TBB - Memories of the past (EchoTBB)

by GunRoswall

Set somewhere in the The Bad Batch galaxy of things. Timeline? What Timeline? Mostly, living in the here and now is a must. But sometimes, the good old times are suddenly prompted in one's mind. The memories of both the good and bad flooding in without filter. Part of PolyBatch series / Echo/Five / CHSOTM Events/ Prompt "Memories"

TBB - Memories of the past (Echo/TBB)

By GunRoswell

Preface

I remember you dear, like it was yesterday

Preface

Set somewhere in the The Bad Batch galaxy of things. Timeline? What Timeline? Mostly, living in the here and now is a must. But sometimes, the good old times are suddenly prompted in one's mind. The memories of both the good and bad flooding in without filter.

Part of PolyBatch series / CHSOTM Events/ Prompt "Memories"

I remember you dear, like it was yesterday

'Loves from the past are as precious as those existing in the here and now now. Always and forever present in one's heart, never neglected even when they are gone from this world.' Echo was lying sated in the middle of the pile of bodies. The very warm bodies of his partners.

It had been a while since they had all been together. Echo to get some of the blame having gone full mission mode with Rex and the other freedom fighter clones. But, having reached a compromise to their predicament, Echo doing fewer missions while the rest of the Batchers were helping out more, they were once again a whole partnership.

They were all very much in love with each other. The team having adopted Mayday to the group easily enough. Not that Crosshair would not have come back if they had not. But it might have put a dampener on the sniper's eagerness to join for sure. Oddly enough, it had never even been an issue for any of them to have Mayday a part of the partnership.

Being part of a team, a tight-knit family unit at that. The love connection among the men was totally natural for them all. Echo having dipped his toes in a few such arrangements in his own past before joining Clone Force 99. As it had been somewhat similar with his former partner, Fives. The first love of Echo's and the one he liked to reminisce fondly of especially when happy.

And Echo certainly was happy now with his new batch. Elated and giddy perhaps once again, having rejoined them on this level after a somewhat of a long break. But Fives would forever remain in Echo's heart, being part of his soul, his very essence. And so, lying in the arms of his new loves, Echo let his mind wander back to the time, a perhaps more simpler time when him and Fives had first decided to add to their then relationship. Those close friends they worked with and basically, shared everything else with. And so guess the romance and sex aspect of it all was easy enough to incorporate? *

"You're sure you want to do this?"

Fives, much to Echo's surprise, was the one backtracking on their most recent plan. The plan pretty much laid out for them by Kix and Jesse, the two best friends of Echo and Fives'. The two also having seen the potential for more and then having come up with the solution. After all, according to Kix it was only, well, logical?

"I am." Echo paused, having gotten Fives' full attention now. "But you don't." Echo wasn't really asking. Seeing the doubt written on his partner's face clear as day. "I... um... now that the date is getting closer, well... guess I am not really as sold about it as you seem to be?" Fives really was confused. His eyes darting every which way. Not really having an explanation either as to why he was suddenly feeling... at odds with the whole thing. The plan as Kix and Jesse so fondly put it. Echo wasn't about to persuade Fives into doing something he wasn't ready to. Even if they had agreed to do this, together. Still, if they weren't both ready, Echo wasn't going to break his oath to Fives either. They were partners in all the meaning of the word through and true. Moving closer to Fives, Echo placed his arm around the other man. Pulling Fives into his arms. His nose nuzzling Fives' chin gently. Keeping Fives comforted and safe in his arms.

"It's fine Fives. We did not make any promises. It's just a plan... an idea thrown out there, when and if we are ready. Kix and Jesse will understand if we won't."

Fives leaned in heavily to Echo. The warmth, the love, all of what Echo was radiating through towards him, Fives, his partner. Fives felt safe, loved. And in the end that was all which mattered. They stayed like that, in each others arms for a long, long while.

Fives thinking of his decision. Or rather, his doubts.

In the end, it all boiled down to not wanting to share. To share Echo. The love the two had for each other was the solace, the home for them both and having been together since birth, there was no other Fives loved and trusted like Echo. Sure, Kix and Jesse were close to him too. But, the nagging feeling of... jealousy perhaps was clearly present there. Having pretty much coloured Fives' doubts of the whole deal. The idea having been put on the table.

But why should Fives be jealous after all?

This, plan, the idea, would take nothing away from him, rather add to it, right?

They had all know each other for the longest time. And they all had each others backs in the battles out there. The life and death situations. And that was the most important part of it all. Trusting someone, or someones. Right?

Fives was deep in thought for the longest while. Rethinking everything he had kind of decided on already for the third time. And so, after a spell in his own mind while literally surrounded by his lover, Fives came to a new decision.

"Let's do it."

"Wot?"

Echo having sort of dozed off, lulled in the warmth radiating from his partner laying in his arms. "The plan. Let's go ahead with it."

Echo glanced at Fives, trying to figure out what was going on. Really going on. And what he saw, was a more calm and determined look on FIves' face. Something of a surprise for Echo.

"You are sure this time?"

"I am, hon."

Echo was still staring at Fives, but the stare back was unwavering. Fives, had made up his mind.

"So, no regrets?"

"No, love, no regrets."

Echo let a soft smile slip on his face then, seeing it mirrored on his partner's face as well.

"Let's tell Kix and Jesse. They will be happy to hear this."

"Yeah, they will."

Echo got up, offering his hand to Fives to haul him up too.

As they walked towards their friends quarters, hand in hand, Echo still probed Fives, just a tad, to be sure. "Still sure?"

"Yeah, I am."

"We can quit any time ya know. It's not chiseled in stone. The deal I mean."

"I know."

"Not like our love for each other."

"Yeah, I know, Echs."

There was a soft chuckle shared between them.

"So, no regrets, sweetie?"

"No, regrets, hon."

Echo and Fives had arrived to Kix and Jesse's quarters. The door pad indicating they were welcomed inside once pushing the chime. "Let the adventure begin then!"

Echo's tone was playful as the two took a step inside. But also, a step into a new chapter of the two of their lives. *

Echo was smiling, the fond memory of their first time with Fives and both Kix and Jesse had been a loving experience. The four of them sharing a partnership amongst them for a long while after that. Without hurt or jealousy, something Echo knew Fives had suffered from in the beginning.

Echo glanced over at the cuddle pile of his current partners. Feeling grateful for the Force of having them all in his life, the lot of them filling a gaping hole deep inside of Echo's heart with the warmest memories of his past.