The Clone Wars One Shots

Misunderstandings

You had joined the Bad Batch a few months ago, when the group freed you from Separatist captivity. You had no home to go back to, so the Batch took you in. They trained you to protect yourself, and you became an unofficial Bad Batcher. The Kaminoans had no idea you existed, nor did most of the other clones who the Batch worked with, but they never discounted your worth. You had saved their skins multiple times, both from battle and from each other, and they were forever grateful.

You were particularly close with Tech, who had been the one to break your restraints and nurse you back to health when you were first freed. Though you didn't always understand what he was talking about, you readily listened to his rants and info dumps (which you affectionately called 'Tech-dumps'. When he wasn't listening, of course), and offered your help where possible. He was your best friend, and you would do anything for him.

One particular brother of his, however, was quite difficult for you to understand.

No, it's not the one you're thinking of.

You had figured out Crosshair a while back. All it took was the promise of cookies, and Crosshair would stumble out of his room like a lost fire hound pup. He would sit with and even talk to you while he munched on the treats, and he trusted you with things that he didn't even tell his brothers. You were a locked box for his secrets, just as he was for yours.

Hunter and Echo were rather easy to make friends with. The two weren't the most trusting, but when it turned out that you were, in fact, almost entirely harmless (minus the fact that you had kicked Echo in the would-be nuts when he startled you once), they quickly warmed up to you. Now, despite your limited training, they trusted you with their lives.

Wrecker was a different story.

The fact that you had befriended the stone-faced Sergeant, prickly copilot, and sarcastic sniper before the Batch's very own lovable giant was nothing short of surprising.

You had expected him to warm up to you first - which he technically did, but it didn't last. About a month after you were rescued, the group's brawns began acting distant towards you, rejecting your attempts to hang out with him and avoiding you when possible. He would be laughing with his brothers, then freeze and scurry off the moment he noticed you enter the room. You were unsure if he hated you or simply didn't understand you. Perhaps you scared him. Either way, you didn't like it.

Echo had teasingly suggested that Wrecker had a crush on you, but you quickly shut the idea down. You would be lying if you said the thought didn't make your heart flutter, but you doubted it was true. He was usually so open with his emotions and affections, you didn't believe he would act so distant towards someone he liked. You must have done something wrong, but what?

One day, while investigating the disappearance of a clone squadron and their Jedi General on Ebra, you finally got a chance to ask Wrecker about his strange behaviour - a chance where he couldn't escape. Well, neither could you, since you were both trapped in a pit, but still.

The ground had opened up below you when an explosion went off during a surprise firefight, and you plunged into the darkness below. Wrecker, even with his extreme fear of heights, leapt after you, wrapping you in his arms protectively as you landed on the rocky ground. He was briefly winded, but otherwise unharmed from the fall. Once the battle was won, the others left to search for some way to haul you two back up, leaving you alone.

"So," you began, drawing out the word. "How was your day?"

"Fine," Wrecker said simply, avoiding your gaze. "Yours?"

You shrugged. "Not bad."

Cue awkward silence.

"Do you hate me?" you finally asked, voice quiet.