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You’d liked Hunter of the Bad Batch for a while now. It started out as a crush. You’d see him and his brothers when they stopped by the Negotiator and you were leading a briefing. Since Commander Cody had taken the Batch under his wing, they’d started showing up on the 212th’s flagship with more and more frequency.
The moment that solidified your crush had come one day after an intelligence briefing. The room was mostly cleared from the briefing, when a last-minute, encrypted update had come in. It was an amendment to the Batch’s part of the mission. Cursing, you grabbed your commlink and tried to reach Hunter. No luck.
No one left in the room had a clearance high enough to handle the information.
You cursed and took off running. You tried each of the other Batcher’s comms as you went. No one answered.
“Kark it all,” you muttered, and ran faster.
The Bad Batch had been scheduled to leave immediately for their mission. However, you knew they’d most likely stop at the armory first. Wrecker loved to pick his own explosives, and Hunter and Crosshair would want to check out any specialized weaponry they might need. Tech had never struck you as a weapons kind of guy, but there was always gear for him to pick apart and modify.
They’d left a few minutes before the appendment to the briefing arrived, and you figured if you headed straight to the hangar, and the Marauder, you’d likely meet them there before they took off.
You arrived in the hangar to see Crosshair and Wrecker disappear into the Marauder with a crate. Hunter stood near the steps leading into the ship. His helmet was tucked under one arm, and his face looked pinched. You hurried toward him.
“Sergeant Hunter?” you said, hoping not to startle him.
Unfortunately, that didn’t work out. Hunter spun around, right as you drew near, and crashed into you. The impact sent you flying backward. Someone grabbed your arm, and the world did a crazy whirl before you landed across something hard that let out an ‘oof’.
You opened your eyes and realized you were sprawled across Hunter’s chest. Somehow, he’d caught you as you fell and put himself between you and the floor. Not that plastoid was much softer than durasteel, but it was the thought that counted. With heat rising in your cheeks, you pushed up to your knees at Hunter’s side.
“Sorry,” you said.
The rest of what you were about to say got lost in the roar of a squadron of fighters leaving the hangar. Hunter sat up, wincing. You remembered that his mutation gave him enhanced senses, and without thinking, you leaned forward and pressed your palms over his ears.
You met his eyes from bare inches away, and suddenly realized where you were and what you were doing. You started to pull back, but Hunter’s hands closed around your wrists, holding you in place.
“What did you need?” he asked.
For a moment, all you could do was stare mutely into his brown eyes. There were little flecks of gold in those dark depths. You swallowed and looked down, your gaze settling on his mouth. Nope. That wasn’t any better.
Hunter gently squeezed your wrists.
You lifted your eyes and settled on a point just above his left eyebrow.
“An amendment came in on the brief,” you finally managed to say.
Hunter nodded.
“The Sepps are holding a prisoner at the location your squad is going to hit. It’s no longer just a demolition run. The Senate wants you to retrieve the hostage as well.”
With your hands on the sides of his head, you felt Hunter slump, though his posture didn’t change much. He looked tired. You knew how much work the Batch did; you sent them a lot of their missions. That little show of vulnerability tugged at your heartstrings.
For a moment, the two of you just sat there on the hangar floor. More ships arrived and departed around you. Squads of clones marched past. You should get back to your office and get to work on the fifty other intelligence projects that were awaiting you. But you just knelt there, with Hunter’s head cradled in your hands.
The Hunter squeezed your wrists again, and pulled your hands away. He stood, pulling you to your feet with him.
“Thank you for the update,” he said.
You nodded, not quite sure what to say.
Hunter walked to his fallen helmet, retrieved it, and started up the ramp into the Marauder.
It was only then that you realized Crosshair and Wrecker were watching. You thought your face would start to melt the deck plating with how much heat it was giving off. Wrecker sent you a wide grin before ducking into the ship. Crosshair smirked, said something as Hunter drew level with him, then followed his brother into the ship.
You stood there and watched the Marauder take off like a moon struck nerf-calf.
The feeling of Hunter’s fingers on your wrists didn’t fade for a long time.
/././././
The crush continued to plague you. You did your best to be professional around Hunter. But your eyes had a tendency to linger on him whenever you saw him. He also featured heavily in your thoughts.
You’d find yourself daydreaming about celebrating Life Day with Hunter. Or going to a carnival with him and holding his hand in public. Being the one to welcome him home and cuddle up with him at night.
There were also the less happy thoughts. Worrying about him when he and his squad missed a check in. Being unable to stay with him when he ended up in the medbay after a mission gone bad. Sending Hunter and his squad new orders with no downtime in between missions.
You might never have found the resolve to act on your crush, if Wrecker hadn’t invited you to sit with them in the mess hall the next time the Batch was on the Negotiator. Not that the big clone asked you in a conventional way.
The whole mess hall seemed to go silent in the wake of Wrecker bellowing your name. You stood frozen for a moment. But when Wrecker shouted for you again, and waved you over, you walked to the table almost on autopilot. Wrecker moved aside, indicating you should sit between himself and Hunter.
You gave the sergeant a wide-eyed look, but he just gave you a polite nod and scooted to give you a little more room. You were a little stiff, sitting between the two clones. Wrecker didn’t seem to notice and kept drawing you into conversation. He’d nudge you while making a point, or telling a joke, which inevitably sent you careening into Hunter’s side.
“Sorry,” you murmured, as you crashed into the sergeant for the fifth or sixth time.
Hunter leaned around you, practically hugging you, as he poked Wrecker in the side to get his attention. You barely caught yourself before you leaned into Hunter. He smelled really nice.
“Tone it down, Wrecker,” Hunter said, before sitting up again.
“It’s a little warm in here, isn’t it?” Tech suddenly asked.
You blinked and looked up at him, confused.
“You’re flushed,” Tech said. “You must be overly warm.”
“I think you mean . . . hot,” Crosshair said, grinning.
“Precisely,” Tech said, before going back to his meal.
You stared in shock at the two men. Were they flirting with you?
“Knock it off,” Hunter said. “You’re making them uncomfortable.”
Tech didn’t acknowledge the comment, but Crosshair smirked and winked at you. Hunter made a low noise of irritation and Crosshair chuckled.
Oh.
A little smile tugged at your lips.
They were trying to make Hunter jealous.
Which you took to mean that he probably had feelings for you in return.
You settled back in your seat and felt that small smile grow into something wider, and probably a little silly.
/././././
The next time you saw Hunter, and his brothers, you were on Coruscant of all places.
The 212th was on leave, but you’d had paperwork to finish up at the GAR base. Since the Bad Batch wasn’t technically attached to the battalion, you were surprised to see the men on the base as you were leaving to go home.
“There you are,” Wrecker called. “We’ve been lookin’ all over for ya.”
You grinned as the big clone enfolded you in a hug.
“Looks like you found me,” you said.
“We are going to 79s, though I am unsure as to why,” Tech said. “Would you care to join us?”
You chuckled. “I appreciate the invite, but I was going to spend a quiet night at home.” Your eyes flicked to Hunter. “Maybe you guys would like to come with me?”
“We’re meeting up with Cody,” Crosshair said. “He owes us a couple of rounds after our last mission.”
“Why don’t you boys go on ahead?” Hunter said. He moved to stand next to you “I’ll walk them home, then meet you there.”
Crosshair gave his brother a knowing smirk. “See you later,” he said.
Crosshair and Wrecker dragged Tech off toward 79s. Which left you standing there with Hunter.
“Thank you for offering to walk me home,” you said.
You started toward the speeder terminal—your apartment was too far from the base to walk to—and Hunter fell in at your side. After securing a ride, the two of you settled into a comfortable silence in the back of the cab. You’d made sure to get one with an enclosed cab so Hunter wouldn’t be subjected to the lights and sounds of the hover-traffic on the flight to your apartment.
“I’m surprised you can stand to set foot in 79s,” you mused.
“It’s not so bad, if I’m ready for it,” Hunter said. “The Kaminoans ran me through some pretty vigorous training as a cadet to make sure I had a handle on my enhanced senses. My helmet helps a lot on the battlefield.”
“But you still get overwhelmed on occasion.”
Hunter nodded.
You took a breath, feeling butterflies in your stomach as you contemplated you next words. “You’re welcome to stay at my place until you’re ready to return to the Marauder, if you’d like.”
He smiled over at you. “Thanks.”
A few minutes later, you and Hunter were entering your little apartment. He followed you into the living room and you gestured to the couch.
“Make yourself comfortable. Would you like a drink?”
“I’ll take whatever you’re having,” he said.
You headed into the kitchen and pulled out a couple of chilled bottles from the conservator. You made a quick check of your cupboards and didn’t find much. Working for the GAR kept you away from home a lot. You grabbed a couple of takeout menus and returned to the living room.
Hunter was standing by the couch where you’d left him. You smiled and handed him a bottle, then laid the menus on the caf table. You cracked open your drink and took a long pull.
“I’m going to change into something less official,” you said, gesturing to your uniform. “Take a look at the menus and we can order in some food. You’re welcome to take off some of your armor, if you’d be more comfortable.”
Hunter lifted his bottle in thanks and took a drink.
Ten minutes later you were in your comfiest clothes, the food was ordered, and you and Hunter were ensconced on the couch as the opening scene of your favorite holomovie played. Hunter had removed his upper armor and looked more relaxed than you’d even seen him.
After the food arrived and you’d both eaten your fill, you offered Hunter a blanket and the two of you settled in to watch the movie. Hunter’s comm went off at one point, but neither of you acknowledged it.
By the end of the movie, Hunter was asleep. You turned off the holoprojector and just watched him for a while. You traced his features with your eyes, memorizing the angle of his jaw and the planes of his face. Someday, you hoped you might get to tangle your fingers in his long hair.
Hunter asleep on your couch seemed like a good step in the right direction.
/././././
Over the next year or so, you and Hunter grew closer.
Whenever Hunter was on the Negotiator, the two of you could frequently be found together. Usually, you’d be discussing the latest briefing or the success of the Batch’s last mission.
Back on Coruscant, you had a drawer in your dresser for Hunter’s things. He didn’t usually spend the night, and if he did, he always insisted on sleeping on the couch and letting you have the bed. Still, you had a couple of pairs of civilian clothing he could change into when he visited, and you kept some of his favorite snacks and drinks in the apartment.
But the two of you had never kissed. You’d held hands a few times, but you always seemed to be the one who initiated it. You wanted more. You wanted a real relationship with Hunter, and you’d finally worked up the courage to talk to him about it.
The next time you both had leave on Coruscant, you invited Hunter to your apartment. While he showered and changed into his civvies, you put the finishing touches on his favorite meal. The two of you talked during dinner, but you found your mind wandering and you had to ask Hunter to repeat himself a few times. When the meal was over, Hunter helped you clear the table, then you sent him into the living room while you plated up dessert.
You found yourself staring down at the sugary treat, going over how you would start the conversation with Hunter for the umpteenth time.
A hand rested on your shoulder, and you turned with a gasp, coming face to face with Hunter.
“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said. “I called your name.”
You smiled and tried to brush it off. “I was lost in my head. Sorry.”
You reached for the dessert plates, but Hunter caught your hand in his.
“You’ve been distracted all night,” he said. “Is something wrong?”
“No.” Your fingers tightened around his. You took a breath and blurted, “I like you. A lot.”
“I like you too,” he replied. His thumb stroked the back of your hand distractingly. “I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”
You rolled your eyes. “I know that. But, do you feel anything more when you look at me? Anything beyond friendship?”
Hunter stepped in close and rested his hands on your hips.
Your breath hitched as you looked up into his eyes.
“Trust me,” he said. “You make me feel things when I shouldn’t.”
You felt a flash of heat and closed the last inch between the two of you.
“Is that a bad thing?” you asked, sliding your arms around his waist.
Hunter’s hand rose to cup your cheek and he smiled. “Not at all,” he murmured.
He lowered his head, and his mouth settled on yours.