Star Wars Series One-Shots

Little Sniper

Darkness. Something that Crosshair had grown to appreciate during their down time. Sure, his brothers would understand after going through their own experiments day after day and he might gain sympathy to warrant wanting the lights off but that would mean admitting it. And he wasn't a small cadet anymore. He was a 6th year now. He could handle a small headache until it was time to sleep.

Kamino had stark white walls that bounced the light around making the space look clean and well lit. Crosshair always squinted his eyes when walking back to the barracks, his arms folded tightly around himself. If he could, he'd walk walk with his eyes closed but regs walked these halls and would take any advantage they could to bully a member of Clone Force 99. Even when they just went through grueling training.

Thankfully, there wasn't a reg walking the halls looking for trouble today. Crosshair vaguely remembered seeing the time in the lab being close to dinner time so they were likely in the mess. 

Which also meant he'd get the barracks to himself. Assuming that Hunter wasn't suffering from a sensory overload or Tech wasn't too mentally drained or Wrecker wasn't sore from lifting objects for hours.

The darkness that greeted him when the door whooshed open gave Crosshair the implication that no one was there. It all seemed so perfect. No regs to deal with, no brothers badgering him or keeping the light on. Just simple bliss. 

The door closed behind him, leaving the room in a dark blue glow of the water below. He sighed as he slid onto his bed, turning to face the wall. I was dark enough that he slipped into a hazy dreamlike state within minutes. And he would've fell asleep if not for the door opening and the light to burn his eyes which were used to the dark.

"Figured you would come here and not the mess." Hunter, his voice soft. 

The door whooshed closed and Crosshair visibly relaxed. Since this day was going so well for him (well, after he left the lab, that is) maybe, just maybe, the galaxy will take pity and Hunter will leave him be. He heard rustling behind him, a box opening and closing, before it quieted.

"I have something for you." Hunter said, sitting on the edge of Crosshair's bunk. The sniper turned over, looking for whatever his older brother could possibly have. Knowing Hunter, it could be a wide range of things. A small black cloth in the shape of a bean with an elastic strap was held out to him. 

"What is it?" Crosshair sat up, taking the cloth. Upon inspecting it he figured out it was an eyemask, it's dark red stitching along the border and a small skull embroidered on the right edge standing out on the black fabric.

"I figured the light bothers you when we come back from the lab so I asked 99 to teach me how to sew and make the little skull. This way, you can block out the light when you sleep or if you just need a break." Crosshair kept his eyes trained on the eyemask, how soft it was, how the elastic was adjustable, how Hunter had made it for him.

"Do you like it?" Hunter asked after a moment of silence.

"Yeah. It's nice." The voice that always had an edge to it was now soft. "Thank you, Hunter."

His older brother smiled. "Of course, vod'ika. Get some sleep, okay?" At the sniper's nod, Hunter got up and went to his bunk, laying on his side with his datapad. Crosshair slipped the mask over his head, adjusting it a bit to not be too tight, and laid down. It was much darker than before now that the light was non-existent. He fell asleep fast that night and many nights after.

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The Empire was kind enough to give him his own barracks. It was small and anyone could tell it was made with the one intention of sleeping. No extra room like he had with Clone Force 99. Chatter of Tech while he tinkered or the small sounds of Hunter as he spun his vibro blade between his fingers or Wrecker lifting a crate over and over again. That familiarity of his brothers, his family, was gone. 

He stared at the ceiling, waiting for the alarm to go off. Out of his peripheral, he saw the one thing he salvaged from the shared bunk room. His eyemask. The one Hunter had made for him. It wasn't until the next day that Crosshair had seen the small spots of red on the tips of his brother's fingers where he no doubt poked himself. It was close to a month later that they pooled the credits the won in various games (mainly from Tech, with his ability to win every game) and bought noise cancelling headphones for their oldest brother. 

What if he still had them?

Or what about the small cloth that he got Tech to clean his goggles that fit in a small pocket on his belt? 

Or the sprout of a plant that Wrecker insisted would grow something to eat? Did it ever grow anything?

Crosshair brought the eyemask into view, stroking the soft fabric. He rarely used it in case someone were to wake him in the middle of the night. It had it's own spot under his pillow, where he knew it was. It gave him a sense of security. Was this how Wrecker felt with Lula?

The alarm went off, signaling him to get up. But all Crosshair wanted to do was go back to sleep. At least in his sleep his head didn't hurt at the thought of his brothers. The traitors, the voice in his head supplied him with the 'correct' term. Yes, the Empire labeled them as traitors and some part of himself thought that, too, but they were still his brothers. He still cared for them. It's why he told Rampart they had died on Kamino. 

Are they okay? Is the kid okay? She said they were still his brothers. Do they think so?

So many questions filled his mind as he slipped the eyemask back under his pillow. The loudest kept repeating itself as he stood, as he walked out of his barracks, as he ate. 

Can we ever be brothers again?

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"Is he asleep?" 

"Shh, Wrecker." 

"Yeah, he's sleeping." 

"Did he enjoy the gift you were going to give him?" 

"I think he did."

"Aww!" Tech and Hunter both shushed Wrecker's loud exclamation. The bruiser switched to an over exaggerated whisper. "He looks so peaceful."

A small huff of a laugh from Hunter. There was a shuffle that came from around Wrecker's bunk. A soft plushie was placed in Crosshair's arms. Lula. His arms tightened around the plush tooka, though he'd deny it if anyone asked. 

"Night, Cross."

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Hey y'all!! It's been awhile.... But hey, better late than never amiright?

This was a short little one-shot I found in my WIPs and decided it finally needed an ending (after practically a year of it just sitting there). Hope you liked it!! If y'all have any suggestions or prompts that you want to see me do, let me know! I'm trying to get back in to writing so any ideas you have, send 'em my way!

If you want to scream about the Bad Batch season 3 trailer with me, comments are always open!!

Love and appreciate y'all so much!! Have a good morning/night/day and I'll see you soon!

<3 Katie