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Prologue….
Crosshair stood at the counter of their little home. There was Tech in the corner, fiddling with the device before narrowing his eyes at him. While it wasn’t unusual that they lingered in the same room as the other but this was different.
“You’re up to something,” He scanned the room with the unease that came from having many brothers.
“Waiting.” He answered with a smirk.
“No. Just because Omega had a terrible date with that…boy, doesn’t mean that you can go kill him.” Tech fumbled over insulting the young man who tried to have multiple girlfriends at once. Crosshairs wasn’t waiting for anything like that.
“I will not be found out if I so choose to act on that. However, I’m here for a different reason.” He put on his most pleasant smile before cocking his head to the side. Hunter was jogging down the stairs, turning the corner so fast that he didn’t see him waiting. Crosshairs stuck out his foot, only catching the tip of his leg. It was still enough to send him crashing down to the floor.
“Crosshair, you bastard!” Hunter went to stand but he stood over him, pinning him to the ground in a mock hold. Just enough to make him listen.
“You surely heard Tech when he said that we’re not interfering. Omega has to deal with this in her own way.” He added a bit of weight when Hunter tried to test the hold. His eyes were blazing with rage, but it was slowly waning to a burning hatred.
“She doesn’t have to know that I talked with him.” He tried again but the two just glared at him.
“No.” Tech shut it down just as easily.
“Anyway, we have a job off world.” Crosshair already had the ship packed and ready. All he needed was to drag Hunter abord and set off. Wrecker was ready in case they had to take a more physical route.
“Why?” Hunter fell limp, staring at him incredulously. Crosshair knew that if he had a chance he would make the boy’s life a living hell. However, the boy was currently already with the healers, and he had to think about his brothers.
“Echo needs bail money.” Tech held up the pad that currently had a high amount of credits and their brothers unapologetic face.
“He may have punched the boy before you could.” He filled in, finally backing up so Hunter could get to his feet. The Sargent was slower than he was in the past, grumbling as he stretched the knots from his back. A second later he sagged.
“Tech, you stay here and make sure…”
“Nothing else happens. I’m in charge of Omega when she gets done with the officers taking her statement. I’m heading over right now. Wrecker is waiting for you.” The pointed look shot at the both of them had two meanings. For Hunter, it was a warning that he had to go and there was no arguing as they needed the credits to get Echo out. For Crosshair, it was to not let on that Omega was also in jail and also in need of bail money. They would never get Hunter off planet if he knew the whole thing. Crosshair just gave a stiff nod, knowing the thin line they were currently toeing.
“Everything is already on the ship.” Crosshair clapped his hand on his brothers shoulder, leading him out the door. Hunter had just enough time to grab his knife before they were gone.
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Echo didn’t quite know if he wanted to laugh or start yelling. His back hurt, as did his cheek and his knuckles were still bloody from the punches. The fight was still clear in his head and he had made sure that he didn’t seriously hurt anyone. But that mainly meant not using his right hand, only his left when he was punching. He was in a jail cell on one of the cold benches, his back pressed against the wall in attempt to cool the burn in his muscles. He had threaded his left arm through the bars, taking time to glare at the boys who were in the cell opposite them. Even with the officers taking all his prosthetics so he wouldn’t break out again, they had fear in their eyes. Apparently getting out of his cell to have a nice chat with them was not what the officers wanted. So there he sat, glaring at them with his legs and missing an arm.
His eyes drifted from the boys second. He had been easy to put in a head lock the moment he tried to step in. His sandy red hair was buzzed and while he had a mean look in his eye when he tried to raise a hand to Omega, now he was just frightened. The dark haired boy was holding his arm to his chest, refusing to make eye contact with him while slightly rocking himself. The last noticed him looking and promptly burst into another round of tears while he smiled.
“You don’t have to scare them more.” Omega was standing by the little window they had. She was quiet now that they were in the cell but he knew why. The same reason Crosshair refused to go on cold planets. Trauma. He had seen it well.
“I have to entertain myself somehow. And they deserve it. They couldn’t beat my old ass in a fight.” Echo tried to get her to laugh but there was no response.
“You’re a soldier.” She shot back a little too curtly. He mulled over his options, tapping his ring on the bars as he thought. It was an old one, from back on Rishi when he had his first family.
“And what does that make you?” He asked softer but the way her head whipped around to glare at him told him he was pressing boundaries.
“I… am in so much trouble.” She admitted after a few minutes of silence. He mulled it over, giving up his goal of making all three boys start crying at once and turned to the girl. She was a teenager. But at the moment he could still see the scared little girl on Kamona trying to eat with them, trying to gain that interaction. Now she was afraid of loosing it.
“Ah, not as much as me. Hunters going to be far more pissed that I let it happened. And…” Echo waited for her to glance at him again as he tilted his head to the side. “It’s not like this is the first time that I’ve been in jail.”
“What?” This time he had her full attention. If that was what it took to get her out of her head than he would do it.
“Back when I was an Arc Trooper under Rex, I had a… friend.” He still didn’t know how to tell them about his past. There seemed so much of it at times. Omega knew a rather lot, as did the others, yet he still couldn’t bring himself to tell them. As odd as it was, the more time went on, the harder it had become. Almost as if he had purposely kept it a secret.
“What happened?” Omega pulled him from his thoughts as she landed on the bench next to him. He lifted his stub up, letting her tuck herself against him before he sighed.
“What didn’t happen?” He resumed his tapping of his ring. It was a habit he had picked up the few times that they did get caught. A small smile danced across his face as he fought back the pain. Fives was long dead.
“There was a time that my brother decided that he was going to get banned from all transport systems of…” He stopped, no longer able to remember which planet that was on. “Somewhere. But he managed it and I was right there along with him. Rex bailed us out that time” Not the threat of death would have him tell her of all the times that they had to call on him to fetch them. He wasn’t sure he fully paid him back yet. He was better now.
“Why would he want to be banned?” Omega was beaming. He could feel her cheek against his neck where she was cuddled in.
“Someone made a bet. I was just there for the fun of making Rex’s eye twitch.” Echo didn’t need to lie about that. But a large part was that there was no where else that he wanted to be but with Fives. For the next two hours he talked about the antics that he and Fives got into. Sometimes Cody would be the one to bail him out and sometimes Rex. Anikin did a few times when he had picked up the call. It was pay back from the times that Echo bailed him out. They really kept the system paid with their group.
“One more question.” Omega was still tucked safely against him and he yawned. It was nearly morning.
“Huh?” He padded her side with his arm, trying to adjust to the fact that he didn’t have his prosthetic on. He wanted to move a while back but he couldn’t find it in him to disturb Omega.
“What did you do to pass the time?” She sounded like she could fall asleep at any time. It reminded him of when Fives would start to conk out the moment the adrenaline wore off. He was certain she didn’t have a concussion.
“Like this,” He started tapping the ring again. This time it was to keep a bit of a beat before singing softly. It was an older song from his youth, not one he had heard in a while. He knew the lyrics like the back of his hand, abet the one that he still had. His voice was a little shaky when it came to the mention of loved ones, but then Omega was bouncing to her feet. Fives usually sang with him while they cuddled so he wasn’t expecting it. Echo got to the part of the song where Fives would take over, but the words died in his throat. A voice filled the cells that wasn’t his own and he was taken back. It was as if no time had passed at all.
Omega started to dance, joining him as they filled the cell with their voices when it came to his part of the chorus. Laughter rolled out as it finished and she chose another one. It wasn’t long until the others outside picked up on their moment, shouting out song requests or simply joining in. A few others told them to shut it but they were rightfully ignored. It was enough to see Omega laughing again, her face bruised from the fight. Echo had to drop his head at one point, trying not to tear up. It was like the spirit of Fives was with them, giving the middle finger to authority that they should be down and out.
“Hey, you two.” One of the officers was back. Echo was fully ready for the man to tell him be quiet, and he was ready with every insecurity he could see written clearly on his face, ready to throw it back at him and shut him down.
“Yeah?” Omega was friendly as ever, her smile putting the man off guard as he mimicked her friendliness.
“The video of the incident has proven self-defense. You may leave if you, ahem, don’t disturb the peace again.” He fiddled a bit where he stood, the guilt evident on his face that they had spent the night there. Echo narrowed his eyes at him, waiting.
“How about you get me my limbs back and we’ll leave.” He registered the busted look across his face but all he wanted to do was get out of there.
“Of course, your brothers are here to pick you up.” The man moved off with a bit of a rush.
“Hey, what’s your name?” A voice of a clone reached his ears and he twisted, unable to really see where it was coming from. Without his limbs, he was feeling more than a little useless.
“Omega”
“Who’s asking?” Echo and Omega spoke at the same time. He gave her a warning look but she just grinned knowingly.
“Uh, Two?” The voice was obviously lying. Echo rolled his eyes at the fact that no clone seemed good at it.
“Is that how old you are or how many braincells you have?” The words slipped from his lips before he remembered he had to mind himself. At least there were no curse words this time.
“Hey, that’s not fair. You can’t even see me.” The indignation in his tone was not enough to cover the laughter. He was a jokester. Something about it made him relax just a little more.
“Why would I need to see you? I can just look in a mirror and get a better view,” Omega started cackling next to him. He winked at her before the officer was back. His limbs were a little worse for wear but he took them back. It took Omega helping him to get put back together again before they could leave.
“You didn’t think to look before you locked us up?” Echo hobbled a bit as he walked. While everything attached the right way again, it was still stiff and a little painful to move. He wasn’t going to let that stop him if it meant getting out of there and into the warmth of the beach. He was going to spend the day in the sand until all his aches were burned away.
“Echo!” Omega chided softly but there was a curiosity in her eyes as she waited for the officer to answer. His stuttering words were lost when the clone started to shout again.
“Wait, Echo!” There was a hand sticking out of the bars on the far cell. It was waving frantically around and he just arched his eyebrow at it. “Did she just call you Echo?”
“Who is that?” He cocked his head to the side but the two were still busy. From the looks of it, Omega was giving the now group of officers a piece of her mind. Her finger was out and everything. Echo took the distraction as it was and wondered over to the cell.
The clone pulled his hand back. He was swaying, very obviously drunk. Shaggy hair fell around his ears stopping just before his eyes that were glazed with confusion and sadness. It was the grief that took him off guard. He was wearing civies and had a tilt to the left as if he was favoring that side of himself. They just stared at each other. Echo tried to think of something to say, mainly at a loss as to why this clone was so set on his name. He seemed to be in shock, staring at him. Mainly his limbs. Echo was unfortunately used to it.
“What? Not going to call me a clanker? Droid trash? Half a soldier?” He snapped, hating that he was still staring. His arms crossed instinctively over his chest, tucking the prosthetic under his real hand subconsciously. The clone leaned against the cell door, looping his hands out only to pause. There was hesitation as if he wasn’t sure that he was able to touch him.
“I would never call you that. Echo? You… you died on the mission. You’re not really here.” The clone moved back to all but collapse on the bench. Echo stared at him for a minute longer, mulling over who it was that he was seeing when a voice called out to him. Omega was done with her lecture and started to wave him over. He took one last glance at the clone. The air of despair and lack of bathing came from the cell, the clone curled on the bench with his back to the hall. Echo shrugged, moving off. He would have to look into it and see what was going on with the clone and then maybe, if Hunter wasn’t too angry at him, do something.
“What was over there?” Omega nodded to the cell but he shrugged.
“Don’t worry about it.” He couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. He couldn’t just leave a clone like that. There had to be something that he could do to get him back on his feet. The end of the war was hard on everyone.
“I can’t believe those… officers.” Omega spat out the word as they walked through some doors.
“Oh, I don’t think it’s so bad. It’s not like the Empire would take the likes of them so they had to make do with the next worst thing.” He hissed low with a smile on his face, nodding to the younger one at the front station. They shared a chuckle yet it stopped when they saw the three clones waiting for them.
“Think we can still leg it out the window?” Omega hissed and he huffed a few times, staring at the floor. Once again he was reminded of his younger days.
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“What do you mean he punched a child?” Hunter pressed a hand against his face while staring at the officer at the front desk of the station. He was young, probably the newest hire so he pulled the short straw of manning the station. Hunter couldn’t care less.
“It was all caught on video, Sir, but we are no longer holding them.” The man managed to look busted but there was a way in which he was fighting a smile that was telling.
“What happened?” Tech cocked his head slightly, no doubt mulling over hacking the department’s systems to get the video for himself. Hunter wasn’t going to stop him. He was busy giving the young man the glare that made people think that he was insane.
“I believe that it’s best if we let them explain that.” The officer nodded to one of the doors. Hunter narrowed his eyes as he picked up on the stress sweat that the man broke out in. In less than two seconds Echo and Omega marched out of the doors, sparing the man. They were laughing at something and didn’t seem at all bothered about spending time in jail together. Their smiles fell to busted looks when they noticed the three waiting for them. Footsteps slowed as heads dropped, yet they still shared a secret sort of smile. Hunter could’ve sworn Omega was eyeing the window near them.
“We should take this outside,” Tech stopped everyone before it went any further. With some grumbles about private conversations and the simple fact that the officer was watching them so intently, they shuffled outside. It was only when they were several buildings down did Hunter stop, turning to the two. Mainly, the adult.
“Echo, why were there charges against you punching a child in the face?” He asked clearly and with a no-nonsense tone. Echo was fidgeting just so yet there was no shame on his face as he tried to appear innocent.
“It wasn’t his fault. It was mine.” Omega started but the truly disturbed sounding chuckle that Echo let slip took from her words.
“First, you explain,” Hunter pointed at Echo who nodded, “And then you.” His finger moved to Omega who put her hands up with a huff, brushing him off to go sit on the nearby bench. She was far enough out of earshot that they relaxed slightly. Waves of teenage angst rolled off her as she glared at the people in the street. To no one’s surprise, Crosshair wondered over to sit with her. Soon they were both making quiet comments and laughing at what they were seeing.
“So, as you know, the boy who asked her to that… dance also had three other dates?” Echo leaned away when Hunters eye started to twitch.
“Was that the boy you punched? Maybe three times instead of three boys?” Tech tried to fill in the story but they both ignored him. Instead, Echo was shaking his head.
“No, but that is who Omega punched.” He put his hands up when they both let out amazed noises, one of shock and one of barely contained laughter. Hunter was staring at him with dread growing on his face.
“I caught up with her and managed to calm her down. Walking does that. But we ran into him and his friends down by the pier,” Now that it was more of a report, his tone took a professional soldier and less of a laughing hooligan.
“The three that you punched?” Hunter groaned out.
“Less of a punch and more of... forceful retention.” Echo cocked his head to the side while Hunter went back to rubbing the bridge of his nose.
“Just tell me what happened?” Hunter breathed out heavily.
“The boy started to ridicule her, and she was handling it well. To start. Then he touched her while mentioning making another girl cry and she may have dropped him.” There was no mistaking the pride in his voice as he spoke. Both the fact that she was able to hold her own in the conversation before absolutely choosing a time to put an end to it in a manner that taught him not to mess with teenage girls.
“Proper reaction.” Tech hummed low. Hunter seemed more focused on breathing than the explanation at that point.
“Anyway, the other boys didn’t do anything at first, but when it proved that he was going to lose to Omega. They tried to gang up on her.” Once again there was the tone as if it was obvious that Omega would win the fight. There wasn’t a doubt in any of their minds that she could. “I merely stepped in to keep things fair. To a point.”
“What do you mean by that?” The low rumble was more than enough warning, but Echo just smiled.
“She may not have liked the ratio of three against me, so she started in on the ones attacking me even though I was just…” Echo put his hands up again.
“You were holding them back.” Tech filled in once again.
“His parents showed up at the same times as the officers. The boys spouted some story about her starting it but the men on the pier said otherwise.” He leaned against the building as he spoke, more nonchalant now that Hunter wasn’t fully seething. “They almost believed it until they saw my legs and arm, thought that I was a droid.”
“On the contrary. The Sargent there is a part of some… unground work. Even now I had to stall so he would not be able to sell those.” Tech gestured to said prosthetics, seemingly proud of keeping Echo in one piece.
“Speaking of some underground work, I have a favor to ask.” Echo was once again put on his most innocent face but Hunter ripped his hands off his face, nearly taking his bandanna with it.
“NO” Even with the conviction in his tone, it was no louder than their little group could hear. His eye was still twitching painfully.
“I promise it’s for a good cause. I think I know what I want to do with the bail money.” They hadn’t told him about it but there was an annoyingly knowing smirk.
“Send you back to Rex?” Tech offered with the strange, near feral light in his eyes. Echo smacked him.
“No, but I do only need a part of it.” He held out his hand. No more explanation came but Hunter just frowned. “It’s for a fellow clone.”
“Ugh.” A few more heartbeats passed before the credits were handed over.
“Thanks” Echo was nearly running as he made his way right back to the station. Neither of them moved for a few moments, Hunter with an aged look of regret while Tech seemed to be thinking over every outcome that was about to surpass. When they joined Crosshairs and Omega on the bench they were busy discussing the way people walked. Some were hunched. Some were tall and confident. Even more stumbling wasted and trying to look sober.
“Now me?” Omega broke off the conversation. There was a bruise around her left eye and a fresh cut on her cheek. It appeared that a patch had been placed over it at some point so she was cared for.
“Just one thing?” Crosshair lifted a finger without taking his eyes off the road. There was the steady rumble of traffic and people milling about. “Do we have the video?”
“I already…’Ahem’… procured it” Tech pulled out his pad, holding it up to them.
“Wait, am I not in trouble?” Omega asked but Hunter just leaned back, tossing his arm around her shoulders where they rested on the bench.
“What do you think?”
“No?” She looked a little hopeful.
“Lets see.” His face was perfectly schooled while they turned to the pad.
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Echo made it back to the station. He had no idea what he was going to say to the officers or even the clone but leaving was wrong. Deep in his gut he knew. He had to go back to him. Except when he got to the front desk, the clone was already there. Echo slowed his walk, putting his hands up when the young officer manning the desk eyed him with a bit of fear.
“Hey, vod” He spoke carefully, wanting him to know that Echo was there before walking up behind him. Back muscles tensed yet the faint shake of his head told him enough. He was still believed to be dead. He reached forward, running his left hand over his back and up to his shoulder.
“It’s not happening. You’re dead. I’m still drunk.” The clone turned his face away from him but Echo just glanced at the officer.
“Sir, you’re hungover. You just spent the night in the drunk tank.” The officer was gentle this time. There was a general understanding that they were both soldiers, old and broken now. Echo nodded to him.
“Are you done with him? Can I take him home?” Echo gently asked, moving his hand down to hold onto the arm. In seconds he was taking some of his weight, holding him up as the clone swayed. His head landed on Echo’s shoulder before he let out a grunt.
“You’re an inch to tall.” He started to complain. Echo stiffened, knowing that his prosthetics gave him a little more height than he used to have. He found out mainly by running into a cabinet that he never had an issue with before. It happened so often that Rex put a red label on it.
“You can take him. He’s fully discharged. No one really knows where he lives…” The officer grimaced at the fact but Echo just turned them.
“I can handle it.” He had no doubt that he could ask Hunter to find the house if he wanted but at the moment he cared more about taking the clone somewhere else. There was no good to come from a place like this.
“Echo, my head hurts.” The clone walked easily with him. Matching him step by step in a familiar way that was almost painful. He shoved his own feelings down and pulled his arm over his shoulders.
“Come on vod. Let’s go.” Echo knew better than to ask Hunter before bringing him home. Some people stared as they walked but he was an expert at ignoring their stares. Other turned away from them as if they were worthless. Part of him was ready to fight at that but he shoved that down as well. The way he wanted to care for the clone was enough that he kept his eyes forward, body relaxed and calm.
“No one’s spoken Mando to me in… a while.” The clone was smiling, his head still hung low but it was there. There was an attempt to look at him but then he cringed away as the sun shone down on him. Echo could still smell the ale on him, making him cringe in sympathy.
“What happened to you, huh?” Echo didn’t know what made him ask. It was insensitive. But the clone just leaned to one side, nearly dragging them off course.
“Anniversary” He didn’t speak more of it. Echo understood. There was a certain pain, an ache that would never go away. Knowing that you were alone among all those like you. It was too much for most to bear. He had his own ring on a cord around his neck, tucked far away from being lost just in case.
When they reached the house no one was home yet. Echo thanked whatever it was that made them linger in the little town and started toward the refresher. While it was small for everyone living there it was still nicer than the one that they had when they were soldiers. This one had a bath. Echo groaned when he saw it, nearly tearing up over the fact that he wouldn’t be the one taking the bath. His back popped multiple times as he leaned over to set the man on the edge of the tub.
“That sounded painful.” The clone wobbled until he grabbed the edge of it, watching dully as Echo started the water. They both groaned when Echo kneeled down to put the stopper in. Neither spoke as he made sure it wasn’t too hot before shaking the droplets from his hand.
“Can you get undressed by yourself?” He didn’t think he fully knew what was happening to him. The clone was back to swaying, slowly turning to look at him. Echo ducked his head slightly as his gaze turned back down to himself. After a few seconds of pawing uselessly at his civies, he pitched backward. Echo barely managed to wrap his arms around him to stop him from landing in the tub. He did end up with his face pressed against the wall and arms around the clones middle.
“You still smell nice” The clone had his face buried in his chest and he sighed, pulling back enough that he could plant a hand on the wall and push them off. He was lucky enough to use his new hand yet it still took a good deal of his strength to get them both upright again.
“You smell like ass.” Echo was huffing. His hands shook from a mix of exhaustion and the strangeness of the situation, but he steeled himself. He started to peel away the clothes. The first thing he noticed was a large blast scar over the heart. It looked as if it should be a killing blow. It was an angry knot of tissue, raised and pink. He made sure not to touch it too much. Instead, he tossed the rather filthy clothes into one pile and hooked his arms under his pits.
“If I stand you up, can you get your pants down?” He tried not to be embarrassed. They used to care for each other like this when they were wounded and they rarely had support. Echo pulled on those times and tried not to act like he hadn’t seen a naked body in a few cycles. He admittedly avoided such things after he woke to find his own body mutilated.
When the clone was fully undressed, he eased him into the tub without looking down. There were a few hissed curses before a deep sigh that soothed his soul. Echo turned the water off before it could overflow and sat down on the chair they had put in there for him. He had been embarrassed at first but not he was just grateful for a place to rest. He still made sure to keep his left hand on the clones arm in case he started to sink underwater.
“You didn’t have to do this but thank you.” The man was practically melting in the water. The horrid smell seemed to intensify, and he shuddered in disgust. It wasn’t the worst thing that he smelled being that he spent a large portion of his life on the battlefield. It was enough that he forced himself back up, walking to get a rag for scrubbing and a towel to dry him when he was done. He grabbed some fresh clothes as well, just some common things that he had but didn’t fit his slim frame.
“Clean yourself.” Echo dropped the rag into the water as well as handing him a bottle of soap. It would work for everything. He waited for him to start moving before turning to pick up the clothes.
“Wait” The man started to sit up but slipped back into the tub so his head shot under. Echo paused, making sure he pulled himself up while sputtering out, but then he straightened with the clones clothes in his hands. There was a clink of something falling out but he set the clothes to the side. The metal was still rolling around and he reached down to grab it. For a moment he held it in his hand, running his finger over the small groove. With his other hand he pulled the cord from around his neck.
Echo felt the room fall away from him. Suddenly he was back at the Rishi base with Fives loving smile in the light of the moon. Every extra credit he had saved until he bought the rings, and they promised to be together. Heavy had made them. They were one of a kind with a blue pigment looped in. There were only two in existence, yet they were here in his hand. Fives died with his on.
“That’s mine” The clone had successfully righted himself. He was pointing at the ring. Echo felt his body go cold. How did this clone know his name? Did Fives get another after his disappearance. A lump formed in his throat as the clone started to brace himself on the edge of the tub. He didn’t think Fives would give the ring to another.
“Where did you get this?” Echo didn’t recognize his own voice. It was the words that he wanted to ask. Yet he didn’t scream. He didn’t throw them at his face and let his anger and grief lead him on. He had never been so calm in his fury before.
“It’s mine. My last… Riduur” The clone was halfway out of the tub when Echo moved. He didn’t know why it didn’t click before. There was only one explanation and he hoped that he was right. Echo wasn’t gentle. With everything happening, he couldn’t form the control to be.
“You called me Echo.” He grabbed the clone by his hair. It was not gentle or even caring as he used it to jerk his head back. The hiss of pain was not loss on him, nor the way his arm was gripped, ready to flip him but he used his other hand to push what he could back.
“You’re name is Fives. CT-5555 and you went out and…” Echo ran his thumb over the faded tattoo that painted the skin of his temple. “You complained for three days that it gave you a headache.”
“How?” Fives was staring at him in shock. His eyes were finally clear.
“Because I was there. Fives, I’m alive.” He held up the cord that had his own ring on it. “I didn’t die in that explosion” He loosened his grip some yet he couldn’t take his hands fully away.
“No. It can’t be. Rex said… and I saw… I got in some much trouble without you and then I got shot. I was hidden away, told to hide before they found me. The chips.” Fives didn’t make sense. He was rambling and he could see that he was stressing him out more than it was worth. Instead, Echo kneeled down, no longer feeling his pain. He slid the ring onto his finger before taking the rag from the water.
“Just relax, Fives. You’re safe here. You know I wouldn’t lie to you.” He changed tactics. There was no way that he was thinking clearly in the state he was in if Echo was struggling while still fully sober. Fives was tense, his eyes flickering around as if they were to be attacked at any moment. He started to relax when Echo lifted his arm, running the cloth over it with the soap. It wasn’t the scrub that he wanted to do to release all the grim and maybe a few layers of skin just to make sure he was completely clean. Right now, called for gentle actions.
“You don’t lie.” Fives sunk into the water, watching in a daze. Echo moved to his other arm, being careful around the chest. Fives became a trembling mess while tears rolled off his cheeks. Echo merely washed them away before making his way down to his legs. There was no denying that he was mapping every new scar, every injury that he could find. Fives made it easy, taking sharp breaths or letting out small whines when Echo reached somewhere sensitive. He knew the right knee was tender and painful from the jerk but then he rubbed some of the swelling away.
By the time he was close to being done the water was starting to turn cold but he still had one more part to clean. Fives had leaned his head back against the tub but he nudged him until he sat back up. Somehow having him there made him look more like a child who was sick, his head hanging down in defeat. Echo didn’t bother to stop his own tears as he used a cup to wet his hair, tilting his head up and back to not get it in his eyes. Fives let him move his body as he needed.
“I must have died.” Fives turned into his hand just slightly. Echo took the opportunity to press his palm against his cheeks, hating the ragged beard on his face. If he had time he would’ve trimmed it right then and there. Maybe in a few days when he settled.
“Oh Fives, you’re not dead.” Echo’s hand slid up to run it through his hair in a secret apology for the previous rough treatment. He ignored the disbelief on his face as he grabbed the soap. All the time in the world wasn’t enough to put his feelings into action. In the back of his mind he knew the water was cooling and he should pull him out before he lost the relaxed state he managed to gain. Echo still lathered up his hair, running his fingers through it until they no longer got tangled. Instead of using the cup again, he leaned over, pressing a kiss against his forehead before tilting him back. Fives went willingly, slipping down with one hand on Echo’s shoulder. Echo mimicked it to hold him up while using his other to guide his head back into the water. Eyes studied his face as he rinsed the soap from his hair and lifted him back up.
“Alright, can you get out by yourself, or do you need help?” Echo knew it was a stupid question. But he wanted to give him the option if he was overwhelmed. Echo was a little emotional and shaky as it was but Fives just held tight. It made it a little awkward to get him standing and out of the tub. Echo blushed at the way they were standing close. With regret he had to let go to grab the towel. Turning back, he started with his hair while minding not to cover his face. Fives never liked being naked and unable to see.
“Are you sure I’m not dead? It kinda seems like it.” Fives asked when Echo moved onto his shoulders. He just snorted while rubbing the towel down his back and using it to pull him closer. A soft kiss pressed on his cheek before moving on. The morning was stretching on, and he knew he would start to fade.
“You and I are alive and safe.” Echo repeated himself. He hardly believed it. They were silent as he finished the drying process and moved on to getting him dressed. Echo pretended not to notice the panic when the shirt was pulled over his head and made a note to grab one that could be buttoned next time. He was thinking of comfort and softness, not traumas. When he was done, he took Five’s hand to lead him out the door.
“Where are we?” Fives hesitated at the threshold. Echo paused, looking out at the common room and tried to see it with new eyes. It was home. His home with his family. Omega’s jacket was still hung over the back of the couch while all of Tech’s mechanics were scattered across the table. The window had a taller chair next to it that Hunter had put there just for Crosshair to watch people. He usually knew who was at the door before anyone else knew they had visitors. But to Fives it meant something else.
“I live here with the Bad Batch. You remember them?” He turned back to the clone. He wanted to drag him around and show him the life he had made for himself, abet when he wasn’t off with Rex fighting but he didn’t need to know that.
“I remember.” The stark worry on his face was enough to bring a chuckle from his chest.
“Don’t look like that. It’s safe. Who would go against them?” He gave an experimental tug of the hand and then Fives was stepping out of the refresher. It was progress. His mind flashed back to when they were cadets and everyone believed Fives was reckless and Echo was the safe one. They still never really figured out that Echo was the mind behind most of their bad ideas and Fives just went with it. When Fives finally became parallel to him, he leaned against him as a reward. With a gentle squeeze of his hand, he stepped away. Just one. Fives was scanning the room with the face of a soldier and he bit his tongue.
Then he followed. Once again they were side by side he waited a moment before backing away. Fives hand clinched against his but this time he was a little quicker to follow. All the more he wanted to get him tucked away into his bed, which turned out to be different from a cot. As soon as he was resting he could make some food and maybe he would believe that they weren’t both dead.
Echo’s room was admittedly the smallest. He had argued with Hunter that he didn’t need it at first but the Sargent hadn’t budged, telling him that this was his home and he would always have a room there. The compromise was that he had the tiny one. It still fit a bed that was large enough for both him and Batcher as the beast would sneak in and sleep with him. It was still the cleanest room and he knew Omega had put up some posters she thought he would like. Crosshair had snuck him extra blankets, Wrecker several pillows and even Tech had made a place for him to put his legs and arm when he wasn’t using them. Hunter had installed a light that was able to give off a low light for when he had a migraine. It wasn’t lost on him the soft sigh Fives did as he stepped into the room.
“It smells like you.” He muttered low. They were standing so close that he could feel the warmth rolling off him. Echo had left the shutters over the window and he wasn’t about to open them. He wanted it dark right now, to hide away with just the two of them. When he was sure that Fives was ready, he stepped into the room. This time there was no hesitation as he was followed.
Echo tossed the covers back and shoved him into the bed. Fives didn’t seem to know what to do with himself but a second later he was backed into the corner. Abet a few pillows got in his way. Echo dug some of the snacks he had stashed under his bed out and sat next to him. Now he could see that he was ready for an attack more than a nap and he hummed, mulling over what to do. Five started to eat, though he didn’t take his eyes off the door.
“We’re safe here.” Echo tried to start simple. Fives was simple at times. He would just have to listen.
“Say’s the dead guy.” Fives glanced at the closed window before returning his attention to the door. Echo sighed, scooting back just a little so he could lean against his legs.
“Still not dead.” He tried again but he was met with a huff. Echo took one of the bars, chewing on it as he looked around his room.
“Say you’re not dead. What makes you think that this place is safe?” He was still skeptical, but Echo had enough. The raging emotions that he had to deal with rose up, unable to stop them even after all the cycles of trying. He curled his hand into a fist, grumbling low before staring down at his legs.
“You want to know how safe it is?” He sounded feral again. Wild and crazy and broken. Echo reached down, pulling one leg off. It landed across the room. The second leg followed with a loud thunk.
“What are you doing?” Fives was pawing at him but he shrugged him off. “Echo?”
“No, you need to know you’re safe here.” His fingers worked the attachments of his arm and a second later it went flying. He would regret it later but now he was just mad.
“I get that you’re you.” Fives tried but he wasn’t having it. He had to know.
“I am me and I know you. You’re Fives and…” Echo grunted low as he tried to turn himself. His thighs were stuck in his blankets but he managed to face him reaching out to shake his shoulder. “You need to know that you’re safe here. I’m safe here. I would never take those off if I didn’t know that we were completely safe. Believe me.”
“I believe you” Fives whispered. He reached out, running his fingers over his face. Echo was crying again. He didn’t realize.
“I can’t lose you again.” He almost couldn’t bare to gaze at his riduur. That he was there. That he was alive. Found in a jail cell. He wasn’t dead. It became too much when he was all but dragged onto his lap and he sank into his arms. Echo buried his face in his neck, sobbing uncontrollably. Shame washed over him that he was trying to care for Fives and now it was the other way around. Hands ran up and down his back, working at the knots between his shoulders from sitting in the cell.
“Oh maker, what do I do?” Fives muttered low before pressing a few kisses against his ear. “I’m here. You’re not going to lose me.”
“But you were dead. I got myself blown up and then they used me as a processor. These clones found me with Rex and so I stayed with them. I made a life without you, but you were out there.” Echo struggled to breathe. He wasn’t normally a crier. It wasn’t in him when nothing would change. But Fives was alive. He was under him.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m here. I didn’t know you were alive too.” Fives shifted them down so they were laying out with Echo buried in his arms. Blankets were wrapped around what Fives couldn’t reach. Another wave of unease and a little shame at the way his bed was so soft. Yet Fives just took it in stride. It took him several minutes to get control of himself once again.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to… act this way.” He fumbled with his hand to clear his face but Fives just held him close.
“I’m sorry I made it difficult for you. Please, don’t cry anymore. We’re together again and it’s a good thing.” Fives was tired, slurring a bit as he spoke.
“I heard you sing. And I… It was like old times. I’m so happy I went back for you.” Echo felt a chill at the thought. If he walked away. If Hunter had actually done something about his night in jail with Omega. If he didn’t go to the clone. It was in his blood to do so but if he never found out that Fives was there and alive.
“I heard you. I heard the ones we used to sing and I was ready to go find Rex and see what I could do for the people again. But then you just… arrived and brought me here. I’ll follow you anywhere. I promise I’m not going anywhere.” Fives sounded strange. Echo tilted his head up, seeing his eyes were blinking slowly at the ceiling.
“You need some rest” The words came from him, making his eyes snap open again.
“This is the best damn cot I’ve ever been on.” The words were muttered out as his breathing started to deepen.
“It’s a bed. Not a cot.” Echo snorted out. He no longer felt a fool as he fully dozed. Echo was close behind.
When the others returned, Hunter was the first to notice that they had someone new in the house. He marched right to Echo’s room to ask him why he was bringing strangers home only to pause at the doorway. Seeing the two sprawled out in the bed and Echo’s prosthetics on the floor proved enough evidence that it wasn’t a stranger. He just closed the door and warned the others to be quiet as to not wake them.
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Prologue
“Wait, is that?” Fives was pointing at Echo. The clone was holding the last of his chocolate. It was a gift from Omega and he had taken a liking to the sweet treat. Fives had been there a week and the others were readily bonding with him. They both shared the bed each night. No one mentioned that Echo stopped wearing his ring around his neck but back on his finger where it properly belonged.
“What?” Echo had just finished unwrapping it, holding it in his good hand while eyeing him. It was about the size of a small tangerine and was able to split into four pieces and he personally planned on taking his time. The way Fives was looking at him, he panicked and popped the whole thing in his mouth.
“I wanted to try that” The pout was the only warning he had but it was enough that he started to run. Laughter bubbled unbidden from his chest, unable to escape the trap of chocolate goo that he was desperately chewing through while fleeing. He darted from the room, fleeing up the hall. He managed to duck around Wrecker as he walked to the refresher. Tech shouted at them not to hit the table as they raced past, Omega whooping as he jumped the couch. Hunter called from the kitchen to stop it but they were already out the door.
Echo didn’t mind being caught. He had most of it eaten and the kiss was not unexpected. The clash of tongues and the way he had to tilt down just slightly now left him giddy. Fives didn’t seem to mind. Neither of them noticed Crosshairs watching them from the window while rolling his eyes. Yet he would make sure they were safe.