Work Text:
Hunter never really liked to go to an establishment with many people around, especially not when there is alcohol in play. With his heightened senses, it meant that he would pretty much hear, feel, see and smell all, and with many people around that are drunk, let's just say that it made for a sensory overload most times. The sounds of people singing and talking and arguing over nothing and everything, the smell of stale alcohol and other scents fuming from the bodies around or the food that was left behind on and under tables, the people bumping into him, women touching him ( especially his hair ) it was all just too much. Now, just back from a mission, 79`s was not the place he longed for, but it was what his brothers needed the most. So, as a good brother and leader, he went to the bar with them to have some time off until the next mission.
He was not prepared for that night and all the nights after that.
You were invited by a friend to come and stay at 79`s for a couple of hours before her shift ended and the two of you could go for a nice night of holo, snacks and girltalk. With the craziness that has been going around lately, with the war effort and all, the two of you desperately needed some time together to just have a real girls night and so here you were, in a bar loaded with men in all stages of being drunk and women in pretty much the same situation. Most of the visitors were clones, soldiers of the republic who would be sent out into the frontlines and who would be most likely not to return again. It was only normal for them to party as if their lives depended on it and they surely did enjoy everything the night brought them.
From some of the men you met there and who befriended you, you understood that the veterans always called the new guys shineys. Their armor was still all clean and new and they would not be as battle hardened yet as the older generation of warriors. To you and most women in the bar it meant they would be the men that came on to you the hardest, more confident of their seductive skills. It also meant to you that when there were many of them around, you and your friend would be busy saying no most of the night. Despite the help from Rex, who noticed one particular shiney not giving up on having you as a companion for the night. you still were being bothered by the man after Rex had left with his brothers.
“Come on sweetheart. You know it would be a great night with me! I`ll love that sweet, soft body of yours all night long.” His drawling voice, almost singing the sentences, carries through to your friend currently pouring drinks behind the bar. She chuckles as she looks at you rolling your eyes at her.
“Listen, I told you I am not interested. Just let it go ok?” You sigh as you turn around to walk away and get some space between you and the obviously drunk clone. When he makes a grab for your arm, you stumble and bump into a man that stands out from the entire crowd.
You fill up my senses like a night in a forest,
Like the mountains in springtime,
Like a walk in the rain, like a storm in the desert,
“Sorry! I… I didn't mean to bump into you.” You look up and smile at the man currently gazing down at you. His deep brown hair held back by a red bandana falls on his shoulders, his brown eyes squinting and his hand on your arm holding you in place.
“No problem.” He smiles at you as he steadies you on your feet. “It happens.” When he looks around, you notice his stiff movement, almost as if he tries to seem casual while at the ready to run out of the place.
“Well, I`m still sorry. Hope I didn't hurt you.” With a wink to the man you are about to walk away when a hand lands on your shoulder and pulls you back.
“Come on sweetheart! Let's go to my place.” With a slur, the shiney from before takes hold of your shoulder and tries to pull you out of 79s with him, not noticing the soldier who curiously gazes at you and the shiney who does not seem to stand a chance at all.
You shrug his hand off of your shoulder and turn to face the young drunk. “I said no, can`t take a hint?” You smile at the long haired man once more and walk past him. “Some people should not drink and flirt at the same time,” you mutter.
When the shiney reaches out for you once more, the other puts a hand on his shoulder and pinches it. “Not a smart idea. Best leave the lady alone, she said no.” His friendly smile does not distract you from the warning in his eyes. Your knight in black and grey civilian clothes has come to the rescue. With a relieved smile you see the shiney shrug his hand off and move to the Twi`lek standing nearby. “Hello there gorgeous!”
“It seems your warning has helped. Thank you.” You touch his arm as you turn to thank him.
“A pleasure.” He already moves to go back into the crowd in the bar when you stop him.
“How can I repay your kindness? A drink? It's on me.” You motion to the bar where your friend is laughing and keeping an eye on you. When she gives you the thumbs up, you roll your eyes and grin. After her shift you will have to tell her all about what happened and how you did not try to pick up the man now looking at you.
“No need, just figured you could use a hand.” This time his smile does reach his eyes, though you also notice he still does not seem to feel right. He rubs his temple with his hand as he looks around, searching for something or someone.
“Are you ok? I mean, you seem to not feel so good?” You wonder if he had too much to drink or if he just does not like the bar as much as the other guests do. Sure, he is a clone and you are pretty sure he is one of the men that was different from all the others, as Rex had explained it to you when the topic of Clone Force 99 came up, but he seems to feel very much out of his comfort zone right now. Judging from his looks, he must be the sergeant and if your memory was correct it meant he had heightened senses. “ He must feel terrible with all these sounds and smells and all those people bumping into him! “
Like a sleepy blue ocean.
You fill up my senses, come fill me again.
The friendly smile combined with your apparent concern for his well being has him amazed and struggling for words for a moment. “Thank you, I will be fine once I can leave from here again.” He grins as he looks at you. The grin widens as he hears you chuckle and sigh right after that.
You put your hand on his arm and gently tug at it. “Don`t get the wrong idea, but please, come with me.” Guiding him through the bar, you carefully navigate the two of you through the crowd. From somewhere not too far from the two of you, you hear a gruff voice call for the man you are trying to help.
“Sarge! Nice going!” You notice a man waving a prosthetic arm at him and giving a thumb up with his other hand. Laughing, you wave at the man. “ He is lucky I am only trying to help him out a bit!” With a wink you turn around, a grinning man patiently waiting for you to take him to wherever you were planning on taking him.
It took a short ride in an air taxi to get to where you were going. During the ride there was a comfortable silence between the two of you, just looking around at the nighttime business all around. To Hunter's surprise it was not another bar or building, it was a park, still open to visitors, but none to be seen in the area. The two of you walk in through the entrance when you suddenly stop and sit down on a bench, tapping the space beside you. “Please, take a seat.”
Hunter sits down and takes a deep breath. The air is fresh, the sky is clear and the only sounds are of some of the native ducks and other avians. For the first time since he and his brothers came back from their last mission, he finally relaxes. “This is beautiful.” He looks up at the sky as he mutters the words.
“I figured you could use some space and time away from the hustle and bustle from the bar. Jesse and Rex told me about you and your brothers. This place is the last place you can actually take some time to calm down and just enjoy the view.”
Hunter closes his eyes and for a moment he just listens. The ducks and birds all singing their own specific songs in their own specific voices, the distant sounds of traffic, not loud enough to be completely recognisable and your soft breathing next to him. Then another sense takes over. The smell of grass and foliage, the fresh air that can only be found when surrounded by more nature than humans and something soft and fresh, mixed with a touch of sweetness and sharpness from alcohol. It takes him a minute to figure out the last smell is actually you. Your own scent mixed with that of 79s. It is mesmerizing and intoxicating and it is rapidly becoming his favorite scent. He has seen you around many times, might have even had some small talk with you, he could not recall to be honest, but already you have stolen a special place in his heart by simply being the attentive and sweet you. Thinking about his heightened senses and recognising his need for calmth.
Come let me love you, let me give my life to you,
Let me drown in your laughter, let me die in your arms.
Let me lay down beside you, let me always be with you
Come let me love you, come love me again.
Your soft sigh takes him out of his head and back to the moment. He opens his eyes and sees you staring at him. “Just what you needed?” Another sweet smile from you has him smiling back and nodding.
“It is perfect and just what the doctor ordered.” Without even realizing it, he slides closer to you on the bench until his leg gently presses against yours. “You have no idea how much I actually needed this and how happy you made me by taking me here.”
The two of you take a moment to just stare each other in the eyes. Slowly you lean your forehead against his and you feel him softly press his forehead against yours. Closing your eyes, you both know that right there and right then, you do not need an actual kiss, no lips crashing on each other and no passionate embraces. This is more than a kiss, it is a promise for the future. All the two of you need right now is this moment together where he carefully leans back while softly putting an arm around you. Your head resting on his shoulder as you both gaze at the stars and are lost in this silent moment together.
Let me give my life to you,
Come let me love you, come love me again.