#echo fluff

She had an upset look on her face, wringing her hands nervously, and his easy going smile turned into his usual, stern expression.

"please, stay safe. And come back", she had said, looking up at him with such sad eyes it had almost broken his heart. It felt both good and bad to have someone special worry so much about him.

He would have liked to calm her, if he only knew how. Even after all this time spend with her and Omega, he didn't quite get girls. Or women. So he said the only thing that came to mind:

"There's no guarantee a soldier comes back from a mission" he repeated what Rex had hammered into him before every mission.

"Oh" she had looked down. Echo had cursed himself for upsetting her even more. His playbook with the opposite sex was at an end now. It made him so nervous, he had started stuttering nonsense, trying to come up with something to make her happy.

"I didn't mean to- I meant to say- y-y-you know...", he had felt like such an idiot.

He wouldn't even have dared to dream what had happened next. Y/n had stretched her arms out, wrapping them around his neck. They almost never touched, especially not where he could directly feel her skin on his. Completely caught off guard, he barely had time to feel his skin tingle with the feeling of her warmth. She had pulled his face towards hers and kissed him. His body had gone into panic mode, freezing in position, heart beating so fast that he feared she might feel it through his chest plate.

The kiss had only lasted a few, heavenly seconds before she let go and ran away, denying him to do anything more than stare after her as his brain tried to make sense of what had just happened.

Echo had to smile at the memory, feeling his cheeks flush once again as he replayed the moment in his mind over and over again. Her lips had been so soft and sweet. Her hug so warm.

After coming back, he didn't have a chance to talk to her. The clones they had saved had to get settled in, everyone had to heal and rest.

Had she kept her distance? He wasn't sure. At moments like these, he wished fives was still here. He would surely know what to do.

Imagining his brother in his mind, fives would surely tell him to go to her and play it smooth. Whatever that last part meant. All he knew is that he had to man up and go to her. Talk to her. He was back, just as she wanted. And he was damned if that wasn't worth a second kiss.

With renewed resolve, he slapped the ships console and got up, determined to find y/n and play it smooth.

Y/N

You were so glad that everyone came back. Not everyone was in one piece, but they were alive and well. When you saw Echo's familiar silhouette appear from the ship, your heart skipped a beat. Relief washed over you. Soon followed by stress. In an instant of anxiety, you have decided to kiss him. Absolutely convinced that he would not come back, you decided to screw consequences and just go for it.

Now he was back and surely had questions, or at least a comment. Or a rejection.

Already hearing his deep, raspy voice say something like "I'm sorry, I don't like you that way" made you want to get on the next ship away from Pabu to live on a remote planet as a farmer.

Since that wasn't an option, you buried yourself in busy work, keeping your distance to Echo.

You sat at your usual spot at the beach, bare feet in the sand, watching the ocean waves. The calming sound of the water was relaxing after the busyness of the last days.

You sighed, lost in thought. So lost in fact, that you almost missed the crunching steps coming closer. The familiar sound of combat boots. Completely unprepared for that conversation, you saw Echo approach with his dark armor, helmet under his arm and golden eyes fixed on you.

Trying to pretend everything was normal, you waved and smiled, coaxing a lopsided grin from his face.

"hey", you greeted him, avoiding his gaze.

"hey" he answered, sitting down next do you.

Silence.

Awkward. Silence.

"So...", you started, at the same time as he said "Well..." Both of you stopped. He chuckled nervously.

You turned towards him, finding his golden amber eyes studying you. You felt your cheeks and ears furiously blushing.

"I'm back" he stated, leaning forward, "just as you ordered me to", his voice was low, his eyes searching your face for a reaction.

"yes, I'm glad" you drew your knees close and half buried your face in your arms to hide the embarrassment.

He etched closer, his arm almost touching you.

"Uhm, you know, before I left. What- what did it mean?" He swallowed hard, Adam's apple bobbing.

You pondered your answer. What did it mean?

Noticing your hesitation, Echo nervously clarified:

"the uhm...the k-k-iss." He whispered the words like it was something forbidden and secret.

His expression changed. Now that the words had left his lips, he looked insecure. The faintest hint of red could be seen on his pale, bony cheeks. That face, document to all the hardships he had endured, pale and sunken, yet it was all you could think about. His amber eyes were what drew you in. Kind and intelligent, determined they looked at you. You couldn't help but wanting to comfort him.

Slowly, you lifted your hand to his cheek and let you fingers glide down his face. Feeling his warm skin, the slightest hint of stubble.

"it meant that I would miss you a lot" you finally answered.

He swallowed hard again, eyes darting.

"you, too" he rasped, and very carefully lifted his good hand to your chin, lifting it so you faced him directly. He licked his lips and his eyes fluttered shut. Leaning in for a kiss, you could hear his nervous breathing. He tried to shift his weight and lean on in the scomp link attached to his arm.

It was stable, sure, but still just a metal rod. He hit a stone and it glided away to the side. Just as he was about to touch your lips, he toppled over to the side, landing in the sand with a loud curse.

It was puzzling how he could manoeuvre with absolut precision in one Moment, and trip over his own body the next. You had to laugh. It was freeing and relaxing, breaking the tension. You could hear his barking laugh chime in. It was such a rare sight to see him laughing, full of warmth.

The uneasy atmosphere was gone, Echo stretched and rolled on his back, still smiling at you. He looked good like this.

When he was about to get up, you put a hand on his chest and pushed him gently back down. With newfound boldness, you straddled his hips, earning a surprises gasp from him, and bent down to finally kiss him.

“Yup, she definitely has some kind of secret healing power.” Echo chimed, and she shook her head even more emphatically, shoulders shaking with nearly silent giggles.

Crosshair was out on patrol with Wrecker providing what cover he could from the ramp of the Marauder, his leg still preventing him from moving much. Tech still hadn’t stirred since his brief moment of near-lucidity, and Hunter snored softly from the co-pilot’s seat where, not five minutes prior, he’d denied the obvious exhaustion Echo and I had silently agreed against commenting on.

I’d spent another twenty minutes coating his battered form with bacta, fingers carefully guiding the blue gel across dark bruises and skin split beneath cruel strikes. It had felt… intimate… the way I kneeled between his legs to tend his wounds, dimmed lights soft enough to hide my blush from anyone but him as we both carefully avoided the other’s gaze, and I couldn’t help but remember the quiet moment just before coming out of hyperspace above that feral planet where I’d so nearly died to the locals' poisonous arrows. It felt like so long ago… but the way he’d held me, arm locking around my waist in a silent plea to stay as he'd laid nearly bare atop my bed, skin still glistening with oils and body blissfully limp in the aftermath of my touch… The memory of it still sent my heart racing.

He’d declined my offer to help him into a fresh set of blacks, and I tried not to argue as he bit back a wince from how the act of dragging the sleek fabric down his powerful form tortured already abused flesh, instead turning my attention absently toward Tech if only to grant myself a moment's reprieve from the heaviness lingering on air rife with shame and want and denial. There was no place for those feelings here. Not anymore.

“I bet she haS other hidden powers, too.” I continued, heart alight at the beaming smile on her innocent face.

“Yeah? Think she’s hiding a lightsaber somewhere?” Echo asked suspiciously, making the girl’s eyes dart to him with an excitement poorly veiled beneath mock nervousness.

“Only one way to find out.” I replied, bringing my hands up as of I were about to snatch her. A squeal burst from her lips as she leapt from the chair and took off down the small room, gangly limbs flailing with that precious, youthful clumsiness as she raced to climb the first few rungs of the ladder before I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her against me with a victorious laugh. My entire body warmed at the look on Echo’s face as I turned back to him, giggling child locked to my chest. There was no trace of tension or dread or regret in eyes so often weighted beneath far too much guilt. Instead, his lips just hinted at a soft smile, stance loose where he’d lazily risen from his seat.

“Well?” he pressed, making a show of crossing his arms over his chest. I let my hands dance over ticklish skin under the guise of patting the girl down while carrying her.

“I'm afraid she's too clever for me.” I lamented. “Wherever she's stashed it, I fear we’ll never find it.” He let out a quiet chuckle as the girl paused her thrashing just long enough to stick her tongue out at him, his hands reaching up to fondly ruffle her hair.

“Alright, little jetii, let's get out of here before your giggles wake that guy up.” He nodded back toward Hunter, even breaths still enunciated with the faintest rumble. She nodded and readily leapt down from my arms before darting back to the ladder, not waiting for us to join her as she scrambled up the worn metal once more.

“You'd think she hadn’t just been held prisoner in a kriffing black site…” Echo murmured, that earlier warmth lost beneath a deep worry.

“It’s easier to pretend to be happy than it is to let yourself be scared.” I whispered back.

“Those feelings aren't going to just go away.” I looked back at him with a quiet understanding, wondering how desperately he’d tried to ignore his own fears, how violently they still haunted him.

“No,” I agreed softly, “they don't… but she'll have her entire life to deal with what happened. And, hopefully, she'll be surrounded with people who love her to help her through it.” He glanced toward me, eyes resting on mine for a long, silent moment before something clattered loudly overhead followed by a hissed curse.

“Crosshair's back.” I couldn't quite hide the humor in my voice as we both started toward sound.

-

“They've got the planet on lockdown.” Echo reported. “Which means the Senator is still here, but it also means it's going to be a lot harder for us to get out."

“It also means they'll have him hidden somewhere even more heavily guarded than the last place.” Came the grumbled reply.

Crosshair and Wrecker stood close to the arc as they spoke in hushed voices while the girl kneeled atop Hunter’s cot with Lula dancing between her small hands, some foreign tune humming softly through pursed lips.

I wanted to help. Maker, how I wanted to pluck the correct answer from the ether that we might hurry and focus on our own escape from this tortured world… but this: plotting and strategizing, accounting for all known factors and preparing for inevitable surprises… this was beyond me.

“I anticipate his position will be made known shortly.” Tech stated from behind me. My attention instantly snapped toward him.

“Tech! You shouldn't be up yet!” I scolded, already snatching my datapad with a mumbled, “The hell… None of my alerts went off…”

“I disabled them.” He answered nonchalantly, and offered no hint of chagrin at the glare I shot him. “I’d already reviewed my vitals. There were no signs of abnormalities, thus no reason to delay my return.”

“Tech…” I sighed, making no attempt to hide my frustration even as his brothers smirked at us.

“I am…” his voice quieted, and I couldn’t help but mirror that quiet as I looked at him, as I noted the odd stiffness in his jaw beneath eyes narrowed in an attempt to gather his thoughts, “impressed that you were able to repair the damage to my arm. I anticipated waking to find it gone… Thank you.” My own jaw tensed briefly at the knowledge of just how close he'd come to exactly that, and I gave a small nod.

“Then we would'a had to get you somethin’ like what Echo's got!” Wrecker chuckled as he said it, but his voice was still oddly subdued.

“While I admit to a certain degree of curiosity toward being able to connect directly to a network relay, I think I'd prefer to keep my natural appendages.” Tech replied dryly, but then he glanced toward Echo with a subtle, contrite frown.

“Yeah. Me too.” Echo grumbled, but offered his brother a small smirk before turning the conversation back toward the mission.

I let out a short breath before finally allowing myself to wander away from the conversation, attention turning back toward the girl, who's earlier glee had finally begun to dwindle. Lips draw  into a gentle smile, I sat softly atop Hunter's bed with her.

“Not much fun all by yourself, huh?” I kept my voice quiet, and my heart broke at the way her lips bunched, jaw grinding as she let her hands drop heavily to the now wrinkled bedding. For just a moment, she released the toy, arms raising as her fingers began to move with some half-hearted intent before catching herself and going still once more, but that was enough. I recognized that halted gesture.

“You know,” I whispered, as though I was about to share a secret, “when things are really scary, and we have to be really quiet, we use our hands to talk to each other.” Her eyes flashed up to mine though she kept her head tucked to her chest, reserved interest poorly stifled beneath a dejected frown.

“Watch.” I murmured before turning back to the others. Cross met my eyes and paused at the beseeching expression on my face. I smiled gratefully as I waved a quick question.

Number of nearby hostile? His brows pulled together, confused, but he hesitated only a moment before replying.

All clear.

My attention darted back to the girl at the sound of her sharp gasp. With Lula tucked beneath her arm, she jumped from the bed and raced across the room to the others, and I couldn't help but chuckle at how quickly I'd been forgotten.

It was Tech she ran to, though her gaze kept darting between the others as well, and I cringed slightly as how forcefully she threw herself into his side. He froze mid-word, attention instantly dropping to the girl. She seemed to struggle with keeping herself pressed tightly against him while still freeing her hands enough to sign something, and he automatically lowered himself to a knee to better address her.

“Yes, I can understand you.” He said it so thoughtlessly, as though it were almost silly to assume otherwise, but the way that girl’s face lit up left me tightening my jaw to keep my breath steady. Her hands became a blur of movement, but he didn't hesitate in responding.

“Standard soldiers have a very limited and specialized set of signals for instances when verbal communication could prove dangerous, but I am quite well versed in the more standardized sign language you appear to be using.” He answered. I understood only a few snips of the flurry of signs that followed. Scared. Home. Dad. Help. Mean. Tech, however, nodded knowingly.

“I assure you, from what you've said, your father's kidnapping was in no way a consequence of your actions, and my squad and I will do whatever is needed to free him as well.” The motion for “punch" was unmistakable, and even Tech let out a small huff of laughter.

“While I appreciate your enthusiasm, I do not believe it would be wise for you to accompany us… No, droids would be more likely to use you as a hostage than they would be to show you any leniency due to your being “small,” thus eliminating any strategic advantage having an additional person keeping watch might grant.” Crosshair rolled his eyes at Tech's reply, and I couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

There was something wonderfully familiar about this; the hum of their voices weaving into a gentle chorus I’d heard a thousand times yet would never bore of. I don’t know when I shifted atop Hunter’s bed to let my back rest against the sidewall, when my head gradually fell toward my shoulder as the day’s exhaustion finally made itself known once more, but I didn’t doubt that it was their voices that lulled me into a gentle sleep.

-

“Hey… come on, mesh’la… need to wake up.”

A grumble caught in my throat, shoulders tensing against the ache of such an unforgiving position.

“Don’t yell at me – we all tried to convince you to lay down.” The air of annoyance twisting those words was ruined beneath the smile I could hear woven through that low rasp.

“…liar.” A quiet huff of laughter was his only retort before letting his hand whisper over my shin, fingers tightening for barely a breath before the touch was gone.

“Hunter’s waiting to go over the plan.” He continued. I begrudgingly forced my eyes open just in time to watch him take a small step back, arms already adorned in armor folding across his chest, fond smirk still playing with thin lips. “Not that it’s much of a ‘plan’.” He added with that familiar façade of disdain.

“That’s our specialty.” I replied, words taut as I curled my arms over my head, back arching in a vain attempt to stretch out the lingering stiffness before pushing myself toward the edge of the narrow cot. He merely hummed in response, the quiet sound infused with every ounce of resignation he felt toward that fact, and I let myself laugh softly at the small scowl it drew to his face.

Hunter's gaze flicked only briefly toward me as we arrived in the cabin. The ramp was still open, inviting the midnight air to bring a pleasant chill into the normally stuffy room. We were on the very outskirts of the forest, where the treeline ended so abruptly, the prairie that followed looked oddly intentional. Wisps of light occasionally danced between the distant strands of tall grass, tiny bursts of yellows and gold gleaming brilliantly for mere moments before fading back into a gentle darkness.

I wondered if Tech had already spoken on the seemingly magic chemical reaction granting the tiny insects that burst of luminescence. I wondered if he and Hunter had needed to corral the small girl to keep her from racing off to see them up close, and I wondered if Crosshair could still see smoke from the havoc wrought upon that wretched base, if the trees still smoldered and the air still burned with the scent of ozone from electrical fires. Probably not. By now, the site had likely already been cleared and returned to an unnatural illusion of feral wilderness, a realization that left my skin crawling with the knowledge of what nightmares that artificial wilderness had concealed.

“Echo and Tech were able to pinpoint the ship they evacuated the Senator on and traced it to a transfer station three klicks outside the city.” Hunter started, hip cocking as he glanced over the screen of his datapad.

“Given their obvious failure to conceal that fact, they’re clearly attempting to use the Senator to lure us in a trap.” Tech added.

“And we’re going to take advantage of that.” Hunter continued, and I had to pointedly keep myself from sighing at his haughty smirk. “Echo, Wrecker: you two are heading straight for the transport. Rig as much of their docks up with explosives as you can. Cross – I want you on the north end to start: take out the power transformer, then find a place to whole up near the Marauder. Provide cover fire where you can, but be ready to bring the Marauder in for a pickup as soon as the Senator is secured.” Tech’s fingers tapped impatiently at his thigh as Hunter spoke, and took the first opportunity he could to cut in.

“That transformer is only a decoy. The real one is hidden underground.” He explained quickly. “There’s likely to be a brief interruption of power intended solely to sell the deception before the real generator kicks back in.”

“That’ll give Tech and I an opportunity to grab one of their smaller ships as a distraction while they go on the defen-”

“Wait.” I said firmly, brows furrowing as I met Hunter’s confused gaze. He went perfectly still, clearly shocked to be interrupted. “You can’t go running around a Separatist base, right now, Hunter. It’s bad enough the others are going, but you’re barely standing.” He didn’t answer for a moment, as though expecting that heavy silence to be enough for me to back down, but my gaze didn’t falter.

“I’ll be fine, Doc. If everything goes according to plan, we should be in and out in-”

“No.” I said, voice granting no room for argument, and a flare of frustration darkened eyes still swollen with heavy bruising as he turned his full attention to me. “You want me to list off all the reasons you should still be in bed? The broken ribs, internal bleeding that’s only barely patched, probably a mild concussion at best; all of which could be exasperated with even light activity.”

“Your concerns are noted, but these are extenuating circumstances, and we don’t have the luxury of being overly cautious.” My own frustration turned nearly violent at his dismissive retort, shoulders drawing back as I glared up at him, pointedly ignoring the way Crosshair was fighting back a smirk.

“You can complain all you want about me being overly cautious from the damn cockpit of the Marauder.” I retorted, nearly snarling at him.

“This isn’t up for discussion, Doc. I’m not-”

“You’re right: this isn’t a discussion.” I interrupted sharply. “As squad medic, I have the final say on this. Not you.” Crosshair looped his arms over his chest, hip cocking slightly with an amusement he no longer tried to hide while the others stood frozen, stances rigid as they watched in tense silence as Hunter stared me down. I could see the enraged sense of betrayal stealing over him, heard it in the heaviness of his carefully controlled breaths, and I hated the guilt that coiled through my chest. But I didn’t back down. The risk was too great.

“I’m pulling rank, Hunter.” I stated, voice painfully even, the faintest hint of an apology quieting the almost whispered words. “I’ll go with Wrecker – I’ve picked up enough of his tips here and there to help set the charges, and Echo can help Tech nab a decoy ship.” That silence grew almost debilitating, and I felt the way my heart raced beneath the weight of this moment. Hunter’s reaction meant more than just this mission. If he refused, if he ignored my orders now… that would illustrate more than just a lack of respect for me as a medic. It would call into question my very place on this squad and my ability to be their medic…

Right hand curling into a tight fist, Hunter’s lips just hinted at a scowl before those infuriated eyes finally turned away from me, shoulders drawn taut as he stormed around us and vanished into the fore of the ship without a word. I didn’t watch him go, though his brothers showed no such restraint, staring in shock as their Sargeant disappeared down the stairs to the cockpit.

It was Echo that finally broke the silence.

“Wrecker, make sure Doc has what she needs to help you set the charges.” Wrecker’s attention shifted to the arc with a fresh note of surprise before coming back to himself.

“Yeah… right…” He muttered, hesitating for just a moment more before glancing toward me and then starting toward the supply room.

Next Chapter

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Stupid.

How could you be so fucking stupid.

You knew the salt from this planet would be too much for your prosthetics. Echo had made a point to warn you before, to try and tell you to make sure they were protected. Wrap them up, don’t go in the water if you can avoid it, dry it properly…

But you’d brushed him off, more focused on the mission. The mission was more important than you, you could deal with the consequences later.

He was right tho, as he usually was.

—

In your defence, it had been fine.

Mostly.

It wasn’t until half way though the walk back to the havoc that it really started acting up.

The mixture of sand and salt had somehow made it into every single joint of the leg, making it all stiff and gritty.

The salt in the thick misty air alone would be enough to give you problems, but the fact that you’d been stupid enough to wade through the water instead of waiting on shore like Echo didn’t help.

The whole walk back to the Havoc was a fight. Painfully slow, the joints in the leg stiff and gritty. Every step you took let out this horrific screeching sound.

You could feel Echo’s eyes watching you the whole walk back, but you chose to ignore it.

Wrecker had offered to give you a piggy ride back but you refused, too stubborn to accept the help.

Yes, you had made a mistake, but you were going to manage on your own. You always had, you weren’t going to stop now.

The sight of the ship on the horizon almost brought tears of joy to your eyes. The rest are slightly ahead of you, up the stairs and already rushing around as they prepare for take off.

You grit your teeth as you force yourself to climb up the steps, finally making your way to your bunk and practically falling onto it.

Echo quietly makes his way towards you, also sitting on his bunk opposite you.

He catches your eye like he wants to say something.

You sigh, still slightly out of breath from your strenuous walk back, your shirt sticking to your sweaty skin “Please don’t Echo. I can’t do a lecture right now”

He lifts his hands in surrender “I wasn’t going to”

You send him a look that says ‘yeah sure you weren’t’ before you sit up enough to keep yourself steady as you feel the ship lift into the air.

You can still feel Echos eyes on you all during the take off sequence. You close your eyes to avoid his gaze, focusing on regaining your breathing and grateful for the excuse of take off to stay seated.

Waiting until the ship is safely in hyperspace, you stick a hand under your bunk, pulling your tool bag from underneath it as you start to pick out your supplies.

Pushing your hair out of your face, you look down at the knee joint of your prosthetic, grumbling to yourself as you notice the thick layer of rust formed around all the screws and hinges. It’s so bad you don’t even know where to start…

You feel Echos quiet eyes still on you as you pick up a screwdriver, making an albeit pathetic attempt at loosening one of the screws. It doesn’t budge one bit, thick rust gathered in all of the rivets of the screw and keeping it firmly stuck.

A lot of it is going to need to be replaced. The smart thing to do would be to try and take the whole prosthetic off first, and then focus on fixing what you could.

But you’re too tired and too annoyed to stop and think, instead you let the anger wash over you. Why could you never get used to this? Why couldn’t you just have a normal leg? You firm your grip on the handle of the screwdriver, and let the frustration take over as you attempt to force it harder.

Not surprisingly, the rusted screw head snaps, the screwdriver slipping and landing straight into your other thigh.

You drop it immediately, hand going to grip your thigh and eyes squeezing shut as you take a sharp breath in pain.

Echo is up and in front of you immediately.

You open your eyes enough to look up at him “I’m fine” you dismiss stubbornly

Echo just sighs, shaking his head as he kneels in front of you. He tugs at your hands until you let go, his hands replacing yours as he keeps a bit of pressure on your thigh. It’s not really a deep wound, more of a gash. But it is bleeding a bit, so he grabs a towel from your bunk and keeps it pressed down.

No told you sos, no snarky comments. Gentle and patient.

That’s something you’d always loved about Echo.

So calm, so understanding.

He barely ever shouted or lost his temper. Always so caring and kind.

Eventually he looks up at you, eyes meeting yours as he tilts his head.

“Why are you so damn stubborn, huh?”

There’s no malice behind the question, no anger. Just pure resignation.

Somehow, that hurts more.

“I’m sorry” you mutter, forcing your eyes to meet his “ I just- I hate not being able to just be normal you know?” You gesture down towards your prosthetic, a hint of disgust taking over your voice “I hate that this limits me”

His own eyes drift down to your metal leg before making their way back up to your face, a look of understanding filling his eyes “I get what you’re saying. Trust me I do” he reassures.

A beat of silence before he talks again “But you need to learn to look at it differently.” he explains gently “I understand it’s frustrating, I understand it makes you feel less than. But you can’t change it. It’s what makes you you.”

You nod, chewing on your cheek, a nervous habit you’ve had for a ms long as you can remember. You do understand what he’s saying. But it’s soo much easier said than done.

He smiles a little sadly, thumb gently swiping over your cheek as he turns your face to face him as he calls your name

“It takes time. Be patient with yourself. I promise you’ll get there”

You nod, smiling gently although it doesn't quite reach your eyes “Yeah, I can try”

He smiles, hand drifting to the back of your neck and giving it a little squeeze “Good, that’s a start”

He turns his attention back to your thigh, listing the towel enough to take a peak. The small gash seems to have stopped bleeding at least.

He stands, moving back to his bunk to pull a med kit out from underneath.

You sit up straighter “It's ok Echo. I can do it myself-”

He gives you a look that immediately silences you. He wordlessly kneels back in front of you, opening the med kit and retrieving an antiseptic spray.

You watch silently as he sprays it on the gash, gently scrubbing away the dried blood and dirt.

“I used to feel the same” he breaks the silence, attention still on the wound as he talks “Still do sometimes”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah” he admits “I understand how you're feeling. But the same thing that you think is a curse can be an advantage. If you let it”

His eyes flick up to you “You have to learn to use it”

You watch in silence as he finishes cleaning, picking up a bacta patch and carefully applying it. Once he's done he looks back up to you, giving you a gentle smile when he sees you already looking at him.

“Thank you” you say “And not just for taking care of that” you add, gesturing to the bacta patch. You take his hand in yours, squeezing it slightly “Thank you for understanding, for putting up with me”

He smiles, chuckling lightly as he shakes his head “No problem darling. We gotta stick together, yeah?”

You nod, smiling as you give his hand another squeeze “Yeah, together.”

He nods, standing back up and putting his hands on his hips as he looks down at your prosthetic. It really is gonna need a lot of work.

“Let's eat first” he decides eventually “Stay put and I’ll bring you a plate. Then we can tackle fixing what we can.”

 "Fives..." You groaned. "I don't want to be introduced to anyone." 

"Isn't it time for you to get back out there? I mean, Echo is way better than that other guy, I know you'll love him. He's just like me, but not as handsome or funny." 

"He's like you? So I won't like him at all then," you deadpanned.

"You wound me." He said dramatically before miraculously changing his tone. "Now let's go."

"You aren't taking no for an answer, are you?"

"Nope." He grinned. "Tell you what, just come with me to 79's, if you don't like him, or if you're not having fun, I'll pay for your cab home."

"How generous." You rolled your eyes. "Fine. Only to shut you up, I will go with you. Just let me get changed."

"Wear something hot!" He yelled as you walked toward your room, a grin plastered on his face knowing that he won.

"Kriff off." You answered, slamming your door behind you.

You barely had the energy to go out, you definitely didn't feel like wearing something hot. But you also knew Fives was relentless and if you walked out wearing jeans and a simple shirt, he'd march you back into your room and pick something out for you.

But maybe it wasn't a bad idea to go all out. After all, you were certain your ex had immediately gotten back out there after your breakup, in fact you were certain he'd gotten back out there before your breakup.

You shook your head in anger, then rifled through your closet, trying to find something that remotely resembled a club outfit, before you stopped at a dress Fives had gotten you as a joke. It was a cocktail dress, a bit short for your tastes with a deep v-shaped neckline, and of course in "501st Blue" as he put it.

You held it up to yourself, looking at it in the mirror, debating if it was a good choice or not.

"Hey you still have it!" Fives said, standing in the doorway.

You startled at the sudden intrusion. "Privacy?"

"You're taking too long. That's perfect, now put it on and let's go!"

Before you could complain, he closed the door behind him as he went back to the front room to wait for you.

You sighed and quickly changed into the dress before brushing out your hair and wiping away any remnants of yesterday's eyeliner, foregoing a new layer of makeup.

As you walked out of your room, you tugged on the hem of the dress, definitely too short for you, but before you had a chance to regret your choice, you felt Fives' hand on your arm, dragging you to the door.

"Can I at least put shoes on?"

He rolled his eyes, "I guess."

After you had thrown on a pair of black strappy heels, he was once again dragging you by the arm. You didn't even have a chance to fasten the straps, but you resigned yourself to having to figure it out in the cab.

"What's the hurry anyway? It's not like you have to leave tonight."

"I know, but it's never a bad thing to give ourselves more time."

"It's barely even dark yet," You pointed out as you exited your apartment building.

"Well maybe I told Echo we'd get something to eat first."

"Fives!"

"What? We're still going to 79s, just before it gets crowded and too loud for you guys to speak."

"How do you even know Echo will like me?"

"I just know." He flashed you a grin before hailing a cab over to you.

Once inside, you got to work on buckling up your shoes.

"Look," Fives said, his tone more serious than before. "Echo's a good guy, I obviously would never force you to meet him if I thought he wasn't going to like you, or if I thought you wouldn't like him."

"I know that," You told him, looking down at your lap, "I just... With the breakup and everything–"

"It's hard to put yourself out there again. I get it, but just... humor me, okay? And I swear, the second you tell me you want to leave, I'll get you out of there."

When you didn't answer immediately, Fives turned to you. His eyes met yours, seeing your hesitation immediately.

"We can turn around, it's not too late." He offered, his voice gave away that it wasn't really what he wanted, but you knew he'd hold to his word if you asked.

"I'm already dressed." You said, rolling your eyes slightly.

He leaned over and wrapped his arms around you. "I love you, thank you!"

"I know, now get off me." You joked, despite sinking into the hug.

The taxi stopped at the landing pad in front of 79's. You had barely had enough time to scan the area before you heard someone calling Fives' name.

You looked in the direction the voice came from and you saw him bounding over to you. As expected, he looked exactly like Fives, aside from his clean-shaven, tattooless face, and the prominent blue handprint painted on his chest plate.

He stopped in front of you, greeting Fives with a firm hug before looking to you.

You had caught him subtly looking you over, and for a moment you began feeling self-conscious about your outfit choice once again, but that melted when he extended his hand to shake yours.

"You must be Fives' friend, I'm Echo."

You gave him your name with a polite smile, taking his hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise, Fives has told me a lot about you."

You turned to your friend as if to ask what exactly he had been saying about you, but he changed the subject.

"Let's go inside, I'm starving!" He announced as he began walking toward the bar, leaving you and Echo to follow him.

Fives led the two of you to a booth, and once he had slid in, he stretched obnoxiously, forcing you to slide in next to Echo.

You ensured to keep your distance, trying to avoid getting too close to him, but you also made sure to give Fives a quick glare. He shrugged and grinned in response.

Once your orders were placed, Echo glanced to you.

"Fives tells me that you're a writer?"

"Well, trying to be." You admit. "I'm a journalist, but I want to write more creatively."

"What would you write about?" His curiosity is genuine, he didn't think he had ever met someone who wanted to write books before.

"Me, obviously." Fives chimed in from across the table. "I'd make an excellent hero."

You rolled your eyes, it isn't the first time he has indicated being the protagonist in a story you wrote.

You looked back to Echo and shrugged slightly, "I haven't really decided yet."

"Well, I can't wait to read it, whatever it ends up being." His voice was soft, he seemed excited about the idea, which is more than you could say for others.

Feeling warmth spread across your face, you looked back to the table quickly, just in time for your food to arrive.

The conversations were on and off as the three of you ate. They were mostly between Echo and Fives and you observed the two of them together, but occasionally you joined in as well.

Before long, your meals were done, and drinks had begun to be delivered to your table.

After one or two, Echo looked back and forth between you and Fives, before his gaze rested on you.

"Fives always talks about how good of friends you two are, but I'm curious, you've never... gone beyond that?"

You coughed into your cup before your laughter mingled with your coughing from the drink you inhaled.

"No," Was all you could say, and even that was strained.

You looked to Fives, who was laughing too. "I mean, I can't lie, look at her; she's beautiful. But, not my type."

Shaking your head at his compliment, you had finally cleared the liquid from your windpipe.

You looked to Echo and clarified. "Fives and I have been friends since he came to Coruscant, he asked me out, yeah, but we learned very early on that we were compatible only as friends."

Fives took another swig of his drink before giving you a knowing look. You raised an eyebrow as his focus turned to Echo.

"She's a bit too serious for me, y'know? Like she's smart, maybe a bit of a bookworm, would rather stay in and watch a holofilm, maybe that's why we work as friends. But honestly, she's more the kind of girl you like, Echo."

And there it was.

Your eyes widen slightly at his comment, before you attempt to drown your embarrassment with the remainder of your drink.

You can feel Echo shift slightly in his seat, and you decide it's a great time to go track down refills for the three of you.

Quickly getting up from your seat, you made a bee-line for the bar counter. Pushing through the group of clones that had begun to amass there.

You could feel their gazes upon you but you ignored them as you ordered drinks for your table and waited patiently.

Out of the corner of your eye, you could see the same blue handprint you had noticed earlier, and you turned to face Echo. He looked just as embarrassed as you, but he gave you an apologetic smile.

"I'm... That was uncalled for. Sorry that Fives embarrassed you like that."

You shook your head, "No, it's okay. Truthfully I saw it coming. I'm sorry that he put you on the spot."

"Don't worry about it. I mean, if anything, he's right."

His words took a moment to sink in, and the realization became present on your face as soon as they had.

"What do you mean?" You asked, trying not to jump to conclusions.

"I mean that, if how he described you is accurate, which I suspect it is, I'm the same way. This kind of place, it's fun, and I like coming here with the boys after a mission, but I prefer relaxing in my barracks, catching up on some reading, that kind of thing."

Before you could respond, another clone sitting at the bar turned to the two of you.

"Get a load of this guy, spends his time reading!" He slurred. "What a loser, you could do way better, doll."

He wasn't subtle about the way his eyes trailed up your body. He paused, looking at the hem of your dress, then his eyes continued upward, stopping at the deep-v neckline as he stared pointedly at your breasts.

You immediately felt yourself shrink away from his gaze as you could see him ogling you, but before you could say anything, you felt yourself being pulled backwards.

Echo had grabbed your arm and pulled you into him, shielding you from view while stepping between you and the other clone. He gave him a glare, but said nothing.

"You can't be serious, all that eyecandy for you?" The clone complained loudly. "Whatever, take the dumb chaakar back to your bunk and read to her. I bet that's why she wore that outfit." His tone was laced with sarcasm, and it wasn't lost on you.

Before either of you could react, the bartender arrived with your drinks. Both of you visibly relaxed and brought them back to the table.

Fives could tell something was up when he saw you approach, but Echo just shook his head, knowing that if he knew, his brother would cause something he'd have to clean up.

Echo slid into the booth first, and you followed. Once you were seated, still maintaining some distance from him, he inched slightly closer to you, resting his thigh against yours as a way to comfort you.

You took a sip of your drink and looked away from the table, not sure what to say.

Fives looked between you and Echo before you felt him nudge your foot from under the table. When you met his eye, he subtly nudged his head toward the door, silently asking if you wanted to leave.

You shook your head with a genuine smile and he relaxed.

"So what'd you guys talk about?" Fives finally asked.

"Insulting you, mostly." You answered, not skipping a beat.

"Only mostly? I'm offended."

"Not everything is about you, believe it or not." You smirked.

Echo took another swig of his drink. "I keep telling him that."

"If I had known this night would end up with you two teaming up against me, I'd have never brought you." Fives says with fake indignance, crossing his arms.

"You couldn't have expected anything different," you pointed out. "The two people who know you best, I'd say we make a pretty good team, wouldn't you agree, Echo?"

You smiled at him and he shifted in his seat a bit. "Y-Yeah, we do!"

With the drinks flowing, the three of you were able to continue your conversation, opening up more and more as the night went on.

You learned more about Fives that you probably could have gone your whole life without learning, but you also slowly started to get to know Echo.

It was almost as if you were both working on chipping away each others' quiet, introverted demeanors, until eventually, Echo chipped a bit too much.

"Fives had mentioned you weren't seeing anyone, it's not really my business but is there a reason for that?"

Your stunned reaction made him start to regret his question and he quickly back-pedaled. "That was a dumb question, you don't have to answer that."

"No, no it's fine I just..." You looked at Fives for support then back at your drink, before looking to Echo again. "I guess to make a long story short, my last partner cheated on me."

"A lot." Fives added in, earning a glare from you.

"I caught him with someone else, he tried to tell me it was nothing, that I was crazy for being upset, that I should have seen it coming, and every excuse in the book. Even accused me of cheating with Fives. But then the truth came out about everyone else he had been with." Your finger circled idly around your glass as you stared at the remaining liquid.

Echo was silent. It took a minute of silence before you finally looked over at him. His expression was something between confusion and anger as he processed what you told him.

"I..." He looked at Fives, "Is this guy still living?"

"Unfortunately yes." Fives answered, "Though I did ask if I could do the honours and kill him myself, but she said no."

"He wasn't worth the jail time you would have gotten." You said, your tone indicating that this wasn't the first time you had said it.

"I'm sorry." Echo looked back at you. His hand reaching out, then hesitating, then finally resting it on your shoulder. "I may not know you well, but from what I've learned and seen, it truly is his loss. I couldn't even imagine anyone throwing away a relationship with you."

You could feel yourself blush at his words, his voice was so genuine, he meant what he was saying. The way he looked into your eyes; maybe Fives was right and you would end up with a crush.

Fives looked back and forth between the two of you before smirking to himself and drinking the last sip of his beverage.

"I'm gonna go get us some refills. Be back in a minute."

After a moment, Echo removed his hand from your shoulder, but you were very aware of how his fingertips brushed your arm when doing so.

"So, what about you?" You asked after a beat.

"What do you mean?"

"Why aren't you seeing anyone?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, well... it's kind of against regulation."

"So I've heard, but most of the people I've talked to seem to ignore that rule."

"Yeah, I guess I've just always been a stickler for the rules. And, I mean," a faint blush crept across his cheeks, "That clone at the bar wasn't wrong. Women aren't exactly lining up to spend time with me when there are more fun people out there."

"I'm here, aren't I?" You blurted out.

Once you realized what you said, your eyes widened and your gaze quickly turned back to your empty glass.

Echo chuckled quietly beside you. "Yeah, I guess you are."

You looked around nervously, not knowing what to say. You glanced toward the bar before looking back at Echo. "Fives has been gone a while, I think I'll go check that he can handle the drinks."

"You sure? I could go if you want, I don't want anyone to bother you again."

You smiled, appreciative of his concern.  "I'll be alright."

"If you say so," He shrugged, "I'll be here."

You gently rested your hand on his before you got up from the bench. As soon as he couldn't see your face, your eyes widened in panic wondering why you did that. Echo only stared after you, smiling.

When you approached the bar, you found Fives right away, leaning against the counter and talking to another clone as he waited on your drinks.

The other clone turned to you as soon as he noticed you approach.

Of course he was the same one as earlier.

"Back already?" He asked, "What, did he finally bore you?"

You rolled your eyes, and without looking at him, you replied flatly. "Quite the opposite."

Fives raised an eyebrow at your exhange, "Did I miss something?"

"Just glad I get to admire the scenery again."

You visibly cringed, but you did your best to ignore him as you focused on Fives. "I just came up to see if you needed help with the drinks."

Fives, still confused, nodded. "Yeah, sure. You gonna tell me what's going on?"

"Just some jagyc thinking he can take me home." You explained as if he wasn't right beside you. Your Mando'a wasn't great, but you'd heard quite a few insults in the time you've spent with Fives.

"What, you already get bored of Booksmart? Moved onto someone else? Or are you just some barrack bunny trying to get as many clones as possible?"

"Ease up, maybe you've had a bit too much to drink." Fives said with an uncharacteristically serious voice. "She's not interested, and the next time you insult her, you'll be doing so without teeth."

Before he could say anything else, the bartender arrived with your drinks. You took yours while Fives grabbed the other two, but you hesitated as you were walking away.

"Everything okay?" Fives was concerned when you suddenly stopped.

"Actually I–" You stared down at your feet.

"You want to go home? I'd understand, that clone was out of line."

"No it's not that... I just, need to talk to you."

He raised an eyebrow, "What's up?"

"There's not really an ideal time to say this, and as much as it pains me to admit... You were right. While you were up here, Echo and I started talking and... I don't know, he's sweet."

Fives' confused face turned into a grin as soon as you said he was right. "So what are you saying? You like him?"

"I don't know..." You could feel heat flooding your cheeks. "I won't make any guarantees, but I want to get to know him better."

"That could be arranged, leave it to me!"

Before you could say anything, Fives turned around and started walking back to your table.

"Wait, Fives, no!" You trailed behind him, terrified of what he meant. What was he going to do?

When you got back to the table and slid into the booth, you eyed Fives cautiously.

"So, Echo," Fives started and you felt a pit grow in your stomach. "Got any plans for after the mission?"

He shrugged, "Nothing out of the ordinary."

"I think you should change up your routine. Why don't you two go on a date?" Fives said, gesturing to both of you.

Your eyes widened and your knew your face had to be beet red by now. You couldn't even turn your head to look at Echo.

"Oh, really? Why us?" He asked, genuine curiosity in his voice.

"Well I mean, you seem to get along pretty well, you have stuff in common, I think you'd really hit it off without me sitting across from you."

Echo paused before answering again. He looked over at you and noticed you wouldn't meet his gaze. "What do you think?"

Slowly, you turned your head to face him. "I mean... if you want to, I wouldn't mind." Your voice was quiet as you desperately tried to hide your nerves.

He gave you a sweet smile, "Then I guess it's a date, as soon as we're back."

Fives smiled between the two of you then gave you a wink when you finally looked back at him.

"Where are you guys shipping off to, anyway?"

Fives shrugged, "Lola Sayu, some kind of fortress or something. Shouldn't be too long, it's just a retrieval mission."

"Do you want me to head to the landing dock tomorrow morning as usual?"

"Usual?" Echo repeated.

"Yeah she normally sends us off, maybe you've never noticed." He turned back to you, "I don't think you'll be able to this time, the general said we have to take an alternate means of transport."

Your shoulders sank slightly, "Oh, I see. That sounds interesting though. I'll just have to send you luck when we're done here."

Fives smiled, downing the last of his drink. "We should probably get going soon, early start and all."

You and Echo finished your respective drinks after him and nodded, slowly shuffling out of the booth, heading toward the exit.

There were more clones gathered outside now, and the cool nighttime air on your skin made you shiver.

Fives hailed a taxi as you and Echo hung back, not really sure what to say to each other now.

Once the cab arrived, Fives let you go in first, followed by Echo and then himself.

"Two stops," you told the droid before giving it your address, but you were cut off by Fives before you could tell it the second stop.

"Just the one stop."

You looked at him with an eyebrow raised in confusion.

"We won't see you tomorrow, I'm not accepting a half-assed goodbye from the cab."

You rolled your eyes, "Fine."

Once the taxi arrived at the landing dock outside of your apartment, the three of you left the vehicle, one after the other.

Fives scooped you up into a big hug as soon as you exited the cab, holding you tight against his chest. You wrapped your arms around his shoulders.

"Try not to miss us too much, got it?" He said into your shoulder. You smiled and tightened your side of the hug.

"Try not to get blown up." You joked.

You could feel him smile before he broke the hug, looking into your eyes. You rested a hand against his cheek gently.

"Comm me as soon as you can. And stay safe." You looked at Echo then back to Fives. "Keep each other safe."

"Of course," Fives replied before giving you a soft kiss on your forehead then stepping away so you could talk to Echo.

The two of you exchanged a slightly more awkward albeit friendly hug.

"You don't get blown up either." You told him with a half-smile.

"I'll try not to. We've got a date when I get back." He reminded you.

"It was nice meeting you. I'm looking forward to getting to know you better."

He smiled as his cheeks and ears flushed slightly pink. "Likewise."

You took a step toward him before kissing his cheek. "Stay safe."

"Of-of course." His hand rested against his cheek where you kissed him. "I'll let you know when I get back."

You smiled at him. Fives approached the two of you again.

"We should get back to the barracks, Rex won't be happy if we're too late."

"I don't want to keep you. Just, be careful. I'll see you both when you get back!"

You watched as they hailed another taxi and boarded. Once the transport was out of sight, you walked into your apartment building, already looking forward to the day they returned.

– – –

One night, a couple of weeks following your night at 79s, you were woken up to the sound of a fist slamming on your door. You jolted upright, hesitating if you should answer it or not.

You sat in your bed, trying to stop yourself from trembling as you waited with bated breath if whoever was at your door would knock again.

They did, only softer this time.

Slowly, you crept out of your bedroom, trying to make as little sound as possible before you finally made it to the front door. You pressed your ear against it, hoping to hear who was on the other side, but they didn't make a sound between knocks.

"Wh-who's there?" You asked, shakily.

"Please open the door, it's Fives." You visibly relaxed before unlocking and opening the door for your friend.

Before you could say anything, he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into his chest, just as he did the night before he left.

"I'm sorry." He said, barely a whisper.

You backed away from his embrace and you moved to close and lock your front door, turning the hall light on once it was closed.

"I didn't know you were back, you should have commed me!" You told him, assuming his apology was for his extended time away.

"We just got back, I sent you a message but I guess you were asleep. I..." He looked down and you could see his jaw clench as he balled his hands into fists. "I couldn't..."

He trailed off and your smile fell. "Is everything okay?"

He looked away, not meeting your gaze, until you placed your hand on his cheek, forcing him to look at you.

"Fives, what's wrong?"

"It's... it's Echo." His voice broke slightly and you could feel the pain in your chest caused by his sadness. "I tried to stop him but he–"

You could see his eyes start to water before he could get the words out, and he melted into your palm. You pulled him into another embrace, gently stroking his hair.

"Why don't you sit down and tell me what happened?" You suggested. It was strange to see Fives so upset, in all the time you've been friends, you couldn't think of a time where he's been angry in front of you, let alone crying. You took his hand and led him to the couch.

Once he was seated, he brought his hand to his face, trying to sneakily wipe away tears as if he didn't want you to see them.

"Echo's dead." He said after a long pause. "Droids blew up our ship, Echo tried to defend it."

"I see." You couldn't think of what to say.

Words of comfort usually came so naturally to you, but you were speechless. It's true you didn't know Echo very well, even after your night out, but the news made your heart ache. You had been looking forward to seeing him again, to going on your date, and all of that had been taken away, but more importantly, Fives just lost one of his brothers.

You looked over at Fives who was already looking at you. He didn't know how you'd take the news and he was worried.

"I'm sorry, Fives. I didn't know him well, but he didn't deserve that."

"Him and I were the last of our original squad and now I'm alone, I couldnt even retrieve his helmet." He sighed, "And you were supposed to go out with him after, I told you I'd keep him safe."

"Hey, don't worry about me. I'm sad that he's gone, believe me, but I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I've lost brothers before, it's what we were created for, but... It's not right. Echo deserved to live."

"You all do. Just because you were created for war doesn't mean you have to just accept your fate or anyone else's." You shook your head. "It's late, and I don't want you to be alone right now. Do you want to stay over?"

"Yeah, that would be nice. Thank you."

"Of course." You leaned over on the sofa, kissing his temple before wrapping your arms around him. "We can talk more about it in the morning, okay?"

"Sorry for waking you up."

"I'm glad you did."

You stood up from the couch to grabs Fives a pillow and some blankets you had stored nearby for this exact reason. 

"If you need anything, help yourself. Get some sleep, okay?"

"I'll do my best."

You walked back to your room and laid back down in your bed. Suddenly the full wave of everything he told you hit you and you could feel your eyes water.

You didn't feel it was right for you to cry over someone you barely knew, it felt selfish to mourn someone you wanted to get to know better. You couldn't shake the thought of what could have been.

Your chest ached with sadness and longing, wishing he could have made it through. Fives was right, Echo deserved to live.

While you were alone you allowed yourself to cry for him, but you knew you had to be strong for Fives. He wouldn't forgive himself if he saw you cry, and he didn't need that guilt. You could get through this. You just wished you could see him again.

As you lay, staring at the ceiling, you heard a gentle knock on your bedroom door. You hastily wiped any tears from your face and turned on the lamp beside your bed.

"Come in." You called out, before the door opened.

Fives looked as though he wanted to say something, but couldn't voice it. He shied away in embarrassment before you offered him a gentle smile.

"If you want to stay in here, that's okay."

"Thanks..." he muttered before walking around to the other side of your bed. "I'm sorry I just.."

"You don't want to be alone, I understand. Come here." You invited him toward you with open arms, and he moved closer to you, laying his head on your chest. You gently stroked his hair.

"I'm sorry."

"There's nothing you need to apologize for."

"I shouldn't have asked you to come out with us that night."

"I'm glad I did. It's true that I didn't get to know him well, but I'm glad that I met him. And I feel more equipped to help you now because I did."

"You're allowed to be upset too, you know. You don't have to comfort me. Echo wouldn't shut up about your date, it was actually getting pretty annoying, I'm just sorry he couldn't be here for it."

"Thank you for telling me that." In a weird way it did make you feel better, and it helped that Fives could still make fun of his brother despite the circumstances. "I'll be okay, though. And I'll be here for you whenever you need me."

Underneath the twinkling canvas of stars, you and Echo found yourselves nestled around the crackling campfire, the warmth casting a gentle glow over your faces. The air was crisp, carrying with it the faint scent of pine and the distant sound of nocturnal creatures stirring in the forest.

Echo sat beside you, his gaze fixed on the dancing flames as they flickered and swayed in the cool night breeze. His expression was thoughtful, his brow furrowed slightly as if lost in deep contemplation.

"You know," he began, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between you, "there's something about being out here, under the stars, that just feels... right."

You nodded in agreement, following his gaze as it drifted up toward the glittering expanse above. "It's peaceful," you replied softly, "like the chaos of the world fades away for a little while."

Echo smiled, a small, genuine curve of his lips that softened the lines of his face. "Exactly," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

As the fire crackled and popped beside you, the two of you found yourselves lost in conversation, sharing stories and memories as the night stretched on. Echo spoke of his time as a member of the 501st as well as his time in Clone Force 99, recounting daring missions and narrow escapes with a mixture of pride and humility. You listened intently, hanging on his every word as he painted vivid pictures of battles fought and comrades lost. There was a depth to Echo's stories that resonated with you, a sense of camaraderie and loyalty that spoke to the bonds forged in the crucible of war.

"I'll never forget the time we were stranded on that desolate moon," Echo said, a wistful smile playing at the corners of his lips. "We had to fend off a pack of ravenous nexu with nothing but our blasters and a few thermal detonators."

You laughed, the sound echoing softly in the quiet of the night. "That sounds like quite the adventure," you replied, imagining the scene playing out in your mind's eye.

"It was," Echo agreed, his gaze distant as he relived the memory. "But it was also one of the moments that brought us closer together as a team. We had each other's backs, no matter what. I felt like a real part of a team again." 

As the fire burned low and the sky lay above you as a dark, velvet cover, you realized that this moment was something special. It was a chance to connect with Echo on a level that went beyond the battlefield, to see the man behind the armor and the scars.

"Thank you for sharing your stories with me," you said softly, breaking the silence that had settled over the clearing. "It means a lot."

Echo turned to you, his gaze soft and sincere. "Thank you for listening," he replied, a hint of warmth in his voice despite its wistful touch. "It's been a long time since I've had someone to share them with.”

You felt a flutter of anticipation in your chest, and the air between you seemed charged with electricity, a palpable tension that you couldn't ignore. He shifted beside you, his gaze lingering on your face as if searching for something in the depths of your eyes. 

"You know," he began, his voice low and husky, "there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

Your heart skipped a beat at his words, anticipation coursing through your veins. "What is it?" you asked, barely above a whisper.

He reached out, his hand coming to rest on yours, his touch sending a jolt of electricity up your arm. "I... I don't know how to say this," he confessed, his gaze dropping to where your fingers were intertwined. "But ever since I met you, I've felt... something. Something I can't really explain, and something I don’t think I deserve, but… I don’t want to stuff it down anymore.”

“Oh.” Your breath caught in your throat, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air between you. “Echo… How could you say you don’t deserve it?”

“Cause I’m a bit of an ass,” he said with a grin, breaking the intensity of the moment with some levity.

“My favorite ass,” you teased, heart warming at the humor and relief that softened his sharp features. 

Echo looked up, his gaze locking with yours, and in that moment, the world seemed to fall away. His pale brown eyes were brimming with emotion, a new vulnerability and courage surfacing at the same time. You didn’t know how to confess all that you felt toward him as well, feeling utterly paralyzed by the dreaminess of the entire situation -- nestled cozily side by side on the ground beneath the stars. 

Without thinking, you leaned forward, closing the distance between you until your lips met in a soft, tender kiss. It was like coming home, a perfect moment of clarity and connection that left you breathless and wanting more. He sucked air in through his nose, freezing for a split second before tilting his head to deepen the kiss. His arms snuck around you, pulling you more closely against him until you were almost losing your balance, and you came tumbling apart with hands sprawling to find the ground and a small chuckle punctuating the passion.

Once you got situated, you snuggled back together, closer than before, tucking yourself against his side. He nestled his cheek against the side of your head, his fingers tracing patterns against the outside of your arm. "I've wanted to do that for so long," he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper.

You smiled, a rush of happiness flooding through you at his words. "Me too," you replied, turning and leaning in to press another kiss to his lips.

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"Do you really have to do this now?" asks Echo critically, frowning unwillingly as Tech sets about taking the headset off him. He feels uncomfortable, his eyes wandering to the clock again and again. He's excited enough as it is, it won't be long until your second date, and he wants to be on time, especially he doesn't want you to notice any more of his problems. It's enough that you know about his legs and his arm, he doesn't really want to reveal his hearing loss to you right away. Not yet. He wants to wait for the right moment, but when is the right moment for that anyway? Tech says matter-of-factly as always, "You want the problems fixed as soon as possible, don't you? It won't take long." Echo sighs somberly. "Yeah, I do, but I'm about to meet her". "Oh? A second date?" asks Tech, surprised. Echo says grumpily, "Don't act surprised, she simply likes me". Tech shrugs and says nonchalantly, "Our squad rarely has prospects of a romantic nature, by that I mean all of us, not just you" Echo laughs softly and says, "She's only dating me though, and I'm certainly not going to share that girl with you" "If you did, that would be weird too" Tech notes dryly.

He loosens the last screws and takes off the headset. Echo blinks a few times, hearing a low hiss he always hears when he's not wearing the headset. "This feels like shit," he grumbles, only partially able to hear his own voice as he does so. He feels Tech tap him on the shoulder and follows his finger pointing, in your direction. You've arrived earlier than scheduled. He sees your smile and can't help it, he has to smile too. "Hi," Echo says softly, almost timidly, and raises his hand in greeting, a gesture you return. But then you say something to him and all he can hear are muffled, distorted sounds that barely penetrate through the constant static noise. Echo raises both hands toward his ears, shakes his head and shrugs helplessly. "I can barely hear anything," he says louder than usual, and it feels very strange to barely hear his own voice as well. You look from one to the other for a moment, but then you smile in understanding and nod. You exchange a few words with Tech, but he can't understand what you're saying. A moment later, you gently grab Echo's hand and pull him with you. Over his shoulder, he calls out to Tech, "Hurry up with that thing, please."

Tech makes a shooing hand gesture to signify for him to go with you. Outside the Marauder, you walk just a few steps, to a bench beyond the landing area under a tree with a sweeping, low-hanging canopy in full bloom. It's a nice spot, and for the moment you're alone. You feel Echo looking around frantically as you walk, hearing phantom noises and expecting to run into someone or get hit by a speeder. You squeeze his hand encouragingly, gently tugging on it so that he closes in on you. You place your other hand on his forearm and smile at Echo. You can't use words, but Echo sees in your expression that you want to tell him you have everything under control, he doesn't have to worry. He's a little wobbly on his feet, every time he walks without his hearing aid his sense of balance suffers a little, but you gently and safely guide him to the bench beneath the flowering tree. His hearing has deteriorated over time after the Citadel, the damaged eardrums simply not recovering, Tech's guess is that this is also due to some nerve damage. Occasionally, however, the headset needs to be serviced and Echo is actually glad that Tech is taking care of this.

You sit down together on the bench, in the shade of the low-hanging branches. You hear him sigh in relief. Echo trusts you, yet he is glad to be able to sit down and not have to rely on his hearing or sense of balance for a moment. He looks at you, and you sense that something is on his mind. When he speaks, he is again much louder than you are used to, but you don't mind. "Didn't think you'd agree to a second date." You laugh softly, and he smiles when he sees it. Then you raise your hand, showing him first one finger, then a second, a third and so on. Showing him the whole again and again with a big smile. "You want more dates?" he asks, surprised. At your nod, he asks with a wry smile, "What do you want with damaged goods like me, anyway?" You pull a pout and shake your head, wagging your finger reproachfully, before smiling and kissing his cheek. When you look at him again, his cheeks have a little more color than usual. He laughs softly and says, "I like you a lot, too."

Your radiant smile makes his heart beat faster, and he has to take a deep breath to collect himself. This feeling that you trigger in him is quite new for him, but yet he already doesn't want to miss it. The fast pulse, the fluttering in his stomach, the tingling under his skin and this constant urge to smile. He's so excited with you and at the same time more relaxed than ever. "You're very special," he says a little breathlessly. You emphatically place your hand on his chest. "Me too?" he asks with a grin. At your energetic nod, he laughs softly again. You hear Tech say, "Finished with the headset. Am I interrupting?" and turn to face him. "No, you're not interrupting." Echo sees his brother with the headset and sighs in relief. You give them both some space and Tech puts the headset back on Echo. When he's done with it, Tech asks, "So, how does it feel? Can you hear me?" Echo gives him a thumbs up and says, "Fine, Tech, thank you very much" "You're welcome anytime." As Tech leaves you alone again, Echo looks at you, he grins and says, "Now let me hear your wonderful voice" You laugh softly and say, "It's not that wonderful"

Echo beams at you in love and says, "Oh yes, for me, it is". The way he looks at you is so wonderfully dreamy, makes your heart beat faster. "So you said last time you wanted to show me something?" you ask curiously. Echo smirks and says, "Hunter let me have the secondary shuttle for the day." You laugh softly and ask, "Are you trying to kidnap me?" "Something like that, of course, only if that's what you want." "As long as we don't go to Tatooine," you say with a little giggle. Echo laughs heartily. "No, don't worry about it. But have you ever seen a sunset in the lake scenery on Naboo?"

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The weekend's familiar patrons crowded the bar, ordering their endless rounds of drinks for hours on end until they couldn't even walk straight. Cid wasn't a responsible bar owner, so she never let you cut anyone off when they were too drunk.

"Drunk customers are paying customers" She'd always say. You roll your eyes every time her voice plays in the back of your mind. She took you in when you were a child, and you always saw her as an aunt, but she wasn't protective of your safety like an aunt should be. Regardless, you loved her anyways.

Luckily, your favorite guys were across the bar tonight, crowded into a corner booth, taking it easy and enjoying their time together. Omega was kicking some ass at Dejarik. No matter how busy the place could get, and even with Hunter watching her like a hawk, you were adamant about making sure she was safe when there were this many people around. This was no place for a child, but somehow she was right where she belonged.

Glancing across the room back to the rest of the guys, you briefly caught Echo's eye and flashed him a smile. He smiled back before you returned to pouring and mixing drinks on autopilot. There was something about him - Echo, that you were so attracted to. The brothers were similar in appearance, but none of them were as kind as Echo.

Wrecker, Tech and Hunter were playing a drinking game, completely oblivious to the fact that they lost Echo's attention a while ago, but he couldn’t help staring at you.

"Can I get another drink?!" A loud, distracting man yelled from the other end of the bar.

"Yep, I'll be right there" You shot him a quick assuring smile.

"Now!” He impatiently demanded, his voice now louder than before, startling you.

“Please be patient, sir, I am working as fast as I can” You told him firmly.

“Maybe if you lost a few pounds you could work faster” 

Right then and there your heart sunk into the pit of your stomach. Suddenly every hateful comment you'd ever received came rushing to your mind, clouding your ability to even defend yourself. You stood there, motionless. This man had found your biggest insecurity and attacked it with anger.

You caught sight of Echo again, who was already watching the look on your face turn to sorrow. It was too loud for him to hear what had been said, but he knew something was wrong immediately. 

The beat of your heart thumped viciously inside your chest, pressing hard at the lump stuck in your throat. Rushing out from behind the bar, trying to turn the corner before a stream of tears stained your face in front of such a large crowd, you heard a slew of choice words exchanged loudly. One of the voices you recognized…Echo. You took a few deep breaths and poked your head around the corner.

Echo and the guys had cornered the insulting patron. Wrecker had him by the back of the neck, ready to throw him to the streets at any second. Echo and Hunter were in his face, undoubtedly threatening him.

It was all too much for you to handle and you needed some space.

The closing door of Aunt Cid’s office offered the solace you needed to calm down. There was a stinging sensation in your eyes as you shut them tight, trying your damnedest to get it together. No matter how many times in your life you tried to move past your insecurities about your body, someone like that guy will always be around to remind you of it.

Just then, a faint knock came from the other side of the door.

“Y/N?” The gentle voice called

Echo.

“I’m fine” You called to him, but the strangling effort in your voice to sound like you weren’t crying only made it all the more obvious.

“Can I come in?” He asked politely.

Instead of responding, you walked over to the door and pulled it open only slightly. You hesitantly looked up at him, and found the most concerned man in the galaxy. The wetness upon your cheeks instantly grabbed his attention.

“Oh, Y/N” Echo’s brows pressed together, his voice like silk. It took everything in you not to burst into tears just from the tone of his words.

You allowed him to enter, and walked over to sit yourself on Cid’s desk.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t want you to see me like this” You sniffled.

“I’m your friend, Y/N, I’m here for you” He consoled.

“Thank you” You half smiled, thankful for his company.

“What did that guy say to you?” He asked. Something in his tone hinted that he was ready to kill him for hurting you.

“You didn’t hear?” You asked, confirming that he was too far away to know what the guy said, and came looking for you just based on how shattered you looked as you left the bar.

“No. Well, Hunter may have. We all saw your reaction to someone yelling and didn’t ask any questions, the guys took care of it” He explained, and moved to stand in front of you, taking your hand into his own, “I wanted to come check on you, though”

“He made a comment about my weight” You said quietly, somehow ashamed of admitting something that wasn't your fault.

“What?” Echo was appalled to hear this.

Your insecurity and self consciousness overcame you again, and you hung your head, “Yeah”

Echo's rage became obvious despite his attempt to suppress it.

“Listen to me, Y/N..." Echo started, bringing his head down to grab hold of your lowered gaze, but seemed to almost swallow his words before he could make them come out. He shut his eyes tight, realizing he might regret what he says next, "You are the most breathtaking woman I have ever laid eyes on"

The beating of your heart almost strangled you in that moment. Your hands trembled together in your embrace.

"I've never had the nerve to confess that to you before, but you needed to hear it now" He assured you, "I have been all over this galaxy. I've seen women of all shapes and sizes…but you? You are everything"

Your broken heart began mending itself with every word he spoke to you, "Echo" You whispered admirably.

"I mean it. Don't even think about listening to someone like that guy out there"

You were speechless.

"And this?" He began, his hand gesturing to the curves along your body, "is perfect"

"Will you kiss me?" You asked suddenly, knowing you wanted nothing more in that moment than to show him you wanted him.

His eagerness was no match for his nerves. Echo wanted to attack your supple lips, not holding back at all, but he couldn't, not yet. He inched forward slowly, afraid of messing this up, and planted his lips upon yours and delicately entwined the two of you.

Sparks ignited between the warmth of your kiss. A light whimper fell from your mouth onto his, telling him you wanted more. His hand wrapped around the back of your head and pressed you harder into him. Your tongue slipped over his lips and pulled a moan from him, piquing your arousals even further.

Heat began forming in your belly, migrating quickly to the pulsing between your legs. You squirmed slightly, your body craving friction against your sensitive, aching clit. Echo made note of your restlessness, and pulled away slightly.

"I want to taste you" He whispered against your lips. You took that as an invitation to kiss him harder, but you were stopped suddenly when he broke away from the kiss, "All of you".

Just then, a fire rushed through your body with the realization of what he meant. Without even hesitating, you parted your legs wider in your seated position on the desk. Echo placed his kiss on your neck before trailing his pecks further down your chest. His hand worked to inch the fabric of your dress up the length of your thighs, shooting chills down the length of your legs.

"Let me show you how beautiful you are to me" Echo insisted, a hint of hunger settled into his tone

"Please" You breathed.

You watched as he lowered himself in between your legs, putting his face level with where you ached for his touch. Cool air grazed the wetness slicked on your folds as he pulled your panties down your legs.

Gentle kisses peppered the inside of your thighs, inching closer and closer to your pussy. Soft whimpers had already begun falling off your lips before his tongue ever pressed against you.

The moment that you felt the intoxicating sensation of his tongue circling your clit, you were in heaven. It started slow, with soft rotations getting a gradual start on your pleasure. Maker, he was good at this.

"Oh, Echo. Yes" You moaned deep, but gently.

His eyes rarely left yours while he devoured you, wanting to see pretty little faces you'd make from the feeling he provided for you. His cock strained so helplessly against his pants, torturing him to no end. Echo had dreamed of this exact moment for so long, and now he had you in his hold, whining and falling apart under his influence.

He hungered for you, not just to taste your arousal, but to feel you in your most delicate state. His love for you existed from afar, as he was terrified that you wouldn’t want him too. All the passion he felt for you built up to this, and he’d do anything to help you understand how perfect you were to him.

The motions of his mouth grew more eager by the second before he found a consistent rhythm that seemed to earn the most precious noises from your lips. Nothing had ever brought you so close to your orgasm so quickly.

"Maker, it feels so good" You cried out, knowing you were close to falling over the edge. He knew it, too, and didn't dare change a thing about his pace now.

Suddenly, your orgasm burst open with overwhelming ecstasy. Your body squirmed involuntarily in his grasp, so he grabs your hip and pulls your body harder against his face, not letting you relinquish even a second of the full intensity of your climax. Echo groaned against your clit, sending vibrations across your sensitively and driving you absolutely wild. The stars in your vision began to fade as you crept slowly down off of your high.

"Oh my god, Echo" You exclaim breathlessly. Your legs trembled while he slowly stood to his feet.

"Sweetheart, I-" He started, failing to find the words to describe how he felt.

A sudden knock came at the door.

"Y/N? Are you alright in there?"

It was Wrecker, and based on the sounds of feet shuffling beyond the door, you assumed the rest of the guys were out there, too.

How kind of them to check on you, too, but stars, they couldn't have picked a worse time than this. You both exchanged a glance of amusing disappointment, knowing you both wanted to rip each other's clothes off right then and there.

"Another time" You smiled warmly.