I Am So Excited For Part 2!

Echo Screenshot Edits

Part 4: Snack Time

Echo has a reputation as a picky eater but sometimes he gets cravings like all of us and steals away with a chocolate bar!

I’ve been suspecting this for quite some time but couldn’t find evidence - this time I caught him!

NB: I did not edit the facial expressions in these! And he looks sooo caught 😂 I bet it was the last chocolate bar.

@ladykagewaki After our last conversation about baby Echo I suspect it was Nala Se and her snackies for scomp maintenance that started it all.

Taglist: @padawancat97 @starrylothcat @anxiouspineapple99 @pb-jellybeans @meiloorunvendor @yubnubhub @rain-on-kamino @littlefeatherr @clio3kantarella @youreababboon @makahitaki @clonemedickix @amorfista

100% agree 🫣

25 Days of Life Day: Day 11 - Matching Holiday Sweaters with Howzer

Summary: You got matching ugly sweaters with Howzer.

Warnings: Suggestive language.

A/N: Sorry, wrote this in a bit of a hurry so it's a little shorter.

“I look ridiculous.” Howzer looks down at the sweater you got him.

“I think it’s cute.” You grin laying on the bed with your chin in your hand. 

He looks at your reflection in the mirror, staring at you with raised eyebrows like “Are you serious?”

“I’m not wearing this.” He laughs. “It’s hideous.”

“That’s kinda the point.” You shrug, grinning.

You were hosting this year’s Ugly Sweater party and since Howzer had never celebrated Life Day before, you took it upon yourself to buy one. Unfortunately, he absolutely hates it. 

Howzer sighs with his hands on his hips, turning around to look at you. “Will it make you happy if I wear this?”

“Glad you asked.” You get up off the bed and grab your ugly sweater that’s identical to his from the closet.

“I’m sorry… You bought two?” He asks.

You laugh and shrug it on. “One for you. One for me.” 

Howzer runs his hand down his face. “If we are the only two people wearing ugly sweaters, I’m changing.” 

“Deal.” You wrap your arms around his neck, kissing him. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you.” He smiles, softly. 

The party is turning out to be a success. Plenty of people showed up in ugly sweaters. There were a few who didn’t. Wolffe had told you he’d rather be fed to literal wolves than wear what you and Howzer were wearing. Howzer had just laughed and said “One day you’ll understand.” and tucked you into his side. You had smiled proudly up at him. 

You and Howzer have only been together for six months but you were absolutely sure that this man was who you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. 

“You know, you’re really starting to make that sweater work.” Howzer murmurs into your ear from behind you.

“Oh yeah, the snowmen are really doing it for you, huh?” You smirk.

“Little bit.” He teases, pulling you against his chest. “As soon as the last person walks out the front door, I’m tearing that sweater off of you.”

You gasp. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“I would… and then…” He kisses your neck before continuing his train of thought. “I’m going to burn it.” 

You can’t help your little burst of laughter, making a few people look in your direction. Turning around to look up at your partner, you lean against the kitchen counter. 

“You are so dramatic.” You laugh.

“Not like these sweaters.” He takes a drink of his punch and you watch his Adam's apple bob as he swallows. 

Maybe he was onto something with wanting to get out of these sweaters, but not for the reason he was thinking. 

“I was thinking about something else for when everyone leaves.” You tell him, smirking.

He sits the cup down on the counter, caging you in between his strong arms. “Do tell.”

You lean in and kiss him on the nose. “Maybe later.”

Ducking underneath his arm and walking away, you turn back to smirk at him before going to talk to one of your friends. You know that he’s going to make you pay for it later with the way he’s smirking right back at you. 

Either way, the sweaters are probably never getting worn again.

TAGS: @grievouus @brynhildrmimi @madameminor @dumfanting @rain-on-kamino @misogirl828 @rexandechosandwich @corona-one @tecker @ladykatakuri @the-sith-in-the-sky-with-diamond @twistedstitcher27 @zoeykallus @maulslittlemeowmeow @littlemousedroid @arctrooper69 @rexxdjarin @agenteliix @padawancat97 @hated-by-me @sleepingsun501

Crosshair Theory

There's a whole lot of ways Crosshair's story could go this season but I've been considering something I hadn't really thought about. I've done a lot of thinking about how Cross could defect from the Empire but I didn't really consider the idea of the Empire turning against him.

I don't think we're going to get a Crosshair redemption/recovery arc this season because it feels too soon. He isn't going to change without some self-reflection and I don't think that's really going to sink in until he hits rock bottom. And that could happen if he loses the only thing he feels even mildly supported by: The Empire.

We've been told that at the beginning of S2 The Empire believe The Batch to be dead, meaning that Cross didn't tell them about CF 99 escaping Kamino. But they're gonna find out. We know from the trailer that the Batch are being hunted down which means that their survival must have been discovered.

And that's gonna cause the Empire to question Crosshair. Now he could lie and say he got separated from them and without seeing them leave, had assumed they had died. But I doubt the Empire are going to trust him much with that. In reality, they don't actually care about him, so they're not going to risk keeping someone around who could betray them.

With them turning against him, Crosshair would have to go into hiding to escape being hunted. But without The Batch, he would be completely alone.

And I think that could be his rock bottom. Realising that he is on his own. Realising that The Empire aren't going to be there this time. Realising that maybe if he'd gone with CF 99, he wouldn't be in this situation.

And knowing that his insistence that The Empire was the way forward, and his own ignorance, were what led him here, Cross could realise that he messed up. Big time.

By having the season end with Cross on his own and the Empire hunting him, it would leave future seasons for that redemption/recovery to really be fleshed out. Ultimately owning up to his mistakes and seeking help from The Batch again.

To me, I think this theory makes a little more sense than Crosshair just defecting. He's so wrapped up in the Empire that it's going to take him being stranded to realise he screwed up. Because if the Empire can do what they've done up until this point and Cross still sides with them, it really begs the question as to how far they would have to push it for him to leave. A forceful removal seems more likely to me.

Regardless of what actually happens, I think we're going to have to watch Crosshair get a lot worse before he gets better. There's going to have to be a big push to get him to really look at himself.

But I'm excited to see where his story goes. With a lot of praise being thrown towards the Cross storyline, I think this could he a really great season.

Edit: fixed a sentence because it made no sense

°•°•°•°•°

Also quick thanks to @intrepidmare. Discussing Crosshair in another post actually made me think more about this and inspired me to write this. <3

I think Hunter is referring to his “goodbye” from TCW season 7 where Echo decides to leave Rex. I think the message was like - if Echo ever feels like he doesn’t fit in with them, then the bad batch will be there for him.

no but the way that they've been setting up Echo to leave the Batch over the past two seasons???

Echo being the one to jump at the chance to help Rex the first time he showed up in season 1.

Echo being the one to vouch in favor of saving Gregor.

Echo constantly suggesting the Batch should be working with Rex.

At the beginning of "Truth and Consequences", when Echo is talking to Omega, and he says: "This is where I fit. Where I was needed."

The look Echo and Hunter share after Rex calls them about coming to Coruscant.

When Rex mentioned that they were spread thin, and needed more help, and how the scene lingered on Echo just a little bit longer.

also, just, in general, the way these two episodes called back to the vibes of "Orders", from the hanger that Rex and Riyo bring the assassin, to the paranoia and hunting of the clones who know too much.

and the fact that the Batch was so warm to Echo when they were saying their goodbyes? It was obvious that this is something Echo's been thinking about, and something he talked to them about before making the choice at the end of the episode. (Also i'm VERY interested to know what Hunter is referring to when he said goodbye to Echo)

Echo left Rex when the Batch needed him. Now he's left the Batch when Rex needs him.

Wait a damn minute 😭🤧

I thought this was about Tech and Romar (I believe that’s his name) 🧍🏽‍♀️😭 I cackled thinking about Texh giving him a hip replacement !! Im so done…

yeah yeah fucking that old man, but what about cherishing that old man? tenderly holding that old man?

Shut up virgin, that old man's gonna need a hip replacement when I'm done with him

Tech's Wires (Tech x Reader)

This is an 18+ fic, anyone who is under the age of 18 please do not read this!

Summary: You and Tech were peacefully traveling through hyperspace on a small mission when all of a sudden something happens to the ship. Tech had to crawl into a small space to get to where he needed to fix the ship. Something scandalous probably ensues afterward.

Author's Notes: This was purely inspired by an old sailor story my dad and his navy buddies always talked about. They were all on the same nuclear submarine back in the day. There was a time when the nuclear reactor that was on the sub was malfunctioning and they were going to lose power to the ship. My father had to crawl into this little hole full of wires to fix the malfunction so they could all still have power. Very much a do-or-die moment, but the kicker was he couldn't fit with the safety gear so he had to crawl in there in just his underwear. Also, I want to thank everyone who reads this and likes this. This is the first time I have ever publicly shown any of my writing. I hope you guys like it and if you have any ideas or suggestions you want to share please let me know! I plan to eventually post this on ao3 as well once I make an account. I have always been a reader and have written for my own personal pleasure. I really hope you like this.

Warnings: 18+, NSFW, grinding, mild biting, unprotected sex (please wrap it before you tap it boys and girls and everything else), creampie, after care is important y'all

Word Count: 2.6k

You are jerked awake from the feeling of the Havoc Marauder being yanked out of hyperspace and the alarms instantly blaring throughout the small modified attack shuttle. Tech was out of his bunk in a flash before you even had a chance to lift your head from your bunk. He was in the cockpit in seconds and his voice could barely be heard over the blaring sound of the alarm. You pulled yourself out of the bunk quickly making your way to the cockpit. 

"Take over the controls and keep the ship steady." Tech hollered, he was pulling a panel off of the inner walls of the cockpit. You threw yourself into the pilot's seat, grabbing the steering wheel and holding the ship steady. You also reached over, turning the alarms off so you could think clearly as you flew the ship through the dark black vacuum of space. Behind you, you heard Tech grumbling and grunting as he reached into the open panel pulling out some wires. 

"Tech, what's going on?" Your voice was full of worry as you noticed that they were in the middle of nowhere. 

"The wires to the hyperdrive must have short-circuited and fried the system. I'm going to need to get into the wall to fix it." Tech explained. You then heard the sounds of plastoid armor dropping to the ground and the sound of the leather from his belts followed quickly after. You glanced over the back of the red seat spotting Tech pulling his shirt off of his body, and you felt your face flush a little. 

"Tech? What are you doing?" You quickly yanked your eyes back over to the dash of the ship. 

"I need to crawl into the wall to do the repair and I cannot fit with my armor and clothes," Tech said simply. Your hands gripped the wheel tighter, "Tech, that's dangerous."

"If I do not do this, we will be floating in space with no power soon." He argued. You made a small sign knowing that once Tech sets his mind on something, you know there's no changing it. You peeked over the chair again to see the last of Tech's bare leg disappear into the wall. A few minutes later, the ship started to fly more smoothly and you heard Tech remerge from the open panel in the wall. He appeared next to you, shooing you out of the pilot's seat to get the ship back on track and back into hyperspace. 

"We should be fine until we land back on Ord Mantell." Tech signed, getting up to retrieve his things, but you stopped him.

"Wait. You're bleeding." You reached out, grabbing his arm. He made no protest as you led him into the main hull of the ship grabbing the medical supplies. 

"It's just a small cut. I will be fine." Tech objected vocally, but made no move to move away from you. 

"Yes, but who knows what else is in these walls? I don't want to risk any kind of infection." You argued, sitting him down in one of the chairs and opening the medkit. You started to clean the small cut on his bicep. It took you little time to put a bandage on it and fix up the other small one on his back. Once you were done, you gave him a quick, light kiss on his cheek. 

"All done soldier." You smiled lightly at him and put the medkit away. Tech looked over at you, a very small flush on his cheeks in the dark lighting on his cheeks. He might have finally caught up to the fact that he is sitting next to you in just his underwear. 

"How much longer till we are back at Ord Mantell?" You asked lightly, moving to sit in the other chair in the main hull of the small fighter ship. 

"Oh, probably only for another hour or two," Tech answered after a second like you had pulled him out of his thoughts. You raised your eyebrow at him, "You alright?" 

Tech sat still in his chair, his sharp brown eyes staring you down. The only movement he made was his left hand reaching up to adjust the goggles on his face. He took in a deep breath, "Come over here." 

You gave him a surprised look. This tends to be out of the ordinary for him. The two of you had been doing a small dance around each other for months now, trying to see if the other liked each other more than friends. It was obvious to everyone else around them and they never failed to tell you that. Tech has never been forward like this. 

Your curiosity gets the better of you. You stand up walking the short distance from your chair over to where he sat. When you were close enough, he reached out and pulled you into his lap, making you squeak in surprise. His hands lightly rested on your hips, leaving you plenty of space to move away if you wish.

He gazed at you through his goggles, "Would you allow me… To make love to you." 

You blinked once or twice, your brain processing his words for a second. Being this close to him, you could see the small blush on his cheeks. You made a small smile, nodding your head, "Please." 

Tech took the opportunity and leaned forward, kissing you on the lips. You made a small hum, moving your head to accommodate his goggles. This isn't the first time you've kissed him. There was a drunken night between the two of you where there was a small bruise on your cheek from accidentally hitting his goggles. This was the first time the two of you kissed without the hindrance of something else in your systems. 

You wrapped your arms around his bare shoulders, lightly pressing yourself up against him as he ran his tongue over your bottom lip. You gave him easy access, making a small moan at the feeling of your tongues sliding against each other. That seemed to push Tech forward, he pushed his hands under your shirt, pulling it up over your head. The clothing dropped to the floor followed quickly with your bra. Tech's hands started to wander, mapping out your torso, taking a moment to grope your breasts. His thumbs ran over your nipples, playing with them until they were hard. 

You decide to take the initiative, moving away from his lips and starting to kiss down his jaw and neck. You paused at the sensitive skin right at the base of his giving that spot more attention. He granted you with a whimper that sounded amazing from him. You instantly wanted to hear that again and again, so you started to slowly grind your hips down against his lap. Through your pants, you were able to feel he was already hard as he rocked his hips up against yours. 

"Is that a pistol in your pocket or are you happy to see me?" You teased him lightly, leaning back some to get a good look at the man flushed in front of him. His goggles were knocked out of place and his blush had increased dramatically, it spread to his shoulders and chest. 

You got a snort and a small crooked smile from Tech. Moving his hands down to your ass, using them a moment to guide your hips on top of him. Both of you shuttering at the pleasure you got from each other. 

"You might be a little surprised when it doesn't shoot blaster bolts." Tech teased, his hands moving away from your clothed ass to the underside of your thighs. He promoted a laugh from you from his words, not expecting him to say something like that. 

While he had you distracted with your laughter, he shifted under you, pulling you into his arms and standing up. He held you with some surprising strength that only a clone could have. You instantly wrapped your arms around his shoulders, holding onto him out of the small worry that he might drop you. He walked the two of you over to the bunks, laying you down on the bottom one. 

"This spot is probably better for now." Tech hummed as he crawled over you, "Eventually I want you in the pilot's chair. If this ever happens again." 

"You've thought about this with me?" You asked, pulling him close to you again, his chest pressing flush to yours. The warmth from his body was already starting to become an addiction. 

"Yes." He hissed out, leaning down, pulling you into another kiss. You made a small groan from the kiss once again, your legs instinctively wrapping around his hips so he could grind down against you. 

He moved away from your kiss, slowly moving down your body, kissing and sucking on your neck and chest pulling all kinds of sounds from him. Eventually, he got to your hips, his long fingers dipping under the waistband of your pants. He paused for a moment looking up at you to silently ask you again for permission. You nodded your head and your pants and underwear were quick to be pulled from your body.

"Marvelous." Tech breathed looking down at you completely bare for him. You were flushed just as much as him feeling a little subconscious now that you had his complete attention. His hands moved down your sides to your hips and then between your thighs. His hand moved between your legs, being quick to find your clit, rubbing it in small circles. Your back arched off the bunk a little as you let out a deep moan from the pleasure it brought you. 

"Oh my god, Tech." You gasped as you felt him slide one of his fingers in you, meeting barely any resistance from how wet you were. His breathing was uneven as he watched you squirm under his touch. 

He was quick to add in another finger to make sure you would be able to take him. You were so worked up that his menstruations had you already close to your peak. Tech let out a heavy moan at the sight, pulling away, "You are absolutely gorgeous." 

"Tech." You shuttered at his compliments. He smiled down at you, shifting himself as he pulled the last bit of clothing that was still on his body off. You gasped at the sight of him in his naked glory in front of you. He looked divine. 

"As much as I would love to see you cum from just my hands, I would prefer to see you cum on my cock." Tech's voice was deep and breathy, sending shivers up your spine. He grabbed your thighs to shift the two of you in a good position between your legs. He ended up pulling one of your legs on his shoulder. 

"W-Wait." You gasped suddenly freezing, "Protection." 

Tech paused looking down at you confused for a moment, "You mean condoms? I doubt they're hardly necessary. Clones are sterile and we were designed to not be able to contract illnesses easily. Plus we were tested regularly. I'm clean. Are you?" 

"Yeah." You breathed still looking up at him, a little concerned. He leaned down kissing you softly on the lips, moving your leg so you didn't have to stretch it too far, "Then there should be nothing to be concerned about."  

The two of you kissed a bit more and you slowly moved away again to ask him a question, "Are you sure? You're not lying to me are you?"

"Why would I lie to you?" Tech gave you a confused look and you looked away from him off into the distance, biting your lip.

"If you don't want to do this, you can just tell me." Tech's voice was laced with concern now. You jerked your eyes back to the man on top of you, "What? No, I do! Sorry." 

Tech stayed where he was. His thumbs lightly stroked your skin, "Would you feel better if I were to find some form of protection?" 

You thought about it for a second, a little concerned you ruined the mood. But as you glanced down, you saw he was still hard, flushed red, and leaking precum out of the tip. You found yourself shaking your head no. 

"I need to hear you say it." Tech's voice was soft as he leaned down again giving you a small kiss on your cheek. 

"Tech, I want you to fuck me." You breathed, your hands reaching up to wrap around his shoulders. Tech's breath hitched, his exhale another whimper. 

"As you wish, my dear." That was all the motivation he needed, moving the two of them again between your legs. He slowly slid his dick into you making you gasp at the stretch. He started to set a steady pace, the both of you pulling moans from each other. You ran your nails up his back, probably leaving small little lines. He leaned down kissing your neck more leaving small bites that will probably leave a mark. 

Eventually, he angled his hips right, hitting a spot in you that practically made you scream. The both of you panting and moaning, a small sheen of sweat on both of your skins. He hit the spot a few more times and before you could warn him, you felt yourself cuming around his cock. His name is like a prayer on your lips.

"Oh fuck." Tech gasped his hips rocking into you as you felt your walls squeeze around him. He made a few more weak thrusts and then he was cumming inside you. You moaned at the feeling of his warm, white seed filling you. The both of you held onto each other tightly, panting hard as you came down from the high of the orgasm. 

"That was…" you breathed as Tech shifted himself so he could lean up and kiss you on the lips. He smiled softly against your lips, "Yeah." 

The two of you stayed like that for a moment, softly kissing each other as he got soft in you. Eventually, he pulled away both of you groaning at the feeling of him pulling out of you. 

"I will be right back," Tech informed, moving off the small bunk the two of you were on. He went into the small fresher on the ship, eventually coming back with a small damp towel. You had moved to your side but moved again as he settled himself between your legs again. He gently ran the cloth over you, efficiently cleaning you up. Once he was done he lightly tapped your thigh, making the sound of a slap, but not being painful at all. 

"Okay. Go use the fresher and then come back here." Tech instructed, his voice is softer than it normally is. Honestly, it sounds very similar to the sound of him waking up and still feeling tired. You nod, moving out of the bunk as he laid down on it in your place. You went to the fresher doing your business and returned like he had asked you to. He was still in the bunk, naked, but with a blanket laying over his hips. He had his tablet in his hands. He put it aside when he saw you, motioning for you to join him. 

"Didn't think you would be the type to be a cuddler after sex." You teased him lightly as you laid back down on the small bunk, Tech wrapped his arms around your waist pulling you into a spooning position. He made a small huff kissing your shoulder as you wrapped the blanket around the two of you. 

"Don't want to let go of you yet." 

🕯 🕯 🕯

🕯 May you have the 🕯

🕯 absolute thirstiest 🕯

🕯 of thirst dreams of 🕯

🕯 whatever fictional 🕯

🕯 character you’re 🕯

🕯 hyper-fixating on at 🕯

🕯 the moment 🕯

🕯 🕯 🕯

I am currently having thoughts on Echo (because he deserves it) and WAAAAAH PAIN, becausebecause hear me out okay?

Remember why his name was Echo? because he kept repeating the orders given to them during training. And remember on the Rishi Moon? He was reading Regulation Manuals (regs for short) right? This shows us that he was a very by the book kinda guy. He was smart and he definitely had the stuff, after all he made the 501st and later Arc with Fives, but he was just very straightforward, regulation haircut, no tattoos, no beards no nothing.

And then, AND THEN!!! in s7 when they go to save him with tbb Crosshair refers to regular clones as REGS (which I have always FIRMLY believed was a call back to Echo and his reg manual reading). And then he comes back home to his brother and suddenly his by the book, clean cut, just like the others, fits-right-in character just... doesn't work anymore. And he needed only like,,, a day to figure it out (which is im assuming how long they were on base before leaving to take out Trench but idk idk)

Just, yeah, Filoni or the writers or whoevers in charge here, they just seem to like giving certain characters the opposite fate of what has defined them all along and that just makes it,,, so much more painful? like Echo, the normie (for lack of better word) wakes up from stasis after a year only to find the only place he fits in is with the misfits (PAIN), or Dogma the clone that was so loyal, he was ready to follow orders blindly, having to deal with the consequences of shooting a Jedi (AGONY)

I'm sure there are more examples, but these are the ones I could come up with now lol

yeah, just ouch :')

(also, just putting this out there, I don't wanna take away from Echos story, but rather just illustrate how powerful it is. What happened to him was devastating, but he's a survivor and he pulled through, stronger than before imo)

felt the need to tag @saturn-sends-hugs bc Echos ur boy lol

Wet - Tech first kiss

Title: Wet Summary: Tech doesn’t want to leave the planet Navya lives on, knowing they won’t ever go back there unless there is an incentive. So, for once, Tech follows his heart – after a little nudge from Echo, of course. CW: None! Tags (if I ever upload to Ao3): fluff, romance, Tech x female OC, no experience Tech, cause I mean do clones have experience??, first kiss, kiss in the rain

Echo sat down with a grunt before leaning back casually. It was silent in the Marauder now, unlike a minute ago when, for the first time in everyone's lives, Tech had argued with Hunter.

Tech was calm, collected, and would usually follow orders when given. If not, he would have a proper, calm, explanation for why an order was not logical, and Hunter would agree.

This time, Tech had no logical explanation. He had thrown some big words out in a painfully obvious attempt to sound like he had a logical explanation, but Hunter hadn’t bought it.

“That was intense,” Echo commented, earning nothing more but a ‘hm’ from Tech, occupied with data on his data pad.

Or, he looked like he was, but Echo could see him just scrolling mindlessly, eyes not taking in any information.

Echo thoughtfully hummed, a knowing smirk appearing on his lips.   

It was not like it had been a proper argument, really. Hunter had seen through Tech the second they had met with the locals. And Hunter had seen through Tech now too. What most likely had bothered Hunter was that it was getting in the way of their ability to complete their job. Their credits were running out, and they would have to refuel the Marauder soon, not to mention eat.

“So…” Echo hummed, wondering what approach to take. Hunter had taken the ‘annoyed’ approach. Wrecker was clueless. Omega too. So it was up to Echo to sort this out now. “Since when does a little rain stop a skilled pilot as yourself?”

Momentarily, all one could hear in the cockpit was the loud, consistent white noise of rain bashing against the hull. ‘A little’ rain was an understatement. It was quite literally pouring down out there, as if someone had opened a water balloon that let out endless supplies of consistent water. It forced one to squint your eyes and breathe through your mouth.

It was bad.

Normal, apparently, to the locals, who had warned them – but the warning had been more to make sure they dressed Omega in warm clothes, not to warn them that they couldn’t take off.

One could fly through rain, even this rain.

“As I mentioned, it would impede the engines’ ability to-“

“Yes,” Echo interrupted with a roll of his eyes, “so you said. Repeatedly.” Echo smirked when Tech looked away from his data pad to offer a stern look to Echo. “You might have been able to fool Wrecker, and you know… I do think Hunter is a little conflicted on whether you were truthful or not. But me? I’ve worked on those engines just as much as you. They can manage. And you can fly through it.”

Tech remained quiet. But his eyes also remained glued on Echo.

No words were said, but Echo still mellowed down. “Why don’t you just go to her.”

“No. I mean…” Tech cleared his throat and finally looked away. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure.” Echo leaned forward, trying to catch Tech’s gaze but failing. “Tech. Maybe you’re not even sure of why you’re lying, or whether you are lying. But I am sure about one thing. Whatever you’re doing, you’re doing it because you don’t want to leave.”

“It would be difficult to navigate through the rain,” Tech simply stated.

“Difficult but not impossible,” Echo said with a knowing smile.

“Something… else might be impossible.”

So he was aware.

Curious.

“I am not…” Tech turned to glance at his friend and brother, knee nervously jumping up and down, “naturally inclined toward showing feelings.”

“You have them though.” Echo leaned back in his chair again, crossing his arms over his chest. “Whatever is making you lie to Hunter, even yourself… access it. Decrypt it. And listen to the code.”

Nervously, Tech pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, leg continuing its nervous movement…

Then it clicked.

He stood, giving Echo one last glance that looked mildly grateful, before leaving the cockpit.

Echo smiled.

…

“But it’s raining!” Hunter had closed himself off from the others to try and calm down. He was not angry, nor had this been a proper fight between him and Tech. It was just that he was a little oversensitive, and when he himself had raised his voice, he had accidentally triggered himself.

Sharpening his knife in a quiet, dark room was his way to calm down.

But the closed door didn’t shut out all sounds from the rest of the ship. Especially not to someone with heightened senses. And he easily heard the faint beeping of the ramp being lowered to the outside along with multiple questions thrown around in confusion.

Standing, he left his dark compartment to investigate, a protective mode on.

“Where are you going?” Hunter asked with wide eyes.

With the ramp opened, the bad weather outside was obvious: darkness that made it difficult to see past your own feet, and rain slashing down on you if you left the comfort of a ceiling above your head.

He had to raise his voice again just to be heard over the noise of rain, but his need to protect his squad overpowered his sensitive sense.  

Everyone watched as Tech lifted the hood of a cloak that would do nothing in this weather over his head before saying: “The impossible.”

“What?” Wrecker and Omega watched with bated breaths whether this would become another fight. But then Hunter mellowed down. “Tech, at least tell me where you’re off to.”

Tech did nothing more but stare at his leader. “I’ll be back shortly.”

“Tech.” Tech paused one last time at his leader’s call. “Say hello to Navya for us.”

Tech blushed furiously, earning a smirk from Hunter before he granted the man an approving nod…

…

The darkness this storm brought with it did nothing to stop Tech from getting to Navya’s house. He had memorized the way the second he had first laid eyes on Navya, hoping that nothing would ever happen to this little village for him to have to use that knowledge and protect her.

He knocked on the door. Lights were on inside, and more turned on as Navya made her way to the door. Opening it, she already looked surprised as no one was out and about in this weather, and definitely not to go visit her. She sold technology, either in parts or made whole, and no one was quite interested in that when it rained.

“Tech?” she asked, lifting a lantern to get a better look. Her eyes widened, mouth forming an ‘o’ in surprise. “Tech! What are you doing?”

Too shocked to move, Navya stayed in the doorway. That was alright. Tech had no intention to go inside. That felt… improper.

But he couldn’t leave this planet without at least…

Admitting his own improper thoughts.

“Navya.” Water flowed down his face, seeping through the cloak and into his armour. Despite his enhanced DNA, he would feel a little off the next day from letting his body temperature fall. It was worth it though. “We are leaving.”

She blinked in confusion. “I know that, Tech. We said goodbye.”

“No, we didn’t.” Tech was well aware that that would confuse her even more. They had, in fact, shared a very proper goodbye. He had even waved at her from across the room.

She had smiled… She had stopped herself from walking over. And her smile had wavered and disappeared upon the realization that they wouldn’t meet ever again.

It had been a goodbye.

But not one he wanted.

“Not… Not as I would have liked it.” Tech cleared his throat.

“Tech, you should come inside-“

“I will be fine. This won’t take long.” He cleared his throat again. It wouldn’t take long if he could just get the words to come out. “I wanted to say goodbye.” Dammit. “But not a goodbye.”

Oh he wasn’t sounding very smart right about now. Maybe decrypting those pesky feelings he felt had made him download a virus.

But he wasn’t a droid. He didn’t even have parts on him.

He was human, and deep down past the intellect and awkwardness that came with being hyper aware of everything but emotions, especially his own, he knew that it wasn’t a virus, just a nervous stutter as his heart fluttered in the presence of her.

“I wanted it to be a goodbye lacking the outcome of us never seeing each other again.”

She stared in shock. “That would require the variable of your team coming back. That variable doesn’t exist.”

“Not without any other jobs bringing us here,” Tech agreed with a nod.

“This is such a remote place, you won’t come back.” Her gaze fell to the floor in pain.

“Wrong.” Tech adjusted his goggles awkwardly. “I can be the variable impacting the equation so the solution becomes different.”

Blinking in surprise, Navya stared at him once more. “How?”

“Like this.” Tech stepped forward once. “May I have permission to kiss you?”

Her eyes widened in surprise. But it was a good surprise. She had wanted to ask that question herself for a few days now. “Yes. You have permission.”

It momentarily looked as though Tech hadn’t thought he would get the permission, pausing to let his gaze flicker down to her lips questioningly. But then he leaned down, water trickling from his hood down onto her face as he pecked her lips once.  

That was it.

Just a quick peck. He’d seen people do that, but he had never studied it further. To do so would be creepy, and the data pads along with any information clones were given about humanity held very little info on physical contact.

She, on the other hand, had lived a full life. So when Tech stepped away again, out into the rain, she wasn’t satisfied with just the one little peck. She followed him out into the rain, immediately getting drenched, reached her hands up to his cheeks and pulled him in for a proper kiss. A deep one.

And two kisses.

And three.

It ended with a fourth, gentle, kiss to the side of his lips. At some point he had felt his body react naturally and had kissed her back, but he hadn’t been aware of his hands finding their way to her hips.

Yet, there they were.

And he smiled down at her, face red and heartbeat no longer stuttering, but beating with a radiating warmth that made him forget it was raining.

…

“So?” Echo sat back down in the cockpit, staring at Tech as he prepared the ship for take-off.

It was still pouring down outside, but Tech had finally come to his senses that the ship could handle the weather, and that his flying capabilities were good enough to navigate through the storm with ease.

The others sat down in the cockpit too, Hunter helping Omega strap in.

Just in case.

“So, what?” Tech asked innocently.

“How was Navya?” Echo asked.

Wrecker leaned forwards, an eager grin on his lips. Hunter and Echo had explained to Wrecker, and Omega in less detail, what was going on with Tech.

Obviously, now that Wrecker knew, he needed the full details.

Tech glanced to Echo, pausing his actions momentarily. Then he turned to catch even Hunter waiting impatiently, though the leader pretended he wasn’t doing so by pulling out his knife to play with.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

With a groan, Wrecker grabbed a hold of Tech’s chair and shook it impatiently. “Just tell us! Did you kiss her?”

Omega giggled at Tech looking rather rattled.

“I do believe that is none of your business,” Tech stated.

“That wasn’t a no,” Echo teased.

“We had a discussion that I should…” Tech glanced back at Hunter, who had stopped playing with his knife to listen in. He caught Tech’s gaze and tilted his head curiously. “That I should visit. From time to time.”

Hunter smiled and nodded his head in understanding.

“So how was it!?” Wrecker shouted. “The kiss!?”

Tech rolled his eyes. “It was…” He thought about it for a bit. “Wet.”

“Too much information,” Echo groaned.

“Why was it wet?” Omega asked innocently.

“Because-“ Tech went to reply, well aware that this was innocent enough to explain to a child. It had just been a kiss or two or three in the rain.

The others, however, had other things on their mind.

Very improper things.

They shouted out a quick ‘NO!’ to Tech, who looked around in confusion together with Omega.

credit I don't own tbb I only own Navya's character pink line divider by fic-dumpster