The Bad Batch: One Shot Collection

Whumpay Day Eight: "Why Are You Doing This?"

Author's Note: I have no idea what this even is, but I hate it, and it didn't come out anything like I wanted it to. -.-

~ Rivana Rita 

In which Hunter's chip activates on Kaller, but his brothers are too stubborn to leave him behind. He's not terribly keen on staying tied to a chair in the Marauder, though.

Consciousness flickers back in slowly, dully, his head throbbing in protest. Being stunned is always jarring and obviously uncomfortable, though his head feels sort of buzzy still.

Everything does, actually.

And by the stars, Hunter cannot believe Wrecker just stunned him.

He's sitting up now, though his arm jerks unmovingly when he tries to move it – did they seriously tie him to his chair? "Are you kidding me?" Hunter asks disbelievingly, lifting his head.

The twins are standing opposite, facing him, arms crossed. Crosshair's eyes are narrowed, though Hunter can see his worry, while Wrecker's are wide and a little more hurt and angry.

"No," Crosshair says.

This isn't happening. This genuinely Is Not Happening.

He did not just get captured by his own squad, who he was sent out to bring in. His brothers. His – his everything, except they betrayed him and the Empire, and they were just going to... what? Walk away?

Except they didn't leave him behind, which would have been the reasonable thing to do.

Hunter really, really didn't expect to get stunned approximately two minutes into walking into the hangar. He sort of – genuinely thought they'd be willing to stand down if he gave them the direct order, but as Crosshair so snippily pointed out, they haven't been good at following orders for a while now.

He sort of sting-aches all over. His head is throbbing. It hurts. Maybe it's not too surprising Wrecker took him down so fast. His brothers are good, and Hunter can hardly stand right now.

It'd be nice to come back to consciousness for something other than pain right now. He was sedated in a lab and woke up with the galaxy's most impressive splitting headache.

Crosshair steps forward, kneeling in front of him. They're close to eye level, anyway. "Don't stab me," he requests dryly, reaching to touch Hunter's knee.

"You're lucky I don't have my knife," Hunter snaps back, because he probably would if he could. He's so, so angry. "Why are you doing this? How could you do this? You betrayed everything we ever were."

"This isn't you," Crosshair promises firmly, and he sounds like he means it. Still sounds hurt.

Hunter keeps glaring at him, but Crosshair is Crosshair and is firmly undeterred.

"He's right," Omega pipes up, circling around Wrecker to look at him. She looks sad. Hurt. "Remember what I said to you in the brig? You can't help it."

But Omega's just a kid. She doesn't know them or what or who they are. Hunter doesn't know her, either. Doesn't have much reason to trust her, even if he doesn't outright distrust her, either. Just – it seems too easy.

This – it is him. This is their fault.

Hunter doesn't want to think that he's choosing to feel so angry and violent towards his brothers, but it's not like he made them do – any of what they've done. He knows what blatant disobedience can do to them, and he just wants to keep them safe. And in return for everything he's done and tried doing for them, they just –