Work Text:
You were always the one
“You were the one, Hunter. There was never any doubt about it, Hunt.. You have to believe me when I tell you.”
The conversation having taken a sudden turn. Then again, they had been at it for a while already with both of them defending their own point of views. The choices made and guess, the excuses were failing fast. For both of them.
Crosshair had been speaking in a low register. The truth finally slipping past his lips after all this time, all the lies having been spun because… Well, it was the chip at first. Then, the anger he had felt of the supposed betrayal of his team. Of Hunter… betraying… him.
And right now, Crosshair was standing right across Hunter. His weapon aimed at the scout as was Hunter’s aimed at the sniper. Was this what it had all boiled down to for the two of them then?
“But you left us. For the Empire. Left me for the Empire. Left me fending for myself, for the team, for our family! You tried to kill us even…”
Hunter heard and felt his own voice tremble. The words audible yet almost a low whisper rather than spoken harshly and out of anger. Because Hunter felt no more anger even if he had done so before. Anger towards Crosshair for leaving him more than anything else. As Hunter knew better now. All of the things having happened between the two of them and leading right into this very moment.
“But I came back. I am right here, Hunt. And I did not kill you. I always missed when… each single shot, never hitting their target. Didn’t you ever wonder why?”
Crosshair was out of excuses, out of lies. He only wanted to go back. To them his team, his home, his family… to Hunter… It was all that mattered to him now. Not the Empire, not being a good soldier, none of it. Only Hunter. It had always been, Hunter.
“How can I believe you. That you’re in earnest? That you want to stay with us? With me?” Hunter paused, still in somewhat of a disbelief of Crosshair’s words. “After everything you’ve done to us…”
Hunter was near tears suddenly, his voice breaking, his body shaking.
“Hunter, I can only give you my word. I came back because of you, Hunt. If that is not enough… then there is little if nothing I can do to convince you otherwise. My actions from now on will be the proof, but until that time, when I am able to prove you the contrary… Well, there is nothing more I can offer you, is there?”
They stood there, weapons still drawn. But neither of them willing or wanting to shoot the other. As why would they. It would have been a grave loss, not to mention a stupid thing to do to kill the one you loved.
“No, I guess not.”
“Well, then, what say you?”
The two former lovers kept on staring at the other. An ultimate standoff, with neither relenting. The trust between them long since broken. The question hanging in the air, whether they could find that trust again.
*
It had been a long while, the standstill between the two former team mates, the two partners.
The Marauder was on its way to their location, but it would take some time still. And Hunter would be on board it, with or without Crosshair. The choice, would be Crosshair’s to make, not Hunter’s.
And Hunter knew if he wanted for Crosshair to follow them back, to become part of their family again, the arguments needed to stop. Hunter needed to be the bigger person of the two even if Crosshair had left the Empire. At least according to what he had told Hunter now. The revelation of the reason behind it all. The intel Crosshair too was willing to share with the Rebellion. And yet somehow Hunter still felt uneasy.
As it all boiled down to trust. Not the love he still felt for the wayward sniper. Which on itself was odd for the scout. Having always trusted his basic instincts more than any kind of social construct which he felt trust to fall under. As this was hardly the first time he had worked with someone he did not trust.
And so it was all up to Hunter now.
To come up with something to convince Crosshair. Not just that it was alright for him to return to the fold. That he was missed by them all, mostly though by Hunter. And that they needed Crosshair to move on, as he had already started to do.
Then why was it so difficult to say those simple words? The ‘Come with us, with me, it will all be alright’… so, so very difficult.
“Crosshair… is there anything you would have me stay to make you lay down your weapon. To promise me you will give us… give me a chance?”
Hunter was at his wits end or really having nothing else to tell the sniper. All of it pretty much said and done, repeated in every which way during their length conversation on this desolate planet.
Crosshair remained silent. But, he did put his weapon down, back into its holster. Hunter following his example suit. After all, it was the first step, now taken.
Crosshair stared at Hunter, contemplating of his options. Of what he could tell Hunter if anything.
“Hunter…” there was a pause again.
The sniper clearly having difficulties in uttering the needed words, just like Hunter had. They were really bad at this, this talking thing. But he tried, really hard. Crosshair really wanted to go back to his family. To Hunter.
“Yes, Cross?”
“It’s you, Hunter. It was always you.”
Hunter could only stare at Crosshair.
He wasn’t as surprised as he thought he would be aft hearing the confession from the sniper. They had been close. Very close, always. And now, after everything having happened, Crosshair still carried a torch for him. For Hunter… It was a true revelation for Hunter for sure.
“You… would come with us… because of… me?”
Hunter had to be sure, even if that wasn’t really the condition for taking Crosshair with them. Nothing was. Hunter only wanted for Crosshair to come back, without any conditions.
There was a soft chuckle suddenly, breaking the tension between them finally. Crosshair being the source of it. A surprise?
“Hunt, I would do it for no one else but you. The reason I came here. Because I knew you would be here.”
“So, no other conditions then?”
“No Hunt, no other conditions.”
The fact that Crosshair still wanted to be with Hunter was all the he scout could have ever wished for. Sure, there were lots to settle between them. Lots to talk about still. But Hunter was sure they could manage. They always had in the before.
Hunter swallowed, the emotions threatening to take over, which was fine. But they weren’t there yet. Hunter needed to remain calm, to keep his wits about the situation after all.
“If you’re sure… about coming with me, the Marauder will be here soon.”
Perhaps Hunter needed to control his own emotions, his wants and needs. But Crosshair was at the very end of it all, the not caring about keeping things cool and calm… and so.
Without any hesitation and a moment’s notice, the sniper had closed the gap between him and Hunter. Grabbing the scout, drawing Hunter flush against himself, Crosshair’s eyes locked onto the bewildered gaze of Hunter’s…
…Their lips locking after a long time spent apart.
If there had been any further doubt on Hunter’s part, it was pretty much dissolved during their heated passionate kiss.
As the Marauder landed, Tech and Echo could see the embrace the two still shared from the cockpit viewport.
“Guess they managed to figure things out then?”
“Certainly looks that way.”