At Journeys End

“We’ll figure something out.”

“What is there to figure out? This planet doesn't even seem to have animals. I doubt there's even a civilization nearby. We have ration bars” Crosshair gestured with one hand to the pouring rain, “it's only because of that we have water and haven't been found. Probably. And Tech-” Crosshair felt his voice catch and he turned his face away, embarrassed.

“I don't need platitudes. I need plans.” Crosshair bit out, thinking of Tech. A handful of numbers ran through Crosshair’s head, plans the genius had made for if they'd been captured or lost. He'd wondered why the rest of the batch hadn't gotten to Tech. Even with Tantiss's high security Tech would have found a way to get a message out. Now Crosshair understood why he hadn't. Crosshair had had….hope, after they'd found Tech. Mayday had held him together but Tech was the missing piece that built him back up.

He doesn't even remember you.

Mayday let him stew and it was quiet for a long while. Crosshair looked up at a jerk of movement and Mayday cleared his throat.

“Did you fall asleep?”

“...yeah maybe.” He looked sheepish but the dark shadows under his eyes only made Crosshair worried.

Crosshair sighed, “I don't-

Tech groaned softly and Mayday shot to his feet, gun pointed at them.

Crosshair froze as pale-bright green eyes opened to meet his own.

Tech looked confused, then surprised.

“Crosshair?”

“You have got to be shitting me.” Crosshair heard Mayday mutter but he couldn't bring himself to look away as Tech sat up on his elbows, glancing around weakly.

“Wha-where are we?”

“Crosshair -” Mayday's voice was careful, a warning- Crosshair held up a hand.

“Tech, what's the last thing you remember?” He asked.

Tech's brows furrowed, “We were attempting to retrieve information about where to find you - I fell..?” He grabbed at his head. Crosshair reached out and Mayday took a step closer, Crosshair sent him an annoyed look that Mayday only returned.

“I fell…but then I woke up? There was a man-but I cannot remember who….after that I cannot recall much.”

Tech paused, finally focusing on Mayday, then on the gun he had in his hands.

“Ah.”

“It's not what you think.” Crosshair said with a wince, “He's a…friend.”

“I would ask why he is holding us at gunpoint but it would not surprise me that you would have a friend who would do so.”

Mayday smirked, “Well he knows you now, that's for sure.”

Crosshair sent him a glare, then turned to Tech, looking serious, “Tech…Something happened when you woke up earlier.”

“You tried to kill Crosshair.”

Tech and Crosshair's gaze shot to Mayday, both with varying degrees of disbelief.

Crosshair put a hand on Tech’s shoulder, “You got taken to Tantiss, like us. A scientist called Hemlock-” Visions of the man standing above him as he writhed in pain, with that empty look of satisfaction on his face, had Crosshair faltering before he let out a breath, saying quietly, “He likes to experiment…clones are especially expendable. Whatever he did- you didn't remember me. And then you just...”

The words trickled off and Tech's face twisted but he raised his hand to cover his brother's.

“I am sorry Crosshair.”

Crosshair smirked, “Well it's only fair. Turnabout yeah?”

“Technically-” Tech’s hand went instinctively to push at his goggles as he spoke but blinked when he found nothing but scarring. He ran over the beginnings of it but pulled away with a grimace.

Crosshair winced, “We have no clue where your goggles are Tech- we had to escape and they weren't anywhere nearby.”

“I-” Tech looked around the cave, licking at his lips, “I can see perfectly without them.”

His glowing green eyes found Crosshair's. It wouldn't make sense for a soldier to not be able to see. They had worried about it as shinies, when the Kaminoians couldn't correct the oversight. Crosshair remembered how Tech crawled into his bunk at night, clutching at him like it was the last time he'd be able to. And when he started to ask questions like he only had so much time to hear the answers.

Then came the goggles.

Tech had made them on his own. They fit his face perfectly, barely shifting during combat, even designing his bucket around them.

He showed he wouldn't falter.

Part of Crosshair missed the contact after. Tech no longer came to him for comfort but he flourished. He was confident and became wholly his own person. In a wave of clones it was a good thing. But even though they were a defective batch to other clones, Crosshair selfishly wanted Tech to still be his twin.

It was too complicated of a feeling to really put into words.

But seeing Tech now, without his goggles, made Crosshair feel like a shiny all over again.

He was so tired of it.

Tech cocked his head and that, at least, was familiar, Crosshair's hand tightened over Tech's.

“Well honestly that helps one glaring issue.” Mayday's voice broke up the stale air between them.

“What issue?” Tech questioned, like Mayday wasn't holding him at blaster point.

“We need to contact someone to get us off-planet-”

Because now, even without his goggles, Tech's gaze was sharp.

Tech stood, Crosshair let his hand slip off Tech's shoulder. Mayday's aim followed but he ignored the weapon and ran his hand along the wall of the cave, looking for a minute at the pouring rain, before turning back.

Now instead of feeling left behind Crosshair felt...hopeful.