. Crosshair rolled his eyes. “You’re being annoying. I want to shove you. But only if that’s fine.”

Ah. Right. Echo let his face soften, shaking his head at the sniper. “You’re so weird.” It made Crosshair bristle - something that made the edges of Echo’s mouth tick upward. Getting to get under Crosshair’s skin was always a fun pastime - even if it sometimes ended in a few hurt feelings. They tended to get over it quickly anyway. “Fine.” There was a quick moment of surprise that flashed across the sniper’s face but after that he was firmly shoved at the shoulder, tipping backwards slightly at the surprise of it. Bickering with Crosshair became a lot more fun after that.

From then on Crosshair would plop down next to him and grin, hand held in his chin and ask with all the snark and sass he could muster “Mind being my footrest?” Echo always rolled his eyes but straightened out his legs to give a flatter place for Crosshair to rest his feet.

“Just don’t dig your bony heels into me and you can leave them there as long as you like.” Crosshair usually tsked and muttered under his breath about how Echo was one to talk but he did prop his feet up in Echo’s lap and lean back to doze. It was part of Crosshair’s show of trust - Echo noticed - and he only ever did it when he was really relaxed. Echo was glad for the company and usually rested his datapad on top of Crosshair’s shins, sometimes rubbing gently at them to rouse him if he needed the sniper’s attention for something. There was something nice about it, the weight of Crosshair’s feet on his lap and the pleasant sound of someone snoring nearby. There were plenty of times that the warmth and company lulled Echo to sleep too. The rest was worth all the holos Tech would take of them.

It wasn’t until one day about a week later that Echo learned just how much they were willing to accommodate him. They were all mucking around in the ship. They had a few days off and the squad was bored so it was smackdown time on the Marauder. Well… as much of a smack down as play fighting and wrestling could be. Wrecker kept pulling them into unfair wrestling matches and he even let them win a few times just to keep their spirits high enough to keep the game going. Echo sat on one of the bunks, calmly reading while the other four men were basically playing not too far away. Their loud bickering and laughing kept him amused while he read.

“Hey, Echo!” Hunter called after some time, pulling him away from his book. “Any chance you want to spar?” He had such a hopeful look on his face. It was rare that Echo would join in when they got like this - all of that contact was still too much for him to handle - but he couldn’t say he wasn’t interested in trying.

Echo quirked an eyebrow up at him, giving into the playful energy that had built up in the ship. “You really think you can beat me? I was an ARC trooper.”

Hunter sat back on his heels, a challenge flashing behind his eyes. “I don’t doubt your skills but I have yet to see them in action against me. My hand to hand is unmatched.”

Echo sat his book down then rolled his head from side to side to stretch the muscles in his neck and shoulders. He leaned forward, grinning. It was about time he gave this a good try. “You’re on.”

It didn’t take very long to get Hunter pinned. His new sergeant was incredibly skilled but he definitely underestimated Echo’s ability to measure up. Plus, Echo had spent a lot of time watching Hunter take down the other batchers and knew all of Hunter’s blind spots and weak points. He may not be back up to his previous weight but he was still a skilled strategist. Echo had Hunter on his back in less than four minutes, pinning him to the ground with his knee and one hand pressed against Hunter’s wrists.

Hunter huffed up at him. A surprised look dawned on his face at being flat on his back but he did look impressed. “ Damn . Remind me to never piss you off.”

“Hunter let you win. For sure.” Crosshair piped up, smirking from his vantage point on the bottom bunk.

Echo shot him an insulted look, leaning back so he could give Crosshair the full extent of it. “That’s not true!”

Mischief flitted behind Crosshair’s expression, something he didn’t miss but probably should’ve paid attention to. “You’re the newbie, you're getting his slack.”

Echo pointed his scomp at the sniper, not completely paying attention to his surroundings - which was probably his goal. “I’m not oof -“ Suddenly there were arms around his waist, a shoulder pressing into his chest and toppling him over onto the ground. There was a moment of grappling where Echo tried to get out from under Hunter, although it didn't work out well. He did eventually have to concede and let Hunter pin his wrist and scomp down to the ground - smirking down at him. “That wasn’t fair.”

“Technically,” Tech piped up, his chin resting in his palm while he watched them. “He did follow all of our rules. You simply were not… aware of your surroundings.” Tech smirked when Echo rolled his eyes.

“I told you. My hand to hand is unmatched.” Hunter’s smug smile matched Crosshair’s - this was totally their plan all along. He should’ve known.

Echo let his head fall back against the floor with a huff. “Maybe if you’re facing off against Cross, but if you didn’t cheat I’d still be on top.” Crosshair threw some expletives his way in retaliation for that comment.

An expression that was half amused and half insulted played across Hunter’s features. “You’re talking really big for someone on their back.”

Echo let a wicked grin spread across his face. “And you’re talking big for someone with a face tat. I know you got that thing to look intimidating but I see through it.”

Hunter’s jaw dropped, but Echo could sense that there wasn’t any real shock behind it. “How dare you talk about my face tat like that.” Echo couldn’t help but laugh at the indignance on his sergeant’s face. Hunter sat back on his heels, arms folded over his chest, and pointed threateningly at Echo. “You better watch it.”

“Oh I’m so scared .” Echo put a hand to his chest, grinning wider when Hunter rolled his eyes. It really had been too long into them knowing each other before Echo let this side of him out. “No. Really. Terrified.” He laughed again when Hunter huffed, clearly more entertained than annoyed but still putting up the front. It was the same game they’d all been playing with each other all day. One of them would get indignant and the other would poke fun at them - a simple but effective way to pass the time.

“Echo?” Hunter seemed apprehensive for a moment, almost nervous. Echo wanted to combat this so he leaned up on his elbow and smiled so maybe Hunter wouldn’t hold back with whatever he wanted to ask. Hunter made a strangled noise but sighed in resolution. “Can I tickle you?”

“What?!” Echo’s eyes immediately widened, flopping back onto the floor of the ship and wrapping his arms around himself to prepare for the oncoming attack. He’d been on both sides of this plenty of times before. He knew exactly how it went.

“Can I tickle you?” Hunter asked again. It was then that Echo realized that Hunter’s hands were still firmly away from his body and he was waiting with an expectant raise of his eyebrow. Hunter wasn’t aiming to grab him before he was ready. He wasn’t going to reach out and tickle him without permission.

“W-why?” Echo stuttered out. He let his arms upcurl from around himself, now confident that he wasn’t going to have to fend off a sneak attack any time soon. He was sure one day those things would happen - after he was comfortable and used to new and surprising touches - but for now he knew nothing would happen unless he allowed it.

Hunter shrugged, the corner of his lip turning up. “Because you’re being a shit. And usually being a little shit on this ship earns you at least a few pokes.” Made sense. This squad was just as tactile as all of Echo’s previous ones had been and tickling was bound to come with the territory. “But you get to choose what happens to your body so I won’t if you aren’t comfortable.”

Was he comfortable? It had been a long time since he’d been tickled and he’d never just allowed someone to do it. Usually he was rolling around on the ground trying to get the upper hand so he could pay back his brothers in full but this was different. This was Hunter asking explicit permission to be allowed to do it and Echo wasn’t entirely sure how he’d react to it. Would it be too much? Would it not feel the same way it did before? There were a lot of questions he didn’t have the answers to, a lot of gray areas. He had no doubt that Hunter would stop if he needed to, if he couldn’t handle the sensation and needed it to end. It had never been entirely unpleasant to mess around with his brothers like that. There was always something fun to it that made the anxiety and nerves roll off of him. He’d never know what had changed if he didn’t try and this was probably the safest way he could find out - with people who would never push past a boundary he wasn’t comfortable with. “You…” Echo huffed - a little bit awkwardly - but he did move his arms out of the way a bit in a show of trust. “You can.”

Hunter looked a little shocked but he did start to smile a bit more at the possibility of being allowed to. “Really?” Hunter asked, again . All of this asking was making the heat in Echo’s face even worse. Echo tried not to outwardly groan as he nodded his acceptance. A grin spread across Hunter’s face that made Echo want to curl up. “Tell me when to stop.” Hunter’s hands moved slowly, always in Echo’s line of sight, as he experimentally poked a few times at Echo’s side. It wasn’t too bad but the unfamiliar sensation did make him bend away, hands following him and moving to scratch over the thin material of his shirt, the beginnings of soft laughter starting to pour out of his mouth from the sheer giddiness of it all. Echo clamped his hand over his mouth to try and muffle it as much as he could. He hadn’t been tickled since… before the citadel but he did remember that trying to hold back your reactions made whoever was tickling you simply try harder. Hunter did pause and scan his eyes over Echo’s face to check in on him. He was hoping Hunter would move on but he just sat there, watching and waiting for permission from Echo.

He swallowed the laughter that had been ready to come out and removed his hand from his mouth. “It’s okay. I’m fine. It just…” Echo rolled his eyes. “It just tickles. I’ll tell you when to stop.” The concern slipped off of Hunter’s face, getting replaced with a small smile as he got back to scratching his fingers over Echo’s side. Echo couldn’t help but remember Fives holding him down and tickling the shit out of him right before they left for a mission - something about how he was being sour and needed to smile and Echo had fought so hard to keep himself from outright giggling while his brother poked and prodded at every tried and true weak spot. Echo didn’t last long. That was nothing like this . The touch was so gentle it was a little maddening, but certainly not wholly unpleasant. It wasn’t a bad feeling, certainly not unbearable with how softly he was being touched. It wasn’t until Hunter used both hands to squeeze his lower ribs that he finally let go of holding back his reactions and bucked involuntarily - barking a surprised laugh before he could stop it.

“ Oh shit!” He hissed at the feeling - fluttery and insistent - and that made Hunter let out an amused hum. The gentle squeezing didn’t stop, not even when he tried to turn onto his side to put some distance between him and Hunter’s hands. The tactic of squeezing - now proving effective - was now being used to travel up and down his sides, stopping when Echo’s laugh kicked up a notch so that Hunter could fucking scribble his fingertips over the spot. It was weird to let someone tickle him but the gentleness associated with it was making it easier to keep himself from blocking any potential spots Hunter might want to try. He was used to protecting those spots with every ounce of energy he had but now he was leaving them out in the open and resolving himself to cover his face and squirm on his spot on the ground. A particularly sensitive spot right at the soft part of his side was traced then, causing a snort to leave him before he turned onto his side to press his face into the ground so his back was to Hunter now - unfortunately facing the rest of the group who was watching with amusement. It was a little embarrassing to be Maker damned giggling into the floor but he couldn’t be bothered too much over it.

“A little ticklish there, huh?” Don’t tease that’s so unfair. The playfulness in the question meant Echo didn’t have to answer it but his laugh did get a little louder then, something Hunter must’ve taken note of because he slowed down a bit. “Too much?” Hunter asked, fingers still gently tracing over the dip in his side and making that fluttery feeling even worse.

Echo couldn’t bring himself to look over but he did shake his head. “ Nohohoho . You can kehehehep goihihing!” He knew there were eyes on him, each of them most likely absolutely glinting with mischievousness or fondness but he wasn’t going to worry about that until he absolutely needed to. Preferably after Hunter was done testing out every patch of skin available to him.

He heard Hunter chuckle at him, his fingers pausing to rub comfortingly at the spot he was just teasing before starting their path again, this time beginning from his hip and climbing upwards in a light, swirling path that was absolutely impossible to ignore. “You tell me if you’re done. I mean it.” His tone was stern but it was so clear that he was smiling too wide to pour any true command into it. The reminder that this was up to Echo made his face burn again but he simply pushed his face further into his arm and tried to make his laugh sound as dignified as possible. His squirming increased as fingers climbed, giggles pouring out with more urgency as the path swirled upwards. It wasn’t until Hunter wiggled his fingers under his arm that he finally turned onto his back again, dislodging Hunter’s hand for a moment. The sergeant sat back on his heels, hands resting on his thighs so they were completely in view.

He let Echo breathe for a second and he took full advantage of that opportunity. Unfortunately it didn’t take long for one of their other brothers to grow impatient. “Hey.” Crosshair got their attention then nodded towards Echo. “He protects his stomach with his scomp when he doesn’t know what to do with it. You should try there.”

Echo flung a glare at the man, who had the gall to look smug. “ Dammit, Cross! ” Screw that enhanced eyesight and stupid observational skills. Even though he wasn’t being touched yet he did subconsciously do exactly what Crosshair had ratted him out for. His hand moved to cover his face but his other arm remained folded over his midsection. Hunter looked over Echo’s face and tipped his head, raising his hand to see if Echo would stop him. He squirmed in place but didn’t say anything and it made a happy grin spread across his brother’s face. Hunter gripped the scomp and slowly lifted it away, nervous laughter already falling out of Echo’s mouth. Hunter moved until he could rest Echo’s arm on the floor then pointed at him.

“Keep it out of the way. Alright?” All he could do was nod in agreement and hope that it wasn’t nearly as sensitive as he remembered it being, especially being so exposed. Hunter’s fingers collided with his side again - the same damn spot that got him to laugh in the first place - and the bastard walked them up his side and onto the outer edge of his stomach. He couldn’t help scrunching his nose when the tracing started again, this time zeroing in on his abdomen and skirting along in a way that made his muscles jump. He was already laughing again, the giddy feeling returning and making it bubble up in his chest. It was just as bad as before and - for some reason - it was more difficult to keep his hands out of the way. Maybe it was that he was so exposed, or the impulse to curl up that he had to avoid now. Either way he could feel that crawling, tingling, ticklish sensation make him want to wiggle away.

Hunter hummed again then skated his fingers along Echo’s lower stomach and chuckled when his bright laughter jumped up and turned a bit more frantic. “What about here?” Hunter asked, forming a claw and vibrating his hand. It was such a childish move but one that was extremely effective, Echo throwing his head back to laugh freely at the ceiling. “Hmm. Pretty good spot, huh?” The damn teasing again. Hunter didn’t keep that up for long, otherwise Echo was sure he’d have to stop then and there. Instead he went back to the method he’d tried earlier - poking his stomach and stopping to scratch at any spot that made Echo laugh harder than usual. It was an unfamiliar buzzing on his skin now but it was something he was well accustomed to before. He could barely get through a day without one of his brothers poking him just to see him squirm. Hell, even Rex and Cody would gang up on him from time to time, usually throwing him over one of their shoulders and squeezing his sides until he could do nothing but bury his face in their back and laugh. He never expected to miss those times - that they would be gone before he knew to appreciate them for what they were. He was reaching his limit, his body starting to get over sensitive to the touch and almost verging into too much. It wasn’t until Hunter used both sets of fingers to scribble into the flat expanse of his abdomen that he yielded, a jolt of electric tingles finally making him bring his arms down to block the area from further prodding.

“ Okay! Stohohop, I’m done!” He hadn’t even gotten all the words out before Hunter was backing off, keeping his hands in his lap where Echo could see them again. Echo rubbed his hand over the ghost of fluttering on his stomach, slowly letting the feeling ebb away and his giggles tapper off the longer he was left without the touch. Hunter carefully placed a hand on his arm and rubbed gently, careful to be firm enough not to tickle. It was a nice gesture as he regained his breath and got the energy to sit up. The hand on his arm migrated to his back - only to let Echo remember that Hunter was still there and was trying to support him.

There was a split second between Echo sitting up and tucking himself into Hunter’s chest, wrapping his arms around his brother to hug him. Hunter only hesitated for a second before curling his arms around Echo in return. Echo wasn’t sure why he couldn’t fight the urge to hug his brother. He didn’t quite know how to express his thanks, how to let Hunter know how much this had meant to him - how much they all meant to him. He was starting to get overwhelmed with a prickling of emotion in his chest. They’d tried so hard for him. They’d tried to make him comfortable and feel accepted and a part of not just their team but also their family. There wasn’t much he could say to thank them for that. He just hoped that he could give them the same things they’d given him. Hunter leaned his head on top of Echo’s as his hands rubbed up and down his back - carefully skating over the cybernetics embedded into his skin. The extra attention to not avoid the cybernetic parts of him made that swell pull at his chest again. He did pull away after a moment and Hunter let him go, eyes still checking him over to make sure he wasn’t too overwhelmed.

Despite how borderline embarrassed he felt he did find the courage to look at the rest of the batch. What he found was all of them watching him with exactly what he expected - a mix of mischievousness and fondness. It made him want to squirm again but he settled for wrapping his arms around his middle and hugging himself tight. “What?”

Wrecker was the only one who looked even remotely apologetic for staring, his hand reaching up to rub the back of his neck. “We just…” He shrugged and sent Echo a smile. “We hadn’t really heard you laugh yet.” Maker. Echo knew his face was red. It was a lot of attention that he wasn’t used to and he couldn’t help but feel a bit too seen under all of it. By some miracle he was saved - by Crosshair no less.

The sniper stood from his spot and shot him a grin. “Want to take me on next? Best two out of three?” Echo couldn’t help but smile back at him at the offer of a challenge, a distraction.

“I don’t know, are you going to cheat?” Echo asked but he was already pulling himself up off of the floor and getting into a starting stance. Crosshair didn’t answer, only mimicked Echo’s stance and raised his eyebrow. Waiting for Echo to make the first move. He sighed and shook his head. The risk of dirty, underhanded cheating was high but the reward of beating him would be sweeter .

The following weeks were filled with the same amount of check ins and questions that they’d given him before just with a new activity thrown in. Everytime it happened Echo got more used to it - the question and the feeling. Soon he started to feel the normalcy of it sink in and he began to anticipate when they’d ask, how they’d do it, and how long he could handle it before calling a truce. Wrecker was about as playful as Echo expected, sometimes punctuating his frequent request for hugs with an ask to make Echo laugh. He’d been picked up off of the ground more times than he could count, fingers digging into his sides while he dangled in the air and laughed. Tech had started asking when they were quietly counting down the hours in the cockpit together on watch. They’d try to keep it as quiet as possible so no one else got woken up but they’d get caught anyway, half fallen out of their chairs into a pile on the floor. He started to expect Crosshair to ask whenever they were bickering back and forth over something inconsequential. The best time was when they were both huddled in one of the lower bunks together, debating whether or not Crosshair could hit a specific target from a moving ship while hanging upside down. Echo was firmly in the boat that there was no way in hell he could and he’d believe it when he saw it. Was he exaggerating to get under the sniper’s skin? Yes. It was too easy. Crosshair huffed, narrowing his eyes at him before letting amusement play across his face.

“Any chance you’re up for me pestering you until you take that back?” Echo rolled his eyes but let out a nervous laugh already.

“Only if I can do it back.” Echo threw back at him.

“ Deal. ” Crosshair didn’t hesitate to grab his ankle and yank Echo onto his back. They nearly toppled off of the bunk a few times but eventually Echo did have to admit to being a little shit on purpose. Crosshair would’ve stopped had he just asked but putting up the front was part of the game and Echo didn’t want it to end.

Hunter usually was the kindest when he asked. At first he only did it when they were sitting quietly next to each other and minding their own business so he could be gentle about it. Echo always ended up curled up on the bunk, squirming while Hunter wiggled his fingers into any sensitive spots he could reach. Hunter’s favorite tactic was to get permission to lay on top of Echo, successfully pinning him down, then using his hair and the scruff of any facial hair he had to tickle Echo’s neck. Somehow that had become Hunter’s favorite way to get him to laugh and he couldn’t say it wasn’t fun. Over time he got to see a more playful side of Hunter, slowly evolving until they were all out brawling every now and again. It was those times with Hunter that built up his confidence in playing around with them. If there was anyone he had to sprint away from it was Hunter, who let himself goof off sometimes just to get some energy out or make the rest of them lose their attitudes.

“You can only tickle me if you catch me first!” Echo always took off before Hunter could catch on, hearing the sound of pounding feet behind him to propel him forward. He always got caught - there was no hiding from Hunter - but it always ended with the ship feeling lighter than it was before.

There would never come a day when everything felt like it had before. Things had changed, there was no going back to it now. Despite that there was still a lot that Echo could feel grateful for gaining. New additions to his family, a safe space to learn, and so many new experiences he was sure would come in time. He was grateful for the bit of understanding and security he’d carved out for himself, fitting perfectly in the spaces they had made for him and calling their little ship home.

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latinachiquita

2 years ago