Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt: Hunter x OC

The Alignment

It was a quiet afternoon at the tiki bar when Hunter and Wrecker found themselves there, having an early dinner and chatting about the recent happenings in their jobs. They were tucked into the far end of the L-shaped bar, relaxing into the hubbub of contented chatter and glasses clinking from the few other patrons. Omega and Lyra sat at a table on the far side of the deck, bent over a myriad of data files about the various job shadow opportunities for the next phase of the internship year, and Hunter cast a glance at the two every few minutes, whether consciously or not. Regardless of Wrecker's boisterous recount of half a house nearly falling on him, Hunter couldn't ignore the unsettled feeling in his stomach.

He hadn't felt truly at peace since they arrived on the island, now the better part of a year ago. Morning hunts allowed him the most opportunity to be focused, to feel purposeful, and to let everything else fall away. But the rest of his time had a somewhat odd sense of artificiality to it, as though they were acting in a role that would soon be over and they'd have to return to their regular soldier ways. He'd never had time to think about his own sense of identity, as his days had always been determined entirely for him from the very start. The others had seemed to find their paths more quickly than him, save for Crosshair, who maintained a sense of unease as he casually pursued a variety of jobs, partners, and interests, but Hunter wasn't much inclined to seek out a heart to heart with him about it.

"Still good with your water, babe?" Luciana asked, touching his hand briefly to get his attention. She'd given him a hard time when he insisted that he wasn't in the mood to drink anything else, but it was all in good fun. Wrecker, on the other hand, could enjoy an island beer at any hour of the day without much effect, and he enjoyed both the full-bodied taste as well as the filling sensation of its hearty flavors.

"Still good," Hunter echoed, nodding politely before turning back to Wrecker, who had finished his story and was holding a double-stacked Bantha burger in his hand, turning it from side to side to determine where the perfect first bite should be placed. With a hearty chomp, about a quarter of it disappeared with a grunt of delight. Luciana returned a couple minutes later with a basket of fries, pushing them toward him with a wink. His eyebrows climbed up his forehead as he gave her a messy grin and a thumbs-up with his free hand.

"You're the best!" Wrecker exclaimed, blushing as she blew him a kiss before being called away.

"Free snacks, eh? Looks like someone's in her good graces," Hunter said, idly tracing a finger up and down the side of his glass where droplets of condensation had gathered.

"Everyone's in her good graces," came the response, hampered slightly by another mouthful. And indeed they were – a bright giggle reached their ears from a table on the deck, where a small, motley assortment of species was having an early dinner. Luciana's little white dress ruffled in the breeze around her sun-kissed thighs as she leaned over the menu on their table, pointing out some favorites and upselling the add-ons with bubbly enthusiasm. None of the patrons' eyes were on the menu, however, instead finding various points of interest from her perky cleavage to her long, slender legs. They made their selections, and Hunter would have bet good credits that none of them knew what they'd ordered as they watched her return to the kitchen.

"Anyway," Hunter said, returning his attention to Wrecker after another glance at Omega, who was rubbing her forehead with a look of consternation on her face. Lyra pointed from one datapad to the other, speaking too quietly for him to hear, and then touched Omega's shoulder for a split second. It seemed to have a soothing effect, as the girl's shoulders dropped a few inches and she nodded slowly, tapping on her own datapad with a renewed focus. "Thanks for fixing the chimney," he finished, grateful for the use of the fireplace being restored thanks to Wrecker's skill.