The Bad Batch: One Shot Collection

Whumpay Day Twenty-Five: Unhealthy Codependency

Author's Note: I'm only half sure why I wrote this, but it popped into my head and I had to. :') Also, this IS NOT ANYWHERE NEAR CANON COMPLIANT! I have no idea what happened on Tantiss in this universe. The conversation with Hunter and Emerie popped into my head long before the Finale, and I thought it'd fit into Canon, but it just Doesn't Work since the main part of the Bad Batch did literally nothing the entire show. So. Yeah. -~-

Also, I could've gone a little more out with the co-dependency thing, but I guess I ran a lil short on time. ;~~;

~ Rivana Rita

No one has really understood the Bad Batch's relationship. Hunter has had many people approach him about it over the years, some good, some bad, but no one really understands. Until they finally find someone who does.

"Your squad's different," the reg says, one of the first and only to stick around Hunter past hearing his name.

"We are," Hunter shrugs. He's not going to apologize for that. That's who and what he is. He's proud of it.

"Not that you're really a squad yet." The regs don't know it until they're older. They're not paired until they're eight or nine. Hunter and his brothers were always special in that way. It's one of the many things the regs are jealous of. They have each other. "But you're just different with each other."

Hunter shrugs one shoulder, not really getting the point. That's what makes them special. "I'll be their leader. I'll always protect them."

"Over everything?" the reg argues with a shake of his head. "Even the mission?"

"If that's what needs to be done," Hunter answers without blinking, because it's the truth. He always will. He jumps off the crate he's on. "I gotta go. My brothers are out now, and I hafta make sure Crosshair's not in another fight with that reg." Happens every time, he swears – it's insane how Hunter has to show up every day to peel him off that reg from sniping class. "And Tech –"

"They can take care of themselves."

Hunter pauses, looking up.

"Your dependency on each other's gonna get all of you killed," he says.

"That's how we survive," Hunter argues, hurt throbbing in his heart. He's not going to apologize for protecting his brothers. That's what they need him for, and it's what he does. It's always what he will do. He'll always be there to look out for them. He'll be wherever they need him.

"You keep taking hits for them, and they won't know how to take them themselves."

"That's what we do." Hunter leaves before the other can say anything else, trying to ignore the throbbing in his heart. Doesn't know why it hurts so much. He just feels so lonely, which is ridiculous.

His love for his brothers doesn't make him weak. That's who they are. That's what's always kept their family together and safe.

The heaviness doesn't go away, not as he drags Crosshair out of class right before a brawl can start up or as they do get in a brawl on the way to pick up Tech – some reg thought they could shove him around and Tech broke his nose, and well – it got out of hand from there.

He's tired and cranky and unrightfully miserable when they finally stumble back into the safety of their barracks. Hunter drops himself onto his bunk, eyes closed, sighing. Tech's already tinkering with something in the background.