Vision

Chapter 16.5 - Bonus Chapter - Hunter & Crosshair

Author's Note: Because how could I have a BB thing that doesn't have anything from their POV? And I felt like I needed to actually show how Crosshair feels about everything. Or about Vision, anyway. Probably, I'll need smth else later...

~ Rivana Rita

They haven't really had enough time to talk about it, but Hunter still wonders, sometimes, what the others think of her. She's young and small and kind of adorable, even if she's a nightmare of a headache, too. She's their only sister and having to take care of someone else is... difficult, though it isn't as though he hasn't taken care of his brothers their entire lives. It's nothing new to Hunter, though he can't expect her to be able to return it like he can his brothers.

Crosshair is the one he's most uncertain about. They all care about her – of course, they do. She's their sister, and she wants them – but she's their youngest now. Hunter has no issue with not constantly being the oldest – it's lonely sometimes – and Hunter's still the one in charge, so it really changes nothing. Crosshair... always used to be the youngest, until Vision came, and now he's just... not. They didn't know, didn't have much time to prepare. It was so unexpected.

"What do you think about her?" he asks, sitting on the edge of Crosshair's bunk next to him. Vision and Wrecker are curled up sleeping together, and Tech is working on some of Echo's mechanics.

Crosshair leans into his side automatically. "Mm," he says, thoughtful, just watching her. "She's a nightmare."

Hunter laughs. "Yeah, she is." He's still caught the looks his little brother throws his way sometimes though, and he wants to know what they mean, what's upsetting him. "Are... you alright with her?"

Crosshair shifts a little, looking at him. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know. That's why I asked."

Crosshair glances at the others, then shifts closer enough that their shoulders touch. "It's stupid."

He doesn't quite know if he should push or not, but Crosshair will talk if he needs to.

"It's... different for Vision," he says finally, "Like it is with Echo."

"Yeah," Hunter agrees, "But they're still a part of our squad, and we'll get used to them."

Crosshair presses up against his side, lowering his head to his shoulder, and Hunter slides his arm around him. They're in armor and all, so it's not that comfortable, but it's them, and it's Crosshair, so he doesn't care. "Not used to having a kid," Crosshair says after a heartbeat.

"You'll learn," Hunter tells him. "In a couple years, she'll be out there with us." She's only two years younger than they are, and she'll no doubt be out as soon as she's old enough. That will be... tricky.

It occurs to him, fleetingly, for maybe the first time, that between Vision's chaos and Echo's presence, Hunter hasn't had nearly as much time to spend with the other three. Probably, that's what's bothering Crosshair, as opposed to anything else, and it's probably bothering Tech, too. Wrecker has a way of drawing attention to himself, and he's been with Vision most of the time, so he probably hasn't had much time to think about it.

That's... okay. It's something they can deal with when they go back to the fronts, and Vision won't even be with them anymore.

They'll have all the time in the world to make up for it.

***

Hunter used to actually believe that, and now, he doesn't understand how. It's... all gone. Crosshair is gone.