Do my sentences get too long? Yes. Do I really care? No, because it was so fun to write!
Protector
Another day, another mission. But as always, before jetting away from their little snippet of space they had to sit through a boring briefing from the dreaded Hunter. Crosshair just wanted to sit down and kick his feet up before getting back into action; he settled for just scowling as hard as he could in Hunter’s general direction.
“Don’t, Crosshair,” Wrecker growled just as Crosshair was about to helpfully point out a flaw in the mission plan.
“Except those regs will obviously be of no use to us,” he snapped, ignoring Wrecker’s warning and sending him a pointed glare. Fifteen shiny regs were to assist them in breaking into the base, to watch the door while the Clone Force 99 obliterated the droids inside and took the building down on their way out. Green clones like their ‘backup’ would be more hindrance than help. Hunter didn’t seem able to see that.
“In case you didn’t already know- and I know you do- there is nothing I can do about it, Crosshair. Just keep your opinions to yourself and for kriff’s sake, don’t start tripping them again.” Knowingly, he sighed and shook his head.
Lo and behold, Hunter was on the regs’ side.
“Maybe you should join them if you love them so much, clearly you don’t care about us if you think they can watch our backs.” No chance you’d see Crosshair relying on a reg to watch his brothers’ backs, especially not a shiny. Of course, he was the one who should be protecting them, watching in wait from afar, taking out any droid who dared get too close.
Perhaps if he’d have phrased it that way, his brother would have listened.
Quickly sitting up, Crosshair shoved his datapad behind him on Tech’s bunk, Wrecker’s loud footsteps tracking closer every second. Resting was the last thing he should be doing right now anyway, what with all that had happened. Standing, he made to leave; he could at least try to do something worthwhile.
Towering above him on the Marauder’s gangway was the strong and stoic Wrecker, arms crossed and expression critical.
“Uh, Cross, Hunter said to stay here,” Wrecker quirked an eyebrow at his younger brother, his eyeline just slightly lower due to his position on the ramp.
Vehemently, Crosshair spat sourly back at him, “Staying here won’t get Tech out of medbay!”
Whisking Crosshair around and back into the cabin, Wrecker sat on Tech’s bunk, patting the space beside him (Crosshair tiredly took it), and muttered gently, “You’re angry you couldn’t keep him safe.”
Xenial as ever, Crosshair shoved Wrecker weakly off of the bunk; Wrecker had guessed what was bothering him immediately- he always did- and Crosshair needn’t let him know it.
“You know it wasn’t ya fault, Cross, wasn’t the regs’ fault either- it’s the seps, always the seps- you couldn’t have changed anythin’.”
Zenith was reached not long after, Crosshair leaning his head on his older brother’s shoulder in acceptance of the facts (as Tech would want): Tech would be okay, and no matter how much he hated it, Crosshair would never be able to protect his brothers from everything.
