Summary: "He takes care to be quiet as he settles himself on the floor beside his brother. He reaches a hand out, uncertain, then tentatively places it on the shoulder of Hunter's outfit." Young Tech helps Hunter get through a sensory overload following a solo testing session. One-shot.
Even The Strongest Break
His head hurts.
A lot.
Tech's long since pulled his goggles down to hang around his neck. His eyes are closed, and his elbows rest on his knees, as he gently massages his temples.
He really hates Loda Ke's tests. Yes, his intelligence and memory are superior, but they do have limits. Sometimes, he really does wonder if the Kaminoans are trying to fry his brain. At least, they know better than to try to touch his eyes again. They haven't tried it since the operation, and he has high hopes that they won't again- not with Lon To in charge, anyway. They've spent enough time and resources on him, ruining him would be a waste of it all.
He spares a glance up at the closed door in front of him.
Hunter's in there.
He thinks he can hear him screaming.
The knot in his stomach grows, and he closes his eyes again as he fights to keep his last meal down. Because Hunter will be fine. Nothing takes Hunter down. Hunter takes things down.
But he's screaming.
Tech tunes it out.
When the door finally opens, only Loda Ke comes out, drifting from the room with an unbothered care about him. He can hear the faint sound of whimpering from within the testing chamber.
"Loda Ke?" Tech quietly asks, casting a look at the closing door, the shape clear now that his goggles are back on. "Can I…?"
"CT-9901's testing for today has concluded." The Kaminoan confirms. "You may enter."
He launches himself to his feet, presses the control on the door, and darts through it. Because Hunter doesn't whimper.
This testing chamber is quite a bit different than Tech's.
One corner of the ceiling has a decent sized speaker, no doubt to emit undesirable sounds- which seems to hold true, for Hunter's curled up on the floor, one ear pressed against it, one had to his other ear.
As soon as he sees that, Tech doesn't give a second thought to abandoning his inspection of the room. He takes care to be quiet as he settles himself on the floor beside his brother. He reaches a hand out, uncertain, then tentatively places it on the shoulder of Hunter's outfit.
Hunter's eyes, other than being moist and full of overwhelmed terror, reflect Tech's own- they're so wide that they must hurt.
"Are you alright?" Tech murmurs in a tone so soft that he can't even hear it.
His brother nods, his unsteady voice only slightly louder than his was. "It'll pass in a few minutes. It always does."
He nods back himself, unsure of what to say, and respectfully averts his gaze.
"Hey." Hunter whispers. "Are you okay?"
"Just worried about you." He admits, a rueful curl to his lips.
His brother gives an amused huff, reaches for his arm for something to settle his whirlpool of senses on.
They stay like that for a long time.