Ram'ser (Crosshair)

Game of tag

Tw: Sexual references, rejection, mild sexual content

"I don't care what you two get up to, just don't let it get in the way of anything, alright?" Hunter pinched the bridge of his nose as he scolded them. "Crosshair, can I talk to you in private?"

Saida gave Crosshair a nervous look, but left them alone, going to find Omega.

"What?" Crosshair crossed his arms. 

"I don't care what-or who-you do," Hunter sighed, "but are you sure you know what you're doing? I just don't want you to get hurt."

Crosshair rolled his eyes. "Relax, it's not like I just proposed to her. All we did is sleep together one night. We're not even together or anything."

Hunter looked at him skeptically. "Okay, just be careful, okay? If things don't work out it might get awkward between you two, and she's hiding with us until the steam blows off."

"Thanks, captain obvious," Crosshair grumbled.

"That's sergeant obvious to you," Hunter joked.

Crosshair rolled his eyes, but his lips quirked upwards slightly. "Whatever."

Hunter waved him away, and Crosshair went to go find Saida, hoping to talk about what they were. He had a gut feeling that it would be awkward, but hoped it wouldn't be.

"Can we talk?" He asked, interrupting her game of tag with Omega.

"Sure. What's up?"

His eyes flicked to Omega, not wanting to have this conversation in front of her ears. Saida's mouth formed an 'O' and she nodded, giving Omega a quick excuse as to why their game had to end.

Omega skipped away, to no doubt bother Hunter, and Crosshair gave Saida a tight lipped smile.

"I don't like that look. Is someone dying? Maker!" Saida gasped. "Did you kill someone? Did you kill Tech?"

Crosshair wrinkled his nose at her. "No, I didn't kill my brother."

Saida let out a breath of relief. "What is it then?"

"We had sex," Crosshair bluntly said.

Saida pursed her lips. "Ah, that's what this is about."

Crosshair nodded and put a toothpick into his mouth. "What does that mean for us?"

"Does it have to mean something?"

Crosshair's chest seized. "It doesn't have to, but it could mean something."

"I don't want it to mean something," Saida quietly said.

Crosshair slowly nodded. "Okay."

"I'm sorry, Crosshair," Saida apologized. "I really am."

Crosshair left, while she watched with a heavy sigh.

"I heard what happened," Hunter said as he sat next to Crosshair. "You alright?"

"You and your stupid enhanced senses," Crosshair grumbled. "And I'm fine."

Hunter gave him a dubious look. "Are you sure about that? You've been pouting for an hour."

"I'm fine!" Crosshair snapped. "She didn't want it to mean anything, so it doesn't! Stop trying to fix my problems! Things get messed up sometimes, and you just can't fix them!"

"You don't have to instantly move on, you just have to acknowledge that it meant something to you and that's why you're upset." Hunter looked out the window to see Saida and Omega playing tag again. "Come to terms with it."

Crosshair didn't reply and turned his gaze to Saida as well. 

"I'll leave you to think," Hunter said and got up, leaving Crosshair alone.

"Tag, no tag backs!" Omega yelled as she pressed her hand to Saida's shoulder.

Saida out her hands on her hips. "Who am I supposed to tag then?"

Omega gave her a cheeky grin. "That's for you to figure out!"

Saida rolled her tongue through her cheek as she mulled over who might be willing to play. Crosshair probably not, because she didn't know where they stood. Tech would probably be too busy. Wrecker and Hunter were her two viable options.

Saida set out to find them.

She entered the ship and did a quick look for either of them, only spotting Tech lying on the floor for some reason. She walked over to him and poked him with her foot.

He let out a short groan and blearily looked up at her. "Saida?"

"What are you doing on the floor?" Saida questioned. "I'm guessing you guys haven't cleaned it in months."

Tech furrowed his brow. "I'm not certain. I must've fallen asleep and tumbled off my chair. I haven't slept in seventy hours."

"Jeez, go take a nap," Saida firmly said, pushing him in the direction of his bunk. "I know it's been busy, but you must be exhausted."

Tech nodded and wandered off, while she continued her search for a victim of her game.

She made her way into the cockpit, and bumped into someone, raising her gaze to look up at Crosshair.

She slapped his chest and blurted out, "Tag! You're it!"

He frowned. "What?"

"You're it!" She yelled and sprinted in the opposite direction, not even glancing over her shoulder to see his reaction.

She was slammed into the wall, his forearm against her throat. She blinked up at him and swallowed thickly.

"Tag," Crosshair smugly said, before realizing the compromising position they were in, with his body pinning her to the wall.

He stepped back and Saida scowled. "I should've said no tag backs."

He hummed, not meeting her eyes.

Saida sighed. "Look, Crosshair, when I said I didn't want it to mean something, I couldn't figure out how to put into words what I meant."

"What are you saying?" Crosshair questioned.

"I'm willing to try something with you, but I don't want a big deal made out of it in case it doesn't work out. I don't want to feel pressured to fall in love. I want it to happen naturally, without some pressure just because I slept with you," Saida carefully said. "I've had it happen to me before where I was made to feel like I owed my partner."

"I don't expect you to marry me just because we spent a night together," Crosshair said. "I'd hate myself if I made you feel like you owed me for anything."

Saida smiled softly. "Thanks for understanding. Um, do- do you want to go on a date?"

Crosshair flicked the toothpick around in his mouth. "I'd like that, darling."

Saida grinned, stepping forward and angling her head towards his.

His breath hitched and he leaned his face towards hers, but before they could kiss, she slapped his shoulder, and ran off.

"Tag! You're it!"