The Bad Batch: One Shot Collection

Whumpay Day Two: Whipping

Author's Note: Well, this is cringey, and I hope everyone likes it more than I do! :D

~ Rivana Rita

In which Hunter and Wrecker weren't quite okay in the time Omega was gone, and Crosshair and Omega have to free their brothers from a group of Zygerrian slavers again, but they're not the only ones after Hunter.

Hunter doesn't remember much if he's being honest. Electricity shorts out memory. Basically, the same as for droids. His head throbs, and he hurts all over. Trying to move is agonizing. Even breathing hurts .

Zygerrians are good at making things hurt. Too good.

Hunter knew that from when – when they rescued that rancor.

Should've seen it coming. Can't really complain about being beaten when it meant Wrecker could get out. He'll come back, of course, that is what Hunter's worried about. Wrecker's gonna come back, and they need to find the kid, but they got totally sidetracked, and...

And here he is.

He doesn't even know if Wrecker made it out. Might if he could form a single coherent thought, which he can't.

He knows they're talking about selling him like he's some kind of droid. Would normally feel far more upset about that than he does, but he's too tired to feel much of anything. Can't.

He stopped feeling after Ord Mantell. After Omega. Tech was – was everything and their final hope that finally settled Hunter's mind out from fighting . From everything. Tech was their last link to Crosshair, and the kid was their center their everything, but she's gone now. And then Echo was gone again, and Wrecker and Gonky were so, so quiet .

Nothing mattered anymore.

Nothing –

Everything hurts, which is fine. He doesn't care anymore. Can't care about anything except that Wrecker's hurt and Hunter needs to get them out.

His head is throbbing.

Someone's coming. He can hear talking. It sounds like arguing. One of the voices is mechanicalized.

He doesn't care what. It's loud. It hurts .

The ray shield turns off. He feels it, though it feels like it's through a distant haze. Like this isn't him this is someone else something else. Everything is foggy.

Someone's telling him to get up. He doesn't know. It's distant. Someone grabs his arm, jerking him upright, and Hunter gasps weakly against it. The movement sends a raw, sharp pain surging through his back. It's not stopping.

Whoever it is drags him upright. They're probably annoyed, but it's not Wrecker and it's not Echo so it doesn't matter who they are or where they're taking him.

Doesn't care.

Is too tired to care anymore.

Something about them is – familiar, though. Something...

Doesn't matter, either.

Hunter tries to look at him – he's too exhausted to lift his head. The armor is familiar, though he can't place where he's seen it before.

Whoever they are, they're half-carrying him. Hunter doesn't remember the walk. Hardly remembers moving, just that stars are swimming in his vision and walking is impossibly hard. His back is burning and moving hurts worse.