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You quickly slammed the door to your apartment, sliding down the back of it, to sit on the floor where your energy waned and abandoned you. It was safe and quiet inside. Where there was no one. In your home. You’d just gotten back from the worst Valentine’s Day of your life. It didn’t start out so bad but by the end, you had a headache and close to tears. Your friends who were medics with you at the general station on Coruscant saw your condition and found a secret and non embarrassing way of getting you out of the situation. You purposefully took the afternoon/evening shift as you had no one to spend it with. Foolishly you thought you’d be left alone. Some of your least pleasant patients and coworkers wouldn’t stop bugging you about why you were working, why you were alone and on and on. Luckily your friends came in early, cutting their own special dinner’s short. They took over the rest of your shift discreetly; it was only by thirty minutes but every second spared helped you.
You panted hard and felt your pulse. It pounded in a quick rhythmic sequence. Your legs hurt from running and now felt like stiff noodles, softening in a pot of water.
Ugh, this is stupid.
You shook your head and got up. Another day, another gift.
You shook yourself and ripped your jacket off, shaking the dirt away aggressively as if that would solve your problems. It didn’t, but it made you feel a little better. You kept your head level during the day and didn’t like showing your emotions to people you didn’t trust, but you had to let it out sometimes, somehow.
Normally you were the shoulder to lean on, the smile to lift another up. But every once and a while, that flame flickers and falters, needing more oxygen to keep itself from burning out. Needing life to continue to give you reasons to shine.
You’ve been single for a while. It never bothered you. You never needed a relationship, as you were a person full of exuberance and effervescence—creative and helpful—but sometimes certain days of the year made you lonely, and long for someone special to share your love for life with.
Life Day, New Year’s, Valentine’s Day.
Whatever, I’ll get up and restart tomorrow, just like always.
You wiped your sweaty palms on your pants and straightened your back. You’d take a shower, get some sleep, then your resolve would revive. After all, tomorrow was another day.
Two weeks later found you hard at work at your desk, scribbling on flimsy and making notes in datapads. Your friend, Rita, approached you.
“Hey love!” She hugged you from the back, “want to grab a good dinner tonight?”
You squeezed her arm and craned your neck to look at her. You smiled, touched but confused. “I’d love to…but isn’t Echo here? Is he busy? I heard the 501st were here on leave.”
“Yeah…”she blushed and started looking sheepish, “but I thought you’ve been working so hard and haven’t been doing great lately…we should have a girls’ night….without the guys….you know.”
Fives was like a brother to you, and Echo….once you had a tiny crush on him but you, well, *crushed* it when you found out just how far Rita had fallen for him. They were a better fit anyway. Seeing her so happy was enough to make your heart glow with warmth and pride. She was so shy at first and it took a lot of encouragement and nudging on your part to get either of them to make a move to act on their obvious feelings for each other. When the zing finally clicked, Echo and Rita were one of the most adorable couples you’ve ever seen. And they had you to thank for it. Echo now was nothing more than a brother and that was ok. He was with who he was supposed to be with.
You forced a smile. Rita was so sweet and considerate but you couldn’t steal her for the night, not for the short while Echo was stationed there. It would be petty of you.
“Nah, hun, I’ll be alright. We’ll go to 79’s. You should spend as much time with Echo as you can.”
“But—“
“Rita, if you don’t comm him, I will do it myself and he’ll wonder just why you didn’t do it yourself and give him a mini heart attack thinking something bad happened to you. You don’t want to do that to Echo now do you? I’ll see if Fives and Lil want to come too. I think our bros Rex and Cody are busy—they came through here not long ago with the kind of look on their face that could curdle milk—probably reports from the latest mission. I’ve been hearing it was a doozy. But Nova and Stella might come. Where the 501st is, the 212th usually isn’t that far away.”
“Great! I still think you should wear the red dress though! You look lovely in it.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Needless to say, you wore the red dress. It was between a vibrant and deep red. It not only made Rita happy—she initially talked you into getting it—but it made you happy as well. Red was always your color. You looked good in it. It made you feel like it supplied the confidence you lacked. The skirt of the dress went down to your shins, allowing the black glittering heels that wrapped around your ankles to show themselves off. The neckline rose high into a halter top, with which you wore a black scarf to complete the look. It was so flowy that when you walked, it swayed mesmerizing like you were wading through water.
Though you weren’t meeting anyone didn’t mean you couldn’t dress up a little.
You drove your own speeder. You only intended on having one drink anyway. Your self imposed rule in case you’d be unexpectedly called to medical. You arrived at 79’s and waited on the platform near the door.
“Hey, there’s one of my favorite medics!”
You turned around to see Fives bound toward you and wrapped you in a hug.
“Hey! Glad you’re back in one piece!”
“Hey there, Doc.”
“Echo!” You gave him a hug as well. You could see a little nervousness in his smile.
“Your first time seeing Rita since you got back?”
“Yeah, do I look alright?”
You didn’t get to answer. Nova from the 212th called out to you next.
“Hey this was a great idea. Just wait until you hear the crazy stories we have from this mission.”
“They never disappoint.” You grinned.
“Yeah, but sometimes I wonder if he’s making some of it up.” Echo raised an eyebrow.
“Think what you want, gents. It all happened. It’s real as I’m standing there.”
The small group of you continued to converse until Rita, Lil and Stella showed up. The boys let you girls gush over each other’s fashion choices in silence before entering the bar. The place was crowded and noisy like usual but you were feeling happy and hopeful tonight. The air was clear, your friends were home and together and a night of fun was ahead of you!
The bar was busy, per usual, and you made your way back to a circular unoccupied table, trying to block out the noise and the music that buzzed all around you. You were surprised you were able to find a table to seat your large group so easily, as you had to push past groups of people just to get there.
“Guess I forgot the 104th was here too. I should have made a reservation or something.”
“It all worked out!” Rita kissed your cheek. “We always find a way anyway. A little crowd couldn’t stop us.”
Each person claimed their seats. Rita sat next to you and Echo sat next to her. Then Fives took his place and Lil next to him. Stella sat next to Lil and Nova was between the two of you. The music was loud and the crowd seemed energized and alive.
“Sure is good to be home!” Fives sighed and relaxed into his seat.
“Say, Rita, would you care for a dance?” Echo asked, a bold grin on his face despite sounding a little shy.
“I’d love to!”
Echo stood up and held his hand out for Rita to take, seeing only each other.
“Sure, just abandon us like that.” Fives rolled his eyes. “We’ll order then dance. Sound good, Lil?”
Lil winked “I don’t think he heard you. I’m famished anyway. Double shifts leave me hungry!”
The group laughed and chatted a little while longer until another group made its way into the bar, and when they spotted you, they made their way toward your table. Why did they have to show up? Your annoying coworkers just couldn’t get enough of their mean games. You automatically tensed, and subconsciously knew the others were doing the same.
You swirled the contents of your drink, frowning at it in a concentrated stare, thinking that if you focused hard enough, maybe it would combust and your ‘companions’ would get the idea to back off.
Hunter was sitting in “the Batch’s booth” with his squad when you walked in. Conveniently, you and your group of jovial friends sat at a round table a little distance away. He’d cast glances your way throughout the night, with a sparkle in his eye and a smile on his lips. Seeing you happy made him happy.
He didn’t know you personally but he knew your face. You were the nurse that patched Wrecker up after he’d gotten injured. Wrecker afterwards would comment how kind you were to him, and that you were probably the nicest person in the GAR; Hunter kicked himself for not talking to you. He wanted to but Crosshair was injured too, and he was giving his nurse a very difficult time. Hunter had to intervene for his own sanity as well as hers (she was increasingly getting annoyed and that wasn’t making his job any easier either). As a result, he never got to talk to you. He wanted to at least to thank you for taking such good care of his brother, but circumstances never played in his favor. Before he knew it, he and his squad had to leave Coruscant on another mission.
And he hadn’t said one word to you.
“You’re staring.”
“What?”
Hunter turned to look at Crosshair. He had the most absurd smile on his lips.
“It’s impolite.”
Hunter rolled his eyes.
“You should talk to her. You got the chance.”
“She’s sitting at a table of couples. There is no way she’s not with someone. He’s probably just not here yet. It would be wrong of me to…”
That’s when the other group walked in and the shift in mood at the table changed. He didn’t have to look over to feel the tense waves falling off all the individuals. He tightened his grip on his glass and stared down at its contents, focusing on the conversation happening a few tables down. He went from relaxed to stiff in milliseconds.
He heard every single hurtful thing fall out of their mouths in a public humiliation.
“You know, I still can’t believe she didn’t have a date on Valentine’s Day.”
“Really? I thought it made perfect sense. She’s nothing incredible you know. That fake act you play with the patients is repugnant. You think she does it to see if she can lure one of them?”
“Why are you so dressed up tonight? Not like you’re meeting anyone.”
“Well, maybe she’s hoping someone will buy her a drink as nothing else seems to last.”
Hunter cast a glance at you; you were trying to remain calm and unreactive, but tears gathered in your eyes anyway. Your shoulders slouched, tired like, lips in a firm line and you were staring so hard at your glass he was surprised it didn’t shatter. He looked at the faces of the others, clearly having too much fun at your expense.
You were always vocal on other’s defense. He’d heard stories from the 212th troopers you took care of in the same explosion that hurt Wrecker. They’d been injured multiple times and seemed to know you more personally, always ending up in your ward. You demanded that they were treated like people, stopped other patients from name calling the clones and got them little comforts. So it surprised him to see you sitting there, wishing you’d disappear instead of saying something.
Perhaps this was too often of an occurrence that you didn’t even want to fight back? Another shocker was that no one else at the table intervened. He couldn’t get it. Maybe there was more he didn’t know though. Perhaps their silence was a way of defending you. Hunter had noticed Nova from the 212th there with his girl—he was a good man. He wouldn’t let this shit slide if he thought talking would help. He peaked at him too and saw Nova throwing daggers with his eyes. The same look was reflected in the other trooper sitting at the table. Though Hunter didn’t know him, he seemed like a solid dude.
Hunter turned and scowled down at his drink. Blood boiling with anger. He looked at his batchmates. Wrecker was poking fun at Tech and Tech retaliated with a shove, trying to focus on whatever displayed on his pad. Crosshair was the only one seeming to be aware of the shift that took over him.
“What do you hear?’
“Is this a little pity party for her because she missed out?”
Hunter had had enough. He downed his drink and stood quickly.
“I’ll be back.”
He walked around your table the long way so he wouldn’t be seen.
The mean medics laughed menacely, holding onto their chests and shedding tears at the jokes they threw at you. The lump in your throat threatening to force a choked sob out. The group then was broken up by a new man that entered the crowd.
“Hey Cyare, sorry I’m late.” a deep, brusque voice gently called close to you. You turned around to see a clone in dark gray armor make his way towards your table with a gentle, tired smile. He looked a little familiar to you but you couldn’t place when or where. What you did know was that you had no idea who he was, yet he was calling you his sweetheart. Maybe this was part of the joke, or it could be an honest mistake.
He pulled up a chair close to yours and put his hand on yours for a moment before taking them away and resting his arm behind you on the seat. “I know I missed our date on Valentine’s day but General Kenobi’s plan ended up backfiring and it was a mess. We had to re-route and pull them out of the jam. I’m so sorry. Thanks for meeting with me tonight. So happy you had the night off.”
“Well, uh, um….” Your eyes widened and you felt confused. Was this man mixing you up for someone else? You started to look around to see if you could find who he initially meant the compliment for when you caught Nova’s expression out of the corner of your eye. He seemed delighted to see the trooper. The strange man spoke first.
“How’s it going, Nova. Good to see you here!”
“Heeeyyy Hunter man! What you boys did was totally amazing. Thanks for the save again.” Nova smiled his impish smile, the one he had when planning something mischievous. He gave you a pointed look which somehow comforted you. You were still confused but now you were curious. If Nova knew the man and trusted him…you decided to play along. You gave the dark haired man a big, gracious smile not needing to fake the blush that came with it. You took in his features. He was quite handsome, a little tired and dirty—must have just gotten back from his mission—and well poised. Your eyes glanced up at the red bandanna he was wearing—it was the same color as your dress. For some reason, it made you want to laugh. It was too perfect. You matched your faux date. You shook your head.
“I’m glad you’re safe.” Your voice sounded small, nothing else coming to mind.
“Wait…. you’re dating THE sergeant of Clone Force 99?! Really? You?”
Clone Force 99. Yeah, you knew who he was. You helped a batchmate of his not too long ago. Poor guy was stressed dealing with his other injured batchmate and his nurse. You heard all about the cranky sniper and often saw the leader mediating between the marksman and your fellow medic. You’d wanted to offer some sort of encouragement or comfort to him. He seemed tired. But you were overrun with patients…
“Why? Don’t think we’re a good fit?” Hunter raised an eyebrow with a frown, crossing his arms. The deadpan could have convinced anyone you two were together. The looks your girlfriends were sending you….seemed like even they half believed him. Which was ridiculous. They knew you were single.
The others looked horrified at offending him. They shifted uncomfortably and exchanged worried looks with each other.
It was so comical in your mind that this complete stranger’s protective concern was being bought by everyone at the table, you had to try to school your face from laughing. The way he said it sounded so personal, he could have been your boyfriend.
A smirk still found its way there, and Hunter winked at you. The delight at everyone’s astonishment and the humor of the situation was too much. A chuckle bubbled up anyway and your shoulders started shaking.
“Forget about them. Let’s dance, Cyare. I’ve missed you.” Hunter quickly spirited you away from the table and toward the dance floor, pretending not to be aware of the stares that followed you.
Luckily the dance floor was crowded enough to afford you some privacy of the searching eyes and Hunter let his guard down.
A shadow of hesitation crossed his face. “Is this alright?” You smiled and nodded. The slight concern of confusion still present. You could tell he wanted to be respectful of you and not put you in a position you didn’t want to be, so you took his hands, placing one on your waist and gripped the other with firm reassurance.
Confidence restored, he smiled. And that melted your heart to butter.
The music was a sweet, slower one, allowing the two of you to talk.
Hunter took a deep breath. He seemed nervous all of a sudden. “So, I should apologize first. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable at all…my name is Hunter by the way.”
“No, you didn’t…you have nothing to apologize for; but can I ask you why? Was there some sort of a joke about this?” You started to look over his shoulder to see if you could spot anyone laughing, but he stopped abruptly at your question which forced you to look at him. Shock was written all over his face. He shook his head and resumed dancing. You started to feel guilty at assuming something bad about his kind act.
“I’m sorry if it seemed like a prank…truthfully, I overheard your colleagues and I couldn’t stand it anymore.”
“Ah, so you felt sorry for me.”
“Yes and no. I’ve seen you around for a bit but never got the chance or the nerve to approach you. I’ve wanted to talk to you for a while. To be honest, I thought you were waiting for someone, otherwise I would have, maybe,” he chuckled shyly, “asked you to dance earlier. Hearing that,” his face scrunched in anger and he went to continue but you broke in.
“I wanted to talk to you too.” you grinned.
“Really?”
“Yeah, I remember you boys from the hospital. I’m sorry everything was such a headache for you…the nurse you got was really inexperienced and I heard about all the problems you had…that battle was just so…I had so many patients.” You trailed off.
“Wait…didn’t you just come in…how on earth did you know…” confusion crossed your brow and he laughed.
“No, I’ve been sitting in the corner booth over there,” he indicated with a nod to the shadowed table. You saw a strange set of three clones gathered around, leaning over the barrier and watching you both intently, smiles and giggles on their faces. The goggled one held up a datapad almost as if filming the two of you, the big one who you remembered helping a little bit ago held up two large thumbs up, while the gray haired one raised his glass with a nod and a smirk.
“Idiots.” Hunter shook his head. You tried to follow Hunter’s gaze and saw him looking at reflective glass. You presumed he saw their reactions. That was impressive. Seeing the embarrassment on his face made you laugh. He lightened up a bit seeing as you took no offense to his brothers’ tomfoolery.
“They seem encouraging.”
“You have no idea.”
“How on earth could you hear what we were talking about all the way from over there! This bar is so noisy…”
“Well, my brothers and I are enhanced…I have enhanced senses…like right now I can tell your heart is beating abnormally fast.” You looked down with a breathless blush creeping onto your cheeks and down your neck, biting your lip, “do you need to stop?”
His voice was kind and when you had the courage to return his gaze, you saw nothing but gentle concern.
“Um, sure.”
“I’ll get you some water. Want to meet the Batchers?...well officially, that is?”
“I’d love to know the personalities behind the men on the stretchers.” You shrugged but smiled mirthfully. “Why not!”
The color returned to your face in a healthy way which made Hunter relax. He dropped the dancing position but took your hand in his and guided you with ease through the crowd. He made a pit stop at the bar and got the promised refreshment then led you to the final destination.
His hand in yours felt so natural, you didn’t want him to let go.
“Good job, Sarge! You finally talked to her! Proud of ya!” Wrecker exclaimed when you were within earshot.
“Tech, what are you doing?” Hunter asked with a tired sigh, seeing his brother still holding the datapad at a suspicious angle.
“I am trying to see what color dress Miss Medic looks good in. The red is too perfect and Cody will think that we set this up. In order for us to win the bet, it needs to look as inconspicuous as it really was. Her red matching yours is a little too much to be coincidental.”
“But it was coincidental! And woah woah woah, what do you mean bet? With Cody?”
To Hunter’s surprise, your laugh came from the gut, ringing out loud and clear.
“Cody, as in, THE Commander Cody?”
“Why yes, who else would I mean?”
“I think you’d better keep the red. He knows how much I adore the color. Me wearing yellow isn’t going to convince him.”
Tech cocked his head to the left.
“You know the Commander?”
“Very, very well.” You crossed your arms with a smirk on your face. “I used to be his head medic before I trained Patches.”
“ You trained that menace of a man?” Crosshair asked indignantly.
“Everything he knows. If you’re referring to his attitude, medics aren’t known for being nice, especially with fussy patients.”
“Ha, but you are!” Wrecker punched your shoulder.
“But…you guys bet on this?” Hunter broke in incredulous, not letting go of the previous topic.
“Well, yes. Cody bet that you wouldn’t get the nerve to talk to her while on leave so naturally we countered him.” Tech shrugged. “We couldn’t tell you as that would make it unfair and biased depending on what you decided. You could have decided to spite one of us and react accordingly, skewing the results.”
Hunter was rubbing circles on his forehead in despair, mumbling something in Mando’a.
“Hey,” Crosshair snapped, “I heard that.”
You realized Hunter had never let go of your hand all the while. You moved your fingers into a flex to get him to relax his hand. Hunter looked down, equally surprised he’d never let go, and started to let go of your hand with a small ‘sorry’ when you surprised him again by interlocking your fingers and giving him an encouraging squeeze.
Tech’s datapad beeped.
“Technically, neither of us still won, as Cody just pointed out to me. Hunter did talk to her but didn’t officially ask her out. I do believe that was part of the double or nothing bet. Seeing as how this is a fake date…I don’t know if that counts.”
Hunter’s face was burning a deeper red than his bandanna. He shut his eyes to center himself. You leaned against his arm, which caused him to look down at you.
“What do you say…” your throat squeezed with soreness. Your eyes flitted shyly between him and the ground. You’ve never done what you were going to do now… “What do you say about rectifying that? A real date, I mean…”
Hunter’s features went from vexed to relieved, a chuckle forming on his lips. He brought your hands together and ran his thumbs over the backs of them. He said your name softly.
“I’d be honored if you’d accompany me tomorrow on a date…a real date.”
“I really accept.”
You ignored the whoop of the troopers in front of you and vaguely thought you could hear quiet clapping from the round table a few feet away.