Omega wasn't familiar with human touch.
On Kamino, she was sparsely spoken to by anyone with a beating heart- especially by the clones who saw her as nothing but a defect. Nala Se was the only person to touch her shoulder to guide her 'curious mind' along, and besides that, all she had was AZI-3.
The Bad Batch weren't the touchiest squad she'd seen. Some of the cadets on Kamino were connected at the hip- always pushing each other playfully and messing up their vod's hair to make them smile. In fact, the Bad Batch hardly spoke the whole way to Saluecami, hence why she sought out Wrecker to show her around the ship.
It was better than sitting around in the cockpit.
Echo was the most isolated- not even letting people sit within a foot of him on the Havoc Marauder. Omega knew he spent a while in the hands of the Techno Union, and whether it was the constant body modifications that made him anxious around others, or just the lack of human touch whilst he was held prisoner on Skako Minor, something had obviously scarred him.
Crosshair also limited his contact with the others, which probably made it easier on the rest of the Batch when he turned his back on them. Tech's similarly socially awkward, except he didn't seem to mind Hunter putting a hand on his shoulder when she first met the squad. All he wanted to do is play on his datapad- not involve himself in mindless chatter.
Wrecker and Hunter seemed to be the most forward with touch. The former was simply too energetic and sociable to be contained, whilst the Sergeant would confidently pat her shoulder whenever he checked in with her.
Apparently, he was worried about her getting travel sick. In reality, she knew he was busying himself with her wellbeing to cover his own confusion and grief about everything that had happened since the Chancellor ordered the clone army to kill their Jedi officers.
Omega quickly grew to admire the squad she travelled with- even in the dire circumstances. Everyone had their quirks, and they all appeared to enjoy her company- already telling her stories and teaching her some basics to life outside Kamino.
Rule one: don't play with the wildlife.
She felt frozen as the nexu stalked closer- feeling like she'd been caught in the Bad Batch's barracks by the shock trooper all over again. Dread wrapped around her heart in an icy fist, and she was strikingly reminded that despite her seemingly confident and tough persona, she really was just a kid with no idea how the galaxy worked, let alone how to survive an animal attack.
The second emotion to rush through her- following the flood of fear- was regret. Not only had she endangered her own life by being foolishly ignorant, but then Hunter was suddenly shielding her with his body- knife out and slashing at the beast's face whilst Suu shot it from the rooftop.
He risked his life for her.
In his protective state, Hunter pushed her a little too roughly back through the fence, and Omega winced at the sting of barbed wire pricking the back of her leg. Her grip on the ball was white-knuckled, and she was sure that if she let go, her hands would be shaking.
"What were you doing out there?" Hunter demanded, anger radiating off him in waves. Omega cowered away from him- not being used to this side of the Sergeant. Nala Se was a calm mentor- always speaking in a low, soft tone that Omega found soothing, if a bit patronizing at times. "Do you realise you could've been killed?"
Omega shielded her face away- shame bubbling through her. She felt her vision go blurry, which only made her panic more. Had she hit her head at some point in the chaos? Why did her throat feel so tight?
"Easy," Cut said, pulling Hunter back. "She's not a soldier."
She wasn't. Omega wasn't a soldier- she wasn't even supposed to be with the Bad Batch. She could've lived a comfortable life on Kamino by keeping her head down and doing what she was told. She wasn't made for this way of life.
A kind hand on her shoulder had Omega glancing up into Cut's deep eyes. He looked at her the same way he looked at his own children, and she suddenly felt very, very young.
"Are you hurt?" He asked gently, reaching up to touch her cheek. Nobody had ever touched her cheek before, and his hand was surprisingly warm against her skin. "Now, let's take a look here."
"I'm sorry," she stuttered, the words tasting like cotton wool in her mouth. Why did everything keep going blurry? "I was trying to get the ball. I didn't know."
She expected Cut to get angry like Hunter did, but the next moment, she was being pulled towards the deserter- her face tucked into the crook of his neck. He smelt like farm and sweat- not like how the Bad Batch smell of grime and oil.
Omega tensed when he put a hand on her back and rubbed it up and down. Was this a hug? She'd certainly never had one of those before. It felt… nice- like being tucked in a warm blanket and knowing everything was going to be okay.
"You're safe," Cut reassured in his fatherly voice reserved for Jek and Shaeeah. "That's all that matters."
She bowed her head, closing her eyes tightly against Cut's shirt. "Come on," he said gently, and then she was lifted off the ground.
Unused to so much physical contact- especially, being carried- Omega couldn't even look up at Hunter as she was walked towards Cut and Suu's home. All she could do was try to control her breathing, and not think about how much safer she felt in Cut's arms than she had at any other point over the past twenty-four hours.
"Hey, kid," Wrecker called- worry drenching his tone, "You alright?"
Cut turned to face the squad, allowing her to remain tucked into his shoulder. "She'll be fine."
She kept her eyes closed until she heard the door to their homestead closing with a soft thud, and Cut's low voice speaking to Suu, "Can you grab my medkit?"
Omega felt herself being placed on a hard surface- a counter, most likely- and only when Cut tried to pull away did she realise that she had been clinging tightly to his shirt ever since he picked her up.
"It's okay," Cut took her hands in his own- obviously sensing her discomfort at being so reliant on someone else. "I'm not going anywhere."
"I'm sorry," she stammered again, managing to open her cramped fingers enough for Cut to take a step back, "I really didn't know-"
"There's nothing to apologise for, kid," he laid a hand on the crown of her head, "I've had my fair share of run-ins with nexus since I started living here."
"Yes," Suu inputs from the doorway as she approached with a small medkit, "and if it weren't for my sharp shooting skills, Cut would already be missing an arm and a leg."
"She thinks she keeps me in line," Cut muttered to Omega, rolling his eyes even though she could tell he absolutely adored her. "Now, any bumps or scrapes?"
"The back of my leg," she admitted nervously, wiping her cheeks from where they've somehow got damp. There was a dark spot on Cut's vest- was that from tears? She'd never cried before- that must be why her vision went blurry. "I caught it on the wired fence."
"Hm," Cut opened up the medkit and frowned, "Let's take a quick look. I'm sure you'll be alright; you're a tough one."
With shaking hands, she rolled up her trouser leg- eyes widening when she saw the dried blood staining her calf. Cut noticed her look of horror and smiled, "Puncture wounds can bleed a bit, kid, but they won't kill you."
"I know," she said, watching as Cut turned her ankle to get a better look before running an antiseptic wipe over her leg to clean off the blood. "I was Nala Se's medical assistant on Kamino."
"Nala Se? Wow, you must be good then," Cut smiled- showing off his teeth before taking a small bacta patch out of the kit, "Hold still a moment."
She stayed as still as a statue as the ex-soldier applies a patch over the little wound. Cut patted her shoulder when he was finished, "All done. You're a good patient."
Omega nodded, playing with the hem of her tunic. She didn't know what to do now- she felt stupid for being so sensitive.
Cut said her name softly, and held out his arms, "Do you need another hug?"
Force, she did.
Cut let her initiate the contact this time, and it didn't take half as long for Omega to get comfortable in the man's embrace. That's when she felt it for the first time- the thing she'd been lacking for so long.
Brotherhood.
She'd watched clones interact all her life- through eye contact, speech, personal touch. Every time she saw two soldiers together, she was in awe of the bond between them. AZI-3 was a good friend who she missed dearly, but he wasn't flesh and blood.
He wasn't her flesh and blood.
Not like Cut, or Hunter, or anyone else in the Bad Batch.
Now, she was with her people. They had already protected her more than once, and she'd protected them.
Omega realised- in that moment- that she was exactly where she needed to be. Not on Saluecami with Cut and Suu, but with her brothers. She couldn't be alone again.
She didn't realise she was nearly falling asleep in Cut's arms until she heard Suu murmur, "Poor girl is touch starved."
The deserter grunted in agreement, "She's only a kid."