The Bad Batch: One Shot Collection

Whumpay Day Twelve: Witholding Medical Treatment

After leaving his brothers, Crosshair didn't expect to end up on a mission that would lead back to his brothers. But somehow they ended up on the same mission and now that he's being confronted by them and what they used to have, he doesn't know if he can simply walk away again.

The mission's been going bad since the start. Always does with regs, but Crosshair is still annoying. There was some... object they had to get on this backwater planet he can't even remember the name of, but here he is. Pirates are after the thing, too, and everything was fine until all the regs got themselves killed.

Doesn't know why it's so important, but

Annoying, but still fine, until that moment when he sees four very familiar figures fighting the pirates at the edge of the forest.

Crosshair freezes up, staring. They look different now, but he could recognize them anywhere. There hasn't been a moment when he goes without thinking about them.

He just stares, watching, until Tech falls when a blaster shot goes through his shoulder. The kid yells his name – she looks older now. Different, but he still recognizes her face – and runs to his side, her energy bow out and buzzing.

Tech.

Tech was the one who understood. He might have walked away and hurt him, too, but he – he understood.

Crosshair doesn't think. He just acts, taking out the people they're fighting. He's out of their sight, though they are looking in his direction.

He takes out all of them until someone sneaks up behind him and Crosshair has to duck out of his hiding spot and into direct line of view.

Someone – he thinks it was Hunter – shoots whoever it was that was trying to sneak up on him.

All the pirates are gone.

It's just him and his brothers.

The ones he left behind and honestly never thought he would see again.

Their weapons are aimed at him, at least loosely.

"Crosshair?" Omega is the first to speak up, eyes wide, slowly lowering her bow.

He looks at her, but words lose him. He can't think of anything to say.

"What are you doing here?" Hunter demands. He sounds tight. Angry.

"I could say the same to you," Crosshair snaps back.

"I thought ya said there was no Imperial presence here!" Wrecker whisper-hisses at Tech as he helps him to his feet. Echo's not here, and Crosshair has no idea where he is. He doesn't like the looks of it, though. With how they are, it could mean anything from coincidence to something... bad.

He tried to tell himself there was nothing to worry about. That he had no reason to be concerned with them when he's not even one of them anymore, but now that he's standing here again, facing them, he doesn't know how he's supposed to walk away.

Their armor is painted differently. They repainted it, entirely getting rid of their real colors and markings. It feels like they're trying to rid themselves of him. Of everything they ever used to be, and it hurts. Almost unreasonably so. It's not like – it really matters. It doesn't. Just...

"There was not," Tech answers shortly, "I was not aware of their involvement."

He wants to ask where Echo is, if he's fine, but this is Echo. Of course, he's fine. He's always fine, but Crosshair is still worried. And confused.

"What are you doing here?" Crosshair asks, grip on his rifle tightening. He's on a mission, and he doesn't want to have to fight them, but – but he doesn't know that he'll have a choice either, does he?