Work Text:
"And you're sure you have what you need?"
Tech fought the urge to roll his eyes again with everything he had. "Yes, Hunter." Tech bit out, nodding slightly. Hunter didn't look convinced, but he left Tech alone and paced around instead. Things were changing, again. Tech's professor had offered him a job, overnight, only a few days a week, but it was consecutive. Tech had early classes, which wouldn't be a problem if this newly offered night work didn't roll straight into his class routine. Tech took the job before he considered that, but his professor had sorted the issue before Tech could back out.
It was decided that Tech would just- stay. On campus. For four days of the week.
Great in theory, but horrific in practice. Hunter didn't want to say no, obviously, but the way he muttered and grumbled about the living conditions of colleges made Tech well aware of his stance. Echo was entirely different. If he was at all concerned, he hid it well and helped Tech gather his things. Echo had asked if Tech wanted to take some trinkets. "To decorate!" Echo had said, but Tech shook his head. Tech waited until Echo left to carefully pack away a project, and maybe a few small keepsakes, nothing serious.
He was coming back, after all.
This was something he had to remind his brothers of a lot during the week beforehand. Whether it was Wrecker, who was happy Tech had found a great opportunity, but seemed to preemptively greive his absence. Or whether it was Crosshair who was more relieved he would finally "have his own space." Tech made him swear to keep his things clean. "Do it yourself." Crosshair flicked his forehead. "Considering you keep saying you're coming back." Tech was surprised by the irony, and dropped the subject.
On the day he was due to leave, Tech had packed up Hunter's van with his small essentials and said goodbye. Echo had an appointment at the hospital, and couldn't afford to go with Tech, and Wrecker was covering Hunter's shift with Cid. Crosshair simply refused to go. Tech felt his ribs creak when Wrecker nabbed him in a tight hug. Echo was already gone, but snuck some of Tech's favourite foods into his bag with a wink before he had left. Crosshair waited until it was just them on the porch to awkwardly grab Tech's arm. Tech turned to look at him, but Crosshair was looking at something else, eyes pinned to something Tech couldn't see.
"Call me if you need to." Crosshair said, his voice losing its put-on sharp edge. Tech felt a smile tug on his lips. "I will." He nodded, and Crosshair let him go.
Tech followed Hunter to the van, and waved to Wrecker as they pulled off. Tech settled in his seat, uncomfortably excited. He hadn't been apart from his brothers overnight since they left the military, and that was an experience Tech never wanted to relive, even if it was now only a two hour drive instead. They pulled to a stop outside the campus, and Tech hesitated. Hunter helped Tech get his things out, which now Tech found to be an embarrassingly small amount, and pat Tech's shoulder.
"It's going to be fine." Hunter said, trying to convince both of them. "We're one call away." Hunter reminded gently, and Tech nodded, slinging his bag over his back, and walked into the campus. Tech recognised everything, obviously, he'd been going for a few weeks. Though now it felt different, more unknown. Tech looked back to see Hunter still standing, waiting in case Tech changed his mind. Tech steeled himself and kept walking, not allowing himself another moment of opportunity to change his mind. He kept walking until Hunter drove away, and fear took his place.
Tech approached the receptionist desk cautiously, practising his part in the conversation to himself. The woman gave him a glance. "What do you want?" She asked, and Tech felt his throat close. "I'm-" Tech struggled to remember what he had practiced saying. "I was told I could get my room number here?" Tech's tongue felt heavy in his mouth, and he watched the woman roll her eyes and tap at her computer. A moment of silence fell over them. "Name?" The lady snapped, and Tech hopped up, almost dropping his things.
"Fett." Tech forced out, trying to keep his voice from wobbling. "Though it might be easier if you look up my first name-" The woman raised her hand to silence him, and Tech's jaw snapped shut. "I know who you are." She sighed, handing him a sheet of paper and a set of keys. "Your roommate's already moved in. You'll meet them at some point." Tech felt the air leave his lungs as he nodded, thanking her shortly before speeding off. "Wrong way." The woman barely looked up as she called. Tech stumbled to correct himself, apologising as he passed her by again and disappeared outside.
The walk to the apartment buildings, while breif, only managed to make Tech regret his decision more and more. He had no idea he was going to be living with a whole new person, let alone one already adjusted with a schedule. How was Tech going to work around a person he didn't know? It wasn't what Tech signed up for, that was for sure. Tech found the building and hesitated, before he walked in and towards the lift.
Tech found his room after a few minutes of navigation, and tried his key. The door was unlocked, and he slowly pushed the door open. The place was mercifully empty. The common area was also scarcely decorated, though it looked like things had been moved, to make space. Tech cautiously wandered in, shutting the door and peering around the space. It wasnt much larger than back home, Tech supposed. The kitchen area was filthy, with unwashed plates and scraps of disaster scattered around it. Tech flinched when the door slammed open behind him.
"No, I'm serious! This random guy is moving in and I have to get this place–...."
Tech turned to see a woman standing awkwardly at the front entrance. She had a box full of cleaning products in one hand, and a phone pressed against her ear in the other. Her hair was messily done, her eyes wide as she stared at Tech. Her clothes looked old, tattered and covered in oil. "...I'll call you back." She laughed stiffly into the phone, promptly hanging up without breaking eye contact. Silence reined again.
Tech blinked, hands flexing at his sides. The woman seemed to suddenly come alive. She tossed her phone onto the counter and readjusted her grip on the box before throwing her hand out, sticking it in front of Tech expectantly. Tech startled, looking at her and then her hand, bewildered. "I'm Phee." She told him, smiling. "I'm your roommate." Her hand stayed stretched out, twitching towards him to remind him of its presence. Tech continued to stare dumbly.
She waited for a moment. "Do you have a name?" She peered closer, examining him openly. "Brown eyes?" Tech startled again, blinking hard at her before he took her hand. It was pleasantly warm, and her grip was loose. "Tech." He said, looking at where her hand gripped his. "Though, brown eyes are a rather common attribute–" Tech said, opening the train of thought and about to tell her the statistics, when she cut in. "Fascinating," she said, smiling tightly. "Do you know where your room is?"
Tech winced when his hand flexed, still holding hers. His skin felt clammy in her hand. "No." Tech said, talking to their hands. "I don't." Phee sighed, light and humorous, and started walking, pulling him along. Tech felt the tug before he moved, following blindly as Phee brought him through their shared house. Tech couldn't hear her over his heart pounding in his ears, eyes still pinned on her hand clasping his. Phee showed him around, apologising.
"You weren't meant to be here for like, an hour." Phee explained, holding up the box. "I was going to have this place cleaned up by then." She laughed, and to Tech, it sounded musical. Tech looked around the space again, finding his face had flushed. It was obvious there was an effort to clean, though it was half finished. Well, half started, maybe. Phee apologised again and whisked Tech away, showing him around some more. "I wasn't aware there was a specific time to arrive." Tech winced at the tone of his own voice. Phee didn't seem to notice, still moving along and talking.
"It's alright, you don't mind, do you?" Phee tugged him back to the common area. Tech shook his head slowly after thinking about it. "I live with my brothers." He was aware this explanation sounded more like an excuse, though Phee lit up. "Then you're well used to this!" Phee laughed again, and turned to him. "You wanna settle in? I'm heading out for food now, though." Tech was, again, bewildered until Phee explained. "I'm asking if you want to come with me."
"Oh." Tech said, catching up. He looked at his bag, and thought of his preconceived idea of how today would go. "It's just my friends- robotics students." Phee shrugged, and Tech lit up. He knew robotics students. "Alright." Tech said, and Phee shot him a grin, and began tugging him out and shrugging off locking the door. Tech couldn't protest quick enough, and they were rushing down the corridor, Phee laughing about something or other. Tech was still slightly flushed, and he stumbled after her, completely forgetting himself.
Phee didnt let go of his hand, not once.
The restaurant, while not the being the fanciest Tech has ever been to, still felt too fancy for his outfit. Phee walked him in, still managing to grip Tech's hand, having not let him go for a moment, and pointed to a table. There weren't many there, and Tech recognised two of those people. "Tech!!" Gregor stood from the table, abandoning his conversation to barrel into him. "Heard you moved onto campus!! We're so visiting before next week!!" Tech laughed, losing his hold on Phee's hand to hug back briefly.
"Alright," Tech withered out of Gregor's hold quickly. "I will let you know when I am settled." Gregor laughed, smiling wide and turning to the table. "Wolffe, say hi!!" Tech looked around Gregor to see Wolffe had stood much slower, making his way over with a faked nonchalance. The glimmer in his eyes gave him away, and he clasped Tech's shoulder briefly. "Good to see you." Wolffe said, before he quickly retreated back to the table- and his food.
Gregor dragged Tech along, following. Tech seated himself, listening to the chatter around him. Phee was talking happily along with someone, drinking and smiling as she searched through a menu. Tech tried not to focus on her too much, turning to Gregor and Wolffe's conversation. "Have you decided what you're gonna do instead of physics?" Wolffe asked around his food. Gregor nodded, staring intently at Tech, who startled. The two people across from him also turned, interested. "Well," Tech started, glancing towards Phee again. He thought back to what Echo said and mumbled.
"What was that?" Gregor asked, leaning uncomfortably close. Tech blinked hard, hands flexed under the table as he gathered his words. "I was reconsidering medicine." Gregor pulled back, and stared, blank. Wolffe coughed. "You're sure?" Wolffe asked, head tilted. "What's wrong with medicine?" The man across the table spoke up. "I knew a guy who does medicine, and he likes it." Wolffe shot him a look, and Gregor laughed shortly. "Sure, Jesse."
"It's true!" Jesse said, leaning back. "He was great at it, too." Tech looked over, scanning Jesse. He had a tattoo on his neck, a symbol he recognised. "I know that symbol." Tech nodded towards the tattoo, and Jesse gave him a tired grin. "Yeah?" He pulled his collar, showing it off. "Do you now?" Tech nodded. "Rex showed me it, during the war." Tech felt himself wince at the word. War was not something he spoke about with anyone outside of his home. He wasn't sure how this was going to land, let the words spilled out before he could stop them. Again.
Jesse just laughed. "Rex." He said fondly, looking past Tech for a minute. "I miss him. Can't wait for the rest of the boys to come home." Tech startled, looking up at Jesse. He looked.. old, aged by tragedy. "Rex is being pulled from the front lines?" Tech asked, worried. If he was being pulled, he had either been hurt or disobedient. Or both. Jesse laughed again. "Was pulled. Hes already home. The war's over, kid. Don't you know that?"
The sound faded out. They had announced the war was over?
"No way!" Gregor swore, leaning on the table. "You're lying." Jesse shook his head. "Rex sent word a few weeks ago. The others are coming home by the end of the month, I mean, if all goes well." Gregor looked at Wolffe, who said nothing, staring at the shine on the table. Tech's mind buzzed. "Is Fives coming, too?" Tech asked, so softly he basically asked himself. Echo spoke often of his twin, of how similar he was to them, and how much Echo missed him. Tech needed to know, to ask if Echo knew.
Jesse looked at Tech, that sad look reappearing. Jesse was about to answer, when Phee suddenly leaned in from behind Tech, reaching across the table. Her face brushed past Tech's, and Jesse's answer was lost to him. "Sorry," Phee plucked a cocktail menu from just in front of Jesse, then straightened, her hand resting casually on Tech's shoulder. Gregor marvelled when Tech didn't brush her off, or even grimace. "Just grabbing a drink or two." Phee winked at the group, and Jesse waved her off. "Sure thing, gorgeous."
They seemed to fall into a song and dance routine. Phee shot back an insult, and Jesse responded with a quip. Phee scoffed, grinning but it seemed tight. Gregor laughed, entertained, and Wolffe gave Tech a hushed explanation. "They go back and forth like this all the time, Jesse's got a thing for her." Tech nodded, watching. "You love me, admit it." Jesse gestured to himself, flexing slightly. Gregor booed him, but Phee kept eye contact easily. "You're just too enamoured by my looks." Jesse winked again.
Phee rolled her eyes, squeezing Tech's shoulder. "Im not interested-.." Phee caught Tech's eyes and lit up. When she spoke again, she didn't look away from Tech, seeming to speak directly to him. "Not interested in your looks." Tech felt his cheeks flare up. Jesse gaped for a second, and Phee continued to speak to Tech. "Yeah, your eyes just aren't the right shade." Phee walked away, smirking as she rejoined another conversation. Tech and Jesse gaped, looking at each other.
Wolffe whistled, and Gregor snorted before collapsing into laughter. Jesse looked at Tech, who's face was a deep red, and chuckled along with Gregor. Tech stared at the table. The conversation shifted, and it was forgotten about. Tech tried to stay focused, with his eyes wandering towards Phee occasionally. The dinner was over, they were making their way back before long. Gregor was going on about a scholarship with a company. Tech recognised the name.
"My brother works there." Tech mentioned, mumbling as he walked between Gregor and Wolffe. Phee was behind them, jabbing at Jesse again. "I could talk to him about it, if you wanted to go for it?" Gregor looked at him, considering it. "Nah," He said, shrugging. "Thanks, but I'll stick to my robotics. Medicine is your thing, Tech." Wolffe rolled his eyes. "You're just scared of the company." Wolffe said, and Gregor shrugged. "Can you blame me? Those guys basically run the world, now that this war is apparently over. And I'm not too fond of who's at the top."
Tech listened to their complaining curiously. Hunter banned political talk a while ago, mostly because of Echo and Crosshair. They had fundamental differences, and while Tech was well informed for the most part, it was interesting to hear others opinions. Wolffe thought the system was worse off than it was before, while Gregor was in agreement, he wasn't sure they could botch it much worse than the Republic already had. Wolffe had family in the centre of the Republic, as far as Tech knew, but he hadn't heard of them since the supposed "end of the war."
The war wasn't over. Not as far as Tech knew.
Echo told him as much, too. With Fives still dispatched, and talk of attacks everyday, Echo had always talked about going back. It was the only thing Echo and Hunter consistently argued over. The one thing they couldn't agree on. Hunter said the war was behind them, that leaving meant peace. Echo told them it was their duty as soldiers, pulled out or not, to fight. Tech wasn't sure what to make of it, pulling bits and pieces from both arguments to make his own point of view.
Echo wanted to fight. Hunter wanted to survive. Tech was trying to do both.
Tech didn't remember saying goodbye to Wolffe and Gregor, or when Phee had taken his hand again. Tech blinked and he was back in his room, alone in the dark. Just like before. Tech felt the walls closing in on him as he lay there, helpless to the primal fear Tech could not control. Well, he could, logically, but without the familiar pittering of Hunter doing his 'checks' around the corridors, Wrecker's cosmic sounding snores, and Echo's sleep talk, Tech couldn't remind himself that they were still real.
"We're one call away."
Tech didn't want to give Hunter reason to worry, so he scrolled through his contacts. Echo had texted to say he was sleeping early, and Wrecker couldn't remember to answer even if Tech had texted in front of him. That left Crosshair. Tech debated it, typing and stopping, before he felt himself flinching at the shift in the blankets, and sent the text before he could go back to worrying.
Cross?
Tech wasn't expecting the reply to be so quick.
Yeah? You need a pickup?
Tech stared at the text, and considered it. He hadn't even lasted a few hours, how was he going to fare once the job started, and he was bouncing around all the time? Tech took a small, shuddering breath, and replied.
No, just company. If you are busy I can text someone else.
Tech blinked and the answer came through. Tech hadn't gotten replies from Crosshair this quickly since before he moved in with his brothers.
No, I'm not busy. What's up? Why didn't you just text Hunter??
Tech looked out the window towards the moon, watching it disappear behind a cloud as he typed his response. He didn't want Hunter to know because Hunter would immediately pull him out, and while Tech would love to go home, he wanted to try this. Echo believed he could, that's why he pushed.
I knew you would be awake. Though honestly, I am having trouble adapting. Things are different here.
"I don't like it." was erased before Tech sent the text. He waited for a moment for the reply, watching the clouds again. The view was similar to the one he had back at the facility, with Nala Se. Only those windows had bars that Tech could scarcely get his hands through. Now, the plane was clean and in reach, not sealed shut and locked tight.
You're sure you wanna stay? You know we'd figure something else out
Tech smiled at that. He knew Crosshair was probably scoffing on the other end of the phone, sighing over his work in a cold office building, but it was nice to know he still kept an eye on the phone for Tech's text. That still left the question. Did Tech want to stay? The real answer was yes, Tech was excited at the idea of living on his own, despite everything. Yet the fear creeped into him again. Tech forced himself to remember why he accepted in the first place.
I want to stay. I just forget how quiet living without you guys is. I miss you.
Crosshair didn't answer for a long while. Tech thought he had given up on conversation, gone back to his work, and Tech was about to put his phone away, sighing sadly when his phone lit up, Crosshair's ID appearing. Crosshair was calling him. Tech startled, staring dumbly for a moment before he answered, pressing the phone too tightly against his ear and saying too loudly. "Hello?" Tech winced at his volume, glancing to the door, but the apartment stayed silent.
Crosshair snorted on the other end of the line. "Hi." Crosshair's voice was low, and he leaned back in his chair. Tech relaxed, letting his grip on the phone go as he say up, cross-legged. Tech struggled for words, trying to figure out what he wanted to say. Part of him wanted to ask why Crosshair called. Crosshair didn't call people.
"You said it was too quiet."
Crosshair spoke like he had read Tech's mind. Tech gaped. "I did." He said, soft. Crosshair laughed on the other side of the line. "Is this loud enough for you?" Crosshair asked, and Tech laughed, short and quiet. "Yes, it's loud enough." Tech stared at the sky again, listening as Crosshair explained his boring paperwork. Tech leaned more heavily on the windowsill after a while, mumbling his comments. "You know," Crosshair said after a while. "The science department here has an internship program. Could be fun." Crosshair spoke dismissively.
Tech paused. "I heard." He answered, looking towards his textbooks. "Yeah." Crosshair muttered. "Hunter doesn't want you to know about it, or join it." Crosshair sounded angry, almost bitter. "What?" Tech sounded surprised. "Why not?" Crosshair shrugged over the line, sighing as he watched the ceiling. "Hunter doesn't want anyone else to work here. Not like me." Crosshair scoffed, and Tech found himself stunned, before he mumbled, so quick and quiet Crosshair almost didn't catch it.
"Well, it is the same company that funds the program we grew up in."
Crosshair stayed quiet. Tech worried for a few minutes that he was going to hang up. "It's different now." Crosshair said instead. Tech wasn't so sure. "How so?" He asked, and Crosshair fumbled. "It just is." Crosshair said simply. Tech watched the time and nodded. "I see. Maybe I will go for it." Crosshair blinked, and laughed. "Sure. Hunter would kill you." Tech thought for a moment. "Maybe," Tech mumbled, fidgeting. "Maybe he'll like that you have company?" Crosshair didn't answer.
"Do you- like, live completely alone?" Crosshair asked instead. Tech glanced at the door, remembering the warmth of Phee's hand. "No." Tech told him, looking at his hand. "I have a roommate." Crosshair snorted, rolling his eyes. "What's he like? Gross like Wrecker or prissy like Hunter?" Tech argued that they were not like that, but bit his tongue. "Her name is Phee." He said softly into the phone. It went quiet for a minute.
"No way." Crosshair said. Tech winced at his cruel laughter. "She does robotics like me." Tech mumbled over Crosshair. "You must hate it." Crosshair said when he calmed down. Tech tilted his head. "Not really." He admitted, looking at his hand and watching it flex. "She's quite kind. Jesse likes her, too." Crosshair sighed loudly. "Jesse's a douche." Crosshair told him. "He 'likes' everyone." Tech tilted his head curiously at Crosshair's tone. Silence fell again, and Tech relaxed, calmed now that his brother was with him.
"Tech." Crosshair said, and Tech hummed. "I think you should do the program." Tech startled at the statement. "Regardless of what Hunter thinks." Crosshair added with that familiar bitterness. Tech thought about his response for a few minutes. "Hunter is just looking out for us," Tech started, folding his arms and resting his head on them, looking out the window still. "I believe that applies to you, still. Which is why he's always on you about your job. It is dangerous, Crosshair. He just worries." Tech mumbled into the phone, drawing patterns into his arm.
"I think he's decided he's too good for this place." Crosshair scoffed. "And he's trying to forget what happened to us. Before and during the war." Tech shook his head. "That's not true." He insisted, hearing Crosshair sigh. "You know it. He was there with us. He regrets it as much as you do. All of it." Crosshair went quiet, and Tech thought Crosshair was going to change the subject. Then, Crosshair spoke up, saying something that swept the rug from under Tech's feet.
"Ignoring what happened isn't going to make it better, Tech. You can't just forget what happened."
Tech opened his mouth speak, but Crosshair spoke over him. "And you can't say you don't mind it, either. I know you do." Tech closed his mouth and thought. Tech tried everything he could to not think about what happened. It was hard. "I haven't forgotten." Tech said, sounding weary. "I couldn't, even if I wanted to." Silence reigned, before Crosshair seemed to give up, and moved on to something else. Tech told him about school, about his projects and friends, and after a while, Tech yawned. "You finally tired?" Crosshair said, fond. Tech hummed, and Crosshair hugged a laugh. "Go to sleep, we'll call tomorrow if you need to." Crosshair went to hang up.
"G'night Cross." Tech mumbled, falling asleep. "Love you."
Crosshair froze. He sat straighter, but the only other sound was Tech's soft snores, hardly being picked up over the phone. Crosshair hung up, putting his phone down before leaning back. He thought about the conversation he just had. Tech didn't like to talk about his war experiences, good or bad. Crosshair knew that was because that's just how Tech worked, but hearing the way Hunter spoke of it wasn't helping. Wrecker and Echo watched Hunter belittle their situation and did nothing, and Tech internalised it. Crosshair couldn't help the rising anger when he thought about it.
It wasnt fair that Hunter decided one day to change their lives. They didn't want to fight in a war, then they- mostly Crosshair, didn't want to stop fighting. It was justice, revenge for what they did. Tech couldn't move for months. Couldn't breathe without machinery for weeks on end. He died. In Crosshair's arms. Crosshair was never going to forget, especially not when Hunter tried so hard to erase it. Crosshair didn't care what Hunter was trying to do.
Crosshair was angry. For himself and his younger brother. For all his brothers.
Crosshair couldn't understand why no one else was angry. Couldn't comprehend how the others were content with just moving on. They went through hell. For five years. Crosshair knew it, they knew it, why was he the only one that cared? Crosshair remembered what Tech said, and sighed. Tech cared, he corrected. Crosshair and Tech cared a lot. Wrecker did, too. Crosshair saw it on his face whenever those dates rolled around each month. At least Echo was still trying to fight, to contribute to something they had been forced into. Hunter just ignored it. Didn't care.
Here, in this sleek, dark building, people cared. They spoke often and fondly of the war, congratulated soldiers who worked there for their services. Crosshair was fighting for order, he had a place here. He wasn't forgotten. His experience mattered here, he was useful. The past wouldn't die, not if Crosshair had anything to say about it. He wouldn't let his brothers pain and suffering become a relic of the ages, no one would go through what they did, and they could move on properly. It was the least he could do, after everything.
Crosshair's phone lit up, distracting him. Hunter had texted again, Crosshair sighed as he scrolled through countless unanswered messages to reach the most recent one. Crosshair raised an eyebrow as he read it.
Dinner on Saturday with Cody, don't forget.
Crosshair scoffed. He couldn't forget, Wrecker made sure to remind him everyday. For the next three days that's all Crosshair will know, until it's over and Hunter would go back to scraping together enough money to roll them over into the next month. Crosshair put his phone away, pulling himself towards his desk and scribbling into the file he was working on again. Crosshair was doing something useful, unlike Hunter. He just had to wait it out, the rewards would be worth it. Crosshair tried not to think about that guilt creeping up him again when he glanced towards the photo, then the elevator leading to the labs, where Tech might work some day.
They would deliver, Crosshair assured himself, turning back to the files again. They promised.