Work Text:
“The Venator-class Star Destroyer, also known as the Venator-class cruiser, was a class of more than 1000 meter-long attack cruiser of the Star Destroyer design family that was operated by the navy of the Galactic Republic. Designed by Lira Wessex-”
Crosshair looked over to Tech and narrowed his eyes. Tech was sitting in the gunners mount - now Omega’s room - the kid close to him.
“Why are you talking about venators?” he interrupted, earning a glare from his brother. That he naturally ignored.
“I can’t sleep,” Omega piped up. “And Tech agreed to read me a bedtime story.”
Oh. Oh no.
Crosshair was at her side in three steps, jabbing his finger into her chest. “Never, ever, ask him to read you a bedtime story.”
Tech bristled. “Excuse me? I am very good at reading. My pronunciation is better than all of yours combined.”
“A manual doesn’t count as a bedtime story.”
“It does the job, so it counts.”
Maybe, technically, it did the job. Tech had put them to sleep by reading them a manual countless times, some on accident, some intentional. Didn’t mean it counted!
Omega snickered at them. She was wrapped up in her blanket, Lula and a trooper doll in her lap and looked more awake than anything else. Hunter, Wrecker and Echo were still out and with them no one was here to properly tire her out. No wonder she was still awake.
“It doesn’t,” Crosshair replied and sat down next to Tech, prying the datapad from his hands.
“The last time I read you a story you complained too.” Tech crossed his arms.
“Because it was a horror story and none of us could sleep for a week!” Crosshair shuddered at the memory. In hindsight, it hadn’t been too bad, but back then they had been unbelievably scared of ghosts and monsters in their closet. They had been only around four, after all.
Tech huffed and got up. “Then you can read her one.”
“Hey, where are you-” Crosshair trailed off, watching Tech leave for his workbench without another word. Oh, great. He huffed too and turned to Omega, who looked at him with big expectant eyes and immediately broke his resolve down. No one was able to withstand these eyes.
It was honestly unfair how easily she could change his mind at this point. They had had her for only like a month! Hunter kept teasing him about getting attached, and Crosshair ignored it, but Hunter was right. He was attached. Didn’t mean Crosshair couldn’t be annoyed with himself.
So now he was stuck with picking out a proper bedtime story, more suitable than the manual of a venator. She’d have to learn about them soon enough, seeing as Tech had already developed a whole optimized curriculum for her. All of them had gotten attached pretty quickly, to be honest.
“How about, hm, the very hungry caterpillar, or if you give a mouse a cookie?”
“Booo,” Omega said. “Boriiing.”
Crosshair raised an eyebrow. “It’s supposed to be a bedtime story, not keep you awake.”
Omega only grinned at him. “I wanna hear one of the original fairytales.”
Absolutely not. Crosshair opened his mouth, but when he looked at her hopeful face, a “Fine.” came out. They really needed to learn to say no to her, or they’d end up with some unwanted pet or worse.
He flicked through the library in Tech’s datapad until he found the original snow white fairytale, then got comfortable and began to read.
“Once upon a time in midwinter, when the snowflakes were falling like feathers from heaven, a queen sat sewing at her window …”
“Then they put a pair of iron shoes into burning coals. They were brought forth with tongs and placed before her. She was forced to step into the red-hot shoes and dance until she fell down dead.”
Crosshair looked at Omega, who was still wide awake and had followed the story with interest. Then he looked over to Tech’s workbench, where soft snoring was coming from.
“At least I put one of you to sleep,” he mumbled.
“Can you read me another one?” Omega asked, leaning closer. “Maybe Rapunzel?”
“Nope,” Crosshair said, holding the datapad out of reach. “It’s getting late.”
Before Omega could complain, Crosshaire scooped her up, blankets and all, and carried her over to Tech’s bunk. She giggled the whole time until she got - gently - thrown down.
“Stay there,” Crosshair warned, watching her shift until she was comfortable. “Stay.”
Slowly he backed off, keeping an eye on her, growling when she tried to get up, until he was next to Tech. After another glare in Omega’s direction, he scooped up Tech in much of the same way he did with Omega, only much slower to not wake him. It kinda worked. Tech did stir and blink, but didn’t wake up enough to complain.
He woke up enough to wrap his arms around Crosshair’s neck though, and Crosshair realized he would never get him to let go. The only possibility he had was to resign to his fate of an early bedtime then. Well. Normal bedtime.
Omega scooted closer to the wall to make space for them, and once Crosshari had climbed in, she happily snuggled up to Tech’s side, Lula in her arms.
“Will you read another fairy tale now?” she whispered and stifled a yawn.
“No,” Crosshair grumbled. “Go to sleep, before you wake up, Tech.”
“Aww.”
“I swear I’ll let him read the Venator manual to you after all. That’ll knock you out faster than you know.”
Omega snickered again, but rested her head on Tech’s shoulder and closed her eyes. Crosshair got comfortable, at least as comfortable as he could with Tech still wrapped around him and did the same, listening to their soft, even breathing and letting it lull him to sleep too.