Clone Trooper One Shots

Even When We Argue~Echo

A/N: Echo survives the Citadel in this one-shot

Even when we argue, we still love each other.

You repeated this phrase over and over inside of your head.

Even when we argue...

You took deep breaths. How could he still love you even when you argued? Especially after that argument?

If you could, you would have gone back in time and stopped yourself. You would have taken it all back in an instance.

It was so intense. The screaming, the crying. It was all too much.

He had just gotten back from a mission, just got back from the infamous Citadel and he was, well, different.

You hated yourself for getting in his face, interrogating him when you should have just been comforting him.

He just needed to be held, to be loved. But you did the opposite.

You pushed him too far and he snapped. He broke right in front of you, and for that, you will never forgive yourself.

...we still love each other

Echo regretted everything he said. Regretted calling you insecure, untrustworthy and so much more he wishes he could just forget.

He didn't mean to break in front of you, to snap like that. But he felt like he had no choice.

He had been pushed so far at the Citadel and when he came home, you pushed him even further.

Echo knew you didn't mean to. He knew you were just worried about him. Just wanted to care for him, to love him. He knew it was a mistake.

He forgave you, but he would never forgive himself.

***

Lying in your bed now, you couldn't find any strength to get up, to do anything.

The mere fact that Echo wasn't lying beside you made you want to cry. And, well, you did cry.

You could still imagine his body next to yours, the both of you facing one another and staring off into each other's eyes until sleep overcame you.

You felt like you could still smell him, still feel the lingering warmth, but it was all in your head.

He hadn't been back to your shared home in a couple of hours, but you couldn't blame him for avoiding you.

Although you promised to always love one another, no matter what came your way, you felt that this argument had down you two in. That this was it.

The memory of the argument brought more tears to your eyes.

You regretted everything and you needed him back.

***

Lying in his old bed in the 501st barracks, he forgot how much he hated hearing the snoring of his brothers.

There was too much noise. There was no peace, and specifically, no you.

He wanted to just get up and walk out of the barracks. He wanted to walk straight back to you and into your arms, but no matter how badly he wanted to do so, he felt like you didn't want him near you.

As he tossed and turned, his thoughts remained on you.

He still loved you, even when you argued.

He could hear your voice repeating that phrase to him when things got rough. You always made him feel better and now, now he needed you more than ever.

Hearing Echo moving around his bed restlessly, Five spoke a little above a whisper, "Psst, hey!"

Echo still hadn't heard him. "Vod!"

Echo turned sharply towards Fives, "What?" his voice was shaky. It sounded like he wanted to cry.

Fives silently walking over to Echo's bed, which was next to his, and sat at the foot, "Echo- are you- are you alright?"

Echo didn't look at him, just stared off into the darkness of the barracks.

"Echo, what happened? You never sleep in here anymore"

Echo sat up silently.

"We got into a fight..." he spoke so softly, Fives could barely catch what he was saying.

"Vod, it couldn't have been that bad"

Echo glared at him, his eyes watery. Fives could tell he was fighting the urge to break down and cry.

"Oh," he said as he placed a hand on Echo's shoulder

"Well, umm, what did you two fight about?" Fives hesitated, he wasn't really sure how to comfort someone, but he was going to give it a shot.

"The mission to the Citadel" Echo whispered, glancing between the floor and Fives.

At this, Fives knew what had happened. Echo needn't say more.

"I don't think they want to see me anymore" Echo said as he leaned forward onto his knees.

"Echo, I know that isn't true. Ask anyone and they would tell you that the two of you are meant to be together. You two have made it through so much."

Echo sat back up straight and looked over at Fives again.

"I know what they were just trying to help you. They love you Echo"

Echo nodded his head sightly as he began to register what Fives was saying.

Maybe this had all been a big misunderstanding. But there was still so much he had said that he regretted. He couldn't face you now.

"Fives, I-i said things I regret. Things I shouldn't have ever let leave my mouth" Echo said solemnly.

"Vod, from the bottom of my heart, I know they forgive you. Even when you argue"

He had said it and the moment he did he remembered once more that phrase you always told him, even when we argue, we still love each other.

That had given him the push he needed, the burst of adrenaline that would bring him back to you.

"I gotta go," Echo said, pushing off of his bed abruptly. Fives didn't stop him, he already knew where Echo was going, and he was going back to you.

***

You couldn't bear it anymore. You had to go see him. You didn't care that perhaps he may never forgive you, but you had to see him one more time.

As you approached your front door, with puffy eyes and all, there was a knock.

You didn't even hesitate to answer it. You already knew who it was.

"Cyare, I'm so sorry. I-" Before he could even finish his sentence, you had thrown yourself to him.

You had your hands around his neck with your face buried in his chest.

He was taken aback at first, but he quickly wrapped his arms around your waist.

He took in the way you smelled, the way you felt against him. He promised the galaxy he would never take this for granted ever again.

As you stood in your doorway holding onto each other, Echo began to hear what sounded like you crying.

Pulling apart from you, "Shh cyare. It's okay. I'm here"

You just nodded your head.

Echo noticed your lip was quivering and he placed his hand on your cheek. You glanced at him and all was lost to you.

You forgot about the argument, about all the mean things said and unsaid. You forgot about the way you were hurting and, undoubtedly, how Echo was hurting too because even when you argued, you still loved each other.