--Building a New life --Tech x Reader Bad Batch

Chapter 83 --So your ... both... alive?--

 You had no idea how long you had actually been gone, but the time you had spent on Toola didn't matter to you right now. Even as you walked through the forest under the cover of night Crosshair noticed the renewed sparkle in your eye and pep in your step.

"Your awfully hopeful" you heard him comment at one point and you just chuckled back "Well someone's gotta be since your so serious".

The trip took about three rotations to get to the coordinates that had been sent to you, so Crosshair's advice to leave shortly after receiving the message had been correct. The walk itself had been much rougher then your previous two nights. The temperatures you faced were much colder out here in the forest even during the day and once you would stop moving your circulation keeping you warm would die down and you would feel the chill in the air around you.

Crosshair and you had been forced to sleep next to each other for the last three morning cycles. You had managed to find tree wells to climb into or large hollow logs to hide inside. You tried to be comfortable and Crosshair took great care to not touch you inappropriately again which you appreciated. Given the circumstances you didn't mind him wrapping an arm around you although you couldn't say the same for him given his grouchy comments. Thankfully this would soon be over and you wouldn't be shivering next to this sarcastic clone ... you'd be comfortably snuggled up with Tech. That thought alone had brought you peace. Crosshair hadn't asked much else about his family, but you assumed that since he knew they were all alive there wasn't any other information he really wanted.

The snow was cold, the nights breezy to walk through, and the days were hard to sleep through from the light. You were regaining your strength and each day as you walked you could feel your spirit returning to you. It would still take some time, and of course you would need some real food. But Crosshair was keeping you from going hungry, so for what it was worth you were grateful.

In fact, as you had gotten to spend more time with him, you had started to feel more positively about your snarky companion. Sometimes when he had been sleeping he reminded you of Jareth-- A apprenctice who had gave off a cold outward demeanor but was really just insecure or frightened. You doubt Crosshair was frightened of you in any threatening way, but he didn't give the impression of someone who enjoyed trusting others. Usually that meant there had been deep wounds or betrayal in the past. For Jareth it had been abuse at the hands of the night sisters on Dathomir, but for Crosshair ... you didn't know yet.

You knew he'd probably chew you out for looking at him sleep with such pity. Crosshair hadn't stirred, but the mothering side of your nature coxed you on and you gently rubbed his fuzzy head while quietly putting a force prayer over him. There was just something about him that seemed so sad, so hidden away, that it made you want to comfort him. Crosshair either hadn't noticed or just ignored you and didn't address the head rubbing at all. Although you suspected he was having some-change of heart with how he would look at you. Turns out sleeping on someones shoulder multiple times can have that effect.

But now you were here, only another rotation or so away from your freedom.... From your Tech. You were at the coordinates, a final ration bar remaining and a greater level of trust between you both. Crosshair had returned all your tools and weapons to you before you had left the Smugglers base, and now you had scoped out a tree hollow that could be your hide out until your pickup arrived. You had made it to the coordinates shortly after sunrise, so you wasted no time climbing down into the hollow and pushing some snow around to make room.

There hadn't been too many tie-fighters over the last day but Crosshair assured you they would have found out that the room was empty by now. They didn't care about a lost clone, but a lost clone AND a prisoner was considered a moderate security threat. --no doubt because it pissed off Corporal whats-his-face-- you thought to yourself.