The Bad Batch Short Stories

13. Laundry Day

Wrecker....

Wrecker was tasked with taking care of laundry for the crew, a chore he hated more than heights. On the last mission, instead of planting just one charge and slightly damaging the building they were supposed to take out, he set three charges and demolished it from the inside out. Hunter had told him not to do it, but he did it anyway. 
Wrecker grumbled as he carried the laundry basket under one arm and slammed the door open button to the bunk room. "...less charges? Where's the fun in that?" he continued to talk to himself as he took the clothes out of the basket. He folded each set of blacks that were labeled, along with everyone's set of civilian clothes. He scratched behind his ear as he found a lacey piece of red fabric and pulled it from the pile. He was completely puzzled as to what this was supposed to be since there wasn't enough fabric to be a shirt, and it was too large to be a head covering... and then he remembered that Jaylen had brought along some of her clothes, too. "Aha! Some of her stuff must have gotten mixed up with ours," he said to himself. It was at that moment Jaylen walked into the bunk room. "Hey Wrecker," she said as she saw what he was holding in his large hand. Her face immediately went from "hi there good friend," to "oh my gosh he's holding my lacy night gown and I want to die" in a split second.
Wrecker quickly noticed her discomfort and reacted out of reflex. He brought his arm down and hid the lacy garment behind his back.
"Wrecker! That's my..my night gown!" Jaylen said in a raised voice.
"It's not what you think! I didn't know what it was or that it had gotten into our laundry! I swear!" he said with a look of panic on his face.
"Why are you hiding it then?!" Jaylen said as she tried to reach for it behind his back.
He shifted so she couldn't reach it, not that she would be able to snatch it from him anyways.
"You looked shocked and I just reacted! Here! take it back! I don't even want it!" he said as he flung the flimsy garment at her.
With an indignant huff Jaylen turned and left the bunk room.

Wrecker let out a sigh of relief and shook his head. "Wow. I wasn't expecting that," he said as he raised his eyebrows.

Jaylen leaned against the door to her cabin, and covered her face with her hands. She wanted to scream with how flustered she was. She originally bought it because she wanted something that was just hers and made her feel feminine since she mostly wore military grade pants and shirts. Wrecker had asked her out a few weeks back, but their relationship was still very new and fragile to the both of them. And now she had practically accused him of stealing her intimate things.
A knock sounded at her door, making her jump. She gasped and then put a hand over her racing heart. She didn't answer right away and then she heard Wrecker's deep voice, full of regret. "Jaylen? Can I come in?"
She opened the door and was met with the saddest puppy dog face she had ever seen on him and her heart melted. She quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him into her room and then squeezed him as hard as she could (which wasn't much) with a hug.
"Oh, Wrecks, I'm so sorry I snapped at you. It just surprised me, is all, to see my night gown out of my laundry. I know you would never do anything to upset me." She tilted her head back so she could see his face. "Will you forgive me?"
"Of course I forgive you, sweetheart. I just came to explain that I don't know how your clothes ended up with ours. And hopefully after this week I won't be on laundry duty anymore." He scooped her up and sat on her bunk with her on his lap. "What even is a night gown?" he asked as she held it between them.
"It's just something soft and feminine that I like to wear at night. Here, I'll show you." She hopped off his lap and stood, holding the small garment up to her body by the thin straps. Wrecker's eyes traveled from her shoulders, to the small triangles of satin, down the hem of lace that reached her mid thigh. His eyebrows kept getting higher and higher as he imagined what she would look like wearing it. He swallowed thickly as he let out a breath. "Wow... that's.. uh... pretty small..." he said as he scratched at his left ear.
Jaylen stepped between his thighs as she looped her arms around his neck. She rubbed the fabric on his good cheek so he could feel the softness of her nightie. His hands immediately grasped her hips and brought her a little closer. "If you're lucky, I'll let you see me in it," she whispered to him as she lowered her face to his. Their lips sought each other and joined in a warm and slow embrace. Jaylen savored the gentleness of his kiss as she melted into him.
Their moment was interrupted when Tech yelled out, "Wrecker! What did you do to my clothes?!"
Wrecker looked towards her door and then said, "Hide me!" He grabbed her and rolled over into her bed, pulling the blanket over the both of them. Jaylen was laughing as Wrecker pulled her over his chest. She could tell he was smiling as he kissed her cheek. "Shh! He doesn't know I'm in here," he whisper yelled at her.
"The ship isn't that big. He's going to find you. What did you do with his clothes?"
"I might have accidentally washed a few of Hunter's things with Tech's things... so now they are a nice shade of pink."
Jaylen put her hand over her mouth as she laughed. Wrecker rubbed his nose with hers, and said, "I wish I could stay here forever. Just me and you." 
Warmth spread in Jaylen's chest as she felt the same way.
"Me too," she whispered to him as she rested her head on his chest, comforted by his strong heartbeat.