Chapter Text
The new planet’s atmosphere was dyed in pink hues— soft clouds of white moseyed their way across the sky. A gentle wind stirred the green lush grass tenderly. The delicate breeze kissed the girl’s face as she smiled to herself, too lost in her work to look around.
Her tawny fingers worked slowly, cross over the stem, knot this here— every now and again she would pause and look at her handiwork, before diving back into it with a newfound vigor.
Hunter watched her tasking away, one hand rested on his propped knee the other leaned back and supported his weight. It wasn’t too long ago he wouldn’t even dare dream of such a moment of solace. On the run from the Republic— no— the Empire .
He knew all too well the smell of silt and blaster fire, every hair standing on end and all his senses open for any signs of danger. Ears perked, eyes wary, weapons always unsheathed. His breath quickened just thinking about it, a stutter in the peace as he pursed his lips and found himself rethinking how he could’ve done something. How he could do better next time.
He was getting lost in the back of his own mind, and he almost jumped when he felt a shy tapping on his knee. He blinked a few times, his eyes burning, before he looked down at the girl.
Omega brushed her hair out of her eyes, it was getting wildly long. Hunter debated if she would need a headband of her own— but didn’t get to finish that thought as she smiled triumphantly and held out her creation to the sergeant.
Hunter blinked a few more times as he cocked his head to the side to study the handiwork of Omega’s. Strung together delicately albeit the stems and leaves that managed to poke through, was a flower crown. The flowers were a beautiful crimson and a dark sapphire blue, if he didn’t focus on the flowers too much they seemed to meld into a soft purple.
“Oh.” He murmured to himself as he stared down at the craftsmanship. He paused before remembering to sign out what he said next. “ Is that for me ?”
His signing was jerky and hesitant, as he was still struggling to learn it. It wasn’t as smooth and skilled as Tech’s or Omega’s. But Omega was patient, and put her right hand in a fist and bobbed it up and down. " Yes ."
Hunter smiled softly and leaned forward, ducking his head to give better access for Omega to nestle it lightly on his curls. His smile turned into a grin at the way Omega’s eyes lit up, she began signing faster in her excitement. She realized and repeated it slower.
“ They bring out the gold in your eyes! ” She signed, pushing her silver curls out of her face again.
Sergeant Hunter, leading officer of Squad and Task Force 99. The hardened and scar-riddled warrior of the GAR. Stoic and fearsome, zero failed missions, was reduced to a puddle at her words. Now he was a dumbstruck man in a flower crown, gaping at her compliment. And kriff, something was definitely in his eyes .
He placed a palm to his mouth and his other hand just below it as he made the motions. “ Thank you .”
She nonchalantly shrugged, a breeze rustling their hair equally. “ You’re welcome .” She said, acting unbothered and all ‘ no big deal ’ but he saw the blush that tinged her cheeks.
He thought for a moment as he mentally planned out his next sentence, kark even Wrecker was better at it than himself. Echo was learning, a little harder granted the lack of limbs.
He just learned some things slower than others, and a whole other language took time. It had taken him a good year of long nights and days grueling over Kashyyyk to even speak it well. Not fluent, but good enough. He had enough field knowledge to know the basics of GWSL (Galaxy-Wide-Silent-Languages) , but stringing together full sentences and actually using it deemed itself a difficult challenge even for the enhanced trooper.
The girl had come to join their little band about four standard months ago, and despite the language barrier, and the disability creating an even bigger barrier, they powered through it. Learning together. And their small family had grown a little bigger.
But in turn, they had lost something important. Hunter had learned early on that with peace comes a price. He remembered staring at the back on Crosshair’s head, at the still angry blister on his temple, and his weary slumped shoulders. Before he was left on that platform. Hunter hadn’t pushed him to go with them, but now he was wishing he had.
Would Crosshair have stayed ? Would he have become closer to them all than before? Hunter could see him now, working gruesomely to learn sign language. Claiming it was so he could be better at something than Hunter ( again ) but a warm glint in his eyes as he carried conversations with Omega for hours on end.
It hurt his heart more than he had realized, it was like a sole missing piece to a machine. Unable to work without the proper screw put in place. Empty, unworthy to be built.
Another tap on his knee, this one seemingly harder and more urgent than the previous one. He shook his head out of his daze and stared down at Omega.
Her brows were pinched and her lips were pursed. He almost jolted at the look, one he had made to himself many times prior. She tapped him again to make sure he had her full attention.
“ We are family, Hunter. Something is wrong. I’ve learned to read faces and lips long enough to know the difference between a smile and a smile.” She enunciated the last word with a firm jerk, her pointer finger going from her mouth to her cheek in an upward swoop.
He shrugged, not wanting to burden the younger clone with his too deep and too dark thoughts. “It’s nothing.” He spoke, slowly. Letting her read his lips.
She cocked her head to the side like a curious took-cat. “ No, it’s not .” She leaned forward, sitting up on her knees to firmly grasp his face with her smaller hands. She didn’t sign anything, she didn’t have to. The defiant spark in her eyes was more than enough.
He almost flinched at her heated gaze. He instead sighed and sat up straighter, gently placing his hands over hers. He kept it short and blunt, letting her fill in the details with her own thoughts. “Crosshair. Empire. Kamino.”
It was her turn to visibly flinch back, the moment of happiness was quickly becoming sour as she let out an odd sound that might’ve been out of exasperation. She slowly signed it out to him, moving her lips to the words. “ Not your fault .”
He almost rolled his eyes, “I know. But we should have taken him with us. He did not deserve that fate.”
She studied him cynically, “ We all made our own choices, he made his. Now we all have to live with it. ” She sat back on her heels. “ So what choice will you be making? Wallow in guilt or stand in the light? ” Her smile returned, “ The light of our family .”
He chuckled dryly. “Well when did you get to being so damned wise, kid?” He mused.
She grinned wryly and signed it out. He didn't catch all of it but he guessed it was along the lines of. " When you spend days around a bunch of old farts like you guys, you learn a thing or two ."
Hunter guffawed and playfully smacked her small hand away. She grinned and pushed him back. They rough-housed a little longer, he'd feign left and then dive at her from the right only for her to duck down at the last moment, sending him tumbling. Dang, kid's got skill.
He leaned back amongst the flowers and Omega let out a soft content sound before laying down beside him. She turned her head and grinned at him.
She paused, as if thinking how to word what was said next. " Hunter… Kar'taylir darasuum gar buir… " She said, turning to her side in the lush grass to face him.
Whatever was left of Hunter's proud and cocky façade broke almost immediately. He sucked air through his teeth and stared at the younger clone with eyes blown wide in wonder. This kid… he wanted to cry, to hold her close and tell her 'yes, I'm your buir.' But instead he just stared. Omega could humble him so quickly.
"Omega'ika…" He began with his voice, before partially sitting up to face her.
Taking a precious moment to fix the flower crown as she watched in hesitant curiosity. He began to sign in his slow, thoughtful way again. " I will always choose my family. I'm your ori'vod. "
Now Omega looked like she was about to cry, from her red-rimmed eyes and trembling lower lip. And if she cried, he was definitely doomed. He let out a soft hum and wrapped an arm around her, bringing her closer to him.
After a pregnant pause and he got his own emotions under control, he turned her in his embrace to face him.
" Teach me how to make your crowns of… " He thought for a moment.
Omega grinned and completed his sentence, showing him the joint word. He eagerly repeated it and they sat there for a moment, learning. Enjoying the moment of solace.
" Flower-Crown! I'm sure Echo would like this blue… "