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Hunter knew something was wrong as soon as they met back up at the ship, to see Crosshair leaning heavily against the side of it.
“Crosshair? What is it?”
The other man opened his mouth to answer, only for a choked sob to break free. “Kriff…” He sank down to the ground as Hunter rushed over, placing one hand on Crosshair’s shoulder, “… Kriff.”
On the ramp, Wrecker appeared, and just from the look on his face, Hunter knew what had happened.
“Oh.” Hunter’s mouth went dry, feeling the beginning of tears building up in his eyes as Crosshair shook his head, as though denying the truth would somehow change time.
“We need to get onto the ship.” He sighed, “Crosshair… come on.”
He tugged on Crosshair’s arm, only to stop when he heard something dropping to ground. Looking down, he flinched at the sight of Tech’s goggles lying there.
He watched Crosshair quickly pick them up, his thumb wiping away the blood stained on the lens’s, a sight that made Hunter feel a little bit sick, fighting back tears as they headed into the ship.
Crosshair disappeared into the storage area, where Hunter presumed they were keeping Tech’s- where they were keeping Tech.
Wrecker was keeping Omega busy (more like she was keeping him busy… she was smart like that), so Hunter headed to the cockpit, the place feeling empty with only Echo sitting there.
“What happened?” He whispered.
“We… went to check out that warehouse.” Echo answered, voice quivering, “The one that the weapons were being kept in. Tech was behind us…. Just chattering about some creature that we saw.”
Hunter could almost hear him now.
“I should have stayed behind with him.” Echo’s flesh hand clenched, drawing Hunter’s attention to it.
Ah… that was why he could still smell blood.
“I should have made him go in front…. Then the assassin droid wouldn’t have been able to get the drop on him. Or at least we’d have been able to-to save him.”
Echo’s voice trailed off, “We destroyed the droid… but it was too late.”
There was a faraway look in Echo’s eyes, and Hunter wondered what he was seeing. Was he seeing Tech’s body lying on the ground, blood seeping into the ground.
Those usually intelligent looking eyes staring up into nothing?
“There wasn’t anything we could do.” Echo continued, unaware of Hunter’s thought process, “The droid got him in the throat.”
“… Where is he?”
“Hunter you- “ Echo shook his head, “You don’t… just be happy with the memories you have of him.”
Instantly, Hunter was brought back to their journey back from Skako Minor, when Echo turned to Captain Rex with only once question on his lips.
“Where’s Fives?”
Hunter couldn’t fully remember the conversation, but he did recall one thing that the Captain said.
‘Remember Fives how he was.’
Hunter let his weight fall against the dashboard, “I- I think I need to know.”
Echo’s shoulder’s slumped, almost seeming to sag in resignation, gesturing towards the storage area as Hunter got to his feet, and slowly headed in that direction.
Upon opening the door, he tried not let the sound of distress escape when he saw the pale body on the table, Crosshair standing over it.
Crosshair was gently washing the dried blood off of Tech’s face, hands shaking as he did so. He was whispering to the body, words of comfort they sounded like.
Words that Tech couldn’t hear.
Hunter moved closer, until he was right behind Crosshair, hoping that his presence would be enough to soothe him.
“Why does it feel like I’m going to wake up?” He heard Crosshair croak off.
“I don’t know.” Hunter whispered, “I wish we could though.”
…………………………………………………
When Hunter woke up, it took several seconds before he remembered what had happened the day before. Crosshair was curled up in his bunk with him, his head on Hunter’s shoulder.
Even sleeping, Crosshair looked tired.
Hunter sighed and tried to keep his breathing even. There was no sense in waking Crosshair up to face his grief.
He’d had his nightmares, of Tech reaching out for him, blood covering his neck and armour. He could only hope that Crosshair wasn’t having the same nightmare, or anything like it.
“It wasn’t a dream.” Crosshair’s voice came out as a whisper, startled Hunter just a little.
So lost in his thoughts was he, that he hadn’t even heard the subtle changes in Crosshair breathing to signify that he was awake.
“No… it’s not.” He finally answered
“… I’m going to go and change.” Crosshair got to his feet, heading towards the door, only to pause and turn back around, “Thanks Hunter.”
And then he left, Tech’s goggles still in his hand.
……………………………………………………………………………….
“Hunter?”
Echo watched as the Sergeant didn’t even flinch at his words.
“I thought…” He stopped, not entirely sure where he was going with the sentence, “… can I sit down?”
Hunter nodded, gesturing to the seat opposite him, Taking that seat, Echo could see the dark circles under the Sergeant’s eyes.
“It isn’t fair, is it?”
“No.” Hunter’s hands trembled, “But… it’s happened. We can’t change that.”
That made Echo flinch, the cold words reminding him of politicians and trainers who just saw them as cannon fodder. He knew that Hunter didn’t mean it that way, but the words still hurt.
“How has Omega taken it?”
“Not well.” Hunter sighed, “But… as horrible as it is, she saw more than her fair share of death on Kamino.”
“Not like that though.”
“No…not like that.”
……………………………………………………………………
Everything was still where they’d left it.
It looked like Tech was going to sit back down and continue with whatever calculations he was in the middle of.
He stifled a sob, turning away from the scene.
Cleaning it up would have to wait.
Erasing the traces of Tech, would just have to wait.