Head Empty, Only Bad Batch

"Kindergarten? I'm a clone. Schooling was programmed into me, di'kut!" He snapped.  Rolling his eyes while he twirled the toothpick between his lips. 

The rest of the gang left the two of you there to 'work it out.' That was going great, wasn't it? A stubborn ass, and you. Someone who is also stubborn. Having to work out whatever.. Whatever this was.

"Oh, because they knew you wouldn't be able to be taught." You snapped back to his response. He didn't want to admit it, but your words were truly hurting him. Out of everything in the books he hated being belittled. You could call him all the names in the book, but the moment you started treating him like he wasn't enough. Or that he was stupid. Of all things. He wanted to shut down and cry a little. Though he never would. 

"Could you stop calling me that!" He nearly screamed. Pacing back and forth. 

Your smirk fell. Thinking you finally stumped him. Thinking maybe, you won. 

"Calling you what-?" You asked, and he gave you one of the scariest looks you've seen him direct towards you. His mouth was in a pout, brows furrowed. Nose scrunched as his fists balled up. 

"Stupid! I'm not, I didn't choose to have knowledge programmed into me! I didn't ask to be a walking weapon!" His voice cracked and he had to coil back. His chest heaving out of frustration and anger. 

"Alright, then stop being so rude to me! What'd I do? I have been nothing but nice to you, and you come at me so I retaliate!" You admitted. Growing equally frustrated. "I thought we were working things out for a while there, Cross, but you keep shutting me out and I'm tired of it." 

He wouldn't make eye contact with you now. His eyes watching the cracks on the floor. Fists still balled. Knuckles white. 

"Crosshair. I'm sor-" "Don't." He interrupted you. Walking off for the back. 

You were left standing there. Your stomach felt empty, and your head was pounding. The two of you had never gotten this into it. Ever. 

You waited what felt like it was hours, but it was probably only fifteen minutes. Approaching the back where his and his brothers bunks were. You normally fell asleep in the main room of the marauder. Especially with how Crosshair had been treating you. 

You stood in the doorway. Watching as he laid curled up on a top bunk. His back facing the wall. A small idea crossing your mind. Though you knew it was probably more dangerous than anything. 

You climbed up the side of the bunk. Throwing your legs over to sit next to him. Though he only coiled further away from you. Nearly pressing himself into the wall in attempts to escape you. 

Your hand reached out to touch his hair. Hesitating when he flinched, but you returned your hand. You and the bad batch had been together for years. All of you close friends, and you and Crosshair? You used to be close, but over the years it had been rougher and rougher with each passing day. 

Your hand ran through his hair. Rubbing his scalp gently as he slowly eased into your touch. 

"Crosshair.." he didn't respond, but you continued anyway. "I'm sorry." 

"Shut up," he grumbled. Moving to lie his head in your lap. Wrapping his arms around your waist while you continue to run your fingers through his hair. 

"I said shut it, Cyare." He snarled. 

Your face heated up at the name. The boys had taught you some Mando'a. Mainly Tech, plus Crosshair used to call you nicknames all the time. Some meaner than others. 

So the name made your stomach flutter and your lips curl up. Though you didn't say anything about it. He hadn't called you the name in what felt like ages. 

"Wanna talk?" You asked after a few moments. Crosshair grumbling something under his breath. 

"What?" He sighed. Burying his face on your side. "I don't know.." 

"You don't have to, Cross." He nodded. Letting out a small, "ok." 

He laid like this for a while, and you began growing impatient. "But you can’t just lose your temper anytime you get slightly upset, it makes me think I did something wrong." You told him. Feeling his grip tightening around you as you continued to play with his hair. 

"I'm just upset, all the time, and I just.." he sputtered out some words. Face twisting up as he tried to think of what he was trying to say. "Tech told me you liked me." He spoke, and you tensed up. You had told the clone about your feelings for his brother so long ago you almost forgot. No, you did forget you told him. 

"What-" "just shut up, please." He scoffed, and you nodded. "Sorry." 

He sighed. Rolling onto his back with a groan as he stared up, but not at you. More so the ceiling. Avoiding your eyes. 

"You're fine." It was quiet for a few more seconds. "I just.. I panicked and didn't want you liking someone like me." 

You were watching him. Absent-mindedly tracing his jawline. Watching as his eyes darted around. His head tilting into your touch ever so slightly. 

"Like you?" He nodded at your words. Looking up to your eyes. 

"You deserve better than me." He admitted. 

You chuckled, watching as his brows furrowed at your eye roll. "So you decided to make me feel like you hated me?" He shrugged. "It worked, didn't it?" 

You rubbed his chest a bit. Watching him relax back against your legs. "Yeah, but when were you going to tell me any of this?" You asked. Watching his shoulder shrug again. 

"Never, I guess. Figured you'd meet someone else instead of just calling me stupid." He scoffed. Frowning a bit, and you sighed. Glancing to the side, and then back to him. "I'm sorry about that.. I didn't mean it that way. You were just pissing me off and it was all I could think of." 

He snorted. Sitting up to sit next to you now. "I know, you aren’t the brightest with comebacks." He added. Licking his lips with a sigh. 

You groaned. Shoving him a bit. "Shut up," "Thought you liked it when I talked to you? I can't be nice and shut up. Pick one, ner Sarad." He added with a coy smile. "I can make you shut up," you added matter of factly. He cooked a brow. "Oh yeah?" He asked, watching as you leaned in closer to his face. Your lips getting closer and closer. To the point where your nose grazed his. 

"Yeah, can't hear you if I ain't in the same room, twig." You spoke with a snicker. Pulling back and jumping off the bunk before he could close the gap or pull you back. Smirking at his grunt as you left him with nothing. "That's not making me shut up, you said shut up, not quiet, hey, get back here I'm not done with you!" 

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