If You're A Nightmare
Author's Note: I decided to do this in honor of the Bad Batch comic, because I really needed to do SOMETHING with them even if I've basically fallen out of touch with 'em.
ALSO. I know this literally makes NO sense because the Marauder doesn't have beds. Sylvie's voice, don't overthink it. :')
This is technically a sequel to 'If You're a Dream'.
~ Rivana Rita
The bed dips wildly at his side beneath Crosshair's weight is added onto it, and Hunter pries his eyes open like they were welded shut with glue. He's used to this, though – any one of his little brothers curling up into his bed beside him voicing any one of a million complaints, be it "Hunter, I want another cookie," "Hunterrr Crosshair's being mean again!", "Hunter, we are out of sugar, I believe the twins will be very unhappy" (why'd you eat it all?), "sorry to wake you, but I can't get my stuff on with one hand and Tech's busy", "Hunter, I can't sleep again" (guess what, neither can I, Tech), or just a "I want a hug."
But instead, tonight, it's something even stranger than any of those.
"Do you need something?" Hunter asks softly.
His little brother flops face-first onto the bed hard enough the entire mattress bounces. "Yeah. Uh. I – I justagreedtogetmarriednadIdon'tknowwhattodowhatdoesthatevenmean?"
Hunter blinks. "I'm sorry?"
"Anika and I talked," Crosshair repeats slower, "We, uh, we set a date, I guess."
Hunter closes his eyes and slowly exhales. "Guess I did hear right, then," he says with a breathy laugh. He's not surprised, honestly. They all knew it was coming a parsec away. Tech had joked about it, Wrecker'd laughed about it, and Hunter'd been way, way too proud, because his baby brother is growing up.
He's all grown now. Still childish and downright adorable, but for being a kid, too, Hunter would say he raised him right. Tech, he's seen, looks at Crosshair with the same, an overwhelming amount of love and pride. Someday Hunter might ask him about it, and if they survive a few years past the war and get to lead a normal life, he might even tell Crosshair himself someday.
"You knew?" He sounds amused, maybe faintly nervous.
Hunter laughs again. "Yeah, we all did. Actually, Anika talked to us about it first. Asked if we'd be okay if – if you went further."
"You told her yes?"
"You know we did."
Crosshair smiles a little, though it fades fast, and he turns his face back into the pillow and sighs. "Thanks. But – what does it even mean? I've – I've never seen anyone – I don't know what it means. Does she have to move onto the ship? Or do I have to move into the Jedi Temple?"
Ah, yeah, that little problem still exists. Because Anika is still a Jedi padawan, and Jedi are forbidden to have such relationships, or any relationships, and she's still – seventeen?
And Crosshair is nine? Oh, yeah, he's not even a legal person. Can't forget that bit.
"How far off is it?" Hunter asks.
"Uh, six months?"
"Over half a year? That's not so bad."
"It's very bad!" Crosshair wails into their pillow. "I don't even know what it means."
"Did you try talking to Tech about it?" Hunter asks, lips quirking into a slight, evil little smirk. He feels bad for laughing at his brother for this, and he's really not, but it's still a bit amusing. He's being so real. Though if Hunter'd been there that, he'd probably be even more hysterical and screaming, too, but he's never had such feelings in his life, and probably never will. Got more important things to do, anyway. Like his brothers.
He groans. "Y'know how he is."
Whether affirmative or negative, Hunter can sympathize, 'cuz all Tech would do is start launching on about horrifying, graphic details about whatever occurred to him today to spew out. Mostly things that don't need to be said. Hunter loves him dearly, but sometimes, Tech is just insane.
But on the note of Crosshair, on the note of his little brother who's coming to him for help, Hunter has no idea what to do. This isn't something he knows about, either – he probably knows even less than Crosshair, and definitely cares for it far less. It's not something he wants, or ever has, or ever could – his life is his brothers, is keeping them safe in whatever manner they need, but this, he doesn't know. But he can't tell Crosshair that, because he has to know, is supposed to know, and it's just what's expected of him.
"He tell you to call it off?"
"Basically, yeah. Which I – I'm not – I just agreed. I can't change that now. What if she doesn't want to be friends anymore? I wanna be with her, but I don't want things to change."
It slaps him in the face with abrupt realization, because of Crosshair growing up, Hunter never thought about how things could change, about how Crosshair could be forced to grow away from them if he follows through, about how it will mean a nat-born is a part of their squad, their family, forever, because Anika will outlive them by decades alone.
And it will mean Crosshair will have to spend time with her, and by default, less with them, even if Anika's light and fire will fade into them, too, will become a piece of them and has already become a piece of him Hunter never wants to let go. Because he loves her already as though she were. She doesn't fit in with the Jedi any more than they ever fit in with the regs. They're really the same.
But as for Crosshair, as for his fears, they're so, so hard to reassure when they're legitimacy is arguable. Because how does he tell someone who has always been afraid of being without his brothers that he'll be fine if he spends a few days without them every once in a while, because Hunter doesn't know how any of them could breathe without each other. Sure, they split in missions, but that's different.
He's also not gonna think about how Crosshair is a soldier fighting in a galactic war. It's ridiculous, because they're fighting in a war, and they have no way of knowing if they're even going to be alive in six months, let alone together, or in the shape for it. Chances are, date or no, they're never gonna be able to make it. Chances are, he'll be off, unreachable, on a mission. Anika, too, even moreso – she's a Jedi padawan, and she has duties to the galaxy. Not just them. But if they want to throw at it, sure, why not? If that's what they want, Hunter's not gonna tell them no. He's not gonna be the voice of reason in the face of reasonableness.
"Crosshair," Hunter tells him firmly, "Whatever happens, Anika is our friend. And not just yours. She's all of ours. She's already a part of our family, and she's not the regs."
"I'm just –" Crosshair lets out a laugh that sounds straight up terrified. "I'm so scared."
"We're gonna be okay," Hunter promises, managing a small smile despite his own fears, Because in reality, Crosshair's not going anywhere. They're still going to be together, and he'll still be living with them on this tiny little ship.
"I'll still be able to sleep by you if I want, right?"
Hunter laughs. "Yeah. Always. Wrecker and Tech, too. Our lives might change, but we won't change. Okay? There's nothing to worry about."
Crosshair exhales, a little calmer, but still obviously twitchy. Hunter smiles at him, part amused and part attempted reassuring, an' even if he could just as well tell Crosshair that it's really not his problem, he won't. It's late though, and he's really tired. They've got a mission tomorrow already. "Get some sleep, cyar'ika."
Crosshair scowls though it quickly lifts into a smirk. "I know what that means. You don't get to call me darling in Mando'a just to make me fall asleep."
"You're welcome," Hunter says instead, throwing the blanket edge over his brother's shoulder and lifting an arm out to him. Crosshair rolls over, curling up against his chest like an oversized tooka, Hunter's arm draping around his middle and gently rubbing his back.
If Crosshair being an adorable oversized kitten means he'll lose a bit of sleep every now and then, he has no complaints. It's definitely worth it.
Hunter smothers a smile by pressing a kiss to the top of his little brother's head. "We're gonna be fine," he promises softly to the dark, otherwise empty room. Knowing them, it'll be a whole lot messier than fine, but they've never failed a mission yet. Not about to start now, and they have to do this. For Anika. For Crosshair. They'll find a way to make it.
Everything's gonna be fine.
Final Notes: Reviews are always appreciated! ^-^
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